Episode 31: City of Sleeping Elves Report
General Summary
The Crew spends a busy, but uneventful few weeks at Sarch na Thaya. They busy themselves with inventions, repairs, healing and morale while learning about the situation of Thaya's Vindicators. Then, after El convinces the captain and some of the crew to have a Girls Night, all the elves suddenly fall into a heavy sleep from which they can only momentarily be awoken.
The Moonblade of Heskiloth reports to Elenwe that it has protected the sleeping souls, taken the head of a god, restored one of Thaya's siblings to the sky and ensured a new heir for the Exalted of Dreams. It has done enough for this generation, it must rest and recover. It asks to be placed in the Tomb of Thaya. As El puts the blade to rest, she asks about the location of the Ginunting ng Thaya, which is required to free the elves from their reverie. The moonblade, a piece of Thaya's blade itself, reports that the core remnant of Thaya's legendary weapon can be found in the Lapin Shard of the great mother bunny.
Captain Nia pulls her officers together and asks for a plan. The nearest Rabbitfolk settlement is about a day's journey away by giant dragonfly, but the captain isn't keen on that. They know that Carrot Town, on the Flying Carrot Shard, has a teleport circle, but the crew doesn't know the sigils.
Lance does his Lance thing to memorize the sigils in Sarch na Thaya. They try to awaken the Sigil Master of the base to ask him for the sigil key for Carrot Town. The Master only recoils in disgust at the comprehension that Lance defiled his circle. Nia asks if the Blackjack could make the trip, but Spark reports the hex crystal core has been drained. Also, the ship no longer has a form that could be secured to a balloon, not that any Moon Balloons are available since the moon rabbits have been avoiding the base since Malfador's assault.
Speaking of failing hex crystals, the crews' hedrons flash with a final message as their magical charges die. Illusory images of four wanted posters for each of the officers. One poster for Lance from Duke Redoak looking for the man who seduced and impregnated his daughter, Henrietta. One for El for assorted felonies and misdemeanors associated with robin hooding all over the Zone. One poster of an unknown goblin called "Fire Stealer" who disrupted the Teleport Sinks around the zone allowing Malfador's devil armies to head to the Hidden Moon. Lastly, Fire Stealer's accomplice the Dread Baron Niami Silversang. Spark reveled that he may now be the famous goblin in Lozar's history, and his new epiphet, the Fire Stealer.
Nia takes some time to commune with her patron Moon Breeze about the revelations. Moon Breeze knows the allegation and understands they are unfounded, but the Zone is experiencing much upheaval and uncertainty. Also, while Nia is up on the moon, could she please make a list of all the naughty and nice sophont children in the back of her warlock tome. The Heavenly Council of Ki-rins wants to send presents for them. Nia will have to deliver on the next Thayan full moon. Nia agrees and begins to plot how to sort the kids.
Spark mentions that Of the Hope the Way is on the moon. Nia pens his name in the book with a sigh and a side comment about nepotism. Spark gets worked up, 'Way just gave up a chance at divinity so that his friend could have her own life. Show me a kid who has done more good then that. I can't believe you'd say that about my son, er cousin, uh brother, nephew... uncle?' Lance suggests we should do another Lunapalooza on the moon. Nia and Spark come up with a fun plan for an activity for the kid bunnies to hunt around the festival field for paper to craft colorful insect eggs with their names on it and put in a basket for a prize. Then, Nia and the Baku will watch which kids are kind for Moon Breeze's list.
After all the planning, the sky darkens and night falls on Thaya. As it does, a squadron of dark figures, fully awake, ascend into the tree and inspect the sleeping elves. They ask what is going on, and the Crew realizes these are vampires by their fangs and abs. El explains the situation to Alaric, their leader and a high ranking member of the Blood Moon Covenant.
Lance is like, "Oh are you the guys in this Devil loving vampires burn book."
Alaric is like, "Yeah. Oh and hey could I see that." Lance hands over the book.
"Thank you 'Lance of Endless Night."
They ask him where the great mother bunny is. He says the Great Warren is on the Lapin Shard and she died more than a hundred years ago. They ask for an escort, but the vampires say it takes several days to get there, and they can't be out in the sunlight. They can't travel the vampire way because they need to breathe and eat.
Alaric asks why the elves were just left sleeping out in the open on the tree. El shrugs and is like there were so many of them, and so few of us. We've also been focusing on what we need to wake them up. The vampires then agree to watch their sleeping friends.
The crew then grab their brooms, dragons and borrow a spare dragonfly to leave while the head to the Flying Carrot Shard. They are ambushed by devils disguised as insects sent by Baron the General Aginnad. They are continuing their vendetta against "Lance of the Endless Night." The crew defeats them.
They make it to Carot Town where they meet Mama Ambrosia the Shard Drifter. She is a rabbitfolk with a large balloon ship, the Cloud Warren. She mentions that she is heading to the Lapin Shard and the crew can come as long as they attend a huge feast. Captain is like, oh twist my arm why don't you, and they agree.
