The First Crusade (4622 ar–4630 ar)

A Brief History of the Crusades
To date, four crusades have been launched against the demons of the Worldwound, and while all four have had varying degrees of success and failure, none have yet driven the armies of Deskari, Lord of the Locust Host, from Golarion. A brief history of the war follows.

First Crusade (4622 ar–4630 ar): Although a fair number of holy warriors came to Sarkoris’s aid in the first several years after the Worldwound opened, the church of Iomedae did not declare the First Crusade until 4622 ar, as the repercussions of Aroden’s death significantly delayed the church’s ability to respond to the growing crisis. By the time the First Crusade reached Mendev, the demons had long since seized control of central Sarkoris, and had claimed significant portions of Mendev as well.

The First Crusade bolstered the defenders of Sarkoris and Mendev, boosting both their numbers and morale, and the sudden increase in the enemy’s strength caught the demonic horde unprepared, causing them to retreat back to the Northmounds. With Mendev and southern Sarkoris thus liberated, the crusaders remained in the region to help rebuild—an offer Mendev welcomed gratefully, but one that the disparate and proud clans of Sarkoris accepted more reluctantly. In any event, for the next few years the demons seemed content to focus their wrath upon Sarkoris’s Northmounds, battling primarily with the surviving Sarkorian clans desperately attempting to reclaim their family lands, while Mendev remained relatively unmolested.

A final note.

An interesting scroll tube was found when going through the belongings of the Witches. After getting the ok from Viorec and Anca a letter is found inside.

The Living Phylactery, The Silver Key, The Maiden and The Fool,

I find myself bemused by your actions in Caliphas. I realize that you seem to have fixated yourselves on exterminating all of my agents wherever you find them, but... you do realize that they were destroying vampires, do you not? I would never have thought that ridding this world of such abominations would draw any protest from you. But what is done is done. To be honest,  the operation in Caliphas were little more than a diversion, a way for me to occupy my mind while waiting for my other plans to bear fruit. If I have to wait a little longer to exterminate the traitorous vampires, it is of little consequence.

The one task of importance in Caliphas was securing The Font, which of course, you know as Kendra Lorrimor. I made sure to accomplish that while you were busy sorting through the diversions made by the Giovanni's and disposing of the Witches of Barstoi. The loss of those minions is more than made up for by acquiring the final piece of my grand design. Thanks in no small part to the very nosferatu set free by your meddling .

There is still a chance for all of you. I am sure you know by now that my plans for The Font do not involve anything so plebeian as simply killing her. She is being prepared as we speak for her role in the events to come, at a location which I am sure you have already deduced. You should certainly come and attempt to retrieve her -- it will save me the time of tracking all you down once I have finished with my preparations.

If you want to maintain your delusions of victory though, you must hurry, for the time of my triumph is approaching. I look forward to your arrival.
Sincerely,

A. A

Father James and Lady Irsinoe.

James had the feeling before Brutus said anything to him. He knew they were being followed but he wasn't sure who would be following the two of them this early in the morning. Brutus was right though, if someone was following them then they certainly knew who they were and could guess where they would be heading.

 "What is the point of using the prayer beads to whisper to me if your going to keep looking over your shoulder?" James asked . He was past the point of patience with the man and just wanted to get to the temple. " We can split up here. I'll be back to the manor by sun down." His words left no room for argument as James turned to walk up the steps to Our Lady of Lanterns. "Brutus," James whispered just loud enough to activate the beads power, "Be careful and stay out of trouble"

James felt the calling as soon as he touched the grand doors to the temple. Someone in The Lady's service was calling for aid. When he walked through the door it was into a small room with a fireplace in the corner. The floor was an odd color of reddish brown and seemed slick. James noticed the heat first, then the man strapped to the table. He was reciting the Pharasmin prayer for aid over and over in a dry croaking voice. Standing over the man was a woman James had seen before. Lady Irsinoe of Kabriri, the demon lord of ghouls looked up at James with a delighted smile. "I had to call you, you see I want to give you one last chance to surrender to me before I bring the gifts of Kabriri to your friends. Come with me James and I promise to give you all the power of a Demon Lord. Give in to the call James and together WE can rule this realm! Not the Whispering Way, not the Tyrant... Us James .. rulers for eternity."

Andrezi's visit home.

