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Message: <blockquote data-quote="shilsen" data-source="post: 2821170" data-attributes="member: 198">Session 18 - What Dreams May ComeCorven ir’Lanya Deneith - Human Art7Gareth Byron Deneith - Human Pal3/Clr2/Exorcist of the Silver Flame2Luna - Shifter Drd7Mithral 6 of 6 - Warforged Ftr2/Scout4/Extreme Explorer1Nameless - Human Wiz6/Alienist1(Handled over email):The next morning, Narik comes by the Cathedral with someone they haven't met before. From his appearance and clothing, he's a Riedran merchant. Narik says, "This is Hamatash. He was asking at the guild if anyone is going to Xen'drik soon, so I thought of you guys, since you're the only members leaving this month, far as I know." Then he looks around and grumbles, "I didn't know you had moved here. Next time you shift, let the guild know. Makes it easier to find you and it would have saved me some time. Anyway, I gotta go. Be seeing you." Gareth replies, "Our move here was a bit impromptu, and we did not think about the guild. We will let you know once we find a more permanent residence." As Narik leaves, Hamatash bows and says, "If it is not an imposition, perhaps I could speak to you all privately? I need some help and have a small business proposition which I believe would benefit you." Gareth leads him to Corven's and his room. Once seated there, Hamatash says, "My brother Helkatash has been in Stormreach in Xen'drik, organizing an expedition, for the last few weeks. I was supposed to send him some money and magical equipment, but the person who was supposed to transport it is unable to go. I really need my brother to receive the shipment, especially the money. I was given good references for your group from the Clifftop Adventurers Guild and told that you are traveling to Xen'drik early next week. If you are willing to transport the shipment to my brother, we will both be very grateful." He pauses and says, sounding a little hesitant, "I do not have much money that I can spare, since I have spent most of what I have on these magical items and the rest goes to my brother. But I can pay you a little and maybe loan you some of the magical items for temporary use. Of course, you would need to eventually turn them over to Helkatash, but he will not need them immediately as you reach Stormreach, so you will have some use of them there, as well as here in Sharn and on the voyage, which I'm told can be dangerous." Gareth, who has already detected evil on Hamatash and found nothing, considers the proposition and says, "Would you be able to give us a little bit more information, as to the specific location the shipment needs to go? While I have no problem in agreeing to this, we are working for someone on this expedition to Xen'drik. As such, we would need to confer with him, to make sure it is OK with him, and that we are not far out of the way. I do not think our employer would have a problem with us taking a slight detour, but again, the decision is also his to make."Luna, meanwhile, comments, "I hope none of these items are … of questionable ownership."Hamatash is about to respond to Gareth when Luna makes her comment. He looks a little confused for a moment, and says, "What do you mean b...", before stopping. Comprehension clearly dawns on his face and he turns a little red. He almost rises to his feet and begins loudly, "I..", before visibly catching himself and continuing more calmly, "...I can assure you that these items are mine. I have bills of sale because I had them constructed here in Sharn." He pats a scroll case attached to his belt for emphasis.Hearing Luna make her comment, but not able to react in time to stop her Gareth gives her a look and then faces Hamatash. "My apologies for Luna. Adventuring has caused her to see evil plots in every corner. Please sit, and continue."Hamatash continues, "They need to be taken to Stormreach, so you will not be going out of your way. I am sure you will be spending at least some time in Stormreach. My brother should be easy to find. He is staying at the ..." He pauses to open a pouch and pull out a letter, which he scans and says, "...Bloody Giant inn. Helkatash says that it is popular for adventurers and easy to find, so hopefully you should be able to."Gareth replies, "I have no problem delivering these items to your brother, but I must reemphasize, we are employed by someone for this trip and if this will cause any delay it could very well take a back seat to our previous obligations. If Helkatash is not at the inn, is there a contingency place we can leave the items? If you are all right with this we are leaving on the 16th. You can drop the items off on that day, or the night before." Hamatash smiles, though it looks slightly forced, and says, "There is no need to apologize. You do not know me and I am sure adventurers have enough reasons to be