The Factions
The Lamplighters
Led by Zarya Pax and Jedidiah “Jed” Evasparda.
The Shadowspawn
Lead by Desmond Von Vanestra and Lord Nigel.
The Story
We’re back on the Western Continent, several hundred years after the opening of the celestial vault. With the passing of the Khazrdanium Moon, monsters have begun to emerge across all of Orlandia! Vampires and Werewolves and Ghosts, oh my! The Lamplighters formed to rally defenders against monsters that hunt in the night, an assembly of brave Monster Hunters as well as the common folk just hoping to survive. To counteract this, the Shadowspawn formed, bringing together various monstrous forces under the leadership of the charismatic vampire, Desmond Von Vanestra, and his Fel second in command, Lord Nigel (currently possessing the body of serial killer Thaddeus).
The current back and forth war against the Shadowspawn has been fought for half a century, with a variety of leaders coming and going to lead the Lamplighters. Currently, the human Zarya Pax is leading the cause, who has survived for half a decade despite being a mundane, everyday human. Her second in command, the reluctant werewolf Jedidiah “Jed” Evasparda, is an apex mosnter hunter who only recently joined the Lamplighters fully, choosing to follow Zarya closely.
Desmond is hoping to complete a magical ritual known as the Darkheart Ritual. Through this ritual, he seeks to eliminate all of the weaknesses associated with his own monstrous forces. To combat this, the Lamplighters rallied their forces to try to stop it!
Who will wrestle control of the Darkheart Ritual?
Will the Lamplighters succeed in turning the ritual against the Shadowspawn, amplifying their weaknesses and evening the playing field?
Will the Shadowspawn succeed to stripping themselves of their weaknesses, ensuring their survival against the Hunters and turning themselves into a nigh-unstoppable force?
Act Summaries
Act 1
The leader of the Lamplighters, Jedidiah Evasparda and Zarya Pax, are poring over the notes they have collected on the mysterious Darkheart Ritual that the Shadowspawn are planning to enact. Jedidiah throws the notes in a fit of frustration, and Zarya calms him down by having him repeat what they know about the ritual.
The ritual has three steps: a sacrifice of space, a sacrifice of substance, and a sacrifice of self. All three steps must be done a day apart, and the ritual requires a ton of power. Thus, the best time to do the ritual is when the magical leylines burst every year and expel their built-up excess energy. They also know that the Shadowspawn have been amassing unknown materials, presumably for the ritual.
After calming down, while picking up the scattered notes, Jedidiah notices something on the back of the notes and shows it to Zarya. Zarya and Jedidiah rush off suddenly, realizing that the first step of the ritual is about to begin.
Meanwhile, Desmond Von Venestra and Lord Nigel, leaders of the Shadowspawn, are preparing the ritual site in Desmond’s castle courtyard. Just as Desmond is about to begin the ritual, Zarya and Jedidiah appear having fought their way through the castle’s guards. Zarya and Jedediah attempt to stop Desmond, but they are held in place by Lord Nigel and Desmond is able to complete the first step of the ritual.
Desmond explains that he is intending to use the Darkheart Ritual to purge the weaknesses that he and his fellow Shadowspawn suffer from, rendering them nigh unstoppable. Satisfied that the Lamplighters have now seen their failure, Desmond orders Lord Nigel to kill Zarya and Jedidiah. As a last ditch effort, Zarya admits that she has information on the Darkheart Ritual that the Shadowspawn don’t know. Despite protests from Jedidiah, Zarya says she is willing to make a deal with the fel Lord Nigel; the information for their lives and safe return to their base. Desmond scoffs at this but Lord Nigel shuts him down and accepts Zarya’s deal.
Zarya reveals that the Darkheart Ritual doesn’t just care about who is casting it. Other groups can contribute components to the ritual. Whatever group contributes the most to the ritual, gets to determine the final effects of the ritual. The Shadowspawn intend to purge their weaknesses; the Lamplighters intend to enhance the weaknesses of their enemy. Desmond thinks this is a blatant desperate lie, but Lord Nigel reminds him that deals made with them are binding, and that they couldn’t lie, even if they wanted to. Zarya and Jedidiah make their escape unharmed, remarking that they’ll need to gather more recruits for the battles ahead. Desmond is furious with Lord Nigel for letting them go and threatens Lord Nigel, but they remind Desmond that he made a deal with them as well. Desmond relents and leaves to gather more recruits himself, remarking that they will talk later about where Lord Nigel’s loyalties lie.
