Kirmira, The Master Illusionist (Hindu)

Some notes:

• The base model is the Rakshasa from the D&D 5E Monster Manual and Bakasura 
• The inspiration is loosely based on the myth of Kirmira. The demon was a cannibal in a forest that learned of Bakasura's killer, Bhima, was in the area. Bhima kill Kirmira by wrestling as well

Kirmira is a cannibalistic fiend that enjoys toying with his prey. Unlike his brother Bakasura, Kirmira avoids combat and instead lures his prey into a false sense of security before feasting on them. Kirmira hides in the forests, targeting wandering travellers and merchants.

The demon prefers to disguise himself as an average humanoid, but in the rare occasions that mortals catch him in his normal form he appears like blue-pink skinned humanoid with receding eye-sockets and a lipless mouth. He simply has two nostrils where his nose is supposed to be, and he has pointy pink ears.

Tactics

• Kirmira abhors direct conflict, and will avoid it if possible. He will use his magical powers to confuse and confound his enemies so that he can escape.
• Kirmira avoids populated areas where he could potentially get caught. He prefers to hunt in the wild places such as forests, jungles and cave systems. 
• Kirmira is fiercely protective of his brother Bakasura, and would go to great lengths to help him.

Eyeshadow by TLishman on DeviantArt

Desire for flesh

Kirmira loves to feast on the flesh of human beings, and is constantly seeking our new victims. Kirmira prefers lonely travellers who wander into the woods, but if desperate he will hunt in isolated villages or towns.

Master Illusionist

Kirmira has mastered the arts of deception, misdirection and illusion. He will use all of his magical abilities to

Deadly Charmer

Bakasura is cunning enough to know that he can feast without hunting. He will frequently make a deal with towns and villages whereby Bakasura agrees not to prey upon the populace if they agree to supply him with a daily cartload of meat (the cart-bearer is usually eaten as well). Bakasura is then free to hunt elsewhere to supplement the daily offerings.

Cannibal Followers

On occasion, a few deluded mortals think that their lives will be spared if they follow and worship Bakasura. The cultists seek out unwilling sacrifices and bring them to Bakasura so that he can feast upon them. They are so devoted that they become cannibals and live by the mantra that "only the weak are eaten". The leader of the cult only lasts until his successor finally kills and eats him (or Bakasura starves and eats the whole cult). Cultists of Bakasura are easily identified because they mutilate their own bodies to mimic the spikes of Bakasura.

Bakasura

Medium fiend (demon), lawful evil

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Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points 90 (12d8+36)

Speed 40 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	19 (+4)	17 (+3)	10 (0)	16 (+3)	20 (+5)

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Skills Intimidation +10, Insight +8, Stealth +9

Saving throws Dex +9, Wis +8

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical weapons

Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 13

Languages Abyssal, Common

Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

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Blood Frenzy. Bakasura has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points.

Innate Spellcasting. Bakasura's innate spellcasting ability is Charasima (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). Bakasura can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: disguise self, minor illusion, thaumaturgy

3/day each: detect magic, invisibility, major image, suggestion

1/day each: dominate person, plane shift, true seeing

Keen senses. Bakasura has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on using hearing, smell or sight.

Springing Leap. Bakasura must not be grappled, restrained, paralysed, petrified, prone, stunned or otherwise incapacitated. As a bonus action Bakasura is able to perform a standing leap up to 10 ft. in the air and landing in an unoccupied location 15 ft. away. This sudden leap does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Swallow. Bakasura makes one bite attack against a medium or smaller target that it is grappling. If the attack hits, Bakasura's body-mouth distorts and extends and the target becomes swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside Bakasura, and it takes 21 (6d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of Bakasura's turns. Bakasura can only have one creature swallowed at a time.

If Bakasura takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from the swallowed creature, Bakasura must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate the creature, which falls prone in a space within 10 feet of Bakasura. If Bakasura dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.

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Actions

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Multiattack. Bakasura makes three attacks; two with it's Spikes and one with it's Bite.

Spike. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 14 (2d10+3) piercing damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (2d6+3) piercing damage, and the target is cursed if it is a creature. The magical curse takes effect whenever the target takes a short or long rest, filling the target's thoughts with horrible images and dreams. The cursed target gains no benefit from finishing a short or long rest. The curse lasts until it is lifted by a remove curse spell or similar magic.

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Change log:

• 20 Dec 2015.Took the Blood Frenzy feature from the Sahuagin. Changed Flesh Sense to Keen Senses. Edited Leap to be mechanically similar to Nimble Escape and renamed it to Springing Leap. Changed Digestion to Swallow from the Behir. Changed the CR to 10.

Game Intro: Mage Tower Part 2

Recap

It is the middle of summer in the month of Bahumon, in the year 659 after the founding of Farland.

The party are leaders of a fledgling resistance against the Empire, led by the Herald and his powerful new god, the White Star. They were about to forge an alliance with the Wilder Wood but were hindered by the dragon Duskinicin. The dragon holds the wood hostage, and will only release the elves if the party steals a magical Green Orb from the Empire.

The party grudgingly agreed to the demands, and traveled to the city of Dragonspur. There they started a riot as a distraction to enter the Mage Tower where the orb is thought to be held. But they discovered that they were beaten to the tower by the Blood-Oath Orcs, a band of blood thirsty cultists to an unknown entity known as the Blood God. 

