Session 3: Lendrig's Hollow

On a tepid summer night, Arveene died.

Clouds cloaked the sky, burying Izan'Larai in an unnatural dark. Nights such as these, the alleyways were an abyssal black. Lantern-light might pierce most nights, but the pitiful light Rieta carried was only enough to see a few feet in either direction.

It likely did more harm than good. She could not see what lurked past the shallow glare. Blinded to the night, she carried a beacon revealing her for all else to see.

The small comfort it brought was worth the risk.

"A-Arveene?" Rieta timidly called out, her voice echoing into the dark.

Going out at night was foolish. Rieta knew this would only lead to a long talk about safety once Arveene found her, but right now all that mattered was finding her before...before-

A scream echoed out into the dark.

Too late.

The reverberations from the alley made it impossible to tell a point of origin. Rieta bolted right at the nearest intersecting alleyway, hoping gut instinct would triumph where careful planning might fail.

For a moment, all that could be heard was the slap of her shoes against cobblestone and her own labored breathing. Time stood still once she rounded the corner, and came upon the sight of her nightmares.

A massacre.

The pungent odor of blood and viscera overwhelmed the senses. Bodies were thrown about like rag dolls, crumpled against walls and scattered about in pieces alongside torn cloaks. Some had their faces covered with masks, but many were bare faced. The terror of their final moments clearly seen.

Yet something was missing from the horrid scene. The body of a young woman, a centerpiece to this carnage, was strangely absent. Rieta trampled the bodies, rapidly decaying, in a rush to the center. She looked about the scene, but no body matched.

"Arveene?"

Sounds of movement came from her right, followed by the giggle of a small child.

"I-is someone here?" Rieta asked timidly.

Her answer came from the sound of rushing footsteps, moving away from the scene. Rieta followed without thinking.

Whatever it was she followed, it was ever elusive. Despite all her efforts, she was unable to close the gap between them. There were moments she swore she saw a figure waiting in the darkness ahead. There was something off about the figure, but Rieta failed to ascertain what it could be, as they always remained just out of reach. As the light of the lantern drew close.

The night wore on, and the world seemed to grow darker still. It swallowed her meager light. Soon, she could no longer see the walls of the alleyway around her.

The air grew heavy, stale.

It felt like she was buried, deep underground where none could find her. Eventually, the feeling faded as the darkness dimmed. Light seemed to peak out above the rooftops.

Yet it was still several hours before daylight.

The chase continued until she saw the figure run out of the alley way, into the brighter lights of city streets. Her pace slowed as she approached. The city streets she now walked were undoubtedly ancient. Buildings rose in unnatural angles, and the street seemed paved in obsidian. As she stared out past the city streets, Rieta realized she was no longer in Izan'Larai.

The light came not from the sun, but from an orb of incandescence hovering a few miles in the air. It's ocher light was far brighter than torch or lantern, but still left much of the world in shadow. Everything in the light, from city streets to the strange towers, gleamed like gemstones bathed in twilight.

The whole city seemed carved from the same blackened stone.

The scuff of boots against the floor broke the silence surrounding Rieta and signified the departure of the figure. Rieta glanced about in every direction, hoping to pinpoint the location of the figure. Despite her efforts, the figure seemed always out of sight. If Rieta heard movement to her right and turned, she heard a giggle and then the sound of running to her left.

Finally, a giggle came from the alley behind her, and this time the figure remained. Cast in the shadow of the alley, it stared at her a moment before dashing off into the alley again. Rieta could not quite see the face in the dark, but it almost appeared vacant.

Unsettled but determined, Rieta continued the pursuit.

Down into the darkness they ran. Past city streets of a decrepit ancient city and through alleys cloaked in black. Eventually, it became clear the figure was no longer running away, but guiding her toward something. It became clear when she broke into an empty clearing, the sound of muted sobs to her right.

She turned to see Arveene on the floor, dead.

Eyes closed and face serene, one might take her for sleeping, if not for the dagger plunged through her heart. Rieta recalled that night she begged and pleaded that Arveene might wake, that this might all truly be a horrible dream. Now, she stared at the scene placidly. Arveene would never wake. Her sister was gone and there was no more pain to give. No more tears to shed.

All that remained was the recurring dream, still haunting her.

But something had changed. Beside the still body of Arveene, huddled the figure sobbing into the floor. In the dark of the alley, Rieta did not realize the figure was but the size of a child. The muted sobs racked its body, but something felt off in its cries. As if the cries and sobs were a mimicry of true despair.

Curiosity overwhelmed her sense of caution as she slowly approached the figure.

There was no response, until Rieta placed her hand on the figure's shoulder. The figure jerked around to face her, only there was no face. Swirling darkness stared back at her with lidless, unseen eyes behind a white, porcelain mask.

It screamed, a warped and ear piercing cry. A sound drawn from inhuman lips.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Selene's eyes sprung open as she jolted upright. The scream still echoed in her eardrums as she searched frantically about for her bearings.

She was back on the ship, her pack propped up behind her as a cushion. The specks of flame from a dying lantern sputtered, casting the hall in a shallow light.

A nightmare. That's all it was. Selene thought, beginning to calm down.

"Bad dream?" Argent's voice came from the darkness past the fading embers. His eyes glowed faintly as he studied her expression.

Selene pulled her legs to her chest, arms wrapped around them. She quietly responded, "You could say that."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Selene considered his offer for a moment. Dreams of searching for Arveene were once a common occurrence, but they were fewer as time dragged on. Sometimes, she would still relive the whole event again, or at least as much as she could recall, but everything else?

Finding the scene, the strange city, or even that masked figure, none of that ever happened before. It all felt...

Selene shook herself, burying any further thoughts on the matter. "It's nothing special. Just the weird mood everyone's been in lately."

Argent read her expression for a moment, then shrugged, "Suit yourself."

He reached for the lantern as the light finally faded entirely, he pulled a small container of oil from his pouch to refill it.

Selene remained silent, her thoughts drifting over the last few days as the lantern blazed to life.

Life on the boat had changed as they neared Syndramire. The crew grew more tense, people talked less, and even the world seemed to share in the anticipatory silence. Captain Renik's soured mood made him more prone to outburst, with even the slightest problem causing a flurry of curse words and yelling to spill from his lips. Argent was about the same, but now spent any spare moment cleaning or inspecting a myriad of tools and weapons on his person. Ari was even more absentminded than usual. Her gaze was often distant, transfixed on the horizon. Hamish alone seemed unaffected, though Selene suspected his laugh and demeanor were more forced than usual.

Selene took everything in stride. Adventures required peril, and Selene chose this path knowing full well there would be peril aplenty in Syndramire. Still, it would be a lie to say she felt completely unaffected by the rising tensions. She simply buried herself in training and other preparations. Whatever came, Selene would be ready.

