The Reading Club

 is the fifth episode of Failed Save. Xander Jeanneret was absent for this session.

DM's Recap
We began in the city of Agija after a very unfortunate trip. Bora, concerned with what she witnessed in her vision, headed into the forest back to her home city of Celhani: a long trip but one she felt compelled to make. Proceeding northward we encountered a shrine where Ella and Dasle communed with Ella's god, Phadohr, providing Ella with Boots of These Goddamn Laces, and curing Dasle of her running joke. From there our heroes proceeded north into the city of Čenik seeking a rebel leader known only as The Librarian. The city itself a stone's throw from the Kossirik capital city of Beznost, and with a culture to suit. The disparity and social ills of the Kossiriks was on full display, with the mistreatment of the half-elves front and center.

They found party invitations in their carriage and visited a local shop of finery to purchase (read "steal") baubles for the upcoming party. They were briefly interrogated by mirovnik, the Kossirik police, and it was insisted they go to the administration building to register with the city. Doing so they encountered a curious aristocrat Esmond Montag and his half-elf accompaniment, to whom Chirp dropped a botched version of the rebel code phrase. However despite that Esmond invited them to dinner that night mysteriously. First however our heroes needed new hairdos! A fancy salon in the west ward was their go-to, where Gustav made them spectacular and Dasle (as Chirp) managed to get the very pretty aarakocra stylist's stone number. Dinner yielded little in the way of progress and Chirp was becoming visibly more antsy being around so many high-society types. Dasle fainted profusely and the party resolved to pull more information out of Esmond at the party.

It was time for the governor's ball. The group arrived in style and immediately divided up for shenanigans. Dasle, disguising herself, sought to smooth talk or charm Esmond's half-elf servant to little success, while Murray and Chirp danced their lives away. Before long Ella decided enough was simply enough and released the party within her, setting off a round of dance fever that took the room up in a whirlwind. Discos were balled, foam was slid upon, cupcakes distributed, until the night wore to a wee hour with no Esmond in sight. Then his half-elf servant however was still present and gave Dasle a letter from Esmond saying the party should meet him privately at an address in the west ward, away from prying eyes.

The group proceeded on, discovering a dilapidated printing house. Creeping within the party fell through the dematerialized floor, sliding down a chute and arriving at a great bright room beneath, replete with hundreds of books, dozens of half-elves studying, and the half-elf from before standing above them, who said "You may call me The Librarian. Welcome to the Reading Club."