Shadow Over Ovenica (Beacons of Sunlight)
Horror Under Mosshall
Miscellaneous
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4/6
7/6After coming together through mutual interest in the recent rumors of undead in the area, a small adventuring party enters the town of Mosshall to investigate some suspicious activity.
Darren Brawnbeard the Dwarf, Twilla Evengate the Aasimar, Rodrick Algard the Half Elf, and Ariaseis (AKA: Ari) the Tiefling, meet on the road to Mosshall . After some small talk they discover they are all looking into the recent rumors that undead beings are being sighted around Prathia hold. After speaking with Father Luin, one of the town's priests, they learned that in recent weeks bodies had been disappearing from their crypt. The town's senior priest, Father Adam, stayed the night in the crypt a few days before their arrival but Father Luin found him the next morning pale and babbling and unable to speak of what he saw.
The group decided to investigate the crypt immediately. Inside they discover that the crypt is actually a small portion of an ancient dwarven ruin that the town is using to house their dead. The corpses of dwarves that were originally housed there had been removed at some point long ago. Sure enough, upon investigation, the group found evidence of a lot of activity in the crypt. Delving deeper down they discovered a recently dug series of tunnels along with a group of skeletons and a ghoul that were bundling up corpses and carrying them out of the crypt. Luckily the group was able to stop the removal of any more bodies by destroying the undead beings in a hard fought skirmish; during which Twilla and Darren were slain.
Rodrick and Ari hastily rushed the bodies of their slain comrades back to Father Adam who was able to revive them in time. Rodrick had recovered a small slip of paper from the ghoul with a letter on one side and a crude map on the other.
With an ever growing mystery on their hands and a new lead, the group set off right away to make up some time, following the map as best they could.
Troubles on the Road
Miscellaneous
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7/6
8/6Though they have a map pointing the way, the journey north towards their goal is anything but simple. The group crosses paths with a Giant, discovers a terrible corruption, and makes a new ally at the site of a grisly massacre.
The first night after leaving town Rodrick notices a strange sight during the midnight watch. A large boulder lay on the opposite side of the road where previously there was nothing. Quickly and quietly alerting the team they approach the boulder only to discover it is one of the Lesser Giants, and they've just woken it up. Angry at having its rest disturbed the giant goes on the attack. Initially ready to face this challenge, the group quickly discovers that their weapons do nothing against the giant. In a last ditch effort to save themselves, Rodrick offers the giant information. He tells him where Mosshall is and that he's sure the town would be happy to feed the giant. Curiosity piqued, the giant takes one of the groups oxen, as well as the groups guide, and heads off towards the town. Shaken, but otherwise alright the group beds down again for the night.
The next day the group comes across a grisly sight. The aftermath of a hanging, with the hanged corpse disemboweled and hoisted just above the path. After cutting the body loose and pulling a sword from another corpse that had been impaled to the tree, the group discovered a path of footprints and a trail of blood leading into some long grass. Following the trail they discovered that the long grass was filling a strange crevasse, and the deeper they went into the the taller the grass was until it was nearly the height of trees. During the walk they were attacked by animated vine but were able to defeat them without much trouble. At the bottom of the crevasse the group found the source of the problem: a large, aberrant creature was festering at the bottom of a mudhole. The monster spoke no words but managed to drag two of the group into the pit before it was destroyed. From the middle of the beast the group pulled its heart, but so far it seems to not have very much special about it.
The end of the day brought them to a horrific scene. A large group of people had been gathered up and killed, their bodies placed on pikes in neat rows at the side of the road. Here they discovered a half-elf named Jurita, Priest of the Angels of Iron and a devotee of The Pilgrim. She explained that she was on her pilgrimage but stopped to give these poor souls a proper funeral. The group decided to help her and together they built pyres for the bodies. They spent the night camped across the road (and Rodrick spent the night with Jurita in her tent). The following day they asked Jurita to join them in their travels. She obliged when they mentioned they were hunting undead.
Into the Woods
Miscellaneous
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9/6
11/6With Jurita in tow, the group decides to leave the path and head off road in order to better follow the map they have.
