Descent into Avernus | Forgotten Realms Wiki
Upon the Fall of the Second Sun.
A blackened song, silence of a story long spun,
When the Second turns it back upon the First one.
Hope dashed upon a blackened, twisted tree.
A foundation of sin swallows the god-gorged sanctuary,
And even the flowers will wilt before a new reality.
Upon the dark precedent set by the Rule of Three.”
Gathering the Bastards
The scene opened on a humanoid figure walking along the dry steppes far east of the Sword Coast, where Cassiliira–an aasimar with radiant wings, blue skin, and spun-golden hair–was trudging through a desert.
Her life had recently changed after she received a curious letter. She had passed through Djerad Thymar to restock–one of the ziggurat-like cities of the dragonborn–and she secured passage across the Ash Lake for herself and her mile, Little Apple, all because of one simple message:
My name is Cardinal Whitefield, and I am your father.
Cardinal Whitefield
- Travel east to the town of Atrux Vhir, a small village on the coast of the Alamber Sea, near the mouth of the River Alamber. If you cannot find it, seek the ziggurat-city of Djerad Kthendi; someone there should be able to find it. But mind the monsters, and keep a wide berth from Unther.
- When you arrive, seek a woman by the name of Xishime. Her daughter, Mirish, is the first of the siblings you must bring to Elturel. The promise of answers should be enough to convince her to come with you.
- Once you and Mirish are together, find a fey crossing. While passing through, speak the following words: “Oh realm of light and color everlasting, Reveal your Kaleidoscopic realm for our passing!”
- Find the archfey of the Domain of Delight known as Sunglitter. Promise her whatever you must to concern her to let her eladrin daughters, Iris and Eyebright (the second and third of your charges), with you. I will make sure to make good on whatever promise you make.
- Your next location is Akuma no Kuchi-Jo (Demon’s Maw Castle), located on Mount Hotenow. Ideally, Sunflitter will be able to disgorge you from her realm in the vicinity. Be ready for anything; Mount Hotenow is dangerous on good days.
- Find the master of the castle, the bandit king Eiji Mitsuda. He is the fourth of your charges. Should the promise of answers from me not be enough, tell him that I can lead him to Jander Sunstar.
- Finally, return to Neverwinter, and purchase a boat to Waterdeep. When you arrive, go to the enclosed address in the Trade Ward. The wizard of the tower, a man named Gale Dekarios, owes me a favor, and can teleport you to Berdusk.
- From there, make your way on the western road to the town of Greenest. Ask around for the Whitefield residence, where you should find Karolina Whitefield, the fifth and final of your charges.
- Note: Please give her the attached package when you arrive.
- Once she is with you, take the road back through Berdusk and reach Elturel. If you’re feeling ambitious, or are pressed for time, you can cut directly through the wilds to reach the city faster.
The letter caused an incredibly complex and perplexed series of emotions when she first read it, but she ultimately accepted she had something she had to do. She spent some time talking to her mule as she practiced what she was going to say when she met her first sibling, but as she approached, she heard a horn. It sounded like a scout’s alert.
She recalled Cardinal’s letter, and some of what she had heard of Unther, which was ruled from Unthalass from a monstrous god named Typhon. She hadn’t encountered any monsters, but she had been warned of many horrible creatures.
She decided to not bother with stealth as she arrived at a tributary that had collected into a dam. She saw other signs of civilization, and heard the sounds of shouting. There were two figures on either side of the dam, and Cass set the cart safely along with her mule before she rushed toward the figures. She approached the left, where a dragonborn was standing.
Cass saw the beginnings of a small skirmish. There was a massive snake that was easily 20 or more feet long, but it looked like a cobra with five heads. It was hissing and spitting as a grayish-silver dragonborn in splint armor wielding a large spear. She was shouting in a language Cass didn’t understand as she banged on her shield to get its attention.
The shield was brilliant gold and almost looked to be the visage of a golden dragon snarling.
There was another figure with the lower half of a snake wielding a longbow that had gotten separated from their fellows. The dragonborn barked for them to handle the scout, and her daughter, a similarly grayish dragonborn, though mottled with other colors with long tendrils pulled back in a braid, launched off the cliff-face as she turned her spear downward and attempted to land directly on the Lamia.
