Lizardfolk, Right?

 After some discussion atop the cliffs over Nylus Academy, the leader, Tomas Esdot, brings you all down into the deepest portion of the Academy basement, through an old, decrepit dungeon.  As with most things here however, it has been repurposed into a locked study, complete with bookshelves, desks, and artifacts.  Chief of which seems to be a large crystal, floating above it's stand.  "Guarding" the crystal and books inside is an academy scholar and Hwei, a crazed old....man?  His arm, face and back have mutated by some twisted attempt to extend his own life and survive the ancient age of the blight by drinking Dragonblood Brew.  It also seems to have affected his mind as he keeps rambling, muttering to himself, and talking in circles.

Calvin bravely approaches as close as he dare to the crystal and finds similarities reflected in the sample of ooze from the wound Denton had in his side from the crystal shard.  There also seems to be small cut facets where the crystal used to sit on the stand.  The cuts seem intentional and each closely resemble the the size/shape of the shard Denton had stabbed into the armored foe in the arena.

Alarmed by this discovery, Hwei goes into a panic.  The scholar attempts to calm them and explain that the original exit to the portal was in the room.  Hwei, rambles about the blight from history and his concern that it is back and been unleashed upon the world again.  The scholar coaxes some information out of Hwei about the times of the ancient blight, about how they tried to fight against it, about how he and his "brothers" drank the Dragonblood brew to survive, and about how they eventually tried to contain it in the crystal.  Hwei seemed very concerned that the pieces of the crystal are missing, but also shares that he knows one of his "brothers", James, took a piece of it back to Solfare with him long ago.  He implores you to find him, find the crystal shards, "mend what was broken…make him whole…free the prisoner…".  You decide to head back to Forsdon to check in with your factions before deciding on whether or not to head out.  First though, "Bam-Bam" is looking for some tinder, and tries to take one of the books.  Tomas, the scholar, and Hwei all object profusely to this and Frank ends up putting Bam-Bam to sleep so they can leave.  Reluctantly, they take Bam-Bam with them, if only to help the scholars get him away from the archives.

As they arrive back in Forsdon, you all go your separate ways to check in with your factions and make preparations.  You all agree to meet back at a nearby tavern you see.  You recognize it as the one offered as the contest prize.

Frank and I.G., debating who won the contest, enter the tavern.  I.G. finds many of his faction members at a few far tables being merry.  They wave him over and buy him a drink to join in the merriment.  Both of them stay the night at the tavern in a room given to Frank.

Frank finds his faction leaders conducting business behind the counter, getting the bar up and running.  By "technicality", they convinced the council that the prize belongs to Talon and claimed the tavern for their own purpose.  Frank accepts his leader's "appreciation" and he even gets to name the place.  "Slippy's Tavern" after his fine frog companion!  Each if them for valiant efforts inside the arena today go up in renown among their faction.

Binx heads back to his Faction for a night's rest from a long day.

Raiden does the same, but stops by the Docks to ask some questions in the morning.

Bam-Bam and Calvin visit the arena to investigate and are met with some stern Capreton guards.  After a brief skirmish, they retire for the night.  Calvin goes to his wife at an inn, relieved that she's alright.

In the morning they all meet up and set off for Solfare, the Capreton capital where James was last known to be many centuries ago.

On the way you came across a band of merchants dressed in Kamanthal clothes, but they were nothing but thieves.  You made quick work of them, but then a fight broke out within the ranks with Bam-Bam and Calvin.  Binx and I.G. tried to break it off, but eventually Bam Bam-Bam was left unconscious until they made camp later that night at one of the many stops on the side of the road.

That evening, Binx and I.G. swapped some move techniques and the others chatted about some of their history around the campfire late into the night.  The journey to Solfare would continue in the morning.