The Old Rulers Return (19&26/09)

As an exhausted BB steps over the threshold into New Hillborrow she immediately makes a beeline for her flower field, waving hello to many a familiar face on the way. Arriving at the field she clambers into the large tent she calls home, searching for her journal and a small pouch that she scoops up. But no rest is be had right now, as she clambers back out to access the shack that B.B.B.B.B.B is mainly run from. A small brown parcel has been left on the entrance step, which is also promptly scooped up.
Once inside, the table reserved for flower cutting and arranging is cleared as various bits of loot, some notes, the journal, a spellbook, and the parcel are all dumped onto it. Now comfortable with her set up BB flicks open the journal to the most recent page and gets started on her writing.

—

Well, right, okay, this is another snake themed entry and like the last one it is also going to be just as long and confusing. After I left a message with Aurelia’s office about that diamond I found I went to meet with Serpentine to help her investigate whatever this issue with the Yuan-ti really is. Turns out it was just going to be me and Serp taking a 2 day road trip to the Sunset Spires, she didn’t seem particularly happy about this as after the first hour she kinda just straight up ignored me…. (Before ignoring me she did inform me other companions would be waiting for us on the side of the mountain).
Anyway, turns out that diamond was definitely what Aurelia was looking for, a messenger caught up with us outside of town and gave me a very official letter and meeting coin in exchange for the diamond itself. The letter was wax sealed and everything!
As we reach the mountain we finally stumbled upon the mentioned group of companions, I was happy to see Pieni and Traavor, but there were also two heavily armored people I have not seen before. Baine, who was already angry and staring daggers at Serpentine, and Varis who was doing the same but with less words (Baine did calm down after I made him a nice flower crown). After a tense meeting we continued on to the other side of the mountain for another 2 days travel, luckily we had a map Ixcel had given the others to guide us. Supposedly she’s a decent yuan-ti with lots of riddles and a snake companion, which is kinda cool.
As we continued on the weather got significantly worse, with dark clouds blocking out the sun, and the star in the west above the mountain started to pulse. Varis also pointed out that there seemed to be a new peak in the distance that was also surrounded by dark clouds filled with flashes of light. It was all very ominous and put everyone on edge even further. Once we reached the point on the map Ixcel gave us, with the temperature getting dreadfully hot, we noticed those dark clouds were actually a massive violent sandstorm. Just great.
Before we continued on to what was waiting for us in this hot sandy stormscape, we made camp behind a conveniently placed massive adamantine rock sticking out of the ground.
Things got interesting that evening. I had nightmares, most of us did. Traavor even managed to get hurt from his. I dreamt of home, of the Fire again, but there were memories and bits that I haven’t seen before. I was shaken, we all were, all the more reason to get done and get out of here as quickly as possible.
After continuing further down the other side of the mountain (as the ground was rumbling?) we encountered snakes in cages swinging from more large rocks. Pieni acted as a translator for the snakes, supposedly one was a ‘priest of the cobra’ that wanted us to free them, and then decided to bad mouth Serp’s snake god. That didn’t go down very well. She just outright starts attacking them, evidently we’re all a bit angry at this.
As the cages slowly get broken during the fight, two of the snakes transform into yuan-ti princess and priest, and one turns into a monster with a cobra head (super great). I tried to reason with them by mentioning Ixcel, but turns out they really don’t like her so that didn’t work.
Then Varis gets gosh darned kidnapped by a devil!! Before said devil disappears they casually drop that they’re the 2nd litenuent of Glaysa, and that ‘we’ll have fun later’ (No. Thank. You).
So at this point cobra head is up in flames, I’ve put the priest to sleep, and Baine has been enchanted by the princess to get us to stop fighting. Which admittedly worked, but I certainly didn’t like her methods. Once the fighting stopped she finally gives us some information about what is going on, after trying and failing to convert Serp to the One Serpent. Supposedly they broke a pact they made with Glaysa about 850 years ago to protect their kind from the invaders from the West, but obviously Glaysa isn’t happy about that and is now destroying their kind and turning this part of the mountain into another part of hell. The princess eventually lifts the spell off Baine in exchange for the imprisonment diamond Serp still has, but she also wanted us to retrieve a map and its case from another temple of theirs nearby (and if we didn’t she would hunt us down and make sure we could never leave etc. etc.).
After the magic she pulled on Baine I certainly was not doubting her abilities, so after getting directions and tips on how to get through the temple I was quite keen to get on with it. She specifically mentioned entering through its left eye, respect the snakes, stay hidden. As we’re heading off she hands a golden fanged necklace to Baine that’ll let us get some answers about our dreams from the temple prophet, she also mentions that the pulsing star is supposedly a signal that a hidden city of serpents can now be found (It’s somehow related to the Winged Serpent, so maybe the city is really in the star).
As we finally enter the temple the shaking of the ground is getting more intense, and we’re met with the signs of an intense battle inside that the yuan-ti are certainly losing. We also encounter one remaining guardian called Sitlali (bit intense, but nice enough) who gives us further directions after seeing Baine’s necklace. They mention that the battle has already been going on for days and the devil’s main goal is to capture the inner sanctum, so avoid that at all costs.
Off we went! Bowing at every snake statue we found, nearly getting ambushed by a devil (which actually got Blue, but Serp’s demon made quick work of it), finding trapped hallways, and getting wall rubbings and mural sketches in magical darkness. The mural depicted some yuan-ti battles, one on a mountain and one on a volcanic island.
Once we finally found the staircase to the room with the map, that Varis kidnapping devil appears and blocks our way, wouldn’t let us through without making a deal so that we could get Varis back. Turns out it really really wanted us to turn the princess over to them, wants vengeance for Glaysa and all that. Supposedly the devils aren’t interested in meddling with the rest of Kantas but it was kinda hard to believe that. Serp snaps up that deal in no time, I think I’ve lost count of how many i’ve witnessed now.
So we’re back on track as we make it up the stairs and eventually find the map and case among some other items, including a crystal that would allow the princess to teleport us to her. Which sounds like an easy escape apart from the fact that the whole chamber was rapidly filling up with sand!
Luckily we get out and give the princess her map and case, who quickly leaves with a small group of her people, then mentions over her shoulder the brazier we found can also help understand our dreams (she could have said that from the beginning!). We also get Varis back in one piece and ready to fight the next thing that moves, luckily he put down the weapons pretty quickly. Then we legged it out of there!
The journey back was pleasantly uneventful, with the others peeling off the path to get back to their homes. They entrusted me to identify and look after the loot we found, especially the snake dream brazier.

That reminds me, I need to send invites to them all, and get Blue back.

Much Love,
BB

—

BB eventually closes the journal and warily gets up from her seat to retrieve the pouch and spellbook from where she set them down. An hour later a magpie appears on the table from the arcane runes ready for head scritches, which they receive plenty of.
“Alright Blue I think the bag I asked Ranulf for has arrived, and perfect timing too, lets try it on and start putting it to use right away”. Unwrapping the brown paper parcel reveals a very small messenger bag, the perfect size for a magpie. After taking a moment to write five invites on some paper, BB pops them into the bag around Blue as she issues instructions and directions to the magpie. “And when you see them what are you going to say?”
“Hello, nice to meet you again, I have a letter for you” Blue recites in an imitation of BB’s voice.
BB nods her head and opens the front door to the shack wide, “Good luck, and remember to come straight back if anything goes wrong” And with that Blue nods its little head and shoots out the door and into the sky.
With the door shut BB glances over to the loot on the table and scoops up her spell book once again
“Guess I should get to work too”