Chapter Summaries

Colin’s family urged him to leave their village as Goblins threatened it, but he reluctantly agreed only after hearing their fears and preparations. A young adventurer named Xia Nan arrived at their door and borrowed their kitchen, leaving Colin and his family stunned as he ate dinner.

• Colin insisted on staying in the village until the Goblin threat was resolved, while his parents and older brother argued that he should leave for safety.
• Colin’s father explained that the Goblin lair was larger than expected and ordered Colin to leave with the other young villagers the next morning.
• After someone knocked without answering, Colin’s family prepared to defend themselves and his older brother opened the door.
• Xia Nan introduced himself as an adventurer passing through and asked to use the family’s kitchen.
• Xia Nan cooked wild boar, paid for the food and kitchen use, and offered the family a taste of Anvil Honey.

Xia Nan reached a remote village while surviving on hunted game and learned that a goblin tribe threatened its people. He agreed to scout the nest in exchange for supplies and set out with the hunter John and his apprentice Colin.

• Xia Nan ate poorly prepared wild boar meat and visited the village to barter for supplies and ask about the Southern Islands.
• The villagers explained that a tribe of at least fifty goblins threatened them, and the village chief offered Xia Nan their coins to help.
• Xia Nan returned the village chief’s money and agreed to inspect the goblin nest in exchange for supplies.
• The next morning, Xia Nan left with John and Colin, refusing to bring more villagers because they would hinder his fighting.
• During their journey, Colin asked about Xia Nan’s experience hunting goblins, and Xia Nan warned him that adventuring was a filthy, dangerous job most people should avoid.

Xia Nan detected a group of Goblins and left John and Colin concealed in the trees while he fought them alone. When a wounded Goblin fled past Colin, Xia Nan stopped Colin from shooting and told him to let its fear guide them.

• Colin told Xia Nan he wanted to become an adventurer and mentioned that his uncle Paddy worked in the Southern Islands.
• Xia Nan sensed approaching enemies, warned John and Colin, and disappeared into the forest.
• Colin heard screams and crashing sounds from the forest, then saw a Goblin burst from the bushes.
• Colin missed the Goblin with his arrow and fell from the tree as it ran away from him.
• Xia Nan caught Colin's next arrow and told him to let the fleeing Goblin's fear lead them.

Xia Nan exterminated the Goblin nest, testing his newly acquired [Heavy Tide] on the fleeing creatures. He emerged just within the promised time, leaving Colin and Hunter John puzzled, while privately resolving to find a better way to build his Intimidation Ritual’s tower of Goblin heads.

• Xia Nan killed the Bear Goblin leader, sending the more than fifty Goblins into a panicked rout.
• Xia Nan slaughtered the Goblins and tested [Heavy Tide], using its force to shatter one Goblin and its imbalance effect to knock another down repeatedly.
• Xia Nan considered how [Heavy Tide] could interrupt enemies in future fights and imagined using it with thrown stones.
• Xia Nan emerged from the cave as Colin and Hunter John hesitated outside, and Colin accepted John’s warning not to ask about the screams.
• Xia Nan privately reflected on his failed attempt to stack Goblin heads for the Intimidation Ritual and considered using bones and coagulated blood as supports and adhesive.

After nearly fifty days of travel, Xia Nan and Colin reached Barracuda Bay through a tunnel in the hills. Colin was awestruck by the sea and the bustling port, and Xia Nan set out to find Uncle Paddy.

• Xia Nan asked Colin whether he still wanted to become an Adventurer, and Colin said he thought being a sailor suited him better.
• Xia Nan noticed recent cart tracks and signs of human activity around a mountainside tunnel, checked for danger, and led Colin inside.
• Colin talked about seeing the ocean and dreamed of saving money to sail a ship.
• Xia Nan and Colin emerged from the tunnel and saw the vast sea, crowded harbor, and tiered city of Barracuda Bay.
• Colin stood speechless at the sight before recovering enough to apologize to Xia Nan.
• Xia Nan told Colin they would find his Uncle Paddy.

Xia Nan and Colin navigated crowded Barracuda Bay to find Colin’s uncle Paddy’s General Store, Salmon Roe. They entered the carefully maintained shop and heard someone call from behind a curtain.

