Chapter Summaries

Cthulhu’s avatar, Krasin, emerged from the sea and drove the people around Dimlight Village into madness while sealing off divine power. Aaron resisted the corruption, found his resolve to survive, and ran up the cliff to face the avatar with a plan.

• Krasin’s emergence corrupted the ocean and drove the sahuagin and nearby villagers into madness.
• Aaron reached Dimlight Village, drove off villagers attacking Reynard, and learned that Selûne’s divine power could no longer reach them.
• Reynard urged Aaron to flee, but Aaron refused to abandon his companions and remembered the people and promises that mattered to him.
• Aaron’s resolve strengthened, dispelling some of the madness and awakening a surge of Slaanesh’s authority.
• Aaron told Reynard he had a plan, then ran up the cliff to confront Krasin and fight to survive.

Aaron confronted the Cthulhu Avatar to protect humanity, and awakened Slaanesh’s full power by persuading the Dark Prince to intervene. The avatars fought to a standstill before Cthulhu withdrew, leaving Aaron alive and his power fully awakened.

• Aaron told the Cthulhu Avatar that he would stop its destruction, then broke free of its restraints and charged at it with the powers of Tzeentch and Slaanesh.
• Aaron entered Slaanesh’s palace and provoked the Dark Prince by calling it a coward for refusing to help him face Cthulhu.
• Slaanesh descended as an avatar, shattered Cthulhu’s defenses, and fought the Great Old One until both agreed to stop.
• Cthulhu withdrew and promised that he and his servants would no longer oppose them, while Slaanesh praised Aaron and urged him to spread its power and faith.
• Slaanesh returned Aaron to the cliff outside Dimlight Village, where Aaron realized its power had fully awakened within him.

After Aaron helped stop the divine avatars, he remained emotionally numb in a Suzail hospital while his enemies reconsidered their plans. Slaanesh’s descent awakened Aaron’s power but began spreading Chaos corruption through the Realms, and he decided to visit the recovering Reynard.

• The Purple Dragon Knights rescued the girl, while Aaron collapsed and was taken for treatment after the battle.
• Andreas reported the battle to his liege, who refused to attack Aaron because he feared Aaron could summon another deity’s avatar.
• Andreas reflected on his liege’s caution and began to recognize the courage Aaron had shown.
• Aaron woke in the hospital and realized Slaanesh’s descent had consumed his emotions and part of his power.
• Aaron considered the awakened Slaanesh authority, the spread of her worshippers, and the possibility of a future Chaos invasion.
• After learning Reynard had awakened, Aaron asked which room he was in so he could visit him.

After the battle of Dimlight Village, Aaron visited the recovering Reynard and challenged him to accept the limits of what one paladin could do. Back in his room, Aaron considered how to gain Alusair’s support against Bane’s godspawn, while his sister arrived and Eleanor set out to visit him.

• Aaron found Reynard treating children in the hospital and protected him from an angry parent.
• Aaron told Reynard that paladins had to choose where to spend their limited strength and confronted him about guilt over the deaths at Dimlight Village.
• Reynard defended his commitment to justice, and Aaron urged him not to use helping one child to justify the disaster’s casualties.
• Aaron learned that Disma remained unconscious, then left Reynard alone with Maria-Lysa when she appeared at the door.
• Aaron reviewed the gifts he had received and planned to seek Alusair’s support against Bane’s godspawn.
• Aaron’s sister arrived at his hospital room, while Eleanor asked permission to leave the Church of the Silver Mother and visit him.

After Aaron overused his bloodline power to summon a divine avatar, he lost his emotions and senses while recovering in the hospital. Charlotte visited him with news that the Princess Regent supported his actions, but Aaron hurried her away before Eleanor arrived; the chapter ended with Charlotte and Eleanor meeting on the stairs and sizing each other up.

• Charlotte visited Aaron in the hospital, and he told her that overusing his power had left him numb and without emotions.
• Charlotte reported that the Princess Regent approved of Aaron's actions and had invited him to an audience after he recovered.
• Aaron spotted Eleanor arriving and persuaded Charlotte to leave before the two women could meet.
• Charlotte and Eleanor encountered each other on the stairs, exchanged polite greetings, and each became wary of the other.

Eleanor visited Aaron in the hospital after confronting Charlotte, and Samir gave Aaron an Abyss-powered violin while sharing news from across the Realms. After spending seven days recovering, Aaron left the hospital in secret to meet a Dwarf craftsman in Suzail.

