The night was uncomfortable, with nebulous dreams haunting you. Although Boamund has a very refreshing rest. Shrett certainly does not; he has a vivid nightmare: The washing-woman at the stream is there, kneeling by the water in exceedingly long red robes. Her long black hair hangs loose and hides her face. She is slowly washing something that looks like a tattered, bloodied monk’s tunic of some colour, but it is difficult to tell that from her robes and her skin, where visible, which hangs uncannily loose from her bones in folds. Then she turns her head toward you, scaring you awake, because the visage is so unpleasant. He awakens with a scream provoked by that visage, and he keeps screaming as he grabs a silver dagger and backs into a corner. Bog comes forth with a blanket and tries to throw it over Shrett as Bog rushes in; but the blanket falls to the floor before Shrett, who is ineffectually slashing in its path. Bog continues his momentum, hits Shrett and pins him into the corner; but Shrett stabs Bog in the left arm and badly injures it. Fraud comes forth, trying to speak calming words to Shrett and grasp him, but Shrett pushes him back, thinking that Fraud tries to take the dagger (his only protection from evil) away. Shrett, in his mad panic, pictures the peasant woman and reasons that if she can be so foul, how can he trust anyone? Boamund is trying to calm the situation to no avail. Bog smashes Shrett in the chin with a headbutt and Shrett sees stars from the pain. Finally, Fraud talks Shrett down; Shrett quickly sees that he has lost his reason and he lowers his knife and the situation defuses. Shrett apologises to Bog and explains what he saw. A gong has rung in the distance and voices raised in prayer are heard.

—Note that Bog’s arm had a serious wound so he should have been at Formidable penalties, but I’ll resolve that by saying that Watcher Makris did an incantation later in the refectory which gradually regenerated him (quickly bringing him to 1 HP), and by the end of the day Bog was fully healed.

Reader Aedil comes to you after dawn. He welcomes you to break your fast with the monks. You take some time to compose yourselves and he waits nearby, then he takes you to the refectory. There are two black-robed monks (Kenwill and Gofrey) in attendance and three other grey-robed Readers, whom you know of. The two seats at the end of the table in the monks’ refectory are empty and at first everyone is silent, with a tense atmosphere and some furtive gestures amongst the monks. You wait a bit and discuss a little with Aedil.

Watcher Makris comes in with a fat, brown-robed man in his 30s who moves gracefully (Aedil whispers he is High Servant Elgar). They do not look happy. The brown-robed man steps forward, “Dear students of Makan, and Knowers of Makan, and visitors, the situation is highly unusual but remain calm. As you know, High Watcher Mondac was ill last night. Now the door to his chamber is locked and he does not respond. May the Invisible God grant him strength.” He looks around, turns to Makris and says, “I do not see here or nearby our healer Knower Immon, who was with the High Watcher last night-“ Makris interrupts, “Let us have the door opened. Reader Windeam, fetch your tools.” And a lean man wearing grey robes; in his 30s with a commanding stature and piercing grey eyes (this is the mute Reader Windeam, you know); stands up firmly, bows and leaves, followed by Makris, High Servant Elgar, and Reader Aedil, who motions for you to come. They go up into the north tower, up the spiral staircase, with occasional shuttered windows that creak in the wind, to the second storey where there is a landing outside a door. People crowd around.

At the door, Reader Windeam looks, then confesses (via sign language, explained by Makris) that this is not his expertise. Shrett offers to help unlock the door and is welcomed to do so, and succeeds; the door opens. The inert body of the elderly High Watcher lies supine on the floor, eyes and mouth wide open. Watcher Makris bends down, closes the corpse’s eyes and calls for a prayer to Malkion to guide the essence to Solace. He then turns to you and says quietly, “His long illness won the battle. The High Watcher’s words live on. You remain our guests so long as you see fit to enjoy our hospitality. I must attend to the High Watcher’s final needs.” He and High Servant Elgar kneel by the body and make prayers.

The room contents are: the body, bed, small desk, chest; and the two windows are tightly shuttered. Everything is in normal order, with no struggle, and no change from what Boamund saw in the night.

Fraud asks if he may inspect the body as he has a healer’s skill and he is welcomed. And he sees signs of an affliction on the right leg- patches of a reddish rash, which surely is an early stage of infection with the Burning Malady. Yet this did not kill him. Fraud figures from the frozen expression on Mondac’s face that he died of shock somehow. The body is cold, having been dead for some time. As Mondac is in his daytime robes, he must have awoken before dawn (Mondac says this is not unusual for him; an early riser), gotten dressed, and then died.

