Trailblazers 4

Trailblazers 4: The demon war is the 5th campaign set in the world of Reth'car and the 4th Trailblazers campaign. The adventure is about the Destined youths who are targeted by the Sorcerer king Garoth Ursuul.

## Recap

### Prologue

*When the Baltharn state found out that there might be a secret way into the palace in Azzagrat at the heart of Vasheedas, 6 adventurers were sent to investigate by order of the North Warden Caius. They traversed Vasheedas while surviving its natural terrors and infection of demons. When they arrived at the capital, they were able to confirm the existence of a tunnel which had been created by the previous king, that led through the palace and straight into the throneroom. There, they saw the Sorcerer king Garoth Ursuul and there Tûgrakk betrayed the group. He pushed down Nissus who was killed by the sorcerer king, and summoned a Marilith to kill Leorio. Shata and Casia were able to teleport out of there, while Edelhaus ran away on his own.*

### Bout in Salmon river

A trimester later, the small village Salmon river prepared for its winter solstice festival. While Vincenzo was off with his friends stealing apples , Waldemar, Leliana and Lucas Shepard met up and discussed what they would do during the festival. Lucas, as always, was uncomfortable for a variety of reasons, this time including the fact that his crush Waldemar was talking to him.

The village recieved a returning member, Casia who had arrived together with Shata. Before long the entire village was buzzing around them, and that same evening they were telling tales of adventures to listening ears. Amongst those were the 4 village youngsters. Vincenzo proclaimed that he wanted to join them, while Lucas faced a variety of emotions at the time due to his parents both proclaiming that he was going to have a cousin, and that it was time for the young half-elf to find a wife.

The pleasantries were interrupted when a monster broke through the wall of the inn. Casia and Shata were able to fight it off, but Lucas took note that the being was going after him and Vincenzo after the battle. While Lucas, Leliana and Waldemar tried to leave quietly they were intercepted by Shata who brought them to Casia and Vincenzo. The village youngsters were told that they would have to leave the village as soon as possible.

### Seeking Oceanus

The youngsters made their farewells, and the group set out on the horses Shata had found them. While travelling through the harsh balth winter, Waldemar managed to help with the horses for those who were inexperienced. When they set camp in a small burrow, the youngsters asked Casia and Shata about their plans. The both of them were unwilling to answer, as they were afraid of what information could be spread if any of them were to be captured. What they were willing to tell was that they were travelling to the north.

The next morning was quickly interrupted by the noise of a horn being blown. Casia identified as that of a orc fist on the hunt. The group quickly set out on horses again and tried to escape. But there were several fists working together, and while riding through a forest a small bout was fought. Shata and Casia fought the orcs and their leading tanarukk off, while Waldemar led the horses through the deep snow.

During camp that night, it was declared that the youngsters would recieve training starting the next day. Shata took Leliana aside, and explained that she had noticed Leliana's potential for magic. While she had a ritual to confirm what Leliana would be most suited for, it was not without danger to Casia so it would be delayed for now.

The next day, they travelled across a frozen river and further north until they reached a abandoned ruined city, introducing it as Virithar. While it was uncertain of how safe it would be, it was decided that the next camp would be made there.

Shortly after finding a suitable building, Shata and Casia went to speak privatly. Vincenzo took this oppertunity to sneak out to explore the city. The other teenagers snuck after him aswell, one after one leaving with the though to look after the previous one. The building Vincenzo decided to explore had a magical field surrounding it, which removed the snow of each teenager who went inside. In there, Vincenzo found several metal binders with a crystal inside each one. He took one, and then touched a larger crystal in a seated chamber. He gained knowledge of engineering from it, and at that point the other teenagers revealed themselves. Before they could explore further, loud noises were heard from the streets outside. Huge machines had started patrolling the streets. The teenagers decided to get back to the camp and avoid drawing attention. They were found however, and while Leliana and Vincenzo were able to run away Waldemar was slow to run so Lucas stayed back to distract it. His attempt failed, but Waldemar was able to avoid the blows and shortly after the machine was unable to move from all of its rust and other ravages of time.

When they got back, Shata and Casia said that they knew of these machines and had hoped that their claims of danger would be enough to deter the group. When the teenagers explained where they had been though, they all went back to the building. There, Casia and Shata showed that the field would disintegrate anything that were not of an old soul. The group speculated that the teenagers may have souls over 5000 years old from various reincarnations. Afterwards, they went back to camp.

At camp, emotions flared over the recent events. When he had an oppertunity, Lucas asked Shata for additional training in order to protect themselves. She were prepared to agree, but he would have to swear an oath of secrecy. He accepted and she revealed a form of mind training were Lucas would face her memories of previous battles, to be done daily from that point on.

The journey continued, and the mentors would not let the teenagers get another chance to explore the city. Shortly after leaving, Leliana accepted Casia offer to find out her magic potential.