The orcs were no match for the adventurers, all but two falling the sword. A piano-playing orc fled the battle after being chased away by Arkaxus, and Radagog the Orc became the first true convert to Duskinicin. 

Through exploring the tower, the party discovered the hydra and other monsters hidden in the basement. They also found the magical forge used to create the swords and shields of explosions, but Drake Johnson was nowhere to be found. 

As they approached the stairs to the third and final floor, they could hear the droning chant of an evil ritual being performed above them. Aramil and Ceasus quickly grabbed a magical sword and shield with their mage hand cantrip and interrupted the ritual with explosions. However they were just too late, and a chilling roar emerged from above as the dying cultists uttered the final words....

Important People

The Resistance (Villageham)

• Amos Caely: charismatic con-man and socialite, head spy of the Resistance forces.
• Animals: have been recruited by Ra to form an early warning system for the village
• Angus: former rebel against the Empire and son of Sanctus. Commander of the Resistance forces.
• Bolgar: Dwarvish steward, de-facto ambassador of Kale Mountain to the Resistance
• Eldridge: devoted bodyguard to Amos Caely
• Mialee Liadon: Elvish sorceress, ambassador of the Wilder Wood to the Resistance
• Rocky: devoted bodyguard to Amos Caely
• Sick old man: an old man that first recited the prophecy from the Watchers. He is left in a bad state after he was released, and can barely speak.
• Succubus: a prisoner caught when the party first took Villageham back

Dragonspur

• Dimruff: Dwarven friend of Caelan that the party saved in Underearth fortress. Working with the Herald now.
• Drake Johnson: Elderly mage and blacksmith, renowned in the empire for making the best magical weapons. Acquaintance of Ceasus.
• Herald Artor Keler-Vonstahp: Emperor of Nuovo Arkhosia and the White Star's chosen one. Uses a special form of magic know as Soulmancy.
• Sefora Robbe: A female human and former ally of the party whose body was stolen by the Herald using Soulmancy. Inhabited by an individual loyal to the Herald and who can cast magic.
• Servasix: Relative of Arkaxis and head of the noble family. Killed Eatfrith in revenge for Arkaxus, and turned the family into a military house.
• Walla: A tiefling and former ally of the party whose body was stolen by the Herald using Soulmancy. Inhabited by an individual loyal to the Herald.
• Waregor: Faithful servant of the Herald, and a werewolf.

Kale Mountain

• Dorgrim Ironhide: Dwarven noble from the former Northern Teeth, now leading the remnants of his people in Kale.
• High Dwarf King Kolgar: Ruler of the Kale Mountains
• Holmigar Sparkmetal: Dwarven mage and associate of Ceasus and Aramil. Known to be eccentric and erratic, and has unlocked many secrets about the portals.

Wilder Wood

• Arcanissdi: young Copper Dragon that is assisting Duskinicin.
• Duskinicin: ancient Green Dragon, has offered his "protection" to the people of the Wilder Wood. Request that the party find and return a magical Green Orb.
• Infernal Fiend: An unusual creature that is neither devil nor demon that is bound to serve Duskinicin, albeit grudgingly.
• Queen Galanodel: Ruler of the Wilder Wood, but held hostage by Duskinicin.

Black Wood

• Beragorn: Pantheon faithful that wish to remove the theocracy
• Farisha: Pantheon faithful that wish to remove the theocracy
• High Aurach Zonadiella: Theocratic ruler of the Black Wood, working in tandem with Kraven to protect the ancestral worship of the Elvish people
• Kraven: A lich that used to guard an ancient Elvish burial ground until the party destroyed 40 years ago. Now one of the leader of an undead army in the Black Wood, waiting for his revenge.

Templars (Knight's Hall)

• Archmage: Head of all magical study within Knight's Hall, and advisor to the Lord Commander
• Inquisitor: Head of the information network of the Templars, and charged with seeking out and destroying threats. Advisor to the Lord Commander
• Lord Commander: Leader of the Templars and ruler of Knight's Hall
• Lord Dolmud: Human noble, and ambassador to the Templars for the Zel City resistance
• Master Thrain: Dwarvish noble, and ambassador to the Templars for Wawmar mountains
• Parliamon: Elvish necromancer, and ambassador to the Templars for the Black Wood
• Twigs: The dragonborn lover of Grimbold. Imbued their soul into an altar so that they may continue to teach while they wait for the return of their lover.

Miscellaneous

• Caelan Caelanson: Son of the pirate-adventurer Caelan, and leader of a village of Tiefling outcasts near Knight's Hall. Carries on his fathers legacy, rumoured to be another Thieves Guild.
• Joco: Powerful wizard and bard that is able to absorb the souls of others. Currently known to have the souls of Joco (bard), Taliadora (elvish wizard), Orvaxis (dragonbord paladin of Bahumat) and an unknown primary entity.
• Librarian: Mysterious elvish resistance leader in the Green Copse, fighting against the Mind Flayers
• Perathorn: Captain of the Guard in the Green Copse. Fighting with the Librarian against the Mind Flayers. Met the party briefly once.
• Princess Sefora: Rumors abound that the Keleraki Princess still lives, and plots her return to the throne.
• Puhau: The mage registrar for Aukby. Handles all government administration in the region, and was recommended in a letter to Aramil by "Taliadora"
• Radagog: Orc convert to the Cult of Duskinicin, and protoge of Jinn.

