The final path from the Winding Cliff crossroads dips through a valley, and you will face several more of the Cliffside Bandits here, as well as Imperial Squires with pikes and a single, UGS-variant, who wields an enormous hunk of a sword called the Goliath, which performs overhead slams akin to a greathammer, with the strong R2 attack plunging the blade into the earth to volley a devestating shockwave. Killing this Imperial enemy will net you the sword as a guaranteed drop.
Goliath: "Ultra-greatsword wielded by the Bruiser, a knight serving in Podrice's company. The Bruiser is unusually violent and dishonest in his battles, making him an unfavourable companion for any warrior with delusions of chivalrous heart. His sword, the only one of its kind, was created from the remains of a destroyer ship's mast." (REQUIRES: 45 PROWESS)
Once you reach the lowest point of the valley, you'll have to wade through a small quagmire. Luckily the skanky, stagnant waters don't inflict anything on you other than crippling slowness, but there are several dog enemies in the water which will take advantage of your low mobility to f you up. So don't let them. You can loot the following items in this section:
- Forsaken Set: Resembles a primitive diving suit that has been worn away by water, and is now covered in dripping algae that squelches when you move. Description: "Domed helmet/Hollow Suit/Weathered Gloves/Crusted Trousers worn by divers in the employ of Podrice. Many of these diving suits were commissioned when word of the treasured seas around Alscratio Isle reached the ears of the gluttonous king, but few were ever used. Their steel composition makes them resistant to many forms of attack, although they are cripplingly heavy, and were not intended to be used in agile combat."
- 3x Molotov Cocktail
- 2x Torch Splint
- 4x Bag of Salt
As you wade across to the other side of the mud, you will find an NPC dressed in the diving gear you just picked up. Talking to them offers some intriguing dialogue.
"*cough* Oh, another wandering Freegalian heir, eh? Relax. I intend no harm towards you. Not unless you would raise your weapon. I am Lana, captain of the Grassun diving company. Well, at least I was. Who am I to be captain of now? My men are all dead, slaughtered by that monster on Alscratio - the blood-possessed beast. Oh, in the dark are we? Better for you. If you know, you know. But you don't want to know."
Pressing her for more dialogue seems sufficient to insist that you do, in fact, want to know. "Well, you are a strange one. Or maybe just mad. Either way, that island is a respite for dead men only. They call it the Isle of the Dead for a reason, you know. They say that a great behemoth rose from the waters, and swallowed every man on the island, including those wretched, greedy brothers."
"Hyraat and Boliver were once good men, so far as I can tell. But a wealth unlike any other corrupted them, hollowing their souls and feasting on their minds. There is naught but bones left, I'd imagine. But perhaps you might find a scrap of their soul somewhere in that godforsaken mess."
"You've been a good listener. I appreciate that. Nobody listens to old Lana these days. I have an idea. Would you like to enlist in my company, and seek treasures for our lord, the king Podrice?"
Say Yes: "Magnificent. Normally I would preside over your trial, but you have proven yourself capable enough simply by surviving this far. So, I henceforth pronounce you a Diver of Dayle."
Welcome to the second of four Pacts in Dark Seas. The Divers are a unique, PvE covenant which allows you to be summoned to a special, one-off and randomly-generated location called a 'Treasured Seabed', a small underwater locale (you can breathe, somehow) where you will fight a collection of randomly selected enemies from anywhere in the game in order to open chests containing rare (and not so rare) loot. You will get summoned by wearing the Luminous Orb, a trinket item with a mystical green tint and silver casing which provides an additional +100 to item discovery, and will be summoned at random intervals ranging from half an hour to two hours to one of these 'Treasured Seabeds.'
The loot you will find in the chests in these locations varies, and is determined by the strength of the enemies you killed, your overall level, and the level of your Cartography stat. Here is the full list of items you can discover, as well as their rarity.
- Bag of Salt (Extremely Common, get ready to find a fuckton of these before you get anything good)
- Firefly Napalm/Remnants of a Beachlurker/Dead Jellyfish (Extremely Common)
- Gold Nugget (Common)
- Spirit Bottle Essence (Common): The covenant-strengthening item of the Divers of Dayle. Description: "Shard of a spirit bottle which once contained the healing waters of Freegalia. Podrice, whose lust for destruction destroyed almost all of these rare flasks, will pay handsomely for even a trace of one, as part of his quest for his own immortality."
