Session 105

synopsis
== Summary ==
Unable to see anything in the air that caused the destruction of the airship over Sunholme, the party made their way toward the crash site. Amid the panic and uncertainty, the group is not stopped in their approach. In the vicinity of the Grand Sunspire, a giant phantasmal vissage formed over the wreckage. The man was of middle age with slicked back hair, slightly pointed ears, and with sharp and gaunt features. The shoulders of his fancy platemail were visible, and he had a neat, trimmed goatee. When he spoke, notably sharp canines were visible. He introduced himself as Renard and delivered a message to the Gathering Light. He announced the impending ending of the group. "The eclipse is coming, and in that darkness you will find yourselves alone and afraid." 
--
Belle spots a couple of figures sneaking into a sewer entrance in a nearby alley, and the party abandons their original plan to follow the two. They stealth after the two into the poorer portions of town, away from the wreck, like it's a distraction. The sewers become less well taken care of and the rodents become more monstrous in nature. The party moves through a small encampment of people, consisting primarily of more monstrous races and apparently living here. The party surfaces, continuing their pursuit of the two. This portion of town is effectively the slums, where most of the non-human races had been gathered. The two, humanoid and of sharp features, wearing cloaks and carrying a large sack filled with something big and heavy, sneak into a shack. 
The party scopes out the shack, finding it to be empty. Using Detect Magic they find a magical mirror above the fireplace. After some various attempts to figure out what it is, they discover that the reflection in the mirror is more dark and depressing than the room they are in: it's the Shadowfell. After discussion about whether to go or not, Kiono uses Identify to figure out the pass phrase to use the mirror, and the group goes through. 
The sky is dark and cloudy, a green light in the place of the Sunspire. Dark shapes fly about the sky. There are very few figures on the streets; zombies and shadowy entities at the edges of their vision. A small voice above their heads speaks up. He tells them the vampires have been collecting in the Dark Citadel, making their plans to remove the Purifiers' power. The party, not entirely thrilled with the presumed massive loss of life, but also wanting the Purifiers also gone, decide to visit them to see if they can learn any of their plans, as well as find out what they had taken. 
Nothics are formerly the servants of Vecna/Ace, wizards twisted into monstrocities. 
Most of the denizens pay them no mind, but they come upon a large beast sleeping in the center of the road. The party attempts to sidle past it, but Belle accidentally makes a noise that causes it to shift in its sleep, pinning her in place. Kiono turns her into a spider, and Belle crawls free. She is placed on Teer's shoulder, and the group continues through to the center of the city. There are even fewer denizens here, apparently giving the vampires a wide berth. Where the Spire normally was is a ziggurat-like structure with a burning flame. More monstrous figures are in the compoud. 
The group approaches and requests an audience with the Eclipse. Everybody fails a Cha save and the ground rotates the group into darkness. They hear Renard's voice asking who they are and what they want. Teer explains that they're adventurers who are curious about the Eclipse's plan, as they are not themselves overly fond of the Purifiers. Renard offers them a truce of sorts, that neither side would interfere with the other. Esteem's target Desmund Garret, if captured, would be saved for him and not specifically sought out. 
The party debates the morality of letting the Eclipse kill the Purifiers. Uncertain what they're going to do, god reminds them that Azaria is in town on business. They send her a letter requesting to meet up with her at their inn, and return there themselves. The letter returns to his feet immediately, indicating that she is either protected from detection or on another plane of existence. 
Teer calls Sylmore on a phone to find out what Azaria is doing and where she is, but he doesn't have any of that information. Kiono casts Sending to Azaria, asking where she is, if she's safe, and whether she's working with the vampires. She says that she is safe, though not able to meet up with them. She also says she doesn't want to answer whether she's working with the vampires or not. The party attempts to plan the next day, deciding mostly to just wing it, but to protect what innocents they can when the vampires inevitably attack. 
The next morning they ask Esteem what he wants out of his confrontation with Garret. He doesn't know. Letting him consider further, they decide to go the the Sunspire to scope the place out, searching for where Ephemera would need to go to retrieve her final piece. At noon, as they head in that direction, the central spire bursts into black fire and a black pillar shoots upwards, obscuring the sun. Once the sun is blotted out, vampires and assorted undead manifest in the courtyard. The guards and vampires clash, and the Gathering Light is clearly without power. One Purifier joins the battle, though, who is able to still use his powers. 
== NPCs ==
=== Introduced ===
* Renard Blackwood
=== Returning ===
*Esteban (Phone)
*Sylmore Burnett (Phone)
*Azaria Burnett (Sending)
=== Mentioned ===
* Quraura
*Desmond Garret
== Items ==
* Scroll of Wild Surge (given to the nothic in payment)