The Ship, a week out from the Steadfast, no shore in sight, carries in its hull the latest expedition that is the brainchild of not just the Amber Gleaners, but a number of other organizations that call those kingdoms home. Their destination, not some part of the beyond to the north south or even east of the area though of as the “civilized” lands but a strange realm known to few and that even fewer know how to reach. The city of Anepus, nestled on the eastern coast of the living continent known as The Head, where everything lives and nothing dead or artificial may survive for long. The land known to some as The Liminal Shore.

One morning the travelers notice that a new strange sail has replaced the old one on the jib and that the water no longer resembles the pale blue of the day before but is now teal and more solid, like a weeping slime or sludge literally carrying them atop it, The crew of the ship turns it back, assuring their passengers that they are not giving up and heading home but indeed are but a few hours from the grand city Anepus herself, and surely as this is spoken the horizon gives birth to a thin coastline which grows in size and detail as the “water” now referred to as grume by the crew carries them in.

Desantion Lamet, the senior Amber Gleaner and official leader of the expedition takes in the site of the city seemingly grown from a massive entanglement of living tree plant and foliage, stares in wonder. He is joined by the lively Envoy Janaka, the expedition’s representative of the League. The Sarraccenians are represented by the reserved by sunny Gardener Asu, and the Aeon Preisthood by the cantankerous and self important Bartarmas. Alongside them are our heroes, brave adventures who have left their lives behind for a taste of adventure in the strangest of strange new lands. Vireth Ka’el, a Protective Glave who Radiates Vitality stands ready, checking to ensure his shield, the sole weapon he typically wields, is nearby. The Inquisitive Nano who Controls Gravity is Fjorta Frey, she considers what it is she might sketch and document first once they make landfall. Last and certainly not least stands Ffilc Notrub, a Cheerful Delve who Rides the Lightning, brightening the day of all who may find this new world strange and unsettling.

They make landfall along the deep blue land, called Marl by some, and toss a rope onto the dock fashioned or “tamed” as the locals say from living branches. Upon arrival Desantion explains that he had arranged for the crew to purchase and provide Tokens for them, small seven sided discs that when worn or carried arrest the debilitating effect that the shore has on inert, non-living items. The problem however is that they were unable to procure enough for the roughly 30 members of the expedition so a conversation would need to be had. Vireth, who is one of a few responsible for providing defence, takes one and Fjorta, not really paying attention, takes one on a whim. Ffilc refuses, even though cautioned of the fact that the shore will affect the Delves very mechanical parts just as much as anyone else. Ffilc  still turns it down simply stating his mantra that what will be will be.

Others take the discs as well, including Barmartas who states it is important for him to have one due to his status and the need to maintain the trappings of his stature. A few others take them leaving Desantion with a single remaining token, Vireth offers to take it, but Desantion points out that, as Vireth already has one, the last will be staying with him.

The heroes’ first order of business is to find Desantion’s understudy, a young woman named Wres who has been along on the shore for at least a few months. Desantion tells them that she is to meet them with their guide in a tavern called the Silver Gullet due to its colour and shape. It take a bit as the group is quite taken with the sights, sounds and smells of the docks of Anepus, Some asking around is done with the heroes, especially by Fflic and Fjort who are fascinated by the myriad assortment of creatures, called tasm by the locals. This requires a refocusing on of the groups and finding the establishment only to learn from Wres that her guide did not show up as she should do.

Wres, a slender woman with short reddish brown hair and a tasm which appears to be several interwoven tendrils that she calls Silk,  tells them that she thinks the would-be guide Mende did not simply take their muxen and run, but may be trying to get her brother Amuz out of trouble that likely came as a result of the latter’s gambling problem. While Desantion decide to return to the expedition to give the worrisome news to the others and to come up with a back up plan, Wres enlist’S the heroes’ aid to search for Amuz in a place they know that he frequents; a den of inequity known simply as The Cove.

