There are those who remember a time where the winds bore hope, where they would carry travelers, goods, ideas to and from the realms beyond. When one could travel beyond the ringed city, when one could cross the ocean to see what lay beyond. They remember when the forests sang, when the waters healed, when the secret paths were known. They remember when the gods where known, when their blessings were given aplenty, when many could hear their voices.
These memories are a privilege afforded to a dwindling few.
A decay has swept through the world. The shadows lengthen. The forests grow hostile. The secret paths are lost. The names of gods, long since quiet, are forgotten.
Those who travel beyond the kingdom are never heard from again. In single nights, communities are swallowed whole by the earth. None know why.
It seems that only one place has been spared the disaster and decay which has fallen over the world -
THE KINGDOM OF KALAPHAST.
The so called 'Isles Fallen From Heaven', this realm stretches from the vast oceans in the east to the stoic mountains in the west.
Located within these mountains is the massive ringed city, THRONE, which forms its capital - and within THRONE lies the Apex of Kalaphast, the TEARSTONE PALACE. A massive spire carved from the mountain in times long since forgotten, its size defies sense. The entirety of the mountain has been carved and shaped into this palace, the rest of the city existing below and around it, and serves as the IMMANENT WILL of the LAST LIVING GOD who lives at the its center. It never shows its face and never speaks to any other than the DEIMARCH - the family who bear its mandate of heaven in their blood.
They do all they can to maintain the peace and order unique to Kalaphast - and none question their claim that it is only by the cradle of the mountain and the grace of the Last Living God that Kalaphast has been given refrain from the decay that has eroded the realms beyond.
But something scratches at the door.
All you have known is the rule of the Deimarch.
You have been assured of the peace you have known. You have been told that this stability will always hold.
You have never known any reason to doubt the promise of Kalaphast.And yet -
You know not where. You know not how.
But with a conviction as deep as water, you know something is wrong.Welcome to Secret's Fall.
Script for the gallows
The road has been long. Captured, caged, marched. It hadn't taken long since you were arrested for you all to end up here. It's been a long time since you've had a full meal or a decent drink of water. A rest has remained…disappointingly eluding. Your possessions are long gone. Though you may have tried to escape prior, the fact you're still standing here with a rope being tied around your neck should tell you all you need to know about your "escapes." You've had little time to talk to your fellow captives, especially once the hoods were on.
Much can be said about the Ecclesiarchs, the Church, but their efficacy in carrying out judgement could not be called into question.
You've finally reached it, though. The end of the road. The wood beneath you creaks as you are shuffled into place. The rope tied around your neck is coarse, uncomfortable, and eerily…snug.
You're left with the sack on your head, the murmur of a crowd you can't see in front of you. The sun lays thickly into the back of your necks. You cannot help but feel like an actor, who has forgotten their lines - but at least you aren't alone.
[Guard says something about leaving for a spell]
It seems you have a little bit of time before your sentence. What do you do?
[brief 5 minutes to talk. move on if no one does much or dead air]
Guard comes back. He talks about how everyone needs to quiet down and they were about to begin.
"We stand here beneath the sun to carry out the sentences declared by the Law Incarnate. The Emperor declares their lives, titles, and holdings all forfeit. As a sword of the Emperor, Nothing Be His End, it is my honor, my duty to carry out this task.
He walks over to the first player.
The Law Incarnate has found you GUILTY, Slate , of Heresy and Conspiracy against the Crown. Do you have any last words?
He pulls off your mask. Bright light floods your senses as you're finally granted sight again. Diode, could you describe your character?
[describe]
He goes to the next character.
The Law Incarnate has found you GUILTY, Wix, of Illegal Weapons Posession and Manufacturing, 3 counts of First Degree murder, and smuggling. Do you have any last words?
He pulls of Wix's mask. Aerith, could you please describe your character?
Next
The law incarnate has found you GUILTY, Soot, of Heresy and Desertion. Do you have any last words.
Flipy, could you please describe your character?
next
The Law Incarnate has found you GUILTY, Truff, of first degree murder, conspiracy, racketeering, and counterfeiting. Do you have any last words?
Duke could you please describe your character.
