Tempus Campaign Notes (Raw, On-going)

Meeting in Tannis#

• The party meets in the Raven’s Perch Tavern in the small village of Tannis, just south of the enchanted Elven forest.
  • Shadicar - Half-elf bard with a silver tongue, skill with the lute, and some magical talent
  • Skreet - Aarakocra paladin of Signus, awkward but always kind and well meaning
  • Slumpet - Gnome rogue, skilled man of few words always more comfortable from the shadows or a high perch
  • Toby - Half-elf blood hunter, a strong no nonsense woman that dabbles in blood magic to help take out her prey
• The village features an old windmill on the hill, a temple of the Dusk Lord, and a great oak tree in the town square that can be seen for miles away.
• At the tavern, the party meets some interesting folks, including:
  • Lerissa - a red-skinned female Tiefling and retired adventurer.
  • Duchess - Lerissa’s grey pet wolf
  • Serenity - a beautiful dark-haired human singer who performed that night
  • Hurmur Deeprest - a Dwarven archeologist searching for interesting artifacts
  • Jax - a member of the Night Talons thieves’ guild based in a nearby town. Slumpet caught his eye and said to look him up if he’s interested in work in the future.
• Lerissa agreed to let Shad earn a little coin playing his lute for the patrons before the singer Serenity arrived.
• After Serenity’s set, she flirted with her kindred spirit of musical talent: Shad.
• The group’s merriment is interrupted by the town’s blacksmith, Sig Rockwell, bursting in and proclaiming that his daughter has been kidnapped! Sig promises to help outfit the party with the wares from his shop if they can help rescue his daughter, Winry.

Rescue the blacksmith’s daughter#

• The party tracks Winry and her assailants through the forest to the north, eventually crossing through the Shimmerwood and over the Misty Run river to Elven territory inside the Enchanted Forest.
• They eventually come to a clearing with an ancient tomb on a hill at its center. Outside the tomb, the party finds a strange standing stone made of obsidian. The stone had a hole near the top, like the eye of a needle. When Slumpet looked through the hole, he saw a huge silver maple tree to the northwest and a prominent mountain range to the southeast.
• The tomb is covered in a mix of vine/floral and raven motifs. The crest of the Knights is a blazing sun overlaid with the silhouette of a flying bird. A mural inside depicts men and elves battling undead and shadows. The oath of the order, inscribed on the mural, read: “We of the Order of Seasons, vow to fight darkness wherever it is found.”
• The party eventually gets to the deepest part of the tomb where they find a Winry being used in some kind of dark ritual. The ritual is interrupted when the party barges into the room “lute first” and slays all of the confused goblins, save for their leader. They interrogate the bugbear chief leading the enemy group and learn they are part of the Cult of the Eclipse. The bugbear reveals that they are led by “the Lady of the Eclipse”, who seems to have some vendetta against the Order of Seasons.
• The party takes the Eclipse medallion from the bugbear chief. Shad used his magic to read the inscription on the medallion: “Darkness will descend once again”
• After interrogating the bugbear chief, the party discovers a secret chamber containing five ornate sarcophagi. Each one seems to be the resting place of a knight dedicated to each of the four seasons. The fifth is more ornate than all the others and seems to contain the leader of the Order of Seasons. Near the leader’s sarcophagi, the party finds magic items including broken pieces of a magic longsword emblazoned with a blazing sun on one side of the hilt and a bird in flight on the other.
• Sig the blacksmith was very grateful after being reunited with Winry
  • Gave Slumpet a masterwork short sword
  • Gave Shadicar studded leather armor
  • Promised to craft a wrist blade for Toby
  • Gave a breastplate to Skreek
    • Mounted Skreek’s holy symbol to the breastplate
    • Will call in a favor from Skreek to recover crafting materials from a dangerous location

Tannis Cursed with Darkness#

• The party shows the eclipse medallion and broken sword to Lerissa. She tells them there are folk tales about the Knight of Ravens, who led the Order of Seasons in heroic battles against the forces of darkness. She suggested they seek out more information from the local sage, Vidrir, who lives in a secluded grove in the Shimmerwood. She also asked them to bring a cask of ale to Vidrir as a sign of good faith, mentioning her ale is a favorite of his.
• Lerissa asked the party if they had noticed stars disappearing. The party wasn’t sure but didn’t think they had noticed anything like that the last few nights.
• Lerissa lets the party take a well deserved in the windmill that she uses as a storehouse for her ale and the occasional guest house. After the sun went down, the party noticed that although there were no clouds, only half the number of stars were visible compared to other nights.
• The party awakes to the screams and panic of the villagers. Complete darkness shrouded their entire village. No light could illuminate more than twenty feet in any direction and darkvision didn’t seem to help.
• The party carefully made their way to Lerissa’s tavern in hopes of finding allies. Along the way, they were attacked by large shadowy hands that emerged from the darkness and attempted to drag them away. Then ran into some dead villagers and encouraged the more fortunate to seek out refuge in Lerissa’s tavern.
• Along the way, they learn that a magical barrier has formed around the village, preventing anyone from leaving.
• After checking in with Lerissa, the party sought answers in the church of the Dusk Lord on the other side of town. The church seemed to be the only thing emitting light, but it was being attacked by the shadowy hands. Luckily the church seemed to be magically warded against the creatures, as their attacks seemed to continuously bounce off an unseen shield surrounding the building.
• Inside the church, they met Father Samael who tells the party he recently warded the church from attack. Unfortunately, some of his fellow priests were killed when the darkness descended before the ward could be erected. Samael told the party he was recently visited by a beautiful black-haired woman who was very interested in his holy relics. He remembered showing her his hold symbol, but after that his memory became fuzzy. He can’t seem to find his holy symbol and is concerned.
• He let the party down into the catacombs to see what they could find. The party encountered a very dangerous being of pure shadow that had recently killed several of the priests. The party avoided conflict with the creature, gathered holy symbols from the deceased priests, and eventually made their way down to a hidden level below the catacombs.
• In the dungeons below the church, the party eventually meets the Arbiter, Angel of Justice serving the Dusk Lord. The party convinces her to delay cleansing the town of all life after vowing to investigate the source of corruption plaguing the town and disrespecting her god. The party learns the Arbiter has erected the barrier around the town to prevent the corruption from spreading and to prepare for her cleansing ritual. She marks the party with a holy symbol that will allow them to pass through her barrier and commune with her. As a sign of good faith, the Arbiter then destroys the remaining shadow monsters in town but leaves her barrier in place until the source of corruption is dealt with.
• Skrek takes a Shield of the Dusk Lord from the crypt (+1 shield)

Meet Vidrir#

• After getting directions to the sage’s grove from Lerissa, the party uses the Arbiter’s marks to pass through her barrier. On the other side of the barrier, the party finally sees the light of day again and begins making their way through the Shimmerwood in search of the sage, Vidrir.
• The party meets Vidrir, who treats them warmly once he learns they are friends of Lerissa. He tells them they have gone on several adventures together and she is as good with a bow as she is brewing ale.
• The party learns that the large purple-winged ravens they have seen watching them in the forest recently had been Vidrir’s allies.
• Vidrir tells them the broken sword they have is called Summer’s Edge and confirms it was once wielded by the champion of the Summer Court of the Fey. The sword has become a symbol of hope and courage for the people of the Summer Court, and it is believed that as long as the sword remains in the hands of a true Guardian of the Summer Court, the realm will remain safe from the undead and other dark forces that threaten it. He believes it was broken during the last battle of the great war against the undead, an age ago. He said only the master smiths of the Elves would be capable of reforging the blade.
• Vidrir also examines the Eclipse medallion taken from the bugbear chief. He discovers it has a spell cast on it which allows it to be easily tracked. Virdir detected the tracking spell’s origin was deeper in the Enchanted Forest, to the north west.
• The party take a rest in Virdir’s grove after enjoying some tea and folk tales.
• Skreek asks Vidrir about his quest to find a stolen holy relic. Vidrir says he’s heard rumors of djinn in the desert to the south looking for elemental artifacts.
• Before the party leaves, Virdir asks to hold the broken sword. When he does, the sword lightly glows and his hair slightly stands on end as a warm smile washes over his face. He thanks the party and just says that sometimes weapons have “souls” that may react to other living things.

Find what’s been tracking the party and aid the pixies#

• The party takes Vidrir’s advice and starts moving through the forest in the direction of the tracking spell related to the Eclipse medallion. Coincidentally, that was also taking them in the direction of the large silver tree Slumpet had seen through the hole in the standing stone next to the Order of Seasons temple.
• Along the way, Slumpet befriended a pixie, Fannie, who was practicing a prank using illusion magic. They bonded over making the other members of the party look foolish.
• Fannie told them the forest has been getting strange lately, especially an area to the northwest. When Skreek scouted the area from above, he noticed a desaturated section of the forest to the northwest. All color seemed to have been leeched from the forest. The effect seemed centered around a clearing about a day’s travel away.
• Fannie also asked the party to help her friends that had been captured by these “grey-skinned jerks”. She said that sometimes pixies are hunted for their dust, which some try to use for its unique magical properties.
• The party agreed to help Fannie rescue her friends. Fannie helped by turning Toby into a dinosaur to help them storm the camp. This plan was a great success as Toby made short work of quite a few of the enemies. The enemies turned out to be Darklings in service of the Cult of the Eclipse. They were attempting to use the pixies for a ritual. The party found religious texts in the camp that mentioned “the Great Shadow” gathering power against the allies of the light. It was unclear if this text was a prophesy, a historical event, or fiction.
• The party also found some magic weapons (2 x Dagger of Darkness) and a note from a mysterious “L” to one of the cultists. The note spoke of using a ritual to elevate one of their ranks to greater power in order to take advantage of the increased fear in the region.

