Dripping Varral
Sir,
I've attached a copy of the details you wanted from that incident near the lake. We've managed to pick up a couple of the gang members when they've sought help from the temple, but I'm sorry to say that there have been more reported sightings of Varral.
I've attached a copy of the details you wanted from that incident near the lake. We've managed to pick up a couple of the gang members when they've sought help from the temple, but I'm sorry to say that there have been more reported sightings of Varral.
Varral was of uncertain parentage and like many with no family or clan he ended up in the cavern of the unclaimed. He was taken in by one of the gangs that contest the caves and tunnels of that mostly lawless cavern as a means of bolstering their numbers. Put almost straight to work it didn’t take long for the older children to realise that Varral had little to no talent so he was assigned the most menial of tasks.
Frequently the target of the others’ jokes Varral had a miserable life until one of the older and craftier children made friends with him. Varral’s new friend, Migan, had realised that he could get himself a loyal follower with little more than a display of a little sympathy. Varral held Migan in awe after a few words were enough to quiet his tormentors. Of course Varral never knew that Migan had encouraged the taunts in the first place.
Having Varral around to watch his back helped keep Migan alive and when Migan found a way to make his way back to the Crystal Spires he took his loyal follower with him. As Migan set about building his gang by the edge of Dagasa lake Varral was once again assigned to drudge work since he had not shown skill for anything else.
While this history was built from the testimony of the other members of the gang Varral belonged to, there were enough similarities in their stories for it to be believeable. It seems Varral possessed little to no power or talent which makes the events described below all the more disturbing.
Varral remained in his role as a loyal but inept member of Migan’s gang for many years until one evening he returned to their lair telling a crazy tale. According to Varral he had been abducted and taken to Thilden caves to be tortured for information. There was no way this could have happened during the period since the last time he had been seen, and with Varral reeking of beer it was taken as a rather pathetic excuse. As punishment Migan ordered two lackeys, Othel and Hyren, to throw Varral in the lake to sober up.
Varral begged for this not to happen, and as he hit the water it quickly became clear why. He couldn’t swim, and as he sank Othel and Hyren just laughed and watched him drown. A sad but not unsurprising end to a pitiful life. But matters didn’t end there.
The next night one of the gang members arriving at their lair noticed a pair of soaking boots and damp boot prints leading from the lake. Assuming it was just some local children playing a game he thought no more of it. However, the next night this assumption blown apart.
In the middle of the night the door to the lair was blown clear off its hinges and flew across the room. Varral, dripping and slightly bloated from water stood in the doorway and many of those inside were stunned and unable to move at the sight. A few words from the apparition were enough to send Othel fleeing out into the street and straight towards the nearest temple.
By the time anyone else could move again, Varral had moved deeper into the lair. He was next seen by Hyren who was waiting in Migan’s room. Even as he retreated from the person he had killed he felt voices in his head as if the figure had brought the echoes of Thilden caves with him. Those still in the entrance were also assaulted by some kind of force as the chill and blackness of the grave swept over them. Most managed to stagger out of the area affected but there was one death.
Hyren's cries brought the rest of the gang on that side of the darkness running but they found the door to Migan’s room locked from the inside. When they managed to break the door down they found Hyren lying in a heap in the corner of the room.
The details of Varral's death have been confirmed as far as possible, and despite several wild exaggerations the core parts of the story above appear to be true. Some of the information was obtained through a somewhat distateful practice of conversing with some of the corpses which those from the temple are normally reluctant to employ. However, the events described by the survivors convinced them to put aside their reluctance in this case.
Experts were sent from the temple to check the area and they have confirmed that there is no residual taint. It seems unlikely that someone like Varral could manifest like this but the link to Thilden is concerning. Further consultation with Voices of Wisdom may be required.
I think you'll agree that it is a relief that the area itself is not tainted, but that leaves us with the question of how Varral came back. I'm aware that there are vengeful spirits but these are usually people of some power, if this could happen to anyone then the area around the lake would be teeming with such entities. We will continue to investigate but I fear we may hear more of Varral.-Excerpt from a temple report
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