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Ch 1
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Ch 2
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Ch 3
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Ch 4
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~ Chapter 1 ~
Escape Shupoga
• • 888 6E • •
- During the last, humid days of Selem, a small group of women arrived in the resort town of Shupoga for the High Harvest festival. After the four survived a mixed reception at the hands of the local Greatmother, Yaasa Tsatawiin-Mi, the four decided to scuttle the noble's plans by taking in the revelry of the Festival.
- They found food, drink, and smoke before the beat of a drum drew them out into the partying crowd. There the local priest, known as a Caddi, opened the festival and games, sparking off a fireworks into the sky. Scattered among the lights, however, one of the women - Tasi - realized a strange shooting star falling from the sky. Within moments similar violet streaks, shooting across the sky from the north, illuminated the night sky in an eery, purple haze. One of the streaks landed upon the Caddi's temple, incinerating the man and destroying the front of his temple. As more streaks landed in the festival, destroying people and building alike, the local guard cast sleeping spells over all who remained.
- The four - Tasi, Itzel, Yesine, and Daaku - awoke to find themselves imprisoned below the Greatmother's Manor for unclear reasons. With the help of Yesine's aunt, Ixi, the four made their escape through the dungeon sewers, fighting off a grotesque, abnormally large rat in the process. They fled the city of Shupoga, leaving Ixi behind to achieve some secret mission. In the morning, with Ixi's pet owl Tarragon at their side, the four started making their way to the next town, Opodaya, in search of camels, food, and answers... all the while trying to keep their origin's a secret in the Xenophobic countryside of the Union.
~ Chapter 2 ~
Opodaya's Deserters
• • 888 6E • •
- After crossing miles of savannah, the four found themselves just outside of Opodaya... and surrounded by a pack of Hyenas. As they fought for their lives, a local woman and druid, Saku, joined them, cutting off the head of one hyena with her ax. After the fighting waned, Saku told the four of things none had every known about the Union -- that a famine had been raging for nearly a decade, and that the last of Saku's family had succumbed to hunger last winter.
- That evening, the five bonded over drink and stories up until a knock on the door brought an end to the joy. Local guards insisted that Saku knew where a mysterious Adlet man was, but she knew nothing of him, and eventually they went on their way. The next day the five went into the delapidated town of Opodaya for camels, food, and information, only to find the Adlet in question, Niish, at the local pub.
- The group's pursuit eventually led them to the local military Lodge, where they learned of a desertion problems from Lt. Ouachita, who promised to give them what they needed if they helped her find the missing soldiers. A day of investigation ensued, crashing to a halt when a scrap with specters at the Old Lodge landed them in prison beneath the local blacksmith's shop. They listened in to a clandestine meeting of the Red Clover, a cult or rebel group trying to recruit in town. After they offered to help the local leader, Atsi, leave town if he helped them acquire camels and food, they found themselves traveling through caves... and into an ambush. After narrowly preventing Atsi from completing an unknown dark ritual, the group of six left his corpse in the caves, seeking refuge beyond the accursed town.
~ Chapter 3 ~
The Road North
• • 888 6E • •
- Leaving Opodaya, the group stumbled upon a Deerlady after chasing a thieving cao boy from a farm. The woman seemed to recognize everyone somehow, and cast a divination spell warning them that the threads of time have, "given you the chance to rip it all down," before vanishing into the night. The group followed the Skunk Path through the Echunt Mountains, making their way to the partying crossroads of Heys.
- In Heys, they met a traveling scholar and her mercenary brother. While considering their offer to pay the group as protection as they travel north to Kehaudi, the group wandered the night market, finding signs the the Red Clovers were active in the area. They found their hand pressed the next morning when a wanted poster appeared with the group's members upon it, causing them to flee.
- The Dry Wastes to the east of the Naw Mountains might have killed the group with their bandits and desert dryness, but the team's camels and quick wits got them through. As they neared an archaeological dig site sought by the scholar Kaidiyay, an earthquake pulled the team deep underground into some long buried temple. After solving the temple's puzzle, the team entered the final chamber, and slew a giant monstrosity who seemed fused to a giant sword and shield. This triggered another room to open, where the team found a small figurine come to life as a baby, with spectral gods asking them to "Protect him as we have." At this point archaeologists broke through the ceiling, rescuing the group from the temple... but not their destiny: Kaidiyay received the news that her Aunt, Greatmother Shonke of Kedaudi, had passed away, meaning the throne now fell to her.
~ Chapter 4 ~
Lights of Kehaudi
• • 888 6E • •
- With a noble escort, the group were hustled northwards to the city of Kehaudi, where several mysterious circumstances are afoot... including the sudden disappearance of Tasi and Yags. After recovering over the course of a week, the group was summoned to the Greatmother's Manor by Kaidiyay, who asked for their help in solving all these mysteries by joining the Problem-Solver's Guild.
- After meeting Xani, the Guildmaster, the group pursued their test to join the guild - investigating what a noble, Rukus Iwi-Wetsa, had to do with the arrival of Xinesi royals and the destruction of the College of Kehaudi's library. They interrogated people the refugee camp, Tupiqini, before infiltrating the college itself, finding incomplete clues implying the noble and the Xinesi were collaborating on some nefarious magic.
- While returning to the Guildhouse, a violent earthquake rocked the city of Kehaudi, somehow magically downing several members of the group. One, Itzel, found herself suddenly unable to reach her spirit guide, the Black Bison, and infected with horrifying nightmares.
- Following a day to recvoer, the group investigated the Greatmother's manor, finding evidence of Xinesi chicanery as well as clue implying that the previous greatmother, Shonke Iwi-Ko, had pursued the same mystery as the group up until her demise in the destruction of the Library.
- With desperation and religious zealots growing in the city, the group were made official guild-members of the Problem Solvers, and followed the Guildmaster, the beautiful and brutal Xani, into the depths of the College Library to find answers once and for all.
For more or specific maps, check out the compendium.