The group continues on their journey, taking their new companion with them. Eventually they realize that if they are to keep following the map exactly they will need to leave the road and head towards an abandoned church Darren knows of. After some deliberation they decide to leave their cart on the side of the road but take the remaining Ox with them through the woods towards the abandoned church. The woods prove to be smaller than they imagined and soon they find themselves on an open grassland with a few copses of trees scattering the landscape. As the sun begins to set they notice what appears to be a large bird off in the distance. The following day they spot the creature again and, that night, decide it's better to be safe than sorry, and make camp in one of the copses to stay hidden.
During the night they are attacked by a pair of Griffons looking for an easy meal. The battle is short and one of the Griffons is slain while the other flies away with severe wounds. The group collect a few trophies from the fallen Griffon and return to their beds intent on making it to the abandoned church the following day.
An Ancient Place
Miscellaneous
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12/6
14/6The party comes across a new ally, and discovers a secret beneath a crumbling temple to The Mother.
As the party awakens from their rest, they are greeted by a half elf wearing the robes of the Angels of Iron. She introduces herself as Sage, a holy champion devoted to The Scholar. She is scouring the land for important texts, historical or religious, and had also decided to investigate the rumors of undead which have been spreading over the land. The party agrees to her joining them and together they continue on their journey.
As they travel they are accosted by some unseen beings who become a general nuisance for Darren, but otherwise do no harm.
The temple of The Mother proves to be an interesting find. The twenty feet that remain of the tower is discovered to be hundreds of years old. It is unusual for such a temple to be built and dedicated directly to The Mother instead of to The Prophet or The Seraph. Atop the tower they discover the griffon which attacked them a few days ago but is currently sitting calmly, the presence of The Mother keeping it docile. The party's exploration uncovers a secret stairwell leading to a crypt below the tower. Within the crypt is contained the bodies of four ancient heroes, but also a sinister threat. Skull spiders and Ferine Vampires (as described in Vampires of the Material Plane) lie in wait for them. The battle is short however and the monsters are quickly dispatched.
Twilla discovers the corpse of a woman clutching a cloth stitched with the insignia of House Daemon, an old noble house with only one surviving member. Additionally the party discovers many magical items which have been laid to rest with the ancient heroes. As per tradition, the items are considered available to heroes of the faith who need them. Darren and Sage explain that it is not considered grave robbing and the party takes what they can.
They settle in for the night, going over the discoveries of the day, and looking forward to what the next few days will bring.
A Grave Concern Arises
Miscellaneous
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15/6
20/6After traveling north to the marked location on their small map, the group discovers a horrifying infestation in ancient dwarven ruins.
The journey north proves relatively simple, the groups largest problem being the river between them and their goal. A day of work and a night of rest by the riverside gives them enough time to build a small raft to carry them across. During the night however they fish a severed head out of the river, and discover it has a hole in the back of its neck similar to the corpses speared on pikes where they met Jurita. Deciding to interrogate it they discover the existence of a man in a pale green cloak who is doing this.
The next morning they find that the head has reanimated and, suspicions confirmed, they destroy it. Traveling across the river proves simple enough and at midday they arrive at their destination. An old dwarven mausoleum, within which Darren Brawnbeard discovers the ashes of one of his ancestors. Unfortunately the area had previously been desecrated but Darren quickly remedies this by performing a small ceremony to clean it of evil energy.
Once consecrated the group descends through a dirt tunnel which leads them to a series of dug tunnels beneath the crypt. They discover undead of all sorts, and destroy them, as well as a few Ferine Vampires along the way. They learn of the Canticle of the Profane and of the man in green robes who seems to be organizing the events they have experienced so far.
At the end of the tunnels they discover the man in green robes: Radulos Deathbloom, a druid who has long since abandoned his order. Twilla recognizes him as one of her own order. They engage in battle with him and some Ferine Vampires guarding him, and ultimately come out on top and destroy them.
While gaining some interesting magical items, the most interesting they discover is a piece of the Canticle being used by Radulos to aid him in his necromancy. The Grasp of Death is taken by Rodrick and the group leaves the crypt ready to head on to Duskview.
