Last we left our heroes, Havayla had left the group, determined to take care of Tharizdun herself. The rest of the Derailers recalled back to Hearthollow, and promptly split the party (again). Valrick took Nathan to the Astral Plane while Ryker led the rest of the team into the Gresta home and library. What follows is a slightly abbreviated account of the subsequent events.
Ryker promptly announces his marriage to the Gresta family, mainly a sister and Mother Gresta. He follows up that announcement with the news that Havayla ran off and he needs the Orith Spear from their museum to go kill a god. These declarations are not met with understanding or approval, mostly because no one was invited to the wedding, nevermind that it was in the feywild. Mother is particularly upset and wants no part in anything related to Sehanine. Ryker and the team are escorted out, but not before Havayla’s sister suggests they speak with Aluratha, another sister (there are 12 siblings) that runs the museum. So to the museum they go.
In the museum, the team sees a lot of things that they already know about, mostly related to the Giants of old and the Knavic heroes that slew them. In the middle of all the displays is the Orith Spear, the prized artifact of the collection. Dorza quickly discovers and demonstrates the magical security field around it that freezes a would-be thief into place if they get too close. Ryker’s request to meet with Aluratha is granted and he makes his case before her. She is similarly not convinced, but is sympathetic. Ryker thanks her for her time and decides to go meet with the Queen, no one needs to go with him. Arunak, Dorza, and Wander continue to explore the museum and agree to meet Ryker back at the Fiddler’s Bar.
Wander browses through the displays and comes across a manuscript describing her clans. This is the paper by Professor Tramble Filden, that was not meant to be published, yet here it is. She asks one of the attendants about it and is informed that it was purchased 7 years ago to support the Professor’s research. Upset that her people were apparently betrayed for coin, Wander storms out, shouting to the attendant that one of their other artifacts is mistranslated.
Meanwhile, Dorza and Arunak continue to study the spear and covertly discuss the museum’s security. They notice Wander’s aggressive exit and go to examine the manuscript themselves. Arunak and Dorza recognize the name from their Grandfather’s list. Dorza gives Arunak a knowing look and walks by a display with a vase, tripping and knocking the whole thing over. Arunak reluctantly uses the distraction to swipe the book and they’re both escorted off the museum grounds. They quickly make their way to the Fiddler’s Bar and meet Wander stewing at a back table over her drink.
Arunak tosses her the book. She’s glad relieved it isn’t in the museum for public view, not that it really matters though, the clans are gone. She flips through and finds a section where the story of her naming is mentioned, which she shows to Arunak. Now she knows how Skulldrinker found Mountainroot so easily, that part hadn’t been her fault after all. But why was Filden’s name on the Crimson Eye’s list?
After awhile, Wander checks in on Ryker. He’s at the gate, waiting to be let in. Don’t worry about it. Arunak, Dorza, and Wander retire to the rooms they purchased to wait. Wander takes some time to commune and lets Arunak know that it wasn’t Filden that published the manuscript, it was the Crimson Eyes. But why? Everything seems to tie back to them. They discuss the connection to the Terizitch pools and the list of loose ends Wander has made in her notes.
Evening comes, she messages Ryker again. He’s still waiting, it’ll be fine. They all decide that he knows what he’s doing and tuck in for the night…