DoA|Epilogue|Part 2: Sadly Ever After

General Summary

Following the beautiful (if rambunctious) wedding of Sidra Snowdrift and Salvor Bonemasher Suden, we explore the decades and centuries that follow, wherein our heroes will live out the remainder of their lives and accept the ends fate has wrought for them.

Adalius von Lamalet

Hunt of Mirshara

Adalius von Lamalet, the last of his bloodline, had mostly left his rapier on the mantle in those final days. One thing, however, had plagued him—as it had others. In the year 11, Adalius, Anca Bree-Lamalet, and Peteovar von Lamalet suited up again to seek out Mirshara von Lamalet. Finding her proved difficult, and took a good deal of time... but even upon encountering their daughter, Adalius and Anca found someone unrecognizable protected by a vampire brood. The vampirism in her blood, mingled with the corruption by the three Eyes of Zarthilx, had tainted Mirshara to a horrific degree. Yet, when Mirshara had the opportunity to kill the three of them with ease, she refrained, instead teleporting them away from the ruins in Hrol she had made her home.

Peteovar would later return there on his own, against the wishes of his parents, to find the ruin completely abandoned, no sign of Mirshara or her brood. He hoped, at the very least, to find a note from his big sister, but there was nothing left of her there—as was the case with the young woman herself.

Battlescars

On Kier 19th, in the year 23, as sunlight streamed through the glass window of the Lamalet homestead in New Masca, Bheldrak Vanatore, Peteovar, Wetzel, and Anca sat by the bedside of Adalius as he accepted that his time had come. Old injuries had caught up with the aging man, and the last heir to the Sclavian Throne prepared to breathe his last.

Lana Vahnce/Ava Lanche

Operation of Healing Paw

For Lana, the years after the Reckoning had been far busier than those that led up to it. She found herself balancing budgets, managing books, training newcomers, doing her own research, and even (unexpectedly) giving speeches across Elzveir by invitation. The Healing Paw had grown to establish additional branches in Elzveir, though the main headquarters in the city of Pascol was the one that Lana primarily worked out of.

Stella Fairre

One day, a newcomer arrived at the Healing Paw and explicitly asked for council with Lana herself by name. As the young halfling girl entered the room, she said, “Are you Lana Vahnce? The thief?” After Lana acknowledged that she had once been a thief, the girl revealed her name as Stella Fairre and stated that she needed to exact vengeance on the man who had killed her brother; she offered a bit over 950 gold pieces as a donation to the Healing Paw in exchange.

Disappearance of Lana

One day, in the year 21, Sidra Snowdrift came to visit Lana only to be told that Lana hadn’t left her room in several days, with some claiming that she must be meditating. Sidra knew this didn’t sound like Lana and barged into the room with Salvor at her side. Lana’s chambers were empty, but Sidra did find a journal entitled The Black Parade. Sidra expected it to be a recounting of their adventures, and in a way, it was... at least, in Lana's own words. It was a ledger recounting all of the money that she had ever lent to anyone, and whether it had been repaid or not.

A few years later, a report came through from the north that the body of Lana Vahnce had been found frozen in the snow. Sidra went to investigate in a morgue in Suorr. She confirmed for the investigators that it was undoubtedly Lana’s body, though when she left the morgue, there was a smile on her face.

Varga

The Seventh Eye

Varga, like Adalius, had spent a good deal of resources and time pursuing Mirshara. It became clear to him, though, that even his wealth and resources would not be enough to take on what was quickly becoming an army of vampires that moved quickly and quietly across the world each time they were discovered. At the very least, he had needed his own set of eyes—or at least a better understanding of them—in order to stand a chance against the woman. He was also beginning to feel his age, a solution for which he had been mulling over for some time.

Refocusing his efforts on acquiring eyes finally paid off when his small army uncovered the location of an underground rival of his, who had taken over the underground ruin of Grotmoria. After a war between their forces that lasted a few months, Varga finally captured the notorious Gerwiz Genji and claimed the Seventh Eye of Zarthilx.

Smolder Corpse

In the year 31, Varga’s plan to extend his life had finally advanced. Varga clutched a scroll tightly in his hand, staring down at the excavation site. Deep in these caverns found within Grozav, the partially-preserved the partially-preserved corpse of an ancient dragon had been extracted carefully by archaeologists. They stepped aside as Varga neared the colossal dragon’s head. Ten of Varga’s most trusted lieutenants, there by his request, entered the chamber. Varga rapidly cut the throats of his lieutenants with a ruby dagger, which he then used to pierce his own hand before resting it upon the tremendous skull of the once-proud dragon.

Some months later, a group of treasure hunters entered the cavern to discover the corpse of a brimstone gaian… and the place where the skeleton of a great dragon once stood.

