Journal #56: Gold is not what King’s Envy

After leaving the lost cause that was the Prince, our goal was now set on the Jade Shrine. Which we acquired one dwarf, which I was not terribly upset with. His opinion of the Prince really changed my mind on him.
 
That was not what we did this morning.
 
No, The Lost Ones are outside far from the walls from that Dwarven city. A soul gem of what I thought was a metallic golden dragon sword in hand ready to fulfill my promise to the Dragon, regardless of the color of their scales. Which the other tried to convince me otherwise, the Dragon might have been lying. Which I knew, but reasonable even if the Dragon was say for instance was a Red Dragon. Also, they would want to be free, which I could have argued to whatever Dragon to not look too much into this and leave. If they were evil, but we were all wrong.
 
As my blade stuck the Soul Gem, Vorthómin was freed after what could have been centuries. A hulking crystal dragon appeared as if he had always been there. Stealing down, placing his gaze on me.
 
For a little while, at least.
 
I could almost feel Licia's Gaze as the Dragon shimmered, what little light there was reflected like a prism on the small hill we found outside the city. As my thoughts on this being a Golden dragon just shattered in front of me. Regardless I welcomed him back to the land of the living.
 
Vorthómin had made it fairly clear he would accompany us to the Shrine. Regardless of the choice that I suggest of the crystal dragon enjoying his freedom, instead of heading straight back into danger.
 
Each of us then discussed which Shrine and how we are going to get there. Flying was the best option, but with the Arcane problem, I was not able to help. As Burdry was quite clear on not dealing with anything Arcane. Thank the gods for druidic magics, as Kraia turns herself and Cid into Dire Eagles? At least I thought they were Dire Eagles.
 
Strangely, I miss the train. As riding Dire Eagles was not the most comfortable and something I probably would not like to experience again. Especially as when we got closer to the Jade Shrine, Dragons become more abundant. You could almost hear their cries in the sky. Seeing was another problem as the area seemed to be caught in a snow storm. Eventually, it becomes difficult for Kraia and Cid to continue to Fly.
 
The last straw was the two white dragons, who saw us as an easy snack in the air. Noticeably as we despatched the dragons from the sky, the bodies falling into the stark white ground below. Vorthómin had stayed back, watching us. Watching how capable we were. Reading a Dragons feeling was hard enough, but as the storm picked up, it became damn near impossible too.
 
We land, Kraia carving the last Dragon she killed. Which with some luck, we found a cave that would fit our needs. Nothing special a giant carver ten or so feet from the entrance. Vorthómin had to help us enter as the wind became so loud some of us could not even move at times. We thought about closing the cave that went further into this lucky resting spot, I guess our thought process was we would deal with whatever came from that entrance.
 
We were forced to get comfortable. As the storm had no signs of letting up. Lukas had brought to our attention that the Demiplane inside the scepter was odd, and he received a note inside that plane. Which was concerning, but I got back to that later.
 
I have to say, approaching Vorthómin with the Dragon egg was nerve-racking for sure. What he told both eased my worries and brought up new ones. Raising the odd purple egg with pink speckles to the crystal dragon's eye Vorthómin as best as he could guess narrowed down the child's type.
 
That this egg was an Esoteric Dragon. As to which of the five he could not place. Occult, Nightmare, Etheric, Astral, or Dream. Time to do research into that.
 
As the storm remain constant. As some of the others began to speak on Ghoran Syrup, I decided not to participate in this conversation. I found myself watching Celu, who was gazing farther into the dark cave. Then an idea formed, a cold one. Stepping outside the cave, I made three snowballs. Finding myself near Celuriel again. Then as I handed her one, I explained that snowball could be thrown at people. I thought for a second she would toss it at me, but she took a couple of steps near Licia. She tossed with an accuracy I had only seen in her games of darts, nailing Licia in the jaw. Licia shot me a glare seeing that I was the root cause of her attack. I tossed a snowball up and down, thinking about if I should give her another. Celu turned probably to ask if she had done it correctly. My arm already flung the snowball, hitting her in the face.
 
Celuriel froze clearly not expecting that, narrowed her eyes at me. Then rushed over to the entrance to create her own collection of snowballs she would fling at me.
 
The battle was long, and both of us suffered, and it was evident by the end of this would likely not be the last fight in the frosty war. I fully expect a sneak attack from her at some point when we were not doing something heroic. It is a small moment.
 
