05/18/2024
Bogul's Bruisers said their goodbyes to Tax'athar, with a promise to come visit now and again as the beholder continues his studies of alchemy beneath the Halfway There Inn
On their way back to Crooked Post the group discussed their plans to make Effi fall in love with Bogul to fulfill to contract made with Wizzler in order to stop her dying so as to protect the sleeping Doomblade beneath her bookshop.
Upon arrival and a drink at the Mythril Dream, the group was approached by Pol Gunnderson, mayor of the town, who looked up to his neck in stress and busy work. After greetings, he asked Samoht to come with him.
Pol took Samoht to his father's forge, which was dark. Rolf Gunnderson has passed on while the group was away, but not before creating a spear from the talon G'Nosh had taken from the massive wolf that roamed the wilds outside Crooked Post. This was Rolf's final and greatest work, the God's Fang, which he made especially for Samoht in order to restore the honor of the people of Run'Thar.
Additionally, Rolf had left the forge to Samoht and his brother Deraj, whom Pol had contacted and was on his way to Crooked Post with the full arsenal he and Samoht had acquired over the last four years.
Back at the inn, the group heard tell that Jamail and Peer were rebranding their church in town and Jezria went to check in on them
It turned out they were rebranding the church as a holy site of the Raven Queen, as she had appeared to them and told them to prepare for Jezria's arrival
The Raven Queen appeared and told Jezria she was altering their deal, and that Jezria was to release the information on where she had placed the Castle Avernus and then leave it to the Daughters of Eve. Jezria maintained she would not leave it to two children she did not deem worthy without overseeing the transition.
The conversation became heated and Wizzler was summoned in order to oversee such an important negotiation.
The final result was Jezria had two years to decide if Dahlia and Lily were worthy, but during that time the girls would have full power over the tower and be able to use it to their discretion. Jezria could decide they were unworthy, at which point they would be permanently removed from the tower.
With another sighting of the Raven Queen, Jamail and Peer were heartened to double down on their efforts to scam people out of their money by spreading the news far and wide. Jezria said her goodbyes to her two old friends.
Outside, the group saw Effi and a contigent of dark robed inviduals walking towards the bookshop. Apparently Effi had been keeping company with some unsavory people over the past few months.
The Bruisers approached and were introduced to Sharrok, who was apparently more than friends with Effi.
Bogul sent Effi ahead to the shop while he spoke to Sharrok, knowing who he was through the Dream Tether. Bogul said he knew why Sharrok was in Crooked Post, and in order to avoid bloodshed which would endanger his plans, Sharrok offered to leave, but he would return someday soon, and threatened to bring a woman known as "Middalah."
At the bookshop, Bogul told Effi Sharrok had been called away on urgent business, and the two got to know each other a little better, and decided to head to farmlands near Elfhome Lake where Effi had been doing research into an ancient civilization that worshipped Constable Gribbs.
The next morning they set off with the rest of the Bruisers following close behind to empower Bogul's ability to impress Effi.
After some time, however, it became clear that Bogul didn't much need their help, and indeed, he found himself becoming increasingly endeared to Effi as well.
The made it to Elfhome Lake where they had a picnic, and the rest of the group was approached by G'Nosh, who had been hunting the massive wolf. He recruited the group to help him in his hunt.
The followed G'Nosh to a small island in the River Pryce where they encountered Lyra, the massive divine wolf. G'Nosh moved to attack, and when the group couldn't convince him not to, they held him magically, and removed him from the encounter, allowing Lyra to escape.
G'Nosh, when he came to, claimed they were all no longer friends, and abandoned the Bruisers, antagonistically but at least he was alive.
Bogul, Effi, and the rest of the group headed back to Crooked Post where they had only a day left to convince Effi to not awaken what she believed to be a vampire beneath her shop.
At the Mythril Dream a bar brawl broke out, when Jezzi, an old flame of Bogul, attemped to kiss him, and Jezria Warding Flared the entire bar to stop it from happening.
Escaping the din of the bar, Effi and Bogul found themselves back at the shop and shared a kiss, which prompted Effi to hand over the medallion of Doomblade, fulfilling the contract with Wizzler and saving Effi's life.
Bogul and Effi agreed to go out again the next evening.
As the group celebrated keeping Doomblade asleep and saving Effi, Hannah was approached by a man named Lewin Von Treet who asked her to bea publishing partner for a new book he was writing. When asked what the book was about, he revealed his backpack filled with multicolored stones and claimed he needed to "get these to the right people."