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The missing stars seemed to help Flint snap out of his catatonic state. "The stars? Yes, I remember the old legends. They say the gods of old, the ones who abandoned us during the Cataclysm, that they lived up in the sky as stars. Each constellation was meant to represent one of the old gods."

Looking up, he points out one particularly bright star. "There, see that one? That was said to be Reorx's Forge. Reorx was the god of crafts, and said to be the creator of the dwarves."

A chill wind began to blow across the lake. Storm clouds rolled across the sky from the north, obliterating the gaping black holes left by the fallen stars. The companions hunched down in the boat, pulling their cloaks tighter around them as the rain spattered down. The two big warriors rowed in grim silence.

"Sturm! There--between the great rocks to the left!" Flint called out, pointing.

The rain made sighting the landmark rocks difficult and, for a moment, it seemed they had lost their way in the darkness. Then the rocks suddenly loomed ahead. The boat was brought around. Flint was the first to leap out the side into the shallow waters and help pull the boat to shore.

Torrents of rain lashed down. The companions climbed from the boat, wet and chilled. Riverwind hid the boat in the thick underbrush. Flint led the rest up a rocky trail to a small opening in the cliff face. It seemed no more than a large crack in the surface of the cliff. Inside, however, the cave was large enough for all of them to stretch out comfortably.

"Nice home." Tasslehoff glanced around. "Not much in the way of furniture."

Laurana reluctantly steps out of the boat, she leans on whoever is present for aid, "This is the life you have chosen?" She asks Tanis, her tone isn't sarcastic, but... its close. "You left me for this?"

Shrugging she sits down alone, unsure as to why she was here, her re-union hadnt gone as she had planned.. And now the stars had vanished, the Gods had returned, Tanis didnt want her... Could life get any stranger?

Helping the Ladies off the vessel, Sturm frowns at the accommodation, he had been to worse but there were Ladies present. "I shall take first Watch" Sturm announces, drawing his weapon he stands and starts to clean the antique blade. He looks to the Elf Laurana, she was stubborn of that he was certain.

Raistlin shivers until he gets out of the wind, then he sits in a corner by himself. "Brother, I need hot water." he says to Caramon as he hugs himself and coughs again.

Goldmoon helps Caramon build a fire and heat water, she wants to bring it to Raistlin, to speak with him.

"Can you tell me more about the gods and the stars? I was told that the stars - except the moons and planets - are forever unchanging, a sure guide for nomads in the night. The moons and planets, of course, tell the seasons. That constellations can go missing unsettles me."

Caramon goes out and gathers the few dry pieces of wood that he can find, wrapping them in his cloak to keep off the rain. Returning he speaks with Goldmoon.... "Keep the fire small, so there will be less smoke... and so we may douse it quickly if need be. "... He pauses a moment in deep thought.... " This staff of yours? With it healing and all, I can see why everyone would want it.... But, how did you come to hold it? "

"That story is not mine to tell, Caramon. Ask Riverwind, the staff was given to him." Goldmoon smiles at the large warrior.
"And yes, I will keep the fire small. That's our custom too, especially in ennemy lands."

Confident the fair-haired plains-woman would tend to his brother's needs, Caramon approaches Riverwind.... "This staff that has everyone in a bunch... Goldmoon says that it was given to you? Who was it that gave it to you?"

Riverwind frowned and cast Goldmoon a look. Turning back to the big warrior, he seemed to be thinking it over. Finally, he spoke. "A swamp. There were ancient ruins. Death on black wings." He shuddered. "The goddess gave it to me. She asked me to bring it to Goldmoon."

"Death on black wings?"
Laurana asks, partly to herself, "I do not like the sound of that." Standing she pulls her cloak around her and approaches the fire. Unused to wearing the armor she shifts uncomfortably.

"Ancient Ruins? Does anyone have a map?"

"A map? Yes, of course!" Tasslehoff said. He dumped the contents of one of his pouches out on the cavern floor. Among them were numerous scrolls. There were also a number of other things, including glittering rings (one of elven make which was golden and depicted clinging ivy leaves), a feather from a goatsucker bird, pieces of twine, a bead necklace, a soap doll, and a whistle.

"I have all kinds of maps, from all over Ansalon. What do you need a map of? To where?" he asked eagerly as he sat down cross-legged and started going over the scrolls.

Raistlin takes the glass of water from Goldmoon with a nod. He again mixes the herbs he carries into the water before sipping it. He breathes a small sigh of relief as his cough settles down.

"The gods and the stars are linked through the constellations." he tells Goldmoon. "There are many stories about the two, determining fact from fiction though..."

He turns to watch Tas messing with all the stuff in his bag as he lets Goldmoon digest his answer.

Goldmoon thinks about Raistlin's words for a while, than asks him: "And what do you think, personnally? What does it mean that the constellations have gone missing?"

Laurana slips down beside the Kender. Frowning at the sight if the ring, she shoots a look of despair at Tanis. Then returns her attention to Tas she knew something of maps, having spent enough time as her fathers scribe, the maps and the places were familiar.

"Hmmmm." She looks through the assorted maps, the Great City of Tarsis, Thorbardin, even Qualinesti, she couldn't see a Ruin, or a swamp. "Tas, where are the Que Shu?"

Tanis crept over to the kender. "Tas..." He tapped the kender on the shoulder and pointed. "My ring..."

"Is it?" asked Tasslehoff with wide-eyed innocence. "Is this yours? I'm glad I found it. You must have dropped it at the Inn."

Tanis took the ring with an embarrassed look at Laurana, then settled down next to the kender. The kender's collection of maps never cased to astonish him. There must have been a hundred, drawn on everything from fine parchment to soft kid leather to a huge palmetto leaf.

He stood back up and walked around the cavern while Tas answered Laurana's request. "Oh, here we go." He pulled out a map of the plains of Abanasinia. "The Que-Kiri and Que -Teh are fairly close, one to the east and one to the south, just near Gateway. The Que-Shu...? Oh, here they are. Way over here, to the east by the mountains." He glanced over to Goldmoon and her companion. "Wow, that's quite a walk."

Tanis, who had been in thought, spoke up. "We should decide what to do. This staff is what we have been searching for these past five years--proof of the ancient gods returning. But what do we do with it? We could head to Haven. The Seekers there may be of help. Not all are like Hederick. Some are good men. What say you all to this? Any other ideas?" he asked.