Chapter 9.08

Chapter 9.08
Chapter 9.07	Interlude – Mundanity and Memorials
Chapter List
	View all chapters

Chapter 9.08 is the 11th chapter of Volume 9.

tl;dr[edit | edit source]

Erin and her friends/family explore some of her upgraded Garden of Sanctuaries.

Mrsha had a nightmare about slime-toren where she accidentally called Belavierr. Belavierr would not attack Mrsha, but she quickly recognized what was happening and when the gnoll girl woke up, an torrent of water from Belavierr flowed after her and through the inn. Erin woke up as well and found that she could no longer access her Garden of Sanctuary, but she did have a new key that she'd gotten from her level up. She couldn't easily explore this new ability though since many of her regular visitors were there to get information from her. Erin made this into a game where she would gather her inn family and use them to outwit the others. Her opponents were Chaldion, Niers and his students, and many others including Relc. Through series of misdirections using the door and decoys, Erin and her employees managed to buy some time. They had enough time to figure out that the key had to be used on a door to open the Garden of Sanctuary. She said that the garden "better have something impressive to show us" and was stopped with her hand on the handle as her [Dangersense] went off. Erin called off the game and brought everyone together to explore the danger. When they were finally ready and Erin opened a door, they were met by an avalanche of snow. Adventurers charged forward and Keldrass was brought in to help as behind the snow were multiple giant and smaller Snow Golems.

While the adventurers charged in, another door was opened to Erin's original Garden where Apista had been stuck. Mrsha found her and brought her back to Lyonette and Erin where they learned that there were now multiple Gardens of Sanctuary accessible depending on the skill bearer's wants. Erin found out that the garden's inhabitants would not attack her and called the adventurers back. She told Niers and his students that it wasn't her garden and they were able to narrow the garden down to being from Baleros. The trick was that the new Key of Reprieve didn't just give Erin access to one more garden. She led her inn employees and family to another one with koi fish in ponds and Drathian aesthetics that was there for relaxation. While her family explored there and the adventurers explored the snowy garden, Erin, along with Apista, sought out the true secret of her skill upgrade. She found an ancient door and hallway made by the original Skill's owner, Empress Sheta. In that hallway she could see a door to every garden the skill has ever had. One was a landscape of upholstery and pillows with a Griffin stuffed animal in the middle, another contained the remnants of a regal throneroom. In all there were around 40 doors and at the end of the hallway she found a smooth door with a warning written by Empress Sheta written near it. It told any future skill owners that what lay beyond was the [Pavillion of Secrets] and that the skill wasn't necessarily a gift. She wrote that Sanctuary provides. Secrets empower. Fate illuminates. Underneath this note was writings by two others who had advanced their skills. Aleieta Reinhart built her house off of the skill stating that she was worthy of Secrets but that she never got beyond it, and Cormelex of the Infernal Court also stated that Secrets broke them. They gained access as none of their kind ever have but that it was no kindness. Erin went back to her garden and controlled the light for a bit making colors rain down.

Characters[edit | edit source]

( * = First Appearance)

Belavierr Donamia
Mrsha
Slime-Toren (Nightmare; Consumed) *
Lyonette du Marquin
Normen Callesn
Alcaz
Erin Solstice
Liska
Ulvama
Silveran's Cleaners (x8)
- Silveran
Sest
Numbtongue
Pawn
Ushar
Ceria Springwalker
Yvlon Byres
Pisces Jealnet
Ksmvr
Ishkr
Hexel Quithail
Kevin Hall
Palt Fenrisol
? - Female Drake Street Runner
Imani
Timbor Parithad
? - Female Drake [Comfortable Barmaid] *
Gnolls Guard-squad
- Vokkhar / Vok
- Hickery
Relc Grasstongue
Klbkch
? - Female Human with crystal hand
Glitterblade
- Jewel
- Toimt Ironvell (Name Revealed)
- Hilten Coroes (Name Revealed)
Jelaqua Ivirith
Seborn
Ulinde
Moore
Chaldion Oliwing
Wil Kallinad
Dalimont
Brotherhood of Serendipitous Meetings
- Beytoc *
Typhenous
Mrell (Mentioned)
Saliss Oliwing
Octavia Cotton
Tessa / Shriekblade
Joseph Ortega
Bird
Menolit
Peki
Gothica
Serafierre val Lischelle-Drakle / Fierre
Niers Astoragon
Venaz
Foliana
Altestiel
Belchaus Meron / Lord of the Dance / Lord Bel
? - Altestiel’s Gnoll [Observer] *
Fetohep (Observer)
Stargazer’s Promise
- Lehra Ruinstrider
- Suxhel
Merrik Hostone
Bezale
Apista
Flamewardens
- Keldrass
Todi’s Elites
- Todi
Dolost / Dolost the Adamantine (First Time Mentioned)
Ilvriss Gemscale (Observer)
Magnolia Reinhart (Observer)
Sheta (Missive)
Aleieta Reinhart (First Time Mentioned + Missive)
Cormelex (First Time Mentioned + Missive)

Locations[edit | edit source]

Izril
- Floodplains
  - The Wandering Inn
    - Garden of Sanctuary
      - [Gardens]
        Dolost's Snow Garden
        
        Erin's Garden
        
        Thunderstorm Garden
        
        Drathian Garden
        
        Sandstone Garden door
        
        Griffin boudoir Garden
        
        Regal place Garden (In Ruins)
      - Garden Doors hallway
        [Pavilion of Secrets] door (Not Accessible)
  - Liscor
    - Barehoof Kitchens
    - The Drunken Gnoll
Baleros
Terandria