Journey to the Red Tomes

Folks have been making pilgrimages to the Red Tomes for a very long time. Only recently has the passage to and from been fraught with peril. Actions taken by a few passerby resulted in the pilgrimage path being open once again. Yet when Astraea spoke with the Archscholar about this ancient holy site to Vellichor she had not recalled it. Seeing as this was in the realm of the Scholars, the northern princess was content to hand the project off.

With Blessed Bianca's wisdom the Redrain princess saw the benefit in traveling with the select few members of the discipleship to keep them safe on their pilgrimage. It's the hope of those who set out on this expedition to ascertain the condition of the shrine and its contents and to cleanse the holy site (via ritual purification, mop and bucket and whatever other means necessary) so that no evils may take root from the profane experiences that have accrued over the time it was inhabited by Shards.

Most important are the ancient slabs speaking of the stand against demons. There may pertinent information that may help in the fight against the Abyss and demonkind, or perhaps the hint of other long forgotten holy sites. Whatever awaits the pilgrimaging scholars will surely be worthy of recovery and at worst the shrine is restored to it's full glory and Vellichor's faithful have done their duty.

Samael is what he believes is called a Seeker of Knowledge, those among the Vellichor-touched blessed with the ability to seek out lost knowledge. He isn't exactly sure what his abilities afford him but when presented with the opportunity to seek out an ancient holy site for Vellichor he jumped at it. Hopefully he will not only be of use on the trip, but also might learn some more about his gifts.

Aiden is going along on the trip, using this as opportunity to go on pilgrimage while also protecting the other pilgrims. It's a good excuse to get out of the city for a while at the very least and serve the god of Vellichor at the same time. Being a scholar and an explorer, he couldn't possibly turn down the chance to treck to the Red Tomes. Maybe there will be answers to questions, maybe there will be more questions upon the backs of other questions, but the thing is, being there to witness it is as important. If anything, he will get a chance to participate and /learn/ about the purification ritual.

Theron is going to be helping escort these brave entrepreneurs to the Red Tomes. He has expertise in fighting things, obviously, and he'll carry his leather set and his alaricite sword, Adamant. He might also bring his heirloom sword, Allegiance, since she needs to see some action.

Isolde is a lover of collecting and reading new knowledge! So she's ecstatic at the chance to come along for the trek to the Red Tomes, even if danger might be involved. Her particular focus is trying to ascertain the condition of the shrine and to cleanse it. Aka that ritual purification Astraea mentioned! The princess is not afraid to get a mop and bucket out either--but her main concern is that the books held within are safe from corruption or abyssal influence.

Alis is a last minute addition to the party, but she is still prepared! Not only can she help solve any riddles that may present themselves, but she is also handy with a flail and armor. Hopefully the latter won't be needed, but one can never be too careful. The bonus is any possible information that can help in the fight against demons. She is /keenly/ interested in such things.

On the second visit to the hamlet of Harrington, between Aviaron and the Gray Forest, no one there had heard of the Red Tomes. In fact, all mention of the Red Tomes seemed scoured away, with the group only being greeted by confused looks at any inquiry, and the local signs that had been there before are just gone. Despite having visited the area before, they all have trouble remembering exactly where, but Samael just has a -feeling- on the right direction. Even so, an area seems surprisingly overgrown, and the overgrowth on what was once a path was so thick they had to cut through it with axe and sword to clear the way, it being difficult even by foot.

But eventually, as Samael just feels in his bones the right path, the thick wood gives way to a dirt path, then cobblestone, then to ancient stairs carved into the side of a hill, and they are climbing along a rocky, hidden path to the top of a cliff. And at the top of the cliff, are thirteen different ancient standing stones in a circle, in what should have been a peaceful and ancient place of worship, with a symbol of the Tome of Vellichor carved on a sign to welcome them. It should have been peaceful and serene. Should have.

Each of those ancient stones has been utterly defiled. While it's difficult to tell underneath the blood and gore over each, it looks like the ancient writing has been scoured from the rock surface. Slung over each of the standing stones is a crucified form of a rotting body of what might have been a Knight of Solace judging by the tattered armor, but it looks like each was flayed alive, and then an inversed symbol of the pantheonic symbol of each stone was carved into their flesh. In the forehead of each body, the word 'SLAVE' was carved deep enough that it cut into the bone. The ground around the Red Tomes stones is probably worse.

Covering the ground is a solid mass of insects, so thick and writhing it would be at least knee high, possibly millions of them. Beetles, centipedes, milipedes, flies, grubs, ants... just a solid mass of millions of them. As the party approaches, the buzzing from the solid mass seems to start to oddly sound like words, "zzzzZZZZZZZZZXICUTL... XICUTL COMES... XICUTL COMES...ZZZXICUTL WILL FEED UPON YOUR NAMEZZZZZ..." And then the solid mass of millions of insects, seemingly all as one, charges right at them.

It's like a tidal wave of dark buzzing flesh that stretches towards the sky, a wave of horror that will collapse right upon them, but as it is about to crash upon them and they all prepare for the worst, the little stone marker with the Tome of Vellichor starts to glow, and they all feel a heat. There's a sudden flash of light, with the symbol of the Tome of Vellichor showing as an afterimage into their gaze, and they see the mass sworm of insects disintegrate as the flash of white light hits them. There is a smell of char and ash, and a sharp wind starts to blow. A gale force wind, strong enough that it is difficult to keep their footing, and all the gore, grim, desecrated bodies, all of is whipped away from the stones and blow away as they all struggle to stand.

And then, just as suddenly as it came, the wind is gone.

And they are left alone with thirteen stones, with surfaces that had been scoured clear of writing.