Eliera and Cipher investigate the haunted tomb of a hero. There, they discover an unknown truth.

These campaign diary posts are where I discuss the campaign I play in and our most recent session!

Recap

Last session, the group arrived in Carigan, the city Cipher grew up in. He returned to his family’s manor and finally completed the job that was interrupted when he was trapped in the Underdark.

The party took Naivara to a nearby temple so that she can receive treatment. There, Cipher learned that there are reports of disappearances near the tomb of the hero named Garland. Garland is a legendary hero of Carigan who has many stories about him and how he defended the then-kingdom.

In this session…

Cipher, Eliera, and Ivellios travel into the mountains to investigate the tomb. When they arrive, Eliera senses the presence of undead, fiends, and fey. Inside the tomb, there is an oppressive presence that alters the party’s perceptions. The rooms of the tomb seem pristine instead of aged, and the tapestries of the final legend of the hero seem to show a different story…

They reach a chamber where a skeleton wearing a tarnished crown sits on a throne. Before the throne kneels a death knight, who attacks the party when they enter. This death knight is what remains of Garland.

The party defeats Garland and the many undead he summons. He burns away in dark fire, and a stone appears with a long epitaph carved into it.

The final legend of the hero tells of him leading a Nightwalker away from the city to save it. He saved many lives, though the king was lost and Garland himself was trapped in the Shadowfell.

This epitaph tells a different story. A cult of Bane trapped Garland in the Shadowfell, and he stumbled into the Negative Plane. Thus, a Nightwalker was released into the area around Carigan. It targeted the king, so the king led it away into the mountains where it killed him and returned to its home plane. Then, Garland was released only to find his king, best friend, and lover dead. In despair, he abandoned the kingdom he had sworn to protect. When he later died, he became a death knight.