Shadow Song

Something odd has been happening in Rastaban. An infectious damp seems to have wormed its way into the old walls of the city. An invisible fog hangs over everything, chilling the bone and numbing the will. Dreams become stranger. One particular dream recurs: you look up at the sky. It is daytime, but the sun is gone. You wake up crying.

Meanwhile, the following message makes its way to you…

Grandmaster Anastasia Dandachi calls for Paladins and allies of the Torch to assist in performing a profound act of kindness. Further details will be provided on application. As this is a sensitive matter not all applications to assist will be successful.

• Heston - Joe
• Jemil - Peyton
• Hatevil - JC
• Sophia - Aleaha
• Never - Tom

• Anastasia Danachi asks the party to use an artefact of the Torch as a focus to bear witness to acts of human kindness so that this can be shown to the Torch.
• At Hatevil's urging, the party conduct a silent vigil outside the imperial palace in quiet respect for the Torch. It is a peaceful affair.
• Next, the party conduct a sortee into the Forest to rescue a missing person from a dilapidated farmstead on the extreme outskirts of the city. The party are able to rescue this person. With the intervention of the Torch, Hatevil is able to empower them to fight off the Forest and - instead of dying - become a Forest Touched. Heston offers them consolation.
• Finally, the party head to the Barrens. Here, rations offered gratis to the city have made their way into the hands of a group of indviduals 'selling them on' at a higher price. The gang are defeated. In the course of the encounter, one of the petitioners for food dies, Heston crushes the head of the man he believes responsible between his buttcheeks, and stabs a note into his arm to atone, and afterwards, She quietly slits his throat and removes the note.
• These acts witnessed, Hatevil understands that the Torch artefact is primed and ready to be delivered. However, on the way back to the Torch Sanctum, the party are taken along many diversions until they reach a dead-end alley where they are accosted by Devout Forthright who apologises but requires that they take the Torch Artefact from them. Heston, however, causes the Artefact to disappear beyond reach, and Sofia negotiates a de-escalation. Ultimately, after subduing the party and failing to find the artefact, Forthright calls this a loss and departs.
• The party returns to the Torch Sanctum to rest. The Grandmaster explains that the next step is to take the artefact to a place where the Torch can truly comprehend it. She takes the party to the Inner Sanctum of the Torch - filled with a terrifying radiance - and performs a rite which sends them to a different place.
• In this alien landscape, the party must pass a group of sentinels desperate for the party to leave for their own safety, and doing everything in their power to push the party away, finally turning to violence. Defeated, they can only apologise for what they have caused to happen.
• Next the party come across a horrifying scene in the Forest.
• Next the patty come across a bizarre scene in a ballroom.
• Finally the party reach a mountainous landscape and approach a plateau with a perfect view of the horizon. The sun rises, turns to blood, and vanishes. Everything here is wrong.
• Invoking the Torch artefact on a rocky dais, the party are consumed in flame.
• The Torch appears, though she is confused and sad and horrified. The recent malaise in Rastaban has been caused by her very self wavering - wavering because, whilst she wants to love humanity - wants to support humanity - she is collapsing under the weight of her sorrow, and sometimes it is so hard for her - so hard for her to be strong for humans, to love humans, as she loves them. This is but one of many things plaguing her, as the party are able to deduce.
• Shadows creep in as darkness falls. The party fight these off, while a number of things happen.
• Heston uses the power of Anointment.
• Sofia uses the power of the Torch.
• She uses an Erosion ritual.
• With these things combined, and inspirational speeches given by key members of the party, the Torch is able to rally herself briefly, consuming the shadows that are surrounding them in holy flame.
• Before the party are repulsed from this place by the sheer force of the Torch's being, she explains several things to them about the nature of themselves and the world.

• If they take it, the Eternal Gratitude of Anastasia Dandachi.
• 1 Favour from the Foresters Guild for rescuing the missing person.
• The afflictions they had (severe afflictions of the mind) fade unless they wish them to persist:
• Feeling as though you are constantly covered in a film of blood no matter how many times you clean yourself.
• Crying uncontrollably without realising it.

• Conducts a successful mental audit.
• Further work can be done in uptime, should they desire it, with the assistance of, say, a Master Shaper (favour cost TBC)

• Finalises their acquisition plan.
• Further work will require a scene in uptime, to be discussed.

• Epic Skill: Flameguard. Twice per adventure, you may gain the secondary effect of the Torch Paladin skill 'One With Flame': At GM discretion, to resist the ill-effects from exposure to a mundane source of flame: e.g. a burning building.
• Has been invited to submit her opinion on what the Order of the Torch are to do next.
• Distributes coded flyers.

• Gains the epic skill: Confidante.
• Has been invited to submit their opinion on what the Order of the Torch are to do next.
• Owes Sophia an 'order' on pain of death.

• TBC