Or so she thought.

At long last, they neared Lendrig's Hollow. Even from this distance, it was clear that Syndramire lived up to its name. Mists hung over it like a curtain, obscuring everything between the land and the waves. It seemed to be in a constant state of motion just beneath the surface, as if barely containing the monsters within.

The captain stared at the fog for a time, oddly stoic. After a few moments, he commanded the crew to furl the sails, "We won't make it to port 'fore dark, men. Best get ready for a long night."

The remaining hours of the day were spent preparing for nightfall. Everything that was not nailed down was moved below deck to form a barricade. It was quickly decided guards would need to be posted in case the barricade failed. Argent was the first to volunteer, followed swiftly by Selene and the rest of her companions, much to the captain and crew's relief.

The four decided they would sleep in the hall near the barricade. One would stand watch to wake the rest should anything occur. They decided they would split up the watch every two hours, and the order decided would be Selene, Hamish, Ari, Argent then back to Selene until daybreak.

Once everything was prepared, everyone ate a quick meal and went to sleep before the sun set.

Selene's first shift came and went without any trouble. If not for the nightmare, she might have rested peacefully throughout the night until her final shift.

"How long until daybreak, anyway?" Selene asked as she rose from her makeshift bed, stretching out her arms, legs, and tail.

"A few hours. I was planning to let you sleep the rest of the night, but you're free to join me."

"You don't need to treat me like a kid," Selene huffed, "Late nights keeping watch is part of the adventure."

Argent chuckled, "Fair enough, but that's not the reason. I don't sleep, so might as well let those who do get as much as they can before the day ahead."

Selene's eyes widened in shock, "...what?"

Argent's eyes flashed a mixture of surprise and amusement, "You didn't know? Elves do not sleep, nor do they dream."

"Then...what were you doing earlier? Because you were definitely...laying there." Selene asked.

Argent shrugged, "I was resting."

Selene's eyebrows furrowed, "How is that different than sleep?"

Argent for a moment was at a loss for words. He pursed his lips and stroked his chin as he tried to come up with an answer. "It's...shorter for one. I'm also still aware of my surroundings, just...less so. I guess you could say it's like a trance, a state of mind I need for a few hours every day."

Selene nodded as she mulled the idea over in her head, then proclaimed louder than intended, "OH, like Hamish and his meditations?"

Argent grimaced initially at the thought, but it faded after he considered it. Finally he nodded, "A fair comparison, though our companion seems to need far more than a few hours of both sleep and meditation."

A loud snore from the half orc seemed to show agreement. They both chuckled quietly.

A comfortable silence fell between the two as they stared at the small light between them. Selene realized this was the first time she had a chance to talk so casually with the Elven warrior without Ari or Hamish around. Normally, Argent would take this time to discuss training, her progress, or where there was room for improvement.

He was still quite the mystery, despite all the time they spent together. All she really knew about him came from Ari, but she would always clam up when pressed about certain topics, leaving Selene's curiosity less than satiated.

Unfortunately, Selene had no idea what to ask. Argent wasn't exactly an open book, and while Selene was loath to admit it, the only reason she got along with Hamish and Ari was due to the fact they started most of the conversations. She had no idea what to talk about or how to get someone to open up.

Still, I better not let this opportunity slip by. I just need to spit it out, and hope for the best.

"So…Argent." She said, struggling to piece together a question.

Argent's ears perked and he eyed her blankly.

"...have you….ever…uhhh...you know…" Her confidence was rapidly failing, so she forced out the last few words with a slight squeak to her voice, "...travelled...far?"

Amusement danced in the pale glow of his eyes. It was a softer glow than on that night they first met, but it was enough to make them a stark contrast in the dark of the room. "Yes, you could say that."

She bit her lip and mentally chastised herself for how stupid that sounded. She attempted to course correct, "I mean, you know...how much have you-I mean...where have you been?"

His eyes drifted down towards the lantern, his words wistful, "I've travelled many lands, Selene. I've seen seas made from sand dunes, mountains that touch the sky, and dark caverns that seem to reach the pit of the world." He chuckled, a warm smile touching his lips, "All I ever do is travel, so I've been most places once or twice. Many things were worth the journey."

His smile faded to a grimace as he added, "Others I'd rather forget."

The next question escaped her lips before she realized what she asked. "So you don't have a home?"

Selene was worried she would cause offense bringing up something like that, but Argent seemed unfazed, "A long time ago, yes. Now, the closest thing to home I have is the dust on my shoes and Ari."

Another thought came unbidden to her mind, and she reluctantly asked "...what about Syndramire?"

Argent nodded, expecting this question, "Let's just say it's not a trip I planned to make twice."

"...why's that?" Selene asked.

Argent was quiet for a time, long enough Selene wasn't certain he planned to respond until he rose to feet and softly said, "Nothing here is worth knowing, Selene, but you'll see that soon enough."

Selene remained silent as Argent moved with silent steps toward the barricade. It had been long enough that the light from the lantern faded and Selene's vision transitioned to the dark. The barricade was relatively straightforward, just boxes and crates were against the stairs and held together by ropes. It seemed sturdy enough, but a bit too simple.

It really needs more chains and maybe a few magic seals to sell it.

Argent stared intently at the barricade, then gave one of the ropes a tug. Finally he sighed and said, as if to himself, "…no use worrying. We'll find out soon enough, I suppose."

Selene raised an eyebrow, sitting upright now, "What do you mean?"

Argent blinked, then realized his mistake, "Oh, right. You were still asleep last time it came around."

"...it?!?" She said a little louder than intended.

Argent shushed her, holding a finger to his mouth. "Yes, it." He whispered, "If you want to hear it, keep your voice down."

Selene nodded.

A few moments passed in silence before something heavy slapped the bow of the ship with a loud, wet smack.

Selene jumped, but quickly clasped both hands over her mouth to stop any cry of surprise. It sounded as if it was right next to them, outside the ship.

Something is circling the ship, Argent mouthed silently, spinning his hand clockwise for emphasis and clarity.

How long? Selene mouthed back.

Argent held up two fingers, Two hours. Another smack hit the boat, this time on the other side.

Without a sound, Argent rushed to the wall closest to the sound, pressing his ear against it. After a moment of listening he turned back to her and gestured for her to come join him.

As she approached, he moved aside to make room. Her ear pressed against the wood, she heard something dragging on the side of the ship before slapping down atop the deck.

Whatever it was had found its way onboard.

Something, about the size of a man, drug itself across the deck. Or perhaps the correct term would be...slithered? It sounded almost liquid, sloshing about the deck with what appeared to be nary a rhyme or reason. One moment, it moved towards the center of the ship. The next, it slithered up to the top deck.