Making their way to the structure, which resembles a cross between a mollusk and armor plated octopus, is easy, The area is even more lively than outdoors with various strange games of chance and event to wager of  in every corner in every space. They decide to split up and ask around about Amuz, but not before they exchange their shin for the violet jewel like bugs know as muxen that are used for currency. Thankfully the exchange is wone to one, and the place keeps them in a coral box that has a token on it. Fyorta, with Ffilc in toe to keep her safe, starts asking all of the wrong sort of questions. These questions do not get her answers but instead the notice of the club’s security and also its owner, a large bulky woman by the name of Chindra. 

Seeing the guards, who are now nervous as Fjorta is moving quickly towards their boss, the nano uses her gravatonic abilities to root their feet to the floor. Chindra is not amused with the Nano, who Vireth warns to take this meeting carefully nor immediately with Ffilc, who has unfortunately been caught in the middle of things. Chindra, irritated with the groups focus on Amuz, who she tells them she banned from her establishment for his own good, finds herself in the awkward position of describing Tasms and Tasm etiquette to a group of newcomers. She decides to make them a deal. Leading them to the lounge in the back, with its marl and branch chairs covered in a vibrant yellow soft mossy substance, she lays out the terms.

She needs a fighter to go up against Gogol. The fighter that she did have lined up came down with a serious case of two broken legs for not paying his gambling debt. This news snaps Fjorta out of her current flighty mood, she now begins to realize the seriousness of this. She tells Vireth, who as the only skilled fighter among the three is essentially volunteered by the other two, that if he makes the bare knuckle fight look good and if he goes down convincingly in the second round, she will tell them what she knows of Amuz’s likely location and even through in two tokens. Ffilc and Fjorta are then escorted out by guards who clearly carry a grudge for the earlier gravity manipulation and find a good spot near the ring, which looks like ropes made of sinew on a mat made of the same flesh as tongue. 

Vireth is given space to get ready. He is escorted out to a mix of mostly boos and cheers (with Ffilc and Fjorta, joined by the oblivious Wres, leading the cheering section). Not a moment after the massive Gogol, standing a full head and shoulders above Vireth arrives. The tap fists and the shell is wrung. Vireth starts off ducking and dodging, he then makes a step in and rocks the big man with an uppercut that clearly gets his attention. Sure enough this gets Gogol swinging, which Vireth manages to dodge long enough for the first round bell to ring. In the second round it is Vireth who starts off hard, swinging and landing a few more good hits that surely have Chindra worried of losing her wager until the glaive starts to “falter”. Gogol, not realizing the charade for what it is, moves in and belts Vireth, sending him to the mat. He stays there for a convincing amount of time before letting the others “ help” him up. The heroes cast an eye to the burly woman and her fox-like tasm. They”ve held up their end of the bargain, now will she ?

After the fight is over and the punters have all gone to cash in their winnings, Chindra takes our heroes out back, this time with Wres as well who is worried about the beating Vireth has taken during the fight. She is surprised to see the proprietor of the Cove pay him two whole tokens for his loss, the realization of what actually took place slowly dawning. Chindra then provides the much sought information of Menda’s brother Amuz, and how he has fallen in with a dangerous bunch of criminals known as the Grey Teng. The Teng prey on the weak and the desperate, will take high stakes bets on near anything that always tip in their favour, especially when addicts like Amuz are concerned. They always collect their debts owed, either in Muxen or in trade.

With this in mind, the heroes make their way back up to the Silver Gullet where Desantion waits. He is accompanied by the ever complaining Barmartas, the Envoy Janaka, as with the mysterious Aryx. The Gaian seems to have made a friend in the form of  a hawk shaped creature made out of leathery flesh, its pterodactyl style head ending not in a beak but in a protrusion that is home to a half dozen anteater like tongues that greedily wrap around and devour the grubs Aryx feed it. Fjorta is immediately a fan, asking Aryx, who responds in his heavy depalatalised drawl, anything and everything about it. She also takes note of the bowl, itself alive seeming to be made out of warm veiny cartilage, and the glass, a translucent gelatinous creature with visible organs and nerves, that makes a delightful “splork” sound when slammed down. 

