The Amaranth - Revision history

Fenton: /* Gallery */

2024-12-02T11:02:48Z

Gallery

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:02, 2 December 2024
Line 108:		Line 108:
	File:Amaranth-Creepy1.png		File:Amaranth-Creepy1.png
	File:Image of the Amaranth attacking.png		File:Image of the Amaranth attacking.png
	~~File:Image of the Amaranth slaying a werewolf.png~~
	</gallery>		</gallery>
	<gallery>		<gallery>
			File:Image of the Amaranth slaying a werewolf.png
	File:Image of the Amaranth and some cultists.png		File:Image of the Amaranth and some cultists.png
	File:The Amaranth attacking.png		File:The Amaranth attacking.png

Fenton: /* Gallery */

2024-12-02T11:02:35Z

Gallery

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:02, 2 December 2024
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	File:Image of the Amaranth attacking.png		File:Image of the Amaranth attacking.png
	File:Image of the Amaranth slaying a werewolf.png		File:Image of the Amaranth slaying a werewolf.png
	</gallery~~></div~~>		</gallery>
	<gallery>		<gallery>
	File:Image of the Amaranth and some cultists.png		File:Image of the Amaranth and some cultists.png

Fenton: /* Gallery */

2024-12-02T11:02:19Z

Gallery

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:02, 2 December 2024
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	File:Image of the Amaranth attacking.png		File:Image of the Amaranth attacking.png
	File:Image of the Amaranth slaying a werewolf.png		File:Image of the Amaranth slaying a werewolf.png
			</gallery></div>
			<gallery>
	File:Image of the Amaranth and some cultists.png		File:Image of the Amaranth and some cultists.png
	File:The Amaranth attacking.png		File:The Amaranth attacking.png
Line 117:		Line 119:

	<!-- Note: Remove categories not needed; better to have more tags than less -->		<!-- Note: Remove categories not needed; better to have more tags than less -->

	[[Category:Characters/d20]]		[[Category:Characters/d20]]
	[[Category:d20]]		[[Category:d20]]

Fenton: /* Gallery */

2024-11-29T17:41:04Z

Gallery

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:41, 29 November 2024
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	<!-- Note: Remove categories not needed; better to have more tags than less -->		<!-- Note: Remove categories not needed; better to have more tags than less -->

	~~[[Category:Unfinished]]~~
	[[Category:Characters/d20]]		[[Category:Characters/d20]]
	[[Category:d20]]		[[Category:d20]]

Fenton: /* Gallery */

2024-11-29T17:40:33Z

Gallery

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:40, 29 November 2024
Line 108:		Line 108:
	File:Amaranth-Creepy1.png		File:Amaranth-Creepy1.png
	File:Image of the Amaranth attacking.png		File:Image of the Amaranth attacking.png
			File:Image of the Amaranth slaying a werewolf.png
			File:Image of the Amaranth and some cultists.png
			File:The Amaranth attacking.png
			File:Image of the Amaranth during the Leiksburg incident.png
	</gallery></div>		</gallery></div>
	----		----

Fenton: /* The Heroes */

2024-11-21T09:36:13Z

The Heroes

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:36, 21 November 2024
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	On returning to Leiksburg, things quickly soured. The cult, realising what the heroes had done and the problem that the Boyar General's escape would bring, attempted to enact vengeance on the heroes, but the heroes were no simple travellers and the cultists paid a high price - but they had numbers. Many numbers. But then the Amaranth herself appeared - her first known visit to the village centre itself. She seemed a strange mixture of annoyed but bemused. The heroes attempted to attack her, but barely took a step before swarms of giant carnivorous locusts appeared out of nowhere, their quantities darkening the very skies. The locusts began attacking indiscriminately, tearing flesh off innocent villagers and cultists alike. The Amaranth seemed to laugh with glee and amusement. She told the heroes that they were insignificant next to her, and she could end them - but that she was amused by their actions and had become bored of the situation anyhow. She told the players to enjoy their victory, they had exposed her and she would leave, and they had "saved" Leiksburg - but that she would leave with what she was due. Suddenly, the village was filled with the sounds of anguished screams as hundreds of people - the cultists and those who had willingly or unknowingly sold their souls for her blessings - began bleeding through every orifice just like the Forfarian in the tavern days earlier.. and expired horribly. Dancing as though the screams of anguish were a symphony to her, the Amaranth disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, and has not been seen since.		On returning to Leiksburg, things quickly soured. The cult, realising what the heroes had done and the problem that the Boyar General's escape would bring, attempted to enact vengeance on the heroes, but the heroes were no simple travellers and the cultists paid a high price - but they had numbers. Many numbers. But then the Amaranth herself appeared - her first known visit to the village centre itself. She seemed a strange mixture of annoyed but bemused. The heroes attempted to attack her, but barely took a step before swarms of giant carnivorous locusts appeared out of nowhere, their quantities darkening the very skies. The locusts began attacking indiscriminately, tearing flesh off innocent villagers and cultists alike. The Amaranth seemed to laugh with glee and amusement. She told the heroes that they were insignificant next to her, and she could end them - but that she was amused by their actions and had become bored of the situation anyhow. She told the players to enjoy their victory, they had exposed her and she would leave, and they had "saved" Leiksburg - but that she would leave with what she was due. Suddenly, the village was filled with the sounds of anguished screams as hundreds of people - the cultists and those who had willingly or unknowingly sold their souls for her blessings - began bleeding through every orifice just like the Forfarian in the tavern days earlier.. and expired horribly. Dancing as though the screams of anguish were a symphony to her, the Amaranth disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, and has not been seen since.

