Fell Shadows, Beckoning - 30-07-2020 - Arkadius Hogg

To say that the days ahead, will be the best of all

We will build bridges, up to the sky

Infernal light surrounding You and I

From out of the darkness, my future will crawl

If I leave the past behind, I'll fly beyond the suns

We'll be together, sharing the stars

Watching in wonder as my wings unfold

Hope for the future, it's coming soon enough

How much can I achieve?

Hope for the future, it will belong to me

If I believe... If I believe

Hope shines brightest in the dark, where nothing's ever seen

Lighting undiscovered places, no-one's ever been...

Some hope for the future, some wait for the call

To say that our destiny, will be the best of all…"

---

From the Diary-based Notes of Arkadius Hogg

I’m not going to mince words, this week was… tough. Probably the toughest week I’ve ever faced. Tougher than the week I tackled Lady Khaosborn. Tougher than the time I spent in Avernus. Tougher than watching the Order’s Cavalry sacrifice themselves covering our retreat. Nothing was as tough as going home, and what was involved in the path to get there.

I met up with Sheryl, Faye, Bones and Wren, we were enjoying a drink together, they were all wondering why I had asked them all here. I’d been preparing for this moment for weeks. “Before we step through the planes to Shadowfell, I want to say something,” I said, reaching down and taking the scrap of parchment from my pocket. It just had a few words written down to remind me of the important points. I'd tried to script the speech, but throughout rehearsals nothing felt... right. I knew the words would come from the heart in the moment. I cleared my throat, and faced my friends.

“I wanted to say whatever faces us beyond this plane we call home, no matter what challenges we face, know that from the deepest part of my heart… I am thankful.

I am thankful for you coming to my birthplace with me. For taking up my call for aid, and for being here with me in my time of need.

No matter what happens, you are all doing me a great service, and the least I can do is to offer you the very same in kind, should you ever need to call on me.

I don’t need to tell you that Shadowfell is not a place anyone desires to be. It’s the planar opposite of the Feywild, and yet equally as dangerous…
I paused for a brief millisecond, turning to face one friend in particular, “And don’t argue with me, Sheryl. I’ve seen the flowers.” I smiled, seeing a twinkle in her eye and her eyebrow raising, she had taken it in the good humour it was intended to be. Turning back to address the whole group again, I resumed speaking, “Shadowfell is a dreadful, deadly and at times down-right inhospitable pit of despair. But, I will leave you with a closing quote. ‘Hope shines brightest in the darkness’. And for me, right now... you are all my hope, and I hope that we may shine brightly.”

There was a moment of silence, and then smiles all around. I couldn’t quite hear what she said, but Sheryl’s glass of feywine clinked my glass of Fire Whiskey. My brain was whirring too fast, trying to come up with what was to happen next. I… hadn’t actually thought that far ahead. Thankfully a plan came up fairly quickly. The Raven Queen’s temple in Shadowfell, where we had been before, maybe if I went back, She’d appear to me again, perhaps I could entreat Her to help?

A discussion was had, a plan formed, and set in motion. We made our way to the lighthouse, met up with Tsue of the Harmonious Order, and we were plane shifted to Shadowfell.

That’s.. Where things started getting interesting.

---

Wren and Faye scouted ahead, while me, Bones and Sheryl stayed behind, waiting for the field report. It wouldn’t take too long before I saw Sheryl glance in my direction, speaking to Faye. “There are Shadar-Kai patrolling the temple entrance. How should we go about this?” Faye asked, and Sheryl intelligently responded, “Approach the entrance, with intentions of going in. No subterfuge. Not threatening.”

That’s when… She interrupted everything. Swan, in my head. First time in quite a while that She had made… direct contact that wasn’t really me hallucinating or imagining things.
I can’t quite remember Her words from this part, but I remember shrugging them off. Ignoring Her. I remember Sheryl asking what was wrong, and again… shrugging them off. She was insistent, Swan, but I knew we were on the right path. If she was acting this way.

“We remember you… The Wayward Son… Deathbringer!”
Those were the words I heard. The others said they heard something else, but those were the words I heard. A single figure was standing between us and the entrance to the temple, and they didn’t look welcoming. “I see one worshipper among you,” he said, referencing Bones, “The rest shall be sacrificed.”

I’ll give it to Bones, he stepped up and assured the figure that we were his bodyguards, but they didn’t seem impressed with that. So I tried a different tact, “I have spoken with the Raven Queen before, and wish to again. Let us pass,” I demanded. Sheryl spoke up too, “We do not wish to start a fight with you. Let us through, so we may speak with the Raven Queen.”

That’s when… something happened. I’m not quite sure what, but… she was not the Sheryl, right there and then that I knew and loved. She was… a different Sheryl. More forceful, demanding, and… not friendly. This won’t be the last time I see her like this either. But whatever it was, it was enough to cow the figure, who kneeled and said, “The temple of the Raven Queen welcomes you.”

We stepped through the temple, knowing from before to avoid the pools of blood and such. We headed straight through to the main chamber, and spotted a pile of corpses in the centre… that’s when She responded to our entrance, an aspect of the Raven Queen in all her glory. Both me and Bones knew to kneel straight away, both dropping to our knees. THe others reacted slightly slower than us, but honoured the appearance of the Queen in their ways.