• Eleanor and Charlotte faced off outside Aaron’s room until Samir arrived to visit Aaron and broke up their standoff.
• Aaron welcomed Eleanor and Samir, and Samir gifted him a violin whose Abyssal power resonated with Aaron and enhanced Charm Person.
• Samir told Aaron about events across the Realms, then left; Eleanor soon departed after Aaron promised to talk with her after his discharge.
• Aaron spent seven days in the hospital recovering, while Reynard left and Disma remained unconscious but was expected to wake soon.
• Aaron secretly left the hospital and found the Dwarf craftsman's shop, where the craftsman angrily quoted prices and told him to get lost.

Aaron sought extraordinary leather armor and negotiated with Fojal Wilhelm, a dwarf smith whose skill seemed to match his boastful claims. Fojal offered to forge the armor for free if Aaron helped him reach serpentfolk ruins in the Stormhorn Mountains, leaving Aaron intrigued by the discovery.

• Aaron visited Fojal Wilhelm's smithy in Suzail and asked the dwarf to make extraordinary leather armor.
• Fojal sent Aaron on repeated errands to buy smithing tools and materials, then demanded five thousand Golden Lions and twelve feet of White Dragon hide for the armor.
• Aaron realized Fojal's inflated material requirement hinted at exceptional skill and a plan to keep enough hide to make himself half plate.
• Fojal offered to make Aaron's armor for free if Aaron helped him obtain skins and scales from sleeping serpentfolk in ruins east of Suzail.

Aaron weighed Fojal Wilhelm’s offer to explore Serpentfolk ruins against his plans to secure dragonhide armor and build useful connections. As he prepared to meet Princess Regent Alusair and discuss the Tyranny Godspawn threatening Cormyr, Alusair dressed carefully for his audience and welcomed him.

• Fojal Wilhelm offered Aaron free dragonhide armor and other favors in exchange for killing Abomination Serpentfolk and bringing back their hides and scales.
• Aaron considered the dangers and benefits of the expedition, then decided to delay his answer while prioritizing an audience with Alusair.
• Charlotte told Alusair that Aaron admired her, appreciated her trust, and had discovered a Tyranny Godspawn hiding in Suzail.
• Alusair recalled her growing interest in Aaron and dressed elegantly before summoning him to her chambers.
• Aaron greeted Alusair formally, and she invited him to come closer so they could speak.

Aaron secured Alusair’s trust by pledging to oppose the Son of Tyranny even if the Purple Dragons rebelled, and she appointed him an Inner Court Knight with broad independent powers. After secretly using Slaanesh’s Gift when kissing her hand, Aaron left to collect White Dragon hide and prepare for the Serpentfolk Ruins expedition, then confronted Fujal to renegotiate their profit split.

• Aaron signaled his allegiance to Alusair, and she tested whether he would stand against the Purple Dragons if they followed the Son of Tyranny into rebellion.
• Aaron vowed to kill the Son of Tyranny and any Purple Dragon Knights who rebelled, convincing Alusair to appoint him an Inner Court Knight who answered only to her.
• Alusair invited Aaron to kiss her hand, and he secretly used Enhanced Slaanesh’s Gift on her before she sent him to collect the White Dragon hide.
• Aaron left the palace as the decree appointing him Inner Court Knight was issued, then began preparing for the expedition to the Serpentfolk Ruins.
• A day later, Aaron met Fujal wearing his new surcoat and proposed renegotiating their profit split.

Aaron traveled toward the Stormhorn Mountains with the rogue Eleanora to explore a serpentfolk ruin, while a druid and a band of Orks also headed toward it for their own purposes. Aaron and Eleanora entered the ruin and found two recently killed dwarves, leaving Aaron wary of his companion and ready to begin his plan.

• Aaron renegotiated his agreement with Fujal to receive seventy percent of the serpentfolk skins and scales before setting out to investigate the ruins.
• Aaron and Eleanora traveled through the Stormhorn Mountains, where she identified tracks and Aaron hurried them onward after learning a lone druid was nearby.
• Earthwalker Roddock decided to awaken the serpentfolk as a way to punish Cormyr for destroying its forests, then transformed into a giant bear and headed into the mountains.
• Doherty led a band of Orks and half-Orks toward the ruins, hoping to find a way to prolong Chief Haug's life or offer him a final tribute through battle.
• Aaron used Fujal's stone to open the hidden entrance, and he and Eleanora entered the dark passage leading to a serpentfolk pyramid.
• Aaron and Eleanora found two fresh dwarf corpses at the pyramid entrance, and Aaron warned Eleanora to follow his orders as he prepared his plan.

Aaron recognized the pyramid’s statues as depicting the serpentfolk’s transformation toward the Sarrukh, then examined the traps that had killed two dwarves. After he awakened the World Serpent statue’s recognition of him, the pyramid doors opened and left Eleanora stunned.

