Found an old tavern in the Boiler district. Decaying woodpile would be more apt. Don’t know how it was still standing. But the Aesther was there. She faded in and out of sight. Like our existence was a tiny part of what she saw. Don’t know if she was ever truly… here.
She wanted an orb. From the damn Copperneck Mountains. That we just left.
As we planned out the expedition at the tavern, we were approached by two travelers who seem to have overheard us. The first was an Orchid. Brianca. Ancient. Distant. Seemed uninterested until we described the necromancers that we had fought. Covered in dazzling crystals that grew from her skin itself. The second was a Quatryl. Paco. A Tinkerer, the kind that often runs a shop. Top of his head no higher than my waist, but had more pouches and packs than I’ve seen in my entire life. Kept referring to “those who came before”. I have no idea.
In the Coppernecks, we found the cave that Hail, the Aesther, said housed the orb. Buried in the mountains, buried in snow. Wolf prints outside. Wolves inside to match. Accompanied, of course, by undead and the occasional frost demon. Brianca was aloof at the bar, but at the first hint of battle, she became feverish. Slung fire, ice, and spikes of earth with a flick of her wrist. Careless. Reckless. I quite like her. Paco produced contraptions that defended us, entrapped our foes. Two feet high, full of enterprising death. They shall both prove quite useful.
Found the orb nestled in the far recesses of the cave. Cold. Burned the rock of my skin with a mere touch. Returned it to Hail, only for her to tell us that it contained a rift to a plane of pure frost. Of course it was defended by the demons of ice. Took the orb and disappeared into thin air. Appeared hours later, agreed to help us with the portal.
Perhaps we’re finally getting somewhere.
–Balboa
Journeys through Gloomhaven 