After a brief respite following their travels with Athen Ligrant to Weft the group was given a task to travel to Rivenden due to reports that local nobleman Roderick Lamar III has put up a localized Labor Lottery contract reporting strange sounds coming from the well as well as persistent nightmares and brief feelings of rage spreading throughout the town. Athen believes the timeline corresponds to the Weave's repair and wants this contract handled before it goes to the federal government for verification. Keep things quiet, and potentially bring whatever or whoever is responsible back to them for potential recruitment or analysis. The plan was for the group to travel to Rivenden via a nearby ferry in Kickini, a fishing village not even on the map, the group negotiated use of Athen's cart which she reluctantly gave. The group would be reimbursed for their expenses within reason and paid an additional 340 gp on top of the contract payment.   The group made their way to Kickini, a few days into their travel the group encountered a handful of oddly damp stones blocking the road. On closer analysis the stones dissolved into 4 gray oozes which attacked the group seeking food. Clever use of horse feed and magic defeated the opponents but not before Shahana Zinvalur was knocked unconscious in a final divine act. The group was revived and continued their progress to Kickini without many issues.   In Kickini the group stayed at an inn known as The Swimming Salmon, purchased their tickets or forged them for later use, and rented out a stall at a stable while they are away at Rivenden. They hear reports of a strange reclusive Gnome who goes by the name Hinzyl “Zook” Ficklefire who established the energy network used by the town tied to the hydroelectric dam. Additionally STACI offers to "download" the ability to swim into Dorian, who was nervous to travel via ferry. The group left the following morning and spent 2 days on an uneventful ferry ride arriving in Rivenden at roughly midday. Dorian did not sleep in the latter half of this trip.   On arrival in Rivenden, the group found a comfortable tavern Flights and Fancy run by the Half-Orc Bola. Dorian passed out in her room while Zahiri Sapir hit the town and purchased snacks before returning. Charlie Anderson used this time to explore the town with his familiar Archimedes and noticed the ravens would follow the owl though were seemingly not-hostile. When Dorian awoke, she found herself freezing cold and could not recall any details of her dream, though she wrote it off as an open window.   The group reconvened and traveled to the Lamar estate to gather information on the contract, finding it in a state of heavy disrepair and entirely surrounded by a conspiracy of ravens. Charlie and Dorian, checked the well and heard a low hissing sound and a deep guttural moan. A brief conversation with Roderick Lamar III revealed a persistent dream with a dark tunnel and bright glowing blue eyes. Dorian recalled this information from her dream on a mention. They decided they would enter the well tomorrow morning after a long rest and Shahana Zinvalur used this time to purchase a small cask of mead for Roderick Lamar III. This night, both Zahiri and Dorian had the common nightmare, discovering a figure at the end of the tunnel with bright red hair, ancient rusted armor, and piercing blue eyes glowing brightly.   The group entered the well, Mal Auvryani discovered and identified abnormally large snake skins in the cavern that opened to them. They traveled further into the caves hearing low moans that echoed through the cavern and the fluttering of wings coming from seemingly no source. The end of the tunnel opened up into a reservoir of water with a pile of rubble seemingly burying a humanoid surrounded by a large poisonous snake. Zahiri attempted to bribe it with rations but while convincing, only showed the snake the location of easier to access food though she also revealed 2 additional snakes that had been waiting to ambush the creature trapped in the rubble. A short battle after left Charlie as the only one who fell unconscious. The group uncovered the trapped creature, a Human woman with bright red hair, ancient armor, glowing blue eyes, and deep open wounds who introduced herself as Lady Mindy Montegraw.   The group had a long conversation with Mindy where it was revealed that she has a deep hatred of the Lamar family due to their cruel past of vicious taxation, blaming them for the death of her family. She recalled a story where she was once loyal to the Lamar family, when her family needed simple shelter from a blizzard the Lamar's rejected them and her husband and son perished in the snow. She attacked the Lamar Estate but was cut down by other knights and dumped in the well where she froze to death. She was seemingly confused by the year, believing it to be the winter of 615 XE and she was unable to see the damage done to her armor or her body. Charlie used a Detect Magic spell to show her form was radiating a faint aura of Necromatic magic and began to tie Mindy Montegraw to The Raven Queen which would explain the Necromatic magic, the numerous ravens, and the intricate rusted etchings adorning her armor. A lengthy conversation calmed Mindy down, and an agreement was made that if they could prove Roderick Lamar III was a good person she would spare him, otherwise she would cut him down as that was the oath she made before death.   Dorian gave Mindy clothing to wear above ground and escorted her to the surface for food and character witnesses. The group spoke with Bola and other merchants and farmers in Rivenden who only had worried remarks but otherwise good things to say of Roderick Lamar III. Finally, they brought her to meet Roderick Lamar III to finish the contract and solidify his character. A brief, somewhat messy, conversation nearly caused Roderick Lamar III to call for the authorities due to their strange behavior but they quickly wrote that off as delirium from trip under the well. They convinced Roderick that Mindy was thrown in the well by an unknown assailant and he swore this would never occur again. Mindy, seemingly neutralized, left the estate not entirely convinced of his character but was willing to allow him to live for now. Unsure of where she is to go now, the group asked her to travel with them explaining that they might have resources to help her, she agreed and they made plans to return to Weft swiftly.  

Contract

A nearby nobleman, Roderick Lamar III, has reported strange sounds emanating from their manor's well in Rivenden . These sounds seem to coordinate with horrible nightmares and brief bouts of rage afflicting the entire village. The task was listed on their local Labor Lottery but hasn't been sent to be spread to other settlements yet. Athen Ligrant believes this coordinates with the restructure of the Weave and that magic is involved. She wants this job to be done before it draws the attention of the Legion Marred and for the group to investigate the cause itself.

Objectives

• Resolve the contract subtly
• Consider recruiting involved parties

Rewards

• 340 gp + Contract Payment (50 gp)