One-shot Raokan's little helpers

Session 76

Amidst the simmering tension of the Fey Realm, a dark and tangled narrative unfolded within the looming walls of the castle — Raokan's devilish influence continuing to seep deeper into its very foundations. With the Queen of Luck and Ruin missing and no lies detectable from those claiming rule, the natural wilds were reshaped into twisted race tracks and dark industries.

The servants of the court, once vibrant fey, had been reduced to little more than tools for the devilish masters. Among these, four darklings — Needle, Ink, Coal, and Mind — found themselves trapped within the castle, completing menial tasks while the world they once knew decayed around them. Their existence was grim, but change was on the horizon.

Needle, a thin and wiry figure, often dresses in ragged, dark clothing. There's an unsettling presence about them, with a sinister, crooked smile hinting at something not quite right beneath the surface. They’ve sewn the spines of makeshift wings onto their back, a grotesque reminder of their tenacity and will to transcend their limitations. Ink, pale-skinned with sea-kelp-like black dreads and wearing a memo-envelope-inspired outfit, is the quiet, contemplative one, often drifting through tasks like a shadow. His dark eyes hide a deep intellect and a penchant for quick decisions. Coal, covered in soot and grime with embers flickering in his bright orange eyes, has a lanky but strong frame and an edge of dangerous unpredictability. His soot-streaked butler’s attire and sharp, sooty teeth paint the picture of someone used to getting their hands dirty. Finally, Mind, though the smallest of the group, commands attention with his insect-like wings and frail body, moving with the speed and wit of a "dark" quickling. His telepathic abilities, though weak, make him invaluable, and his sharp mental insight often compensates for his lack of physical strength.

The day of Raokan’s cocktail party arrived, and the castle bustled with unnatural energy. Raokan’s subordinates, a blend of infernal creatures and enslaved fey, prepared for the races. Darklings worked to dismantle armor and craft items for their oppressors, all while dodging the havoc-wreaking imps and devils who defaced the once-beautiful castle.

The four darklings, however, had a different task at hand — a task whispered to them by an unexpected arrival, an abused darkling from the castle’s depths who died after his message. The oracles, elder fey spirits who could see beyond time and space, awaited them in the northern tower’s hidden sanctuary. And so, they embarked on a covert mission through the twisting corridors, seeking to uncover the truths that might save their realm.

As they descended the western wing, they thought to seek out familiar faces — old fey servants like Mold, the head chef; but it was the path upward, toward the oracles, that truly mattered. The journey through the castle’s halls was fraught with peril: imps argued and bickered over their music and tea, infernal voices echoed through rooms filled with bizarre happenings, and at one point, a daring exchange was made — Coal swapped a sleeping barbed-devil’s tiny fey prisoner, Oil, with a black turkey. Oil, too reluctant to join, instead granted Coal a fiery boon before they continued on their way.

When the group finally reached the northern tower’s library, guarded by a fearsome abishai, they knew they had little time. Mind, the smallest of the group, bravely flew ahead, distracting the dragon-devil guard just long enough for the others to reach the door. As they entered the room adjacent that of the sacred room of the elder oracles, the magical tapestry of two unicorns revealed their destination — a once beautiful sanctuary now decayed and overgrown, much like the fey realm itself.

One by one, the darklings approached the statues of the oracles, asking the vital questions:

Ink, ever the inquisitive one, asked the spirit of "When" about the best moment to strike against Raokan. The oracle showed them a glimpse of a future in which someone entering from the kitchens would need their help — a veiled prophecy that would soon come to pass.

Coal, always loyal to the Queen, asked "Where" where she was held. The oracle revealed the painful truth — the Queen was trapped in the tea room, forced to watch her kingdom fall apart, and we'd all passed her without realizing it.

Needle, sharp and determined, sought to uncover the traitor responsible for letting the devils in. The oracle of "Who" unveiled the name of Truush, a fiend masquerading as a court mage, who had betrayed the court and opened the portal to the Hells for his lover.

Finally, Coal approached the spirit of "How," asking how to banish the devils and close the portal. The answer was clear: they had to win back the realm from Raokan, and to do that, they needed to destroy the power source hidden deep within the castle — a beacon vital to the devils' hold on the Fey Realm.

Before the group could escape with their newfound knowledge, they were interrupted by the abishai. A brutal battle ensued, resulting in Ink's sacrifice, leaving behind his glasses and final note. Coal and Needle, bloodied but determined, managed to kill the devil and flee the tower — barely making it to the ground floor.

And there, as they reached the kitchens, they collided with a disguised Maltheo, slipping him the piece of paper that might just be the key to turning the tide.

The fates of the darklings, the Queen, and the realm itself now hung in the balance. But with the oracles’ cryptic warnings and a new ally in Maltheo, the fight against Raokan was far from over.