Khepri, a human priest of Isis, stood on the stone that Mirish had leaped from, and prepared to lend her support. Carrion, a newer tiefling mercenary that had arrived in the village also prepared to strike as his fiery, golden eyes glinted. Ignominy, another tiefling, stood positioned on another cliff in their flowing robes and slightly-too-big hat that was drooped low, suspended only by their horn-holes. There were a ton of runes on his staff, but they didn’t do anything. Clanless Akaryn, another dragonborn who was a scout, stood opposite Iggy. They had a tail, notably, though they were trying to keep it hidden under a cloak. Akaryn turned as Cassiliira arrived, and flinched away from her light as Cass called she was friendly. Akaryn pointed at Cass and then at the monsters. Cass nodded in acknowledgement.
The lamia scout attempted to take cover behind the stones, but in the process, Carrion attacked and slipped his blade beneath her defenses. The lamia hissed and shot at Mirish, clipping her armor, but she then wrapped herself around Carrion. Akaryn rained arrows into the lamia from her vantage point.
Cass tried to cast faerie fire over the lamia as she strummed her guitar, but she was able to twist out of the way of the spell. As Cass called out to Carrion, the lead dragonborn requested to know if she was friend or foe as she continued to block the hydra. Cass confirmed she was friend, and Xishme smirked as she then closed in on the hydra. She jabbed into its neck and twisted, fully locking the hydra down, and she tore a head free.
Mirish looked over at the newcomer in acknowledgement, but turned her focus toward the lamia. She closed her eyes as she shouted out “Har!”, and a large raven dove at the lamia, distracting her long enough for Mirish to whip her spear around as it was encircled with shadows that almost splattered like ink across the lamia, leaving an oozing wound.
Carrion struggled and got his arm free so he could drive it into the lamia, successfully killing her as her coils fell limp.
Khepri floated down on magical wings and caused an eruption of holy fire to sear up around the hydra, but the hydra thrashed out of the way. Khepri snapped her fingers, but then clapped her hands to offer a blessing to her nearby allies.
The hydra hissed and two more heads exploded from the stump of its neck. They all lashed out at Xishme, but she blocked all the strikes with the massive golden shield on her arm.
Iggy dropped his staff by accident and made huge, overzealous movements as he made a massive arcane circle appear in front of him at the end of a much-too-long incantation.
However, as Mirish looked, the small fire blast he conjured went completely off-target and missed. Cass winced, but she started to make a bunch of noise to get the focus of the hydra, and its head got drenched with light.
Cass looked at Xishme and called that she was a badass. Xishme smirked, and Khepri attempted to swing her mace. She locked her knees, and Xishme called instructions to correct her stance, which resulted in a connection as Akaryn also struck it with an arrow.
The hydra lashed out at Khepri and she felt okay for a moment, but then the poison coursed through her veins and she dropped to the ground. The hydra then spat poison up at Akaryn, blinding her with the poison. The hydra spat poison at Cass too, which blinded her as well.
Carrion raced at the Hydra and drove his blades into the snake’s body.
Xishme called out a rallying cry that spurred Khepri back to consciousness, and then moved to strike into the hydra again and again. Her daughter followed up on her mother’s distraction as she planted herself between Carrion and Khepri and slashed upward with her spear again, leaving another inky-black wound.
The hydra roared and lashed out at the people that had surrounded it. It bit Carrion and Mirish, which dropped them to the ground as it bit and tore at Xishme. Cass panicked as she approached, still blinded, and she was able to heal Miri up with a pulse of radiant light. Her guitar turned into a silver trumpet and she blew, allowing a sound of inspiration to wash over them.Xishme roared out in anger and defense of her daughter, and the sudden assault cave Miri and opening to launch herself up from beneath the hydra’s lashing heads, successfully piercing its heart
With the fight done, Cass explained she came from back west was looking for Xishme and her daughter, and Xishme suggested they return to the village before any explanations happened. The hydra was butchered, and Cass helped turn it into a stew.
When they took a moment to talk, Xishme correctly guessed Cardinal had sent Cass, and Cass introduced herself as one of Cardinal’s numerous children and explained they were to meet their father in Elturel. Mirish was a bit wary of the entire thing, as it meant leaving the village and her mother to defend themselves against the monsters without her, but Xishme insisted that if needed they could get help from the “tiamash at Kthendi”. Cass said their next stop was a fey crossing, and Iggy (who was eavesdropping along with several others) piped up he knew there was one in the Greenlands down south somewhere.
That night, Xishme also gifted her daughter the golden shield she had been wielding, as it would provide her protection in her journey, and Miri traded her mother her own shield in turn.
