Sanguine Sunrise #29: Riddles of the Marked

General Summary

Now, we retrace our steps. Before the adventurers had entered the Yawning Portal, they sought some extra firepower with which to fight the Crimson Jewels. They were not very great at doing so, but they found a heavily tattooed man who offered to give them directions for coinage. Luthrin used magic to manipulate him into granting that information for free, and then the group quickly absconded from his position and towards his directions. When finding it, they find a ring of the debaucherous that is granting... tattoos.
They learn that some of the tattoos are magical, so Luthrin and Kurt purchase a tattoo known as a masquerade tattoo. They get additions to tattoos they already have because they are informed that they can shift it later at their own volition.
With this complete, let us return to where we last left off. As the group look up at the entrance to see what is growling at them, they see an absolutely massive figure of dark red skin staring at them. Its body was muscular, leading down to four arms that led its powerful legs in crawling in a clockwise fashion down the wall. As it got closer, it was apparent that its mouth, which was fashioned as if some sort of beak and muzzle amalgamation was attempting to communicate with them. With all its languages failing, it turns to speaking in common.
The fiendish figure reveals himself to be Ravzoth, a Blood Fiend that was forced by "Those little colorful creatures to watch the Master's Body." Ravzoth then asks if the group has any appeasement. After a short questioning, Kurt gives up his strange flesh cube, and the group watches as the powerful thing that is speaking to them rips open the cube and kills the demon that found itself trapped in it.
Then, Ravzoth asked the group if they were ready for the trials. He warned them, "If you be dullards, you may wish to write." Then, as they accepted the trials, Ravzoth moved to the blood waterfall and placed his hands into it, changing the flow of the waterfall to seemingly thicken it, but then a stream came out and started forming structures as Ravzoth recited, "In the crimson is seen beauty In the stone is seen life With one of these utilities, One must bury a sibling’s strife."  Looking about them, the group saw as the blood was forming Blood Bats in the air and a jade blade upon the ground. Unsure of what to do, the group waited out the formation, and Luthrin wrapped the blade in his chains and attempted to use it to strike the giant blood bat that formed. This fight was a slight hassle but was not too harmful. Then, Ravzoth returned, and revealed, "The answer Sanguine or Jade. I would have accepted either." 
Then, Ravzoth began the second trial. He begin tearing at the walls and narrating, "Primordials from the depths born, Made of Infernos, storms, and boulders. But the gods wanted them from limb to limb torn So the primordials created these special soldiers." The group watched as some sort of soldier of earth was forming in front of them. They looked behind what was torn and saw an image of these soldiers leading the forces of the primordial. Understanding that these soldiers were in some way generals or leaders, the group guessed an answer: "Archons," shouted Luthrin. The answer was correct.
Now, looking around the room, the group noticed the demon Ravzoth had killed was gone, but there was no demonic residue as they had seen in the past, such as in the fungal forest. Unable to question this, they watched as Ravzoth opened a hatch above them as water begin pouring in, and he lectured, "A group born of the creators Yet they do not live on your land To my master and even his foe they are traitors What is the name of this merry band?" The group were fairly confused of this group, and they stated the answer was demons. This, was seemingly incorrect. Thus, the group fought a nymph and some weeds with a taste for blood underwater. They similarly manage to reign victorious in these fights.
Finally, as the water receded, Ravzoth came down, and he stated that the answer was the Seelie Court. Then, as he once again began, more creatures like him climbed into the room, including one that seemed very similar to the demon that he had eaten from earlier. As he hid into the crowd, he told this story, "Reality was once bound in shadow Now the gates grow weak To any enemy of this lummox The chains shall a gateway reopen. Now, I see a continued streak, Perhaps someday broken, To the enemy I impose the inquisition I impose you. Give the enemy its Name. Speak" Unable to see Ravzoth, Luthrin called out, "Uzrith."
Behind the adventurers, their fiendish guide descended. He looked into Luthrin's face, then, he moved to the center of the room, traced his clawed hands over the sigils at the center, and the room lit blue. Finally, he spoke, "Follow the path."
The adventurers listened. They walked through the portal that appeared before them, and they found themselves floating in the Astral Plane. Ahead of them, they saw something that was almost unimaginable. Something that Luthrin had only caught a glance of in a drug fueled haze. They saw the titanic ruby red body of the god of blood, Haemnathuun.

Missions/Quests Completed

Entered the Astral Plane

Character(s) interacted with

Ravzoth, The Guardian

Report Date

20 Mar 2021