Shadow Walkers

One year before the Titan Breakers started their adventures in the Neutral Zone, other heroes encountered planewalkers.

The Shadow Walkers

The Shadow Walkers are a squad of heroes. Most of them first met as members of the City Watch in Diyun, in the Jeralta province of the Shangon Empire

Core Party

• Danja, Female Dragonborn Druid [Danana]
• Haelra, Female Elf Wizard [Basil]
• Perfidy, Female Gnome Rogue [Aslene]
• Res, Male Half-Elf Fighter [party]

SW 1-1: The Lost Beastmen

Friday, Summerset 12, 1126 SF (Jul 2, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana)

At the confluence of the Red Rock and Green Rock Rivers, the Shangon city of Diyun rested atop and within many towering islands. The cosmopolitan city bustled with fishing, lumber, food processing, and trade. The city was also home to the renowned Diyun College, a center of research and scholarship in the natural sciences (e.g., biology, herbalism, alchemy).

Perfidy was a female forest gnome rogue from the deep north. She was sent by her village to Diyun to study law enforcement. She had apprenticed for years with Dalla Teman, a Senior Inspector in the City Watch. As Perfidy neared the end of her training, Dalla decided that Perfidy was ready to work a case on her own.

Perfidy was ordered to investigate a series of burglaries in the market ward. First, per Dalla's instructions, Perfidy recruited a nature expert from the college: the female dragonborn Danja. Together, they questioned Garem the grocer and his son Jarem, as well as Pemil the chicken farmer, her son Athan. They determined that beastly humanoids were raiding the shops at night.

SW 1-2: Those Left Behind

Friday, Summerset 12, 1126 SF (Jul 4, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana)

Perfidy acquired some slow poison from a fisherman, and the heroes staked out Garem's shop. Three beastmen emerged from the sewer and started to enter the shop. The heroes killed one and drugged another. Perfidy summoned the City Watch, and ordered three watchmen to help purse the beastmen (Ister, Kerry, and Karn). Underground, the heroes were ambushed by a giant bat, before following the beastmen to their lair.

More beastmen attacked. A fierce, close-quarters battle ensued, in which both Kerry and Karn were almost killed. The beastman alpha was particularly dangerous. But the heroes triumphed.

They found many of the stolen goods from the shops, as well as two partly-eaten human men. On their bodies, Perfdy found notes that revealed that the beastman had been brought to Diyun to assist a band of planewalkers.

Note 1:

Here's the chant on this operation. Lijan says this portal is good for at least ten trips or a week. The key is to hum. The portal leads to a juicy trade burg on some dumb prime world called Tessera. We're going to get in, get the goods as usual, and get out. Berna is bringing the muscle: a pack of beastmen she controls with her new belt. Easy job, easy jink.

Note 2:

Frak Berna! If that leatherhead was going to up and flee, she could at least have left the belt. We're staying peery, but I don't know how long these furry bashers are going to stay obedient. I think they smell our fear. Lijan got the dark of this portal wrong. It started going wonky after just six trips. The Tannon Boys got nervous and turned stag. They just dropped their loads and bounced back through to the Cage. Now we gotta hope Lijan can be arsed to find a way to rescue us. If they get here too late, maybe this note will at least set the record straight. Frak Berna to the Nine Hells! -Cale

SW 1-3: Missing Exterminator

Monday, Summerset 15, 1126 SF (July, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil)

Perfidy was briefed by Dalla on a new case involving an infestation. Perfidy stopped by Diyun College to collect Danja. Haelra eavesdropped and contrived a way to join the party.

The heroes met Tabit Jalid, a dwarf male and senior foreman of a Six Rings Trading Company warehouse. Tabit explained that his workers reported a minor infestation of wharlfings in the undercity below the warehouse. Tabit hired an exterminator, Bruna Cotter, who went down last night with her dogmole Rocky, but hadn't returned. Also, a Six Rings worker hadn't shown up for work: Bagulf Banks.

The heroes learned more by visiting the Exterminators Guild and talking with the senior clerk. They also obtained samples of Bruna, Rocky, and Bagulf. Danja borrowed a magical Located Creature dowsing rod from the College.

SW 1-4: Wharflings and a Gnoll

Monday, Summerset 15, 1126 SF (July, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil)

The heroes descended into undercity. They found some dead wharflings, and fought some live ones. The heroes found Rocky guarding his unconscious mistress, Bruna. The heroes partly healed Bruna. The exterminator explained that she and Rocky had narrowly escaped from a gnoll, which was trapped deeper in.

The heroes sent Bruna and Rocky for treatment. They recruited three other exterminators to help fight the gnoll. After a fierce battle they defeated the gnoll. The heroes found two human bodies. Haelra used her magic to reconstruct and analyze the scene. The bodies seemed to have been slaves.

Perfidy sensed someone nearby. She sent the exterminators back, and discovered a group of nine runaway former slaves from an eastern province of the Empire. The runaways explained that they were supposed to meet a member of the Veiled Path here in Diyun. But instead two strangers met them. The runaways were suspicious, and one of the strangers summoned the gnoll to threaten them. She lost control of the monster and fled, collapsing a tunnel behind her and her accomplice. Two of the runaways fled from the gnoll (only to become the corpses the heroes found), while the rest barricaded themselves in a dead-end room.

The runaways had been hiding for days. The heroes gave the runaways food and planned their next steps.

SW 1-5: A Desperate Villain

Monday, Summerset 15, 1126 SF (July, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil)

While Danja and Haelra guarded the runaways, Perfidy made contact with the Veiled Path through Darde, an experienced criminal. Darde connected Perfidy to Fridu, a human female longshoreman. The two women met in the Brass Needle mens' apparel shop and made a plan to relocate the runaways somewhere else in the city, until further passage could be arranged. Perfidy returned to the party.

