Swimming in Static

Episode 2 of Makar

Having had their life in Ibaisha turned upside down, Makar set sail to the West. Hopping onto their friend Dailio's coming-of-age journey to the Khilaian Isles, the idea was to ride all the way to Samvara. The journey would take well over a year and cover three continents. Truly a journey worthy of an Architect.

The Planned Odyssey of Makar

Things went according to plan... at first. Makar boarded the ship, The Aranu, without trouble- and actually got along well with the crew and mercenaries. For 20 days Makar ventured West across Zerua, stopping twice to trade and resupply along the way. Makar enjoyed the charioteering scene of Azalek and its associated festivities, met up with a traveling Squiddle city, and had a priest of Elemeer attempt to convert them. While everything seemed normal on the surface, the undersea peoples spoke often of a terrible unknown invader in the Northwest. 
Upon arriving at the city of Vikasha, though, it became clear that something was wrong. The weather was deeply abnormal and perpetually stormy; the water was murky and grey; the air was clogged with smoke from the city. Upon docking, the port authority of Vikasha gave their captain a warning of plague and xenophobic unrest. Nonetheless, it seemed like a good trade opportunity, as they were tipped off that there was massive local demand for bleach and gunpowder, which the ship had loaded up with in Ibaisha. And so the Aranu docked for the night. 
Makar took the opportunity to talk with the dockmaster and ask about the town's recent troubles. Smallpox was consistent with their experiences in Zerua, but what about this new plague they mentioned? Apparently, this mysterious new plague at at memory and personality, reducing people to wandering or stationary shells. Few had died, but no one had recovered. And the city was churning with unrest at the failed epidemic response. 
Makar turned to a hired mercenary on the Aranu, an Ibithi whaler named Yago, for advise on investigating this plague situation. Yago armed them with the right questions - what species it effects, what groups, vectors of spread- but the dockmaster didn't know enough. Makar was forced to go to the Joint Corporate Office, a fortified administrative center for corporate coordination and foreign merchants, for answers. The Joint Corporate Office was interested in their bleach and disinfectants, so Makar had an in - but the answers they got were disheartening. Not only did this mystery plague effect both humans and dryads, but it seemed that the corporate response was to shove affected communities into a squalid containment district and suppress them with fire. The actual disease seemed to mostly affect poorer dockworkers, and had been largely blamed on "poor hygiene", allowing it to spread freely in the contained districts with no treatment. 
Returning to the vessel, Makar found the crew's warlock, Zofara, panicking. They felt disconnected from their patron, a Leviathan, and haunted by an evil presence under the harbor's murky waters. Makar noticed the lack of aquatic-species activity and the emptiness of the harbor's waters, and began wondering if the local aquatic peoples had the plague as well. And so Makar jumped into the waters, shapeshifting as they descended into the silt alone.
In the unusually cold water, Makar felt their skin burning as particles of Static tried to infect them. They continued shapeshifting to see what was causing this, alerting the creature below to their presence. The entity began trying to lure them in with a decoy, but Makar realized very quickly that there were no more people here - only their Adversary and the dead. Makar reached out, hoping to teach the entity empathy - but found a sad, fatalistic thing. Makar cordially retreated from the water and agreed to talk later on the nearby beach. 
The encounter caused Zofara to have a full-fledged panic attack and the crew to freak out. Makar explained themselves to the captain and settled things on the ship (agreeing not to lure the Adversary after them), and set out with Ezia, Dailio, and Zofara to meet with The Rot again on the beach. 
Across these two talks, Makar learned that The Rot seeks simplicity and "honesty" through absolute levelling of all life. Essentially, they use plagues that strip the individuality of things and "unmake" the world. Some people manage to retain some modicum of individuality by seeking out The Rot voluntarily. They have a primary, shapeshifting vessel and a large accumulated monstrosity of warped aquatic biomass. And the water is not safe. 
Makar decided to stay for a bit instead of flee at first light- they will try to stop the plague if possible while it is just setting in. The Rot seems set on using Vikasha as an entryway to infecting all of Ekraht, and seeks to "understand" Makar by acquiring the memories of their family and friends back in Ibaisha. 
Things just got serious.

Components

Goals

QUEST GOALS

• Meet the crew of the Aranu
• Investigate the strange devastation going on in Makal 
• Prepare for the journey West

Relations

Allies

Ezia: Ezia was a neighbor and childhood friend of Makar. She is shy, bookish, and curious, always drawn to learning more about foreign lands and new things but held back by her social anxiety. Much of that anxiety melts away when she is around her friends, who she will follow to the ends of the Earth. Ezia comes from a brewing family with connections to The Circles. Knows the truth about Makar.

Dailio: Dailio is a selkie outpost child, raised in Echereko. Dailio is extroverted, polite, and open-minded, a bold and cheery business boy who hopes to one day be a merchant like his parents. Dailio is sharp of eye and has basic dueling training, but is a relentless rules-follower when not balanced out by Ezia or Makar. Knows the truth about Makar.
Zofara Nightwalker: Zofara is a mercenary Warlock hired by the crew at the urging of Princess Maina Eramzir. Zofara prioritizes their style (dark and mysterious) and was initially cold and aloof. But their goal is the same as Makar's: to investigate the disturbances in Makal and protect the seas from the Adversary. And after Makar revealed themselves, Zofara has become outright deferent.

Neutrals/Bystanders

Yago of Imzira: A big friendly security hire from Ibith who has left his home on a massive quest to to inform The Khilaia that sharks are sentient. Has made many enemies despite his humble and quiet demeanor. 
Captain Yamoa: The selkie captain of the Aranu; merchant, pirate, and profiteer of dubious morals. 
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. 
Dockmaster Bakala: Head of the Vikasha port authority. Dislikes young people, not very medically aware, but nice.
Oolovoo and Obla: Elemeer Squiddles from the Undersea Federation of Alasha

Adversaries

Arten Sweneba: Manager of the Joint Corporate Office of the port of Vikasha, representing the combined corporate interests of The B&G Company, Aludarzir Company, Iskariba Family Company, Greater Makal Trading Company, and the Ilwargo Company in Vikasha. Interested in keeping order and maximizing profits.
The Rot: An apocalyptic nightmare entity theoretically capable of ending the world itself, that has recently arrived in Vikasha. Sows disease and has begun infecting the dockworkers of Vikasha with something. Seems to be planning something big.

Plot type

Quest

Parent Plot

A Changeling in the Dragon's Court

Subplots

• The Creeping Rot

Related Organizations

• Empire of Zerua
• Kingdom of Rakara

Related Locations

• Makal
• Vikasha