	[[File:The Amaranth ~~unleashing a plague of carnivorous locusts on Leiksburg~~.png\|1100px\|thumb\|center\|alt=The Amaranth unleashing a plague of carnivorous insects on Leiksburg\|The Amaranth unleashing a plague of carnivorous insects on Leiksburg]]		[[File:The Amaranth attacking.png\|1100px\|thumb\|center\|alt=The Amaranth unleashing a plague of carnivorous insects on Leiksburg\|The Amaranth unleashing a plague of carnivorous insects on Leiksburg]]

	== Personality ==		== Personality ==

Fenton: /* The Heroes */

2024-11-21T09:30:36Z

The Heroes

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:30, 21 November 2024
Line 50:		Line 50:
	As this was happening, the others investigated in the taverns. A Forfarian male came in, screaming and cursing, his mind seemingly gone. He ranted about the Amaranth, cursing her name, and that "the blessings are lies! We are all damned!" However as the heroes began to question him, preventing locals from "helping the man for his own good" (unbeknownst to them, cultists attempting to take him away to silence him), the Forfarian began to scream in agony and blood poured out of every orifice, before he collapsed and expired, a lifeless shell whose last moments had been sheer agony. This caused the heroes to redouble their efforts and suspicions.		As this was happening, the others investigated in the taverns. A Forfarian male came in, screaming and cursing, his mind seemingly gone. He ranted about the Amaranth, cursing her name, and that "the blessings are lies! We are all damned!" However as the heroes began to question him, preventing locals from "helping the man for his own good" (unbeknownst to them, cultists attempting to take him away to silence him), the Forfarian began to scream in agony and blood poured out of every orifice, before he collapsed and expired, a lifeless shell whose last moments had been sheer agony. This caused the heroes to redouble their efforts and suspicions.

	Once Nathaniel secreted Natalia away, with a distracting performance by their halfling bard friend Dominique Petite to keep the Burgomaster and his entourage distracted, they secreted her out of the village. Once they left the outer areas of the village, the curse on Natalia's mind appeared to lift and she recalled who she was. Although she did not know everything, her time as the cult's prisoner had enabled her to learn enough to understand what was going on - that Leiksburg was run by a cult that worshipped and served some form of evil outsider entity, and that the populace and travellers to Leiksburg were being lied to and duped into selling their souls in infernal deals. Natalia revealed that she was a General and would return to her fortress and gather her troops, and return to capture the Burgomaster. Cultists attempted to prevent Natalia leaving, but the heroes fought them and enabled Natalia to leave along with ~~Dominique~~ to assist.		Once Nathaniel secreted Natalia away, with a distracting performance by their halfling bard friend Dominique Petite to keep the Burgomaster and his entourage distracted, they secreted her out of the village. Once they left the outer areas of the village, the curse on Natalia's mind appeared to lift and she recalled who she was. Although she did not know everything, her time as the cult's prisoner had enabled her to learn enough to understand what was going on - that Leiksburg was run by a cult that worshipped and served some form of evil outsider entity, and that the populace and travellers to Leiksburg were being lied to and duped into selling their souls in infernal deals. Natalia revealed that she was a General and would return to her fortress and gather her troops, and return to capture the Burgomaster. Cultists attempted to prevent Natalia leaving, but the heroes fought them and enabled Natalia to leave along with [[Sandrine Halloway (Ravenloft)\|Strahd's Spymaster]] to assist her return.

	On returning to Leiksburg, things quickly soured. The cult, realising what the heroes had done and the problem that the Boyar General's escape would bring, attempted to enact vengeance on the heroes, but the heroes were no simple travellers and the cultists paid a high price - but they had numbers. Many numbers. But then the Amaranth herself appeared - her first known visit to the village centre itself. She seemed a strange mixture of annoyed but bemused. The heroes attempted to attack her, but barely took a step before swarms of giant carnivorous locusts appeared out of nowhere, their quantities darkening the very skies. The locusts began attacking indiscriminately, tearing flesh off innocent villagers and cultists alike. The Amaranth seemed to laugh with glee and amusement. She told the heroes that they were insignificant next to her, and she could end them - but that she was amused by their actions and had become bored of the situation anyhow. She told the players to enjoy their victory, they had exposed her and she would leave, and they had "saved" Leiksburg - but that she would leave with what she was due. Suddenly, the village was filled with the sounds of anguished screams as hundreds of people - the cultists and those who had willingly or unknowingly sold their souls for her blessings - began bleeding through every orifice just like the Forfarian in the tavern days earlier.. and expired horribly. Dancing as though the screams of anguish were a symphony to her, the Amaranth disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, and has not been seen since.		On returning to Leiksburg, things quickly soured. The cult, realising what the heroes had done and the problem that the Boyar General's escape would bring, attempted to enact vengeance on the heroes, but the heroes were no simple travellers and the cultists paid a high price - but they had numbers. Many numbers. But then the Amaranth herself appeared - her first known visit to the village centre itself. She seemed a strange mixture of annoyed but bemused. The heroes attempted to attack her, but barely took a step before swarms of giant carnivorous locusts appeared out of nowhere, their quantities darkening the very skies. The locusts began attacking indiscriminately, tearing flesh off innocent villagers and cultists alike. The Amaranth seemed to laugh with glee and amusement. She told the heroes that they were insignificant next to her, and she could end them - but that she was amused by their actions and had become bored of the situation anyhow. She told the players to enjoy their victory, they had exposed her and she would leave, and they had "saved" Leiksburg - but that she would leave with what she was due. Suddenly, the village was filled with the sounds of anguished screams as hundreds of people - the cultists and those who had willingly or unknowingly sold their souls for her blessings - began bleeding through every orifice just like the Forfarian in the tavern days earlier.. and expired horribly. Dancing as though the screams of anguish were a symphony to her, the Amaranth disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, and has not been seen since.

