Session 3x5

Session 3x5 occurred on 13 Mar 2021. The players were Antidose (Ribes), Arkadien (Cigfran), Arkanjil (Aldieth), SaintEsteban (Aravor Enfiel), and Silvyr (Valdenar). Their goal was to find Sister Bosa of the Raven Sisters near Faywater and possibly restore the shrine found in Session 2x8.

## Summary

The party spent some time in Dryvault preparing for the journey before setting out to the north. A quarter day's travel to the north, they spotted a group of Iron Guards leading a number of prisoners to Deadhook Fortress, and avoided them. They eventually reached the outskirts of Faywater and found another group had set up camp there already. The party introduced themselves and camped together with this group, who were followers of the Raven Sisters. The group consisted of Saskia, Adda, Avella, and Beltran of Deerscar Hamlet and Yula of Cask, plus their pet fox. The followers of Raven shared a large amount of information, as they were convinced to trust Valdenar and Cigfran. Before parting in the morning, Saskia's group warned the party about Myrkul, and told them they would be welcome to call Deerscar their home.

Despite being warned of "a power which seeks only death" beneath the shrine they intended to restore, the party continued on towards the woods. They had some minor setbacks, but eventually reached their destination. They found the main entrance warded and sealed, and disagreed on how to proceed until Ribes, who was keeping watch, spotted another way in. Some stones were blocking a hole in the top of the structure, part of an apparent cave-in. The party returned to their camp for the night to gather torches and food to prepare.

In the morning, they set out to excavate the stones and clear an entrance into the shrine. After several hours of work, they opened up a shaft leading into their tomb, only for Blood Mist to begin pouring from it. After it became clear the Mist would not dissipate on its own, the party lowered first Ribes, then Aravor with magically enhanced vision into the hole. They discovered that the shrine was originally a tomb for a lost elven queen, and that the malevolent presence within was a pair of bloodlings. The party sealed the hole to prevent the Blood Mist from spreading and returned to Dryvault.

## In-character tales

### Aldeith's tale

My dearest Eilenora;

I hope you are well, wherever you may be; hope is what I have, though I yet feel your shard burning within my heartstone.   One day, I hope indeed-…

For here and now though, there  is no time for dreamlocking.  My sojourn in Dryvault  continues to captivate and ground me. They have such tales to share,  and their triumphs and sorrows enthrall me.  I chronicle what I can on every scrap and surface available; in seeing the world as we find it now, I hope to regain more of what once I was, but also too- working for a finer world is very worthy goal.

As the seasons turn,   my compatriots launched a new round of explorations out into the wilderness; I begged off, being pressed for time in my little projects,  but then I was asked to join a group heading to the north, seeking to redeem a defiled shrine to Raven,  and immediately my heart became exceedingly glad, both for such a worthy goal, and to get out into the wild once more.

We set out on the 30th of Springrise,  under cloudy skies.  We had no issues until he 2nd day, when we appraised a Rust Brother patrol form afar,  conveying prisoners back to their foul keep. Our hearts yearned to free those doomed souls, but their strength was adjudged far to great for us to challenge; we waited  to give them time to pass by our path.

That evening we came upon an old campsite that was newly utilized; a group of folk from the north had come in pursuit of the Rust, seeking to recover their enslaved friends. We could give them no comfort; even conjoined, our forces were too limited against the dread Iron Gaurd. They did judge us worthy to camp together (based on our increasing, fame, and the Raven adherents in our own company), and we spent a long evening sharing what all we  knew of the Gatelands and beyond. It was very informative and productive.

We parted amicably, and our third day of travel went well, though the weather was foul. Our campsite was plagued with kobold and ants, but our Druid was able to assist at least with the latter.

On the 4th day we approached the shrine, or what our fellow travelers termed  ‘an evil that does not sleep.’ Outwardly it was an innocuous hill with scattered stones intricately carved, but closer inspection  showed the dealing work of the Heme sisterhood. The door was curious, int hat it was obviously of an ancient nature, yet showed  signs of a ritual sealing done within the last half century or so. Somewhat chastened, we chose to recoup and build our resources more before tackling such an ominous thing.

