Shadows & Secrets

Threads of Discord – Episode 7

Our heroes find themselves in the realm of dreams as the episode begins. Priscilla hears Morghaalen, his newly named battle-axe, murmur of glorious combat, fuelling his warrior spirit. On the other hand, Phoenix’s nocturnal visions transform his stolen strongbox into a nest of gem-like eggs, a haunting nod to his ethical dilemmas.

Vye’s memory harkens back to a crucial letter meant for Graydar Amberheart, still undelivered and growing in significance. Jonah emotionally relives a day of loss, recalling the mother of his cougar, mercilessly killed by poachers. Cassius teeters on the edge of the afterlife once more. Evangora, his guiding goddess, measures his fate and, through the roll of divine dice landing on double sixes, declares that his time hasn’t yet come.

Phoenix consults Vye to assess the magical aura of his perplexing strongbox, discovering a mysterious life-force residing within. Cassius’ reunion with Reggie, a fellow priest, is bittersweet. Reggie comforts the group with tea, yet ominously requests a private audience with Cassius for matters yet unknown.

Meanwhile, Vye and Elise’s seemingly simple quest for a new dress leads them to Graydar’s shop, only to find it deserted. A chance encounter with farmer Thanered reveals Graydar’s unsettling disappearance and points them to his home across from the Church of Evangora.

Priscilla and Phoenix choose the seclusion of a nearby cemetery to finally open the strongbox. Inside, they find luminescent gems engraved with cryptic sigils eerily similar to those that Elise employed in her shadow play. Meanwhile, Cassius learns of Priscilla’s cursed fate for his brazen theft from the church. The reunion in the cemetery is electric with tension as Cassius relays the news of the curse.

The plot grows murkier as the group stumbles upon Graydar’s burnt residence. Opening an unread letter, they unearth ties between Graydar and the insidious plot of the Arcane Monster. Felix Shadowstep then interrupts, extending an invitation from the Mayor himself.

Arriving at Mayor Gregory Thorne’s residence, they discover a dried-up Font of Fortune, once the source of the village’s prosperity. Thorne offers a hefty 500-coin bounty on the Arcane Monster but aligning with this could antagonise Grand Wizard Alistair, who seeks the monster alive.

Back in their temporary lodgings, the party pores over divinations revealing a horrific vision: the Arcane Monster amassing power to obliterate the kingdom. As they scramble to piece together the fragmented puzzle, tragedy strikes. Elise is slashed by a shadowy blade emerging from the ether, leaving the party in shock and deepening the enigma.

Our adventurers are ensnared in a web of mystical events, dreams and, perhaps, destinies. Each revelation only breeds more questions, each step forward shrouded in arcane uncertainty. One thing is clear: their journey is far from over. Keep following for the unravelling of these dark and tangled threads.