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Change to Third Person as Text Roleplay happened with Lukas
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Removing the snowman from his face, a small thing Celu made to distract Aniks so she could shove more snow in his face. It had become a bit too cold for any long term fight in the snow. The two went farther in the cave were the rest of the party was. Perhaps he had missed it in conversation as he was busy tossing snow at Celuriel. As he walked back in thought, but something bugged him.Eventually once Aniks remembered, the vampire was tapped on the back of his head. “You never told us what was on that note, did you?”
 
Lukas spun around from where he'd been blatantly trying to eavesdrop on what looked like a private conversation between the party's two warpriests, eyes wide with faint fear at being touched by someone in this group. He blinked a few times at the drow and his odd question, fear quickly transforming into his usual smile. "Ja, vell, none of you vere like, even a teensy-veensy bit interested, you know? Und it vas addressed to me, not any of you, so vhy ze heck vould I just like, say vat is on it?
Aniks shrugged some snow fell off his shoulder as he did the motion. "I asked half my question, but then as the conversation turn to something more disgusting I left. My other question unasked." As it just as concerning on how he received a note, as to what that note said. "I simply asked because one curiosity, and two I would be concerned for our safety if context of the note was dangerous."
 
"Vhat vas-- oh, ze syrup? Vell, you know, it's really just natural. Vhy does zat need to be disgustink?" If his posture and expression were anything to go by, Lukas was being entirely serious (or as serious as he could be) and wasn't simply trying to distract Aniks from the topic of their talk. He shrugged. "Anyvay, I don't sink it's, like, dangerous. Maybe to, like, me since I'm not vhere I'm 'meant' to be but vhy should zat matter?"
 
He was silent just staring at the vampire. Not where we thought a part of the conversation would go but "While natural, it's really not something I would use on my food. Or even want to taste for that matter. Regardless of my personally preference on thing like that. As for why that matter, because sometimes when somebody is missing for long enough. People go looking for them."
 
Lukas considered both of these things, dismissing them with a headshake. "Vell, it isn't my fault zey can't scry into ozzer planes. Zey vere ze vuns to srow mein coffin into some kobold sing, anyvay! I vasn't even dressed!" His protest sounded entirely genuine, if somewhat childish in how he phrased it. He crossed his arms. "Honestly I don't even know vat zey vant for a response! 'Ja I'm in some cave in fuck knows vhere' vill probably make zem all more angry."
 
" The truth maybe? Minus the not being dress. That's a little weird." With a mocking raised eyebrow Aniks said "What is you family looking for you?"
 
"If I tell zem ze trüs, at leaast vun of you people vill get mad at me for saying it, zo. Ve are vampires, so zere's no trust from you, ja?" He ran a hand through his hair, not breaking eye contact with the drow. "Und ja, actually. Mein cousin is being all like 'vhy aren't you being uuseful' like zat's going to help like, literally anyzing. You know how it is vith family, right?"
 
Aniks shrugged Lukas wasn't wrong about that. Likely somebody would get upset, that was the problem with good people. They get upset often. However Aniks hardly knew this Vampire so even he was weary of him. "Trust takes time to build, especially when you have such interesting circumstances to how you were found." Another eyebrow raised his voice was flat and sarcastic "No as a male drow I have never once had a problem with family."
 
Lukas looked taken aback by the sudden sarcasm. "Ja, exactly. You know ze vomen have all ze power vhere I'm from too, right? Zey aren't gentle vis it eizer!" While he was complaining, it did still seem quite lighthearted. "Und I am not zat dumb. I don't expect aaany of you to trust me, but at ze same time I have no fücking idea vhere ze hell ve are und being lost in zis frozen hellscape seems like ein very bad idea!" Even if he was a vampire, and wouldn't freeze to death. "Zough in saying zat.. I could just write ein plea for help on ze note, since it's like magical or somezing."
 
"Please they're probably pleasant compared to drow matriarch or drow women in general." He smirked as he was still had not found a society more painful than that one ...yet. "Understandable, it hard to explain all this, where would you even start" Gesturing to the people around them. "Were they just asking you to come home or..." Aniks left it open for him to choose to answer.
 
