Kro, Dalgrin

The adventure began in the halls of the Gilded Compass guild, where Thrain briefed Kro and Dalgrin on their urgent mission. Four experienced adventurers had vanished without a trace: Vessa Thornvale, identifiable by her green cloak; Ember Thistle, a cartographer who carried numerous maps; Saelin Mirelight, who wore a precious purple gemstone necklace from her religious order; and Doran Quill, known for his peculiar black compass that never pointed north. Thrain warned them that fire at night attracted dangerous shadows and provided them with potions of heroism before sending them on their way.

Pinna, the town's mage, operated the guild's magical sigil circle to transport the pair to their destination. The teleportation process created a disorienting sensation of falling through darkness before depositing them in a dense oak forest at the base of towering mountains. Early morning light filtered through the canopy as they oriented themselves in this wilderness, far from the protective walls of Siothruna.

Kro's cartographic expertise proved invaluable as he identified an ancient, overgrown game trail leading north toward twin mountain peaks. Their investigation of the area revealed disturbed brush and vegetation, suggesting something had been dragged through recently. Dalgrin's keen eye discovered week-old blood scattered among the fallen leaves, protected from the elements and pointing them in the direction of the mountains.

Following the blood trail deeper into the forest, they heard voices speaking in an unfamiliar tongue. Their attempt at stealth failed due to the clanking of armor and snapping of branches, but they managed to observe two elves in dirty black robes cooking wolf meat over a campfire. The elves spoke in Draconic about disturbing matters - a new acolyte who had screamed during something called "the stillness" and whose eyes had turned black as night.

When Kro approached diplomatically, both elves immediately drew curved, sickle-shaped daggers from their waists. Despite the tense moment, Kro managed to negotiate rather than fight, learning that these elves refused to speak Common as it went against their religious beliefs. They claimed it was the "tongue of the light one" and offered to take the party to their camp, where others might have information about the missing adventurers.

The journey to the cult camp took them through increasingly rocky terrain as they approached the mountains. Kro discreetly used his sword tip to disturb leaves and dirt, confirming that the blood trail continued in the same direction their guides were leading them. The elves moved with confidence through the wilderness, requiring no maps to navigate the treacherous paths.

As night fell, they made camp in a cave-like burrow carved into a hillside. The guides insisted on keeping their fire hidden within the burrow to avoid attracting the shadows that roamed the darkness. They shared their cooked wolf meat, which tasted like tough jerky, and arranged watch shifts with one person from each pair staying alert. During his watch, Kro learned that his elf companion had never seen a city and had been raised in these mountains, hearing only stories of the golden city of Dragon's Maw from his deceased parents.

The next morning brought them to a clearing where animal hide tents were scattered around the edges of the forest. At the center stood a massive stone altar constructed from chiseled boulders, with channels carved into its surface that suggested a sinister purpose. More black-robed figures moved about the camp as their guides led them to meet the leader.

Arin emerged from the largest tent, introducing himself as the leader of this mountain community. He invited them into his tent, which contained maps, books, and two guards standing watch. Dalgrin's sharp eyes caught sight of a silver necklace with a purple crystal lying on Arin's table - unmistakably Saelin's religious relic. Arin quickly shuffled papers over the necklace when he noticed their attention, then offered them dark purple wine that tasted impossibly sweet and claimed to have curative properties.

Arin spun a tale about the missing adventurers, claiming they had passed through seeking artifacts and had continued northwest into the mountains. He offered the party hospitality for the night before they continued their search, but his story didn't align with the blood trail they had followed directly to this camp. The presence of Salen's necklace and the deliberate way Arin had concealed it raised immediate suspicions.

The tent they were given for the night contained rustic furnishings and, more disturbingly, dried blood stains on the floor. Kro and Dalgrin quietly discussed the inconsistencies in Arin's story and the evidence pointing to the missing adventurers having met a grim fate at this very camp. Realizing they were vastly outnumbered and in extreme danger, they decided to escape using their magical guild compasses.

Their attempt to slip away quietly failed when guards noticed their movement toward the forest. Kro pretended to need the bathroom to justify their rush to the woods, but Arin's voice called out behind them in Draconic, ordering his followers to pursue the fleeing visitors. Three black-robed cultists gave chase as the party sprinted through the dense forest.

The pursuit led to a desperate attempt to hide among the trees and undergrowth. Kro's effort to conceal himself in a bush resulted in broken branches and scattered rocks, making his position obvious to their pursuers. Dalgrin fared better, using his natural rabbit-like agility to leap high into the branches of an ancient tree, finding cover among the thick foliage.

Combat erupted when the cultists discovered Kro's failed hiding spot. The black-robed elves showed disturbing excitement at the prospect of violence, their eyes lighting up as they drew their sickle daggers. Kro quickly consumed his potion of heroism before engaging with his greatsword, while Dalgrin provided support from his elevated position in the tree.

The battle was swift but brutal. Dalgrin's frost magic struck one cultist from above, slowing their movements with supernatural cold. Kro's greatsword proved devastatingly effective, cleaving through his opponents with lethal precision. When one cultist attempted to climb the tree to reach Dalgrin, the resourceful rabbit-folk used magic to launch a large branch like a projectile, impaling his attacker and ending the threat.

With all three pursuers defeated, they quickly searched the bodies for evidence. Kro claimed one of the unnaturally cold black robes and discovered that each cultist wore a pendant on a silver chain - strange gemstones that absorbed light like the moon itself. Hearing distant shouts from the direction of the camp, they used their guild compasses to teleport back to safety before more enemies could arrive.

Back in the guild hall, Thrain listened intently to their harrowing report. The artifacts they had recovered - the cold-touched robe and light-absorbing pendant - confirmed his worst fears about moon cultists who worshipped the Great Dark. These followers made sacrifices to the moon and represented a far more dangerous threat than initially anticipated. Kro's cartographic skills proved invaluable once again as he helped map their route for future rescue attempts.

Thrain rewarded their bravery and crucial intelligence gathering, but the fate of the four missing adventurers remained uncertain. The discovery of Salen's necklace in Arin's possession suggested the worst, but until other guild members returned from their own missions, mounting a proper rescue operation would have to wait. The party had uncovered a dangerous cult operating in the mountains, but at great personal risk and with the knowledge that their fellow adventurers might already be lost to the darkness.