This time both Alustriel and Tasha were waiting.

“About time, we’re ready,” Tasha scowled.

“What do you mean?” Eli said, confused. “Didn’t you open the portal exactly twenty-four hours after we left, as planned?”

“Tasha is rather excitable,” Alustriel apologised, “You are right on time. I trust you achieved what you needed in Neverwinter—and I see Ikasa is back? I thought you were leaving her there?”

“Turns out Ikasa can take care of herself,” Three muttered.

“Yes, well, those kind of dogs are pretty good at that.”

Tasha stepped forward. “Yes, yes. Now—the Rod. If you don’t know, and how could you, the command word is COELUM.”

“We knew that,” Idris said.

“How? It took me some time to uncover.”

“We were informed by its previous owner.”

“So it was being used?” Tasha looked surprised.

“It was. Used to create gates, which I understand is the property of that part?”

“You are indeed well informed. You can cast an Arcane Gate using that command word.”

“Do we know where that gate goes?” Sifer asked suspiciously.

“Anywhere you choose within five-hundred feet.”

“Only five-hundred? That’s not very far in the Astral Sea,” Eli said, again confused. How had the Lambent Zenith been using it to cover such vast distances?

“They had probably tethered it to the ship’s helm,” Idris explained, “Which could enhance the effect.”

“Interesting,” Tasha said thoughtfully. “An innovative use and would get you around much more efficiently.”

“Unless you come into contact with a dead god’s carcass,” Idris smirked. “There was a misadventure.”

“That would explain how we could located it,” Tasha nodded. “Anyway, it is yours again—for now.” She tossed it toward Idris. Ikasa leapt from Three’s side and tried to catch it midflight, but Idris was quick enough to magically redirect it into his hand. Ikasa looked crestfallen.

“We should discuss where you are going next,” Alustriel suggested.

“Do you know?” Three said.

“Yes, we know. Using the divination powers of the Rod we have discovered you are to go somewhere rather unexpected: Eberron. Have you heard of it?”

“Yes!” Eli cried, quick as a flash. “The captain’s leg, and wing—she said they were repaired by someone there. Warforged?”

“The previous owner of the Rod piece,” Idris elaborated, “An angel.”

Tasha didn’t blink at the latter, but was very interested in Eli’s observation. “That seems…rather a coincidence,” Tasha said.

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Eli mumbled.

“The name Eberron rings a bell in mythology,” Three said, “But what does it actually mean?”

“Another sphere, like ours,” Idris said. “As I explained to Eli in the Astral.”

“Apparently the world isn’t flat, it’s a ‘ball’”, Eli recited, “And Eberron is another one.”

“Our particular ball is called Toril,” Idris added. “Not many know that, but not many know much past the three square miles they live in.”

“I’ve travelled some and never found it,” Sifer said.

“Well everywhere you travel is on it, so…Eberron is another one. Different place, different gods, different rules.”

“I don’t like it,” Eli grumbled.

“But what is it’s flavour?” Three persisted. “I have a dark connotation about it.”

“As well you might,” Alustriel said. “Even we are a little in the dark about it. Eberron has just come out of what they have called The Last War—more out of hope than anything else. A war lasting a century. The land itself is rather devastated, as you can imagine. And you, we believe, will be travelling right to the heart of that devastation: the Mournland.”

“And who won the war?” Three said.

“No-one. A truce was signed between the warring parties, and that truce has held for a handful of years now.”

“Two kingdoms at war?”

“Six.”

“Fighting for one-hundred years, and at peace for?” Eli confirmed.

“Two. And the Mournland was destroyed in the fighting. It used to be the nation of Cyre, but was changed forever as a result of the war.”

“Changed into what?”

“A wasteland.”

“And were Cyre one of the six?”

“Yes.”

“And do they still exist?”

“No.”

“And was it just traditional warfare,” Three asked, “Or did someone use magic?”

“From what we understand the Mournland was destroyed by magic,” Alustriel explained. “By magic and giant colossi that Cyre deployed to fight the war. Something went badly wrong and the very centre of the continent was destroyed. And that, we believe, is where the next part lies.”

“Of course it does,” Idris grunted.

“What is a colossi?” Eli ventured.

“Massive, semi-sentient war machine, constructed of metal. Like a golem or construct you might find in Faerûn.” Alustriel looked around the company. “They were powered by something called a docent, which is a small sentient object which was embedded in the colossi and allowed them to travel, to act, and to think.”

“I can’t help but think of the angel’s leg, which was some sort of constructed metal limb,” Eli said.

“Perhaps. Although I doubt her leg was sentient.”

“Did all sides make these things?”

“No, only in Cyre, and only by a particular house: House Cannith. Some believe that house overstepped their bounds which created the tragedy of the Mournland.”

“Are they the bad guys?”

“It would depend who you ask.”

“Would bad guys have made a leg for an angel?”

“I don’t think so,” Alustriel smiled, “Do you Eli?”

“I have to think about it.”

“Eberron is full of mechanical technology and magic, quite unlike ours. Not all of it for war. Perhaps it was not them that made it”

“In a one-hundred years war everyone is a bad guy,” Sifer said, “And everyone is righteous.”

Eli nodded sagely.

“One important thing to know is because the Mournland has been rent apart by magic, magic itself is unreliable there. Particularly teleportation and divination.” Alustriel glanced at Three. “So your companion should be careful.”

Three blanched. “Well now I’m gravely worried. Maybe I can leave Ikasa here?”

“We would be happy to have her,” Alustriel smiled. Tasha walked over and gave Ikasa an affectionate rub. “Who’s a good girl,” she smiled.

Three nodded gratefully. “She’ll need these,” he said, dropping a sack of treats—mainly pig’s ears—that he’d collected from Daniel. He looked at the sack and reconsidered, lifting it onto a table. Then he remembered the blink. He balanced the bag of ears delicately on the top of a vase, hoping for the best. “When do we leave?” he said.

“As soon as you are ready. You will emerge in the outskirts of Mount Ironrot. And one least thing: as I mentioned, the faulty divination magic may disrupt the Rod’s innate ability to lead you to itself. We think you could use local magic to alleviate that, specifically a docent. We think.”

Session played June 2, 2025