If Selene were to hazard a guess, it seemed to be searching for something with a kind of wandering blindness. As if it were not used to the trappings of a sea vessel.

Could it be a mermaid? Selene thought to herself. Of course she always heard they were slim and petite. The thing that lumbered on deck sounded as big as Hamish, if not bigger.

That's not a pleasant thought, Selene thought as she bit her lip.

It continued its search of the vessel in much the same pattern. After a time had passed, it stopped in front of the door leading to the inside of the ship. The boards creaked as the wood groaned under this thing's weight as it sat by the barricade. The boards quieted, and then nothing could be heard save a quiet gurgling.

There was a pregnant pause.

Then it slammed itself against the door. The door buckled, but the barricade held. Argent wasn't taking any chances. He leapt from the wall and strode to stand behind the barricade as he drew his blade, one of two shortswords at his hip. The thing slammed against the door again, a loud crack was heard as the boxes shook above them on the stairwell. Argent crouched, his body poised to leap into action should the next strike break through.

But that strike never came.

Instead, whatever it was seemed satisfied. The sounds of wet smacks and a loud splash followed as it plunged back into the depths. Everything was quiet again. Most were awoken by the creature's arrival, and few managed to find sleep after its departure. The crew spent what little time remained before dawn in silent prayer and agonizing silence.

Ari and Hamish both were awake only long enough to be told whatever occurred was over. They both then promptly went back to sleep. Argent remained awake, but no longer held an interest for conversation. He sat by the barricade, ear against the wall in case the visitor returned.

Left to her own devices, Selene thought it best to review everything that occurred. She replayed the events in her mind in the hope she would find some hint at what might have been above deck. So few facts made it difficult to craft a narrative, but she would take whatever she could to make it sound good.

It's the first real adventure of Selene Bryseis, I better make it as good as I can.

By the time light was leaking through the cracks in the decks above, Selene had crafted an acceptable narrative. Of course, no story was truly ever perfected until it was shared. Now all she needed was a chance to tell it, perhaps after they arrived in Syndramire.

Eventually, everyone stirred and began the process of clearing out the barricade so the day could begin properly. As the boxes were returned to their rightful place below deck, it became clear the full danger of that night. The door was barely holding onto its hinges, fractured and splintered. The crates behind it fared little better.

While the barricade had held, a silent dread gripped the crew as everyone realized this damage was from two strikes. Had the visitor been a touch more tenacious, perhaps no one would have survived the night.

On the deck, there was little evidence of the visitor, save it seemed to leave a dampness on the wood wherever it went. Without a word, everyone prepared to set sail for the final stretch.

Into the mists, towards Syndramire.

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As the sun rose above the horizon, the mood lightened from palpable dread to more or less somber calm. Even the mists seemed less foreboding.

Lendrig's Hollow rested at the center of a large bay. As they sailed onwards, the fog seemed to slowly surround them from either side of the bay. In retellings, Selene felt an apt description might be:

The mists lapped lazily at the water's edge, like an ancient predator glutted and satisfied after a long night's feast.

But the great hero, Selene Bryseis, knew no fear. She faced the void and fog, with a merry band of heroes, ready to brave a land few had seen and fewer left alive.

A small smile touched her lips as her tail bobbed slightly under her cloak at the thought. It was a few hours before anything of note would occur.

The ship sailed ever closer to the shore.

Further into the bay, it became clear that the mists did in fact stretch far beyond the shore line, creating a wall of fog. The hair on the back of Selene's neck stood on end as she stared at the strange site. Looking around, she realized the wall seemed to stretch from end to end of the bay. Looking back, she saw the way behind them was shut by fog as well. As if the mists were in fact the predator she described, and they had stumbled into the beast's maw. Helpless and past the point of no return, the jaws now snapped shut. Trapping them in eternal darkness.

Well...not darkness. More like eternal gray...ness. Selene thought as fog swallowed everything in sight.

There was little fanfare from the rest of the crew, which meant this was to be expected. Selene couldn't help but wonder if this was perhaps the reason why the captain had stopped for the night. Getting stranded here in the dark may very well be a death sentence.

For a moment, the ship floated in a grey void. Strangely, the mists never intruded on the space surrounding the ship, leaving a kind of bubble where all inside it could clearly be seen, but everything past it was lost in that endless void.

Thankfully this void eventually gave way as silhouettes came into view.

At first, they were vague and indistinct. Selene thought they might be ships or rocks in the bay, but that was quickly proven false as the silhouettes seemed to grow in height as they approached. Slowly, they came to tower above the meager vessel. In the mist it was hard to say, but they seemed to reach into the sky endlessly. Finally, when it seemed to breach the "bubble" surrounding the ship, the objects came into clear view.

Before them stood a massive gate. Ornate, but worn from time. The gate seemed large enough to fit ships far greater than the Admare. While it was certainly impressive, its primary function was clearly security. The bars holding it all up were made of thick, blackened metal that sunk deep into the depths of the murky sea below. It was an artifact from an age long past, one buried in myth. They stood before the gate to Lendrig's Hollow.

As the ship neared the entrance, the gate jerked into motion. With a loud screech, the gate opened.

"Damn these gates, give me the creeps." Selene heard one of the crew mutter.

"Yah," said another, "like starin' at da gates to hell or sumthin'."

The tension returned to the crew as everyone's faces turned grim. All except Selene, who could barely contain the excitement as her tail swished from side to side.

Past the gate, the air seemed clearer, as if the mists stood as but another barrier to entry. Not to say visibility was great, but the mist no longer stood as a wall around the ship. However, as the mists around them faded, light seemed to dwindle. It seemed the mists now bared down overhead, blocking the much of the sun's rays.

For a time, their voyage continued in almost total darkness. Slowly, a strange green glow grew in the distance, piercing the dark. It was algae, and it seemed to be growing at the base of docks and the hulls of ships.

The water was surprisingly clear here, revealing the seabed under a verdant glow. Small shadows of fish swam about the algae, almost attracted to it like moths to a flame. The light provided past the surface was more ambient than illuminating. The residents therefore had gathered a portion and strung it up across the dockyard, allowing a firm enough grasp on the area.

Argent eyed the docks warily. Hamish made a few brief signs with his hands and bowed his head. Ari shivered.

Selene was enraptured.

This world was so alien to the one she knew. The dockyard, or what was left of it, was a massive, dilapidated ruin. The sheer scope of the place was lost in the darkness, but Selene noted the algae's light beneath the surface seemed to stretch across for miles on either side.

Enough space to fit the docks back home twice over, at least.

A single dock seemed to be in use, housing a motley assortment of fishing vessels. Each one seemed an assorted mismatch of simplistic wood and salvaged scrap from the docks. Their prows were covered in the same strange algae growing from the docks.

