Infiltration, Phase 2
Bringing in the Assault Squad
- Splix, Noah and Thoradin guard the three warmages as they cast teleportation circles.
- The party rebuffs several dragon wyrmlings. The warmages finish their casting and a significant part of the Wycroft Gladiators emerge from the portals.
- An adult blue dragon emerges and threatens to attack the party. However, it is distracted by an explosion generated by Gloompowder Bags.
To the Acquermann Estate
- Kiris, Arc and Theobald travel with Kirren, Michaela, Leneia and Kariil to the Acquermann Estate.
- During their travel, they learn that the glimmering lights from within the collapsed structures are dragon eggs. At one point, a gloompowder explosion allow them to sneak past into the Acquermann Estate.
- Kirren leads the party into the Wayraven Catacombs. Kirren tells the party that the duel should be held here. Leneia heals Kariil, and Michaela gives him a shortsword. Kirren briefly explains the situation to Kariil, and Kariil agrees to duel Arc.
- Arc prepares for the duel; Kiris hands him the Twilight Dagger. The Twilight Dagger beckons Arc to kill Kariil.
The Duel
“Through the sacred rite once performed by Yekora and Aulephi, I, Kirren Acquermann, hereby commence the duel of Kariil and Arc.” “I, Michaela Randall, a noble of United Kippian, bear witness to this duel.”
- Just before Arc gets a hit in, Kariil utters a word to Arc, and then strikes himself with the shortsword.
“You will not have your honor, my traitorous brother. Mementus!”
Arc Recalls
- Arc remembers a fragment of his own past. He remembers being adopted by Kariil’s maternal figure, Queen Zwenyr.
- Arc recalls that Moon and Vanayra were also adopted by Queen Zwenyr. According to Arc’s memories, Queen Zwenyr orchestrated the deaths of Adikia’s adoptive parents.
- Arc recalls that he and Moon were sent to spy on the party. To protect their identities, their memories were magically removed.
- Kariil dies; Arc and Theobald mulls over reviving him, but Kirren forbade them as it would dishonor the duel.
- Arc feels power swelling from the Twilight Dagger. He throws it to test its power; at a near-instant speed, the Twilight Dagger flies back to him.
The Wayraven Catacombs
- The party decides to burn Kariil’s body with the Fire of Akenatun. Kirren tells the party that there is a source of Fire of Akenatun in one of the catacomb’s lower chambers.
- Kirren pulls Kiris aside. Kirren confesses that she was never offered the leadership of theWayravens; actually, Kirren was never accepted into the secret organization. Kirren hid this fact due to her resentment with her and Kiris’s father, but Kirren tells Kiris that she now understands her path in life: to lead the people of Yvernus.
- Kirren persuades Kiris to test if he will be accepted by the Wayravens. Kiris agrees.
- Kirren, Michaela and Leneia exit the Wayraven Catacombs to gather information on how to go to Shadowfell. Kiris, Arc and Theobald descend into the lower sections of the Wayraven Catacombs. The party bring Kariil’s body with them.
- The party approaches the door to the lower chambers. An inscription above reads the following:
LET RAVENS MOURN, LET SHADOWS PASS
- Kiris opens the door by putting his family emblem onto the slot on the sealed door.
- The party descends down the semicircular stone staircase. They find other emblems carved into the outer wall. They enter the lower chambers where the funeral rites were once conducted. A section of the exhaust tunnel has collapsed, blocking their access to the deeper section of the Wayraven Catacombs.
- The party spots a small room. They see a well filled with vaporous liquid. Theobald realizes that the well channels magic. Theobald serves as the conduit for the spell and he speaks with the dead.
Questions for the Dead
- Where is the Fire of Akenatun?
“Guarded by the shadows of the Wayravens.”
- Who are you?
“We walk the path of the darkness to lead the world unto the light of Akenatun.”
- Will you guide us to the path of shadows?
“Kiris, son of Kristofer, you are invited to walk the path of shadows.”
- Where is Kristofer?
- How is soul of Kariil?
“The soul of Kariil has not walked the path towards Matunda.”
The Path of the Wayravens
- After asking five questions, the well’s magic dissipates. Kiris sees a locket inside the well. Kiris tries to take it, but instead he is transported into a place enveloped with magical darkness.
- Kiris sees a vision of his ancestor being blessed by a divine light. The vision lights the room, and Kiris sees a stone altar on the far end of the room. On the altar are two unlit candles.
- Disembodied voices talk to Kiris:
“Kiris, present your emblem. You who have eyes that pierce the darkness, are you prepared to see the light?”
- Kiris agrees, and the voices respond:
“Light the candles with the fire that blessed us.”
- A secret entryway opened behind Kiris. Kiris walks through it and he arrives at the room containing a brazier. On the brazier is a waning fire. Near the brazier is an inscription that reads the following:
THE BRIGHTEST FIRE SUMMONS THE TALLEST SHADOWS
- Kiris lights a nearby torch and brings it to the room. He lights the two candles and the voices speak to him.
“You who have provided the fire, are you willing to sacrifice your light and embrace the darkness?”
- Kiris agrees. The voices induct Kiris into the Knights of the Wayraven.
“Kiris, son of Kristofer, you are now a Knight of the Wayraven. Walk the path of darkness, and lead the world unto the light of Akenatun.”
- A locket appears between the two candles. Kiris picks it up and senses arcane energy emanating from it. Kiris places his family emblem and Shadow Sigil inside the Wayraven Locket.
Arc and Theobald
- Arc and Theobald attempts to dig through the collapsed ceiling. Theobald casts stone shape on a large boulder to bore a tunnel through it.
- Arc and Theobald descend down and meet Kiris who was just exiting the room he was in. Kiris tells them that he has found the Fire of Akenatun.
- The party climbs through the makeshift tunnel. The party burns Kariil’s body with the Fire of Akenatun.
Treasure Room
- As the party ascends through the semicircular tunnel, Kiris and Arc spots an engraved circular slot on the wall. Kiris removes the Shadow Sigil from the Wayraven Locket and places it on the slot.
- The secret door opens to a treasure room of the Wayravens. They grab a blight spell scroll, an unidentified spell scroll, and a Necklace of Prayer Beads. The necklace contains one aquamarine, two black pearls, and two topazes.
- The party exits the Wayraven Catacombs. They see Leneia, Kirren and Michaela running away from the biggest structure in the Acquermann Estate. Before the two groups have a chance to communicate, a black dragon emerges from the building and chases them. The party exits the Acquermann Estate and runs away from the dragon.