The next day, Mirish bid farewell to her fellows in the village, and exchanged a final goodbye with her mother, who also expressed for Mirish to keep an eye out for “Markus” as he had been gone for too long, and perhaps she could bring back some trinkets so she could get a better hand on “forging”. Miri agreed, and they nuzzled, before she and Cass set off on Cass’s cart, Miri’s raven Har also joining them.
Cass and Miri spent some time getting a read on each other’s hobbies, and agreed to trade off some songs they knew from their different cultures. As night came on, Mirish was able to find some ruins and within them were scattered bones with a potion of healing nestled within them. They were able to settle down for the night in relative safety.
As Mirish and Cass entered the Greenlands, Miri regaled Cass with some of the history she knew of the region, as it went back all the way to the slaying of gods during the wars in Unther. However, as they were chatting, Gormauth, the dragon within Miri’s shield, spoke to her telepathically and mused on the misfortune that the death of gods wasn’t permanent. While Miri questioned him, Gormauth dodged direct answers and instead commented that he was glad he hadn’t had to wait for her mother’s death before he could leave the village–though he wondered if her mother would be okay with the monsters from Unther becoming more bold.
Miri barbed back, and Gormauth stated he liked her, which she cited was the “sign of an ill omen upon her,” something he said she should be used to.
Gormauth also revealed he could speak with Cass as the other woman was quite started to hear a voice in her head, and after clarification from Miri, Gormauth asked her if she knew any songs of the Dawn War or dragons or the conflict of Bahamut and Tiamat. Cass said she knew the song “Bash the Dragon” which Gormauth begrudgingly admitted was catchier than he liked.
However, as they looked for the fey crossing, they happened upon a tropical ent named Quiet Trunk that offered to lead them to the crossing as a thank you for the merry tune Cass had shared. The fey crossing was a kaleidoscopic oasis with colors beyond their imagination, and Mirish said the incantation Cass had given her as she shoved some berries into her mouth that had been gifted by the end. They rode the cart into the water, and they ended up in a beautiful forest
Cass was amazed and handed Miri Little Apple’s reigns so she could paint the scene, and the paints looked almost more vivid than she could imagine. However, Little Apple seemed nervous, and as Cass tried to check in on the mule. Miri sensed they were being tailed, and she noticed several hunting dogs that seemed to be flickering in and out of sight.
However, before they could react in full, an arrow of light shone over them, leaving glittering silver dust on them before the seven blink dogs started to attack. Miri readied her shield and deflected several of the strikes.
Cass shouted that they were requesting an audience with Sunglitter as they were looking for Iris and Eyebright, her daughters. The mysterious hunter whistled, and the dogs started to enclose them again, but the hunter’s mouth thinned. She declared they shouldn’t have come.
Cass said they were sent by Cardinal Whitefield and were two of his daughters. They were looking for their half-siblings. The huntress approached and demanded to know if Cardinal Whitefield was with them. Cass said there was nowhere to hide him, as she didn’t have a dad in her pocket. Miri agreed few people did, and the huntress frowned harder. She commanded a dog to fetch the letter, and she read it with intensity.
She agreed to get them an audience with her Eminence, but she wasn’t going to promise their safety. Cass said that would do. The huntress healed Cass as she passed the letter back and then took the head of the column.
Meanwhile, apart from them, another denizen of the realm, dressed in a rainbow ballgown while having a tea party, was an eladrin woman with prismatic wings. With her was a tall woman wearing black and white with a chicken foot tattoo beneath her eye, who was laughing at the story the other woman shared. It was Zybilna, the archfey of dreams. She asked if Iris still desired to leave, which Iris said she did, and as they talked, Zybilna suggested she go and meet with her mother at that moment without warning her, as it was her palace as well, but Zybilna believed the first step to fulfilling her dream awaited.
Iris smiled and turned into a bird to fly off. Zybilna bid her farewell.
As Miri and Cass were led by the huntress, they talked back and forth quietly as they planned on what to say to Sunglitter.
Cass muffled a laugh.
They were greeted by a crystalline palace called Lucidia Keep, which resembled a bouquet of crystal flowers. The entry was guarded by cut-glass crystal guardians that seemed to be animated with the light of the realm. They looked at Bright, questioning her presence. The huntress said she found a pressing matter on her patrol, and an imperious voice spoke out in sylvan.
