```metadata title: The Tale of Light and Shadow description: '' tags: [] systems: [] renderer: V3 theme: 5ePHB ``` {{frontCover}} {{position:relative,top:-20px # Light and Shadow *** ## The Tale of Agnar and Nemesis }} {{imageMaskEdge,--offset:10cm,--rotation:180 ![Background image](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147651606402310285/tomfarlane_a_godess_of_darkness_in_the_style_of_WLOP_back_turne_080d4cbc-8076-4065-811f-f99f474a3fd0.png?width=3000&height=4000){position:absolute,top:00px,left:-0px,height:117%} }} {{banner From the Codex of Strings}} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Discover the story of two lovers that inherited divinity... Only to lose themselves in the process}} \page {{insideCover}} {{imageMaskEdge1,--offset:-17%,--rotation:180 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1146878865839501392/tomfarlane_a_magma_elemental_in_the_style_of_a_dungeons_and_dra_ba0dde44-5db0-45ff-87a6-574d4e98dd45.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:-60px,} }} {{position:relative,wide,text-align:center,top:700px : ## THE PRIMORDIAL FLAME : ***"I must warn you, adventurer. What lies ahead is the Heart of the Crucible. That meteor, it bore something new into the world. Something great. An unrelenting flame. Nemesis wants to take it away from us. Go, commune with the fire. You have earned that much. The right... is to the strong. This is the Way of the Crucible."*** : The Numarii sage steps aside, a grim look plastered on her face. It's clear she does not fully trust you, but she has no choice but to let you in, at this point. The Flamecallers open the magnificent stone doors, into the primordial depths of the Molten Crucible. : Ahead of you, a monolith of ember-veined obsidian floats amidst a river of pure magma. Its heat should burn you away, yet it seems the fire does not wish to harm you. You have proven your worth to the sage, and the Crucible accepts you. As you walk through fire and flame and molten rock, the Heart of the Crucible stirs in a profound and fathomless sleep. Is this the work of Nemesis? Is the primordial flame dying? : }} {{pageNumber,auto}} \page {{imageMaskEdge,--offset:0%,--rotation:270 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147279768912400464/tomfarlane_a_male_figure_coming_out_of_the_flames_silhouette_in_60ebda66-b64e-43bc-943f-f90d7943ebf8.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:-1879x,left:-0px} }} {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:0px,left:,left:-50px,color:white ##### ***You do not get far within the chamber before the doors behind you slam shut. Despite the danger, you feel strangely calm. You know it in your bones. The Crucible does not wish to harm you.*** }} {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:540px,left:,left:-50px,color:white ##### *Gracefully, he turns to face you, a magnificent man of molten skin and ashen hair. A Thread of Divinity, the stuff of gods, shines softly within his chest. Like Ariadne, this man is beyond the veil of mortality. This man... is MIGHT itself.* }} \column {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:200px,left:50px,left:px,color:white ##### {{width:60px}} *For a moment, there is silence. {{width:60px}}Then, from the very meteor comes {{width:60px}}out a scintillating figure, bathed {{width:40px}} in blinding light and radiant hues.{{width:40px}} A fiery apparition, a ghost from a{{width:40px}} time long past. A God of Flame.* }} {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:760px,left:50px,left:px,color:white ##### *Yet, for all his magnificence, his eyes betray a profound melancholy, a broken yearning. A wound so deep it transcends his very existence. Whatever he fought for... he lost, long ago.* }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} \page {{inside}} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{position:relative,top:625px,left:170px,text-align:center : ## Agnar *Wielder of Might* : *"I am sorry. I do not wish to alarm you. Maybe you were expecting something else. Something greater. I am but the echoes of a dead god, hero. I cannot even put up a proper fight. You have earned the right to stand before me through strength, I know that. You followed the Way of the Crucible. If you have come to this place to claim the flame for yourself, I don't imagine I'll be much of a challenge. That is a risk my followers and I are willing to take. Would you listen to me, if just for a moment?"* : }} \column {{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:19%,--rotation:90 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1146943008525271161/tomfarlane_a_fire_god_a_beautiful_man_made_of_smoldering_flame__b33cba53-447f-4f3e-a767-d278bc0445cd.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:120%,left:-20px,top:-100px} }} {{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:19%,--rotation:270 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1146943008525271161/tomfarlane_a_fire_god_a_beautiful_man_made_of_smoldering_flame__b33cba53-447f-4f3e-a767-d278bc0445cd.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:120%,left:-20px,top:-100px} }} {{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:38%,--rotation:358 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1146943008525271161/tomfarlane_a_fire_god_a_beautiful_man_made_of_smoldering_flame__b33cba53-447f-4f3e-a767-d278bc0445cd.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:120%,left:-20px,top:-100px} }} {{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:-5%,--rotation:150 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1146943008525271161/tomfarlane_a_fire_god_a_beautiful_man_made_of_smoldering_flame__b33cba53-447f-4f3e-a767-d278bc0445cd.