Seeking aid from the Clergy of the Seldarine's gods

[Hoihe]

Posters are left all over the coast, written in elven and stamped with a series of stamps, plus a drawing of Sehanine's symbol.

"I call to you in a time of need, most devout servants of the fellowship of brothers and sisters of the wood ((Read Seldarine)).

A woe has befallen one of the daughters of The Protector ((read Corellon). A woe most ancient and dark, vile and mysterious. Near a year has passed since it appeared and no cure has yet showed itself. However, I am getting closer and closer. But alone, as but a human, I fear I cannot do enough to ensure success for the Green Elven ((read Wild elf/Sy'tel-quessir)) bardess, a most talented arcane archer whose name I will only disclose to those who are indeed involved as per her most reasonable request.

This mission is most dangerous, for ancient evils are to be met upon and possibly defeated. However, at stake is the soul and well being of an elf. Her soul was split, and not entirely stolen, thanks to her friends and sister rescuing her from harm's way in time. But they were not quick enough, and a part, or parts, were freed from her. I've met these spectres, and they reflect her childhood self. They are now however trapped, at least one, within the realm of this foul being I hunt.

Forgive my vagueness, oh the Clergy of the fellowship of brothers and sisters of the wood ((read the Seldarine)), but anyone can read elven nowadays and I do not wish for the those of malice to know.

The next mission I will hold in this quest is a revisit of the Minotaur labyrinth. There is much more than what first meets the eye. One has to merely know what to look for. I will bring what was once found there, and our mission will be to find more of it. For it was learned that the shards I possess are part of the key, and maybe with them will we be able to free the Daughter of the Preserver of Life ((read Corellon)).

Priests of any of the Fellowship of Brothers and Sisters of the Wood ((read Seldarine)) are welcome, but I'll express a certain belief that the followers of the Moonlit Mystery may have the ability to aid the most, alongside of the followers of Coronal of Arvandor ((read Corellon)) for their governance over elven souls. However, those who spread the Black Archer's ((shevarash determination, the Philosoper's ((Labelas Enoreth)) wisdom, the Many Limbed's ((rillifane)) harmony, the Forest Hunter's accuracy and decision making, The Winged Mother's ((aedrie)) knowledge of land and sky, the wish of the Gold Heart ((Hanali)) to preserve beauty, the Lone Wolf's ((Fenmarel)) insight into danger in a dangerous world, the knowledge of the Dolphin Prince ((deep Shashelas)) and even the Chameleon's ((Erevan)) ability to maintain fun despite the direst of odds are all welcome. I will not promise a reward, for I doubt there is any other than the knowledge of ensuring the safety of an Elf.

I will give a detailed report to any who seek to aid and prove themselves to be clerics of the Seldarine and not enemies of it.

-Reader Hoihe Dacino of Candlekeep,

-Navigator of the Whistling Wanderess

- A friend of the People

((since it's written in elven, it'd be Sha'Quessir to anyone who reads it without knowledge of elven. the People being the Elves/Tel'Quessir))

You can contact me by sending a letter to Candlekeep addressed to my name"



((OOC note/warning:

This is a storyline ran by DM Vukodlak, one of BGTSCC's specialists of the Horror Genre.

His events can be grimy, spooky, dark and otherwise unnerving. Imagine the events as a mix between Kafka and Lovecraft's horror stories, mostly Call of Cthulu in terms of the level of violence and type of horror. They may also result in insanity of those involved. It is possible to bow out at any time if you find it outside of your tastes.

I'd link to his sign-up thread but I've no idea where it went.

Writer's Diplomacy score is 30..

and yes, Hoihe is very well versed in elven gods.

[Hoihe]

((Replies can be done on this thread or in PM. I'm fine with either.

[Hoihe]

((writing this publically to both bump the thread, give an idea OOC of what's going on and to ensure I don't forget anyone. Also, because some players enjoy reading massive walls of text. Unless you volunteered to help through a PM, IG or this thread, consider this OOC information. Volunteered as in since this thread was made.))