Ffilc and Vireth discuss the situation with Desantion, ignoring Barmartas’ complaints. At the mention of the Grey Teng, the barkeep mentions it is better to forget their friend and move on. When pressed, the woman mentions the Teng can be found in an undercity-like portion of Anepus referred to as “The Tubes” hollowed out root-like structures tamed from large branches. The heroes decide to head down to find these Teng and hopefully Mende and Amuz as well. Asking around they find The Tubes, brown wooden walls with giant knots for doors and low glowing pulsating  bulbs that give off a low brown light. Dampness allows a light to moderate fog to hover above the floor. It is not long before they find a few members of the Teng where the fog is the heaviest and the most beige . A confrontation with a pair of the criminals leads to the location of Amuz, who is not too far away. It takes our heroes mere minutes to arrive at their destination.

Fjorta touches the knot and thinks of opening, the feature unravels revealing a number of men in the living grey cloaks associated with membership in the Teng, one produces a hairy clawed glove, another a length of living coral chain, pocked like a golfball and laden with barbs. Beyond them lies another knot leading deeper into the enclosure. A few terse words are exchanged before the Tengs attack. Fjorta hovers over the thugs and uses her gravity powers to trip up a would be assailant, while Vireth draws a would be attacker from her to him instead, battering the Teng with his shield with such force and fury that the man is instantly vanquished, nose broken and jaw snapped. Ffilc for his part, holds the third man’s chain weapon in high regard.  Using his own whip and expertise in such weapons, he manages to stop an attack by causing the chain to wrap around his forearm before demonstrating why people say he rides the lightning, delivering a shocking blast to the thug and seizing his weapon.

Fjorta manages to stay out of reach of her foe, whose ability to act is limited by his artificially increased weight. Unfortunately that is when the door behind her opens and three more Tengs, including this band’s leader, step out and first focus on her as the nearest target. Fjorta is thankfully able to react in time, moving out of the way quick enough to allow one to strike the other in folly. The leader watches, attempting to intimidate with his position, as his men fight our heroes, stepping in once he realizes that they are outmatched. Vireth redirects one of the thug’s attack back at the leader, who kills his underling for his incompetence before moving on to fight the glaive. The battle is hard pressed, and ends when Vireth brings his shield down hard on the man’s thigh, snapping his femur with such force it rips through the thigh muscles and punctures the skin in the back. Upon seeing this, the other Teng quit the fight and moved to flee. 

Ffilc and Fjorta make their way out back, finding Mende and Amuz affixed to the chamber via a length of elastic blue marl cuffed around their ankle. Vireth in the meantime, does what he can to keep Teng from bleeding out from his injury. Mende explains that she had followed a similar path to try and find her brother, but was captured and forced to tame cyphers for the Teng to pay her debt. She informs the heroes that even though she has a contract with the expedition, she will have to break it unless Amuz can accompany her as he will get himself into too much trouble otherwise. The heroes inform her that they can certainly work something out and make their way out of the roots and back up to the rest of the expedition.

When they arrive, they see Desantion negotiating with a massive creature, a wholkin guide by the name of Li Feng, who has agreed to lead the expedition across to the settlement site once Janaka and Desantion assure it that they have permission from the Empress of Everything. Fjorta, naturally fascinated, bombards Li Feng with questions. The wholkin for its part attempts to act comfortable with the fanatic level of interest Fjorta displays but the intensity of this prevents Li Feng from convincingly doing so. Janaka mentions in passing to Ffilc whose idea the hiring of another guide was with not so subtle gestures towards the cantankerous aeon priest. It is agreed that more is indeed merrier, all will go. Desantion thanks the heroes for all they have done, paying for a cozy room for them upstairs as thanks. They will need be well rested, for tomorrow they set out on their journey.