Gertrude "Trudy" Dusktalon

Tea Time!

For a few years, Trudy split her time between the brigade, writing, reading, and assisting Narek Moonstone with advancing Tasseomancy. One day, in the 7th year after the Reckoning, a student stuck around after class to ask Narek and Trudy for their thoughts on her thesis. She wished specifically to use Tasseomancy to recreate the spatiomantic ability to transform one's own appearance, at least temporarily, into an exact copy of another. Trudy and Narek assisted the girl with her studies and experiments until they had finally perfected the formula for the tea. She used it transform herself into a copy of Professor Dusktalon, then took a few more feathers from the professor to use in recreating the tea before her thesis presentation at the college.

Sleepless Night

Eventually, Trudy retired from the school and focused on continuing to assist the Red Hornet Brigade with their efforts. By the Year 30, she had decided to retire even from that, particularly following Brel’s absence from the brigade. She wished to spend the remaining time she had focused on her writing, hoping to document as much of her knowledge as possible for future generations.

On Urbai the 22nd, as the glow of the sunset streamed through Trudy’s window in the 32nd year, Trudy clacked away at a typewriter and put the finishing touches on one of her manuscripts, then slid it into a manilla envelope. She placed the manuscript in a mailbox, returned to her bedroom, and crawled into her bed. More than seventy books under her belt—that was a wonderful legacy.

Gertrude 'Gerty' Switchback Vanatore

Running the Cauldron

Much of Gerty’s time in the years to come was spent operating the Cunt Cauldron. Yeslee Norvison had helped them out with much of the business before she passed in her sleep a few years later. Picking up the slack Yeslee had left behind proved difficult, but Gerty and Udel Steelwillow were able to work it out together and keep things rolling, though it was a slow start. In the years to come, the Cunt Cauldron expanded throughout Verde, becoming incredibly popular with the locals. Tavern brawls were a regular occurrence, broken up only when Udel and Gerty were about ready for bed.

Tales from the Reckoning

Gerty never stopped talking about how heroic she had always been, often using the greataxe she’d held against Zurguth as a prop for her recountings of the legend. One night, after an especially rigorous tavern brawl, and 33 years after the Reckoning, Gerty told the tale for the last time to a crowd of bruised, injured, bloodied listeners around the fireplace of the now-extravagant Cunt Cauldron, one of them being Hrokar.

After recounting the tale of her last stand against Zurguth one last time, Gerty was carried to bed by Udel, where she closed her eyes and whispered her last words to her wife. Come morning, Udel buried Gerty, still cradling the axe, in the garden just outside the Cauldron, with an empty plot beside the warrior’s tomb reserved for herself.

Edmund Boothe

Edmund Boothe the Dragonslayer, shortly after the Reckoning, started drawing a great deal of attention to himself by selling various magical artifacts from the dragon's hoard. The attention came from rather aggressive gangs throughout Aen, all of whom had heard of this solo gambler who kept appearing in various towns to peddle something worth hundreds or even thousands of gold pieces.

One of these interested parties surrounded an apartment Edmund was staying in while visiting the city of O'Dai in Aerdis. Edmund, sensing the danger, decided to try to sneak out unnoticed. Unfortunately, Edmund had never actually succeeded in an attempt at being stealthy in his life. While escaping the apartment, he accidentally tripped over a loose board and tumbled into the streets below, where a horse, and the carriage it was dragging, ran him over.

In the end, it turned out that the "interested parties" weren't actually folk out to kill him, but were truly just would-be groupies hoping to meet him. So ended the life of Edmund the Dragonslayer.

Salvor Bonemasher Suden

Rest Well, Warrior

Sidra and Salvor, on board the Withering Rose since rebranded as the Blooming Rose, occasionally teamed up with the Red Hornet Brigade to disrupt the actions of Fainarr, particularly as the nation sought to transport goods and soldiers north to Buern. The two of them sailed, fought, bled, and dined together for many years, but by the 39th year after the Reckoning, it had become clear that Salvor's time had come. His swings weren't as strong, his moves weren't as quick, and he was struggling to get up come morning—more so than usual. Worst of all, he couldn't hold as much liquor as he used to. Sidra, meanwhile, with her unyielding connection to nature—and her sheer stubbornness—had hardly aged at all in this span of time.

And so, in the captain’s quarters of the Blooming Rose, Sidra held Salvor's hand as he lay at their bedside. When he breathed his last, Sidra changed the course of their ship to Ildecata, an island far to the east of Elzveir. There, she carried Salvor's body herself, insisting on being alone, and laid him to rest, maul clutched firmly in his hand, beneath a towering tree. She remained there alone, mourning the loss of her beloved, for several days before emerging from the forest some time later and returning to her ship, taking back her role as captain immediately. This time, though, she said she intended to sail to Matka to seek out her next first mate.

