Scale It Up - 23/06/2022 - A Kavel Perspective

Caution: although you are about to read ‘A Kavel Perspective’ there will be some smooching and sexual activity hinted at and also described a little.



Off to the Court of Harmony, She Said…

“Who wants breakfast doughnuts?!”

…

It was 10:30 and I had met comrade Amble, my gnome wizard friend and his companion Stiffy the mastiff. We had both been invited by our fairy-beetle and pugnacious comrade Beets, to go on an adventure. Joining us was comrade Cyclone, who was new to me. Mendel, though, had met her on his first adventure here in Kantas. I could see she was an air genasi, Mendal said she is a badass with her staff and also unarmed fighting - like me - and that she loved gold attire. I did not doubt my dwarven friend’s opinion, but of the two things he mentioned, I could only confirm the latter, as Cyclone wore a very nice golden monk robe.

It was the Summer Solstice today. It was rather hot and the sky was clear, not a single cloud. It felt a bit humid, but otherwise the weather was good. It was a good time for a celebration, or it would be if a gith invasion wasn’t expected in the next week or so.

What was Beets’ adventure? She wanted to go to the Court of Harmony. She met a gemstone dragon there that she reckons could be recruited for the Dawnlands aerial defence.

…

“Who wants breakfast doughnuts?!” Beets asked, arriving a little late with bags of donuts. So many donuts. Not quite as big as the hamper of scones Emmon Ashkeeper gave us that time at his farm, but lots. I took one out of politeness - and it was delicious.

There was a long queue to Portal Plaza’s portal. One of the mage portal operators spotted us, saw we were adventurers and kindly brought us to the front. As we were on a mission for the city - we had precedence. Well, this was beneficial. Beets offered our gratitude by giving the mages a bunch of the donuts. I could hear some groans and displeasure from the crowd behind us, as their own journeys got delayed by us queue-jumpers. So, if Beets would now just say where we were going, we could get there fast and reduce the disruption…

… Beets, however, was not sure where the Court of Harmony resided. This was disappointing.

As a fey creature, I could have sworn Beets would just know where the Court was. But, as it happened I remembered Marto mentioned something about his sister being the Queen there and Amble and I figured the Harmony Court was a subset of the Summer Court.

I could hear a very disgruntled man yelling at us from the crowd. I resolved the matter. Reaching into one of the donut bags, I pulled out a nice donut. I stepped out of the crowd to better see the man who was frustrated, and said, “calm down please, sir! Have one of these nice donuts. Here!,” and I threw a nice, sugared donut his way across the crowd. He caught it, a few sprinkles of sugar washed over his face. I started to consider my action would not resolve the man’s frustrations, but then he took a bite, and pleasingly, although with some reluctance it seemed, he agreed the donut was very good.

One of the mages opened up the portal to the Summer Court for us, and we left the hot weather of the city and entered into the Feywild.


The Summer Court - Oven Hot. But Definitely Not Phlegethos Hot

Yes. To be fair the Summer Court, although it was baking here and humid, it was not oppressively hot like in Phlegethos, where the humidity was like a heavy weight all over your body. Also, there is a nice skyline here. Although, I myself would have preferred a warm climate with the nice, fresh wind of mountain air. I don’t mind the hot weather, but I feel it’s better when on a mountain.

The above thought about mountain weather was, however, not my first reaction to stepping through the portal. I’ve been to the Witching Court twice, and was warned emotions and sensations are heightened here. But in the Summer Court, as I put foot on ground, I felt drunk with anticipation.

I am very disciplined with matters of the mind. I am a zen god when it comes to strength and physicality, but additionally, my mind is also well disciplined. If my thoughts wander on an emotional register that will lead to negativity, I just rein myself in by acknowledging the feeling and witnessing them as they eventually pass away to be replaced by a new sensation or thought. It perplexes me that others do not have this discipline. Here in the Summer Court though - my mental discipline was challenged. I had a strong awareness that somewhere there was something that would make for a very enjoyable strength challenge. The anticipation was exhilarating.

“Guys what are you doing? we gotta find Qirlira!” My floating fairy friend said, breaking my mental fixation on my hidden challenge.

