Threads in the Vein of Night
Reeling from lost allies, the party navigates the Sanguisian Empire’s shifting loyalties—uncovering forbidden histories, coded alliances, and the shadowed truth of Thaustus—before accepting a perilous contract in the Black Iron mines. As rebels stir, gods loom, and faith fractures, they descend into a darkness that even the undead fear.
Coming to terms with Ro’Zaad and Thalia’s departure, the remaining Vanguard recognized they could not follow them and prioritized upgrading Percy’s basic leather armor. Realizing Naoki needed to locate the Lost Grove, Sanasha noted the party first required a proper regional map and suggested visiting a library near the eastern mountains. Departing their inn, they visited Mistress Fidget Quill at the Archivist’s Lens shop, trading old books for a detailed map of the Sanguisian Empire and acquiring a reading primer for Naoki. Mistress Quill recounted the myth of the Godscar and how Nexus created the first vampires to shield the world from cosmic war. When asked about the reclusive artificer Phaustus, she paled and instructed them to search near the river's source in the middle ring, warning them to keep quiet.
Stepping into the central square, the party witnessed the public execution of a rebel by Captain Glorian Englorian—whom Renatus recognized as his own former killer. Spotting a tail, Renatus confronted the man, revealing him to be an information broker. Sharing earth-tinged Osseous water, the broker explained the brewing conflict between the ruling Blackshires and the mortal Rebels protesting the blood tithe, noting that rumors of Qyradell’s fall had already reached the city. He provided passphrase codes to contact both factions as well as Phaustus. Journeying to Phaustus’ Flesh and Flux Emporium, Sanasha used the code to gain an audience with the creator. Unimpressed by their tales until they detailed their combat experience, Phaustus hired the Vanguard to retrieve a troll's heart from a rogue creature hiding within the Black Iron Mountain mines.
Outside the emporium, Head Stellar Polaris reappeared and offered to escort the party to the mines. In exchange for bypass paperwork, Percy agreed to visit her temple again, where Polaris floated the possibility of earning a Blackshire blessing to become vampires while gently encouraging Percy's waning faith toward Nexus. Entering the dark, winding Black Iron Mountain mines—where post-godwar magic distorted darkvision—the Vanguard learned from local Dragonborn miners that workers had been mysteriously disappearing deep underground. Weapons drawn, the party descended into the blurry gloom to track the monster.