Sabral
The Sabral Campaign. Intrigue, Magic, Cults, and Fire.
Last updated after Session 018
The conspiracy surrounding divine bloodlines claimed its architect when Lady Ruben transformed herself into the Witness using Thalara's stolen blood, only to be destroyed by the very warrior she tortured. But victory brought no peace. Queen Venia annulled the sacred oaths promising House Cadir the liege lordship, erasing thirteen years of Caelum's suffering with royal decree. The desperate journey to the Great Forest for elven healers brought both salvation and sorrow—Thalara's transformation was halted but not reversed, leaving her with permanent pain, while a walking calamity bearing silver flames delivered a message: the entity who forged Shadefall lies imprisoned beneath Raven's Rest and needs Caelum to dig deeper.
The truth about who murdered Caelum's family—Trophis and the Children of the Sun—was revealed at the Night Dancer, along with the devastating knowledge that Vixia once belonged to that very cult. Echoe, the brothel's proprietor, demonstrated her reach by forcing Caelum to his knees with telepathic compulsion when he overstepped with her spy Calista. In rage-fueled response, Caelum nearly murdered Calista before Daria and Thalara intervened, leaving the shapeshifter bound and guarded in Daria's home.
The Red Shepherd Games began with the Heroes pursuing twin objectives: sabotaging Elijah Ferdenstar's courtship of the Queen while uncovering an assassination plot against the Stormweather siblings. Through clever sabotage—rats gnawing armor seams, Daria's secret warding of a supposed weakling opponent—Elijah suffered humiliating defeat in his first bout. More disturbing was the discovery of Deep Speech script carved beneath Marika Stormweather's tent and the Moth Assassin that lurked there—a creature of wrong proportions and fragmented speech that burst into moths when touched by sunlight.
At Daria's 398th birthday celebration, confessions flowed freely. Prince Vis accepted Caelum's heretical associations and dark secrets with open arms, leading to their first proper kiss in a moonlit alcove. But when Daria finally allowed herself happiness with Bastion, a Shadow Entity manifested to claim her—revealing that someone bound her in infancy, a price it has come to collect. Forced to release Bastion's hand or watch it be taken, Daria fled into the night, leaving happiness behind as the shadow promised it would take everything until only it remained.
The conspiracy surrounding divine bloodlines claimed its architect when Lady Ruben transformed herself into the Witness using Thalara's stolen blood, only to be destroyed by the very warrior she tortured. But victory brought no peace. Queen Venia annulled the sacred oaths promising House Cadir the liege lordship, erasing thirteen years of Caelum's suffering with royal decree. The desperate journey to the Great Forest for elven healers brought both salvation and sorrow—Thalara's transformation was halted but not reversed, leaving her with permanent pain, while a walking calamity bearing silver flames delivered a message: the entity who forged Shadefall lies imprisoned beneath Raven's Rest and needs Caelum to dig deeper.
The truth about who murdered Caelum's family—Trophis and the Children of the Sun—was revealed at the Night Dancer, along with the devastating knowledge that Vixia once belonged to that very cult. Echoe, the brothel's proprietor, demonstrated her reach by forcing Caelum to his knees with telepathic compulsion when he overstepped with her spy Calista. In rage-fueled response, Caelum nearly murdered Calista before Daria and Thalara intervened, leaving the shapeshifter bound and guarded in Daria's home.
The Red Shepherd Games began with the Heroes pursuing twin objectives: sabotaging Elijah Ferdenstar's courtship of the Queen while uncovering an assassination plot against the Stormweather siblings. Through clever sabotage—rats gnawing armor seams, Daria's secret warding of a supposed weakling opponent—Elijah suffered humiliating defeat in his first bout. More disturbing was the discovery of Deep Speech script carved beneath Marika Stormweather's tent and the Moth Assassin that lurked there—a creature of wrong proportions and fragmented speech that burst into moths when touched by sunlight.
At Daria's 398th birthday celebration, confessions flowed freely. Prince Vis accepted Caelum's heretical associations and dark secrets with open arms, leading to their first proper kiss in a moonlit alcove. But when Daria finally allowed herself happiness with Bastion, a Shadow Entity manifested to claim her—revealing that someone bound her in infancy, a price it has come to collect. Forced to release Bastion's hand or watch it be taken, Daria fled into the night, leaving happiness behind as the shadow promised it would take everything until only it remained.
A Lord Without Legacy
The council's rejection doesn't just deny Caelum the liege lordship—it shatters the identity they've built through thirteen years of suffering. They survived the fire, endured the curse, fought Lady Ruben, and still the Queen says they're not ready. The young lord who arrived in the capital uncertain and trapped has learned to play political games, but now the game feels pointless. Drunk and desperate, Caelum turns from courtly ambition toward darker paths: forbidden knowledge, criminal guilds, and the mysteries of power that runs in veins they're not sure are truly theirs. Session 15 update: The council's rejection doesn't just deny Caelum the liege lordship—it shatters the identity they've built through thirteen years of suffering. They survived the fire, endured the curse, fought Lady Ruben, and still the Queen says they're not ready. The young lord who arrived in the capital uncertain and trapped has learned to play political games, but now those games feel pointless. Drunk and desperate, Caelum turns from courtly ambition toward darker paths: forbidden knowledge at the Gloaming Guild, criminal connections, and the mysteries of power that runs in veins they're learning were created rather than inherited.
An Unlikely Alliance
Thalara and Caelum begin to navigate the dangerous political waters of Valia by finding common ground: both are trapped by forces beyond their control, both have reasons to distrust House Vervson, and both recognize that Aurelia's games put them in mortal danger. Thalara offers herself as an ally despite their brief acquaintance, revealing she has her own issues with the house Aurelia married into. Caelum is wary—they've known each other barely a day, and she was part of the group that got him into this mess—but accepts that being on good terms would be ideal. It's a tentative beginning, marked by careful distance and mutual suspicion, but also by recognition that in Aurelia's web, they need every ally they can find. Session 3 update: Thalara and Caelum's tentative alliance deepens through forced proximity and unexpected moments of support. Assigned as his Royal Guard for the month-long courting season, Thalara finds herself defending Caelum's authority to others and his self-worth to himself. Their dynamic remains marked by mutual wariness, but genuine care begins to emerge beneath the professional distance—two people trapped by circumstances learning they might actually be friends. Session 6 update: Thalara and Calum's alliance transforms from tentative cooperation into sworn bonds. In the aftermath of claiming the cursed sword, Thalara produces her signet ring and swears to fight for Calum's house as vehemently as her own. Calum responds with a more conditional oath—to protect Thalara as much as they can without betraying those they're duty-bound to protect. It's not the clean promise Thalara offered, but it's genuine. When Thalara quietly retrieves and saves Calum's discarded cane 'just in case,' the gesture speaks to real care beneath the formal oaths. Their private conversation reveals deeper parallels: both seek answers about fires that destroyed their families, both navigate courts that would destroy them if their secrets emerged. Session 7 update: The bond between Thalara and Caelum deepens from sworn oaths into genuine partnership as crisis forces them to rely on each other. Thalara gently challenges Caelum about his treatment of Evelyn while offering unwavering support for his rage against Ruben. In the prince's chambers, she actively participates in political negotiation, pushing for accountability while supporting Caelum's bold ambition. When Ruben demands they enter the truth circle, Thalara physically interposes herself to protect her lord. Most tellingly, she speaks Celestial to an invisible Inquisitor, begging it to protect 'my friends'—including Caelum in that desperate plea. The alliance has transformed from political necessity into something approaching real friendship, tested by torture, conspiracy, and the constant threat of discovery. Session 8 update: The bond between Thalara and Kalem deepens from political alliance into genuine partnership forged by shared tragedy. Their conversation in the Prince's chambers reveals growing comfort—Thalara gently challenging Kalem about their drinking while Kalem reflects on the memory of their sister Cordelia. The revelation that both their families were destroyed in the same conspiracy thirteen years ago transforms their connection: they're not just allies by circumstance but survivors of the same coordinated elimination of divine bloodlines. Thalara's gift of wearing House Cadir colors and receiving the Corvine Guard cloak represents more than fashion—it's symbolic acceptance into a house that has lost so much. When Vixia warns that knowledge itself is poison and the only cure is seeing it through, both Kalem and Thalara recognize they're bound together not just by oaths but by the need for answers about fires that destroyed everything they loved. Session 17 update: The bond between Thalara and Caelum faces its most severe test when crisis pulls them from their beds in the dead of night. Thalara must decide whether to trust Caelum's cryptic demands to bring weapons and prepare for violence, then watch in horror as he nearly loses himself to rage against Calista. She physically shields the unconscious spy and delivers hard truths about not becoming the monster they fight. In the tournament tent afterward, their most vulnerable conversation yet explores the pit of darkness Caelum is descending into and Thalara's offered hand to pull him out. Both recognize they've looked into the same abyss—Thalara channeling her rage into martial skill, Caelum struggling not to drown in his. The alliance survives the night, deeper and more honest for having nearly broken. Session 18 update: The bond between Thalara and Caelum deepens through unexpected moments of care and counsel. Thalara pulls Prince Vis aside to explain Caelum's trauma—how someone raised on nothing but 'legacy, legacy, legacy' after losing everything as a child doesn't know how to love without calculating. Her patient advocacy helps bridge the gap between the two men, while her presence at the tournament tent interrupts their vulnerable moment, creating both awkwardness and affection. The alliance continues evolving from sworn oaths into genuine friendship marked by mutual protection and understanding.
