‘Welcome ta the United States o’ America, ‘er more accurately all that we know fer sure remains o’ them, Rhode Island. What happened ta the rest o’ the country? This country was becomin’ the richest in the world, minin’ fer gold an’ oil, which flowed in abundance from underneath the earth, until some miners ended up diggin’ too deep in the wrong spot, encounterin’ some kinda city-sized, ethereal void black bubble surrounded by a thin layer o’ gold. When one o’ ‘em was stupid enough ta interact with it, that’s when everythin’ started goin’ wrong. Some kind o’ eldritch monstrosities came out, unlike anythin’ they woulda seen befer, that anyone woulda seen befer. Then the government decided ta get involved, those idiots tried ta use those creatures fer personal and national gain, an’ fer a lil bit, they thought it was workin’, the creatures building all around towns in the country, rail roads an’ train stations an’ anythin’ good, until we learned a lil too late the creatures had an agenda o’ their own. The things they built one day began to hum with otherworldly power, an’ soon, rifts began ta tear in the sky an’ earth, bubbles nearly identical to the original forming over towns all over the country, given the name ‘transmutation sphere’ because of their effect on the populous, turnin’ everythin’ inside inta somethin’ else. Even the dirt on the ground was changin’, turnin’ ta bright gold, though not anythin’ else was that good, people turned into creatures like the original monstrosities, spreading the transmutation across the country until it was almost completely lost. Some were touched by the transmutation, but not turned inta these monsters, gaining unique abilities, which are now used ta combat the spreading infection. The last known stalwart that remains is Rhode Island, we must gain our country back.’ - President Franklin Pierce.

You all find yourselves makin' yer way to the docks on the outskirts o' Rhode Island, walking past all the defenses towards the ships, includin' the one that'll be sendin' y'all on a trip to the main land, and beginnin' yer long adventure. You all happen to run into each other on the way to the ship, you all met before in the debriefing room, but you didn't really talk there, maybe y'all should introduce yerselves.

'Whoo-wee, now look at that!' Louis Grenouille marvels at one of the ships in port as he leans back to get it fully in his field of view. 'These sure ain't like those lazy riverboats back home, that's for sure!' He continues on down the path with a grin, the bundle on a stick over his shoulder curiously shaking with every step, as if it's filled with dozens of metal items, which doesn't match the green-skinned mans appearance as some humble boy from the south, but it's probably best not to question it. Every so often he'll stop at a jetty, rush on down to the water's edge, and splash a cupped handful of seawater across his face, with no worries over whether it gets on his shirt at all. He has a habit of talking and singing to himself too, and as he approaches the main ship heading back towards land, he's humming something or the other about keeping himself hydrated, despite seeming to have drank nothing all day at all.

*Just getting my mobile in here.*