Season 7 Setting Updates

## Freeport

*Main article: Freeport*

*Overheard across Freeport*

**[INTERIOR, GILDED LOBSTER TAVERN]**

*Featuring Beiro, a Bartender; Tally, an Accountant; Brynn, a Mercenary; and Multiple Swarms of Rats]*

**BRYNN:** Hey Beiro, I need the strongest thing you've got back there. Keise's mad about someone muscling in on her territory and she won't let me hear the end of it.

**BEIRO:** No problem, coming right up. And consider this one on the house; some guy came in talking about how his boss was going to make the entire city rich and gave us a very generous donation. No idea where he got the money, or who the boss is, but I'd be a damned fool to turn down cash like that.

**BRYNN:** That's crazy. How much did this mess with Tally's ledgers?

**TALLY:** A lot, and thank you for asking. Even with all the new business from the Mischiefs we've still got more cash than we know what to do with.

***SWARM OF RATS** collectively squeaks in agreement*

**BRYNN:** Hells, if this guy pays so well I might go looking for him and find out what his deal is. Might give Keise the cash and clout she needs to keep some of her mom's old allies in line.

**[EXTERIOR, DARK ALLEY]**

*Featuring Ruby, a Thug; Gloria, a Hired Sword; and Leonardo, a Pirate, having a casual conversation*

**GLORIA:** Hey Ruby, hey Leo. Funny seeing you two here.

**RUBY:** Oh my god, same! I never get to see my friends anymore; I'm always so busy in the Brigade.

**LEONARDO:** Captain's been keeping me busy, but she finally gave me her shore command. Guess staying loyal to her for this long had its perks. And now I get to meet way more people than I did on the ship.

**RUBY:** Oh yeah? Spill it; tell me everything.

**LEONARDO:** Yeah, I met this guy who said he was from Kairos the other day. Says he opened up some new gambling club or something that's all about betting on how well the businesses in the city are doing. He even buys and sells pieces of them. I have no idea how it works but it sounds cool.

**GLORIA:** Good for you; your crew really needs better business ventures after all that garbage with that shipping company whenever that was. Anyway, are you two going to help me with this corpse or do I have to do all the work around here?

**RUBY:** I stabbed him, I got it. Sorry.

**[ARENA FLOOR, FREEPORT FIGHT CLUB]**

*Featuring Ciaran, a Pit Fighter; and Lianna, a Pit Fighter, both engaged in combat with the other*

**CIARAN:** Wow, your unarmed fighting has improved a lot! Too bad you're still no match for me, though.

**LIANNA:** That's cute, Stormborn. We all know when this is over you're the one the medics will be dragging out.

**CIARAN:** In your dreams! Hey, speaking of medics, did you see the Club got a new medical team?

**LIANNA:** Yeah, I heard. Barry says a lot of them came from some fancy new medical school in Kairos and they're here to "do good across the archipelago." Load of garbage if you ask me.

**CIARAN:** Hey, as long as they keep me looking good, I'm not going to turn them down. Besides, I'm not the one who's going to be needing them.

**[PLAY YARD, ATOLL ANIMAL SHELTER]**

*Featuring Mourn, a Bulldog; Alba, a Blink Puppy; Hastur, a Golden Retriever; Shiv, an Orange Tabby; and a Mysterious Stranger*

***SHIV** runs laps around the yard, clearly afflicted with the zoomies*

**HASTUR:** Ugh, I can't believe I haven't been adopted yet. Look how well I take care of the shelter! They're missing out! Maybe I'll get a family with lots of those fluffy sheep toys the nice volunteer gives me.

**MOURN:** As long as my people have plenty of bones for me to chew on, I'll be happy. And maybe they'll take Shiv too, so I don't have to be separated from my best friend.

**ALBA:** Do you think people from other cities might come here to adopt us? I want to travel, maybe even see the Feywild!

**MYSTERIOUS STRANGER:** Hey there, kid, did you say you wanted to travel? How about I bust you out of this yard and we go have fun?

**ALBA:** Wait, what? I can get out; it's easy! But my friends can't, so maybe you could help them.

**MOURN:** So what's your deal?

**MYSTERIOUS STRANGER:** The folks I work for, they're big on animals making their own paths and their own decisions. You can have your nice cushy home life by day and a secret life in the city by night. If you're interested, my buddy the plant here will help break you out. You in?

