Chains of the Ancients

Session 1 - 22/08/23

You’re all gathered out in front of your warcamp. Just out on the horizon, you can see the high hall of Isandor peaking above the trees surrounding your camp. Months of war campaigning has led you all to this moment. And better yet, you’ve come here as the heroes of your side. You know for a fact your names will be sung in celebration when all this is done. And it’s so close now.

Speaking of your names, let’s take a round. Describe characters, names, whatever else feels important in the moment.

You stand there for a moment, taking it in. As you do, you hear someone else approaching. Turning towards camp, you see the Black Clover Swords walking towards you.

“We saw you standing out here. Thought we’d give you some company, especially seeing as depending on how tomorrow goes, it might be the last chance to do so.” - Selwyn

~~

“We brought drinks too.” - Harman, carrying a barrel on his shoulder, and a bag with mugs.

All pour their glasses.

“Cheers. To victory for our cause.” - Selwyn

“And to you, who will undoubtedly be sung as the heroes.” - Meiavor, followed by laughter by everyone.

Selwyn doesn’t laugh as much as everyone, but hides it with a sip of his mug.

~~

After a little while, a guard comes out from the camp.

“General D’Vaelan has summoned you to his tent.”

Everyone starts walking

“Just *group name*”

Sighs all around

~~

You follow the guard to General D’Vaelan’s tent. Inside, there are 4 people, 3 of which you already know - The general, Maxi and Qiran.

General D’Vaelan looks up when you walk in, and immediately stands up, arms out to the side

“Well if you lot aren’t a sight for sore eyes. Come, come, I’d like to discuss the plan for tomorrow, if you’ve got the time of course.” - Hearty laugh

“Well first of all, this man here is Arric Darrow. Arric, say hi.”

Arric looks at General D’Vaelan for a second, and then looks to y’all like “…Hey”

“So the plan is this. I am of course putting the most important task to my most trustworthy group. Your job will be to go to the main hall itself, and kill Duke Orvil Rekhrik. Now, Maxori here looked at just getting you to the High Hall itself, but unfortunately, the entirety of it is protected by the Private Sanctum spell, meaning we can’t just teleport you inside. So what we’re gonna do is have our main charge at the main gate, while you all, with a little help, will pull a little flanking maneuver while the main force is occupied.”

There’s a slight rhythmic rumbling that begins as he’s speaking.

“Although of course I believe you’d manage this all on your own, there is as said a little help. The help you’ll get is Qiran, first of all. I’ve had him study maps of the city streets and sewers, meaning he can get you to the High hall via the fastest route. Secondly, Arric. He has some… personal business in the city…”

At this point, the rumbling has become quite loud, but then comes to a stop.

There’s some armored footsteps approaching the tent, and a tiefling clad in full plate steps inside.

“Ah, and right on cue. Everyone, this is General Nahiri Danance. She has promised some help on behalf of Liberty.”

“Good evening, everyone.”

“Your final member should be standing outside. To get through the gates, General Danance has secured some Giant help. While he breaks down the gate, you will need to protect him from potential hate. Now, any questions?”

“Well, feel free to go say hello to your giant help outside. Me and General Danance have some things to discuss.”

Walking outside, you in fact see a giant, but not what you’d expect a standard giant to look like. The giant here is seemingly a fire giant, but with horns, cloven hooves for feet, and a forked tail

History or Arcana checks

Remembering the alliance between some giants and liberty. seeking power, cuz they had not much in ordning, some made deals with the more powerful tieflings in liberty, which results in smth like this

He’s called Askavar. He only speaks Giant and Infernal, but can kinda communicate through gestures too. He also refers to everyone as Ridians, referring to the empire that was before the fall.

Afterwards, end the day with whatever at a campfire.

~~

The next day.

You all wake up early as the entire camp gets ready to march. There’s tension in the air all around you. You’ve made it this far, and you’re so close to the end. You make your way to find Qiran, Arric and Askavar.

~~

A horn blows, and the army is off. And as they’re off, you make your way to where you’re supposed to go.

You get to the gate at Isandor. While most of the army is elsewhere, it is still guarded by standard archers and a mage. And at the gate, another archer stands, bow drawn and crackling with electrical energy. As you see this person, Arric yells at the top of his lungs - “Taman! The only mistake I made greater than yourself was not ending you when I had the chance. But I’m here to fix that.”

Initiative.

Askavar needs to hit the gate for 3 turns before it breaks. Cain will leave after 1 or 2 rounds.

After breaking the gate, the archers and everyone falls back, and everyones free to proceed through Isandor. All civilians are hiding, and the streets are empty. Little to no battle has seen the streets yet, so it’s eerily quiet except for the distant sounds of battle. Qiran guides them through the streets.

Suddenly, Qiran stops. You’re in a long street, and ahead of you, you see a half-orc. Left arm missing, and a skull of a beast for a shoulder pad. You recognize him immediately from the stories about him - General Belldam Bhaston, leader of the Wavebreakers. He yells something in orcish, and his soldiers go to charge.

After a couple rounds, a terrifying screech is heard. You look overhead just in time to see the glitter of the silvery scales, as a Silver Dragon swoops in, and douses the battlefield in its breath.

Immediately, Askavar turns towards it, and yells with fury in giant, “THIS WORM IS MINE.”

The breath attack leaves behind a wall of ice separating you from the side Belldam is on, and the one you were going to.

You hear Qiran from the back yelling, “Let’s find another way! Don’t wanna go ice climbing, and I’d prefer not to be in the middle of a skirmish between a dragon and a giant! There’s gotta be a way into the sewers close by!”

Perception checks on turn to locate the basement.

They run there, and climb down. The basement is spacey, with a small table, food, and a door on the far side. In the corner of the room, close to the other door, there’s a family sitting, hiding. A couple and what seems to be their young daughter. They watch with fearful eyes as you climb down into the basement.

You make your way into the sewers, and you see Qiran take a moment to orient himself before heading in a direction. “This way.”

You walk through the dark and damp sewers for a little, taking various turns. At some point, you come across a side passage. You hear sounds of fighting coming from in there

“We don’t have time.”

You recognize the voices of the members of the Black Clover Swords coming from the side passage

You see a dark room, dimly lit by purple flames from lights all arounds. Chains decorate the room, and in the middle, there’s a statue, likewise bound by chains. The Black Clover Swords are in this room, fighting various fiends.

Session 2 - 29/08/23

You now find yourself face to face with devils, here in the dark sewers of Isandor - side by side with the Black Clover Swords.

The devil atop the flaming steed stabs Harman with his lance and yells out to the room, “I have guarded this crypt for 72 years. I have never failed my duty, and I will not fail it today.”

The stab on Harman seems fatal, but he yells in anger instead of pain, and seems to just power through it.

~~

As the fight ends, and everyone gathers. You see Harman’s rage subsides, and he immediately drops, but Khalia teleports over, pouring a healing potion in his mouth.

Selwyn walks over - “Didn’t expect to see you down here in the muck. Appreciate you showing up though.”

“Gotta be honest, I don’t know what the hell this place is. D’Vaelan asked us to go down here, based on rumors that something… occult was going on. Guess he was right. Now, we’re gonna keep investigating a little, but I’m sure you have more important matters to attend to, killing the actual duke and all.”

Q - “He’s not wrong, we should keep going.”

You keep moving through the sewers. It’s dark, damp and generally not very comfortable at all. At some point along the way, Thalia, you hear what sounds like a muffled cry of pain through the wall - but it’s just the sewer wall, continuing down, nothing immediately giving away that there should be something on the other side.

DC 16 inv to find the secret door.

There’s an illusion hiding a door, but it’s locked.

On the other side of the door is a small hallway, leading to two doors, one on either side. In the hallway, there’s a goliath standing, wiping his hands with a small piece of cloth.

“Thought I heard someone fiddling with the lock. I gotta admit, I didn’t really expect guests at this time. Or at all. Or down here.”

He hangs the cloth at his belt, his hands still slightly stained red.

“Mind sharing what you’re doing here in my home?”

“Interesting. Now, I have work to get back to, so I’m afraid I’m gonna have to ask you to leave the way you came. And, since you seem capable of it, do lock the door once you’re back out.”

“If it helps ease your mind, I’ll tell you what I do. I’m part of a group called the Stonewardens who work as… protectors. We guard this realm from extraplanar threats, who would threaten the normal people.

Now, the Stonewardens aren’t the biggest, but we work with various groups of the land, such as orders of blood hunters. One of the ways we help them is… well. Let’s just say that sometimes, these extraplanar threats come in groups, and we need information about the locations of any others. And we, Stonewardens, are more willing to do the dirty work to get the answers we need. Currently, we just found someone who escaped from us 8 or 9 years ago, along with the group they came with, and I’m “working” with them.

I hope you’re satisfied, because I’d like to get back to work now.”

If pushed to what looks like combat, they cast flesh to stone on themselves.

In the next room over, there’s a few cages, a table with blood on it, a rack with various weapons, and a small collection of various vials and potions.

Potion of poison resist+acid resist+2x truth serum+3x potion of healing

In the cage, there’s a humanoid shape. Silver hair, stained with blood, golden eyes, and what seems to normally be a friendly face, beaten to a point of where you, Arani, almost don’t recognize him until he looks up and mutters “…Arani?” in a weak voice.

He’s been hiding in the mountains nearby, close to Isandor, researching where everyone else is. Hearing that Arani was one of the Myridon famous soldiers, he got careless and got captured in the streets and taken here. He’s had a little bit of contact a couple years back with Kaelen, but doesn’t know anything other than that she went to the crowned republic.

After they free him, Qiran offers to take him back to camp, as he’s in no shape to fight. He’ll give a detailed description of the way out before taking Rehael back towards camp.

They make their way out the sewers, and find the way out.

You get out on the street close to where the High Hall is. As you start making your way towards your destination, this wave shoots throughout the streets, from an unknown source. It shoots straight into your mind, threatening to break it. Wisdom saves, DC 17. On a failed, get short term madness for a minute, and get one of the following flaws

https://5e.tools/tables.html#short-term%20madness_dmg

Madness of Tharizdun

d100 Flaw (lasts until cured)

01-20 “The universe is doomed. Anything I do to save it is only delaying the inevitable.”

21-40 “The only thing worthy of respect is a display of power and domination over others.”

41- 60 “If I don’t hide my true intentions, someone will root me out and kill me.”

61-80 “If an opportunity arises for me to seize power, I won’t hesitate to take it.”

81-00 “Existence is a farce. The universe and its creators are all terrible.”

After that is done, they can head up towards the high hall.

It’s a path going up the hillside to the top of the hill where the high hall is located. You steel yourselves, getting ready to deal the final blow towards winning this conflict you’ve been fighting for for so long. You push open the gates, and inside, you find yourself in a corridor, in between the inner and outer gate. And standing there, seemingly waiting for you, is General Belldam Bhaston.

He mutters something in orcish before drawing his sword.

“I’m not gonna give you a big speech about how you’re going no further. You’ve disgraced my people too much to earn that respect, and I prefer to show rather than tell.”

He downs a potion, and immediately, you see his movement becomes faster, almost blurry.

Initiative.

Session 3 - 05/09/23

Players are now here in the High Hall, having dealt the definitive blow to the Stormwatch Duchy.

Once they’ve done what they wanted to do, timeskip to the evening. In the time between, healers have looked after any immediate wounds, using a healer’s kit on anyone hurt. The high hall has had a minor do-over, with the blue carpets of the stormwatch duchy having been replaced with Myridon red. Flags have been hung up, and barrels upon barrels of ale have been brought up. A dinner has been cooked up and served as well - it’s time for celebrations, and spirits are high all around.

Inside the high hall itself, both general D’Vaelan and Danance are sitting at the table, drinking and chatting. Most of the Black Clover swords are also present, with Selwyn not currently present. A few guards have also been stationed, but they happily partake in the drinking, on D’Vaelan’s orders. Qiran also showed up with Rehael, who looks better, having been taken care of by some healer’s as well.

After Celebrating a bit and having whatever talks want to be had, Thavis clinks his glass, signaling what you all knew was coming - a speech, likely singing your praises.

He stands up out of his chair and asks you all to gather around, take seats at the table. One of the guards at the door goes for one of the small barrels to pour, but Harman goes over, insisting he be allowed to pour drinks for everyone. He pours for the BCS, and then goes to the table and pours for everyone, before standing behind Mika’s chair.

“It’s been a long time coming, but today we finally stand victorious. And my god, can I not thank you five enough. Your unwavering commitment, courage and loyalty have all played no small part in earning this victory, and you even struck the decisive blow. Because of what you did today, Tallon has already surrendered as well.”

At this time, Selwyn opens the door, and walks up towards the table where D’Vaelan is speaking.

“You’ve rewarded me much glory, and it would be beneath me to not reward you extensively for all you’ve done. Therefore, Crimson Cloud, I’d like to first of all bestow you all with the rulership of Tallon, and then…”

He reaches under his chair, and pulls out a chest, slams it on the table and opens it. It’s filled to the brim with gold, platinum, and various other small trinkets.

“Take this as a thank you for what you’ve done. So cheers, to the Crimson Cloud, conquerors of the Stormwatch Duchy, and cheers to victory for our cause!”

He then raises his glass to you all.

As everyone drinks, Harman just puts his hand down to your cup (Mika), keeping you from drinking it

Everyone needs to make a con save against poison.

4d6 poison damage and paralyzed on fail, half on save.

As you drink, there’s this numbing sensation spreading in your mouth. It flows down through your neck, out into your arms and legs. You are unable to move anything but your eyes, and your body stings. Looking around, you see the same numbness hit your companions, along with the two generals.

Behind your (southern) chair, Selwyn starts slowly clapping, clearly ironically.

“Great, great speech, General. Keep your favorite pets in the sun, and leave the rest of us in the shadows, as per usual.”

Thalia, you notice in your peripheral that the guards at the doors each turn to the doors, casting a spell each. The locks of the doors light up for a second, before the guards turn back towards the room.

Arcana 15 - arcane lock

Selwyn steps onto the table, and starts unbuttoning his sleeves, rolling them up slowly.

“Thing is - Amateurs seek the sun, and get eaten. *Power *stays in the shadows.”

His sleeves are now rolled up to his elbows, revealing his dragonmarked lower arms. But it looks wrong. Corrupted, somehow. The lines of it dance across his skin like shadows, and the color has turned a dark purple instead of the green you’ve known his dragonmark to usually have.

“However, the real power is about to step out of the shadows, and we’re ushering in a new era of leadership. Unfortunately, that means that sacrifices must be made. It’s time for a change - and you all do not play a part anymore.”

In a swift motion, Selwyn draws his sword, and stabs D’Vaelan through the heart. Simultaneously, Khalia teleports behind Danance’s chair, and slices her throat.

“To victory for our cause.”

In case of interruptions:

“No! You have had your time. It. is. up.”

“I’m warning you. Stay seated. After all, you have the best seats in the house.”

“Gods. Can’t handle not having the spotlight, can you?” before stabbing D’Vaelan

Initiative

As Selwyn’s sword rests in D’Vaelan’s chest, it’s almost as if there’s some type of smoke or shadow that is drawn from his dying body into the sword itself.

During combat, Khalia will cut off a lock of hair off of Aelthar.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of it,” with a wink.

After Selwyn pulls the chains back, Maxi will enter, and upon seeing what is happening, shatter the teleportation tablet. Next turn, everyone will leave for her house.

As they all leave, Selwyn lifts his arms in victory.

“Leave then. It matters little. After all -”

You see this shadow leave the sword and swoop over him, and he takes the appearance of D’Vaelan

“You’ll be hunted down like dogs, being traitors to Myridon. You did try and kill D’Vaelan, only to be stopped by Selwyn, who heroically sacrificed himself.”

~~

At her house, Maxi will immediately usher everyone into the main room, and leave to her own room for a minute, before bringing out a small crate with a few potions.

“Drink these. They’ll restore some of your power”

Effects of a long rest, except for strength drain

Let them talk about what the fuck happened.

We need to figure out what to do.

Maxi also comments on something being off about Thalia, Alexei and Mika - there’s something cursed to them.

Soon after, it’s getting dark, and they feel the exhaustion hitting. As they do, Aelthar rolls a wisdom save - DC 16, with a -10. Maxi mentions it being a scrying eye, but it’s late, and they’ll figure out what to do tomorrow.

Early next morning, they’re awoken by a knock at the door upstairs. Mir goes down to the basement, and says in Maxi’s voice, “Don’t reveal yourselves. It’s Myridon guards.”

You can hear the conversation going on upstairs. Maxi opens the door.

“Maxori Stillbrook, you’re being arrested on accounts of treachery against the Nation of Myridon. You’re also accused of harboring other fugitives. Therefore, we will search the premises.”

“I’ll come with you, but I’d prefer not to have my house ransack-, oof!”

You hear the guards shoving their way past her, into the house, and start searching. You hear doors to both her private rooms kicked in, but after a couple minutes, they seem finished.

“You’re coming with us now.”

You hear chains dangling, and then a spell being cast.

After they leave, things need to be dealt with

They need a list, and Qiran will assist

Deal with curse

Figure out how to help Maxi

Get something

Session 4 - 12/09/23

Final preparations before heading to Palmyra.

They break the Palmyra tablet, and go there. As they arrive, they arrive in a small room, with a single door. There’s noise bustling from the other side of the door. If they open, they open into a tavern, behind the bar. If they don’t, after a small bit of time, barkeep opens the door

Half-elven man called Alan - Maxi helped him build the tavern in return for getting the circle set down.

As they walk through the streets, they notice the fine church, with images of a couatl on it - religion 15 to remember that the priest is revered as being such a good and holy man, that a couatl, serpentlike celestials created as guardians and caretakers by a benevolent god not worshiped since the dawn of time, and which is forgotten now by all but the couatls themselves - and people are fleeing in terror from within the church.

Upon entering, they see a grim scene. The priest stands, with a blank look in his eyes, staring at the ground - to where the couatl lays in a pool of blood. Sitting on the bench next to him, a tiefling looks, this insane look in his eyes as he gestures towards the priest, who stabs down once more.

Behind the priest is what looks like a nymph, but wrong. She looks corrupted, and is looking on with this evil glee. She claws at the priests neck, who falls dead, before she notices you, a sinister smile growing on her lips

“More victims. Lets kill them, Forsworn”

The Tiefling turns around for a second to look at you, before turning back.

“They are not marked. Our work here is done.”

He starts casting a spell, and she drops her smile and starts wildly screaming “NONONONO,” and claws out towards you.

After this, they both disappear

bit after, guards appear, questioning the scene before realizing its the crimson cloud, believing their story.

One of them mentions similar weird stuff happened up in a church in Eryx too.

He doesn’t know any more, only heard rumors

After they’re done here, travel towards the Darkwoods.

~~

After half a day, they arrive in the Darkwood. It’s shadows stretch out onto the road, and its hard to see very far in. There’s few indicators, and all they know is to head towards the heart of the woods. As they enter, mist starts creeping towards them from several sides - see what they do about it. if anyone touches it, its incredibly cold and almost seeps into their fingers. Dc 13 con save, or they start hallucinating. They see the forest, as it may have once been in all its beauty, and something calls them, leading them towards the heart - in reality, its a random direction.

After walking for a bit, group survival, dc 15. On fail, twig encounter.

As night closes they find a space to rest. At the rest, the nightmares worsen for the tree, and any healing they get from hit dice is halved.

As night turns to dawn and they’re about to leave, the grinning cat shows up, revealing its face

It’s called Hifus, but won’t reveal

It’s main points are

• It’s seen lots of people come and go here, but few seem as capable as them
• It was a denizen of the woods before they corrupted, and it in fact knew the creature at the heart of the woods.
• It is willing to help them, in more ways than one, because it wants to see the woods returned to what they were.
• One, it can just take them to the heart, and tell the story of the forest’s corruption
• Second - it hasn’t had any real conversation or any fun in years. Therefore, it has a challenge. A riddle off. If it wins, it gets the books jeremy has. But if you win, it’ll give you a gift.

“My challenge has made men throughout time stumble,

I have defeated kings and left wise men humble,

You see me now, but I am most often heard,

and have killed men when with bullets paired,

You might break a sweat when fighting with me,

but I’ll exert no pressure on your body,

a with a direct approach you can never find victory,

work laterally rather than literally.

What am I?”

Story of the forest:

Once a lush forest, home to three beautiful dryads, now corrupted.

It’s said that the heart of the corruption holds the cure to any disease

A Gulthias tree was a plant infused with supernatural evil, capable of spreading corruption to nearby plant life and generating malevolent creatures known as blights. A Gulthias tree could originate wherever a plant was contaminated by an evil force or sentience.

A Gulthias tree left unchecked could infect the surrounding forest and cause blights to emerge from nearby corrupted plant life. The tree and its associated blights could turn a lush forest into a toxic, bramble-filled wasteland, growing with supernatural speed to overwhelm nearby roadways and settlements.

Long ago, a trio of Eladrin warlock sisters sought to bind a powerful archfey of the Unseelie Court to their service. The trio was Elasid (the eldest and the vain one), Yewen (the middle and the physically weakest), and Tarosa (the youngest and the evilest, who had suggested the idea). The archfey laughed at their feeble attempt, and gave a “gift” to each of them: to Elasid, it granted to power of long life, as she was transformed into a hideous and insane undead monstrosity. To Yewen, it granted the power to withstand anything, by turning her into a tree. And to Tarosa, it granted her the ultimate evil, by having her watch her sisters change before her eyes and taking away her ability to see. With that, the archfey disappeared. Tarosa was forced to kill her sister, and buried the body at the foot of Yewen.

The two former beings of Elasid and Yewen merged and formed a Gulthias tree, and the ground around the tree began to grow massive corpse flowers, with Blights and Shambling Mounds and Corrupted Treants roaming farther and farther as the corruption spread.

Hifus wants them to burn the tree, as it’ll clear the corruption

Tarosa, who now roams the heart of the woods, is willing to just help them cure any disease they do have. All she asks is for them to help her tidy up the grave of her sister, at the foot of the tree.

If they burn the tree, she turns hostile.

In any case, the stone from her bag will cure them of the madness.

Embedded in the tree

Session 5 - 19/09/23

You’re all now standing on the outskirts of the clearing, surrounding this rotten and corrupted looking tree. Next to it is Tarosa, the Eladrin turned hag. Where her eyes would be, you clearly see two dark holes, and she’s currently feeling her way around with a quarterstaff made of woven roots it looks like, seemingly looking for something. In front of the tree, you see a shabbily made gravestone, with Elasid written poorly on it.

The Grinning cat, who’s standing next to you all invisibly, whispers to you

“Go, she’s vulnerable. Burn the tree, and then grab her heartstone from her bag.”

Depending on what they do, there’s a few options

1, they burn the tree with a spell, sending Tarosa into a rage.

2, they go and talk to Tarosa. She’s friendly, and is willing to help them, touching them with the Heartstone.

She asks for a simple favor, which is to help find a specific flower for her sister’s grave. She smells it, but cannot find it for herself. It’s a Pale Rose, and it’s not too hard to find. It’s growing just outside their reach on the tree, but it can be climbed.

No matter what, she will not agree to destroy the tree.

If they do it anyways, combat as before

If they don’t, the Grinning Cat jumpstarts combat and attacks her

If they side with the Grinning cat, they kill her, and after it thanks them, handing them another whisker.

If they side with Tarosa, she gives them her staff. It turns into a ring, and she explains it’s a +1 Rootbound Multiweapon

+1 Rootbound Multiweapon.

Reroot. As a bonus action you can speak the ring’s command word, causing it to shift into one of its available forms, or back to a ring. Until the start of your next turn, the weapon acts as a club. At the start of your next turn, the weapon assumes the chosen form

Simple one-handed: dagger, handaxe, light hammer, mace, and spear

The Rootbound Multiweapon acts as a +1 version of whichever weapon it turns into, and reverts to a ring when taking a short rest.

If they burn the Gulthias tree, they immediately see the dark colors of the plants around them turning a more natural and lighter green.

Before they rest, once they’re done here, Thalia gets a sending spell from Uthel Alder

“Thalia, dear. Something happened. Please, come here as soon as possible. We could use your help. It’s about the puzzle box. People are hurt.”

Aelthar also makes a wisdom save against Scrying.

Going to Eryx:

When teleporting to Eryx, they’re taken to a small rotunda in the middle of a large square in the city, between three buildings. First being a tavern, second being the city barracks, and the third being the largest of the various churches here in the city.

They can make their way to St. Bethrynna’s Grace easily, as Thalia knows her way around the city.

In the church, the rundown is:

Church itself is called St. Bethrynna’s Grace, and is mostly just a simple building, adorned with a walkway with statues, and statues inside, with a large statue of helm as the centerpiece

the walls around the back end are covered in holy art of helm in abttle or sacred texts

When they go inside, Thalia notices that the statue of Helm in the back has lost its head, broken off.

They all welcome Thalia, say hello to her friends.

Uthel asks whether or not she still has the box, and if she has, where. While doing this, he’s reading her surface thoughts.

He would also explain how these two people came by and slaughtered several acolytes, asking about the box, but they never found out anything and left again.

Depending on whether or not she says she has the box, he would either ask her to come down to the basement for safekeeping of the box, or come down to help attend to the wounded. Either way, he will try and trap her down there.

Note in bedroom:

“Michealis’ daughter carries the box. Find out everything you can about where she is, and get it. Getting it will help us break another one, and we will be closer to freeing him.

• Forsworn.”

Session 6 - 26/09/23

The party starts off in Eryx, having just left St. Bethrynna’s Grace, and having done a bit of shopping. They’ll likely go back to Maxi’s and rest, before heading to Mardahn.

As they rest, wisdom save for Aelthar.

Before they go, Maxi takes over Mir to warn them.

“You should probably expect resistance upon arriving. They’re keeping me here, and Khalia is here too, so they’re gonna expect you to show up at some point. Probably stay off the streets if possible.”

In Mardahn:

Mansion

https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/kftgv/reach-for-the-stars#D27RitualRoom

After the arrival of the cultists of Tharizdun, Mardahn has been turned from a city that, while sure, was maybe leaning more towards the lawless/anarchy side of things, has turned into a chaotic hole of a city. The cultists have run rampant in the streets, forcing most citizens into hiding, and dead bodies are found in lots of the city’s alleys. Khalia, now the head of the city, is loving it, and is taking her chance to commit various atrocities when not commanding her cult forces.

As they sneak through the back alleys, they at some point look out into the streets, as a voice catches their attention - the yelp of a child. They see a couple of people, clearly cultists, threatening a family. The family is wearing ragged clothes, and consists of what looks to be a couple parents, standing in front of their child. The cultists are threatening the parents, saying that either they give all they’ve got on them right now, or they take the kid with them. The parents are begging, saying they haven’t got much, and it’s all they have to live on.

If they fight, a big cult force shows up around the corner, attracted by the sounds of fighting. The party should prolly run.

After running for a little, they all hear a voice in their head, almost like a dark, hollow whisper.

“Follow my voice. I’ll guide you to an escape.”

The voice is disembodied, yet somehow directional. You’d at least know where it wants to guide you.

It guides you through streets, sidealleys and backalleys until you finally end up at a large house.

“Go there.”

You knock, and soon after, the door opens, revealing a man behind the door, with a confused look on his face.

“Sorry, who are you all?”

Before you can even answer, you hear the voice again.

“Tell him The Hidden Lord sent you here.”

If they do, his expression of confusion immediately drops to seriousness. He moves aside, opening the door for you all to enter. Once you do, he immediately slams it shut.

“How the hell do you know that name?”

The conversation will basically be them explaining, and him in return introducing himself as Kaddrus, valet to Mrs. Lutecia Chalyer. He’d explain that her late husband was an avid map collector and antiquarian whose personal library holds many rarities from far-off lands. One of these rarities is a ring belonging to this hidden lord, which has been stolen recently, after the cultists arrived. Kade, a friend, recently tracked its possible location to a villa that Khalia, the apparent leader of these cultists, has taken for herself. However, he hasn’t been heard back from in a couple days.

Session 7 - 03/10/23

After the arrival of the cultists of Tharizdun, Mardahn has been turned from a city that, while sure, was maybe leaning more towards the lawless/anarchy side of things, has turned into a chaotic hole of a city.

Upon arriving, the Khalia, with the approval from the capital, disbanded the Ceaseless Gauntlet, a mercenary company who acted as the law of Mardahn.

The cultists have run rampant in the streets, forcing most citizens into hiding, and dead bodies are found in lots of the city’s alleys. Khalia, now the head of the city, is loving it, and is taking her chance to commit various atrocities when not commanding her cult forces.

As they sneak through the back alleys, they at some point look out into the streets, as a voice catches their attention - the yelp of a child. They see a couple of people, clearly cultists, threatening a family. The family is wearing ragged clothes, and consists of what looks to be a couple parents, standing in front of their child. The cultists are threatening the parents, saying that either they give all they’ve got on them right now, or they take the kid with them. The parents are begging, saying they haven’t got much, and it’s all they have to live on.

If they fight, a big cult force shows up around the corner, attracted by the sounds of fighting. The party should prolly run.

After running for a little, they all hear a voice in their head, almost like an angelic but hollow whisper.

“Follow my voice. I’ll guide you to an escape.”

The voice is disembodied, yet somehow directional. You’d at least know where it wants to guide you.

It guides you throughout the streets and backalleys of Mardahn until finally, you end up in front of a small manor.

“Go.”

You knock, and soon after, the door opens, revealing this strikingly handsome human man behind the door, with a confused look on his face.

“Oh, I’m afraid Mrs. Chalyer wasn’t expecting any visitors.”

He starts closing the door, and as he does so, you hear the voice again.

“Tell him you know the Hidden Lord.”

If they do so, the man immediately opens the door back up, with a serious expression on his face.

“Get inside, please.”

He says please, but you can tell it’s more of an order. After you enter, he shuts the door behind him.

“Do tell me right now. Are you in any way related to what happened with the Hidden Lord?”

You can see his hand resting on his dagger at his hip.

If they answer either no or confusingly, he sighs. At the same time, the door opens from the bedroom, and an old lady walks out.

“Kaddrus, I didn’t think I was expecting any guests.”

“That’s what I told them, but it looks like we have business. Now, if you please…” He points towards the table with chairs.

“Forgive my manners. I am Kaddrus, valet to Mrs. Lutecia Chalyer.”

The Chalyer’s have powerful connections and ties to various other nations in the Northern Fallen Empire, as well as holdings in other major cities. Their power waxes and wanes like the moon, but many nobles maintain a healthy fear of them because of their connections, which can make life difficult for would-be rivals.

“Now, for explanations. Mrs. Chalyer’s late husband was an avid map collector and antiquarian whose personal library holds many rarities from far-off lands. One of these rarities is a set of armor, “belonging” to the Hidden Lord. Recently, however, it was stolen from the collection, after the, for lack of better term, cultists arrived in the city. I’ve been leading an effort to try and get this stolen item back, and Kade, a friend of mine, recently tracked its location to a villa that Khalia, the apparent leader of these cultists, has taken for herself, from the Eltans.

The Eltans have an ancestral link to the creators of the Ceaseless Gauntlet, but sold its interests in the mercenary company to pay debts.

However, I’m afraid I haven’t heard back from Kade in a few days.

Now, that’s the explanation from my end. And judging by the looks on your faces, I’d wager you weren’t lying when you said you had nothing to do with the theft. So now I’d like an explanation for your arrival at Mrs. Chalyer’s front door.”

