Session 23

Fact Sheet: a gilded blade in the dark

Players present: Ecchima, Marty, Meinhart, Tuur and Vinnie. Dins was our DM.

Date: 24-05-23

Date in-universe: We leave Damanhour on Sunday morning, we meet The Gilded Blade on Wednesday night.

Major developments:

.

Previously: session 22 Is Moon Mommy Still Mad?

Next episode: session 24

Notes

After the thrilling conclusion to Saturday’s ritual, we spend part of the night in happy celebration. Who knew bagpipes could sound so jovial? After resting for the next of the night, and a last hearty breakfast by Mohsine, it’s a cheerful Sunday morning when we leave Damanhour.

Before we set out, Saumi thanks us again for our help with Lunaire’s temple. As he does, he tells us the name of Sampson's father: the Lunaire mage Godefroy grew up in (or around) Damanhour and built the sanctum in thanks for Lunaire's gift of magic. Sampson moved to Koh’Shar because there’s a bigger market for magic there (or used to be, at least). He did come back from time to time to Damanhour where he grew up, though. Whenever he did, he always spent some time in the temple. He was here 2 years ago and then his latest visit was 6 months ago, probably a stop on the way to the Royal Rosarian Army.

.

As we set out, Storm notices the sandals respond to him: where yesterday they still felt a bit awkward, today they feel soft and malleable. They infuse a feeling of weightlessness, so Storm doesn't really leave footprints anymore. He can guess that when jumping (or falling) down, he'd be cushioned very well and avoid hurting himself. They also seem to anticipate his actions: when he wants to kick something, the gold seems to anticipate the impact & harden. A kicked pebble just soars through the air!

Meanwhile Gladiola is at work in her cart, eagerly setting the tiny crystals in the settings we chose:

For Hali, the empty spot in the necklace where she took out the pearl she offered to Lunaire
For Ezra, a pendant they can attach to their bandana
For most of us, a ring.
El(drin) confers with her if it’d be possible to set in the pommel of their sword. Although Gladiola stresses she’s only observed more experienced lapidarists working with these god-stuff crystals, she explains she’s convinced their sword needs a bigger, more powerful crystal. This tiny shard would be consumed within a matter of hours, a few days at most, and its energy would hardly stop the corruption and corrosion spreading over the hilt anyway… El(drin) accepts a simple ring, like the rest of us.

When she’s done, she remarks that she’s never felt this connected to Lunaire, despite her decades as a moon elf… With a grin, she remarks that she feels invigorated, even this far from civilization! When she starts extolling on the virtues of a facial, a massage and a mani-pedi, Storm is happy to offer his services… but before a pale Fyllion can even respond, Gladiola indicates she was thinking more about cucumber slices over her eyes than an athlete's massage!

.

During the hours on the road, and some of our breaks that Sunday,

Fyllion practises his songs on the back deck of the cart
El(drin) works with Madonna: she now recognizes her owner & would probably start following El(drin) without reins
Hali, Aqueel and Storm practise Common and Aquan. Aqueel in particular is making a lot of progress!
Ezra spends a while sewing as they meditate on their overwhelming feelings about the gods who suddenly seem to intervene directly in our lives.

We all have some conversations about the nature of magic.

Ezra picks some fragrant and colourful flowers for Enza (with Aqueel's help) and presses them between some of Gladiola's books (after obtaining permission of course).

.

Dusk falls, we finish the day's travel. As we set up camp, El(drin) makes a point of offering a prayer to Lunaire. The next morning at dawn, they offer a prayer to Soliman, welcoming the god in their heart for the day, assuring an equitable balance between the two gods.

.

As Monday dawns, we travel on & keep practising our skills.

During the language lesson, Aqueel offers Hali one of the pearls from his "hair" because she gave her pearl to Lunaire back in Damanhour. That way, Hali will remember Aqueel. Did he ever tell her how strongly she resembles Uncle Astarian? Maybe he gave her the original pearl? Hali thought it was a sea pearl, but it's always been on her & she never wondered about it... As the conversation carries on, in a mix of Common and Aquan where we correct each other’s pronunciation or suggest better vocabulary, we learn :

Hali was born to a half elf mother and a water genie father, neither of whom she ever knew or met
her human stepparents are Craig Fergusson Emily McBanner: they found her somewhere on the shores of the Hammerhead Coast and raised her as their own child.