A few days of travel later, Lucas told Waldemar and Leliana that he would sworn to undergo training but couldn't tell them any details. Waldemar was worried that this hadn't been discussed before Lucas agreed to it, so the three promised that they would trust eachother and talk about major decisions. At this time, Leliana also told them of her own dicussions with Shata regarding magic. Shortly thereafter, the time had come for Shata's test. She used ritual to possess Leliana's body and cast several spells through the teenager. When the test concluded, Shata told her that she had potential to learn bardic magic. Waldemar was overjoyed for this, tossing Leliana around in celebration. When Vincenzo saw this, he was furious with jelousy. He took the oppertunity to quickly go through Casia's bag, finding a communication book in her Bag of holding. When Casia noticed this, she struck Vincenzo away and scolded him.

The next night, Casia and Shata began the training for Lucas. As they were preparing to sleep, a memory which Casia had experienced from a previous mentor was projected into Lucas mind. The 7th order were preparing to fight against demons in a charge to take control of a city. Lucas experienced death several times as he acted of his own volition in the projection. Each time he died, he was brought back to once again attempt the same manuever that had previously killed him. He experienced as the epic battle was fought into a throne room, where the memory ended shortly thereafter.

At last, their journey ended when they arrived at Shata and Casia's destination. The lair of the bronze dragon, Oceanus the storms light, whom Casia spoke with. She briefly relayed the betrayal and the importance of the youths they had brought along. The dragon studied each of them individually, adressing them by their race. When he spoke with Vincenzo, he noted the connection to another dragon. Musing that this other dragon wouldn't mind, he touched Vincenzo and unlocked the power of his dragonmark.

*In Sorcerer king Garoth Ursuul throne room, he gathered the Court of Graz'zt through magical mirrors. Success informed that his bounty hunters had yet to report anything of note. Tûgrakk told of his monster summoned from the shadowfell which had found the targets, but was held off by two wardens. Ckehouta had focused on spreading on his influence for future acts. And Anthenil reassured that her eyes were everywhere, and that they would not be able to hide. Ckehouta suggested that together with Anthenil, they could accomplish more. Tûgrakk suddenly wretched, as he found that his plans regarding leylines had taken a step forward.*

When Casia and Oceanus finished their discussion, Casia told the group that the dragon would sent them closer to Baltharn's capital, Panderom, which had been their destination all along. Everyone gathered in a circle for Oceanus to prepare the spell. Just as the spell was being finished, an being with traits of both orc and bat flew into the cavern. Oceanus attacked it with his lightning breath, but it was sent along the group as the spell finished. It turned out that the beast had died, but its presence frightened the group. Shata and Casia exchanged quizical, vague murmurs about what it could mean. Waldemar's worry took on an unexpected form, by him manifesting markings on his body and internal voices of his giant lineage. He was eventually calmed down, and group set out for the short journey to the capital.

The next night, Lucas kept up his training with Shata. But while he was in a deep state of dreaming, his real body was attacked. Another beast of the same kind which had attacked Oceanus lair had breached the camp and pierced Lucas with its claws. The rest of the group woke up and attacked. It was fought off enough that the bivouac sphere could be activated, which warded it off. Lucas had fallen into a coma, which Shata determined that he could be awoken from if he was taken to a healing stone. As such, the course towards the capital was kept.

After riding the next day, the group arrived at Panderom in the evening. As the healing stones would not available until the next day, they found an inn rested. The next morning, Vincenzo tagged along Shata while she went shopping. When they came back, Shata revealed that she had bought equipment for all the youths. While Leliana and Vincenzo checked out the bought weapons, Waldemar went up to check on the comatose Lucas. When he entered the room, a shadowlike being emerged from behind the door and attacked. Waldemar fought to protect Lucas, while Vincenzo and Leliana ran up the stairs. Shata and Casia remained as more beings appeared on the base floor. The youths was able to fight it off, and when they got down Shata and Casia had defeated all the beings below aswell. But they declared that the group would not be safe, so they set off to leave Panderom. But on the way out, they were about to be interecepted by individuals which Shata and Casia recognized. Quickly recognizing that the youths would be captured if their importance were found and that they would not be able to outrun them, Shata and Casia decided to remain behind to give the rest of the group a chance to escape. Shata quickly gave directions, that they should head towards Lahal. But if unable, they would not to go through The Notharian Empire. There was little time for goodbyes, and Waldemar, Leliana and Vincenzo escaped with the still comatose Lucas.

### Fey marriage traditions

As Lucas lay comatose, he experienced visions from Shata's memories. He learned that she is a aasimar on a quest, but Lucas didn't see details of what that entailed. Meanwhile, the 3 youths decided that they would head towards Lahal but would first get a map from the closest city. They also decided that they would avoid resting in populated areas, since they had been attacked one too many times to risk civilians. During the evening of the same day the had left Panderom, Vincenzo wondered what to do about Lucas and smacked him on the head. This awoke Lucas, who told the group of what he had learned but could not tell the details of how he had learned this. He also demonstrated his newfound skills from his training and made certain to the group that he would be able to protect them.

During the travels next day, the came across the carcass of a mammoth but didn't investigate as it had several axebeaks prowling around it. The group rested for the night shortly away from avillage to avoid resting within it. During Lucas watch, the camp was attacked by a yeti. The beast quickly knocked out Lucas, but the rest came to his rescue and killed the beast.

