Chapter I: Legend of Griselda-Pirates Awakening

[ketaro]

"BUT! Need special....things still. Things for beating the dead hero! No things, no win, no artifact, no? One near here first, the coast? Then forest, then temple, yes? Quickly nearest, after Squeaks can return all to temple second with Not-Fairy's song it stole, second."

[Anomander]

Pha nodded enthusiastically. "We can spread out and search quickly. We haven't got much time, though."
Especially not to search the coast. The coast was a very unspecific location and it gave a lot to search through.
It was possible they wouldn't even find it and spending a few precious hours looking for a pebble that perhaps wasn't even there anymore wasn't such a good idea.
They also sort of ~almost~ won back then. Without any super artifacts involved. Did they really need all of them?

"Better hurry then!"

[oslecamo]

In the ship's armory you can obtain basic bomb bags that allow you to carry 10 explosive spheres each. It's too dangerous to try to carry any more in each person. Then each of you goes the way they believe to be more important right now.

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Finding the elder is easy enough.

“Fadore is the kokiri guardian of this temple. There used to be more of her kin on the forest, but we haven't seen any for the last two decades. 

The last person who successfully completed the whole temple was Knil, an half-elf over a century ago. He then departed this island and we don't know about him.

There was also a group of strange armored pirates with sticks that could launch fire and bombs soon after that appeared in this island soon after. They killed both elfs and humans that got in their way before storming the temple. The earth shook and there were strange blue flashes of light. We never saw any of them come out again.

Since then no challenger managed to complete the temple. If anything, even just getting out alive started to become harder. Seems like Stalfos of different kinds started to make part of the temple guardians, along the predator plants already there. Some survivors swear that Fadore has been turning failed challengers into more stalfos. The hyrulian soldiers eventually put a blockade in place to avoid more losses. Some braves and fools still manage to sneak through now and then. Now that you mention it, one said they glimpsed one of the last deku sprouts in the northern most hall of the temple, that still gives the once-common fruit of deku nuts. When thrown they're supposed to daze anyone nearby, and legend says Stalfos are particularly vulnerable to them. But the stalfos guarding it were particularly powerful.

However I'm sure Fadore would listen to reason and make the guardians stand down for some time to grant us a safe place to hide from this storm.”

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As the storm rages more and more violently, something has started glowing under the waters just some three hundred feet from the docks. The white light appears to be becoming a bit brighter and brighter every moment. Some of the locals seem to have noticed it as well, but are too busy looking for cover either on land or the royal boat to do anything about it.

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After the storm, you find yourselves in a calm, dreamlike enviroment.

A white glowing marble path leads to a large stone pool with crystal clear water, filled by three small waterfalls coming from the ceiling and flanked by two massive burning torches in marble pedestals. In front of the pool lays etched in the ground three golden triangles forming a larger triangle. Across the walls flow down blue runes, too fast for you to be able to read anything.

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Only the north and east-north sections remain unexplored. Or you could skirt around the deku babas in the main hall and go directly to Fadore's room.

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You move without opposition since most of local wildlife seems to be hiding from the storm. The trees seem to be singing under the strong winds. However when you reach the crossroad where there was a path previously blocked by a large cracked boulder, you see to your surprise that something or somebody else already blew it up! Behind there's a large dark hole, and something shining appears to be inside...

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Spot and Listen checks please, plus any special senses you may have.

[Dr_emperor]

Gompa is disheartened, not the information he had hoped for the others picking up bombs would have to be enough.  He asks the elf,  "What if Fadore is cursed or worse yet mad are there conditions to replace a sage? What if the rumors of Stalfos are true, we'd be leading everyone to a trap?  Of course post haste we'll try reason first we must find your people a safe place for your people." Gomba looks perplexed, "So the letter wasn't a command from the Hyrulian King ordering everyone aboard?  If I may be so bold what was it? No matter what he must not tarry he leaves after the Elder answers.  "I must return to my friends we will find some respite."

He heads to Grizelda's dock hoping not to have lost to much time surely his new friends wouldn't have left him.

[Anomander]

After equipping herself with a bag of bombs, she went along the coast to check on the artifact that was meant to be there, hoping getting a view down on the area would help find it more easily. Ages of great-fairy culture came to her aid in finding shinny stuff in the water. She'd transform into a zora-like appearance and dive into the water, swim along to snatch the shinny thing and surge out of the water to bring it back to the others.

They would have to assume that the shinny would be an artifact, she guessed. Without knowing what it was supposed to look like, they'd likely be able to confirm it once they find another.
Then she'd try to round everyone up with Squeaks to get to the temple.

Pha wouldn't teleport to it until everyone would be ready to get into the central room with the plants but they might want to check on the Skull kid and the hole at the junction close to the temple.

[Nanshork]

Jeremy takes a bag for himself and then follows Pha around.  He isn't really sure what the grown-ups were talking about because his new clothes are just so cool!

The fairy always seems to know what's going on, and right now he has an unexplainable urge to listen to fairys.

[ketaro]

Squeaks begins to dart after Pha but bounces to a sudden stop rather quickly upon realizing it'd just promised something it needed something else to actually fulfill said promise with. "Needs music! Instrument! Will find instrument, then gather followers for temple song...."

Squeaks rushes off looking for a suitable instrument to work with the Not-Fairy's magic song; after of course checking with Princess Grizzly if it had one to borrow.

[oslecamo]

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“Only the great deku tree, an unanimous vote from the other sages or the goddess themselves would have the authority to replace Fadore. However she was not chosen for that position lightly. I'm sure the current crisis will make Fadore see the light of reason even if she has strayed from her path recently."

