In the Eye of the Storm

As the Goddess Li-varili slumbered upon the healing mound, the Basin of Life was paying the price of the Sea Spirit’s troubled Awakening. Toronada Tidal Flats remained flooded and the highways encircling the Basin were transporting more water and deep-sea monstrosities than goods or adventurers. The seas roiled with unprecedented storms, making maritime travel impossible, and floods made their way even into the dark tunnels of the Undervault. To mitigate the numerous obstacles, weary pilgrims erected a campsite under the boughs of an ancient oak at the foot of Avechna’s Peak and many did seek to rest there for a night before resuming their pilgrimage. Likewise, many nations sought to alleviate the burden of the storm.

In Serenwilde, Saran Strongleaf took particular interest in the workings of the weather systems across the Basin of Life and did his best to quell the raging storms as a shaman, but his power alone could not make much headway. Other Serens were also concerned about the effects of the torrential rains and lightning strikes upon the forest itself. A conversation with Isotta, the White Handed, a naiad of Serenwilde, led to plans to hold a ritual wherein Serens would work together with the support of the naiads of the forest to push the waters in the skies elsewhere. To enlist the aid of the naiad of Moon Lake, Serens asked Abeytu, Keeper of the Gardens, to grow a special water lily to impress the aforementioned fae. In the end, a lovely blue water lily was grown and presented to the water nymph, who agreed to put forth her powers. Likewise, Isotta was also empowered in her own way by Serens and joined in on the ritual, which was held upon Moon Lake. Calling upon Seralem and the Great Spirits and spirits of Serenwilde, the ritualists – Saran, Huskii, Xiran, Tyrus, Grimmia, Sondayga, and Nialla – lifted their voices to the skies as the naiads surged forth, carrying waters out of the forest and onto the Alabaster Road and Ackleberry Highway, the floods reaching as far as the gates of Magnagora and New Celest. In the wake of their ritual, the rains in Serenwilde became a drizzle, and the winds abated slightly. With fae and Spirits, Serens have worked to protect their forest.

The effects of the stormy weather were not kind on Glomdoring either, as rain made it through the densest of its canopies, beating an incessant rhythm into the Drums of the Dead. As lightning split the skies, members of the dark forest were drawn to the Glomdoring stables by the flustered shouting of Filib Shee-slaugh. The faeling stablekeep had apparently received an embarrassing letter from Akuuko, the wyrd-touched dracnari. But in the scandalous pages, there were notes on a ritual to help push back the unending storm from the forest. By the combined efforts of Gabe, Xenthos, Illyria, Gael, Afollia, Evette, Esei, Netra, and Glitterna – the Glomdoring was able to construct an altar atop Night’s Needle. Through song and offering, the group channelled the tremendous power of the Wyrd through the altar, and in a flash of violet lightning the winds suddenly calmed and the rainfall became more gentle. Glomdoring’s murders of crows would still need to shake out their ruffled and soaked feathers, but the wyrden forest’s might made its will known.

As the rain slammed down upon the desert city of Gaudiguch, its keeper roused herself from a stupor as she found herself uncharacteristically soaked. As adventurers gathered around to watch her argue with the Guardian Drachou, they managed to convince him to attempt to fight off the storm. And fly he did, majestic and breathtaking in his might, but when he coaxed forth a powerful prismatic breath to clear the storms away, he abruptly fell into the Eternal Flame. Shaken as they were, Gaudiguchians would need to investigate the matter of Drachou’s health later and bid him rest for now. Taking the burden upon themselves, Afrit, Vyell, Norra, Chundae, and Sulwh scoured the city for a solution before a sheepish Shimotaabi Xiim made contact with the elusive, wandering Sayma Dith. Under her careful watch, the adventurers purified themselves through a rite of Illumination before channelling their strength into Mesadari, enabling her to stoke the Eternal Flame into a grand inferno that burned away the greatest brunt of the storm which raged over Gaudiguch. It could not be fully dispelled as the Sea Spirit’s pain and rage remained, but the worst was over.