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:120%,left:-20px,top:-100px} }} {{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:-5%,--rotation:205 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1146943008525271161/tomfarlane_a_fire_god_a_beautiful_man_made_of_smoldering_flame__b33cba53-447f-4f3e-a767-d278bc0445cd.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:120%,left:-20px,top:-100px} }} \page {{monster,frame,wide,position:relative,top:-35px ## Agnar, Ghost of the Crucible *Medium Undead (Teng), lawful neutral* ___ **Armor Class** :: 20 (natural armor) **Hit Points** :: 575 (50d8 + 350) **Speed** :: 40 ft., fly 80 ft. ___ | STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:| |28 (+9)|18 (+4)|25 (+7)|18 (+4)|22 (+6)|28 (+9)| ___ **Saving Throws** :: Strength +18, Constitution +16 **Skills** :: Athletics + 25, Perception + 14, persuasion +17 **Damage Immunities** :: Fire, Cold, Poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks **Condition Immunities** :: charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned **Senses** :: truesight 240 ft., passive Perception 24 **Languages** :: All **Challenge** :: 28 (120,000 XP) ___ ***Legendary Resistance (3/day).*** If Agnar fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. : ***Greater Magic Immunity.*** Agnar can't be affected or detected by spells 7th level or lower unless he wishes to be. He has advantage on saving throws against other spells and magical effects. : ***Thread of Divinity.*** Agnar possesses a Thread of Divinity, a remnant of gods long past. In the event of his death, the Thread will gently float above his corpse, ready for another to claim. If they attempt to claim it, they must first succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or suffer 20d10 force damage. Then, they must convince the Thread of Might to attune to them, and vow to protect it from those who want to destroy it. A creature that claims a Thread of Divinity becomes an ascended being of CR 26 or higher. : ***Might Incarnate.*** Creatures of Agnar's choice within 30 feet of him must succeed on a DC 25 Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution saving throw (the target's choice) or be reduced to 0 hit points. A creature that succeeds this saving throw becomes immune to this ability for the next 24 hours. : Additionally, Agnar can replace the result of any Strength-based roll with his Strength score. : ***Reckless.*** When Agnar makes his first attack in a turn, he can choose to give advantage to all his attacks using Strength for the turn. When he does so, all attacks against him have advantage until the start of his next turn. : ***Presence of Flame.*** Agnar sheds bright light in a 120-foot radius and dim light in an additional 240 feet. His presence is enough to melt away his enemies and protect his allies. Agnar can grant fire immunity to creatures of his choice within 60 feet of him. : If Agnar is below 250 hit points, he ignites himself in a mighty rage. All creatures of his choice within 60 feet suffer 35 (10d6) fire damage and 35 (10d6) radiant damage at the end of his turn. Creatures damaged by this feature catch fire; until someone takes an action to douse the fire, a creature takes 12 (2d10) fire damage at the start of each of its turns. : ***Innate Spellcasting.*** Agnar’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 25). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: : *At will:* counterspell, immolate, fireball : *3/day each:* blade barrier, fire storm, resurrection : *1/day each:* power word: stun, control weather ### Actions ***Multiattack.*** Agnar makes two unarmed strikes. He can replace either of them with a Radiant Smite. : ***Unarmed Strike.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +17 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 23 (4d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage plus 17 (5d6) radiant damage and 17 (5d6) fire damage. A creature hit by this attack must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or be *stunned* until the end of their next turn. : Agnar can choose to give each of his unarmed strikes an additional effect, choosing from the options below: : *Knock.* A creature hit by this attack must make a DC 25 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. : *Push.* A creature hit by this attack must make a DC 25 Strength saving throw or be pushed 30 feet back. : *Grapple.* A creature hit by this attack must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 25). : ***Radiant Smite.*** Agnar calls down a radiant beam of light unto a target he can see within 120 feet of him. The target must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d10 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. On a failed save, the target also gains one random damage vulnerability from the following list (roll 1d6 to determine which): acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison or thunder. : ***Supernova (recharge 5-6).*** Agnar manifests a gravitational singularity through sheer force of will. Creatures within 120 feet of him must succeed on a DC 25 Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 60 feet closer to him, ending up prone. : At the start of his next turn, all creatures within 30 feet of Agnar must make a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw, taking 70 (20d6) fire damage plus 70 (20d6) radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. Creatures reduced to 0 hit points by this ability are disintegrated into a pile of golden dust. : When Agnar is reduced to 250 hit points, this ability automatically recharges and triggers on his next turn. ### Legendary Actions Agnar can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Agnar regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn. : ***Strike.