Chapter 1: The Moon Mistress

The early morning in the small town of Drynna was dark and stormy, with the sound of thunder echoing through the streets. Inside the Whispering Dove Inn, guests were fast asleep, their dreams drowned out by the noise of the raging storm. Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierced through the air, shattering the peaceful silence and jolting the patrons awake.
The scream was unmistakably that of a woman, and it was clear that something terrible had happened. Within moments, the inn was alive with activity as people scrambled out of their beds and rushed to investigate the source of the sound. Some of these patrons were the cleric Waldo Waldron Earthwanderer, the satyr druid Garrick Clearspring, his bodyguard Hygar Steelhelm, the thief The Diamond Curse, and busting in from his nearby camp after hearing the scream Horen Vol. The Diamond Curse was the first to wake. With her senses alert, she slipped out of her room and made her way down the hallway. She crept towards a dresser, which provided a perfect vantage point to watch the other patrons gather at the door from which the scream emanated.
The Diamond Curse kept to the shadows as she observed an older man open the door, revealing a gruesome sight that sent shivers down her spine. Meanwhile, a blonde, shirtless Satyr rushed to a door on her right and knocked loudly, shouting for someone named Hygar. Moments later, a tall, dark-bearded man opened the door, nodded to the Satyr, and made his way down the hallway towards the other patrons.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps drew closer, and Horen Vol appeared at the top of the stairs. The Diamond Curse tried to focus on the scene unfolding down the hallway, but in her haste, she accidentally knocked over an unlit candel holder. The candel clattered down the hallway, striking the hoof of the Satyr, who turned his head to see who was responsible for the disturbance. Just then Horen the Eladrin Elf pointed his Trident down at the thief and said "Who are You!" The Diamond Curse turned her gaze towards the eladrin elf, Horen, and without another word, she asked for his name. He complied, and the rest of the group turned their attention towards them. Just then, Waldo emerged from his room and made his way towards the commotion down the hall. As he approached the gathering crowd, he swiftly made his way into the darkened room. The sight that greeted him was enough to send shivers down his spine - a lifeless woman lay on the bed, her face twisted in a look of pure terror, her body covered in black veins. Waldo wasted no time in attempting to use his healing magic to bring her back, but it was too late. An old man soon made his way into the room informing the cleric that this was one of the cleaning ladies of the inn who's been through a lot lately but Tia Duay the inn keep took her in after her husband died. The Diamond Curse soon entered the room after seemingly walking away from Horen while he was distracted talking to the others, searching for any evidence of a forced entry or any other signs that could indicate someone else was responsible for the woman's death, but her search yielded no results.
After Waldo examined the woman's body and declared her dead, he left the room and headed downstairs to speak to the innkeeper, Tia. Meanwhile, Horen noticed that Garrick was a Satyr, a fey like himself, and began speaking to him in the Sylvan language of the fey. Hygar, Garrick's employer, stayed close during their conversation. Garrick expressed his intention to stay and help solve the mystery of the woman's death, as the other patrons of the town were afraid they too would succumb to the same fate. Horen initially felt that it was not his problem and he had his own issues to deal with. However, just as he was about to express his disinterest, a loud clap of thunder rang through the tavern, giving Horen the impression that his god, The Stormlord, did not agree with him. So Horen decided to aid those who sought to solve the mystery for the time being. Waldo, the cleric, learned from Tia, the innkeeper, that Pauvron Va Bardo was another recent victim of the mysterious deaths plaguing the town. After Pauvron's death, his younger brother, Hareth Va Bardo, fired Tia and took ownership of The Whispering Dove. Tia believed that Hareth might have something to do with the murders and urged Waldo and his companions to investigate him.
Addressing the patrons of the main hall of the tavern, Waldo asked them what they knew about the murders and if there were any outcasts in the town. The Diamond Curse, standing directly behind him was looked at by the crowd as if answering the clerics question,so Waldo turned to face her and she looked into his eyes. Though they were bright, they paled in comparison to Waldo's god, The Dawn Father. Waldo could tell that The Diamond Curse was truly sad about the recent death and wanted to help.
As he was about to make his way out of the inn to investigate the Va Bardo estate, The Diamond Curse urged him to wait, expressing that they would probably need some muscle on this mission. She went to get Hygar to help, and when she arrived upstairs, the rest of the group had also decided to join the investigation.