Dustbone Coliseum

Matka, a land known for its warriors and value of strength over all else, was to the east of Ildecata. Sidra had not been there since she dropped Selm off many years ago, but docked there eagerly. Upon her arrival, she and her pirates were met with a small force. Rather than converse, Sidra showed strength by immediately clawing the face off of the man who seemed to be their leader, then promised to spare those who remained if they would allow her to host a gory competition within their arena. Gleefully, the people agreed, and so the competition was organized, with word spreading like wildfire across Matka that the opportunity had presented itself for the strongest competitor to become the new First Mate of the Blooming Rose.

The competition was fierce, with the people of Matka clamoring for the chance to compete. In the final days of the tournament, ten warriors battled it out in a furiously bloody brawl, but only one emerged the victor: a hibridian bear man calling himself Drav’kor of Skahsh. Drav approached Sidra and made his oath to her, after which she returned to the Blooming Rose with her new companion by her side.

In the privacy of the captain’s quarters, Sidra turned to address the towering bear man. "Is it you?" she asked, to which he nodded before complaining about how hairy his new body was. Still, Salvor was more than willing to take on a new form again and win back the right to stand by Sidra's side again and again.

Brel Nymuar III

Dragonchin

As Brel continued to lead the Red Hornet Brigade into battle, he was truly more of a behind-the-scenes leader, with the highly charismatic Bamdor Dragonchin Jr. leading the charge and serving as the face of the brigade. Together, they fought and thwarted enough of Fainarr’s missions to cause serious upset and even got their names plastered on wanted posters across Aen. The two became friends, which was much easier to do when Bamdor’s scurvy had been cured and he had a new set of ceramic, silver, and gold teeth.

One day, Dragonchin Jr. and Brel were embroiled in a seafaring battle when their vessel was assailed by the Fainarran Navy. Soldiers brandishing rapiers stormed the ship, one of them skewering Dragonchin. Bamdor turned to Brel and, through the blood pooling in his grinning mouth, wheezed for Brel to run. Brel couldn’t be sure, because no further sound came out of Bamdor’s mouth, but he could have sworn that Bamdor had also tried to say the word “Brother”. Seeing the writing on the wall, Brel dove overboard and swam for the Blooming Rose, with Sidra later dropping him off back in Verde, where his underground headquarters had been built.

Past Bite Ye

In the 30th year after the Reckoning, on the 6th of Orlin, a severe winter cold had set in, halting the operations of the Red Hornet Brigade. Brel sat in his chambers, wiping his dinner from his chin, when a knock came to his door. It was Hrokar, slightly drunk, introducing Trudy Dusktalon for a private audience.

As Trudy stepped in, she locked the door behind her and then removed a glove from her hand, throwing it down in front of her, challenging Brel. As she did, the feathers started to fade from her body, which began to shift, change, and shrink to reveal a blonde-haired halfling girl. She looked familiar—too familiar—and it dawned on Brel that this individual must be related to the half-gnome he'd eaten all those years ago. It was, in fact, the young lad's sister, who introduced herself as Felicity Lunewright as she challenged Brel and drew her knives. She stated that she had trained with the best and brightest thief and assassin she could find just for the chance at this opportunity—a woman Brel had known. Same with who had helped her devise the tea that allowed her not only to change her appearance, but to devise the various teas in vials that she would use to disarm and disable Brel during their brief, deadly fight.

When the fight concluded, Felicity drove forks into Brel's wrists and used one of her knives to cut off his nose, which she chewed on and spat onto his bleeding face. Hrokar, hearing Brel's screams, stormed into the room, but Felicity was already gone. Brel's spirit left shortly thereafter.

Bheldrak Vanatore

This Mortal Form

Bheldrak had spent many years focusing on the Glint of Divinity. It had, in time, grown, though he had not been able to perform the Rite of the Sovereign Saurian on newcomers to the temple he constructed in the ruin of Castle Dracongrsl. It became clear to him by the 43rd year that he had reached the limits of his mortal form; it was time to move beyond it, though the future was unclear for what that would look like to him.

He spoke to the people of his order, advising them that his own time had come and that he was ready for the next phase—to shed his mortal form and accept whatever came after. After lamenting that they may not see one another again, Bheldrak asked that they continue to uphold the values he had instilled in them over the years. He then left them there to seek out his final resting place: the vault in the pit where Castle von Lamalet once stood. As he crouched in the center of the great stone circle that had once held Pasajiraes, the Blackbreath and even Filch Vanatore, he looked up at the intricate vault doors where Adalius had spilled his blood to grant them entry to the chamber housing the spark of Marius von Inalt decades ago. As these memories filled his mind, he closed his eyes and felt chilling water begin to rise around him.