Fenton: /* Birth of the Cult */

2024-11-21T09:23:57Z

Birth of the Cult

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:23, 21 November 2024
Line 35:		Line 35:
	=== Birth of the Cult ===		=== Birth of the Cult ===
	Soon after, the divine child peaked the interest of the locals, but she would always remain a little distant, as if shy. But slowly, she began to have limited interaction with the locals, seeming to be keen to listen to their woes and provide comfort when they were harmed, injured, and upset. Then she began aiding the occasional person in need, but only those in the most dire need or the most desperate, or ambitious. It is around this time that the Amaranth began approaching certain people - some being the utterly desperate, but others being the ambitious and cruel. Over the next couple of years she built a network of servants - most of who knew at least something of her true nature... they knew they were serving some kind of diabolic being, though not what. But she offered them what they craved, to gain power and wealth and fear no enemies, in return for an eternity as a superior in her infernal horde after their death. For many, this was a fair deal and a way to power both in mortal life, and in the afterlife - better than resting mindlessly for eternity, which is what most Barovians believed the afterlife was. The cult brought others into the fold - some as knowing, willing members, and others as hapless lackeys. They flexed influence in secret by hiding their membership and existence from outsiders, and used this influence to ensure their loyal members got positions of power in Leiksburg (and surrounding nearby settlements and towns that Leiksburg grew to have contacts with) - ensuring the cult remained in control of the political, economic, and social elements of the town. They even had cultists in the town guard, although this was harder to control as the guards belonged to the Barovian army under the rule of Boyar Stanislav. The solution became simpler, and the cult groomed a cousin of the Stanislav line to become the Burgomaster, all the better to keep the Boyar's attention diverted or obfuscated. For several generations, the title of Burgomaster was handed down by members of the Stanislav line, all of who grew up and were inducted into the Cult of the Amaranth from an early age. With the aid of insiders in the village to direct the desperate towards the Amaranth and encourage them to seek "the Amaranth's blessing" and dissuade any concerns, slowly but surely the legend of the divine child became a local legend and the Leiksburg believed they were blessed, and more and more people began to seek her blessing, unwittingly selling their souls in the process. With every blessing made and soul sold, a new ruby would appear in the Amaranth's black silk bag, glowing faintly with a portion of the victim's soul. Once the mortal passed on, their soul would immediately be pulled into the ruby and forever detained, to be used by the Amaranth in the future for her own hellish schemes.		Soon after, the divine child peaked the interest of the locals, but she would always remain a little distant, as if shy. But slowly, she began to have limited interaction with the locals, seeming to be keen to listen to their woes and provide comfort when they were harmed, injured, and upset. Then she began aiding the occasional person in need, but only those in the most dire need or the most desperate, or ambitious. It is around this time that the Amaranth began approaching certain people - some being the utterly desperate, but others being the ambitious and cruel. Over the next couple of years she built a network of servants - most of who knew at least something of her true nature... they knew they were serving some kind of diabolic being, though not what. But she offered them what they craved, to gain power and wealth and fear no enemies, in return for an eternity as a superior in her infernal horde after their death. For many, this was a fair deal and a way to power both in mortal life, and in the afterlife - better than resting mindlessly for eternity, which is what most Barovians believed the afterlife was. The cult brought others into the fold - some as knowing, willing members, and others as hapless lackeys. They flexed influence in secret by hiding their membership and existence from outsiders, and used this influence to ensure their loyal members got positions of power in Leiksburg (and surrounding nearby settlements and towns that Leiksburg grew to have contacts with) - ensuring the cult remained in control of the political, economic, and social elements of the town. They even had cultists in the town guard, although this was harder to control as the guards belonged to the Barovian army under the rule of Boyar Stanislav. The solution became simpler, and the cult groomed a cousin of the Stanislav line to become the Burgomaster, all the better to keep the Boyar's attention diverted or obfuscated. For several generations, the title of Burgomaster was handed down by members of the Stanislav line, all of who grew up and were inducted into the Cult of the Amaranth from an early age. With the aid of insiders in the village to direct the desperate towards the Amaranth and encourage them to seek "the Amaranth's blessing" and dissuade any concerns, slowly but surely the legend of the divine child became a local legend and the Leiksburg believed they were blessed, and more and more people began to seek her blessing, unwittingly selling their souls in the process. With every blessing made and soul sold, a new ruby would appear in the Amaranth's black silk bag, glowing faintly with a portion of the victim's soul. Once the mortal passed on, their soul would immediately be pulled into the ruby and forever detained, to be used by the Amaranth in the future for her own hellish schemes.

