Prequel
The party
Gerda Hammersworthe - Part of a family which owns an inn and handy with a sword. Divorced from her elf husband who took their child with him when he left. She is brought into the story by an inn regular named Zulf who works in the kitchen of a local house. Strangely attached to an old pair of socks, not hers.
Selise Calabra - A quiet hermit who discovered a plant with odd anti-magical qualities. She is friends with an alchemist named Dyrria, a consult for several houses in the city. Has a silver bell, missing it's clapper.
Waren Sullenberg - A soldier returned from the recent war of independence, friends with a local guard.
Grart Axebeard - A wizard and skeptic of all things divine. His cousin fell in love with a local girl and although she died he remained in the city, joining the girls family. Has a multicolored stone disk.
Sichilde - A woman with an unknown past and lost memories. A family farm which works with a local house to trade their harvest adopted her.
Beginnings
The story begins in the nation of Ardesh, which recently won it's independence from the neighboring Cerelian Empire. The adventurers are brought together by Orla Hengor, the head of magic for House Hengor. Hengor is one of 5 houses in Southmoore; the smallest city and one of two ports in Ardesh.
Orla asked the group to track down Yasheira, the daughter of Darrus the house's cook. She is an apprentice to a dwarf blacksmith..... named...... Adrik.
The group searched the city for clues meeting several people along the way, including a flamboyant elf captain Murithi Liadon, a street rat Jeresy Fernfall, and several others. They also crossed paths with a small band of thieves and beat the crap out of them.
The group's search eventually led them to the ruins of a temple in a lost city named Yuffdar. There they found a mad priest using the kidnapped people to summon something. The PCs interrupted the ritual, leaving a blood demon only half formed. In the process the priest sacrificed his own life.
The group saved not only the cooks daughter but several townspeople. In return for their rescue House Hengor, Murithi, and Adrik all offered to help the PCs in the future.
Chapter 1
Thieves guild
The day after rescuing the lost townfolk, the group's celebratory meal at Gerda's family inn was interrupted by Geth, a ruffian and the main mouth of the thieves guild. He threatened the inn, Sechide's family, and Grart's cousin, Harkell Axebeard. Geth pressed them into stealing a crate from an upcoming shipment.
Soon after Geth left, the group was approached by two members of The Path of Ilnera, an organization devoted to brining good to the realm. They suggested the PCs do the job and attach a small item to allow the two NPCs to track the stolen goods. The item was tracked to the former town armory, a fortified building which would be difficult to attack from the front.
Research into the armory pointed to two dead wizards, Akmenos & Rieta, who had tried to conquer the town several years ago. This led to the wizards former shop, now owned by a gnome grocer. In the basement the group found a magically warded back entrance into the armory which appeared to be locked. Town guards mentioned that the wizards were chased out of town to a now abandoned tower.
Abandoned Tower
After searching the top three levels of the tower the group found a secret basement.
Below ground the group finds a large set of caves and rooms. They first encounter four spirits who are bound to the mines and seem to be caught in some magical binding. They meet the desk clerk Ander Rhanne, a dwarf with a lost daughter Delg Draketoe, the housekeep 'Little' Lidda Mistfallow, and a vocalist Navarra Bersk each with an unfinished task.
After tracking down a twisted spellcaster Grart shatters an amulet and frees the spirits. The also free a celestial bound in an arcane circle which drowns the creatures in foul mud. The Deva grants a boon to the party, with each member accepting a mark except Warren.
The group also eliminates a group of orcs, goblins, and an orge who had taken up camp in the mines and dispatches the ghoulish foreman. Finally, after clearing an infestation of vine blights the group finds the wizard's lab.
In the lab they find a map written in a lost language, a key granting them access to the armory, and a strange page which seems to alter the weave of magic. Upon inspection the page sends a confusing message which implies the PCs should follow the map.
On the way out of the tower they are confronted by a powerful spell caster named Cade who draws his power from the demon lord Narh'rithi. In the ensuing fight the caster is severely wounded and attempt to flee in gaseous form. After calling out to his patron a massive demonic hand reaches out and crushes Cade', leaving him semi-consious and drifting away.
Armory and Dragons
Laden with the most valuable of sconces the PCs return to town and use the recovered key to slip into the Armory. There they find two trapped dragons, Vellastroas the Shepard and Sar'thaza the Ravager. Upon releasing them from their prisons, Vellastroas offers to watch over the city to ensure that the red dragon doesn't immediately destroy it. She also sends the PCs in search of Eles'teel Sil'thyra, the proprietor of an inn named The Hunting Shepard and recommends talking to an ancient gnome named Sage Ghenisa. For unknown reasons the Sil'thyra elves seem familiar to Sechilde, possibly relating to her lost memories.
After deciding to free the two dragons the Sechilde and Selise use a barrel of alchemist fire to burn the headquarters, rescuing an operative from the neighboring Cerelian Empire named Kazimir "Slipfoot" Raisa. Slipfoot gives them a way to contact the resistance. What the Resistance is, what it stands for, and what it's goals are is for not entirely clear.