- Mystic Shard (Common)
- Large Mystic Shard (Uncommon)
- Sunken Dagger (Uncommon): Rusted dagger with a cool, algae-covered appearance. However, it is only as good as the standard dagger, so fashion souls-fodder only. Description: "A dagger that was uncovered from the seabed. Although rusted and in poor repair, anything is better than nothing in a land so unforgiving as Dayle."
- Silver Diving Set (Seperate pieces, all uncommon): Shiny silver version of the Forsaken Set, sans squelchy algae, with an identical description. Again, only really for fashion souls.
- Sunken Harpoon (Uncommon): Spear-class weapon with a smashing R2 attack. "A harpoon that was uncovered from the seabed. Although rusted and in poor repair, anything is better than nothing in a land so unforgiving as Dayle."
- Sunken Blade (Uncommon): Straight sword with algae-covered appearance. "A blade that that was uncovered from the seabed. Although rusted and in poor repair, anything is better than nothing in a land so unforgiving as Dayle."
- Ring of the Maelstrom (Rare): Dark green coloured ring in a gold casing. Boosts counter damage. Description: "A ring uncovered from the seabed. Although its original owner is unknown, its appearance and inherent mystical abilities invite comparison with the forbidden rituals of old Freegalia."
- Sunken Set (Seperate pieces, all rare): Rusted and worn metal-plated armour with a fluted helmet (a la Demon Souls). Description: "Helmet/Armour/Gauntlets/Leggings that was retrieved from the seabed. Although its condition has deeply deteriorated over the course of many years churned in the tide, it still offers adequate protection at a bearable weight."
- Mystic Chunk (Penultimate upgrade material, rare)
- Sack of Salt (25k variant, rare)
- The Unfathomable (ultra rare, 1/100 chance): Long and ultra-thin katana with a rubber hilt. Glows a dark brown when striking human enemies. "An accursed weapon salvaged from the unthinkable depths of the treasured seas. Its owner was clearly a troubled soul, seeing how their former blade cuts so effortlessly through human flesh as though to satiate itself." (REQUIRES 35 DEXTERITY)
- Golden Clawhammers (ultra rare): Paired hammer-class weapons that resemble the claw keys from Skyrim, fused to the end of a metal and leather-bound hilt. When held in each hand, can perform jumping slashes and a special move that pulls nearby enemies in. Builds up bleed damage steadily. "Pristine artisan weapons forged long ago for the benefit of an important nobleman. These hammers are savage, boasting serrated claws intended for cutting through even the toguhest plate armour. Needless to say, your enemies will bleed." (REQUIRES 32 DEXTERITY, 24 PROWESS)
- Quenching Amulet (ultra rare): Ebony-metal trinket with a cloudy blue gem encased in the centre. Increases doubloon count by 200% when placed in trinket spot. "Gilded amulet of the accursed seafarer Florentino. An associate of the despised merchant brothers of Freegalia, he eventually sought to betray them for wealth, only to find his hands severed at their base, and his beloved enchanted trinket lost forever to the depths of the sea."
- Mystic Core (Ultimate reinforcement material, ultra rare)
You can quickly earn ranks in the pact by trading in Spirit Bottle Essences. You can earn the following rewards through levelling:
10 Essences: Fortune's Favour Tidal Divination: Requiring 31 ARCANE to cast, this spell grants a 200% and 150% increase, respectively, to item discovery and doubloon pickup for two minutes after casting.
25 Essences: Harpoon Launcher: Hybrid firearm/right-handed weapon which must be held in both hands. Fires off a medium-length harpoon attached to a metal cord, which will then be retracted with a subsequent R1 or R2, dealing additional damage like a boomerang. It can also be fired at a slight angle to catch sidestepping foes. "A brutal contraption used by Dayle whalers to haul in their catch. Should one be so consumed with murderous rage, it can be volleyed at human prey with extreme efficiency." (REQUIRES 44 PROWESS)
50 Essences: Pearl of the Treasured Sea: Trinket which provides the equivalent of two levels worth of enhancements to EVERY stat. Hell yeah this thing is OP. "A pearl prised from the jaws of a giant clam. This stone is entirely-unique, and is perhaps the rarest treasure ever claimed by Lana's Divers of Dayle."
If you say No to Lana's offer, she will give the following dialogue: "Hmmmph. Stubborn, I see. When you change your mind, I'll be here."
If for some dumb reason you strike her, she will fight you with a Harpoon Launcher, proving to be no pushover despite her goofy outfit. Killing her only nets you a Gold Nugget and 3'000 doubloons, so it is NOT worth doing.
