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‘Well met, my lords,’ calls the ginger-haired magician as he waits at the end of the gangplank for you and Lord Zinair to disembark. You gather together your equipment and, as you step ashore, he greets you with a broad smile and a firm handshake. ‘I am Acraban, of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star. I had not expected we would rendezvous so soon. I arrived here myself only this morning aboard my skyship Starstrider,’ he says, earnestly.
Then the young magician excuses himself before turning away to face his flying ship. He raises his right hand and a shimmering blue flame suddenly engulfs his open palm. From the rear deck of the hovering skyship you see a flashing pinpoint of light. It is an acknowledgement of Acraban’s signal to his crew that you have arrived.
‘Come, my lords, let us return to Starstrider. We have much to discuss and time is precious.’
