When last we left our heroes, they were taking a moment to relax as everyone gathered in the Fiddler’s Bar for a night of music and merriment. Well, most everyone. Yevin is having a hard time relaxing after his conversation in the prison. Ryker encourages the team to imbibe in some questionable alcohol, which causes a momentary shock as it causes some member’s eyes to go black, similarly to the appearance of Skuldrinker’s possession. Ryker attempts to offer a drink to their Silvershield tail, whom he’s convinced is Syrin. Unable to convince the Silvershield off the roof, he returns inside. The team takes turns discussing the events of the day, filling each other in on what was missed while they were separated.
Stump and Daisy join the group, followed in the door by Havayla’s copious collection of siblings along with Zezu and his mother. Havayla joins her siblings and takes time to catch up, dance, and enjoy the music. It appears that her family is held in high esteem by the town and the atmosphere of the bar initially tightens up, but loosens again as the siblings join in conversations and revelry. A seemingly overwhelmed Yevin goes out for some air and Ryker follows for a heart-to-heart.
Zezu is given one of the amulets and explains that he is going to go traveling with his mother for a time. There’s a druid in the south that originally helped him gain blind sight after he left the crimson eyes. They’re going to travel there again to see if anything more can be done. Everyone bids farewell and safe travels as Treesa hands off running the school to one of Havayla’s brothers.
Wander talks with Daisy and Stump; they’ve been taking the day to consider their options and have decided to stay in the town, for the moment at least. Stump is sent to get drinks as the girls discuss his slowness in relationships. Daisy is excited because she saw him sneak off to a jeweler’s shop. Suddenly there is a rhythmic shaking coming from outside and murmurs of “Kane? He’s here? Kane is outside!” The Firbolgs throw up their hoods and move to mingle in with the crowd by the stage. Ryker leaps up and stealths out the back door. Nahtan moves to the front door as the stomping comes closer.
Kane is waking down the road with his mechanical wyvern, cutting an imposing figure. Ryker peeks around the corner as Nahtan steps out as if leaving the bar, disguised in his hobo robes. Kane’s wyvern pauses, shifting to look at Nahtan in the otherwise empty street. Kane, who had already turned down the next corner, calls out to his wyvern. The wyvern obeys, Kane mounts it, and they continue on in their nightly walk.
As the thumping steps fade, the Derailers relax. Ryker stumbles back into the bar, pale and shaking. Everyone gathers around as he sits down, asking what happened. Trembling, Ryker informs them all that he recognized the voice; Kane is the one that killed Havayla’s father. He fought with the Steamers in the war. Ryker explains how the Steamers were a cult trying to achieve immortality through mechanical means. After gathering his nerves, Ryker storms back out and beings yelling to the Silvershield across the way “you knew he was here! You know what he’s done and you’re letting him stay!” Wander and Daisy follow after and make a show of dragging their “drunk” friend back inside while Wander berates him for potentially revealing their location to even more people.
Back in the bar, the concert is wrapping up. Havayla says goodbye to her siblings, making promises to stop by schools and shops. Yevin and Ryker invisibly take to the streets to meet back with Ryker’s navy buddies. Wander says goodnight to Stump and Daisy, who are still staying at the school. Stump hangs back to talk and shows Wander the gift he bought Daisy; a trinket bag. Wander and Havayla encourage him that maybe he should think of something more… significant. After all, Wander reminds him, they’ve been all but matched for years now, why wait any longer? Aided by Havayla’s persuasion, they convince him to consider it. Havayla asks Wander and Dorza to join her in their room as Arunak and Nahtan go to the guys room to maintain the ruse that everyone is still there and going to bed.
Yevin and Ryker return to the airbase, making their way to warehouse 11. Inside they are introduced to the airship that Ryker was instrumental in developing 50 years ago. It is a marvel of stealth and combat, with the ability to vanish into thin air, shoot down anything coming after it, and out run every other ship in the fleet. Only problem is, it doesn’t have a power source. The animus crystals used to power the airships are all mined in Winterstall and there isn’t any trade between the two cities. Hearthollow doesn’t have much back-and-forth with anyone since they were left on their own during the Kobold War. The only crystals in Hearthollow are in the last remaining ships, which are under Syrin’s control. A plan is hatched to steal the animus crystal from Syrin’s ship and escape before anyone is the wiser. Instructing his fellows to ready the ship for escape, Ryker returns with Yevin to the Fiddler’s Bar. They wake up Nahtan and Arunak to start planning a heist before everyone returns to rest.
