Randa hugs Berk almost as vacantly so transfixed is her mind by what she may have set on course by grasping the amulet.

She barely hears any of the Elders words or the subsequent conversations so deep in thought is she.

As she slowly emerges from her contemplation she finds herself eating......she's not sure where?

Automatically she looks about for Riven, then Joy and Ylis, then finally the others......her brow furrows in confusion.

Bed Time.......things will be clearer in the morning......

Daybreak comes with a knock on the door of your room. The voice of Elder Ushru comes through the door. “Travelers? I wish to tell you something of grave import. Will you have a morning meal with me?” He pauses, and then sheepishly adds, “I do have the right room, don’t I?”

The party opens their doors to greet Ushru, only to see that Berk’s door is propped ajar with a cart of towels, blankets, and toiletries, with room service busy turning the room over. It is clear that he had left while the party still slept. As you stand at the door with Ushru, he fidgets with his large hands.

“Please, esteemed guests, join me for breakfast downstairs.”

The dining room is expansive, with 16 different long tables covered in wine-colored cloth, each with eight backless seats, most of which are filled with other guests. At the far end of one side of the room is a series of tables where cooks are throwing together omelettes, pancakes, soups, and more. There are also tables for the excess of these makings to be stacked for self-serve, along with ale, coffee, tea, various fruit juices, and water.

Ayo and her crew are devouring their own full plates of food, with Irvan helping himself excessively to the morning ale. Ayo raises a fork to the crew in salute as the Fellowship find an empty table next to hers.

Ushru has a mug of morning coffee with him, which he does not drink but turns slowly in both hands on the table. “A vision came to me last night. A golden amulet rose to the surface of a pool of blood, and countless hands lunged upward out of the blood to grasp it. In turn, all the hands fell back into the pool until only one remained. The one whose hand claimed the amulet was a handsome man with curly hair and a somber expression. He turned to me and said, ‘They must find me. The ones from the grotto.’ Tell me, did anything happen to you in that place that would help me understand this vision?”

Ayo stops eating from the next table over and is suddenly deeply attentive. Galsarial and Entropy follow suit moments after. The rest continue to woof down their food as if it would be the last meal they would have for some time. 

The door to the dining room creaks open, and a figure steps inside. The morning sun catches the silver threaded trim of his teal cloak. It's hue dances like moonlight on sea foam, even in the well lit room. With his hood raised, he walks with purpose, yet seems in no great hurry. His features cast in shadow, he moves across the dining room. He passes the tables in the hall, including Ayo and her crew without even a nod or a glance. His steady gaze remains fixed on the table where the Fellowship sits with Ushru, as if they're the only people in existence.

Coming before them, he inclines his head to the group, lowering his hood with a quiet, dignified motion. His skin has a dark complexion, smooth without being youthful. His high cheekbones and sharp jawline gives him a vaguely austere, noble bearing. His scalp is shaven clean, and gives a warm but not glaring reflection of the light of the room. His eyes are like chips of amber. A faint scar runs over his chin, and presently a polite smile crinkles across his lips. "And so we meet in the flesh. At least this time I'm sure you can hear my words." he says, pausing before continuing. "I'm Merek, and I am a traveler. My 'job' seems to consist chiefly of arriving where I am supposed to be. I believe today that is right here." he says, looking down at where his high-booted feet are planted. "I think some of you at least have seen much of what I have, though my visions have not elucidated my purpose here. Not yet at least. May I join you?" he asks, indicating an empty chair.

Vazo'yn seemed to be in better sorts come the following morning, having taken the night to quietly contemplate the day behind them and the days ahead. He dutifully joined Elder Ushru for breakfast, ordering a plate of eggs and meats for his meal, making up for the light fare he'd consumed the night before. The plate was still only modestly full by most standards, but it was a feast for the slight drow man.

He listened intently to the elder's description of his vision. Some might find it surprising or uncanny that he so clearly described the very same experience the Fellowship had witnessed themselves, but Vazo'yn was well-accustomed to fate and portents bringing the right people together at the right time. It is how the Fellowship came to be the Fellowship, after all.

"We experienced the very same thing, Elder," he starts to confirm the elder's vision. Before he can continue, however, a new, fateful figure arrives. He senses a confluence of destiny tugging at them once again.

He nods his head politely to the man who introduced himself as Merek.

"Tell us of your visions, Seer Merek," he says with a gesture to an empty seat nearby.

"Though I suspect we could possibly describe them ourselves."

Vazo'yn is clearly a drow, with pale skin barely touched by the sun. His long, pointed ears, pierced with myriad rings of golden, sit below a head of thick, black hair that falls down his back. From one ear, a particular earring hangs in the shape of a dodecahedron. His golden eyes peer at Merek with a knowing anticipation. His face is thin and angular, and though at first his expression may seem stern or severe, upon closer inspection it would reveal instead a certainty of purpose. He is dressed in simple, dark leather armour.

Ylis asks for bread and cheese for breakfast with a side of root vegetables. 