Eternal Feud

Bheldrak's eyes opened and he found himself, for the first time in over four decades, standing in the Twixt. Now, however, enormous platinum wings expanded from his otherwise familiar body. The wings stretched out to an incredible width, roughly 30 meters from end to end. His claws and horns had lengthened as well, and he could feel the increased sharpness of his fangs.

The water before him rippled and a multicolored draconic head rose, snaking out of the waters in the Twixt. Every scale of this newcomer’s body glimmered with a different color of the rainbow, and various elements seemed to swirl around her body, causing the water to freeze, boil, and electrify as she shifted and moved. The largest entity Bheldrak had ever seen crawled up from the abyss and addressed him. Revansa her self, a beautifully terrifying wyrm, rose from the depths and addressed Bheldrak, offering him a place by her side instead of opposite her on the eternal battlefield. Bheldrak, steadfast, denied her.

Vorji Skullreach

Vorji Skullreach proved a valiant member of the Red Hornet Brigade and was more than willing to take up the mantle after Brel was assassinated. His first order of business was, understandably, to hire a different bodyguard. He put Hrokar in charge of a smaller sect of the brigade, instead. Afterward, he gave a short but sweet speech:

My friends, I never thought that in the quest to seek vengeance against my sister in the name of my father, then defeat some weird squid dude, then play deadly pranks on Fainarr, that I would meet such wonderful people. Together, we have fought valiant battles and drank innumerable pints. Through darkness and deep water, we’ve kept one another afloat. We have faced loss along the way—my ear and super sick cloak, for example—but we came out stronger for it. I’ll always be here to drink a pint or lend an ear, but you may have to speak up and I’ll want my ear back when you’re done.

Vorji would lead the brigade for many decades to follow, guiding them through good times and bad; he lent their services to those who needed it, with special favor paid to those who were enemies of Fainarr.

Udel Steelwillow

Running the Cunt Cauldron without Gerty proved more challenging than Udel could have ever imagined, but they had been making enough money for her to hire a business manager who helped keep the books. Gerty, after all, had always been the smart one (other than that one time). With money pouring in from the franchises of the Cunt Cauldron and various hirees now working for her, Udel was able to change gears. She used her wealth to spruce up a coliseum in Verde, where she offered her services as a warrior to train new fighters hoping to make a name for themselves.

One day, a young half-elven girl with noodly arms showed up at the arena. Unlike the enormous minotaurs, loxodons, and goliaths that Udel typically trained, this girl could hardly lift a handaxe. Still, she tried, and Udel asked her to stay after the course was finished for further tutoring and encouragement. She introduced herself as Aylia Tarkan and promised that if Udel did not expel her from the coliseum, she would continue showing up every day and putting in the work. Udel swore she would not expel her, but that she just needed additional help. Using an old hatchet as a makeshift cane, she walked the girl into Wood Et'Laterna and handed the hatchet to her, advising her to strike a tree. Her goal, she said, was not to strike the tree, but to envision the person she most believed deserved to be on the receiving end of her rage. Aylia told her she was picturing her parents, who had wished for her to become a wizard rather than a warrior.

And so Udel would continue to train newcomers to her arena. Years later, when the time came for her to reunite with her wife, Udel Steelwillow was laid to rest beside Gerty in the garden by their tavern.

Selm

Selm would continue to lead the the House of Tu'Vash for many decades, guiding the people there in the ways of healing and mercy, educating them in his own interpretation of these aspects of the natural order. He never left them, staying and guiding them as best he could. Selm likewise was always involved in every aspect of his monastery, from scrubbing the floors to feeding and comforting the sick.

But, on the 5th of Ruadd, in the 53rd year, though his body and mind did not feel the effects of age, his spirit knew that it was time to move on. He made his preparations and called his most trusted servant of the house to his humble quarters. There, he advised Kln in what would be needed now that it was Selm's time to go. After convincing the confused scalefolk that he would figure it out and had all the tools required to succeed in taking over the temple, Selm strode away from the House of Tu'Vash and climbed a cliff face. He sat down, cross-legged, and poured himself a cup of coffee one last time while clutching the stone Norran had given to him so many decades past. A short time later, the sun rose above the cliff's edge, illuminating the stone—all that was left behind by the once-exalted warrior.

Stelian Pescar

Stelian Pescar spent the years after the Reckoning a bit lost, as the only life he’d ever known was that of a soldier, yet the only wars in Aduna left to fight were those conducted by Fainarr. So he left Aduna and traveled to Elzveir, where he initially helped the Buernish people as a footsoldier but, after they were conquered by Fainarr, found himself lost again.