Game Intro: Mage Tower

From last session.....

The party are leaders of a fledgling resistance against the Herald and his powerful new god, the White Star. The party has traveled the land in an attempt to seek aid and forge new alliances with the Dwarves and Elves, but these ancient races are mired in problems of their own. Only a significant event can rally these disparate groups together against the new popular religion.

In the meantime, the resistance have scrapped together a secret village hideout under the watchful eye of the former rebel, Angus. Together with the shady yet charismatic Amos Caely they have begun to spin a web of spies and informers that stretch out across the Empire. The ambassador of the elvish Wilder Wood, Mialee Liadon, has recently arrived and promises to use her magic to help the resistance, and the dwarves from Kale have nearly finished their network of underground tunnels under the village of Villageham (ably re-hydrated by the flamboyant Bolgar).

The party have entered the city of Dragonspur, the capital of the Empire of Nuovo Arkhosia, without incident (surprisingly) and immediately began to search for the famous blacksmith Drake Johnson, a former associate of Ceasus. They managed to track down his workshop but the magical blacksmith was nowhere to be found. Instead they found research notes for a sword and shield combination that has some decidedly explosive results.

Suddenly the party was ambushed by some drow while resting at Amos' safe-house at the city's edge. The drow were wielding some of the explosive weapons, presumably made by Drake, but they also had a magical rod that seemed to rip the soul out of weakened mortals and then revived them as ghostly warriors. One of the drow managed to escape with the rod when the shields underwent spontaneous combustion, leaving the safe-house damaged and burning. It was here that the monk-for-hire Isa joined the party after she assassinated the atheistic cultist that had betrayed the party.

The party were about to be cornered as the back-up began to arrive, but Jinn was able to create a diversion by starting a fire on a distant building. The quick thinking of Ceasus made the panicked villagers think that the fire was caused by extremists of the White Star. Other villagers were able to see the slow clunking of Arkaxus retreating into the night, and now believe that the fire was caused by the Dragonborn. A riot brewed, lit up by the flames of burning city.

Regardless, the new party member Isa was able to find a safe retreat for the party to revive themselves. Talk started about what to do next, and Jinn brought up the mission of retrieving the Green Orb for the dragon Duskinicin. What better time than now to storm the Empire's magic tower, while the rest of the city's forces deals with the citizen's riot?

Terror of the Green Copse

"FORWARD....."

Fujimarius Gojira imperceptibly shifted his weight onto his right foot in preparation for the order, just like the 120 other soldiers that together formed a Shotatus. All around Fujimarius stood thousands of other Orlandic warriors, called the Shomeni in their native language, and every single warrior was waiting in anticipation for coming battle and the honour it brings. There is no other fighting force in the known world that could match the disciplined effectiveness of an army from the river island of Orland, a reputation that Fujimarius considered a severe understatement.

It was this reputation that led Fujimarius and his fellow Shomeni to the western edge of the Empire, far beyond the safety of the Wall and deep inside the barren landscape known as the Wasteland. The barbaric remnants of the old faith have once again gravely offended The Herald, ruler of the Empire of Nuovo Arkhosia, and so the faithful people of Orland organised a full Sho of the finest 25 Shotati units and deployed them against the savages to protect the honour of the Empire and the Herald.

"... MARCH!"

The left foot of Fujimarius shot out 75 centimeters in front for his first step. His right foot covered the same distance, and he repeated the movements at a steady pace of 120 steps per minute. The precise motion of the march was imprinted into every Shomenus so that the thousands of Orlandic warriors moved as if they were one. The *clomp* of each simultaneous step formed a continuous beat that played behind the rhythms of the metallic *clinks* as the overlapping bands of iron-plated armour clashed against each other. The thousands of Shomeni were united in this music of war. This music of Orland.

Every Orlander began their rigorous daily training from the moment the sun rose on their 16^th summer. They wore their armour from dawn to dusk, they mastered the art of the sword and shield, and they lived and breathed military theory. War was the only proper profession for an Orlander, ever since their ancestors from beyond the southern seas fought and won the river island that Fujimarius proudly calls home. For as long as Fujimarius can remember he and his friends dreamed of rising up through the ranks to become Shogus of their very own Sho.

The menial work of society was left for the inferior Velati, the subjugated natives of the land ruled by Orland. The original natives were too weak to protect themselves, and so the Orlanders provide the necessary strength and leadership while the Velati work the fields, baked the bread and forged the weapons. But the Orlanders are a society that rewards ability, and a few privileged Velati manage to earn the honour of fighting alongside the Shomeni as skirmishers and cavalry. Even fewer manage to earn the right to rise up the ranks and be honoured as a proper Orlander. Fujimarius came from such a family, as his great grandfather Gojira was a Velati warrior that had saved a Shogus from certain death. Fujimarius fingered the familial amulet hanging under his tunic, the amulet that Gojira was given when he earned his full citizenship.

