From the journal of Kenari Sanura

As we get back on board we find that Vedis' experiments with some of the devices I found have resulted in some interesting clues. The manacles are psionic dampeners (handy), one crystal does the agitating thing that she used to puff up my fur when we visited the Demiplane of Dread, but the rod with strange forks on the end is still unknown. The other items appear to be magical in nature; non-psionic at the very least.

The truly interesting thing, however, is the memory that she found stored within the blue sphere. Apparently it recalls the memory of one Blackrazor the Pirate talking about the Bendor Cluster and how the Siren qualities of the Spelljammer caused their pilot Kavalox to almost kill them all when he couldn't resist its call.

Curious… is the lure too great for those who wield magic, or did the Spelljammer know the true nature of these pirates and try to cause their demise on purpose?

I ponder the nature of flying fish cities and before I know it we are coming in to Baruda air space.

"Looks pretty basic out there," I say as I gaze out the window to see vast expands of ocean only occasionally marred by islands with a few huts here and there. "I doubt he's going to try and mess with these people… so perhaps he's going to hit other ships coming in to trade?"

"We should find the biggest settlement, land, and see if we can ask some questions," Ef Utan states plainly.

"Agreed," says Lenata as she closes her eyes to focus on our flight. "I'll see if I can bring us in closer."

I can feel the ship slowing and dropping into the planet's atmosphere as we come across what looks to be the largest collection of huts that has a dock.

Vedis and I eagerly disembark to see this new land, but as soon as we step out onto the docks we are greeted by a shimmer of light that turns into one of the most beautiful snakes I've ever seen. Never have I witnessed such colorful wings on a reptile! Could these be… yes… I think I heard sailors tell stories of animals like this in a far off land called Maztica; Coatl-something… what were they called again?"

Oh goodness… it seems that the winged creature didn't take kindly to Vedis.

"It wants us to go. Now," she tells me before running back to the ship.

I do my best to remember the way the priests acted back home and step up to talk to the feathered serpent. "Oh great winged one," I say as I clasp my hands together and bow deeply. "We mean no harm to this planet or its people; we only wish to find a villain who wishes to harm this place and stop him from hurting anyone." I remain in the bow as I fervently hope the words work.

"Your words are as respectful as they are full of animal droppings," the serpent says. "Are you telling me you do not wish to try and sell Spelljammer technology to the people of this place?"

"Would never dream of it, oh wise and merciful one. We are merely here because we are tracking a pirate named Eric with his Orc Barbarians; we have no wish to interfere with your people."

"I have seen no such person or creatures," the snake replied.

"Then I am glad that we were at least able to provide warning," I say as I bow again. "We take our leave of your fine planet, and wish it the utmost safety."

"So much for that lead," I say in frustration as I find my way back to the bridge. "Now what do we do? I still say we should go back to the Seekers to see if they know anything about all of this."

"This time I have to agree with Kenari," Ef Utan says.

"As do I," Vedis adds. "I'd like to see if that Gith sage might pay us a pretty penny for that memory."

I'd like to get paid too, my stony friend… but I'm hoping to get paid in information.


So much for our theories about Eric and his barbarian hordes; by Bast's whisker, I never imagined that they would be an undead army! That's definitely a nifty trick Eric has. Who needs to get close enough for boarding when you can just launch your crew across in handy-dandy bone form?

While I may not know where Bast is anymore, I have to believe she's still watching for me to have survived being knocked off the deck by one of the undead. Have I mentioned how much I love my rope and grappling hook? It is a wonderful piece of equipment that I will never take for granted again.

While we were not able to defeat them all, thank goodness we were able to drive them away. "Live to fight another day," I say.

Now that we're back on Bral, Vedis is going to report the encounter to the authorities, while the rest of us take to the bars to spread some rumors of Eric's defeat and try and stir the rabbit out of its hole. We'll see how strong his reputation becomes when everyone learns that a bunch of girls sent him on the run! In fact, I do believe I am inspired to song:

"There once was a black pirate ship,
Ran by Eric the Drip.
He threw down some bones
Then ran away home,
Being beaten by girls on a trip."

Well… doubt I'm going to become a Bard anytime soon, but it will do.

After a few hours of ale, carousing and stories, it seems we managed to catch someone's attention. Ef Utan caught a suspicious character leaving the bar, so I took off and followed him to a warehouse on the other side of Shu Town. Here's a tip to thugs: if you don't want to seem suspicious, don't use a coded knock on the door.

Trying to disguise myself is right out, so I did the next best thing and scaled the building to find a trapdoor in the roof. Some well-placed oil and a few disabled traps later, I've got a nice birds-eye view to whatever our friend has in store. I spy six humans as well as the man from the bar sitting at a table surrounded by various goods and a large black banner with a silver "X" emblazoned on it. Could these people be a part of the 10th Pitt? I listened intently as they played cards and the talk began to flow… but all I could make out was "Some got away from Eric…hot foxy bitches…slaves…accelerate our plans."

Hmm… if we can prove that Eric is associated with the 10th Pitt and a slavery scheme, we could have carte blanche when it comes to taking him in! As my mind tries to piece this all together, the card game ends and the men leave to go in different directions; one to the high city, one to the docks, and the other disappears from sight.

I must go back and report this to my friends… there is much afoot.

After some discussion with the others, we all head back to the warehouse and they keep watch across the street as I return to my perch on the roof. There are men playing cards again, until a knock is heard and one of them opens a trap door in the floor that I hadn't seen and disappears down it. I wait, but the talk doesn't advance past the card game they're involved in and nothing else happens, so I rejoin my friends. According to Ef Utan, numerous people seem to be watching the warehouse, while some are watching the watchers. I noticed someone who noticed me, but they don't pursue us as we leave and return to the ship.

