Sapphire:Sessions:20190518

At Shawna's suggestion, Jeb follows Dow Gender to see where he goes.

Only a half-mile from the ruined farm they group comes across other small homesteads. Some of the people there claim that "monsters" roam at night but they are "prepared." However, they seem too afraid or ashamed to tell the group what their preparation entails. Chalker reads in their Auras a "wisp" of the Mother or Night. Chalker: So you're leaving a tribute to the monsters? That's nothing to be ashamed of. What are you offering -- small animals? Children?" "No, no! We leave offerings and prayers to Aakbarath to endure hardship." Chalker: "You're tipping your hat to the Mother of Night. That's fine." "We don't go out at night... we put up holy symbols to Yasseph, Aakbarath, Roo, and Zeph." Shawna growls, "Charesoon is not worthy of worship." Chalker: "But Mother's children have to eat..."

Shawna crosses the farm to a very small shrine raised to Charesoon. It has been "renewed" recently. Contrary to the homesteaders' claims, there are the sacrificial remains of several chickens on the altar. Shawna prays to Yasseph/Delsa and Roo, then sets fire to the shrine. On her way back to the group, she pauses and stares hard at the liar who had claimed they did not sacrifice to the Mother of Night; the man cringes in fear.

Intrinsius suddenly peels away into the trees. Chalker calls after him "What are you doing?" then he and Shawna follow. Intrinsius describes what he had seen, a fiery bird the size of a crow, rising through the treetops. He points out some scorched tree bark and leaves left in the bird's wake, adding, "It might make a nice pet... I've heard of phoenixes." He had seen no magic on the bird, just flame. Chalker peers beneath the tree bark, wondering why it hadn't caught fire. Shawna sends up a bluejay and sees no sign of the flaming bird, the prays silently to Santash, If this was your messenger, send it back to Intrinsius.

Just before the looming thunderstorm breaks, the group pulls into a farmstead to request shelter. The homesteaders, Farmer Joe and Farmer Jane, welcome them and make room in their barns and sheds for the horses. In front of the main house are two fresh graves, and Farmer Joe stoically explains that last night his grandmother and one of his children were killed by wolves. Shawna prays to Dara, Yasseph, and Aakbarath for vengeance on the spilling of innocent blood by Charesoon and Assaraah.

Danel returns from tracking the beasts and says the prints are not those of wolves (but he is completely unable to describe what they might be). Farmer Joe says, "This has gone on around us, but it's the first time we've been touched." Oh, and half of their livestock is gone. Chalker notes that Joe has one of the rune disks in his wrist, but it has "shriveled." Joe readily allows the disk to be removed, which Chalker does expertly and painlessly. Joe repeats the by-now-familiar story that he had broken his wrist and it had been healed by a mage. Runes of Assaraah and Aup mark the disc but there is no magic now.

Chalker peers into the graves. The old woman was clawed to death trying to defend the child, whose throat was ripped out. Shawna cures two family members' infected wounds.

Jacob, an eighteen-year-old boy ("connected" to Agar and Cor), approaches Shawna and asks, "Are you a priest? Please ask the First Chosen to bless this land." Subtly, Shawna implies that Jacob himself is quite capable of praying for such blessing, though her message doesn't seem to register. Jacob repeats, "It seems 'wrong' for us to leave." Shawna points out, "Your great-grandmother and your sibling were sacrifices to that stubborness."

Chalker: "In the last few days have you had unusual dreams?" "They have been slightly different. The creatures are more humanlike." Chalker: "Is one of them really tall, and cloaked?" "They were surrounded by swirling darkness." Chalker: "So you couldn't see their face. Was there a sword on their back?" "Looked like a staff... though it had a crosspiece, so it was probably a sword." Chalker: "Has your whole family had the nightmares?" "At first it was only the older ones, but lately the children have had them." Chalker: "Last night I was attacked in my dreams, too." "We were weakened in our dreams, so they attacked us in our waking hours... oh, that may be the way to handle this. Thank you!"

Jeb shows up around 5pm, having managed to locate the group despite the heavy rains. He says only that Dow Gender and the other two had gone to Langdale.

Chalker brings out his dire wolf statuette, which he has named Gilligan, says the activation word "Skipper," feeds the wolf and puts it on guard on the porch.

Shawna leads Jacob outside and tells him to pray for protection. He delivers a heartfelt, powerful prayer to Agar and Aakbarath. Shawna: "Wasn't that simple?" Slightly dazed, Jacob replies, "Yes."

Cal asks Intrinsius to walk the perimeter with him. They share a flask and some low-voiced conversation. Cal: "Your code of honor, does it help?" Intrinsius: "I hope so." "Is it Phor?" "No, it isn't. I learned from some very devout people." "I thought that if you were a paladin, you could protect these people." "I have never been inside a church." But Intrinsius stops and prays simply, "Please help us protect this land and these people." He feels power surge through him, rising and overspreading the land.

Intrinsius: "Chalker doesn't seem very religious." Cal: "He talks to the First Chosen all the time -- and they answer!... I once tried to attack him, but he spared me, and now I work for him. ... You're learning a new side of yourelf, same as me." "The people I was with before didn't pray."

That night, on Shawna's watch, something hits the wards like a hammer. She draws her sword, beckons to Gilligan, and goes to the northern fence to investigate. Just outside the fence stand six large wolflike creatures (not werewolves), one of which bolts away in fear. Shawna: "Who sent you?" The smallest of them replies, "We hunt the night. We find the ones that fear, but fear has left this place, so it is time for us to leave. It is our nature. Humans make the most interesting prey." Two more of the creatures depart. Shawna: "To hunt sentient beings for sport, I forbid you." The creature nods, then the three remaining creatures turn and run away in a triangular formation. Shawna wakes Intrinsius for his watch and tells him about the "wolves."

During the night, Chalker dreams that something like a priest of Assaraah or Charesoon attempts to push into his dreamscape but can't quite. Shawna dreams similarly about a figure in a fighter's stance, six feet tall with long, scraggly hair and darkness swirling around his face and the end of his quarterstaff. He greets her, "daughter of Delsa," and she commands, "Begone, spawn of Assaraah." As the fighter turns to leave, she swings her sword and slashes him. Intrinsius dreams that a priest is reaching for him. Finding himself fully armed and armored, Intrinsius pursues the priest beyond the perimeter. Intrinsius: "What are you doing?" "Trying to make you pay for your audacity." "Come and make me pay!" The priest twirls his staff and strikes at Intrinsus with it; Intrinsus parries barehanded, which stings. He speed-draws his katana and strikes the priest. The priest retreats a quick double-step away; in a quavering voice he says "not tonight" and flees. Intrinsius awakens; it is dawn, and he smells breakfast cooking.

Chalker: "Remember the name Intrinsius; it will be famous someday."