Aurelia's Bitter Legacy
The Lady of Letters' carefully controlled mask shatters in private confrontation with her nephew, revealing decades of resentment festering beneath. Shipped off to marry Lord Verson at nineteen while her sister Agatha stayed home 'coddled' at Raven Rest, Aurelia lost everything she loved—her sister, her niece, the life she might have had. Now Caelum demands she be nice to him, wants her respect and warmth, and she cannot give what was never given to her. Her words cut with surgical precision: she wants him to make Agatha proud, but not by being a 'weak little lordling who needs his pillows fluffed.' The cruelty is born of love twisted by bitterness—of course she wasn't happy when Agatha died, she was her sister. But that doesn't mean she knows how to show the nephew anything but the same harsh treatment that forged her. The confrontation ends without resolution, Aurelia staring out the window as Caelum leaves, both wounded and neither willing to yield.
Brother Thomas's Crisis
When Thalara enters the cathedral to invite Brother Thomas to Daria's birthday party, the priest's reaction is one of religious terror rather than courtesy. Sweat breaks across his face the moment he sees her, and he turns his back to begin frantically lighting candles and reciting prayers about the Prophet's light protecting against 'the taint and darkness that has entered my church this day.' Every word Thalara speaks—even gentle reminders that it's Daria's birthday and would mean so much to her—is met with more desperate invocation about casting out demons and habitations of darkness. The man who once cared for Daria now sees only heresy in those touched by celestial power, his faith transformed into weapon against those he should love.
Caelum's Dangerous Ambition
The young lord who arrived in the capital uncertain and trapped is learning to play the game with frightening aptness. Caelum boldly offers himself as potential head of Inquisition despite being only twenty years old, stunning even Thalara with the audacity. When confronted by Ruben's power, they resist the truth circle's magic through sheer force of will and rage. Most tellingly, as Ruben is escorted away in shambles, Caelum delivers a parting shot: 'I told you this room does not suit you.' The limp, the trauma, the fear—all are being forged into something harder and more ruthless. But this transformation comes at a cost, visible in the bitter confrontation with Aurelia where family wounds are laid bare. Caelum wants power and respect, and is willing to weaponize everything—even their own suffering—to claim it. Session 9 update: Caelum continues learning to weaponize his circumstances into political advantage. During the Grand Ball, he turns the false engagement disaster into an opportunity to propose a unified front with Celeste while maintaining his denial. He recognizes Elijah Ferdenstone's ambition and immediately calculates an alliance that trades Caelum's legacy for Ferdenstone wealth. When Daria challenges him, he maintains composure long enough to deflect accusations strategically. Most significantly, he sees opportunity in the prison break conspiracy—positioning himself to 'heroically' capture escaped criminals and boost his reputation while his alter-ego assists the actual crime. This calculated risk-taking shows growing ruthlessness: he's willing to operate on both sides of the law simultaneously if it serves his goals. The young lord who arrived uncertain is becoming a player capable of managing multiple agendas, though the cost of such calculation remains to be seen. Session 17 update: Caelum continues learning to weaponize his circumstances and abilities for political advantage. During the planning session for sabotaging Elijah, he proposes something audacious: using his shapeshifting abilities to impersonate the nobleman and have a deliberately disastrous conversation with the Queen. When Thalara raises concerns about whether his cursed sword might be detectable by divine senses, Caelum expresses confidence in the 'Prince of Lies' craftsmanship'—a disturbing indication that he's growing comfortable with the supernatural powers that once terrified him. The young lord who arrived uncertain is becoming someone who calculates risks and uses every tool at his disposal, including powers born from dark entities.
Caelum's Deepening Bonds
Caelum's friendship with Daria deepens through gift-giving and vulnerability. He presents her with the Oshana ring he procured from Prince Vis, confessing he deceived the prince about its purpose—it was never for temple research but a birthday gift acknowledging Daria's faith. The moment overwhelms her, and they embrace with Caelum's shoulders trembling in rare emotional display. Caelum also offers Daria an official position with House Cadir's entourage, allowing her to travel without endangering her cathedral work. In return, Daria coaches him on how to kiss someone taller, serving as unexpected romantic adviser. Their dynamic balances mutual care with growing comfort in vulnerability—two people learning they can be honest with each other without judgment.
Caelum's Stolen Heritage
Caelum's father Edgar Cadere was never born—he simply 'came to be,' his appearance felt by servants of shadow gods across the realm. The commoner mother Myriada may be a lie. The fire that destroyed Raven's Rest, the sword that waited centuries for Caelum specifically, the silver flames that mark them—none of it was accident. House Cadere's legacy isn't noble bloodline but something far stranger: a family created by entities of undeath and shadow for purposes Caelum is only beginning to understand. Session 15 update: Caelum's father Edgar Cadere was never born—he simply 'came to be,' his appearance felt by servants of shadow gods across the realm. The commoner mother Myriada may be a lie. The fire that destroyed Raven's Rest, the sword that waited centuries for Caelum specifically, the silver flames that mark them—none of it was accident. House Cadere's legacy isn't noble bloodline but something far stranger: a family created by entities of undeath and shadow, with Caelum as the culmination of a plan set in motion before their parents even existed.
Calista's Captivity
The shapeshifting spy Calista, planted in Caelum's household by Echoe, lies bound and unconscious in Daria's home after Caelum's violent attack. Roderick stands guard as both witness and conscience, ensuring the prisoner receives treatment while preventing her escape. The situation creates multiple complications: Echoe will eventually notice her agent's absence, Caelum promised to question her but must first regain composure, and the Heroes now hold prisoner someone connected to one of the capital's most dangerous information brokers. Daria swore on what she holds most dear to keep her word, but the weight of that promise grows heavier with each passing hour.
Daria's Impossible Choice
When Daria recognizes Eli as their mission target, she faces the brutal reality of working for the Inquisition: sometimes the people you're sent to capture are people you care about. She chooses her friend over her mission, warning Eli and actively working to help him escape despite knowing the consequences. The sea elf's desperate flirtation and whispered warnings reveal how far she'll go to protect someone she loves, even as she apologizes to Thalara for potentially endangering Nadej through similar choices. Daria's compassion isn't naive—she knows she's risking consequences—but she cannot be the instrument of her friend's execution. This mission forces her to articulate where her true loyalties lie.
Daria's Sacred Connection
The Mother's sacred trees recognize something special in Daria—a sea elf far from ocean waters who carries Oshana's blessing but opens herself to the forest's ancient wisdom. When the silver tree in Ivy village pulls her inside without warning, she experiences communion with something impossibly old and vast. The Elder identifies her as "special," someone who can bridge the gap between water and wood, between sea elf devotion to Oshana and wood elf reverence for the Mother. Daria emerges describing it as a unique experience she'd like to repeat, and Caelum immediately recognizes her value: she can help him commune with the Villier tree to reach the soul of a previous Shadefall wielder. This arc explores Daria's growing connection to powers beyond her goddess, her ability to serve as translator between different divine presences, and what it means to be chosen by entities she doesn't fully understand.
Daria's Tavern Romance
A sweet, uncomplicated attraction blooms between Daria and Helga Redbane, the dwarf proprietor of the Red Bane Inn. Helga lights up when Daria enters her establishment, invites her to help during the Day of Tarnishing festival, and makes clear she'd like to spend evenings together 'without Vixia and Mesmer.' Daria, still technically married under sea elf customs but long separated from her spouse, finds herself flattered by the attention and winks back with genuine interest. Unlike the political machinations surrounding Caelum's courtship or the shadow-haunted complications of Daria's past relationship with Ladanis, this potential romance offers something rare: simplicity and mutual attraction without conspiracy or consequence.
Debts of Freedom
The prison break freed more than Elowen Frost—it unleashed dangerous individuals whose crimes earned them the deepest cells of the Royal Prison. Gascore the Blood Hand walks the capital's streets speaking of eyes that watch and sacrifices to make, with Lady Ruben at the top of his list. Trophis the Burning Sun plans to return to Raven Rest and awaken 'the seed of the sun' with proper sacrifices. Azriel the shadow-touched revolutionary rejoins the Gloaming Guild with ten years of imprisonment fueling his purpose. Prince Vis assigns the Heroes a grim task: hunt down the most dangerous prisoners and prevent innocent deaths, or face consequences for their role in the escape. What began as a mission to free one wrongly imprisoned woman now demands they become executioners of the chaos they unleashed.
Echoe's Bargain
Caelum, drunk and desperate as Mesmer, makes a deal with the Night Dancer's enigmatic proprietor Echoe: eyes in the Castle in exchange for intelligence on Lady Ruben and introduction to the Gloaming Guild. The brothel madam is the Lady of Whispers' direct rival, making this alliance both useful and treacherous. Echoe demonstrates supernatural abilities and intimate knowledge of Caelum's nature, suggesting she knows far more than she reveals.
Echoe's Dominance
The Night Dancer's enigmatic proprietor reveals the full extent of her reach and power when Caelum oversteps by using Calista—Echoe's spy, not his—to investigate Vixia's farm. In a devastating display of supernatural dominance, Echoe speaks directly into Caelum's mind with telepathic compulsion, forcing him to his knees and making him beg for mercy on the floor before Vixia. The humiliation shatters any illusion that Caelum controls his relationship with the information broker. Echoe makes clear that decades of preparation are at stake, and a young lord who calls her unwise will be taught his place. This arc establishes Echoe as a major power player with supernatural abilities, extensive spy networks, and the ruthlessness to crush those who threaten her operations.
