The Offerings

**The Offerings** is the 14th session of the Second Season in Where Shades Rules. This episode features the Six's return to the Monastery of the Nameless and their subsequent interactions with the supernatural and imminent threats to their lives.

## Recap

The party finally find the spy in the midst of the Fort Jerosant mystery and it turns out to be the Knight-Captain himself who was in command of the base. The Knight-Captain Adrien Fuller is however unidentifiable to how he was in life having been irreversibly corrupted by the curse within him and only kept sane by the relative isolation of the Fort from the outside world. Despite gaining much information from him, the deranged monster makes threatening moves to Dagmar and Vandor acts to defend their travelling colleague. The ensuing battle forces the party to slay the monster with Vandor disintegrating the monster leaving no remains but ash. The earlier breach in the Castle's interior wall has given way to full flooding leaving the party little time to escape. Fleeing at speed, they take what they can and successfully reach outside where they use the combinations in the Fort's Guide to recover what resources they can carry to return to Valour Haven to help what they can for the coming battle.

## Summary

The Six depart from Fort Jerosant after loading up their cart with as much building materials and other resources as they can. However, their singular cart is unable to carry much of what is stored at the Fort and are forced to venture at a much slower pace than they did on the original trek here. In the inhospitable trail through the Jagged Lands the Cart was constantly at risk of becoming stuck in various crevices and uneven terrain but thanks to the great strength of Tore the party was able to stay virtually on schedule.

An eerie discovery the party realises in the days as they head to the Monastery that there are no noises or movements of Undead that have been normal travelling in the wilderness of Arleans. Unable to explain it, the party is now much more aware of the quiet and lack of roving bands of undead. After another hefty day or so of pushing through the Jagged lands, they finally arrive at the Monastery of the Nameless as Dusk was settling in.

Upon entering the property, Vandor offers another sacrifice of Holy Water into the altar's basin. The Six hole up primarily in the Great Hall where there are tables, a large fireplace and wooden remains of chairs. Party members considered moving pews from the worship hall or using the wooden fragments to feed the fire others felt this may be interpreted as an offense to the owners and not worth risking given the ill-tales of what happens to those who incidentally sin within its halls.

As the party gathers wood and lights the fire, a spirit of one of the Monks appears having set up new chairs at the tables and is lighting candles to place around the hall. Some of the party hear noises of someone walking in the rooms above them, like someone is ascending a spiral staircase. As they sit and eat a stew made by Vandor along with some spices offered by the monk they begin to ask each other some deep personal questions in order to finally get to know each other better.

In this spirit, Vandor reveals his secret. He is in fact a fox. Tore reveals that one primary motivator of his travels is to discover the identity of his adopted daughter Sora's parents so that she may have the chance to know them. Tully reveals that generally she is adventuring to see more wildlife and tick special animals off her list of sighted creatures. Dagmar reveals that her mentor was disgraced and after that many others had come to see Dagmar in a poor light leaving her few paths to continue exploring her magical career. She eventualyl seized the opportunity to join the Arlenian Redemption League as one of the places that would allow her to serve and grow her abilities. Sir Davion revealed that he belongs to a Knightly Order that has a secret tradition where its members have the ability to change their appearance although this ability has its limitations.

Sir Davion took sometime outside on his own tending to his horse. Reflecting on recent events and what he shared inside he looked into a pond and changed his appearance to Saszi and then Deagon before returning to his form as Sir Davion. It was at this moment that Sir Davion discovered something odd. The Monastery was surrounded by a mist and in that mist he realized that something was there. In fact, the mist itself shrouded a silent host of Undead that watched quietly from the perimeter and dare not step on the consecrated ground of the property. Upon an Undead steed was a gold-clad knightly undead. Sir Davion mounted Han and rode towards the figure and hailed it.

The creature introduced itself as Sir Rebar, Sworn Knight to the King. He hade come to "pay his respects" and offer a chance for those within the monastery to send a message to Valour Haven on his behalf in order to achieve "peace". Sir Davion was willing to hear the message and treated the Undead Knight with the deference of a fellow knight. Sir Rebar declared that those who willingly give themselves to the curse retain a part of who they are although lose much also, yet those who are forced into undeath often lose all of who they are. Sir Rebar's offer is this, Valour Haven voluntarily submit itself to the Curse and it will be swift allowing them not to lose themselves. One of the conditions however is that the messenger who delivers it must be someone who now accepts Undeath willingly. Sir Davion told the Knight that him and his group would consider their terms but would not answer until at least the next day. Sir Rebard announced that he would not be present. Instead a less "chivalrous" representative will be left behind to hear their answer as he is needed elsewhere.

The party is informed by Sir Davion of the threat outside. They each take time to try to find a way out now that they are surrounded. Vandor seeks the help of his deity. Dagmar reads the Monastery's holy scripture for insight. Tully sweeps the Aviary. Tore and Sir Davions stand outside and keep watch. Dagmar is lulled into a sleep where she is confronted on many deep questions and is told that "Not all paths are better than the other, but moreso the motivation of why you chose it". Tully is greeted by a speaking Raven who imparts oracles and riddles. Vandor is spoken to by a fatherly apparition who once again encourages Vandor and reveals that his faith has been noticed. The figure reveals that the next morning there will be a stone bath filled with water in the Monastery, Vandor is to wash in it and the Undead host will not be able to harm him as he passes.

## Featured Characters

### The Six

* Sir Davion Phylund
* Tore Wolfram
* Tully Tanglefoot
* Vandor Tah
* Dagmar Woodfang