It was the voice of Sunglitter, who demanded the reason for the outsiders at her gates. The huntress said they had declared a relation to “Him” and the huntress braced herself. An icy wind blew across them and wilted all the flowers, but then another wave reinvigorated them and the voice sounded kind and warm as she invited the visitors in.
The huntress warned them to beware of “Snowblind” as the gates opened. They were led forward, and the huntress and the guards all bowed, giving context for Miri and Cass to follow suit. The archfey was seated on a throne of light, and she praised “Eyebright” for bringing them forth before addressing Cass and Mirish and asking for their names. They complied, and Sunglitter wished to know why they were there.
Cass explained, and Sunglitter’s demeanor swiftly chilled as she changed into an icy visage. Her chill anger was evident, and she declared that they were clearly victims of Cardinal’s machinations, and she would take mercy on them. Cass hastily offered the painting she had created as a peace offering, and Snowblind seemed to warm *slightly* but declared if they had gotten her on a worst day, she would have had them killed.
However, at that moment, two fiends: a succubus and an arcanaloth manifested in a burst of brimstone. The succubus, Invadiah, declared she had a message from her lady. She spoke in infernal and said it “was time” and she looked directly at Eyebright.
Snowblind looked perturbed, and the succubus insisted “her Highness was firm, and she knew the terms of the agreement”. Snowblind pursed her lips, but said she would allow Eyebright to accompany them, but then she addressed her daughter that they needed to discuss preparations. Eyebright nodded, but seemed firmly clenched.
Snowblind blew on her hand, and she and Eyebright manifested above the palace. The realm had been turned to winter. Snowblind stated Eyebright would accompany her half-siblings, and she was to use them to accomplish a task: before Eyebright’s 100th birthday, Zariel was to be unseated as Archduke of Avernus. Bright was 99. When her task was complete, her duty would be finished.
After their discussion was completed, the swirl of wind faded, and Eyebright and Snowblind did not seem to have moved. However, at that moment, Iris trotted in. Snowblind appeared surprised to see her and she asked what she was doing there. She said she was there early, and she wanted to know who their guests were. Snowblind assured her they would be leaving soon. Iris put herself between Snowblind and and the guests, and Snowblind once more transitioned to Sunglitter.
She introduced her second daughter, Iris, and she asked Iris to entertain their guests while she prepared Eyebright. Iris made her have the conversation in the open as she wanted to know where Bright was going. Sunglitter framed it as a “small errand”, and Iris said she wanted to go with her sister–a request Sunglitter hastily refused. Iris insisted she wanted to go on an adventure, and Sunglitter turned to Bright and asked if she really thought this was an adventure.
Bright said it wasn’t an adventure, and she needed her sister to care for her dogs in her absence. Sunglitter looked over at her other daughter and appealed to her to help with Kaleida. Iris asked that she wanted to see all the good her mother had given her to see what she could compare it to. Her eyes welled with tears, and Sunglitter asked her daughter not to cry, as it made her sad. She flickered down to her daughter and hugged her. Ultimately… seeing how dangerous the world was with her sister to protect her was the best way to do it, but she was to return if things were too much, she was to keep the gift of a staff she conjured on her person so she was protected, and thirdly… when they all met Cardinal Whitefield, they were to bring him back to Sunglitter.
Cass and Miri also agreed.
Iris approached her two new sisters and gave them hugs, and then she hugged Eyebright as well. There was the hint of fear in Sunglitter’s eyes as she watched her daughters embrace.
Invadiah and the other devil, Fetchtatter, did their farewells and left as well.
Iris took her siblings to her hideaway to rest and recover before their journey, and they met several of Iris’s friends, which ranged from animals to fey. When they were ready to go, Sunglitter opened a portal that deposited them somewhere quite different: Mount Hotenow.
It was on the edge of a volcanic mountain. Cass quickly made a sign and pounded it nearby to warn against the fey crossing and the danger within. Iris was barefoot, and Miri asked if she would be alright, as the rocks got hot. She said she would figure it out, but she put a holy symbol on her belt.
As they started to navigate the mountain, they saw the moon overhead, which was seemingly Bright and Iris’s grandmother–at least in part–and it was the first either of them had seen the moon. Bright took a moment alone to just stare at the moon and cry silently.
Iris went to check on her after a while and gifted her friendship bracelet so she always had a piece of her nearby.
