Look for the Light

Venra sitting in a dead tree, overlooking the ruins of Asarius

**Look for the Light** is the 51st session of the first WGA campaign. While Essek Thelyss prepares what he needs for the advanced spell that will send them across timelines, the Red Thread take a well-earned rest. Some retreat to the far corners of Wildemount, others stay cozy with family, and one takes residence in a nearby tavern, watching.

### Webella meditation hours

Arabella meditates in the plant room at Florian's house. Agatha joins her, and they talk briefly. Agatha is worried that she is holding Arabella back. She wants Bella to know that no matter what happens, no matter how foggy she gets or how clear-minded, that she will always be there for her. Bella says that Agatha being there, just being herself, is more than enough. She explains that while in cities she's happier, it's a false happiness. Ignorance is bliss, and hiding behind the fog of forgotten memories is not a true way to live. She's ready to begin unpacking her past.

### A blood pool and chocolate chip cookies

On the last day of their vacation in Port Damali, Valac and Kismet visit a temple of The Raven Queen to celebrate the Night of Ascension, the Matron's holy day. Kismet hasn't celebrated the holiday with other worshippers for a long time, so is nervous yet excited. The entire experience is new for Valac. At the front there are cookies. The pair talk to the priest, who explains some of what will happen.

The ceremony begins, and after a speech about the Matron of Ravens, worshipers file into a large hall that holds a pool of blood. One by one, they walk in, drench themselves, then walk out. Kismet does the same, reveling in celebrating his deity with others of the same mind. Valac steps into the blood, and once underwater, opens himself to the Raven Queen like he had at her temple a while ago. A vision takes him, of dry ground, dead trees, a number of crows roosting. The Raven Queen approaches, long black hair and porcelain mask. Valac asks why she is leaving Kismet hanging, and she responds that his strength cannot come from her alone. Valac says that his strength never did, and the Matron replies that she knows. This is something Kismet must learn for himself.

As Valac pulls himself from the vision, the Raven Queen's voice echoes in his head. "You cannot use the gods as a crutch when our existence is not assured." Emerging from the pool, the pair talk quickly about what they saw, keeping the vision to themselves.

### Reclaimed memory

When Valac and Kismet return from their getaway, they gather with the rest of the party in the garden room with Arabella to start the *Greater Restoration* ritual. Valac helps Kismet set up, then sits next to him, ready to cast *Detect Thoughts* on Arabella as the ritual progresses. Kismet begins the spell, and in a rush, Arabella's early memories are returned to her.

We see her family, her community - Pallid Elves, eyes glazed, dirty, with extremely short hair. Arabella remembers her great grand uncle - always clean, with the same tattoo on his forehead as Arabella has now. There's a flash, and a younger Bella is running with others. There's been a collapse, and she knows not everyone got out. There's guilt in her heart. Her great grand uncle took her memories to save her from the pain.

It's later in the memories, she knows her parents are gone. The Pallid Grove has a garden, but it's all fake. She digs her hands into the dirt, and a real sapling sprouts. Her great grand uncle speaks to her, and he seems angry. He puts his hand on her forehead again, makes her forget. "You have quite the gift. That's why no one is going to know about it." Another memory. Her great grand uncle tells her she has to leave, that she has a greater purpose. There's another flash, and she's crawling out of the tunnel.

She makes it to the wilderness, and years pass. It could be eighty years before she was found, and taken in by the Tolmans. She spent some thirty-five years in the Cobalt Soul. Coming out of the ritual, Valac has tears pouring down his face, though he doesn't notice. Bella processes what she's just seen, and explains some of the history she now remembers. Torog, the Crawling King, stole the elves from the grove, taking them underground. They were subjected to torture, and all they knew was to dig. The Moonweaver saw this atrocity, and bestowed gifts upon those who left from beneath the earth. The elves, however, were mostly too afraid to leave. They couldn't read or write. The Elder would take away their problems, their memories, and read from scripts that provided them with knowledge.

### A leap of faith

The week is up, and the Red Thread are summoned to Essek's tower. He worked with Ilmari to develop the spell required. Part of the spell is to bind each of the travellers to Essek in order to tether them to the correct timeline. He does this by taking red thread and tying everyone's wrists together. As the spell begins, the thread disappears, but its presence can still be felt.

Sarven stands back, assisting, making a clockwork motion with his hands. In a rush, the party is sucked into the beacon. They're falling among a purple expanse, surrounded by stars. As they fall, they pass by different timelines. They catch sight of a younger Agatha, holding her mother's hand in a marketplace. A flash, and it's suddenly a bloody battlefield. As they fall, the timelines grow more convoluted. In one, a woman with long black hair stands. "This is your duty, the God of Death." Her voice sounds familiar, but not quite. This is not the Raven Queen that Kismet and Valac are familiar with.

