Ceremony, With Occasional Vampires
The concluding adventure of the Companions of the Rising Sun campaign. This adventure write-up is direct from the planning notes, a few things might differ.
Refresh From Last Two Adventures
In a stunning turn of events, the Holy Temple at Mt. Daneasus is returned to the current timestream by virtue of a huge risk, and willful ignorance of magical safety protocols, undertaken by the Companions of the Rising Sun. Though details are sketchy, all agree it was self-sacrifice and heroism of the first order. It also had several side effects, in no particular order of importance:
- For a brief moment, four separate locations on Crescent merged, allowing for people to cross instantly between one and the other. A number of people did so unwittingly, and were left behind hundreds of miles from home.
- The residents of the Jade Tower, released from their temporal exile in the Holy Temple, returned home, allowing the green sliver of light to reappear in the southwestern sky. This had been gone for generations, as had the Mages.
- Two constellations appear in the sky, marking the return of stars to the night. Only the most well read scholars realize this also likely heralds the return of two other gods. Which ones are clear only to those with the deepest knowledge (which, since the Companions possess this, are Phealas and Mehana.)
- The Wards at the Zoo are disrupted by the huge magical surge, setting up the Return of the Return of the Return of Salem adventure.
When the residents of the Zoo mounted an escape, the Companions were pressed into action. They met one of their old enemies, Salem, now upgraded and with more knowledge and power, and some rather friends, including an undead gargoyle and a skeletal fossilized T-Rex named Sue. It was quite a fight, but the Companions prevailed. However, the use of potent arcane magic revealed Baelwren’s nature to a number of well-placed individuals, including Councilmember Veritas Bookworm III.
Veritas scheduled an audience with the members of the Companions under his direct authority – Jericho, Nigel and Kimo – and grilled them about the reappearance of the Temple and other issues. Notably, Baelwren did not come up. When mildly threatened with the possibility of excommunication for treasonous sabotage of the wards at the Grand Concert Hall, Jericho merely rose, walked out to the Temple steps, and began to sing – an impromptu concert / sermon which – based on the roaring reception it received – quite adequately demonstrated that excommunicating him would likely cause a rift in the Church.
Net consequences: The Companions are now major players in the world of Crescent.
Moonday, 8th of Steel
Evensong reveals himself. Introduces himself with his full name, (roughly translated from Celestial): The song of mourning played at sunset when a young woman receives news that her lover, separated from her by duty, has been slain.
He was sent by Hagar, the Archangel of Dawn, at the behest of Saint Uriel, the Composer. They send their complements to Jericho on his composition and performance of the month past, and encourage him to perform the Magnificat with Baelwren.
Moonday, 15th of Steel
Knighting ceremony
Councilmember Veritas inducts he three priests into the Order of the Knights of the Sun, an honorary order which nevertheless qualifies them for advanced training in one of several fields. He grants them two further honors, giving them each a new name, and one personal boon each – a favor of anything that is within his power and will not compromise his vows or position. Their new names are: Sir Jericho Templar, Sir Kimo DawnBreaker, and Sir Nigel IronFaith.
Wildsday, 1st of Chance (5th Month)
A package arrives for Regina, a gray box approximately 1 ft long, 4 inches wide, and 2 inches deep. Left on the porch of whatever house the Companions are utilizing, it is wrapped in shiny gray paper and tied with a gray ribbon. The note simply says, “Regina” in beautiful if generic script, with no indication of the sender.
If checked, it radiates mild divination magic and has no traps. There are no discernable tracks around it indicating who might have dropped it off.
Inside is a length of bone, carved with multiple runes, which is wired to a black crystal. A Knowledge: Religion check (DC 20) will reveal that the runes are not ones dedicated to ORB. 35 on the check will reveal that they are from Telemore’s lexicon, though not from his lay scriptures, but rather the priest’s private words of power. A Heal check (DC 15) reveals the bone to be an elf’s arm bone.
Appropriate study or divination spells will reveal it to be a Wand of Grave Strike, with a full charge.
Moonday, 27th of Chance
Baelwren – audience with Aurora the Insightful
Baelwren is given a proclamation of independence on the behalf of the Jade Imperium. The proclamation declares that the Jade Imperium is a free and sovereign nation, and claims as their territory the entirety of Shinn's Bay, as well as the peninsula to the south and some of the land north of it. In other words, an area encompassing the three ley-line nexus points – the Jade Tower, the Lighthouse at Windy Point, and the Valley of the Magi. It further offers amnesty to all mortals of arcane power, and claims all mortals of arcane power as citizens, under the protection of the Imperium.
