Session 07: The Monastery
General Summary
Continuing their exploration beneath the hill, the Ratcatchers delved further into the subterranean keep, navigating a maze of forgotten corridors and long-abandoned rooms. In one chamber, they discovered a well-fortified well, its edges ringed with sharpened wooden stakes—a defensive measure clearly meant to deter or slow anything that might crawl up from its depths. The air around it was heavy with old fear. From the look of it, this well was no ordinary water source but a possible entryway to the legendary Under Road, a vast and ancient tunnel network whispered of in old travelers' tales.
Pressing deeper, the party ascended to the second level of the keep where they encountered yet another group of gray-skinned dwarves. The Ratcatchers made short work of their foes and continued upward to the tower above, which overlooked the entire surrounding valley. Despite the commanding view, little else of value was found, and with the keep thoroughly explored, the group made their way back to Valhale.
Upon returning, they found rest and coin waiting at the Inn of the Welcome Wench, where the merchant Theodore paid them in full for their efforts. That evening, as the party relaxed and took in the atmosphere of the inn, a bard performed a haunting rendition of the tale of Ithurin and the Silver Veil, a mythic story that captured the attention of all present. Intrigued, Seris spoke with the bard afterward, learning he would remain in town for a few days before continuing his travels.
With little time to waste, the Ratcatchers agreed to set out the following morning for the Deepwood Cloister, drawn there by their investigation into the unsettling red coins. The journey took six hours through tangled forest paths, ending at a crumbling ruin of stone and silence. The cloister was in disrepair—walls cracked, ceilings fallen in, and nature slowly reclaiming the sacred ground.
Their first destination was the stables, where they were ambushed by a group of undead that erupted in bursts of necrotic energy when slain. The explosive nature of the creatures caught the party off guard, leaving them bloodied. After patching themselves up, they sifted through the rot and ruin to find coins and precious stones hidden in the hay.
Exploring further, they discovered strange vials containing unknown liquids—mysterious and untouched by time. For now, they pocketed the vials, unsure of their purpose. Eventually, they made their way to the main hall, where a massive bell had long ago fallen from above and lay half-buried in rubble. There, a wraith, dripping with necrotic malice, attacked with terrifying speed. In the opening moments, Sakuya fell—lifeless on the ground. In a desperate act, Glop managed to reach her and stabilize her wounds, buying time for the others to bring the creature down. The wraith’s death came hard-fought, but at last it faded into shadow.
While the group tended to their wounds, Tamla scoured the desecrated hall and uncovered a book titled "The Coin and the Star that Watches." Its author was unknown, but its message was chilling. The book questioned whether the Master was a being at all—perhaps instead a concept born of belief, shaped by sermons, stories, and superstition. It told of the Lexicans, who had studied a star they named Althuun, believing it to be an eye gazing back at them. Every scholar who studied it eventually found themselves in possession of a red coin. The book pointed them toward the Observatory in Lexica, suggesting it was where it all began.
Determined to learn more, the party continued searching the cloister until they discovered its library, water-damaged and in ruin. Among the ruined tomes, one book had survived unscathed: "On the Nature of the Master." Its pages contained conflicting accounts. In some, the Master was a sage older than frost, buried beneath the earth with more books than any mortal could read. In others, he had been written into being, forged from footnotes, sermons, and spells—a half-god born of text. The book asked if the Master was a man, a ghost, a function, or even a moment—the instant when knowledge turns to hunger, when memory becomes weaponized. Yet always, he was tied to books, to words, and to forgotten places where knowledge once thrived and now decays.
Scrawled repeatedly across the back of the book was a final message:
“The Master was here.”
With unease heavy in their hearts, the Ratcatchers stood in the crumbling library, feeling no closer to answers—only deeper in mystery.
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