31. Good with the Leshy

2nd Nymm, 999 YK

• The vrocks dealt with, the party meet Imane Graht!
• The dragonhawk hops down and Imane demands that they identify themselves. They do, showing their tattoos, and explain that they have important news they need to bring to Vaanka. They need to speak to the clan's leader.
• Imane instructs them to wait here, as the rest of her patrol should be here soon. She then takes off again to keep an eye on things from above.
• Warren is upset that he didn't get to use his climby armour. Bhaltair says that he should've got the vrock down from the cliff before coming down. He sighs and climbs back up, and then kicks the vrock down.
• They then send Warren to retrieve the other corpse, on the other cliff.
• After a few minutes, two shifters arrive. The rest of Imane's patrol.
• The two shifters introduce themselves as Flint and Pine. Flint is very friendly, also covered in weird trinkets and curios (like Valaari!). He tries to engage with Valaari about this, but they don't really engage back. That doesn't stop him trying though.
• They are led to Vaanka Dar, an impenetrable fortress!
• Flint asks them to wait at the gate while they fetch the kizshmit. The kizshmit, however, finds them first.
• Dalkal Mal'fonn approaches the group, and immedietely asks, "are you Bhaltair?"
• Huh?
• Dalkal knows Bhaltair's dad!
• Runmae asks "you have a dad?"
• Dalkal explains that she exchanges letters with Oalian regularly! Last she heard, Bhaltair was missing!
• Bhaltair is like, "yeaaaahh". They say to tell Oalian they're happy, actually!
• The group think about what rumours they've heard about Dalkal. The obvious one is that she's a crack shot with a bow, but there is also a persistent rumour that she's a werebear.
• They all recall what they know of therianthropy. Bhaltair has a more favourable view with context of Olarune's Blessed, and Valaari recalls the story of Bennin Silverclaw.
• Bhaltair introduces everyone, and then defers to Valaari.
• Valaari says they have information to deliver, they need to speak privately.
• Dalkal leads them to a small side room. 
• Bhaltair asks what they're preparing for. Goristro hunt.
• Valaari delivers the news to Dalkal, and she nods. She'll speak to Silvik about it later.
• Dalkal asks which tribes are currently following this leader? Valaari says Razor Wind and Plaguebearers, but that's reasonably old information. Dalkal will get a dragonhawk sent over to get more up to date information.
• Bhaltair also mentions that they found a dead group of Hexgeists not far from Vaanka Dar.
• Dalkal is concerned, if the Razor Wind have gotten on board with the Hexgeists, that's significant as they're mostly ideologically opposed.
• Naze uses Message to ask Valaari "wasn't Mr Fox chill with the Hexgeists?"
• Dalkal gives a very quick look at Naze, but otherwise doesn't give anything away.
• Dalkal asks what's next for them, and they explain they need to warn Jasaakah Dar about the threat. Dalkal says they can use dragonhawks, but the goristro needs dealing with first as they need the hawks for that. The group agree to help with that, for speed.
• Runmae asks how they would fly with the dragonhawks? Dalkal explains the hawks can carry baskets, like a hot air balloon. Runmae isn't fond of this.
• Dalkal also claims that her dragonhawk can cast spells! Valaari frowns.
• Dalkal also asks them for assistance with the goristro, and also another job (that the Vaanka's assistance is not dependent on.)
• Something has been stopping travelers from visiting the Vaanka, cutting them off from supplies and recruits. Dalkal thinks that Bhaltair should be protected from the corruption of the Labyrinth. They can protect the others for maybe a week? Dalkal trusts Oalian, and trusts that they will come back.
• Valaari also remembers Saar'osh's warning, and gives it to Dalkal. It means nothing to Dalkal, but she suggests they mention it to Silvik.
• Bhaltair asks how Dalkal has been communicating with Oalian? She explains that there is a manifest zone around Vaanka Dar which protects from the corruption of the Wastes. As long as something doesn't go past the wall, they can leave.
• Flint is waiting for them outside, to take them to the observatory. He awkwardly asks if they had a good talk. 
• He takes them to the observatory. There is a description of that below.
• Bhaltair immediately gets distracted by the observatory. Woah!
• (Steph, the player, geeks out about the orrery having thirteen moons, but Warren is a dumbass, so does not comment)
• Runmae and Bhaltair would not be familiar with the idea of a thirteenth moon. Valaari likely has seen reference to it in Vaanka documents but doesn't understand the significance of it.
• Valaari calls for Silvik, and the orc approaches. Valaari explains the situation and the plan, and delivers the message from Saar'osh.
• Valaari asks how they interpret prophecy, and Silvik asks if they want to stay and talk to the oracles, get them to explain what they're doing. Valaari would love that!
• Bhaltair runs back over and tells the others that they heard a story of someone who would love this place! Something called a Warforged, famous in the Reaches! (Warden, they're talking about Warden)
• Valaari remains in the observatory, whilst the others go to get provisions. Naze wants water (and containers, so he can turn them into bombs).
• Warren goes to the bathroom, but doesn't steal the toilet this time.
• Bhaltair and Runmae go to see the Maskweaver, Findon.
• They look at the staves, but don't buy any yet. They discuss crafting something, and Naze suggests transferring one of the runes from the smoking sword to his handwraps.
• That seems like a higher return than making some arrows. The choice is between transferring the rune or buying a staff of healing from Findon, they can't afford both.
• After some discussion, they feel that the staff is more valuable than the rune.
• They decide to sell the flaming sword to pay for the staff, and spend some of the overflow on spell scrolls.
• Bhaltair visits the farm, and meets Bardus Droranath. The farms are being tended to by Leshy! Little nature spirits!
• They're growing wheat, rice, and potatoes! But the rice is an emergency provision, not routinely eaten.
• With everything ready, they are gathered by Dalkal and debriefed on the plan for the Goristro.
• The Vaanka have picked out an open space to fight it. The party will prepare that space, readying an ambush, and then dragonhawk riders will harass the goristro and drive it towards that location. Supporting this effort, they will be given access to three siege engine: two ballistae, and a hwacha.
• The party prepare the location, placing the siege weapons and the supporting NPC's. They also plan to drop boulders on the goristro as it walks beneath them.