When you are finally ready to continue, you will have to clamber through a dried-up fjord filled with bandits, their hunting doggos and a few new enemies, the Marauder Mages. These enemies, who are allied with the regular bandits, wear cloaked armour crafted out of the hide of a bear, complete with a hollowed-out jaw hat, and wield splintered wood catalysts. They will heal their allies, as well as unleash a steady spray of blue magic spears to cut you down. Occasionally they will drop their gear and weapon.
Marauder Mage Hat/Tunic/Gloves/Trousers: "Headgear/robe/gloves/boots of the marauding magus' who lurk in the valley between the city of Dayle and the neighbouring village of Mornan. Whilst most practioners of the magical arts prefer to use less barbaric methods of earning coin, these sorcerers have little regard for human life, and should be treated in kind."
Marauder Catalyst (for casting Tidal Divinations AND Hexes): "Catalyst wielded by the marauding magus' who lurk in the valley between the city of Dayle and the neighbouring village of Mornan. These staffs are constructed from the Weeping Trees, magicka-inflected conifers that were born when the glass tower of Podrice was unearthed, and thrust into the sunlight."
You can find a pair of Mystic Chunks and the Ring of Eternal Soul from the corpses littered about the dry, earthy path. The latter item, which boosts co-operation and allows you to summon additional phantoms as well as see additional warnings on the ground, has the following description: "Ring of the Order of Salidor, a gathering of the wisest sages in all of Dayle. Together, they poured all of their findings on the soul into this ring, which now bears the resonant power of interconnectedness."
Finally you reach the end of the fjord, and pass through an archway into a small, rustic settlement, the title card declaring that you have arrived in Slumbering Mornan. This location is unique, for there are no enemies, and the village is absolutely FILLED with living, breathing NPC characters. It is, in a sense, comparable to Majula, except with a more gothic atmosphere, with crooked iron fences surrounding most of the houses and a spoopy graveyard in the top right corner. At the right edge of the town is a path down towards a neglected, black-sanded beach.
The town is completely-optional, and you can wlak straight through it to this beach, but you'll be missing out on one of the most interesting sidepaths of the game. For, the second you step into the town, a wailing cry can be heard. A body - or to be more accurate, the top of a torso - is lying out in the path, and blood is strewn everywhere. A woman dressed in a servant's garb kneels over the body, sobbing. Approach her for some dialogue.
"What is this madness...? Blood shed all over our streets, and for what?"
"Who the blazes are you? A traveller? You've sure come at a sorry time to be alive. The corpse-eater has struck again!"
"Get away from me! I don't trust you strangers as far as I can throw you."
She has a pet wolfdog beside her which will antagonize you if you keep pressing to talk, to the point that on the fifth attempt, it will attack you. Killing it will lead the woman to descend into non-stop sobbing, from which she will never stop.
The most entrancing landmark of Mornan is the local inn, the 'Pony's Rest.' Unlike the 'Forsaken Anchor' back in Dayle, this locale is filled with a few NPC residents. Talk to the innkeeper, Maxwell, for a few (well, one) tidbits of dialogue.
"300 doubloons for a room. 200 for a casket of Mornan Mead. Otherwise, get out. I've got other patrons to attend to."
If you choose to pay for a Mornan Mead (there is no option to pay for a room; this ain't Skyrim, dawg!) you will discover its effects grant you a temporary aura of flame, which you can use by charging into enemies to damage them, a la Kirk's Thorned Armour from Dark Souls. Description: "The special brew of Slumbering Mornan, the last of the great crabbing villages on the coastline of Dayle. The village has little to offer but semi-pleasant scenery, but travellers often whisper of dark secrets at the heart of the town. Perhaps these are best left undisturbed."
Chatting to the man sat at the barstool proves to be a cheerier affair.
"Ahoy there, Freegalian! I'm Aaron, the best swordsman in Dayle. And you are?"
Reveal Name: "Wow. What a ridiculous name! And I thought my parents were unkind. How can I be of service to ye? For the price of one sovereign, I will follow you to the end of this wet earth!"
Refuse: "No matter, no matter. Here, have a rum you miserable sod! You look like you need it." (Gives you Dayle Rum)
Either choice will just realign in later dialogue. "I'm just travelling through, but I hear stories about a monster, living right under these poor people's noses! Can you imagine. A sheep in wolf's clothing, indeed. Ah, I think I got that old sayin' wrong. Oh well."
