Rookery Isles
The realm calls for heroes. Ships vanish in cursed waters. Ancient bloodlines seek redemption. Mysteries unfold in the shadows of great houses. Whether you seek glory, gold, or simply the truth your adventure begins here.
🔥 Urgent Lives in the Balance
🌊 The Gloom's Maw Awakens
Something ancient stirs in the depths near Marinia. Twenty ships have vanished in a single month merchant vessels, wine cogs, and even the warship Sea Spear, built specifically to hunt pirates. Over fifteen hundred souls lost. Seventy-five children among them. The winds shift in patterns that make even experienced sailors nervous, and Duchess Clara Redwyne reports that whatever took these ships is far beyond common threats.
"We were fortunate the Maw did not awaken during the war, because we might not all be here if it had happened then. But our fortune has ended. Something is waking. Something that remembers."
Objectives:
- Investigate the shipping lanes where vessels disappeared
- Consult with the Wind Sisters about unusual atmospheric patterns
- Escort remaining trade ships through dangerous waters
- Dive into the Gloom's Maw to identify the threat (EXTREME DANGER)
- Discover what ancient being is stirring and why
- Find survivors, if any remain
⚠️ Warning
King Tristian and Archangel Cedric have previously had to "persuade" ancient beings back to slumber. This is not a threat to be taken lightly. Naval combat experience, water breathing capabilities, and resistance to cold are strongly recommended. Dragons may be required.
📬 Quest Giver
Commander Kiyana Amin (personally leading scouting mission) or Duchess Clara Redwyne (House Darkcliff, Marinia)
👑 The Last Dragon Prince
Prince Liram Mudae last of the dragon-blooded house that brought fire and devastation to the realm has been found. His father's tyranny is undisputed, but the prince's own role in the war remains murky. He claims his actions were "just" while simultaneously carrying immense guilt for his family's sins. Queen Ashley has granted him mercy and sanctuary pending a proper hearing, but many in the realm call for his execution. His fate will be decided soon, and the evidence gathered now will determine whether House Mudae dies with him or rises anew.
"I honestly expected you to have killed me by now. I have nothing. I am nobody but a fallen crown with a dishonored name and bloodline. If it is honesty you seek, then there is no reason for you to spare me."
Possible Approaches:
- Gather Evidence of War Crimes: Interview survivors, examine battle records, document House Mudae's atrocities
- Investigate Liram's Actions: Determine what he personally did during the war monster or victim?
- Protect the Prince: Not everyone wants him to live long enough to testify
- Build Political Support: Help Duchess Clara's quiet campaign to rehabilitate House Mudae
- Assess the Dragon Threat: Are House Mudae's dragons still a danger? Could they help with the Maw?
⚠️ Complications
Captain Coffee wants him dead. Cedric doesn't trust him. Many war survivors see him as a symbol of everything they lost. Assassins may try to ensure he never makes it to trial. And if he's proven innocent, you'll have to protect him from those who want revenge regardless of truth.
📬 Get Involved
Multiple Perspectives Welcome: Some believe he deserves death (Captain Coffee, war veterans). Some believe he deserves a chance (Duchess Clara, quietly). Some simply want the truth (Commander Kiyana). Choose your approach and let the story unfold.
⚡ Important Time-Sensitive Opportunities
🦋 A Fae "Misunderstanding"
Ambassador Bauble of the Unseelie Winter Court arrived at court with a message from the Fae Queen: she accepts the realm's surrender. The only problem? No surrender was ever offered. After a confusing exchange involving cake recipes and chocolate banana rum drizzle, the "misunderstanding" was smoothed over but Archangel Cedric's warning lingers: "Fae do not make jokes. They make traps." Was this genuine confusion, a test of the realm's attention, or setup for a future bargain? And what did the Fae Queen actually want?
"Fae do not make jokes. They make traps. This was either a test to see how we respond to absurdity, a distraction from something else they're doing, or the opening move in a game we won't understand until it's too late. Watch the Courts. Watch them closely."
Possible Approaches:
- Deliver the promised chocolate banana cake to the Fae Queen (seriously, this is diplomacy)
- Investigate recent Fae activity near thin places are they gathering for something?
