The Shadowy Abyss (storyline)/Recaps (summary)

03.22.2024

Crossover w. The Lion, The Artist, and The Mural

Akinir was found there by the adventurers.  She was sad and looking at the ancient artwork for a connection to her feelings. Offering encouragement, the adventurers assured her that they would help Lady Ba’Thira’s petition and it seemed to perk the child up, though she greatly missed her father.

While the adventurers were with the child some unusual trolls appeared on the scene.  Concerned for her safety, they whisked her away and reunited her with Lady Ba’Thira.  Who was grateful and promised Akinir that they would discuss everything that had happened over her favorite warm drink and little cakes.  The two departed.

Shortly after, a warrior moved through the market complaining that the trolls that were currently in the cave were much stronger than usual and clearly agitated.

Adventurers returned to the cave to find several things:

·        Agitated trolls enmass in the caves, some quite powerful though all cave trolls as can usually be found there.

·        An odd oceanic spectre

·        A gurgling, hissing voice demanding that a thief return what was lost.

·        Shortly after, another coastal storm flooded the area and the caves started to flood.

After a time, the trolls were put to rest but the spectres grew in number.  The last that was heard that night, before the spectres faded away, was:

Issuing into the unnatural silence immediately following a recent thunderclap, a soft, hissing voice fills the air.  “We will find you, little thief.  We will find you, and you will pay.”

Chill winds ripple through the air, the scent of salt and brine heavy in their wake.  A watery voice calls out amid the raging storm, “You have been warned.”

04.11.2024

Storms hovered over Solhaven for most of the day, thundering, lightning, and raining. At some point, phosphorescent green eyes appeared in the storm clouds, searching the ground below though it was difficult to determine what. As they focused westward, adventurers followed.

Watery spectres and barnacle-covered skeletons roamed the area around the lake, focusing on the old decrepit house and attempting to gain entry. All the while, the eyes were watching the lake, and a booming voice was calling for a thief to return what it had stolen.

The invasion went on for a time, while the storm grew more intense. Several lightning strikes hit the ground and the air grew chill. Heavy mist blanketed the area and was also tinged in the same green as the eyes in the clouds. The bell of Niima’s Temple issued a single peal, drawing the attention of the eyes in the storm. Upon the second chime, the eyes withdrew completely from the wilds, leaving its minions to die.

Upon reaching Niima’s Temple adventurers felt the cold above them and journeyed to the widow’s walk, which was covered in a heavy fog that obscured everything. Growls and voices could be heard in the fog. A low chant eventually parted the fog to reveal Dieudonnee, the faith healer of Marshtown. Telling those to help her, she moved about the widow’s walk admonishing others to help her pray. Eventually, the eyes receded, and she predicted that the storms would end soon. She spoke briefly of being alerted to the situation by Twyllah, who had been practicing her songs in the temple. She knew nothing of what was stolen, though said she would look amid her predecessors’ belongings.

She shared that Twyllah is Jillou’s half-sister, a much more timid child than Jillou. She is from Oonree’s first marriage, though she was not clear on who Oonree was.

When questioned, she said that the air felt old and of the sea to her but could offer nothing more.

05.03.2024

Odelgarde passed adventurers at the Ellipses in  Summit Academy, pausing to speak briefly with them there before moving on to the Mirror of the Sky to observe the glacier there.

When asked how her research was going, the Magister admitted that it was a bit of a mixed bag.  While she had a bit of a source, based on inquiries at the college’s library, the answers seemed to garner more questions than anything.

After explaining to the college’s librarian about the happenings in Solhaven, the woman suggested that Vornavis might be dealing with one of the Nereid Mythos.  When pressed further, the woman said that unfortunately she couldn’t verify the theory because all research on Nereids had been moved to Ta’Illistim as there was a scholar there working on a thesis.

Continued conversation took place regarding Nereids, since Odelgarde had never heard of them before, but as with the conversation with the librarian, it only produced more questions.

Who or what is the pearl? Could the pearl be a person or an item? Could the Nereid be the pearl or is she bound to one?  Could the pearl be tied to Caligos?  Who is the captain?  How does it tie to Solhaven?  What does it have to do with the caves?

It was suggested that perhaps a visit to the Tower of the Sea Princess to speak to the priestess there would be a good place to start.  Another suggestion was to inquire of local fishermen/wives/marshfolk as they tend to hold onto the old legends that don’t always get written down. Others suggested trying to get familiars into the caverns under the old house on the Lake to see if there is something there that could be connected to what is happening.

05.09.2024

It started raining early in the day. Definitely thunderstorms.

Thick green mist invaded a storm cloud above the town, coalescing into a set of eyes that began searching the ground. It roamed for a bit, slipped past Marshtown, and then suddenly darted west. Lightning strikes became heavy at the lagoon.

When adventurers arrived, there were skeletons and spectres and (something I’m forgetting). Cloud-eyes were angry, yelling about getting its items back.

When people got sassy with it, they were knocked over by the wind or struck by lightning.

The lightning control wasn’t all that great as it struck indiscriminately… People, spirit servants, skeletons, shamblers, and it even struck a shield once, which caused the lightning to ricochet back into the clouds…. It stopped throwing lightning for a bit after that.

The eyes made some threats.

Then the bells of Niima’s shrine started to echo through the area, the cloud-eyes flinched and defiantly rallied against it only to eventually be overwhelmed by them.

The Spirit Caller of Marshtown was seen later in the Market, she commented that the Niima priestess and acolytes were all too timid as they refused to get up onto the roof and ring the bells. She basically said they needed to figure it out cause her old knees were not liking having to come out of the marsh, into the city, up to the temple, and then back down.

She was asked if she knew of any maritime tales surrounding a pearl, but she said she didn’t and would ask some of the gaffers.

05.15.204

Magister Oldegarde Brindlestraffe visited the library of Aies in Ta’Illistim tonight as she was guided there by researches from the Summit Academy.  She was in search of particular information regarding nereids.  Those at Summit Academy said that the research had been moved to Ta’Illistim as there was a Loremaster there doing research on the topic.

Librarian Aiwin greeted her in the courtyard and then they went into the library.  Unfortunately, according to both Aiwin and the local Circulation Desk Clerk, Lady Soriana was the loremaster that they were looking for but she’d left hours before.  She had booked rare passage to the Isle of Ornath as she was due to get her thesis added to the Library of Biblia later that month.  She took all of her research with her. The captain of the ship was Kolvar.

Some discussion happened, a visit with Lady Sayilla took place, and then Odelgarde was given a tore of Veythorne.

Oldegarde’s plans are to return to Vornavis, as she has to assemble some court documents by the weekend as part of her duties as the Vornavian Court Magister, and then she’s going to attempt to book passage to Ornath.