He’s not okay with it at all — he doesn’t want to take orders anymore, and if he’s going to be doing something, he wants to know when things are happening, why they’re happening, and what the endgoal is
He’s ok with working with people, so long as their goals are aligned and they’re working towards a common cause
Cal doesn’t think anyone should have the Pyramid, much less the Keeper
What’s the Keeper planning on doing with the Pyramid?? unknown
Our best bet of finding the Pyramid is Dr. Pope, since we know he worked with it last
Camille notes that the best way to find Dr. Pope is to find the vampire that took him, and we know someone who has to stay close to the vampire in question (Garrett) AND we have a way to contact him
Vallen suggests that we ask questions and learn as much as we can first - without revealing our opinions or intentions - before we decide what to do next
He doesn’t want power to be in the wrong hands
He trusts the Keeper because of what he’s done, not for what he will do
Speaking to the Keeper
We head downstairs to the Garrison — the Keeper is there, leaning against the front desk and chatting with someone. When he sees us, he gestures for us to follow him and he goes to a back room
We go through like 2 other doors. The second of which is an ornate stone door with a keyhole next to it (this is where we can use Foo’s Key!)
He doesn’t know how many charges the key has right now (it recharges every day, and it has a max of 2 charges per day)
Camille asks if we have to leave now. The answer is no, but the Keeper has nothing else to speak with us about
Cal does though!!
Cal asks what the Keeper’s plan/play is
Now is not the time to be talking about it, according to the Keeper
The Keeper feels as if there’s a missing peace — like how Yin and Yang come together to make perfectly balanced peace, the Pyramid and the Orb probably come together to create something
Cal says “absolute power corrupts absolutely” (real as shit)
The Keeper reminds us that he touched the Orb without protection. The shapes don’t appear to affect him
When Purah touched the Orb, she felt the urge to protect every living being — knowing that the shapes are diametrically opposed, the Pyramid likely makes people feel like they want to kill/hurt every living being
The Keeper asks who the shapes should rest with: someone who can be influenced by them, or someone who isn’t affected by them at all?
Cal believes they shouldn’t be owned by anyone. They should be destroyed, in his opinion
The Keeper issues Cal a challenge: if he can figure out a way to destroy the Pyramid, then go ahead. But if he can’t, he should bring it back and let the Keeper destroy it
Cal agrees to this. But at the first sign of being “fucked over”, he will immediately turn.
The Keeper encourages us to not bring him the Pyramid if his interests ever not align with ours or have the best interest of the people in mind
The Keeper reminds us that we can contact him any time with the prototype sending stone — he has one exactly like ours
He also notes that Oz is insisting that he is able to decide our adventures (remember that he was the one who approved our vampire adventure), but the Keeper is pushing back
Camille asks if we can stay in the Capital for a little while before we head back — Cal is also amicable to this, since neither of them have been in the Capital with free reign before
We discuss the logistics of using Foo’s Key
It can ONLY be used on doors that match the door we’re currently in front of
Vallen says we should head back to Hillford once we’re done exploring the Capital
Exploring the Capital
Camille wants to wander!!
Cordelia warns that they might get lost — they’re ok with that. She does suggest a good bakery though!
On the way to the bakery, Cal is giving out gold coins to EVERY homeless person we pass by
Camille starts veering off from the group, going towards a VERY high-end jewelry shop
Everyone convinces Camille to not go inside (there are probably cheaper places to get diamonds, such as the magic shop back in Hillford)
There’s a homeless man in front of the shop (Cal gives him a GP! Kaya gives two extra 😎)
The Bakery
The bakery is run by siblings (one is a dude and one is a HEAVILY pregnant lady!! They both have tan complexions and pink hair)
The man (Island?) recognizes Cordelia!! He seems to be in the know about her deal with the wedding and why she left the Capital
The woman is named Aria. She says “welcome home” 🥺
Cordelia recaps a little of what’s happened with us over the past week or so
She visited her mother’s home roughly a week ago, and it went poorly
Kaya pipes up and says we’ve been on a “magical girl journey”
Cordelia doesn’t know where her mother is, neither does Island. Apparently she stopped by the bakery, grabbed a few things, and left
It’s a bit odd because normally she sends her butler to fetch things, rather than making appearance on her own
She didn’t say much, kinda brushed off Island when he tried to make conversation
Cordelia doesn’t want to see him right now. Not because she doesn’t like him, but because it’s been a crazy few weeks and she doesn’t want to do all that explaining
It’s ok bcs he’s already stopped by for today
Cordelia drops the lore that we technically work for the Military as Ambassadors
WE GET PASTRIES ON THE HOUSE!!! HUZZAH
Cal and Camille are PUMPED about getting fruity little tarts and danishes (Cal gets pigs in a blanket too)
Island ALMOST suggests that Cordelia takes us to the university, but that might be a bad idea
Classes haven’t started yet so we probably won’t be allowed there
What are Cordelia’s plans?