An hour later, back in the undercity, two men approached on the underground river, rowing a skiff. The boatmen were ambushed by a garroter crab but the heroes defeated it. The heroes got the runaways safely on the skiff and sent them on their way.

Perfidy recruited two guardsmen, Nathe and Ryker. The heroes explored the sealed area of the undercity, tracking Bagulf's signal. Beyond a locked door, they were attacked a desperate woman. The villain disabled two guardsmen and attempted to escape. But Perfidy struck her down. The heroes found an incriminating note on her body, as well as the corpse of Bagulf Banks. They stabilized and healed their guardsmen allies, and wrapped up the case.

The note read:

Major Takhar,

My report follows. All glory to the Burning Masks!

Summerset 7, 1126 SF
Your intel was accurate: I have discovered signs of a Pather waystation here in the city. Or should I say, somewhere under it. I've found a contact who claims to know the precise location. I'm negotiating.

Summerset 8
We've agreed on a price. Tomorrow night, the contact will lead me to the waystation.

Summerset 9
Tonight, I shall spy on the waystation. I am prepared with stealth magics. If things go sour, I have a new scroll of summoning that should aid my escape!

Interlude: Haelra's Apprenticeship

Haelra set out to find a familiar. She found and killed a bat, then walked out of Diyun into the forest. Her casting of Find Familiar brought her Ellison, a female genet with a dark stripe down her back and dark spots on a woody-gray coat.

Perfidy arranged for Haelra to start an apprenticeship to a City Watch coroner named Loodran Hune, a human male. After lunch, Haelra was the first to return to the morgue. She interrupted a half-orc male in a hooded cloak who was tampering with a corpse. Haelra used magic to sicken him, and he was taken into custody.

Haelra learned that the half-orc was a mugger named Vesnal, and he had a half-orc partner named Opper. Vesnal suspected that Opper had held back on sharing some loot: a magic ring. Vesnal confront Opper and he fled. Before Vesnal could catch up, Opper ran into some City Watchmen. When Opper resisted arrest, they killed him. Vesnal believed that Opper had swallowed the ring, so he used a scroll of Invisibility to sneak into City Watch headquarters and search Opper's corpse.

SW 1-6: Rats & Kobolds

Tuesday, Summerset 16, 1126 SF (August 10 & 15, 2017)
Party: Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil)

While Perfidy was attending to other matters, Danja and Haelra were contacted by the Diyun City Watch. The Watch needed experienced campaigners to investigate a report of giant rats in the sewer. Danja and Haelra took the job. The heroes searched the area of sewers using Haelra's familiar, Ellison, and Danja in giant rat form (via Wild Shape). They found a nest of rats, including a swarm and several giant rats. They also found a sleeping kobold sentry in a nearby tunnel.

Danja used Speak with Animals and her rat form to deceive the giant rats, one by one, and lure them away for Haelra to kill. Finally, the heroes dispatched the swarm. But during that fight they alerted the kobold. He retreated to alert a small group of other kobolds. The kobolds all had black, mask-shaped burns around their opaque black eyes, and they fought with feral fierceness. However, Danja and Haelra ultimately triumphed. The heroes searched the kobolds' crude camp and found a troubling note:

(Draconic)
My Brave and Loyal Soldiers,
Sneak into the city. Breed giant rats. Trust only those with the sign of the Mask.
When the time comes, you will use the rats to cause mayhem and distraction.
Wait for my instructions.
-V

SW 1-7: Spying on the Tosics

Friday, Summerset 19, 1126 SF (August 13, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Ylva (Flutterbye), Res (party)

Perfidy, Danja, and Haelra were called to a meeting in the City Watch Headquarters. A half-orc male warlock introduced himself as Wode, a member of the Gray Chamber. Wode recruited the heroes to aid in his work. Wode had determined that the heroes all supported the emancipation of the slaves, making them suitable for investigating and opposing rebels who want to restore legal slavery.

Wode believed that someone or something from the Underdark was providing magical items to criminals and rebels. The heroes had already found evidence of this group: the Burning Masks, an anti-emancipation rebel group. "We've uncovered their operations in Shango City and elsewhere in the western empire. I was sent here to investigate any activities on the border and in the Neutral Zone."

Wode usually worked with a team of Crusaders of the Dawn, but that team was currently in the Neutral Zone. Wode sought the cooperation of the Diyun City Watch Commandant and Mayor-Commander to form a new team: Diyun City Watch Special Cases. He brought in two more members: another combat caster (Ylva) and a warrior (Res).

Wode ordered Special Cases to investigate Lord Mosul Tosic and Lady Endera Tosic. Their wealth was based on furs, timber, and furniture, all using slave labor. An informant had revealed that the Tosics' recent guests have included anti-emancipation sympathizers. "Your mission is to infiltrate the estate, spy on the inhabitants, learn more about the Burning Masks, and disrupt/thwart any Masker agenda."

The heroes made preparations, including working with contacts to learn more about the Tosics. They learned that the Tosics had become isolationist in their forest estate, only visited by anti-emancipation writers and speakers. They had replaced most of their estate guards with foreigners with unusual accents. The heroes also learned that the Tosics had no children.

The party split up to travel to the estate, rendezvousing at a freshwater muscle farm on the Red Rock River. Danja and Ylva changed into weasels and hid on Haelra. The remaining heroes approached the estate openly, under the cover story of investigating the treatment of freed slaves and hunting suspects in open City Watch cases.

The estate guards called forth Myfir, the steward. Myfir explained that the lord and lady were on a picnic, and they had taken most of the estate's staff with them. Myfir was joined by a man who called himself Lonir Tosic. Lonir claimed to be the son of Mosul and Endera. Perfidy and Res conferred with Myfir, while the weasels covertly explored the mansion. Haelra distracted Lonir by feigning weakness.

