Session 105 - Now They're ALL As Despondent As Jaxii!

 

11th July 2025

In-game timeline: Start of session: 1490DR Mirtul 19. End of session: 1490DR Mirtul 20

Our "Heroes" are resolute, after much debate and a nice breakfast, to head to the Shadowfell in search of Pristis. They manage to persuade Gemrik, who was keen to join them in regaining his son, to stay behind in case Pristis is returned by the Raven Queen.

They head back to Hullack forest, heading for the portal, which was quite easy to find - it is well known thereabouts, though usually avoided.

Stepping through they find themselves in a miserable place. Dark and foreboding, all sense of hope dispelled.

Croydon.

No - not that bad - but close. All colour drained from their surroundings, and the entire place covered in a mist that seems to drag out any positivity that our Heroes cling to. Even Iwee's humming cannot lift the mood as they head towards the nearby town, or city, that they see in the distance.

Arriving at the gate they hear a commotion from the gatehouse. Wanting to avoid confrontation, Derrick tries the main gate to find it unlocked - they push through to enter the mysterious and imposing city.

It is inhabited, though the residents are shrouded in shadow, and none seem to be approaching the gate. The commotion in the gatehouse gets louder and Iwee, hoping to find something inside that could guide them to their goal, cautiously enters.

A fight seems to be happening upstairs. Downstairs, three bodies lay on the ground - bloodless but deceased. Pale, elven forms that Karoshi informs are Shadar-Kai - elf-kin who reside in this land. Masked, tattooed and their bodies pierced all over, they look as strange and imposing as the land itself. Our Heroes cautiously proceed to the stairs.

As Karoshi ascends, Jaxii and Derrick are surprised by a dark form - a shadow - that descends through the floor from above and attacks. The two fighters remain to deal with this undead, as the paladin and bard head up the stairs to find the source of the elvish shouting - a shouting that has suddenly stopped mid-scream.

The main battle upstairs is already over. Another Shadar-Kai lies unconscious on the floor, towered over by a wraith. Karoshi immediately engages the undead, ordering it away from the body and possibly saving the Shadar-Kai's life.

Unfortunately the wraith is not alone. Two more shadows emerge to battle Karoshi and Iwee, whilst a fourth joins its friend downstairs to keep Jaxii and Derrick busy.

With some of Karoshi's paladinic powers limited in this place, including his useful Aura of Protection, he - and the others - are far more vulnerable. Especially to the mind based attacks of these undead. Karoshi suffers most, having both his life force, and his strength, reduced, as his mind is pummelled by the wraith and shadows. Iwee too, of little strength to start with, finds her muscles drained by the shadow's attacks.

Whilst Derrick and Jaxii are managing to deal with the shadows downstairs, things look grim for Karoshi when a ghost emerges from the other side of the room and fixes the paladin with a stare. With some luck and a great deal of willpower, Karoshi manages to prevent himself from being possessed by the ghost and he breathes a sigh of relief when the ghost, seemingly distracted and with another purpose, fades through the wall and disappears.

The wraith and shadows remain, however, and Karoshi takes another beating before they are finally felled and the gatehouse seems quiet once more.

Iwee, having already searched the Shadar-Kai downstairs and stolen anything of value from them, graciously decides to leave the unconscious one with his possessions, and revives him with a healing potion. He is scared. Not only of the undead who attacked him, but seemingly scared of what the Raven Queen will do to him when  she finds him.

 Iwee, possibly annoyed at not having another body to steal from, gets angry and makes this Shadar-Kai - Batern - tell them what happened. It seems that he and his friends stole an item - the Conspirator's Visage - from the Raven Queen's palace, with the aim to use it to infiltrate Vecna's abode and steal something of value for the Raven Queen to gain her favour. 

Their plan backfired when they brought the item to this gatehouse and were attacked by some of Vecna's undead forces, who seem to have made off with the Visage. Batern needs to find Markela - the voice of the Raven Queen - to explain his actions and beg forgiveness. He is pleased when our Heroes ask to accompany him, explaining that this city has shifting paths, and finding the Court of Empty Desires at the base of the palace is not a simple task.

Unfortunately, as he move to leave the gatehouse, a large flock of ravens - an Unkindness, indeed - fly into the room and surround him and the bodies of his companions. After only a minute, the ravens leave, and the bodies, and Batern himself, are nowhere to be seen.

Our Heroes are once again alone in this strange place. And Karoshi is not feeling too good…