The Admussey

A famous story taking place after the The Kwarvian War, detailing the 200 year journey of the Dwarven King Admus of the Caves on his way from the Modan Peninsula and the ruins of Paro to his home in Dwarven Territory. Many debate the truth of any of it, as it came about from oral traditions despite being a story that ends towards the tail end of the Ancient Era, when written history was thriving and long-lived Dwarves and Elves would have firsthand accounts. Still, it has taken its place as one of the most recognizable works of Dwarven literature, despite seeming to originate from Ancient Alzirgan Goblins.
The ten part epic is credited to a Goblin writer named Moot, though it is unclear what he did to write it, and how much influence he had over the story.

A Never-Ending Journey

The Admussey is broken into ten parts, each detailing another part of the journey. Part 1 and 2, and then Parts 9 and 10, are separated from the others. They take place at the end of the story, after the long, arduous journey is nearly complete.
The remainder of the story is considered the Admussey proper. Admus's firsthand account of what he went through between Paro and the Eternal Island.

King Admus by Jarhed

The ten parts are as follows:

• Part I: The New Kingdom
• Part II: An Eternal Land
• Part III: A Distant Conflict
• Part IV: The First Shore
• Part V: Islands Beyond
• Part VI: To Hell and Back
• Part VII: Troubles at Sea
• Part VIII: An Ethereal Voyage
• Part IX: The False Beard
• Part X: Home, At Last

Part I: The New Kingdom

The first part of the Admussey begins in the Dwarven Kingdom, now ruled by Mordain. The son of King Admus, Prince Magdal (only called a prince because of his father, despite having lost all claim to his throne) is protecting his mother, Queen Jennglen, one of the many widow queens of the Kwarvian War, as suitors are vying for her hand in marriage.
In particular, the Prime Minister, Harmmek was really looking to marry Jennglen. He wanted what few armed forces remained in the caves she once ruled, those that were born and trained since the forces of Admus left. Harmmek wanted that army so that he could then kill Mordain and claim the throne by right.

King Dulthran by Jarhed

Jennglen evades his attempts through prayers to the God of Dwarves, Hadur, who presides over family. She claims to be weaving a tapestry of her family, wishing to cement in physical evidence the family she once had before she ever considers starting another one.
However, she continues to stop whenever she reaches a point where she would weave Admus, saying that she struggles to remember what he looks like. Harmmek says she could just replace the old king with him, and that it could be a wedding gift instead, but she refuses, and Mordain warns Harmmek of Hadur's wrath.
Magdal asks the King why he allows Harmmek to continue like this, but Mordain warns that to strike against the Prime Minister would be to disregard the will of the people. He was voted in, and until he leaves office or is voted out, he has authority.
The Prince then asks if Magdal knows what happened to his father. Mordain does not, but suggests that other nations might. Due to the inner conflict among the Dwarves, they had been looking fairly inward, but the Elves and Draconians both have more global operations and likely have a better idea of what is happening outside. Magdal, not wishing to deal with Elves if he doesn't have to, heads first to Zephys.

Central Characters

• King Admus- The King of the Caves, and the sole royal survivor of the Kwarvian War, Admus is on a quest to return back to his family and kingdom.


• Queen Esme- Former Queen of Paro, her entire kingdom was destroyed and she was given over to Admus as a slave. Blessings by the Goddess Mayowa keep her alive.


• Athena- The Goddess who supported Admus for most of the war, she speaks to him still on his voyage, but is held back from helping him directly for most of his journey.


• Prince Magdal- The son of Admus, prince of the caves, he spends most of the story trying to rally Dwarven warriors to find his father, who there is no record of having ever died.


• Queen Jennglen- Admus's wife, who has been sought after by many suitors who want to inherit the cavces. She refuses to marry, as she cherishes the family she had and refuses to give that up for a new replacement family.


• Papatūānuku- The Goddess of Nature and the Sea, she spends most of the story keeping Admus from returning home because of her fury towards him for what was done during the war.


• Morrigan- The Goddess of Fate and Death, she looms at every corner where Admus travels, preparing a death that he avoids as often as he can.


• Tharrom- Admus's second in command on his ship, a cautious and cowardly warrior who managed to survive the Kwarvian War through sheer determination to avoid conflict when he could.


• Flutrin- The Nereid witch of the Abral Islands.


• King Mordain- The King of Ironforge, descendant of the Kings of Gansernfeld, who had seized power while the warriors of the Kwarvian War were away in Udai.


• Prime Minister Harmmek- The leading suitor seeking Queen Jennglen's hand in marriage, he is next in line for the Dwarven throne and seeks to gain control of the caves first to have an army so that he may, then, overthrow Mordain and seize all power for himself and his bloodline to make royal bloodline like the Nerifirs.


• King Guldin Nerifir- The Elven King of Camor, who meets with the Dwarven Prince.


• Nawunax Valdacmith- The Draconian Grand Wizard, known as the Necromancer, who meets with the Dwarven Prince.