- Interview mortals who have dealt with the Fae Courts learn their customs and traps
- Determine what the Fae Queen actually wants (if anything)
- Establish clear diplomatic protocols to prevent future "misunderstandings"
- Find out if other Courts (Summer, etc.) are involved
⚠️ Fae Rules
Never give your true name. Never accept gifts freely. Never thank them. Never break a promise. Fae cannot lie but they deceive constantly. Every word is a potential trap. Every bargain is binding. And if you offend them, they have forever to take revenge. Tread carefully.
📬 Get Involved
Archangel Cedric (concerned about Fae intentions), Ambassador Bauble (if you can find her), or seek out the Fae Courts yourself - at your own risk.
⚖️ The Regent's Crown
The King and Queen seek to appoint a Regent a mortal who will handle the realm's affairs in their absence, speaking with royal authority and uniting the Great Houses. This is not a prize to be won through competition (which would breed rivalry) but a burden to be borne by someone ALL the Houses trust. The Small Council will make the appointment, but whispers have begun: who is worthy? Who can unite nobles who only recently stopped killing each other? And who would even WANT such a responsibility?
"A contest breeds competition when we need unity. The Houses have only just stopped bleeding each other. Perhaps the better question is not who we would appoint, but who the Houses would trust to sit in it. That is a different answer entirely."
Paths to the Regency:
- Seek the Position: Build alliances, prove capability, earn trust of multiple Houses
- Support a Candidate: Champion someone worthy, help them navigate politics
- Investigate Candidates: Uncover corruption, hidden agendas, or secret alliances
- Protect the Process: Prevent assassination, bribery, or sabotage
- Advise the Council: Provide intelligence on who the Houses actually trust
⚠️ The Price of Power
The first Regent will inherit a realm still healing from war, Houses still eyeing each other with suspicion, and the responsibility of speaking for gods. Make the wrong choice and the peace shatters. Make the right choice and you've handed massive power to someone who may not deserve it. And anyone who WANTS the position too badly is probably the wrong choice.
📬 Quest Givers
Any member of the Small Council, Great House representatives, or present your case directly to the Phoenix Throne
📜 Available Open Opportunities
🏛️ Council Seats & Influence
The Small Council seats are now open positions of genuine power and responsibility. These four individuals will advise the throne, speak for the realm, and ultimately choose the Regent. If you seek to shape the future of the Rookery Isles, there is no better position than a Council seat. Alternatively, those who support specific candidates can work to ensure worthy voices are heard at the highest levels.
📬 Apply To
Talk to King Tristian or Queen Ashley
🚢 The Captain's Secret
Captain Ammondell Darkcliff arrived at court with humble demeanor and a small trade ship called The Moray. He's cousin to Duchess Clara, though she had to make a note to check the family ledgers on his exact status. He had a stowaway Mialeth, the runaway druid. He wears an amulet from his mother that he seemed concerned might not work near celestials. And he made a good impression on the King. But there's something he's not saying. Something about his past, his ship, or what he knows about Mialeth's secrets.
Lines of Investigation:
- What is The Moray really carrying in its hold?
- Why did Mialeth choose HIS ship to stow away on?
- What does the amulet protect him from or bind him to?
- Is he a legitimate Darkcliff or a bastard branch?
- Is he a smuggler, a spy, or simply ambitious?
📬 Start With
Follow Captain Ammondell, investigate his ship, or question Duchess Clara about family secrets
🦅 Wings of Recovery
House Skyrider's breeding grounds were devastated during the war. Lord Loche and Lady Alice have been working exhaustively to restore them hunting new griffins, taming dragons, recovering eggs, and defending against threats. The work is slow, dangerous, and vital to the House's future. They need capable hands willing to trek into wild territories, face dangerous beasts, and help rebuild what was lost.
Available Work:
- Expedition to capture wild griffins for breeding program
- Recovery of dragon eggs from abandoned nests
- Defense of breeding grounds from predators and poachers
- Taming and training of young beasts
- Establishing new aeries in reclaimed territories
📬 Quest Givers
Lord Loche Skyrider or Lady Alice Sidhas (Drakoria territories)
These are but the threads we know of. The realm is vast, and its secrets run deep. Perhaps your adventure lies elsewhere in forgotten ruins, political intrigue, personal vendettas, or simple survival. Whatever path you choose, know this:
The Rookery Isles are healing, but healing is not the same as healed. The peace is fragile. The shadows still whisper. And somewhere in the dark, something ancient is waking up.
Will you answer the call? Will you become legend? Or will your name join the fifteen hundred lost to the deep?
Your story begins now. Choose wisely.