All in Recaps

At long last, after nearly two years of confrontations with her seemingly endless minions, the Mortal Guardians face the malevolent Herald R’Xahl in a deadly battle that will decide the fate of Velanaura. Her risen monstrosity, the undead corpse of the old god, Zul-Thuun, devours the life energy of Vaelda Mortalis, while her minions press upon our valiant defenders in an improbable, impossible skirmish. Will they find a way to bring down the gargantuan, hideous creature? Or will they fall before the herald’s might—as have so many other worlds in eons past?

Our brave heroes of the Mortal Guardians now face the greatest foe to pass over Velanaura: the malevolent Herald R’Xahl and her ghastly, hideous creation, the monstrous resurrection of a torn and frayed remnant of the dead old god, Zul-Thuun. As the gargantuan aberrant corpse rises and expands across the darkness of the Shadowreach, its tendrils and tentacles tear vicious rifts into Vaelda Mortalis, siphoning life and essence from the living to feed its insatiable hunger for souls. The creature grows uncontrollably, absorbing power and animus in an endless feast that would transform it into a mighty weapon of R’Xahl’s unholy making—a beast that would destroy her own creator, the infinite devourer, Zul-Thuun itself. But, for that to come to pass, all life on Velanaura would be exhausted, and the warriors and adventurers of the Mortal Guardians must make their final push to prevent it..

The Mortal Guardians have broken the illusory defenses of Herald R’Xahl’s protective psionic curtain and begun the impossible siege of her fortress. Our heroes now lead the charge hoping to crash through her zealous armies and stop her profane ritual before it completes—before she can raise to life the massive and hideously evil dead remnants of the old god, Zul-Thuun. Alongside their many allies, the Guardians press forward into battle against untold horrors, bringing light to darkness and hope to the world.

As the Mortal Guardians approach a final confrontation with Herald R’Xahl, they face ever increasing dangers: her most devoted and gifted servants remain in the city of Dimnuor, the last bastion of civilization in the proximal veils—beyond which lies the destructive and ravenous Sea of Disscora, the gateway into the Abyss. Should they survive this impending battle, another grim task awaits them: the herald masks the location of her ghastly fortress using impossibly potent psionic projection, and the intensity of her magical illusion is burgeoned by a heavily guarded castle floating amidst a torrential storm in the skies high above the Shadowreach. Our heroes must venture to this unreachable place and destroy her creation—only then can they reveal the way forward… toward the herald herself.

Our brave heroes of the Mortal Guardians have been captured by the undead giants of the Kingdom of Zaulgarde! After meeting one of these giants, a librarian called Kindlecrag—and his pocket-sized ooze-gnome companion, Guddben!—the group discovered that the giants of Zaulgarde have been infiltrated and subverted by undead uulthyr working for the Coven of Zul. Nearly all the giants are infected by mindseizers: tiny centipedal worms that latch onto the brains of sentient creatures and bend them toward the will of their master. The Guardians acted immediately to break this malevolent abuse of the people of Zaulgarde, but have found themselves facing a powerful foe: the coven’s ally within Zaulgarde and the king’s very own vizier, Mauggnar. To thwart this vile orchestration by the coven, the adventurers will need to use all their courage and cunning, for an elaborate and labyrinthine battle awaits them in the halls of the kingdom of dead giants!

Despite the constant threat posed by the Coven of Zul, the Mortal Guardians set aside time to celebrate the joys of a life shared among friends. Their enemies, however, have watched and waited in the shadows for an opportunity to strike, and the vengeful Davosaeris, the heir to She Who Speaks with the Void, yearns to unleash his spiteful wrath upon them. The enigmatic Herald R’Xahl, the vile and aberrant messiah of the coven, seizes the chance to recover what is most precious to her: the Core of Embers, a device containing impossible power that was taken from her during the Battle of Cindervaeld. She confronts the Guardians directly and offers them a choice: allow her to reclaim the Core of Embers and risk the eventual completion of her ascension, or suffer an assault upon the city of Wintervaeld by Davosaeris—a storm of vengeance the likes of which has not been witnessed in an age. Whatever choice our heroes make, however, the battle that follows will surely rage across the veils and decide the fate of all Velanaura.

