Post-Temple Recovery#
The session begins immediately after the party’s victory over the corrupted shrine’s guardians. Having defeated the Lacuna and the demon that was helping her, the party takes a much-needed short rest to recover from their injuries. The temple’s protective wards have been restored, but their efforts have revealed a new challenge: a crackling portal has appeared beside the temple, showing shadows moving on the other side.
During the short rest:
- Helisanna provides bardic inspiration through her musical performance, with purple mist emanating from her axe toward party members
- Red uses Balm of Peace to heal the most injured party members
- Silas investigates the temple structure, discovering it was designed to create planar stability in the region
The Shadowfell Portal Discovery#
As the party recovers, they hear a familiar voice calling from beyond the crackling rift. George, Olivia’s grandson, can be seen through the portal along with the other pilgrims, including Father Jacob. George calls out desperately:
“Who’s there? Can you hear me? We’re trapped. The shadows twist and pulse around the rips.”
Red’s religion check (natural 20, total 25) reveals this is a rift to the Shadowfell - a bleak realm of perpetual twilight where emotions are dulled and hope is scarce. Prolonged exposure drains creatures of vitality and will to live. The pilgrims appear to be flickering between states, caught between realms.
Father Jacob warns that “the rift must be closed, else Shadowfell will be open to our world.”
Olivia’s Impulsive Decision#
Without hesitation or consultation with her party, Olivia immediately responds to seeing George trapped. She uses Divine Smite to forcefully break open the rift, despite Red having Eleanor’s portal-closing amulet that could have safely handled the situation.
This decision triggers immediate combat as shadows begin spilling through the enlarged rift.
Shadow Combat Encounter#
The party faces multiple types of shadow creatures emerging from the Shadowfell:
Enemy Forces#
- Shadow Horde: Multiple shadow creatures that function like minions (one hit kills)
- The Haunt: A powerful entity that can move through creatures and cause massive psychic damage
- Wraith: A dangerous undead creature with various resistances
Combat Highlights#
Round 1:
- Helisanna opens with Thunderwave, destroying one shadow but learning they have constitution saves
- Bru casts Fairy Fire, outlining the shadows in blue light and granting advantage on attacks
- Elspeth systematically destroys shadows with her axe and magic gun, killing three in one turn
Round 2-3:
- The Haunt moves through multiple party members, forcing wisdom saves and dealing massive psychic damage (33 damage, half on save)
- Both Olivia and Elspeth are knocked unconscious by the haunt’s devastating area attack
- Silas demonstrates impressive skill by eliminating all remaining shadows with a single curved psychic blade attack, using his enhanced capabilities
Round 4-5:
- Eldoran Knight arrives as reinforcement, healing Elspeth for 15 points and dealing significant damage to enemies
- Red focuses on using Eleanor’s amulet to close the portal, requiring concentration over multiple turns
- Bru provides consistent damage with his Eldritch Cannon (flamethrower variant)
Final Rounds:
- Helisanna switches to warlock abilities, using Hex and Eldritch Blast to eliminate the minor devil
- Olivia, after being revived, uses her divine abilities to devastating effect against the remaining enemies
- Elspeth delivers the killing blow to the wraith with her magic gun and Green Flame Blade
Portal Closure and Rescue#
Red successfully uses Eleanor’s amulet to close the Shadowfell portal, weaving streams of white light like thread and needle to seal the rift. The shadows on the other side are trapped as the portal closes, and the pilgrims successfully escape to safety.
Reunion and Revelations#
The emotional reunion between Olivia and George reveals several important details:
George’s Activities#
- He has been working with the Twilight Company on Project Purple Patch
- His mission involved investigating and closing Shadowfell rifts in the mountain region
- He was part of Father Jacob’s pilgrim group attempting to seal the rift
- George has been learning various skills from a mentor named Finnegan, including cocktail making and lockpicking
Character Dynamics#
- Olivia is both relieved and concerned about George’s involvement with the “shady” Twilight Company
- George defends the organization, saying they’re working against the Empire
- Silas pickpockets 5 gold from George during the reunion, then returns it as a “test” of George’s awareness
The Eldoran Knight Encounter#
The party interacts with the Eldoran Knight who helped during combat. She wears the characteristic gem-embedded armor but her crystals appear dull and blackened rather than bright:
Knight’s Background#
- She was sent on a mission to combat Shadowfell incursions
- Represents the Order of Eldora and their ongoing military operations
- Expresses the Empire’s religious supremacist views about extinguishing other gods
Reward Negotiation#
- Helisanna negotiates for material compensation (rolling 24 on persuasion)
- The knight provides 10 gold total and offers a recommendation in Eldora
- She shares information about the High Forge dragon attack, confirming the city’s destruction
- Reveals that Eldoran forces fought the dragons but suffered casualties
Religious Tensions#
The knight espouses disturbing views about religious warfare: “It has become clear to us over the last century that we must extinguish other gods to gain validity in our own religion.”
