Main points

• Void Storyteller and Master of Lore of Shadow destroyed.
• Vale of Memories saved from corruption by the Void.
• Node of Shadow cleansed of the Void and also of Shadow.
• Valley renews obligation to restore Nodes of Red and White magic within 9 months.
• Grey Man’s origin and the Diminishing of Lolth revealed.
• Shadowsfall responsible for all Status related Assassination during ToR.
• New Waystation created in Greensward.

Earth Day

Present were: Baron Silas, Lancorrin, Velkin, Neerac, Khandis, Vilk, Michael, Ligner, Nobby, Kyle, Kurt and Caradac.

During the lead up to the Time of Reckoning in PC04, we were sent to support the establishment of the transport network at a cluster of three waystations:  Hadon’s Hall, Heart of Dark and The Mother’s Den.  This part of the network was chiefly being installed by the Wizards Concilium and the Dymwan.  The work was unexpectedly disrupted by the appearance of a “planar or temporal anomaly”.  The Concilium and Dymwan went to investigate but weren’t heard from for a few days so we went to investigate.

As we neared the likely position of the anomaly, we were assailed by waves of unusual undead which were seemingly able to find the weakest spot in any protection to attack.  After a while, we were assailed by a number of more normal undead and met with the Dymwan Sorceror Tornado who was working on the transport network.

It seemed that the problems were occurring on part of the Borovine Estate and, weathering more undead waves, we entered the estate.  The attacks continued as we discovered an undercroft.  Here, we located an amulet which enabled us to stem the undead assaults.
Within this undercroft were also two rituals and a door.  The first was a ritual to join two places created (we found out later) by the Butler and Zalfuron Nightspell.  The other was a Ritual of the Mystics to join two spirits, warded to be passable only by those blessed by the Mystics themselves.  This was likely created by Balazeel, Master of Lore of Shadow, formerly known as Aberash.  The door we could not fathom at this point but contact with it stripped away any Guardian Spirit and would likely have slain the unprotected.

Enduring Deathstrike of the House of the Weaver arrived to speak with the drow present.  While they were off doing whatever drow get up to in isolation, we spoke to the Butler who told us that his former Master (a Vampire) had been slain by Pradot Vay and he now had a new Master that we would likely meet soon enough.

The Master arrived and, with some shock, we eventually deduced that this was the Master of Shadow.  He said that he had been set a task by the Black Pharoah which he intended to complete.  He touched each person present and after a fairly threatening and foreboding discussion left saying that our transition had begun and we would soon be added to his collection.

Fire Day

We awoke the following day to find the place occupied by several Dymwan (mostly Dehori) and Wizards Concilium.  These were the missing groups but they did not remember any days after arriving at the Estate, believing the date to be several days earlier than we did.

At some point a messenger of the Mistress of Blood popped in to talk with Khandis and so more huddling away in corners ensued.

We realised that we were actually on the Vale of Memories (formerly known as the Sativa and the Place of Myth and Legend).  Having been there many times before, I was surprised at how different it was.  Most notably, there were no lights on the pathways and I could feel Power growing there.  We were guided through this place by Ushrak, a three-walk Mistweaver as old as Orin Rakatha itself.

As we travelled, we saw many stories which are documented elsewhere but some had some small changes.  Intermittently, we also met with the Void Storyteller.

The Story of the Halls of Suhtek:  No changes.
The Story of Sir Pendragon and Erelan Black:  The Valley did not aid Pendragon.
The Story of Zalfuron and Calex: No changes.
The Story of the Voidweaver:  Judge Arenar chose not to try to force a cataclysm.
Other Stories:  Khalid Trueborn of the First Legion were in the area seeking a Valley Sector Lord to exact vengeance for Valley treachery.  Nobby was pursued by dark figures that only he could see.  

We returned to the Estate for dinner where we were unexpectedly visited by the Master of Time.  We were to gather the stories as each was a remnant of the Void Storyteller.  They could then be assembled into the First Story (also called the Story of the Mystics) so we could learn how to thwart the Master of Shadow before he could turn the Vale of Memories to his own purposes.