As he made his way through the city Andrezi couldn't help but feel them watching him. They were all watching, even the children would stop what they were doing to move out of the way and stare at the old kellid woman who only had one eye and walked with a hunched back and a bad limp. Andrezi allowed a small smile to himself, this was one of his best disguises and from the expressions  of disgust on the people he passed he was sure he would not be followed this time. His path took him the better part of the day, but as he arrived at the now ruined manor he could tell that the looters had picked through what remained of his own families home. Most of what was left had been drug out of the ruins to the lawns on the front and sides.

Andrezi passed by all this with a purpose and that was what must have given him away. Standing in the shadows of the ruined foyer was a familiar halfling.

" I knew you would come back" he said with a devilish smile. Those were the only words said between the two cousins. As the fight began a crowd gathered to watch an old one eyed woman fight a halfling in the ruins of some old money estate.

Detective Viorec's Dossier - Final entry

Detective Viorec,
 I had dispatched my agents to watch the Manor in the positions you had requested when you and your companions had returned. The first 4 days my agents reported no activity, on the 5th night the one known as Tibor was followed to the edge of the city heading north-west. He was easy to track in the city, but once he made it outside of Ardis my agents lost him. I have contacted agents in Chastel and Morcei to alert you if he is seen there.

On the 6th and 7th days agents reported following the 2 known as Brutus and Father James to several places in the city. The two separated at Our Lady of Lanterns, Father James visiting the church while Brutus entered the White Corner. Brutus managed to lose my agent inside that haunted place, I know I don't need to remind you of the tales about that cursed place. Father James stayed with Our Lady for 2 days and was then reported to return to the manor.

On the night of the 8th day Brutus was followed to the center of town, to the Blindstone where he stayed studying the monument and pacing the length of the square for several hours before heading south to the Merridweigh Gardens. This was the last time I heard from that agent He is now presumed dead although his body has not been recovered. I removed Brutus from our watch list as I could not afford to lose another agent

My agents reported no activity from that day until the disturbance at the ruins of the Galdana manor. We had been watching for the description of the person you had identified as Andrezi Galdana but it seems he was able to elude us. Concerning the fight at the Galdana ruins my agents did their best to  not interfere as per our arrangement but they were hard pressed to keep the innocents out of harms way and hamper the efforts of the city's guard.

After these two episodes I have pulled off my agents and I am filing my official report with my superior's as you are reading this. I believe that losing 4 agents over the coarse of this assignment is more than Professor Lorrimer and the Agency had ever expected and should cover the debt the Agency owed.

Good bye Detective and good luck,
M.

Inside the Saffron House

The interior of the Saffron mansion is a confusing place. Hallways that end in dead ends or concealed doors. Rooms that are thought of as vital to a household, pushed to the side. Ambient light from sky lights, placed in the first floor ceiling. A musty moldering odor that at times seems thick enough to create a haze in the odd pale yellow lighting of the house. The rooms, designed to entertain guests,  seem to enhance the alien feel, with their odd angles, and in the case of the library no angles or corners at all.

The exterior of the house and its grounds have been taken over by the zombie remains of the staff, as well as a cloying yellow mist that solidifies into thick patches of a dense fog. If not for the mists and bad weather one could still make out the orchards and hedge mazes designed by the famous architect Randolph Carter.

M.

Professor Lorrimor

Legacy item questions are out of the picture as we currently know more about them than he was able to discover. Lorrimir was a professor of history and was willing to pay a huge sum of money to have his documented knowledge dilvered to where he thought it would presumably be in the best hands. We could inquire about the corruption of the old capitol, relevant knowledge concerning the Tyrant. Inquire about my mother's involvement if any (as it was Lorrimor himself that requested I start studying in the Church of Pharasma). As a reminder of Lorrimor's will..."To my old friends, I hate to impose upon you all, but there are few others who are capable of appreciating the true significance of what it is I have to ask. As some of you know, I have devoted many of my studies to all manner of evil, that I might know the enemy and inform those better positioned to stand against it. For knowledge of one’s enemy is the surest path to victory over its plans. “And so, over the course of my lifetime, I have seen fit to acquire a significant collection of valuable but dangerous tomes, any one of which in the wrong circumstances could have led to an awkward legal situation. While the majority of these tomes remain safe under lock and key at the Lepidstadt University, I fear that a few I have borrowed remain in a trunk in my Ravengro home. While invaluable for my work in life, in death, I would prefer not to burden my daughter with the darker side of my profession, or worse still, the danger of possessing these tomes herself"...perhaps we have some reading to do.

Bruttus suggested resurrection would be our best option, however I urge the party to consider Remy's untimely demise.