Emberdale¶
Heat restored; anchor destroyed · Second realm behind the mirrors
A town beneath a volcano, saved from freezing when the party freed Vashember in Session 11. The account below records the crisis they found on arrival.
Arrival¶
The party chose Emberdale's portal in Urmon's Temple after destroying Bellhollow's anchor. They arrived at the end of Session 9, then explored the town and entered the mountain in Session 10.
Snow falls in the same precise patterns seen in corrected Phandalin. The lantern-lined trail climbs the volcano, but the lamps stop being lit halfway up.
The failing heat¶
The god within the volcano once kept Emberdale warm. Something changed within the past year, and the heat has become unreliable. Snow is encroaching on the houses; some residents burn furniture for fuel.
The latest pilgrims carried offerings of prayers and gold up the mountain a few weeks ago. They have not returned.
The Shrine of Flame¶
Keeper Ledgard tends the shrine. Worshippers chant from hymn sheets in which Vashember has been crossed out and replaced with designated thermal asset. Villagers have become authorized occupants.
The party can see the alteration. Ledgard does not seem able to recognize it.
The scriptorium inside the volcano was found systematically carrying out the same erasure.
The Hearth-Hall¶
The townspeople shelter together here, where the remaining dependable heat is concentrated. Elder Coalwife privately told the party that a vision had restored her memory of the god's name.
She believes Vash, Em, and Ber are hidden inside the mountain. She asked the party to find the pilgrims and investigate, allowing them to keep what treasure they found.
The party paid 1,000 gp for a support expedition, supplies for a rest, and prayers granting a reroll during the dungeon. Fenro also requested a mayoral sash upon success. He received it after freeing Vashember: his third sash.
Inside the mountain¶
The party found a warm service hatch beside the blocked main entrance and descended into the volcano.
| Place | What the party found |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | A sphinx, nine orbs, Vash, a lava valve, a flesh golem, and Korr |
| The prayer river | Floating candles and the central junction where Bluto confronted them |
| The scriptorium | Erased hymns, Em scratched into a desk, and the purple seal |
| The candle gallery | Ctenmiir, fading prayers, and the blue seal |
| The menagerie | The volcano's living filters, a trapped safe, and the green seal |
Liberation¶
In Session 11, the party cleared the gold seal, recovered Ber, and loosened the four chains supporting Vashember's prison. Speaking his complete name severely weakened the False Ember.
Arthas destroyed the prison controls while Niko contained the rekindling enemy. Vashember was freed, the False Ember permanently destroyed, and the anchor broken. Heat returned to town and the snow vanished.
The party received its payment; Gerald accepted half his share. Fenro received his third mayoral sash. They returned to Urmon's temple and continued to Fetchford.
Remaining questions¶
Corrupted attackers and corrected singers were found inside the volcano, and a pilgrim was freed from the bell. The fate of every missing pilgrim is not established. The final condition of the remaining menagerie creatures is also unrecorded.