*** Agnar makes an Unarmed Strike. : ***Flamecall.*** Agnar casts *Immolate* or *Fireball*. : ***Apparate (Costs 2 Actions).*** Agnar teleports to an unoccupied space he can see within 120 feet. : ***Radiant Smite (Costs 2 Actions).*** Agnar uses his *Radiant Smite* action. }} {{imageMaskCorner,--offsetX:-25%,--offsetY:-40%,--rotation:0 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1146943043300237433/tomfarlane_a_fire_god_a_beautiful_man_made_of_smoldering_flame__8a17b8ef-aa46-40a5-b572-16970f1148f2.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:-1px,left:-1px} }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: {{text-align:center,wide,position:relative,top:-10px # A God's Plight }} {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:-20px *Nemesis is after my flame, my Thread of Divinity. She is sworn to her Pact, just as I am sworn to keep my power from her. Yet, I grow weaker with each passing decade. She has learned, through the centuries, that the more we resist her, the stronger we become. That is the Way of the Crucible.* : *So she opted for the clever approach. The Crucible wanes beneath the unspeakable rituals of darkness she performs in her Castle of Night. I must ask something of you, Hero. You must defeat her. You have proven yourself capable of facing Might. Now, Dusk awaits.* : *She and I were once... very close. It was a very long time ago, when the Gods still roamed the earth. We... were Teng, you see. We were part of the civilization that conquered the stars and befriended the Xildur Gods! And we tried to help our divine comrades against the Eternal. That... thing. A slayer of gods. A beast of stars, indifferent, yet so determined. There was no other choice. The Gods had to sacrifice themselves to seal it. Eternity. Such a terrible creature. But I digress.* }} {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:-10px *Two of the Xildur saw the fall coming, a foresight that was not shared by the rest of their brethren. They were proud indeed. But the two who did entrusted their divinity, in the form of threads, to us. To the Teng. To mortals, when all is said and done.* : *Nemesis and myself came to the Crucible together. We once lived here, in a city known as Numar, the Great Forge. Nemesis, back then called Persephone, was the greatest smith the material plane had ever seen. She created items of such power they shaped the course of history. Together, we ruled the land, as Wielders of Dusk and Might.* : *It happened an Age ago. Our fall from grace... our terrible fall. There is something you should know, Hero. The threads... they pull at your soul. It's almost imperceptible, but you slowly start to become your Thread. They yearn to be used. To fulfill a primordial purpose. Mortals were never meant to have them. We... were not worthy.* }} {{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:0%,--rotation:180 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147318351933218926/tomfarlane_two_gods_a_firelord_and_a_godess_of_death_in_the_sty_1a560b37-569e-4893-8df1-b5c1bb9e4157.png?width=4000&height=3000){height:65%,top:0px,left:-100px} }} ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: {{text-align:center,position:relative,left:180px # A God's Plight }} : {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} \page {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:-10px *As wielder of Might, I was drawn away from Numar in glorious crusades. I fought, and killed, and won, far away from this place. Petty fights drove me from my homeland, just as my dear wife confronted the dark. Unbeknownst to me... she was being consumed by it.* : *The Thread of Dusk was one of the most terrible Threads one could inherit. It was supposed to be kept under control by my own power, but alas, I... fled. Might urged me to fight, to kill, to conquer! None of that was needed within our lonely Castle. There was nothing to gain, no war to fight, no cause to die for. Just two lonely souls, eternal, wallowing in their own misery. And so I fled on my crusades, conquering a world that scarcely remembers my name, now.* }} \column {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:-10px *The Thread of Dusk took her, in a single moment of weakness. She left me, and her duty to the cosmos, without a word, and traveled to the ends of the universe. She walked dark paths left by dying Gods, until she found what she was looking for. A place where all stories end. Eternity.* : *In my cowardly voyages, I changed. I sought council, I met new people, I understood what it was that I desperately wanted from life. There is no end to battle, no point to it, if it doesn't serve a higher purpose. I became wiser... kinder, dare I say. And so, I understood that the truest fight is one of love, and the mightiest are those that never forsake it. I ventured back to Numar, with a ring of repentance forged by my own hand. I hoped for absolution... What a fool.* }} {{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:-14%,--rotation:0 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147323012337635388/tomfarlane_a_woman_dressed_like_death_death_goddess_beautiful_a_4977155f-bbca-4472-a67e-7b715e85c909.png?width=4000&height=4000){height:80%,left:-15px,top:260px} }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} \page {{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:39%,--rotation:200 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147279752533643335/tomfarlane_a_male_figure_coming_out_of_the_flames_silhouette_in_b37c62ba-0da3-4d87-9771-1b10dde6826f.