Stray Dandies
Darkember 17th
The party travels through the corrupted forest, watching skinless deer and undead roves travel through. The ride is quiet and tense as the consequences of the morning surround them. Aydrinel finds them a secure clearing for the group to rest in. The group starts to prepare their camp while Ryai offers Silver to sleep in his tent, and Shim shares rations with the changeling.
They try to process what happened; still feeling raw and hurt, Bomba punches Ryai, blaming him for changing the plan and the loss of her “home.” Ryai yells back at her, and Bomba takes off. Shim and Silver go after Bomba, while Broud and Vodren stay in the camp.
Shim and Silver catch up with Bomba, who expresses that she’s upset and hurt that she was banished and that the plan has changed. Silver reminds her that while yes she lived there and had an attachment to Qualinost, it was the only “home” Ryai had ever known and where his family was. On top of it, Ryai wasn’t in his right mind most of the time. Silver asks what Bomba and Shim want to do from here, and they both agree that they still want to try to fight and save the metallic dragons. Silver tells Bomba to clear the air with Ryai when she returns.
Back in the camp, Broud sulks while Ryai flinches at the slapping sounds he makes with his hands. Vodren goes to try and take care of the horses to try and reconnect with Habbakuk. He gets the feeling that the reason the animals haven’t turned is because he’s there. Realizing his power is still there, he does a pep talk to Broud and Ryai. He tells them that they can still fight and can still proceed. Broud agrees, but Ryai struggles, saying that he feels everything he was meant to do was to destroy his home. Broud admits he doesn't have a solution outside of burning everything, and Ryai agrees, getting him scolded by his father. Broud offers that if Ryai wants to run off, he’ll follow him. But he shakes his head, telling him that the last thing he wants people to think is that they can control him; if he is the wolf that fights while the forest burns, Ryai will fight even if the world burns around him.
Bomba returns, and she and Ryai talk about their frustration. Ryai tells her he didn’t want to deviate but couldn't break through the charm. He explains that this gave him the idea to do the ritual himself. That way, everyone would have to accept him for who he is. He is told that no matter what he does, there will be people who just won't accept him. Bomba expresses her frustration with the elves, and Laith reminds her that they have always been on the right side throughout history. But Cyan Bloodbane had centuries to plan this, and their isolation from the outside world aided their downfall. The group agrees they will still go after Pax Tharkis, and Laith helps the group get some rest, leaving Ryai, Aydrinel, and Silver awake.
Ryai takes the time to explain why he left and how Paladithel assaulted him. Laith says the man is lucky he’s headed in the opposite direction of them because he would gladly take the title of dark elf to kill him. He then asks if he did something wrong for Ryai to want to change, and Ryai explains that after he convinced himself not to go through with taking his life, he made it to New Ports and found a merchant family to take him in. They helped him develop his new identity, and he found that he liked being Ryai. He liked the people he met as Ryai and who he was with them. In turn, he did something horrible to try and protect them, revealing that he had Vanthanoris’s blade. Aydrinel doesn’t recognize the blade, but Laith’s eyes go wide. He explains that Crossing chose Ace over him and that they couldn’t afford to spurn Qualinesti's assistance. In addition, he nearly killed Konguq and Morris; if he had lived, he would have been a larger threat. Ryai apologizes for feeling like he couldn't tell them what happened. Laith tells him that if he could have, he would have kept him safe and home, but while he left home a girl, he returned to him a man. Ryai tells him that despite all the strife he’s been through, it's what pushed him forward to improve. Ryai then gives his father the pearl necklace his mother used to wear, explaining he had no idea what would happen, but figured he would want her with them. Before turning in, Laith reminds him that even though he is grown, he can talk to him about anything.
The night was unsettling, to say the least, in the forest. Their camp had at least managed to be untouched by the corruption of "Elf Doom" for now. While the rest slept, Ryai sat alone with his thoughts.
And the crushing weight of guilt whispered in his mind, reminding him that this was all his fault.