Hoihe will send copies of the following text to all those who volunteered to help. In the case of human volunteers, or those outside the clergy, he will omit the name "Averëon Elestar" and instead write: "..That wild elven bardess.."

The letters will arrive at the various addresses of the volunteers through the hands of Hoihe himself, either given to the guards of the area where applicable or he leaves his cat to deliver the message to the recipients.

The letter has two seals, like the notices, and a drawing of Sehanine's symbol[quote="Hoihe"]Posters are left all over the coast, written in elven and stamped with a series of stamps, plus a drawing of Sehanine's symbol.

"Greetings, ((Insert the name and title of the volunteer here))

I wish to thank you for promising aid in this quest. I have attached the most recent hypothesis of what is going on to this letter. It also serves as a summary of the events so far."

The attachment reads:

"
The origin of the Creature


There was a time, long ago, so far still undefined but placed at least before the Netherese empire, where people sought power as always. There were madmen amongst these, those who sought the power from darkness. They have sacrificed countless of their own, piling up skulls in a ritual manner within a dark chamber filled with horrors and blasphemy of the absolute darkest kind. They opened a portal, calling to a creature in abyssal, thinking they're calling a demon into their service. However, another came. Darkness answered, and it came, devouring them by the numbers. A creature of terrible horror, with an aura of nothing, that sucks Light away into a terrible void. It went to the skies, and began destroying the civilisation of this people.

They tried appeasing it, making sacrifices. However, it did not care and devoured those who worshipped it almost. They sacrificed children, women, men. They stabbed them, they burned them. The creature affected their minds, turning them insane with its shrieks. It was so extreme that it was able to make a man cut open his abdomen, rip out his intestines and strangle himself with them. It did not merely devour their bodies either, but their souls as well. Trapping them in a realm of virtually eternal torment.

A man, maybe more, survived this onslaught and returned to the dark chamber. He had resistance from those under the control of the creature, but those who stood in his way were defeated. He used even the statuettes found in the room as weapons, caking them in blood. He opened the portal once again, and called out in abyssal...

What happened after that is unknown to me, so far what I know has been collected from visions of the past, trapped inside a pillar of unknown power under the mines of the Cloakwood, activated by a spell of the elements. Some of these visions were also given by one of the strongest spirits captured, the spirit of the very elf we seek to rescue. She told the spirit shaman who has helped me the following cryptic set of lines:

"....it.... comes..... drawn... by.... madmen........can.... see........SHOW........called... upon.... darkness.......answered.... devoured........key.......shards.... guide........SHOW...."

The majority of my hypothesis is based on this sentence, so it may be wrong or it may be right. But it is the best so far. Eventually, the creature overfed and fell into a deep slumber to digest the tens of thousands of souls it devoured.

Present day.


The various primitive races lived as they did, their shamen finding little artifacts or large artifacts. The Batiri found the grand pillar below the Cloakwood mines, the Gnolls found the dark gem, the minotaurs found the shards and perhaps more. The lizardfolk may have found something as well, that part is yet to be put to test. But it seems likely they stumbled upon something.

The Batiri Shaman, after his fist interaction with the pillar, began hearing voices whispering in his head. Voices similar to the dark creature's I previously explained. They told him, no, commanded him to do dark deeds. For example, slay the chieftain of his tribe with poison, then paint the walls in a specific pattern with his blood. Around the pillar or elsewhere. However, he was strong and resisted. It is likely he is dead now, considering the Alienist cult nesting in those caves and the general love of adventurers to hunt Batiri there.

The Gnoll Shaman found the dark gem. It was inert at first, well, mostly inert. It had power enough to reach out to its consciousness and whisper dark commands. They were most likely the same as the ones the Batiri Shaman heard. Or maybe they were veiled, maybe the shaman was strong like the Batiri, but what he was told was in fact a lie. He may have been told to paint the walls around the chamber of the gem with blood, to "keep the evil away." However, it was actually the opposite result, and the dark gem drew power from the marks and runes. The result is what we're trying to fix.

