That is, until the day a mysterious letter finds its way to Lanolin in the Sea Princes. Lanolin had been traveling a great deal over the past three years but was the only one who stayed in contact with Edgar, who remained in Axegard.
Lanolin opened the letter to find the following text...
Dear Friend,
I have some come across some distressing news that concerns you and the others. It pertains to the day we were in pursuit of the half-elf that stole the chalice; the day the rest of the others awoke with the strange sigils marked upon their chests. I can say no more other then to beckon you back to Axegard that we may discuss this in greater detail.
Make haste, for their very lives hang in the balance.
Very truly yours,
Edgar Underhill
Lanolin rode hard to make it back to Axegard within a ten-day. Once there he learned that similarly grave letters were sent to the other men, Edgar not wishing to discuss it further until the rest arrived.
One by one the men trickled into town, with the exception of Jake who remained with Edgar in Axegard and J’saahuis who never arrived. Edgar then proceeded to inform you that a Cult of Vecna was responsible for your markings and that when you recovered the lich’s gem and journal, that you were somehow magically connected to the creature. The cult plans to use your life force during a ritual on the mid summer equinox, in which your lives will feed the rebirth of the foul beast.
Aghast, you set out to foil their plans. You began to research the cult and learned that there was an ancient temple north of town that served as the cultist’s headquarters hundreds of years ago.
You made haste to the site as described in an ancient tome you stumbled across. There you camped and in the night, were visited by an apparition. Roland and Soulan went missing during their watch, not to be found again until the next morn. They had no recollection of how they got there, but Roland had taken ill and retreated back to Axegard to recover.
The morning was dark and overcast when you approached the ruins. Lanolin found a secret way in and when he set to opening the entrance, he was attacked by a creature of vines. The creature proved quite a handful but was eventually vanquished. When Lanolin went back to opening the locked portal, he found it was beyond his skill.
Just then the apparition from the night before manifested in the form of a vampire. Instead of attacking it introduced itself as Vlaad. He told you that he was sent from a far off land called Ravenloft by another vampire named Straad, to assist you. Apparently the cult’s plans are not in line with Straad’s, causing this tentative alliance.
Vlaad opened the locked entrance...