The law Incarnate has found you GUILTY, Frisk, of mass murder, heresy, weapons manufacturing, smuggling, cannibalism, and vagrancy. Do you have any last words?
Teratto please describe your character.
He goes up to an orange highland cow, who seems to have taken some beatings from the state of their bloodstained clothes and bruises.
The Law Incarnate has found you GUILTY, Jarrah, of Tax Fraud. Do you have any last words?
"i can tank it."
Guard kicks him.
Final guy. He is a black furred mustelid covered in white markings. "And, you. The Law Incarnate has found you GUILTY. Though you have not given a name, you still shall be allowed last words?
He cackles, bites tounge, spits it back in the face. It explodes.
There's a scant few moments before his entire body starts to glow. He detonates.
Heat washes over you. Before a breath can even be taken, you are overtaken.
Your vision goes white. Your ears ring and you cannot seem to open your eyes. Slowly, the ringing ebbs away.
You're staring up at the sky. You cannot tilt your head. You cannot move your body as you lay there, still stunned.
It is day. Explosions, screaming ring through the air. The sun hangs at its apex, returning your unblinking stare.
The sky shudders. For a single moment, the world twists, distorting as if under water, before returning.
A silence pierces the noise as the world just suddenly goes quiet.
You have these silent moments to realize why you cannot move. Something has been coiling around you - thick, inky tendrils criss cross across your body. It has been wrapping around your limbs, your chest, your neck. Panic wells in your chest as you realize its about to start covering your head.
Your attention is brought back up towards the sky as streaks of night spurt outward from the sun, as if ink had been spilled from behind it. Dripping down the sky into the horizon itself, the world fills with night. Though you know it to be the afternoon, though you know it was just moments ago that it was day, stars begin to shine. Soon, there is nothing left of the day sky except for the sun.
Inky tendrils drift across the edge of your vision, wrapping around you over and over and over again.
The last thing you see before they cover your vision is the moon settling atop the sun. Then, darkness envelops you as the tendrils finish curling around your entire body. Not one millimeter exposed to air.
What do you do?
(DC 15 strength check to get out, repeat every now and again)
[Each party member is coated in bandages and in the cabin. When they escape, describe that they're inexplicably in a room, sitting on a chair with a scroll in front of them]
You are in a dark cabin. A single lantern hangs at the center of the room, illuminating the sparsely decorated interior.
There is no sign of those strange tendrils. Looking down, you see you had been wrapped in cloth.
What do you do?
——
A cloth covered figure, hanging from the cieling by a rope. Seven blades are hooked through its flesh. Feathers peak out intermittently from between the cloth bandages. And you swear that when you're not looking, there are eyes peaking from between them as well.
Prisoners…
Princlings……
Inheritors of Nothing…..
They gather round the natal bed, the foolish and the wise.
They await their child, not yet born, whose voice shall rend the sky.
The Cretin Moon no more is howling, gone its cretin black.
Left the night in secret prowl, gone to take them back.
this heretic child will break the tides the moon no more will shine.
there comes a day not far away that'll birth the death of time.
The Seven Seals, the Seven rings,
The Seventh Story of a Scarlet King.
Tendrils burst from underneath, flying out from between the floorboard, wrapping around you again.
Last time on SECRET'S FALL …
You all saved Guilleman, Guiles for short, a young crow who had survived the devastation that had fallen on the city of Montauk. With no where else to go, you followed him through the ruined town, trying to piece together what had happened through the ash. Though it seemed there were no survivors, a brief meeting with a tiny, black fox showed this not to be the case - it had you all follow it to it's "owner" - a tiny fox you now know as "The Stranger," who was being held up by some of the cultists who had participated in Montauk's burning.
Though you wished to question them, they were quick to aggression, especially in conjunction with the Stranger's sudden introduction of knife to throat.
Quickly dispatching them, the Stranger introduced himself to you as a wandering salesmen - particularly, someone who seeks out adventurers like you in circumstances like these to be a "patron" of sorts. In exchange for first dibs on what artifacts you may wish to get rid of, he would offer you exclusive availability of his own potions, artifacts, and expertise. Giving you a small sampling of what he could provide, you all then went your separate ways. Though you offered to travel with him, he insisted on going his own way, and promised to find what information he could find. As he turned away, the small fox that had led you all to him tried to follow, but he instead shoed it away. Seemingly annoyed, the fox instead went to join you on your journey.
