Narrative

Day 42 began after another strange dream. Dirk also had an odd dream, in which he was a Goliath munching out a fat-bellied dragon. The feeling from the dream was that the party had a link to these dragons or figures.

The party woke and went to meet the council in a large tent. Present or named at the meeting were Cardonald, Ruby Eye, several Goliath elders, Dirk Senior, Ogrim Thunyalus, Gren Boulderfist, Anita Sandsong, one figure who seemed to be the leader of the sickly Goliaths, and Blisterfoot. Ruby Eye and Cardonald had been looking into matters. Memories had started returning since Eva slew The Mother. They believed Envi might be trapped, though it was still unclear whose side he was on. The history discussed was grim: the Goliath Empire slew Perodita’s parents and built a city on their bones. Wyrmdoom had been there for a few hundred years after the barrier went up. Envi had been part of the deals with the dark demons.

The group needed a plan. The best course proposed was to infiltrate the Goliaths in the city and turn them against the dragons. Galimma, the Peridot Queen, then arrived and called herself a master spy. She offered to give information freely if the party agreed to leave her alone so she could go about her business, choose some mates, and live her life without threat. She was candid that she might kill the husbands and the odd person, shed some gold, and would not be evil but would not be good either. She promised to put a sign on her lair to notify people of the risk.

Galimma gave information about Lortesh and Perodita’s children and related dragons. There might be five left from the first coupling. Another of Lortesh’s sons had a captive wife. The listed dragons included Emeredge in Askellon; Willowspra / Willow-wispa in Vahthell, described as the oldest daughter; Toxicanthus in Wyrmdoom; Rotwrake in Thundeya; and Verdigrim in Tradesmells. Three were described as twisted, with references to Lapis, Heady, and Plague. The army would attack Tradesmells, while the party and some others would head to Askellon, though the note preserves some uncertainty with “maybe.”

The party asked Blisterfoot whether any of the other rescued Goliaths were from the towns or members of the resistance. Blisterfoot returned with someone claiming to be part of the resistance in Ashkellon: Three Finger Dune Shwelter. This person, who had been sold as a slave, was one of Emeredge’s dune dwellers. He had a communication device like a brick with black feathers. It flew to other birds, and he had to tell it to fly slower to stay quiet. Whenever the resistance tried to contact the outside, those who made the attempt ended up disappearing. Three Finger Dune Shwelter agreed to help the party find the resistance.

Ruby Eye transformed Invar into a Goliath, while Geldrin became invisible. The party teleported to Ashkellon and arrived in the throne room, on [uncertain: Tazer]. On the throne was a dragonborn idly picking his nails. He was called Araks, was confused about why the party was there, and tried to leave to speak to his master. He was killed on the way out. The party put him back on the throne with a dagger in his back. The name Zekish was also noted in connection with this scene.

The party exited the room. A scraggy female Goliath walked out carrying a pile of towels, and the guards let her through; others seemed to come and go regularly. The entrance to the throne room seemed to be storage, possibly for healing or similar purposes, associated with Emmeredge. A young boy came up the stairs carrying a tray of food for [uncertain: Arswales], apparently the dragon the party had killed. Minthwe cut him off duty in two hours. The party told the guards to leave them alone and went to the wash room. They told the Goliaths to take the dirty soap. The linen looked new, and one woman there seemed more nervous than the others. Her dress was larger than necessary. She had given birth a few hours earlier; the child had been taken, but she had hidden the baby in the linen basket. Emmeredge liked comedy and acrobatics. The baby was called Badger.

The party called for the shift to end early. A guard went to get the rest of the workers, and the party walked out with them all. Every corner seemed to have a dragonborn guard. The group headed to the outskirts of the city, where there were fewer guards, and entered a building. They got in touch with the resistance through Dune Shwelter. The bird was coming that night, and they were to meet at the [uncertain: Gugghut] in four hours. Their next shift was in about eighteen hours.

A large female dragonborn walked down the street and looked at the house. It was hard for people to remain in pairs. Dirk went out the back and saw a neighbour spying on the house. Sneaking around the house revealed people with axes and armour, surprised by the party. The dragonborn appearance was an illusion or disguise; she was Anastasia, the Goliaths’ queen lady, and the neighbours were with her. The party explained the plan. Anastasia said the barrier was weak and that they were speaking to her more. She gave Dirk a ring, Ennuyé’s fifth ring. By 15:00, the party could now attune to three of them. It was agreed that if they succeeded, the baby should be called “Badger born in freedom.”

