The Forgotten God (Table 2) (Inactive)

Game Master Rednal

HP: 13/21 - 9; HP: 4/21

Sevia's eyes widened as her spell bounced harmlessly off the warrior, surprised to see someone with spell resistance. It was that momentary shock which the keen warrior was able to see through and take advantage of, throwing a nasty blow towards her that hurt like hell. As Sevia staggered back, she was glad to have cast a Healing spell earlier.

Knowing she'd have to end this fast, Sevia fainted left, hoping to exploit an opening as she stepped right. He'd get a one swing at her, but if he missed...

HP: 5/21 - Sevia uses a Feint, and will attack on her next round with a prayer I don't get crit again before that

Bluff: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13 vs DC 10 + BAB + WIS

HP: 6/21 (5 rounds IH remaining)

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26 VS AC/FF Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 Sneak Attack: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Confirm: 1d20 ⇒ 19 Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Your feint is just barely good enough to catch the warrior off-guard despite the precautions he's taken, though he swings anyway...

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

...and misses by a wide margin as you smoothly slide around him and respond with a devastating counterattack. It's all the most impressive for having not been supercharged with godly power, and a faint expression of disbelief crosses the warrior's face as he slumps over. -13/24 HP. Yeah, he's dead, unless you really want to save him or something. Nice counter, by the way - that felt very appropriate.

The violence still seems to have shocked the people there, though one of the people towards the back gives out a half-hearted cheer, possibly hoping that being seen as on your side would be helpful. The rest are quickly scattering throughout the area, giving you plenty of space... for the moment.

The fallen warriors didn't seem to have much in the way of special treasure, but each of them was carrying a masterwork warhammer (312 GP, 5 lbs) and wearing masterwork scale mail (200 GP, 30 lbs), which could at least be sold for some wealth.

There is, however, a bigger problem here. Judging by the heavy imagery in the area, the people within this cult thought they were hearing the voice of Pharasma... but it was your divine power that was influencing them to kill others. No reasonable person would hold you directly responsible for what the people here have done, but it did occur as a result of scattering your power. It would be quite possible to exterminate the cultists within this space, especially if you could block the exit somehow... or you could simply report the matter without doing anything else (which you'd have to do anyway, lest the curse upon you start punishing you). It might even be possible to seize command of the cult and change their doctrine... or do whatever else you feel is appropriate. Free will is both wonderful and dangerous, and no other gods are guiding your steps...

This is an alignment-affecting decision. Your reasons for your actions will count for more than what you actually do.

Sevia watches as the man's life fades from his eyes, holding the sword for that moment before finally drawing the blade back and letting his body slump to the floor. Flicking the blood away, she sheaths her sword before turning to the rest of the people gathered there, pondering what to do. The simplest answer was just to kill them, she wouldn't even be so unjustified given their actions...but she knew where that path trod, towards a name she would rather forget than relive. She could just leave, they weren't her problem...but that callous indifference felt unbecoming of her; she did feel at least partly responsible for this.

'What would Sarenrae do?' she chuckled in her thoughts.

"Each and every one of you has heard a call, and gathered here. You have done so on the behalf of this artifact, The Raven's Talon, believing it to be the voice of Pharasma..." Sevia lifts her hand, showing the ring on her finger. "...It is not. This ring was the manifestation a more primal force, the emotionless aspect of destruction...and a shard of my soul. It was created 3,000 years ago when I scattered my power across Golarion, in a desperate attempt to prevent my destruction." Sevia paused to let that sink in, listening for any responses from the mortals before her.

"I am The Raven Queen, I am not an avatar of Pharasma, and you are not carrying out her will. In fact, until I arrived, you had simply been pawns to the will associated with my domain, the force of Death...For a time, I too was as you all were, compelled to spread Death for no reason except Death in of itself, so I will not judge you; but the guards of Maheto will not be so forgiving...I could leave you to them, but in part - I feel responsible for your actions, since it is my power that compelled you. The least I can give you is the truth."

The general attitude within the hall seemed to be one of confusion... at least at first. Whispers were already beginning to spread, and more than a few people had witnessed the complete annihilation of the first warrior... and that was before seeing you endure multiple devastating blows and suddenly respond with a lethally-accurate pinpoint strike. There didn't seem to be any question about your skill, and these were people who held passion far above what normal people experienced. The tenets of their faith were absolute - and more than a few of them appeared to be having difficulty coping with the sudden changes in their environment. None of them seemed inclined towards violence, though - they'd already seen what happened.

Even so, however, their minds hadn't been their own. Your claims were undoubtedly fantastic, but so were many of the other things they'd seen... and one by one, the few remaining people retreated from the hall. They'd need to come to terms with things on their own and really believe it before they could move on with their lives.

On the bright side, leaving the space seemed to be far easier than getting in... though without one of their passkeys, returning would be nigh-impossible.

