The Shadowy Abyss (storyline)/Found items

Shadowy Abyss Found Items

06.06.2025

Empress Key's Sleeve

an antique Vornavian silk cloth
Smooth with a soft finish, the Vornavian silk cloth has hints of its original deep blue hue at its edges though largely it has faded to a watered azure hue.  Faint seashell patterns decorate the edge, the silver and white embroidery creating scallop shells that overlap.  Rolled silk cords aid the bundle in staying closed as needed, their ends capped in silver dolphin periapts.

Letter to Tagetes from Aralinne

a blue-tinted white vellum parchment
Slightly warped in shape and displaying clear signs of damage from humidity, the fine parchment is tinted with a subtle blue hue that is almost white and yet distinctly not.  Crisp folds create precise lines in the top and bottom third of the piece, while the corners display fray signs where moisture has separated the layers.
In the Common language, it reads: the seventeenth day of Olaesta in the year 4839 Tagetes, Hopefully, we will return at the same time and all of this preparation will be for naught. The temple will have no attendants as I have figured out the missing piece to get us to Pearl.  It lies in an old Kannalan Temple to Charl.  I believe I've tracked down its former location.  I've hidden the plans in the old office at the end of the catacombs and sealed the entry. So few people know of its existence that it should be safe to travel there.  I do not think I will be gone more than a handful of days. However, as I do not trust the Mercantile Guild, with their recent decisions to create gardens and shrines to the dark pantheon, I have sealed the doorway up and hidden it.  Since you know where it is, you should have no issue finding it. There are seven keys for entry.  I've left the Empress key here, but you can easily obtain the other six by seeking the blessings of the Lover, the Mistress, the Sister, the Mother, the Daughter, and the High Priestess.  I'm sure you'll remember who these are from our past talks.  I dare not say more for fear this is found by others. Please know that some wish to see the curse spread.  Others are working hard to stop it.  Young Bristena had the idea to buy back all the jewelry from the women whose husband, lovers, and brothers searched the North Beach to obtain them.  I gave her enough coin to buy them all back. Once she has every last piece, she'll have a sailor take her out to the spot we believe the "Pearl" to be waiting in and drop them back into the water.  That should give us time to get the pieces together to free her. I used the last of the coffers to pay a crew to start the lighthouse. If I don't return...  Please let my husband and son know the depths of which I love them. By my hand, Aralinne Wynedowne

Empress Key

a carved golden amber acorn
Roughly oval in shape, a carved golden amber acorn is broad and flat, providing an excellent view of its transparent interior portion.  Trapped within the golden yellow fossilized pine tree sap are several small flying insects and a dried flower.

The Tile

an aged grey stone tile
Your song touches the tile, and the memory begins with stillness, then the faint scrape of wood across stone. Gentle hands press close, fitting the tile snugly into place. A murmur of approval hums nearby, muffled by fabric and breath. Cool grout slides into the seams, and the air shifts. Salt lingers in the room, carried on a current scented with blossoms. Lilac and sea daisy rise together, soft and clean. A hush settles across the surface, and the tile recognizes it as belonging. Beneath the faintest sigh of sandals against stone, a woman's voice murmurs, "There. That's better." The sounds and sensations fade along with the last syllables of your song. As your song continues to caress the tile, it stirs with echoes of passing time. Soft footsteps come and go, punctuated by the rhythmic sweep of bristles and the clatter of buckets. Voices rise and fall nearby, sometimes low with grief, sometimes bright with ritual. One speaks of a sister's safe return, another offers blessings over a sailor's name. A different voice complains about a cracked basin and the need for fresh oil. Each moment blends into the next, seasons marked only by the changing cadence of heels, the weight of silence, and the gentle creak of wood in damp air. Slowly, the sensation and sounds fade, one by one, until they fall as silent as your song. Your melody draws forth a hush, and the tile remembers the scent first. Bitter and resinous, the thick smoke of funerary incense curls low to the ground. Voices follow in soft procession, cloaked in sorrow. Some weep openly, others murmur prayers with trembling breath. The weight of grief presses against the stone, heavy as tide against jetty. A name is spoken again and again, reverent and broken, until it becomes a lullaby of mourning. Between each word, silence holds vigil. The tile feels a deep stillness in the air, as if even the sea has paused to listen. A final name tumbles across your ears as your song slips into silence, "Elenne." Your song stirs the memory of disturbance. The tile feels the grit of its seams loosened, the edge of a tool scraping carefully through old grout. Pressure lifts it from the floor, just briefly, and something small is slid beneath. When the tile returns to its place, the surface meets the subfloor with an unfamiliar firmness. A hand lingers upon it, smooth and warm, resting for a long moment before giving a gentle pat. Whispered words ride the still air, close enough to touch, "Keep this safe until Tagetes finds you." An absence of warmth is the last sensation the tile imparts before your song stills. Your voice brushes the tile, and the past answers with hushed urgency. There is the soft shuffle of feet, the creak of worn boots on stone, and a sharp intake of breath. Mournful whispers crowd the silence. A voice, cracked with worry and soft with distance, murmurs, "I don't know where you are, Aralinne. I can't get into the catacombs to check on you as the Brisker's Cove bowl was broken in the latest Krolvin raids... Please come home to us. Please. Your plan for Bristena worked; she told me of it when I returned. The girls are free, but where are you? I'm going to hide my piece until it can unite with yours. Please be safe, be careful." A soft sigh blends with the ending resonance of your song. Your voice draws forth only silence at first. Time passes, measured in distant echoes. Footsteps sound too far to name, and faint shifts in the air come and go with no purpose. Old wood creaks softly where it meets damp stone. Dust settles in the seams, and salt from the sea clings to the surface. Years drift by without notice. Then, without warning, fingers press along your edges. There is a pause, a breath held just beyond hearing, and the tile feels the careful pry of something firm beneath it. A clamor of voices overlaps with each other until they blend into the fading sound of your song.

