Syreen LeDev

The Broker's place is ostentatious. Servant all over the place.

Wounded and got back to Spice Market to be healed after explosion.   The Oxen came from the Drovers of Black Mountain; Ranch just outside of town.   Since we are in town, we have Asher take us to the Map Maker.   Dead tree of life in the center of the building. Celesnian Beatle collected (3 quintessence). Tree has been cut off from power node by the black tower and the building it was in. I am pissed. I am trying to figure out a way to undo this...   Asher took Death's head Mushroom and put it in his bag.   Fixed point in Fate. Roots what happened, trunk now, branches what will happen. Branches gone.   Silver robed Keeper, who hates treasure hunters. Was a Sword Master. Didn't like us. Asher bribes a Marked. Find map.   Tomb of Asher's father. Thad Roulet is his last name.   Spiders with 10 legs that exist in the spirit and physical world. One becomes humanoid and begins to talk Vassago is his name.   Map to get to mining ship. Orlin got the ore. Betty got crew and cargo.   Map Maker is a Spider BioMechanical God of Fate. Gave map of how to get to broker. Favor: Kill/Purify the corrupt evil.   Map for the Broker to Ascend to Godhood. Artifact in the black tower and this is a map of how to get it. The Umbra of Telestri. (All clues received)  

The Orlin was carrying ore, in the 2nd process of refinement.   Interrogation of the Head of the pirate captain let us know that they worked for the broker and had done a job by the Promethean Pillars.   Apone is now an Ally.   Aside information as to where we are now with people: Allies: Apone, Goliath Pirate Aesher, Telestri Commoner, River Pilot Gaje the windfiner, Captain of the Nakasta   Mentor: Garo the Swordmaster (level 2)   Influence: The Conclave (Nashrantari Paladins of the Tree of Life) House of Nermatta   Contacts: Nyx, Eclipse Caste of the Black Tower (Servant) Metis (Messenger of the Broker)       Pillar chest cave: Sight Entropy Sight Prime Sight Spirit Sight Forces Sight Mind   Pillar of Prometheus (Mother of the River), the tunnel of the heart of the river shows a giant female form holding its chest open. Sailing into it and performing the sight ritual you are made aware innate connection to the flow of the river itself, always within the banks always changing and the connection to the people who the river feeds and kills. The cycle of life and rebirth. The tunnel burns with the essence of every soul ever claimed by the river and in the heart of the statue you feel a node to the the primal nexus. This statue has captured the spiritual essence of everyone born or died at the edge of the river for what looks like thousands of years. The statue remembers being honored as the Goddess of the River by people now lost to time. A powerful spirit lays dormant in the Statue, sleeping and dreaming of times when its forgotten people will return and worship it again. The statue influences the force and violence of the river.   Gathering point of energy.   Found the wreck of the Betty. 1 body found out of a crew of 12-20. Body had chest burst open.   References meeting with the Map Maker who has the special map. Navigating to special location to get item. Navigating to heart of the river to wait until full moon. Grabbing mage locked maps. Found 30 platinum.   The crystal that holds the consciousness of the ship has been fractured through the introduced flaw in the ship's crystal. 1. Sabotaged crystal 2. Mind Connection - The first mate of the ship approached the ship and sabotaged it implanting the idea that the ship's new mission that the ship does not navigate safely to it's destination.   Crystal go explode. I am Wounded after ritual. Must give birth or Kill a soul to gain more quintencance.   Bought out Apone's Contract Hunted Flaw.

Gates of Erubus (Sea Cave going under/towards the city) The Promethean Pillars (Thick ancient carved stone faces that stand in a cluster around a body of channels and caves) The Umbral Channel (an old trade cave that was considered a primary route to the deeper mountains but isn't used much anymore) The Blood Caves (the water has a red/brown color here) Hullbreaker Stone/Skull Rock (a large island stone in a basin in the river and a common site for shipwrecks)   We go to Hullbreaker Stone/Skull Rock.   We rescue another ship. I swing with style from the Nocasta to the other ship.Rescuing the crew of the Oilin.   Beheaded the pirate captain. Befriended the 1st Mate of the Oilin. First Mate of the Olin is a Golaith name Apone.