Travelling seems to be in her blood, and that's how Hali eventually joined the Young Kraken. Her adventures with the crew appear to bring her to places she’d never have thought to visit on her own, and isn’t it exciting that that’s how she met Aqueel?!

Aqueel giggles that he would be interested to visit her human parents, and wouldn’t it be an amazing co-incidence if we ran into her birth parents… or if she came home with Aqueel and his irresponsible uncle who loves wild oats was also there?!

Jumping into the breach when this lesson is getting awkward, Ezra mentions their father also travels a lot for business too: his name is Jacob Saree, because the Saree fashion empire is run as matriarchy, so he took the Saree name when he wed Ezra’s mother.

Distracted from his uncle, Aqueel explains no one uses lasts names in the Sea of Storms. If you’d dare to claim a relationship that didn’t exist, his dad the king would probably beat you and kill you and dry out your skull!

We keep talking about families: Aqueel has a lot of older siblings, he's the baby since his parents have a late attack of baby fever. His siblings are too old to play with him, so he’s often alone with servants. Ezra talks about Anushka, their youngest sister who's very nice, like all of Ezra’s sisters. Aqueel's sisters are usually mean. When marids come of age, they should set out and conquer their own territory or even found a new kingdom... Hali confirms that every marid she's ever met has a very dominant personality and considers themselves the most important marid ever. Astarian's wandering without settling and his repeated returns to Hanaïn's palace are deemed weird and seem to sully his reputation as respectable royal marid…

.

Later that Monday, during a quiet moment, Ezra asks El(drin) how they cope with hearing 2 gods & receiving gifts from both of them. El(drin) puts forward their theory again that there's only one god, with different aspects that worshippers vibe with. Following the aspect you prefer is not bad, praying to all the aspects is also feasible. El(drin) welcomes Lunaire in their heart at dusk & does the same with Soliman at dawn.

Ezra feels even more confused than before... but El(drin) is ready to teach Ezra a Lunaire prayer:

I stand here before you with an open mind, yet a hardened spirit. Act your vengeance through me, let me be the tip of dine sword. Let me fulfil my destiny in my service to your greatness.

Though a little worried about all talk about vengeance and violence, this Ezra thinks it's useful inspiration but it doesn’t really resolve their religious confusion. For Clíodhna, the Saree family used to observe weekly meals and tiny personal rituals... so these prayers are a new thing. Perhaps Ezra will join El(drin) during the evening prayer for Lunaire at dusk.

.

Later in the afternoon, Gladiola takes Ezra apart: what's the deal with El(drin) and all this talk about divine vengeance and murdering people?? She refuses to pay us to enact religious terrorism!

On the inside, Ezra has a mental breakdown: where the hecking heck is Captain Magpie when you need him, when did El(drin) become so obsessed with their quest that they mutter daily prayers about it, why does Fyllion keep blabbing about us being pirates, we kidnapped a kidnapped kid, and when they turn around, as often as not, they see Storm up to his knees in some guy's chest! Swallowing all their despair down, Ezra reassures Gladiola that it's a private thing & El(drin) won't reflect badly on the Faraday name. Gladiola sees how overwhelmed Ezra is, trying to fill Captain Magpie's boots & agrees to leave them be, as long as they’re aware of her concerns.

.

As we reach a split in the road on Monday night, we decide to set up camp. To the east, the road leads to the coast and the port town Hod Oran, where passage on a ship is now ridiculously expensive. To the north-west, the road leads deeper into the woods, with the tiny hamlet Yaruda as the first destination in the direction of The Vale, the easiest pass through the mountain range The Spine, currently the natural border between Rosaria and Thalmiria. That’s the direction Gladiola wants to take & she hired us to deal with the obstacle that’s cropped up according to rumours…

That evening El(drin) & Ezra pray together for Lunaire.

