- GM’s note: This session continues on from Session 278, following Grant and Tinkerbell’s adventures. In this session, Grant uses the silver key (with the blue gemstone) and discovers a realm with a connection to another Lord of Gossamer. Meanwhile, while Ethan and Isabelle wait for a response from Hephaestus, we foreshadow some of what is to come.
Parry’s Wood
- Taking Jacob’s gemstones with him, Grant heads out onto the Grand Stair. He uses the silver Key (with the blue gemstone) as a focus and tries to find the realm that the Key belongs to. It must surely be important if Jacob made a Key for it. Tinkerbell goes with him - she is also curious.
- The target realm feels distant if travelling along the Stair but oddly it also feels like it could be quite nearby - as if to get to this place requires a circuitous route. Grant decides to take a shortcut and he uses his Mastery of the Stair to reach the destination more quickly. He finds that he needs to pass through three different sections of Stair and there is an important sequence as to how these sections are traversed. The last has a rustic feel. The walls are rough hewn and the doors look tired and worn. At last he reaches a plain wooden door which has two bands of ageing iron strapped across the wooden verticals. It appears unremarkable but this is the correct Door.
- Grant uses the Key to open the Door. He knows that Jacob was tricky so he wants to make sure that the destination is the one that Jacob intended. On the other side of the Door is a wooded area. It is chilly but not overly cold.
- Grant emerges into this realm from the front door of a woodcutter’s cottage. There is a wood pile nearby and an undercover area for a hand-drawn cart. The sound of wood chopping can be heard nearby. The realm is strong in Gossamer reality and he senses that there is another Door nearby. He decides to avoid the local woodcutter and try to find the Door.
- It is very quiet here. The birds seem to be silent but he sees some insects so the area is not devoid of life.
- After about ten minutes, Grant and Tinkerbell emerge from the woods. They see rolling hills in front of them, lush with pockets of woodlands. Thick mists drift slowly across the landscape. The mists seem to block Wayfinding, obscuring the Door from time to time. They continue on, avoiding the mists and making their way towards a stepped hill that rises up out of the mist. This seems to be their destination.
* Image sourced from Google Images
- What follows feels like a dreamlike voyage as they make their way to the hill, avoiding the clinging mists. There is something oddly familiar about this place to Grant. He doesn’t think he’s been here before but there is something that resonates for him in this place. Tinkerbell stays close to Grant - she swears that she saw some ‘evil’ fairies in the mist. Small like her, but they have insect-like limbs and sharp teeth.
- Grant reaches the base of the hill and begins to climb. He has seen the remains of old Iron Age fortifications in England and this feels very much like one of those. There was a structure here long ago. He reaches the first landing and begins the climb to the second. On the second landing is a cutting in the hillside which leads to another Door.
- This Door is very inviting. It gleams. Made of silver, the designs across it are ornate and intricate. Grant has seen beautiful Doors before and this one also feels very special. As he reaches out to touch it, he feels that he’s standing somewhere important - as if things have happened here long ago.
- He opens the Door.
Avalon
- This Door opens onto an idyllic land of rolling green hills. Water seems to be everywhere, from gleaming lakes to silvery streams. This realm feels much stronger in Gossamer reality. It feels primal and important.
- Grant and Tinkerbell have stepped out of a two storey watchtower. Grant goes back inside and climbs to the roof to get a better look at this place. From this vantage point, he sees bridges over streams and simple roads snaking over the hillside. He sees a knight in gleaming silver mail riding from one place to another. In the distance he sees a castle. Not a ruin but a castle in its prime. Then he spies another. And another. Almost on the horizon he sees one much larger than the others - its spires tower over the landscape.
- Unsure as to where to go from here, Grant decides to head towards the large castle in the distance. It’s a pleasant day and there is a vibrancy and energy in this place that feels most wonderful. He senses no threat in this place, and Tinkerbell leaves his person to explore at will.
- On the road he meets a knight who greets him courteously. He gives his name as Sir Erin and Grant introduces himself as Prince Grant, a traveller from far lands. Sir Erin is a handsome youth and his features almost seem elfin. He directs Grant to seek out the Queen (Argante) in the distant castle, the ruler of this land. Sir Erin says that this land is called Avalon.
- They pass villagers of happy peasants on the way through this idyllic land. The peasants are not as beautiful as the knight that Grant met, but they have bearing and stature. They are well fed and strong looking. He notes very few children but there are some. This feels very different from what real mediaeval culture was like - it is a romanticised version of it.
- The day passes and the great castle of Queen Argante grows closer. Before nightfall, they arrive. As before Grant introduces himself as Prince Grant, but this time he describes himself as coming from the Legendary Realm. His clothes have been shapeshifted to better suit this realm. He is able to convince those he meets to guide him closer to the Queen’s court. Finally he meets the Queen’s chamberlain, a partly balding fellow named Balough who seems very well organised. Again Grant is greeted with courtesy and he is permitted to see the Queen.