• Xia Nan and Colin made their way through Barracuda Bay’s crowded streets as Xia Nan kept pickpockets away from Colin.
• Colin guided Xia Nan through the port district toward the address of his uncle Paddy’s shop.
• After circling through narrow alleys for over half an hour, they found the General Store named Salmon Roe.
• Xia Nan pushed open the shop door and noticed its clean, orderly interior and unusual goods.
• Someone behind a faded indigo curtain called out to greet them.

Xia Nan brought Colin to Salmon Roe General Store, where Colin reunited with his uncle Paddy and delivered a letter from home. Paddy thanked Xia Nan for saving the village and began guiding him through Barracuda Bay, explaining the city’s districts and local customs.

• Paddy recognized Colin at Salmon Roe General Store, and Colin gave him the letter from his family.
• Colin told Paddy about events in the village, and Paddy read the letter and confirmed his family was safe.
• Paddy thanked Xia Nan for helping the village, apologized for Colin, and offered to share what he knew about Barracuda Bay.
• Xia Nan asked Paddy to explain the city’s powers and hidden taboos, so Paddy locked up the shop and led him and Colin outside.
• Paddy described White Cliff District, Cormorant Goose District, and Saltwater District as they walked along Rope Street.
• Xia Nan realized Paddy’s local knowledge corrected his incomplete understanding of Barracuda Bay and would help him avoid its pitfalls.

Xia Nan, Colin, and Paddy crossed Barracuda Bay’s Saltwater District, where Paddy explained the corrupt Guards, the influence of Umberlee’s Church, and the power of the Bay Trade Association. They reached the association’s shop, and Paddy noted that adventurers often spent freely after completing missions.

• Xia Nan used a controlled display of his aura to keep the crowded streets around him and his companions clear.
• Paddy explained that the Governor’s Guards enforced rules selectively and could be bribed, warning Xia Nan not to provoke them.
• Xia Nan saw Umberlee’s priests distributing food while preaching, and Paddy described how the Church used aid to gain influence over the poor and dock disputes.
• Paddy offered to show Xia Nan the district’s Churches, but Xia Nan declined to avoid getting involved with religious groups.
• The group reached the Bay Trade Association’s shop, where Paddy described its commercial power and observed that adventurers were frequent customers.

Paddy explained how the Church, the Governor's Residence, and the Bay Trade Association shared power in Barracuda Bay, while the Adventurers Association stayed out of local disputes. He led Xia Nan and Colin toward the association branch, pointing out shops along the way before they stopped at Coral Courtyard.

• Paddy described the three major forces in Barracuda Bay and how ordinary people depended on them.
• Xia Nan asked about the Adventurers Association, and Paddy said it focused on developing adventurers and avoided local power struggles.
• Xia Nan asked Paddy to show him the Adventurers Association branch, and Paddy led Xia Nan and Colin across the city.
• Paddy pointed out Silver Frost Cellar and Xili's textile shop as they walked through Saltwater District.
• Paddy paused beside a lavish building where women called to passersby, and Xia Nan read its sign as Coral Courtyard.

Xia Nan reached the Barracuda Bay Adventurers Association intending to search for information about the [Dreamweaver Corridor] Key and the Molton Family descendant, then ask the Three-Legged Sea Dog Tavern for leads. His plan stalled when he discovered the local Association branch had no second floor.

• Xia Nan passed the Coral Courtyard without stopping, judging its scent and services less appealing than Goblin Nests.
• Paddy led Xia Nan and his companions through the changing districts toward the Three-Legged Sea Dog Tavern, a long-running gathering place for adventurers.
• Xia Nan decided to seek information about the [Dreamweaver Corridor] Key through both the Adventurers Association and the tavern.
• At the Barracuda Bay Adventurers Association branch on Silver Anchor Avenue, Xia Nan saw that the building had no second floor.

Xia Nan visited the Adventurers Association’s uniquely built Barracuda Bay branch to learn how it worked. After observing the busy hall, he reached the reception desk, where Mar recognized his seasoned presence and welcomed him.