The treacherous Lord Brynaveer has declared war on the Mortal Guardians and moves to destroy them—or drive them out of Gloomnuor. At his side fights the Coven of Zul, whom he has graciously funded in exchange for aid in lifting his political station. However, the war cannot go on endlessly, for the Mortal Guardians know that they cannot allow the coven to fulfill the objectives of the infinitely clever Herald R’Xahl. They must bring this conflict to a close with rapid action and decisive force, and all while navigating a city built upon treachery and deceit. Will they succeed in unraveling Lord Brynaveer and the coven? Or will they succumb to the desolation and decay of the plane of death and shadow?

The Mortal Guardians achieved a bold and momentous entrance into the shadowed city of Gloomnuor, the capital of the dark realm of Vaelda Umbra, and gained several new and influential allies—as well as powerful enemies—from the land of the dead. As word of their exploits spread throughout the city, new contacts emerged with opportunities to advance against the coven. One of these contacts, a disgraced young nobleman named Elysandre, proposes to help the Guardians by undermining one of their strongest adversaries here in the dark city—while clearing his own name in the process. However, in the realm of departed spirits, plans never go accordingly, and the faces presented rarely match the souls that hide behind the visage. Join us as the Mortal Guardians delve into the fiery secret world of Gloomnuor’s political court and learn of the treacherous plots that burn the hearts of all who dare to enter!

After countering the attempted destruction of the Mortal Guardians in Aryamza, our brave heroes crushed their coven adversaries and drove them out of the city entirely. Now they focus their efforts on pursuing them through the veils into the misty, desolation of Vaelda Umbra—the endless plane of shadow and despair where all things pass before descending into the Abyss. Relying upon the cooperative efforts of new allies and old friends, our heroes are ready to make the first strides into this precarious domain of umbral deceit and bleak mystery, and they shall begin in the cryptic city of Gloomnuor—the de facto capital of Vaelda Umbra. Join us as we delve into the darkness… where only the dead hold dominion!

The Mortal Guardians struck a devastating blow to the coven’s operations in Saregeza and dismantled a crucial house of logistical operations. Now they focus their efforts on the intricate work of pursuing agents and spies—and watching for opportunities to take advantage of their enemy’s missteps. However, little do they know that the enemy they observe may likewise be observing them in return. For as much as the Mortal Guardians aim to strike when they are least expected, so too does the Coven of Zul seek to hurt our brave heroes when they are most vulnerable. Join us, as the Mortal Guardians face a devious, deadly stratagem contrived by the shadowy servants of the cruelest masters of the void!

After gaining a new, if questionable, associate in Saregeza—as well as new enemies—the Mortal Guardians quickly began investigating leads on the Coven of Zul's corruption within the renowned and respected imperial house of Ghasrali. To aid their efforts, the guild leadership reached out to a former ally from Wintervaeld, a powerful figure for whom our heroes performed a service in exchange for crucial political support. Lady Merrinda of House Lazarami, a proficient and deep-rooted smuggler and spy master, has agreed to assist our heroes as they enter into a dangerous game with a considerable, capable foe. Join the Mortal Guardians as they pursue the darkest shadows of the Saregezan Empire!

One year has passed since the Battle of Cindervaeld. The Coven of Zul was crushed, and its masters were defeated, but the cult's dark influence lingers like a fiendish presence on the corners of the mind. The Core of Embers, the void core that contains the vast powers of Herald R'Xahl, remains in the possession of the Mortal Guardians. Efforts to destroy or banish the artifact have failed, and until such a solution can be divined, it lies deep in a secured storage chamber within a fortress in Wintervaeld.

Now, whispers of the coven's resurgence drift like rumors on the wind, and the newly established Mortal Guardians of Saregeza have called for help. Something dark and perilous hides in the deserts, and an eerie, tenebrous voice calls out… inviting the guild to seek it in the shadows.

The Mortal Guardians have reached the precipice of the Obelisk of Dread where She Who Speaks with the Void has opened a gateway and summoned the Herald of Zul: R’Xahl, the watcher who has witnessed the fall of entire worlds. Our brothers and sisters were forced into a shadowvoid dimension and survive there only through the power of their will—against all the might of the mistress of the Coven of Zul. Will they survive and triumph over the harbinger of this dark messiah? Or will they fall before the might of this ancient and ruinous portent from the void beyond the stars?

