The Lackless Boy:
- Young prodigy during war era
- Volunteered to become lock (bind himself to entity)
- Ritual created sympathetic link between boy and entity
- Boy accepted consequence: his bloodline would bear curse forever
- Binding would:
- Prevent entity from leaving prison
- Distribute suffering across bloodline (manageable vs. unbearable)
- Strengthen if Lackless have children (more links, more strength)
- Weaken if Lackless die without heirs (fewer links, entity stirs)
Current Status:
- 3,000+ years of binding; still holding (barely)
- Recent generation has few births (curse prevents marriage/relationships)
- Binding is weakening; entity is stirring
- Entity will break free in 1d6 years unless binding is reinforced or replaced
The Entity Itself:
- Not evil, but alien
- Wants only to return to wherever it came from (other realm? Before-time?)
- Mindset completely inhuman (will destroy Temerant without malice, indifferently)
- Unknown if it can be negotiated with or communicated with
Moral Complexity:
- Lackless are heroes (sacrificed everything to save Temerant)
- But system is unsustainable (bloodline is breaking)
- Curse is both prison (for entity) and torture (for Lackless)
- Party must choose: Continue suffering, or risk everything to break/replace binding?
### Session 19: The Entity's Offer
Party contacts entity directly (ritual, lucid dream, or direct summoning).
Entity Communicates:
- Not in words but in concepts
- Reveals it's not trapped against will; it agreed to imprisonment
- Entity fears Chandrian (reason for binding)
- Entity offers bargains: "Free me, and I will aid you against Chandrian."
Entity's Logic:
- "Chandrian are young and ignorant. I am old. I know their weaknesses."
- "Together, we could reshape Temerant safely (according to alien values)."
- "Or I could leave quietly; your world would recover in centuries."
Warning:
- Entity might be trustworthy (ancient enough to understand consequences)
- Or Entity is completely inhuman (what it sees as safe, we see as extinction)
- Party has no way to verify truth
### Sessions 20-22: Factional Mobilization
University Response:
- Masters want to study entity; pressure party to complete research
- Elodin provides cryptic support; other Masters are skeptical
- University offers: 500 gold talents for entity contact (research)
Church Response:
- Church discovers entity is real (via Inquisitor spy)
- Hunts party as heretics if they consider freeing it
- Launches full inquisition against "shadow-pact" Lackless line
- Offers: Redemption and blessing if party destroys entity
Amyr Response (if Chandrian arc was played):
- Amyr reveals: They know about binding
- Amyr has been protecting Lackless line for centuries
- Amyr offers: Full support in exchange for party agreeing to maintain binding forever
- Amyr warns: "Entity was imprisoned by Chandrian's enemies. If it wakes, Chandrian will notice."
Maer's Desperation:
- If Maer's curse is advancing: Maer will pay anything for cure
- Offers 5,000 gold talents and noble title
- Threatened: If party can't cure him, will accuse them of witchcraft
- Creates time pressure: Cure Maer in 2 weeks or face legal/magical consequences
Fae Interest (if thin place was explored):
- Fae find situation amusing
- May aid any faction for entertainment
- Might support breaking binding (enjoy chaos)
- Might support maintaining binding (ancient enemy defeated)
- Completely unpredictable
---
## Endgame
### Overview (Sessions 23-28)
Party chooses path forward. Four possible endings, each with different consequences.
### The Four Endings
Ending 1: Strengthen the Lock
Party performs ritual to reinforce binding using components from Lackless estates/Arcanum.
Ritual Requirements:
- True name of entity (party must research/discover)
- Blood sacrifice (party member spills blood, absorbs some curse burden)
- Sympathetic link apparatus (found at Lackless manor)
- 8 hours of continuous ritual (uninterrupted)
Consequences:
- Binding is reinforced for 1,000+ more years
- Lackless curse continues but stabilizes (doesn't get worse)
- Party member bearing curse gains: Curse Resistance feat, +2 to resists against all curses
- Maer's curse is halted (if he was cursed); gratitude + noble title
- Lackless line survives but continues suffering
Moral: "Some locks must hold. Some suffering is the price of safety."
Mechanical Benefit: Party gains powerful ally (Maer), noble standing, curse immunity.
Mechanical Cost: One party member becomes "cursed bearer" (cursed condition, semi-permanent).
---
Ending 2: Break the Lock
Party performs ritual to sever Lackless binding; entity is freed.
