Session 14: The end of Madness Report

General Summary

In the last session, the players finalized the Ritual of Severing, dismantling the link between the Harbinger artifact and the Queen of Thorns. Deep underground in the ritual chamber of Melkerech, above the Seal of Destruction, the ritual was cast. To their surprise, the result was the manifestation of a young girl: Aurelina, Child of Sun and Storm. Initially, Aurelina had no memory of her identity, but it returned quickly. A portal opened, and she was summoned home by her father, Oberon. Shadow learned that the Harbingers were originally children of Oberon and Titania, twisted and corrupted by the Queen of Thorns to embody aspects of her power. Aurelina, once a willful and spoiled child, had been twisted into Destruction.

With their task completed, the party briefly visited Keeper Corvus before heading to the Minroe Mines. Along the way, they learned that Gunther Guldraugh, the Dwarven Blacksmith, had been kidnapped. They sought out Callaster Prum, a Purple Dragon to investigate, but the encounter went awry. After a heated exchange with the blacksmith Myrene, Callaster began citing regulations at the party. Frustrated, Colmir grabbed the book of regulations and hurled it at the forge fire, missing spectacularly and striking Myrene instead. Misinterpreting the action as an intentional attack, Myrene laid the unfortunate Callaster out cold. Seeking a more competent guard, Lucky found Alina Marcholl, another Purple Dragon. After some initial confusion, she agreed to investigate.

With matters somewhat in hand, the party continued to the Minroe Mines, where they met the overseer, Gorbec Ludstone. He complained about someone breaking into his strongbox and stealing the miners' wages, but the party—who had looted his desk over a week ago—avoided taking responsibility. With permission to enter the mines secured, the party descended to the deep levels, where Dofaroc had been buried in the explosion that devastated the mountain above.

Solas led the group past a northern corridor where loose rocks had been cleared, revealing an older passageway into a cave. Inside, the party discovered kidnapped villagers bound and guarded by Thornspawn. Despite the destruction of the Harbinger of Destruction, some Thornspawn remained active. These appeared stronger than before and, upon being slain, did not dissolve but splattered grotesquely. The party quickly eliminated four of them within six seconds, but two villagers were forcibly transformed into larger Briarbound creatures—hulking monsters of sinew and sharp bone.

For the first time, Shadow embraced his Feywild heritage, staring down one of the Briarbound creatures. To the party's surprise, it bent the knee and could not attack. The second Briarbound was obliterated by Colmir's produce flame and Dofaroc’s axe. Shadow commanded the controlled Briarbound to the "naughty corner" while the villagers were freed. Once control was released, the creature was destroyed by the party.

Solas attempted to attack the Seal of Madness, but was met with a harrowing vision, locking eyes with a powerful, malevolent entity that sent shivers down his spine. Recounting the experience, Solas learned from Shadow that the same entity had appeared in a vision during his rest—a vision of the Feywild War, where Titania led a desperate stand against the Queen of Thorns. These visions confirmed that the Queen was partially conscious and aware of their interference.

The ritual on the Seal of Madness was completed, producing Madren, Child of Twilight and Whispers, another son of Oberon and Titania. Like Aurelina, Madren had been twisted into a Harbinger but was freed by the ritual. Shadow received a rare sign of gratitude from Oberon as Madren was summoned back to the Feywild.

Victorious, the party returned to town to complete various errands. At the Manor House, Shadow encountered Baroness Krell and Alyssa Wyvernspur, a young Kara-Tur woman in a wheelchair who claimed to know Dofaroc and Colmir. Alyssa, a student of the War Wizards, delivered dire news: the adventuring charter of Humboldt’s Heroes (soon to be renamed the Stormhorn Guardians) had been declared enemies of the state. A contingent of battlemages, led by an Alarphon, was en route to apprehend them. Alarphons, senior War Wizards feared across the land, are primarily tasked with policing their own order.

Shadow regrouped with the others, finding Dofaroc buying shells at the market and convinced they were magical. After speaking with the portly Purple Dragon Erdai Greenwind, he located Solas at the Church of Helm. Meanwhile, Solas was granted access to a holy weapon and received warnings from Helm about the impending danger. Lucky met up with Solas at the church, and an exhausted Erdai collapsed nearby from running back and forth. Colmir was retrieved from the bar, and the party finally regrouped in the marketplace.

However, too much time had passed. The War Wizard battalion—led by an Alarphon, flanked by three battlemages and a recruit—had already arrived. Lucky's knowledge of War Wizards confirmed the dire threat they posed: veteran spellcasters who excelled at charm and domination magic, dangerous both at range and in melee. While their focus is not outright violence, a confrontation would likely spell doom for the party. Running, though an unappealing option, might be their only chance. But running is exactly what War Wizards train for…