DivineDetritusQuestOfDragons

Story

May 14, 1236 AD (Harvest Wharf)

After 3 uneventful days of travel, the adventurers return to Harvest Wharf. Jovias bids the group goodbye and returns to the alchemy guild. The group decides to speak to Captain Dakan first.

In the barracks, Fi describes the summary of the group’s adventures in the Krimson Forest and Redtooth Lands. Captain Dakan seems upset about the latest turn of events in the Forest and now in the Norrish Sea. It turns out there are many Black Dragons halting all ships that sail from the town. The Dragon Warriors said they were on it, but they are secretive as usual. Vegeta thinks he could talk to Eldrick and get an in with Captain Pankraz.

Fi mentions the note to “Only trust Midnight”, but Dakan doesn’t know the name. He figures that must be a codename. Reminds him of the “Night Guardian”, who seemed to hunt criminals and the Magmere Gang. That’s all he knows.

Claire and Hawk help Vegeta talk to Captain Pankraz at a bar where the Dragon Warriors are. With some help from Eldrick, Pankraz mentions their mission is to find a thief named Kandar, who fled to a remote island in the Norrish Sea. A fleet of Black Dragons of various ages have formed a blockade in the sea. Eldrick mentions Pankraz has a secret weapon: A dragon who patrols the seas who will help the Warriors fend off the dragons. Eldrick invites Vegeta and his friends along. The Dragon Warriors plan to leave in 3 days.

East Ferren Trading Company

The team heads to the Trading Company to combine the findings from Merki's shipments: The lens, the block of starmetal, and the instructions. Fi uses the lens on the starmetal and sees a message inside the block. Hawk helps him decode the message (See "Merki's Final Words" for the translation.)

The team meets Marjroie Mel and tell her about the Krimson Forest, CF, and the Filth Fever plague. They mention the broken weapons, but not the working ones they received from the master elven blacksmith. Fi manages to convince her to send them to the Draugh Empire, although she needs to speak to her father first. When she leaves, Abraxinal notes that the party has effective spurred the Mel Family to war, and they should be proud of their manipulative prowess.

May 15, 1236 AD

In the afternoon the team met East Ferren Trading Company leader Melvin Mel, along with his three daughters. He thanked them for all of their help in locating the crates, and mourned the loss of Merki. He asked the team to travel to the Draugh Empire. Officially they are checking on the contracts Merki set up with the royal family, but really he wants them to figure out what Merki discovered. Did that terrible secret lead to his death? He knows about the blockade and is thankful Vegeta has an in with the Dragon Warriors.

Melvin also thanks them for telling him about CF. While Melodie and Captain Dakan reinforce guards and patrols around the city, Marjorie will visit the Krimson Forest directly to provide assistance. Melanie has asked several clerics of Laniss to take a look at the diseased lands, as well. Melvin hands them a diamond lens . By focusing on the lens, the party can communicate with the Mel family across long distances.

Melanie leaves with the party and warns them to tell the Mels everything. Marjorie thinks they are hiding something from her, but she hasn't pried into it yet. Vegeta and Nidri deduce she seems concerned for their well being. Surprising, given the warning Merki gave.

In the evening, the team visits the tavern where the Dragon Warriors are gathering intelligence. Captain Pankraz and Eldrick are discussing their plans. The Captain won't give them a ride to the Draugh Empire because of the hostile territory he plans to enter, but Eldrick has an idea: Let the team join as honorary Dragon Warriors! Pankraz eventually allows it, provided they can pass a test. He'll set things up the next day.

May 16, 1236 AD

The party meets Captain Pankraz at the crack of dawn, ready to take his test.

He put a barrel with the Dragon Warrior logo somewhere in town. He wants the party to find the barrel, find what's inside it, and describe it to him by sundown.

Claire, Vegeta, and Nidri visit Willy's Magic Smoke Emporium, which specializes in trinkets smuggled from the Draugh Empire. The rich folk of Cliffside love it, especially how all the devices take thunder magic. Claire finds one that shoots fire. He also sells a variety of magical reagents and herbs, which Nidri notes are used for recreational purposes. Claire checks the barrel in the back. Pankraz visited him during the night.

During the afternoon, the team meets up again. They know the barrel may be at the barracks, or it may be in the Wreckage, a neighborhood in the Docks that was destroyed during the "earthquake" but never rebuilt. Locals say they saw a building collapse even further when a man entered the Wreckage that night.

Handouts

Merki's Final Words

Dearest Friends.

I’m sorry for burdening you so much. If you feel it’s been too much, stop reading now. Seriously, I’m gonna drop some bad stuff on you. Make sure you sit down.

The Fifty Years War began because of the Mel family. The Draugh Empire has been looking into the origins of the war. I met with one person named Agent Midnight (she’s a stickler about her name.) She confirmed one of my prevailing theories about the war: There are five heroes of the war, and not four like Alexen Dakan claims. Not sure who it is, though.

She also confirmed a terrible theory, one I hoped had been false: The Mels are not what they seem. They -you’re sitting down, right?- I’m almost certain they are fiends or consorting with them. I’m pretty observant to this kind of stuff, but their behaviors seem off. It always piqued my interest. I don’t know what this means, though. My blood has taught me to not jump to conclusions.

What does this mean? Why did they protect Harvest Wharf? To protect the town? To save their own hides? So they could sacrifice us later? I will return to Harvest Wharf to find that answer. Even in the Draugh Empire there have been several attempts on my life. I fear they may succeed, so I’ll send these shipments and this message back immediately.

There is a large supply of these Black Sendrine rocks, hidden carefully in the Draugh Empire. Agent Midnight promised to keep it secret. I think it’s best for you to go to the Draugh Empire and talk to her. I feel like we can use it beneficially, but I’m not the best alchemist.

I hope my trick works out. If it does you’ll know. If it doesn’t, well it’s been swell. Now that you’ve read this, you know what I really discovered while in the Empire. Hope you’re one of the good guys.

- Merkinalious Urgh