There, Magdal met Nawunax Valdacmith, known as the Necromancer. He was the ruler of the Draconians, and while he was a hated man, he did quite like the idea of foreign royals owing him. He asked what he could do, and Magdal asked if Nawunax knew anything about his father, King Admus.
Nawunax did, of course. Not recent events, but he recounted the most famous story of Admus, which much of the world had heard. The tale of the Paro Cornucopia.

Nawunax Valdacmith by Jarhed

"A celebration, thank the Gods for life
For soon it will be ended in the flames
Of gifts once given over in the name
Of peace. A cornucopia of Orcs,
Disguised and slept against their wills by him,
The King of Caves, great Admus city-sacker.
That man which you have called your father thence
Betrayed the rite of gift and holiday
To gain cheap victory in war he had
Already won. Do not misunderstand,
I see King Admus as a hero and
An inspiration to myself, his mind
Unrivaled in the world from Paro to
The shores of Kruthiwat's immortal flame.
A new inferno grew from Admus' lies,
The hands of Orcs deceived into the fight."

— Nawunax Valdacmith, The Admussey

Magdal had not heard this tale, of drugging Orcs and disguising them as a gift, so that they could destroy the city of Paro. He was disgusted, to hear of the lengths his dad went to secure victory, and to see the utter depravity of Valdacmith, who took great pleasure in the tale. But the Prince had not come to hear stories of his father's glories in war. He wanted to know what happened to him.
To that, Nawunax had no answer. He did not keep up with such news, and as far as he knew, Admus was last seen at the destruction of Paro. Nawunax did, however, say he may have a member of his family who would know the answer. Magdal was curious to know these other Valdacmiths, but was instead brought to a graveyard that Nawunax had made, where thousands of corpses from all around the world were kept.

Guldin Nerifir by Jarhed

Nawunax raised the old leader of the Dwarven army during the Kwarvian War, Dulthran, and asked him what happened. Dulthran, however, only answered in screams, due to the torment he was going through in Hell and the torturous way he died in Totania, by the hand of his own daughter.
Magdal fled, afraid of this twisted familial ideal that Valdacmith had shown him. One of death and torture, of horrific heroics. After the floating city, even visiting the Elves seemed palatable to the Prince.
And so, Magdal made his way to the gilded city of Camor, seeking audience with the Hero King Guldin Nerifir. Other royals found Magdal first, scorning him for seeking to enter their city. However, Guldin arrived to the city, fresh from battle. The heroic ideal like Magdal believed his father was, Guldin went and struck down his rude family members for what they said to Magdal, knocking them out and sending them home while he brought Magdal to Camor Keep and asked what he could do for the Prince.
Unlike Valdacmith, Guldin was not seeking to have the Dwarves owe him. He knew the Elves and Dwarves would forever hate each other, and he had plans even then for war against Mordain. But even then, he could not deny someone who had come to him in need, and thought helping Magdal could give him even greater glory.
Magdal asked Guldin about Admus, and Guldin recounted all he knew.

"The Hero of Paro, is that who I
Am asked about today? I've heard the tales
And wished to fight him once myself, to test
The limits of the Hero King, both he
And I are glorified in tales beyond
Our scope. But on the topic now at hand,
I've heard of sightings from the Abral Lands,
And Giants cursing out the name of he
Who shares your blood, King Admus of vast pain.
The Gods themselves have sent his name into
A realm of great obscurity to try
And leave his legend in the grave where it
Belongs. But trust me now, young man, for he
The cunning king, will one day make it back
To that which he had long abandoned since."

— Guldin Nerifir, The Admussey

Again, this was little comfort to Magdal. His father was sighted all over the world, and there was no way that could mean anything other than people wishing to claim they saw the great hero. But still, Guldin's promise at the end meant something to the Prince. Admus had to still be out there. Despite all these stories, there was not a single tale told about the death of King Admus of the Caves. That had to mean something. So Magdal made his way back to Ironforge, to Mordain and his mother. Away from these ageless rulers, and back to his aged mother, longing to see his father once more.

Part II: An Eternal Land

It is not Admus that we see next, but instead the King of the Gods, Izanagi. He is met by two Goddesses, feuding once more: Athena and Papatūānuku. Athena claims that the heroes of the Dwarves were cursed unfairly for their victory, and that the remaining survivor ought to be allowed to finally return. Admus was, after all, her Champion.

Ilabrat by Jarhed

Papatūānuku, however, denies this. She says that the actions of the Dwarves in the war, and Admus himself afterwards, mean that he should never get the opportunity to go home.
Izanagi decides that 200 years of travel is enough punishment, knowing that Admus does not have much longer to live, and asks for Athena to free him. He calls upon all the Gods to aid Admus in returning home, as all other Dwarven rulers from the war never had the chance to do.
The Minor God of Messages, Ilabrat, descends down to the Eternal Island, where three people live. One is said to be the last Gliren, called Radt. The other two are the Dwarven King Admus of the Caves, and the Korvian former Queen Esme of Paro. They have been here for over a hundred years, and Radt asks if they wish to hear another story of his war with the immortal Korvians. Admus says he cannot bear to hear of Korvians and war again, and that is when Ilabrat arrives, asking if he can at least finish the story he began so long ago. He tells him that the Gods have finally allowed Admus to sail away, with them building a ship for him that will carry him the whole way.
Admus asks Esme to come with him, but she says she has no desire to go to a kingdom of her enemies, and insists on remaining on the Eternal Island.
The ship carries Admus and Ilabrat to Alzirgos, nearly crashing once more, but being saved by Goblin sailors that bring him to shore. The priests of Alzirgos ask for him to recount their story, and that if he does so, proving who he is, they will get the Oracle to tell him how he may return home.
A majority of the story after this is directly told by Admus himself, now in first-person.

