Havere Chapter 2, Session 3: Take me to Church

General Summary

Date 10th of Tsuki 4824

Going to Church

Many of the Wuckies wake up hung over from their day of skooma to Nena making pancakes and fresh-brewed coffee. The party gets ready to go to the Church of the Passion's religious service that morning. Everyone dresses up in their Tenth-day best. Murgan decides to wear his splint mail over his nice coat. The Gnomes deliver Gus back to the Le Manoir des Vomissements and Findley talks to him and convices him to take a mud bath in their new enclosed space.
When the Wuckies they arrive, ardent believers have already arrived. They're milling around gossiping inside and outside the Le Phare Rochegris. Gregg spreads rumors that a fine-looking pig has made it to the service that day which has caught the attention of all of the church-goers. The Wuckies one-by-one are all greeted by a priest with a manta mask and are ushered inside of the lighthouse. Findley tries to convince him to let Gus inside, but the pig's offensive odor is stronger than Findley's silver tongue. Findley decides to hang outside with Gus until the service starts.
Finally a calming gong is rung and the service starts. Findley is ushered inside by Brother Manta. Findley finds an open spot on a pew next to a woman that matches Marselle Lambert's description.
A priest with a shark mask (Father Shark) begins a moving sermon. So moving, in fact, that both Xenia and Carnival are rather convinced in the Church's theology. Meanwhile, Findley quietly tries to talk to the woman next to him. He expresses that he was sent there by Lileth Andelval and the woman confirms her identity as Marselle.
After the service, Findley quickly races to be the first to talk to Father Shark. He recognizes Findley to be the "chosen one" from his prior vision/experience earlier and invites him to a special ceremony that evening just past dusk. Father Shark mentions that they will be saying goodbye to two priests who have volunteered to missionaries for the church across the sea. Findley accepts the invitation and asks if the rest of the Wuckies can join, to which Father Shark gives permission.
While Findley is speaking with Father Shark (and Gregg giving him some inspiration), Gregg notices Marselle leaving the premises, and gets Murgan to go after her before she can get away. Murgan quickly realizes that something is not right with Marselle and convinces her to meet with the party at Le Manoir for a debreifing. She agrees to meet them in an hour as she has to prepare for an event that she has that evening.
Xenia and Carnival partake of the complementary wine at the service. To the disappointment of the rest of the group.

Marselle's Debriefing

After talking with all they want to talk to, the Wuckies go back to Le Manoir to wait for Marselle. Nena had gotten some fresh baguettes and cheese for lunch but had guess that the party would arrive earlier so the baguettes were no longer warm.
The Wuckies realize that what was happening to Marselle is starting to happen to Xenia and Carnival. Morgan decides they need to get Lileth Andeval involved, and so, he writes a paper bird to her and asks Lileth to surprise Marselle at Le Manoir.
Marselle arrives, and the Wuckies stall her until Lileth can arrive. They hear a heavy knock at the door, and Murgan answers it. It is indeed Lileth with two royal retainers. Lileth starts to question Marselle and quickly realize, like the Wuckies, that something is not right with her. Lileth casts a detect magic spell and realizes that not just Marselle, but also Xenia and Carnival also, were being affected by a powerful enchantment.
Lileth mentions that she may not have a powerful enough spell to break the enchantment, but that they should go to the Temple of Olastra and see if the High Priestess of Olastra Dorathy d'Ola can help. She gives them a written note to ask the Church of Olastra for the favor.
Marselle admits that she is set to be baptized in the Church of Passion that evening, and Lileth orders the Wuckies to investigate the ceremony to see if they can find any more information about the connection between the church and the kraken. She does not want to cause a stir by going herself. She also expresses some concern that the Church of Passion was actively trying to brainwash the citizens of Havere.
Lileth leaves Le Manoir, and the Wuckies head to the Temple of Olastra.

A Transcendental Experience at the Temple of Olastra

At the temple with the written note from Lileth the Wuckies meets the High Priestess. Dorathy leads a holy ceremony to try and cleanse the enchanted party members and Marselle from Church of Passion's magic. Both Xenia and Carnival have a spiritual experience - where they feel their burdens and sins lifted away from them - and are free from the spell (and their temporary Skooma addiction), but Marselle can only be helped a little. High Priestess Dorathy says that Marselle should come back the next day, and they can continue to work on it.
Gregg asks the High Priestess what he could do to rid himself of his skooma addiction. She tells him to drink of the holy shrine in the temple and ask Olastra for forgiveness of his sins. Both he and Belinda do this and are cured of their addictions.

A Dark Baptism

The Wuckies arrive back at the Le Phare Rochergirs at the indicated hour on a dark and ominus night. Lightning and thunder are rolling in but no snow or rain. Findley speaks to Father Shark who introduces him to Father Octopus, the leader of the church. Both are excited for Findley to be part of their organization and learn more about the Creator and the Church of Passion.
The rest of the group is trying to fit in at the pre-baptism reception. Murgan and Carnival (with some inspiration) find that the casks of wine were shipped in on boat.
The ceremony started with the last sermons of Sister Coral and Brother Bluegill. Afterwards, they are sent into the ocean on a dingy with nothing but a small torch.
The baptism started after. One-by-one the six people (incuding Marcelle) wanting to be baptized are baptized in the icy-cold water. Some of the party members prep for a battle, but the ceremony ends unceremoniously.
Afterwards, Father Octopus and Father Shark ask Findley if he would also be baptized. Findley accepts. The two priests say the prayer to the Creator then plunge Findley into the icy waves. Findley feels a dark feeling enter into is body, a dark mark appears on his left hand, and a vision of a dolphin communing with him appeared in his mind's eye. The experience for him seemed to last a few minutes, but in reality only lasted a few seconds.
When Findley emerged from the water he was completely under the spell of the Church of Passion. Realizing this was not good, the other Wuckies rush him to the Temple of Olastra and wake the High Priestess Dorathy.
When Findley enters the temple he is immediately hurt by the anti-evil ward the priests had put on the temple. In a panic, Findley dashes to the main shrine and drinks of its holy water. The water burns through his body and the mark on his hand starts to grow and spread as if trying to protect itself. Gregg cuts out a piece of the black flesh to see if it does anything, and it has no effect.
They take Findley back outside, now raining a cold freezing rain while the High Priestess removes the ward from the temple. She then performs a ritual to help cleanse Findley of the curse. The curse is lessened, but he needs to return everyday for another ritual until it removed.

Missions/Quests Completed

Found Marselle and learned of her fate. They allowed her to be baptized.
They infiltrated the Church of Passion, but still not have found out the connection to the kracken or how they are getting their money. They do know that they are getting help importing goods and funds to run their organization.

Created Content

High Priestess Dorathy d'Ola The Temple of Olastra (Havere)

Campaign

A New Moon Rises

Protagonists

Findley WickerWeave

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Report Date

27 Aug 2019

Primary Location

Havere

Secondary Location

Le Phare Rochegris