Star & Scale #24

Zeb, Eden, Ezekial, and May confronted Goldcrest at the hamlet outside Sophivitas in an effort to learn what he wanted

• It turned out he was looking for May. Goldcrest had been a security enforcer at Hemlock Bastille as May had grown up, and she had tinkered with him throughout her life, taking him apart and putting him back together again. 

• May didn't see Goldcrest as a person, but rather a thing, and Goldcrest had come to confront her now that he had a sense of himself due to his time with the Students of Life and Death. May refused to back down from her position that Goldcrest was a tool made by people, but upon learning Eden and Zeb were compatriots of Val, in a way, Goldcrest abandoned his desire to kill May for her offenses.

• Goldcrest informed them he had been made by a woman named Replica, and he wanted to know why May had never come to look for him when he'd been taken by the Saffron Society in Trine. May, with the help of Eden, managed to muddle her way through an apology.

Goldcrest eventually left, encouraged by Eden to apologize to Val in the same way, as he had left the Students in a not-so-kind way.

Zeb took the time to inform Ezekiel that he had learned the location of the man who had convinced Ezekiel to sacrifice his son in Deor; Vertiax, a priest in Othrund

• Ezekiel made it clear to the siblings that he meant to kill Veritax, and was headed to Othrund, and this would likely conclude his pact with the devil and send him back to the nine hells.

  • Zeb and Eden promised to fight alongside him, both with Veritax and the devil should he come to collect his due.

The group ventured forth toward Delphina and her Geist Gate that would connect Highcroft to her home of Raesh in the southern reaches of Vault

• Upon arrival, they found the tortle Chrest Zell defending against a group of half-clothed and jagged metal helmet wearing warriors from Ziggurat

The group defeated the Ziggurat warriors, and Delphina became incredibly concerned that they had come through the gate when she'd attempted to fire it up because Ziggurat had invaded her homeland.

• Zeb outlined his plan to get rocks from the Phantom Plains to help power Delphina's Gate, and then recruit her to their cause to help transport people around Vault to collect relics in order to stop the gods from starting another Constellation War. But Delphina needed an answer to get to Raesh now, so they decided to solve a Voice riddle that had popped up in Lantern Light.

Eden, Zeb, Ezekiel, May, Chrest, Delphina, and Snuffler left for Lantern Light, and arrived to a busy city awaiting the arrival of Avalon to solve their problem. May relished the opportunity to beat Avalon to the punch, and they heard the riddle first hand, ready to find the relic to power Delphina's gate.