The heroes are woken by Desantion Lamet gently knocking on their door to let them know that the expedition will be setting out from Anepus soon. They wake their way downstairs where the adventurous Ffilc decide to take the Silver Gullet’s chef up on the offer of some wiggly gelatinous breakfast, mostly orange in colour, it tastes of sweetness and citrus. The man describes how the hamper provides foodstuffs, and how someone had previously tamed the “hamper” that produces it years ago. The topic of conversation turns to tasms, the man having a bruise coloured bump that looks like a birthmark on his neck for his. They learn that  to gain a tasm, the land itself will try to “open” to them and “invite” how it does this, the man really can’t say, it feels a little different for everyone. Around this point, Barmartas’ loud “harumphs” and Desantion’s “ uhms and ahhs” not so subtly communicate that the characters need to hurry up. The chef gives them a bit of Orange Gel to go, served on blue marl trays.

They set out on their journey of several days in the direction of the community of Rahbmas. Spirits are high. The first day is quiet, but on the second, they come upon the strange sight of what appears to be around a half dozen pick axes lying on the ground near a wall of smooth blue marl. Mende tells the heroes that this is odd, as not many would need such tools to shape the land, only those who have not yet received a tasm or have lost it. Before they can question her much about this, Barmartas, impatient old coot that he is, status forward and goes to pick up the pick axes, very much wanting to keep moving. Fjorta tries to convince the aeon priest that perhaps  there is a learning moment here, and that they should proceed with caution, but Barmartas is having none of it. He picks up the pick axe and watches in bewilderment as it suddenly changes into 3 foot-long transparent slugs with rigid spines; mimetans.

All but one of the tools transform, they start biting Barmartas and leaping up at him. Those that bite the aeon priest divide, causing their number to increase. The heroes, along with a number of their fellow expedition members, run to the rescue. Ffilc, using the whip that he acquired from the fight with the Teng, strikes at the creatures, Vireth, careful aim, dispatches a number of the creatures with his disc launcher, and Fjorta, levitating into the air, uses her esotery to strike the creatures with raw force, blasting her fair share. In addition, Aryx and his winged pet attack , Amuz stabs one or two, Li Feng brings the fury only a wholkin can to a fight and Sora dispatches a number with her mighty hammer. In roughly a minute, all but a handful of the creatures are dead and gooified, with the survivors disappearing back into the living landscape. Lieri, the expedition's most experienced healer, takes care of Barmartas’ bites the best she is able. And the expedition continues on along the trail.

It is Fllic who first receives the invitation. Expecting and hoping for it, he does everything he can to convince the land that he is receptive, only to find a tiny glass caterpillar, barklight iridescent blue and violet skin on it, and with two small red tendrils that fall back over tis head like a mane, is perched on his shoulder. The little creature puts out friendly and happy vibes, which Ffilc reciprocates the best he can with his new friend. He names his tasm Jewel. Within the next few days, both Fjorta and Vireth also get the feeling that the land reaches out, Vireth’s tasm resembles a half meter long dragonfly with the wings of a bat whose veins mimic and ever changing topographical map, and whose tail ends in long wavy black tendrils. Fjorta finds a hexagonal limpet the size of her palm. The creature is covered in square and hexagonal shaped bumps that have the texture of smooth wood and a line of feathers on the top of it. Though slow (using sticky white pseudopods to move around) it communicates with feelings of bursts of energy. By the time the third day comes to pass everyone, even Barmartas, has opened up to the land and accepted a Tasm. 

