Ball's Out

Celestial / Cosmic

Daryl, Danger, Indigo, and Mirian attend the Eclipse Ball at Citadel Keep.

Indigo attends another meeting of the Circle of the Moon. Kava informs him that the source maintaining the dinosaurs at the Dinosaur Cave has been stolen. Indigo is struck at the notion of the last of the dinosaurs dying out.   Upon reaching the citadel, everyone buys fancy new suits and rents a carriage for the Eclipse Ball. Danger and Daryl spend the rest of their money on some armor at the Black Market. Mirian goes to an armorer where the local smith forges just the most perfect, badass helmet for him. Donning the new form-fitting helmet, Mirian regains his confidence at last and completes his transformation into the warrior known as “Silverhand”.   The Eclipse begins as the party arrives at the Eclipse Ball in their lavish carriage, Danger is looking particularly fancy with his uber-tall top hat. Daryl makes friends with another bard and everyone explores a little bit. When the king of Kriegcastel arrives, High Commander Renier approaches the party and invites them to meet personally with the Queen.   Queen Athena is hot but more than that she is an intelligent leader. She knows all about the party’s adventures, apparently having ears and eyes everywhere. She makes it clear to them that all of their actions have had consequences. Even Hearthstone City is still in trouble. That jabroni Leonis Justus has declared intentions to secede the Steppes from Bonner and might potentially start a war with his actions. Tonight she could stop the dwarves from pursuing vengeance against the party, but they have to bury their pride and apologize for what they did. She informs them that Merielle has been spotted near the dinosaur cave. She has a group of other dark elves with her and she’s barely alive, being held together by an Amulet of Constitution. The party agrees to apologize and she sends them back to the ball to hang out until she calls for them during the eclipse.   Danger, Daryl, Mirian, and Indigo cavort with some of the guests. Daryl approaches the bard he met earlier and sees him drinking with Lawrence Aarden. Aarden looks hardened and tired. He speaks curtly to Daryl before heading into the ball. Mirian sits at a table with some old dueling champions that include Cole Mirari where a veteran roasts him. Cole ardently defends Mirian’s talent though he not need it. The queen arrives at the ball as the eclipse finally starts. Messengers inform Mirian, Danger, and Daryl that it’s time to meet with the king.   However, before a guard can find Indigo, Lawrence Aarden asks to speak to him in private. Once in private, Lawrence mutters to himself before attacking Indigo with an Eldritch Blast. Aarden isn’t just an ex-prefect anymore. He’s become a Warlock. He fires another eldritch blast and puts a gash in Indigo’s side. Indigo summons eight creatures. Aarden tries to use his sleep spell, forgetting that Elves are immune to this magic. He berates himself, revealing he is the Reaper killing elves in their prefecture. His archfey is Virescent, The Ancient Green Dragon. She’s been sealed two-fold, and he wants Indigo’s druidic focus to undo it. If he bonds with Virescent he could have the strength to kill Merielle. Before Indigo can detain him, Lawrence is able to escape with the help of an Etherealness spell.   Meanwhile, the rest of the party meets with the Queen. The dwarven king enters the meeting and the party apologizes for their behavior at the Forge. The dwarven king reveals they are going to tame the red dragon soon and will thus have a defense against Bonner’s blue dragon. The dwarven king accepts the party’s apology and informs Danger and Daryl their black market armor is counterfeit.   An hour passes but the eclipse doesn't end. Panic begins to take over the ball when Indigo rides in informing everybody that Lawrence is the Reaper and wants to free the green dragon Virescent. Upon learning of the frozen eclipse, Indigo pieces together the fact that Merielle was last seen at the dinosaur cave and that she must be using the source of the dinosaur cave's time-altering power to keep the eclipse in place so she may bring the drow up to the surface. It’s just a theory right now, so the party intends to head to the cave to see if they can find any evidence of this.   And then Danger tears apart the black market in revenge for his fake armor.