Interlude 2

The Ship Dandies reach Wayreth to resupply, allowing Oliver to show his mother the find of a lifetime. 

The group discusses how best to get to Sancrist and where to land. Konguq decides to risk the potential bad weather to make it there in time to schmooze. Once in Sancrist, they send Aaron off with the host, check in with the wizards, and then head to where the knights are staying to try to earn their favor. 

With a new, eager crew and despite the weather, the ship crew makes time and arrives at Sancrist. They send Ace to drop Aaron offshore to talk with the knights. As they reach the shore, Aaron asks Ace to come with him, saying that Ace isn't nearly as good at talking as he is and that he could use him there. Ace is swayed and returns to the ship, only to grab Callum and take off again.

The ship crew then heads to where the wizards are camped to give them the dragon orb from Ice Wall. They are “greeted” by Jabbie as they enter the repurposed ruins. Calix and Vobble explore the ruins together, 

and a familiar face from Solace reappears, Allon. Reluctantly, Oliver approaches his ex-mentor and checks on him, surprised to see him so cordial. Oliver asks if there has been any news about Teacher, and Allon tells him that someone has to be teaching the Gray Robes.

Ivelos is informed that his son has arrived, and the elven man quickly rushes to them and hugs his son. They are both happy to see each other again after so long. They enter the chamber where Par-sailan and Berryl are to deliver the Orb when Par-sailan sees through Oliver's attempts to disguise the Staff of Magius from them. He paralyzes the half-elf in place and reveals it to the room. Par-sailan questions Oliver, who, at his father's behest, tells how Raistlin was eaten and that he manipulated it from the dragons in Ice Wall. Par-sailan turns to Ivelos and asks what they should do with the staff, and Ivelos agrees with Oliver, who has earned the staff. 

Konguq then turns the white dragon orb to Par-sailan. Before she does, however, she hears the dragon's voice, eager to take over the older wizard. She stops momentarily, then warns Par-sailan about the orbs' attempt to take him over. With the warning, he casts a spell, and Oliver hums a hymn to boost his chance to stop the takeover. 

He takes the orb seemingly without trouble, and the other wizards leave. Calix, however, stays behind with Berryl and discusses tactics that wizards might be able to use in the upcoming war. 

–

Ace and Aaron travel a bit further inland when a griffon flies overhead. They stop at a nearby village and join them in meeting their host, Lord Gunthar Uth Winston. 

Ace is stopped upon the manor's arrival, presenting not only the broken lance but the pardon he got from Ice Wall. After that, he is allowed in to schmooze as he pleases with the rest of the knights (and ladies of the house)

The only man not captivated by his charm is Admiral Kingsail, who is still bitter about Crossing. 

Uth Winston later pulls Ace aside and questions his ability to steal and whether it goes against his oath to Mishakal. Ace tells him no, and if talks go south, Uth Winston asks him to steal the Hammer of Kharas from the Dwarves. Ace is reluctant and asks to pray on the matter, to which Uth Winston agrees.

That might Ace dreams of the bones of his friends around the hammer.

The Stray Dandies arrive at Wayreth two days after the Dandy Rose departs. They gather resources when Ryai meets Andrea Wavewalker again, gushing about her son and his escapades in Ice Wall. They also learn that someone is still parading as Verminaard, though Ember has not returned.

The group prepares to separate on three ships to head to Sancrist. Broud asks Ryai if he is alright with going on a separate ship from him. Ryai agrees, but before separating, Ryai kisses Broud farewell, revealing the relationship to the rest of the group. 

Bron and Bomba head on one ship and bond over their misadventures over the next two weeks.

Shim and Broud on another to learn a little more about technology (though they seem to be more interested in Shim)

And Ryai, with the people of Solace, gets a chance to moan, groan, and info dump. 

After 2 weeks, they arrive in Sancrist and reunite to sail closer to where the Elves have made their camp. They are greeted by Ryai's father, Laith, and a few Kagonesti elves on boats. Laith catches the group up to speed with the elf political climate, with the Speaker still not speaking to anyone, leaving Porthios in charge, the princess of the Silvanesti in mourning and leaving it to her courtiers, and the leader of the Kagonesti being, as Laith refers to as “insane.”

So, things have been going great.

They are greeted by the leader of the Kagonesti, Kaganos, and his giant wolf companion, Noona. Shim tries to approach the giant wolf, but she growls at Shim. Most animals, when they make a sound, are saying something. However, when the wolf growls, Ryai notices that she says nothing. He brings it up to the group.

They are introduced to the camp and learn that Porthios has been talking the group up since Pax Tharkis. The princess of the Silvanesti, Alhana, thanks the group for trying to uncover what the rogue Silvanesti did to Qualinost and pays them. Ryai, however, refuses, feeling he didn't earn it. Shim notices the princess playing with a rock and recognizes it as valuable material to help him achieve his goal of giving his clockwork pet mousey, a bigger body. 