Lukas shrugged, exaggerating it to emphasise the confusion. "Nein, it vas more a lot of "vhy aren't you at zis place" und "if you're a prisoner let zem see zis" or vhatever. Honestly I read it like once then vent back to vandering around ze weird place. Vhy does he even have zat staff? You can read ze note if you really vant to, you know. It's like, somevhere here." It took a little bit of rustling about in pockets that seemed a little too deep to be entirely nonmagical, but Lukas did eventually pull out a pristine envelope only marred by the precise letter-opener slit at the top. The wax seal still sat in its place on the outside: bright red, and stamped with an ornate crest. He glanced at the crest for a second - too familiar with it to care - and offered it to Aniks.
 
"Gods only know why he has that staff. Was the blood lake the only thing you explored?" His head turned to look at the elf and dwarf. They seem to be getting along. Aniks sat across from Lukas, the fire at his back. As he attempted to warm up a bit with the letter in hand. Eventually pulling the letter out reading it.
 
Lukas took Aniks's movement as the perfect cue to settle in a liiittle further away from the fire. Not the greatest fans of fire, vampires. "Oh nein, zere vere so many sings there! I started in zis like, little shrine area but like no vay vas I going to stay staring at ze veird crystal shit going on. Crystals aren't meant to like, move, you know? So zen I valked around for a vhile and found zis crazy forest place zat I walked srough and it just kept getting, like, bigger. Und zat vas vhere ze lake vas, plus some veird animals zat really didn't like me - probably because I'm dead, but vhatever. Zere vas even more past ze forest vhen I eventuaaally got ze fuck out: like, mountains vorth of stuff!"
 
The letter was on dense parchment; the heavier kind used by the rich, it would seem, rather than any scraps used by peasantry. The writer was clearly overly familiar with the sort of fancy script that high-class children were forced to spend months learning, for anyone less experienced with nobility might have struggled to read the blood-red ink.
 
Thankfully, Aniks didn't struggle that much.
 
Dearest young cousin Lukas,
 
I will depart from our usual etiquette this once due to your odd behaviour as of late. I thought you were well informed about the need for communication!
 
You had better have a fine explanation on why you cannot be scried on at the moment, let alone be contacted by other means. Where are you? Why aren't you at Moonsfall? Sir Blackmoore tells us Lord Drast's ally is moving forward with her plans while you hide away doing nothing of significance! Why are you not making something of yourself?
 
The lord's friend offered us this chance to reach out on behalf of your current employers. He said this paper works both ways - a trick of alchemy, less detectable than the usual magics. Use the back to explain yourself, please, or we shall be forced to recover you ourselves from whatever situation you've managed to mire yourself in. If this is some waste of time born of cowardice and idiocy, there will be consequences!
 
If this note is received by your captors instead: please use the back to arrange a suitable method for us to reclaim our wayward cousin. I shall be glad to discuss appropriate compensation. If he is deceased, then please at least return to us his ashes for the family's graveyard.
 
With much love,
Lady Ottilie von Schultheiss
 
“Of fucking course they’re involved” Aniks mutter in undercommon as he finished the letter. Something to mention to the other later, when Lukas wasn’t around. More for his safety than anything else. Putting the letter back in the envelope. The dark elf handed the letter back. “Your family are at least concern about you. To some extent it seems. I did not expect that much inside that scepter's world, much less living creature or moving crystals.” The description made Aniks wonder if that world was something more that a Demiplane or something else entirely.
 
Lukas looked surprised at the sudden language switch, blinking back confusion and accepting his returned letter. "Ja vell zey could try showing some ozzer vay zat doesn't suggest I'm silly enough to get, like, killed. How vould zat even happen easily, ve're verdammte vampires." He leant back, resting against his hands. "Und me neizzer. I vas like "oh wunderbar he's put me in some prison place" und zen it vas an entire like, place? Gott, I should write ein response to zem at least. I vonder if mein pen has ink."
 
His eyes narrowed as he tured his head to the side. "Your young even by Vampire standards aren't you? That might explain their level of trust in you. Do you want to go to this..." he made a gesturing motion trying to recall the exact place in the letter. "Moonfalls. Sounds like they are not giving you much choice in the matter. Do you know the people in that letter or you just getting roped into some grand plan of somebody else's design."
 