Ylva found evidence that the Tosics were planning a powerful ritual that night to open a gate, at a location away from the estate. Ylva and Danja also discovered two servant children, Nari and Tinga. Finally, Danja discovered an azza gremlin near death.

A confrontation between Perfidy and the guard captain escalated until Myfir gave Perfidy an excuse to arrest him. Haelra kept Lonir distracted while Perfidy and Res left with Myfir. Meanwhile, Ylva and Danja escaped through a drain with the children and gremlin.

The party reunited back in Diyun.

SW 1-8: Stopping the Tosics

Friday, Summerset 19, 1126 SF (August 19, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Ylva (party), Res (party)

The heroes shared what they had learned with each other, and then with Wode. They split up to prepare to move on the Tosics' ritual site, Shattercrack Bluff. Danja researched the site and learned that a graven hulk was buried there: the Angry Woodsman. Danja also consulted Professor Hiltor, an expert on planar travel. Perfidy and Haelra learned that the Tosics had been cruel masters, sending Nari and Tinga's parents to another city where they'd died. Tinga had been particularly traumatized by Lady Tosic's inhumane use of magic (e.g., Hold Person).

Myfir offered what intellgience he could. He knew that:

• The Tosics were very interested in the news that Shangon Army battalions are being redeployed to western provinces to enforce the Articles of Emancipation.
• Through their businesses, the Tosics were stockpiling weapons in eastern provinces.
• The Tosics seemed to have a deal with Lonir to name him as their heir, in exchange for something.

Wode shared that someone had been providing the Burning Mask rebels with experienced trainers and commanders, allegedly from "a remote part of the Untamed Lands." Also, the Burning Masks were getting kobold operatives from some other mysterious faction, which fit with Danja and Haelra's encounter in the sewer.

Wode requisitioned fast travel for the heroes: a group of gryphon-riders called Talia's Fury. Wode originally planned to join the heroes in confronting the Tosics, but abruptly learned that a rebel arcanist was making her way to Shattercrack Bluff. Wode took Ylva with him to intercept this arcanist.

Talia's Fury transported the remaining heroes to near the ritual site. Haelra used her familiar, Ellison, to scout the bluff. The Tosics were indeed present. Having unearthed part of the Angry Woodsman, they were preparing to use his bloodstone hearts to power the gate. The Tosics were reinforced by Burning Mask cultists, a house guard with a mastiff, and many kobolds. The estate staff was bound nearby, possibly as sacrifices for the ritual.

Perfidy lead the creation of a plan. Following the plan, the heroes stealthily approached the bluff. They surprised the enemy and a tumultuous battle commenced. The heroes fought fiercely, reinforced from the air by Talia's Fury. Lord Tosic fell without too much difficulty, but Lady Tosic proved to be an arcanist of considerable power and resilience. Nevertheless, the heroes triumphed, slaying all their enemies except for one cultist, who they took into custody.

The heroes searched the bodies and studied the ritual site. Then they called on the City Watch for the clean-up, and eventually returned to Diyun.

SW 2-1 & 2-2: Tomb of the Jeraltan Kings

Thursday, Falldawn 24 (Chill), 1126 SF (Aug 26 & Sep 4, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Res (party)

After the battle at Shattercrack Bluff, more than a month passes. Wode is impressed by Ylva's performance while intercepting the arcanist's agents. He needs a druid to help his team in the Neutral Zone, since the Brayton Woods also happen to be one of the bastions of druid power. So Wode reassigns Ylva to that team.

Perfidy, Danja, Haelra, and Res decide to call themselves the Shadow Walkers. They reunite to support Haelra and Myfir in their petition for joint custody of the children, Nari and Tinga. In front of the same judge, Perfidy is made a full Inspector of the City Watch.

The Shadow Walkers celebrate at the Clever Toad. It's a pub near the Watch headquarters and the courthouse, in the same building that Perfidy lives. Wode arrives to hear the Walkers' reports. Haelra had researched the corpses of the Tosics' followers, which reveal several clues. Danja has studied portals and helped Haelra with her research. Perfidy has interrogated the cultist the Walkers captured.

The Burning Masks are preparing for a coup to restore the Kingdoms of Jeralta. The restored kingdoms would likely legalize slavery. The Burning Masks include cultists of a secret, powerful being known as V. The Masks are receiving supplies and support in exchange for kidnapping slaves and stealing bloodstones. The Tosics were working with the Burning Masks, using their estate as a staging area for operations in the Jeralta province (which includes Diyun and Trog's Maw).

Wode explains that he and Ylva never caught the arcanist, but only fought undead giant eagles with metal enhancements. Wode suspects the arcanist is Astrid Bluegrease, a gnome tinker who worked as a mercenary for the Republic during the Bloodstone War.

Wode briefs the Shadow Walkers on their next mission. He explains that Diyun was the capital city of the Kingdoms of Jeralta. The Jeraltan kings surrendered to the Empire 70 years ago, as the last nation to fall before the Republic was formed. The Republic was formed to resist further expansion by the Shango Empire.

Wode dispatches the Shadow Walkers to the tomb of the Jeraltan Kings. It's where the last king, Theran the Proud, was buried with his treasures. Two treasures would be especially useful to the Walkers: a braid that creates a telepathic bond for the party and a horn that produces healing potions. Wode's extraplanar patron has revealed the location of the tomb.

Wode explains that the tomb is likely infested with shadowfringe. He's already provided Haelra with a Goblet of Final Death to ensure that the shadowfringe, once defeated, are permanently destroyed. Finally, Wode offers some advice if they have any contact with the Feywild or the Shadowfell.

