14 Marpenoth 1492
A new morning! We knew we had a whole day to kill until we would meet Caefaera “family” in the evening, so we went to the Fount of Knowledge to ask Elias about the magic going crazy lately, the stolen wizard registry and so on.
This sparked a memory in his mind about what Casmos auntie had been doing in the Star Mountains back when he met her. He produced a page that he had copied from a book she had found (and that smelled deliciously like coffee). The page retold the story of Mystra, her demise and return, and that Mystra was Mystriel, daughter of the three-faced moon goddess:
The Story of Mystra
Once upon a time and many aeons ago when the gods still walked the material plane, they shared their powers freely with all creatures. The most powerful but also most free giving with her powers was Mystra - the source of all magic. She marvelled at the wonders mortals were able to perform when she lent them her powers and so she let her powers spread all through the multiverse for everybody to use. This was a time of prosperity, invention and peace, as all realms and their inhabitants discovered what they could do with magic.
Her mother, the three faced goddess of the moon and divination - the Silver Lady, however warned her that letting her power roam so freely would eventually lead mortals to believe they were gods themselves and contest the beings that gave them this power.
Soon, as her mother had predicted, greed and envy spread among mortals and some used their new found power to only grow their own influence. Eventually one of the mortals deemed himself so powerful that he himself should walk among the gods, and he made the plan to replace Mystra herself. His attempt nearly destroyed Mystra and split her from her divinity leaving her a weak mortal woman. But he also could not fully replace her. Instead magic now flowed through the multiverse uncontrolled wreaking havoc on all planes.
The Silver Lady was sick with worries for her child and after decades of research and considerations decided there was only one way to save Mystra. She ripped off one of her faces and forged a sword in the depths of the Star Mountains that could sever the bond between the Usurper and the Magic. As she killed the wizard and cut his bond to magic it reconnected with Mystra and restored order to the multiverse.
Mortals on the Material Plane were scarred by the wild Reign of Magic and when order returned swore to worship Mystra and the Silver Lady and to live in peace and harmony. They did so for centuries.
Mystra had not lost her faith in the ability of mortals to do good with magic and so she shared her powers freely again, even against the warning of her mother that mortals had not learned from their mistakes and would soon misuse the powers given to them for their own gain.
And again, as the Silver Lady predicted, another power hungry wizard deemed himself so powerful that he should walk among gods and he devised a ritual to separate Mystra from her power. But this time the ritual failed and instead of only separating Mystra from Magic, he broke the fabric that connected the Multiverse and severed all beings from Magic.
And as history repeats itself the Silver Lady set out to repair what was broken. She took the sword she forged and cut off all her silver hair and she used her hair to weave together the multiverse and she tied Mystra in its centre to restore the connection of everything to Magic.
Saving her daughter but also tying her to the multiverse forever.
Knowing the only thing that could ever separate Mystra from magic again was the sword that cut her hair, she broke it in three pieces and hid each of the pieces in a different plane. One on Toril, one in the Feywild and one in the Astral Sea.
.
What to do with this new information now? There was some impulse to go search for the pieces of this sword immediately - but to what end? We decided to wait until we had some more information before taking off to the Star Mountains, the Feywild or even the Astral Sea (btw. Elias told us that to go to the Astral Sea, we would need a beacon that connects to this plane. Or find a spell mighty enough.
Lyra, with the help of the library’s index card system, found out that to turn her brother back, she would need a spell called “Polymorph”, but that only works for one hour. To change him back permanently, she would need to master “True Polymorph”, which would require to become one of the mightiest wizards in existence. Maybe it would be easier to find someone else who has the ability.
We decided to try for Casmos to send an acorn to their auntie. Casmos immediately sat down on Elias chair and started writing:
Auntie Talia, I have consulted the tarot, seeking guidance as we prepare to journey to the Feywild. Justice appeared before me—a reminder that balance must be restored, and perhaps you hold a part of that truth. The Devil followed, warning of hidden forces and the chains we may unknowingly be tied to. I wonder, was it this same darkness that drew you to the Star Mounts, meeting our new Halfling friend Elias? The Sun, reversed, tells me this path may be shadowed, that clarity will be hard-won, but I trust in the light you taught me, and the light of the moon lady.
We search for the sword in three pieces from a certain Mystra’s tale. Your wisdom has always shown me the way even in your absence—yet I wondered since you left: where are you now? Are you well? I hope this acorn finds you, I don’t know how it works.
Bye!Casmos
Fast forward to the evening. Caefaera knocked on the door of Harlow‘s shop. As it opened we all just walked in like we belonged here. Harlow brought us to a cellar, rang a silver acorn and we saw in astonishment a wall becoming translucent and an Eladrin in their summer form stepping through - Ethera, former hunting mate of Caefaera and now leader of the wild hunt. They are accompanied by two faery-like fey creatures and a large hound with a human-like face.
In a surprising twist, Ethera claims that Caefaera had disappeared from the Wild Hunt, the other way around. Since the whole thing took place 70-80 years back and Caefaera’s mind is sometimes as stable as Casmos’ ability for logic, we had a moment of doubt of what actually happened, before settling on the idea that Ethera was probably trying to mess with Caefaera’s and our heads.
The Eladrin gave us some idea what was going on in the Feywild: The Wild Hunt, usually loosely aligned with the Unseelie Court, had separated ties for now. Oberon, companion of Titania and left the Seelie Court for now. He made Ethera leader of the Wild Hunt, promised even a kingdom to them if they helped carrying out his plan: He wanted to end the sisters’ Titania and Queen of Air and Darkness bickering, overthrow them and take their powers away.
Once again, Ethera invited Caefaera to rejoin the Wild Hunt. For the rest of the party, this would mean a position of… pets? And they made clear that they wouldn’t look too kindly on a refusal.
Afterwards, a discussion in our group ensued:
- Why did Ethera lie that Caefaera had left the group back then? And why did they leaf Caefaera behind in the first place?
- What should we do now? Join the hunt to find out more? This could mean we would have to do some things that would lie heavy on our conscience. Or refuse, knowing that Ethera would be coming for us sooner or later
Before going to bed, Casmos and Eldara went to pray in the temple. Caefaera went to medidate by herself in the garden. Gigi and Lyra decided to go to the kitchen to steal something to drink and discuss what to do….
Quotes
- Maybe we should find out if a piece of the sword has been found and lose it… better.
- Gigi: “I’m good at losing things. I lost my husband!”
- Gigi: “Wait, the sword is in the Astral Sea? Sea? Korfel must have something to do with this. What about the Kraken?”
- Casmos writing Acorn to auntie
- Caefaera: “I don’t know if that’s smart - writing down what we will do next?”
- Gigi: “Come on, we will change the plan three times until tomorrow!”
- Gigi: “What is your business with the Wild Hunt?”
- Harlow: “I make them potions”
- Gigi: “Specific potions?”
- Harlow: “That is none of your business”
- Gigi: “Yeah sure, but still I would like to know”