Feli "Jynx" Kurai, the unlucky black Khatta, travels to Sylvania to claim his inheritance – the castle known as Blackshire Keep – on board the airship Winning Grin, with his traveling companions. These companions include Scarlet (the Aelfin Water Mage), Born-in-Shame (the Abaddonian cheetah warrior), and the foppish fox bard.

They land in Sylvania, and hitch a ride with Madame Xanadu (the fortune-telling Korv) and her assistant Bruno (a big, dumb, strong Rhian). The weather is dreary for the whole journey, and once they reach the edge of the Whispering Wood, Madame Xanadu lets Jynx and his party get out to walk the rest of the way.

They begin their journey through the Whispering Wood, passing a sign that says "Beware of Monsters". As they go in, a cute little bunny rabbit bounds out of the undergrowth, frightening the jumpy fox bard. Scarlet is unafraid, while Jynx has never seen a non-morphic rabbit before. Some other non-morphic animals come out of the forest to observe, which gives Jynx a case of the creeps.

Suddenly, the "cute little bunny rabbit" turns into a hideous monster! The other forest animals transform as well. Scarlet, unwilling to harm the animals, uses a cantrip to try to determine if the rabbit indeed has blood flowing through its veins … or whether it might just be some magical construct. Alas, it proves to be a real animal, distorted as it is, and the Aelfin freezes in indecision as it attacks. She is saved by the blade of Born-in-Shame … who grabs her to run after Jynx and the fleeing bard.

Scarlet sobs over the death of the (formerly) cute little bunny, but our heroes are still being pursued by the mutated beasts. She lets loose with a held spell she was carrying in case of danger … and shards of ice rain forth from the "Falling Crystal Sky". The monsters are slain, turning into puffs of dark red smoke. Jynx is impressed by Scarlet's power, and the party heads back to pick up the trunk which had been left behind – as well as Scarlet's dropped staff.

Disheartened by this turn of events, our heroes still travel onward toward Blackshire Village.