Chapter 3 Summary
The next day the group awake to hear of a new forest grown south of Aldabra from nowhere. Exploring it they find Uldon and Lila both there and the group decide to leave Dragon there where he can use the now flooded tunnels to go between Aldabra and here under protection from Fey magic until they are big enough to be independent.
The group transported back to Hunters Lodge to spend some time relaxing with Crispin.
Crispin mentions about the shards and how they used to be very powerful. At the rebalancing when the planes were split apart again as they should be, each were the result condensed planar energy. Most shattered on creation but those that stayed in tacked were either destroyed or hidden to contain their power.
After Crispin goes to sleep, they talk about having to find the shipping manifest that was on the ship that sunk.
The group in the night are attacked by a Rakshasa and his assasins, he never fought, just watched and promised to be back stronger in the future.
They all take a seat after the battle and Crispin explains the Tiger at the door watching was a Rakshasa, an elite assassin. The assassins live in the Shadowfell but can go between the planes at will. They can never be killed on this plane, they only return to grow in energy again to come back. They must be destroyed there.
He informs them about the Zolmel which the Rakshasa mentioned. They are 3 overlords of their own lands in the Shadowfell. Usually they work individually but it is extremely rare any overlord would work together. This shows how influencial Varalla has become.
They realise their actions of bringing the towns and cities together and removing the corrupt from them is making it more difficult for Varalla to attack. They have become even more of a threat now against her.
Saskia arrives and Crispin looked shocked at seeing her, lost for words slightly saying she looked like someone he once knew. An old friend, one of the Eldarin, like her, half Elf, half Fey.
The next day they head to Medeis University meeting Tura and Falinit as well as Viga, a little halfling who has a realy distaste of Graa and his relationship to Crispin.
After spending the night and getting to know the place, they head out on a ship with a Captain Jeffe over to Lambel in the Emerald Isle.
Jinlon
Over rolling hills they slowly left the main roads to dirt tracks before nearing Jinlon.
As they got a days ride out, they entered a circle of trees with a meadow in the middle. In the center stood a well and looking closer a fight between a Elf girl, her pet wolf and 4 Drow.
Hiraani realised this was Jor and they struck the Drow down in an intense fight.
As Hiraani ran over to Jor asking if she was okay, she pulled up her bow, pointed it at him and shouted "You left me!".
Jor told them the story of Corellon and Arelel after she breaks down and hugs him. She missed having him around and was upset with how sudden he left her as friends when they had grown up together.
She explains The Drow have returned from their underground city and are destroying the Elven sacred sites. Meanwhile her people in Jinlon stay protected and hidden in their town, protected by a shield raised by Jaal Danyon She agrees to lead them back to Jinlon to return home but once there they should set off quickly for Shenar temple, there is rumour of foul play there as well.
On the journey, Jor gives an overview of each of the gods at play
Kiaransee - was the drow, lesser goddess of revenge and undeath, a former necromancer queen consumed by thoughts of retribution.
Solonar (M) - Elven god of hunting, archery, and survival in wild and harsh places Tarsellis Meunniduin (F) - Jinlon lesser god, and Jaal believes they should worship. Elven god of mountains, rivers, and wilderness. Original vanquisher of the Drow god here 2000 years ago.
Shenar (F) - a minor elven goddess of rune and conjuration magic. She was a nearly-forgotten member of the Seldarine, as most elves practicing magic called upon Corellon Larethian for aid.
They make thir way to the Shenar temple where rumour of the drow is present. Graa recognises markings of Kiaransee and they proceed to explore inside and end up fighting an undead Drider that has been taunting Hiraani over his curse.
After destroying the Drider, they notice a small stone figurine of Tarsellis, the god that the residents of Jinlon worship, specifically the type that Jaal uses.
They camp outside and that night Jor and Hiraani meditate to the Elven gods and Hiraani gets a blessing from Solonar, the elven god of hunting.
Heading back to Jinlon, they run into Sha'a who mentions he has been away for some time and that explains his scar on his face now. They explain to him what they have found and he agrees to call on the others of the village and meet at the tempole. However they need to find more proof of Jaal being the one causing the Drow issues.
They sneak into the temple that night and find hidden in one of Jaals private studies
- A book on Drow Necromancy and the practices of it
- Books with Drow symbols
- Various Drow symbols and artifacts that look to be collected
Having the proof, they try and escape the rooms with Graa being a bit more risky with hiding under beds and a little happy accident. However they all make it into the main chamber as Jaal chases out and are met by Fvente, Jor, Sha'a and Ti'an.
After a heated argument with Jaal and Ti'an who was defending them, it turned out Sha'a was the imposter and he lets off a small explosive device knowking everyone down.
Jaal loses concentration on his warding spell and immediately 2 tunnels open beneath them and Drow poor out as Jor is dragged down one of the tunnels.
Killing everything in the room, the group run after Jor deep underground through the tunnel.
They eventually enter the lots underground city of Llurth Dreir. Finding there way out and across a bridge to a temple, they enter and are met with a Demon, naming himself Duzokin.
Walking into the room next to them, they went to face the monstrosity.
Jor beaten and bruised and looking to be having her life taken into a glowing crystal then into the demon. Behind the demon is a big glowing black crystal that as the water runs through it it goes into the fountain below and poisoing it, the very source of what had cursed Hiraani.
