Connor returns weary and finds no respite in running a kingdom. The intense desire to be more than he was and create something lasting, fueled by his companions and their intuitive leadership, he finds it isn't the day-to-day that gets him, but rather the long term strategic implications. He finds himself worrying on the fey, the tenuous alliance with the kobolds, the strengthening alliance of their enemies and the pitiful resources that New Hope has to fight them. He spends hours, days, weeks planning and replanning, looking at every novel idea and discarding most of them in frustration. He ropes Zeke in for intelligence, Seres for arcane advice, Veronica for religious and Larisa for devil's advocacy. But still, the looming threat seems larger all the time.
And worst of all, edging around in the back of his mind, is the knowledge that something changed back fighting the trolls. He passed beyond and returned due to the love of a fierce companion and a healthy does of the First World. Every time his mind turns to pondering it, he pushes it aside, some times taking up his axe and lance and heading in to the wilds ... generally in a direction Larisa is headed in her resumed duties as marshal.
On one of these trips that the two discover the signs of a battle between and griffin and a drake. The drake perished and the two tracked the wounded griffing back to her nest to find she had perished there, her body cradled around her one remaining egg. They watch as the young griffin hatches and immediately clings to Connor. One claw on her forelimb devoid of any color, the two lovers name her Whitetalon and return to New Hope riding along the banks of the Candlemere, Connor caring for the young hybrid as Larisa leads the horses back, as Connor breaks his bond with Cinder in order to ensure Whitetalon's health.
A year later, along that same route with a healthy and brilliantly intelligent griffin mount ... nay ... companion, Connor and Whitetalon take Larisa and Cinder back to the site of the nest and overlooking the ghostly lights of Candlemere, Connor asks Larisa to join him forever in a matrimonial bond.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Sivvious is behind this wisp insurrection. Let's be prepared for more than just a few wisps. But I agree, it will not take care of itself. Let us prepare and be off!"
To the surprise of no one Larisa tearfully accepts Connor's proposal, a private woman by nature she leaves it up to Connor to make any announcements. The only exception she makes is covertly informing Veronica, asking her friend for Erastil's blessing.
After careful preparations, your group begins the expedition to Candlemere Island. After a short boat ride, you arrive on sandy shores to find an island covered with fog and thick vegetation. As you traverse brambles and stinging nettles, you find it impossible to avoid being cut and stabbed by myriads of sharp thorns.
Eventually you spot the ruins of a stone tower in the distance. As you approach, you see faint symbols barely visible on some of the tower's stones. As you get closer you are overcome with an intense feeling of unease. You feel as if something unseen is waiting or watching and that intruders are distinctly unwelcome. Deep shadows fill the spaces between the tower stones.
"Me neither," Seres adds, looking a little green tinged. "What kind of briers were those, anyway?"
Having been traveling for some time Larisa knows how to avoid the worst of the thickets. "You two need to lie down for a bit?" She asks, concerned as Seres and Zeke start looking nauseated. As the party approaches the stone tower Larisa casts see Invisibility.
"I wouldn't mind sitting down." Kess speaks up, looking ill.
"Urgh," Kess groans. "I can’t make sense of this writing." She says after studying the symbols.
Ishai screeches from above, landing on her shoulder.
Kess frowns as Ihasi squawks and flies into the sky.
"Apparently this place is from the age of Destiny. At the least they predate the Stolen Lands." She says, following Larisa and casting see Invisibility.
You see six invisible spheres hovering around the party. One orb is within inches of you.
As Larisa casts her spell, a large orb of ghostly light suddenly appears next to her. The orb crackles with electrical energy and pulsates in sickly shades of green and yellow. With a flash, the orb blasts Larisa with arc of electricity energy which burns through her armor .
; 1=C, 2=E, 3=L, 4=S, 5=V
Veronica casts communal resist electricity.
"Ahh!" Larisa cries as the electricity shoots through her. Studying the wisp intently Larisa quickly steps back next to Veronica and nocks an arrow, imbuing it with baneful energy as she fires.
Kess flinches as the wisp shocks Larisa, stepping next to Veronica to get some protection as she taps into her powers and heals Larisa.
3
Ice Spears
Rime Winter Grasp
2
Cure Moderate Wounds
Ironskin
1
Mount
Mage Armor
Snowball
Snowball
Cure Light Wounds
0
Dancing Lights
Read Magic
Detect Magic
Ray of Frost
Whitetalon slinks over toward Veronica as Connor draws his great axe from behind the saddle
Seres groans, fighting off a wave of sickness. He casts his only effective spell at the evil spirit.
Veronica casts a spell and wards the group against electricity.
Ezekial strikes at the ghost light but the wisp easily dodges his blade.
Larisa steps back, studies the aberation, and fires a bolt straight through the will-'o-wisp and shreds a portion of its essence.
Kess heals Larisa.
Connor dismounts and draws his battle axe.
Seres throws several force bolts through the wisp and further destroys its essence.
The will-o'-wisp closes with Larisa and strikes her with a second arc of electricity, which is mitigated by Veronica's ward .
A second wisp flashes into existence next to Seres with a dazzling blast of electrical energy that rends through the fey sorcerer's body .
You feel the looming presence of a supernatural evil watching you from the darkness of the ruins.
