Ashes of Eternity: Act I Summary

Master Recap List

Summary

The Guild of Unity—veterans of past world-ending threats—are drawn into a cosmic conspiracy when an Arch Seraph of Ao, Cassidion, appears and tasks them with recovering three ancient relics: Dawn, Dusk, and Zenith. Cassidion claims these relics hold the key to stopping a spreading corruption that threatens the gods themselves.

But as the party ventures deeper into their mission, they begin to question Cassidion’s motives and the true nature of the relics. Their journey takes them through corrupted lands and into the heart of their own doubts. Along the way, they face celestial resistance, confront inner demons, and endure harrowing sacrifices.

By the close of Act 1, the Guild has claimed two relics, but the cost has been steep—identity, faith, voice, strength, and the very essence of their being. The truth behind the relics and Cassidion’s purpose remains elusive, and the Guild is left fractured and uncertain as they return to their Guild Hall, irrevocably changed.

Key Events

Session 0–1: The party answers a celestial summons after a mysterious mark appears near Dawnshade. Cassidion introduces their quest. The Guild is suspicious of his intentions. They retrieve the Relic of Dawn from the desecrated Temple of Veiled Light, fighting corrupted wolves, Nightwalkers, and a Shadowborn Ascendant.
Session 1.51 (RP Transcript): In the aftermath of the battle at the Temple of Veiled Light, the Guild makes camp. Tensions flare between Kazumi and Mordekai as the party debates Cassidion’s trustworthiness. Haruki and Enialis argue in defense of Kazumi’s compassion, while Mordekai remains skeptical. Around the campfire, alliances and doubts deepen. The party agrees—reluctantly—to continue gathering the relics, but fractures within the group begin to form.
Session 2: Traveling through the Corrupted Forest, the Guild rescues refugees from crystal-infused beasts. They discover that the corruption is sentient and exhibits celestial influence. A corrupted creature warns Kazumi: “Light that binds. You serve the hand that leads astray.”
Session 3: Kazumi is abducted and tortured by shadowy forces seeking information about Cassidion. The Guild, shaken, mounts a rescue in a crystal-corrupted village. With Kaelthar’s reluctant help, they save Kazumi. She sacrifices herself with Phoenix Flames to destroy a Crystal Titan—but is reborn moments later.
Confessions and Lamentations: In a quiet interlude, Kazumi and Mordekai share a vulnerable conversation by a moonlit lake. Kazumi confesses her fear of being seen only as a symbol, longing to be accepted as herself. Mordekai reveals the tragic bargain that damned him and the children trapped in the Hells. Through honesty and fragile trust, they form an unexpected bond. Though the scars of their pasts remain, both take tentative steps toward healing.
Session 4: In the Archive of Celestial Light, the party meets Zarielus, a corrupted celestial who claims Cassidion is the source of the corruption. He reveals that the relics are fragments of Cassidion’s soul. The Guild chooses a middle path—continuing their mission, but vowing not to trust Cassidion blindly.
Session 5 (Part 1): In the Twilight Fens, the Guild faces a Trial of Shadows. Each member confronts a manifestation of their deepest doubts: Mordekai defies his shadow’s taunts of damnation; Enialis rejects feelings of worthlessness and abandonment; Skoll affirms that he is more than a killer; Haruki embraces love over fear of weakness. Together, they support Kazumi as she faces her own shadow, the Saint of Loneliness. The Guild’s unity and resolve carry them through the trial.
Session 5.5 (Act I Finale): In the Temple of Dusk, the Guild solves the Balance Puzzle and faces the Guardian of Dusk, who demands sacrifices from each member to claim the Relic of Dusk:
- Skoll gives up his memories.
- Enialis sacrifices his voice.
- Haruki sacrifices his desire for strength.
- Mordekai severs his fiendish pact, losing all warlock powers.
- Kazumi sacrifices her Life Domain, becoming a Twilight Cleric.
As they depart, Seryndor, the Harbinger of Dusk, confronts Cassidion, warning that forcing balance will lead to oblivion. Cassidion teleports the Guild to safety, avoiding further revelations.

