Last we left our heroes, Wander had just struck the final blow on the attacking Beher. With both beasts felled, investigation begins. Ryker, Arunak, Nathan, and Yevin start salvaging skin and claws while Wander and Havayla make sure none of the citizens were injured in the skirmish.
As the the behers are butchered, there are desiccated bodies discovered in the turgid stomach of the make. The female’s torso is decidedly empty and it is quickly surmised that there is an egg somewhere. Daton is contacted and he requests that the egg(s) be hunted down and sends the earth elementals to help clean up.
The Derailers rush down the tunnels to the sewers as the earth closes up behind them. Ryker and Arunak find the female’s trail and trace it through the underground labyrinth. There’s a break in the tunnel wall that leads to a hollowed out cove filled with sticks and other refuse. Arunak sneaks in to peek over the makeshift nest to see a broken blue egg and a baby beher, gnawing on some very humanoid looking bones. And it is very cute.
This leads to conflict within the team. Nathan and Yevin discover that it is easily mesmerized by electricity and understands draconic. Ryker is considering a ship pet. Arunak excuses himself from any responsibility and Havayla thinks it’s adorable. Wander and Dorza remain at the entrance, reminding everyone that it’s cute now, but it will get bigger, remember what we just fought? Don’t these things hunt dragons? It’s dangerous and Daton asked us to dispatch it. Havayla takes offense at Wander’s willingness to kill something so cute. Wander tells a story about her cousin that tried to keep a bear cub and ended up losing fingers. Yevin removes himself from the situation, using dimension door to leave to the surface. Finally, Ryker reluctantly puts the creature down. It is a subdued trek back up to the surface.
Above ground, Yevin found himself at a bar and eventually the rest of the team joined him. They all find a quiet corner and, finding themselves in a rare moment of quiet, decide to start asking questions of each other.
Yevin reveals what he now remembers; he was not a good person before. He was the traitor to Hearthollow, not Ryder “the Golden Bear.” If the Queen knew, he would be rotting in a cell. But that isn’t his only life. He remembers being a child, with his dragon mother. The Druid Glarion transformed him, removed his memories, and placed him with adoptive parents in Hearthollow. There he lived, until the Kobold wars, his espionage work, and ultimately his scheme to defect. Then he lost his memory and was taken in by Buck Willingham, becoming who he was when he joined the Derailers. And now it’s all back. He thought having his memory back would solve things, but it’s only brought more questions and more strife.
Havayla and Ryker ask Wander about her recent behavior. She use speak about Knowledge openly, but lately she’s been quiet about her deity, avoiding questions. Wander pushes back, explaining that she’s seen what happens when she’s too loud or not careful. Her entire clan was targeted because she sassed off in front of Skulldrinker. She doesn’t want to be responsible for anyone else she cares about getting hurt because of her.
Wander directs the questioning to Havayla; if you know that there’s a risk of contacting Tharizdun, why do you keep reaching out to commune? Havayla protests, how is she suppose to know what to do in service to Sehanine if she can’t communicate with her? There are plenty of other ways to communicate, is Wander’s counter, listing off the various rituals. Dorza and Ryker chime in asking what if all three of them tried together? Havayla agrees and announces that this will be the last time she tries commune until the festival.
During these discussions, Nathan steps out to the restroom, after being interrogated as to his leaving the table. Ryker sneaks in after him (because it didn’t look like he needed to go?) Sure enough, Nathan was not visiting the loo for numbered business, but to question his patron, the Simulacrum he keeps hidden in a pocket dimension. Ryker hears him ask “what am I?” with no response. Stealthily, Ryker slips back to the table to join back into the conversation right before Nathan returns.
Intermittently, the group is served by the barmaid, a half-elf named Beanie. After being served a magnificent spread of desserts and being informed that she did much of the cooking herself, Ryker offered her a job as a cook on the Windwalker, much to Nathan’s chagrin. Suitably persuaded by the salary and the promise of adventure, Beanie promises to meet up at the ship after her shift is over.
