Editing Game-Summaries:3/16/2019 Recollections (section)

==Recollections by Ci==
it seems [[The Eternal Order]] may have a new brother. One of the offspring of our Hell-trapped Magisters, a young tiefling bard named [[Iago]], asked if he could negotiate on behalf of the Order and the Magistery with an ambassador for the [[Fey Courts]]. That Ambassador was an [[Eladrin]] named [[Haethorwen]], and he asked for our help in the Spring Equinox Tournament, a competition between the [[Fey Courts]] to determine which court gets to trade with the Prime Material Plane for the next year. Though we did not know much of the individual courts, having an ally among one of them could not be a bad thing, so we agreed to help. As I speak Sylvan and have some experience with [[The Golden Forest]] I offered to accompany [[Iago]] on this quest. We were also joined by our friends, [[Amon]], [[Cassio]], and [[Ember]]. It appears that there is something of a history between friend [[Iago]] and friend [[Cassio]]. It has something to do with [[Cassio|Cassio's]] time in Avernus, I believe and it seems to be the cause of some friction between them, at least on the part of [[Iago]].  Friend [[Cassio]] remains blissfully unable to imagine anyone not awed by his majesty.

As we made the Journey to [[The Golden Forest]], the entrance to the [[Feywild]] on this plane, I conversed with [[Haethorwen]] in Sylvan to try to get some idea of the task that was before us. I could gather only that is was a competition of some kind, and that [[Haethorwen]]'s court was somewhat at a disadvantage. It seems the [[Fey Courts#Autumnal Court|The Autumnal Court]] is one of the weaker courts, the other being this year's host, the Spring Court. The Winter and Summer courts were traditionally the most powerful, though [[Haethorwen]] hoped our participation might tip the balance in his favor. Apparently recruiting allies from the Material Plane is not unheard of in these competitions. It seemed that our challenge would be to fulfill our agreement with [[Haethorwen]] without causing enmity with any of the other [[Fey Courts|Courts]], while managing to stay alive (battles between ageless beings can often be hazardous to mere mortals!)

We arrived and made our way into the [[Feywild]] without difficulty. We found the realm engulfed in preparations for the Competition. We clothed ourselves in the Colors of the Fall, as our companions in the Autumnal Court were clothed, and awaited the start of the competition. When it began, I immediately found myself overwhelmed and out of place. Where I expected dire battle, I instead found music and dancing. While I prepared for martial combat, the [[Eladrin]] called on elemental magics and primal harmonies to weave stories and song in the very air. It was clear that this was in indeed a competition of sorts, and indeed one not without danger, as the magical energies involved could cause real harm, though conjured from nothing by song and voice. I found myself, for perhaps the first time in my life, without a clue as to how I could protect my friends or punish my foes. In the first case we had no real foes to speak of as we were trying not to incur the wrath of the other Courts. In the second case, though I carry a small flute to aid in my meditations, in the company of these great instruments of beauty and power, my flute seemed a poor and fragile thing and my meager skill with it, wholly unequal to this task. I settled upon using my bow to harass the musicians of our rival courts, but I took no pride in doing so. In the face of all that beauty and wonder, it seemed that crass combat was a stain on my character. Would that all warfare could be settled this way... with bands instead of bloodshed, and dance instead of death. However,  I find that though I might wish it to be so, I also find that in such a world, I may have no place. 

[[Master Fēng]] has often chided me for my single-minded pursuit of martial and weapon skills. I have always justified it by rationalizing that the world is a dangerous place, and only by becoming dangerous myself can I hope to tame it. I have now had a glimpse of what a world without that danger... without that fear.... I find that it is a world in which I might not find peace, though peace might reign all about me. I do not know what this means to my mission, or to my Study, but I know I must meditate on this more. Perhaps speaking with out new friend [[Haethorwen]] could help. It would certainly be preferable to [[Master Fēng| Fēng's]] smug "I told you so".