- Queen Argante is a silver haired woman who appears both youthful and ageless. She welcomes Prince Grant as if she has been expecting him but explains that the person that he is seeking is not here. She says that ‘his grave is empty’ and he ‘only left his helmet behind’. Grant does not understand (nor does Tinkerbell), but rather than appearing rude, he decides to explain away his confusion as being the result of a long journey. The Queen invites Grant and Tinkerbell to stay as long as they like and asks her sister to take care of them.
- A raven haired woman steps forward to guide Grant. She too is beautiful. Youthful but somehow timeless. She gives Grant a penetrating smile and leads him away. There is something very alluring about her. The way her hair moves. The way her shimmering purple dress flows behind her. She treats Tinkerbell with respect, but asks about Grant and whether he has travelled far. They make small talk but Grant still remains confused. If this is Avalon, then does that mean that King Arthur is here somewhere?
- The lady shakes her head and says that her brother’s grave is empty and he left long ago. With Grant making connections that King Arthur Pendragon lives, he makes the mental leap and realises the connection to Drake. She softly asks if Grant knows who she is, and when he says that he isn’t sure, she gives her name as Morgan (Le Fay).
* Image sourced from Google Images but I think this one is from Smite
Meanwhile in Marindar
- Ethan, Isabelle and Hilda enjoy Prince Mariano’s hospitality. Hilda enjoys walking around the island gardens with Hermes, and Hermes seems to enjoy Hilda’s company. She never seems to tire of Hermes’ outlandish stories.
- Prince Mariano’s wealth has certainly increased since the hedron gates were opened to other worlds. He speaks very favourably about trade with other realms and the benefits that it has brought to Marindan society. He does acknowledge the damage done to Marindar (particularly Central) during the Dragon War but hopes that better times are ahead.
- Ethan enjoys spending time with Prince Mariano (Fortune Roll = ‘Critical’). Mariano clearly wants to maintain a good relationship with a Lord of Gossamer, and he explains that since Lord Grant left, some of the nobility (including the Queen) have been privately concerned that they might be deserted once more. Ethan reassures him that he likes Marindar and considers it his ‘second home’. (this is not quite true, but it satisfies Prince Mariano). They play Petteia (the local chess game) and it pleases Mariano to be defeated as he is rarely challenged.
- Given that both Ethan and Hilda are occupied, Lady Messina does her best to entertain Isabelle. However, their conversations are far more awkward. They share no common interests and Messina’s questions about Isabelle and her relationship to Ethan make her uncomfortable. Isabelle knows very well that the Marindans want the Lords of Gossamer to stay in Marindar as it keeps the Doors open so that trade can flourish; but they also want to be companions (friends, lovers) to the Lords of Gossamer to enable their own society to endure and remain strong.
- Two days pass. Hermes asks if he can take Hilda ‘on an adventure’ but Ethan refuses and says that they should return to Central. He is worried that Hermes is delaying departure while he is distracted by Hilda. Prince Mariano is disappointed to see them go but invites them to sail with him in a month’s time. Ethan loves sailing so he is eager to join in. Isabelle is lukewarm on the idea but she is grateful for the invitation.
- Returning to Central, Ethan is surprised by a delegation of Arcadian elves. Vidaniel, the elven ambassador to Marindar, has been waiting for him. The elves have been waiting patiently for more than a day. They didn’t want to risk missing him so they remained at his house to maximise their chances.
* Image by Smilika on DeviantART
- Ethan has only rarely met Vidaniel. She was a close friend and confidant of Lady Sophia (Grant’s lover). Ethan welcomes her and asks how he can be of service. They talk comfortably over a glass of wine. Vidaniel explains that the Arcadian elves now recognise him as “Lord Ethan Wynterlyr”. He wears Wynterlyr’s ring and hence they presume that Ethan will take his position, title and lands. In fact, the Arcadian Queen would prefer that he did.
- Ethan says that he isn’t “Lord Wynterlyr” - he knows nothing about the position, title and lands that Lord Wynterlyr held, nor what obligations or responsibilities he would inherit if he took the position. Vidaniel expected this to be the case, so she explains the situation ….
- GM’s note: So we have a number of new developments here. Firstly, the connection of Drake back to King Arthur - and Morgan Le Fay is still around. Secondly, we’re building up to what it would mean if Ethan accepts Lord Wynterlyr’s position (as if Ethan doesn’t have enough problems!).
From this point, we do something a bit unusual. We are now flashing back to cover Grant’s experiences in the Courts of the Shadow Fey (which will be run over 3-4 sessions) but still incrementing Ethan’s and Isabelle’s storyline in the present. The reason for this is that Morgan Le Fay’s reaction will depend upon what Grant did in the Courts. We’ve reached the point where we have to flashback.
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