Blueleaf S02E11: The Breaking Edge
The investigators met to figure out how to stop the Bloom infestation from spreading. They ruled out a frontal assault on the Bloom gardens underground.
Dox got a call from his contact, Gareth, at the Amaranthine Library. Gareth had been studying the Bloom samples in an isolation tank but had become obsessed with it, and the secret society of scholars had removed him from the job. Upon investigating Gareth’s notes, Dox learned that the Bloom samples had been repelled by salt water – actual samples from the ocean, rather than lab-created salt water. Consulting the book of elven faerie tales he’d received earlier, Dox discovered a story about how an ocean spirit had been used to defeat the Bloom during its first invasion.
Since werebeasts were the ones that dealt with nature spirits, Stonks hit up his werebeast contacts – namely Vile, the wererat. Vile took the group to a gathering of werebeasts in the wilderness who were planning to flee town. An elven were-owl listened to their stories and offered to introduce the group to some ocean-dwelling werebeasts, who might be able to rouse a water spirit to tackle the Bloom again.
The investigators discussed their other option – to tackle Sandstorm and get his bracelet off him. As they already had the cup, they could use both the bracelet and the cup to imprison the Bloom in the ancient temple. This was where the Bloom had been sealed up centuries ago by the original elven culture in the area.
Astrid had a contact, a dwarrow journalist named Drew Basalt, who hosted the popular Anomaly Hour TV show, which covered the ‘breaking edge between science and magic’. They set up a sting operation. Drew invited Sandstorm to his downtown TV studio and recorded an interview. Sandstorm spoke passionately about his beliefs of starting a new age, one driven by unity and collective action.
As he left the studio, he was mobbed by students. Stonks, his 1970s vibe a little out of place, stole the bracelet. Sandstorm noticed, but before he could give chase, Astrid distracted him and threw Bloom samples at him. While Sandstorm stopped to apply water to his eyes, the group fled the studio and met at their safe place.
Now they had the cup and the bracelet, and the means to seal the Bloom forever.
Or would it be that easy?