A Shift Has Begun

Discovery, Exploration

Daryl, Danger, Indigo, and Mirian all meet Braes, the brass dragon, in The Library of the Gods.

Mirian, Danger, Indigo, and Daryl enter the long-forgotten Library of the Gods. In the main foyer, they discover an ancient statue depicting 16 mysterious figures. Perhaps these are the “gods” of which the Library refers. Our heroes had never known any gods in their lifetimes. They each touch one and gain insight into a particular skill. In a room to the left, they find basins of three potions: a healing potion, a speed potion, and a resistance potion. In a room on the right, they find three rings of power: cold resistance, poison resistance, and swift swimming, these are given to Indigo, Danger, and Daryl respectively.   Reaching the second level of the foyer, trouble brews when they discover four weapons of ancient, mysterious, elemental, and cursed power. Holding one drives the wielder to their darkest most covetous thoughts. Danger, Indigo, and Mirian almost kill each other in a single-minded effort to obtain all four. Mirian is the first to release his, shoving it into a space in the center of the room awaiting it. Convinced by his willpower, Danger and Indigo follow suit.   On the third level, they each find themselves drawn to a specific door where they enter and must choose the correct object aligned with the god they chose on the first floor. Only Daryl is able to successfully choose the correct item and bestow it upon the pedestal in the middle of the room. After learning the meaning behind the objects, the others go back and grab the correct ones. Once they are on their pedestal, a beam of light erupts from the statues, focuses through the weapons, and finally opens around the items. The party walks into the light.   Daryl sees through Cerulean’s eyes again. She soars over the Hobgoblin Border, destroying the defensive wall they built, and decimating their soldiers.   They are transported to the main section of the library, divided into three floors. At the top, the noble races and classes, where Danger and Indigo find themselves. In the middle, the humble races and classes, where Daryl appears. At the bottom, the savage races and classes, where Mirian, unable to be identified, is dropped. Those on the higher floors can move down, but those below cannot visit the top floors. Indigo helps Mirian force his way through this magic, and they all gather books and knowledge around the library. While inspecting the library, they meet its Guardian. At first glance, a human in brilliant Brass armor named Braes. But he quickly reveals himself as the friendly, sociable Ancient Brass Dragon.   Cerulean attacks the Hobgoblin capital, retrieves her treasure, and kills the Warlord. She notices the library and senses Daryl inside. She attempts to see through his eyes.   Braes recognizes a Dragon Bond when he sees Daryl’s eyes turn blue and lizard-like. He slaps a hand over them and has the party check outside the window. Cerulean is there and, after a minute, she turns away to continue wrecking the capital. Braes explains the capabilities of a Dragon Bond. Both parties can look through each other’s eyes and communicate telepathically. They can also call upon each other’s strength and skills, but these cause transformations. Daryl will transform physically, turn blue until his insides start to shift and he eventually dies, but Cerulean will transform emotionally, taking on aspects of Daryl’s personality until she loses her sense of self. Using this bond could turn Cerulean good, which could break the balance between the evil chromatic dragons and the good metallic dragons. But in the meantime, she will try to kill him to stop him from affecting who she is.   Braes tells them that to stand against Daryl, should Cerulean control and weaponize him, or even just to stand against Cerulean herself, one other party member can bond with him. Without even a minor thought, Indigo slashes his right hand and mixes his blood with Braes’s.   “Uh…okay…” BOOM, Indigo and Braes are bonded together just as Cerulean bursts through the walls of the Library of the Gods.   An epic dragon showdown occurs with Braes trying to hold his own against the much stronger Cerulean. The party attempts to escape, dodging falling rubble and bookshelves, dust tornadoes, and lightning breath. Cerulean sinks her teeth into Braes’s wing and breaks it in a devastating attack. Just then, Daryl’s eyes glow bright hot blue and he commands Cerulean to stand down. Cerulean attempts to fight against his willpower, but her own eyes turn to a soft Halfling’s shape as he is ultimately able to dominate her, commanding her to stop, but expanding the blue conversion on his body.   Taking advantage of the opening, Braes unloads fiery fury on Cerulean while the party runs out of the Library. They exit out to the demolished Hobgoblin Capital. Cerulean regains control of herself and tackles Braes outside. Both dragons tumble down, and the Blue Dragon pins the Brass on the ground, ready to give the killing blow.   But it doesn’t come. Daryl’s emotional conversion has begun to take hold. His latest push to control Cerulean has also seeded within her his own aversion to killing. She is no longer capable of the act, and flees in fear of what further changes Daryl’s will could instill in her.   The battle done, the party asks what they should do next. Braes doesn’t have an answer. He believes that the other dragons will begin awakening soon if they haven’t already. Their best option is to continue doing what they do, changing Cerulean for the better. If and when all of the dragons come to blows that could be what changes everything. Braes leaves to find a new home to lick his wounds in, when the party gets a letter from Lawrence Aarden informing them he has discovered the whereabouts of Merielle and asks for the party to meet him in Bard’s Haven.