Session 78

## And Now...

After battling our way through Emricht's shadowy hordes, the heroes have battled their way to the Manor's Black Heart, a massive portal to the Shadow Realm. Emricht stands at the centre of the room, gloating, having recently defeated his sister Jayne. Sensing the heroes' entry, he motions to a pair of huge, shadowy figures without ever taking his eyes off his sister. He gestures towards the intruders. "Kill them," he commands...

### Souls in the Balance.

Jayne appears badly injured. Leo tells Rast to separate the siblings, which he does by conjuring up a protective field of luminous energy. Taking his chance, Leo rushes over to Jayne and attempts to rally her and rouse her spirits. He seems strangely successful, as Jayne seems to recover profoundly in mere moments. Over Leo's shoulder, Jayne sees one of the shadows approaching and spins him out of the way, slashing at the shadow, creating a substantial gash in its form.

Bug, who has assumed the form of a large, sandy-coloured cat, joins their almost identical familiar and between them, move into a position where they can strike out at Emricht and interfere with his actions. Hugh lunges at Emricht with his a silver blade. Emricht is narrowly able to deflect the blow at the last instant, suffering a minor wound. Unfortunately, this attack leaves Hugh open to an attack from one of the Shadows, which wounds him grievously.

Seeing Emricht on the back foot, Leo gives him the chance to reject the Innominate and re-connect with his family by giving word to his True Feelings. To ensure that, Rast activates his field of truth, preventing Emricht from lying. Unfortunately, while he still cares for his sister, his conditioning holds and he still despises his family, especially his mother. During this rant, he insinuates that this operation is merely one branch of a larger scheme across a number of Baronies across the Realm.

### Against the Shadows.

Jayne tries to sever one of the tendrils connecting her brother to the portal and calls for a holy weapon, but nobody seems to have one. Trying nonetheless with one of her daggers, she is unable to do so. As she grows close, Emricht attempts to grab her and bear her bodily into the portal, but she manages to twist aside, evading his grasp.

Rast interposes himself between Emricht and the portal, causing it to visibly contract in size. In response, one of the shadows attacks him, catching him a glancing blow. Despite the blow failing to wound him, it causes a grievous, chilling effect. The second shadow lunges at Jayne but again, she is able to evade it. Cursing his failure with Emricht, Leo offers advice to everyone on how best to deal with the various types of shadow magic in effect.

Emricht attempts to retreat towards the portal, but Bug and their familiar are able to trip him up, giving Rast time to attempt to dispel it. The portal shrinks dramatically in style and the holy light reinvigorates Rast somewhat. By the time Emricht can get clear of the cats, the portal is too small for him to enter.

Frustrated, he gestures out towards one of the shadows, which flows towards him, enshrouding him like a cloak. Sensing his plan, Leo attempts to distract and delay Emricht, while hopefully tricking him into revealing more of the Innominate's plans, "It's all over, Emricht. You might as well surrender at this point. Your plans have failed."

Emricht laughs hollowly. He brags that almost all of the Barons are currently being targeted and that Lady Pryor will not survive the hour. He turns towards the portal and Bug gives him a nasty scratch, but it's not enough to stop him as he folds into a shadowy origami form capable of fitting through the portal, which expands back up in size.

Without thinking, Rast leaps after him, with Hugh, Leo and Bug following sharply on his heels.

### Into The Shadow Realm.

The group arriving in a nightmarish, colourless vista. Already pushed to his limit, Hugh swoons, collapsing into near unconsciousness. Rast, attempting to pursue Emricht as he vanishes into the swirling mists, uses magic to propel himself forward. Unfortunately, in trying to compensate for the effects of the realm, he overdoes it and launches himself forcefully into the sky, overshooting Emricht and finds himself lost amongst formless clouds of black and grey.

Leo attempts to assist Hugh, aided by Bug and their familiar. The spell is effective, creating a sense of warmth which invigourates and emboldens everyone, but costs Leo his breath as he feels a cold pressure tightening across his chest. Between them, Hugh and the cats are able to revive Leo, but he's still weak. Looking about, they see that they have lost both Rast and Emricht and the shadowy figures looming in the darkness around them have drawn closer.

### Pursuit through the Shadows.

Jayne emerges from the portal and tries to convince everyone to return, but Hugh reasons that Emricht is after the Baroness, and the group elects to follow him and try to save Lady Pryor. As the group prepare to forge ahead, Rast manages to reunite with them, using sorcery to retrace his trajectory. Unfortunately, doing so has weakened him tremendously.

Jayne guides the party through the realm, but the strain on her is tremendous, and she can see the group members visibly diminishing. Sensing them about to collapse, she uses the last of her power to propel them forcibly though the realm towards the portal at the other end. Rast, Leo and Bug head through, but Leo senses that Jayne is on the verge of death. He does all he can to try and save her, but in the end, it is not enough as she appears to be entirely consumed by the realm, and Leo would have joined her if Rast had not bodily reached back and hauled him through.

### The Assault on Corvid Keep.

The party re-enters the world. Looking around they, find themselves in the opulent surrounds of Corvid Keep, the Pryor Family's Manor House. Hugh recognizes the decor as the place where he had previously met with Lady Pryor. In the near distance, they can hear the sounds of fighting and clashing steel, and smell the faint whiff of smoke.

Behind them, the portal dwindles and closes...

### Continued in Session 79...

*10xp*

*(380xp Total)*