• PCsRandall & Ben awaken after more than 24 hrs of sleep.
• PCs meet with the High Priest Kerym Luralei at the Spire.
• PCs learn of the Blades of Khazari invasion, and are asked to help resolve the situation.
• Kerym says the elves have awoken the Laran. Balerion and Hal request a meeting between the Dragon, the Swarm, and the Laran.

Awakening

With a mighty effort, Triss forces the PCsRandall & Ben awake. While she fetches Ben some new pants, the PCs speak with First mate Rick and A.B.S. Hallie . They learn they’ve been asleep for over 24 hours, during which Hallie has had her way with Ben “multiple times”. Their long sleep was likely caused by the innkeeper’s “Kraken Juice”, which also put some other festive citizens of Soleme into a coma.

Triss returns, and leads the PCs to the High Priest Kerym Luralei’s office in the Spire. Randall floats the entire way, feeling too unsteady to walk.

The invasion

After exchanging greetings, Kerym says the official purpose of their meeting is to speak of the PC’s journey to Tarr. But he adds that there is another more important and unofficial purpose. While the PCs were on Tarr, Iparra was invaded by a private military force called the Blades of Khazari. Kerym provides the following details:

• The Blades came from Ucroa, and crossed into Iparra over the Border Mountains.
• They’re around 200 strong.
• They’re named after the Khazari family: a long-dead Ucroan ruling family, whose warriors held the title of “Sword of Khazari”.
• They’ve collected to the northwest of Vumira, with a headquarters near Ballatar, and smaller forces near Smallwater and Willowwood.
• They don’t seem intent on attacking anyone. Instead, they claim to be searching for someone or something called the “Daughter of the Ninth Verse”.
• They refuse to cooperate with anyone associated with the Four Bishops.
• They’re highly trained, and use an enhancing substance to achieve physical abilities well beyond that of a normal man.

The request

While the Blades of Khazari haven’t been aggressive, Kerym thinks their mere presence is a problem. He asks the PCs to meet with the Blades as private citizens, and to work out what they’re really looking for and/or how to get rid of them. He provides the following relevant information:

• The PCs can sail to Ballatar via the river Yune.
• Kerym has a spy in Ballatar, named Garrett, who is posing as a gardener. The PCs should contact Garrett to obtain any further information, and to pass on anything they discover.
• The Army of Iladence is now posted around Ballatar to help keep the peace. The PCs can approach them, but they cannot reveal their connection to Kerym.
• The PCs should do everything they can to hide their connection to the Four Bishops, as the Blades of Khazari will investigate their background thoroughly.

The rewards

The PCs agree to help Kerym, but only after he agrees to meet their terms:

• A Naval Shipyard commission for two large warships, officially approved by Kerym and with a 10% discount.
• A seat on the Citizen’s Committee of Soleme for Ben.
• A resident wizard posting at the Spire for Randall (the higher up the Spire the better).

The Laran

Finally, Kerym says the PC’s discovery of the Lesser Pantheon has been a historic moment for the elves. The elvish elders have since unearthed ancient knowledge of the Laran - their master from millennia ago - and using this rediscovered knowledge they’ve reawakened the Laran.

Balerion then appears, and asks Kerym to setup a meeting between the Dragon and the Laran. Hal reluctantly appears as well, and says the Swarm will want to join. Kerym says he cannot approve such a meeting on his own, but he will bring the request before his elders.

Exit

With this, the PCs bid farewell to Kerym, and are led out of the Spire by Triss. Sceptically, she asks whether they can really handle Kerym’s task, but they assure her they’re the best two men for the job.