Emberwood Village

Key Sites: Cosmological Clocktower

The Summons: The party is called to Eldrick Runeweaver's study at the Red Lion Hotel. Lily, on a high perception roll, spots Tobin outside with his fiancée Serafina, accompanied by Rowan and Merry. She chooses not to engage and heads inside.

A Brother Delivered: Inside Eldrick's study, Sable finds and a bound, blindfolded, and gagged figure in the corner: Caelin, Sable's brother, extracted from the Followers of the Fallen Flame by the Amethyst Academy. The room is magically dimmed by Eldrick to conceal his identity and the Academy's involvement.

The Reunion: Sable removes Caelin's restraints. He is terrified. He reveals he had been living with the Followers of the Fallen Flame willingly; they fed him and accepted him in exchange for his prophetic abilities. After a tense emotional exchange, Caelin agrees to stay temporarily. River escorts him away through a conjured doorway, subtly casting a calming spell in the process.

Eldrick's Debrief: Eldrick considers the debt paid. He tasks the party with securing the upper floor of the Cosmological Clocktower as a safe haven above the Haze, and instructs Sable specifically to obtain one of the Seals of Drakkenheim.

The Skin Problem: Outside the hotel, Krenzo's skin is visibly cracking and flaking away, revealing raw, smooth, lime-green skin underneath. He visits Zoya to investigate.

Zoya's Findings: Zoya determines that the while researching the effects of Contamination, Krenzo has undergone a significant change within. Through the Force Evolution spell she triggers a fundamental change in Krenzo's biology; his cells now continuously reformat themselves, purging corruption and replacing old tissue. His connection to the gifts of Old Gods is severed. She has never seen anything like it and refers him to Moragon, the missing druid, for further answers.

The First of His Kind: Krenzo's shed body is left behind at Zoya's. He is confirmed as the first known member of the Circle of Contamination druid subclass.

Proceedings: Lily visits Temple at the bank. The encounter is briefly overshadowed by the unsettling presence of Malthus, a pale, tall, vacant-eyed man. Temple arranges the divorce mediation with Tobin for two days' time.

Dick Rejoins: The party reunites with Dick at the smithy. Ansom Lang confirms the meeting at the gate between Clank and Lord Commander Elias Drexel. Dick earned 200 gold in tips from playing during Clank and Krenzo's brawl. Malice suggests the party could escort Dick toward the Cosmological Clocktower.

Supplies: The party is near-broke heading into the city. The party each takes a dose of Aqua Expurgo before entering Drakkenheim.

Scaling the Walls: Rather than use the gate held by the Followers of the Fallen Flame, the party uses a wall-climbing gear to scale the 40-foot walls of Drakkenheim, while Clank consumes a scrill of Spider-Climb to do so.

Gargoyle Encounter: Three gargoyles activate on the ramparts. A short skirmish and rapid wall-descent follows. The party escapes by combining rope work, acrobatics, and Dick's bardic abilities to disorient the gargoyles. They hide in a partially collapsed building and take a short rest.

The Crater: Following the Dran River northeast toward the tower, the party catches a glimpse of something enormous moving in the deep haze near the crater; a shape larger than a building, lit by rhythmic lightning bursts.

The Market Square: The party reaches the market plaza before the Cosmological Clocktower and encounters approximately 12 members of the Followers of the Fallen Flame, including Balthazar. Dick attempts to bluff them with a false warning about incoming threats. The group moves together toward the tower with Balthazar remaining visibly suspicious.

The Attack: Members of the group begin being snatched from the air by an unseen aerial predator. The Followers of the Fallen Flame scatter. The party runs for the tower entrance.

The Ascent: The party enters the Cosmological Clocktower and begins climbing the exterior staircase, which is partially unstable. Clank is stowed in the Bag of Holding to bypass a dangerous stretch. Sable falls through a shattered step, dropping and taking damage.

Balthazar Burns: Below, Balthazar, having survived the aerial assault, turns on Sable and attacks her with holy magic as she falls.

The Crimson Countess: The predator reveals herself — a massive winged creature bursts through a stained glass window and enters the tower, hunting the party through the stairwell. After nearly dying, Krenzo identifies the bell chains in the belfry as a potential weapon and begins targeting them with thorn whips.

The Kill: Clank is pulled from the Bag of Holding by Dick mid-combat. He leaps out swinging, lands a hit on the Crimson Countess, and finishes her with a Divine Smite, the holy explosion destroying her. She falls, impaled on shattered glass below.

Krenzo undergoes a complete physical transformation, confirmed as the first member of the Circle of Contamination druid order. Referred to Moragon for answers.

Sable reunites with her brother Caelin, who agrees to stay temporarily. The relationship is fragile but open.

Lily initiates formal divorce proceedings against Tobin, who has arrived in Emberwood Village with fiancée Serafina.

Clank awaits the meeting with Lord Commander Elias Drexel.

All PCs level up after defeating the Crimson Countess.

Eldrick (Amethyst Academy): Delivered Caelin to Sable; considers the favour repaid; assigned the clock tower and Seals of Drakkenheim objectives.

Caelin: Reunited with Sable after being extracted from the Followers of the Fallen Flame; frightened but agreed to stay temporarily.

Zoya: Confirmed Krenzo's transformation; referred him to Moragon.

Ansom Lang (Hooded Lanterns): Arrangements confirmed for Elias Drexel to visit Emberwood Village.

Balthazar (Followers of the Fallen Flame): Present at the market square; suspicious of the party from the outset; attacked Sable during the tower assault.

Richard Cummings: Rejoined the party; earned 200 gold from the brawl gig; participated in the clock tower run.

Malice (Amethyst Academy): Briefly encountered at the smithy; facilitated Dick rejoining the group.

Faction Thread: Securing the Cosmological Clock Tower

• Status: Advanced. Crimson Countess defeated. Top floor confirmed as a safe haven above the Haze. Tower requires repairs before full use; Amethyst Academy flagged as a potential party to handle this.

Faction Thread: Find a Seal of Drakkenheim
- Status: Advanced. Assigned by Eldrick Runeweaver specifically to Sable. Purpose not fully disclosed.

Personal Thread: Felched Follower
- Status: Advanced. Caelin extracted from the Followers of the Fallen Flame and reunited with Sable. Currently in Amethyst Academy care. Relationship status: cautious.

Personal Thread: Hell Hath No Fury

• Status: New. Temple has scheduled mediation with Tobin in two days. Tobin is in Emberwood Village with Serafina.

Personal Thread: Finding Moragon
- Status: New Hook. Zoya referred Krenzo to Moragon in the north to understand his transformation. Not yet pursued.