Beets flew up to navigate, while we all tried to look around. I could see something over the rolling hills and fields, a mountain further off - nice - and something else. A structure?

There was no time spent discussing what we saw though, as a colourful, small flying creature joined us.


Lumina the Faerie Dragon - Sugar Addict - Feed with Caution

Floating next to Beets was a small dragon creature with butterfly-like wings.

“Hey! You’re new! Where are you from? Have you got any sweets?”

As I remember this now, you might be forgiven for thinking that I was quoting Beets, but no, this was the small creature, who eventually introduced herself as Lumina. Beets gave her the last donut, and Lumina gobbled it up eagerly.

Lumina was keen for more sweets. She asked us our names as she asked if we had any sweets. We introduced ourselves.

I didn’t have any sweets, and Beets’ old bagel she retrieved was rejected. Come to think of it, I was surprised comrade Amble didn’t offer any leftover pocket cheese - maybe this is a positive sign that he has cleared out his snack pocket? Then again, I guess he didn’t offer because cheese is savoury, not sweet.

I remembered I had something that might be suitable, but it contains alcohol. I offered Lumina my Autumnal Cocktail of Plenty, which was gifted to me by Leona Autumn, with it I could ‘magic’ up one of three cocktails. Comrade Cyclone had a solution for the alcohol content - she had a Tankard of Sobriety! I poured a Pumpkin Spice Latte into comrade Cyclone’s tankard, and was ready to sample the content when Lumina zipped over to sit on Cyclone’s arm and stuck her snout in the tankard and started lapping up the content. I mentioned to my comrades that I believed other adventurers have a summer version of the magical cocktail container. Lumina was fascinated in the summer version. Lumina also asked if we were here for the celebration. Beets told her we were here to see Qirlira. Lumina claimed to be Qirlira’s best friend.

Lumina was just about to say something concerning where she was going before running into us, but she paused and looked around. So, did we. And I could not recognise where the hell we were. We were now on the edge of some woods, which was not where the portal brought us.

There was a path through the woods, which Lumina suggested we follow. It was at this point that Beets asked Lumina for her name, which she gave, but then asked for our names - but she knew them already! Lumina apologised and said sweet things made her confused. I felt like this small dragon tricked us into giving her sweet things. Beets asked me what was in the Spiced Latte. I put my finger in the Tankard of Sobriety to check for alcohol and compared it to a sample of the Cocktail of Plenty. Only one of them contained alcohol. Seems like sugar is at fault here.

Lumina then zipped down the forest path. As our only guide, we followed her.


Follow the Sugar Addict - And Are Mountains Better Than People?

White birch trees populated this forest with a notch of deep brown foliage above. Despite the forest’s canopy, sunlight reached the path and lit the way. We could hear creatures running around the verdant green grass around us.

As we walked the path, I heard a whisper in the trees and could have sworn they asked me if I would rather live in a treehouse in a vast forest like this one with other creatures around, or live in a cave in a mountain isolated alone. This was an interesting question. I had to give it some thought. As I did, I could have sworn I stopped moving to consider things, but I could still see my feet move one in front of the other. And the trees, it seemed like they lent in towards me to better hear my response. After some consideration, I chose ‘mountain’. I assumed I could come and see the creatures in the forest any time I wanted, but I’d rather live in a mountain, even if it meant I was the only one there.

Normally my mind does not wander like this on the material plane and when it does, I catch myself doing it. In the Summer Court, the Feywild, I only caught myself when we came across a divide between the forest we walked and a canyon before us.


Lumina Definitely Does Not Know Where She Is Going

“That’s not where the path went before!” Lumina claimed. I believed her, but this was nevertheless disconcerting.

The vast ledge before us was windy, but the temperature was still as hot as an oven.

“Well… I can fly. Kavel…?” Beets asked.

“Ha, ha. How far is it? Can you tell?” I asked.

Beets floated over the ledge and scouted around. She said below us, in the vast chasm, was like a valley of intersecting gorges of purple and magenta stone with crystals. I peered over the edge - it was mesmerising.

Lumina said this must be the Damphenite Tangle.

Suddenly, we had more company. Lots more.