During the trip Vireth, curious about the nature of Leiri’s talents, speaks to her on health, vitality, and medicine. He learns that the young woman has joined to learn about the medicines that a land such as this might provide, and mainly uses natural plant based salves and cures. The expedition comes across a quartet of Wholkins, modestly dressed in simple robes, heading in the opposite direction. The lead wholkin hails the party, discusses news of the road in their direction and is happy to hear that there is not much of concern along their course. They tell the expedition about the Monastery of the Word and the Word of God, a trio of islands that lay to the south of the Head, and the pilgrimages made by fellow members. One asks if the ground of the heroes’ homeland is truly dead, and becomes intrigued by Fjortas assertion that the ground is full of life, but in just a different way. The fourth shares and trades some of its bio circuitry to Fflic in exchange for a pair of cyphers. The wholkin missionaries peaceably and politely part ways, and the expedition marches on, Mende and Li Feng telling them that the rest stop village of Rahbmas should be reachable by the end of the next day’s journey.

During the journey to Rahbmas, Ffilc has noticed a worrying trend. The metallic outer layer of his form has begun to exhibit a number of bubbling and cracking, as if moisture has gotten underneath and has begun to cause some sort of oxidation, almost like a series of metallic rashes over his body. He and Fjorta have worked together to use the biocircuitry that Ffilc had traded for to make poultices and a salve to hopefully treat this development.

Along the same line, all unprotected gear and equipment not native to the Shore has broken down and, as the locals say, “gone back to the land”. This includes the clothing which has concealed Ffilcs nature, something that has drawn a bit of conversation and chatter as the expedition arrives at the traveller community of Rhabmas. Mende and Li Feng lead them into the area of the community known as the center pavilion; a large, roughly circular area known for its inns, taverns and street market.

The heroes encounter something new, fuzzy moth like creatures, apparently bipedal, conversing with each other and several merchants. Amazed Fjorta gets close, too close, taking note and composing sketches. There is a noticeable shift in the demeanor and one of them, in grammatically correct but slightly accented Truth, asks Fjorta what she wants. They quickly identify her as a newcomer and try to answer while at the same time slipping away. Eventually when Fjorta buries herself in a  particularly engaging note, she asks a question and looks up to see that the creatures, who call themselves Creel, have left.

Vireth comes across a vendor who pulls scoops of wriggling maggot-like creatures out of a plant-like hamper. They smell strongly of hashbrowns. The vendor charges Vireth two muxen for a mass of the creatures placed inside a folded over leaf. He decides to remove the heads of the creatures to stop the wriggling before eating them. They have a consistency of mashed potatoes and taste as they smell. While eating, Sora, the other glaive on this expedition, approaches. She mentions how unsettled she is by the presence of  “The machine man”, referencing Ffilc and offers to watch Vireth’s back and suggests they both keep an eye on him. Vireth gives a non committal response that feels a bit like a brush off to the Glaive, who heads off shortly after.

Ffilc for his part has purchased a goo that tastes like wontons in a paper thin seas shell type container, itself edible as well, from a vendor who squeezes it out from branches of crystalline coral. Desantion finds him and apologizes for bringing him here, due to the rumoured degradation of his metal body, Fflic reassures the expedition leader explaining that his metal form is not his choice and it is his hope that the land gives him back an organic body. Satisfied by the answer but still feeling responsible, Desantion Lamet tells Ffilc that should he need anything then Ffilc can come to him for help. The Amber Gleaner also takes Ffilc advice and gets himself a scoop of goop as well, but not before claiming a shopkeeper who is angry with Fjorta for commissioning an item that she cannot afford. Desantion comes to the rescue with some additional muxen and gives the mucosal extruded jewellery back to Fjorta, who is a little embarrassed by the situation.

