Ch. 2 - The Grand Finale

As the changeling opens their eyes and look around a confused look crosses their face as they try to make sense of what the just saw , what just happens. 'I'm fi.. They suddenly stop as if startled by the sound of their own voice and look over to the arm stuck with the others. another wave of confuse, then panic crosses their face, before they rapidly shift back into the form everyone knows best, the half-drow Ardeth.

'I'm fine. Parts of me have ben through worse, I'm assured.' She grins, before finally reading the room and realizing some of her companions are less happen with the other group.'Do you know more? If you do it would be helpful...?'

Recognizing the hostility and tenseness of the party, Dermot immediately takes a step back with his hands above his elbows as a sign of peace. Maggie the ogre and Irvan the human immediately follow suit. Galsariad remains far away from the party, but does not put his hands up, keeping his eye fixed on the jewel. Ayo takes a protective half-step in front of Dermot without raising her hands. It is clear that Ayo is the leader of this rival party, but they are not a cohesive unit yet. However, the one thing that is consistent throughout all of them is that they all look just as surprised and curious as you about this room, the events that have unfolded within it, and the jewel on the pedestal (that I don't believe any of you have picked up yet, unless Faelen was trying to, in which case he can pick it up without issue).

Ayo seems frustrated, both because it seems that her team has lost the race and that your party has taken an accusatory tone towards hers. "Listen here, I don't know who you are, where we are, or what is happening at all! Last I checked, you were in this race too, so don't pretend you weren't putting your lives in danger for the prize as well. We're a newly formed adventuring party and I just wanted to fund our first journey out of this shithole town I've been trapped in my entire life."

Dermot speaks up leaning around from behind Ayo's hip, "Truthfully, we did not know what to expect from this race, it was a lot more dangerous than we thought it would be, especially that shark. When you guys went unconscious, we heard a very distant voice, but it was hard to make out what they said. We don't mean you any harm, we just really wanted to win, and now we're a little curious about this jewel and stuff."

Faelen thinks back on the dress of the man in the vision, but cannot place the región or time period exactly. However, it does strike him as very old.

Kailani looks at the members of the other team for a moment longer. Then relaxes visibly and says:
"Alright then. I believe you. Forgive my bluntness. Where I come from, trusting strangers, especially rivals, just isn't a thing."

The Ashari woman looks around with big eyes. She asks noone in particular: "Do you reckon there's a shortcut, or shall we return the way we came?"

"It's worth looking around" Tereze nods. She gives the human a slight elbow. "No hard feelings? We should share a drink together when we get back. Maybe we can find some coin in the prize money to help you four out" She adds kindly.

Catching Ardeth's change only out of the corner of his eye, Faelan feels unsure what just happened. Shining eyes? Chalk-white skin? Is his new friend a fae touched creature? And if not, what is she? Glancing over to Tereze, the noble is even more unsure what is up with her. Coming to the conclusion that a talk between friends will be one of the following step of their acquaintance, the fighter stuffs the newly found jewel underneath his dripping studded leather armor and closes the front up to his neck. He still doesn't know whom to trust in this strange environment. Even if everybody seems to relax at the moment.

"Okay. Let's move out and end this game." he announces as the steps forward and out of the circle of his friends. Tereze's idea of allocating some of the wealth they may get, to apiece the other team, sounds like a cunning idea to the man from Rosohna. Coins come and go, but you can never have too many friends. Favouring the heavily armored woman with a pat on the shoulder while passing her, expressing approval to the priest's idea, Faelan starts moving to the exit they know. If the other group blocks his way out, he holds and looks at them askance.

Ardeth watches as Faelen takes the jewel, her hand hesitating briefly as he takes it away from the rest of them, but she lets it go, a curious look still on her face, before you turns to the others.

Drink and food sounds good. We can definitely help if you want to leave the town. Sometimes you just got to take a leap. And sometimes that leap leads you to a graveyard where you find a bunch of others also trying to be adventurers.' She grins as she tries, and likely fails, to throw her arms around all three at once.

At Kailani's relaxation, all of the rivals also visibly de-tense and put down their surrendered hands. Maggie begins exploring the cavern you and the rival party find themselves in. She takes out a notebook, large to any average-sized humanoid but puny in her ogre hands, and she begins drawing, writing, and sketching in it, trying to gather as many details as she can about this beautiful location.

