This small stone building is the villages temple to
Aére, the patron god of
The Kingdom of Aéredon. Most of the villagers here are firm believers and partake in the various holidays celebrated traditionally among the
Prime Celestials devout servants. The
Dawn Priestess,
Sister Reya, a wood elf druid, leads the temple. She often spends her days between performing holy rituals for the people and traveling the farming families surrounding the town in the Torren Woodlands.
Kane's Conversation with Sister Reya
When first arriving in town,
Kane Rock-Eater came here to speak with
Sister Reya and ask her questions about the dreams he has been having involving a large brewing storm of energy on top of a huge mountain. She told him, the place he was describing was most likely
The Eternal Spires, the mountain range that divides the continent in half. It was the result of an ancient war between the gods, when the
Gods of Light, led by
Aére, defeated the
Betrayer Gods buried them under these mountains. Some people have tried to climb these mountains, but none have survived.
Kane then asks her about other Gods, specifically his own chosen deity, the God of the Storm,
Paraxus.
Sister Reya admits she is not as familiar with his teachings or ways, but she recommends, he visit
The Proving Grounds,
Paraxus' Temple, in the capital city of
Emerald Bay.
Questions About Curses and Monsters
The following day, after their companion
Alear is believed to be cursed, the party brings him to
Sister Reya for her help. She says she has seen this only a couple of times. Once several decades ago, there was a wealthy family of rabbitfolk named the
Ruden's. Shortly after helping the town of
Benton get established, their home was destroyed in a huge fire that killed all of them, save their youngest son, a 6 year old boy named
Archie. He was found in the forest nearby, possessed by a curse which manifested in dark clouds of shadows, leaking out and enveloping his entire body. She was unable to save him before he was taken by the shadows into the
Shadowfell.
The other was a teen from the village, several years ago, named
Moreen Yarbough. She was attacked by her boyfriend in the woods and he put a curse on her when she wanted to end the relationship with him.
Sister Reya performed
Greater Restoration and removed the curse, saving her. It was then found that she had been raped by him before he fled, leaving her pregnant and alone with a boy,
Benji.
Several other kids have gone missing in
Benton but no one has ever discovered what has happened to them. All told,
Sister Reya recalls 7 other children who have mysteriously disappeared since she arrived here, in 53 AoR.
The party then asks
Sister Reya if she can help
Alear. She says she will do what she can and pray over him in the temple while they go deal with the monsters, who they have tracked to coming from the
Ruden Manor, just on the edge of the town, eastward.
