Welcome to Atlin, Land of Much Dying

From runaway teen to plague survivor and seafaring fighter, Vegard savours the rare calm of Port Noonan—but peace never lasts long in Salithius’ shadow. Amid the bustle, new allies emerge: Irwin, a seasoned blacksmith, and PJ, a wry swordsman with an eye for the extraordinary. Amy’s presence continues to raise questions—her skill too sharp, her stories too wild. As the group stocks up for the road ahead, Salithius tightens his grip, and Amy’s past may soon collide with their future.

Haunted by doubt and drowning in grief, Hans questions the nature of gods and good itself. As the group reels from the aboleth’s psychic assault and Jensa’s death, survival becomes the only truth left. Amy, strange and capable, stays with them—yet her arrival, like Salithius’ unseen reach, suggests they're part of something larger, a pattern stretching beyond their view. Still they sail on, hoping the temple in Sweetwater holds answers before the sea swallows what’s left of them.

Tickle Bay throws a party, but the voyage kicks off with a literal backstab—Mari gets gutted by a goddamn invisible monster! Cue chaos, frantic healing, and a mystery girl named Amy who saves the day with a bow and a snake named Biter. Dolf nearly passes out trying to keep everyone alive, Hans gets wrecked, and Vegard finally scores a hit. We’ve got no map, no plan, and now no Mari. Welcome aboard The Swift. Hope you’re not afraid of pirates, ghosts, or guilt.

Vegard flirts with a beholder, Erik gets KO’d by Hans, and the party is tackled by drunks in a brawl with a tentacle-faced eyeball tree. Somehow, with a little fire, faith, and lucky townsfolk (shout-out to Randy and the human catapult maneuver), they win. Beer flows, secrets slip, and then—twist: Salithius owns a fucking summer home here. So long, Tickle Bay. The gang gets a boat and sails off while the mayor preps for the town’s quiet, catastrophic exit.

Arianna’s swamp taxes Erik’s stamina—and Hans’ patience. One ill-timed slap later, Erik’s out cold. The group navigates zombie-eyed fishmen, enchanted frog-nymphs, and finally a sentient outhouse with a beholder complex. Somewhere out there, Salithius is keeping tabs… maybe even through a ring they'd flushed. Every step east feels like a chase, not a journey. When they finally crest a hill to see the ocean and a village beyond, they know help is near—or the next trap is.

Negotiating with swamp-dwelling fish jerks? Check. Playing chicken with a voyeur zombie? Check. Getting seduced into a nixie’s love-nest by magic fog? Double check. Vegard’s heroic zombie ambush fizzles, Erik nearly dies to a tree with fangs, and the party’s only way out of the swamp seems to be offering Erik up for magical nixie booty. Arianna’s frog-fingered charm has them smitten, enchanted, and napping in her hut by the end of the day. Erik wakes up walking like a legend.

What do you do with a deadly sleep gas? If you’re this crew, you huff it for science. Vegard, Aija, and even Hans take turns getting knocked out—like a nap-themed talent show. But the good times end when a zombie army crashes their barn sleepover. After blasting the leader to bits, they catch their breath just in time for swampy fish-people to steal their sled. Salithius may be watching, but so is someone (or something) slimy.

Guided by a vision from Helga, Dolf leads the group east, away from the ashes of Egersund and toward Finnsbury. Along the way, they bury the frozen dead and encounter Blythe—a man hiding a sacrificial horror behind his cabin. Poisoned stew, a divine purge, and a slaughterhouse of corpses reveal that danger now wears many faces. Salithius remains distant, but his shadow looms, echoed in the cruelty of other monsters still walking free.

A suspiciously fast “old lady” leads Vegard and Hans into yet another terrible idea, and the rest of us follow like idiots. One magical fireball, one creepy kid in a sailor suit, and one magically locked cage later—we crowbar our way back to freedom. Somehow. We escape into the woods, send an owl for help, and get our first cryptic answer: go to Finnsbury. Salithius is dangerous, confusing, and probably the worst host ever.

Erik’s heart hardens as he delivers final death to his undead father, then descends with his companions into the unnatural calm of the Garden of the Rising Moon. Spores choke them. Statues watch them. And tracks of the squid-headed plague creatures lead them deeper. Through a hidden portal, they discover a study sealed with the name “Salithius”—not just a necromancer, but something more. His presence here feels ancient and global, hinting at a sickness older than the outbreak in Egersund. They don't know it yet, but others far to the south have also begun to speak his name.

Jensa’s reflections on Gaia’s suffering are pierced by grim news: there is no cure, only destruction. The group skis north, evading the undead until a series of violent confrontations forces their hand. At Turid’s Folly, Erik’s undead father attacks—and is slain by his son. Two horrific squid-headed carrion crawlers emerge, but are cut down by fire and steel. A dwarven door offers shelter at the canyon’s end, as the survivors brace for whatever darkness lies beyond.

Hans discovers that fear is both paralyzing and empowering—but mostly exhausting. After botching his night watch, he reflects on the horror of fighting neighbours-turned-monsters and narrowly surviving a fast, relentless creature. Dolf’s thunder magic and a flare from the temple give hope. With undead piling up and powers awakening, Jensa sends birds with messages to Helga’s temple. Hans clings to hope, family, and the faint possibility that things might not get worse.