Epilogue: The Hand of Destiny

As The Hand of Destiny arrived on the prime material plane through the Fey Gate, cheering began. It rose until nothing could be heard over it. The citizens of King’s Crest had gathered at the gate to see if a winner would emerge. A contingent of soldiers surrounded the gate with citizens behind them. The ship lurched and tipped as the damage from the fight became visible past the gate. 

The crowd backed up as the ship teetered as it tried to land on the cobblestone of the arena. It finally stuttered to a halt and the passengers began to disboard. As the cheering died down and the crowd waited for their hero’s to be closer, the passengers had some time to talk. Aleera spoke to the Eelfolk warrior that was now an adult Bronze Dragon and asked if he had decided to stay a dragon or if he wanted to be changed back into his Eelfolk form. She gave him reasons for both. She understood the want to be what you were born as, but there was also good that came from being a dragon. He would live longer, have access to magic, and would be a protector of his people. He thought it over for a few minutes and decided to stay a dragon. With a final smile at her and the group, he lifted up and flew back towards his people to share the good news. 

For the rest of the fighters there was a huge feast held in the center of town, everyone from the lower and upper class zones were invited. The festivities across the city didn’t stop for a week. In that time the party dealt with various issues. Kariss and Hepolita went to Hepolita’s old village where her father reluctantly ruled. The line of succession was matriarchal but with her mother dead and herself banned from the village, there was no other choice until a new matriarch was named and trained. Kariss hoped to help with that and they went to the village with that hope. Upon their arrival, they explained what they wanted to do to the chief and he agreed with a look of disbelief in his eyes. He didn’t want to believe and then be disappointed if it didn’t work. 

Kariss asked to be taken to the resting spot where they had laid their former ruler to rest. Her face was still visible, framed by flowers and plants growing around her. She looked merely asleep as most elves do who die. Elven bodies did not decay in the same way as other species. Kariss gathered her strength and directed a resurrection spell at the dead matriarch. A brilliant silver light suffused the small clearing they were in. When it died down, Hepolita’s mother was standing before them, naked but otherwise intact. Of her fatal wound, there was no sign. Her father quickly covered his queen in the royal robes of the forest and tears began to stream down his face. He thanked Kariss and Hepolita, then led his wife off to find her rest. Hepolita stuck around for a bit wanting to speak with her father and now her mother. Kariss left after saying goodbye and her and Gralmor set off to find a suitable place for the Yuan-ti refugees to settle on Novos. 

Back at King’s Crest, Aleera and Kaladrax were busy speaking to the council about the battle that had occurred and how they won. There were also various projects that they oversaw across the city. They turned the Royal District into the Agricultural District which now grew the food for the entire city instead of growing crops for personal gain. The city was open to new citizens for a while. The Curse of Ash had really diminished the population of King’s Crest and the city was allowing free entry to grow the numbers. Milo was off doing his own thing. He went back to the Oasis where the halfling woman they had saved in Waterdeep was staying and helped her get back to the mainland. No threat remained for her so she was safe to return and start a new life, preferably without thieving. 

Aleera could feel a tugging at her soul and heart. A large part of her wanted to leave. As a Vistani, moving around was their life. Being travelers across the world was their passion. That was why they never settled down. There was always another path to take, another road to follow. The Traveler was eager to begin her reward. She would be granted the ability to travel with him. The god was also secretly eager to have a companion along after so many years of traveling alone. She tried to stave off the feeling, to enjoy life with Kaladrax a bit longer. Kaladrax spent his time with his family. They were finally making up for what time had been lost to them. With the terrible weight of Null off of their shoulders, the family was able to begin anew and reconcile their past. 

None of the members of the Hand of Destiny realized it yet but they were slowly drifting apart more and more with each day. The first few after the battle had been happy and everyone had been close but as time went on they had other goals in mind. So they began to go their separate ways and live their own lives. Without knowing it, they had dissolved their adventuring party. It wasn’t a bad thing. It was just time to move on. Time for a different kind of adventure for each of them.