The party teleported to a hole higher up in the tower to try to rescue Envi, zooming up the soft tower. An old bird’s nest seemed to have been pushed aside for a landing spot. Dirk saw elders whose minds seemed to be on repeat. The party headed upstairs. One room was decorated with Goliath skulls in arches, with old coins dotted around. The sight gave them chills and suggested it might once have been a dragon lair, perhaps connected to Lortesh. Morgana inspected the coins and found one larger than normal currency, a Goliath coin marked “Domain of Pengalis” at the top. Dirk heard a low moan from the wall; all the skulls had been skinned alive.

On the next floor, Invar heard a voice say, “you wear the ring of the betrayer - I can help.” In the reflection in the ring, a featureless woman took damage. Another floor was alarmed and had a barracks-style antechamber. The next room was filled with beds and chests, though the chests were oddly empty. A side room contained statues of five gods, but “Goliathified.” The statues or figures were Seara, Scorcher, Shielded [uncertain: armel] / Tor, a nondescript elven-like figure sculpted as though the maker did not know who they were sculpting, and a lion-headed figure. Inscriptions named Sefu, “for the justice for the Hunt”; Holdhum, who “guides our hands & warms our hearts”; Tor, who “Protects”; the lion-headed Attabo, “from the stories the people of the cats told”; and El [uncertain: corna] / Bridged, “to keep our peoples free.” Offering bowls stood before the statues.

Geldrin added a tower’s penny to Bridged’s bowl. The statue’s head moved to look at Geldrin, and words came: “This place is safe.” Morgana added nip to Attabo’s bowl and heard, “A drug to dull the loss.” Geldrin added Brass City platinum and heard, “A payment made.” At Seara’s bowl, Lortesh’s scale or hair of Nature was highly pleased, and the party heard that the hunt would be successful, but betrayal was at hand. Footsteps went up the stairs.

Morgana etched a symbol to Igraine and offered a bottle of cider. The cider emptied, and words came: “do not trust him - I did - he promised me tribute & Never received.” Morgana offered another drink and saw a vision of lying in a field of white roses, with children’s laughter and the chuckling of a dwarf man and an elf, perhaps [uncertain: Adilth]. A dragon soared above with no barrier. A pregnant elven woman appeared. The message continued that he made a statue to the speaker and the image of another in his home, promised things, but chose the easy path because the speaker could not give her life back. He promised things for her life, came to an arrangement, and took a darker path. An elderly human man looked sad, rubbed his beard, and the vision returned to the room.

The party found what might have been a royal room, mess hall, or honoured guard space. Old pictures hung on the wall, one out of place: Benu / Garadul / a goat-headed sphinx. On the back, it was dedicated to the Warriors of the Lion from the Dunemin. The backing and canvas came apart, revealing two large feathers tied at the top with orange and blue feathers and beads. The feathers were given to Geldrin. A kitchenette had a chimney that seemed to go to daylight through a communal chimney.

At Tor’s statue, the party added a note with “Badger born in freedom” to the offering bowl and heard, “Tor Protects all.” They put a cloak in the fire in Stitcher’s bowl. Smoke showed an image of Ruby Eye and Lute talking about hot hands; Lute said, “tell you what I’ll make you all cloaks.” The words came: “A gift crafted for a friend is the key to it all.” The party felt solace. There were no spirits in the main room.

Morgana investigated through the fireplace. On floor 25, two floors up, she found a lavish bedroom that looked recently used, an antechamber, and crystals, red and blue. On floor 28, another bedroom had an air [unclear: december] feel, with a red crystal [uncertain: in fire?] and a blue crystal on the wall. A rug showed a dwarf holding a dragon’s head; one of the dwarf’s eyes was bleeding, and a Goliath touched his shoulder. Also on floor 28 was a library-like room with an ornate map of the Pentacity slates and a red dome above. Towers were marked at ground towers, here, a gap in the sea, and a palace approximately where Shousorrow is. A dragonborn in orange and blue robes emerged from a bookcase, accompanied by a Goliath carrying books on his belly in a hunched posture that made him look as if he were on his knees.

On floor 30, the area was covered in Goliath faces with eyes scratched out. The floor was covered in coins. The walls were transparent from this direction, though they had not been from outside. Four dragonborn played cards, apparently with armour welded into their scales, and had four ornate swords. Morgana felt a great evil from the floor below, similar to the feeling when cleansing Azureside. She then saw a field of white flowers and felt solace. Morgana returned and told the party what she had seen. The group headed up to floor 24.