How much XP do I have?

Truthfully Sevia had expected...at least some anger in reaction to her words. Typically challenging the faith of mortals was a rather inflammatory action, especially with how literally close some could come to them. Watching them disperse, Sevia finally allowed herself a moment of weakness to huddle her bruised stomach - 'That hammer hurt pretty bad' she grimaced, casting another bout of Infernal Healing.

HP fully recovers after the spell ends

Sevia spends a few moments examining the corpse of the warrior she just killed, giving him a search for anything she might have missed - casting a Detect Magic as well - before collecting his and his partner's equipment 'No sense in leaving what the dead don't need'.

Afterwards Sevia will walk around the place a little, seeing what all is inside. Figuring it would take the cultists awhile to come to grips with what she told them, and after satisfying her curiosity, she decides to find a secluded spot to lay out a bedroll and take a rest, feeling rather exhausted from her fight. She instructs Epyon to ward off anyone who approaches her until she wakes up.

900 XP total. Speaking of, I'm going to go add the running total to the campaign tab for easier reference... I thought I'd taken care of that already. Check there anytime you want to see your current total!

There doesn't seem to be anything else in the way of items or equipment - it's possible that he possessed other items wherever he lived, but his gear is what you've been able to find. There is a lingering magical aura around the warhammer, but it seems to be quickly fading away - his natural powers over fire had granted additional damage to the weapon, but that wasn't a property of the item itself. They were quite hefty all by themselves, though - when gathered together with your other supplies, you are heavily burdened. ~115 pounds, by my count, with the corresponding penalties for a heavy load.

The space itself is surprisingly elaborate, with twenty or thirty rooms arranged along several halls. Most of them have been barred from the inside, though you do hear a few sounds from within most of them. Food seems to be served in a communal area, and piles of fruit and bread are still lying around from where people scattered. A bit of dirt can be seen in the corners, but the facility has been kept remarkably clean - religious devotion has its benefits, especially when there are initiates to do the manual labor. There's a small, out-of-the-way storage area at the end of one of the hallways, and it seems to be one of the safer spots around - and where you ultimately end up resting.

As you rest, countless visions fill your mind. You are underground, in the trees, and on the streets. You are rich, you are poor, old and young. Tens and hundreds of people appear before you, of many of the races on Golarion... and die. They are sliced, stabbed, impaled, torched, twisted, poisoned, and torn apart. Throughout it all, one thing remains clear in your mind: It doesn't matter why they die, as long as they do.

You're roused early - just barely after getting eight hours of sleep, Epyon begins nudging you and trying to wake you up, pecking as hard as necessary to bring you back to consciousness.

Another dream, much like the one from her first night of rest. A horrible vision - either from her past or from the memories of the ring she can't be sure, but it doesn't really matter. Sevia is reminded of the name she was once known by, the same she was running from.

'Never again'

Sevia's eyes shoot open, and she notes she's been sweating in her sleep. A byproduct of the nightmare. "Enough Epyon. Is someone there?" Sevia asks, waving the bird off and slipping a dagger from her wrist sheath into her hand before standing up to look around.

Take a 10 on Sleight of Hand. If nobody is around or answers her, Sevia picks up her stuff and heads over to the communal area after putting her dagger back.

The hall is quiet, almost disturbingly so... but after shouldering your heavy burden, you are able to make it to the gathering areas of the facility... where what looks like every member of the cult is waiting, kneeling on the floor and covered in a dark robe. Notably, however, they seemed to have removed the religious insignias identifying them with Pharasma... and the one up front held up a long, slender staff adorned with rich markings, holding it horizontal with both hands as an offering. "We... talked things over while you slept." he said, clearly hesitant and nervous. "If you truly feel responsible for us, then please become our leader. I don't know how quickly we can change our doctrines, but... for most of us, it's all we have."

Does regaining fragments of my soul mean I can grant spells to clerics?

Upon finding the members of the cult gathered before her, Sevia raises an eyebrow. She...had not expected this. Listening to the man, probably their leader or someone else highly ranked, she considered her decision for a tense moment.

"Very well, I accept." Sevia said, reaching forward to take the staff, holding up to observe it more closely.

Sevia casts detect magic on it, take a 10 (17) on spellcraft and appraise (18)

"Truthfully, I expect the doctrines of Pharasma will not have diverged much from my own since she inherited my responsibilities. I have no qualms with those who wish to continue revering her, though you will have to reconcile your heresy. For anyone else, you may familiarize yourselves with my Holy Symbol." Sevia pulls out her Holy Symbol and hands it to the man before her, effectively exchanging his staff for her symbol. "I assume then that you were formerly their leader? Is there anything I should know."

Eventually, yes, but you have not yet regained enough power. If you wish to speed the process up a bit, you can take the Divine Source ability at Mythic Tier 3, which specifically does grant you the ability to give spells to others.

