Adventure Summaries Sessions 123 onwards

Theresa uses her sorcery to contact her master, who is very pleased to hear from her, then searches for Martina, hoping that she is alive and she can bargain with her master for his assistance in rescuing her. Sadly, Theresa's crystal ball finds Martina's dead body, battered by falling ice and rent by great wounds.

Zeno, Hermione, Sijam and Meiling arrive at the gates of Castelrosso, which are closed for the night. The guards fetch Sir Edmund Fressingwood, who recognises Sijam from Sir Melrose's description. Sir Edmund hurls down a bag, warning the adventurers to smell the contents, but not to touch or taste them: Sijam recognises the dried flowers in the bag as wolfsbane. Having passed the test, the guards open the gates wide enough for the adventurers to enter single file, and Sir Edmund takes them to Baroness Sommer's castle, which he is responsible for while she is in Asti at the King's court. Sir Edmund invites them to dine in the great hall, but Zeno leads the others to the chapel first, where they all pray for Martina's safety. Sijam prays in the Tashim style, unfurling a small rug and kneeling on it while calling out in prayer. Seeing Zeno's distress, a man who was already praying in the chapel checks on him, introducing himself as Father Crispin.

Father Crispin counsels and comforts Zeno, then accompanies Zeno, Hermione and Meiling to the great hall while Sijam continues to pray. Father Crispin is returning to his church in southern Kevland after travelling north on a pilgrimage: he introduces the adventurers to Lady Aveline, who is also travelling south to Asti as soon as it is safe to travel on the Forest Road.

In the woods, Master Eddas directs Wesley and Feodora to move some distance away from Theresa and Beara's heart so they are out of sight and hearing before Theresa's master arrives. Some time later, Lord Ardreth arrives with his retinue. He is delighted to see Beara's heart, and agrees that Theresa has completed her third and final task he set her to gain her release from his service. While his other servants load Beara's heart into a chariot, Lord Ardreth gives Theresa a small globe of rose quartz on a gold chain as a gratituity, telling her she may find it helpful in her future. As the elves leave, the icy heart in Theresa's pouch turns to chilled water and slowly leaks through the seams over the side of her dress. After the elves leave, Feodora emerges from hiding to ask Theresa questions about her former master.

After waiting for a while, Hermione leaves Castelrosso to find Wesley and the others and bring them back to the town. Once again, they are let in through the gates after passing the test of smelling the bag of wolfsbane. Fortunately, the guards are unable to hear or see Master Eddas. At the castle, Theresa tells Zeno and Meiling that Martina has died, and goes to the chapel to pray. Theresa finds Sijam, who is still praying, and gives him the sad news. Sijam: "We have met literal gods in the flesh. I have much to think about." Theresa: "I don't think they're a good choice to worship?" Sijam intends to pray throughout the night, and Theresa joins him.

Feodora insists on Zeno going to bed to sleep, and helps him take off his armour in Martina's place. While he sleeps, Zeno is visited in his dreams by Dormita, who barely has a chance to start talking with Zeno before she is tackled away from him by Yumeotaberu.

Sijam and Theresa join the other adventurers, Sir Edmund, Father Crispin and Lady Aveline for breakfast in the great hall. Zeno has Wesley give Theresa Martina's will to open and read aloud, revaling that Martina left her allodial lands at Colciago to Theresa as a life estate so that, regardless of what else may happen in her life, Theresa would always have a source of income and a place she could live.

The adventurers arrange for Father Crispin to celebrate a memorial mass for Martina, and plan to leave for Asti tomorrow morning after giving Theresa gifts for her 25th birthday. Meiling advises the others that she will travel back to Selentium, in case the priests promised by the Pontiff are waiting on her return to travel west to Khitai. Sir Edmund offers to loan the adventurers horses if they escort Lady Aveline and Father Crispin on their journey, as he cannot leave Castelrosso unguarded and there are reports of large wolves and wolfmen attacking travellers on the Forest Road.