**SHIV:** I'm down! Come on, guys, let's get out of here.

### June 27th, 2399

*An excerpt from Fleetmaster Diero Aventus Andacia, regarding his appointment to Master of the Expedition*

And so it was done. I remember watching the myriad hands rising up around the Senate chambers as the vote was called. Silence lingered in the air as the democratic gears of Kairos worked to enact its vision. My peers stared down, their gaze seemingly piercing my very form and towards something within me that was more...innate. I have witnessed many decisions being made, whether as a senator myself or as Praetorus Classis, but none have felt quite as...final as this particular one. I elected to forgo the pomp and circumstances and retire early from the Spire to enjoy the night with my family. At the time, I simply wanted to relax and enjoy some much-needed time at home after so many weeks of hearings. I didn't know it would be the last evening I would spend with my family for the foreseeable future...

### January 4th, 2400

*A summary from* Manipulation of Arcane Positioning Restrictions Through the Application of Feywild Flora, *written by Arcanists Calnell and Celandus, Scoli Arcanum*

...This species was in actuality a single organism, unlike anything we have quite encountered in our explorations of the Feywild, much less the material plane. Where we expected to find the definite end of a tree's taproot, we instead found a root that gradually became incorporeal, disappearing into the ground below. Every tree bore a similar taproot, and when dyed water was given to a singular tree, it managed to appear—albeit faintly—in every other tree in the "species" across the entire plane...

...For most mundane applications, Janus Wood would be considered nothing but an exotic material, one that could be highly prized by those well-versed in the Feywild. But for the more arcane in mind, the existence of such a tree allows for a loophole to be exploited within the Arcane Laws of Positioning. Typically, teleportation circles are the most stable when inscribed onto a solid, stationary surface and least stable when inscribed onto a moving surface. But what if the surface is so large and vast that even hundreds of miles of movement isn't significant to it? A surface like the wood of a Janus Tree. If wood from a Janus was inscribed with a permanent teleportation circle, it may be possible to graft a teleportation circle onto a moving ship, bypassing the stationary requirement for teleportation stability...

### August 2nd, 2401

*A memo from Praetor Kari Falk, regarding the expedition fleet's projected course*

...We have long known about other civilizations and people that exist beyond the edge of the archipelago. In fact, I have even met and hosted some of those people myself. But there is a significant difference between being the host and being the guest. Safety...familiarity...authority... All of it shall be stripped away as soon as the city of Kairos disappears from the eyes of the expeditionaries.

I have done as much as I can to prepare the expedition for its journey ahead. My inquisitors have verified the integrity of their crew, ensured that their ships have been refitted to their desired specifications, and have even scouted out their westwardly course all the way to Phoenix Reach. But despite all of my work, I have yet to answer one simple question:

What truly faces our people out in the blue beyond?

Will we be met with the same kindness we have given to our own guests in the archipelago? Or will we be met with swords and spells aimed at our necks?

### September 22nd, 2401

*A quote from Shipmaster Kiwa Telei, Captain of the Noto, upon rendezvousing with the expeditionary fleet*

"Well, shit. You can't even see where the horizon is with all of these damn ships in the way."

### Adventurers' Guild Maintains Neutrality Amid Pressure to Accept Peacekeeper Presence

Earlier today, the Adventurers' Guild announced that they would not accept an official Peacekeeper presence in their guild halls, opting to maintain the neutrality they have cultivated over the years, a policy which has often come under scrutiny as they're seen to shelter criminals from justice. The decision comes as a surprise to many, as a large number of adventurers were vocal in their support of the Kanara Accords, but while we've seen an unprecedented level of cooperation between the archipelagic city-states in the creation and ratification of the Accords, it seems the Adventurers' Guild has other priorities in mind.

If the Guild were to accept the parameters as laid out in last week's proposal, they would become a member group of the newly established SPIRE, or Security Protocol for Intra-archipelagic Responses and Emergencies, allowing the Peacekeepers free access to their spaces for the pursuit and apprehension of those in violation of the Accords.

We're already seeing the backlash of the decision. "It's sad to see [the Adventurers' Guild] cares more about protecting murderers than [protecting] the rest of us," one citizen said. Others, however, maintain the Guild has chosen correctly, believing in the nobility of the institution that's home to so many of our heroes, from those who defeated the living current all the way back to the brilliant minds and valiant fighters who defended our fair city from the devil incursion. "They're a guild," a supporter said. "Their first priority is their direct members. They can't let these Peacekeepers just run willy-nilly through everything because they think someone looked funny. We all know people will blame anything on adventurers—just look at the Battle! Those folk need a place they can rest without being disturbed."

A modified proposal is expected later this week, but it seems unlikely the Guild will accept it.