Part III: A Distant Conflict

It is here that the Admussey, the story of Admus's journey home, truly begins. Admus takes ship for the first time, leaving the shores of Udai with his newly captured slave, the former Queen of Paro, Esme. Our two heroes board the ship that will carry them on a doomed voyage, enemies. Admus keeps Esme with him because he knows that Mayowa blessed her with eternal life that can only be ended when a blade pierces her skin. If she remains by his side, he will be safe, for no divine punishment or natural disaster will be enough to kill them.
The story does not detail much of the Kwarvian War itself. It speaks only of Admus as a hero who fought in the war, and Esme as the ruler of the opposition.

Queen Esme by Jarhed

Instead, it is the aftermath, as they sail away. Admus misses his family, and boasts of how they will be waiting for him to Esme, now the lone surviving member of her bloodline. He sails directly east, with his second in command, Tharrom, steering. But before they head home, Admus asks Tharrom to sail a bit north, so they can go to the temple of Papatūānuku, Goddess of Nature and the Sea. She was one of the Gods who supported the Korvians, and it required a great sacrifice for the Dwarves to sail to Udai via her oceans.
Admus and Tharrom dive beneath the waves, taking Esme with them. Esme asks if they are there to offer tribute to the natural Goddess, and Admus says that is a reason for their journey there. But when they are met by the priests, they find only rude greetings from the Goddess's representatives, for they see Admus and the Dwarves as enemies of their Goddess. Admus, not willing to listen to such things, kills the Priests and leaves without paying tribute.

"The corpses of her holyness's priests
I say must be plenty to sate her will."

— Admus, The Admussey

Exiting the temple, Admus found one of the ships in his fleet had sunk to the bottom of the sea. He rises to the shore but finds no threat awaiting him, and so shrugs away this as mere bad luck and continues sailing.

Part IV: The First Shore

A storm greets them as they continue to sail. The waters themselves seem to twist and turn, making navigation all but impossible. Another ship or two in the fleet drop away in the storm, fallen to the waves, before finally Admus asks for Esme to aid him in calling upon a certain God who regularly appears in travel.
They call to Fortuna, Goddess of Luck and Travel, and deity of wind. However, they are met only by a tornado appearing through the storm: Ilabrat, son of Fortuna.

"My lady mother is, at present, not
Available, but I can take a word
Or two if it's as pressing as it seems."

— Ilabrat, The Admussey

Admus asks for Ilabrat to dispel the storm, but he says that these storms are the realms of Gods far more powerful than himself or his mother. Instead, he grants them an enchanted bag, a Mightem, which carries the most powerful winds in the world. He says these can get them out of this storm faster than the storm can keep up with them, but he warns them that using it could be... well, he never finishes his sentence. Tharrom opens the bag, fearing the storm will kill them, and the ships escape the storm only to find themselves beached on icy shores.
Admus takes a team of warriors with him, asking Tharrom to keep watch over the ship, as he attempts to find where they are and acquire food. Of course, the King takes Esme with him. He knows that to do otherwise would be a dangerous gambit, and the clever king was far too smart to risk that.
A camp of ice giants sat around a fire, and Esme warned him that they would not welcome outsiders. Admus, however, had a plan. They were roasting a large chunk of mammoth over the fire, and if he could get that, he could feed most of his remaining soldiers if they rationed it properly. He just needed a distraction. And so, forcing Esme to go along with his plan, Admus lit a great fire by the base of the nearest mountain. It was enough to draw the attention of the Giants, and they began screaming to put it out and rushing closer. Admus and Esme tried to sneak away, as they saw the troops grabbing the meat, but they heard a voice behind them call out to the Giants:

"My children, turn, for you have been deceived.
The flame was lit by those who steal your meal,
Hard-earned in that majestic hunt of yours.
I need only a pair of you to grab
Those who have scorned the ground, the rest return
To feast on meat, won both before and now,
Of mammoth and of thieving Dwarf as well."

— The Frozen Mountain, The Admussey

It was no Giant that revealed them, but the very mountain they had lit ablaze. The Frozen Mountain, as it was called, spoke to them, and called for the Giants to take Admus and Esme to its peak to freeze to death for what they did, while the Giants ate the remainder of the Dwarven warriors who had raided the camp, and watched over the ships to prevent the other Dwarves from sailing.
Trapped atop the Frozen Mountain, Admus and Esme were not sure if there was a way out. They watched from the distance as the Giants ate the Dwarves first, and knew that the soldiers would be eaten and they would freeze unless they figured something out. But the mountain would keep watch, and would know if they tried to escape.
The Frozen Mountain asked who they were, but Admus said only:

"Who I am, why that is unimportant,
Great mountain, I am but a traveler
Who's known by this old name, Pathetic. Shame
Me not, for Dwarves even names
That curse us if they were from family."

