The world of E'fa Sylviath unfolds, weaving together the stories of its inhabitants. Among them are:
Brynn, a young forest gnome, who left her home seeking adventure and joy, though her naivety blinds her to danger.
Flint, a human, inexplicably linked to Fang, an orc, allowing them to swap places in high-intensity moments.
Myriany, a skilled high-elf potion brewer, well-known in Sylwood Hollows, Yddelia, for her craft.
Lirithyn, a high-elf from the upper regions of Yddelia, son of the High Arbiter of Arcane Relics.
The characters awaken shackled in a cart, wearing colored collars, with little memory of how they got there. They are part of a prisoner procession heading to an unknown destination. Flint, using his connection with Fang, sees a kneeling prisoner in another cart, encased in a magical barrier controlled by two Magisters.
Brynn and Flint were in Azure Bay, E'fa Sylvagroth, when an elderly woman's street performance turned sinister. She incanted a spell, transforming two apples into beholder-like creatures. The monsters attacked, killing a commoner. Flint was nearly killed before the Magisters arrived just in time to eliminate the creatures. Strangely, one of the monsters sniffed Flint but refrained from attacking, as if searching for something. The woman surrendered without resistance, raising suspicions. Brynn and Flint were taken to a tavern to recover.
Lirithyn reveals his father’s high status, believing he will be released once identified. The group is shackled, stripped of their gear (stored in a chest on top of the cart), and unable to use Source Magic. Brynn, peering through cracks in the cart, sees the figure in the other cart, trapped in a magical barrier, as an angry crowd pelts her with rotten food.
Myriany, while shopping in Sylwood Hollows, notices the sky turning purple and overhears Magisters, including Roland Leaffall, discussing something suspicious. Her flame-wolf familiar, Ember, alerts her as Magisters and their dogs suddenly pursue her. She attempts to escape but is tricked by a disguised Magister and captured.
Lirithyn, at a family dinner, is reassured by his father of their safety. However, Magisters soon arrive, demanding his arrest. His grandmother whispers, "I'm sorry," hinting at a betrayal as he is taken away.
Brynn, uneasy, heads to a tavern when a halfling woman asks if she is a Source Weaver. Soon after, a Magister and a dog confront her. The dog attacks, grappling her, and she is dragged away, screaming.
Flint, drinking at the Nameless Tavern, is ambushed by Dallis the Hammer, a heavily armored paladin, and knocked unconscious.
In the cart, the group meets Thorin Forgegrim, a dwarf who used Source Magic to defend the Empire against Void Behemoths ten days ago, yet was still imprisoned. The prisoners discuss their arrests, realizing they were all accused of being Source Weavers, a rare magical ability innate to about 1 in 100,000 people.
The group is forced onto a ship by Dallis the Hammer, an imposing figure. Bishop Alexander appears, explaining that Source Weaving is now forbidden, and they are being exiled to an island called Fort Joy. The group realizes the Magisters’ dogs can sense Source Weavers. Asudur Grayspire, an older woman in a wheelchair and Assembly Chair, tries to comfort them but has no power to stop what is happening.
Several powerful figures appear on city banners throughout E’fa Sylvagroth, including:
Asudur Grayspire, Assembly Chair.
Dallis the Hammer.
Bishop Alexander.
An older male Aarakocra.
The prisoners, including Brynn, Flint, Myriany, Lirithyn, and Thorin, insist on their innocence, claiming the real culprit is Wendigo Withmoore, the woman responsible for the Azure Bay attack. However, the rulers of the five cities in E'fa Sylviath have deemed all Source Weavers too dangerous to return home, sealing their fate as prisoners of Fort Joy.
Flint and Myriany question a woman preparing food, who reveals that the island was once cursed but is now mostly under control. She notes that they are still prisoners, though their physical and magical prowess is valued. They will be sent to a camp where others have already begun settling.
The group speculates that they are meant to be left there to perish. Brynn reveals they were taken against their will, sparking a moral debate. They then meet a tiefling couple searching for their daughter, Azure, who is also on the island. In exchange for helping to reunite them, the tiefling man, a skilled sailor, offers to aid in escaping.
As they introduce themselves and discuss survival plans, sudden shouting and screams erupt from the top deck, signaling imminent danger.