Twenty-Eighth Session

The Twisted Path to Redemption

Dramatis Personae

• CoralKing, a 14th-level Gnome Monk
• Orky, a 14th-level Half-Elf Paladin
• Tasbros, a 12th-level Sky Elf Sorcerer
• Tysnera, a 12th-level Sky Elf Wizard
• Viker, a 14th-level Eladrin Druid
• Wulrif, a 12th level Human Warlock

Summerday +1240 hours

From the journal of Countess Orky

Tysnera and Tasbros were at the Magisterium and they rejoined the group. As we see dozens of Vampires begin to rise from their coffins. We decide to exit the city via the ramps. We see a group of humanoids in the distance. They are dropping off coffins in front of where we are. We have clearly found the supply chain of the Vampires. We wait for the city to pass and we run around to the side gate. We make our way to Lord Commander Sozenskaat. I relay to him what we learned. He will talk to the Artificers. He asks me to find out who is behind this operation and mentions requisitioning an airship. He tells us where to find Tasbros and Tysnera.

We decide to report back to Viker’s Inquisitor to hopefully complete her quest. Viker enters the ceremony while the rest of us take a long rest. Meanwhile, I was asked to oversee a raid that was conducted where we found the Vampires. 50+ coffins and Earth Elementals were found. The Earth Elementals were converted to work in the mines. I was specifically asked to see if the Vampire-import operation was moved and re-established. I report back that I didn’t see anything suspicious, but there were a couple of people I wasn’t able to monitor completely.

I meet Viker outside of her ceremony to congratulate her. She looks so spooky and regal in her new robe. **Templar run in groups of 13, Lord Varkosian was the lead of his cohort and he murdered the contents of his cohort. There must have been some way for him to do this easily, since he cared deeply for them. I ask Lord Commander his opinion on this situation. He said to talk to the Crusaders since they cleaned up the scene. I approach the Crusaders and ask them what they know about how they died. They showed me a photo in a crystal cube. I see a hexagram and bodies lying around in a circle. Their throats are cut. They must have been suppressed in some way to lie still while he cut their throats. He said magicians can pick up traces of spells, if that’s how he did it. Tysnera casts Detect Magic as a ritual to pick up on traces of magic. She picked up that there was a Sleep spell cast. However, that doesn’t make sense because the victims were far too sedated for that. We think they may have been poisoned since that’s the only non-magic way of wounding someone. We seek out the Artificer-Alchemist to ask about that. Wulrif’s companion seems to attract an Alchemist and this person does forensics on poisons for the Crusaders. He said they were full of Drow poison at the time of their death.

Now we need to summon the spirits of these people to convince them to forgive Lord Varkosian. We could seek out the help of a cleric and/or find out more information about Death Knights. We seek out the nearest bard and ask about how to subdue a Death Knight. He gives us a song about the legend of Death Knights.

In crypts below where shadows lie,
A death knight dwells, his sword held high.
No longer bound by mortal coil,
He guards his realm, unyielding soil.

Once noble knight, a champion true,
In armor bright, his banner flew.
But darkened paths his steps did find,
Till twisted was his noble mind.

No longer pledge to lord or land,
He sought instead dark power's hand.
Bound by oath to blackest creed,
He spilled the blood of kin, in deed.

His soul in chains, a fiery toll,
Locked away, bereft and foul.
Yet still he fights, his armor worn,
A living curse, forever sworn.

His sword ablaze with eldritch fire,
A weapon fed on dark desire.
His eyes alight, two orbs of coal,
Windows to a shattered soul.

A haunting dirge his voice intones,
Chilling flesh and cracking bones.
A herald to his dark crusade,
A promise of eternal shade.

Yet still within, a flicker stays,
A dying light, a whispered phrase.
Remnants of the knight he'd been,
Before consumed by dreadful sin.

To vanquish him, a daunting quest,
For only then may he find rest.
But mark these words and heed them well,
To free a soul from self-made hell.

For death knights are not born, but made,
In choices poor and vows betrayed.
And in their tale a lesson find,
Of power's cost, and ties that bind.

I roll my eyes while my group convinces me that it was helpful. We decide to begin this journey and try to free the Death Knight.

I first seek out Lady Varkosian. I remember that she is in Phandalin. We travel with Tasbros to Phandalin via Teleportation Circle. I find Actias in a nearby tree and speak to Lady Varkosian. She is confused about how we will get her into the city considering the Arclight. I decide that we will get her into the city via the coffin way we found earlier since it’s void of Arclight. We decide to guide her to the city by foot since we see no better way there.

Along the way, we encounter a group of Rangers sitting around a campfire discussing how they just killed a Witch, but she had sisters they can’t find. We enter the city via the coffin route and I use my Charisma to endear my fellow **Templar to my quest. They gracefully empathize and allow me to continue my intentions.