Session 16

The group discusses the large treasure they procured from the dragon, and what they might do next. Among the treasure, they get 17,000 gold pieces and 5,000 platinum pieces.

In addition, they each find some items:

* Kendell finds a Cloak of Protection, and a Figurine of wondrous power in the shape of a silver raven.
* Salix finds magical spear, and a Staff of the Python.
* Dev finds a rope of climbing, and a Circlet of Blasting.
* Kyrie also finds a Cloak of Protection, and a stone of good luck.

Salix spends several hours harvesting parts from the dragon. In total, she harvests:

* The horm (worth 200 gp)
* The tongue (worth 100 gp)
* 4 claws (80 gp each)
* 20 teeth (80 gp each)
* Liver (100 gp)
* 2 eyes (80 gp each)
* Gizzard (750 gp)
* Some draconis fundamentum (worth 3000 gp)
* Heart (1000 gp)

The 4 friends begin to make their journey back to Grassgrave. During the first evening, Salix leaves Kyrie on watch and goes into the forest, transforming into midnight black wolf form. She begins to run in circles around the camp, with flashes of the battle replaying in her head. She runs until she can run no more, finally stopping and howling mournfully at the moon.

Meanwhile, Kyrie checks on the sprite in their pack. She's ok, and they talk about the crazy life Kyrie leads. She wonders if she should leave and head back to the Feywild, or possibly try to find a certain Kitsune who roams these parts. Kyrie introduces her to their Elk steed, Tawn. During Salix' trance, she remembers her vision of the Willow tree when she was dying.

While Salix is in her trance, Kendell goes and wakes up Dev. He asks him to keep an eye on him while he tries to talk to his sword. He also summons his new raven, and asks it to watch too. As he focuses on it, a voice comes from the sword, introducing herself as Kastirnya. She gives him a vision of her original female elven form, and tells him that she's been waiting thousands of years to talk to someone this way. She looks forward to helping him serve the Raven Queen. She suggests that he go commune with the Raven Queen in one of her three major temples, and says that she would like to go with him to do so. There's one that's highly attended in Wolfecrest, the oldest one is in Rai'Sharr, and a third one that she's not sure where it is.

In the morning, Kendell tells Salix about the raven and the sword. Salix worries about whether he is feverish, but he manages to convince her that he's ok. He tells her that he wants to go talk to the Raven Queen to try to find out where the book is. The group makes breakfast and heads back to Grassgrave.

<break>

<Dev in-character recap>

They find a small temple of Ioun, and do some research: Kyrie finds a map to figure out how far they are from Rai'Sharr, which Dev copies. Meanwhile, Kyrie looks for information about an Unseely equivalent to the Evertree grove. They find a book called Rifts in the Planes. It talks about the places where the borders to the Feywild and Shadowfell and other places are thinner. It was written by a female Wood Elf Horizon Walker named Lisy Errn about 10 years ago. She says that several entrances to the Feywild exist around Feywild. There is also an entrance to the Feywild hidden in the mountains to the west of the Wildwoods. There are also supposedly several on Easthaven, and there is a town in the north that is heavily protected by elves who are very aggressive toward outsiders.

Kendell looks around for information about The Silence. One of the cleric brings out a book about factions in Senmarria. He learns that they are believed to exist to keep corrupting influences out of the wrong hands. They also wind up being a scapegoat for assassinations. The book estimates that only about 1/3 or 1/4 of Senmarrians know about the existence of the group.

Dev goes to try to find information about Avandra's messengers. They find a book written by halflings, about their relationship with Avandra. The halflings were created by Mellora and Sehanine, but largely discarded during the Dawn War. Avandra found them and felt like they fit her ideals perfectly. One halfling in particular, Avandra helped to escape from a cruel suitor several times, before giving her the ability to change her own form so that she could escape herself. The woman used this new ability to become an assassin, though, hiding even from Avandra herself. This woman then had her own offspring, who became the race of doppelgangers, whose descendants were changelings.

Avandra also helped Pelor come to agreements with Zehir, the god of Darnkess, and Khala, the goddess of winter at the time. Thus, they were able to work together during the Dawn War. Dev also learns that Avandra hasn't taken an Exarch in a very long time, if ever. The cleric tells them that they could find more information in Rai'Sharr, the capital, or Wolfecrest.

The party makes their way to Gert's. They show her the new dragon parts they've acquired, and she doesn't have enough money to pay them what it's worth, but they gift it to her anyway. Overwhelmed by their kindness, she roots around and digs out a set of 5 rings. The rings allow them to use the Sending spell to talk to each other within 1 mile. She also gives them another 1,000 gold and tells them to keep the Draconis Fundamentum.

They get a room for the evening, and discuss what else they want to do. Over the next few days, they decompress. Kyrie practices riding on their Elk and largely stays away from the rest of the group. Dev spends some time writing down some of the group's recent adventures. They also go back to the temple of Ioun with Salix, who wants to research the uses of the Draconis Fundamentum. While the two of them research, Dev checks in with her to make sure she's ok, given her recent death.

From their research, Salix learns to make a potion of climbing, a potion of comprehension, a potion of watchful rest, and a potion of greater healing. She then uses about 50 gold worth of the Draconis Fundamentum to make a potion of climbing.

Kyrie finds a moment with Kendell and asks him about what happens after Kendell communes with the Raven Queen. Kendell says that he assumes he will then go find the book and destroy it with the sword. Kyrie is worried that this is all too dangerous for them to come out of it ok. Kendell says that he can't guarantee they'll all be safe, but it's worth it if this protects Salix in the end. He says that he understands if Kyrie and/or Dev want to go their own way.

The two of them return to Gert's. Kendell asks if there's some way to keep them all hidden from people who might be looking for them. Gert tells them about a woman who goes by The White Witch that might be able to help them. She tells them where to find this woman, and writes them a note in Celestial to give her.