He then traveled to Aerdis, a notorious enemy of Fainarr and especially the newly-conquered Buern, and took up a role as a watchman. He wasn’t one to boast of his accomplishments; the man never spoke of the fact that he had slain the The Conglomeration, been on the ground floor when Cor’Athvaarn first arrived, and had participated in the final battle of the Reckoning. Instead, he took up his role as a lowly watchman and earned his way back to the top on his own merit within five years. Before long, he was in charge of the entire border shared between Aerdis and Buern.

When he turned 70, he finally retired, spending the remaining years of his life as a quartermaster for a guard house in one of the more beautiful areas of Aerdis, where he lived out his final days taking in the scenery with his loving wife.

At first, he was given a simple soldier’s burial, placed in a plot local to where he had served later in his life. However, when it was learned by both his wife and the leaders of Aerdis who he really was and what he had accomplished but humbly neglected to mention, his body was exhumed and transported to the Aerdan National Monument in the capital of the nation, where he was buried beneath an obelisk reciting his many deeds:

Stelian Pescar

The Frontline General

Hero of Fjern, Aerdis, and Aen

Hrokar

Accidental Deserter

Hrokar spent many of his remaining years serving the Red Hornet Brigade. However, during a long march from southern Aerdis to northwestern Suorr, he fell asleep and awoke many hours later to find that he had been left behind. Sweetly, it seemed that his soldiers had tried to give him a blanket, but it was made of flowers and rocks. After rising up from the strange bed, he wandered for a while, at first trying to find his company, but eventually resigning to finding a drink. He stayed in a nearby village for a few weeks before his money for mead ran out, and he had none left in his lamp.

Hrokar, unsure of how to book his own fights or how any of that celery nonsense worked, decided to do what he did best: beat folk up, take their money, and spend that on drink. Bonus if the people he robbed already had ale, too. He became a terror in Aerdis, so much so that he was able to inspire others to join his little brigade—mostly orcs, goblins, and other bugbears. None of them really considered any among them a leader, and they more or less stumbled into their numerous successes.

You Keep Watch for Hrokar

One autumn night in the 63rd year, in a cave deep within Bardholt that served as the home for some fifty-odd bandits working with Hrokar, drink and merriment abounded, but Hrokar was feeling very tired—moreso than usual. He could hardly lift his mug of stolen ale to his lips. One of his fellow warriors approached and asked if he was all right, and Hrokar told him that he needed to rest, but not before he had a drink. The comrade assisted Hrokar with finishing the mug, then the grey-furred Hrokar leaned against the cavern wall and closed his eyes, accepting the best sleep he'd ever had in his life.

Anace Stoutstride

The saga of Anace Stoutstride was a strange one. He was, at first, a simple inventor who wanted only to break into the vaults of Castle Fainarr to recover a small idol relevant to his culture back in the nation of Yanma in Hrol. Anace, during his adventure, made new friends, found himself helping save reality, and then was left with a rather dull life to look forward to in the aftermath. Still, he had learned one thing: adventuring, while fun, was quite expensive, and he did not have much to show for all he’d done in terms of reward.

As the dust settled and the echoes of triumph resounded with the sunrise, Anace had one thought: he really needed to pay of his adventuring loans, and he didn’t have much treasure with which to do that. Friends, of course, were the greatest treasure of all, but were not considered legal tender in most (civilized) nations. Additionally, he had accumulated quite a lot of medical debt from the absolutely ludicrous number of stab wounds he had suffered.

So he decided his adventuring days were not over. He continued to seek out new quests and treasures, desiring to get rid of his debt before settling down for an ordinary job. Of course, even after his debts were paid, his love for adventuring never ended. If he wasn’t in his workshop tinkering with gear for his next journey, he was out there somewhere in Aen—or even another domain—having an adventure and exploring the world just for the fun of it.

In the year 96, he finally had to admit that it was time for his last quest. He wrote a note in his workshop for anyone who found it, then left with his cannon one last time.

Talia Ashreach

Talia Ashreach was part of the Red Hornet Brigade for several years after it was re-established by Brel and Bamdor Jr., but abandoned it without notice following Brel’s death, feeling that their cause had become futile, particularly as Vorji redirected the aim of the brigade back toward its original direction as a crew of mercenaries-for-hire rather than a rogue military group seeking to sabotage Fainarr.

She decided to become a solo artist, specifically hunting bounties for well-paying clients in Aerdis, which was ever-embroiled in border disputes with the Fainarran territory of Buern to the west of their kingdom. From monsters to men, she took on contract after contract. No foe she faced would ever compare to the roiling scourge of Juundon.