An Unexpected Guest
Miscellaneous
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21/6
25/6While traveling to Duskview trying to decide what to do with the Grasp of Death, the party is viseted by the last person they expected to see.
A few days after the party killed Radulos Deathbloom and took The Grasp of Death they awoke to find their campsite had a visitor. Dressed in simple, but well made clothes, and carrying no weapons was Lord Idris Daemon. He spoke with them, told them who he was and said he was looking for a friend. After some discussion the party realized that Lord Daemon was the "good friend" Radulos had spoken of. Unsure of what to do they let Lord Daemon walk away, but before he could leave completely Darren Brawnbeard called him back and kicked off a fight.
At first, Lord Daemon proved untroubled by the party, resisting blows that would have brought lesser men low. More quickly than he expected, however, the party began to gain the upper hand. He realized this and tried to change tactics, revealing himself to be a vampire, but it was too late. Darren landed the final hit and defeated him. His formed turned to mist and vanished across the mountains towards his castle. The party celebrated a hard fought victory and continued on their journey, looking forward to a bed and a good night's rest in the town of Duskview.
An Ill Fitting Grave
Life, Death
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25/6
26/6After saving the people of Duskview from an undead attack, the party delves into a nearby ruin, making a tenuous alliance before it collapsed suddenly resulting in the death of three members of the party.
When the party arrives in Duskview they have little time to rest as the tavern is almost immediately assaulted by a large group of undead. Though the threat is quelled quite easily, the party is hired to deal with the threat at it's source. They rest for the night. In the morning they gather a few supplies and head out to the ruin.
As they look around the entrance of the ruin Rodrick used his arcane eye to look for invisible things and discovered the party was being watched by an invisible creature. He called it out and the creature became visible. After a tense confrontation the party decided to delve into the ruin with the creature.
A few rooms into the ruin, the party decided they've had enough and turned on the creature. It proved more powerful than anticipated however and, after a brief fight, was forced to transform into its true form: a Dracolich. The fight was hard and eventually the Dracolich was defeated, but not without casualty. When the dust settled Rodrick, Twilla and Darren lay still and dead on the cold stone floor. Ari and Sage grabbed the bodies of their friends and quickly left the ruin to decide what to do next.
Quest Fulfilled and a New Goal Sighted
Miscellaneous
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27/6
5/7The party buries their dead, and meets three new people who join them.
Upon leaving the tomb, Ari and Sage take a moment to catch their breath. While they pause, the body of Darren begins to glow and is lifted into the air. Descending from above is an angelic being dressed in runic armor with two large white wings. She introduces herself as Azarelle, and says she has been tasked by The Champion to guard the party from harm until Darren is fit to return, or decides not to.
The three make their way back to town and rest for the night. In the morning, Sage goes to Theodemon to ask him to prepare a burial ceremony for Twilla and Rodrick. While she is doing that, Ari and Azarelle meet two travelers in the tavern: Kaedwyn, a Red Dragonborn who introduces himself as a Jager working for The League of the Eye, and Marcelline, a Firbolg druid, in town to look for her sister Twilla.
The party breaks the news of Twilla's death to Marcelline and together they attend the burial ceremony. After some brief deliberation, the new and old party members decide to band together and wipe out the threat in the ruin once and for all. They descend the stairs once more, defeating an Ootyugh, more skeletons, and finally the rest of the Cultists, along with the undead Giant they had recently created. They learn that the Changeling Kaedwyn has been following recently left this place and headed over the mountains through The Giant's Pass.
The threat eliminated, the town of Duskview thanks them profusely. The party rests a few days, gathering supplies then heads out making their way to the base of The Restless Hills, intent on braving The Giant's Pass.
Bounty Found
Miscellaneous
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6/7
20/8The party travels across The Restless Hills locating Roc and fulfilling Kaedwyn's bounty.
As the party begins their journey through the mountain pass Marcelline's emotions get the better of her. She feels she has undertaken a task greater than she expected and departs to bring Twilla back to her family for a burial at home.
