Into the Darness

DM

* DM Kuul

Players

* Aida Ruel, half-elf paladin/bard
* Jadatash, kalashtar cleric
* Leonardo ir'Brenith, human barbarian
* Vonan'khesh, goblin ranger and Monaak, the best girl

Notable NPCs

* Ketaal, fellow Wayfinder
* Suuki, a dhakaani fan maiden of Gurrthau Draal ~~and Leo's true love.~~
* Baateren, elder psion of the enclave of Gurrthau Draal
* Softpaw, worg companion of Suuki and ally of Leo

## Introduction

*The Wayfinders Leo, Vonan'khesh, Aida and Jadatash find themselves heading down to Terminus station, on the request of Ketaal. They'd each gotten rushed* sendings *from him the day before, requesting that they make their way to Starilaskur as fast as they could.*

*As they turn the corner, they see the stocky Orien clerk's back. As they approach, he turns, and his face drains of blood. His hand slowly rises, pointing at Leo, Aida and Vonan'khesh.*

"Not... not you guys again!" *It takes Leo and Vonan'khesh a moment to realise that it's none other than Calumn Orien.*

## Summary

Meeting the Wayfinders in Starilaskur, Ketaal is evasive about why he recruited these specific Wayfinders for the mission, especially the young woman Jadatash, who he has never previously met.  It’s not until he takes them a few days out of the city that he explains why they were selected. He had been contacted by a remote enclave in the Seawall Mountains requesting help through Rutaan.  Gurrthau Draal, the enclave in question, had apparently sheltered a new rogue quori, this time a tsoreva quori by the name of Eren. The descendants of these kalash’dar, of sorts, is known as the Line of Eren, and it produced a heritage of powerful soulknives dedicated to the defense of the enclave.

He forestalled all further questions until after they arrived at the enclave, hidden behind potent illusions and unknown guardians.  The city itself was built into a crevasse, with the small city-state built into the walls and dozens of bridges criss crossing the open space between.  Ketaal left them with Baateren, and the elder kalash’dar told them of the tale of Eren in full, and told them of their issue. Bearers of Eren tended to go off, and their mental states suffered for it.  Having heard of the kalashtar through Ketaal, he had requested that the ghaal’dar bring them one of them, a healer capable of healing this bond.  The Wayfinders moved to visit the most recently afflicted, and entered a dreamspace of sorts. They discovered that the enclave is somehow sealed off from Dal Quor, which was how Eren hadn’t been discovered, and they fought a mental projection of the abscess in the bond that had been harming it’s hobgoblin hosts.

After the battle, they were brought to guest quarters by Suuki, a fanmaiden that had been impressed by them.  This was also when they discovered that Ketaal had lead a team out into Khyber, to attempt to solve a secondary issue that they had, of duur’kala and daashor going missing, instead of being slain by the malignant force from Khyber.

Furious, Aida led a team of Wayfinders and soldiers from the enclave on a rescue mission to save her foolhardy boyfriend, and to gain the goodwill of Gurrthau Draal by ending the threat of these kaorti.  On the way into Khyber, they slay a pair of twisted, quadrupedal creatures with tusks that leaked a terrible venom that clouded the minds of those that were gouged by them, eventually culminating in a person losing consciousness. They come to an area that’s cut off, a thick black chitin that covers the breadth of the tunnel, with a thin slit for access.

It leads to a demiplane, of sorts, where the air itself has been altered and has acquired a glowing golden tinge to it. They come across a few more of the kaorti, these ones a humanoid variant with organic weapons that leak the same venom.  One escapes, and the team moves into the area, searching for their lost allies. The team from the enclave stays at the entrance, promising to hold the fort there and ensure that they can get out when they’ve accomplished their mission.

They find a hatchery, or transmutation chamber, or sorts, and discover that the humanoid variant kaorti are actually the captured duur’kala and daashor. Horrified, the captured and partially transformed hobgoblin demands that they kill her, and they do so with a heavy heart.  A few chambers later, they discover Ketaal with the remains of his team. They had found their objective, the entrance to the source of this encroaching demiplane, and Ketaal knew how to seal the gate. Issue was the guardian.  But with the others here, they would be able to force their way through.