She munches happily away and it would take a careful eye to notice a pause while the elder described events she wasn't sure were real. Sometimes the gods, fates, spirit worlds and whatever just want to mess with you. *sigh* Yeah yeah...the Alex guy does need us and we'll go. *shrug* what else...erk.

Who's this dark fellow just walking up to us like he belongs?

She obviously discretely grabs her silver spear while the dark stranger is talking, giving him a sidelong glance. "Hey guys," she addresses the  Fellowship, "A little blood today will save a lot of blood tomorrow."

[Bolstering Performance] The Fellowship, not the shady character (yet) gains 8 Thp

Merek regards Ylis with some curiosity, but turns back to Vazo'yn as he steps over the back of the seat and sits in it. "Your visions and mine are one and the same, although I might have seen them from a slightly different perspective. I beheld a golden necklace, and a handsome man with curly hair. I could perceive others in the vision, but I couldn't communicate with you through it. I was in the dream, but not the dreamer, as it were."

He orders coffee and a few slices of bread with orange marmalade before turning back to the rest of the table, taking in each of their faces in turn. "...and please, I don't mean to interrupt your conversation or your meal." he says, straightening up and smiling politely in expectation.

Elder Uhsru seems deeply unsettled by the exchange. “So you had a vision during the game? What of the golden amulet? Am I correct in saying that I saw Ayo give one of you a golden amulet?” He looks at Ayo, then Randa.

Ayo holds his gaze a moment, then looks to Randa. Uncertainty written on her face-she wishes to tell, but won’t betray the confidence of the Fellowship.

Randa holds the necklace up.

" I took it. I don't really know why."

She leaned heavily on Rainfall, her bow, and stared at the ground....

" Someone needs help.........but I do not know if to aid them is righteous or foolish."

" And I have often been the latter."

Elder Ushru's mouth hangs open upon seeing the golden pendent, then he stares down at his mug of coffee. He drifts into deep thought, his withered brow knit in concern. The threadbare burlap robe he wears pulls tight across his still strong form as he sucks in a deep breath. "Visions... dreams... a golden artifact. These things are beyond me." He releases a long sigh.

“Bazzoxan is a grim town under the control of the Aurora Watch, not a pleasant place to visit. But if what you tell me is true, what you have found is a Vestige of Divergence, an enchanted relic from the time of the Calamity known as the Jewel of Three Prayers. People do not stumble upon Vestiges without a reason. And there is no place in Xhorhas where the memory of the Calamity lingers more strongly than in Bazzoxan.”

Galsariad audibly gasps and slaps his hand to his mouth, Ayo drops her fork, Entropy frowns, Maggie looks thoughtful, Dermot twists his napkin nervously, and Irvan grins stupidly and leans unsteadily toward the Fellowship, booze-breath reaching everyone from several feet away. "Hey wow! That's a Vestige? Isn't that like, super valuable? Hicc!" he says loudly, the alcohol seems to have cost him his ability to control the volume of his voice. Several people in the dining hall stop what they are doing and mutter quietly to each other, sharing uncomfortable or envious looks.

Ayo looks around, suddenly suspicious of all the other inn guests that Irvan just alerted of a possible priceless artifact. "Shut. Up." she hisses at him. He looks at her with now dopey eyes, then his vacant stare turns sour. "I'm going to get me another drink. A bit dry here." He stands abruptly, tossing his chair back violently, and stumbles toward the self-service bar. He almost falls several times on the way. Ayo shakes her head and sighs. Breathing out the frustration, she excitedly scoots her chair over to the Fellowship's table. 

"Hey, you guys are going on a dangerous mission, yeah? Well we didn't see the vision, but we all heard it like it was happening right next to us. I know someone is trapped. I want in to whatever you guys are going to do about it. Besides, there is safety in numbers."

Elder Ushru smiles and claps Ayo on the shoulder. "You're a good one, Ayo." She smiles and looks down sheepishly at the praise.

Dermot's concern causes him to find his voice. "Look, you guys seem like good people. Ayo is convinced you are at least. If someone is trapped, that's awful, but if you guys get hurt, that is more awful. Wouldn't like that very much. You guys were kind to me. If Ayo wants to go, I want to go too."

The bunny girl shrugs then nods at Dermot. Then looks at Merek and shrugs again. The world is full of danger and having more friends along could only be a good thing. Discovering more information about the Alex guy and the amulet might even be fun. At the very least it would help Randa settle her nerves. Speaking of which, she hopes nobody gets any nerves to try and take the amulet from them.  That would ruin a perfectly good day.

She pats her spear and continues to munch on vegetables.

Merek listens with concern. He tries to recall anything he knows about the Vestiges of Divergence and the Jewel of Three Prayers, not to mention the Aurora Watch.

He follows Ayo's lead and scans the room slowly and discretely, watching for changes in anyone's behavior or demeanor. "I'm in for any adventure relating to this business." he says to the group at large. "It might do well to limit your friend's drink though, it seems to be lubricating his tongue." he adds quietly to Ayo.

