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Session Summary
The party met Yuka, a guard and farmer who shared her suspicions about the council and the visiting clerics, particularly their unusual handling of plague victims’ burials, cremating no one and allowing no witnesses. That night, the party dug up the graves and discovered all five coffins contained only rocks, raising their suspicions about the clerics. Magnus infiltrated the clerics’ lodgings, where he found a mysterious booklet on blood magic and bodily transformation, which he secretly passed to Crofton. The group also made plans to trek to the sunken western settlement with Yuka the next morning.
Calendar
Recap
The group later explored the village, speaking with elder Nannouk Innana and learning about failed communications with Varlaine.
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Log
Temple of Three
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Continuing their conversation with Nannouk Innana in the Temple of Three, the party inquired about the religious customs of Caelmire. Nannouk explained that the island’s balance is maintained by three gods: Ymros, Sedna, and Moran. Each inhabitant of Caelmire follows one of these deities, dividing the populace evenly among them. According to local myths and legends, should this balance ever be disrupted, the island will sink into the sea. This belief has persisted for thousands of years.
Nannouk recounted an event from forty years ago when this legend nearly came true. On the island’s western side, a settlement of scholars and alchemists mysteriously sank into the sea. Out of the original three hundred residents, fewer than one hundred survived. The settlement had been home to the Stormcallers, a group of seers with unparalleled abilities concerning the winds and seas. Only three Stormcallers returned to the eastern settlement after the disaster, and all have remained silent about what transpired.
When the party asked who might have been keeping watch on the night of The Mariner’s Fortune’s arrival, Nannouk directed them to Yuka, a farmer, hunter, and trainer who resides at the village’s outskirts.
Shifting the discussion to Caelmire’s political landscape, Nannouk explained that the island is governed by a council of elders responsible for managing relationships with the three neighboring houses. However, the council has not made any significant decisions in quite some time. The most notable ruling in recent memory was the declaration of Oliebollen as Caelmire’s official snack.
Statue of Ymros
Meanwhile, Magnus turned his attention to the statue of Ymros within the temple. As he studied it, an eerie familiarity washed over him, though it was tainted by an underlying malicious energy. This dark presence seemed restrained by the corvian energy emanating from the statue. Determined to deepen his connection, Magnus entered a trance, only to inadvertently link with the malevolent force instead. A figure approached him from the darkness, a spiral carved into its palm. The figure reached out to Magnus, while blood was pouring from the wound, creating dark tendrils of energy wherever it landed on the ground.
Marie and Crofton looked on in horror as Magnus trembled as he was entranced in front of the statue. Other temple visitors began to notice his distress, so Marie and Crofton intervened. As they attempted to shake him from his trance, Magnus vomited onto the floor and collapsed. Marie and Crofton helped him outside to regain his consciousness. Once he had recovered, Magnus shared the vision with his companions.
The party set off toward Yuka’s house at the village’s edge. As they passed through the forest, they searched for any tracks left by the crew of The Mariner’s Fortune. However, the recent snowfall had obscured all traces, leaving them with no clear path forward.
Yuka’s House
Exiting the forest, the party saw fields of crops surrounding a farmhouse being tended to by some villagers. A watchtower stood next to the farmhouse, providing a good view into the forest. When the party approached the farmhouse a small child bumped into them while playfully chasing their dog. The dog stopped and started barking at the party, when a woman came out of the farmhouse and calmed it down in in Caelmirian. She sent the child inside together with the dog and introduced herself as Yuka.
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Yuka confirms that she is in charge of the watchtower at the edge of the forest. When asked if she saw anything out of the ordinary on the night of the 12th. Another guard was on duty that night, she replied, but he fell asleep shortly after his watch had started. Frustrated, she explains that she already told this all to the clerics who came to Caelmire to help with the plague. Panuq, Yuka’s grandfather, was part of the council before he succumbed to the plague at the end of 1723.
Prying a bit further, the party learns that Yuka is very frustrated with the current council. She feels that they are reluctant to decide on anything conclusive, and they lack ambition. Caelmire is losing all their young adults to the mainland, and the island is slowly losing its identity. She is suspicious of the council, reminiscing of times when they were not as seemingly unwilling to enact any change.
After Hoarfrost 12, Yuka tried to go into the forest herself to see if she could find any tracks of the complement of The Mariner’s Fortune. The council explicitly forbade her from doing her own investigation, citing Caelmire’s neutral position in the larger geopolitical landscape. Yuka went anyways, but to her frustration found no traces of the seamen. Crofton and Marie admired Yuka’s tenacity.
Yuka went on to explain that the clerics had complete jurisdiction over the containment effort and the treatment of the plague victims. After 5 people passed from the plague, the clerics buried the bodies in the Caelmire Cemetery. The people of Caelmire customarily cremate their deceased, and the cemetery is only used by mainland migrants who lived out their life on the island. Against the wishes of the islanders, every one of the people, even islanders themselves, felled by the plague was buried. The bodies were not shown publicly, and no one was allowed to attend the funerals.