Together, the group set out to investigate the Va Bardo estate, hoping to uncover the truth behind the mysterious deaths. The Diamond Curse couldn't help but feel uneasy, as she heard uncomprehensible whispers that sounded like Waldo's voice, but it took her a while to process what was happening. Waldo had assured the crowd that the deaths of the innocent would not go unpunished, and he was determined to make sure that they kept that promise.
The group arrived at the Va Bardo estate, as they approached they noticed two guards at the front gate. TDC noticed that the half-orc guard has a clasp symbol on his left arm. She decided to keep her hood up so they wouldn't be able to identify her. After telling the guards that they had information for Hareth Va Bardo Waldo then told them the truth of why they were there and guards then lead the group to the front door where they met him.
As the party arrived at the Va Bardo estate, they were met with a disheveled and paranoid Hareth, who looked like he hadn't slept in days. His eyes darted back and forth as he spoke, his words quick and tense. The Diamond Curse and Hygar could sense that he was holding back information, but he did reveal that Marlis Khisto , a member of the Sunrise Lodge, was the one who was truly guilty of something. Hareth promised to pay the group handsomely if they could find incriminating evidence against her and even divulged the location of her home.
As the group left the estate, they decided to take a short break before carrying out their mission. The tension in the air was palpable as they contemplated what they had just learned, wondering what secrets lay ahead and what challenges they would face in their quest for the truth.
During the break The Diamond Curse got drunk and Horen told Garrick about Horen's Feystone and the consequences of not having it repaired in a timely matter. Garrick told Horen that his dad once told him about these objects and that he might know more but he was very far. After their break, the group set out to Marlis Khisto's house, with The Diamond Curse and Garrick leading the way. Waldo stayed behind to keep watch, while the others approached the house. Garrick transformed into an ant and perched on The Diamond Curse's shoulder, as she placed her hand against the wall, allowing Garrick to climb down and sneak over to the window. However, Waldo's attempt to help ended up causing a commotion, as his rock hit the window, causing it to shatter. Horen and The Diamond Curse tried to catch the rock, but their fear of colliding caused them to miss, and the rock hit the window, breaking it. A passerby nearly caught sight of Waldo, but Hygar acted quickly and jumped on Waldo, pulling him behind a nearby hedge to avoid being seen. Garrick continued through the window in ant form and started to skitter across the floor to a door across the room. As Horen rushed in through the now broken front door after busting it open, Garrick's bad luck continued. In the midst of the chaos, he found himself accidentally trampled upon by the charging elf, causing him to revert back to his Satyr form. Hygar quickly rushed to Garrick's side, but shortly after that Garrick transformed again but this time turning into a Rifenmist Gorilla causing Horen to step back in momentary fair as the beast stared him down.
The party then made their way into the hallway. The Diamond Curse immediately made her way to the fanciest door at the end of the hallway. Still struggling with being drunk it took her some time to unlock the door and at this time Horen decided to explore the dinning hall and kitchen. He took some expensive silverware and plates before making his way back just in time for TDC to get the door open. The room apparently was a study. Bookshelves lined the walls and a wooden desk sat in the center of the room. Waldo searching for a helpful book took one on Necromancy but not wanting to steal it himself, Horen offered to take it. Then The Diamond Curse unlocked one of the drawers of the dresser finding letters from Pauvron Va Bardo to Marlis Khisto that talked about his research on the recent deaths in Drynna. After speaking to the hunter that lives just north of the city in a cabin Pauvron was told that someone known as the Moon Mistress was responsible for the murders. Apparently who ever she was, she killed the hunters wife and couple years ago. He appeared however that the letter that described that information was the last one that Pauvron sent.
The Diamond Curse's heart raced as she relayed the contents of the book to her companions. Suddenly, she heard the unmistakable sound of footfalls approaching from the living room. Panic seized the group, and they scrambled to find an escape route. TDC made a beeline for the left window, but as she tried to open it, she broke a nail, cursing under her breath. Waldo, on the other hand, managed to pry open the right window with some effort.
The Diamond Curse and Waldo desperately pleaded with the gorilla that Garrick had transformed into, urging him to turn back into an ant so they could all escape through the window. But the gorilla remained stubborn, shaking his head in refusal. The rest of the group, except for Hygar who didn't seem to grasp the situation, watched as Garrick reverted back to his Satyr form and explained why he couldn't transform back into an ant.
In a desperate bid to escape, they all leaped out of the window, but not before Garrick unleashed a wave of mist from his fingertips that engulfed them all, effectively concealing their movements from the town militia waiting outside in Marlis Khisto's front yard.
