The journey back to civilization was mercifully uneventful.

  We made our way up the cliff path to Ravenmere, where the locals regarded us with awe and wonder. Word had apparently spread that adventurers had entered the catacombs.

  Mayor Hale met us at the town hall, her stern expression softening slightly when she saw us.

  "You succeeded, I reckon?" she asked.

  "We did," I replied. "The Catacombs will be different from now on. Adventurers might come flooding, to try and explore them. But the major threat has been dealt with."

  Her eyes shifted to mirror relief. "Then Ravenmere owes you a debt. The shadow that has hung over this town will be a bit more bearable, now."

  "We were just doing our job."

  "Nevertheless." She straightened, regaining her formal composure. "If there's anything the town can provide, you need only ask."

  We thanked her but declined. We had somewhere to be.

  The trip from Ravenmere to Oakenlight took just under an hour. From Oakenlight, we caught a large vessel heading to Tidemark, where Calian and the answers we sought awaited.

  The trip gave us time to rest and to process everything that had happened to us. Kara spent most of the journey experimenting with her lute, testing how the stat bonuses affected her abilities. Athos practiced the motions of Ascended Blade, not wanting to cast the skill on a ship filled with people. Lothras sat in quiet contemplation, occasionally running his fingers over the Shield of Failed Triumph.

  I watched the coastline pass by, thinking about everything we'd accomplished.

  And everything that still lay ahead.

  The Tidemark Trident. The key fragments in my inventory. The Count’s quest, finally nearing completion.

  And even beyond that. The mysteries that kept piling up. The connections between dungeons and the Veil. The unique experiences that first clears provided. The depth and care everything was made with.

  The sun was setting by the time Tidemark came into view.

  The city was even more impressive than the first time I laid my eyes on it. The capital of Tidemark County sprawled across the harbor, its buildings rising in tiers from the waterfront to the hilltop, where buildings like the Knight’s Tower and the Count’s castle dominated the skyline. Towers and spires punctuated the architecture, and even from this distance, I could see the bustle of activity in the streets.

  This was the heart of the region. The center of power, commerce, and intrigue.

  We docked as the last light faded from the sky. We were nearing the end of our session, but I wasn’t worried. The Recoronation ceremony was on Sunday, so we still had Friday and Saturday to complete the quest.

  "First order of business," Lothras said as we disembarked, "finding Calian."

  We made our way through the harbor district, navigating streets that were even busier now than during the day. Merchants hawked their wares, sailors stumbled between taverns, and city guards patrolled in pairs, their armor bearing the Vizgrad family crest of the silver trout.

  The Knight's Tower was easy to find for the second time, and we didn’t waste any time.

  The guard at the entrance recognized the Count's Insignia and allowed us inside without question. But when we asked to see Calian, his expression turned apologetic.

  "Sir Calian departed this morning on urgent business," he explained. "He's expected to return tomorrow, sometime in the morning."

  Kara groaned. "Of course he did. We rush back here after clearing a nightmare dungeon, and he's not even around."

  "Did he leave any messages?" I asked.

  "Only that any adventurers bearing the Count's seal should wait for his return. He said," The guard hesitated, "—he said you'd understand."

  I exchanged glances with the others. Calian had known we were coming. Had anticipated that we'd complete the catacombs. But something had pulled him away at the last moment.

  "Fine," Athos said. "We wait. It's not like we were planning to do anything else tonight anyway."

  "Speak for yourself," Kara stretched her arms above her head. "I'm going to explore the city. We've been running from dungeon to dungeon for days; I want to actually see Tidemark while we're here."

  "Not a bad idea," Lothras agreed. "We should familiarize ourselves with the capital. It's likely to be important in future content."

  “Other players had days to claw up loads of personal quests,” I stated. “But the city is huge. There definitely are more secrets to discover.”

