Previously, the party raided and purified the Temple of Eldath, smashed a golden mirror behind which Alabaster lurked, and collected its shards. The session proper begins with the party back at the docks near [[Rachwall]], debating their return route to . They opt to avoid the mangrove-dwelling fish and have [[Jory Bhanti]] lead them through the jungle and marsh on foot, water up to his hips, arriving back in Jungen within a few hours. Approaching the Jungan docks, the party spots Shadow the direwolf flailing joyfully on the dock. He dives in, is pulled aboard, and reports enthusiastically on his stay with Indigo — he learned to fetch, gathered Indigo's items, and procured special tonics from 'the turtle guy' that smelled like the bar. ![[Pasted image 20261002171631.png]] ![[Pasted image 20261002172736.png]] Carlo and AAA visit [[Terry’s Tinctures and Tonics]] around 5pm, delivering the pollen sisters' harvest and the blessed milk of Eldath. [[Terry the Turtle]] and [[Kandy the Turtle]] are ecstatic, setting up distillers, smelters, and burners. They confirm the potion will take at least 24 hours. Carlo also secures a six-pack of Indigo's psychedelic mushroom-fruit brew on Indigo's tab. Emmy visits Pradu to report the temple's purification and ask about the cursed mirror, Alabaster, and the antlered creature that followed them. [[Pradu Bhanti]] confirms her father died defending the temple, identifies [[Alabaster LaGrande]] as the Arch-Devil of [[Levistus]] residing in Pandorn, and explains the Wendigo was once the blessed stag guardian of the Opki temple, driven mad after the old queen raided it roughly 80 years ago. She describes the temple's trap-filled floors and shares the Bhanti’s plan to migrate toward Rachwall using guerrilla tactics. Emmy offers Savahaa as refuge for the Bhanti’s. Pradu also pulls out a scouted layout map of the matriarch tree from a hidden drawer, showing the castle built into the roots, courtyards, and a hidden entrance into the tree itself. She agrees to assist with a distraction when the party moves on the tree. Dugby gathers swamp fungus and bakes two baker's dozen of magical 'Dugby bagels' in the Bonte house kitchen, with Emmy casting guidance to assist. The bagels restore 1d8 +8 HP but take a full action to eat. Meanwhile, Carlo drinks some of Indigo's psychedelic brew and tries to scare Indigo. Indigo, also drunk, doesn't even notice. Indigo complains about being run ragged by Shadow's endless ball-throwing, having slept only an hour while Shadow slept ten minutes, and retreats to a shack with two beers, softly crying from exhaustion. ![[Pasted image 20261005125919.png]] At Tiki's hut, the party contributes monster hearts (sand hydra pieces, blighted treant heart, sphragon heart)… and AAA. Tiki draws a ritual circle with AAA seated in the center holding the ore. Magic flakes coalesce, swirling like a whirlpool and stream down to fill the hearts' anatomical vessels, and after a some time and an Annoyingly bright flash, the circle is now filled with five glowing objects. Tiki passes out from exhaustion. Emmy pranks him, then cures his distress with greater restoration. Tiki also tells the story of Lily, a human woman who gained power, went to hell, and returned only to have her power taken. Shadow drinks the finished Superior Critter potion, grows about three inches with broader shoulders and greater strength, and begins speaking Common, greeting Emmy by name and demanding the ball. ![[Pasted image 20261005132241.png]] Carlo has Dugby destroy the hated ball with fire bolt while Shadow sleeps. The party then debates their next destination — saving Sylvan at the tree versus investigating the Apki temple — and agrees the temple furthers their soul-magic mission while saving Sylvan should be the climactic 'coup' move. Dugby memorizes a teleportation circle anchored to their Jungen lodging, and AAA cross-references Constantine's notebook, narrowing the tunnel-temple to Versane or Pandorn. Jory reluctantly agrees to escort them to the temple doors only. Traveling southwest along tributaries toward the coastline and then northwest into the jungle, the party encounters a patrol of sleeker second-generation puppets. Jory submerges as a distraction while Bayla and black-panther-like cubs ambush and destroy all three puppets. The family arrives at an Aztec-style temple of jade and gold across a stone walkway on a lake. Carlo's high perception spots a large antlered figure on the mountainside. The creature begins to move to the east, seemingly away from the family. But Carlo had already had enough of this antlered freak following them, so he decided to follow it. To take it a step further, Carlo moved at a brisk pace and intercepted the creatures path. As he drew closer, and his with his family close behind, the family noticed several things. The creature is a short-bus-sized hunched horror with hooves, claws, exposed rib cage, and a pile of skulls at its feet. They noticed a horrifying rotten stench, and a distinct humming. And because nothing in this universe can hum without being suspicious, Carlo made several calls. Carlo approaches it directly. ![[Pasted image 20261005134520.png]] Carlo first used message, to try and communicate with the beast. It answers Carlo's message spell with a screech. Carlo then called to someone else… an elf with a humming problem that Carlo suspected to be following close by, spying on the family. The family gains 1500 xp, and best of luck.