Cult of the Eclipse#

The Cult of the Eclipse is a shadow-worshipping organization devoted to freeing Nidhogg, the Great Shadow, from his imprisonment in the Shadowfell. Led by the Weaver, the cult systematically works to weaken the interplanar barrier by corrupting leyline temples, tearing open portals to the Shadowfell, and spreading fear across the realm. Their motto, inscribed on cult medallions: “Darkness will descend once again.”

Leadership#

• The Weaver — Cult leader. A wizard and illusionist who orchestrated the systematic weakening of the planar barriers. Operated from a gothic castle stronghold in the Feywild concealed by Mirage Arcane, containing a broken loom infused with dark illusion magic. Originally interested in using Nidhogg’s image as a “fantastic illusion,” but his ambitions evolved into a plan to execute a summoning ritual at the ancient battlefield where Nidhogg was sealed. Killed at the ancient battlefield by Trius’s Moonbeam spell during the failed summoning ritual. His Echo — a spectral remnant of his soul bound to the Feywild castle — was also defeated when Slumpet struck the decisive blow and unraveled it.
• Xolthos — Herald of the Weaver. Black dragonborn sorcerer who observes natural phenomena and twists them into signs of Nidhogg’s impending return, painting doomsday visions to recruit followers. Publicly proclaimed Nidhogg’s return at the Autumn Court’s Aki Matsuri festival. Defeated by the party.
• Serenity — Night hag cult agent, real name “Old Polly Pigtooth.” Over 300 years old. Cursed the village of Tannis using rituals taught by the Weaver and communed with Nidhogg through a seeing stone. Her journal revealed an obsession with sharing Shadicar’s “darkness” with the realm. Permanently killed by the party.
• Manus — Enigmatic elemental duelist and shapechanger (CR 17). Despite cult affiliation, openly mocked the Weaver and was motivated by testing himself against worthy opponents rather than ideology. Stole the Summer Court’s leyline crystal. During the final battle at the ancient battlefield, the Weaver’s desperate shockwave pushed Manus too far — he wheeled on the Weaver in fury: “This is too far — I didn’t sign up for this!” — and appeared ready to switch sides. Current whereabouts unknown. Allegiance remains ambiguous.
• Kharvex, the Shadow Caller — Cult mage who received direct instructions from the Weaver to test summoning magic using residual energy from Nidhogg’s original sealing ritual. Created the Grimoire of the Eclipse. Defeated by the party on the ancient battlefield.

Core Goals#

1. Free Nidhogg — The cult’s ultimate purpose. The Weaver planned a summoning ritual at the ancient battlefield where Nidhogg was originally sealed, tearing open a fifteen-foot portal to the Shadowfell to release the shadow dragon. FAILED — ritual stopped and the Weaver killed before completion. Nidhogg remains sealed.
2. Destroy the Leyline Barrier — The interplanar barrier that keeps Nidhogg imprisoned is anchored at four seasonal leyline temples. The cult targeted each temple to weaken the barrier from multiple points. Partial damage was achieved across three of the four temples before the Weaver’s death disrupted the organization.
3. Open Hollow Thresholds — Unstable portals connecting the Material Plane to the Shadowfell, each anchored by a dark artifact. These siphon leyline energy, pull shadow creatures into the world, and corrupt the surrounding land. Four Hollow Threshold locations were identified by Vael of the Chained Library; at least one (the Tempest Gate in Winter Court territory) has been addressed.
4. Spread Fear and Recruit — Through Xolthos’s public proclamations and acts of terror like the Tannis Darkness, the cult recruits desperate followers with promises of salvation.
5. Enhance Summoning Magic — Kharvex’s experiments aimed to harness residual energy from Nidhogg’s sealing ritual to amplify shadow summoning spells, documented in the Grimoire of the Eclipse.

Key Locations#

• The Weaver’s Feywild Castle — A gothic castle in the Feywild concealed by Mirage Arcane, appearing to balance on a spire above a sinkhole. Contained a broken loom infused with dark illusion magic. A spectral Echo of the Weaver’s soul was bound here and was defeated by the party. The Weaver’s study, hidden behind a tapestry, held his personal journal, a map of leyline energy, and the Silmirien spell. Accessible only to the cult’s inner circle.
• Order of Seasons Tomb — Site of the cult’s earliest known operation, where goblins and bugbears conducted a dark ritual and kidnapped Winry.
• Greyscale Cabin — Defiled cult site in corrupted woods containing a shadow dragon altar and Serenity’s seeing stone.
• Ancient Battlefield — Where Nidhogg was originally sealed. The Weaver’s chosen site for the final summoning ritual. A fifteen-foot portal pulsing with the runes of Nidhogg’s original sealing was erected here; the ritual was stopped and the Weaver killed at this location.
• Hollow Threshold Sites — Multiple tears in reality scattered across the realm, each anchored by dark artifacts and siphoning leyline power.