Thus, you all made your way out of the eerily quiet city with two new friends, down the path towards the inn and tavern that Guiles' father worked at. Finally finding your way through, you were met with a little more than just a Tavern - it seems the Dragon's Beak had become the de-facto center of operations for the survivors. As well defended as it could be, it had become a rag tag castle of sorts - spiked wooden barriers, a rough moat, and the moans of the sick and injured.
On the good graces of Guiles, you were allowed in and made your way the Dragon's Beak, where what remained of Montauk's leadership now gathered to organize the relief efforts, gather intelligence, and if possible - stage counter operations.
Offered a momentary reprieve by Sir Altus, an armored secretary bird, the de-facto captain of the guard, and Paladin of the Faith, you all sat down at the bar. There, Guiles embraced his father, Elias, the owner of the Dragon's Beak, who gave you a modest reward and his thanks.
This is where you all find yourselves now - finally sitting down after the events of the day. The namesake of the tavern, a massive dragon's skull which Elias insists is real, almost seems to stare into you, demanding your action. As cozy as it might want to be, the remaining leaders of Montauk engage in heated discussion behind you, fresh blood stains the floor, and guards sit at every door to remind you of the reality outside of this sanctuary. It is a held breath - outside, a city burns at the whims of a cult whose goals you don't know - only the lengths they have gone to achieve them.
How much further might they go? What is it that they actually want?
And is this annoying yinglet secretly a member of it?
It is here, ruminating on these thoughts, that you find yourselves with a drink in front of you.
Altus, the secretary bird and paladin, approaches you - as you look into his eyes, you can see he is beyond weary. He speaks -
"There is business that needs discussing, but take a reprieve to have a drink, steady your hands. Even just knowing 6 more made it out is welcome news. After you are finished, please come speak with me and my colleagues behind you.
And of course, thank you. You have done a great service returning Guiles to Elias. We shall speak soon."
So, Harbringers - what do you do?
[Outline a conversation between Velka, Altus, Nami before the party is able to jump in]
Altus speaks in a weary tone. "Velka, you know that I cannot spare the manpower - we are stretched thin enough as-"
Velka brings her paws down on the table, leaning forward. Her large ears quiver, shooting upwards as her fur bristles. She seems to be trying to make herself look bigger than she is - but even as she is, the fennec is still small. Anger clearly paints her face. "And how much thinner will we be when they decide to stop twiddling their thumbs and crush what's left of us?"
"W-well, we have a t-truce…"
Velka stares dagger into the squirrel and shakes her head. "Yes, sure, of course, lets just trust the fanatics who just wiped half of Montauk off the map. If we don't make a move, we are as good as dead but that seems to be what both of you want."
Altus clears his throat. "Velka, please. We are not your enemies."
Velka looks as if she is going to speak up and say something back, but as she looks at Altus' heavy expression, she softens and leans back into her chair.
Altus continues - "It is true. We cannot just sit and do nothing. But neither should we try to anger the wasps, not without more information. I trust their word as much as you do, Velka, but for the time we must abide by it."
Velka shakes her head as if she is going to start again, but is cut off before she can speak by Altus. "But we will NOT sit here and do nothing. Nami, we need medicine, yes?"
Nami nods frantically. "Yes, and other medical supplies! We uhm, we're low on…basically everything. It wont be much longer before we'll even run out of Elias' spirits. Bandages, alcohol, whatever we can, uhm, whatever we can spare."
Altus nods slowly, then turns towards the party. "I would ask, then, that we make our introductions."
Velka turns towards you. She is small, about Soots height, but her ears almost make up for it. She is wearing black clothes, a silver necklace with a purple crystal hanging from it. Her fur, in contrast to the standard coloration, is entirely silver. From her voice, however, she doesn't seem old. "My name is Velka. With the deaths of the elected officials, I have seen a…sudden promotion. It is a pleasure to meet you all."
