Dark Lady's Demise

The final (canon) adventure of the Catalysts, wherein they liberate the Stone Throne from a demonic contract, defeat the Dark Lady (preventing a breach in reality in the process), and lay the foundation for the Federated Nations. Takes place in late autumn 205AC.

Events

1. The party decides to investigate the Jungle of Fangs after the events of Corruption in Kaelthia and Into the Twisted Lands revealed that there was a potential threat there.
2. They travel south through the jungle on magic carpet. Along the way, they encounter Ar Dolema, a walking fortress making circles in the jungle.
3. They free it from assault by demonic forces and discover the fetid bargain that the old Fanged Kingdom masters made with the White Skull...and construct a plan to stop it.
4. Traveling to Ar Salem Dolem, they engage in subterfuge and discover that the Queen Ascendant (who was a trapped soul in the bargain, acting as an eternally-living filter for the souls of her people) and her Handmaidens desired freedom but were imprisoned by some of her clergy.
5. Shenanigans ensued, including Paresten dressing up as a pretty lady to infiltrate a cult/orgy.
6. After defeating the foes there, they broke the binding stone, freeing the nation from the bargain. They also discovered that the Dark Lady's sister, Kinlanna, was seeking redemption for her acts at the Towers of Sun, Earth, Moon, and Stars, and allied with her to provide access to the Lady's estate and a distraction.
7. The lady had prepared a doomsday ritual to consume the souls of the entire city, vaulting her to Demon Prince status. In doing so, she'd broken her bargain with the White Skull, leading him to assist the party as well.
8. After some rest, they gathered an alliance of soldiers from throughout the free nations to assault the Dark Lady's villa via portal, with the alliance acting as a distraction while the party descended into the bowels of the estate to destroy the ritutal.
9. There, at the showdown, the Lady intervened and after a battle, committed suicide with a Fang of Resolution, wishing to tear a hole in reality and let the Awakener in.
10. Kinlanna, picking up the artifact, led the party through the hole to the borders of the Dark Beyond, where the party did battle with Awakener forces until Kinlanna could seal the breach. This she did with the Fang, sacrificing herself and the fang to form the seal, but letting the party slip back in.

Aftermath

In the aftermath, the party mostly retired to Hound's Rest and Fort Hope. Kalesin led the Kaelthian dragonborn to the aid of Wyrmhold, leading to the final major battle of the Hungering Frost and the completion of the wall at the end of the Last Resort Pass. Paresten was instrumental in founding the Federated Nations and still has a role in the government. Safrir Tree-friend took up leadership of the Lady's Grove near Yuuras Zaali, and Vassarian continued his researches into ways to combat the Awakener, as well as playing a major role in the Adventurer’s Guild.