Cabin in the greyscale woods#

• Having rescued the pixies, the party continued deeper into the greyscale woods. Eventually, they found a cabin being guarded by a Flameskull. After a long battle with the Flameskull, Slumpet pocked the crushed skull as a trophy and the party broke into the cabin.
• Inside, the party found a desk with notes and several spell scrolls. They also found a chest with bedding and clothing. Some of the clothes looked very similar to what the party last saw Serenity, the singer who visited Tannis, wearing when they last saw her.
• While investigating the cabin, the party was attacked by a Rug of Smothering that was guarding a trap door. In memoriam, the party would remember the rug as “Sassy Tassels”.
• After defeating the rug, the party descended below to discover an altar to a shadow dragon with a magical crystal orb sitting atop. Gazing into the orb reveal a swirling mist behind which a strange castle could be seen. When Shad touched the orb, he could feel something press against his mind, but he was able to resist.
• The room also contained a diorama of the town of Tannis. Near the model of the great oak tree at the center of town, they found a holy symbol of the Dusk Lord that had been magically cursed and defiled with blood. The party used their holy marks to summon the Arbiter, who confirmed that was the source of the curse that triggered the Dusk Lord’s ire. She cleansed the holy symbol and vowed to release her barrier from Tannis. After thanking the party, she opened a portal and returned to Tannis to begin her work.
• A Hag knocks on the door the following morning after the party took a long rest in the cabin. She speaks in a familiar manner to the group. When the party is confused, she applies an illusion to herself, transforming into the beautiful singer they met weeks back in the Ravens Perch Tavern in Tannis. She senses they stole her crystal sphere and demands the party returns it. The party denies the request and Slumpet throws the sphere out the window. When they try to leave. Serenity magically slams the doors shut and attacks the party.
• Shad tries to use the gate spell scroll to summon the Arbiter, but the spell fizzles as it seems to be beyond his current capability. Physical attacks are not proving to be very effective against the Hag, while her claws seem formidable. In an act of desperation, Shad casts charm person on Serenity. It succeeds!?! Serenity’s demeanor changes to that of a good friend. The party begins talking to Serenity as she apologizes and begins making the party tea and breakfast.
• During the exchange, the party acquires a journal Serenity dropped during the fight. Piecing things together between the journal and the conversation with the charmed Serenity, the party learns she has been working with a spell caster named the Weaver. The Weaver specializes in fear and illusion magic. Serenity used a curse developed by the Weaver to bring darkness upon the village of Tannis as a way of punishing the Dusk Lord and his followers. Serenity wished to gain favor with the shadow dragon named Nidhogg by making the Dusk Lord suffer. The dragon seemed to have a deep hatred for the Dusk Lord.
• The party also learns that the Weaver was behind the tragedy of Shad’s village, where the Weaver conjured an illusion of a shadow dragon so convincing and fearsome that the villagers literally died of fright… The Weaver also seems aligned with the shadow dragon Serenity has been communing with.
• The party slipped out, hoping to be miles away before the charm spell wears off. Slumpet takes the lead with the dark crystal in tow, trying to keep it away from serenity, and heads towards the safety of Vidrir’s grove. Along the way, Slumpet discovers that the flame skull corpse has revived itself. The party catches up and parlays with the skull named Francis. The skull agrees to form a pact with the party, agreeing to show him adventures and give him excuses to use his laser-eye beams in exchange for his arcane knowledge.

Learning of the Great Shadow, Nidhogg#

• The party regrouped at Vidrir’s grove to rest, gather information, and decide the next steps.
• When they try to enter Vidrir’s grove, Francis is blocked from entering by a magical barrier that does not seem to hinder the rest of the party. They later learn that Vidrir erected wards against the undead to help protect his home.
• Vidrir guessed that Serenity’s dark crystal was a “seeing stone” used to communicate across great distances. It might also be used as a strong focus for divination magic and may have aided Serenity in tracking the party. When the party shares the contents of Serenity’s journal with Vidrir, he becomes very concerned about her contact with Nidhogg. According to Vidrir, Nidhogg was a formidable foe that the Order of Seasons could not defeat during the last great war against the undead hundreds of years ago. The Order was able to seal him away in the Shadowfell but could not kill him. If Nidhogg gains allies and attempts to escape the Shadowfell, that would be disastrous. The party catches Vidrir in some odd slips of the tongue, making them believe Vidrir is much older than he is letting on. It seemed he implied he was part of the last great war against the undead, culminating in sealing Nidhogg away.
• Vidrir suggested that the elves of the Winter Court to the north might have further insight into the orb, the shadow dragon Nidhogg, and how the pieces of Summer’s Edge might be reforged. He gives the party his medallion from his time in the Order of Seasons, saying that it should gain their favor, or at least an audience, with the Lady of Winter, who reigns over the Winter Court. Vidrir tells the party that the Winter Court’s embassy can be found to the northwest, near the great silver maple tree that Slumpet spotted earlier in their journey.

The Elves of the Winter Court#

• The next morning, the party leaves the safety of Vidrir’s grove and makes their way toward the great silver maple tree and, hopefully, the Elven Winter Court beyond.
• On their way, they are attacked by a Redcap, a bloodthirsty fae mercenary wielding a giant sickle and wearing heavy iron boots. The party was able to make quick work of the creature and learned that he was contracted to dispose of the party before they could reach the fae crossing Serenity told the party about the day before.
• On their journey to the silver tree, the party also saw a large cat-like creature with black claws and tree-like spines sprouting from its back, tearing a hole through reality and stepping through. The party hid from the creature, and it stalked off through the forest away from the party.
• A day’s travel later, the party arrived at the great silver maple, easily standing 100 feet tall. Its towering height, gleaming silver trunk, and large crystalline leaves were awe-inspiring. Slumpet scaled the tree to get a better view and spotted an equally impressive green and yellow tree to the northeast. On his way back down, he removed one of the large crystal leaves without harming the tree. Near the tree was another standing stone like the one they saw near the Order of Seasons temple. When looking through the large hole in the standing stone, Slumpet could see the impressive green and yellow to the northeast and a small lake to the southwest. A small group of elven rangers manned a nearby guard tower. After showing the rangers Vidrir’s medallion from the Order of Seasons, the rangers demeanors softened, and they gladly pointed the party toward the Winter Court’s embassy to the northwest.
• After another half day’s travel, the party arrived at the embassy. The embassy resided within a small town with a nice inn and several well-kept shops, including a blacksmith, general store, and an apothecary.
• Before finding a place to rest, the party did a bit of shopping. Slumpt bought a set of studded leather armor, and Skreek purchased two nets.
• The inn called the Restful Buck, was a sight for sore eyes as the party felt like they hadn’t gotten a solid night’s sleep in weeks. The bartender, Jared, was a well-informed and gracious host. Shad earned some free drinks and a bit of coin by putting on a show for the patrons. He later sat in on a game of poker, where he was able to win a nice pot off the blacksmith after catching his tell. While at the inn, the party learned some interesting things. Alora, the current Lady of Winter, leads the court. Alora’s daughter, Olivia, had recently been poisoned. The magical sound system in the inn’s great room, powered by blue crystals, also impressed the party.
• Around noon the next day, the party sought an audience with Alora. Alora was initially guarded but softened when the party showed her Vidrir’s medallion from the Order of Seasons. She was visibly distracted by her daughter’s illness and would focus on little else until her daughter was safe. Skreek used his lay-on hands ability to cleanse the poison from Olivia’s body. Alora was overjoyed and thanked the party, promising to discuss their topics of interest now that her daughter was safe. They learned that the creature had been a Bandersnatch from the feywild. Alora said it should not have been able to cross over as it did.

Hunting the Bandersnatch#

• Alora, still concerned about the Bandersnatch that poisoned her daughter, offered the party a reward if they could slay the beast. The party agreed to track the Bandersnatch and try to retrieve some of its venom.
• The party gathered supplies to make traps to lure the creature, including meat scraps, hunting traps, and catnip. They successfully tracked the creature based on where Olivia had been hunting the day she was attacked. Slumpet employed his squirrel network again to help alert him to the creature’s approach. Shad set up traps with the bait they gathered (meat and catnip). The traps worked and attracted the creature. After a pitched battle, the party was able to kill it but struggled to deal with the creature’s poison claws and gas. They chopped off its head for good measure and brought it back to the Winter Embassy.
• When the party returned, Alora was better than her word and presented each party member with a magic item as a reward for their help. Slumpet was awarded a magic short bow named the Relentless Hunter that could cast Hunter’s Mark. Shad was gifted with an enchanted instrument of the bards called the Fochlucan Bandore that promised to enhance Shard’s magical abilities. Toby was granted the Blinkback Belt, which would make any weapons return to the belt after being thrown. Lastly, Skreek was given a magical Frostbrand Scimitar, which could inflict additional cold damage on his enemies.
• The party also learned from Alora that the elves employ a powerful magical barrier that holds the elemental energies at bay from the other planes and allows them to tap into the planes with some level of control. The original Elven Matriarch organized the ritual that created the barrier and lent much of her power to its formation. No one has been born with the Matriarch’s gift for barriers in two generations, and the barrier is beginning to weaken. She suspects this is why creatures from the feywild have been able to break through the barrier and enter our plane. Alora asked the party to investigate the nearby temple whose magic supports the barrier.
• While the party was meeting with Alora, her eldest daughter and paladin of the Winter Court, Trius entered to give a report to her mother. The beautiful and powerful Trius immediately caught the eye of Shadicar. Some of the other party members took notice of her elegant long sword, which they learned was a moonblade. Its power is said to rival even that of Summer’s Edge, which the party is still interested in reforging. The party tried to convince Trius to join them on their quest to investigate the Leyline Temple, but she said she had other pressing matters to attend to, although the offer was tempting.