The next day, the group arrived at the village Philden ride, where they discovered that the innkeeper's daughter had been kidnapped last night. Waldemar quickly decalared that they would find her, while Lucas and Leliana tried to make the business more subtle. While they looked for tracks to follow, Leliana brought up that they weren't supposed to be distracted or draw attention, both things which would hinder their journey. Her pleas fell on deaf ears and they followed tracks which Waldemar managed to find. As they rode, they found previous campsites which had been left behind before traveling into a forest. In there, the group found a meadow with the kidnapped woman, a large portal, and the Summer court butler. The butler explained that this was the womans wish, and that she would be kept asleep until she was married to one of the court's princes. Unable to persuade him, the group took action and attacked. During the battle the butler used magic to control all melee weapons in the area and made them attack the group. But he was unable to fight them off, and tried to escape through the portal to the Feywild. Vincenzo and Waldemar followed, and managed to drag him back into the Material plane where he was killed by Vincenzo. He quickly grabbed the only equipment the butler had and the group hurried back to the village, as the woman was still asleep and terribly cold. They recieved a heroe's welcome with the whole village joining in the retellings. Waldemar took the woman to the innkeeper. As they didn't have anyone that would be able to help her in the village, it was decided that she would be taken to the closest city. Waldemar at first suggested that they could travel together, but Leliana arrived and put a stop to that idea and explained that the group's presence would bring danger to these villagers. She found the rest of the group and they left the village in the late evening.

At camp, Lucas and Leliana was furious over all that had happened. Waldemar insisted that they did nothing wrong, in turn driving Lucas to give in and start going back to the village to tell them that they would be able to travel together. Waldemar stopped him, but as Lucas layed out how much he wanted to please Waldemar, this made the goliath decide that he would go instead since it was to be his decision. No one slept happy that night except for Waldemar, who once agained recieved a hero's welcome.

### Lucas leaves

The next day, the chain which the Summer court butler had worn was identified as the Chains of transference. The rest of the group road back to the village to find Waldemar alongside the villagers who would travel alongside them to Riveron. At the end of the same day, they arrived at the city and dropped off Moona and her parent at the residential Healing stone. Lucas told the group that he had some business to take care of and set off on his own in the night of the city. Not to be outdone, Vincenzo left to explore as well. Leliana and Waldemar went back to the inn where they would sleep, The shining golden knight, where a wedding party was taking place. Vincenzo found a Doomssayer whom he paid to follow him back to the inn, intending to scare Lucas with him. The Doomssayer instead loudly interrupted the party, where he in a sudden moment of clarity started calling out the group members as chosen champions of destiny, guessing the first letter of each ones name. Waldemar quickly shooed him out while Leliana got the party going again. Outside, Vincenzo explained himself to Waldemar but they Doomssayer was insisting that he wanted to follow along so he was sent to sleep in the stables.

Lucas had during this time found vendors and sold or exchanged almost everything he had, until he capped his journey by paying a backalley fleshreaver a large sum of gold. In exchange, he began practicing his art on Lucas and changed his appearence.

*In the Tower of Storms, Shata goes over the plan with the companions she had gathered. Marco and Laura is treating the situation lightly to the annoyance of Gianna and Lucius. She has together with them found threatning information on the guarding inquisitors and a password for the sentinel golems, which they will use to spring Casia free. The group managed to bypass all security and reached Casia. But on their way out, they were interceped by Giovanni. While Shata tried to talk their way of out, Giovanni was unwilling to cooperate so Laura snuck up on her and attacked. In turn, Giovanni used a crystal to summon a naga-like being which attacked the group. While they group was able to kill Giovanni, when she died a portal with the appearence of Ckehouta appeared, and swallowed everyone except Andrea Spes.*

At the Shining Golden Knight, the wedding feast is going on with the group joining in. The group however is interrupted by Rinya, who seeks Leliliana to deliver a message. Said message is from Lucas, explaining that he would be going to Lahal on his own and wishing the group the best. Ignoring the message's intent, the group prepared to go out again. Just as they were about to leave, several guests revealed themselves to be thugs who tried to kidnap the group. While fighting them off, the group was joined by Ulfgar Taroksson who was not about to let some kids be attacked. Waldemar quickly went into a rage, and killed the thugs he was able to. In light of this, the remaining ones surrendered, even telling them that someone named Yvanni had sent them. But Waldemar's rage wouldn't let him quit, and he killed one of the thugs that had surrendered. Rinya approached him and told him to remember what was important, reminding him of the lost Lucas. This calmed him down.

Waldemar was shaken by the experience. He quickly bought a small barrel of mead and went up to the rooms to be alone. Leliana, Vincenzo, Rinya and Ulfgar set out to find Lucas. They got know Ulfgar more on the way, with him mentioning in passing that he is a Mul though he wants to uphold dwarven virtues. Rinya brought them to the alley where she had recieved the letter. It was explored, but no useful information could be found. Ulfgar figured that Lucas would most likely have to travel either by a caravan or ship since it would be too dangerous to travel alone. Both of these options would have to wait until the morning, so the group returned to the Shining Golden Knight. There, Waldemar had sat himself down in Leliana's room with the barrel. She tried to comfort him, and he asked her to sing for him. She did and in time, everyone got a few hours sleep. The next day the two travel alternatives were investigated but Lucas could not be found. While investigating, the tired and hungover Waldemar was noticed by a 5th order knight who took him to a healing stone which helped his condition. While there, he asked how Moona was doing. Her father had taken her back to the inn as the healing stone had not helped her situation. When the group met up back at the tavern, Waldemar sought the father. He explained that it would be difficult for him to travel to the capital with his daughter. With few other options available, Waldemar offered that the group would bring her along until a solution was found. It was agreed upon.