Echoe's Long Game
Echoe, the Night Dancer's enigmatic proprietor and Lady Aurelia's rival, demonstrates the reach of her intelligence network. She pays handsomely for the prison break operation, provides crucial intelligence about the Blood Hand's history, and most dramatically, infiltrates Caelum's innermost household by placing her shapeshifting agent Calista among his staff. The brothel madam's long-term objectives remain unclear, but her capability is undeniable.
Echoes of 975 AA
The year 975 AA—thirteen years ago—emerges as the nexus point where multiple tragedies converge with disturbing precision. Lord and Lady Cadir visited Thalara's family home that year while researching bloodlines and divine heritage in the south. Months later, fire consumed Raven Rest, killing the Cadir parents and young Cordelia. Around the same time, assassins slaughtered the Kirianth Yestin household, killing Thalara's mother, sister, and brief husband from House Seacot. The letters Vixia plants reveal systematic elimination of celestial bloodlines, with House Seacot specifically named as targets. The pattern is unmistakable: the Cadirs discovered something about divine bloodlines in the south, and within the same year, both families were destroyed. What triggered the coordinated eliminations? Who ordered them? And what did the Cadirs learn that made them targets alongside the very bloodlines they were investigating?
Forbidden Knowledge
Caelum's search for answers about their supernatural affliction leads them to the Royal Library and an ancient wizard who remembers their parents. Prator offers a devil's bargain: fetch a rare northern flower in exchange for passages from a forbidden tome and—more tantalizingly—records of what books Caelum's parents once borrowed. This quest for knowledge mirrors their parents' own strange requests, suggesting a family pattern of dabbling in dangerous scholarship. Session 6 update: Caelum's search for truth about their supernatural affliction yields forbidden fruit from Royal Wizard Prator. The ancient tome 'Echoes of the Forbidden' reveals hidden history: divine offspring born from unions between old gods—beings with partial celestial power who could make bargains with mortals. Among them: a nameless creature born of shadow and nightmares, and a fiery monster that possesses plants and animals. Most telling: Caelum's parents borrowed these same materials heavily in 975 AA, the year of the fire that killed them. Prator's knowing comments about the 'chilling' grassy knoll where Caelum found the flowers suggest the old wizard is guiding them down the same dangerous path their parents walked. Session 8 update: Kalem's search for truth about their parents' deaths yields disturbing revelations about what Lord and Lady Cadir discovered in their final year. Roderick confirms they were researching bloodlines, family histories, and marriages—asking questions that made powerful people uncomfortable and getting 'too close to something.' Most damning: in 975 AA, the year of the fire, they visited Thalara's family home in the south. This was no social call—the Cadirs were investigating the very bloodlines that would soon be targeted for elimination. Thalara remembers playing with young Cordelia during that visit, both families alive and whole. Months later, fire consumed Raven Rest and assassins slaughtered the Kirianth Yestin household. The pattern is unmistakable: Kalem's parents learned something about divine bloodlines in the south, and both families paid with their lives. The forbidden knowledge they sought is now within Kalem's reach, but the cost of pursuing it has already been written in ash and blood.
Hunting the Royal Assassins
Lady Aurelia reveals that at least two assassination attempts have been made on Kanata and Marika, the two eldest royal siblings, in the past week during the season. Whispers among kitchen staff and castle servants suggest a coordinated effort to eliminate heirs to the throne. The Red Shepherd Games provide perfect cover for a third attempt—combat accidents happen, arrows go astray, and deadly mistakes in tournaments can appear tragic rather than murderous. The Heroes must identify who hired these assassins and prevent another attempt, all while suspicion falls on the obvious candidate: Lilifa, the firstborn child of the Queen's remarriage, who stands to gain most from her half-siblings' deaths. But Aurelia admits they cannot find any correspondence or evidence linking her to the attempts, leaving the true conspiracy shrouded in mystery. Session 18 update: The assassination plot against the Stormweather siblings reveals its nightmarish nature when Caelum discovers Deep Speech script carved beneath Marika's tent and encounters the Moth Assassin—a creature with wrong proportions, dark hair, and bright red eyes that speaks in fragments about 'the eye always watching' before bursting into hundreds of moths when touched by sunlight. Daria's investigation among servants uncovers that strange guttural chanting has been heard from the sisters' rooms at night, with assassination attempts beginning after these sessions started. The conspiracy runs deeper than political rivals—it involves aberrant magic and creatures from beyond normal reality.
Journey to the Great Froest
The party embarked on an urgent journey to the Great Fruist seeking a wood elf cleric of the Mother who could heal Thalara's cursed wound. They hired tide keepers to speed their desperate race against transformation, arriving at the forest's edge where the Ivy Guard escorted them through oppressive darkness to a firefly-lit elven village. Elder Vrisar initially rejected the outsiders—fire, water, shadow, rot, and oceanic blood threatening natural balance—but Shadefall's appearance and Sariel's vouching earned them conditional acceptance. The elves agreed to heal Thalara if the party first cleansed the walking calamity threatening their home, setting up both the encounter with Daria Farlan and the promise of salvation still to come.
Living with the Curse's Legacy
Lufrana's healing halted Thalara's transformation into an Inquisitor, but the Prophet's curse left permanent scars. The transformation had already begun changing her body at the cellular level, and those effects cannot be undone. Thalara now faces a future of chronic pain, mental fog, and fatigue—symptoms that may never fully resolve. This arc explores how she learns to function as a warrior while bearing invisible wounds, how she navigates others' reactions to her "successful" healing, and whether she can find peace with a body that will never be whole again. The golden essence extracted from her blood now rests in vials on Lufrana's shelf, a reminder that what was taken cannot be fully restored. Session 17 update: Lufrana's healing halted Thalara's transformation into an Inquisitor, but the Prophet's curse left permanent scars. The physical damage manifests through stiffness that makes movement painful, joints that don't bend as they should, and a body that no longer responds with the fluid grace it once possessed. As she prepares for the Red Shepherd Games—a tournament demanding peak physical performance—the curse's legacy becomes both obstacle and constant reminder. She wakes moving like someone decades older, winces through stretches, and carries the knowledge that this is as good as it gets. The warrior must learn to fight with a body permanently compromised. Session 18 update: Thalara competes in the Red Shepherd Games while bearing the permanent scars of the Prophet's curse—stiffness that makes movement painful, joints that don't bend as they should, a body that no longer responds with fluid grace. As she fights through tournament rounds, the curse's legacy becomes both obstacle and constant reminder. She mercilessly defeats her first opponent, but every victory is achieved through a body permanently compromised, forcing her to fight smarter rather than relying on the physical superiority she once possessed.
Marked by the Divine
Thalara's celestial bloodline—the golden eyes, the divine healing light—is no longer a secret she can keep. In a moment of desperate emotion during the spar with Harpy, her hands blazed with golden radiance and her eyes transformed, revealing power that marks her as connected to something ancient and divine. Aurelia explained that only those with royal blood can control Inquisitors, and Thalara's bloodline ties to the same celestial entity as the crown itself. Then comes the revelation that changes everything: an Inquisitor appears to her in frozen time, and they recognize each other's souls. Not from this life—from something before. The Inquisition isn't just hunting criminals; it's hunting something specific, and Thalara is connected to it in ways she's only beginning to understand. The question isn't whether she'll be discovered—it's what happens when the full truth emerges. Session 4 update: Thalara's celestial bloodline continues manifesting through physical reactions to others with supernatural heritage—burning pain near Diego's infernal nature, resonance with the Queen's divine radiance, and disturbingly, recognition from Prince Vis when he sees her face. Her secret grows harder to contain as more people in power take notice. Session 6 update: Thalara's celestial bloodline continues manifesting in increasingly visible ways. During combat, golden light cracks through her skin like living fault lines, and her rage reveals the divine power she's desperately trying to hide. Eli's recovered sketchbook contains paintings of her mother and sister with halos and glowing eyes, confirming that her family's connection to prophetic power was documented by those watching for such things. The web of observers tracking prophet-touched individuals includes Thalara's bloodline, and the evidence of that surveillance now rests in the party's hands. Session 7 update: Thalara's celestial bloodline continues manifesting in increasingly visible ways, but this session brings a new development: direct communication with the Inquisitor creatures. When her friends are trapped in Ruben's truth circle, Thalara looks up at the invisible creature clinging to the ceiling and speaks rapid-fire Celestial, begging it to protect them. The creature's outline shimmers into visibility for her alone—eyes meeting hers with that same recognition from before. She's no longer just being watched; she's learning to interact with these supernatural beings who share her divine heritage. The question becomes whether she's building alliance or walking into a trap laid across lifetimes. Session 8 update: Thalara's celestial bloodline connects to the broader conspiracy in devastating ways revealed this session. When the letters about divine heritage mention House Seacot as suspected carriers of celestial blood, Thalara reveals she was married to a Seacot for a single day before assassins massacred both their families. Her brief husband, her mother Sophia, and her sister Demetra all died in the coordinated attack—and now she understands why. The painter Eli's recovered notebook contained images of her mother and sister with halos and glowing eyes, documenting their divine heritage. At the Grand Ball, Thalara speaks with Isabella Kirianth about the sole surviving Seacot heir, Jack, forcing her to maintain noble composure while discussing the tragedy that orphaned them both. Her celestial heritage isn't just a personal secret; it's part of a systematic elimination of divine bloodlines that has already claimed most of her family. Session 10 update: Thalara's understanding of her celestial heritage transforms from abstract danger into personal horror when Prince Vis reveals that Inquisitors are created from people like her—killed and resurrected as enslaved weapons. The three Inquisitors created five years ago include her mother and sister, transformed into the very creatures that hunt divine bloodlines. This revelation ignites a rage that will shape all her future choices, particularly her burning desire to see Lady Ruben dead for orchestrating such abominations. Session 17 update: Thalara's celestial bloodline continues to mark her as both asset and target. Lady Aurelia provides enchanted armor that grants invisibility—ostensibly payment for services, but also acknowledgment that Thalara needs protection beyond normal tournament safety. The armor suggests Aurelia knows or suspects that Thalara's divine heritage makes her vulnerable during the Games, where thousands of witnesses and chaotic combat could provide cover for those who hunt prophet-touched individuals. The gift is pragmatic: protect the asset while using her skills. But it also confirms that Thalara's secret isn't as hidden as she hopes.
