Mighty Metropolis, Bahamut’s Bachelor Pad, and the Professor’s Pad of Bacheloring

## Journals on the Journey

* On the 5 day voyage to Iysgarth, Belgaer read the journals of Sariel, finding about her early life, how she met Torgastun (the gold dragon) as a wyrmling
* He also found that the pair had fought off cultists of Set and built the lair when the king of the time asked them to remain
* Meanwhile, Bayul, Leo and Breena build a turntable platform for the arcane cannon at the front of the ship

## Metropolitan Mooring

* Upon entering the oceanic vicinity of Iysgarth, the city-proper came into view, featuring an overwhelming array of sights: several cathedrals including the grand Platinum temple, a colosseum structure, a vast ship building yard, several girthy towers holding airships, a bustling harbour with all manner of ships including enormous warships, and the seat of power itself - a huge complex of copper spires and bridges
* The Mahadrin Mercenary Company pulled alongside the Wildmane and Trimaeus dealt with them, explaining that they were carrying ore and providing the documentation
* At the docks were several whaling ships and several monolithic barges containing copper ore
* On shore, Leo was greeted by Godlow, an old dwarven comrade who has profited enormously from the ATC losing Cypropan copper -- he invited the group to a party after the 'execution’ — that is, of a Lawmaster found to have committed kidnapping among other crimes, and event he queen would be making an appearance at this execution it was so big!
* Entering the gargantuan wall, Bayul whistled in approval as they passed through it’s 50ft depth, and they emerged into a bustling bazaar
* They noted that the city was very clean, well maintained and there was a strong military presence — particularly many individuals wearing red robes and the symbol of a flayed man, representing the ‘Crimson League'

## Prodigious Platinum Palace

* The temple was the second largest in the city, extremely extra design including a mighty figurehead of the platinum dragon leering up to the sky
* Azurial explained to the highest ranking priest possible that he'd traveled far to seek council with the High bearer, and was able to bring the group with him after some quality persuading
* Two individuals awaited them: The High Bearer himself, a fairly old but powerful Bronze Dragonborn, and a human of roughly 50 years sporting a dark afro with silver tips, Sir Caius Morlon
* Immediately he recognised Azurial as his former squire, and in kind Azurial afforded him great respect
* The paladin then laid out the problem they faced, of Niendra and the tome Bahamut had asked him to retrieve
* The high bearer explained that he would monitor Avernus while giving the Tome to Sir Morlon to safeguard and study
* They then brought out the Rod, and the Highbearer took it upon himself to identify - with a grimace of pain he did so and explained it’s awesome but evil power, all agreed that it should be hidden in the most potent secret vault possible
* Azurial agreed to return to the service of Morlon for a brief time

## Perusing the Plaza

* A caller made it quite clear that a battle royals-style event was occurring in the crucible in a couple of days at a variety of tiers, and that participants were urged to sign up as soon as possible
* After some debate, the group decided to split and aim for victory in the gold and platinum tiers
* After that, most of the group went to find Professor Xander, Kunai split off in search of the Ouroboric Temple, while Lysandre went to speak with his old friend and colleague Benoit

## Professor X

* The noble quarter in which he resided was a gated community but Leo was able to sufficiently bore the guard with archaeology that it was smooth
* His tower was tucked away in the midst of an overgrown garden, in stark contrast to the elegant and ostentatious gated manor houses surrounding
* Elyan managed to persuade the suspicious old gnome that they were there on good faith and brought word from Tatyana
* Once inside, it became clear that he was a massive hoarder, and Scribbulus attempted to make friends with his pet Tiger Shiva, in tiger form himself…with limited success
* Elyan dug a little deeper into Dr Page-based suspicions, though Prof X seemed to have no issue with him, just affirmed that he was an excellent scholar
* He then offered out the damaged scrolls — the professor was intrigued and said he could repair them, the full work would take months but in a few days he’d be ready with some initial details
* Scribbulus back in normal form asking if the professor would join them on return to Ilbidor — he replied that he’d think on it
* He then accepted some tea and had to transform into an octopus to avoid the wave of bile that rose in his throat

## Covert Couatl Convent

* At the rear of the platinum temple, Kunai found the promised (and very discrete) door featuring a couatl symbol - it glowed and opened when his dagger was raised to it
* Inside, darkness drew back from his torch to reveal a large mosaic, a couatl with large gemstone eyes - when pressed, the floor began to stretch into a downward spiral that led into a larger chamber below
* At the far end was an altar and image of Jazirian, while on each wall were enclaves containing paintings of a healer, a teacher, a scholar, a spy, a diplomat and an assassin
* As he looked more closely at the assassin, a voice appeared from behind him - an elegant, apparently elven figure with lizard scales towards the end of every limb
* In their interaction, Kunai ascertained that she was the leader of a the order of Jazirian aiming to maintain peace - they have a vast number of different individuals working towards this goal (gesturing to the paintings), but their numbers dwindle while the ‘great enemy’s’ forces grow in strength, with more cultists cropping up at land and sea
* Lawmaster Krennick was not working alone in Faendorei as the empire suggests, he was clearly being scapegoated by others
* This was linked to what Kunai had heard from the Archmage Draxis - that he’d spoken with an individual named 'Quagram’ about the failed campaign in Faendorei
* She informed him that Quagram was the dean of the school of hellfire, an academy on the 8th level of the Nine Hells (Mephistopheles' level), and that Big Meph specifically targets mages that go to his lair when they die
* Before leaving, she said she’d send spies back to Faendorei and give him a way to contact her again, while HE was the key to picking up the mystery of what was happening to Krennick