After midnight we're gonna all let it all hang down...

[DM Bob]

Ping Quila <”You need to see this! There are more Kreen here than apes I have seen in any city in my whole life! Please remember to keep the landing site clear, I will be Dooring in on my return and stitching* to you soon”>

You are indeed correct. Raam might be the only city-state to compare population-wise. Pretty sure Ande has not been there.

Ping Ser-Gon-Evauth <"Apologies for the intrusion. I seek to return safely to you, please give me your location as precisely as you can?">

This is done.

She won’t dawdle more than necessary to recoup some of her spent PSP’s and perhaps bask in the attention I imagine an Aarakocra would receive in a kreen city. She will relish being a spectacle so long as the attention isn’t of the murderous mob mentality.

She would cast a Know Customs to see if there are differences between here and Nirik-Tohr.

Picking a J'ez similar to the one who captured her, she casts know customs. Whoa. The clutch dynamics are mind blowing. The tohr here are primarily J'ez who tend to be the most lawful of the tohr-kreen, often acting as the bureaucrats and diplomats for the G'lathuk (empire). It would be best for non-kreen travelers to avoid J'eztere or any of its villages as the kreen do not always respond favorably with others. In most cases, races from the south and east will be captured and taken as slaves for the empire. [You will get a bonus to CHA related diplomatic checks here in the future.]

While in the midst of so many kreen, Ande would also divine "how best she could help Chat'cho as a matchmaker".

Since almost all kreen, tohr or no, apply to the convention of mating within their direct species... the only positive answer is that the Tondi, a pretty variety of northern mantisfolk that resemble crystalline ohi flowers (that you've never seen, tohr or flower) are the ones *most likely* to throw this convention out the proverbial window. This would be a strange relationship as well, as Tondo are all female themselves and hatch only female offspring. But, such a relationship could be attempted as all said mates are of the same sex. Yet love is a fickle thing.

You make is back to the Seed around 2 PM.

[DM Bob]

And by then, all of the goals needed to progress are accomplished.

The Seed speaks through proxy once more.

<"WE WILL BE LEAVING SHORTLY. WHILE A MEETING OF THE FAMILY IS TO BE HAD SOON, WE WILL LIKELY VISIT THOSE THAT YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT STILL LIVE OF THE CREATOR'S BLOOD. FROM THERE, EITHER YOU WILL SEE US IN THE SKIES AGAIN OR THE SMALL ONES WILL WALK ATHAS ONCE MORE. WE WILL SAY GOODBYE IF WE DO SO, OUR FRIENDS. OUR MAIN FEAR IS THAT OF THE STRANGE, THESE MI-GO.">

[Attilius]

"I think you have an ally with the Lord of Kurn if and when you need to fight the Mi-go again. Not to mention us..."

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- Eslyk talks to the seed - "Is it something that we could get from you as a proof for future generations of this unique encounter? Myths and legends are varied, but only a proof could remark it's veracity" - looking at it like once in a lifetime opportunity to increase their reputation, and hers too, amongst her kine. A proof of rite of passage

[Coden Rokos (Jesse H.)]

"I suppose from the sky above, Athas doesn't seem to change very much at all," muses Coden. "But these... fungi from another world may return, and we must be vigilant for them now, too."

[Attilius]

Oct 20, 2023 6:55:21 GMT -12 Coden Rokos (Jesse H.) said:

"I suppose from the sky above, Athas doesn't seem to change very much at all," muses Coden. "But these... fungi from another world may return, and we must be vigilant for them now, too."

The small halfling mimes parchment and a writing implement in the air
"Psionic world conquoring worm men... check!
Southern Massed Undead armies... check!
Sexy but very angry fire lady... check!
Aether mushroom brain bats... check!"

[Deleted]

Chat'cho shakes her head slowly at the goings-on. [Thri-Kreen] "I will not live to see this comet's return. Perhaps, however, when or if it returns, my memories will visit the kreen who are here to see it and provide them with valuable information. A greater honor I could not hope to aspire to."

[Niachi]

The ghostly hand taunting outside dissipates with a possibly rude gesture as Niachi ends his spell and nods to the proxy speaker:

"Would that I come with you and sing songs in the stars oh that is a fine dream! But, eh this is home. For now...

My people will know of your valor, and yeah you have allies and trade status with my tribe. We are everywhere on this rock called Athas, just look in the shady places."

[AthasianLaborer]

At the news of their imminent departure, Ande is visibly distraught and she nods in fervent agreement as HurK assures Ser-Gon-Evauth that they have a continued alliance with Kurn and all of us.

Once Eslyk bring up item exchange, Ande begins examining herself looking for the most vibrant of her feathers and plucks perhaps a dozen of them. As she lets them fall from the wing talon she gathered them in, she speaks (verbally in Aarakocra and also by ping to specifically Ser-Gon-Evauth) "<Aarakocra> May your nest be where my feathers fall if not in my own''.

"I don't disagree that we should stay on alert for the Mi-go, but I also don't think we should give Graytch too much breathing room and--" Ande stifles a laugh lined with rage as she near spits "that bitch!" as HurK mentions Liandrin. "Hoo, oh, I can still barely think straight about her <giggles annoyedly> which is why I think Quila should take the lead on that front"

As Ande hears Chat'cho muse of the future, she sighs as if to regulate her own rising dander. "<Thri-Kreen> I promise you that your memories will be valued by your descendants, I intend to be here when Ser-Gon-Evauth returns and I will make sure they know how valued you are by your non-kreen clutch mates''

Ande addresses Ser-Gon-Evauth (while looking at Efurth) "Yes, please before you go, do share your memories of what Athas looks like as you approach through the skies! Is it a plane or sphere? Is it really all desert, silt or obsidian?"