			[[File:Image of the Amaranth and some cultists.png\|1100px\|thumb\|center\|alt=Image of the Amaranth and some cultists\|Image of the Amaranth and some cultists]]

	With prosperity, the hamlet grew into a village, and made many trade connections with nearby villages, hamlets, and towns such as Vallaki and Immol. Some Forfarians moved from Immol to Leiksburg but, curiously, few if any ever ever made deals with the Amaranth or accepted her help. The relationship between the Forfarians and the Cult was cold but respectful. The Cult were mildly frustrated by the Forfarians' unwillingness to "accept the blessings" but as long as they kept to themselves and did not get in the way, the Cult did not much care. The Forfarians never truly found out about the cult, but soon realised SOMETHING was up and there was some kind of secret society running things - but they equated that to being much like many towns and settlements, where noble blood or nepotism was a standard way for politics. Unbeknownst to the Cult, they had their own magical healers and protectors in the form of druids of the Old Gods, which they kept as secret as the Cult kept its own existence, and so the Cult or the Amaranth offered little that the Forfarians needed - and a natural suspicion and reticence to accept aid of outsiders made Forfarians accepting the blessings few and far between, though they did occasionally occur. In fact, it was one such cursed Forfarian that would ultimately cause the fall of the Cult.		With prosperity, the hamlet grew into a village, and made many trade connections with nearby villages, hamlets, and towns such as Vallaki and Immol. Some Forfarians moved from Immol to Leiksburg but, curiously, few if any ever ever made deals with the Amaranth or accepted her help. The relationship between the Forfarians and the Cult was cold but respectful. The Cult were mildly frustrated by the Forfarians' unwillingness to "accept the blessings" but as long as they kept to themselves and did not get in the way, the Cult did not much care. The Forfarians never truly found out about the cult, but soon realised SOMETHING was up and there was some kind of secret society running things - but they equated that to being much like many towns and settlements, where noble blood or nepotism was a standard way for politics. Unbeknownst to the Cult, they had their own magical healers and protectors in the form of druids of the Old Gods, which they kept as secret as the Cult kept its own existence, and so the Cult or the Amaranth offered little that the Forfarians needed - and a natural suspicion and reticence to accept aid of outsiders made Forfarians accepting the blessings few and far between, though they did occasionally occur. In fact, it was one such cursed Forfarian that would ultimately cause the fall of the Cult.

Fenton: /* Arrival */

2024-11-21T08:37:11Z

Arrival

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:37, 21 November 2024
Line 29:		Line 29:
	Nobody knows (or at least, no-one left alive with the knowledge and willing to share) when the being known as The Amaranth arrived in Leiksburg, or even the Land of Mists. But "she" is believed to have arrived over a century ago and the growth of Leiksburg as a community and settlement has been synonymous with the Amaranth's presence.		Nobody knows (or at least, no-one left alive with the knowledge and willing to share) when the being known as The Amaranth arrived in Leiksburg, or even the Land of Mists. But "she" is believed to have arrived over a century ago and the growth of Leiksburg as a community and settlement has been synonymous with the Amaranth's presence.

	Why Leiksburg was chosen is also unknown, but according to the few local legends and recovered records from the Amaranth Cult's leader's home, the former Burgomaster of Leiksburg, it is known that at the time the Amaranth was first believed sighted Leiksburg was a small hamlet set up after the discovery and establishment of a silver and iron mine in nearby Mt Ghakis. As Barovia has many such small settlements and mines, Leiksburg did not stand out and its growth was slow as, like most of Barovia, there were many threats in the night, in the forests, and in the mountains and nearby river and lake Luna. It's location in-between major settlements, however, gave it a slight advantage, especially after the annexation of Gundarak, and this may have been a reason why the Amaranth chose it. Soon after tales began of a golden-haired innocent child playing in the Amaranth field began, things got... safer. Wolves and werewolves appeared to keep at bay. Hags avoided Leiksburg and would curse its name if mentioned. Vampires seemed to choose other locations to prey on. Even mindless or hungry undead that preyed the nearby forests and roads seemed to never want to get closer than the village's outskirts, and the few that did were usually never seen again, or seen in literal pieces. The villagers began to see the presence of the child as a divine being of some sort - and the cult of the Morninglord in particular were quick to hail the young girl with hair as golden as the morning dawn as a "divine child". No-one ever really knew if she was either a mortal blessed by a divine being, or some form of divine being herself - but it was a moot point. It became quickly obvious that her presence kept away the creatures that most Barovian settlements had to be weary of - and that led many into a false sense of security.		Why Leiksburg was chosen is also unknown, but according to the few local legends and recovered records from the Amaranth Cult's leader's home, the former Burgomaster of Leiksburg, it is known that at the time the Amaranth was first believed sighted Leiksburg was a small hamlet set up after the discovery and establishment of a silver and iron mine in nearby Mt Ghakis. As Barovia has many such small settlements and mines, Leiksburg did not stand out and its growth was slow as, like most of Barovia, there were many threats in the night, in the forests, and in the mountains and nearby river and lake Luna. It's location in-between major settlements, however, gave it a slight advantage, especially after the annexation of Gundarak, and this may have been a reason why the Amaranth chose it. Soon after tales began of a golden-haired innocent child playing in the Amaranth field began, things got... safer. Wolves and werewolves appeared to keep at bay. Hags avoided Leiksburg and would curse its name if mentioned. Vampires seemed to choose other locations to prey on. Even mindless or hungry undead that preyed the nearby forests and roads seemed to never want to get closer than the village's outskirts, and the few that did were usually never seen again, or seen in literal pieces. The villagers began to see the presence of the child as a divine being of some sort - and the cult of the Morninglord in particular were quick to hail the young girl with hair as golden as the morning dawn as a "divine child". No-one ever really knew if she was either a mortal blessed by a divine being, or some form of divine being herself - but it was a moot point. It became quickly obvious that her presence kept away the creatures that most Barovian settlements had to be weary of - and that led many into a false sense of security.

