The Tale of the Healer & the Hawk

An account of Bao Bao's unplanned journey to the Plane of Withering Echoes.

A Parting of Ways

Our victory over the Puppetmaster felt hollow. As we stood before the Well of Worlds, a planar storm erupted, tearing me and the Aarokocra warrior, Lyra Arrow-Wing, from our friends. We were cast into the unknown, our shared journey beginning in a world of silence and dust, the fate of our companions a heavy weight on our spirits.

The Withering Echoes

We arrived in a dying realm of petrified, crystalline trees. My instincts guided us through a treacherous forest of giant stone mushrooms, bypassing the dangers of the open plains. This path led us to a fading grove, where we encountered the plane's inhabitants, the sorrowful Zevaris.

The Sorrow of the Zevaris

The Zevaris were being poisoned by a "Sorrow Seed." I reached out with my spirit, projecting empathy that broke through their despair. An elder, grateful for the glimmer of hope, entrusted me with a Resonance Crystal. Our path was then challenged by the "Static Shards," a hostile faction of Zevaris. My words, however, were calm and purposeful, and I managed to forge a tense truce, allowing us to pass.

The Path to the Seed

Our journey took us down the Path of Regret, a place of illusory temptations. My will held firm, and I saw through the ghosts of what might have been. Ahead lay the River of Despair, a torrent of liquid sorrow. By focusing my life energy, I wove a bridge of pure light, granting us safe passage. At the heart of the grove, the Guardian of Sorrows blocked our way. Instead of violence, I offered it a wave of psionic empathy, soothing its pain and clearing the path.

Healing a World's Wound

Before us lay the Sorrow Seed itself—not a monster, but a wound. With Lyra standing guard, I began the final ritual. It was a monumental struggle of will, but I succeeded in pouring enough light into the Seed to crack its sorrowful shell. The blight receded. Life began to return to the plane. We had saved them.

A Hero's Welcome

The grateful Zevaris opened a portal back to the Aviary. We returned not as lost souls, but as heroes. Lyra's report to the council was filled with praise for my actions. When asked what I had learned, I answered: "That our duty extends to all life, no matter how lost." The elder nodded, offering a cryptic prophecy of reunion. For now, I seek knowledge in the Aviary's great library, preparing for the day we find our friends.