The [[The Mascari Family]] begins their session with a few hours to kill before heading to [[Rooted Burrow]] to meet [[Rill Graff]]. During this time, [[Dugby Bagel VII]] suggested a quick scouting flight across the 4 other major cities in Miraneen to gather information on this foreign country to better aid in their search for [[Sylvan Dense Mascari]]. The first city on Dugby’s journey is [[Quoxet]]. The city from above is gorgeous. Most notable were larger buildings with a similar appearance to those in [[Magni]]. The buildings seemed more advanced however, more put together with finer material, a hint of the use of magic in procuring the materials and assembling the the architecture. Of note, the puppets in this city appeared to either have a new design. In order to avoid detection, [[Dugby Bagel VII]] flew high above with nothing but the wind to hear his cries of joy as he soared to his next destination, [[Hidor]]. ![[Pasted image 20260802083453.png]] Back in [[Magni]], the family made their way to the [[Rooted Burrow]], the local pub built into the side of a knoll. Inside, Mrs. [[Leslie Maples]] tended bar, while the beautiful Ms. [[Violet Nocturn]] serenaded the room with her sultry saxophone. The crew dispersed inside in their disguises, attempting to gather a little information and have a little fun and relax at the same time. Outside, Emmy notes she hears a commotion, following a few heavy thuds. Shortly after this, an elven man who's quite disheveled enters the pub, heads straight to the bar, pounds 6 beers, and heads to the bathroom. As [[Carlo Mascari]] enters the scene, his eyes and ears are immediately drawn to the gorgeous vixen playing the saxophone, capturing his bard heart immediately. He drew his loot... and strummed along. ![[Pasted image 20260802091636.png]] [[Emmy Mascari]] makes her way to the bar, while [[AAA]] sees a familiar halfing sitting in the corner, and next to that halfling are 6 drank beers. ![[Pasted image 20260801125329.png]] Dugby soars with incredible speeds to his next destination [[Hidor]]. On this flyby, the eagle man decided to fly closer, to perhaps learn more about this city. It appeared to be well guarded by elven forces. He noticed there were many a variety of elves, intermingled in the city. The city extends from the base of the mountain and into the large forest to the south. Many of the buildings appeared to again be magically constructed, or at the very least, magic was used to guide the builders hands. The tree's themselves grew into and through the buildings, adding to their impressive sizes. Through the city a large waterfall flows and steady's into a beautiful river that feeds the forest down stream. Dugby focused on a large tree, closest to the base of the mountain, the largest tree in the area by far. The castle that was built in and through the tree was impressive as well. Upon closer inspection, Dugby could make out a family crest on the castle that he had seen before but couldn't put a wing tip on it. Trying to appear as a careless eagle, Dugby took a quick dive through the Castle Tree, weaving through the branches and vines that hung, and found a small area within that appeared to be working heavily on harvesting ingredients, and distilling them in what appeared to be some alchemical lab. Feeling a sense of eyes on him, Dugby quickly ascended out of the castle, but saw a slim elven man standing on the tallest balcony with his eyes shielded from the sun. It was impossible to make out entirely, but Dugby would wager a lot and say that the Elven man was simply investigating the clouds. A heavy storm could be seen rolling in from the north, falling from the mountains like a thick blanket. Dugby ascended to comfortable altitude, and soared with haste to Fixale, the location of the [[Matriarch Tree]]. ![[Pasted image 20260802084518.png]] Back in the [[Rooted Burrow]], [[AAA]] began a healthy discussion about the Watchers and their current circumstances. Half of his beers were in celebration of running into another member, the other half were to mourn the losses of all his companions of the years. Their numbers had grown to the 30's, acquiring many skilled hands over the years to aid in the search and protection of knowledge. After three devastating losses, the tight knit pseudo family was in shambles. They said they sought answers.... but [[Rill Graff]] knew the truth. He could smell the thirst for vengeance. The losses had all been in Miraneen near the [[Matriarch Tree]]... and they went looking. Sometimes he see's them. Walking the streets... but it's never them, just the memories haunting Rill. As Rill was suffering from AIED (Alcohol Induced Emotional Deterioration), Emmy observed the door flying open as a withered man is thrown through. A tall BLONDE headed slender man walked through wearing a lion's masquerade mask, purple suit, and holding a clear glass sphere. Emmy immediately rushed to the withered mans side and began effective healing, the very patrons on this side watching on as the mans wounds mended in front of them. The blonde gentleman made his way immediately to the dance floor, and swept [[Mildred Pennyworth]] up out of her booth. The crowd that had gathered listening to [[Carlo Mascari]] and [[Violet Nocturn]] play off of each other's notes with escalating intensity had cleared generous section of the dining area for a dance floor. Patrons clapped and cried as their emotions and attention had been pulled at by Violet's notes, as their senses had been dazzled by Carlo's expert loot playing. And onto the floor, Carlo observed a purple suited man grab an elderly woman up from the booths and dance in rhythm with their songs. He later learned this was a miracle, as the woman hadn't walked in years. The patrons later admitted they believe Carlo and Violet's music was so powerful it persuaded her to dance once again. The two dancing in sync with the crystal ball becoming the focus of their contact. Moving the ball with just their finger tips, they