Logically, it wasn't. There were multiple factors involved that led to this. Paladithel had the city wrapped around his finger, and the silvanesti had Paladithel fooled. And Cyan had such a tight grip on him he couldn't think straight-
That, too, filled him with a paralyzing fear- the realization of how the dragon had preyed on his insecurities, manipulating him. He couldn't help but wonder how long this had been going on. Months? Years? Knowing how long the dragon had to plan this, he couldn’t say.
It seems obvious now that speaking up in the first place could have prevented this. But even worse, he knows that if he had, he wouldn't be the same person he is now, a realization that weighs heavily on his heart.
He flops back onto the cold, hard ground, causing Marovie to give a tiny confused hoot as he did. The owl hopped over to his face, tilting his head in confusion.
"Sick?" Marovie clicked his beak
"I'm not sick, Marovie," Ryai huffed. "I'm just tired."
Marovie tilted his head at his partner. " Sick makes you tired," he replied, "Dragon made you sick like others." His feathers puffed up.
"The dragon didn't- ok, maybe it did make me sick," Ryai sighed, "but I'm not anymore."
"Still look sick." Marovie tilted his head again. Ryai rolled his eyes and pushed the bird away, which earned him a nip on his fingers. He gazes at the sky, Solinari nowhere in sight, and raises his hand, looking at the tattoo Konguq had chosen for him.
She told him it was a symbol from her people. It meant transformation and new beginnings, which could be boiled down to change if he thought about it. People are often terrified of change, and for good reason. The greatest example he can think of being forest fires and the destruction they bring.
For a moment, his mind began to wander to the Dandies. It had only been three days, but he wondered how they were fairing. Konguq mentioned recruits were waiting for them at the ship. What were they like? What would Ice Reach be like? Would Isa still be alive? Konguq made it sound like she was. Would Ace make peace with Mishakal? Could he even face them again after all this?
There was no coming back from thi- or was there?
Ryai quickly sat back up, startling Marovie. He then flipped through his spell book and journal. Marovie landed on his shoulder, cooing in his ear.
“Find something?”
"An idea," Ryai replied. "The dragon isn't here."
Marovie tilted his head again, not sure what Ryai was talking about. Ryai continued either way.
"A dragon wouldn't miss its chance to gloat. Which means it wasn't capable of doing so. So it's still in Silvanost. Since he's not here, whatever is happening here is like a spell. Something this big, even if it is a dragon, needs to be concentrated on. Which means it can be distracted from it." Ryai's mind raced with these thoughts, trying to piece together a plan.
“You look better,” Marovie replied
"The ghost dragon freaked out when they tried to destroy the fang. I wonder if that will do it," Ryai mumbled.
“Much better”
"Hopefully, there is another solution that won't require a Dragonlance. But this can end. It will take time, but it will end, and we will reclaim our home," he declared, his voice filled with a newfound hope.
He paused as he looked at the page with a little sketch of the garden in their courtyard. According to his father, it was where he first learned to walk, and perhaps countless others before him took their first steps there.
Even if he got it back, it would never be the same.
None of it would ever be the same.
And for the first time, Ryai felt at peace with that.
Ship Dandies
Frostkolt 1st-3rd
A ship parts through the mist of the sea, surrounded by chunks of icebergs. The air is calm, the occasional sea hawk flying overhead. A pod of narwhals swims past.
Captain Konguq sits at the desk of her quarters, going over the logbooks. The only sound is the click of an abacus and the scratch of a quill. Flipping a page, she begins counting the rest of the necessities.
Dental paste; check. Soap; check. Cotton padding… Hmm, time to stock up again? There have been more injuries with the boy and his training. She laughs to herself, and then we see her face soften and more women on board. Her eyebrow quirks up. Ah, wasn’t I supposed to begin my cycle two days ago? Where is that damn ca-
“Konguq, we are going to be arriving soon. Bette said she can make out the shape of buildings.” Morris pokes his head through the door, eyes alight with excitement. “You coming?”
She laughs, feeling the rush of cold air flow in behind him, though not the bite of it. “I’ll be out in a bit, I just want to check something”. He smiles warmly at his love before backing away. “Aye ye, Captain, I’ll meet you at the wheel with Ace.” “See you,” she calls as the door shuts.