Morgana saw a corridor on that level: a long corridor ending in a fireplace. The first left had two guards and heavy breathing from something around the corner. The first right had similar guards and something human-sized but large and asleep, hunched [unclear: between?], while quiet [uncertain: giggling?] could be heard. There was a purple glow, two sets of feet, female giggling, and two dragonborn guards. The second left had a barrier, looked empty, and its door was alarmed. The second right had a barrier, hooves behind it, and two guards above. A pair of green dragonborn went down the stairs two or three floors. Four copper pylons created a barrier around something made of air. It asked to be let out and said it would help the party. The guards had a wheel to open the dome. Hephestus read Morgana’s mind and said not to let it out. Hephestus wanted to clean the land.

The party investigated the prison rooms. Behind the second right were two dragonborn with glowing axes and a goat man walking backwards and forwards in the dome, saying, “lets us done this for so long” [unclear]. Behind the first left were guards with vicious barbed whips and a sphinx with a goat head. Behind the first right were guards and cracked mirrors. An elven woman with buttercups in her hair and copper hair stood rocking slightly and laughing. A locked door was behind the party.

On floor 25, a door at the top of the tower opened. There were six doors. Willow-wispa was coming; the notes record “mum’s told” and the sequence sword / shield / axe / tower / book / bridge / axe, with writing [uncertain: been?] to come. The party locked the door behind themselves while others were sleeping and talking. There was another hour before the shift started, and the guards were bored.

On floor 26, someone walked toward the door, so the party ran up to floor 27 and saw a Goliath walking out with a tray. They went into the floor 27 library. Slen the librarian was there. Two guards entered, called someone “The Exiled,” and said they were not allowed up here, not with Willow-wispa, because Calameir was coming. The party killed the guards. They browsed the library, threw a romance book to Blisk, and took a few books from each section. They found a poem about Valentenhide’s fall similar or word-for-word to the one found in Dumnenend. About eight guards went upstairs. Dirk retrieved bone chips from the two killed guards, each etched with a dragon and one on them; these were dragon currency. Ten minutes later, three sets of steps tried to come downstairs and entered the room. One had the wand totem brought from the sister in Dumnenend. Dirk saw Joy, who said she was sorry, that “they’ve got him,” and that the party should go now. The party thought “him” was Ruby Eye.

Morgana had five goodberries. The party went up to the 28th floor. They found a teleportation circle and two domes: one with Ruby Eye in it, and another with two ghost figures, Emri and Joy. Ruby Eye was an illusion. Emri’s dome seemed to have a leak. He requested the skull of Treamon and did not answer questions about the rings. Ruby Eye dispelled the magic keeping him trapped and taught the party the rings as proof it was him. The rings activate in “the Barrier” so Joy cannot leave. Ruby Eye said the party did not understand the sacrifices he and Joy’s mother made to keep Joy safe. His pacts with Kashe were his downfall. The party asked why Joy needed to live eternally and why so many sacrifices needed to be made for it.

On the 29th floor, new carvings of scorpions, Tellfether, and other details were present. Evil could be sensed from the door. The party entered the room. Purple crackling energy surrounded a ten-by-ten-foot green blob dripping in the middle. Two figures were around it: a medusa and a statue figure. Also present were a child of the Mother with a worm and an eyeless dog. Bronze and a telescope like Emri’s stood at the back of the room, with a painting clockwise on the wall. A shield spell appeared on the floor and shielded the party. A health pipe on Eliana’s belt healed people. A coin appeared in Thuvia’s hand and got rid of the dragons. Dirk’s sword grew flames.

A dragon vision on the ceiling showed dragons terrorising the town. The party used the coin from Bridged, and all but the fat dragon vanished. Geldrin used Treamon’s skull to cause a meteor strike on the dragon and the town. The party activated the shield with the coin. Brother fracture used to do shield disappeared [unclear], and the Goliaths in the city all gained weapons and shields and healed slightly. As the blessings activated, a tiny hole became noticeable in the barrier. Emmeredge died. Noxia smashed the floor, broke two floors, and the party fell down through Emri’s floor. A book in Geldrin’s bag hummed, and Kesha wanted to help at no cost now, but Geldrin did not take the offer. The party killed the Noxia Beast avatar.

The party spoke to Cardenald. Tradesmells was totally empty: no dragons and no Goliaths. Ruby Eye was missing. They checked on Emri, who was still imprisoned. Cardenald spoke to him and said he was not complete; bits of his soul were missing, including guilt and misery, and possibly sorrow, compassion, Joy, and mercy. The formation of the barriers was not the only thing the elves learned. They also tried to remove other parts of their souls in an effort to perfect themselves. The large man under the mountain was described as a battery. Benu’s other kin was named Trixius. The party headed down to the prison rooms. Notes also recorded Treamon’s skull with week / charge / cooldown [unclear].