careful. Especially those like you who are engaged in quite risky affairs, as I read in the Korranberg Chronicle. But, to answer your question, I am quite sure that Helkatash will be there. He is staying there while making plans and expecting the money and things from me. Still, on the off chance you do not find him there, you can leave them with the branch of the Kundarak Bank in Stormreach. I believe he has an account there."He looks around at the group. "So you would prefer me to give you the items just before you leave? I had brought them along," he says, indicating a satchel at his side, "To show them to you and hand them over if you agreed, since I thought you might want to use them as partial payment. Also, I was hoping that we could have a signed contract for this agreement." He smiles and quickly adds, "After all, I do not know you either - though I have got very good references. And while adventurers such as yourself must be quite rich and used to handling very valuable items, these are close to the sum of my available wealth now."Gareth replies, "We only ask to receive the items before we go so if something happens in the meantime, we do not lose them. Being that we do have a budding reputation here, we also have enemies. Let me see this contract to make sure it is within reasonable terms."Hamatash says, "Very well - if you think that is the best thing. As for a contract, here is what I came up with." He puts the satchel on the table and opens it, taking out a large package, a scroll and a folded sheet of paper. Opening the sheet of paper, he shows it to the group. It says that the signees (there is space for a number of names) are entering into a contract with Hamatash to deliver the following set of items to Helkatash in Stormreach. In return, they are accepting a payment of ... (this space is empty). The list of items is as follows: a Ring of Protection of the 3rd power, two Amulets of Natural Armor of the 3rd power, two Vests of Resistance of the 4th power, and a letter of credit drawn on Kundarak Bank for 2,000 galifars. While the others are passing around the contract, he opens the scroll and shows it to be the letter of credit mentioned in the list, which is made out to Hamatash and Helkatash. Then he opens the package to reveal the magical items. While doing so, he says, "My brother wanted the best protective items we could afford. He is setting up an expedition which he says will return our investment threefold." He smiles, looking slightly worried, and says, "I sincerely hope he is right, since we had to take out very significant loans for this." The contract looks quite well designed and is the kind that House Sivis and House Kundarak work together to produce. The magical items are artistically constructed, with small Siberys shards embedded in them.After having examined the contract to see that there are no obvious loopholes or problems, Gareth says, "Please seal your items in a container that will bear your personal seal. We will keep the items in there and your brother will receive the package knowing that it has not been opened. As for the price, what did you have in mind?"Hamatash replies, sounding a little unsure, "Well, I can offer only five hundred galifars, which is why I suggested that you could make temporary use of the items to make up the rest. I was told that sometimes adventurers accept temporary use of magic items as payment from patrons. I thought you might find them useful here and on the way, since I am told that the sea voyage can be dangerous." He scratches his chin and says, "If you would prefer not to use them and want more payment, I can probably find another five hundred galifars for you." After a little discussion, the Angels agree to the proposition. Hamatash smiles, looking and sounding relieved. "Thank you all very much. This has been a concern for me. For the money I could have had the items transported as cargo on a ship, but I would not feel safe about such valuables being transported without personal carriers, even on a Lyrandar ship." He produces a bag of coins from the satchel and places it on the table. "Here are the five hundred galifars."Hamatash then has them sign the contract and its copy, and does so himself. He leaves the copy with them and takes his leave, saying, "Thank you again. Please tell Helkatash to send me a message via the Sivis station once he receives the items and credit note from you. I will come by again on the 15th evening or early on the 16th to make sure that everything is all right."A little while after Hamatash leaves, while they are still discussing the various items and who should be using what, they are disturbed by another visitor. One of the acolytes brings in a well-dressed man who says he has come to meet the Guardian Angels. Although they've never seen him before, the blue stone in the ring on his finger identifies Flan