I’m going home! Mama, Daddi, Nanna, I’m coming home. She grins as she opens a drawer, pulls out a small brown journal, and flips through. Okay, so I started on Tuesday last month. That means I should be starting …last Sunday… seven days ago. What? She drops the book, and it lands on the desk with a thud. Her vision blurs for a second, and the abacus is suddenly in her hands. The sound of gentle clicks is replaced by sharp clacks. Her heart pounds loudly in her ears, and time seems to slow.
The abacus is set down gently, and the captain of the Dandy Rose sits in her chair. She does not remember standing, she cannot feel the chair beneath her. Her heartbeat slows to a normal rate and her breath evens out.
I’m late; it is highly possible that I.. Morris and I.. we-
She stands, slides her chair in as she walks to the door. Staff in hand and sword on hand, the Captain throws open the door of her quarters and steps into the bright sunlight. She stands up straight and greets her crew.
Pregnant. A baby. A little dandy. She smiles at her found family. They’ll be so loved.
The crew of the Dandy Rose makes it to Ice Reach in three days. Calix surveys the horizon and sees the wall protecting the city, which is covered in blood. Despite it only being three days, Calix has Vobble well trained. The cold has begun to affect the crew, with Oliver complaining about the cold. They start to load up on the flour Linvai planned to sell, and as it starts to go up the glacier, Vobble struggles and accidentally causes the rope to snap on the lift, and Fallen Oak tries to grab the rope to keep it stable. Calix scolds Vobble, but the Icewalkers give the Ogrekin a wide berth as they reach the top. Konguq, Ace, Fallen Oak, Martle, and Oliver make it to the top, warmly welcoming Konguq. They ask her about the Ogrekin, but she vouches for Calix and Vobble. They tell her that Chief Nutaaq (Solid Ice) wants to see her, and the party heads that way.
Chief Nutaaq and Konguq hugged each other, and Nutaaq welcomed them into her home. She had them all sit while explaining that the blood outside the wall was mostly Thanoi, but they were being attacked. She also told them that there were Minotaurs there as well, but Calix made sure there was a distinction between him and the Minotaurs there. Nutaaq also explains that they have not heard from Konguq’s tribe in a month, but that is not uncommon. Konguq requested they get a snowboat to get out to them and deal with what is happening in Ice Wall.
Nutaaq explains that they have seen a white dragon carrying cargo. Oliver tries to assage Konguq that Feal-Thaas is more interested in the thanoi than people. They try to negotiate the price of the boat, and Nutaaq asks for the spear tips they have for free. With that not being their decision to make, they agree to talk to Lindvai first. Nutaaq agrees and recognizes Oliver, mentioning that he has a bounty. Oliver groans that he hasn’t been this far and asks what he did. She, however, seems more interested in him than any actual bounty. It finally clicks with everyone that she’s looking for a good time, and Oliver switches gears and starts telling her stories.
The party leaves Oliver and Nutaaq, and Calix looks for enrichment for Vobble. He heads to the barracks and tries to get the men there to engage in sparring and cards, but the hard looks they give tell Calix to go elsewhere despite Vobble's anger. They spar instead with Fallen Oak.
Konguq talks with Lindvai about the spears but receives word that the boat will be given to them at no cost. In addition, the prices of goods are better for them. She and Ace instead head to enjoy their time in the trading post.
The following day, the party prepares to take off into the snow. Oliver leans against the snow ship, smiling despite the cold, and Martle turns red as he records their adventure. Calix also notices the next day that the people who once distrusted him and Vobble are now less cold to them. They buy their goods, prep the ship, squeeze everyone on, and head off.
The first day of travel goes off without a hitch. They spot a group of Minotaur harassing an ice bear and decide it is not worth their time. However, Konguq finds signs of a blizzard and tries to find a place to hunker down. They spot a destroyed ice boat but see signs of thanoi around it. Ace scouts it out, and the group prepares for a fight. Despite their imposing stature, the group quickly and easily routes them. They prep the boats and have the group split between the two. Ace, Konguq, Morris, Oliver, and Zim take the boat the thanoi were in, and Calix, Fallen Oak, Martle, and Vobble take the other. In the thanoi boat, they find evidence of Konguq’s people. Oliver does his best to do a send-off for her fallen tribe’s men while the group prepares to wait out the blizzard.
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