Ritual Requirements:
- Entity's cooperation (negotiated beforehand)
- True name spoken and released (verbal component)
- Cutting of all sympathetic links (metaphysical severing)
- Willing sacrifice (party member or NPC must offer life)
Consequences:
- Entity is freed; departs to unknown realm (hopefully peacefully)
- Lackless curse vanishes instantly
- Lackless line is freed from burden
- Entity's nature is unpredictable:
- 50% chance: Entity leaves peacefully, later becomes Temerant's ally vs. Chandrian
- 50% chance: Entity becomes confused/hostile; destroys nearby region before departing
- Unknown: Entity's departure triggers geopolitical changes (Chandrian notice; other powers notice)
Moral: "Freedom demands sacrifice. Trust costs everything."
Mechanical Benefit:
- Lackless line becomes powerful allies (freed from curse)
- Entity becomes unpredictable ally/neutral force
- Party gains: True name knowledge, entity debt (maybe)
Mechanical Cost:
- One sacrifice (party member or NPC permanent death)
- Chandrian/other powers pay attention
- Unpredictable entity loose in world
---
Ending 3: Replace the Lock
Party performs ritual to transfer binding from Lackless line to new bearer (a party member, volunteer NPC, or even willing prisoner).
Ritual Requirements:
- New bearer must accept curse willingly
- Sympathetic link transferred (party member becomes new "Lackless Boy")
- Entity's acknowledgment (entity must accept new bearer)
- Bloodline severance (original Lackless bloodline must symbolically die—no more Lackless births possible)
Consequences:
- Original Lackless line is freed (curse severed)
- New bearer becomes cursed (but consciously, aware of burden)
- New bearer gains: Curse becomes controllable resource (can access entity's knowledge, strength)
- Lackless family becomes grateful allies
- Entity now linked to new bearer (strange relationship develops)
Moral: "One person's burden is another's tool. Power demands price."
Mechanical Benefit:
- Lackless become faction allies (+2 relationship)
- Cursed bearer gains: New spellcasting/ability tied to entity
- Party has direct entity contact (via cursed bearer)
Mechanical Cost:
- One party member is now permanently cursed (Cursed condition)
- Entity is partially controllable but unpredictable
- Cursed bearer becomes target for Church/other factions
Ending 4: Sacrifice the Line
Party hunts remaining Lackless and executes them to sever curse bloodline.
Requirements:
- Find 5-8 remaining Lackless members (scattered across Temerant)
- Kill each one (combat or assassination)
- Ritual at each death to sever link
- Final death at original bind-point (entity weakens permanently)
Consequences:
- Curse is severed; bloodline is extinct
- Entity is greatly weakened (but not imprisoned; still exists in weakened state)
- Entity may or may not be threat after (depends on weakening amount)
- Party becomes cursed themselves (marked as Lackless-killers; hunted by their ghosts)
- Temerant is safe (short-term)
Moral: "Genocide for safety. History won't forgive you."
Mechanical Benefit: Entity is permanently weakened/neutralized
Mechanical Cost:
- Party is hunted by Lackless ghosts (supernatural harassment)
- Church/other factions hunt party as murderers
- Moral infamy (party becomes villains in history)
- Curse transfers to party (Cursed condition, permanent)
---
### Session 24-25: The Final Choice
The Binding Ceremony:
Party gathers at original bind-point (Lackless chamber or thin place meeting ground).
Key NPCs Present (depending on path):
- Kael Lackless (researcher, emotional investment)
- Guardian (dying, hopes for freedom)
- Maer (if not cured, desperate)
- Lackey (if saved, conflicted)
- Fae representative (if contacted, amused observer)
- Amyr operative (if Chandrian arc was played, watchful)
The Ritual:
- Each ending requires different ritual (DM prepares stat blocks/difficulty)
- Party faces:
- Moral pressure from gathered NPCs
- Entity's influence (pulling one direction or another)
- Mechanical challenges (casting, concentration, saves)
- Possible combat (if Church/faction interferes)
DC/Difficulty by Ending:
- Strengthen: DC 16 Arcana (easy-medium)
- Break: DC 18 Arcana + entity negotiation (hard)
- Replace: DC 17 Arcana + willing volunteer (medium-hard)
- Sacrifice: Series of hunts + final DC 19 ritual (deadly)
Resolution: After ritual succeeds (or fails), consequences play out.
### Sessions 25-28: The Aftermath
If Strengthen Lock:
- Lackless thank party; Maer grants title and lands
- Guardian fades peacefully (finally free from duty)
- Binding holds; world is safe
- Party becomes protectors of Lackless (ongoing faction relationship)
- Campaign transitions to: Chandrian arc or new threats
If Break Lock:
- Lackless celebrate freedom; become faction allies
- Entity departs (outcome is GM choice based on party handling)
- If entity is ally: Party gains powerful backer against Chandrian
- If entity is hostile: Region needs rebuilding/recovery (10+ session subplot)
- Guardian is freed; may aid party or disappear peacefully
- Campaign transitions to: Unknown entity threat or recovery arc