SGT Case: Echoes of the Lost

Across the sprawling land of Pneumanor, children with untapped psychic abilities are vanishing without a trace. The news of these eerie abductions sends shockwaves through the continent, leaving communities in fear and confusion.

## **Plot Overview:**

### **Continent-Wide Disappearances**:

Across the sprawling continent of Pneumanor, children with untapped psychic abilities are vanishing without a trace. The news of these eerie abductions sends shockwaves through the continent, leaving communities in fear and confusion.

The mysterious disappearances of children with untapped psychic abilities have cast a shadow over several prominent cities and towns across the continent of Pneumanor. Here are the cities where the children have disappeared:

1. **New Garland:** The bustling trade hub with a diverse population, New Garland stands as a melting pot of various races and cultures, now haunted by the eerie vanishings that have shaken the community to its core.
2. **Gilead:** Positioned strategically between the Lunar Sea and the Wolfrane Timberland, Gilead's vital role in the region is marred by the unsettling events, casting doubt on its security and importance as a point of defense and trade.
3. **Appleton:** Nestled in the northmost region and acting as a crucial trade hub for resources from the capital city, Appleton now grapples with the fear and uncertainty brought about by the mysterious disappearances.
4. **Port Caspian:** The bustling shipping hub at the mouth of the Caspian River, known for its vibrant economic activities, is now haunted by the chilling specter of the missing children, casting a pall over its bustling docks and lively markets.
5. **Ruby Harbor:** Another significant shipping hub at the mouth of the Vircona River, Ruby Harbor's distinctive architectural style and bustling trade activity are now overshadowed by the sinister aura of the unexplained vanishings.
6. **Minus:** Despite being a center of civilization and governance, the rich history and cultural diversity of Minus are tainted by the dark cloud of uncertainty as the city grapples with the mysterious disappearances, threatening the fabric of its vibrant society.
7. **Considine:** The capital city of Noctis Terra, defined by its Gothic architecture and mysterious ambiance, finds itself at the center of a sinister web of disappearances, its shadowy streets now harboring a sense of dread and foreboding.
8. **Pineville:** A close-knit community with its unique character, Pineville now experiences a sense of fear and vulnerability as the disappearances strike at the heart of its cherished unity and tranquility.
9. **Summer Springs:** The peaceful town located on the northwest coast, once known for its serene atmosphere and essential transportation hub, now grapples with the unsettling vanishing of its gifted children, disrupting the tranquility that once defined its existence.
10. **Toll:** Acting as the central point of connection for the eerie and desolate landscape of Mortus Terra, Toll's role as the region's capital and vital train hub is marred by the perplexing disappearances, plunging the city into a state of apprehension and turmoil.

#### Connections:

The interconnected network of cities and towns across the sprawling continent of Pneumanor forms a complex web of trade routes, transportation hubs, and cultural diversity, contributing to the vibrant tapestry of life and commerce within the region. Here is how the various locations are connected:

1. **Toll:** Serving as the central hub within the region, Toll stands as a pivotal point of connection for the extensive train network that spans the continent, linking the bustling cities and towns of Pneumanor and facilitating the transport of both goods and travelers across the expansive landscape.
2. **Considine:** As the capital city of Noctis Terra, Considine acts as a significant cultural and political hub, drawing upon the extensive train lines that traverse the region and connecting the city with other major hubs and towns, fostering a sense of unity and communication within the realm.
3. **Minus:** With its rich history and cultural significance, Minus serves as a bustling shipping city, utilizing the train lines that run through the region to facilitate the transportation of goods and resources to and from the city, contributing to its vibrant economy and status as a center of trade and commerce.
4. **Port Caspian:** Functioning as a vital economic center and a bustling shipping hub, Port Caspian benefits from its strategic location and access to the extensive train lines that connect it to other cities and towns, fostering a robust trade network that drives the region's economic prosperity.
5. **New Garland:** Serving as a large and diverse metropolis, New Garland stands as a bustling trade hub with access to the extensive train lines that crisscross the continent, enabling the city to maintain its status as a melting pot of cultures and a center of vibrant economic activity.
6. **Gilead:** Positioned strategically within the region, Gilead's connection to the extensive train lines contributes to its role as a crucial point of defense and trade, allowing the city to maintain its strategic significance and facilitate the movement of resources and goods to and from other major cities and towns.
7. **Appleton, Summer Springs, and Pineville:** These small fishing villages, while more secluded than their larger counterparts, benefit from their connection to the train lines that pass through their respective regions, enabling them to engage in limited trade and maintain essential connections with the broader network of cities and towns across Pneumanor.

