Choice: Shadow shard under Reythum, fight Clauth for the scepter he has, or go to Jaynthar where the siblings had their base to fight the shadowy Haepahestus figure. 

We carry on with the silver Dragonborn scouts as we head towards Pearl’s village. As we return, Pearl thinks the village looks foundationally the same, but it does look radically different in the sense that it is more busy and populated. We prepare to go meet with Leiloferier, the head of the town. We walk into her office and see a 6-foot wall Gradonborn woman, who bears a striking resemblance to the twins, Pearl and Fey. She drops her tea as she sees Pearl who says, “Hi, mom.” Leiloferier recounts how hard it was watching Pearl and Fey leave the town years ago. Pearl introduces the group to her mom who then asks about Fey and where she is. Pearl reveals that she is still working with the Prince of Frost, to which Leiloferier appears to be slightly perturbed that Pearl is still working for him.

• Pearl tells her mother of our journey, leaving out some of the more morbid details, such as that Fey is currently a demon prince’s prisoner in the underworld.

• Pearl and her mother speak and Pearl suggests that they take a vacation together once our journey has been completed, like they did when Pearl and Fey were younger.

Back at the Inn, Pearl, for the first time, is holding herself upright, shoulders raised, and she is feeling confident. 

• We rest at the tavern that evening without issue. Brylwynn is once again met with her heads-tails dream.

The next morning we meet back up with Pearl’s mother who gifts her with a family token. It is a jewel on a ring with a small pearl on it which is a Pearl of Power. She shares that Pearl’s name comes from a strong lineage here in their town and Pearl cries and hugs her.

We make our way across the northern, snowy tundra. After about 4 hours of travel, we begin to see the mountain range off in the distance, another 2-3 hour journey ahead. At this point, Brylwynn and Pearl feel a rumble from within as the Prince of Frost appears in front of them. He speaks to them, asking them to destroy the crown once and for all. He says that he will not be able to stand beside the group, fighting against himself as we try to release the shadow shard.

• They no longer have access to their Warlock powers as we find ourselves at the opening of a cave.

Caulkin’s ring has a 3rd-level Healing Word and a 2nd-level Misty Step.

We investigate the cave and see the typical runes that we’d expect to see at the mouth of it. Once we step inside, we are met with utter darkness. It feels like an expansive cavern with no visible walls, but a high 30’ feeling. 

In the cave, we see a large-sized Prince of Frost, about 20’ tall with a glowing crown atop his head. He has the familiar-looking ichar dripping from his face. He says:

• At long last we finally meet face to face, friends and adversaries. Long have I waited for this moment to intercept those who wish ill for my lady Beshaba. Come, fight. For you will not live and Beshaba’s will will be done.”

To the North, we see an obsidian stone glowing, giving off a radiating light about 30’ in diameter. During the fight, he huffs and puffs as we have a round of weak blows and strikes. As the crown drippings fall from him and cover Baptiste’s head, he says “I can’t wait to kill every last one of you.” For a brief moment, he gurgles and convulses as a shadowy figure of Jyaernos appears from underneath him. Jyaernos says “You have to hurry, I can’t restrain him for long. To activate the shard, you need someone pure of heart must take the evil that is attempting to spill out. You need to endure the evil that it spews. Grasp the shard and cleanse it.”

Caulkin runs towards the shard and tries to activate it, but is unable to activate it. The group realizes that the person who activates it needs to be good aligned, leaving only RC and Glittr as potential options.

As Glittr books it towards the shard, the party barrages it with arrows and blows as he manages to take down Brylwynn and Pearl along the way. With a final round of attacks, RC shoots an arrow at the Prince, taking him down. He looks to the shadow shard, waiting for it to heal him, but it doesn’t.

• During the battle radiant damage would cause the shard to heal him.

• As he begins to fall, The Prince appears to almost be glitching out, as if the “pause” button was pushed on him. He isn’t dead, but he is stopped - for now.