The Bell Beneath the Reeds
The Bell Beneath the Reeds
“Recover the bell before the flood, then decide whether the village deserves to keep it.”
— Hook · retrieve
“The silver bell that protects Briar Glen has been stolen from its shrine, and the marsh is already rising around the village. Sister Maelin believes the thief crossed the old causeway, where pale lights now move among the reeds. If the bell is not recovered before nightfall, the next flood may isolate the village and awaken whatever is answering its call.”
— Hook · retrieve
Rain drums against the shrine roof as Sister Maelin leads the characters into a locked reliquary chamber. The bell's velvet cushion is empty, the door bears no sign of forced entry, and muddy water trickles from beneath the stone threshold. Outside, a distant silver note sounds from somewhere deep in the marsh.
Sister Maelin Voss
Sister Maelin approaches the party during a storm, offering food, shelter, and a modest reward in exchange for recovering the shrine's stolen bell before the next high water.
Rumours
d6 · table- 01The bell can be heard even when it is underwater.
- 02Corin Vale was expelled from the shrine after accusing the elders of lying about Saint Orra.
- 03Pale lanterns have appeared on the marsh road every year before a major flood.
- 04The old chapel was built on an island that did not exist on any recent map.
- 05Tessa Reed's missing brother may have followed the lanterns into the marsh.
- 06Some villagers believe the bell brings floods instead of preventing them.
If the bell is not recovered before the next high water, Briar Glen will be cut off, the shrine will lose its authority, and the Lantern Warden may gain a permanent path into the mortal world.
Background Lore
For generations, the village of Briar Glen has kept a silver handbell in the shrine of Saint Orra. The bell is rung only during floods, fires, and attacks, and its clear tone carries unnaturally far through the surrounding marsh. Three nights ago, the bell vanished from its locked reliquary. Since then, pale lights have appeared along the old causeway, and something has been calling from the reeds after sunset.
The village of Briar Glen is threatened by rising floodwater after its warning bell was stolen from the shrine of Saint Orra. The theft appears connected to pale lights in the marsh and a former acolyte named Corin Vale, who was seen near the old causeway. The characters must recover the bell, stop whatever danger is gathering beneath the marsh, and decide what should be done with the village's most important relic.
