A large portion of the island of Augh-Chass is covered by an inland sea called Dyn’s Scar, the large rivers of which flow toward, but never reach, the shores. Augh-Chass has the calmest, balmiest weather of all the islands. It is sparsely populated, with a single city named Ces. The rest of the inhabitants live in small groups, mostly along the shore of Dyn’s Scar.
DYN’S SCAR
About 40 miles (64 km) across at its widest, this inland sea is murky white, as are its rivers. Despite its color, the water is clean and safe for consumption. Inhabitants of Ces have built long trenches to draw water from the sea to support their city’s agriculture and inhabitants.
No matter what the weather conditions on the island, the sea is always stratified, with a cool top layer, a warm middle layer, and a bottom layer that often freezes, forming sunken icebergs, the largest of which occasionally float to the top. The anything smaller than a human child, so
having one attached to your sinker is likely to keep down pests. And pets.
No one knows what the sinkers’ original purpose was or how to create new ones, so as Kinider continues to grow, the residents face a housing shortage. Those with extra room charge exorbitant prices for long- or short-term rentals. Most people have elaborate passkeys, security systems, and living wills designed to keep their house safe and in the family name. Even a permanent sandsulche isn’t enough to pry people loose from their sinkers; they just put up higher screens and deal with the sight (and sometimes the smells).
To offset the housing shortage, a small village has cropped up just north of Kinider, mostly old boats or debris turned into makeshift housing. These slums last until the next Hale, and then they are destroyed, along with many of the people who lived in them.
DARNALI HEARSAY
Hole in the Ground: Just outside Kinider proper, a man named Jough Char has discovered what he believes is a new sinker, albeit one that is less than half a foot in diameter. He is convinced that sinkers are creatures that grow to a larger size given time and the necessary resources. Jough is looking for assistance to test his hypothesis, but he will only take people who can keep their mouths shut, as he has no intention of sharing this discovery with anyone until he can figure out a way to capitalize on it.
A Generation Destroyed: One of the most popular places for echryni birth beds is in the deep water off the western shore of Darnali. Shortly after the most recent birth bed ceremony, three underwater cocoons were attacked, and all the young ones and birth beds were killed. An echryni named Hooy says
he has proof that this was a deliberate attack by someone from Darnali. It’s unknown whether Hooy is seeking retribution, an explanation, or both.
THE WEIRD OF DARNALI
Dullest Blade: An extraordinarily tall, thin man is sometimes seen along the western peninsula of Darnali, running a strange instrument along the shore. If asked, he says he is sharpening Darnali’s knife. And in fact, it does look as if the edge of the beach is slowly beginning to compact, turning into a sharp edge that cuts the water.
A Shadow Falls: Near the westernmost wall of Vonnai, a large black, cloudlike object has appeared. It hangs just 15 feet (5 m) above the ground, and it often looks as if there’s something alive inside it, attempting to get out. Occasionally, a series of short whistles can be heard from within the black mass.
manner of buildings, objects, sculptures, and weapons.
Gedyr are talented mimickers, able to replicate almost any sound by moving air through their pores (including their mouth, which is essentially a very large pore). Those who believe the gedyr are merely repeating sounds without understanding would be wrong; most gedyr can speak a variety of languages, including the Truth, although their “accent” can make them difficult to understand.
They are also skilled hunters, seeming to take great pleasure in stalking humanoids for the mere enjoyment of it. They build “blinds”—tents or tiny buildings designed to look like restaurants,
inns, or other small establishments—and use their talents of mimicry to create the sounds of people inside. surface is covered in float pods—organic
plants that stretch up to 10 feet (3 m) across and nearly 15 feet (5 m) high. Due to its unusual makeup, the Scar is filled with creatures and plants not found elsewhere. Chain of Hawes: These hook-shaped insects connect together and skim or fly across the water in long ropes. They attack prey as a group, wrapping themselves around a creature’s neck and chewing through the top layer of skin until they hit a vein or an artery.
Hyperfungus: All around the edges of the sea, these tall, spotted mushrooms sprout after certain rainstorms, sometimes gaining as much as a foot (0.3 m) per day. When they reach about 6 feet (2 m), they begin to shake violently, releasing thousands of tiny spores into the air. Most of the spores are harmless; however, every spore release includes one larger, winged spore called a
hyperspore. This spore seeks to start a new colony of hyperfungi by being carried to a new place within a living creature. It glides into a creature’s ear and begins to mentally issue directions. Those who can’t resist its suggestions find themselves in a new place without any memory of how they got there and feel the urge to submerge themselves in whatever water is nearby. Hyperspores that are not submerged in water within one week go silent and die.
Gedyr
The sea is also the home of a city of multi- eyed creatures called gedyr. These highly intelligent, amphibious animals have built a complex city-structure in the middle layer of the sea from shells, bones, rocks, and a type of glue harvested from the float pods. They have an organized social structure, in which everyone has a designated role. A gedyr’s sidefins and color striations give away its position in the community; the longer the fin and the more time nodules (tiny skin tags that show its age) it has, the higher the gedyr’s standing. They are quick builders and creators, thanks to their tentacles and claws, which they use in tandem to construct all
Chain of hawes: level 4; moves a long distance each round; does 2 points of damage on first successful bite, then 3 points of damage on each subsequent bite Hyperspore: level 2, all tasks involving persuasion and mental suggestion as level 4 It is not unusual for people who live near Dyn’s Scar to cover their ears with netting, earmuffs, or other devices. Livestock and companion animals are often dressed in elaborate earwear to protect them from hyperspores.
The highest-ranking gedyr, a turquoise and salmon creature that is nearly 3 feet (1 m) tall, claims to be more than three hundred years old. Those who talk to it (or any of the others in the high ranks) before they are killed are likely to discover other claims, including tales of past and future worlds, both on Earth and beyond.
Gedyr: level 5, trickery and deceit as level 6, mimicry as level 7; moves a long distance each round when swimming or flying
innermost ring. Between each ring, crops and creatures of various kinds are raised to sustain and feed the town, and vendors and traders set up shop against the curved walls at all levels.
In the middle of Yad’s residence, a large tower rises 200 feet (61 m) into the air and is topped with a flat plate about 30 feet (9 m) in diameter. A large contraption in the center sends out puffs of yellow smoke at regular intervals. If it has a purpose (and it probably does), Yad hasn’t yet told anyone what it is.