Posted: 29 May 2022 (reading time: 10 minutes; 2012 words)
Recap by Melissa Savlov
Our story resumes in the foothills of the Iron Mountains, with the self-appointed Herald of Blood threatening to kill Asgardey∂a and the dragonborn monks. He gives Karr and his dragonborn guards permission to leave unharmed, because the Herald doesn’t want to antagonize Yldryl, Karr’s mother. But Karr refuses to abandon his friends, to Kyrjaan’s great chagrin. Their new foe offers to give the group a quick and easy death if they surrender without a fight.
Belnirith counters: “Yeah, that’s not an option for us.”
Without further ado, the Herald comes out swinging.
Greunthrn quickly blesses the group, then moves away quickly enough to avoid the Harold’s sweeping blast. Everyone is blasted with searing necrotic energy and overcome with exhaustion to varying degrees. Most of the group is blinded as well. This frustrates and angers the spellcasters in the group (excluding Greunthrn) because most of their spells rely on sight.
Kyrjaan, who was not blinded, stands in front of Karr, who quivers in fear, and shelters himself in his coppery wings. Together, Asgardey∂a and the warrior monks fight the Herald, using weapons, fists, and what spells can be cast blind. After a short but brutal fight, Fayk, the dragonborn monk, vanquishes their common enemy with a sword through the sternum.
Greunthrn wants to put his new healing powers to work, but he can’t heal everyone. As he heals Laguza’s eyes, Vyshka berates Greunthrn and remarks that, based on his prior disappointing performance, she knows he won’t heal her. But he responds to her bitterness by granting her sight. Although she refuses to focus her beautiful violet eyes on him, she does mumble something that Greunthrn might interpret as a Vyshka-style thank-you if he were so inclined. The group seems a bit stunned that Greunthrn didn’t restore sight to Belnirith. Even Vyshka shrugs at Belnirith, who cannot see the shrug.
The dragonnels whisk the group away and Belnirith is able to conjure up an invulnerable dome that will protect the group from the snow as they sleep. Snug in her wearable gift from Thor, Vyshka disappears into the trees and goes into a trance while the others sleep. That same beautiful elf who visited Vyshka’s dreams before shows her face again. Once again, the elf says nothing, merely stares.
When Vyshka awakens, she has tapped into the collective skills of her people and learned animal handling, which will help riding her dragonnel. She also awakens with enough energy to restore the sight of her companions who remained sightless. When Belnirith thanks Vyshka for her renewed sight, Vyshka scoffs: “I’m a healer. It’s not personal or anything.” Belnirith is oddly comforted by Vyshka’s bitchiness, as it makes her feel better about her own moodiness.
The group resumes their journey on the wings of dragonnels, who deliver them to a huge cavernous opening deep in the Iron Mountains, surrounded by coppery metallic semi-humanoid peacekeepers. Inside, there are murals everywhere. They seem to represent historical scenes. Laguza is struck by a scene of immense ships sailing through the skies. They all marvel at the painting of a gigantic copper dragon being knighted by a platinum one.
Karr suddenly cocks a dragon ear and exclaims: “Aynsley!” Then, he yells, “Mommy!” and scampers toward a huge copper dragon, more immense than any of them have seen before. Surrounding her are treasures from many lands and even other worlds. Once the dragon acknowledges them, the monks reunite with their families.
“Mommy, these are my new friends, the ones I’ve been telling you about!”
“Yes, Karr.” She smiles at her son, then focuses her reptilian eyes on Asgardeyda. “I am Yldryl. Welcome. Thank you for bringing my son back to me.”
Karr greets Aynsley, a human bard who delights Karr and Yldryl with horribly groan-worthy puns. When she laughs, the entire building shakes. Asgardeyda notices dragonborn families scattered around, plus two elves. The one who greets them with a radiant smile is from Vyshka’s dream. Her companion looks dour, garbed in black and armor.
Vyshka approaches them. “I saw you in my dream.”
Alraystra, an autumn eladrin elf and princess in the Seeley court of the Feywild, introduces herself and her companion Helrynn, who describes herself as the shadar-kai daughter of the Raven Queen, from the Shadowfell. There’s some awkwardness as Alraystra tries to examine Vyshka’s smarnr without her permission. “Thor gave me this weapon.” It’s a statement of possession, not an explanation for why she won’t hand it over.
About Vyshka’s weapon, Alraystra says, “That handle looks like the work of Corellian, yet the blade was crafted by Moradin.” Vyshka nods. “Based on what we’ve heard of you, and the godlike touches upon your possessions, Asgardeyda must be a favorite of the gods.”
After Laguza bestows Asgarday∂a’s gifts to the copper greatwyrm, Yldryl remarks, “I can see why my son likes you so much. You have such great manners. I appreciate the time you’ve been spending with Karr. He’s my only son. He will grow to become the copper greatwyrm of this material plane.” The group nods. “Karr tells me that things have gotten bad in Haettrland?”
Greunthrn updates Yldryl and the elves on their recent encounters. “What happened during the Horrors is happening again. How did you deal with the Horrors?”
Yldryl leads the group above the caverns to a plateau outside. They gather on a huge ledge, overlooking the kingdom. It’s a gorgeous view with clouds and trees.
Somberly, Yldryl begins, “I was in another world, and when the Old Ones came, I took my egg and dragonborn and left.” She recounts multiple relocations. The Old Ones arrived and she fled to alternative worlds on the material plane.
“When your gods achieved a truce, I thought I could raise my son in this land. But now it has become unsafe here, so we are again.”