• Aaron studied the statues and concluded that they represented serpentfolk gaining status by becoming more like the Sarrukh and the World Serpent.
• Eleanora explained that magical traps had petrified and dissolved two dwarves who tried to steal the ruby eyes, then shared the dwarves’ belongings with Aaron.
• Eleanora joked about the acid trap, prompting Aaron to recognize a connection to the troll they had fought.
• Aaron awakened the lingering divine power in the World Serpent statue and told Eleanora to keep watch.
• The entrance mechanism responded to Aaron’s hissing and serpentlike apparition, recognized him as its master, and opened the pyramid doors.

Aaron and Ailiunora explored a pyramid and uncovered the Sarrukh’s history, including their creation of the Nether Scrolls. After Aaron found a magical pointer to the nearest Nether Scrolls, eight undead Abomination Serpentfolk confronted them.

• Aaron used his Sorcerer talent to impersonate a deity and explained the murals about the Sarrukh and their empire to Ailiunora.
• Aaron learned that the Sarrukh created the Nether Scrolls and removed an Eternal Pointer that pointed northeast toward the nearest scrolls.
• Aaron and Ailiunora continued through the pyramid, finding empty rooms as Aaron impersonated an emissary of the World Serpent to open doors.
• They heard someone smashing through the pyramid’s doors, and eight undead Abomination Serpentfolk emerged to confront them.

Aaron fled four Undead Abomination Serpentfolk through the pyramid and stumbled upon an armed half-Ork squad fighting them. After helping disrupt the undead guards’ attack, Aaron was marked by their leader and prepared to fight for his life.

• Aaron and Eleanora fled when their disguise failed, and Eleanora revealed her Succubus form to draw some of the Undead Abomination Serpentfolk away.
• Aaron raced through the pyramid, then slid down a passage and hid in a hall where a half-Ork squad was searching for treasure.
• The half-Orks attacked the four Undead Abomination Serpentfolk, but the guards killed several fighters and sensed Aaron hiding nearby.
• Aaron cast Tzeentch's Color Spray to disrupt the undead guards and aid the half-Orks.
• The leading Undead Abomination Serpentfolk transformed into a giant serpent and marked Aaron with a beam of red light, forcing him to prepare for combat.

Aaron fought a deadly undead serpentfolk abomination after its poisoned spine wounded him, ultimately killing it with magic and the Sword of the Dark Moon. When he was about to transform into a Keeper of Secrets, a mysterious woman appeared, killed the serpentfolk, and greeted him by name.

• Aaron fled the serpentfolk guards but was struck in the back by a poisoned spine and nearly paralyzed.
• Aaron used Color Spray and Metal Flow to blind and badly burn the pursuing undead serpentfolk abomination.
• Aaron returned to the battlefield and stabbed the abomination with the Sword of the Dark Moon, then drove the blade into its skull with an enhanced Slaanesh True Silver Slash.
• The serpentfolk abomination broke through the floor, and Aaron slowed his fall with Feather Fall before landing in a hall before a statue of Seth.
• As Aaron prepared to transform into a Keeper of Secrets, a red-haired woman killed the serpentfolk abomination with a dagger and introduced herself to Aaron Salian.

Aaron reunited with Aponia in the Serpentfolk ruins, and they agreed to work together to reach Seth’s hidden egg. After Aaron opened the sealed chamber, the scent of the egg stirred Slaanesh’s power within him.

• Aaron and Aponia recognized each other, lowered their weapons, and Aponia treated his wounds.
• Aaron persuaded Aponia to work with him by revealing that he spoke Serpent Tongue, and she explained that she had come to obtain Seth’s egg.
• Aponia gave Aaron two serpent-pattern steel scimitars and said the egg held a Godspawn of Seth and a trace of the Snake God’s divinity.
• Aponia admitted she had lured Orks to the pyramid and used bombs to breach its entrance, while Aaron learned that one of her other missions involved the Sun Elves’ Soul Stones.
• Aaron spoke Serpent Tongue to the sealed chamber door, which opened and revealed the Snake God’s Egg; its scent caused Slaanesh’s power within him to surge.

Aaron and Aponia entered the Serpentfolk chamber, where Aaron found a Nether Scroll and learned its secrets while Aponia prepared to claim the Snake God's Egg. Aaron used his blood and magic to send a new divine identity through the sleeping Serpentfolk, leaving them to hear Sune proclaim himself the World Serpent’s true incarnation.