Ayo's furrowed brow and the small stream of steam flowing from her ears are clear signs she is still hung up on the fact that they've lost the race, but she can't help but chuckle in agreement with Kailani, "Same goes for 'round here, everyone's always competing and it's always the rule of the top dog. Gotta earn every bit of trust and help in this town."

Ayo looks completely shocked and baffled by Tereze and Ardeth's offer of aid, "Oh, um, really? You guys would do that?" Dermot smiles and pats Ayo's leg, "See, told you there are still some good people out there." he looks at each of you with respect.

In his hands, Faelen feels the weight of the shiny new Jewel, and feels a divine sense of importance emanating from it. Just by holding and wearing the Jewel, there is a profound pull somewhere deep within him that is quickly deepening to spend some time with it, attune to it, learn its powers, and strangely, listen to what it has to say.

Throughout all of this, however, Galsariad almost never takes his eyes off Faelen, who is now wearing the Jewel. His gaze is not vindictive or threatening, but pure, magical curiosity, betraying a intense thirst for knowledge and magic in the drow. The rival party does not block anyone's exit, and instead begins walking with you back the way you came (as it does not seem like there is any shortcut out of this room), with Maggie pulling up the rear trying to spend every extra second she can inside the strange cavern.

Galsariad falls in step beside Faelen. "Would you mind telling me what happened when you all went unconscious? I must admit that I am very intrigued by this Jewel that you have found, and wish to know more details about it and the events that just occurred." There seems to be a slight twang of regret that he waited around for Ayo's orders and didn't pounce on the Jewel himself, but he is not coming off in a menacing way.

Ardeth begins considering the 'temple of great evil' this strange apparition spoke of, and something of a past life's memory burbles up from the back of their mind. The memory is foggy and feels... old, but Ardeth remembers a military outpost/settlement Southeast of Jigow called Bazzoxan (pronounced: "BAZ-oh-zan", can see it on this map), where the Aurora Watch (basically the Dynasty's military) protects the Kryn Dynasty at large from the demons and aberrations that spill from some ancient temple that dates back to the Calamity.

Getting caught by Ardeth's embrace, the noble stiffens for a heartbeat before blushing and relaxing into it. At that point in time he smiles warmly at the ... friend momentarily known as a half drow and restarts his way out of this cave. For the day, he had had enough action and visions the fighter thinks by himself. But he still hadn't found Belana. Maybe a bit later after their victory party or tomorrow?

Suddenly the Echo Knight becomes aware of the pull the magical Jewel exorcises. Conceivably Kailani could take a look in a private moment? She seems to be the most gifted of their small group.

As Galsariad steps beside him, Faelan let this train of thoughts pass and raises an eyebrow inquisitively. Listening, he wages his options before choosing: "I can't tell you much. For me it was like a hazee dream... Of a man in none distinct armor. Talking about being lost in darkness." There Faelan stops and determines the reaction of the drow mage. He is not sure what to share and what to withhold from Galsariad.

Faelen looks at Galsariad’s face, drow to drow, as he tells him of the vision they experienced, and Faelen sees nothing but extreme curiosity. Galsariad is hanging on every word, deciphering and searching for every possibility of new knowledge.

The rivals and the party make their way side-by-side back to the entrance of the Emerald Grotto. Along the way, the party fills the rivals in on what they experienced, and they all seem very curious to know more, Galsariad especially so.

WHen you reach the entrance, the rivals step back to allow your party to all break the surface of the water together before them, with the prize medallion in tow. You present the prize to the Elders of Jigow, who smile and bow to you. The pot placed precariously upon Elder Colbu Kaz's head just barely avoids falling off.

Elder Colbu graciously takes the medallion from you as Elder Ushru procures a heavy bag of coins and places it in your hands, informing you that you have also won a free night's stay at the Unbroken Tusk Inn (the inn atop the horizonback tortoise, where the pie-eating contest was held earlier today. As he retracts his hands, it almost seems as if he hears a far-off sound calling his name. He looks confusedly between the lot of you, his quizzical gaze lingering on Faelen the longest, but seems to find nothing of interest and returns to a rickety clap of his hands.