She doesn’t really know
She’s fine with Island mentioning to Lawrence that she’s been by
NOTE: Vallen is probably lactose intolerant (according to CJ). He also canonically shits.
Camille tries to leave the bakery siblings money (it does NOT work. Cal ends up taking the 2 GP 💀)
Returning to Hillford
Vallen mentions that our weapons might be done (back in Hillford) so we head back!! We can always do more sightseeing later
Camille is currently holding Foo’s Key, so they unlock the door (it’s a pull door not a push door)
At first all they see is a brick wall, but eventually a glowing mote expands into a long blue hallway
Camille walks through first and disappears — at the other end of the hallway is a wooden door. When they open it, they enter the tavern!! (through the basement door leading into the tavern)
WE’RE IN THE TAVERN!!
Foo greets us and asks us if the key works (it does!)
This is literally everyone’s (except for Camille’s) first time meeting Quivern
It’s VERY boho chic in here
Camille and Quiv catch up a little!!
Quiv has been invited to dinner (along with Durgen)
The town is expanding!!! There’s going to be a new jeweler and a butcher’s shop, at the very least
The stable (the Whistlewind) is being taken over by someone from Crossroads (THE ORC LADY THAT KAYA BEEFED IT IN FRONT OF)
Cordelia accidentally lets it slip about Foo’s interdimensional door
IT’S OK SHE SAVES IT WITH A GOOD DECEPTION ROLL
Cordelia is also looking for:
A ring that would allow her to locate objects
She is able to get a ring that will let her to locate an object within Hillford (as in within an area the size of Hillford) for 500 GP
Healing Potions
He can sell Potions of Greater Healing for 45 GP each (technically supposed to be 50)
Cordelia and Kaya get 3 each
Camille also gets 2 healing potions
Diamonds
Camille gets a 300 GP diamond for 150 GP!!
Magic tattoos? 👀
IT’S POSSIBLE! HUZZAH!!!
Quiv’s brother can probably do it 👁️👁️ He’ll send a note to him tonight
Sending Stones
Camille purchases 4 sending stones (25 GP each)
So long as you have a sending stone, you can receive sending stone messages (like a text message). If you don’t have a sending stone, you CAN’T receive messages. If you use a sending stone, it gets consumed in the casting
Extra lore:
We saved Quiv’s nephew!!
Quiv isn’t wearing a wedding ring
General Store
Camille (1 GP each)
Replacement rope
1,000 ball bearings
Extra vials (x4)
Cordelia
3 candles
Ink bottle + paper
Soap
Rope
Cordelia feels her pocket buzz — she’s receiving a message!!
From Oz: I’m coming to Hillford, I’ll be there in the morning.
Cordelia cannot respond to this message due to the nature of sending stones (I forgor the specifics)
Camille is nervous about Oz, and theorizes that he’s here to meet with us behind the Keeper’s back to get us to do things
Vallen trusts Oz, and says that he generally does things behind the Keeper’s back because he can’t be everywhere at once
Cordelia tries to rizz Vallen up by doing a coin trick
Vallen says the trick was impressive
The gang takes an intermission irl
Returning to Foo’s Bar
It’s getting later in the day at this point — the bar is starting to fill up with folks
We sit at our usual table!
THE GANG HAS DINNER (STEAK AND POTATOES)
Durgen joins us!!
