The Flame Syndicate

```
"We didn't start the fire- this random guy did, but then we stopped him!"
      - Smort Jorn

```

**The Flame Syndicate** are a party of adventurers travelling across Tel'Ar.

## Founding

The original four members of the party were kidnapped by cultists and awoke in a train carriage. After a dramatic escape (which involved one cultist being kicked off the roof of the moving train), they discovered a dilapidated wizard's study, and found an old book in it, telling the tale of Fruit Salad, a renowned adventuring party. It contained a magical item, and a note from Fruit Salad's cleric, Tater Tot: *If you’re reading this, then it is too late. You must find the remaining fragments of light. You must rebuild the queen’s soul. Please. Before it’s too late.*

When they left the study, they saw a large desert stretching before them, and introduced themselves; they were Iris Dawnbringer, Dartan, Enrico Pucci, and Acktone.

In the city of Jannikril, Enrico and Dartan met Atiel, the only survivor of the Aethenus Massacre (which Enrico had caused), and invited her to join them. Meanwhile, Acktone met Smort Jorn while he was in jail, and convinced the guard to join them on their travels. Ragnhild joined the party in Shardspire City.

## Adventures

### Pre-Jannikril; The Lightning Train, the Fruit Salad Chronicles, Ashfall, and the Beast's Maw

The first four members of the Flame Syndicate were Iris, Dartan, Enrico and Acktone. They woke up kidnapped in a carriage on the Lightning Train, and quickly climbed onto the roof, where they dispatched two strange robed figures. When several more figures started running towards them, they made the decision to jump; Acktone caught Iris and glided off, Enrico used his wings, and Dartan cast *Fey Step* to teleport off. They then ventured into the nearby forest, where they took a rest in a shaded clearing. Enrico and Iris had a vision presumably sent by the gods they worshipped of a pale elf, face obscured, sitting atop a throne in a spiralling castle, attended to by ghostly servants.

When the party awoke, they proceeded deeper into the forest, finding an dilapidated library with two crumbling statues outside, one of the Sun Follower's commandments inscribed into the base; 'follow the light.' When they entered, there were two corridors; one in complete shadow, and another lit by torches. Iris led the way into a small wizard's study, where Acktone found a map of Jannikril and a strange book titled the *Fruit Salad Chronicles*, with a note from a cleric named Tater Tot.

The group left the study behind and entered the desert, finding a small village named Ashfall, where Acktone was raised. They noticed a strange aura of sadness had settled over the town, and visited the Red Hart, where they met a bartender named Quincy. She gave them the task of clearing out an infestation of skeletons in the small swamp connecting Ashfall to the Lorenzo Peaks, and the party obliged. Acktone discovered the gun he had created before he left the town, christened the *Deagle*. When they return, Quincy gives them their promised reward, and asks them about the disappearance of Acktone's parents right before he left Ashfall. She grows suspicious, and two guards burst in and bring the party to jail. They meet a young gnome named Jangles who tells them the way out, and they escape, heading deeper into the Auxier Desert.

A large dragon skeleton sits in the middle of the desert, and they enter, the group was split up on either side of an inbreakable glass wall; Iris and Enrico on one side, and Dartan and Acktone on the other. After solving a puzzle, they got some gold pieces and Iris found a dagger made from a dragon's claw, known as the *Devotee's Talon*.

### Jannikril and the Sun Spire

The party approaches Jannikril, the desert's capital city. Outside, numerous merchants are gathered, and they meet a scraggler named Metjen Pilwicker, who attempts to sell them salt. A guard demands that they pay taxes, but Enrico curses him so he forgets all about it and lets them slip by. Dartan pays his fee anyway.

Once the group walks into the city, they are split up; Acktone runs off to commit various crimes, Iris follows what she believes is the voice of her god, and Dartan and Enrico proceed towards the Golden District. They visited a magic shop called Faerie Enchantments, where Enrico buys a *cloak of grace*. They then visit a pet store named the Magical Menagerie, where Enrico purchases Maiden Heaven and scares the living daylights out of the shopkeeper. Enrico spots Jotaro Kujo telling stories to a bunch of nobles, and attempts to convert him to the Darkened One's religion, but fails. The pair then see a large temple in the distance dedicated to the Sun Follower, known as the Aethenus. Enrico uses *radiance of the new dawn*, and attempts to raid the temple, but Dartan stops him. They are then stolen from by a kenku urchin, whom they chase into the Merchant District. Dartan falls into the canal, but pays a gondola rider to row him, following Enrico. They corner the thief in a weapons shop called the Strutting Occulis, where Enrico kills the thief and traumatises the shopkeeper.

When they return to the Aethenus, there is only one survivor of the *radiance of the new dawn*; a dragonblood sorcerer named Atiel. The three are quickly attacked by a few Cruxon guards, which they quickly dispatch. They return to the Merchant District and Enrico commissions a few glass vials from a glassblower's shop named Glasshopper. Dartan hears a storyteller talking about someone called the Grand Sorceress. The group is swept up into an acrobatic performance and are brought to the Farming District.

