Session Report 87

General Summary

Leaving the catacombs beneath the Temple of Waukeen, the Muskrats emerged into the hollowed out temple. The chamber was filled with hundreds of refugees. Working with Holycoin Rimmel and his clergy, the Muskrats patrolled the perimeter of the temple to prepare for raising the protective barrier around the temple. Tazmeth and Holycoin Rimmel discovered that a fiendish presence was within the temple. The ice devil that the party had previously left emerged from the stairwell and immediately pierced three men with its spear. The temple was filled with screams as the corpses were flung across the chamber. In the upper airs of the temple, a large man appeared. Flying across the temple with angelic wings and clutching a book with a golden cross to his chest. He plummeted towards the ice devil and grabbed the ice devil by his head and flung him into the stairwell. Tremors shook the temple as the man struck the ice devil repeatedly. Tazmeth inquired with Holycoin Rimmel about who the man was. Holycoin Rimmel explained that the man was Father Sorgfalt. He was known in Wulkan many years ago as someone who would preach on the busy roads of Wulkan. He struck fear in many individuals in Wulkan during his preaching  because he would pound his head into the ground during prayer so hard that the cobblestone pavers would crack under the striking power of his forehead. He disappeared a few years ago and everyone presumed he had died but now he has reappeared. 
Father Sorgfalt descended to the individuals near those who were killed. Father Sorgfalt identified one man who narrowly missed being skewered. He began to shout that the individuals present must repent and that they must out any heretics who assisted the devils. Father Sorgfalt grasped the man by the skull and began to squeeze his head. He yelled repeatedly that the man must repent and with each order he squeezed harder. Eventually the man's skull cracked and blood sprayed from his skull. The man's wife began to cry and Father Sorgfalt twisted the man's corpse towards the woman and yelled, "Thine shall not avert thine's eyes." Father Sorgfalt motioned to his followers and they wrapped chains around the woman and the two lifted the woman into the air. Father Sorgfalt and his followers left but left a frightening message to all those gathered in the temple. Before they left the temple, the two followers of Father Sorgfalt suddenly flew in opposite directions and twist the woman in two. Blood spilled down on those gathered in the temple and Father Sorgfalt yelled again, "Thine shall not avert thine's eyes." 
With Father Sorgfalt gone, the protective barrier went up and would last twenty four hours. Itzal used his Archivist's Key and the Muskrats headed into the mansion to rest and perform some research. Itzal first focused his research on Dami, her curse, and Mephistopheles. Itzal discovered Dami likely grew up in and around Chipululu. Numerous mentions of Inferno's End were found. Typically, the mentions of Inferno's End in the records revealed that each owner of Inferno's End met horrific endings. Furthermore, it appeared that Mephistopheles often forged deals with families that last generations and impose curses that last centuries. 
As for the Blades of Purity, Itzal started with Anathema, their leader. He learned that she led a crusade into Magmarath Caldera to destroy the city because its symbolism. Magmarath Caldera was a city that contained both devils and demons living togeter. Anathema wished to destroy the city to prevent the unification of fiends and a subsequent invasion of the Prime Material Plane. However, her crusade was easily defeated and Mizanoros, the Black Fulcrum defeated her. Mizanoros, was a fiend that resides in Magmarath Caldera and served as one of the primary representatives on the Tribunal and mediated disputes between demons and devils. Additionally, Mizanoros was known as the greatest user of blood magic and using this magic he corrupted Anathema so she was no longer wholly celestial nor fiend, but something between the two. After her defeat Anathema returned to the Prime Material Plane and disappeared until she returned with the Blades of Purity. She preyed on those who lacked any goals or ambitions and caused them to place their blame fiends, tieflings, and even those with just fiendish blood. Slowly she built her army through these means and vowed to return to get revenge on Mizanoros. 
Her followers gain power from the fruit bearing plants that grow when she sheds blood. The powers vary but they are a mix of what celestials and fiends usually possess. Anathema's Commandments were her most powerful followers and they obtained their power by drinking Anathema's blood directly from her body. Few survive, but those who did gained exceptional power. Anathema maintained thirteen Commandments each possessing different powers. Itzal's research uncovered that the weakest Commandments are given titles of Brother and Sister, those in the middle are Father or Mother, and the most powerful were Master. One Commandment, Sir Eer, retained his former title of sir, and much speculation swirled over why that was the case. The Thirteen Commandments were as follows:

• 1st Commandment of Love, Sister Amore
• 2nd Commandment of Kindness, Brother Benignitas
• 3rd Commandment of Honor, Sir Eer
• 4th Commandment of Honesty, Sister Onesta
• 5th Commandment of Respect, Father Ixtiraam
• 6th Commandment of Learning, Brother Laering
• 7th Commandment of Forgiveness, Master Vergebung
• 8th Commandment of Equality, Mother Aequalitas
• 9th Commandment of Diligence, Father Sorgfalt
• 10th Commandment of Mindfulness, Master Tarkaavaisuus
• 11th Commandment of Peace, Brother Pax
• 12th Commandment of Responsibility, Brother Ansvar
• 13th Commandment of Balance, Master Statera

Itzal learned that Sir Eer was known to kill those he found dishonorable first. This included spellcasters and the physically weak. He wished only for battlefields of the powerful because it produced honor worthy fights. Father Ixtiraam could only be harmed in one on one duals that showed mutual respect. Otherwise he was impervious to physical harm but could not harm another. Brother Laering was known to steal knowledge directly from his opponents. Master Vergebung was known to be incredibly destructive. He killed nearly everyone he saw. When he passed through a village, the villagers were so compelled to forgive that they would cry to the point of suffocation, or become so racked with guilt over never forgiving that they would end their own lives. Many had speculated that Master Tarkaavaisuus had gained the ability to separate his mind from his body and could simply control corpses with it. After concluding his research, Itzal led the Muskrats from his mansion and Holycoin Rimmel gave the group an opportunity to blunder the Temple's treasury and gave them access to a secret passage that led directly into the catacombs beneath House Vassa. Upon reaching the lower levels of House Vassa, the party could hear the sound of machines operating through the entrance. What lay on the other side?

Report Date

30 Apr 2023