Talia's Fury transports the Shadow Walkers to the tomb. After some searching and some athletics, the Walkers enter the tomb. They fight their way through several burial chambers filled with shadowfringe undead, including wights, skeletons, and zombies that were Jeraltan kings and their generals. They also find the body of a tomb raider, and they encounter the restless ghost of Theran's bed slave, named Aris.

Along the way, Danja studies the murals that tell the story of the Jeraltan kings: their rise to power in the wilderness, the construction of Diyun, Jeralta's initial resistance to Imperial aggression, a blockade that lead to starvation, and Theran the Proud's surrender. Throughout, it's clear that Diyun and greater Jeralta prospered through slavery.

In the heart of the tomb the Shadow Walkers confront Theran, now a mummy. He's trying to open a portal to escape. A pitched battle ensues. Perfidy falls. But the Walkers triumph and revive Perfidy. They find the kings' treasure, including the braid and the horn. They also find a section of mural suggesting that even as Theran was surrendering, a child and some scrolls were being smuggled away. The Walkers carefully record this provocative image, then damage it to avoid others finding it.

When the Shadow Walkers encourage Aris to pass on, she insists that they first arrange proper cremations for the bodies of the slaves buried in the tomb (according to the custom of her people in south Oban). The Walkers agree to do this. But when they return to Diyun by gryphon, they discover that an Imperial Army battalion has camped on the nearby cliffs and that Imperial forces are fanning out into the city.

SW 2-3: The Army Arrives

Thursday, Falldawn 24 (Chill), 1126 SF (Sep 16, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Res (party)

Perfidy send Haelra into the city and stops with Danja to talk with the Imperial Army. They meet Lieuntant Elding. He explains that the 7th Battalion has been ordered to occupy Diyun. There have been reports of a possible rebellion. There 500 soldiers and 50 support staff making camp on the cliffs west of Diyun and fanning out into the city.

There is a frantic energy in the streets, as the people of Diyun scramble to lay in supplies and hole up. The Army is building checkpoints and starting patrols.

Perfidy and Danja catch up with Haelra at the Mayor-Commander's office. They meet General Lyat Redwall, Commander of the 7th Battalion, and his Chief of Staff, Colonel Istor Malik. Mayor-Commander Ainslee Sanderfoot is arguing vehemently with General Redwall about how severe the occupation will be, and the possibly severe effects on the city's trade and prosperity.

The Army is imposing martial, including checkpoints, identification documents for all citizens, and a strict curfew. General Redwall emphasizes that he was ordered to Diyun to make an example. He also challenges Perfidy's alleged sympathies for emancipated slaves and their rights, asserting that, "We need to be patient. It takes time for society change: years, even decades."

The Shadow Walkers start making plans, to follow up at the secret Tomb of the Therans and to investigate the last days of Theran the Proud. They plan to use several of their contacts, especially in Diyun College.

The heroes learn that the king has two sons, both of who died in the war when the Empire annexed Jeralta. The king had three concubines but no wife. Theran and his concubines were placed in royal custoday in Shango City, where they died of natural causes.

Under the Theran traditions, birthright doesn't necessarily lead to rulership. Rather, the king would have to formally name an heir through a ritual involving magical scrolls of inheritance. The last mural in the secret tomb hints at an heir being so named and secreted away.

Wode explains that the palace of the Therans was completely dismantled after annexation. The stone was used to repair and expand citadel at Trog's Maw.

As the sun sets, a thunderstorm rolls in.

SW 2-4: Jeraltan History Lessons

Friday, Falldawn 25 (Chill), 1126 SF (Sep 17, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Res (party)

The Shadow Walkers learn more about the fall of King Theran. They meet Deela Fletcher, a junior librarian at the College. They meet with Dameno, a professor of Jeraltan history. They also meet with Orman, a male firbolg who tends the greenhouse on the roof of the College. The ghost of Aris tells Haelra that there were rumors of a third son, born to Iselda, a noble's daughter.

Theran's inner circle included:

• Gemor, a male human general; buried with Theran
• Keltia Goldbrush, a human female merchant prince of the Six Rings Trading Company; seemed to care mostly about business and changed allegiance to the Empire after annexation
• Angir, a male human spymaster; started as a river pirate; left hand scarred, wore a glove

There were also rumors that Theran was offered a bargain. In exchange for doing something distasteful, he'd get kobolds to fight for him. He refused.

Orman wants the occupation to end quickly; the Army is devastating to the local ecosystem, and war would be worse. He agrees to help the Shadow Walkers find the secret heir. Orman and Danja will research a ritual to find the heir, using the vital essence Haelra took from Theran's corpse.

SW 2-5: Generations of Discontent

Friday, Falldawn 25 (Chill), 1126 SF (Sep 23, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Res (party)

The Shadow Walkers split up to work the case.

Perfidy skimmed Dameno's written history of the fall of Jeralta, and asked Dameno about Iselda (Theran's mistress). She learned that Iselda Hintay was the daughter of Keltia Goldbrush's brother-in-law, Romo Hintay. At the time of the fall of Kingdom of Jeralta, the Hintays owned the Black Bear Trading Company. The company has since been dissolved. Keltia's heir was Hatwor Goldbrush, her nephew by blood.

Haelra purified the physical sample from Theran's mummied body of necrotic energy, leaving only the king's vital essence. She also checked out a book from the Diyun College Library on the funeral rituals of the southern peoples (like Aris). She succesfully sought a copy of the Alarm spell. Haelra searched through the books and papers taken by the Watch from Mosul Tosic's secret office at his estate. She learned that Mosul's father, Synbar Tosic, was a passionate Theran loyalist and had raised his son on stories of a Theran restoration.

