Chapter 0: Boulder No More

## Recap

Four strangers – An anthropomorphic bird, a smooth-talking tiefling, a defiant drow, and a meek, young human – awake to find that their memories have disappeared, partially due to a poorly casted Resurrection spell by the apprentice of Master Selim, Elric. Elric takes the strangers to the nearby crash site in the woods where he discovered the bodies, and they find a locked chest with a note pointing out the name "Boulder" on a map. Additionally, the strangers discover that each one is wearing an identical set of rings on their off hand, and when the rings come into contact with each other, initiate a communication spell between all the rings. Finally, the strangers find themselves in possession of trinkets – a black pirate flag adorned with a dragon's skull and crossbones, a petrified tiny corpse with wings inside a clear glass bottle, a small packet filled with pink dust, and an empty wine bottle bearing a label – their significance forgotten.

Upon their return, the chest is opened, and the strangers find the chest to be full of poorly smithed weapons. A young human woman, Mirelle, comes to the house, seeking help from Master Selim, as her home, Boulder, is sought after by the blacksmithing guild, The Axvaal. Upon seeing the chest of weapons, Mirelle demands the strangers turn them over to her, as they were purchased by her village. The strangers refuse, unsure as to whether Mirelle's claims are true, and hoping to get more answers from her and the villagers.

Early the next day, the house is attacked by a group of armored humanoids, employing the use of *darkness* bolts and *light*-vision goggles. The strangers escape with Mirelle, but not before meeting the leader of the attack, a large half-brass and half-red scaled dragonborn wearing a maroon cape with silver lining. The strangers and Mirelle arrive in Boulder, where the villagers demand the weapons they paid for, while the strangers demand answers. When it is clear that neither party is getting what they want, the strangers release their hold on the weapons, and go on their way, hoping to find answers from Master Selim.

On their ride back to the Wizard's house, a small device turns on in the drow's pocket, which she promptly activates, initiating an explosion back in Boulder, presumably killing all the villagers. It is then Master Selim arrives, handing over the results of the *Identification* spell Elric cast the day before, revealing the stranger's public identities as members of the Crew of the Ebongale, a band of mercenaries, thieves, pirates, and outcasts that were hired by the Axvaal to eliminate the Boulder problem. Master Selim explains that something of value must be given up in order to bring back someone from the death grip of the Raven Queen. Something in the crew's memories was deemed so valuable by the Raven Queen, she kept them for herself. Wanting to find answers and recover their memories, the crew decides the best first step is to claim their reward for completing the Axvaal's mission, and head to Inabur - The Guilded City.

## NPCs met

* Elric
* Mirelle
* Master Selim

## Notable Items Obtained

* Communication Rings
* Black Pirate Flag with dragon skull and crossbones
* Petrified corpse of a pixie in a bottle
* small packet filled with pink dust
* empty wine bottle