immediately.Once the acolyte has left and Flan is seated, he says companionably, "I hear you've been keeping busy, and I see that you've got the sword back, Gareth. Killian sent me to ask if you'd be free to meet with him this evening. Or maybe tomorrow, if you're not free today." He spreads his hands and adds, "And before you ask, I don't know why he wants to meet you." He grins and adds, "Maybe he just wants to say goodbye before you're off to Xen'drik." Despite his distaste at seeing Flan in the Cathedral, Gareth says, "We can see Killian.""Excellent," says Flan. "I will let Killian know. Let's say 8 o'clock?" He looks around the group and says, "So where's your mage friend Nameless? And I see you've picked up a new member. A flying, flaming one to boot!" Zeke, to whom the last comment clearly refers, fixes the changeling with his beady flaming eyes and says with some excitement, "Me not like!", before zooming towards Flan suddenly and yelling "BURN!!" As Flan gives a startled yell and almost topples over in his seat, Zeke laughs and zooms upwards, coming to a stop some feet above Flan. Looking at Gareth, he asks hopefully, "Burn him, boss?"Luna laughs at the little exchange, and Gareth, suppressing a smile, says, "No, Zeke. We don't need to burn Flan. Come on over here." He gives Zeke a piece of food and pats him on the head, adding "But you are learning well." Looking at Flan, he says, "Nameless is doing some errands but is around."Flan recovers his composure but throws Zeke a dirty look, before continuing, "Doing errands? I'd gathered that Nameless wasn't staying with the rest of you any more. Or am I wrong? If I am, that's good for me, since I won't have to send him a message to come join the rest of you when you meet Killian.""You make it sound like Nameless decided to leave us permanently." Gareth thinks for a moment, and says, "Feel free to contact him on your own. That would save us time trekking to him. I cannot guarantee that he will show up, however, since he is busy doing his wizardly things." He stands up to indicate that the meeting is over. "If we are finished, Flan, we have our own things to tend to."Flan shrugs and rises to his feet. "Yeah, we're done. I'll see that Killian gets the message and I'll let Nameless know too. Best of luck, just in case I don't see you again before you leave for Xen'drik." After Flan leaves, Gareth says, "I guess that was slightly less cordial then what he was accustomed to." Picking up Kizmet, he adds, "Kizmet and myself need to go pray. If you need anything you can find me in the chapel." (End of email section)Corven stops him and reminds the paladin that he needs to accompany Corven to the Esoteric Order, so that they can work on the magical cloak he wanted. After a quick breakfast, the two leave, and spend their time till the evening working on the cloak. Or rather, the homunculus works on the cloak, while Corven begins constructing an item to help him use more of his infusions each day. While the two are off crafting, Luna and Six spend their time relaxing and then wandering around town.Nameless, meanwhile, is disturbed early in the morning by one of the young apprentices who works at the Guild. He comes to Nameless and says. "Excuse me, master Nameless," he says, "But there is a man here to see you. Looks like a merchant." Nameless asks the apprentice if the merchant is one of the Kalashtar, but is told that he's human. Nameless sends back a reply that he is unavailable. The apprentice returns a few minutes later with a note, and says, "The man said that he understands and asked for a sheet of paper. He left this note for you and left." The note says, 'Dear Nameless - Your companions will be meeting with Killian this evening at 8, at the usual location. Killian would appreciate the pleasure of your company too. F.' Nameless promptly decides to ignore the invitation, not being in the mood for playing games with Killian. He spends the rest of the day working on crafting more scrolls and further arcane study.In the evening, the other Angels head down to Firelight to meet Killian. They find him at his usual table and are greeted with the usual joviality. He compliments Gareth on having his sword back and apologizes for being unable to find it for him. He brings up the fact that the Angels' attack on the Daask payroll seems to have precipitated a gang war. Killian also apparently knows about the Angels' upcoming departure, and asks about the expedition. Though Gareth tells him when they are leaving and how long they expect to be gone, the paladin fobs off more questions by saying that they don't have permission from their employer to discuss it. Killian then asks if they are interested in a job, but when Gareth starts saying that it's only possible if it occurs before they leave, Six quickly inserts a clear "NO!", a sentiment echoed by Luna and Corven. Killian then