23-12-20: Lost Dragons 19

We make our way north until we can't go any further, coming to a cave opening. There's a wooden doorway in the cave opening, with a leather curtain drawn across it. Vaella calls out for Meridian. A moment later, a human woman in her sixties or seventies comes out; she's surprised to see us, we're not her usual visitors. Vaella introduces herself and us, and says she's been searching for Meridian for months. Meridian sits down outside the cave to talk with us. Vaella tells her all about all our journeys.

Meridian says her crystal ball, which she was using to track down anything pertaining to the Dragon Father, was stolen several months ago by a youngish elf, maybe 150-160 years old. He wandered in and said he needed shelter; she gave it to him, and when he left, her crystal ball is gone.

She believes the Dragon Father is trying to come back, but need our help, like a lantern in a lighthouse to guide him. She believes that the gods designed our world so that nothing is impossible, and she has to believe that Bahamut is trying to return. Vaella points out that the people trying to break down the door to Tiahmat have many people, while Meridian is alone in her quest; Meridian has tried to convince the people of Corella to help her search, but was unsuccessful.

We agree to keep an eye out for Meridian's crystal ball, to see if we can find it. We ready ourselves to head out, and Meridian gives us a cake she cooked to tide us over on our journey.

We head back south towards the roadhouse again. We make our way peacefully and camp out that evening. We make our way peacefully back to White Raven's Roadhouse, and are greeted by the White Raven and welcomed back for dinner and a room.

Vaella speaks with Saerendel, the half-elf ranger who guided us to Meridian; there were two elves that passed through the roadhouse around the time the crystal ball was stolen, one older, one younger. They kept to themselves, and then headed separate ways; the younger elf headed north. Her brother overheard the elf speak about his mother, who was a librarian.

Yindan pulls out the Book of the Collective when it vibrates in his bag with a new message; Kefland is asking why Darcel is quiet, and asking what the high sage knows. Yindan pens a response that 'My pet has been put down, heading south. Mother is calling.'

We wake up the next morning, September 2nd, and take a day's journey to Corella. We meet back up with the Dragon's Hoard and decide on where to go; our travel plans include going to Milam, then Lithheim, then Hillport, then finally Talon.

Our three day journey towards Milam begins with one peaceful day of sailing.

The second day, another ship is spotted; it's a pirate ship. We decide to face them down.

-Captain Brett turns the ship toward the pirate ship. We're 500 feet away.
-Yindan casts bless on Ashling, Zug, and himself. Assumes starry form.
-Sailors ready their weapons.
-Mia readies her shortbow. Hides.
-Zug uses chromatic infusion to infuse the ballista with fire.
-Ashling casts Melf's minute meteors.
-Vaella hides and readies herself to help however necessary.
-The pirate ship closes the distance. The sailors take their readied weapons; and they miss. The pirate ship fires at us, and misses.
-Captain Brett keeps steering forward. We're at 365 feet now.
-Yindan readies a shortbow attack.
-Our sailors fire both weapons again, and miss.
-Mia readies a shortbow attack.
-Zug waits for the pirate ship to enter range.
-Ashling waits for the pirate ship to enter range.
-Pirate ship enters shortbow range; Mia's readied attack hits a pirate for -14 damage, Yindan's hits a pirate for -5 damage. Pirate fires at us, misses.
-Captain Brett keeps steering, we're 275 feet away.
-Yindan fires at a pirate, hits for -10 damage.
-Our sailors fire at the pirate ship with both weapons; the ballista misses, the manganel hits for -17 damage.
-Mia shoots at a pirate, misses.
-Zug offers to let our crew breathe fire, they don't take him up on it.
-Ashling waits for the pirate ship to enter range.
-The pirate ship enters 230 feet range, fires at our ship, hits for -13 damage.
-Captain Brett keeps steering, hitting 185 feet distance.
-Yindan fires at a pirate, misses.
-Our sailors fire the ballista and manganel; the ballista misses, the manganel hits for -48 damage.
-Mia fires her shortbow, hits for -19 damage.
-Zug readies a fireball.
-Ashling waits for the pirate ship to enter range.
-Pirates fire their ballista, misses. Comes within 150 foot range. Zug takes his readied fireball, hits for -30 damage, and the ship is now on fire.
-Captain Brett keeps going, turning to match the pirate ship that's now drifting away from us. We're now 110 feet away.
-Yindan casts guiding bolt at the figure at the helm, hits for -13 damage.
-Our sailors fire the ballista, hits for -14, fires the manganel, hits for -36 damage. Sailors lined up fire their crossbows, one hits a pirate for -5 damage.
-Mia fires at the captain of the pirate ship, hits for -21 damage, killing him.
-Zug casts fireball on the pirate ship, hits for -14 damage.
-Ashling casts firebolt at a pirate, hits for -6 damage. Fires two minute meteors at the pirate ship itself, hits for -6 and -7 damage. The ship is now a burning bonfire, nothing left alive on board.

Captain Brett thanks us for our help. The bowsen gathers the crew to mend the new hole in the ship from the pirate's ballista; Zug and Vaella go down to help patch the hole.

We get another message in the Book of the Collective; Kefland acknowledges the message from 'Darcel,' saying we left them blind.

We make it to Milam safely and tell Captain Brett that it'll just be a day trip. We stop in to see Ashling's parents' both, her mom of whom fawns over Zug not eating enough.

We head out of town to see Otto. We deliver Lord Eagleheart's letter. Ashling asks him about Eldon's staff. Asher, a human male, has the staff, because Otto gave it to him. Otto trusted Asher with it, a man who hungered for power, out of love. He's made himself almost immortal, and he used a ruby that was hollow as his source of power, one that Otto gifted Asher. The one who created the ruby

Toaten is the one who created the ruby, we need to talk to him to find out how to destroy the ruby. He lives in the southern mountain range, and doesn't take well to visitors; he appreciates fine art, however, and might agree to talk to us if we bring him some kind of exotic or unique art.

Yindan sends an animal messenger to Countess Miri, telling her to be vigilant, whoever wants you dead is still near, we'll be there soon.

We have a couple leads to follow; Ashling is unsure about Otto, and about how he got the staff, and proposes talking to the elders; we could check in with the Adventuring Guild to see if they know about any art.

Ashling and Yindan head to the Council Hall. We find out that previous elders made the decision to entrust the staff to Otto, according to the histories, but there's nothing specific written about it. Yindan questions the council about Otto, about his intentions, and they tell him that Otto is a driving force behind Milam commerce and funds Lori's Riders.

Vaella, Mia, and Zug to to the Adventuring Guild. Samuel tells them that to find art like that, or TREASURE, we'll need to go to the Southern Coast, where people haven't already picked everything clean.

We return to the ship and sail out by cover of evening, making it to Lithheim the next evening.