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:0px,left:-00px} }} {{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:38%,--rotation:140 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147279752533643335/tomfarlane_a_male_figure_coming_out_of_the_flames_silhouette_in_b37c62ba-0da3-4d87-9771-1b10dde6826f.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:0px,left:-00px} }} {{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:22%,--rotation:90 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147279752533643335/tomfarlane_a_male_figure_coming_out_of_the_flames_silhouette_in_b37c62ba-0da3-4d87-9771-1b10dde6826f.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:0px,left:-00px} }} {{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:20%,--rotation:273 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147279752533643335/tomfarlane_a_male_figure_coming_out_of_the_flames_silhouette_in_b37c62ba-0da3-4d87-9771-1b10dde6826f.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:0px,left:-00px} }} {{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:35%,--rotation:360 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147279752533643335/tomfarlane_a_male_figure_coming_out_of_the_flames_silhouette_in_b37c62ba-0da3-4d87-9771-1b10dde6826f.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:0px,left:-00px} }} {{position:relative,top:100px,left:180px,text-align:center,color : "*I... was late. Numar was bathed in a chill, all-encompassing night. At the heart of the city, my love had given herself to the dark; her purpose, to find an ending. To cover all in eternal night, to surrender purpose, hope, life. She... did not want to fight anymore. As she rose from the darkness, a new patron guiding her towards her purpose, she attacked me with unparalleled power. Eternity, the beast of the stars, was on her side. Only in that moment did she become Nemesis.* : *Our battle was devastating. It destroyed our city, leveled the mountains, single-handedly upended the Teng civilization, and created the hellscape that is the Crucible. We would have been equally matched, were it not for her profound... hate. She... hated me. I was eventually forced to unleash a power so devastating it nearly killed me.* : *This... meteor, as they call it, is the vestiges of that fight: my own heart, ripped from my chest, and made to keep both the Thread of Might... and my eternal love. A flame, ever-burning, to keep her away. What you see before you is not a God, nor a wielder, even. I am nothing but a heartless ghost.* : *For her part, she fled the battle as to not be consumed by the flame of Might. And yet, before she left, she made a promise. A pact, if you will. She would take my thread, and use it to free Eternity from its cage. She swore it upon the ashes of everything we once built. She would seek... an End.* : *It took millennia for her to return. Somehow, in that time, she became the fabled Empress of Brass, and convinced eight other Devil Lords to accompany her in a villainous crusade. The fools! Today, she is closer to her goal than ever. Within the Castle of Night, she is conjuring a Dusk so terrible it threatens to envelop the world itself.* : *You... mighty hero... You must take this ring. If you hold it in front of her keep, she won't be able to resist. As much as it pains me to say... She... still hates me. She will fight you, if it means to spit in my forgiveness.*" }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} \page {{watercolor10,top:240px,left:-470px,width:400px,background-color:skyblue,opacity:100%,transform:rotate(40deg)}} ![Ring of Absolution](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105918269992480819/1147355654051336212/image-nry7KS4Kk-transformed.png?width=484&height=484) {position:absolute,top:510px,left:70px,width:325px,mix-blend-mode:,} : {{position:relative,top:320px #### The Ring of Repentance *Ring, Artifact* : Legendary ring forged by Agnar at the edge of the universe, in hopes of forgiveness. Rings traditionally represent commitment, yet this one seems to promise more than that. A vow of flame written in a long lost language reads "Might is Nothing Without Love. I Will Follow You Anywhere. Even Into the Dark". ::::::::::::::::::: While attuned to this ring, you become immune to fire and necrotic damage. In addition, if you haven't attacked or casted a spell in the last hour, any creature that would attack you must succeed on a DC 30 Wisdom saving throw or be unable to harm you. A creature that succeeds this saving throw is immune to the effects of the ring for the next 24 hours. This protection ends if you attack or cast a spell. : Holding this ring up to the gates of the Castle of Night will call upon Nemesis. This ring gives off 30 feet of dim-light where Nemesis' darkness cannot reach you. All creatures within 30 feet of the ring automatically succeed their saving throw pertaining to the ***Wielder of Dusk*** feature. The Lady Eternal awaits. }} {{imageMaskEdge4,--offset:4%,--rotation:270 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1146941986843131976/tomfarlane_a_fire_spirit_a_beautiful_man_as_a_fire_ghost_sad_me_fe45a11d-49a8-40f7-b178-da1e38791e07.png?width=4000&height=3000){height:100%,,top:-,right:-600px} }} {{imageMaskEdge4,--offset:17%,--rotation:183 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1146941986843131976/tomfarlane_a_fire_spirit_a_beautiful_man_as_a_fire_ghost_sad_me_fe45a11d-49a8-40f7-b178-da1e38791e07.png?width=4000&height=3000){height:100%,,right:-600px} }} \column {{classTable,decoration,frame,text-align:center,position:relative,top:650px,left:50px : #### *A Mirage...