As they approached the castle, they saw a strange turtle-like creature Iris was able to identify as a kappa. She greeted him warmly, and the kappa panicked–as it had been apparently sleeping. He demanded they go away, and Cass said they had a message for the master of the castle, Eiji Matsuda. The kappa continued to demand they go away, but then he blew on a horn to amass the guards. A large man with a massive pompadour and covered with tattoos approached and wanted to know what they were doing there.
Cass repeated they were looking for Eiji, and the man said they were to keep the boss’s name out of their mouths. Cass started to butter him up, and Miri caught on what she was doing, though Bright looked confused as nothing they were saying appeared to be true. The man tried to turn them around again, just in time to see another man approaching. He had a massive wolf pelt on his shoulders, as well as a tetsubo, and he demanded to know where Puck was as there were people there. The kappa spoke up that they had approached and declared they were his sisters. The man said he didn’t have any.
Cass and Miri explained the situation, and Eiji told them they could tell Cardinal to go fuck himself, as he’d just wind up hitting him in the face and that wouldn’t be productive for the rest of them. Miri also mentioned Cardinal could tell him where a “Jander Sunstar” was, and that name got a very different reaction as he instead told them to come in out of the rain.
They met Puck, who was a changeling that was pretending to be Eiji in his absence. He also questioned the group, but Eiji decided he wanted to go and get answers, and Puck told him to take care of his mom. He promised he always did.
They made their way to Neverwinter, and then caught a ship to Waterdeep where they made their way to a wizard’s tower. A calico cat was watching them from a balcony. The cat stretched its feathered wings and started to yowl for the master of the tower.
They were able to meet Gale Dekarios, who was quite surprised and somewhat flabbergasted to find the entire party was the children of Cardinal Whitefield. He kept asking questions, but then rapidly realized he didn’t want to go down the rabbit hole of answers every single time, and then got on a side tangent about magic with Miri before he finally invited them all to come back and visit and got them on their way.
Meanwhile, Karolina Whitefield was working on a cake for herself as it was her birthday. She blacked out for a moment, and when she came back to, she saw a massive cake ready for her that she polished off happily. She wished she wasn’t alone anymore, and then went to practice her violin outside under the plum tree. She played a somber melody with a heavy heart.
It was her birthday and mom, dad, and not even uncle Jander were there.
She closed her eyes and fell into the rhythm of the melody, unaware there was black ichor dripping down her face until she finished the song and looked up to a group of people. As Karolina realized she wasn't alone, she froze. Miri started to ask if she was okay, but Karo screamed in panic and rushed back to her house before barring the door. Cass approached the door and called to her to try and coax her out.
Karo didn’t budge, and Miri murmured she had good survival instincts. Eiji countered she ran into a house they could just break into. Cass set down the gift Cardinal had sent to give her and told Karolina she was stepping back to give her space. Karo hesitated but opened the door and swiftly grabbed the package with a mage hand.
Miri reiterated she had good survival instincts.
Inside, Karo opened the package and found a note from her dad, as well as a new outfit. She hesitated, but opened the door again to speak with the group. Cass reiterated that they were their half-siblings, and they all introduced themselves. Mirish also offered they had a letter from Cardinal if she wanted to reach it, and with some hesitation, Karo allowed them into the house so she could read the letter.
Cass and Eiji then moved into the kitchen to make food. Miri asked Karo if she lived alone and Karo said her mom would come back soon. Miri asked where she went, but then Cass called for her to help. Miri obliged, and Cass explained she was trying to get some food on the table before they started to get into a bunch of questions, and Miri nodded and moved to try and help. She attempted to help crack eggs, but she broke them between her large claws and she muttered about the eggs being so small. Eiji said they weren’t small, she was just big, and she countered the eggs she was used to were much larger.
They were able to make a good stew and a cake for the group, and Cass asked why she was making a cake. Karo admitted it was her birthday, and Iris and Cass redecorated the cake into a birthday cake and Cass taught everyone the Sword Coast song for happy birthday so they could sing to Karo and dig into the food.
After they ate, Cass got into why they were there and Karo seemed conflicted, as she wanted to see her dad, but her mom had told her not to leave. Cass suggested that she would take the fall for her mom’s ire if it was that big of a deal, plus she was an adult at 18, so she could make her own decisions. Karo continued to waffle, but she went and got a piece of paper and wrote something down then left it on her table for her mom.
