Hello, Everyone!
How have you been? I'm pretty great, it's false spring where I live and I'm enjoying the sun and the blue sky.
Mary and her friends, on their side, are in the middle of autumn, in a beautiful elven forest, home to a blessing of unicorns. The investigation they were on (find out who's kidnapping elven maidens and using Undead to wreak havoc all around Eastern Erathos) was interrupted by Mary lying to the others and then running away.
Last time, she was summoned to her Patron, they had a chat, he made her take a nap and suddenly everything felt clearer. Then, after giving her a new orange-seed task, he sent her back to Tesaya's home.
"And you rushed after her. Why?" Bruno's voice came from the outside. "Like a well fed cat, chasing the mouse just because it's running. Foolish!"
The door opened and Aurum, Bruno and Tesaya walked in. Mary waved a hand, awkwardly standing in the middle of the living room.
"Hey," she said meekly.
Tesaya frowned and glanced at the door she’d just unlocked.
"Oh, good, you're back," Bruno said. He turned to Aurum. "See? I told you."
The bard didn't say anything. His eyes were flashing angrily under his brows.
"I'll go and catch us something to eat," Tesaya said. “Leave you three alone and all that.”
"I'll go, too," Aurum murmured and the tone of his voice cut like a dagger into Mary's heart.
"Oh, no, you won't!" Bruno said sternly. “You’ll stay here and we’re going to talk.”
Aurum crossed his arms but stood where he was.
“What's your problem exactly?" Bruno asked.
Instead of answering, Aurum turned to Mary. "Why did you run away?" he said.
"I'm sorry," Mary said quietly. “I- I acted impulsively. I was so afraid that you were going to be angry with me, and I didn't want you to be disappointed.”
Bruno shook his head and gave out a sigh.
“Well, all right,” he said. “What happened happened. It’s not a big deal. We’ve forgiven much worse.” He glared at Aurum. “But if we're going to keep adventuring together, we'd have to learn to share anything that is important for our missions. So," he turned his attention to the bard, "what's eating you?"
"I guess I expected too much of you lot," Aurum said flatly. Another dagger plunged into Mary’s heart.
“I’m sorry," she said. “I'll try to be more open and honest, I promise!”
Bruno looked at Aurum pointedly. It was a few moments before the bard said anything. He sighed and rolled his eyes.
"I'll try to lower my expectations," he murmured finally, then turned around and left the room.
Mary stared at the door that closed behind him and her heart shattered into a million pieces.
"I really messed up this time, didn't I?" she whispered.
"Don't worry, he'll get over it," Bruno said.
Mary and Bruno sat in Tesaya's living room, waiting for their hostess and Aurum to come back. It was kinda like the long Frinkeltong evenings when they would talk for hours, listening to the sounds outside of the room. Only this time, Mary was the one that had run away instead of Aurum.
"I am sorry," Mary said. “About the Message, and about Halas.”
“About Halas?”
“Yes, I didn’t tell you about him. I discovered that he used to live here in Myth Adofhaer. That I used to live here.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve been given a Key, haven’t I? What other reason would there be to have one, unless I’ve been here at one point of my life? Plus, Tesaya said she knew of a human named ‘Halas’, who used to live in Myth Adofhaer. It would be too much of a coincidence if there were two people with the same name who died around the same time in the same region.”
Bruno nodded.
“Gillean gave me a new mission,” Mary said after a while.
“Oh?” Bruno said. “Is it another dragon?”
“Nnnoo,” Mary said and described what Gillean had told her.
“Are you allowed to tell the elves that the tree is for your Patron?” Bruno asked. “Or should you keep that a secret?”
“Huh!” Mary said. “I… don’t really know.”
She opened her Book of Shadows to its last page.
The answer was quick to appear.
involvement in the whole seed business a secret?
Or can I share that with the elves?”
It took almost a minute before there was another answer.
I trust your judgement.”
Mary closed the book and told Bruno what she’d learned. He nodded.
“But it can wait,” she said quickly. “The whole seed thing, I mean. We should concentrate on our mission now. It’s more important.”
“Speaking of,” Bruno said, “did you remember to ask your Patron if he knew how we can fight Dorina?“
Mary frowned. She’d asked Gillean about Dorina, but not how to defeat her. She sighed and opened her Book again.
anything about Dorina’s abilities or her weapon,
and how we can fight it.”
“but I think Bruno had the right approach back in your
fight. Think about how the stiletto functions and how
to counter its abilities.”
certain set of rules. If you find out the rules,
you can counter them. Think, for example, what
would happen if we took away Balaine Endoras’
strength. He won’t be able to pull
Fen’thras’ string.”
he needs to keep himself as strong as he is.”
Mary relayed everything she’d learned to Bruno. He groaned and shook his head.
“I knew I shoudn’t have moved the Heat Metal from the stiletto to the other dagger!” he said.
“There was no way of knowing that it was the source of her power!” Mary argued. “That was the best you could have done in that moment, with the information you had at the time. Don’t blame yourself!”
Bruno sighed.
“Well, let’s see what we can do to help with the dinner. I’m dying to have a drink and something to eat!”
Mary realized two things at the same time. First, she was starving. She’d thrown up her last meal during the chase, when Aurum had cast that stinking spell around her. The meal before that was this morning.
Second, she’d forgotten something really important! She opened her Book of Shadows for the third time this evening and wrote a quick note.
some tea! Is there a way for you to send me
some from the Feywilds?”
asleep?” came the answer. “Check your things.”
Mary opened the top of her messenger bag and gasped in delight. There were packs upon packs of tea leaves. All different. All for her.
She smiled blissfully.
Bruno is a cool guy. He forgave Mary instantly (or so it seems). I don’t know what she’s going to do with Aurum, though. Do you think he’ll stay upset for much longer?
Fighting with friends is awful. I wish they’d just settle things and move on!
Stay tuned for the next episode. We’re going to learn something BIG there!
Take care and be well!
(Also, here's a link to the Chapter Guide and the Glossary for the series. You're welcome!)
An important disclaimer: These are my notes from a D&D game turned into a narrative. All the worldbuilding and NPC encounters belong to our DM, and all the actions of the other main characters (Aurum and Bruno) belong to my co-players. My contribution to the story is only everything Mary-related (actions, reactions, inner thoughts), as well as the writing itself.