Winedark: Kasula and the City of Coral

General Summary

Wherein Kasula Neristina takes a sabbatical from the Vastblasters to attend to a threat beneath the waves

The City of Coral in Peril

The events the Blasters have experienced over the past months have left many with troubling dreams, and the brave ship surgeon Kasula is no exception to this. Her dreams, however, stretch back before she even met the Blasters, as she endures a perennial nightmare featuring the "black fog" that laid her low, helpless on the floor of the Vast, and of the teeming coral that eventually imbued her with the power to heal and protect. These dreams had grown stronger over the last few tendays, ultimately resulting in a kind of compulsion. Deep within herself, Kasula feels a call for help emerging from the floor of the Vast, and she knows that she is powerless to not need that call.

She knows, too, that this is something she must do alone.
So, a parting dinner was arranged and she offered her farewells to her friends and crewmates, earnestly hoping to see them again. With that, it was time to dive into the Vast and follow this call into the unknown.
After swimming for hours, Kasula found the signal, such as it was, to originate from an underwater settlement--an entire city made of coral. As she approached, the gates of the city swung wide, as if anticipating her arrival. She was greeted at the gates by a massive (building-sized, at least) "reef," which actually turned out to be a sentient creature named Craggerusamaralphamug, but she could call it Ralph. Ralph the reef.
Ralph is the guardian of this city, Amphora, and it needs Kasula's help. The same black fog that broke her limbs now pollutes and attacks all life here on the floor of the Vast, and is probably connected to whatever the DreadSquid is doing on the surface. Kasula felt called here because the same life that runs through this city, and through Ralph itself, is what healed her wounds and gave her the powers she now wields. She is a part of this place as much as anyone else, and thus, is called upon to defend it.
This defense will take the form of an offensive maneuver. Part of the black fog still lives within the bones of Kasula and, as such, she is somewhat attuned to it. She can track it. The goal, then, is to track this vile fog back to wherever (or whatever) it comes from and eliminate that threat. She will not be, however, acting alone. There are others enlisted in this task:

• Torpedo, a Locathah barbarian with family "legitimate business connections"
• Fishmael Sharkman, a Selachii ranger accompanied by his drake, Uzeki
• Jonathan Smythe, a warlock with an inner dark strength (and many tentacles)
• Ankerias, a strange entity from some other plane, comprised of eels

This party, helping Ralph for their own reasons, will follow Kasula's lead and banish this fog from The Vast.

A Journey Across The Vast's Floor

Our heroes didn't have to wait too long to test their mettle against the fog, as it immediately came calling to the city gates. Three ominous tendrils emerged and combat commenced. The defenders of Amphora were victorious, and now more aware of the precise nature of what they faced.
So, with Kasula leading, it was time to track this threat. The fog might be the most existential crisis currently facing the Vast, but it is far from the only danger present on its floor. Our party discovered this as they meandered through a seemingly peaceful underwater meadow only to be ambushed by swarms of vicious Sea Rexes. The bite of the Sea Rex is no joke, and our heroes found themselves quite bloodied by the time they destroyed the last of these bloodthristy "dinosaurs." Combat, however, wasn't done with our heroes, as Shoalbears ran into the meadow and attacked. These half-fish/half-bear proved to be little match for our adventurers, bloodied though they were. Certain that the fog trail would remain fresh, it was agreed that a short rest was in order to prepare for whatever came next.
This proved to be a wise decision, as what came next was a cave crackling with malevolent energy and twin Octozombies, wielding several longswords and spears. This battle was long and injurious, with the enemies giving as good as they got each round. Careful application of tendril and Sickening Radiance, not to mention punching eels and the points of both arrow and drake tooth, steered our party to victory once again.
It was clear, both through the snippets of conversation offered by the Octozombies and through the intensity of their swords, that the cavern entrance at the rear of the cave is vital to this fog's destruction. It seemed there was little choice but to descend into that ink-black darkness and see what might come of it.
Before heading down, however, Kasula took notice of a poem etched into the walls of the cave. It was in Aquan, and clearly written a long time ago. It mentioned a Titan's throne and something about blood and strife. There was a lot more, but that appeared to be the important bit. Perplexing!

The Titan's Throne

Kasula, however, didn't come here to read poetry--she came here to solve problems. As her feet once again met the floor of the Vast, she found herself in a large chamber, the black fog all around her and condensing on a large chair in the middle of the room. It was a throne, and seated on that throne was a colossal statue of a humanoid, massive greatsword at the ready.
The room itself was eerie and seemed to hold the presence of forgotten histories. Perhaps this was once as place of solace and reflection, but now it is one of foulness and defilement, exemplified in the Titan that stood watch over its environs.
No immediate threat seemed to pop up and the party was momentarily confused as to what to do. Kasula then noted two long black spaces at the foot of the Titan's statue, as if they were ready to receive a mantra. Thinking about it for the briefest moment, she recited the lingering lines of the Aquan poem: Blood & strife, burnt into bone / The Titan sits on an unyielding throne. She was rewarded with the massive Titan roaring to life and combat commencing.
This Titan may have once been austere and regal, but now it was corrupted and warped, a gross shadow of its former self. Its greatsword, however, remained deadly and those swings were complemented by the Titan lobbing zombie parts at our heroes from within itself.
It was an utterly terrifying site and the ferocity of the battle matched it. Scribes may one day write about the fighting that took place deep within the bowels of the Vast, but that is only if those who were there offer testimony. The outcome, sometimes in doubt, was ultimately positive for Kasula as the Titan returned to rest and the black fog that seemed to stream out of the hole in its gut dissipated.
The job was done and it was time to return to Ralph, who expressed gratitude and fulfilled its debts to those who were owed for their service. It bade Kasula, however, to remain, as the threat to Amphora is not yet over, and the city will have need of her once again. Kasula readily agreed, and prepared herself to help both her surface and underwater friends however possible.

And That's Where We Left It

Perhaps the Blasters will come across Kasula again some day.

Character(s) interacted with

• Craggerusamaralphamug (called Ralph), a "Reef" and guardian of Amphora, the coral city

Notes

from "Blood & Strife," a poem written in Aquan:
Blood & strife, burnt into bone.
Tides & time cast over this bleak crusade.
The Titan sits on an unyielding throne.


Grim fortune offered by a broken crone:
An obsidian covenant, an endless blade—
Blood & strife, burnt into bone.


Call this compass, call this lodestone.
A reckoning not even salt can fade.
The Titan sits on an unyielding throne.


Through the drenched abyss, a black-lunged groan
in the dismal circle, a binding trade;
Blood & strife, burnt into bone.


Down through lineage, these oaths are known
No account is given of those who strayed.
The Titan sits on an unyielding throne.


& now, all unfaithful must atone
for defying etched fate, for each promise decayed:
Blood & strife, burnt into bone.
The Titan sits on an unyielding throne.

Report Date

06 Feb 2022

Primary Location

The Vast