OOC: wow…that’s rough. Well, you take the time you need to take care of you. We’ll be here 👍🏻😊

Grimbuld assists Hyre in the early rearing of the chick, helping make the rudimentary meat paste that will be the chick's food for the first two weeks for that night. Thankfully the rat traps at the inn are full, so there's plenty of fresh meat to use on hand, even if the process is fairly gruesome. He's instructed to take the chick with him wherever he goes, so he offers up his old carrying satchel; it's extra warm and has a perforated flap for fresh air and to allow the chick to see Hyre at all times, a necessary step for permanent bonding. Even on the move, he can continue to care for his chick.

That night, Raia explains to the others (minus Lazlo, who is currently being assaulted by Carmine) about her need to return to the Deep, to warn her fellow dragons about what the Skell have accomplished. The fact that they have a means of somehow weaponizing the blood of old titans, or make use of their bodies in any capacity, is cause for concern, and the group could definitely use the assistance of the dragon elders.
Sister Daar, who is currently using the street and parts of the tavern of the Horseshoe as a public infirmary, mentions that instead of chartering a kite to take the group to the Deep, that it could be possible to hold a communion at the temple in the Dwarven Hearth, given Aelar's apparent favor with Baha. They could massively increase the range of the 'pense' ability Raia used to glimpse into the situation in Guiston, though it would mean sacrificing her pendant to host an audience of such magnitude.
"I don't feel I need this any more. Now that our community has come together, this pendant would just be a temptation. Besides... now that the gates of the Hawk's Nest are gone, the Watch are able to patrol the entirety of the city much more effectively. I don't think we'll have any more problems with local gangs." she explains.
The choice is Aelar's to make, as he will be the conduit for the dragons.

Aelar grunts in surprise at this news.  "Really?" he says.  Raia, is she correct?

Assuming Raia agrees, Aelar  nods.  "That seems the best idea, rather than flying to the Deep.  We can stay here and save that time."

Sister Daar nods sheepishly.
"I only recently became aware of the kind of ritual you and Raia will be performing. With her current condition, it would just make more sense to do it at the Hearth temple rather than go all that way just to see them in person, then immediately turn around and head back." she says.
"And maybe a part of me was reluctant to give up my pendant. It's been somewhat of a security blanket for me for many years, but with recent events churning things up... it makes more sense to just let go and embrace this new Guiston. There are positions of influence that could support many people that are now vacant. The city needs leaders... and I can think of no better use for this old memento than to summon the descendants of Baha to create the first warlock in a generation. I do believe there is no one more worthy of that mantle than you, young Aelar."

Raia for some reason looks a little embarrassed and clears her throat.
"First thing tomorrow then at the hearth... if Hyre survives his first night as a mother." Raia says.
"I have some things I need to prepare."

Aelar's mumbles a thank you to Sister Daar, clearly embarrassed himself.  "I really want you all to be there, please.  I can't imagine doing this without you with me."

((Cautiously optimistic! According to what I could UNDERSTAND of my MRI result on my patient portal--it was completely encoded in medical jargon--it seems like the lump isn't even a lipoma mass or a tumor of any kind, it seems to be scar tissue left over from a bad muscle tear. Now, it suggests me coming back in another couple months for another scan to be SURE that the lump isn't a mass, but the scan couldn't identify any obvious signs of malignancy, and it was able to show that my lymph nodes are good too, so that has allowed my butt to unclench a LOT.

Unfortunately one of the folks who I was going to include into the campaign is having a tough time right now and can't make it, so I'm going to continue putting out feelers for folks to come in before y'all continue on with the next chapter.

I'm going to try and break this campaign up into chapters so that we can all collectively have a break while I write up the next segment. Chapter 1 is already written, but I like to chop things up into chunks so I can actively react to possible unpredictable party actions. The prologue took longer than I thought to get through, but we've all had some pretty big setbacks and time constraints coming into play. I hope that this has been an enjoyable experiment and continue to hope that more experimenting along the way will continue to prove fun and engaging while we weave this narrative together.))

 ooc: I've really enjoyed myself so far.  We've got a good group of RPers here and I look forward to more fun.

Glad to hear, hope you all are well. 

ooc: Are we waiting for anything/

(Crap, sorry bout that. Kind of got away from me there. While I'm probably cancer free, things kind of went haywire everywhere else. I'll post soon)

ooc: No worries. Just checking.

The next morning brings the group together at the Dwarven Hearth temple to observe the bonding ritual between Raia and Aelar. Perhaps to his embarrassment, the ritual seems very... matrimonial. After all, it is a life bond between two beings that can only be dissolved upon death (or the 'greater' being releasing the other from the contract) who will then share a lifetime of memories. Truly, it does give a feeling that one will never be alone... ever... not even when solitude is desperately wished for. 
Sister Daar presents her pendant onto a great marble altar in a huge dome of a room that has very sparse lighting. Raia channels the presence of her brethren and Aelar himself acts as the conduit. When the elder dragon Raia manages to contact appears, he does so in a blazing effigy as Daar's pendant spews out a ghostly flame.
The ritual takes an hour, involving chanting, extended silences of focus, and finally a contract of blood; Aelar and Raia make a small incision over their hearts and use their blood to imprint the other on their forehead. Apparently, Raia being in human form makes this much easier for Aelar, or he would have had to bleed quite a bit in order to make a sufficient mark on a huge dragon's crest.

