Our intrepid adventurers are informed of the rumor that Legion is amassing his forces as the Sundowner Wars ravage the land, and they have been brought together as a special response to danger.
Meet the Sigil
You have all been summoned to the seat of power and if the missives you received are to be believed, the Sigil himself, upon whom the survival of the mortal world supposedly rests, is awaiting you personally. You been brought to the Citadel of the Last Dawn, the tallest structure in Paradygm. What was once supposedly a city of magitech and wonder, now an inert collection of tall greenish-blue crystal towers that look like needles thrust into the flesh of the world overlooking an aggressive sea of agitation and monsters.
Magrius Tanaram, The Caller of the Vigil has summoned CLIFF to the Radiant Chamber near the top of the Citadel of the Last Dawn. He meets you at the base of the tower amongst the once wonderous city square, now, reduced to an opulent but ultimately undead city of magic and wonder. Describe yourself to us. “Come XXX, the Sigil awaits and he is not one known for an abundance of patience.”
At the shrine across the street from the Citadel of the Last Dawn, dedicated to the radiance of the sun, the journey into hope and the mourning of twilight, Erasmus enters to find the LIghtbringer Onenderus awaiting his arrival in prayer. After a moment of respectful silence, surrounded by the light of thousands of candles, the Lightbringer stands, resplendent in his vestments of cleanest white and gold filagree, “Crypstalker Secondus has regaled us all with tales of your prowess in the healing arts and effectiveness in the purgation of the should-be-dead of the land. Come. The Sigil awaits our arrival and the climb up the stairs is an arduous one: we do not want to arrive after the others.”
Within the Chamber of Scientifical Merit within the Repository of Blasphemy within the greater Athenaeum of Ages Lost library, the Augustine Lord Vivisect Vor is hard at work, elbows deep within the bowels of an unknown profanity of science, “ah, mmm, yes. oh, of course” he mutters to himself behind three sets of goggles and glasses, apron decorated in gore and held to his person by a book pad locked and chained to his waist. “oh, I ah, why yes, yes you have arrived and i, I, It must be of the appointed hour, rights? yes. lets – let’s us away.”
As you approach the center of the square, before the blue-green crystal statue representing the sigil slaying the evening in the form of a ghastly vampire with a flaming sword, you see the Chieften of Fire Sorren Bloodfist The Revenger of Blighting Vale pacing back and forth, incapable of a moment of calm and quiet, literally arguing with the voices in his head, said to be the un-souled mortals that he has slain and sent back to their infernal masters, “gah, ur, come girl, I have been idle too long and the blood upon my hands has dried and flaked away into the nghtwinds and ghostlands.” he says, and turns without waiting for you to catch up or really respond.
As you arrive at the top of the stairs up to the Radiant Chamber, standing in the foyer before a set of 12-foot tall double doors cast in bronze and showing vertigris in the receses of the art shown in relief, you find that you cannot reconcile the images with history. The Augustine Lord pipes up, eh, a yes, but of course we are here left awating the members of the Syndicate of the Broken Sky,. oh, i ah, I hear the Sanguilunae is sending a Heirophant. I, ah, would surely revel in the idea of vivisecting such a remarkable creature, oh, ah, you know, for science.”
At that you notice a scurrying in the corner. Before your eyes, they transfer into to men, lets say, but far less human than would be expected. The powerful one emanates warmth and has a set of goat legs and a shoulders broader than anyone here. The Heirophant Speaks with a voice deep as all hells “Not this day, bookburner!”
The other is crowned with a set of antlers, leather vest over bare chest festooned with tokens, tribal wards of twine and twigs and a bandoleer of potions and tinctures. Upon his arms and about his exposed chest and neck are hundreds of raised scar tattoos, his eyes are entirely stone grey and when he smiles you find that his teeth like those of a wolf. “They are finally all here, Daru, Come, the Sigil awaits.” Daru nods his head and the big man with the little goat feet pushes the door open and your lives change forever.
Before you stands an unassuming man in simple robes and a sash of office below a frozen crystal astrolabe which occupies the a large percentage of the massive chamber. As you enter the chamber, he makes a complicated gesture with his hands and tosses a light up, which strikes and sets to glowing the large central orb, and at that, the 10 rings start rotating, the small ones rotating fast and the largest moving ever so slow. Fartherest out, past the 11th ring, was an arching half-ring that supported a small secondary glowing sphere.
“This one, right here, the 4th sphere. That is us. I have called the heads of your Tribunals to bring together a special mission, for that small orb on which we all cower our lives away is in danger, possibly more than ever before.
The Sundowner War has raged amongst the monsters and madmen across the continent and we have enjoyed nearly 30 years of relative peace since Legion was defeated by The Revenant and his companions. But John Cronin, the Revenant, is missing, presumed to be hiding, as has the Damphyr woman: two generations of the Banner’s decendants have searched for them to no avail. And the fragile peace bought by the blood of our army before the Castle of the Eternal Night and the power struggle between the lieutenants of the banished Lord of the Night himself is now in danger once again. We have rebuilt, as best we can across the land, but, our time may be up.
