Courts of the Shadow Fey Session 8 – The Firebird

Courts of the Shadow Fey was the third 4th Edition Open Design project from Kobold Press. I ran the adventure in 2011 as part of the same Parsantium campaign as Wrath of the River King and Halls of the Mountain King.

This is a really fun but tricky adventure to run so hopefully these write-ups will prove useful to other GMs. This session features the party’s first meeting with the Queen of Night and Magic.

Begin here with Session 1 – A Chill in the Air.

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17th December (contd.)

As the characters head back through the forest to find the Black Prince, they run into a familiar face – the wizard-hating genasi swordmage Mal’uk, last seen chasing after a thieving kobold in the tunnels beneath Zobeck. Their former adventuring companion has come to the forest in search of the Shadow Courts, having heard that a rare ritual he is after can be found in the library. The characters shrug their shoulders and allow Mal’uk to tag along as they join the Prince and his entourage at their camp in a forest glade.

Here, Lord Chelessfield, Master of the Alpine Marches, finally deigns to duel with Brave Ella and is quickly taught an archery lesson, losing the duel before he can land a single blow. After listening to the Prince’s hunting stories and enjoying some roast boar, the party set off after the White Hart.

As they wander the forest, they spot a smouldering nest high in a tree. Krivinn climbs up for a closer look and catches a glimpse of the legendary golden Firebird in the distance. The characters had decided earlier not to hunt the bird, but change their minds and go after the creature. Ella drives the Firebird towards the other characters, and Krivinn teleports next to it and grabs hold of it. With help from Saethus, the paladin bundles it into his bag of holding.

Returning through the woods to the Prince’s lodge, the party are attacked by a group of centaurs and firbolgs led by a satyr. The centaurs fire volleys of arrows into the characters as the satyr gives three of the party living nightmares. The centaurs don’t survive very long – Saethus takes them down with a storm cage, followed by a fireball while the others attack the three firbolgs. Only the spellcasting satyr survives, slipping away to fight another day.

Back at the lodge, Krivinn opens the bag of holding to let the Firebird have some air; its screeches are masked by Khuma’s awful fiddle playing and Ella’s even worse “Nee Ha” song.

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18th December

The hunting trip is over and the Prince’s party returns to the palace. The characters go back to their living quarters to make themselves presentable where they are met by the antennaed servant of the Demon Lord of Roaches, Akyishigal. They are invited to meet the demon “at the bottom of the Black Well tonight at moonrise.” The party have more pressing business, though, and head for the Great Hall to present the Firebird to the Queen.

Her Majesty Sarastra, the Queen of Night and Shadow, is delighted with the party’s gift but is not impressed when Krivinn turns down her invitation to become her royal consort and lover. Once the ungrateful paladin has been sent packing, the Queen is not mindful to listen to Ella’s entreaties. The characters have no alternative but to depart.

Meeting Krivinn at the top of the Black Well, the party descends into the darkness. At the bottom, Akyishigal awaits. He asks the party if they are servants or food. The paladin replies with “no, we are your killers” and battle is joined.

The demon lord is defended by seven roachlings who are either hard to slay or explode when the characters deliver one a fatal blow. Akyishigal is even more fearsome, grabbing the characters and engulfing them in hundreds of biting cockroaches. When bloodied, he splits into nine separate swarms which the party have to destroy one at a time. The adventurers stand firm and Mal’uk finally brings down the Demon Lord.

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