Session 40

Their mission in Wolfwater complete, the Party decided it was time to move on. Parker Adams had arranged an airship to transport them to Elderburgh, where they would meet with his superior. But first, the group had a few loose ends to tie up in town.   First, they headed to Bellton Castle, where they were greeted warmly by the dwarf captain, Ebgran Ironhammer, who welcomed them in with gratitude for the work they had done in ridding the town of their werewolf problem. Parker asked to see Romenor, the elf magistrate that had been so surly and incredulous the other day. Ebgran, ever one to enjoy a good trolling, suggested having a bit of pomp and circumstance to announce the conquering heroes in the middle of Romenor's meal. He enlisted the aid of a young soldier and the entire group set off to find the magistrate. Romenor was in the middle of a meal, when Ebgran burst into the room. Standing at attention, he proclaimed the arrival of Parker and the others. The young soldier ran into the other side and stomped his feet at attention with each announcement. Ebgran took care to exaggerate each party member and announce them once at a time. Romenor, meanwhile, sat furiously at the head of the table while the adventurers gathered into the room and took seats at the table. As soon as he finished announcing the members, Ebgran suddenly remembered he had... something... to inspect...   Bloodbane leaned in close to the magistrate and began obnoxiously picking food off his plate. Romenor pushed it away in disgust. Typhon began by explaining to the noble how they had rid the town of the werewolves plaguing them, and how young Kasras had been killed in the process. He demanded a tribute to the fallen halfling in the form of restitution for Kasras's parents and a local holiday honoring him, as well as a statue. Romenor scoffed at the notion. Parker began to speak, explaining how his report to The Sovereign's Shadow leadership, which would be read by King Reynard Summerbrace, would detail how the duly-appointed magistrate of one of the king's towns had allowed it to fall under the control of werewolves and how he cowered in his castle the whole time. Or, it could read that the magistrate exercised good leadership and hired a band of adventurers to slay the pack, and rid the town of the beasts. The choice was his. Rildrem yielded, and Typhon also requested compensation for their efforts as well. Rildrem summoned one of his attendants and instructed him to assist the Party. He agreed to compensate the family of Kasras, and said he would look into their other requests. He left the dining hall, claiming he had lost his appetite.   Having claimed their reward, the Party said farewell to Ebgran, and headed over to the wizard Mizar Stanfield to say their goodbyes. They found the wizard in his tower reading a book. As Typhon began to recount the group's adventure, Mizar's eyes grew wide and his face became pale at the mention of the Phasnosh Civilization. He cut the group short, and began the somatic movements to open a portal. As he disappeared, Typhon foolishly dove in after him.   Everything went black, and nothing could be heard for Typhon. It was his first time teleporting, and this sort of thing was common. After what seemed like an eternity, the elf's senses began to return to him. In front of him he could see an open window with the night sky and crashing waves behind it. The floor was cold and hard, some kind of stone. He felt an elderly, but firm hand grasp his shoulder and pull him up. It was Mizar. He chastised Typhon for his foolishness in jumping into a portal not designed for him. Mizar sighed and told Typhon to follow him. He told that no matter what he saw or heard, to say nothing at all.   Mizar led the awe-struck elf down a winding hallway. Others, hooded individuals mostly, walked by; some on the walls, others on the ceiling. The hallways bent and folded and twisted in ways that seemed to defy the natural order. Before long, the pair passed through a deep maroon doorway with gold trim into a perfectly spherical room. Hooded figures could be seen standing on all parts of the room. The door behind - or under - them slammed shut. A voice rang out: "Mizar Stanfield, why have you summoned a meeting of the Grey Council?" Typhon could not tell where the voice came from; the acoustics made that impossible. Mizar stammered a bit, and replied that the Phasnosh had been disturbed, that Typhon and his colleagues had seen recent evidence of it. Another voice, this one slightly more familiar to Typhon, called out. "Is it true, Typhon? Have the Phasnosh been disturbed?" Typhon thought for a moment, before being jarred to answer by Mizar. He recognized the voice; it was his father's. Typhon answered yes, they had seen evidence of broken tombs, and disturbed burial sites. The voice commented on how this was a disturbing developing indeed. Suddenly, a portal opened up beneath Typhon's feet, dragging him into it and depositing him some 10 feet above the floor back in the Dark Garden Spire - a mild penance for trespassing.   With their business in Wolfwater concluded, they rested for one more night and then took the airship to Elderburgh the following morning. The flight took them two days, and it was dusk by the time they landed in the small city. The Party, being led by Parker, made their way through the busy streets. Shop keepers and street vendors were selling their wares on the streets, peddlers were trying to push scams, and pickpockets were busy grifting their way through traveling merchants. At last, they passed through the two massive oak gates leading to Redford Keep. Parker flashed his insignia and the group was let in. He continued to lead them through the well-lit keep to the second floor and finally, to a room guarded by a pair of black-clad soldiers with crimson striped helmets.    The door opened, and there sat an elderly man dressed in deep blues and oranges with a fist-long grey beard. He bid them to enter and have a seat. He continued working while the group sat, mostly silent. Bloodbane made a comment which was ignored by the elderly man. At last, he turned around and gave a tired smile. He introduced himself as Qidius Hazeflower, the head of operations for the Sovereign's Shadow. The exchange seemed pleasant enough, and Qidius even gave the four adventurers rings of membership. He reminisced with Typhon about how he had wanted to be a wizard as a young man, but was ultimately denied membership at Terrakis due to his lack of social status. Qidius offered to find out some information about the Blackwater Naval Guild for Bloodbane, and told him to come back later. He then asked for clarity on some of their adventures and what they thought Ovrul Rend may have been after. Typhon explained that they had found the note about the girl and the Eye of Bael, and that they later found the girl with the stone around her neck. Qidius offered the protection of the keep to both Qimys and Sylrieth, of course leaving it up to them to decide...