You and your party find yourself in the common room of Hero's Respite, an inn just outside the city of New Anima. Not 24 hours before, you were tracking accused king-slayer Jaxson Shadowstring when the man himself walked into your camp. He swayed your heart towards his innocence with a story, as bards often do, and recruited you to help him avenge the king and clear his name.

Earlier this morning, you broke into The Crystal Ship at his behest. This tavern was apparently a front for the thieves’ guild. With Jaxson's help, you infiltrated the office of their leader, The Starfall, and recovered the pieces of a contract. The contract had the signatures of the three remaining members of the Moonlit Council.

As you whisper excitedly amongst yourselves, you notice a hooded figure enter the inn and briskly walk toward you. Your group goes quiet as the stranger pulls down his hood to reveal Jaxson grinning at you.

"You've done well, my friends." He nudges onto the bench amongst you, careful to keep his face pointed away from the door. "Who would've thought I'd make better progress on the lam then on the King's payroll."

His mood quickly shifts, and his face hardens. "It will take some time to locate these people, but I know the whereabouts of one of our targets." He pulls out a small map and drops a finger in the center of Carime.

"Cassius the Fallen Lion," he scowls as if the name leaves a fowl taste on his lips. "He's taken up residence here, in the Temple of the Ferryman. Cassius was once a cleric in service to the Ferryman. He traveled the kingdom of Carime, administering funerals and last rites from the God of Death to any who requested them."

"At some point, his allegiance switched, and he was ordained a paladin of Shavash, Goddess of Chaos and Destruction. He returned and conquered the Temple of the Ferryman, slaying the head priest and corrupting the church in exchange for dark, necromantic powers."

Jaxson hands you a small golden coin stamped with a lute. "Take this to the Master Keeper in the wizard's circle. Master Keeper Carthain there owes me some favors. He will provide you with a teleportation spell to Carime."

"Once you get to the temple, undo the power Cassius has gained and take him out. The head priest there will have prepared contingencies, he was a disciple of death after all. If you can find them, they may help you."

Jaxson rises from the table. "And don't linger. For Cassius' betrayal of The Ferryman, he has been gifted a perverted power over death. There won't be much time between when he knows you're there, and when the dead rise to add you to their ranks.

"But have heart, my friends." Jaxson winks. "He is only a dark paladin with a flair for necromancy and a ranking member of the Moonlit Council. What could possibly go wrong?"