Investigate the Winter Leyline Temple#

• With some convincing by Alora, the party got their weapons silvered by the local blacksmith while taking a well earned rest at the Restful Buck. Slumpet’s slumber was interrupted by nightmares, where Serenity stole back her dark crystal orb.

• As the party prepared to leave the next day, they ran into Trius and made another attempt to get her to join their quest. With the promise of more excitement than her diplomatic mission, Trius eventually agreed to accompany the party to the temple. The party rented horses from the stable to speed up their journey and were shocked to find that Trius had a majestic unicorn mount.

• After a pleasant journey to the east under the guidance of Trius, the party came to the Leyline Temple. The entrance featured a large, triangular doorway made of intricately designed metal and stone. The structure was embedded into a rocky hillside, with vegetation growing around it. The architecture is advanced and alien in appearance, unlike any the party had encountered before. As the party approached the door, a voice rang out in an old Elvish dialect: “To gain entry, present something proving you are worthy”. In turn, each member of the party made its offering. As they did so, a sheet of blue light swept down from the peak of the doorway, scanning the offering. Shadicar offered a song of an Elven folk hero. Skreek presented a scroll demonstrating his pedigree and lineage. Slumpet first presented Serenity’s crystal orb, which was rejected. He tried again by presenting the bow he was gifted by Alora, which was accepted. Toby offered her own blood as tribute. Trius presented her heirloom sword, the Moonblade. After each party member presented a satisfactory offering, the doors to the temple slid open smoothly, like the overlapping blades of a camera’s iris.

• The first room inside the temple mirrors the alien architecture of the entrance, with walls made of the same intricate metal and stonework. The square chamber has smooth, polished floors that reflect the faint light emanating from the blue crystals embedded in the walls. These crystals, set at regular intervals, bathe the room in a cool, ethereal blue glow, casting intricate shadows across the floor and walls. As the party entered, a hologram of a knight materialized in the center of the chamber. The knight was clad in intricate, unfamiliar armor that glowed faintly with an inner light. The armor was detailed with unfamiliar symbols and patterns. It wielded a massive greatsword, the blade of which seemed almost too large to be practical, yet it is held with ease and confidence. The knight calmly requested that one of the party members best him in single combat to proceed. Skreek volunteered and met the challenge with honor. After a skillful and pitched duel, Skreek was victorious and the door to the next chamber opened.

• The second room is a long dimly lit chamber. It stretches out an intimidating 300 feet, its cavernous size and echoing silence magnifying the sense of ancient power and danger within. The air is thick with the weight of history and the musty scent of a place untouched by time. Down the center of this long chamber lies a 15-foot wide bridge, precariously suspended over a seemingly bottomless chasm. The bridge is constructed from large, 5-foot square tiles, each tile meticulously carved and polished. Some tiles are blank, while others are adorned with intricate symbols representing the four seasons: the crystalline flakes of winter, the blooming flowers of spring, the radiant sun of summer, and the fiery leaves of autumn. The symbols glow faintly, casting eerie reflections on the smooth stone of the bridge. The chamber’s walls rise high on either side of the bridge, lined with rows of small, triangular blue crystals. These crystals, embedded into the walls at regular intervals, emit a soft, pulsing light. The party correctly deduced that they would need to navigate the correct path across the bridge, stepping on tiles in the correct sequence. When the party took a misstep, the blue crystals from the walls shot painful lasers at them. Using a bit of acrobatics and some help from Skreek’s ability to fly, the party eventually crossed the bridge. On the other side, another door slid open.

• The third and final chamber of the ancient temple is a breathtaking sight, a culmination of the alien architecture and arcane mysteries encountered thus far. As the party steps through the threshold, they are immediately enveloped by the palpable hum of potent magic, a symphony of arcane energy resonating through the air. Dominating the center of the room is a colossal purple leyline crystal, its surface shimmering with a deep, otherworldly glow. This crystal pulses with a rhythmic cadence, each beat sending ripples of energy cascading through the room, illuminating the dark stone walls with ethereal light. The crystal is a beacon of raw, untamed power, its presence both awe-inspiring and humbling. Encircling the leyline crystal is an intricate arcane circle, carved into the floor with meticulous precision. The circle is a masterpiece of magical craftsmanship, composed of countless glyphs and symbols that intertwine in a complex web of geometric patterns. These glyphs, glowing with an inner light, shift and change subtly as if alive, reflecting the continuous flow of magical energy through the room.

  At the edges of this arcane circle, six identical crystals hover in perfect alignment, equally spaced around the central leyline crystal. These smaller crystals, each about the size of a human head, are covered in a dense array of runes. The runes are ancient, their meaning elusive, but among them, some roughly translate to “planes,” “barrier,” and “leyline.”

  One of these six crystals stands out. It is cracked, a jagged fissure marring its otherwise perfect surface. This damaged crystal glows much more faintly than its companions, its light flickering weakly as if struggling to maintain its connection to the arcane circle. The crack pulses with a sickly, uneven light, a stark contrast to the steady, radiant glow of the other crystals.

• Slumpet borrowed some paper from Trius and made a rubbing of the runes from the cracked crystal, making sure to capture the crack itself for further investigation. Skreek reached out to the Arbiter to seek an understanding of what they were seeing. The Arbiter said that leylines are paths through which the raw magical energy of the plane flows. This power can be tapped into for communication, travel, or power. Satisfied they could do not more at the moment, the party made their way out of the temple so they could report back to Alora about the state of the temple.

Ambush on the road#

• On their way back to the Winter Court, the party began to notice that the forest’s color seemed to be getting less and less vibrant until everything was shades of gray. Even though the party was certain they were retracing their steps, they encountered Serenity’s cabin, which was where an empty section of road should have been. Serenity was waiting outside her cabin. Upon seeing the party, she smiled menacingly and proclaimed, “I think you have something of mine…. I want it back, and I’m done fucking around! It seems I’ll have to do this myself”. At that, she dropped the disguise of the beautiful singer, revealing her monstrous night hag form.
• Trius was only too eager to help rid her realm of this evil entity and jumped into the fray immediately. As she drew her sword, the entire party heard an up-tempo battle hymn in their heads that could only be described as epic and inspiring. Shadicar, sensing Trius was going to be a significant contributor to the battle, did everything he could to protect Trius and make them more effective in battle, casting several spells to buff her abilities.
• Serenity, true to her word, made things more interesting almost immediately by using magic to animate each of the party members’ shadows. Over the course of the battle, it was revealed that Serenity’s cloak was actually a manta ray-like creature that could fly and had been disguised as an intimate object. The creature had the ability to absorb damage taken by Serenity as well as the ability to make illusory copies of itself.
• Serenity and the animated shadows were eventually slain, with all of the party members, including Francis and Trius, contributing to the battle. Trius did by far the most damage and seemed to be reveling in every moment of the glorious battle. Serenity’s “cloak” escaped into the forest when it was the only foe remaining, not wishing to throw its life away.
• After the battle, Shad unfurled a scroll he had purchased in the Winter Court and cast Speak with Dead on Serenity’s corpse. To their surprise, the night hag was more communicative than expected. Through gritted teeth and venomous words, Serenity revealed a few unsettling truths: she was over 300 years old, the Weaver had massacred Shad’s village purely for his own twisted amusement, and she was not responsible for the weakening of the Elven barrier. Despite Shad’s probing, Serenity refused to share her breakfast recipe or divulge the location of the Weaver, leaving them with more questions than answers.
• The party took some things of value from Serenity’s body, including an emerald ring that could open a small pocket dimension that could be used for storage and a gold necklace that could keep the user’s mind from being damaged or probed.
• After conversing with Serenity’s corpse, the party beheaded Serenity for good measure. They also took a look through the cabin for more clues of items of interest. Slumpet took a book about flora local to the feywild and the shrunken head of a Dwarf. Not wanting to take any chances, the party also decided they would sleep better if they burned Serenity’s body and her cabin down as well.