Knower Immon is nowhere to be seen here. Makris, asked, says “Knower Immon’s absence is conspicuous, and his conscience seemed unclear of late; and such absences are always wrong. He must have fled in some aspect of guilt. I wonder why.” He says that the body must be taken for preparation for burial after the proper ceremony down in the main monastery chamber. Fraud tries to convince him not to, that this is the Burning Malady and more people might catch it even if he is buried, but Makris won’t have any of this. He insists that, given the High Watcher’s esteemed station, he must be interred in the graveyard. Fraud relents, saying he has warned him, and Makris acknowledges this. And soon he and High Servant Elgar depart, carrying the corpse.

Shrett and Bog have gone with Reader Aedil to the dormitories. This long upper storey hall has a central long screen behind a dozen beds for other staff and servants. Tall and narrow shuttered windows line the walls, which also hold plenty of torch sconces. Each bed has a tiny bedside table, candle and reading and writing implements, and other personal belongings. They check the bed areas of Immon and Jensos. They are similar. Both in good order, missing nothing obvious. Immon’s bed has not been slept in. Shrett uses Detect Sorcery to inspect the area for magic and sees plenty of lingering essence from years of invocations, but the magic around Jensos’s bed is fainter, consistent with him having been gone for some days now.

Back in Mondac’s room, Boamund cast Sense Chaos and is drawn to underneath the bed. The bed is a straw mattress with decent linens, recently used. A white cat is curled up in the corner, with casual interest in what’s going on. Aedil later explains it is the High Watcher’s cat, named Pangur Ban. Boamund smells the Chaos taint leading to shards of lead bowl beneath the bed, which have writing on them in an odd script, and he collects them in a cloth, feeling that they are uncommonly cold.

Fraud checks the chest: there is nicely folded clothing and other personal belongings, none exceptional. Hidden in a shoe, he feels a leaden amulet, pulls it out and sees it has an Arkat rune and Harmony; which he assigns to the Peacemaker aspect. He shows it to Boamund, who takes it and shows it to the others later. The used candle on a small bedside table is 2/3 burned down; it did not burn out; this is what Immon was reading by when Boamund was here last night.

Boamund is approached by the white cat, who affectionately rubs against his leg, purrs, and then allows itself to be picked up. Boamund leaves to go get breakfast for him and the cat. Fraud begins going through the desk. There are many documents and other writings, almost all in Safelstran. He finds it to be a confusing mess, and struggles as he makes a worse mess of it at first, then gradually comes around to making sense of the assortment.

Boamund shows Bog and Shrett the bowl, and the cat is fed and wanders off. Bog is very interested in that bowl. He sits down to try putting it together, and starts making quick progress. This is easy! In due time, while Boamund has breakfast and Shrett wanders, then returns, he puzzles the bowl back together. Its design spirals from the rim to centre; the centre is carved with a monstrous figure. And he is pleased with himself that he very cleverly deciphers the writing; a code in Darktongue: “This deposit of binding is dedicated to you, Destroyer, who bears the key to Hell, and to the countless deaths left in thy wake. Raise yourself, dark demon, and bring doom to High Watcher Mondac, son of Hilda. May the fear of death come to his associates. I abjure you, dark demon, by His name; and by my status as Prolonged of Life, concealer of stars, preserver of Hell, who aligns the dark spheres in Truth.” He tells you all this… it is a big revelation! “Destroyer” in tandem with the other words strikes Bog as surely a reference to Zorak Zoran and/or Arkat the Destroyer. Bog is so chuffed with himself. Shrett uses bronze-shaping sorcery to hold the bowl-puzzle together and you show it to Fraud.

Shrett has Aedil lead him around the monastery, room by room – at the Scriptorium: There are several desks here encumbered with books, papyrus, ink pots and quills, and more, and a gated subchamber lined with bookshelves that are overflowing with old tomes, scrolls and other documents. Knower Gofrey is here, and Shrett talks with him (I forget about what), then leaves. Shrett gets Aedil to get the storeroom unlocked. One section holds clothing and small accessories and tools; another holds local wines and ciders. High Servant Elgar had the key. Nothing is unusual there.

Along the way, questioned about various things, Aedil begins to say something nervously, then says it’s nothing, and Shrett’s followup inquiries leave him with nothing further, with Aedil sticking to the hierarchy of the monastery, saying that Watcher Makris should be consulted on many things. Asked about women such as the “washer”, Aedil says that none have resided here but women do come outside the grounds for peasant duties and do come inside for prayer services, with the other folk. No one, including Makris once asked, has heard of or seen such a vision as that frightening woman that Shrett saw. Together, you begin wondering if that woman-spirit/thing is some vengeance agent come here, for some reason; and you learn soon that “Hilda” was Mondac’s mother, and she is buried in the graveyard. Is that the link? Is Mondac’s lineage tied to that creepy woman-ghost, as Bog suggests?

