Alexander Homan

A solo play D&D 5E Adventure set in Matt Mercer's EXANDRIA setting- specifically the Menagerie Coast, Wildemount

Click here to learn about the world setting of EXANDRIA!

Click here to support the creators of Exandria!

Liswyn, son of the wealthy Springbeam family in Gwardan, is the only son among 8 sisters in his family. He is no stranger to wealth and privilege, having been born and raised in the Ornatora spire at the center of town. However, a family tragedy caused him deep pain and remorse, driving him to heaving drinking and charlatanism. Years later, Lis had a dream of the Moon-weaver goddess, who offered him solace and healing. And so did Lis join the Druidic Order of the Doralle Woods- worshippers of the Moon-weaver Goddess Sehanine. This order of druids was founded by those among the first of the pale elves to reawaken from the Pallid Grove a century ago. Leaving behind his charlatanism and cynicism, Lis devoted himself to the practices of the Pallid elf druids with two of his older sisters, the twins Arasatra and Quiroris. After some time, he travelled the world another one of his older sisters, Orriel, a priestess of the All-Hammer in the House of Invention, who secretly moonlights as Captain Goldna of the Revelry pirates (under the guise of a travelling mystic merchant sent forth by the House of Invention). His oldest sister Miawyn to this day refuses to communicate with him, blaming him (along with his youngest sisters Ravafina and Engwyn) for the death of the mother Chaena and younger adopted sister Rai. Some time later, while travelling to Shadycreek Run with his sister Orriel, Lis experienced a nightmare in which he encountered a red dragon, tried to swindle the dragon and thus provoking the dragon's everlasting wrath. That dream caused him to fall back into despair, and so he returned to his swindling and boozing.
A forgotten memory of his is when he was young and tried helping out his sisters in the altar-forges of the House of Invention, a temple dedicated to the All-hammer. He burned himself, giving him a crescent moon shaped burn scar on his forearm, at which point he lost consciousness and had a vision of several ancient weapons of the gods, sealed away in an ancient calamitous war.

Rhime, born to a strict isolationist sect of pale elves of the Pallid Grove north of the Doralle Woods, fled her home when she was accused by her brother Ermenor for scrying using the forbidden Cauldron of Rebirth. In reality he was retaliating for Rhime discovering his treachery of selling information to Myriad operatives, information that would lead them to find and steal several pallid elf treasures and relics. Having hid her secret desire to explore the world beyond the Pallid Grove, Rhime easily fled the grove despite her love for her other family members, whom she misses dearly. Full of desire for adventure and learning about the world beyond the grove, she set off into the Doralle woods where she encountered poachers being dispatched by forest spirits. Some wolves were chasing a riderless horse, which she was able to bring to a calm and took under her care. She named her horse Linta after the old elvish word for "swift". She spent years living alone in the woods, occasionally meeting with the druidic elves of Doralle, and even less occasionally traveling the plains south of the forest and trading with adventurers and travelers. She learned how to be a ranger during those years. After having a strange dream about riding the back of a flying beast: one moment the beast is consumed with flames and smoke as she envisions herself as a dark queen of evil striking fear into the hearts of all those who witness; and in another moment the beast is iridescent and shimmering like rainbows in a waterfall at springtime as she envisions herself as benevolent warrior bringing peace to those watching. The dream showed her the way to the Ki'Nau ruins of Senesca to the west of the plains, and so she traveled there, curious as to discovering the meaning of her strange and terrifying dream...

835 Post Divergence

Whelsen 14th of Brussendar, Artisan's Faire Eve

Liswyn Springbeam, a drunken con-man, is exiled from both his childhood home of Gwardan and his wealthy family comprised of heiresses to a metalurgy company as well as smith-priestesses who venerate the All-Hammer. As he reconciles his past, he slumps further into cynicism, until a dream from the Moonweaver goddess turns his world upside down. Now, following only hazy memories of dim nightmares and strange omens, Lis returns to his hometown to meet with the one person who will treat him with dignity- the Marquis of Gwardan, Vasan Atrith.

After visiting with the Marquis, Lis is urged to make amends with his sisters and that his older sister Miawyn, high priestess at the house of invention, is considering having a parley with him. He gets cold feet and bails out from meeting with Miawyn. He eventually winds up getting drunk and attempts to scam a travelling duo into buying a fake potion, which he fails to do.

Conthsen 15th of Brussendar 835 PD, Artisan's Faire

While at a bar in Gwardan, Lis overhears about a reward for clearing out the undead from the ruins of sepesca.

Lis, in a drunken stupor, sets out for the ruins he's avoided his whole life, weary of the tales of terror he's heard.

Upon entering the ruins, Lis is immediately dispatched by a skeleton warrior but is saved by a mysterious person. She pulls him to safety after stabilizing him and flees with him on horseback. She sets up camp for them both in the fields nearby.

Folsen 16th of Brussendar 835 PD

After resting all night, Lis is restored to health. He meets his savior: Rhime, a pallid elf ranger from the northern mountains. They introduce themselves to each other and have a conversation about their pasts, revealing very little. Rhime detects footsteps- two bandits have snuck up to ambush them! After a brutal fight, Rhime falls unconscious defending Lis, who almost falls in battle himself. Orriel, Lis' older sister who moonlights as Captain Goldna of the Revelry, finds the brawl and breaks up the fight, laying out her subordinate bandits who attacked her brother and Rhime. After saving them, Lis and Orriel catch up, as it has been many years since they last saw each other.

Orriel invites Lis to join her on a smuggling expedition on her ship the Locust to nearby Palma Flora, stopping to pick up the cargo en route. Rhime asks to tag along, as the world beyond the Pallid Grove is new to her, and she's taken a liking to Lis. She leaves her horse, Linta, on the shores.

They make their way to the coast and board Goldna's ship. Night falls as they sail through the "lesser smuggler's gauntlet", as Lis, Rhime and Goldna all have drinks and share stories. Rhime states that she can never return to the Pallid Grove but doesn't explain why.

“I noticed the Moonweaver emblem on your clasp. So you are from the Pallid Grove, then?” Lis asks as the salty night air blows by. “Yes. We are children of the Pale Mother. Catha, in your language.” Rhime responds.

“In the order of druid that I lived with, we call her by the name of your language- Sehanine, in the old tongue...” Lis says as he looks off at the thin sliver of the pale moon Catha.

Rhime bows her head, her lips faintly whispering words of veneration.

“I honestly didn’t think someone like you would have devotion to the Moonweaver,” Rhime plainly states.

“Someone like me? You mean a charlatan, and a drunk…” Lis says very matter-of-fact.

“I didn’t mean any offense by it,” Rhime says. Lis stands up and pours himself another glass of the cloudy wine. “None taken, Rhime. It’s true. I frequently stray from the straight-and-narrow. But my devotion never wanes. I still abide by the dance of nature. Even though it’s fucking difficult sometimes…”

Both of them turn in for the evening.

Yulisen 17th of Brussendar 835 PD

Lis awakens to the sights of the Hearthstar Peaks piercing the horizon as they sail toward the coast. They pull into a cove in the nearby Bisaft Isles, on a small jungle island to retrieve some contraband that Captain Goldna's fence stored in an abandoned temple.

After making landfall on the Shrine Island (a place where abandoned ancient shrines of the Ki'Nau scatter the area), Goldna leads her two Bandits, Lis and Rhime to the ruins where the loot is stashed away. On their way they encounter a strange fungus, which shrieks as they approach. The shrieks attract a small pack of hyenas which attack the group. Between Rhime and Goldna they are dispatched quickly as the shrieking mushroom flees into the jungle.

They travel for a few more hours, making camp at nightfall. Goldna and her two associates Pil and Zeth take turns keeping watch.

Da'leysen 18th of Brussendar 835 PD

Despite being sleepy from a rough night of rest due to the humidity, the sounds of danger lurking in the woods, and the constant barrage of biting insects, the group manages to enjoy the benefits of a full rest before they enter the ruins to retrieve the loot to be smuggled into Palma Flora.

They scare off some critters in the area outside of the temple before entering. Before them, jutting out from the jungle and towering over a giant lake in the center of the island, is the ancient Ki'Nau Pagoda.

Once inside, they come to a small vestibule with walls completely reclaimed by vines. Ahead is a simple stone slab that once was an ornate door but has since been worn down by weather and time. The door easily opens when Goldna shoves it aside.

As they move deeper into the ground level complex (above which towers the other three levels of the ancient Ki'Nau pagoda) Goldna, in the front of the line, is attacked by flying snakes. She dodges the attack as more snakes fly at her, during which time Rhime leaps past Pil, Zeth and Lis, jabbing one of her arrows into one of the snakes with her hands and at the same time setting her hunter's sights on another one of the snakes. Goldna then moves to strike back at the snakes with her scimitar, but fumbles in the process. Another one of the snakes goes to strike at Goldna but is stopped by a parry from Goldna's scimitar. Zeth, pushing past his comrades, squares up to one of the flying snakes and swings his short sword at it, missing it by a hair. Another one of the snakes flies over Zeth, striking him with its fanged mouth and causing him much pain as the mild venom additionally damages him. Pil pushes past Goldna and makes his attack on the snakes but misses. Lis slashes at the snake attacking Rhime, cleaving it half. He then sends his dancing shortsword into the air, tossing it at the flying snake between Pil and Goldna. Rhime skips around everyone through the narrow ruinous hallway into the round chamber from which the flying snakes emerged, nocking an arrow in her longbow and loosing it directly into one of the flying snakes, killing it instantly. She sets her hunter's mark on another one of the snakes. Goldna strafes around one of the snakes, hovering next to Zeth having just bit him. Swinging her scimitar twice, she misses with the first swing but then with her second swing slices the flying snake in half. Zeth turns around to slice at the snake behind him with his sword, steel meeting reptile flesh as the flying snake hisses in aggression. He thrusts his sword at the snake, piercing his center section. Zeth then slices up, hitting the snake's vital point and killing it.

After brushing themselves off and making sure no one is gravely injured, Rhime investigates a solid metal door in the northmost corner of the round chamber. Goldna walks over and explains that the key is hidden in a northwestern part of the first floor of this dungeon. Zeth and Pil jeer at Lis, making him uncomfortable. They straighten up and Goldna walks past them.

The group continues north back through the main corridor and past another slab door that opens quite easily. The door opens to another short and narrow hall that ends at yet again another door. Goldna kneels down to fiddle with a contraption that then makes a quick and loud BOOM sound. The door opens and as Goldna steps through she catches the parts of a booby trap that she'd set before, but notes that the trap has already been triggered and reset up to appear as though it was untouched- tho it has been- but by what, she cannot say.

Cracks and holes in the temple walls let in a good deal of mid-morning sunlight. However, it's still dim light inside.

They all now stand in a small chamber that is decked with the remains of an ancient Ki'Nau statue of reverence, flanked by two basins. Rhime studies the statues but can't tell what deity it is referencing. Pil heads through a doorway to the west and down another narrow hall as Goldna and Zeth step aside into the hallway to the east of the chamber. They whisper to each other away from Lis and Rhime, who are enthralled by the ancient statue and basins. Pil mentions that the door to the dais room, where the key is hidden, is locked.

At that moment, Goldna is ambushed by a goblin minion through a door she is standing next to that she hadn't noticed before. A battle breaks out; the goblin is dispatched by Goldna as Zeth dashes into the room from which the goblin attacked. He notices a bunch of crates and boxes against the wall and starts to rummage through them, finding some coins and a small pouch with some regular seeming polished stones in it.

Pil re-enters the central statue chamber and calls out to Goldna. Rhime ignites a torch and tries to read the inscriptions on the statue. She barely recalls from childhood hearing about the ancient warrior angel of the northwest - and these ancient elvish inscriptions seem to mention her by the name "Wild Mother".

Back in the goblin room, Zeth inspects the pouch of smooth stones he's found, when suddenly - URK - a dagger flies from the eastern side of the room and strikes him in the back. He keels over and loses consciousness as Goldna witnesses this from the corner of her eye. She runs over to him to aid him, removing her only healing potion from her bag and puts it to his lips. She then notices a Goblin hiding behind a treasure chest in the round chamber adjacent to the one she and Zeth are currently in.

Pil dashes toward Goldna and Zeth down the hall from the statue chamber.