Debrief with Alora and Plan Next Steps#

• The party made it back to the Winter Court and immediately sought an audience with Alora. She was grateful that the party was successful in vanquishing the night hag, Serenity, and for the party’s efforts to investigate the Leyline Temple. She was disturbed to learn of the cracked crystal but admitted she did not know how to fix it. Since the party had demonstrated how trustworthy they could be, Alora rewarded them with a large silver ring that could be used to transport them between the obsidian standing stones they had encountered on their journey so far. They would need only attune the ring to the stone and would be able to teleport from that stone to any other stone they had previously attuned the ring to.
• The next morning, the party met again with Alora and her court wizard, Arch Magus Levi. The previous evening, Alora perused her mother’s journal again to see if there were any clues that might help them. She found that the barrier was anchored in four points, each inside a Leyline Temple like the one they had just visited. There is one inside each season’s domain within the Elven forest. While Alora was explaining the workings of the ring to the party, Slumpet managed to steal a parchment map of the main Dwarven city from Alora’s desk without anyone noticing. This was quite a curious item to be among the Winter Lady’s possessions.
• Alora also found several references to “The Chained Library” and thought that’s where her mother may have learned of the rituals necessary to construct the barrier. Levi had heard some vague rumors of the library, but not much to go on. He had only heard that it was rumored to be ancient, predating any known civilization. If it even exists, it is said to house many sources of forbidden knowledge and powerful artifacts that should not be trusted to stay in mortal hands. Unfortunately, almost no one knows where the library is located. Agents of the Library are rumored to search for forbidden knowledge, books, and artifacts. They may seek out the party if they know they possess such an artifact.

Journey to the Autumn Court#

• The party, still in possession of the pieces of Summer’s Edge and knowing they would likely need to help of the Summer Court to reforge the blade, decided to make their way east towards Summer’s territory. Along the way, they hoped to pick up some additional clues at the Autumn Court. While on the road, the party ran into a group of fey thieves who stole Toby’s coin purse. The thieves led the party into an ambush of Quicklings and Aridni. The battle was nothing the party couldn’t handle, but it was a bit tricky because of the Quicklings’ speed and the Aridni’s elemental bow attacks.
• With their coin safely recovered, the party continued down the road to Autumn. The entrance to the Court of Autumn is marked by a serene river crossing. The river itself is calm and tranquil, its waters gently flowing under the vibrant shades of changing leaves. Standing majestically at the edge of the river is a grand Torii gate. With its elegant design and beautifully crafted architecture, the gate symbolizes the transition from the mortal world to the sacred realm of the Autumn Court. The sight of the Torii gate against the backdrop of the Autumn hues is a breathtaking spectacle, capturing the essence of the season in its full glory. The party noticed another standing stone on a small outcropping slightly to the north of the gate.

Darkness descends on the Autumn Court festival#

• The party arrives in the Autumn Courts in the midst of a welcoming festival full of enticing soups, stews, and brews. They immerse themselves in the festivities, eventually finding their way to the largest bar, a beautiful beer garden nestled amongst Japanese maple trees named the Aki Matsuri (Fall Festival in Japanese). The owner was a calm and physically impressive earth Gensai named Hencelle. He is also a former adventuring monk and known to the locals as the “Master of Feasts” because he is in charge of the festivals, of which there are many in Autumn.

• While enjoying their beers and some of Hencelle’s award-winning chicken dumpling soup, Hencelle needs to scold a couple of other patrons who look like they are going to get into a fight. Hencelle’s warning and imposing physique quickly diffuse the situation before things can escalate. After things calm down, the party makes acquaintances with the two patrons causing the commotion, a human bounty hunter named Ali and his current captive, Arden, an elven mage. After some persuasion, Ali eventually tells Shadicar that he’s fulfilling a bounty on behalf of the Massa’Ista, an information guild headquartered in Hunter’s Hollow. Ali tells them they can obtain just about any information you could want for the right price, but are quite secretive. The party will need to seek out the bartender of the Iron Eagle tavern in Hunter’s Hollow to arrange an audience with the guild’s leader, only known as “The Fountain”. Ali’s captive, Arden, doesn’t know why he has a bounty. He claims to be primarily a historian and archeologist with a focus on ancient languages. The party decides this guild might be a good source of information about the Chained Library.

• As the party leaves the beer garden, they are interrupted by a menacing black dragonborn sorcerer who starts intimidating the festivalgoers: “Festival revelers! Gather! A message not of merriment but of fate! I am Xolthos, Omenspeaker. For too long, you elves have basked in the illusion of safety. But the shadows lengthen. The darkness that consumed Tannis… the fey monsters roaming your lands… a mere taste of the totality to come! The ancient hunger stirs. The shadow dragon Nidhogg will return, and with it, unending night! Only those who submit to the Eclipse will find refuge in the coming darkness! Heed my words!”

• Shadicar begins bantering with Xolthos, trying to determine his goals while mixing in some good taunts. Xolthos was not amused and did not seem to be in a mood to entertain the bard. He stepped into a shadow and reappeared behind Shadicar. With an incantation and with a flick of his wrist, Xolthos casts banishment on Shad, sending him to a demi-plane so he wouldn’t have to listen to him any more. The rest of the party jumped into action, noticing that a dire wolf made of shadow stood where Xolthos originally addressed the crowd. Slumpet, noticing Xolthos was taking advantage of shadows, grabbed a handful of stardust from his pouch and doused the enemy mage with it. This thwarted the mage’s efforts to use the shadows to his advantage again. After a significant battle, the party was victorious and the townsfolk crawled out of hiding to thank the party. The party looted Xolthos, finding a small onyx figurine of a dragon, a magic staff, and a set of enchanted robes, and a magic ring. Toby also found letter from the Weaver to Xolthos:

  • “Xolthos,
    Our progress is swift, but vigilance is essential. The Shadow Dragon’s freedom hinges on the weakening of the barrier. We must secure the leyline temples where the barrier is anchored.

    The Winter Court’s crystal has already been damaged. The next target lies within the territory of the Summer Court, where the master smiths reside. Disrupt their leyline crystal, and our victory draws closer.

    Ensure the elimination of any who might interfere, particularly those who bear the marks of the Dusk Lord. Their resolve must be shattered.

    Proceed with haste and discretion. For the glory of the Eclipse!
    —The Weaver”

• After some negotiations with the bounty hunter Ali, the party convinced his captive Arden to identify the magic items. The figurine was able to transform into a tiny dragon by using a command word. The ring could make the wearer invisible. The robes gave a bonus to armore class. Toby is particularly concerned that the party gets to the Summer Court right away and fears the rest of the troupe isn’t taking this seriously enough.

Investigate the Autumn Leyline Temple#

• The party gains an audience with the Lord of Autumn, Farkris, legendary diplomat and philosopher. Farkris is concerned to hear about the Cult of the Eclipse and their desire to bring back the shadow dragon. He is still disappointed with himself that he couldn’t broker a peace with Nidhogg centuries past and fears that failure is coming to haunt him. He has not heard of any cult activity before Xolthos interrupted the festival. Farkris is concerned that Alora has not warned him of the weakening barrier and tells the party he will have a word with her. In the meantime, he tells the party that they are free to investigate the autumn leyline temple. He warns the party that they will be tested to gain entry to the temple. Shad seemed annoyed with this and wished they could find a secret back way into these temples…
• The party leaves town in search of the leyline temple. They eventually come across a clearing with a broken torii gate. The grove is filled with ancient trees, vibrant flora, and a sense of profound peace. As they are taking in the scene, a huge tree at the back of the cleaning stirs to life on its own. The Treant appears before the party, its eyes glowing with ancient wisdom. It speaks in a deep, resonant voice that echoes through the grove. The Treant explains that the grove is home to many creatures, and it values those who show kindness and compassion. To prove their worthiness, the party must help a wounded creature within the grove: a baby unicorn ensnared in thick vines with a taste for blood. The party tries to hack the vines but they are strong and it seems like it will take some time to hack through. Shad casts speak to plants via a scroll and convinces the vines to slowly start to release the unicorn but it takes time and in the mean time, four dire wolfs (4) show up and attack. The party fends off the wolves and the unicorn is freed. The Treant is pleased with their display of compassion and agrees to show them the way to the temple. He walks over to a nearby hill and begins an incantation, which almost sounds like a landslide and the hill peels itself open, revealing a large triangular stone door just as they had seen at the Winter leyline temple.
• Inside, the party is confronted with a large wheel with 6 concentric circles. Each circle had 6 panels, each with the same 6 symbols representing different aspect of autumn, such as leaves, a bonfire, decay, etc. The walls of the room are covered in murals depicting different meaningful autumn scenes, such as a harvest, a feast, falling leaves, etc. The party rightly surmised that they needed to rotate the rings on the wheel to match the natural progression of the autumn season as shown in the murals. After arranging the wheel correctly, the wall slid into the floor, revealing a large natural chamber containing a leyline crystal. Just as they saw in the Winter temple, there was a large arcane circle, carved with glyphs and symbols, surrounding the crystal. Around the arcane circle, six identical crystals, two feet long, hovered in perfect alignment, each covered in dense runes. The arcane circle and the crystals appeared to be in good condition and the thrumming energy from the leyline crystal seemed steady and stable. It seems as though the Cult of the Eclipse had not been here.
• The party made camp in the Treant’s grove before continuing east towards the Summer Court. Scouting ahead, the party can see a massive silver birch tree and a change in the environment, feeling more like summer with every passing step. Slumpet consults with the local squirels and is warned about a patch of forest ahead with massive spiders. The party smartly takes a detour to avoid that situation and eventually get to the massive birch tree. Nearby, they find a new standing store. Skreetk helps Slumpet atune his leyline ring to the stone and the party decides to use the stone to teleport back to the Autumn Court for the night to get lodging at the Aki Matsuri again. …but not before a round of drink roulette with Hencelle. Everyone has a good time that night, but Shadicar woke up with the worst hangover of his life. The party then teleported back to the birch tree at the border of Summer’s territory, which miraculous cured Shad’s hangover.
• On the way to the Summer Court, the party came across some ruins with large but feint arcane symbols burned into the ground. Shad recalled that the Lord of Autumn told them they might come across the ancient battle field where Nidhogg was sealed way. In the ruins, the party found cultists, including a mage with an ominous grimoire, an ogre, and some human fighters. Skreek and Slumpet go invisible and move forward in an advantageous position while Shad and Toby try to get a better look. They notice the mage approach the arcane circle and begin incanting something from the grimoire. The party interrupts him before he can finish his ritual and a battle ensues. The party emerges victorious thanks to some mind altering magic from Shad, the surprise from the invisible party members, and the help of Francis, who was only too happy to laser eye beam the bad guys.
• Two of the human fighters aiding the cultists decided to surrender, proclaiming the chance of death isn’t worth what they were being paid. The party agreed to let the mercenaries go if they told the party all they knew about the cult’s plans. Shad took the opportunity to use one of his new abilities: Mantle of Whispers. This allowed him to capture the shadow of the enemy mage as he died. Using the mantle of whispers, Shad assumed the likeness of the mage and gained access to his recent memories. This knowledge let Shad confirm the information the rest of the party gained during the interrogation of the mercenaries. Although, the experience of having a dead man’s memories has shaken Shad a bit. The party learned the Weaver’s stronghold is in the Feywild and that the Weaver was interested in seeing if the remnants of the ritual that sealed Nidhogg could be used to empower summoning spells. The mage, Kharvax, was trying to performing an experiment to test that. He summoned a basilisk via normal means yesterday as a baseline and a few of the cultists were killed by the monster. The party also looted a +1 vampiric scythe from Kharvax, as well a Grimoire of the Eclipse which contained several spells: summon shadowspawn, shadow blade, and contact other plane.