— Admus, The Admussey

Though enough to convince the Frozen Mountain, it was not even close to saving them from their fates. They needed a way out, and Admus had an idea. The master strategist knew that they could sneak down on an avalanche, but needed a way to cause it. Esme had refused to use her Korvian Ability up until then, seeing it as a remnant of those she had lost and not wanting to bring up her feelings towards the fallen. But Moonlight Sonata was powerful, and if the Frozen Mountain truly was a living being, touching it while the ability was activated would break off enough snow and ice to obscure their presence.
It took a great deal of convincing, but finally Esme agreed, not wanting to remain atop the freezing mountain or die there either. So, the two hid themselves in a large patch of snow and ice, and Esme used her ability to cause an avalanche. Riding the frost, the Frozen Mountain thinks nothing of it other than that it hurt, thinking it to be a natural avalanche which happens occasionally.
At the bottom of the mountain, Admus mimics the voice of the Frozen Mountain, telling the Giants to climb the mountain and kill the Dwarf responsible for the avalanche. They abandon their camp and the ships, heading to the mountain. All of the captured Dwarves were killed, but Admus and Esme manage to grab the mammoth meet and bring it with them to the ship. They sail away, spreading the meat across the ships to feed the entire fleet. All the while, the Frozen Mountain cries out that it was tricked by Pathetic, and the Giants agree, that it was pathetic for him to have been tricked.

Papatūānuku by Jarhed

But Admus left a sigil of his kingdom. One that the Giants recognized from stories of the Kwarvian War, and threw into the sea after him, calling out his name. Admus!
The Dwarves had some difficulty sailing, but Admus didn't care if they went the wrong way. They needed to get away, and could get their bearings on another, safer shore.

Part V: Islands Beyond

But Admus's journey was not safe. It never was, and as he sailed away, he found a great wave moving with him. Gliding atop it was the Goddess of the Sea herself, Papatūānuku, who he had faced many times before during the war. But only now was it not as a warrior of Dulthran, but as a man who she had particular fury towards.
She had caused the storm, sinking his ships, but Ilabrat had helped Admus evade her. The Giants, throwing his sigil into the sea, were the ones to reveal his location to her once more. And now she was here to finish what he had started.
Papatūānuku knew she could not kill him. She had promised Mayowa to uphold Esme's immortality, and Morrigan had warned her to not attempt to kill the King of the Caves, that his death was not to come from divine hands, but his misfortune would. However, she had no intention of doing anything less than killing him. If he survived, he would do so at a great disadvantage. She began sinking his ships as he said:

"To do what you had done to Paro, I
Could learn forgiveness towards, some day soon,
The curséd cornucopia... but then,
To dare to ravage that which has been struck
Before by holy hands, my holy lands,
And slaughter those who worship me in peace...
All that awaits is suffering and doom
For you, King Admus of the subterrain.
'Tis I who shall deliver that which you
Alone evade: the end of life. Farewell."

— Papatūānuku, The Admussey

Admus had taken careful note of his surroundings as Papatūānuku spoke. He had begun to realize where the seas were taking him, as far away from his home as they could: The Abral Islands. And if he was coming from the northern shores of Udai, that meant he'd soon be passing by a certain island. It wouldn't help him navigate, as he was unfamiliar with the way, but it meant he knew the way to get around the Goddess, as she began sinking the ships in his fleet.
A black Dragon took to the skies above them. Not just any Dragon, but the Black Dragon Lord known as Reoma the Wretched, who detested anyone who entered his territory. Tharrom feared that they would be targeted, but Admus knew that the Dragon Lord would always aim for the most powerful trespasser first, and he would not take kindly to the Sea Goddess entering his domain. Reoma sent Papatūānuku off course, as Admus continued sailing, using the distraction to his advantage and once more getting free of the Goddess.
Another shore met Admus, an island on the Abral Archipelago. Even if he had known slightly where he was when Reoma appeared, he had sailed so furiously to escape that he not only lost the rest of his fleet, but also lost his position, now lost once again.
This island was covered in cherry blossom trees, which neither he nor anyone on his ship had seen before. Admus decides that he needs the ship to be safe, and asks Esme to remain on the ship as he checks out the island.
He found himself getting tired as he roamed, and decided to lay down in the forest. As he did, he found night falling quickly. Time itself seemed to be passing much faster, and as he noticed this, he noticed the bright cherry blossom leaves turning black, and sprouting into birds. The yōkai Yosuzume began swirling around him, preventing him from moving. They didn't harm him, but he recognized it as an omen. Something else was here, and if he could not dispel it, it would be too late.

