Session0014

April 14th
The party battles Wladimiro and Walentino in the throne room of Mycelium Palace. Eventually, with the fight turning to the party's favor, Wladimiro attempts to convince the party to stand down by threatening to kill an unconscious XVIII]; however, the party manages to rescue XVIII and defeat the gnomes, while also saving King Trumpet and Queen Chantrelle.

After the battle, the party regroups and stabilizes King Trumpet and Queen Chantrelle. Aristoadle, who was revived earlier by Gragnok and Rye, also arrives at the throne room, accompanied by King Martinet of Sibillini. As the two are approaching, Rye discretely picks up and conceals the severed gnome hand that was tossed at the party by Kamm - presumably the hand of Prince Marcello.

Frog explains that Kamm and the other generals of Kameshima abducted Lucio and Cremini and teleported away, after Frog refused to surrender and hand himself over to them. Recounting the events that led to the invasion of the palace, Aristoadle explains that Wladimiro and Walentino, magically disguised as other gnomes, recently won the Rainbow Cup tennis tournament. They were invited to the palace for a banquet in their honor, which took place the previous evening. During the banquet, the forces from Kameshima suddenly appeared from the palace's gallery of paintings, and overran the palace. Odell asks if the King and Queen know why the Kameshimans would have taken the Senators, when they had the chance to take the King and Queen themselves. The King and Queen agree that it is strange, but they don't know why the Kameshimans would have done such a thing.

When asked, Frog introduces the party, and explains that they wish to make arrangements to help Mycorrhiza in exchange for payment. King Trumpet proposes a council later in the evening, after everyone has had a chance to rest and recuperate, to discuss their plans moving forward.

Jack and Odell, accompanied by Aristoadle, spend some time investigating the gallery of paintings for clues about the Kameshiman invasion. Aristoadle explains that the paintings are linked to matching magical paintings in each of Mycorrhiza's colonies throughout the Alviren Empire: Marigold, Molldorf, Konoko Village, and Lo'ihi Island, as well as the gnomish kingdom of Sibillini. The paintings can be activated using a druidic ritual. Once activated, a painting functions as a one-way magical portal to its corresponding painting. Aristoadle also divulges that two of the paintings link to secret Mycorrhizan colonies outside of the Empire: Inika Village in the Taruki Jungle, and Powderbowl in the Erdehalt Peaks. Studying the paintings closely, Jack and Odell discern that they are painted on canvases made from some type of organic plant material.

Odell suggests that Kameshima might have stolen one of the paintings in one of the colonies, and used it to enter the palace. Aristoadle seems skeptical, and explains that the secret ritual to activate the paintings is known only to himself, and a few other druids trained by him. Jack speculates that there must be a traitor amongst their ranks who activated the painting and allowed the Kameshimans entry to the palace. He suggests that they should use the paintings to investigate each of the colonies for more answers. Aristoadle explains that the ritual to activate a painting requires high level magic, and can only be accomplished once per Prime Zenith.

Meanwhile, Malkoth and Gragnok begin exploring the capitol city of Mushroom Town. Speaking with a town guard, they learn that the kingdom is mostly comprised of small villages and settlements that are scattered throughout the countryside, which are all connected to Mushroom Town by a network of magical pipes, which connect to a hub called Pipe House Station. They spend the afternoon shopping for magic items and exploring the city.

Later in the afternoon, Odell visits a pet shop in Mushroom Town and purchases a poochie - a strange breed of dog unique to Mycorrhiza.

In the evening, the party reconvenes at Mycelium Palace for their council meeting with King Trumpet, Queen Chantrelle, Aristoadle, King Martinet, and Master Portobello, Mychorriza's master of war and advisor on military matters.

