Session 87

Truth, Magic and Chaos

Concocting a New Plan

One Way Out

• Kristofer talks to Arc, Adikia, Kiris and Kirren. They enter the Darkcastle Mound’s dining hall and discuss a new plan.
• The party concludes that their only lead for a way out of Shadowfell is Korvin. Kristofer tells them that Korvin has a hideout a mile outside the walls, but it is surrounded by Shadow Knights. Adikia casts arcane eye to scout the area and look for the hideout.

Arc’s Patrol

• Arc investigates the Darkcastle Mound’s perimeter. He realizes that the Darkcastle Mound is a defensible position.
• Arc realizes that the trinket containing Korvin’s soul is pulsating with energy.

Resolving Familial Matters

• Kristofer attempts to talk to Kiris, but Kiris preferred being alone and exits the dining hall. Kirren follows Kiris.
• Kirren asks Kiris about his feelings for Kristofer. Kiris tells her that he is hurt by their father’s actions. Kristofer overhears this, and approaches Kirren and Kiris to apologize.
• Kiris and Kirren react coldly to Kristofer’s appeal. Kristofer concedes, and asks the two to at least give him a chance to prove himself.

Preparations

• Adikia informs the party that she found the hideout. The hideout is actually a ruined catacombs, but the entrance is guarded by many Shadow Knights. A brute force or a stealthy approach is out of the question.
• Kristofer devise a new plan: the Wayravens will provide distraction so that Adikia, Kiris and Arc can slip through and investigate Korvin’s hideout.
• Kristofer’s distraction requires him to destroy the walls and let the Shadow Knight army inside. The Wayravens will defend the Darkcastle Mound.
• Kristofer’s plan hinges on the party retrieving the Arcanus Labyrinthus so that they can activate the Darkcastle Mound’s portal sanctum. Kristofer calculates that the Wayravens can defend the castle for four days.
• Kirren agrees with the plan. She also tells the party that she, Leneia and Michaela will help defend the castle. Elix and Roldan will also be in their care.
• Adikia feels daunted by the plan because of her dwindling magic. Kristofer gives her a scroll that allows Adikia to conjure a great feast before them, restoring their health and magic before they proceed with the plan.

Into Korvin’s Lair

Sense of Familiarity

• Adikia, Arc and Kiris use the tunnel underneath Darkcastle Mound’s gatehouse to evade the Shadow Knights. After hearing the bell, a pre-approved signal from Kristofer that the way is clear, the party emerge from the tunnel and locate catacombs.
• The party enter the catacombs. Kiris and Arc notice that the architecture reminds them of the Wayraven Catacombs.
• The party enter through a hall lined with statues on both sides. Arc inspects the statues, and realizes that the symbols below are the ones they found in the Wayraven Catacombs.

A Dead Elven Knight

• At the end of the hall, they find a desiccated corpse of a male elven knight. Arc checks that the corpse has been dead for a year. Kiris finds some traces of necromancy magic on the body; he realizes that the magic has just been cut off recently. Adikia realizes the corpse’s trappings came from Sumber.
• Adikia opens the door and a Ghostly Knight attacks the party. Arc runs into the next room. Adikia successfully persuades the ghost to return back to its body.
• The corpse rises from the dead for a brief moment. The dead knight looks at Adikia, mimes out that Korvin did it to him. Then the statue points at a statue.
• Adikia and Kiris investigate the statue and find that it was moved before. They check the wall behind it and find a passageway behind the wall. Adikia decides not to forcefully open the wall as it might contain traps. The two walk to Arc’s location.

Padwin’s Riddle

• Arc finds a room containing six shelves and an unlit lantern at the center. The shelves contain identical scrolls. Arc tries to light the lantern, but to no avail.
• Arc reads the two tablets on either side of the room:

Tablet 1 Dedicated to Padwin Furwish

Date interred: AC 163

Friend of the Wayravens

Founder of Lorehold College

“No darkness can envelop the light of truth.” Tablet 2 Magical fire radiates revealing light

Luminous light reveals invisible truth

Between truths lie danger, magic then chaos wild

Behind history is a path to absolute truth

• Kiris and Adikia join Arc. Adikia casts sacred flame on the lantern. The lantern lights up and reveals phrases on top of the six shelves: 1. HISTORY HARBORS TRUTH 2. DANGER INVITES DEATH 3. TRUTH ENDANGERS 4. MAGIC ORDERS CHAOS 5. CHAOS OBSCURES TRUTH 6. CHAOS AMPLIFIES DANGER
• Adikia deduces that there must be an entrance behind the first shelf. Adikia finds a gap and pulls the shelf, revealing a narrow hallway.

Korvin’s Hiding Spot

• The party find Korvin’s study. Adikia inspects the spell circle on the floor. The spell circle constitutes a part of a spell. Adikia copies the sigils on the spell circle.
• The party find tomes, books and scrolls similar to the ones found in the room with the lantern. Kiris realizes that the series of rooms were once a repository of records before it was repurposed by Korvin.
• Arc finds a picture frame of her adoptive mother, Queen Zwenyr, beside Korvin’s bed.
• Adikia opens the scrolls and find them empty. She returns to the room with the lit lantern, and opens a scroll. Ink magically appears on the scroll, allowing Adikia to read its content. Aside from historical records, Adikia stumbles upon a used plane shift spell scroll.
• Arc and Adikia survey the room with the lantern to find a usable plane shift scroll. Arc opens a warded scroll with an explosive rune on it, dealing damage to him and Adikia and knocking some scrolls off the shelves.
• Kiris attempts to dispel the magical trap on the passageway behind the statue. He fails and the passageway caves in.
• Arc, Adikia and Kiris attempt to find a plane shift spell scroll. As they open the scrolls, they read more about Padwin’s historical records and insights.
• Arc pops Korvin’s trinket and asks him about the riddle. Korvin’s soul was unhelpful, but he learns that Korvin has a deep love for Queen Zwenyr.
• Adikia casts speak with the dead on the dead elven knight. Adikia learns nothing about the riddle, but learns that their name is Alya Stormrose. Alya reveals that their body guards the catacombs because Korvin requires Padwin’s knowledge.
• The party finally retrieve two plane shift spell scrolls. Adikia supplies the sigil sequence and Kiris casts the spell.