When last we left our heroes, everyone had gone their separate ways for errands after a frenetic chase and battle to retrieve the animus crystals. We join them again as they gather, one-by-one, back at The Fiddler’s Bar.
Ryker and Arunak are the first to return. They took the animus crystal to Iris and Reg and gave orders to prepare the secret airship for deployment. But they’ll need a crew… On the way out, they run into Syrin, who is just out for a perfectly legitimate walk that happens to go by the abandoned airbase where there’s a secret ship that she absolutely isn’t interested in. Ryker invites her in for a tour and, after a heart to heart and coming to terms with some of their past disagreements, Syrin offers 10 men to help crew the ship, supplies, ammo, and informs Ryker that she has stalled her own deployment for 24 hour. If he has a target, he will now have two ships at his disposal. Ryker wants to take out Skulldrinker. They all part ways as Arunak and an energized Ryker return to the bar where he proceeds to convince Dorza to join the airship crew.
Nahtan returns with a load of wood… for reasons…
Wander joins after spending time with her Stump and Daisy. With every person that returns, Ryker excitedly shares his news of the working airship and the support of Syrin. Wander expresses concern over going after Skulldrinker so soon.
Havayla returns soon after, wearing a starry cloak and having braided her long pink hair over one shoulder, looking more regal and poised. Talks with her mother and queen went well, but she doesn’t want to discuss it in the middle of the bar.
Finally, Yevin bursts through the door, haggard and panting, trailed by a woman in Silvershield armor that the group recognizes as the bard from the other night. Yevin stumbles in, is caught by Ryker, and sits down, catching his breath as he exclaims that Skulldrinker found him and tried to kill him. The crew notices that his eyes, formerly a violet-hazed green, were now yellow and dragon-like, matching the bronze scales that had begun to appear on his face and on his regrown fingers.
Yevin had gone to meet with a former friend, a Silvershield Captain named Orion, to learn more of his forgotten past. On the way he noticed the Celestial snake they had fought previously, apparently possessed by Skulldrinker, but thought he had evaded its sight. During his meeting with Orion, Skulldrinker was able to possess the Captain and in turn, attacked and repeatedly attempted to possess Yevin. Through the fight for his life, Yevin learned that Skulldrinker only needs 60 seconds of observation to create the link for possession, Skulldrinker can both use a possessed individual or creature’s abilities and cast his own spells through their body, and once someone has outlived their usefulness, he kills them. He works in the shadows and has power because of secrecy, we need to spread the word to lessen his grip on the darkness.
As Yevin recounts this, the Silvershield (who was introduced as Gwinevere), has her hands on Yevin’s shoulders in a very familiar and affectionate way. This is also noticed by the group, but questions are rebuffed. She assures them that Orion will be alright, there was a cleric sent for. Wander wonder if that will be enough, if Skulldrinker can possess one person to see another, he could spread like a disease. Yevin continues to describe his escape, the desperate fight for his mind, the spells that Skulldrinker used to weaken him. How he managed to find Silvershields and their fight to kill the Celestial Snake. And finally his race back, accompanied by Gwen. Turning to her, Yevin reveals that he is beginning to believe that he not who she thinks he is, who anyone thinks he is. He is not a half-elf, he is a Dragonborn, and with each traumatic experience, each revealing dream, each major healing, he is turning back into his original, forgotten form. He is likely the last of his kind, and Kane is hunting him because of it.
History and Context break: From the notes and history books that the Derailers have picked up over time, they had learned that there were four major civilizations in Cilandro, the central region of Zandoria: The Elves, Humans, Dwarves, and Dragonborn. Each had their own capital; Hearthollow, Riverband, Winterstall, and Claremond, respectively. The Queen of Riverband, Lady Kacie Fanthavreld, had created an allegiance between the four cities, bringing peace and cooperation, and Riverband was designated the capital of Zandoria in response. A year later, in 389 Post-Rift, the Queen of Riverband was assassinated, here eyes struck red*. Evidence provided from an unknown source pointed at a Dragonborn from Claremond, specifically the King’s son, Prince Thexandric Parash. This brought the country into war, with an alliance of Elves, Men, and Dwarves turning against the Dragonborn and wiping them from Zandoria completely. There has never been complete peace since and the alliances gradually dissolved, with each city and culture only tending only to their own interests. In the current year of 604 PR, only Hearthollow, Riverband, and Winterstall stand, while Claremond is an avoided ruin overrun with spirits. *We now know that this is the calling card of the Crimson Eyes
The suggestion comes up that they should move to a more secure space to discuss matters. Yevin, after having a private moment with Gwen, suggests using Leomund’s Tiny Hut through Havayla. Ryker is very excited about his ship and wants to get moving towards taking out Skulldrinker as quickly as possible. Havayla has news she wants to share, but wants to be safe. Wander is concerned about going to the ship in a large group, what if they’re followed? Arunak and Dorza are ready to go to the ship and Nahtan is game for anything and everything; he has fireworks. Gwen goes back to the castle to check on Orion, bidding a chill goodbye to Yevin and ignoring Ryker’s offer to join his crew.