At the council, King Martinet proposes a full scale war with Kameshima, insisting that he cannot sit idly by while his sons, Prince Marcello and Senator Lucio, are captives. Queen Chantrelle, on the other hand, advocates for restraint and continued diplomacy, fearing that open war would cost too many lives, and could put the prisoners in danger. Gragnok questions whether a war against Kameshima could even be won, to which Master Portobello responds that it would be possible with the aid of Sibillini, but certainly costly in terms of lives. Aristoadle cautions restraint in the matter, questioning why the Kameshimans didn't take the King and Queen when they had the chance, and simply left despite having control of Mycelium Palace. He speculates that the Kameshimans may be trying to bait the Mycorrhizans into a war, as some sort of trap.

Rye questions why Daimao, as a powerful demon, is able to remain on the Material Plane despite the Divine Gate. Aristoadle explains that Daimao was present on the Material Plane prior to the Severance, and was not banished to the Abyss. Over the centuries since then, he has grown tremendously in power, due to the zealous worship of his followers.

King Trumpet asks Frog for his input on the decision as Crown Prince, and also for an update on what aid he has secured on his diplomatic mission. Frog says that he has found little support from the Alviren Empire, but he presents the party as capable fighters, and suggests that they would prove more valuable than imperial aid anyway. King Trumpet asks Frog and the party how they would proceed in rescuing the prisoners. Rye and Gragnok both advise against an outright war, referencing their previous experiences in battle. Jack proposes a small, targeted operation to rescue the prisoners, rather than a full scale war.

Frog suggests that if Daimao is killed, his followers might lose their magic powers that they derive from him. When asked, Aristoadle is unsure of how the death of Daimao would affect his followers. To his knowledge, the only historical example of a killed god was the former god of death, Nerull, who was slain and subsequently replaced by The Raven Queen. Frog proposes that with Daimao dead, Mycorrhiza could convince the Kameshimans to make peace with them and become allies; however, King Trumpet, King Martinet, and Master Portobello all scoff at the idea of an alliance with Kameshima as impossible.

Frog questions why the Kameshimans were so intent on taking him, instead of the King and Queen or the Senators. He tells the council about the events that took place in Ymana, and Kamm's previous attempt to capture him. He also tells Aristoadle that Heartsong has spoken to him in dreams, and asks if Aristoadle knows anything about any of this, as Fable Bearer. Aristoadle admits that there are secrets that have been kept from Frog, which he now needs to hear. However, he says that the council is not the place to discuss it, insinuation that some of the parties present are not privy to the information. He asks Frog to come to the Fable Bearers Sanctum in the morning to speak with him.

Eventually, the party agrees to undertake a mission to rescue Princess Porcini, Prince Marcello, and Senators Lucio and Cremini. In exchange for their acceptance of this mission, the party are rewarded with coins from the royal treasury, which can be exchanged for magic items, gold, and other valuable services throughout Mycorrhiza. The palace chef, Chef Truffle, also presents the party with magic potions as reward for rescuing the palace.

After the council, the party spend the remainder of the evening resting and exploring Mushroom Town. Odell and Rye search the town for a library, but from the locals, they learn that most of Mycorrhiza's records are kept at the Fable Bearers Sanctum in the form of spoken oral histories, poems, songs, and other artistic expressions, rather than in written text. Instead, Odell spends some time at a temple to the Star Road, learning about the Star Road's nature, in hopes of eventually developing a Star Road rune using runic magic.

April 15th
In the morning, the party travels with Frog to the Fable Bearers Sanctum to meet with Aristoadle, utilizing one of the magic pipes in Pipe House Station. Arriving at the sanctum, the party finds a verdant valley, inhabited mostly by grung, as well as some myconid and tabaxi. Frog explains that the Fable Bearers are a monastic order of historians and record-keepers, mostly bards and druids, who keep Mycorrhiza's history in the form of artistic expressions. Frog leads them to the Shrine of Chronicles, a secluded site where Aristoadle resides.

