1

Former communities—even entire islands—are sometimes forsaken by their people. Others are lost and forgotten through the ravages of time. These places echo with the memories of lost lives, but also remind us of the perseverance of those who survived to carry on their traditions elsewhere.

An uninhabited island is marked by the ruins of a once great city. Someone important to you led an  expedition to that island months ago, but has not returned. What were they in search of?

2

The tattered banners of the fallen empire lie amid ravaged fortresses, wrecked ships, and abandoned cities. In some places, nature reclaimed these sites. In others, people return to build anew upon the graves of these former invaders. Meanwhile, scavengers—like gulls picking at the bones of dead fish—scour the remnants in search of plunder.

The emperor wore a crown adorned with two gems of unsurpassed size and quality: a blue diamond to honor Wraith, and a fiery ruby to represent Ember. The resting place of the emperor and this crown are a mystery—one you are determined to solve.

3

These people unlocked secrets beyond our understanding. The ruins marking their legacy are places of unnatural construction, confounding mechanisms, and cryptic relics. Some islanders revere the ancients. Others seek to understand them. A few have more selfish motives—pillaging the sites for treasure and artifacts. But some secrets are best left buried. Many ruins are cursed, corrupted by time, and haunted by malignant evil.

Dozens of ancient towers have flared to life, sending up beacons of light visible from leagues away. These lodestars form a marked path that stretches well beyond the far horizon. Why do you set out to see where this path leads?