Captain Corian approached  us explaining that  Merrick was going to be late. ” He is still  working on the broken Cypher issue with Calin the Blind.”

“My royal spies, I need your help dealing with a brawl in Yew” Captain Corian said.

When we arrived in Yew, we found  brawl going on in the Tanners shop in the center of the city.

“Pirates again!” someone shouted!  “Show them how we deal with brigands.”

Quickly we joined in the fight.   Several Jukan  Blood Flagon Pirates had focused their  attack on  a man named Tamin the Recursive. After defeating the pirates,  we discussed what had happened.

“Why would Jukan pirates come here and attack. This is very worrisome. Captain Corian must be told. Maybe Tamin can shed some light on this.  Time to question him.”

When questioned, Tamian  became upset and confessed that he had been holding onto a green jewel call the “Emeris’s Jade Sea” though he called it by another name   This gem had been identified by a Jeweler in the city .   He said that twelve years ago  it belonged to a wealthy Noble. before it was stolen.

In frustration, Timan threw the jewel at us.  “I didn’t steal it, I was paid good money to hold it.  They told me some one would come for it. I figured it was the thief who had stole it.  I’ve held it for twelve years.  I’m tired of being attacked by pirates and thieves.  I sick of unsavory men trying to buy it. I’ve  been holding it for twelve years for someone. That jewel has brought me nothing but ill luck. ” shaking his head, he looked at us “Take it, I don’t care if I was paid to hold on to it.  No jewel is worth my life.”

” Looking at the Jewel”, we asked.  ” Who gave it to you?”

“Decarpus” replied Timan.  ” I tried to find him to give it back, but I couldn’t find him or anyone who knew where he was.”

“What did the man look like?”

Timan thought for a moment.  ” As far as I can remember, he had long black hair and tan skin.”

We discussed the situation.  “If we were to protect him, we might catch this Decarpus.”

We told Timan that we could keep him safe.  In disgust, he looked at the jewel and recalled as quickly as he could.

When Corian arrived, we  told him  what has transpired. He looked at the jewel in disbelief.  “This might have something to do with Merrick’s treasure.  I better keep it.”.

“Tolivar has asked me have you all keep an eye on Merrick for him.” said Captian Corian.   “He said the last time the treasure came up, he started behaving shifty.  Tolivar never figured out what he was up to either…  Which is unusual for Tolivar, I’d wager Merrick learned from him a little too well, ” he continued.  “That is why Tolivar had him take over  you ,the Royal Spies, to begin with, he finally pulled the wool over his old Master Spies’ eyes.  Anyhow, Tolivar seemed genuinely worried about Merrick for once.  But he seems intent enough on it, to keep all of it from Dahlia.”

When  mentioned that perhaps Merrick sees it as a contest with Whitebeard, Corian responded,, “It could be, I remember when we found Merrick the first time, when Whitebeard abandoned him with that tiny boat on an island in the middle of nowhere.  Anyhow… keep it to yourself.”

I need you to go to  Merrick. “You’ll find him in Castle Britain.”

When we found him.  Merrick told us he had figured something out.

“That note mentioned Higher, Higher. I believe that means for us to go higher.”

Quickly we went to the roof of Castle Britain. There we found another note with an image on it as well as another riddle.

“On either side them an endless river far too wide, beyond the place of living and the place of dying.  In between them stone.  On one side, follow north, but only half as far as the second city.  In the south you will find the moon.”

 

Confused at first, we began discussing it.  As we start naming off places, cities and dangerous places. “Wait ,”  Merrick said “This  could be referring to a city, and something near it. ” Overlaying it on a map of nearby Britain he discovers this:

“This small triangular location correlates to a small cave!” he exclaimed in excitement.

Inside the cavern, we found it filled with strange objects, presumably to create Magical Keys.

Merrick found another note attached beneath the small sitting bench.  It reads:

I borrowed several things from the Alabaster Keep in Ilshenar. The Ternium Bricks were hard to take, cold as ice. They froze nearly everything I tried to place them into. I do not know how Lorick manages. While attempting to get one of the Sivarum Looking Glasses. I stumbled upon a room of damaged ones and took one of them instead.

I tried to build a Dreamshade lamp, but was not successful. The proper process uses the same materials as for a Frozen Dream Lamp. But when done in the right amounts, will create something different. They call it a Dreamshade lamp. The creation of the type of magical keys I need requires one. It won’t matter if I can get the dust required to reveal the doors. Without a pair of keys for it.

There is a list of the things I have found so far that are necessary to find it. I have hidden it in the gardens of the Alabaster Keep, just in case.

We begin discussing locations, bringing up different cities .  Merrick  discounted each of them. He said that they were all to obvious and that someone would have seen something by now.

Then someone mentioned that it might be an area in Ilshenar  “We can there by accessing the spider caverns.”

Taking a teleporter to an Island area in Southeastern Ilshenar, we found the location we are looking for.   More of the same magical key crafting material can be found upstairs:

 

Looking in the last room, we found a damage piece of paper that reads:

If someone finds this, I beg them to finish what I started.  You have probably tried already and failed to find it.  I have failed more times than I can count now, but with my help you may succeed.  If you found any of the clues with the word, “A.M.E.L.I.A.” on them, then I am already dead.  I cannot say for sure what it means, but I am certain it is not just a name.

I have discovered several of the items I will need to find the location:

1. Magical Dust, from a creature near Althaye’s Garden.
2. A strange Mechanical Cypher.
3. An enchanted gem with a map carved inside, known as Eschia’s Simmering Sea.
4. A set of magical keys, crafted from a Sivarium Looking Glass, reinforced with Ternium and shadow essence.
5. Four “keystones” used with the magic map to be used in the Mechanical Cypher.
6. A list of locations, seven in total where Doorways have been spotted.
7. Essence of Dreamwhisper.

Using a charcoal rubbing, Merrick found another location on the other side.   Realizing it is likely in Ilshenar, it is overlaid and moved across the map.

 

Following the map we ended up in the desert.  Searching, we accidently  encountered a strange magical creature, called a Dreamwhisper.

It disappeared, but Merrick realized he must have stepped in some of the magic dust from before.  Taking the globe he has been carrying , he  poured more dust until the creature  is revealed again.

We quickly dispatched the creature. Looking at  one of the Frozen Dream Lantern’s , he  had been carrying, was now charged with the creatures magic.

 

Arriving back at the meeting hall, ” Hum”  Merrick said ” I  wonder where the “Essence of Dreamwhisper” comes from.”  Touching the lamp, a strange dust flew into Merrick’s face.  Merrick suddenly felt ill.  “It seems ,I just swallowed some Dreamwhisper essence then.”  I wonder if throwing the roses into the lamp would provide it fuel to light it. Would one of you toss the Dreamshade Roses into the lamp for me?”

Merrick moved farther away, “I suggest that the rest of you join me.  You never know what will happen.”

The lamp didn’t light up.  “I guess it would be better to leave it to Evidias. I’m a bit surprised it didn’t explode.”

Looking queasy, “I think I should find a healer to take a look at me.”