At the Shrine of Chronicles, Aristoadle asks Frog if he is certain that the rest of the party can be trusted, explaining that he intends to share with them one of Mycorrhiza's most closely held secrets. After Frog ensures Aristoadle that the rest of the party can be trusted, Aristoadle shares with the party the Fable of the Thousand Year Door, revealing to Frog that he is destined to serve as a host for Heartsong on the Material Plane, and undertake a journey to retrieve the Chaos Core, open the Thousand Year Door, and travel into the underdark to face the deep myconid. Aristoadle proposes that this may be the reason that the Kameshimans have such an interest in Frog, speculating that they must have somehow learned his true nature, despite the Fable Bearers Circle's efforts to keep it secret. Notably, when a few members of the party start to write down some of the details of the Fable of the Thousand Year Door, Aristoadle insists that they do not, emphasizing that the Fable is a protected secret passed down orally by generations of Fable Bearers, and should not be recorded.

Frog asks Aristoadle where the Chaos Core is located, Aristoadle says that it is located within the Death Cap Temple in the Taruki Jungle - a fact formerly known only to Aristoadle himself. When asked, Jack, who spent some time living in the Taruki Jungle, says he doesn't know of this location.

Aristoadle explains that a ritual will need to be accomplished, with Frog's help, that will open a doorway to the Star Road and summon Heartsong into the Material Plane. Once Heartsong arrives, he will require a changeling host in order to remain on the plane. Aristoadle asks Frog if he is willing to accept this task, and tells him to take the day to think about it, explaining that the ritual must be accomplished at twilight. When the party expresses some concern that Frog might lose his personality or become "possessed," Aristoadle assures him that he will simply be carrying Heartsong within himself, but will still retain his own identity.

Afterwards, Aristoadle performs readings for a few members of the party who selected his readings as their reward for agreeing to rescue Princess Porcini and the other prisoners. For these reading, Aristoadle recounts epic tales of some of the great heroes of Mycorrhiza's history. The accounts are laced with bardic magic, and bolster those who hear them.

After the readings are complete, Odell asks Aristoadle for information about the Star Road, in pursuit of his goal to create a Star Road rune. Aristoadle explains the nature of the Star Road as a metaphysical construct that connects time and space, and speculates that it contributes to the myconids' proclivity for transportation magic.

The party spends the remainder of the day exploring Mycorrhiza and resting, awaiting twilight to begin the ritual to summon Heartsong. They purchase magic items using the coins they received from the royal treasury, and some members of the party attend classes at the College of Mycorrhiza.

During the day, the party discusses what to do with Syn, after Patches unlocked new properties of the blade the previous day. They decide to take turns utilizing its properties as often as possible, speculating that repeatedly using the properties causes the blade to further improve. After some reluctance, Patches gives the blade to Jack, who attunes to it. Notably, Patches' symbol on the blade now remains illuminated even when he is not attuned to it, and he retains some powers of his own that were granted to him by the blade when he awakened its properties.

In the evening, the party regroups with Aristoadle at the Shrine of Chronicles. Frog agrees to serve as the host for Heartsong. Aristoadle explains that in order to complete the ritual, he will perform an incantation of conjuration magic, while Frog plays a song using his bardic magic. Aristoadle presents Frog with a sheet of music, entitled "Dream of the Star Road" in undercommon. As Frog begins to play the song and Aristoadle begins his arcane incantations, a starlit portal begins to appear. Watching the ritual, Rye notes that the magic of the song, while clearly bardic in nature, is of a different specialization than the psalms of Passeri with which he is familiar. Malkoth, with his expertise in conjuration magic, recognizes that Aristoadle's ritual is conjuration magic, and seemingly involves creating a connection between different worlds.

As the ritual progresses, the portal opens. However, instead of Heartsong, several demonic fungal creatures appear from the portal and attack. Aristoadle says that he does not know what the creatures are, but that the ritual must continue in order to summon Heartsong. As Aristoadle and Frog continue the ritual, the rest of the party battles the demonic creatures, which continue to appear from the portal. Eventually, the ritual completes, and Heartsong appears in a burst of radiance, which damages the demonic creatures. Aristoadle and Frog stop the ritual and the portal closes, preventing any more demonic creatures from arriving. The party defeats the remaining demonic creatures, with the aid of Heartsong.

During the battle, Jack repeatedly utilizes the properties of Syn. Eventually, his symbol on the blade begins to glow more brightly, and he too unlocks additional properties of the blade.