The Summer Court#

• After dealing with the cult of the eclipse at the ancient battlefield, the party continued their journey to the Summer Court. Luckily the rest of their journey was peaceful, giving the party time to digest what they had seen.
• The Summer Court lived up to its reputation as a place of competition. Even the street food vendors served challenging treats with spices that were no joke. The court was dominated by two large structures: the palace of the Summer Lady and an impressive coliseum. The party made their way towards the looming circular stone building, being drawn in my the sounds of a cheering crowd. Near the coliseum, Slumpet found another standing stone. With the help of Skreek, Slumpet attuned his Leyline Gate Ring to the standing stone so they could easily return to the Summer Court. They party scoped out the coliseum and took note of some interesting upcoming events such as a battle of the bands and several battle tournaments. Near the coliseum loomed a large forge from which the rhythmic sounds of a hammer’s fall rang out. Weary from travel, the party asked a street food vendor was advice on where to stay for the night. He was happy to point the part in the direction of Ember’s embrace. A fire gensai named Serra Flamekissed owned the establishment and was happy to put the party up for the night… after several flaming shots of course.
• The next morning, they party enjoyed breakfast at the tavern and then sought out the Summer Lady, Sylvia, at her palace. As with the other elven leaders, she was concerned at the rumors of the Cult of Eclipse and their efforts to free Nidhogg from his prison. Sylvia gave the party directions to the Summer Court’s leyline temple and asked that the party check on it and report back. With that the party was on their way, hoping to get there before the Cult of the Eclipse did, remembering the note from the Weaver that they found on the dragonborn sorcerer they battled at the Autumn Court. The temple was easy enough to find thanks to the directions. When the party got there, they found the door to the temple forced open. Inside, two large humanoid constructs lay still on the ground outside the leyline crystal chamber. They seemed to have been guarding the chamber, but were cut down by some kind of elemental magic. The bodies of the constructs were seemingly slashed by fire and ice. Slumpet took stock of the carnage and decided to take a dynamo from the chest of each constuct that appeared to have been its power source. Maybe they would be useful, or at the very least, worth something. The party then entered the leyline crystal chamber and saw the same layout as the other temples: a large natural crystal coming out of the ground in the center of the chamber, around which were eight smaller man made crystals covered in arcane runes. One of crystals was entirely missing!

Enter Manus, the Chaos Factor#

• The party left the temple, distraught at what they had found. Outside they encountered Trius, who seemed a bit off… annoyingly smug and unkind. “Trius” waved a hand and dispelled an illusion revealing herself to be a man calling himself Manus. He seemed very dangerous, exuding an aura of barely contained chaos. His skin was a pale shade, almost ashen, stark against the wild shock of short, platinum-blond curls atop his head. His sharp features twist into a wicked grin, eyes gleaming with manic energy beneath dark, arched brows. He wore a crimson longcoat with black leather accents and his every motion crackled with reckless confidence. He showed the party the missing crystal and told them the Weaver asked him to steal it. Manus next told them he would give the party the crystal if they could only land one blow against him in a fight. They party was confused and asked him why he betray the Weaver. At this Manus only laughed and arched an eyebrow: “i don’t care about the cult, but the Weaver won’t fight me yet. Not until he’s done with his mission. I just want to find strong foes to test myself against. Maybe you’ll do the trick, but i doubt it. Give me your best shot. I meant what i said about the crystal.”. They party attempted to fight Manus, but couldn’t land a blow on him. He stepped in an out of shadows, taunting the party. He even conjured duplicates of himself to further confuse the party. Eventually, in a desperate attempt to “hit” Manus, Slumpet threw a fistful of ball bearings at Manus’ back after sneaking up behind him. A couple of the small metal balls hit Manus and be begrudgingly handed over the crystal before stepping into a shadow and disappearing from sight.
• The party then tried to place the crystal back into its place in the arrangement around the leyline crystal. When that didn’t work, Skreek contacted the Arbiter using the mark of the Dusk Lord she left on his shoulder. The Arbiter didn’t know the direct answer, but suggested that the crystal might need to be cleaned of evil before it could function again. She also thought some kind of ritual might be needed to lock the crystal into the arrangement. Using her suggestions, Shad used dispel magic to remove the bad juju from the crystal, but it still wouldn’t slot back into place. Shad then used a new spell he just learned to seek a greater power’s help. He thought he could use contact other plane to try to speak to the spirit of Alora’s mother, Maria. After all, she erected the magic barrier using the leyline crystals. She might be able to help them, but the spell is tricky and doesn’t let the caster have full conversations. They would need to be crafty. After thinking about some potential yes or no questions, Shad cast the spell and made contact with Maria.
  • “are we equipped to fix the crystal?” - NO
  • “is summer court equipped to fix the crystal or the runes?” - NO
  • “does the chained library have the answers to help us?” - YES
  • “does winter have knowledge of chained library?” - NO
  • “does the center of the elven territory hold answers for us?” - YES

A Broken Loop, and a Deal with Blackbird#

• With that, Shad stowed the crystal in the sausage closet (the pocket dimension accessible with Serenity’s ring) and started the journey back to the Summer Court. Shortly after they started their trek, Slumpet noticed the wildlife was too quiet and also stumbled upon a petrified squirel, frozen in time. That jogged his memory… that cultist summoned a basilisk as a test and it got loose. It might still be in the forest. Super not good. While keeping an eye out for the predator, Toby notices something odd about their travels through these woods. She keeps getting a sense of deja vu.
  • As the party trudged deeper into the forest, something gnawed at the edges of their awareness. It started as a flicker of unease, the kind of feeling you get when you think you’ve seen a place before but can’t quite put your finger on why.
  • They passed a massive oak tree, its gnarled roots curling over the path like tendrils. Slumpet slowed, frowning. Had they passed this tree before? No—impossible. But the feeling wouldn’t shake.
  • Then, the sun shifted. One moment, the golden light of late afternoon filtered through the canopy, stretching long shadows across the path. The next, the sky brightened—the sun seemed to rise again, morning light casting the world in a different hue.
  • A silver-tipped fox darted across the trail ahead, slipping into the underbrush. A few minutes later, another fox—same silver-tipped tail, same hurried pace—rushed across the exact same spot.
  • They pressed forward, retracing what they thought was a new path. But the sun shifted again. The morning glow returned, long dawn shadows stretching in a way that shouldn’t be possible.
• …they were all stuck in a loop, with the basilisk roaming around nearby. The party was starting to get desperate when they noticed a strange creature standing near a large tree. He revealed himself to be a traveling merchant named Blackbird. He moves with an unsettling grace, his sleek, raven-like form wrapped in flowing black robes embroidered with intricate arcane sigils. Crimson accents trim his garments, mirroring the gleam of his sharp, knowing eyes. Adorned with elaborate golden jewelry and a collection of trinkets that jingle softly as he gestures, he exudes an air of quiet menace and theatrical charm. Strange, twisted horns rise from his head, festooned with dangling charms of unknown purpose. A massive woven pack bulges behind him, filled with mysterious wares, while delicate claws toy with an intricate pendant—an unspoken offer lingering in the air. His voice is a melodic whisper, full of riddles and promises, for Blackbird trades not in coin, but in whispers, secrets, and the binding power of magical contracts.
• He offered to help get an item for them to help escape the loop. Toby accepted and Blackbird stepped into a shadow, returning a few minutes later with an amulet that played a magical tune that would help them find the way out of the loop. He didn’t want payment, but signed a binding contract with Toby instead. For three nights, she must pay for everyone’s drinks at any tavern they visit. Otherwise, Blackbird’s Geas will harm her (psychic damage). With the amulet on, Toby heard what could only be described as heavy metal with a chorus that repeated the phrase “take control”. While the music was playing, Toby knew exactly where to step and where not to step. After an hour, she finally led the group out of the loop and back to the mundane elven forest where they could continue with journey to the Summer Court.