We’ve noticed that Fyllion has been rather quiet, despite the long hours of song rehearsals. Around the campfire that Monday night, Fyllion breaks his silence and starts a conversation. Privately he cast Detect Thoughts before he starts:

Fyllion thinks: I feel insecure, but I have to know / We see his lower lip quivers a little as he says “Ever since Ezra expressed they’d been doubting I'm a real prince after I sang you the song of the scorpion and the frog, I wonder what you all think of me?
Ezra thinks: I'm the worst surrogate captain / Their face shows nothing.
El(drin)’s mind is a maelstrom of mixed feelings around Simeon / They blink silently at Fyllion.
Hali’s thoughts are still preoccupied: Astarian is my father, and Aqueel... my cousin...? What the hell is he asking now, doesn't he know I like making beautiful music with him – should I tell him it’s annoying when he cowers so much during combat / We see several emotions flit across her face, but she makes no verbal reply.
Fyllion travels along with Storm’s mind to the starkly beautiful sand dunes around Nawa, following a confident Enza to the restored well where the sweet groundwater breaks the surface… the desert’s thousand shades of orange, beige, ochre and pink in the rays of the rising sun strike a group statue overlooking the water… as Enza’s hand rests on the central figure, Fyllion recognizes himself… just as Enza moves on to the shifter shape to the right of Fyllion, the vision dissolves… / We hear Storm’s answer, cast across the fire in a low voice: many artists find their inspiration in suffering, others sublimate their personal confusion into masterful expressions about the sentient condition. This is the guiding principle behind my own züchtungsreise! Fyllion, just keep in mind that the journey matters as much as your destination, and you should be fine.

Ezra’s mind fills with memories of Captain Barney Morgan, their personal lodestone of vile personalities / We notices Ezra’s conviction as they explain: even if you lie, we trust you're a good person, a valued crew member and a dear friend!

With shining eyes, Fyllion thanks us for our love and friendship, with the words “breaking your trust might kill me”. In silence his mind races over all the lies he already told us. He’s not surprised that he (and he alone) hears Virgil make fake gagging noises from the water skin.

.

Lightening the mood, Hali muses if we’re all royal in the company? Aqueel, our little prince, Fyllion, our big prince, Hali, inspired by her water genasi legacy to rule over oceans, seas, lakes or maybe just a local puddle, Ezra, the prodigal offspring of retail empress mrs. Saree…

Gladiola wittily snarks that she won't pay us any extra just because we’re gainfully employed sovereigns!

.

As Tuesday dawns, El(drin) prays to Soliman, before they wake the others to break camp. We follow the road to Yaruda as that's what Gladiola wants. We enter a more woody area. It's still very dry but they're taller than the shrubs around Damanhour. Chalcedony can run next to the cart at times, now that the ground is, you know, ground, instead of burning sand baking for hours in the desert sun.

.

After a few miles, we encounter 2 humans travelling towards us:

the man Sahir and the woman Satine wear gloriously colourful robes. Both look well groomed, with nice rings flashing underneath their frilly lace cuffs, and dramatic kohl eyeliner adding depth and drama to their eyes. Both wear a richly burnished leather belt, with a decorative shortsword in a gilded sheath. Their weapons look ostentatious rather than practical. Threatening isn’t even on the horizon. They make no effort to travel stealthily
their camel is laden down with bags and sacks and chests, as well as a saddle, in which the woman is drowsing.

They call out to us that we’re travelling on a dead-end-road: they’ve just been to Yaruda, but no one is there anymore! We learn:

Yaruda has always been a tiny hamlet: just 7 druids lived there. These magic users have a time honoured role in the local ecosystem, keeping the fey wild influence from spreading too far from the portal in The Vale and maintaining the integrity of this world’s forests…
Sahir and Satine travelled there to trade for psychedelics (mainly magic mushrooms and fey flowers) in exchange for some of their luxury goods
Now the habitat appears abandoned. Sahir and Satine didn’t notice any signs of struggle: most huts were empty, but stuff did seem abandoned, like their religious wind chimes left behind, a fire pit was probably still burning 3 days ago and just left to burn out, some leaves and dust has accumulated on door steps or window sills…

Did they have to flee, were they taken, did they all travel to the Vale to increase wood production for the looming war? Could they have abandoned their responsibility vis à vis the fey wild just like that?

Sahir and Satine left, seeking out other opportunities for trade… but they figure we can go look (and maybe loot) the hamlet before we turn back, if we don’t want to take their word for it!

.

Fyllion explains we're mercenaries leading Gladiola to the north, they should join us, because we are masters of alchemical science! No obstacle stands a chance against the might of our rational minds! Storm uses Lunaire’s gift of thaumaturgy to cause a booming echo for some of Fyllion’s words, making Gladiola nervous by displaying this magic cantrip!

