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Arabella was having trouble coming to terms with both the loss of her parents and her manifesting magic, but she found an unexpected advisor and mentor. The strange monk? lich? mage? they had met in the beginning of their adventure had begun hanging about the camp – referring to himself as Withers, refusing to answer questions, and generally being cryptic. But for Arabella he gave solid guidance. He said that she had a destiny and her potential was vast, but she needed to study the Weave – and learn her own path.

Moonrise Tower was a large, intimidating stronghold. It had watchspires around a central tower, and was clearly well defended. It looked particularly ominious in the shadowy gloom, and it was hard to believe it had once been dedicated to Selune.

It was not difficult for Jasper to bluff his way past the guards given that most Absolutists could detect his tadpole – even if they were not yet True Souls themselves. It was not long before they were directed to the audience chamber where Ketheric was holding court.

When they saw finally saw him in person, Shadowheart nearly gasped. It had been clear for some time that his interests had diverged from standard Sharan doctrine. But seeing him now they suddenly understood why. There was no mistaking the symbols or styling of his armor. Just as he had once abandoned Selune for Shar, he had apparently in turned abandoned Shar. He was now a Chosen of Myrkul, Lord of Bones.

He was discussing with his lieutenant what to do with a trio of goblins. Goblins that Jasper recognized from before. They were grovelling for mercy, while Ketheric was scornfully admonishing them for failing to obtain “the artifact”. He looked up as he noticed Jasper – and sensing the tadpole in his head asked “And what does our newest True Soul believe we should do with these wretches?” Jasper argued for leniency – suggesting they could perhaps still be useful. But Katheric harshly laughed – saying “They should be put down. They have already failed”.

One of the goblins – apparently a braver sort – cursed, grabbed a spear from a guard, and hurled it directly at Ketheric. It pierced his shoulder… and he looked down at it. With boredom. He pulled it out, walked down to the terrified goblin, *handed her a sword*, and suggested “Try again. Do better this time“. The unbelieving goblin thrust the weapon straight into Ketheric’s neck. Once again Ketheric utterly ignored the injury. Merely pulling the weapon out… and then in a blur eviscerating the hapless goblin. He then turned and walked up the stairs, dismissively calling over his shoulder to Jasper, “You dispense with the others. However you wish.”.

Jasper chose to set them free. He had no stomach for murder. The lieutenant looked at him harshly, then shrugged. She had a more important mission for him. Ketheric had sent his wizard Balthazar to the mausoleum to find “an artifact”, but Balthazar had not yet returned. He was to find Balthazar and offer whatever assistance he could to accelerate the process. Since he already intended to explore that location, it was simple enough to agree. He didn’t even need to lie. He would find Balthazar. Whether Balthazar would appreciate his brand of “assistance” – that was another matter.

In the meantime, they explored the tower more thoroughly. On a lower level they found prison cells… containing both many of the missing tiefling refugees and a number of deep gnomes. Including Barcus’ friend Wulbren! Wulbren wanted them to steal back his tools so that they could break out, but Jasper wanted to investigate the situation a bit first.

A bit of searching led them to discover old cave tunnels which led behind the cells. And the walls did not look nearly as strong as expected there. A silence spell and letting Karlach loose soon had an opening for the prisoners!

Jasper cast an illusion of the prisoners still in their cells, and then led them out. It wouldn’t fool the guards for long without his presence – but it didn’t need to.

Further back the cave led to a subterranean river… and had an old smuggling dock and chained boats! Karlach broke the chains easily enough, and they quickly loaded up the prisoners and floated them back down the river to the Last Light Inn – with the voices of the guards echoing through the cave as they caught on a little too late.

The Tieflings and Gnomes at the Inn were overjoyed to see so many of their compatriots returned, but they had not found everyone. There were many sections of the Towers that they were not able to bluff their way into. There was still much to do.

With the lute from the Surgeon’s stash they were able to rouse the unconscious guard. Halsin questioned him thoroughly, and then motioned Jasper aside. He had been able to deduce Thaniel’s location from the guard’s memories… but Thaniel was beyond the veil in the Shadowfell. He would have to be retrieved in order to break the Curse. He asked Jasper to meet him by the lakeshore – just *outside* the Inn’s magical protection.