Then when asked about the letter, the elder looks around nervously for a moment, checking that nobody else is too close, before lowering his voice on the reply:

"The letter... Don't spread this information lightly, but it was basically blackmail. Me and some of my cousins got in big trouble some decades ago before I was named elder. We thought we managed to cover it but weren't proud of our actions and have tried to make ammends ever since. Still several of my kin wouldn't be pleased at all if the truth came out in the present. The princess somehow found out about it and got herself hands on proof  about our past misdeeds. If the other elves know about it, I and my family will be disgraced. There would be hate, fracturation among our own people, when we need to stand united. The princess's letter said it pretty explicitly that either I played along with her or she would reveal her information and watch us elves turn against each other on the spot. Griselda isn't as innocent as she makes herself look. The princess may've as well stabbed me in the back and twisted the dagger while smiling all the time when she revealed she knows my weak points so well. Ufff, I really needed to get that off my chest.”

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Inside the cold waters, Pha finds a glowing half-buried in the underwater sand, half-covered in algaea and small sealife. The light seems to come out from a bunch of small holes due to natural erosion. It's too heavy for the fairy to carry, but the lock is heavily rusted and opens easily. Inside there's a glowing sphere of an unknown material, and up close the glow looks remarkably similar to the moon tear Gompa found earlier.

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Spot check please.

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You suddenly notice a lot of the locals, both humans and elves, are suddenly focusing at your new green looks, with assorted mixes of admiration, surprise and respect.

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When Squeaks questions upon a musical instrument, princess Griselda offers a finely crafted blue ocarina to the deku scrub.

Music always plays an important role on serving the goddesses, I'm sure this tool will serve you well in saving the realm. Don't worry, I'm myself an harp player so if needed I can still play melodies. But this ocarina still is an ancient family relic, so I ask that you  bring it back to me in one piece when this is over.

[oslecamo]

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The fairy's item companion telepathically speaks.

My lady, the glow seems to come from a smaller sphere inside the sphere you're holding.

Also, the outer sphere is looking back at us. And charging up some kind of energy.

I recommend my lady doesn't hold it so close.

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Roll initiative!

[Nanshork]

Jeremy smiles and waves at all of the nice people that he sees.

[Anomander]

One of Pha's eyes twitched.
"Your lady won't hold it at all!"

Since they were underwater, she could perhaps freeze it up into a less threatening surface of ice and let it float to the surface. They could then just push it on the coast where it would be easier to handle.

[oslecamo]

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Before you can do anything, the glowing sphere activates by itself.

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No m##ch in dat!bªse. C@ea£ing pr%tocols initi=t?d

And unleashes a trio of pink beams at the fairy!

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Pha takes 41 damage.

[Anomander]

The sphere's attacks being undodgeable, impossible to resist and rather lethal, Pha quickly guesses that the thing isn't worth the trouble for now.
Seeing no point in staying to face these odds, she figures now's a good time to scram to lick her wounds. She pushes herself away and teleports back to the fairy fountain.

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Orb thing must succeed a Will save DC 21 or get a -4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks for 6 minutes.

Pha 5-ft step away and uses God Travel to teleport back to the fairy fountain to heal.

[oslecamo]

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You can feel the orb resisting your curse of misfortune before reality disintegrates and then reforms in the shape of the fairy fountain. Tiny red fairies pop out from the water almost instantly and swarm around you, giggling like kids and releasing glowing dust that knits your wounds whole and soothes the pain.

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HP restored.

[Anomander]

At the fairy fountain, Pha lets herself sink deeper into the waters, thinking. ...We're going to need reinforcements or forget about that thing. It's pretty strong!

She then lifted herself out of the fountain and requested the fairies in to hop along in the magic bottle, where they'll be safe from attacks during the journey. Now to get back to the others... She figured returning close to the beach would be the way to go. Maybe aim half-way between the shore and the village.

[ketaro]

Squeaks pauses a few moments upon the Princess offering her gift before slowly reaching out to accept it. "Oh, yes...yes, bring back. Will save world with music! Finding arteefacts now!"

Ocarina in hand, Squeaks turns and hops out of the room and leaves the ship. The fairy had already flown off, but it's other mates were still within sight around the dock it seemed. Squeaks shouted at them to get their attention. "It has music now! Find arteefacts now! Coast, Forest, Skull, Temple, where to? It remembers Skull, um, Skullkid in forest where music sent us. Music can send us to Skullkid then? *excited squeaking sound* Let's go with me!"

[Dr_emperor]

Where did the great fairy go Squeaks? I thought you were all getting bombs in the ship? We'll follow you I think you know where more help is.

[Nanshork]

Jeremy looks around confused.  Are they doing magic music travel?  And where did Pha go.

He shrugs his shoulders, as long as he's with friends and someone else knows what to do then he's happy!

[oslecamo]

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The fairies seem a bit reluctant to go inside the bottle, but some decide to trust their “big sister” and go inside anyway, pressing their faces against the inside of the glass.

Pha suddenly appears in a flash of blue light at the docks just after Squeaks announces his intention of trying out the ocarina to go into the forest and Gompa is back from the talk with the elder.

[oslecamo]

Using his new ocarina, Squeaks plays the Minuet of the Forest and glowing green leaves appear and start spinning around the party. Then they disappear, and you find yourselves back to the entrance of the forest temple.

Jeremy and Pha soon hear a familiar flute sound and a small figure appears from inside the surrounding trees.

You know Fadore's Song! We should be friends!