Return to Drasilgard
After escaping Aureterna, the party sailed back toward Drasilgard with the freed Uthliz — and another prisoner who, at first glance, looked almost like a werewolf. It soon became clear, however, that he was no true lycanthrope, but a member of the rare Shifter race. His name was Declan.
FEND had already crossed paths with Declan twice before — though “crossed blades” would be the more accurate description. Declan revealed that he had once been a member of The Guild, but had left together with two of his companions after the organization was violently taken over by the Drow twins. Under their rule, the Guild had been absorbed into a much larger criminal network connected to the Underdark. For Declan, their methods and direction had crossed a line he could no longer accept.
Following Declan’s explanation, FEND received a message from his mentor, Thereon. The call brought important information about the Scions of the Giants, as well as a lead on where the party might learn more about the mysterious World Axis. Seeing a chance for Declan to step away from his past, the group offered him the opportunity to begin walking the path of a hero, and brought him with them to Drasilgard.
Once they arrived, the party reported to Jarl Sigurd Ironfoot, telling him of their apparent victory over Othyrian, king of Aureterna and self-proclaimed Scion of Memnor. Yet their return to the city did not remain quiet for long.
Whispers Among the Graves
Shortly after their audience with the Jarl, Jin heard something strange: a voice inside her mind. It was a cheerful, childlike laugh — distant, yet strangely familiar. Guided by the sound, she made her way toward the graveyard of Drasilgard, with the rest of the party following close behind.
There, among the graves, they encountered a minotaur paladin named Kharzun Veyrhorn. He was in the middle of crossing names off a personal revenge list when the group found him. Since the party was currently short on allies, they decided to hire Kharzun to accompany them for the time being.
The mysterious laughter then led Jin slightly away from the main graveyard, toward a neglected and poorly maintained gravestone. Upon it, she read the name Brynja. As she did, a glowing energy rose from the grave and passed into her body. In that moment, fragments of memory flashed before her eyes — pieces of her childhood and youth, glimpses of a past that had long been hidden from her. Slowly, Jin began to recognize parts of her true memories.
Seeking answers, the group returned to the longhouse and asked about Brynja and the circumstances of her death. But almost every stone giant they spoke to reacted with discomfort. Some avoided the subject entirely. Others grew nervous, sorrowful, or visibly guilty at the mention of her name. Whatever had happened to Brynja, it was clear that Drasilgard carried a heavy silence around it.
Revelations Beneath the Lonely Mountain
Despite the unease surrounding Brynja, the city still celebrated the party’s victory over Othyrian. The stone giants held a feast, and FEND found himself in a drinking duel against none other than the reigning champion: Jarl Sigurd Ironfoot himself. Against all expectations, FEND managed to win, earning himself the proud title of Drinking Champion of Drasilgard.
After the celebration, the party set out toward the Lonely Mountain in search of answers. The entrance to the cave proved to be their first challenge, though they overcame it with little trouble. Beyond it, they entered a strange chamber filled with golden moss and glowing crystals. Within those crystals, each of them could see their own memories reflected back at them. As emotions stirred within them, the cave itself shifted in response, changing with the feelings the memories awakened.
In the next chamber, they encountered a lost adventurer named Tibbins Wattlebee, a grung who traveled with his best friend, Gilbert Grudge — a magical fish living in a small goldfish bowl. Tibbins seemed helpless, naive, and oddly charming, and the group quickly took a liking to him. Together, they continued deeper into the mountain.
At last, they found the Scion of Skoraeus.
There, beneath the Lonely Mountain, the party learned the true history of the World Axis video pending, along with many crucial details about the events now unfolding across the world. What had begun as a rescue mission had grown into something far greater — a struggle tied to the giants, the Scions, and the very structure of the world itself.