At the lakeshore he told Jasper his plan. He would open a portal to the Shadowfell and enter to retrieve Thaniel. But as soon as he did so the Shades in the area would sense it – and would swarm to attack and close the portal before he could return. So Jasper and his companions would have to defend the portal – keeping it open until he could return with Thaniel.

The battle was fierce, and at times it seemed the night itself was attacking from all sides.

But in the end they prevailed, and Halsin returned through the portal carrying an unconscious boy.

Hailsin then told him Thaniel had been split – separated from his spirit. Until he was re-united with it he could not be awakened. It did not take Jasper long to realize who Thaniel’s other half must be. The shadowy boy they had met deep in the Shadowlands.

They returned to Oliver to convince him to re-unite with Thaniel, but he had no interest in doing so. He enjoyed his freedom in the shadows, and fled to the Shadowfell when Jasper tried to convince him. Leaving them no choice but to follow.

In the Shadowfell the boy was able to summon much larger and more fearsome “playmates”, and they had their work cut out for them subduing his creations until he was willing to listen.

When finally convinced, he returned to re-unite with Thaniel. In the Inn the boy awakened – with a touch of Oliver’s gleam still in his eyes. But even this did not end the Curse. Thaniel sadly told them that to *truly* end it they would have to end the man who had called it down in the first place. As long as Ketheric lived, the Curse would remain.

As they returned to Reithwin Town to enter the mausoleum, they crossed near the bridge leading towards Baldur’s Gate. There they saw a huge encampment of soldeers of the Absolute. Goblins, Hobgoblins, Drow and others. Even if they defeated Ketheric, this problem would not fade away.

Upon approaching the mausoleum, they were once more “greeted” by Raphael. He had a proposition for them. If they would eliminate an “old enemy” of his lurking in the mausoleum, he would give them information about how they could remove their tadpoles. Jasper didn’t trust him in the slightest, and had no intention of agreeing to any “deal”. Unfortunately Astarion was not so cautious – and made his own deal behind Jasper’s back. Jasper understood his desperation, but he was sure the price would be high.

Inside the upper level of the Mausoleum, they learned much about Ketheric. From the tomb of his wife,Melodia, they learned that her death had begun his path away from Selune. And when his daughter, Isobel, had died as well he had turned to Shar to help him forget. The tombs did not say when and why he turned to Myrkul. Jasper was getting suspicious at this point at Ketheric’s daughter’s name being the same as that of the Selunite Cleric protecting the Inn. Especially given that Ketheric’s assault had explicitly intended to capture her alive….

Underneath the Mausoleum they found a huge temple complex dedicated to Shar – with a giant statue occupying the center.

They came across several groups of shadowy Sharran undead Justiciars battling skeletal soldiers. In several cases the skeletons actually spoke to them! Apparently they were working for Balthazar, and Shar did *not* appreciate his intrusion.

Further in the complex they caught sight of a rare Displacer Beast. But rather than attacking it appeared to be baiting them into following. Jasper suspected a trap, but he also suspected he could let it spring on his own terms.

Sure enough, the beast led them to a ruined room piled with skeletons… and a large Orthon devil with a pack of devil mercenaries arranged in sniping positions!

The devil was prepared to kill them on sight, but hesitated when Jasper mentioned Raphael. Apparently Raphael had tricked him into attacking the conclave a century ago, and he could not leave until his contract had been filled. United in their desire to interfere with Raphael, Jasper asked for the precise terms of his contract. The Orthon sung them, as they had been committed as a song:

“Spill all the blood sworn to the night.
Silence all prayers; smother each rite.

Wander Shar’s halls; hungry to slay;
Leave no Justiciar alive to obey.

Leave none to hear it, then be set free;
This song is your oath, swear, swear to me.” 

The Orthon was convinced the contract was crooked, because he had slain all the Sharans yet still was bound. Jasper first convinced him to kill his own troops, as they had heard the song and so “leave none to hear it” had not been fulfilled. Then Jasper convinced him to kill his beloved Displacer Beast… and finally himself. This both returned him to the Hells and satisfied his contract. Unfortunately it *also* apparently fulfilled Astarion’s contract with Raphael.

Further in the temple, they found an area called “The Gauntlet of Shar”. It was apparently a set of trials a Sharan must pass in order to become a Dark Justiciar. Since Shadowheart considered this her life’s ambition, she insisted they complete the Trials.

The first was “The Trial of the Soft Step”, where she had to sneak through a maze full of shadows.