The staff is, in fact, magical - with an aura of abjuration and evocation, though it's not immediately apparent what it can actually do. Even the weakest staves are relatively powerful pieces of equipment, and a much more thorough examination would be needed to ascertain its properties. As for its value... Somewhere around 6960 gp, perhaps?

The man up front calmly takes the holy symbol and examines it - his face shows no sign of recognition, but he's not about to question things at this point in time. Perhaps more relevantly, the group as a whole is far more used to dealing with strange and obscure information than they might appear. Cults are like that. At your question, though, the man's eyes drift towards the Raven's Talon.

His answer is very hesitant - he's not opposed to answering, precisely, but he seems to be struggling with finding the right word to say. "I... ah..."

"Oh, for crying out loud!" a female in the next row back said, standing up. The previous leader (?) suddenly went rigid. "What this numbskull's trying to say is that if you're going to lead us, he wants to know what your doctrine is. No offense, but you don't look like somebody who's going to sit here and preach all day, and he wants to stay in charge while you're gone. He's also basically a coward, and after the way you butchered the Azer, he'd like to avoid doing anything that would result in you coming back angry at him."

"H-hey!" the man said, starting to turn back before he could stop himself. He coughed awkwardly a moment later. "I don't necessarily agree with every word she said, but she's right in that we need to know what our doctrine is. Who do you want us to kill?"

It seemed to be taken as a given that a deity of death would expect that kind of activity from their followers.

"Ah, you misunderstand...no, I suppose that's to be expected given my long absence. My responsibilities do not lie in killing - refer to Norgerber or Archaekek and their ilk in that case; I was born so very long ago to facilitate the consequence of death, not its cause. Both I and Pharasma do not take kindly to murderers." Sevia explained with a hint of iron in her voice, her gaze sweeping across those gathered. Her expression softened a bit as she realized she shouldn't shake these people up too badly. "That is not to say killing is never necessary, such as in defense of yourself or others, and to ease the passing of those who suffer life...Though...I do make exception to my ancient enemy - Urgathoa, and her spawn. I will gladly condone the destruction of any undead, and those who worship her." Sevia took a breath to calm herself, trying not to dwell on the feelings that first lead to her fall in her mad quest to destroy the Goddess. Though, given everything that had happened, she'd have no qualms adding Norgerber to the list.

Sevia stepped to the side of the man to address the woman standing near the back. "You are right that I will probably not be here often. I expected my quest to be carried out alone...truthfully, I did not expect to gather followers before it's completion, and I am not quite sure what to do with you all." Sevia huffed, somewhat at a loss for what good these people might be...though, perhaps they might be useful in auxiliary roles to obtaining her soul fragments? Regardless, it had been quite a few days since she'd last spoken with the Dwarven priest...and she should probably report back. "I think this is something we can settle after I get to know you all a bit better. Right now though I need to head back to Maheto and get this situation resolved."

Most of them look just a bit nervous about that last sentence, but ultimately, they nod. "Get rid of undead... got it." the man up front muttered. Did they really understand your intentions? Well, it would be difficult to know without the passage of time, and the subtle twinge of your curse serves as a reminder that time isn't unlimited. The man returns your holy symbol, and with it one of the items used as a key to enter the facility. That will likely be very important, though one other thing is clear in your mind.

These people are not true followers of yours, at least not yet. Fhanys' faith was clear and powerful - so focused that she would have more than qualified for receiving magic under the system that the gods had put in place to aid their mortal followers. These people, while experienced in mindless worship, don't have that kind of dedication yet. They honestly seem to recognize you as their leader now, and they were clearly discussing something while you slept, but their faith is far from absolute. It's likely that some of them will drift away over time, but it's also true that faith can't be easily rushed. As you prove yourself, people will believe in you more, and that may be the only way for you to succeed in your goal of returning to the heavens.

Directing this group to root out undead could go a long way to redeeming them in the eyes of their peers, but it was clear they seemed...reluctant. She understood, killing undead was a lot tougher than slitting some commoner's throat; but it was in her opinion a sacred task. Sevia accepted both items, and pocketed them. "Thank you. I should return within a day. I'd like everyone to stay put here until then. You may return to your duties now." Sevia said, waving a hand to dismiss them, turning to leave herself; breifly considering this group might need the equipment she'd grabbed, Sevia stores the items she'd repossessed before heading out.

The group presented an interesting conundrum, which Sevia considered as she finally reemerged into the forest. After taking a moment to assess the time and get her bearings, Sevia heads straight for Maheto and the temple of Torag.

You'd spent quite some time traveling, trying to find this area - but returning to the city isn't very difficult, especially with your familiar there to act as a scout. You make good time and arrive in the city in the early afternoon - now that you're more familiar in the area, it's much easier to get past the guards and into the temple. The issue is, with your curse, how you can explain your actions...

