Cesadia and Meg are in and meet with you.
Cesadia tents her fingers after hearing the explaination, "I don't want to risk any of my agents on something so dangerous. It's good that you're conducting it away from Thrushmoor."
Meg however adds, "I'll go. You did right by us even if you had a hand in bringing the recent troubles to us."
Cesadia sighs, "The enthusiasm of youth. Very well, I'm not your mother do what you want. I expect you to report in bright and early tomorrow."
"Back to the Asylum, then? We drew one nightmare into our world and defeated it there... perhaps we can do it again."
Dervak walks outside, some distance away from other people, and prays to the two gods that he favors most.
First, he howls at the sky and bangs his sword against his armor.
Then, silently, he gazes at the sun and prays.
Sarenrae, I pray for redemption. This evil power is too tempting. I have given in twice in desperation, and once in anger. Each time I fought to regain control, showing restraint and discipline as your servant Mulgar taught me. Help lift this curse if you can. Show that I am forgiven for my failings.
Before she headed back to the manor, to gather her things for the trip to Briarstone Isle, Mara decided to check in on Keldrin. She hadn't had a chance to talk with him since the events at Iris Hill.
Keldrin is working on the docks unloading a coal barge that has recently come in. He waves, "Hey there!"
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Theophilus is excited to help his friends.
Mara walked over to Keldrin, "How's it going? I've been busy since I last saw you. No rest for the wicked, as the saying goes!
"We wiped out a nasty group of cultists that had been hanging out at Iris Hill. Apparently, my dear former employer, Count Lowls, had invited them in before he left town. This bunch worshiped some evil god, and were doing some horrible things."
Her expression darkened as she continued, "I'm afraid the news isn't good about the missing villagers. The cult leader sacrificed them to her unspeakable deity, and the red-eyed cannibals they were using as henchmen lived up to their reputation. At least the cult is gone now, so no more local folk will fall prey to their heinous rites.
"From the papers we found in the manor, it seems that Lowls tried drown me, and the rest of us, to appease some shady character he contacted. But luckily we survived, although we lost our memories.
"We're going after him; I'm leaving in a few days on a ship headed to Cassomir in Taldor. That man needs to be stopped! At least this time I can let you know before I leave town for a while."
Keldrin's eyes go wide, "That's quite the story! But you were never one for tall tales. I'm glad your safe Mara." She looks down, "You don't have to go after him, you could stay in town. I could put you up for a while if you need."
"It's something I have to do, Keldrin. Part of it that I might be able to get all of my memories back, and the other part is I'm worried about what his ultimate goal might be; I'm pretty sure it's not good! I promise I'll be careful; but I could be gone for a few months."
After an awkward silence, she said to her friend, "Anyway, we're going over to Thrushmoor Isle this evening. Dervak has this dark creature in his thoughts, telling him to do bad things. I've discovered a ritual that will remove it from his consciousness, but it will work best at the site of the Asylum. I know it sounds crazy, but Dervak really wants this done. You could come along if you wanted."
He gives a nod and a half-smile, "Yup figured it was something like that."
When Mara talks about performing the ritual after a momentary reflection, "I don't think I want to, place was creepy before you came back. But if you want me there I'll come. Got a rowboat if you need transport."
Mara didn't want to pressure Keldrin into taking part, especially since there could be some risk involved. "Transport sounds good; better than swimming!"
As if on cue when the party arrives back at Briarstone a storm rumbles blotting out the sun. Keldrin tips his hat, "Good luck there Mr. Dervak hope Mara can help you." He turns to Mara and says in a hushed tone, "I'll wait for you here for a full day if needed."
Before the group departed for Briarstone Isle, Mara meditated and memorized the final spells she was going to need. She also made sure to bring a container to hold the liquid for the wine she was going to make.
When they arrived at the island, she said to Keldrin, "We should be done in a couple of hours or so."
As they entered the eerie ruins of the asylum, she suggested, "We should make a sweep of the area near where we're going to do the ritual, just to make sure nothing unpleasant has moved in."
Briarstone seems just as you left it, empty.
I wonder if we could purchase this land....
Mara just shook her head at Theo's suggestion. She prepared some special wine for the ritual, creating water and blessing it. She poured everyone a drink and offered a toast, "To Dervak's health and well being!"
The wine calmed her nerves a bit and bolstered her spirits; nevertheless, she felt very nervous. Her part in the ritual was to shield Dervak's mind from the dark energies that would be released; a mistake would destroy his consciousness and leave him an Oneirogen. She recited a prayer to lend the spirit of her ancestors to bolster herself and Theophilus.