Ascher, a younger elf, local pilot. Hiding Something, do not bear ill intent. They have their own interest in finding Betty. It is a matter of concern to them. They are out of their depth in whatever they are involved in.   River Folk are more kind. Gates of Erabus. Goes under the black tower.   Ascher is marked by fate for sword and fate. Has Focus. Are Magic. Made a Just killing and are not tainted by the stain of a bad death. Think the sword is magical, heirloom, storied blade.   Taught Ascher basic blade work. He is now an Ally.

I begin the day with rumors during breakfast: -The Ma'ven have holed up in Caves in the North Canyon, and one of the caves leads to under the black tower itself.   -The Ma'ven have a plot to corrupt one of the great moons during the upcoming alignment.   -The Black Tower assassinated a Nashrantari princess as a show of force against the royalist factions.   -A the Betty, a ship that was transporting cargo upriver went into a sea cave and was never seen again, siezed by the Ma'ven or taken by monsters.   -There is a mercenary company looking for skilled adventurers to make an attempt to find the ruins of a Kirinal Temple.  

Deimos the cat follows me around. I look to the bathroom and find: In the bathroom of Lord Erubus "We are all but the dreams of shadow."   "There are many evils and no evil worse than that of aposte." Someone who renounces faith.   Princess and Garo possible kidnapping by the Ma'ven. Lord Erbus = High Priest in charge of Inquisitors.   Messenger of the Broker of Fates meets me outside the tower with a letter:   "Syreen Ledev,   Welcome to the Black City, I was sad to hear about the attack you experienced, nasty stuff, may the protection of the twin gods light your way.   You of course now have a choice to make. You can return to your ship and sail away and forget everything you have seen here, or you can start asking questions to people who do not want to be asked questions about things they do not want to answer.   I am only a broker of fates, but before you can have a fate to trade in my market, you must make a choice. I have sent favours for your interest regardless.   Walk away, and you will receive a great treasure and safe passage home. Stay and look for answers and my messenger will provide something that might help.   The Broker"   Metis, the brokers messenger, leads me through the streets after I reject the fortune in jewels.   Remembers that the attacker said "All blood is equally pure." - Bulls bread for sacrifice. Blood Magic Forbidden.   Sadie - Blood Magic...   There is an encounter... I am reluctant to discuss... but I survive it and make my way.

Mentor: Garo Mat'Ledev: Garo wields a sword called the consumer of virtue that steals power from any creature it draws blood from.   You are a passenger aboard the Nashrantari flagged ship Naksatra, captained by Prince Gaja the windfinder. You are traveling to Telestri, Garo Mas'Ledev is here as your mentor. You are escorting High Princess Nermatta to the Telestri conclave on the matter of the Mav'en Heresy.   Telestri is an Elvish theocracy where the church of the Moon dominates all culture and society.   The Mav'en are a populist heresy attempting to displace the doctrine of revelation, arguing that an Elf does not need the Church to act as mediators for the soul.   In the Telestri orthodoxy the Tree is the first child of the Moon. (Tree is Jesus, Moon is God).   Nermatta is here to observe and influence the proceedings of the conclave, Nermatta is part of a magocratic royalist group. (Insight or History).   Nermatta is of course of the mindset that only Elvish nobility, whose bloodlines reflect the wisdom of the Gods made manifest on earth, as displayed through the ability to command the forces of creation through magical power... are fit to rule.   Garo seems bored with it all and expects no trouble.   Nermatta has disdain for the Telestri.   The tower is the oldest structure in Erosia.   Orthodoxy - Only Holy places. Mav'en - Anywhere. "Faceless one"   Singers yeet one off the cliffside before we dock.   Meet High Priest Wey'lan.   On our way to the tower we were intercepted by a cart with 2 bulls. I alerted Garo just in time to be slammed with Blood magic from the sacrifice.   And then there was dark.   Lord Erubus' chambers. Wet flogger in a chest. Nix in the bathroom cleaning up. Gilliam arrives and explains the tower and what happened. He says I have been judged, surprisingly, though I failed at my task. I am brought food. The black cat ("Nightmare?") seems to really like me. I am brought my equipment and am ready to find out more about my surroundings.