"You're back." the dwarven priest observed. "What happened?"

"I discovered the whereabouts of the Pharasma death cult and put a stop to their activities" Sevia said rather abruptly, giving the shortest explanation to sum up her results as possible. She knew that Dwarfs were more appreciative of just getting straight to the point, and hoped the news would...set him at ease for her explanation to follow. "It took a day of searching the area, but eventually I discovered the entrance to their compound; though I had to wait long enough for one of the cultist to arrive there before I could persuade him to let me in. The way he acted I suspected he'd been charmed...what I found out was much more serious. The reason these cults kept popping up isn't because they're well organized, it's because they'd been magically influenced by an artifact. Every time the guard stamped out the cult, the artifact reached out to the weak willed and drew them to it." Sevia continued by explaining the artifact's nature, as she'd explained to the cult - albeit leaving out the explanation of its source, a fragment of her soul. She figured she'd explain it to him if he explicitly asked, but she was sort of hoping he'd be more interested in her results than their aftermath to actually do so.

"I was able to...take control of the artifact. Once I did so, its influence over the rest of the cult ceased. They no longer pose a threat to Maheto." She finished, waiting for the Dwarf's questions.

The dwarf's eyes narrowed slightly... and after a few moments, you get the feeling that he's testing the integrity of the curse laid upon you. "And if it was strong enough to influence them, what's stopping you from becoming a threat to innocent people now that you're controlling it?" he asked bluntly. After all, a good indicator of future results was looking at how things had performed in the past - though he does seem satisfied with the status of the curse.

Sevia chuckled slightly, "Do I look that easy to compel?" She asked rhetorically, gesturing a hand to herself. " Besides, it was never evil in the first place, merely...lacking in direction. I can curtail and guide its destructive nature. You could even call it fate that I was the one to overpower it; however much fate means in the Age of Lost Omens I suppose." Sevia shrugged, not sure how much stock mortals placed in concepts like fate anymore. Though it was certainly true that it was inevitable she'd seek out the pieces of her power.

"Besides, even if I were being compelled to murder innocents, the conflicting directives between it any your Quest spell would be crippling me right now. Obviously I'm fine." Sevia said, opening her cloak so the Dwarf could get a better look at her.

"Aye, there is that." the Dwarf said, tugging on his beard as he thought. The lack of punishment from the spell was actually a valuable sign in its own way - even seriously contemplating harm to innocents could have been enough to trigger it - and while he may not have much faith in you personally, he clearly believes in the magic granted by his god. After a few more moments, he speaks a brief celestial word, and you can feel the spell on you dissipating. "Good enough for me." he said, sighing and shrugging. "Honestly, I'd rather not know the specifics of everything everyone gets up to. Did you learn anything about that symbol you showed me?"

You have successfully completed your mission and removed your curse! You now have enough experience to advance to Level 2, with the changes taking effect the next time you rest for 8 hours. Please list the changes in the discussion thread for approval - once that's done, the game will continue. You are, of course, free to continue roleplaying, researching, and doing other activities prior to resting.

Is it possible to re enter the cultist's compound without getting noticed? (With or without a few rounds of invisibility)

Sevia sighed as she felt the spell dissipate, glad to not have it hanging over her anymore. "Unfortunately not, there could still be more information to track down here, but I doubt it. It seems rather clear now that this lead and my previous were unrelated...which puts me back at square one." Sevia said with a small scowl. "Still, not a total loss given how things turned out...although, the guards won't pursue the leftover cultists will they?" Sevia asked, trying to make sure that her new following wouldn't continue to be hunted down, although she doubted they'd be successful without some pretty powerful magics.

If the dwarf has no more questions for her, Sevia will thank him for his time and depart. Afterwards she'll find a shop to sell her Masterwork Buckler at and crash at an inn for the night.

If nothing else comes up, Sevia returns to the cult's compound and tries to get in without being seen

Yes, it is possible to get into the compound, though invisibility is necessary - the entrance is in a major passageway, and you could not get through it unnoticed.

The sale of the buckler earns you a tidy 77.5 GP, and after resting (and refreshing your powers), the next few hours are spent returning to the compound. On the bright side, you're becoming increasingly familiar with the area, so it doesn't take you quite as long to locate the entry way and sneak inside - though invisibility will only last you for so long. However, you are able to slip into a narrow side corridor before your invisibility runs out.

Having successfully slipped into the compound, Sevia will find somewhere out of the way to lay down her more obviously non-cult gear, before casting her innate Disguise Self spell to assume the appearance of Priadan.

At first Sevia had thought of just taking the face of a nondescript human to skulk around the compound and get an unbiased feel for the general attitude of everyone. But she'd had the idea to take Priadan's face just on the off chance someone recognized her.

