Dungeons and Dreamers

Asalay is the city of dreams built atop a massive supernatural dungeon. It is a hub for adventurers, tourists, immigrants, merchants, and innovators; it is no surprise that it is now also a major target for apocalyptic interference. Makar now needs to spend a month here, gathering information and setting the stage for future efforts. The first two days alone were a hectic marathon of socialization and investigation.

The First Day

When entering a major city, it is useful to have some tips from a native. Lucky for Makar, the first guard they spoke with at the port authority was more than happy to give a basic rundown of anything Makar wanted to know. Makar learned the basics: that the city was organized by religious communities known as Banots, that corporations and merchant collectives monopolized control of the dungeon, that adventurers were a rowdy crowd known for being quite dangerous, that a culture of alcoholic machismo reigned across the city's taverns, and that there was a number of interesting districts with their own small governments and factions to explore.
After that helpful chat, Makar went to meet with Madrith about possible leads of Apocalypse Activity in the city. Makar also met some of Madrith's staff and learned that, while wealthy, Madrith largely had to go through his big extended family to use his money and influence.
After talking with Madrith, Makar left to check on the aquatic part of the city to look for signs of plague. After chatting with the Elemeer temple, Makar dove into the reef - and found easily the least bad reef thusfar. Friendly, less-stratified, and with a clear respect for nature, this reef was glowing with abundance. Makar tried speaking with the head of the trade authority but found their hate of sharks distasteful, and so sought out the Under-druids for a cooler contact. They dove into the caves below the reef and found two acolytes of the Under-druids, who tried intimidating and extorting Makar for cash. Makar refused and was able to get to the druids with funds intact, but was deeply irritated by the grift. The druids beyond them were detached mad scientists more concerned with the Underworld and its potential mysteries than the world above. The druids even seemed to know that their younger members were harassing visitors, saying that it "kept out" the wrong kind of people and "was just a bit of young fun". Makar talked with them, explained the Rot to them, and encouraged them to take a stand for shark's rights. Makar was able to provide enough useful information that they granted them full Dungeon access. 
By the time the druids were talked with, it was almost night; a bad time to cross the city alone. Makar went catshape and cut through Hightown. In Hightown, a snooty and heavily armed cat clan intercepted them and was about to be rude and cause problems, but Makar was able to talk them down. They returned to the ship with new friends after a small chat, rather than enemies. 
A list of interesting districts Makar learned about:

• Hightown, the dungeon district and richboy city, should be avoided after dark; cat-wise dominated by 3 clans (Silverclan, Gemclan, and Silkclan)
• Rockridge, the district where Madrith lived. His family, the Kalvas, are one of the three major clans of Rockridge and are essential to district government. Rockridge is home to Asalay's mines and prism population centers
• Alphabet City, home to the corporate centers and Asalay stock exchange
• Halfhope, the servant's district where you can "store people" if you are rich; a heavily-surveilled and policed district that provides free to cheap housing for those who get good reviews as staff
• Rainyway, a common district where a lot of the water infrastructure is centered and many construction/sewer workers live
• The Great Green, agricultural district and one of the centers of royal loyalists
• The Creep, an extension of illegal housing that has essentially become the leper/gemplague colony of the city
• Murktown, the swampy and almost lawless part of the city, where people who don't fit anywhere else end up. Once had the strongest warrior cats of the city.
• Lastrow, the neighborhood where the new arrivals are absorbed into Asalay, often disillusioned and trapped
• The Lines, a district of carefully planned apartment block housing with small shops - a bustling district where outsiders (or their descendants) are absorbed into the city's Banots.
• Reefport, a wealthier district (gravitating to middle class) where people work in luxury goods and cephapeople are commonplace; houses the Astral Arcanum
• Wyrmgarden, a less wealthy district for natives of Asalay, known for its piety, Flowyrms, and nativism
• Fivereefs, the Reef city below Asalay's Southern port ruled by a Druid collective known as the Circle of Coral; extremely accepting of outside cephapeople and ambitiously expanding into the Dungeon

And some hooks within these districts:

• An Ishkibite monk investigating disappearances was murdered in a suspicious way in Lastrow, near the Orthodox Desmian Banot. Many suspect a cult did this
• In the Great Green, a series of monster attacks well outside the norm were happening a month or two ago, but suddenly stopped without clear cause.
• If the Rot is anywhere, it is probably the Creep
• Rats have been multiplying and causing problems in the poorer districts (namely Charhome and Murktown). Rot related?
• The Cat clans in Murktown are being targeted by shady characters who seem able to imitate other cats.
• The young King of Asalay is being undermined, and other factions are getting rowdy within the city

