LIST FROM "Veiled Twilight Setting"WHERE contains(this.allies, file.link) OR contains(allies, this.file.link)
Rivals
Groups this faction is at odds with or actively sabotaging.
LIST FROM "Veiled Twilight Setting"WHERE contains(this.rivals, file.link) OR contains(rivals, this.file.link)
Hierarchy & Agents
Direct Members
LIST FROM "Veiled Twilight Setting"WHERE (type = "npc" OR contains(file.tags, "#player"))AND contains(faction, this.file.link)
Beholden Sub-Groups
LIST FROM "Veiled Twilight Setting"WHERE contains(type, "faction")AND (parent_faction = this.file.link OR contains(parent_faction, "The United Kingdom of Valammar"))
Recent Activity
This section displays every time this entity is mentioned in session summaries.
The party, still in Alver, were approached by the burgomeister Terryn Cleves. Terryn stated that he’d received, via Sending Stone, a message for them which read as
The party then travelled from Alver towards Torkef, also in Belmont Prefecture, which was about 450 miles away.
The seneschal for House Eathe had survived, Gregor, was caring for Rickon following the death of Lord Brannyn Eathe. The party were informed that there had been unusual deaths and accidents surrounding children in the town. Gregor hadn’t wished to speak of it but the party convinced him to tell them about the rumours that Rickon Eathe had pushed his governess down the stairs, crippling her, some weeks before the fire. Rickon Eathe, under the care of Gregor, were staying in the Footsore Wanderer Inn which was run by Evin Trante.
The party found that a boy named Jimmer Hayward had drowned in the river by the local watermill. The rumour was that the miller’s daughter, Jasmine Miller, had pushed him in with the motive being that Jimmer had teased and bullied her. While the party investigated around the watermill they were informed that a nearby family of thatchers were panicked and distraught. The parents, Bryce Thatcher and Sylvie Thatcher, had two young daughters named Bryer Thatcher and Della Thatcher. Della Thatcher, a baby, was missing. The party sprang into action and managed to save the baby Della, who they found in a bucket lowered into a well.
Whilst in the town the party had heard that the mage who lived nearby, Finethil Birlond, had investigated the accidents and tragedies but struggled to identify any magical causes for them. The party had also found, after hearing a woman’s scream cut off, that an old woman named Oma was found with bludgeoning injuries. The party had heard children’s cries and laughter about the same time before they happened upon her body. The party learned Oma had been the woman who cleaned and helped Birlond.
The party noticed that Jasmine Miller, Bryer Thatcher, and Rickon Eathe had all been playing with little metal toys or tokens, some appearing to talk to the items at times. The party, with Gideon even using Zone of Truth on Rickon, discovered that the iron tokens appeared to be means to communicate with someone the children called Nana Ruth. The party learned Nana Ruth had a cottage in town and went to investigate.
The party found the Nana Ruth’s cottage dark and disused, with a layer of dust. The party found a letter within from Birlond confirming that he would hire Nana Ruth and give her access to hyis tower following the passing of Oma.
They then found Nana Ruth’s body, apparently recently deceased but under a layer of dust, upstairs on the top of her bedclothes. The party realised Nana Ruth wasn’t dead, but under the Feign Death spell. Upon freeing her from the spell they found Nana Ruth had no memory of the last several weeks and didn’t know how she came to be in her condition. Nana Ruth also seemed addled and convinced that she would die, through mysterious means, in exactly 6 months time.
The party then raced to Birlond’s tower. There they found the door open and that the tower interior was an extradimensional space. As the party entered they found a number of apparent constructs destroyed on the ground floor at the same time that they heard Birlond’s voice magically calling out that none would pass without a reckoning.
The party moved upwards and found themselves encountering other defences of the tower such as an infinite loop until they tried descending instead, which broke them out of it. They also found themselves facing enchanted rugs and the forces which were assaulting the tower. They found themselves facing giants and eladrin, all whilst hearing Birlond’s magical voice continue whilst he fought elsewhere,
Iskar was isolated and ganged up upon by the giants and eladrin. He found himself struck down and dying, with the party unable to reach him in time to save him. Gideon, distraught, knelt and begun praying over Iskar. As Gideon did so, he had both his hands upon Banish the Greatsword and Iskar. Unknown to Gideon, Iskar’s soul had entered Banish which due to it’s nature threated to consume him. Banish, confused and not having the perspective of a flesh and blood creature was confused and had not yet consumed Iskar.