Ef Utan and Sephira decide that after that encounter with Eric we need a ballista instead of a catapult, so they do some shopping before we turn in for the night.


Night falls and a multi-colored mist rises as I hear Vedis mutter "I've got a bad feeling about this." I turn around to see her behind me then look at myself and realize I'm naked…. In fact… everyone but Lenata is here and naked, except for Vedis who is wearing her usual sashes and scarves.

"Usually when I have the naked dream it doesn't involve floating on an asteroid in space," I mutter as I look to the distance and see a strange temple with bright lights floating on a rock. "I wonder what that is?"

"Only one way to find out," Vedis answers as she closes her eyes and focuses her mind to form a bridge.

We quickly move across to the temple and climb over a wrought-iron gate to get to the large door that's oddly cracked open already. I creep up to it to check it out, when another Vedis opens the door and waves us in. "Come on and hurry up, already!"

I glance back at Vedis and she shrugs. "Dream self, maybe?"

We all enter the temple to find a large circular table with what seems to be different versions of us seated at it. There's me as a cleric of Ptah and even as a (ugh) Anhur! I do my best to hide my revulsion as our host seems to appear… a rather old and grey looking kobold leaning on a staff.

He proceeds to drone on about dreams and alternate realities and how we all have similar histories yet different backgrounds. I do my best not to fall asleep by sharing stories with one of my other selves. Apparently in another dimension I am just as bored by lectures.

The kobold scolds me that I should be paying attention and learning, and I retort that if he would actually get to the point and say something helpful, I'd sit and learn from it.

And that's when things get interesting as he warns that the walls between worlds are getting thin, and chunks of reality are winking out. Our group hopped the track of predestination when the mist brought us together, and because of that we seem to be the ones who need to look for these holes in reality and try and fix things.

I've heard enough talk from clerics and soothsayers that talk of mystical destinies doesn't faze me… but I definitely have a problem with the source. I mean really…a decrepit kobold? They aren't exactly inspiring, to be honest. In fact, I have to wonder about all of this as something just rubs my fur the wrong way.

The kobold finally finishes his droning and just as we're wondering how we're supposed to wake up from this the mist comes…


From the journal of Lenata of Celestian

Whew, I'm so glad we did not meet up with the ones who did the professional hit that Sapphira insists was done on the Nautiloid ship, it was nerve wracking enough holding our ship steady while my companions carried out the snatch and grab investigation of the wreckage. We got a scroll, a couple bolts, some maps, a ring, a robe and a memory crystal. We're keeping what's useful and selling what isn't pertinent to us or that which would incriminate us. I managed to translate the scroll, there's a missing seal and sash that along with the scroll identified the bearer as an ambassador. We decide to head back to Bral to identify what we can and do some research. My battered companions slept most of the way back.

Upon our arrival Vedis immediately notices how tense everyone is in low town. We dropped Kenari off at the Library of Spheres (she had to do research this time) and the rest of us headed to Balic's Blades, he immediately identified the bolts as belonging to the enforcers of the Tenth Pit Mercenaries. He also kindly advised us to keep the lowest profile possible and to be very careful asking questions about the Tenth Pit. We tipped him and thanked him and headed to the Rockrat to regroup.

I had never seen an Ogre in a tuxedo before somehow he looked even bigger; this one was collecting weapons, specifically ours. His name it turned out was Grinder and he was rather sweet (Vedis snorted that only I would think an Ogre was sweet). After drinking for a while Ef Utan nudged us as a group of scruffy humans staggered in with wisps of mist clinging to their heels. Heroes began gathering weapons from Grinder and after eyeing Sapphira's curvy form warn her to watch herself as the Red Masks and Yakuza were battling it out on the streets. I thought to myself, that was something that was unheard of in Bral, the Council of Captains, Prince and Guard never put up with that before.

We collected our weapons from Grinder and I asked him if there was another way out. He thought for a moment and shook his head and gruffly replied, "Afraid not". We pushed our way into the night, we feared the mists as they resembled those that kidnapped us in the first place but it wasn't as thick or pervasive as that. We had to get to Kenari and get to the ship. Shouts, curses and spells rang through the streets chorused by the ringing of steel and the screams of pain and rage. The only sign of the guard is the crumpled, uniformed mess left on the adjacent corner.

All of a sudden humanoids burst from a nearby alley headed toward the docks, followed by these strange and horrifying beasts. They looked like melted wax formed into the rudimentary shape of a person. Her face fierce, Sapphira shouted over the din, "They're Fiends! Oni, a breed of Tanar'ri from the Abyss!" We hold our position, hoping they'll pass us by as this wasn't our battle. No such luck as one of the Oni pass by it delivered a vicious blow to Sapphira and it was on. Sapphira starts firing magic missiles, Ef Utan blades rang as I flanked him with both dragon pistols loaded with rat shot.

Fortunately, for us most of the Oni passed us by pursuing the Red Masks. We dispatched two of them and a few Red Masks ourselves each of us taking some hits, one of them nearly knocked me out with a makeshift sap. It was all I could do not to surrender to the blackness that crept over my vision. After long minutes I made it back onto my feet. Halflings had taken positions on the rooftops and had helped pick off the bad guys with their sturdy crossbows. They too had suffered causalities and injuries. I performed a heal spell that covered our little group and the Halflings. It was the least I could do. It definitely earned us favor in their camp and they bid us call on them should we need assistance in the future. Oh, nearly forgot that we rolled the corpses, Ef Utan and Sapphira acquired pistols and I a sword and scabbard.

We made it quickly and without further incident to collect Kenari and all the way back to the ship. Kenari's pouted at both having missed the battle and not having pistols of her own. We'll have to get her some; she has a great aim and was really getting the hang of mine when we practiced.