Prequel Session: The Demise of Rolf Kerbauchard

My friend is gone...

An enemy has returned.

Who will avenge him and who will warn the others.

It has been so long, nearly a decade I suppose, since I died and what remains of me was trapped into this crystal and installed into this book. In that time I have only spoken to my friend, to Rolf. We have reminisced of our days with the other Doom Raiders. I shared with him the stories I have shared so many times before. He told me of the folk of Nightstone, including tales of these youth who came together this evening to unite around a campfire and fight against those who came for Rolf.

But I learned so much more of them tonight.

I learned of Skylar, the Artificer, whose strange magic seems to blend what is done in the forge with what is done in the wizard's study. She spoke of her capture and imprisonment at the hands of the wizard Montrose. Her fear at being found again was clear, as was her sadness to know there was so little she could do for the others the wizard had claimed.

Tyaa, the Aarakocra, a ranger from the Star Mounts, revealed how his entire village was decimated by an Ancient Green Wryrm masquerading as an elf. Only his sister's sacrifice saved him. Though he is free to fly wherever he likes, I fear he holds in his heart a debt he can never repay except by the blood of a beast he might one day slay.

Winter, a tabxi from Chult. Rolf spoke highly of her martial skill but tonight I heard the trueness of her heart as she produced her tale. She spoke of the evil lord who controlled her clan, her friend who was slain by him, and her harrowing journey to Nightstone to seek refuge.

Damara the mage, though she has lived in Nightstone the longest, she is yet a mystery. Her tale, like that of the others, is one of tragedy. Her half-elf family destroyed by outsiders when her village was raised, Kindness was shone to her by Ran the Wizard, who took her in and raised her as his own. But since his disappearance she has been alone, struggling I am sure with how to help her missing mentor if he is yet alive.

Bennu, the tiefling that Illandra has taken under her tutelage, shared the story of her family and the pain of growing up on the streets of WaterDeep. I wonder if fate has ensured she will return there to settle old debts. She spoke of how Illandra saved her and I wonder if that canny old druid knew that some day, the orphan she pulled from the streets would someday become a champion of Nightstone.

Stellara the dragonborn, may very well have a way with the magic of words and song as I did in my living days. She revealed how sorrow and loss brought her to Nightstone, how her captor's hunt for Rolf ended with her finally finding a home to perhaps replace the one taken from her when her "mistake" somehow caused her mother's death.

Trella, the tabaxi who grew up an urchin on the streets of Waterdeep, made the startling connection between them all, that each of their stories is one of sadness and betrayal. Her own story mirroring that of her companions, a story of a kind face hiding an evil heart. Though she is slow to trust, even I can see she seeks to find those she can call family.

Each of these youth shared their stories and the similarities were striking. Nightsone truly seems to collect the lost but I wonder for what purpose.

As I understand from them...as the youth rested the scarecrows attacked, using their fear and their claws with skill, nearly taking half of the companions before the fight ever started. But the youth came together, saving each other and themselves and using fire and blade to best the constructs that assaulted them. If only Rolf could have been saved as well.

Alas, even if they had been nearby, Alice, the deadliest assassin ever in Caliban's employ would likely have killed them as well. At least now they are alive and might avenge my friend and warn the others of what may be hunting them. But only if they are willing to leave Nightstone, to travel to the city of splendors, to Waterdeep.

I know their hearts are true but I know not if they will take up this task. One never knows where it might lead. The road to adventure is never a straight line and the risks cannot be foreseen. They may prefer to stay in Nightstone, to stay safe, to let Rolf's murderer escape with the Lich's crown and engage in whatever it is she has planned. The remaining Doom Raiders's days may be numbered and the threat may not stop there. But this is too big a thing to ask of children who just lost the closest thing many of them had to a father.

But I know of no other way.