A Drow Paladin from Menzoberranzan, Evan grew up in darkness, only seeing the sun in his thirties. His grandmother, a high-ranking matriarch, murdered his father, shaping his path of vengeance. Trained by a human master, he follows the Dark Maiden, his discipline tempered by purpose.
"50 ways to skin a man, 70 more if you really think." - Evan's wise Grandma
A Wood Elf Ranger from The Great Dale, Shava has spent her life hunting. After giants destroyed her clan, she took revenge but found no peace. Her lover, Drithan, perished in war, feeding himself to giant lizards in desperation, leaving her with a dark past she refuses to discuss.
"I'm not getting involved, this wasn't my fault." - A signature complaint
A Gnome Wizard and Transmuter, Jesus focuses on reshaping reality rather than contemplating the divine. He carries himself with a thick beard and an air of indifference, always accompanied by Shadow, his familiar, usually an eagle.
A Wood Elf Druid with a wild, untamed presence. She bonds with animals over people, keeping Sunspot, her pet mouse, alive far beyond his years through druidic magic. She runs a herbalist shop, brewing medicines and the best tea in the city, but behind closed doors, she is El-Brewere, a wanted alchemist.
"Fire? Fire." - Just before starting a fire
A Warlock of the Great Old One, Kibram walks the line between justice and the unknown. Born in the south, he is reckless yet selfless, throwing himself into danger for others. Though he hides it well, his Imp familiar lingers unseen, whispering in the shadows.
The journey began aboard a small boat steered by Clara Boatman, a calm and steady guide whose destiny would later intertwine with the group's troubles. The boat drifted into the quiet, peculiar settlement of Vignar’s End, a place with an unsettling charm. Visitors soon realised that the town carried a strange curse - memories of arrival faded, and even names slipped away, leaving them all as "Vignar."
At the heart of the town stood Vignar’s Veins, a lively yet eerie tavern run by the enigmatic barman, Vignar. Among the whispers of curses and forgotten pasts, the group encountered the bard Rupert, a former noble haunted by a tragic love. Over a game of Kraflak, Rupter shares his journies and desires. Rupert sought the Dryads to aid in a ritual to reunite with his lover’s soul, using a magical conduit to complete the spell. His tale was heavy with longing, the weight of his noble past palpable in his every word.
From Vignar’s End, the group ventured northward into the dense, ancient expanse of the Breadorah Forest. Here, the air was alive with the whispers of Dryads, the forest’s guardians, and the last of their kind. Their rituals sustained their dwindling numbers, but the looming threat of the nearby Embershard Mine threatened to destroy their home.
It was within this forest that chaos erupted. The group encountered a band of bugbears, through unusual diplomatic methods, one of them swallowed a handful of magical beans during the ensuing skirmish. The bizarre magic took hold, and to the group’s astonishment (and horror), a colossal 60-foot pyramid burst from the bugbear’s stomach. This marked the start of the group’s growing reputation for strange and chaotic happenings.
Further travel brought them to the Embershard Mine, a scar upon the land where greed and destruction gnawed at the edges of the Breadorah Forest. Here, they met Nextor, a red-skinned Tiefling hunter with bandaged, glowing eyes. He was sharp-tongued, cryptic, and deeply connected to the on-goings within the Capital.
Within the mine, the group found themselves drawn into a desperate conflict. A Dryad, ancient and weary, sacrificed the last of her power to aid them in battle. Deeper within the mines they discovered a Drider's den, a battle ensued ultimately leaving the creature begging for it's life - a casual explosion finished them off.
They uncovered a hidden crypt tied to Tharizdun, the god of trickery and madness. Deep within lay a cracking seal, tethering the malevolent deity to this plane. Breaking the seal would banish Tharizdun to the Astral Plane, but the risk of chaos loomed heavy over their decision.
The mine also unearthed fragments of strange memories from Gnork, a dwarf previously enslaved by a crystalline crown. His visions spoke of golden webs, a grey-skinned dwarf, and a mysterious blade - echoes of a story still waiting to be told.
Fleeing the dangers of the mine, the group boarded the Nebuchadnezzar, a storm-collecting airship helmed by Maurice, a wise and seasoned human captain, and Naafi, his Aarakocra first mate. The crew welcomed them aboard, but trouble soon followed. A skirmish with an Aarakocran crew of another airship, tested their mettle, leaving tension in the air as the ship soared above the chaos below.
The Nebuchadnezzar left the party at the edge of the Capital, outside of it's walls. The group discussed on their approach into the city as they didn't have the necessary papers to allow safe travel. Many plans were discussed including; making an unconscious party member invisible and throwing them past the guards, and trying to buy papers from a scalper lurking the city limits.
With a plan relying on skilled magic in their heads, they approached the city walls and attempted to cast a magical Suggestion on the guards to let them pass. The magic unsurprisingly failed, and the guards demanded they leave immediately.
Kibb, wanting to interject, threw down the unconscious Woodhou he was carrying. As her body hit the ground, Evan screamed in horror, accusing Kibb of killing a blind elderly woman. The commotion quickly attracted a crowd. However, the shock of the landing jolted Woodhou back to consciousness. Dusting herself off, she stood unsteadily, only for Evan - desperate to salvage the situation - to loudly proclaim her as the Messiah and begin worshipping her. Dazed from the impact, Woodhou, still confused, transformed into a bear and fled the scene. The guards, entirely unimpressed by the spectacle, ordered the group to leave the queue. Left with no better options, they reluctantly spent their money on counterfeit papers to gain entry into the city.
Their journey eventually brought them to the sprawling Capital, a city divided into four distinct sectors: Finance, Gods Row, Market, and the seedy Port. The city was unwelcoming to outsiders, with layers of bureaucracy and prejudice complicating their every move. Dragonborn faced particular hostility, and the weight of taxes crushed the spirit of many residents.
A meeting with Raul G’esh, the Vizier who handled trade and daily governance, spiralled into disaster. Clara Boatman, their former guide, was assassinated during a diplomatic gathering, and the group found themselves framed for her murder. Captured and imprisoned, they plotted their escape, leaving the Capital with defiance and a proverbial middle finger to its corrupt authorities.
Their escape marked the end of their brief, tumultuous stay. They left the city behind, carrying both the weight of Clara’s death and the knowledge that a bounty now hung over Shava’s head, issued by the influential Guild of Merchants.
With the Capital in their wake, the group travelled northward toward the Arena, a black-stone coliseum that loomed on the horizon. Legends whispered that the Fey King had forbidden drama on its grounds, demanding bloodshed in its place. The Arena’s dark history awaited them, a fitting destination for adventurers whose path was now marked by conflict, mystery, and the ever-present shadow of Tharizdun.