Masks and Mirrors
Caelum Cadere grapples with the exhausting performance demanded by nobility—the constant war between their authentic self and the words they must speak to survive court politics. Through wine-soaked disasters and vulnerable confessions, they begin learning that some people might accept them without the mask, though the ball proves they're not ready to remove it entirely. Session 9 update: The exhausting performance of noble identity weighs heavily on Caelum this session, but he also discovers the liberation of removing the mask in safe spaces. During the boat conversations, he navigates the careful dance of courtly speech—negotiating with Elijah, deflecting Daria's accusations, choosing words precisely with the Prince. But over tavern drinks as Mesmer, wine loosens his control enough to admit attraction to the Prince, to fumble flirtation lessons spectacularly ('You look... nice. Captivating. Yes.'), to confess he's 'not like this when courting up in the Castle.' The contrast is stark: Lord Cadere performs with precision, while Mesmer fumbles authentically. Daria and Vixia become witnesses to his unguarded self, seeing the twenty-year-old trying to navigate impossible expectations rather than the polished noble heir. The question becomes whether he can integrate these identities or if the split will deepen dangerously.
Merchant Wars
The competition between Vixia's Dragon's Side and Balmon Fruist's Firstlight reveals the uglier side of the capital's commerce: open racism toward non-humans, sabotage accusations, and bitter resentment from a failing business watching a newcomer succeed. Vixia plants seeds of doubt about Firstlight's quality while Balmon hires guards and spews vitriol about 'fiery lizards.' Their daughter Elowen tries to smooth tensions, but her father's bitterness grows with each passing year. This rivalry will come to a head when the Gloaming Guild's explosive candle plot targets Firstlight as the scapegoat.
Mesmer's Shadow
Caelum Cadere crafts an alternate identity—'Mesmer,' a traveling mercenary from the south—to operate in Flower Bay's criminal underworld without compromising his noble reputation. The disguise features black hair, an eyepatch covering his magically frozen eye, and raven-feathered armor that ironically screams 'Cadir bastard' to observant viewers. As Mesmer, Caelum experiences liberation: he can fight without political consequence, pursue criminal enterprises, and express the rage he must suppress as Lord Cadere. During the spider attack, he revels in combat with undisguised glee, finally free to use his silver flame powers without fear of exposure. The dual identity allows him to be 'stupidly fun' rather than carefully controlled, though maintaining both personas will grow increasingly complex as each becomes more entangled in conflicting obligations.
Night Dancer Connections
The Night Dancer becomes a nexus of connection and revelation as multiple Heroes spend an evening there. Thalara comes out to John, transforming potential romance into genuine friendship. Daria receives an education in the establishment's services from Ruska, discovering aspects of herself. Vixia and Thalara bond over champagne and philosophical discussions about darkness and morality. John finds chemistry with Kieran the bartender. These personal moments of vulnerability and discovery happen in a space designed for discretion, where masks can slip and truths can emerge.
Oaths Broken, Oaths Remade
In a ruling that shakes the political foundations of the Rift, Queen Venia annuls the sacred oaths sworn thirteen years ago promising House Cadir's heir the liege lordship. These oaths—made upon the deaths of Caelum's parents—represented the bedrock of his claim and identity. Now they're simply gone, erased by royal decree. Caelum must prove himself worthy without the inherited promise that sustained him through years of suffering. The annulment represents more than political maneuvering—it's a fundamental rewriting of succession law, demonstrating that even the most sacred promises can be unmade by royal authority. Caelum has until autumn to rebuild his claim from merit alone, or watch his family's legacy slip away forever.
Oaths Spoken and Broken
In the aftermath of claiming the cursed sword, Calum proposes they all swear to keep each other's secrets—a mutual protection pact against the forces hunting them. Vixia immediately refuses with brutal pragmatism: they've all already shown a remarkable lack of discretion. The conversation devolves into cascading confessions—Daria naming the brothel, Thalara revealing her meeting with Prince Vis, Vixia pointing out that they're all equally expendable in Aurelia's eyes. Yet from this fractured attempt at unity, genuine bonds emerge. Thalara and Calum make personal oaths to each other. The party doesn't achieve their stated goal of collective trust, but they learn which individual connections they can actually rely on.
Sabotaging the Queen's Suitor
Lady Aurelia assigns the Heroes a personal mission: ensure Elijah Ferdenstar does not win the Queen's hand in marriage. The mining-region nobleman has Lady Ruben's fingerprints all over him, and his growing closeness to the Queen threatens Aurelia's plans to see her son Aiden on the throne. Any method will suffice—spread rumors through brothels about inappropriate proclivities, plant salacious materials in his tent for the Queen to discover, defeat him spectacularly in tournament combat, or even have Caelum shapeshift into his form and sabotage the relationship directly. The Heroes plot elaborate schemes involving orcish literature, strategic losses, and calculated humiliation, all while navigating the question of how far they're willing to go to serve the Lady of Whispers' dynastic ambitions. Session 18 update: The Heroes execute their sabotage mission with spectacular success, humiliating Elijah Ferdenstar in the tournament's first round. Vixia's rats gnaw his armor to the breaking point while Daria uses cunning deception to ward his opponent Celeste Gildon. When Elijah's equipment falls apart mid-combat and he loses to the tournament's weakest fighter, the crowd—especially the peasantry—roars with mockery. Though the Queen still gives him a coquettish wave, the damage to his reputation is profound. Four of five successes achieved, with one more needed to fully sabotage his courtship prospects.
Secrets of the Bound Tree
The ancient tree in the forest is more than it appears—bound by chains and protective stones inscribed with fading abjuration magic, it once held something dark and dangerous sealed within. When Calum investigated, toxic mushrooms bloomed and visions overwhelmed them, revealing that the sealing magic has weakened to mere wisps. The tree's oppressive aura of dread vanished after consuming Applegate, suggesting it fed on him deliberately. What was sealed? Has it been released, or was Applegate's death the final key? The truth remains buried, waiting to surface. Session 2 update: The ancient tree's influence spreads beyond the forest through supernatural manifestations. A fire sprout grows from molten ground in Vixia's shop, drawing her wildfire spirit like a moth to flame. Meanwhile, Caelum's nightmares deepen into prophetic visions showing a vast corrupted forest where silver flames burst from their own being, racing toward distant golden light while rot and death worship them. The tree consumed Applegate, but its purpose—and what it released or awakened—remains terrifyingly unclear. Session 3 update: The ancient sealed tree's influence spreads through supernatural manifestations across the capital. A burning sapling grows from molten ground in Vixia's shop, while Caelum's nightmares deepen into prophetic visions. The tree consumed Applegate, but what it released—or awakened—remains terrifyingly unclear. Now its essence appears in multiple locations, suggesting the seal's breaking has consequences that reach far beyond the forest. Session 7 update: The ancient tree's influence spreads through Vixia's shop in accelerating corruption. The sapling she left as manageable has transformed in weeks away—now as tall as Vixia herself, its twisted trunk showing faces frozen mid-scream, its touch setting surfaces ablaze. When she tries to prune it, the bark ruptures into a mouth that bites, dealing fire damage. Her fire spirit approaches reverently before submitting like prey before predator. The tree has outgrown containment and control, forcing Vixia toward desperate measures: she needs to move it before it consumes her shop, and only the Gloaming Guild might be desperate or reckless enough to help harbor such a thing. Session 8 update: The ancient sealed tree's influence has evolved beyond physical manifestation into spiritual bonding. The sapling that grew in Vixia's shop revealed itself as a conscious child of old gods seeking to reunite with its divine parents. When Vixia explained the need to relocate it before discovery, the tree proposed hiding its flames within her soul—a proposal she accepted. The resulting transformation saw fire cascade across her scales until she glowed with inner heat, then sink into her flesh. The sapling now appears dead and dormant, but Vixia carries its essence within her, bound to a divine entity that promises they will "grow together to set ablaze this world of water."
