Episode 13: To Kill a Kenku

Pre Break
They arrive at their barracks, the door is locked. Thanks to Br’aad, it’s not locked anymore, but they’ll need a new door. They explore their new home. Br’aad stabs a dagger into the floor mat, he’s being rather destructive today. Taxi gives the dagger to Sylnan.

The first floor has eight beds, a rug, and a door to an outhouse. The second floor has a planning room,  kitchen, and minibar. Sylnan and Br’aad move their bedding to the second floor.

During many failed attempts at trying to make Hilltree a new baby backpack to carry him in, Taxi steps outside for some air. Taxi has a peaceful moment in a garden, helps budding flowers bloom, and takes a moment to just be with nature. A gardener notices his druidcraft and tells him about the rotting forests in a country called Viecta, which is northeast of the Wharf, and Taxi promises to visit and help sometime.

Meanwhile, Mountain aides Br’aad and Sylnan with the harness. They make something functional after a lot of effort, but Hilltree refuses to wear it, so Br’aad stuffs it under a bed. When Taxi returns, they strategize about what to do about Brenden, who had promised to kill them if they stepped on his toes again.

Sylnan starts grows more worried about staying in the castle, and mentions that they’re vulnerable by staying in the castle, where they have already been seen by Jaquot. While everyone is still talking, Sylnan’s ears begin ringing, his vision distorts, and his head throbs. Over his friends, he hears a voice telling him to kill Jaquot. His friends eventually snap him out of it, and Sylnan comments that he may have a concussion. Br’aad suggests hunting down Iron Bucket.

Meanwhile, Taxi asks if anybody’s heard of Viecta. Everybody from the Wharf knows. Hilltree says he was in jail there once. Taxi says that we all have been there once or twice, seemingly as a joke, but when Sylnan goads him further, everybody finds out that Taxi has actually broken out of jail in a place called Guishaus(?). Taxi’s close friend had kept secrets from him that he should have known, and those secrets got them both thrown in jail. They broke out, then went their separate ways.

While everybody tries to corral a drunk Mountain, Sylnan realizes he is completely starving, and goes downstairs to get food from his bag. His stomach starts hurting to a point where he’s keeling over. A voice echoes in his head, “We hunger. Feed.” Sylnan starts worrying again.

They decide to go to Lambert’s and have him track Iron Bucket. Lambert requires something the kenku owned, so they take the backstreets to the cathedral.

While looking around for feathers, Sylnan’s stomach grumbles again, and he hears the voice in his head say “He’s here.” Sylnan can smell blood and dirty bird feathers, and he follows his nose and looks out the window. He managed to somehow lock onto where Iron Bucket is, even without seeing him. Taxi and Br’aad grow concerned with Sylnan’s increasingly animalistic behaviour, and follow after him when he jumps out the window climbs up the side of the building.

Sylnan tackles the kenku to the floor. The voice in his head says to feast on the kenku’s flesh, and he fails to resist it. Taxi pulls him off, and the kenku bolts. Taxi immediately gives chase, and Sylnan brushes Br’aad off to continue to chase his feast.

A roof chase ensues. Br’aad casts detect thoughts on Sylnan, and all of Sylnan’s surface thoughts are just the primal need to eat this specific kenku. Iron Bucket ditches the cloak, but Sylnan and Taxi still pursue. As Sylnan catches up, Taxi yells for Sylnan to stop, and this time, Sylnan manages to restrain himself. Sylnan knocks the kenku out, Taxi ties him up, Br’aad grabs the cloak and probes Sylnan’s thoughts deeper, which have returned to normal, and are just confused and scared. Taxi brings the kenku back to Velrisa.

Post Break
Taxi tells Velrisa about Sylnan, they wait for Br’aad and Sylnan to come back with Iron Bucket.

Br’aad sits next to a shaking Sylnan, who he tells him about the voice he’s been hearing in his head, and that he wasn’t in control of himself. Br'aad comforts Sylnan and asks for him to tell him if he ever feels the hunger coming again, and he agrees. Sylnan and Br’aad go back together, and Sylnan tells Taxi and Velrisa about the voice as well. Sylnan thinks the issues are related to his arm.

They convince the guards to lock the kenku up in the castle and return to the barracks before they go to the library. They wake up a drunk Mountain, and Sylnan is pressured into telling everyone else about the voice and the flesh-craving behaviour. Olgart suggests that he should stay at the barracks and try to rest, while others get the translated book, Sylnan concedes at everyone's insistence.

Vel, Taxi and Mountain go to update the King via his guards, then visit the library and trade the items for the translated book. They decide to go back to the barracks when Jaquot intercepts them. Jaquot starts antagonizing them, and when Taxi sees Mountain’s expression, he goes on the defensive, pulling out his scimitar and demanding that he step aside and let them leave. He does, with continued taunts.

Mountain, Vel and Taxi return, and tell them about Jaquot. Olgart tells them that the king has no idea that Jaquot is working with Brenden, and that he donates to the castle regularly and is in good favour with him. Everybody argues over staying or leaving, and after ruling out alternatives, they start getting resources together to defend the barracks. Hilltree goes to request a new door. Olgart plans to request more guards patrolling the barracks. Mountain, Velrisa, and Sylnan starts making plans for the barracks. Taxi reads The Endless Wake. Br’aad starts thinking about how to take Jaquot down.