The troupe emerges from the void into the barren wastes of Tothkubad.

They face a four day walk to other nexus gate set into the mountainside of the Tothkubad mountain range, slinking their way among the rocks and crevasses and frozen drifts to avoid being spotted by the mysterious denizens of the Dark City of Calithil.

January 7, 7762

After passing across the broken plains and foothills of Tothkubad, the troupe reaches the other gate to the nexus set deep in a cleft of the mountain range.

Entering it they begin the journey through the nothingness to the crossroads of the four known paths.

From there they take the path to the cemetery gate southwest of Opal.

January 9, 7762

After the two day journey through the nothingness, they approach the cemetery gate which is currently open to reality. As they approach, they see a shadow move against the shadow of nothingness, stooping down over the prone body of a human. The shadow jerks upright and floats/glides at great speed towards the group. With blinding speed, Mar’Khabazza sweeps out Razor and Hasp and plunges one then the other deep into the shadow and with a shudder the shadow shifts left and disappears into the swirling void.

Corpse is dressed in the winter gear of a Ranger from Opal. Huntress Lokni speaks up, “I know this man. This is Jaeden Lultrikrefk from the South Watch.” She rolls him over and sees frost-like burn marks across his face and neck. “What was he doing here?”

Ravenna speaks, “I wonder if the gate opened somehow and he stopped in to explore.”

They pause to let the Rangers gather up the body of their brother, wrapping him in his cloak and stepping out into a pitch black snowstorm. Ravenna closes the gate behind them as Senior Sergeant Joktuk says, “We will bring Lultrikrefk back to his people for the funeral.”

It is a six hour walk back through the Mulpara Mountains along the Ranger’s Road back to Opal. It would be treacherous going if it were not for the rangers from Opal and their surefooted confidence.

As they approach the illuminated shrine to Culcordia the Weaver they start to speak excitedly of warm taverns, family, home and warm soup. They walk up the southern road past the dark houses of the southern city and are challenged by snowshoe-clad watch patrolling the empty street. From here they split up and agree to meet up in the upcoming days to debrief, but for now it is warm homes and kin.

The troupe walks north to the Salt House, eagerly anticipating hot soup from Masha, a roaring fire in the hearth and soft beds, but it was not to be.

As they walk under the waterworks of Noble’s Row, they see that the Salt House is dark, cold and still. In the gloomy illumation of the streat lamps, they spy a chain across the front gates with a symbol for plague hanging on a crude sign. A smaller sign has a decree that the Salt House has been closed due to plague upon a decree from the Town Council.

In a strange moment of selflessness, Mar’Khabazza wonders aloud, “Gods damn the pettiness of this place. But where are Masha, Naisha, Kehopu and the girl? Gredi?”

Without stopping to rest, they head back into the lower city, asking about for the home of Masha. Eventually they are directed Masha’s house and she is there to answer the door with the other three women settled into a tiny, yet well-kept home. There isn’t much room for the four women and the foursome of Mar’Khabazza, Ravenna, Magnus and Fortune, so it is a quick discussion on the snow-blown porch.

It seems that two weeks ago, Mash took her usual delivery of provisions from a deliveryman and shortly thereafter the man erupted in pustules and boils, collapsed and died on his way to the pub. “Plague, it is serious,” she says. “The council blamed us and quickly shut down the house, and we have been quarantined here until safe they decide it is.”

Rather than fight the edict banning them from the Salt house the troupe settles in to the Tempest to get some rest away from the elements and stop to reflect. As they enter the common room of the inn, Fortune’s eyes light up for the first time since being released and get immediately claims a table near a warming brazier and begins to play Magnus’ lute and sing softly, slowly and artfully increasing volume until the whole room is captivated by her performance.

The rest of the troupe claim rooms and collapse into bed.