Cass offered to help Karo pack, and it became evident she had no idea what to bring or what was needed on the road. But she did retrieve a jet black book and amulet and secured it at her side. They stopped at Greenest to restock, and then started to head towards Elturel. However, Karo took on a magical disguise to turn her hair blonde, and Miri noted disguises normally changed more than hair color. She explained she got really sick a time ago, and her hair had turned white.
Miri told her if she felt ill on the journey to let them know, but Gormauth spoke to Miri telepathically and told her to watch Karo. Miri confirmed she already was.
As they headed out, they came to their first campsite and began to set up for the night. They found an old abandoned camp, and as Cass picked amongst the wreckage she realized it was probably formerly occupied by the hired thugs and mercenaries that occupied the region during the Cult of the Dragon incident. Bright found a fingerbone with a pewter ring that was dwarven in creation.
Mirish looked at the ring and her blue eye glimmered as she drew a claw in the air, creating an almost inky line that manifested as a disc that she placed the ring on. Inky text wrote across the surface of the ring and it glowed, almost regaling its story back to her. She reported back that it was capable of conjuring a spectral ram that could attack both foe or break down doors.
As they settled around the fire, Cass called for an ice breaker where they share their stories and can ask each other questions. They were receptive, and Miri suggested Cass set the example. Cass laughed, but went into her story about her life back and home and how she traveled around for a bit during the Cult of the Dragon incident and helps where she could, but she hadn’t been home in some time. Mirish asked her about her favorite thing about her home, and Cass said it was absolutely the festivities. They exchanged some other good-natured questions, but Iris asked if Cass ever regretted leaving home. Cass admitted she missed the community a lot sometimes.
As they went around the circle, the mood got incrementally heavier. Eiji told them about his mom and their bond, and when Miri asked him about the tetsubo that was wielded by her, he handed it over so she could identify it. The weapon lashed out at her with a vampyric hunger. Miri hastily handed the weapon back to Eiji as she realized there was a powerful, dark, and quite angry presence.
As it got to Bright and Iris, Bright confessed their Task to the group with a completely straight face, and both Cass and Miri exchanged looks when she said it was her duty to unseat Zariel. There were a lot of pressed questions as Miri and Cass realized what an insane Task that was, but Bight maintained that was what it was. However, the mood had dropped significantly by the end, especially when Iris asked Bright if she resented her: something Bright said she had no reason to. Iris, however, said she had no desire to go back home, and she was going to make her own place to bring those under her care to, including her sister.
Miri shared her own story, which was much more mundane than the others. Cass asked why she was so good at shadow puppets, and Miri chuckled and said she had an unfair advantage as she had her shadow lift an object. She said it was a remnant of what her mentor, Markus, had done to save her when she had gone cold in her egg.
Karolina also shared a bit about herself, and that she had gotten sick for a time and that her mom and dad had fought and Cardinal left when she magically got better, but her mom had demanded that she always had to listen to her. Cass and Miri exchanged looks again.
They ended the night with some music together. However, that night, Cass was visited by her mother in her dreams and they were able to catch up through a series of visions the trumpet archon sent her. They were ominous, and showed golden fields burning and tears of blood.
Iris and Bright also spent some time talking beneath the light of the full moon, and as they looked up to it, a soft rain fell upon them and they both started to cry. Bright eventually curled up next to her sister and started to sob, but as they sat together, they both dozed off, allowing Bright to experience sleep for the first time.
As they continued on, they stopped at a small town and were able to help them out at a water will which had been overrun by rats. Iris was able to talk to the rats and get them to leave, but they also led them to a cave where something scary was preventing them from nesting in the area. When they investigated they found an inanimate skeleton with a helmet… from whence red eyes glowed. Miri identified the helmet, and she wordlessly put it on Eiji’s head, whose eyes also started to glow. Eiji’s goons immediately said how cool he was.
Before much longer, they had reached the region under the burning, evershining light of the Companion, and on the horizon, they could see Elturel.
Arrival in Elturel
As the group approached Elturel, they were greeted by the high hall of Elturel–by far the largest building they could see and crested by seven towers that bore banners of many different gods. The city sloped down toward the river to a dock that was filled with all sorts of ships. The group headed toward the ferry that was readying to cross the river to the city.
There were several members of the Order of the Companion that were serving to help keep the peace that also emerged following the arrival of the Companion sun in order to fight against the vampires in the region. Cass regaled everyone with what she knew, as she had operated in the region for a while, and she was absolutely certain that Lathander was the cause of it.