He... absolutely didn't almost fall over at the audacious accusation levelled at him! No, that was simply Lukas's hand slipping. "I.. don't know vhat you mean, I... am not gut enough at ze lies to make zat believable, am I?" He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Ja, zey're pretty ageist. It's kind of rude, you know? Like, zey have all zis experience but zat does not mean zey can totally ignore mein vords like zey do. I know Cousin Ottelie, ja, but ze others? Eh, not very vell. Ze lord vas scary as scheisse ze only time I saw him und Blackmoore is vay older zan me und ein old 'family friend' so I know him only from ze fancy parties." He found it weird that Aniks was asking about his choice; it was pretty obvious by his visible confusion. He shrugged to cover it. "Like obviously it is some grand plan. Ze heads of ze various covens are alvays doing zis, it's not like ve don't get anysink out of it."
 
Aniks waved it off with a hand gesture “No, it was both that letter and a handful of moments while you were around. I probably could not pin your exact age, probably no more than 150 if I had to guess, but that is a *really* rough guess. It’s understandable to some extent that vampires would be ageist. As they technically could live for thousands of years. However a person word should always be considered. If your wrong they should at least explain as to why you are.” Aniks was slightly amused by the reaction from the vampire. As that was unexpected “Regardless of who they are, it’s important for you to understand their motives. If you do not agree with them, why work with them?”
 
Lukas blinked at the guess, mouth slipping into a smirk. "Vun hundred und fifty? Mein Gott do I act zat old already? Zat's like, more zan a century off. Ja, you see, becos I am vay younger zan zem - ze Contessa de Marchelle is like, at least a zousand years und she is not ze oldest - zey sink I need to just listen und do vat zey say. Like zat'll vork, right?" His smirk turned vaguely sad at Aniks's second question, being more plastered on than genuine. It didn't suit him. "Vell, if I do not vork vis zem, zey might actually just kill me? Or do ozzer terrifying sings. I had zis friend from House Rennell who vas turned like five decades before I vos even born und last year he refused to dance vis zis pretty voman from ze Güldenbergen family, und his sire vas so mad zat he is making poor Travis clean ze entire mansion und live in ze servant quarters as a servant for ze next decade. Und zat is a very light punishment!"
 
"Farther than I thought, I was thinking between eighties and hundreds. I cannot Image living that long, maybe it's just the type of mind set." Aniks said amused that he was that young. A thousand years is damn near impossible for a drow, most drow hardly live to be in their three hundreds. It was hard to image. "If they are that harsh..." Which Aniks didn't truthfully think that was all that harsh. There could be other benefits for a position like that, but that was just his upbringing taking. "How did you end up here and not in Moonfalls? Were you not worried about punishment?"
 
"Zat's because you're a drow und you elf people have veird views of time! Ze Falkenrath family is mostly, you know, human, so ve get turned on our 18th most of ze time, und so it has not been zat many years. It vas a whole process, like zere was a cool party and everysing. Und ze old fockers are even veirder zan any elf vis how zey treat time. It is like zey are always playing chess vis ze rest of us, really."
 
Lukas shrugged. It felt like he was doing that a lot lately. "Do you really sink I have an answer for zat? Because I don't! I vent to hibernate in my bed after a lot of really long lectures about a lot of really boring sings zat I didn't pay ZAT much attention to - vhich is probably part of a mistake but ve don't need to sleep so I'm not exaggerating vhen I say it took three days - und voke up to you people. I am guessing zat ze kobolds vere meant to like, deliver me to a place or somesing und somesing vent pretty wrong vhen you showed up?"
 
Lukas took that moment to consider something. "Und, vell, if zey punished me it vould probably not be death. Maybe horrific research experiment or torture or humiliation or somesing like zat, but I vould be alive. Your group really vants to kill me und zat is like, ninety-six percent of ze reason I am not trying to mist form into ze snow und olly ze fuck out. I kind of like zis life, ja?"
 
Aniks put both his hands on his face and pulled down sighing. "Ugh this is the problem with 'good' and 'evil' Some times people are so blinded by one they cannot see the world for what it really is. Shades of gray" It was a small gripe about the people he hung around. Aniks leaned back his hands propping him up. Aniks smirked "I would think Elves might have a closer opinion of time with vampires, as they tend to live much longer than my kin. They, those older vampires, Lukas play the game. It does not matter how old you are, how long you could live..." He gestured an excetera excetera excetera with his right hand " Anybody could play that game of chess, it just a matter of how one views the world. Easiest way not to be some piece attempt the game yourselves." Aniks paused for a moment unsure where to go from there "What do you want to do?"
By the look on Lukas's face, it was pretty obvious that he hadn't expected that little tirade. He seemed quite taken aback. "Ja, you're definitely older..." he muttered, clearing his throat. "Ah, vell, I do not really care for ze games everyone else plays vith eachozzer. I mean, I sink I vould be happy just, you know, staying in ze background und fighting papers und letter-writing instead of vatching out for... traps, trigger-happy clerics, the sun, vampire hunters like ze famous Alucard, adventuring parties who like killing sings, armies..." He counted each option off on his fingers, stopping after a bit and just smiling at Aniks (and then immediately dropping the smile when he met the eyes of someone a few steps behind Aniks. I wonder who.) "But you get ze point! Zis is all too complicated, und silly, and honestly really dangerous. How ze Hell did your family agree to let you leave?"
 