A small group of fisherman were hustling about on the deck. The same strange glowing algae hung from their fishing nets as lures. Their lanterns seemed to be stuffed with it too, giving off the same green glow. The dim lights cast odd, foreboding shadows across their stern faces.

A few of the fisherman, stopped to gawk when they saw The Admare approach. Older fisherman among them seemed to recognize the vessel and paid it no mind.

Considering how few dared travel here, The Admare was likely an unusual sight.

An unease crept over Selene as the fisherman returned to their duties. It was unusually quiet for this time of day. There were no merchant cries echoing through the clamour of crowds or even the quiet din of townsfolk going about their day.

All that met them were hushed whispers, the creak of wooden ships, and calm waters lapping against the docks.

Words unbidden flowed into her mind, likely half remembered from old tales shared by tavern folk or traveling minstrel one forgotten night:

The Old Grandeur lost…

All that remained…decayed refuse and carrion.

Nothing but a husk…hollowed by scavengers picking at scraps.

She could not recall their origins, but it seemed a fitting description.

Still, Selene tried to keep things positive. She was finally here, after all. Here at the start of her adventure.

True, everything here is dark and kinda creepy, but that just means there will be danger and risk. Can't have a good adventure without risk and peril, right?

Selene decided to leave the question unanswered as they were shuffled below deck to wait for the crew to finish the docking process.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The time spent waiting for the crew to finish docking felt far longer than usual. Everyone, including Selene, now seemed to share in the same sentiment of unease.

The party sat in silence, Hamish sat beside her as they waited.

"You having second thoughts, friend?" He whispered to her, "Not too late to change mind, you know."

Selene did not respond right away. For a moment, she honestly considered the question. Could she leave so easily? Abandon everything that brought her here? Give up before the adventure even started? Determination swelled in her chest as she gave her answer.

"Nope, just wondering what would happen if you ate that algae," She said, then turned to him and smirked, "A giant, glowing half orc would be quite the sight."

Hamish guffawed, "Haha! Yes, would be quite the sight. Might be good surprise at parties."

Ari giggled behind her hand, while a small smile played at Argent's lips.

"Too bad we're already here," Ari said in between giggles, "I bet you would have helped us get through that fog if you were glowing."

Hamish chuckled, "Yes! Strap me to front of ship. I will glow us the way!"

Everyone laughed at the image, and the mood brightened considerably.

By the time docking was finished and she was back on deck, Selene's excitement had returned with a renewed vigor.

Captain Renik waited by the plank off the ship, taking the final payments from his travellers.

Selene was the last in line. Renik eyed her, his hand outstretched.

She cleared her throat, then handed him the rest of his payment, "Here you are, captain, I believe that is everything." She then added quietly in the hopes no one else heard her, "Thanks for putting up with me these past few months."

Renik nodded as he quickly counted out her payment. Despite the months on the boat, Renik and Selene never really talked, so with the transaction completed, all Renik had to say was, "Take care of yerself, horngirl."

"You too." She gave her hat a small tug in acknowledgment, then turned with a dramatic flourish to join her group leaving the docks.

Before she got far, Renik called after her, "Wait!"

Selene stopped and turned, confused.

Renik scratched the back of his head, not meeting her gaze, "We be leavin' two days from now, that's how long yeh have to change your mind. I can drop yeh off at the next port free of charge, if yeh wan'."

She stopped in her tracks. Over the months of this voyage, Selene had learned little about their captain, but she knew he was not the kind of man to give up anything for free. She turned back to face him, head tilted, "Why?"

He shrugged, "Don't feel right, leavin' folk here." His gaze finally turned to her as he added, "Wanta make sure yeh really want it."

Selene nodded in understanding. "I appreciate your offer, but I'm not leaving," She said, then stood up straight and declared, "I have my own adventure to finish."

Renik met her gaze for a moment, then sighed, "Suit yerself. Offer stands 'til we leave."

He gave her a quick wave before turning away, while Selene hurried to catch up with her merry band.

"Did captain have final word, Selene?" Hamish asked as they walked down the docks in single file. There were few on the docks at this hour, but they were thin and clearly worn from years of use.

Selene shrugged, "He just wanted us to know when they're leaving in case we change our minds."

Hamish nodded, but did not say more. The quiet seemed to be getting to him somewhat. Fog hung thick over the city proper, as it did the dock.

The odd feeling she had upon arrival was more palpable here. This place might have once rivaled, maybe even surpassed, Izan'larai in scope and splendor, but left to time's demise, it had withered. People were moving quietly and with purpose about the area, but the streets, and even the alleys, were massive. A small populace dwarfed by the dead city surrounding them. The juxtaposition unsettled Selene for a reason she did not entirely understand.

Even with all that space, everyone seemed to give each other a wide berth. Any kind of close contact was carefully avoided. More of the algae was used for lighting, stretched across thin fishing lines above the streets in use, leaving abandoned sections buried in shadow.

Selene found greater comfort focusing more on the people that passed than the city itself.

Dozens of Malenai passed by as they stood passively on the side of the street.

Selene knew the stories of her people, but still there were so many here. Half the people here were Malenai, passing by them in these fog covered streets.

Haven't seen this many of us since...in a long time, I guess.

She recalled vaguely dozens of odd colors, shapes and sizes that marked the Malenai Quarter back home. The Scourge had supposedly affected countless families differently, and it made them all unique and strange in their own way.

Her father had once joked, "The only shared thing among our people is we all stick out, no matter where we are."

True, all Malenai consistently had odd skin pigments, horns and a tail, but countless variance between two of their kind was commonplace. Some had light blue skin, with horns like coral from a reef, others had horns carved from granite and skin a gravel gray. As she watched them pass her by, though, a realization dawned on her.

Strange, Selene couldn't help but note, None of them look like...

"Selene!" She was suddenly pulled from her thoughts as Argent called her to the group. "No time for sight seeing, we need to find a place to stay for the night."

Selene cocked an eyebrow, "We do? Seems a little early for that."

The sun was nowhere to be seen, but she was fairly certain it was only around midday at best.

Hamish shook his head, "No, my friend. Lodging very important once you arrive in new place."

Ari nodded, "Especially here in Syndramire. Days here are hard to track, and nights are extremely dangerous. Even the city may not be safe if we don't find shelter before the mists roll in again."

"I believe I know a place we can stay, but I won't know for certain until we ask around," Argent said, quickly taking charge of the situation, "I suggest we find what goes for a social gathering in these parts and ask around."

"What, like a tavern?" Selene asked.

Hamish's eyes lit up at the word. Ari acted disinterested to the idea but her pointed ears twitched slightly as she looked to see how Argent responded.

He thought a moment, then nodded, "Not the worst place to start. A place like this is bound to have a few to keep people sane. We'll need to ask around for one."

"Wait," Selene said, "didn't you say you've been here before?"