Sprites - Occupants of the Damphenite Tangle

From the canyon, armoured and armed sprites emerged, flying up in front of us. Tiny creatures, like Lumina, between one and two feet tall.

“And what are you doing here, heh? You are not from around here - are you here for the celebrations?” We were asked by the sprite in charge.

Beets responded that we were here to see Qirlira. The sprite in charge looked at us and at our Summer Court companion, and then asked, “have you been following the faerie dragon?”

“... yes,” Cyclone responded.

It was clarified for us that Lumina and Qirlira were friends, but Lumina can easily be distracted by sweets.

The sprite leader introduced herself as Nathalie Walnut. She looked pretty thicc. This was impressive.

“Ms Walnut, could you tell us what the celebration is about, please?” I asked. She looked at me, and I believe she was sizing me up, when she responded, “you’re tall,” she also mentioned that she thought we would know what the celebration was about since we had a fairy beetle with us. At that, I gave a side glance towards my floating comrade.

In retrospect, I realised what a dumb question it was to ask what the celebration was about, when Amble said it must be about the Summer Solctice, since we were in the Summer Court of the Feywild, on the day of the Summer Solctice.

Nathalie Walnut explained that there would be celebrations all over the Summer Court. Big parties because of a huge, important decision the queen had to make about choosing a partner for the year. Choosing her ‘Oberon’, “cause we ladies do it better,” Nathalie said… I gave a side glance down towards Amble.

We were invited into the Damphenite’s home. But, we discovered that even Beets and Amble were too big to get in. Nathalie whistled and some other sprites brought us some potions that would help matters.

Cyclone had the presence of mind to clarify if the Demphenite Sprites would be able to help us reach the gemstone dragon, Qirlira. Nathalie sent some other sprites to go find an individual called Cay, who would be our guide, but until then, Nathalie wanted to know if we would consume the potions, that would render us sprite-sized, and come join them?

Comrade Amble, like in our previous adventure with the Mindflayers, attempted to reach an agreement with the Damphenite Sprites for aid against the gith invasion. But, Nathalie mentioned they had their own battles to fight here, and that sparing soldiers might risk them looking weak against someone called Ulorian. Beets was familiar with the name of this Archfey. Beets was immediately antagonistic when hearing the name. As a result, it seemed to me that the Damphenite Sprites were good people.

My comrades were downing their potions.

“Kavel?” Beets asked quizzically. I had not drunk my potion.

Twice now, I have experienced the inverse of the spell contained in this potion; the Enlarge spell. First it was the comrade I call ‘Red’ who casted it on me, when we - including Amble - fought a gargantuan worm in the Underdark. The second time was in the Runaway Library and my kenku comrade, Sparks casted it on me to help subdue the mechanical sentry. I am a very tall and physically well built man. Being enlarged is cheating - but very awesome. Now I’m supposed to reduce myself in mass? Reduce myself in who I am? Would the magic-users like to be told to leave their arcane focus or spell component pouch at the door?!

“... I’m drinking it,” I reluctantly replied to my friend Beets.


Into the Damphenite Tangle

I, and my comrades all shrunk to under two feet tall. I still remained the tallest - there was that.

In addition to being shrunk, the potion gave us the benefit of the Feather Fall spell, that I witnessed comrade Derthaad cast once, and we descended slowly, and safely with the sprites to their home within the canyon, amongst the tangle of intersecting natural structures.

Whilst it was hot and dry above, down here it was a little less humid, but still warm. We descended so far, it seemed like we should be underwater, but instead, and due to the Feywild’s strange properties, we were surrounded by vibrant purple stone unlike anything I had seen before.

The leader, Nathalie, explained to us that the purple crystals within the stone make the Damphenite Sprites who they are. The crystals help temper their aggression. Meditation is big in their society, and helps them connect on a spiritual level to the Feywild. They were a warrior and spiritual society.

We were escorted to a temple, where a ‘challenge celebration’ was being held, and I was very impressed with, what seemed to me, to be stonework of such craftmanship. As a mason, I had never seen a temple like it, and like the forest path, it was surprising that sunlight reached this far down.

