Act 1 — The Soggy Streets

The Puddles district of Absalom is always damp, but today the brine feels predatory. An unnaturally high tide has swamped the lower boardwalks, turning thoroughfares into treacherous flotsam channels. Beneath the sloshing, sea-foam choked water, unseen currents pull at heels and mask a sudden, quiet surge in civilian disappearances. The air is thick with the stench of rotting kelp, dead fish, and low-tier desperation.