Session 5

General Summary

After a week long trip through Antiek'Vee Forest to investigate the situation at Magaso'Fa, the Deep End returned to Oshiv'Ran, which had returned to normal activity with the exception of the increased number of guards present. Upon entering the city proper, Newt immediately felt the shroud of death upon the town.
An Acolyte of Oshozi immediate intercepted them and escorted them to the Temple. The High Priest was pleased to see them, immediately requesting updates on the shunned clan. The party informed him of the situation in Magaso'Fa, discussed the presence of many shattered and one still fully formed crystal with religious connotations, and the involvement of his wood-be-assassin (a.k.a the Lady of the Night, the Heel of Varoona, Olivantha). Rani showed the High Priest the old map in her possession. After reading the text and speaking "Varoona", the map appeared to light up the fastest path. Although its a bit old and the roads perhaps not exact, the High Priest did note that it still seems effective.
The High Priest also recognized the language of the letter enclosed in the cipher book as Primordial, translating it as follows:

Your inquiry is duly noted. I fear, however, that it will not be helpful to your efforts. The Eternal Oracle's most recent prophecy has yet to be deciphered and little progress has been made since its utterance.
I believe it would be more productive for you to focus on the Oracle's previous prophecies - ones that we've had more time to examine and research. We anxiously await your finished work.
Once your obligations to Olivantha have been completed, return post haste to assist fully in our efforts to create the cipher. We have others looking for the missing key as we speak.

The letter is not signed with a name, but it is signed with a symbol: the silhouette of a kalashtar woman with long white hair and glowing purple eyes.
Having gained new information, the High Priest requested that the party present their findings to the council of shifter clan elders and leaders at dawn the following morning. From upstairs in the temple, one such council member appeared: Nikodemos. A friend of Osoosi, as they are from the same clan (but shhh, don't tell anyone that), he was more than helpful to provide likely locations for the other council members:

1. Vladislav, son of Dimitri, of clan Zver'Behepka
2. Enora, daughter of Divya, of clan Bogyo'Tramelo
3. Nikodemos, son of Marcel, of clan Ezust'Hold
4. Mariazinha, daughter of none, of clan Gyuru'Ka
5. Chausiku, son of Iolanda, of clan Kopar'Mezo
6. Simran, son of Sophron, of clan Oro'Zlánfog
7. Rados, son of Farmed, of clan Rák'Hangoro
8. Nora, daughter of Constance, of clan Szigeti'Fargo

Nikodemos also shed light on a rumor from up north. There's a witch in Groen's Wood by the name of "Mama Ten". He spoke of her quite fondly.
The shroud of death was determined to sit heaviest upon the currently closed establishment of Cheese & Quackers. It seems that the owners' son's destroyed, mangled, and eaten body was recovered from the Antiek'Vee forest. The Acolyte of Ah'Shal, Namiya, oversaw the funeral rites at the edge of town. Although Newt saw a shadowing figure - perhaps a spirit of Ah'Shal - he was unable to form any further connection with the Goddess of Death.
After speaking with the High Priest, Rani went to the inn to speak with Zephus, who she found eating soup and high on shrooms. It seems he was able to contact his mother - a royal descent of the air genasi family in Lark'Hal - who provided him with a down payment of 250 gold to whoever could safely escort him to Varoona and deposit him in the care of the High Priestess there. Meanwhile, the Widow successfully acquired a crude construction of his requested dagger and debated whether to send the filled barrel of mushrooms via the postal service.
The party spent the day in Oshiv'Ran speaking with the council members. Rani failed in a test of strength against Chausiku, but seemed to get through to Enora. Moira prepared a splendid casserole that impressed the bartender, Rill, as well as council member Mariazinha. She happened to witness one council member, Simran, duck out with a paramour. Rani had a conversation with Rados under the secluded cover of insects. Newt successfully brokered a deal with Nora to secure her possible vote - and she also suggested cologne. The entire party appealed to Vladislav, Ilya's grandfather, but he seemed closed off until concrete evidence was presented. Rani revealed her concerns regarding the party's discoveries and the possible continent-wide effects. Ilya promised to attempt to sway her grandfather and, upon her return to Eredet, to bring the matter to her father, a member of the High Dremoran Council. 
Comprehend languages eventually revealed the contents of another document obtained from The Heel:

This should not be so difficult. It took me two days to break that one while the others shattered under my gaze. Have you abandoned me?
You question me? Do you doubt me?
Never. That was not my intent. I merely seek your guidance.
Do you not feel closer? Each one is stronger than the last... They must be to contain me.
If I grow closer, should you too not grow stronger?
Continue forward on the path laid before you. I will not abandon you. You would do well to remember that. There is none like you, after all.

At the council meeting at dawn, the party effectively presented their case to the shifter council. Presenting the letter from Umak himself revealed that honesty was the best approach. After some discussion amongst the elders, a majority vote was reached without the High Priest voting. Re-integration efforts will be pursued. Now, the next hot topic seems to be how the High Priest will be guarded during his travels.

Rewards Granted

1. 250 gold from Zephus' mother 
2. The Cartographer's Map Case - which appears to interact with Rani's old map in interesting ways.
3. 100 gold from the research funds of Rani's associate at LIMA.

Missions/Quests Completed

Before leaving Magaso'Fa, Shaman Umak pleaded with the party to plead the case of Magaso'Fa to the shifter council. You successfully swayed the vote of the shifter council towards a plan of tentative re-integration. Formal re-integration will be considered after investigation of what has been uncovered in Oshiv'Ran is completed.
Request: High Priest Osoosi has requested you verify the safety of his family in Ezust'Hold if the party is headed to Varoona. In exchange and as thanks for all of the party's efforts, he has procured free transportation with two merchants: Tress and Treth Wisecrest.

Character(s) interacted with

The Council of 8 shifter elders (Council of Shifter Clans)

Report Date

16 Apr 2021

Primary Location

City of Oshiv'Ran

Related Characters

• High Priest Osoosi Oshozi
• Ilya
• Rill
• Zephus