The trip to the One Tree had seemed to Janaar a relatively simple pursuit when he first undertook it, but the doing of it had proven to be far more complicated than expected. For one, powering the ship for planar travel required a navigator and mana for the mast, neither of which he himself could provide. For this trip, Proxen was navigator and Ryparin was providing most if not all of the mana.
This combination got them where they wanted to go, although the destination was much further than expected; far from the centre of the multiverse. They would later learn that many guardians interceded the path between where the Sea Ghost started and where its journey ended, and many would marvel over how the Sea Ghost managed to avoid them. All Captain Stormwind could later respond is that Proxen was the navigator at that time.
When the ship landed, the crew was immediately beset upon by enemies. The story is now told of how the crew of the Sea Ghost dispatched the enemies between them and the One Tree, and how Proxen touched Yggdrasil and became Sir Proxen, the Green Knight.
Although unable to free Yggdrasil from its force cage prison, the crew of the Sea Ghost was able to return to their ship and sail away safely. Sir Proxen was too shaken from his recent promotion to navigate so soon thereafter, such that Captain Stormwind, who was there when the mast volunteered to serve his ship, attempts the navigation function himself. Upon doing so, he senses the urgent need to rescue Ash and Lord Gilead from the plane upon which Captain Stormwind was born.
Famous for its ability to sail silently, the Sea Ghost makes no sound where other ships would groan as Captain Stormwind orders a sharp turn in order to go pick up these friends.
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The Sea Ghost arrives just in time to gather Ash, Lord Gilead and several of their companions just before Queen Vlaakith’s forces descend on the tower by the river where they were meeting. When the Band of Ash and Lord Gilead’s Company board the ship, they are extremely grateful for the rescue. The Sea Ghost then travels through the planes, leaving the plane where it all began with no Lanterns of Light for the first time in a very long time.
“Let Queen Vlaakith have it all now,” Captain Stormwind declares, glad to be away from that place, but he regrets his words when he sees how they wound Lord Gilead. Queen Vlaakith does have it all now. Everything that ever mattered to Lord Gilead now belongs to Queen Vlaakith, including his people.
In later debriefs, the new crew of the Sea Ghost discuss next steps.
Sir Proxen has a clear vision of a green path to the Lords of Light and he attempts to convince the crew that he should navigate the ship along this path to that purpose. Kildrak is also attracted to this mission as he now feels a connection to Sir Proxen.
Others, however, including Ash and Lord Gilead, feel very close to gathering all six of the Lanterns of Light, now having five on board the ship.* According to the tales Valaria told them, these lanterns together contain enough of the goodness that was Alandra de WInter, that Queen Vlaakith can be destroyed, and maybe Alandra de Winter restored, by combining them together against her.
Lord Gilead is mind-blown to hear that Alandra de Winter and Queen Vlaakith are the same person. The time warp involved in order for this to be true is too mind-boggling for him to understand for a long time. All his life Lord Gilead has known Alandra de Winter to be pursued by forces that were ultimately discovered to be controlled by Queen Vlaakith. This means that Alandra de Winter spent her whole life fleeing from her future self. And Queen Vlaakith spent her whole life trying to destroy her earlier self.
The consequences of this truth are staggering. Among other things, it means that Alandra de Winter imbued the Lanterns of Light with her essence in order to create a means for her future self to be restored to her original self.
Lord Gilead is heart-broken when he realizes that Queen Vlaakith is actually Alandra de Winter trying to kill him and snuff out the light she gave him years ago. Her future self is trying to prevent her former self’s rescue plan from succeeding, and if she destroys even one of the Lanterns of Light, she will.
The crew of the Sea Ghost debates its options a long time. Lord Gilead feels that the light within him could navigate the Sea Ghost to the sixth lantern – hidden in a place known as the Temple of Ra, on a shadow world the crew has never before visited.
Sir Proxen believes that he can ride Orange Pekoe, his magical steed, along the Green Path and find the Lords of Light. Kildrak could come with him.
Decisions must be made.
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The Temple of Ra – Advanced D&D Tournament Module from 1979
*[I will circulate a summary of who has (or is) a Lantern of Light and its power. I feel like this already exists somewhere but we need to be clear about it before the next session.]