The Wandering Isles: Session 62
With the Crescent Pearl silent and lifeless around them, the companions turned to the question of survival. Amaedrianna’s strange RAFT, once a sled, was coaxed into the water where it unfolded into a boat. It wasn’t seaworthy yet, but ideas flowed freely: perhaps sails, perhaps oars, or even some contraption of pipes and shields that Eos suggested to push it along with air.
In the meantime, Hatsu proposed something more ambitious. Why not rebuild here? The Arcanum’s former home lay empty, stripped of its magic and its people, but perhaps it could be made into a sanctuary once more. The thought took root. They imagined what life here might be like, what kind of haven it could become, and how it might even serve those who had been scattered when the Arcanum fell. After some spirited debate, Amaedrianna put the matter to a vote. Hatsu, Eos, and Eldrin all agreed. Together, they laid claim to the idea of a new bastion, a home for the future.
They settled into the task with surprising ease. The bastion was outfitted with seven bedrooms, a guest room, a war room, a modest kitchen, and a toilet. Amaedrianna and Hatsu scouted the seas for food, working in tandem as she circled above and he struck fish with perfect precision. Eos and Eldrin joined them on the beach for dinner, conversation turning to the mysteries of Eos’s crimson moon persona and Eldrin’s own ability to speak his mind. They teased out his confidence, his answers sometimes shaded but ultimately good at heart.
Talk turned to the past. Hatsu spoke of his time alone in a cave, where he had once considered abandoning the world, only to find purpose again through the vision of a golden bee. Eos shared the gifts her father had given her – a dulled rapier and a compass – and how she had only later come to understand what he meant when he told her not to be afraid. Each story deepened their bonds as the night stretched on.
Eldrin chose that night to remain in the bastion, marking his decision to call this place home. But unease lingered too. Amaedrianna admitted she feared how much time had passed in their absence. A year might be enough for her father, the Archon, to conquer a city. A decade or more could make him unstoppable. The weight of that thought followed her as she released her white crow, Albie, into the night sky.
The days settled into rhythm. Eos built small systems to guard against intruders, arranging books and objects with meticulous care. Eldrin wrote, reflected, and finally prayed – returning to his god Tempestas after a long silence, seeking forgiveness and renewal. Hatsu trained, meditated, and prayed as well, asking the Mother of Light to guide their hands and help them bring life back to the island.
During their week of downtime, each found their own path. Hatsu honed his skills until he seemed almost to merge with shadow itself. Amaedrianna trained and explored the island, mapping its caves and mines, gauging what might one day be useful. Eos took time to rest and read her mother’s letter over and over, finding ways to sustain their new home by preserving food and keeping order. Eldrin searched the island for a place to reconnect with his faith, finally settling on a quiet cliffside where he built a humble altar to Tempestas. Few knew of it, save Albie, who watched from above.
When the week had passed, the bastion stood stronger, the companions more rooted in their new beginning. And then, as the sun set on their rest, Slate stepped free from the prison where he had been trapped, emerging from Eos’s staff into the world once more.