Hephestus’s door had a ninth-level Banishment on it. The goat-headed sphinx was Trixus, an elemental of light. The elf lady was a copper dragon, possibly metallic and good according to childhood chants. The goat man was Thromgore’s boy, Steven, with Stuart locked up elsewhere. Emri had put Steven here; Steven had helped to contain Valentenhide. Steven just wanted to “Bob stuff” and seemed sincere. He had been imprisoned for one thousand years. The elf / dragon had not been there long.

The dragon lady was hungry. The party opened the barrier to give her food, and she did not try to escape because the barrier made her safe. She said “he’s gone now” and seemed sad. The guards said he was dead, or that he had gone recently; the name Lorleh was noted. She asked whether the party had seen her boy. She did not know why she was there and had eaten about one week earlier. The party let her out and gave her food. They found a maggot in her ear and removed it. She uncontrollably cried and remembered everything. She was a copper dragon from Snowsorrow, which is now Snowsorrow. She used to play with the king and queen’s son in Snowsorrow. The names [uncertain: Ice fang] and Atlih were noted. Gold dragons were also mentioned. Verdugrim was said to be his or Lorleh’s son, “the tarnished,” and had bred [uncertain: all?] Verdugrim’s dragonborn and Goliaths. Eveline Heathsall, called Mama, was betrothed to Argentum and became a Heathsall. Igraine had come to the copper dragon while she was sleeping and said she was lucky she was not captive anywhere else, because Igraine could not speak to her somewhere else. Ice Fury was approximately thirty to forty years older than her.

The party went to see Trixus, Benu’s little brother. He was asleep, and loud noises did not wake him. They opened the barrier. Trixus had four brass rings on each paw. The runes on the rings read: “A Blessing from Attabre, Protector of the Brass city, Salvation to his Children. First of his name 5th of his kind.” Stuart came through the portal, fell through to the library, came to find Steven, and promised he had Ruby Eye.

The party checked the treasure hall. It contained lots of Goliath currency, Brass City currency, Dumnen currency, and massive triangular coins of Snowsorrow. One coin showed a female sphinx resting its hand on a dragon. The party took the copper dragon down and put Trixus’s hand on her head. He briefly stirred with recognition but stayed asleep.

In the library, the party found a book on Benu, Garadul, and Trixus, described as the last three of Attabre’s children who walk on the earth. They came from Fire. Garadul looked after the Dumnens and enjoyed the gifts. Igraine gave them the gifts to heal their people. Trixus helped create Brass City. The tabaxi were confused and lost, and Trixus helped them; they became industrious and proactive in creating things. It was not clear where the brass came from, perhaps a blessing from [uncertain: Shulcher]. Benu was protector of the elves and helped construct the great tower, but did little protection, instead seeming to train them in art and poetry until they became obsessed with it. Benu saw errors in its ways, eventually left for an unknown reason, and hid. The historian seemed to be waiting to be noticed to get a protector. The book mentioned knowledge of five sphinxes and was dated 700 BD, with a note about returning to Attabre.

Geldrin placed a Snowsorrow coin into Attabre’s offering bowl. A white creature came in and destroyed the city; a female sphinx came out and laid a hand on its head, and both disappeared. The sphinx disappeared in sparkles, while the white dragon remained as the vision ended. The words came: “The father wishes freedom for all his children.” The statue seemed to look at Geldrin. The party wondered whether the sphinx turned into the dragon and what the symbolism of the shield and Trixus meant.

In an observatory room, the party found a flesh-crafting wand and many books. One book, written by a Goliath, concerned Noxia wanting to walk on the earth and the study of what Noxia left behind in the fight between Noxia and Sierra. Drops of Noxia’s blood corrupted the earth and ensured things did not grow. Dragonborn forces were leaving the city and going to the Earth Waker side. The party decided to go to Bleakstorm at 17:30.

When they teleported outside Bleakstorm, blizzards surrounded them. They arrived outside the castle, about ten minutes’ walk away. A citizen walked past and said it was a pleasure to see more visitors. They approached the partially ice dwarf guarding the castle, along with a strapping Goliath. The portraits were an illusion and one was real. Lord Bleakstorm had been there but apparently left. The place was being attacked by ice elementals. Altwares had been happening since the leaders left about one thousand years ago. The half-elf was originally from Everdard, and the party did not know how this worked.

