The Veiled Alliance fleet had crossed the perilous Sea of Silt, determined to end the threat of the stirring primordial. Facing opposition from Broken Builders, mad cultists, and other sinister forces, the fleet had prevailed, though many allies were lost along the way. Despite these sacrifices, the Alliance gained vital information and support for the impending confrontation.

Ahead lay the Isle of Ash, but it was obscured by a vast storm of dust, ash, salt, and smoke. Sailors and mages assured the fleet that this was no natural storm. Scouts reported that the storm completely surrounded the island, remaining ominously stationary. As the fleet approached the curtain of ash and fire, they beheld a crumbling wall of salt and ash, veined with fire, stretching from the silt up into the sky.

A ship flying the colors of Balic was the first to brave the curtain. As it neared the wall, energy pulsed out, warping the ship. The crew's screams pierced the howling winds as the entire vessel turned to ash, disintegrating into the storm. The remains of the skimmer coalesced into dusty humanoid forms, attacking the nearest ship.

Behind the fleet, light pulsed from the Veiled Alliance command ship. Mahlanda burst from her cabin, soaring into the sky. With one hand, she wove a spell, directing it at the curtain. With her other hand, she tapped her temple, blending psionic and arcane power. At her command, gaps just large enough for the ships to pass through perforated the curtain.

Though a way through was now visible, pulses of dangerous elemental energy poured from these holes. Consulting with their allies, the fleet believed assessing and interacting with the curtain from a distance would be safer, keeping further from its corrupting influence. However, moving up to the curtain, though far more dangerous, would allow more options for direct interaction.

As they approached the curtain, the crew alerted that the ship had become unresponsive. Energy from the curtain flared, causing the mast and sail to smolder and smoke. The deck pitched despite the lack of motion, and one crew member was thrown into the curtain, quickly dissolving into nothing. As the heroes acted to disrupt and resist the primordial’s corruption, they also had to contend with their own partially corrupted vessel, battling against both time and the dark magic threatening to consume them all.

After a brief respite, they pressed on. As they moved past the ash, dust, and smoke of the curtain, the shores of their destination, the Isle of Ash, emerged fiercely from the Sea of Silt. The island was riddled with large rents and fissures spewing magma, fire, smoke, and ash. Though most of the island was unsafe, the crew spotted a relatively safe landing area.

As they approached the shallow coastline, the island heaved as if it were a great beast, shuddering in rage at their trespass. A large swath of stone broke free, forming into an arm ending in a massive hand with five unnaturally long fingers trailing ash, dust, and magma. Farther along, another Alliance ship was being pummeled to splinters by a similar, alien fist. Their pilot began to move the ship away as the crew leapt into action. “Jump for it! We’ll come back for you when we can!” the pilot shouted. They jumped, and their ship retreated to a safe distance.

As they prepared to battle the approaching primordial hand, they saw other hands in the distance, moving toward heroes from other ships. A great fist of stone and magma, larger than the others, stretched into the sky, crushing Sartaj in its grasp. She screamed, and a burst of arcane and psionic energy exploded outward from her, shattering the fingers. The unnatural arm retracted back into the island.

Morhen began the assault, flinging three sling bullets and dropping one of the fingers. The dusty thumb dashed in next to them. Shiv dove into battle, killing one finger and aiding Fazanna in their defense, crushing another finger with a mighty blow. Hamra cast Radiance of the Dawn, wounding the giant primordial palm. A giant fist of stone rose into the sky, then swept down toward the group, large enough to catch all of them. Mahlanda saw this development and offered aid, but they refused, taking the devastating blow. Shank was flung far into the silt. The primordial palm used a crushing blow against Hamra and rejuvenated the fallen fingers.

Anvar diagnosed the palm and used first aid on Fazanna. Fazanna then used her burst of speed to get behind the palm and struck twice with her shadowblade, scoring one great hit. Shank rushed back into battle. Two magma fingers grappled Shiv and Morhen, dragging them far from the palm. Two ash fingers grappled and suffocated Hamra and Zyel, also dragging them away. Morhen escaped his grapple, only to be grappled again, but managed to fire off three arrow shots, destroying the finger grasping Hamra. Morhen then empowered Fazanna. The dust thumb grappled Anvar. Shiv action surged but failed to hit, nearly giving up.

Hamra called upon his spiritual guardians, tiny floating motes of flame, and ran around the fingers, destroying the remaining ones. The palm swatted Fazanna, knocking her back, and rained a crushing blow on Hamra, who tried but failed to use his Flicker of Life ability. Fazanna rushed to the palm and struck four times with her shadowblade, using her Moment of Perfection ability before using Action Surge to encase the rejuvenated fingers and Shank in a fireball. Shank, back in battle, raged and struck the palm, hitting two of six times before empowering Shiv. Zyel hit the palm once before using a flurry of blows, critically hitting and stunning it.

Morhen shifted his Hunter's Mark to the palm, hitting once out of three tries. Shiv, still raging, struck the palm three times, hitting once and shattering it using his precision. The remaining fingers changed, and Shiv threw a rock at one, missing. Hamra again used his spiritual guardians and hit two fingers, but they did not fall. Anvar moved closer to Hamra's spiritual guardian protection and applied first aid to Hamra. Fazanna called upon her Bladesong ability and killed one finger with two shadowblade attacks. A magma finger grappled Shank. An ash finger hit Hamra, while another attacked Zyel, who redirected the attack, causing it to kill an ally finger. Zyel recklessly attacked a finger, hitting one of three attempts. Shank killed one finger and hit two more. Morhen killed the last of the fingers with an arrow shot.

Shiv heard the skimmer pilot’s voice in his mind. "I, I don’t know what to say. The druids are telling us that Gom-ul-Dur IS the island – the entire island! We’re waiting here for now; send up a signal if you need us to pick you up. Onward, for Blood and Glory!"