Following the assassination of Queen Sarastra, the Feywild was thrown into chaos. Sarastra held two important roles - her seat as the Queen of the Twilight Court was obvious, but she was also the Fey Ascendant. The Twilight Court was the most dominant and influential court in the Feywild, and her demise meant that all the courts suddenly found themselves in competition for the Ascendancy. Summer, Winter, Witching, Wandering and many more courts vyed for it and, while they clearly wanted to know who had killed Sarastra, it wasn’t their priority when such a prize was available.
The adventurers therefore had many avenues of profitable engagement: investigations into the murder; Twilight Court politics as local figures sought favour to become the new queen; and broader Feywild conflicts as the courts all sought to undermine each other or shore up their own positions ahead of the great Chorus meeting where all would be decided. This season also saw our first Graduation game for Baine!
The Twilight Court’s drama centred around several contenders amongst the local nobility, but following scandal, blackmail and drama it was the Spymaster Miandra Gleaming who gained enough favour to be crowned queen, becoming Queen Miandra – the Queen of Ken and Cunning.
Meanwhile, an investigation into the murder of Sarastra turned up some disturbing information. The Twilight Court was where Jack – the Hexadrone who had caused chaos in the Amaranthine Games – was supposed to be imprisoned, but he was nowhere to be found. A memory charm had been placed on the palace so that no one had realised, but he had in fact escaped the very day of Sarastra’s murder – as it was her magic holding his cage shut. Jack would remain elusive for months to come.
Back in the Material Plane, a strange nocturnal carnival arrived in Port Ffirst, which would travel around the Dawnlands being visited by many over the next year to many weird and wonderful adventures. Also, the country of Harnash to the west was encountered for the first time – a land of sophisticated and very buff folk - orcs, goliaths, tabaxi and more, in a dense jungle. A notable feature of the landscape was Gadenthor – a massive Netherese flying city which had crashed almost perpendicularly into the landscape centuries ago – the site of much archaeological interest.
In the Feywild, the Summer Court went on the offensive, using a mixture of might and diplomacy to expand their territory. The Winter Court countered by acquiring a new undead army and focused on secrets and spying to win the intelligence game. For their part, the Witching Court spread their influence through favours and, specifically, blackmail material. Nicnevin also made the devious move of covertly supporting Mianda to gain the Twilight Throne on the condition that she would in turn support Nicnevin’s claim to the Ascendancy, which proved very effective.
Finally it was time for the decision to be made. The courts gathered around as the spirits of the land apparated to commune as a Chorus to determine the new Fey Ascendant. It was then of course that the Queen of Air and Darkness struck, sending everyone into disarray. Adventurers split up to protect the Archfey and, by the skin of their teeth, succeeded. The Chorus was reconvened and Witching Court was promoted to Ascendancy. Queen Nicnevin, the Lady of Copper and Crystal, was to be the new arbiter of crucial decisions in the Feywild.
All seemed well, though as was later discovered, they were all of them… deceived.
Summary:
Claimants to the throne of the Twilight Court came into political conflict, with Miandra Gleaming emerging victorious as the new Twilight Queen.
The murder of Queen Sarastra was not solved, but appeared likely to be connected to the escape of Jack the Hexadrone.
The major Feywild courts contested with each other for the title of Ascendant Court.
The Queen of Air and Darkness disrupted the final decision, threatening several Archfey, but adventurers saved them.
Queen Nicnevin and the Witching Court emerged as the new Ascendant Court and Fey Ascendant.