# To Blot Out the Sun

##### In the small town of Dartford, an evil that threatens the entire world stirs. Can the Party solve the mystery and save the world before it is too late?

##### A free adventure from u/Pongzz

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##### Table Of Contents - **[1 To Blot Out the Sun](#p1)** - **[2 General Overview](#p3)** - **[3 Setting](#p4)** - **[4 NPCs](#p5)** - **[5 Prep and Theory](#p6)** - **[6 Act 1: Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places](#p7)** - **[7 Investigating the Crime](#p8)** - **[8 Continuing the Investigation](#p9)** - **[9 Act 2: And they Say Nothing Fun Happens In Villages](#p10)** - **[10 Act 3: A Chance Dinner](#p11)** - **[11 Act 4: Night Falls on Dartford](#p12)**

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# General Overview Looking for work, or perhaps just a place to rest, a Party of Adventurers stumble into Dartford, a small hamlet. Quiet, colorful, and charming, the tiny village gleefully accepts the travelers. However, an overwhelming evil swells behind the scenes, threatening not only Dartford, but the entirety of the World itself. - Target Party: 3 to 4 Level 10+ Players - Expected Playtime: 8+ Hours - Tone: Mystery and Investigation; Desperate Fight for Survival This campaign draws its influence from the famous song, Paint it, Black by The Rolling Stones. If you haven't heard it (have you been living under a rock??) go ahead and give it a listen. The quest revolves around the town of Dartford, a small settlement under the direction of the Lord, Mikael Jaegar. This campaign begins slow enough. A murder here, a demonic beast there. However, clues found during these side-quests suggest a connection between these seemingly unrelated occurrences. Even more worrisome, they suggest the existence of a greater evil from within Castle Bowar, the residence of Mikael Jaegar. Mikael, drowning in grief following the untimely death of his pregnant wife, Bianca, conspires with Demonic powers to permanently blot out the sun, thereby subjecting the World to his own grief. Mikael is a powerful man, with powerful allies. As such, your Party will be in for a difficult fight. Making matters even more challenging, they will find themselves on the clock. They will have to find and stop Mikael before he succeeds. And should he succeed, then... well, let's say that your Party will have to set aside their previous commitments for the time being. In short: Mikael Jaegar, Lord of Dartford, having lost his wife who he deeply cared for, set about forming an alliance with cultists who promised to help Blot out the Sun. Mikael, in his grief, felt that the cruel world he lived in didn't deserve to exist, and that it should all die in darkness. His personal assistant, Keth Richards, is actually the Cult's Demon Prince in disguise. Keth paid an exorbant sum to the town's alchemist, Old Jim, to concoct a horrible poison that would slowly kill Bianca, Mikael's wife. He did this because: - A broken human soul has limitless potential. - He is an evil Demon who wishes to destroy the World. The Campaign begins with the Party investigating the death of Old Jim at the hands of the legendary Silver Bear, for which the Town's Inn is named after. Keth also needed Old Jim's heart, as he was the potion-master that broke Mikael, in order to complete the ritual. While the Party investigates Old Jim, the cultists in town continue to carve runes around Dartford. These Runes will be used to slaughter Dartford's inhabitants in fiery explosions. Their suffering is used as fuel to Blot out the Sun. The Campaign climaxes with the Siege of Castle Bowar, Mikael's Estate, where forces of the Cult and the Party clash to decide the Fate of the World. \page

# Setting - Dartford: A small settlement of roughly 100 or so people. Located on the edge of a deep wood, it is primarily known for its lumber and grain. In Dartford, the skies are blue, the flowers bloom, and the birds sing. It's a very charming town, where everyone seems to know everyone. The buildings are mostly stone with plaster, and feature colorful tile roofs. Open windows mean the smell of stewed meats and warm bread waft into the roads. The small Launty Creek that flows near the edge of the town is a popular picnicking spot. This is all to say: Dartford is quiet, but charming, and should be described as such. - Silver Bear Inn: This is the only Inn in Dartford. It is run by Beatrice Sweveltone, an older female half-orc who wears a tough, hard-working face, but secretly cares about the people and the town. It is named after the town legend: Nathaniel Constantine, a legendary trapper and hunter, who (as the legend goes) spent his entire life pursuing a rare silver bear. Nathaniel supposedly died before he ever found the bear. This will be important later. - Dartford Trade and Pawn: The only "official" store within Dartford. It is run by Erhik Bafflebar, the notoriously quirky gnome. He carries a small, relatively common selection. However, he dabbles a bit in rarer items (You can plant whatever artifact or tool here that you wish, if at all). - Castle Bowar: Mikael Jaegar's estate is located roughly a quarter mile from the town, and sits upon a hill, tall enough to overlook Dartford. It is a dark-wooden, multistory complex that features gardens, horse range, and pool. Large windows adorn the outside. Picture an old Southern Plantation Estate. At the front is a set of large red doors that lead into the main foyer. The interior is in terrible disrepair.