However, such an idea triggered some debate as a Lathander worshipper and a Sune worshipper got into a fight about what they believed it was. Cass tried to dissuade them, but both of the worshipers turned on her instead, which drew the attention of an Order of the Companion knight that was more successful in dispersing the trouble.
The group decided to explore while Gorth watched their spot in the ferry line, and they split off in groups of two. Eiji and Miri got food, and Miri was introduced to sushi, which she found was quite good though she also thought the wasabi mixed with pickled ginger was also quite good. Eiji corrected that it was supposed to be eaten with the sushi.
Cass and Karo went in search of a sweet stand Karo remembered, and they didn’t find it, but they found a similar one. The halfling woman working it remembered Karo, as they had connected when she was young, and she explained Carlisle, the man that owned the stand prior, had passed some time ago during the Cult of the Dragon fiasco, but she had been his apprentice and was trying to make him proud. They ended up going out for lunch, and they asked about Cardinal. The woman didn’t recall seeing Cardinal, but she knew Jander, who was Cardinal’s mentor, was a big deal and was bound to show during the festivities. Karo asked if Ontharr Frume was around, and the halfling confirmed he was absolutely around given all the dignitaries showing up. Cass followed up on the dignitaries, and the halfling woman explained they were coming from all over.
Iris and Bright got pulled into a carnival game. Bright tried a few times, but then realized the game was rigged and she promptly threatened the worker as she knew if her shots were off, and her’s were not. She declared his game was false. The worker called for the guards, and one of them started to approach to break up the disruption… but then she recognized Iris. It was Reya Mantlemorn, someone that Iris had helped raise after her parents were killed in her own mother’s realm.
Reya investigated the game and was able to confirm the game was rigged, which resulted in her revoking the worker’s permission to run his game in the festival grounds. He was forced to hand over the prize of the game, which was a wand, an she then returned her focus back to Iris, who was able to introduce her to her sister (who she did not remember was responsible for killing her parents) and she offered to show them around Elturel after she got off her shift.
The group rejoined and they were able to use the last of the money Cardinal left for them to pay for their passage across the river. Iris asked Miri to identify the wand Bright one, and she revealed it was a wand of smiles.
They decided to try and find Ontharr Frume as he was Karo’s “uncle” and might know where Cardinal might be. They made their way toward the High Hall, but they were stopped by some knights of the Order of the Companion as they moved through the crowd. They welcomed them, but said the High Hall was closed as they prepared for the blessing. Miri said they were looking for an Ontharr Frume, and when he asked what they wanted from him, she said he likely knew where their father was. Karo piped up that his niece was looking for him, and she showed a sigil ring. The man recognized it, and he sent one of his men to speak with the High Observer. The man returned and confirmed the High Observer would see them. The first knight appeared surprised.
They were brought to a rather unassuming, bald man with a sigil of Helm upon his green tunic. It was Thavius Kreeg, the High Observer of Elturel, and Karo’s grandfather. He greeted her warmly. He then looked to the rest and said he had been informed recently of Cardinal’s other children via a missive. Cass asked to see the letter, and Cardinal seemed to have requested they meet him at A Pair of Black Antlers, a well-known tavern that Cardinal and Frume had patroned on many occasions. He explained how to get to the tavern, as it was a large building, and the letter also described that he wanted Frume to meet him at the “usual place” outside town. Cardinal also apparently left them a purse to split so they could go shopping.
Eiji asked what Cardinal actually was like, and Thavius said he was a good man–as he wouldn’t have introduced him to his daughter if he wasn’t. Miri asked if he had heard from his daughter recently, and he admitted he hadn’t in some years, which was concerning. He asked if Karo had heard from her recently, and she shook her head, but Thavius could not speak on it further, as there were government matters involved.
The purse Cardinal had left contained 200 platinum in it, which caused Cass’s eyes to widen in sheer surprise as it was divided around.
When they left the High Hall, Iris mused that it didn’t seem Karo’s grandfather was overly worried about her mother, which meant it seemed somewhat usual. She agreed she was more worried about getting in trouble, and Iris said he at least didn’t seem to be angry.
The group split up again, and Cass and Eiji went to visit the temples. At a temple of Chauntea, they encountered an elderly woman who said she was sharing a drink with her husband, who she had lost 50 years ago. She invited them in to have a drink with her. As they joined her, she explained the shrine had been attacked a long time ago, and it was rebuilt into a memorial for all those lost. Eiji asked if she ever considered being a priest of Chauntea, and she admitted she hadn’t, as she was just a humble follower. Eiji asked if that wasn’t what made a good priest, and the woman countered she was too old, which Eiji then once again countered if everyone thought that, no one would do it. She admitted they had given her much to think about, and she offered the remainder of the bottle for them to take with them.