The second was the “Self-Same Trial”, where they had to defeat shadowy duplicates of themselves.

The final trial was the “Leap of Faith”, where Shadowheart was required to make her way blindly through an evil-looking pool, ignoring the things she felt and heard and trusting in Shar to allow her to reach the end.

When they passed the final trial, they found a statue of Shar holding a Spear of Night. And a voice told Shadowheart she would know when and where to use it. Jasper did not like where he suspected this was headed.

Eventually they located Balthazar, a thoroughly revolting Necromancer who revelled in pain and death. He had shaped his own brother into a Flesh Golem bound as his guardian. He was also, apparently, the architect of Ketheric’s immortality and the reason he had turned to Myrkul. They were here to recover “the Nightsong”, which he had originally devised but which Shar was now preventing them from reaching. He wished Jasper to locate it, gain access, and “see his masterpiece”, so that they could fulfill Ketheric’s wishes. He would not explain further – saying only that Jasper needed to observe his genius to understand it. Jasper was only too happy to leave the wretched man behind and continue the search.

In the lowest level of the complex they found an ominous dark pool, with a statue of Shar beckoning on the other side. Shadowheart briefly bowed her head in prarer before looking up saying “This is the place. This is where we enter to meet my destiny”. She did not at sound certain of herself to Jassper, but they entered the pool. And found themselves sucked down into darkness.

When they re-awakened they were standing on a narrow path through a dim lightless void. At the end of the path something glowed in a magical circle. Shadowheart nodded as if hearing voices, and quietly urged them to press on.

When they made their way to the bottom of the path, a shocking sight awaited. A muscular woman, ivory skin cracked and worn, chained in the center of a ritual circle. The Nightsong was not a “what”. It was a “who”.

Balthazar floated down and laughed. “I could not have entered had you not opened the way. The Lady Shar still has not forgiven Ketheric and I for our trespass. Nevertheless you can now see and appreciate my genius! She is an Aasimir. A half-celestial daughter of Selune herself. Her immortaility keeps my Lord undying. Lady Shar merely used her to annoint her Dark Justiciars. Each could prove their devotion by slaying her, and she would always be reborn to be slain again. But I. .. I had grander plans. And now your services are no longer required.”

And with that battle was joined.

Balthazar summoned various undead servants to overwhelm them, but while the others dealt with his forces Jasper kept his eye firmly on the prize. He parried every spell, deflected every blast, until the grotesque man could no longer evade him.

After Balthazar fell Shadowheart stood agonized – staring alternately at the Nightsong and at her spear. She knew what Shar expected her to do. It was the culmination of what she thought had been her lifelong ambition. There was much Jasper could have said. Much he could have done. But in the end, he decided to simply trust her – and stayed silent.

The Nightsong spoke to her. Told her she knew who and what Shadowheart was. Where the “little girl who feared wolves” had come from. And in the end, Shadowheart threw down her spear and laid her hand on the Nightsong’s shoulder.

And after Shadowheart touched her, the “Nightsong” was free. A priestess of Shar laying a hand on her in kindness rather than violence shattered the bonds holding her captive. She reasserted her true power, and flew off to take vengeance upon Ketheric – promising to tell Shadowheart all she could after the Adversary was defeated.

They ran back to the return portal back quickly, as remaining in Shar’s domain seemed unwise. But Shadowheart said she felt only silence rather than anger…

When they re-appeared back in the Shadowlands, Shadowheart was the last to emerge. She said the Lady Shar had taken her, given her more pain than she had thought it was possible to feel… and then banished her. She would now be known and hunted on sight by all Sharans – the only family she had ever known. And she would never hear “Mother Shar’s” voice again.

Jasper rather suspected that “Lady Shar” had never been the one providing Shadowheart’s real power in the first place. But he wasn’t sure she was quite ready to hear that just yet. She needed to come to that conclusion on her own.

But for now, they needed to rush back to Moonrise Towers. Whatever the Nightsong had begun, they needed to be *sure* it was properly finished.

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There really are a lot of ways this can go, depending upon how Shadowheart’s arc has gone to this point in the game. And it has real consequences – as there are significant story branches depending upon whether she kills the Nightsong and becomes a true Dark Justiciar of Shar or spares her and tries to reclaim her lost past. And even how you get there matters. She ends up more confident and self-assured if she makes the decision for herself than if you talk her into it – in either direction.