Character Development

Kazumi II
Once the party’s beacon of faith and compassion, Kazumi’s trust in both her goddess and Cassidion has been shaken. Her divine identity was called into question after being abducted and tortured; her faith faltered when Sune did not intervene. Yet through this trial, Kazumi grew—rebuilding bonds with her companions, embracing vulnerability, and confronting her own self-doubt in the Trial of Shadows. In sacrificing her Life Domain for the Twilight Domain, she accepts that love must sometimes coexist with sorrow and balance, not simply radiance. She carries the deepest scars of the journey thus far—physical, emotional, and spiritual.

Haruki
Once driven by a need for strength to protect Kazumi and his allies, Haruki evolved from a fierce warrior into a more tempered protector. He wrestled with helplessness during Kazumi’s abduction, choosing compassion over vengeance. In the Trial of Shadows, Haruki affirmed that his strength derives from love, not violence. His sacrifice of his lifelong desire for strength marks a pivotal change: he now seeks balance and wisdom, vowing to shield his friends not through power alone, but through presence and resolve.

Enialis
The party’s scholar and spiritual anchor, Enialis began as an ardent follower of Kazumi, deeply devoted but often unsure of his own worth. The crystalline corruption and celestial revelations forced him to question his understanding of divine will. He matured through the Trials, rejecting the notion that he is a pawn or tool. His sacrifice of his voice—his means of channeling both faith and self-expression—was an act of deep courage and acceptance. Now mute but resolute, Enialis leads with empathy and quiet strength.

Skoll
Initially a stoic mercenary with a troubled past, Skoll kept his distance from the group, distrustful of both celestial forces and companionship. The harrowing battles and moments of shared vulnerability changed him. He voiced his struggles with trust, admitting that the Guild had become his found family. In the Trial of Shadows, Skoll confronted his inner fear of being nothing but a killer. Ultimately, sacrificing his memories to claim the Relic of Dusk stripped away the very burdens he once carried—leaving him with a chance to rebuild not as a weapon, but as a man.

Mordekai
The tiefling warlock began the journey deeply cynical and self-isolated, clinging to the identity of the Damned to shield himself from guilt and regret. His growing connection to Kazumi and the Guild chipped away at this armor. Through the Trial of Shadows, Mordekai admitted that his true fear was redemption, not damnation. In severing his pact with Adramalech, he embraced the terrifying freedom of choosing his own path. Though his arc of atonement is only beginning, Mordekai now fights not for a master’s approval, but for the companions he has come to trust.

Mysteries and Clues

The Relics are fragments of Cassidion’s soul—what will happen if they are united?
Cassidion’s true motives remain hidden. Is he saving the world, or accelerating its doom?
The celestial corruption shows signs of deliberate manipulation—by whom?
Seryndor’s warning: Forcing the balance could lead to oblivion.
The party’s sacrifices seem tied to maintaining cosmic balance—what future costs await?

Plans and Predictions

The Guild plans to confront Cassidion and demand the truth about the relics.
The corruption’s celestial ties and the growing celestial civil war will be key focuses.
The Relic of Zenith will likely require even greater sacrifices.
Adramalech’s forces will seek vengeance against Mordekai and the Guild.
The Guild’s unity will be tested again—and their path through this cosmic game is more perilous than ever.

Top Quotes of Act I

Kazumi

“My whole life has been dedicated to the preservation of life. Therefore, the greatest thing I can give up… is the Domain of Life.”
— Session 5.5 (Act I Finale)

Haruki

“I don’t have to fight in order to be strong.”
— Session 5.5 (Act I Finale), after sacrificing his desire for strength

Enialis

“I know what I am willing to give up—my voice.”
— Session 5.5 (Act I Finale), accepting his sacrifice with calm resolve

Skoll

“Take my memories. All of them. All I’ve known is pain, struggle, deception, hardship. Take it all.”
— Session 5.5 (Act I Finale), offering his sacrifice

Mordekai

“I refuse to kneel before this kind of darkness again.”
“If I fall, they will catch me. That’s my conviction.”
— Session 5 (Trial of Shadows), confronting his shadow