The Luna sea is a truly wondrous place. Vail stood at the bow of the merchant ship, letting the crash of the waves send driblets of sea water onto his face.
To someone born in the ash-stained streets of Darkveil, the bright glow of the sun on the water's surface was a beautiful sight. While it held great beauty, it also held many a mystery just out of the range of human vision. Vail envied the sea elves and other waterborne races; it must be truly freeing to be able to traverse the world without any restrictions. As a child, he would occasionally stare out across the sea while he walked through Darkveil's port district, wondering what lands awaited outside of Charon.

His destination was the Crescent isle, a land he had never actually visited before. The various adventurers he had met from the isles had peaked his curiosity and he had jumped at the opportunity to explore the region.

As the vessel pulled onto the beach, Vail thanked the captain and gave his payment. He wasn't looking for trouble during his time on the isles, so acting like an innocent adventurer was in his best interest.

The small coastal village was bustling as he headed to the local tavern. Apparently some form of panic was sweeping the isle, not that Vail cared much.
Opening the door to the tavern, he was immediately met with the sound of gossiping townsfolk.

"What are we going to do? Without Irwinington, what are we going to do about the mantas?" One panicked moon elf exclaimed.

"He was my favorite researcher." A male sun elf solemnly muttered.

"They should be called sting gliders instead." A particularly scholarly human woman added.

Vail approached the three, seeing an opportunity for quick payout.
"What seems to be the matter?"

The three look to the darkly clad ash lander with cautious eyes, before the woman begins speaking hastily. "A couple of Mantagliders got trapped ashore. The research commission sent one of their best men to free them but he got stung."

"Is the commission paying for assistance?" Vail asked.

"Yes, there isn't much time so they will take any help they can get."

Vail smiled and headed back out the door, he had no experience with mantas, but how hard could this be?

He headed to the beach, where he spotted a crowd gathered. The group seemed to be mostly foreigners, like adventurers like himself. Perhaps he could find some help, assuming they weren't afraid of an ashlander.

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SPOILER: Click to show

Quest Name: Glide Over the Moon
Participants: Two or more
Location: Crescent Isle (Coast)
Post Requirements: 6 post per person, 200 words per post
Reward: +1 Renown, +1 Hide, +1 Water Catalyst
Description: A huge wave flooded the beach, filling up large pools further up the beach with water. Now that the sea has receded, two Manta Gliders have become trapped, stuck in a pool and unable to return to the ocean. While normally docile, these creatures are now angry, lashing out and attacking anyone who even tries to get close, let alone help. The pool will begin to dry up over the next few days, leaving these creatures to die. We need to find a way to get them off the beach and back into the Luna Sea.

Ah, the Crescent Isles. Truly a place of wonder and whimsy… and one of Morrigan Moonweaver’s favorite places to hustle others. The last time they’d visited the small island country, their vacation had been interrupted by a vicious tsunami that brought with it destruction to an entire village and manta gliders. Nasty business, that had been, and Morrigan had been roped into the cleaning and rescue efforts. Well, not this time! Morrigan’s visit came with purpose, glorious purpose, and a new scam. Rumors had begun to surface about conch shells that carried magical properties, and who better than to sell enchanted and powerful items than the Wizard of the Wastes?

At least… that was the plan.

But when they got to the beach, intent on collecting ordinary shells that they could flip and sell off as enchanted for a profit, the charlatan ran into an unfortunate roadblock. A crowd of people had gathered, blocking the path to the sandy shores. From here, Morrigan could tell that they were whispering amongst themselves. What in the name of Ginma was going on here?

“Concorde!” Morrigan clapped their hands, and the alchemically built scarecrow squire hopped over to where his master stood, casting a colorful parasol over them for shade.^[1] Morrigan reached over and grabbed it with their tail, a thoughtful expression on their face. Where most people would be deterred by such a development, the fellblood saw nothing but opportunity. Perhaps they could morph whatever was happening on the beach to their advantage, and even collect shells to make a bit of coin.

That was when they spotted a familiar, tall figure amongst the crowd. Morrigan’s eyes widened when they realized who they were looking at. The Darkveil scammer that they’d run afoul of back in Moonglade… but what was Master Vail doing here? Running another scam? Either way, perhaps he had a better picture of what was going on at this beach. Clapping their hands together, Morrigan summoned their entourage after them in pursuit of the tall brawler.

“Master Vail, how serendipitous to run into you once more!” They called, grandiosity dripping from their voice. “What brings you to the oceanfront shores this fine afternoon?” Secretly, they hoped he might have some sort of grift in mind. The last one had been quite profitable, and their rocky first meeting aside… that was just the cost of business. The charlatan was nothing if not willing to let bygones be bygones, especially when it came to the most noble pursuit of all - fame and coin.