A device detected time and noted that Dirk was missing a day. Bleakstorm had been cursed and blessed. The half-elf said he existed only because of Bleakstorm and that Bleakstorm was there when they were set free. Bleakstorm had made a deal with both a good and a bad person. The half-elf seemed to know all the party and their feats and said five was a good number. When the party called him out as Lord Bleakstorm, they appeared next to him in a throne room surrounded by many pictures. The pictures showing acts before the barrier all seemed to show the same person.

Bleakstorm said he had broken some rules by coming to see the party, and that he could not break them except on occasion. The party requested sanctuary for their dragon friend. He recognized her and needed to look into her name. He would not forgive Emri, because Emri took away his only friend and had entrusted him despite Bleakstorm saying no to it. It was not the dragons who took him; he was tricked into releasing his friend. Bleakstorm often trusts his god, which she appreciates. The party had promised the elementals they would free his friend, [uncertain: leechus]. He warned that trips outside the barrier could be difficult.

Bleakstorm reported that Perodita was heading to Hartwall. Bridged’s sister was nasty trickery, perhaps [uncertain: Atana] / Valentenhide. The party had seven hours before Perodita reached Hartwall. Bleakstorm could send people back in time, but there was a cost. Ruby Eye was out of his sight. Trixus had been given a task he was not going to achieve. The party sent a message to The Basilisk about Perodita heading to Hartwall, but Bleakstorm did not send the party outside the barrier. Garadul was getting stronger inside the barrier at Gravel Basers. The party had one hour and thirty-five minutes.

The party asked whether they could free Perodita. Bleakstorm said they would need to ask Bridged. They went through a doorway onto an invisible walkway. When the door reopened, there were clouds. The clouds transformed into a female face. The party proposed freeing Perodita. The face seemed to like the idea and requested that the party pay homage to her. If they agreed to release Valentenhide, she would ensure Valentenhide adhered to the god rule. She granted the party’s idea, and they appeared at Hartwall, where they saw Perodita vanish.

The party headed over to Hartwall and spoke to Lady Parthabbit. Lady Elissa Hartwall was not in; she had gone airwise to help the party with the battle heading to Emmerave. The party resent a message to The Basilisk. T.J. Boggins was still there, eating meat and watching opera. Jin Woo was absent.

People, Factions, and Places Mentioned

People and name-like figures mentioned include Dirk, Cardonald / Cardenald, Ruby Eye / Rubyeye, Goliath elders, Dirk Senior, Ogrim Thunyalus, Gren Boulderfist, Anita Sandsong, the leader of the sickly Goliaths, Blisterfoot, Eva, The Mother, Envi / Envy, Perodita, Galimma the Peridot Queen, Lortesh, Emeredge / Emmeredge, Willowspra / Willow-wispa, Vahthell, Toxicanthus, Rotwrake, Verdigrim / Verdugrim, Three Finger Dune Shwelter, Araks, Zekish, the scraggy female Goliath, [uncertain: Arswales], Minthwe, Badger, Anastasia, Lortesh, Pengalis, Invar, the featureless woman, Seara, Scorcher, [uncertain: Shielded armel], Tor, Sefu, Holdhum, Attabo, El [uncertain: corna] / Bridged, Geldrin, Morgana, Igraine, [uncertain: Adilth], the elderly human man in the white-roses vision, Benu, Garadul / Garadul / Garadul / Garadul, the goat-headed sphinx, the Warriors of the Lion, the Dunemin, Lute, Shousorrow, the orange-and-blue-robed dragonborn, the book-carrying Goliath, Hephestus / Hephestos, Slen the librarian, The Exiled, Calameir, Blisk, Joy, Emri / Emi, Treamon / Tremaion, Kashe / Kesha, Tellfether, the medusa, the statue figure, the child of the Mother, Thuvia, Brother fracture, Noxia, the Noxia Beast avatar, Trixius / Trixus / Tixun, Thromgore, Steven / Steve, Stuart / Shuert, Lorleh, [uncertain: Ice fang] / Atlih, Ice Fury, Eveline Heathsall / Mama, Argentum, Attabre, [uncertain: Shulcher], Sierra, Earth Waker, Lord Bleakstorm, the partially ice dwarf, the strapping Goliath, the half-elf from Everdard, [uncertain: leechus], Bridged’s sister, [uncertain: Atana] / Valentenhide / Valentenhule, The Basilisk, Lady Parthabbit, Lady Elissa Hartwall, T.J. Boggins, and Jin Woo.

