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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hjorimir" data-source="post: 6984575" data-attributes="member: 5745">Saturday, July 16 – THENOrsikMuch to the Pellar’s objections, the Companions decided to cut across the Silverglades to make better time to Bramborough, which lie to the east.It was around midday when the Companions came across another of the godstones in a glade. Ilvander and Orsik spent some time studying the menhir to see if they could learn anything more.“Look here,” Ilvander said pointing at the base of the godstone.The druid squatted down and took a closer look, “Part of the carving stretches below the ground.” He stood up and looked at Ilvander in excitement.“What is it?” Dazen asked.“We’re just looking at the tip of this thing,” the monk answered.“Get comfortable, we’re going to be here for a while,” Orsik said…and then transformed into a giant badger.Claws flashing, the druid began the slow process of excavating the godstone.  By the end of the day, the Companions, including one very dirty dwarf, were looking down from above at the full ‘front’ of the godstone. It was roughly thirty feet in height and at the base a stone bowl was carved into the ground before it.Ilvander dropped down into the hole to get a closer look at what had been revealed. He brushed his hand along the front of the stone to clear away some dirt from the carvings, pulled his hand back and frowned.“See something, lad?” Orsik asked from above.“This is an ancient symbol of Archonity,” he said pointing. “It would appear that this godstone is a monument to Meros.”“…Father Fear,” Vech said.He drew looks from the others.“I’m just saying what everybody else is thinking,” the warlock said defensively.“What’s the bowl for?” Vech asked looking down at Ilvander.“It’s likely for an offering,” he replied. “Slaughter an animal and place its heart in the bowl. That kind of thing.”“I approve,” Tenoch said.“I’ll never understand why the Chantry includes the worship of Archons such as Meros,” Vech said.“All of the Vernal Gods have something to teach us,” Charity said as she continued to look at the godstone. “Meros teaches us what to fear, he strengthens our minds and spirits. He keeps us humble.”“It’s getting late, we should look for a place to camp,” Dazen suggested.Tenoch pointed at a place across the glade. “Set up camp there,” as he turned and bound off into the woods.A short time later, he reappeared with a bag slung over his shoulder. He held out the bag, which was moving, to Ilvander.“What’s this?” the monk asked.“Offering,” the ranger replied.Ilvander peeked into the bag. “A rabbit?”Tenoch shrugged, “Best I could find in short order.”The monk frowned, “I’m not sure if we should do this.”“Why not?” Orsik asked. “Isn’t this just an ancient practice of Archonity?”“Yes, but…” the monk started, but the dwarf held up his hand.“Ilvander, we need to learn something here and this is our best chance.”“It isn’t like I’ve ever done this before,” the monk complained.“Just give it your best, lad,” Orsik said, nudging him back towards the godstone.Later, after the offering of the rabbit’s heart has been placed before the godstone, the Companions sat next to their campfire enjoying the meat of the offering. The mood was somber. They had just made an offering to the archon of Fear and each was wondering what the night would bring.It was getting late into the evening and most of the Companions would normally be sleeping at such an hour, but nobody was comfortable enough to close their eyes.“Look!” Dazen hissed and pointed at the Tormentor’s godstone.A blue fog was forming.“What do we do?” Vech whimpered.“We watch. We wait,” Orsik replied. The dwarf’s eyes were wide. He had been eager for another encounter with the Gloom.Time to get a good look in there.Within a handful of minutes, the Gloom had overtaken most the glade. The Companions were all standing now and had slowly migrated backwards.“We need to confront this!” the druid growled at the others.Ilvander nodded. “Let’s go,” he said as he started to walk forward. The others followed. Weapons were drawn as they were enveloped by the Gloom. There was a palpable fear within the blue fog and each of their minds were assaulted with nightmarish visions.Vech started to bolt, but Tenoch caught him by the arm, “Hold, fool!”Then it appeared. An apparition of the Gloom. It appeared as a wraith, but from its back, where two wings might sprout if it were an angel, were a pair of great, curved horns. It screeched and their bones went cold.Though he was filled with dread, Ilvander was the first to react. He let lose an arrow, but his aim was shaken by his nerves and the arrow careened off into the depths of the fog.Orsik stepped forward, held out his right palm towards the gloomwraith, “The winds take you!” and cast gust of wind. The fogs of the Gloom swirled and cleared in the wake of the powerful jet.Dazen not wanting to enter the line of the druid’s spell, took a step back and brought up his longblade in a defensive stance.The gloomwraith paid no need to the druid’s spell and rushed forward in a flicker to loom before the dwarf. An unnatural hiss came