Foo and Durgen fist bump as Durgen comes in
Durgen gets dinner and a BIGASS flagon of beer
Cal requests a big boy beer as well
Lily: he’s triple fisting ✊✊✊
Cal drinks ALL of them at the same time and PASSES THE FUCK OUT (satisfied)
Vallen drinks blood and Lily comes :(
Quiv also comes in and sits at our table!!
We enlighten Durgen and Quiv on our adventures!!
They know about us killing Dagen, driving away vampires with the power of Lathander, and the fact that there were “robot guys”
They know vaguely why the Capital’s in a tizzy (the vampires and warforged)
Camille tells them that we’ll probably die if we talk about it, so 😶
State of the gang
Cal and Durgen are drunk as FUCK
Quiv’s getting into the drinks as well
What’s Quiv’s deal?
Graduated from the university in the Capital (Transmutation)
Traveled across Clover
When he arrived in Hillford, it was just the Foo Bar and a few houses
Worked with the military for a little while (mainly communications stuff)
His partner left at one point
CAMILLE CAN TELL IT WAS HIS EX HUSBAND!!!!! HOLY SHIT
THE LORE!!!!!!
His ex husband’s brother still lives in town
Been here for 4 years now!!
Camille reminds Kaya that Reema (orc lady from Crossroads) is gonna be settling in soon!! She’s just back at Crossroads sorting out the last of her stuff
Kaya’s SO excited for this
The gang also informs our buddies that we went through the Forbidden Forest
We tell them how to pass through
Camille tells Quiv - after learning that he would never sleep outside - that they can teach him how to “pitch a tent” (unknowing of the connotation)
There’s talk about shitting pants and farting. CJ says “You can’t Prestidigitate your dignity back!”
PERCEPTION CHECK
CAMILLE GETS A NAT 20
Ozwin is here! He was going to get a room for the night
The Keeper sent him
Durgen and Vallen get extra drinks (Vallen’s drinking!!)
Camille takes a sip from Kaya’s cup
DURGEN PASSES TF OUT. Quiv offers to take him home and floats the dude away
Vallen’s :( about not having drinking buddies anymore
THE GANG TAKES SHOTS WITH HIM. CAMILLE TOO!!
Cordelia takes 2 shots (she’s a lightweight 💀)
Cordelia says Camille is really nice (compared to the rest of the party)
We order more shots and discuss how vampires get drunk
When vampires ingest blood, it can be used for multiple functions (one of which can be used to get drunk)
ANOTHER USE IS TO GET AN ERECTION
Also Vallen is down to drink the blood of anyone in the party so long as we’re down for it
Kaya tries to pass Cordelia a water “shot”
She succeeds 🤩
WE TALK MORE ABOUT VALLEN DRINKING OUR BLOOD
If he drinks the blood of someone who’s drunk, then he gets extra drunk
He probably shouldn’t drink any of our blood though because that’ll fuck up his ability to walk in the sun
CORDELIA SAYS SHE’S NOT SURE IF SHE’S EVEN INTO BLONDE GUYS AND PASSES OUT
The gang helps carry her back to her room
Morning Comes
We wake up (we were too drunk to have dreams)
Everyone (except for Camille) rolls to see if they have hangovers
Nobody wakes up with a hangover 😎 we stay winning!!
Ozwin is downstairs, smoking a pipe
Vallen is nowhere to be found
Not in kitchen, not in rooms
Camille casts Sending and checks in — lets him know that Ozwin is here, that he doesn’t have to come, but they hope he’s alive
Vallen’s Message Back: “I’m on my way back”
Meeting with Ozwin
Reason why Ozwin’s in town
The Keeper’s thought it over, and he’s decided that Ozwin should be our point of contact + he will be giving us orders from now on
Everyone rolls insight on this
Seems to be telling the truth
His goal is to help us find the Pyramid and point us in the right direction — this time he’s running everything by the Keeper (unlike the last mission we went on)
INSIGHT REVEALS THAT HE KNEW DR. POPE WAS GONNA BE THERE
Dr. Pope is a touchy subject
Dr. Pope used to be a Clover operative, before he defected to Diamond
Clover wanted to have ethical inventions, and testing on people in the Capital isn’t permitted (hence why he defected to Diamond)
Cal asks if Ozwin is implying that Dr. Pope was involved in human experimentation