Session 014

Session Date: 9/15/2023

Before we begin: the zone of truth spell does not compel you to answer at all, it just makes it so you cannot state blatant untruths. You will have to pay attention to the words someone uses when answering because they can still create implications that may not be true. They also can speak mistruth if they genuinely believe it to be true.

It is 2:15 am 1st day of Warding Moon when we start. There is tea, bread, and cheese available to all. The Baron, Lady Schivabelle and her husband are here, a few guards, the rector is here.

Sarras is fully decked out even with sword and axe just to be intimidated.

Skerry Yayek was on 10th day of Seeding Moon — 26 days. About 40 days since whatever happened since Skerry Yayek.

Sarras begins by recapping the events of all of the evening’s events as far as she is aware, as well as the statements of Lady Schivabelle and the Vicar.

What do you know about what was happening at the henge?
1. A worship service for the so-called Prophet Sochet.
Who was at the henge when the horn sounded?
1. For worship? There were guardswoman Juno. Jenny of the Dredger, a local hunter who’s name I have never learned, Beck the Wilmerchant’s clerk, Clovis the sail-mender, Lodvic the Carter, and Marta the Fisherwoman.
2. Presiding, as always: Azalais, the Cloaked Priestess
3. Also in attendance, under duress: Vicar Baldwin, Lady Schiabelle
What do you mean under duress? How do you know?
1. I have been Azalais’ accomplice 5-6 months now, since hired.
2. Vicar Baldwin is under an enchantment which causes him psychic agony if he tries to speak of any forbidden matters.
3. Lady Schivabelle has been, lately, threatened into silence by Azalais.
Threatened how?
1. You have been told that her eldest daughter is at school; she is not. Azalais has a prison that used to be a school. She was taken. I was not part of that operation, I do not know where.
2. Lady Schiabelle is surprised that this was actually admitted out loud, then is shocked. The Baron goes to speak to her and her husband, and they say that this is true, and that he was unaware. Lady Schivabelle speaks up and explains that if she had spoken about it to anyone then she was threatened to never see her daughter again.
Do you know the priestess’s name? Was Azalais working alone or with her?
1. I am almost certain the priestess was involved.
2. I am almost certain the priestess is someone in the castle, but I don’t know who it is.
Do you know what the purposes of the worshipping of Sochet were meant to achieve?
1. Azalais and the priestess had grandiose plans about their power on this island, that I know.
2. I know that they serve some being they have never named that is some power - or some creature - of Sochet. They call it the Dread One.
3. There is also a high priest who has never shown himself locally, on Aberly, that I know of, but I believe he is somewhere on the island.
And you went along with this because you were hired for money?
1. Yes. I am a graduate of the College of Swords. You did not ask, but I should perhaps say that if you decide not to hang me at the end of this, the College will ransom my return.
Do you know where Azalais is now? And if not, where do you believe she is most likely to be?
1. I do not.
2. I know that at the beginning of this service. (Notetaker missed the background here.) I assume that she was communing with her master to warn of the danger and of the Vicar. I know she makes her communions by or in the water.
In or by the water at a specific point? Or any water?
1. She goes into the swamp south of here. If she goes all the way to the coast? I don’t know. I suspect all the way to the coast, though.
2. At this point, Sarras explains the issue of the Rector and the degraded holiness of the Henge itself.
Sarras describes the person who used thunder step, then asks if she knows who that is.
1. That sounds like the cloaked priestess.
2. She explains again those that were there and she isn’t sure if that’s the entire cult on Abery or not, but she does confirm it’s all of the cult in Ayrevit, Caer Eskwit, and Escastershire.
3. The Baron tries to pull in Guardswoman Juno for arrest, and she has since left, one way or another.
I thought the person who cast thunder step was male?
1. The Priestess can cast disguise self.
What else do you know of their ability?
1. They are capricious. They take joy in the punishment of small infractions.
2. They have a grimoire they can summon and dismiss at will.
  1. Pact of tome?
3. They know prestidigitation and thaumaturgy cantrips. They are fond of spells that do psychic damage.
Is there any reason the Vicar was compelled to stay quiet, but not Lady Shiabelle?
1. The spell on the Vicar is much more powerful than any spell I’ve seen Azalais or the cloaked priestess used.
