JOURNAL
Our Party's Adventures

October 11th, 2023

Session 6 - "Run Toward The Storm" Level 5
The party arrives in Hartfall, setting up refugees in the Spirited Strings Tavern.  The party organizes a funeral for a fallen friend at the Verdant Bastion, where they recite poetry, hear tales of Heartstring, and Jonas finds his calling as a priest.  Gideon takes an oath of vengeance and learns to fight.  The party hears of the death of Sir Gareth Galebreak, a Valian war hero for whom a tournament is being held in his honor: the party plans to join, with hopes of securing his manor.  Attending his funeral at the Ardent Summit, they meet with the Regent and High Fury.  Seran finds an old classmate and learns the two people he was seeking out have left to investigate the ruins of Theladris in the Ashen Field.  The party ventures into the Ashen Field, endures an ash storm, and battles an Ember.  When they arrive in Theladris, they hear the music of a haunting violin.

October 25th, 2023

Session 7 - "Immortal Studies" Level 5

A mysterious vampire commanding a pack of Grayflesh Crawlers has besieged Rowan Arikan and Reginald Fizz.  With the parties assistance they dispatch the crawlers but the vampire turns to mist.  After finding a magical violin, the party rests the night and regroup.  They venture into an ancient elven research facility and delve deep underground.  First they explore the "Immortal Studies Division" finding journal entries and avoiding a demilich.  After entering another room labeled "Planar Forge" they empower their weapons, but face an elemental threat...

November 29th, 2023

Session 8 - "Rise and Featherfall" Level 5

The party does battle with a quartet of elementals as Payarus learns his violin can float but not fly.  Exploring the Gatecrash Training Facility, the party faces a maze of portals and is beset by arcane guardians and poison gas.  Pushing their way to the top, they stop the trap and beat the guardians, but not before Magnus is shunted from a ninety foot high platform.  He's saved by his own featherfall spell and Fizz's levitation magic.  Payarus faces a similar fate, as he is shunted into the air after forgetting the motto of the banner he studied deeply.    

January 3rd, 2024

Session 9 - "Weapons of Divinity" Level 5

The party defeats the vampire Orion Etherforge in an dangerous battle that almost kills Ceylan.  They find a Godsfall weapon - a weapon that is deeply hated by Ceylan's blade Ebonfang. The party digs into the connections of these weapons, the Gods, and Chroma but are left with as many questions as answers.  Back in Hartfell, Thorein uncovers secrets of his past at Season's Rest.  Payarus learns he wields two armaments of Saeval, including the legendary Heartstring.  Seran tests his tome's limits, delving deeper into its knowledge and motives.

January 24, 2024

Session 10 - "Galebreak's Hydra (Part I)" Level 6

The party begins the Hydra Tournament in Hartfell in honor of Sir Gareth Galebreak, hoping to earn a home for their people.  They divide into two groups of three.  Magnus, Seran, and Ceylan call themselves "Punchline' and defeat The Stormtroopers and The Brothers Ascendant.  Orrin, Thorein, and Payarus call themselves the "Archfriends" and defeat The Smiling Swordsmen and Unity in Faith.  And perhaps most importantly, the Cobbler Crusaders win a match against the Lords of the Edge, after a brutal opening critical with a frying pan.

January 31, 2024

Session 11-  "Galebreak's Hydra (Part II)" Level 6

Two tense and challenging battles are fought in the semifinals, and our heroes are victorious over both the Winter Knights and High Fury Olivia Ashcroft.  The party is awarded a large monetary sum, but more importantly become the owners of Galebreak Manor.  Their fellow refugees now have a home, and are outfitted with resources to begin to make a home in Hartfell.  The party discovers a locked study filled with paintings, and they hope to find out more about Sir Galebreak's story by hosting a party and talking to members of the Hartfell community.

April 3, 2024
Session 14 - "Two Lies and A Truth" Level 6
After a lengthy discussion about the motives of their ambushers and the nature of the stone they found, the party makes their way to Solstice.  They find a respite at the Bumbling Bugbear Bed and Breakfast, and then go to visit the Dawnbringers in the morning.  They learn the history of a figure known as "Fade" and are given his last known location:  a ruin far to the north outside of Lotheim known Arak'Nohr.  Seran helps his uncle avoid execution, and decieves the Luminarch twice.  Branford declares that all the gods are liars, even Ameir, before his exile from the Dawnbringers.  Magnus begins his trials to join the Winter Knights - showing excellence in Innovation and Endowment.

April 17, 2024
Session 15 - "The Way of Shadow" Level 6
Magnus succeeds in his trial to join the Winter Knights, and learns about his father's past.  The party gains Eledar Winterthorn as an ally in their attempt to win over the council to retake Solstice.  They visit the Nightwatchers, and share secrets with Reynard Slent.  Ceylan and Seran grapple with secrets and fears of their powerful items.  The party agrees to a quest to recover a second godsfall spear from the the ruins Aerandal, deep under the Shattered Basin.