Forging the Path to Reforging the Blade#

• After escaping the looping path, the rest of the journey was uneventful and they made it back to the Summer Court in the early evening and went back to the Ember’s Embrace to enjoy some drinks. There was of course the matter of Blackbird’s contract. They would have to pay for everyone’s drinks for the next three days. It could have been worse. The party only needed to spend 19 gold for the 98 drinks ordered at the bar that night in order to satisfy the contract that Toby signed with Blackbird. Shad volunteered to perform at the bar and attempted to play poorly enough to scare away customers. His natural instincts and talent were too good and the best he could muster was average.
• The next morning the party visited Sylvia at the Summer Court palace to fill her in on what they had discovered at the leyline temple. Sylvia was shocked her temple was invaded and vowed to talk to the other elven courts to start to get a handle on the situation. The party also asked her point them in the direction of a smith that could help them reforge Summer’s Edge. The party was pleasantly surprised that Sylvia was not angry about them having the sword. Sylvia told them that artifacts like Summer’s Edge had a mind of their own and wouldn’t let itself fall into the hands of someone unworthy.
• Based on Sylvia’s advice, the party decided to visit the large blacksmith’s forge next to the coliseum. There they met with Elara Sunforge, the most talented smith of the summer court.
  • Elara was thrilled at the prospect of reforging the sword, but informed the party they would need two rare materials: celestial ore and the first kiss of the midday sun from the feywild
  • Elara knew where to find the ore and directed the party to visit a crater where a meteor fell long ago.
  • Elara also had a device capable of capturing the kiss of the midday sun, but would need to help the party track down a favorable crossing to the feywild.

The Starfall Crater#

• The party journeyed north to the crater to find the ore. It was not difficult to tell when they had reached their destination . The crater’s edges blackened and jagged as though the land itself was torn apart by some ancient cataclysm. Faint trails of shimmering, silvery mist rise from the crater’s depths, curling and twisting like restless spirits. The ground glowed faintly with a soft, pulsing light, as if the earth still remembers the impact of something impossibly powerful. Jagged shards of crystal, each glinting with the light of a thousand distant stars, are embedded in the walls of the crater. The faint hum of energy filled the air, resonating deep within the members of the party. They couldn’t shake the feeling that you’re standing in the presence of something far greater than themselves—something ancient and alive. In the center of the crater, a fractured pedestal of stone and crystal stood amidst a field of glowing, alien formations. A low, melodic vibration echoed through the area, like the song of the cosmos itself, beckoning them forward. They found a natural pedestal in the center where it looked like some of the ore could be seen.
• When approaching the pedestal, 4 Starfall Sentinels formed from the surrounding and attempted to defend the pedestal. Each sentinel a jagged random collection of crystal hovering over the ground. The sentinels formed appendages with which to bludgeon the party and their bodies exploded with radiant energy when struck. It was a tricky fight, but nothing the party couldn’t handle together.
• After the sentinels were defeated, a single large construct of starlight and crystal assembled before the party and tells them to leave this sacred place or prove their worth. This was the Celestial Guardian, prepared to defend the pedestal. This was a much larger and more intelligent version of what the party just faced except that this one could emit radiant energy seemingly at will and fought with a huge greatsword that seems to be made of pure starlight.
• When the party defeated the guardian, the crystal pedestal cracked, revealing enough Celestial Ore to fulfill Elara’s requirements.

The Shimmering Glade#

• The party brought the ore back to Elara and confirmed it was the ore then needed to reforge Summer’s Edge
• Elara found a nearby fey crossing to the north: the Shimmering Glade
• The party did some shopping at the Glittering Cavern (owned by Irena), including some oddly specific items by Toby in preparation for dealing with the Fey.
  • 7 small vials with cork stoppers
  • 3 moonstones – small
  • 3 quartz crystals – amber and shine, bone sliver, smoke
  • 3 pouches of granulated salt
  • 3 lengths of yellow ribbon
  • 3 iron rings, small
  • 3 sliver thread spools
  • 9 tiny silver bell
  • 3 vials of milk and 3 of honey, one empty vial
• They party paid for drinks again at the Ember’s Embrace to fulfill Toby’s contract with Blackbird (2nd of 3 nights). Their bar tab was a little more expensive this time, but the party generally still has more gold then they know what to do with.
• The next morning the party traveled to the Shimmering Glade and found it as Elara described. The party steps into a secluded glade where the forest’s canopy parts slightly, allowing golden sunlight to spill into the clearing. The boundary between the Material Plane and the Feywild feels paper-thin here, the air humming softly with latent magic. The glade is filled with shimmering light that seems to dance on its own, and the faint smell of wildflowers and ozone hangs in the air. At the center of the glade, a circle of ancient, moss-covered standing stones rises from the ground, each embedded with small crystal shards that faintly glow. The crystals pulse gently, as if waiting for something—perhaps the sun itself—to awaken them. It is clear that when the sun reaches its peak at noon, the light will strike the crystals, activating the crossing.
• However, a large black cat lies curled in the middle of the stone circle, its sleek, black form rising and falling with slow, rhythmic breaths. The cat is similar to a with six legs and a pair of long tentacles sprouting from their shoulders. The tentacles ended in pads with sharp horny edges. Skreek recognized it from his studies but couldn’t remember the name, so he decided to refer to it as a “squid cat. As the party began to approach the circle, they noticed small cubs frolicing nearby, tumbling over one another and occasionally batting at the edge of the stones.
• The party doesn’t want a fight, particularly if the cubs could get caught up in it, so they decide to try to lure the cubs away. Toby sneaks around the edges of the glade and attempts to entice the cubs with some milk. It does the trick and the cubs start moving into the forest. As midday approaches, the light starts reflect through the crystals to make a circle in the center of the glade where the mother squid cat is sleeping, but the light seems unfocused. Slumpet notices one of the crystals is not seated on top of its pillar the way the others are. Skreek gives Shad a boost up to the crystal to attempt to realign it. They make some noise and the squid cat wakes up and starts to attack the party. Skreek remembered he had some catnip in his pack from the time they hunted the bandersnatch. He threw the catnip in the squid cat’s face, stunning it. Using that opening, Shad finishes aligning the crystal and the light seems to be better focused. By this point, the squid cat shakes off the effectgs of the catnip and notices its cubs have been lured away. It seems concerned, races over its its cubs, picks them up, and runs deeper into the forest, leaving the party alone in the glade.
• Another minute passes and the angle of the sun changes enough to bring the image projected by the crystals into focus. As the image focuses, it shimmers and transforms into a portal, rippling like the surface of a pond. Toby, fearless as ever, is the first to test our the portal by jumping in. She falls for a moment before hitting the ground and pivoting into a shoulder roll. When she stands up, she is no longer in the glade. The space seems similar but the normal vegetation has been replaces by a riot of color and exaggerated flora. The rest of the party tumbles through the portal and Toby wryly exclaims: “Welcome to the Feywild, kids…”.

Welcome to the Feywild#

• Skreek takes off his heavy armor and flies up above the forest canopy to get a better vantage point. He sees a large, tall mountain to the north west. Slumpet suggests getting to some high ground would give them the best shot at capturing the sunlight they came here for. Every agrees and starts moving through the vibrant forest towards the mountain. The party notices that the sun is going down which basically means they will need to spend at least one night in the feywild to be here for “midday”.
• The party eventually comes to the site of ancient ruins surrounding a distinctive turquoise lagoon that cuts inland from what seems to be a larger body of water. A massive stone statue or petrified remains of what appears to be a giant humanoid figure dominates the northern section of the ruins. The landscape shows the remnants of what was once likely a grand settlement or temple complex, now reduced to crumbling stone foundations, scattered rubble, and broken walls.
• The party notices a jovial celebration of Satyrs taking place amongst the ruins, near the turquoise pool. Shad leaves his gear behind with Slumpet and disguises himself as a Satyr. Skreek makes himself invisible and helps the disguised Shad make a grand musical entrance by floating him down to the party while playing a dramatic tune on his lute. They are met by the Satyrs’ leader, Revel Pipesong. Revel encourages the party to join in their celebration.
• While enjoying some wine, the party talks to Revel about where they are and how they might safely get up the mountain. Revel told them a good vantage point for the sun would be a 6 hour hike up the mountain and points them to the trail head near their camp. Revel tells them the are in Medusa’s Wake. A title which Revel said everyone knows, but isn’t 100% sure on the origins. He suspects it was the site of a battle where a great medusa fought off a storm giant, pointing to the stone figure as evidence.
• Party engaged in a drinking game, which had unforeseen consequences for the losers
  • Skreek can only speak in rhymes and riddles for 7 days
  • Toby will bust into laughter at the most inappropriate moments
  • Shad’s hair turned into flowering vines that grow rapidly when he lies or breaks a promise
• Slumpet did not approach the camp, instead watching from a safe distance
• Revel offers the party an “single night of pure, unbridled joy and celebration in exchange for a future favor.” … Taking Toby’s lead, the party declines his offer.
• Party decided to sleep for the night before their hike up the mountain