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# NPCs - Mikael Jaegar: The Lord of Dartford. His wife, Bianca, died while pregnant due to an unknown illness. He is a human male in his early 30s. He previously served in the military, and his exemplary service earned him lordship over Dartford. Prior to his wife's death, he was heavily involved in town affairs. He would frequent the market, meet with town leaders to hear concerns, and generally rule fairly. After the death of his wife, which was roughly a month prior to the Party's arrival, he turned into a recluse, leaving most civil matters to the Town Elder, Charles Watts. - Bianca: The wife to Mikael Jaegar. Died from an unknown illness. Bianca met Mikael during Mikael's tour and, as such, both of them were foreigners to Dartford when they moved in. However, she was loved by the people, and deeply loved by Mikael. - Charles Watts: Town Elder. Very old human male. Single. Has lived in Dartford his entire life. He is your stereotypical Wiseman who only wants what is best for the town. He is deeply concerned for Mikael, having not seen him in 2 weeks. He should act as the Party's main source of information for the first portion of the campaign. - Keth Richards: Mikael Jaegar's personal assistant and face. Male human in his 30s. A town local whose family has lived in Dartford for generations. Polite and well-spoken, but very careful with his words. - Erhik Bafflebar: See Above. - Beatrice Swevelstone: See Above. - Iean Steward: Garrison Commander. Served alongside Mikael. Half-elf in his 40s. He cares about Mikael, considering him a close friend. This has made him somewhat concerned. Like Charles, he has not seen Mikael in weeks. Iean doesn't allow any nonsense, and believes in doing what's best for the town as a whole. These NPCs are the only NPCs that matter to the overall story. Of course, you will want to include tons of extras, after all, it is a small, diverse town. Most commoners should be friendly and cheerful, yet they all should show some concern about Mikael if asked. No one except for Keth Richards should have seen Mikael in the past 2 weeks. As before, most of the established NPC names, and the town itself, are a reference to The Rolling Stones members. If a player points this out, you have to award some inspiration. \page

# Prep and Theory No prep is necessary for this campaign. Dartford is an established town, and, depending on the proximity to it, may or may not appear on a map. If you want, you could have an NPC mention a funeral being held for Mikael's wife at some point in your Party's adventures, but this isn't necessary. This campaign is significantly longer than the previous one, and poses a far greater risk for your world as a whole. It should last, at a minimum, 2 sessions. To bait the Party to Dartford, you could have them sent there for an unrelated quest, or have them stop there while on their travels. Once the story gets rolling, it is important to keep the pacing of it in mind. You don't want things to move too quickly. You want to leave enough breathing room in the beginning for the Party to discover the clues and draw up conclusions, before escalating the story. As such, I believe it is best for the first session to cover the mystery portion, with references to Mikael and the greater threat, and the second session deal with the End of the World portion. The two will be rather distinct in their feel. \page

# Act 1: Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places When the Party arrives in Dartford, really lay into how beautiful the area is. Remember to touch all the senses. Describe the smells, the sights, and the sounds. It is, thematically, important that the Party understand how pretty it is in Dartford. This will make for an important contrast later in the Campaign. The Party will enter the town at a rather awkward moment. Old Jim has been found dead in the woods! The crowd, gathered around Charles Watts, will be very concerned over this. Being high levels, someone in the crowd will undoubtedly recognize a member of the party for their past deeds, and will call upon the party to aid in the investigation. Before they begin, Charles will want to speak with them. This is when he will cover the basics of the town, as well as the case. - Dartford is ruled by Lord Mikael Jaegar, however, he has retreated into his estate following personal conflicts. - Old Jim was the town's apothecary. His body was found by a hunter in the woods, torn to pieces. If it weren't for his iconic tattoo of the alchemical symbol for gold (see Image on page 8), they wouldn't have been able to identify the corpse. - They do not know how long ago the attack was, but it couldn't have been more than 3 or 4 days, as someone recalls seeing him in town 4 or so days prior. - He was always a quiet man, but had recently grown incredibly distant, to the point of being a recluse. - Animals and beasts are not known to venture this close to the town, so an attack is very unusual, and frankly, the guards are not well-equipped to handle the issue. They have sent for aid, but it will be awhile before anyone arrives. - Charles can send the Party on its way, or encourage them to speak with the garrison commander, Iean Steward. Have the Party also stop by the Silver Bear Inn to drop their things off and grab some provisions. Use this as a chance to explain the lore behind the Inn, including Nathaniel Constantine. Note that most people consider it an old tale not grounded in fact, however, you can pick and choose who actually believes in it, and who doesn't. It does not matter all too much, but can help build the town's personality. Eventually the Party will start their proper investigation! Speaking with Iean Steward (If they haven't already, he will seek them out personally). Iean will tell them: - Where the corpse was found. - The presence of animal tuff on nearby tree bark, though no one is sure what animal it belongs to. - Signs of struggle in the dirt and mud surrounding the body. - He has no leads. \page