The Minotaur Shaman found the warm glowing shards, but found no use for them. So they were stashed away in a barrel. Some of it Averëon Elestar of Doron Amar found and brought to me.((If the recipient is not an elven cleric, then they'll find "That green elven bardess from Doron Amar" found.))

A whole year almost before this hypothesis was made, on the 22nd of Flamerule, a pair of elven sisters alongside their friends and allies entered the Gnoll caves outside Candlekeep. During their descent, they were met with oozes slithering out from the creaks of the cave, but paid it not much mind. Eventually, they came across a room of vile experiments, dead scattered across the tables and blood drawn as runes across the wall. The group investigated, and learned that these runes were to "keep something in". Eventually, Averëon Elestar, as that is the name of the elven woman we seek to aid, looked upon a dark gem-like object. It radiated darkness, no, it sucked in light. When her eyes finally met with it, her mind was raided with terrible visions and her body filled with utmost pain. She screamed, and were it not for her group's steadfast determination, she might have even been done for.

For what happened when she saw the gem? The darkness of the object reached out, and grasped her spirit. It began to pull, trying to steal it. When she was rescued from this cruel fate, there was damage done already. Her soul was split, similar to how demi-liches split their souls ( at least that's my best analogy yet). There may be one, or more shards of her spirit not contained within her body. The majority remains inside, and it gave us the illusion that nothing bad has happened. However, later investigation proved otherwise. It would also appear that even despite the spirits not being whole, its shards are linked. Thanks to this, Averëon suffers from nightmares despite her attempts to Reverie. Only in a hallowed land can she enjoy the blessings of the Mystic Seer.

She came to Candlekeep, and Teo has granted me the mission of solving this case. We searched the gnoll caves but there was nothing left behind. For a long while, I was without any further clues. One day however, Averëon has met with me and gave me some odd, chalky white shards. She said she found them in the Minotaur Ruins, the target of our next excursion. She said she found them after stumbling into the library there.

In the library, she met with a young elven girl. She sang a song that Averëon enjoyed much in her childhood, but her voice was layered akin to a demon's. She, when she turned to the elven bardess, had a lack of eyes. Instead from the eyesockets, black tar or lichen poured as obsidian tears. The same phenomenon was seen on the man who spoke in Abyssal, and amongst some of the people during the onslaught after the creature shrieked. Also, the spirit Shaman who helped me cried obsidian tears as well during her visit to the spirit world. The young elven girl also showed a group of teeth filled with maggots as she spoke. And she said "Do not trust your eyes, do not assume, for what you see can be deceiving."

She, of course, ran as if there was no tomorrow. She may be strong of mind and soul, but such.. such is too much even for such a person. And when did it become too much for her? When she recognised the young elven girl as her own childhood self.. But before she ran, she observed the drawing the spectre made on the floor, but this drawing was a very complex circle painted using the tar that ebbed from the eyes of the broken soul. She tried to press it against an empty book to give me help, but it is indecipherable in such a state. As she said, the drawing twisted every time she looked upon it.

As she ran, she felt a sense of vertigo befall her. She didn't know what it was, and merely blamed it on fatigue. She quickly drank some water from her water skin and then chewed away a piece of jerky. But it came again, she leaned back, against a barrel and felt something warm after she accidentally knocked the top off. She looked upon the source of warmth and yet another vertigo came.. as if something tried to pull her away. She thought she was getting possessed, so she did as I commanded and poured holy water over herself. The vertigo did not come back any more, but as she looked through the veil formed from the cascading holy water before her eyes, she saw shadows moving, and creeping closer towards her. She saw shadows moving by the edges of her eye ever since the incident in the gnoll cave, but this time, they were everywhere. And they approached. But the veil of holy water eventually ran out, and they disappeared. Instead of running, she quickly assumed that the beings didn't want her to obtain the shards and so she poured holy water over them, wrapped them in a cloth, grabbed them and then ran.