### **Outline:**

* **Introduction and the Society of the Golden Thorn:** The adventure begins with the Society of the Golden Thorn receiving reports of the mysterious disappearances of psychic children across Pneumanor. The team, led by Veloris, sets out from their headquarters in New Garland Terra to investigate the disturbing occurrences. As they delve deeper into the case, they uncover clues pointing to the existence of a shadowy organization known as the Ebon Circle.
* **Unveiling the Threat of the Ebon Circle:** The team's investigation leads them to encounters with various entities under the influence of the Ebon Circle, who seem to be linked to the psychic children's abductions. They learn that the Ebon Circle, a group of psychic vampires led by a powerful and enigmatic figure, seeks to harness the latent psychic energy of the abducted children to fuel their dark ambitions.
* **Confrontations and Clashes with the Ebon Circle:** As the team follows the trail of the Ebon Circle's activities, they engage in intense confrontations with the organization's agents, navigating through treacherous environments and facing formidable challenges orchestrated by the group. During these encounters, Karen Aylwood is targeted and eventually captured by the Ebon Circle, adding urgency and personal stakes to the mission.

* **Alliances and Revelations:** In their pursuit of Karen and the Ebon Circle's leader, the team forms alliances with key NPCs, including Lycanis the Mystic, Lady Valeria Nocturne, and Sister Elysia, who provide crucial insights and aid in their mission to infiltrate the Ebon Circle's stronghold. They uncover the group's true motives, discovering a sinister plot to unleash a powerful psychic entity that threatens to plunge Pneumanor into darkness.
* **The Final Confrontation and Rescuing Karen:** In a climactic showdown, the Golden Thorn team faces off against the Ebon Circle's leader and their powerful minions in a battle that tests their resolve and unity. With their combined skills and determination, they rescue Karen and thwart the Ebon Circle's plans, preventing the catastrophic release of the malevolent psychic entity.

### **Key Events:**

* The discovery of the first missing child with psychic abilities in New Garland Terra.
* Encounter with a mysterious psychic entity that leaves the team members with haunting visions of the Ebon Circle's activities.
* Karen's abduction by the Ebon Circle, leading to a race against time to rescue her before the group's dark rituals are completed.
* Uncovering the Ebon Circle's hidden lair within an ancient, abandoned temple, guarded by powerful psychic wards and traps.
* A tense negotiation with Lady Valeria Nocturne, who provides the team with crucial information about the Ebon Circle's internal hierarchy and vulnerabilities.
* A betrayal within the team as they discover one of their own has secretly been working with the Ebon Circle, endangering their mission and causing internal conflict.

## Known Victims:

1. **Mia Johnson** - New Garland (Found Tober, 5, 1945)
2. **Oliver Parker** - Minus (Found Tember, 1, 1945)
3. **Emily Chen -** Considine (Found Nisan, 24, 1945)
4. **Jacob Barnes** - Ruby Harbor (Found Av, 8, 1945)
5. **Sophia Nguyen** - Port Caspian (Found Av, 10, 1945)

* Constable Report - Oliver Parker
* Constable Report - Mia Johnson
* Constable Report - Emily Chen
* Constable Report - Jacob Barnes
* Constable Report - Sophia Nguyen

## The Ebon Circle:

The Ebon Circle is a secretive and insidious cabal of individuals dedicated to the pursuit of power and dominance through the exploitation of psychic energy. Composed of influential and affluent figures from various spheres of society, the Ebon Circle operates clandestinely, wielding their collective influence to manipulate events and further their nefarious agendas.