She reassured Meg, "Don't be alarmed — I'm going to change to an older version of myself, to take advantage of the wisdom of my ancestors." She transformed to her crone aspect and nodded to Theo, "I'm ready; shall we begin?"
Theophilus takes a long pull from a flask. He hands it off to the White Rabbit, who also takes a long pull. Both look to Mara; with thumbs up.
In the darkness of the room lit only by a single flickering candle Mara, Rowan, Theo, and Meg chant feverishly for an hour, the Dark Whisper roils within Dervak’s mind but does not share it’s thoughts with him. As they circle the half-ork within the ritual space they are met with unexpected resistance but nothing they can’t surmount. They pull on the cancer on Dervak’s soul until it is taut, finally it rips in twain. Dervak’s mind and body light with pain the likes of which he’s never experienced before. The tiny portal created within Dervak doesn’t spew yellow fog or any other kind of fog but instead sucks inward and a torrent of air rushes in Dervak’s mouth and nose. Something does come out, a thin strand of something darker than darkest part of the night sky and it settles in a lump in front of Dervak.
Slowly Dervak’s pain recedes and as it recedes his physical form changes with it. He loses his prominent canines, and his skin tone changes. With the taint of the Dark Whisper gone he's become wholly human. And along with this he feels strange, he understands that he is calm and at peace. But something else too, weakness.
Finally the fabric of reality shrieks, wrenches, and tears as something that looks like Dervak emerges from the lump pulled out, only darker, more bestial and a completely orkish face. His legs end in black hooves. His waist and torso are gnarled and craggy like bark. His skin is decorated with numerous drooling maws. And he holds a falchion that seems to draw in light and is wickedly sharp. An unearthly low glow suffuses the room. The air seems to weep ghostly orange drops of blood. From the darkness sinister whispers worm into your ears. The sight and sound of the Dark Whisper made manifest drives you insane.
Mara can nothing but babble incoherently at the sight of the Dark Whisper.
From all of its mouths gibbering laughter. And then it speaks, ”Which of your friends should I take first Dervak?” It casts shield.
Theo sends a wild punch into the Dark Whisper connecting with the gnarled black bark that it wears as armor and nearly breaks his hand on it. The White Rabbit giggles uncontrollably at the spectacle of it.
Dervak despairs at the sight of his horror made manifest and bashes himself in the head with the candle holder.
Meg, Rowan, and Ellery manage to clear their head enough to do as they will. Meg draws her rapier and skillfully fakes the monstrosity out but her rapier strike snags against its armor.
"You'll have to kill me first, beast."
Though I don't that will be too hard. Gorum grant me strength.
The old woman cried in a child-like voice, "Mommausan, avhe bad bur comeuk! Don'av nob naj-ri anausan meaav!"
Theophilus looks at his hand in shock.
Rowan takes a 5 foot step and flurries.
Switch into Boar style as a free action
Spend 1 ki (drunken ki) to make a 5 foot step as an immediate action
Stun on the middle attack.
(If 20 is a hit, have to hit with 2 attacks in one round)
Ellery moves in as the fighting starts, rolling into the fight as he approaches Dervak's other half and attempts to find a soft spot.
Rowan clocks the aberrant ork right between it's eyes before it can reply to Dervak's retort. The dark falchion clatters to the floor.
Ellery takes his opportunity to stab it in one of it's drooling mouths.
With all her spells gone, her friends dead, and the Dark Whisper wounded directly in front of her Mara draws her axe to try to finish it off.
Dervak sees the Dark whisper plant its falchion into his side but he can barely lift his own weapon to retaliate.
Ellery stabs himself.
White Rabbit can't stop laughing at the spectacle of Larry, Moe, and Curly slapping each other and poking their eyes out. Meg just moans in terror.
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Confused by Dervak's dramatic change in appearance, Mara attacked the 'new' guy. "What have you done with Dervak, fiend?"
Grabbing the White Rabbit by his ears, Theophilus calmly creeps to the square 15' behind Meg.
He then Misfortune Hex (DC 18) the old Dervak.
The curse washes over the Dark Whisper with no effect.
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Rowan flurries.
2 attacks in the same round hit.
Rowan unleashes his inner boar on the abomination but it's not enough to bring it down.
Mara continues to attack the strange man who has appeared before her intent on murdering him.
The Dark Whisper notices Meg and says, "You interlope on our family affair." It then bites her neck with it's mouth. Rowan can clearly see a spectral version of her being devoured by the Dark Whisper. Meg's body withers and dies. The Dark Whisper then thrusts its empty hands at Rowan biting him deeply with mouths there as well. Thankfully his soul is not consumed as Meg's has been.
