Prologue 1: The Baths of Nexotl

General Summary

Arrival in Nexotl

The session began with Malachi, a shadow fey, stepping onto the sun-drenched streets of Nexotl—a city of temple-roofed villas, dragon-tiled stonework, and cloudstep terraces rising from jungle cliffs. As he moved through the crowded markets, he observed the vibrant customs and strange delights of the region, including tammamaku, a thick fruit-and-spice jam served warm on flatbread by passing vendors.

Malachi’s journey brought him to the Sudsy Scale, a famed bathhouse nestled in the mist-veiled heart of the bazaar district.

Schemes and Scalds

outsid the Sudsy Scale, Korril, a river dwarf bard, was already enacting a scheme alongside his ratfolk companion Niklas. The plan: Korril would provide distraction, while Niklas discreetly relieved patrons of their coin.

Their efforts drew unwanted attention when Zhurik, a broad-shouldered brute, deliberately tripped Korril. Tension flared between the dwarf and the trio: Zhurik, the lean and silent Idran, and their sharp-tongued companion Varko.

Gathering in the Steam

Elsewhere in the misted pools, Jasper Ain, an orcish paladin, relaxed under the mineral heat. He had come at the urging of a strange man who offered little explanation—only a time and place: the bathhouse.

The others joined shortly after. Introductions were tense, curious, and strange. Then came the arrival of Professor Cornelius Vanderwallen, a flustered academic from Torrum wearing garishly formal Bragonian chaulka. He greeted the group nervously and struck up conversation—until the steam parted once more.

The Fight in the Fog

The three strangers from earlier approached with purpose. Their target: Vanderwallen. With growing hostility, they demanded a map he carried and tried to drag him into a private chamber. When the professor resisted and the group intervened, a fistfight broke out in the hot, slippery bath.

The steam made everything hazy—soap, fists, water buckets, and shouted threats mingled in chaos. During the fight, a strange brass orb slipped from the folds of Vanderwallen’s chaulka and clattered to the ground, momentarily drawing attention.

Despite the confusion, the group held their ground. When Varko was knocked unconscious, the others quickly surrendered.

Aftermath and Invitation

Back in the locker room, the party discovered a final surprise—Niklas, tied up and stashed away, having clearly been caught while attempting to rob them.

Grateful for their protection, Professor Vanderwallen extended a formal invitation to all three: meet him the following evening for a private discussion. He promised that their paths, if they chose, could lead to something far greater than any of them expected.