Session 171: Planes & Palaces

General Summary

The Dragon Punchers emerged from the caves into the main interior expanse.  Still unclear as to the cause of the Zaratan's unrest, the party continued onward until they came across a cluster of crushed stone maidens.  Here, they were accosted by an exceptionally unhappy salt mephit who explained that the crate of stones appeared from seemingly nowhere and had crushed its friends.  Upon closer inspection, the crates had been sealed with sigils of containment.  More importantly, the "stones" were not stone at all, but dragon bone.  More specifically, bones of white and green dragons.  These were clearly the source of the Zaratan's discomfort but, more importantly, were part of a scheme that betrayed Messeneth's handiwork.   The group took the bones and made their way back towards the entrance.  However, the noise of their previous interactions had piqued the attention of the whiffling.  The group fled for cover in an unsuccessful attempt to conceal themselves.  As the creature closed in upon them, Emlyn gathered the party together.  In no shape to take on the deadly creature, she transported the Dragon Punchers to her family's estate.  There they would be safe.  There was only one catch: the estate was in the Astral plane.   Watching Emlyn Varg interact with her parents proved to be an illuminating experience for the Dragon Punchers.  The Vargs were an extremely wealthy, brilliant family of inventors, scientists, and scholars.  Emlyn's position on the material plane as the leader of a nation was not held in nearly as high regard at home.  However, the Vargs did permit the party the use of a research space to destroy the dragon bone as well as provide them with hot meals and baths.   It was an unexpected and pleasant change of pace.