# Investigating the Crime Attack Site: Foot steps and crawl marks can be found in the mud (Survival DC 12). Following these will lead to a campsite, where Old Jim's journal can be found (Investigation 14). Turns out Old Jim was searching for basic alchemical ingredients. However, entries from over a month ago mention anxiety over a meeting with a "K." Something about a new potion, with the ingredients listed (Arcana DC 16 reveals it to be a potential base for poison). The tuffs of fur are easily found. They are short and brittle to the touch. Grey in color, though some of the pieces have blood. Magical means can reveal it to be Old Jim's blood. - A Survival DC 10 will reveal much larger footprints. These can be identified as bear tracks. These tracks head towards the treeline, back to Dartford. They eventually vanish, becoming impossible to follow. As the Party concludes its investigation within the forest, the Silver Bear should attack the Party, beginning the first combat encounter. ___

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# Continuing the Investigation Following the encounter in the Forest, the Party may choose to continue their investigation. The Party can gather more information from Old Jim's Corpse, and Old Jim's Home. ____ ____ Old Jim's Corpse: - A Medicine DC 12 will reveal the corpse to be around 2 days old. If the player rolled a 16 or higher, they can also identify the cause of death. Excessive blood loss and physical trauma to the skull, suggesting abuse by a large creature. - An Investigation DC 14 will reveal mud under the fingernails and on the knees, suggesting Old Jim had attempted to crawl away. - An Investigation DC 12 (Can be explanied with the same roll prior) will also reveal a severe oddity. Old Jim's heart is missing. If the player rolled a 14 or higher, they can find delicately severed arteries around the heart, suggesting the intricate and careful removal. - If the Party does not notice this, have the Mortician point it out. It is an important detail. - An Aracana DC 10 will identify the tattoo on Old Jim's back to be the alchemical symbol for Gold, which represents the Sun. Again, see the image to the right. ____ Old Jim's Home: - His home is a simple 2-story home with an alchemical shop on the bottom, and a bedroom and kitchen on the second story. - A guard stands posted outside, and will not want to let the Party in. Let the Party get creative in breaking in, if they so choose. The guard can be bribed (Persuasion DC 14). Otherwise, the Party can get permission from Iean Steward. The guard will, begrudingly, let the Party in. - Inside, the old point of interest is a locked drawer at his upstairs desk. Inside, it contains mostly junk, however, the Party can find a letter of deposit confirmation from a bank in a distant city relevant to your world. The desposit is listed at over 8450 gold pieces, an absolutely exorbant sum for a smalltown alchemist. Clearly something is up. Where the funds came from, or for what reason are not listed. No journal can be found either, as it is at his campsite. The attack itself was conducted by the bear. And not just any bear, but the Silver Bear of legend. By this point, the Party should have a lot of questions, with not a lot of answers. If they are confused after investigating everything, then this is good, you can't have them solve it in a day!