The party continues on down the path for some time. Along the way they meet Cyrus, a half elf who says they're traveling to Daemon Keep to deliver a package. After a brief discussion they decide to join up with the party for the sake of safety in numbers.
After over a month of travel through the mountains, braving sheer cliffs and hunting for their food, the party finally discover the trail of Roc, and it seems that he has a Giant with him. Together, they track the Changeling to a hidden crevasse within the mountain where he's been camping. They find him speaking with an illusion of Lord Idris Daemon before jumping the Changeling. After a brief fight with both Roc, and the Young Lesser Giant who was with him, the two are defeated. Roc is interrogated for information, and the party learns that Lord Daemon is planning to bring together the three pieces of The Canticle of the Profane, though he doesn't know why. He tells them of Daemon's three generals, The Dragon, The Necromancer, and The Unholy Warrior. He also disclosed that Daemon already has The Bleeding heart. When he gave up all the information he had, Kaedwyn ended his life, removing his head as proof of bounty.
An Unpleasant Host
Miscellaneous
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31/8
1/9After arriving in Daemon Keep, the party makes an unsettling discovery and blows their cover.
The party arrives in Daemon Keep and finds the place entirely unsettling. Non of the buildings have doors, there are no children playing in the streets (or seen anywhere), all the dogs in town appear to be wolves. When Azarelle stepped into the herbalist shop to look for supplies she found all the herbs in the store were of most use doping or killing.
As they headed towards the keep itself Sage called on The Scholar and extended her senses. He showed her that every person she passed in that town was an undead being, and the party realized they might have gotten in over their head.
The Keep itself they found surrounded in a thick, soupy fog. Though they gained entry without issue and Cryus was able to make their delivery. As they were deciding what to do Lord Daemon appeared, seemingly surprised to see new people in his home he invited them to stay for the night. The party agreed and were given rooms to sleep and get dressed for dinner.
After brief discussion of what to do the party decides to use one room for sleeping. They get ready and go downstairs for dinner. Nervous that the food has been poisoned, Azarelle subtly analyzes it and discovers that it is poisoned. Quickly making an excuse regarding allergies she convinces Lord Daemon and has him remove the food, going to the kitchen to supervise the creation of more. Upon her return the party chats with Lord Daemon and he ends up Charming Azarelle with his Vampiric ability.
While the party is having dinner a man breaks into their room discovering Ari. It turns out the two have some history and the man, a tiefling named Skaemon, says he's now working for Daemon. He's smuggling something to Ossetia in the morning. Ari eventually gets him to leave and Skaemon disappears into the night.
After the rest of the group retires he holds Azarelle back and discovers from her that they were the ones who killed Roc, and cleared out the necromancer ruin in Duskview. Azarelle eventually heads to bed as well. Once she is sleeping, the rest of the party begin an investigation of the Keep. They discover a few things. They find Radulos Deathbloom in the library, somehow alive again. While Cyrus keeps Radulos busy Sage and Kaedwyn break into Lord Daemon's private study and, after some searching, discover a hidden door leading to a set of stairs that go down into a previously unknown basement. They also discover the dragon statue at the front of the Keep is a phylactery of some kind.
Unfortunately, the arcane eye Kaedwyn was using to spy on Lord Daemon finished its duration and shortly after, Lord Daemon made his way into the Library. The two of them, Sage and Kaedwyn almost made it out quietly but Sage stumbled on her way out the window. Lord Daemon discovered the break in and set off after them, with Radulos close behind.
Alerted to the happenings Azarelle and Ari joined in, Azarelle chasing after the "intruders" while Ari moved around to the statue and destroyed it with a fireball. As Lord Daemon turned his attention to her she cast a spell, commanding him to let her and her friends go. The spell seemingly worked and a very angry Lord Daemon stood by and did nothing while the party ran from his hold. (It was noted later that due to the spell cast, Lord Daemon was forced to stand in his doorway for eight hours straight before going after the Beacons of Sunlight).
They ran all night, pausing only as the first few rays of sunlight began to filter through the trees, and they realized they had become lost in the woods.
The Daughter of Daemon
Miscellaneous
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1/9
1/9The party is attacked when they attempt to rest.