[DM Bob]

<"A FINE AND APPRECIATED MEMENTO OF THIS EVENT.">

It replies to Ande. The blue-eyed Mouth of the Seed turns to Eslyk.

<"WE WISH WE HAD SOMETHING TO GIFT THAT WOULD SURVIVE THIS TORN WORLD. BUT PERHAPS, THE STRANGE'S JARS COULD BE TAKEN? MUCH MAYBE LEARNED FROM THEM PERHAPS TO AID YOU IN OUR SHARED DEFENSE OF THE MI-GO.">

After that, a picture appears in place of the tohr-kreen and their efforts to move the fallen ship. A globe, much in greys, but with reddish and mottled yellow continents and wispy clouds is seen, slowly hovering in the Aether before a much larger crimson sun. Occasional patches of dark blue-green can be seen in places, generally surrounded by the grey.

A tiny landmass just north of the equator is seen as well, with a wee bit of black tailing like a diseased fang or dark thorn.

<"THIS IS ATHAS NOW, AS WE KNOW IT. WHEN WE FIRST LIVED HERE, THE GREY WAS ALL GREEN-BLUE. THE SEAS WERE EVERYWHERE. THE SEAS WERE LIFE. IN OUR FOLLY AND FAILURE, THIS IS WHAT WE HOPE REGROWS... NOT THAT IT DOES NOT DESERVE CARE NOW. YOU ARE LIVING PROOF OF THAT. PERHAPS THE DISCUSSIONS WE'D HAD IN THE PAST WOULD HAVE TAKEN A LESS STRICT CONCEPT OF RETURNING TO THE PREVIOUS AGE. PERHAPS THERE ARE ROOM FOR OTHERS, AS THERE IS VALUE IN YOUR LIFE. THERE IS VALUE IN ALL LIFE. WE DID NOT ALWAYS THINK SO, IN OUR ARROGANCE.">

The picture then focuses on the two moons, Ral and Guthay... but from more of a distance. The Seed's memories of these are not as detailed.

<"THERE IS LIFE UPON THE MOONS AS WELL. WE KNOW LITTLE OF IT AS IT REFUSES TO TALK TO US. IT IS SAID THAT ONCE THE THREE WERE CLOSE AND THAT LIFE WAS SHARED BETWIXT THE SIBLINGS. OUR CHANGING OF THE MOTHER SUN MAY HAVE ANGERED THEM, THIS MIGHT BE THE STAIN OF OUR MISDEEDS. KNOW THIS AS WHAT WE DO NOW MAY ALSO AFFECT THEM. HOWEVER, IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE, BEFORE THE MANTIS RENEW THEIR EFFORTS. YOU WILL KNOW IF WE STAY OR LEAVE BY THE LIGHT IN THE NIGHT SKY. BUT FOR NOW, WE WILL LISTEN TO THE YOUNG ONE (Eyes on Eslyk) AND SEEK OUT OUR REMAINING KIN.">

[Attilius]

"Any chance we can have some TOSH-MOR's for our continued survival?" Hurkling hopefully asks.

WE WISH WE HAD SOMETHING TO GIFT THAT WOULD SURVIVE THIS TORN WORLD. This was said to imply that you do not have the capabilities to care for the life-shaped. Which is true. -Bob

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

Quila had remained silent and absorbing all around her, aside from nodding to HurK and patting Ande upon their respective arrivals.
She is using her excellent memory to make exact notes of what the Seed is saying to later write down and mentally share with Akos.

She will ping/link with Akos when the time is there to brief him on all that’s happened since the combat with Graytch.
That includes the maniacal laughs of Liandrin and her supposed continuing threath, the misporting and misadventures of Ande in a big kreen city (John can’t remember these details while making this post on a small phone screen from a motel room, but Quila will), and the success of raising all halflings and the outcome of the Seed’s deliberations: finish visiting some halflings and then return to the aether. Kurn will get the artefacts that the Strange left behind on the Seed to use for research into those creatures.

To the group Quila will say: “If you want to go after Liandrin, I have ways of finding her, and of anchoring her physical form on Athas.”

[Attilius]

HurKling nods his understanding "Then may the winds ever be at your backs wherever you decide to travel, be it in the Aether or to your great great relatives. And know you have friends should you and your family ever need more aid."

HurKling will look for the 10 jars and carefully pad them with his clothes/sleeping gear before stuffing them in his massive pack.

[DM Bob]

A hunt for an efreetess noble sounds quite fun.

And after Quila speaks with Akos, he simply asks that they return with the alien jars and report back to Kurn, as Oronis has some more detailed questions to ask in person. He can have a wormhole activated after you regroup with your mounts... and perhaps with some quick goodbyes and thanks to the Nirik-tohr clutch.

[Niachi]

Before we part with the Seed, Niachi will dig in his pockets and place a new and shiny Draj-minted silver piece in the same area where Ande's feathers fell, with quiet respect.

"I do not know if you have metalworking among your people.. This is the highest quality pure silver coin I have yet gathered. It is mere currency, but I offer its value in craftmanship and purity, and the several (known) supernatural attributes and spell components of silver which you may find of interest. Life on the twin moons!? There are those who attribute silver to the moons. Perhaps this can be a conduit or totem of some sort to Guthay and Ral."