They headed to the temple of Lliira next, and Cass said that he had asked good questions, and that was very cool of him. When they arrived, they were greeted with a lot of dance and festivities
Karo and Miri went off together, and Miri gave Karo a ride on her shoulders so she wouldn’t get lost. As they meandered around, Miri asked if Karo needed to get fresh bandages for her arms. Karo said she didn’t, and Miri asked if they didn’t need to get changed. She again said she didn’t, and Miri asked if they weren’t because of an injury, but Karo admitted she didn’t want to talk about it or show it in public. Miri nodded and they decided to find a better view of the city, from whence they saw a place of festivities and performing that Karo wanted to see. When they arrived, there was a commotion coming out of a large tent, and they opted to investigate what was revealed to be a circus show with a furbolg druid performing with a number of animals. There were lions and seals, and the show-star was revealed to be an elephant named “Lulu”, but she wasn’t a normal elephant.
She was very small, and golden, and dove around on feathered ears and wings as she showed off displays of magic and light. Karo recognized the creature as a hollyphant from stories her father shared–pure creatures that could melt even the most hardened heart that lived in the high heavens. However, as she reached the finale of the show, something seemed to be off as a silhouette of a radiant, prismatic woman manifested behind her in a brilliant light show. The crowd didn’t seem to notice anything was off, but Miri observed the ringmaster seemed surprised, and Karo noted the hollyphant had started to cry.
As everyone filtered out of the tent and Lulu was taken to recover, Karo was very worried about the small creature, but ultimately it was nearing time for them to regroup with the others. Miri offered to leave Har to investigate, and Karo agreed. The raven took off to observe as they headed back toward the Pair of Black Antlers, and the familiar observed the hollyphant drinking water as the ringmaster spoke to her and rubbed her back. It seemed it wasn’t the first time something like this happened.
Bright and Iris also set off to look at temples in pursuit of temples to their grandmother. They didn’t find one by the name they knew, but they found one bearing a similar symbol. There was only a single woman there, who was named Isobel Thorm. She was a priestess of Selune, and they spent some time musing on the nature of multi-named gods and their connections.They were joined by another woman who, like Cass, had large feathered wings. Her name was dame Aylin, and she clearly was done with the festivities of the day and wished to retreat to somewhere quieter. She sweet-talked Isobel into joining her, who was very overwhelmed by Aylin’s clear advances, and she stammered that she was going to retire. Iris pleasantly offered to watch the temple for them, and Aylin smiled as she took Isobel’s hand and swept her away.
Eventually, Isobel returned alone, her hair messier than usual, and she thanked them for watching the temple. She explained Aylin was nocturnal, and she was now sleeping. However, after the twins left, they got the sense that they were being watched, and they glimpsed some long black hair and a cloak, but nothing more.
The group met up at the Pair of Black Antlers and they shared what they did during the day. Cass offered to get drinks, which all seemed to be based on gods. Mirish asked to look for one dedicated to the dragon queen, as she decided she wanted to consume her. Cass blinked, but Bright got in on the idea and also said she wanted to eat the dragon queen.
Cass brought back drinks for everyone except Karo, who abstained as she was looking anxiously for her dad to arrive. Miri and Bright ultimately got 2.5 drinks each so they could drink all of Tiamat’s “heads”, and Eiji drank a hearty amount, but Cass was drinking with more and more rapidity as it became obvious Cardinal was quite late.
Miri received a murmur from her shield, as he seemed to sense something, and Karo also heard a voice in her mind that expressed they would feast soon.
But then there was commotion outside, and they went to investigate and realized the Companion had started to eclipse. Everyone was amazed by the phenomenon as the sun turned dark… but then black lightning started to rain across the city and those that were struck by it were promptly vaporized. A third of the population dropped dead, blood seeping from their eyes. The awe turned into screams of panic, and buildings suddenly started to crumble. A wall began to fall on Bright and Iris, and Bright shoved her sister out of the way to take the brunt of the fall, which knocked her unconscious. Iris hastily rushed to her side and cast her healing magic over her, but as they looked skyward, countless leathery-winged monsters filled the sky.