Episode 26: Assassins and Dragons!

Flashback: The night before leaving to follow the leading of Gallog's Ring to Otiosum's Tent, Lucky hears a soft knock at the door to his room in The Copper Tankard. A small child, a street urchin covered in dust, holds a note up to him. Lucky eyes the child warily but with sympathy and takes the note. The urchin runs down the hall and out of sight into the night air. Closing his door, he opens the note. "How fortuitous it was to find Sankara out in the woods by himself. It turns out you can subdue a bear easily enough if you bring enough people. Meet us tonight at The Pearl." Lucky has heard this to be a restaurant in Glynndarryl. The note continues, "Order their 'freshest ale with floral notes'. Come alone or he dies." The note is signed with a skull and crossbones & "friends of Vex and Vax". Lucky recalls these names as the twin assassin leaders of Guild Hall outside Solas. Vex was killed by the party. Vax was delivered to Lady Katherine of Solas who "took care of him". "Aw hell," Lucky mutters to himself. Not wanting to spin his wheels too much if time is short, he arms himself, conceals a few holdout items, and takes off into the night to The Pearl.

The Pearl is a posh seafood restaurant on the 5th tier of Glynndarryl. White tablecloths, beautiful hardwood floors, and a quartet of instruments float around the ceiling filling the room with music. The restaurant is quiet with intimate conversations and the flicker of candlelight. The air smells of garlic and lemon and fresh fish. Across the way is the bar. It is the crowning jewel of this establishment with its pearlescent bartop. Its enchanting glow is perfect and warm. Like a bright moon on a beach at night. Behind the bar is a young human woman in a black server's outfit with long red wavy hair that's tied up in a bun. (Name: Melanie) Welcome to The Pearl. Let me guess, you'll have our house white? It pairs beautifully with the salmon!" --------------------------- As you order their freshest all with floral notes, her eyes shimmer and gloss over. "Right this way, sir" she says blankly. She leads you down a hallway, secluded from the rest of the patrons and through a set of double doors. You find a table set for two. Seated already is a male with dark hair and a scar over his left eye. He wears all black leather armor and a long black coat. He nods as you enter. "Lucky, you're just in time." The red-haired server leaves you two and closes the door. 

• • • • Name, Drel. 

      • Heard about what happened at the guild hall in Solas. Not personal, it's just business. 

      • Your crew is a threat. Join us. We're always looking for new talent and you all put on quite the show in Solas. Be "THE KNIFE IN THE DARK." No need to decide now. Talk to your crew and meet us here. HE THROWS A MARKED MAP ON THE TABLE WITH AN X-MARKED JUST OUTSIDE OF GLYNNDARRYL TO THE WEST. As long as your answer is yes, you get your half-elf back. 

Our heroes rescue Sankara and escape the assassin's guild hall outside Glynndarryl. Drel retreats through a portal within the guild hall. Flying back to Glynndarryl on The Devourer, they are accosted by a projection from Cassius (one of Ileana's cohorts). He bumbles about with a monologue about their intentions for The Sliver which include usurping Resurrection for Orcus and taking over The Sliver. He goes on to reveal how he isn't so different from our heroes. Cassius is on his last attempt in The Sliver and has forgone the path of the Advenar (assimilation into The Sliver with a new past written for him). However, he has chosen not to attempt his Trials but has by some means connected with Ileana. He ends his monologue when he has stalled the party long enough to finish a tracking spell. His visage disappears as a whirling, red portal appears above the ship. Sevus, the Black, one of the three Dragons of Chaos within The Sliver, emerges. 

Our heroes use their skills and combat prowess to hold off Sevsus as their ship flies at break-neck speeds toward the safety of Glynndarryl's borders. Tangled in the flaming sails of the Devourer, Sevus falls from the ship to the ground below and bolts of red lightning pierce the sky.