“Well, I’ll be damned. Forgive my language, but it seems that it might not have been such a coincidence that you arrived here after all.

How about this - we help each other out. Or rather, you help me out, and I pay you a rather hefty sum of gold for the return of the armor and Kade, both in one piece.” Kaddrus will later use this to not pay them, as Kade is missing a hand

They make agreements, and Mrs. Chalyer offers they can stay the night at the manor, as they look quite hurt.

The elderly widow Lutecia Chalyer, a lawful evil female human noble, presides over this smallish manor. Lutecia has estranged siblings but no children, and faces the prospect of leaving her family home to a detested branch of the family when she dies. To prevent this, she has asked the librarians of the Mardahn to search patriar genealogies for a more acceptable heir.

Lutecia’s request was assigned to an Angels-connected librarian named Virmele, a lawful evil female human spy who is entertaining bribes from Lower City merchants and underworld figures to fabricate a link to the Chalyer family. More than the patriar estate itself is at stake, for Lutecia’s late husband was an avid map collector and antiquarian whose personal library holds many rarities from far-off lands. Should Lutecia be cheated out of finding a proper heir, it is likely that both her family’s legacy and the secrets hidden in her late husband’s collection will fall into unscrupulous hands. On the other hand, if Virmele’s corruption were exposed, the Angels might be irritated at the loss of a profitable scheme.

Session 8 - 10/10/23

The players start off face to face with the Helmed Horror. After that, they can go up the stairs, where they find Shaleen and Kaejil Eltan, the actual owners of the villa.

The Eltans have an ancestral link to the creators of the Ceaseless Gauntlet, but sold its interests in the mercenary company to pay debts.

Upon arriving, the Khalia, with the approval from the capital, disbanded the Ceaseless Gauntlet, a mercenary company who acted as the law of Mardahn.

The cultists have run rampant in the streets, forcing most citizens into hiding, and dead bodies are found in lots of the city’s alleys. Khalia, now the head of the city, is loving it, and is taking her chance to commit various atrocities when not commanding her cult forces.

They thank them, and can do talks and whatever. Then they can go explore the rest of the house.

In the kitchen, the cook has made cinnamon buns. When he sees Mika, he looks at her for a second, mumbling, “…dwarf, horns, hammer. You must be Mika. Lady of the house said to make these for you.”

~~

When they descend down the stairs, Mir would pop his head out of the bag and say that he feels Maxi close by.

As soon as they step downstairs, the voice of the Hidden Lord appears again.

“I feel your presence down here. Strange. Is that… Do I sense… Celestials, in your midst? I see now why I’ve guided you to me.”

Then Arani would hear in her head,

“Your celestial presence, it feels… angelic, almost. You’re not of this plane… And I’ve felt your celestial presence before, feel it still even, down here with us.”

The entirety of the actual sewers smell like cinnamon rolls, as the cultists have been going around with them, to set in the smell.

Whenever the players start entering a room bordering the main sewer, roll 1d8. On 1 or 8, Khalia appears at the end of a corridor. If they try to enter where the prison is, she shows up automatically.

“Well, well, well! If it isn’t the Crimson Cloud. I would say that I was wondering when you’d show up, but I really wasn’t.

I had the cook make some cinnamon rolls for you, if you hadn’t noticed already. He tried his best to make some good ones, but of course, they’re not the best. After all, *cough*, “Minravints makes the best cinnamon rolls.” haha

Aelthar, I take it you remember Reynaldo Drakesbridge? Well, it seems to me you all stay the pawns, and I take the position of the queen.

~~

In the Prison cells:

Maxi

• She is being held by Dimensional shackles

Kade

• Missing a hand
  • I pay you a rather hefty sum of gold for the return of the armor and Kade, both in one piece.
• Found out that Khalia had taken the armor, and tried to sneak inside, but got caught. Rather than die fighting, she surrendered, hoping Kaddrus would find a way to get her out.

Ira and Carel

• They’ve been laying low in Mardahn for a few years. It was a slightly lawless city, and they were able to evade the Ceaseless Gauntlet. They made money from a little bit of crime, and a bit of Guild activities around the general area. They were able to use fake names, as many BH’s from the Order of Ambers were registered, so Blood hunters being registered isn’t something someone would bat an eye at.
• They got caught recently when trying to help out someone fighting the cultists. Khalia was with them, and recognized a likeness to Arani, and brought them back.

~~

Session 9 - 27/10/23

So everyone is now in the sewers below Khalia’s mansion. From here, there’s few paths they can take

Exploring the mansion - Do so as they please, follow the set things

Lutecia Chalyer

By the time they get back to Lutecia’s mansion, Kade will have returned. When they get close to the mansion, the Hidden Lord remarks that the fiend is still here.

If they head inside, Kaddrus and Kade are there. Kade has told Kaddrus that the party took the armor, and threatened her.

When the party arrives, it’s clear that Kaddrus is not happy with Kade, but also not with the party. He tries first and foremost to resolve the issue without violence.

“Listen, I’m sure we can come to an agreement here. In fact, name a price. We’ll pay it, but you have taken something that does not belong to you, so one would expect its return.”

If not agreed with.

“Gods, it seems the rumors about the Crimson Cloud being nothing more than a merry band of backstabbers is true. Let me put it like this instead, in simple terms so we’re certain that we are on the same wavelength.

You are getting involved with powers and entities that you neither know or understand. This is no longer a negotiation, I am no longer asking. Return it immediately, or it will have serious consequences, and not just for yourselves.”

As he says the last part, his eyes change from the hazelnut brown to a deep red color.

If again denied, he sighs.

“We will meet each other again. You won’t be keeping that armor for long.”

He then plane shifts himself away.

Maxi’s

Back at Maxi’s, it’s reunion time. Ira, Carel and Rehael are in the middle of talking and reuniting fully. Maxi is there too, checking her rooms. She isn’t really too happy with the party going through her stuff in the rooms she had off-limits, but understands it was partly because she got herself caught, and the party meant no harm.

Rehael has been reading a little bit, and some new information about the Order of Ashes is this

• They’re still active in the same area as before.
• However, it’s under new leadership, changed immediately after the night happened. Castien Themaris seemingly just disappeared, with nothing really written down about why or what happened.
• Then, Ephraim Victor became the leader of the order. It’s kinda weird, as several others were “in line” to become the next leader after Castien, including Verel Chan, who isn’t even mentioned.
• Soon after, it mentions a bit of a growth in the order, as several goliaths were brought in, shifting the percentages severely in the order.

Qiran is also there with information about where to get amulets, and more.

Firstly, the higher ups in the Angels are very unhappy with the fact that he, and through him the Angels, are connected to you, after what apparently happened in Isandor. However, he did try to explain what actually happened, but since it’s a very hefty accusation, they need proof before they will support it in any way, in terms of direct help. However, if proof is shown, they will help in, at the very least, restoring your names and spreading the true story.

Secondly, about the amulets. There’s a location where several of these are stored. It’s a casino, located in Myridon, called the Afterlife Casino.

The owner of the casino is called Goss Rockcrest, and the story apparently goes that he led a band of ~10 kobolds who worked under a dragon, but fled from that dragon at some point, with part of its hoard. Somehow, he got himself enough amulets for the entirety of his band. One way or another, the other kobolds in his group died or disappeared, and he kept the gold and amulets, and with it started the casino, where he apparently still keeps the amulets in the vault.

Information about the Casino:

Map location

It’s hells-themed

It’s located in a cave, which you get taken to by a ferrier, sailing you down a short river, thematically named the “River Styx”. This is also the only way in or out, unless you wanna take a 100 ft. plunge into a canyon river.

All employees are, also thematically, tieflings. They wear smiling devil masks as part of their outfits.

The main part of the cave is where the main casino part is, with three-dragon ante, life and death, and copper slots.

Beyond the main floor, there are several employee-only location. To get to these, you need to get through doors locked with an Arcane Lock spell. The employees all have special pass cards to get through.

There are also magical mirrors, from which the security can look around the casino from a room in the back.

Qiran also has a rough map of the casino and its locations.

Squall’s End

Squall’s End is pretty basic. Nothing has happened, and it’s pretty much exactly like Mika remembers it.

She can visit wherever, and they’re all excited to hear about what happened with her, as they don’t get too much outside news.

During the night, if they sleep there, a dream spell is cast on Mika. Her dreams are shaped into the streets of Squall’s End, where she stands with Daephne. She starts strolling down the streets, past various houses.

“You know, you were only ever meant to be the scapegoats. It truly was never personal, you were only in our way of achieving our goal, and had to be moved. Yes, we tried to capture you after the fact, but you escaped. And we were willing to look the other way, had you just gone into hiding for a while.

If it’s of any concern to you, I was sorry for you. Truly.”

She turns to you, and her friendly demeanor drops.

“But you killed one of us. One of our- my friend! You crossed a line that day.”

A scream suddenly pierces Mika’s ears from one of the houses.

“Dare touch another one, and it will not just be some poor random soul killed in this little idyllic town. No, you’ve made it personal. You’ve been warned.”

Mika wakes up before anyone else in the early morning, in a cold sweat.

A person in Squall’s End has been assassinated, but not someone Mika knows.

Session 10 - 31/10/23

Festival of Eyes

Each year in Hallowtide, the citizens of Myrida Aeca celebrate the Festival of Eyes. The festival was made as a sort of warding festival. Story goes that the largest beholder ever, Xaanhain, made his way here, threatening to take the entire city under its command. It was only stopped by the then Emperor, so the festival is both a celebration of the emperor and a way to “scare away” threats like Xaanhain. During the celebrations, many people will also wear masks with extra eyes painted on them.

It takes place over 3 days, each day being celebrated at different locations. The first day, the “Eye of Stone”, is celebrated at the city’s large town square in front of its main cathedral. The second day, the “Eye of Flying”, is celebrated at the city’s largest bridge, the Mithril Aqueduct. The third and final day, “Eye of Death”, takes place at the city’s cemetery, the place where the emperor defeated Xaanhain. The apparent petrified body of Xaanhain stands as a statue in the middle of the cemetery, and as a tradition, citizens put an eyebright flower at the base of the statue.

The Crimson Cloud will arrive on the second or third day of the festival, depending on whether or not they short rested before going.

Shortly after they arrive, they’ll notice the eye decorations, and Alexei will remember the festival. Not long after, they’ll also see a kid selling newspapers, yelling about two murders that happened at the town square and under the aqueduct. He also yells about witnesses seeing a tiefling and plantlady, and guards warning the populace to stay away from their descriptions and report it to the nearest guard.

If they head to the town square, they find one of the houses barred off with a safety distance fence, clearly a crime scene

Session 11 - 07/11/23

Squall’s End

Waking up in the early morning, Mika will probably run to the town to check out what happened. In the town, a commotion has stirred. Cries can be heard before Mika gets to the actual main street, and when the group gets there, they find a crowd gathered around one of the main houses.

The dead person is called Edmon. He was just a farmer who Mika had seen a couple of times, but never really talked with. His wife, Adelia, is holding his corpse and crying, while their little son, Asa, stands inside, confused more than anything.

There’s no visible causes of death on the body, but with a little bit of time to look at the body, signs of poison could be found by Alexei.

The party hears murmurs by the crowd about how sad it is, how he could have died, and how sad it is that he died just following his birthday.

Edmon died by being poisoned with Midnight Tears. He ingested it by drinking a beer, given to him by Aldrych, as he celebrated his birthday the day before. The party can find this bottle, almost drunk, by the kitchen counter.

New people in Squall’s End

Aldrych and Kaela - Brewers, from Galefore. Got here recently, and are neighbors one house over from Edmon. When the Crimson Cloud showed up, he cast sending to Daephne, who told him to give Edmon the midnight tears beer.

Landan - From Mardahn. Got here very recently too, within the past week. Doesn’t really wanna say what he did before getting here, because he’s a criminal. At least, he thinks. He was a merchant, and when driving his cart, he bumped over a corpse. This corpse had already been killed by some cultists, but he thought he killed them and just fled.

Quinn, Prisca and their adopted sons Esra and Elias. They moved here in the beginning of the war from Wintervale, as it became a hot zone for the beginning offense. The two sons are really Prisca’s nephews, as their father was a Stormwatch Duchy soldier, killed in the beginning of the offensive. All Just got back from a trip in the mountains.

Who was at the birthday

Myrna, Phillipa and Erika. Friends of Adelia, and really just here to keep her company while Edmon celebrated with his friends. Myrna brought a straw hat, Phillipa a pipe and Erika brought a basket of bread and cakes from Minravints’.

Ywan, Kristian and Hanniel. Husbands of the 3 ladies, and friends of Edmon. They’re farmers, but have been helping build more houses recently, along with Edmon. They pitched together to buy a horse for Edmon and Adelia, along with a saddle from Divin’s leather shop.

Aldrych and Kaela were also there, and brought Edmon some beer they brewed themselves. They shared these with Edmon, giving him the one with midnight tears in it.

Landan also stopped by quickly, very awkwardly asking about employment building the houses. He’d been sent away by Ywan, Kristian and Hanniel as it was Edmon’s birthday and he shouldn’t think about work. He then told Edmon he’d see him soon. Adelia thinks Landan did it.

Myrida Aeca

Taking the teleleportation to Myrida Aeca takes them to a small teleportation circle hub, where they’re expected to pay a gold for the service.

Festival of Eyes

Each year in Hallowtide, the citizens of Myrida Aeca celebrate the Festival of Eyes. The festival was made as a sort of warding festival. Story goes that the largest beholder ever, Xaanhain, made his way here, threatening to take the entire city under its command. It was only stopped by the then Emperor, so the festival is both a celebration of the emperor and a way to “scare away” threats like Xaanhain. During the celebrations, many people will also wear masks with extra eyes painted on them.

It takes place over 3 days, each day being celebrated at different locations. The first day, the “Eye of Stone”, is celebrated at the city’s large town square in front of its main cathedral. The second day, the “Eye of Fear”, is celebrated at the city’s largest bridge, the Mithril Aqueduct. The third and final day, “Eye of Death”, takes place at the city’s cemetery, the place where the emperor defeated Xaanhain. The apparent petrified body of Xaanhain stands as a statue in the middle of the cemetery, and as a tradition, citizens put an eyebright flower at the base of the statue.

The Crimson Cloud will arrive on the second or third day of the festival, depending on whether or not they short rested before going.

Shortly after they arrive, they’ll notice the eye decorations, and Alexei will remember the festival. Not long after, they’ll also see a kid selling newspapers, yelling about two murders that happened at the town square and under the aqueduct. He also yells about witnesses seeing a tiefling and plantlady, and guards warning the populace to stay away from their descriptions and report it to the nearest guard.

If they head to the town square, they find one of the houses barred off with a safety distance fence, clearly a crime scene. Inside, they find a grim scene - in the bedroom, there’s a ritual circle drawn on the ground, with a pool of blood in the middle, where a body was laying before it got removed. Beside the ritual circle, S E Y E F O is written. All around the room, symbols have been drawn in blood. Alexei recognizes them as one of the 3 symbols of the Festival of eyes - the Eye of Stone. But it’s drawn upside down. Writing in abyssal also covers the room, which the Hidden Lord can translate - “Stone Crumbles”.

They can head to the Mithril Aqueduct next. Under the bridge, one of the tunnels leading to the sewers have been closed off. The party can find a similar scene to the last. Ritual circle, with blood in the middle, and bloody symbols all around the walls. This time, it’s the Eye of Fear upside down. D R O L N I is written on the floor next to the circle. New abyssal writing is also present, this time with “Fear Spreads”

Finally, on the third day, the festivities are starting at the cemetery. The party will have found out one way or another that there will likely be another murder happening at the cemetery, or close to it. Going to the cemetery, Alexei would see that this year’s celebration has significantly less people, but has still drawn a crowd. They can try different things. If they try to convince people to leave by making enough of a ruckus, or they can try to find out where the next murder will be.

The next murder is in one of the nearby houses. The victim is already dead, and Giorge Forsworn and Mask are inside. Silence has been cast inside, and Forsworn is performing the ritual. He needs 3 rounds to finish it. Mask will try and hold the party off in the meantime. The eyes of death have been drawn all over, upside down. Death Rises is written in Abyss, and A H N A A X is written next to the circle.

If Mask is close to death, Giorge will cancel his ritual and plane shift out.

If the ritual comes through, the statue in the cemetery crumbles and Xaanhain rises, starting to wreak havok. In the fight, The Wolf, Bluejay and Cricket will show up to assist. Afterwards, they leave quickly, before making any moves about talking with Alexei.

Session 12 - 14/11/23

Daephnes tower

arani died

Session 13 - 21/11/23

mt scary - traversing the deep

In the late hours of the day, you all lay down to rest. Everyone’s rest comes peacefully. But not yours Arani. No, you remember. In your sleep, your head is filled with visions. Memories, of death.

You don’t know where you are. The air is thick with the scent of brimstone. The ground beneath you and the walls surrounding you are composed of shifting obsidian shards that reflect a dim, sinister light. It’s a sickly, dim glow that barely illuminates your surroundings, casting long shadows that seem to dance along the prison walls. . The room feels both infinitely large and too small at the same time.

The prison you find yourself in itself is an architectural anomaly, a fusion of celestial and infernal design that clashes in an unsettling harmony. The walls are adorned with ethereal symbols that seem to writhe and twist in response to your presence. Ghostly echoes of distant screams and infernal whispers reverberate through the corridors, creating an unsettling cacophony that adds to the oppressive atmosphere.

From the gaps between the obsidian shards in the floor, ominous black sludge seeps out. It envelops your ankles, and grips you tightly. Each tendril of sludge exudes a sense of malevolence that tightens around you, threatening to engulf you in despair.

As the sludge continues its relentless ascent, a suffocating dread settles over you. The very essence of death seems to loom in this infernal prison, its cold fingers reaching out, teasing at the edges of your consciousness. In this desolation, you feel the struggle of losing yourself to an overwhelming sense of hopelessness.

In the chilling solitude, a hollow voice sounds.

“Arani.”

It echoes between the walls within the prison you find yourself in, cutting through the despair like a glimmer of distant light

“In the dance of life and death, you have stumbled. But fear not, for even in the darkest of nights, a single star can guide you back to the dawn.”

Shackled by spectral chains, at the heart of this prison stands a figure. His presence radiates a powerful aura, even in his confinement. You recognize the presence, along with the voice.

The Hidden Lord.

Suddenly, you’re drawn towards him, an invisible force pulling you closer until you stand face to face with the entity. His words carry a strange blend of empathy and persuasion.

“In the desolation of this prison, I offer you a path back from the brink. Even in the face of this darkness, a single glimmer of hope can guide you back to the realm of the living.”

The black sludge, now reaching up to your neck, fills your entire body with despair, but it seems to respond to his words, momentarily recoiling as if pushed back by an unseen force. The Hidden Lord continues, “Your celestial presence and that of your siblings are the beacons amidst this overwhelming darkness. Even in the grip of despair, the light of your familial bond remains unextinguished.”

His next words resonate with a profound sense of knowing, “Your siblings, Esme and Kaelen, their light is distant, but not extinguished. I can guide you to them, help you piece together your scattered family.”

Then comes a more straightforward proposition, “In return, I ask for a brief respite from my prison, at a time yet unknown. A fleeting moment to walk in the world beyond these chains, using your form as a vessel. A mere heartbeat in the grand scheme of existence.”

His words echo in the chilling air of the infernal prison, a promise of hope within their grim surroundings.

He reaches a hand forward, the spectral chain dragging behind.

“Do you accept, dear?”

If she does grip his hand, a burning sensation fills the palm of her hand. Her vision is flooded with a bright light.

As it fades, you find yourself standing in a forest. Dawn blankets the landscape around you. Then, Esme, mounted on a fearsome direwolf, silently sneaks past you, as she doesn’t seem to see you. You notice behind Esme a unit of light cavalry, as well as infantry and archers. The quiet tension in the air is palpable as Esme readies herself, her gaze fixed on the tents ahead. The tents, you see, are of the Myridon Dynasty. Specifically, the army that Harman took to capture what little remains of the Stormwatch Duchy.

As you gaze further, the scene shifts. You recognize the cold halls of the Order of Ambers. You walk outside, and there, in the courtyard, bathed in the moonlight, you see Kaelen. She’s captured in a moment of still vulnerability, and you now realize what you’re really looking at - The petrified body of your city, standing as the centerpiece of the open space.

She wakes in a cold sweat. DC 13 con save. On a fail, due to the strain of her memories, she doesn’t gain the extra 3 hit dice.

Upon accepting, the Hidden Lord’s Scale would become Awakened.

No matter what, Arani is still alive. This is but a memory.

She wakes in a cold sweat. DC 13 con save. On a fail, due to the strain of her memories, she doesn’t gain the extra 3 hit dice.

Encounters catching up to Harman:

A group of looters and scavangers eagre to pick at what they can. 2/12 chance of hostilities, they aren’t really looking for a live fight.

Kaddrus, accompanied by an orthon, will try and get the armor from the party, having tracked the scale mail.

Session 14 - 28/11/23

mika died

Session 15 - 05/12/23

The party goes back to the warcamp of Isandor to find they’re already packing up. They’re about to make the trek towards Itunno to hold it there.

If they seek Esme, she seems surprised to see them still there. She’ll be worried, especially if they show their damages. She’d like to hear what happened.

She’ll give them the choice to follow back towards Itunno. There, they will start evacuating everyone, and will have only a couple days to do so. There, they can either stay and fight the losing fight to really just delay the Myridon Army more, or go with the refugees back.

During the day’s travels, Meiavor casts a sending to Aelthar

Meiavor - “Fools… You think killing Daephne means her threat dies with her? I won’t kill them yet, but I should be seeing you soon. Hidden Hope.”

If they

Session 16 - 12/12/23

Harman:

Trying to cast a spell like remove curse or lesser/greater restoration fails, and the caster hears a dark, maddening voice filling their head. It fills every cavity and dark corners of their mind, threatening to completely break it.

“He is mine.”

Unbeknownst to them, this is the voice of Tharizdun. The caster needs to make a DC 23 Wisdom Saving throw. They take 1d10 psychic damage, and half as much on a success. On a failure of 5 or more, they need to roll on the short term madness table, and the damage increases to 2d10. On a failure of 10 or more, they must roll on the long term madness table, and the damage becomes 3d10, as the presence in their head breaks their mind, at least for a little while.

Harman has entered into Tharizdun’s service. He swore to fight alongside Selwyn and the BCS, who had turned their previous temple of Helm into followers of Tharizdun. He was forced to do this, unless he wanted the BCS to kill everyone in the temple, and is now under a more powerful version of Geas, where disobedience is death.

Disobedience includes, but is not limited to - fighting against the BCS, speaking the Chained Oblivion’s name, revealing anything about the cults plan

He can disclose one thing. The being who they follow, who is behind all of this - he is a terror, locked away in the deepest parts of the abyss. A series of events has been set in motion already, the seals are being broken. He is coming.

Harman realizes he’s said too much, as he feels his mind breaking. As his eyes roll back into his head, he grabs Mika’s arm, and manages to utter a final thing before collapsing.

“Bhogh Daral.”

Bomb:

The bomb has an AC of 12 and HP of 100

To activate the bomb, a creature must use an action to activate the remote.

The Bomb explodes in a 50 ft. radius upon activation (measure north). When it explodes, creatures within 30 ft. must make a DC 20 Dex save, taking 20d6 force damage on a failed save, and half as much on a success. Creatures within 50 ft. must make a DC 15 Dex save or take 10d6 force damage.

Bomb complications:

Bomb HP

Effect

No Damage

13-20: High Success

2-12: Moderate Success

2: Partial Failure

1: Critical Failure

99-80

15-20: High Success

8-14: Moderate Success

3-7: Partial Failure

1-2: Critical Failure

79-60

16-20: High Success

9-15: Moderate Success

4-8: Partial Failure

1-3: Critical Failure

59-40

17-20: High Success

10-16: Moderate Success

5-9: Partial Failure

1-4: Critical Failure

39-20

18-20: High Success

10-17: Moderate Success

6-10: Partial Failure

1-5: Critical Failure

19-10

19-20: High Success

13-18: Moderate Success

6-12: Partial Failure

1-6: Critical Failure

9-1

20: High Success

15-19: Moderate Success

10-14: Partial Failure

1-9: Critical Failure

High Success

• Remote trigger works flawlessly, and the bomb detonates without issue.

Moderate Success

• The remote trigger works, but has a minor glitch. The bomb will still go off, but only after 1d6 rounds, meaning the Myridon Army has a chance to destroy it.

Partial Failure

• The remote trigger experiences a significant malfunction
  • A surge of magical energy overloads the bomb’s mechanism
    • Players can stabilize this with a DC 15 Arcana or Smith’s Tools check or appropriate spells
  • The magical core of the bomb overheats and needs cooling.
    • This can be solved with a DC 15 check with Alchemist’s supplies to make a coolant of some kind, DC 15 investigation to find malfunctioning heating part, or appropriate magic
  • Timer Malfunction
    • The timer malfunctions, causing the bomb to not blow. This can be fixed with a DC 15 Arcana or Smith’s Tools check or appropriate magic.
  • A natural 1 on any of these checks causes the bomb to blow.

Critical Failure

• The remote blows up in the hand of whoever is holding it. They make a DC 15 Dex save or take 3d8 fire damage. This also means that the bomb will have to be triggered remotely.

Harman Magic Item
Forcebreaker Maul

You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

This weapon was crafted to destroy structures made of force, such as those created by Forcecage or Wall of Force. Striking a Large or smaller structure of magical force with this weapon automatically shatters that structure. If the target is a Huge or larger structure of force, this weapon shatters a 20-foot-cube portion of it.

Continued Myridon Assault

Strangely, as the Stormwatch Army retreats, the Myridon army doesn’t seem to follow. Early the next day, Esme would get a message from Wyvernglade explaining that the Caldian States have started an offensive against Myridon, and word says that Liberty is preparing an attack of their own

Back at Maxi’s

When the party returns, they can get additional information about either of those two things. Also, the night of them being home, Thalia gets a message from Uther Alder

“Thalia - we heard about your troubles and understand you’re busy. When you have time, feel free to help. Agnese checked out Gardmore Abbey. Now missing.”

Session 17 - 19/12/23

At Maxi’s

Not much will happen here. On the 29th, Maxi will have the Teleportation circle ready, and the party can leave

Stabby stabbers burned a house

They will just say stuff like “He deems it we must obliterate the world, so we burn it”

“We must prepare it for his great return.”

“They’ve deemed it so”

“They” referring to Venkalth and Volor, the two slaughter lords.

Meiavor is standing with Minravints*

“Ah, there you are. I was beginning to wonder if you’d ever show up. You know, these cinnamon buns really do live up to their reputation, Minravints.”

He reaches over the countertop towards Minravints with one hand. He grabs Meiavor’s hand and shakes it with a smile.

“I see why you like it here Mika. I really do. You don’t need to introduce me to your friends, I’ve already made the rounds. Quite delightful people, really.”

Session 18 - 02/01/24

Mother and The Hidden Lord

As Arani sat, praying, the heavens had opened up, and within a column of bright light, a celestial figure had shown up. Now, as Arani’s body once again collapses, her consciousness fading to the wounds she has sustained over the course of the fight, the celestial flies over to catch Arani. As she holds Arani’s body in one arm, she lays her hands on Arani’s cheek, and a brilliant glow shines from her palm, as Arani gains x hp. Arani, you wake up, held in a familiar embrace, warmth spreading throughout your body. There is a familiar warmth around your torso that’s missing however.

Mother looks at you and goes, “Dearest child of mine. After all these years, you have finally called me.”

As you look at Mother, there’s a familiar voice in your head Arani - but it’s more distant than usual. You recognize the voice of the Hidden Lord, but his voice sounds almost trembling. Be it awe at seeing Mother, or something else, you don’t know.

“Arani, my gratitude knows no bounds.

In your generosity, you have granted me the opportunity to behold the world once more, and to witness Luminara in her resplendent majesty. And I sense that in her radiance lies my liberation.

You’ve been my ally in this journey, and though you’ve helped me much already, I ask of you a final service - assist her in setting me free.”

Mother looks around the scene of the recent fight, concern in her eyes. “What has happened here? Are these your allies?”

Whatever Arani does now is up to her - she can catch up with Mother, or talk about the Hidden Lord

If Arani explains who the party is, Mother looks each of them over. “I sense a genuineness and sincerity to each of your companions, Arani. I am glad you have found someone who might be your family when I or your siblings are not around. Make sure to keep them close.”

Through the past 9 years, Mother has been on Mount Celestia. She didn’t know where any of the children were, but she trusted that they would now go out into the world, and figure out how to live on their own - spread their own wings. She would however be waiting for a sign from any of them, a sign like today.

Arani can ‘easily’ convince Mother to free Seraphiel. She never actually was allowed to see the prison of Azgaroth, so even if there is a slight bit of recognition, she will ask Arani for who this is, and if she knows his name. Arani will likely answer Seraphiel, which will help alleviate the doubt Mother has. And seeing as she can sense lies, she’ll know if Arani is being truthful about Seraphiel’s intentions.

Hidden Hope

The party can ask around the four people in the square what happened - however, none of them, except Misdielle, wish to speak with Aelthar, and Divin does not want Arani in his store. Both Minravints and Divin need to start repairs on their stores too

Meiavor came into the village about 5 days ago. Over that time, he became known with the 4 shop owners, and they can all testify that he cast a spell on them, each on a different day. They wouldn’t really have felt much from it, but once he commanded something, they were met with immediate pain and control forced on them if they acted against what he said.

If they go to Haldovon’s home, he hasn’t been affected at all. In fact, he doesn’t know anything about what has happened. He may have seen the white haired man on a trip to Hidden Hope, but since he lives out of town, and Meiavor didn’t know his relation to Mika, he wasn’t a target.

Maxi’s

Rehael has been reading more about the Stonewardens and Order of Ambers, and he found out why it was so hard to find anything recent on the Stonewardens - apparently, 9 years ago the Stonewardens merged into the Order of Ambers under Ephraim Victor’s leadership.

How each react if Mother gets taken:

None will really blame Arani, as only Esme really knows about the armor/Hidden Lord

Ira and Carel will be game to immediately start figuring out how to find her, and how to rescue her.

Esme is gonna be sitting in silence, clearly furious, staring daggers at Arani. After a moment for Arani to explain herself or say something, Esme gets up, grabs Arani by the arm and drags her outside, where she will question whether or not the armor had something to do with it.

Rehael will come out after a little and try to de-escalate, which is what he generally will try to do throughout this.

Esme will be the most angry, Ira and Carel will be for a little bit, but get over it and rather try and save either Kaelen or Mother, and Rehael will just be understanding and de-escalate.

Myrida Aeca

Taking the teleleportation to Myrida Aeca takes them to a small teleportation circle hub, where they’re expected to pay a gold for the service.

Festival of Eyes

Each year in Hallowtide, the citizens of Myrida Aeca celebrate the Festival of Eyes. The festival was made as a sort of warding festival. Story goes that the largest beholder ever, Xaanhain, made his way here, threatening to take the entire city under its command. It was only stopped by the then Emperor, so the festival is both a celebration of the emperor and a way to “scare away” threats like Xaanhain. During the celebrations, many people will also wear masks with extra eyes painted on them.