Lis steps up and darts past his sister and Zeth, launching a fire bolt at the goblin and severely burning him. Meanwhile, Zeth staggers back toward Pil and Rhime in the hall. Rhime runs past Zeth and enters the room where Lis and Goldna are engaged with the goblin. As she enters, the goblin dashes up to Lis and punches him in the face, hurting more his pride than his face as he falls prone. The goblin then disengages as he darts past Lis and Goldna, knocking them out of the way.

Lis stands up as Zeth turns around and heads back to the end of the hall, takes out his light crossbow and hits the goblin right in the middle of his head. The goblin falls back, dead.

Lis opens the chest that the goblin was hiding behind, finding some copper and silver pieces. Goldna approaches as if to demand he give her the loot, but she winks at him instead. Zeth notices this happening and confronts them both, demanding Lis give them the money. Goldna makes him back down, threatening him a little.

Pil then states his regret for coming to the island, but Goldna reminds him of the job at hand and dares him to mutiny. Respecting Goldna, he straightens up and calms down.

Pil inspects the door across from the goblin room door and opens, cursing as he immediately sees a giant crab sitting on top of another treasure chest. They all scramble to kill the crab, and Rhime lands the final blow with her greatsword. Goldna opens the chest and finds 24 copper, a foldable pike, and a key, all of which she keeps.

They backtrack to the statue room and continue westward down the opposite hallway, coming to the locked door Pil shouted about earlier. Goldna tries the key that she'd found in the door and it unlocks, revealing another small chamber with a dais in very bad shape. Adjacent to this chamber, mirroring the other side of the temple, is another round room, this one with a dried pool in it.

Rhime and Lis hang back and chat about considering leaving the bandits once they make it back to the mainland. Goldna investigates the pool, finding the key they need to open the metal doors.

They head back toward the entrance of the temple and unlock the metal doors, revealing behind it some ancient steps, some of which are missing. Thick roots and vines entwine the winding passage upward.

As Goldna steps out onto the second floor, a goblin dagger nearly hits her, bouncing off the wall behind her. The group then engage with the goblins on this floor - it's a smaller room at the base of the pagoda, circular and with balconies jutting off from the room in each direction. There are four goblins here- Rhime unleashes some of her arrows, Pil follows suit with his light crossbow. Zeth dashes at one of them with his sword, missing a blow as the goblin moves around him to attack Lis. The goblin misses, but another throws his knife at Lis, rendering him unconscious. This causes something within Rhime to trigger, a longing related to a dream she had, riding on the back of a flying beast, and the feeling of completion. She decides that she will defend Lis, and fulfil whatever destiny awaits them both, for she can feel their fates intertwine. Zeth kills the goblin that just fell Lis, and stabilizes Lis with his potion of healing. Goldna and Pil finish off the two goblins they've been fighting. Lis, now conscious, regains his composure, thrusting his dancing shortsword into the last goblin standing, felling him right then and there.

They discuss that clearly the goblins have possibly found their horde which they are being paid by a shadowy personage to smuggle to Palma Flora. They decide they must rid the ruins of the goblins and hope to regain their cargo.

They continue up the stairs to the next level of the pagoda. Goldna, taking the lead, sneaks up and listens for any movement, and sure enough she can hear something running up the other side of the stairs to the top level above them. They rummage through this floor, finding a weapons rack with simple and unnoteworthy martial weapons, a few scrolls and books with scribbles in goblin-language, and some food and supply crates. They hurry up the stairs to the top level where their quarry is supposed to be.

On the top floor, they are confronted by three goblins- one minion, one warrior, and their leader who calls himself Dundalk Murkface. Behind him is the corpse of someone that Goldna recognizes- it's her fence that was charged with stashing the quarry here in the pagoda. Dundalk offers to spare them should they leave the tower immediately.

Lis notices that the crates are holding dragonpowder- a flammable substance that can be ignited by fire. Without hesitation he launches a fire bolt at the crates, causing a huge explosion which knocks back Dundalk, his warrior, Rhime and Lis, at the same time setting a massive fire to the roots and vines that entangle the ancient structure. Also in the process he injures Dundalk, the warrior, Rhime and himself, Rhime down piled on top of him and both prone. The fight then breaks out, with those who fell prone during the blast shaking the dust off of them as they stand up and attack each other. After a furious battle, Pil falls unconscious as Dundalk unloads his shortbow quickly at him and Rhime. Goldna, enraged, makes to attack Dundalk with her newfound pike, but just barely misses. Rhime sets her hunter's mark on Dundalk, strafes about the room, launching an arrow from her longbow at him. The arrow hits him dead in the chest, knocking him down and presumed dead as he bleeds out onto the floor. The fire around the room starts to dissipate, but some of the flames have reached the smuggler's quarry chest. Goldna leaps past the fallen Pil to grab the contents of the chest, burning herself in the process. Zeth angrily confronts her for not tending to their comrade and instead grabbing the loot. He punches her but she blocks it. She goes to strike back but Lis steps in and holds her back. She takes a deep breath and reminds him that a fate much worse than death awaits them should they fail their quest to deliver the quarry. Rhime kneels down at the corpse of the fence and says a prayer to the Moonweaver for his soul to find rest in the light of the moon. In doing so, she notices a blood-stained scroll at his waist, and so she removes it, tucking it away in her bag.

The roots that had entwined themselves around the structure are now burned away and gone, which destabilizes the building. The floor shakes as the pagoda quivers. Zeth quickly searches Pil and finds his potion of healing, and putting it to Pil's lips he is revived and brought to his feet. They all quickly run down the stairs to the previous level of the Ki'Nau pagoda.

As they return to the floor below, they notice the goblin minion that had fled the fight with Dundalk rummaging through the books and scrolls scattered near the weapons rack. Lis chants the spell of charming, the goblin failing to prevent himself from falling under the spell. Lis commands the goblin to bring everything he's scrounged up and flee the temple with them.

They run out of the pagoda just as it collapses into itself, and where the 4 level tower used to stand, now a pile of rubble and plumes of dust and ash sailing up into the sky.

On the shores of the island lake, they confront the goblin. The goblin explains that their leader, Dundalk, had become obsessed with the treasure they found at the top of the temple. They initially were just treasure hunting, but when they killed the fence who was hiding the object, their leader went into a trance for days and had them seal off the temple. He killed several of his own brethren for no apparent reason, scribbling notes as he went mad.

Lis looks up at the plume of dust, noticing that the plumes have taken a vaguely dragon-like appearance.

Just as Goldna is about to kill off this goblin, Lis steps in again and stops her. They use Pil's last healing potion on the goblin and send him away.

They find a small raft nearby and use it to sail the river out to the tributary where the pirate ship is moored.

The sun sets behind them as they sail away from the Bisaft Isles and back toward the southmost tip of the Vezdali Peninsula. As they rest for the evening, Rhime explains to Lis about her vision and her commitment to whatever fate has in store for their shared destiny. Lis, feeling guilty for not feeling the same, but instead scared of death and of commitment, rests uneasily at the thought of the unknown in the times to come.

Meanwhile, in her captain's quarters, Goldna / Orriel unpacks the loot they desperately gathered in the pagoda's final moments. She unveils a lantern with a mysterious aura, and sets it aside. She also then unveils a dark orb, which, as she holds it, becomes entranced and totally fixated, her eyes darkening as they widen, her breath being slowly sapped out of her...

Da'leysen 19th of Brussendar 835 PD

The following morning Lis finds his sister Goldna passed out on the lower deck inside the ship.

At that same moment, Rhime witnesses two red and golden eyes glaring at her from beneath the water as she looks out to see from the deck of the locust.

Goldna tells them that she's not feeling well and that she will stay behind on the ship as pil and zeth will accompany Lis and Rhime ashore.

Seeking to avoid detection by the Zhelezo, the Locust drops anchor a couple miles out from the coast.

Taking a raft from the hidden locust to the south shore of the island town of Palma flora, the four of them rowing inland which takes them a couple hours to do so.

After they row ashore and anchor the raft, Pil and Zeth carry the cargo to a ship that's moored at the docks as Lis and Rhime walk off and enjoy a drink (queens water with mezcal and a Palma flora) at the riptide tavern. The two elves discuss how they are feeling about having been part of so much violence and that they are happy to have survived. Lis almost thanks Rhime for saving his life again, but then pivots as he expresses concern for his sister and the odd state that she was in the previous night.

Lis and Rhime then begin to wander the village, coming to the public square looked over by a statue of Kord the storm Lord. They witness a mother and two children throwing silver coins into the feet of the deity statue. They continue to stroll about town enjoying each other's company, sometimes chatting, sometimes in silence. They eventually come to the north West edge of the Island Town where a sheer 10-ft cliff overlooks a small channel that divides the island from the mainland. A few row boats and fishermen come to and fro, pastorally carrying out their tasks and enjoying the warm salty breeze.

They begin to walk back towards the center of town and pass a white robed, dark skinned teenager who looks at them with innocent curiosity as they pass. They visit the various vendors' stalls and look at the items that are being sold such as tropical fruits and shell and bead jewelry, etc. they suddenly hear commotion and fanfare coming from the South shores and so go to take a look. A crowd has gathered- there is a shark hunting competition going on as there are tents and seats set up all along the shore. The sun tanned citizens of Palma Flora sip delicious drinks, eating fruits and snacks and cheering for the shark hunters who are almost entirely nude and armed with spears. Rhime expresses how uncomfortable it makes her for people to celebrate the killing of animals. Lis, starting to feel drunk, just shrugs as he stares at the almost-naked hunters. He snaps out of it as he notices Zeth approaching.

Zeth fills them in on the current situation- the person who is supposed to receive the shipment that they have smuggled from the Bisaft isles is running late having left his crew at the docks while he enjoys some “company” at a nearby brothel just inland from the island town. They'll have to wait til morning in order to get receipt of their transport, otherwise the captain will have their heads. Lis excitedly takes us as an opportunity to party, Rhime begrudgingly in tow as he interacts with the town folk.

Night begins to fall and they return to the riptide inn seeking accommodations for the night. Lis tries to get his own room, which costs 5 silver, but Rhime only has gold coins, so they end up sharing a bunk bed room. They lay down to sleep, Lis passing out drunk as Rhime lays awake and lost in thought, wondering about her destiny and the dreams she’s had and how it all ties together.

Right as Rhime begins to drift to sleep in the early morning, they all are shaken awake by an intense earthquake!

Grissen 20th of Brussendar 825 PD, Elvendawn

Outside the inn the sounds of chaos erupt as the booming sound of the earthquake topples nearby huts. Jumping out of bed, both Rhime and Lis flee the inn as it collapses into itself.

Outside, the morning sky is blood-red as the sun barely has begun to peak over the horizon, sending red light into the clouds above. Giant waves have begun to wash over the shores and ocean waters have begun to overrun the town. The villagers scream as creatures inside the waves attack them. Lis looks into the waves and can see the fish-like scaly humanoid Sahuagin beings attacking villagers he recognizes as the shark hunters from the night before. Two of the hunters being attacked on the south shore are a half-elf and a tiefling, still in their shark-hunting skivvies.

Lis and Rhime run straight for the hunters being attacked by the sahuagin. Lis suddenly gets a flash in his mind- a brief headache with a screeching cry. He can tell that the balance of nature has been disturbed, and perhaps these creatures are attacking to defend their domain.

The sahuagins attack Elanza and Joao, injuring them both. Joao strikes back, barely making a nick on one of the sahuagins. Lis calls out to the shark hunters - “Stand down! These creatures are defending their habitat. The shark hunt must’ve invoked their wrath!”

Elanza yells back, “They’re going to kill us! We have no other cause than to defend ourselves!”

Lis attempts to cast a charm spell on Elanza, but she resists. Rhime sends a blessing of slashing resistance to Elanza. Lis then hears another scream. He looks to the northeast and sees Pil and Zeth fighting Sahuagin at the docks in the distance, taking damage from the sahuagins’ strikes. He then notices sharks beginning to swim in the flooded areas. The water in the flooded zones is about a foot deep, making Lis and Rhime slow on their feet while the attacking sea creatures maintain their swiftness.