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1. Umbrella Combo

Bringing Minions
Ceres Celestia, Witch in Training (Earth Domain Apprentice)

Bringing Pets
Concorde (Scarecrow Squire: Doesn't count against pet cap)
Pink Lady (Crab Apple: Counts against pet cap)
Clawdius (Gargoyle Rook: Doesn't count against pet cap)
Junior (Black Bog Leech: Doesn't count against pet cap)

Passive Effect - Crystal Ball, currently hovering around Morrigan and recording everything

As Vail glances over the gathered crowd, a voice suddenly calls out to him, one that would no doubt be far more helpful than your run-of-the-mill tourist. With a smug smile, the ash lander turns towards the greeting, finding Morrigan accompanied by a fittingly bizarre entourage. His eyes glance towards the scarecrow, taking note of the parasol and quickly realizing the reason for the fellblood’s sudden appearance.

“Well if it isn’t the ever illustrious Wizard of the Wastes themselves, funny how we keep running into each other on our vacations of all times.” The ash lander turns towards the gathered crowd, lazily flipping his hand towards them in disdain. “It seems that trouble seems to follow us wherever we go these days, or perhaps a better word would be ‘opportunity’. It appears that some mantas have washed ashore, leaving these hapless tourists with little chance for relaxation. On top of that, some nature lovers are in full panic mode, so much so that they even put up some solars for anyone willing to help rescue the stranded beasts.”

His eyes wander back to Morrigan, looking to the entourage with an expectant gaze. “I don't suppose any of you happen to have experience with animal handling? If not, perhaps stunt work? I have an idea to breathe some excitement back into these tourists’ day.”

Despite themselves, Morrigan let out a boisterous laugh at Vail’s greeting, playing along with the Wizard’s facade, though he was completely aware of its falsitudes. Oh, it warmed this little charlatan’s small, sad excuse for a heart to be confronted with such a steadfast ally during these money-less, scheme-less times.

And on vacation, too, no less! What were the odds?

They twirled the umbrella around with their tail, a thoughtful expression on their face as they listened to his explanation. They knew the creatures of which he spoke. Grand bestial creatures, titans of the sea, blah, blah, blah… so on and so forth. Morrigan had encountered these beasts before in a meeting with a shaman on a day not unlike this.

No; what truly caught their attention was the promise of riches and coin.

“Environment lovers, you say?”

Reward?

Now that was a juicy tidbit.

Their mind was already working on overdrive, trying to think of a way they could spin this particular situation. If these concerned citizens were willing to shill out top dollar to make sure these manta gliders made it to the ocean safe, then what was stopping them from adding a little more gravity to the situation… make things appear more dangerous than they seemed?

Evidently, both Morrigan and Vail were on the same wavelength.

“Ceres Celestia, why don’t you go scout our surroundings?” Morrigan asked, sensing that the conversation was about to take a turn for the dangerous - if they were to maintain the illusion they were a real grand wizard to their protégé, then she couldn’t hear all the behind the scenes work that went into maintaining the show.

And Ceres Celestia, as trusting as she was, believed them. With an excited salute, in which she accidentally knocked her heavy staff to the side of her head, Ceres nodded. “Nothing will escape my watch!”

She dashed away, so unfamiliar with the uneven terrain brought on by the sand that she almost tripped on her own two feet. But at least Morrigan and Vail were alone; far enough away from the throngs of people that they could speak freely, for at least a moment.

“Why, you’re in luck, my friend.” They waved their hands, glitter spraying across Vail’s face with the motion. That was definitely something no one missed about the charlatan’s loud presence. “I do just so happen to be a master wrangler of rare and arcane animals!” And that wasn’t even an exaggeration! “I spent my days in the circus picking up all manner of odd skills; animal herding being one of them.” Whether those animals liked Morrigan was an entirely different matter.

“Now. What did you have in mind?” They lowered their voice, leaning closer, as if the two were sharing some sort of salacious secret. “If these animal lovers are willing to pay top dollar, then… I see no reason not to exaggerate the danger for our own benefit, no? How far do you think we can take this?”

---

NOTE SO I DON’T FORGET: Morrigan has already completed and claimed the rewards of this quest

Morrigan's instant enthusiasm is exactly what Vail was looking for. The promise of solars clearly got their mind racing, now the only issue would be keeping them in check. He meets the fellblood's excitement with a reserved smile.

“Actually, I see another opportunity for profit here outside of the reward these nature preservationists may offer. We have quite the crowd here, why not put that audience to good use? You love to put on a show after all. I have never been to one of those traveling circuses, but I have seen them advertise incredible feats of strength. See where I am going with this?”
He holds a clenched fist upwards as he looks in the direction of the gathered crowd.
“These creatures are pretty light despite their size, right? Otherwise they won't be able to glide. I was thinking I may be able to swing them back into the ocean, assuming I don't get stung of course. I can theoretically hold one of those stinger tails in place, but I would be leaving myself open to the other, which is where you come in. I need these creatures either pacified to the point of no resistance or restrained to the point I can control them.”

