Returning from the Glade of Gloaming Petals

Summary of Events (9/15/24):

In a world where realms intertwine and shadows grow long, our heroes returned from the Glade of Gloaming Petals, stepping back into the mortal plane just outside the Library of Taume und Feen. Awaiting them on the steps was Jenny Dreadful, an agent of the Whispering Man. She issued an ominous ultimatum: break their freshly forged pact with Moria Dawnwhisper, a lady of the Fey court of Twilight’s Embrace, or face their doom.

A fierce battle ensued. Kiren was struck blind, and both she and Diana teetered on the brink of death. Yet, through sheer will and determination, they forced Jenny Dreadful to retreat into the shadows. Weary from combat, they sought solace in the warmth of the Golden Stag Inn, where they rested and regained their strength.

Dawn broke on the morning of Rauch Fest, a day of celebration where the city honored the Rauch Feen—the fey chimney sweeps who protected them from the ravages of fire. Amidst the revelry, Jenny Dreadful appeared once more within the inn’s walls, invoking the neutrality of the holiday. She confessed that the Withering Man had deceived her but was bound by contract to challenge them by the rules of the trial by three unless they severed their bond with Moria. The heroes stood firm, refusing her terms.

In response, Jenny offered a trial of wits for the second trial, presenting a box of riddles. They declined her challenge, and she warned them that second trial would be by arms and that it awaited them within the next day. Leaving the cursed riddle box behind, Diana picked up the box to protect the revelers, only to find herself plagued by its incessant questions and unable to get rid it.

Resolute, the heroes journeyed back to Cairn Flüstern Schatten to confront Agatha, a fallen fey oracle, and demand knowledge,from her. In the depths of the cairn, they vanquished Agatha gain some of the insights they sought but also uncovering that the tomb stood upon nexus ley lines imprisoning the Chained Tyrant. Where souls trapped by this ancient power lingered, unable to find peace. Deeper still, they battled the undead sacrifies to the tyrant and learned of Kath’uhlzha who also sought Nod, a being of entropy once thwarted in its attempt to enter their world.

Troubled by these revelations, Mutu communed with fiery Sarenrae. Through divine vision, he learned that the fabric between waking and dreaming was tearing, threatening the world’s balance crafted by the Architects of Being. Also that agents of the Silent Sea sought to exploit mortals dabbling with dream essence to unmake reality itself.

At thirteen minutes past midnight, a cold fog enveloped them as they slept. Drawn into a spectral chase, they pursued Jenny Dreadful to hidden fey ruins within Lepidstadt. Again, she implored them to break their pact with Moria, but they stood unwavering. Bested in a battle of arms and then a personal battle of wits with Geist, Jenny retreated once more.

The following day, Kiren sought the wisdom of the Rauch Feen. From an elder, she learned that mortals were crafting the black sand of the Lake of Nod into artifacts of mystic power, coveted by factions from the Courts of Bedlam, the Architects of Being, and the Silent Sea. Yet, a greater peril loomed—the rifts in the Veil of Slumber threatened more than nightmares escaping into reality.

Meanwhile, Charles received a letter from Beatrice von Baumgartner. Oleksandra, the child they had rescued, prophesied that the Vocati must find the key to the pages of the lost book—to uncover the unseen currents before an Architect, cloaked in tattered yellow, amassed enough dream essence to enact his spiraling design.

Summoned by Professor Sabine, whom they distrusted, the heroes confronted her about her dealings with Agatha. She revealed that while she could perceive past, present, and potential futures, she could not retrieve an essential item—a key of many aspects that they would need to thwart an ambitious nocturne. Who sought to supplant the Mother of All Nightmares within the Courts of Bedlam, aiming to use the Black Lake of Nod to traverse the Maelstrom, disrupting the equilibrium between the Maelstrom of Bedlam and the Spiral of Being.

But tampering with time had consequences. Temporal beings emerged, seeking to erase the anomalies the heroes had become. Surviving this perilous encounter, they met with Doctor Ritalsin and Doctor Rictus, who tersely demanded a full account of their experiences in Poiana and the weeping Owl Gate. They were reassigned by the International Consortium of Epochs to investigate distant Illmarsh, where the Piper of Illmarsh, a figure from folklore, now played a black flute that absorbed light and wove dreams and nightmares.

Sensing ulterior motives behind this reassignment, the heroes delayed, seeking more information. Suddenly, an explosion shook the Institute, emanating from the subterranean labs carved into the granite beneath.