Crimson Sands of Time

Unless youbwant to mess with any of the other cages, I'll assume Sam and Picollo, along with Elidon and Strongheart, follow Trisk to the cauldron. As you areive, you see the wizard attwmpting ro attune to the legendary object.

Upon spying the armored cleric at Zybilna's side, Strongheart declares, "Mercion, you're safe now.  We have to find a way to free her."

Elidon, whos just done this to Strongheart, approa hes the younger woman clad in armor and wearing a white cape, quarterstaff in hand, and says, "Please, allow me." then touches his horn to the cleric and says her name, "Mercion"

Instantly, the woman is released feom stasis.

Piccolo plays a few quick notes as she sees Trisk attempt the difficult task, giving him some notes of encouragement.

(Bonus action on Trisk: Bardic Inspiration: Add 1d10 to your con save.) 

Trisk got a total of 23 for his CON save (rolled a 5, plus 8 CON save, and rolled a 10 for inspiration).

Hmmm.

Mercion, quickly understanding the situation, thanks the group for saving her and explains the events that led to the ensuing predicament: "When the League of Malevolence arrived at the palace, the Hourglass Coven ensured that Kelek's rivals from Valor's Call were close behind. The two factions clashed inside the palace. While Zybilna was distracted, the hags used the Cauldron to freeze everyone but themselves in temporal stasis. Determined to bring the league's members to justice for crimes committed on many worlds, Valor's Call met with Zybilna and tried to forge an alliance with the archfey. When the hags of the Hourglass Coven used the Cauldron to freeze Zybilna in time, several members of Valor's Call were frozen in time as well: Strongheart, myself, and the wizard, Ringlerun.  I dont know the whereabouts of our companions, Elkhorn and Molliver."

Touching his hand to the cauldron made of iron and embossed on the outside with images of bats, toads, cats, lizards, and snakes—eight of each animal - Trisk comes to understand some truths about the legendary item:

You can use an action to scream into the empty cauldron, which magically summons a swarm of bats that flies out of the cauldron and acts immediately after you in the initiative order. The swarm obeys your commands and disappears after 1 minute if it hasn't been destroyed by then. Once used, this property of the cauldron can't be used again until the next dawn.

• If at least 1 gallon of blood is poured into the cauldron and stirred for 1 minute, it turns into a cloud of harmless black smoke that erupts from the cauldron and dissipates quickly. At the same time, all Humanoid creatures within a certain radius of the cauldron fall unconscious for 1 hour, except those that are attuned to the cauldron or immune to being charmed. The radius of the effect is 100 feet per gallon of blood used. An unconscious creature awakens if it takes damage or if someone uses an action to shake or slap it. Once used, this property of the cauldron can't be used again until the next dawn.

• Tying a dead frog or toad to the end of an ordinary branch and dipping it in the water-filled cauldron transforms the branch into a wand of polymorph with 3 charges. This wand can't recharge and crumbles to ashes when its final charge is expended. Once used, this property of the cauldron can't be used again for 8 days.

....

7

82

While attuned to the Artifact, you can cast (one level 3 spell) <any suggestions?> from it. After you cast the spell, roll 1d6. On a roll of 1–5, you can’t cast it again in this way until the next dawn.

While you’re attuned to the Artifact, Beasts (within 30 feet of you that have a Challenge Rating of 6 or lower) are Hostile toward you.

The tiny 3 foot tall disheveled girl, wearing a fancy hat and one long glove found in the bedroom timidely approaches the woman, Mercion. She plays a few notes of hello on her tiny silver instrument. Then if she is able to get closer, will give the woman a hug, smiling up at her, as if she has known her for many years.

Mercuon, while wary of the small creature knows the fey are an expeessive lot, orone to emotional outbursts. Not wanting to trigger an intense negative reaction, she acquiesces to the hug.

"Have you word of the League of Malevolence? The Hourglass coven? Are they yet upon us?  They must be stopped. If we could free Zybilna... perhaps we should.find Ringlerun.  Kelek will be eager to find him as well. Have you seen them? What say you, Steogheart?" Mercion aks defering to the leader of Valor's Call.

The wing-helmed scion of righteousness replies humbky, "I have seen orecious little, and less still.would.i have seen were it not for.the bravery of fhese heroes." To the group, Strongheart notes, "You have my sword."

With a nod of agreement, the cleric confirms, "Aye, may the light of truth illuminate the path. Veritas lux facare. Speak from your heart. Where are we needed now?" 

