While on holiday, three young monastic scholars dedicated to preserving knowledge and studying recorded history found themselves at the mesmerizing WitchLight carnival, nestled just a mile away from the bustling city of Zadash on the continent of Wildemount.
The carnival’s whimsical and seemingly ethereal nature provided a delightful escape for these aspiring High Curators and Expositors, allowing them a temporary reprieve from the scholarly responsibilities of the Cobalt Soul.
Their night at the carnival was a kaleidoscope of enchanting experiences. They received gifts conjured from sycamore seeds by a young treant and its spirited red squirrel companion. There were thrilling moments of celebration while racing Giant Snails at heart-pounding speeds and even an episode involving unconsciousness at the hands of custard-induced mishaps, leading to a journey into the depths of their darkest fears. The night culminated in an impromptu performance at the Big Top, ultimately earning them an audience with the enigmatic figures known as Mr. Witch and Mr. Light.
These carnival leaders seemingly held the best interests of the carnival at heart. However, after speaking with Burley, the bugbear head of security, hinted at the possibility of concealed truths, as Mr. Witch’s mysterious pocket watch raised suspicions that they might be using it to gain leverage and unearth the reason behind the malevolent forces that roamed the carnival grounds.
Throughout the carnival, there were sporadic cries for the lost kids and peculiar incidents involving sticky-fingered thieves who disappeared into the crowd, leaving their victims in bewildered ignorance.
Following a promise made to a large displacer beast to locate her cub and the acquisition of the names of those responsible for the disappearances and the duplicitous nature of their bargains, the party was once again joined by Ellywick, a petite gnome bard with hidden powers. Alongside her were the enigmatic Mr. Witch and Mr. Light, who escorted the party to a familiar mirror portal within the Hall of Illusions.
As they passed through this portal, they experienced a sensation of weightless levitation, followed by an abrupt, gut-wrenching stabbing cramp in their torsos, akin to repeated dagger thrusts. Their breath was abruptly drawn from their lungs, and a blinding flash, accompanied by a high-pitched ringing in their ears, engulfed their senses. The voices of Mr. Witch, Mr. Light, and Ellywick echoed in their minds, uttering cryptic phrases: “Mind the rule of three: future, present, past,” “Find Alicorn and free the dormant Queen at last,” and “You’re exactly where you need to be.”
Their surroundings slowly dulled as they found themselves standing on the edge of a raised and broken causeway under a hazy, dimly lit twilight sky. A fog-shrouded swamp extended in all directions below them, exuding the pungent odor of rotting plants. This swamp was the site of their earlier battles against rabbit-like creatures called Herringgon, where they had deposed the arrogant Agdon Longscarf from his leadership role among the brigands. Their actions had paved the way for the community to reclaim its place in the land of Prismeer.
Their adventures had taken them from aiding a fiery dragon atop a crumbling keep to assisting a once-sad goblin named Jingle Jangle, and they had even encountered a monarch of frog creatures to prevent the burning of a balloon factory. Their journey led them to the hag Bavlorna, whom they had helped by clearing her well of a menacing gelatinous cube, albeit at a cost.
Through an arrangement with Laurna, a hag who adhered to the rule of reciprocity, they had taken a hot air balloon assisted by Clapperclaw from “hither into tither,” marking the beginnings of a strained relationship with the hags, who had begun to discern their true intentions.
They, you, met a man in a cave, spinning magic items from golden yarn, serving as a visual representation of the consequences of making deals with hags.
You had also liberated a bear tied to a cart, which later proved to be a valuable ally in their confrontation with the menacing Red Caps. Together with their newfound bear companion, they had made their way to Skabatha Nightshade’s workshop, the destination for all the missing children from the carnival. Diplomacy had played a crucial role, along with a metaphorical handshake along the way, providing them with more insight.
Upon their arrival, they had encountered The Getaway Gang, allies who shared their goal of rescuing the abducted children. With their assistance, the party had launched an assault on Skabatha Nightshade’s lair, successfully freeing the captive children and a dwarf named Elkhorn.
Returning to the Getaway Gang’s hideout, they had learned of a unicorn who could offer more guidance and answers. This unicorn had provided them with essential knowledge: Prismeer was once a land of harmony, ruled by Zybilna, and its lone remaining bastion of peace was the territory occupied by the unicorn.
Lamornathe, the unicorn, had assured them that her companion, Elidon, was likely still alive, holding the key to freeing Zybilna. She had transported the children back to the material plane, instilling the party with the knowledge that their mission was far from over – they needed to liberate the world of Prismeer from the clutches of the hags.
Your journey then took you to the land of Yon, guided by their companion from the Getaway Gang – Alizar. Here, they had an encounter with a sentient dandelion named Amidor. Unfortunately, this companionship had met a swift and unexpected end, with Amidor becoming the unfortunate recipient of, let’s say, a “mouthful.”
Your adventures had then led them to a mine inhabited by mouse-sized creatures, where they met Molliver, a humanoid who shared their commitment to freeing Prismeer. The party had explained their unyielding resolve to rid the land of the hags’ oppressive reign.
Now, standing within the enigmatic land of Yon, where ever-changing weather and imposing mountains posed new challenges and opportunities, the party carried the hope offered by Lamornathe, the cryptic unicorn whispers, and their unwavering dedication to their mission. With the fate of Prismeer, and your allies, you stand within a narrow mine surrounded by mouse sized creatures and a humanoid named Molliver.