  We agreed to split up for the evening and reconvene at the Knight's Tower tomorrow morning at eight. Lothras headed toward the merchant district, presumably to begin negotiations for the Unholy Rites set. Athos and Kara wandered off together toward what looked like an entertainment district, their laughter fading into the night.

  I stood alone in the plaza outside the Knight's Tower, considering my options.

  There was something I'd been carrying since the early days of my adventures. An item I'd never found the right moment to investigate. A mystery that had been nagging at the back of my mind.

  The fragment.

  I pulled up my inventory and found it; the strange rune on the piece of debris I'd discovered under the chapel of Carpa, a symbol I couldn't read. I'd meant to have it examined, but events kept overtaking my plans.

  Now, finally, I had time.

  I asked a passing guard for directions to the city's main temple, and he pointed me toward the upper tiers, the wealthier districts where the religious institutions were located.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  The Temple of Ravenloft was impossible to miss. It dominated the district's skyline, its spires reaching toward the heavens like fingers grasping for divine favor. The architecture was grand, ornate, designed to inspire awe in the faithful and intimidation in others.

  I climbed the broad steps to the entrance, passing between columns carved with scenes from holy scripture. The interior was even more impressive: a vast chamber lit by hundreds of candles, with altars dedicated to saints, gods and priests.

  I should delve into religious lore when I have the time, I thought. There are definitely whole questlines buried underneath.

  A young acolyte approached me, wearing pristine robes and a welcoming expression.

  "Good evening, traveler. How may the Temple serve you?"

  "I'd like to speak with the High Priest," I said. "I have an artifact that requires examination."

  The acolyte's smile faltered slightly. "The High Priest is a very busy man. Perhaps one of our senior clergy could assist you instead?"

  I produced the Count's Insignia, hoping it would work.

  The acolyte's eyes widened. "I... of course. Please wait here. I'll inform His Holiness immediately."

  He hurried off, robes swishing against the marble floor.

  I waited, examining the temple's interior with idle curiosity. The artwork was impressive: paintings depicting various aspects of what I presumed were gods, sculptures of saints and martyrs, tapestries woven with gold thread that probably cost more than most players could earn in a month.

  The church, it seemed, was doing well for itself.

  "You wished to see me?"

  The voice was deep, resonant, carrying the weight of authority. I turned to find an elderly man descending the steps from the inner sanctum. He wore robes of pristine white trimmed with gold, and a medallion bearing the symbols of the church hung from his neck. His face was lined with age, but his eyes were sharp and clear.

  My presence stat was working overtime. I didn’t need to know his level to know: I was dealing with someone important. And impressive.

  "Your Holiness," I said, inclining my head respectfully. "Thank you for seeing me."

  "Call me Aldric. The Count's seal opens many doors," he replied. "Though I confess, I'm curious what brings an adventurer to my temple at this hour. You mentioned an artifact?"

  "I did." I retrieved the fragment from my inventory, holding it out for him to see. "I found this some time ago, but I haven't been able to identify it. A priestess in Carpa told me to come and show it to you."

  The High Priest’s expression shifted the moment his eyes landed on the fragment. The polite curiosity vanished, replaced by caution.

  "Where did you find this?" His voice had lost its warmth.

  "One of the walls collapsed under the chapel of Carpa. It was a part of that."

  The High Priest reached out, his fingers hovering over the fragment without quite touching it. His lips moved silently, and I saw a faint glow emanate from his medallion; some kind of identification spell, perhaps, or a prayer of discernment.

  When he finished, his face had gone pale.

  "This is... unexpected," he murmured. "Most unexpected."

  "Your Holiness? What is it?"

  He looked at me with empty eyes, thinking about how much to tell me. Whatever he'd learned from his examination had changed his perception of the situation.

  "Come with me," he said. "This is not a conversation for public ears.”

  He led me through a door behind the main altar, into a private study filled with books and scrolls. The room was modest compared to the temple's grandeur: a place for work, not worship. He gestured for me to sit, then took his own seat behind a heavy wooden desk.