It is now Fujimarius' turn to fight for the honour of the Gojira family on behalf of the Empire and the Herald. The Empire is the only nation for true believers of the White Star, as the Herald is the link between mere mortals and the all-powerful White Star. The old kingdoms rallied to the Herald's banner when the White Star revealed his power by utterly destroying the old gods. The Herald allowed the Council of Shogi to continue their governance over Orland and the Velati, and in return the Shomeni will fight for the Empire. Fujimarius now has the chance to bring further honour to the Gojira family by eliminating the contemptible pagan belief that the old gods will return.

Fujimarius took a moment to take in the surrounding landscape of The Wasteland. It was a barren expanse of hills and overgrown grassy plains, with barely a village or farmstead in sight. The cowardly barbarians have again refused to engage the Orlanders in open battle, instead retreating further and further north. The savages are now forced to retreat into the heavily forested area known as the Green Copse, an ironic name for a forest that extends out for kilometers. The brutes had hoped that the trees and the elves will be able to protect them from the sharp Orlandic blades; how wrong they were.

Fujimarius' Shotatus slowed it's march as it entered the Green Copse, as the Shomeni automatically adjusted their formation to allow them to pass the trees. The sun was already partially blocked because of the Rip-In-Sky, but the ancient trees loomed high above their heads and blocked more of the dim light. A few of the Shomeni ignited the magical torches given to them by the magicians from Dragonspur, and the forest came alive in a blue-green light. A brief gasp from in front of Fujimarius caused him to look up.

The trees all around the Shomeni were splattered with blood, and limp corpses hung from the branches. The Shotatus slowed further as it approached the torn remains of what Fujimarius assumes used to be a human beings. Leather armour was ripped to shreds and revealed pulpy red flesh that barely clung to bone. A quickly whispered prayer to the White Star escaped from Fujimarius, and several Shomeni traced the sign of the Star over their left breast. Fear started to grip the once fearless warriors as they realized they have just stepped into the aftermath of a brutal massacre.

Suddenly there was a shout from the Shotatus on the far left of the Sho formation, followed closely by a blood-curdling cry. Fujimarius' step faltered, and the usually straight battle-line of the Sho staggered as a sudden fear gripped every single warrior. Fujimarius turned towards the sound and strained his eyes to see the cause of such terror, but all he could see was random pockets of Shomeni fighting an unseen enemy.

Then suddenly it was also upon him.

Out of seemingly nothing a small purple-skinned, hairless humanoid appeared in front of Fujimarius. It was a gruesome sight to behold, with gnarled claws and sharp teeth. It sunk it's claws deep into the first Shomenus it could see, a warrior that Fujimarius had known since his first training session. The foul creature let out a howl that matched the intensity of the victim's pained scream.

Fujimarius clumsily drew his sword as his fellow warrior fell unconscious from the pain, and the creature turned it's beady eyes towards him. It's lips turned upward in a grotesque imitation of a smile, and Fujimarius placed his shield in between him and that terrible image. And then, with a sudden pop, the creature disappeared completely. Fujimarius quickly turned around to see if the creature had popped up behind him, but it was nowhere to be found.

"...FOULSPAWN... TO ARMS! FIGHT!"

Fujimarius had heard of rumours about the Foulspawn, an infernal terror from another plane of existence. He had never believed those stories, thinking they were tales to frighten little children. But it had only been a couple of seconds and already dozens of Shomeni had fallen to the ambush of these very real horrors. Blood suddenly splashed onto Fujimarius' right cheek as a warrior received a blow to the neck that almost ripped his head from his body. The cackling Foulspawn then disappeared from view before Fujimarius could even retaliate, leaving behind the blood-soaked remains of the its prey. It was complete and utter madness. It was a massacre.

The usually solid formation of the Sho fell completely apart as the warriors tried to fight against an enemy that can appear and disappear at will. Some warriors huddled back-to-back in an attempt to avoid being flanked. Others tried to find an open space with solid ground so that they could fight unimpeded. The dishonourable tried to retreat, but their cowardice was met with claws  and sword blade alike.

Fujimarius plucked a javelin from the dead fingers of a fellow warrior and fell into the familiar spear stance. He hoped that the extra length of the javelin will allow him to hit the enemy before it had a chance to disappear. His courage rose when he saw the dead body of one of the Foulspawn, sword blade lodged deep into it's chest.

So these things can be killed!

A loud roar rang out from deep in the forest, followed by the ground-shaking *thuds* of a large beast running. Fujimarius turn his javelin-point towards the noise, holding his shield up high. He was joined by four other Shomeni, and each of them prepared themselves for whatever was about to burst out from that cursed forest.

Then they could see it, a large humanoid figure that was almost the size of a giant.  It's red skin was pulsating, and it's lip-less mouth showed rows of sharp blood-stained teeth. And it was coming towards them at a speed that was impossible for a creature of it's size. Fujimarius steeled his nerves and prepared for impact.

The creature ran straight into the point of Fujimarius' javelin and drove it all the way to the hilt. Fujimarius was knocked aside while the thing's giant hand wrapped around the unfortunate soldier on his left. The warrior valiantly stabbed at the wrist of the creature with his sword, but Fujimarius could hear the sickening sound of bones being crushed. He scrambled to his feet, searching for the first weapon he could find so that he could join the other Shomeni as they vainly tried to save the poor warrior from being crushed.