Vireth approaches and fills Ffilc in on the comments made by Sora, he is unphased. Aryx interrupts their conversation to inform the heroes that there is a man who claims to be from Qi that tells stories in one of the nameless taverns. The five of them decide to head in and listen to the man’s tale about his youth in the legendary city, before passing around a fuzzy sock like item which the occasional listener deposits a few muxen.The man, in his 70s stands and slowly makes his way off of the makeshift stage leaving it open for any who would speak. Fjorta takes up this offer and give a heavily pantomimed oral description of the journey of food through the human digestive system. Strange as the tale is, it does earn her 6 muxen from the assorted listeners. A few others, including Aryx, give storytelling a try but none have quite the same level of success. Desantion has arranged for everyone to bunk indoors upstairs so, with Vireth waiting for the others to be secure in their rooms, he turns in.

The next morning the expedition finally goes off road east across the living landmass known to the locals as The Head, Ffilc uses his skills as a delve to help Mende and Li Feng to navigate the terrain. Even though they know roughly how to get where they are going, the living land changes, and a path must be found anew after so much time has passed. Later while Mende is thanking Ffilc for his insight, and discussing the realm below the skin known as the Underhunger (a subterranean domain of living tissue and organs that gives Vireth the heebie jeebies) she notices that a number of expedition members are setting up camp somewhere they should not. She calls out but it is too late, the long licorice red tendrils reach down and scoop up the four men. Their forms develop an aura resembling a gasoline rainbow which begins to leave them and spread down the plant, causing them to scream in pain.

Ffilc rushes in with his whip, which is particularly effective in harming the vines of what Mende calls a Shoredew. The barbs react to it and cause it to drop its victim, Vireth rushes in and drags the man to safety as both Fflic and Fjorta, after overcoming the shock, repeat the process as best they are able. Vireth continues to rush in, dragging the men to safety but the longer one stays in the Shoredewès grasp the weaker and more disposed they become. Eventually the lifeform gets luck and scoops up Ffilc only to have the delve deliver it a shocking grasp, causing it to drop him. Vireth, once all of the men are free and clear, fires a buzzsaw blade into the thin, causing it to bleed out whatever it has that passes for blood. Between the whip, buzzblade and onslaught, the Shoredew never stood a chance. Lieri and Mende tend to the injured as best they can, however Mende is also preoccupied trying to salvage a useful gel from the remains of the creature. They apply it to the injured and it begins to have almost immediate impact, the remaining doses, useful to assist with tame, should be handy as well.

The next day Fjorta and Vireth take note of the worsening conditions that the poultices on Ffilc are experiencing. An idea from Fjorta prompts a visit with Li Feng who is able to give them their introductory lesson in taming, though the Wholkin is at a bit of a loss on how to teach them something so innate to it. Ffilc is able to bend his branch and Fjorta is able to cause new flowers to bloom off hers, but she inadvertently causes them to expel some sort of pollen which due to her growing relation to the Kai and the Shore seems to have no effect. Li Feng offers to help Vireth, but he declines for now. Having made minor changes to the land for the first time, The four rush to catch up with the rest of the expedition, wondering what they will find next and what they may use their talents for in the future.

The heroes catch up with the rest of the expedition and not long after they arrive at what promises to be the first of a number of difficulties put up by the land itself. They have encountered a river of slime separating the fungal shelf they are on, and another sixty feet away and twenty feet below. Mende informs all that to turn around would take at least a day to make up the lost ground and would take them away from a village that she and Li Feng agree is reachable before sunset should they be able to cross. Ffilc points out a long dandelion-like growth, over 100 feet tall, which seems to have some sort of electric current running though it, as the only thing long enough to cross the gap. 

He is told that this is something called a luminiferous delion. They are notoriously hard to tame and there is risk due to the current that runs through them. Flic volunteers to help and the three of them, with Mende at the forefront, press Amuz, who has done nothing but complain since leaving the comforts of the main trade routes, to assist. It takes over an hour, but they manage to bend the delion down making a steady bridge. Fjorta, during this time, has successfully tamed a number of branches into long rope-like strands. She uses her gifts to drift across the goop and finds a good spot to tie the cords down, making a simple rope bridge that people can shift down and across. The decision is that Fflic, Fjorta Li Feng and a few others will lead the wagons and the pack animals across the delion which Sora and Vireth guide the rest of the people across the bridge.