After quite a bit of time and frustration, Fraud gets Mondac’s writings sorted into piles of more and less interesting ones. First of the former is Mondac’s journal; then his letters, especially recent ones. Fraud reads the journal, starting at the end. 2 days ago: “The poor boy is possessed. His condition is awful. He is… transforming; the disease devouring him. Makris advised me to send the boy back to his family so he can die in their care. Jensos raged, saying that he would rather die than return to Othona. I pray for the mercy of The Peacemaker and Makan.” Now Fraud is certain that the High Watcher was a secret adherent of Arkat Peacemaker. He has breakfast and tells the others. Now there seems to be a conspiracy or something revealing itself: Peacemaker (the sixth mask of Arkat) vs. Destroyer (the fifth)… but why? Who is the Destroyer adherent(s)? Bog leads some discussions of the clues and gaps. Zorak Zoran, and Arkat Destroyer, are tied to the Disorder rune. You’ve come across that rune in conjunction with your map…

“Othona”? Not familiar to you. But the “boy” (Mondac’s reference to the Knower Jensos, who is an adult) must be possessed and diseased? How can this be? That cow sure did seem “mad”. Burning Malady, Fraud knows, starts with rashes (or pus-filled wound), then continues to burning pain that causes madness, leading to violent rages, as it consumes and corrupts the body. This sort of fits, but given the supernatural events here is there truly demonic or other possession too?

Shrett goes to the Sanctuary: A small, dark, circular room for meditation. Reader Petros, the schoolmaster, is here in silence. Shrett leaves him alone and goes to the south tower: There is no staircase up this tower, just crumbling, sooty walls, and a hide that covers the top to minimize weathering. It is uncomfortably cold, shadowy and windy. There is rubble around the floor but not all of the former staircase; most has been cleared. As Shrett does a quick search, his gaze is drawn upwards by the flapping of the hides atop the tower, and he is hit by waves of vertigo as he looks up into the tower, as his view seems to spiral up high into the sky, leaving him nauseated for a moment, before he pulls himself back to the ground, discomfited.

Boamund leaves to wander the perimeter inside the walls. On the south side near the infirmary, he is startled by a strange sound; clicking sounds above his head, maybe atop the walls, but they soon fade. He climbs the wall easily enough and sees nothing there or on the ground behind it. He continues wandering and eventually runs into Bog, and they chat. Shrett checks out the monastery in more detail: it is divided by two wooden screens featuring some carvings of Malkioni myths. A huge mural on the north wall in the entry (peasant’s) hall shows Malkion the Founder dividing the six races. Its southern counterpart shows a Zzaburi, bravely poised, throwing bolts of fire into a screaming woman in red robes. Yes indeed, this looks like the “washer woman” he had seen! Chills go up his spine. Also, there is a pedestal near the mural with a small pool for washing. Not out of place, but eerily fitting with that “washer”. Shrett asks Aedil about the mural and he says he doesn’t know; it’s some sort of mystery, and Makris comes in and says the same thing, that the monks have been researching who these two figures are, but it is known that the mural is old; no one is sure how old but it might even date back to the founding in the Second Age (like the mural of St Paschal in the monks’ end of the monastery). St Paschal’s own history, he says when asked, is a mystery of sorts, but far better known and that of course is one reason why the monks are here, to explore that history and ponder the Saint’s insights. Elsewhere, there is a tablet with service schedules and daily duties. The double entry doors are stout and bear a bronze bar. Stairs lead up to the dormitory.

Shrett goes back to the dormitory, looking around more, and sees that Reader Wulf, as you’re told, who is Makris’s servant, is still there standing sullenly beside Makris’s chamber door. Aedil says that if you want to talk with him, or visit Makris’s chamber, you should first talk to Makris.

Bog leaves Boamund and goes to the graveyard, which is an open, windswept place dominated by three flourishing cypress trees, and isolated by a perimeter of bushes. A couple of dozen simply carved stones mark graves; most of them rather old. He continues to the garden. There is a small apple and peach orchard toward the back of the garden. Bog picks some nice ripe fruit and starts noshing on it. Yum. There is a small stone house next to the garden, with a door. It has an even smaller building; a shrine; attached to it. The house; the infirmary; contains four beds and chairs, a small kitchen and healer’s space, and two latrines. One bed has an inscription on its wooden frame, Bog sees as he lies down to take a nap.