			[[File:Image of the Amaranth slaying a werewolf.png\|1100px\|thumb\|center\|alt=Image of the Amaranth slaying a werewolf, protecting Leiksburg from rival threats\|Image of the Amaranth slaying a werewolf, protecting Leiksburg from rival threats]]

	=== Birth of the Cult ===		=== Birth of the Cult ===

Fenton: /* Background */

2024-11-20T11:36:21Z

Background

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:36, 20 November 2024
Line 26:		Line 26:

	== Background ==		== Background ==
			=== Arrival ===
	Nobody knows (or at least, no-one left alive with the knowledge and willing to share) when the being known as The Amaranth arrived in Leiksburg, or even the Land of Mists. But "she" is believed to have arrived over a century ago and the growth of Leiksburg as a community and settlement has been synonymous with the Amaranth's presence.		Nobody knows (or at least, no-one left alive with the knowledge and willing to share) when the being known as The Amaranth arrived in Leiksburg, or even the Land of Mists. But "she" is believed to have arrived over a century ago and the growth of Leiksburg as a community and settlement has been synonymous with the Amaranth's presence.

	Why Leiksburg was chosen is also unknown, but according to the few local legends and recovered records from the Amaranth Cult's leader's home, the former Burgomaster of Leiksburg, it is known that at the time the Amaranth was first believed sighted Leiksburg was a small hamlet set up after the discovery and establishment of a silver and iron mine in nearby Mt Ghakis. As Barovia has many such small settlements and mines, Leiksburg did not stand out and its growth was slow as, like most of Barovia, there were many threats in the night, in the forests, and in the mountains and nearby river and lake Luna. It's location in-between major settlements, however, gave it a slight advantage, especially after the annexation of Gundarak, and this may have been a reason why the Amaranth chose it. Soon after tales began of a golden-haired innocent child playing in the Amaranth field began, things got... safer. Wolves and werewolves appeared to keep at bay. Hags avoided Leiksburg and would curse its name if mentioned. Vampires seemed to choose other locations to prey on. Even mindless or hungry undead that preyed the nearby forests and roads seemed to never want to get closer than the village's outskirts, and the few that did were usually never seen again, or seen in literal pieces. The villagers began to see the presence of the child as a divine being of some sort - and the cult of the Morninglord in particular were quick to hail the young girl with hair as golden as the morning dawn as a "divine child". No-one ever really knew if she was either a mortal blessed by a divine being, or some form of divine being herself - but it was a moot point. It became quickly obvious that her presence kept away the creatures that most Barovian settlements had to be weary of - and that led many into a false sense of security.		Why Leiksburg was chosen is also unknown, but according to the few local legends and recovered records from the Amaranth Cult's leader's home, the former Burgomaster of Leiksburg, it is known that at the time the Amaranth was first believed sighted Leiksburg was a small hamlet set up after the discovery and establishment of a silver and iron mine in nearby Mt Ghakis. As Barovia has many such small settlements and mines, Leiksburg did not stand out and its growth was slow as, like most of Barovia, there were many threats in the night, in the forests, and in the mountains and nearby river and lake Luna. It's location in-between major settlements, however, gave it a slight advantage, especially after the annexation of Gundarak, and this may have been a reason why the Amaranth chose it. Soon after tales began of a golden-haired innocent child playing in the Amaranth field began, things got... safer. Wolves and werewolves appeared to keep at bay. Hags avoided Leiksburg and would curse its name if mentioned. Vampires seemed to choose other locations to prey on. Even mindless or hungry undead that preyed the nearby forests and roads seemed to never want to get closer than the village's outskirts, and the few that did were usually never seen again, or seen in literal pieces. The villagers began to see the presence of the child as a divine being of some sort - and the cult of the Morninglord in particular were quick to hail the young girl with hair as golden as the morning dawn as a "divine child". No-one ever really knew if she was either a mortal blessed by a divine being, or some form of divine being herself - but it was a moot point. It became quickly obvious that her presence kept away the creatures that most Barovian settlements had to be weary of - and that led many into a false sense of security.