Argent paused, looking behind the group, then nodded, "Yes, but it has been…a long time. I have a feeling much has changed since then."

At that moment, Argent stepped in front of a dwarf attempting to walk past them.

" 'scuse me," the dwarf murmured as he tried to circle around Argent.

A large hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. The dwarf's sunken eyes grew to the size of saucers as he stared up at Hamish's jovial toothy grin. "Apologies, friend. Do not mean to frighten, but we need assistance."

The dwarf turned to stare at each of them, his eyes a pallid grey. The dwarf spoke as if he was still half asleep, "You folk aren't from around here."

Hamish nodded, "Yes, we are travellers. You may call me Brother Hamish. What is your name?"

The dwarf struggled a moment, as if it was hard to concentrate, "Uh…Bregun."

"Bregun, would you mind telling friends and I where we might find tavern?"

The dwarf relaxed visibly at the mention of the tavern, "Silver Maré is up that way aways. Can't miss it, just follow the lights."

"What do you mean?" Selene asked.

The dwarf jumped, as if he didn't see her before. He stared at her a moment, as if again trying to collect his thoughts, then he pointed to one of the lines of algae hanging above the street, "The lights all lead to safe buildings. Just follow them until you find the sign for the tavern. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get going."

Before they could ask for clarification, he turned around and dashed down the street.

They all watched him scurry off in confused silence.

"He seemed nice," Ari said, "just a little…"

"Out of his mind?" Argent said dryly.

Ari nodded, "Yeah, that's the one."

Silence followed.

"So…are we going to that tavern he mentioned?" Selene asked.

Argent didn't say anything, but nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The path to the Silver Maré was a little more complicated than Bregun led them to believe, but it did appear that the overall point was true. All the lines of algae did seem to lead to one building or another, but despite everyone's best efforts, they could not follow any to the tavern. Whatever the pattern, they could not crack it.

Of course, they need not have worried, the path ahead lead to a massive dead end. This dead end thankfully included a sign hanging above a door that simply read: Silver Maré.

The tavern was surprisingly crowded for the time of day, though considering their recent interaction with Bregun, perhaps this was the norm here.

Most of the tables were packed with an assortment of dwarves, human and Malenai, with the occasional elf. There was little in the way of merrymaking.. Everyone seemed to have their heads down, staring at the bottom of full glasses.

The barkeep seemed to share similar energy. She was a half orc, making her twice the size of everyone else in the bar save Hamish. She was lazily cleaning the same murky glass as she eyed her patrons warily. A large fang protruded out from below her upper lip, seeming to leave her face in a constant scowl.

Their entrance had drawn some heads, but most seemed to return to staring at their drinks and hushed whispers in short order. Argent looked about for an open spot at the counter, quietly taking the spot before anyone could object.

The barkeep eyed him a moment before commenting in a gruff voice, "Don't think I've seen you around here before. You new in town?"

Argent nodded.

The barkeep eyed them all with sunken black eyes, then grunted, "What can I get ya?"

"Information," Argent said, then turned to everyone, "but I believe my compatriots may be more interested in drink?"

Ari's ears perked excitedly, but after thinking a moment, she mumbled out, "It's a little early, I should probably pass."

Hamish leaned over and whispered, "Good friend, I was hoping to drink myself, would you mind joining me despite early hour?"

Ari smiled and gave a slight nod, "One small cup of Lilac Wine, please."

The half orc stared at Ari for a moment, who quickly began showing signs of visible discomfort, before saying, "We got Onbaran Ale and Syndra Whiskey. On a good day some Kimean Brandy, but before you even ask it ain't been a good day in a long time."

Ari, with crimson cheeks, nodded and whispered, "I'll try the whiskey then."

"Two Onbaran ale for me," Hamish added.

The barkeep's eyes then fell on Selene, who was about to respond when Argent said, "She's underage, so nothing harder than milk."

Selene huffed, feigning insult, "I wasn't going to ask for anything…like that."

Argent side-eyed her, a smile playing at his lips, "Of course not."

Once Argent had his back turned, Selene motioned to Hamish.

"Share with me?" she mouthed.

He put his hand to his chin as if considering it. Finally he gestures in response, "little bit."

While the drinks were getting made, the three found some seats at a table nearby while Argent waited at the bar.

The half orc came to their table a few minutes later, passing out the drinks to Hamish and Ari.

"Thank you Miss…" Hamish paused, "I'm sorry, I missed your name?"

The half orc smirked, tossed her hair back with her free hand, "Ebna, folks 'round her call me Strongarm."

Hamish nods, "Oh yes? Is because you are good at getting their money?"

She shrugged, "Sometimes, but more cuz I ain't one for rough housing. I catch ya, you get tossed out the door. Best record yet was a dwarf, Ogrish or something. Threw him 30 yards past that door," She nodded toward the entrance, then added, "Never seen a pig fly, but he sure was squealing like one. Figure it's bout the same."

Hamish gave a laugh, "HA! IS GOOD ONE." He offered his hand, "Brother Hamish, a pleasure meeting you Miss Ebna."

Hamish's good humor seemed to brighten her mood. She gives him a toothy grin as she takes his hand firmly. "Pleasure is all mine, unless you forget to pay your bill."

Ari took her drink in relative silence but gave a quiet thank you when the mug was placed in front of her.

After the drinks were given out, the barkeep turned back to Argent quietly.

Selene wanted to hear their conversation, but was more distracted by the promise that Hamish would share his drink. Not that Selene had any strong desire to drink. Based on past experience living on the streets, she knew what happened to people who got a taste for it. No, Selene wanted a drink to mark the beginning of her journey in Syndramire and adulthood.

Plus, Argent said no. So she was going to do it anyway.

As she took a sip of the drink, she noted two things. One, ale tasted terrible. She gagged the minute it passed her lips and pushed the drink back towards Hamish. Two, the whispering had stopped. Now everyone simply sat at their tables, staring into glasses. The room felt eerily quiet, save the hushed tones of Argent and Ebna talking.

Hamish and Ari noticed it, too.

"This isn't right," Ari muttered, "It's like we're the only people in here."

Selene nodded.

Hamish tried chatting with a fellow patron, a human male, seated nearby.

"Excuse me, friend," Hamish tapped the man's shoulder, he turned toward Hamish slowly.

The man was like Bregun, almost half asleep in his reactions and response. His eyes rose to stare at Hamish, sunken and lifeless.

"You alright, friend? You do not look so good."

The man jumped at Hamish's word, "What?!?" Then blinking slowly, he seemed to gain some lucidity, "Oh, yes. Right," He stared down at the ground, "I'm not."

"What's wrong?" Selene asked, confused.