Quickly, Ezra opens negotiations. Satine seems amused and they reach an agreement. They’ll travel with us to Yaruda and beyond. They’ll pay us

5 gold if we agree to eat humble pie when the obstacle proves to be too much for us
250 gold if we succeed in leading them to The Vale and/or across The Spine, since that’s what passage on a ship from Hod Hogor would cost for 2 people, a camel and their trade goods.

Fyllion presents us as the crew of the young kraken: mercenaries by day, an improv troupe at night! Seizing the opening, Storm offers a protection package against the fey wild creatures: since the druids are missing, who knows what we’ll encounter! Fyllion adds that the roads are safe because we finished the Sable Serpent’s cruel reign. They shouldn’t hesitate to benefit from a good deal!

Amused, Sahir and Satine decide to join us, but aren't interested in paying an advance.

.

They show off their goods: specialty teas, rare wines, a wide range of paints, luxurious silks, etc. As Ezra’d finished reworking Nasser’s robe into a tunic for themselves, Ezra was left with two sleeves. They’d embroidered one as a gift to Lunaire last Saturday, and now they’ve reworked the last sleeve from Nasser's closet into a fashionable neckerchief. They trade with Satine for a part of a roll of raw drow silk organza from deep in the Spine. Satine is amazed at their embroidery skills: why do you waste your time travelling with this improbable improv troupe?? Being a seamster would be a lot more lucrative, esp. now that contact with the drow has fallen off so much, we don't even know if the weaver god Clíodhna is still worshipped there, so maybe the skill in making these rare fabrics has been lost…

To sweeten the deal, Ezra spins a exhilarating story about a band of friends waking up in Ghorann's cage. Baaloo helps make it an impressive tale. With this added incentive, Satine and Ezra are both more than satisfied with the trade.

.

Meanwhile Fyllion strums his lute & manages to enthral Sahir. When the older man questions why Fyllion isn’t playing in concert halls, he nods sagely that it's the lot of the artist to suffer, in order to infuse his art with the salt of the earth. Hallowed concert halls are anathema to true artistry.

Sahir nods, he also uses his sitar to express his frustration with these extra taxes and stuff! Fyllion sets the scene for Storm's ballet who delights in the way his divine sandals make the battements of gargouillade easier… till he’s inspired to simply leap over Sahir’s camel in a grand jetté à la barrée! Hali's up next with her bagpipes! El(drin) tries to prevent the use of bagpipes on a non-Saturday, but Ezra convinces them to let the crew show off a little: “let's all just entertain our new friends”. We notice Gladiola looks on with quiet pride, while Sahir and Satine seem thoroughly titillated by our talents. Eventually El(drin) caves, putting in earplugs... just as Hali rolls A THREE for her performance.

With a cheeky grin, Sahir compliments her song: it probably sent all the bears in these woods running. Storm and Fyllion hasten to reassure Hali we haven't allowed her to practise enough, so we vote to change the pirate code. El(drin) stares at us in defeat, but gracefully accepts majority rule.

Fyllion plays a celebratory song on his new flute.

.

That Tuesday evening, as El(drin) and Ezra pray together, Sahir brews a delicious spicy tea for everyone.

Satine and Storm take the first watch. El(drin) takes the darkest shift, on their own, feeling close to Lunaire. They notice that Gladiola switches some lights on, to work in her cart, she doesn't need a lot of sleep either.

Before she goes to bed, Satine checks in with El(drin): despite her admiration for El(drin)'s ability to see in the dark, she's not really interested in adoring the gods. El(drin) encourages her to make time, because they feel the world is at a crossroads in the gods' plans with the world and its inhabitants: just keep the gods in your heart. Despite the fact that such a transactional relationship might appeal to her merchant heart, Satine indicates she's too tired to ponder the nature of reality and the risks of the future. As she goes to sleep, El(drin) uses Lunaire’s shard’s thaumaturgy to softly narrate a religious parable in her ear.

Though the watchers all hear more wildlife scurrying around in the bushes than we ever heard in the desert, the night passes without incident.

.

On Wednesday morning, after El(drin)’s morning prayer, while we’re breaking camp, we notice Sahir takes a little bird out of a tiny cage amid the luggage strapped to their camel. Under our bleary stares, he sends it off with a message to his associates about the change of plans. El(drin) and Fyllion are wary, so they indignantly tag team Sahir to check on his motivations.