* For just a moment, before you leave the Heart of the Crucible, you see a flash of what once was. A young boy, thrust into the role of a Wielder. You can only imagine how hard it must have been for both of them. : Agnar smiles at you, for just a moment, before becoming flame once more. That young teenager has died a long time ago. In his place, he left a ghost living in penance. There is but one task for you to do before you leave the Molten Crucible. : }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} \page {{insideCover}} {{imageMaskEdge1,--offset:-17%,--rotation:180 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147365817248399360/tomfarlane_a_castle_of_darkness_fantasy_art_unsettling_boss_roo_f01188cd-2c63-4eba-b7b8-36d4799de5a1.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:-0px,} }} {{position:relative,wide,text-align:center,top:700px : ## TO BATTLE THE NIGHT : ***"You have done it. With the ring at hand, you can call upon true Dark. For the first time in a century... we will be witness to the Wielder of Dusk. Will you... be needing some potions?"*** : Almost casually, the merchant from Nostram, Qhoz, appears from the dark. He looks at you through that horrid crow mask, ready for business. After you finish, he just casually nods, whispering to himself, and without another word, slowly marches onto the shadows. Strangely, you feel like his presence never left. He will witness this battle. : Ahead of you, a castle of black stone rises over the top of the Crucible, its simplicity almost mocking of your legendary task. It's cold up here. A dark storm envelops the mountaintops in a frigid night. Silence reigns over the seat of Nemesis. Following the guidance given to you by the Numarii Sages, you prepare yourself, and your party, for battle. You take a deep breath, and in that snowy clearing that leads to the Castle of Night, you hold high Agnar's Ring of Repentance. : }} {{pageNumber,auto}} \page {{imageMaskEdge,--offset:0%,--rotation:270 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147371427364880404/tomfarlane_the_shadowy_silhouette_of_a_beautiful_woman_with_glo_5d107e5a-5a4b-4bdc-a783-b6836781eaf1.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:-176px,left:-0px} }} {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:0px,left:,left:-50px,color:white ##### ***You... are not alone. You don't see her, and yet, you are sure of it. A chill runs down your spine as the night grows red with the light of the Crucible. Nemesis descends upon the earth.*** }} {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:540px,left:,left:-50px,color:white ##### *You stare at the unmoving figure. A twitch rattles your hand, and you feel the ring burn in your grasp. Before you can even react, it shoots off in a violent jerk towards the figure. The creature moves unnaturally, catching the item in the air.* }} \column {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:200px,left:50px,left:px,color:white ##### *At the corner of your eye, you notice a strange silhouette standing in the distance. Silence settles over you like a mortal veil, along with a creeping sensation in your skin. You feel unable to utter a word.* }} {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:740px,left:50px,left:px,color:white ##### *You prepare yourself. Any second now... But the figure stills once more. It contemplates the ring, in silence. Then, you hear a soft whisper, carried seamlessly by the wind...* }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} \page {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} {{position:relative,top:630px,left:170px,text-align:center : ## Nemesis *Wielder of Dusk* : *"He... sent you. I see. You must be worthy of Might, then. Why... didn't you take it? The Thread, I mean. Power... at the grasp of your hand. Yet you chose to leave him there. To leave my Agnar... alone. Suffering. You must feel quite righteous. The Hero, here to put an end to the Night. There is nothing, child. There is nothing here for you. If you wish to take my Thread away, to free this accursed land, then go ahead. You'd be doing all of us a favor. I am Nemesis, Wielder of Dusk. Let the Night consume your soul."* : }} \column {{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:19%,--rotation:90 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147289564751335584/tomfarlane_the_godess_nemesis_deathly_pale_woman_godess_of_dark_628b7226-26e6-48ea-841d-f31486290d59.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,left:0px,top:-100px} }} {{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:19%,--rotation:270 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147289564751335584/tomfarlane_the_godess_nemesis_deathly_pale_woman_godess_of_dark_628b7226-26e6-48ea-841d-f31486290d59.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,left:0px,top:-100px} }} {{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:40%,--rotation:358 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147289564751335584/tomfarlane_the_godess_nemesis_deathly_pale_woman_godess_of_dark_628b7226-26e6-48ea-841d-f31486290d59.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,left:0px,top:-100px} }} {{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:-5%,--rotation:150 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147289564751335584/tomfarlane_the_godess_nemesis_deathly_pale_woman_godess_of_dark_628b7226-26e6-48ea-841d-f31486290d59.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,left:0px,top:-100px} }} {{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:-5%,--rotation:205 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147289564751335584/tomfarlane_the_godess_nemesis_deathly_pale_woman_godess_of_dark_628b7226-26e6-48ea-841d-f31486290d59.