When it is done, Aelar doesn't feel all that much different... at least, that's the impression he gets initially. After a while, rather than only feeling the connection so strongly when Raia is in his presence, he feels it always, as if she's constantly standing right behind him. He feels too a steadily growing strength within himself; he's able to fully tap into Raia's well of power, but as she explains to him, too much at once, and the sheer amount of energy could rip him apart. He will become powerful one day, as his body grows and adapts to channeling Raia's might through himself.

There is still some time left to speak to the elder dragon after the ritual is complete. Daar's pendant won't last long, however. If they wish to speak to him, it would be a good time to take advantage of the ancient dragon's wisdom.

Aelar turns in a circle, feeling at Raia, at this new well of power within himself.  Raising his hands before his eyes, he causes a bluish glow of energy to jump back and forth between.  A wide grin splits his face as he looks at his friends.

"Would you look at this!  Wow!  Thank you all so much...I...we...thank you.  I love you all," he makes eye contact with all of them.  Finally, he turns to Raia, his partner.  He bows, then, "And thank you, wonderful Dragon.  You have honored me with your gift and I will strive all the days of my life to be worthy of it."

Turning to the ancient dragon, Aelar, newly made warlock, bows again.  "And thank you for making this possible, Ancient One.  Are you the one who spoke to me, told me the forces of the one whose name begins with O shall not have me?  If so, who is that?  Also, can you help Raia?  Lastly, I am ready.  What would you have of me?"  Despite the rapid fire nature of the questions, he speaks with a deep respect, the same respect he learned to show his mother and father.

Raia, would this one know how to protect Kallista from that weakness in her blood?

The ancient dragon gives a hearty laugh at Aelar's first question.
"Young one, I may be old, but I am still one of Baha's many children. The voice you heard would have been so ancient that it would make me look like a whelp. You might have even been touched by the spirit of Baha himself. On'Hull the Betrayer was one of the original twelve great titans of Aden, and an ancient enemy of Baha, as his title would suggest." he states. Raia has already hurriedly given the ancient dragon a debriefing on what the Skell have managed to do.
"That the Skell have learned to tap into the very essence of the titans, sleeping or spirit, is most troubling. Our scholars will look into this. As to how to aid .... Raia, you called her?" the apparition's eyes flick over to Raia, who actually blushes.
"Easier to them to say than my true name." she says.
The pair say nothing for a moment before the ancient dragon clears his throat.
"Given the nature of the attack, Raia's true form will be restored in time, as her own energies wear the effects of the blood down. As to when the effects will wear off, that is harder to predict. Patience is the best medicine in this case. Most titan blood is extremely difficult to study because of the danger it poses to our bodies, so applying counterspells and trying to affect it with our own energies could result in catastrophe. Best to just let it heal on its own. As for what I would have you do, that is not my place to say, but I fear for the great cities of Aden should this march of Skell's iron horses is not stopped. Know too that because of your actions, there is reason to hold onto hope. Were it not for these young ones, the Skell would have done far worse to Guiston while the other cities remained completely unaware. Not only was Guiston spared, but the full threat of the Skell's ambitions will be known."

The dragon stops again, noticing the pendant beginning to crack.
"Any further queries?"

(That double post was weird...)

ooc: Guys, no one else has posted in a while.  Everything OK for everyone?

Kallista watches silently from the back.

((Havent had much to say honestly, this feels like one of those things Kallista shouldnt speak up during.))

Lazlo seems to understand this is a solemn occasion and stays quiet. 

ooc: still following along, enjoying the show

ooc: don't any of you have any questions for the old dragon guy?

(I'm following, but Hyre doesn't have much to say/do in this situation.)

The ancient dragon gives his respects and thanks the group for coming to Raia's aid, and also for bringing to light the danger that the Skell pose.
"It's been many seasons since dragons have concerned themselves with the plight of groundlings, but this is too large for my kind to ignore. Raia's involvement as a spy and informant will give us better insight as to how we may intervene. If at all possible, we should avoid any declarations of war until we are certain as to exactly how many more prisoners the Skell have, and the extent of the Skell's knowledge and power over this... weaponized titan essence." he says.
"For now... train hard, learn well, and know that we will support you where we can. Should we learn more, we will find a means to contact you all. Farewell."

With that, the pendant shatters and disintegrates into dust in mere seconds as the visage of the ancient dragon fades.

((We'll be doing pure character development RP until I find some more candidates to join the campaign.))