Another one of the sahuagin attacks Joao but he dodges the sahuagin’s claw. At that same moment, one of the other creatures swipes their claws at Elanza, just barely missing her. Rhime notices some reef sharks beginning to approach their location, and yells out to Lis: “Sharks! Incoming!”

“We must run now! We must escape the island!” Lis yells.

“I’ll obliterate these beasts! The glory is all mine!” Joao yells, his red tiefling skin getting even redder with rage.

The water, now rising and beginning to swell around their knees, makes it even harder to run.

A sahuagin, noticing Joao’s building rage, dashes over to him and slashes at him with his claw. Joao yells with pain and anger as the sea creature’s claws tear into him, immobilizing him. Joao slumps over and falls face-first into the rising sea water.

“No! Joao!” Elanza cries out.

Lis tries to defend himself from an attack by one of the sahuagin. He winces in pain, taking its claws against his raised forearm. He then mutters the arcane words that summons the fog, twirling his hands as he tries to step away from the attacking creature without losing his footing. A thick fog surrounds Lis and spreads out from in a large radius, obscuring each of the creatures from their victims and each other.

“Follow the sound of my voice!” He yells.

“But Joao! I can’t leave him!” Elanza screams again.

Rhime, having kept a bead on Elanza as the fog closed in, runs up and grabs her.

Elanza disengages from fighting the sahuagin and lets Rhime drag her away, crying hysterically. The three of them make it to dry land despite the creeping water levels.

The sun breaks the horizon, shedding its light on the watery carnage. Clouds of blood swirl in the rising waters, the ruins of the town’s buildings littered with bodies and sahuagin cutting down whoever is left alive. Freaked out by the carnage, Elanza goes into a frenzy of tears as she starts shouting- “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I never meant to hurt anyone! I was just… just…” She breaks into another fit crying.

“We have to go, now!” Rhime shouts, sensing a new danger but unable to place it. Lis notices that the island is in fact sinking.

“The ship- it’s still there! The Wavechaser!” Elanza says, pointing at the dock where previously Lis has witnessed Pil and Zeth fighting the sahuagin.

A silk handkerchief with the sigil of Palma Flora embroidered in it tumbles past Rhime in the turbulent air. She grabs it and offers it to Elanza. “Will you come with us?” She asks the terrified half-elf.

Elanza replies with a quick nod, blowing her nose into the handkerchief.

The three of them run toward the docks as the sharks swim towards them, unable to reach Lis and the others standing outside of the water. One of the sahuagins emerges from the fog cloud and snarls as it sees the fleeing party, dashing toward them. Another swell of ocean waves push inward, surrounding the statue of Kord in the center of the island. A shark swims up, following the trail of blood coming from Lis’ arm, and sinks its teeth into his calf. “Godsdamnit!” He shouts at the shark. Elanza overcomes her frenzied state of shock, and as she comes around she dashes toward the dock where the Wavechaser is moored. The shark tries to swim up on Elanza, but she evades it as she’s now standing in ankle-deep water, the shark unable to swim in that depth. The pursuing sahuagin catches up to Rhime, who is standing in a defensive position. It strikes out at her but completely misses as Rhime ducks under the strike, drawing her greatsword as she lowers herself into a squat. A sahuagin slashes at Lis, cutting him down. Lis lowers to his knees, still conscious but in immense pain.

Rhime strikes with her greatsword but fumbles as she swings, the sahuagin dodging the blade.

Suddenly, the attacking creatures change course and swim out to sea in a southeastern direction.

Elanza mutters arcane words of healing, directing her voice at Lis. His wounds in his leg close up as Rhime grabs him from behind, pulling out of the water. “Why are you so squishy? What would you do without me…” Rhime teases.

The swelling of the sea seems to have slowed. Rhime and Lis close in on Elanza, who starts to walk into the shallow waters near the dock. On the dock is the white-robed young man Lis and Rhime saw yesterday. He shouts out to them, “Oy! Come up! We mean to sail away from this carnage! Are you able to walk?” Behind the robed boy comes a stern and weathered tabaxi woman- “I'll throw ye rope enough to pull yerselves up!” The tabaxi throws the rope, and the three of them pull themselves up onto the dock. At the end of the dock is a mutilated corpse. Lis recognizes him. “Pil!” He screams as the weathered taxabi shoves them across the gangplank and onto the Wavechaser. “We have to heal him! He’s one of my sister’s crew…” Lis pleads. “Aye, there be Goldna’s henchman… not ought we can do for him, I’m afraid. Too chewed up.”

The white-robed boy acolyte steps forth. “I tried… I tried to stabilize him… He’s…”

At that moment, the whole island shakes again.

“It’s now or never! Off we go!” the weathered man shouts as they all board the ship.

“If any of ye be sailors or know how anyways, man the jib! Hoist the sails! Away! Away!”

As the ship begins to push out, another swell of ocean pushes in, completely sinking Palma Flora, the ruins of the town’s various buildings jutting out from the waters. Some spires of the remains of the buildings push over and crumble into the sea. Lis looks over the edge of the ship and sees the statue of Kord topple over into the engulfing waves. Just beyond the fallen statue, a mostly-intact house on the northwestern end of the island town stands above the water. On top of it Lis makes out the form of Zeth- standing upright, he looks to be clutching a makeshift sack but appears frightened. Sharks and sahuagin swim in circles around the building, waiting for the house to collapse and bring their Zeth to them so as to devour him. “Rhime! It’s Zeth! He’s on the roof over there!” He points to Zeth and the roof encircled by the sea creatures as Rhime looks in that direction. “Oh no…” She says.

Suddenly from behind them a tan-skinned human emerges from the cabin below and begins to shout. “Captain! We’ve got company astern!”

“Blast, I thought this might be the case… she has come!” The tabaxi says as she turns around and looks behind the ship. A round bubble-like object just below the water’s surface is closing in on the Wavechaser. “Take us forward! Full magewind ahead!”

Lis, who is bleeding but still on his feet thanks to Elanza’s magic, leans over the edge of the ship as it thrusts forward across the underwater town of Palma Flora. “Captain, we risk running aground!” the human shouts. “Kijori, I got this-” a new voice shouts from a half-orc druid in pirates’ clothes suddenly emerges, chanting prayers to the spirits of nature and of water. Sprinkling a pinch of dust from her side pouch and spitting, the words of her prayers boomingly echo forth and suddenly the ship pitches toward its bow, as the water levels rise almost twenty feet, lurching the ship forward. It is directly headed straight for the roof top where Zeth is standing, the water rising over the roof and almost to his feet and the sharks and sahuagin begin to close in. Lis, hanging over the edge of the ship, looks in terror as the ship narrowly misses the sunken house, as Rhime runs over from the center of the deck holding a rope and then tosses it out to Zeth. Suddenly, from behind Rhime, the white-robed acolyte dashes forward with his arms raised, clutching a metal spring and chanting a spell of levitation in an unfamiliar language. Zeth grabs the rope just as the Wavechaser sails past the roof as it is engulfed in the swelling sea water, the rope being pulled in by the acolyte’s magic and Zeth being kept dry. He makes it over the edge of the ship as the giant bubble-like swell chasing the ship reaches the underwater island, dealing a final blow to the remains of the island town.

As the Wavechaser sails west-then-south and away from the sunken island, Lis and Rhime look back at the waves and ripples begin to settle into a watery surface in the area where once the tropical holiday town of Palma Flora once stood….

Noon

As the ship sails away from the carnage of the destroyed Palma Flora, everyone who was lucky enough to be onboard the Wavechaser as the town was overrun all take a beat and rest while they can. All around Lis, Rhime and Zeth are the three surviving crew members of the Wavechaser, which they discover is a Revelry-operated ship and that her captain, the tabaxi woman known as “Three Earrings”, knows Lis’ sister Goldna (Orriel) and was in fact the contact which was meant to carry the smuggled quarry to the buyer after Goldna’s crew passed it along to her. They also discover that the quarry itself has been tampered with and what was supposed to be there was swapped out with a ringer. “This is not good,” Three Earrings says to them as she looks through the crates carrying the smuggled quarry. “I had no idea- honest! Those godsdamned goblin-folk, you see… they overran the hidin’ spot, and… fuck, it had to’ve been… it had to’ve… ah, for fucks sake!” Zeth yells. Despite his protests, which would have otherwise been seen as suspicious, Three Earrings is able to tell that Zeth is telling the truth. “Someone amongst Goldna’s crew did this, the ol’ switcheroo. Anyroads this ain’t the time to be castin’ aspersions and the like. We got injured folk that have a need ta lick their wounds I think! Kijori! Come here Kirjori!” Immediately the tan-skinned man approaches. “Sir!”

“Set a course southways for Brokenbank. Tis a place where we can lick wounds and contact our buyer. Deepest hells of ocean-kind, we’re in for some big trouble ahead, methinks…”

***

As the day drags on, Lis and Rhime sit with each other. “Really though, how did you get to be so squishy? It’s like you spent all the time in the Doralle Woods not fighting and growing strong.” Rhime taunts Lis.

“We don’t fight in Doralle; we learn the ways of nature and the magic inherent in its ways. We learn the magic to defend. You know, I was never cut out for all this physical combat.”

Zeth walks over and pokes a little fun at Lis. “All that time in the high and mighty tower of Ornatora, you must’ve gone soft!” Lis gets angry at this, as he doesn’t want people around to know that he comes from wealth. “Keep it down, will ya? I left that life a long time ago. Rather, it left me when my mother died.”

“Look kid, I’m an orphan, and whatever it is my mother left me- it’s all I got. And all I got, see, it’s my life. One I’ve been given back here and there, even when I didn’t deserve it. So be thankful.” Zeth replies as he takes a long swig of rum from a bottle. “I ain’t mean you no harm, elf. I’m forever indebted to your sister. See, she’s saved my life more than once. I’m hoping you got some of that same spark in ya.”

“Speaking of which, should we try and make contact with Goldna and the Locust? I’m worried she’s been attacked as well.” Rhime chimes in.

“Likely not, missus…” A feline voice from behind them comes.

Captain Three Earrings approaches as she walks down the steps from the helm deck. “Ya see, these sahuagin, they’re a tribe, jus like the rest of us. They got turf and plunder enough to defend like us all, aye. Those people, them tanned naked folks hunting sharks for sport- angered the sea people, they did.” The tabaxi pirate gets close to Lis and looks deep into his eyes, stares a moment, and moves on to Rhime as she continues.

“See here, somethin’s fishy alright. Not with you lot. But your circumstances. I put up the beacon, and any Revelry ship this side of ‘Zandria would come full mast, wizard wind a blowin’ full speed in their black sails. Goldna didn’t come. Somethin’ is up, aye, aye…”

“Do you think she’s been attacked by the sahuagin?” Lis asks.

Three Earrings then puts her paw-like hands on Zeth’s shoulder and gently grabs the rum bottle from him.

“Helped yerself to me stock, ey?” She laughs with the faint purring sound coming from her upper chest. “Not to worry, I’d’ve offered ye anyroads… here’s to the dead, and to us not yet dead…” She swigs a massive gulp, then unleashes a loud snarling yowl, making Rhime and Lis uneasy yet intrigued..

“I have a proposition for ye all, if you’d hear me.”

Lis and Rhime look at each other and shrug. “Sure.”

“Meet us in me quarters down below, fifteen minutes. Got some quick business to attend first, then we talk. An’ bring yer thirsts, I’ll be pourin’ drinks aplenty!” And with that Three Earrings heads below after shoving the almost-empty rum bottle back in Zeth’s hands.

“Well what do you think that was about?” Zeth asks.

After a short moment of silence, Zeth slugs the rum again as Lis and Rhime keep their gazes at the deck, curious and lost in the moment.

“Right then,” Zeth then goes down the stairs into the ship as Rhime wanders off, scanning the horizon, seeing nothing but an ironically calm ocean.

Lis wanders the deck, looking at the few survivors who were able to board the Wavechaser. He comes across the young white-robed acolyte.

“Elf! My goodness, what a nightmare. What wrath have we brought upon ourselves?” the young devotee says.

“Nature is fickle and delicate. Its balance is quite sensitive. I’ve spent much time in the cities, getting drunk and ripping folks off. And every time, it comes back to me. Every time, I think I’ve evaded the results of my actions. And every time it bites me in the ass. I learned that simple truth while living in the woods. Earlier today, I had a feeling there on the shore, that something was deeply wrong, and I couldn’t see it the night before. The strong drink and sensory pleasures, they can’t be ignored… but oh how they lead you from seeing the obvious truth right in front of you.”