I have been given the shards ever since, and been analysing them since then. Arcane analysis proved nothing, but when analysed for spirits it began to glow red. The spirit shaman helping me declared a mass of spirits surrounding the area, choking her almost. She felt as if they tried to rip out her soul but our combined wards kept her safe. She then proceeded to the spirit world to examine the situation for herself. She returned sick, after I disrupted her body worried. For it cried obsidian tears as previously mentioned. She told me she saw a vortex of souls, and a large skull. Its teeth were made up of spirits. The spirits all screamed, begging for help.

Before this analysis happened, however, Candlekeep was visited by a man who accidentally uncovered the pillar. He explained to me what happened. His party used magical fire to burn away the moss upon a large column, and thanks to that, activated it. The column's carvings moved, and the eye of the creature depicted at its top stared at him.. and he was whisked away to a vision where hundreds of people wandered in tattered rags, staring at the sky. This same vision I saw myself after I did the very same. It is possible everyone who does this will see the same. The man cried obsidian tears while this happened.

But before I examined this very pillar, I met Averëon. Or a part of her at least. I met the spirit that had the body of the little girl. But this time, she looked mostly healthy, if you disconsider the shadowy look it had. She spoke to me, murmuring about hope. She then asked whether I had the shards. She begged for them. She then screamed as something ripped her apart, possibly bringing her into the beast's maw.

Eventually, the spirit shaman I was allied with recovered enough from her last attempt and did a visit again. This time, she met Averëon and a group of children. They seemed to be under the control of something, moving at the same time and things like that. However, Averëon's soul's shard was powerful, even if not at her full strength. It overpowered the control and telepathically spoke to the spirit shaman. She told her that her spirit companions are in danger, that it will come to devour them as well. Her telthor companion confirmed this, and darkness began to form around the children. The spirit shaman immediately sent the telthor away, and a alien feeling of relief washed over her. It was not hers, but it did not feel disturbing either. It came from somewhere, but it is unknown where exactly. The spirit shaman called for Averëon, as I requested her, and an elven child stepped forward. She then spoke telepathically, asking about how she got the shards. The spirit shaman explained that it was me who had them, and she was merely helping. The Elder Elestar sister then explained: "....it.... comes..... drawn... by.... madmen........can.... see........SHOW........called... upon.... darkness.......answered.... devoured........key.......shards.... guide........SHOW...." before whisking the spirit shaman away to a vision of the portal scene.

And that is all I know so far, I trust we will be able to free the trapped spirit of Averëon, collect the still free shards and keep them safe until the elf returns as well. Once she does, we shall unite them once more, finally healing her visions that come instead of her Reverie. And hopefully.. we will banish the creature or even destroy it. But our primary mission is the safety of Averëon Elestar.

As I've been told from various people that know her, and from her as well, she has a druidess as a younger sister. It is said that she is keeping her safe from further attempts at possession. They are away from the Sword Coast, so we cannot involve Averëon for now. We'll need to work without her.

-Reader Hoihe Dacino

May the moonlight...

Reveal the mystery hidden in the darkness

And hide those in need from it in a luminous cloud."

[Hoihe]

((A concealed bump and extra "lore" if it is right))

A new letter arrives at the helpers' locations, bearing the two seals and the drawing as before:

"Greetings, ((Insert name here because I'm lazy))

I wish to apologise, but it seems I have forgotten to write a minor detail in the previous letter. It is about the Present Day, as in how it all started again.

My hypothesis is as it follows, my sources being the experiences of a Batiri Shaman and the scene at the Gnoll caves. And of course, what happened long ago as seen in the visions:

The various primitive races lived as they did, their shamen finding little artifacts or large artifacts. The Batiri found the grand pillar below the Cloakwood mines, the Gnolls found the dark gem, the minotaurs found the shards and perhaps more. The lizardfolk may have found something as well, that part is yet to be put to test. But it seems likely they stumbled upon something.

