Main plot

Our hungover heroes agreed to assist a gnome in retrieving a soul, hidden in an object that could be revealed with a ring he gave them, from a cult founded underneath the city. The trio then donned on cultist initiate robes and made their way down to the hidden door and down into the depths of an underground temple. To their big surprise, the soul had been hidden in a chicken. As the party tried to leave with the soul/chicken, a fight broke out, and the head priestess, Eliza, suggested a truce. She would pay the party if they would get rid of a monster sealed in a storage room, and let them have the chicken too.   The party managed to convince Eliza the priestess to help them take down the Grue. In the fight, both Eliza and the Grue perished, and the party made off with everything worth stealing in the temple. They escaped through the streets, and returned to the old gnome for their reward.   ---------------------------   Pyras, Thrain and Erinon joined forces to investigate the mysterious lava creatures that had attacked Thrain’s cousin Aradmin on the road. After the departure of Thrain, the group met a half-elven mercenary named Tharan Tallon, and went on to join the The Supremacy Hunters. Soon after, there was an attempt on Pyras’s life by a doppelganger.   In Violin’s employ, the group was tasked to attend the spring festival of Aestara. They did, and in doing so completed several tasks for the tribes, earning the Supremacy Hunters goodwill, and meeting a pack of werewolves with whom they solved the conflict peacefully. The trio then returned to Khema and saved an elven woman and her daughter from bandits on the road.   Back in Khema the group investigated the rumors of Supremacy underneath the city but ended up semi-accidentally breaking into the mansion of the Lockwoods, a noble family. The group was saved, though, by the grace of the Lockwood advisor, Jameson, who offered the group a deal: they would participate in the Arena event at the Clumsy Peacock, and whatever prize money they would get, Jameson would keep. Deal struck, the group proceeded to the Clumsy Peacock and won their share of the tournament.   Violin gave the party a tip about half-forgotten tombs underneath Khema, and the party found tunnels leading down into what was known as the Hollow Tombs. Down in the vaults they met and released a ghost, found a mosaic depicting something ominous (and a silver ring on the floor Tharan picked up) and ended up in an odd chamber with a glass obelisk with a person inside. The gnome that had hired some of the party previously was also there, apparently intent on releasing the person in the obelisk. After a brief bout of combat, the gnome turned out to be some kind of an ooze person, and fled the scene, but not before the creature seemingly drained Tharan's memories.   Back in Supremacy Hunter Headquarters, Violin tried to help Tharan regain his memories, but failed. The party went back down to check on the obelisk; it was gone. They found a tunnel where the slime creature had escaped and made their way through subterranean cave systems, ending up in the courtyard of Greenhill Keep.   Later, the group went into Clumsy Peacock and met Gamila. With Gamila the group were tasked to help Civodore, a professor at the Khema Institute of Magic for money, but discovered he was keeping a medusa locked in the basement. The group decided to help Sevriss the medusa to escape. In return, Taissa, a known rogue, helped the group with information that led to Tharan getting his memories returned. It turned out that there was going to be a dinner party in the Greenhill Keep, and Violin had the party attend in case there was any information to be found - he also came up with information about the man in the obelisk; his name was Ludovic the Serpent.   During the dinner party, the party met a man who looked exactly like the man in the obelisk under Khema. He demanded the party hand over Violin and Lyre in exchange for the party's friends; Daniela and Mia Besnard, who he was holding captive. The group followed Ludovic out and fought him; setting half the rich district ablaze trying to get to him. The man escaped, but not before draining the memories of Violin and Lyre. The group followed after Ludovic and chased him down to an abandoned temple of Auril that had been defiled. There the group fought Ludovic and other people he'd drained the memories of he could impersonate, and finally slayed him - discovering whatever he had been, was a slime creature known as an oblex.   The group saved Mia and Daniel, who had been locked up in the temple of Auril. Cosima restored the memories of Violin and Lyre, and Violin went on to research Juiblex, telling the party what he could about the lord of illness and transformation. He also theorized the libraries in Al-Tamesma could contain more information on the Supremacy and Juiblex. The group made preparations to leave, and joined a caravan helmed by Avalan Fernflare headed south. In the Golden Bloom Woodlands the party realized something was wrong, and the party found out about a coven of hags (Taerophine, Ollorena and Neryluna) who had taken over the village of Heartvale Haven. Rivulet, a member of another caravan staying in Heartvale Haven, joins the party. The party attacked the hags, in the end managing to slay all 3 with the help of a Kirin called Rhamiel. Knowing he's not welcome at any official border crossings, Pyras decided to cross the mountains by himself, and promised to meet up with the party in Takelothes.   The caravan continued to Silbe , at the border between Aeres and Vaspheqa. There, the group got their hands on passage papers to Vaspheqa, and heads to Takelothes .   In Takelothes Erinon discovered her mentor Iskar is in coma, and the party decided to help her. The party is joined by her golem assistant to research the goings on in Whiteshall Chasm. In a cave, the group discovered undead and a second obelisk much like the one Ludovic was in, with another person inside. An inscription revealed the name Oreste the Plague-Bringer. Despite the party's careful approach, Oreste was freed, and he escaped the party.   Back in Takelothes, Iskar awoke. She told the party that she knows of Deverel Colza, a Lorekeeper who might be able to help the group with their quest, and he resided in a mushroom farming town in Undersand. The group headed to Coronato, but discovers Crimson Chain entered the city, and they're forced to try to find a way around. The party discovered a duo in the desert - Vilfredo the gnome, and Melezio, a dark elf, and together they found an alternative pathway down into Coronato.   In Coronato, the group stayed with Deverel, finding out more about the disciples of Juiblex. The silver ring Tharan had picked up in Khema was a key item finding out how to access the pocket dimension the Disciples use, but it needs to be inspected by a magic-user to discover more. At a loss, the group asked a Crimson Chain Ensign to inspect the ring, and he accepts the task for the return favor of the party bringing a fire genasi teenager hiding in the city to him. As the party returned with information, he tells the group it's a powerful artifact known as the "Serpent's Coil" capable of spells, but that it would require a more thorough inspection to find out everything about it.