The sleepy little fishing town of Zambonia rests nestled at the fork of two prominent rivers and on the edge of a thick forest, making it a bustling hub of resources and economy for locals and travelers alike. Boats often travel the length of The Nerra Tu Valley River all the way to Death’s Bay. It was a sunny, late summer afternoon when the unmanned wooden dingy came floating down the river. The odd vessel was covered in a strange sparkling bluish hued dust, and contained only an art book full of waterfall paintings and depictions of various vast bodies of water. The town alchemist, a friendly chap named Aster took possession of the book to study and ponder its origin. The town didn’t see much of the usually quite gregarious “Elixir Mixer”-his self adorned moniker after his discovery of the book, but most folks just assumed he had found new research that was taking all his time. Several weeks later a local fisherman who had been taking in some r and r at the resort town of Turin Val up north, came bursting into the local watering hole, flashing a bright blue crystal he proclaimed to have found while diving in the harbor near his resort vacation bungalow! Locals looked at the shiny 6 sided “gem”, but most quickly discounted it as a glass forgery, so clear was its crystalline hue….. Little did they know what was to come in the days over the horizon…. Your heroes have assembled to investigate another mystery however. It seems many of Zambonia’s budding young women have been suddenly leaving town and taking up residence at the Laboratories of Aster. Seems he’s started up a little university of sorts outside of town. Fathers and brothers, and uncles alike have gone to Aster’s Estates hoping to get their daughters, sisters, and nieces to return home. But most wander aimlessly back into town, empty handed and seemingly full of shame or despair…..