They fight a loose tiger and a hell hound, before moving on to the Urban District. Atiel takes a nap in the Watchful Crow, an inn. Enrico comes into conflict with a schoolteacher who worships the Clockmaker and casts *radiance of the new dawn*, killing her and several of her students. Dartan dives in front of the blast and manages to save three of them. A robed figure then steals a child, and the pair follow it beneath the Sun Spire.

There are two rooms, and they decide to split up; Enrico discovers an old jail splattered with blood, and Dartan finds some old books in Elvish. They converge once more in a larger room, where the child has been hung by their wrists on a wall, and several robed figures. Enrico figures out that they are a cult and attacks them. Dartan casts *fly* and hovers above the battle.

During this, Acktone was locked up in the Stormcage Containment Facility and met Smort, whom he convinced to help him escape. They regrouped with Iris (who has now realised that the Sun Follower was trying to get her to *prevent* the Aethenus Massacre) and ran down into the Sun Spire, where Atiel had been taken from the Watchful Crow. They join the battle, and as they do so, the child teleports away, replaced by a mysterious figure. After dispatching the cultists, all of them gang up on the figure, who is almost killed before he teleports away, annoying them greatly. The child reappears, and Smort tries to start interrogating them, but Enrico raises his crossbow to try and shoot them. The rest of the party attempts to dive in front of the child, but only Acktone succeeds, blessed by Iris's *Aura of Protection* feature. They tie Enrico up and take the child to the surface, where they are reunited with their mother, who tells them about a nearby Cruxon camp. Enrico is untied and he buys them all a horse; except for Smort and Dartan. Smort uses *Wild Shape* to turn into a horse, and Dartan travels on them. Iris names her horse Aurun, Enrico names his Cream, Atiel names hers Cow, and Acktone names his Ash.

### The Crimson Camp and the Overpass

In the path through the mountains known as the Overpass, a traveling harengon merchant named Keldan offers the party chocolate milk and non-alcoholic vodka, but Dartan realises that the drinks are enchanted with a *sleep* spell and smashes them. After dispatching the merchant and the two bodyguards, Enrico steals some of the chocolate milk, and Acktone takes all of the vodka.

As the party approaches the Cruxon camp, they see flames and hear panicked shouts, but the guard at the entrance refuses their help. He recognises Acktone and Smort, and ushers the group in. When they enter, the leader of the land soldiers, Valour, storms up to them and accuses Acktone of burning down the barracks, and threatens to imprison the whole party unless they can find proof that they didn't do it, using his long history of arson has proof. Smort tries to defend him, using papers from his stay in the Stormcage Containment Facility as proof, but since arson is one of the charges, it doesn't really help.

The party first talks to a dwarf nearby, who was glaring at them. Enrico peeks into his memories, and finds (alongside various recent memories of him thinking *'oh, fuck.'*) proof that the dwarf snuck out of the camp to give a satyr a match before covering his tracks. He stole the match from a hobgoblin nurse named Vazrol the Healer, who they also interviewed. They then chase the satyr down, who reveals his name to be Swifthooves. They capture him and present him to Valour, who walks away in embarrassment. Khi Springreach, the Airforce Chief, thanks them and asks them what they want to be called. After considering a name for a few minutes, they decide on the Flame Syndicate.

The newly named Syndicate take a long rest in a clearing, but at the end, they are awoken by loud footsteps, and a quack. A giant duck approaches their camp, who's name- as Smort quickly learns through the use of a *Speak with Animals* spell- is Quacker Quackerty Quack Quacc Quakk Quackiling Quackerson the 13th. While Acktone and Smort attempt to talk to the bird, Enrico notices a group of bandits and begins attacking them, with Dartan and Atiel helping. Acktone attempts to shoot Quacker, and Smort tackles him to save the duck. After the bandits are dead and Quacker leaves, they continue on their journey.

### Xerniir

The Flame Syndicate visit the town of Xerniir, nestled near the end of the Overpass. Enrico and Acktone visit a pet store named Archer's Aviary, where the firbolg shopkeeper Archer greets them. Enrico buys some cat food for Maiden Heaven. Acktone notices a caged desert eagle, and realises that Archer has been illegally capturing and importing birds from the Auxier Desert. Enrico shoots a lamp, which falls on some hay and sets the shop on fire. Atiel runs in and grabs a duck, Acktone takes the desert eagle, and Enrico steals all of the shopkeeper's gold, which he splits with Acktone. Smort controls the fire and manages to set all the birds free, but leaves Archer to burn. While this is happening, Dartan took over a stage where a few children were performing, and started singing. Iris had a mini panic attack in the crowd because she wasn't the centre of attention, and the crowd began cheering for Dartan, cementing him as Tel'Ar's newest musical sensation. As he performed an encore, someone in the crowd threw a rotten tomato, which hit Acktone, who shot the crowd member in the kneecaps.

The party enters a battle arena called Tick Tock Goes the Clock, and begin fighting. Halfway through, Atiel joins the fight. A dragonborn on the opposing team shifts into Acktone, and Iris kills him. Dartan casts *booming blade* on Acktone's flamethrower, and the artificer jumps on the wizard's shoulders and starts spinning around, setting the arena on fire. They win a golden statue of the Clockmaker, which Enrico pockets.