Caiomhe Nightreach

A Long Life

Caiomhe had lived much longer than was typical for her people. By this time, in the year 97, she was pushing 115 years of age. When she revealed her true appearance, it was wrinkled, weak, and grey-haired. Yet her mind and spirit were still strong, as was Nightreach, which had greatly expanded its borders and was now more than 300 strong. Outcasts, the unwanted, and the abandoned had all found their way to Nightreach. When asked how they had found it, no one could really say for sure. Some claimed to have seen it in a dream, others simply said that they had wandered until they found its gates. Today, Caiomhe looked in the mirror at her true face, the moonlit greatbow slung over her back.

Passing of the Torch

Caiomhe sought out the Nightguard, her second in command, an elven man named Riuto Aslihan. It was time to hand control of Nightreach over to him. She met him on a walkway constructed to encircle the upper limbs of the Ironbirch, which now stood nearly 80 meters tall. There, Caiomhe told him that it was time for her to pass her role down to him. Riuto, understanding what this meant, accepted the role with grace but told her that the people would miss her when she was gone—that they had come to revere her, and Nightreach was what it was because of her. Caiomhe acknowledged this, but promised that the Nightreach would continue without her. She took a seat in front of the landing, leaning against the railing and watching the comings and goings of the people below. When Riuto returned a few hours later, Caiomhe was gone.

Kegginston Cogglesworth

Return to Roots

Kegginston would eventually marry Florence Alakirr in a small wedding, taking on Hazel Alakirr as his stepdaughter, though she wouldn’t call him father for another few decades at least. His relationship with Florence had led to him returning to his roots as a co-inventor with Muunc Reppex, aspiring not only to uphold Triq’s memory, but to bond further with Hazel, especially knowing that he had more time left than Florence did.

And in fact, in the year 38, Florence passed contentedly of old age. Hazel, a young half-elven woman then, and the co-founder of Fenwyn Corp. with her stepfather, poured herself into her work for the next several years following her mother’s passing, designing and creating remarkable things inspired by her own mind while Kegginston soon found himself playing catch-up with the crazed scientist, reminding him of the old days when he, Gibbler McKrunch, and Dr. Muunc Reppex would all lay on their backs, sliding beneath the latest mechanation of the wild old man with their assortment of tools.

End-Life Crisis

While Fenwyn Corp would, in time, expand to an absolutely unprecedented mega-corporation, it began as a man and his stepdaughter working out of a garage in New Masca. Over time, the resources available in Aduna proved to be too limited, particularly in terms of workforce and technology access due to Fainarr's heavy restrictions, so they prepared to relocate to the Free Cities of Suorr in the year 104.

Prior to moving their business, Kegginston had prototypes he wished to show to those he knew who still lived. For Anca, he showed an electric lute, which was a bit like an ordinary lute, but allowed the performer to, as Kegginston put it, "use rad sound effects". Then, to Wetzel, he showed the creation he was proudest of: a steam-powered bike capable of reaching such outrageous speeds as 15 whole kilometers per hour. It was the journey to Wetzel’s Lunar Observatory in the Svimmelhed Range that would be Kegginston's last adventure.

The motorcycle made it up the mountain path Wetzel had meticulously created with Kegginston on the front of the bike and Hazel on the back. Massive iron doors greeted them, incorporated into the original stonework of the Crescent Temple. From the peak of the mountain, an enormous dome sporting a telescope-like structure pointed at the skies over Mount Gikwar to the southeast. After knocking on the doors, a small camera in one of the upper corners rotated slowly downward to point at them, then the doors opened as Wetzel's voice asked them to come inside. The motorcycle roared into the vast central chamber of the Crescent Temple, where Kegginston parked it to see Wetzel’s observatory.

In the coming months, Kegginston gave Wetzel a hand here and there while reminiscing about Triq, even telling him a few stories about Chaos Legion that Triq had either forgotten or deliberately omitted due to their crass nature. A few months after his arrival, Kegginston went to bed one evening after telling Wetzel one last moderately exaggerated tale and did not awaken the next day. Wetzel slowly opened the door to the old gnome's bedroom and saw him sitting up in his bed, a faint smile on his face beneath softly closed eyes. On his lap was the copy of Cafley Youngshout's works recreated by Lana, opened to the tale of admiration for Wetzel the young bard had written a hundred years ago.

Wetzel

Burial for an Old Friend

Wetzel’s shovel piled the last of the dirt, gravel, and snow over Kegginston's grave there in Zapada’s Reach. He'd found a beautiful spot facing the sunrise in the east, atop an overlook near the observatory. As he returned to the observatory, he sat down in a chair and got back to work writing, his other finished works shelved nearby.

