View source for 13A:Play/27 The One Where They Join A Cult

{{13A|play=Play}}{{Starring
|pc={{Elistheren}}, {{Annalana}}, {{Qistis}}
|npc=Confidor, Charlize
|location=Drakkenhall
|foe=Fighting Sahuagin who are attacking Drakkenhall
|date=2018 Feb 28
|prev=[[13A:Play/26 My Moral Compass Has Been Arrested]]
|next=[[13A:Play/28 As spoken by the revelations of the dark gods…]]
}}

== Travel to Drakkenhall by Fast Ship ==

{{Annalana}}: This costs a hefty chunk but we’re good for it at this point. We reach the Wake Islands without any issue.

{{Elistheren}}: I'm honestly starting to love sea travel. When you're out at sea, far enough that  you can't see land… there are ''voices'' out there. Old gods that couldn't be washed away by the oceans lurk beneath the waves.

{{Qistis}}: Sea travel, yet again! I tried to avoid it by any means possibly truly but Drakkenhall is in something of an area where a sea crossing is really the only easy way to it unless you happen on live on the same side of the continent. Regardless at least the ship we chartered was fast.

=== Accosted by the Astral Sink, an Elven Collective ===

{{Annalana}}: While we wait to dock at Drakkenhall, we hear bells ringing and there is a lot of actively at the harbor. Annalana and Elis recognize that the bells are a call to arms. Drakkenhall knows that they use a militia for its defenses. The docks are over capacity at the moment, so we take a long boat to shore.

Some elves overhear us talking about the Elf Queen and they tell us to shove off her control. They are trying to convert Qistis to their “cult”, the Astral Sink. They have a ritual room setup in a nearby inn. Annalana and Elis agrees to see what this is about. They sit us down and create a circle of 11 people, led by ''Confidor''. Elis confirms that this is a genuine mind linking ritual. As the ritual ends we both pass out.

Elis is the first to walk up, alone. Annalana is sleeping next to Confidor. As she wakes up she remembers Elis and the elves, but nothing about the previous day. We seem to have a bond.

We come downstairs to find Qistis waiting for us. She is very cross about the whole situation. Annalana orders a berry compote and salad for breakfast. Qistis storms upstairs to talk to the group.

Confidor says that the bells are Sahuagin raids. They come in numbers and lose in numbers, but yet they still come.

{{Elistheren}}: The Astral Sync is not exactly the best at acquiring converts. Their aggression reminds me of some of the cults of… oh, I forget the name. One of those unpronounceable ones where they leave the vowels out. Hostility is not how you acquire converts.

Then again, they did get our curiosity up, so…. In any case, Annalana and I join the Sync. The experience of togetherness and one-ness is quite amazing, but there's… there's parts of the experience I don't remember. All of the experience. Still, I'm wondering if I can leverage the sink to promote my own gods.

{{Qistis}}: I swear all elves are apparently just completely insane. If they aren't all part of some political machinations at the Wood then they've jumped off the deep end and decided to just make their own insane little culture to rebel against the Queen. She must inspire it in her people or something because this new batch we just ran into has decided to make a cult and "meld their minds to free themselves from the control of the Elf Queen". Yes! That's the way to fix the problem! You cut off your connection to her and then just connect yourself with everyone else around you! That's it! PROBLEM SOLVED.....

I tried, I really did try to get Elistherin and Annalana to not go along with it. Elistherin's curiosity got the better of him (which doesn't really surprise me honestly) but Annalana? I know she hates the Queen but to throw herself at the first thing also spouting that they hate her as well? Ridiculous!

Kaelon and myself will be the ''sane'' ones here. Though I thank the gods I'm not the only one who kept out of this insanity.

=== Sahuagin Raid at the Beach Near the Docks ===

{{Annalana}}: Our militia group is being led by the gnome who stole all our gold to rescue us, as recognized by Qistis and Elis. As we approach the beach Annalana dives into the fray, while Qistis gathers power solo. Qistis is attacked by a Sahaugin Assassin!

At the end of the battle Annalana gives Elis a big hug and tells him, “I’m so glad that you’re alive.”

We return to the muster point and are given a steel coin that marks our victory.

{{Elistheren}}: The Sahuagin remind me of those deep gods. I wonder why they're attacking? Regardless, Annalana and I are powerful allies, and I only wish the rest of our party could embrace the closeness we currently share.

{{Qistis}}: The Sahaugin appear to be a constant threat as of late in the city. The cult the two crazies joined tells us they've been making daily raids in the morning at the port. We manage to cull a significant portion of their numbers, but no doubt they will come back again tomorrow. The ones on the attack are the healthy and strong ones. Likely there are many more beneath the waters, ready and waiting for their chance to attack as well.

== Exploring the City ==

{{Annalana}}: Qistis notices Elis’ backpack shaking and a baby Bearguin is in the bag. Elis starts to have a burning sensation. Qistis convinced him to go see a doctor, who turns out to be a halfling. Gives him some cocoa leaves. (He is Herbertus and known as “Doctor Coke”.)

Elis runs into Charlize. She asks about the bank robbery. We talk for a while. Charlize agrees to help Annalana find some folks who can help her with her missing soul.

{{Elistheren}}: The owlbeartross egg has hatched! It's a baby Bearguin! It's an abomination, but I think we can tame it if we bring it into the Sync with us!

{{Qistis}}: That egg abomination has finally hatched, but not into what we expected. It is instead another kind of bear/bird hybrid, a bearguin. Almost immediately after the hatching Elistherin has some kind of intense reaction and I insist we go to see a doctor about it.

While the doctor wasn't too helpful with Elistherin he did give us a bit of help on Annalana's affliction. Besides this shitty doctor we also run into Charlize, our dragonkin stalker. Unsurprisingly she is aware of all our recently exploits save for the run in with the cult. Hopefully she doesn't go joining now that two of us have done so.