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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ThirdWizard" data-source="post: 4478381" data-attributes="member: 12037">Caelynnasidhe welcomed them into her home. They didn't mention Warder Gael or the promise they had made to her. The two didn't seem on amicable terms, so they had decided it would be best not to tell her that they owed a favor to a Warder of Kelbrook. None of them liked being in the forest. Even with Gael's promise of protection, too many things had gone wrong whenever they had entered its borders. So, they got to business quickly.They were shown to the second floor of the eladrin's tower. It was a sizable laboratory and library, two entire floors devoted to books and vials. On the walls were glyphs inscribed and carved directly onto the stone, and on the floor rested a perfect circle of gold and silver with runes inscribed around its perimeter. Cabinets lined the walls filled with strange admixtures, bubbling bottles, and collections of body parts from various creatures.On a work table in the center of the room rested the something wrapped in a heavy cloth and tied with a thin silken rope. "That is the book... I did not want to look upon it after I discovered its identity."OOC:[sblock]Those who have played with me in previous games at this point grew a bit... worried. They've had some bad experiences with Intelligent magic items in the past. Some good ones, mind you, but they're rightly scared of any magic item that is bound and someone doesn't want to touch. I knew this, so I thought I'd use this to my advantage to emphasize a bit of important in this item. It made them pay more attention to its back story and give them a little more respect for the item, even though it turned out not to be dangerous to merely handle.It might sound like metagaming, and it is, but really I'm playing to expectations here. Using my knowledge of the players to get an emotional response from them. I don't want to overuse this kind of thing, or they'll get jaded to it, however, I think its good to every once in a while push the players themselves in order to build tension and keep the game's mood flowing in a particular way.[/sblock]There was a quick back and forth between the group members, recounting some of the events that had occurred surrounding the discovery of the book: the shadow creature, the strange rituals, the undead outbreak, and the secret silver found in the mine. After refreshing themselves, they asked Caelynnasidhe what she had found."Do you know who the Shadow Lord was?" she asked.Korvun immediately spoke up. "A self proclaimed master of creatures of the Shadowfell. He rose to power about fifty years ago but was put down by a group of adventurers... the Foes of Darkness. There were five of them. He was very dangerous, and a very powerful sorcerer."Caelynnasidhe nodded. "This is one of his books. He made several of them detailing the Shadowfell and its inhabitants, rituals dealing with said creatures, and so forth. They were spread about Reskia, for what purpose only he knew. Now, every once in a while, one is found. They are hard to find, however. Who knows where this one came from."Quinn spoke up. "Fifty years ago? Korvun, do you remember who was in the Foes of Darkness?"The dragonborn thought for a moment. "I believe... there was Clavis Pik, a human, Hgrigga Stout, a dwarf, a halfling who went by Bobbins, Mara Belithis, an elf, and Urithea Daggerblade, a tiefling. They fought against the rise of Bane in Reskia, but ultimately failed to keep his church from gaining prominence among a scared populous who accepted the security that his followers could offer. After the church of Bane took over King's Cross, they faded away."OOC:[sblock]Korvun's player really nailed this roll! He already has a great History skill: Training + Int + Dragonborn bonus, and he rolled a 20. It was a great moment, when his PC got to start rambling off this extremely niche information.[/sblock]Quinn nodded. "Some of them may still be alive. We should look them up later, when we can.""Agreed," said Tordek. "They might have some useful information. I would guess that creature's on the loose now, and who knows if more were summoned. There were five circles in the mine, after all."Caelynnasidhe walked over to the book and lifted it up. "I've heard that these books are cursed. Whether that is true or not I do not know. It is simply said that great misfortune befalls those who attempt to use the knowledge contained within its binding.""Do you know how to open it?" Quinn asked.Caelynnasidhe paused a moment. "I would be wary of doing such a thing. I wish I had not opened this book myself." She walked over and put the book in his hands. "But yes.""We may need to someday.""A deal is a deal." She stepped away from him, putting a couple foot's distance between herself and the book. "The command word to open the book is Vograppt to Nebbr, Primordial for "Long Shadow." She walked back to her table and lifted a green candle from the table. "That is half of our deal. Now I shall tell you about the creature you saw. But, first I must confirm that I am correct. Please follow me."She led the group down the stairs to the first floor where she lifted a heavy rug to reveal a trap door leading down. A short staircase led them to a huge dark room full of mirrors, possibly a cave at some point. She waved her hand, and the green candle lit, shining a bright light in a large area around them.Some mirrors were covered by sheets, but those that were not reflected the world... off. Some reflected nothing. Others had almost imperceptible changes in their reflections