Act 2
Jedidiah enters Zarya’s chambers to find her frantically going over a plan. She explains that the second step of the ritual is a sacrifice of substance. And that the Shadowspawn, like them, have been amassing materials somewhere in the castle. Zarya plans to find what the Shadowspawn have been hoarding and destroy it. If she succeeds, the Shadowspawn would have nothing to sacrifice and ritual would be ruined The Shadowspawn would have to wait a whole year to try again. This would give the Lamplighters a whole year to prepare, now with complete knowledge of what the Shadowspawn were planning.
Jedidiah quickly pokes holes in Zarya’s plan. Rightfully identifying it as a suicide mission, considering Zarya doesn’t know where or what exactly she is looking for; not to mention how the two of them barely escaped last time. Zarya quickly shuts Jedidiah down, stating that if there is any chance she can end the conflict that she has to take it. Jedidiah reluctantly agrees and insists on going with her. Zarya refuses though, stating that it is far too dangerous to risk both of their lives and to leave the Lamplighters without a leader. Jedidiah doubts his leadership capabilities; being a werewolf he thinks half of the Lamplighters just view him as another monster, and the other half are worried he’s going to hunt them down next. Zarya embraces him and assures him that they will follow him. Zarya goes to leave, then hesitates and quickly turns back around to kiss Jedidiah. She asks him not to tell the other Lamplighters what she is planning before she hurries off.
Some time later, Desmond calls for Lord Nigel to bring out the sacrifice for the second step of the ritual. Lord Nigel instead escorts out Zarya, who has been captured. Zarya mocks Desmond, stating that there will be no sacrifice because she managed to destroy their offering. Desmond acknowledges that Zarya’s stunt would have proved effective…had they not managed to capture her. Desmond remarks that the ritual calls for a sacrifice of substance, and he can’t think of something more substantial than a leader of the people. He kills Zarya and completes the second step of the ritual. Jedidiah arrives moments too late and attacks Desmond and Lord Nigel, but Lord Nigel is able to hold him back and Jedidiah runs off, swearing revenge.
Desmond orders Lord Nigel to stop Jedidiah, but Lord Nigel refuses. Desmond questions why Lord Nigel continues to defy him, and Lord Nigel expresses that there is no point. Lord Nigel believes that the Shadowspawn have already won, pointing out that the leader of the Lamplighters is dead, and that their second has fled. Desmond goes off after Jedidiah, reminding Lord Nigel that if the Shadowspawn are defeated, that Lord Nigel will also suffer the same fate as the rest of them. After Desmond is gone, Lord Nigel looks at Zarya’s body and says “We shall see.”
Act 3
Zarya (now returned from the dead as a spirit) and Jedidiah arrive once more to the site of the ritual. Desmond begins the final step of the ritual. Jedidiah goes to attack Desmond, and is briefly stopped by Lord Nigel. Zarya, however, is now unaffected by Lord Nigel and manages to briefly posses them, freeing Jedidiah. Jedidiah is too late to stop Desmond, however, and Desmond is able to complete the ritual. While the residual energy of the ritual is wearing off, Jedidiah and Desmond attack each other. The fight concludes with Desmond taking a stake to heart.
Desmond falls to the ground dead. Lord Nigel is able to break Zarya’s possession and is barely able to hold off Jedidiah. Lord Nigel remarks that unlike Desmond, they know when they are beaten, and don’t intend to stick around long enough to find out if the Lamplighters can actually kill them now. Lord Nigel then bids them farewell for now, before leaving possession of their host and leaving the host to scramble to escape.
Jedidiah celebrates the Lamplighters victory, and excitedly tells Zarya to come with him to tell the others. She stops him though, and laments that she can’t. She explains that stopping the Shadowspawn was the only thing still tying her to the mortal world, and that her unfinished business is now finished. Jedidiah goes to embrace her before she suddenly vanishes, and the lights slowly fade as he falls to his knees and he begs and shouts for Zarya to come back.
Characters
The Lamplighters
The Shadowspawn
Neutral
