The Grand Mistake of Di-Voc the Reckless, Part Two: Cult of Xav Inta

In the center of a desolate town, one building bustles with noise, talking, and laughter. This building is not a home, or a shop, or a municipal building, it’s a building you would normally expect gatherings of people to meet. A church. A church belonging to one of the many gods in this world. This particular sect has elected to interpret the warnings of Di-Voc slightly differently than the rest of the town. While many took the recommended precautions as an explanation of the mysterious deaths that have occurred around town, the cult residing in this church, the cult of Xav Inta, has interpreted it as a threat. The priestess leader of this cult doesn’t take threats kindly.

“Tonight, we celebrate!” The priestess, dubbed Rekna by her disciples, proclaims. The church lets out another loud cheer, she continues, “The town bows down to the threats of an old git as his worshippers claim falsehoods of illness and death! Alas, we know the truth! News of fake murders and phony illnesses spread through the town, who stands to gain from this? The reckless old man wants to pump you full of poisons and acids, and what does he call it?” 

Shouts bounce off the marble walls and oak pughs, “Vaccine!”

“I say, vile!” Rekna shouts, “Our lives shall not be hindered by their falsehoods! Instead, we shall celebrate!” The church exclaims again, Rekna stands atop a table, takes a bottle of wine in each hand, and shouts, “Gather to me!” The cult draws close, shouting praise like a nest of chicks chirping for their mother. Rekna upturns the bottles of wine, pouring the divine blood into the mouths of her faithful congregation. 

Two blocks away from the church, the traveler returns with their group. Slowly, they trek from alley to alley, muffling their gear to remain as silent as possible. The town eerily silent, crisp air is amplified with the slightest sound. As they settle against a brick wall belonging to a series of townhomes, the party look at each other anxiously and taste the sound of a celebration in the air. A slight breeze passes through their hair, but the breeze turns to a choppy wind. One of the travelers shuts their eyes, when they open again, their irises burn with a violet glow. 

Through the lens of the traveler’s arcane vision, leather-winged fur balls flow through the streets, and through the air like ocean currents. The seer gestures to the townhouse roof, and working together like a well-oiled machine, they scale the brick wall and duck. The seer looks over the buildings to see the ocean current of Viruses converging on the church two streets over. Seemingly the source of the celebratory noises they had heard, the seer writes down what they see on a sheet of parchment for the party to read. With worry on their faces, they sigh, unsure of whether or not to help or take advantage of the distraction. 

The seer watches on, finding a stained glass window that shows a gathering of apparently drunk cultists dancing around a table, upon which a robed woman stands, holding glass bottles in either hand. The virus swirling around the church, they begin closing in on the structure.

“Seer, what see you?” One of the party members writes on a piece of parchment.

“Cultists,” the seer responds in writing. “Possibly sacrificing a woman to the virus. They’re asking to die.” One of the travelers reads this and stands in disgust at the idea of sacrificing a woman. As they stand, however, their ankle rolls on the uneven roof. As they trip, several arrows slip out of their quiver and clang to the stone ground below. The wind shifts. One channel of the virus current breaks off from the rest and flies headlong toward the building upon which the party has taken refuge. The seer shouts, “Run!”

Rekna (Medium)

Armor Class 13

Hit Points 60

Speed 30 ft 

STR 10

DEX 10

CON 12

INT 8

WIS 10

CHA 16

Dark Devotion. Rekna has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.

Congregation. Rekna commands her 12 (3d8) followers to do her bidding. Her followers will attack as a swarm, each follower containing 1 hit point, and dealing 6 (2d6) bludgeoning damage in a 15 foot cube.

Managerial Targeting. Rekna has the innate sense of ownership over all social situations. She will only speak with the character of the highest level (if all characters are the same level, she will only speak to the character with the highest charisma score). This sense extends to her combat instincts, all melee damage dealt by Rekna is doubled against the character with the highest level (or charisma score). 

Poor immune system. Rekna is especially susceptible to disease, therefore is vulnerable to poison damage.

Actions

Multiattack. Rekna makes two melee attacks.

Broken Glass Bottle. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft, one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing/slashing damage.