Sevia casts Disguise Self, which will last 20 mins. And take a 10 on a Disguise check (for a 29). She'll leave all the gear that can't really be hidden under her cloak somewhere people won't look, along with her familiar.

After feeling satisfied with her appearance, Sevia will nonchalantly make her way through the more populated parts of the compound, looking for people chatting and trying to eavesdrop on them.

Take a 10 on perception for any required rolls (21)

After moving perhaps fifteen feet through the compound, a single word is shouted: "Outsider!" Those around you look confused for just a moment - but seeing the actions of their fellows, they quickly turn as they draw a variety of vicious-looking daggers from their clothes, forming a circle around you. A man comes running out of the doors a second later, and you recognize him as the priest(?) who seemed to be in charge. "Identify yourself!" he said sharply. "This temple is sacred to the Raven Queen. If you've hurt one of our members to steal their pass..." He doesn't look friendly at all - nor do any of those surrounding you. To the best of their knowledge, there is exactly one way to get inside - and if there's anything cultists are good at, it's protecting (or at least avenging) their own.

Sevia was somewhat taken aback that she'd been pegged so quickly; she would've thought it'd take a few minutes for anyone to see she didn't belong, but that too was revealing in a way. Clearly this group was much more insular than she expected, though it seemed weird no one had even fussed at strangers being brought in by other cultists. No one had batted an eye at her showing up last time.

"I'm impressed. I didn't expect you all to be so perceptive, that was quick indeed." Sevia said with a smirk, dropping her disguise with a wave of the hand, making it clear who she really was. It was also reassuring to know none of them had recognized her disguise, which meant they truly weren't aware of Priadan's cult at all. "Not to worry though, it's only me." Sevia said, giving everyone a to see her actual face before walking in front of the head priest. "Now that I'm back though, we should probably talk."

Cults do hold a rather special selection of views. On the one hand, they are interested in new initiates - and being accompanied by a known member is usually enough to make the other members relax, presumably because they trust their own. Walking without obvious ties to another member, however, is far more concerning - and rather than accepting your words at face value, one of the members of the crowd speaks what you immediately recognize as the words of a Detect Magic spell. The seconds tick by before he finally nods, and the crowd relaxes somewhat, sheathing their weapons.

"Indeed we should. Please don't do that again - we're nervous as it is about the guards bursting in and slaughtering all of us." the man who gave you the staff yesterday observed.

"You'll be glad to know that the guards won't be a problem then. I settled the matter with an associate." Sevia said, loud enough for everyone else to hear as well. After that small scare, it would probably be reassuring to know they weren't being hunted down anymore. Knowing that their leader was also taking a vested interest in their safety was also important.

Sevia opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it as she realized she didn't actually know the man's name. "Now that I think about it, I've been so busy that I didn't actually get your name." Sevia remarked, gesturing for him to follow her as she proceeded to return to where she left her familiar and retrieve anything she'd left lying down.

For just a few moments, he looks slightly nervous - and it's not hard to figure out why, considering the significance that names often have in sorcery. Nevertheless, he swallows and shakes himself a bit to move past his fear. "My name is Auguinare. I've been the head of this congregation for the last four years, following our discovery of the Talon, though we didn't make this place." He didn't seem to know who did - it was possible that the Talon itself had exerted a force on the world around it. Goodness knew there were many kings who would kill (or at least order executed) a great number of people if it meant getting their hands on this kind of private fortress.

Sevia nodded absentmindedly, trying to think about this place. It was obviously some kind of...demi-plane, she wasn't too sure, she didn't know much about the planes. "Your discovery you say? How did you find the Talon then, and this...sanctum? Is it only accessible from that trail in the forest?" Sevia asked curiously, interested in the small sanctuary.

Does the place bare any resemblance to my tomb?

"And what about your congregation? Tell me more about them."

The place doesn't seem to be much like your tomb - though both involve a great deal of stonework, your tomb was oppressive at its best. This place does have a sense of confinement, and eventually, you realize that you've never seen a window within - it's possible that nothing even exists past the outer stone walls, though at least the corridors are large enough to avoid making people feel too cramped.

Auguinare nods at your question, though, and does try to explain as best he can. "The Talon was here when we first discovered it. There were eight of us back then, and we... heard the call." he doesn't seem entirely certain how to describe his experiences. "I just knew that I had to look in this area, and that I had to bring a charm I'd picked up in the city. When I did, the doorway revealed itself. Most of the others joined us over time - usually after they'd made their first kill and heard the call to join us. From then on, the Talon told us who to kill, and we obeyed."

"I see, peculiar but expected given its nature. Hopefully this place could be accessed from more than just that spot..." Sevia considered, if anything, it was probably reachable from a planar teleportation spell, but that kind of arcane power was going to be well beyond her for some time. "And just how skilled are your followers? Hunting undead, or their allies, is not for novices; in my time my followers trained for years in the arts of stealth and destruction" Sevia asked, hopeful he might provide some insight into how capable her sect was.