There were stairs in the temple - helpful for guests like me. Nathalie joined us on the stairs as we walked. Beets was - as expected - absolutely thrilled at the idea of participating in a ‘challenge’ celebration. Nathalie asked us what we can all do.

Sensing the imminent combat that Beets would be involved in, I decided to coach my younger thicc-comrade. I walked up and behind Beets’ floating body and started to massage her shoulders and reminded her about the breathing technique we practised behind the western wall of Fort Ettin by the pond, the one that helped with rage control - she was not paying attention, she seemed focused on Nathalie who was looking our way.

“You know what actually? Here is your challenger,” Beets said, whilst moving forward out of my massage grip, and reversing to my back, and pushing me forward.
“Come on Kavel, what do you think of her?” Beets asked me in my ear. Now she was the coach it appeared, and also my dating advisor.

Nathalie was, well, she was hot. She was. “She’s hot,” I said.

“Do you like her?” Beets asked for clarification.

“Yes. She’s hot.”

“Maybe if you beat her in a contest, she’ll go on a date with you?”

Well, that was not an unpleasant idea, “Beets, is that how dating is done here?” I asked my ‘coach.’

It was not Beets who replied next though, “I can tell you about our dating customs later, if you’d like. But we are here for the challenge celebration - shall we go?” Nathalie overheard mine and Beets’ conversation. It appeared we were not whispering very well.


When in the Summer Court on the Day of the Summer Solstice - Fight!

Me and Nathalie stood in the middle of a large circle platform, surrounded by not just my comrades and her soldiers from earlier, but a lot of spectators.

We stood apart, like you would during a sporting combat. Nathalie limbered up, shrugging and rounding her shoulders whilst rotating her wrists with the two longswords she was armed with. She took a very long deep breath and exhaled, and the air around her seemed to vibrate… wait a minute - is she also ‘thicc’? Physically, she looked the part, both in posture and physique - she looked really good physically. Her face was bea… at that point I caught my mind being distracted and refocused!

With my suspicion in mind, and began doing some quick mobility drills and began breathing shallow and fast whilst exhaling and tensing - focused battlerage was ready.

“Will you join me then, for the challenge?” Nathalie asked to confirm my willingness to participate. I affirmed while continuing to limber up. We both breathed using our own particular method and then a signal was given - the contest had begun.


Thicc Boi vs. Thicc Gal

Nathalie’s swords had a glimmer to them. Was that additional magic ready to empower each attack? I wasn’t sure, and the best way not to find out would be to restrain her in a way that I could attack her, whilst she couldn't attack me. It was time for some Stonehand Fighting - grappling - Techniques.

We both stayed as much within our stance each, whilst stepping forward towards each other and to the centre of the circle. Both us as feinting attacks to test how the other would react and get the read on the others’ reaction.

Nathalie ‘bit’ on my right straight punch. She commited her own right hand sword swing at my outstretched right hand, taking the bait. I withdrew my right hand and intercepted her right hand with my left hand, gripping her by the wrist. With this wrist subdued for now, I pulled us towards each other managing to avoid her left hand sword’s swing. At perfect grappling distance, I switched to an overhook grip with my left hand over Nathalie’s tricep, and hooked Nathalie’s neck with my right hand. I stepped to my right - Nathalie’s left - pulled her upper body towards me with my arms, and extended my left leg for her lower body to trip over, and down she went. It was not as easy as I made it sound though, I could feel her strong resistance, but technique won through.

I followed up with knee-on-belly to pin her to the ground. I had such a good position on her. My mind wandered and I thought about what else two athletic bodies might do from a prone position?...

I snapped back to the present moment and took advantage of my superior position and threw a right straight to Nathalie’s face. I missed my exact target, hitting her cheek instead. Well done for her turning her head quickly, but it was a good punch anyway. I felt invigorated.

Perhaps I felt too confident with how well things had begun? I think to be fair, the following was a testament to her skill with longswords; she managed to attack me with them from her back, pinned on the ground. I could feel the swords’ bludgeoning impact thud into my sides - I also realised the glimmer on her blades subdued the sharpness so that they were more ‘celebration’ friendly. They were not psychically friendly though as I felt one of her swords give me a temporary ringing headache despite hitting me in the side.

