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• Arwynn Liadon (Half-Elf – Druid / Ranger)
  • Rides Horse: Laska
  • Pet: Mozilla (Fire Fox)
• Arrimar Oakroot (Wood Elf – Ranger)
  • Rides Horse: Goliath
  • Pet: Chrome (Silver Wolf)

Learn more about the origin of Shadow Island.

• With the murderous dagger (See Session 8) in hand, after defeating the drunken bugbear (See Session 9), Arwynn and Arrimar return to the front of the cavern and wait for Alareesa, the spirit of the murdered mage; it is not long before she appears and senses the dark blade on them – extending her hand she asks for it so that it may be destroyed
• Arwynn hands her the dagger, surprised that the spirit’s ethereal hands can hold it; seeing her surprised expression, Alareesa explains it’s because it’s the thing that had murdered her and kept her tethered to the plane of the living. Alareesa then closes her hands around the blade as it vibrates violently and shatters.
  • Arwynn fails to share that when she’d picked up the blade – she heard a voice in her head (See Session 9), coming from the blade about how it must kill and taste elven blood – and that perhaps, Alareesa’s lover had not meant to kill her, but fell victim to the blade’s control.
• Alareesa looks to Arwynn and Arrimar and thanks them as her shimmering visage dissipates and she’s finally able to find eternal rest.
• On the way back to the abandoned city of Stormthunder, just outside the gates, the duo is stopped by a pair of gnolls who demand to know what a half-elf and an wood elf are doing so close to gnoll territory. Arwynn explains that Chief Barkspear had sent them on a mission to be rid of the spirit in the caves that the gnolls once called home and that they’d successfully completed their mission.
• The gnolls are not convinced – and the gnolls insist on arresting them and handing over their weapons; knowing attacking the gnolls is going to potentially destroy the bargain with Chief Barkspear. The duo agrees and the gnolls take them to Chief Barkspear inside the library located in Stormthunder.
• The gnolls put the duo in a rusty cage, as Chief Barkspear explains that they need to sends scouts to verify that the duo has truly gotten rid of the spirit in the cave. Arwynn convinces Chief Barkspear not to put her in a cage, and the Chief takes pity and puts a shackle around Arwynn’s waist and binds them to his foot, forcing her to lay at his feet while Arrimar opts for the cage.
• Chief Barkspear asks how they got rid of the spirit – and Arwynn explains that the spirit needed the dagger that murdered her; and she’d told them that a drunken bugbear had possession of it further down the cave but she was bound to the area in which she was murdered; and that they’d found the bugbear and his wolf pet (who was also intoxicated) and defeated them, recovered the dagger and brought it back to the spirit, who, upon destroying it was freed.
• The scouts return a few hours later and confirm that the spirit is no longer in the cave
• Chief Barkspear nods and frees Arwynn and Arrimar and explains, for now, they depart as allies – but in the future he may not be so kind. He is, however, a gnoll with honor and will honor the deal they made and return to their caves and give Stormthunder back to the goblins.
• When the gnolls depart, King Terralol, leader of the goblins, emerges from the sewers and rejoices. He asks what he can do for the party – and Arwynn explains they’re looking for information on a Coven of Hags. King Terralol explains that they might have better luck at the Wizard’s Tower of Stormthunder – however, King Terralol believes that the tower is haunted – he and his scouts have seen things move all by themselves – including armor.
• Based off the description – Arwynn believes the Wizard’s Tower could be haunted – but it may also be animated armor, which Wizards have been known to use. King Terralol points to a tower in the center of town that rises high above the other buildings. The black stone of the tower seems to be made of exquisite marble.
• King Terralol takes Arwynn and Arrmimar to the Great Library of Stormthunder also, in case there’s anything there that they might need as well. The Great Library is in bad shape, with shelves pushed over, many of the books worn, torn and ripped apart, by people who may have come through raiding, animals, and general lack of care. Arwynn sifts through the books, seeing if she can find anything about the Hags or the Coven of the Fallen Star.

• Among the chaos and ruin, however, Arwynn spots a book that is somehow in pristine condition and it catches her eye. She reads through the book – about the Coven of the Fallen Star – and it details how a meteor struck Shadow Island, and the hags gathered around it and began to worship it and pulled great power from the meteorite. Arrimar confirms that he’s heard stories about this fallen star, but was unaware that anyone had been worshipping it.
• From there, they head to the Wizard’s Tower which does indeed give off a sense of foreboding. As they open the door – they see that the inside is massive – and a spiral staircase spirals upward, almost magically – decorated in seashells. Arwynn goes to step inside and investigate the sea shells when suddenly the rug beneath her feet begins to try and wrap around her!

• After the battle, a young, human wizard comes down the stairs, shouting, “Damn goblins! I’ve told you to stay out of here!” He pauses and is rather surprised to see that it’s not goblins…! Closing the tome in his hand which reads The Understanding of Spiritual Possession And The Effects. He closes the book and approaches the duo, looking down at the tattered rug. “Well, there goes about three hundred gold. But that’s fine. I’ve been here studying the hags that live on this island… they’re quite powerful. And need to be put an end to, I might add. There’s some interesting reading in this tower,” he gestures to the book in his hand. “The Mages here on Shadow Island, they never practiced Necromancy from what I can tell; but they certainly studied and documented quite a bit about it in an effort to understand it and how to better combat it. Oh, how rude,” the young wizard extends his hand, “my name is Darko Wintersage.”

• Darko asks the party to follow him upstairs; Arwynn and Arrimar follow and are surprised that the second floor expands outward, width wise that extends much further than one would think, almost as if the second floor existed on some other plane.
• Darko explains that that the research he’s done on the Coven of the Fallen Star reveals that the meteorite is a part of one of the celestial figures and that may be why the meteorite was granting these hags so much power. Darko explains that he found where the meteorite had fallen – but when he went there, all that was there was crater. He believes the hags may have gathered it somehow and relocated it, to safely keep it away from others.
• Darko explains that if the duo is going after the Coven of the Fallen Star, he would like to join them and Arrimar agrees, that having a powerful wizard with them would be beneficial.
• Darko also explains he’s an alchemist and Arwynn asks if he can make healing potions out of Whistling Leaf. He explains that he can – and Arwynn gives him the batch of Whistling Leaf she has and Darko is able to, after several hours, create three Potions of Greater Healing.
• Darko goes on to explain about the Coven of the Fallen Star, that there’s a prophecy that someone born of the moon who is marked by their neck, will bring down the Coven of the Fallen Star. Arrimar looks at Arwynn since he’d spotted her unique birthmark on her neck and Darko sees it and nods – he explains that he too is marked – but it’s a mark that his master put on him to call him to his side whenever needed.
• Darko pulls out a book – and turns to the page about the prophecy and shows Arwynn – that there is a painting of a girl – floating in the stars – and the same symbol on Arwynn’s neck is the symbol behind the girl floating in the stars.
• Darko explains that with a druid and ranger, they might be able to find evidence at the crater as to what the hags may have done with the meteorite
• Arwynn asks about rope, and Darko reveals he has a magic rope. Darko also offers to enchant one of Arwynn’s weapons with the limited resources still in the tower. Arwynn selects her scimitar to be enchanted.

TO BE CONTINUED.