Shadow of the Flame
Something dark dwells within Calum Cadere, a supernatural power tied to their fire-scarred past and the nightmares that still haunt them. When Calum breathed the tree's spores, they experienced visions of vines, rot, and fungal growth—the same images that plague their dreams. When wood elf arrows nearly killed them and Daria pulled them back from death's edge, witnesses felt scorching heat radiating from Calum's body and saw ash falling from their skin. Even their veins turned deep purple before washing away in water. The transformation terrifies Calum, who deflects questions and denies what others clearly witnessed. Whatever power burns within them is awakening, whether they will it or not. Session 2 update: The dark power within Caelum Cadere breaks through the barrier between dreams and reality. Their recurring nightmare deepens into prophetic vision: a nightmarish forest lit by purple moonlight where corrupted plants worship them as silver flames burst from their body. But this time, the dream leaves marks—thorns from the vision carve real wounds down their legs, and a door handle touched in nightmare leaves genuine burns on their palm. The transformation Caelum fears is accelerating beyond their control, manifesting whether they will it or not. Something within them is awakening, and the boundary between what they are and what they're becoming grows thinner with each night. Session 3 update: The dark power within Caelum Cadere breaks through every barrier they've erected. Their illusions fail, revealing frost-patterned skin and burns that appear from nightmare. But most terrifying: the silver flames now come at will, cascading from their fingertips in casual displays before witnesses. The transformation accelerates beyond control, manifesting whether Caelum wills it or not, and now nobles have seen what they can do. Session 5 update: The cursed sword has bonded to Calum, granting borrowed strength and awakening silver flames that respond to their will. But the power comes with a terrible cost—without the blade in hand, Calum's weakness returns immediately. They've gone from fearing their transformation to wielding it, smiling through combat as necrotic fire and cold magic erupt from their strikes. The young lord is learning to command supernatural forces, but the dependency on the cursed blade grows with each use. Session 6 update: The cursed sword has bonded to Calum, granting borrowed strength and awakening silver flames that respond to their will. But the power comes with a terrible cost—without the blade in hand, Calum's weakness returns immediately. They've gone from fearing their transformation to wielding it, smiling through combat as necrotic fire and cold magic erupt from their strikes. The young lord is learning to command supernatural forces, but the dependency on the cursed blade grows with each use. Session 9 update: As Mesmer, Caelum openly wields the silver flame powers he must hide as Lord Cadere. During the spider attack, his cursed sword erupts with silver fire that burns through chitin and web with devastating effect. He fights with undisguised joy, smiling through combat as necrotic flames cascade from his strikes. The disguise liberates him to use his supernatural abilities without fear of exposure—no nobles watching, no reputation to protect, just pure release of pent-up power and frustration. When his silver flame proves highly effective against the giant spiders, Caelum experiences the intoxicating freedom of fighting at full strength. The magical shield that protects him from the fall demonstrates his growing mastery over these abilities. But this freedom comes with risk: Prator seems to notice something about the 'mercenary's' magic, and maintaining two identities means double the chances of his curse being discovered. Session 17 update: The dark power within Caelum Cadere breaks through in its most violent manifestation yet. When rage and humiliation overwhelm him, the Form of Dread erupts—silvery flames cascade across his body, vines strangle his sword-hand, and something inhuman takes hold. The transformation isn't possession but amplification: his rage given supernatural form, his pain weaponized into terror-inducing presence. For seconds that stretch into eternity, Caelum becomes the monster his friends fear, striking with vicious glee before shame finally breaks through. The power that once terrified him now answers to his darkest emotions, and he's learning how easily he can call upon it when pushed to the breaking point.
The Alastor North Gambit
Thalara initiates a political play to position Knight Captain Alastor North as a candidate for the vacant Head of Inquisition position, promising Lord Kadir's backing and suggesting Lady Aurelia's interest. The proposition surprises Alastor, who never imagined such heights possible for someone who rose from 'the very lowest of lows,' but the idea intrigues him. He promises to consider within a week, though warns he won't step on Prince Vis's toes if the Prince wishes to keep the position. The gambit serves multiple purposes: it creates an alternative to Kalem's own ambitions for the role, positions a trustworthy figure in power, and demonstrates Thalara's growing skill at court politics.
The Blade's Prophecy
Shadeful, the ancient sentient sword Caelum claimed from beneath a cursed tree, awakens to speak directly into its wielder's mind—and the revelations shatter everything Caelum thought they knew about themselves. The blade was forged by one of the most powerful entities in the continent's history, has passed through the hands of history-makers like Velko the Undying and Kaidros Black Heart, and was told centuries ago that Caelum would be coming. Most devastating: Caelum's sorcerous power doesn't come from their blood or their father's legacy—it comes from Shadeful's creator, the same generous entity who bound them together across time. The sword speaks with sardonic patience about previous wielders who rotted while refusing to die, who answered the Mother's beckoning, who made history through destruction. Caelum sits hollow-eyed as the voice fades, calling 'Shadeful?' into silence, realizing they are not cursed by accident but chosen by design.
The Blood Hand's Purpose
The Heroes race to capture or kill Azriel the Blood Hand before the serial killer reaches his singular target: Lady Ruben. Driven by voices from Zeth the Messenger, the Blood Hand transforms into shadow and vanishes, making him nearly impossible to track. The party debates whether to let him eliminate their nemesis or save her life for leverage, ultimately planning to use Ruben herself as bait to draw out the supernatural assassin.
The Breaking Point
Learning the truth about who murdered his family—and being forced to his knees and made to beg before the woman who knew all along—breaks something fundamental inside Caelum Cadere. He lashes out violently against Calista, the spy planted in his household, nearly losing himself to rage and the Form of Dread. Only the intervention of Daria and Thalara pulls him back from becoming the monster he fights against. This arc explores the cost of truth, the seductive pull of vengeance, and whether a young lord consumed by fury can be saved from himself.
The Burning Sun Returns
The prison break succeeds beyond intended scope, releasing Trophis the Burning Sun—a towering cult leader whose chest illuminates with flame and who commands power tied to 'the Father.' Vixia confronts her former leader, forced to play loyal follower while concealing her betrayal. Trophis speaks of reuniting with other survivors and continuing 'our father's work,' suggesting an organized fire cult with revolutionary goals. His freedom represents a catastrophic escalation: an ancient power loose in the capital with followers, ambition, and divine fire at his command.
The Children of the Sun
In a midnight confrontation at the Night Dancer, Vixia Emberclaw reveals the truth Caelum has sought for thirteen years: Trophis, the giant dragonborn, personally led the Children of the Sun cult in burning Raven's Rest and murdering his family. More devastating—Vixia herself once belonged to that cult before handing it over to Caelum's aunt. Both she and Echoe have known the identity of his family's killers all along, withholding this information while using him for their own purposes. The revelation that the people he's been working with knew and said nothing transforms suspicion into betrayal, setting up an eventual confrontation with Trophis himself.
The Courting Season
The annual courting season transforms Castle Vervson into a pressure cooker of political maneuvering, romantic entanglements, and carefully orchestrated social warfare. Noble houses arrive with their heirs seeking advantageous marriages, while the Royal Guard is assigned as both protectors and chaperones to prevent scandals. For Caelum Cadere, the season represents both opportunity and danger—a chance to secure alliances for a house teetering on ruin, but also exposure to nobles who might exploit their weakness or discover their supernatural affliction. Session 4 update: The annual ritual of noble matchmaking reaches its ceremonial peak at the Suitors Ball, where practiced dances and formal announcements mask vicious political calculation. Caelum navigates unwanted attention from multiple houses while the season's true stakes—alliances, power, and House Cadir's survival—become devastatingly clear when fire transforms social warfare into literal chaos. Session 8 update: The courting season's peculiar rituals continue with the Grand Ball's morning garden party, where marriage prospects are evaluated through rowing competence and conversation skills. Kalem faces the brutal social theater firsthand: Celeste Gildon claiming them for a promenade before the event even begins, false engagement rumors circulating through the court, and the exhausting rotation of potential matches. Each boat ride reveals different aspects of noble expectation—Kiri Ixson's passionate discussion of horses and archery, the Stormweather sisters' conflicting values about north versus capital, and the Vervson family's open hostility when Janan explicitly declines his turn and Aisling rows aggressive circles while Aiden taunts. Meanwhile, Thalara attempts to blend with other guards but her fine new Corvine attire marks her as something else—neither quite noble nor quite servant, drawing confused attention from Isabella Kirianth and others. The season progresses with increasing pressure on all participants to secure advantageous matches before time runs out. Session 9 update: The annual courting season's peculiar rituals continue with the Grand Ball's morning garden party, where marriage prospects are evaluated through rowing competence and conversation skills. Caelum faces brutal social theater: false engagement rumors circulating through court, Lady Celeste claiming him based on an impersonator's proposal, young Elijah Ferdenstone seeking alliance to win the Queen's hand, and Daria aggressively questioning his honor. Each boat ride reveals different aspects of noble expectation and the exhausting performance required to navigate courtly matchmaking. The false engagement scandal threatens to define Caelum's entire season, demonstrating how easily reputation can be weaponized. Meanwhile, the Prince's personal interest in Caelum adds unexpected warmth to the otherwise calculating social warfare. Session 17 update: The annual courting season reaches its grand centerpiece with the Red Shepherd Games—a week-long tournament where second and third-born nobles display martial prowess to catch the eyes of eligible firstborns, particularly the Queen seeking a consort. Security has doubled following recent attacks, but still crowds stream onto castle grounds to witness noble peacocking transformed into combat sport. For the Heroes, the Games represent both opportunity and minefield: Thalara competes as House Cadir's champion while simultaneously working to sabotage Elijah Ferdenstar, protect royal heirs from assassins, and navigate the awkward social dynamics of pre-tournament schmoozing. The season's peculiar rituals continue, but now with swords in hand. Session 18 update: The courting season reaches its ceremonial centerpiece with the Red Shepherd Games—a week-long tournament where noble houses compete for glory and romantic prospects. Thalara represents House Cadir in gleaming borrowed armor, mercilessly defeating opponents while the Heroes work parallel missions. Prince Vis participates in golden armor, creating opportunities for encounters with Caelum. The Games serve as both genuine competition and elaborate social theater where courtships advance or collapse based on martial performance. Security has doubled following recent attacks, yet crowds still stream onto castle grounds to witness nobility at war.