Both Gideon and Iskar found themselves exhausted and traumatised by the ordeals they underwent during this, both utterly spent. Despite this the party continued on up the tower. Immediately prior to reaching the tower summit the party heard Birlond’s voice for the last time crying out,
_The party found some fey on the roof and a portal. The party dispatched the fey and recognised that the portal lead directly and physically into Death. Gideon dared enter the portal and observed some distance closer to the First Gate as a slight figure, resembling Birlond, wrestled with a hulking figure. Gideon saw Birlond be cast down into the waters and the hulking figure wrest his staff from him. The hulking figure fought back up against Death’s currents and back into life, at a diagonal away from where Gideon stood. The figure, a large hideous crone waved and cackled “bye dearie”. Gideon struggled against the waters pulling at this legs and struggled back to the barrier to life himself, although he felt the urge to lie down and rest.
Back in life, Gideon and the party found themselves questioning what that crone had wanted in robbing Birlond’s staff from him. Calyn, along amongst the party, was able to perceive a bundled up robe on the roofs parapet. This was a Robe of Eyes, once worn by Birlond. There was a note tucked into it which read that it was intended for a watcher, someone with the eyes to see.
The party instructed that the town should send a message for help from Great House Belmont. The party then left Torkef at pace, rushing eastward on the road towards the port town of Buck, where they encountered a host of soldiers from the Rebukers Legion. The party stopped and spoke with their commander, Arcturiel, and briefed him on the situation in Torkef.
The party then continued on towards Buck where Gideon’s father, Gideon von Scholtz, oversaw the town on behalf of Great House Belmont. Gideon von Scholtz’s seneschal Edmund Ravenswood met the party when there and provided them the means to teleport to Great House Belmont’s teleportation circle in Ancelstierre.
Once within Ancelstierre the party reported to the Vermin Directorate. The party reported back to Director, Lord Oberon Chaplet and Kilvin. The party, sharing in detail their findings, and were briefed in turn. The Vermin Directorate mages and diviners had gleaned that that Auntie Agnes, Dread Ethel, and Old May were all hags forming a coven that’s known as the Twilight Coven. They were believed to serve in some way an Archfey known as the Twilight Prince. Little was known about the Twilight Prince except that he hadn’t been observed or noted of in millennia without any explanation or hint as to why. Director Oberon and Kilvin advised that he would have further research completed and update the party accordingly. The party were left then in Ancelstierre to complete their business.
The party, seeking to fill their time, answered a contract posting which lead them to a strange door. They found themselves entering the oddly placed door and into a demiplane where they found an enigmatic older mage named Janus. The healthy but older man was clearly powerful but stated he couldn’t leave his home to gather his own materials due to being required to maintain a lengthy and involved ritual. Janus would be able to connect his demiplane door to any village, or greater sized settlement, throughout the world when meeting and contracting with the party as needed.
Janus explained that he would offer 100,000gp to the party should they fetch him the heart of a Zaratan. Janus stated that he required several other ingredients after this and that the reward would be the same each time. Should the party be busy and not able or willing to complete this for him, other groups might. The party could always help Janus for the next ingredient. Janus stated that he knew there was a Zaratan in the region of Alver in Belmont Prefecture. The party agreed and Janus connected them to Alver where the party exited.
The party in Alver investigated rumours of the Zaratan. They found that the Zaratan was in the mountains and foothills to the north and known as the Mountain that Moves. An elderly hunter, Old Cobb, told the party what he knew about it. The party, at the local tavern, hired various sellswords to help them defeat the Mountain that Moves.
The party set out and eventually defeated the Zaratan, removing it’s heart. Only 2 of the sellswords they hired survived, named Alveron & Simeon. Gideon mused about not paying the wages of the deceased sellswords to their surviving family, as agreed, which angered Alveron, Simeon, and Iskar. Gideon backed down and Iskar offered Alveron & Simeon the possibility of future employment with them. Alveron & Simeon advised they could be found in Bonestair, Ancelstierre.
Following their return to Alver the party deposited returned to Janus via his doorway, delivering to him the Zaratan heart. Janus offered the party a further contract for a phoenix egg for a further 100,000gp. Janus advised that he was aware of a phoenix in the highlands of Highever, between Aralen and Menola.