Both Aniks eyebrows raised "I thought Alucard was a myth? Like an old wise tale. "Aniks shook his head as he hadn't expected Alucard to be a real person. "People have choices, if you do not want to play as some pawn piece. You should find a way off the board, and avoid death in the process." Before getting to his family his eyes narrowed at the drop in Lucas smile. Realizing he wasn't looking at him anymore. Aniks leaned back his head looking behind him. "What's up Dreamcatcher?"
Lukas brushed his hair back again, unable to really sit still. "All zese heavy questions und also talk of Alucard? I sink he vas definitely around a vhile ago, but I sink he is long dead now. Zough apparently he has come back like, multiple times, so it is totally possible zat he is actually a person zat exists. Scary sought, ja?" He very clearly didn't want to address the heavier questions, instead looking behind Aniks at the woman he'd addressed to let her speak for once.
Celuriel had the decency to look slightly guilty for being caught with a dagger in her hands, a pile of snow gathered at her feet at easy reaching distance. It wasn't like she'd ever learnt to pretend innocence. "...I'm not letting you talk to vampires unsupervised," she said flatly. Lukas shivered under her glare, and quickly picked up the talking before she could make some other sort of threat.
 
"I-if everybody plays ze game zen zere is no real vay of leaving ze board vizout dying, nein? I sink zat ship sailed like.. years ago, vhen I actually died und became like zis. Or maybe vhen I vas born first. Is zere even a vay to not be a pawn or a player und not be dead?" He could totally play off that stutter.
 
"Well if I cannot talk him alone, then you can sit next to me?" Aniks said, looking at her for moment. Then looked back at Lukas, waving off the last part. "You know what I mean. You might have died but your not dead. Your walking, talking and can make your own choices. It's just a matter of what choices you make. Sometime to leave the board you need play a bit before you can leave. It's hard to say really, I managed it for a little while, but everybody is different. What worked for me might not for you. It's complicated, but it is life. "
 
Celu considered his offer, sending Lukas another 'watch-it' glare when Aniks looked away from her. The vampire managed to not flinch this time at least. "...Fine." She sat next to Aniks, knife very much still held in one hand. (It is to be noted that the pile of snow was still easily within reach.)
 
For his part, Lukas managed to not look intimidated by the party's second most terrifying member joining them. Probably because she'd been lurking nearby the entire time. "All zis talk of choices und games is good but like, ze reality of all zis is zat if I actually tell ze family vhere I am, zey vill probably show up und zat will not go vell for anybody! Same for if I just like, write und say "hallo I am lost in ze snow". If I say I am not following zeir order und finding zat place, zey vill hunt me... und zat leads to same result. Und vhatever I do, it's risky because all of your friends hate even ze good vampires, so like..." Shrugging motion. Again. "Ja, 'complicated' is like, ze best description." He frowned at an errant thought, not really liking the idea of it. "I... could like, tell zem I am vorking vis some Aleseian people who I sink are vorking for ze lord because you vere zere vhen I voke up?"
 
Aniks smiled as she sat next time but it his face became more contemplative as Lukas went on. "While that last one could work, it would only delay your problem. As they could contact them this lord to check. Hmmm this isn't something that should be handled with a sloppy hand. You would have to lie, but a lie like this won't last forever. Your family could track you down regardless, and finding a way to hid you might work but that note is problematic. As it got to you in a different plane. You have some time before you need to response. Any longer and problems from that could arise."
 
Aniks ran his hand through his hair sighing. His smile dropped now lost in thought "Honestly if you where to explain my friends you intention, with that letter as context they would likely help you. In some manner anyways. I think this might be something that need to be tackled from multiple angles. There is not some easy answer, Hiding you in the specter will only last for so long. Which cannot be healthy for you. I might suggest in the morning showing everybody so at least your not 'hiding' anything. Ask them to help give you ideas and see if they come up with anything useful. Telling them now might only reignite the 'killing you' attitude. I hardly doubt they would after hearing everything."
 