asks about the possibility of investing in the expedition, and is just as quickly refused.Seeing that the Angels are not really interested in prolonging the conversation, Killian then asks if they have met Kylyman since he was at the casino, and when told that they have not, then wishes them the best of luck and takes his leave of them. The Angels quickly depart.When they have traveled back to Central Plateau and are near the Cathedral, Luna and Six notice half a dozen children following them at a distance. Six quickly alerts the others that they are "being followed by a small band of small rogues." He then turns and indicates to the children (who try to hide in an alley at being spotted) that they should approach, which they do. One of them excitedly asks if they are speaking to the Guardian Angels, and some questioning soon elicits the information that they are classmates of Bodo's and he charged them 2 copper crowns each to tell them of a place where they could see the Angels and follow them (apparently in hopes of seeing them get in a fight). Luna and Six find Bodo's 'enterprise' amusing, but Gareth sends the children away, his attempt to give them a short speech on the importance of studying serving to make them hurry away.Back at the Cathedral, Gareth corners Bodo before they bed down for the night and makes him promise not to repeat the action. Bodo reluctantly agrees, with the expression on his face indicating that he might have to be returning some money the next day.***The next day, the 14th, Dala stops by in the morning to tell the Angels that the expedition will be leaving as planned, early on the 16th. They should reach Grayflood at or by 8 am, where they will find the Lyrandar sailing ship Wave's Bounty at dock 3. She also gives them an advance of 1,000 galifars each, so that they can buy any equipment that they need before they leave.After she takes her leave, the adventurers spend the day much as they had the one before. That night, while they are sleeping, Gareth, Luna and Corven have exactly the same dream. They find themselves standing in a meadow, with Nameless and Six, which is surrounded by a high wall of mist. As they are examining their surroundings, four strange creatures appear around them. They have headless torsos covered with eyes and twitching limbs. Two massive arms protrude from the torso, each tipped with a powerful pincer. The body is covered with black chitin, and the serpentine tail has a large stinger at the top.The creatures, which Gareth and Nameless identify as one of the quori, the creatures that rule Dal Quor, the plane of dreams, promptly attack the group. The battle is an extensive one, since two more quori join the fight once a couple are cut down. Gareth, after doing substantial damage to one, is cut down (but remains aware of everything going on, since it is a dream), but his allies manage to defeat them, aided by the appearance of Havakhad and Selkatari. The two kalashtar join the battle, Havakhad using psionic abilities to damage the quori, while Selkatari uses her martial prowess.Once the quori are dead, the Angels find themselves and their surroundings fading away, but not before Havakhad can tell them, "Come speak to me at the Shrine of Il'Yannah in Overlook tomorrow as early as you can. Ask for me - Havakhad. Prepare your spells and weapons. But tell nobody else. There is great danger."The three then awake simultaneously. Then, since it is the middle of the night, they all roll over and go back to sleep.***The next morning, they discuss the dream and discover they all shared it, down to the last detail. Six, since he cannot sleep or dream, obviously did not experience it, and is interested to know that he was in the dream. When told that in the dream he couldn't trip a single enemy until his sixth try*, he opines that it must have been since it wasn't him.After preparing themselves, the curious adventurers travel to the Overlook district, which they find to contain a substantial kalashtar population. The first person Gareth asks is able to direct them to the Shrine of Il'Yannah (a name Gareth recognizes as the name of the formless universal force the Kalashtar revere). The building is at the top of its own tower and a pair of unarmed kalashtar stand as sentries outside it. When told by Gareth that Havakhad is expecting them, they look surprised but lead the group in.After passing meditation rooms and small classrooms, all set up in the Riedran style and decorated with the crystals they tend to use, the group is led into a larger meditation chamber, where Havakhad and Selkatari are talking. The old man seems first surprised and then pleased to see them, and says that though he did not expect them now, he was expecting to see them sometime. He thanks the guards and tells them they can leave. Selkatari too does so, though she throws the group a suspicious look on