[RR] Never Letting Go

[Deraj]

New Beginnings

1/3/2023 - Away from the bustling towns of Britannia, in a small encampment nestled within the forests of Spiritwood under the quiet shade of the gently swaying trees and their rustling leaves, a fellowship of rangers gathered around the warmth of the hearth. Familiar faces rekindled old comraderies, and new faces brought new life to the once-quiet halls of Riverwatch. Outside, a leafless tree growing from a great stone loomed over those entering the lodge. This is where our story begins.

Having called the meeting, Tserim Arryth announced that he would be bringing the Riverwatch Rangers back out of its dormancy, reestablishing it once more as a company of rangers whose goal would be to pursue the Eight Virtues and contribute to the defense of the Kingdom of Britannia. For Tserim, his experience pursuing the path of the ranger had led him to the inescapable conclusion that in order to succeed, rangers must overcome whatever it is in their nature that propels them down lonely paths and come together in order to find the inner light. For him, the story of the Rangers of Spiritwood and of old Riverwatch would not be complete until they could truly accomplish this goal.

During their meeting, the new governor of Skara Brae, Robin Ashworth stopped by to introduce himself, and offer his support in their future endeavours. Shortly after taking his leave, the rangers adjourned their meeting.

Attendees: Tserim Arryth, Megaera Vascoti, Garnet, Okami, Lux, Mason Caine, Zoe Corvinus, Xuri.

[Deraj]

The Fires of Skara Brae

1/24/2023 - Several weeks later, reports began to emerge from scouts of Skara Brae of a column of smoke rising from deep into Spiritwood. Governor Robin Ashworth issued a call to investigate the event. News of the incident reached the halls of Riverwatch, where the rangers decided to look into the matter. Having also read earlier reports of sighting of strange, unidentified persons skulking in the forests on the outskirts of town, the rangers considered the possibility that these reports were related. They traveled westward, to a small clearing where once a hovel stood. Though the building was severely burned, it appeared to have been abandoned because of the lack of furniture and belongings amongst the rubble. Most notably among the remains, however, was a strange axe buried in a wall stained with blood. The axe, bearing an unusual craftsmanship, appeared quite crude in construction, yet unusually durable and resilient having survived the fires.

As the rangers returned to the glade, a stranger emerged from the wood and approached the ruined hovel.

Attendees: Tserim Arryth, Aimee, Lux, Megaera Vascoti, Garnet, Mason Caine, O'Brien Rigare, Zoe Corvinus, Xuri, Vospar Nylam, Khiatra Reduenya, Ssin'urn Ssussun

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2/21/2023 - Meeting once more in the lodge to discuss recent events, Tserim brought up a report he heard from Governor Ashworth at the Council Meeting about a watch tower in Spiritwood having been burned down. This watch tower had been built close to the brigand camp to the north to keep watch over it and any travelers that happen by it. Given the smoldering hovel they had recently investigated, it seemed possible that this could be more than a mere coincidence, despite the likelihood of a brigand assault being the cause of its destruction, and so the rangers were determined to investigate.

They found the watch tower, or what remained of it anyway, greeted by a sinister smell of the unrecognizable remains of a person propped up within the ruins. Both inside and out, a commotion of footprints and blood splatters told the story of a vicious melee fought only recently against a group of assailants. The rangers turned their eyes to the nearby brigand camp and sents its inhabitants fleeing into the woods in an effort to find any clues, but did not expect to discover what they eventually found. Among the belongings of one of the bandits, a journal written by one the unconscious criminals described an encounter with a mysterious traveler walking by the camp which they had planned to rob, until the guards from the nearby watch tower intervened and thwarted their efforts. That night, after having taken the traveler with them back to the watch tower, the brigands noticed fire from the tower, and heard the sounds of battle. Finding no one alive, the author of the journal noted seeing the tracks of two people traveling towards Sanctuary, but thought better than to pursue.

The rangers, however, knew they would have to pursue this lead. Braving the rancorous corridors of the outcast haven, the rangers battled their way towards the safety of the inner sanctuary and found there one of the guards of the outpost. Introducing himself as Sebastion, he told the rangers the tale of how he came to know the mysterious traveler. Though dressed roughly in torn garments and rags, Sebastion had started to realize after meeting him that this stranger was perhaps capable of handling himself in combat. Sebastion and his colleague brought the traveler to the watch post to rest, but that night a pack of yet more strangers emerged from the forest and gathered before the watch tower. What followed was a battle that even Sebastion had difficult fully recounting the fight with these unnatural foes. His companion was killed and Sebastion sustained an injury as well. After fending off the rest of the attackers, the stranger then helped the injured guard to Sanctuary, and then parted ways. After hearing his tale, the rangers helped the guardsman return to Skara Brae.

Attendees: Tserim Arryth, O'Brien Rigare, Aimee, Lux, Garnet, Okami, Zoe Corvinus, Typernion, Mason Caine, Megaera Vascoti

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2/28/2023 - While gathered in the lodge, the rangers were visited by Roysia Avelot, who bore grim tidings of an incident. Once again a fire had taken another building - this time Xuri's house of ill-repute. The rangers immediately departed to find the smoldering remains, and among them an unusual corpse that seemed to be slowly disintegrating before their very eyes. Shortly there after a man rushed into the smokey ruins demanding the rangers identify themselves. The man identified himself as Tadhg Brannoc, a druid and the grandson of Cian Brannoc.

Tadhg explained that the disintegrating bones belonged to one of the unusual woodsman that townsfolk had seen lurking at the edge of the wood. These people, Tadhg claimed, originated from the mysterious and otherworldly dark woods, venturing into this realm in search of souls to steal back into their world. Tadhg had been on the trail of these people, who he called Soul Poachers, and had tracked down a few of them to a nearby area. Their fight brought them to the brothel and soon after they had set it to the flame. After killing one, Tadhg pursued the others back into the woods, and only just returned after the fight to find the rangers investigating the building.

Tadhg joined the rangers as they returned to the glade, where he was able to see the Stone of Brannoc and the wilted tree that stood atop it. He seemed to think that it had not grown back because of a weakening of the Balance. The Stone of Brannoc, Tadhg, was known to his family as a Heartstone Tree, a kind of magical tree which is capable of possessing a deep connection to the Balance, and is passed down family lines. The Stone seemed to be attempting to repair the Balance, but appeared to be under strain. Tadhg asked for the ranger's help in restoring the Balance, in hopes of mending the tree back to health and preventing the Soul Poachers from crossing over into their realm, to which the rangers readily agreed.

Attendees: Tserim Arryth, Megaera Vascoti, Okami, Garnet, Zoe Corvinus, Mason Caine, Aimee, Roysia Avelot, O'Brien Rigare, Typernion, Lux