Groups and factions mentioned include the party, the council, the Goliath Empire, dark demons, Goliaths in the city, dragons, Lortesh and Perodita’s children, twisted dragons, the army attacking Tradesmells, the Ashkellon resistance, Emeredge’s dune dwellers, dragonborn guards, Goliath workers, neighbours allied with Anastasia, elders whose minds were on repeat, the gods represented by Goliathified statues, spirits, dragonborn with armour welded into their scales, guards with glowing axes, guards with barbed whips, dragonborn forces, Goliaths of the city, elves who learned soul-removal techniques, gold dragons, copper dragons, Verdugrim’s dragonborn and Goliaths, tabaxi of Brass City, Dumnens, elves under Benu, five sphinxes, ice elementals at Bleakstorm, elementals promised freedom, and Hartwall’s forces heading airwise.

Places mentioned include the large council tent, Wyrmdoom / Wormdoom, Askellon / Ashkellon / Ashkhellion, Vahthell / Vathkell, Thundeya / Thungle, Tradesmells, Emeredge’s city, the throne room, [uncertain: Tazer], the wash room, the outskirts of the city, the resistance building, the [uncertain: Gugghut], the soft tower, the old bird’s nest landing spot, the skull-arched room, the possible dragon lair, the Domain of Pengalis, the alarmed barracks floor, the statue room, the royal room / mess hall / honoured guard space, the Dunemin, the kitchenette and communal chimney, floors 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 of the tower, the lavish bedroom, the library-like map room, the Pentacity slates, the sea gap, Shousorrow, the prison rooms, Dumnenend / Dumnensend, the teleportation circle, Emri’s prison floor, the Noxia chamber, the treasure hall, Snowsorrow, Brass City, Fire, the great tower, the observatory room, Bleakstorm castle, Everdard, the throne room at Bleakstorm, outside the barrier, Gravel Basers, the invisible walkway, the clouds / Bridged encounter, Hartwall, and Emmerave.

Creatures and creature-like entities mentioned include the fat-bellied dragon in Dirk’s dream, dark demons, the black-feather communication bird, dragonborn, Goliaths, the baby Badger, the featureless woman reflected in the ring, the lion-headed god figure, the dragon in the no-barrier vision, the four card-playing dragonborn with welded armour, something made of air in a barrier, the goat man, the goat-headed sphinx, the copper-haired elven woman / copper dragon, the medusa, the statue figure, the child of the Mother with a worm, the eyeless dog, the fat dragon in the dragon vision, the Noxia Beast avatar, Trixus the elemental of light, Steven the goat man, the copper dragon from Snowsorrow, gold dragons, the female sphinx on Snowsorrow currency, the white creature / white dragon in the Attabre vision, and ice elementals.

Items, Rewards, and Resources

Items, currencies, and physical resources mentioned include Ennuyé’s fifth ring given to Dirk, the brick-like communication device with black feathers, the dagger placed in Araks’s back, towels, dirty soap, new linen, the linen basket where Badger was hidden, axes and armour held by Anastasia’s neighbours, old coins in the skull room, Goliath currency marked Domain of Pengalis, empty chests, offering bowls, a tower’s penny, nip offered to Attabo, Brass City platinum, Lortesh’s scale / hair of Nature, the bottle of cider offered to Igraine, the out-of-place picture of Benu / Garadul / goat-headed sphinx, the two large feathers with orange and blue feathers and beads, the note reading “Badger born in freedom,” the cloak burned in Stitcher’s bowl, red and blue crystals, the dwarf-and-dragon-head rug, the ornate map of the Pentacity slates, coins covering floor 30, four ornate swords, four copper pylons, barrier-opening wheels, glowing axes, barbed whips, cracked mirrors, the romance book thrown to Blisk, books taken from each library section, the poem about Valentenhide’s fall, bone-chip dragon currency from killed guards, the wand totem from the sister in Dumnenend, five goodberries from Morgana, the teleportation circle, Treamon’s skull, the rings taught by Ruby Eye, bronze and a telescope like Emri’s, the coin from Bridged, Thuvia’s coin, Dirk’s flaming sword effect, the health pipe on Eliana’s belt, Geldrin’s humming book, the skull charge / cooldown note, Trixus’s four brass rings on each paw, Goliath currency, Brass City currency, Dumnen currency, massive triangular Snowsorrow coins, the Snowsorrow coin with a female sphinx and dragon, the book on Benu, Garadul, and Trixus, the flesh-crafting wand, the book on Noxia, and the time-detecting device at Bleakstorm.