Capturing the First Kiss of the Midday Sun#

• The next morning, with Elara’s sun capturing device in hand, Toby begins leading the party up the mountain, hoping to get to a good vantage point by midday.
• As the party reaches a narrow mountain pass, they encounter a massive, moss-covered fey troll who blocks the only safe path forward. Toby attempts to talk to troll to see if they can get away without a confrontation. The troll only seems interested in trying to eat the party, so a battle breaks out. As the party attacks the troll, chunks of its flesh are knocked off. Those chunks animate and attack the party as well. The party is eventually victorious and continue on their way.
• As the party reaches the mountain peak, the golden light of the Feywild sun stretches endlessly above, illuminating the world in an eternal, dreamlike noon. Below, the landscape unfolds in a cascade of shimmering forests, rolling hills, and rivers that glow with an otherworldly radiance. But then… they see it. Far in the distance, nestled in the twisting valley of mist and shadow, a structure looms—a gothic castle, black as midnight, standing in stark defiance of the vibrant world around it. Jagged spires pierce the sky like twisted fangs, and the air around it warps subtly, as if the place doesn’t quite belong in this plane of existence. A deep chill crawls up your spine, not from the air, but from something… older. Watching. Waiting. The castle wasn’t there a moment ago. Or was it? The longer you stare, the more certain you become that it’s always been there, lurking just out of sight. The towers stretch unnaturally high, higher than they should, and the windows—massive, ornate things of blackened stained glass—shift images when you aren’t looking directly at them. From this distance, no signs of life stir. No smoke from chimneys. No movement on the parapets. Yet somehow, you feel unequivocally noticed. As if something inside those walls has just turned its gaze toward you. Then, the wind shifts. The golden light above flickers—just for an instant—and for the briefest moment, the castle appears… closer. And then the wind moves on, and the illusion is gone. But the castle? The castle remains. Waiting. Watching. Calling...
• Making note of the strange castle, the party continues on, eventually coming to an outcropping of stone extending away from the face of the mountain. The outcropping is flaked by cliffs and near its tip is a large stone alter. The alter is largely featureless, but certainly gives the impression it must be an ancient site of ceremonies. Slumpet decides the alter is a good spot to collect the “first kiss of the midday sun”, pulls Elara’s device from his pack, and places it on the alter.
• The sunlight here is unlike anything Skreek has felt—pure, golden, weightless, yet brimming with life and ancient purpose. As the First Kiss of the Midday Sun begins to coalesce in the air above the peak, Skreek feels an almost magnetic pull to his pack. Instinctively, he reaches for the hilt and shards of Summer’s Edge. The air stills. The broken blade, so long dormant, begins to glow—not with fire or fury, but with a subtle inner radiance, like the very essence of summer stirring within it. As Skreek grips the hilt, he is no longer on the mountain.
  • He sees a golden field under the same unsetting sun. A tall elven knight kneels before a radiant queen of the Summer Court. The blade, whole and gleaming, is passed into his hands.“So long as you carry this light, our court shall not fall to shadow.”
  • Suddenly, the field turns dark—invading shadows, a massive battle. The knight fights valiantly… but the vision cracks like glass, leaving only fragments.
• Skreek snaps back to the present just as Manus slinks out of a shadow. The sword’s light fades, but the warmth lingers in Skreek’s hand—and heart. Manus, amused and unknowing of what just occurred, makes a taunt: “Drawing broken swords now, bird? I do hope you brought sharper company.” He doesn’t recognize the blade. But Skreek does; and it’s waking up…
• Manus tells the party he can’t let them fulfil their goals so easily. After all, where’s the fun in that? He casts a spell and a sphere of magical darkness forms, centered around Elara’s device. Moments later, Manus creates two duplicates of himself, positioned at the top of each cliff flanking the outcropping. The original Manus also continues to fight from within the darkness. Skeek’s blindsight is the only thing that lets him see Manus inside the darkness. No one else, inside or outside the sphere of darkness can tell what’s going on inside. Shad manages to dispel the darkness and get mocking praise from Manus: “ah, you’ve grown so much. Maybe you’re starting to become a bit more worth of my attention.” After a few minutes of fighting Manus and his duplicates, Manus waves a hand and announces that’s enough fun for today, vowing to see them again soon. With that, he steps into a shadow and disappears. His duplicates blink of existence as soon as Manus vanishes.
• Elara’s device finishes it job and its whirling slows and stops. A warm, soft light pulses from the heart of the device and the party knows their task is complete. They finally have what they need to reforge Summer’s Edge. They just need to get back to Elara Sunforge. They party thinks back and they aren’t sure exactly how to do that, but figure their best be might be to return to the glade where they crossed over to the Feywild originally. Along the way, the party decided to stop by the strange gothic castle they saw in the valley below. They aren’t sure what they will find there, but they seems strangely drawn to it.

The Forgotten Castle#

• The party arrived at a creepy castle in the Feywild, its outer garden flickering with shimmering illusions. Slumpet tossed a ball bearing at the flickering plants, confirming their reality despite the visual distortion.
• The garden featured an archway with a ceremonial air, leading to a broken stone path and a grand door at the back.
• Moving around the castle exterior, the party noted vibrant grass outside the courtyard, contrasting with dead grass left in Slumpet’s footprints.
• As they explored, vines lashed out at Slumpet, but he dodged swiftly. Toby threw salt on the vines, causing them to dissolve into smoke.
• In front of the castle stood another fountain, its masonry surprisingly intact. Slumpet examined it but was distracted, staring into the mist rising from the water and suffering a brief lapse in perception.

Entry to the Castle#

• The party approached the grand front doors, fitted with imposing knockers. Shad knocked using Mage Hand, causing the knock to echo loudly, igniting nearby torches with blue flame.
• A knight made of patchwork fabric rose from the ground, its voice overlapping male and female tones as it posed three riddles:
  1. What binds a house beyond blood?
     • Love (Toby) → Accepted
  2. What weapon wounds deeper than any blade?
     • The tongue (Toby) → Accepted
  3. What must be abandoned to grasp true power?
     • Humanity (Toby) → Hesitant acceptance
• The knight declared, “Threads mended, pass into the halls where memory still walks,” and the doors opened.

The Mirror Hall#

• Slumpet rolled a ball bearing down the dusty hall; it rolled smoothly, revealing the layer of ancient dust covering the floor.
• Shad lit the wall torches as Skreek announced his lineage scroll after Shad’s dramatic entrance.
• The party found many mirrors, most tarnished and cracked, except one at the end which was pristine.
• As Shad approached, the mirror rippled. A ball bearing thrown by Slumpet bounced off its surface, dispersing the mist within it. Shad saw his own reflection before it shifted to a vision of him performing before an endless, unimpressed crowd, the music turning hollow and discordant. When he touched the mirror after receiving the vision, he felt only a hum of magic. He emotionally rejected the vision the mirror showed him and sensed the mirror tried to cause him psychic him, but Serenity’s necklace made such magic ineffective against Shad.
• Skreek looked into the mirror next, seeing himself alone atop a ruined battlement, his friends dead around him, a new scar on his reflected face but with an oddly calm demeanor. Skreek emotionally accepted the potential shown to him by the vision and was rewarded by the mirror with a bit of luck he felt he could rely on later.
• When Slumpet looked into the mirror he saw himself standing before a shattered mirror — each shard showing a different version of himself: a thief caught in a snare, a soldier left behind, a shadow fading alone. and another a scene where behind him, unseen, the trusted hands of friends and mentors raise blades against his back. Slumpet did not accept this and the mirror harmed him in return.
• Next Toby sees herself reflected in a black mirror — her veins pulsing with shadow, her hands monstrous, her eyes vacant and cold. All around her, the world burns, and she smiles without realizing it. Toby accepted this part of herself and was also given a luck boon from the mirror.
• As the party left the hall, Toby took one more glance at the mirror. For a moment, the mirror shuddered — and beyond her reflection, she sees it: a vast loom, threads snapping in a wind you cannot feel, the world itself beginning to come undone. This left her with the feeling of the world fracturing.

The Loom Chamber#

• The party entered a room with tapestries of elven nobility, walls engraved with thread-like patterns, and a massive broken loom leaning ominously against the far wall.
• An evil, organic heartbeat pulsed through the floor. When Slumpet touched the loom with his dagger, he felt as if falling endlessly. Shad responded by casting Thunderwave, the vibration resonating through the threads and disrupting the malignant pulse.
• Slumpet cut out a section of the loom’s vibrant unfinished tapestry for himself, calling it a “gnome towel.”
• Toby was struck by a vision of a sky that had forgotten how to be blue, leaving her feeling as if she was forgetting everyone and everything she ever knew.
• Detect Magic revealed the loom’s threads were imbued with illusion magic, confirming it had been a professional operation, not merely a hobbyist’s craft.
• At Shad’s request, Francis blasted the loom with fire magic, destroying it completely, recognizing it as part of the Weaver’s domain.

