27 Thunsheer 835
Meeting Demaris on the eastern edge of Felderwin, just across the Scymir River, at dawn, your journey into the Ashkeeper Peaks to find the Kryn Dynasty began on a sour note as Demaris was attacked by a huge frog, swallowed, and began to be taken down river. This was the first of many trials in the Ashkeeper Peaks as Demaris led you through them and down into the cusp of the Underdark where a group of Dynasty soldiers surrounded you, moving silently in the shadows until they were upon you.
Demaris left to speak with the leader of this group of soldiers, and the others gathered close to pepper you with questions, many of them focused on Stone and his ability to fly. When Demaris and Captain Syrrinx returned to the group, the Captain asked to confirm why you’re willing to help the Dynasty. Your answers about wanting to fight against the Empire persuaded him, though innocuous questions about the leadership of the Dynasty were misinterpreted and led to some suspicion. As a compromise between his own trust in you and the need to protect the Dynasty, Syrrinx agreed to send a garrison to take you into the ancient city of Alziraan though you’ll be bound and hooded as a precaution.
A particularly boisterous and animated grung soldier, Zym, volunteers to accompany you, with his bugbear partner Tairn, coming as well. Together, they take you through a teleportation portal deeper into the Underdark, where a collection of soldiers have set up a long term encampment. There, Zym, Tairn, and another 3 soldiers bind your hands and cover your heads, before helping you into a cart and set off down the tunnel. Despite the well travelled tunnel you’re in, a large, electric lizard managed to surprise you and destroy the cart, killing the three soldiers and Tairn before you caused it to flee.
Though distraught, Zym pressed on, leading you to Alziraan, saying he was comforted knowing that Tairn’s soul had been returned and he would see her in the next life. Arriving in Alziraan, you saw a city with a muted atmosphere and filled with refugees, displaced from the growing war. The general you meet with is operating out of a retrofitted storage shed filled with old weapons, rations, and an unused council table and chairs. General Mandulla is a dwarven female with a half shaved head of red hair that flows down and braids into a massive beard that goes to her waist; a sign of great respect for Dwarves. She speaks with you about your interest in the dynasty and why you’ve gone to such efforts for them. When satisfied with your explanation and offer to ally with the Dynasty, she invites the Beacon artificer, a satyr named Farely, to enter.
After Stone explains their situation and the way that he and Cassie have merged, the scholar goes into depth about the Beacon’s purpose and significance to the Dynasty, saying that it is a way for Dynasty citizens to reincarnate and carry on. While it does have great magic, possibly imbued with magic of the Change Bringer herself, it’s significance to the Dynasty’s survival is greater. Farely knows that the Beacon’s are desired, though, and if someone was able to corrupt them, it’s possible that it could have been responsible for Stone and Cassie’s fusion. The most likely possibility was that all three original bodies died at the same moment, in proximity of the BEacon, which, in it Farley also warned that, when attempting to craft new Beacon’s, they’ve discovered a flaw that will cause the souls of animals they’re experimenting with to merge into one. It’s possible that is what happened, which might explain why Ezekiel appears to be in the body as well. However, there’s no way to know exactly what happened without seeing the Beacon that Ezekiel was chasing.
General Mandulla asked for your assistence in finding this particular lost Beacon as a favor to the Dynasty, giving you a medallion to communicate with her directly. As you left, Stone hung back and asked if the General knew anything about a life that Ezekiel had here. The General paused and said that, as far as she knew, Ezekiel chose not to pursue a life here.
Leaving the war room, you accompanied Zym to the home of Leonard Zelent, an ancient kobold librarian of the Dynasty’s Biblios, who knew quite a bit about Alyxian and shared that knowledge with you. He also confirmed the legend Zym recited, stating that Alyxian prayed to Avandra and recieved her blessing in a temple only a couple miles from this outpost. Her temple was built as an outpost for Underdark denizens and travelers, built over a portal to Dis, the second level of the Hels and operated as a gate to the demons below. Now, though, the tunnels are unmaintained and dangerous, and Avandra’s might may not be enough to stay them.
Zym agreed to escort you to the temple tomorrow morning and you spent the evening in Alziraan, staying in the barracks at General Mandulla’s invitation.