Spells, blessings, visions, and magical effects mentioned include Ruby Eye transforming Invar into a Goliath, Geldrin becoming invisible, teleporting to Ashkellon, Anastasia appearing under a dragonborn illusion or disguise, Anastasia sensing the weakened barrier, attunement to three of Ennuyé’s rings, elders’ minds repeating, the ring-reflection voice of the featureless woman, the alarmed floor, Goliathified god statues reacting to offerings, Bridged declaring the place safe, Attabo accepting nip, the Brass City platinum as payment, Seara / Nature declaring the hunt successful but betrayal at hand, Igraine’s cider vision of white roses and past betrayal, Tor’s protection blessing, Stitcher’s smoke image of Ruby Eye and Lute, the statement that a gift crafted for a friend is the key to it all, Morgana’s fireplace scouting, transparent walls on floor 30, Morgana sensing great evil and then seeing white flowers, copper-pylon barriers, Hephestus reading Morgana’s mind, ninth-level Banishment on Hephestus’s door, the Slumber version of Imprisonment on Trixus, the copper dragon’s memory returning after a maggot was removed from her ear, Attabre’s offering-bowl vision, Noxia’s blood corrupting earth, the blizzard at Bleakstorm, time detection showing Dirk missing a day, Bleakstorm’s cursed and blessed state, time travel with a cost, and Bridged’s cloud-face granting the proposal to free Perodita.

Strategic resources and communications mentioned include the plan to infiltrate the Goliaths and turn them against the dragons, Galimma’s information bargain and promised lair warning sign, the army’s attack on Tradesmells, Three Finger Dune Shwelter’s resistance contact, the resistance bird meeting at the [uncertain: Gugghut], Badger’s proposed freedom name as a morale or symbolic sign, the tower’s internal map and prison layout, the gods’ offering bowls as sources of protection and information, the small hole in the barrier noticed after the blessings, the Goliaths gaining weapons, shields, and slight healing, Stuart’s promise that he had Ruby Eye, the observatory books on Noxia, the decision to go to Bleakstorm, Bleakstorm’s intelligence on Perodita, Hartwall, Ruby Eye, Garadul, and time travel, the message sent and resent to The Basilisk, and Lady Elissa Hartwall’s movement airwise to help with the battle heading to Emmerave.

Clues, Mysteries, and Open Threads

Dirk’s Goliath-and-fat-bellied-dragon dream suggested a link to the dragons or Goliaths, but its source and meaning remain unknown.

Memories were returning since Eva slew The Mother. Ennuyé might be trapped, but whose side he is on remains uncertain. Ennuyé was also part of deals with dark demons, and his fifth ring is now with Dirk.

The Goliath Empire killed Perodita’s parents and built a city on their bones. Wyrmdoom remained there for centuries after the barrier went up. How this history connects to current Goliath sickness, the dragons, and Perodita’s own path remains central.

Galimma / the Peridot Queen offered useful information while openly negotiating for freedom to take mates, possibly kill husbands and the odd person, and live neither good nor evil. Her reliability, boundaries, and future threat level remain unresolved.

The dragon family list preserves many uncertain or variant names: Emeredge / Emmeredge, Askellon / Ashkellon, Willowspra / Willow-wispa, Vahthell, Toxicanthus, Wyrmdoom, Rotwrake, Thundeya, Verdigrim / Verdugrim, Tradesmells, Lapis, Heady, and Plague. Their exact identities, locations, and relationships to Lortesh and Perodita should be preserved carefully.

Resistance members trying to contact the outside disappeared. Three Finger Dune Shwelter’s black-feather communication brick may be vital, but the cause of the disappearances is not known.

Araks and the name Zekish are attached to the throne-room killing, but the exact identity of [uncertain: Arswales], the relationship between Araks, Zekish, and Emmeredge, and the political consequences of leaving Araks dead on the throne remain unclear.

Badger, born in captivity and hidden in a linen basket, became a symbol through the proposed name “Badger born in freedom.” Whether the child remained safe after the party’s actions is not recorded.

The skull arches, skinned-alive Goliath skulls, Goliath currency of Pengalis, and possible Lortesh dragon lair suggest old atrocities in the tower. The party did not fully resolve who made the skull display or why the skulls still moaned.

The ring voice addressed Invar as wearing “the ring of the betrayer” and showed a featureless woman taking damage. This may connect to Valentenhide / Bridged’s sister or another betrayed figure, but the identity is unresolved.