I shook the ringing out of my head, and from my knee-on-belly mounted position, I rained down a couple of punches to her ribs, and then another right straight back to her cheek.

Nathalie had had enough of my free shots to her face from mount. She timed my right straight, and bucked her hips at the moment where I was leaning too far forward, and created enough space for her to slide her hips and knees under herself and stand back up. I followed her up, but I couldn’t follow her all the way up, as she used her wings to gain some height and drive some further impact into her two sword swipes. I did my best to block, but had to absorb both blows.

I stepped out to Nathlie’s left hand side as she withdrew her sword back to a defensive position, which gave me just enough time to spin into a back kick to her midsection from the change in angles of our bodies. I felt a good impact from my foot back up to my hip. I stepped back into grappling range and threw a left cross to Nathalie’s face, which hit, and provided me the time to ‘whizzer’/overhook her left arm with my right and grapple her, unchallenged.

Well, Nathalie was certainly proficient at sword fighting from a grappled position, it seemed! She did something I would have only expected someone with daggers to have the room to perform, as she slashed at my mid section with her right hand’s sword with a thundering impact, twice and with a flourish to boot. The first one hurt quite a bit. The second one less, so, but woah… was it just that I felt impressed right now?

A whistle blew signalling the end of the contest, or if you will, celebration. We held eye contact, both breathing to keep our strong bodies fueled with air, but at the same time, we both allowed our battlerage to be subdued. We retained eye contact as we did so, and we could both feel each other’s breath and the heat of our perspiration steaming off of each other’s athletic bodies.

We broke away from each other - Nathalie first - but remained in proximity.

Nathalie performed a flourishing bow in my direction. I reciprocated with a bow. She held out, not just her hand, but her arm. I was ready to reciprocate, and then I heard a voice from my ‘corner’:

“Kiss her!” Beets had shouted.

I looked over to where Beets was shouting, before looking back at Nathalie and her kissable… her face.

“That’s not customary after a challenge, but it is the Summer Solstice,” she said, calmly, and with a smile it seemed. Okay then.

I accepted her arm, mimicked her gesture and pulled her towards me, whilst I placed my left hand at the small of her back, to bring our bodies - closer than they had been in our grappling exchanges - as our faces were now so close. At this point, we would have been able to really feel each other's breath, if it wasn’t for the fact he were both holding ours. And then I lent in with a tilted head, as she thankfully reciprocated, and our lips touched, pressed together and locked, and held it there for what felt like a frozen moment in time. As our lips unlocked, our mouths opened, allowing our tongues to make the lightest of contact. We held ourselves there for a moment, and reservedly slowly allowed space to emerge between our faces. We made eye contact, and exchanged a smile between each other with our eyes and tasted the foreign moisture on our own lips.

“I’ve never met a warrior like you,” Nathalie said, breaking the silence between us.

Nathalie led me and my comrades to another area where there was food and drinks. Part of the floor was clearly meant to be used for dancing. Some of the spectators began to dance accompanied by the music of a band, and there were other areas where people appeared to be performing both meditation and physical exercise.

“Please, have some refreshments,” Nathalie told us, whilst standing, still close to me… ‘refreshments’? Was that a euphemism? Was Nathalie speaking in subtext, and I hadn’t followed? Beets seemed to have spotted something that went over my head before the challenge. I just needed to ask at that point, so I put the question to Nathalie, and lent in so only she could hear:

“By refreshments, do you mean refreshments just between us?”

“I thought you needed to get somewhere?” Nathalie responded, and I admit that I was quite disappointed at hearing her say that.

“But,” Nathalie continued, “we can make the time. Your guide isn’t here yet, and will be a while still.”

I felt, well, not just my spirits lift up. Nathalie took me by the hand and led me away from the celebrations.

“Where are you going?” Beets asked.

“Nathalie is going to show me… something to do with fighting. Special training,” I said to maintain what might be called decorum.

“Neat. Can I join you?” Beets replied.

“No - it’s just for challengers,” I said. I think we were already out of earshot.