2. I suspect they had a scroll or an expendable item that contained the spell. I know it was not one of the spells that Azalais stored in the Rector’s walking stick.
3. The Rector has a much more plain walking stick than usual. He will venture that once he woke after the alarm it was gone from his room, to which Bastianna nods and confirms that Azalais always brings it with her to the services.
Do you or any of the other cult members of the castle have any other items related to the cult hidden here?
1. The cloaked priestess, besides her grimoire, has a book bound in scales of some kind from which she reads her liturgies and services.
2. She has never summoned or dismissed that book: I think it is a book, so it is probably in the castle right now.
3. None of my possessions are anything of the kind and I have not seen Azalais use anything but the wlaking stick.
Are you aware of the consequences of helping this?
1. I am aware that the worship of the sleeping elders is a dire blasphemy that calls down all manner of misfortune.
2. I believe you are likely referring to the disappearances on Skerry Yayek, which I have only recently heard of.
3. Azalais was pleased by this, but not the kind of pleasure that comes from one responsible for such a thing. I suspect that either a high priest or the Dread One had a hand in that.
And even with that risk and people of your own kind here, you chose to support them?
1. I am not a noble woman. I am not responsible for the protection of anyone but myself, and my College only continues to operate because it swears neutrality in all political endeavors. I am loyal to those who pay me.
What are Azalais’ power like?
1. She is a warlock who performs a useful imitation of a priestess. She can see in any dark, she can create water, she can hypnotize others, cause silence, and with a walking stick she can alter memories and lay curses.
2. The spell which binds the Vicar is gaess, a very powerful kind of curse. It is definitely beyond what a walking stick could do because there are many times where it would have been more useful if she could have commanded the silence of someone rather than simply erasing a few minutes of their memory. She must leave them with suspicion, not evidence.
Do you know when the spell was used on the Rector? And when?
1. Whatever was done was done around the Mass of Drugala last Autumn. I say this because it was three weeks after that that the College received a letter seeking the hire of some discreet person.
  1. This was 6 months ago.
2. The priestess implied that it was the conquest of the Rector’s mind which put them in a position to request the services of another clerk, so I came. They would confide their crimes to me, and I would give assistance covering them up.
Is there anyone else they confided in, or only each other?
1. I know that Juno was useful to them in ways that others were not.
2. Beck, the Clerk, was also useful to them.
3. The hunter whose name I never learned gave them information on the wilderness.
You say that you’re not a noble person, I feel this isn’t true. Do you have additional motivations for getting involved?
1. I did not mean that I am not noble - I am not, but what I said was that I am not A noble. I do not take on responsibilities for the action sof others. Beyond that: I have a use for the money, not for the cause.
It must be an important use if you’re going to take on these risks.
BARON: Who else may know where his grandchild - Almodis - is?
1. Almodis: Human F, 11yo, Schiabelle & Hugo’s oldest
2. As far as I know, it’s been exactly a month since Almodis was kidnapped. Clovis and Marlata did not attend the service at the henge tha tnight.
  1. She was kidnapped roughly the time that the event on Skerry Yayek happened, give or take 5-10 days.
  2. Clovis and Marlata being gone implies that a boat was involved in the kidnapping.
Is there any proof that Almodis is still well?
1. No. There has been no proof of life provided.
2. I don’t think that Azalais is personally overseeing the captivity. I haven’t seen Azalais receiving updated news about it, either.

The Baron orders all of his off-duty guard and knights a few at a time, as quietly as possible, to pick up the named individuals quietly to avoid a panic and drive the cultists out. He will then have some private conversations with Hugh and Schiabelle.

Lifetree henges: on Aberly there is one with the druids. The chain: one on Duffholm, Grislith, Compass Tor.

All of the island chain is under the Marquis’ rule.

Using the familiar to carry a letter to the Marquis and back would be 9-10 hours. The note outlines everything going on out here and what we’ve found, as well as possible next steps. Sarras also lets the Marquis know that she’s sent help in the form of the Rohavites.