### The forgotten and abandoned

As Lucas could not be found, the group bought supplies and set out to continue their journey without him. Rinya set out together with them as she had set out to find the destined youth's by direction from a priestess of Istus. Ulfgar also followed along, seeking honour and a glorious death. While travelling, the group noticed that a large flock of bloodhawks flow above them for a while before the flock started flying to the north. At camp that night, Vincenzo told Ulfgar of the groups situation. Waldemar asked more about Ulfgar's views on honour and a glorious death, indirectly asking for reassurance that the mul wasn't seeking a death too soon. Reassurances were given. Later that night during Waldemar's guard hours, he noticed that Ulfgar snuck away from the camp and starting writing in a book while giggling in a lighter voice. When confronted, Ulfgar claimed that it was writing exercises and had to swear that he wasn't a spy.

The next morning, their breakfast was interrupted when Ulfgar noticed a bloodhawk sitting in a tree. Vincenzo fired a bolt against it. The bloodhawk shrieks, and responding shouts are heard when a fist of orcs approach, amongst them a bloodhawk champion orc and a swarm of bloodhawks. During the fight Waldemar was struck by the champion's attacks, which gave him some corruption but it was healed shortly after the battle.

Once the group got back onto the road, they were feeling great about their success. Vincenzo broke it up however by bringing up the battle in the Shining Golden Knight and the people Waldemar killed there. Being tired of Vincenzo's attitude, Waldemar said that his words are poison and told him to be quiet. As their argument heated up, Waldemar struck Vincenzo in the back of the head with a rock to shut him up. It worked. Near the evening, the group arrived at the village Windshear and agreed to rest there for the night. While they were in the inn The snow maiden, they agreed that they could use some coin. They asked the innkeeper Donté if there was any oppertunities to earn coin in the village.

As there had just been a cleansing of monsters in the nearby area, there wasn’t any such luck. As everyone went to their room for the night, several occurances happened. Waldemar suggested to Leliana that she should should perform her musical talents for coin when oppertunities arise, which she took under consideration. Ulfgar sat down with Vincenzo to talk about how Vincenzo was being percieved by others, urging him to be more thoughtful. Vincenzo lashed out and claimed that everyone who met Waldemar and Leliana would turn against him, preventing him from becoming a true hero. And he told Ulfgar of Lucas and how much Vincenzo hated him for, in Vincenzo’s view, abandoning him. And the final event before everyone could sleep was that Waldemar heard a knock on his door. Donté the innkeeper asked him if he had been hearing voices, as a pair of goliaths from the village had heard some before one of them turned violent. Waldemar wanted to know more about his condition so he asked Donté where the goliaths could be found now.

During the night, Rinya and Ulfgar talked in the inn's common room about their less required sleep.

In the morning, Waldemar told the group of the two goliaths and that they lived only a few hours away. It was agreed that they would travel west to find them. While on the road, they found wagon tracks which led deeper into a forest away from the road. They ignored it for now. They arrived at a small farm, where a single goliath was found. Waldemar introduced himself and told him why they were here. In turn, Armani Memoria introduced himself and let them in. He told them that both he and his brother heard the ancient giants as Waldemar does, and how the voices have to be resisted or you would lose yourself to them as Luca Memoria had. Waldemar asked to see him, and was led down below the barn where the younger goliath brother was held in chains forged in the Plane of Fire. He was shouting in various voices to be freed, with eyes shifting as different kinds of giants took over. Waldemar was scared of what he learned, but insisted that he offer something in return. Armani asked him to repair his fence which was accomplished. Since he also had dire goats on his farm, they traded one of the horses for one so that Ulfgar would have something more familiar to ride on to cure his motion sickness.

On their way back, Vincenzo convinced the gorup to check out the suspicious tracks. They followed it for the rest of the day and long into the night before they found that a horse had been following the trail and later tied to a tree, not far from a castle no on the maps. The group went up to the castle and knocked. As no one answered, they entered. The castle seemed abandoned, save for footsteps in the dust. The group followed them which took them far beneath the castle, with manifestations of demon corruption being appearent in the enviorment. At the bottom, they saw several green-cloaked people fighting to keep a chained demon in check. When the group tried to help, they were instructed to instead go and capture a runaway in another room. When the group caught up, it was appearent that a knight of the 4th order had been corrupted and had killed another knight in desperation. The group confronted him in a laboratorium, where they had to fight him and cut off his arm. As they did, one of the lab containers opened and they also had to fight a Barlgura. After the battle, the group looked around the room and found several magical items. They then brought back the knocked-out order knight and the corpse to the main room. The people there had finished their battle and introduced themselves as Horizon Walkers, with members from all over the world including a member from the Order of Stasis from Cidarn. They explained that they had also followed the bloodtrail, and knew of this abandoned castle. The group rested for the knight, and then set off in the morning.

