Connects to: 11.05, 17.06,17.07 and 37.01.
Several years ago, an expedition was mounted into the Temple of the Seven Shadows (37.01) by a group of adventurers, led by the brash young Devin Furhoof, heir to the Furhoof Freehold. Alas, disaster struck, and the group was trapped inside when the Long Night ended and the stone door closed. Among the Furhoofs there was much lamenting, and the younger son Petros was marked as the future patriarch of the family. Yet, astonishingly, when the year turned and the Long Night came again, none but Devin Furhoof stumbled out of the Temple alive.
None of Devin’s companions made it out, nor will he speak on what became of them. The poor boy has been driven mad by his experiences, and has so far been unable to coherently explain what happened to him, or how he survived a whole year inside the temple walls. At night, the smallfolk of the Furhoof keep can sometimes hear him muttering from the tower where he is held; most commonly he repeats a few phrases, such as “green fire” and “the pitcher was pulled down.”
Most worryingly, Devin Furhoof is still heir to the family’s holdings and his father is well into the twilight years of his life. Some whisper that Devin must be put out of his misery before his madness can send the Furhoofs into ruin. Meanwhile, Devin himself has evinced a desire to return to the Temple when the Long Night draws in again.
Subhex:
- Ceralin the Healer (17.05.01): a kindly healer who will render you infertile for your own good.
Connections:
- A well lit road (17.06) connects this freehold with that of the Verlimes (17.07) with whom the Furfeet once had a fued (17.06).
- A Furfoot caravan has recently been burnt by goblins who were angered by the halflings’ lies (11.05).
Hooks:
- What’s inside the Temple of Seven Shadows?
- How did Devin survive for a whole year?
- Why does the Temple only open on the Long Night?
- Are the Furhoofs really going to assassinate one of their own kin?
- Could anyone be foolish enough to sign up, if Devin begins organizing a second expedition?
Ceralin the Healer
Hex 17.05.01
Connects to: 33.08.
Ceralin is a half-elven priestess of Telanar the White (33.08) and travels these lands with a small band of devoted disciples. She has a kind motherly appearance and freely heals everyone that she comes across, asking for nothing in return but small gifts of food. However, those that are healed by her are made completely infertile.
Ceralin views this as a mercy as it prevents more children being born to live mortal lives of grief and suffering. Ceralin grew up among the elves of the Kingswood and was shocked to see her skin grow loose and white creep into her hair at the young age of one hundred. She took this rather badly and had dedicated herself to sparing others from such horrors.
Hooks:
- Who knows about the infertility that Ceralin is spreading? How many are so afflicted? Is anyone willing to pay to get it reversed? Is that even possible?
- Does Ceralin have any other plans about sparing people from old age aside from making people unable to have children?
- Do elves age? This seems to imply that they don’t but Amelar (36.04.01) is ancient and grey-haired. What’s up?