We were missing only one tale:  The Story of the Spider.  We obtained this that evening.  The keen eyed will note that this Story is not published among the recovered materials in the library.  We were requested not to divulge some of the information about Lolth in case anybody realises that she has been weakened and is not what she once was.

The whole thing revolved around the Mescona, Velash, Areeon and Lolth.  

Areeon (Aspect of Darkness) and Velash (a Void-tainted aspect of the underdark) were fighting for supremacy.  To end the struggle, Areeon would wander “above” and Velash would hold sway over the underdark.  This was going reasonably well as Areeon continued his meddlings and Velash continued to gather power and secrets to herself.

As Velash took control of the Mescona. Areeon became aware of Lolth rising from within as a power to oppose Velash directly and aided her in becoming an Aspect herself.  They met in secret to plot against Velash whis she was away in the Halls of the Damned and could be imprisoned there.

Areeon never really trusted Lolth, always warning her of the consequences should she betray him.  Areeon and Lolth eventually assaulted the Mescona, emerging battered but victorious.  Presumably imprisoning Velash along the way.  Both were greatly reduced, Areeon giving up his immortality and Lolth losing something greater still.  If it were not for Areeon’s intervention she would likely not have survived.

Now Lolth rules the underdark and Areeon walks “above” as the Grey Man which is one reason why an apparently human person rules the House of the Weaver.  It is interesting to quote Lord Khandis Greyspider at this point: “We are all agreed that the Grey Man cannot be trusted.”

The Void Storyteller then made a final assault and we were able to destroy its last remnant and claim all the stories we needed.  This returned us to Orin Rakatha.

On our way back, we were attacked by a well-organised Shadowsfall team that successfully slew Khandis.  Despite frequent warnings, this was all a bit of a surprise to poor Khandis.

Returning to the Estate, we discovered that the Master of Shadow had lashed out with void-tainted Chaos, turning the very fabric of the building against us in what looked like a pretty desperate move.  We were able to dissipate the Chaos by leeching it from the area through a Deck of Many Things.

During the evening, it became clear that many other Nation Leaders had been attacked and also many Valley Sector Lords.  We completed the First Story and set about discussing what changes might be needed to the Laws of Orin Rakatha.  

Steel Day

Most of this day was spent Reading the First Story (recorded as The Story of the Mystics) in the Library.  We were guided by Ushrak once more.

The Void Storyteller came against us four times in his aspects Magic, Power Physical and, finally, as a complete entity.  Once the Void Storyteller, Ushrak pressed the First Story into its dissipating form and the Book was transformed into the Story of the Master of Shadow.
Ushrak informed us that we would need to defeat the Master of Shadow and then make up to three changes to the story before facing him again.  If we severed his connection to the Node of Shadow and defeated him the second time, he would be destroyed and the Node of Shadow would be cleansed of the Void.

Returning to the Estate once for refreshments, we weathered a massive assault by the Khalid.

The Master of Shadow fell upon us in a hard battle that we were able to win.  We made changes to the Story of the Master of Shadow undoing the binding to the Node of Shadow and weakening him significantly and then faced him a second time, returning to the Estate.
During the evening, we were visited by a newly minted Shadowsfall Judge (Flam?) who confirmed that they had performed most of the status assassinations.  They were also able to confirm that the Valley assassinations were paid for by the Khalid which they were no longer obliged to keep secret following their change in status to Nomads.

The Darkhomers summoned an enormous greebly thing which they then took off into a dark corner for purposes unknown.

Whilst they were absent, Chancellor Maraius popped in and seized the contents of the storybook left by Ushrak.  He said it was a Blank Node that could be turned to any purpose.  Give the Valley’s failure to restore the remaining nodes of Red and White magic, he would take this from us as reparation.  We managed to secure a deal whereby Maraius would hold this item.  If the Valley does not restore one of the nodes within three months and the other within nine, he will keep it to use as he wishes.  If both nodes are restored within this time, it will be returned to us.

Ligner and myself completed the partly done ritual to turn this part of the Borovine Estate into a Waystation.  The success of this was confirmed by the presence of the Master of Lore of Waystations and by the move overnight to the Greensward.

Changes to the Laws were agreed as reported by Jeremiah Clearwater elsewhere.