Beck the wool-merchant’s clerk: 1/2 elf M
Clovis the sail-mender: 1/2 elf M
Lodvic the Carter: white Dragonborn M
Marlata the fisherwoman: green Dragonborn F

The Baron makes some noises about execution but nobody needs to convince him not to right now. Bastianna knows more than anyone else about the custody of his grandchild, even though she doesn’t directly have that information. She is safe from execution because he wants his grandkids.

We sleep in shifts and keep guard just in case the high priestess is here, but nothing seems to happen.

By 8am, we are rousing and the guards have arrested 4 of the cultists: Beck the wool-merchant’s clerk, Clovis the sail-mender, Lodvic the carter, and Marlata the fisherwoman. The dredger, hunter, and Juno are still unaccounted for. There are only three empty cells in the castle jail. Bastianna is in her cell tied up, gagged, ands sleeping, while the other four cultists are much more agitated. Bastianna’s remarkable professional “keeping it cool” ability are not possessed by the others.

The cultists all had items on them that made it apparent that the cultists know some spells. The specific components they had on them show they could cast the cantrips infestation and friends and the first level spells “create/destroy water” and hex.

The rector casts zone of truth down here so we can question the rest of the cultists. Lodvic successfully resisted the spell, but the others will not. The rector recommends we remove Lodvic from the room while we question the others, which is advice we heed.

Where is Almodis?
1. All three say they don’t know.
  1. Kerran can tell that all three of them are immediately more frightened by that question, but Clovis and Marlata are frightened, guilty, and evasive.
  2. Technically: if someone asks where is and they don’t have eyes on that person and didn’t bury them, then they aren’t lying when they say they don’t know.
Where did you last leave Almodis?
1. Clovis and Marlata look at each other, and then Marlata will say to Sarras: you’re a priest of Rahovi. Promise me you’ll ask for clemency for me when I’m sentenced and I’ll tell you.
  1. That will depend entirely on the state that we find Almodis in. I have other means to get the answer out of you otherwise.
  2. Marlata looks incredibly freaked out, and her guilt went through the roof at the condition mention. She shakes her head, saying nothing.
2. Beck speaks up and says he had nothing to do with it.
@ Beck: What do you know of it?
1. I know that Azalais sent into town for the pair of them two days before the last new moon, and then they weren’t at the service, but they were back in town three to four days later (and not before). So, I think they did it, but I don’t know. Nobody told me. I don’t know.
@ Clovis: This is your last chance to volunteer the information willingly.
1. The priestess met us out back of the castle. She didn’t look dirty, but Almodis did. Almodis was asleep. She could walk if guided, but she wasn’t hurt or anything. The priestess smelled bad, just like Almodis did. We did like she said, and we took her out on a boat towards the pasture island. We then drunged our oars on the bottom of our boat, closed our eyes, and waited. Something holy passed over the boat and then the girl was gone, and we came back.
@ Clovis: And you haven’t seen or heard of Almodis since then?
1. No.
2. Beck: No. Nobody’s being paid to watch her.
3. Sarras: I will recall that Clovis spoke, and that Marlata didn’t.
Do any of you know where the priestess is?
1. They all shake their heads.
2. Clovis: She’s short. She’s always short and slim. She’s not always the same height, but she’s never tall.Í
Do you ever see the priestess go any specific direction?
1. No. She and Azalais are the first to arrive, and the last to leave.
Do you know where Azalais may be now, or might have gone?
1. Clovis: No.
2. Marlata: Bites her lip, then says no. She looks a little disgusted with herself, and also a little relieved.
3. Beck: I have a list of safe houses and an account book.
@ Beck: Where are they?
1. Beck describes where they are in the wool-merchant’s in town where he clerks.
2. Sarras sends someone to go pick these up so the priestess hopefully doesn’t get there first.
What did you hope to get being in a cult?
1. Marlata gives an almost theological speech that is very obviously the cult orthodoxy that the gods are gods of kingdoms of kings of people who are especially holy and virtuous and if they really cared for the poor and downtrodden, the world wouldn’t be this way. Sochet, however, doesn’t offer false promises: he will trade power and insight directly for worship to anyone.
2. Clovis had started to chime in, but the next question hushes him and makes him look ashamed.
@ Marlata: So you value power over the lives of children and countrymen?
1. Beck: The money was real good.
@ Marlata: Which way did Azalais flee in?
1. Azalais and the priestess took the Vicar and Schiabelle and started circling the castle twice.
Did Azalais recruit each of you?
1. Beck: Yes.
2. Clovis & Marlata: No, parents raised these two in these beliefs. They were taught that these teachings are the rightful religion of these islands.
@ Guards: Were they born and raised in the city?
1. Clovis is from Compass Tor.
2. Marlata is from Escastershire for a very long time.
  1. The dragonborn families of these islands are almost all either immigrants in the past decade, or date back hundreds of years. Immigration stopped in the interim because of the dragon crusades, which pushed out anyone who didn’t have deep roots, esp white dragonborn.
  2. There’s a certain level of implication of white dragonborn with cult activity.
Name all of the other cult members you are aware of here and on the other islands:
1. Beck: The hunter’s name is Sedgemartin.
2. Marlata: She doesn’t know the names of anyone except those at the henge last night who are still among the living.
3. Clovis: He thinks really hard about it, then says he won’t give the names to anyone on Compass Tor. He understands what we’re doing and he has some regrets about the things he’s done. He wants to make amends, but he won’t send people who were raised in this worship to their deaths. That’s just not something he’s willing to do.
@ Clovis: Keep in mind that those left unchecked may go to their deaths regardless. I also promised leniency to those who help.
1. Clovis: He understands, but still politely declines.
Is there anyone else you’ve kidnapped or sacrificed to your god?
1. Beck & Clovis: Look down, and ashamed.
2. Marlata: Starts laughing.
  1. With the command spell, she’s been party of around 30 human sacrifices. She doesn’t recall their names, nor does she care. She does give what names she does recall.
  2. The cult has three or four ritual observances a year that, properly done, culminate with a human sacrifice. She’s in her 30s. The cult hasn’t always been in a position to do the sacrificing, but she’s taken part every time they have since she’s been old enough.
  3. The memory of those sacrificed serve Sochet still. There’s power in it, and she’s directly gained power from some of these.
What does Sochet give in exchange?
1. The notion of the creature being controlled is hilarious to her, which causes her to laugh.
2. They are like animals in Sochet’s eyes, beside The Dread One, which is the favored servant. Maybe, if they’re good, they will gain the Dread One’s favor in addition to Sochet’s, but even that is not a guarantee.