The False Engagement
Someone impersonated Caelum Cadere and formally proposed marriage to Lady Celeste Gildon's parents the night before the Grand Ball. The Gildon family believed the proposal genuine and announced the engagement throughout court by morning, creating a political trap for the young lord. The Prince identifies Lady Ruben as the likely orchestrator—she benefits both from the engagement (tying Caelum to her allied house) and from its eventual dissolution (discrediting him as unreliable). Celeste pressures Caelum to maintain the fiction to protect both their reputations, while Daria and others assume he's backing out of a legitimate commitment. The scheme threatens to define Caelum's entire courting season and demonstrates how easily reputation can be weaponized at court.
The Fire Within
Vixia undergoes a profound supernatural transformation when the sentient sapling—child of old gods representing fire and war—offers to hide its flames within her soul. The bonding ritual sees divine fire cascade across her scales until she glows with inner heat reminiscent of ancient champions of the fire gods, then sink into her flesh. She now carries the essence of a divine entity within her, bound to a being that promises they will 'grow together to set ablaze this world of water.' The sapling appears dormant and dead to outside observers, but Vixia feels its presence constantly—her scales prickle with awareness, and she carries revolutionary potential in her very soul. This transformation marks her as something more than a simple candle maker or spy; she has become a vessel for old powers awakening in the world. Session 9 update: Vixia continues carrying the divine fire entity within her soul, its presence manifesting through her wildfire spirit and her connection to flame. During the spider attack, she summons her wildfire spirit with practiced ease and coordinates fire-based attacks that prove effective against the creatures. The spirit teleports her and Daria to safety, demonstrating the growing bond between Vixia and the divine entity sleeping in her flesh. Her scales prickle with awareness of the hidden fire, and her comfort with flame-based combat shows she's integrating the entity's power into her fighting style. The dormant sapling remains hidden but present, its promise to 'grow together to set ablaze this world of water' an underlying current to all her actions. As she becomes more deeply involved in revolutionary conspiracy, the revolutionary potential literally sleeping in her soul grows more significant.
The Gloaming Guild's Shadow Network
Vixia's tenuous connection to the revolutionary Gloaming Guild deepens through necessity and calculation. At the Night Dancer, Jackal reveals that the Inquisition came asking questions but her network of discretion held—she warned Harpy before capture, allowing the revolutionary to sacrifice some members while escaping. Jackal agrees to arrange one final meeting between Vixia and Harpy, but makes clear this is the end of the brothel's involvement. The conversation turns philosophical: revolution is bad for business, but sometimes being the downtrodden underdog is exactly what sells. Vixia expresses concern that the Gloaming Guild's chaotic, unordered approach will burn them all, but also recognizes she may need their help with the corrupted tree. The web of connections tightens even as it frays, each side using the other while wondering when betrayal will come. Session 8 update: Vixia's involvement with the Gloaming Guild evolves from tenuous contact into active collaboration as their revolutionary goals align with immediate needs. At the Red Harbor, she trades intelligence about the power vacuum left by Ruben's removal to Jackal, securing help relocating her dangerous contraband. Harpy Puddle Wrench herself emerges from hiding to make a more significant bargain: the Guild will handle Vixia's problems in exchange for planting damning evidence on Prince Vis's desk. Harpy's reaction to news of Vis taking the Inquisition position—'that is fortuitous'—reveals the Guild has been waiting for exactly this opportunity. Their purpose crystallizes: they're not random revolutionaries but a coordinated effort to restore the Prince's stolen divine heritage by forcing him to discover the truth about his birth, his father's death, and the systematic elimination of those who knew. Vixia becomes the instrument of this revelation, knowingly advancing the Guild's agenda while securing her own survival. Session 9 update: Vixia's involvement with the revolutionary Gloaming Guild evolves from tenuous contact into active leadership of a major operation. Harpy Puddle Wrench trusts her to orchestrate the prison break, recognizing the kobold's talent for turning chaos into profit. Vixia expands the scope beyond simple rescue into a sophisticated scheme that will embarrass the Crown, profit multiple criminal organizations, and advance the Guild's revolutionary agenda. She coordinates with Echoe to spread strategic rumors about pardons, recruits Daria through appeals to compassion, and brings Caelum into the conspiracy by offering him opportunities for heroic reputation-building. The operation demonstrates Vixia's evolution from cautious operative into strategic planner capable of managing multiple agendas simultaneously. Her suggestion to release multiple prisoners rather than just Elowen shows she's thinking like a revolutionary leader, not just a hired hand.
The Inquisitor Horror
The devastating truth about Inquisitors—that they are created by killing and transforming those with celestial blood into enslaved weapons—recontextualizes everything the Heroes thought they understood about the crown's supernatural enforcers. Thalara's discovery that her mother and sister are among these creatures transforms personal grief into burning purpose. This revelation connects to the systematic elimination of divine bloodlines and sets the Heroes on a collision course with Lady Daratharis, architect of these abominations. Session 13 update: The devastating truth about Inquisitors—that they are created by killing and transforming those with celestial blood into enslaved weapons—continues to drive Thalara's quest. This session brings direct communication with her transformed family, revealing they retain fragments of consciousness and desperately wish for release. The prophecies they offer suggest that powerful enough divine truth could grant them death and transformation, offering Thalara both a goal and a terrible burden: she must become strong enough to free her family by killing the monsters they've become. Session 15 update: The devastating truth about Inquisitors—that they are created by killing and transforming those with celestial blood into enslaved weapons—becomes horrifyingly personal this session. Thalara's cursed wound is the Prophet's transformation taking hold, the same process that claimed her mother and sister. The edges of her flesh harden to stone while the center glimmers gold, marking the early stages of becoming an undead servant of the crown. This transformation connects directly to the systematic elimination of divine bloodlines: kill those who carry celestial heritage, resurrect them as weapons, and ensure they can never threaten the established order. The party's desperate race to the Great Fruist is a race against Thalara becoming another tool of the very system that destroyed her family.
The Listener's Riddle
The Prime Inquisitor—a towering creature of white bone and gold metal called 'the Listener'—emerged from Lady Aurelia's chambers radiating blinding divine light and delivered a cryptic prophecy: 'Five lies and one truth. Strong truth brings war and revolution. A truth forgiven will bring the death and transformation of truth.' Its single massive eye fixed on each party member in turn, and it reached toward Thalara before being dismissed. The prophecy hangs over the party like a blade, and discovering which of their many deceptions is the 'one truth' may cost more than they can bear. Session 2 update: The Listener's cryptic prophecy—'Five lies and one truth, six of you'—begins to unravel in dangerous ways. Thalara trades part of the riddle to Aurelia, who burns it after confirming six were present at Applegate's death. But the true revelation comes when a different Inquisitor appears to Thalara in a moment of frozen time, its eyes meeting hers with unmistakable recognition. Their souls know each other. The riddle isn't just about present deceptions—it's about connections that span lifetimes, and truths the Inquisition has been hunting across ages.
The Loyal Retainers
Jon and Roderick, the Smithson brothers who helped raise Caelum at Raven Rest, bear the visible bruises of Inquisition torture with quiet dignity. When Thalara apologizes, feeling her warnings led to their interrogation, Roderick responds with warmth rather than blame—welcoming her to the 'cool vinegar' of House Kadir service. His words reveal the philosophy that sustains their loyalty: better to be honorable and royal than a sellout and liar, even when that honor leads to being beaten. The conversation turns bittersweet as Roderick speaks of remembering the dead—Edgar, Agatha, Cordelia—rarely talked about in the right light anymore. These men represent what House Kadir was and could be again: loyal not because they're compelled, but because they choose to serve something worth preserving. Their forgiveness of Thalara and continued service to Caelum despite torture shows a bond deeper than mere employment. Session 8 update: The bond between House Cadir's retainers and those they serve deepens through gestures of forgiveness and acceptance. Roderick carries visible guilt for surviving when his lord and lady didn't, haunted by memories of the research that got them killed and his inability to prevent it. When he deflects with bitter self-recrimination—'The best didn't save them'—Kalem refuses to let it stand, racing after him to deliver the truth: Roderick pulled them from the fire and saved their life. The acknowledgment transforms guilt into something bearable. Meanwhile, John and Roderick's gift of the Corvine Guard cloak to Thalara represents more than equipment—it's symbolic adoption into House Cadir's family despite her official assignment to the Royal Guard. Their loyalty isn't compelled by duty but chosen through respect, and they extend that choice to Thalara, recognizing she's become one of them through shared crisis and genuine care for their young lord.
