Haunting of Blackrot Session 22
Libraries and the Coming Darkness
General Summary
| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Abbott | Warlock |
| Clovis | Fighter |
| Henrietta | Blood Hunter |
| Mysrie | Barbarian |
| Yohgrï | Cleric |
Gilmerbury Library
Entering inside, the overhead bell jingles. The music outside becomes droned out for a quieter and cozier atmosphere as soon as the door shuts. There are a handful of people inside sporadically around the place sitting at tables and browsing bookshelves. Blether attendants wheel carts to return and organize books back in their place or polish surfaces for a spotless shine.
As the party perused the bookshelves, nooks, and crannies, they found an interesting spot within the library.
Sequestered in a small 15-foot cylinder room is a statue of a woman in a toga presenting a scroll with wording that says, “The path to ascend is clear. If one does not better the mind through reading nor the learning of the past from the start, they shall instead...” By her feet is an empty shelf.
Henrietta was visited by Abbott’s shade. He told her that Abbott was aligning with Setesk in a pact instead of the Shade and he was miserable about it. To his surprise, she wasn’t fazed by it. As they conversed, she saw glimpses of a forest clearing and a massive wretched tree in the center.
The party managed to solve the puzzle by placing books in a specific order, using the first letter of their titles to spell DESCEND. This opened a downward spiral staircase around the statue’s base.
Nastirn-Era Hideaway
What the party initially came across was a small antechamber littered with broken down clockwork drones. Varying degrees of rust shows that some of them had been here longer than others and multiple attempts were made. They also found stains that radiant-infused weapons could cause on a bit of the walls and drones.
Stepping forward and into the next room, it’s a beautiful courtyard within a grotto with four massive 15-foot diameter pools and bookshelves to the sides. Beautiful yet haunting murals of the past decorate the walls. A lone seraph with majestic feathered wings stands at attention, awaiting patiently with silvered spear in hand. His head tilts a moment when he sees you all in full, “Mortals? State your intention! I trust you are able to engage in dialogue where the constructs are not.”
The party met with Elythos, guardian of the room. He explained that if they wanted his help, the party would need to look at the murals and bookshelves and then reconvene what they found so he may better judge what their intentions are.
Story of the Region
In the beginning during the Age of the Nastirn Empire, the area Lumencroft was once called was Radian (rah-dee-ahn). The great threat of Hastliven’s Stlikers began to grow. The Tyrant Mage, Astlar, came to conquer and subjugate the region. He used a mountainside southwest of Lumencroft as his lair where he used dark magic from the Null, turning people into subservient wretches.
Cosima, Andraich, Isidore, and Adonis were heroes that challenged the Tyrant Mage. In a terrible conflict, Andraich and Cosima were the only two to survive the fight and defeat Astlar. With the Blade of Radiance, the Black Gateway was destroyed. In the end, what they found to remedy the wretched condition the people had were to recall their names and their past. It would awaken them, slowly shaking off the foul influence over them.
Elythos’ Piece
The party convened with the seraph on the next step to handle the beacon. He informed them that they will want the Blade of Refined Radiance.
The Blade of Refined Radiance wielded by Andraich is what you will wish to see if you truly wish to wield it for a greater good. Despite the fall of the Tyrant Mage, the Stlikers of Hastliven continued to be a threat to the Empire as a whole. Assassins and spies would still be a problem to steal away a blade that could destroy baleful creatures. So, he gave his blade to the wood elves in the Juniper Forest as they could hide it far better than anyone else. Only when the needs were dire did he call upon its retrieval, which were thankfully few.
Seek the dwellers of the Juniper Forest. Tell them that Andraich’s oath must be fulfilled and to retrieve the blade of radiance.
City Developments
Constabulary Challenges
The party headed back up to the library and found the constables were on the lookout for Yohgrï. Apparently, Chief Constable Helman Stottard wanted to converse with him. The party managed to sneak past them, especially with Abbott convincing one that the lizardfolk could be aggressive and to get more of the “lads” to ask him.
Mournival: The Host’s Piece
The spotlights flash on to the two directors. The Sage's voice is tense, "Ladies and gentlemen, introducing a piece written by our... Host..."
The Critic rolls his eyes and they both are quick to leave the stage in a hurry before the light fades away.