• Xia Nan left Colin and Paddy at a nearby grilled oyster stall and entered the Barracuda Bay branch alone.
• Xia Nan explored the sunken atrium, examining the mission board, regional map, reception desk, and surrounding shops.
• Xia Nan waited in line for about twenty minutes before reaching Mar at the reception counter.
• Mar assessed Xia Nan’s bearing and confidence, then greeted him warmly and asked how she could help.

Xia Nan visited the Barracuda Bay Adventurers Association to negotiate the sale of his [Tidal Surge Lure Rod], but learned that the buyer had gone fishing and might not return for several days. Mar recommended the Three-Legged Sea Dog as lodging, and Xia Nan then asked about taking commissions, exchanging materials, and buying intelligence with Points.

• Xia Nan told Mar that a Barracuda Bay adventurer wanted to buy his [Tidal Surge Lure Rod] and asked her to arrange a meeting.
• Mar brought Xia Nan to a private meeting room and went to find the buyer, leaving a colleague to cover the counter.
• Mar returned after more than half an hour and told Xia Nan that the buyer had gone out to sea but was expected back soon; she offered to seek a subsidy for his food and lodging.
• Xia Nan completed most of the subsidy contract, and Mar recommended the Three-Legged Sea Dog as a place to stay and gather information.
• Xia Nan asked Mar whether the Barracuda Bay branch offered ranked commissions, material exchanges, and intelligence for Points.

Xia Nan visited the Adventurers Association’s underwater Intelligence Room in Barracuda Bay to investigate a Molton family descendant who had come to the Southern Islands. The records identified him as Lyle Molton, whose ship crew was attacked by Algae Scale Dodd and who was presumed dead, leaving Xia Nan uncertain whether the [Dreamweaver Corridor] Key had ever been with him.

• Mar led Xia Nan down to the Professional Adventurers’ basement and showed him its vast crystal window overlooking the seabed.
• Xia Nan entered the Intelligence Room and asked about the fees for researching the whereabouts of a Molton ducal descendant.
• The intelligence clerk searched the Association’s archives and retrieved records about the descendant.
• The clerk charged Xia Nan 12 Points, and Xia Nan paid for and read the information.
• The records stated that Lyle Molton’s ship crew was attacked by Algae Scale Dodd in Arcane Calendar year 993, after which Lyle’s whereabouts became unknown and he was suspected dead.

Xia Nan learned that the missing Lyle Molton had been attacked by the pirate Dodd, and that the Dreamweaver Corridor key might have been hidden, lost at sea, or taken by Dodd. He went to the Three-Legged Sea Dog to seek information about Dodd, ending by asking whether the tavern served Cream Mushroom Soup.

• An intelligence officer told Xia Nan that Dodd was a former Barracuda Bay adventurer turned pirate who had attacked Lyle Molton, whose whereabouts remained unknown.
• The officer advised Xia Nan to ask around in taverns rather than spend his scarce association points on recent information about Dodd.
• Xia Nan thanked Ms. Mar, admired the sunset, and invited Paddy and Colin to dinner, but Paddy declined when he learned the destination was the Three-Legged Sea Dog.
• Xia Nan entered the Three-Legged Sea Dog to seek information about Dodd and asked the boss whether the tavern served Cream Mushroom Soup.

Xia Nan visited the Three-Legged Sea Dog, where its owner Hera served him Cream Mushroom Soup and described the tavern’s rooms. After tasting the soup, he decided the food was good enough to make a long-term stay appealing.

• Xia Nan entered the Three-Legged Sea Dog and cautiously assessed Hera, its owner, as a capable and influential Professional.
• Xia Nan asked Hera for Cream Mushroom Soup, and she agreed to have the off-menu dish prepared.
• While waiting, Xia Nan asked about lodging, and Hera explained the tavern’s three room tiers and long-stay discount.
• A waiter brought Xia Nan a seafood-rich Cream Mushroom Soup, which he tasted with garlic bread.
• Xia Nan enjoyed the meal and decided he would stay at the Three-Legged Sea Dog long-term.

