Crossroads Episode 22: Tales of Yesteryear

## Synopsis

2 Highsun 1258 IC

Leaving the ruins with the bodies of Otal and the villager, the party head back to camp to bury them and get some rest.

Nep'Rixa chooses to bury Otal by the tree line surrounding the camp, each of them adding something of their own to the grave. Once the burial is complete they feel a strange energy in the area and the grave sinks as if the body has disappeared. Beatrix recalls stories of Fayer reclaiming the bodies of the extremely devoted, with Otal being a cleric of Fayer they decide this is the most likey explanation but refrain from checking the grave to confirm. They then bury the villager nearby.

Weary from the night's events the party decide to call it a night and get some much needed rest, as they organise the sleeping arrangements a masked stranger sneaks into the camp and puts a knife to Kreel's back demanding they hand over their valuables.

The party surround the stranger, Wyrm drinking a potion of invisibility to sneak around behind them. Upon seeing Nep'Rixa the stranger realises who the group is and that they have met before. He pulls back his hood to reveal his identity. Cerin Chan'ridax from Cultrek.

Cerin puts his knife away and calls the young boy known as The Candlemaker from the trees on the otherside of camp. He explains they escaped the coup in Cultrek by travelling through the umbra, without coin or any belongings to speak of, robbing a stranger was the only option he had to be able to feed himself and the boy.

Nep'Rixa gives Cerin a platinum piece. He tells the party of the aftermath of the attack revealing the solders spoke in Tunbrian, but the uniforms they wore were from House Maristev. Cerin also revealed that the new premier being a cleric of Kyrasil and the soldiers carrying symbols of Onamar were a ruse and they all had a symbol tattooed on their necks that looked like the letter "S".

Nep'Rixa realises that is the symbol of Urthes and tells the party about the Harpies of Discord, agents of Fayan.

Cerin also tells the party that during his travel through the umbra with the Candlemaker they were attacked by a being called Gred'ghul who almost killed the boy, he also heard mention of someone named Domanaris.

Cerin notices some of the party are different and asks rudely who the new members are. Beatrix upset with the night's events and now Cerin's attemted robbery and rudeness tells him they are friends who have proven trustworthy and not tried to rob them unlike him. Taking offense to this Cerin explodes into a tirade about what he and the boy have went through while throwing insults at Beatrix and Nep'Rixa as they try to voice their experiences while not resorting to the same methods as him.

Cerin decides he is setting up camp there for the night and challenges anyone who doesn't like it to make him leave.

Beatrix and Nep'rixa, tired and infurated realise there is no reasoning with him and refuse to argue or acknowledge him further. Cerin sets up on the edge of camp with the boy.

Wyrm decides to make tea in an attempt to imitate Bojnay and calm the tensions in the camp. Reluctant to talk to Cerin but worried for the boy's wellfare Nep'Rixa asks if she could send a message into the boy's mind to check on him, Cerin agrees. Nep'Rixa's mind is filled with the sounds of screaming and a voice in an unknown language. Cerin explains that is what they witnessed in the umbra and the voice was most likely Gred'ghul.

Tasya decides to sing to the boy, a song that brings her peace. The boy remains stoic and silent but she suddenly hears the voice of Magda. Tasya shocked but determined to find Magda asks about where she is. Magda reveals she is in a small town with a sea to the north and a lake to the south before the connection is severed.

The Party decide this is most likely Gelehinde Bay to the west of Cultrek and that is where they must go next, but first they must rest.

Cerin thanks Nep'Rixa for looking out for the boy and apologises for his earlier behavior. He notices the scars on Nep'Rixa's arm and shows his own identical scars made by a whip. Both of them received their scars in Dra'anan and relate over their time there and their gratitude to be away from there.

As the night carries on Cerin and the boy patrol the perimeter of the camp. As they patrol the boy stops, looks at Tasya and tugs her sleeve. The boy appears to be struggling and Tasya takes his hand. Immediately Tasya is hit with sensations of being near the sea, the smell on the air. Tasya takes Magda's blood amulet from around their neck and puts it in the boy's hands.

The sensations intensify as Magda's face appears in place of the boy's.

Tasya cuts their hand to soak the blood amulet in an attempt to strengthen the connection and is able to communicate with Magda through the boy.

She says the hunters came and she tried to run and asks Tasya to hurry. The connection breaks.

Tasya now even more determined goes to join the the party in resting for the night.

*Synopsis written by Caffinated Viking, Proofread and edits by Svartemaya.*

## The Party

* Beatrix Qiroris - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Wizard
* Kreel - Lvl 5 Tengu Witch
* Nep'Rixa of Skor'Ritha - Lvl 5 Sadrath'il Cleric of Fayer
* Stünislav Marekoi - Lvl 5 Tiefling Redeemer
* Tasya Marinov - Lvl 5 Human Fighter
* Wyrm - Lvl 5 Goblin Rogue