So, what do we wbat to do? Youre not obliged to unfreeze anyone, but you have a unicorn horn. You just need to to touch them.and say their name. Also, the League of Malevolence still has Kelek and the priest of Orcus running around the castle.  Mercion might have some info, but what's your intention?

To be clear, Trisk is attuned to the cauldron and not aged by it.

Piccolo plays her instrument, and all present gain an image of the group going from frozen person to person, unfreezing them with the horn. Then the image changes, and it shows clearly an image of Kelek and the priest of Orcus. It shows them being expelled from Feydom (almost cartoonish, they fly from the ground, up into the air, and disappear never to be seen again).
She then points to Mercuon and the group, holding the horn in her tiny hands.

<the horn is artached to Elidon's head>

So, who do you want to wake up, if that's your intention. Mercion might know some the names.

Courtiers include a bullywug knight, two drow mages, seven pixies, two quicklings, and five goblins with dragonfly wings, floating in the air, all frozen in time.

Piccolo climbs up on Elidon as naturally as an expert at horseback riding. She will point to the nearest frozen person, hoping that Mercion knows their name, and touch Elidon's horn expectantly. Its clear she would like to unfreeze as many beings as she can as quickly as possible.

4-6 she knows a name

Bullywug 2

Drow 1 6

Drow 2 6

Goblin 4

Quickling 1 1

Quickling 2 3

Pixie 1 5

Pixie 2 1

Pixie 3 3

Pixie 4 1

Pixie 5 3

Pixie 6 4

Pixie 7 2

Then with her music, she will obtain names of their friends (pixies should know their companions names for example) Then if she learns more, will continue to use the unicorn to free more.

Kelchrin and Valtis council Zybilna on matters of the Abyss. Snitcher is a neutral goblin boss, who brings news from other fey courts. They, in turn, know the names of the other goblins, as well as the Bullywug knight: Lord Slubb, the Marquis of Brackishbog. Mercion recalls the names of Bix and Trick, who rexite the names of otber pixies: Henny, Honeybright, Nightglitter, Starpetal, and Winterflake.

Attempting to wake Zybilna by saying her name while tou himg her with Elidon's horn proves ineffective. "I suspected as much," informs Mercion, "but I think I know who we are truly dealing with," she says, eying the drow mages, before beseeching Wlidon to try again.  When the unicorn tou hes his horn tje the frozen Fey Queen, the cleric announces, "Iggwilv, Witch Queen of Oerth, awaken!" But, she does not stir.  

As the crowd looks about, confused and  disheartened, the doors to the south burst open, and in marxh Kelek and Zargash.  Serendipitously, feom the west, enters the hungry fomorian, her ha ds and fave smeared with cake.  "What is the meaning of this insolence?!" Kelek cries, "Its supper time and I'm starving! WHERE IS MY DINNER?" the fomorian demands.

Mercion, annoyed with herself, says quietly, "I knew we should have sought Ringlerun, first."

"Supper, is it?  Well it seems theres something brewing right here." Kelek replies to the fomorian. "Now, what stew have we here, eh?  Care for a taste?" he asks the giant.

The fomorian woman looks suspicious, sniffs at the air, but approaches the cauldron.

As she gets close enough to look within, she sees that its empty. "What are you on about? Someone's eaten it all! Bring me my supper, now or I'll start snacking on whatever i should like. Lots of tasty morsels flittin' about, now aint there?" she licks her lips as she eyes the pixies hovering about the ballroom.

Piccolo walks up to the giantess, who she had given cake to earlier, both her arms on her hips in disapproval. Then, she takes out her tiny flute and plays a gentle song, dancing about as she plays and performs for the huge woman, conveying her message.

Musical telepathy: moving image of the fomorian giantess feeling VERY tired and her bed looking oh so comfortable. She should go there and sleep until tomorrow at this time.

Mass Suggestion (6th level spell): Suggest the giant goes to her room and sleeps. (Wisdom DC 21, 24 hours duration).

<rolling for the fomorian, but asking, did you want ro also tsrget Kelek and Zargash? I think you could, but it is your choice>

Wis 21

(So close) the giant yawns and stretches.  "Ahh, nevermind. I've had a long day.  But i better wake to the smell of breakfast!" She says as she stomps off.

<really holding off on the temptation tonhave her just grab a speite and swallow it as she leaves.>