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,left:0px,top:-100px} }} \page {{monster,frame,wide,position:relative,top:-35px ## Nemesis, Lady Eternal *Medium Undead (Teng), lawful neutral* ___ **Armor Class** :: 22 (natural armor) **Hit Points** :: 525 (50d8 + 300) **Speed** :: 40 ft., fly 80 ft. ___ | STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:| |16 (+3)|30 (+10)|22 (+6)|27 (+8)|28 (+9)|30 (+10)| ___ **Saving Throws** :: Dexterity +19, Constitution +15, Wisdom +18, Charisma +19 **Skills** :: Arcana +26, Perception + 18 **Damage Immunities** :: necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks **Condition Immunities** :: charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned **Senses** :: truesight 240 ft., passive Perception 28 **Languages** :: All **Challenge** :: 30 (155,000 XP) ___ ***Legendary Resistance (3/day).*** If Nemesis fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead. : ***Greater Magic Immunity.*** Nemesis can't be affected or detected by spells of 7th level or lower unless she wishes to be. She has advantage on saving throws against other spells and magical effects. : ***Thread of Divinity.*** Nemesis possesses a Thread of Divinity, a remnant of gods long gone. In the event of her death, the Thread will gently float above her corpse, ready for another to claim. If they attempt to claim it, they must first succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or suffer 20d10 force damage. Then, they must convince the Thread of Dusk to attune to them, and vow to protect it from those who want to destroy it. A creature that claims a Thread of Divinity becomes an ascended being of CR 26 or higher. : ***Wielder of Dusk.*** Nemesis is attuned to the Thread of Dusk and embodies its values. She represents night, endings, and sleep. Let the Night take you into a peaceful slumber. : A profound darkness surrounds Nemesis. She can extend these shadows up to 200 feet in all directions. This magical darkness extinguishes all light. A creature that enters the dark for the first time must make a DC 28 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they are blinded, deafened, incapacitated, and frightened for as long as they remain within the darkness. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature becomes immune to this feature for the next 24 hours. : A creature within 30 feet of the *Ring of Repentance* automatically succeeds its save against this effect. Too bad Nemesis took it. : ***Presence of Night.*** Nemesis is darkness incarnate. Her mere presence can snuff out the fire within a hero's very soul. : If a creature starts its turn within 30 feet of Nemesis, they must make a death saving throw, regardless of their current hit points. On a failure, that death save is permanently crossed for the next hour. If a creature has three death saves crossed, they immediately die, regardless of their current hit points. : In addition, unconscious creatures within 30 feet of Nemesis die at the start of Nemesis' turn. A creature that dies within 30 feet of Nemesis has its soul trapped by the goddess, and they cannot be revived in any way until Nemesis is defeated. : ***Innate Spellcasting.*** Nemesis’ spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 27, +19 to hit with spell attacks). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: : *At will:* counterspell, ray of enfeeblement, hold person, blight : *3/day each:* finger of death, disintegrate, force cage : *1/day each:* power word: stun, power word kill, psychic scream ### Actions ***Touch of Night.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +19 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 23 (4d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage plus 35 (10d6) necrotic damage. A creature hit by this attack must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or be put into a deep slumber until the end of their next turn. : A creature that is sleeping within 30 feet of Nemesis at the start of her turn is instantly killed as per the *Presence of Night* feature. : ***Necrotic Burst.*** Nemesis summons a burst of necrotic energy in a 15-foot radius sphere centered on a point she can see within 120 feet. Each creature in that area must make a DC 28 Dexterity saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. : ***Fathomless Night (recharge 5-6).*** Nemesis extends her hands forward, manifesting a cursed wind in a 90-foot-cone in front of her. Each creature in that area must make a DC 28 Dexterity saving throw, taking 91 (26d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails this saving throw must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or fall into a deep slumber from which they will never wake from. Only a *Greater Restoration* spell can wake a creature affected by this ability. : A creature that is sleeping within 30 feet of Nemesis at the start of her turn are instantly killed as per the *Presence of Night* feature. ### Legendary Actions Nemesis can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Nemesis regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn. : ***Grasp.*** Nemesis uses her *Touch of Night* action. : ***Detect.*** Nemesis makes a Wisdom (Perception) check. : ***Arcana of Dusk.*** Nemesis casts a spell from her Innate Spellcasting list. : ***Apparate (Costs 2 Actions).*** Nemesis teleports to an unoccupied space within 120 feet. : ***Necrotic Burst (Costs 2 Actions).*** Nemesis uses her *Necrotic Burst* action. : ***Telekinetic Force (Costs 2 Actions).*** Nemesis uses an action to exert her will upon the world, as per the effects of the *Telekinesis* spell. }} {{imageMaskCorner,--offsetX:-25%,--offsetY:-40%,--rotation:0 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147371188469911592/tomfarlane_the_shadowy_silhouette_of_a_beautiful_woman_with_glo_d8616ebf-5525-431c-8423-6a74a0f1b6db.