The Rock Of Bral - Heroes' Feast Flavors of the Multiverse

The Rock Of Bral. After escaping an exorbitant bill at the YAWNING PORTAL, our heroes bravely fled the City of Waterdeep aboard a SPELLJAMMER. Hurtled through time and space to the mysterious ROCK OF BRAL, the Bureau is charged with a QUEST!" So, the oddest event has befallen us. Some hours after we fled the Yawning Portal-cause of an unpaid bill-we found sanctuary in the underhold of a sea vessel docked at port. As I calmed my stalwart party, a door creaked aside, and framed in Vision and Light came to us a small, curious figure-no taller than my brother, had I one. Encased head to toe in dented bronze plate, squat and pot-bellied, this ancient lad called out in a fluty gasp. "ARE YOU THE QUATERNATE TETRAD?" As all wise adventurers know, when someone asks you if you are who you are NOT, you say YES. So, I did thus. "Yes! Of course we are." Satisfied, he answered me in rusty reverberance: "I am DINT, Autognome (what 'tis?) and captain of the Dashor (what 'er means that!), and we are running behind! Please produce the Jewel of Javanium." And to this I answered, "We have that...not." Bronzèd Dint tilted his head, the armored eye-slits narrowing. Just then, I could hear the shout of City Watch grow closer. "Are you not the Quaternate Tetrad? As ordered?" Bri'An called out, "By Tyr, what is to be won if we are?!" Dint's rusty flute-voice grew in conspiracy, "Why, five Astral Diamonds, of course." It was then that Bri'An, to my great shock, produced Ruby-my precious Ruby!-from a hidden flap in his holy vestments, and presented it thusly to Dint, who responded by swallowing Ruby whole! NO! Dint's eye-slits glowed red for a moment before he turned and withdrew from view.... And with a mighty groan, our vessel set sail. I cast an incredulous eye to Bri'An who assuaged me with pious honesty that Ruby was rescued from the ground when she slipped from my leathers as we fled. Thus, Ruby is safe, though INSIDE the gut of our strange new companion. What purpose does she serve...