Flutrin by Jarhed

Admus began making noises, trying to get them away from him. It is said he tested every sound he could until finally he found the noise that upset the Yosuzume enough for them to fly away. "Chi, chi, chi." Repeating this, over and over again, the leaves turned back to their bright pink color, and it was day once more. But years had passed, and more would soon pass when he returned to his ship to find it empty.
The King searched the island for his crew, only to find a Nereid woman, the witch Flutrin. She had a massive palace here, and all of Admus's crew, as well as Queen Esme, enthralled by Flutrin's spell.
Pretending to be in her spell, Admus entered into her home and resided there for a time. Athena had returned to bless him when he was calling out against Yosuzume, and so she had protected him from Flutrin's spell. Still, he remained with her as he formulated a plan to escape, remaining there for somewhere between twenty to fifty years. Some say Admus began to enjoy spending his time once more with a woman who was not a slave like Esme, but an equal in all aspects like the witch. Others say that Athena's blessing did not fully protect him, and that the King of the Caves fell under Flutrin's spell.
Finally, he outwitted the witch, taking her to the shore for a stroll and nearly drowning her beneath the waves with the bag of winds from Ilabrat. By covering her head with that, her gills couldn't help her when the water began leaking in, and the strong winds pounded into her throat. But she pleaded for him to let her go, saying she would let him go and help him get home if he let her go. Admus, reluctantly, agreed, and she revealed that since she was a Demigod child of Papatūānuku, she knew the way to evade her mother, but it was long and arduous, incredibly dangerous.

"If past my mother's gaze you wish to sail,
I warn you, death is all that you will find.
Evading all the world requires one to
So too evade all life upon its land.
The River Styx, which flows through Hell, can lead
You past her waters on your ship, if that
Is what you so desire, beyond the seas
Of mortal knowledge and beyond her might.
For all the time you sail, do not steer off
The main way set by river's flow, or you
Will never see the rising sun again.
Upon the path, there is but one whose eyes
Can steer you to an exit only he
Can see. But darling must you go? It's safe
Right here beside me, and out there... it's far
From peaceful and long past redemption's reach."

— Flutrin, The Admussey

Admus did not accept her offer to stay there, but thanked her for the advice, and took his crew and Esme back to the ship, telling them that now they would be heading to Hell. When he was asked how he would get there, he answered only that he knew the way.
Setting off from Flutrin's isle, Admus and his crew sailed around the islands without aim. The crew was confused, and nearly started a mutiny, thinking their King had gone insane due to the witch's spell. That was until the air began to grow foggy, and voices spoke to them through white shades over the waves.
Another yōkai had come for them. Funayūrei, vengeful spirits of those who perished on the waves, were gathering around Admus's ship. Tharrom asked what they were supposed to do, but Esme knew Admus's plan. She activated her ability, and all time froze as she reached out to the nearest spirits. Instantly, they were dispelled. Esme could not reach all of them, and this was Admus's plan. As time resumed, Admus promised that he could get all of those vengeful spirits to the afterlife in an instant, but only after they helped them get to Hell.
The yōkai agreed to this deal. They knew the way, after all, they just couldn't sail it. It is said that if a ship sails perfectly into the Great Dip at a certain angle, known only to the spirits of the sailors who died on that sea, they can make their way to the entrance of the River Styx from there. With the guidance of the spirits, the ship made it to that entrance, and right before they entered the giant whirlpool, Esme dispelled the other Funayūrei.

Selene by Jarhed

After weathering the most dangerous stretch of sea, as they began to go deeper in, they found their ship being pulled away... up into the Heavens. They braced themselves, as their ship sailed off to Heaven and, then, to Hell. For the only way down was to go up first.

Part VI: To Heaven, Hell, and Back

The Heaven that the River Styx passes through first is the Realm of the Moon, domain of the Elven Goddess Selene. Admus knew the dangers of passing through the Elven Heaven, and therefore told his crew that for this realm at least, they needed to remain below the decks, for fear of being attacked.
Admus did not follow his own advice. He knew the Elves would hate him, but he had worked alongside Selene during the Kwarvian War, and wished to speak with her one final time.
The Elves did gather around the ship, expecting Elven souls but finding only a single Dwarf. They attacked, shooting arrows at the ship, but Admus had been expecting this. He stood in a place where the arrows could reach him best, praying on the interference of Selene. And she did stop the arrows, stepping aboard his ship and conversing with him. She asked why he was here, and he informed her what the issue was. Selene understood, and said that he needed to sail through the Heavens first, and that she could remain with him for most of that trip to keep the Gods off of his back, but that there was one Heaven she would not be allowed to enter.
Admus had multiple ideas of what this could be. He thought, at first, it would be Helle's realm, but Helle merely yelled out insults to the other Goddess as they passed through. Then, he believed it to be Mayowa, their greatest foe during the Kwarvian War. But Mayowa welcomed them gladly, saying she would not strike down a ship with divine protection, and that she had lost the war and was done with that conflict.
It was only when they reached a great hall that Selene abandoned Admus, saying:

"It's here I must depart, clever general,
But let me tell you this, for I will not
Ever see you again: do not forget
The man you are, the reason for our victory.
This realm holds danger beyond what you know.
Do not expect a fight, your weapons will
Be useless here, a trinket in these halls.
Remember love, it motivates you more
Than any man alive. Keep it as such."

— Selene, The Admussey

And so, the Goddess of Love vanished, returning back to her own realm as Admus entered the Heavenly Realm of the Bathroom. The realm of the Dwarven God who Admus worshiped: Hadur.

