All That Remains

Overview

All That Remains is a storyline run by GM Kenstrom and GM Quilic, started on May 1, 2020.

Spotlight NPCs

• Barnom Slim - Resuscitated by Vlashandra through the shadow valence.
• Callid - A gnome who used body parts to assemble a perfect body, or vessel for Vlashandra.
• The Fist - A man on a mission to collect body parts for Vlashandra. He was later revealed to be Socius, the hereditary owner of Four Winds Isle.
• Vlashandra - A member of the Hall of Mages, who's interested in trying to save Aralyte from the shadow valence.

Supporting NPCs

N/A... so far.

Deceased NPCs

• Narum - A man who claimed to have deserted an army of men and monsters led by a general known as The Fist. Warned the Landing of an attack, then was killed during or shortly after said attack.

Synopses

[Note: These are highly abbreviated summaries of events largely intended as refreshers or teasers. For more details and (in most cases) full logs, please click each one.]

05/01/20 - The Fray of the Fist's First Foray

A terrified man comes to the Landing, begging for protection and to be hid--and claiming to have been a mercenary who deserted an army of men and monsters, led by a general called "The Fist." He says they'll attack in mere hours with a goal of harvesting body parts. Adventurers eventually take him to the Abandoned Inn, being a bit too skeptical of his story and motives to allow him in town, but his words bear out later that night in a battle against mercenaries, patchwork creatures, and limb-chewing reapers.

05/02/20 - Rescue, Redemption, and Right

Vlashandra seeks help in trying to return Palestra Blade Aralyte from the shadow realm, as Aralyte's mind has reached out to her and she has an idea of how to recharge Aralyte's soulstone, carried by Lylia, based on research regarding the Southron Wastes. After gathering both support and suspicion from others, she says she'll return in a few nights when her proposal is fully fleshed out.

05/04/20 - Double Double Animal Style

The patchwork army strikes again, this time twice in one night, with all kinds of new creations in tow and a black-cloaked figure among them. Landing defenders drive them off each time, but questions linger about the abrupt end to each skirmish. Hapenlok attempts to capture a live reaper for study, but even when unable to retreat, it chews itself to death.

05/05/20 - Planning Essentials

Vlashandra lays out the basics of the plan to rescue Aralyte, involving a three-stage ritual using Lake Eonak, essences, and blood magic--a form of magic forbidden in the Empire. Grand Magister Octaven has conveniently left the area for a few weeks, giving her plausible deniability to blame Vlashandra if the ritual fails... or promote her forward thinking if it succeeds.

05/07/20 - Head Over Heels, Hand Over Fist

The Fist's forces return in another attack, but many of the creatures in their ranks show hesitation to charge. Are the Landing's defenders too much for them to challenge?

05/08/20 - Three-Way Tree-Way Rollout

Ongoing skirmishes escalate as the Fist's forces add new types of creatures to their ranks, Landing defenders put their newly-rebuilt siege towers to use along with ranged and triage support from the Rooks, and even the Hendoran knights of the nearby outpost charge into the fray!

05/09/20 - Slash and Burn

Vlashandra leads the first part of the ritual at Lake Eonak as Landing citizens and friends volunteer to bleed and burn for the cause of bringing Aralyte back. Despite initial rough starts, the elemental essences eventually react as expected to Vlashandra's magic and all seems well, preparing the way for the next parts of the ritual throughout the month.

05/11/20 - A Difference of Opinion

The patchwork forces invade once more, showing hesitation again under the lead of a different commander who says they'll show the Landing they don't need the Fist. The black-cloaked figure disagrees strongly, in a disemboweling kind of way.

05/14/20 - The Bridge and the Motes

Vlashandra comes to inspect the portal, check on preparations for the second part of the ritual the next day, and discuss the patchwork creatures. Everything seems ready and the Landing observes a phenomena of twinkling motes all throughout the environs.

05/15/20 - Act Two

Vlashandra leads the second part of the ritual to bring Aralyte back. Landing citizens and friends volunteer to sacrifice blood or vitality, the latter left with wrinkled faces. By the end of it, the portal pulses rhythmically like a beating heart and Vlashandra informs everyone of the essences needed for the final part of the ritual--along with scheduling a discussion in town later in the week to prepare for contingencies depending on Aralyte's condition.

05/17/20 - Haze of War

A bluish haze signals the return of the patchwork creatures, which now include undead in their ranks but don't appear to have any commander. Much later in the night, discussions are ongoing about why that might be...

05/18/20 - Better, Stronger, Faster

During a routine inspection of the portal--or almost routine, as a hand reaches out and steals part of Chandrellia's face--the patchwork army attacks! The larger creatures in their ranks seem more scarce than usual, but the reapers' numbers have grown, they're far more nimble than before, and they have a sudden interest in collecting bodies at Melgorehn's Valley. After they're repelled for the night, Lylia takes Aralyte's soulstone to the portal and they briefly react to one another.

05/22/20 - Fight or Flyte

Amidst growing concerns, Vlashandra and Landing adventurers discuss risks of the final step of the ritual, now slated before month's end. By the time the night's ended, Vlashandra is off to study two of each essence, the Landing is readying for battle with creatures coming out of the portal, Cruxophim is preparing a way to contain Aralyte, and the Faendryl Enclave is set to give her sanctuary.

05/24/20 - Our Socius Social Hour

Socius Leiffen meets with adventurers at Mist Harbor to discuss his involvement with the patchwork army, gathering body parts for a gnome named Callid to create the perfect body at the behest of a woman whose name he never knew... and whose description matches Vlashandra. He gives potential leads on finding their base of operations, searching for motes on the Four Winds Isle. After he goes to rest, Magister Raelee has information and theories to share about Cordarius and other things, based on what Socius said.

05/25/20 - Egregious Facts Get Agreements Back

Vlashandra explains that she needed the reapers and patchwork army to gather parts for the perfect body to house Aralyte, and will arrange for Cordarius, Octaven, and the remains of Walkar to be available next week--some time after the third part of the ritual, scheduled for this week. She talks some percentage of the crowd into continuing to aid given the reasoning of getting Aralyte back, risks with the portal in Vlashandra's absence, presumed hostages, and the threat of additional patchwork attacks in the absence of willing aid.

05/30/20 - Callin' for Callid

Seismic activity on Mist Harbor Isle reveals a way to the lair of Callid the splicer. Adventurers battle their way through remnants of the patchwork army to reach the desperate gnome, who still hopes Vlashandra will fulfill her deal. Just as they corner him, he escapes with his transportation device--leaving behind patchwork bodies created for his wife and children, who he sought to restore to life. Everyone updates Socius on the situation, whose memories are gradually returning, but for now he can't pursue Callid away from the isle. Meanwhile, Akenna and Naamit have a theory to aid with his memories, involving Socius' daggers that are magically tied to him.

05/30/20 - Raising the Bar

Vlashandra completes the portal by sending reapers at it and brings forth an amorphous humanoid body on a cart. Landing defenders split forces outside and inside the portal, battling a variety of creatures from the shadow valence, until Vlashandra finds a place to begin the next part of the ritual--and burns her book of blank pages afterward, no longer needing it. Everyone inside the valence escapes and Vlashandra closes the portal, then finishes the ritual outside and lets the body take shape for its new host... the returned Barnom Slim! He's a bit behind on current events, but wants to catch up on Lich's Landing and invites everyone to a dinner soon--a feast fit for a Lich King!