Tough As Dirt #16

Tough as Dirt arrived back at the Gateway Clipper, which managed to survive the Battle of Broken Dawn, and found the Daughters of Eve had already vacated, much to the dismay of both Babbitt and Yella.

The group decided the most pressing task before them was finding Middalah Devir, as it became clear the Divinaxiom she took from the body of Gore was the very thing they'd been seeking: the reason the divine energies of the world were in disarray, why their Dragon Stones were dull, and why White Gate was unapproachable.

They figured, considering her company with Thrax, that Ar'Vayn in Core Vandal would be a good first place to look her. However before they set sail, an exhausted Commander Renn Krayte came to the ship and bestowed his thanks and a reward for their defense of the city.

The group set out, and a couple days into their voyage across the Gossamer Sea, they encountered a ship with red sails and a dragonhead prow. Yella refused to leave his hammock once he'd seen the ship and refused to explain why.

• Winslow went aboard to barter for the some grains, as they were delivering crops from Caim in Highcroft to Cypress

• Beneath the deck, Winslow found a Duergar growing mushrooms, and Winslow was able to barter for some nice "Godoshrooms" as well as a flower which only blooms in moonlight and dies in sunlight, called the Lunar Flower.

• On his way back to the Gateway Clipper, the group learned this was Yella's old crew, by way of them making fun of falling overboard being called pulling a "Yella's boy."

Tough as Dirt bid farewell to the red sailed ship and comforted Yella, who understandably had a very hard time dealing with being so close to the ship where his son died.

With Yella reclaiming his place at the helm, looking upon Tough as Dirt with an protective and determined stare, the group made haste toward Ology in an effort to beat Middalah to Galdarion Forest.