The curtains part to show a clearly distraught actress portraying Triste. Behind her comes a well-dressed man with beard and dark eyes behind glasses and subtle black hues in his veins. Their hollow voice begins to taunt, "Theatrics are a waste of time and it is the only way you will let us engage. Regardless, meandering through these vast domains is a Reaper, but such a path wasn't always her calling. When war came, you promised to keep those under your watch safe and protected. Living things will never see the futility in such actions. After all, you failed them as expected. You ran as fast as you could but their souls became lost to Etherius regardless. But then you didn't like it when we stepped in, did you?"
The stage becomes full of skittish humanoids, actors reluctant to step foot on stage.
The entity looks back at the pretend Triste, "Seraphs, fey, caels, juditors, executors, all of them, failed the people like all deities do. You fight a futile cause, Reaper. You failed them in life and you will fail them in death! One by one, It will claim these wretches once the Dark Powers grow bored of their play things. It may not be now, soon, or later, but it has all eternity to wait. But resisting what shall come to be? Well..."
On the stage, rafters of strange stuffed purple bats hang from the ceiling. A hole with four inward fangs protrudes from the stage. Emerging from the hole is a facsimile of that tall figure as black wisps emanate from it. As the actors are quick to disperse and clear the stage, that odd entity turns its head to the audience as the light dims until it's gone, "Darkness will come..."
The stage lights are quick to flash back on as the Directors shoo the odd entity away, "Alright, show's over! Return to your cavities and gateways lest you make further mockery of our productions!"
The sage looks back to the audience, "That is all for tonight's showing. Come again another time."
The Directors began to ramble to the other..
Sage: “Staying around could be interesting despite the encroaching entropy around the domain. There is the chance that both the Darklord and Host can be denied.”
Critic: “A tiefling turned feral from a lifetime under the cogs of the Machine and an idealist in a career known for schemers and the craven? You must have lost your senses.”
Sage: “The domain may be sick and the vultures may be circling around but consider what would happen if there is mutual alignment. The scavengers would have to think twice.”
Critic: “Mutual is the key term. Without it, then these so called rebels will be nothing more than kindling with the shortest flame before the inevitable darkness sets in.”
Sage: “A chance is still a chance. We have been wrong about the odds before. Besides, if we are right, we aren’t the ones who are wanted.”
Critic: “Fine. We can spectate and observe whatever could happen. For now, that is.”
Henrietta went backstage and found embittered actors who are vocal about their disapproval of Waldemar Beck, the “guest actor”. She also claimed a copy of the next showing, this time written by the Sage Director. Its focus is around reflections about the party members.
Clovis was horrified. Waldemar’s presence is the source of it. He was quick to run off back to camp. The party followed the trail. A constable saw the party on the run but an actor bought the party time to head off after him.
Meeting the Chief Constable
Curious about what the Head Constable would want, Yohgrï and Mysrie head on to find out.
For Yohgrï and MysrieHelman was eager to see the two of them. The purpose for meeting was truly to receive an “indirect” invitation from an attendee so that he could get a seat at the table without the violent rebels and East Harrowers being terrified of his presence. In exchange, he would remove Henrietta’s status as an Unfortunate. Helman would have removed Dennis’ status by Yohgrï’s request but the former constable’s case makes it difficult because of how recent he was labeled.
In agreement, Helman gave them a ticket which was to be given to any constable which would mean a chain reaction among command to reach the Chief Constable’s attention to head for the meeting.
In Pursuit of Clovis
The party found Clovis in his wagon back at camp. Removing the barriers had Clovis fleeing yet again. He fled deeper and deeper, trying to reach the misty borders but got halted as Henrietta demanded an explanation.
Clovis explained that, back in Barovia, Waldemar offered a deal to allow him to keep running as he got cornered by Strahd and his lackeys. This deal is why his hands were necrotic in hue and his ability to shift through the mists to reach other domains.
An Actor caught up with them, insisting that fleeing beyond the border is dangerous as the Host was effectively “sieging” the domain with its foul creatures waiting patiently to claim the domain. Overhearing the Directors and reading the scripts from the Writers, the actor explained that the party that a strong Lumencroft could push back the Host’s abominations. Though, a weakened Lumencroft would be vulnerable to the coming darkness.
Clovis has a plan in mind, one that involves spooking the leaders into how easy it is for them to be caught and claimed by the darkness.
Clovis Fevre
Abbott Edouard
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