There is mild disagreement over who will go across last, Sora of Vireth. Vireth does win a battle of the wills, sending Sora across before himself, with her promising next time it will be her watching his back. Once the others have the wagons and their mounts, smaller domesticated versions of the hawlda called the norhja hawlda about half way across, (potential) disaster strikes. A current runs through the stalk of the tamed delion, Fflic manages to brace himself against the effects but Fjorta and Ogdin - one of the young men who Ffic helped save from the Shoredew - are hit hard. Fflic manages to get his animal under control with a surprisingly expert hand while Fjorta, leaving nothing to chance, uses her powers to immobilize the creature until it calms. Thankfully there are no further issues and the wagons and expedition members are safely reunited on the other side.

True to Mende’s assurances, they arrive in a small village near nightfall. The village Vellivar, is small and consists of a number of homes tamed from one or more giant toadstools and fungal growth, and a large circle around a thin central mushroom tower three stories tall. Fjorta talks up a labourer carrying a sack of moving objects. She learns that the village’s main product is the spores that grow from the mushrooms. Offered one as she had never had one before, the puffy softball sized object is delicious. The merchant, Cora, is happy to answer questions at first, but is soon overwhelmed by the sheer number of questions - and the detail needed to answer them - posed by the inquisitive nano. He soon makes an excuse to try to leave, but Fjorta, not taking the hint, follows him to the central structure, which is the towns food storage.

Vireth, seeing a good opportunity, decides to give taming a try. Finding a secluded space and focusing on what he saw his companions do, as well as remembering the words and advice of Li Feng, he concentrates on a branch and, opening himself to the world, manages over the course of an hour to tame 12 usable discs for his buzzer weapon. There are some imperfections when compared to the genuine store bought item, but the glaive is satisfied that his “homegrown” ammunition should function just as well as the originals. 

Flic speaks to an older lady that he sees sitting out and relaxing. He learns the name of the village, what the village does and the source of what looks like bites or chunks missing from several structures. Lynara Kett, who turns out to be the matron of the community, explains that there have been large floating creatures that began to show up a few weeks ago. The villagers have managed to fend them off, but not before some damage has been done and some injuries have been sustained. She offers to put up Ffilc and the other members of the expedition in the community overnight and, upon learning that they intend to continue further into the head, cautions him to avoid the beasts. 

With almost perfect timing, she calls out, as she notices one of the creatures - a translucent jellyfish like being with bioluminescent shapes and organs inside it, arrives and moves towards the village. The beast is nearly 40 feet tall, 10 in the body, 30 in the dozens of tendrils. One tendril reaches out and stabs the roof of a home, sucking a chuck of the roof out and up into its body. Three men arrive and strike at it with clubs, the beast hits two of them causing a horrible burning sensation. The heroes spring to action. Fflic being the closest snares a tendril with his whip and drags the creature down to the ground while Fjorta and Verith try to close the distance.

Flic quickly discovers the danger of this creature, not only does it have ample focus and tendrils to attack any and all within range. Its whip-like strikes burn -even metal skin. Despite his most valiant efforts, it is not long before Fflic must fall back and let his comrades take over. He notices that in some places the burning has exacerbated the issue with his rashes. Some of his metal skin has fallen away revealing something smooth and white beneath.

Meanwhile Both Fjorta and Vireth strike form a distance with their mental powers and buzzer respectfully. It takes a few hits from each to finish the work that Ffilc started, but it is not long before the beast has been felled and others are able to start tending to the injuries of the defenders. The heroes learn that this is simply one of a number of such creatures that are in the area, normally as many as four have appeared at any given time. This is the first one that has fallen, and that has been slain in defense of Vellivar. Will our heroes let it be the last? Or will they delay their journey to help these poor people?