Led by the enigmatic Eclipse Master, the Ebon Circle's members are united by their unwavering commitment to the accumulation of psychic energy and their disdain for those they perceive as inferior. Their actions are shrouded in secrecy, and their true intentions remain veiled behind layers of deception and misdirection.

Each member of the Ebon Circle possesses unique skills and attributes that contribute to the group's collective influence and power. Lady Isadora Nightshade, the High Priestess of Manipulation, is known for her cunning and ability to sway minds to her will. Lord Lucian Duskblade, the Master of Psychic Warfare, employs his formidable psychic abilities to bend the wills of others to his command. Dame Seraphina Frostbane, the Keeper of Forbidden Lore, delves into the darkest corners of forbidden knowledge to unearth secrets that grant the Ebon Circle an edge over their adversaries.

Baron Viktor Nightwind, the Harbinger of Fear, employs terror and intimidation to bend others to his will, while Countess Lilith Shadowthorn, the Mistress of Blood Magic, wields the dark arts of blood manipulation to achieve her goals. These individuals, along with other influential members, form the core of the Ebon Circle, a shadowy organization that operates in the shadows, manipulating events and individuals to serve their dark ambitions.

The Ebon Circle's reach extends far and wide, with tendrils of influence stretching into various facets of society. From politics and commerce to the arcane and the occult, their presence can be felt in the darkest corners of civilization, sowing discord and chaos to further their own ends. With their formidable abilities and unwavering dedication to their cause, the Ebon Circle represents a formidable threat to the stability and well-being of the world around them.

### Members:

* **Eclipse Master - The Enigmatic Leader:** The Eclipse Master is the elusive and cunning leader of the Ebon Circle, shrouded in mystery and darkness. With a relentless desire for dominance, the Eclipse Master manipulates the members of the Circle to serve their grand vision of unleashing the dormant psychic entity. Their charisma and malevolent intellect make them a formidable adversary, capable of weaving intricate schemes and psychological manipulation to achieve their sinister ends.
* **Lady Isadora Nightshade - High Priestess of Manipulation:** Lady Isadora Nightshade is the seductive and devious high priestess of the Ebon Circle, renowned for her mastery of psychic manipulation and mind control. Using her enchanting allure and formidable psychic abilities, she ensnares unsuspecting victims into serving the Circle's twisted agenda. Her charm conceals a heart of darkness, as she revels in the suffering and despair of those who fall under her influence.
* **Lord Lucian Duskblade - Master of Psychic Warfare:** Lord Lucian Duskblade is a ruthless and calculating warrior, skilled in psychic combat and manipulation of psychic energies. His relentless pursuit of power drives him to crush any opposition to the Ebon Circle's plans, using his formidable psychic abilities to dominate and control his adversaries. Unyielding and merciless, Lord Lucian serves as the Circle's enforcer, ensuring that their enemies meet a swift and brutal end.
* **Dame Seraphina Frostbane - Keeper of Forbidden Lore:** Dame Seraphina Frostbane is a cold and calculating sorceress, specializing in forbidden psychic rituals and dark arcane magic. Her insatiable thirst for ancient knowledge drives her to unearth forbidden secrets and unleash dark forces upon the realm. With her mastery of ancient texts and dark arts, she weaves intricate spells that corrupt the very fabric of reality, enabling the Ebon Circle to bend the forces of the psychic realm to their will.
* **Baron Viktor Nightwind - Harbinger of Fear:** Baron Viktor Nightwind is a shadowy figure shrouded in darkness, instilling fear and despair wherever he goes. His mastery of psychic illusions and manipulation of emotions allows him to sow discord and terror among the populace, paving the way for the Ebon Circle's ascension to power. The mere mention of his name strikes dread into the hearts of those who have crossed his path, as he revels in the suffering and chaos he orchestrates.
* **Countess Lilith Shadowthorn - Mistress of Blood Magic:** Countess Lilith Shadowthorn is a cruel and sadistic practitioner of blood magic, harnessing the life force of her victims to fuel her own dark powers. Her insatiable thirst for blood and suffering fuels her wicked experiments, as she seeks to unlock the secrets of immortality and ultimate psychic dominance. With her mastery of forbidden rituals and sacrificial rites, she serves as the Circle's chief architect of dark and twisted experiments, inflicting unimaginable horrors upon their captives.
* **Malachi Darkthorn - Shadowmancer:** A mysterious and elusive figure cloaked in dark robes, Malachi Darkthorn is a master of shadow magic and manipulation. His pale, gaunt visage is partially obscured by a hood, casting his features in an eerie half-light that conceals his true intentions. Malachi serves as the enigmatic leader of the Ebon Circle, orchestrating their sinister operations from the shadows with a combination of psychic prowess and shadowy manipulation. His chilling presence instills fear and unease, and his mastery over shadow magic makes him a formidable adversary to any who dare to challenge the Ebon Circle's reign of darkness.
* **Aurelia Nightshade - Mindbender:** Aurelia Nightshade is a captivating yet treacherous enchanter, known for her ability to manipulate the minds of her victims with an alluring charm and a touch of malice. With her piercing gaze and sly smile, she ensnares the unwary with illusions and psychic enchantments, using her alluring facade to lure unsuspecting victims into the grasp of the Ebon Circle. Her mastery over psychic manipulation and enchantment magic makes her a formidable foe, capable of turning allies against each other and sowing discord within the ranks of the Society of the Golden Thorn.
* **Silas Grimwood - Bloodweaver:** Silas Grimwood is a brooding and malevolent figure, known for his mastery of blood magic and the dark arts of sacrifice and ritual. Clad in tattered crimson robes stained with the remnants of forbidden rites, he wields the power of blood to fuel his dark ambitions and empower the rituals of the Ebon Circle. His presence is accompanied by an air of malevolence and a lingering scent of iron, as he harnesses the life force of his victims to strengthen the bonds of the Ebon Circle and ensure their dominance over the realm of psychic energies.