Danja and Orman researched a ritual to use Theran's vital essence to locate his suspected heir. Danja realized that sweeping hundreds of miles of land would require too much power, so she decided to use ravens. Each raven would have a detection spell on it, and she would send them in different directions. After conferring with College Secretary Triso, she sought out Mr. Drant, a bird merchant. Danja bought eight ravens from him. Mr. Drant was anxious to leave town during the occupation. He agreed to give Danja a parrot in exchange for her tending to his aviary-shop.

Throughout the day, the heroes had some difficulty getting through some of the Army checkpoints in the city. Perfidy recruited some pigeons for revenge.

Perfidy (in disguise) and Res went to the undercity market to find clues about the Theran loyalists and the suspected heir. They met Tonak the leatherworker, who ranted about an aging guardsman named Tanvor. Decadees ago, Tanvor rolled with a man meeting Angir's description. More recently, Tanvor has been publicly drunk but Tonak believes he's faking it, using potions bought from Dantia the herbalist.

Perfidy sought Dantia's help in tracking Tanvor. After some reluctance, Dantia explained that, indeed, she was grudgingly providing Tanvor with potions to stay sober. Dantia spoke passionately about the innocence of most of Diyun's people, and her desire for a swift, peaceful resolution of the occupation. She explained where Perfidy could likely Tanvor when he was buying his daily supplies.

The heroes reunited at Diyun College. A Watch cadet was waiting for Perfidy, summoning the Special Cases unit to a crime scene.

[New NPCs:

• Synbar Tosic, male human merchant-prince and Theran loyalist, deceased
• Mr. Drant, male human bird-merchant
• Tonak, male human leatherwork, Diyun Market Undercity
• Tanvor, male human guardsman (retired) and Theran loyalist

]

SW 2-6: Kelun's Glassworks

Friday, Falldawn 25 (Chill), 1126 SF (Sep 24, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Res (party)

The Shadow Walkers arrived at Kelun's Glassworks. The Army and the City Watch were arguing over jurisdiction. The heroes pieced together the situation.

The Glassworks was the business and home of Kelun Ripplefern, a glassblower and alchemist. He had two apprentices, Xyrano and Tedia. Near sunset, a nearby cart vendor named Niefic Dawnchild heard a disturbance at the Glassworks. She peered into the window in the door and saw a body on the floor. Niefic rushed to find a Watchman but ran into an Army patrol lead by Lieutenant Ickory. The patrol wasted time interrogating Niefic before finally marching to the Glassworks and surrounding the building. When a soldier opened the front door he was bit by a giant insect and retreated. Moments later, a City Watch squad arrived, lead by Captain Leck, ward commander for the Market Ward.

The Shadow Walkers ended the argument by taking charge. They prepared two buckets of poisoned entrails as bait for the insects. Then they spread out in front of the windows and broke through. A battle erupted between two sides: the heroes, soldiers, and watchmen versus giant centipedes and giant ants. One soldier fell in the fight but was revived.

After defeating the insects, the Shadow Walkers began systematically analyzing the scene. They learned that a group of three humanoids in hooded cloaks had entered the shop. They had fought and killed a customer named Mirt, as well as Kelun and his apprentices. The heroes deduced much about the criminals' size and weapons. They learned that Kelun had recently invented a powerful potion and this is likely what the criminals were after. The criminals had taken little else of value and left a mess. They had somehow set the giant insects loose to eat the bodies and otherwise ruin the trail of evidence. Furthermore, some of the insects had traces of wild magic.

[The heroes advance to Level 5.]

[New NPCs:

• Niefic Dawnchild, female human yogurt cart vendor
• Ickory, male elf lieutenant, Imperial Army
• Lect, male human captain, Diyun City Watch, Market Ward Commander
• Kelun Ripplefern, male elf alchemist, deceased
• Xyrano, male human alchemist apprentice, deceased
• Tedia, female half-elf alchemist apprentice, deceased
• Mirt, male dwarf distiller, deceased
• Samson, male human archer, Diyun City Watch

]

SW 2-7: Closing In

Saturday, Falldawn 26 (Chill), 1126 SF (Sep 30, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Res (party)

The Shadow Walkers returned home to rest and resumed their investigation the next day.

Danja had a memorable dream involving her pigeon, Falcon. Through her research, Danja determined that two of the giant insects had been affected by wild magic dust. Tenda, the owner of The Clever Toad, bemoaned the tension in the city and seemed to consider leaving.

Wode arrived to update the Walkers. Imperial forces had raided a Burning Masks safehouse. They seized intel that a party of adventurers called the Pennytakers was in Diyun. As part of their mission, the Pennytakers had been seeking or were seeking a powerful magic item called the Gorget of the Loyal Slave. One of the Pennytakers is a gnome male necromancer named Zotrone, twin to Astrid Bluegrease.

Wode had the archer Samson assigned to the Shadow Walkers' Special Cases unit. He also brought in Nysandra Entax, a human gender-non-conforming "forensic scrivener" to help analyze the Tosics' documents and similar evidence. Perfidy tasked Nys with investigating Iselda's fate after the fall of the kingdom, as well as tracking the loyalist rebels among the aristocracy and merchants.

Haelra and Danja sought ghosts at the glassworks but found none. However, at the morgue, Haelra used Speak with Dead on Kellun's corpse. They learned that the alchemist's breakthrough was a Potion of Polymorph, and that he wants his shop to pass to another alchemist.

Perfidy and Res pursued a lead into undercity black market. On route, they dealt with a flashpoint of conflict at an Army checkpoint. Perfidy deepened her relationship with Dantia, who agreed to help find a new tenant for Kellun's Glassworks. Dantia also shared a message from a "friend who has visions." A being is imprisoned in "a place of darkness and brass pipes," and Perfidy should free her.