from the creature as it pushed its hand into Orsik’s head. The dwarf shuddered and started to make choking sounds as his spell came to an end.Then Tenoch was there. He swung his two macuahuitls through the gloomwraith…and nothing happened. It didn’t even react. “We may have a problem!” the ranger shouted.Charity sprung forward and swung her longsword which also passed harmlessly through the gloomwraith. “We have a problem!” Charity confirmed.Through the fog, a great, alien eye appeared over the gloomwraith and then it was struck by a bolt from Vech’s outstretched shaking finger. The gloomwraith twirled in the air and regarded the warlock from the depths of is dark cowl. Vech swallowed.Ilvander intoned a prayer to the Archons and touched Orsik to heal him, which had no effect.Orsik staggered back from the gloomwraith.Dazen pounced forward and drove his longblade through the creature. No effect. “It’s immune!”The gloomwraith turned on the ranger and put its hand into his head. Tenoch screamed and dropped to a knee before rolling back away from the creature.Charity held up her sword to point into the sky. “Archons guide me!” she yelled. For a moment, a reflection of the sun could be seen in the polish of the blade. Then she brought it down upon the gloomwraith, which howled as the reflection left the blade and spread throughout its form in a flash of radiant glory.Vech let another eldritch blast fly, but missed.“I cannot heal these wounds!” the monk yelled and backed away.“What’s that?” Orsik said looking deeper into the Gloom. “There’s something…” Charity started to scream…and then it was cut short. The dwarf whirled to see the gloomwraith, both hands deep into the paladin’s skull. Her arms were outstretched to either side and her longsword rolled from her limp fingers. When it pulled back its hands, she collapsed. “We need to retreat!” Tenoch called as he started backing away.Charity was on the ground. Tears rolled from her open eyes as she stared into terror. The gloomwraith was starting to lean down to her when it was blasted back from an eldritch blast. “Stay away from her!” Vech shouted, but his voice faltered as the gloomwraith once again looked his way.“Go!” Ilvander shouted. “Be away from this place!” But the monk held his ground watching his friends.Orsik shook his head and ran to Charity. Sliding to his knees, he threw one of the paladin’s arms over his shoulder, transformed into a mule, and continued to run to escape the Gloom. (This was a great moment at the table. There was lots of cheering from the players who thought they were going to have to leave Charity behind.)The Companions all fled the Gloom and the Tormentor’s godstone.~“I need to check on Charity,” Ilvander said sharply, but held his voice low enough not to reveal their position.Tenoch nodded and signaled for the Companions to stop.Ilvander and Dazen pulled the paladin from the mule’s back.“Fire…” Charity moaned as she was laid down gently in the moist grass.“What did she say?” Vech asked.“Fire,” the elf answered.Ilvander looked her over. Her eyes were still open until he closed them with the edge of his palm. He attempted to heal her. “I can’t heal this,” he said shaking his head as he looked up at the others. “She’s going to need time.”“And then she’ll be okay?” Orsik asked as he resumed his form.“I don’t know, Orsik. We’ll have to wait and see,” Ilvander replied, obviously frustrated.“You said you saw something,” the warlock asked the dwarf.“Huh?” the druid responded.“Back in the Gloom. You were looking at something.”Orsik nodded, “Yes. There was something…larger looming in the depths. It felt… I dunno…powerful.”~VechVech awoke in the still of night. He felt both thin and hallow. Something is…different.He looked about and saw Ilvander, who had been on watch, laying on the ground. Dead! No…just asleep.It was then that Vech noticed the mist. He scrambled to his feet, fearing the return of the Gloom, but stopped short of running. The mist was a myriad of various greens and a few dim weaves of gold.Different indeed.He looked at his feet and saw his sleeping form below him. I look peaceful. Where is Glyph? It was nowhere to be found.He saw a wavering shadow at a distance through the haze. It slid forward silently, its form gaining definition as it closed. What is this?A woman, Vech supposed, but only by nature of its form. She was about eight feet in height and was covered in a flowing silk-like robe and veil from head to… I don’t know if she has feet, much less toes. She seems to float.The countenance of her veil was alien, speckled with many holes that could be slits for eyes, but he saw nothing within. She slid into the camp and kneeled next to where Charity lie, still trembling from the encounter with the gloomwraith. There she bent over as if to whisper into the paladin’s ear. Charity calmed almost immediately.“Who are you?” Vech asked.She turned with a start, as if just now seeing Vech for the first time. A few seconds of nothing stretched on as she seemed to be considering her next move.Vech began to raise his hands, which brought a tilt of her head. Vech fell to sleep.</blockquote>

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