### Symbol:

The mysterious symbol associated with the Ebon Circle is a complex sigil that combines elements of ancient runic script with intricate occult patterns, creating a visually striking and enigmatic emblem. It consists of a central circular motif, encompassed by interlacing lines that weave in and out, forming a labyrinthine pattern suggestive of entwined energies and hidden knowledge.

At the core of the symbol lies a stylized eye, representing the organization's relentless pursuit of psychic power and its all-seeing influence over the realm of the supernatural. Radiating from the central eye are branching tendrils, each adorned with smaller symbols and sigils, evoking a sense of arcane mastery and control over the forces of the occult.

Embedded within the intricate design are subtle references to ancient deities and entities, hinting at the Ebon Circle's dark allegiance to primordial forces and their insidious manipulation of psychic energies for their own sinister ends. The combination of esoteric glyphs and intricate geometric shapes within the symbol conveys a sense of forbidden knowledge and the mystic arts, alluding to the organization's deep-rooted understanding of the occult and their mastery over ancient rituals that defy the natural order.

### The Ominous Pendulum:

**Item Level:** 8+

**Price:** 6000 gp

**Hands:** 1

**Usage:** Held pendulum

This pendulum is crafted from an unknown black mineral and is suspended on a delicate silver chain. It swings erratically, reacting to the presence of psychic disturbances and emitting low, haunting hums that seem to echo the whispers of lost souls.

### Activation:

Focus Activation, Mental; **Trigger:** You encounter a psychic disturbance or presence; **Effect:** The pendulum vibrates and emits an eerie aura in a 30-foot radius, revealing the presence and nature of nearby psychic energies or entities, providing you with a +2 item bonus to Perception checks to detect hidden or invisible creatures or objects with psychic properties.

Additionally, the Ominous Pendulum can be used to perform divination rituals, allowing the user to seek glimpses of potential future events tainted by the influence of the Ebon Circle's malevolent designs. The wielder may enter a trance-like state, during which they gain a limited glimpse of potential paths and outcomes, granting them a single-use bonus to a Knowledge or Arcana check related to uncovering the plans or activities of the Ebon Circle.

The Ominous Pendulum can be further enchanted or enhanced by members of the Ebon Circle, imbuing it with darker and more sinister powers, allowing them to manipulate the visions and whispers it offers to further their enigmatic agenda.