Nami goes up to you all and takes a bow. Her fur is dark brown, splotches of lighter tans dying her extremities. Twigs and leaves are caught all throughout her impressive mane of hair and fluffy tail. She is wearing emerald clothes, simple cloths. Dried patches of blood cover her shirt. It seems she has been busy. "Uhm, m-my name is Nami! Im the uhm, healer here. It really is a pleasure to meet you all!!!! Though I wish it was under better circumstances…"
Altus - We are in desperate need for your help. I am making do with what men I can spare, but that is a painfully small number. We simply do not have the manpower to spare. But that is where your arrival offers an…opportunity.
[Velka wants the party to get information and cause problems]
[Altus wants the party to lay low and try to see how far the cultist's trust goes - but keyly, wants the party to also secure the medicine]
[Nami wants the party to secure the medicine and prettyy much nothing else. She scared.]
They know the following -
The cultists are organized.
That said, the cultists seem currently otherwise occupied. Don't know with what.
The cultists are much more aggressive towards the religious guard but have been avoidant of striking down the common folk.
The cult has a name - Twilight's Retribution.
The cults attacks were to cripple any immediate retribution and destroy the ability for there to be an organized response while they performed some sort of profane ritual.
This ritual has prevented exiting the town of Montauk. Its purpose and full area of effect is unknown.
Some of the cultists are mindless, without any real will of their own. You may encounter them before you get to the town.
There will be a MAP and Altus can tell the party about the lay of the land! Altus tells the party he knows a guy.
[Tassiter approaches quickly, introduces himself, then tells the party to talk to Altus as he and his crew head out.]
[Some stuff for Altus to say to everyone - mentions needing the party's help, mentions knowing the party is on death row, offers a full pardon to them if they make it through this alive.]
I am not a fool - In fact, I am very good at my job. I know what sort of business brought you into Montauk. But I am a practical man. Fate had us as enemies but circumstance makes brothers of us all. Saving the innkeeper's son, that was honorable. Continue to prove yourself? Get this medicine, help us through this - if I am still alive when all this business is done, then your sentences will be considered served.
I swear this on my life, should you prove yourselves worthy of it.
[Party finishes up convo, head out. Tassiter approaches Wix - asks him for help, hoping that they can make some noise in town to help.]
Tassiter knows a guy - someone named String. He's part of the hunter's association. Retired here a while ago - Tassiter was also looking to retire here and was actually looking for places when it happened. String should have some info. Tassiter and his group are on their way to scout out the church and see if there are cultists there.
[The road this way seems simple. Unperturbed. While footsteps occasionally interrupt it, it seems that this path did not see much of the frantic chaos of the last couple days
[Altus comes out and hooks the party up with the wagon + horse. Wishes them good luck and the party go on their way]
The wagon is decently sized, enough space to fit all 5 of you and still have room for the medicine. Leading it is a bipedal avian with green scales and purple feathers along its crest and tail. It flicks its ears before looking off absentmindedly.
[The party gets to a road. DC 15 check to hear the enemies that are waiting in ambush]
THere's some deer guy that will warn the party to turn back, but he's not very 'smart.' He's a pawn.
[Party gets to the town entrance, surprisingly friendly, curious about the party. Wix's attempt to get the cultist guy out of his bonds didn't go unnoticed - the party is let in to get an opportunity to meet the cultists and find out about their way of life.]
Loot - The mill is empty. The party can find some stuff for disguises.
—-
The Hunter Killer Queen - Amelia. She is a wolf, white and grey fur protruding through bandages which cover her eyes. Strangly, she has antlers as well which break through the top of her head asymetricaly. There is something unnatural about her proportions [DC 15 check to recognize some of the signs of the affliction from the wolves prior]
…Wait a moment. You. Come here for a moment. She approaches you and offers a paw out try and touch your cheek.
As she drinks in your features, you see her eyes light up with recognition.
"You! On the day of our - You were at the gallows. You tried to help our brother before he…" She shakes her head a moment, a brief grief settling for a moment, before being dispelled in a moment with forced joy. "…You showed him kindness before he gave his life to our cause."
She looks over the party, thinking a moment. "If you'll let me, allow me to repay that kindness? I know that it seems bad, but there is a reason for our violence."