Discovering that they had become completely lost, Azarelle took to the air to look around. Soon she was able to, not only discover the direction they needed to go, but also a hilltop nearby with a set of standing stones. After a quick discussion the party decided they needed to rest, and would do so on the hill. They discover the stones there to be magical, with an aura of abjuration. Azarelle uses a few spells to make some defences and the party goes to sleep with Cyrus' Familiar and Azarelle's homunculus keeping watch.
They are awoken only a few hours later to discover a woman, carrying a large greatsword, standing outside the circle. She begins talking to them and they discover that she cannot enter the circle thanks to some kind of aura. She introduces herself as a Daughter of Daemon and draws her sword, its blood red blade gleaming in the sunlight.
As she talks, and the party tries to figure out what to do, she begins attacking the pillars. Seeing no other option they party falls on her. A brief fight ensues and she realizes she's out of her weight class. She attempts to flee but just as she disappears into the woods magic from Cyrus and Azarelle shoot after her and bring her down.
Azarelle chases her into the woods and finds her body. She grabs the sword and feels power flow through her. The party arrives moments later to find Azarelle standing above the fallen Daughter, holding the sword aloft and staring at it intensely.
A Betrayal Revealed
Miscellaneous
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2/9
15/10Arriving back in Duskview, the party finds a friendly face and a mystery to solve.
The journey through the giant's pass is simple now that the party knows the way, though it still takes considerable effort. The party arrives back in Duskview on the fourteenth day of the tenth month. There they meet back up with Jurita and her companion Tauroth. The two have been in town waiting for the party as per Sage's request.
After some catching up the party returns to town only to discover that in the past month several fishermen have gone missing. After some investigation of their own they initially suspect a pair of traders, Salizar and Grung, who sell exotic animals and animal parts. Deciding to put off more investigation until they can catch their breath the party settles for a rest in an abandoned watch tower that Jurita has been using.
In the early hours of the morning, Jurita quietly wakes up Sage Brightwood to let her know that the Redfeathers had given her a mission, and she would need to leave immediately. Jurita went back into her tent as the rest of the party began to wake up. They noticed that the Grasp of Death that they had been carrying in armour imbued to hold items, was missing. Confused that someone would have been able to take it so easily while they slept Sage used a Locate spell in order to try and find it.
The spell pointed directly at Jurita as she stepped out of her tent. In disbelief the party questioned her. Realizing she had been caught, Jurita pulled out the greatsword she had been carrying since they met her and upon seeing the blood red blade the party knew they had been betrayed. Jurita attacked with Consumption.
During the fight, the corruption of Drain (held by Azarelle) finally took hold. Azarelle lost all sense of control and was driven to a frenzy. In a preemptive strike, Sage tried to bring her down but it only made her turn on the party. Just as the party thought they might lose a bolt of lightning struck the ground. When the smoke cleared there stood Darren Brawnbeard back from the dead! He cursed Azarelle and returned her to The Champion with a booming crack of thunder. As the tide turned, Jurita realized her time was up. She fought to the last breath, but was finally struck down by Sage and her flaming sword.
As the rain poured down around them the party took a collective breath and welcomed Darren back into the fold.
The Ziggurat
Miscellaneous
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15/10
26/10Still reeling from Jurita's betrayal the party moves on in an attempt to locate The Library of Serenity and a way to destroy the Canticle of the Profane.
After the sudden Betrayal of Jurita the party takes a couple days to collect themselves. During this time they prepare for the journey out to The Library of Serenity. They hire a half orc sailor named Orbul Darkhorn to assist in their trip.
The journey to the island takes several days. Crossing Titan's Rest is no simple feat, but with the help of Orbul and some magic the party lands on the shores of an island east of Duskview. To their surprise, instead of the temperate climate they expected, the island is warm, tropical even. Though weird, the party decides to move forward, leaving Orbul to guard the boats. The trek through the jungle is mostly uneventful, though they do discover a statue carved to depict two twisting serpents. Finally, they arrive at their destination, a Ziggurat, guarded by a high wall.
