Episode 40
To do:
Angeltaun
Watchers Legacy Keep
Arrange for Caderyn's family to visit
Barnabus' birthday is coming up (3rd Ovin)
Onisune will start calling to Blair, trying to convince them to wield it. The blade will tell Blair that it could easily become a scythe of great power.
Entry to Angeltaun is currently barred due to the condition that the Angelkin are currently in. Their Eternim supplies (which keeps them eternally young, immortal and allow them to fly) are running very low. Their people have self-imposed incredibly strict rules upon themselves, including rationing of what little Eternim they have left, and only allowing families to have 1 child. Marcellus was their best chance for finding an alternative, and he obviously believed that Quintessence was the answer. The problem is that gathering Quintessence is not easy, and distilling raw magic into a consumable form is even more complicated. There are some at the University who are trying to help the Latharian, but to no avail so far.
Barnabus' birthday is coming up (3rd Ovin)
Onisune will start calling to Blair, trying to convince them to wield it. The blade will tell Blair that it could easily become a scythe of great power.
Entry to Angeltaun is currently barred due to the condition that the Angelkin are currently in. Their Eternim supplies (which keeps them eternally young, immortal and allow them to fly) are running very low. Their people have self-imposed incredibly strict rules upon themselves, including rationing of what little Eternim they have left, and only allowing families to have 1 child. Marcellus was their best chance for finding an alternative, and he obviously believed that Quintessence was the answer. The problem is that gathering Quintessence is not easy, and distilling raw magic into a consumable form is even more complicated. There are some at the University who are trying to help the Latharian, but to no avail so far.
Blair's Divine Visions
With the blessings of the Seldarine, Blair has a vision granted by the gods of her home island.You find yourself standing on rolling, verdant hills. The trees surrounding you are ancient, their silver leaves whispering secrets as they sway gently in the wind. The air is heavy with the scent of jasmine and elderflower, but underneath, there’s a faint, unsettling odor of decay. The land is lush, yet something about it seems... wrong. The vibrant colors are muted, as if a shadow has been cast over everything. In the distance, you see a city—its delicate spires reaching towards the sky, glowing softly under an eternal twilight. The city’s architecture is intricate and breathtaking, a masterpiece of elven craft. But as you draw closer, you notice that the golden lights that once illuminated the city’s balconies are flickering, dim and fragile, like the last breaths of a dying fire. As you move through the streets of this city, you notice the elves who inhabit it. They walk with a ghostly air, their once graceful forms now hunched and frail. Their eyes, which should have shone with the light of countless years, are dull, the inner glow that spoke of immortality fading. Their skin is pale, marked with signs of age—wrinkles, spots, and a tiredness that speaks of impending death. You see elves, young and old alike, looking as if time has finally caught up to them, dragging them down with an unnatural speed. Your heart tightens as you pass by these elves, recognizing some of their faces in a way you can’t explain—friends, mentors, family—all bearing the unmistakable signs of Amarandir, the Dimming Lights. What must have once been a vibrant, thriving community now moves with the weariness of those who know their time is slipping away. The sound of coughing, persistent and weak, fills the air, mingled with sighs of resignation. Your attention is drawn to the center of the city, where a towering tree—its bark shimmering with age—stands as a testament to the elves’ ancient connection to the land. But the tree is dying. Its leaves, once golden and silver, fall like tears, crumbling into dust before they even reach the ground. Cracks mar the bark, and you can feel the life draining from it, as if the very essence of the city is being consumed. At the base of the tree, a group of elders gathers. Their robes are tattered, their faces etched with despair. They whisper prayers to the gods, but their voices are weak, hope nearly extinguished. They speak of times gone by, of an immortality that is now slipping through their fingers like sand. Yet, even in the midst of this desolation, you feel a flicker of something else—defiance, determination. Deep within your chest, a warmth pushes back against the cold reality around you. The blessings of Corellon, Sehanine, and Labelas stir within, a reminder that hope is not lost. A voice speaks out in your mind, one that you have heard before, the voice of Corellon Lerathian. "It has been an age since I have heard the call from your world, but the plea for aid came through loud and strong. My power is minimal there, but you have my blessing, and I have your eyes. The elves of your homeland were cut off from my sight long long ago, but they are my children still and I would not see them suffer. I have struck a bargain to keep them from the ravages of this illness until such a time that they can be saved. From henceforth, they will be in stasis, preserved until their saviour returns and rids them of this ancient curse." The vision slowly fades, leaving you standing in the present once more. But the memory of what you’ve seen lingers, a haunting reminder of what’s at stake, and of the urgent need to find a cure before all is lost.
