This one-shot was played in December 2024. It centers around the Blackreyne Brotherhood during the The Great Aurian War in 3E224, when they created the sect of the Brighthunt. This one-shot follows one of the first missions of the Brighthunt in which they recover and awaken Ballista Virgo of the Lightwatch.
The characters chosen by Archhunter Daerron Blackreyne to join the Brighthunt were:
Silas Darkgraves - M Dhampir Archfey Warlock / Battlemaster Fighter (Daibik)
Sirakos - M Tiefling (Theratis) Arcane Trickster Rogue (Sam)
Aleksandr - M Hill Dwarf Zeal Cleric (Vijay)
In addition, they were accompanied by the NPC Viktor, another warforged reprogrammed by the Brotherhood alongside Dr. Rho.
Archhunter Daerron Blackreyne of the Blackreyne Brotherhood summoned Silas, Sirakos, Aleksandr, Dr. Rho, and Viktor to the mortuary basement of Night’s End. There, he revealed to them that he wanted them to be a part of the newly founded ‘Brighthunt’, a sect of the Blackreynes that can unofficially do secret missions that the greater Brotherhood cannot. He showed them a white obsidian medallion that he had carved for the Brighthunt. Not one they actually needed to carry, but something he just made to look cool. Viktor revealed that one of the initial Brighthunt members, Bertram, was killed by dark magic within Crimson Territory. He was investigating a light artifact hidden under the sewers of Ruskerton for Saint Kol-Han, something that could possibly end the war sooner. The four and Viktor agree to help Daerron out and join the Brighthunt. Silas, a dhampir, was just recruited a week ago to be a monster who fights monsters. Meanwhile, Dr. Rho and Viktor were 4 year old warforged only recently given freedom from their programming. Aleksandr, the most senior member of this hunting party, led the way.
While going through the Everswamp Marshlands, Viktor inquired into Silas’ talk with Archhunter Daerron and got him to reveal his backstory of how he banished his archfey-vampire father Sen to the Shadowfell hundreds of years ago. The next day, around noon, the party ended up within the sunken and overgrown ruins of Derglin, Silas’ old hometown. There, Sirakos accidentally triggered an obelisk that transported the party into a half-shadowfell-half-abmarah demiplane. Silas’ ring of mind shielding stopped working temporarily, as he started hearing his father Sen’s voice as well as seeing his apparition. The party fought off Vampire Spawn and destroyed the obelisk, returning themselves to Abmarah. That night, while camping, Silas explained how he gains power from his father still.
The next day, they reached the Crimson city of Ruskerton. Sirakos charmed the garrison commander into peacefully letting them into the city, and then they entered the sewers following Bertram’s map. In the sewers, they got a surprise circle of death cast upon them as a Dark Hunt Lich named Vox’rex attacked them, likely the one who had killed Bertram as well. They managed to take down the lich, who told them to keep the light dead. Heading deeper into the ruins, they came across the Liigaol Entrance, a prison that looked like it was made out of infernal metal.
There, an androsphinx named Zondras landed before them, and read their minds. He asked if they are worthy of the artifact that they seek, and inquired personally to all of their goals and ambitions. He asked what Silas would do when his father truly returns, to which Silas replied that he would be ready to fight. He asked whether Sirakos’ loyalty to the Blackreynes is truly worth this, to which he said that it is. He asked whether Aleksandr even knows which version of Jakuna he was supposed to follow now, to which Aleksandr simply replied that he just needed to make sense of this chaos and keep true to his ideals. Finally, Zondras asked Dr. Rho and Viktor what the meaning of life was to the newborn machines. Rho aimed to gather wisdom and find it out for himself through a journey, while Viktor simply said that the meaning of life to him is to make his own decisions and come out on top no matter what.
Zondras to Sirakos: "The helltouched. The Blackreyne Brotherhood gave you everything. Will you do anything they ask of you to repay them?"
Zondras to Aleksandr: "The zealot. You worship Jakuna, but which side of her do you believe these days? Do you even know?"
Zondras to Silas: "The sins of the father weigh heavily upon you, deathless one. One day he shall return in truth, what will you be doing then?"
Zondras to Rho & Viktor: "The newborns. The same fork, yet both of your paths are diverging further away from each other's. Tell me, brothers of metal, what is the meaning of life to you?"
Transporting them to a Hellplane version of the gaol, he asked them three riddles. If they couldn’t solve them, they would fight to the death. Throughout the riddles, he kept warning them about not letting the light out, and that the light was imprisoned for a reason. Finally, he warned them that they will all live to see the consequences of their actions, and that ending this war better be worth opening this pandora’s box. Solving the riddles, the party receives the light artifact they were sent to retrieve- a 3 foot wide golden orb. Silas and Viktor said that they are ready to see the consequences of their actions over the long-term. Teleporting back to Night’s End, the Brighthunt scientists unsealed the orb to reveal a golden statue of a short humanoid within. Unpetrifying her, she was revealed to be Lightwatcher Virgo, aka Ballista Virgo. Archhunter Daerron awakened her after a thousand years, telling her that Saint Kol-Han needed her once more.
"Rii Vae, Aetha Yaalai Yaav Kol-Han Zakii Zo."
—Daerron to Vae, translating to "Awaken Vae, Kol-Han calls you after a thousand years."