### **Nyx's journey**

At a tavern in Riveron, a group shared stories and drinks before they were interrupted by Nyx Shepard, the new identity of Lucas. She struggled to appear confident as she sat down with the group and explained that she needed help to get to Lahal. Hjorvald didn't want to let a little girl make such a perilous journey on her own so he quickly agreed. So did Azariah who was giddy to see the world. Madir Metscu quietly joined too. And Thurion Belathor proclaimed that this would be the perfect oppertunity for him to die, so he set of to tell his collegues at the academy that he was about to walk into the forest and never come back. For once, they belived him. The group set out in the evening, as the Destined youth's had barely begun to look for Lucas.

*The Court of Graz'zt gathered once more. This time, appearing on an obsidian obelisk, Graz'zt himself attended and demanded a status report as he was not pleased that the youths had not been captured yet. Tûgrakk gave reports of what his followers had seen, including details of where Nyx had recently been aswell as the other group. The new addition to the court, Serelis, reported that one of her portals had been closed. Ckehouta, Success and Anthenil had minor activities to report. After the meeting had concluded, Success tried to relax in his base in Krupaski. But he was interrupted by Tûgrakk, who sought out Success and brought him to his sanctuary in the Shadowfell. Tûgrakk explained that he could only trust another on the court who was also of the material plane. The half-orc went over his plan to have the majority of the world face death by creating creature-summoning portals by means of leylines, leaving only what Success would want to keep in exchange for an alliance. Success agreed in the end, and to aid in his own efforts to break free of Graz'zt influences offered the means to change the leadership of Vasheedas; the last in the lineage of the God kings, Rashar Otmet.*

After Nyx and her group has traveled a short while the same evening as they left, they looked around to set up camp. As they did, Nyx found a traveler who was in the midst of burning the corpse of a young Manticore. The group approached with varying degrees of caution. Once they got talking however, the traveler Xyan Chio noticed that Nyx was a monk who had yet to tap into her ki. Before he could explain further, the parents of the manticore Xyan had killed attacked seeking vengeance. The group dispatched them, and Xyan took Nyx aside. He explained techniques which would allow her to access her powers. Nyx was doubtful, and as her anxieties grew she unwittingly unleashed a necrotic attack around her by reflexivly using similiar ideas that Xyan had just explained. The rest of the group came looking for the commotion, and Nyx struggled to control her newfound abilities. Once everything had settled, Xyan agreed to travel with them to help Nyx in her remaining training. While the group was worried about Nyx, she put a brave face and reassured everyone that she would manage.

The group kept on travelling the next day while the weather grew worse. At midday, Madir found tracks which the group agreed to follow. A battle was found, with a large group of orcs fighting to defend captured civilians, led by a tanarukk. The group threw themselves into the fight. While the tanarukk at first wanted the orcs to fight defensivly, he quickly changed his mind once he saw the groups prowess and pulled forth a crystal. Nyx recognized it from seeing it in Shata's memories as a means to summon a demon. The battle became a struggle to hold the crystal. Just as the tanarukk was ready to use it, he was killed by the group fighting the orcs to start with as they had just finished their side of the battle. With their leader dead, the orcs fled.

    The leader of the attack team introduced himself as Avitus Lucifer, and invited the group to stay at his home for the night to be rewarded for their aid. Nyx agreed, but told the group she didn't trust Avitus one bit. When they arrived to the home of house Lucifer, the guests were given all comforts available and gifts in the form of weapons and armor. During the dinner, Nyx quickly became drunk and told of adventures she had been on with her old friends. Madir excused her and made sure she wouldn't embaress herself further. Later that evening once Nyx had recovered herself, Xyan approached her and offered to teach her how she could use ki to gain insights into the sword she had been gifted. During her training, Nyx instictivly used old elven techniques which affected her connection to her ki. Afterwards, she gathered the group to tell them why she needed to travel to Lahal. She told them of the Sorcerer King, and the memories she had seen of Nessus death. Despite repeatedly telling the group of the danger they would face, all agreed to stick with Nyx so that she would be able to do her part to defeat the Sorcerer King. Later that night, Hjorvald approached Avitus in private and told him of Nyx's destiny and asked for any aid he could give. Avitus offered to give aid once a attack would be made against the vasheedan king and gave a collection of flashpapers to the loxodon. The next morning, the group set out to keep up their journey.

### The death of fate

The remaining destined youths traveled for 15 days across Baltharn, before they reached the last city in the nation before the southern border to Cidarn, Jehann. When asking for inn recommendations, they were directed to the Sloppy seconds. When they got there Vincenzo noticed a golem and its owner. He immediately sat down to get to know the gnome and started talking about magical engineering while the rest of the group settled the matters of boarding and dinner. While getting drinks, Vincenzo stopped by the group and to recap what he had been talking about. During these, the subject came back to Salmon River and Vincenzo growing up. While Vincenzo claimed that his troublecausing had mostly been him trying to help the village in his own way, Waldemar was doubtful. When Lucas was brought up, Waldemar shut down the conversation adn went to his room. There, he cried over Lucas situation.