the way.The Angels begin to talk to Havakhad and quickly learn a few things. He knows Nameless, has been trying to divine information about them, and has absolutely no knowledge of this dream and the message he supposedly gave them. Havakhad is especially interested in the appearance of quori in their dreams and begins to ask about it. As he is doing so, each of the four Angels present feels a huge pressure inside their individual heads, almost as if one's brain was being squeezed by a strong fist. Gareth manages to shake off the feeling, though it leaves him momentarily disoriented. Corven, Six and Luna, however, feel their consciousness being shoved away by a malign force that takes control of their bodies. Watching helplessly through their own eyes, they are only aware of intense hate towards Havakhad and a sense of satisfaction at having seized their body.Gareth, having seen the others totter momentarily in place as he did, begins to ask what is going on. But as he does so, Corven (or so it seems to him) draws his wand and triggers it, striking Havakhad full in the chest with a scorching ray. As the old sage shouts in pain and staggers backwards, his wound closes up**, but he has no time to recover. Six strikes out with his spiked chain, tripping him and knocking him to the floor, where the warforged strikes him heavily in the head. Luna changes shape into a dire badger and moves forward to attack too.While a confused Gareth calls to his allies to stop (and quickly tells an also-confused Zeke not to attack anyone), Havakhad shouts, "They are possessed by quori. You must fight it!" Trying to avoid Six's blows and Luna's claws, he manages to manifest a couple of powers (accompanied by unusual noises and lights) that heal him again and protect him from their blows.Gareth calls upon his powers as an exorcist to momentarily stun Six (who drops his chain) and Luna, but is then wounded badly by Corven's wand. Zeke, trying to protect Gareth, responds by shooting Corven - or his body - with a scorching ray as well. Luckily for Gareth and Havakhad, the door flies open at this moment and Nameless hurries through, followed by the two kalashtar guards. While the guards rush to Havakhad's aid, Nameless (to whom Gareth yells a warning of the others' situation) casts a spell to web his possessed allies.While the web hinders Six, it doesn't do so for Corven, who uses the wand to wound Gareth again. The badly shaken paladin tries again to affect the quori and fails. Havakhad, who actually apologizes before using a psionic blast to try to stun the three, also fails to affect Six or Luna***, but stuns Corven (and an unfortunate Zeke, who dangles in the web). Luna promptly uses one of her newly gained spells to flame strike not only Havakhad and the two kalashtar, but herself and Six too, burning away part of the web and freeing them. Six, pulling out his second spiked chain, wounds Havakhad (who has barely been healing himself before being wounded every time****) again.Nameless manages to web the three again, just as Gareth succeeds in another attempt to stun the creatures. Only Six remains unaffected, but Havakhad (whom his badly burned guards have literally dragged away) apologizes again and uses another power, which attacks Six's body and the possessing quori's psyche and renders him instantly unconscious, deep wounds covering his metallic head.Nameless, Gareth and Havakhad quickly secure the three unconscious Angels and the latter two manage to drive the possessing spirits from their bodies. Once they are revived, Six, Luna and Corven are all fine, except for having a lot of questions about what just happened. Havakhad is especially puzzled since, as he explains, quori are incapable of possessing any species besides human beings, and even humans must be willing hosts.  After some questions and examination of the group, Havakhad determines that the items that the group received from Hamatash were used to house the quori. He examines them and concludes that the Siberys crystals they were set with were psionically treated to allow the quori to possess the bearers, whether they were unwilling or nonhuman. By this point, Selkatari has been warned and returned to join the gathering, and Havakhad has to quickly reassure her that he is fine and that the Angels mean him no harm, to stop her instantly attacking them. She seems just as surprised as Havakhad at the news of the possession and the items. Havakhad tells her that this may be a job for the atavists, to which she agrees. To the Angels, Havakhad explains that the kalashtar have opposed the quori for over a millennium, and this is the first time the quori have exhibited such powers. To their disappointment, he also explains that the magic items were not truly magical. Quori, and certain other creatures, can possess an item and manifest a certain degree of magic power through