That's fine, if we want to wait and take it somewhere else. It just makes me nervous, what with the blistering light and all, and I wouldn't want to lose any of you. I don't think Lord Silverhand would be very happy with me if that happened.

Mal removes the glove from her hand and raises it to bring her ring closer to it to see the reaction, a glimmer of hope that she might have finally found a way to destroy this cursed thing.

"We might want to hold onto this for a little bit as Kurik stated for a better region to use its power. And form here we might want to look for this city and abjuration thing Badger has mentioned." She states.

Well then, keep it safe. It may not destroy the ring, but perhaps my efforts will not be in vain after all, says Badger, then sagely adds: I predict that a suitable opportunity will present itself before our quest is over.

Feeling pretty good about his success in constructing a magical artifact based on Netheril lore, and excited at the prospect that not just Netherese artifacts but an entire Netherese city could be somewhere nearby, Badger puffs out his chest and says: One tunnel ends but another opens. Macreadus turns out to be a dead-end, but Ythryn could be the way forward. The only lead we have is that there are Luskan wizards in the area searching for Netherese artifacts. And two of them passed near here recently. Perhaps we should attempt to locate them. Unless anyone has any other suggestion?

Badger pulls out his crystal ball and considers the information he knows about the weasel-lady and the owl-lady, the images he gleaned from his reading of the boy's mind (in Termalaine?), and whether it is sufficient to scry on either of the two wizards....

(who is going to carry the artifact around, just for book keeping purposes)

It seems everyone is in agreement on delaying the use of the summer star. And so then, the group just needs to decide where to go next. Badger brings up the wizards. He's seen mental images of them both, and figures they're probably sufficient to scry. He sits down cross legged on the floor in front of the fire and pulls out a velvet bag with a crystal ball inside. He places the velvet on the ground and clutches the crystal ball in his hands. The flickering fire light bounces off the glass sphere as Badger begins his spell. 

(You should roll your dice for a new day of divination. Saving throw vs DC of 17, with a -2 for you having a "likeness" (mental image), and +5 for "second hand knowledge", resulting in a +3 to save, so a net DC of 14.)

He attempts to scry on the weasel lady first. The spell fails. In this case....it simply didn't work. There are not many reasons that would happen. Either the person is somewhere where scrying can't find them, they have magic protecting them, or they're dead. Scrunching his face, he attempts the owl-lady next. The spell fails again. He taps his chin, they have no options if they don't know where to go, so he uses up his high spell slot and then attempts to scry on the owl.   Saving-throw: 20 

An image of the owl slowly emerges into view in the crystal. It is perched in mid air....standing on nothing. It is next to a table where a book full of arcane writing lays open next to a tray of rather dismal looking food. As you watch, a page flips of its own accord then settles down. Some mashed potatoes lift up and vanish. Its as if the owl is sitting on an invisible persons shoulder.  Badger looks around and sees what appears to be a cafeteria style room. Tables with bench seating are scattered about the room and several people that are wearing armor and weapons are seated at several of them also eating meals together. The invisible person is eating a meal by themselves, though the others in the room do eye them occasionally. Rather than a door in the doorways to the room, there are iron bars. Seeing windows, they are also all covered in iron grates. The places looks very much like a prison, though he suspects he's looking at the guards dinner hall, rather than at prisoners.  There are two doors, and two hallways leading out of the room. 

As Badger looks at the crystal ball he suddenly notices a reflection in the crystal ball. The reflection is of a human man, older, with scraggly beard and overly long hair. He glares at Badger angrily from over Badger's shoulder....and seems to advance. Badger spins around, glancing around the room, but sees nothing but his companions looking at him curiously. 

Kari stares at Badger when he spins around, thinking how odd he can be sometimes. Anyway... Well, we could go back to that elf, the one that wants to be introduced to this charming fellow. She indicates the spirit. Maybe talk to that Cooper guy again, the one at the temple.

Portent: 9, 3

What in Mystra's name...? Badger says out loud. His heart races as does his mind... He's never seen anything like this before. Is the figure in the scry location? No, it wouldn't see him like this. It must be here. But not invisible or the others would feel it. Perhaps...

