Thanks to Faith for providing this week's recap and summary.
Quick Summary
The team regroups after an intense encounter. Sun-and-Stars have a bittersweet reunion while SpellSword share their worries. The team receives a large gold boon and puts it right to use. Chicory and Solstice have a run-in with old friends—The Queen and Bluejack—during Solstice’s trade-off, where Chicory sees Solstice’s willingness to go to extremes.
Session Recap
After the confrontation with the Kaliesh'erai, Gunnar's returned to the shop as a new day began to rise over Soltura. After her conversation with Rin, Ellsee went to seek an exhausted Solstice. In an attempt to provide comfort to Solstice, Ellsee asked if she preferred Ellsee's company or to have some space for the night. Solstice turned the tables by reminding Ellsee that she was the one who most needed presence and comfort after being alone. Ellsee eventually gave in and asked to just be held by Solstice, telling her about the loneliness of her journey in the Deep Ethereal before their conversation floated to other topics, such as Laetus, his compact, and Ellsee's new turtle.
Meanwhile, Chicory and Arye settled down on the main floor of Gunnar's. Arye, having trouble getting to sleep, planned a run with Chicory to settle down when Chicory confessed their feelings of anger at the current situation. Arye shared how she felt similar about all the newly learned responsibilities and the situation with the Kaliesh'erai. They shared in their mistrust of the Kaliesh'erai's philosophy of intellect without emotion, finding comfort in each other before going out for their sunrise run.
The team slept in until the afternoon when they were awoken by the smell of Cozy, Rin, and Chance making crepes for the team. While the team ate their brunch, Chance informed the team that Trifa and Reverie were safe and doing well, and ready to return to the shop when given the OK.
The conversation during brunch soon shifted to the night prior and how things went with the Kaliesh'erai. Cozy let Ellsee know that Ellie was safe with Jerem before telling her story (with much embarrassment) about how she was knocked out the previous night by falling down the stairs after seeing the doldrone. Cozy also mentioned that she smelled poppywink powder on the doldrone at the temple, and Solstice noted that non-lethally subduing Cozy and Jeff was likely the Kaliesh'erai's original plan.
After brunch, the team decided to scan the apartment for any possible listening device placed by the Kaliesh'erai at the shop. Solstice and Chicory were able to thoroughly search the shop but found nothing out of the ordinary, but Chicory's detect magic did pick up powerful magic from Laetus' compact that Ellsee was holding.
Upon investigating, Solstice realised the compact was covered by a powerful nondetection spell. Solstice decided to cast nondetection through her bracelet, using the new casting to essentially cancel out its effect on the compact. The magic was too complicated for Solstice to override during her initial casting, but with the help of Chicory, her sorcerous abilities, and her persistence in casting the spell three times, she finally succeeded.
Solstice learned that the compact held a single use of the spell planeshift. Ellsee deduced that this was likely the reason why the fraction of Laetus' mind she met in Jolie's mind told her to use the compact. The team also realized that they would still need the proper tuning forks to be able to utilize the spell.
After the investigation of the compact, the team realized that Rin was missing before she returned with envelopes for each member of the team. Chicory was the first to open their letter to see a check for 2,000 gold for each member with the signature “I~”. Solstice quickly figured out that the check was likely sent by Ishalba of the Kaliesh'erai. The team discussed what it would mean to accept this money before coming to the conclusion that the money could be used for enough good that it would cancel out any ill.
While discussing how this new gold could help buy components, Ellsee used the opportunity to tell the team how she had recently learned a new spell: reincarnation. However, casting it would come with a grave cost—the subject would be guaranteed to come back with discarnation. Ellsee then raised the question to each of the team if they would want her to cast the spell on them if the situation called for it even if they came back with discarnation.
Solstice answered yes, for the reasoning that she'd choose to come back to continue the goal of taking down the protocol and curing discarnation. Chicory answered that they didn't know, a choice which was affirmed and comforted by the rest of the team. Arye answered yes, reasoning that she will take every opportunity to grab any extra seconds with her chosen people. Cozy answered yes, not fully understanding the gravity of the question. Rin answered yes, reminding particularly Ellsee that she still wants to live.
After the rather intense discussion, the team broke off to prepare for the rest of their day. Solstice planned how to best tackle the drop-off for The Vault later that day, deciding that she'd go in disguise along with Chicory while Ellsee and Arye would wait at the nearby park. Ellsee bonded with her new turtle but realized afterwards in a moment of hindsight that when she talked to Durix the previous night, he had no recognition in his eyes at seeing the abrogators or when Ellsee mentioned Merrex to him.
Meanwhile, Solstice used the greater restoration from her ring to end the draining effect that Infernal Aegis had cursed her with. She then decided for the time being to lock the shield away in the basement of Gunnar's until a better home for it could be found. While Solstice finished up, Ellie and Jeff bounded back into Gunnars. Ellie instantly went for Ellsee, joyfully reuniting with her sister before bombarding her with questions, mentioning that Elanor had seen a vision of Ellsee closing a portal. Solstice also reunited with Jeff, who showed off his new ability to speak his own name, as well as Jerem's.
Ellsee decided to spend the rest of her afternoon catching up with Ellie while Chicory went to cash her check and Solstice went to refill on spell components for both herself and for Ellsee. Solstice got the components for warding bond and enough diamond dust for three castings of greater restoration. Solstice also did some shopping for Ellsee, getting the components for Ellsee to cast clairvoyance, two castings of divination, two castings of greater restoration, one casting of revivify, and put down a deposit for an orb for scrying.
After getting the team's spell components, Solstice and Chicory got ready for their drop-off. Solstice cast alter self to appear as an indigo-haired Veldaken and Chicory shifted into the form of an average appearing elf. They journeyed through the rain to their drop-off location at a pedestrian overpass in a small neighbourhood until they encountered a large covered figure at the end of the overpass. Solstice initiated the drop-off by showing the bag of holding and one of the bottles inside to the hinfolk figure but picked up on the fact and he seemed nervous and looking beyond Chicory. Chicory, feeling coldness behind them, attempted to cast detect magic when a second figure grappled them from behind.
Chaos begins to break out as both Chicory and Solstice believe that they've been set-up. When Solstice struck out against the hinfolk figure with her dagger, the figure transformed into Bluejack, revealing their accomplice to be The Queen. The four engage in a tense standoff, with The Queen having seen through the disguises of Gunnar's and assumed that The Spades had been set-up.
Solstice grabs a bottle of highly volatile substance from the bag and uses the opportunity to threaten smashing it if The Queen doesn't let Chicory go. The standoff continued with Chicory growing increasingly uncomfortable with the situation and Solstice's threats. Solstice uses her upper hand in the situation to press The Spades for information about why they want the substances, eventually deducing that Bluejack wants it as components for fuel for their Decaflyer.
Satisfied with the answer and the current outcome, Solstice trades off the bag and completes the trade-off by confirming to The Spades that this situation wasn't a set-up. Solstice and Chicory return back to the park with Arye and Ellsee, where they briefly recount the trade-off. Chicory tells Solstice that they want to discuss Solstice's actions later as the four begin their journey back to their homes.