Xia Nan asked tavern owner Hera for detailed information about the pirate “Algae Scale” Dodd, and she weighed whether he was worth helping. When trouble arose at her Golden Cod casino, Hera invited Xia Nan to accompany her in exchange for a discount on Dodd’s intelligence, and he agreed to go.

• After eating at the Three-Legged Sea Dog, Xia Nan asked Hera for information about “Algae Scale” Dodd and explained what details he needed.
• Hera considered whether Xia Nan could handle Dodd and whether sharing her intelligence would be worth the risk.
• A bald casino manager arrived and reported that a guest at Golden Cod had not lost since that afternoon, leaving the casino’s situation difficult to manage.
• Xia Nan prepared to return to his room, but Hera asked him to accompany her to Golden Cod and offered a discount on Dodd’s intelligence as payment.
• Xia Nan accepted Hera’s offer and agreed to leave for the casino with her.

Xia Nan accompanied Hera to the Golden Cod, where a gambler had won every hand for hours and stirred fears of the legendary Arlene. The winner recognized Xia Nan, but the chapter ended before he could see her clearly.

• Xia Nan watched a sailor leave the Golden Cod broke, and Hera explained that the casino was less predatory than others in Barracuda Bay.
• Hera and Xia Nan entered the crowded Golden Cod and learned that one gambler had been winning every hand for three or four hours.
• Hera and her subordinate feared the winner's luck resembled the methods of the legendary [Destiny Gambler] Arlene.
• Xia Nan recognized Arlene's name from the note on his [Fate Coin] and wondered whether her casino exploits had fulfilled a class promotion ritual.
• Hera led Xia Nan through the crowd to the gambler's table, where the winner turned toward him and called, "Xia Nan!?"

Xia Nan unexpectedly reunited with Alton at a Barracuda Bay casino, where the halfling lost his enormous winnings without concern. Alton explained that he had come to sample local honey tangerines and travel by ship, and Xia Nan wondered whether their reunion might restore the exhausted uses of his [Fate Coin].

• Xia Nan recognized Alton at the Golden Cod casino and told Hera that the halfling was an old friend.
• Alton wagered all his chips, lost the hand, and cheerfully left the table to join Xia Nan.
• At the Three-Legged Sea Dog Tavern, Alton told Hera he had come for honey tangerines and a sea voyage, not to gamble.
• Alton said Sister Arlene was with the Lady of Smiles and would not return to the Southern Islands.
• Xia Nan recalled Alton's close connection to the Goddess of Fortune and wondered whether their reunion could replenish the [Fate Coin]'s exhausted uses.

Xia Nan learned from Hera that Dodd “Algae Scale” would attend the invitation-only Moon Tide Feast during the Sea Rhythm Festival, giving him a chance to find the pirate and seek the Key to the [Dreamweaver Corridor]. Hera explained two ways to attend, and Xia Nan asked if she could take him.

• Hera told Xia Nan that Dodd had deliberately attacked a Servia Kingdom cargo ship and had hidden with his Pirate Crew ever since.
• Hera said Dodd was likely to attend the Moon Tide Feast, a gathering of powerful figures held during the Sea Rhythm Festival.
• Hera explained that Xia Nan could qualify through regional fame or attend as the guest of someone already invited.
• Xia Nan realized Hera might be able to bring him and asked her directly.

Xia Nan accepted Hera’s offer to introduce him to someone who could take him to the Moon Tide Feast in exchange for guarding a shipment. Three days later, he and Alton prepared to leave Barracuda Bay and set sail for the delivery.

• Hera told Xia Nan she knew someone invited to the Moon Tide Feast and offered an introduction in exchange for his help transporting a shipment.
• Xia Nan agreed to Hera’s deal and spent three days preparing in Barracuda Bay, deciding to postpone repairs to his damaged Purgatory Pulse armor.
• Alton joined Xia Nan’s escort mission, eager to see the Moon Tide Feast and unwilling to let Xia Nan handle the commission alone.
• Hera told Xia Nan and Alton to ask her trusted sailors for help and said her contact at the port would arrange their passage.
• After finishing breakfast at the Three-Legged Sea Dog, Xia Nan asked Alton if he was ready, and Alton eagerly agreed to set off.