			=== Birth of the Cult ===
	Soon after, the divine child peaked the interest of the locals, but she would always remain a little distant, as if shy. But slowly, she began to have limited interaction with the locals, seeming to be keen to listen to their woes and provide comfort when they were harmed, injured, and upset. Then she began aiding the occasional person in need, but only those in the most dire need or the most desperate, or ambitious. It is around this time that the Amaranth began approaching certain people - some being the utterly desperate, but others being the ambitious and cruel. Over the next couple of years she built a network of servants - most of who knew at least something of her true nature... they knew they were serving some kind of diabolic being, though not what. But she offered them what they craved, to gain power and wealth and fear no enemies, in return for an eternity as a superior in her infernal horde after their death. For many, this was a fair deal and a way to power both in mortal life, and in the afterlife - better than resting mindlessly for eternity, which is what most Barovians believed the afterlife was. The cult brought others into the fold - some as knowing, willing members, and others as hapless lackeys. They flexed influence in secret by hiding their membership and existence from outsiders, and used this influence to ensure their loyal members got positions of power in Leiksburg (and surrounding nearby settlements and towns that Leiksburg grew to have contacts with) - ensuring the cult remained in control of the political, economic, and social elements of the town. They even had cultists in the town guard, although this was harder to control as the guards belonged to the Barovian army under the rule of Boyar Stanislav. The solution became simpler, and the cult groomed a cousin of the Stanislav line to become the Burgomaster, all the better to keep the Boyar's attention diverted or obfuscated. For several generations, the title of Burgomaster was handed down by members of the Stanislav line, all of who grew up and were inducted into the Cult of the Amaranth from an early age. With the aid of insiders in the village to direct the desperate towards the Amaranth and encourage them to seek "the Amaranth's blessing" and dissuade any concerns, slowly but surely the legend of the divine child became a local legend and the Leiksburg believed they were blessed, and more and more people began to seek her blessing, unwittingly selling their souls in the process. With every blessing made and soul sold, a new ruby would appear in the Amaranth's black silk bag, glowing faintly with a portion of the victim's soul. Once the mortal passed on, their soul would immediately be pulled into the ruby and forever detained, to be used by the Amaranth in the future for her own hellish schemes.		Soon after, the divine child peaked the interest of the locals, but she would always remain a little distant, as if shy. But slowly, she began to have limited interaction with the locals, seeming to be keen to listen to their woes and provide comfort when they were harmed, injured, and upset. Then she began aiding the occasional person in need, but only those in the most dire need or the most desperate, or ambitious. It is around this time that the Amaranth began approaching certain people - some being the utterly desperate, but others being the ambitious and cruel. Over the next couple of years she built a network of servants - most of who knew at least something of her true nature... they knew they were serving some kind of diabolic being, though not what. But she offered them what they craved, to gain power and wealth and fear no enemies, in return for an eternity as a superior in her infernal horde after their death. For many, this was a fair deal and a way to power both in mortal life, and in the afterlife - better than resting mindlessly for eternity, which is what most Barovians believed the afterlife was. The cult brought others into the fold - some as knowing, willing members, and others as hapless lackeys. They flexed influence in secret by hiding their membership and existence from outsiders, and used this influence to ensure their loyal members got positions of power in Leiksburg (and surrounding nearby settlements and towns that Leiksburg grew to have contacts with) - ensuring the cult remained in control of the political, economic, and social elements of the town. They even had cultists in the town guard, although this was harder to control as the guards belonged to the Barovian army under the rule of Boyar Stanislav. The solution became simpler, and the cult groomed a cousin of the Stanislav line to become the Burgomaster, all the better to keep the Boyar's attention diverted or obfuscated. For several generations, the title of Burgomaster was handed down by members of the Stanislav line, all of who grew up and were inducted into the Cult of the Amaranth from an early age. With the aid of insiders in the village to direct the desperate towards the Amaranth and encourage them to seek "the Amaranth's blessing" and dissuade any concerns, slowly but surely the legend of the divine child became a local legend and the Leiksburg believed they were blessed, and more and more people began to seek her blessing, unwittingly selling their souls in the process. With every blessing made and soul sold, a new ruby would appear in the Amaranth's black silk bag, glowing faintly with a portion of the victim's soul. Once the mortal passed on, their soul would immediately be pulled into the ruby and forever detained, to be used by the Amaranth in the future for her own hellish schemes.

