Ashes of Eternity – Session 1: The Gathering Storm

Session Date: 2/2/2025
Location: Forest of Shadows

---

Summary

The Guild of Unity is tasked with retrieving the Relics of Dawn, Dusk, and Zenith to prevent a looming catastrophe, but trust is scarce—especially toward their enigmatic patron, Cassidion. As tensions mount, the party encounters refugees who reveal the true scope of the threat before facing an ambush by corrupted wolves. Their journey takes a dire turn when a Nightwalker nearly claims Mordekai’s life, leaving them battered and uncertain. With the Temple of Veiled Light ahead, the path forward is more perilous than ever.

Key Events

• Cassidion entreats with the Guild of Unity and seeks their aid against a world ending event. He sends the party to retrieve the relics of Dawn, Dusk, and Zenith.
  • Most of the party is very uneasy with this quest and does not trust Cassidion
  • Kazumi trusts Cassidion as she is an angel herself and understands the necessity for secrecy
• Party encounters refugees where they learn more about the threat they face
• Party is ambushed by corrupted wolves and a Nightwalker within the forest
  • Mordekai is nearly killed by Nightwalker
• Party reaches Temple of Veiled light

NPC Interactions

• Cassidion
  • “Mortals, hear my words. I am Cassidion, the Herald of Eternal Balance, sent by the Celestial Host to speak with you, the chosen of this era. You have been called forth, not by chance, but by design, to undertake a most vital task.
    
    Darkness rises, ancient and unyielding, threatening to shatter the fragile order that binds your world. Its roots have begun to spread, twisting the land and corrupting its heart. This blight cannot be allowed to fester. You must retrieve the Relics of Dawn, Dusk, and Zenith, artifacts of celestial origin. The first, the Relic of Dawn, is long hidden within the Temple of Veiled Light.
    
    The temple has been desecrated, its sanctity eroded by a mysterious force that thrives in shadow. Within it lies the medallion—a golden fragment of the first light, capable of holding the dark at bay. Without it, your world’s descent may quicken, and there will be no salvation.
    
    Even as I speak, the balance falters. You must move swiftly, yet tread carefully. This is no simple task, and you will face great peril. Many who sought this path before you have fallen… or worse.
    
    Know this: not all things can be saved, and not all outcomes are meant to be rewritten. Your world teeters on the edge of inevitability. Yet still, you are given this chance, this sliver of hope. It is… rare, in the grand scheme of creation.
    
    The medallion is a key—the first of many—to holding back what cannot be undone… for now. But even keys have their limits. Understand, heroes, that while I bring this message, my role is not to intervene further. This burden rests solely on you.”
  • His demeanor is cold and detached, being somewhat unsettling.
  • Speaks with unsettling certainty.
• Refugee Camp
  • Various Children
    • “The ones who burned our village… they came from the sky. We saw their wings shining in the darkness.”
    • “Some of them weren’t monsters. They spoke to us before the slaughter, asking for something… searching for something. Then they turned on us.”
  • Elder
    • “A dying priest warned us before the village fell: ‘Beware the false dawn, for its light leads to ruin.’ We thought he was mad… but now I wonder.”
    • “You seek the temple? Then you go to wake something best left dreaming.”
    • “You speak as if you are chosen, but have you asked yourself: by whom?”

Loot and Rewards

• Guild leader opens the vault and issues the following:
  • 1,500 gp to each party member
  • Various magic items and artifacts belonging to each party member
  • Diamonds worth 300gp to each party member able to cast Revivify
  • 1 diamond worth 25,000gp to Kazumi II for True Resurrection

Character Development

• Kazumi:
  • Feels strong connection with Cassidion due to his celestial nature. She feels a sense of duty to carry out the quest that was given by him and trusts him implicitly
  • Feels demoralized after refugees became afraid of her seeing her divine form. She’s very confused as to why this happened.
• Sinja:
  • Feels distrust towards Cassidion and Kazumi.
    • Distrustful towards Cassidion due to the feeling that he’s holding something back
    • Feeling distrustful towards Kazumi after seeing the reaction of the refugees towards her
• Mordekai:
  • Feels resentful towards Kazumi after she saved him from death.

Mysteries and Clues

• What is Cassidion’s true agenda?
• Who really attacked Dawnshade and the refugees?
  • Refugees seem to describe fallen celestials rather than the agents of shadows that Cassidion described

Plans and Predictions

Party has broken camp and made it to the Temple of Veiled Light. There, they will retrieve the Relic of Dawn for Cassidion.

Quotes of the Session

Mordekai: [Celestial] Don’t think this means I owe you, Angel.
Ulf: [Celestial] No, but you owe me.
Sinja: [Celestial] And me.
Enialis: [Celestial] And me!
Haruki: [Celestial] And me.
Mordekai: [Common] … Cock.

– The party conversing in Celestial unexpectedly after Mordekai is saved by Kazumi

Haruki: “KAZ! YOU NEARLY KILLED US ALL!”
Kazumi: “…my bad…”

– Discussion between Haruki and Kazumi after Kazumi nearly kills party from destroying corrupted wolves all at once.

“It doesn’t matter what we believe here. People are in danger and we need to investigate.”

– Haruki to the party regarding the refugees

“Garçon, Garçon, this food has been burned, I want a refund.”

– Mordekai to Enialis after Enialis burns the food on a natural 1

Additional Notes

Any additional notes and comments from players