Magic Story -
The Race, part 1
* At the vampire fort Adanto, a vampire in the midst of his blood fast approaches. The human guards know not to approach him and fetch a vampire priest. He carries a bag of destroyed navigational tools, claiming he did not need them to get there.
* The priest recognizes him as Mavren Fein. He became a vampire 200 years ago. He suddenly attacks a guard at the top of the fort wall, biting at his armor, but they manage to restrain him. The priest tells him that they'll ritualistically break his fast at dusk, feeding him a prisoner.
* They seal Mavren in the cell next to the prisoner, and Mavren rambles about the origin of the vampires.
* Saint Elenda was a warrior nun who guarded the Immortal Sun in the mountains of Torrezon. She was nine feet tall, with black hair and sharp nails (this might be exaggeration). While she fought off Pedron the Wicked, a winged beast stole the Immortal Sun.
* Elenda turned to dark magic in order to search for the Immortal Sun, becoming the first vampire. She searched for centuries, then returned to Torrezon to pass on the vampiric rite to others. Mavren was one of the first to become a vampire after her.
* Elenda sailed back west and was never seen again.
* After this, Mavren tears apart the cell wall and eats the prisoner. The priest rushes over, and reacts with reverence. She's only ashamed she wasn't able to complete the ceremony in time.
* Now sated, Mavren is calm. He explains that the rest of his ship's crew died when they ran aground. To continue his mission, he just needs clothes and a staff; he has no need for a compass.
* Perspective switches to Vona, Butcher of Magan. She was very happy when they were conquering Torrezon, but had a hard time transitioning after they were done.
* She was given her own lands, but eventually got bored and hunted and killed every human there. This was 50 years ago.
* When the voyage to search for Saint Elenda was announced, she joined right away.
* Her ship approaches The Belligerent (Vraska's ship), but then a storm summoned by merfolk appears.
* Both ships are destroyed and she washes up on shore. Many of her crew has died, but they are only means to an end.
* She rushes toward an injured pirate and drinks his blood. She rushes into the jungle, confident that her crew will follow when they could keep up. Not that she needs them, anyway.
* Jace and Vraska abandoned ship before it crashed.
* Jace is attacked by a vampire, who he puts to sleep. Vraska mentally tells him to close his eyes, and she turns a vampire behind him to stone.
* The remaining crew will fight off the vampires while they go inland, then follow after them. Jace will make an illusion signal for them every hour. Vraska tells them to kill all the vampires, but avoid fighting the natives.
* They take a boat onto a river, and Jace makes them invisible.
* Vraska decides to tell him about planeswalking. Jace explains what he learned about the compass. Vraska says she'll stop hiding things from him, though she doesn't explain who Bolas is. Shippy stuff happens.
* Jace notes that he senses the following in the jungle: a human, a vampire, a merfolk, and a minotaur.
* Huatli goes to the area of the battle, hoping to find a merfolk guide.
* They come across Tishana, unconscious from Kumena's attack. She wakes up and Huatli explains that she doesn't want to fight.
* Tishana speaks esoterically and doesn't explain herself, which annoys Huatli.
* Huatli explains she saw a golden city and needs a guide. Tishana seems to be vaguely aware of the existence of other planes and questions what she really saw.
* She explains that she sensed Huatli and others, and that she knows that some fall into their world but are unable to leap out.
* Tishana agrees to help as long as Huatli only wants to find the city, not to possess it. This is really more means to an end to stop Kumena.
* Tishana summons an elemental to carry her. She tells Huatli to follow after her.
* Huatli sees Vona go into the jungle and tells the people with her to follow after the vampire.
* At the river, Tishana notices that someone is using an illusion to hide their presence. They move on. Huatli explains that it might be the gorgon pirate they've heard of.
* When the river narrows, they will attack them and take their compass.
* Tishana explains that she doesn't actually know where the city is, just the general location.
