Introduction

A remote corner of the Sea of the Dead has gained a peculiar reputation among fortune hunters in recent decades. The waters between the Wak'na Islands are shrouded in a thick, unrelenting fog. From time to time, strange and dangerous creatures emerge from the Mist, and as if that weren’t enough, rumor has it that a ghost ship also roams its waters. Yet it is also said that the Mist hides a wondrous relic that grants a single wish to whoever finds it.

Once upon a time, the islands were home to a thriving civilization. But the glory of the Wak'na Empire faded overnight; their gods vanished without a trace, and so the ziggurats of Khorakas now stand empty and silent. Over the course of nearly a century, nature has slowly reclaimed the walls of the ruined city, and the remnants of the Wak'na people are now forced to seek refuge in the swamps of Uxmal.

In the vacated territories, the great powers of nearby Gorvik and Shadon have both established colonies. Rel Morran, a high priest of Ranagol, planted a Gorvik flag on the ruins of a former Wak'na city; the settlement established there still bears his name to this day. The interests of the King of Shadon, meanwhile, are represented by the Knights of the Ravenguard, who named their newly built castle Shalhun.

We must also mention the port of Galecrada, which has functioned as an independent city-state at the gateway to the Eastern Ocean since time immemorial, as well as Orkuga’s floating island cobbled together from shipwrecks, which serves as a refuge for any stranger—provided they can afford the docking fee.

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Osborne (halfling ranger):

You're tossing and turning in bed again, as you have been for the past couple of days. Ever since the letter came. You get out of bed to examine it once more, knowing full well that this would reveal nothing new.

“What really happened to the Wak’na Gods? Find me if you want answers.” – and a symbol in lieu of a signature:

Orkuga has served you well as a refuge, but you decide that the time of staying still has come to an end. You need to get out there once more. You crave answers.

Early morning you head down to the docks to see if you can find a ship. Apparently the Owlbear is in search of a new navigator. You have a word with Captain Fenn and he decides to take you onboard. This could prove to be a good stepping stone to obtain a ship of your own.

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Deig (dwarf pugilist):

After a long night of gambling, you’re stumbling through the docks of Rel Morran at the first light of dawn, slightly inebriated. Tomorrow is going to be your day, you just need to borrow a little more to turn your fortune around and regain your losses. And pay off the debts of course.

Suddenly you notice that a bunch of folks are blocking your way. You turn back and realize you’re surrounded. You don't feel like taking your chances with these folks. Not now.

Searching for a way out you realize that a ship is pulling its anchors at the end of the pier. You make a run for it, your heart pounding in your ears as the planks creak and bend under your weight. You don't even consider your inability to swim as you leap forward off the ledge.

You manage to grab hold of some protrusion on the side of the ship. Just as you fear that you can't hold on any longer, a rope is flung down from deck and a salty old sailor hauls you onboard.

After a short conversation the captain admits you to the crew. No pay for now, but at least you're out of the water. Pun very much intended.

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Horatius (human wizard):

You arrive to Shalhun and find a room at the inn by the docks. You don’t really have much of a plan, but when the old visions start to return in your dreams you know that you made the right choice by coming here.

Asking around regarding the Mist and the ruins of Khorakas doesn’t reveal much. Hard to know if there are any morsels of truth within the stories you hear from the sailors. You think that it’s probably best if you get out there and do your own research. But where to start? You have no connections this far from home.

By a stroke of luck (or fate?) you hear of someone with a similar curiosity toward the mysteries of the region: a halfling by the name Osborne. As it happens the ship he’s serving on has just arrived to port.

After exchanging pleasantries over a few beers it's clear that both of you possess a healthy dose of curiosity toward the mysteries surrounding the Mist. The halfling sets you up to meet with his captain, and not long after you're appointed as the new gunner to the Owlbear.

You say good bye to Salina, and set out to sea to unravel the ominous prophecies that haunt you.

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Bilfan (gnome druid):

You and your cousin leave your home in the forest behind, and head to the docks of Galecrada in search of the stolen Tome. After a bit of sniffing around you find out two things. First, the ship of the supposed "merchants" your family hosted a few nights ago was registered by the name Blue Djinn and already sailed off to Rel Morran. Second, there are rumors about a certain Captain Fenn offering mad-honey for sale - perhaps this is where your uncle got hold of the stuff.

You and your cousin decide to split up. And what better way to decide who takes which lead, than a friendly game of ... After properly mopping the floor with you, your cousin decides to take the next ship to Rel Morran to try and track down the Blue Djinn.

This leaves you with looking for this Captain Fenn. Eventually you find the man at an inn by the docks, sitting at a corner doing paperwork. After a little prodding it turns out that he's in need of a ship surgeon, which gives you a chance to do some sniffing from the inside.

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Balphas (tiefling sorcerer):

You set out from Uxmal to find your relatives, following rumors from port to port. Unfortunately, both of them turn out to be extremely difficult to locate. Kazil seems to be jumping from ship to ship, never staying at the same place for long. And Belak has been all but swallowed by the ground.

Finally, you get word that Belak has been spotted in the woods near Galecrada. Asking the local druids you learn that just the other night Belak held an initiation ceremony for a local gnome called Bilfan. Belak has left with the young initiate after the ceremony.

You track Bilfan all the way to the tavern in Galecrada’s port. It’s already midnight and the inn is mostly empty. The bartender says that a young gnome signed on to the crew of the Owlbear. Captain Fenn is still at his table in the corner buried in paperwork.

You walk up to the man and try your best to impress him. You're not convinced about being too successful in that department, but Fenn does allow you on board for the next leg of their trip for free - as long as you pull your weight by helping out the sailors during the voyage.