Zone of truth has worn off at this point. The guards are looking very disturbed at Marlata especially. Sarras notes: it might be worth noting if the sacrifices took place in the same place and if the creature has come up personally for each of them if there is a spot it frequented that we should be aware of. This isn’t worth a spell at this time, but something to note for later.

Around 9:00am Calthel’s familiar returns with a letter from the Marquis: it is very short and it says to wait for the bishop and assure yourselves of the Baron’s loyalty. Once the Bishop has the church in hand, if you think it is useful, you are authorized to take a boat to any of the other islands, just let her know if that is what we choose to do. She doesn’t mention sending any other knights anywhere else to investigate.

We then tell the Baron what we’ve learned and spend some time answering the questions about how sure we are. During this, there is shouting from the jail, and when we get there we find one guard and three of the four prisoners down. Before they could fit Marlata with a gag she shouted to Lodvic, and the two of them breathed (being Dragonborn), catching one another, one of the guard, Beck, and Clovis in the area. Lodvic is the only one that lived. There is a big hole in Marlata’s cell and while she was trying to escape, a guard stabbed her and that was enough to end her life.

The guards that were sent to grab Sedgemartin return, but the account books were missing and the door to the clerk’s office had broken locks: someone beat them there to get them.

It is now about 10am.

The baron sent out the hunters and hounds to track down Azalais. Jenny and Juno are also being searched for by the guard still.

The bishop in theory could be here today, but we expect him here tomorrow.