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:-10px,left:} }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Nemesis, Wielder of Dusk}} \page {{imageMaskEdge,--offset:0%,--rotation:0 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147384432899145788/tomfarlane_a_crying_woman_on_her_knees_hurt_after_a_battle_lady_1d62ecd4-fd4d-4ad3-b7e1-57037de67484.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:117%,top:-1px,left:-1px} }} {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:360px,left:-60px,left:px,color:white ##### *She clutches the Ring of Repentance close to her chest. "Perhaps I underestimated you... Hero. Agnar saw it better, as always." She slowly lowers her head, graceful as ever, black tears running down her cheeks. "You can go ahead now. Claim Divinity for yourself."* }} \column {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:0px,left:,left:60px,color:white ##### ***The Lady Eternal falls to her knees, defeated. All around you, the flames of the battle heighten into pillars, fed by the Crucible, dispelling Nemesis' once irrepressible darkness. And there she is, a girl. Just... a girl.*** }} {{text-align:center,position:relative,top:650px,left:,left:60px,color:white ##### *You stare at the girl, prepared to give the final blow. And yet... as you step closer, something feels off. Now, defeated, the Thread of Dusk no longer darkens her face, and through the tears, you see naught but despair.* }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: {{text-align:center,wide,position:relative,top:5px # Lament of the Night Queen }} *"You... do not wish to take it? The power of Night, the Thread of Divinity. Dusk itself. The other Lords of Brass wouldn't hesitate, in your shoes. They... don't know what this power is capable of. Everybody wants to rule, and yet, no one is ready for the weight of the crown. Agnar and I, we certainly weren't.* : *Is this why you didn't take Might from my husband? You... are wiser than most. This power... the Threads of Divinity... naught but curses, curses and chains. All masquerading as duty and glory. We didn't choose... we were chosen. The Xildur, after having brought their own demise upon themselves, pushed this terrible weight on us, the Teng. We were to inherit... godhood.* : *And yet, we were nothing but mortals... we were not ready. My skills as a blacksmith made me a candidate, and my poor Agnar... he was chosen because of me. We were supposed to be the strongest amongst our kind. Together... we could do anything.* : *An ever-lasting curse. A duty eternal. The Threads of Divinity must be contained. They cannot be refused, nor destroyed. I cannot reject Dusk, just as Agnar cannot cast Might aside. That was our undoing.* : *What? He told you... I hated him? Why? Why would he say that? It is not... in my nature. I can't help but love him. I would... do anything for him. I lost that battle long ago, before we were even chosen by the Gods to bear their remnants.* \column *Without him... I am nothing. I would choose him in another life, in another universe. I would love him in death, beyond the veil of Eternity. I would give up everything... just to touch him again. It's been a thousand years, and still, I remember his face, his eyes, his smile. All things come to an end, yet I know in my bones, our love will outlast creation itself. Everything dies, in time... except for this.* : *Dusk has always held power over me... yet my love for Agnar overcame the dark... every time. I never faltered. I never waned. I never fell to the Thread. But he did. He left. Might held such influence over him... love did not prevail. Yet, in this ring I see... absolution. I knew it... in my very soul. Our love is eternal.* : *In my solitude... I understood what I had to do. We never chose to bear the Threads. We were never supposed to. They had to be destroyed, before my Agnar was taken from me. His enemies were many, and the Thread of Might did not make him invulnerable. His battles became ever greater and more dangerous. I... was terrified of losing him. To be left alone in this world.* : *And so, I embarked on a journey to find that which we sealed long ago... a monster capable of destroying Divinity itself. I stood in front of the gates to Eternity, the beast of the stars, and I made a deal. I would bring them both Dusk and Might; in return, it would consume the Threads. It would free us from our eternal burden."* {{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:30%,--rotation:180 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147289465656713367/tomfarlane_a_woman_dressed_like_death_death_goddess_beautiful_a_e9109e94-8721-4cdc-8cb1-9f751672314a.png?width=4000&height=3000){height:55%,top:-90px} }} {{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:30%,--rotation:0 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147350467207237773/tomfarlane_two_lovers_a_fire_god_and_a_lady_of_darkness_in_the__a8fea279-8fc9-4096-8430-5a09c3f4c66c.png?width=4000&height=3000){height:55%,top:720px,left:-30px} }} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} {{pageNumber,auto}} \page {{color:white,position:relative,top:0px,left:-60px,text-align:center ##### *We never asked to be Gods. My Agnar may seem obsessed with his duty. That is not him. That... is his accursed Thread, desperate to live, to survive, to endure. When I attempted to take it from him, the Thread of Might imploded on itself, releasing such terrible power it destroyed our beautiful city. This Molten Crucible... is the result.* }} {{color:white,position:relative,top:250px,left:-50px,text-align:center ##### *It seems I have failed. You have come to liberate the Crucible. I know... I am not without blame. My rule has not been kind to this place. I don't care. I only ever wanted one thing. And I am ready to die for it. If this is how I meet my end... then I am prepared.