maintained precise contact as they tore through the floor. Flipping and gliding across the floor became a dance of passion. Not sexually you freaks. But a true love and appreciate for the dance. The Pride they had to have felt being able to battle for attention as their dance tore eyes and ears away from Violet and Carlo, two artists dancing with a white whimsical light trailed their hands. AAA took notice of the room, as Rill's eyes locked onto the seemingly glass orb, and dropped his 7th beer to the floor. Grabbing AAA by the shoulder guards, a level of sobriety in his eyes, Rill insisted AAA grab his friends quickly and escape. Focusing in on the orb, AAA noticed that even though it appeared perfectly smooth, he could make out runes on the smooth surface... similar to those seen in the final chamber of the pyramid. AAA insisted to Rill that instead of fleeing from this man... it would be best to perhaps stop whatever it was that was happening. Dugby rounded the bend as he made his way to the back of the Miraneen heading to the capital [[Fixale (C)]]. He flew following the river east as it winded through the country. The river spent half of it's distance alongside the forest, whilst the other half it wove it's way in and out of the southern forest line. Eventually, it made it's way to the southern side of the [[Matriarch Tree]], which could been seen from everywhere in the country. Dugby felt his last encounter was a little too close for comfort and decided to forgo scouting the city, and instead kept to the skies... and soared higher and higher. Climbing in altitude, Dugby noticed the tree itself, the higher it went, had it's own Biome. Plant life climbed the tree, their roots digging and feeding from the tree itself. Bushes turned to hedges turned to trees turned to a forrest living on the side of the matriarch tree... horizontal to the ground. The sight was dizzying, as the trees grew out at Dugby as he ascended. Higher and faster, he zoomed through the horizontal forest, trying to make his way through to inspect the sigil they could see from miles away. As he flew... shapes and shadows followed from afar, using the many footholds left by the natural vegetation to keep up. As Dugby arrived at the base of the sigil, finally able to really look into it. Feeling pressured to study rapidly, as the sound of wood clattering together as it moved through the foliage... sounding like wooden rain in a wood staff. After an hour of studying the sigil... he made an astounding discovery. As Violet and Carlo drew their duet to a close, as did the masked man and [[Mildred Pennyworth]]. The man whisked her from her feet, and she laid her head on his chest. As the man goes to finish the dance with a beautiful twirl, a magical ball of light forms between the man with his glass orb, and the old woman. As the song ends, the lady sits back down in her booth in style and lays her head to rest on the corner of the booth. AAA had convinced Rill to try and protect this woman from too much fun, and had summoned an neigh invulnerable shield around the man, who looked on in confusion. The sigil or emblem growing on the tree made of the growing forest and other plants, seemed placed and manicured, and wasn't actually growing there naturally... but the bark beneath the tree is... and the symbols are... ![[Pasted image 20260802161700.png]] Movement. The tree line to his left and right rang with the sound of the wooden rain, and now Dugby could make out small woodland... wood creatures all around him, spinning a web of threads. Chimps, spiders, jaguars, parrots, cockatoos descended on Dugby the Eagle. Dugby may be old, but not as a bird. He magically soared through the thick forest, escaping every grasp and peck the wood critters had to throw at him. As he broke free of the canopy of the forest attached to the [[Matriarch Tree]], a most horrific view greeted him. ![[Pasted image 20260802175849.png]] The man in the shell introduced himself as [[Michelios]], and was mid commending the fine caster of this nearly impenetrable shell when [[AAA]] activated his boots, grabbed the shell and its contents and flew. ![[Pasted image 20260802190330.png]] Sensing his inevitable capture, Dugby though at the speed of light, dispelling his polymorph, and instantly triggering teleport to a location he was… well recently familiar with. Back in Magni, a flash of light appeared from inside a garbage heap behind [[The Hand that Guides]], as Dugby appeared in the pile, throwing old scrap parts in wild directions. Knowing he had to meet his team here shortly at the Rooted Burrow, he leapt… slowly got to a knee, and hobbled then ran to the local pub. ![[Pasted image 20260802191520.png]] As Dugby approached, he heard a loud commotion from the interior of the pub, also finding an array of oddities around the pub. Multiple withered husks of what were people and puppets laying about, with cloaked figures standing watch outside. From a nearby eating area outside the pub, a clumsy witch/healer made her way out of the area, clearly flustered and lost… or has lost something or someone. A bright light flashed from inside the pub, and a quick moving sphere erupted from the window at the top of the knoll the pub was built into, and Dugby see’s AAA flying rapidly as high as he can with a glowing sphere containing a well dressed man inside. After 30 seconds, the bubble dissipated, dropping the man a very horrifying distance. Dugby approaches as AAA looks down at the dust cloud created from the impact, as Carlo, Emmy, and Rill exit out of the front. The family looks on as a unphased [[Michelios]] exits the crater his body made after the fall… ![[Pasted image 20260802220501.png]] That wasn’t very polite… he says, in a sarcastic condescending tone… Inside the Pub, a cloaked Drow chuckles, looking for her guest to arrive but only found disappointment. She picks he blue stone up and heads towards the back, perhaps the man will arrive when She wills it. The team picks up 3500 xp