Set Sail!

 Enroute back to Roanor, the Capreton Military are loading up all available spare supplies to bring back to Forsdon City.  It seems all of the food stores in the City have spoiled.  Before leaving Roanor, there's messages that have arrived by Hawk for Calvin, Raiden, and Bam-Bam?  IG takes the one meant for Bam-Bam.  For Calvin, it's a letter from his wife who has traveled back home due to the unfortunate food supply issues in Forsdon.  Raiden receives a message from his guild, calling him to investigate further into an issue in Saarten Docks.  Bam-Bam also has a message from his guild bringing more light into the history of the broken off piece of the crystal.  With knowledge where the other lost pieces may be found, the group travel towards the port of Bayside where the supplies are being loaded to hop a ride back to Forsdon City and from there, charter passage to Saarten.

 

Upon arrival at the ship, while supplies are being loaded, a sly Monk swings down from the crow's nest above to greet an old friend.  IG embraces and introduces White Shadow to the rest of the party.  He's been traveling on ships, looking for something, or someone it seems.  IG relays his current predicament to White Shadow, and he offers to come along and assist in the quest.

Upon making it to Forsdon, while IG and White Shadow look to find suitable passage to Saarten Docks, the rest make a second attempt to investigate the Arena.  Finding very few persons around, they quickly subdue a couple of guards and are able to break into one of the audience entrances chained shut and approach the arena.  What was once the field of green trees and shrubbery that they fought battle on, appears to now be a swamp-like mass of purplish ooze that closely resembles the sample Calvin took.  Footsteps approach and all make a quiet, hasty exit.

 

The next morning, all board the ship bound for Saarten Docks.  It takes two days to get there, but nothing much happens over that time.  Frank makes a new friend (and drinking mate) in the Captain of the ship while IG and White Shadow play a few games to rid some of the crew of money they happen to not want any more.  Upon arriving in Saarten Docks, Raiden branches off to meet with his guild contacts.  Hladran Conclave seem to have a large presence here.

 

The rest move to travel the short distance to Brambleshash and Calvin's farmstead.  On the way, the party capture a rogue band of thieves and troublemakers who attempted to ambush everyone.  He brings them into the local authorities as they travel towards the farmhouse to get some rest.  While passing through the center of town, Calvin notices that there are deep cracks and a soft purple glow coming from the statue of Dalia there.  He senses the blight from within the statue and as he shares his discovery all agree to rest after the long day and deal with it in the morning.