The gang escapes a hotel bar and infiltrates an ancient monastic order. They discuss disguises, emotional consequences, and the tradition of the first elf-born fruit. They make a daring escape and unveil secrets to gain trust. They split up to gather information and encounter a surprising discovery.
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Quick takeaways
The gang infiltrates a millenia-old monastic order at the center of elven culture.
Ving discovers a demon in the deteriorating heartwood tree, fueled by the obsidian shard in Tuck's chest.
Ving realizes that someone else is in control of the heartwood tree, leading to Wendy's mysterious actions.
Deep dives
The Canopy Lounge and Private Dining Room
Tac and Billy disguise themselves and enter the Canopy Lounge and a private dining room in Heartwood City. They try to avoid being noticed while in the lounge and encounter Finn and his mother, who seem suspicious. Tac impersonates a waiter to get closer to them while Billy hides.
Visions of Corruption and Dwindling Light
Ving holds a communion of whispers and receives a vision of the heartwood tree and its significance in elven culture. He sees the tree's deterioration and the involvement of the gibbous man. Ving, Wendy, and Lysander discuss the importance of saving the tree and the role of the gardeners. They plan to stake out the church to gather more information.
Billy's Ragamuffin Encounter
Billy disguises himself as a ragamuffin and meets another ragamuffin named Biff. They discuss the church and its gardeners who occasionally come out to help the poor. Billy tries to discern the faces of the guards and gardeners, but doesn't succeed. They continue their performance as street beggars.
Corruption at the Heart Tree
Tuck climbs the cloister wall and discovers a massive trunk of the heart tree in the cloister. He senses a corruptive influence and uses his ear for magic to confirm the presence of a demon in the tree. He realizes that the energy from the shard of obsidian in his chest is reacting with the demon in the tree, creating a feedback loop of demonic and iconic energy.
Ving Connects with the Tree
Ving walks along the roots of the tree, trying to connect with its spirit to gather information. Through knowledge triage, he senses a hunger within the tree, a need to sustain itself above all else. He also learns that the obsidian shard in the tree is not a mere coin, but something different. Lastly, he realizes that someone else is in control, but the focus shifts back to Tuck as he is pushed off the wall by Wendy, who then disappears.