The acolyte boy just stands there blinking, totally zoned out by Lis’ rambling.

“Mayhap you are correct, sir. But honestly most of that went direct past my ears. Very sorry.”

“Yeah, no worries. I’m not sure what’s going on, other than nature clearly has been thrown out of balance. That tabaxi seems to think it was the shark hunting that did it.”

“Yes, clearly the sahuagin are inextricably linked to the sharks. It seemed like they were at their every beckoned call, like hunting dogs. The shark hunters thus became the hunted.”

“Yes. Well anyways, thanks for helping us. And for helping my buddy there, Zeth. He might be a pirate, and an asshole, but he’s certainly got it where it counts. It’s too bad about Pil, though. He came around. Though the first time we met, he was holding a blade to my throat, but that’s all in the past…”

“Indeed it is. Oh, how rude of me, my name is Aurelio. Priest of the Storm Lord on Palma Flora. Formerly, that is.”

“I’m Liswyn. Call me Lis. Thanks again kid.”

Lis affectionately puts his hand on Aurelio’s shoulder, and then heads below deck to meet with Three Earrings.

While Lis was chatting with Aurelio, Rhime came upon a dwarf man sitting on his own, weeping, his red beard wet with tears.

“My friend, you have experienced such sorrow today…” Rhime says, attempting to calm the weeping dwarf.

“And what of it! Your silver words wont bring back my wife and child, elf!” the dwarf retorts.

“True. But in the new era of your life, certainly you can find a shoulder to cry upon until the wells of your tears run dry…”

The Dwarf stands up on his feet. “Again, what of it! Go vomit platitudes at someone else, you pale bitch!” The dwarf then begins to weep again.

Rhime grabs the dwarf and embraces him as he cries louder, now almost sounding like a hungry child. After a few minutes, he is calmed.

“I… I… I’m sorry I said that. Don’t know what’s come over me…”

“No apologies required for the natural feelings of sadness. They come and go like waves, sometimes small ripples, other times big waves. Rest assured, dwarf, that you will have sunnier times ahead, filled with happy memories of what once was. The pain will never leave but in time it will lose its control over you. The Moonweaver smiles on those who despair at the illusion of loss and gain.”

The dwarf fumbles back, looking down, almost like a shamed child who’s been reprimanded for something he knows he’s done wrong.

After a small moment, while Rhime gently looks at the sad dwarf, she prays to Sehanine to ease the emotions of this sad creature. She suddenly is struck by a feeling of awareness of the interconnectedness of the sorrows of all creatures, and that the cycle of vengeance begets only more vengeance.

“Perhaps you are right, pale elf… for now, I mourn.”

“And mourning will bring you ease. Where I come from, we mourn for weeks, even in the most joyous of deaths.”

“Joyous of deaths? What in calamity kind of place do you come from?”

“No, what I mean is, even the easy passing of an elder, as in, not a sudden or unexpected death. We take seriously the passing of all creatures. We mourn the creatures we cull for our food. We mourn the bugs we kill when we harvest and forage. All is part of the great turning, the great cycle. All is a delicate dance of balance.”

The dwarf looks up at her. “Ah, fuck it, elf, you done came and said the right thing at the right time.” He wipes his eyes dry with his chubby hands. “I’m Erdmond, from Trostenwald; originally by way of Marquet. But I guess I got a new life ahead of me now. Where do you think we’re headin’, Bisaft? This here caravel won’t take us farther than Bwualli, I’m guessin’...”

Rhime looks off into the horizon facing south again, beyond the bow of the Wavechaser.

“I’m not sure where we’re heading. And I guess that’s okay.”

Erdmond smiles, and then nods.

“Aye, most likely.”

***

The tabaxi captain Three Earrings awaits Lis, Rhime and Zeth in her cabin. Eventually the three meet up in the galley and walk into Three Earrings’ quarters.

“Here here, sit, sit…” she says as the three of them enter. One of the captain’s mates, the human male Kijori, enters the room to join the conversation. “This is Kijori, one of the last of me mates who lived through the happenin’s as of late. He’s a navigator, and as much as I miss my other crew, died valiantly or deep in a whore or whatever, thank the wyrm mother, for he’s to get us where we need be goin’, and in good timin’ too.” Rhime glares at Three Earrings when she mentions the “wyrm mother”, but decides not to assume anything by it.

“Anyroad, here’s what I’m proposin’. Ye say yer sister is Captain Goldna of the Locust. Well, I know ye ain’t a carved initiate of the mighty Revelry- no, I take it yer a hero of sorts. Ye fancy savin’ folk and the like, much like ye did this fellow here.” Three points at Zeth.

Lis nervously swallows as he quickly tries to prepare his answer. “A hero? No. Her, maybe,” he nods over to Rhime, who is intently watching Three. “But I’m no hero. I try to do well and I fall. Standing upright again, I fall again. I’m tethered to the cycles of my own bullshit. But I have given all what’s left of my faith to nature and her kaleidoscopic cycles, because that’s all that’s really real to me anymore.” Rhime looks over at Lis as he explains this.

“Aye, right there- you said it, elf: Nature indeed. Tis what brought the tide of retribution upon the Flora Isle. Them shark hunters- notice they took the brunt of the sahuagins’ wrath.” The tabaxi pirate slams down five small cups and a dark green glass bottle, corked and wax-sealed. Before their eyes her claw cuts through the wax swiftly as the cork flings away and she’s already pouring them all dark rum into all five cups.

“From me personal, personal stash…” Three says as she eyes Kijori. “Been waitin’ too long to taste this finest, have ya Kijori? Well no matter, we drink again and again!” She raises her cup as each one of them raises theirs as well. Three gulps her cup instantly, as Zeth grimaces as the rum burns his throat. Kirjori sips his cup. Rhime takes a sip and immediately starts coughing, Lis chuckling at her as he sips his.

“Forgive me, but what exactly are you proposing, Captain,” Lis says between two contented sips.

“We return to the isle, find the missing quarry ye were supposed to deliver, and find the underwater bitch who massacred the town…”

Rhime slams her cup down before yelling, “Whoever brought down that wrath… vengeance, or whatever… it’s not like the causes weren’t already there! It’s sad, it really is, sadder than it seems on the surface… the townsfolk of Palma Flora may not have known the extent of their actions, but they carried them out regardless! That’s the way of nature! That’s always been the way of nature! I’m not sure why you’d want to go back, but if it’s to save your own hide, then just admit that!”

Lis looks over at Rhime and tries to give her a face that lets her know to stand down. An awkward silence befalls the captain’s quarters as sunlight streams through the distorted glass windows. Zeth tries to hold back a cough.

The tabaxi then lets out a laugh that almost sounds like a caterwaul. “The spirit on ye, pale-as-the-moon elf! I like it! Fair is fair- save the town, capture the loot: either way, that’s where this ship is headin’, not before a resupply and decent rest at a port ‘o call. We can try an’ locate the mislaid sister of the fancy elf boy here, and then off ye go if that’s what ye be desirin’. Anyroad, yer stuck with me for the time bein’. Only thing me an’ me two mates here need to know is, will it be willingly?”

Just then the female half-orc druid from above deck walks into the room. Rhime and Lis look nervously at each other, as Zeth shoots the remains of his rum down his gullet.

“Well count me, a pirate’s a pirate, and if there’s to be treasure, yeah I’m with you Captain.” Zeth says, stepping forward.

“What the hell Zeth?” Lis says.

“What? We just met. Just cuz you’re Goldna’s kid brother doesn’t mean you and I are kin. You do what you want, elf.” Zeth retorts.

Three Earrings laughs again. “Very well. And what of ye, moon-face?” She says, directed at Rhime.

Rhime looks down at her mostly-full cup, the dark rum rippling as the ship slightly keels over the waves of the Lucidian Ocean underneath the hull. She then looks again at Lis and smiles slightly as she steps forward. “Perhaps there are survivors. And if not, well… maybe we can find something to memorialize them.”

Lis rolls his eyes. “Everytime we set off, I almost die.”

“Then stay in the back row, squishy elf boy!” Zeth chuckles as he teases Lis.

“Right! Kijori, Dajarkal, it is settled. We will return to the isle after a resupply and brief shore-leave. On the double!” the tabaxi pirate growls are her two mates.

Lis and Rhime, reflecting on their experiences, attain level 3.

And with that, the Wavechaser sails south at top speed, Dajarkal casting druidic wind magic into the sail as Kijori mans the helm. Three Earrings stays in her cabin, drinking more and more, as Lis and Rhime meet up with Elanza again, who is sitting with Aurelio. They talk amongst the four of them. “Why would we return? I won’t go back… I can’t!” tears begin to well up in Elanza’s eyes. “Dear Elanza, please understand… there may be survivors yet!” Aurelio offers with the intention of soothing the upset half-elf. “I watched Joao get ripped apart in front of me! Why in Storm’s mighty name would I ever go the fuck back?” Elanza replies, to which Aurelio attempts again: “He was cut down in battle, which is itself a great honor. You know this! As a hunter you know this. The Storm Lord smiles on such things. Sad as it may leave us, we can smile in the light of his glory as a fighter.” Elanza then breaks back into many tears.

“Well this doesn’t seem to be going well. Hey, Aurelio, maybe just, ya know, save it for another time…” Lis interjects. “Weren’t you just weeping platitudes about nature and cycles to me? How come when I do it you mock me?” Aurelio says to Lis.

“Anyways,” Lis says, ignoring Aurelio’s comment. “I think I need to send a message to my sister. Maybe I can convince her to meet up with us in the sunken village. We could use the help.” He says. He pulls out a tiny parchment and starts to write something.

Rolling the note, Lis steps away from the small group and stands in the middle of the deck, the eyes of the refugees watching him as he recites the old woodelf prayers that summon a helpful spirit in the form of a wild companion. Suddenly a raven comes to him as if from out of nowhere and lands on his arm.

“A familiar! How auspicious!” Aurelio exclaims as Elanza looks up in wonder. “Well well, that’s a neat trick…” she says, beginning to forget her tears.

Lis whispers in the raven’s ears, “Find my sister Orriel on the ship the Locust and bring her this message!” He slips a scroll into its talon, then it flies off to the north.

“If I didn’t know you I’d say you were showing off, but I do know you enough now, and you are showing off…” Rhime says to him.

The Wavechaser remains steady on course southwards, as the day slowly moves toward night. As the sun begins to set,

That night, both Lis and Rhime have a dream from Corellon. They witness the entire forests, fields and mountains surrounding Gwardan on fire. A vengeful red winged spirit flies over the Menagerie coast, laying ruin and flames to all they know and hold dear. “She is mine! She will bring you to me!” the spirit says.

Whelsen 21st of Brussendar 835 PD

Lis and Rhime wake up the next morning just as the Wavechaser pulls into port at Brokenbank. A labyrinth of docks and wooden walkways sits on the surface of the water with all manner of seafaring vessels moored to them. The planks are littered with many different people from all over the world. The Concordian Zhelezo in their flamboyant regalia search the various cargos of the various ships and their colorful crews.

Just beyond the docks is the town of Brokenbank. Grey-brown adobe and stucco buildings are warm in the morning sun as their banners and canopies wave in the sea’s breeze. Rhime’s eyes light up as she sees various races of Exandrian inhabitants previously unencountered by her. She sees a family of half-shelled turtles, a crew that is comprised of firbolgs and the bird-like Aarakocra, and a band of militant-seeming Dragonborn of various metallic gradients. Orcs, elves, dwarves, and humans also move to and fro, donning various attires that create a rainbow-like display. The smells of ocean salt air and distant meats being cooked along with all types of spices like curry and sage excites Rhime. She exuberantly expresses her joy to Lis, who’s too hungry and jaded to reciprocate the enthusiasm.

Captain Three Earrings tells them to be back on the ship by sundown, as they will make way for the sunken island at full speed tonight.

The glowing morning air turns dark as the heavier rain clouds roll in, dampening the streets and the mood.

