The Hot Forgotten Springs Episode

The party began their journey in Sirena's lair, finding themselves headed north in the desert. They continued onward for some time, finding themselves eventually within viewing distance of the nearest settlement, Forgotten Springs. The sun beat down on them from above, baking their bodies and scorching their spirits, but onward they progressed.

The party came upon an Amalj'aa warrior, already in fierce combat with a couple of Sand Orobons, and assisted him in killing the pair of delicious, gritty fish. The party expected reward, but instead were questioned - why were they poaching on sacred Brotherhood hunting grounds? The Amalj'aa, as he explained, was a member of the Brotherhood of Ash, and the Brotherhood did not welcome poachers on their lands. He challenged the party to battle, and the party nominated their mightiest warrior, Lulu, to face their foe. Lulu prevailed, and the warrior respected the party's strength and right to hunt on Brotherhood lands. He allowed the party passage, and gave them a small wand for their effort.

Eventually the party continued north, reaching viewing distance of the U tribe's camp, the only known way around Zan'rak. They soon found an abandoned cart in the desert, and as adventurers are wont to do, they searched it. Soon, a rumbling came from beneath the sand. An entire colony of sandworms, vicious beasts known to the settlers in the desert, emerged from the sands below. The party fought valiantly, and with the help of a few adventurers from the U tribe itself, managed to dispatch the beasts. The U tribe members were not pleased with the party's intrusion upon their hunt, but offered to escort them back to their tribe and tend to them for now.

U'odh Nuhn, leader of the U tribe, met with the party after healing the wounds of Mikey. He explained that the U tribe values strength above all else. The party proved itself weak by needing assistance to dispatch the sandworms, and so they offer little of value to him. Still, he offers them a chance to repay their debt and earn the favor of the Drakes - a small clan of young hunters recently went missing, far to the east, and he would like to hear of their fate. The group was hunting an antlion in the area, but should have already returned. He does not care if they are alive or dead, but knowing if they were killed by their quarry or by others is his concern. One of U'odh's many lovers approached the party as they left, explaining that the antlion the young hunters were seeking carries a powerful toxin that the U tribe needs to create medicine. Retrieving it in addition to finding the news of the young hunters would place the party in a place of much more respect.

The party headed east uneventfully. Eventually, they came upon a large ruin, finding a single Amalj'aa and the hunters. The Amalj'aa, however, merely laughed at the party's foolishness - he was truly a Voidsent, sent to retrieve what Sirena could not - the tome that was left behind at Woad Whisper Canyon. After a short encounter, the party dispatched the fiend, sending him back to whatever hell he came from. The hunters, unfortunately, were truly tempered, and as quickly as possible, the party granted them the only release they could: death.

Now, the party knew that the Void was coming for them. Still, they had a goal: finding the antlion and harvesting its venom.

You Can't Stop the Music (But They Did It Anyway)

The party left the future Moraby Drydocks with Ernestwyn at the helm after meeting Vereaux and Silent Wind at the pier. The two of them were in relatively good spirits despite everything they had been through in the last month, though Vereaux was forced to wear a clever glamour and Silent remained as weakened as ever. Mikey, ever the sharp Conjurer, deduced that Silent Wind was suffering the effects of Enervation - an effect tied to negative aether, that literally drains the experience and strength of a lifetime out of its carrier. Conjurers of sufficient skill can reverse the condition, so getting him to Gridania was nearly as critical as escorting Vereaux.

The party left the port with little trouble. About a day into their journey, they felt a sharp knock at the bottom of the ship, and soon after, a large Sahagin poked his head above water. He threatened to sink the vessel if they didn't turn over the crystals aboard - although Xyantha wisely figured out that he'd probably do it anyway, as Sahagin aren't known for being kind or fair. The party fought him off through cannonfire, spell, and melee combat, enraging the giant Sahagin by insulting his lack of a bachelor's degree.

The next day aboard the vessel, in the distance, the party noticed the aetherial form of a giant sea serpent. Correctly identified as the Sahagin primal Leviathan, the party could do little about it - he was headed in the opposite direction, for one, and the party would not be able to take on even a weakened Leviathan with their current strength. Ernestwyn decided to get the party to shore, then return to Limsa with as much haste as possible to let them know the news.

The party disembarked at the southern coast of Thanalan, heading north through the Sagolii Desert (not Dessert). Their first day was relatively uneventful, and that evening the party met a handsome (and oddly charming, though insistent) Lalafellin trader. The party eventually purchased some wares from the charming fellow, and he left them to continue his pursuit of ancient relics that he sells for jewelry. Jaerahn, after being contacted, thought this was the best course of action.

As the party moved further into the desert, they found themselves at an oasis of some kind - a pool and trees surrounded by sand. Hearing a beautiful voice below, the party met Sirena, a young, beautiful woman who told them she lived in the desert alone. One by one, the party resisted Sirena's charms, at least until Jinx met up with the party after a trip to the Golden Saucer. After a long battle against Sirena and her minions, however, the party prevailed - and then looted her stuff. After a short rest, they prepared to continue their journey north...

Shocked

This week, the party began their adventure by speaking with Ririka and Lady L'aura Lhaminn. Ririka and Ms. Lhaminn explained why they had contacted the party - Ririka, working for Ms. Lhaminn, was investigating a number of disappearances that had begun with her son's disappearance a few months prior to the start of the adventure. Ririka explained that she was investigating the cave when the party showed up, and she then tailed them for awhile while also exploring what was going on on her own. Once the party actually escaped from the cave, as she predicted, she decided that she needed to contact them and get all of the facts straight. The party spent a decent amount of time swapping information with the pair, and eventually Ririka and the party decided that getting to Gridania along with Vereaux and her party would be the best course of action.

The party travelled to Moraby Drydocks, or at least what would soon be that town. Along the way, they encountered a young woman who was under attack by some jackals. The party, despite their best attempts to tame a wild jackal, eventually drove the beasts off. Lulu offered the poor maiden, whose name was Edith, a large sum of gil. She spent the night with the party and eventually moved on. Tensions flared between Ririka and Jinx, however, and Jinx decided to move on without the party to Moraby for now.

The party arrived to find Jinx in Moraby, having already gathered a decent bit of information. Ririka apologized for her outbursts, then asked her old friend Captain Guldstrwyn if he could help the party get to Gridania. He said he could if the party could help them, warning that the journey would be tough, but doable. First, though, the party needed to get to some water crystals, located in a crater made by the Calamity.

The party arrived to the crater to find that the rumored Sahagin in the area were already dead, killed by yet another Allagan system gone haywire. The party fought hard and disabled the device, finding another Allagan tomestone and the water crystals they needed. Jaerahn was contacted, but the party bristled as his asking for additional materials without compensation - offended, Jaerahn ended the call then and there. The party then headed to Moraby once again, looking to begin their journey across the sea...