Session 82 - Welcome Home

Wed 30th Apr 2025

In-game timeline: Alturiak 6 - Alturiak 7

Our "Heroes" return! Back in the Material Plane after a long, and rather miserable, spell in the Shadowfell. They are unsure not only where they are, but also WHEN they are, as they do not know how well the Staff of Ages worked in returning them to their own time and place.

In fact, the Staff or Ages, which holds the Eye of Kronos gem, is now dim and cracked - likely unable to be used again.

Once they have recovered their senses, and once more acclimatised to the colours and smells of the Material Plane after the dull and monochrome Shadow lands, Alwaith and Solveig assess that they are probably in the Northern Hemisphere, likely not hundreds of miles away from Neverwinter, given the climate and position of the sun - which is somewhat hazy in the misty and overcast sky. They also reckon the time is early morning.

Sanada's despondency does not seem to have left her, despite the return home, though its effect has perhaps lessened somewhat. However her general air of despair seems to drag the others down a little whenever they are in her presence, so they tend to give her a wide margin.

Summoning some mounts, they find a well-used trail running north-south and head north, soon finding a trail signpost which enables them to pinpoint their location with much more accuracy, and they estimate they are about a day and a half's journey from Neverwinter, so they decide to head back there to report back to the Council of the Veil. Alwaith summons Grizelda the raven to forewarn the Council of their arrival.

Heading onto a smaller trail heading for Neverwinter, they trek for maybe half a day before coming upon what seems to be a small group of disorganised, and somewhat desperate, bandits who seem to be demanding a road toll. They have a couple of female acolytes captured and seem to be trying to extort some gold from them.

As the party approach, cautious but determined, the bandits ask for a small amount of payment. Our "Heroes" decide not to attack the bandits, and instead offer to pay for the "toll" not only for themselves, but also for the captured women. However, Solveig hands over less than half the gold requested, which confuses the bandits - they seem a little worried by this well-armed band of adventurers!

To emphasise that the highwaymen should perhaps accept what is offered, Solveig promptly goes invisible, surprising not only the bandits, but also his fellow travellers, and sneaks behind the bandit leader before "emphasizing the benefit of accepting the offer". The bandits, having enough sense to realise they are bested, accept the minimal gold offered, and allow the group to take the bound women away, back to their mounts. Alwaith, in a very surprising show of empathy, realises these highwaymen are desperate, and give them more gold than even they asked for, so they could better clothe and feed themselves, but suggest they adopt a more honourable path in life.

The two acolytes are very grateful to our "heroes" for saving them, and, before heading off on their own way, hand Solveig a little token of appreciation in a small, wooden box. After the ladies have departed Solveig opens the box to find a small, brass amulet in the sign of the Black Sun, emblazoned with the rune of Malar!

 Perhaps kicking themselves somewhat for helping members of the cult they are sworn to defeat, they continue on towards Neverwinter, camping for the night near to a busier trail.

After an uneventful night, with Sanada and Faith quieter and more distracted than usual, they arrive in Neverwinter the middle of the following morning, and head straight for the Council of the Veil's base.

They are greeted by a newly promoted Cortan, who is immensely pleased to see them and hear of their successful foray into the Shadowfell, though concerned at the news that there were two Vessels and only one has been able to be "hobbled". His tone darkens as he relays the news that Evaine, though she managed the almost impossible feat of holding off the Dark Hunt for the night, died from her significant wounds only a day after managing to get back to Neverwinter. She passed on the information, and a token, to Alwaith, via Cortan, that allows either a person to be protected from being attacked by Sir Alaine and his Dark Hunt, or a person to challenge Sir Alain's Champion and if they win, they can ask a boon of Sir Alain. Given that he made it clear that he, and possibly other members of the Dark Hunt, would be present at the return of Malar, then either of these options could be useful.

After some discussion it was agreed that possibly Alwaith should challenge Sir Alain to an honourable duel of champions, though the details of such a duel were unclear, and possibly will remain so. When to make this challenge was left undecided for now.

Whilst some of the party were keen to run off to the vast expanse of the High Moor in the south, in an attempt to find a single, special black dragon in the few weeks they have remaining before the onset of the Eclipse, it was thought best to perhaps try to narrow down the location of where it may be. To this end, Cortan informed them that they had captured a lowly member of the local Black Sun cult and had him imprisoned nearby, though he was either unknowing of, or unwilling to provide, much information so far.

Our "heroes" debate their next steps….