These Past Hundred Years

After New Masca was successfully built up and no longer seemed to need Wetzel, he focused his efforts toward the potential for another Reckoning, making as much effort as he could to ensure that the next return of the Unknowables would not be as devastating. His first priority had been establishing an observatory that could close large rifts should they appear, including the massive rift that had appeared over Gikwar. The design was inspired by the gith construct he’d assisted with in the Far Realm all those years ago.

Working on this had given him time to reflect, something that Bheldrak had assisted with as well through the appearance of an avatar. In the decades to follow, he came to write not just about Triq or Chaos Legion, but about his friend Cafley—not his bitter ideas of her, but the real version of her that he now saw and, to as much an extent as possible, understood.

By the sixtieth year, the observatory in the Crescent Temple was complete, with the temple itself fully outfitted with various technologies meant not only to keep it safe and secure but to provide it with additional tools to defend against the Unknowables. The colossal rift stitch in the Lunar Observatory was also outfitted with a mirror system that would allow it to harness moonlight to devastating effect, potentially amplifying it to a level of power that could bring down a second Cor’Athvaarn should it ever appear.

After burying Kegginston, Wetzel returned to his writing and work expanding and maintaining the observatory. He did not neglect himself in these days either, being sure to keep his own mortal body tuned up and replacing parts when needed. Still, he found himself dreaming—something he had only done previously when Rayfield was in his mind—quite often of other Wetzels out there who had died, and the dreams were becoming more real and more difficult to awaken from, sometimes lasting several days or even weeks at a time. This, later in his life, would become his new focus.

Do Wetzels Dream of Other Wetzels?

There were not many left for Wetzel to turn to in these later years; he had Peteovar, Rayfield, and the girl Hazel whom he hardly knew; Kegginston had said she was much like Triquiis, but it was unclear whether that was for better or for worse. He decided to seek one of them out in the year 286. After some deliberation, he settled on seeking out Hazel's advice.

Hazel had set up her new headquarters in a vast city at the heart of Suorr. While much of the technological advancements in Elzveir had made their way to Aduna over the recent centuries, progress in the south had been slow due to Fainarr's oppression and restrictions on new technologies, so Wetzel was assailed with incredible new tech. Street lights, motor vehicles, and enormous factories greeted him at the heart of the city. After Hazel's investigation, she learned that Wetzel's predicament was the result of the curse that had been placed on Triquiis, as the numerous souls of Wetzel had nowhere to go now since they couldn't be reincarnated, and thus were essentially returning to the 'original' Wetzel, or 'first one' to have consciousness, given that each of the other Wetzels had been slain before Wetzel himself was incarnated, but reborn after his own incarnation. Her solution was, essentially, to recreate the curse by developing a neural network that would separate the souls and minds of the Wetzels, reset them, and place them inside a new body manufactured by her factory, while the network itself would be comprised of the memories and experiences of those Wetzels who had passed. Wetzel agreed to this, and was finally cured of his perpetual, inhibitive dreams.

Anca Bree-Lamalet

Anca spent her years after the passing of Adalius doting over Peteovar and the rest of New Masca, though Peteovar eventually relocated to Port Uscat when he married Veitha Lamalet. There, he continued with his inventions and research. Anca, meanwhile, remained in New Masca in the home she and Adalius had built together, working at the Bree’s Knees to serve many customers. By this time, the establishment had expanded to serve a great many new clients, with a larger workforce providing tailor-made, high-quality clothing—especially hats.

Over the years, Anca came to be considered a mother for all the people in the village, regaling children and visitors alike with tales of Chaos Legion’s adventures, though she herself did not remember them. Most of what she recited were simplified versions of stories from Wetzel’s books, from which she learned much about herself and her friends.

In the 288th year after the Reckoning, Anca wandered beyond New Masca. She rode a small horse from the settlement and up to the northeast, where Reckoning Memorial Pillar towered above a field of grass and wildflowers, the etchings of Kegginston’s ballad in its obsidian surface still legible, if a bit worn down by the elements. As she stood there, reading over the ballad again, she slowly turned around and saw several people watching her, smiling. They seemed familiar to her, though she couldn’t place any of their names.

With so many watching, she sat down on the ground in front of the monument and began to play the lute, strumming softly. While she played, she looked toward the back of the crowd of ghosts and saw Kegginston, Bheldrak, Bolkos Norvison, and Adalius watching her, their forms far more clear and solid to her than those of the other guests. As she played the final note of the song, the spirits that surrounded her vanished, and it was only her and her four friends, there to guide her to whatever should come next.

