Session 012 - We Hate the Fey

The party encounters great difficulty entering through the tree hollow into the heart of the forest until discovering that they must walk backwards to progress.
Passing through the hollow deposits them within a magical forest brimming with life and the peering eyes of the inhabitants upon the group.
They are not there for long before three Redcaps spring from the wild grass and attack.
The ambush succeeds by knocking Kat out of the fight for a moment before being revived by a cauterizing blast of heat from Avoh, but the party successfully defeat the fey.
The sound of approaching fey gives them little time to rest, and the group heads further into the depths of the forest.
-# .

They avoid a swarm of fey that have taken up residence in the remains of what they surmise to be the Pathfinder Society's base camp.
They eventually reach the first settlement of Spie's Heart and are approached by a curious fey woman that tries to encourage Thaniel in joining her for some *heavily specialized training* before a Satyr stops her.
The satyr is not pleased to see any humans within the forest and is hesitant to explain why except that it has something to do with `Queen Titania`.
The sun has set long ago by this point and the party wanders about in the hopes of finding a place to rest.
They find one fey who tells them about the `Dew Drop Distillery` after Athe performs a dance for him.
-# .

Within the distillery, they speak to multiple fey who are partaking of the same prismatic drink and are entertaining themselves with a variety of items the party presumes had been taken from the Pathfinder's camp.
At the far end of the bar, they find the proprietor, a Lampad named `Cibella`.
Her back is to the group as they approach while she busies herself with pouring drinks.
When she does turn around, she is startled by Thaniel's presence and drops the drinks, which Thaniel deftly saves from spilling upon the ground.
The party explains that they are looking for a place to rest and after receiving permission to sleep in the bar away from the patrons, they begin to learn what they can from her.
-# .

Cibella tells them that Queen Titania had Lulubell imprisoned for helping the humans who had been coming into the forest repeatedly to take `Desna's Stars`, flowers that shine brightly in the dark of night.
From the description of humans and the piles of stacked stones, the group believe this to be the work of the cultists they had met long ago.
She offers a drink to The Austere that soothes his ancient soul, then to the rest of the party but Kat is the only other to partake.
The group spend the night in the tavern under the watch of the large flutterwing moth `Tithilene` while Cibella goes off to learn what items that could present to Titania to gain an audience with her.
-# .

## Erastus 4th, 4724

In the morning, Cibella returns with a list of items that are currently popular with the fey of the forest and would serve well for an audience with the Queen.
- A Griffon's Egg
- The Head of an Underwater King
- The Horn of a Unicorn
- The Water from a Pure Spring
- A Redcap's Cap
In exchange for her help, the group agrees to spend time with Cibella when she has free time from the tavern.
With a list in hand, the group head back to the start of the forest to claim the redcap's hats.
-# .

## Erastus 5th, 4724

The party proceeds further into the forest and find a seemingly empty hut maintained by a single disembodied voice that invites them in.
They learn that this house belongs to Lulubell and find a pile of handwritten notices that she either gave or planned to give to the Pathfinders before she was imprisoned.
Reading the note brings the party to the realization that they have already committed most, if not all, of the items on the list that Sayrin did not warn them about.
-# .

- Don't accept gifts from the fey.
- Don't consume the food or drink of the fey.
- Never dance with a fey.
- Never tell a fey your full name.
- Never stray from the path through the forest.
- Don't forget your manners, but never say "Thank you."
- Always keep your word.
- Don't repay more than you borrowed.
-# .

Now worried about the consequences of their actions, the group ventures further on and encounters an enormous tree.
They follow the path marked along the tree and discover that it is magical in nature and they will never fall off as long as they maintain contact with it.
Towards the top of the tree, they discover a griffon's nest guarded by the two parents.
While out of sight, the group devises a plan to distract the griffons, stealthily grab an egg, and run back to safety at the ground.
Like most plans, it does not quite go as hoped and results in the griffon nest being lit on fire before The Austere grabs an egg and begins running from the bewildered griffons with the rest of the party quick to follow.