It has been 375 years since The Rupture. Nearly all of mortalkind was laid to waste, countless innocent lives were lost to the armies of the Demon Lord. The forces of demons were brutal and ruthless - but that’s not all they were. Even more important than their own bloodthirst, was the eradication of knowledge and the crippling of mortals. To tear apart civilization from its roots, sabotaging it from the inside out. That was when the shining pillar of scientific and magic understanding, the expansive island city Arkannon, fell to rubble and ash. In the centuries past, the island and secrets locked behind its gates all but forgotten.
That was until The Holy Vitkatzi Empire laid their ears to the rumor mill of gossip amongst the Southlanders. Where they heard tell of powerful weapons, mass industrialization, and sentient robots lurking just inside the mountains of the Isle Arkanna. They have been on the prowl, noses up, ears straight, and claws extended searching for adventurers either desperate, brash, or stupid enough to brave the island’s dangers and reap the rewards. The following is just one story, from one of those many groups of adventurers.
Shifty Eyes and Concealed Blades
Holly stepped through the door to a closed tavern with layers of dust on the wooden boards nailed to the windows. Here, he was meeting a friend of a friend - Vitkatzi agent named Kogen. Though, more importantly than his allegiances, was his coin purse. Kogen had a job. Brave the cursed island, bring back relics, and get paid handsomely. All Holly had to do was lead a group of rat-catchers there with him and make sure most of them don’t die. Holly entered their clandestine meeting place with caution and suspicion and left with just as much caution and suspicion, but also gained silver, several maps, and a list of potential mercenaries and where to find them.
Holly walked the Ptolonox streets, meeting with three individuals who stood out to him from the list. Nero, a kenku noise composer with some healing capabilities, and a wife-wife duo of Jessie the Dahlanian acolyte and Helen the archer and scout. Holly gives them the same run-down: 10 days to the island, a couple day stay, and 10 days back. Have your head on a swivel, bring your own equipment, 1 silver payment upfront. All future payments will be provided after the job is finished. They agree, and he continues to meet his last potential recruit to join the party at the Stinking Shark where he meets with Ashton Kjotvi, a dwarf with a large axe on his back and a braided pony tail down his back. Holly introduces himself, explains the job, and Ashton agrees to meet him at the eastern gate with the rest of the group tomorrow morning. Not before Ashton is able to get a closer look at the iron ring Holly wears on his right hand. A double banded ring with a snake design. From some very niche and specific writing, he recalls sects of underground criminals using a system of rings denoting rank and organization within organized crime groups depending on the styling and positioning of the ring. The one Holly wears denotes him as an expert thief.
Ashton and Holly share a knowing glance. They both know.
Their meeting ends there, as the two separate for the night. Ashton remains in the bar, listening to rumors. He knows the job ahead of him is going to be difficult and that keeping his ear to the ground will be one of the best ways of ensuring he remains a step ahead. He hears other adventurers talking about several tabaxi asking around busy bars like this one for mercenaries that would be interested in heading to Arkannon. The adventurers talk about their differing opinions on the island, talking about rumors of fae and monsters infesting the city. Some don’t believe the rumors and insist the city simply isn’t there any longer, fully demolished with nothing left. After all, with how wild the bandits have been across the country, it would be impossible none of them had gotten brave enough to travel the bridges and loot the city. They’ve been getting bolder and bolder, raiding caravans closer to the city.
Meanwhile, Holly takes to the market to gather enough rations to feed five adults for the next three weeks. As he winds his way through the crowded streets and merchant stalls, he feels the burning eyes of guards watching his every move. He deduces that they’re likely making sure he doesn’t run off with the upfront payment provided by Kogen, but that doesn’t make him any more comfortable with being seen. They tail him up until he makes his way to the Several Sparrows in, where Kogen had arranged a room for him to stay for as long as he continues working under him. The inn is wholly tabaxi run, Holly being one of the few humans staying there.
Ashton and Holly enter their respective rooms with the intention of sleep. However, the equally paranoid pair find themselves barring their doors and creating alternate escape routes from their rooms. Not feeling entirely safe, but are technically able to get some sleep.
At The Eastern Gate
Holly arrives at the meeting place far earlier than he had intended, getting there as the sun rose. He hadn’t slept much the night before, he’s not quite sure if he had even closed his eyes much. However, it was worth it to be able to scope out people as they arrived. Helen and Jessie make their way to Holly first, appearing tired and frustrated. There’s an odd tension in the air, as if they had just been fighting before arriving. Ashton arrives soon after, whistling and chipper after a restful night’s sleep. He tosses his axe between his hands, excited for what the day will bring. Holly hands off the large bags of rations to Ashton and declares him as the group’s pack mule. He explains they’re just waiting for the last group member, who should be here any minute now.
