Book 1: Souragne Session 5

Chapter 5: The Blight of Souragne

General Summary

The group, after a quick breakfast at Carol's house, sets out to attempt to discover what exactly is happening in the village of Marais d'Tarascon. First, Amoeity insists that they visit Gwen and inform her of what happened to her brother. Carlos offered to introduce them and did so. Gwen's home was next door and though she was clearly upset at the lost of her brother, she did not seem surprised nor could she offer any assistance in discovering what was happening there. After this rather awkward conversation, the group went back to the Crescent Moon Inn to see if Sempronia Sornatis had anything to offer. She was genuinely surprised when they mentioned that someone had unlocked to barn to let the zombies escape the night before, though she was clearly unconcerned about it. Nor was she overly concerned about the blight, stating that it appeared to be gone from the village and she never saw any signs of it in the swamp. She, however, did not seem convinced that a blight could easily move from vegetation to humanoids.
Victor notices that the wooden stars hanging from the windows in the Inn are made with sticks and red twine. The same time of twine that Carlos said he found on the effigies. When asked about it, Hendrick says he made them and thought they worked well with their theme. He said he purchased it from the general store and a lot of people use them to make effigies that they hang in their windows and sometimes farmers use it for tomatoes or corn.
Heading to the general store, they meet Maria Floret who agrees to sell them some of the twine in exchange for Norikami's assistance with stocking the shelves after she closes for the evening. She also looks up who last purchased the red twine after they told her they were working with Carlos and tells the group that Priest Armond, Jessie Tarascon, and Hendrick had all recently purchased some of the twine. While she was in the backroom with Norikami obtaining the insect nets they wished the purchase, Amoeity looked through the ledger to determine if she was telling the truth, but he could not read the language used. At that moment, a voice spoke to him and told him they could translate the text for him if he wanted. Amoeity agreed and a moment later was able to read the text for himself. Maria had told the truth, but she also left out the fact that Carlos had also purchased some of the twine recently.
This information in hand, the group decided to question Priest Armond at the Church of Ezra. Armond, a middle age, balding man wearing light gray vestments had a number of effigies hanging in his church. These ranged from two rabbits and a fox to a noble gentlemen and a few zombies. Armond explained that the villagers worshiped both Ezra and the Loa of the swamp and though he, himself, did not worship the Loa, he was open and understanding of the villagers need. That, he saw, was the best way to teach them of Ezra, Our Lady of the Mists. He told them how Ezra was once a mortal woman who strode into the Mists to protect her people from the horrors within. It is said that her shield, a kite shield with a spring of belladonna etched upon the metal, broke into five pieces and was spread throughout the lands of the mists. When asked if they could leave the mists to return to their own homes, Armond mentions the Lantern of Ezra, a lost artifact that is said to protect those that traverse the mists.
As they spoke with the priest, it began to pour outside and as they stood in the church doorway, awaiting the rain to pass, they heard a scream to the south. Running out to investigate, they saw a tall figure in a dark, hooded cloak loaming over Carlos's body.

Report Date

06 Nov 2021