The First Mercy
The First Mercy
“The first clue to the world's blood-soaked curse lies beneath a shrine that remembers every act of mercy.”
— Hook · investigation
“For three nights, the quiet creatures of Briar Glen have become killers, and the attacks are spreading. Sister Maelin Voss begs you to investigate the ruined shrine where the first blood-maddened beast was found. She believes the shrine holds the first clue to a forgotten truth that may determine whether the curse can ever be stopped.”
— Hook · investigation
Briar Glen is gathered around a dead ox in the village square. Its hide is covered in deep claw marks, but its mouth is packed with red wildflowers that grow only around the ruined shrine. Sister Maelin Voss explains that the ox had been gentle for years, while Orren Pike describes seeing a stag change from calm to murderous in a single breath. Before the party can begin, a distant animal screams from the edge of town.
Sister Maelin Voss
Sister Maelin Voss approaches the party in the village square after hearing that they have dealt with dangerous creatures before. She offers food, simple lodging, and access to the chapel records in exchange for investigating the attacks before the village is abandoned.
Rumours
d5 · table- 01The animals do not attack until someone bleeds near them.
- 02The old shrine bell rings even though the bell tower collapsed decades ago.
- 03A red-haired traveler has been seen leaving offerings beneath the shrine at dusk.
- 04Saint Orra was not a saint at all, but the last person to make peace between rival peoples.
- 05The curse began when the moon turned the color of fresh blood.
If the party fails, Briar Glen becomes the first openly corrupted settlement in the region, and the Red Communion gains the seal fragment. If they succeed, the immediate outbreak is contained, but they learn that the curse is part of a larger collapse involving forgotten sanctuaries and ancient acts of mercy.
Background Lore
Centuries ago, the first wardens of the Dawn Covenant sealed a sacred truth beneath the ruined shrine of Saint Orra: the world is not merely cursed, it is being slowly emptied of its instinct for restraint. A hidden force called the Red Communion leaks through old sanctums, turning neutral creatures and monsters into frenzied predators. The curse advances through blood, dreams, and acts of uncontrolled violence. Most surviving records were destroyed because the truth also revealed that the original seal was built from the willingly offered blood of several ancient peoples, and its protection is failing.
Briar Glen is suffering a sudden wave of unnatural animal attacks. The creatures were previously calm, the violence began near the ruined shrine of Saint Orra, and a local priest believes the shrine may contain a clue to the spreading curse. The villagers need investigators who can survive the woods, protect the settlement, and uncover what is causing the bloodlust.
