The Revolution Begins

With the Xavier coup behind them and exile now a grim reality, the Arrestables found themselves taking shelter in the home of Maribel—a quiet but powerful mage tied to the mysterious Dharetti people. It was a rare moment of safety. Or at least, it should have been.

While the others questioned Maribel about the nature of the heartstones and the decaying lands of Okepia, Jonathan’s attention wandered. Ever the opportunist, the halfling rogue couldn’t resist snooping. He fidgeted with furniture, eyed knick-knacks, and finally noticed something unusual—a faint seam beneath the wallpaper. Curiosity piqued, he peeled it back and discovered a hidden compartment. Inside lay a dark blue stone that pulsed faintly in the dim light.

Without hesitation, he opened the compartment.

The Dharetti shadow heartstone surged with magic and flung itself against Jonathan’s chest, bonding instantly. The moment its energy flooded his body, Jonathan collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

What he had unwittingly stolen was no ordinary artifact. Maribel, furious yet resigned, revealed that she had hidden the stone in plain sight to protect it from those who would exploit its power. Her trust in the Arrestables was already fragile—but this sealed it. In her eyes, the so-called heroes of Okepia were little more than thieves and fools.

Despite her disappointment, Maribel helped stabilize Jonathan and explained the true purpose of the heartstones. They were ancient relics of immense power—meant to be used in tandem with a soul capable of bearing the full force of life magic. Only then could the Dharetti heal the poisoned lands of Okepia and free their people from Muskelon’s tyranny.

But the Arrestables’ stay in the city had not gone unnoticed. Muskelon, ever watchful, sent soldiers to Maribel’s doorstep. Their mission: capture the group, and crush the Dharetti resistance once and for all.

Maribel, revealing herself as one of the founders of the Dharetti underground, moved swiftly. She launched a surprise attack on Muskelon’s forces, detonating a fireball in the town square—a blazing signal that the revolution had begun.

As Dharetti rebels poured into the streets to fight, the Arrestables made their escape, fleeing southward toward Wellguard. Their goal: find Devlin, an elder of the Dharetti people imprisoned in the infamous Wellguard complex.

The revolution, though fiery and brave, did not last long. Muskelon’s overwhelming forces—his soldiers bolstered by battlemages—snuffed it out in a matter of hours. Maribel fought valiantly, but in the end, she and the rest of the resistance were captured.

The fire had been lit, but it now fell to the Arrestables to keep it burning.