them, making the item function as a magical one while they possess it. With the quori now gone, the items are non-magical, though they possess psionic qualities that he needs to study to learn more about exactly what happened.Havakhad invites the Angels to join him for lunch, over which he tells them more about the quori and about what they have encountered. He explains that with Dal Quor having been sundered from Eberron millennia ago by the giant civilization of Xen'drik, people can only visit Dal Quor in their dreams and the quori can only reach Eberron through people who are willing to let quori possess them. The quori dwell in the heart of Dal Quor, and when people sleep (which is why elves, warforged, and other creatures that never sleep never touch Dal Quor), they create little dreamscapes at the edges of the plane. Nameless theorizes at this point that his earlier dreams about Selkatari may have been created by the quori, and Havakhad agrees. He says that evidently the quori had become aware of Nameless and the other Angels at an earlier time and decided to use them as tools against Havakhad. The dreams were a way to make them contact him. He explains that the building is warded against intrusion by quori and their Riedran supporters, but since the quori were hidden in the bodies of the Angels, they could pass through the wards. Havakhad says that even though there are thousands of quori and time flows ten times as fast on Dal Quor, finding the dreams of a particular dreamer is difficult, which is why Nameless only had the two dreams in a period of two months. The items from Hamatash made it easy for the possessing quori to locate and affect the dreams of the three Angels, which is why Nameless never had any. Gareth asks Havakhad why the quori wanted him dead and he explains that as the most powerful psion in Sharn, he keeps the kalashtar community there (which may be the largest in Khorvaire) in communication with others around the continent. Killing him would cut off this connection and make them much easier to eliminate. Nameless suggests that this may also mean such attacks will occur elsewhere and Havakhad says that he plans to contact his allies across the continent soon. He seems calm but concerned about this new development, saying that this may significantly shift the balance of power in the kalashtar war against the quori. When Gareth says that the Angels need to find Hamatash and give him his comeuppance, Havakhad asks them not to do so, saying that this is between his people and the Riedrans. The Angels agree and give Havakhad the banknote and the contract Hamatash gave them, in case they help him locate the man. Nameless also mentions that the reason he was so fortuitously there was because he received a message that morning. One of the Guild apprentices brought him a note that said, "Your comrades are in great danger. You will find them at Havakhad's. Go there immediately, if you wish to save them and yourself. Be prepared for battle." The apprentice said only that it was left by a nondescript, clean-shaven middle-aged man, whom he hasn't seen before. Obviously someone knew about this attack. Havakhad has no idea who that could be, but says he will look into it. The Angels then take their leave, with Havakhad telling them that their involvement in this affair may not be completely coincidental. He asks them to contact him when they return to Sharn, and they say they will do so.For the remainder of the day, the group makes their last preparations before leaving. Corven purchases two portable artificer's labs from the Esoteric Order so that he and his new homunculus can spend some time crafting items on the ship. Nameless heads back to the Guild to do so. Gareth visits the Deneith enclave and learns Lalia has returned, and joins her for dinner.***The next morning, the Angels find copies of the Korranberg Chronicle and the Sharn Inquisitive left for them at the Cathedral. The former has an article about Zokar and the attacks on Cyrans, written by Flim. It follows what the Angels told him quite closely, down to praising the Cyran embassy for their aid in the matter. The Inquisitive article, however, is not as complimentary. Without ever explicitly saying so, it very strongly implies that Cyran practitioners of dark magic were killing non-Cyrans, and ends the article with a rant about the Brelish policy of giving refuge to the Cyrans.After reading the papers and having a quick breakfast, the Angels head down to Grayflood and the docks. They find a lot of bustle there already, ships that came in during the night being unloaded, and others preparing to leave. The group passes by a Lyrandar wind galleon in a special dock designed to hold the giant tower at its rear that holds the air elemental propulsion system. Nearby, they find the Wave's Bounty, a trim sailing ship flying Lyrandar colors. Crates