### Asarius, to dust

At last, the party lands on solid ground. It's arid, incredibly hot and dusty. The ground is like dried and cracked riverbed. There's a distant city, which some of the party recognise as Asarius. It's crumbling, broken. Deserted. In the sky, there is no sun. There is only an omnipresent light, sickly and yellow. As they move toward the city, Kismet realises he senses absolutely nothing. No Raven Queen, no people. No gods. Nothing at all. He casts *Eyes of the Grave*, and the deep, unsettling knowledge greets him that he cannot restore his power like he normally can over a long rest. He informs the rest of the party. Valac locks up.

They approach the open gates. All over the wall is evidence of people trying to climb it, scratches in the stone. There's old dried blood on the ground, but no bodies. The Red Thread passes through, and on the other side there is blood and crossbow bolts sticking from the wall. It's clear that whoever managed to get through were shot on sight. In the distance, Agatha spots a narrow plume of smoke, and the party heads toward it.

### Wild tiefling chase

Approaching the smoke, the party comes across a small fire lit outside of one of the Luxon temples. The temple itself is almost completely caved in, though the walls around it still stand. The fire burns a pile of wood and paper, and Florian pulls out a flyer. There's some readable text, and it says '*Thousands seek refuge in Asarius-*'. The date is burned away. They head inside.

Above the altar is a mural. The paint is intricate, very deliberate with the highest quality of paint. Depicted is a woman standing on top of that same temple. She has long red hair that is being brushed to the side by the wind. Below, on the streets of Asarius stands a crowd of people. The sky behind her is a beautifully painted sunset, and her hands are clasped in front of her as she looks down solemnly to the group below. Her eyes are scratched out. She wears a short green dress with furred boots on her feet. A golden bracelet on her wrist. Graffitied across this mural are the words: *We don’t want your fake prophecies. Look at what you’ve done.*

They find a note on the floor, reading, *"Who are YOU?"*. There's the sound of shifting feet, which Florian picks up on. They break off from the group a short way, calling out. The footsteps retreat hastily. Kismet quickly fires off a shot from his slingshot - either he knocks them out, or they start bleeding and he can track them. He misses, and is berated gently by Agatha, though he is unapologetic. As they leave the temple, they see another plume of smoke.

Another temple, another mural. This mural depicts the city of Asarius from the outside. The gates of the city are closed, and below there are thousands of people outside, trying to get in. Even with the simplicity of the painting, it shows the utter desperation and confusion. The party continue their chase. Temple after temple, more and more murals. One depicts mass chaos in the streets. There are people bleeding out on the ground, others are yelling at each other. Another focuses on a drow mother holding a crying child. The mother looks as if she doesn’t know how to comfort it.

### Venra

Kismet realises the stranger is leading them to each mural, hoping to tell them the story of what happened. Valac fires off an *Eldritch Blast* at the stranger, which hits, but invisibility still remains. They come to the largest temple in the city, to the final mural. The others looked to be by the same artist, this mural was drawn by someone inexperienced. The strokes are messy, the perspective is off, and the colors are a mess. But through it all, it shows an empty Asarius. The buildings on this street are not broken down, but it depicts a lifeless city.

There's another note, and it says, "*What do you want?*". Kismet makes a sign toward where he can hear the stranger, wondering if perhaps they are hard of hearing. Agatha talks to the stranger, asking if they are from Asarius. They reply that they aren't in a clear Zemnian accent. They have a short conversation, and Agatha asks if she can share what she learned with the others.

A small amount of trust is gained, and the stranger introduces herself as Venra. She says that the entire world was consumed by light, and Asarius was the last city standing. She drops her invisibility, revealing herself as a fire genasi tiefling. Kismet apologises for shooting her with his sling. Valac says he was totally justified in thinking she was a threat and does not apologise.

### A leap of logic

Venra reveals that she has the beacon, kept safely away in the Aurora Hold. She'd hoped that it was the key to restoring the world, but had made little progress. The party escort her to her apartment to gather her things, and then return to the beacon. They figure that once they have hold of it, Essek will draw them back into their correct timeline. Just before touching it, Kismet ties a piece of red thread between him and Venra. It connects to a star pendant that Mel gifted to him. He hopes that this tether from his timeline will keep Venra with them.

All together, the party touches the beacon. The world fades, and the sound of horse hooves fills the air. The party find themselves on horseback, surrounded by strangers. After some initial shock and confusion, they realise that no one is strangers - each member finds themself in a different body. Arabella, in the form of a satyr, immediately screams in disgust at being on horseback. Agatha immediately recognises her. Valac and Kismet's telepathic bond remains, and they quickly establish each other.

Venra recognises the road. It's the one that leads from Rexxentrum to Asarius, the same road she took when running from the all-consuming light. The beacon, if it exists, is still in Asarius. It isn't on anyone's person. They have a week before Essek pulls them back into their original timeline, a week to find the beacon and return. And hopefully not be consumed by the light that may or may not doom this timeline.