Sidra Snowdrift

A Long Life with You

In the years that followed, Sidra continued to age, though slowly. Still, even for such powerful and renowned druids, the time came. She held on for as long as she could, living many lives with her beloved Salvor. Each time he died, she reincarnated him. Salvor got to live more lives than most, finally beating Erakhan Makathune’s record. When his time as a bugbear ended, she brought him back as a human. When that life came to a close, he returned as—to both Sidra’s delight and dismay—an Aquan. This life was followed by that of a half-orc, and finally, Salvor stood before her as he stood now: a sun elf, roughly 800 years old as the reincarnation series had taken its toll. His wrinkled elven face stared at the grey-furred Sidra as she walked with him to the grove where his past bodies had been buried. This time, neither of them would return. Control of the Blooming Rose had been passed down, and today was the day that the two finally got to rest.

Salvor’s Grove

In the 291st year, on Ildecata, Sidra opened the tree at the heart of the grove and placed her staff within it. The tree closed around the moonlit staff as she and Salvor sat down upon the roots that had been so thoroughly nourished by the many past lives of the once-goliath man. Tired but content with many lives well-lived, Salvor regarded Sidra with admiration as they climbed the tree at the heart of the grove and held one another, watching the sun set in the distance, illuminating the shadow of the gradually vanishing Blooming Rose over the horizon.

Narek Moonstone

A student from one of his evening classes thanked Professor Moonstone for the lecture, promising to do better on his next exam before heading into the halls to meet his friends, leaving Narek alone in the classroom. After he finished up a few notes, Narek gathered his things in a messenger bag, slung it over his shoulder, and headed to the northern wing of the college, unlocking the grand oak door to his now-extravagant chambers and slipping inside.

A moment was taken to set down his things, brew some ordinary tea, splash a bit of water on his face, and eat a small meal. As he sat alone at a small, round dining table with a single candle lit, he saw moonlight sliding in through the window nearby to alight upon a perfectly positioned chair across the table from him.

Slowly, Narek rose and stepped out to the balcony beyond his study in Aerdan South. A great weight rested on his shoulders after another long day, but he knew how to lift it. He stepped outside and, same as many nights before, gazed up at the moon and spoke to it. While it did not speak back, there was an unparalleled comfort in its presence. Feeling the heaviness leave his chest, he turned and left the balcony, a smile back on his face once again. He didn't draw the curtains that night, allowing the moonlight to shine upon his bedside.

The End

As Norran steps back inside and shuts the balcony doors behind him, our attention stays fixed on the brilliant blue-white moon of Damar overhead. This same moon, cradling countless mighty souls within, watches over all of Aen, just as Bolkos once proclaimed. Not far from where Norran stood, Trudy Dusktalon's grave nestles quietly, and further still lies the cave where Hrokar found his final rest. The light of this new moon stretches far, casting its glow over distant islands, highlighting the grove of Ildecata where Sidra and Salvor eternally embrace in shared repose. It kisses the worn, centuries-old headstones of Gerty and Udel in Verde, side by side.

In central Aduna, beneath the moon's benevolent gaze, flowers reach upwards, basking in the white light that filters through the canopy, blooming in a meadow where Anca and Adalius too find their final peace side by side.

Elsewhere, scale-covered individuals stand on temple balconies dedicated to Selm and Bheldrak, their scales shimmering under the moonlit sky, captivated by the beauty of tonight's full moon. A stone's throw from Bheldrak's stronghold, Varga's domain resounds with the deep, rumbling breaths of a dragon that extends its head through a cavernous tunnel, its eyes fixed on the lunar light above, reminiscing battles waged three centuries past.

Further north, an elderly gnome with fading purple hair tenderly clears the dust from Brel Nymuar's gravestone, whispering a final goodbye before boarding a ship destined northward, alongside the remaining Red Hornet Brigade.

To the south in Aduna lies Degera, a land perpetually shrouded in snow, where the goliath tribes once dominated before the Withering ushered in a wave of refugees, expanding settlements that had stood for ages. The Settlements of Syv, though fleeting, have left behind ballads of adventures that will echo through time. Stories abound of a band of adventurers, exiled after an incident in a lumberyard, who traversed Degera and beyond, embarking on a quest across realities to safeguard their own. Their journey led them to the Crescent Temple atop the highest peak of the Svimmelhed Range, where mountains soar above the Imen Forest's canopy, visible even from the cobblestone lanes of New Masca.

The moon's reflection, slightly distorted yet mesmerizing, glimmers in the lens of a colossal telescope protruding from a dome at the mountain's summit. From just the right vantage point in the range, one can behold all of Aduna. Chosen by Wetzel, this sacred site also houses the snow-draped tombstone of Kegginston Cogglesworth, whose name graces countless beloved ballads, songs, and tales across Aduna. A gentle breeze stirs the frostflowers and scatters snowflakes from the headstone, upon which the moonlight reveals an inscription:

Kegginston Cogglesworth

His Story Complete

The End

Report Date

10 Feb 2024

Primary Location

Aduna

Secondary Location

Elzveir

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