Zola is awakened by the sun, finding herself on top of the deck and draped in Cicirose’s cloak after falling asleep the night before. Since most of the repairs aboard the boat are finished, Zola spends the day creating a canopy near the wheel for Cicirose, so she can man the helm during the day in case of an emergency. Finishing late in the day, Zola (with Quince’s help) takes time to study the water-logged spellbook she found upon the ghostly orc ship. She realizes that one of the few spells salvageable is the Find Familiar spell! A block of incense and summoning circle later, Stilton returns! This time, as a cow-patterned grumpy cat.

Overjoyed, Zola declares that it is his birthday! The crew, eager to help Zola move past the loss of her friend, throws a party and spends the night humoring this. Feeling a little tipsy after positively cleaning up at fantasy beer pong, Zola spends some time talking to Cicirose, learning that she joined the crew to support her family financially. The two speak of their past, bonding over being treated like garbage by the Imperial folk, and having no connection to their past (Cicirose being a half-drow, whose drow father was but a passing traveller). The night ends with Zola steering the ship, with a tipsy Cicirose passed out by her feet, an adorable reversal of the night before.

Zola spends much of the next day sleeping (since she’d stayed up all night covering for Cici), but awakens to the sound of Lyre calling from the crow’s nest. Rushing above deck, Zola finds the crew excitedly looking out at the floating fortress rebel city of Driftin! The crew rushes into action to dock, and Zola is overwhelmed by the diversity and sheer number of people. Humans, half-elves, halflings, tortles, and tieflings— so many different people that she has never seen before! A taste of the capital to come.

Styx leads the crew through the town and towards the market to resupply, while telling the tale of Driftin. The city was founded more than five hundred years ago, when a human and sea elf fell in love and built a raft on the sea to live together. Eventually, they had a family and continued to expand, allowing castaways and travelers to make their home there. Once a raft, Driftin now rises six tiers high, with massive spiraling staircases leading up to a watchtower that looks over the Mare Emara.

Zola and Cicirose do some light shopping (Zola using her very little funds to buy Cicirose a speckled parasol), then make their way to the Grotto bar to meet up with Captain Styx. Along the way, they pass the fourth tier where a massive fishing well is maintained to feed the entire city. They help out a halfling fisherman Bailiss, who in turn offers to buy them a drink. Zola and Cicirose agree, then quickly ditch him, realizing three has become company. Zola then steps on another bargoer’s foot, but shoulders him out of the way when he demands she buy him a drink. This causes him to fall on top of Bailiss, starting… a BAR BRAWL!