* }} {{color:white,position:relative,top:550px,left:180px,text-align:center ##### *I am ready. Do what you came here to do. Just know... Dusk is a terrible Thread. You must be strong, or it will consume you. You must be prepared to wield it... for all time. The Threads must be contained. There must always be a Wielder of Dusk.* }} \column {{color:white,position:relative,top:200px,left:50px,text-align:center ##### *After that battle, alone in the ruins, I swore a Pact. I would release my love from his burden. I would destroy Might, relinquish Dusk, and restore my husband and I to our mortal selves, as we were always meant to be. I would take back our lives from the Dead Gods.* }} {{color:white,position:relative,top:530px,left:50px,text-align:center ##### *I just ask one thing of you, before you destroy me. Please, release my husband from that terrible Thread. Kill Might, so I may find my Agnar... beyond the veil.* }} {{imageMaskEdge,--offset:0%,--rotation:0 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147625914142834708/tomfarlane_a_crying_woman_on_her_knees_hurt_after_a_battle_lady_7e74f4d2-7af8-4f40-a65e-6ce8bad1784f.png?width=3000&height=4000){height:120%,top:-100px,left:-1px} }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} \page {{imageMaskCorner35,--offsetX:58%,--offsetY:-33%,--rotation:90 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147638668018856136/tomfarlane_a_hooded_plague_doctor_crow_mask_with_a_skull_in_han_7c89572c-1428-4d68-a147-336c01845846.png?width=4000&height=3000){height:80%,left:0px,top:390px} }} {{imageMaskCorner35,--offsetX:-18%,--offsetY:-68%,--rotation:-29 ![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1105488303710543923/1147638668018856136/tomfarlane_a_hooded_plague_doctor_crow_mask_with_a_skull_in_han_7c89572c-1428-4d68-a147-336c01845846.png?width=4000&height=3000){height:80%,left:-1px,top:390px} }} {{position:relative,top:-20px {{text-align:center # An Ending }} "Well, I may have an alternative" the slurred words come from a strange silhouette, marching towards you from the dark. Qhoz, the merchant of Nostram, bows his head in reverence. "I would never forgive myself if I didn't act... in service of my Lady". : The crow-masqued alchemist slowly creeps from the shadows, into the light of the burning sky. His hands clutch a Skull of Soulbinding, lined with Ember Brass. "My experiments were successful, dear friend. I managed to create a skull powerful enough to house our Lady Eternal herself. And... should my calculations be correct... It will be capable of capturing Lord Agnar, as well". : "Do not misunderstand... I do not want to condemn our Lady to eternal imprisonment, of course not... This is to say, this item may be able to hold the Threads of Divinity. To separate them from our Lord and Lady. This... could mean their freedom." : The merchant slowly approaches Nemesis, kneeling a few feet away. Head bowed, dark hair covering her face, the fabled Empress of Brass still clutches her hands together, pressing the ring unto her chest. : "Oh reverent Lady... May I take that ring for a moment? Your love for each other... may hold the key ensure the Threads are contained." The goddess meets the masked man's eyes, two smoldering coals shining in the night. Qhoz doesn't flinch. Without another word, the dark lady slowly puts the ring on the merchant's outstretched hands. He bows deeply at the gesture. : "My most profound thanks, Nightly Empress." : Qhoz imbues the skull of soulbinding with the power of the ring, fusing the love both Agnar and Nemesis share with the properties of the item. The brilliant blue gem of the ring becomes one with the skull, glowing radiantly. }} {{note,position:relative,top:30px ##### And so ends the Tale of Light and Shadow! Hi there! I hope this small narrative helped frame our CR 30 demi-gods from this month's entry. Keep in mind, this is just a vague blueprint of what the story can actually end up looking! Use this as inspiration, and remember to tailor the encounters to your table's liking. As for who was in the right? Well, you can decide that. Nemesis makes for a great villain. Sympathetic as she might be, she still did horrible things to the Faldrim and Numarii by bringing the Devils into the Crucible! And Agnar, consumed by higher purpose, blind to what really stirred in her wife's heart... : Go with the flow, see which of the gods you end up portraying the best; tweak, modify, crop. This is your story, now! And this has been just one of many possible endings. }} \column "I believe it is ready" Qhoz offers the skull to the Lady Eternal. "Would you do the honors, Lady Eternal?" : Nemesis stares at the gemstone for a moment, now grafted on the skull's forehead. She turns to look at you, an unreadable expression on her face, and solemnly nods. She raises her hand, touching the blue crystal with the tip of her index finger. : You see a flash of blinding light, a dawn of flame, followed by a fathomless dusk. Then... nothing. Were once Nemesis stood, only emptiness remains. And the skull shines bright with the Thread of Dusk. : Just then... you hear her voice, barely a whisper in the wind. "Thank you... Hero. I relinquish my life... to await behind the veil of death... for my Agnar to arrive." : Qhoz slowly nods. "She is finally free. We captured the Thread, which was the only thing keeping her tethered to this earthly realm after so many years." The merchant looks at you, his expression hidden behind the crow mask. "I believe we have important business to attend to at the Heart of the Crucible, no?" {{footnote The Tale of Light and Shadow}} {{pageNumber,auto}}