After some deliberation the party tackles the wall in separate ways ultimately alerting the enemies inside. The party engages in a fight with several snake/human hybrid creatures that they've never heard of before. Once dealt with, the party makes their way up the Ziggurat and climbs inside. Within they discover a short gauntlet of traps and puzzles that lead them to treasure and another fight. A group of the hybrid creatures guard a woman who looks nearly human, barring green scales around her eyes. After some discussion the group discovers that these snake creatures are called Yuan-ti, and they are the great enemy that nearly wiped out the Dwarves some thousand years ago. However, the woman seems to have her history mixed up as she is under the impression that the Yuan-ti were the winners and had stormed Kurleigh Castle those years ago.
After some deliberation the party comes to the conclusion that when the enemy vanished, they were not destroyed but shunted into a separate dimension where they won, this Ziggurat seemingly a joining point between the two world.
After a brief fight with a large Naga the party discovers a hidden room with treasure and a trident displayed decoratively on a coffin. Kedwyn attempts to take the trident and vanishes into thin air. The rest of the party gird themselves and follow after.
The Library of Serenity
Miscellaneous
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26/10
9/4The party arrives in The Library of Serenity and discovers an interesting creature.
The trident transports the party to a cold cliffs edge. The cliff goes in both directions and connects on the other side. It drops down, the bottom nowhere in sight, as well as rising up disappearing into clouds. The party crosses a crumbling stone bridge as snow and cold wind whip all around them and approach a low castle like structure.
Inside, the sound of the wind and snow cannot be heard. The party stands in a library, surrounded by shelves stuffed with books. Books are scattered all over the floor and on tables. After some investigation they discover The Librarian. A strange creature, unknown to them. It speaks with them, curious as to their intentions. It tells them that The Library of Serenity is filled with books that tell all of Ovenica's past. Thousands upon thousands of books detailing minute details of nearly every event in Ovenica, at least as far as the party can confirm.
They tell The Librarian what they're looking for and it helps them find the right book. Though they don't learn much, they do learn that bringing the three Canticles together would give a brief moment where they could all be destroyed, though they are not excited about the prospect of doing that.
When they got what they came for and begin looking for a way out The Librarian stops them, requesting that they stay forever. The party refuses and The Librarian becomes enraged, attacking them with so much positive energy that their bodies begin to tear under the strain. Minor mutations are left over in each party member granting them a unique ability, and finally they manage to destroy The Librarian...
Collecting themselves, they learn that The Librarian was created by Bem and he left a kill switch for the Library in case it was ever needed. The party collects several books and flips the switch. They are shunted out of the demi-plane and back into Ovenica near Sage's hometown of Ossetia. And they see that it is burning.
Osettia and Mosshall Saved
Miscellaneous
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9/4
29/5The party takes some much needed rest before assaulting Sage Brightwood's hometown to clear it of undead.
Exhausted from their battle with The Librarian, the party decides it would be foolhardy to charge into Ossetia. Instead they rest in a small hollow for a couple days to regain their bearings.
When they are fully rested, the party charges into town. The village is overrun with undead, along with several bandits. After a brief skirmish they party discovers that the undead are being lead by an old friend of Ari's, a tiefling named Skaemon. He was hired by Lord Daemon to mobilize forces and take over the town, but after a discussion with the party, he agrees to leave. He tells them that Radulos is intending to attack Mosshall as well.
The party mops up what's left of the undead, and make contact with Darren's cousin Adgard, before heading deep into the Black Fog Timberland in search of the town's residents. They find the townsfolk safe and sound but Sage learns that her parents had been taken captive by Lord Daemon's forces.
Satisfied that the town will be able to rebuild, the party helps clean up a bit before heading off to Mosshall.
The journey to the town where this adventure started is short, and on the way there the party decides on a group name "The Beacons of Sunlight".
Mosshall is quiet when they arrive, but after a brief investigation, they discover the Mayor is in cahoots with Radulos. Though it's not obvious what the intention was, the Mayor skips town with poisoned bread Kedwyn had given him, as he thought the mayor seemed suspicious and cowardly.