	With prosperity, the hamlet grew into a village, and made many trade connections with nearby villages, hamlets, and towns such as Vallaki and Immol. Some Forfarians moved from Immol to Leiksburg but, curiously, few if any ever ever made deals with the Amaranth or accepted her help. The relationship between the Forfarians and the Cult was cold but respectful. The Cult were mildly frustrated by the Forfarians' unwillingness to "accept the blessings" but as long as they kept to themselves and did not get in the way, the Cult did not much care. The Forfarians never truly found out about the cult, but soon realised SOMETHING was up and there was some kind of secret society running things - but they equated that to being much like many towns and settlements, where noble blood or nepotism was a standard way for politics. Unbeknownst to the Cult, they had their own magical healers and protectors in the form of druids of the Old Gods, which they kept as secret as the Cult kept its own existence, and so the Cult or the Amaranth offered little that the Forfarians needed - and a natural suspicion and reticence to accept aid of outsiders made Forfarians accepting the blessings few and far between, though they did occasionally occur. In fact, it was one such cursed Forfarian that would ultimately cause the fall of the Cult.		With prosperity, the hamlet grew into a village, and made many trade connections with nearby villages, hamlets, and towns such as Vallaki and Immol. Some Forfarians moved from Immol to Leiksburg but, curiously, few if any ever ever made deals with the Amaranth or accepted her help. The relationship between the Forfarians and the Cult was cold but respectful. The Cult were mildly frustrated by the Forfarians' unwillingness to "accept the blessings" but as long as they kept to themselves and did not get in the way, the Cult did not much care. The Forfarians never truly found out about the cult, but soon realised SOMETHING was up and there was some kind of secret society running things - but they equated that to being much like many towns and settlements, where noble blood or nepotism was a standard way for politics. Unbeknownst to the Cult, they had their own magical healers and protectors in the form of druids of the Old Gods, which they kept as secret as the Cult kept its own existence, and so the Cult or the Amaranth offered little that the Forfarians needed - and a natural suspicion and reticence to accept aid of outsiders made Forfarians accepting the blessings few and far between, though they did occasionally occur. In fact, it was one such cursed Forfarian that would ultimately cause the fall of the Cult.

			=== Natalia Stanislav ===
	Leiksburg grew to the point where it was approaching town status. This began to get the attention of Boyar Natalia Stanislav, who had inherited the position of Boyar and General of Barovia's army after the death of her father at the hands of Gundarak rebels. Investigating and wanting to learn about the lands she was now Boyar over, she grew interested in Leiksburg, both for it's strategic location, value of its mines, and strange economic success and lack of need for protection. Whilst other hamlets and villages in the area needed guards to protect against zombies and hungry dead and other predators in the shadows, Leiksburg had no such need. All her attempts to gather information from Leiksburg's Burgomaster, a cousin thrice removed of hers, seemed suspiciously deflective to the smart Boyar, and she grew to believe there was something going on that was being deliberately kept hidden from her. But there were more immediate priorities, so she allowed it to keep being deflected. That was until one of her own soldiers, maimed by Gundarak rebels and losing the use of his legs and malformed face, heard the legend of the divine child and went. He then returned, seeking to return to duty, looking as healthy and hale as he had been in his prime - limbs mysteriously regrown and scars undone. This led Natalia Stanislav to decide to visit. Cultists embedded by her side manipulated her, however, convincing her that "a friendly family visit from a cousin" with aims to bolster relations between a Boyar and her Burgomaster cousin would be better served than a General of the army entering with troops. When Boyar Stanislav went to Leiksburg with a handful of her most loyal guards for protection, she was unaware that all her guards were secretly cultists, and she was walking into a trap. Soon after arrival, the Boyar - not privy to years of Leiksburg legends and indoctrination and misdirection to the cult - with an Outsider's natural suspicion and a Boyar's power to demand answers, quickly began to realise that things were not right. This was when Burgomaster Stanislav placed a curse on Natalia Stanislav, making her simple-minded and her memory foggy. He introduced her as a simple-minded niece of his that he was adopting after the tragic death of her parents, and none suspected otherwise - with her own "loyal" guards acting as go-betweens whenever the Burgomaster needed the Boyar's influence - a Boyar going missing, after all, was too attention-demanding. To most who knew the Boyar, she simply settled in Leiksburg and began to work remotely through those who served her. In reality,, she became the Burgomaster's plaything - used and abused for his every dark whim.		Leiksburg grew to the point where it was approaching town status. This began to get the attention of Boyar Natalia Stanislav, who had inherited the position of Boyar and General of Barovia's army after the death of her father at the hands of Gundarak rebels. Investigating and wanting to learn about the lands she was now Boyar over, she grew interested in Leiksburg, both for it's strategic location, value of its mines, and strange economic success and lack of need for protection. Whilst other hamlets and villages in the area needed guards to protect against zombies and hungry dead and other predators in the shadows, Leiksburg had no such need. All her attempts to gather information from Leiksburg's Burgomaster, a cousin thrice removed of hers, seemed suspiciously deflective to the smart Boyar, and she grew to believe there was something going on that was being deliberately kept hidden from her. But there were more immediate priorities, so she allowed it to keep being deflected. That was until one of her own soldiers, maimed by Gundarak rebels and losing the use of his legs and malformed face, heard the legend of the divine child and went. He then returned, seeking to return to duty, looking as healthy and hale as he had been in his prime - limbs mysteriously regrown and scars undone. This led Natalia Stanislav to decide to visit. Cultists embedded by her side manipulated her, however, convincing her that "a friendly family visit from a cousin" with aims to bolster relations between a Boyar and her Burgomaster cousin would be better served than a General of the army entering with troops. When Boyar Stanislav went to Leiksburg with a handful of her most loyal guards for protection, she was unaware that all her guards were secretly cultists, and she was walking into a trap. Soon after arrival, the Boyar - not privy to years of Leiksburg legends and indoctrination and misdirection to the cult - with an Outsider's natural suspicion and a Boyar's power to demand answers, quickly began to realise that things were not right. This was when Burgomaster Stanislav placed a curse on Natalia Stanislav, making her simple-minded and her memory foggy. He introduced her as a simple-minded niece of his that he was adopting after the tragic death of her parents, and none suspected otherwise - with her own "loyal" guards acting as go-betweens whenever the Burgomaster needed the Boyar's influence - a Boyar going missing, after all, was too attention-demanding. To most who knew the Boyar, she simply settled in Leiksburg and began to work remotely through those who served her. In reality,, she became the Burgomaster's plaything - used and abused for his every dark whim.