He was stopped in his tracks as one of the smaller Foulspawn suddenly appeared with a *pop* right in front of Fujimarius. He could smell the rotting flesh on the breath of the foul creature, and it's beady eyes stared right through to Fujimarius' soul. With no hint of emotion the creature dug it's claws deep into Fujimarius' abdomen.

Fujimarius suppressed a cry of pain and instead placed his hands on either side of the creature's head. He then dug his thumbs deep into the thing's eyes, and took perverse pleasure from it's shrieks of pain. He used all of his rapidly fleeting strength to hold on as the creature tried to escape. A tingle spread quickly throughout Fujimarius' body as the world went suddenly black with *pop*. Most of Fujimarius' senses went numb, but he could still feel the flesh beneath his hands so he clung on.

Then he was back in reality, far from where he originally was. He was glad to see that his thumbs were still dug in deep into the foul creature. At his feet there he noticed the glint of  a dagger blade, and so Fujimarius adjusted his left thumb so that he could hook in deeper while he reached for the weapon. The creature's claws furiously tried the remove his grip, causing deeper and deeper lacerations. But Fujimarius was not going to die without taking this thing with him. He finally managed to reach the dagger and drive it deep into the forehead of the creature, and with a shudder the Foulspawn went completely limp.

Fujimarius collapsed, resigning himself to death. He noticed a couple of nearby Foulspawn start head towards his direction. He closed his eyes and muttered a prayer to the White Star for an honourable death.

A sudden *fwoosh* cause him to open his eyes, and he saw that arrows were now sticking out of the approaching Foulspawn. A rustle nearby revealed the figure of an Elf, drawing their bow in preparation for another shot. An armoured elf burst out of the underbrush and removed the stopper from a potion bottle he carried. He forced the harsh liquid down Fujimarius' throat, and he suddenly felt rejuvenated and more alert.

"Who... who are you?", croaked Fujimarius.

The elf made some hand signals before looking down at the Orlandic warrior.

"My name is Perathorn. Do not speak, you need to rest," he said as a couple of elvish warriors emerged from the forest with a stretcher.

Perathorn said something in elvish, and the two new elves nodded and gently lifted Fujimarius into the stretcher. They lifted him up and carried him away from the furious battle. Fujimarius was only able to catch glimpses of the battle, but could tell that the Foulspawn still had the upper-hand despite the help of the elves.

"Where... where..... where are you taking me?", Fujimarius stammered.

The elf in front did not even turn around to reply. "Hush. You are being taken to The Sanctuary. The Librarian will be able to heal you. Then you will tell us about the outside world"

Fujimarius barely could make out the last couple of words before his whole world went black as pain overtook him and he fell into unconsciousness.

Political map of Nuovo Arkhosia

Political Map of Nuovo Arkhosia

Nuovo Arkhosia: Summary of the story so far

Sit around the camp-fire, my dear friends, and listen to a tale in the making. A story about dead Gods, devil legions, empires, dragons and lost princess'. It is a remarkable tale told to me directly from the lips of Langfar, the God of Stories & Adventure. The God risked the wrath of the White Star to tell me this tale, this truth straight from the heavens. So be still with your mugs of ale and listen, for I cannot risk a second telling.

The Empire of Nuovo Arkhosia was built upon the ashes of the Holy Pantheon, as the old Gods were obliterated by the might that is the White Star. The White Star ambushed the old Gods while they were busy defending against an invasion by the Devil's Legion, led by the Infernal King Artorial. The Infernal King and half of the Pantheon were utterly destroyed by a sudden indiscriminate attack by the White Star. This attack caused a devastatingly large magical tear in reality that can be seen hovering in the sky above Dragonspur City, and has been dubbed the Rip In the Sky by us mere mortals. The White Star's attack left both sides leaderless and in utter disarray, and the Rip In The Sky severely altered the climate on the mortal realm by partially blocking out the sun and significantly increasing temperature and humidity.

The dead Gods of the Pantheon were able to imbue the last of their essences into an amulet owned by the folk legend Grimbold. They were guided into the amulet by the surviving God of Time Cyndor, while Grimbold sacrificed their own clerical powers to keep the spark of the holy essences alive within the amulet. These essences in the amulet are only mere disjointed fragments of the former Gods, who are in turn only fragments of the Elder God known as The Sacrifice. In their current nascent state the fragmented Gods are easily swayed and susceptible to outside influences, and are also prone to merge together to create new deities. The fragments of Korellon and Melora have already merged together within the amulet to form Korellora the Goddess of Beauty, Freedom and Nature.

The surviving deities of the Pantheon fled before the rising power of the White Star, and are now fighting among themselves for the prayers of the few remaining faithful. Helyn, the Goddess of Dignity, has tried to keep peace and order between the remaining members of the Pantheon and has able assistance from the only remaining warrior God, Nazerness. But fear, greed and the primal instinct to survive has led some of the surviving Gods to plot against their fellow deities as a way to ascend or become allies with the White Star. The Halls of Heaven has become eerily silent, allowing the White Star to roam unhindered in the mortal realm.