It takes place over 3 days, each day being celebrated at different locations. The first day, the “Eye of Stone”, is celebrated at the city’s large town square in front of its main cathedral. The second day, the “Eye of Flying”, is celebrated at the city’s largest bridge, the Mithril Aqueduct. The third and final day, “Eye of Death”, takes place at the city’s cemetery, the place where the emperor defeated Xaanhain. The apparent petrified body of Xaanhain stands as a statue in the middle of the cemetery, and as a tradition, citizens put an eyebright flower at the base of the statue.

The Crimson Cloud will arrive on the second or third day of the festival, depending on whether or not they short rested before going.

Shortly after they arrive, they’ll notice the eye decorations, and Alexei will remember the festival. Not long after, they’ll also see a kid selling newspapers, yelling about two murders that happened at the town square and under the aqueduct. He also yells about witnesses seeing a tiefling and plantlady, and guards warning the populace to stay away from their descriptions and report it to the nearest guard.

If they head to the town square, they find one of the houses barred off with a safety distance fence, clearly a crime scene. Inside, they find a grim scene - in the bedroom, there’s a ritual circle drawn on the ground, with a pool of blood in the middle, where a body was laying before it got removed. Beside the ritual circle, S E Y E F O is written. All around the room, symbols have been drawn in blood. Alexei recognizes them as one of the 3 symbols of the Festival of eyes - the Eye of Stone. But it’s drawn upside down. Writing in abyssal also covers the room, which the Hidden Lord can translate - “Stone Crumbles”.

They can head to the Mithril Aqueduct next. Under the bridge, one of the tunnels leading to the sewers have been closed off. The party can find a similar scene to the last. Ritual circle, with blood in the middle, and bloody symbols all around the walls. This time, it’s the Eye of Fear upside down. D R O L N I is written on the floor next to the circle. New abyssal writing is also present, this time with “Fear Spreads”

Finally, on the third day, the festivities are starting at the cemetery. The party will have found out one way or another that there will likely be another murder happening at the cemetery, or close to it. Going to the cemetery, Alexei would see that this year’s celebration has significantly less people, but has still drawn a crowd. They can try different things. If they try to convince people to leave by making enough of a ruckus, or they can try to find out where the next murder will be.

The next murder is in one of the nearby houses. The victim is already dead, and Giorge Forsworn and Mask are inside. Silence has been cast inside, and Forsworn is performing the ritual. He needs 3 rounds to finish it. Mask will try and hold the party off in the meantime. The eyes of death have been drawn all over, upside down. Death Rises is written in Abyss, and A H N A A X is written next to the circle.

If Mask is close to death, Giorge will cancel his ritual and plane shift out.

If the ritual comes through, the statue in the cemetery crumbles and Xaanhain rises, starting to wreak havok. He will start immediately just shooting eye rays at civilians, who will rise as zombies. If the fight goes bad, guards will start showing up to help and take the attention.

Not long after the Crimson Cloud shows up, the Beastial Enclave gets word, and sends some of their members to spy on them, see what they’re up to.

After the situation with Xaanhain, The Wolf, along with 3 new members - The Dragon, The Spider and The Crow, will seek out the Crimson Cloud.

“Look who’s back in Myrida Aeca. Had enough of playing soldier for the ones who captured you?”

“Let’s cut straight to the point. What are you doing here?”

“So let me get this right - After 20 years, you think you can just waltz on back to the Enclave. The world ain’t even the same anymore, Dustborn.”

The Wolf will be against Alexei walking back, but will relent in the end, and escort

Back at the Enclave, they’ll be greeted by The Cricket. The Bluejay is there too, standing at the far side of the room.

“Well well, look what the wolf dragged in. The Puppy, was it?” He walks over to Alexei, then pulls a dagger. “Alright, Puppy, give me one reason for letting you in here, and believing you’re not a traitor.”

After a couple seconds, The Boar would walk out. “What the hells are you doing, Cricket?” After which, he would back down. She then looks sternly at Alexei. “You five. With me,” and walks to her office.

In her office, the stern attitude drops. “All right, come let me look at you,” she says, stretching her arms out in an embrace.

She will then hear Alexei out for why she is there.

The Empyrean Tribunal

At a reasonable time, likely at Maxi’s place - The group will hear 3 swooshes outside the house, which they recognize to sound like someone teleporting in. If they don’t immediately step out, a booming voice sounds:

“Arani Wanu. You have been called to, and must answer before The Empyrean Tribunal. Come willingly, or be forced.”

Arani, as a denizen of Mount Celestia, would know this. It is where celestials that have committed crimes against Mount Celestia go to answer for their crimes and be judged. DC 20 history checks means other people know it.

Outside are three individuals: The Warden Archon, The Archon of Law and the Archon of Truth. As Arani steps out, Warden turns around, and opens a portal.

“Will you step through willingly?”

“Your companions may join if you wish for them to be there.”

As Arani steps through the portal, she is taken to a large hall. She stands in the middle on a raised pedestal. The Archons stand surrounding her. Everyone else following would arrive on their various seats. The room itself is decorated with gold, various celestial motifs, and large statues. One depicts a man with his right arm in the jaws of a large hound.

As she looks around, the Warden Archon starts speaking.

“Arani Wanu. You stand now in the presence of The Lord of Justice, The Blind Overlord, The Even-handed God of Law of Justice, Tyr.

You stand accused of various crimes against Mount Celestia, being:

• Bringing an enemy of the heavens, an individual previously banned from entering the Celestial Realms, back to Mount Celestia.
• Making dealings with said individual, letting him be free from his contaminants of the prison keeping him.
• Ultimately helping him leave said prison before his time, and allowing him to escape to the hells, inhabiting the body of a celestial.
• In these cases, the individual mentioned is Azgaroth the Outcast.

How do you plead?”

Tyr would only speak for the final verdict.

“You have been tried by fair authority and found guilty. I, Tyr the Even-handed, hereby indefinitely exile you, Arani Wanu, and bar you from entering Mount Celestia. Shall you enter the Heavens again, a prison of your own will be forged. Do you understand your sentence, Arani Wanu?”

“Then be off, and pray the Heavens one day have the mercy of lifting your exile.”

After that, the Warden Archon opens the portal again.

Meiavor was killed and can therefore not be judged before Tyr. Luminara is similarly not at hand to be judged. However, you are, and as such, you now stand on trial.

Session 19 - 09/01/24

On their second day of travel, the group comes across a place where Mekkalath has hunted.

There’s a large streak of burnt grass, ground and trees, which stretches for a good 60 or so feet. Following that, they come across a place in the woods, where trees have been tilted outwards in a circle, and beyond that, leaves and grass have been blown outwards too, as if some large flying creature here. In the middle is the burnt corpse of an Aurochs, clearly having been feasted on by something large.

After that, Gardmore Abbey.

Session 20 - 16/01/24

Beginning of the session, they will likely go to the Whispering Woods. When entering, everyone will see an illusion of Agnese.

“Thalia, you need to learn to take a hint.”

The image twists and contorts into the image of a withered and hunched woman, and two more appear around the group.

In unison, they say “You’re not welcome.”

The hag’s have used Agnese to create a Hag Eye, and the host of the original eye must be kept alive.

Back at Maxi’s

Qiran has returned.

Through the Angels, he got in contact with Aetrias Auriele, the Liberty general, and he agreed that he would speak with the Crimson Cloud. The meeting is to take place on the 8th, where the general and his army will have set up camp outside Isandor.

The general has no problem speaking with the Crimson Cloud, even believing they betrayed D’Vaelan. Enemy of my enemy is my friend, and they of course respect a good assassination.

A couple of things he wants to clear:

• As long as they help, they are good in his eyes. He will expend some of his “trusted soldiers”, devils, to them.
• He wishes to hear how they took Isandor last time, and will suggest the same route for them.
• Finally, after this is over, Liberty will keep the cities they’ve taken so far, and Isandor.
• Last part is non-negotiable.

__The Scab
__The gems of tharizdun are remnants of his power, left behind after his imprisonment. They’ve been spread in different places, some in demiplanes like this. Through the gems, tharizdun can spread his influence and parts of his power, after the seals started breaking at the time of the fire primordials death.

The original temple is built in a strange architecture, and unknown languages and runes are there. The temple was built by the fire primordial, hence the strangeness. The scab started gathering around the temple after the fire primordial died, due to the corrupting presence. Narzugons knew to guard places like this if the primordial died.

The temple was once guarded by devils, but after Selwyn and Co. arrived, Selwyn got his shadowmark, and demons took over the scab and guard it now.

S3

• Diamond worth 300 gp

S4

• 2 Barlguras

S6

• 2 chasmes
• Alazub is one of the original devils. He knows the layout and the story.

S7

• Hole just has bones. If searched and with a DC 15 investigation, find a Potion of Poison resistance.

S8

• Just the soul coins, poisons and obsidian - but also 2 greater healing potions and 1 standard.

S9/S10

• no crokek’toeck. Just digging tunnels.

S11

• 3 dolgauths and 5 dolgrims.
• Entering within 5 ft. of statue means DC 14 wisdom against confusion.

S13

• Haze hulk + Delirium Dregs
  • Bloated, Displaced, Cyclopean, Frenzied, Lambent, Leeching, Tentacled

S14

• Wastrilith, but blood instead of water
• The doors require a good aligned creature to open
  • The runes around them say, in Primordial: “Against oblivion, we stand united. Only the pure of heart can part these gates.”

S”15”

• Beyond the door, the player characters find a freezing cold room with walls, floor, and ceiling blackened and cracked. Hovering in the center of the room is a black gem the size of a fist. The stone is surrounded by a wall of force, preventing the party from acquiring it through normal means. If the characters free the stone, they find themselves constantly harassed by agents of Tharizdun until they rid themselves of the cursed object.
• By the stone, a shadowy statue of selwyn stands. tendrils from the gem reach into the dragonmark on selwyns arms.
• There’s an arcane trap under the gem. If the gem gets destroyed or moved, the creature must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, as the Harm spell is cast on them.
  • OR
    • Trying to attack the gem triggers a wisdom save. if failed, can’t attack it until they hear the voice of tharizdun in their head saying they could have the power
  • The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 14d6 necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. The damage can’t reduce the target’s hit points below 1. If the target fails the saving throw, its hit point maximum is reduced for 1 hour by an amount equal to the necrotic damage it took. Any effect that removes a disease allows a creature’s hit point maximum to return to normal before that time passes.

Session 21 - 23/01/24

Festival of Eyes

Each year in Hallowtide, the citizens of Myrida Aeca celebrate the Festival of Eyes. The festival was made as a sort of warding festival. Story goes that the largest beholder ever, Xaanhain, made his way here, threatening to take the entire city under its command. It was only stopped by the then Emperor, so the festival is both a celebration of the emperor and a way to “scare away” threats like Xaanhain. During the celebrations, many people will also wear masks with extra eyes painted on them.

It takes place over 3 days, each day being celebrated at different locations. The first day, the “Eye of Stone”, is celebrated at the city’s large town square in front of its main cathedral. The second day, the “Eye of Fear”, is celebrated at the city’s largest bridge, the Mithril Aqueduct. The third and final day, “Eye of Death”, takes place at the city’s cemetery, the place where the emperor defeated Xaanhain. The apparent petrified body of Xaanhain stands as a statue in the middle of the cemetery, and as a tradition, citizens put an eyebright flower at the base of the statue.

The Crimson Cloud will arrive on the second or third day of the festival, depending on whether or not they short rested before going.

Shortly after they arrive, they’ll notice the eye decorations, and Alexei will remember the festival. Not long after, they’ll also see a kid selling newspapers, yelling about two murders that happened at the town square and under the aqueduct. He also yells about witnesses seeing a tiefling and plantlady, and guards warning the populace to stay away from their descriptions and report it to the nearest guard.

If they head to the town square, they find one of the houses barred off with a safety distance fence, clearly a crime scene. Inside, they find a grim scene - in the bedroom, there’s a ritual circle drawn on the ground, with a pool of blood in the middle, where a body was laying before it got removed. Beside the ritual circle, S E Y E F O is written. All around the room, symbols have been drawn in blood. Alexei recognizes them as one of the 3 symbols of the Festival of eyes - the Eye of Stone. But it’s drawn upside down. Writing in abyssal also covers the room, which the Hidden Lord can translate - “Stone Crumbles”.

They can head to the Mithril Aqueduct next. Under the bridge, one of the tunnels leading to the sewers have been closed off. The party can find a similar scene to the last. Ritual circle, with blood in the middle, and bloody symbols all around the walls. This time, it’s the Eye of Fear upside down. D R O L N I is written on the floor next to the circle. New abyssal writing is also present, this time with “Fear Spreads”

Finally, on the third day, the festivities are starting at the cemetery. The party will have found out one way or another that there will likely be another murder happening at the cemetery, or close to it. Going to the cemetery, Alexei would see that this year’s celebration has significantly less people, but has still drawn a crowd. They can try different things. If they try to convince people to leave by making enough of a ruckus, or they can try to find out where the next murder will be.

The next murder is in one of the nearby houses. The victim is already dead, and Giorge Forsworn and Mask are inside. Silence has been cast inside, and Forsworn is performing the ritual. He needs 2 rounds to finish it. Mask will try and hold the party off in the meantime. The eyes of death have been drawn all over, upside down. Death Rises is written in Abyss, and A H N A A X is written next to the circle.

If Mask is close to death, Giorge will cancel his ritual and plane shift out.

If the ritual comes through, the statue in the cemetery crumbles and Xaanhain rises, starting to wreak havok.

Session 22 - 30/01/24

If Alexei is revived

The last thing you remember is being hit with this deathly ray, toppling over and scrambling for your potions, but not quite managing. Life faded from your body, and as your vision faded and sounds became distant, you just felt cold as death took you.

The sounds have faded, and you still lay with your eyes closed. Or maybe darkness has just taken hold all around you?

It’s also cold. It’s so terribly cold. As you lay there, a voice reaches out to you.

“Do you believe in fate, Alexei Addan?”

You find yourself in a large hall of a fortress. It’s crafted entirely from black ice, and strange streaks of energy fly from the open entrance to further in.

“Great things have been set in motion. And you, a simple criminal, found yourself in the middle of them all.

How unfortunate that it then led to your… preemptive demise. But it led you here, to me.”

You see a tall, slender woman. A black robe, decorated with the darkest feathers, adorn her body, and on her face, a white porcelain mask.

“I know you, and your companions, are fated for great things. Of course, all isn’t guaranteed, and your destiny may change along the way. You may end up here again, in my domain.”

You suddenly feel a sensation of being pulled.

“Ah. It seems your time is up. Know this. You are touched by fate, but also touched by death. Fate may not shield you from its grasp again. I will be keeping an eye on you.”

Session 23 - 06/02/24

The general has no problem speaking with the Crimson Cloud, even believing they betrayed D’Vaelan. Enemy of my enemy is my friend, and they of course respect a good assassination.

A couple of things he wants to clear:

• As long as they help, they are good in his eyes. He will expend some of his “trusted soldiers”, devils, to them.
  • They heard rumors about something strange going on in the city, which the devils take interest in as well, and the general assumes the party is interested too.
• He wishes to hear how they took Isandor last time, and will suggest the same route for them.
• Finally, after this is over, Liberty will keep the cities they’ve taken so far, and Isandor.
• Last part is non-negotiable.

Malchabran is the leader of the Devil Squad

“Aelthar Visilis. Now isn’t the time for questions, but once this is over, I’ll come find you. You and I have a lot to talk about.”

“Oh, and if one of you ever gets really tired? Take one of these”

__The Scab
__The gems of tharizdun are remnants of his power, left behind after his imprisonment. They’ve been spread in different places, some in demiplanes like this. Through the gems, tharizdun can spread his influence and parts of his power, after the seals started breaking at the time of the fire primordials death.

The original temple is built in a strange architecture, and unknown languages and runes are there. The temple was built by the fire primordial, hence the strangeness. The scab started gathering around the temple after the fire primordial died, due to the corrupting presence. Narzugons knew to guard places like this if the primordial died.

The temple was once guarded by devils, but after Selwyn and Co. arrived, Selwyn got his shadowmark, and demons took over the scab and guard it now.

S3

• Diamond worth 300 gp

S4

• 2 Barlguras

S6

• 2 chasmes
• Alazub is one of the original devils. He knows the layout and the story.

S7

• Hole just has bones. If searched and with a DC 15 investigation, find a Potion of Poison resistance.

S8

• Just the soul coins, poisons and obsidian - but also 2 greater healing potions and 1 standard.

S9/S10

• no crokek’toeck. Just digging tunnels.

S11

• 3 dolgauths and 5 dolgrims.
• Entering within 5 ft. of statue means DC 14 wisdom against confusion.

S13

• Haze hulk + Delirium Dregs
  • Bloated, Displaced, Cyclopean, Frenzied, Lambent, Leeching, Tentacled

S14

• Wastrilith, but blood instead of water
• The doors require a good aligned creature to open
  • The runes around them say, in Primordial: “Against oblivion, we stand united. Only the pure of heart can part these gates.”

S”15”

• Beyond the door, the player characters find a freezing cold room with walls, floor, and ceiling blackened and cracked. Hovering in the center of the room is a black gem the size of a fist. The stone is surrounded by a wall of force, preventing the party from acquiring it through normal means. If the characters free the stone, they find themselves constantly harassed by agents of Tharizdun until they rid themselves of the cursed object.
• By the stone, a shadowy statue of selwyn stands. tendrils from the gem reach into the dragonmark on selwyns arms.
• There’s an arcane trap under the gem. If the gem gets destroyed or moved, the creature must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, as the Harm spell is cast on them.
  • OR
    • Trying to attack the gem triggers a wisdom save. if failed, can’t attack it until they hear the voice of tharizdun in their head saying they could have the power
  • The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 14d6 necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. The damage can’t reduce the target’s hit points below 1. If the target fails the saving throw, its hit point maximum is reduced for 1 hour by an amount equal to the necrotic damage it took. Any effect that removes a disease allows a creature’s hit point maximum to return to normal before that time passes.

Session 24 - 13/02/24

__The Scab
__The gems of tharizdun are remnants of his power, left behind after his imprisonment. They’ve been spread in different places, some in demiplanes like this. Through the gems, tharizdun can spread his influence and parts of his power, after the seals started breaking at the time of the fire primordials death.

The original temple is built in a strange architecture, and unknown languages and runes are there. The temple was built by the fire primordial, hence the strangeness. The scab started gathering around the temple after the fire primordial died, due to the corrupting presence. Narzugons knew to guard places like this if the primordial died.

The temple was once guarded by devils, but after Selwyn and Co. arrived, Selwyn got his shadowmark, and demons took over the scab and guard it now.

S3

• Diamond worth 300 gp

S4

• 2 Barlguras

S6

• 2 chasmes
• Alazub is one of the original devils. He knows the layout and the story.

S7

• Hole just has bones. If searched and with a DC 15 investigation, find a Potion of Poison resistance.

S8

• Just the soul coins, poisons and obsidian - but also 3 greater healing potions

S9/S10

• no crokek’toeck. Just digging tunnels.

S11

• 3 dolgauths and 5 dolgrims.
• Entering within 5 ft. of statue means DC 14 wisdom against confusion.

S13

• Haze hulk + Delirium Dregs
  • Bloated, Displaced, Cyclopean, Frenzied, Lambent, Leeching, Tentacled

S14

• Glabrezu
  • They find Kozzanach working at the door, but failing to get it open.
  • If they let him talk, he will try to suggest an alliance and an “equal split” of whatever treasure is hidden inside the citadel.
  • Immediately when they open the doors, a brilliant bright light washes over them from the celestial runes, restoring them as if a Mass Cure Wound was cast on them.
  • The bright light “smites” Kozzanach, who burns away with this searing radiant fire.
  • The blood flaw also disappears.

S”15”

• Beyond the door, the player characters find a freezing cold room with walls, floor, and ceiling blackened and cracked. Hovering in the center of the room is a black gem the size of a fist. The stone is surrounded by a wall of force, preventing the party from acquiring it through normal means. If the characters free the stone, they find themselves constantly harassed by agents of Tharizdun until they rid themselves of the cursed object.
• By the stone, a shadowy statue of selwyn stands. tendrils from the gem reach into the dragonmark on selwyns arms.
• If the gem gets destroyed or moved, the creature must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, as the Harm spell is cast on them.
  • OR
    • Trying to attack the gem triggers a wisdom save. if failed, can’t attack it until they hear the voice of tharizdun in their head saying they could have the power
  • The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 14d6 necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. The damage can’t reduce the target’s hit points below 1. If the target fails the saving throw, its hit point maximum is reduced for 1 hour by an amount equal to the necrotic damage it took. Any effect that removes a disease allows a creature’s hit point maximum to return to normal before that time passes.

After the Scab

Destroying the Gem sends a shockwave out through the scab, completely destroying it. They can step back out through the portal, where the devils are still guarding. A few pools of demon ichor are laying around them, as a few demons tried to escape

The party can continue to the High Hall with no issues at all. No more obstructions in their path. High enough perception checks spot a “shadow” following them.

High Hall

As they open the door into the High Hall, they see the carpet going down the length of it, in the Myridon colors. At the end of it, the table they recognize from last time still stands, and in the chair closest to them, turned around to face them, they recognize the face of D’Vaelan. Next to him is Nocturne.

As they all enter the room, he starts speaking

“Ah, the Crimson Cloud. I’ve been expecting you.” He looks around at all of you. “Oh… Thalia isn’t with you? Is she hurt, is she?” He catches himself, shakes his head and goes “Well, I’ve been waiting to kill you all for a while. Now, which of you want to die first?”

At a time that makes sense, the doors will close behind them, and the ACTUAl Selwyn will appear out of his invisibility.

Either

“Well, it seems like you’ve been waiting a while to do that.”

Or

“Disappointing. And here I was hoping for a little show at least.”

You took away his gifts!

“You all just don’t know when enough is enough, do you? I mean, campaigning across the land, hunting down all the Black Clover Swords. You even fought another war just to get at Harman.

Ah, poor Harman. Another innocent soul pulled into this mess. He really was a good man.” He almost seems sad for a second before laughing.

“I’m honestly glad you killed him. I would’ve done it myself if I didn’t need him. But with every one of us you killed, my want to kill you only has grown bigger. Than it already was, of course. So let’s get into it.”

As combat breaks out, Selwyn unleashes a yell of wrath. And as he does, his form shifts. He grows to 10 feet tall, and his eyes are replaced by this dark energy shining from within, also shining out of his mouth. This dark energy starts forming cracks down his neck, with the light shining out through.

“WITNESS THE POWERS THAT ONCE WERE YOURS”

In combat

“You all have been a thorn in every step of the road since you popped up. Killing you will be my greatest joy.”

“It’s almost a shame Thalia isn’t here. It’s always the clerics that are the funniest to break. And I do love the followers of Helm.”

If he dies

“My death doesn’t matter. The chains are loosening. The seals break. Your actions may delay it slightly, but his return is inevitable. And when he returns, all that is will be destroyed.”

“He is the Lord of Decay. He is the Eater of Worlds. He is the Chained Oblivion. He is… Tharizdun.”

Session 25 - 20/02/24

Various Sendings:

Later on the 9th, Aelthar receives a sending from Antael

“Aelthar, it seems we missed each other in Isandor. Seems I was wrong, assuming you’d stay after. Where can I find you? Antael.”

On the 10th, everyone hears:

“Greetings, name. You are hereby invited and encouraged to join in the Emperor’s address, wherein you will receive your pardon and his thanks for your assistance in besting the foes of the Emperor and the Myridon Dynasty. The address will be held in Myrida Aeca on the 17th of Calor. Failure in participation your pardon is nullified and no reward will be received.”

Jorgen Havarian’s Tower

When they arrive at the base of the tower, one of them receives a sending.

“Ah, friends. Welcome back, and so soon. Please press the chair on the teleportation circle. Don’t fancy another hole in my tower.”

Upon hearing the request, Jorgen expresses his condolences, but cannot help but laugh a little at the same request.

“Of course, you do realize the stress you ask me to go through, even under the best circumstances. This is the mightiest spell a mortal can cast, and does take a strain. At best, it’ll weaken me to the point of not being able to utilize any magic other than the most basic for the coming week, and my body will weaken physically too. At worst, all the same will happen, and I will never be able to cast Wish again.

I know I granted you a favor, and I sympathize with the loss of your friend. But this is not just any favor, you must understand that.

Session 26 - 27/02/24

Bestial Enclave

The Dragon died on the 12th. When they show up at the Bestial Enclave, Khada has just killed The Spider.

When Alexei shows up, The Bluejay and The Boar ask to speak to her. They take her into The Boar’s office and explain to her that who they think this is, Khada, is someone they’ve dealt with before in the past. He was actually part of the reason why they ended up taking Alexei in, as he was the one who got her parents killed. They explain to her what they know about him, and explain that he is a very dangerous man who they killed way back.

In the middle of explaining this, The Crickets bursts into the room, looking exhausted.

“The Spider is dead! Killed. Come, quick.”

They can follow him, and he takes them to a street not too far away, where guards are already setting up a perimeter around a side alley, but they freely let The Boar pass. In there, they find the body of the Spider, much in the same fashion that Alexei saw the Dragon - Bullet wound, and flower growing from it, wrapping its stem around the body. The first one who touches his body triggers the rose trap

After they look at the body, Crickets speaks up.

“I guess they really wanted to ‘blossom’ in a dramatic fashion!”

He looks around to check for laughs, finding straight faces on both the other members

“Oh come o-”

As he raises his arms, he is sent stumbling a few steps as a loud boom is heard down the streets. Shocked, he puts a hand up to his neck as blood starts pouring. He opens his mouth to speak, but no words escape. Instead, you watch as a rose stem grows both out from his mouth, and out between his fingers, blooming into a rose as he collapses to the ground.

Sauntes’ Address

Everyone gathers in the plaza in front of the Emperor’s Palace. Alexei would know how these work, where everyone gathers, and the image of Emperor Sauntes then appears on a large pedestal at one end of the plaza, in front of the Palace.

Silence falls over the plaza as the Emperor starts speaking, his voice booming out.

“To my loyal subjects,

Today, I stand before you with a heavy heart, burdened with the injustice that has befallen these five in front of me. It has come to light that these five, who were previously convicted of betraying the Myridon Dynasty, were in fact betrayed by Selwyn Naemaris and the rest of the Black Clover Swords.

In light of this revelation, I cannot in good conscience allow the Crimson Cloud’s unjust punishment to stand. Therefore, I, Emperor Sauntes Myridon, hereby issue a decree of exoneration and pardon for these five individuals.

The Black Clover Swords sought to sow discord, seize power and make the Empire look weak. But they have failed!

Instead, we have conquered the Stormwatch Duchy to the north with the full force of our might. While we did this, the Caldian States, emboldened by their delusions of conquest, dared to raise their banners against us. Yet once again, we have proven our superiority, crushing their ambitions beneath our heel!

And we are not done yet! Now, as the dust settles and our enemies lie broken before us, we turn our gaze to the south. Myria, the symbolic heart of our once-glorious empire, beckons to us. It is time to seize what is rightfully ours, to claim the throne and restore the Myridon Dynasty to its rightful place!

But let us not stop there, my brothers and sisters. Metilles, the pretender to the Ridian Empire remnants, leads his army away from his capital, leaving himself vulnerable. We shall crush the Ridian Empire Remnants beneath our boots, and reclaim what is rightfully ours! The time for hesitation is over; the time for action is upon us!

Together, we shall forge a new empire from the ashes of the old. Together, we shall reclaim our birthright and restore honor to the Myridon Dynasty!”

The image flickers away, and a guard makes their way over to the party.

“Emperor Sauntes invites you into his Palace to receive your reward.”

Inside the palace

Inside the palace itself, they are led down a corridor by a servant, into a grand hall. Large pillars line the sides, guards stationed at each one. Down the middle a carpet is rolled, ending in a staircase, leading to a throne, whereupon Emperor Sauntes sits. As they enter the room, he stands from the throne, and opens his arms for them.

“Ah, my friends.

Ashington keep - renovations

Session 27 - 05/03/24

Order of the Lost

In the morning, Maxi gathers everyone to tell them about Cretara - Portal opened, veil went over the city so what happened inside is uncertain. Plans to seal the portal in works, but no confirmations yet. Talks of second hell-steppes.

Midway through the talk, Esme comes out of her and Cain’s room, eyes slightly red and puffy and looking upset. She just got the news that Cain is leaving and doesn’t really wanna talk about it.

Bestial Enclave

The Dragon died on the 12th. When they show up at the Bestial Enclave, Khada has just killed The Spider.

When Alexei shows up, The Bluejay and The Boar ask to speak to her. They take her into The Boar’s office and explain to her that who they think this is, Khada, is someone they’ve dealt with before in the past. He was actually part of the reason why they ended up taking Alexei in, as he was the one who got her parents killed. They explain to her what they know about him, and explain that he is a very dangerous man who they killed way back.

In the middle of explaining this, The Crickets bursts into the room, looking exhausted.

“The Spider is dead! Killed. Come, quick.”

They can follow him, and he takes them to a street not too far away, where guards are already setting up a perimeter around a side alley, but they freely let The Boar pass. In there, they find the body of the Spider, much in the same fashion that Alexei saw the Dragon - Bullet wound, and flower growing from it, wrapping its stem around the body. The first one who touches his body triggers the rose trap

After they look at the body, Crickets speaks up.

“I guess they really wanted to ‘blossom’ in a dramatic fashion!”

He looks around to check for laughs, finding straight faces on both the other members

“Oh come o-”

As he raises his arms, he is sent stumbling a few steps as a loud boom is heard down the streets. Shocked, he puts a hand up to his neck as blood starts pouring. He opens his mouth to speak, but no words escape. Instead, you watch as a rose stem grows both out from his mouth, and out between his fingers, blooming into a rose as he collapses to the ground.

Sauntes’ Address

Everyone gathers in the plaza in front of the Emperor’s Palace. Alexei would know how these work, where everyone gathers, and the image of Emperor Sauntes then appears on a large pedestal at one end of the plaza, in front of the Palace.

Silence falls over the plaza as the Emperor starts speaking, his voice booming out.

“To my loyal subjects,

Today, I stand before you with a heavy heart, burdened with the injustice that has befallen these five in front of me. It has come to light that these five, who were previously convicted of betraying the Myridon Dynasty, were in fact betrayed by Selwyn Naemaris and the rest of the Black Clover Swords.

In light of this revelation, I cannot in good conscience allow the Crimson Cloud’s unjust punishment to stand. Therefore, I, Emperor Sauntes Myridon, hereby issue a decree of exoneration and pardon for these five individuals.

The Black Clover Swords sought to sow discord, seize power and make the Empire look weak. But they have failed!

Instead, we have conquered the Stormwatch Duchy to the north with the full force of our might. While we did this, the Caldian States, emboldened by their delusions of conquest, dared to raise their banners against us. Yet once again, we have proven our superiority, crushing their ambitions beneath our heel!

And we are not done yet! Now, as the dust settles and our enemies lie broken before us, we turn our gaze to the south. Myria, the symbolic heart of our once-glorious empire, beckons to us. It is time to seize what is rightfully ours, to claim the throne and restore the Myridon Dynasty to its rightful place!