Kerran wild shapes into a wolf and we do a sweep of the castle searching for the priestess and her scent. Kerran finds a few scent trails:

We find out how the priestess gets in and out of the castle unseen: they use the shoop of the second floor privy. They didn’t go out that way last night, but came in that way last night.
They then went to the upstairs baths, where the servants and guards are not generally permitted to use. They bathed down thoroughly and then opened every bottle of perfume or scent in the bath chamber and used some kind of wind magic to circulate those scents to obliterate any trace of their own aroma there. They likely directed the wind in such a way to not get hit by it while also ruining their scent trail.
- This indicates someone who’s done this before or is very, very quick thinking and is worried about being tracked by scent.
There are also traces of this scent (older) all over the areas of the castle we are walking through. This is absolutely someone here every day who is either able to sneak into that upstairs bath or is of appropriate privilege.

List of people who aren’t 6 or 4 that are good suspects:

Iago — Tiefling, 16 y/o bastard son
Iolande — Human, 13 y/o bastard daughter
Raoul — Human (heir), 18 — only marginally short
Amalric — Elven — steward — only marginally thin
Agnes — Elven — bailiff
Sibylla — Half-Elf — reeve
Tyrenic — Elven — herald — only marginally short

Kerran and Calthel hear a bell ringing in the distance. Having grown up on the islands we know that this bell signal, from the distance it’s coming from, is from town. It’s a ship in distress that’s run in the harbor when a ship somewhere is wrecking or having difficulties. Cal tells Sarras about the ship in distress; the Baron explains that we can send anyone we think but he will only send one man because his knights aren’t sailors and the castle is in enough chaos. It occurs to Cal that the Bishop is supposed to be here by ship today so it may very well be our Bishop that is struggling.

We arrive at the harbor and there’s a pavilion for Yeomi set up. There are numerous small fishing boats sailing out of the harbor and tacking eastward. There are a few chokes of ice in the water, which is very strange for this time of year and area. The ice chunks are only a few feet across (very small) which is very strange. Larger ice chunks would be less weird because of the resistance to melting but these little chunks imply something less sensible.

We all approach the pavilion and see the local priest of Yeomi looking after and taking statements from two extremely drenched and shivering people who are currently blanketed in warm furs and hides. One is a heavily tattooed male of some level of Orcish persuasion — 200% a complete sailor. The other person is a 5’0” tall copper skin with traces of green. Long brown hair and green eyes, a full wood elf (Gwendolyn).

The elf explains that the Bishop received a letter and asks if we know who sent it, and Sarras chooses to ignore that question for now, asking if they need more help for the ship. At this point basically no, unless we are experienced fishers/sailors, can cast dispel magic, or breathe under water. The priest explains that if we can do that we should get on a ship with 5 or less people, but the survivors of the ship are perhaps more important.

The wood elf explains that they aren’t sure what to do as the Bishop was wearing rather heavy armor and wasn’t comfortable letting go of his spell materials and she isn’t sure what to do without the Bishop here. Sarras neutrally explains who we are. The priest cuts in to explain that the Rahovite courier, the Bishop, four of his staff, and 6 sailors were aboard the Penitent Dock when it went down. Gwendolyn explains what happened to their ship: originally the ship was fine and making good time, then the ship suddenly started to make weird grinding noises which the captain couldn’t explain. The ship suddenly rolled to the left and capsized and the Bishop sank fast and the water was surprisingly cold. Those that survived started to swim, but people would occasionally yell out and suddenly disappear under the waves despite seeming to be strong swimmers.

Calthel chimes gently into Sarras’s mind: The Dark One? Sarras confirms that this is what she’s afraid of as well.

Out loud, Sarras apologies to Gwendolyn for what happened and how rough that must have been. She suggests that we may have information, but we should speak somewhere more privately. Sarras turns to the priest and recommends that we alert the islands that this area is dangerous to sail through for now. The priest agrees to this and starts up the alarm to signal the danger.

Calthel takes the time to explain all that has been going on and Kerran asks if Gwendolyn had seen any monsters, to which she says no, she just heard screaming. The Dread One is probably as fast as a fast sailing ship, assuming it was already ready and everything.

Calthel then writes a letter to the Marquis updating her on the Bishop’s state and ship, as well as the state of the island and that sailing may not be particularly safe at this time.

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