06.13.2025

Ledger from Niima's Temple Catacombs

a salt-stained blue leather ledger
Bound in navy blue leather, the ledger bears clear signs of repair. Patches of mismatched hide reinforce the spine and corners, and thin linen cords hold the bindings tight. Though worn smooth with age, the cover still holds the faint imprint of Niima's shell crest, long faded by handling. The pages inside are slightly bowed from moisture, but the ink has held well. Each year occupies a single page, the writing steady and small.
4816 Tidy dates and notations for each month in 4816 are aligned neatly along the inner margin. Notes reference standard morning and mid-tide services, with modest attendance throughout the year. Several deaths at sea are marked during Phoenatos and Imaerasta. There are mentions of a small fishing vessel lost in late Charlatos, and a new lantern donated by a widow named Hessa. The last quarter shows increased visits near Solstice. 4817 Entries for 4817 remain even and uneventful. Most notes concern basin cleaning, donation handling, and ribbon replenishment. Storms in Lumnea and Koaratos disrupted service for several days. A merchant's wife is mentioned repeatedly for leaving folded prayers in the offering box. One record notes an unusual number of gulls gathered at the altar during a fogbound service, marked simply with, "observed by three." 4818 Standard service records dominate the page, with annotations in blue ink appearing during spring. One comment in the margin reads, "New basin stone fitted. Shell inlay cracked but held." Three names repeat throughout the year: a retired sailor, a midwife from Marshtown, and a girl recorded only as "A.M." Several deaths at sea appear again in Eorgaen. Coastal offerings increase during the fall months. 4819 The 4819 entries continue in a narrow hand, with an unusual number of weddings noted between Charlatos and Ivastaen. Ribbons tied at the altar outnumber funerary entries this year. A brief note in Phoenatos mentions a fisherman's body returned after fifteen tides. Repairs to the vestibule door are recorded in Koaratos. A delivery of hymnals is documented without name, signed only with "N.L." 4820 Attendance patterns remain steady throughout 4820. Notations of storm disruptions in Fashanos and Koaratos are followed by increased evening services during those months. One brief note in Charlatos mentions a girl from the lower quarter beginning "training for vow," though no name is listed. Seasonal surges continue, with quiet months between. A salt-caked page corner suggests the ledger was left open during a sea spray. 4821 Small, precise entries for 4821 follow the pattern of prior years. Services remained regular, with additional rites held after a coastal storm in Charlatos. A recurring visitor is listed only as "shell-bearer" during spring months. Repairs to the west garden wall are noted in Lumnea. One entry in Eorgaen records, "child left driftwood figure at basin, no adult nearby." The handwriting becomes slightly sharper near the year's end. 4822 The year opened with colder winds and reduced attendance through Lormesta. One note in Fashanos records an elderly priestess slipping on the altar steps, resulting in no injury. Minor construction is logged in Ivastaen: "stone bench repositioned, foundation settled uneven." Gulls are again noted during a fog-heavy morning service. No deaths at sea are marked for Koaratos, which is noted as rare by the author. Extra hymn practice is recorded for Imaerasta. 4823 Faint ink along the top edge shows early signs of moisture, but the page remains legible. Most entries follow the standard pattern. A sailor's wedding in Phoenatos brought increased attendance for several days. Someone left a carved shell token in the basin and returned each week through Jastatos. No name was ever recorded. One funeral in Eoantos references burial in the lower catacomb row, name lost to smudging. Elenne's name begins to appear more frequently. 4824 Ledger entries remain orderly. Elenne is noted as presiding over full services during three major seasonal observances. A short entry in Imaerasta reads, "saltwater damaged two hymnals, copies made by hand." Several deaths at sea were recorded across Phoenatos and Jastatos. A recurring note of "candles late" appears without clarification. Winter quarter shows an increased number of widows seeking individual prayer times, as marked by initials only. 4825 The writing becomes slightly more compact along this page, possibly due to a change in hand. Services are held regularly with minor disruptions caused by harbor traffic. One early Charlatos entry reads, "path blocked by hauling rig, services delayed." Garden growth noted as "vigorous" in Lumnea. An unnamed girl from Marshtown began regular cleaning duties in midyear. Entries suggest her presence became routine, though her name is not yet recorded. Several pages show signs of ash smudging near the bottom corner. 