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Sisyphean Attempts at Self-Improvement #1097356 added September 14, 2025 at 4:11pm
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How to Retain Your Dragon (Part I)
Back at Harborcrest Keep, you head down into the catacombs to experiment with The Well and The Way, now that you have both magical artifacts that everyone seems to be looking for. After some trial and error, you figure out how the two items work together. “The Well of Many Worlds” is, essentially, a portable portal that opens to virtually anywhere in the multiverse... except randomly. “The Way to Many Worlds” is a frame for the portal which allows you to control where it opens by selecting any of the runes inscribed on the thirty-six links of the chain (with one blank, which you discover is for deactivating and separating the two artifacts from each other). That trial and error led you to a bizarre plane of living machinery, and a plane dominated by a massive tree taller than even the summit of Mount Palitane (the highest point on the continent of Aleria) with travelers traversing its mighty branches.
While you’re testing out the device, everyone except Reggie has an odd feeling of vertigo, which Big-E explains is what it felt like when his father cast Scrying spells on him in the past, to check in on him. Everyone finds the idea of Elgin checking in on you incredibly endearing... except Reggie who is devastated when he learns that he’s been left out. Thogun encourages Big-E to use his Sending Stone to send a message to his dad, but Big-E suddenly realizes he doesn’t have it (since Reggie pick pocketed it from him weeks ago in El-Bereth) and covers up that fact.
Your planar explorations are cut short as Nestis arrives to summon you to the governess’ estate. You make her wait as you go to your newly hired librarian and ask them to painstakingly transcribe each rune from “The Way” to begin researching them. Eventually, you make your way to the governess’ estate, and Azura seems particularly displeased with you. The pirate activity has continued to increase and adversely affect the economy, and now Korrigan - the bronze dragon you stole magic items from - has insisted you pay him a visit. Azura implores you to fix it, whatever you did, because the pirates are starting to strain Kyriel’s reserves, and if a mercenary-led army in service to a demon decides to march on Eastern Aleria, the last thing Kyriel can afford to be is low on supplies and resources.
After some debate, you decide to see Korrigan and try to resolve the dragon issue and the pirate issue at the same time. You’re attacked by some of said pirates on the boat trip up the coast, as five griffons and their riders come at you. Big-E calls forth his Big-D, which is unfortunate because a griffon’s favorite prey includes horses and livestock. As the pirate riders hop off during the approach, the griffons gang up on Big-D and absolutely shred him with their claws and beaks. When Big-D merely dissipates rather than being torn apart into bite-sized meaty chunks, the griffons become enraged and start pummeling Big-E.
You make quick work of the pirates, and somewhat slower work of the griffons, managing to scare the remaining two off and capture one, which Thogun (and to a lesser extent Reggie) soothe and comfort. With a griffon now on board, you continue the journey to Korrigan’s lair.
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557 words
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