King Mehldar by Jarhed

The entire crew came up to the top now to see the Heaven they hoped to one day go to. They saw some of their crewmates there, those who were particularly devout. Admus saw King Mehldar, the Dwarven ruler of Ironforge who had sent them to Udai in the first place... he hadn't known that Mehldar was dead.
Mehldar then said to Admus:

"The sea, my friend, is a tumultous
Old mistress. Still, you sail her waves, I fear
It means the end is delayed not yet
Avoided. Yet I hope, for your own sake
Your clever mind will get you out again."

— Mehldar, The Admussey

But then, the God Hadur appeared. He said he knew that Admus would be met only with tragedy if he returned, and offered for Admus to stay in Heaven there with him instead. Hadur said he would honor the hero, but Admus remembered what Selene said. A battle his weapons would be useless in... where he needed to remember his love. He couldn't leave his family, he needed to return to them.
Hadur understood, proud of the King for prioritizing his family. He thanked him for the Kwarvian War, and promised they would see each other again one day.

Hadur by Jarhed

Not long after the Bathroom, Admus found himself and his ship in Hell. The Admussey details his journey through every layer, but we see in the first layer, Manhottan, that he meets Dulthran, former King of Koningwald and commander of the Dwarves during the war. He had been assigned a role of great shame in Hell, as a guardian of Hell where he was chained beneath a pool of water, constantly drowning, and attacked reflexively by anyone who passed him. Once they attacked him, he could judge their souls worthy of passing or not.
Admus pitied the old King, but knew he had deserved his punishment. He did not linger long, continuing on until he found two others. First, Cerys, the sister of Esme and the cause of the Kwarvian War. Esme asked if, for the voyage through hell, Cerys could accompany them, and Admus agreed.
At this point, he and Esme had built a slight trust. They both wanted to make it to safety, and perhaps then they could begin to discuss the arrangements they would be in. Admus did not believe he would keep this woman who had suffered alongside him so much as his slave. Not anymore.
The two royal sisters reconnected, as Admus sailed on, thinking only of his own family and reuniting with them. Esme tied up the loose ends, and apologized for not supporting her sister as much as she should have. Esme says that perhaps they could have won the war if she had just backed Cerys up more often, but Cerys says she is glad to have had the time she did, and that she was happy Esme ever listened to her at all.
It is Cerys, then, who leads them to the one Flutrin had spoken of: Leraje, the Devil Archer. He had died in the Kwarvian War as well, but his spirit was in Hell still, and he gladly bowed down to Queen Esme and Cerys, begrudgingly working with Admus to help his Queen get out of Hell.

Cerys by Jarhed

Leraje warns them of one thing only, as they reach the exit of Hell in Crookston.

"Do not upset the seas. You're free, do not
Choose now to squander that which you have gained."

— Leraje, The Admussey

Leraje brought them to a place in Hell where a ship could barely fit through. Souls could only pass through when on board a mortal ship, as Satanael did not believe a mortal ship would ever pass through, and thus liked it as a form of torture for the souls. Cerys left the ship, knowing she was not to go back to the surface, but Leraje tried to sneak through again. Admus had to fight the Devilish foe one final time, knocking him off of the ship and into the River Styx as he finally fled Hell, and returned to Totania. Finally near his home, and away from the Goddess of the Sea.

Part VII: Troubles at Sea

Not wanting to upset the seas, Admus sails slowly through the waves. He rests often, stopping his ship and telling his small remaining crew that they need to keep away from the waters.
Tharrom did not listen. He was starving, having finished the last of the rations on the ship, and convinced the crew that they needed to get as much food as they can, for they didn't know what the next hardship would be. The crew took to fishing, disturbing the waters by beginning to pull fish from the seas and onto their ships. But it was Tharrom who pulled up something else: a skull. The skull of King Mehldar, who had sunk in these vary seas. The water between Udai and Elone. The most dangerous navigable stretch of water in the world: the Strait of Ildial. Their passage through Hell had granted them calm waters, but now they had stirred up the storm again. And two Gods appeared to them now.

Leigong wielding Yùzhào by Jarhed

Irkalla, Goddess of Grief and Loss arrived first, grabbing Esme and Admus and holding them down.

"You two have done no wrong today, so we
Must spare you from the punishments to come.
Allow your grief to bubble forth, for it
Is all that will soon keep you both afloat."

— Irkalla, The Admussey

And then, the other God arrived. The God of Storms, Leigong, stirred up a great storm, flipping over their ship. Some of the crew died, but Tharrom still survived along with a group of four other soldiers. Tharrom begged his captain, his king, his friend to save him, but Admus knew there was nothing he could do. All this time, the Gods had pushed him down until he had lost all hope of opposing them, and now his crew, having betrayed his orders, had placed him in danger so close to home. So close to where their journey had first began.
Leigong destroyed the ship, and only due to the collective grief of Esme and Admus did they survive the waves, washing ashore onto that same Eternal Island they were seen on at the start of the Admussey. Finding the Gliren, Radt, they are told there is no way out. Admus tries to build a ship out of the scraps of his own boat, but the Gods continuously destroy it so he may never escape, and he loses himself in grief, thinking he will be trapped here forever.
On the Eternal Island, they cannot die, and they do not age. But once leaving it, age catches up to them again. Esme accepts this as her fate, the final fulfilment of Cerys's wish for the Kingdom of Paro to live on forever with one of them. The Queen is happy to carry her sister's wish. And it is here we return to Alzirgos, to the present, as Admus wraps up the story he is telling to the Goblins.