If you pay for his services, you can have him follow you as an immortal summon anywhere in the game for thirty minutes. However, his services are costly. One sovereign is the equivalent of 30'000 doubloons in the game. So you'll want to use him sparingly.
He has one final, interesting piece of dialogue, alluding to one of the other bar-goers. "You see that barnacle-buttocked imperial over there in the corner? He's called Drayle. He kills enemies of the blind old bat for the sheer enjoyment of it. Won't take a penny in payment. Seems like a waste of talent if you ask me. Anyhoo, I heard he just came back from Alscratio Island, and... well, he don't look so chipper any more, eh? Whatever happened there seems to have knocked the swagger right out of his boots."
Drayle, who wears the won't take kindly to your intrusion. "Go away."
When you don't, he just sighs, stands up, and pulls his Hunter's Spontoon on you. "If you won't heed my warning, you will heed my spear, you bloodied cutthroat."
He will start to fight you, somewhat slugglishly, with his Spontoon. If/when you reduce him to half-health, he will drop to his knees and beg for mercy, at which point he will sheathe his weapon and return to his seat. Proceed to kill Drayle, and he cries out "Bastard of Freegalia..." and drops the Imperial Summons key item. As you will be able to receive it in a less bloody way, there is no point in killing him when he surrenders. When he does, he will offer some proper dialogue.
"You're not like the others. I thank you, honorable blade, for reminding me of my duties."
"You may have heard some things about me. Yes, I am a knight in the employ of King Podrice. Yes, I kill for my king. But I do not fight without honour. At least, not until I ventured to Alscratio. I was, given an order... There was a rumour that both Captain Salidor and the brothers Hyraat and Boliver were hiding out on the treacherous archipelago. But, the truth of this claim I cannot say, for I was beaten back upon entrance by demons. Bloody, merciless things; transcendents of death itself. And, I ran... Like a cowardly dog, whimpering at the forefront of the fight. I am not fit to wear this armour."
"My shield-brother is a member of the Cursewarders. I always envied him. I wonder what he would think of me now. His name is Arell. Please, if you should ever see him, give him these."
He will now willingly part with the Imperial Summons item, which has the following description: "A summons delivered from the court of Podrice the Elder, king of Dayle. The paper is worn through and the wax seal has melted away to paste, leaving one to wonder how old these orders are. With a callous indifference, they order the recipient's presence on Alscratio Island, for the 'good of the kingdom of Dayle and all of its inhabitants.'"
This item has no current use, but if you ventured down this path before heading out to the Barren Sea Keep, you will be able to give it to Arell upon meeting him there.
Upon receiving the item, Arell offers some interesting dialogue: "So, Drayle yet lives? That is splendid news. Perhaps I shall be able to fight alongside him once more on this accursed isle. So it shall be."
At this point, Arell's questline will fracture, causing him to go to Alscratio (as you will see next installment) whereas he would have before gone back to Grassun Castle. However, whilst this is the more interesting direction for his story, both are equally as valid options.
Outside of the Pony's Rest are a few more locales. Outside of a scorching iron-brick forge is a woman wearing a blacksmith's apron and welding mask, who sells rare weapons and armaments.
"Hello, stranger! The name's Marcadia, the blacksmith of Mornan. Have you come to peer at my goods, or just look over my equipment? Haha. I tease, but I haven't had a customer in years. Please, make yourself comfortable." - An NPC who acknowledges boob-staring; egad!
She sells the following items:
- Fanned Wristblades (40'000 doubloons): Paired knuckleduster-like weapons with a single, fanned set of razorblades spreading outwards, to be held with a small leather hilt. "Paired gauntlet weapons used by highly-skilled combatants. It has been nearly a century since anyone in Dayle wielded such finely-crafted weapons, but certain blacksmiths pride themselves on the restoration of unique and powerful weapons." (REQUIRES 27 SKILL, 22 DEXTERITY)
- Reforge (26'000 doubloons): Tidal Divination which will restore your right-handed weapon to its full durability. (REQUIRES 26 ARCANE)
- Marcadia's Artisan Bow (35'000 doubloons): A prototype modern compound bow which has been fitted to fire two arrows at once if you so choose, with the second being pulled from your secopndary ammo slot. "A magnificent hunter's bow, which has been highly-modified to use a pulley system of cables, allowing a much more powerful shot, as well as the capability to shoot two arrows, if one so chooses. Marcadia, who doesn't believe in a restrained weapon design, built this bow to resolve the long-disputed issue of requiring two separate arrows to put down a target."