The man stared blankly in her direction, "Can't sleep-won't sleep. Too many…." The man paused, his head bobbing as if he was about to fall asleep. Suddenly he raised his hand to his face and slapped himself hard enough to redden his cheek, "…bad dreams."

After that the man no longer responded to questioning, turning back around to face his nearly empty glass. Hamish frowned, but further attempts to speak with the man gave no results.

After finishing their drinks, they each tried again with another table. All had similar results. Either the person ignored them entirely, or was only lucid for a few moments.

"They won't respond differently," an elf said in the far right corner said as Selene passed.

"Why not?" Selene said as she turned to face him.

The elf's face was gaunt, his eyes, much like the others, were sucken and his eyelids drooped. Still, there was a lucidity in his eyes the others lacked. He took a big gulp from his canteen as he met her gaze.

"The first one you spoke to, his name's Donnick. He gave it right. Nightmares." The elf shuddered, then offered her the seat beside him, "Name's Lenov, by the way."

She accepted and offered her hand to him as she sat, "Selene. Selene Bryseis."

"Uh huh, pleasure, but let's skip the pleasantries" the elf answered quickly, "None too sure why you folk are here, but I think you should get whatever you need then hightail outta here. Nobody that stays here's gonna last."

"These nightmares are that bad, huh?" Selene asked, wringing her hands below the table.

Lenov nodded, "Seem to affect even us elves. We don't dream o'course, but I feel it in my bones. Can't find any rest, 'cept at the bottom of a bottle."

Selene nodded, noting that most of the other elves lacked Lenov's energy. "I'm surprised, you seem…fine. Or least…better than everyone else we've seen."

Lenov chuckled, "It affects us all differently. I seem more resilient than others."

He sighed, taking another drink, "Still, I'm better now than most days. Ran into that wizard on my way over, handed me some of his potion. Helps lessen the affects before sleep or rest. Gave most of it to Ebna so she can use it in her drinks on the worst off folk here. The two together seem an effective combo. "

He paused again to finish off the last of his drink, "It ain't much, but it keeps us sane. For once, I think we're all glad that wizard's here…"

"Wizard?" Selene jumped as she realized Argent had suddenly appeared behind her, "What's his name?"

Lenov struggled for a moment, "Jezran, I think? He's from that big college down south? Dunbarrow, I think."

"Can you take us to him? The barkeep's no help." A loud huff is heard from Ebna's direction, "In exchange, I'll give you 5 Izaran silver."

Lenov's jaw dropped. "S-sure, my home is on the way, actually. If we move quick, we can get you there before the mists come down."

Ari and Hamish, realizing it was time to go, quickly paid Ebna and made to leave.

"Hope to see ya folks around again. Don't get much new business in these parts."

Hamish turned and laughed, "Ha, no problem! I promise to return with empty stomach, great thirst, and heavy pockets!"

Ebna snorted as the door closed behind Hamish.

Selene, however, had a thought and ran over to Lenov. "Wait, I thought you said everyone was affected by the nightmares. Why isn't Ebna affected?"

"She is," Lenov said, a smile touching his face, "She's only about half as charming as she used to be."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The group followed Lenov for a while in silence after leaving the Silver Maré. Each seemed lost in their own thoughts. As time passed, Selene noted that mists had begun gathering on the streets. At first it was small pockets here and there, but slowly, it seemed to fill entire alleyways. Only the streets beneath the algae were unaffected, for the time being.

It felt like they were being watched, as mists closed in around them.

At this point, Selene looked for a distraction. She moved closer to Argent and asked, "Something is going on here, isn't it?"

Argent sighed. "It's Syndramire, Selene. Something is always 'going on' here," Argent remained silent for a moment, then added, "but you're right. Something has changed."

Selene breathed a sigh of relief. She knew so little of the world outside her home, it was nice to know this wasn't just more culture shock. "Are we going to do something about it?"

"Perhaps," Argent said, "Depends on what we learn from Jezran."

"Is he the reason you and Ari are here?" Selene probed.

Argent was silent for a time, then said, "No, but he might know what's going on, and can point us in the right direction."

Selene nodded, but had no idea what he meant.

Before she could ask Argent for more information, she suddenly found herself on the ground. The splitting pain throbbing from her head and the man in front of her nursing a similar head wound was all she needed to grasp the situation.

He was a young human, probably only a few years older than her, but it was hard to say with the massive brown beard covering the lower portion of his face. He seemed to be wearing some strange robes and a weird glass device on his nose.

Argent ran up to her before she could get a better look at his face, kneeling beside her, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just…owwww." Selene groaned. The man must have been flat out running to hit her with such force. Argent said nothing as he stood up and offered his hand to help her.

As she got to her feet, Lenov had come to assist the man sprawled out in front of her.

He gasped, "Master wizard, are you alright?" He exclaimed as he helped the man to his feet.

"Lenov?" The man spoke in a forced deep voice, "Yes, yes. It will take more than that to keep me down."

"Wizard, you mean this is Jezran?" Argent asked, confused as he turned around to face the man.

The strange man blinked, his eyes a vibrant green. "…yes? Who are you?"

Lenov jumped in, "These folks were looking for you, I was leading them back to your place."

"Oh?" Jezran said, eyeing Argent up and down, "What do you want with me?"

"We need answers and lodging for the night," He paused, looking around, then added, "but the mists seem to be growing around us, I suggest we continue this conversation at your home."

Selene looked about and realized the mists were thicker than before. Now, almost every alleyway was filled, and it had begun to pool at their feet.

Lenov suddenly grew pale as he stared at the mists around them, "…I didn't realize it was this late already. How long was I…?" He swallowed sharply.

Jezran thought about Argent's words for a moment, then nodded, "Very well, I was en route to the tower when I…I ran into your friend. So let us be off before it is too late."

Lenov took several steps back, "I'm sorry, but I…I best get back to my home. I did what I could, a-and Master Jezran can lead you the rest of the way."

Argent nodded, but Hamish protested, "Are you sure it wise to wander streets alone? All this mist make it difficult to see. Maybe you should join us to Wizard house?"

Lenov stared into the mists for a moment. He then turned to face Hamish, then shook his head, "N-no, it's too far, too dangerous now. I'm sorry."

Jezran watched him run off, shaking his head sadly. "Poor elf. The effects are getting worse, the potion might not be effective soon."

"What do you mean?" Hamish asked.

Jezran didn't respond, "We need to hurry back to my home. It's safer there, but he is right. It's far, so we'll need to run."

With that said, he bolted down the path, leaving the rest of the party little choice but to follow. Hamish gave one final glance back down the way Lenov went, before turning to follow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jezran was not a natural born sprinter, making it easy for the party to keep up. It was a straightforward route, but it did take them several minutes of nonstop sprinting before they finally came to a stop in front of a nondescript wall.

