After having bought a map of the southern Kamelands from gnomish mapmakers, our Heroes return to Shadow Veil triumphantly--or at the very least successful in that they set out to locate the missing expedition.

Over the course of the next few days, Zaroff and Zughan continually explore the area immediately to the east of the goldmine, and find nothing of import. During their exploration, they decide to form a military corp tasked with exploring remote areas of the Kamelands. Zughan sets about identifying and training those what will eventually make up the 1st Exploratory Corp.

Back on the streets of Shadow Veil, Owen returns from the wilderness. On his way to the castle, he is stopped by a young man named Rig. Rig explains that his younger brother, Tig, has gone missing and that Auch hasn't been able to help his family find the missing child. Due to the child's hobby of "collecting" animals, Rig thinks Tig wandered out of the village and is now lost in the Ulfenvaldt. Owen has agreed to keep an eye out for the youngster.

Meanwhile, Caius has set his focus on researching the strange crystal-ized zombies rumored to be in the area. During a brief stint at the Halfway Inn, Caius hears the story known colloquially as the "Lights of Candelmere."
According to the story, Candlemere Tower was once the site of an ancient elvish ritual that eroded the fabric between the worlds. Today, strange and otherworldly lights can be seen there at night, specifically purple and blue hues--the same hues matching the crystals protruding from the zombies.

Ferdinand has been preforming in the arena, sporting a mask, a pair of women's boots, and a fake name--although almost nobody is fooled.

Now that Zaroff has selected a potential wife, Sinister Black has been tasked with negotiating relations between Shadow Veil and Brevoy. In a meeting with Zaroff, Sinister has revealed an unwelcome truth: that the marriage must take place on Lebeda's home-turf. Further, Mira's parents have requested to meet Zaroff prior to authorizing the marriage of their daughter.
Seeking to get a jump on this, Sinister has arranged for Zaroff and himself to travel to Silverhall, the Lebeda family castle, to meet Mira's parents. Zara has decided to come along, while appearing none-to-happy about the whole situation, with Ferdinand in tow

Shortly thereafter, a "delegation" from Tatlzford arrived in an attempt to open friendly relations with Shadow Veil. However, it remains to be seen how the relationship will ultimately go.

Rumors of troll activity has reached Zaroff's ears, just before leaving for Brevoy. Unable to look into it himself, he's asked Owen to form a group and explore the southeastern edge of the Ulfenvaldt, where the majority of the rumors place the trolls. He and Caius approach Gretchen, who in turn introduces them to Logan Wilds, an acolyte studying at the shrine of Erastil. The four set off, intent on hunting trolls; but perhaps it is they who will end up being hunted.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:39, Sat 16 Jan 2021.

While hunting trolls around the southern edges of the Ulfenvaldt, Caius, Gretchen, Owen, and Logan uncover a small tribe of lizardfolk. The lizardfolk have established a foothold at the mouth of the Murque River as it flows into Candlemere Lake. Further, the lizardfolk have Tig Tannersen and mean to sacrifice him to ancestors during the next full moon.

Rael and Zughan find them after the young mage delivers a pair of manticore pups to the animal handlers in Shadow Veil.

After finding a way to communicate with them, the PCs broker a deal to find a suitable replacement in exchange for Tig.

Thinking a troll might provide the lizardfolk more mileage than any other creature found within the Ulfenvaldt, they re-double their efforts to find trolls. Luck is with them, as they are attacked by a warband shortly thereafter.

The PCs kill two trolls before they realize they are outnumbered and surrounded. Desperate, the PCs are able to form a loose peace deal with the leader of the trolls, an ambitious warlord called Hargulka.

Hargulka agrees to let the PCs go with their lives if Rael promises to assist them with some project. The PCs agree, but Zughan decides to go along with him to their hideout.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:21, Sat 16 Jan 2021.

Caius, Gretchen, Owen, and Logan return to the lizardfolk thorp with the head of one of the slain trolls, intent on exchanging it for Tig Tannersen. The lizardfolk are apprehensive, but after communing with the spirit of one of their deceased ancestors, they agree to switching sacrifices -- on the condition that the PCs help them with their ritual. Unwilling to hurt relations with the lizardfolk, the PCs reluctantly agree.

Meanwhile, Rael and Zughan are lead to Hargulka's "fortress," an old dwarven stronghold ruin. They are allowed to explore the ruin, but are unable to find much of import aside from a ruined library. The trolls demand Rael research from a bestiary containing a drawing of an aquatic troll known as a scrag.
Fearing the implications of what a scrag could do to the region, Rael executes an escape plan, stealing the bestiary and flying Zughan and himself several miles to the northeast.

During the ritual of the full moon, Ciaus and Logan restrain the troll's head (which is now regenerating into a new troll), while Gretchen assists in the ritual. Their ritual succeeds, only too well, and the resulting eldrich feedback causes the ghostly orb of the lizardfolk's deceased ancestor to implode which causes a tear in the material plane. A torrent of raw, primordial energies wash over the area, transforming the lizardfolk into crystalline monsters!