The party then travelled to Chevid, capital of Korunda Prefecture. Whilst there they spoke with Fain Farlight, seneschal for Great House Korunda. The party passed on their news whilst also receiving word from Fain. Fain confirmed the rumours that the city had been having regular nightmares that were debilitating and suspected to be supernatural in origin. Fain had been authorised to reward anyone who assisted in resolving this. Fain advised that Nira Crakehall was a researcher associated with Great House Lyran who was visiting to assist. Crakehall had the service of a sarcastic quickling familiar named Flit. On a more personal note Fain contracted the party to investigate the disappearance of his sister, Jaslin Farlight. Jaslin worked in the library provided to the people by Korunda. After visiting the library and speaking with Crakehall the party left to go to Jaslin’s home.
Whilst on the way the party spotted a woman, matching Jaslin’s description, who appeared in distress by an alleyway. The party followed after her as she disappeared into it and presumably into the open sewer hole there.
Once within the party believed they saw Jaslin being attacked by two thugs. As they moved to intervene however they found themselves ambushed. Jaslin, with the thugs, turned on the party as an Ulitharid and intellect devourer appeared. The party fought but was being incapacitating by the Ulitharid with things looking bleak. The Ulitharid appeared to wish to bargain rather than enslave or consume the party however. The Ulitharid spoke about the Great Mind, the Elder Brain, having been shackled and subjugated. The Ulitharid stated that the subjugated Elder Brain was in some way responsible for the nightmares the city was experiencing. The Ulitharid would free Jaslin and agree to leave the region for a year and a day if the party freed the Great Mind. The party agreed to these terms in order to survive and the Ulitharid showed the party the entrance to the Elder Brain lair in the mountains outside of Chevid.
The party reported to Fain with Jaslin in tow. Upon mention of the Illithid involvement Fain immediately triggered a message to others outside of his office. Fain stated that whilst he loved his sister there were protocols to follow when there was any suggestion of Illithid involvement, fearing any potential new Desolation.
Fain brought the party to the Lord of Great House Korunda, Rurisk Korunda. Lord Rurisk stated that should the party deal with this, preferably destroying the Illithid, then they would be rewarded greatly. Lord Rurisk stated that he would be sending his personal bodyguards to investigate and deal with this also.
The party were then accompanied by the bodyguards Bhaldir, Branmund, Galnir, Tharmond, and Thargran. The dwarven bodyguards all swore the creed of the Legion of the Dead before doing so, making a lifelong oath to confront the Illithid. Upon entering the mountain tunnels they encountered Mind Flayers who dominated some of their minds. The bodyguards didn’t hesitate and slew some of their own subjugated fellows. Eventually only Galnir and Thargran left those tunnels alive with the party.
The party found that within the Elder Brain lair it was shackled by spectral chains. There was an elven appearing Fey present who introduced herself as Caraway. Caraway implied that she was formerly of the Winter Court but now served Dread Ethel. Caraway commanded the Elder Brain on behalf of Dread Ethel for whatever plot she was carrying out in Chevid and the Storm Coast region. Caraway was slain and upon this happening the chains disappeared, allowing the Elder Brain to immediately escape.
The party reported back to Lord Rurisk who offered them lands, support, or some equal boon to be named by them.
Calyn and Enya came to within a bare and shadowy chamber along with another unknown man, Gideon von Scholtz II. The three were confronted with seven identically robed figures who’s identities were concealed by their shadowy hoods. The hooded figures interrogated the 3, with Gideon claiming that he’d been partying and gotten lost. Calyn and Enya were truthful in that they had no idea how they came to be in this reality.
The newly formed party were to travel there, find Kilvin, and figure out what was going on there.
The party made their preparations to leave the city of Ancelstierre and travel to the Storm Coast. Gideon von Scholtz II, revealed to be the second son of a powerful noble, visited the Broken Drum Inn. There he bid farewell to Segeant Dyer, a man-at-arms sworn to House von Schotlz, and his favourite orc prostitute Esmerelda.
The party traveled, with a brief stop across the border into the Holy Dominion of Estwatch. The party stopped for supplies in Ritherhithe where they visted the Temple of the Seven. There Calyn, in this new lands and with new gods, prayed at the altar of the Stormlord. The bishop there, Joseph Morningfall, bore witness as Calyn was blessed by the deity. Joseph Morningfall shared with the party that Kilvin is known in the region as a devout and heroic man. Morningfall knew that Kilvin had intended to head to the fishing village of Khas’Kive.
The party arrived in the tired village and found the residents wary as if expecting bad news at any moment. The party sought out news of Kilvin and learned he’d been investigating disappearances and disturbing phenomena in the region. The party spoke with Old Jack, who was the eldest man in the village and seemingly fathered half of it. Old Jack spoke about Jenny having disappeared which Kilvin had been following up on. People in the region had been having strange dreams of twilight and elderly women, including Jenny. Jenny was a local pregnant girl whos husband Simmon was off working in the Korran navy. The people of the region had been experiencing strange dreans Old Jack tells the party that Kilvin asked about an old watchpost that existed in the firth set between Khas’kive and the United Kingdom of Valammar.
