The Thirty-Third Session

After removing the Medusa's eyes, the Sentinels noticed a sigil above the stone door leading out of the room. After interacting with it a number of ways, Shag cast Zone of Truth, causing the sigil to activate and illuminate the room. A being appeared before them, introducing himself as The Harbinger. He appeared as a Wood Elf with silvery white eyes. Sensing that he was summoned in part by two different Paragon spirits, he offered a moment of his time in intrigue, and would answer a single question any of the group had. Yief asked where to find a Phoenix nest, and was told the Desertmouth Mountains. Aoth asked if there was something aside from greed and malice that was driving the Ebonyborn invasion, and was told that it was less about greed than about a new order under a new cultural priority of strength. Shag asked if there were any weaknesses the army had, and was told that their hubris and overconfidence could be used against them strategically, as with the separation of their forces at Myth Drannor, but they had no evident physical weaknesses. Halrek asked where he could learn more about his blinking abilities, and was told that the being who initially informed him of them wasn't the one who gave them to him, but was one who may know more about it. Contacting that being would be the way to shift the conversation more to Halrek's questions than the being's chosen information.

After answering the questions, the Harbinger disappeared, and the sigil faded. The group opened the stone doors and went down a tunnel that led to the other side of the mountain. After another day's travel, they arrived at the village of Nillieth, a small farm town. Halrek and Aoth went to the inn for the night, while Shag, Xochic, and Yief all went to the tavern. After the patrons found out they were the heroes of Myth Drannor, they began asking questions, and Shag began telling stories. Yief quietly left with a couple pints of ale and finished another book at the inn. Shag and Xochic ended up in a threesome with a high elf woman who was enthralled by their stories and enjoyed their comfort and openness as a couple.

The following morning, they all went to the local Mage's Guild tower, which was much smaller than the one at Ashaenford. They met guildmaster Faera, an older half-star elf woman, who welcomed them and had a guild apprentice bring them tea and crackers. After reading all of their stars, she revealed that Aoth had Draconian ancestry that was very diluted, and she could see through Halrek's elf form and knew he was a changeling. She brought him to the courtyard, where there was a changeling woman sleeping in a hammock. Halrek recognized her as Pryym, the woman he saved when he tackled Zekiev Ibixus during the massacre of his clan. She awoke, and Halrek returned to his normal form, causing her to fall into a happy shock, jumping up to give him a big hug. She told him of her escape of the massacre, and how she was found and healed by travelling clerics, who brought her to this guild hall where she stayed and began to learn magic. Like Halrek, she also had a large burn scar, though hers was on her back and shoulder. After an insensitive display of Meteor from Yief, Halrek blinked her out of the building, promting her to curiously begin trying to figure out how the blinking worked. As they continued their conversation, she became inspired to train harder so she could join the resistance effort.

Inside, Faera offered a potion to Aoth and Yief that could vitalize their DNA and bring ancestral power to the forefront. Yief respectfully turned it down, saying he had to accept both parts of himself, even if the path of their division was more difficult than the acceptance of one. Faera was happy to hear of his strength regarding the matter. Aoth took the potion, deciding to think on it. She then taught Aoth how to begin the telepathic bond with his pseudodragon, who could now say Aoth's name and that it was hungry.

They then set out back on their path, arriving at the gates of Harrowdale mid morning the next day.