But let us not stop there, my brothers and sisters. Metilles, the pretender to the Ridian Empire remnants, leads his army away from his capital, leaving himself vulnerable. We shall crush the Ridian Empire Remnants beneath our boots, and reclaim what is rightfully ours! The time for hesitation is over; the time for action is upon us!

Together, we shall forge a new empire from the ashes of the old. Together, we shall reclaim our birthright and restore honor to the Myridon Dynasty!”

The image flickers away, and a guard makes their way over to the party.

“Emperor Sauntes invites you into his Palace to receive your reward.”

Inside the palace

Inside the palace itself, they are led down a corridor by a servant, into a grand hall. Large pillars line the sides, with large statues standing on platforms in front of each. Down the middle a carpet is rolled, ending in a staircase, leading to a throne, whereupon Emperor Sauntes sits. As they enter the room, he stands from the throne, and opens his arms for them.

“Ah, my friends. Welcome. Please…”

He claps his hand, and servants suddenly flood the room with a table, chairs, and food.

“…grab a seat.”

As everyone takes their seats, he walks down the stairs to your level, taking a seat along with you all, in his much larger chair than the rest.

“Feel free to dig in. Now of course, you’re here, assumedly, to get the promised reward. And you will. But for now, have this… let’s call it a bonus before the primary reward,” he says, gesturing at the feast in front of you.

At some point during the meal, he stops as well.

“Now, as you have proven yourself such loyal subjects of Myridon, I have someone I would like you to meet - I’m sure you’d be interested, seeing as he has a very pivotal part in our path to victory going south.”

He waves at one of the servants, who steps out of the room for a second, and comes back in with a dwarven man.

“This here is Nedric Berylriver. Nedric, please - introduce yourself to our friends.”

Nedric looks a bit baffled, and goes “Oh, yes. Right, as the Emperor said, I’m Nedric. I’m an artificer of sorts, and I suppose the Emperor found my work impressive, seeing as he hired me for..”

“Impressive?” Sauntes laughs. “How could I not? Come now Nedric, show them your work.”

“Oh, ok.” Nedric pulls forth a small remote, hits a few buttons, and suddenly, all the statues animate into golems, all stepping forwards, weapons at the ready, before Nedric presses another button, and they go back to their statue positions.

“Now of course, these are custom made for me. But it’s constructs like these that will help us out in the coming war, and to help rebuild my empire. So naturally, Nedric has been hard at work at the Cinderhand Forge to…”

Nedric mutters something, to which Emperor Sauntes gives him a sharp look. “What?”

“The Emberhand Forge, Sir.”

“Yes, yes. Anyways. You may leave now, Nedric.”

As nedric leaves, Sauntes turns to the group.

“Now, I believe it is time for your reward.”

A chest is brought forward, containing a key and a piece of paper.

“This here states that you are now the proud owners of the Ashington Keep. It’s a sizable keep, just outside of town. Unfortunately, it is currently undergoing some renovations, so it’ll be open to you as soon as possible.”

Ashington keep - renovations

Session 28 - 12/03/24

Before they leave Myrida Aeca, Qiran would find them somehow. He has several things to say to them, things he’s learned or else.

Ariella

He has a task for the party first of all. The AotM have someone who they’re protecting by helping her move from village to village, keeping her hidden. Currently, the party isn’t entitled to any information about who she is or why she is important to the angels, but after their performances and Qiran’s vouching, they are suited for the job. A is important because of the healing abilities, and gives a vial of her blood a month in return for safekeeping and travels by angels.

The target is currently in a small village called Rodburn, and their contact with the target said that she’s been showing signs of an attack being imminent. The angels would like for them all to go there, be bodyguards for a couple days until the danger passes over. In return for doing this, the angels will give them a favor when they need it at some point.

Traveling to Bhogh Daral

Qiran found best place to get to BD is through The Crossing,

theres a walled off settlement blocking the only large path from crowned republic towards bhogh daral.

Istishari Isles

Various Myths/Rumors/Etc.

Qiran has tried to do a bit of research into cures for Mikas darkvein. He’s scoured over healer’s and religious people’s records, statements, journals etc where they theorize, hypothesize, experiment with darkvein. The conclusion was that no one has really found any cures. However, several things have been theorized. One is to go to Mount Celestia, and drink the blood of one of the Solars or higher while there, to wash away the evil in your body. Another is to find one of the most powerful elementals on either the plane of water, earth, air or fire, and be slain by it, then revived. Another is ascending to godhood.

The final one is while going over various cures, he found stories of the myth of the Istishari Isles. history check means Alexei, Aelthar or Mika might’ve heard of them, children stories of hidden isles with some waters of life or something that can heal any wounds or ailments. However, this is probably just a myth, but with the other options available, might also be worth looking into.

Session 29 - 26/03/24

Ariella

Immediately, Yucca will run to the temple where Ariella is, checking if she’s okay. Once everything is fine, they will both go out to the party, and Ariella will personally thank them, along with asking why they’re here.

They can explain who Adren is, and why he is after them - Adren is hunting down every single person who has connection to Garcius. Yucca is the adopted daughter of Garcius, and Ariella is his actual daughter. However, they make it perfectly clear that they do not agree with Garcius, and that Adren is just a maniac with a twisted sense of beliefs.

They can’t say why the Angels value Ariella so much, because the less people know, the less danger. Now, Yucca and Ariella just need to go back to Myrida Aeca, so Qiran can take them to the Angels HQ, who can then send them elsewhere.

Khada

At some point when the party is in MA, The Boar contacts Alexei, asking if she’s in town, and asking her to get back to HQ.

Tazna would explain that since Khada showed, every member on a mission would need to check in regularly, but The Crow hadn’t. So naturally, The Blue Jay went to check out what happened, and now hasn’t been responding either. She’d like Alexei to go figure out what the hell is happening. The last place she knows The Crow went to is a specific warehouse, to meet some of the guards on the Enclave’s payroll.

Warehouse

At the warehouse, it’s pretty empty. It’s a small warehouse in the corner of the industrial part of the city, where the enclave usually has these kinds of meetings. When they get there, the warehouse is empty inside except for a single guard who steps up when they arrive. When they walk up to him, they ask for Alexei

“Listen man, I don’t know wtf this is supposed to be. I’ve been waiting around forever for this weird request. Your other guy told me to wait until Alexei shows up, and then to give you this.”

As he says this, he pulls a rose out from his little bag and hands it to her.

“I don’t know what it means but I’d love to just leave now.”

Guard’s name is Joris. The Crow never actually showed up, Khada did. Joris assumed he was a herd member because of the mask.

As they talk, Nocturne suddenly comes barging inside, barking at everyone, clearly wanting them to follow. When they go outside, Aelthar is gone, with no trace other than another rose on the ground, along with a letter.

“The second act commences where two of your friends were made beautiful.”

Khada will be waiting for them where he killed The Spider and Crickets.

“Ah, Alexei,

How delightful it is to finally meet the daughter of my unfinished symphony. Fate has a curious way of weaving its threads, doesn’t it? Your father’s demise denied me a performance, a grand crescendo halted before its time. But fear not, for destiny has delivered unto me a second act, and you, my dear, shall play the starring role.”

He pulls out two folded pieces of paper from his pocket

“I hold here in my hand the addresses of your friend Aelthar and the esteemed Bluejay. In my mercy, I grant you this chance, this fleeting moment to play the role of arbiter in the theater of your own tragedy.”

He then throws the two pieces of paper, so they land at the feet of Alexei.

“You have but one choice, one chance to alter the course of this twisted narrative. Who shall you save, Alexei? Whose fate shall you condemn to the shadows?

The spotlight falls upon you now, and the audience holds its breath in anticipation. Choose, my dear, and let the performance unfold.”

Whichever Alexei picks, the address will lead her to the other. Once she steps inside the buildings, they seem to be rigged with magical traps. The person bound in the chair is unconscious, and has a letter in their lap, addressed to Alexei. Either when she drags them out of the building or when the other people run to the other location, it blows - close enough to where the other location can hear.

“Alexei,

I extend to you an invitation, a final act in our tragic tale.

Meet me amidst the shadows of the Rosewood Opera House, where the stage is set for our grand finale. There, beneath the watchful eyes of forgotten specters, our destinies shall intertwine one last time.

The curtain falls, Alexei, and the audience awaits. Do not keep them waiting.

Yours in anticipation,

Khada”

The Rosewood Opera House is an old, closed down opera house. It’s easy to find, and when Alexei arrives, all lights are off. But once she steps inside, they all turn on, revealing Khada standing center stage.

“And the star of tonight arrives. Welcome, Alexei, to your final performance.

My killings, my art, has always had purpose, each death a brushstroke in the masterpiece of my master’s design. But your demise… It is personal. It is the crescendo of our shared history, the climax of a tale written in blood.

The death of your parent’s denied me the satisfaction of a performance, one that would have been my favorite - making art of those who betrayed what once was my home.

But, it matters not that it was not my hand that struck the fatal blow, for in the grand tapestry of fate, our roles remain unchanged. You, the embodiment of their legacy, and I, the relentless force of retribution.

So let us embrace this final act, Alexei, for tonight, the stage is set for our performance. And when the curtains fall, only one of us shall remain to take their final bow.”

At some point during the fight, Alexei will get a reroll, or an attack roll will miss Alexei when it should’ve hit. She will receive this feature

Fate-Touched

You have been touched by fate, allowing you to call upon a higher power to shift events in your favor. When you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can choose to reroll the d20. You must reroll the die before the outcome of the initial roll is determined. Alternatively, when a creature you can see makes an attack against you or makes a saving throw against one of your spells or features, you can force that creature to reroll the attack roll or saving throw. If the roll that triggers the reroll is made with advantage or disadvantage, both d20s are rerolled. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Alexei, you suddenly feel yourself almost retreating inside your mind, and everything goes dark. And then you feel cold. Terribly cold, and a type of cold you’ve felt once before.

You find yourself once again in the fortress you were in once before. The one made entirely from black ice. The one you found yourself in when you died.

“Do you believe in fate, Alexei Addan?”

You turn to once again see the figure you met before - a tall slender woman. Black robes, decorated with the darkest feathers, adorn her body, and on her face, a white porcelain mask.

“I asked you this once before. Has your answer changed?”

Answer

“Do you know the story of how I came to be a god, Alexei?”

Answer - religion easy to remember that the Raven Queen was a mortal woman who cast down the previous god of death, Myrkul, around 120 years ago, through a ritual.

“Myrkul, or the Rose Lord as his followers call him, is the patron of Khada. Over 100 years ago, Khada died, still an ordinary man, and Myrkul raised him as an undead servant. He made him an atrocity. When Khada died again, it was after my rise. So he remained dead. I locked Myrkul away for good when I became a god. The fact that the False Warlock has been revived cannot be good. But do you see how the threads of fate have tangled you, him, along with myself, together?”

answer

“As Myrkul is granting Khada power, I can lend you a part of mine. Will you accept my power, and help right the threads of fate in my stead on your plane?”

Session 30 - 02/04/2024

Enclave

Alexei’s parents

• Vulred and Natasia Addan were outed as traitors to Khada, and decided along with Tazna and Bluejay that they would fake their deaths.
• They decided to not bring alexei along since it would be too daring to bring along a child, and faking her death would be harder, and possibly less believable
• They decided to have their memories modified to not remember Alexei and moved to what would become the unarith duchy, where they started a remote farm.
• They still don’t know about Alexei, but the bluejay has been sending them gold to help them.

The Hag, Ilsevel

• When they first start traveling through the crowned republic to go to The Crossing, they soon start feeling like theyre being watched. It also seems like they’re being followed by swarms of crows. On their first night, they hear howls in the distance. These eerie howls, that sound off in a way they can’t quite explain
• Second day, the same thing with the crows happen. This time, every once in a while, one will fly down and peck at their heads. They also come across several other critters, like snakes, squirrels, that all seem aggressive towards them.
• Second night, the howls start early, and they are closer. Every time theres a watch, a dog will howl, prompting a wisdom save. If someone fails, they get the fear effect, causing them to run out into the dark, where hounds will attack them.
• They will also hear whispers in their ears and minds
  • “Murderer”
  • “Your time is ticking out.”
  • “Your life isn’t worth the ones you’ve taken”
• After the attack, a portal opens near their camp
• “Step in, and your torment - and mine and my sisters - will come to an end.”
  • If they don’t, compulsion is cast on all of them. If any fail, they are compelled to walk into the portal.
• In there, they find themselves in a small clearing, surrounded by thick woods. Immediately when in here, Thalia hears the cries for help from Agnese

If they hurry, they will each take 5d4 damage running through the forest as it almost seems like they are being swiped at by branches and the such

If they don’t hurry, they can make dex saves, dc 17, half damage on success

At the lair, she is waiting for them. As they get closer, the cries of Agnese continue, but slowly fade into the hags wicked laughter

“Oh how I’ve dreamt of the torment I’d inflict on you once you returned to these lands. Repaying the torment you’ve inflicted on me, and my dear, dear sisters. You have no idea the amount of pain I’ve been through, trying to reverse the damage you caused. And all over a pretty little eye.”

At this point, the hag steps out of her lair, followed by her two sisters.

“But finally, finally I have a chance of bringing them back, fully. Instead of these husks they are now. And you’ve brought the final ingredient right to me.”

She points a crooked finger at you all

“The blood of those who slew them.”

Initiative.

Session 31: 09/04/2024

The Crossing

The Crossing is a long-standing settlement, but it found its real importance within the past decade, ever since the Hell-steps spread. Before the Merging, it served as one of the Crowned Republics border forts, one of the many they have around their border of their realm. However, more than this it was a trading outpost. Many travelers and merchants came from the Unclaimed Lands with various goods, and in The Crossing, they could trade with merchants from The Ridian Empire.

After the Merging, The Hell-Steps started spreading, and The Crossing was changed from a Merchant’s city into the stronghold between the Hell-Steps and Eastern Nonera that it is today. Its sole purpose is to keep the demons from the west from entering Eastern Nonera.

The inhabitants of the Crossing mostly consist of the people who lived here before the Merging who were too stubborn to move out, guards and soldiers who volunteered to be here. Prisoners from the Crowned Republic who are considered able-bodied are also sent here, and prisoners from all over the Fallen Kingdom on death row are given the choice to be stationed in The Crossing if they are deemed mentally stable enough to do so.

Locations:

• Gate
  • 2 guards ask them to identify
  • Upon scanning their appearance, a guard asks, “Are you mercenaries? We could use your strength of arms.”
• Sacrifice Engines
  • After their own fight, they hear fighting here, but when they show up, the guards push barlgura into the pit
• Crematorium
• Infirmary
• Gatehold Barracks
• Dilapidated Temple
• Wall of the Unforgotten
• The Indulgence
  • Ran by dwarf siblings
  • Cyric is here
  • After they sit at the bar, Aelthar gets sucker punched by Rocco
  • Yells well if it isn’t Aelthar
    • Evolves into youre the reason

Session 32: 16/04/2024

Traveling through the Hell-Steps

Exhaustion

The Hell-steps’ combination of oppressive heat and supernatural malevolence weighs on the bodies and souls of those who are not evil. A non-evil creature treats normal travel through the Hell-steps as a forced march and must make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each hour of travel. The DC is 10 + 1 for each hour of travel. On a failed saving throw, a creature suffers one level of exhaustion.

Miles traveled

48/120

Random Travel Encounters

1-2

Tower with Gem

1 hierophant of the comet up by the gem, 2 initiate of the comet downstairs with 5 aspirants

3-4

The party comes across a lonely tree standing. if they go to inspect it, it comes to life as an angry, wraithroot tree, and a greater death butterfly swarm comes out of it.

5-6

Obelisk

Balor disguised as a wizard got trapped in these standing stones by Mystra.

7-8

Party sees a strange sight - frost giant wandering about

If they get closer, it turns to them, and they can see it’s been twisted into a horrible Fury of Kostchtchie

It starts yelling in a weird mix of abyssal and giant that his home was destroyed and how his mind is escaping him and it’s everyone’s fault

9-10

A glabrezu and 3 babau’s are performing a ritual to summon a greater demon

11-12

A traveling pack of 1 shoosuva, 1 gnoll fang of yeenoghu, 1 gnoll pack lord and 5 gnoll flesh gnawers

13-14

A quasit approaches the party - if they don’t kill it, it asks them to help it’s master - he’s been captured by a nabassu, who is keeping him since the benefits of the last soul it consumed is still ongoing.

The man is Iarno Aldrek, a human from The Crossing - he was one of the most recent to venture into the hell steps.

15-16

The party comes across 4 demon hunters fighting Crokek’toeck. They were sent here to deal with him, knowing he is apparently a pet of Yeenoghu.

17-18

The party finds the remains of an adventuring party - in their belongings are several potions and magic weapons - a +1 shortsword, a superior healing potions, 3 standard healing potions and oil of slipperiness.

19-20

__The party comes across a strange gemstone of some kind, embedded into the ground. This 1-foot-long shard of obsidian has veins of silver and gold beneath its cold surface. __

https://5e.tools/items.html#shard%20of%20xeluan_kftgv__ __

The shard is in the backpack of someone who died after running away from the Crossing. It also has the infernal corruption.

https://5e.tools/adventure.html#CoA,16,infernal%20item%20corruption,0__ __

Night encounters

1-2

1d4+3 shadow demons

3-4

Maw of yeenoghu

5-6

1d10+10 dretches

7-8

A maurezhi, with the decaying form of an elf, steps to the campfire and asks for some healing from anyone. if they get close enough, or if they’re not allowed, they drop their forms and attack with 2 ghasts and 5 ghouls

9-10

The party realizes theyve camped near an alkilith wrapped over nearby rocks.

11-20

No encounter

Bhogh Daral

Bhogh Daral is inhabited by a single dwarven woman. Her name is Yozebella Brighstorm. Bhogh Daral was always held by her family, so she’s decided to stay here. She came here after hearing what happened, hoping to find any of her family, but to no avail.

In a prayer to Moradin, she asked for a way to protect her home, and so forged the Demonbane Aegis, a ring that makes him invisible to demons.

Bhogh Daral “Elevator”

Getting into the core of Bhogh Daral involves getting on the lift inside the ziggurat itself, and going down through the several layers of the ziggurat, down in the earth. Each layer thematically represents a layer in the abyss, going deeper down metaphorically, in the same way that getting to Tharizdun in the abyss requires going to the deepest pits of the abyss.

Between each layer they have a round as the next layer manifests.

1-100

• Layer 66: The Demonweb Pits
  • Stuck in webs - get out to move one layer down
  • End of turn, make Strength(Athletics) check, DC 15
  • Webs have AC 15, hp 15
    • Immunity to poison, psychic, bludgeoning
    • Vulnerability to cold, fire

101-200

• Layer 113: Thanatos
  • A necromancer and his minions appear before the party
  • The necromancer stands behind his minions, using them as “meat shields”
  • The party must defeat him to move on.

201-300

• Layer 230: The Dreaming Gulf
  • The party sees a manifestation of their worst nightmare. They have to overcome it and realize it’s not real by their own volition. However they do it determines skill and dc.

301-500

• Layer 377: Plains of Gallenshu
  • The party gets attacked by 3 armanites
  • A duststorm flies around them, limiting their view to within 5 ft of themselves.
  • Play with darkness and smack the players away from each other
• Layer 400: Woeful Escarands
  • The party finds themselves before the lords of woe.
  • first, the lords of woe introduce them as what they are. then, they say they have trials the characters must face.
  • First, the characters must confess their most heinous sin or their darkest secret, laying bare their soul before the judgmental gaze of the lords.
  • The nalfeshnees then offer a chance at redemption through trials
  • First, they must sacrifice someone pivotal to whatever they confessed to the lords. this isnt real ofc, but sure feels that way.
  • Next, they must face a torturous trial where they are punished for their sin.
    • They must make 3 con saves, DC 20
    • Everytime they fail, they take psychic damage equal to 5 times the distance between what they rolled and the DC.
    • If they sacrificed to the lords, they have advantage.
  • If they fail one of the trials, they must roll a wisdom save against short term madness. if both, long term. But they will move on.

501-599

• Layer 507: Occipitus
  • The party comes face to face with a chained down Deva. in abyssal writing in front of it, it says
  • “Snuff out the final celestial light of this plane.”
  • If they dont do so on their own, it breaks free and attacks them - use perigees image.

600

• Layer 600: Endless Maze
  • DC 20 investigation

Stalker of Baphomet chases

Session 33: 23/04/2024

Travel continues, see #32

Miles traveled

93/120

Session 34: 30/04/2024

Inside the Ziggurat:

As they walk inside the ziggurat itself, the temperature takes a drastic drop from the heat outside. The walls are blackened, and the hallway leading inside is entirely dark. At the end of the hall, in the center of the ziggurat, they see a platform of sorts. Once all of them step on it, runes light up all around them, and suddenly darkness swallows them.

1-100

• Layer 66: The Demonweb Pits
• At first, they find themselves falling through a dark space, before being caught in large spiderwebs. All around them, weird demons, with a strange drow resemblance, start closing in.
  • They’re stuck in webs, and must get out.
  • They can either as an action try and get out, and can also roll a check at the end of their turn. The check required is a DC 15 Strength (Athletics).
  • They can also attack the webs.
  • Webs have AC 15, hp 15
    • Immunity to poison, psychic, bludgeoning
    • Vulnerability to cold, fire

After they break free, their surroundings fade to black once more,

101-200

• Layer 113: Thanatos
• The players find themselves in a barren landscape - sterile heaths, black forests and desolate landscapes. They stand on a stair leading up to the gates of a giant palace, made of obsidian and bones.
  • A necromancer and his minions appear before the party
  • The necromancer stands behind his minions, using them as “meat shields”
  • The party must defeat him to move on.

201-300

• Layer 230: The Dreaming Gulf
• They find themselves in a dark, windy and phantasmagoric realm. They see nothing around them, but something starts forming - their worst nightmare.
  • The party sees a manifestation of their worst nightmare. They have to overcome it and realize it’s not real by their own volition. However they do it determines skill and dc.

301-500

• Layer 377: Plains of Gallenshu
• Immediately when they appear on this layer, dust kicks up, blinding them from seeing anything except what is immediately next to them. Beneath their feet they feel a ground of powdery flesh, bones, and blood
  • The party gets attacked by 3 armanites
  • A duststorm flies around them, limiting their view to within 5 ft of themselves.
  • Play with darkness and smack the players away from each other
  • They have to defeat 2 of the armamites to move on.
• Layer 400: Woeful Escarands
• The party finds themselves in the middle of a sort of stage. Above them, seated on 3 giant flaming thrones, they see three demons.
  • “You stand before the Lords of Woe. We have trials you must face, and through them, we will decide your worthiness.”
  • First, the characters must confess their most heinous sin or their darkest secret, laying bare their soul before the judgmental gaze of the lords.
  • “We offer a chance at redemption for your sins. The next trial is this.”
  • Someone pivotal to their sin, or some thing appears in front of them”
  • “Sacrifice them/it in our name, and you may find redemption for your sins.”
  • If they do not, they must make a DC 15 Wisdom save or take 4d10 psychic. Half on success.
  • “Now, for the final trial. You must face punishment for your sins.”
  • Pain strikes throughout their entire body, threatening to break them completely.
  • Next, they must face a torturous trial where they are punished for their sin.
    • They must make 3 con saves, DC 20
    • Everytime they fail, they take psychic damage equal to 5 times the distance between what they rolled and the DC.
    • If they sacrificed to the lords, they have advantage.
  • If they fail one of the trials, they must roll a wisdom save against short term madness. if both, long term. But they will move on.
  • If someone does exceptionally well, they may receive a boon of the nalfeshnee.
  • https://5e.tools/cultsboons.html#demonic%20book%20of%20nalfeshnee_mtf

501-599

• Layer 507: Occipitus
• This layer is not like the rest at all. The party finds themselves in a city like layer, buildings ruined and left to decay over centuries. Even though Arani is the only one who could fully recognize this, everyone would sense a lingering celestial feel. On the bridge stretching out in front of them, they see a winged individual - silver skin, mace at their side and this otherworldly beauty to them.
• In abyssal writing in front of it, it says “Snuff out the final celestial light of this plane.”
  • If they dont do so on their own, it breaks free and attacks them

600

• Layer 600: Endless Maze
• The party finds themselves in a bleak corridor. Both behind them and in front, it twists away at corners and angles. Around them, various small trinkets and marks showcase other travelers going here and trying to find their way out of what now seems to be a maze of some kind.
  • End of their turn, party can make a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If they succeed, they’re free. They can also attempt this as an action.
  • After their first turn, a stalker of baphomet shows up to chase them while they try to escape.

Session 35: 07/05/2024

Hallway

The hallway is empty, except for the sconces on the wall, the door at the end, and the two openings to side rooms.

The walls are also decorated with various holy and unholy symbols, representing various gods and such, both known and unknown.

Gem room

The party finds a room with the same type of gem that they saw once before, below Isandor. Only this one is bigger, and there’s larger tendrils of dark energy coming out from it.

Around the gem, displayed on the walls, are mosaic-esque images.

The first depicts a young man, golden armor radiating light. His entire character seems to emanate duty, loyalty and justice. In his hand is a glowing sword, and standing behind his right shoulder stands another man, looking on proudly. The man behind him wears headless plate armor, the right gauntlet painted white, and a dragon flies behind the man, its scales platinum.

The next depicts the same young man, but this time, behind his left shoulder, another being is. Looking at this thing itself is difficult, and you can’t get a grasp on it - its form seems to constantly shift. All you clearly see is the deep darkness of this form, and you feel the almost maddening effect even just looking at this art has on you. The dark form seems to whisper into the young man’s ear, who looks doubtful.

The third depicts the young man, confronting the older man from the first art piece. The young man is pointing his sword at the older man. You notice the young man’s eyes are no longer golden as they were before, but have darkened.

The fourth image shows the young man plunging his sword into the chest of the older man. From the point of impact, a burst of radiant energy explodes out. Behind the young man, the dark figure can be seen once more.

The fifth image shows the young man in front of the dark figure. The dark figure is bestowing some sort of power to the young man - his skin has darkened, his old armor has been replaced by new armor, made partially of bones. In his hand, his sword has gone from glowing radiantly to having a darkened blade, abyssal runes etched into it. On his back, boney wings grow.

The sixth and final one shows the young man, now transformed, leading an army against another army, led by the platinum dragon. Behind all of them, the dark figure looms and overshadows the battle.

Portal Room

The portal is currently dormant. A static energy crackles between the two pillars, but it will not open unless The Keeper wants it to. The Keeper can at will open a portal to any layer of the abyss with this. It was from here that he started the spreading of the Hell-Steps.

The Lab

The eastern room is Tanar’ri’s laboratory, of sorts. It’s where he experiments with creatures, to see what makes them tick, to see how he can create more. When the party shows up, several creatures are here

Clockwise, from the top

• A cage with three humanoid corpses on spikes. The room is littered with humanoid bones.
• What looks to be a humanoid, partially turned into a dragon. His left arm is overgrown and scaled, his teeth turned to fangs, and his eyes are slit, among other factors, like his size.
• The third has what the party can guess to be what the humanoid in cage two is transforming into. It looks sort of like a dragon, but not really, much in the same way of seeing some uncanny valley stuff.
• The fourth cage has the same creature that Crokek’toeck was.
• Fifth cage has a fucked up creature - a giant creature, that looks like a bunch of trolls patched together in strange ways
  • Experimenting with the healing factor of trolls.
• Dragon bones
• The three bottom cages has three different demon corpses

In the middle of the room, a strange creature looks at the party - four arms and horned, with a look of curiosity in its eyes. There’s a feeling to it that makes you sure that this thing is ancient. A dead dragon lies on the table in front of it, clearly being worked on.

Surrounding it are three strange creatures. Each of them creatures you recognize, at least twisted versions of them. One is a weird snake creature, one seems to be a dog, and one a cat.

Tanar’ri

When Tharizdun created the abyss, he needed things to inhabit it. And so, he created the Obyriths. Tanar’ri was the first to be created. Tharizdun would go on to create more obyriths, or demon princes and lords as mortals call them. These would rule the abyss in Tharizdun’s stead.

Tanar’ri was granted a special task. He would populate the abyss. And that he did. In the abyss, Tanar’ri would form creatures in Tharizdun’s image. He would make the first demons. And these demons spread.

When Tharizdun was locked away, so was nethrak and tanar’ri. But recently, they were released, as their bonds weakened when Vangarnoth was slain.

And now they’re back, working to free their master from his chains. And there’s so many new delightful things to experiment on. His latest are the three animals around him, which will be pivotal going forward.

Session 36: 14/05/2024

Mountain travel encounters

1-2

Party comes across a couple of travelers, one having hurt his foot. They introduce themselves, ask for some healing and where the party is headed.

When told where, they ask to join them, at least for a little while, for safety. During the night, they will reveal themselves to be from Tanar’ri, and try to kill the party

Zarah

Elfie

Maruck

Remmy

Kinnard

3-4

Roc attacks one of the party members, and takes them up to a platform 90 ft. up, where its nest is.

In the nest are remains of other adventurers, including 2 common healing and 1 greater healing

5-6

Party comes across a small settlement, and suddenly sees boulders roll down towards the town. If they go to where they are coming from, they see two stone giants of evil earth, destroying the settlement to further their goals.

7-8

Stone turtle on the road, disguised as a boulder

9-10

Dwarf commoners, who left their previous settlement because of demon attacks, are walking along. As they introduce themselves to the party, 3 vrocks come flying down the mountains to attack them. One of the vrock summons 2d4 dretches.

Underdark encounter

1-2

Party comes across a couple of travelers, one having hurt his foot. They introduce themselves, ask for some healing and where the party is headed.

When told where, they ask to join them, at least for a little while, for safety. During the night, they will reveal themselves to be from Tanar’ri, and try to kill the party

3-4

Three echoes of demogorgon wandering, looking for food

5-6

Party comes across some Duergar with a bunch of deep gnomes in cages.

7-8

Drow ambush

9-10

Party comes across a large patch of mushrooms or some other plant of some kind. With close contact, it animates into a vine lord and 6 tendril puppets

On the 10th, the party would run into a pair of dwarves.

Session 37: 21/05/2024

Vanguard of Vigilance

When Thalia touches the contract, the perspective is pulled away from the characters, and down into Avernus.

They see a large mountain, and at the base of the mountain, a fort stands. Built of dark stones, clearly charred by the hellish heat surrounding the lands. A pathway, lined with skeletons of the people who dared venture too close, leads up to the large gate serving as the main entrance.

Inside, there’s a large room. In the far end from the door, a large platform surrounded by lava sits. On it, a throne is situated, and on that throne sits the pit fiend known as Azazel. He sits on his throne, surrounded by Merregon bodyguards, and around him on the island stand his Erinyes staff.

Suddenly, a bright light fills the room. Out of the light steps 5 figures - 4 of them large celestials, clad in armor. In the front stands one with a glaive and one with a sword and shield. Behind them stands one with a staff glimmering with holy light, and one with a longbow. Out in front of them steps a titan of a celestial - an empyrean.

Ardentor steps forward, and with a booming voice speaks out.

“Azazel! By the decree of Helm, we are here to break your hold on the mortal soul you have ensnared!”

Azazel leans forwards with a sinister smile

“Well, well. If it isn’t the Vanguard of Vigilance. Tell me, Ardentor (looking at the Empyrean), to what do I owe this… divine visitation? Surely, a simple soul is of little concern to one such as yourself.”