The fog obscured the view of the militia, rendering them unable to make out the party members within it. As the party escaped the scene of the break-in, they were pursued by the town militia. But Garrick's magic fog kept them hidden from view. However, they were soon cut off by the militia leader, Perrie Field, who was flanked by more armed men. Garrick found himself in Perrie's line of sight, but he quickly conjured a blaze of fire between them and retreated back into the fog, disappearing from view once again.
Perrie demanded to know why the party had broken into Marlis Khisto's house and insisted that they be taken into custody. Waldo tried to explain that he had a fear of cats and was merely doing what he had to do, but his excuse fell on deaf ears. It was then that Garrick came up with a new story, claiming that they were chasing a shapeshifter responsible for the deaths of Drynna's citizens.
To their surprise, Perrie seemed to believe their tale. The group went along with the story, except for Horen, who remained silent but menacingly pointed his dagger at Perrie. Meanwhile, The Diamond Curse quietly slipped away, hiding in a nearby bush.
After a few more conflicting stories, Perrie decided to take the group to jail for questioning. But Waldo managed to persuade him to instead bring them to the Whispering Dove inn, where Tia, the innkeeper, could vouch for their story. As luck would have it, Tia and Perrie were old friends who had arrived in Drynna together. So, the militia escorted the party to the inn, unaware of The Diamond Curse's presence.As the group arrived at the Whispering Dove Inn, Garrick's sharp eyes noticed the flickering lights coming from the nearby wooded area behind the inn. Sensing danger, he came up with a plan to distract the militia member who was escorting them. "I need to use the bathroom," Garrick told the man, hoping to slip away unnoticed. The militia member hesitated, but eventually allowed Garrick to go.
Once out of sight, Garrick silently called out to The Diamond Curse. She appeared out of nowhere, her face a mask of suspicion. "Did anyone tell them about me?" she demanded, her voice low and dangerous. Garrick shook his head vehemently, and The Diamond Curse warned him that if anyone did, she would kill them.
Garrick was visibly shaken by the threat, but The Diamond Curse sensed his fear and tried to justify her actions. "I'm trying to help the group," she said, but Garrick was too frightened to comprehend her words. He agreed to keep quiet and quickly went to a nearby tree to relieve himself. The Diamond Curse stayed outside, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
When Garrick returned to the Whispering Dove Inn, he found the group waiting for him at a table. Waldo was in the middle of telling Perrie and the group about his fear of cats, a story that seemed to amuse the militia leader. The Diamond Curse was still outside, keeping a low profile.
Garrick quickly caught up with the group, and they informed him that Perrie had spoken to Tia and now trusted them. After about an hour, the group bid farewell to Perrie and headed north of the city in search of the hunter they had been seeking.
After leaving, the group attempted to search for The Diamond Curse but were unable to find her. She followed behind for awhile out of sight before deeming it safe to reconnect with The group.
They all followed the directions given to them by Perrie and headed north of the town. The Diamond Curse was walking at the back of the group, keeping an eye out for any signs of danger. Garrick was still feeling uneasy about the earlier encounter with The Diamond Curse and her threat to kill anyone who revealed her presence. He kept a safe distance from her, still trying to process the situation.
The group traveled through the dense woods, following Waldo's lead. As they walked, the leaves rustled beneath their feet and branches snapped under their weight. After a while, they reached a clearing where they saw a small, wooden cabin. The structure looked old and neglected, with vines and thorns snaking up the walls and windows.
As they approached the door, Horen stepped forward and yelled out that they had come for the hunter to help them fight the moon mistress. The group waited in tense anticipation for a response. Suddenly, a voice came from inside the cabin.
"Why do you want to kill the moon mistress?" the hunter asked. The party explained that had happened that lead them here and she agreed to help.With the hunters description Horen instantly knew she was talking about a hag since he had killed many himself with the help of his tribe. The hunter was very impressed and seemed much more accepting of the group and exciting to help them kill her. She talked a little about the death of her wife at the hands of the moon mistress a couple years ago and how she now yearned for revenge. Garrick had still not returned so The Diamond Curse went to search for him and saw him carving something in a language she didn't understand. In truth the language was in druidic and it him more or less making a lost poster for him mother to those that understood hoping it would help him find her. Although Garrick didn't tell TDC what it was he was writting she could tell that he was sad but Garrick didn't want to tell her although he did aprreciate the thought. The rest of the group then began to exit the cabin and head to where the hunter that they now knew as Perron Brill hid boats that they could take to the island that the moon mistress was staying. She told them that they had to get there during the day because at night she hunts. As the group made their way towards the lake bed, the peaceful silence of the forest was abruptly shattered by the rustling of bushes and trees. Before they could react, five large lizardfolk emerged, surrounding them. Three stood in front of the group, while two others positioned themselves behind.