“You have come to my temple seeking refuge, answers, deals… What do you offer in tribute?”
It was Sheryl who answered after a moment’s silence, “What does one sch as you wish of us Great Queen?” The Raven Queen let her aze rest on Sheryl for a few moments, before replying. “I collect stories, memories, souls. But you come, you seek something. I know who you are…”

She turned to me. It was one of the most nerve wracking moments in my life, staring down a powerful being like this. “We have met. You are from here. What is it you seek, child?”
This was the moment. This was the hour. When all my doubts and demons… were sent on their way. Every endeavour, I had made ever… It all was for this moment.

“Home,” was my simple answer. She seemed amused at this. “All souls seek to return home… You may not like what you find.”
I nodded, “I think it is a risk worth taking.”
Again, She seemed amused, a cold, mirthless laugh echoing through the temple. “I can show you the way, I can provide guidance… I will need a favour, a boon, a tribute.”
“I’m fairly sure we can do what we can to provide a favour… a service.” I looked around at everyone, gauging their response. I didn’t want to make the decision alone, this may be my mission, but I’m not their leader.

The shadowed figure inclined Her head. Some of the ravens separated themselves from Her form, flying over to the pile of corpses in the middle of the room, beginning to pick away at them.

“There is a creature in my realm. It… trespasses. An enemy of old, traitor! Thief… I want you to hunt it, bring it to heel, end it. Add their stories to my vault.”

“Of course we will do this for you,” Bones replied, followed by Faye, “Out of interest,” Faye asked, “what is this foe? Cause I know you’re all about hatin’ on the undead, right?” The Raven Queen’s gaze turns to the eladrin and they seem to falter a bit mid step. They swallowed nervously. “I can get with that.”

“It bears my curse. It will suffer through the ages. But this one I want to see ended.”

“And what is this curse, exactly?” Sheryl asked. There’s another long pause.
s
“They will linger. They will see all their works fall to ash. They will suffer as only those who will never taste relief can. To hunt and track a creature here you will need to become one with the shadows. Taste of my offering and you will track my foe.”

Ravens that had been circling Her flew away, pecked at the corpses, and returned. One each for all of us, dropping something into our hands. I’m still not entirely sure what it was, but hey… if we needed to, I can survive with unknowns for now.

From the dark folds of her shadowy cloak, the Raven Queen pulled out a small, glowing wisp, pulsing with living energy.

“This servant will guide you on your journey. Take heed… Do not stray from the path. You can get lost in the shadows and then you will remain in my realm… forever.”

That’s when… We all set off, making our way along the corridor, the others moving faster and faster, as the mist started coalescing around me, seemingly holding me back. After a few moments, the others were gone from my vision, I was alone with the wisp. Something felt… familiar about it. Something felt… odd. Like I’d met it before, maybe? I shrugged off the feeling, pushing forward through the mist. It was burning my lungs, I could barely call out, barely get my words out. Coughing deeply and harshly, I tried my best to shout to the others, make sure they waited for me and didn’t leave me behind… it felt like it worked, I started approaching one…

...And as I did, I noticed they were mid-fight with something unseen, faltering for a moment, and… falling. Slain. And there was nothing I could do… I pushed forward, and again and again the same thing happened to each friend with me in turn. As I approached, they faultrered, and fell. Alone we fell, and alone we would fall. I suddenly realised I was alone with the wisp, and even then… I blinked, and I was alone without it. Panic rushed into my brain, as I spun around on the spot, looking out into the mist to find it… there! In the distance, it had just rushed off without me… no, it wasn’t the wisp. But what is it?

I pushed on through the mist, it still felt like it was resisting me, holding me back. Not wanting me to get anywhere fast. But I managed to get closer to what was in the distance, a lake of silvery grey water, a beautiful swan approaching me from the lake as I started to get closer.
“I warned you to stay away. To stay true to your path. To your MISSION!”, the swan rose, transforming into a hideous monstrosity of burning feathers and scales. “I thought Jornos would suffice as a lesson, but those who won’t listen will learn through PAIN!”
It took all my energy to run. Flee through the mist prison, and get… anywhere. Nowhere. I didn’t care, I just didn’t want to face Her.

I caught up, and followed the wisp. My friends had returned to my side at this point, and we reached our destination.

---

“I’m sorry to do this to a fellow vulture, but in the name of the Raven Queen, get fucked!”
Bones' words rung in my ears, and they amused me. Faye was doing a brilliant job of keeping the Nagpa’s attention away from the rest of us, and very nearly had it on it’s last legs too. That was… until it paralyzed Faye, and proceeded to round on Sheryl instead, casting some… horrible magic on her. I could tell it wasn’t great, cause… her face changed. She seemed very… different. As soon as the battle finished, I ran up to her, having to nimbly dodge the rapier in her hands, and could swear her saying the words Tall-Smelly-One as I hugged her.

The Raven Queen made Her reappearance now, our task complete, and… well, let’s say we made a deal, and… Sheryl’s fine. But… She’s gonna kill me when she learns at what cost.

“This one will lead you,” She said, indicating the Spirit Wisp floating beside her. “This one will open the way. This one knows the way having trodden the path herself, in a previous life.”
I had the feeling of familiarity again, and affection. And… The Raven Queen had said she.

Mother. A pang of sadness hit my chest as I watched the wisp give the last of her energy to make a portal, presumably to Fallford.
I did the mental maths, and commented, “Fourteen years have passed since I left Fallford. Fourteen years. I need a drink…”

I stepped through, not knowing what we would face.