Last we left our heroes, Yevin had stepped out to speak with Glarion privately, Nathan investigated a distant howl, and Wander returned to the rest of the group as they were getting ready to settle in for the night. Yevin comes back, deep in thought, asking after Nathan’s whereabouts. Ryker decides to follow Nathan, and they both return a short time later. Yevin let’s Nathan know that Glarion would like to see him, and Nathan goes to find her as Havayla casts the “great big hut.”
Nathan returns from meeting with Glarion. He seems confused and says she has an item similar his simulacrum and seemingly interacts with it in the same way he does. Wander brings up again what she heard when she cast legend lore on his simulacrum: that the Simulacrum is 6 pieces to a whole and there is a prophesy attributed it it
After the moon falls, when the simulacrum be whole
And the four lords at Nightgarde herald my soul
My dawn to the darkness shall bring about redeeming.
Till then, in my house Tu’narath, awaiting and dreaming
Havayla notices the link to Moonbow and moon-fall. During the discussion, they realize that Kane also had access to one. Yevin brings out the Kane’s notebook and the group goes over the information once more. It was in the Noillif mines, presumably possessed by of one of the Illithid. And it is unknown whether Kane took it or merely observed it (though they assume it would’ve been found in the rubble if he had it on his person).
Unable to do anything more with that whole situation at the moment, the Derailers call it a night. Turns on watch are taken and Arunak notices the cabin windows glowing with a red light while the forest around is quiet… too quiet. Unsettled, he informs Nathan at the change of watch and the rest of the night is uneventful.
In the morning, Wander immediately heads out into the woods while everyone else discusses the light from the cabin. The group decides to investigate and enter the now empty domicile. Everything is gone. A quick search reveals a collection of beads of different colors, which they distribute. Glarion has seemingly left, along with her animals. Confused, everyone goes to find Wander in the woods.
Wander is found in mid-spell-cast as leaves around a small glade swirl and form into the shape of a small temple, a semi-ethereal structure of wood and leaves with a large book-shaped door. She finishes casting and the team informs her that Glarion is gone. Wander casts sending, which is weirdly echoed, and Glarion replies: she had taken herself and her home into the ethereal plane, the cabin is simply a place holder on the material plane. In a moment Glarion appears. Wander states that she’s prepared a space and has something for Glarion to see. Then, without explaining to the group, escorts Glarion into the temple and shuts the door. Confused and unsure of what is going on, Arunak, Nathan, and Ryker decide to hunt down the wolves they heard. Havayla and Yevin stay behind.
Nathan and Ryker track the wolves to a cave deep in the woods, further up the mountain. Nathan howls, hoping to connect with the wolves he saw before. Ryker slips into the cave, using his nifty spider cloak to creep along the ceiling. He finds an empty burrow, bones and skins, and passages that divide off deeper into the mountain, but no wolves.
During Ryker’s investigation, a young wolf runs up the path. Making eye contact with Nathan, it begins to limp, giving a show of being injured, but refusing to come closer. After awhile it becomes apparent that the wolf is trying to get him to follow. Nathan takes off down the path after the wolf, who is now running without apparent injury, and is trailed by Ryker and Arunak. The little wolf leads Nathan into a steep ravine that dead ends in to a cliff-face. It turns around and bares it’s teeth, growling and snapping out if Nathan comes forward. He casts speak with animals and hears the wolf saying “just a little closer, little closer.”
Nathan steps back as a whole collection of direwolves come out of the underbrush and hidden tunnels. “Kill the abomination! He cannot rule us!” they chant as the pack moves in for the kill. Realizing this might not end well, Nathan misty steps backward, but still is overwhelmed by the torrent of fang and claw. After a couple well placed hits by the direwolves, he employs his new favorite tactic: cast fireball on himself (thanks to an elemental ring, he is immune to fire). At this point Ryker and Arunak join the fray and the wolves are neutralized in short order. Arunak attempts to keep one alive for questioning, but as an individual who is trained for killing, not healing, it doesn’t go well. A new oddity added to the pile, the trio heads back.
Meanwhile, Yevin and Havayla take care of the horses and Yevin explains some things about himself. Everyone assumes the anger he falls into is coming from the dragon side and that his draconic bloodline, Victor, is dangerous, unpredictable even. But it’s not; that is Yevin. He has also been more quiet, methodical, and contemplative, and he explains that is Victor becoming more prominent. Right now he is at war with himself. Yevin of his past is a conniving infiltrator, a manipulator, and rightfully accused of treason. Victor is a bronze dragon, committed to honor and justice. He warns them that if they kill Victor and let Yevin take over, it might not end well for the group. He is choosing to pursue the return of Victor.
Eventually everyone returns to the glade. Nathan explains what he heard from the wolves and no one is quite sure what to do with that information. The door of the temple opens as Wander and Glarion come out. Glarion appears completely exhausted and says her goodbyes for the evening before dissolving back into the ethereal plane.
Havayla turns on Wander and demands answers, incised that Wander would show the book that she’s been so secretive about to a relative stranger before trusting the rest of the group with the information. Admonished, Wander invites the group into the temple and begins to explain. She shows them the Tome of Knowledge, explains that this is what she’s been tasked to protect. She wasn’t as concerned showing it to Glarion because it causes annihilation-level damage to anything evil that attempts to open it. That revelation leads to the question “what if Havayla looked at it with Tharizdun’s eye?”
Wander casts commune to answer that question and Knowledge appears corporally within the temple, seen by everyone. A masculine, armor clad figure, wearing a full helm, with wings made of paper sheaves. As everyone else takes in the sudden appearance of a god avatar, Wander begins her questions:
“If Havayla looked at the tome, would it destroy Tharizdun’s eye? Maybe, but Havayla is very much linked to it.”
“Would Tharizdun then know of the book? Not sure.”
“Is there another Simulacrum in the Noillif mines? Yes, guarded by the inquisition.”
At this point, Wander stops, assuming the time of commune would finish at the third question, but Knowledge prompts her for one more.
“Has Kane returned? Yes, and he is close.”
Knowledge tells Wander that they should speak like this more often, and vanishes in a flutter of paper.
Kane has returned and is close. Everyone turns to Yevin. He explains what he told Havayla previously, about he difference between his two sides. But if Kane is tied to Aria’s bloodline, that means choosing Victor will not take care of the reoccurring issue of Kane. The conversation returns to the details of death vs resurrection in revenant logistics. Wander reminds Yevin that she did ask before and Knowledge said it was possible, but getting Yevin’s soul back could be challenging. Ryker points out that here in this Temple might be the best location to try. He turns to Yevin, “do you trust me?” Yevin replies with a resolute “Yes”. Before anyone can react, Ryker has lunged across and stabbed Yevin in the heart. He pushes Wander back from casting revivify until the last possible second. As she pressed the diamond into Yevin’s chest, casting the spell, the session was ended.
What will happen next? Will they be able to bring Yevin back? Or will it be Victor? Will Kane’s return be thwarted? We’ll find out next time…