that changed the viewer's perception of themself in the reflection. Others were not so subtle.Korvun looking in a mirror saw himself, only dead yet still walking. His flesh was rotting, and his gate a shamble, his eyes dark and lifeless. Quinn, looking in a mirror, saw himself in regalia, the symbols of Pelor inscribed his armor, a streak of gray in his hair. In one mirror Sapphire saw herself relfected with red skin, horns growing from her head, and flames licking up from underneath her. In her eyes were a dark glow, and her fingers ended in fine claws. Tordek saw himself in shining armor, a silver laden holy symbol about his neck. Runes dedicated to the service of Avandra covered his armor from head to toe. Alandra, looking at herself in one mirror, saw her body covered in blood, one leg all but useless, as she hobbled forward clinging to her bow. After passing those mirrors, and each person getting a different feeling from the experience of seeing these reflections of themselves, the mirrors changed. Now they showed vistas that the group had never seen before. Forests as if the trees were right there in front of them. Mountains with shifting clouds above. Lakes and rivers flowing. All as if they were right there, moving, living a few feet away from view.Finally, she stopped in front of a mirror with no reflection, only a pure silver gleam about it. Then she spoke. "Shadow Fiend." And, at her words, the silver became clouded, like a black cloud began to envelop the other side of its reflection. Slowly, into focus, came two red balls of light, like small red candles. Around them they could barely make out the outline of a humanoid figure, its shape the same as the creature they had seen in the summoning circle. It was unmistakable.Then they noticed the figure's eyes begin to turn toward each one of them in turn, a smile creeping slowly over its face. Then, as its mouth began to open, Caelynnasidhe waved her hand and the mirror was silver again, as if the smoke had never been there."Was that the creature you saw?"The group nodded, murmuring yes in broken silence."It is a shadow fiend, a creature of the Shadowfell. They were once creatures of the Elemental Chaos, but like many elementals, they spent so much time in the Shadowfell that they eventually changed in nature, like the death giants. They are deceivers and masters of knowledge and magic. They are very dangerous. They can posses mortals. Those that allow them in willingly can gain great power, but will be slowly driven mad... those that resist them are better off, but it depends on how long they can hold out. The Shadow Lord would use them as spies, assassins, and more. Come."OOC:[sblock]Ever since I first read about the Shadow Fiend in a Planescape supplement back in the day (I can't recall which one at the moment), I've loved them. I like how they worked behind the scenes manipulating people. I great use of that in one PS adventure I ran where a shadow fiend was controlling the people of Xaos in order to expell the PCs.So, I decided I wanted to use them. Unfortunately they don't heve 4e stats yet, but either they eventually will or I can easily write up my own. But, I decided to change their backstory a bit to work with the adventure. They're elementals now, or at least, they were, now corrupted by the Shadowfell. So, they don't have to be tied to demons or devils, and I can use them in my Shadow Lord plot with some interesting twists. I think it'll go quite well.[/sblock]She led them back through the room of mirrors. They neglected to look at their reflections this time, and felt better in the peace of her entrance room. Leaving them to think and discuss things amongst themselves, she went to prepare a meal for them after their long journey.While resting, they made some plans. They would have to try and track down those members from the old adventuring group, they could try to see where the book came from if possible and what relation it had to the town of Rinthorp and its inhabitants. They also could try to find out what happened to the shadow fiend that they had talked with who was now missing. They had their work cut out for them.She returned later with some wonderfully tasting food - all served cold. The adventurers hungrily ate. After the meal, she said she had two helpful things for them, but that they were not part of the original deal. If they wished to make a trade for them, however, she would be more than happy to help. All that she needed would be a favor from them in the future, should a need arise. The first item was a circlet of intertwined vines and silver - which she called a Warding Circlet that would help keep out unwanted possession. The second was a book containing a ritual that would forcefully eject a possessing entity.After mulling over the decision for a minute, they decided that it would be worth it to gain the item and ritual and accepted her terms. They could not use the ritual yet, but it would surely come in handy should they encounter a shadow fiend or someone possessed by one. The favor they did for her before got them into a lot of trouble, which they were still paying for, but at least they would be alive. Alive and in debt beat out dead with no debts.That night they rested in her tower, then headed out the next morning. The snow slowed their travel, but not by too much, and they found their way back to the road. Gael was true to his word, and they were not attacked during their trip through the forest. They could count that small blessing at least. Finally on the road, they began travel Southward back to Grethtown.</blockquote>

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