The lizardfolk chanted something unintelligible about "sacrifices for Guzanu" before they advanced towards the group. Panic spread among the members, as they frantically tried to come up with a plan. However, Garrick, known for his reserved nature, did something unexpected. He rushed in front of Horen and turned into a large bear, lunging towards the lizardfolk leader. In one swift motion, he sliced at the leader and killed him, biting into him and tearing off his head.
Hygar and Perron Brill teamed up to tackle another one of the lizardfolk, while Horen, with his fey nature, vanished and reappeared behind one of them, stabbing his trident through its chest. Waldo, on the other hand, channeled his holy light to set the lizardfolk ablaze, trident still embedded in its chest.
The Diamond Curse, a skilled archer, attempted to take down a lizardfolk by blinding it by using two arrows, but missed her target. Garrick, still in his bear form, pounced towards the lizardfolk she was aiming for, taking it out with a two blows. The last remaining lizardfolk threw its spear towards Waldo's leg, piercing through and trapping him in place.
The Diamond Curse acted quickly and leapt at the lizardfolk, stabbing her rapier through his shoulder, arcing it down, causing the lizardfolk to bend down to avoid losing his arm. In a final attack, Garrick rushed towards the remaining lizardfolk, splitting it in half with his teeth.
The group breathed a sigh of relief as the chaos finally subsided. They had managed to defeat the lizardfolk, but not without suffering injuries. Waldo was stuck in the ground, and everyone else had bruises and cuts. Nonetheless, they were grateful to be alive, and they looted the bodies, did some healing and headed towards the lake.
As the group arrived at the lake,Perron Brill lifted a camouflaged tarp to reveal two canoes. The party exchanged a few words before Perron asked if anyone knew how to pilot a boat. Horen was quick to interrupt, stating that he had extensive experience with boats back in his tribe in the Feywild. Hygar also spoke up, albeit more hesitantly, admitting that he had some experience as well.
Perron nodded and allowed them to choose their boatmates. Hygar chose Garrick and Perron Brill, while Horen chose Waldo and The Diamond Curse. The Diamond Curse removed her mask to wash off the blood that had splattered on her during the battle. Both Perron and Horen tried to get a glimpse of her face, but neither could get a clear read on her.
As they boarded their boats and set off towards the island, The Diamond Curse turned to Waldo and called him "Rock Thrower." She then asked if he could heal her mind, revealing a vulnerability that the group had not seen before.
The Diamond Curse's mind was in turmoil. She had lost so many of her memories and desperately needed them back. Waldo, although unable to help himself, had heard of powerful clerics that could heal her mind. It gave her a glimmer of hope, even if it was just for the moment.
As the boats approached the island, they entered a thick fog that surrounded it, obscuring their view. The fog seemed to affect Waldo and Hygar, making them see the island as a tropical paradise when, in reality, it was a twisted, dying land. Fortunately, Perron Brill had brewed a potion that allowed her to see things as they truly were.
Once on land, Perron led the group, but she accidentally got them lost. Suddenly, magical snow started falling, and Perron, Hygar, and The Diamond Curse fell asleep. In her dream, The Diamond Curse was captured by a group of mages who were experimenting on her. But then, a door in the distance began banging, and it swung open. Everyone in the dream froze as The Diamond Curse heard the Moon Mistress's voice emanating from the darkness.
The Moon Mistress tried to strike a deal with The Diamond Curse: steal an item from Horen Vol, and she would help recover her memories. When she awoke, The Diamond Curse shared the dream and the deal with Horen and Perron.
Garrick, taking charge, leapt up into a tree with his fey goat legs and saw the Moon Mistress's cottage in the distance. The group rushed in and fought a brutal battle, with Garrick landing the final blow with a magical ice knife that froze the Moon Mistress. The Diamond Curse claimed her frozen head as the group looted the cottage before Garrick set it ablaze. Perron thanked them and headed home. The party returned to Drynna and headed back to the Whispering Dove inn and TDC gave Perrie the frozen head of the Moon Mistress. Everyone had some drinks and then headed to bed.
While Horen was in his trance he had a vision of his grandfather the Storm Barron. In this vision the Storm Barron touched Horen forehead and told him that although he couldn't be there with him at that moment he could lend him some of his powers to help him resolve his problem.