### Kesriv

After travelling along the Hawker's Passage, the Syndicate arrives at a massive temple called Kesriv, thought to be the first temple ever created, with a wing for each god. Iris heads to the Sun Follower's wing, where she meets an enthusiastic aasimar named Katrina Writingham, who's almost her polar opposite. Enrico enters the Darkened One's wing, before leaving. Acktone heads to the Sky Walker's wing, the god he worships, and leaves an offering in the form of a pebble constantly emitting the sound of desert eagles. He infuses his armour with *Armour of Magical Strength*. Smort notices a demolished wing and starts interrogating a tiefling priest named Mayhem on it. Atiel sneaks past the acolytes guarding the demolished wing and finds an old statue stripped bare of gemstones. Enrico and Acktone follow Atiel, and the priest takes a closer look at the statue. Iris discovers about the nearby capital city, dragon, and a masquerade ball the Grand Sorceress is holding from Katrina, who departs, saying she's heading to Kesriv, Iris's hometown. Acktone then scares the priest Smort was interrogating, Iris watches the whole debacle, and the whole group sets off for Shardspire City, as Acktone wants to find a blacksmith and build another gun.

### Shardspire City, the Trouble With Cats and the Masquerade Ball Massacre

Eventually, the party arrives at Shardspire City- the gleaming capital of the Acruciria Dynasty. Acktone buys a guitar from Acoustic Secrets. Several purchases are made at a bookstore called Once Upon a Time- Atiel purchases *the Ashshard Dynasty: The Legend of Wintercrest’s Rulers* and Enrico buys *Start Learning Tel’Arian: The Language of Your Ancestors.* He also purchases a book called *The Laws of the Ancient Ones,* but Acktone steals it. The Syndicate also visits Blucko’s Bizzarre Bar, where they meet Ragnhild and convince her to join the party. They then set up the Music Tent and go to sleep. Atiel, Enrico and Smort awake as Quacker, Maiden Heaven and Smort’s wildfire spirit respectively, and are joined by a turtle named Gyudio, who is the Moon Weaver is disguise. They fight some snakes, Maiden Heaven smacks the sleeping Iris in the face, and they return to their bodies once they fall asleep.

The whole party attends the Masquerade Ball, sneaking in. Enrico and Iris just stroll in, Acktone flies over the walls, Ragnhild sneaks inside, Smort turns into a rat and sneaks through the kitchens, and Atiel… is still asleep. There are many notable guests- Guildmaster Kolpi, the ruler of the Auxier Desert, the head priest at Kesriv, Lady Brysys Ashshard, a noble from Wintercrest, Glyn Elmgazer, the head priest from Keljiv, P.O.P.P.I.E.S (Protection of Persons and Products In Every Situation), a warforged heading the Warforged Rights Committee, Headmasters Quoster and Kurotar from the Requiem Athenaeum, and Sharz the Conquerer, leader of a hobgoblin war band currently searching for his lost daughter, Vazrol.

Acktone turns invisible and, along with Enrico, talks to P.O.P.P.I.E.S, who annoys them.

## Etymology

The party only considered a name when they were asked by the Cruxon Chief of the Airforce Khi Springreach. They took a few moments discussing it before deciding on the Flame Syndicate, after how most of them mainly used fire magic (Acktone and his flamethrower, Smort as a Circle of Wildfire druid, Iris as a worshipper of the goddess of fire, Dartan as a wizard who mainly uses fireball, Atiel as a fire-based sorcerer, and Enrico as an arsonist.)

* The Petri Dish (by Enrico)
* The Coloured Amethyst (by Dartan)
* The Party of Pyrite (by Iris)
* The Group of Dummies (by Dartan)
* The Friends of Fire (by Acktone)
* The Golden Wanderers (by Enrico)
* The Candles (by Smort)
* The Flaming Alliance (by Iris)
* The Flaming Misfits (by Enrico)
* The Shining Flame (by Dartan)
* The Blazing Alliance (by the DM)
* The Hopeless Ones (by Enrico)
* The Spark (by Smort)
* The Top Ten Reasons the Geneva Convention was Invented (by Acktone)
* The Flaming Syndicate (by Enrico)
	+ **The Flame Syndicate** (by Smort)

## Members

### Mounts

#### Horses

The Flame Syndicate purchased four horses from the Galloping Mare Stables in Jannikril for one gold piece each. They were all given names:

* Cream – Enrico
* Cow – Atiel
* Aurun – Iris
* Ash – Acktone

## Allies and friends

### NPCS

* Quincy
* The Cruxon
	+ Khi Springreach
	+ Valour
	+ Sylros Sunvale

## Enemies

* Jotaro Kujo
* Swifthooves

## Trivia

* All members of the Flame Syndicate have parental issues.
	+ Iris' parents gave her away to the Altar of Solstice, Acktone's parents neglected him, Dartan can't remember his parents, Atiel's father was homophobic, Smort's parents abandoned him, Ragnhild's parents died and left her with her abusive uncle, and Enrico's parents inducted him into a cult.

**Familiars and Animal Companions:** Maiden Heaven, Unnamed Wildfire Spirit