“The soul you have taken belongs to a follower of Helm. And he has decreed that this soul be freed of the contract. Release the mortal, or face the wrath of Helm’s chosen.”

Azazel chuckles darkly

“Such noble words, Ardentor. But you forget - you tread on my ground. Here, the laws of mortals and celestials alike bend to my will. What makes you think you can impose your justice here?”

Ardentor narrows his eyes

“Justice is not bound by realm or rule, Azazel. You will surrender the contract, or we will take it by force.”

Azazel stands from his throne as the flames around the room flicker more intensely.

“Very well, Ardentor. Let us see if your so-called justice can withstand the fires of Hell. I will relish in tearing you apart.”

~~

After the fight, the players are pulled “back”. Thalia watches as the contract burns up in her hands, and she feels as if a weight has been lifted off of her soul.

Session 38: 02/06/2024

oh god oh fuck

King Borik Stoneheart

Archivist Elda Stonequill

Innkeeper Rurik Strongbrew: A retired warrior turned brewmaster, Rurik spends his days perfecting his craft and his nights sharing tales of past battles.

High Priestess Thalina Fireforge: The wise and compassionate leader of the temple. She provides spiritual guidance and blessings to those in need.

Vema and Ilgan

The Forge of Eternity

To enter, Mika steps up and her vision is sent elsewhere

She finds herself in a large forge, where everything is sized to what she’d assume to be a giant of some kind. She hears the hammering on an anvil behind her, and as she turns around, she sees a 20 feet tall dwarven man. He has a powerful build, especially in the upper body. He is stern-faced and has flowing hair, which reaches down to his knees along with his beard. Around him, the faint white radiance shines. He looks down to her.

“Mika Haldovonsdottir. You have arrived at the entrance to my forge. What are you intending to use it for?”

“Show me some of your previous works.”

“Do you believe yourself worthy of attempting my trials?”

Scale of Shielding

Session 39: 04/06/2024

Trial of Moradin

As the party approaches the entrance to the Forge of Eternity, the hammering of the forges around them slows a bit, and some chattering and whispering among the dwarves watching you approach begins.

Mika, as you approach the entrance to the Forge of Eternity, your surroundings suddenly change. You now find yourself in a large room. Fine golden designs are engraved into the stone floor you stand on, and pillars with beautiful engravings support the ceiling above your head. On the opposite end of the room, a beautifully made, clearly magical, forge stands. Below it, a metal grid is set in the floor, revealing what looks to be an empty river with cooled lava rock in it. In the middle of the room, in front of you, is a large anvil. Behind it, you see a 20 feet tall dwarven dwarf. He has a powerful build, especially in the upper body. He is stern-faced and has flowing hair, which reaches down to his knees along with his beard. Around him, this faint white radiance shines.

“Mika Haldovonsdottir. You have arrived at the entrance to my forge. For what reason have you come?”

As he talks, he starts walking down to the other end of the room, where a large forge stands, currently empty. He walks to this small console of sorts, where he draws some runes. As he finishes this, the forge itself hums to life, and you hear what sounds like a gate of some sort opening in the distance, and you notice light shining from below the metal grid in the floor, as lava starts flowing in the river below, and into the forge itself.

Mika answers.

“Interesting. Show me some of your previous works.”

He walks back to the anvil to check out whatever Mika brings forward.

“Very fine work. I can tell that you pour your soul into your crafts.”

From one of his pockets, he grabs this small, slightly strange statue. It shows a dragon - tiny wings, laying flush against its almost impossibly thin frame, atop which a slender neck extends to a narrow head, with bare slits for its eyes and nostrils. The dragon itself is made from stone of some kind, but not one you recognize - it seems magical in nature almost. The dragon’s mouth is open in a roar, and from its jaws extends what looks to be its breath weapon - a large cloud composed of millions of shards of a metal you do recognize - mithral.

“Do you believe yourself worthy to attempt my trial, and use my forge?”

As Mika answers, he goes over to the now lit forge, and starts heating up the dragon statue.

“I will let you attempt my trial. I sense that your journey is headed towards greatness, and to prepare for that, you need a great forge. The trial will proceed as so:”

He takes the now heated up dragon statue, and starts hammering it on the anvil.

“I want you to craft me something. What it is does not matter. The crafting itself is the important part. All I require of the crafting is the two components in the item. Mithral, and a special type of stone.”

He looks at you with a slight smirk.

“You are not to use any metals you already possess when entering the trial. All you need is in the forge. And beware - my forge is overseen by Vema and Ilgan, my two guardians of the forge. They will try to hinder you and your companions.”

“Do you wish to proceed, and attempt the trial?”

Mika, as you return to your senses, and as everyone looks to her, you hear a woosh of air, and looking back to the entrance to the forge, a dragon’s head is now looking back at you. You see light glinting off the dragon’s glossy scales, shining silver-white. Its face is narrow, with tiny slits for both eyes and nostrils.

“I am Ilgan, Guardian of the Forge of Eternity. I will bring you to it if you wish to complete the trial.”

The dragon brings them all down a deep drop below the forges of glitterdeep, and finally, you arrive at your destination - a building, resting above a dormant river of lavarocks. The dragon puts you down in one end of the large room inside the buildings, where you see a large anvil and a forge stand - Mika, you recognize the room from your vision.

As the dragon drops you off, it flies over and takes its place. Opposite it, you see this other strange creature - the upper torso of a woman, with a powerful snakelike tail for her lower body, along with snakes for hair. The woman speaks up, looking at Mika.

“I trust you have received instructions on completing the trial. Just say when you wish to begin.”

~~

Upon finishing the trial and leaving again, an elderly dwarven woman approaches Mika. She has long, grey curls, and large, brown eyes, with a warm smile. She wears very finely made chain mail, adorned with the holy symbol of Moradin, and a beautiful silver helmet sits on her head.

“Child, I am high priestess Thalina. Did you manage to complete the trial?”

Once she confirms, Thalina would raise Mikas arm into the air, and cheers erupt from the various forges, along with metallic clanging like applause.

“Come with me then. I trust the King would want to hear of your successes.”

They leave for the hall of kings, where the king will congratulate her, and since she completed the trial, it must be for a reason. So as reward, the party is always allowed to enter glitterdeep, and they will receive whatever metals they may need for their forgings.

At the end, thalina “senses” why moradin picked mika

Session 40: 11/06/2024

Meeting the King

If they find High Priestess Thalina, she can bring them to the Mirrored Hall of Kings. This entire room has been polished to a mirror-like state, and the statues of previous kings line the sides of the room.

When they enter, a speaker calls out.

“You are now in the presence of King Borik Stoneheart!”

The King stands from his large throne.

“In these trying times, we must be wary of strangers, so you must excuse any difficulties you may have had in trying to enter the city. Demons run rampant in our mountains, and our outer settlements and mines are destroyed by various foes that try to shake us. But in these times, it is good to see that there are those who will inspire hope to us all.”

He points to Mika

“You - speak your name.”

“Your name will go down in a line of legendary heroes who managed to complete the trials of Moradin. You are a beacon of hope for Glitterdeep. And as such, Glitterdeep will bestow unlimited entrance for you and your friends into the city, and whatever materials you might need for your various forgings in the Forge of Eternity. If you wish to settle, you will also be granted living quarters.”

When saying they will keep going, he can provide them armed escorts at least out of the mountains - to BB if Aelthar has left.

The Cult of the Black Earth attacks

As they leave the mountains, they do so through one of the mines that stretch to the western side of the Red Range. As they are taking the stairs up, the ground beneath their feet starts rumbling, and rocks start breaking loose all around them. As this starts, they hear commotion and yelling from up in the upper parts of the mine.

Getting closer, they start making out what is being said - it is a clear voice yelling from outside the actual cave itself.

“Dwarves, your greed has scarred the earth for too long. You strip her flesh for gems, leaving wounds and emptiness. But Ogrémoch, the true guardian of the earth, has whispered to me, and I have heard his righteous call. He asks me, his chosen prophet, to cleanse this land of your perversion.

Today, the mountains you defiled will be your tomb. The very stones you worship will crush you. By Ogrémoch’s will, I, Solithos, will reduce your crumbling mine to dust.”

Here, initiative is rolled as the party arrives at the top of the stairs.

Solithos is concentrating on Earthquake, so the ground until the first set of boxes is difficult terrain. On his turn, part of the roof collapses, triggering the dex save for everyone inside. If three turns go by without anyone damaging him, Solithos leaves. Otherwise, he fights until all his minions are dead and he is reduced to below 100 hp.

As he leaves, he yells back to the party

“Ogrémoch will return, and when he does your cities will crumble, as will all who stand in the Black Earth’s way!”

Seria

The goblins that attacked Seria had a moonstone fall down into their cave. It gave some of them great psionic powers, however it also slowly started twisting

Session 41: 18/06/2024

Travel to BB:

The party will, with no delays, arrive at the Brimstone Bastion on the 24th of Midsommer

Seria

Almost two decades ago, a small piece of Caecus, the Dark Moon, broke off and fell as a meteorite into a small cave located just outside of Seria, where a goblin camp, the Batiri Tribe, was located. As it fell, a shard hit Ruxithid square in the head, but it didn’t kill him - it instead showed him visions.

Ruxithid believed these visions to be signs from Maglubiyet - that he was chosen. And so, he killed the leader of the tribe and took over. Soon after, he had convinced all others that he was a prophet of maglubiyet. And after that, he was convinced that to prove themselves, they had to expand. And that would happen through Seria. And so they started attacking. Pesky adventurers tried to deal with them, but never managed.

Soon, they drove out the citizens of Seria, and killed those who didn’t flee. Now, they’ve taken over the area, and they dragged the moonstone to the manor at the top of the village, where Ruxithid lives.

The moonstone has warped the area, turning it strange

Plants have unusual colors, some are bioluminescent, and trees grow in strange ways. Animals have strange colors, extra limbs, glowing patches of fur. A constant mist plagues the land.

Session 42: 16/07/2024

Encounters:

Castle Ashenwall

Late in the day, and just as the party is hitting the edge of the Hell-Steps. As they move closer, they see a shape out front by the main gate. It seems to be a dwarf, making repairs to the gate itself. When he notices your group approach, he turns around towards you, putting down his tools and putting a hand on his sword hilt

“Halt! State your business, travelers. These are dangerous times, so we can’t be too careful. What brings you to Castle Ashenwall?”

With good enough persuasion or deception, they’ll be let inside.

Inside, they see the fort, despite its size, seems strangely empty. In the courtyard, a couple of dwarves chop a bit of wood, and when they see the party approach, they start whispering amongst themselves. Upon hearing the gate open, Edwin, the leader of the castle, steps out to welcome the party.

“Seeing as you made it past the gates, that means Eldan saw some value in you.”

He gestures towards the castle

“Welcome to Castle Ashenwall. My name is Sir Edwin Voss, the appointed leader of the Castle. You arrive at an unfortunate time, as we are currently in a bit of a predicament. Soldiers have been pulled towards the Brimstone Bastion as there are rumors of an attack, so we’re understaffed, and on top of that, we are being sabotaged, our rations are being poisoned, and our defenses are being tampered with, so trust is in short supply. But if you need shelter for the night, you’ll be welcome to stay.”

He’ll go around introducing them to everyone.

Food:

Armin Vae is the one who does the cooking. One night before the food got poisoned he saw a strange mist go out of the food, but thought nothing of it before the two fell ill. Now he’s treating the two with his healing powers.

Weapons:

All the weapons are stored in the blacksmith, where Thorek works. He hasn’t seen anyone enter or anything without his say so. One night when he was working, a wind had blown in from a window, and he had gotten sick. When he came back, several weapons and materials were destroyed.

Gate:

Yesterday, people heard loud noises banging on the gate, but when they got there, noone was there, and the gate was broken.

Yesterday, Manfred, a paladin who had just arrived from Esneya after reports of what was happening reached them, was killed in his room while he was sleeping. Guards were there almost immediately, but nothing was seen.

When the party is introduced to the drows, the two of them are getting ready to leave. Since they’re nocturnal, they patrol around the castle at night. Once out of sight, they will transform into the mist form and go to kill Eldan.

Serenity’s Retribution

On the second day, the party will see a campfire in the distance when they are about to camp. It’s the SR, who are also heading to the Brimstone Bastion. They got sent there by Jorgen, who heard of the siege about to happen. They just did a job from, where they picked up a book and a ring in a efreeti’s fortress.

When they talk, Wyrmblight takes note of Thalia’s wings, a detects her as a fiend. He tells the leader telepathically, and someone will try and take her out during the night unless something else happens to stop it.

They can also make their way to BB together afterwards.

Initiation Ritual

The party arrives at a part of the Hell-Steps where the ground is split open into small islands, surrounded by lava rivers below in the ravines. In front of them, on one of the islands, they see a group of 5 individuals. 2 of them look to be wearing the same armor as the demon hunters they met a while back, as well as the glowing green eyes and blindfolds. Two other individuals stand in front of the two demon hunters - they see some of the same features - one, a woman, has glowing green eyes, while the man standing with her wears a mask, covering his entire face. Both of them have horns curling from the tops of their heads, and sport bright green tattoos, way larger than the other demon hunters. The woman is tall, wielding two swords, and has on a very finely made dress, decorated with what seems to be various trophies of various demons.

While the woman is tall, the man next to her still almost stands a head taller than her. Very beefy, and similarly has two swords, which glow with some demonic energy. His eyes and tattoos glow brightly, more brightly than the other DH’s with him.

In front of them, kneeling, is an elf. It seems that he’s reciting something, a ritual of sorts. He finishes as you approach, and hops to another island. As he does, you notice on another island - a barlgura comes out of invisibility, and the elven man makes his way towards it, while none of the demon hunters make a move towards it - just watch. As the elf jumps to the same island as the barlgura, he brandishes his swords, as both light up as lightning sparkles from them.

The barlgura will (likely) kill him if no one intervenes. If anyone intervenes, he fails his trial to become a demon hunter, and disappoints Kor’vas, who is his dad. If the party intervenes, Vaedis will yell at them how they ruined his chance to become great, and to make a difference.

Arynasha is talkative and snarky, while Kor’vas prefers not to speak if he doesn’t have to. The two of them are an item, and Kor’vas leads the demon hunters in BB.

Session 43: 23/07/2024

Brimstone Bastion

The Brimstone Bastion is surrounded by two massive walls, standing 30 feet tall. Each of these walls holds two massive gates each. The outer wall is dubbed the “Sunwall,” while the inner is the “Dragonwall.” On the two gates of the Sunwall are large, intricate holy symbols of Pelor made of ruby. These are enchanted with an aura of forbiddance that stretches out to a length of 15 feet from the wall. Surrounding each gate, and then at 300 feet intervals, are guard towers, which stand at 40 feet.

There’s 60 feet of space between the two walls. The ring here is called the Bastion Ring. The Bastion Ring contains parts of the city’s military forces. The ones who are stationed here are the “First responders” in case of a demon attack. Shifts are taken in 5 days where soldiers sleep and train in the Bastion Ring, before swapping to inside the Dragonwall. Barracks stretch from the Dragonwall to the Sunwall, essentially dividing the Bastion Ring into smaller sections. These barracks are located where the watchtowers stand. One of these barracks is home to the Tanar Order, where the Demon Hunters Reside.

Inside the Dragonwall is the actual city of Brimstone Bastion. The city is divided into three main districts: The Radiant District, the Wyrm District and the Shimmer District. At the point where the three meet lies The Heart, a walled castle where leaders of every faction reside.

__The Radiant District __

The Radiant District is the residential area of the city. This is where the largest part of the civilians of the city reside. Both the Temple of the Dawn and the Seatower of Serani are located in this district, along with the Omnishrine. Several taverns are also located here, including The Dragon’s Hoard and The Crow’s Nest. It is also in the Radiant District where the city’s harbor is. The harbor is mostly used to receive food and supplies from Esneya. The food and various drinks received from the ships is usually decent quality, and it is what is sold at the taverns. Each district also has a Mheal Center. Here, cleric’s use their spells to cast “Create Food and Water,” where each family can get a portion per day. These also double as medical stations, where the sick and wounded can go.

The Wyrm District

The Wyrm District covers the part of the Bastion where the two gates open into. This is where the barracks, training areas and such inside the gates are located. Soldiers not on duty in the Bastion Ring live in this district here. A small fort is located in the middle of the district called the “Little Heart” which is where the generals and officers high ranking enough for the Heart stay. The tavern “The Last Drop” is located here, which is where soldiers usually hang out.

The Shimmer District

The Shimmer District is the commercial district of the Bastion. Here you can find most of the shops and smiths and such in the city. It also has the tavern The Short and the Stout, which is where most workers go to have a drink after their shifts.

Factions

The Tanar Order

“They will stop at nothing to destroy our world. We will sacrifice everything to save it.”

Leader - Kor’vas Bloodthorn

The Mainstay

The city guard. Times of chaos like these means someone has the keep the peace.

Leader - Satzrak Runestrider, bronze dragonborn.

Dragon Elves

Leader - Esta Serani

Holy Kingdom of Esneya

Leader - Porthos Dimont

Dwarves of the Red Range

Leader - Bhargrim Bonebrand

• Legion of the dead
  • has darkvein

Brimstone Bastion Locations:

Temples

Temple of the Dawn

• The Temple of the Dawn is the main temple for Pelor, God of the Sun. It’s built from stone, and features stained glass windows representing sunlight. The wooden double door has carvings depicting a flaming wreath looking like the flames around the sun. The building itself is divided in two. Just beyond the door is the temple, with large 10-foot, stained glass windows about 10 feet apart, with 3 on each side. There’s benches on each side, with a red carpet going through the middle up to a stone altar. Behind the altar is a smaller double door, which leads to the part of the temple where the Holy Priests of Esneya stay.

Omnishrine

• The Omnishrine is a circular plaza, lined with statues and small altars of various different gods.

Mielikki’s Lament

• When the Brimstone Bastion was built, a singular tree was still alive. A large effort was made to keep this tree alive, and it was fenced off. Now, it’s seen as a shrine to Mielikki, god of nature, and a symbol of hope for survival.

Duskmeadow and Ebonmeadow

At both ends of the Bastion Ring, there are cemeteries, where the dead are buried. The northern is Dusk and the southern is Ebon. At both of these, a small temple to the Raven Queen has been built.

Forges

Sunfire Forge

• Ran by Rohaya, Half-elf commoner. The name comes from the special way of forging used - iridescent crystals line the roof, which direct the sunlight to the forge, where it can light up metals and such without an actual fire. Rohaya specializes in siege equipment and other ordinary items.

Hammerstrike Forges

• Twin forges that stand across the street from one another. They are run by the dwarven cousins Kadmos and Tiria Hammerstrike. Both are competent smiths, but Kadmos specializes in armor and Tiria in weapons.

Shops

Old Man Kruuk’s

• A small bakery, run by an old half-orc named Kruuk. Overall it’s relatively bad quality, and most people opt for the Mheal Centers or taverns, but the bakery doubles as a fence for stolen and dangerous goods.

Perplexing Primordial Oddities

• Another location set up by the chain store. A stone stair leads up to the entrance in the building, where a stone arch door leads into the store itself. The owner of the store is Opal, an earth genasi.

The Smoky Cauldron

• A small location that sells potions and alchemy, run by a halfling named Marina. The shop is filled with bubbling cauldrons, colorful ingredients, and an assortment of potion bottles. The air is thick with the scent of herbs and magical reagents.

The Shattered Crystal

• The Shattered Crystal is a gem shop run by the gemsmith Ralston. The shop features an impressive collection of gemstones and magical crystals used in spells. The atmosphere is filled with the glint and shimmer of precious stones.
  • He sells diamonds for 500/850 due to demand here.

Taverns

Blade and Stars - Squalid

• The most infamous of the taverns, located in the Shimmer District. Usually one spilled drink away from a brawl in here, people generally don’t visit without lots of friends. But the place doesn’t see many visitors generally. The barkeep is the green dragonborn Kroogan.
• The tavern is also a front for The Cinders.
  • Asking the barkeep for “Hot Ale” will make him show you the hidden trapdoor to the lair.

The Short and Stout - Poor

• Most lively tavern in the Shimmer district. Nothing special, quality isn’t the best, but the atmosphere is why people come here. It is ran by the Dwarven brothers Balnur and Tornus

The Last Drop - Modest

• Run by tiefling Hope, this is a large, three story tavern in the Wyrm District. This is where soldiers usually come to eat and hang out.

The Crow’s Nest

• This tavern is located inside of a beached ship by the harbor. It boasts a large taproom, a fish-focused menu, and modest lodging. It is run by Jesen.

The Dragon’s Hoard - Comfortable

• The finest and highest quality of the city’s taverns. Decorated with various motifs of bronze dragons, it is run by Irawan and his wife Calinao, both dragon elves. They serve a special bread, which has a recipe from the dragon elves island.

Main Keep

The Heart

A symbol of the city, The Heart is the main keep that stands in the center of the city. The keep itself stands taller than all other buildings and is visible from everywhere in the city. It is walled off providing a third and final defensive wall inside the city, where people may be led into in case it is really needed. Banners of the Dragon Elves, Esneya and the Red Range decorate the walls. The city’s ruling council dwells within and holds its meetings here.

Barracks

Garmult’s House of Mastery

• This wide three-story building leans precariously over the street in the Wyrm District. Run by an old martial artist named Garmult, the House of Mastery offers both martial training of all sorts for the city’s would-be warriors and a central hangout the Mainstay. They also hire members to teach classes in the building’s open-air atrium while other members lounge on the overlooking balconies.

Seatower of Serani

• The Seatower of Serani is a small fort on an islet in the harbor. Its sheer walls erupt from the stone in such a way that any potential invaders from the sea have few footholds. The seatower is the main residence of the dragonriders of the Dragon Elves, and roughly 50 occupy it at any time.
• The Seatower also acts as a local prison. Three levels of dungeons extend underneath it. The lowest one is below sea level, and it integrates part of a naturally occurring cavern system. This cavern system is where the dragon elves store their bronze dragon, which has tunnels to the sea to allow them to swim out, along with a large entrance that goes up to the central plaza in the Seatower.

Quests

A ghost in our midst

• Priests of Esneya can give this quests, or rumors in a tavern
• https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/cotn/faction-story-tracks#ConsortiumMission1AGhostinOurMidst

Half-baked Scheme

• The Mainstay can give this
• https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/cotn/faction-story-tracks#CobaltSoulMission2HalfBakedScheme

Session 44: 06/08/2024

Meet with H.A.

Hiserius Anakiir is happy to hear what the party has to tell him. He will listen and then decide it’s big enough for the party to bring to the Heart. The Heart Council holds a briefing meeting twice a week to discuss various things, like criminal activities, demon sightings and provisions.

Meeting in the Heart

The party can enter the heart at the designated time. When they arrive, they see a large dragon flying over the wall, towards the castle. If they wait, they see its Esta, arriving with petir.

The party can tell what they saw at bhogh daral. At the end, Kor’vas suggests that they take a small army and march on bhogh daral - there’s a portal there, it’s their best guess.

Tour with Vaeril

exposition moment. Explaining the 3 districts and various things.

Encounters:

Old man Kruuk

Berserker Handaxe

A ghost in our midst

Murder

scream, they can follow murderer to tavern.

Session 45: 20/08/2024

Battle of Brimstone Bastion

Sunwall

Cutscene

• fighting for hours already
• esta divebombs with her dragon, orcus shoots her down with his 50 cal skull
• Yeenoghu charges the now downed esta and dragon
• dragon takes a hit for esta, and yeenoghu starts tearing into dragon
• petir leaves the wall to help her fight yeenoghu
• orcus is also heading for esta to finish the job, but porthos intervenes
• Porthos leaves to fight orcus
• fight begins

Fight

• Round 1
  • Barlgura packlord+4 jump the wall
  • 2 reverser, 2 absorber and 1 null shows up
• Round 2
  • Goristro shows up
  • Vrock slams through the roof with a nullifier
• Round 3
  • Goristro destroys the wall

Dragonwall

• The crystal is destroyed
• blast of radiance, destroying all fiends in the immediate vicinity
• Kor’vas yells to get back to the Heart, protect the civilians there
• As the party runs, they see petir and esta together kill yeenoghu
• Porthos is flying in the sky, still battling Orcus
• As the party runs, the demons gather again, and start flooding the gate

Inner street

• porthos is winning against orcus
• big sword through his chest, his light dwindling as he falls, slamming into the streets below
• out from above the clouds comes nethrak

Session 46: 27/08/2024

Party pulls up to the heart

They go inside, the guards are holding off any demons and undead for the moment

Head priest, Andrara, has been keeping civilians safe and treating the wounded. They’re holding, but Andrara felt that Porthos has fallen, and can tell how bad things are going out there. But they must hold out for as long as possible, for any type of miracle.

As they have this convo, Thalia hears the guards outside the wall start yelling. Out the window, they see Nethrak’s sword flying into the gatehouse and lower side of the heart in an explosion. Rubble starts collapsing in the heart itself, but Andrara extends a radiant shield-aura around her, holding it off of the wounded. She mentions that whatever may come, the party must hold them off. She cannot help herself, but she can get some extra help, summoning the archon.

As the party heads outside, a magic chain forms from the sword back towards nethrak, who they see appearing from a street.

“This is who they sent to defend the last stronghold? I was hoping for some fun before your city is crumpled completely. But not even your precious aspect offered much of a fight.”

The party hears flapping of wings as orcus descends

“Try not to die too quickly”

round 2, petir and gang shows up

Round 4 or 5, metilles and gang shows up. theyve carved a path through the demons, and now is the time to get the last civilians out.

as the party leaves, they see various new emblems on the armors and banners coming into the city

ridian empire, lions

outside a city, the demons have been beat back from one side

The party sees a contigement of green skinned elfs, one of them holding up a large portal. arcana check reveals kind of gate spell.

he greets them and tells them to go in. immediately around them, they see a realm that looks almost like the feywild, but not quite. Fairies and elfs and various other beastfolk walk in the streets of the small elven town they arrive in. behind all of them, dominating the background to the point where the party didnt notice it when they first entered, they see a giant tree, extending up into the purple sky. one of the green elfs who stepped into the portal next to the party looks up at it with a smile, and mutters under his breath, “I iqua ir Meth Ath all lend’s” - the beginning and end of all journeys. the party might have heard legends or something about the existence of this here thing, but now they find themselves standing in the realm of the planar tree.

The party would wake to the elven town buzzling with people preparing for some kind of journey. The elves are heading for their pilgrimage trip to what they call the “I meth Ath all lend’s” Which means “The end of all journey’s. Its other commonly known name is “I iqua Ath all lend’s” which means “The beginning of all Journey’s”.

The tree is a planar tree made thousands of years ago that once had a connecting ley line to all other planes of existence but over time many of these have faded and only few remain. The elves go here to worship and some exchange gifts between the denizens of other planes like the feywilds, Arborea(Arvandor) or the Beastlands.

Sehanine Moonbow:

Sehanine is the elven ruler of Arborea and the Aspect of Selune. She interacts with the upper leadership of Enya and walks among the people as a normal person would when the formalities are over.

Sehanine Moonbow looks like a 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall youthful, ageless, female elf clad in a diaphanous gown, that looked like it was made of moonbeam and dropped moonbeam drops every 10 minutes, that could be bottled as potions of invisibility.[16]

Aerdrie Faenya:

Aerdrie Faenya is an intermediate deity and the first born daughter and Aspect of Akadi, The Primordial of Storms and wind. She later in life helped create the Primordial tree with Akadi. Akadi died soon after and Aerdrie became the protector of the Planar tree.

Her Appearance is that of a Slender elf With Large unfurled wings on her back. There is always wind swirling around her like a hurricane unless she wills it not too.

Corellon Larethian:

The fellow ruler of Arborea with Sehanine he wields immense respect from all elves as he is considered their creator and protector of the Tel-Quessir. When the festival happens at the planar tree he usually goes undercover as a singer named “Arannis Silverleaf”

Session 47: 10/09/2024

The party finds themselves now in the realm of the planar tree - all the branches blending into the sky above as they bleed into other planes. As they take in the views, the remaining refugees and soldiers and dragons flood in through the portal.

“Brothers, sisters, denizens of the Planar Tree. Today, I bring word of a grave matter—a decision that has been made, not lightly, but with deep consideration.

Beyond this realm, in the material plane, a great disaster has struck. The Brimstone Bastion has fallen, overrun by demonic forces. All the refugees that now stand in our realm have lost their homes. These people, led by Metilles, have sought refuge. And after deliberation, I have agreed. Until the danger passes, they may stay within the safety of the Planar Tree. We must offer them this haven until they can stand on their own once more.”

At this notion, elves and various other denizens of the planar tree rise, as a chorus of voices erupts, some expressing outright anger, others whispering concerns.

One elf steps forward, a silver haired man with noble attire, and yells over the rest (Nesterin)

“We cannot allow this! The Planar Tree is a sacred realm, a sanctuary meant for our people! How can we trust these outsiders to respect that?”

Other voices join in as the crowd becomes more agitated.

“Last time outsiders were here, blood was spilled! My brother was murdered” the party hears someone else yell.

At this point, Metilles steps forward, raising his hand which calms the agitated crowd enough for him to speak.

“People of the Planar Tree. I understand your fears. But we come not as desecrators, but as those who have lost everything. We seek not to sully your sacred grounds. I know the importance of this place to you. But these people have no homes left. No safe place to lay their heads. They are not asking for permanence, only for a chance to recover, to rebuild.

I know it is a heavy request. But if you turn us away, these people will have nowhere else to go.”

The words hang heavy for a few seconds, before the crowd ignites once more, with more passion than before even.

“Words are easy, Emperor, but trust is not!” one shouts

“This is not your land to claim or ask of! You cannot know what the Tree means to us!” another cries, her voice trembling with fury.

“How can we know you will not bring the ruin that befell you to us?”

The uproar in the crowd just grows louder and angrier, and it’s clear that even Rillifane’s authority will not quell the crowd.

Suddenly, one of the other elves seated on the stage rises. He stands at 7 feet tall, easily towering over the ones standing next to him. His skin glows softly, as if kissed by sunlight, and his long, silver-white hair flows like strands of moonlight. His eyes scan the crowd as he steps forward.

“Enough.”

The single word cuts through the tension like a blade of light. All eyes turn toward him, the crowd falling silent under his gaze.

“I have heard your voices. I have seen your fears. And I understand them. But listen now, for what I say is not just my will, but the will of the gods who stand beside me.”

He gestures to Rillifane, Aerdrie, and Sehanine, each standing tall, watching with solemn approval.

“For many ages, this Tree has been our sanctuary, our hidden refuge. It has been known only to few - of the material plane, few elves and denizens of Sanctuary. But the world outside our realm is changing. The forces of darkness stir, ancient evils awaken. The demons who overran these people’s home are but the beginning.

We face a threat that does not care for race, for status, for the boundaries between our realms. We must be stronger than our fear. Now is not the time to close ourselves off. Now is the time for unity. The Planar Tree will be a symbol of that unity—a beacon of hope in a darkening world.

Corellon lifts his hand, and a soft, ethereal glow spreads from the base of the Great Tree, enveloping the crowd. The light is warm, comforting—a reminder of the strength and unity that the elves have always upheld.

