I was summoned by my lord Castalant to Anvilgard where I was instructed to work with a group of soulbound to investigate the corruption in the city and determine if the occupants are worthy of existence. We were told to report to the conclave where we met with councillor Kassan who warned of an organisation called the Black Scale Coil who had spies everywhere, and advised to be suspicious of everyone. A new formula for the defoliant used to protect Anvilgard from the aggressive growth of the surrounding jungle was due to be tested, but a frigate, the golden flying fortress which was bringing the materials, was overdue. We were tasked to search for it and were assigned a ship called the Blackfin for the operation. A meeting room had been booked for us at the Beach Mermaid where we met the captain of the Blackfin, Theriel Kaltis. Councillor Kassan did not appear to trust him. He was renowned for big game hunting in the crucible and wore a carnosaur cloak.

In the morning we went to the Black Fin. The 1st mate of the ship was an Idoneth Aelf called Sulemek. We were shown to our quarters as the ship got underway. Outside the harbour was the wreck of a nurgle ship called the pustulant horror. Workers were busy clearing it from the harbour. The captain said we would be heading towards Isle of Ghouls which were populated by delusional undead flesh eaters. He believed it was likely the missing airship had gone down in that area.

We heard a cry from the crows nest, as a wild leviadon had been spotted grazing on seaweed. Captain Kaltis ordered the Blackfin to turn towards it and begin to hunt it for a trophy and meat. It was killed though one of the crew was also killed, and Kaltis took its head as a trophy. Near evening another there was another cry from the crows nest that a small uncharted island had been spotted. I rowed over with the soulbound to investigate. There was a large lake of fresh water on the island, and the land was covered in grass, bushes and trees. Dhurak found a small chest containing 2 vials of Aqua Ghyranis and 10 pounds of precious metals.

The following morning a mass of plaguebearers were seen swarming over a mass of rafts tied to a rotting sea creature with tentacles. The captain said it must be destroyed before it turns into a pustulant abomination of nurgle. The ship opened fire with its cannons and myself and Salix used arcane powers to destroy the rafts and everything on them. Later a large plume of smoke was seen in the distance where the jungle was burning. It appeared natural so we continued.

Finally we were sailing parallel to the Isle of Ghouls. Storm clouds started gathering and the air turned chill. Then a huge ship came out of the gloom to the north. It was crewed by the pale figures of ghouls. We had sighted the Ravenous, a ship of the flesheater corps. The Blackfin turned into the storm to try to lose the Ravenous, while firing at it to try to slow it. Three Swarms of crypt bats were launched from the fleshtearer ship towards the Blackfin, but Salix and myself quickly destroyed them using arcane power. Several rounds from the Blackfin made the Ravenous start to list and destruction of its wheelhouse by more arcane power left it out of control, and the Blackfin escaped having taken only two hits in the side which were quickly repaired. The Blackfin continued until it sailed out of the storm. It continued the search and finally the wreck of a Kharadron airship was spotted which had broken into two and submerged. It was the wreck of the golden flying fortress so the captain weighed anchor and prepared to start the recovery operations.

Sulemek cast a spell to allow us to breathe under the water and I used flight to allow me to fly through the water for easier manoeuvrability. There were canisters in the main hold, and I found a series of stamped metal plates into a folio in one of the smaller cargo rooms which Dhurak confirmed was the instructions to make the new defoliant. We started moving everything to weighted barrels that had been lowered from the Blackfin when ten figures were seen walking on the seabed towards the ship. They were ghouls and ghasts weighed down with iron. We eliminated them but another ten followed them. While we were in the process of eliminating them as well, the ropes connected to the barrels floated down. They had been untied. When all the undead were destroyed I ascended to the surface where I found a lot of flotsam. At that point the water breathing spell ended so I gathered the flotsam which appeared to be materials left by the Blackfin rather than wreckage. There were also barrels of supplies. We built a raft from the flotsam and started making our way back to land. There was alcohol among the supplies and Raith quickly got himself drunk.