The party borrowed a boat and set off for this abandoned watchpost also. As the party arrived they saw the watchpost was occupied with elven-appearing figures, Fey eladrin, manning the parapets. The eladrin, four of them, were immediately hostile at the parties landing and engaged them in combat. A hidden Vermin Directorate agent, Iskar Jarak, had also traced the strange phenomena to the watchpost. Iskar joined the fight and thereafter the party.
The party found the entrance and descended into the narrow caves below. Within the party found unnatural shadows which stretched and writhed. These shadows detached themselves from the walls and were as if shadows torn from their owners, the shadows attacked the party. Following that attack the party found two figures in the chamber.
One was an unconscious young woman lying against the cave wall. She matched the description of Jenny from the village of Khas’kive. She appeared unharmed, though one detail is immediately strange - she was not pregnant, nor did she appear to ever have been. A short distance away sat a man slumped on a stone, staring blankly ahead. His slack expression and distant eyes suggested barely any awareness of the party’s arrival. From the description given, this was assumed to be Kilvin. Both Kilvin and Jenny were missing their shadows.
The party returned the distraught Jenny and addled Kilvin to Khas’kive. There the women confirmed that Jenny appeared to have never been pregnant by her current condition. The party left them both in the villagers care whilst they left by boat to a town to send word of the parties findings.
The party took their borrowed boat and travelled to the nearby town of Rossashus. The party found that this town seemed more tense and dreary than the villages they’d left. They sought shelter for the night within the Moonfire Inn.
As the party tried to rest for the evening within the inn taproom, the doors burst open. In shambled walking corpses directed by a robed man named Aradhir. They were clearly there to kill the party. Following the party putting the zombies to rest and capturing Aradhir they found a note on his person. This note detailed the parties description and suggested that some mystic divined they’d be a problem. A local of the inn present was Grummond Hornraven, a retired dwarf watchmen from the Korunda Prefecture capital, Chevid. Grummond was a friend and asset for Kilvin, and upon seeing this attack, agreed to help the party. He took custody of Aradhir and promised to get word about all that had gone on so far back to authorities.
Grummond had shared with the party that there had been trouble around Rossashus recently. The undead had been rising, with seemingly no identifiable source, and causing trouble. Grummond stated that in the oldest section of Rossashus cemetary, one of the largest in the nation, that there was an old barrow hill with standing stones upon it. The runes upon the standing stones had begun to glow about the same time the undead activity begun.
The party left to investigate who had sent Aradhir and why. They’d been advised to seek out the Sanctuary of Meher within the cemetery as the bishop there might be able to help. The party battled ghasts and ghouls before reaching the Sanctuary. They found that the Sanctuary was under attack from more necromancers lead by an imposing elven mage.
The party arrived as the necromancers were driven off. The Sanctuary had a large complement of Wardens of Meher, bishops devoted to maintain the natural order of life and death. These Wardens had arrived to help with the necromantic crisis occuring. The Archwarden leading them was a woman named Ardbid Velanon.
Velanon informed the party that the elven mage had been a female hero named Casperia Evergloom. Casperia Evergloom had disappeared years earlier under mysterious circumstances when her workshop blew up, presumably killing her and her fellow heroes. Casperia and the Evergloom were driven off and the Wardens needed to recover.
Velanon advised that she knew the Evergloom Cult were seeking to weaken and break into the barrow that Grummond Hornraven had described to the party. Velanon didn’t know more, but shared that she knew that it housed some form of ancient evil or knowledge.
Velanon advised that the Evergloom Cult had weaked the barrier between life and Death so much that without intervention there would be an explosion of undead rising. Souls would fight the waters of death back into life and become undead monsters without the need for any form of necromancers will. The wardens had to strengthen this barrier immediately or risk disaster also. Velanon beseeched the party go immediately to the barrier and prevent the Evergloom Cult gaining access.
The party didn’t immediately go to the barrow but rested first. When they did go to the barrow they found the stone slab sealing the entrance askew. They investigated the standing stones with the glowing green runes atop it. Within the centre of the standing stone ring they saw a black greatsword, immaculate, driving into the earth and stone. Undead creatures emerged from the standing stones and the party fought them, deciding to leave the mysterious sword be.