“These refugees are not here to take what is yours. They come seeking sanctuary, as we all would in their place. And so, we will offer it to them. This realm will be their shelter as it has been ours. And through this act, we will show the world that even in the face of darkness, we stand united.”

Around you in the crowd, the elves, though still wary, are quiet now, their doubts slowly fading in the presence of their god.

after this, rillifane will lead the refugees to where they will be staying. its a grove of oak trees, and as the refugees go there, rillifane shapes the branches of all the trees to make hundreds of small huts and shelters. in the middle, he shapes a large building where the leaders can gather.

Esta, andrara, bhargrim, kor’vas, metilles and lambert(who hands thena and lionel off the ferwin) head there to discuss the siege, losses and the refugees. they will all stay a couple days to help get everyone set up. afterwards, esta will head to dragon isles, andrara will head to esneya to deal with everything up there, metilles and lambert will head east to deal with sauntes. esta wants a funeral held for petir tomorrow, and wishes for the party to be there, seeing as they were with him when they died.

PLAY farewell, old friend

In a solemn clearing within the realm of the planar tree, the dragon elves have gathered around a stone altar, where the body of Petir has been laid. Around the elves, dragons hover in the air, their wings beating with a slow, mournful rhythm. In front of the stone altar stands Esta. Her silver hair blows gently in the wind as she steps forwards towards Petir.

“I stand here today,” she begins, her voice trembling slightly, “before my brother’s body, as I have done once before. Years ago, I was sent to banish him from our home. To mark him. It was my duty, and I carried it out, but still, it remains my biggest shame.”

She pauses for a second, her hands gripping the edge of the stone altar as if to keep herself from buckling over.

“That day, I not only banished my brother, but I broke him. And because of that, he lived his final years in exile, alone, and burdened by the name I gave him - Wer Lokria.”

There’s a moment’s silence as her voice breaks before she gathers herself once more. Tears stream down her face as she continues

“But I do not want him to be remembered that way. Not today. Not anymore. In his final moments, he was still my brother. And so, I wanna send him on from this life, not as Petir Wer Lokria. But as Rytys Petir. As my brother.”

She takes a deep breath and steps back. As she does, several of the bronze dragons position themselves above the altar. They lower their heads and, in unison, unleash streams of lightning toward Petir’s body. As the lightning dances over his body, it begins to dissolve into tiny, shimmering flecks of light. The glimmers rise from the altar, swirling up towards the sky. They grow brighter, coalescing into the magnificent, glowing form of a dragon. Platinum scales shine brilliantly as the dragon spreads its wings wide in a final ascent. As it surges upwards, the light grows more intense until finally, with a sudden explosion of light, it vanishes.

meanwhile

alexei time

jorgen havarian has grown skinnier, looking almost more frail in a sense, his skin tightening around the features of his face. The white in his eyes has also darkened and become black, and his irises shine green.

he spends almost all of his time in his room studying his book of vile darkness. he’s learning the ritual to become a lich. in his room, the book rests on his desk. a high enough inv check sees that the table is darkening around the book.

SR can talk with alexei and try to bring back their lost friend. the next day, jorgen asks serenity’s retribution for a favor, against payment naturally. he wants them to go to a collector in eryx, and get a specific item in his collection - a soul gem, named Sath’tennak.

however, when they get there, the city is in chaos - giants are attacking the collector that SR wanted to go to. some city guard are fighting some of them, but when the party gets to the collector, a dragon rises from the house with a small container in its claws. it sees alexei approaching, and as it takes off to leave, it mutters how she looks familiar, breath weapons in their general direction, and teleports away. when it leaves, the giants start leaving too.

alexei sees cyric getting helped up by a man. cyric was there because he fled the crossing, and heard of this collector here in eryx. the giants attacked, and kerelan was close by and helped cyric.

any items of the collector hits with a finger of death, glyph of warding.

at the end of the 1st of solis, antael contacts aelthar.

Session 48: 17/09/2024

Alexei:

In the morning, Jorgen would wake SR and Alexei. He needs two of them to go to Eryx, to a collector there named Khishan. He has soul gems, and one of them contains a Glabrezu named Va’Neuk. They are to retrieve this gem, and then return with it the Jorgen. They will get paid.

Eloweth suggests Jamis goes, as he looks like he needs to get out, and he can teleport. She also suggests that Alexei goes with him, as “protection.”

Once they arrive, they make their way towards the address of the collector. However, soon after arriving, they realize there are sounds of fighting and smoke rising from where they’re heading.

Upon arriving, they find a giant along with other creatures and people fighting the city guard. With the city guard are three adventurers, one that Alexei recognizes - Cyric. After the fight, they can catch up. Cyric basically escaped the crossing, and linked up with some other adventurers who wanted to make some cash. They were in the area when the giant attacked. Kerelan insisted they help.

As they talk, a girl approaches them. She has short, blond hair, graceful movements, and large, dark, and serious eyes. She is barefoot, and wears ankle-length, nondescript dark robes. She looks determined — and hopeful.

“I have walked far and long to find you. I have heard that you are adventurers — and I have need of adventurers. I am Caitlan Moonsong, and I need you to rescue my mistress from cruel captivity.” She eyes you, voice quavering.

“I have no gold to offer you, but I can promise you that your reward shall be great, once my mistress is free. You have her word on it, and she does not lie. Nor do I. What say you?”

She speaks to Twilight, Kerelan and Cyric primarily. Afterwards, she turns to Alexei. She looks her up and down, with a raised eyebrow.

“I do not know who you are, but I sense you have a mistress much like my own. I would ask you join this adventure, both for mine and your own mistress’ sake.”

If they ask about the mistress

“She is a great worker-of-magic, who has done much good in her time. She has fallen captive to an evil one with a few evil tricks of magic, who covets and uses her power. She is in chains, in a great hall in Castle Rosered, near the city of Weavington in eastern Epithon.”

If they accept, she looks around at them.

“One more member is needed. Come with me, and we shall find him.”

She starts walking determined in one direction.

Jamis can agree to just finish the job for Alexei.

The party goes to St. Bethrynna’s Grace, where Caitlan gives the entire speech to Agnese. She twists the speech slightly to speak to the tenets of Helm, of being their guardian on this adventure.

Once all gathered, Caitlan uses a teleportation tablet to bring the party to Weavington. Here, they get gear, horses and what else they might need and start heading north, towards Castle Rosered.

Mika:

Mikas body is the key needed to plane shift.

Once they find someone able to planeshift them to the Endless Athenaeum, they can use Mikas body to get there. They find themselves in the infinite library, with celestial spirits wandering, reading, writing. They aren’t here long before being dragged elsewhere, to another part of the library. In front of them stands a giant Sphinx-like creature, and with a booming voice it says. “I am Isperia, Guardian of the Endless Athenaeum. You trespass upon the holy ground of the realm of the Knowing Mistress. You are forbidden from leaving with the knowledge of getting to her realm. Therefore, you must be destroyed.” Initiative

Immediately before the final strike that would kill Isperia hits, time freezes. A voice spreads out throughout the room

“It would seem I need to upgrade my security measures. But I’d say you’ve earned your visit.”

As time unfreezes, a blast of light intercepts where the final strike would hit Isperia. Whoever is close would get knocked back, and upon looking again, they’d see a woman standing in front of Isperia, with olive skin and beautiful, flowing hair. Her two eyes glow brightly with radiant light. She wears a beautiful flowing dress, where on the stomach they see a large, darkened gash of black, curling void in her stomach. Floating above one of her hands is a mote of light softly pulsing, with these streaks of black thrashing around inside and around it.

Ioun wants to study Mika’s soul.

If she is allowed to study it, she believes she can find a cure for darkvein. However, the process would be straining on Mika’s soul, and putting it back in Mika’s body might prove disastrous to Mika afterwards. Ioun can’t guarantee Mika’s health after she’s done with her soul.

If the party doesn’t want her to keep Mika’s soul, Ioun is reluctant about giving it up. However, she will relent and give it up, after receiving confirmation that they are fighting Tharizdun and his forces. Tharizdun was the one who gave her the wound in her stomach originally, so she despises him and all he stands for. If the party is set on fighting it with Mika at their side, she’s willing to let Mika go, and will even go so far as to make Mika her aspect, if Mika wants it. While most people believe that her worshippers and clerics should only be sages and wizards of the utmost intelligence, they forget that her portfolio is knowledge and skill, which Mika possesses to great lengths, even more than most.

If Mika chooses to become an aspect, Ioun also reforges the broken apart pieces of Mika’s shard. She therefore gets the following

Shard

Gift of the Knowing Mistress

Once per day, you can add a +10 bonus to an intelligence check.

Artisan’s Knowledge

You can cast the fabricate, identify and move earth spells once per day each.

Demolisher’s Might

Your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d8 damage to constructs, and deal double damage to objects and structures

Runes of the Giant

Five runes are inscribed into the shard. Each day at dawn, you can activate one of the runes. When activated, you get the effect described, and can invoke the rune for an additional effect once. If you invoke the rune, you cannot pick the same rune the following day. If a rune requires a saving throw, the save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constistution modifier

Cloud Rune. You have advantage on Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks and Charisma (Deception) checks.

In addition, when you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to invoke the rune and choose a different creature within 30 feet of you, other than the attacker. The chosen creature becomes the target of the attack, using the same roll. This magic can transfer the attack’s effects regardless of the attack’s range. Once you invoke this rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Fire Rune. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses your proficiency with a tool.

In addition, when you hit a creature with an attack using a weapon, you can invoke the rune to summon fiery shackles: the target takes an extra 2d6 fire damage, and it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute. While restrained by the shackles, the target takes 2d6 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, banishing the shackles on a success.

Frost Rune. You have advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks and Charisma (Intimidation) checks.

In addition, you can invoke the rune as a bonus action to increase your sturdiness. For 10 minutes, you gain a +2 bonus to all ability checks and saving throws that use Strength or Constitution.

Stone Rune. You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks, and you have darkvision out to a range of 120 feet.

In addition, when a creature you can see ends its turn within 30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to invoke the rune and force the creature to make a Wisdom saving throw. Unless the save succeeds, the creature is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, the creature has a speed of 0 and is incapacitated, descending into a dreamy stupor. The creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Hill Rune. You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance against poison damage.

In addition, you can invoke the rune as a bonus action, gaining resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage for 1 minute.

Storm Rune. You have advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) checks, and you can’t be surprised as long as you aren’t incapacitated.

In addition, you can invoke the rune as a bonus action to enter a prophetic state for 1 minute or until you’re incapacitated. Until the state ends, when you or another creature you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, a saving throw, or an ability check, you can use your reaction to cause the roll to have advantage or disadvantage.

Aspect of the Knowing Mistress

Guarded Mind

You get proficiency in intelligence saving throws and resistance to psychic damage

Foresight

When you finish a rest, roll two d20s and record the numbers rolled. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with one of these foretelling rolls. You must choose to do so before the roll, and you can replace a roll in this way only once per turn. Each foretelling roll can be used only once. When you finish a rest, you lose any unused foretelling rolls.

Third Eye

Once per day, you can open a third eye on your forehead as a bonus action. The eye remains open for 1 minute. While open, you get truesight to a distance of 10 feet.

Imparted Knowledge

You get expertise in a skill of your choice that you have proficiency in. Each day at dawn, you can change the skill to another.

Afterwards, Ioun can send them to Epithon

Party in Epithon/Shadefen

The party arrives in a ruined village. There seems to be no life at all, except for a few flowers here and there.

Talks:

Arrival

• Back off guards, dont you know who this is?
• Sorry for Antael, this wasn’t what he wanted
• Parents are safe in another room

Dinner

• How Aelthar has been mostly
• More about actual family
• Introductions to family
• Aelthar’s special

One on one

• The real reason aelthar’s here
• Epithon election system
  • Stolen away by Tyrvoril Vicxian
• Has gotten a power to create an army to take the throne that is rightfully theirs
  • Their marks set them above the rest of the people
• Duskwane Curse

Horcus/Myrkul deal

• Horcus has the ability to summon the hakeashar
• In return, Myrkul grants Horcus the Duskwane curse

Session 49: 24/09/2024

Overview

• Dinner and to bed
• Alexei
• Aelthar convo
• Khada

Dinner

Dinner is just to catch up. He wants to know what Aelthar has been doing, and he asks, slightly condescending about the farm life in Himari.

He talks about how the visilis family is above

He also introduces the different people at the dinner table

Kayden is Horcus’ son

Joelyn is Aelthar’s Aunt

Olis is her son, and Aelthar’s cousin

Since Joelyn is the closest family to aelthar, they got the punishment aelthar’s parents couldn’t. That was basically being disowned and ignored by most of the family. This is the first time Olis has been in the manor.

Tyrvoril Vicxian

Horcus also mostly ignores everyone else and directs conversation at Aelthar

Afterwards, he tells aelthar that tomorrow, he wants to have a one on one with Aelthar, family to family. He tells aelthar to find him tomorrow when he’s ready.

End on sleep

Alexei

During the travels, Agnese would talk to Alexei about all that happened, and where the group is.

At some point, they come across a little hut next to the road. Inside, there is a small bed of roses. There’s a dent in the bed of roses, and it looks like the shape of a body. Some stems are broken, as if the body pulled out was broken out, stuck in the roses.

The next day

Once Aelthar is ready, he can knock on horcus’ office. once he goes in, he sees horcus finishing up writing in a book.

Talk

• Explaining the family
  • Visilis on top
  • Vicxian and Doryu are smaller families
  • They can get “promoted” to visilis
• He says that generally, the dmarks have to do with manipulating them, wielding them. But only 2 people have the power to control them, bind them, shape them like him and aelthar do.
• He explains that not even his son has this power, to his disappointment. But the fact that aelthar has it means that finally, there is someone who could become his heir.
• He then takes off the Gorget, and allows aelthar to try it on. Then he summons a Gloomstalker and asks Aelthar to hop on. He wants to show him something
• He lands in a small forest clearing, outside a small village
• He then explains how he is planning on taking the kingdom of epithon. if they don’t recognize him as their superior now, they will be shown it by force. That is what aelthar could inherit.
• He then walks aelthar to the village, explaining that normally, not everyone is fit to be in an army, and the visilis family on their own will not have enough. but he’s found a patron willing to grant him an army
• as he walks through the trees, aelthar sees the village. its small, and in the center, a rosebush grows. Horcus gestures to the entire thing
• It’s called Duskwane. If allowed to take root, then everyone in this village will become soldiers in his army. He’s already gotten a few villages under his command this way.

Session 50: 01/10/2024

Fight

Horcus

• Kill anyone of Aelthar’s party. Make his way towards Aelthar once he finds out he’s back too

Antael

• Will join the CC side when he finds out what happened

Kayden

• On Horcus’ side. Fuck Aelthar cuz he took his heir spot

Olin

• On Horcus’ side. Fuck the parents and/or Aelthar, they left and Olin and Joelyn had to pay for it.

Joelyn

• Originally Horcus, but trying to subdue damage. Won’t attack Amara and Cassiel

Horcus’ Diary

Entry 1

• Last night, a voice spoke to me in a dream. It didn’t introduce itself or explain much, just said it wanted to make a deal. I asked for more information, but all it told me was to meet at a nearby castle. The whole thing felt strange. I’ll have to see where this leads.

Entry 2

• I went to the castle, once called Castle Acheron, but the Lord of Death said he had renamed it Castle Rosered. He’s a strange figure—spoke as if he had been waiting for me. He asked for the hakeashar, one of my more powerful summons, though he wouldn’t say why he wanted it. In return, he offered me revenge and power through something he calls the “Duskwave Curse.” The curse infects a village and kills its people, raising them to serve me, controlled by my dragonmark. He said he will allow me to try it, and if I like it, I will hand him the hakeashar. I’ve yet to decide if I wanna accept.

Entry 3 - 1st of Calor

• My dragonmark is apparently what controls the “soldiers.” It’s truly ironic that the only other person I know to share my dragonmark is the one stolen from me as a child. I’ve decided that it’s time to bring Aelthar back, so I’ve sent Antael to find him. Convincing him to join me might be difficult, but I’m certain I can make him see reason. Once he joins, I will accept the Lord of Death’s deal.

Entry 4 - 19th of Calor

• Antael returned with disappointing news—he couldn’t bring back Aelthar. A waste of time, that one. He’ll need to do better if he’s to become a Visilis. I cannot wait any longer, so I will agree to the Lord of Death’s deal.

Entry 5 - 24th of Calor

• The first rosebush has been planted, as the Lord of Death instructed. Now, it’s just a matter of waiting to see if the Duskwave Curse takes hold.

Entry 6 - 8th of Midsommer

• The curse worked. The village fell, and the dead rose just as promised. It’s time to expand, to build the army I’ve long envisioned. I returned to Castle Rosered to fulfill my end of the bargain, handing over the hakeashar. Strangely, the Lord of Death wasn’t alone this time. There was a woman there, chained by magic. The hakeashar seemed drawn to her. I decided not to ask questions.

Entry 7 - 24th of Midsommer

• More villages are falling to the Duskwane. Soon I’ll have an army. The number of villages to take over has risen ever since the Dundrads are no longer around to oversee what was their land.

Entry 8 - 29th of Midsommer

• Antael finally proved useful—he tracked down Aelthar’s parents and is bringing them to me. This should convince Aelthar to come to Shadefen. Once he arrives, it’s just a matter of convincing him to join me. If he refuses, I’ll have no choice but to force him to do so.

Entry 9 - 1st of Solis

• Dinner was going well until the aasimar started asking too many questions. She doesn’t follow orders as she should, and I can see now that she’ll be a problem. If Aelthar agrees to join me, she’ll have to be dealt with. There’s no room for insubordination in what’s to come.

Session 51: 15/10/2024

Party

• As the party is walking towards the direction of the castle, suddenly they are attacked by a few Duskrose Zombies - just 6
• During the fight, wild magic bullshit

Session 52: 22/10/2024

Guardian’s Tear

The Guardian’s Tear is constantly protected by the effects of the nondetection spell. All divination spells or abilities that attempt to locate, scry, or discern information about the Tear automatically fail.

Any creature that physically touches the Tear is subjected to the effects of a dispel magic spell, targeting the creature. This effect occurs every time the Tear is touched.

The Guardian’s Tear levitates just above the ground and constantly rotates clockwise. If physically touched or held, it ceases levitating but continues to rotate. When released, it resumes levitating.

The Guardian’s Tear contains raw, unstable magic, which disrupts all magical effects within a 1-mile radius. Within this area:

• 25% chance: Any magic or spell cast within this radius fails, as though it were in an antimagic field.
• 75% chance: Any magic or spell cast within this radius triggers a wild magic surge. If the caster is a wild mage, any spell cast automatically triggers a wild surge.

Wild Magic Bubbles:

Every day at midnight, the Tear generates and releases a bubble of wild or dead magic. These bubbles float up to 30 miles away, ignoring physical obstructions, before settling.

Each bubble can range from 1 foot to several hundred yards in diameter.

Bubble Type:

• 25% chance: The bubble creates a dead magic zone.
• 75% chance: The bubble creates a wild magic zone.

Mika:

Mikas body is the key needed to plane shift.

Once they find someone able to planeshift them to the Endless Athenaeum, they can use Mikas body to get there. They find themselves in the infinite library, with celestial spirits wandering, reading, writing. They aren’t here long before being dragged elsewhere, to another part of the library. In front of them stands a giant Sphinx-like creature, and with a booming voice it says. “I am Isperia, Guardian of the Endless Athenaeum. You trespass upon the holy ground of the realm of the Knowing Mistress. You are forbidden from leaving with the knowledge of getting to her realm. Therefore, you must be destroyed.” Initiative

Immediately before the final strike that would kill Isperia hits, time freezes. A voice spreads out throughout the room

“It would seem I need to upgrade my security measures. But I’d say you’ve earned your visit.”

As time unfreezes, a blast of light intercepts where the final strike would hit Isperia. Whoever is close would get knocked back, and upon looking again, they’d see a woman standing in front of Isperia, with olive skin and beautiful, flowing hair. Her two eyes glow brightly with radiant light. She wears a beautiful flowing dress, where on the stomach they see a large, darkened gash of black, curling void in her stomach. Floating above one of her hands is a mote of light softly pulsing, with these streaks of black thrashing around inside and around it.

Ioun wants to study Mika’s soul.

If she is allowed to study it, she believes she can find a cure for darkvein. However, the process would be straining on Mika’s soul, and putting it back in Mika’s body might prove disastrous to Mika afterwards. Ioun can’t guarantee Mika’s health after she’s done with her soul.

If the party doesn’t want her to keep Mika’s soul, Ioun is reluctant about giving it up. However, she will relent and give it up, after receiving confirmation that they are fighting Tharizdun and his forces. Tharizdun was the one who gave her the wound in her stomach originally, so she despises him and all he stands for. If the party is set on fighting it with Mika at their side, she’s willing to let Mika go, and will even go so far as to make Mika her aspect, if Mika wants it. While most people believe that her worshippers and clerics should only be sages and wizards of the utmost intelligence, they forget that her portfolio is knowledge and skill, which Mika possesses to great lengths, even more than most.

If Mika chooses to become an aspect, Ioun also reforges the broken apart pieces of Mika’s shard. She therefore gets the following

Shard

Gift of the Knowing Mistress

Once per day, you can add a +10 bonus to an intelligence check.

Artisan’s Knowledge

You can cast the fabricate, identify and move earth spells once per day each.

Demolisher’s Might

Your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d8 damage to constructs, and deal double damage to objects and structures

Aspect of the Knowing Mistress

Guarded Mind

You get proficiency in intelligence saving throws and resistance to psychic damage

Foresight

When you finish a rest, roll two d20s and record the numbers rolled. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with one of these foretelling rolls. You must choose to do so before the roll, and you can replace a roll in this way only once per turn. Each foretelling roll can be used only once. When you finish a rest, you lose any unused foretelling rolls.

Third Eye

Once per day, you can open a third eye on your forehead as a bonus action. The eye remains open for 1 minute. While open, you get truesight to a distance of 10 feet.

Imparted Knowledge

You get expertise in a skill of your choice that you have proficiency in. Each day at dawn, you can change the skill to another.

Hell

Maxi has a tuning fork to The Wandering Emporium.

Likely roads

Wandering Emporium

Talk with Mahadi, who can reveal various stuff - he supplies Zariel, can get in contact and get their location. He’s also the eyes and ears of Asmodeus in Avernus

Get Seraphiel to come here for a talk.

Seraphiel can reveal their plan and try to convince Arani to join - the heavens wronged her too.

After this, Mahadi suggests they find Bel - he’s the most powerful one who might be able to help them.

Bel points them in the direction of zariels sword, and mirror of mephisto.

Mirror of mephisto reveals, for a price, the sword is in asmodeus’ hands.

The party can use mahadi to get to asmodeus.

try to infiltrate the fortress

fail because jesus christ.

be imprisoned, where they will later be busted out by agents of bel.

Bel points them in the direction of zariels sword, and mirror of mephisto.

Mirror of mephisto reveals, for a price, the sword is in asmodeus’ hands.

The party can use mahadi to get to asmodeus

Mahadi

• Eyes and ears of Asmodeus in Avernus
• Supplies Zariel with supplies for her war effort
• Can get in contact with Zariel and Seraphiel

If the party shows there, Mahadi recognizes them - asmodeus is “interested” in them, as they’re the cause of a soon to be problem.

Flying Fortress
General Conditions

Announcements: There are frequent announcements that can be heard throughout the ship. They include things like:

Summons for particular devils to go to various places. (“Signifier Yurtarth, report to the abjuration generator.”)

Navigational announcements. (“Prepare for acceleration.”)

Personnel announcements, like shift changes, mess calls, or general quarters. These can include obscure references like “condition omega” or “enact red protocol.”

Blaring alarm klaxons (if, for example, the PCs trigger an alert).

All verbal communication, of course, will be in Infernal.

Telepathic Communications: Are likely to be jammed by the Telepathy Station.

Teleportation: Is blocked by the Abjuration Generator.

Scrying: Is blocked by the Abjuration Generator.

__Teleportation Circles: __Several floors are linked by teleportation circles.

Entrances

• Rooftop Hatch
• Signal Vents
  • Tiny hatches on the hull connect to 1-foot-diameter chutes that lead to the Imp Roosts. Imp couriers use these chutes to enter and exit the flying fortress.
  • Can be accessed by Tiny or gaseous creatures.
  • Vent Labels in Infernal indicate if a vent is intake or exhaust (to avoid imps having head-to-head collisions).
  • There is a chance of encountering an imp when the vents are used: 1 in 10 when ship is in dock; 1 in 8 when ship is in the field; 1 in 4 when ship is in battle. (PCs observing the vents – and able to see the potentially invisible imps – may be able to discern a traffic pattern to reduce or eliminate the possibility of encountering an imp.)
• Soul Intake Pipe
  • Grilled vent on the bottom of the fortress, just above the ventral battery, leading to a 5-foot-diameter pipe.
  • Pipe filled with necrotic energy, 3d10 necrotic dmg per turn
  • Leads to 10 ft. diameter spherical iron cistern in Engine room. DC20 Strength Check to open from inside. Opening floods engine room with necrotic energy.
• Lower and Upper perch
  • One or two lower is open in flight. Upper can be opened from control room.

Locations:

https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/47005/roleplaying-games/remixing-avernus-part-7d-c-fortress-locations

SWITCH OUT SOME DEVILS FOR BETTER ONES

2-4 Engine:

• 1 Bone Devil, 2 Chain Devil, 4 Imp

5: Telepathy

• .

6: Devil dens 1

• 5 bearded devils

7: DD2

• 5 bearded devil, 1 horned

8: Lower Perch

• 4 bearded, 8 spined

9: Imp Roost

• 8 Imps

10: Brig 1

• 3 hell hounds

11: Brig 2

• 3 hell hounds

12: TP and Abj.

• 1 Bearded devil, 2 merregon

13: Command deck

• Zariel, Seraphiel, 4 bearded, 1 horned

14: Zariels room

• 25% either is present

15: Upper Perch

• 1 Bone Devil, 4 Bearded

Session 53: 29/10/2024

Wandering Emporium

Mahadi

Zariel relies on Mahadi’s services to provide supplies, magic items, and other items of value necessary for continuing her campaign in the Blood War. Infernal Rapture has also been known to host meetings or high-ranking devils as a neutral and private space.

Mahadi is bound by contract with Asmodeus to not stage a coup in Avernus or directly assist others to do so. Nothing in the contract, however, states that Mahadi can’t indirectly assist others in attempting to overthrow Zariel or whoever else is in control, either by imparting information or selling goods.

Shops

Firesnake Forge

• Animated Armor’s too

Burney’s Barber

• Balarystul
  • Ancient Copper
• Healer’s Kit: 1d6+4+lvl

From Here to Avernus

• Delivery

Ichor’s Aweigh

• Elliach’s arms have become tentacles with fingers at the ends, increasing his reach by 5 feet.
• Elliach’s ears sprouted wings and flew away. Consequently, he is deaf. He relies on lip-reading and hand gestures.

Z’Neth’s Larvae Farm

• 9 Soul coins for Mahadi’s head.

Infernal Rapture

Dining

• 1 SC for a meal
  • Heroes’ Feast

Meetings

• Meeting room for the meetings between high ranking devils

Meeting with Seraphiel

• Seraphiel wants Arani especially to join their conquest
• The heavens wronged her too
• His plan
  • Zariel will divert her flying fortresses and her forces to the celestial planes, hitting the House of the Triad, home to Tyr, Helm, Ilmater and formerly, Torm. It’s where Arani was cast from heaven, and earlier, Seraphiel himself. His form is locked in Torm’s mithral castle, Trueheart.
• Zariel joins mostly to get more soldiers for the blood war.
  • Her history made it easier for Seraphiel to convince her.
• The plans will go ahead without her or the party anyways. But Seraphiel would’ve liked to have her there.

After the talk, Mahadi would like to talk with everyone. He reveals that he’s the eyes and ears of Asmodeus. He says that before Zariel was archdevil, Bel was in charge. Zariel was a solar and bla bla bla. The blood war was the reason she became archdevil. She’s going away from the blood war. She needs to be stopped, and someone who could do that is Bel. Mahadi is under contractual obligation to not go against Zariel himself, but he can point them in a direction.

Before sending them on the way, he gives them a coin that allows them to find their way back to the emporium.

Travel to Bel

Traveling to Bel will take them across Avernus. On the way their, they see snippets of the Blood war. Demons and devils fighting. Devil squads roaming the land.

As they’re traveling they move past the River Styx. They realize the vial they have is Styx water.

In the distance, they see mountains. In front of that, the plains of avernus change, into a ground more clearly devastated by war than any other place they’ve seen. its a large crater, where the grounds have just been turned into mud from the amount of ichor spilled here. Now, devils and demons still roam, stuck in an endless fight, finding themselves unwilling to leave.

Random encounter with Markon

As the party is making their way through the slough, they come across a pit fiend fighting a fiendish looking goliath

On the other side of the war-slough, the corpse of Vangarnoth lies. It’s so gigantic that just the eyeball is the volcano, where Bel has his lair.

“A gargantuan volcano dominates the horizon. Clouds of fire and ash spew from its caldera, and the air trembles with its angry grumblings. A vast, multilayered fortress has been hewn into the volcano’s rocky slopes.”

Once they approach, 10 bearded devils lead by 2 horned devils approach them. They ask them to state their purpose, and if they say they’re here to see Bel, they’re put in chains. Bel will remove the chains once inside.

Bel wants to rule avernus again. his strategies were too slow for asmodeus which is why he installed the zealous zariel. too zealous now tho, and this might give him another shot at archdevil. He doesn’t know specifically how they can stop the army, but they can stop the archdevil leading them.

this is by finding the sword of zariel, which is said to be able to restore her to her angelic grace. he doesn’t know the location, but he knows how they can find it - the mirror of mephistar.

Session 54: 05/11/2024

Once they approach, 10 bearded devils lead by 2 horned devils approach them. They ask them to state their purpose, and if they say they’re here to see Bel, they’re put in chains. Bel will remove the chains once inside.

The armor he made for seraphiel was commissioned of him by celestials. It’s a special item that could work as a component for imprisonment, and when used in this way, the target’s soul is dragged out and is trapped in the armor. The physical form can then be trapped, as Seraphiels was.

Bel wants to rule avernus again. his strategies were too slow for asmodeus which is why he installed the zealous zariel. too zealous now tho, and this might give him another shot at archdevil. He doesn’t know specifically how they can stop the army, but they can stop the archdevil leading them - the devils follow orders, and without someone giving them that, they’re likely to return the way they came.

One way to stop Zariel that he knows of is this - when Zariel charged with her hellriders, she did so as a solar, wielding the so aptly named “Sword of Zariel”. When her charge lost and she lost her hand, the one wielding the sword, the sword was lost. However, the sword apparently holds a piece of her angelic grace. If returned to her, it might just restore her to her celestial form, which in turn would lead the armies of hell to likely back off without their zealous spearhead. Bel doesn’t know the location of the sword, but he implores the party to seek out Mephistopheles - if anyone in the hells should know the location, it’d be him. They can take a barge from his dock by the river styx, which will take them to a location called the Mirror of Mephistar. His barge is steered by a merrenoloth - just simply tell him the location.

Mirror of Mephistar

Mephistopheles can share the location of the Sword of Zariel, of course for a price. Either one of them offers up their soul - it won’t be taken until after they die, of course. The other option is that they get him a different soul, one of equal power. There’s a specific one, stuck in the battlefield in front of vangarnoths corpse, where the battle was fought. An imp will take them there.

