The four dwarven slaves that you rescued follow you up, before Flint brings up the rear. They avoid the dead body, and Flint offers to take them belowdeck where they'll be more comfortable.

"be careful Flint, what or whoever did this could still be here"

Flint's voice comes back grim, from down the stairs. "Not th' perpetrators, but Ah've found the rest of the crew." 

The bodies of other crewmembers are all belowdeck, killed in similar manners to how Delsephine was ended. The foodstores have been ransacked and pillaged as well. Most of the supplies are either gone, or ruined & spilled all over the floor.

Matrix will look at the surrounding terrain from the deck, looking for tracks

perception 21

investigation if you want 6

Matrix finds faint boot impressions, outlined with dried blood, making their way into the elevator area you just left. 

"whoever did this is with the fire giants. Suppose we missed a yak?"

Ink looks at the footprints, noticing how similar they look to his own. He growls aloud, with unvarnished hatred spitting from the single word: "DROW."

Ink gets the ship going, heeding the elemental within the ships burner to grow with heat and fill the balloon with hot air allowing it to rise.

He pilots the ship as fast as he can away from the Yakfolk village, the quickest route to be out of range of a giant's stone throw. 

Ink uses his last spell slot to cast sending targeting Princess Halani. He asks, "Are you and the other refugees safe? Where are you now? Drow are in league with the fire giants."

Once we are in the air. Marav approaches Matrix. "What brings a monk of Bahamut to this motley crew?"

Halani responds to Ink's message, We are in the company of your Dragonborn friend. He’s hidden us in the hole in the cliff; he said you would know where.

"Money. Their friend Mr. Dangerfield hired me to assist. I should have left awhile ago, but I owe the elf a debt he likely doesn't know about."

"Interesting. You recognized me correctly as a follower of Bahamut. He brought me back, changed me, so that in his service we can stop these giants." He sighs, "I'm not good at speeches but he brought me back and wanted me to stop the giants. He told me to keep an eye out for his followers. That they'd recognize my form. "

Matrix sighs "that's the problem with Gods, rarely are they ever precise in their messages. Think the eye bit was in jest?" he asks tapping his mechanical eye. "Names Matrix by the way" he offers this new arrival / returned his hand

Ink, with the help of the others, is able to pilot the ship away from the yakfolk village. As a reminder, the airship is a capable of traveling 8 mph (give or take, depending on which way the wind is blowing).

Silver lining—with all its supplies stolen, the airship is just capable of supporting the weight of all the rescued slaves. But it would be an understatement to say that it's a tight fit.  

The rescued dwarves are from Citadel Adbar, Flint's home. The dwarven citadel lies about 100 miles south, and its king is the current target of an assassination attempt by the Yakfolk.

The rescued elven princess Halani and the other elves are native to the Moonwood, where they would like to be returned, though it is over 200 miles to the west.

// Maps is updated! Where to first? //

Ink moves the airship away from the fire giant's hold, preferably close to an established, and safer, road to Citadel Adbar allowing the dwarves to equip with any excess weapons the collective group may have with the passing of the ship's crew.

He then offers, on behalf of the group, to transport the elves back to the Moonwood. If there are any settlements along the way that they could resupply at, Ink suggests that course of action. 

While on the ground, parting ways with the recently freed Dwarves, Ink suggests that we keep the crew's extra set of clothes and outerwear, to not only protect themselves from the elements, but to also have clothing, medallions, other symbols, etc., that would allow them to pass themselves off as cultists of the red dragon Klauth, if need be. 

Marav casts Goodberry and starts to feed everyone. "I know it doesn't seem like much but it will sustain you for the day and we can get away from here."

//Casting it twice would give us 20 which I believe is enough for everyone.//

The eight dragon cultists had black leather armor & masks, and carried scimitars and crossbows. Between them, most of the rescued slaves are able to arm themselves, but you can tell that most of them are not very familiar with weapons in general. 

The leather armor will probably need repairing and refitting, but with the masks, it should make a suitable disguise. 

Flint asks Ink, "Any chance we could get a ride all the way to Adbar? After Ah heard that the king was being targeted for assassination, Ah tried to use a Sending spell to talk directly to 'im, but Ah've had no response.

"Ah figure it's only half a day or so as we fly, so instead of trudging for days through the hills, we could make the detour and drop us at the front gates. Wi' luck, we'll intercept the assassins before they make their move."  

Marav goes from slave to slave helping them be able to handle their weapons. "Sometimes it is the easiest thing that becomes difficult when wearing a sword." He then shows them how to walk with a sword so it doesn't slap into things, how to sit with one, etc.

