So, the idea is that the previous game's solars have all gone evil.

• azure phenix has the temple organization. I think they run into him first, or at least one of his creations. It might try to mind control them?
• Glorious wren has the huge armies. Maybe he's at war with the bull of the north or with jade
• sagacious maiden went to eeevil genetic research
• ebon jade dusk child took the island and maybe the dynasty?
• tactys wandered off - maybe rose is experimenting on him.
• Whisper iron wind could be cool, but I don't have plans for him. Demon summoning is a plan with which nothing could possibly go wrong.

I think that the party will start out in a village in the west. That gives enough distance from everything to be safe. There is a small temple there from the religion pheonix founded. The priest can be priesting it up, and defending the village from bandits or pirates. Maybe someone gets kidnapped or something.

Say that they start in the west on an island. Start then off with fighting off bandits as heroic mortals, under the tutelage of a branch of the adamant order. Then skip to 3-4 years later as a group of solars, and kidnap whoever didn't keep thier character. Send them off to raid the boddhivista of dark water to get folks back, then maybe they can steal a ship to escape. They probably head home then (alternately, throw lintha at them).

Once they get back, or before, or whatever, have a sidereal tip them off that the priest isn't natural. Play the sidereal up as a mysterious ally so they will trust him later.

If they seriously confront the priest, he picks a fight.

If they take the manse, a bodyguard shows up eventually to knock them down and drag them away. Good intentions, bad implementation. If they look like negotiating, throw the siderial at the bodyguard, which will attack him.