During their talks, the gnome Zokk noticed took a liking to Vincenzo and offered to take him with on his travel north to excevate ruins similiar to Virithar, and to one day see Veshi. Vincenzo struggled with the decision but rejected it. They stayed up long to talk about engineering.

The next morning, the group tried to cheer Vincenzo up and respected his desicion to stick around. Ulfgar especially offered to help him whenever needing, offering a handshake which Vincenzo accepted. The left the same morning and set towards the border. During the way there, Rinya recieved a flashpaper from Thara Nathra. While it was a respone to an earlier message, it was a also a cry for caution as the priests of Istus could no longer hear their godess voice with the claim that this was the death of fate. Most importantly, it was a warning to keep the Destined youths away from the temple which Rinya had been trying to bring them to. While discussing their travel plan, they decided to keep going in the same direction as planned while awating more information before knowing what to do next.

At a sloping pass, they were intercepted by demons. A demonically altered Bulette led the charge, but soon the real power behind the attack revealed itself, a demonic commander. Before it could reveal its power to group, it was intercepted by one of the Wolfguard who struck down from the sky and attacked the demon while yelling at the group to escape. The group only slowly left, attempting to aid the wolfguard as best as possible. The demon was seemingly too powerful even for the combined efforts. As its attacks kept growing in their furiosity, Waldemar was knocked out and seemingly at deaths door before help arrived. The planetar Serelis came down on a ramp of light from the heavens, slaying the demon in only a few swings of her sword. Rinya quickly approached in reverence of the angelic servant of Pelor, and pleaded for answers regarding the fate of Istus. Serelis answered that she would have to find those answers for herself, before quitly giving a blessing to her and Leliana. She took the body of the demonic commander and returned back the same way she had arrived from. Rinya was quietly furious with her pleads having been ignored, but kept her cool as the group asked the wolfguard for how he had known to be there. He introduced himself as Vandarius, 7th wolf of the guard, and told them that he had been told to be here by Floriana but gave little of information else before he too left. With only the group there, Leliana and Rinya was not happy with the remaining ones as they had kept attack the demon and focusing on escape. Vincenzo critized them back, since Rinya had took the time to heal Vandarius during the battle. During their argument and speculation for Serelis appearence, Rinya revealed that she was not a formally educated follower of Pelor and instead was self-taught which meant that she little in the way of answers for either angels or the demons.

The group returned to traveling towards the border. Shortly after the battle, Leliana heard a voice in her head. The voice told her to speak with Vandarius at the border arches ant say the phrase *Wolfhour*, and claimed that her name was Floriana and that she knew Casia. While the group was perplexed at this, they did just that at the border where Vandarius and a few other guards where at. Vandarius handed over a book, which Vincenzo recognized as a communication book. Vandarius grumbled about being used as a delivery boy before the group excused themselves and kept going. When they entered the border, they were distracted for a while and asked Rinya about Cidarn before they remembered to use the book. During the days travel, they exchanged messages with Floriana. They learned that Casia had been in jail but disappeared. While on the road, they were attacked by a swarm of stirges which the group fought off. After the battle, both Rinya and Leliana tried out their angelic blessings which were a form of healing and a form of bolstering attacks respectivly. At camp that night, Waldemar insisted that they celebrate making it so far on their journey at the next city.

### Goodbye Baltharn, hello Cidarn

The next day after passing the arches, the group reached Sakudski and were recommended the inn The calm elemental. While passing through the city the group took in the different enviorment from their home. At the inn, Leliana asked to perform alongside the other patrons. The innkeeper Olric took her aside to the kitchen to hear her play before he would let her. Leliana performed so well she moved him and the rest of the staff there to tears, and he happily let her perform at the inn that night. Waldemar ordered plenty of food and drink as part of the celebration. While at first it was a small part at the groups table, more patrons, including Cava, were invited. Before long rounds of drinks were being ordered and the whole inn was part of the celebration. Rinya tricked some less savory people off their gold during the commontions, while Waldemar showed off great feats of strength and Leliana tried to learn the local songs. They all learned more of Cidarn before they had to go to bed late into the night.

During the night, Waldemar dreamt of a city made for people much larger than him. He awoke violently during the night, leading Rinya to check on him. When he got up properly later, they had a heart-to-heart about Waldemar's fears, and him worrying about how he would be able to handle Nyx leaving and Vincenzo remaining. Rinya assured him that he did not have to forgive Vincenzo's bullying, which helped the goliath. Once everyone got up, they went shopping before they'd leave the city. While out, they noticed a group of Silvered brotherhood members who were keeping people out from a tavern. While Waldemar and Vincenzo wanted to interfere, Rinya tried a more diplomatic solution at first. When they insulted Pelor however, she agreed that they'd need to be taught a lesson. Combat was ensured however when she noticed that a dwarven member had seen something about the group which made him attempt to run away. She tried to hobble him with her bow, and Vincenzo ran up to knock him out. During the battle the brotherhood members will faltered and when only the leader remained, he escaped aswell despite the groups best efforts to catch him. As the guards were heard approaching , Vincenzo and Rinya dragged the captured dwarf into the tavern. While Rinya wanted to Leliana to head the questioning, the guards had already approached her and Waldemar. While the two inside the tavern attempted to make the dwarf talk, they both failed. Leliana appeased the guards by apoligizing profusely. As they were about to enter the tavern, Ulfgard caught up with them. Inside, the combined efforts of Leliana and Ulfgard's threats got response. It turned out that the Leliana, Waldemar and Vincenzo had bounties placed on them recently which the Silvered Brotherhood were planning to collect. He also told them that the Brotherhood had a camp outside of the city. They knocked out the dwarf and left him in an alley. Since the group figured that they had some time before the Brotherhood would reconvene, they got some shopping done in the city. They bought a large Half Wagon, clothing and in a shammy artificer shop Vincenzo found a Flower of Fate.

