[0] Morgrave - Skyship Tower

"Fine." Still defiant, the bandit is almost proud of the chaos he's caused. "My boss is this close to taking over the entire docks, but that doesn't mean anything if people start coming in by airship. So he told us to make sure that a few airship runs had... problems. Yours makes three. I think it's the best one we've done yet."

"Screw you!"

But that's as far as he gets, because now the gate guards are upon you, and demanding to know what is going on. They pause in their demands when they see the tattoo on the man's bicep. "Oh, it's one of you! Looks like you guys got pretty lucky just now. These guys aren't really sophisticated, but it doesn't take sophistication to cause damage. You'd better come with us and give your story to the Harbormaster. He'll decide whether you can stay inside tonight."

They grab the surviving bandit and yank him to his feet, half-dragging him along behind them.

---

As you reach the gate and pass through, you're greeted with your first sight of the City of Stormreach. Stormreach's many buildings and monuments are a mishmash of new buildings amid, and atop, the ancient. Stormreach is full of broken pillars of various degrees of antiquity, though few remain standing. Those that do are significant landmarks. These snapped-off columns once supported the roofs of giants' dwellings or decorated the outsides of their temples. Now they serve other purposes. Some have been turned into watchtowers, helpful in spotting fires and directing firefighting efforts. Most, however, have suffered the fate of being quarried for stone to pave roads, patch city walls, and build new dwellings.

Above you, too, the legendary magic of Xen’drik is visible, and the faded glory of the past can still be seen. Ancient floating fortresses, mansions, and towers of past centuries. have been broken by time, war, and disaster, but remnants float in place or drift in patterns above the city, and sometimes beyond. Some of the ruins remain serviceable, albeit ramshackle, and a few wealthy citizens have claimed them for their own, patching and rebuilding them. Most, though, these floating chunks of masonry are abandoned islands until they are built upon by enterprising people. Under a few of the larger chunks, wooden homes hang perilously and are reachable by knotted ropes and ladders. The more colorful ones are due to seabird guano piling up until a stray, windblown seed germinated, creating islands of tangled plants.

Away from the chaos and business of the harbor, the city rises uphill and in from the shore. From down here it looks as if toy soldiers have come to life and settled in a ruined city, and above it all stands a great statue, staring out to sea, a beam of light shining up from its outstretched hands.

On the ground, the buildings in Stormreach look temporary: tents, huts, and overturned ships that seem as if they were thrown together on a whim. They are piled together almost haphazardly in the midst of giant-sized stairs and ruins with more normally-sized steps carved into them or linked together with rigging that would more normally be found on ships - water or air.

And then the stench hits you.

It stinks here. All harbors stink, but this—this is something special. All of Stormreach’s great sewers, pipes, and drains lead, ultimately, to the harbor. And you're right in the middle of all of it. It's a long few minutes as you're led up and away from the water.

You don't remember most of what happens over the next few hours, mostly because the cleric that came to treat your wounds put you to sleep to check you out - whether you need it or not. When you come back to consciousness, you're all in a small room that looks not too dissimilar to your dorms back at the university, just at a slightly larger scale. There are six beds here, for you and the professor, and a small bedside table with drawers for each of you, but aside from that, there's only one high window that lets in plenty of sunlight without providing a useful view and a plain wooden door.