- Explosive and Lacerating Arrows (200/250 doubloons a piece): Specialist arrows to be equipped by any bow, although they are most effective in the Artisan Bow.
She has a bit of additional dialogue too. "This village was once peaceful. But someone here is a cold-blooded killer. A true, blackened psychopath. They say they even devour the corpses of their victims, too. If you were to find anything about this monster, please, don't hesitate to bring it to me. I'd love a go at that despicable creature."
If you try to kill her, which is not advisable since you cannot get any of her items any other way, she will use a pair of Fanned Wristblades to kick your ass back to Davy Jones' Locker. She is a tough opponent, striking quickly but defending with a stoicism that reminds one of Garl Vinland. It is clear she doesn't want to fight. If you do down her, you can receive her Iron Welding Mask, which has a short description: "Welding mask made of cast iron. Serves as decent protection for the head, as well as providing a small increase to fire resistance."
In a small, grey-stoned building surrounded with wrought iron railings, is a makeshift church. This one, however, does not worship the New Age; the room has a cold, dark feeling to it, with dimly-lit chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and stained glass depictions of an angelic figure, shrouded in dark robes. A single, solitary figure sits at the head of the pews, worshipping a stone statue of the angelic figure, wings spread wide apart. As you approach, he calls out to you.
"Halt! Go no further. In order to proceed, you must provide evidence of your devotion to the lord of this shrine. I beseech thee, draw your blood and place it in the basin to your left. Or turn around, and walk away. I won't ask again."
If you do approach the basin, you will have the option to 'Make Sacrifice.' If you choose to do this, you will watch a short cutscene where your character draws a knife and slices open their palm, letting a few drops of blood fall into the empty stone bowl. After this is done, the vicar is satisfied, and will allow you to approach him.
"Grand. In times such as these, it is vitally-rewarding to come across another devoted servant of our lord. You may call me Dahlor. What brings you to Mornan, faithful acolyte? There is naught but sorrow and slumber within these thin walls."
"Ahh, but you haven't come all this way just to satiate the Angel, have you? Here, take this. For your protection in these cold, dark streets."
He'll hand you a Futile Gem, a black and grey stone that swirls with a foreboding smoke. In the trinket spot, it will grant you +200 resistance to all damage types, but will cap your health bar at half-length. "Stone that bears a cold, nauseating dread. This is a frightful gemstone, to be worn only by those who value suffering, and the futility of life, over the rewards and virtues of existence." The emo stone can't be obtained by killing the vicar, and you don't want to initiate combat with him, for reasons that will become evident going forward.
Should you refuse the blood sacrifice and try to approach him, he will generate a thick wall of choking black fog, which you cannot pass without killing yourself, and arrows and bullets will simply dissipate as they hit the barrier, so theres no point trying to snipe him.
The final NPC of Mornan lives in the Mornan Graveyard, a wide cemetary area, within a small mausoleum atop a lonely little hill. He can be found embalming a dead body, which by the looks of things was a victim of the corpse-eating monster the townfolk keep warning you about.
Mausoleum Tender Xavier, a short elderly man wearing a greay and white garb, is an awkward, shifty little guy who remains hunchbacked throughout your encounter as he tends keenly to the body. He barely acknowledges you even when you get right in his face and press the 'Talk' option.
"What? Can't you see I'm bee-bee-busy? Scamper away, little Freegalian."
"Still hee-hee-here? You vulture, take it, take it! I have no need of treasures when I can enjoy the cold touch of death flesh!"
He gives you the Chipped Wing Effigy, which bears a resemblance to the wings of the angel statue in the church, only on a smaller scale.
This guy is super-obviously the killer in the town, which is why it comes across as such a HUUUUGE TWISTAROO when it becomes obvious he is actually a red herring. His next dialogue indicates where you should actually be placing your suspicions. "I found it on a bod-ee! One of the vile cannibal's kills! I think it belonged to him, and he drop-drop-dropped it! Do make sure to return it! Hee!" (LOOPS)
Striking him will cause him to go apeshit though, producing an embalming tool which can cut you for some piddly damage. When he dies, he will utter "Sweet death..." before dissolving, and leaving behind the Mausoleum Tender Set. "Hood/Garb/Skirt of Xavier, the mausoleum tender of Mornan's vast cemetary. Provides no protection from any form of attack, although it increases the power of Tidal Hexes by a vast amount. The deformed Xavier receives nothing but scorn from his fellow townsfolk, who fear his morbid affinity to death."