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# Act 2: And they Say Nothing Fun Happens In Villages By this point, the Party should be decently acquainted with most of the significant NPCs, save Mikael and Keth. They should have also "concluded" their investigation. Have Iean seek them out later, to get the Party to recap what it is they know, and what their theories are. This ensures that everyone at the table is on the same page. Investigations can get confusing, so it helps to have these recap moments. Around this time, the Party will find themselves being tailed wherever they go (Perception DC 15). The longer it goes on without them noticing, the lower the DC should go. The figure following them is a stereotypical looking bad-guy, with some bad-guy scars. He will wear long black robes, and will try to act casual if he thinks he is busted. If the Party interrogates the man: - He will be rude and somewhat hostile, but won't spill the beans. A Persuasion DC 15 will reveal that he is just trying to keep an eye on them, but he won't say why. Excessive violence or threats can make him spill that there are more of his "group" in the town, but again, he will not say what purpose. These people (Yes, there are roughly a dozen around the city) are actually cultists. I leave the cult open to you, if you have one in mind for your own campaign. For now they will be called Cultists. No one knows that they are cultists. These Cultists are growing rather suspicious of the Party, snooping into business that they have no business in. They should be obvious bad guys that act as the new lead for your Party. If the Party takes too long to notice they are being tailed, engage the next hook below: At some point during this Act, a scuffle should break-out in the Town, catching the Party's attention. Some of the other Cultists have been forcefully removed from the Silver Bear Inn for "making guests uncomfortable, loitering, and other offenses against the peace." The Cultists will angrily disperse, avoiding violence. Speaking to Iean, he will provide an estimate for the number of Cultists (bear in mind that no one knows they are cultists) to be around a dozen. Speaking to Charles, he will mention how the group arrived in Dartford 2 or so weeks ago. They have largely kept to themselves, and people generally find them creepy. Strangely enough, Charles isn't sure where they are staying. They have no known campsite, and they only go to the Inn for food and drink occassionally. - Note: The Cultists are staying at Castle Bowar. The Party can track a Cultist at dusk if they wish to find where they are staying. Or they can capture and interrogate one. Very suspicious... - Even more worrisome, is why the Cultists are in town and wandering around. The Party can find that several buildings in and around the town are "marked," with a rune carved into the buildings. (Arcana DC 10 identifies the symbol as the alchemical symbol for fire: representing love, passion, anger and hate.) - The Rune can be found on several buildings around the Town. - Iean and Charles will be concerned with this, but unsure of what to do. They will encourage the Party to figure out what it means, while Iean figures out how best to remove the Cultists. If the Party is stumped, and unsure what to do, it helps to have them jumped by some of the Cultists, providing them with the opportunity to beat and interrogate them. The Cultists shouldn't try to kill them, just rough them up a bit in an attempt to scare them off.

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# Act 3: A Chance Dinner By this point in the Campaign, your adventurers should have a lot of concerns, a lot of questions, and little answers. They should: - Know the town lore, namely the story of Nathaniel Constantine. - Know that the Silver Bear was real, and that it had killed Old Jim. But what stole his heart? - Know that Old Jim was up to something suspicious. - Know that a creepy group of outsiders are doing something suspicious with runes. At some point during this Act, the Party should receive an invitation. Mikael Jaegar, for the first time in weeks, wishes to speak to the Party! Have the other NPCs be shocked and surprised. This is a big deal. Point out the Bright Red Doors, and how dramatically they contrast with the much darker Estate. The interior of the Estate is in ruins. Most of the hands are gone. Mikael largely lives alone now. Strangely enough, no Cultists can be found in the portions of the Estate the Party will walk through to the Dining Room. As they approach the Estate, the mood at your table needs to shift. I highly encourage this track to play (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fWGdP26_6I) as the Party approachs. This represents the turning-point in the Campaign. What was originally a fairly light-hearted investigation and mystery, should now take on a darker, more sinister tone. The Dining Hall is long, falling apart, and mostly empty. At the head of a narrow table should be Mikael Jaegar, a gout looking man, with emptiness behind his eyes. On the wall behind him should be the only standing portrait in his home, depicting him and his wife, happy and youthful. Mikael, doesn't move much air when he speaks. He lacks energy and enthusiasm, keeping his sentences short. He will thank the Party for tending to the Bear. He will then tell them that there services are no longer required, and that they may now leave Dartford. He will express feign interest in the regard to the Cultists or the Runes. If the Party tries to get confrontational, accussing him of housing the Cultists, Mikael will confirm it, suggesting that they are his new aids. Mikael should answer with vague and cryptic answers. You want the Party to be put off, to know that something is wrong, and that he is hiding something. The meal should conclude following the conversation, and the Party should be escorted out by Keth. As they leave, they should all recognize that the previously Red Doors are now Black, much like the rest of the Estate. Returning to Town, Iean and Charles will want to see them immediately. They will have the Party recount everything that happened. Fearing for Mikael's mental health, and for the wellbeing of the town, Iean and Charles will agree that they must clear the Estate of the Cultists and save Mikael. Iean will travel to organize the garrison, while Charles urges that everyone stay indoors for the rest of the day. This is the prep-stage for the Party. They should fully expect to be part of the siege, and should be given some time to prepare potions, spells, etc. > ##### Quote to Drop: > "I am tired of this World, of its people. But I am no longer afraid of death, of pain. In the end, my Love will laugh with me before the morning comes." > > \page