The party, concurring with Yuka, found this highly suspicious, and suggested a sinister plan. Later this evening after sundown, they will dig up the graves to see what the bodies of the plague victims look like, and why the disposal of the bodies was handled the way it was. Yuka agreed to the plan, and further emphasized her distrust of the clerics. She took a key from a drawer and gave it to the party, detailing that it was a key to the warehouse on the docks. Formerly used by Yuka’s husband, who died 3 years ago, the clerics are currently using it as temporary living arrangements while on the island. Crofton saw his opportunity, and will try to break in.
The party asked if Yuka would accompany them on a trek to the western settlement, seeing as she shares the will to understand the mysteries of The Mariner’s Fortune. She agreed, and will meet first thing in the morning to leave for the western coast.
The Inn
The party grabbed a bite to eat at the local tavern. As they entered, they spotted the group of clerics already inside. Magnus and Marie hung back to keep an eye on them, while Crofton slipped away to the docks to check out the warehouse.
The bartender indulged that the people of Caelmire feel powerless in regards to The Mariner’s Fortune. He hopes that the arrival of The Interceptor can finally bring some closure to the uneasiness on the island.
Magnus employed his spiritual charm to join the clerics at their table, offering them an assortment of vegetables. Father Ellios asked him to join them in their lodgings, giving him an opportunity to escape the swaying vessel for the night. After Magnus accepted, he went for a walk with Father Ellios.
Crofton’s break-in attempt
Crofton Dudley, master of subterfuge and lock picking, made his way to the docks. There, he spotted the warehouse in use by the clerics, and made sure the coast was clear. He took Yuka’s key out of his pocket, maneuvered towards the door, and masterfully failed to put the key in the lock. His nimble hands were not made for this common task. The key fell to the ground and Crofton, once again realizing that a normal life was not for him, drew the attention of a dock worker by making just enough noise to wake a sleeping elephant. The dock worker sent him back to The Interceptor, seeing no reason for Crofton to be out here at this hour.
Magnus’ walk with Father Ellios
Magnus and Father Ellios took a stroll around the gardens in Caelmire. While admiring the winter flowers Father Ellios questioned Magnus on his faith and his conviction in Rael. Magnus clutched his hidden amulet and faked his answers.
Back on The Interceptor
Reunited and hungry no more, the party returned to The Interceptor. They prepared a message to be sent back to Varlaine in the case they did not return in time from their trek to the western settlement.
The party asked Viago if he knew anything about Yasmin De La Cruz. He shared that he had met the Seer a couple of times, but never got to know her. His impression was that she was a practical and not much fun. He joked that he would not invite her for a drink.
The graveyard
After a few hours darkness had enveloped the island and Crofton, Magnus and Marie made their way to the cemetery. They passed the fishery on the docks and heard a familiar feline sound. Wondering if Pablo had gotten lost, Magnus checked the barrels and found a white cat wearing a silk collar engraved with the name Jasper, Chief Officer of The Mariner’s Fortune. On the back of the name tag was the address of James Davenport. Magnus fed the cat a diced up fish and send them on their way to The Interceptor, hoping for a successful reunion with its owners in the near future.
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At ten to six p.m. the party arrived at the cemetery to meet Yuka, shovels in hand and ready to uncover the mysteries of the deceased plague-bearers. With Yuka on watch, and at her request to begin with finding out more about her grandfather, they started digging into Panuq’s grave. After a few minutes they reached the coffin, and hoisted the heavy wooden box out of the ground. Marie cracked it open, revealing the contents: rocks. There was no body to be found, surprising everyone but Yuka. All five graves were empty, just like Panuq’s.
All five deceased had been separated from the other infected, and no-one had seen their bodies. The clerics are not to be trusted, the group declared. Magnus debated if it’s a smart move to spend the night with the clerics, but eventually decided that that would be the best way to find out more about them. If Magnus was to find out something important, or need help in any way, he would cast Message to Crofton and Marie and they would come and help him out. The graves were filled back in, Crofton and Marie went back to The Interceptor, and Magnus hesitantly went to the clerics.
Magnus’ Sleepover
Father Ellios welcomed Magnus with open arms into their shack, a single large room with 5 beds. Before resting for the night they performed a communal prayer, during which Magnus looked around the room. He noticed that the clerics use a specific incense for cleansing rituals, used specifically when a massive amount of death has occurred. During prayer he seemed drawn towards a small chest under the bed of Father Ellios.
Magnus stayed awake during the night, and after a few hours silently tried to make his way to the chest. He managed to open it, finding a statue of Rael inside, usually made by a devotee when they feel their death is imminent. Next to the statue was a small booklet with ancient Cantalarian writing. It’s contents seemingly depicting bodily transformations and experimentation using blood magic and transfusion, Magnus quickly Messaged Crofton and Marie to take the booklet away from him. Magnus left the shed and met Crofton near the pier, handed him the booklet, and quickly went back inside.
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