A letter has been left with Armand Waters, addressed To All Ordinants and Members of the Society of the Ordered Mind. The letter reads...
Founders, Ordinants, Members,
The contents of this letter I believe is a matter of some urgency that should come to the attention of the Society.
Aberrant Cult Activity - First Encounter On a previous dark, Armand had asked myself and Ordinant Zaro to investigate rumours of cult activity and disturbances in the Canal Ward, in a building very close to the former Steady Hand Inn. On this occasion a large group was assembled and basically ransacked the place. We found humans that appeared to be enthralled, Ogres caged and enthralled, a chained up beholder which was destroyed by the expedition group at the time. And a strange little girl that it was discovered was calling herself 'Zepheron'. These human 'thralls/cultists' spoke of her like she was some sort of beautiful and blissful being. I am not so sure that these humans were enthralled.
In any case, this Zepheron had a large 'third eye' prominent on her forehead. And she never openly attacked anyone in the group until mightily provoked. At which she was slaughtered. The premises were looted by the party of which I had little control over, and we soon left and closed the door behind us.
Aberrant Cult Activity -Second Encounter I was again asked by Ordinant Armand to make a follow-up investigation into the matter of what I am now calling "the Cult of Zepheron". Armand felt he wanted to make sure the place was clean, so to speak. I could find no-one to help me from the Society on this occasion, so I asked two independents to accompany me, just for safety - two sell-swords.
Upon entering the basement complex, the three of us immediately came across a group of fellow Sanctuarians that had found their way in ahead of us, waiting for their leader to return from talks further along the passageway out of sight. This second group was being lead by Spellguard Agent Blake, so I was told, and in no uncertain terms by some present, to stay out of this business. After some time, a fight broke out in the next room, a mess hall of sorts, in which many people form the second group gathered, and there again I spotted what I thought was the same Little Girl with the Third Eye. It was chaos in the room, a huge hunting spider appeared out of thin air to attack all present, a ghoul as well.. and it seemed at least one very physically strong 'cultist' was killed. The little girl here was slaughtered, her head cut off, by some lunatic of Tempus, with an axe. She also had a third eye, so I was led to believe by listening to the others. There was confusion after the battle and everone started running out of the complex, for the whole building began collapsing down around us, possibly as a result of alchemical fire materials already inside the building.
Agent Blake was very tight lipped about how she came upon this information about the cult and where to investigate it. However, we found the same venue, at roughly the same time of the dark. Very strange 'coincidence'.
So it appeared that the same cult had 're-infested' the same lair.
Sorrell Greyn's Report Not long after I returned to Upper to rest after this second investigation, a sending was made, calling for anyone associated with the Society to meet at the Town Hall to hear a report about an aberration. So I took it upon myself to hear this person since I could find no Society members available.
I met with an elf going by the name Sorrell Greyn of Morvaeril, an out of towner. Agent Blake also insisted on hearing what he had to say; so, in order not to offend the Spellguard, I suggested that the three of us talk in private on Spellguard Premises. So what I report from here on in, Agent Blake has knowledge of also. The elf did seem bewildered that he had managed to get the attention of everyone except the Society, who are best equipped to handle the following matters, of which I took extensive written notes at the time of hearing what he said :
-
1.* Sorrell said: "I was in the area commonly referred to as the Sand Caverns on personal business. While travelling east I encountered a beholder community, which is nothing unusual, except for something unsettling that I saw in their midst - A human male, with a smile as if seeing his one true love, in a cage, impaled on a stake, with a third eye as clear as day on the centre of his forehead. It would seem to me at least that he had impaled himself..." (His own words).
- 2. * Sorrell then said: "I had previously spoken to a Society Member who is no longer among the living about this matter... [concerning].. the gates of Ysinode. There is another path to the city of Ysinode that does not take you down the stairs. A different path you might say? A safer, perhaps? Upon taking it [this other path], I came to what appeared to be an extremely large portal.
Oh much safer than those horrible stairs. I was able to move freely passed their gates and step into this large portal platform."
"I was unable to [enter the portal] - hence my reporting [to the Society]. It would seem there is no direct way for mere creatures such as us to enter freely."
"I would warn you though that large beasts, known as hulks, do patrol the internal area of the gate."
I asked of the best way to contact Sorrell should the Society find need to, and he said to leave letters at the Last Stand, for he does not live in Sanctuary, and said that he does not travel to Sanctuary much.
Conclusions So in short: 1.- there is a cult of 'Zepheron', which are humans (and humanoids) who seem to worship aberrations of unknown origin that have appeared at least twice (a human male, a human little girl), bearing a 'third eye.' (I am not so sure that these 'third-eyed beings of Zepheron' are malign); and, 2. - there is a large mysterious portal out in Ysinode.
I am merely reporting as best as I can. I am not readily equipped to make threat assessments about these matters. The matter that concerns me most is determining the identity of the caged and impaled man with the third eye, among the beholder colony. Ordinant Fhasaadi Huntinghawk asked me to find Ordinant Founder Malark Amblecrown who has been missing for many years, who she believes is still alive. I hope I am wrong in thinking that this impaled man is the lost paladin Founder of the Society.
Yours in the spirit of truth,
Kepler Szul, Society Aspirant.