Nettle’s Ritual

As we ventured deeper into the Greenbelt, our path led us to the haunting ruins of Nettle’s Crossing, a once-thriving bridge that now stood as a grim reminder of its tragic history. Two dilapidated structures flanked the river, and a rusted bell hung ominously near the shore, its purpose clear to those who dared disturb the peace.

Haunted by vivid nightmares of a restless spirit, Djames took the lead. At his urging, Lizzy rang the bell. The eerie chime echoed across the water, and the river’s surface churned violently as a spectral figure emerged - a ghostly apparition cloaked in vengeance.

The spirit introduced itself as Davik Nettle, a former toll-keeper who had perished at the hands of the Stag Lord’s Bandits. His story was one of defiance and retribution: after refusing the Stag Lord’s demand to use his bridge freely, Davik was burned alive in his home. Now consumed by his rage, Nettle demanded justice, commanding us to kill the Stag Lord and cast his body into the Shrike River to appease his restless soul.

We were torn. While sympathetic to Nettle’s plight, we hesitated to make a promise rooted in vengeance. Lizzy sought to reason with the specter, offering a vision of a restored bridge and the opportunity for Nettle’s spirit to guide travelers in peace. But Nettle, blinded by his rage, dismissed her gestures as inadequate.

When Lizzy attempted a healing spell to soothe Nettle’s anger, the spirit reacted violently, striking at her with his spectral ranseur. Though wounded, Lizzy’s resilience and our swift intervention prevented further harm. Realizing Nettle was beyond reason, we retreated, leaving the vengeful spirit to his cursed vigil.

Disheartened by their inability to bring peace to Nettle, we resolved to continue their mission to confront the Stag Lord on their own terms. While the weight of Nettle’s demand lingered heavily, we chose to honor our principles, balancing justice with our moral compass.

As we departed the haunted crossing, Lizzy prepared a hearty meal for us.

• 13 Pharast 4710 The day began with Djames suffering from a restless night filled with haunting dreams. In his vision, a ghostly figure pleaded for justice at Nettle’s Crossing along the Shrike River. Upon awakening, Djames was visibly shaken, fatigued, and emotionally drained. His companions Leonardo and Lizzy offered support as the group pressed onward into the Greenbelt under a heavy mist.

• 16 Pharast 4710 We encountered Davik Nettle, the spectral figure from Djames’ dreams, at the ruins of Nettle’s Crossing. Nettle revealed his tragic fate—burned alive by the Stag Lord for refusing to relinquish control of his bridge. Consumed by vengeance, he demanded that we’d kill the Stag Lord and toss his body into the river. Though sympathetic, we were hesitated to commit to an act purely driven by vengeance. After a tense exchange, Nettle receded, leaving us uneasy about our next steps​​.

• 21 Pharast 4710 We launched a carefully orchestrated assault on the Stag Lord’s Fort. Using subterfuge and a stolen liquor shipment as cover, we infiltrated the stronghold and unleashed chaos. Highlights of the attack included releasing a captive Owlbear, leveraging Akiros’s defection, and a climactic battle with the Stag Lord himself. Despite his formidable skills, the Stag Lord was ultimately defeated.

  In the aftermath, we honored Nettle’s demand by casting the Stag Lord’s body into the Shrike River. As the corpse disappeared into the water, Nettle’s ghost appeared one final time, expressing gratitude before vanishing.

• 21 Pharast 4710 After fulfilling Nettle’s request, we revisited Nettle’s Crossing to ensure the curse was lifted. The once-ominous aura of the site had dissipated, and we reflected on the closure we had brought to Nettle’s tragic story. With the Stolen Lands slightly more at peace, we turned our focus to future challenges​​.