Last we left our heroes, Valrick had taken Nathan to the Astral Plane while Ryker, Wander, Arunak, and Dorza pursued threads in Hearthollow. Arunak, Dorza, and Wander were tucked in for the evening while Ryker had gone to visit the queen.
The trio is awoken by alarms. They immediately assume, that it must have something to do with Ryker. They overhear bar patrons saying something about the museum. Now completely convinced, Wander scrys on Ryker and sees him, Orith Spear on his back, at the creature emporium her brother worked at for a short time. Ryker’s eyes flash red and he looks like he is up to no good. Time to chase down their rogue gone rogue.
They run through the streets, passing guards going towards to the museum. As they pass the Gresta Library, Valrick and Nathan reappear and join the chase. They’re brought up to speed as well as can be done while running down nighttime streets. Just as the emporium comes into view, there is a flash on the horizon in the forest to the north-west of the city, hundreds of miles away.
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Earlier in the night, Ryker did indeed visit the queen. He knew that it was likely that she would attempt to control him, but being a trained infiltrator, he was prepared. He explained the situation in vague terms, claiming ignorance of most details and not mentioning tharizdun, only that he needed the Orith Spear to save Havayla. The Queen, seeing an opportunity to potentially remove a god from the playing field, brought Ryker’s mind into her control with a bite and instructed him to protect and retrieve Havayla within one days time.
Orders received, Ryker spared no time in execution, going directly to the museum. Any thought outside the perimeters was met with psychic pain. He entered the museum and demanded to meet with Aluratha again. He explains, quite clearly, that his friend needs him to retrieve the spear, he will be taking it, and it would be a right proper shame if anyone got hurt or was brought in to prevent him from doing just that. She begins to understand the situation and agrees to give him the spear. Ordering the museum staff out, she disables the security and allows Ryker to grab the spear from its mounting. Which triggers a failsafe, locking him in a magical glass column.
Guards are called and Ryker waits, until the psychic instructions compel him to seek escape. He acrobatics his way up the column to the unprotected glass ceiling, which he punches through and escapes over the rooftops. He considers collecting the team, but the thought prompts mental pain and he decides he should work alone. He needs a horse… that place Stump worked at had horses. He should go there, stealthily.
Which he does, avoiding all guards. He sneaks into an open stable door and sees a man counting the day’s coin by candle light. This man should not know he was here, this man needs to die. Ryker pulls out a dagger and prepares to strike, when there is a searing pain in head and suddenly his will is returned. The man turns in shock and is immediately shot through the chest by an arrow, falling forward into Ryker. Ryker trades his dagger for a healing potion and pours it down the man’s throat. Just then, the Derailers burst through the open door.
Wander rushes forward to triage the wounded man and Nathan takes up position behind Ryker, ready to take action should things turn violent. Arunak and Valrick trace the arrow’s trajectory to an alleyway and investigate. Ryker quickly proves that he is in charge of his own faculties again and everyone tries to gather their bearings. Valrick and Arunak discover a vampire on the roof and combat is engaged.
There is a flash and rumble in the barn across the street as another vampire comes around the corner. A third joins the fray with a poisoned blade, striking with inhuman speed. Wolves are summoned down the street, but are quickly dispatched by a fireball from Nathan. Arunak chases down and engages the rooftop archer. Wander finishes tending to the owner and, knowing the chaos and damage that will likely result from their involvement, leaves her coin-purse on the counter before joining the fray.
One of the Vampires moves to strike and is struck down by… Aurora? Followed closely behind by Havayla?! And Pater Pandelion??!? The vampires are quickly dispatched and attention is turned to whatever is rumbling in the barn. It’s a beholder, and it is quite upset, seemingly summoned by one of the Vampires before they passed. It bursts through the doors and catches Nathan with a petrifying ray.
Arunak and Pater sneak in the barn and strike it from behind repeatedly and expertly with great success. Ryker adds to the creature’s confusion by lighting the hay below it on fire. A combination of distraction and precision strikes brings it down quickly. The dead are relieved of their goods and it is decided that they should make a quick exit. Pater offers to teleport them, but he needs to know where to go. Nathan offers a cook-pot he “borrowed” from the Windwalker, and away they go.
Back on the ship, Pater is introduced to the crew and immediately decides that it is his personal mission to make Iris smile. Adjourning to the warroom, Ryker explains his possession and its sudden break. Then Havayla explains what happened to her. tharizdun was becoming too powerful, too close, and Sehanine intervened, triggering the event of Moonfall. tharizdun’s hold on Havayla was broken, the eye removed and hidden again. This is also what broke the Queen’s hold on Ryker’s mind. The last of Sehanine’s power now rests in Havayla, she is the vessel. But she can’t do it alone, she and Ryker must be bound on this plane so they can bare the weight together.
There is further discussion about spears and Valrick shows them the two he retrieved. Aside, Wander asks Pater if he came across her clans in the Feywild. He had, somewhat recently. He told them stories of their last adventure. It seemed that some knew of Wander, from her contact with Yonder, but didn’t fully remember her, except two young girls, Constance and Noddy. They gave him an acorn with golden leaves on a gold chain to give to her, should they cross paths again. Wander asked how her people seemed, are they safe? Pater reports that they are safe, happy, and settled, after all, 5 years has passed. Stunned at this news, she thanks him for passing on her nieces’ gift and quickly leaves the room.
Havyala and Ryker discuss the logistics of what comes next, they obviously need to be married again, on this plane. Valrick is curious about this tradition, he’s never been to a wedding on the material plane. Pater is very excited to participate. Havayla sends a quick message to Wander, asking her to preform the ceremony. “No, not prepared, has to be tomorrow” is the curt response. Well, that gives time to prepare. Pater talks to Valrick about putting on a magic show and dance performance. Everyone eventually retires to sleep. Pater, being an elf, requires very little sleep and spends the rest of the night decorating the ship with summoned flowers and greenery.
Morning comes with a cheerful bustle of wedding preparation. Havayla convinces Dorza to stand as her maid of honor while Ryker wrangles Nathan into the position of best man. Wander, rather confused about all the pomp and circumstance, preforms the ceremony with a simple blessing in the tradition of Mountainroot: “As two seeds planted together join into one tree, as streams join to make a river, may you be joined and never separate.” The ritual performed, Ryker and Havayla are bound in marriage, again. The crew adjourns to the mess to celebrate with waffles, and that is where we left them…