Part VIII: An Ethereal Voyage

Admus is led, by the Goblins, to the Oracle of Alzirgos, who passes on a prophecy to the old King, now around five hundred years old. The Oracle says to him:

"So far, your fate has been tragedy alone,
But for a happy resolution, home
Is not your destination, not at first.
Return to where the lava flows, valley of thirst
And with the facial decoration worn,
Your throne, a hollow seat, once more you can adorn.
Fall not for lies from politicians mouths,
But stick to what Athena's might allows."

— The Oracle, The Admussey

Admus is then sent onto a ship in the Ethereal Bay, as the Oracle went on to say sailing around Elone would not work directly, nor would walking from Alzirgos to Ironforge where the Oracle told him to go. So instead, he sailed the Ethereal Bay.
He plugged his ears, which saved him when his ship was beset by Sirens. The Goblins who took ship with him thought his plan a foolish one, but jumped off the boat when hearing the voice of the women of the waves. Another threat sent by Papatūānuku. Another threat failed.

Janus by Jarhed

And it is here that a portal appears before him, and the wax in his ears is taken out. One final God appears to aid him: Janus.

"A crossroads stretches out before you, friend.
I know the answer you will give, for which
You've sacrificed all that you had 'til now,
Yet still it is my duty to lay out
The paths for you to take. The dangers of
The sea, you may yet face them one last time,
To prove yourself a hero, or you may,
Instead, avoid the danger for your home.
What will it be? Old Admus, Hero King? Or Admus, father, husband, gentleman,
Who walked the path of torment for those two,
Your son and wife?"

— Janus, The Admussey

Janus knew the answer, but he needed to hear it directly from the King of the Caves. The man once known as the city-sacker, Admus, responded only with one sentence:

"I am no hero, Lord."

— Admus, The Admussey

And so Janus sent the ship of Admus through a portal, to a river near Dwarven Territory. One final stretch of calm waters, as Admus reflected one final time on his journey before seeing the mountains in the distance, and beaching his ship in the Dwarven riverside town of Narn Buldar.

Part IX: The Fake Beard

As he reached the shore, Athena pulled him aside. She warned him that he would not be welcomed back so easily, and convinced him to don a disguise to see the Dwarven Kingdom better. She gave him a fake beard and grew out his hair as well, giving him beggar's robes. And as he roamed the town, he found people gathering around someone: Prince Magdal. He had just returned from the Elven Forest, stopping by Narn Buldar on his way to Ironforge.
Admus, disguised as a beggar, approached the Prince, seeing his son for the first time since the boy was an infant, and marveled at him until Magdal, disgusted by the filthy old man, asked if there was anything he could do. Did the man need money?

"What, money, you say? No. I need no money.
All that I need is in the capital.
I ask you, only, this: would you escort
A veteran of Paro to that place
Where lava flows and Mehldar, king of all,
Once ruled? That king has died and I, once his,
Wish now to pay what tribute is in order.
Those kings in Paro did deserve a much
Much better fate than what they were met with."

— Admus, The Admussey

Magdal didn't understand. It had been two hundred years since Mehldar died, but this beggar was old and he was headed to Ironforge anyway. Still Magdal did not want another suitor for his mother, and denied the old man at first, until he was assured:

"I do not seek the hand of anyone
Whose husband shared a name that's not my own."

— Admus, The Admussey

So Magdal escorted the man, who was secretly his own father, to the capital city.
On the way, Admus stopped by a mine, which led deep down into the caves he ruled. One Dwarf named Barnar, who was but a boy in the mines when Admus left, noticed the beggar and tugged at his beard, whispering:

"My lord, what is this tuft of smoke that drips
Like so from that noble chin of yours?"

— Barnar, The Admussey

Admus told the miner to keep quiet, and instead asked if there was any metals they could hand to him, sharpened naturally in the caves. Barnar had no metal, but did give him a chunk of Thorasite, wrapped in a cloth.
As Admus and Magdal made their way to Ironforge from the mines, Admus asked the Prince why the mines were sending materials to Ironforge when they were property of the King of the Caves. Magdal was surprised to find that the beggar had truly not been around for that long, and revealed that some years after the Dwarves set out for Paro, the Princes of Gansernfeld who had remained behind began to conquer Dwarven Territory, uniting it as the Dwarven Kingdom and taking Ironforge for themselves. There was only one Dwarven King now, Mordain.
Admus did not believe it. Four hundred years was quite a long time, but it was a truly different world that he had appeared in. He asked Magdal if he could sit down and rest, to process this, but the Prince refused him. He said he could not waste time for a beggar, and that he had to return to protect his mother.
This was enough to stir Admus again, as he asked what was wrong with the Queen. Magdal said it's best not to call her that, even if Mordain lets them keep their old titles, he won't appreciate an old soldier who may still have loyalty to one of the old dead Kings. Admus asks if Magdal has any loyalty to the old King, his father, and Magdal responds:

"The King? Do you mean Admus, distant father?
I searched for him, old soldier, and I found
Just shades, ghosts, spirits, dead men wearing crowns.
My father once was some great hero, so
They say, yet all I know are shadows on
A throne room's walls that I no longer rule
Nor have a speck of claim to ever rule."

