The Belligerents #23

The Belligerents spent days sailing along the Farewave Ocean towards the Kindred Isles engaging in various activities aboard the ships, the Gravy Trained and Chataway's Charm.

• Hukbi taught Gork and some of the other creatures of Ephemeraldion how to destroy things, stay put, and roll over. Meanwhile, Flapjack and Phira got to know Dahlia and Lily a little more and introduce them to more of the world.

It soon became apparent that Raithe was going to need more diamond dust in order to keep the sisters hidden from the divination magics of their father, so after consulting with Saoirsa, the ships decided to stop off in Venture Ridge in Core Vandal to see if they could "acquire" some through "non-violent means."

Upon arriving at Venture Ridge, they found the city had been overrun with vampires, the leader of whom, Kreene, was thrilled to see Raithe as Raithe had once saved him from Executor Poole back in Queen's Meet many months ago.

The Belligerents learned of the Everbleed, an enchantment Kreen and his wife Luxxia had developed to cause living being to replace blood as quickly as they lost it, making an ideal flow of food for the entire town of Venture Ridge.

• The town had been attacked by Dawn Chasers before the Battle of Broken Dawn and after winning the battle, the vampires took the surviving Dawn Chasers and harvested their blood by hanging them upside down around the city and enchanting them with the Everbleed.

  • Some of the group had a problem with this but it became clear that the diamond dust was a higher priority, and Kreene was eager to give them some as thanks for enabling him to come here and take the city. 

• It was also important to the group to know that when Venture Ridge was taken, those who wished to leave were allowed to leave, and only Dawn Chasers were being harvested.

Kreene went to fetch their diamond dust after showing them the town, and his wife, Luxxia, who only spoke through sign language, took an interest in Lily and Dahlia.

• She insisted the girls stay in Venture Ridge when the Belligerents departed, which was not a notion any of the group was willing to consider.