Episode 17

'''Episode 17: Switching Gears. '''

Everyone makes it onto The Shepherd safely, even if Scrungus doesn’t want to be there. The party catches up with Railund about everything that happened back in Valdore. To help Scrungus, Andrew decides to stay with The Shepherd crew, saying that they should eventually return to help retake Valdore at some point in the future. Andrew is confident that they will get Baldr and Pendril back, and retake Valdore with stronger numbers. Railund then sets course to another port city called Zada, where they are supposed to meet the other party within about a week. The other mission by the other players is then played out.

Right after the previous party had left to search for Scrungus, the party of Wood, Taylansta, Gemevieve, Callisto, Analai and Ganymede are tasked with a much harder task: they are to travel through Valdore and go through the very dangerous mountain range called The Kenai Pass, and enter the deep underground tunnels of Ichorfall to find the last champion. Analai accompanies them with her keen Divine sense that will help find the champion in the underground tunnels of Ker Jarra. The group sets out, doing their preparations in the city of Valdore during the same time Baird and Cici would have been fighting Baldr and Scrungus. Andrew meets them as well, and shows them a bit around the city as well. He sends word to the Militia captain, Ajax, of their mission, and to let them pass on through outside the city. The party gets some new clothes and items, stocks up on armor forged by Captain Ajax’s brother, Contigo, and even has a revealing dinner at Olive Gear. At dinner, Wood brings his guard and flashy persona down for a moment and reveals that his eyepatch is purely cosmetic, and that even he has doubts about his status as a hero. The dinner proves to be awkward again, and Olive Gear might just be more sinister than previously thought, but the party still makes their way forward afterwards. Just outside of Valdore, the party meets at a militia post, headed by the Tauren Captain Ajax, who greets them with open arms. After hearing of their oncoming obstacles, Ajax decides that he will guide them through the Kenai Pass, but will have to leave them to navigate the underground tunnels of Ker Jarra on their own. The party stays the night in their camp, peacefully preparing for their upcoming trek.