Lukas, quite frankly, looked intimidated by Aniks's suggestion. That didn't mean he wasn't considering it. "Ja, I get vat you're saying, but it could also just mean zey kill me und send ze ashes back to mein family. Zen you don't have to deal vis any of zis." Lukas smiled wryly at the ground. "Vatever ze hell you're after seems like, really annoying if it has SO many dragons und terrifying ozzer sings. Vampires just make sings more veird, ja?"
 
Aniks with both his hands raised leaning forward"It's your choice, none of us can make it for you. While I cannot think of a solution yet, I'll keep thinking on it."His elbow rested on his knees now. Lazily just placed there. "Your right about the dangerous part, it's why I keep asking new people if they really want to stay." This time Aniks shrugged. Not completely sure where to go. While kill him would solve our problems, sort of, doesn't really solve his.
 
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Change to First Person back to Aniks’s Journal
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Poor thing does not even know how concerning that not was. He does not even know how dangerous the people he is getting involved with.
 
Eventually, the conversation dragged on to the point where I was getting tired, so I excused myself from Lukas’s conversation. We set up a watch list were Celuriel and I was the last ones on the list. As Celuriel was not a person who liked to be woken up. It took a couple minutes to set up a tent and sleeping bag.
 
Honestly, I cannot remember what woke Celuriel and me, I just heard a bunch of orcish or Giant or something. It woke up Celuriel, but I told her I would see what is going on. She promptly squinted at me and feel back into the sleeping bag and a bundle of blankets.
 
Apparently, it was ice giants, and Licia was right; we should have sealed the back part of the cave. They spoke about a pretty long-haired lady, which was Talinde. Wanting to give her him as a sacrifice or something. I was still waking up, so I did not hear everything. Honestly, I did not care as we just wanted to wait out the storm and talking to the giants devolved very quickly, as they died or were turned to stone.
 
We seal the cave with Walls of Stone and listened for a long while, probably longer than I should. Voices eventually came back and a female voice, who sounded very annoyed for being woken up. Forcing the Second voice to stay there, as he could not explain why there was not a tunnel there anymore.
 
There was silence for a long time. The Giant, on the other side, slowly started to hum a song, really severely.
 
I returned to sleep as we layered a couple more slabs of stones on that wall. After a quick discussion, during my shift awake, we would wake some people a bit early. In case they have something that can get rid of the stone. I soon found myself back in my tent with an elf who was silently sleeping. Unknowingly ignoring the outside skirmish. As soon as my head was on a pillow, and I had some semblance of warmth. I fell asleep.
 
Kraia nearly had a knife cut her face as she woke us for the last shift. Celuriel does not like being woken up.
 
For the most part, it was tranquil as we packed up our things. It was uneventful at the beginning. Only towards the end did things begin to happen. Eventually, as the others started to wake up and attempted to make our exit. A little halfling appeared on the other side, on our side of the wall.
 
She was plight, but we avoid the most essential details as to what and why we were here. Merely avoiding the storm in the closest cave, we could find, as for our reasoning on attacking her giants. Self Defence, which she understood after we mentioned the sacrifice they wanted to bring her. The storm did not die down unlucky, so as I began to question the halfling about all manner of things too distracting. Being civil and reopening the wall, we blocked off. As Licia and Kraia compounded their powers of Desna and Gozreh. A modified version of Control Weather that followed us. Simple enough, The Halfling in our conversation with her told us they were going to the Jade Shrine like us, but there was something wrong with the shrine. Too Active, she said or something.
 
Sidenote, Licia’s hair was now a dark blue. Probably from using champion powers.
 
We said our goodbyes and left before anything else could be said.
 
Eventually, we made our way to the Jade Shrine. However, dragons flew around the city or shrine. Landing outside the town, we decided to contact Sigrun. She was in the city after scrying on her, messaging her she quickly made her way to the outside of the shrine.
 
The Jade Shrine was on lockdown, according to Sigrun. No chance of getting in, which was partly our fault because of relieving the Necromancer hold on the Onyx Shrine. Which put most shrines on high alert. She could, however, bring us to any other shrine. After getting a recounting of all the shrines from Vorthómin.
 
So after picking which shrine we could attempt to get through, we found ourselves outside in the cold at the Sapphire Shrine.