At Diyun College, Danja asked Triso for an expert on the Gorget. This lead the Walkers to the house of Lady Yildi, a human female and dealer in antiques and curiosities. Unfortunately, Yildi was out of the city on business, but her solictor Mr. Ingunt (human male) cooperated with the Walkers. He shared that Lady Yildi's business had the Gorget, but it was evidently intercepted on route from Trog's Maw to Diyun. The Walkers extrapolated that the Pennytakers now had the Gorget. Perfidy also bartered for a magic dagger called Luthic's Wrath.

The Walkers returned to the College. Danja and Orman used the ritual they'd created to sweep the city for possible Theran heir. They got a hit that lead them to a ruined neighborhood in the Castle Ward: Dankwell. The neighborhood was notorious for a series of unsolved kidnappings, rapes, and murders.

SW 2-8: Into the Forsaken Temple

Saturday, Falldawn 26 (Chill), 1126 SF (Oct 2, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Res (party)

In Dankwell, the Shadow Walkers descended into the undercity. Amid the dim grime and filth of a sewer main, they encountered a dwarf female exterminator. The dwarf asked Danja for a healing potion and the druid obliged. In return, the dwarf gave Danja a corked purple wine bottle and a tip on finding a secret door. Before departing, the dwarf gave her name as Dee.

The secret door was difficult to approach, due to a magic amulet producing a deterrence field. The field was strong enough to cause the Walkers to cough and retch, but they eventually dealt with this obstacle. Beyond the secret door, the Walkers entered a long-abandoned temple of the Partner. The temple was old enough to have unusual symbols in the walls and floor, such as lyres, laurel wreaths, and pythons.

Perfidy accidentally set off an alarm trap. Soon after, the Walkers found Lonir in a grand, decrepit theater. Lonir was reinforced with many zombies and skeletons. The zombies were clearly women who had died violent deaths (e.g., strangulation). While Haelra used her alter ego Hazel to distract Lonir, the Perfidy attacked him.

The ensuing battle challenged the Walkers. As he fought, Lonir ranted: "You meddling fools! You have no idea what's going on here. … I will never surrender. I have traveled through doors you can't imagine. I know things you'll never understand!" The tide turned when Danja summoned a herd of giant goats. Soon after, Perfidy slew Lonir.

SW 2-9: Evasion

Saturday, Falldawn 26 (Chill), 1126 SF (Oct 15, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Res (party)

The Shadow Walkers secured and searched the derelict theater. From there. they explored the southwest area of the forsaken temple, following the guidance of Danja’s tracking spell. The Walkers continued to be wary of traps. At the end of a long hallway they found a dining room with windows overlooking the river. The room showed recent use. In the corner the Walkers found a secret room, which accessed an upward stairway blocked by rubble. At the foot of the stairs, a dummy had been left to draw Danja’s spell. The Walkers extrapolated that the heir was now magically cloaked against detection.

The secret room included an outer door to the river canyon. Evidently, the conspirators had escaped up the cliff face while Lonir delayed the Shadow Walkers. Haelra sent her familiar Ellison up the cliff. Meanwhile, Perfidy and Danja raced back to the surface. They found an abandoned farm at the top of the cliff, with a rope ladder the conspirators had probably drawn up behind them. Danja used her birds to search for the fleeing heir, without success.

The Walkers questioned some nearby workers. They described a man who looked like Tanvor and a younger man making their way through the farm, into the city. Perfidy sent Samson to get reinforcements lead by Dalla, including a cleric. The Walkers prepared to return to the temple to search for more clues.

SW 2-10: Asala, Angir, & The Mad King's Cauldron

Saturday, Falldawn 26 (Chill), 1126 SF (Nov 4, 5, 12, 2017)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Res (party)

The Shadow Walkers continued exploring the temple. They found a mostly-neglected kitchen and an marvelously-complex boiler room. Then the Walkers entered a room of medicinal baths, where they were attacked by water weirds. Danja was ready for a weird's engulfing attack and shape-changed into a crocodile.

After the battle, the Walkers freed a naiad from a glass tube. She introduced herself as Asala and explained that the secret heir, Erotawn, used her magical perfume to charm his victims. "Sometimes he would bring them here, so that I might watch as he had his way with them." Res' reaction to Asala demonstrated her innate allure.

The Walkers guided Asala to freedom. In gratitude for being rescued, Asala gave Perfidy a talisman: a freshwater snail shell. "Come at dawn to the southernmost point of Diyun. Hold this token and speak my name, and I shall come." Asala also identified the magic item Dee had given to Danja as a Bottle of Holding, capable of sucking up a ship or a building. Finally, Asala told Perfidy and Danja the secret to opening the temple's inner sanctum.

The Walkers united with the requested reinforcements from the City Watch, lead by Senior Inspector Dalla. They finished exploring the south hallway. The heroes found the infirmary still pristine and still consecrated. Dalla updated the Walkers on the news: General Redwall had called for all Diyun citizens to come to the Grand Temple tomorrow, where he would give a speech about the occupation.

In the eastern hallway, the Shadow Walkers found the inner sanctum, still secured against Angir's attempts to open it or tunnel in. They also found the hastily-abandoned living quarters of the conspirators: Lonir, Erotawn, and Tanvor, as well as Angir's old room. They were assaulted by the the wraith of Angir and two enslaved specters, but they triumphed.

The Walkers found Angir's skull and diary, and Erotawn's trophies from his predations (e.g., ribbons, lace, underthings). They also found the conspirators' planning room, hinting at a scheme that targeted the Grand Temple.