4826 Ledger entries remain narrow and consistent. Regular service records dominate the page, with a note in Ivastaen reading, "two hymnals lost to mildew, one copied by hand." The girl from Marshtown is noted more frequently, assisting with basin preparation and entry sweeping. Elenne is recorded as leading nearly all rites this year. In Koaratos, a sailor's wife donated wax and twine following her husband's return from the reefs. 4827 A colder year, with notations of light frost in Charlatos and a decline in visitors during the first quarter. The Marshtown girl is listed by initials for the first time: "A.L.". She appears often in notes tied to daily upkeep and chant transcription. Elenne requested additional salt deliveries from the quay, suggesting higher ritual use. A short record in Imaerasta reads, "boy returned with offering candle for sister." His name is not recorded, but the action repeats in later months. 4828 Ink across this page is slightly lighter but consistent. Notes describe steady attendance and quiet observances throughout the year. "A.L." continues to serve regularly and is mentioned copying seasonal verses. A new basin cloth was donated by a widow in Phoenatos. Calen Wynedowne is noted briefly in Koaratos as assisting with deliveries. In Eorgaen, a child is recorded as tying sea glass to the offering pole, noted without comment. 4829 The handwriting tightens slightly, with some changes in wording structure. "A.L." is listed as leading chants during two minor observances. A service disruption is recorded in Charlatos: "work crew halted access to west path." Garden repairs resumed in Ivastaen, with the stone bench noted as "settled, but now cracking." Calen Wynedowne is marked present on three service dates. Elenne's name appears as usual, though one note mentions "shortness of breath in colder months." 4830 Entries shift slightly in tone this year, with more detailed notations. "A.L." is no longer referenced only by initials. Her name appears as Aralinne, recorded assisting with vespers and receiving permission to copy the coastal prayers. Elenne continues to lead services throughout. In Fashanos, a marked entry reads: "Calen Wynedowne departed aboard the Drowned Boar." A note in Imaerasta logs the visit of the High Priestess from Selanthia. Garden notes cease after Koaratos, likely due to early construction of the new temple. 4831 Entries are steady, with services held regularly in the newly expanded chapel. The original altar remains in partial use during evening observances. Aralinne is recorded as leading chants and maintaining basin duties throughout the year. A note in Charlatos reads, "Calen returned, left shell at east bench." Additional visitors marked in Phoenatos. Several Kannalan hymn fragments reviewed in Jastatos, with Aralinne listed as transcriber. No disruptions recorded. 4832 Observances continue without interruption. Aralinne is noted frequently in preparation tasks, seasonal cleanings, and the transcription of coastal rites. One record in Koaratos reads, "private service held for three widows." Increased taper use recorded in Imaerasta. No name given, but a new assistant is mentioned briefly in Lumnea. Aralinne's duties expand across multiple entries. The final note of the year: "attendance steady; records filed." 4833 Standard notations occupy most of the year. Aralinne continues in her role, listed alongside Elenne for all major observances. Her name appears independently in entries for dusk services and catacomb visits. One summer note mentions, "garden basin cleared and refilled under Aralinne's guidance." No major incidents. Early signs of leadership transition appear in Eoantos, though no formal statement is recorded. The garden bench is listed as worn, but stable. 4834 Charlatos begins with a formal entry: "Calen Wynedowne and Aralinne joined in marriage, witnessed before first bell at east altar." Both continue in regular attendance. Aralinne is recorded as leading evening services and overseeing hymn preservation efforts. Her handwriting begins to appear in later entries. Koaratos notes her inclusion in guild correspondence. The final entry in Eorgaen lists: "preparations for early solstice rites under Aralinne." 4835 Year begins quietly. Aralinne is now noted as officiating several services in early Fashanos. In Jastatos, a central entry reads: "Elenne passed peacefully in the night, fifth day of Jastatos." Her name does not appear again. Subsequent entries mark Aralinne presiding over full rites. One note reads, "transition marked with coastal hymn, basin blessing unchanged." Calen continues to appear sporadically. The final entry of the year reads: "chapel remains steady under Aralinne's care."