Langfar has revealed to me that the White Star is as an Elder God known as 'The Mockery', who has suddenly returned after he was banished from the cosmos. Upon his return to our cosmos a century ago, the White Star recruited the Soulmancer Artor Keler-Vonstahp to be his Herald on the mortal realm. As a Soulmancer, the Herald Artor is gifted with a peculiar type of magic that allowed him to shape and control the souls of mortals, and it has been hypothesised by the eccentric dwarven mage Holmigar Sparkmetal that the Herald's magic is also powered by captured souls. This type of magic is strictly forbidden to study within the empire, as the Herald has decreed that the power gifted to him should not fall to the unworthy. Instead, the focus of all magic users within the empire has been turned towards reversing the magical side-effects of the Rip In The Sky, and great strides has been made in healing the damage caused by the random portals to hell.

The Herald was able to use his unique magical powers to quickly rebuild the old Kingdom of Kelerak after the widespread destruction caused by the Pantheon's demise, and from this base was able to conquer most of the known world. This new nation became what we know today as Nuovo Arkhosia, named in honour of the ancient Dragonborn empire of Arkhosia. The Herald formed the Senate to help him govern his new nation, and it is composed purely of magic users. Only those gifted with magic are able to elect new senators or hold administrative positions, leaving the merely mundane without a voice in the halls of government.

The only remaining independent human nations are the Kingdom of Farland to the east and the The Templars of the Wastelands to the west. Trade with the dwarven Kingdoms has slowed as the mountain-folk have become increasingly insular, fearful of the great changes that remind them of what had brought down the ancient Dragonborn empire. And the elvish forests have become fiercely protective of their lands, rejecting all outsiders while internally debating how to handle the sudden changes within their forests. Only the orchish tribes in the Northern Teeth thrive in the chaos, although they are still unable to drive out the Titan from their mountain home.

It was also whispered on the winds that a Tiefling wizard named Ceasus has discovered links between the Rip In The Sky and the random creation of portals to the Hells, which allow Devils and Demons to easily enter the mortal realm. This has made travelling extremely dangerous for us mortals, and we have all heard stories of isolated farms being taken over by Succubi in disguise. The magic of the portals is like nothing we have seen before, as it seems  to be neither arcane or divine. But, with the aid of Holmigar, Ceasus has managed to create a spell that can temporarily counteract the magic of the portals. We can only hope that this wandering Tiefling will pay a visit to our humble homes and place wards to scare away the Succubi.

Another wizard we should watch out for is the human bard Joco, a mysterious figure that used to be part of the Templars. This bard seems to be able to use the same soul magic as the Herald Artor, able to bind the soul of the folk legend Grimbold's lover Twigs to a lectern in Knight's Hall so that they may continue to teach while they wait for Grimbold's return. Joco was also able to merge with the soul of his wife Taliadora when she fell defending mere villagers from the rage of a Demon, an act that made him a pariah among the Templars. Joco was last seen decades ago leaving Knight's Hall after visiting the crypt of Orvaxis, where he bonded with the soul of the Dragonborn Paladin of Bahumat. This powerful bard might be our salvation from the grip of the Empire, or he may be the harbinger of our doom.

The turmoil and troubles of the time has awakened the dragons from their centuries of slumber. A few, such as the green dragon Duskinicin, sees an opportunity in the misfortune of the old Pantheon. He remembers the times of old when his kind used to rule over the mortal realm, undisputed in their power before they lost the favor of the Gods. Duskinicin and others sees the sudden power vacuum as an opportunity to take back their rightful place as rulers of the mortal realm. To help him achieve his goals Duskinicin has recruited the young copper dragon named Arcanissdi, summoned an unusual infernal fiend that some claim sprung forth from a magical book, and has even laid claim to the elvish Wilder Woods.

Other dragons disagree with imposing their power over mortals, and the memories and rivalries of the ancient Dragon Wars are awakened. The mighty winged serpents debate each other over whether they should rule over mortals or simply guide them from afar. These serpentine plots are threaded far beyond us mere mortals, and we can only hope that the clash of these mighty dragons do not reach us while we cower in our taverns.

A little songbird has revealed to me that there is hope for us to return to the old ways, as during the civil war that divided Kelerak nearly 40 years ago there was a horse seen leaving the old castle in Dragonspur before it collapsed and allegedly killed the child Princess Sefora. Upon that horse were two cloaked figures, one an adult and the other a child, and an astute peasant noticed that the brooch of the child had the royal seal of Kelerak. The horse sped off to the north towards the fortress known as The Pass, where the loyal Baron Roper ruled until his death. The Baron controversially made his adopted daughter his heir, who had arrived at the The Pass some time after the Princess was thought to have died. Is the Baron's adopted daughter really our beloved Princess Sefora, and will she be able to take her rightful place upon the throne of Kelerak?

Regardless we still have hope in the form of Arkaxus the Headstrong, stalwart companion of Grimbold. Arkaxus is a Paladin who seeks revenge upon the White Star for the death of his God of Battle, Kord, and to this end he is rallying to his cause all those who suffer at the hands of the Empire. There are whispers that he seeks the creation of a League of Nations, a coalition that seeks to oppose the Empire and bring it down once and for all. To all those who suffer, to all those who despair, to all those who struggle, seek out the Resistance and help throw off the yoke of our oppressors!

And yet there is another hidden, secretive and mysterious faction that has designs upon the mortal realm. The only thing known about them is that they call themselves The Watchers, or at least that is what the God of Stories called them. The Watchers have revealed a prophecy to Grimbold, bearer of the Amulet of the Pantheon, but whether this is to guide Grimbold towards restoring the Pantheon or a nefarious method to further their own goals is unknown. All that we know is the prophecy, and the prophecy is thus:

Message from the new master, hidden five-fold! 