She is authorized to seek an immediate alliance with the Nation of Crescent on behalf of the Jade Imperium, in the face of the imminent threat of the Orcish invasion.
She is also instructed to declare that, as a measure of faith and a demonstration of the power of the Imperium, the Jade Tower is preparing a strike at the heart of the Orcish Dominion. In support of this, she is given a glass bulb full of some iridescent liquid, with instructions to break it at this point in the conversation.
Her final instruction is to run like hell, because she’ll probably be arrested otherwise. This whole affair is also to serve as the diversion for the Ceremony of Reunion. She is given a scroll of wish to use at the Ceremony.
General news
Baby Landor appears to be growing just fine, though his hair and eyes retain their odd color. He also never cries. It seems like Rachel just... knows... what he needs.
At some point, the party contacts Brother Denehan, who reveals that several patrols mounted by the Sword of Malicean to investigate the reappearance of the green sliver in the western sky have failed to return.
Main Adventure
Jericho uses his personal boon with the Councilmember to get an audience with the full Council of Five. Their next meeting is on Maliceana, the 23 of Fidelity (mid-summer).
Scouting the Temple of the Eternal Fount reveals the presence of two guards at any given time, on “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” duty. The temple is never opened. Guards rotate on four hour shifts; there appear to be three pairs.
Audience with the Council
Jericho instructs the Council Herald to introduce Baelwren as Ambassador Baelwren Summerstorm, of the Jade Imperium. "Ambassador" is an all-but-forgotten word in Crescent, but Jericho knows that at least one, if not more, members of the Council will know what it means. By this, he is attempting to have Baelwren formally and officially introduced as a representative of a sovereign power, on the record, and thus give her claim a measure of legitimacy.
Baelwren's proclamation is met with general outrage at the audacity, and a promise of full reprisals, and much rhetoric and gnashing of teeth. Breaking the glass bulb reveals a conference-sized version of JTNN Jumbo-tron-o-vision. The effect is stunning in its clarity, and the events unfolding are captivating. Councilmember Veritas, as promised, tossed Baelwren a scroll of miracle, as his part. Disappointed that he didn't come along, the Companions nevertheless had a backup plan, and dragooned some poor unsuspecting gnomish follower into joining them at the Temple of the Eternal Fount.
Temple of the Eternal Fount
On the way to temple, two things are important - JTNN Jumbo-tron-o-vision over the whole city, and the area around the temple – all the non-urbanized area – is dark as midnight.
Also, at the temple, the guards are missing and the door is ajar.
Bad Guy strategy
In the rounds preceding the arrival of the Companions
Eletrix casts two invisibility spheres on the fighters, they take up residence in the two southern alcoves (earth and water). She casts greater invisibility on herself, Viridian, and Simone Delcius, and darkness and darkvision on herself, and takes up residence in the fire alcove.
Viridian will cast desecrate twice, first cutting off the Temple from its patron source, and second to bolster the undead a bit (-3 to all good turning checks), then cast shield of faith on herself and Eletrix. She takes up residence in the Air Alcove.
Simone waits near the doors.
Fight in progress
Simone will close with Perrin using shadow jump, drop invisibility, will try to dominate him. Will order him to shoot Jericho (gives another save with +2 bonus). Will attempt to kill him if not possible. Then move on to other targets as appropriate, remembering she is a rogue with shadow jump and hide in plain site capabilities. Earth fighters will attempt to close with Baelwren and Jericho if possible. Water fighters will attempt to bottle up Nigel and Kimo.
Spellcasters: Round 1 Viridian: Quickened Silent flame strike at Jericho, Silent blindness at Baelwren
Eletrix: Quickened Silent lightning bolt at wherever it will do the most damage, Silent hold monster at Nigel.
Round 2 Viridian: Quickened Silent dispel magic on whatever defensive magic looks promising (Jericho’s blade barrier, likely) with a dispel turning to counter Jericho if needed.
Eletrix: Quickened Silent lightning bolt wherever it will do the most damage or if someone is threatening her, followed by hold monster at Kimo or immediate threat. She will then move to the other side of the darkness.
Round 3+ Viridian: dispel magic to counter whatever Baelwren is throwing, or bolster undead attempt.
Eletrix: Continues to throw lightning bolt, phantasmal killer, or hold monster as appropriate.
The Ceremony
Once the bad guys were defeated, the Ceremony of Union was able to proceed without a hitch, just exactly as planned.