***

Lis and Rhime venture off throughout the town, visiting various stalls and observing the various peoples of Brokenbank. They come across a few bandits trying to escape the pursuing Zhelezo. Lis and Rhime eat exotic fruits as the Zhelezo are comically evaded by the goofy bandits, a ragtag team of gnomes and firbolgs. They continue to explore the town as the rain starts to increase. They duck into a shop to prevent getting even more drenched. The proprietor of the shop is an older heavy-set sea elf named Aldageam. She is an apothecary, and her shelves are filled with many colors of potions, tinctures and elixirs. Jars of herbs and roots are crammed into the corners with seemingly no organization to their arrangement. The musky smell of incense along with the dim glow of candle-light inside this potion shop evokes a mystical and mysterious intimation to the two elves. Aldageam tells Lis and Rhime that she's foreseen their arrival. Right when they become suspicious of the shop owner as if what she is saying is a ruse to get them to buy stuff, she holds out two seafoam-green potions, the liquid inside faintly glowing:

“Please, you must take these. They’re potions of underwater breathing. You should have an hour before it wears off. But that should be enough time. You’re probably curious why I’m offering this to you. The people I come from are devoted to the leviathan of the ocean, the demon of the deep. He wills to break free. All the gods and demigods wish to be returned to Exandria so as to regain their strength and obtain their material bounties. They crave power so much it blinds them. I left my people behind, much like the both of you. I left them behind because the pale moon had something better in store for me. Something that requires less suffering. Though the balance of nature is disturbed, the cycle must be broken at some point. Otherwise the cycle will continue to spiral out of control, until the barriers between the natural order and the chaos of endless desiring will destroy our world. The ship you travel on, I know her captain. Three Earrings saved me once. Though she’s a greedy one, she is but another thread among the woven tapestry of fate that binds you both to your respective destinies. Go back to Palma Flora, and what awaits you there will be the blessing of Sehanine, though it will not be immediately obvious.”

Lis and Rhime look at each, mystified by Aldageam’s words. They accept the potions. Rhime looks up at Aldageam curiously. “But how would you know such things? Surely you’re a devotee of the Moonweaver? Had you any curious dreams last night, which was Elvendawn?”

Lis, mildly shocked, says, “Oh shit! That’s right! Yesterday was Elvendawn! How could I forget?”

“Maybe it was all the carnage. Maybe it was the town sinking into the sea. Or maybe it was all Three Earrings’ personal supply of rum you inhaled…” Rhime jabs.

“To answer your question, yes, strange dreams indeed I had last night. But no, I’ve seen you coming here to my shop many years ago in other dreams, labyrinths of mystery and confusion. I was drawn to alchemy and potion-making, and I never knew why, just that I was a part of larger work. A work woven by Sehanine herself. You see, the people I used to be with, we were betrayed by other worshippers of the leviathan. Most of us died in a bloody massacre. When I escaped, twas on the full moon, right round the time of Elvendawn. She appeared to me, brought me to stable health, though mortally wounded was I. Her bright pale bosom protected my by night; her consort, the sun, defended me by day, til I ended up here on Brokenbank. Getting the shop set up, well, that was with the help of Three Earrings. Bandits were always robbing me, and one day the Myriad showed up to try and extort me. Folks claiming to be Myriad, anyways. And Three Earrings and her pirate crew drove them off. I’m indebted twice in this life: once to Three Earrings, and twice to the Moonweaver. Oh, and I’ve one more thing, it’s for the squishy elf,” Aldageam goes through a chest to big up a studded leather chest piece as Lis goes embarrassingly red. Rhime chuckles and the elder sea-elf hands Lis the armor.

“This is made with blessings of Moradin. I know that you have kin that are bound to the All-hammer, and it is fate that you have this. No need to be embarrassed, city-elf! Living in the woods with druids for three years isn’t enough to harden you into a fighter!”

Lis accepts the armor.

“Anything else you want in here, you need to pay for. This is a business, afterall!”

Lis and Rhime peruse the various potions and such. The only things of interest to them are the 3 potions of healing. “110 gold for all three, best deal in town.” Lis and Rhime count their coins and between the two of them have 33 gold. “I have healing kits for 5 gold a piece, got about 8 in stock. If you need, there’s a pawn shop down the road. They sell for above the average.”

Lis and Rhime head to the pawn shop and sell Lis’ former leather armor to the shop keep, who offers ¾ the value instead of the usual half value. They also sell half of their rations and Rhime sells all of her torches. Lis makes 18 gold and 7 silver. Rhime makes 19 gold 5 silver. Lis gives Rhime half of his torches, splitting them between each other. They now have 87 gold between them both. As they walk through the muddy streets, they pass a shrine dedicated to the All-hammer. As Lis looks at the shrine, he’s reminded of his sisters and now faces feelings of homesickness. He’s worried for his sister Orriel, who’s fled in her own ship and abandoned her crew mates, and he thinks about whether he’ll ever be able to make amends with his other older sister, head priestess at the House of Invention in Gwardan, Miawyn. Rhime, not knowing what Lis is thinking but having heard about his family being tied to the All-hammer from bits and pieces of information, as well as what was said by Aldageam, patiently waits while Lis reflects.

“Umm… excuse me…” a femme voice from behind Lis says. Turning around to look, seeing Rhime waiting for him. “I’d rather not have to walk through your legs,” the voice says again. He looks down and standing directly behind him at around three and half feet tall is a dark-skinned Halfling with big curly locks and decked out in shimmering chainmail armor, mace and shield fixed to her back. “I’d like a turn to say some prayers, if that’s okay with you, pretty boy…” says the Halfling.

“Oh sure, yeah. I'm sorry,” Lis says as he steps aside while the Halfling kneels in front of the altar. He notices a menagerie of beads, flowers and feathers woven amongst her locks. To Lis, the sight of respect for nature is unusual for someone who worships the god of smithing and invention. Lis then notices a small horde of dwarves all decked in the same manner of armor but and heraldry except for the bead-and-flower hair accoutrement. One of the armored dwarves appears to be the leader and is barking orders at each of them. Lis studies their signets on their clasps but can't quite identify where the group is from.

Lis and Rhime press on through the rain, which has let up considerably but still mists the small island port town. They return to Aldageam’s apothecary and purchase one potion of healing and four healing kits and divide them up amongst each other.

“Fare you well, elves, and may the Moonweaver smile upon you both.” Aldageam says as she holds up her clasped hands.

“Thank you Aldageam. You've helped us immeasurably. I don't know what we can do to repay your kindness.” Rhime says to the elder sea elf.

“The only thing you can do is follow the threads of fate that weave the destiny of balance in Exandria,” Aldageam lowers her hands. “And tell people about my shop! That's all I ask. Really just the first part!”

***

They leave Aldageam’s and discuss what to do next. Lis, starting to feel peckish, wants to find a place to get a good meal and some drinks.

They find the town watering hole, a bar called the Chattaway, where a sad and drunken gnome fumbling through a song detailing the deeds of someone called “the Apotheon”. It's a dimly.lit bar with open shutter windows, the grey foggy air outside letting in just enough light whereas the damp breeze keeps the table candles from remaining lit. Working behind the bar is a human woman with a shaved head and tan skin, as well as an eye patch and intricate linework tattoos covering most of her scalp. Seated at the bar are various denizens consisting of scoundrels, pirates, and merchants. In the dim light it's hard to tell who they are other than humanoid, some of them stoically sipping flagons with their hoods drawn over their heads. Most of the tables in the place are empty except for one where a Goliath with periwinkle skin and violet hair sits seemingly lost in her drink as if hypnotized by the effervescent brew within. The gnome bard chugs his ale mid song, spilling some it on his lute. He then stops and begins to cry to himself as no one pays attention to him.

“Why do you insist on coming to such, how would you put it- shit holes?” Rhime says to Lis.

“Because, shitholes are where the earth is fertilized.” Lis grins, dumbly proud of his ridiculous analogy. He lurches forward and puts his hand on the bar, standing next to one of the hooded patrons. He turns and with a pretentious grin nods at the hooded person. “Good day, fellow,” he says. The hooded figure slowly turns its head to Lis- a green-skinned dragonborn with half his face melted away, exposing one side of his bare fanged-jawbone. “Good… what?” he says in a mean, scary voice.

Lis, mortified, turns back away from the hooded dragonborn, now fixing his wide-eyes on the barkeep currently washing flagons.

Rhime looks around the room. There’s nothing of note, as it’s a plain and simple tavern, but she notices something hanging from the wall- a portrait of a moonstone dragon, much like one she’s seen in her dreams. She begins to reflect on those very dreams, the mystery and anxiety of finding her place in the world. Though the pallid elves had emerged from the grove around the time she was born, her specific clan from which she hails is very against the idea of leaving the safety of the grove. This moonstone dragon from her dreams seems to beckon her away from her safety and follow her destiny beyond the pallid grove.

Lis then comes back holding two flagons of pale lagers. The two of them sit down at an empty table near the window. Looking out of the window, Rhime’s thoughts drift the rainclouds moving past, giving way to brighter and sunnier skies beyond.

“What’s on your mind?” Lis asks. “I noticed that painting on the wall over there,” Rhime answers, pointing to the moonstone dragon portrait. “It’s like the one from my dreams. The night I fled the grove, I was dreaming about a moonstone dragon beckoning me to leave. When I awoke, my clan’s elder was in the room with two fighters who believed I had broken one of their most sacred laws.”

“What law was that, having an original thought?” Lis says with a mouth full of pink salmon and beer. Rhime angrily looks down at her untouched beer. “It’s not like that… they just want to remain in the safety of Sehanine…” She says.

“I’m sorry Rhime, I shouldn’t have said that. I wish you hadn’t been forced to leave your home. You deserved to leave on your own terms. What was that law they said you broke, anyways?” Lis gulps down more lager.

“I don’t really want to talk about it right now, if that’s alright with you.” She looks around the room, passing over the bard who is now chugging another beer, his lute leaned up against his inner thigh just as it keels over and thrums out its open strings. The goliath in the corner solemnly sips her flagon and the patrons at the bar are as silent and stoic as statues.

Rhime looks out at the ocean just beyond the docks where the Wavechaser is moored.

“The night before we arrived near Palma Flora… I saw eyes… in the water…” Rhime confesses.

“Eyes?” Lis questions.

“Yes, two red glowing eyes. From deep under water. I should have known something was amiss. It was probably a bad omen.”

A voice from behind shakes her.

“Tis the demon of the deep,” the Goliath from the other table. “The leviathan, Uk’otoa…” she says, placing her empty flagon on the table between Rhime and Lis.

“Uh, excuse us, we were just having a moment.” Lis says.

“Rumors came in last night about an island village sinking into the deep. Revenge from the sea.” the Goliath loudly pulls a chair up to their table, her handaxe strapped to her side extending out and hitting the table next to Lis, making him uncomfortable. “I'm Uthal. I deal in rumors and secrets. Currently I'm tracking this rumor about Palma Flora. You folks mentioned that poor town. Alright if I ask y'all a few questions?”

“Look, I don't know what to say. They were hunting sharks there, and then the sharks and their sahuagin brethren. Next thing you know, almost everyone in the town is dead and the earth shook, waves overtook the island and we got the hells outta there.” Lis, annoyed, answers Uthal.

“We tried to save as many people as we could,” Rhime chimes in.

“Well listen here. I know your captain. Three Earrings hasn't always had the best reputation, but there are Revelry pirates who’ve done worse… she does seem to have a soft spot for the underdog from time to time. But I wouldn’t want to see innocent folks like you getting the bad end of a deal from her. Her lust for treasure blinds her. I caution you- returning to that cursed island will do you both no good. The demon Uk'otoa yearns to be freed from his dimensional prison, and you lot waltzing right into his worshipper's domain gets him one step closer to achieving his goal…”

“We've heard this before, from the sea elf who owns the apothecary.” Rhime tells Uthal.

“I don't know who that is, but she is correct. The sea-faring folk of these seas depend on tithing to the sea demon, and in return he grants them safe passage. But his hunger is endless. He will never be placated by simple offerings. Whomever summoned the power to sink Palma Flora did so with something much more arcane and powerful…” Uthal says.

“Wait a minute, I thought you were a drunk staring into your cup just a few moments ago…” Lis inquires.