Key points
- Duzokin claims he was trapped in the crystal for 2000 years
- He was awaiting someone powerful to come and release him
- He recognises Lorena as a descendant of Jeb Aldabra who he claims locked him in the crystal
- He also hints that Graa knows someone who was part of the 3 who banished him into this crystal
- He appears to be locked too the crystal, he seems to have found the ability to get himself out but not fully removed from its hold on him. He talks about killing others and using their energy to free himself. He can then use the power of the crystal to make him even stronger.
- After he defeats them he will find the other two crystals and become unstoppable, this being the Shadowfell crystal and the others the Feywild and Astral Shards
After defeating him, Hiraani finds himself beating his curse gaining control of the power, however there will always be a small part of that darkness inside of him that will never quite go.
As they leave and return to Jinlon they find Nambil Dayvon is waiting for them. He has come back from A'halin with a group of 50 warriors. He had forseen what would happen and awaited their coming. He says
- They have made contact with Lorena's father, Monty
- Monty told the Conclave about what you have found, that there is something going on with this Varalla and people are being controlled
- They are sending troops to all villages around Emerald Isle
- Sending emissaries to Bhurgarom
- Corellon has lived through the days of when the realms were one, she is preparing for these rifts to open and each land will aid in keeping them at bay
After speaking about the Crystal they have found and the fact that Duzokin mentioned two more crystals, the Fey and the Astral, Nambil says it is of great urgence that they get that Fey Shard before any others do.
If they can find out what this is about then get a message to them Jaal offers the group gifts for their work in helping. Hiraani gets a Tarsellis Elven Chain Mail Lorena and Graa get a Tarsellis Blessing Ring
The group say their goodbyes with Jor and Sha'a who set off to find their place in the world and goodbyes to all in the village.
They now leave for Jakosh and the Lighthouse. Arriving and a faster speed due to Hiraani's survival skills, they meet the grey sknned, purple haired Tiefling.
Asking them to come in they talk about his time there.
- He is from Glimmerfall and loves that he has seen another tiefling outside of there
- He talks about Glimmerfall and its ruch in food jungle and water. It has a portal there to the Feywild and everything is amazing there all the time
- Everyone dances, sings and makes music
- A mix of all races, Orc, Tiefling, Halfling, Elves (Eldarin) and half breeds throughout
- Fey creatures come and go through the portal as do others from this realm
- He has been really bad at keeping logs, much to Hiraani's anger
- He has done some paintings portraing his experiences, all of which show him mostly naked with a very ripped and flattering image
- He insisted he is Hiraanis best friend... that is doubtful though
- Lorena took to braiding his beard with seashells while he cooked and poured them wine
- He mentions about some sailors who are camped just north of here who got attacked by a giant crab and are trying to figure out how to repair their ship without being caught by it
- He mentions how ever since Hiraani left, there have been tales of normal sea creatures being bigger and angrier, strange waprings of their natural abilities.
- Most sailors now steer clear of this area in fear they could be caught by a evil sea creature
Later that night at midnight, Lorena heard the distant cries of a creature out to see, hauntingly beautiful and painful at the same time.
Hearing of a mutated crab that had attacked a ship nearby the group went and met with the crew lead by first mate Arbor Bore. Blue skin with brown hair shoulder length. They have a wet look to them, water beads hang off their skin reflecting light. The smell of fresh and clean rain water emanates from him. They agreed to kill the crab and successfully destroyed it.
The rest of the day they spent repairing the ship and the lighthouses mechanics and library.
The group manage to convince Arbor to become captain and he offered them roles on the ship to take them to Bishops Tits to find any remnants of the ship.
Hiraani: First Mate Lorena: Bosun Graa: Quatermaster
With a ship and crew, they set out to find parts of the ship that had sunk in the storm over 6 months ago and use some sort of spell to track where it lay on the bottom of the sea to see what it contained to start all this off.
into the late afternoon, they begin to see specks of burnt charcoal floating in the air, a pressure in their ears and a stillness begin to envelop them. Moving closer they see ahead a giant red fog cloud with lighting shooting from within across the water.
They pull up 60 feet away and anchor the ship. Getting into a boat the row in attached with a rope to the ship. As they enter the fog they lose all visibility before coming out the other side of the fog to Bishops Tits, except the sky is red flashing with lighting high in the sky. Going onto shore, they look around before seeing in the distance coming towards them a Storm Giant.
The group see the Storm Giant shake off some sort of spell on him as his eyes go from pure white to ice blue. He stops and sits to talk with them.
Trilliths Tale
Since this has happened he is trapped behind the fog but is thinking for himself again on and off, passing in and out. Know he must be killed, asks them to when he turns. He cannot go on corrupt like this.
He speaks of the age before the rebalancing, 3000 years ago when Asmodeus, the lord of the nine hells, had his puppet break apart the weave and disrupt the flow on the material plane causing the Feywild and Shadowfell to all merge into one. The inner planes began to fall in on themselves, making a path for the lower planes and the Nine Hells to break through taking all.
But a small group led by a Fallen Angel from Elysium created a device that could rebalance the ley lines. It did not fix it as they were not powerful enough.
When it happened, I became trapped here like many others. Has the device been destroyed?
They took down Trillith fast with a wise move to freeze him in place by Graa.
Its at this point Graa stops and remembers about the planes of existence that he learnt about in his studies and goes to tell the group what he knows and how this connects. The use of The Weave.