3. The Waning Moon

The Waning Moon


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    THE WANING MOON

    To recap, members of the Locus Operandi know the following:

    1. A clandestine and occultist murderer is at large. Someone is murdering the faithful of Selune, and arranging their corpses and blood in profane rite to corrupt the moonstones deposits found in the Province of Moonreach. The corrupted, black moonstones have been opening shadow gates, from which dark reflections have been pouring through. The murderer is somehow capable of possessing and puppeteering third parties to commit the crimes, including the tiefling shadowdancer Zamo Palewind and the disgraced Lunar Knight Shane Mills.

    2. Moonreach Keep is at minimum capacity. The majority of the Cleimant Counsel, the counsel's forces, and the Order of the Hidden Moon's Lunar Knights, including Jecken Stockley and May Celine, have been relegated to the Westeron front in the war against the Zhentarim.

    3. Flamekeeper Ereda has been found. The Flamekeeper, who was previously missing, was found by the Locus Operandi. The party has also revealed that she is working in tandem with the Caldera Manor. It has come to light that she has been supplying goblins and their leader, a half-fiend cambion, with the gift of fire. She has trained, supplied, and pointed the half-fiend and his goblin army at the undead that are crawling forth from deep below the region.

    4. Guilt and punishment. Following the above revelation by the Locus Operandi, of the Flamekeeper's association with the fiend-blooded cambion, the Priestess Lealiel informed the High Priest Elias Houl. The high priest instructed what few Lunar Knights remain in the Keep to apprehend and gaol the Flamekeeper. She will face judgment and punishment from those few members of the Cleimant Council, and Lord Caleb, who currently remain in the Keep.

    [DM Eternal / DM Xanatos Gambit]


  • Events are transpiring concurrently to the Zhentarim occupation of Norwick. The Zhentarim are now besieging the Witch and Seer Inn. The next sequence of events will take place within the one week duration of that siege.

    At this point, the following is public knowledge at Moonreach Keep:

    • The Cleimant Council has sent the vast majority of its forces, including its bannermen led by Jecken Stockley and Olivia Gor, and Lunar Knights led by May Celine to the Nars front against the Zhentarim, to support the current Peltarchian allies.

    • Ava Brokenblade, Motley Grey, and Firnen Kaapo have remained behind to attend to matters at the Keep, which is now on a minimum-capacity basis, and to advise and keep Lord Caleb far away from the Zhentarim threat.

    • Hidden Moon High Priest Elias Houl has commenced an inquisition into the dark forces that have afflicted the Keep, assuming a more direct hand in the ongoing investigations conducted by the Locus Operandi, which have so far revealed occult influences over the tiefling Zamo Palewind, the Lunar Knight Shane Mills, and the fiend-blood sympathizer Flamekeeper Ereda, each of which have been gaoled.

    • The foregoing occult influences have resulted in possession leading to murders of Selunite faithful, including the high-profile murder of priest Jacob, of the Southern Chapel, as well as attacks upon and abductions those known to be affiliated with the faith, including the Lunar Knights as well as other, lower-profile victims.

    • Under the hand of the high priest Houl, the Selunite inquiry into the ritualistic murders has grown to systematic inquisition. The High Priest Houl has instructed the priestesses Lealiel and Leonora to make use of the Clerical spell "Know Alignment," and instructed the Lunar Knight Dano Farsworn to use his innate ability to detect evil, to conduct sweeping verification and confirmation of evil members of the keep, beginning with those most suspected or known to being evil by their nature.

    • As a result of the foregoing, two tieflings, a Duergar dwarf, and Derro halfling have been gaoled. The inquisition continues, with rumors that additional tieflings and at least one svirfneblin having been identified as next in line for verification.

    • There are unconfirmed rumors that the present members of the Cleimant Council have ordered the High Priest to pause his inquisition until further notice (expected to be delivered following the the trial of the Flamekeeper, which is set to be held by the next sunset). The veracity of these rumors is unclear, considering that the inquisition remains ongoing.

    [DM Eternal / DM Xanatos Gambit]