Tales from Tabletop

Session 3.2: Lendrig's Hollow

For a time, their voyage continued in almost total darkness. Slowly, a strange green glow grew in the distance, piercing the dark. It was algae, and it seemed to be growing at the base of docks and the hulls of ships.

The water was surprisingly clear here, revealing the seabed under a verdant glow. Small shadows of fish swam about the algae, almost attracted to it like moths to a flame. The light provided past the surface was more ambient than illuminating. The residents therefore had gathered a portion and strung it up across the dockyard, allowing a firm enough grasp on the area.

Argent eyed the docks warily. Hamish made a few brief signs with his hands and bowed his head. Ari shivered.

Selene was enraptured.

This world was so alien to the one she knew. The dockyard, or what was left of it, was a massive, dilapidated ruin. The sheer scope of the place was lost in the darkness, but Selene noted the algae's light beneath the surface seemed to stretch across for miles on either side.

Enough space to fit the docks back home twice over, at least.

A single dock seemed to be in use, housing a motley assortment of fishing vessels. Each one seemed an assorted mismatch of simplistic wood and salvaged scrap from the docks. Their prows were covered in the same strange algae growing from the docks.

A small group of fisherman were hustling about on the deck. The same strange glowing algae hung from their fishing nets as lures. Their lanterns seemed to be stuffed with it too, giving off the same green glow. The dim lights cast odd, foreboding shadows across their stern faces.

A few of the fisherman, stopped to gawk when they saw The Admare approach. Older fisherman among them seemed to recognize the vessel and paid it no mind.

Considering how few dared travel here, The Admare was likely an unusual sight.

An unease crept over Selene as the fisherman returned to their duties. It was unusually quiet for this time of day. There were no merchant cries echoing through the clamour of crowds or even the quiet din of townsfolk going about their day.

All that met them were hushed whispers, the creak of wooden ships, and calm waters lapping against the docks.

Words unbidden flowed into her mind, likely half remembered from old tales shared by tavern folk or traveling minstrel one forgotten night:

The Old Grandeur lost...

All that remained...decayed refuse and carrion.

Nothing but a husk...hollowed by scavengers picking at scraps.

She could not recall their origins, but it seemed a fitting description.

Still, Selene tried to keep things positive. She was finally here, after all. Here at the start of her adventure.

True, everything here is dark and kinda creepy, but that just means there will be danger and risk. Can't have a good adventure without risk and peril, right?

Selene decided to leave the question unanswered as they were shuffled below deck to wait for the crew to finish the docking process.

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The time spent waiting for the crew to finish docking felt far longer than usual. Everyone, including Selene, now seemed to share in the same sentiment of unease.

The party sat in silence, Hamish sat beside her as they waited.

"You having second thoughts, friend?" He whispered to her, "Not too late to change mind, you know."