### Fearlessly hunted

Once they set out, they took a longer route to avoid the Silvered Brotherhood. Their route would take them around a mountain, by following a route upon it. At night, they found a cave to rest in. While investigating the cave the group found a hidden door. But they decided to rest for the night before they would explore it. During the night, metallic footsteps were heard patrolling the other side of the door. The next morning, they went down and found a metallic tunnel lit by red lights. While exploring, they found that the metallic footsteps had belonged to metallic beings with drills and sculpted faces of screaming dwarves. In the middle of the machinery, a trapped duergar.

*In Krupaski, Success was called by Yman to answer a meeting. While wandering through the mansion of hedonism and perversion, one of the servents asked what to do with a retrieved weapon; Nissus magical sword. Success ordered to have it given to the Silvered Brotherhood to aid in their hunt of the group. At the meeting, the tiefling discussed with the Sunblight clans representative of the transcation of their payment to find the group, which were a large group of suffering dwarves.*

The group attempted to parley with the beings, but as they were unable to answer and attacked on sight they were destroyed. While they could not identify the machinery's purpose they decided that they'd go further down to free any others who had been trapped in the same way. The corridors led to a dungeon, where they faced several mechincal hinderances and duergar forces. In one of the roomss, underneath a trapped thunderstone, they found a contract which confirmed that Clan Sunblight would find the Destined youths, signed by Success. As they kept exploring they found another duergar, who was open to parley. Grandolfa of clan Müsgard explained that she was merely there to discuss a proposal with Thane Zardok of clan Sunblight and thus had no reason to attack the party yet, and instead offered the party to partake in their feast of cooked Intellect devourers. While Waldemar partook, the party asked about Success but she revealed that she knew little. Not more than that he was a tiefling noble in Cidarn. The party left in peace and continued.

Amongst the investigated rooms was a small shrine with a statuete of an unknown figure. When Vincenzo tried to take it, it lashed out psychically by violently projecting the images and sensation of having ones brain being eaten by a being. After fighting through several traps and duergar abominations, they found the thane of the Sunblight clan who immediatly attacked the group. During the battle Ulfgar acted without his own volition, proclaiming that the thane should fight him in single combat in another voice. The proclamation was ignored, and the thane was slayed when he tried to escape. The group tried to question Ulfgar, who instead focused on the ruby-laid crown which the thane had worn. He insisted that it should be Identified immediately, but despite his fervor would offer no other explanation than a gut feeling. After identifying it, it was revealed to be the Crown of the lost thane which was enough for Ulfgar. The group was now left to answer what to do with the remains in the room, including a maimed and bound Mind flayer. The group didn't recognize the species, but drew conclusion from the projected images from the shrine to determine the nature of the creature. It was swiftly killed.

During their exploration, they found a cavernous smithy with over a dozen duergars patrolling. The group discussed whether it would be worth clearing the fort out completely, but were interrupted when Ulfgar noticed a hidden passage. Following it, they discovered that it was a alternative entry to a torture chamber where a duergar was being tortured by her kin. The group quickly slayed the torturers and questioned the prisoner. They learned that there would be over 30 enemies left in the fort, and since it was connected to the Underdark there could be reinforcements. It was decided that they would leave. While there was disagreement of what to do with the prisoner, Ulfgar ended it by crushing her head. The group started to leave and planned to destroy elevators to slow down those that would use this exit. On their way out, they once again ran into Grandolfa. She offered to give a few items of the fallen thane's treasury in exchange for letting her use the elevators before they'd be destroyed. The group agreed, and they recieved two magical items. With no more hinderences the elevators and hidden entrance were sabotaged, and they returned to the road.

At camp that night, emotions flared up over several incidents that had transpired. Rynja apologized for not taking the groups inexperience into account as they had to make several violently pragmatic decisions. Ulfgar was accused of having acting oddly ever since the battle with the thane. Waldemar was frustrated feeling that the fort was left unfinished. Leliana was concerned over how casual the killing had been notably the duergar prisoner. And Vincenzo accused them of being unheroic for killing prisoners. As each of them voiced their opinions before leaving for bed, soon there was only Vincenzo and Rynja left. Their discussion became a heated argument where Rynja confronted Vincenzo's immature aggresion. While her words cut deep, Vincenzo didn't let her know that before they each went to bed.