Bringing the Chipped Wing Effigy to Marcadia will offer new dialogue, as well as opening her up for summon outside the fog of this area's boss battle.
"Well, well... Looks like you've proven yourself to all of us. That sick fiend in the church will pay for his bloodletting in kind."
You've followed the town's questline through to its conclusion now. Take the Chipped Wing Effigy to Dahlor in his church, and his reaction will vary slightly, depending on whether you committed the blood sacrifice or not.
If you did, you can bring it straight to him, where he will offer the following dialogue. "So, you've sniffed me out. What do you intend to do about it?"
Do nothing: "Yes, as you should. Now, hurry along, the Angel needs more sacrifices."
Apprehend: The screen fades to black. You will get the same result if you approach him without having performed the sacrifice. He will lower his dark magic barrier, and stand up to full height, convulsing as a dark fog starts to shroud his body.
The cutscene shows his arms and chest contorting and transforming, as they turn into scaly, leathery bat wings, complete with some nasty serrated talons and his torso sprouts hair, the bones of his ribcage bulging through his skin. His bottom half remains human, however, as does his head. He snarls as a forked tongue slips through his teeth.
"Let the feast continue..." he whispers, before roaring.
Worth noting is that should you have performed the blood sacrifice, striking him will automatically begin this battle anyway, with altered dialogue that implies he is disappointed in you.
As the cutscene ends, you realise a boss fog has now covered the door leading outside. As the newly-transformed half-bat vicar charges you, you must begin your battle with Dahlor, the Corpse-Eater. In his first phase, his attacks are mostly-humanoid, only occasionally resorting to using his claws to slice you up. He wieldes a strange clock dial in his offhand which casts Tidal Hexes, including a Dark Orb-style attack and a poisonous cloud. In his right hand he has large axe with a wooden shaft and a dark metal head, which he uses to smash you with.
As he hits half-health, he falls to his knees, and a strange thing happens. Around his body, although clearly non-corporeal, appears a projection of the angel depicted in the stain glassed windows and the statue at the back of the church. As it shimmers with a light-grey aura, Dahlor undergoes full metamorphosis, becoming a terrifying bat creature that is visually-similar to the Demon Prince, except on a smaller scale, and without the aid of flames. The angel projection dissipates in a cloud of fog, leaving Dahlor to charge back into the fray.
The second phase of the fight is much more frantic as one would expect fleeing from a deformed bat creature. Dahlor can now fly up into the rafters, where he will perch briefly before soaring down to plunge down on your head for massive damage. He will also lunge forward, slashing in all directions, and his wings can reach behind him to catch players wailing on his buttocks. His most deadly attack is a giant black hole of convulsing dark which he can shoot from his mouth.
Suffice to say, with all of this going on, it's unlikely there will be any pews left at the end of the fight.
Striking the killing blow on Dahlor prompts him to start laughing maniacally, which slowly dulls to a hacking cough. With one final, parting remark, Dahlor utters "Your servitude is inevitable, oh slave of the sea..." before expiring, giving you the Devout Ink and 27'000 doubloons, alongside the Futile Gem if you didn't already receive it. The ink has the following description: "Ink drawn from the blackened blood of Mornan's odious preacher, Dahlor. Harbouring energies bestowed upon him by his abysmal lord, Dahlor was driven to consume everything around him, only to regurgitate it in an act of ritual sacrifice for the one who would embrace his inner monster." Using this ink to tattoo yourself will grant a 50% increase to the casting speed of Tidal Hexes, as well as reducing the FP taken by 30% for each spell.
Mornan's citizens are somewhat grateful for your help. The innkeeper Maxwell will reduce his prices by half, as will Marcadia, who will gift you her bow if you summoned her for the boss fight. Aaron will give you ten (!) Gold Nuggets for your trouble, whilst Xavier will just giggle and slobber.
Once you're finally ready to leave Mornan, proceed to the black-sanded beach to meet an enigmatic man leaning on a small rowboat.
"Good day! Do you need passage?"
Request passage to Alscratio Island: "Are you insane? That place... Well, you'd better have the coin to make it worth my while!" (10'000 doubloons are required)
Request passage to Grassun Harbour: "Hop in. I'll get you there in a jiffy." (3'000 doubloons)
If you go to Grassun this way, you will also be able to summon the boatman from there, and can catch a ride back to Mornan for 3'000 doubloons.
But it's time to stop beating around the bush; Alscratio is your clear destination, and so once you've packed your things, its time to head off to the forsaken isle.