General Summary
After returning from the Erfu Forest, Collective Action wastes no time in seeking out Eloen Stillhawk to claim their hard-earned reward. The High Councillor, stern and inquisitive, listens as they explain why it’s better that she never rediscovers the secret they retrieved. Blair, speaking for the group, agrees to a magical binding, a necessary assurance that the party will never use the secret against her. Satisfied, Eloen accepts the gem containing the forgotten memory without so much as laying a finger on it. As a gesture of gratitude, she bestows upon the party a Ring of Protection, a potent boon to aid them in their future endeavors.
With little time to linger, Eloen transports the adventurers to Erfu through a portal of shimmering light. As they emerge, she quickly ushers them from the High Council Building, bestowing them with an official emblem that marks them as her wards. With brief but clear directions to the Temple of Forgotten Gods, Eloen departs, leaving the group to navigate the ancient city on their own.
The party finds the temple, an imposing structure that seems to echo with the whispers of forgotten prayers. Inside, they are greeted by Eldratha Agrivar, the temple's lone custodian. Blair, seeking answers and relief from her mysterious illness, explains her plight. The ever-curious Eldratha is more than willing to help, revealing that Blair’s condition is not merely an illness, but a curse of divine origin. The curse, once inflicted upon the elven people of Faerûn by a vengeful Orcish god, had long been eradicated, yet it lingers in the bloodlines of modern elves, lying dormant until now. This revelation confirms what the party has thought: Blair contracted the curse during their encounter with the Lightshiver family.
To cure Blair, Eldratha explains, they will need to retrieve a "Tear of Corellon" from Arvandor, the sacred realm of the elven afterlife. But first, Blair must receive the blessings of three deities from the ancient elven pantheon, the Seldarine: Corellon Larethian, Sehanine Moonbow, and Labelas Enoreth. Eldratha guides them to the shrines dedicated to each deity, where they offer their prayers and face challenges posed by the gods themselves.
The trials, though not overly difficult, test the adventurers in unexpected ways. Eldratha, observing their progress, remarks that perhaps the gods have gone easy on them, considering how long it has been since such trials were undertaken. Still, the group succeeds, and the blessings are granted. Eldratha’s excitement is palpable; the ancient gods have responded, proof that their power still lingers even in lands where they are no longer revered.
However, Eldratha cannot help them reach Arvandor. She begins preparations for the ritual that will use the Tear of Corellon to cure Blair, but the adventurers will need to find their own way to the elven afterlife. Eldratha doubts any elven mage will assist them, but suggests they seek out a powerful spellcaster, or perhaps make their way to Sigil, the City of Doors, where anything might be possible.
Before leaving the temple, Celine inquires about an Elf named Yavanna. Eldratha’s curiosity is piqued, as she had intended to tell them about Yavanna regardless. She reveals that Yavanna possesses a Moonblade, a legendary weapon said to cure any ailment. However, only Yavanna herself can wield it; anyone else who tries would meet a swift death. Yavanna, distrustful of outsiders and notoriously difficult to approach, is not an easy option, but the possibility of an alternative cure is too significant to ignore.
Armed with this new knowledge, the adventurers leave the temple and wander the marketplace, taking in the sights and sounds of Erfu. They make a brief stop outside the elven palace, passing a note to a guard in hopes it will reach Yavanna. As the day draws to a close, they visit the "Fountain of Stars," a magical pool that reflects the night sky regardless of the time of day. Barnabus lingers by the water, staring into its depths until a future reflection of himself—a wiser, possibly changed man—stares back.
Their final stop is The Mariana, a cozy pub where they mind find a hearty meal and drinks. As they enter, they are stricken by the glorious painting hung behind the bar, depicting an adventuring group from another world and another time.
Rewards Granted
Ring of Protection
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