Convinced they would eventually need to confront Devin and concerned about the soul anchors he placed on their backs, the Pisspots teleported to the Cathedral of the Divines to seek advice for removing them. They met God-Touched Emil who did little to ease their worries. They learned that the three brands remaining on each of Kaicho, Mav, Ragon, and Remi bound them to the Mad Tyrant, also known as the Dream Walker, and to two locations outside the Material Plane. One of these was a limbo-like plane of madness where their souls would likely be taken to after death, where mind-devouring tormentors would assail them until they reached a far worse final destination. To make matters worse, Emil explained that removing these anchors was incredibly difficult for anyone untrained in Astral Projection. The mind must leave the body, enter an adjacent plane of existence, locate the body, and sever tethers that bind the individual to the extraplanar realms.
After receiving this daunting news, the Pisspots decided that if they wanted to avoid eternal damnation they had better resupply to prepare for their inevitable clash with Devin. They at least needed diamonds for Revivify. Having heard again and again that all of the diamonds on the islands were used for the war effort, they decided to look elsewhere. Braxis knew the sigils of a teleportation circle in Pandin, a large port on the mainland nearest the archipelago. When they arrived, they found the city bustling with other adventurers and mercenaries eager to set sail for the islands and make their fortunes in the war.
They were immediately greeted by a woman named Mierdras who claimed she could supply them with a hot tip on where to find some treasure in exchange for a hefty down payment and a modest cut of the profits. With their interests piqued, Kaicho paid her, and she told them about a small island located near the center of the stationary hurricane they had seen before. It was rumored that beneath the ground was a maze of tunnels that contained a vast treasure. They would only need to find a ship, sail for days or weeks, navigate through a violent storm, kill the mad fish people guarding the citadel, and avoid the countless deadly traps that her former hires ultimately succumbed to.
In one voice the Pisspots said, “Yes, that’s for us! We have nothing more important we should be focused on right now! You may have been literally the first person we met in town, but your suicide mission sounds too good to pass up!” And thus they accepted the job.
They spent a few hours making preparations in the city. Notably, they purchased a diamond at a highly inflated price. They also met Charlemagne Moonflower, who provided them with potions to make their time at sea a little safer, and with some special brownies to make it a little more fun.
Braxis bought an engagement ring for Kaicho… to give to Tameth as a replacement for the one Kaicho had accepted for un-petrifying Mav. Braxis hated the idea of being indebted to anyone, especially when they could have just taken the larger diamond from Most-Divine Emilia. With this transaction, he considered any portion of the debt he owed paid in full and was glad to be rid of it.
In need of a ship, the Pisspots went to the docks and ran into their old friend Captain Flav. Sailing to their destination from Pandin could take weeks, and Flav still hadn’t found his boat, but he knew of a small nameless port on Academy Island where they could charter a ship. He agreed to accompany them on their adventure, and they teleported to the Academy. They acquired a vessel as planned and began a voyage southward expected to take 4 or 5 days. They quickly realized they hadn’t brought any food or fresh water with them, but they were resourceful enough to fend off scurvy and dehydration.
During their journey, they received word that the ships of undead that departed from Pirates Cove a few days earlier had been spotted offshore of Academy Island, not far from the Cathedral of the Divines. The boats were mysteriously empty, so they messaged God-Touched Emil to warn him that the zombies could walk on the sea floor and might be at his doorstep soon.
As they neared their destination, they passed through storms. In the night, Rune spotted a flying shape illuminated by the crackling lightning that was gone a moment later. The next night, they heard something else in the water scrape against the boat. Finally they drew close enough to see that the island they were seeking was enclosed in a perfectly formed and perfectly unmoving storm cloud…
Countdown to Devin’s rendezvous: 8-9 days?