— Prince Magdal, The Admussey

Admus could not bear to hear his son say these things. To see the way Magdal was haunted by the specter of Admus himself, who stood before him. Admus pulled down his hood and faced his son, saying to the boy:

"If one were versed in necromantic arts,
Could channel spirits, speak with men who've passed,
If shadows spoke and corpses held their sons,
If fathers were still fathers after such
A time away that lifetimes both began
And ended in his absence, empires rose
And fell while he was looking other ways,
Would you still cling to that which once was blessed,
The family that Hadur cherishes
In halls of Heaven where no man feels pain,
Would you still dine at Admus' table, eat
His food and rule his lands, if such you could?
If all was right and waves had carried me
To shore much sooner than the Gods allowed,
Would you still fall into my arms, my son?"

— Admus, The Admussey

Magdal did not want to believe it. So long had he cursed his father's name, and so long had he begged the Gods to bring him back... but now, after 200 years of war and 200 years of travel, Admus the King had finally returned. Magdal hugged his father and told him everything, of the suitors, of Mordain, of the Widow Queens. Admus says to his son that they cannot win back their throne, but tells him that ruling is not the right of any Dwarf. Their only right is family, and that is what he will fight for.

Part X: Home, At Last

Admus and Magdal make it to Ironforge, and in Castle Ironforge Admus first meets the suitors, who scorn him and tell him beggars have no place in a royal hall. Admus manages one retort before he is called in by the King he sought an audience with:

"A veteran holds far more right to see
A King and taste their hospitality
Than leeches donning beards to hide their skin,
Still smooth in immaturity and youth.
Enjoy the meals and beds of better men."

— Admus, The Admussey

Admus meets with King Mordain, revealing himself to him. He knew the old King of Gansernfeld Tyrigg, who Mordain was descended from. Tyrigg had been Admus's closest companion in war, and had certainly told his family stories of Admus, including the tale of his scar he gained in youth when accepting a challenge from the Goddess Athena to fight a Demon which had infiltrated the caves. Mordain accepted this and asked what they should do, and Admus says he overheard the Prime Minister pressuring Queen Jennglen to choose a suitor soon or suffer the consequences.
Mordain understands Prime Minister Harmmek's rush. His tenure as Prime Minister is nearly up, and his popularity has started to wane. If he is not re-elected, he will never be King, and if he does not seize power soon he may never get the chance again. Admus says he ought to just imprison him, but Mordain says that since Harmmek was elected, he cannot deny the will of the people like that. Mordain worries that Admus seeks his throne too, but Admus says he only wishes to reunite with his wife, and asks for a pardon for anything he may do to get that. Mordain agrees, as long as he does not strike against Mordain himself.
The King tells Admus that he will consult Jennglen, and does so, returning to break the news that Jennglen has given into the pressure and has decided to do a contest to determine who will be her husband. This challenge is simple to describe, but far from simple to succeed in. The suitors must recite a certain holy oath to the Gods and, using the ensuing blessing, take a dagger forged by Admus in his youth and, with a single thrust, cut through a wall in the throne room, which is as thick as ten walls. Jennglen says that Admus would do this often in the caves, training his dagger skills until he could break through entire sections of a mine with a few stabs of a dagger.
The suitors scoff at this and all say different oaths, but none work. Harmmek thinks this is a trick and nearly attacks Jennglen, but is stopped by another Widow Queen as Admus steps forward, asking if an old veteran can give it a try. Every suitor laughs, mocking him, and allow him to, thinking that if the Queen sees the pathetic old beggar try and fail she will see how great they are in comparison to other men.
Admus, however, utters the correct prayer, summoning forth Hadur himself once more. Hadur marvels that the estranged family has finally united again, and the suitors stare on in confusion until Admus picks up the dagger, stabbing it through the wall in a single thrust. In an instant, the suitors try to flee, but Hadur corners them.
It is said it took only three thrusts of Admus's dagger for the suitors all to die. One for the tallest of them, another for those that tried to run, and the final stab for the Prime Minister, the last standing.
Mordain asks Admus if he'd wish to run for Prime Minister, with the support of the King he'd likely be elected, but Admus says he wants to place in politics or war again, and wishes only to live the remainder of his life in peace with his family.
The final section is devoted to Admus and Jennglen, as Jennglen tests the man who claims to be her husband, making sure that he truly is who he says he is. Together, they finish the tapestry she promised to weave in honor of him, and hang it in Castle Ironforge. Admus matches her motions, having weaved with her every day before he left, and remembering exactly how she did it then. The two beloved, the royal family of the caves, has reunited, and the three of them return to the caves. Thus ends the long journey home, with a reuniting and a final return trip. Thus ends the Admussey.