Raven

The goblin party seemed to keep to themselves so we went ahead setting up camp to get some sleep for the night. Tycone & Carilius took the first watch as they had some catching up to do. Hellah & Malor decided they would take up the 2nd watch, which left Sodryn & I for the 3rd watch, which was nice since we'd barely gotten to know each other. That being said, we were woken up while Malor and Hellah were on watch. The air grew colder, much colder all of a sudden. No wind in our face, no stars in the sky, no real moonlight that could be seen. Just a bitter, cold darkness that seemed to be shrouding over us all of a sudden. Among the thick clouds came down a raven. The raven almost seemed to have 3 heads like a totem as it turned it's head. After landing before us the raven started to caw at us, however it didn't just seem to caw at me. It sounded like it was saying Morr, Morr, Morr. As it had our full, undivided attention, the raven was clouded in a twisting smoke that billowed upward transforming the raven into an extremely tall person. Was this an avatar of Morr?
 
I was a little shaken as the person spoke to us, though not through speech, but through thought alone, similar to how Carilius messages me sometimes. Its voice seemed eerily familiar to me like that dream I had years ago. For reasons unsure of, there was a connection between the voice or this person as my connection to the Shadowfell felt and grew stronger and reminded me of the first time I hurled that blast of energy at the temple with the Augur priest. He said that I have done well in his service thus having an important task for me (all of us). He continued saying there is an artifact, a stone that radiates warmth and glows slightly green in color that he desires. That it is being sought after by those not of this plane nor this realm. It is here, buried somewhere within this valley, however we would find it in the town closest to us. In the cover of darkness, we would find safety. Will send Raven once I depart. Rest in this realm til morrow and then crossover and find the buried artifact. Malor then asked this person something, but I was too shaken to remember. However, I will never forgethis reply. Yes, I am Morr, and you will get it back when the time is right. Morr then turned around and turned into a cloud of smoke and was gone.
 
While in complete shock, I was also feeling a bit sick to my stomach. I turned to the side and belched and coughed up some smoke, which turned into this gooey puddle on the ground. Shortly after a whirlwind of smoke came up from the puddle, much as it did for Morr, to reveal a dark-skinned tattooed woman. She spoke to me "Master". She tells me her name is Raven. She has long, braided smoke-colored hair and her tattoos I noticed looked like a few spells written in Abyssal as I recognize one as the Comprehend Languages spell I so often use. The tattoo across her face looks like that of a mask resembling the wings of a raven and she has several tribal piercings as well. Even some rings adorned her that resembled talon-like nails. She is only cloaked in a loose, dark, feathery cowl of raven feathers and also possesses a Djembe with a raven on the head of the drum. She makes a couple sounds towards Carilius as he recognizes the Abyssal symbols on her body. She speaks in Yitoric, a bestial language of squawks and clicks that sound like a raven, though my connection to her allows me to understand her. Its as she is a part of me, a part of my very essence and connection to the Shadowfell. She is the living embodiment of my grimoire bestowed upon me from Morr. She is Raven, my ritual Book of Shadows, my familiar.
 
Raven hopped up and perched like a bird, looking tentatively at us while lightly drumming. Upon asking her a few questions, she says she can guide us in the morning and to get more rest for now. After some discussion we decide to trust Raven and rest for the moment. Hours later we woke to Raven still lightly drumming as the the black void still filled the air with no stars or moonlight to be seen. We can hear echoing of drums in the distance although soon realizing these echoes are beating to that of a different drum. Feeling still besides myself and overwhelmingly apathetic to the cause at the moment, I barely feel the need to press on.
(2nd Failed Sanity check, Apathetic, Disadvantage on Death Saving Throws & Initiative, Do not feel useful to anyone or anything)
 
The world appearing to me now as if were cloaked over with a black veil. The river seemed slick as oil, the grass as dead as straw, & the fields as long forgotten crops. Raven stopped drumming. Then the echoes stopped drumming. "Make your way towards the town, there is a portal there to prime (the main plane of existence) at a marked grave", Raven said. We came into the town only to find a hoard of zombies roaming around. Raven without skipping a beat, continued forward toward the grave. The zombies began to creep up on Raven some even attacking her. We all glanced at each other and decided in that moment to run through the town of zombies rather than trying to fight them all off. I followed Raven as best I could, the zombies were everywhere. I guess it was fortunate that I was feeling useless otherwise I might try to kill them all. I never did look back, never behind, only ahead, only towards Raven, only towards my familiar.
 
Half a minute later, Raven stood over the grave now, crouched with a leg on either side. I could see Hellah coming from my right side as she made it first to the grave marker. Shortly after I leaped into the grave as well only to now find myself lying down and feeling like another person is on top of me. Moist earth surrounded me, was I being buried alive? A glimpse of light caught my eye. I cast Mage Hand and push outwards with all my might. (Nat 20) I could also feel someone under me now pushing as I slowly came out of the ground in another grave. Slowly, Raven came up after me and Hellah and I then aided the others. Next was Sodryn, then Carilius, then Malor, then Tycone. Sodryn cast Hold Person on Tycone as he came up causing a specter that apparently had possessed him to retreat back to the Shadowfell.
 
Still not feeling quite useful, the party decides to start searching for the artifact. Carilius has the idea to search the barns the wardens had been digging up and that he can cast Detect Magic to see if anything is around. This goes on for about a half hour and as we grew tired of running around, ultimately come to the conclusion that the other people from the other realms have most likely already tried this tactic. All is not lost as Carilius is able to find a ring along the way. After our first failed search attempt we make our way back to the Undermill tavern. As we all sit down in the corner, I go to cast Comprehend Languages, except I can only ritual cast the spell now. Momentarily forgetting that Raven is my ritual Book of Shadows, she takes off her cowl and the Abyssal runes start to glow on her naked body.