Episode 62

Collective Action spend one final night at the Dawnmire estate, enjoying a rare moment of calm following the whirlwind of curses, ghosts, and noble drama. Come morning, they are seen off with warm—if awkward—farewells. As thanks for their efforts, they are gifted a ruby ring from Marcella, a pouch of gold from the Dawnmires, and a personal letter from Alexis to Blair—sealed and sincere.   With the noble intrigue behind them, the party regroups and Groban teleports them to Kureta City. There, they take time to shop and resupply, before setting off toward their next destination: the quarantined settlement of Angeltaun.   Two days on foot bring them to the town's fortified gates. A guard from the Order of the Shield examines their royal writ and, without much ceremony, grants them entry.   Their first lead lies in a brothel known as The Velvet Haven, but with little direction, the party steps into the nearest building in search of information. The structure turns out to be a library—The Feathered Quill—and within it, they meet a friendly and inquisitive Latharian named Sable Moonscribe.   Sable is surprised to see outsiders but welcomes them warmly. Groban asks about books related to Aboleths, and Sable obliges, producing a journal titled From Avarion With Love. Penned by a Spelljammer captain, the journal details the ship’s harrowing escape from their dying world—and a deadly encounter with an Aboleth that had enslaved its crew.   Talk soon shifts to Maeve, the angelkin suspected to be the missing avatar of Adonia. Sable doesn’t know the name, but their assistant—Rhys Dustwhisper—arrives and immediately perks up. Rhys knew Maeve well. Too well, by his own bashful admission. He used to visit her at The Velvet Haven and developed strong feelings for her before she vanished.   Rhys recalls the night Maeve disappeared. He remembers her acting oddly… a strange perfume in the air… and then nothing. He awoke alone, dazed, with Maeve gone. He’s since compiled a small list of other missing angelkin—names that the group eagerly collects.   One of the names belongs to a scribe employed by the Council of Angeltaun, and so Collective Action sets off in that direction. En route, they find themselves within the Temple of the Lost Stars, a repurposed house of worship where angelkin come to mourn those they’ve lost to time, space, or disappearance.   There, they meet Kaela Aerielace, the temple’s serene and enigmatic leader—and the wife of Prime Monitor Maximillion Aerielace, head of the city’s council.   Eventually, the group reaches the council building itself. A line of angelkin stretches from the entrance, each waiting patiently for their ration of Eternim, the vital magical substance they depend on.   Time passes. Then a voice calls out from inside: the rations are gone for the day. Those left waiting are told to return tomorrow.   Ignoring the line, the party steps forward and speaks to the official at the door, requesting an audience with Maximillion. After a tense moment, they’re permitted entry—told to step inside and wait for their meeting.   The secrets of Angeltaun await.