A slightly inimical conversation spins out between Sahir and El(drin), with the memory of Saatia and Simeon fresh in mind. Though Sahir categorically refuses to share his private correspondence, he eventually agrees to announce his actions next time, mainly to keep the peace.

Satine tries to settle the mood by explaining the bird is a familiar belonging to one of the other members of their guild. They routinely use it to send messages back and forth.

.

It’s another day of travel, so we spend it once more honing our chosen skills and bantering with our new friends. Madonna seems to blink with increased affection at El(drin), Satine joins the language lesson because Aqueel’s burbling language seems so charming, Sahir, Fyllion and Hali find common ground in their musical expressions, Gladiola and Ezra discuss the way patters and designs can permeate a collection…

As we travel, we spot more small wildlife in this dry landscape. The creatures seem exceptionally skittish. Here and there some trees are clearly damaged: the lichen that usually grows on healthy trees is peeling off in great dehydrated sheets, their bark is cracked and sometimes even pulverised, gnarly branches seem to wither and hollow trunks rot from the inside out… It's clear that the druids who should help maintain the health of this area, have been neglecting this area!

Storm checks on Aqueel and casts a surreptitious eye over Hali but neither seem affected by the drought in this area. When Hali looks around, she figures out there's been less rain for a good long while now.

.

Satine starts a conversation with Hali: you're the first water genasi I've seen outside of the Vale. Hali shares she was born in northern part of the Sea of Storms, and intended to travel to the southern seas, but now our adventure seems to lead back north… isn’t it the nature of an improv group to be spontaneous? Satine remarks she only knows the Sea of Storms for its kelp, which fishermen dry and their guild then exports and trades as an ingredient for hearty stews!

Storm interjects if she has any contacts in the Sea of Storms? Perhaps that might be of use to us, to help Aqueel get home… Satine thinks it’s better that we ask a fisherman on the coast or check with some of the sea elves in The Vale, or maybe we can turn to Ghorann's shop in The Vale? When Hali doesn’t respond to the eyebrow signals Storm gives her, he outright asks if Satine said Ghorann, as in the old magical bandit whom we got killed in the bad lands beyond Koh’Shar….? Satine reckons the son and daughter who run the shop together will be heartbroken. They love their dad, even though he was banished for some unknown reason. At Ezra’s thunderous glare, Storm quickly swallows the tale of how we killed the Ghorann family’s pet mimic…

.

In the dusk of Wednesday night, Ezra joins El(drin) for the prayer for Lunaire:

I sit under your protection, I let your light guide me as I guide my people, may your blessings be bountiful and our gratitude commensurate, and please keep El(drin) from doing anything they regret.

Gladiola observes, playing with the ring that has her void shard.

.

We bed down. Satine takes first watch with Fyllion, Ezra and El(drin) agree to share the middle of the night, Hali and Storm plan to take the morning shift. Aqueel is a growing boy. We won’t send him to bed before everyone else, but we do want him to sleep through the night.

As Fyllion and Satine settle close to the embers of the campfire, Satine sighs she regrets she can't play any instrument. A life focused on work without hobbies or creativity suddenly feels rather empty. Fyllion gives her a lesson the flute. She's not very good, because she doesn't want to wake anyone. Fyllion remains very supporting though.

After a while she shuffles off between some rocks to tinkle... Fyllion immediately casts Detect Thoughts... but she's out of range and he only picks up our dreams.

As he debates if he should follow Satine to spy on her thoughts, and how perverted that might seem if she’d catch him, and how bards and sailors have a reputation for having a lover in each port, and we’re not even in a port town right now, a panicked shriek rends the quiet night air! As Satine’s voice breaks in its shrillest register, her cry is immediately followed by an inhuman screech!

Sahir rumbles out of his tent, while Fyllion misty steps as close to her as possible. Fyllion spots Satine spread on the ground, clutching a wound in her side. Looming over her is an imposing figure, holding a bearded vulture, with its wings intimidatingly spread as it perches on the figure’s fist. Around its neck, a horrid jewel gleams in the night!

Sahir roars Satine’s name as loud as he can
with a polite request for help, Ezra launches the magic carpet and flits over to the area where Fyllion is
El(drin), Hali, Gladiola, Aqueel and Storm tumble out of their resting places
Fyllion picks up 3 thought patterns beyond the place where Satine is curled on the ground between the rocks: the figure thinks "they're closing in" & Fyllion picks up 2 more vague thought patterns.