The soul is that of Makon’s, stuck in a gem. They have to fight him to get him in the gem, and once they do, they can give the imp the gem, and it will hand it off to mephistopheles, who will grant the knowledge in return.

When they touch the gem, the scene of Makon’s death plays out as an illusion all around them

They see a large group of people in a cavern - divided amongst themselves in what seems to be 4 different groups of adventurers, and then a small division of kobolds. The group the party stands among consists of a human wielding a silver decorated glaive with a black blade, a large, battlescarred goliath wielding a maul, a goblin with a gun and big goggles on her forehead, an elven sorceress, a woman with ginger hair and a lute wearing a pirate hat, and a man in half plate wielding a spear.

They see them charge into a portal in front of them all, and as they do, the scenery changes to the chaos of a battle in the hells. They see the man wielding the blackbladed glaive, clearly wounded being dragged out of the fighting by the elven sorceress. Their vision then changes to see the big goliath and the woman wielding the lute taking on a pit fiend and a balor at the same time. As the pit fiend brings down its mace, it strikes him across the face, but he shrugs it off and in a similar fashion brings his maul down on the pit fiends head, which in turn kills it. The flaming whip of the balor then wraps around the goliaths arm, but he uses it to launch himself towards the balor, also striking it down. The balor blows up as it dies, and as the fire dies down, the party sees the lightning outline of the balors lightning sword impaling the goliath through his stomach. Next to the party, the bard is clearly wounded too, burned by the explosion. The two of them retreat, finding the corpse of an empyrean fighting on their side. they take refuge in its helmet. The goliath is clearly dying, and the bard tries her best to save him, but to no avail. She then brings out a small gemstone, the same one the party touched, whispers an apology and an incantation, and slits the goliaths throat. a magic is drawn from the goliaths wound and into the gem, as she sits back, grasping the gem tight, sobbing quietly.

The party is then shown a montage of visions of the goliath, the magic of the stone reforming his physical form here in the hells. He fights devils and demons alike, always reappearing here when he dies, and the longer he spends here, the more fiendish his form starts looking, until eventually, it looks like the one the party just fought.

Session 55: 12/11/2024

The party will be traveling through the hells for a few short rests. Finally, they can see the Bronze Citadel in the distance.

• Large city, hundreds of square miles. Metal and bone fortifications, buildings being worked on and modified. Numerous walls and various war machines, befitting its position so near the beachhead of the Blood War. Centerpiece Basalt fortress

In the distance, they catch the glimpses of Zariel’s massive flying fortresses flying through portals, with armies following through.

• 300 feet tall, vaguely resembles blades being dragged along the landscape point-down.

As they see all this, a voice speaks up behind them

“Finally arrived. Boss told us to wait for you here and to assist you in stopping that, but it seems you arrived at the party too late.”

As they turn around, they see 8 pit fiends. Larger than usual, and wearing dark metal armor.

“Never do for free what someone might be willing to pay for. The Lord simply tried to make a profit. But it’s still in his best interest that Zariel is stopped. So, are you ready to follow through those portals?”

House of the Triad

Fighting is already ongoing, with the army of devils laying sieges to the HotT. The party sees the army of celestials standing against the devils, and they can catch glimpses of the three gods, Ilmater, Tyr and Helm, fighting the devils. Seraphiel is nowhere to be seen, but the party can see Zariel fighting at a bank to one of the rivers from the waterfalls.

Getting to her requires moving through the fighting devils and celestials, and past the portals where more devils are arriving. The dark eight help carve a path, but as this is all out war, the party isn’t quite safe. Each round at initiative 0, roll a d10

1

Two riderless nightmares dash across the battlefield. A random player has to make a DC 14 dex save or be knocked prone

2

A celestial arrow strikes a random character. Roll a d10. On 1-5, it hits a player. Arrow has +8 and does 1d8+4 damage.

3

Same but a fire bolt from a devil. 2d6 fire damage. 2 bolts

4

A devil flies overhead, throwing up a cloud of dust. Until after next roll, the area is heavily obscured

5

A celestial flying overhead yells a battlecry in celestial. the party gains 3d6 temp hit points

6

Arrows arc over the army. A random pc and everyone within 10 ft makes a DC 14 dex save or take 4d6 piercing damage

7

a merregon arrives next to a random player and attacks

8

A bearded devil arrives next to a random player and attacks

9

A dead celestial and their mount falls from the sky, crashing in a 10-foot area centered on a random player character. Each creature in the crash area must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 33 (6d10) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.

10

The edge of a fireball catches the party. Everyone makes a DC 14 Dex save of takes 6d6 fire damage.

When the party is halfway through the map, they see the three gods of the HotT take to the skies towards the 3 flying fortresses. Ilmater stops in front of the fortresses, and with massive strain conjures a barrier from himself, holding them back with his own strength and strain. Tyr and Helm then fly to either side of the fortresses, and conjure a barrier of their own, pushing the fortresses together, trapping them between the three barriers. At the same time then, the three gods raise their hands and as they do, three giant weapons appear above the fortresses. Helm conjures a longsword, tyr a warhammer and Ilmater a giant, bleeding fist. At the same time, they bring their hands down, and the weapons strike the trapped fortresses, bringing them all crashing down.

When Zariel sees Arani with her sword, there’s a moment when the anger is overtaken by shock.

“So, you think you can wield the sword of Zariel, do you? How quaint. You’re no champion. You’re a fool pretending to be something greater. You’re nothing more than a child with a toy you don’t understand. You’re not strong enough to wield it. No one is.”

First round of combat, when attacking Arani

“You have no idea the burden you bear, do you? That sword was a symbol of everything I was willing to sacrifice… and now you walk around with it, pretending you can wield the weight of it. You will break under it, just as I did.”

When Arani cuts down Zariel

When she strikes the killing blow into zariel, theres a moment where her orange, fire-like eyes flicker celestial blue, and the rage on her face turns to regret and sadness

“I had forgotten what it was like… to feel anything other than wrath. But now, as I fade, I remember… the light that was once mine. You hold the sword now. But understand this… it is not just power. It is a responsibility. Be careful with it… I hope you are wiser than I was. I hope you can end the havoc I brought to my old home.”

After Zariel, The dark eight can help cut a path to Trueheart - a huge military fortress, with walls of mithral, battlements of diamond, and gates of adamantine. Fighting is still ongoing, but a path of devils have cut through. At the gates, they meet with the Vanguard of Vigilance, who say that they can send one of them with the party to deal with Seraphiel, which the Dark Eight also can do as the rest help fend of the devils.

Session 56: 19/11/2024

Shar

The next time Aelthar would do his ritual to summon a creature, it wouldn’t exactly work. When he summons a creature, the shadows warp and twist upwards, taking the shape of a masked woman, robed in darkness. The shadows would darken in the circle around, not allowing anyone to see inside.

She starts moving around the circle, around Aelthar. Her moments are fluid, almost predatory. She starts speaking, while not facing Aelthar directly, but weaving the shadows around the circle.

“Such skill… To weave and bind shadows so effortlessly. It is admirable, Aelthar. Few can claim mastery over the dark as you do. But skill alone is not enough, is it? No… it is power that you seek.

Aelthar then hears a whisper in his ear

“True power.”

As Shar is talking in front of Aelthar, he feels a hand on his shoulder. As he turns, he then finds that Shar is now standing behind him, her presence like a sudden chill creeping up his spine. The hand on his shoulder feels cold, yet somehow comforting.

“You have hidden your pain well, Aelthar. But I can feel it. The betrayal, the loneliness… The cracks in your soul, buried beneath your pride.”

She then slinks from behind him to in front of him, to look into his eyes. Her eyes are deep, and there’s something in them - something darkly understanding, as if she’s seen all his pain, all his suffering, and found it beautiful in its depth.

“You once prayed to a god of light, did you not? Lathander. You sought answers, salvation, perhaps even love. And yet, all you received was silence.”

Her lips curl into a knowing smile.

“They all leave, don’t they? Friends, gods… they betray, abandon, forget. But I… I would never abandon you.”

She steps closer and rests a hand lightly on his cheek. As she does, she looks at it, as if sensing something.

“You have always sought someone to rely on, haven’t you? A god, a friend, a lover… someone to make you feel less… alone. But look where that path led you. Alone and betrayed…”

She leans in, her voice barely above a whisper

“I can change that. I could grant you power. Your friends wouldn’t think you weak/coward anymore - they’d see you for what you truly are. I offer you more than strength, Aelthar. I offer you a purpose. You’ve spent your life searching for meaning, for someone who could understand you, someone to love you.”

She takes a step back, and starts weaving and shaping the shadows again, but this time they feel darker, stronger.

“You feel it, don’t you? When Mystra was slain and the weave was unraveling, something of mine that she hid away long ago was set free. The Shadow Weave. This is the power you’ve felt recently. It seeks someone worthy to claim it.”

She shapes the shadows to embrace Aelthar and steps closer again.

“You could become mine, Aelthar. My aspect. In the dark, you will never again be abandoned. I will give you everything you need—power, purpose, control. You will no longer seek love from those who could never give it to you. You will have me, Aelthar. You will be mine. All I ask in return is your devotion, your trust. What is it to you, to serve a goddess who understands the shadows better than anyone else?”

If Aelthar accepts, she gives a warm smile.

“You have made the right choice Aelthar. You are no longer just a lost soul, wandering in the light’s shadow. You are mine, Aelthar. And as my Aspect, I will teach you the ways of the shadow weave.

She leans in and gives him and soft kiss on the cheek - much as her touch, it’s cold but comforting.

“Now, you will become more than you ever dreamed. The shadows will embrace you, and you will never be alone again.”

After this, the shadow ritual would disappear again, and with it, Shar.

Tyr talk with Arani

Tyr entered the demiplane, warhammer in hand. He would open a portal to the Empyrean Tribunal and ask Arani, and anyone else who would, to follow.

“Arani Wanu, you stand again before the Empyrean Tribunal.

Once, you were judged by the fair authority of the Empyrean Tribunal and sentenced to exile for actions that endangered the balance of righteousness and unleashed chaos upon the planes.

Yet now, by your own hand, you have proven the strength of your character and the truth of your heart. In the face of your exile, you returned not for glory or absolution, but to right the very wrong you set in motion. You stood as a shield against destruction, a sword for justice, and a beacon of hope in our hour of need.

By your courage, Azgaroth the Outcast has fallen, and Zariel, the Archdevil of Avernus, has been vanquished. The celestial planes owe you a debt of gratitude, and the scales of justice have tipped in your favor.

You have proven that even those who err may find redemption. In recognition of your deeds, I hereby lift your exile and restore your place among the celestial planes. You may walk the paths of Mount Celestia once more, free of the shadow of your past sentence.

But take this truth to heart, Arani Wanu: redemption is not the end of the path but the beginning of a new journey. Let the memory of your past guide your future, so that justice, mercy, and duty remain your guiding stars.”

After that, she would be free to go.

Helm

Thalia. You have stood where many would falter. You have borne the burden of vigilance and upheld the sanctity of law and duty, even when others wavered. For this, you have my deepest regard.

I have watched the gods falter, bent by the pull of ambition, blinded by their desires. Even I must tread carefully, for the rules are strict. But the time has come when more must be done to ensure that the light does not fail. The forces of chaos seek to break the bonds of order, and with Tharizdun’s chains weakening, the balance of the world is at risk.

I have watched you in battle. I have seen your resolve. I have felt the strength of your protection. You have been a shield to the weak and a vigilant eye against the forces of evil. You have walked the path of guardianship with honor, even when it was heavy, even when it was costly.

You, Thalia, have proven yourself worthy to bear my purpose beyond this realm. I ask you to become my Aspect, my will upon the mortal plane. Through you, my watch will extend, and the balance may yet hold. Will you accept this charge? Will you stand as my Aspect and bear the weight of this sacred duty?

Then rise, Thalia, as the Vigilant Shield. You are the Watcher’s hand upon the mortal plane. Guard well the balance, for vigilance does not sleep, and the end of watchfulness is the end of all.

Aspect of the Watcher

Vigilant Protector

When a creature you can see within 30 feet, including yourself, is hit with an attack, you can use your reaction to grant the creature a +5 bonus to their AC against that attack, potentially causing it to miss. Additionally, until the end of the target’s next turn, they’re under the effects of the Shield of Faith spell. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.

Guardian of Life

When you use your Channel Divinity: Preserve Life, you can now restore a creature to more than half their hit point maximum.

Sentinel

You gain the Sentinel feat

Session 57: 27/11/2024

Ioun and the Endless Athenaeum

Once they find someone able to planeshift them to the Endless Athenaeum, they can use Mikas body to get there. They find themselves in the infinite library, with celestial spirits wandering, reading, writing. They can try to navigate however they want. There are few ways that might help them. Specific checks, high enough, will likely work. Wayfinder glyphs could appear, books whose titles hint at specific directions, shelves rearranging themselves to the party’s thoughts

In front of them stands a giant Sphinx-like creature, and with a booming voice it says.

“You seek to trespass where mortals are not meant to walk. Knowledge is both a gift and a curse. Answer me this: Is knowledge worth destruction if it saves the world, or is ignorance the safer path?”

Immediately before the final strike that would kill Isperia hits, time freezes. A voice spreads out throughout the room

“Enough. The Knowing Mistress does not suffer such violence without cause. Let us end this needless destruction.”

Ioun appears, radiating celestial beauty and wisdom. Her olive skin glows faintly, her radiant eyes illuminate the room, and her dress flows with patterns of shifting constellations. On the stomach they see a large, darkened gash of black, curling void in her stomach.

Ioun wants to study Mika’s soul.

If she is allowed to study it, she believes she can find a cure for darkvein. However, the process would be straining on Mika’s soul, and putting it back in Mika’s body might prove disastrous to Mika afterwards. Ioun can’t guarantee Mika’s health after she’s done with her soul.

If the party doesn’t want her to keep Mika’s soul, Ioun is reluctant about giving it up. However, she will relent and give it up, after receiving confirmation that they are fighting Tharizdun and his forces. Tharizdun was the one who gave her the wound in her stomach originally, so she despises him and all he stands for. If the party is set on fighting it with Mika at their side, she’s willing to let Mika go

“You have come far to find me. I am Ioun, the Knowing Mistress, keeper of this realm. And I know why you are here.”

Her radiant gaze settles on Mika’s body—or what remains of it.

“This soul you seek is in my care, a rare fragment of light touched by the Void. You must understand: this is no mere curiosity to me. It is a glimpse into the Chained Oblivion’s corruption, a thread that may unravel the truth behind the disease you call darkvein.”

She pauses, her gaze sweeping across the party, as if measuring their resolve.

“You seek to take her soul back to her body, and I understand your bond. But doing so would mean forsaking a chance to learn, to strike at the heart of Tharizdun’s spreading influence. If her soul is returned, it may doom her to untold suffering—or even worse, to becoming a pawn of the Void. Yet, if I keep her soul to study, I cannot promise it will remain intact.”

The mote above her hand flares briefly, black tendrils curling around the light as it flickers. For the first time, her serene expression falters, and her voice softens.

“You have a choice to make. If you would stand against the Chained Oblivion and fight the darkness that threatens this world, then you will understand why I must keep this soul. But if you insist on reclaiming it…”

Her voice hardens, though there is no malice in it:

“You will need to convince me that it will serve a greater purpose in your hands.”

She steps forward, her divine presence overwhelming yet strangely gentle.

“Do you understand what you are asking? Do you understand what is at stake—not just for your friend, but for the world?”

Metilles talk

Metilles and his army is in the underground cave systems of the dwarves - generally these are reserved specifically for dwarves, but due to the work the dwarves and ridians did together in brimstone bastion and such, they’ve allowed the army to use the tunnels for these sakes.

Metilles plans to take Myrida Aeca in a surprise attack. Sauntes has taken his army to Myria and as they are speaking laying siege to the Myrian wall. Because of this, much of Myridon’s army is away from Myridon itself. This should allow them to take Myrida Aeca relatively easily, and after this, Metilles will lead his army towards Myria, where he, together with the Himari army, will corner the Myridon army on the land before the wall, trapping them and beating them against it.

The one advantage Myridon has at the moment is a part of their army - they’ve got a new weapons factory in Myrida Aeca, producing formidable machines of war. This factory is what Metilles needs the party to go deal with while he takes Myrida Aeca - try not the kill the artificer.

His plans with all of this is to unite the empire once more. Currently there’s too much war and internal conflict going on for the empire to focus on the true threat at hand - the abyss. Most people have not been affected, so it’s not close enough to truly care about.

Regardless of the party’s answer, Metilles will go on with the plan, and he will likely succeed.

The Factory - The Emberhand Forge

Nedric is trying to use soul gems to make a robot like buddy.

Session 58: 03/12/2024

Istishari Isles

Fellowship of Light

• The leaders of the Isles are a council of wizards, who believe they should use the isles to house and study things that are too dangerous for the general world to have. The leader is called Guardian Avaro.
• They’ve been using the Well of Ages for their own benefit, and have used it both to craft Soulgems, drawing the spirit from bodies and turning them into the gems, and also to further their own lifespans and such. Because of this, the Well is off-limits to anyone not them.

Warden

• Schools of Geo-Thaumaturgical Sciences

Getting to Isles, and Camar

• Alexei gets Vizier visions of both maps that show them where the isles are, and ships going there
• The ship going there has Seeker Elnan and his apprentice mage Vallis.
• Using soul gems to guide through the mist

• Elnan will try to get an audience with the Fellowship of Light. In the meantime, the party will be escorted to where they will stay.
• Everything is too perfect, soulless.

Convincing Guardians to use the Well of Ages

• Silence after hearing the appeal

Waiting around, meeting artificers/keepers

• Artificer Kisvaira
• Using soul gems to make different items
  • soul gems are usually used by mages, but when made into weapons, they can be used by non-mages

Libraries, scribe halls

• Scribing everything
  • Seekers bringing in new and ancient works
  • Also dangerous artifacts

Getting an answer

• After days of waiting, the party will finally be summoned back to get an answer.
• They will be told that the Well of Ages does not exist, and that they’re sorry they’ve been misled otherwise. Either that, or that outsiders are not permitted to use the well.
• The days needed was to discuss other means of assistance, of which they didn’t find any suitable.

Well of Ages

• It should technically work, curing the darkvein by drowning. But the masters have twisted the usage of the primordial essence, making soul gems and extending their own lives and such.
  • When Mika drowns, the primordial essence will bring her back to life, and draw out the darkvein. The transmutation magic of the wizards will then try to twist the darkvein and mikas body back and forth, until they merge into something horrible, that eventually explodes in a reaction that will destroy the isles.

Session 59: 10/12/2024

Getting to Istishari Isles

• Tp to Bardford
• Get visions of the maps thing with trade routes
• Either
  • Buy ship and head out
  • or make noise, which could attract Elnan and Vallis
  • If they just go, have ship be attacked by merrows or smth
• Elnan can get an audience with the Fellowship

Session 60: 18/12/2024

• Talk to council

• Meet Kin’Vaira the day after
  • Show her small lab below school
  • Using soul gems to make different items
    • soul gems are usually used by mages, but when made into weapons, they can be used by non-mages
• If finding Vallis, he’s got his own project going on trying to learn new things.
  • He’s meeting with Keeper Thorne, and he’s trying to find out about the Well of Ages
  • He’s gonna find it, and study the wizard runes, figuring out

Session 61: 07/01/2025

People

Verrix

• Will take ship back to Bardford and start up her tavern. If tried to kiss, will block and say “save it for later”

Vallis

• Mostly quiet and sticking to himself. He took notes on all the magic
• He will go

Dragon Elves

Maxi was granted the Teleportation Circle for the capital of the dragon elves. Esta will be waiting to hear from the party, and once they get there, she has a mission for them

The demons launched their attack recently from the sea, taking over the south-eastern island within a couple of days. They’ve now started their attack

Shards and Items

• Betrayer
• Ramiels Armor
• Platinum Lance
• Orb of Dragonkind
• The Starlit Ward
• Three of Vitrix’ Teeth
• Bronze Glory Helmet

Knowledge

• Vallyn: A Summarized History
• Historical accounts for the last 1000’s of years
• Books describing the rituals, culture and everything about Vitrix and the new incarnations and such.
• Rytys Saevyre is there

Eggs

• 5 eggs
• Library has notes for all dragons born, dates of birth and names
• Coffin has all the remains of the dragons of the incarnations of Vitrix, like Hiserius, Fenlar, Rytys

Session 62: 14/01/2024

Dragon Elves

Esta is happily surprised that they get all the stuff. She invites them to join the boats to sanctuary, where they’ve been promised, you know, sanctuary.

Much like it’s neighbour, Enya, we know very little about Sanctuary besides the fact that it serves as the home to members of many monstrous races who do not belong anywhere else. They seem to be led, or rather, guided by an elder on a floating temple by the shore to the Bronze Sea. They seem to have no interest in dealing with outsiders, and are generally rather peaceful, but they’ve shown a willingness and capacity to defend themselves in around 7 A.E. against an Ascillian general and his men who ventured too deep into their woods

The dragon elves have been given refuge by Turron, who promised them that they can stay as long as they want for as long as they need.

Session 63: 21/01/2025 - Session x, xx/xx/xxxx

Astral Plane

• Collect Shard of Infinite Thought
• A fragment of pure, crystallized thought from a long-dead god, floating in the Astral Plane.
  • In it’s dying moments, it was filled with fear, doubt, uncertainty, regret
• Mind flayers also want said shard to make it their own god under their control
  • Their leader is elder brain “The Inquirer”
  • It believes that by claiming this artifact, it can ascend beyond physical form and birth a new Elder God of Thought, remaking all minds in its image. The Inquirer leads a clandestine Mind Flayer cult known as the Unbroken Circle, whose agents are already moving within the Astral Plane.
• While the heart of the mountain is the physical, this is the mental framework of the seal, keeping together the complex magics of the spell.
• The party would arrive in the astral plane, floating in space. In the distance, they see the giant skeleton of the god. The skull of the god has cracked open, and inside, there’s some tunnels through the petrified skull, but in the center is a hollow chamber. Here, floating in the middle of the room is the crystallized thought, encased in a psychic barrier
• The Inquirer is linked to the thoughts barrier with weird psychic links. It seems to be absorbing the power
• Around the Inquirer are the Unbroken Circle, the mind flayers and other aberrations.
• The Inquirer would ask questions will, well, inquire the party as they approach the corpse. It will warn them to stay away, and to do no further meddling.
  • Paranoia. Creatures within 5 miles of an elder brain feel as if they are being followed, even when they’re not.
  • Psychic Whispers. Any creature with which the elder brain has formed a psychic link hears faint, incomprehensible whispers in the deepest recesses of its mind. This psychic detritus consists of the elder brain’s stray thoughts commingled with those of other creatures to which it is linked.
  • Telepathic Eavesdropping. The elder brain can overhear any telepathic conversation within 5 miles of it. The creature that initiated the telepathic conversation makes a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw when telepathic contact is first established. If the save is successful, the creature is aware that something is eavesdropping. The nature of the eavesdropper isn’t revealed.

Elemental Plane of Earth

• Heart of a living mountain
• Party has to move through the mountain’s “veins” to get to the heart
• There are golems that act like white blood cells
  • They see the party as a virus, and as such, much like actual cells, try to absorb and crush the party members.
  • They can have different personalities as they absorb personality traits of previous “viruses”
  • The deeper in the party ventures, the less the golems are just “golem-like” and get deeper personalities reflecting the amount of essences absorbed.
• As they get to the heartchamber, the mountain violently reacts and starts collapsing in on itself as a final defense mechanism
  • starts a “timer” where the party has to do something to get the heart out
• The heart represents earth and the strength of durability of earth and how that will be the “physical” cage of tharizdun
• Party has to delve into Kar’Grathul, a sentient mountain. Its insides are a labyrinth of stone arteries, crystalline caverns, and magma veins. The mountain is aware of intruders and views them as infections—threats to its being. Its defenses grow stronger the deeper the party travels.
• At first, Kar’Grathul disperses the earth elementals.
• Then, the party must make a series of survival checks
• They need 3 DC 20’s. The first takes them from the outer shells to the veins. Here, the party has to make DC 20 Dex saves, as lava flows through the veins, and its to find some cover. 6d10 fire damage.
• Next is the lungs. Vast caverns filled with spiked crystalline formations that resonate like breathing.
• The lungs are filled with poisonous gas. as the party traverses through, they must make DC 20 con saves, 6d8 poison damage
  • the lung fills with the gas in a breathing like pattern. checks to time it.
• Final is the heart chamber. Its a matter of dealing 75 damage to the rocky tendrils around the heart in the middle of the room
• Each strike does 2d10 thunder to the hitter, and once it breaks, the mountain starts collapsing. The party has 5 rounds to get out, with 3d10 dex saves each round. If they dont get out, its 10d10 and they are buried in rubble until they free themselves.

Elemental Plane of Air

• Elemental Plane of Air – The Last Breath of the First Word
• Description:
• A translucent, swirling orb of condensed wind and ancient energy, constantly shifting between vapor and form. Inside the orb, faint echoes of a voice can be heard whispering in a language older than the gods themselves. This artifact is said to contain the final breath of the first being to ever speak magic into existence—a primordial utterance that shaped the foundations of language and spellcraft. This breath is pure, unbound power, the force behind every spell and every spoken word of power in the multiverse.
• Symbolism in the Ritual:
• The Power of Speech and Binding Words: To bind Tharizdun, the seal requires a spoken incantation of unimaginable power. The Last Breath of the First Word provides the raw energy to give form to the words that will cage a god.
• Manifestation of Will: Breath is life and will; this item represents the force of intent made reality, empowering the final words that will trap Tharizdun within his mortal prison.
• Unyielding Command: The artifact channels the authority of creation itself, ensuring the binding words cannot be defied.
• Living spells? power words.
• so get to the place
  • inside, fight various power words manifest
  • then, get to the breath which is in the center of the chamber in a stormy sphere
  • “Words created the world. Words unmake it.
  • Speak the Word that binds, or be scattered upon the wind.”
  • Ioun will give them the Power Word that must be spoken, but there are 3 checks to get it right
  • “VOR” – To Bind or Restrain
  • An ancient syllable derived from primordial languages, signifying the act of constriction and containment. It resonates with authority and control, a force that compels obedience.
  • “UL” – Will or Command
  • This syllable channels personal intent, representing the pure force of willpower required to enact change upon reality. It is the speaker’s dominance over the chaotic forces of the Plane of Air.
  • “THAR” – Breath or Life
  • A sacred syllable referencing the breath of creation, the essence of life and speech. It mirrors the concept of beginnings and endings, tying the spoken Word to the breath that forged the multiverse.
  • All checks are DC 20
  • Insight, Performance to fuel emotion/power into the word
  • Constitution to get the resonance correct
  • Int/wis/cha to get the magic right
  • It can go from 3 successes which traps the breath, to 3 fails, which still works but backfires in a PW:K. Ioun explains this.

Elemental Plane of Water

• At the bottom of one of the deepest trenches, a giant clam rests - one who has been here since the creation of the plane of water.
• The clam has “pearlified” an essence of pure peace. Its an embodiment of the perfect stillness of thought that exists in the heart of the oceans depths, free from the distractions and noise of the worlds surface.
• The party needs this essence of tranquil to counteract the maddening whispers and the corruption of tharizdun in his true form, so that he doesnt corrupt the actual seal or the mortal body to release him again.
• To get the pearl, the party will need to convince the clam somehow to give it up, as the pearl wouldnt do it willingly
• In the quiet, as the party meditates, their fears and insecurities manifests as weird beings. The party will have to “fight” them, all while staying still. doing this by wisdom saves and like, describing how their state of mind is really breaking it.
• The party will teleport to the edge of the Trench of Endless Silence. Immediately when the party would descend into the darkness, all sounds around them disappear. No waves, and the water is unnaturally still. The very water here seems to absorb sound, and the pressure of the ocean depths creates a serene, otherworldly calm. The further the party descends, the silence grows more oppressive, leaving only the party’s own thoughts.
  • At this point, the only way to communicate is through the earrings of message, as sounds do not travel.
• At the bottom of the trench, the party finds the old ruins of a temple or place of worship. In the middle of it sits the biggest clam the party has ever seen.
• Suddenly, in the silence, there’s a voice. In the oppressive silence, it’s extremely loud.
  • “I am Quollan’thu, The Still. I have slumbered here since the first wave kissed the shore. You come seeking the Essence of Tranquil.”
  • “The Essence of Tranquil is an embodiment of the perfect stillness of throught that exists in the heart of the oceans depths, free from distractions and noise of the world’s surface. Over millenia, I have captured this essence within a pearl, one I keep.
  • “Many have come seeking it, but none have understood. It is not a gift to be taken, but a truth to be understood.”
  • “To hold the silence, you must become the silence. Cast aside your voice and body, and still your mind.”
• Facing the Fears
  • “You must sit in the stillness. Meditate. Let the silence overcome you. In the stillness, your mind will run free, scream its fears to wake you from the stillness. Down here in the depths, there is room for these fears to take shape. To understand tranquility, show me you can silence these fears. Remain unshaken yourself. Endure the quiet. Only then shall the pearl recognize you.”
  • The party must meditate in silence. All make a wisdom check
    • Nat 1 is 5 water sparks
    • 2-8 is 4
    • 8-15 is 3
    • 16-20 is 2
    • Above 20 is 1
  • The party must find a way to destroy these without moving on their own. Be creative.
• Trial of Reflection
  • “You must sit in the stillness. Meditate. Let the silence overcome you. The stillness reveals all things, even what you have buried. Walk the waters of memory. Know what is real, and what is not. Calm the distortions, and let them flow back into the silence of reality.”
  • Mika
    • Harman death
  • Arani
    • Hidden Lord Betrayal
  • Alexei
    • Khada, but he reveals he killed alexei’s parents
  • Thalia
    • Either when they went to eryx, but the doppelgangers arent there
    • Or agnese, but he’s really dead in Gardmore
  • Aelthar
    • Back in the chair in the house that blew up, but he doesn’t blow.
  • “You have quieted the storm within. In stillness, you endured. In silence, you became whole. The ocean does not yield to force, but to those who move as it moves. Take this fragment of stillness. It is not a weapon, nor a shield, but a truth. Hold it close, and may the silence within guide you through the noise beyond.”
  • As one of the party reaches forward, the pearl gently lifts into their hands, impossibly light and yet brimming with an indescribable weight. For a fleeting moment, the world is utterly silent—no heartbeat, no breath, no thought. Then sound slowly returns, distant and soft, as if the ocean itself acknowledges their success.
  • Go. And disturb the depths no longer.