Attempts are made at finding out more about the Crimson Eyes from Dorza and Arunak, but they don’t reveal much. Dorza speaks about the family, how she was raised as a weapon alongside her twin sister. But the family keeps a tight hold on their secrets, receiving direction from Orcus himself through their Grandmother, who in turn gives the information over to Grandfather. Grandfather distributes tasks among the rest of the members and they do their dark deeds from the City of Brass and beyond. They are exceedingly dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.
Suitably warned, discussion turns to what should happen next. A trip to Glarion makes sense, they just need to take to Zay. Ryker, Dorza, and Havayla decide to return to the Windwalker to attempt a final commune. Ryker asks Nathan to join them in case something goes wrong. Yevin, Arunak, and Wander leave to persuade Zay to delay her trip and to find faster transportation for their trip to the east.
Convincing Zay was their easiest challenge of the day; one mention of taking the air ship AND being escorted by the Derailers and Zay was content to let them take all the time they needed. She even gave away intricately woven bracelets as thanks (but only one apiece). She also let them know that the prisoner handoff with the Knaves would be occurring that evening. Council business, of course, but good for the Derailers to be aware. First task completed, Yevin, Arunak, and Wander continue on to find some horses. They discuss the Duke’s handoff on the way. Wander doesn’t think they should have any part in it; they did their job, now it’s the council’s responsibility. Yevin and Arunak would like to keep an eye on things, but maintain a distance. They’ll bring this news to the rest of the team when they get back to the ship.
The trio soon finds themselves at a stable. The stable master, a human named Travis, quickly runs through the horses available, what tack and feed they’ll need, and the cost for everything. Yevin negotiates and they receive ownership of 5 horses and gear. They pay to keep them all at the stable overnight and make their way back to the ship.
Meanwhile, Ryker, Havayla, Nathan, and Dorza head back to the ship. They run into Beanie, welcome her aboard, and she sets to cleaning the kitchen while they go below deck. Havayla, Ryker, and Dorza set up by the shrine to Sehanine that Ryker had created on the Windwalker. Nathan stands guard, keeping an eye out for any strange behavior. They light the incense, join hands, and reach out to the moon. Thankfully, the moon reaches back and all three of them find themselves in the dream plane. Relieved that Tharizdun did not intercept, Ryker and Havayla introduce Dorza to the strange land. It is not long before they are greeted by Sehanine herself who asks them to dine with her. As they sit down at a table of starlight, she offers them each three questions.
Through the questioning, they learn that there is a way to defeat Tharizdun before Moonbreak. They learn that the Crimson Eyes can be defeated, just like any other adversary, though not without difficulty. Dorza asks if her family knows where she is; they do, and they are close. As the questions come to an end, Sehanine departs, but allows them to stay as long as they wish, reminding them that this is a land of dreams… Ryker takes that to heart and begins to concentrate on what he learned about a weapon that could defeat Tharizdun, willing it into existence. Into his hands drops a long golden rod, with spikes on ether end. Dorza recognizes this as an Orith, the weapon previously used to neutralize and imprison Tharizdun. Information gathered, they break the spell and their souls return to the material plane, without the items they gathered or materialized; they were all just dreams.
Dorza is grief stricken as they return; if the Crimson Eyes know she is here, and are close, what hope does she have? At that time, Arunak, Yevin, and Wander return and are informed of Dorza’s discovery. Wander quietly reaches out to Knowledge through the Tome in her sack, asking if anyone is on the ship that shouldn’t be… there is one person. “They’re on the ship” she announces, ignoring the questions of how she came to that conclusion. Thinking quickly, Arunak and Nathan go to the kitchen; Beanie was awfully prompt with her arrival to the ship. They join her in prepping food, surreptitiously watching her every move. Close behind, Wander casts detect magic and sees a ping of illusory magic in the kitchen. Arunak starts chopping vegetables and quietly sings a little ditty using the creed of the Crimson Eyes. Just as “Beanie” realizes that she’s been made, Wander rounds the corner and casts hold person, locking her in place. And that is where we left off.
Was Beanie always a spy for the Crimson Eyes? Will there be any mischief surrounding the prisoner hand off with the Kanves? And most importantly, what does everyone’s horses look like and what are their names?!? We’ll find out next time…