“Appearances can be deceiving. But obviously I don't need to say that to a drunk charlatan who moonlights as a druid devoted to Sehanine.” The Goliath blurts out.

Lis and Rhime look at each other in shock.

“How did you know that?” Lis asks sternly.

“Now is not the time. Heed what I've said, and if you are still alive, perhaps we will meet again,” the purple Goliath says just before she heads out the door.

“Wait a minute!” Lis shouts as she stands up, making way to bolt towards Uthal at the doorway.

“Lis, let her go.” Rhime says, pulling his arm. He sits back down with Rhime and finishes his beer. “I don't know what her deal was, but her intentions didn't seem nefarious, from what I could tell…” Rhime continues.

“Makes me uncomfortable, folks going around knowing stuff about us.”

“Lis, you look like a charlatan in druids clothes…”

“Don't you mean a druid in charlatan's clothes?! I gave up that life of cheating and stealing.”

“Not when you get drunk. Didn't you say you tried to cheat someone out of their coin in Gwardan before heading to the Ruins where I found you almost dead?”

Guilt starts to seep into Lis’s mindstream. “Like I said, I gave it up…”

The barkeep approaches holding two grilled salmon dishes that have been hastily garnished with chives and green peppers. The bard gnome starts up singing again, this time a sexually suggestive song about bugbears.

***

Lis and Rhime finish their meal and head back out to the muddy yet colorful streets of Brokenbank. Just then, they hear a scream coming from down the street a ways away. “They're gone! They've been taken!” a small and shrill voice calls out. “Help! Anybody!”

Lis and Rhime dart down the street to the commotion. A dwarf mother in fancy clothing and jewelry is sobbing as the halfling cleric from the All-Hammer shrine from earlier and her gang of armored dwarves strut up to the scene.

“What has happened, Tismora?” one of the armored dwarves asks.

“I went to fetch some Marquesian coffee, leaving Jorrill and Arniss with Grimdal! When I came back, they were gone! They left a note!”

The halfling steps forward. “Who left a note?” She asks.

“The kidnappers!” the dwarf mother shouts.

“Let me see…” one of the dwarves requests. “Missus, this is clearly written by children! The handwriting is horrid…”

Rhime and Lis look at each other, and then look at the group of dwarves all shimmering in their various chainmail and shields. Lis notices an insignia on their armor- a symbol of a hand holding a mace.

“Should we…” he asks Rhime.

“We still have the rest of the day before we need to be back on the Wavechaser, the least we can do is see if they need anything from us.” she replies.

The pair walk over to the distraught mother and platoon of dwarves, the Halfling also present. “What is your business, elves?” the halfling presses.

“We couldn't help but overhear. Are we correct to assume your children are missing?” Rhime says. “We wish to lend a hand in any way we can.”

“We don't need no help from an elf, thanks!” One of the dwarves blurts.

“Wait a minute, I recognize you from the Moradin Shrine…” the Halfling says, her breastplate glinting in the emergent sunlight temporarily shining forth from between parting clouds. “What business have you here on Brokenbank?”

“We fled an attack in Palma Flora. An earthquake sunk the island, and we fled here with refugees.” Lis replies.

“I've heard several rumors today that such a thing happened. And I’ve seen these refugees at the docks. A sad lot. I detect no ill-will from these elves. We could use help in investigating the matter.”. Turning to the group of dwarves, the Halfling cleric asks them, “what say you?”

The dwarves look at one another, a few of them grumbling. “Fine then,” one of them, a male with matted red and grey hair says. “We’ll spread out and canvas the town. Report back here once we’ve heard anything. I'll wait here with Missus Tismora.” He walks over and offers a consoling arm around the distraught mother.

“Okay Maces, spread out! You heard Thulmin!” The halfling barks some orders around.

Lis and Rhime begin to ask around the town, looking for answers. They glean from some of the townsfolk that an older dwarf man was seen frantically searching about, calling out a couple names. Though the exact names couldn't be recalled, Lis and Rhime get the distinct feeling that the dwarf man was the father searching for his children.

After some more investigating, the pair gleans that the children were seen running amok, but they couldn't find out where they'd run off to. After another hour of searching and asking, they still can’t find out exactly where the children and father went off to.

Eventually they end up back at the Chattaway tavern, the gnome bard passed out drunk outside the front door. “I need a drink to clear my head.” Lis says. “That seems counter-productive…” Rhime says back.

Lis enters the bar. He sits down at the bar, Rhime reluctantly in tow. This time, the bar is more empty, there's just an orc man sitting at the far end and the human bartender from before. Lis orders a beer and slowly sips it. He asks the barkeep if she's heard anything about missing dwarf children since they've been in last.

“I heard it from one of the trawlers,” she says as she cleans more flagons. “Dwarf kids ran off cuz they were bored. They’re from that merchant family with the squadron of shiny dwarves, I think they're headed into the empire.”

“Any idea where they’d gone?” Lis asks.

“No idea. But you say it was a kidnapping? Unlikely. Sure we got a fair share of brigands and n’er-do-wells here in Brokenbank, but no one would be stupid enough to kidnap wealthy children in broad daylight right under the noses of the Zhelego.”

The orc man at the end of the bar turns to Lis and Rhime. “I seen a frantic funny lil dwarf man running off to the ruins in the southwest of town… I come from that way after a foul night camping. Mid morning I was almost back into town when I saw the little guy.”

“The ruins in the southwest? Can you tell me anything about them?”

“Well it's damn dangerous, for starters. Old Ki’Nau temple dedicated to the Leviathan. Full of traps and beasts.”

“That's a terrible place for children to be…” Rhime comments.

“Should we check it out?” Lis asks Rhime.

“Yes! Before it's too late!” She replies.

They leave the tavern. As the pair walks down the muddy street, they see the Halfling cleric and one of the dwarves. “Hey! We have an update! The father was spotted running toward the ruins southwest of the village!” Rhime calls out.

“The ruins? By the hammer of Moradin, There's no time! We must go now!” The halfling shouts.

The halfling and dwarf join Rhime and Lis. The group heads southwest, passing the Zhelego guards at the gates. Once past the palisades of Brokenbank, dense jungle expands as far as they can see, with one or two rolling hills nested in front of the glittering Lucidian ocean. A few spires of stone jut out above the canopy. The storm clouds have all moved out, and the heat from the sun is beginning to make the humidity of the jungle unbearably hot.

“Damn this heat… and I always thought summer in Gwardan was hot…” Lis complains.

Over the course of the next hour the group barely speaks a word to one another.

Lis attempts to make conversation. Turning to the halfling and dwarf in matching armor, he begins to speak. “So, you guys are in the same army? What’s up with the matching armor? Great pieces of armor, by the way, you dwarves are masters of the trade! I have an eye for that kind of stuff, see… I’m the only son of the Springbeam family, you ever hear of us? We’ve owned the Gwardan-Shimmer Instruments company for hundreds of years! Most of my sisters are priestesses of the All-Hammer at the House of Invention back home.”

“Can it, elf…” the dwarf says.

“We hail from Grimgolir. I was taken in by the Gilded Mace, and now I serve the All-Hammer with them.” the halfling woman says.

“May I ask what the Gilded Mace is?” Rhime asks with gentle curiosity.

“We’re defenders of Grimgolir, and sometimes we are dispatched around Wildemount to protect our people. Many of the Grimgoliran families are merchants, so we tend to get assigned to travel with them.” she replies. The dwarf looks at her with a frown, as if she’s said too much.

They reach the ruins. Looking around they don’t see any creatures, but do find humanoid skeletons that appear to be sunbleached and very old. “I don’t like the looks of this…” the dwarf says.

Eventually they find evidence of the dwarven children. “I found little Jorrill’s trinket pouch!” the halfling shouts, the glare from the sun making him shine as if surrounded by a holy aura.

“They must’ve gone down there!” the dwarf says, pointing down the open mouth of some kind of cave with stairs leading underground. Lis looks above the entrance at the ancient inscriptions faded by aeons and weather but can’t make out the meaning of them.

The group walks down the stairs into the underground. Lis uses his druidcraft to ignite a torch, holding it and walks out in front of the group. They emerge into a small chamber. The mildew and rot of ages overpowers their nostrils. Suddenly the smell of death and ancient carrion starts to come forth on the particles of dust that've been kicked up by their arrival.

“This is a cursed place… what in Moradin’s mighty name would the children be doing here?” the dwarf says to the halfling.

“Be on your guard, Ragdohr,” the halfling says, readying her mace and shield.

Straight ahead is a solid wall, ancient and cracked but intact nonetheless. To their right is a small entryway with some steps down.

A muffled voice echoes off of the walls as it cries out. They can hear it as a cry for help of some kind.

“It’s them! I’m comin’, Jorrill! Arniss, hang on!” Ragdohr says as his little dwarven legs carry him down the stairs. He emerges into a circular chamber with an empty pit in the middle. He can tell that it is a desecrated tomb. Just then, as he turns to his right, he sees three undead ghouls grouped around what looks like a giant stone slab laid against the wall. One of the ghouls dashes over toward Ragdohr, attacking him from on top of the rubble of the grave. Ragdohr occludes the ghoul with his shield. “Gris, in here! Undead!”

The halfling rushes down the stairs into the round chamber. She swings her mace, which glows golden as it strikes the ghoul, sending sparks of divine light as it sears its flesh. The ghoul slumps over for a moment and then rises back up, rattling a disgusting growl.

Lis leaps into action, Rhime right behind him. As he enters the chamber to join the fight, he launches a firebolt at the ghoul, missing it completely as the flames of the bolt ripple outward against the wall. Another one of the ghouls still crowded by the stone slab tries to grab Lis, slashing with its claws, but Lis defends himself against the attack by dodging the creature.

Rhime, rushing in, gets right in the middle of the fray, greatsword drawn. She slashes at the ghoul with both hands but it manages to mostly evade the blade, except for the very tip of the sword grazing it slightly. As she swings the blade, she sets her hunter’s mark on the ghoul. The ghoul standing on the desecrated grave slips out of the way of Ragdohr’s mace by a hair. Ragdohr blocks the third ghoul’s strikes with his mace, pushing it back after it tries to overcome the armored dwarf cleric.

The ghoul grabs Ragdohr and bites his neck, blood shooting out as he yells. “Bastard!” Gris the halfling goes to bash the ghoul that just injured Ragdohr but the ghoul dodges. Gris rushes past the undead and stops next to her dwarf comrade. “Ragdohr! Hold on!” she yells.

“I’m fine, but watch out!” he responds as the ghoul behind him turns to face them. Lis tosses his dancing sword up into the air. The sword flies over to the ghoul behind Ragdohr and Gris and cuts down into it, slicing deep down its shoulder and slides out near its waist. As the sword flies back a few feet, Lis chants and summons a fire bolt to his hand, launching it at the ghoul. The bolt sears and singes the undead creature, but it still is moving toward the injured Ragdohr.

Another ghoul standing next to the sliced and burned ghoul strikes at Lis with its hooked hand, sharp edges of its bony hands slicing out at the elf. Lis backs up to evade the attack and is untouched. Rhime swings her greatsword at the ghoul, just barely grazing it again. Ragdohr gets up and shouts, swings himself around the ghoul in the middle of the chamber while swinging his holy mace at it. The mace embeds itself into the confused creature. Ragdohr lets out a large grunt as he pulls free his mace from the undead’s dry flesh.

The other ghoul, still slightly smouldering from Lis’s fire attack, closes in on Rhime. She shouts in agony as the ghoul bites her neck, the flesh responding to the necrotic nature of its slightly poisonous teeth. Blood starts pouring out as Rhime kneels, weakened by the attack.

Griselda swings herself around, chanting a prayer to Moradin. Her mace glows brightly as if being heated up in a forge. The ghoul between her and Ragdohr bursts into flames as her mace caves in its head, the entire creature melts into hot burning ashes. “Take that!” She shouts.

Lis shoots another fire bolt with his hand at one of the two remaining ghouls and misses. He then sends his dancing sword to strike the ghoul from behind but fails to hit it as the ghoul happens to sway out of the sword’s flying path. The ghoul strikes back at Lis, reaching out to grab him. It holds Lis in place with its sharp fingers that pierce into Lis’s arms, black veins growing beneath his skin where the claws punctured him. It pulls Lis’s neck into its teeth, Lis unable to stop it. His neck begins to sprout the black veins as his constitution prevents him from becoming paralyzed. “Lis!” Rhime shouts as she jabs her greatsword at the ghoul, stabbing it in the chest. She pulls the blade out as her hunter’s spell widens the wound, creating a crater-like gap in its torso. It keeps moving and flailing about.