This leads to pointed criticism from the party about forced conversions and religious persecution.
Journey to Jeremy’s House#
The party decides to head down the mountain to Jeremy the shepherd’s house for rest and warmth. During the journey:
Travel Arrangements#
- Multiple people ride Jeremy’s magical sheep (the three dimensional-shifting lambs)
- Kevin (Bru’s minion) rides with the small party members
- The Eldoran Knight struggles with her summoned war horse on the mountain terrain
Red’s Heritage Discussion#
- The party discusses Red’s potential royal heritage as prince of the Skyhammer clan
- His tattoos and the information from his mother’s journal confirm his identity
- Plans are made to eventually seek out his people in the mountains
Brief Encounters#
- They pass Erica (the Eldoran knight from earlier sessions) who was eating a magical dinner
- Silas mocks her equipment, noting her crystals are “smoky and dull” unlike typical Eldoran gear
Rest at Jeremy’s Cottage#
The party reaches Jeremy’s cottage where they prepare for a long rest:
Accommodation#
- The cottage is cramped but warm
- Pilgrims set up in the barn while the party stays in the house
- Jeremy offers hospitality despite the crowded conditions
Evening Activities#
- Bru spends the evening tinkering and fixing Jeremy’s broken furniture and dishes
- Helisanna plays casual guitar, with purple energy strands emanating into the environment and even the ground
- Radio broadcasts provide news about Astral Dragons heading toward their world and recruitment for the “Eldoran Space Force”
The Moon’s Destruction#
The session ends with a catastrophic revelation during Bru’s night watch:
The Cosmic Event#
While keeping watch due to his Alert feat, Bru hears crackling sounds like magma and glass grinding coming from space. Looking up, he witnesses:
- Cracks appearing in the real moon, lighting up with magma
- A massive female figure larger than the sky falling toward their world
- The moon exploding completely
- An eardrum-shattering scream accompanying the celestial destruction
This apocalyptic event suggests that while they still have the artificial Eldoran moon, the destruction of the natural moon will have profound consequences for their world.
Character Development and Themes#
Olivia’s Impulsiveness#
Olivia’s immediate action to save George without consulting the party demonstrates her deep family loyalty but also her tendency toward decisive, potentially dangerous action.
Religious and Political Tensions#
The session reinforces themes about religious extremism and imperial expansion through the Eldoran knight’s disturbing views on theological supremacy.
Escalating Cosmic Threats#
The progression from local demon problems to dragons attacking cities to moon destruction shows the campaign’s scope expanding to cosmic-level threats.
Family and Loyalty#
The George rescue subplot emphasizes family bonds and the lengths characters will go to protect loved ones, while also showing generational differences in approach to resistance movements.
Loot and Mechanical Notes#
- 10 gold total from the Eldoran knight
- Long rest achieved, allowing the party to reach Level 6
- Bru gains new infusions and continues developing his minion army
- Silas notes achieving Reliable Talent with his level advancement
Ongoing Plot Threads#
- The destroyed moon’s consequences for tides, lycanthropy, and cosmic balance
- Red’s royal heritage and potential connections to mountain clans
- Escalating planar instability with multiple rift incidents
- Twilight Company operations and their broader resistance network
- Eldoran expansion and religious persecution campaigns
- Astral Dragon threats requiring space-based military response
- Jeremy’s mysterious background as a former vampire hunter
The session masterfully balances character development, family drama, cosmic horror, and political commentary while advancing multiple plot threads toward what appears to be an apocalyptic climax involving the destruction of fundamental celestial bodies.