Enola Yarn – blogpost 18

Valentine joins the party again after her well-deserved shower. She transforms into the Firbolg Peythur because Farryn is now called ‘Valentine’ to stay undercover. Before us stands the Nothic in the middle of the room. Zeph wants to check if the creature is hostile and creates a minor illusion to see what it’ll do with it. He attacks viciously, and I can see the chain is long enough for it to get everywhere in the room – we cannot just pass it. Valentine takes the form of Hallaster to check if that’ll calm it down, but the Nothic does not respond. I look at it to figure out what the Nothics’ deal is… I think this is not its natural behavior. I know they’re aggressive, magical, and created by an evil and unbalanced wizard, but this one is behaving absolutely differently from what I’ve read in books. This Nothic is behaving more unhinged than normal. Valentine resolves our issue with the Nothic to use her suggestive powers; we can pass. Zeph is still clinging onto me, still afraid of what the painting showed us I presume.

We go through the door and walk to the end of the hallway behind it. The next room is a bit weird – we see the back of a tapestry. We decide to pass from the side and enter a dining hall. Zeph immediately takes a seat, and food appears in front of him. I sit down too, and more plates are floating in. Now, I can see the whole tapestry: there are seven wizards on it, and one wizard with armor. I don’t recognize the names: Arcturia, Jhesiyra, Kestellharp, Nester, Rantantar, Trobriand, Marambra Nyghtsteel, and Muiral – they’re all human. During dinner, I’m still beating myself up about not getting a room here. I’m still very salty: I’m disappointed in myself and angry at Zeph. No one should get a room earlier than me; I study hard, I’m smart, I deserve it the most. “Ah, Enola, don’t feel bad! I am certain you’ll get a room here. If you need help, you can always ask!” says Zeph, apparently aware of my disappointment. I respond that I DON’T want his help and that he only got a room because I could not perform any magic. It was just a coincidence he got a room first. Zeph looks shocked and avoids my view.

After dinner, Farryn finds the library. He also finds a fresco, where we can pass through! There are two statues here. One of Hallaster resting on his staff, and the other one ALSO of Hallaster, but now in an action-stance. Farryn is searching for something purple with silver – but he doesn’t want to tell us what it is. Valentine and I discuss what it could be in Infernal, but have no idea. We decide to search the next room – Valentine opens the doors dramatically (thaumaturgy), but it is a hallway. We find the way to the kitchen, and inside, I hear a familiar melody. Someone is whistling inside the kitchen. To impress the people inside, I also use thaumaturgy to open the door. I see a tiefling doing the dishes – I reckon this is Turbulence. 

“HI! How nice to meet you!” The tiefling hugs me. “Hi! Hi! Hello!” She continues when she sees the party come in. “OOH! You’re all glittery!!!” she says when Zeph flies in. “Nice to meet you all! I’m Turbulence.”

“Are you washing our dirty dishes?”

“Yes. Oh did you have a nice dinner? Yeah, I have detention because of my sister Violence.” 

“Ohhhh… My God… I have that all the time too!” I reply. I feel stupid entering so dramatically, this girl is just like me! 

“Hey Enola, you can help her!” says Valentine jokingly. 

“Yeah, maybe you can deserve a room by doing the dishes!” Zeph adds hopefully. 

I feel SO insulted and shocked that this is coming from Zeph, that I produce a mage hand and flick Zeph out of the room.

We continue talking about Dumara, Spite, and Cephalossk. Turbulence is glad he’s dead (“He was a dick.”). She tells us you can set up your own learning program, and that we can find the Bone Devil all the way to the south of the Wizard Academy. She also mentions that she and her sister are kind of done with this place – they would like to leave. “But why don’t you leave then?” Valentine asks. In Infernal, she continues: “Are you scared of something?”

“We can’t just leave. We’re scared of Hallaster. He is unpredictable. If you can take care of a distraction then we can flee.” 

We agree to distract Hallaster – we can combine this with the favor for Spite. But how are we going to distract him? Turbulence has no idea but proposes to ask Violence. Furthermore, she adds that we did not find the library yet, we only found the pre-library. We head for Violence and pass the Hallaster-statues again. Turbulence waves at one of them and the statue farts. The other one says sarcastically: “Don’t forget to grab your participation trophy when you leave the room!” “Every time you wave, their response is different!” Giggles Turbulence.

We first make a stop in the library, but Farryn cannot find what he’s looking for, so we decide to find Violence. Farryn is visibly disappointed that the thing he’s looking for isn’t to be found. I’m very interested in what that ‘thing’ is… Via the kitchen, we find a practice room. If you want to challenge the statues surrounding the room, you should stand in the middle, Turbulence explains. I decide that I want to try – I want to fight for my place here instead of taking the rooms of two students that just want to leave. I want to prove myself! I stand in the middle, and all three statues come to life. After two hits I’m totally worn out and knocked out. Valentine and Zeph heal me: when I wake I just cry. I failed… The only one that ever made it was Spite, informs Turbulence. Valentine wants to try too. She stands strong for way longer than I was able to – I’m very proud of her.

In another room, we find a tapestry with portraits behind it: class portraits! We can see some pictures grayed out and replaced by skulls – the picture of Cephalossk confirms that those portraits are pictures of deceased students. Zeph sees his own picture! When we investigate all portraits a little bit longer – we see that Hallaster is in the background of every picture! That is ominous… To get to Turbulences’ room, we need to cross the garbage room. In the middle, there is a big garbage pit that stinks like hell. Via a tiny slit in the wall, we can see Violence from Turbulences’ room. 

“Hi, Violence!”

I hear a sigh. “Hi….”

“Are you finished with your lines?”

“Yeah. I had to stay there for a long time…”

“Why don’t you just leave this place? Turbulence told us you guys want to leave.”

“Have you seen what he’s capable of?!”

“We can distract him so you guys can get out! Do you have any ideas?”

“Hmm. Good idea. Hal has something with his chair. The chair is important. I’ve wanted to set it on fire a lot of times.”

“Okay, then we can do that perhaps, and then Spite can get his book.”

“Good idea. I want to get out of here. I want to go back to Skullport! Only the floating hand keeps us here as well.”

Valentine whispers in my ear: “Are you sure you want to go here?”

Violence continues: “You can go only one way here. Deeper into Undermountain. You can’t get away. You need to distract Hallaster so that he doesn’t watch his portals either.”

To prepare for tomorrow, we first need to rest. Zeph and Farryn go to Zephs’ room. We see another room with “Yarek” on it. He is dead, right? Wasn’t he? We walk into the room – it is empty. We see a box with his belongings but nothing of value. There is a tiny picture and a wand in it. We see a dark-haired wizard in the picture and the text: ‘To Yarek, have a magical day – Jim’. Valentine and I lie on the bed, trying to sleep.