Vazo'yn's attention is split between the mythical story of the Vestiges seeming unfolding before him and the drunken behaviour of the Wastewalker. His golden eyes narrow at Irvan as he stumbles away to find another drink. It is when Merek mentions the man and his inebriation that Vazo'yn turns his attention to Ayo.

"Where did you find that one?" he asks with a grim expression. If he is going to abide a Wastewalker among their group, he will need to know more about the man.

DM: Merek, I see your rolls in the Game Log. Give me a History Check as well. I’ll write up the results in a bit.

Joy sits very straight in her chair, the soft morning light catching the green sheen of her skin and setting faint highlights in her long braid of pale green hair. Her hazel eyes flick from Ayo to Dermot, then briefly to the new man, Merek. The polished emblem of Lathander on her armor glints as she folds her hands on the table. The wooden crown adorning her head and her forked ears identify her as a Hexblood.

Her gaze sharpens on Ayo, then softens a little. “It’s hard to trust, these days. But you heard what we heard. You care, at least enough to want to step forward.” She turns her eyes on Dermot and gives a small nod of acknowledgement, though her expression remains clouded with doubt. Finally, she looks to Merek, as though weighing what kind of man he is. “The Morninglord is also Lord of the Limitless Horizon...new beginnings. Yes, perhaps we aren’t meant to go alone. But I’ll be honest: if you come with us, it has to be as friends, not competitors. Trying to one up each other on a quest like this could lead to...some of us not making it back, if any.”

She lets the words hang for a beat, then leans back, watching with keen eyes how Ayo reacts when Vaz asks about Irvan. Joy’s hand tightens slightly around the haft of her fork. She’s noticed his lingering, almost hungry gaze at Ylis more than once, and though she says nothing aloud, her silence is heavy with caution.

Insight: 13

Ayo shrugs. “We, uh… Dermot and myself, were recruiting people for the past two weeks because I wanted to make an adventuring crew, make something of ourselves and right some wrongs, change the world, all that.” Her eyes drift over to Irvan who, sure enough, is refilling two mugs of ale. “We met Irvan yesterday at a knife-throwing contest. Even though he had quite a few drinks, he hit the bullseye with his knives. When people gave him different knives to use to make sure he wasn’t cheating, he threw the blades in a way that made the target look like it was smiling. Seemed like a great skill to have on our team, so I invited him to join us. He didn’t seem too interested at first, but once he met my crew, he was sold on us.”

Merek expansive mind can easily be split between two tasks: listening intently to the sharing of stories and combing the labyrinth of his mind for information. The Aurora Watch is what is essentially the militarized police task force for the Kryn Dynasty and its territories. They guard official buildings, enforce the general law, and in some cases are a military force to stamp out resistance. Here in Jigow, the Aurora Watch mostly allows the city to run itself, as the Elders have a love-hate relationship with each other and mostly come together (with some oversight from the Watch) for the ultimate good; there isn’t much for the Watch to do here but guard Kryn buildings and patrol the city. In Bazzoxan however, most people, even those from the Dwendalian Empire, know that the city is under martial law by the Aurora Watch. The extent to which the Watch restricts the rights of the people is not understood by Merek (with a roll of 10).

The Vestiges of Divergence is a term for a collection of magical artifacts of incredible power from a time from before the Calamity, when the gods walked the planet. Most of the Vestiges are created by these very gods. It is generally understood that one can expect great things from a person who wields a Vestige of Divergence. Few as they are and infrequently though they may surface, they almost always tend to surface at a time when great power is needed and great change is on the horizon. Some consider their appearance an omen, some an omen of good, some an omen of coming strife. Merek can expect great things from this group just for having stumbled across one, because there is no such thing as accidentally gaining ownership of a Vestige of Divergence. None at all.

The Jewel of the Three Prayers is a Vestige of Divergence that was created by three gods: Avandra, Corellon, and Sehanine. It magically protects its wearer, illuminates the path before them, and can cloak the wearer from malicious eyes. Those who find it tend to be favored by at least one of those three gods, but often at least two. Gaining all three of the god’s favor would result in unlocking the true potential of this artifact.

Joy can see that Ayo isn’t mincing words and is being entirely upfront about her motives. She wants to experience the world, nay, she wants more than that. She wishes to add to it in some meaningful way. She is also being transparent about Irvan. You get the sense that she wears her emotions on her sleeve and in this case, is playing with her cards face up. She is young and headstrong, but wants to do right.

"I think Irvan is an ok guy. He can't eat a pie like I can (hurhur) but he's been a decent fellow ANNNDD" she holds up her spear, "he gave me back my spear when he could have taken it for himself or sold it."

"I like him."

Jacaranda looked at the amulet in her hands and gripped it tightly, she knew little of the things people were talking about...the Gods were of course the Gods but she'd had very little to do with them previously, even growing up the Wild mother was more of a nebulous concept of Nature than anything she'd ever worshipped....

She turned to Joy and Ylis, " I don't know what to do...."

" Do we free him?"