Consulting the Books of Lore

The party returns to Palebank Village with Hulil and a bandit in tow. They are handed to Elro for safekeeping, and the party update him on what they know:

• The disease may be known as Frigid Woe.
• Hulil sold one of the vials to Irven Liel in an attempt to raise funds for healing magic.
• It's highly likely that Algernon 'Gerry' Dracovia is infected.

Elro promises that he will consult the books of lore and try his utmost to find a cure. He pays the party the remaining gold - and is convinced by Jonora that she is still owed her share.

Irven's Family

After their chat with Elro, the party head to the Jolly Dwarf in an attempt to make contact with Irven. They find him sitting having a meal with his husband Fenton and two adopted children named Honor and Magic. Algernon 'Gerry' Dracovia suggests they talk in private, and the party learn:

• Irven purchased the vial from Hulil as he hoped an Aeorian artefact would be a good investment to sell down south.
• The whole family have been repeatedly exposed to it.
  • Cairns Root gives them a once over and is fairly sure both Fenton and Magic are showing symptoms already.
• He still has the vial - it is stored in his room at the inn.

The party recover the vial from his room, fairly convinced that Irven is being up front with them and poses no risk of attempting to escape. They return this to Elro with the grave news of a potential four extra infections. He returns to his study of the books in the hopes that the vial provides the key he needs to unlock the secrets.

In the morning, Elro meets them as they wake at the inn to inform them of his findings:

• Irven's whole family are indeed afflicted.
• The disease is indeed named Frigid Woe and the only recorded cure is a milky liquid stored in gilded vials by the Aeorians.

He humbly requests that the party travel to Eiselcross and attempt to retrace Urgon's steps, beginning with finding his adventuring partner Orvo Mustave. A vessel will be arranged to transport them by daybreak.

Shrine of the North Wind

The party spend the rest of the day doing a bit of shopping: cold weather gear, fishing equipment, a block and tackle, some vials and waterskins, and of course a week's supply of ale. After they are satisfied with their purchases, they head to the bi-monthly ceremony of Bahamut at the Shrine of the North Wind just outside of town.

“Long, long ago, Io created his first children, intent on perfecting all aspects of dragons. His first child was a striking creation, full of all the perfect, physical characteristics of dragonkind. Io named it Vorel, which means “beautiful” in Draconic. As it happened, Vorel had very limited intellect and discernment. Vorel was sweet-natured, bright-eyed, and eager to please, much as a friendly dog is with its master. Though it was flawed, Io still loved this little dragon.

“Io found that one form was too limited to contain everything he wanted to include. So he made two—one male and one female, one good and one evil. Embodied in them were the passions and propensities of all dragons. These offspring were Bahamut and Tiamat. Io intended for the two wyrmlings to grow up together, learn from each other, and eventually mate, bringing together all the attributes of dragonkind. The children of Tiamat and Bahamut would be wonderful, perfect dragons.

“Instead of filial love and affection, immediate rivalry sprang up between the two. Their natures were too much at odds to allow them to feel affection or even respect for one another. Both of them sought Io’s approbation and competed for his favor. Bahamut strove to gain his father’s good regard through exemplary behavior, trying to be the noblest creature he could be. Tiamat, on the other hand, used cunning and caprice. After several schemes failed to raise her above her brother in their father’s affections, Tiamat designed a dramatic plot.

“The wyrmling goddess endeavored to sow jealousy and enmity between Bahamut and Vorel. She had Vorel destroy some of Bahamut’s favorite magic devices. Although Bahamut merely reacted with regret at the loss of his treasures, Tiamat told their father that her brother had been enraged by the destruction. Then she waited until a time when all others in the household slept the deep sleep of dragonkind. She slew Vorel, Io’s first creation, and spattered some of her victim’s blood on Bahamut. Tiamat knew that Io loved Vorel and anticipated that Bahamut would be slain or at least exiled for his apparent murder of the firstborn—but she erred. She supposed that Io would react as she would to such an incident. The Creator of Dragonkind, however, did not respond with the shortsighted rage and impetuousness of Tiamat. Instead, his love for his children led him to investigate and ascertain the truth. Grievously disappointed, he banished Tiamat from his presence. He still cared for and loved his daughter but could not continue to foster such evil in his household.

“With this rejection, Tiamat’s love for her father turned to hate. She then decided to bring forth creatures of her own and became the Creator of Evil Dragonkind. Bahamut felt driven to oppose his sister’s evil and became the King of the Good Dragons. In this way, Io lost his three children—one to death, one to evil, and one to good. Some say that Io still hopes to create a perfect race of dragons through the offspring of Bahamut and Tiamat. The Great Eternal Wheel turns, and Io is patient.