After quite some time, Nero doesn’t show. Ashton wonders out loud if they are necessary to the group, but Holly points out that as their healer, it would be very impractical to continue without them. Holly decides to investigate, setting out for the sewers once again but doesn’t need to walk that far. Nero is being held up by three guards at the gate. They seem almost like they’re about to be arrested, the guards telling them they can’t keep ignoring their incessant noises in the sewers. Nero denies the claims through ruffled feathers and a tight beak. Holly steps in, explaining that Nero is his confidant and has no part in whatever this public disruption it is they’re speaking about. The guards eye Holly and the officer in charge of the other two make a gesture to the other two and nods towards Holly. “Carry on, then.” They seem to know who Holly is and know to stay out of his way. Interesting.
Once out of earshot with the city, Nero rants about how the cats just don’t understand art. That they expect kenku to make music like humans, goblins, or tabaxi, and will take any opportunity to shoot down artists. Holly decides to take the time to discuss what everyone’s goals are for going to Arkannon - besides the money, of course. Jessie and Helen both say that they’re just interested in seeing the world, especially places where no one has ever been before. Jessie has some specific theological reasons for wanting to go, to bring back information for her temple. Nero begins a rant about the rival noise band SENTRY-1037 that has been able to avoid all the same crackdowns on kenku art. They say the bad uses noise from a warforged, which launches the group into a discussion on what is and isn’t alive. Nero isn’t sure the specific details on the warforged itself, just that the band has somehow figured out how to sample sounds from it. Jessie chimes in saying that according to traveling priests who have met warforged have indicated they definitely are sentient and seem to have souls in a way that’s similar to how mortals have souls. Ashton recalls some information about how warforged were created. The information wasn’t forbidden, it was just complex and not well known. It required a high understanding of Technomancy. Jessie writes down what the group is discussing, wanting to bring it back to the temple when she returns.
Ashton asks Helen what she thinks, picking up that she hasn’t said much. She responds that she’s just there to shoot things, not talk about hypotheticals or debate philosophy like “you people.” She seems put off from the whole discussion. Holly feels that she’s hiding something deeper, but can’t get a good read on her. Ashton determines she feels out of her depth. She feels lost and is resentful of that, causing her to snap. Maybe this is what she and Jessie were fighting about before? Helen excuses herself to go hunting for small game. She says she knows the area and will meet up with the group later. Holly falls back in the group to see what Jessie was writing. It was all relevant to the discussion on warforged and the nature of souls, except for a small bullet point at the bottom. “You people.” From the way the journal is organized, it seems like she’s writing bullet points to go further in depth on later. Holly, satisfied she’s not doing anything suspicious, takes his place at the front of the group again.
Holly engages with Nero again, talking about their noise music. Ashton takes some interest in it and asks to hear some, and is genuinely impressed!
The group continues bonding, talking about music, learning more about the extent of Nero’s recording capabilities, and sharing stories of different musical performances they’ve seen.
Campfire Stories
The party reunite with Helen as she captured some smaller game. Nothing to write home about, but enough they won’t need to use their rations for the night. They gather around the fire with a rabbit stew and do some team bonding. Spited on by the earlier conversation about theatrical performances, Ashton goes on a long winded rant about a very particular historical inaccuracy in a popular play. The party have a long discussion because how could they get it so wrong?? It’s such a glaring issue, and could have been so easily fact checked! This isn’t even necessary to the plot!!
They also get to talking, asking further questions about why everyone is travelling to the island. They get more out of Jessie and Helen, Jessie letting it slip she has some reason to want to leave Ptolonox and not come back. Ashton finally chimes in, saying he’s interested in it from a historical stand point, but remains vague. Holly also says he was some historical reasons to see the island, that he wants the artifacts. Being an outright lie, his shadow betrays him and undulates in odd and impossible ways. The party takes notice, though before anyone confronts him, Holly takes the moment to distract them. He tells a story from his hometown in Stonegrove, a cautionary tale told to children about how to deal with fae going over the basics of rules of hospitality. He uses the fire to tell the story, using magic to mold the flames in different shapes. Most of the party are convinced the shadow fuckery was just a trick of the light - except Helen, who thinks there’s definitely some weirdness going on. Although, she incorrectly identifies the source of the shadow magic as coming from outside the party. She nudges her wife to spread salt around the campsite as she casted Secure Site.
To read Holly’s fairy tale, click here.