As the sun dipped below the horizon, Markuss, Makiri, Bjorn Smallhorn, and Ferro approached a towering lighthouse overlooking a vast beach. The structure, adorned with white plaster over stonework and large open windows fitted with brass spyglasses, featured a brilliant beacon that slowly rotated, illuminating the surroundings. With Agatha absent, recuperating in weapon form, Markuss proposed an aerial infiltration plan, transforming into a massive form to carry his allies to the upper openings while evading the watchful eyes of the spyglasses.
Upon reaching the lighthouse’s top, Markuss attempted a stealthy entry but was met with an unseen voice demanding to know their identity. Choosing silence, he hurled Bjorn, followed by Makiri and Ferro, through the openings, summoning their avatars mid-throw. This forced entry triggered a hostile response from unseen defenders, who shouted for their immediate death, igniting a fierce battle amid the lighthouse’s rotating light mechanism.
The defenders unleashed a barrage of attacks, with an Aeolaeka casting a rocky blast that struck Ferro and Makiri, though both managed to mitigate the damage. Another foe conjured a weapon storm that caught them off guard, but Ferro adeptly captured the magic, entering Arcane Cascade. Bjorn, navigating the narrow gaps, engaged a defender with a flurry of blows, while Markuss, maintaining flight, executed a double slice through a window, critically hitting an enemy.
In a desperate attempt to parley, Makiri declared their allegiance to Sir Risefene, but the defenders rebuffed her overture, insisting on war. Undeterred, Makiri counterattacked, landing a critical hit, which Markuss amplified with his Opportune Backstab. Ferro conjured Burning Blossoms, a towering tree of white-hot fire that captivated multiple enemies, forcing them to move closer and suffer devastating fire damage.
As the defenders struggled against the flames, they attempted to create more stone lines, ensnaring Makiri and Ferro. However, the relentless pressure from the party, combined with the ongoing damage from Burning Blossoms, led the defenders to reconsider their stance. They agreed to withdraw if the party refrained from pursuing, tunneling away through the floors.
After a brief respite, the group examined the spyglasses, discovering they could be removed and used to cast Clairaudience and Clairvoyance. They spotted a distant scene of Red Mantis Assassins engaged in battle against a horde of Valkyries, prompting them to act swiftly. The party hiked approximately 20 miles to a bridge, only to find all the Red Mantis slain. As they approached, two groups of Valkyries took flight, leaving the scene.
Makiri, utilizing her disguise as a Priest of Gorum, stealthily searched among the fallen and recovered a powerful +2 greater striking greater decaying adamantine sawtooth saber, alongside a scroll map marking the Light of Clashing Shores and a bunker labeled Base Camp. Their success was interrupted by a deafening tremor as Gorum’s gaze fell upon them, inflicting mental damage on Markuss and Bjorn, while Makiri narrowly resisted.
The confrontation escalated as Gorum’s greatsword manifested as Temperbrand, a molten foe, alongside two Mellomax constructs. The ensuing battle was fierce, with Ferro resisting a carrion stench and engaging the frog-like entity known as “bloody hands,” while Bjorn utilized his combat skills to control the battlefield. The Mellomax constructs unleashed devastating attacks, but the party coordinated their efforts, with Makiri demoralizing Temperbrand and Ferro flanking enemies.
In a daring move, Markuss attempted a flying cannonball strike to shove Temperbrand off the cliff, drawing her attention. Ferro followed suit, successfully knocking Temperbrand down and dealing significant damage. As the molten foe retaliated, the party pressed their advantage, ultimately defeating Temperbrand, who transformed into a legendary maul upon her demise.
Ferro’s attempt to transfer his consciousness into the newly formed weapon ended disastrously, leaving him critically injured. Markuss quickly stabilized him as the remaining Mellomax were dispatched. With the legendary Temperbrand secured and vital intel gathered, the party regrouped, setting their sights on pursuing the Red Mantis in the Clashing Shores, armed with the knowledge of their targets and a map leading to their next objective.