The Wandering Isles: Session 70
The group stood before the walls of Saigo no Toshi, and what once had been a city of warmth and grace now looked more like a tomb. Corpses hung from its ramparts, its great gates sealed shut, the air thick with the smell of death. Hatsu stared at the horror for a long while before asking Amaedrianna if she believed someone else had taken control, or if her father truly was capable of this. His gesture took in the carnage, the barricades, the defiled beauty of his home.
Amaedrianna shook her head. Her father was many things—secretive, ruthless in his own way—but not like this. His cruelty had always been private, quiet, never so public or monstrous. This, she said, felt like something else entirely.
The group spread out to investigate. Eos checked the waterways and docks for boats, while Dash and Slate watched the roads for any movement in or out of the city. They found nothing. No travellers, no patrols crossing, no signs of life leaving or entering. Hatsu discovered that even the tunnels beneath Saigo no Toshi, once used for escape or trade, had been collapsed. Every route was blocked. The city was sealed like a sarcophagus.
They returned to camp and made a small meal of rations and the odd mix of “powerballs” they’d been given along the way. The conversation eventually turned to the battle with the creature that had nearly killed Dash. The memory weighed heavy on Amaedrianna, more than she expected. She confessed that it haunted her—the way it moved, the things it said. Dash admitted that it wasn’t the first time he’d seen it die. He’d watched it fall seven times before, only to return again and again. Amaedrianna tried to mask her unease with grim humour, promising she’d be ready for the eighth. They spoke too about Hatsu’s awakening—how he had come to accept his purpose and power, only for everything to shift once more.
That night, Weslyn helped Dash reach into the dream of Lysa Sablewood, hoping for answers from inside the city. The dream took shape in colours muted and strange, showing glimpses of rebellion and ruin. Through Lysa, they learned that Saigo no Toshi had fallen. The Archon, Kael Bloodstone, hadn’t been seen since the group’s last visit. Hana no Sasayaki, known as Kaelora Toshimura, was working to smuggle supplies in by boat, feeding the rebellion with what little they could manage. The Willow—Kuroji Tensei—was the only reason they had anything left. Without him, the rebels would have starved.
The dream ended abruptly when an explosion shattered the night outside their camp. Amaedrianna rushed to assess the situation and discovered the blast had come from Jiin no Niwa, the Temple Garden district. When the group gathered again, Hatsu and Dash discussed Lysa’s strategy. Her advice was sound, though laced with anger—she hadn’t forgiven Dash for leaving her behind for eight months while she carried their child. Still, she had given them valuable insight: a small, magically propelled boat that slipped through the rivers unseen, delivering what the rebellion needed to survive.
Hatsu and Amaedrianna pieced together what the explosion had struck. It was the Sanctuary of Falling Blossoms, a temple devoted to meditation and healing. Its destruction felt like a message—one of cruelty and control.
Amaedrianna questioned why the Willow, a man of quiet neutrality, would risk himself to help the rebels instead of fleeing the doomed city. She couldn’t make sense of it yet but decided they’d need more information before acting.
In the end, the group agreed that they would have to go inside the walls, no matter the danger. After studying their options, they decided the water offered the best chance to slip through unnoticed. The plan wasn’t yet in motion, but they knew it would take time and care to prepare. For now, they chose to take a week to rest, gather their strength, and decide how best to reclaim what was left of Saigo no Toshi.