The Goliathified statues and offering responses produced multiple clues: Bridged declared safety, Attabo framed nip as a drug to dull loss, Seara / Nature warned that betrayal was at hand, Igraine warned not to trust someone who promised tribute and chose a darker path, Tor protects all, and Stitcher said a gift crafted for a friend is the key to it all. The intended targets of these warnings and the “gift crafted for a friend” remain open.

The white-roses vision included a dwarf man, an elf perhaps [uncertain: Adilth], children, a no-barrier sky, a pregnant elven woman, a sad elderly human man, and a bargain for a life that turned darker. The identities of the figures and their link to Igraine, Emri, or the barrier are uncertain.

The out-of-place picture of Benu / Garadul / goat-headed sphinx and the Warriors of the Lion from the Dunemin hid two large orange-and-blue-feathered relics. The feathers’ full purpose remains unresolved, though later one feather functioned as communication with Garadul.

The map of the Pentacity slates, red dome, ground towers, sea gap, and palace near Shousorrow may be a strategic map of barrier infrastructure or old power sites. Its exact reading remains open.

The prison rooms contained air, light, goat, sphinx, dragon, mirror, and other entities behind barriers. Hephestus wanted to clean the land but read Morgana’s mind and warned not to free the air entity. Whether Hephestus can be trusted is unresolved.

Willow-wispa was coming, Calameir was coming, and someone was called The Exiled. Their roles in the tower hierarchy remain unclear.

The poem about Valentenhide’s fall matched the one found in Dumnenend, implying a wider shared tradition, warning, or historical record.

Joy warned that “they’ve got him” and that the party should go, probably referring to Ruby Eye. Ruby Eye was then missing after the battle. His location and captors are unresolved.

Emri requested Treamon’s skull, would not answer questions about the rings, and was missing pieces of his soul. His guilt, misery, sorrow, compassion, Joy, and mercy may have been removed or separated. Trixus may be needed later to restore them.

Ruby Eye said his pacts with Kashe were his downfall and that sacrifices by him and Joy’s mother kept Joy safe and eternal. Why Joy needed eternal life, whether she can leave the barrier, and what those sacrifices cost remain unresolved.

The Noxia chamber, green dripping blob, medusa, statue figure, child of the Mother, worm, eyeless dog, telescope, shield spell, health pipe, Thuvia’s coin, Bridged coin, and Treamon’s skull all interacted during a major battle. The party killed the Noxia Beast avatar and Emmeredge died, but Noxia’s larger status remains open.

Activating blessings gave Goliaths weapons, shields, and healing, and revealed a tiny hole in the barrier. The significance of the hole and whether it can be expanded or exploited remains unknown.

Tradesmells was totally empty of dragons and Goliaths, while Ruby Eye was missing. What emptied Tradesmells and where its people or dragons went remain major open questions.

The elves learned not only barrier formation but also the removal of soul-parts in an attempt to perfect themselves. The large man under the mountain being a battery is an important clue that remains unexplained.

The copper dragon from Snowsorrow remembered after a maggot was removed from her ear. Her boy, Lorleh, Atlih / Ice Fang, Ice Fury, Eveline Heathsall, Argentum, Igraine’s ability to reach her, and Verdugrim’s breeding of dragonborn and Goliaths all need later preservation.

Trixus, Benu’s little brother and Attabre’s child, remained under Slumber Imprisonment despite barriers being opened. His rings identify Attabre as Protector of Brass City and first of his name, fifth of his kind. The “father wishes freedom for all his children” vision suggests Attabre wants the sphinxes freed.

The histories of Benu, Garadul, and Trixus show flawed protectors: Garadul with the Dumnens, Trixus with Brass City and the tabaxi, and Benu with the elves and the great tower. Benu’s departure and hiding remain unexplained.

Noxia’s blood corrupted land after a fight with Sierra and caused things not to grow. This may connect to earlier poisoned or cursed lands.

Bleakstorm detected Dirk missing a day. The missing day, Bleakstorm’s deals with a good and bad person, and his ability to send people back in time at a cost are unresolved.

Bleakstorm will not forgive Emri for taking away his only friend after being told not to entrust him. The friend, [uncertain: leechus], and the promise to free him remain open.

Perodita was heading to Hartwall, Garadul was getting stronger at Gravel Basers, Ruby Eye was out of Bleakstorm’s sight, and Bridged agreed to help free Perodita if the party agreed to release Valentenhide under the god rule. Perodita vanished at Hartwall, and Lady Elissa Hartwall had gone airwise toward Emmerave.

T.J. Boggins remained at Hartwall eating meat and watching opera, while Jin Woo was absent. Their immediate relevance is not stated.