• Aaron and Aponia found the Snake God's Egg above a pool guarded by sleeping Abomination Serpentfolk, and Aponia told Aaron to distract the guardians while she prepared a ritual.
• Aaron collected valuable gems, coins, and other treasures, then discovered a golden Nether Scroll in a box at the shrine.
• Aaron read the Nether Scroll, gained a permanent blessing from Tzeentch, and learned Serpentfolk Shedding and the secret method for forging Serpent-Pattern Steel.
• Aaron poured his blood and purple magical power into the hibernation device, causing the sleeping Serpentfolk to dream of Sune, the Serpent of Pleasure.
• Sune proclaimed himself the World Serpent’s true incarnation and called on the Serpentfolk to worship him.

Aaron helped Aponia steal the Snake God's Egg and absorbed part of its Divinity, gaining another Sorcerer level and greater Charisma before giving the egg to her. Their escape was interrupted when a Druid awakened the temple and its enormous guardian, leaving Aaron and Aponia facing a legendary Abomination Serpentfolk.

• Aaron questioned Aponia and learned she had lured the half-Orks to the ruins by promising that the Snake God's Egg could extend their chieftain's life.
• Aaron stayed with Aponia while she used divine power to open a hole in Seth's protective barrier.
• Aaron seized the egg and absorbed part of its Divinity, increasing his Sorcerer level, Charisma, and ability to cast fourth-circle spells.
• Aaron resisted the Chaos Gods' urging to keep the egg and handed it to Aponia, who noticed that it had lost some vitality.
• Druid Roddock struck the temple entrance and awakened its alarms, prompting the six-armed legendary Abomination Serpentfolk guardian to emerge and demand the return of the egg.

Aaron and Aponia fled the chamber after Slaanesh’s Reverie kept the sleeping Abomination Serpentfolk from waking, but the legendary guardian cornered them with the Druid Rodok. The three fought together, and just as the guardian wounded Aponia, a half-Ork crashed into the battle and gave Aaron an opening.

• The Legendary Six-Armed Abomination Serpentfolk awakened, but his calls failed to rouse the other Serpentfolk because Aaron had placed them in Slaanesh’s Reverie.
• Aaron and Aponia ran from the chamber and encountered Rodok, who raised a Wall of Stone against the pursuing guardian before it shattered the barrier and blocked the exit.
• Aaron, Aponia, and Rodok attacked the guardian together, but its Blade Barrier stopped their assault and its tail shattered Aaron’s Golden Cloak and broke Aponia’s ribs.
• Aponia wounded the guardian with a curved sword, and Rodok trapped it behind a Wall of Fire while Aaron caught the injured Elf.
• A wounded half-Ork fell through the ceiling and charged the guardian, giving Aaron the opening he had been waiting for.

Doherty sacrificed himself to wound the legendary Serpentfolk, giving Aaron time to transform into his Keeper of Secrets form and join the fight. Aaron and the Druid brought the Serpentfolk down, and Aaron and Aponia survived by disguising themselves as statues, then destroyed the enemy’s eye to prevent resurrection.

• Doherty attacked the legendary Serpentfolk from above, severed one of his arms, and died after the Serpentfolk pierced his chest with a spear.
• Aaron transformed into his Keeper of Secrets form, severed three more of the Serpentfolk’s arms, and struck him with a spell concealed in his punch.
• The Druid fought the Serpentfolk in bear form and battered his fractured forehead while the Serpentfolk trapped and poisoned him.
• Aaron ignited a Tzeentch daemonfire Flamer inside the Serpentfolk, then vanished with Aponia as the wounded enemy searched the hall and died.
• Aaron and Aponia changed back from their statue disguises, and Aponia drove her sword through the Serpentfolk’s eye to prevent his resurrection.

Aaron and Aponia escaped the Serpentfolk ruins with their spoils after the dying Druid Earthwalker Roddock entrusted Aaron with his staff and last wish. As Aaron demanded Aponia reveal her real name and face, the dead Half-Orc Doherty was revived by Khorne and made his champion.

• Aponia killed the Legendary Serpentfolk, and Aaron prepared to salvage its valuable remains while the pair left the secret chamber sealed.
• The dying Earthwalker Roddock gave Aaron his deadwood staff and asked him to bury it in Ghost Creek Valley; Aaron witnessed the memories behind Roddock’s hatred of Cormyr and agreed to fulfill his request.
• Aaron and Aponia collected the Serpentfolk’s remains, buried the Half-Orc and Roddock, and escaped the ruins without further fighting.
• Outside the ruins, Aponia teased Aaron, who turned the exchange around and demanded her real name and true face, saying she was not a Sun Elf named Aponia.
• Khorne revived the dead Half-Orc Sword Saint Doherty, healed and strengthened him, reforged his blade, and ordered him to serve as a champion and aid Khorne’s chosen one.