Kyrjaan says that while Asgarday∂a are noble, he begs Yldryl to let Hættrland die and to simply take the dragonborn and leave. It is a backwards world, and there is too much to lose by trying to face the Old Ones.
Laguza, Greunthrn, and Belnirith point out that this cycle is bound to continue, so perhaps it’s time to stop jumping worlds and join the fight.
Yldryl admits that as a greatwyrm, with powers exceeding those of even ancient dragons, she and the foundational dragons, Bahamut and Tiamat, are the only beings more powerful than the Old Ones on the material plane. “Bahamuth an your ideal ally. He is the draconic aspect of all kindness, fairness, and justice in all these material worlds. It would be great if Tiamat would help as well, but she is nothing but craven desire.”
Asgarday∂a keeps pressing their point that nowhere in the prime material plane is safe if they cannot stop the reckless hate of the Old Ones here and now. After further contemplation, Yldryl says, “Bahamuth might be persuaded to fight with you. I can contact him on your behalf. But I will only join the fight if you do something for me. You must guarantee me that my son is beyond harm.”
Laguza asks, “Could we stash him in another world?”
“I like the way you think," Yldryl smiles. “Even better… You could stash him in The Library. This is not just any library…” Yldryl draws a symbol in the air. It’s the rune that Vyshka has been chasing since her first travels to Blüstrom! Also, the rune from the book in Ulvik’s drawer, and one they encountered in other places, too.
“The library is called Gexxmor. It was created by beings from another plane. It is open to anyone, with exceptions, like the Great Old Ones. It bounces from world to world and plane to plane in its own pocket dimension, never in the same place for long.”
Laguza asks, “How do we get there?”
“For the last hundred years, it has been here on this plane. I don’t know exactly where it is, but it’s somewhere in the Nyrene section of Alfírheim. I would be quite grateful if you would bring Karr to Gexxmor so that he will be safe.”
Vyshka swallows hard, knowing the Nyrene to not be easy to deal with, not to mention the murderers of her family…
“But, Mommy, I want to fight the bad guys!”
Laguza says, “Karr, you will be helping the fight by making sure your mom won’t worry.” Karr frowns but nods.
Vyshka asks Alraystra and Helrynn if they would accompany them to the land of the Nyrene, who maliciously killed her parents and tortured her sister to death. Although her eyes fill with compassion, Alraystra declines, as she is needed in the Seelie court in the Feywild. Helrynn also is sympathetic, as the Raven Queen shepherds souls, and demons and the Old Ones destroy those souls—but she too is needed back at the Fortress of Memories in the Shadowfell after their brief holiday with Yldryl. However, Helrynn is interested, and wants to stay informed.
Alraystra turns to Asgardeyda. “We in the Feywild like to be a little random. Choose a card from my special deck. It can be used one time, to give you a little edge.” • Vyshka: Temperance: End one spell effect inflicting yourself or another creature. • Greunthrn: The Lovers: Advantage when his will is tested. • Belnirith: The Moon: Resistance to necrotic damage directed at her, or double the necrotic damage that she inflicts. • Laguza: Justice: Advantage when her wisdom is tested.
“Enjoy a good rest here,” Yldryl offers. “Leave your weapons in my horde overnight, it will imbue them with extra power. Also, if any of you have a special Word of Recall, you can consider this a safe place.” Vyshka nods, and they return to ground level.
Laguza, Greunthrn, and Belnirith leave their weapons and tools in the great horde, as Yldryl advises. Vyshka reluctantly adds her smarnr and the Amulet of the Devout before rejoining the elves. Belnirith joins her.
Alraystra sniffs Belnirith. “I smell the Feywild on you.”
Belnirith replies, “Yes, I go there often. I have a mentor originally from there. Her name is Yuki.”
“I know Yuki. Did she tell you about her prior coven?”
Belnirith shares what she knows; then Alraystra adds some context. “The coven discovered that Odin was in danger. Yuki wanted to warn people, but her sisters bound her to prevent it. That’s why she killed them.”
Eventually, Asgardeyda enters dream state. They’re back in Valhalla with Nadira, Thor, Odin, and Freya. Nadira requests an update. Greunthrn obliges, concluding with “We’re looking for a library.”
Freyja says, “I don’t know where it is. But, when you find it, you may meet my friend Glasya. During the horrors, she lost a great lieutenant and a dear friend. If you see her—”
Stunned, Belnirith interrupts. “Glasya? The one who looks like me?”
Freyja nods.
“Would Glasya know anything about this?” Belnirith shows Freyja her ring.
“That’s Ulvik’s ring. If you find Glasya, give it to her.” Belnirith asks, “Was Ulvik her lover?”
“No, her uncle. Glasya is beautiful and intelligent but manipulative and quick to anger. If you see her, show her the ring quickly, before she kills you and steals your souls.”
Belnirith asks the group for news of her mother, but no one has seen her.
Nadira reports that the city of Belmunt is now a smoking ruin. Greunthrn asks what happened.
Freyja says, “It was the avatar of Cthuga.” Everyone winces.
They discuss trying to find the library. “The Nyrene don’t like outsiders or wood elves. But Vyshka might have friends in Alfírheim…”
Vyshka says, “Yeah. I know some other priestesses of Thor.”
“Are they as friendly as you?” Belnirith teases.
“Of course not!”
Greunthrn and Laguza smirk and shake their heads.
They awaken feeling refreshed.
Before the group departs, Yldryl and Karr exchange a tearful goodbye. Asgardeyda retrieves their belongings from the horde. Then, Yldryl hands Greunthrn a red gem. “Only contact me when Karr is safe. Then, and only then, will I return and help you.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
Filed under