As an afterthought, she realized if she was leading these people it might be good to have somewhere to sleep. "By the way, there wouldn't happen to be any rooms I could use are there? I assume this place does have bedrooms."

Auguinare looked slightly offended. "Well, the initiates need help, but we did specialize in assassinations." he said. "Once you sufficiently understand the trade of violence, the various enemies aren't so different." You'd still have to adjust to things based on individual circumstances, of course, but there was a reason most warriors focused on honing a relatively small number of skills to the greatest possible heights.

The man did, however, eventually manage to open the door to a chamber just off of the main passage - it was a larger room, somewhat more plush than the rest of the area, though it did bear unmistakable signs of having been recently (and quickly) cleaned. "This is the largest bedchamber we've got. Will it do?" he asked, indicating the bed and two dressers.

Sevia smiled, if the man had the will to be indignant to her question to her face, that suggested a certain degree of competence. 'Perhaps in time they will make fine Shadow Strikers.' Sevia though, thinking back to her ancient order of Assassins - not like the Red Mantis, hers were devoted to loftier purposes. "Good. I'll be interested to see their capabilities." Sevia said off hand as Auguinare led her towards a room, showing her inside.

She took stock of it, noting the few furniture and mostly spartan accommodations, which suited her just fine. Unlike some dieties she was not over ostentatious, and frankly, that bed looked to be the most comfortable think she'd sleep on in 3,000 years. "Yes, very. Personally I find frivolous ornamentation to be an unnecessary distraction." Sevia said, pausing for a moment before turning towards him. "Now that you've satisfied my questions, is there anything you would like to ask me?"

"Our head cook wants to know if we're supposed to ritually slaughter the livestock before eating, or if we can just make food the way everyone else does." the man explained. That might have been a laughing matter for another group, but rituals and symbols were important, especially to cults that had a strong fear of outsiders. Rituals could bind them together... or tear them apart like so much paper being scattered onto the winds.

"Of course not. Who do I look like? Erastil? Food is food." Sevia scoffed, thinking to Deadeye's paternalists ways. "The rituals of Pharasma should provide an appropriate template to go off of if you want to be safe, as they have not changed too much since she first adopted those that were my own. Of course, there are others worth revisiting." Sevia imagined that it might take her followers some getting used to her aspects, which often emphasized darkness. She would ask to reduce the light of the magics in the sanctum, but she had a feeling her...more lesser adapted followers might take issue with it.

"Perhaps something worth clarifying to everyone for a gathering tomorrow. On that note, if you have no other concerns, then I take my leave. I am...interested to get a handle on these people, and talking to them will certain go a ways." Sevia said.

Auguinare bowed slightly as he moved backwards, heading out into the corridor and leaving you to your own decisions. It seemed that he was quite willing to let everyone know that a gathering was necessary - easy enough for a cult that regularly did such things anyway, and it might help to solidify your status within the group, because they continue to have a distinct lack of faith. They follow you, but are not believers yet... and it will take quite some time to change their minds. However, deeds of note - including (but not limited to) recovery of more of your divine power - will certainly help to move things along.

After watching Auguinare walk away, Sevia stepped into her room and began removing her more bulky equipment, like her swords, and set them aside. There wasn't much point in keeping armed in the sanctum, and she wanted to appear...less threatening to her followers. Looking at the staff she'd been given, Sevia decided to tap into her divine power to cast an Identify spell to discern its powers.

Spellcraft: 10 + 8 + 10 = 28

Mythic Power 4/5

Figuring she needed more perspective about her followers, Sevia left her room to begin wandering the compound, looking to catch snippets of conversation and see what people were talking about. Though, thinking back to the other day, there was one other person who stood out, the woman who had spoken up during the gathering.

Perception 23 to listen in on people as Sevia walks around for some time. She'll walk around enough until she finds the girl and approaches her, if she can't find her just walking around, she'll ask someone where to find her.

It takes a bit of time to uncover the item's full properties, but eventually you're able to determine its properties - the staff is a solid if relatively basic item known as a Staff of Minor Arcana, possessing the ability to cast Shield and Magic Missile spells. It's slightly used, and only has 7 charges remaining, but could still be helpful on your travels if used well - or simply traded for something else because, used or not, it's still a magic staff and inherently valuable.

Your walk through the facility is also productive, though most of what you hear comes from listening around corners - the members of the cult seem to quiet down a little when they realize you're around, though they're relatively welcoming as well. Most of them seem to be debating points of doctrine, possibly with the intent to ask you questions later, though a few sound like they'd rather be worshiping Pharasma or another more established deity instead of someone who, well, hasn't shown much in the way of truly godly power just yet.