  "What I'm about to tell you is not commonly known," he began. "The knowledge itself is not forbidden, but it is... sensitive. The church has reasons for keeping certain histories obscured."

  "I understand."

  He placed the fragment on the desk between us, studying it with a mixture of fascination and unease.

  "This sigil belongs to an organization we believed had no presence in this kingdom. An order that was thought to have been confined to distant lands, separated from us by geography and politics." He traced one of the symbols with his finger, not quite touching the metal. "This is a mark of the Kingdom of Baal's Church of Abyss."

  The name meant nothing to me, but the weight he gave it suggested it should.

  "The Church of Abyss," I repeated. "Who are they?"

  "Were," Aldric corrected. "Or so we thought. The Church of Abyss was a religious institution in the Kingdom of Baal, one of the southern kingdoms of Cindar. They worshipped... differently than we do. Their theology centered on the spaces between things. The void that exists beneath reality. The darkness that predates creation."

  "So what, demon worship?"

  "Not in the conventional sense. The Church of Abyss didn't worship evil, exactly. They worshipped absence and emptiness. The potential that exists in nothingness." He shook his head. "Their philosophy was considered heretical by every other religious institution on the continent. The Church of Baal had made it forbidden to practice it centuries ago, and they contained it well; no traces of it could be seen in the northern kingdoms."

  "But this fragment suggests otherwise."

  "This fragment suggests that someone, at some point, brought the Church of Abyss to our shores. That their influence existed here, in secret, without the Church of Ravenloft ever becoming aware." The priest’s expression darkened. "That is troubling, young adventurer. Very troubling indeed."

  "We explored the Ravenmere catacombs recently and found traces of a cult dealing with sacrificial executions down there. Could there be a connection?" I asked. "Between the Church of Abyss and the cults that have been operating there?"

  Aldric was quiet for a long moment.

  "I don't think so," he said finally. "The Church of Abyss wasn't known for human sacrifices. As I said, their existence was always on the verge of legality and pure heresy. But I intend to find out. May I keep this fragment for further study? I have resources here that could reveal more of its secrets."

  "Yes, Your Holiness," I said. "But I would like to know what you discover."

  "Of course." He stood, tucking the fragment into his robes. "Return to me in a few days. By then, I should have answers. Or at least, better questions."

  I pondered for a moment.

  "Your Holiness, there is something else I would like to ask."

  "Ask away, child."

  "The catacombs under Ravenmere... Historic documents, as well as the caverns down there suggest that the Church of Ravenloft took over the cultists, and they continued the human sacrifices in search of immortality."

  I thought about all the things pointing to this: the architecture, the uniforms we'd seen down there, the things we'd read.

  The High Priest sighed.

  "There is some truth to it," he admitted. "It's a dark spot on the history of the Church. Wars were ravaging everywhere and our ancestors were looking for answers at the wrong places."

  He straightened. "A couple cardinals went against the will of the Church in order to continue the experiments of a dozen cults known throughout history, just like the one you found, no doubt. They were banished, of course, but they still held considerable influence in religious circles, so it took a while to get to the roots of the... problem."

  "So the corrupted High Priest we'd fought down there..."

  "Very well could have been a Church official, or a member of the original cult. I can not say which is the truth. But at that point, that branch of the Church was no different than a bunch of cultists, so it makes no difference."

  "Thank you for answering, Your Holiness."

  "Of course, child," he smiled, and somehow I felt like I had no reason to doubt him. The few clerks, nuns and priests I had met during my playtime were genuine, kind people, so for now, the Church stayed on the 'good guys' list.

  He escorted me back to the main temple, his demeanor thoughtful.

  "One more thing," he said as I prepared to leave. "Be careful, adventurer. If the Church of Abyss truly had a presence here, there may be those who would prefer that history remain buried. Asking questions about them could draw unwanted attention."

  "I'll keep that in mind."

  I stepped out into the night, my mind racing with new information.