Session 16: The Corrupted Chalice and the Red Oracle

Inside the cathedral of House Marrow, the party confronts Lord Corvin Marrow. Despite their efforts to talk him down, Corvin's paranoia and madness, fueled by the presence of the 🗝️ Chalice of Concord, lead to a violent struggle. The party defeats him, and in his final moments, a flicker of sanity returns to his eyes. He looks at Vesper and whispers:

Do good.

Moss picks up the 🗝️ Chalice of Concord, but its influence is immediate. Vesper is overcome by a sudden, intense jealousy and a dark desire for destruction. Moss hands the artifact to Vesper, as they were the one to land the final blow on Corvin. As Vesper holds the chalice, the shadow of their past as a soul reaper begins to resurface.

As the party prepares to leave, Parsons appears, backed by a small army. He holds two captives: Cantor and the “cat god.” He offers a trade: the artifacts for the lives of the prisoners. To prove his ruthlessness, Parsons murders Cantor, turning him into a pile of ash before ordering his troops to fire.

Just as the situation turns dire, four “Crimson Tears” tear open in the air. Four mysterious figures from The Red Oracle step through:

• Valera: The leader, wearing flowing crimson robes and a smooth, expressionless mask inscribed with glowing red bone runes.
• A broad-shouldered warrior with crimson wraps and jagged, shifting tattoo runes.
• A slender, unsettling woman with a mask featuring a single vertical eye.
• A ceremonial figure in heavy robes with a mask shaped like a closed book.

The figure with the book mask creates a powerful shield, effortlessly blocking the magic of Parsons' army. Valera addresses the High Mage:

You will not take these tonight, or ever.

Valera and her companions dismiss Parsons, noting his failures and his hubris. Parsons, sensing he is outmatched, issues a final challenge before retreating with his army:

If you want to trade, I'm in my new home town, called Lunaris.

Valera introduces herself as the leader of The Red Oracle. The warrior among them warns the party that they were saved only because of their importance to prophecy, not their strength. The oracles reveal that Parsons was the original Anchor, but he failed, as he had attempted to anchor himself to all the gods. Durim had previously attempted to fix things, but couldn't.

Valera points to Vesper, identifying them as corrupted. The 🗝️ Chalice of Concord is tainted, and its corruption is beginning to spread to the other artifacts. To cleanse it, the party must return to Moss's grove. Moss realizes the item they need: the 🗝️ Seed of the Grand Tree, which has been protected at the heart of the grove.

The party takes shelter to rest, but the influence of the corrupted artifacts makes sleep difficult for Moss and Sol. The weight of the items and the spreading taint cast a shadow over their upcoming journey.