And so, my friends, we learn the lessons of Io: firstly, there must be no judgement without investigation, lest we cast aside beings as effervescent and good as Bahamut; and secondly, evil may be tolerated to an extent - when the time is right - such that it may ultimately find the path of good and be forgiven.”

The priest turns towards the sea, takes a knee, and falls silent in prayer. Above him, in the night sky, a twinkling star shoots through the heavens. A few children in attendance gasp and excitedly point it out to their parents, while many others find their breath catching in their throats. Cairns and Gerry feel their connection to Bahamut rippling with divine power through their very being.

To Eiselcross

Ancient Roar

A terrifying roar shakes the vessel. A crewmate screams from the crow’s nest.

“W-what the fuck is that? You followers of Bahamut better start praying!”

The dragon’s roar shakes Cairns Root, Jonora, and Nimphora Baliae Daphymira Stumbleduck to their core. Finding themselves unable to look in its direction without trembling uncontrollably, every fibre of their beings screaming at them to run below deck.

Only Algernon 'Gerry' Dracovia remains above deck, drawing his sword and preparing for the worst. Slowly but surely he sees it in greater detail: a giant winged creature, scales white as snow, eyes the icy blue of the winter sky, soars towards the ship. It maintains its altitude and appears to have no intention of attacking as it passes overhead and continues southwards.

A gift from the sea

A Tortle Druid boards the ship at sunrise. He brings with him the gifts of the sea, seeking trinkets from the land which he can give to his firstborn as his coming of age gift. He has a Candle of the Deep and a Potion of Watchful Rest to barter with.

Jonora successfully strikes a deal with the druid: a magical (except totally non-magical) piton of the land in return for his Candle of the Deep. The Tortle is ecstatic; his son is going to be the envy of his tribe.

Pirates

You are awoken in the night to screams from the crow’s nest.

"Pirates! Arm yourselves!”

As you scramble above the deck, you see that they are upon you. A vessel not dissimilar to your own is sailing alongside you as countless individuals wielding scimitars rush across wooden planks. On the deck of the ship stands a robed individual with a jet black spiral tattooed on his face.

It is determined that this spiral is the symbol of Tharizdun, The Elder Elemental Eye, who rules over the eternal darkness of the multiverse. Battle ensues, with the party kicking a number of boarding planks into the frigid depths - and the pirates atop them too.

Cairns Root annihilates the evil robed individual with a Guiding Bolt but it does not last long; after a few moments, the mage returns to his feet as his eyes cloud over with dark shadows. He flashes the Wu-Tang as fire erupts from his fingertips and scorches the party. Nimby, desperate to end the combat before the mage overwhelms her new friends, produces a small diamond from her pocket and pings a Chromatic Orb from it. The robed figure is immediately reduced to ashes as an explosion of lightning surges through his body.

His cloak and a sealed envelope float to the ground and arrange themselves perfectly atop the pile. It is later determined that this is a Cloak of Billowing, and the letter is a bounty from King Bertrand Dwendal offering 5000 crowns for information which leads to the recovery of a Luxon beacon, or 1000 crowns for any other novel Aeorian artefact.

Cairns Root informs the part of the nature of Luxon beacons.

Artifacts left behind by the Luxon that hold its essence are known as Luxon beacons and are coveted by the Kryn Dynasty as central to their civilization. If a proven soul is ritualistically bound to a Luxon beacon, they can enter a process called the consecution: when a mortal bound to the Luxon dies within a hundred miles of a beacon, the beacon ensnares their soul from its intended afterlife and prepares it to be reborn in a new child within that same vicinity. When that child then matures into adolescence, they begin to recall subtle knowledge from their past life's experiences, a process called anamnesis. Through meditation with a guide, they can unlock the memories of their past lives and become a more complete being. When a soul has cycled enough to believe they are ready to greet the Luxon, they are called an Umavi, or "perfect soul," and are revered within the Kryn society.

Arrival

On the morning of their arrival on the island of Foren, Gerry feels his disease attempting to take deeper hold of his body. He fights it, easily shrugging off the ill effects for another week with his strong constitution.

The temperature has steadily dropped since you left Palebank Village, yet it seems to grow colder still as you step off the ramp of the Remorhaz onto Foren. Through windy snow, you can see fur-lined tents and yurts arranged in a large camp. Campfires are whipped by the wind, with dwarves and elves huddled close to the flames.

“Don’t worry! It’ll cool down here eventually!” a joking voice bellows over the snow. A female dwarf with a shaggy mane of unkempt hair bows to you. “Morgo Delwur at your service. Welcome to Eiselcross!”