; 1=C, 2=E, 3=S, 4=V
Larisa quickly steps away from Veonica, studying the wisp next to her and fires at it.
Kess casts mage armor on herself, taking the opportunity to armor up.
3
Ice Spears
Rime Winter Grasp
2
Cure Moderate Wounds
Ironskin
1
Mount
Mage Armor *
Snowball
Snowball
Cure Light Wounds
0
Dancing Lights
Read Magic
Detect Magic
Ray of Frost
Veronica backs up and releases a bless spell to bolster the team as her pack launches forward to leap up and bite at the sizzling ball of light. (And, incidentally, to give Zeke some flanking buddies.)
Seared by the wisps shocking blast, Seres fires back his own, targeting the first wisp until it dies.
Ezekial side steps and then shreds the first wisp with his kukri.
Larsia fires at the remain wisp, but narrowly misses.
Kess casts a spell and is surrounded by glowing blue translucent armor.
Veronica blesses the group as her wolves snap and growl at the will-'o wisps.
Seres strikes the wisp next to him with a force bolt.
The wisp next to Seres hits him twice with electrical bursts, but Veronica's wards prevent any damage.
Two more wisps suddenly appear next to Veroncia and Connor - futilely striking with their electrical attacks.
You detect the growing presence of a monstrous stench.
; 1=C, 2=E, 3=L, 4=V
; 1=C, 2=E, 3=L, 4=V
Larisa takes a step back again, shooting the wisp threatening Seres.
Kess quickly looks at the situation unfolding and darts back next to Connor, taking up a defensive stance.
Veronica points and the canines rush to form an arc around one of the wisps, growling and snapping at it, leaping in the air and snarling. Meanwhile, she steps back diagonally, back to the wolves, and casts divine favor.
"Whatever it is, its not going to be pretty!" Seres drolls while hurling another volley of sparkling motes at the nearest wisp.
Connor and Whitetalon 5 foot step to surround the southwestern wisp.
Ezekial leaps forward and slices through the wisp attacking Seres - nearly destroying it.
Larsia fires on the same will-o'-wisp and finishes it.
Veronica calls forward Erastil's divine favor as the hounds continue to engage the ghost lights.
Seres fires another volley of force bolts at the wisp behind him.
Connor lands his first axe blow on the nimble will-o'-wisp - badly damaging it.
One of the wisps moves to attack Larisa. Two more wisps manifest in flanking positions on Seres on Connor. The wisps each pound you with electrical strikes, but Veronica's ward continues to hold.
Larisa sees the outline of a immense tree like creature step out of the ruins into the brambles near Ezekial. The nightmarish tree has tentacles for branches and shuffles forward on roots ending in hoofs. Your eyes momentarily roll into the back of your head as you are overcome by the horror of what you are seeing.
Suddenly everyone is wracked with a crushing sense of evil - a profane, alien evil that threatens to destroy your sanity.
.
Ezekial is suddenly struck by an invisible blunt force . He feels an invisible tentacle wrap around his torso .
; C
; 1=C, 2=L, 3=V
; 1=C, 2=E, 3=L, 4=V, 5=S
; 1=C, 2=E, 3=L, 4=V, 5=S
; 1=C, 2=E, 3=L, 4=V, 5=S
; E
"Erastil protect us!" Larisa cries, in fear stumbling backwards as she laspes in concentration and loses her bane, frantically casting a spell.
"... came prepared for this."
Kess blanches as she sees something that should-not-be, bile rising in her throat as she darts forward next to Veronica and Seres. "Gods have mercy!" She cries, drawing on the powers of winter as an Ice spike erupts beneath the abomination.
3
Ice Spears *
Rime Winter Grasp
2
Cure Moderate Wounds
Ironskin
1
Mount
Snowball
Snowball
Cure Light Wounds
0
Dancing Lights
Read Magic
Detect Magic
Ray of Frost
Seres shakes his head at the unnerving aura, but keeps up his magic assault. "This is for Perlivash and Tyg-tutter-tut!"
[dice=Will]1d20+4
The creature is invisible. Only Larisa and Kess can currently see it.
Connor and Whitetalon continue to attack the flanked wisp moving to attack the wisp threatening Larisa if this one goes down.
;
Larsia calls on the divine favor of Erastil as she struggles to regain her composure.
Veronica utters a soothing prayer and the black terror infecting the group is suddenly suppressed
Seres blasts the wisp in front of him with another bolt and further wounds it.
Connor and Whitetalon combine to destroy the wisp on their flank.
Kess casts a wintry spell and is rewarded with a inhuman screech.
Ezekial strikes at the tentacle holding him and feels his blade cut into it.
The will-'o-wisps continual their futile assaults on Seres, Connor and Larisa.
Ezekial, you feel something on the invisible tentacle biting you and leaching your blood as the tentacle holds you tight . The tentacle continues to loop around you and the horrid smell intensifies.
Suddenly Seres is struck and grappled by a second invisible tentacle .
; C
; S
; L
; S
Seeing the Spears have little effect Kess opts for an out of the box strategy. Making a quick sigil in the air she summons a spinning circle to dancing lights in front of the abomination. "Strike there! She calls.
Veronica's pack continues its yipping, jumping, and biting at the wisps.
The priestess fires her bow, hoping for a lucky shot as well.
Larisa re-imbues her weapon with bane, targeting abomination as she regards the thing that should not be.