Taryn and Delvin returned to the Chapel as the day came to a close. The setting sun cast a warm golden glow across the ocean, painting the sky with shades of pink, and orange. As the sun dipped below the horizon, its light flowed through the streets of Redhaven, bathing the shops and houses in warm light, accented by the cool sea breeze blowing in from the port.

As the pair entered the fortified building, they shared a moment of silence as they came to a halt.

"Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?" queried Taryn. "Or are you too busy to spend time with your fellow acolytes?"

"Oh..." Delvin blushed slightly as he looked away. "I would like that, very much, but I'm afraid I have some errands to run for Magister Elmar."

"As usual..."

"Yes..."

"Well..." Taryn turned to leave. "Feel free to join us if the old codger lets you go."

Delvin rubbed the back of his head as he watched Taryn ascend the staircase.

As Taryn walked down the halls of the Chapel toward the dining hall, she heard voices coming from behind the library's oak doors. As she drew near, a single word caught her full attention. "Murkwater".

Taryn approached the large wooden door with caution, curiosity getting the better of her. She leaned in and pressed her ear against the door, listening intently. The magisters were discussing the outbreak in Murkwater. Their voices grew more animated as they speculated on the source of the plague.

"As I told you before..." came Gershom's voice. "The sickness is something dark and twisted. It is not of the natural world, and no apothecary's brew will do anything for it."

"And yet you put them all to the torch!" snapped a woman's voice. "Did you not think it prudent that we have samples to study; that we devise a counterspell?"

"No counterspell is needed if the plague is ended before it can spread." Gershom stated matter of factly.

"That would be true, if that was the only outbreak, but clearly that is not the case. We have received reports of similar blights from here, all the way to Astrador!"

"Then I see no issue. You will have the samples you need, and in time we will have a cure."

A third voice, another older man, chimed in. "Hmmm, perhaps. But what of your vision, Magister Gershom? You claim Aleria showed you the source of the plague. Woven into existence by the foul hands of Velrand?"

"Indeed."

"Then I think a simple counterspell is unlikely to solve our problems."

"Preposterous." Gershom shot back. "Any affliction can be remedied; any wound - healed, if only we can understand the nature of the ailment. This will be no different."

"That may hold true for ailments of the natural world, but if this plague has been crafted by the hands of The Rotten One, do you think he will sit idly by and let us cure his pestilence? Why would he, when he can change its very nature with naught but a thought?"

After a brief silence, the woman spoke up once again. "Have we sent an envoy to the Abbey yet?"

"No... no... I will not treat with those... heretics." came Gershom, his tone tinged with a hint of rage.

Taryn blinked rapidly as she considered the words she was hearing. As she adjusted her footing and shifted her weight, the door creaked slightly, and the silence that followed was deafening. Fearing she would be caught, she carefully backed away from the door and made her way hastily to the dining hall, mind still racing.

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Dinner was uneventful. Taryn picked at her meal of boiled vegetables slowly as thoughts churned in her mind. She would occasionally look to the empty seat where Delvin should have been, wondering what errands were so important that he would often skip dinner with the other acolytes.

Her mind preoccupied with thoughts, and unable to enjoy the meal, Taryn set down her utensils and abruptly stood.

"You alright?" asked a fellow Acolyte, looking up from their meal.

"Yes... I just need to take a walk... clear my head..."

The Acolyte tilted his head slightly and shrugged as he returned to his meal. Taryn made her way back down the hall, passing the now-open doors of the vacant library as she approached the front doors of the chapel. The sun had now sunk below the horizon, plunging Redhaven into darkness. Though it was generally ill-advised to wander the streets at night, the gardens surrounding the chapel were as safe as anyone could ask for.

Taryn walked through the dark, quiet garden courtyard, lit only by flickering torches. The warm glow of the torches bounced off the chapel's outer walls, and spilled across the ground, casting shadows on the cobblestone path. The tranquility of the garden would have been serene on any other night. On this night, however, it left her alone with her thoughts. The conversation between the Magisters played in her mind, over and over again. When she closed her eyes, she could see Gershom standing in the gloom of Murkwater, declaring that the plague was the work of a Dark God. Had he known about the disease, even then?

The Magisters had speculated that it was the work of Velrand, the dark nature god of rot, decay, and disease. However, the gods rarely intervened in the affairs of mortals. They seemed to prefer enacting their will through their followers. Taryn couldn't venture to guess what kind of person would willingly worship a Dark God. She knew they were out there though. Conclaves of the dejected, lurking in the forests.

Taryn's musings were interrupted as she rounded the bend and caught sight of Delvin, sitting on a bench, head tilted downward. With one hand, he absent-mindedly tossed scraps of bread to a group of pigeons that had surrounded him. With the other hand, he slowly thumbed through a thick, green volume, focusing intently on the pages.

"Is this your errand? Feeding birds?" Taryn asked as she approached Delvin from behind.

He jumped with a start, slamming his tome shut. The pigeons fluttered back at the sudden movement.

"Yes... I mean... not quite... not really... no?" he fumbled, gritting his teeth. "I just... prefer not to eat with the rest of the Acolytes. Too many people, too much conversation..."

"I see..."

"You're welcome to join me though... I know you aren't much of a people person either..."

Taryn raised an eyebrow, arms folded in front of her. "I like people very much, thank you!"

Delvin gave a small shrug before turning back to his book and finding his place.

Taryn watched on as he ignored her, engrossed in his reading. "Tell me Delvin.... What do you know about The Abbey.... of Velrand?"

Delvin looked up from his book, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. "Do you mean the Abbey of Affliction?"

Taryn hesitated. It sounded like a likely enough name. "Yes... that's the one."

Delvin closed his book again. "It's on the peninsula, south east of Redhaven. Supposedly, it was a place of healing in decades past. Though, once the Order started performing healing rites in Redhaven, people stopped going to the Abbey. The Afflicted of Velrand moved in some time later. No one goes there anymore."

"But the cult is still there?"

"The Afflicted? I suppose so..."

Taryn gave a thoughtful nod, considering her options.

"Why do you ask?" Delvin queried.

"I... I think I'm going to pay them a visit. See what they know about what happened in Murkwater."

"I don't think that's a good idea..." Delvin warned, setting his tome on the bench and standing.

"Why not?"

"The Magisters are... not the biggest fans of the Abbey... being a dark cult and all. They keep to themselves and stay away from Redhaven, so the Order generally does the same."

"Do they not receive envoys from the Order?" Taryn asked, recalling the Magister's conversation.

"They have in the past, but that was a long time ago. Well before our time."

"Either way, I need to speak with them."

"Well you're out of luck, there's no way Gershom will approve a mission to the Abbey. As I said, they aren't the biggest fans of dark cults."

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him, I'm sure."

"Oh..." Delvin's eyes widened. "You're... you're sneaking off then? Alone?"

"Maybe.. If I must."

"You really shouldn't go alone, Taryn."

"Are you volunteering?" she asked jokingly.

After a brief moment of consideration, Delvin nodded decisively.

"Yes. I will accompany you."

"It was just a joke Delvin, you don't need to come."

"But I want to!" he urged, taking a half-step forward. "Perhaps... Perhaps you're right. We've been seeing more and more afflictions lately that we are ill equipped to handle. I've often wondered if the Abbey knows about these diseases, and if they would share that knowledge with us… If you're going anyway... Well, safety in numbers and all that!" Delvin rubbed the back of his head, smiling his awkward smile.

"Okay then..." Taryn replied, ambition in her eyes. "To the Abbey then... together."