Chosen are you travelers, virile and bold! 

The first is concealed power, in plainest sight! 

Second is the lost heiress, devoid of might! 

Find third among mind seekers, not of this world! 

Bargain secrets with the fourth, their wings unfurled! 

The final piece we reveal, but bide our time! 

Then final peace for all kind, yourself and mine!

The Wilder Wood

Pregame

The party has secured the respect of both the Dwarves of Kale and of the Northern Teeth. High King Kolgar, leader of the Kale Dwarfs, and Dorgrim Ironhide, leader of the Dwarfs of the Teeth, have worked out a treaty that benefits of both parties. The Dwarfs of the Teeth are allowed to enter the Kale Mountains and prepare for their campaign to retake their homeland, and in the meantime the Dwarfs of the Teeth will provide cheap labour to help expand the kingdom so that it can deal with the sudden population explosion.

The party have been given temporary quarters in the king's tunnels, where they have been given free reign to pursue tasks with the full backing of the king. The party is safe from physical threats, but the prophecy constantly interrupts them during the quiet hours of the night. Endlessly they are reminded of the refrain:

Message from the new master, hidden five-fold!

Chosen are you travelers, virile and bold!

The first is concealed power, in plainest sight!

Second is the lost heiress, devoid of might!

Find third among mind seekers, not of this world!

Bargain secrets with the fourth, their wings unfurled!

The final piece we reveal, but bide our time!

Then final peace for all kind, yourself and mine!

The party knows that to complete the prophecy they must find the five pieces that are cryptically referred to. What is this power that is concealed in plain sight? Who this heiress, and how is she lost? The otherworldly mind seekers are much less cryptic, but probably the most dangerous, and how to reach them since the Herald collapsed the tunnels? And most of all, what are these pieces that they should be looking for?

In addition to the troublesome nature of these mysteries, the party are further troubled by the news from around the Empire. The elves seem to have trouble dealing with the changes occurring to their forests, and in many places are split into competing factions. Some elves wholeheartedly embrace the changes, seeing it as a way for the long-lived to also evolve for the better. Others are repulsed, and seek to reverse these changes for good and stubbornly cling to the ancient traditions that have kept them together for centuries. Others still look for help among outsiders, desperately seeking a power strong enough to protect them.

The dwarves in the other mountain kingdoms are turned increasingly isolationist, seeking to separate themselves from the turbulent surface and the Rip In The Sky. The vast trade routes from the dwarven mines are now just a mere trickle, and the price of precious metals slowly increases as the supply dries up. The Kingdom of Farland, far to the east, have also closed their borders as they try to stop the effective missionaries of the White Star from infecting the populace.

The War of the Faithful has reignited between the Templars and the Empire, and the Templars have suffered shocking losses alongside the walls that surround their territory. It seems that the Empire have been secretly amassing an invasion force for decades, waiting for the opportune time to unleash on the fragile Templars. But rumours say that something has stopped their advance alongside the Green Copse, something that the Empire is desperately trying to cover up.

• Arkaxus has worked hard in negotiations with the dwarves on behalf of the Resistance. It has been difficult to secure a concrete alliance since the dwarves are not sure that the Resistance can withstand conventional warfare, but they have definitely accepted to aide the Resistance with token measures. 

1. The Dwarfs say that the real aide will not happen until they can see that the Resistance has a real connection with the people in the Empire.
2. The dwarfs will immediately dispatch a loyal unit of Teeth Dwarfs to the village to build the tunnels underneath Villageham. The escape tunnels will be completed within in a month.
3. Amos has been "gathering" trinkets from the rich people in the area, and has offered this for trade purposes. The Dwarfs have reluctantly agreed to trade in these stolen goods as a favor to the resistance. All the houses are rebuilt from these funds.
4. Dorgrim likes the idea, but Kolgar does not. Will wait for other nations.

• Jinn has a crystal ball that supposedly kept the old dwarf traitor in contact with some high level figure in the White Star hierarchy. But how to use it? 

1. The crystal ball seems to be arcanely connected to another object for the sending of messages, just like a sending stone. The benefit of using the crystal ball is the transmission of visual information as well as audio. The device is a magical transmission device.
2. Find out the passphrase is "Mockery". Using the crystal ball with the passphrase will allow the ball to conjure up an image of an empty, stuffy old library and magical laboratory. The books are full of information about the dwarfs, and contains historical and magical information specific to the dwarfs.
3. Jinn is unable to shake the mysterious shadowy figures, and they seem to have figured out that Jinn is doing research on the Crystal Ball.
4. Bolgar joins the resistance, and is willing to follow Jinn wherever he goes.

• Aramil has a contact in the human magic world, Taliadora, but it wouldn't hurt to get to know a few dwarfs. He also decided to do some research on what has happened to his home forest while he was gone for 40 years.

1. The research reveals that Arranis was sent on fact-finding mission to the Green Copse before it became the most dangerous forest in the land. Arranis has not returned from his mission.
2. Aramil has ingratiated himself among the learned dwarven scholars, and especially the eccentric Dwarven mage Holmigar Sparkmetal. Aramil allowed (under Grimbolds watchful eye) Holmigar to observe the amulet and the power within. Holmigar has promised to write up a treatise and send the results onward to the village of Villageham, and asked that Aramil keep him abreast of the half-elfs adventures.
3. Old dwarf reveals magic might concealed power. Lost Hieress sounds like Sefora but she is dead. Mind flayers. Dragons or Devils. No idea who sent the prophecy.

