Two months after the death of Sheriff and the attack on Salvation Outpost by a gang of assassins, The Salvation Times resolved to unravel the mystery of the Oracle of War by traveling to Morgrave University in Sharn.

Only two members of the newspaper embarked on this expedition: VALLEN the gnome monk and Sheriff ELYNVASHIR the Kalashtar Paladin, who appointed a warforged named S.I.M.P.L.E. as acting deputy of Salvation Outpost in her stead. The others—IDRINNA, JAI, and TABRIUS—had gone their separate ways.

Yet Vallen and Elynvashir were not alone in their quest. In the Tin Pot Tavern, they found new recruits to join the newspaper staff. They were BRYNHILDR, the aasimar paladin, and KIARI the kenku warlock, two adventurers who had been members of the crew aboard a mysterious vessel known as the Reclamation of Lhazaar. In addition, the party was also joined by two tieflings named LANFEAR, a rogue in search of an old friend—the changeling Jai who had, ironically, left Salvation not long ago to search for Lanfear—and SAVA, a fighter and war wizard who was raised by a human family in Sharn and was a student of Morgrave University.

Finally, in the Tin Pot Tavern, Vallen had been told by mysterious twin strangers that there was someone in Sharn who went by the name “Flamewind” and might be able to answer the party’s questions about the Oracle of War.

Once the new party had been assembled, they left Salvation and traveled to Sharn by lightning rail. Upon arriving in the City of Towers, the party first headed to Morgrave University. On the way, they encountered a half-orc in a dark alley who appeared be the victim of a kidnapping by a suspicious woman with an aberrant dragonmark. The woman, who appeared to be a powerful warlock, tried to convince the party to kill the half-orc for her. When they refused, she tried to incinerate them with deadly magic, specifically Vallen who refused to oblige her demand.

As a bright pillar of radiant flame engulfed Vallen, the party awoke back on the train from Salvation and realized it had all been a dream. When they finally arrived at Sharn and visited Morgrave University, they learned that the dream had been a test given by none other than Flamewind, a powerful sphinx and tenured professor at the university. Flamewind was impressed by the party’s actions, and when they asked for assistance in learning more about the Oracle of War, she agreed to help them with her knowledge of the Draconic Prophecy.