Session 1: Beginnings

General Summary

This is the year 25 in the Age of the Return. As Dim Night approaches, the city council has called for a town meeting. The village of Lookout's Landing is abuzz with rumors - mostly surrounding the not-so-secret construction of a large sailing vessel on the northern cliff of the village. We find our heroes, more than a year after the tragic events that took their friend Dante from them.  

In the last year:

Althea has taken to conducting experiments with (on) Dances on Stumps, trying to learn as much as possible about his new powers and his ability to defend against The Mist.

Xabu focused on his study of the voices in the Flame. He has become more attuned to the goals and desires of the Silver Flame.

Dances on Stumps tolerated Althea's experiments, but also spent his own time practicing with his wind aura. He has been leveraging his new powers into celebrity, and most people think he is a pretty cool cat.

Gnarly Toes focused on learning as much as possible from the Artificer glimpse stone. He learned quite a bit about Relic's possible creators and also grew a bond with the glimpse stone, learning to make the memories a part of himself.

Felix continued running his family's business, but also spent his days researching the hamster construct found in Relic's workshop. He realized that this item would require an elemental power source to activate.

Relic drew immediate attention from the entire village, but quickly found himself accepted due to his helpful and mostly unassuming demeanor. He lived with Felix and spent his days helping to improve the defenses of the village.

A dream of Evil

Xabu finds his dreams drifting, his vision drifting northward to the Dragon's Teeth mountains. Thrust through the stone into a hazy cavern, warm from glowing vents in the floor. Hovering over the ground is a familiar robed figure. The rest of the team arrives to take part in a dream battle. And as things began to look more dire, Gnarly Toes activated a totem of rest, aiding his friends in leaving the too-real nightmare. As Xabu began to wake, sinister words echoed in his mind: "These islands are mine!"

Village Meeting

Many new and exciting things are happening at Lookout's Landing, and the council members in turn share their announcements with the village.

Council Member Announcements:

• Teeth of the Mountain - A tabaxi scout found iron residue in spring water to the north. This opens to possibility of a steady source of iron for the Landing.
• Vanvyre Timbertoes - The surface of the Sunken City has been exhausted, but the possibility of deeper expeditions has been opened due to the findings last year.
• Joppa - A herd of Rothe has been found underground. Pasture land can now be released on the surface, for more agriculture.
• Bop - The tunnels in the peninsula must be expanded to move more people into subterranean domiciles. For this, more wood is needed for construction.
• Uka - "Battlements are under construction to prevent attacks from intelligent foes. Now, let's give these people the information they want, Lorasys!"
• Lorasys - Yes, we have finished construction on a ship. And it is one that will be able to sail through the Mist. What the village needs, frankly, is breeding stock. Without new blood, many races will dwindle to nothing. Dwarves, Gnomes, Half-Elves, and Firbolgs included. The humans of the village brashly tried to leave on a similar expedition many seasons ago, but never returned. Please, if you have interest in helping with this endeavor, or any that were raised today, speak to one of the village council.

At this final announcement, the village is abuzz with energy. The group of friends decide to relocate to their favorite secret cave at the base of the cliff. Together, they decide they would like to pursue the evil on the island, to the north.

The Journey Begins

The friends said their goodbyes to their loved ones - including Lorasys, Orister Oakbottom, Yulg, and even Felix had a visit from his drunk father! And after two days of preparation, they set out to the north.

Early in the day, the group found a natural spring, and in the water discovered red-tinged sediment on the stones, and decided to call it the Crimson Well. As they continued in their journeys, they saw several animals who mostly avoided them: birds, tree rodents, and larger simians in the trees. Later in the day, ruined stones began to loom in the jungle, and the shadows of a ruined temple were seen amidst the trees in the north. As Althea sent her familiar, Seowin ahead to scout, the owl saw several small forms attacking an unknown adventuring party. The small figures seemed to be made of plant material and attacked with rudimentary weapons - blowguns and spears primarily. One of the adventuring party crawled toward the party, and spoke his dying words - "please tell my family I love them... in Brevin's Gap..." - before finally succumbing to the russet mold that infected the wounds in his body. The party took a wide berth around the temple, looting the gear from the adventuring party, and set up camp several hours later at the ruins of a small farmhouse.