After years of carving out a bloody existence in the pits of Hell, the party has finally emerged. This episode of Metagaming finds our "heroes"—if you can call them that—shaking off the sulfur and brimstone as they complete their first long rest on the surface of Tareth in sORCrates. For the first time in an eternity, they wake up to a sky that isn't burning and air that doesn't taste like ash. But the peace is short-lived; a quiet surface is just a canvas for a new kind of chaos.

The transition from survival to conquest begins with a single, high-stakes leap across the continent. Utilizing a teleportation helm, the party bypasses the mundane roads of Tareth and strikes directly at a heart of political power: Athenia.

Athenia isn’t just any city—it’s the seat of power for the House of Croy, the noble bloodline that counts Ash as one of its own. As the party rematerializes within the cold, marble halls of Ash’s ancestral home, the atmosphere shifts from the visceral horrors of Hell to the sharp, backstabbing elegance of high-society intrigue.

The wolves are no longer at the door; they’re inside the palace. As the House of Croy prepares to deal with their "prodigal child," the rest of the party begins to eye the finery of Athenia with hungry eyes.

Will Ash reclaim their birthright through diplomacy, or will the party turn the ruling seat of Athenia into a new outpost of Hell?

In this high-stakes, high-altitude episode, the crew of the Rum Rollers faces their most daunting challenge yet: gnomish bureaucracy. Having tracked the legendary celestial gnomes— in a wandering tavern-city from the God Realm—the crew decides to forgo a formal hail and instead attempts to sneak up on the massive floating metropolis.

However, the "Zephyr-Steampunk" defenses of a city run by divine gnomes are not easily fooled. As Adüné, the crew's sentient flying ship, navigates the swirling nebulae and golden exhaust trails surrounding the city, a series of near-misses and mechanical hiccups forces a bumpy, adrenaline-fueled landing on the outskirts of the harbor.

The tension shifts from sky-combat to social survival as the party enters the Immigration Wing. Surrounded by hyper-efficient gnomes with glowing clipboards and clockwork monocles, the Rum Rollers must navigate a labyrinth of paperwork to prove they aren't astral pirates. After a grueling round of questioning and a close call with a "Truth-Sensing Steam Vent," the crew successfully secures their Identification Papers. Now officially recognized guests of the God Realm gnomes, the Rum Rollers are free to explore the wonders of the Airshiff 86—but with Adüné safely docked and the gnomes watching their every move, the real mystery of why they’ve come to this wandering city is just beginning.

After a whirlwind of high stakes and narrow escapes, the Shadow Seekers finally take a moment to breathe—and eat.

In this episode of our D&D adventure, the party finds themselves tucked away in the cozy, steam-filled corner of Grandma Sue’s Noodle Shop. Located in the gritty but familiar Outer Blue Ring of the city, the shop provides the perfect cover for a much-needed tactical briefing. Over bowls of spicy broth and hand-pulled noodles, the Seekers hash out their next move. But as the steam rises, so does the realization that they are exhausted, travel-worn, and in desperate need of a change of scenery.

Deciding that the grime of the Blue Ring has overstayed its welcome, the party makes their way toward the heart of the metropolis known as sORCrates. They cross the threshold into the Middle Red Ring, where the air smells of expensive perfumes and magic rather than coal and saltwater.

Their destination? The Pink Pony Inn.

As the most illustrious, full-service luxury establishment in the district, the Pink Pony is a neon-lit bastion of comfort. From the plush velvet upholstery to the enchanted privacy charms on every door, it is exactly the kind of place where a weary adventurer can disappear.

Once checked in, the group splits up. No more shared campsites or damp dungeons—tonight, everyone has their own room. We follow each member of the Shadow Seekers as they indulge in their own dalliances, whether that’s a deep soak in a copper tub, a quiet evening of research, or perhaps a more mysterious pursuit.