• Grimbold is dedicated to reigniting belief in the old gods, especially the dwarven patron Moradin who now exists in the amulet. The current belief among the dwarfs of Kale is a mix of White Star, Ancestor worship and a new form of Stone worship, where adherents revere stone above all.

1. Missionary work has made some believers among the populace, but not strong enough to completely overpower the belief in the White Star and other religions. Nevertheless, there are now allies among the tunnels of the Kale Mountains.
2. Despite days of searching, no mention of the Watchers could be found in any of the old texts.
3. Some of the personalities in the Amulet have decided to merge and grow their power. This time it was Melora and Korellon, to become Korellora the Goddess of Nature, Freedom and Art.

• Ceasus is concerned; all his research leads to the undeniable conclusion that nature is suffering due to the portals and the Rip In The Sky. The abhorrent magic could potentially cause irreparable long term harm. Ceasus is researching methods to repair and even reverse the adverse weather events, until the portals and the rip can be permanently fixed.

1. You discover an alternate form of counter-spell that can temporarily negate the subtle effects of the new form of magic. By consistently applying this new counter-spell onto an area hourly, you could avoid the most adverse affect of the magic.
2. You are not the only one concerned about the Rip In The Sky. Dwarven mage Holmigar Sparkmetal has also dedicated extensive research into the field, and has allowed you access to his notes. This has drastically enhanced your counter-spell to be much more effective, needing only a day between applications.
3. In accounts of the soulmancer, it seems that not only can the Soulmancer control the souls of other (and allow souls to inhabit other bodies), but that it is actual souls that power his magical abilities.

• Ra been healing the forest around the village. He is distraught about the significant damage done, and the climate change has meant that he doesn't have the knowledge required to adjust for those changes. He tries to fix the damage, but unfortunately doesn't do much for forest itself. He concern for the forsest has gained the attention of the local animals, and they have warmed to the little gnome. They have endeavored to aide Ra, including sharing information about the area surrounding the village.

The Wilder Wood

The party has decided to make contact with the Elves in the Wilder Wood, the ancestral home to Aramil. During the days of travel, Aramil tells the party that the Elves of the Wilder Wood are extreme pacifists who broke off from the ancient Elvish Kingdom of Vallade because of an internal war. They are extremely protective of their forests, and wary of all outsiders and will view them with prejudice until they can prove their benevolence. The whole forest is ruled by the Queen Galanodel, who is ably assisted by a Council of Spellweavers and a Council of Guilds.

After days of travel, Aramil guides the party through the desperately sick forest to the main habitat for the Elves of the Wilder Wood. The rain is intermittent but heavy, drowning out the usual vibrant colours and makes the forest seem gloomy and uninviting. Ceasus and Aramil are both heartbroken to see the sick trees drooping because of low sunlight, and note that the flowers are no longer able to find purchase on the slippery wet mud. 

Upon entering the main habitat, the party notices a large wooden statue in the center of a clearing. The artwork depicts a nefarious Tiefling with a devious smirk clutching a bag of gold, with his other hand behind his back holding a dagger out of view. The Tiefling is reasonably well dressed in an outfit usually reserved for the nobility. An inscription on the artwork reads:

"The Infernal Deceiver: That which looks noble and good is always anything but" 

There are also constant chatter about town: Duskinicin the Green Dragon has called upon all the elders of the town to a meeting in his abode. The elves are all terribly frightened that the Dragon will make more demands on the Woods in return for his protection and continued benevolence.

• Duskinicin (Cunning mind) is an Ancient Green Dragon
• Arcanissdi (magic one) is a young Copper Dragon that has been convinced by Duskinicin that her hoard will be increased ten-fold if she aides Duskinicin in his plans for the realm. Duskinicin will use his knowledge that the party was involved in the deaths of Aussiraesthyr and the Black Dragon Pefulir to convince Arcanissdi that they stole those dragon's treasure.
• Duskinicin will want the party to use their amulet to help summon an avatar of the White Star so that he can confront his new nemesis
• Duskinicin will interpret that the fourth line will require the party to bargain with a Dragon, and will make an offer: if the party retrieves an orb from the White Star Magical University in Dragonspur, the party will be allowed to gain one item from his horde (and he will leave the Wilder Wood in peace, to face the dangers of the world alone)

Summoning the White Star will require a troop of White Star prisoners to pray to their god while Grimbold uses the amulet. Duskinicin will do everything he can to force the amulet's use.

D: Ahhhhh, so the great White Star, killer of Gods, has finally visited me. Am I right in my assumption that you are a Mockery of all that we hold dear?

A: [smirks]

D: Hehehehehe, well then, hear me true. I denounced and reject that there is any power greater than my own. I am not beholden to any law other than my own. Tremble in your castle of broken power, and await my coming! Begone!

A: [Points to Grimbold] Mine

D: In my domain, no one shall be harmed without my consent. I do not consent. Begone!

A: [Waits, then draws club and attacks Grimbold]