A party travels to Flodaigh Island to try to determine the source of Count Drest’s nightmares. They find a tower inhabited by a swordsman whose mind lives fully in the realm of dreams. One of the party enters the dreams using the mushrooms of the island, and learns surreal snippets of the tower’s purpose and what it might have been made to defend against. The party argues whether to kill the swordsman in hopes it cures Drest, nearly coming to blows.
Party
- Isolde (Andrew)
- Gundemar (Ben)
- Þorkell Skaðison (Firbozz)
- Mongfhind (Vivian)
- Artair (Wren)
- Refereed by Moose
Intention
The crew will sail to Flodaigh Island to uncover the secret histories presumed sheltered within its ruined tower.
Boasts
Artair
“I will not allow this man (the warrior in Gullsrock Tower) to be killed.”
Rumors
- There are dangers on Albion. Ranks of soldiers wearing stone masks in the shape of dogs, a pit of sand with blood stains in it wherein we see hands come out to drag vultures into, a perfect marble wasteland with a perfect marble city and still perfect marble citizens.
- Long ago invaders attacked these isles. There was betrayal amongst Albion’s people, and may still be threats from those times still present.
- Near the flotilla on the way back, a massive shape shows itself, a beast or thing that raises above the surface and then sinks back down with many tentacles.
Full Notes
- We set off to Flodaigh Island, from the flotilla. Journey is simple and easy, only a light rain. NW breeze.
- Birds wheel above as we breach upon the beach.
- Closer to the tower, we can see that the top of it is removed, and no birds nest, enter, or exit, only occasionally resting upon it.
- Notice that bright red and brown mushrooms grow amongst the bird shit, uneaten by local wildlife.
- Isolde collects a sack-full, being careful not to directly touch them. They harvest easily.
- As we explore the island, we come across crumbled remains of previous constructions and buildings strewn about the rocks.
- We recognize the architectural style of the tower and low walls as dry stone walls in the style of Ruislip, distinct from architecture of Dun Dulnadd.
- Similar in character to that seen in Contin and the temple to Onthloug, but there are subtle differences between there and here.
- As we close to the center of the isle and the tower, the density of the shrooms increases, Now there are longer lines and trails and rings. The tower itself along its edge has a continuous line of mushrooms
- We can see a middle floor of the tower that is intact, an upper floor where the damage is done. There is one worn doorway to the interior of the tower
- We see motion in the middle floor window!
- Footsteps approach from above, we hail greetings in Pictish and Ruis, we get a reply in gibberish. A man appears, with no shirt, bedraggled pants, and a massive sword held with terrifying ease. Almost no part of their skin is visible that doesn’t have some type of iconography on it. His eyes always look to the east.
- Mongfhind asks if they know of Deep Places or Onthloug. The reply is in several languages and babble
- Þorkell and Isolde climb the stairs to find a decayed bedroom with furnishings that have dissolved from the elements
- Þorkell climbs to the third floor to find it structurally damaged as we saw from outside. Furnishings are even more decayed and damaged than what we found on the second floor
- Isolde offers the shroom bag to the man, who doesn’t acknowledge us, but houses a shroom. Isolde also eats one, and collapses into a deep sleep.
- Isolde finds themselves in a recurring dream, of the time they were caught stealing and being caught and pursued. But there is awareness that this is a dream, with the understanding of the boundary of the dream and an understanding that others have had this dream. They come to a doorway and find themselves atop a tower, looking out over the bay, towards Dun Dulnadd. They can hear seabirds and see sitting in the ocean but upon the horizon the shape of boats which loom far larger than any real object could. As they emerge from the doorway, sitting with them in the same room, is the man in the tower, but now cloaked and sharpening his massive sword
- They talk. Isolde tells him they come on behalf of Drest to cure his dreams, the man who is nameless, is unknowing of the count. Says he is here until “we are safe”, and points to the boats on the horizon to the east as what he must be safe from.
- In the material world, the Isolde still slumbers, and the man goes back to the middle floor, followed by Þorkell, always looking to the east.
- Gundemar asks what conclusions we can draw at this time, perhaps Drest is being poisoned by someone in his court and we could bring mushrooms as proof back to Dun Dulnadd. Mongfhind agrees that may be so, but the mushrooms seem to cause sleep unlike Drest. She suggests they may have to slay the man to stop whatever force or spell may be channeled through him towards Drest
- Back in the dream, the man teaches Isolde how to use a sword properly, granting them the ability to better defend themselves. This opens up another set of ideas he can more clearly convey to Isolde.
- There was an invasion a long time ago. Lines of soldiers in brilliant armor wielding stacks of gold marches across the land. The people of Albann and Ruislip as a whole fought against them. The invaders never made it to Ruislip, but they did cause them to cease their alliances, trade, and interconnectedness. This all happened long ago although this man doesn’t seem to recognize how long that was ago. In the shapes on the horizons, people can now be seen standing in the boats, holding up severed tongues in mockery and taunting. A deeply sad betrayal happened that this man refuses to allow to happen to his people of Ruislip.
- As a reminder, the temple of Onthloug has a tree of severed tongues!
- They see the history of Dun Dulnadd. It held fast against the invaders, a new lord arrived later to replace the old one. A parade of bodies in the caves drift out to be lost in the ocean, some of which were traitors. Boats are then constructed in those caves.
- Isolde tries to convey how time has passed and that his battles are passed by way of teaching him the blade. The man is very sad because he knows they are wrong. He looks back at Albann and shows what he must remain vigilant upon: ranks of soldiers wearing stone masks in the shape of dogs, a pit of sand with blood stains in it wherein we see hands come out to drag vultures into, a perfect marble wasteland with a perfect marble city and still perfect marble citizens. He will not shirk his duty. Isolde considers slaying him but decides not to.
- Isolde asks one more question, if he knows Slaine, he does not. They then ask one more question again, how to make someone regret their words. Tells them to find something they regretted and learn to love it.
- As best Þorkell can tell from exploring, this was once a watchtower with a few surrounding walls to keep livestock to keep a small garrison fed
- Isolde is loved, in the form of party making them comfortable and safe while they dream.
- Gundemar tries to see if he can harvest eggs without disturbing Gulls. He cannot. The Gulls understand the power of riot and collective violence.
- Isolde awakes to heavier rain and a failed ward save, as the details and fineness of the dreams mix with half understood nonsense language. No markings gained in the dream remain but what they remember.
- Þorkell and Mongfhind argue over the path forward. Þorkell is for either killing the count or bringing him shrooms as evidence of his poisoning in the court. Mongfhind wants to kill the man and gaslight Drest into believing he can only avert the curse through proper governance and kindness (the “Christmas Carol his ass” plot).
- The arguing continues, and eventually the party decides to leave and return to the flotilla, with Mongfhind making it known she will return with like-minded comrades to kill the warrior.Gundemar and Isolde are with her, until Isolde thinks better and joins Artair on the stance of protecting him. Þorkell remains neutral.
- Isolde and Artair talk of this plan, and are uneasy about what to do to stop her.
- Mongfhind gathers shrooms. Isolde and Gundemar gather eggs, performing very well against the rage of the Gulls.
- It is an uncomfortable and wet voyage back to the flotilla. Þorkell and Mongfhind argue fiercely on the nature of what it means to be a human.
- One thing interrupts us, a massive shape that raises above the surface and then sinks back down with many tentacles. Þorkell claims that it not tipping the boat is a good omen.
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