Meanwhile, with so many ships forced to dock and weather out the tumult, one old and familiar face made his way to shore in Celest: Manchal, once tutor to the Aquamancers of New Celest, his travels upon the Inner Sea interrupted. Once apprised of current events by a full gathering of the city, and at his request, he was brought to the Chamber of Tides, where the Sanctifiers stand vigil over the Thalassos of the Inner Sea where it roiled with storms from within. After some discussion, during which Zeasha Novikei, Canticle of the Tides joined, Romaan suggested that light essence might be the solution. When New Celest brought offerings of the energy, however, the Thalassos would not accept it, requiring Celest to temper it some with a combination of music and magic. Eventually, the waves were persuaded to draw the essence in, only for each bit to be spat out as tumultuous sea essence. This sparked an idea: over the month, at Zeasha’s and Manchal’s urging, New Celest continued to bring light essence to the Thalassos – like a sponge, it drew droplets of its pain away until the Thalassos calmed enough for the city to reconvene. After a great rite was performed – including a song sung by Falaine, accompanied by Cheliyi and Zeasha, and an aquamantic ritual worked by Tridemon, Gyorn, Kennian, Soterasiel, and Manchal – the Thalassos of the Inner Sea was finally coaxed and soothed, lulled and encouraged to let its storms recede from the city’s bounds. Such a feat, it was later noted and celebrated, had not been successfully undertaken since the Thalassic Aegis last communed with the Thalassos in ages lost.

High up in the clouds, the storm surrounded Hallifax from all sides, lightning reflecting in its crystal towers. The city’s defensive systems ensured its stability so Hallifaxians were very surprised to find two lucidian climatologists taking measurements near the Matrix. Not only did they not have paperwork to show for the work order, but they were also sent there from the Plaxios Laboratories located in the Razines. Deciding to seek answers at the source, Hallifaxians visited Odethi Plaxios who claimed to be able to disperse the storm not just for Hallifax, but for the Basin at large due to the numerous breakthroughs they have made due to the storm. After heated grant negotiations with Ayisdra and having given ample assurances of success, Odethi tasked Hallifaxians with placing crystal pylons at high altitudes surrounding the city which was quickly accomplished by Calioliahali, Yilan, Lorina, and Azazilliy. Once initiated, the experiment worked out well and banished the worst of the storm from Hallifax. However, soon it turned out that it did so by relocating it to the Plaxios Lowlands. As emergency systems blared, both the laboratory personnel and Hallifaxians evacuated to higher ground and watched helplessly as the laboratory was flooded by a rockslide unleashing a glacier lake onto the lowlands.

In Magnagora, the wicked storm upset its Geomancers terribly, sending them underground. Others tempted the storm with abandon by flying over its all-metal construction site, becoming lightning rods themselves. But when the Sea of Despair started to flood the docks, it was time to act. The city gathered at the waterfront, joined by its foremost engineer and adept Geochemancer, Ragash Chokuul, the one of a kind Mistress Jezebel, once of the Geomancers Guild, and Jhairus d’Murani, an ancient Geomancer. While Ragash espoused the benefits of a steel floodgate system, to be built in three year’s time, Warlady Kailanna needed an immediate solution. In the end, the Geomancer summit – consisting of the old, the new, and the insane – resulted in a plan to raise earthen floodgates. Out of their holes did the geomancers climb to answer Jezebel’s call, engaging in a Geomantic ritual under Jhairus’ leadership. The very waterfront shook with earthen powers as Harbinger Veldrin held the meld and Geomancers Akyaevin and Shango lent their powers to the effort. Though not skilled in elementalism, the rest of the city joined the Geomancers, empowering them to challenge the sea itself. The floodgates rose along the waterfront, protecting the docks, but the storm continued. For that Ragash also had a solution and deep within the clockwork Nosfydra was pressure aligned just right to blast tainted fumes into the sky over Magnagora. Trapped within the black dome that shrouds the city, the fumes cooled the weather and calmed down the storm, coating the city in the blissful whiteness of snow instead.

All of that, however, were temporary measures and the storm would not abate but for the Great Spirit of the Sea being found. As the Goddess Li-varili stirred and Her dreams called out for the Sea Spirit, the debate over Her confinement for the purposes of healing, Her reckless actions, and Her relationship with the Sea Spirit raged on. A Mother who ought to be allowed to soothe Her child, or a corrupting influence that will stop at nothing to have Her way?