Jeresy sees the party leaving the armory's back door and pieces together a narrative, which she sells to the relatively new captain of the guard. The captain decides to make heroes out of the group in order to deliver a win and prove that she's a capable commander.
In the process of investigating the thieves guild two council members are implicated in corruption and House Draven is in trouble for smuggling. The group is honored as heroes by the town.
Chapter 2
The capital
Following information gained from Vellastroas the group sets out towards Noridarth, the capital of Ardesh. While resting in a druid grove they are attacked by beasts corrupted by a stone that has ties to an ancient dwarf city. The attack may have been related to the dark spell caster Cade, though the group has little proof. The group takes the stones to a temple to have them disposed of.
After the night encounter, the group diverts to search for traces of Ath'shana. The only clue they find in a long deformity in the terrian, which they would later learn is the remains of a crevice which swallowed the city. In addition they find out that the city was not entirely destroyed, but instead held underground inside a demi-god. Entrance to the city is nigh impossible except with human magic. The only clue they have is an Embergate, a relic of the poeple of Yuffdar. The magic of that artifact is beyond the bounds of mortal magic.
Upon reaching the capital of Ardesh the group makes their way to The Hunting Shepard, where they find the shrine to Idia, god of travllers, missing. Gerda notes that this is very unusual. Upon hearing a phrase passed to the group by the gold dragon, the innkeep Eles'teel Sil'thyra directs them to the home of Sage Ghenisa.
The Tinkermage
The sage is a gnome and the last practicer of tinkermagic. She is as old as gnomes age and was born around the time of the the event which destroyed Ath'shana. It seems that the gnome is somehow able to sustain her life herself using magic.
The sage tells the PCs a little about Ath'shana and Weaver Nixith, the most talented tinkermage. She notes that he would likely have information about the time, were he still alive, but failing that his library may have information. His name would come up again later in relation to something called a tinkercore. The group also later learns that Nixith's home was in Ath'shana and may be related to why the city remains protected beneath the earth.
Before the PCs depart Ghenisa gives the PCs her lifelong companion, a foldable knight named Tuck as well as a small strip of gold trimmed red cloth. The cloth is meant to be a gift the the eladrin (aka the 'Feral Elves'). She also gives a tome to Sechilde detailing the basics of tinkermagic. As the group leaves it becomes clear that the sage may be near the end of her life.
The blighted tower
The group heads south towards a town named Duskmeet. Along the way the strange paper Sechilde carries directs them to a massive tower surrounded by a magical blight. The blight is an attempt by Narh'rithi to corrupt the material plane and spread eternal suffering. The demon tried to use it hundreds of years ago but ultimately failed. The party then returns to the capital to report on the situation but finds that the city is being effected by some sort of charm spell. After seeing posters for an upcoming election the group suspects it may be related.
The group then travels to Duskmeet where a group of Eladrin elves live. They elves they meet are the few Eladrin to have left the Scarlet Woods before something corrupted the forest. The leader of the town tells the PCs that the corruption makes it "impossible" to leave the forest, though it's unclear exactly what that means. The elves remain near the woods, rarely interacting with others, so they can be as close to the border to the Feywild as possible.
Eventide
Upon entering the Scarlet Woods the group finds there way to the elven city where it seems their arrival is part of a prophecy. The group then meets the 'King' Quell'thar of the Eladrin, who tells them several things:
- The history of Ath'shana. How it was swallowed and that the Cerelian Empire and Sil'thyra elves tried to stop the people of Yuffdar.
- His story of how he came to power, and the offer the page made to him to have 600 years of rule.
- He also has a page which he gives to the group.
Items
Chapter 3
The party rests in Eventide, safe in the center of the woods. During this time Sechilde finds a book on tinker magic, Selise gets given a statue to return, and Grart is told about a secluded dwarven tomb. Meanwhile Gerga inquires about her lost child and Warren get's "tossed" on fancy elven wine.
The Dwarven Tomb
The hushed forest paths lead the party to a small demi-plane and therein a dwarven tomb. Upon entering the party finds an alter to 3 gods. Dhualdin , [dnd.world.gods.idia], and Eldrenthya.
A spectator has taken up residence and defiled the graves of the Wildforge clan. The party kills the beholder, returns the stolen armor and restores honor to the tomb. After talking to the spirit keeper of the tomb, the party is told to sing an old dwarven song to open a secret area. Grart and Sechilde sing a hymn to Idia, god of travelers.
The group finds a pair of Crossroad Hammers as well as a clue to Grart's trinket. There is also a large book detailing the history of the Wildforge clan. Their home was built into the mountains the to south of the Scarlet Woods and has some connection to the Embergate system.
Fleeing into the Woods
After leaving the tomb the party finds the woods completely different. The woods are dark, dying, and covered in decaying ooze. A slimy, decaying elf appears wearing a crown and warns the party.
You don't belong in this forest This is mine. It was given to me. Every beast and plant is mine.