He uses mending as he goes to make sure the armor isn't obviously damaged.

// Forgot to include on the last post...//

When they pause on the ground to discuss the next course of action, Ink, with some help, builds a funeral pyre for the fallen cultists, placing coins on their eyes for the ferryman.

----

Ink replies to Flint, "To Citadel Adbar it is then." He nods to Halani, "I hope that you all do not mind the detour."

In a quick discussion to all the core party members, Marav included, Ink suggests that they remain on guard at all times, as any one of those enslaved, particularly the ones liberated from the yakfolk village, may be possessed by the spirit of a yakfolk.

Ink reminds Flint that he send a message of warning via a sending to Queen Tithmel of Citadel Ferbarr regarding the threats to her husband. Then apologizes once he realizes the Flint is worried about the assassination attempt on the King of Citadel Adbar. He also ponders aloud to Flint as to why Dwarven kings are suddenly the target of assassination attempts by very powerful groups of individuals.

After a breath, Ink finally asks, "Marav - how in the nine hells did you get here?"

"Well that is a story isn't it.

"I went on a pilgrimage to commune with Bahamut. I wanted to be able to shift into dragon forms. I ended up tracking down that damnable white dragon." Marav runs a finger across the scar on his face. "I misunderstood what Bahamut wanted and was torn apart.... well mostly."

"I woke a while later and understood. Bahamut needed me to understand the power I was asking for. I had to leave parts of me behind. I am no longer good with a bow for instance. Tracking skills that were second nature to me are just lost. Animals that once were friendly are not scared of me. Poor Steele."

"Something else replaced it. I went back up the mountain to the cave where the white dragon lived. This time though it was differnet. Instead of shifting into a wolf, or a bear, I shifted into a platinum colored dragon. The fight then didn't last long." He fingers his white dragon scale cloak.

"I am not sure how long I was gone, but the dragon wasn't hurt anymore, time had clearly passed." He looks down, "Bahamut said what we were doing is important, that the repercussions could be catastrophic if we fail. He told me to seek out other followers of his as I come across them." He nods toward Marix.

"For the last month or two I have been following your trail. I'm sorry I didn't arrive a few minutes earlier. You'd be surprised how hard it is to follow an airship that leaves no tracks. I have heard tales of your exploits."

"One other thing. When I woke up, my stuff was gone. I don't suppose Don brought those with you did he?"

// You all have the opportunity now to take a modified long rest. Don't hit the long rest button. You cannot regain any hit dice or recover any levels of exhaustion, but you may heal up to your hit point maximum and recover one-half of your spell slots in total, rounded down (so if you have four 1st-level slots and three 2nd-level slots total, you can recover up to two 1st-level slots and one 2nd-level slot). You can also prepare spells as normal after this rest. Once you're in less cramped quarters, you'll be able to rest more fully. //

The airship flies through the cold winter night, and you manage to keep warm thanks to your winter clothing and the fire elemental powering the ship's furnace.

As you approach Citadel Adbar, Flint tells you how the great fortress of his home has stood in the bitter cold of the Ice Mountains for almost eighteen centuries, impregnable and defiant. He tells you a few stories of the many cleverly hidden traps that await those who storm the halls uninvited, and of the expansive network of tunnels and caverns designed to confuse would-be invaders underneath the citadel. 

The fortress finally comes into view on the south side of the mountain range. The citadel is carved directly out of a mountain spur, and consists mainly of two great towers, ringed with defensive spikes. The great chimney of the citadel’s foundry stands between the towers, belching smoke like a temperamental volcano. 

Ringing the citadel is a host of platforms, battlements, and arrow slits. The great drawbridge is closed, though Flint assures you they'll open for him. 

Flint continues to tell the recent history of Adbar—how the Citadel was severely depleted by the War of the Silver Marches. The war drew away some of Adbar’s greatest warriors, including their long-ruling king, Harbromm. The dwarf king led his Knights of the Mithral Shield into battle against the orc hordes invading the Marches, and eventually died on the field. Harbromm’s twin sons, Bromm and Harnoth, inherited the throne. Like their father, the brothers left Citadel Adbar to join the war. Bromm perished in the war as well, leaving the crown to Harnoth. Harnoth and his followers fought many battles during the war, but the new king made some poor decisions that winnowed the once-great Knights of the Mithral Shield down to just a handful of members. Fortunately, though, the Iron Guard—Citadel Adbar’s defending army—remains strong. And indeed, a great number of dwarven soldiers are watching you right now as you fly a respectful distance from the unassailable walls.