Before anyone had a chance to question why they stopped, Jezran said, "The gates are closed by this hour, so we're taking a short cut."

He pulled out a small focusing crystal as he quietly whispered a spell and made sigils in the air with his free hand. After a moment, the crystal began to glow, and a passage seemed to grow through the wall in front of them.

"Hurry, no time to waste! I don't want to keep this open longer than I have to!" Jezran said as he ran through the hole to the other side.

The tunnel was not very large, so they had to enter in single file, with Hamish being forced to duck and squeeze through. A moment later, they were all on the other side. Jezran quietly whispered and tapped the wall, making the hole disappear.

The mists were thicker out past the walls, and it was getting harder to see past the nearest building.

"Come!" Jezran yelled after them as he continued sprinting, "We are now quite close!"

Mists danced about them as they ran. More than once, Selene swore she saw movement in the corner of her vision, lurking in the mists. Finally, they reached a dilapidated tower in the middle of an open area. Arcane symbols were carved into the ground around it, glowing vibrantly against the ever expanding mists.

As the party passed the symbols, a calm passed over them. Selene let out a breath of relief. She knew little of magic, but it was clear this place was safe. Jezran stopped in front of the door, breathing heavily.

"Good…good work everyone," He wheezed, "Let's get inside. I believe you'll be staying with me for the night."

They all entered without a word. The entire base of the tower was one large room that had been renovated as the wizard's study.

On one side was a mess of books, scrolls, and other things one might expect to find in a wizard's tower. Selene was enamoured with them all, but she knew to be cautious. She heard enough tales about wizards to know you don't touch anything they own. Whether you got turned into a newt, burned alive or teleported to another dimension, it was never worth stealing wizard trinkets unless you knew exactly what you were getting into.

On the other side was what appeared to be Jezran's living area, which included a small kitchen area and a massive dining table with several chairs piled high with books and dirty dishes.

"I'm sorry," Jezran said sheepishly, "I wasn't expecting any guests today, or else I would have tidied up."

He quickly ran over to make room for everyone to sit, then offered them all a seat at the table. Once everyone was seated, he asked, "Anyone hungry, or thirsty? I don't have guests often, but I can provide anything you need."

Collectively, they all realized they had not eaten since this morning. They all agreed.

"Very well, I hope you like stew." He rose from his seat and turned to the cooking area in the corner. With a wave of his hands, all the tools in the cooking area sprung to life and began preparing food for the cauldron. After everything seemed to be in order, he returned his attention to his guests, "Alright, now that we are safe, sound, and food is being prepared, can I ask who you are and what you want from me?"

Everyone quickly went round the table introducing themselves, then turned to Argent, who was seated on the far end. He leaned against the table, hands folded in front of him. "My name is Argent. I need to speak with an expert of the arcane and Syndramire," Argent said, his eyes meeting Jezran, "I was told you were in Lendrig's Hollow attempting to study the ruins and could assist me."

Jezran raised an eyebrow, "How did you know I was here, not many folk outside the College know."

Argent paused for a minute, choosing his words carefully, "Let's say I'm an old friend of your master."

Jezran's eyes grew wide, "You know Master Kalrei'beshiru?"

Argent nodded, "Yes, I've known him a long time, back when he was just known as Kal. He said I could trust your research."

"Wha-who-…wow." Jezran said, "I don't think I've ever met anyone who knew my Master before he gained his wizard's name."

Selene turned to Ari in confusion and whispered, "What's a wizard name?"

Ari shrugged then said a little louder than a whisper, "Famous Wizards have long names, so wizards need long names at the College in Dunbarrow for…some reason. Makes them feel special, I think?"

Jezran heard their conversation and was obviously offended by her answer, "No, it's how we separate levels of magical mastery. Each syllable after the first shows a wizard has shown a prerequisite level of mastery in magic."

Ari nodded, "Right, right. So…because it makes you feel special?"

He was about to respond when Selene jumped in, "Wouldn't that mean you aren't very high level, Jezran?"

Jezran turned to face her, flabbergasted. "I…what? No! I am a-"

Selene cut in again, "Also, wouldn't that mean Arifrenya here was a better wizard than you?"

The wizard began to turn a shade of red, "What? No, that's not…"

Ari giggled, "She's got a point, Jezran. My name is longer than your's and I practice magic."

Jezran turned a dark shade of purple, he seemed to want to retort, but instead his mouth just kept opening and closing for a minute.

"Leave him be," Argent said, a smile tugging at his lips, "Especially you, Ari. You know how Dunbarrow wizards get about their names."

"I do?" Ari thought for a moment then laughed awkwardly, "Oh yeah, Kal always hated when I called him that, especially that one time I did it in public."

While Ari was lost reminiscing, Jezran regained his composure and returned to Argent, "Anyway. Argent, I have a million questions to ask, but first I must know. How do you two know my Master?"

Argent thought for a moment, then said flatly, "It's a long story. To make it short, I helped him with an errand a long time ago and he's owed me ever since."

"I…see." Jezran said, deflated. He sat back down in his chair, clearly dissatisfied.

Returning to the present, Ari tried consoling the wizard, saying, "Don't worry, he does that to everyone."

"He is like…rose bush," Hamish explained, "Pretty flowers, but watch out for thorns."

Argent made a face at that comment, "Pretty flower?"

Selene giggled as Ari snorted.

Any further conversation was interrupted as dinner was soon ready. They all ate in silence. Selene found the food bland, even by her standards. Based on the expressions of her companions, she concluded she was not the only one.

"So to start, Jezran," Argent said, breaking the silence, "I need to know what's changed. What has been happening in Syndramire in the past year?"

Jezran had been lost in thought and jumped when Argent called him, spilling soup on his beard. Cursing, he quickly grabbed a napkin and began to dab it dry. As it dried, Selene couldn't help but notice something was off about that beard.

"I can't speak much for Syndramire proper," Jezran said, still dabbing at his beard, "News travels slowly, but I can tell you there has been significant increase in activity here in Lendrigol."

"Wait," Selene said, confused, "I thought this place was Lendrig's Hollow?"

"Hm?" He looked up due to her question and noticed confused glances from Hamish as well, suddenly recognition flashed through his eyes. "Oh! Sorry, I forgot you all are not from here. Please understand, you are the first group I've met travelling through here in quite a while."

He rose and grabbed one of the ancient maps from his desk. Holding it up in front of him, he said, "Allow me to explain, here's a map of Syndramire. Lendrigol is one of the ancient city ruins found throughout the land of Syndramire. It traces its roots back to the Ancient Era of Lords and spreads across several miles of coastline on the southern border," He then pointed to a large portion of the southern coastline. "The Hollow is the area around the port, it was cordoned off by walls crafted by dwarves and reinforced by magic several centuries ago in the hopes to regain a foothold in the country," He gestured towards a small portion near the center of what was indicated as Lendrigol.