Fraud reads more of the journal– 3 days ago = “Knower Jensos approached me this day, telling of his terrible nightmares. Watcher Makris and Immon inspected him with me and discovered that his back was covered in a malignant rash; the Burning Malady as it is called, Immon says. Jensos fears that a demon has possessed him and begged us to seal him within a penitent’s cell. I spoke calming incantations and sent him to the infirmary.” He goes to the others to take a break and tell them. They’re not sure where Bog is… But soon enough he returns from his nap and tells of the inscription on the bed. Fraud checks it out– it is in Safelstran: “I am not who I was. But I am starting to like it.” Uh ohhhhhhhh… that is Jensos, and it’s not a good sign! And Bog slept there… might he have been infected? Bog feels fine though.

Boamund and Shrett go to the Scriptorium and speak to Knowers Kenwill and Gofrey there. Gofrey, before you leave, pipes up that earlier that morning “there were these three riders today. I was out for a walk and saw them, hiding in the shadows on the edge of the woods over there to the northwest [sorry if GM said northeast? wrong], see? (he points out a window) As if he is trying to be extra helpful too, Kenwill chimes in and says, “Maybe old age is encroaching upon me, but I have heard funny noises in the monastery at night; I cannot explain them. Clicking sounds. Once I saw a raven inside, and it showed no fear of me. But maybe it was just a tame raven.” Boamund asks and yes, the sounds are like what he heard. And Shrett had heard the “washer” make sounds like these. Boamund and Shrett go to seek the tracks of the riders, but first follow two trails of footprints of what likely are monks leaving and returning to the monastery that morning: one goes around the monastery in a close circle; the other goes downhill across the bridge/stream and then returns. They cannot find more about the tracks.

Fraud finishes interesting bits of the journal: Three weeks of dreams including those like what Shrett had; and another recent one that seemed to show your coming under darkness, as Makris said when you arrived. Bog is there “helping” (being distracting).

Fraud takes on the letters: 2 hours to read; sifting through to find relevant information: Correspondence over past 2 weeks between Rollo Widemouth who lives near Othona, and the High Watcher. Recently, Rollo repeatedly asks for Jensos’s return. The tone changes from polite to pleading to demand to threats of violence, and that he will take Jensos himself. Rollo denies that Jensos is possessed and says that he will be cared for by a healer in Othona, who knows the Burning Malady disease’s cure. There is curious mention of a person named “Quintus”, that Mondac should not want them to get involved in this, or else. Mmm-hmmm….

Fraud now has finished his readings with Bog.

Boamund and Shrett go to the edge of the woods and find tracks of the riders (shod; three of them; coming from the west, pausing here, then heading off northeast). They follow away, not having a hard time tracing the tracks through the sparse woods, but sure that the riders are well ahead of them, as it would be easy riding here in single file or even sometimes side-by-side. The tracks continue in a broad circle around the monastery. The afternoon is dragging on, and Boamund turns to go back to the monastery. Shrett continues following the tracks, but they have sped up into a fast trot, so he casts Mobillity and runs back, catching up to Boamund. They’re nearing the edge of the woods to return to the monastery again when they see a something. Maybe 20m away there is a woman whose nakedness is partly hidden by the shadows of the cypress trees encroaching on the edges of the monastery grounds. Her face is turned away, and she turns her body somewhat away as she stands rather still. Shrett addresses her and she does not turn back, but stretches out her right hand. The fingers, extended, now droop as the arm waves in a beckoning motion. The fingers lengthen with the movement, horribly, stretching to the ground. Shrett and Boamund feel drawn to come forward, but Boamund stands firm, sure that doom awaits if he heeds the dominating welcome; and Shrett, too, is frightened but fends off the force that urges him to approach. Boamund draws his demon-slaying sword and asks it if this is a demon? Yes, it could well be, it says, but what kind, it does not know. Shrett asks the Subere spirit in his earring if this is a Dehori? No, but it is of Darkness. You begin to come toward it, weapons ready, but it turns its face and you get a good look at it—distended jaws, long limp black hair, red skin with folds now drooping like the fingers and like clothes; or maybe there even are red robes too, or not? Shrett knows this is what he dreamed of, and it might be the same as in the mural. She turns away quickly as you walk forward, she takes a couple of steps and vanishes behind a tree; again.

Night is near. What terrors will it bring? Can you solve the growing mystery at St Paschal’s before it is too late?

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