NOTES FOR LUKE

Make two more NPC's to man siege engines

Siberys Observatory

At the peak of the tallest tower in Vaanka Dar, atop the taller of the twin citadels, is a Siberys Observatory.

It's an enormous domed chamber of gleaming songsilver, sung into existence by the couatl. There are markings all over the walls, and circular windows at choice locations to provide views on specific parts of the sky. The largest of these windows perfectly frames the sun in the sky, and there are mechanisms visible in the dome which give the impression that the whole thing can move.

The center of the chamber is dominated by an orrery, showing a large spherical Eberron dragonshard in its center, orbited by thirteen crystalline moons in varying colours, which seem to be accurate to the moons in the sky, with the exception of the thirteenth orb, which is an opaque black. Illusion surrounds the orrery, projecting stars onto the walls and ceiling, as well as a golden ring of siberys around the mechanical Eberron in the center.

There are three smaller, but still large, chambers leading out of the main orrery chamber. Each of these bears its own smaller dome, a telescope, and other atrological tools, as well as their own smaller mechanical orreries. The north-western chamber features a mosaic on the floor depicting a map of the planes. Eberron is coiled in the center, with portals surrounding her which show some aspect of the associated plane, as well as the planar symbol for that plane. On the far side of the chamber, away from the door, a great golden dragon wraps around that half of the mosaic, whilst a malevolent looking black dragon wraps around the other.

The portals for Dal Quor, Daanvi, Syrania, and Irian are across the body of the golden dragon, whilst the portals for Shavarath, Kythri, Mabar and Xoriat lie across the body of the black dragon. In the space between them, around Eberron, are the portals for Thelanis, Lamannia, Fernia, Risia, and Dolurrh. The space between all of these features shows a night sky, with recognizable constellations of stars.

There are a few people, mostly humans and shifters, in the observatory when you arrive, but most prominent is the Sar'malaan of the Vaanka, an orc named Silvik Raam.