Day Two

Makar went to go to the warlock academy, known as the Astral Arcanum, with Zofara for the second day. The other party members had their own tasks: Uyazi and Kebri got political connection-building, Yago and Kamatu got investigating Lastrow, and the teens got research with Madrith. 
Upon entering the Astral Arcanum, Makar scheduled appointments with as many leading warlocks as possible to chart out their 'exploratory studies'. They got lucky; the first available person was Old Nameless, the Archwarlock of the Arcanum itself! Old Nameless was a quirky old man, a skinny ball of staticky white beard and clanking trinkets who seemed legitimately concerned with the well-being of the students. Old Nameless was a warlock of The Vile Mass (an Elder Leviathan known for isolation and madness), but seemed to have none of the violence of their patron. Old Nameless knew of the apocalypse and seemed eager to protect his students from it, and he offered Makar access to student facilities, teleportation circle runes (alas, only Old Nameless himself was powerful enough to use them), and counseling. 
Two other appointments whizzed by: Brialla, head warlock of the Tideweaver warlocks and a self-important and pretentious individual; and Mileta, head warlock of the Yearning Mind warlocks and a stoic hedonist who made a pact with Makar to built a "euthanasia coaster" one day. 
Finally, lastly, there was Nedessa, head warlock of Old Skybane. Nedessa and Makar argued and talked about the theology and purpose of Old Skybane and the relationship between the True Masked One and the reborn Masked One (Makar). Nedessa explained that the Masked One was the true Architect, but was inherently limited in their agency as long as the Nemesis and False Masked One remained - only by defeating and absorbing both could the True Masked One return. Makar felt this plan was more Skybane and warlocks than Masked One, but Nedessa did insist that she had felt the resentment and yearning of the Masked One in her many days as a Skybane warlock. Nedessa and Makar parted on negative but not hostile terms.

Components

Goals

QUEST GOALS

• Leave for Samvara
• Investigate the broader fallout from the arrival of the Rot
• Collect allies for the coming struggle
• Meet up with Potha
• Investigate the Rot's person-origins
• Protect Dumella
• Investigate the threats in Asalay

Relations

Allies

Zofara Nightwalker: Zofara is a stylish mercenary Warlock hired by the crew at the urging of Princess Maina Eramzir. Their goal is the same as Makar's: to investigate the disturbances in Makal and protect the seas from the Adversary.
Fastfin Cunning-Wolf: An old white-tipped shark and paladin of Emesh , who seeks a glorious future for shark-kind. On bad terms with their original shark-clan, the cat-inspired cunning-wolves.
Uyazi Hakona: A bard. No, not the magic kind. More of a courtier that can also do music and is good at writing stories. Signed up for security onboard the Aranu when they heard Princess Maina Eramzir was sending someone to Samvara, as they want ground floor on whatever is going on.
Kebri: A travelling young warrior from Eastern Zerua, a compassionate young idealist in search of purpose and glory. Was convinced to become a paladin of Emesh.
Other Team members include Yago, Kamatu, Ezia, and Dailio.

Neutrals/Bystanders

Old Nameless, Archwarlock of the Astral Arcanum: A cheery and maybe a bit suspicious old man who gave away his name and entire original existence to his patron, the Vile Mass, in exchange for power and freedom. He is a compassionate man, determined to turn the Astral Arcanum into a center of support rather than competition and conflict. He is also easily distracted and has difficulty concentrating, and has struggled to keep all the volatile personalities of the Arcanum in check. He believes strongly that the Kivish art of psychotherapy can be adapted, with some guidance by the Solar God Haru, into an art of true mental medicine for the struggling warlocks of the Arcanum. Most powerful warlock in Asalay (officially). Sketchy in his niceness, which he freely admits to. 
Honto the Crossfit Priest: A common priest of Elemeer who works at the big Land-Sea Temple of Gates down at the Reefport district. As much an exercise planner as evangelist, Honto's goal is to make religious self-improvement fun. Honto spoke with Makar and gave them library access at the Temple of Gates, and was tricked into thinking Makar had drowned in the reef before Makar re-emerged several hours later. 
Dragonstar of Silverclan: Is Dragonstar a classicist bully who kills other cats who intrude on his territory with a machete? Yes. Is Dragonstar a deeply pious little kittycat who has helped his clan navigate the chaotic waters of cat-humanoid relations? Also yes. This problematic pussy is all about honor, status, and the obedience to the martial code of the Cat Heavens. A humanoid cat, Dragonstar is Silverclan's representative to the merchants below, and has armed the clan to the teeth. 
Nedessa, Dean of Skybane Studies at the Astral Arcanum: Nedessa is a pious prism, stern and argumentative, who is fiercely loyal to the Elder Leviathan Old Skybane. Nedessa is Skybane's most powerful warlock East of Sonev, and takes her position as such seriously.
Madrith Kalva: Makar's prism contact, a shy idealist with a touch of naivety. Madrith wants to stop the world from ending and has dropped everything to focus on that, and is generally shocked that other people aren't doing the same. Insulated by wealth and power, Madrith knows the mechanics of the world well without really understanding the people inside of those mechanics. 

Kalva House Staff

Torik: Doorguard for Rubyside Manor (the Kalva estate), Torik is head of security and secretary in one.  Yoato: Head of staff at Rubyside Manor, Yoato is a prism born of Sunekan parents who feels very strongly about professionality, etiquette, and employer/employee hierarchies.  Naima: Personal aide for Madrith, Naima is a selkie runaway who lives in the Halfhope district. Naima is Madrith's confidante, secret keeper, errand-runner, and advisor.

Plot type

QUEST

Parent Plot

Pure Blood and Blasphemy

Subplots

• A Week in the City of Gold

Related Organizations

• Ishkibism
• Kingdom of Asalay

Related Locations

• Asalay
• The Underworld