Meanwhile, Havayla reveals to Dorza and Wander the letter she received from her father. In it he explains that Havayla is to be the vessel for the goddess Moonbow when her 10,000 year reign ends in two months at the Moonbow Festival. He intended to protect and aid her, but with the war tensions rising on, he was unsure of his survival, thus his letter, hidden away from the family and saved for her should he not make it home. He writes that if Moonbow falls, if there is no vessel, the gates of the Abyss will open and a cosmic war will break out. Great. World ending event count is now 2. Wander and Dorza pledge their protection and they all plan to discuss this will the men tomorrow.
In the morning, after some awakening shenanigans, Nahtan leaves for breakfast. Ryker explains about the ship and the plan to steal an animus crystal from Syrin’s ship. Havayla and Wander argue that they all have to be back here in 2 months for the festival, as Havayla reveals what she learned from the letter. Ryker is insistent that having the ship outweighs any risk and future fallout. Wander suggests that maybe we try the diplomatic route first? We haven’t spoken with Havayla’s mother yet, maybe those in power could be convinced to to lend their aid. Additionally, she points out that Ryker is known to be in town, is known to have a certain set of skills, and if Syrin’s ship was suddenly without power, who would be the first person to come to her mind? Ryker concedes and the heist is pushed to plan B as Nahtan returns with bagfuls of fireworks “you said we’d need a distraction.”
Havayla declares she is going to meet her mother, Ryker refuses to let her go alone and Wander also asks to tag along. Yevin leaves to do some research at the library. Nahtan and Arunak take the fireworks and look for the best place to set up a distraction for plan B, after doing some cloud watching. As Ryker, Wander, and Havayla walk the streets, the topic of their memory loss comes up. They have the tea, Wander has the spell prepared, they could take the time today to attempt some memory recovery. Havayla remembers her discussion with her brother Leomund and decides that they will go to him first. Along the way, they run into Nahtan and Arunak. Havayla asks them to not blow up any building that her family owns, but it is determined that the museum is likely the best location for the distraction. The party splits ways as Havayla, Ryker, and Wander continue on to the University.
Nahtan gets an idea and decides to go find a woodshop. As he starts to walk down the street, Arunak sees him pause, crack and twist his neck, and then turn back, eyes dripping black. Tumack Skulldrinker has taken hold. Upset at the destruction of his study and his inability to see the Derailers, Tumack questions and threatens Arunak, bringing him into an alleyway to have a more private conversation. Arunak subtly triggers his sending stone, contacting Wander, who overhears a bit of the conversation. Through a bit of sly back and forth with the sets of sending stones, she’s able to find their location. Leading Havayla and Ryker back through the streets, they’re able to find the alley Nahtan and Arunak have stepped into, just as Skulldrinker digs into Arunak’s mind. Wander reaches out, casting Dispel Curse as she slaps Nahtan, and Skulldrinker is driven out.
Arunak reveals that Skulldrinker is looking for the Scrytable in Randar’s Sanctum. He plans to use it to find the Feeble Mind Stone. He knows it exists and was digging into Arunak’s mind to find the location, but all he saw before the connection was severed was the swamp and Seagrim’s head. They were transported to the Forest that Breathes by Vinyard and don’t actually know how to get there. Wander and the group berate Nahtan for not attuning to the amulet and allowing Skulldrinker to find them. “Well we know that they work now!” is his defense. Ryker contacts Yevin and they all convene at the University. They realize that if Skulldrinker knows where they are, he’ll likely tell Kane. Whatever they’re going to do, they need to do it quickly.
Havayla leads them to Leomund’s office and asks again about restoring their memories. She understands that she and Wander could do it with what they have, but their last experience only restored a little. Maybe he knows a way to do more? He takes them all to the High Rector, reminding them to be cautious what they say and DO NOT mention that they know of her teleportation circle. The High Rector receives them curiously. Havayla tries to explain the memory situation and Ryker steps in explaining the whole story of the war, the feywild, joining the Derailers, fighting the orcs at Mountainroot, before being awkwardly shut down by the rest of the group as they pick up on the High Rector’s suspicious interest and discomfort at the mention of Preymonger’s incursion. “Oh so you’re not just adventurers, you’re ‘heroes’” she chides. The High Rector says she can help with the memory loss, but will require items or favors in trade. She rejects many of the magic items offered, but takes Wander’s offer of a book on Magical Body Modification. She does have an errand that they could run, but in the interest of time, they decline.
In exchange for the book, the High Rector will restore one person’s memories. Ryker steps forward and she starts to cast, wrapping his head in magical weaves. With a burst of light and a gasp from Ryker, the magic dissipates. And that is where we ended the session.
What will Ryker remember? What are the ramifications to revealing their connections to the High Rector? Will they succeed in diplomacy or will their time be cut short with a heist? How many more world ending events will be added to their calendar? We’ll find out next time…