May 1, 2024
Session 16 - "Rebirth" Level 6
The party meets with Corvinus Veil, the Lord of Arcana and leader of the Soulwardens.  The party shares information about Absolution, the Embers, and Ebonfang.  He offers enthusiastic support for the party's efforts to mount an assault to reclaim Silverstone. The Silverstone Six then beign their journey to the ruins of Aerendal with the help of Pescaro, the Captian of the Rusty Rudder.  Their ship is attacked by Val'Keth, and the tide swiftly turns against the party.  Ceylan uses the blade, and after dispatching a foe with Grayfire, finds the blade has grown in power.  Seran is killed by a Val'Keth warrior.  With an echo of memory from Arianna, Thorein forsakes his devotion to Nereus - reviving Seran and feeling the warm brace of Ydar.

May 15, 2024
Session 17 - "The Last Eltari" Level 7
The party returns to Solstice to recover from the brutal battle as Thorein falls unconscious.  They take him to rest at the Temple of Medius, under the care of Ceylan's former master.  In a night at the inn, Seran shares secrets about his book.  Ceylan feels a new anger in the blade - quiet and vengeful, and dreams that he is a blue dragon.  Seran is contacted by his Uncle, who wants to take the tome off his hands and Fizz who is studying the original Godsfall Spear.  Finally, the party returns on their mission, eventually dispatching the guardians of Alathar's Forge and coming face to face with the Eltari artificer.  Seran attacks Alathar, claiming he is dangerous.

June 5, 2024
Session 18 - "Bonds Broken and Forged Anew" Level 7
The party battles Alathar, escaping with the spear and other items before Alathar can brings down the forge on all of them.  The party wrestles with Seran's decision to strike first, and finds Thorein awakened as a follower of Ydar.  In a fateful decision, Seran leaves the city with Magnus and Ceylan to meet with his uncle to learn more about the tome.  Branford reveals the tome's name - Vanithar - and urges Seran to hand it over.  Understanding the implicit threat, he asks Vanithar to choose.  The book selects Branford, and Seran turns over the tome.  The party connects on a new level after this sacrifice, and Ceylan shows the party his ophanage. The next day, Seran accepts an offer of apprenticeship from Corvinus Veil, and the party meets with Sir Darian Hightower.  They now have enough support on the council to order a mission to retake Silverstone - but have been asked to help rally the people when the decision becomes public.

June 26, 2024
Session 19 - "Wyverns and Wistfulness" Level 7
Most of the party spend the day shopping, while Seran and Magnus return to their guilds to prepare themselves for the challenges ahead.  On the way to the temple district, the party intervenes against an accident at Basilisks and Robins, defeating Wyverns that were prematurely released by former mayor (now Assistant Manager) Walter Huxley.  Ceylan tames one of the wyverns, and calls in the party's favor from the Nightwatchers to help keep it secret and secure until they leave town.  The next day, the party heads to the Cathedral of Memory.  The party accepts a mission to investigate Whitepine Monastery from Sophia Everlight.  They spend time in the Hall of Memory, relieving moments of shame, pain, and connection from their past.  Thorein discovers more about his time as a young priest in his previous life, and the abuse he faced at the hands of Bertam Hold.

July 3, 2024
Session 20 - "The Whitepine Monastery" Level 7
The party travels to Whitepine Monastery, finding that it has been attacked by followers of Absolution.  They're led by Akion Flamecrest, the Sun Elf from the south that fought in Galebreak's Hydra on his way to Cinderfall for a pilgrimage.  The party defeated three Embers, then rescued a group of priests who were being held hostage by the Satyrs and Akion.  Thorein goes unrecognized by Bertram Hold, realizing that he never really made an impact on the abusive priest and current abbot.  Yet he chooses to leave that past remain hidden to avoid rousing suspicion.  In the Vault of Echoes, Thorein learns more about his own past, and how Oliver Wintersong suffered some sort of curse or magical wound after a battle with the Fade in the ruins that are now known as Luma.

July 17, 2024
Session 21 - "Rally and Revenge" Level 7
Upon return from Whitepine, the party takes some time to regroup.  Payarus takes the party to Gardensong, where he speaks with Maetoso and requests guidance on using Greensong's Regalia.  Instead of months of training, the party agrees to compete in Theatrical Combat to better impress Heartstring.  The next day, the party attends a political event to rally the people of Solstice before the Winter Knight expedition leaves to retake Solstice.  

The rally is interrupted when the High Priest of Ydar - Cael Flameborn - who rains flame upon the stage containing prominent council members and the Silverstone Six.  The High Chancellor and Ragnar Grimfist are whisked away by Winter Knights.  Satyrs and Embers emerge from portals in trees nearby, and it becomes clear this is an attempt to asssassinate Corvinus Veil.  The party helps defend him, along with help from Althea Huxley in the crowd.  Surviving the attack, Veil joins the expedition to avenge his nephew who was killed in the attack.  The expedition leaves for Silverstone a few hours later.  Thorein officially makes his conversion public, beginning his journey home clad in the robes of Ydar.