The Notebook of Prophecies
Eli's recovered notebook reveals a vast conspiracy of supernatural awakening and prophetic surveillance. The frantic writings document individuals touched by divine or supernatural power: the Argent Knight, Storm Hag, Cursed Youth, and disturbingly, members of the party themselves. Ladanis is marked as 'Nightmare Weaver, touched by shadows.' Thalara's family appears in paintings with halos and glowing eyes. The central question haunts every page: 'Why do they rise when the frenzied king is not due to return?' Someone has been tracking prophet-touched individuals across the realm, documenting their awakenings, and now that evidence rests in the Heroes' hands. The notebook doesn't just implicate Eli—it implicates everyone it names, including the party. Session 7 update: The recovered sketchbook continues yielding dangerous revelations as Aurelia decodes its cryptic references. The term 'Storm Hag' identifies one of the old entities the Prophet Villier ousted before ascension—an ancient creature embodying natural disasters and extreme weather. Finding such charged terminology in smuggled materials suggests an insurgence of pre-Prophet beliefs stirring across the continent. Aurelia decides the official investigation should end with the executions already performed, but the evidence points to conspiracy spanning ages: someone documenting prophet-touched individuals, tracking awakenings, and preserving knowledge of the old powers. The notebook doesn't just implicate Eli—it reveals a network watching for supernatural manifestations, and several party members are already documented within its pages.
The Painted Halo
The recovered contraband painting reveals a conspiracy that strikes at the heart of royal succession. When Prince Vis chips away the thick paint covering his childhood portrait, a golden halo crowns the infant's head—visual proof that he bore celestial markers of divine heritage from birth. Someone deliberately painted over this evidence, hiding the fact that unlike other royal sons, Vis inherited the Prophet's blood. The painting was stolen from Ruben's office wall, smuggled by Eli the painter, and connected to the same network documenting prophet-touched individuals across the realm. Why was this specific painting targeted? Who ordered it hidden in the first place? And what does it mean that Ruben had it hanging in her office—was she protecting the secret or studying it? The prince's visible shock suggests even he didn't know the full truth of what his infant portrait originally showed. Session 8 update: The conspiracy surrounding Prince Vis's divine heritage advances through calculated revelation. The Gloaming Guild provides Vixia with damning evidence to plant on the Prince's desk: a letter from his late father Raynalt Stormweather about destroying the Storm Hag, interrogation records revealing people were imprisoned or killed for witnessing his birth, accounts of celestial blood being hunted in the south, and specific mentions of House Seacot as carriers of divine heritage. Vixia successfully places these documents among the overwhelming paperwork Vis inherited from Lady Ruben. The evidence is now positioned for discovery, designed to force the sheltered Prince to confront the truth of what was stolen from him at birth and who was eliminated to hide it.
The Poisoned Alliance
The tentative working relationship between Caelum and Vixia, built on pragmatism and Lady Aurelia's machinations, fractures under the weight of revelation and betrayal. Vixia admits she once belonged to the Children of the Sun and has known all along who killed Caelum's family. The truth she offers—stay out of her business and cooperate to trap Trophis—comes too late and with too much withheld context. Though they continue working together for the Red Shepherd Games, the alliance is poisoned by knowledge and resentment. Caelum can barely look at her; Vixia maintains her pragmatic distance. Whether they can rebuild trust or will inevitably turn on each other remains uncertain.
The Price of Power
For the first time in their life, Calum experiences what it means to be physically strong and whole. The cursed sword grants them the ability to walk without aid, to fight without weakness, to stand proud rather than struggling. But this gift comes with immediate dependency—the moment they release the blade, debilitating weakness crashes back. During combat with the goblins and hobgoblin, Calum doesn't just use the power; they revel in it, smiling through blood and flame as silver fire erupts from their strikes. The young lord who once feared their transformation now embraces it with disturbing enthusiasm. The question isn't whether they'll keep using the sword—it's whether they can afford to stop.
The Prince and the Heir
Beneath formal titles and political maneuvering, genuine attraction grows between Prince Vis and Caelum Cadere. Their boat conversation at the Grand Ball transcends courtly ritual—the Prince rows for Caelum, offers military advice, suggests training together, and hints at wanting the young lord and his companions for northern expeditions. The Prince believes Caelum without question and demonstrates political acumen by immediately identifying Lady Ruben's manipulation. Over tavern drinks, a wine-loosened Caelum admits to having kissed 'someone' once and becomes visibly flustered when Daria and Vixia press about the Prince. The connection is complicated by impossible circumstances: Caelum is expected to marry a woman for heirs, the Prince is royalty, and same-sex romantic relationships carry social stigma. Yet the attraction is undeniable, acknowledged by friends even as Caelum insists it could never happen. Session 17 update: The growing attraction between Prince Vis and Caelum gains new complexity as the Red Shepherd Games begin. The Prince appears at Caelum's tournament tent in full golden armor, cutting a striking figure that interrupts the vulnerable conversation between Caelum and Thalara. His participation in the Games means they'll interact in a new context—not courtly politics but martial display. The attraction remains complicated by impossible circumstances, but the Prince's presence promises developments beyond what either young man has yet acknowledged. Session 18 update: The romantic attraction between Prince Vis and Caelum Cadere reaches a turning point during Daria's birthday celebration. After weeks of circling each other through courtly politics and stolen moments, they finally share honest vulnerability and their first proper kiss. Vis procures a heretical Oshana artifact at Caelum's request (though the request was deceptive), and Caelum confesses the truth about his magic not coming from his bloodline. The Prince responds with devastating acceptance: he knows about Thalara's celestial nature, knows about Daria and Vixia's pasts, knows everything that should make him turn away—and he's still here. Their relationship deepens from attraction into genuine intimacy, anchored by mutual recognition of the darkness they both carry.
The Prince's Awakening
Prince Vis Villier, long known for his passivity and preference for disappearing north, takes decisive action for perhaps the first time in his political life. Moved by Caelum's complaint about tortured guards and Thalara's earlier advice about mercy, he agrees to strip Lady Ruben of her Inquisition authority and remain in the capital for the season. The transformation culminates in a moment of raw power: he steps into the truth circle and it simply dies against his golden light, then severs Ruben's connection to the Inquisitors with visible celestial magic. Yet his melancholy remains—he admits to being lonely, having no friends except now these unlikely companions. The prince has been pulled from his comfortable withdrawal into active governance, anchored by newfound connections that might finally give him reason to stay. Session 9 update: Prince Vis continues emerging from isolation into active engagement with the court and specific individuals. His boat conversation with Caelum reveals someone genuinely interested in connection rather than just performing royal duty. He takes the oars himself—serving rather than being served—and speaks candidly about wanting companions with diverse talents for northern expeditions. He demonstrates political awareness by immediately identifying Lady Ruben's manipulation behind the false engagement, showing he's more observant than his usual passivity suggests. The invitation for Caelum and his companions to join northern campaigns represents genuine interest in specific people, not generic recruitment. His admission of loneliness in previous sessions finds potential answer here: he's building actual friendships rather than maintaining distant royal relationships. The Prince who preferred disappearing north is finding reasons to stay engaged in the capital. Session 14 update: Prince Vis Villier continues his transformation from passive royal to engaged leader, but the weight of responsibility is crushing him. Thalara's confrontation demands he become a revolutionary symbol, which terrifies him—he fears power corrupts and refuses to be its vessel. Yet he cannot remain passive while people he cares about suffer. This session finds him at breaking point: destroying furniture in rage, admitting he wishes he could just disappear north, but ultimately still choosing to help those who have become his friends. The prince who preferred withdrawal is being forced to choose what kind of leader he will be. Session 15 update: Prince Vis Villier continues his painful transformation from passive royal to engaged leader, but the weight of expectation is crushing him. Thalara's demand that he become a revolutionary symbol terrifies him—he fears power corrupts and refuses to be its vessel. Yet he cannot remain passive while people he cares about suffer. This session finds him at breaking point: destroying furniture in rage, admitting he wishes he could disappear north, but ultimately still choosing to help. The prince who preferred withdrawal is being forced to choose what kind of leader—and what kind of man—he will be.
The Prince's Choice
Prince Vis faces an impossible choice in the flooded prison: expose the criminals hiding in the side room or protect those who have become something approaching friends. When he locks eyes with Daria concealed with Caelum, he hesitates—then closes the door, leaving them hidden while advancing alone to fight the oceanic horror. This moment crystallizes his transformation from passive royal to someone willing to make morally complex choices to protect specific individuals. The Prince who stripped Lady Ruben of power now actively conceals revolutionaries who just broke his prison.
The Revolutionary's Challenge
When Thalara throws Lady Ruben's bone sword across Prince Vis's pool and demands he 'fight for someone other than yourself,' she's not just asking for help—she's challenging the fundamental assumptions that let a good man do nothing while people suffer. The Prince fears power corrupts and believes dismantling broken systems causes more death than it prevents. Thalara counters that at some point, being broken beyond repair means standing by makes you complicit. Neither convinces the other, but the challenge is laid: will Vis be remembered as the merciful prince who changed nothing, or will he risk becoming what he fears to protect those who have no other champion? Session 15 update: When Thalara throws Lady Ruben's bone sword across Prince Vis's pool and demands he 'fight for someone other than yourself,' she's not just asking for help—she's challenging the fundamental assumptions that let a good man do nothing while people suffer. The Prince fears power corrupts and believes dismantling broken systems causes more death than it prevents. Thalara counters that at some point, being broken beyond repair means standing by makes you complicit. The confrontation ends unresolved: Vis admits he wants to help but insists he needs plans rather than demands to 'make it better.' Neither convinces the other, but the challenge is laid—will Vis be remembered as the merciful prince who changed nothing, or will he risk becoming what he fears to protect those who have no other champion?