Leyline Temple Sabotage#

The cult’s central strategy is to damage or corrupt the four seasonal leyline temples that anchor Nidhogg’s prison barrier. Progress as encountered by the party:

The Weaver’s intercepted letter to Xolthos confirmed the strategy: “The Shadow Dragon’s freedom hinges on the weakening of the barrier. We must secure the leyline temples where the barrier is anchored.”

Artifacts & Items#

• Eclipse Medallion — Cult insignia worn by members, inscribed with “Darkness will descend once again”
• Seeing Stone — Crystal orb used by Serenity to commune with Nidhogg and siphon power to the shadow dragon
• Grimoire of the Eclipse — Spellbook created by Kharvex containing Summon Shadowspawn, Shadow Blade, and Contact Other Plane
• Daggers of Darkness — Recovered from a cult camp near kidnapped pixies
• Weaver’s Journal — Personal writings recovered from his Feywild study; revealed his final plan, the Silmirien soul-tethering spell, and a detailed map of leyline energy showing all four seasonal leyline temples and all four Hollow Threshold locations (secretly recovered by Slumpet)

Forces & Allies#

• Goblins and bugbears (foot soldiers and ritual guards)
• Darklings (allied creatures; kidnapped pixies for ritual components)
• Mercenaries and hired warriors
• Shadow creatures summoned through Hollow Thresholds

Enemies & Opposition#

• Vidrir — Knight of Ravens, ancient foe of darkness
• The Arbiter — Angel of Justice
• Alora — Lady of Winter, guardian of the barrier
• Trius — Winter Knight
• Faela Mossheart — High Druid of Spring
• Lord Farkris — Leader of the Autumn Court

Party History#

• Sessions 2-4 — First encounter with cult forces at the Order of Seasons Tomb; goblins and bugbears kidnapped Winry for a dark ritual; party recovered an eclipse medallion from a bugbear leader
• Tannis Darkness — Discovered Serenity’s curse on the village of Tannis, an impenetrable magical darkness that threatened to consume everything; recovered her journal revealing cult operations and her seeing stone
• Cult Camps — Found cult operatives moving through forests creating “colorless regions” where nature dies; rescued pixies kidnapped by darklings allied with the cult
• Winter Temple — Alora revealed the weakening barrier system; party found the Winter leyline crystal already damaged by the cult
• Summer Temple — Temple breached by cult forces; Manus stole a rune crystal after destroying guardian constructs
• Autumn Festival — Xolthos publicly proclaimed Nidhogg’s return at the Aki Matsuri and warned of further attacks; defeated by the party
• Spring Temple — Found the most corrupted temple with a Bodak planted in the crystal chamber and active Hollow Thresholds; confirmed the cult’s accelerating timeline
• Ancient Battlefield (Kharvex) — Confronted Kharvex and his summoning experiments; defeated him and recovered the Grimoire of the Eclipse
• Chained Library — Party gained access using Summer’s Edge as a key, sacrificing personal items for entry. Vael, Fifth Binder, identified four Hollow Threshold locations. Library records revealed the Elven barrier can be repaired but requires several mages a month or more, and that barrier crystals can be mined south of the Elven forest.
• Weaver’s Feywild Castle — Party infiltrated the gothic castle, destroyed the Weaver’s broken loom, and confronted and defeated his Echo — a spectral remnant of his soul bound to the stronghold. Slumpet struck the killing blow. The Weaver’s journal and leyline map were recovered.
• Spring Temple (Cleared) — Party defeated the Bodak and undead planted there by Manus; Faela Mossheart confirmed the corruption was removed.
• Ancient Battlefield (Final Battle) — The Weaver performed the final ritual under a moonless sky, erecting a fifteen-foot portal. Trius arrived on her unicorn Moonblade. The Weaver cast Maze to remove Skreek from battle, hammered Shad unconscious (the Arbiter intervened to revive him), and drove Manus to action. When the Weaver’s desperate shockwave went too far, Manus turned on him in fury. Trius called down a pillar of silver moonlight (Moonbeam) that passed through the Weaver like a blade through smoke. The Weaver is dead. The ritual failed. Nidhogg remains sealed.
• Current Status — The Weaver is dead; the immediate threat of Nidhogg’s release has been averted. The Spring Temple has been cleared. The party holds a leyline map with all four temple and Hollow Threshold locations. Remaining Hollow Thresholds are still active. The Elven barrier is damaged and requires significant effort to repair. Manus is still at large with unclear allegiances.