It's not hard to find the girl who spoke up at the meeting, though - her voice can be heard throughout half of the base as she yells at several of the others. "No, no, no! Draw it RIGHT! Symbols like these aren't things you just scratch in the ground! My uncle got one line - ONE LINE - wrong when he was doing a summoning, and a Qlippoth ate the top half of his body when he'd been trying to summon a Succubus! If you don't take this seriously, then you are never going to advance past Initiate!" Magic, and especially magical rituals, were serious business.

Though Sevia debated selling the staff, she found it somewhat tasteless and inappropriate to pawn off something she'd been given as a symbol of her leadership. Which was besides the point that the staff was moderately useful, though she would be unable to use it until she grew more skilled.

Finally finding the woman she'd been looking for, Sevia permitted herself a slight chuckle at her retelling of her uncle's misfortune. In all likelihood, a grim fate had been in store for the man even if he had performed a correct summon, trifling with Demons was never smart.

"I do hope you never make such an attempt yourself, summoning denizens of the Abyss typically never ends well." Sevia chided half serious as she approached the woman. Though she was definitely keen to checking what symbols they were constructing, if magically relevant.

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

It isn't hard to recognize the symbol they're working on drawing - it's your symbol, and their instructor(?) merely crossed her arms and snorted as you speak. "Ain't that the truth? Old man always was too stupid to know which end of a wand the spell came out of." She didn't seem to be terribly disappointed by the loss of her relative, though she did jerk a thumb to five or so people in plain, simple robes. All of them were busy marking your symbol (or their closest approximation to it) over and over on what looked like old pieces of parchment. "Don't worry, they'll be doing it right by the time I'm done with them. WILRICH! Smooth out those lines and quit making them longer than they need to be - that changes the whole thing! It's going to be your own fault if some beast turns you inside out one day!"

Sevia raised an eyebrow, usually mortals didn't speak ill of dead family members, which spoke a lot about either her relationship to the man, or of her character in general. And considering she'd been a cult assassin two days ago, she would guess it was the latter. Still, she did seem rather dedicated, and clearly not afraid to speak her mind. "I don't doubt it. I appreciate your dedication, though...I am curious, you seem to be taking this change rather well. Though, from the way you sounded earlier, you didn't hold much esteem for your previous leader." Sevia said, not outright asking a question in so much as her tone implied she desired the woman to elaborate upon her statement.

She snorted with laughter. "Well, Auguinare's not a bad leader, exactly. He's just the type who, y'know, has a little bit of power and doesn't want to lose it. More of a local preacher than the leader of a major church." the woman seemed vaguely amused by this. "I wouldn't follow him on a crusade, but somebody's got to lead our motley band, and he's done well enough at that."

Sevia nodded her head, glad to have gotten a better impression of her new...lieutenant she supposed. At the very least, if someone who could be so openly critical of him give him a passing grade, she could trust his judgement for now. "That's good to know. It's important that I leave someone competent in charge while I'm away, and getting a second opinion is helpful..." Sevia explained, before asking a little about the girl and her own duties within the cult.

Afterwards, Sevia thanks her for her time and excuses herself to get something to eat. Again, trying to pay attention to other people's conversations and see if there's anything new to pick up.

If nothing else happens, Sevia goes to bed for the night

The lack of armed guards bursting in to slaughter them seems to be doing wonders for the overall morale of the group. Death cults were, by far, one of the types of people most likely to be stamped out by any kind of government - out of self-interest more than anything else, since they never knew when they'd be betrayed. Rather, leaders often expected to be betrayed by such groups, and their repression could easily create a self-fulfilling prophecy...

Your dreams are not quite as fitful as they've been, but true rest eludes you this night. An arena spills out before you, with a roaring crowd filling the stands as two warriors duel, each clearly vying for fame. Each second can feel like an eternity in the tense heat of combat, but both warriors are clearly talented - and the battle continues until one of the gladiators catches his foot on a hardened patch of sand and slips just enough for his opponent to slash open his leg and bring him down. Instead of finishing him, however, the other warrior backs off - and a team of what look to be clerics hurry in. The winner turns towards you, determination and desire in his gaze, and you wake up the moment he gazes straight at you.

A few sounds from the rest of the hideout wake you - members of this cult rise early, it seems, and are already getting started on their daily tasks... though they do seem to be attempting to be quiet while passing your room.

Another night, another dream. Sevia was sure they meant something but of what she wasn't sure. Perhaps a glimpse into the past, or the future, dreams and visions were not too different; she knew all too well that the line between the domains Fate and Dreams was very blurry. Though, she supposed they could also be an unconscious metaphor for...something.

Wis check on my dreams? Also I give the staff one charge. Spells/day: 5/6

Wisdom: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

After pondering her latest bought of restlessness for a few minutes, Sevia finally decided to get dressed and ready for the day. After infusing her staff with some of her magic, she departs, Epyon perched on shoulder, to observe her cultists in their daily tasks.

