Introduction
Accolades for a job well done from Renald. (even befor sleep)
Shel has information
new job and residence.
Shel asks about excerpt from paper he was excited about. “morsinecrogenic induced claircognizant attropy - R.Kate/T.Baphon/Sachleben”
Comment on how tea parties are formal affairs used for business meetings, alliances, and traditional functions. Arcas talks to shel and embarrasses himself horably. Gets a kiss out it for being sweet. Was so busy arguing with Qimae that he started talking out loud about how Shel was hot of course he would look at her bustier knock it off gramma, etc.
Meet the forest lord
Warning that he is very terse to point of absurdity. Clerk will probably do most the speaking.
Shel goes along
Fuss over taxes not having been presented
Reward - 1000g, day in the university library, token of forest lords favor
Party buys goods including mithral armor. Ariel buys a horn for 1k that is supposedly defective but Seldion notices that in her hands it is a lot more effective.
Sleep and reach 5th level.
Run into a pair of urchins trying to pick pocket
Faeona and Haffie - sister and brother to Elvar. Haven’t seen him for a few days. He used to bring them food but he is off doing something important. Said after he is done they wouldn’t go hungry ever again.
Arcas and Seldion send to Shel. Give them some money for food.
Invited to library to transcribe some books
Arcas gets run around on tea
Arcas buys tea set for the dragon finds out that the ancestral network had not passed teh message he wanted.
Arcas gives sword to the Cao Inner Peace Cultural Center. They return favor dressing him for Tea party hosting it in main temple. Arcas rides to Te on pegasus.
Krantz is still in town with some cultists. Runs into Karsa and ariel. (near statue?)
Happy to see Karsa “Bro, I thought you were killed in the attacks I have been looking for you everywhere!
Big stuff is going down man. Come we should have joined them already. I was just looking one last time, just hoping.
Say, how did you get out?
Fight gets really close and personal Karsa trying to talk him out of it the entire way and Krantz fighting until he literally drops dead. Entrails and viscera drenching Karsa who is going into shock. Ariel has to take Karsa to the Druidic grove for cleansing and centering before he is no longer a basket-case
Reginar goes to bring info to the Forest lord. Needs to use Seldion and the party's broach to gain access. Interrupt court and soon there is a war council. Arcas has finally gotten done with chores. Sits down to transcribe some spells in library only to hear his friend Arcas was pulled out for a matter of state survival. Sighs and departs muttering that the emergency had better not conflict with his tea party.
The planning session goes well. Magical sigils found as well as some metal filings in and around the Center tree. Druids elves and Thule working together to make plans. Party asked to help defend the dockyard tower.
Arcas tells everyone he has to go for a very important personal engagement. Forest lrod offers to give him a ride. Turns out it is a pegasus knight flying him down to the Cao inner harmony shrine and meditation center.
Tea party with Zizhen Cao
Qimae - ritual tea requires formal wear, a gift of significance but not so large as to make the others gift look bad. Should be approximately same price unless you are wanting to make a statement of wealth, power, or fealty
Tea ceremony has 5 parts
greetings (introduce the ancestor then the self. guest first)
exchange of gifts
making of tea
serving of the ancestors - (normally burn incense and pour tea on a paper fan to evaporate)
polite chit chat
Standard tea
Greet ancestors (Xin Qian Cao, Qimae Cao)
Gift she brought was Psionic shard with memories of a far away land (knowledge geography +1).
make tea
serve Qimae and pour the fan but don’t light the incense.
ask about what the group has been doing?
Be pleasant and charming. Really play it up. Have fun.
She heard of a fellow attacked a china shop the other day. The weirdest story
A female ancestor, and a young man rescued him from a group of thugs. You wouldn’t know anything about this would you?
Bai Shing Cao possession attack. Convinces Arcas to give himself up as target to save Zizhen but that is a mistake. Arcas has the link Bai wanted and teh robes which arcas was wearing are terrifyingly powerful on Bai. Not to mention him wrapping himself in a dimensional vortex which is Bai's lost martial art technique...
Seldion -
Learns of mother form forest lord. Also hears about father
Ewem comes and asks him something... favor, pay off debt?
Ariel
Her statue surrounded with black roses. Magic mouth congratulates her on finally getting a clue. (statue is hollow)
All
Party bought a lot of goods 8 feather tokens (fan)
A couple magic cloaks
other stuff?