As the Walkers continued exploring the temple, they found the abandoned common dormitory, and more minor rooms. Then they discovered the workshop of the mercenary tinker Astrid Bluegrease. The workshop had two chained zombies with experimental cogwork enhancement. It also contained a scale prototype of a graven hulk, Zamond, aka The Mad King's Cauldron. The stone construct had glowing hammered-copper eyes and cauldron crown with bubbling green fluid.

At first Zamond seemed unable to communicate. But then he presented Perfidy's illusionary voice with a heavy iron medallion. Haelra donned the medallion and found she could understand the golem. However, Haelra couldn't stop Zamond from grabbing and devouring Danja's tame pigeon, Falcon. The Mad King's Cauldron soon released Falcon with cogwork enhancements, including metallic feathers that could be fired like darts. The heroes slew the zombies.

The Walkers put Zamond in vanguard as they continued exploring. In the temple's ruined library, they were ready for an attack by two black puddings and dispatched them.

At last, the temple seemed secure. Perfidy set Dalla and the other Watchmen to inspect theater and southern rooms. She sent Haelra and Danja study the conspirators' plans. Perfidy left to fetch a gryphon, to travel to the College to confer with Orman.

SW 2-11: Portents & the Wand

Saturday, Falldawn 26 (Chill), 1126 SF (Jan 14, 2018)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Res (party)

Perfidy asked Orman who to trust. He recommended the City Watch, as the faction that has consistently tried to protect the common people of Diyun. So Perfidy traveled to HQ and sought Umardo, Lord-Commander of the Watch. She shared all she knew about the Burning Masks' plan to raise Erotawn to king. They begin discussing how to quietly stop the rebels without alerting the Imperial Military to the threat, since that would likely lead to more ruthless control of the city.

Meanwhile, Haelra, Danja, and Res finished studying the plans. They moved on to examine the temple's inner sanctum. The successfully communed the with Partner/Apollo, using the secret from Asala. They were visited by one of his servants, a deva of otherworldly beauty. The deva confirmed with Haelra that she was ready for the responsibility of owning the contents of the chamber, then opened the door for them. Inside, they found the remains of many scrolls, as well as the Wand of Apollo's Grace. Clearly an artifact, the wand consisted of braided white wood and silver metal. Haelra's preliminary impression was that it could evoke or amplify emotion. The heroes also noticed that the great seal of Diyun was embedded in the floor of the inner sanctum.

The Shadow Walkers reunited. Perfidy explained that Umbardo expected to call for them after midnight. The heroes tended to some errands before resting.

Res lead Zamond back to the Clever Toad via the undercity. Perfidy and Haelra visited to the undermarket to buy Oil of True Sight from Dantia. Dantia told them that the water level of the Red Rock River was dropping inexplicably. Perfidy befriend a toad she named Twelve Pound Toad. Haelra bought a silver meat fork for Oz.

Back at the Clever Toad, Perfidy asked Tenda about her possible interest in moving the whole inn somewhere else (using Danja's new bottle). Haelra learned that the Wand of Apollo's Grace can only be attuned by an arcane caster, and enhances spells that involve emotion (e.g., charms).

SW 2-12: Into the Grand Temple

Sunday, Falldawn 27 (Chill), 1126 SF (Jan 20, 2018)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Sariel (Ana), Res (party)

Haelra and Perfidy prepped Myfir, Tinga, and Nari for the all-city event in the morning. Oz would go with them, in hiding. Samson arrived to volunteer to help the Shadow Walkers stop the rebellion.

Haelra talked with Zamond about his ability to locate undead. The Shadow Walkers disguised Zamond as a half-orc prisoner, complete with forged documents. Perfidy decided not to wait for Umbardo's orders. The Walkers set out across the city in the dark. They easily made their way through the checkpoints and into the Grand Temple. They saw first-hand how the low the Red Rock River was running.

Just inside, the Walkers met the cleric Sariel. She'd been visiting the temple with Priestess Sinaydra as her host. Sariel's divine connection allowed her to join the braid via the wand Haelra carried. The Walkers hid from Wode and a group of priests and soldiers as they passed nearby. Wode was arguing about the possibility that the temple's stones still had an unknown power from the Jeraltan castle

This lead to a flashback by Perfidy that was shared across the braid. In Angir's diary, she'd read about a young Erotawn breaking sculptures in the forsaken temple for fun, and later damaging the everlight in the theater. Angir taught the hidden heir to hate non-humans, especially the Imperials. Angir saw hints of tiefling blood in Erotawn, including darkvision and resistance to fire. Angir described his frustration at being unable to open the inner sanctum. Most recently, he wrote about being contacted by agents of a organization from "a land far to the east," calling itself: the League of the Rusted Crown. The League promised to provide secret forces for the rebellion, including cultist kobolds marked with burnt masks. In the last pages of his diary, Angir wrote of falling sick. He expressed confidence that Tanvor will carry on "the Cause" and that Erotawn--despite his distasteful hobbies--will make a great king.

Using Zamond's ability to sense undead, the Walkers moved upwards in the Tower of the Sovereign. They found the Pennytakers trying to hide mecha undead. They prepared a multi-part surprise attack, with Perfidy and Res in the lead. It was a fast, vigorous battle. Danja used Conjure Animals to bring in her herd of giant goats. Penny fought fiercely but Zamond ultimately ate her head. Haelra animated a skeleton. Zatrone surrendered. Rakmos tried to escape with Invisibility but Danja stopped him with Entangle. Haelra cast Haelra's Chains on Zatrone and Rakmos.

SW 2-13: Neutralizing the Mechadead

Sunday, Falldawn 27 (Chill), 1126 SF (Mar 11, 2018)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Sariel (DM), Res (party)

The Shadow Walkers searched and questioned Zatrone and Rakmos. Zatrone was defiant and uncooperative. Rakmos tried to cast Sending but Haelra used Counterspell.