*Success furiously calls a meeting with the Court of Graz'zt. He confronts them over the lack of information about the Destined youths, as they had just attacked a duergar outpost successfully which was farfetched from where they started. Tûgrakk calmed down a coffin besides him, and claimed that it wouldn't be long before his plans would take shape in Lahal. Serelis mused that two in that group had been chosen by Pelor, making them formidable foes. Ckehouta tried to make a deal with Success to work together, but was swiftly rejected. The group agreed that new efforts would be made before departing.*

### The eastern route

Nyx group took another route through Baltharn, and journeyed with a trade ship to reach north-eastern Cidarn. When they arrived in Paveldima, they sought another ship to continue south. At the drinking house Elemental sink they found this and a few days later set out. During the evening of the second day of river travel, the boat was attacked by Shadow mastiffs which the group was able to fend off in large part due to Madir finding their weakness, light. In return for saving the boat, Madir asked for the boat to stop by Balenski for some time to allow the old rogue to visit his family. This was agreed upon, and the same night the boat was anchored and would set sail again in four days.

During this time, the group wandered to Perm, a village at the base of Pillos pot. On route, while the rest of the group was looking forward to some relaxation Nyx was quietly furious that they could rest at all due to the pressure she felt from her destiny. Madir took them to the inn The headless hob. After settling in, Nyx took Hjorvald and Thurion to a nearby river for training. She demanded that they both would attack her, using lethal force. Neither of the challenged were willing to agree to this, but seeing Nyx wouldn't change her mind Hjorvald agreed. Unexpectedly, Nyx was able to quickly defeat Hjorvald nearly killing him. Thurion quickly seperated them. Nyx, overcome with regret, instinctivly using Hands of Healing on the loxodon. They tearfully made up, and Nyx was carried back to the inn.

The next day, Nyx didn't come out of her room. At lunch, Madir went up to talk to her as he was planning to let his family meet the group. Nyx told him that she had been upset ever since hearing of Madir's family, as it didn't fit her view of the traditional adventurer. Madir in turn explained that a lot of things do not make sense and that everyone can build their own unique circumstances. In the end, she agreed to join the visit.

At Madir's home it started off as a nice visit, until Hjorvald was overwhelmed over the guilt of abandoning his son. He ran away, stopping at the nearby river. Nyx came after him, and they promised to stick together.

The same evening, an earthquake took place. As it seemed to have been caused by the rumbling Pillos Pot, the group hurried there. While on route there, they had to fight off two gargoyles and on the volcano itself, an earth elemental. They found a way into the volcano's interior. Inside was the remains of a complicated ritual circle, designed to summon two beings simultaneously. It's seeming creator was standing next to it looking down into the lava, a deformed hag. Nyx quickly took the initiative and hit her with a flying quick, sending her down. But the hag transformed into rotting butterflies, escaping certain death. The group found what she had been looking at, a dao and an efreti fighting eachother. The group hurried and ruined the circle which had brought them forth. As the group was heading out, they witnessed one final act of elemental activity. An enormous rock titan, struggling to rise from a crevice. But once seemingly risen, it fell back down. Its enormity crashing to the ground reshaped the landscape, sprouting mountains from where once the river the group had travelled upon had been. They hurried back as Madir needed to make certain that his family was alright.

Back in Perm, Madir found his son. He told his father that his family was alright, but that the reshapen landscape had upended what seemed to be a fey portal. Recognizing the danger, Madir decided to not tell the rest of the group of this and instead inform the Karnaxios Road Rangers. Now that the river was gone, the group needed to decide on how to continue their journey. They decided to hunt down the hag and find a way amongst her magic in hope to teleport the remaining way.

The next day, a Cinojan inquisitor came to the village, riding upon his dragonell. The group informed him of what had happened, and he recognized the hag when they described her. He told them that she lived to a southern tower. The group set out to find her lair, with the intentions of securing the area, gaining local favour and looking for magical aid in their journey.

After a short journey, they arrived and climbed up the mountain to reach the tower. It was guarded by a weakened Boneclaw, which was quickly defeated. The inside of the tower was truly the lair of a hag, littered with body parts left as snacks. Shortly after the gruop had reached the top floor, the deformed hag returned and the group fought her. Nearing the end of the battle, she attempted to escape through a rift she opened to another plane but she was thwarted and killed. However, by unknown means the tower had been transported to the feywild. As the group had no other means to continue, the group set out into the feywilds in the hopes of finding a way back. They didn't get far before they were confronted by a group of eladrin.

### Monsters of Cidarn

Near central Cidarn, the other destined youths and their companions fought off the dangerous wildlife of Cidarn on their route to Iškrovimas. Shortly before they arrived however, Serelis once again appeared before the group.She claimed that she had need of Rinya and before the group could ask any questions, they both dissapeared. As there was little to act upon regarding this, the remaining group continued their journey. They rested for a day in Iškrovimas before continuing. On the road, Waldemar decided that the time was right in confronting the giant souls which had been fighting to take control of his body. By using meditation techniques he had learned from Rinya, he faced a Fire Giant Dreadnaught in his mind which attacked Waldemar. The rest of the group figured out what was happening and as they were casting magical effects upon the goliath boy, they noticed that they would enter his mind if they touched him. So they all joined the battle and defeated the giant, granting Valdemar some of the giants abilities and some peace of mind.