Rumors have arisen that the Bloody 13 has reformed. If the lieutenants no longer fight, then that can mean only one thing. The Lord of the Night, the Dark Fury Legion himself must be returning from the beyond. You have been brought together to verify the rumor, disrupt the gathering forces of darkness and find a way to forestall the coming of our greatest enemy. This unprecedented cooperation between the various Tribunals is our only hope.
Daru speaks up in his deep voice “why us?” The Chieften of Fire speaks up: “Why not send an army, crush this threat and wring its blood upon the ground before it takes ours?”
The Sigil says: we cannot be sure this is not the misguided and superstitious ramblings amongst the peasantry. If it is real, the forces have not yet amassed, and should we make it known that we are aware, we would lose the chance for a first strike.
The Sigil produces three sealed and numbered envelopes. Here are the first rumors, your destinations and orders. I have secured a carriage for transport and I expect updates. This document will guarantee some form of aid in most civilized settlements as well as compensation for runners in order to send news back.
Make haste. Dusk brings forth danger, Through Danger we may find the Dawn.
Townecrest Manor
A Deathlock, a dead warlock who has failed its patron, dedicated to Legion is searching the acursed library within.
hand them the first sealed letter. Meet Coachman Quartermaine who will also act as their valet.
Loot: In his coach is the following: 1 greater healing potion for each, 5 solid wooden blessed stakes, 5 vials of holy water, 5 flasks of alchemist fire, two silvered daggers, 50ft of rope and a grapple hook, 50 gold in a small wooden chest, along with 2 50GP gems.
The first order send the team to the town of Brightown. The manor above the town was once the home of a noble vampire that was destroyed by Cronin. Nasty things are believed to have moved into the mansion.
learn from Mayor Darning that there is a werewolf den nearby causing problems. Also, the Crypt below the manor is being watched by a Tomb Breaker Novitiate Reddington and a Stalker for Nocturns Vigil has been seen creeping around the grounds and the outskirts of town.
Enter the Crypt
1) Entry is defended by a simple ghost that tells them to flee, to return to the world of the living.. The room holds a Guilded demonic face across the entry to the crypt proper. Riddle me this:
“I have no breath, yet I can sigh. I have no veins, yet I am full of red. I die in the day, but I wake in the night. Tell me, what am I?”
- Clue 1: It is not a living person.
- Clue 2: It flows when the sun goes down.
- Clue 3: It is a single, powerful word.
2) There is an obvious trap plate on the floor. This is a false plate so that someone steps on the actual trap tile next to it.
Each creature in the darts’ path must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be struck by 1d3 darts, taking 3 (1d6) Poison damage per dart.
Detect and Disarm. As a Search action, a creature can examine the walls and make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, detecting the holes on a successful check. Plugging all the holes with wax, cloth, or detritus prevents the darts from firing.
3) Fire-Casting Statue
Deadly Trap (Levels 1–4)
Trigger: A creature moves onto a pressure plate
Duration: Instantaneous
When a creature moves onto this trap’s pressure plate for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, a nearby statue exhales a 15-foot Cone of magical flame. The statue can look like anything, such as a dragon or a wizard. Each creature in the Cone must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 11 (2d10) Fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.
Detect and Disarm. A Detect Magic spell reveals an aura of Evocation magic around the statue. As a Search action, a creature within 5 feet of the statue can examine it and make a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check, detecting a tiny glyph on the statue on a successful check. Once the glyph is found, a character can take a Study action to examine it and make a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check, ascertaining that the glyph means “fire” on a successful check. As an action, a character can use a sharp tool to deface the glyph, which disarms the trap.
As a Search action, a creature can examine the section of floor that forms the pressure plate and make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, detecting the pressure plate on a successful check. Wedging an Iron Spike or similar object under the pressure plate prevents the trap from triggering.
4) 12 x basic ass skeletons and a flaming skull above the chest full of goodies.
Loot: Clockwork amulet, a magic orb of direction, potion of climbing and potion of hill giant strength.
5) Fight through the crypt to get to the Deathlock dedicated to Legion and two flaming skeletons (2500 boss fight)
6) Dank cavern of rough stone walls, tall, light pooring out of a grate some 30 feet above the fetid pool.
The pool holds 4 Yaun-ti monsters with sexy lady bodies and charm person spells.
First Floor) The house is rampaged through and ruined. Gilded facias have been scraped off, painting torn from the walls, the painted paper and plastered ceilings are coming undone. Light syphons through the dirty windows, while water drips occassionally. perception for a slight breathing sound, turns to an obvious pulsing breathing if magic is used. They can feel the pressence up the massive staircase that splits and curves to both sides.
Second Floor) Defended by a wraith. Door to library is hidden from view.
Infernal Library) The library is a source of magic. It is alive, possessed by a demon, a cursed member of the bloody thirteen.
Tyson
Obsessive and neurotic collector of little plastic men, novels about the same little plastic men and paints to make the little plastic men pretty. Married to Kera, who puts up with him and pretends that she doesn’t hear him speaking to the little plastic men in between making pew pew noises in the hobby room. Requires adult supervision. A menace to himself but rarely to others. More beard than man
Notes:
Erasmus says to reddington: stay your post and say your perpetuals