The Wandering Isles: Session 32
The adventurers arrived in the snowy town of Brautarðir, their cart pulling to a stop amidst the bustling streets of this fishing hub. The cold air carried the scent of saltwater and fresh fish, and the group made their way to The Frosted Flounder, a humble tavern run by an elderly man named Trevor Brow. Despite the warmth of the fire, it was clear the tavern had seen better days, with Trevor managing it entirely on his own.
While some sought to settle in, Dash Heidmann explored the town’s marketplace. His attempts at purchasing supplies with large coins drew ire from the local merchants, unaccustomed to such dealings. Dash’s seemingly cavalier approach earned him more than a few disapproving glares.
Over the next week, the group embraced a brief reprieve. Eos spent her downtime reflecting on the bonds she had formed with her companions, appreciating the sense of friendship and belonging they brought into her life. Hatsu Toshitsugu, ever practical, noticed the tavern’s disrepair and hired locals to help Trevor restore it, a gesture that earned the elder’s quiet gratitude.
Meanwhile, Dash took a different approach to helping the less fortunate. Observing a starving child ignored by a haughty merchant, Dash infiltrated a high-stakes poker game, bypassing the cards entirely to liberate coins from the merchant’s lockbox. His efforts, though less overt than Hatsu’s, were no less impactful to those who needed help.
Slate delved into the town’s social fabric, performing in various taverns and gathering bits of gossip and local lore. His investigation revealed Brautarðir’s deep ties to fishing and its reliance on local legends to preserve its identity. On the culinary front, Slate worked on preparing fresh meals for the group, his presence both productive and morale-boosting.
Amidst their downtime, Slate shared a quiet moment with Eos, Lysa, and Dash, as they gathered around his mysterious book. When they touched it, the voice of Vathros, The Shadowed, emerged. The entity trapped within the book yearned for release, whether in a physical or astral form.
Vathros revealed haunting truths: he showed Dash fragments of his past, cutting deeper into his already-fractured psyche. For Eos, the vision was a lost memory of her father’s studies into The Unnamed One, a revelation steeped in questions of her lineage and purpose. The encounter left Slate shaken, as Vathros ominously warned him of Dash’s potential to bring him "home"—a fate Slate might not find welcoming.
As their week in Brautarðir drew to a close, Dash followed the trail of the child he had seen before. His good intentions quickly spiraled into danger as the group found themselves surrounded by shadowy figures in the streets. One figure, cloaked in menace, demanded to see Slate, forcing the adventurers to wait in tense uncertainty. The shadows pressed close, and with no clear escape, the group's safety hung precariously in the balance as they awaited what was to come.
