On the way to Pegāna, Kohrt discusses cooking and recipes with Cooky. Cooky mentions that cloud giants live on his home island.
Kerryk feels a tingle of pain from his Patron but can’t establish communication. He pulls out the orb and feels it drawing him into it. He pushes charges into the orb and it draws more. He resists It draw and focuses his thoughts on his Patron. He receives a vision:
It is night. You see your Patron appearing as a beggar in a raggedy loincloth. He approaches another beggar and says, “You know suffering. Walk in my service.” The Patron touches the beggar with a glowing hand then collapses. The sun rises, sets, and rises again. Two figures approach your Patron. One wears heavy armor. He asks, “Is this him?” The other says, “it is.” The armored figure picks up your Patron and they carry him away.
Falco uses the sending stone to contact his handlers. He tells them what blood samples he’s collected.
Roland uses the Diminished Circle of the Mind and tries to communicate with the water strider. He feels a deflection then finds himself floating in an ethereal place. A giant eye stares at him. A whispery voice asks, “Who?” Roland replies with his name and the voice replies asking “Why?” Roland communicates the desire to communicate with the water strider. Again, the voice asks why. Roland expresses a desire for friendship. There is silence and then the voice asks “What friend?” Roland explains companionship, cooperation, and helping. The voice says, “No hate Roland. Meat.” The voice expresses its desire for gnome-flesh. Roland tries to resist and then is slammed back to reality.
We arrive to Pegāna. Smoke still fills the air but some of the fires are in the town starting to die down. The Old Keep has been damaged by cannon fire—one tower has collapsed. Several bodies lay scattered on the beach. The dock is still intact. There are no other ships.
Az runs ahead and encounters her grandpa. He says everyone but the old were taken by a mysterious force. He tells Az that her parents left Pegāna just after she did.
The rest of the party searches the bodies on the beach: mostly humans, plus orcs, ogrillon, and Tiefling villagers. We don’t see any symbols or uniforms identifying affiliation.
We hear shouts for help and run toward a burning building. A magical bottle they used to keep the fire burning has broken and its contents have escaped.
Az’s grandpa gives her the Twisted Fate Band: can roll 2d10 instead of 20 w/ crit on 19–20. She heads off toward the mines to rescue captured tieflings.
Fire mephits and a fire elemental are responsible for the fires. Kohrt, Falco, and Kerryk stay to fight them and help with the fires.
Zash and Roland chase after Az.
Az reaches a cave where she hears muffled voices. She heads towards them.
During the battle, Kerryk holds his orb over lava. It draws up the heat and cools the lava. They manage to eliminate the Mephits and fire elemental and put out the flames.
Az, Roland, and Zash encounter a human and two ogrillon forcing a pair of tieflings to mine crystals. The ogrillon are slain and the human kept alive for questioning.