This session established the foundation for the new campaign, set in the Modern Era of 2124 Anno Meteorum. The party currently operates out of Hartemple, the capital city of the island kingdom of Laurentius within the United Monarchies of Atlantis.

The players are an established team of relic hunters who have worked together for the past five years. Following a major payday, the party invested their windfall of 500,000 GP into a permanent base of operations and a custom caravel airship.

• Scout (Matt): A small bespoke Warforged Artificer and Cartographer built by a greedy scientist. He carries “Magical Maps” (in the form of small compass-like objects) that allow the party to track one another and grant a 1d4 initiative bonus.
• Arkady Ivanovich (Jeremy): A Human Rogue/Warlock and former clandestine operative who ambiguously deployed to the Foreverwar. He specializes in social manipulation and high-damage sneak attacks.
• Asher Winken Peacewood (Curtis): An Air Genasi Druid and former Lemurian Navy navigator. He carries a powerful Staff of the Woodlands and holds the self promoted rank of Commodore.
• Yazan Shamir (Adam): A Human Bladesinger Wizard from the ruins of Bethel, Arabia. He utilizes a rhythmic combat style called the Dance of the Tempest and wields a Flametongue Scimitar.
• Tauon (Nate): A Half-Goblin/Half-Gnome Bard raised in the streets of Hartemple. He follows a merchant cult that views life as a divine ledger and serves as the party's primary healer.

• The Wiki Wins: André established that the Apocalyptica Arcanum Wiki is the definitive source of truth.
• Flanking Overhaul: Advantage for flanking has been removed. Instead, if two or more allies are within melee range of an enemy, the attacker receives a binary +2 bonus to hit.
• Rule Sets: The campaign uses a mix of 2014 and 2024 D&D rules; character sheets will be standardized prior to Session One.

• The Base: An Urban Office in Hartemple with a hidden Underground Facility and a Safe of Holding concealed behind a painting.
• The Staff: The office is managed by Logistics Coordinator Kalara “Mrs. K” Lore, who operates coldly but efficiently and who practically forced her way into the position, and everyone has since been afraid to say otherwise.
• The Ship: A Caravel-class airship registered as the “Boats N Hoes”. It features Reinforced Hull Plating, a Concealed Cargo Compartment, and an Arcanotech Cargo Quirk (Spatial Anchor/Bag of Holding feature).
• The Captain: The party hired Captain Chet Roosso, a career merchant with a 25-year record.

The air in Hartemple smelled of sweet sea salt and rotting fish as the party gathered in their office. It was nearly noon, and for weeks they had negotiated with shipwrights and brokers to commission a vessel that would finally grant them true independence.

A knock at the door revealed a messenger boy: their ship would be ready at 3:00 PM on Gantry #4. With three hours to kill, the group decided to secure a bottle of champagne to christen their new home. At a high-end spirit shop, Arkady used a Minor Illusion of a wine spill to distract the shopkeeper while Asher, transformed into a bee, successfully liberated a mid-grade bottle of champagne.

The party then traveled to a mariner's house to collect their new hire, Captain Chet Roosso. The Captain proved to be professional and confident, making it clear that while the party owned the ship, he commanded the deck. Before heading to the docks, the group stopped at a local Arcanory to gawk at refined Shardisite shards.

Before they could address the shopkeep, a Chaplain of Fiducia (the Angel of Confidence), flanked by three religious thugs, confronted them in the street. He accused the “relic hunters” of stealing a sacred artifact belonging to his establishment and demanded its return, or the financial gain that the party found in selling it.

When negotiations devolved with Asher suggesting the Chaplain “extract his balls”, the priest slammed his staff into the cobblestones, releasing a pulse of divine energy that dampened the party's initiative. Combat erupted. Scout outlined the enemies in a vibrant green Faerie Fire, while Asher assumed the form of a Giant Scorpion, grappling the Chaplain and a thug. Yazan moved with rhythmic grace in a Bladesong, his Flametongue Scimitar singing with booming energy.

The Chaplain, restrained by magical vines, called down a localized lightning storm from the gantries, frying one of his own men in the process. The tide turned when Arkady slipped through the shadows and thrust his rapier through the Chaplain's back, ending the divine assault.

As the remaining thugs yielded, the party collected a shardisite necklace from the dead priest and made their way to Gantry #4. There, twenty stories in the sky, they watched as the clouds parted to reveal the Boats N Hoes swooping down to meet them. A ship born of ambition, ready for its first flight.