### Lighthouse Replacement Unveiled, Testing Period to Follow

With the success of the slime shielding on the Palisade keeping any light from escaping into the surrounding waters, the next challenge was almost immediately obvious: how ships could navigate to a place hidden perfectly in the lightless depths. Rebuilding the Kraken War Memorial Lighthouse, which fell during the living current's attack, wasn't an option, as it would counteract all our work to prevent excess light from polluting the waters. Instead, the researchers of Moonblossom Academy have been hard at work crafting a low-intensity arcane beacon to replace it. The beacon moderates the surrounding Weave, producing a distinct arcane signature that can be recognized from a considerable distance. The facility, already fondly referred to as the SUN by its creators (full name Structure for Undersea Navigational Insurance and Observation of Palisade Exterior, or SUnNIOPE), will house a handful of maintenance workers and researchers and is slated for a 6-month testing period before the provisional lighting is decommissioned.

### Temple of Knowledge: Open Structure Debate Records

Date: 3/12/2399

Resolution: The Adventurers' Guild has a net positive impact as a system of Society, Labor, and Safety.

Supporting: Dr. Thirgr Fouzel, Professor of Philosophy

Opposing: Dr. Tellin Mellia, Professor of Anthropology

Moderating: Nyuamril Urowarum

Stenographer: Tenne Shadehelm

**Fouzel:** It's about time. I think we should start.

**Mellia:** Well, we can start whenever you are ready.

**Fouzel:** Let's get right into it, then. Adventurers, by definition, provide services to the people of a city and the public good in general. They are as helpful as a town guard or volunteer fire brigade, which is to say, necessary.

**Mellia:** So many things to unpack there. First of all, while adventurers do provide a service, that hardly implies a positive impact. Secondly, if you paid your town guard ten times what you normally do, and they committed a crime for every three times they stopped one, would that be considered a functioning system?

**Fouzel:** The system must function, as New Gork has flourished as a city with it as their foundation, despite the huge number of challenges the city faces. If its foundation can build a city this diverse, adaptable, and unique among city-states of this era—even with southern overseas migrations becoming more common, the city adapts and takes advantage of its surroundings. Not every city can shift its infrastructure with the change of the wind, but one founded on adventurers can.

**Mellia:** If New Gork was doing as great as you say, would the recent increases in Defense Force presence and operations really be as necessary as they are these days? It seems like the more they increase operations, the more overwhelmed they become.

**Fouzel:** If anything, if the city's need for defense increases as it moves and grows beyond the guild, doesn't that mean that adventurers correlate to safety? Not to mention, with the city's average square footage per building doubling, not to mention the refurbishments and expansions of the tunnels, an expansion in law enforcement is hardly unexpected.

**Mellia:** As New Gork moves forward as a city, part of moving forward is leaving things behind. Adventurers might be solutions for other cities, but they only end up causing problems for the city. The whole reason they set off from Kanara in the first place back in 2323 was because they grew too big for the city, along with the Battle for Kanara. Is that the future we want to set for New Gork?

**Fouzel:** Need I remind you that adventurers were the main reason that Kanara even survived that incident? Describing them as the reason behind that tragedy would hardly be proper logic.

**Mellia:** Not directly, no. Just because they aren't directly responsible doesn't mean that the root cause can't be traced back to a system that throws money and power at mentally unstable...rejects? Couldn't these resources be used more efficiently and fairly than letting the people society has already worked to alienate gamble their lives solving imaginary problems? Is a city of rejects really the current we want New Gork to fly?

**Fouzel:** Categorizing all adventurers as mentally unstable is quite the exaggeration. And, while every adventurer might not be perfect, and every adventurer might not have a perfect record, they are easily the best solution we have to deal with threats on a multitude of levels.

**Mellia:** But is that just because we haven't looked yet?

**Fouzel:** If you have an alternate solution, Tellin, I would gladly—

*[Note for the archive: Due to the incident on this date, the debate ended here and the stenographer was unable to record any further.]*

## Elsewhere on the Continent

*See also: Continent*

After the Laboratories of Expanding New Science (L.E.N.S.) first caught the public's interest in the year 2381 with their First Annual New Gork Festival, they quickly rose to prominence due to their hand in helping repair Kairos after the Battle for Gaia's Cradle, and have gained further notoriety for their creations. Their leader, Bea Drathgyark, and his three branch directors, Syldi (formerly an adventurer), Ette (formerly an adventurer), and Arix (formerly and currently a kobold), have located their base of operations on the continent to avoid casualties from experiments. L.E.N.S. has been experimenting with the wild magic of the continent and has created the Miniature Feywild Core, an item that uses wild magic as an energy source, and claims to be on the cusp of understanding the magic of the continent enough to make locations in the jungle that are safe enough for people to live in.