Research and Revelation

The party woke up the next day with a mission in mind. They needed to get the ingredients for the panacea or the entire city of King’s Crest would die. The members of the Hand of Destiny gathered that morning to have breakfast and plan their next move. They knew where they could get the components but all of them were hard to get to right now. Urstil had spoken to Kaladrax after the Council meeting yesterday and had handed him a book she thought might be able to help. He hadn’t had a chance to read it yet and was sitting down to eat and read when the door flew open. 

An old man was holding the doors. He was dressed in old but fine garments that denoted his status as a servant. He introduced himself as messenger for his master, the Lord Percival Tindoll and asked us for an audience tomorrow to speak with the lord about possible business. Aleera and the others agreed with wary reluctance in their voices. They had their breakfast while Kaladrax tried to decipher the book. He announced that he needed to spend some time at the college to learn more about what they need to access the ingredients. 

This gave the rest some more time to prepare for their departure. The trip out had been delayed due to the meeting with Pervical but they would leave immediately afterwards. Hepolita went out to check on Gigi and shop around. Aleera stayed and did some business at the tavern and made sure they were stocked up and had enough money to operate while they were gone. Kariss went to check around and see where she could help heal the afflicted if any required her services. Milo was nowhere to be seen, having vanished into the shadows sometime after the announcement of a meeting. Kaladrax headed to do some research. 

He found a few points of interesting information. First, the water at the oasis was the healing water that they needed for the panacea. It was protected by a wind elemental of some sort. A unique one that was a powerful adversary. Second, there was mention of blessings that could be granted by this elemental and his three siblings, each of a different element. The blessings would empower the wielder and make it easier to traverse the island and gather the necessary ingredients. After getting some of the answers he needed he headed back to the guild hall to tell his friends what he had learned. 

Hepolita had left Gigi a bit ago, nursing a hangover and trying to sleep it off. She was wandering the markets in the Merchant District when she was pulled into an alley with a violent tug. They were members of the Baleard Crest Gang run by Yora Baleard herself. She had made her reputation as a cunning thief and assassin by the time she took over the Crest Gang. Naming it after herself, she ran the gang like a tight ship. They all feared her and she had a reputation for being ruthless. They told her Yora was demanding an answer for her part of the contract. She had gotten her money and now they needed their payment in turn. She told them she was getting close and dodged them well enough that they left her alone after a while. She made her way back to the guild hall casting backwards glances constantly to check if she was being followed. 

They had all convened back at the guild hall in the early evening and had a quiet dinner together as Kaladrax explained what he had found. Hepolita also let them know about her encounter. They had multiple clocks ticking down and they had to act quickly. They agreed they would check on the teleportation ability with Asterisk soon and find out if they could trick the gang into becoming their own undoing. They discussed which blessing would be better to get first and agreed that the water one would help access the healing waters better. They went to bed that night with the heavy weight of choice on their shoulders. 

The next morning they prepared to leave after the meeting and Aleera went down with Kaladrax to meet with Percival Tindoll. Milo blended himself into the shadows to watch. Percival arrived with pompous flair and seated himself without being asked. He smirked at Kaladrax and flashed what he thought was a dashing smile to Aleera. He began speaking about becoming the sole provider of spirits for The Prancing Dragon, the guild tavern. He had reason to believe that the Fafnir family would be running out of the wine they sold so well due to the blight and wanted to get a leg up on the opportunity. Why wait until the death of the winery when he could start now. Of course the tavern would have to discontinue use of the Fafnir family wine immediately and issue complete, exclusive vendor rights to the Tindoll family. 

Aleera gave Percival a cold smile and told him to get out in a quiet voice. He smirked and asked what the big issue was. He was just taking an opportunity when he saw it. Aleera refused his offer and warned him that she would let every tavern in town know what he was trying to do. He laughed and said that most of them had already agreed and were transitioning over as they spoke. With a snicker and haughty glare he left them fuming over such an insult, especially in front of a member of the very family he wanted to destroy. 

After getting themselves under control they made ready to leave for the land of the eel folk. They had not seen them since the brokering of the deal and had not been able to check on the status of their ship repair business. Ara was left on the Anabelle Lee Mark 2 and the crew was asked to meet them at their destination when they could. The party made their way over Fafnir lands and received a one way wind walk spell from the druid trying to heal the land to get over to land of the eel folk, where they knew the temple of Aqua was. They changed into cloud like vapors and floated into the air and onward to their destination.