After the meeting, Laith takes the group to where they are camping. Ryai tries to look for his uncle but is worried he can't find him in the crowd. Laith tells him that despite being an outcast, they couldn't stop Paladithel from following them, and he took off not long before they arrived. Aydrinel and Prince Gilthanas took off on Griffons to find him, but they didn't seem to have much luck.

When they arrive at the campsite, Qualock greets them and is happy to prepare anything the group wants. For the first time in months, they can relax.

Ryai asks to speak in private with his father for a moment about Broud, and they enter Laith’s tent. At first, Laith gets the wrong impression, drawing his dagger, and Ryai very promptly says that Broud has not hurt him in any way. Instead, he confesses to him that they have become a couple and that while he knows it's something that would make others hate him, he'd rather have something worth fighting for. His father gives them well wishes and promises to try and get to know him. 

The Ship Dandies arrive the next day at the port with the knights. After some dubious smooth talking to the port master, they officially dock and take off into the town. Oliver, Konguq, and Calix hit up the nearest tavern, and Oliver goes straight to work to make the Dandies seem better to the knights. 

As he tells the story of Ace and Mishakal, a young knight calls out, telling the bard to shut up. 

And Konguq recognizes Corinth Ravenwing, Ace’s younger brother. 

Corinth claims that Ace stole the story from another knight named Derek Crowngaurd—a name the group doesn't recognize, but the boy seems to idolize. Oliver tries to calm the young knight down with magic, but he manages to withstand him. When brute force doesn't work, he tries to pay Oliver off, telling him that Ace is a disgrace to the Ravenwing name. Oliver wholeheartedly declines the platinum that Corinth offers, sticking up for Ace. 

Calix steps in, offering a duel with Corinth. If Corinth wins, Oliver stops talking about Ace. If Calix wins, Corinth has to give Ace a chance. 

They take the fight outside and draw a crowd. Oliver tries to give Calix an edge but is found and accused of trying to cheat. Calix continues the duel, and they agree to have first blood. Despite Corinth’s accolades in dueling, Calix soundly draws blood with just his shield. With the duel won Oliver returns to the tavern with the crowd. 

During the rest of their time there, Konguq shows the locals what good magic can do, putting on her own show. When some of them ask if she can heal their sick she takes them to Vorlo, who does begin helping the populace. Calix spends some more time with Corinth, and Corinth realizes that the dragon armies treat their own no better than anyone else.

The Stray’s spend their time in camp trying to get to know and explore the elven camp and find that it's pretty cramped. Ryai starts his day trying to understand Kaganos, and while he gets the feeling that Kaganos has learned more about him than Ryai has learned about Kaganos, he isn't crazy. He learns, however, that Kaganos is the name of the founder of the Kagonesti, but also title in a way as well as a state of mind. 

Shim tries to do a border patrol to ensure the camp is as safe as it claims to be. When they do, they come across the mourning Silvanesti princess Alhana with her Griffons. Shim is flabbergasted by her beauty, and their flustered rambles get the princess to break her icy exterior and laugh. They talk about Cyan and how he took over Silvanesti, and Shim shows her the Fang of Verdance. They tell her they promised to destroy it, but she has the idea to replace the venom with the quicksilver they use to make the Dragonlance. Shim knows where the material might be since they grew up in Sancrist. Alhana recruits Shim in killing Cyan. 

Bron walks around camp and sees that despite being all together, the elves are pretty isolated. He starts talking among the elves and stirs up trouble, and fights start to break out after not long. 

Shim returns to their tent, and Broud meets him there, nose-deep in his books. Shim exclaims, and the princess laughs like butterflies before they hear a commotion outside.

Ryai returns to see Bron hiding from the conflict and the elves in chaos and disarray. He turns to Bron, asking what happened, and Bron admits that he got them to fight. Having been meditating in a tree, Bomba points out to Ryai that Prince Porthios and a few of the Silvanesti nobles are arguing. Ryai tries to split up the fight, and one of the Silvanesti calls him an “it.” To this, Porthios lashes out at them with a thunder wave. The fighting stops, and Kaganos, Alhana, and Porthios agree to finally unite and talk about what's important.

The Stray's return to their tent and review everything they know. 

Broud announces that he potentially found something in Shadoa, where the Chromatic dragons lost to the Metallic dragons. He hopes to find a clue to their victory there. 

Shim talks about how Alhana has recruited him to find the lance materials and to kill Cyan. 

Unfortunately, Ryai reports that his uncle and Gilthanas found no sign of Paladithel and know he's nowhere near the camp. After going through his things, he found that he had left rather quickly and left his fortune behind.

Despite their information, they decide to wait for the meeting before acting on anything. 

Later, while meditating, Bomba sees the Kaganos line. Despite the different Kaganos every time, the wolf is always there. To Bomba's surprise, Noona approaches Bomba and speaks to her. Noona reveals that she is a spirit who follows their line. She and Bomba talk and Noona realizes that Bomba is very different from the rest of her mind. She is then given a blessing.