Ragdohr backs up against the wall, blood staining his metallic armor. He raises his hands and shouts words in his peoples’ ancient tongue, summoning a holy light that hovers and dances around the ghoul standing to the left of Rhime. It shrieks as it fails to evade the holy flames, burning up most of its flesh, its right arm now a smoking nub. The ghoul retreats as far from the center of the room as possible, fearful of the light radiating from Ragdohr on the opposite wall. Gris runs over to the burned ghoul, slamming her mace into it. Its scream snuffs out as it bursts into hot ashes, now a pile of embers and ash.

With one ghoul remaining, Lis chants and sends another fire bolt at the creature in front of him while at the same time sending his flying sword at it from behind it as well. The fire bolt hits the ghoul in its shoulder but the sword completely flies past it and straight at Lis, nicking Lis’s arm in the process. “Ow, what the fuck!” He shouts.

The ghoul then bites Rhime in her arm, the poison attempting to spread throughout her flesh. It causes half of her face to swell, purple and dark blue like a giant bruise. She drops her sword as she clutches her wounded arm in pain. Ragdohr limps to the other side of the ruined grave in the center of the room and gets a clear line of sight at the final ghoul. He conjures the sacred flames of the All-hammer, the white flames engulfing the ghoul completely. As the bright light of the magic flames whither away, a smouldering pile of ash remains where the undead creature formerly stood.

“In here! Help! He’s dying!” A muffled voice is heard from behind the giant stone slab.

“We’re coming! Jorrill! Arniss! Is that you?” Gris yells.

“Yes! It’s father… he’s…” the voices turn into crying.

“Hold on!” She replies.

“Is there a lever or something around? Can anyone see anything? A lever or trigger?” Rhime says through deep breaths. “Rhime, you’re hurt!” Lis says. “So are you, fancy elf,” she replies, smiling.

“You can flirt when we’ve returned the children to the ship!” Ragdohr scolds the pair.

“W-w-we w-weren’t-” Lis stutters.

“Help me Godsdamnit!” the dwarf shouts back.

The four of them search about the chamber, but can’t find any mechanism that opens or closes the stone slab.

“Wait, let me see if it is a magically sealed door…” Lis says before he sees a huge glowing aura around the stone slab. “Shit, sure enough… the door is sealed with magic…” he says, grabbing his dancing sword from mid-air and sheathing it. He looks around the chamber and sees a glowing indication of some sort of line or channel running from the door through the chamber floor and past the stairs to the north of the chamber where there are stairs that descend half a flight before stopping at another sealed stone slab door.

“It looks like it’s connected to something in the next room…” he says.

“Well, let's try and find the damn switch that opens these doors!” Ragnohr shouts.

“Lis… I need to rest a moment…” Rhime says as she clutches her bleeding neck wound. The black veins have subsided in both elves, but the pain persists. Lis looks with pity at Rhime’s half-swollen face, the un-affected side showing a beauty he hadn’t really noticed before perhaps due to the necrotic swelling in the infected side as comparison.

“We know spells for this, let’s just take a moment,” Lis says.

“He’s slipping away!” the child’s voice from behind the southern stone slab shouts, ashes of the defeated undead littering the floor in front of it.

“We don’t have any time, you fucking elves!” Ragdohr shouts as he searches in vain for a way to open either door.

“Ragdohr, you and I will backtrack to the main chamber and search there while the elves lay their hands on each other.” Griselda the halfling commands. An awkward silence lingers in the air, denser than the foul stench of death and beyond. “Healing hands I meant!” the dark-skinned cleric shouts at her dwarven comrade looking angrily at her.

“Keep yer britches on halfling. Jorrill! Arniss! Sir Grimdal! We are looking for a way to get you out. Please remain calm!” Ragdohr exclaims through the stone door.

The halfling and the dwarf return up the stairs to the main chamber. Lis puts his hand on Rhime’s upper back behind her left shoulder and murmurs the incantation of healing. Soft moonlight travels from beyond the crypt walls and ceiling and flows through Lis to Rhime’s wounds. Her face returns to normal and her wounds mostly close up, though there are still some lacerations and bruises on her arms and chest. The wound on her neck stops bleeding and instantly scabs over. She returns the favor, laying her hand on Lis’ right shoulder, the moonlight flowing from the aether beyond and into his body. His wounds and cuts seal up and scab over to a much greater extent than hers. “You’re still hurt, Rhime...” Lis says, genuinely worried about her. “I’ll be fine, Lis. We need to find a way to open this door.” Rhime responds. As Lis looks at her, he becomes aware of the connection to the Feywild he was taught to meditate on while living with the druids. Her natural beauty reminds him of the lessons his teacher Sediment, the earthen-skinned genasi druid elder that leads the druids of Doralle, would teach under the moonlight almost every night when he couldn’t get sleep. “I remember…” Lis begins. “Remember what?” Rhime says. “My teacher… he told us that as we deepen our connection to the mysteries of the natural world that we will remember our fey ancestry. As an elf, I was always taught that we come from Fey beings in our distance past as a race, but the skills I learned with the Doralle Druids have a much more immediate connection to the Feywild. Let me try something…” Lis explains as he leans in closer to Rhime. She pulls back, blushing. “Lis! What the hell!” She shouts. “No! I wasn’t…” He stutters. “We don’t have time for this…” Rhime retorts as she stands up. Lis closes his eyes. He’s able to visualize the Feywild- an surreal realm of nature beyond the mortal realm’s understanding. Colors and lights glimmer and obscure, the plants alive with sentience. He visualizes a vernal pool, dark water with sparkles of light floating on the surface. Suddenly, the sparkles glow and flash in a rainbow of iridescence. Lis opens his eyes, and he’s back in the tomb chamber. The light from his vision now surrounds Rhime, healing her wounds further.

“Thanks, Lis. Very cute. Now let’s hurry!” Rhime says as Lis stares in disbelief of what he’s just pulled off.

Back in the main chamber, Gris and Ragdohr look around. “I don’t see anything helpful, it’s just a sealed chamber! How are we going to save them?” Ragdohr complains.

Just then, Gris notices a doorway hidden by rubble and viny undergrowth. She clears away the vines and shoves open the door which leads into another circular chamber. Gris and Ragdohr enter the circular room and look around. They see more rubble, presumably from a destroyed altar or dais of some sort. On the south end of the curved walls is a giant slab similar to the one found in the desecrated tomb chamber where the ghouls attacked. Other than that, nothing seems out of the ordinary.

In the tomb chamber, Rhime goes over to the stairs in the north part of the room. At the bottom of the stairs is another giant stone slab. She inspects it, finding nothing of note. She pushes against it but it doesn’t budge. Lis mutters a prayer to Sehanine to detect magic in the area. The two giant stone slabs in the room glow brightly, with lines of light leading from the slabs into somewhere beyond the walls. Rhime picks on what Lis is doing. “We already determined that these are magically sealed. Is there anything else?”

“There’s tracks of magic, like a vine or something tethering the stone slabs to somewhere else in this crypt. Let’s meet up with- what was is, Ragdohr? Did you catch the halfling’s name?” says Lis.

“Gris I think was the name I heard.” Rhime says.

Meanwhile, in the other chamber, Griselda and Ragdohr continue to search for clues as to how to open the slabs and free the dwarven family. “What’s this?” Ragdohr says as he peers through an open doorway on the north side of the chamber. The opening leads into another chamber rectangular in shape. To his right is a sealed stone double door. At the far side of the chamber across from the entryway leading from the round chamber are three unlit braziers appearing to be impossibly untouched by time. “Curious…” Ragdohr says to himself as he approaches the braziers. Inside are coals that look brand new and unburned. He conjures some of the sacred flame he used to burn the ghouls earlier and ignites all three braziers. “No, wait!” Gris calls out from the other room. She rushes over to him. “They might be traps!”

Light fills the rectangular room as lines in the floor glow bright red. The lines lead from each of the braziers into the other rooms, one of them goes right under Gris’ and Ragdohr’s feet and straight to the slab in the round chamber behind them.

In the tomb chamber, just as Lis and Rhime are about the exit, they notice the red lighted lines illuminate along the floor and touch the slabs. As the slabs begin to glow red they vibrate and rumble as they begin to fall away. The slab in the north of the chamber and in the south of the chamber slide away into the ground. To the south, Rhime can see into another chamber with her darkvision. Inside the chamber just revealed by the moving of the stone slab is the dwarven family all huddled together. “Lis! The door is open!” she shouts as she runs over to the opened chamber, dashing toward the dwarven family. Lis turns around and sees a line of animated skeletons beginning to march through the door on the opposite side of the room. “We got company!” he yells, unsheathing his dancing sword and tossing it into the air.

Rhime kneels down at the fallen dwarf father Grimdall. The two children are sitting on the ground crying. “We just… we just were b-bored… and h-he… he…” they erupt into even more sobbing. “Please save him!”

Rhime holds her hands over Grimdall. Soft pale light begins to flow from her hands and into Grimdall’s chest. He gasps for air as he’s stabilized.

“He’s going to be okay, children, but he’s badly injured. Let’s get you all out of here!”

Lis readies a fire bolt as he commands his sword to fly at the first skeleton coming through the north chamber. The fire bolt hits the sloped ceiling as the skeleton continues up the short stairway and enters the tomb chamber. Lis’ dancing sword flies right past the skeleton, clanging as it hits the ancient tomb wall.

Rhime readies another spell to heal the unconscious Grimdall. As she does so, the children scream as they see Lis fighting the skeletons in the tomb chamber.

Back in the rectangular chamber with the braziers, a dull yellow light begins to flood the entire crypt. Ragdohr and Griselda hear the children's screams and the sound of battle echoing through the chamber. The pair runs back into the round chamber and the turn left, re-entering the main entrance chamber. Griselda, taking the lead, is ambushed by a blood-thirsty ghoul as soon as she steps foot into the main chamber. “No!” She shouts as the ghoul swipes at the halfling and hits the side of her head, blood trickling down the side of her face.

Rhime’s healing spell completes as Grimdall opens his eyes, fully awake. “Wh- what happened…” he asks as he sees Rhime with the two tiny dwarf children in both her arms. “We need to flee this place, now! Can you stand?” Rhime exclaims with urgency. “I think so…” Grimdall says as he stands up on his feet, his hand gripping his right side where his bloodsoaked shirt is torn. He pulls his hand away and reveals unscathed flesh. “You healed me… thank you, elf…” he mutters. “There’s time for that later, let’s go!” She shouts as she begins to lead them back into the tomb chamber where Lis battles the skeletons.

The four skeletons close in on Lis, one of them swinging its ancient and damaged scimitar at him and misses. An unnatural sounding cackling emanates from the chamber from which the skeletons emerged. Another one of the skeletons swings its sword at Lis, missing impacting him as he dodges it. “Rhime, move! Now!” he shouts. The skeleton at the back of the line steps forward, launching an arrow at Rhime and the children. The arrow flies wide and pings off of the ancient stone wall next to Rhime and the dwarves. Another arrow launches from the skeletons, this time embedding itself into Rhime’s left bicep but missing little Arniss clutching her tightly. Rhime, holding the children tightly, blood slowly dripping from her arm, dashes toward the doorway that heads back into the main entrance. Lis holds back the skeletons with his quarterstaff. “Rhime!” he shouts as she and the dwarves run past him, Grimdall staying tightly behind her. “I’ll get them to safety! I’ll come right back! She shouts as she emerges into the main chamber and sees Gris and Ragdohr fighting the ghoul.

Gris shouts a plea to Moradin- “Smite this abomination of a creature!” as flames surround the ghoul and burst, burning the undead creature. Ragdohr runs over to Rhime and the dwarves. “Grim! Lil Arnie! Jorrill! You’re alive! I’ll take them outside, elf. You help your boyfriend there!” He shouts as Rhime passes him the children. “He’s not-” she begins as the four dwarves rush up the stairs towards the sunlight on the surface. As soon as they leave the underground crypt, the earth begins to shake violently. The stairwell to the surface becomes blocked by a cave in.

