*After hours of research that seem interminable, almost like months, Blunt finally manages to finish his studies and return to the others.*
*Library discoveries (to put it Bluntly):
The Night's Embrace cult, also called the Kiss of Darkness cult, was a powerful force of evil and a constant threat to the kingdom of Sundaria until it was utterly destroyed twenty years ago. NE's typical modus operandi involved undead plagues, demonic hordes, and widespread destruction. The cult was nominally in service to Shar, goddess of darkness, evil, grudges, and loss, though only some cultists revered her and most also had a healthy respect for the Demon Lords and other powerful extraplanar evil entities, but they worshipped their leader, though not as a god, most of all.
The cult's leader was a powerful and charismatic woman by the name of Temera Invesperasci, and her evil was so notorious that in the past, she was used by parents almost as a bogeyman to frighten children into being safe and not staying out after dark. The cult held sway for nearly a century, and Temera was the leader the entire time. Thus, even though she was said to have been a great, though dark and wicked, beauty in her youth, by the time the cult finally fell, she was an ancient and withered crone, her hatred all that allowed her to cling to her mortal shell.
Everything came to a boil about twenty years ago when the cult made a final push to achieve their goals. Perhaps Temera wanted to see her dream fulfilled before she finaqlly forfeited her soul to the darkness. Whatever the case, the cult came out into the open for the first time, leading an army of evil from their hidden fortress, revealed by their exodus to be located in the misty Randralkh Forest, an army that ravaged Sundaria's north and left a swathe of destruction and horror as it swept southwards towards the capital.
King Aldin Aureolus has been one of the nation's most popular monarchs, mainly for his kinder view towards citisens and foreign nations alike than his predecessors, and through his diplomacy and leadership, an unprecedented alliance formed to defend the land from this threat. Humans from various kingdoms banded together, and they were joined by a force from the dwarves, who rarely leave their secret home deep beneath the mountains, one from the elves, who deigned to exit their forest city long enough to 'clean up the mess the humans have made', and even the halflings, who proved that even a widespread network of nomadic wanderers can present a strong and unified front in a time of desperate need.
With the unexpected surge in support, the Sundarian Alliance managed to push back the enemy forces towards their base, but even then, the enemy was resilient and continued to grow, as Necromancers and Demonologists could simply raise and conjure more troops given time. The evil ones were pushing back, and pretty soon the enemy was going to win. It was inevitable.
And so a plan was devised--a small squadron of elite troops created a lance formation, flanked by major support from the rest of the army, the goal to break through enemy lines, reach the enemy stronghold, and defeat the enemy leadership. In order to assure the success, the squadron was led by the greatest heroes of the Alliance: a Sundarian Paladin of Siamorphe, a Dwarven Fighter of great prowess and renown, the mightiest Elven Wizard that the elves sent to help the Sundarians (footnote--not actually that strong compared to the actual mightiest of the elven wizards), and an incredibly formidable Halfling Priestess of Yondalla, capable of performing her goddess's greatest miracles.
Many brave men and many infernal and unliving abominations died that day, the heroes included, but the surviving remnants of the lance squadron returned with triumphant news of great joy--though the heroes fell as well with the collapse of the room where the battle took place, the cult's leadership was shattered.
Just to ensure that it was finally over, since the enemy had perverse power over life and death, a powerful divination was employed that reaffirmed what the brave and noble veterans had proclaimed: "Has Temera Invesperasci truly been slain? Can she be raised from the dead?" the Wizards asked. "Temera Invesperasci is no more!" the divination announced with the solemn weight of finality.
Wizards on the Sundarian side began to use their magic to mimic the Divination, loud and clear, such that the cult could hear it. Shaken, the cult's morale began to shatter, and those who desperately tried to recall her spirit, even just as a disembodied source of advice for how to proceed, met with nothing but failure. Her soul could not be reached. It was then that they realised what must have happened--after nearly a century of dealing with demons for power, Temera Invesperasci was made to pay up on her debt. Her soul was no more. Some were devastated. Others tried to take charge quickly to hold the cult together. While grabbing power like that was an absolute necessity when dealing with such a chaotic organisation, the fact was that too many were grabbing for power at the same time, and none was strong enough to hold it unlilaterally. Unable to present a united front, the cult was scattered and destroyed, even on the verge of a turning point towards their victory.*
(OOC: Another post in a bit about researching the princess!)
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