Not Even Kavel Can Avoid The Kantas Dating Sim

…

Spectacular!

…

I was very happy that Nathalie took me away for some - ahem - ‘special training’.

…

Whilst we ‘trained’ in private, we also stopped to chat and get to know each other better. Nathalie was not just an impressive fighter. she had a great deal of responsibility here as the leader / spiritual leader of the Damphenite Tangle. She was proud of this. It was a hard life, but she felt fulfilled. I asked her about where she learnt to fight, and about some of her scars and she proudly explained them to me. She asked about where I was raised and how I got strong, and what to date had been my greatest challenge. I explained Iron Mountain and the Iron Strong Company, and the time I sacrificed my Polearm Mastery for a friend, which was more painful than the two times I came close to dying in combat.

I learnt much about life here for the Damphenite Sprites, and like when we first kissed, it felt like time had set a slower clock for us to pass the time together - we were in a world just for us.

There was a moment during our ‘private training’ that Nathalie made it quite clear that I was not to pull on her wings like I suggested might be nice, and that I hadn’t earned that right with her… but might, someday. She was very well communicative and suggested that there was plenty of fun to have still. I agreed and suggested we ‘change our stance’. The ‘sport’ was amazing. The conversation was meaningful and precious to me.


Festivities in the Main Hall

Beets and Cyclone had both gained a mask and were having a good time. Amble said he had a good chat about the purple crystals. No samples though, like with the purple flowers in the Underdark.

I was very happy to see my comrades having a good time. I gave little Beets a big hug, pinched her little cheeks and gave her a kiss on one of those cherub cheeks.

Our guides to Qirlira, Cay and May, two pixies, had arrived.

Nathalie had potions brought to me and my comrades that would make us rise to the top of the canyon and enlarge us again. I actually felt a little sad knowing I would regain my proper, immense size again.

I privately mentioned to Nathalie before we left, that I was again grateful for our special training session, conversation and time here, and that I wanted to come back to see her. She wished me well with the upcoming gith invasion with her own culture’s words - and expressed a desire to see me again sooner rather than later.

This trip to the Summer Court was a truly fantastic idea. Well done Beets!

And at that point, I supposed it was time to actually get going to the location for which we actually came here!


Qirlira

Cay and May led us in the direction I had noted much earlier in the day… I think it was earlier in the day. This was the Feywild. Beets had a look at the silver pocket watch, which she got on the moon, which could tell the time accurately on any plane. Time had seemingly passed as expected.

We passed through some coniferous and pine trees. Passed by meadows and hills, and eventually we reached a clearing, and came before a majestic structure that could have been elvish in design.

We were brought before Qirlira, the gargantuan gemstone dragon, and she was delighted to see that Beets had decided to visit her.

Beets explained our reason for coming. Beets explained the struggle the Dawnlands faced with the upcoming githyanki, dragon-riding, space pirates with a flying city.

Qirlira sympathised with us, and offered to speak with her mother, to offer the help of the Moonstone dragons of the Summer Court. Qirlira asked me to make sure that Beets stayed strong. I said I would, and felt reassured she would stay strong. Beets hugged Qirlira out of friendship and gratitude.

Qirlia asked Cay and May to take us to the nearest portal, while she departed immediately to consult her mother.


Portal Home

The pixies got us to a portal. Beets asked me about Nathalie. I told her, “Kavel doesn’t kiss and tell. But, the sex was truly amazing! Best ever,” and then I realised shortly after that I had failed at not kissing and telling.

We got back to Daring Heights, and I was both pleased and a little sad. Vaguely purple-looking objects would make me think of the Demphenite Tangle. Walnuts would make me think of Nathalie. These were all pleasant thoughts, but the mind had to be focused on one thing only - it wasn’t long now before we were expecting Gadenthor to arrive. If we survived that, then I could see about revisiting Nathalie. I supposed, this whole thing gave me more than just my usual strength training to look forward to, which was very nice. I looked forward to seeing Nathalie again, and having a story to tell her.

It also turned out that two days had gone by when we were in the Summer Court. Beets’ pocket watch confirmed this when we checked it. The time was accurate in the Feywild, and it readjusted correctly when we got back.