Part VI : Of Empty Homes and Haunted Groves
The group arrived outside of the small village of Barleybrook early one morning. The citizens seemed to be erecting a large wall, which they inquired about as they drew closer. According to one young man, three children had gone missing a few nights prior, and they were building a wall to keep out whatever did it while a group of men searched the nearby woods. The group thanked them for the information and headed into town, stopping at the local tavern. They soon met Quentin Smyth, who was leading the search party, as he stopped in for some food and drink before heading back out. They learned that his son was one of the missing children and quickly offered to help.
They followed Quentin to his home, but passed an odd looking person on the way there. A disastrously gaunt figure with long, blonde, frayed hair, mumbling to themselves in elvish. Trovik and Syntharia fell back a bit to investigate more. Trovik knew what they were saying, "Three, Thirty-Three Years, Bloody Trees." They asked what questions they could, learning that the elders of Barleybrook know about the children disappearing. Feeling they had gotten enough information, they caught up with Quentin and the rest of the group. Syntharia investigated the home, detecting a faint trail of enchantment magic from Quentins' sons' bedroom out the window. They were off immediately.
Syntharia and Trovik took turns trailing the magic, and they followed for an hour or two. Eventually they found themselves in a grove of red-leafed trees. They looked as if they were crying red sap. The wind blowing through the trees sounded like cries of anguish. They came upon a clearing; in the middle of which was a huge tree with a yawning, gaping mouth leading into darkness. A horrid beast burst forth, talons of wood skewering Yannis and pinning him to a nearby tree. They did battle with the thing, and throughout the battle the trees ripped open, sending horrific, pallid, slug-like creatures with wispy strands of hair tumbling to the forest floor. They recognized them by the hair color. The children had been horrifically transformed. Syntharia scorched the beast, erupting it with a hateful fire, putting an end to its wickedness.
She contacted Brother Zael as they licked their wounds, assessing their situation. The answer was concise; some magic is old, unknowable, its products un-fixable. She set to work putting the children to rest, freeing them from their torturous forms. After much debate, they decided to make camp. They were approached soon after by a tall figure on an eight-legged horse; Odin himself was visiting them personally. He allowed Trovik the privacy to share what he needed to; that Valravn was his patron and the source of his power, that he was on a false pilgrimage to seal away every herald of Ragnarok but Valravn's, and that he was going to betray Valravn in the 11th hour, sealing him away as well. Syntharia took a moment to ask Odin to resurrect the children, he solemnly refused.
They followed Quentin to his home, but passed an odd looking person on the way there. A disastrously gaunt figure with long, blonde, frayed hair, mumbling to themselves in elvish. Trovik and Syntharia fell back a bit to investigate more. Trovik knew what they were saying, "Three, Thirty-Three Years, Bloody Trees." They asked what questions they could, learning that the elders of Barleybrook know about the children disappearing. Feeling they had gotten enough information, they caught up with Quentin and the rest of the group. Syntharia investigated the home, detecting a faint trail of enchantment magic from Quentins' sons' bedroom out the window. They were off immediately.
Syntharia and Trovik took turns trailing the magic, and they followed for an hour or two. Eventually they found themselves in a grove of red-leafed trees. They looked as if they were crying red sap. The wind blowing through the trees sounded like cries of anguish. They came upon a clearing; in the middle of which was a huge tree with a yawning, gaping mouth leading into darkness. A horrid beast burst forth, talons of wood skewering Yannis and pinning him to a nearby tree. They did battle with the thing, and throughout the battle the trees ripped open, sending horrific, pallid, slug-like creatures with wispy strands of hair tumbling to the forest floor. They recognized them by the hair color. The children had been horrifically transformed. Syntharia scorched the beast, erupting it with a hateful fire, putting an end to its wickedness.
She contacted Brother Zael as they licked their wounds, assessing their situation. The answer was concise; some magic is old, unknowable, its products un-fixable. She set to work putting the children to rest, freeing them from their torturous forms. After much debate, they decided to make camp. They were approached soon after by a tall figure on an eight-legged horse; Odin himself was visiting them personally. He allowed Trovik the privacy to share what he needed to; that Valravn was his patron and the source of his power, that he was on a false pilgrimage to seal away every herald of Ragnarok but Valravn's, and that he was going to betray Valravn in the 11th hour, sealing him away as well. Syntharia took a moment to ask Odin to resurrect the children, he solemnly refused.
Played on 3/20/2021
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