The Blood Lich, the Invalid, the Blood Magi, the Mirror of the Vale, the Reminiscence of the Void, The Aberration, all these names refer to the same entity in her multiple stages or life and undeadness. Initially seen as an innocent child of the Satel family, she was protected by the population and by Brigobaen. However, it turned out that, not only she belonged to her family’s Cult, but she was about to become a creature much stronger than any of her enemies could predict.
The Invalid[]
Father Amalphus Vei was called by Dyana Satel in order to observe an invalid child in Gohoran. After several attempted treatments, the health of the child only deteriorated, which made Vei sent a group of adventurers to the Skull Island, in search of a silver claw, an item known for its healing properties. Once the group returned (after a long fight and an encounter with an Ancient Red Dragon), they all headed to Gohoran once again, where the elder Satel cried over the bed of her patient. According to Vei, the child’s affliction was in two parts. First, through chants and using the power of the silver claw, he was going to “try to cure the darkness in her mind”. Alas, the girl continued coughing blood, though eventually started showing some signs of recovering her breath, at least enough to utter the enigmatic words “We… ha… … a re…la…tio…” and “Mir… va…” Due to the presence of blue robed military, the first guess was that the girl had a revelation on the Mirith Vanguard. The theory soon proved to be wrong. As the Vei asked the child whether her mind was clear, she uttered “I… I am... The mir... or…” Right after that, the silver claw begun to melt, to Father Vei’s great surprise and alarm.
“I am... I..am the... mirror... mi...rro…”, the girl managed to repeat, before she stopped breathing. The doubled prayers of Vei and the elder seemed to have no effect.
Amongst the generalised panic and despair, with people sobbing and asking the child not to die, Vei caught Dyana Satel letting out a “Our magi…”. “Your?” asked the priest, but no one else in the crowd reacted. No one, except a Bone Lord. “Your Magi?” he asked, suddenly revealing his presence.
Dyana Satel was furious with the uninvited guest, who remained characteristically unbothered by external signs of emotion, limiting himself to comment on the foolishness of both priest and cult. For him, it was a clear mistake from the part of Father Vei to attempt to save an enemy.
It was only with the intervention of the servant of Marthonis that it was finally revealed that the Blood Cult was composed by the Satel of Gohoran.
Marthonis’ Spell and the Birth of the Blood Lich[]
In front of a puzzled audience, the Bone Lord explained that the spell Vei had tried to defeat was none other than a spell Marthonis had placed on the child, when he captured their Magi in the Bleeding Moon. Due to Vei’s intervention, the child would shortly be reborn in the same kind as the bone lords. With the power of the captured Magi, and the fusion of Blood and Bone, Marthonis would now be even more powerful.
Or so they thought. In front of their eyes, a different kind of creature rose from the dead, the creature that became known as the “Blood Lich”.
The Bone Lord quickly acknowledge that something was not turning out as predicted, as Amalphus Vei realised how his intervention had contributed in the formation of the aberration that was now rising from the bed. As Dyana Satel took the chance to flee, the Bone Lord tried to control the lich, claiming that she served Marthonis. The monster didn’t seem to agree, claiming that a prophecy had come true and that she would never serve a “marginal necromancer” like Marthonis.
As the Bone Lord fought the Blood Lich, Amalphus Vei tried to rush everybody out of the small house. Some brave warriors remained behind, fighting the flows of foes being summoned against them, as the Blood Lich declared that they were no longer dependent on the full Bleeding Moon for their powers. “We no longer invoke the providence of the Moon… The Moon cannot restrain us any more!” Soon, Gohoran was covered with undead creatures of all kinds attacking Vei’s party. The priest fled to Mirith, leaving behind many a warrior doing their best to bring the devastation to an end.
Later, the group reunited in the capital and had the chance to clarify some details with the cleric, who developed on the double aspect of the invalid’s ailment. According to him, there was something clouding the girl’s mind, as well as decaying her body. “The physical side was a wasting curse”, and the mental, “some form of imprint, a control”. Vei’s spells would have cured the curse on the mind, which meant the failure of Marthonis’ plan.
As for the meaning of the name “Mirror of the Vale”, Vei promise he would investigate. His reputation, alas, was necessarily affected, with some believing that his intervention in the creation of the Blood Lich had been premeditated.
Futher Attacks and the Double Bleeding Moon[]
For the following moons, the Blood Lich and her Cult performed several attacks, mostly in the Mirithian continent. It is during this period that the Cult reaches the height of their powers, managing to influence the Moon enough to cause what became known as The Double Bleeding Moon.
The Botched Ritual and the Second Death of the Blood Lich[]
Some time later, Necrosia, servant of Marthonis, came back with a message from their master concerning “The Aberration”. Apparently, her treasured artefact, used for her magic, was still at the old cult’s home, guarded by none. Convinced by these words, a group was gathered to go to Goharan to investigate. They were received by a Blood Lackey, guarding a chest containing a vial of blood, stolen from the vaults of Andris a few moons before. Defeated, the Lackey vanished, but not before mentioning that his mistress was in a cave.
As the group followed the clue from the Lackey, they were attacked by other Blood cultists. After yet another battle, they met an Ancient Red Dragon looking for the vial, and promising a confrontation with the Blood Lich very soon. Threatening their lives, the dragon forced the humans to return the vial to the chest in Gohoran, teleporting them there and back again for the effect. Only then, did the Lich appear. Witnesses tell of a civil conversation between Aberration and Dragon. Apparently, the Lich had been trying, unsuccessfully, to perform a ritual. She was now asking the Dragon for advise on where the problem might have been.
It was revealed later that, during the time the adventurers were in possession of the vial, they followed Necrosia’s advised and mixed some Rust Beast in the flask. The ritual was to be tried again at the island where the rivers meet, which would be the next destination of the group. At the island, the Blood Lich awaited, with a red dragon.
“Viridiel” was the opening word of the Aberration, as she prepared to perform her ritual again. “The Moon will return”, she promised, claiming that this time the ritual would go well. “Teorus Viridiel Maximcentio Alt'er” - with these words, the crowd witnessed a change in the moon. Except that, instead of it meaning the return of the red hue of the Bleeding cycle, the moon was yellow as barley. A bright Harvest Moon shone in the sky, proving that the ritual had failed, once again.
Weakened and vulnerable, the Blood Lich fell to the sword and the spells of the adventurers of Oberin.