Our brave Mortal Guardians press on into the domain of our gravest enemy: She Who Speaks with the Void, and her terrible master from beyond the stars, Herald R’Xahl. The Coven of Zul has been all but destroyed, but if we cannot stop its mistress from unleashing this dark demigod, then our future may well be harrowing, dire, and brief. Join our heroes as they venture into the Obelisk of Dread, the otherworldly structure built in the name of a dead god. There they will battle those who would send our world into oblivion.

We have reached the battle at last, my fellow Mortal Guardians. We stand outside the royal palace of Cindervaeld where the leaders of the Stars Concordat have barricaded themselves inside. When you are ready we shall take the fight to them and clear the way for us to turn our focus upon our final enemy: She Who Speaks with the Void. The most powerful member of the Coven of Zul, She Who Speaks is the one who would usher in the destruction of our very world. Prepare yourselves for the conflict of an age. May the Everburning Light forever guide our steps!

The battle for Cindervaeld has reached a stalemate as the Mortal Guardians and their allies converge upon the Quarter of Sovereigns where the Stars Concordat has besieged the castle. Though outnumbered and surrounded, the soldiers of House Arthenaf control the magical defenses of the palace, rendering assaults upon the district devastatingly costly at best, and hopeless at worst. However, Guildmistress Ellandira has an ingenious plan—and, of course, we need your expert help and unparalleled ability to make it work. The dungeons of Cindervaeld's palace are connected to an ancient network of catacombs that link to places all over the city—including the Undergrim Citadel. Normally these passages are avoided at all costs, for they are exceptionally dangerous and quite possibly haunted, which is why your help is crucial. As the best and bravest adventurers of the Mortal Guardians, you have the ability to navigate the cursed and long forgotten tunnels that would allow you to break into the Quarter of Sovereigns and turn the tide of the siege. We must try, for the lives of all hang in the balance: if we delay retaking the city much longer, we shall have little chance to stand against what horrors that the coven has conjured in the sky above.

The Battle of Cindervaeld continues for the Mortal Guardians as the armies of the Stars Concordat and the Light of Cindervaeld converge. While the fighting is intense and spread throughout the city, our engagement in the Quarter of Trades will likely decide the victor. The coven has gathered all their strength and focused it here and now upon us, but so have we called upon our allies to make our final stand. With the blessing of the Everburning Light, we will surely prevail. But, even as we fight our battle on the streets above, dark and sinister machinations are at work in the Undergrim below. The coven has in place ancient alliances, and now they call upon the darkest denizens of the deep to aid them. What monstrous entities will soon emerge—and what new horrors they will portend?

As the battle rages for control of Cindervaeld, the combined forces of the Coven of Zul and House Arthenaf have overwhelmed all but two districts in the majestic city. The Mortal Guardians and their allies hold out in the Quarter of Gates against impossible odds, defending relentless attacks on every flank. When the conflict seems all but lost, the resourceful Tamm offers an improbable plan to turn the coven’s own magic against them. He claims to have discovered a weakness: in their efforts to open larger and larger rifts throughout the city they mistakenly tore a gateway into the darkest realm of Vaelda Faera, the Domain of Midnight, where chaotic, wicked fey rule the gloomy weald. What devious plot does the clever adventurer have up his sleeve--and will it be enough to turn the tide of war? Join us, Guardians, in our desperate hour as we fight to the last against insurmountable evil.

As grim clouds gather over Cindervaeld, the shadow of war looms. Spies report that the Coven of Zul has deployed its agents, soldiers, and arcane weapons throughout the city in preparation for a massive assault, and the Mortal Guardians and their allies rush to ready defenses. A conflict of this scale hasn’t crossed the gates of Cindervaeld in an age, and many doubt the sincerity of the threats--no doubt thanks to the tangle of lies sewn by the coven. When word arrives that the coven’s attack is imminent, the Mortal Guardians request aid from their newfound allies and launch a pre-emptive strike--against a stronghold where the coven has amassed an unthinkable cache of the destructive substance known as voidrive. Good luck, Guardians, and may the Everburning Light be with you in this dark hour.