Troubled Templars - 23/07/22

General Summary

Templers abuse using their authority in a nearby village by taking food, gear and claiming random members of the village are mages. Dragging them off, saying they are being taken to the circle. The people of the village also say that they have been having nightmares that seem more real ever since the templers started causing unrest.

    For one reason or another you all are seeking to cross the Waking Sea. In order to reach the coast and acquire passage across the channel you have set out with a small caravan following the road that leads you to the northern coast. After a few days of traveling you arrive at the village of Abbywatch, where you have been told you can restock on supplies for the rest of your journey to reach the port town of Lansege.   As the caravan enters the outskirts of the village they can all see the remnants of old ruins, now covered in moss and grass almost forgotten to time and reclaimed by nature. To they’re right they see steep rock faces reaching into the sky. Though, through an opening, large ruins up the side of the rock face can be seen, Yasheria Rein, the caravans cook that they have been traveling with points it out, explaining its the old abby for what the village was onces known for. But due to Syvan rot that took the lives of many of the monks at the abbey and village the entire place was abandoned. Years later people returned to rebuild their lives and took stone and resources from the abby to rebuild the village.   As the party enters the village, a group of Templars are seen arguing with a female elf who is saying her son has run off, all while the Templars call her a liar and demand to know where the boy is being hidden. When confronted by the party, they say they are on orders from high-up and seem to make a quick exit. The female elf thanks them and explains what's been going on in the village. Shortly after, a young child approaches the party and hands them a note saying it was a young templer that gave it to him. The party looks over to the last of the templars leaving and sees a young templer in recruit armor nod their head. The note tells the party to meet him that evening behind the village temple to talk.   The party heads over to the village tavern to wait out the time before meeting the young templer, they ask questions of the tavern owner and get more of an idea of what's been happening in the village, shortly after they take their leave and are joined by another party member.   Approaching the temple they notice the young Templer who introduces himself as Dalk Havor and explains that his friend; a fellow templer recruit has gone missing from their encampment but the higher ups of the camp don't seem to care, saying she was a coward that ran off. He explains that he has sent several letters to Harper's Mother who is a commander in the Templers but has yet to hear anything back. Dalk pleads with the party to help him, which they agree to. Telling Dalk to return to the encampment.   As one of the party members is a locale they lead the rest of the party up through the mountain pass to the Templar encampment, this is where they lead out one of the Templars and...incapacitate him. Taking his armor and equipping it as a disguise to enter the camp. The party member Parcore who enters the camp meets with Dalk and asks more questions, meanwhile - the other two party members Saffanite and Onnil make their way round the camp and watch from a distance. Parcore goes to take his leave but is confronted by one of the Templars who almost sees through his disguise, Parcore then tackles the Templar, throwing him onto the campfire. This draws the attention of the whole camp while the templer burns and screams for help.   Using the commotion to their advantage Saffanite and Onnil make their way into the back of the camp and find forged papers by the captain of the camp. In addition to this, Onnil discovers a pure red crystal in a chest that whispers to him. As they both finish up looking through the captains belongings, Parcore is chased through the forest by some of the Templars, but manages to lose them. The party and Dalk manage to reconvene after a...successful infiltration?   Party tracks the Templars at night to find a dilapidated chapel in the center of the old abbey, They enter the chapel and find captain Ackely conversing with a demon, the demon gloats and boasts about manipulating the templars, demanding that the captain brings it more people for food, the captain says he can't bring more yet without arousing suspicion. At this moment the party attacks, striking the demon with an arrow. Captain Ackley tries to run but falls, as he falls the demon appears to catch him but actually pierces the captain through the chest and throws him against the wall. The battle ensues, with the party and the demon trading blows. Dalk almost falls but is saved by Onnil. Through a tough fight the party kills the demon. As the demon's life fades away it mentions how the so-called protectors of the people don’t care about the people they are meant to protect.   As the party leaves, Dalk finds the helmet of Harper and returns to the village. Shortly after returning, Templar Commander Arrike (Harper's Mother) enters the village with a unit of elite Templars and asks Dalk what has happened as she wrote a response but never heard anything back. As such she decided to come out to the encampment herself, Dalk explains what's happened. As Dalk finishes explaining what happened a fair crowd has gathered. The commander states that she will investigate what happened properly and bring rogue Templars to justice.