			=== The Heroes ===
			For several months the status quo remained as the cult and their master desired it, until a group of adventuring heroes arrived at Leiksburg, seemingly by chance. These heroes had not heard any of the legends but were quickly struck at the calm and prosperity of the village, and naturally made enquiries. On one night they met a couple desolate as the wife was crippled and with a fatal malady - and the next morn she was as right as rain, after the Amaranth had given them their blessing. Used to fighting all form of evil beings that take many guises, they quickly became dubious about the "divine child" and miraculous recoveries, and began to make investigations, with the Halloways - nobility from Mordent - socialising with Burgomaster Stanislav whilst Warden Marcus and others mingled with the populace. Their investigation, however, was more curiosity peaked with doubt, than an inquisition but, for some reason, two key pivotal events occurred.

			Nathaniel Halloway met Natalia Stanislav and, although she was simple-minded and he knew no better about her staus, saw her true heart and a love blossomed between them. In a few rare moments of lucidity, however, she hinted that she was a prisoner and the Burgomaster a cult leader. Although fleeting, random, and lacking in enough information to know anything close to the truth, Nathaniel believed that Natalia was a victim kept against her will, and sought to rescue her.

			As this was happening, the others investigated in the taverns. A Forfarian male came in, screaming and cursing, his mind seemingly gone. He ranted about the Amaranth, cursing her name, and that "the blessings are lies! We are all damned!" However as the heroes began to question him, preventing locals from "helping the man for his own good" (unbeknownst to them, cultists attempting to take him away to silence him), the Forfarian began to scream in agony and blood poured out of every orifice, before he collapsed and expired, a lifeless shell whose last moments had been sheer agony. This caused the heroes to redouble their efforts and suspicions.

			Once Nathaniel secreted Natalia away, with a distracting performance by their halfling bard friend Dominique Petite to keep the Burgomaster and his entourage distracted, they secreted her out of the village. Once they left the outer areas of the village, the curse on Natalia's mind appeared to lift and she recalled who she was. Although she did not know everything, her time as the cult's prisoner had enabled her to learn enough to understand what was going on - that Leiksburg was run by a cult that worshipped and served some form of evil outsider entity, and that the populace and travellers to Leiksburg were being lied to and duped into selling their souls in infernal deals. Natalia revealed that she was a General and would return to her fortress and gather her troops, and return to capture the Burgomaster. Cultists attempted to prevent Natalia leaving, but the heroes fought them and enabled Natalia to leave along with Dominique to assist.

			On returning to Leiksburg, things quickly soured. The cult, realising what the heroes had done and the problem that the Boyar General's escape would bring, attempted to enact vengeance on the heroes, but the heroes were no simple travellers and the cultists paid a high price - but they had numbers. Many numbers. But then the Amaranth herself appeared - her first known visit to the village centre itself. She seemed a strange mixture of annoyed but bemused. The heroes attempted to attack her, but barely took a step before swarms of giant carnivorous locusts appeared out of nowhere, their quantities darkening the very skies. The locusts began attacking indiscriminately, tearing flesh off innocent villagers and cultists alike. The Amaranth seemed to laugh with glee and amusement. She told the heroes that they were insignificant next to her, and she could end them - but that she was amused by their actions and had become bored of the situation anyhow. She told the players to enjoy their victory, they had exposed her and she would leave, and they had "saved" Leiksburg - but that she would leave with what she was due. Suddenly, the village was filled with the sounds of anguished screams as hundreds of people - the cultists and those who had willingly or unknowingly sold their souls for her blessings - began bleeding through every orifice just like the Forfarian in the tavern days earlier.. and expired horribly. Dancing as though the screams of anguish were a symphony to her, the Amaranth disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, and has not been seen since.

	[[File:The Amaranth unleashing a plague of carnivorous locusts on Leiksburg.png\|1100px\|thumb\|center\|alt=The Amaranth unleashing a plague of carnivorous insects on Leiksburg\|The Amaranth unleashing a plague of carnivorous insects on Leiksburg]]		[[File:The Amaranth unleashing a plague of carnivorous locusts on Leiksburg.png\|1100px\|thumb\|center\|alt=The Amaranth unleashing a plague of carnivorous insects on Leiksburg\|The Amaranth unleashing a plague of carnivorous insects on Leiksburg]]