are stacked on the quayside nearby, being carried on as they arrive. The group finds Dala sitting on a low crate, wearing one of her omnipresent hats and making some notes on a pad. She greets them and seems quite excited about the upcoming voyage. The group is joined within moments of arrival by Nameless and they head onto the ship with Dala. Heading up the gangplank, they find a tall half-elven woman and a changeling in his natural form giving orders to the sailors. The changeling, who introduces himself as Bly, shows them to their cabins. Six gets a workroom to himself, which Corven's homunculus and portable artificer labs also end up in. Nameless also ends up in his own room, while Corven and Gareth share one (with Zeke having a nook to himself), and Luna gets a room with Dala. There are four more people from Sharn who will be on the expedition, who get their own two rooms.A little over an hour after they get on board, the ship embarks. The Angels are on deck to see the departure, and they notice that as the captain (the half-elven woman) takes the helm, an area of gusty wind appears around the ship, propelling it in the direction that she wants. As they pull away into the Dagger River, Six (who has dressed like a sailor) jokes that they might be able to see Bodo throwing his books off the dock. The ship moves out gradually into the Hilt, the area where the Dagger River ends before opening out into the Straits of Shargon.Passing by the fortresses that guard the entrance to the Hilt, Wave's Bounty emerges into the Straits and then gradually, but quickly, comes to a halt. Moments after it does so, a number of sahuagin heads pop out of the water around it. The captain and Bly go to the bow, where a pair of soldiers throw a rope overboard, allowing two sahuagin to climb to the deck. After they speak for a couple of minutes, the captain hands over a small bag and the sahuagin jump overboard. While returning to the helm, she comments to those gathered that these are friendly sahuagin whom she gets information from. They said that the local tribes are generally peaceful right now and there should be no trouble - or at least not in the first few days of the voyage. She also mentions that they said something is wrong in the area with the fish, since there are much fewer than should be, but that isn't something that involves her.She takes the helm again and the ship moves on, heading southwest into the Straits of Shargon, where it proceeds for the rest of the day. In the evening, the Angels receive an invitation from the captain to the common dining room. Once there, they find themselves joined by all the passengers on the ship, which consists of a dozen people besides those involved with their expedition. A few crewmembers are also present, as are two of the six warriors the ship carries for security. They are soon joined by the captain, Bly and a cloaked and hooded figure, who go to the head table. Gareth scans the room while they do so, discovering that two of the other passengers, as well as a couple of the crew, have a faint aura of evil.The captain addresses the room, introducing herself as Syrina d'Lyrandar. She welcomes them abroad and introduces them to her First Mate Bly and the hooded figure, who she says is the ship's mage, Daelan. The figure raises his head, revealing himself to be an elf. He also looks as if he is dead, apparently mummified skin stretched tight across his skull, and his voice rasps eerily as he puts in only, "Artificer." Gareth and Nameless identify him as one of the Aereni elves who not only worship their ancestors but aspire to resemble the undead in appearance. From the reactions, some of their fellow passengers are not as unperturbed by Daelan's appearance.Syrina goes on to warn the passengers that a trip to Xen'drik is not a joy ride. While she hopes that it passes without incident, it quite likely will not do so, and if there is trouble, she can't afford to have passengers be a hindrance to her and her crew. As she explains, if she isn't present then Bly is in charge, and if he isn't, then any crewmember who's present is. After that bit of sternness, she smiles at the assembled group and says that she hopes the voyage will be pleasant enough to belie her warning, wishes them an enjoyable dinner and takes her leave. Daelan departs too, but Bly remains behind for a while, to regale those who remain with some very good music from the harp he always seems to carry. * Five rounds for Six consisted of the same thing - a failure to trip and success at the counter-trip** Psionic Contingency*** Not only did Six and Luna make some really good saves during this fight, but they rolled the same number to save four times in a row. **** As a 12th lvl psion with all of 37 hit pts, almost every hit took him below 50% hp instantly.</blockquote>

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