We are pursuing the illithid directly into the void, at right angles to the asteroid field.
Grey receives a sending from the Rajahdirajah, requesting his presence shortly. Turia, Grey, Zim, and Lani teleport to Sayr Ulan (well, after an off target teleport).
The Rajahdirajah says an event of some import has occurred. A passing priest named Galandan saw a vision which he relayed to the Rajahdirajah. He saw an army made of soldiers of ice that would not melt, even under the midday sun, and a dragon that laid waste to croplands, freezing them under its breath. The Rajahdirajah believes that this is the dragon Krikk who dwells north of Sind. Long ago the Rajahdirajah's ancestors made a deal with this dragon, promising that they would not encroach upon each others territory. The vision suggests that Krikk may have decided to renege on this agreement. Krikk controls many villages just north of Sind, in the mountains. Krikk is meant to be very powerful.
We, of course, are to investigate. If it is Krikk, then kill her. Otherwise, find the true source of the problem.
The vision was communicated three days ago.
We get a gift for the knight who saved our butts in the fight against the illithid - enchant his bastard sword.
Grey does a sending to Galandan, but it fails.
We start looking around Sayr Ulan for information on Krikk, or the region he comes from. We find out nothing.
We rest and rememorise, and get Serraine to research the topic.
We go to the Mumlyket of Peshmir, namely the capital, Karakandar. The soldiers look a little different to before - probably palace guard. We're taken via back passages to a private meeting with the Maharajah. There's a slight misunderstanding at first (with a true seeing cast to verify our identities). After this, we chat. He'll have a guide show us around.
We get shown around, and try to find out information. Apparently the dragon Krikk is friendly with animals. In fact, her tax collector is a bear, a really big brown one. Some traders have also been known to go to the plateau and trade - some kind of humanoids live there, excellent alchemists that sell lamp oil. These traders are supposedly from Glantri - apparently it is illegal for anyone to go to the plateau, by order of the Rajahdirajah. So, clearly, no-one goes, of course. Yeah, right.
We head into the bad part of town after sunset. Although we asked him not to, the guard follows us anyway. We ask for some directions, and go into a bar of some sort. We start blundering around for information.
One person seems to know a lot, and is willing to act as a guide for 500 gold or more. Apparently the ogre/orclike inhabitants of the planes are very good at creating burning products, even better than alchemists fire. We arrange to leave early, for an additional 70 gold per person.
We meet tomorrow night. We requisition some horses.
We do some more information gathering. We find out that the bear is named Maximus. We also find out that Maximus may be raising an army for Krikk, but we don't know what sort of army.
We meet at midnight. Some rafts pull up nearby, we hop on, and head off.
We are the only passengers. The rowers are very evil looking characters.
By morning, we're on a lake.
We chat to some of the evil looking characters. Once they were attacked by a lake monster of some sort.
By evening, we arrive at the other side of the lake, which is carpeted by lush green grass. The lake is named Lake Hast.
We move a short way away, and camp the night.
The smugglers lead us to a part of the plateau cliff that has collapsed, forming a steep path up.
Our guide is Hari.
The top of the plateau provides us with a magnificent vista of the lake. Hari warns us to watch out for small wyrms that spit poison and breathe lightning.
The top of the plateau is basically badlands, not capable of supporting much life. There are some cacti here, which can be used as a source of water if in need.
This plateau is named the Adri Varma plateau. It is not part of Krikk's territory. The plateau is inhabited by the Sand Folk (human spiders), the Ungolwaiths (they've never met them), and the Oghriz (the alchemists, a sort of ogre/orc cross).
Tesserael also finds out some information. Tesserael also hears that Maximus could not be raising an army, because he's been busy investigating northern parts of Sind, in particular things of military significance.
We arrive at a dry riverbed. We hurriedly get to the other side, lest there be a flash flood.
That evening we have a chat to Hari. He wants to know what our interest in Krikk is. He says that apparently Krikk attacked the Oghriz once, but they drove her off. He also notes that there are some uncivilised nomadic tribes of Oghriz. The uncivilised ones are rather brutal, but Hari has a deal with them whereby a tribute is paid in exchange for safe travel.
A group of uncivilised Oghriz intercept us. Their spokesman is very fat. They look very brutish. They arrive on lizards. After a weird little ceremony, involving slapping legs and hugging, Hari and the Oghriz representative start chatting. The language is strange, but is similar to Neathar, interestingly enough.
After chatting, they do a weird ceremony involving a blanket and thumb wrestling.
We definitely need Hari as a guide.
During our travels we see some sort of creature with ten legs. Our guides don't know what it is. It could be a Glantrian creature of some sort - the Glantri use their edge of the plateau as a dumping ground for magical experiments gone wrong.
We also find some vents that we are told could contain noxious fumes.
Cacti are often near cave entrances.
As we travel further, the weather seems to be getting milder. Apparently the centre of the plateau is much milder than the perimeter. This seems unnatural.
Later this day we find six dead bugbears, killed by some sort of creature(s) with big claws and teeth. Trolls.
We enter the territory of the civilised Oghriz. Interestingly they have a strange, black road, apparently made using their alchemical prowess. They are meant to be very powerful alchemists, especially in the area of burning things.
The Oghriz have strange customs. When greeting them, they will hug each other, and try to lift each other off the ground. The one who lifts the other off the ground is considered to be better. Also, fatter people are considered of higher station.
They also consider trading in the open to be very impolite.
They use lots of coal.
We get Roland and Safranna to join us.
The interior here is very verdant, even with proper forests and farmland.
Today we also arrive at their city, a very well lit city, another benefit of their alchemical prowess. Many smoke clouds emanate from the city.
They also use the black stone mixture to construct their buildings.
This place seems to be relatively well advanced.
Hearing them speak more, there also seem to be words from other languages mixed in, including Heldannic and Thyatian.
They also have contraptions set up to create a central heating effect.
We go around with Hari to find out about Krikk. The first individual on the list is the Captain of the Guard, who happens to have a set of white dragon armour.
Krikk lives to the west of here. One of her children came here, and did not survive.
He's been hearing lots about this dragon, from the humans that live there. They've been hearing that Maximus, an intelligent bear, has been raising an army. Apparently the dragon also has spies, very small dragons made of ice. Krikk also has children. Because one of those children was killed by belchers (a unique weapon to this location), they are concerned that Krikk may be wishing to invade this city.