The group flees into the woods, past a waterfall, and ends up hunkering down with three faerie dragons. Hoosaw, Idonaw, and Wahsong.
Dragons, Spiders, and Tieflings! oh my!
Through Tuck the Folding Knight the party learns of a group a tieflings and decided to head towards the rebels.
In hopes of avoiding the scouting parties the party takes a detour through caves. After making quick work of some deadly plants the group ends up in a drow lair. There they meet the drider Mapassa and her small group of drow. She agrees to meet with the tiefling leaders, Nephus and Urmong.
The tieflings and drow formulate a plan. The party will sneak through the caves under the forest and into the city. Once in position, Grart will tell the tieflings and drow to attack the front gates as a distraction.
Into the lab
Party meets Mechus, learns of the machine and the 5 demi planes. Mechus doesn't understand why the machine has been running for so long and is in an odd state. The demi-plane of air is unreachable and the machine appears to be in an odd powered down state. The party starts by investigating the plane of water, where they find the bones of a mermaid and a magical trident. Wandering into the jungle they cross a band of kobolds and find a temple.
Inside the temple they are attacked by a large tentacled beast and find a chest. After smashing the wooden chest, destroying a few potions, and setting the wood on fire the group is able to recover a few magical items. A set of leather armor made out of the stretches skin of humanoids is part of the loot and the group chooses to burn it.
An old friend
The group fights there way through a temple full of kobold traps, including a carrion crawler and boulders. At the center of the temple is an image of Sar'thaza. He wonder's why the party has "strayed outside bounds". Once a spell is cast the dragon turns, as if talking to someone, and says The deed is done, the debt is repaid. and vanishes. In his place several of Cade's minions appear and attack. The party makes quick work of the corrupted druid and her demon dogs.
Sechilde re-aligns the machine.
Items
Axe of Sel'thun
When in an area of undead energy the axe glows. When striking creatures from the Shadowfell or plane of shadow, add 3d6 radiant damage.
As an action you can cast detect good and evil. You can't use this property again until you finish a short or long rest.
Empowered
This is a +1 weapon.
Glimmerluck's Charm
As an action you can try your luck - roll 2d3 and consult the table below. You can't use this ability once and regain use when you finish a long rest.
| Roll | Luck table |
|---|---|
| 2 | Power surges around you |
| 3 | A stray star comes to your aid |
| 4 | Magic flows into you |
| 5 | A distant friend comes calling |
| 6 | A helpful promise is granted |
You gain one luck point. After you roll a d20 but before the outcome is determined you may choose to roll another d20, keeping either result. You may also spend the point when an attack is made against you. You choose which roll to keep for the attacker's roll.
You can use this ability once and regain use when you finish a short or long rest.
Empowered
You can use Tides of Chaos to try your luck. Additionally, When you roll on the luck table, you can use your luck point to choose a result.
Bindings of Nelistra Gemwing
You have advantage on slight of hand checks.
You can cast burning hands at first level. You must finish a short or long rest before you can use this again.
Empowered
Your maximum ki points is increased by 2. You may spend two ki points to cast burning hands at the lowest level. You may spend extra ki points to increase the casting level. The total points spent must be less than or equal to your wisdom modifier.
Cloak of the Eladrin
While you wear this cloak with its hood up, Wisdom (Perception) checks made to see you have disadvantage. and you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide, as the cloak's color shifts to camouflage you. Pulling the hood up or down requires an action.
Depending on the season, you can cast one of the the following cantrips:
- Hearth: Friends
- Frost: Chill touch
- Storms: Minor illusion
- Light: Fire bolt
Empowered
You gain a +1 bonus to AC and Saving Throws while you wear this cloak.
Darnesh Warshield
You can cast the dnd.magic.spell.shield spell. You can't use this property again until you finish a short or long rest.
As an action you may select any number of targets within 30'. Each target may choose to gain a number of temporary hit points equal to twice your level. These hit points last 1 minute. You can't use this property again until you finish a short or long rest.
Empowered
When an enemy withing 30' of you strikes an ally you can see, you use a charge of Wrath of the Storm to deal damage to that target. In addition, when you strike a creature with a melee attack you may change the damage type to lightning damage.
Crossroad Hammers
Hammer's with they symbol of Idia, god of travelers and inns. You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.
As an action you can throw one of the hammers to call down a bolt of lightning in a cross shaped pattern. A lightning bolt strikes a target location up to 60' away and four bolts extend 10' in either each cardinal or intercardinal direction. Each creature in the area excluding you must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 lightning damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The hammer's property can't be used again until the next dawn.
While attuned you can use a bonus action to call the hammers back to your hands. The hammers must be within 300' for this to work.
Eclipse Blade
As an action, the bearer can cause the unsheathed blade to create a dark aura, casting a shadow and creating dim light in a 15' radius. The wielder can see as if this area were covered by bright light. You can use this ability once and regain use at sunset.
In addtion the bearer can cast the dnd.magic.spell.umbraturgy cantrip.