Elemental Plane of Fire

• https://5e.tools/trapshazards.html#extreme%20heat_dmg
• The party must venture into the Ashen Crucible, a volatile volcanic wasteland deep within the Elemental Plane of Fire. Rivers of molten rock split obsidian plateaus, while storms of ash and cinders blot out the sky. This desolate land is sacred ground, where phoenixes come to surrender their immortality.
• In the Caldera of one of the volcanoes, the party would find the temple of the Ashen Conclave
  • The Ashen Conclave are religious fanatics, who worship the cycle of death and rebirth. Led by Ergan, the Cinderlord
  • They believe that the Phoenix’s choice to embrace death is a divine act. The cinderbloom is not merely a flower, but the last ember of their god’s (the phoenix’s) will.
  • Doctrines:
    • Life must yield to death, and death to life. Immortality is a defilement of existence, and any attempts to escape this cycle is heresy
    • The cinderbloom is the phoenix’s final lesson. To disturb it would be to disturb the true truth that the phoenix has found. The Ashen conclave don’t know this truth, as it only reveals itself at the moment of your death
• The flower only blooms where a phoenix has chosen to “embrace mortality” and died. The flower in the ritual will be used to force tharizdun to embrace mortality, and be able to die
• They first must convince Ergan to even allow them to see the flower by being cleansed.
• This is by being burned with a little arcane sigil. The party will take 6d6 when the sigil is applied, damage doubled as the sigil glows.
  • The sigil makes them vulnerable to fire
• to touch the flower the member must die
• phoenix monologue about life and death
• firelord mad, attack

Abyss

• getting a gem of tharizdun here.
• the party has the ride the river styx to its source, where they will find the first gem of tharizdun, which they will get
• it will be guarded by one of tharizduns strongest
  • tanar’ri

Session 64: 26/01/2025

__Water Plane - Trench of Endless Silence
__At the bottom of one of the deepest trenches, a giant clam rests - one who has been here since the creation of the plane of water.

• The clam has “pearlified” an essence of pure peace. Its an embodiment of the perfect stillness of thought that exists in the heart of the oceans depths, free from the distractions and noise of the worlds surface.
• The party needs this essence of tranquil to counteract the maddening whispers and the corruption of tharizdun in his true form, so that he doesnt corrupt the actual seal or the mortal body to release him again.
• To get the pearl, the party will need to convince the clam somehow to give it up, as the pearl wouldnt do it willingly
• In the quiet, as the party meditates, their fears and insecurities manifests as weird beings. The party will have to “fight” them, all while staying still. doing this by wisdom saves and like, describing how their state of mind is really breaking it.
• The party will teleport to the edge of the Trench of Endless Silence. Immediately when the party would descend into the darkness, all sounds around them disappear. No waves, and the water is unnaturally still. The very water here seems to absorb sound, and the pressure of the ocean depths creates a serene, otherworldly calm. The further the party descends, the silence grows more oppressive, leaving only the party’s own thoughts.
  • At this point, the only way to communicate is through the earrings of message, as sounds do not travel.
• At the bottom of the trench, the party finds the old ruins of a temple or place of worship. In the middle of it sits the biggest clam the party has ever seen.
• Suddenly, in the silence, there’s a voice. In the oppressive silence, it’s extremely loud.
  • “I am Quollan’thu, The Still. I have slumbered here since the first wave kissed the shore. You come seeking the Essence of Tranquil.”
  • “The Essence of Tranquil is an embodiment of the perfect stillness of throught that exists in the heart of the oceans depths, free from distractions and noise of the world’s surface. Over millenia, I have captured this essence within a pearl, one I keep.
  • “Many have come seeking it, but none have understood. It is not a gift to be taken, but a truth to be embraced.”
  • “To claim it, you must first face your own truth. You have lived many moments, made choices both wise and foolish, and all of them have brought you to this moment. In the depths of the ocean, time holds no sway, and here, your past will wash over you like the currents themselves.”
  • “These moments are not mere memories. They are threads in the tapestry that is your life. To go further, you must walk those threads once again. The questions you ask yourselves—‘Could I have done better? What if I changed my choice?’—are not for you to answer here. In the chaos of your mind, you must prove you can silence it, by accepting it. To wish for change is to deny who you are and what you have become. Without those moments, you would not be here, and you would not be who you are today. Embrace them, and only then will you find the peace you seek, and be worthy to claim the Essence of Tranquil.”
• The memories are these
• Istishia Isles
• Selwyn’s Betrayal
  • You hear someone clinking a glass, and a chair scraping across the floor
• Hidden Lord taking mother’s body
  • Companions and friends all around, beaten and bloodied. Arani on her knees praying. Heavens open up as a celestial shows up. Arani collapses.
• The entire going to Bhogh Daral from BB, being ambushed, going back, drawing cards while waiting for demons. End when Mika drawing Void
• Caitlan becoming Mystra’s Avatar, and then mystra curing Duskwane into helm killing her.
• The Fox and the Hunter
• Every time they act against, they take EP
  • “You have meditated in the silence and faced the echoes of your past. In doing so, you have proven that you are capable of accepting the choices that shaped you.”
  • “Though you may have wished to change some moments, you now understand that each one led you to this point—this moment, where you alone can stand against what’s coming.”
  • “Your actions, however difficult, have forged your strength. It is through them that you are worthy to carry the Essence of Tranquil.”
  • “Take it now, for the silence you sought has shown you the truth: you are ready to end this cycle, to face what lies ahead, and to stop what cannot be allowed to return.”
  • “Go forth with the peace that only acceptance can bring, for it is your greatest strength.”

Elemental Plane of Fire

• https://5e.tools/trapshazards.html#extreme%20heat_dmg
• The party must venture into the Ashen Crucible, a volatile volcanic wasteland deep within the Elemental Plane of Fire. Rivers of molten rock split obsidian plateaus, while storms of ash and cinders blot out the sky. This desolate land is sacred ground, where phoenixes come to surrender their immortality.
• In the Caldera of one of the volcanoes, the party would find the temple of the Ashen Conclave
  • The Ashen Conclave are religious fanatics, who worship the cycle of death and rebirth. Led by Ergan, the Cinderlord
  • They believe that the Phoenix’s choice to embrace death is a divine act. The cinderbloom is not merely a flower, but the last ember of their god’s (the phoenix’s) will.
  • Doctrines:
    • Life must yield to death, and death to life. Immortality is a defilement of existence, and any attempts to escape this cycle is heresy
    • The cinderbloom is the phoenix’s final lesson. To disturb it would be to disturb the true truth that the phoenix has found. The Ashen conclave don’t know this truth, as it only reveals itself at the moment of your death
• The flower only blooms where a phoenix has chosen to “embrace mortality” and died. The flower in the ritual will be used to force tharizdun to embrace mortality, and be able to die
• Ergan can welcome them to the temple, but he will not give up the flower. its the basis of their worship. To allow them to even see the flower, they will need to be branded
  • 4d6 fire damage, doubled cuz the sigil gives vuln.

Session 65: 04/02/2025

Traveling through the Abyss

• The party will see the different layers that they saw going through the gauntlet of tharizdun.
• Esta will send a Sending at some point to the party
  • “Demons building Obelisk on isles. Symbol in sky grew. Gathering allies and armies to stop them. Would like your help when you’ve returned. Good luck.”

Ziggurat of Tharizdun

• Symbol of Insanity in the hallway, death on the gem.
• Tanar’ri is tired of the party constantly being a thorn in the side of Tharizdun’s cause. But it won’t matter.
• He can, and will, explain how the locations needing taking have been taken. The demons own the convergences of the leylines, and are finishing their obelisks.
• The party is too late. Enough seals have been broken, and now once the obelisks are activated, they will break the final seals of Tharizdun, and he will be free. And their world will crumble, and be remade in his image.

Forge

• Mika will be able to forge together the items to create the seal
• There’s a combined dc mika has to get to, and for each item she adds, there’s a check, and the magical energy lashes back more and more.
• 2d10, 4d10, 8d10, 16d10, 32d10
• If Mika prays to Moradin, he’d show up and offer her to become an aspect
• “You have toiled with hammer and heart, shaping the world with steady hands and steadfast will. I have watched you, not for your words, but for your deeds—the fires you have stoked, the burdens you have carried, and the oaths you have honored. You are no idle dreamer, no weak-willed servant waiting for fate to shape you. You are the forge, the anvil, and the hammer. And now, you shall be more.”
• “I bestow upon you the strength of the mountain, the fire of the forge, and the will of the stone. Your hands shall build, your heart shall endure, and your spirit shall never break. Go forth, tempered and true, a beacon for those who falter. Protect the weak, guide the lost, and strike down the wicked with the certainty of a smith’s hammer upon flawed steel.”

Aspect of the Soul Forger

Forgefather’s Blessing

When you take a short rest, you can spend time reinforcing a suit of armor or a weapon you touch. Choose one of the following benefits:

If you touch a suit of armor, its wearer gains temporary hit points equal to your level at the end of the rest.

If you touch a weapon, it gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls until your next long rest.

You can only bless one item at a time.

Hammer and Anvil

Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can empower an ally within 10 feet of you. That ally gains advantage on their next attack against the same creature.

Stoneborn Resolve

When you fail a Constitution saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead. You can use this ability once per long rest.

Master Artisan

You gain expertise with smith’s tools, and you can craft non-magical items twice as fast as usual. Additionally, when crafting magical items or enchanting equipment, the gold and time required are reduced by half.

Esta

Back in Sanctuary, Esta is preparing to launch an assault on the demons that took her home. The plan is to force them back, at least enough to break the obelisk they made.

Several figures and armies are coming here, and she’s in contact with people on Kamos, who are also coordinating an attack on an obelisk built over there. The plan is to launch an offensive at the same time on either of them, to make sure the demons have to spread between both of them, and then group together using the planar tree to attack the Epida obelisk together.

Armies

Sanctuary

• Beastfolk
  • Satyrs, Shifters, Leonin
• Aarakocra airforce

Enya

• Elven squads
• Kharis?

Dragon Elves

• Sorcerers
• Dragon Riders

Esneya

• Priests

Metilles

• Big man
• Lions

Session 66: 11/02/2025

Forge

• Mika will be able to forge together the items to create the seal
• There’s a combined dc mika has to get to, and for each item she adds, there’s a check, and the magical energy lashes back more and more.
• 2d10, 4d10, 8d10, 16d10, 32d10
• If Mika prays to Moradin, he’d show up and offer her to become an aspect
• “You have toiled with hammer and heart, shaping the world with steady hands and steadfast will. I have watched you, not for your words, but for your deeds—the fires you have stoked, the burdens you have carried, and the oaths you have honored. You are no idle dreamer, no weak-willed servant waiting for fate to shape you. You are the forge, the anvil, and the hammer. And now, you shall be more.”
• “I bestow upon you the strength of the mountain, the fire of the forge, and the will of the stone. Your hands shall build, your heart shall endure, and your spirit shall never break. Go forth, tempered and true, a beacon for those who falter. Protect the weak, guide the lost, and strike down the wicked with the certainty of a smith’s hammer upon flawed steel.”

Aspect of the Soul Forger

Forgefather’s Blessing

When you take a short rest, you can spend time reinforcing a suit of armor or a weapon you touch. Choose one of the following benefits:

If you touch a suit of armor, its wearer gains temporary hit points equal to your level at the end of the rest.

If you touch a weapon, it gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls until your next long rest.

You can only bless one item at a time.

Hammer and Anvil

Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can empower an ally within 10 feet of you. That ally gains advantage on their next attack against the same creature.

Stoneborn Resolve

When you fail a Constitution saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead. You can use this ability once per long rest.

Master Artisan

You gain expertise with smith’s tools, and you can craft non-magical items twice as fast as usual. Additionally, when crafting magical items or enchanting equipment, the gold and time required are reduced by half.

Esta

Back in Sanctuary, Esta is preparing to launch an assault on the demons that took her home. The plan is to force them back, at least enough to break the obelisk they made.

Several figures and armies are coming here, and she’s in contact with people on Kamos, who are also coordinating an attack on an obelisk built over there. The plan is to launch an offensive at the same time on either of them, to make sure the demons have to spread between both of them, and then group together using the planar tree to attack the Epida obelisk together.

Armies

Sanctuary

• Beastfolk
  • Satyrs, Shifters, Leonin
• Aarakocra airforce

Enya

• Elven squads
• Kharis?

Dragon Elves

• Sorcerers
• Dragon Riders

Esneya

• Priests

Metilles

• Big man
• Lions

The Battleplan

Esta has contact with Kamos people. They will attack their obelisk on the 15th, so to make sure the demon forces will be somewhat divided, here will attack on the 15th too. On the 14th, the army will move to the first dragon elf island and set up a base camp, before attacking the obelisk on the 15th

Session 67: 18/02/2025

Destroying the Obelisk

• With the blessings of Silvanus, Turron creates the Heartroot of Ru’an. It’s an artifact grown from the roots of the planar tree. Once placed upon the obelisk, it spreads living veins of enchanted wood and ivy, creating channels that can absorb and amplify the dragon elves’ lightning.
  • Once used, the demons will try to destroy it, and the party will have to protect it for a few rounds as the demons try.

Demon Lords

• While the demon lords are alive, all demons across the islands receive bonuses to their abilities.
• The party can decide to just go straight for the obelisk, but for each demon lord they leave alive, a random number of the npc’s they sent to fight that demon lord will die, and the obelisk fight will be more difficult.

Orcus

• Orcus is spotted by the graveyard, where he and his minions are resurrecting fallen dragons as their servants, as well as resurrecting those who fall during the battle.
• While Orcus remains alive, all demons gain the following ability
  • When the demon is reduced to 0 hit points, it doesn’t die. Instead, it stays alive until the end of its next turn, where it then dies.
• If Orcus is alive for the Obelisk fight, a dracolich will join the fight.

Yeenoghu

• Yeenoghu will be trying to make it across the landbridge, rampaging with his gnolls to tear apart the camp, turron and all the wounded inside.
• While Yeenoghu remains alive, all demons gain the following ability
  • The demon’s speed is increased by 10 feet, and as a bonus action, it can move up to its speed towards a hostile creature it can see.
• If Yeenoghu is alive for the Obelisk fight, Crokek’Toeck joins the fight

Miska

• Miska is overlooking the battle from the overlook with the teleportation circle. He has turned it into a webbed lair, meaning movement is restricted.
• On the overlook, he has planted 3 large banners. Each of the banners has an AC 15 and 50 HP, and immunity to psychic and poison. Each of the banners grant an effect across all isles.
  • The first banner halves all healing effects on the isles.
  • The second banner conjures a magical darkness across the isles. While this is here, all magical light from spells lower than 3rd is dispelled, and demons are resistant to radiant damage.
  • The third banner grants all legendary demons an extra legendary action and resistance.
• If he is still alive for the obelisk fight, one of each Aeorian joins the fight.

Session 68: 25/02/2025

Destroying the Obelisk

• With the blessings of Silvanus, Turron creates the Heartroot of Ru’an. It’s an artifact grown from the roots of the planar tree. Once placed upon the obelisk, it spreads living veins of enchanted wood and ivy, creating channels that can absorb and amplify the dragon elves’ lightning.
  • Once used, the demons will try to destroy it, and the party will have to protect it for a few rounds as the demons try.

Demon Lords

• While the demon lords are alive, all demons across the islands receive bonuses to their abilities.
• The party can decide to just go straight for the obelisk, but for each demon lord they leave alive, a random number of the npc’s they sent to fight that demon lord will die, and the obelisk fight will be more difficult.

Orcus

• Orcus is spotted by the graveyard, where he and his minions are resurrecting fallen dragons as their servants, as well as resurrecting those who fall during the battle.
• While Orcus remains alive, all demons gain the following ability
  • When the demon is reduced to 0 hit points, it doesn’t die. Instead, it stays alive until the end of its next turn, where it then dies.
• If Orcus is alive for the Obelisk fight, a dracolich will join the fight.

Yeenoghu

• Yeenoghu will be trying to make it across the landbridge, rampaging with his gnolls to tear apart the camp, turron and all the wounded inside.
• While Yeenoghu remains alive, all demons gain the following ability
  • The demon’s speed is increased by 10 feet, and as a bonus action, it can move up to its speed towards a hostile creature it can see.
• If Yeenoghu is alive for the Obelisk fight, Crokek’Toeck joins the fight

Miska

• Miska is overlooking the battle from the overlook with the teleportation circle. He has turned it into a webbed lair, meaning movement is restricted.
• On the overlook, he has planted 3 large banners. Each of the banners has an AC 15 and 50 HP, and immunity to psychic and poison. Each of the banners grant an effect across all isles.
  • The first banner halves all healing effects on the isles.
  • The second banner conjures a magical darkness across the isles. While this is here, all magical light from spells lower than 3rd is dispelled, and demons are resistant to radiant damage.
  • The third banner grants all legendary demons an extra legendary action and resistance.
• If he is still alive for the obelisk fight, one of each Aeorian joins the fight.

Session 69: 09/03/2025

Session Start

• Ashes start
  • Get an update on armies, people, etc
  • Likely talk about vecna and wtf happened
  • Meet up w. Alistair
  • Talk w. the gods?
  • Swap to Chains
• Chains
  • Clouds fully part, and the mark grows to its final stage
    • Shadowhydra disappears
    • Go back to camp
    • Find mage seizuring on the ground after trying to scry on EA
      • “It’s too late. They broke the seals.”
    • Meet w. commanders, get update on situation and leave for planar tree
    • Head to talk to gods, and get everyone safe in here as people likely realize what has happened.
    • Start gathering leaders for the meeting

The Meeting

• Esta starts everything by letting people know it’s too late, and that Tharizdun is free. They broke the seals.
• Esta has gotten from guild members that Tharizdun is currently staying over Epida Amini, and is seemingly gathering power. He’s staying for the moment at least.
  • “I know you all came here from a victory in Kamos, ready to press on for Epida Amini, ready to stop the demons from freeing Tharizdun… There’s no easy way to say it, so I’ll be blunt. We failed. We were too late. They freed him.”
  • She pauses for a moment to let the realization hit everyone. During this time is when Arcus’ sending arrives.
  • “We’ve gotten several reports of this - Sendings from members of the guild, along with our attempts of scrying. On top of that, the symbol in the sky has grown to what we can only assume to be the final stage. In the time between our obelisk being destroyed and getting here, we found out what it does - any and all teleportation and summoning spells and effects have ceased to function. This means that the Planar tree, on top of being our meeting point and a place of unity for us mortals, is now also vital in that it is our only way to quickly transport around the world.”
  • “What many of us feared would happen has now happened. But we cannot let that falter us. Now is when we have to repel them, or our world will fall. So we need to figure out what to do now. We need to figure out what to do about Tharizdun, and about the demons which we’re getting reports are appearing more and more around the world. For the Tharizdun issue, I believe the Crimson Cloud has taken a contingency.”
  • She steps aside here, and allows for the CC to speak up about the Seal. Right before this, the sending from Jamis comes. After the crimson cloud is done, the final sending comes through.
• Early on, Alexei gets a sending from Arcus
  • “The demons started flooding the material plane. We were sent to cretara to enter to rift to try and st-”
• Later, Jamis also sends to Alexei
  • “We made it into the main rift. Hoping to stop this at the source. There’s so many. Oh gods… Oh g-”
• Finally, Eloweth would send her sending.
  • “We failed. Everyone’s dead. The rift led to Nethrak’s fortress. He controls the source of rifts. We weren’t strong enough. Good luck. Remember Serenity’s Retribution”
• After a brief delay, Rydel gets a sending, from Nethrak
  • “I am waiting.”
• Then comes the discussion of what to do now
• Talking points
  • Who goes where (Parties and NPC’s)
    • When the planar tree is attacked these will stay
      • Esta
      • Metilles
      • Turron
      • Hiserius
      • Varo→Eldoril→Aurelius
        • Depending on who’s alive
      • Andrara
      • Ferwin, Andrik, Ethan
      • Kharis
      • Siblings, likely
      • Hidden Hope ppl
  • Who should be Tharizdun’s vessel
  • Whatever the players bring up
  • Afterwards, there’s some time for talk amongst different groups until the meeting disperses

After the meeting

• • After the meeting is a rest, and in the morning, the parties go to their respective places.
  • As everyone is preparing, there’s suddenly a bunch of commotion as suddenly portals open into the planar tree. Through them, thousands of demons are pouring, and at their forefront is 4 people
  • One of them starts speaking the mean bitch speech of fuck you youll die
    • They then all 4 hold up a soulstone each, and crack it, freeing the 4 elemental lords.
  • After that, all demons charge, and the material plane armies gather to try and fight back.
    • At the same time, from the high branches, light pours through branches as mother and her solars arrive
  • Corellon finds the parties, and explains how they’re the most important right now, and damn the divine order.
    • Long rest for everyone, and pointed towards the branches they gotta go to.
  • The parties can then gather who they can bring with them and leave as the tree burns around them.

The battle commences:

Rat

There’s the final meeting of all the generals, NPC’s and PC’s. Outside are the thousands of soldiers, all around the planar tree, ready to march forward into the next fight. Towards the end. The tension, both between the characters gathered and the soldiers outside is clearly felt.

As the parties leave the meeting, there’s suddenly a deep hum that reverberates all across the planar tree’s realm. Then, one after another, all around the planar tree and the armies gathered, portals open. The hum changes, turning into the rumble of thousands of demons charging through the portals, as the armies of mortals scramble for their weapons.

Above the demons surging through portals, four more open - one on each side of the planar tree. Out of each of them steps a single figure. The ones closest to the parties are Solithos to one side, wreathed in blackened, stone armor, wielding his topaz greataxe. To the other side is a humanoid. Bronze skin, fiery red hair. Wearing a distinct mask forged of obsidian, veined with burning embers. Dark crimson robe, embroidered with golden flames.

Solithos starts speaking, his voice magically enhanced to bellow over the sounds of the armies clashing below

“Behold, mortals, the reckoning you have feared but could never outrun! For too long, you have clung to your fragile world, ignorant of the power beneath your feet, the fire in the air, the storm on the wind, and the tide that hungers to consume all!”

Solithos, along with the 3 other people floating above the armies, raise one of their hands. In them, you see each carries a stone

“You fight for a world that is already lost. You raise your pitiful weapons against forces beyond your reckoning. But it is futile! We are the true inheritors of this world, and today, the age of mortals ends!”

Then, with a single pulse of raw energy, they all shatter the soulstones in their hands. In front of Solithos, Ogremoch, a walking mountain of jagged stone of dust appears, moving with the weight of an earthquake, each step crushing the ground. To the other side of the parties, a pillar of flame erupts as the air itself ignites, blistering skins and turning weapons red-hot around the form of Imix.

Across the battlefield to the opposite sides, everyone sees the forms of Yan-C-Bin, gliding across the battlefield as a raging cyclone, and Olhydra, a crashing tidal wave crushing all in her path.

All four of them appear, and immediately just start destroying all in their path - demon and mortal alike.

Trym

• Imix dude goes hamana hamana ham, and imix goes burn
• The battle commences between the armies and the demons. Esta and Asger speak with the party and tell them to go. the party can briefly speak with the other if they wish.
• Sehanine calls down dozens of moonbeams continuously
• Aerdrie makes a blender.
• Corellon finds the party as they try to make sense of the chaos. He tells them that they can’t afford to fail and fully restores everyone despite the consequences of breaking the divine order. tells the party to head for the branches of the planar tree.
• Rilifane elevatorleafs the parties to their respective portal branches
• As the party gets to the branch with their respective portals they briefly see a radiant light shine down from above in the cover of the foliage. coming down in formation are mother and her solars.

Session 70: 16/03/2025

Leomaris points out that if they wanna get the juice the actually seal tharizdun, the best place to do it is at the obelisk itself. They made it where the arcane nexus used to be, right by the leyline passing through. That’s where the magic will be strongest.

Darius says they’ll help cut a path and keep anything at bay while they fight him.

Madness of Tharizdun

d20

Madness effect

1-2

You take 10d12 psychic damage, gain one level of exhaustion, and immediately contract Darkvein if you did not already have it.

3-4

You are stunned until the start of your next turn and take 6d12 psychic damage.

5-6

Whispers of Madness fill your mind. You must use your action to attack a random creature within range. If no creatures are within range, you take 4d12 psychic damage, but can take your turn as normal

7-8

You take 4d12 psychic damage, and cannot regain hit points until the start of your next turn.

9-10

You gain blindsight 30 ft., but become blind beyond that range for 1 minute.

11-12

You become paralyzed. The effect ends if you take any damage.

13-14

You become affected by the confusion spell.

15-16

You begin babbling and become incapable of speech or spellcasting until the start of your next turn.

17-18

You have disadvantage on all attack rolls until the start of your next turn.

19-20

At the start of each of your turns, roll 1d4: on a 1, you lose your action; on a 4, you take an extra action.

Divine Imprisonment

1 Fracture

• Tharizdun gains advantage on all attack rolls and saving throws

2 Fractures

• Each creature within 60 feet must make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw, taking 8d10 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half on a success

3 Fractures

• Each creature within 30 feet of Tharizdun must make a DC 26 Strength saving throw or be restrained by dark bindings. A restrained creature takes 4d10 necrotic damage at the start of their turn. At the end of each of their turns, they can make a DC 20 Athletics or Acrobatics check to escape. Another creature can also help the target escape as an action.

4 Fractures

• A random creature within range must make a DC 26 Intelligence saving throw, as if affected by feeblemind.

5 Fractures

• Tharizdun can take an additional action immediately after his turn.

6 Fractures

• The seal starts coming apart with violent bursts of force. Every creature within 15 feet of Tharizdun must make a DC 26 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d10 force damage on a fail, or half on a success.

7 Fractures+

• Every fracture beyond 6 increases the range by 15 feet and the damage by 5d10.

Session 71: 21/03/2025

Epilogue Session

Start Ashes

Same thing

• Assumedly talk about what happened with Thena, heal Aurelius
• See seal disappearing, make assumptions
• Ilmater appears to take party to planar tree

Switch to Chains

Immediate consequences of last session

• Seal in the sky disappearing
• Rifts closing, demons losing
• Death :/

Pelor appears to bring the party to the planar tree

Planar Tree

• See the results
  • Dead people and demons and elementals
  • Planar tree charred, burning and unraveling
  • Survivors working on the corpses
• Silvanus, Ilmater and Pelor gathered
• Tell players, Asger, Maeve and Esta that they will shunt out all fiends on the material plane, and they will cut the planar ties between the material plane, and the abyss and the hells
  • The parties may have killed tharizdun and sealed the rifts, but demons still run rampant
  • The gods didn’t do enough when the world was ending, this is their “penance”
• They will leave, and after a bit, all the demon corpses start disappearing in radiant light.
• Afterwards, Esta will direct everyone to the meeting tree to get the full after battle report.
  • Prolly insight to see her sadness
  • She specifically puts a hand on arani’s shoulder as they leave.

Meeting

• Quick update on the battle
• Who died
• Players do what they want
• After that, small timeskip

Order

• Player driven mostly now.
• Funerals for those needed, and where to next.

Upcoming Stories

The Battle for Brimstone Bastion

• https://5e.tools/spells.html#forbiddance_phb protect gems of these
  • one has been placed at each of the two gates, and one at the inner keep

Cyric the Adventurer

Mystra’s Involvement

• Mystra is one of the gods who spent time on the material plane
• She got trapped by Myrkul, who is siphoning her power to help his ascension back to godhood
• She sends Caitlan to get Agnese and gang
  • He gets thalia and gang
• They free her, and she says some “ive spent time among mortal and now you saved me, i owe you a great debt - ill help you with the hell-steps.” because the abyss also kinda threatens all
• She goes, starts the ritual, and helm shows up
• “You cant interfere, if you’re allowed, evil peeps are too.”
• She argues against, but she broke the rule, so smite
• with her death, toad expends the power she has in her to keep the weave together until midnights ascension.

Timeline going forward

Glitterdeep

• The players are denied access to the forge. They are directed to the Mithral Dragon, guardian of the forge, who will put Mika through trials in the name of the Soul Forger.

Seria

• Pretty straight forward. Will the party commit genocide?

To the Brimstone Bastion

• Travel. Land turning grey. Demons.
• Have a couple days in the BB, where they learn about the Demon Hunters and such
• https://5e.tools/adventure.html#ghloe,14

Battle of Brimstone Bastion

• Several Armies
  • Demon Hunters
  • Esneyans
    • Porthos, Clerics and Paladins
  • Dragons and the Dragon Elves
    • Petir and Esta
  • Minority of Dwarves
• Stages
  • Stage 1: Yeenoghu leads the first charge.
    • Gnolls and basic demons. The expendables are thrown here
    • The party is tasked to guard one of two gates with gems with forbiddance effect, alongside the Demon Hunters
      • Porthos and Esneyans guard the other
      • Petir and Esta fight Yeenoghu
    • Eventually, either the party loses or Porthos does (5 rounds?)
    • After this, stage 2 begins
  • Stage 2: The dead rise
    • When the gates are breached, death tolls are already high
    • When stage 2 begins, orcus teleports in to join the fight
    • On his turn, he resurrects all the dead around the battlefield, creating an army of undead.
    • Everyone is ordered to fall back, and protect the civilians.
      • The party is asked to get to the inner keep gate, which also has a gem to protect. The inner keep has a majority of the civilians inside.
    • Porthos and Hiserius Anakiir go to fight Orcus.
      • They will actually do pretty well here
    • The party has to fight their way to the keep here.
    • When it seems like Porthos is winning and almost strikes the killing blow, a sword is thrown from the sky, piercing and pinning him to the ground. Nethrak follows the sword, and kills Porthos, and smacks Anakiir aside.
  • Stage 3: oh god oh fuck
    • Nethrak pulls up to the gate to make his way in.
    • Party has to fight him for a round or 2, but Adren shows up as well to help them out, throwing aside his list for now, in favor of a bigger thing.
    • After a couple of rounds, the party suddenly hears warhorns, and see as Metilles’ army arrives, riding into the demon army, and creating an opening for escape
    • Immediately after, Petir and Esta pull back from the yeenoghu fight, and start fighting Nethrak
    • They tell the party to get everyone out of the Inner keep, and to run. The bastion has been lost, but Metilles has created an out for the survivors.
• After escaping, the survivors set up a camp, where the survivng fighters eventually show up
• Metilles can regard how he hates what Sauntes is doing, but he himself has a duty to the world to help here. he’ll stay here to help make a foothold, but then deal with sauntes.

Cyric’s Call for Help

Message from Antael

Dealing with Visilis’

• Horcus Visilis is working with Myrkul
• HV has the magic sucker thing, Myrkul gives the shadow army

Mystra’s call for help

• Myrkul’s throne casts PWK on whoever sits it

Hell

• Bel contacts them
  • asmodeus?
• need zariels sword
• while they get the sword, the army marches on the celestial plane
• they can get the sword to zariel, which convinces her to stop
• if they cure zariel, tyr grants arani her “leave” and she might be an avatar
• if not, she can take it herself and be beeg

level 16 - Hell

In between

• Helping metilles
  • Nedrics robots in myrida aeca
  • skip to himari and battle at the wall

level 17 - dragon elves fall

• final fortress
  • ones who can flee will
  • ones who cant/wont hold demons back
    • old guards(think hiserius) and ancient dragons
• 3 things
  • Shards/treasury
    • Ramiel’s armor
  • knowledge
  • eggs/incubation
• party has to pick order they save in
• first is easyish
• second is deadly
• last is a hail mary and likely to fail

18 - going into abyss to create new seal

• ioun and asmodeus cooperating and making plans for a new one
• party needs to gather stuff
  • Abyss
  • elemental plane?
  • other planes?
  • forging the things in godforge

In between

• Planar tree attack after seal upgrades to 3

level 19 - obelisk fight

• gather everyones forces
  • metilles with the empire
  • sanctuary w. turron and land bridge
  • remaining dragon elves

level 20 - before tharizdun

going to epida amini