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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cypherblade" data-source="post: 9769185" data-attributes="member: 7048389">Axis Island.[spoiler]<h3>57th of Spring</h3>We receive word that we’re to pick up a chest aboard the Impossible — a gift from King Aodhan himself. Staf and Felix clash briefly over cultural etiquette regarding how and when to open royal gifts. Eventually, Staf lifts the lid. Inside, we find a suitcase, three small boxes, and one long case.The first small box holds a pink stone — clearly magical. When Ayleen opens it, the gem begins to float and orbit around her head. Staf opens a box with a white pearl, but this one doesn’t levitate. The third box contains a pendant with a red gemstone shaped like a heart supported by two hands — a Periapt of Wound Closure.The long case contains a wand etched with a small lightning bolt. At first we suspect it’s electrical in nature, but it turns out to be a Wand of Magic Missiles.Finally, the suitcase itself unfolds — it’s magical too: a Portable Forge that halves crafting time once per day (the first four hours of work count double).Distribution:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Forge → Ayleen</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pearl → Felix</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Periapt → Staf</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Wand → Kane</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ioun Stone → Sarïa</li> </ul>58th–60th of SpringA new issue of the Flint Observer circulates, full of stories about the events aboard the Coaltongue.61st of SpringStover comes to fetch Staf — he’s to represent the RHC at a meeting about railway transport. Once Staf leaves, Stover calls the rest of us into his office. Waiting there is a female tiefling — Lya Jierre, the Danoran Minister of Outsiders. She wields a rapier made of the same strange metal as the Doctor’s blade, designed to fight undead, but hers has an extra energy cell attached.Before discussing business, she challenges us with a riddle, which we solve only by thinking in three dimensions instead of two.Then Stover and Lya brief us: former Duchess Ethelyn has launched an attack on Axis Island, a Danoran island with a fortress, mines, and a smelter. She currently holds the island, and our task is to infiltrate and reclaim it. Though it’s Danoran territory, we’re granted three days of operational freedom.A second RHC team from Slate will also participate — they’ll have command; we’ll provide support. Five Risuri ships are already en route, and we’ll be delivered by the Impossible.Mission Objectives:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Liberate the sea fortress.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Open the sea gate. All this must be achieved before the Danoran Congress meets to discuss the incident — and potentially escalate it.</li> </ul>Supplies per agent:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">500 gp</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1 × Potion of Water Breathing</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">2 × Potions of Greater Healing (4d4+4)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Scrolls: 4 × Faerie Fire, 2 × Silence, 2 × Passwall (usable by anyone) We are also loaned a Gem of Brightness (30 charges remaining).</li> </ul>When Staf returns, we brief him on the mission. He recounts his past experiences on Axis Island during the war — haunting tales. Navigation there is unreliable, the jungle is lethal, and part of the island lies within a Wild Magic Zone surrounding Danor.That evening, we depart aboard the Impossible. The voyage will take two days. Conversations with the crew turn philosophical — about dwarven fatalism, and about Miller’s theory that conversation breeds mutual understanding and lasting peace.<h3>63rd of Spring</h3>The Impossible hoists black sails and activates camouflage mode. In the distance, Staf notices light signals aimed our way — another ship approaches. It’s the other RHC squad:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tania, half-elf druid with a wolf companion</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Letmas, human wizard</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">“Seven-Foot Danny”, a towering fighter wielding a chain flail</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Burton, goblin knife-thrower</li> </ul>We near a sea cave. Tania casts Water Breathing, and we walk across the seabed toward a tunnel entrance. The other squad enters first — but suddenly, we find ourselves in a desert beneath a purple sky, with yellow frogs hopping through the sand. Ten seconds later, we’re back underwater — but the tunnel entrance has collapsed, sealed by a massive boulder. Burton is trapped beneath it, his leg crushed. Staf manages to lift the rock enough for us to pull him free, but his leg is mangled. Sharks circle closer, and we decide to move on.Further along, we find Letmas’s body (Felix takes some components), then the tunnel blocked by Seven-Foot Danny’s corpse. Beyond that, Tania lies dead as well. Rocks fell, party died.We press on and emerge into a cavern with a dock. Ayleen climbs up first — but a gunshot rings out. She’s hit and tumbles dramatically back into the water.A voice with a Danoran accent shouts:“You’ve already killed my comrades — come to finish me off too?”We climb onto the dock. Felix manages to persuade him that we’re on Lya Jierre’s orders to free the fort. An Earth Elemental materializes from the wall beside us, but the man calls it off.Felix steps forward to explain the situation. The man — Nicolas Dupied — listens. He wears two medallions, allowing him to control an earth elemental and a shadow. He says he found them in a vault just two days ago. A third medallion hangs from a rock ledge above; Ayleen climbs up to retrieve it. It bears a pointed star among clouds and birds. These relics were discovered by archaeologists and stored for safekeeping.Ayleen puts on the star-shaped medallion and focuses — she senses it could summon an air elemental, though further attunement is required. Since she’s already attuned to several items, Felix keeps the medallion for now.We were given three days for the mission — 48 hours have already passed, and it will take two more to exit the cave and another twelve to reach the fort.Outside the mine, we find the corpses of miners, slain by the trees of the forest.We choose to cross the mountains. Along the way, we find more dead villagers, slain only days ago.Ayleen sends Pipistrella ahead to scout. The bat spots firelight. Sarïa alone notices the shadows cast by a campfire. We approach cautiously. Ayleen sends Pipistrella again — she sees dozens of people sheltering in caves. Felix approaches alone and speaks to the refugees around the fire. They’re villagers, fleeing from the invading troops. They tell us the fort lies beyond the mountain pass.As we continue, the world shifts again — a blue sun burns in a purple sky, yellow frogs croak in the swampy mire around us. Kane curses under his breath about his soaked feet.At last, atop the ridge, we see it below:The fortress — a five-pointed stronghold with a sea gate. Inside its walls stands another pentagonal inner fort, and at its center, a tower rises like a dark spear.[/spoiler]</blockquote>

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