With an imminent threat on the horizon, the party begins preparing the townsfolk for an attack, and a week later, Radulos attacks. It is a vicious fight. Many townsfolk are killed but ultimately, and with the help of the giant Crolor the party had sent back to Mosshall many months ago, they are able to repel the attack and kill Radulos for the third time.
The Beacons of Sunlight are showered with praise and gifts from the townsfolk, but the party has little time to waste. They learn Lord Daemon will be in Harwood Citadel for a religious festival, and they doubt his intentions are good. Saying their farewells, the party departs for Harwood Citadel.
New Allies and Old Enemies
Political event
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29/5
3/7While in Harwood Citadel to spy on Lord Daemon and what he's doing, the party nearly becomes embroiled in an assassination attempt on the life of Manoa Douglas and her wife.
A meeting of religious leaders in the castle has turned into a full blown religious festival outside it. The normally quaint settlement has become a bustling hub of bodies. In an attempt to lie low, Cyrus locates room and board for the party with one of their smuggling contacts. While walking around the town, Cyrus also discovers their brother Anton has made the journey across the Allanora sea to be here. He invites the party to a dinner in the castle.
During the dinner the party, disguised, eat across from Lord Daemon as well as Darren's hated Great Uncle Gulrig Brawnbeard. Darren manages to keep his cool the entire time. After the dinner, while people are dancing, Joi Douglas begins choking, shortly after Lord Daemon had left the room. She had been poisoned! With some clever tricks the party manages to slip out after Lord Daemon and track him down to the library where they fight and defeat him for the second time.
Before the guards arrive and discover them in the burning Library, an elf woman named Valvaris arrives and leads them through a back door and into her private greenhouse; a pocket dimension attached to the castle.
The Beacons of Sunlight rest here, and they learn that Lord Daemon was after a book: Vampires of the Material Plane. Seemingly he had hoped to destroy it but Valvaris had thought something was amiss and had hidden it away. The party graciously thanks her for the help. In a discussion with Darren, before the party leaves, Valvaris all but confirms a shocking piece of information: she is the being known only as The Lover. Once lifted to godhood to be with The Mother, now stripped of her powers which she used to fix the Cataclysm.
The Beacons of Sunlight, backed by Valvaris, bring all the information they have to Manoa Douglas. She is shocked to learn of what's been happening in her lands under her watch and promises to send out soldiers to reinforce the larger settlements while searching through her ranks for any signs of treachery.
With all their cards on the table, the party departs for Beachguard and takes a ship to land on the coast near Daemon Keep. The journey into the forest is short, and before long they find themselves standing on the borders of the village.
The End of a Long Road
Miscellaneous
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3/7
4/7The Beacons of Sunlight break into Daemon Keep to save Sage's parents and put Lord Daemon down once and for all.
The Beacons of Sunlight meet up with three of Kedwyn's Jager friends who cause a distraction while the party moves up to the castle. Smashing through the doors they engage the vampire spawn within, saving Sage's parents and descending into the labyrinth below.
Using The Librarian's gift, Darren smashes his way through the labyrinths walls and the party enters a chamber to find Radulos on the other side of a magically imbued glass wall. The necrobotanist has taken the steps to become a lich and gain true immortality. He steps through a portal and leaves the party to break down the glass.
As the party goes through the portal after him they find themselves in a graveyard. Lord Daemon has magically altered The Bleeding Heart and used it to become an Exalted Vampire, a terrifying and monstrous form. The ensuing fight is difficult. A horde of undead descend on the party as Radulos blasts them with magic and Exalted Lord Daemon cuts through them like butter. In the end, the party pulls through. They destroy Radulos and, using the sword Consumption for the final blow, obliterate Lord Daemon completely.
The party, exhausted but overjoyed at their success, make their way back to Daemon Keep and find the three Jagers bloodied but alive atop a pile of dead vampire spawn. Together they retrieve Sage's parents and a significant amount of loot from Lord Daemon's treasury.
Ultimately believing that it would be too dangerous to attempt to destroy the Canticle of the Profane, The Beacons of Sunlight decide to sequester the pieces away from each other. Keeping secret their location and even their true number, in the hopes that no one will be able to try and bring the three together again.