Unlike the signs that once circulated in Saltmarsh seeking the safe recovery of “this important person”, the signs being circulated now in the Abyss promise great rewards to anyone who kills and brings in the head of General Nyneve of the First House (as she once was), aka: the Abomination and Kayleigh.
Last seen hell-flying away from the Abyss with a shadow rider (some dwarven monk thief). The Abomination truly was and would be the instrument of destruction for all unless killed now before it gains in power.
Suspected locations it might be found or try to visit include ThunderRock, the plane it ran away to and where it joined the crew of the Sea Ghost (now occupied by the First House), and the astral ship The Sea Ghost, wherever it may sail.
Queen Vlaakith of the First House and her lover Morgan, both of whom tried very hard to win the affections of the Abomination and turn it to their cause, become merciless in their pursuit to kill it once its betrayal of their love is complete. The bounty is set, the mercenaries are deployed, the Fourth House is retained and engaged yet again on behalf of the First House and its star continues to rise.
Of all these pursuers, only the Fourth House truly knows how to find the prize. Lady Petrichor is the best astral tracker known to exist, and Grand Lady Malavox has deciphered her foes’ intentions and knows their next moves.
“The Abomination seeks to reunite with the crew of the Sea Ghost,” Grand Lady Malavox declares. “We shall find it there.”
Lady Petrichor moves to begin the hunt immediately, certain she will find it with that instruction alone, but the flex of her legendary skills is not necessary this time because Grand Lady Malavox is that far ahead.
“The Sea Ghost is beached in the Sands of Eternity; they seek the Temple of Ra,” Grand Lady Malavox declares.
“Then they are lost forever. Let the sun and sands eat them up,” Lady Petrichor smiles devilishly.
“Perhaps,” Grand Lady Malavox agrees, “but that won’t get us what we want. What we want is proof the Lanterns have been destroyed, and the Abomination’s head on a pike. We need proof it is dead.”
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The Fourth House continues its plotting. It recruits resources to throw at the pursuit of the Sea Ghost (to kill or destroy any of the Lanterns of Light), and to kill the Abomination and bring back proof it has been done.
Meanwhile, the Sea Ghost is crashed and beached in the Sands of Eternity.
It was a brutal battle with the forces of the Fourth House, which ended with the capture of the monk Ash, a living lantern of light. The white dragon Gathyonser kept trying to force the Sea Ghost off path, but somehow Lord Gilead as navigator, true of heart, kept the ship on course for the Temple of Ra – home of the Sixth Lantern of Light.
But the battle of wills with the dragon had been desperate. The ship was plagued by a murder of Vrocks who had a devastating effect upon the crew. Their foul smells and piercing shrieks caused many crew members to fall comatose and become sick.
In the end, the Sea Ghost, unmanned and careening through shadow, hit the sands hard. The hull groaned and perhaps in part gave way. The main mast bent hard but did not break. Other rigging and equipment however, did not survive the crash.
In the initial moments after the crash, only the half-elf cleric Ryparin is awake and standing. Only he withstood the hellfire and rebuke of the Fourth House’s many forces against the Sea Ghost. His ears are ringing and his balance stumbles, but Ryparin sets about finding and rousing the rest of the crew. He has a foreboding feeling in his stomach which only grows worse when he hears the sands shifting and begins to spot terrible desert monsters approaching and surrounding the ship in a swarm.
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