Order of Seasons#

The Order of Seasons was an ancient alliance of champions — one from each seasonal court — united under Vidrir to fight Nidhogg’s undead legions when they threatened to drown the Feywild in shadow. The Order wounded Nidhogg enough to make binding possible, and with the aid of elven mages, sealed the shadow dragon in the Shadowfell. Most of the Order perished in the final stand at the Gates of Season’s End. Their oath, inscribed on their tomb: “We of the Order of Seasons, vow to fight darkness wherever it is found.”

Known Members#

  • Vidrir — Founder and leader. Known as the Knight of Ravens. In truth, Vidrir is Odin in disguise — an ancient god who wove a portion of his divine essence into the leyline barrier as its anchor and lock. He has remained bound to the mortal realm for over 300 years, maintaining the seal as its final failsafe. His true identity was discovered by Shad through research at the Chained Library.
  • Sir Eirik — Champion of the Summer Court and Captain of the Order. Wielded Summer’s Edge, the Blade of Dawning Light. His blade broke during the final stand at the Gates of Season’s End. His remains rest in the Order’s tomb in the most decorated sarcophagus.
  • Three unnamed champions — One each from the Winter, Spring, and Autumn Courts. Their sarcophagi stand alongside Sir Eirik’s in the tomb, but their names have been lost to time.

History#

When Nidhogg’s undead legions threatened to drown the Feywild in shadow, Vidrir came to the Fey Courts and proposed an alliance. The courts trusted him and provided their champions. The Order fought across the Feywild against shadow and undead forces, culminating in a final stand at the Gates of Season’s End — the ancient battlefield where Nidhogg was ultimately sealed.

The Order could not destroy Nidhogg; even gods lacked the power to kill a being that ancient. Instead, they wounded him enough to make binding possible. While the Order’s champions bought time with their lives, elven mages constructed a magical cage — the leyline barrier — anchored at four seasonal temples. Vidrir wove a portion of his divine essence into the barrier as its lock, while the elven magic formed the cage.

The cost was devastating. Most of the Order’s members died in the final battle. Vidrir became permanently bound to the mortal realm, unable to leave without risking the seal’s collapse. He hid his divine identity, living as a simple sage for centuries — reasoning that direct divine intervention would invite retaliation from other powers and escalate beyond mortal capacity.

The Leyline Seal#

The Order’s defining achievement: Nidhogg’s imprisonment in the Shadowfell, maintained by a barrier anchored at four seasonal leyline temples.

  • Structure — Four leyline temples, one in each seasonal domain, each containing focus crystals that maintain the barrier
  • Vidrir’s role — His divine power provides the “lock” while the elven magic provides the “cage.” As the barrier weakens over centuries, more weight falls on him
  • Current threat — The Cult of the Eclipse is systematically corrupting the temples and tearing open Hollow Thresholds to accelerate the barrier’s collapse. Three of four temples have been damaged; only the Autumn Leyline Temple remains intact.

Sacred Artifacts#

  • Summer’s Edge — “The Blade of Dawning Light.” A magical longsword originally forged by the smiths of the Summer Court and wielded by Sir Eirik. Deals radiant damage and sheds light that forces undead and fiends to fight at disadvantage. Inscription: “As long as Summer’s Edge shines, the night shall never truly fall.” Broken at the Gates of Season’s End, the fragments were recovered by the party from the tomb and reforged by Elara Sunforge using Celestial Ore and the First Kiss of the Midday Sun. Currently wielded by Skreek.
  • Order of Seasons Medallion — Earned by members in battle. Carries the weight of the Order’s sacrifice. Vidrir’s medallion grants safe passage to the Fey Courts and audiences with their rulers. He passed it to the party as a symbol of the mantle being transferred.

Key Locations#

  • Order of Seasons Tomb — Located north of the Shimmerwood, across the Misty Run River in the Enchanted Forest. Covered in vine, floral, and raven motifs. Contains five ornate sarcophagi — one for each seasonal champion and a fifth, more elaborate one for the Order’s leader. Interior murals depict men and elves battling undead and shadows. The broken pieces of Summer’s Edge were found in a secret chamber within the tomb.
  • Gates of Season’s End — The ancient battlefield where the Order made their final stand and Nidhogg was sealed. The Cult of the Eclipse later chose this site for their summoning ritual to free Nidhogg, and Kharvex conducted experiments there to harness residual energy from the original sealing.

Legacy#

The Order of Seasons is gone, but its work endures — barely. The leyline barrier holds, though it weakens with each century and each act of sabotage by the Cult of the Eclipse. Vidrir remains chained to the mortal realm as the seal’s last failsafe, his divine power slowly draining. The party now carries the Order’s burden: they wield the reforged Summer’s Edge, bear Vidrir’s medallion, and seek the knowledge to repair the barrier the Order built.

Party History#

  • Sessions 1–2 — Discovered the Order of Seasons Tomb while rescuing Winry from kidnappers. Found the Cult of the Eclipse conducting a dark ritual inside the tomb. Explored the sarcophagi and murals depicting the Order’s battle against shadow.
  • Sessions 2–4 — Recovered the broken fragments of Summer’s Edge from a secret chamber in the tomb. Recovered an eclipse medallion from cult forces, revealing the cult’s connection to the Order’s ancient enemy.
  • Session 14 — Met Vidrir for the first time. He gave the party his Order of Seasons medallion, granting them safe passage to the Fey Courts — a symbolic passing of the torch.
  • Sessions 27–31 — Gathered materials and reforged Summer’s Edge with Elara Sunforge at the Secret Elven Forge, restoring the Order’s legendary blade.
  • Session 45 — Shad researched the Order at the Chained Library and discovered Vidrir’s true identity as the Knight of Ravens and leader of the Order, over 300 years old.