... a dock, where the desperate huddle. Motherling, Roser, Copper, the innocent all gather here to leave a city that is killing itself, and their past life. Their silk, secrets, and coin are not as valuable as their lives to you. Your body slides into the dream like a ship over water. You pore over the maps of the sunless sea, ensuring that your path is safe, at least as safe as it can be. Your camp is hushed, in fear of the marauding armies that would slay defector and civilian alike.

But you are not afraid of dying. No, you are afraid of them. For in your dreams, as you sail the dangerous, placid waters, you hear the voice of a Fingerking, whispering to you. It tells you that your death will be caused by your passengers, one of those that gather here.

So when the time comes, and they are all asleep, you push off without them, turning your face away from those you have wronged.

One of them was awake, and they called in confusion and fear as they saw the departing boat. The others too swiftly broke the silence, calling in desperation for you to come back. Then, the Rosers came, and as they slew the desperate, you turned away and drove harder into the dark sea.

Their screams haunt you every night.

You live as a wanderer. But in every port, you are welcomed as family, for you have always helped those in need after the fall of the Fourth City. You build up a crew that becomes like family to you. You even find love, and while you leave with your heart broken, you have a child.

Finally, you take on a Khanganian as a passenger. She is not like others, who drink and gamble and boast with the crew. She mainly stays in her room, and sometimes when the others sleep, stares out across the waves to the East.

One night, you join her. "What do you see?" You ask her.

"My family. Dying at the seaside, cut down by the Rosers. The Bazaar killed those that slew them." She turns to you. "But I know the person responsible for their death has not been brought to justice. My arbiter lies to the East." There is a knife in her hand. You would gladly take it, to bring some measure of justice for your long ago sin. But you think of your daughter, and your crew. You whisper an apology. But she draws the knife across her hand, with tears in her eyes. "For my oath." She says. "For my murdered family. Salt! My curse on this pitiless captain! Your curse on this coward! May he feel my pain, the pain of those he doomed!"

You taste blood and salt. And then, as she throws herself overboard, you reach out, and grasp her hand, trying to pull her back in. She slashes the knife across your wrist, and dives deep, to never return.

You stagger back, and feel darkness overcome you.

You wake, already knowing what awaits you. The crew you loved as family is gone. Only blood coats the deck, with it painted on the walls as an offering to Salt. The only other one alive is your daughter, nestled safely in her crib. You sob, your tears dropping onto her forehead, as you pray for her to be spared. You hold her tight, until you feel her move, pointing with her tiny fingers to the East. You see the distant, merciless light on the eastern horizon.

There is only one way to save her. One last journey, one last stop.

You sail alone. No zee monster will touch you, no pirate try to rob you, for you have nothing but the blood pulsing in your and your daughter's body. You touch the shores of Irem.

Away from the eyes of the seven headed serpent, you give your daughter to a woman in a cat mask. A panther gently touches his nuzzle to her forehead, and the woman nods to you. "Salt has spared her, for the life you tried to save. But his curse still lies on you. You know what you must do."

You climb to where the serpent guards the city, and give it a secret, in exchange for a song. And you begin your final journey across the Eastern horizon.

You look back to the rose covered shore of Irem. Your crew, your wife, your passengers stand there. Everyone you have known and loved and wronged stands there and wave in one last farewell.

You are among them, waving to the Captain as he sails East. You turn to the woman in the cat mask, who removes it. It is Madame Poecilia, one of the performers at Mahogany Hall. She returns home to London. The captain's daughter grows up in her care, loved like a daughter Poecilia never had. She hunts rats in alleyways with the cats of Spite. In her later years, she watches her mother perform, and meets her comrades. She joins the Church, and becomes friends with a quiet soldier with burned arms. She becomes a Confessor in the Order of Saint Cyriac, and one of its foremost Editors.

You see this rise from the waters around Irem. You pick up the cat mask, and take the mirror shard laying there. You meet the eyes of the seven headed serpent. "My family spoke of a prophecy to hers. And when the Captain acted on it with whimsy, it closed and opened a thousand futures."