Ashes of Eternity: Session 2.5 – Shadows in the Wilderness

Session Date: March 16, 2025
Location: Corrupted Forest Clearing

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Summary

The party battled corrupted creatures and encountered a group of refugees, who revealed they had been attacked by similar beasts and claimed the local water was tainted. Kazumi and Mordekai examined the corrupted remains, discovering that creatures exposed to radiance or fire tended to explode.

Seeking answers, Kazumi and Ulf investigated the nearby river. Ulf’s ash ghost collected a vial of river water, but the sample reacted violently. At Kazumi’s command, the ghost rolled the vial back to them moments before it was seized by the river.

Back at camp, Enialis analyzed the sample and determined the corruption was alive and possibly sentient. Kazumi tested this by separating the sample and casting Sacred Flame on one portion, which triggered an escape response from the remaining fluid. She sensed a celestial influence within it. Enialis used Arcane Eye to scout the area, spotting a devastated village and confirming that the corruption was spreading outward from the river.

Later that night, during Ulf’s watch, a corrupted creature approached the camp. It pointed at Kazumi and ominously said, “Light that binds. You serve the hand that leads astray,” before collapsing into a cloud of ash. Kazumi shielded herself and Haruki with her wings while Enialis and Ulf, who inhaled the dust, began to choke. Kazumi cast Remove Curse on both, easing their symptoms.

Though the rest of the night passed without incident, the party was left with unsettling questions about the corruption’s origin—and its cryptic message for Kazumi.

Key Events

• Battled corrupted creatures
• Met with refugees
  • Refugees were attacked by corrupted beasts
  • Refugees state the water itself is corrupted
• Kazumi and Mordekai examine the corrupted beasts
  • They discover corrupted beasts who are hit with radiance or fire tend to explode
• Kazumi and Ulf go to examine the river
  • Ulf’s ash ghosty fills vial full of river water and disturbs it
  • River begins to react
  • Kazumi orders ash ghost to roll the vial toward them just before ash ghosty is taken by the river
  • Both Kazumi and Ulf return to the party to further examine the sample
  • Enialis discovers the corruption appears to be sentient and alive
    • Kazumi confirms this by separating part of the sample into another vial and casts Sacred Flame on it
    • The initial sample tries to escape after the second sample is destroyed
  • Kazumi determines there is some celestial influence within the fluid
• Enialis casts Arcane Eye to scout around the area
  • Arcane Eye sees distant village which is utterly ruined
  • Sees that corruption is centered on the river and is spreading
• Party turns in for the night
  • Ulf stands first watch
  • A corrupted creature is discovered walking towards the camp; Ulf awakens party
  • The party goes to meet to the threat
  • The corrupted creature points at Kazumi and says “Light that binds. You serve the hand that leads astray.”
  • The corrupted creature crumbles to ash, leaving a cloud of dust
    • Kazumi immediately protects Haruki and self with wings
    • Enialis and Ulf breathe in the dust and have trouble breathing
    • Kazumi casts Remove Curse on both Enialis and Ulf to restore their breathing
  • Party turns back in and the rest of the night is uneventful
  • Many questions are left with what the corrupted creature said

NPC Interactions

• Corrupted Creature pointing at Kazumi: “Light that binds. You serve the hand that leads astray.”

Loot and Rewards

• vial of corrupted water

Character Development

Kazumi:

• Leadership & Decisiveness: Kazumi takes initiative multiple times—ordering the ash ghost to roll the sample to prevent its inadvertent destruction, casting Sacred Flame for experimental purposes, and shielding her companions during the ash cloud incident. These actions reinforce her role as the party’s moral and possible tactical center.
• Curiosity and Responsibility: Her willingness to examine the corruption firsthand, even risking contact with celestial-influenced corruption, reflects her drive to uncover truths—despite personal risk. Her concern for the group’s safety, especially Haruki, showcases her nurturing side.

Ulf:

• Trust & Initiative: Ulf contributes meaningfully by scouting the river and deploying his ash ghost familiar. He acts swiftly under pressure, proving his reliability.
• Vulnerability & Resilience: Being affected by the ash cloud reminds the party (and Ulf) that even the stoic must rely on others—in this case, Kazumi—for recovery. It humanizes him.

Enialis:

• Scholarly Curiosity: His analytical prowess shines as he determines the sentience of the corruption and uses Arcane Eye to scout the wider threat. He adds logic and depth to the party’s understanding of the stakes.
• Vulnerability: His reaction to the ash cloud shows that his intellect doesn’t shield him from danger. His breathing difficulty could spark deeper reflections on mortality or the risks of arcane study.
• Developing Trust: Accepting Kazumi’s healing spell reflects trust in her as both a healer and leader, potentially solidifying their bond.

Haruki

• Emotional Anchor: While he plays a quieter role in this scene, Kazumi’s instinct to protect him indicates how much he means to her. This dynamic reinforces him as her emotional grounding point, and sets up future moments where he may return the favor—or be put in greater danger.

Mysteries and Clues

• The corruption’s nature
• The river’s role
• The creature’s message
• Explosive reaction to radiance and fire
• The ash and breathlessness

The corruption appears to be possibly celestial in nature, or at least have some sort of celestial influence. In addition, the corruption’s nature appears to be alive and sentient, begging the question: what does it want?

The river appears to be an epicenter of the spread, and seems to react violently towards any disturbance.

The party discovered at this point as well that the corruption causes the affected being to explode if dies. Is this a chain reaction? Or is this a weakness to be exploited? If these creatures were once people, does burning them to destroy the corruption erase any chance of curing them?

“Light that binds. You serve the hand that leads astray.” This was the final thing the corrupted creature said before dissipating to dust. Who or what is the “hand”? Could this refer to Kazumi herself, a divine patron, or an ancient betrayal? “Light that binds” implies something sacred being used for unintended harm or control—perhaps Kazumi’s magic or divine powers are entangled with the corruption’s origin/expansion. Perhaps Kazumi herself is being used in some manner.

The party noticed as well when the creature died, it left a lingering ash cloud, causing choking and distress. Is this something that causes a corrupted infection? Is this the end of the creature’s form, or is it a transfer of some kind?

Plans and Predictions

The party will head towards the village as they continue on their quest.

Quotes of the Session

Kazumi: “Everyone get out of the way!”
Enialis: “Nah I got this” proceeds to kill corrupted creature and shows off to Kazumi

– Kazumi and Enialis during battle

Additional Notes