The 5th day we climbed about to  a depression that seemed to offer a less dangerous way in. Some arduous digging revealed a large chamber, but also great gouts of Blood Mist, a seemingly endless torrent that sunlight thankfully mitigated. Braving the mist, we cautiously looked within, and discovered much about that place, I have endeavored to add these details to my chronicles which I will also send to you, that you may see more of my work. And our druid cleverly used divining magic to determine what manner of creature is within- a summoned creature named ‘bloodline’ tho little else is known of it.  Yet we have a mark of the place now, and so we set off back to Dryvault, planning how we may return more well prepared.

Dear Eilenora, be well, please.

### Aravor's tale

Our journey being immediately preceded by Ribes falling into the river marked an inauspicious start to our journey, but I've never been one to put faith in signs or portents. We set out for the shrine, hoping for an uneventful journey.

We passed by a group of Iron Guard leading prisoners to Deadhook Fortress, but were not in a position to intervene. Though it pained me to do so, we skirted their path and continued on, leaving those poor souls to their fate. Shortly after, we found a campsite occupied by followers of the Raven Sisters. We spoke with these followers for some time after Cigfran and Valdenar gained their trust. They spoke of many things; we gained some actionable information. Most relevant to our travels was the news that Sister Bosa had been killed, and that the shrine we sought contained "a power which seeks only death." That only served to further my resolve to clear the shrine, and I could see Valdenar felt the same. Come morning, we continued on.

Despite some mishaps on the journey involving a poor decision of campsite and some thieving kobolds, we reached the shrine without major issue. There was clearly a malevolent presence within; we suspected it to be a demon. The main entrance had been sealed with a massive boulder and was marked with several wards. We debated on whether or not to disturb these wards and open the shrine, when Ribes called out that he had found another entrance. We spent a considerable amount of time clearing rocks from the top of the shrine, an apparent cave-in, and eventually revealed a chamber of the shrine. Unfortunately for us, a stream of Blood Mist poured from the shrine, with no end in sight. Ribes offered to be lowered in, as the lightest of us, to take a look around. He reported seeing a considerable amount of coral within, and the Mist was thick, pouring out from a door at the far end of the chamber. He also reported seeing some frescoes on the wall, but couldn't make out the details through the Mist.

The Mist was beginning to affect Ribes, so we pulled him up, for his safety. Valdenar and I were not willing to leave without learning more about this place, however, and I offered to be lowered into the shrine next. The others held my legs and carefully lowered me into the opening. My magical connection to the world Clay formed served to grant me true sight, and I looked around at the frescoes Ribes had spoken of, now able to take in their details. They told to story of an elven queen, lost to the ages. She had dedicated her life to seeking a powerful mace of some type, rumoured to be hidden beneath a body of water. She had never returned from this quest, and this shrine was dedicated as her final resting place.

My strength of mind and clarity of purpose served me well, and I was able to resist the influence of the Blood Mist. While we had feared a demon was present, I trusted in Clay's will, that my path would not have led me here to meet such a pointless end. My faith was founded, as I saw no demonic presence within the shrine. Before leaving, I decided to commune further with our surroundings, peering back many years into the past. My goal was to determine what, exactly, was befouling the shrine - and if it was a demon, to hopefully learn its name.

My visions revealed to me that the shrine had only been co-opted by followers of Raven, and was, indeed, originally dedicated to the elf queen shown in the frescoes. The followers of Raven had paid tribute here, leaving offerings. When the sisters of Heme arrived to perform their foul rites, the Raven Sisters sealed them within. The Heme worshippers finished their ritual, however; they were consumed by what they created, but summoned two Bloodlings. Sentient creatures formed of the very Blood Mist, and the source of it within this shrine.

I silently offered thanks to Clay for revealing this. There was no demon within. I resolved to continue to aid Valdenar in his quest to cleanse this shrine of the foulness within. We now knew our enemy, and it could be killed.

The path ahead of me is clear. That is the way of things.

## Information from Saskia

*See also Gateland Raven Sisters*

The followers of Raven have multiple heresies: the Cult of the Huntress is one, but more concerning are the Blackbeaks (also known as the Blackwings) who call Raven "Corax" and are fond of torture. The death of one father Geno has apparently fractured the Cult. which one?

## Notes

1. ↑ Hex 012.022
2. ↑ Session 2x8