E1Q3 Reaching the Crater

Following the clues Ivy helped you discover in the tower, you descend from cold of the mountains toward the crater of a long-extinct volcano — an impression that has now formed the cradle for the great city of Verdalia, home of all Eldonian high culture.

Richalt takes the lead as he has never been to the capital before and he is ecited to have a reason to go there. As eager as you are to uncover the reason for the boy's suffering and the tower's imbalance you also keen to return to the city where you have studied and lived for the past year. Three locations were marked on the star map: the Astrologers' Observatory, the Medics' Gardens, and Stonehaven Shrine. You wonder if by jsut going there any good will come, you have been to these places with fellow students and freinds and sometimes along at the shrine so what secrets do you expect to find if none we seen before. You wonder if this is even the right path to solving the boy's problems. 

After a few days you reach a steep cliff on the edge of the Azalei mountain range, you step to its edge and overlook the deep valley below. The ice and snow of the mountains fades to a cover of lush green forest, and plains bathed in warm sunlight. The city is glorious and the view reminds you of why you were happy to spend more that a year here. "Its not Kath but its a great city", you think to yourself. Then you hear a faint scream and Talik stops. 

"Over there," Talik says, pointing to a nearby town on the outskirts of the main city, there is a lot of commotion just there. 

You watch, and then you notice people running and ducking into doorways.  You hear the screams of townsfolk. They're running through the streets from a pack of large scaled creatures.

"Something's wrong," Richalt says. "Sea raptals usually keep to themselves and they stay close to the coast."

Together you race down the moonstalker tracks on the side of the cliff, heading for the town. As you approach, the scale of the devastation becomes apparent. The creatures, usually seen as reclusive and harmless unless provoked, have caused numerous disturbances, their once shy demeanor transformed into sheer aggression. They are chasing people who are not indoors and the ones who were caught have obvious wounds, slashes on their backs, bites and torn flesh on their arms. 

Entering the town, you are struck by the abundant signs of chaos: shattered windows, overturned carts, and abandoned belongings litter the streets. The manifold cries for help echo through the air, each one a stark reminder of the terror that grips the townsfolk.

"We need to split up," Richalt suggests. "There are countless people to help and not enough time."

You nod, understanding the urgency. "I'll head towards the market square," you say. "It's where most people gather, innumerable will be there if they didn't make it indoors.  Alster, these are your people they are in need of assistance. What do you need to help them?" Talik says to Alster, "I can help you if you tell me what to do." "Done," says Alster, "we can start to treat people but somebody has to stop the raptals from doing more damage." 

Talik and Alster head of to the nearest injured person who lay moaning on the ground. Richalt, Haden and You agree to each taking different direction in hope of stopping as many raptals as you can, there were tons of them. As you run through the streets, you encounter umpteen obstacles, from fallen debris to frightened animals. The myriad sounds of distress guide your path.

In the market square, you find an unnumbered group of Eldonians trying to fend off the Raptals with various makeshift weapons. They push at the snarling creatures with broken chairs and swing their medics bags at them. You join them, your presence bolstering their spirits. Despite the danger, you can't help but marvel at the myriad of ways the townspeople have banded together to protect their home.

Richalt was the first to react when he ran down a narrow street in the town and tried to startle away the sea raptals. His shouts in a deep bellicose voice were made in hope they would leave without a fight, but his loud voice only makes the creatures more agitated.

"Something has made them panic," Haden says. "We can't resolve this without hurting them."

Haden approached one of the sea raptals slowly, speaking in a soothing voice as she had seen some of the panther warriors do.

Carefully, she had extended her hand toward the nervous creatures, the crystal on her gauntlet glowing faintly. Eldonian villagers held their breath, ready to run if things started up again. With shield in place she slowly placed her palm on the raptal's forehead, it seemed to understand her intentions and immediately calmed down.

Haden turned to you and smiled. You had let out a sigh of relief, amazed by her warrior abilities. You requested Richalt not to go on to the next street until you had ensured the people were safe from further attacks.

After what feels like hours but was likely only minutes, the creatures begin to retreat back towards the paths that lead out of the town, their aggression subsiding as their panic turned to calm. Breathing heavily, you look around at the townsfolk. Their expressions of relief are manifold, gratitude shining plentifully in their eyes.

"We need to understand what caused this," Richalt says, regrouping with you. "There are too many strange things going unanswered, I have so many questions and no answers. All I know is that all these things must be related." Haden thought for a moment,  "All the energy in the crystal, the overflow of power in the etheria trees I am sure it startled them from their nests."

"Agreed," you reply. "I have studied here for over a year and never even seen a sea raptal and the energy surge is the only new condition that might cause a change." 

Alster joins in "My whole life growing up in this crater and I have only ever seen sea raptals when we went on excursions to the coast." 

Haden says, "Let's help out in this town and then start by investigating the three locations marked on the star map. Perhaps they hold the key to all this."

With a renewed sense of purpose, you work with Alster to do what you can for the townspeople who show their gratitude by sharing what they have. Some even invite you to stay for the night. The next day you set off towards the first location, the Astrologers' Observatory, hopeful that soon all these things will make sense. 

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