The party, not having found any members of the Evergloom Cult, entered the barrow. Within they found still crypts. The party deciphered a mosaic mural which appeared to depict the history of something called the Cannibal King. It appeared to chronicle an unkillable Lich-like figure which subjugated the world once. The mosaic was damaged but the party noted it appeared to chronicle the Cannibal King’s imprisonment and seemed to involve the greatsword somehow.
The party entered the final chamber to find the Cannibal King standing above the Wardens of Meher. All Wardens were slain with the exception of Ardbid Velanon who appeared about to die at his feet. The Cannibal King appeared to be some lich of fungal themed nature.
The party spoke with the Cannibal King and stalled for time. The Cannibal King had asked if they were there to serve him. This didn’t work for long before they begun to battle the Cannibal King, who appeared unbothered by the damage dealt to him, as they tried to rescue Velanon. Calyn, remembering the mosaic mentioning the greatsword in some way, ran to get it while the others fought. Calyn, using his abilities to step partly into the Astral Sea, turned ethereal whilst gripping the sword. Calyn tore it free from the earth and dropped through the ground into the Cannibal King’s chamber. At the same time the others had almost defeated the Cannibal King who had been laughing whilst stating “You cannot kill me in a way that matters”. The Cannibal King dissipated into spores and the party took the unconscious Velanon outside to recover.
The party, downtrodden, returned to the heart of Rossashus. There they sought out any remnant of the cult. They traced rumours of hooded figures to a dark and shuttered townhouse. Whilst there they found another man, Conroy Van Vonvolkvan, who had been drawn by similar rumours. The party, now including Conroy, entered the townhouse via the kitchen. Before entering they heard giggling and babbling as if from very young children.
The party entered thinking to save any children and instead found monsters. Fleshy quadrupedal monsters with spike limbs and no facial features scuttled across the floor, walls, and roof towards them. The monsters were the source of the giggling. The party slew the monsters horrified and found a note on the kitchen table. It was from Casperia to someone called Varil, stating that she’d already tested the knowledge she’d gained and made the first of her Brood. She noted that the souls of children, particularly infants, worked best for making the Brood and that she was sending some to him.
The party were disgusted and moved to search the rest of the tall townhouse. They found only a coupe of cultists lead by the more senior named Varil, who was elsewhere. The party slew Varil first and then Iskar, using his changeling abilites, imitated him to illicit information from them. The party slew the remaining cultists and discovered a portal within the attic library. Due to another note on Varil’s person they knew it to connect to the Abyssal Plane of Ebonmre, home to the Gravemind.
Iskar took possession of the greatsword from Calyn, and chose to attune to the magical blade. Upon Iskar doing so he heard a voice in his head asking him if he would like to destroy some evil. Iskar discovered that the blade was a sentient artefact named Banish. While resting in the Moonfire Inn the party discovered inky black substance coming from beneath the door to Conroy’s room. Upon opening it they found a mass of the substance suddenly dissipate and reveal Conroy stood there with his strange blade in hand.
We use the rules in the Dungeon Masters Guide to determine the effects of mixing potions.
Spell Tweaks
Geas
If the subject takes psychic damage from the spell, their hit point maximum is reduced by that amount until they finish a long rest. Remove Curse only ends a Geas if cast at a level equal to or higher than the Geas itself.
Campaign Systems
Campaign Systems
Bastions (2024)
We utilize the Bastion system from the 2024 rules.
Magic Item Crafting (2024)
We utilize the 2024 rules for crafting magic items.
Milestone Leveling
Character progression is based on story milestones rather than experience points.
Multiclassing
Multiclassing is permitted following the standard requirements.
Table Management
Table Management
Missing Players
If you cannot attend a session, your character fades into the background and does not contribute to the current events.
Languages Common, Dwarvish, Elvish, telepathy 120ft.
Challenge 7 (XP 2,900; PB +3)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Actor. Auster has advantage on Deception and Performance checks when trying to pass himself off as a different person, and he can mimic the speech of another person or the sounds made by other creatures that he has heard (for at least 1 minute).
Spellcasting. Auster casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material, Verbal, or Somatic components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 19):
Multiattack. Auster makes two Mind Sliver attacks or a Mind Sliver attack and any other spell.
Mind Sliver. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Intelligence saving throw or take 10 (3d6) Psychic damage and subtract 1d4 from the next saving throw it makes before the end of the target’s next turn.
Reactions
Spellcasting. Auster casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material, Verbal, or Somatic components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 19):