Samson gets a message from a weasel (likely Animal Messenger), sent by a friend of the City Guard. Delegations from the outlying villages and hamlets were arriving in Diyun, including law enforcement. They reported that they've been finding and arresting cells of the Burning Masks. The conspirators are expecting a sign in the sky above the Grand Temple, signaling the time to rise up. Also, Tiadra, General Redwall's aide, was on her way to the sanctuary in the Grand Temple and hadn't returned.

The Shadow Walkers left Samson and Haelra's skeleton to guard the Zatrone and Rakmos. Sariel went to find temple guards to take them into custody. The heroes continued using Zamond to track the mechanized undead. In the Tower of the Tinker, they found five mechadead in a storeroom. The mechadead were inert so the heroes dispatched them cleanly without a fight.

Zamond lead the way into the inner park. The Shadow Walkers saw around 30 workers erecting a stage and crowd control fencing, under the watch of around ten Imperial soldiers.

The Shadow Walkers used supplies from a workshop to disguise themselves as workers. Zamond helped them find a mass of 22 mechadead in a gardening cellar, waiting for the Pennytakers to disperse and hide them. Once again, the mechadead were inert so the heroes quickly dispatched them.

Trying to avoid the soldiers, the Shadow Walkers circled around the back of the sanctuary. Haelra could make out dozens of spirits coming down from the air and entering the sanctuary. The spirits appeared to be the Jeraltan kings, their retainers, and their slaves (including Aris).

Sariel rejoined the Shadow Walkers and the party entered the sanctuary. They discovered a group of rebels, trying to disguise Tiadra. The female elf had been raised as a zombie and wore the Gorget of the Loyal Slave. The heroes were very stealthy, but Zamond was loud, breaking a paving stone with his heavy step.

SW 2-14: Ending a Dynasty

Sunday, Falldawn 27 (Chill), 1126 SF (Mar 17, 2018)
Party: Perfidy (Aslene), Danja (Danana), Haelra (Basil), Sariel (Ana), Res (party)

The rebels attacked with crossbows, and they proved to be disciplined, hardy foes. The Tiadra-ghoul was also vicious. In the bloody fight, Haelra raised the rebels' fallen captain as a zombie and Danja transformed into a giant goat. The Shadow Walkers won, killing most of the rebels and capturing three.

Perfidy recognized the zombie as Tarika Clarios, the daughter of Synbar Clarios. Synbar was a human male noble and crown loyalist. He had ordered the Gorget of the Loyal Slave to be shipped to Diyun, allowing the rebels to steal it on route. The heroes found the Gorget on Tiadra's corpse, and Burning Masks tattoos on their prisoners.

The city spirit Dee appeared, cautioning that only Haelra should handle the Gorget. She explained that Tanvor and Erotawn had entered the temple by polymorphing themselves into priests. They lured in and killed Tiadra, before withdrawing to the inner sanctum to commence the ritual.

Danja studied the murals of Diyun's history in the hallway, which were reminiscent of the murals in the secret Tomb of the Jeraltan Kings. In this version, the Jeraltan kings were tyrants under whom the slaves suffered. The kings signed deals in blood with fiends in exchange for power. Then a gallant Imperial Army of elves and dwarves conquered the kingdom under the sign of the Six. Theran was captured and placed in chains while the people cheered. Elven politicians cleaned up corruption in the city while dwarven engineers broke down the castle. Finally, the Grand Temple was built by happy slaves.

The Shadow Walkers prepared to enter the inner sanctum. Dee offered each hero a boon. Perfidy and Sariel chose Invisibility. Haelra asked for some spell slots to be restored. Res wanted his sword to hit harder. But Danja declined a boon, saying that she was satisfied with the Bottle of Holding.

Dee said, "You face a foe that can't be killed, almost. I can bless this construct to be capable of delivering a final blow that will destroy this foe forever." In conjunction with Sariel using Channel Divinity, Dee blessed Zamond to make him capable of permanently slaying a devil. Haelra stepped outside just long enough to shout a message calling Wode to the inner sanctum, and then the Shadow Walkers finally faced the Jeraltan heir.

Perfidy and Sariel entered first. They found Erotawn preparing the ritual ceremony in front of an open magical portal. Erotawn worked under the guidance of an erinyes (or female devil), while Tanvor stood guard. Perfidy launched a surprise attack on Tanvor. Res dueled Erotawn and slew him with just two attacks, using his newly-blessed sword, Diyun's Dambreaker.

The erinyes proved to be a more difficult opponent. She declared herself to be Lady Engasha, handmaid to Queen Ny'shaya, Sovereign of the Hall of Burning Scales, in the Nine Hells of Baator. At first, she used her wings to stay at range and shoot vicious magical arrows. But then Danja used Wind Wall to force Engasha down into a corner, where Res and Zamond hammered on her. In giant goat form, Danja helped Haelra move into a better position and then she rammed the devil. Finally, Zamond took Engasha down, biting her head off. The devil dissolved into foul ichor.

Perfidy found four prisoners the rebels had planned to sacrifice: a dwarf boy and girl, and an elf boy and girl. (Later, the heroes learned that these were children of Shangon loyalists.)

Zamond started to die, poisoned by Engasha's black blood. While Haelra and Sariel tried to help the construct, Perfidy and Res lead the children out of the room. They encountered Wode with a group of soldiers. Perfidy discreetly let Wode know to keep the soldiers out of the inner sanctum. Danja was able to identify the portal from her research, and she and Wode closed it. Danja also used fire to burn away the ichor, which was still moving.

Weary and triumphant, the Shadow Walkers sought help for the dying Zamond, as the sun started to rise over Diyun.