We went south until we hit the Charwind coast then left the raft and turned west towards Anvilgard. Durak got caught in a giant spider web while scouting ahead. An Arachnarok spider then attacked him. We heard the cries and went to assist. Durak and Salix were both wounded before we were able to extract Durak. We continued but Salix announced we were lost and I had to take over the navigation. As we were navigating through a swamp Durak stumbled into a plant which expelled in a cloud of spores, but fortunately he avoided breathing them in. Raith heard something moving through the trees behind us so everyone moved through the plants in the hope whey would dissuade whatever was behind us. I flew above and as I looked back I saw a Magma Droth. However it turned back as it did not appear to want to enter the swamp.

As it got dark we came to a mud pit with the tracks of many Gruntas. We camped nearby, then in the morning we continued and finally caught sight of Anvilgard. We also saw a curious blue green light coming out of a cloud which quickly disappeared. We continued into an area of sickly trees where we found a huge blighted tree in the centre in a clearing. A pustule on the tree burst depositing five nurglings. Another pustule was swelling and looked like it was about to burst. Anvilgard in the distance was also being attacked by nurglings, and the defoliant cannon's were not functioning.

We destroyed the nurglings that had burst from the tree but Salix was attacked and grasped by roots that burst from the ground. I took to the air and blasted Salix free but another seven nurglings were ejected from another bursting pustule on the tree and attacked Dhurak. Salix was attacked by more roots which I destroyed before I destroyed another pustule that was about to burst. Salix and Dhurak killed the nurglings and Dhurak had to break free of more roots. Raith charged the tree, and after Dhurak freed himself from roots for the second time he also charged it. After several exchanges of blows it was finally destroyed. The area around the clearing immediately showed signs of recovering and the nurglings attacking Anvilgard died.

We then made our way to Anvilgard where we spoke to Captain Ulvalla who was leading the defence of the walls. Two Duardin who had been fighting were arguing but they stated they were too busy and stormed off when Dhurak approached them. Ulvalla said they were Irina Hikestork and her assistant Zedreth who were in charge of city construction and the defoliant cannons. They were arguing that Irina was too soft on the workers in the defoliant factory. The city guard all appeared scared and kept looking at the forest. We were told the defoliant cannons had been sabotaged with the defoliant having been replaced by water.

We went to the main hall where we had to wait before being admitted to speak to the councillors including councillor Kassan. Tybor Hallagate greeted us. No one knew who or how the defoliant had been switched with sea water and a new batch would not me ready for several days. The Blackfin had not returned. Zedreth provided copies of a report which said operatives had been able to penetrate the defoliant production facilities easily. Irina was charged with being negligent which started an argument between her and Zedreth. Irina then stormed off and Zedreth was put in charge of the defoliant cannons.

Councillor Kassan approached us after the meeting and asked us to investigate as he thought Irena was trustworthy. She offered to pay a sphere of Aqua Ghyranis each and cover reasonable expenses. We went to Irina's office. The room was covered in dust and appeared to not have been used much. There were three packages in Irinas desk with a cog and feather seal on the front and sealed with a seal with a shadowy black tendril which we identified as belonging to the Black scale coil. Dhurak identified the Cog and feather as a Duardin family crest, and probably Irina's family. Ten vials of Aqua Ghyranis were in each package and a map with a crossroads marked and an upcoming date. There was no wo wax or seals on either desk so the packages must have been sealed elsewhere.

We then went to the defoliant production facility. Captain Ulvalla was already there. Raith spoke with the foreman who said the cannons were filled with defoliant every day, and that there were wagons coming and going continuously which were not tracked. He employed people who were desperate as most people did not want to work there, and did not do background checks. Some of the workers were watching us carefully and whispering. Salix spoke to a worker and learned defoliant had been decanted into barrels brought from outside without normal seals. The location the barrels were taken to was in a package with 10 vials of Aqua Ghyranis to pay the workers involved and the package had a Cog and feather seal. Workers who did not cooperate were threatened by the Black Scale. The worker also pointed to Captain Ulvalla signalling her involvment.

Four Shadowblade assassins suddenly appeared from nowhere and attacked but they were quickly neutralised. One was a human and the others were elves. A paper was found on one. Ulvalla was confronted and said she did it for Anvilgard, that the conclave could not protect the people, and only the Black Coil could do that. The order came from someone within the conclave and the defoliant was swapped to show the weakness of the conclave. She did not expect nurglings to appear.