Scarcely a moment after Carakhan, Pearl of the Ocean abruptly
disappeared from New Celest, a loud alarm sounded from the Aetherplex. A
brief outline of the Starhopper was sighted hovering over Avechna's
Peak, but it soon descended once more, and the alarm rang again, this
time with more urgency.

The citizens of New Celest first hurried to Carakhan's fulcrux to demand
answers, but they found it abandoned, the sealife that once overflowed
in abundance now lifeless. As the alarm sounded once more, they
abandoned the fulcrux and arrived aboard the Starhopper, joining
intrigued visitors from Gaudiguch, Glomdoring, and Magnagora. Captain
Girda Starhopper explained to those gathered that her ship was grounded
and this alarm called for all gnome aetherships to protect destiny,
which is the greatest gnomish duty. There was much confusion over what
said destiny was or where it might be found beyond the certain fact that
it would be in aetherspace.

Over the next hour, aetherships launched one by one from the Aetherplex
and roamed the vastness of aetherspace in search of destiny. It was
Librarian Iytha of New Celest and her betrothed Doman Trueflight of
Hallifax that first arrived at Aquagoria, a bubble of reality previously
unknown to any. As they stood at the beach of a tiny island lost upon an
endless sapphire ocean, the furious Carakhan descended upon them,
uttered an ominous warning and vanished immediately after.

Within a few hours, the aethership of New Celest arrived, bearing upon
it Princess Kelly McCloud, Acrune McCloud, Sister Chakraja, Prelate
Meliana Regalis, Sister Fay, Grandmaster Ryboi D'Varden, Grand Commander
Kurama Eli'Silar, Squire Preston, and Sir Kreon Zayah. As the group
alighted on the beach, they were joined by the lone delegate of
Glomdoring, Belibi Ga'ruul. Such a gathering attracted Carakhan again,
but as She shrieked for them all to leave, three Silver Dynodeons flew
from above and attacked Her. The assault was easily dismissed by the
Goddess but as more Dynodeons arrived, She left with Her pursuers
trailing behind Her.

As more members of Glomdoring arrived, Celestians set out to explore the
ocean. Ryboi D'Varden was the first to encounter the Swimmer of Destiny,
an angelfish surrounded by a blinding aquamarine aura, and attempted to
attack it with little success. Soon afterwards, the submarine Tid-Bit
was found patrolling the ocean and those boarding it met with Captain
Beehab. Frantic with worry, he requested assistance in protecting
Destiny by vanquishing the Devourer, now revealed to be an enormous
vampire squid.

Trusting the Captain's word over Carakhan's, those of New Celest and
Glomdoring set to work, gathering squids and other ingredients that
would help weaken the Devourer enough to be defeated. Under the
Princess' command, the Devourer was poisoned and slain with Postulant
Kagato landing the killing blow. And when Kethaera An'Ryshe of
Glomdoring brought its heart to the Captain, the ocean was rocked by a
surge of aquamarine light that revealed the Swimmer of Destiny to be
Carakhan, Sculptor of Waves.

Baffled and amazed, the mortals rushed to the surface to witness two
Carakhans floating above the ocean - one star-shaped and another with a
tail. An argument ensued between the Goddesses as to which is the real
Carakhan, which led to the revealed one accusing the other of stealing
Her precious Pearl and using it to create a disguise. As the Sculptor
gathered Her power to retrieve the Pearl, the other Goddess flung it
into the ocean in annoyance. At that very moment, Her entire body began
to shift and transform into another Elder with billowing golden hair,
and the scent of musk and spices drifted upon the wind, confirming the
fears of many. Her plot thwarted, Drocilla, the Enchantress laughed and
vanished into a portal.

Still confused by the whole ordeal, the real Carakhan arrived at the
beach into the midst of mortals. Her appearance was different to that of
the impostor - Her legs were transformed into a tail for ease of
swimming through aetherspace, She wore a cuirass to protect against
enemies, and She wielded a golden trident as Her weapon. Once the
mortals explained how they came to exist and what transpired, the
Goddess told Her own tale. In it, the fate of the last group of Elders
to depart into the Void was made known - in short, They never made it.
There were many dangers in aetherspace, among them the Soulless, so
Carakhan was forced to adapt and fend for Herself, ultimately becoming
trapped as the Swimmer of Destiny to fight the lesser Soulless known as
the Devourer. She also revealed that Agnomenon vowed to protect Her at
all costs and it became clear that, indeed, His shards continued His
work tirelessly.

When all was said and done, the present members of New Celest invited
Carakhan to travel with them to their city. As they arrived, the Pool of
Stars was full of cheerful faces that sought to greet their true Divine.
The peace did not last long, for moments later, a portal tore the sky
above New Celest in twain, revealing Drocilla returning to a city She
not so long ago sought to subvert. Proclaiming Her disappointment in New
Celest for all to hear, She also whispered threats and promises into the
ears of Celestians alone. Then, floating high above New Celest, She
began to sing an unearthly song that shattered windows, eardrums, and
sapped the citizens of their strength, much to the amusement of
Magnagorans. Several succumbed to the bittersweet melody before Carakhan
shielded the city in a globe of water to deflect the sound.

The song ceased and Drocilla lingered a moment longer in silence to
revel in the destruction before turning Her attention to Magnagora,
where Her Brother, Raezon, the Forbidden, had already ordered the Iron
Council to ready itself for Her arrival. The meeting took place within
the Tower of Midnight Domination with Warlord Leolamins d'Murani,
Heresiarch Esca n'Lochli, and Chosen of the Legion, Lavinya d'Murani
present. The details of what transpired there remain unknown, sans the
whispers that covertly spread the news that the Hyringex Collar still
binds the Enchantress.

Why has the Traitor Goddess chosen to return now and not before? How did
She procure the Pearl from the depths of the Inner Sea? And further,
what exactly was Her goal with New Celest? Pure entertainment or
something more sinister?

And why were the Silver Dynodeons involved at all?

Penned by My hand on the 15th of Urlachmar, in the year 382 CE.