The Obsidian Crown

The shadows stretched long across the sinister woods as Draven Stonefist, Kara Nightshade, Lirael Blackthorn, Nyx Valtora, and Thorne Bloodhammer approached the ruined Temple of Bane. Sent by Kara's mother, Vera Nightshade, the leader of the Nightshade cult, their mission was clear: recover the Obsidian Crown before it could be used to summon a demon from the Abyss. The crown held immense power, and it couldn't be left in possession of the Hand of Malgorath cult. The air was heavy with purpose as they reached the temple near dusk, shrouded in the eerie silence of anticipation.

Their approach was meant to be stealthy, but the echo of their footsteps alerted the skeletal guards stationed at the temple’s entrance. A brief but fierce struggle followed. The skeletons, clad in rusted armor and wielding ancient weapons, advanced, their empty eye sockets gleaming with unnatural light. The adventurers, led by Kara, dispatched four skeletons with practiced ease, but reinforcements soon arrived. Another wave of skeletal soldiers descended upon them, yet Kara and her companions prevailed. Draven's greatsword cleaved through bone, Thorne’s mighty maul shattered skulls, and Nyx’s cunning maneuvers turned the tide in their favor, leaving the temple entrance littered with broken bones.

Deeper within the ruined temple, they encountered a lone cultist of the Hand of Malgorath. The man turned to flee at the sight of them, but his escape was short-lived. Swift and merciless, the adventurers cornered and struck him down, yet the sound of flapping wings lingered, hinting at an unseen threat. Invisible imps flitted through the air, attacking in swift, sudden bursts before disappearing again. Their laughter echoed, taunting the adventurers who could only react in split-second windows. Holding their attacks, the group devised a strategy: as the imps appeared, each would strike swiftly, managing to bring down two of the fiends.

Among the cultist’s possessions, Nyx found a healing potion. They used it to tend to the wounds earned in the skirmish, each drinking in a much-needed breath as they prepared to descend deeper. The air grew fouler the further they went; a sulfurous stench mixed with the earthy decay of the ruined temple. Dark incantations reverberated through the stone corridors, faint at first but growing stronger, the unmistakable sound of dark magic at work. The ground trembled, an ominous promise of the danger that lay ahead.

At last, they came face-to-face with Lord Graven. The leader of the Hand of Malgorath stood in the temple’s inner sanctum, surrounded by four cultists whose incantations fueled a set of floating runes that pulsed with infernal energy. Lord Graven’s focus was on the Obsidian Crown, the object of their quest, its dark power feeding the incantation and drawing the portal to the Abyss closer with every chant. Undeterred, the Nightshade envoys fought their way through his defenses, dispatching the cultists one by one. With each cultist’s fall, a rune of protection shattered, weakening Lord Graven’s shield. Just as he reached the final phrases of his demonic incantation, they broke through, disrupting the ritual.

But Lord Graven did not relent. With a sneer, he raised his hands and cast a spell of Command at Thorne. Compelled by magic, Thorne approached, helpless against the force driving him forward. With his free hand, Lord Graven gripped Thorne’s head and unleashed a torrent of necrotic energy, the barbarian’s strength crumbling beneath the onslaught. Thorne fell unconscious, his form slumping lifelessly to the stone floor. Lirael, badly wounded from earlier battles, barely held her ground, and Draven soon joined Thorne in unconsciousness, his body bearing the scars of his own battles. The fight was turning against them, their chances waning by the second.

With grim determination, Nyx and Kara sprang into action. Dodging Graven’s attacks, they retrieved healing potions, quickly reviving their fallen allies. Renewed, Thorne’s strength surged, and Draven’s resolve returned, a glint of steel in his eyes. Together, the five launched a final, desperate assault on Lord Graven, their combined force too much for him to withstand. His incantation faded as he fell, his final moments filled with the horror of his defeat.

As silence settled over the desecrated temple, Kara held the Obsidian Crown aloft. The portal to the Abyss was closed, the ritual stopped. The Nightshade’s purpose had been fulfilled, and Bane’s will had indeed prevailed that day. The group emerged victorious, knowing they had averted disaster, but fully aware their own Nightshade Cult will probably attempt to summon that same demon with the help of the Obsidian Crown.