Argent cleared his throat, cutting off the excited wizard.

"Right, sorry. Got a little carried away." Jezran blushed, "Getting back to the point. Well, you've seen part of it. The mists are much worse inside the Hollow now. Just a year ago, you could wander the city streets and not see a touch of mist inside the walls on a good day."

Jezran paused, rising to his feet, and looking staring into the embers of the small cooking fire. "The city has also seen a strange string of worsening nightmares. The numbers of affected has grown to the point that everyone now seems to suffer from them. Even the races that do not sleep like elves now suffer similar effects. I have not determined the source, but I have determined it is intentional and not some side effect of the mists. When it first occurred, nothing I used to treat people were successful, until I realized my own magical dampeners stopped it from affecting me in my home. The algae inside the city seems to adversely affect magic, so I devised a potion that stimulated a similar effect."

Suddenly his fists clenched, "But it's getting stronger. My potions last shorter and shorter periods, and now even my circle does not protect me entirely. I can't tell you how many have already lost their minds or disappeared under the cover of darkness since this all started. I've pored over everything I could get my hands on, and I've tried every spell and incantation I know. I am now convinced I have only one option left."

Jezran then turns to face the group, "I have searched every corner of the Hollow for the cause and found nothing, so the source of these nightmare must be hiding in the ruins of Lendrigol. Of course, considering the size of the ruins, it would be impossible to search everywhere. Luckily, I requisitioned an item from the college that arrived this very day."

He pulled a large orb from his robes, "Whatever is causing this must be expelling massive amounts of magic or psionic energy. Enough to create nightmares that break through protections spells and affect non dreaming species like elves. This orb acts as a kind of dousing rod which will guide me to the strongest flows of active magic. I plan to travel the ruins to seek out this source and put a stop to it."

At this point, Jezran, cleared his throat awkwardly, "Look, I know you all have your own reasons for being here, but would you be able to assist me in finding this source? I am skilled in magic, but my experience in combat is limited. Considering where I'm going, I really could use the aid of anyone still free from the effects of the nightmares."

Argent was stone faced for a moment, then nodded, his eyes glimmered, "Actually, I believe our goals might be one and the same, so I can certainly assist. But I do not speak for everyone. They will need to decide for themselves."

Ari shrugged, "My goals are the same as Argent's. Of course I'll join you."

Selene was silent for a moment. She was searching for adventure, but that did not mean she necessarily had to join this one. Hamish said nothing, but eyed her expectantly.

After a moment, Selene met Jezran's gaze, "Let's make a deal, wizard. I scratch your back, you scratch mine."

"What do you mean?" Jezran asked, confused.

Selene pulled the strange, archaic knife from her boot, "It's simple, I help you out on this dangerous quest, and you tell me everything you can learn about this knife. Where it comes from, what it's made of, what that symbol means, anything you can dig up."

"Hm, I see," Jezran walks over and eyes the knife, but does not take it from her, "I can't guarantee anything, I'm afraid. Weapons and history are not my specialty, but worst case I can probably point you to a few people who can help."

Selene expression soured, she should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Still, a direction is better than nothing, but before she could respond, Jezran said, "I can tell this means a lot to you, but it's clear you're not as well equipped as the rest of your friends. It may be better if you didn't come."

Selene gawked at him and blinked, "What do you mean? We're just exploring a crappy ruin full of monsters. Typical adventuring stuff, and you said you needed all the help you can get!"

Jezran nodded, "True, if you agree, I will not stop you from coming, but what you said about Lendrigol is simply not correct. I think you need to see something. In fact," he looked to everyone else, "You should all come, it's best we all go into this with our eyes wide open, knowing the risks."

Jezran moved to the back of the room, toward a large stairwell, "We can take these stairs to the top of the tower, it should give you a good view of what I mean."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a longer walk than anticipated, but they all reached the top in relatively short order. The stairwell opened up to the top of the tower. Little else was here beyond walls reaching to about Selene's chest on all sides.

"I think this was once used for an observatory, but for now it gives us a safe seat to view the city," Jezran said, gesturing for everyone to approach the nearest edge.

Selene noted the mists were now remarkably thin, allowing a clear view of the night sky and what lay below.

The mists covered the streets of Lendrigol like a silver sea, obscuring those things that wandered beneath. Across the ancient ruins, lights flickered like sparks of flame in distant corners. Signs of movement could be clearly seen bubbling under the surface of the mists. Massive creatures stalked and scuttled across buildings, appearing briefly above the mist's surface.

But the most terrifying sight of all were the batlike creatures moving and hovering just above the rooftops. To call them large would not do them justice, shadows cast in the pale moonlight made them appear larger than city blocks. They moved unnaturally through the air, unbound by the laws of nature. At different intervals, purple energy streaked from them towards the ground below, revealing for a moment the shambling corpses that wondered the misty ruins.

As far as the eye could see, dozens of these creatures moved about as if swimming through the air, hunting the world below. Screams could be heard in the distance, though it was unclear their origin.

"From what I've gathered," The wizard said behind them, "Many of these creatures are similar to those found beneath the waves, which partially explains some of the strange patterns of movement. Regardless, you can see why I'll need assistance traversing here. I can recreate the arcane sanctuary spell when the fog descends, but if it fails…we will need to face this together."

A pause followed and he added quietly, "I don't blame anyone for wanting to avoid this, but should you join me, I will do whatever I can to assist you or whatever it is you need of me."

Doubts filled Selene's mind as she remained transfixed on the world below them.

"My answer has not changed," Argent said.

"Agreed, I knew what we would expect." Ari followed up.

Hamish remained silent, then came to stand beside Selene, after a moment he said, "Would be good to help these people, but I made promise to you first. I go where you go, Selene."

As she gazed once more upon the nightmare unfolding in the distance, Selene muttered to herself, "I'm going to regret this, I just know it," then turned to Jezran, "I'll do it."

Hamish chuckled softly, his expression unreadable, "That is spirit, friend. I go as well, wizard!"

Jezran smiled, "Excellent! Thank you all. For now, I'll get some rooms set up so you can all have a good night's rest. We can discuss the plans for the journey tomorrow morning."

Everyone nodded and began descending the stairwell. Selene was the last to depart, taking one final look at the city before following. This was not exactly what she expected for her first adventure, but she would see it through, and it would lead her one step closer to answers.

Resolved, she turned to descend the steps, when a voice called out behind her.

"Welcome to Syndramire, Selene Bryseis."

From her periphery, Selene swore a figure was standing behind her. Without hesitation, she turned sharply to face the figure, but the rooftop was vacant.

She was alone.

A shiver crawled down her spine. Selene pulled her cloak tight around her, and descended the stairs quickly to catch up with rest of the group.