Theo marvels at the pretty lights that dance around him in a wondrous light parade. Meanwhile White Rabbit tries to make a lucky rabbit foot but just end up tearing out his own fur. Ellery sees the world has melted away leaving only an empty black void, he's unable to move floating there, alone.
Dervak continues to see himself struggle against the Dark Whisper's assault on him but is too weak to lift his weapon again.
Rowan throws one final punch at the Dark Whisper. And he knocks it unconscious.
With the source of your insanity subdued everyone's heads clear enough to see the aftermath of what you wrought.
Mara rushed over to Meg and tried to heal her. When the woman didn't respond, she checked for vital signs and couldn't find any. She wailed, "What have I done? I convinced her to come and help with the ritual, and now she's dead! Mommy, what can I do for her?"
Dervak comes to.
He looks at the dead woman, at the wounded monk, and at the unconscious monstrosity.
"Thank you, Rowan."
He takes his sword and moves over to the beast.
"Unless you wish to do the honors, Rowan?"
Rowan slumps agains the nearest wall and take a sip from his flask (ale, not potion).
He looks a little distant, and makes a hand motion that says, “go on”.
Dervak feels drawn to the Dark Whisper's falchion and he knows it's name is Dark Impulse.
"I do not know if this will kill you for real, monster. I can hope."
Dervak takes his falchion and cuts off the Dark Whisper's head.
He looks at his hands. He feels his face.
"I'm different now, aren't I? I'm... human..."
It's going to take him some time to process everything.
"Thank you all," he says quietly. "You have freed me from that demon." Dervak looks with sadness at the fallen Sleepless Detective who had offered her aid.
The Dark Whisper dissolves into a pile of inky tar.
Does Dark Impulse remain?
Dervak looks at it with trepidation.
"Should we destroy it?"
Theophilus hugs his friend, Dervak.
The gentleman then steps over to the fallen Meg. He doffs his hat, bowing extremely low to the ground.
Our thanks and sorrow for your much needed help. We shall not forget you.
The Witch offers his Cure Light wounds wand to those that need it.
Dervak will defer to the learned scholars on dealing with the Dark Impulse falchion. He will not touch it.
"Meg was a hero. She sacrificed her life to defeat a great evil, and did not flee even in the face of this abomination. We will bring her body back to Thrushmoor, give her a hero's funeral, and make offerings to her gods, whatever they were."
Dervak thinks a moment. "Rowan, do you have a god? You fought with great skill but you are no servant of the Lord in Iron. Do you follow the Master of Masters?"
”I am a follower of Irori. I am not as devout as some, but I do follow the tenants.
Meg did not deserve her fate, and I fear I should’ve died in her place.”
The party heads back to Thrushmoor and spends the rest of the day offering condolences and arranging a funeral for Meg. Keldrin looks around for her but seeing the dour faces he doesn't comment. He also doesn't ask about Dervak's new face. Cesadia narrows her eyes but makes no negative comment, "I'm glad you got your humanity back."
"Mara, I leave it to you. Should I go get Winter and Loic?
The ritual worked. It would be different for Loic, though.
The demon in me was powerful and evil. I know you believe that the spirit in Loic really is just that of a little girl. Are you sure?
With me, the separation was painful and nearly killed me. Do you think Loic would survive?
I think you should wait until you can ask the spirits again. Or maybe not the spirits. Your ancestors did not even hint at just how deadly the ritual would be. Maybe you need to ask the gods next time."
Mara retrieved a scroll to help Dervak recover from his ordeal, and read it.
Numb from Meg's untimely death, Mara helped carry her body to the shore, and loaded her into Keldrin's rowboat. She was silent on the journey back, overcome with grief and guilt. When they reached the Sleepless building, she told Cesadia, "It's my fault! I asked for help with the ritual without understanding how dangerous it could be."
After a moment of silence, she said, "I could reincarnate her into a new body, although I can't control what her exact form would be; it would be some sort of humanoid. The other option is to preserve her body and take it with us. We could buy a scroll of raise dead in Cassomir and bring her back in this body. I'm going to contact her soul tomorrow and see what she wants me to do."
When Dervak brought up the subject of performing the ritual on Loic, she replied, "I can't try it on him until I properly understand how to counteract the risks. I made a terrible mistake this time; I'm not going to make the same one again."
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Cesadia nods, "I should have forbade her to go. But I see myself in her, she would have gone anyway. You have my blessing for a reincarnation, if it costs anything I'll front the money and take it out of her pay."
Theophilus helps with costs, spells, or a joke when needed.