The guardian was a massive scorpion-like creature with three heads and a roar that could shear metal.  They distracted it while Ketaal sealed the gate, and they finally slew it, but not before it destroyed Leo’s blade.  They quickly gathered the shards and the survivors and made their way out of the dying encroachment and back to the enclave.

The enclave was very thankful, and they officially recognized Ketaal as their eyes in the outside world, and profusely thanked all of them for their assistance.  Suuki boldly let Leo know of her romantic interest, and he stuttered a bit before assuring her that he was taken. Nonplussed, she debated whether or not she should return to New Ja’sharaat and challenge this “Reva of House Cannith” for possession of him.  Ketaal guided them back home to Sharn, making them swear on everything that they held dear that they would not reveal anything that they learned on this mission, especially the presence of the Line of Eren.

## Epilogue

***Overlook, kalashtar enclave.***

*Havakhad sighs as he takes in the early morning smells: the smell of fresh bread, cloying spices and dust so characteristic of the city of Sharn. He hears the rustle of cloth as the tapestries flutter in the stiff morning breeze.*

<So this is your home.>

*Havakhad opens his eyes to see the last thing that he expected to see this morning. An equally elder hobgoblin (or ghaal’dar as Ketaal called his race) stood in the entryway, eyes solid orbs of violet light. After a second’s observation, he realises that the old dar is slightly transparent, and does not enter the sanctum.*

“You must be a powerful psion. Few can project their thoughts into my sanctum, fewer still that are not of Inspired or kalashtar.” *He steels his mind, gathering his thoughts and focusing them into a sharp knife of mental energy if the figure should prove hostile.*

<I am Baateren. I suppose that Jadatash has not yet mentioned me?> *He seems very at ease, seemingly unconcerned with the power this man holds.*

“Jadatash? She has not yet returned to the city. I suppose that you must have something to do with Ketaal’s *sending* to me, then? I was not aware that your kind were advanced enough for psionics.” *Releasing his hold on the summoned power, he instead redirects it into calling for one of his disciples.*

<Come. Walk with me.> *Without waiting for a response, Baateren turns and walks out of sight. Havakhad stands up from his seated position and follows, as much out of curiosity as out of anything else. He finds his opposite on the edge of a balcony, overlooking the city.* <My people built this city more than ten millennia ago, and look at it now. Filled with *chaat’oor*, none of whom respect those who came before them.>

“The city has faced it’s trials, but it has proved a stable home for the kalashtar community. I will not mince words, Baateren? Why have you come?”

<I come seeking answers, Havakhad. For too long we have fought in the darkness, shielded from the greatest of our foes. I have meditated deeply on this matter, as have my most trusted *raat’shaarat*, and we have decided. If you have need of us, we will send an envoy to you. Send a reply through the *daashor* Ketaal Dhakaan when you decide.> *He turns, and begins to fade from view. Havakhad surges forward, stopping him. A faint shadowy figure materializes behind him, as much dust as it is energy. Its massive, armored body throws all four pincers forward, anchoring the projected mind to Overlook.*

*Havakhad feels the blood drain from his face as a smaller, but no less alien creature, manifests behind Baateren, violet blades of psychic energy easily deflecting the pincers that looked to prevent the ghaal’dar from leaving.* “What… what *are* you?”

*Baateren’s ears perk up, and a slight smile passes over his face.* <I am Baateren. Of the line of Eren. Ask your Jadatash when she returns. Gurrthau Draal awaits your message.> *His image finally finishes fading, leaving the unflappable Havahkad aghast.*

*Baateren opens his eyes, surrounded by a half dozen fan maidens, Suuki among them, on a rise outside of the enclave. The dawn light illuminates his face as his eyes search among them.* “It is done. No longer will we hide in the safety of the shadows of Gurrthau Draal. The struggle against the Dreaming Dark belongs to all of the quori, not just those bound to the blood of the *chaat’oor.*”

“Soon, the fight begins.”