Sevia flits between groups to see what they're doing for awhile before going to find Auguinare.

Wisdom is a very helpful thing to have, and several things come to mind as you consider what you saw. First, your position never changed throughout the dream - and from what you could see, nobody was sitting close to you. However, the victorious warrior clearly thought you were very important... and you almost stumble as the solution hits you. Your successful acquisition of part of your divine power is resonating with the other fragments of power you've lost - and you may have been looking out from the closest piece of yourself.

The cultists are slowly growing more relaxed, taking care to clean the area - and their weapons, which are rather brutal-looking tools. Even the novices seem quite adept at this, while Auguinare is... enjoying a rather large breakfast in the main hall, talking with a few other members as you approach.

Appraise on the cultist's weapons, just checking if they're masterwork

Appraise: 10 + 8 = 18

Sevia nodded approvingly to each cultist busying themselves, glad to see themselves keeping useful during what was probably a boring bought of inactivity given her restriction of their activities in Maheto.

After getting her own food, Sevia will join Auguinare. "Auguinare, good morning..." greeted absentmindedly as she began eating, trying to not seem overtly conspicuous as she inserted herself in their discussion. If the group quiets down, Sevia will encourage them to resume their conversation.

The weapons are solidly made, if a little unusual - you're not able to tell if they're masterwork items or not, though they certainly seem to have some influences from Maheto going on.

"Good morning!" Auguinare said cheerfully, waving what looked like a drumstick. Meat so early in the morning? Well, everyone had their own tastes. "I was just going over some ideas these fine fellows-" There was a dull thumping sound, like a leg being kicked under the table, "-and fine lass came up with." His smile looked slightly strained. "Specifically, we're going to look for ways of blessing our weapons to make them more effective against our undead enemies. Living foes or not, we can't lose to those casual believers when it comes to killing!" Or re-killing, or whatever you called what people did to the undead to stop them from moving around. Not that "casual" was necessarily a good way to describe someone serving the gods of good - especially a Paladin dedicated to destroying the undead - but that little detail didn't seem to matter here. It was the principle of the thing, and that principle was that death cultists were obligated to be better at killing than everyone else.

Sevia nodded, of course having been locked in struggle with undead for millenia had illuminated her to every advantage over said enemies she could find. "A wise course of action. I know a good deal of the best divine and arcane spells useful for fighting undead or enchanting weapons." Sevia said, asking after what methods her followers had though of and offering what options they had neglected as well. If possible she'd suggest acquiring magic weapons to be the best option, especially holy ones.

"Of course, while equipment can take one's self far, innate skill with supernatural abilities are what make the best warriors. Channeling Positive Energy is of course the most obvious way, but the most effective method I found long ago in dealing with undead, corporeal undead at least, is to bind incorporeal undead to kill such creatures. In today's tongue...those with that skill would be called 'Shadow Dancers.'" Sevia concluded as she finished her meal, absentmindedly wondering whether the art had been passed down after her disappearance. At the same time she wondered if there were any Shadows left who would even remember her. Whether or not these individuals could or would become such individuals was another matter to be seen entirely, though she would be more than content with a few clerics or paladins.

Auguinare nudged one of the others, who quickly began writing down Sevia's words. They didn't show any reaction to the name itself, but that didn't mean much. "We'll have some people check the libraries next time they visit the city." Auguinare said decisively. "Although it would be nicer if we could just touch them to destroy them...?" The other cultists with him stiffened slightly, remembering what you'd done to the guards that had appeared before. That would certainly be a wonderful technique to learn, but...

Sevia chuckled at his question, but considering his ignorance she shouldn't have expected him to not ask about such a technique. "Heavens boy, you're talking about trying to harness the power of Death itself. That would take a character of...well, mythic ability, someone in the league of Iomedae - before her ascent." Sevia explained, trying to put into perspective the sheer difference of capability it would take to wield the power of the Raven's Talon. And it did not seem like anyone in this sanctum was either a godling or some divine champion. Noting that people seemed to be done with their morning meals, Sevia stood up. "Now that you mention it though, I think it best to address everyone given that breakfast seems over." Sevia said, directing Auguinare and a few others to round everyone up to meet in the gathering area.

Does the gathering area have chairs/pews or anything or do people just...stand?

It didn't take too long to gather the members of the cult together - though a few of them looked a little unhappy about being pulled away from their tasks, and at least two of those who'd been speaking with Auguinare looked rather disappointed at the loss of a way to completely obliterate their foes. The gathering area was mostly lacking in places to sit, though a few of the cultists had brought along small cushions to kneel on - they seemed to be mainly of the opinion that meetings were a time for listening, and remaining on the floor helped to emphasize the relative positions within the organization.