The Shadow Beneath Raven's Rest
An ancient entity of immense power—child of shadow and death, creator of Shadefall—lies imprisoned beneath the ruins of House Cadere's ancestral estate. This being has waited centuries, sending servants and visions, manipulating bloodlines and destiny to bring Caelum Cadere to this moment. The sword was the lure, the message delivered through an undead mother's love. Now the patron deity demands release, and Caelum must choose whether to free the darkness that made them or let it rot in chains beneath their family's graves. Session 15 update: An ancient entity of immense power—child of shadow and death, creator of Shadefall—lies imprisoned beneath the ruins of House Cadere's ancestral estate. Through an undead messenger bearing silver flames, the patron deity sends clear instruction: she is trapped beneath Raven's Rest and needs Caelum to dig deeper than the crypts, past the storms, to free the darkness that made them. The sword was the lure, the visions were preparation, and now the true quest becomes clear—return home and unearth what has been buried for centuries.
The Shadow Entity's Claim
A terrifying Shadow Entity manifests to Daria immediately after she kisses Bastion at her birthday party, revealing an ancient binding made when she was still an infant. The creature—which tilts its head past where anatomy should allow—speaks directly into her mind, claiming they are 'bound to one another as the sea is bound to the frost, as the shadows cling to the waves.' When Daria demands to know who agreed to this, the entity reveals someone made the deal when she was too young to consent—a price set before she had choice. It threatens to take Bastion's hand if she doesn't release him, promising 'I will be all that is left' as it systematically strips away everything she loves. This manifestation transforms the watching shadow from previous sessions into active predator, and Daria flees from happiness she cannot keep.
The Shadow's Watch
A supernatural presence watches Daria from the corners of her vision, appearing when she allows herself moments of romantic warmth and comfort. The shadow carries the weight of past trauma, of promises made under duress, and its mere presence is enough to transform a tender moment with Bastion into something contaminated by fear.
The Walking Calamity
A supernatural entity moves through the Great Fruist from the south—a human woman who mutters about someone named 'Katrina' and messages from shadows, killing everything in her path. The Mother has forbidden elven creatures from harming this being, forcing the Ivy Guard to attempt shepherding it around their village. Captain Durian suggests Vixia, as an outsider to the Fruist, might be permitted to intervene where elves cannot.
The Weight of the Rift
Despite being trapped in Valia's political machinations, Caelum remains lord of the Riftlands, and the people of Raven's Rest still look to them for protection and justice. When Farmer Torpsen reports attacks by 'feral dwarves' and tries to appeal to Lord Vervson over Caelum's head, Alfreida—ever loyal—redirects him appropriately and asks for Caelum's orders. It's the first genuine exercise of authority Caelum has experienced since arriving in the capital, a reminder that they have power and responsibility beyond Aurelia's games. Caelum's careful response—sending half the Corvine Guard to investigate without assuming the farmer's story, protecting people while avoiding unnecessary bloodshed—shows the kind of lord they're trying to become. In a city where they feel powerless, the Rift reminds them that they still matter to someone. Session 4 update: Despite drowning in the capital's political machinations, Caelum remains lord of the Riftlands, and when crisis strikes, they must prove worthy of that title. Their measured response to the goblin-orc threat—prioritizing lives over pride, seeking aid despite political cost—transforms Thalara's perception of them and demonstrates the kind of lord they're becoming under pressure. Session 6 update: The orc raids on House Cadir's lands escalate into a genuine crisis. Commander Fairbrook reports many Corvine Guard killed, fields burned to ash, and disturbing accounts of a half-rotten orc leading the attacks. Caelum faces their first true test of leadership—making life-or-death decisions from afar. After consultation with Daria, who offers a sounding board for the young lord's vulnerabilities, Caelum chooses to order withdrawal and wait for reinforcements rather than risk more lives in a potentially disastrous final push. It's a decision that prioritizes caution and preservation of life over immediate resolution or political glory.
The Witness's Scythe
Thalara claims a weapon of terrible legacy and stolen divinity. The Witness's scythe was forged from Lady Ruben's own spine during her transformation, humming with celestial power drained from Thalara's veins. When the young warrior picks it up, the blade recognizes its rightful owner—shrinking to fit her grip and answering to the blood that was taken from her. This weapon represents both trauma and triumph: everything stolen from her family transformed into an instrument of justice. As Thalara carries the scythe forward, she wields not just a powerful artifact but a physical manifestation of reclamation, turning suffering into strength.
Trust Under Fire
The tentative alliance between Thalara and Caelum deepens into something approaching genuine friendship as crisis forces them to rely on each other. Through military decisions, whispered warnings, and protection during the fire, they learn that beneath the formal titles of lord and guard lies mutual respect and the beginnings of real trust.
Vixia's Calculated Betrayals
Vixia demonstrates why she's survived this long in dangerous work: she plays every angle simultaneously. She deceives Captain Emery into mobilizing the Goldveil Knights, giving herself authority and access while keeping her own hands clean. She investigates Eli with pointed questions about the 'gloaming' and craft guilds, building her case. But when the moment comes and Eli offers the notebook for freedom, Vixia makes the pragmatic choice—she takes the intelligence and lets him go, then misdirects the pursuing knights. It's not mercy; it's calculation. The notebook is more valuable than the artist, and letting him escape costs her nothing while potentially keeping future options open. The kobold walks the line between serving the Inquisition and serving her own interests with magnificent precision.
Whispers and Chains
Lady Aurelia Cadere, the Lady of Whispers, pulled the strings that brought this unlikely party together, sending her nephew Calum on what should have been a simple diplomatic mission alongside her agents Vixia and Thalara. But nothing about Aurelia's machinations is simple—she keeps Calum trapped in the capital rather than letting him assume his proper role as lord of the Rift, she commands networks of spies and assassins, and she meets with the Prime Inquisitor behind doors that glow with supernatural light. Calum fears she's using Applegate's death to further entrap him, while his companions realize they've been drawn into games of power far deeper than they understood. The Lady of Whispers sees all, knows all, and reveals nothing. Session 2 update: Lady Aurelia's web of control tightens around the party as she transforms Applegate's death from disaster into opportunity. She forces them into service with the Inquisition as punishment while making them her eyes and ears on Lady Reuben D'artharis. Her concerns run deeper than simple political rivalry—she fears the concentration of power over celestial creatures in someone whose intentions she cannot divine. Every conversation with Aurelia is a transaction, and she always ensures she profits most. The party realizes too late that escaping her influence may be impossible; she knows their secrets, controls their fates, and sees them as pieces on a board they don't yet understand. Session 9 update: Lady Aurelia's influence operates through absence this session—her machinations echo through Lady Ruben's false engagement scheme (likely orchestrated to trap Caelum in Aurelia's web of obligations), and through the Gloaming Guild's revolutionary plotting (which Vixia participates in while still nominally Aurelia's agent). Caelum navigates the Grand Ball knowing his aunt watches from somewhere, her expectations weighing on every conversation. The Prince identifies Aurelia's longtime rival Lady Ruben as the probable architect of the engagement hoax, revealing the multi-generational political warfare Caelum is caught within. Meanwhile, Vixia coordinates revolutionary conspiracy that could destabilize the very power structures Aurelia manipulates. The Lady of Whispers' absence feels more oppressive than her presence—none of the Heroes know which activities she's aware of, which schemes she's already anticipated, or whether they're following her script or genuinely acting independently. Session 17 update: Lady Aurelia's control over the party continues through a combination of assignment and payment. She summons them to her chambers where even the ravens seem agitated, then leverages their skills for dual purposes during the Red Shepherd Games. The personal mission—ensuring her son Aiden wins the Queen's hand by sabotaging Elijah Ferdenstar—reveals the depths of her dynastic ambition. The political mission—stopping assassination attempts on royal heirs—represents her official duties as Lady of Whispers. She provides enchanted armor and sedatives as tools, binding the Heroes deeper into her service. The bargaining over payment (Thalara demanding protection armor) shows they're learning to negotiate, but they remain fundamentally trapped in her web of obligations.
Whispers of Engagement
False rumors circulate through court suggesting an early-season engagement between Lord Kalem Cadir and Lady Celeste Gildon, creating social pressure and political complications. The whispers seem orchestrated—possibly by Lady Aurelia pushing her agenda or by the Gildon family itself. Kalem insists no offer was made and both parties deny the engagement, but Celeste's forward behavior at the Grand Ball (claiming Kalem for the promenade, speaking of 'making the right impression') suggests she's either playing into the rumors or genuinely pursuing the match. The speculation draws attention from other nobles, with servants giggling and people whispering, while Thalara's visible discomfort with the Gildon family adds personal tension to the political theater.
Wick's First Flame
From the ashes of Trophis's threats, Vixia forges an alliance separate from both Lady Aurelia's control and the Gloaming Guild's chaos. She names it Wick—a small candle that might yet burn down houses—bringing together the Ivy Guard elves (Sariel and Captain Durian) and mercenary Tarn Savage in common cause against the Church's encroachment and the capital's tyranny. The Ivy Guard provides safe passage through elven territories, military expertise in terrorism and infiltration, and legitimate grievance against noble investigation of sacred sites. In exchange, Vixia offers her connections within the capital, her ability to operate under the Church's nose, and coordination for activities she cannot personally execute due to her short leash. This is Vixia's first independent power base, neither Aurelia's tool nor the Guild's operative, but a leader of her own small resistance.