You are immediately surrounded by the crowd, children race to the front to get a glimpse of the winners before large ogres and orcs emerge from the crowd and gleefully hoist you up onto their shoulders and carry you back to town like the champions you are. The sun has fallen and the town of Jigow is fully in party mode.

The rivals generally celebrate with the crowd and follow behind you. Maggie and Irvan seem joyous and just happy to have been a part of the race. Galsariad looks lost deep in thought, mentally attached to his physical body just enough to not get lost in the crowds, all the while the intense furrowing of his brow gets progressively deeper and deeper. Ayo looks jealous and is sulking a bit, but Dermot walks at her side trying to both cheer with the rest of the crowd and cheer Ayo up, reassuring her that this is a good outcome, and pointing out how there are few people he would rather lose to than your party.

Laughing and cheering Faelan let himself lead by the crowd of children and lifts up his arms in triumph and smiles broadly at his teammates. A victory won as a group! They had done it. Their perseverance and ingenuity had brought them in the end this win!

Letting Tereze seize the money and see to it that the other team get some of the spoils, as promised, the half drow is in the mood to party! His wounds are not grieve enough to hinder him this night. Clasping Kailanis arm, the noble leads their group to the Unbroken Tusk Inn and orders a round for them and even Ayos team if they are in the mood to come along.

Naturally he wants to find out the things about his uncle, but at the moment a celebration is the appropriate thing to do!

Putting a frothy beer in Ardeths hand he clinks his jug with hers and takes a big gulp. Smiling he wipes the foam from his lips. Not a noble thing to do, but not improper of the fighter who won the Festival of Merit contest.

You might think Tereze had enough of pie from the failed pie eating competition, but it is exactly what she wants to celebrate their victory. Pies all round! And wine! It might not be as good as the stuff she's used to, but it doesn't matter once there's lots of it.

Not too long into the night, Tereze has a captive audience for her heroic retelling of the day, including arm wrestling interludes with the crowd.

The rivals partake in the evening's celebration as well, happily taking rounds of pies and shots and ordering a round for everyone as well. Irvan and Ayo take to the partying well, encouraging the arm wrestling competitions and any drinking games specifically designed to get everyone drunk, not just the losers, and especially the audience. Galsariad, Dermot, and Maggie are happy to sit around a table to the side of the action. Galsariad reads and thinks and researches, sipping on a finely aged wine. Dermot makes idle chitchat with anyone who stops by their table but is content to sit quietly, refusing any drink with an alcoholic content above that of water. Maggie pulls out a pair of glasses fit for someone of Dermot's size and writes in a journal, occasionally looking to a random corner of the room, deep in thought until the words finally arrange perfectly in her head or she needs a sip of a fanciful fruity cocktail.

A cool salty breeze seeks out Kailani in her sleep in the hours just before dawn and finds her in the chamber's bed. It caresses her back as she lies on her stomach. She wakes. She lifts her left hand from the flawless green skin, careful not to disturb the dreamer beside her and stretches like a cat, extensively and utterly silent. Noiselessly she puts her bare feet on the ground and walks the few steps towards the window. Kailani wraps herself in a coat made from light fabric and sticks her head out the window a bit. Immediately the breeze catches her locks. It plays with the young woman's hair for a moment, then the wind returns to the sea. It leaves a tangy smell and a yearning.

She makes her way through the dark room and steps outside. In a few minutes Kailani crosses the distance from the inn to the docks. She sits down at the end of the closest jetty and breathes in the smells that make her think of home. Cross-legged she feels the wood underneath as well as the slightest swaying caused by the movement of the sea, that seems to her like a living breathing organism calling for her embrace. Kailani thinks of the last few weeks, the friends she has found and the challenges they have overcome, the vision and the marvellous festivities in their honour. She has savoured all that has been offered, has enjoyed the town and it's temptations to the fullest. She feels full of life, content and hopeful as she lowers her feet into the surprisingly warm water and waits for the first light of the new day.

Tereze parties for a long time, but eventually she calls it a night and snores loudly, the noise echoing around the inn and even can be heard downstairs amongst the remaining partiers.