Vail eyes look to the horizon, narrowing on the point the ocean meets the blue sky. “Also, if you got any tricks up your sleeve that will help extend the beasts’ airtime, that will add to our audience’s excitement. I want them to be screaming for a good reason this time.”

There is always the possibility Vail’s suggestions could blow up in his face. If his prior experience is anything to go by, Morrigan’s potions might cause these mantas to grow legs and spew rotten gas or some other absurd horror. Still, the sheer amount of profit made by their last job was more than enough for a little risk and this time they don't have to worry about an entire city’s worth of guards collapsing in on them.

Vail had likened his idea to that of a traveling circus. The good news – Morrigan had built their bones in just such a place. Grand wizard and maker of miracles they were not, but there were scant few other places where one acquired just the precise skills needed to make someone think they were. The moment Vail brought it up, Morrigan knew exactly what he was going for.

Winning the monetary award was only a small part of the prize that could be awarded by this opportunity. When you had the opportunity to earn the adoration of such a crowd… you had power almost as valuable as physical coin.

“I bet those folks would give anything to resume their relaxation upon the sand, hmm?” They murmured, gaze sweeping across the crowd. “With an extra bonus if there’s a show to be had.” Morrigan knew the drill. “It’s fortunate for you, friend, that I know exactly how these circuses operate.”

… Okay, there was a slight problem, in that Morrigan was actually horrible at managing most animals. A funny little quirk of their unnatural affliction – humanoids could only subtly pick up on the fact that there was something wrong with the fellblood. Animals were much more in tune with the natural world… and the magic that inherently resided in it. Fight or flight response prepared you to tell whether an enemy was strong or weak. It did not prepare you for an enemy that possessed no presence at all.

Which was precisely why the animal tamers of the Dreamscape Bazaar were hellbent on keeping Morrigan away from their pets.

“I think I have a venom that will do just the trick.”

It was not sleeping potion, but it would have to do.

“As for keeping them airborne…”

They had something in mind for that.

One thing at a time, though. Morrigan first needed to disable these manta gliders so Vail could do his job. Morrigan clapped their hands together, summoning Ceres Celestia to their side. The little witch picked up her skirts and huffed as she jogged after them. “Can I help you, Master Moonweaver?”

Morrigan put a hand on her shoulder. “Ceres Celestia, Master Vail and I have decided to put our efforts together and take care of the beasts terrorizing the beach. I’m going to go put them to sleep with my potent magics. But I’m going to need your help, you hear me? The good people over there still don’t believe that these gliders are dangerous creatures – they are very curious about these animals. They might get close and hurt themselves! While I attempt to perform my spell, I need you to use your unique skills to make the earth shake a little.”

Ceres blinked. “I’m sorry?”

They gestured to the Gliders, who were flopping around in the sand so hard that their fins were dislodging the earth around them. Quite powerful creatures – Morrigan could only imagine how strong they would be underneath the waves. “See how they move? I need you to… impress the danger upon them a little. As the gliders hit the world, I need you to shake the ground a little bit. That way the bystanders will know how serious this is and stay away.”

As far as lies went it wasn’t the best in the world but Ceres seemed to believe it. “Alright…” She muttered. “If it will keep them safe.”

It would definitely make the danger seem more real, that was for sure. Which would make this rescue all the more impressive. As Morrigan cleared their throat and glanced at Vail, giving him a resolute nod, Ceres began moving the earth back and forth to the best of the Manta Gliders’ drum; a facsimile of a real earthquake.^[1]

A few of the audience gasped as they felt the instability beneath their feet.

Morrigan cleared their throat and raised their hands in the air, every bit the preacher about to spew gospel. “Ladies and gentlemen! Do not be alarmed… these beasts grow agitated the longer they remain out of the water! I, the Wizard of the Wastes, and my associate here –“ Did Vail have a title? “ Master Vail, shall attempt to take care of this threat! Just stay back, and stay alert!”

They they clasped their hands together, approaching the writhing animals. “Alright, beasts…” They muttered to themselves as they subtly slipped two vials of poison from their sleeve.^[2]poison which they dipped their claws in while the audience couldn’t quite see what they were doing.^[3] Technically, this particular brew was meant to knock people unconscious, so perhaps it would have a muted effect on such large and powerful creatures, but hopefully it would be enough to stun them.

“Witness, as I perform a live miracle!”

They ducked nimbly between the flailing gliders to scratch their skin with his nails – a motion that looked like Morrigan was simply putting their hand on each glider. Then they did it again. And again. Enough to deliver three marks of poison – enough for them to freeze in place, as if Morrigan had put them to sleep.

Morrigan glanced over their shoulder and grinned. Now it was time for Vail to work magic of his own.

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1. Mold Earth – Ceres Celestia
2. Alchemical Mastery- Scorpion’s Venom
3. Scorpion’s Venom (creatures too big to be kicked unconscious so are stunned/sluggish)