The Batiri Shaman, after his fist interaction with the pillar, began hearing voices whispering in his head. Voices similar to the dark creature's I previously explained. They told him, no, commanded him to do dark deeds. For example, slay the chieftain of his tribe with poison, then paint the walls in a specific pattern with his blood. Around the pillar or elsewhere. However, he was strong and resisted. It is likely he is dead now, considering the Alienist cult nesting in those caves and the general love of adventurers to hunt Batiri there.

The Gnoll Shaman found the dark gem. It was inert at first, well, mostly inert. It had power enough to reach out to its consciousness and whisper dark commands. They were most likely the same as the ones the Batiri Shaman heard. Or maybe they were veiled, maybe the shaman was strong like the Batiri, but what he was told was in fact a lie. He may have been told to paint the walls around the chamber of the gem with blood, to "keep the evil away." However, it was actually the opposite result, and the dark gem drew power from the marks and runes. The result is what we're trying to fix.

The Minotaur Shaman found the warm glowing shards, but found no use for them. So they were stashed away in a barrel. Some of it Averëon Elestar of Doron Amar found and brought to me.((If the recipient is not an elven cleric, then they'll find "That green elven bardess from Doron Amar" found.))

This is the addendum I wished to add. Thank you for your support.

Reader Hoihe Dacino of Candlekeep

May the Mystic Seer...

...Unveil this darkest mystery...

...And shield us as we shield her with a Luminous Cloud.

[Hoihe]

Seeing the elven activity in the High Moors, Hoihe places some of the posters around various ruins, and also sends out the letters to the helpers.

[Hoihe]

Hoihe hands out notices to members of Candlekeep and asks them to give them to elven clergymen.

[Hoihe]

Hoihe renews the recruitment posters.

[CrimsonMist]

A black-cloaked moon elf skips, gambols and frolics along the trade way, singing joyously. Any bandits who accost her are incapacitated by choking powder, tied up and left suspended by their ankles from the branches of trees, often with their faces painted in embarrassing fashion.

At a crossroads, she comes across another of her Kin, a serene and willowy moon elf who, to the young Erevanite's eyes, appears practically ancient.

"Look at this!" cries the Erevanite. "Human wants to help one of us!" She giggles at this and hands a crumpled poster to the older elf, who reads it slowly and deliberately.

Neatly folding the poster in half, the old moon elf asks "May I keep this? That poor dear girl. In the name of Angharradh, I must do something to help her!"

"Sure! Doesn't sound like much fun anyway! Curses? Boring!" announced the Erevanite, and bounded away.

The priestess of Angharradh looked at her hands, realising them to be covered with the sticky substance that the Erevanite must have covered the poster with before handing it to her. She sighed and clicked her tongue quietly in gentle reproach, then looked up to the moon and spoke softly, "I shall find this human, Queen of Arvandor, and offer any help I can muster. His poor friend cannot be allowed to suffer so."

She then continued south, looking for a stream to wash her hands in and a place to send a letter from.

///PM Sent.

[Hoihe]

Hoihe walks up to the village of En Dharasha Everae's residance after cleaning himself up and resting a bit, doing his best to display respect to the citizens, he walks up to who looks like a ranger and requests him:

"My greetings to you, son of Correlon. I do not wish to disturb you, but I have an important letter that needs to be delivered to the priest of the All Father, Aundariel." he greets the sentry, then offers a letter put within a scroll case to the copper elf. "The letter must NOT be opened or read by anyone outside the Clergy, save for Mendel and Nai. This contains information that is entrusted to the clergy, and a select few alone."

Should the ranger agree, Hoihe would wish him farewell before leaving: "May Sehanine bless your travels, and cover your tracks with a luminous cloud."

//PM sent.