04-24-2024, 11:17 PM
He nodded as Benji recounted what he was aware of, and Abstalar nodded. The Priest then said Yes she grew up in the previous temple, a ward of Ezakien Tobin, The previous priest. She was left on the churches doorstep. Ezakien was a good man. What happened to her is a failing of our town. She was raised knowing good, but something turned her from the path and she began to worship Lamashtu, The Mother of Demons, and saw her left arm turned into a demonic appendage as a reward.
Heres a picture an artist drew of her.
![[Image: sgOvnUWm.png]](https://i.imgur.com/sgOvnUWm.png)
I feel we let her down. Her soul is to be damned with no chance at redemption. That is why I brought you here. Over the last 17 years Ive done much thinking on Poor Nualia, as she didnt deserve the fate she got. Im certainly not justifying her actions, but I wish it had never come to that sort of situation in the first place. That I only came to the town after the fire that took Ezakien's life is no excuse. All of those who worship Desna should know better and treat their children of the world more kindly. My predecessor's failure to be the father figure is in part what caused Nualia's fall, but the people of Sandpoint were no help in how they treated her as something less than human, something fit only to soften their own fears., or something to jealously covet.
After her defeat, the least I could do was see to it that she got a proper burial here in town. Some folks blanched at the idea, but Im glad that most of us were more understanding and forgiving. Only I feel like its not enough. Nualia needs to know we've forgiven her. She needs to know that I have forgiven her. She doesnt deserve an afterlife of torment....her life was torment enough.
He took a long drink of tea and looked around, clearing his throat and continued.
Ive only spoken with one other of this. A friend named Audrahni. She is the priestess who gave me your name Benji. Nualia's been dead for nearly 2 decades, but time does not pass the same for the dead as it does for the living. Audrahni knows a ritual that can put us in contact with the spirits of the dead and in her latest letter shes told me shes willing to perform this ritual when next she visits., so that I can offer Nualia my apologies and forgive her. I dont know if that will be enough to help her, or to stave off an afterlife of torment; but I do know that if nothing is done, Sandpoint will have failed her again.
Here's where the complication comes in, In order for Audrahni's ritual to succeed, we need a physical link to Nualia's soul. Its been years and any of her belongings are long gone, which leaves only her mortal remains. As loath as I was to exhume her body, it was neccessary to the ritual, to giving her my forgiveness. But when we opened her grave, we made an awful discovery. Her coffin was empty. Tunneled into from below, so that when we reached it; the whole grave caved in. Naffer and I were fortunate enough to escape without much harm, but now theres a hole where her grave used to be ...a hole that leads to an underground tunnel below the boneyard.....
Now he stopped to let everything sink in and for the group to talk to express concerns.
Heres a picture an artist drew of her.
![[Image: sgOvnUWm.png]](https://i.imgur.com/sgOvnUW.png)
I feel we let her down. Her soul is to be damned with no chance at redemption. That is why I brought you here. Over the last 17 years Ive done much thinking on Poor Nualia, as she didnt deserve the fate she got. Im certainly not justifying her actions, but I wish it had never come to that sort of situation in the first place. That I only came to the town after the fire that took Ezakien's life is no excuse. All of those who worship Desna should know better and treat their children of the world more kindly. My predecessor's failure to be the father figure is in part what caused Nualia's fall, but the people of Sandpoint were no help in how they treated her as something less than human, something fit only to soften their own fears., or something to jealously covet.
After her defeat, the least I could do was see to it that she got a proper burial here in town. Some folks blanched at the idea, but Im glad that most of us were more understanding and forgiving. Only I feel like its not enough. Nualia needs to know we've forgiven her. She needs to know that I have forgiven her. She doesnt deserve an afterlife of torment....her life was torment enough.
He took a long drink of tea and looked around, clearing his throat and continued.
Ive only spoken with one other of this. A friend named Audrahni. She is the priestess who gave me your name Benji. Nualia's been dead for nearly 2 decades, but time does not pass the same for the dead as it does for the living. Audrahni knows a ritual that can put us in contact with the spirits of the dead and in her latest letter shes told me shes willing to perform this ritual when next she visits., so that I can offer Nualia my apologies and forgive her. I dont know if that will be enough to help her, or to stave off an afterlife of torment; but I do know that if nothing is done, Sandpoint will have failed her again.
Here's where the complication comes in, In order for Audrahni's ritual to succeed, we need a physical link to Nualia's soul. Its been years and any of her belongings are long gone, which leaves only her mortal remains. As loath as I was to exhume her body, it was neccessary to the ritual, to giving her my forgiveness. But when we opened her grave, we made an awful discovery. Her coffin was empty. Tunneled into from below, so that when we reached it; the whole grave caved in. Naffer and I were fortunate enough to escape without much harm, but now theres a hole where her grave used to be ...a hole that leads to an underground tunnel below the boneyard.....
Now he stopped to let everything sink in and for the group to talk to express concerns.