# Act 4: Night Falls on Dartford Once the Party is ready, and the garrison organized, Iaen will lead everyone towards the Estate. While on the road, the Runes in the town will activate, consuming every marked building in a cone of fire. Each cone then merges in the sky, before streaking towards the Sun, blotting it out. Any player caught within 30 ft. of an explosion must make a Dex. Saving Throw (DC 15) or take 8d6 Fire Damage, or half as much on a save. The World itself should now be shrouded in Darkness. The smells, sights, and sounds from the beginning should now be gone. The world is entirely black. Now is when the clock starts ticking. As the flames fueled by the murdered consume the sun, it is up to the Party to stop the spell before it's too late. There are plenty of fantastic resources on this subreddit which cover timed-trials, and I suggest you find and pick one that suits you and your table the most. Arriving at the Estate, the Cultists will emerge from the building and attack the garrison. Iaen will urge the Party to push through and find Mikael. However, the Estate itself is now crawling with Evil. - Chain Devil(s) - Swarms of Imps - Horned Devils - Erinyes - Skeletons - Zombies - Cultists - Severed Hands' - Traps - Your own creations! The point of this phase is that the Party is taking on several powerful enemies, one after the other, while trying find Mikael. > ##### Be Careful Not to Go Overboard > You want this to be a challenge for your party, however, the final boss fight is incredibly difficult in its own right. Do not get carried away. Keep the encounters fairly simple, and let the time pressure build the drama. Turns out Mikael is not actually in the Estate. He can be found in the gardens of the Estate, where his Wife is buried. Balance this out by having sections of the Estate collapse in on itself if the Party terries on too long, include tracks, give them a dying Cultist to interrogate, etc. Worst comes to worst, have Iaen find them, and tell them that he saw Keth Richards heading into the gardens, before Iaen dies (he dies no matter what the Party does). However, to keep your Party from growing too frustrated, recall that Mikael was once a wealthy man who traveled during his campaigns. Include a bit of treasure in some rooms, especially following a fight. Don't make it hard to find, as if they are on the clock, they may not wish to spend the time searching the room. Mikael himself will be sitting next to the grave, watching the spectacle above. Beside him will be Kert, who will have been expecting the Party. This is the point in the Campaign where all the marbles are spilt. - Mikael is largely ignorant. He knew the World would end, but he truly did it out of grief. - Kert is actually a Demon in disguise (I leave this up to you, as you may have one in mind which fits your world). - Kert paid Old Jim an exorbant sum to have him develop a very specific poison, a poison which is slow, agonizing, entirely uncurable and untraceable. - Kert wished to break Mikael. A shattered human's soul is one of the most destructive forces in the World. Couple it with the souls of the recently murdered, and the harvested heart of a skilled alchemist, and you have the perfect recipe to destroy the Sun and end the World. - The Cultists, who will be revealed as Cultists to the Demon, were brought in to mark the town. Hearing this, Mikael will strike at Kert, who will effortlessly put him to sleep, mentioning how "he still needs him." Kert will then reveal his true form, and prepare for battle. Cue Final Boss Fight: Stat Block can be found on the next page. After defeating Kert, the spell on Mikael will wear off, and he will awake. The Sun will still be Blotted, however, the Party will be faced with a choice. Try to save Mikael's soul or kill him, and hopefully end the Blot. Mikael himself will, for obvious reasons, wish to be killed. Seeing as how he was used as a tool, he will wish for the Blot to end and for himself to just die. Neither choice should be particularly difficult, however, that doesn't mean you shouldn't frame it with unncertainty. - Will saving his soul actually change anything, or is it too late? - Will killing him end the Blot, or is it self-sustaining now? Throw in the time-pressure, and your Party should face a rather tough choice. Irregardless of what they choose, the Blot will end, and the world will be saved. Returning to the others, they will find that Iaen had died, alongside the entirety of the cult, most of the garrison, and a significant part of the village. Ironically enough, though the World had been saved, and color restored, it still seemed just as black. For their help in saving the World, Charles will offer them Nathaniel Constantine's Bow, a powerful weapon used by Nathaniel, who is actually Charles' ancestor. - The Bow of the Bear Hunter: Legendary Longbow; requires atunement; +3; Keen; Bonus 1d8 damage against Beasts. \page

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