A few weeks ago a botched teleportation spell unexpectedly landed Countess Alina, an air genasi druid, into the wilds of Barovia. In her short time in the valley she stumbled into the walls of Krezk and was briefly mistaken for a Kavani druid. Compelled by the possibility of honing her magical crafts, she left the safety of the walls of Krezk in favor of seeking out the supposedly evil Kavani until she found a small group of their youths, Gaine, Salali, and Echo. These teenage druids were making their way to the Amber Temple filled with optimism about a coming-of-age ritual and the possibility of finding the long lost Sunsword. As the group of druids inevitably splits up to look for Dark Gifts and the Sunsword, Alina and Echo make their way to the upper eastern side of the temple. There is a hole in the ground with stable enough handholds so Alina confidently makes her way down with Echo in tow. Unfortunately there is a bit of a drop to the ground from the final handhold which Alina gladly jumps down to, but Echo is terrified of the fall. They make their way back up the hole leaving Alina below and as they make it back up out of the hole flames seem to fill the room as they scream for help. Down the hall, the Sunseekers have just woken up. Umnos is having trouble healing Vilnius as the sickness within him seems to be some kind of magic or curse. As he is questioned about it, he begins to panic and run out of the room and into the flames that are encircling Echo. Umnos stabilizes Vilnius and leaves him in the lecture hall so the Sunseekers can assist the unfamiliar teenage druid in the other room. Fighting breaks out as flaming skulls circulate the room spewing fire in every direction of the room as, below, Alina the air genasi levitates her way back up through the hole and joins the Sunseekers in the fight to save Echo. Once the last flame is extinguished introductions are made and it is revealed that Echo and the Kavani are seeking the Sunsword to offer up to Strahd directly. The Sunseekers quietly shift their gaze from Echo to Alina who appears to express in particular interest in Strahd or the sword. They continue to travel through the hole as group, using a rope to ease themselves down through the gap at the end of it. Inside the small room below they find three unusal shaped amber sarcophogi and a sealed amber door. Echo reaches out to touch one of them as the room becomes very quiet. "I accept" Echo says as they pull their hand gently from the surface of the amber. They feel powerful and agile. Echo leaps to the ceiling ten feet above, no longer fearing the gap, and sticks confidently to the edge. "I've done it! I've become more powerful!" Echo says before their mouth is torn open from the inside to make room for large emerging mandibles. Their eyes grow until the shape of their face is forever rearranged to compensate for the difference in size. Their limbs snap back in an inhuman way as their body is covered in bear fur and leathery skin, horns, and claws. The monstrosity lets out a loud shriek as the Sunseekers draw their weapons. Umnos leaps into the air and grapples the creature that was once Echo from the ceiling tearing it down to his level as Safzira shoots arrows from the corner of the room and Alina casts her spectatular starry druid magic at it. As the creature fails to defend itself, shooting sticky bear-like vines through the tight space, it takes significant damage and it's torso is elongated and split down the middle to release two smaller identical creatures. They bear climb to the ceiling and launch themselves at Umnos in an attempt to free the larger creature. There is biting, clawing, and overwhelming shrieking and wailing from these monstrosities until they finally stay wilt into a mess of unrecognizable remains. Umnos says a short prayer over what might be considered a body while Safzira takes what she can from it so that the Echo may be identified from their loved ones later on and discovers a magical scroll. Before leaving the room, Alina can't help herself. She reaches out and touches an amber sarcophogus and her consciousness is transported across time and space. Her surroundings are cold and wet, but she can see lightning being cast down like an angry fist into the world below. The Elder One Zrin-Hala offers her the ability to cast lightning at the cost a a physical deformity. As she accepts her eyes turn piercing solid white accompanied by crackling streaks of electricity and swirling patterns reminiscent of storm clouds within. She tells the others that Echo couldn't have been powerful enough to contain the gift bestowed upon them. Safzira is tempted to reach out to the Elder Ones and accept a Dark Gift of her own to bring Freebird back to life. She seeks the council of Umnos and Kasimir who don't seem interested in trying for themselves either. She decides to let Freebird rest for now, but she makes Umnos promise to try to revive him as soon as they can escape the Mists of Barovia. Umnos and Safzira use their booming blades against the sealed Amber door to break through it and continue onward. The group walks through the temple searching rooms for clues about the whereabouts of the Sunsword and share their stories with each other. Eventually they come across an enormous faceless statue in the main room. They find a secret door in the rear of the statue that leads to an ascending sprial staircase up to the interior of statue's head. In a very cramped space within the head, there is an old dusty chest containing an old dusty robe with various patches on it - dogs, a boat, a broken sword, and more. Umnos tears off the patch and removes the platinum hilt of a broken crystal sword. He feels a connection to it. This sword feels bretrayed and griefs for its original master. It seeks revenge for the crime, but fears its permanent destruction. The group takes a moment to rest as Umnos attunes to the weapon. Alina requests help from the group to retrieve an item for herself after this - the Gulthias Staff from the Kavani druids. They are happy to accept and welcome her to the Sunseekers. Kasimir pulls Safzira aside to talk about leaving the group to check on the dusk elves. He fears that Strahd will soon learn about the Sunsword and it's possible that he will blame the dusk elves for assisting with its discovery. He can't be away from his people any longer, so he prepares his things to leave in the main room while the others continue through the temple to find the remaining Kavani youths. Deep inside the temple, the Sunseekers find the Kavani teenagers Gaine and Salali proudly showing off their newfound Dark Gifts and attracting the attention of two Amber Golems. The druids and the Sunseekers fight side by side. Gaine rushes up a grand spiral staircase to use his vampiric abilities on a golem successfully biting into it's amber. Salali rushes the opposite direction the golem on the ground floor but is crushed immediately by the construct. Safzira casts grease on the golem above knocking it prone and sliding down the stairs causing Gaine to be pushed off the ledge. Alina summons a fey spirit while Umnos casts spirit guardians arround himself and centers himself between the golems. Safzira's arrows fly out from the shadows striking the golems with unexpected force while Gaine picks himself back up. He leaps towards the greasy golem at the base of the stairs and fails to bite into it this time. The golem retaliates smashing the young druid vampire to pieces right in front of Alina. Magic and arrows continue to fly across the room with the fey spirit rushing the golem still standing. With the druid children unconsicous or dead, Umnos draws the Sunsword for the first time and it's golden glowing blade erupts from the hilt. He moves in closer the golem and swings the sword of sunlight with precision. The Sunseekers are successful to destroying both of the golems. Alina, concerned with her upcoming fight with the Kavani for the Gulthias Staff and Blood Spear, ends Salali's withering lifeforce with a stab to the heart. Umnos is heartbroken by the sight, but prays over the dead youths while Alina finds a haiku in Salali's pocket. It reads: Grateful hearts unite, Infinite connections thrive, Alive, we are one. For a second it seems that Alina is beside herself at her decision to take the life of a child with such an obvious yearning for life. But the second passes. She crumples up the bloody poem and kicks it across the room and joins the rest of the Sunseekers as they get ready to leave the Amber Temple for good.