“YOU SHALL NEVER AGAIN LEAVE THIS PLACE!” A raspy and arcane voice blasts from all directions. It seems to come from beyond the walls.

Gris looks at Rhime who turns around and looks at Lis holding off the skeletons in the other room.

The ghoul in the main chamber lets out a shriek as suddenly from the wall behind it a tangle of wispy white substance ethereally wraps itself around the ghoul. The ghoul withers and falls to the ground unmoving. The mysterious white ether then collects itself into a form resembling an ancient Ki’Nau warrior.

In the tomb chamber Lis watches in shock as more ghostly white ether emerges from the walls and smothers two of the skeletons. The skeletons drop limbs and begin to crumble, struggling to get away.

“YOU WHO HAVE AWAKENED MY WRATH… YOU ALL SHALL PERISH!” the voice calls out once more.

“What is happening?” Lis shouts, stepping backwards from the eldritch scene and heads up the steps to meet with Rhime and Gris.

The Ki’Nau specter standing in the main chamber where the withered ghoul lies in a pile on the floor turns its head to look at Griselda who is slowly backing away and moving toward where Lis and Rhime are standing.

“We mean no harm! We came to rescue children who trespassed your crypt by accident! Please, show mercy!” Griselda shouts into space.

The skeletons in the tomb chamber turn to fight the partially materialized Ki’Nau specters, one of them slicing right through its ghostly form. The specter then appears to return to its mist-like form and once again smothers the skeleton, this time the skeleton entirely crumbling away into dust. The skeletons and specters exchange blows, the specters’ incorporeal bodies absorbing the skeleton’s attacks. Lis listens to the sounds of struggle and ghostly battle in the previous chamber and stares at the ground thinking.

“I think they’re fighting each other…” Lis says out loud.

“Spirit of the crypt! I again beg you: free us! We mean no harm!” The sound of the struggle ceases. The Ki’Nau ghost standing in the main chamber with the three heroes disappears. An eerie silence befalls the crypt as Lis, Rhime and Griselda group together.

“INTERLOPERS… DISTURBERS… DESECRATORS… YOU INVADED OUR LANDS… UK’OTOA WILL AT LAST HAVE REVENGE!!!” the voice deafeningly booms through the chambers, causing the three adventurers to cover their ears. Once again the entire crypt quakes, more rubble and dust starting to crumble.

“We’re gonna fucking die in here!” Lis screams.

“Get a grip, fancy-pants!” Griselda shouts.

Lis turns around and looks through the doorway back into the tomb chamber. He sees a strange looking ghoul, this one a little bigger and more decorated. Its ancient rotten garb resembles something he’s seen before, something familiar. He vaguely remembers seeing this style of garb in old tomes in the libraries of the Ornatora Spire, the tower in which he grew up in Gwardan.

“Is that… their leader?” he says, the tall ghast now surrounded by the three remaining skeleton fighters.

Lis very suddenly remembers having learned about the bloody history of the Menagerie coast, specifically the conflict between worshippers of the leviathan Uk’otoa and the invaders from the distant continent of Marquet known as the Vukan. He recognizes the ghast’s regalia as that of the Vukan warrior priests.

“It’s a Vukan Priest! He must have been the one raising all the undead.”

“DESECRATORS! DEFILERS!!!” The voice booms once more.

The ghast and skeletons slowly approach from the other chamber, walking slowly toward the two elves and halfling in the main chamber.

“This way!” Griselda shouts as she leads the party back into the round chamber to the west end of the room. As they enter the round and ruinous chamber, she looks to the north side of the room where the entryway to the braziers are still lit. Then she looks to the south side of the room to another doorway with pitch dark behind it.

“Those braziers must’ve activated the magically sealed doors… but I didn’t notice this doorway before! Let’s try it!” Gris shouts.

“Here goes nothing…” Lis murmurs as the three of them dash into the darkness.

Rhime unsheaths her greatsword, casting a spell of illumination upon it whilst thumbing a patch of glowing moss in her pocket she kept from the Pallid Grove. The blade glows like a lantern, and they are in another medium sized rectangular chamber. Their footsteps are softened by hitting the surface of water about half a foot deep. Rubble and ruin pollute the room, scattered in random intervals around the area. “Here!” Gris says as she turns to her right, heading west again, now into another chamber. Rhime follows with Lis in the back.

They enter a dead end room with a semi-circular raised floor. The water ends at the doorway; the three of stop as they look on at the horror in front of them.

A Ki’Nau Mummy floats above the raised semi-circle above what looks to be a sarcophagus that’s been blasted open.

“YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE COME HERE… VUKAN INVADERS!!!” The mummy exclaims just before its eyes flash a dark purple glow. Lis, locking eyes with the mummy initially out of morbid curiosity, suddenly is filled with a claustrophically dense sensation of fear as if being sealed into a tomb alive. At once, he can clearly see the bright light of the moon shining from beyond his fearful perception, Sehanine the Moon-weaver goddess smiling on him. He snaps out of it.

“We are not the Vukan! The Vukan have been driven from these lands long ago! The Leviathan has indeed had his revenge!” Lis tries to get through to the Mummy.

“LONG… AGO? HOW… LONG… HAS IT BEEN?” The mummy’s voice begins to slowly lose its previous intensity.

“We are indebted to the Ki’Nau… their sacrifice was not in vain! Indeed the legacy of the Ki’Nau lives to this very day!”

The Ki’Nau mummy stops floating and rests on the edge of its ruined sarcophagus.

“My name… was… Hamehna… in life… I was… a priest…” the mummy says with a certain frailty.

“As was I…” all of the sudden a weak voice from behind them speaks. The Vukan ghast has followed them into the mummy’s chamber, the flesh and vocal chords around his throat spontaneously regrowing as his fiendish shape softens ever so slight. His skeleton minions stand huddled in the room behind him. Hamehna’s eyes flare up purple again, enraged with ancient hatred.

“YOU! YOU ARE… THE ONE WHO KILLED ME!” the mummy says as its fist separates from its arm and shoots at the ghast, zipping past Lis as he dodges backwards. The ghast deflects the fist and stands firm and unmoving. The two lock eyes for what feels like an eternity to Lis.

The mummy and the ghast continue to stare at one another before the ghast breaks the silence.

“We were cursed by your god, the serpent of the sea. We drifted into undeath, losing our memories. Occasionally creatures came by, and we devoured their flesh, unsated due to our endless craving.” the Vukan ghast says to the mummy. “We stayed here out of vengeance. But as aeons passed, we forgot said vengeance. When the intruders here stumbled in, they brought with them an essence we’ve felt since life. We release our grasp on our vengeance if you do the same, Ki’nau.”

Hamehna's purple eyes dissipate.

“Perhaps…” the calmed mummy speaks again.

Griselda stands up. “You have been slaves to habits of old! The winds of time have weathered down your grudges. No longer do you need to fight one another!”

Rhime chimes in. “She speaks the truth. You both deserve peace. May the torment you both suffer due to the extreme anger and sadness in both your hearts be quenched in the moonlight of truth.” Rhime says as she clutches a crescent-moon talisman she’s had since she was a baby.

“May we be released into the final peace of death. I am no longer your enemy.” The Ghast exclaims as it closes its eyes in peace.

The ghast then dissolves into ash and the skeleton warrior collapses into piles of bones.

“Thank fuck that’s over with…” Lis exhales loudly.

Hamehna has her head turned directly at Lis, with Rhime and Griselda looking nervous. After a moment, the mummy speaks.

“I thank you for your intervention. I’ve not interacted with a single soul beyond those trapped within this crypt for so long. Years became days.” The specters from earlier reconvene on the raised semi-circle and surround Hamehna.

“Before we pass into death, please accept a token of our gratitude.”

A string of beads levitates from within the open sarcophagus, the majority of them being clear crystal beads interspersed with the occasional jade and aquamarine. “These store the memory of the magic I used in life… since they no longer serve me, may they help you.”

Rhime grabs the necklace of prayer beads and puts it in her side pouch.

Hamehna and the three specters huddle up in a circle facing each other. One by one they begin to glow as light overtakes their bodies. The room becomes blindingly bright. Lis, Rhime and Gris all cover their eyes. As the light dies back down, they see the remains of the mummy slumped over the edge of the sarcophagus.

Griselda walks over to the mummy and picks up her remains, placing them gently into the sarcophagus.

“Okay, now how do we get the fuck out of here?” Lis hurriedly exclaims.

“Sir elf! A moment of respect!” Griselda scolds.

The three of them take a moment around the sarcophagus, each reflecting and saying prayers over the deceased. Then the three of them return to the entrance where the cave in has previously blocked their exit. To their amazement, the rubble is miraculously gone.

They emerge from the crypt. As they do, the earth rumbles once more, this time the entire ground above the crypt subsides and caves in, leaving only shallow sinkholes and craters behind. The yawning mouth of the crypt entrance closes once and for all.

***

Back in town, the three of them sit at the tavern and slug down ale. The little halfling Griselda drinking a little more than she’s used to, her dark face blushed red with pleasured heat rising from the booze within.

“I cannot fathom why they abandoned me… my own brethren!” Gris complains.

“Yeah, I thought they’d at least wait for you here in town. The ship’s gone and everything, huh?” Lis says, shooting down some clear liquor and chasing it with more ale.

“I will send for them by raven. Perhaps they thought I perished in the cave in…” Gris says, her eyes fixed on the swirling effervescence of her ale.

Lis throws down three gold pieces and some silver as he begins his next ale.

“Rhime, how’re you doing? Pretty crazy stuff, huh?”

Rhime holds her talisman. It’s a crescent moon turned upside down and strung like a bow. Inside the crescent moon is made up of iridescent opal-like moonstone. She gazes at it, deep in thought.

“Rhime, you’ve only drank half your beer! I’ll finish it for you if you want…” Lis says, slurring his words with a slow cadence.

She snaps out of it and grabs the ale, chugging the rest down in one gulp.

“Wow! Okay, someone’s slowly becoming slightly more fun!” Lis says. Rhime punches his arm.

The three continue to drink for the next hour, feeling the experience of their journey enriches their understanding of the world and their abilities. Lis, Rhime and Griselda attain Level 4.

***

The three of them close out and walk through town toward the docks. The sun setting in the western skies paints the clouds all manner pink and purple.

Lis, turning to look down at Griselda, says, “Look, I know your people left you. You’re more than welcome to come with us back to the mainland. We are headed there tonight.”

Stumbling and drunk, the halfling clangs around in her armor as she replies. “I had a-half-a mind- HIK - to ask ye… fancy pantsy elf boys…” .

“Okay, I don’t know what that means, but I can’t leave a drunk little halfling in a place like this.” Lis exclaims.

Griselda trips on a dock plank and faceplants.

“Lis! What do we do should she awaken abroad the Wavechaser and realize she’s been taken against her will?” Rhime says also slightly slurring her words.

“No no no, not against her will, she just said she was gonna ask us anyways. Look, her people left her behind, there’s nowhere else for her to go.”

They pick up Griselda and carry her to Wavechaser. Captain Three Earrings looks at them from the stern deck of the ship and grimaces ever so slightly.

***

It is now nighttime.

The Wavechaser pulls out from port and plots a course north, setting sail for the sunken island of Palma Flora.

Lis and Rhime continue to drink from a rum bottle with Aurelio, the three of them chatting and gazing at the clear starry skies above.

“Most of the refugees stayed behind in Brokenbank, half of them swearing never again to set foot on a boat. I wonder what will happen to them.” the dark skinned, white robed acolyte ponders as he takes another slug from the bottle before passing it back to Lis.

“Poor Elanza, I pray Kord restores her warrior strength. Well, that’s it for me, I’m turning in! You both should too. Tomorrow will be difficult to say the least. Rest well, friends.” And with that Aurelio stands up and heads under deck.

Rhime looks at Lis looking out over the ocean reflecting stars.

“New moon was last night… yet in the darkness, I could see the light of the Moon-weaver. I guess I haven't pissed her off yet.” Lis comments.

“Lis, I’ve never seen you quite like that before… you had moonlight glowing from your eyes!” Rhime exclaims.

TO BE CONTINUED...