Ezra warns Gladiola that it might be a trap, bandits might want to distract us from the cart and the camel with our valuables. It’s a pincher manoeuvre they’ve used on the Young Kraken in the past!

We hear a low rumbling, a fierce lioness with another jewel on her throat stalks through the bushes.

Suddenly we hear an enraged shriek: Gladiola is incensed that Sahir trapped Chalcedony in a net, with a dagger threatening. Before we can react, Satine leaps up, dances between the rocks towards Fyllion & has a dagger to his throat before he can even blink.

Sahir gloats we're outclassed by the gilded blade, so we should just hand over all the sapphires and everything Gladiola has in her strongbox. Reflexively, uncompromisingly, Hali activates her moonbeam on Satine, causing her to slash at Fyllion's throat, but in the bright light, she misses!

.

Satine and Gladiola both roll a NATURAL TWENTY for initiative, the battle promises to be fierce!

.

El(drin) launches an El(drin)'s blast on Satine, with agonizing effect. El(drin) runs closer & threatens her with their sword. Satine snaps back that we're just as bloodthirsty as the Sable Serpent, we should just acknowledge we’re outmatched and submit now, right now!
The 2 hidden bandits respond to El(drin)’s actions: “that one's attacking Satine, we have to defend her”! They don't really strike us as skilled killers, probably they usually rely on threats rather than actual fights. They both hit El(drin) with crossbow bolts. El(drin) immediately responds with a hellish rebuke on one of them, but we can all see El(drin) is in as much pain as the bandit! Some more bandits converge on Sahir and Gladiola's cart : one bandit riding a giant scorpion and another following another lion stalking our campsite. They seem to hold their actions
Gladiola forces Aqueel into Lapis' tent. In a panic over her best boy Chalcy, she exclaims she's not carrying any sapphires, haven’t they been following the current events?! She takes off her brooch from her neck. For a second it looks like she might offer this jewel for her dog, but her hands, at first lifted in a gesture of imploration and despair, suddenly sketch a swirling magic rune in the air: with the brightly glimmering vortex she’s created, she manages to put Chalcedony on top of the cart, freed from the net
Satine screams they just wanted our money, why did we not cooperate?? Before anyone can respond, Hali's moonbeam slams into Satine... with a pained cry, she disengages and tries to flee. Immediately Ezra reminds us of our code to not kill anyone who surrenders, especially aimed at El(drin), although Fyllion is also looking murderous. He gave this chick his flute, and it wasn’t even an innuendo! And this is how she repays his kindness??
Sahir growls at Satine's retreat and with the stereotypical hypocrisy of bullies everywhere he berates us "why are you choosing this violence" as he shoots Gladiola in her side. He hides behind Madonna's drinking trough and reloads his crossbow
Fyllion casts the spell Sleep in the general area where Satine is. With a NATURAL TWENTY he can hear a body stumble and fall to the ground. Fyllion gets a torch ready and walks forward a little. Crouching behind some bushes, Fyllion gives El(drin) some bardic inspiration. If the bandits don’t stop, he's ready to threaten Satine’s life as soon as he finds her in the dark
Storm chooses a protective position in front of Gladiola and Aqueel & then blinds the bandit riding the giant scorpion with colour spray. Then he activates expeditious retreat
Ezra throws fairy fire on 2 bandits, sadly missing the frightening vulture. The bandits now glow in the dark! Ezra jumps down from the carpet & politely asks it to go fetch Hali to join forces against the sleeping Satine, the 2 bandits, the lioness and the vulture
the lioness stalks towards Ezra and pounces. Ezra manages to maintain their footing. Ezra moves away a bit. The vulture takes aim at Fyllion, who luckily has some covers from the bushes and rocks and he evades the bird! On the other side of our campsite, a second lion attacks Gladiola. When it passes Storm, Eluvelon's boots show their value. Despite the pain of 12 points of damage, the lion manages to carry on towards Gladiola and bite her. The giant scorpion, undaunted by its sleeping rider, crawls towards Storm and grapples him in a vile pincher. Luckily the scorpion's sting attack misses our bendy polecat!
Hali repositions her moonbeam onto the lioness and runs over to the campfire while shifting into her starry form. When her starry arrow hits the giant scorpion, the creature is distracted from its waving Storm about & glares at Hali with its 12 squinty little eyes!

.

Images

the road from Damanhour to Yaruda