Dragon of the Shadow

Intelligence reports indicate unusual and unexplained activity within the target castle. The nature, source, and intent of these anomalies remain unknown. The objective of Enclave is to infiltrate the castle, conduct a thorough investigation, gather actionable intelligence, and determine the cause of the disturbances. Agents are to observe, document, and assess all relevant phenomena, individuals, locations, and artifacts encountered during the operation.

Agents arrived at a castle gate where they were met by guards, refusing their entry. Tensions were immediately brought to a boil as the agents got into an aggressive altercation with the guards, leaving one dead. Amidst the chaos, they were able to forge documentation and were allowed entry.

In the courtyard, it was clear that some strange magic was afoot. Some people's shadows were behaving quite strangely, and gigantic shadowy rats were roaming about the courtyard, and were compelled to dance as Magpie and Morgan played a lively jig. A squire came to greet the agents, and they followed, leading the dancing rats in a procession towards the Earl's keep, but were forced to disband them for the sake of decorum. The rats disappeared into the shadows.

Meeting with Earl Guzman, in a room marked with a strange sigil, the agents were tasked with investigating the castle's library, where a suspicious wizard dwelled. The squire returned with beverages, which were poisoned, as the Earl and Ivor found out too late. Upon leaving, at least a dozen guards were strewn dead upon the stone floor.

The agents shared a toast of unpoisoned libations as they ventured towards the library. Upon arriving, they found a model replica of the castle, also emblazoned with the same sigil from earlier. Upon messing with this, the sigil broke and the room was filled with rats, who attacked agents' shadows. The agents fended off the rats, and in the confusion discovered that the wizard had been killed and the squire was behind the foul magic. Together, the agents enthralled the rats in song and killed the suspicious squire.

That was not the end of the trouble, however. The shadow magic seemed to persist and find new hosts when its current one was slain-- it was revealed to agents in a vision that the origin of this shadow may be related to a Lion-headed enclave associate. The shadow of a dragon came upon the castle, and Golden Cloak used an ability to render a physical dragon that could be slain in its stead. The agents with courage, steady aim, and a bit of help from the dancing rats, managed to slay the dragon.

The earl, haggard from the poison, thanked the agents for their help in solving the problem at hand, but lamented that there was still magic afoot that was not yet understood. A shadowy figure popped up and taunted the agents, and even as they shot him, the shadow dissipated to haunt another day.

• Morgan Darillium
• Ivor, Knight Arbiter

• Magpie unregistered
• Golden Cloak unregistered