31/05/2020 – The Evil is Cleansed (6)
Removing the Evil
Alexis takes his gauntlet off and shakes his hand. It was painful but did not lasting damage. Eadbehrt does some divination to determine if Alexis has been affected magically, but comes to the conclusion that the power of the Skull is spent and that was its last gasp.
Alexis picks up the cloth that was bathed in holy water and picks up the skull with it. Leofric says these evil relics need to be taken to York Minster and locked away, to which Father Dudda agrees. He gets out a sack and puts the skull and the bowl into it, being careful not to touch them.
They consider the carvings and drawings on the wall. Leofric makes some crude copies on a scroll to get the gist of what they are saying. Eadbehrt suggests they are more symbolic than have a meaning in themselves.
The Mine should be Collapsed
They leave the cave and head out of the mine, where Doerwine, Cyneric and the others are keeping guard. The others are pleased that everything has gone smoothly.
Leofric tells them at some point in the future they will need to come and make sure the mine tunnels are collapsed. Burn the supports and make sure no one can reach that evil place, possibly in the winter. Doerwine agrees though he knows every little about mining.
Talking to Agnes
They depart for Welburn and as they approach Agnes’s house, wonder if someone should talk to her. Alexis says it should not be him and Eadbahrt says he will do it. The others can continue to Welburn.
Eadbehrt sees a new burial mound in the garden and first pays his respects, then knocks on Agnes’s door. She answers and her manner is not friendly but she does talk to him.
Eadbehrt says they have taken the people from the Shrine and Agnes is not surprised. She reveals that she drugged Maethild after their first meeting, expecting them go to the Shrine that evening, but they did not. If they had told her when they were going she could have acted, but they did not. Eadbehrt diplomatically agrees they should have told her.
What were the Cultists doing?
He asks her about the Spider Cultists and she says they come occasionally, on some of the festival days, but they always wear the masks of animals. She can tell from their voices they are not Normans and do not come from Yorkshire. She says they put a spirit into Maethild to act as a guardian to the Shrine and to ensure her co-operation.
He then asks about what they were doing in the Shrine. She says they were trying to make an angry spirit, possibly just manifesting the male aspect of the God / Goddess, to take on physical form. It was draining those poor people to do it. She says they will be coming here as they will know that their Shrine has been invaded.
Their ultimate plan is to overthrow the Normans and return to the days of magic. She gives the impression she supports their goal, but not their methods. When Eadbehrt agrees, she chastises him for keeping the company of Normans and Christians.
When Eadbehrt suggests that they work together against them, she is reluctant to commit. She says she will think about it, but appears to take one last look around, as though she plans to leave and not return. Eadbehrt tries to change her mind, but she tells him it is time for him to go.
The Evil is Cleansed
When the rest of the party reach Welburn, Father Dudda wraps the items from the cave in an altar cloth and locks them away in a compartment of the altar in his church. They keep this secret from the villagers and the survivors, but Leofric does tell them that the evil has been vanquished.
Alexis asks if the survivors are in a fit state to travel, but three of them are still ill. Leofric says they need a few more days yet. He suggests that there is no rush, the issue with the mill has been resolved.
Alexis suggests an assessment on a daily basis and they could get a cart from the Reeve. He is keen to leave this village now. There is other evil out there to deal with. Leofric suggests they have kicked over a stone and found a nest of evil that will need to be investigated further.
Eadbehrt returns and tells the other Seekers about his conversation with Agnes, especially about the Cultists visiting during the festivals.
Evensong Celebration
They have a rest and Father Dudda gathers the villagers together for an evensong celebration. Father Dudda gives a small sermon, in which he says the evil blight that he sensed a year ago in the mill after the disappearance of Joric has been banished.
Father Dudda admits he did not mention this to the rest of the village, he waited, watched and prayed. The Lord sent these four people to us to help us. The evil in the old mine has been cleansed of evil and its victims have been rescued. All is now well and they sing Christian songs of deliverance and celebration. Dudda shares the communion wine.
Visitors Around the Festivals
Doerwine has a talk with Leofric thanking for his help. He is still a little upset that Leofric did not share information with him, but he is pleased that they helped them. Leofric and Eadbehrt then ask him about visitors, especially around the festivals.
The Reeve is not able to help them too much. They do not get many visitors expect peddlers and traders from York who come every year. There are very few strangers come here and he does not pay much attention, so long as they do not cause problems.
Where could the Cultists Be?
The Seekers spend the rest of the evening discussing amongst themselves about the Cult, how they are operating and where they could be based. They are likely to be based in the north, where Norman control is weak and centred mainly around Durham. Another possibility is Wales.
Leofric has a lingering suspicion that they would need an important local, such as the Reeve, to be on their side in order to achieve their goals. Æthelwyn points out that they could be based in nearby villages and the mines themselves are part of a different Lord’s lands.
They consider the possibility of them coming for the next festival, but as today is the 27th of September, the next festival will be Samhaim, which is a big one but will not be for another month.
Talking to the Survivors
The morning brings mixed blessings. The survivor who was unconscious in a fever has come out of that fever, but another who was unconscious but showed no signs of problems, passed away in the night. Father Dudda arranges a burial.
The Seekers interrogate the survivors, asking for as much detail as possible about how they were captured and who took them. Most tell stories of men in animal masks surprising, kidnapping and using magic on them. They were tied up and forced to walk for miles.
The masks were pigs, dogs, horses. They could have been skulls painted and decorated or just wooden. It was hard to tell.
Keeping Watch
They discover that Aesc has still not returned from York, which is now the talk of the village.
Alexis becomes restless and concerned that the Cultists may now be coming to the village. He goes out alone on his horse to watch the roads but sees nothing.
As evening falls he returns to the church. He notices how quiet it is and there is a strange feeling in the air, like the one he felt when they first explored the hills.