Excitement over the ship wins out and they decide to spilt into two groups. Wary after his brush with death, Yevin states that if they have to split up, they need a cleric in each group. Skulldrinker wants them divided and wants to keep them away from the clerics. The crew splits into two groups; Ryker, Wander, Nahtan, Donkey, and the Wolf Moon-moon in one. Arunak, Yevin, Havayla, Dorza, and Aurora in the other. Ryker’s group leaves first, stealthing into the evening darkness with the second group set to follow 20 minutes later.
Ryker’s group makes it to the hanger and just as they are making preparations, there is a crash outside. Looking out the door, Ryker comes face to face with Kane’s robotic Wyvern, but Kane is no where in sight. “Reg, get the ship off the ground!” Ryker yells, as he engages the Wyvern and moves to the front of the hanger to open the doors. Wander, Nahtan, and Donkey rush onto the ship as combat begins and Ryker gets a concerning call from Arunak.
Meanwhile, the second group begins their trek through the darkened streets. Havayla notices the shadows aren’t acting quite right and tells Arunak. Just as he radios to Ryker, the group is engulfed in tentacled darkness. With both Havayla and Yevin tapped out of spells, the darkness holds them in place, sapping their strength and keeping the group from moving forward. As they beat it back, their fists and swords do little damage, while the radiance from Dorza and Aurora seem to do the most damage. (Quote of combat from our Monk to the DM after being hit with 0 movement and finding that the darkness is immune to stun; “You did this because I’m a monk. That’s classest!”) Skulldrinker has been studying his enemies.
Back at the hanger, Ryker moves to the front, just as the Wyvern opens its maw and shoots a missile to the doors. The hanger doors crumple inward. Nahtan leaps from the ship and moves forward to help open them as Ryker leaps in and on to the ship from the other side. Reg is able to push the ship through the door, ramming into the Wyvern in the process. Wander is sent to man one of the railguns and begins to unload on the Wyvern. Nahtan, left on the ground with his bag of fireworks and no doors to open, gets busy shooting off a load of fireworks as a distraction. The air fills with explosions as he hears mechanized footsteps from the shadows. Kane has joined the combat. He strikes at Nahtan three times, beating him bloody, before holding his blade to Nahtan’s throat. “Surrender or you’ll all go down in flames” he growls. Nahtan smirks “Nah, you’re going to burn in hell.” “Oh, only one of you will.”
In the sky, the Wyvern fires upon the bow of the ship before strafing to the side, aiming for the ship’s railgun. Ryker sees Nahtan engaging in with Kane and shouts to Reg. Reg tosses him the key to the super secret we-don’t-know-exactly-what-it-does weapon and brings the ship about. Ryker heads down to the control room and discovers a keyhole, two buttons, and script in a language he can’t read. He inserts the key, targets the weapon, presses the first button, and after nothing happens, yells to Wander.
In the streets, accosted by shadows, everyone is feeling drained and beaten. The tentacled shadows are resilient and with every strike they sap the strength of their targets. Gradually, everyone is able to break free from the darkness, but they are repeatedly prevented from moving forward. The fight is desperate and each small victory is gained through strenuous cost.
In the hanger, Nahtan charges up the warhammer he took from Azuke’s body and slams the ground in front of Kane, causing the ground to heave. Kane manages to remain standing, but the divine power in Nahtan’s blow strikes true. The wolf comes up from behind and attempts to strike Kane, but is rebuffed by a reactionary shield. Using the distraction of his wolf’s strike, Nahtan takes the opportunity to run. He takes a moment to lay hands on himself as his wolf catches up, before turning to continue his retreat. The Wyvern dives at him, pushing Nahtan and Moon Moon back and away from each other.
Back on the ship, Wander makes her way to the control panel with Ryker. “What do you need me to do?” “Read that and press this button!” Looking at the script, and seeing Kane and the Wyvern in the sights, both pursuing Nahtan, she slams the button and reads out “Vlaakith The One in the Void, Steal my enemies away to the Realm of Dreams.”
Bars on each sides of the buttons light up with a purple glow that is channeled into a crystal pointed star symbol in the center of the panel. As the crystal glows brighter, a beam of light shoots just in front of Kane. As the beam hits, a black spherical void expands out to 20 feet, surrounded by a massive force of whipping wind, sucking everything into the void. The Wyvern is pulled in, disappearing as it is crushed in the darkness. Kane, just out of the edge of the void, manages to brace himself against the pull for the moment. But Nahtan and Moon Moon, having been pushed by the Wyvern, were too close. Moon Moon is immediately sucked into the void, disappearing in a flash of celestial energy as his summons ends. And Nahtan, unable to find purchase on the smooth floor, is bludgeoned and pulled by the wind into blackness, vanishing into the crushing dark. Nahtan Noillif, Goliath Paladin of an unknown power, renegade son of the Noillif Family, has fallen.
And that is where we left our heroes, as Wander and Ryker look on, powerless as their friend is killed. The crystal powering the device dissolves into dust but the void remains, pulling everything in to its ravenous darkness. Havayka, Arunak, Yevin, and Dorza, still fighting against the oily black, are unaware of the tragedy they are heading towards. How will the Derailers handle this death in their party? What are they going to do with all the wood Nahtan purchased? We’ll find out next time.