Badger activates his Third Eye ability to gain Ethereal Sight

Starting at 10th level, you can use your action to increase your powers of perception. When you do so, choose one of the following benefits, which lasts until you are incapacitated or you take a short or long rest. You can’t use the feature again until you finish a rest.

Ethereal Sight. You can see into the Ethereal Plane within 60 feet of you.

Using his magical vision, Badger's site pierces the fabric of reality and sees into the Ethereal realm. There before him, floating just on the border of the ethereal, is a giant, floating, spectral head with fire burning in its eyes. The head opens its mouth and speaks at him, but unfortunately whatever he is saying is lost since Badger can't hear him. 

To the rest of the group, Badgers eyes glimmer faintly for a moment in the firelight of the cabin. His eyes lock into a spot near the ceiling in the room, seemingly staring at nothing....but seeing something.

Badger's eyes remain locked onto nothing, but his hand waves weakly toward Kurik as his voice speaks flatly: Grenk! There is a creature in the Spirit Plane. A ghost perhaps. Go and see to it...

Hearing the words form Badger, Mal readies her crossbow for another fight and moves into a corner, not that a corner will protect her from a ghost.

Badger shuts his eyes and shakes his head, then looks around at everyone in the room, while still glancing off into the empty space. Urgh! Never tried that before. It took me a moment to equilibrate. But yes, there is a spectral being of some kind in the border of the ethereal plane. It looks rather... spooky. It is trying to speak, and although I can see it, I can't hear it. Badger glances around the room and finds some parchment (even if it has blueprints on it) then writes in large letters: WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU WANT? I'm not sure if this will work, but let's see... The gnome holds the sheet up to face the creature.

Kurik scratches his head and quietly says, "It's my dad that could move through that plane.  Not me.  Can't do much with it but I could try and scare it away."  He pauses for a moment as he watches Badger prepare some paper.  "Is there a reason you can't just read it's mind if you see it?"

The big face that Badger can see looks on with....derision? Frustration? Straight up anger. No..it's definitely rolling its eyes with an expression that says, "i can't believe i'm forced to interact with such incredible morons".....ya....Badger knows that face well....he wears it himself a lot.

Seeing things about to go sideways, Kari had taken a fighting stance as she looked around. But then it seems everything is fine? She relaxes her stance but keeps a firm grip on her weapon, just in case. Glancing at her tiny companion she asks it Do you see anything?

Kari's tiny companion jumps back as Kari turns her big face towards it. Then, in response to her question, it tentatively moves forward, and then it...peeks up her nostril.  Then it becomes super interested in her nostril and starts trying to poke around in there while making waving actions with its free hand.

Oh, that's- Ouch! No thank you, I'll get that later. That's not what I - excuse me. Kari tries to gently move her head away without her nose getting poked further, or having any nose hairs grabbed. She tries to go back to paying attention to Badger, to see what might happen next.

Kurik remains focused on where the ghost was to be based on Badger's line of sight.  "Spirit! Is this your home?  Is this yours?"  Kurik says and holds up the amulet /holy symbol he had found there.

The wind whistles through the cracks in the cabin. The darkness outside is oppressive. The firelight within the cabin flickers and dances pushing back the shadows waging an endless battle against the shadows that they are sure to eventually win. The orange fire light dances in the groups eyes as they all look around waiting...wondering...but nothing happens.

Badger tosses the parchment on the table... and rolls his eyes. Not much of a ghost if it can't write messages on the wall in blood or move stuff around enough to reply. Must be an amateur... hmmm... perhaps it is the ghost of Macreadus... Badger looks again at the ghost-face, picks up some more parchment, writes a new message and holds it up.

ARE YOU MACREADUS? NOD FOR YES, SHAKE FOR NO

The large floating head with burning eyes glares at Badger, seeing through him into his soul. It stares at him, and then..... nods.  It then says something. Badger would swear he's mouthed "FINALLY".   His face has a look that very much says "let's get on with this circus of yes/no questions...." 

Badger begins writing another question, then stops and thinks for a moment. Placing the parchment down, he scampers off and grabs a small bag of sand from his gear, then spreads some evenly on the table. Then he writes his next question... CAN YOU WRITE IN THE SAND?

(and yes, Badger does have a Little Bag of Sand in his inventory!)