Throne Room#

• A previously unnoticed door led the party into a throne room lined with stained glass windows whose colors flickered in and out of visibility.
• On the throne sat a semi-transparent elven man, who began to monologue as the party entered.

  • “You come among broken threads, seeking a tapestry already torn beyond mending.

    This house —” (his hand stirs faintly) “— once wove oaths and dreams alike… a loom strong enough to bind seasons to stone, stars to memory.”

    “I tended it once. I who was called…”_ (he pauses) “Weaver.”

    (The name falls from his lips like ash. Around you, the stained glass trembles, a high keening almost too soft to hear. Tapestries twitch as if stirred by an unseen wind. The whole castle seems to draw a breath — not of life, but of memory, pulling taut around you.)

    “I wove light and shadow into a single thread, believing I might master both. But light frays. Shadow hungers.

    And now, only hollow threads remain…
    And you, little sparks, dancing in the ruins of memory.”

    (His head tilts, eyes settling on Shadicar.)

    “It was you, wasn’t it? The note that struck first. The hand that called fire to the weave. The melody behind the final unraveling.”

    (He stands, expression unreadable — not fury, but something colder. A sorrow that forgot how to weep.)

    “That act cannot be overlooked. Willingly or not, your soul is now entwined in the pattern — the price required to rebuild what you destroyed.”

    (Then, turning to the others, voice sharpening to a thread’s edge)

    “Tell me: will you mend what you cannot even see? Or will you cut the weave, and call the unmaking mercy?”

• They party talked to the echo, trying to get a sense of her purpose or goals. It became clear that he was a splinter or echo of the Weaver’s spirit, bound to the house when the Weaver left. The Echo said he could not leave the castle even if he wanted to. He was honor bound to try to restore the loom, which he said required a living soul. If the party was not going to give it to him, he would take it by force. Shad sat down at one of the banquet tables and began playing his lute. With that, two wolves, woven from shadow, stepped out from behind the throne ready to attack. The Echo struck first, lashing out at Shad with threads of dark magic. They hit and attempted to inflict psychic damage, but Serenity’s amulet blocked that type of damage. The Echo looked puzzled, but pivoted tactics quickly. While the wolves engaged the rest of the party, the Echo teleported next to Shad and reached out with an icy hand. Shad somehow dodged several attacks, some of which he as tremendously lucky to have evaded. The Echo was relentless, lashing out again and again, determined to extract the soul he needed from the one that orchestrated the loom’s destruction. One attack finally landed and it became clear Shad could only take 2 or three hits like that before he would be dead! Slumpet attacked from the shadows as usual and caught the Echo by surprise more than once. Eventually he dealt enough damage to dispatch the Echo. It disappeared in a puff of unraveling shadow and the wolves soon followed, seeming unable to maintain their forms without the Echo’s concentration.
• After the battle Slumpet’s keen eyes noticed a doorway hidden behind a tapestry at the back of the throne room. Beyond the door was a simple study filled with books, scrolls, and a well crafted desk. Among the items on the desk, the party found a leather bound journal belonging to the Weaver. It contained several entries that described his exploration of magic
  • First Sparks Today, I cast an illusion no one could see through. Father called it child’s play — a trick for fairs and fools. But when I showed him the wolf at the window and watched the blood drain from his face, I knew: there is power in belief. Even without substance, fear is real.
  • The Dance of Triggers Why rely on an audience’s gaze? Why perform for them when I can weave cause and effect into the very fabric of a place? I have found a method to bind illusions to events — a sound, a footstep, a heartbeat. They spring to life when I command them, like faithful servants awaiting their cue. I call it a “programmed illusion.” The thrill of setting a trap no blade can cut… intoxicating.
  • Living Echoes The illusions can be more than simple images. I shape their movements, their words, their reactions. I build performances so convincing that even I forget they are false until I will them gone. Emotion deepens the weave. Anger strengthens it. Fear makes it linger. The house listens. The house remembers.
  • Beyond the Curtain I glimpsed it today — a vast tapestry, not of image but of reality itself. A landscape reshaped, a castle dissolved and rebuilt in the span of a breath. The spell is called Mirage Arcane. It requires not only will but dominion over truth and lie alike. When I master this, my enemies will not simply see what is false—they will live in it, until they forget what was ever real.
  • The Last Thread There is no truth but what I weave. Their minds, their senses, their hearts — all are threads for my loom. Let them come. Let them wander halls of sorrow, fields of ash, towers built on screams. In this place, even hope is but an illusion.
  • Fate-touched Paper Silmirien — I have named it thus, a tether of light woven through ink and intention. Should this book ever slip from my hands—or worse, from my mind—it will call to me. Not loudly. Not always clearly. But surely, like dawn through mist. The spell is delicate. It requires a piece of the whole—no mere duplicate, but a splinter drawn from the pages themselves, thinned with care and treated with moon-milk and shadowroot. Then, it is bound with a name I no longer speak. A name written in invisible ink. A name that sleeps… until the light of a true moon wakes it. I carry the tether with me always—stitched into my sleeve, close to my skin, where I can feel it thrum with my heartbeat. As long as I live, it will guide me back to this book. But if I am lost… burn the page. Its smoke will find me. Its flame will call me home.
  • The First Thread Pulled The Courts are blind in their rituals. They tend the barrier like farmers tending a crumbling dam — repairing cracks without ever questioning why the waters rise.The leyline anchors… they are not invincible. They are woven constructs, made by mortal hands long ago, when fear drove them to bind the world in false light. I have walked the temples. I have touched the crystals. I have seen the strands of magic binding them to this plane. Weaken one, and the others strain. Break one, and the whole weave begins to unravel. The Elders would call it heresy. Treason. Madness. They would be wrong. In the unraveling, truth waits. In the loosening of bonds, Nidhogg stirs. The path is clear. I need only find the correct threads to pull. When the time is right, I shall leave this hollow house behind. My true work must be done elsewhere — far from prying eyes, where the new weave can begin.
• Slumpet also found a map among the scrolls on the desk. The map depicted the leylines of magic running throughout the Elven forest of the material plane as well as the locations of each of the seasonal leyline temples. The map also had several points labeled as “hollow thresholds”, but he didn’t know what that meant. Slumpet aimed to keep this map a secret. Maybe the dwarves would find it interesting enough to pay him a finder’s fee?

An unexpected refuge and reforging Summer’s Edge#

• With the echoes of battle finally silenced, the party decided to rest within the castle they had cleared of threats. When dawn arrived, the castle had changed—the eerie illusions faded, colors returned to the walls, and the air no longer felt oppressive. In the calm of daylight, the group explored new chambers they hadn’t noticed before, including stairways to upper bedchambers.
• Behind a hidden tapestry, they discovered a narrow spiral staircase descending beneath the castle. As they descended, the fine elven craftsmanship gave way to rough stone—an untouched cavern of bedrock veined with faint quartz. At its center stood a tall obsidian standing stone, nearly identical to those they had seen before, complete with the distinctive “eye of the needle” hole at its peak. Around its base was an arcane teleportation circle, dusty but intact. Skreek recognized the circle from his homeland, though he didn’t know how to operate it.
• The air in the chamber was unnaturally still—heavy with the presence of ancient leyline energy. It felt older than the castle above, as if the castle had been built to guard this hidden place. While examining the chamber, the patchwork guardian they had encountered outside reappeared. He proclaimed the party the new owners of the castle, now that they had defeated the Weaver’s Echo. Amused and unsure what else to call him, the party dubbed him “Jeeves.” He pledged to restore the castle and offered to shape it to the party’s needs—if given time and materials. When asked if they could do anything for him, Jeeves simply requested they bring him something nice to plant in the royal gardens.
• Slumpet attuned the Leyline Gate Ring to the new standing stone. The party activated the stone and traveled back to the Summer Court.
• At Elara’s forge, the Summer Court smith greeted the party with a mix of relief and curiosity—it had been nearly three weeks since they vanished into the Feywild. The strange magical effects they had picked up during their time there seemed to fade: Shad’s vine-like hair returned to normal, Toby stopped laughing uncontrollably, and Skreek no longer spoke in rhyme.
• Elara confirmed they had succeeded in gathering the “First Kiss of the Midday Sun” and led the party to a special forge hidden beneath her shop—closer to the leylines and more fitting for what was to come. With the celestial ore and radiant essence in hand, Elara began the reforging of Summer’s Edge.
• As the flames danced and the metal took shape, Elara whispered, “Your light will burn again—the realms still need you.” When her work was complete, she asked who would take up the blade. All eyes turned to Skreek. With reverence, he stepped forward and accepted the reforged Summer’s Edge.
• The moment he grasped the hilt, Skreek felt a pulse—not words, but a promise. Gratitude. Purpose. Unity. Together, they would stand against the dark. Together, they would bring the dawn.
• Elara handed Skreek a simple scabbard and promised to help craft one more befitting the blade’s legacy. The party then made their way to Ember’s Embrace to celebrate and plan their next moves. Elara promised to join them shortly.
• At the tavern, the party enjoyed drinks curated by Serra Flamekissed and discussed their future. Remembering the standing stone near the Order of Seasons’ tomb, they planned to return to Tannis and see how the village had fared since the darkness was lifted. Before turning in for the night, Shad splurged on a scroll of Legend Lore, eager to uncover more truths—even if it meant parting with a fair bit of coin.