After breakfast, they all attend the memorial mass, where Hermione, Sijam and Meiling remain dry-eyed and do not cry like the others. Following the mass, Theresa spends time with Lady Aveline and Feodora disappears on her own. The others take the opportunity to go out together and find a birthday present for Theresa, settling on a fine hunting-bow and arrows for her use when hunting with King Roland. Sijam and Zeno ask Hermione for her assistance in finding a suitable bow. Sijam: "Our knowledge of bows is not great." Zeno: "I think they're a child's weapon, yes." They purchase a fancy bow with matching quiver and wristguard, 10 hunting arrows and 10 silver-tipped hunting arrows for 2 shillings in total, and Hermione buys herself a quiver of 20 silver-tipped hunting arrows for 6 pennies.

That evening, Hermione is increasingly concerned about Master Eddas disappearing from view as their blood connection fades, but Master Eddas forbids Wesley to teach her the ritual that maintains the connection and allows Wesley to see and hear him clearly. Hermione consults with Fierce while Wesley is studying elsewhere with Master Eddas about how to use her limited sorcery to see into the World of Spirits.

Theresa's 25th birthday. Before they leave Castelrosso, the adventurers give Theresa her bow and arrows. Feodora also gives Theresa some coloured threads to restock her embroidery supplies.

After the gift-giving, Meiling farewells the others. Meiling gives Theresa her ring of warmth, as the adventurers bought it for her use during their journey to Ambardyr. Theresa asks Meiling if she would detour to the northeast and take a letter to Rohese, the steward at Colciago, and Meiling immediately agrees. Meiling takes Theresa's letter and sets off for Colciago at a run.

As promised, Sir Edmund loans the adventurers and Lady Aveline horses for the journey, though Zeno walks with Father Crispin and tries to persuade to ride Zeno's horse when it becomes clear that Father Crispin is travelling on foot. Zeno is pensive until Theresa brightens his mood by pointing out he's escorting a pilgrim home. Theresa (encouragingly to Zeno): "And you get to escort a pilgrim on the way back to the capital!" Zeno (wistfully): "Meiling is going the other way though ..." Theresa: "Father Crispin is returning from his pilgrimage to Selentium ...:" Father Crispin (from horseback): "And I'd like to hear more about your Order ..."

The adventurers travel at a brisk pace all day without incident, arriving at the Mausoleum of Saints Neoptolemus and Meleager shortly after sunset. They stay the night at a guesthouse dedicated to Saint Peregrinus.

The adventurers depart the Mausoleum and continue to travel south along the Forest Road towards Legnano. They stop at a fortified village late that afternoon, where they meet Sir Darnell Enfield. Sir Darnell offers to accompany them as they travel south because they're travelling with Lady Aveline.

That evening, Zeno remembers his dream with Dormita and Yumeotaberu. Zeno tells Feodora about the dream and asks her to pass the message on. Feodora climbs around the outside of the building and knocks on Hermione's window while Wesley is privately studying with Master Eddas' ghost in another room. Feodora: "Can I come in?" Feodora passes on the message to Hermione, who in turn passes it on to Wesley. Wesley looks for Sijam, and uses sorcery to have a whispered conversation with him across the common room. Wesley: "Powerful arcane beings prowled Zeno's dreams." Sijam: "How do you know this?" Wesley: "Hermione told me." Sijam: "Should we be worried?" Wesley: "I suppose not?" Sijam: "I will talk to Zeno."

Sijam seeks out Zeno and talks with him about his dream visitors while Hermione talks privately with Theresa.

The adventurers attend church with Father Crispin, Lady Aveline and Sir Darnell, then resume travelling south along the Forest Road. The journey is interrupted by a man and a woman, both naked except for a wreath on their heads, who step out from behind the trees along the side of the road. Naked man: "Travellers! The gods are displeased!" Naked woman: "We must avert their wrath!"