Day 20 (S11)

The party all woke up and met at the docks, where the royal ship was waiting for them. The day was wet and dreary, mist and rain scattered everywhere that was not covered by the stone ceiling of Castle Frey.
Francis approached them, "Ahh good morning!"
"Good morning, indeed!" said Kin.
"It's all rainy though" whined Aurelius.
"Any day that nature expresses herself is a good day" Kin replied.
"I second that!" Alice exclaimed.
Rina got there slightly later than the others.
"What did you sleep in?" Alice teased.
"No!" Rina started, "I was waiting for sunrise but the sun didn't rise."
"It's still there" said Kin, "you just have to understand her timing to know where she is in the sky."
Francis laughed at them all, "It is no wonder you all are such good friends! Now, let us get on the ship, and I will explain further what to expect at Mt. Ivatim!"

They all got onto the ship, the insides were blue and gold with the brown, wooden accents.
"You all get your own rooms if you'd like, so please feel free to choose for yourselves - they are all mostly the same" said Francis. "Once you are settled, come back to the main parlor and I will fill you in on details."
Rina went straight for the room in the far back of the boat. It was slightly smaller than the other rooms, but she'd rather share walls with fewer people than have a bigger space.
Kin chose the room closest to the stairs to the deck so he could see the sun, rain, moon, stars, or whatever nature would befall them on their way.
Alice and Aurelius chose the two largest rooms, Alice immediately plopped on her bed to feel the softness of the velvet blanket.

As they all gathered back in the parlor area, Francis began speaking, "Now that we are all together, let me go over more details on what is - or was - at the top of the mountain. 1000 Years ago - around the founding of Pennislovica, there used to be a temple there. I do not know what its purpose was then, but it has since been destroyed. However, it is said that it had a basement that went into the mountain. A little over 100 years ago there was a town up at the top of the mountain called Ivatum, it was an ice farming village that used to gather ice from the lake up there. Then, 100 years ago, all the people disappeared, just like they have been in towns recently. We believe that this is due to something in the old temple basement being summoned."
"Like what?" asked Alice.
"A Shepherd of Niktalia" Francis answered, "These are beings that are meant to Shepherd souls from this world to the afterlife. If someone summoned one here, then they may have been transported to Niktalia, themselves."
"So, you think the inter-planar magic we have been seeing is due to this Shepherd, then? The ones the Three Fangs wrote about in Niktalia Eternal?" Rina asked.
"Yes," Francis answered, "We don't have much more information than that, but hopefully you all can find answers when we are there."
Kin then started up to the deck area, "I'm going to use speak with dead on CheepCheep's head" he said, "the rest of you should probably come with."
At the back of the ship, Kin begins to speak to CheepCheep, "Who sent you on the mission to Mt. Ivatim?"
"Wraah!" the head began to speak, "The quest was only posted in Basta'Thrope', wraah, we just happened to take it."
"What exactly was the goal of the quest?" Kin asked.
"Wraah, to find a Medallion in the center of the mountain."
"What turned you into a bodak?" asked Rina.
"The... Wraah... monster in the mountain" the head replied.
"Do you remember anything from when you were a bodak?" Alice asked.
The head was silent a moment, then spoke one last time, "Only darkness, wraah."
The spell then wore off. "Well, that's it then" said Kin, "What should we do with the head?"
"...Throw it into the river?" Aurelius suggested. So Kin threw the head into the river.
Rina then got seasick and threw up over the side of the boat.
"You ok over there?" Alice asked.
"Ugh... yeah... but between the boat and the head - I couldn't keep breakfast down anymore."
"You normally get seasick?" Kin asked.
"...yeah." Rina answered, "I'm not great with water."
They all chuckled a bit, but then they all retired to their rooms for the evening.
Rina remembers that tomorrow is the day that Agronoch should be visiting for an update, and writes in her journal for the day.

Rina 15, 6
Next: Day 21 (S11-12)