The abbey has been attacked and defiled

You make your way through the gloomy evening hallway of the abbey. The candles and lanterns that would normally be lit by this hour are dark. You pass a cell with an open door and what you see within sends a cold chill down your arms. The bed is overturned and the sheet is twisted onto the floor. There is a distinctive blood stain on the sheet and large smears of other fluids. The faint smell of brimstone hangs in the air.

All of the cells except for Ivona's are at the very least vandalized. The beds and desks are smashes, private letters torn to pieces and what looks to be excrement is smeared on some of the walls. The library has been partially burned, though the fires seem to have gone out on their own accord thanks to rain blowing in through smashed windows. The only trace of the librarian, Constance, are a few tattered scraps of her gown and some blood on the floor. There are other puddles of fluid and you are beginning to suspect what those pools of curdled white may be.

The true horror is to be found in the chapel. The statue of the Burning Rose has been smashed to pieces and splattered with blood and other filth. The alter and wind organ are ruined and the lovely stained glass window depicting the Burning Rose and the other gods and goddesses of the true powers has been destroyed. Scraps of cloth and smears of foul-smelling seed cover the floor.

It is here that you find your first body. Two, actually. One you recognize as Sister Jania, one of the paladin knights returned from quests. She has been impaled with an iron spear looted from the lay armory. Her battle gear is soaked in her blood, though she appears otherwise untouched. You do not know the identity of the other sister. He gown is completely red with blood and her head is missing. In one pale hand she grasps a short sword.

"Goddess guide you on your journey to the meadow," you murmur, tears stinging your eyes. "What has happened here?"

You turn and see that the tapestry of St. Magdalena battling the she-daemon Hecata has been painted over with a crude pentagram. The daemonic runes scrawled at each point of the blasphemous star seem to squirm and make you feel queasy. You look away, to the smashed splendor of the chapel. You are about to leave the room when you hear a moan from beneath a pile of smashed timbers. You hurry over to the wood and summon the power of the Burning Rose to fuel your muscles and allow you to lift the massive timber.

The War Mother is beneath it, though her face is so badly beaten you almost cannot recognize her. You cry out softly in horror and drop to your knees beside her.

"Mother," you moan and touch her face. "What has happened?"

"Attacked," she gasps. "Gate was opened. Traitor...traitor opened..."

She coughs and blood spills from her lips. For a moment her eyes roll back in her head. When she recovers, she seems to have momentarily caught her breath.

"Sabine, listen... carefully. The other sisters were taken. You must warn the Supreme War Mother at the High Abbey. Thoros has returned." She tries to sit up and falls back into the rubble. You try to comfort her, but she suddenly seizes your hands and looks into your eyes. "Sword of St. Magdalena is hidden...hidden in the laundry chimney. Take it to High Abbey... in Gerlangen."

"I cannot, War Mother. I am not even a paladin knight yet. How can I be entrusted with the holy sword?"

"No arguments. And... forgive her. You must... she could not help it..."

You see her fading. All of the color has drained out of her face and blood trickles from her nose.

"Who? Help what?" You try to shake her. Tears pour from your eyes. "Don't leave me, Mother! I cannot... I cannot do this..."

The War Mother has died. You say the full prayer for the fallen over her body. You wish you could give her and the other sisters a proper burial. There is no time for that or self-pity. There is not even time for wondering what has become of Ivona. If she was taken with the others, only your quick action will save them. That begins with recovering the sword from the laundry.

You head down the stairs to the laundry. It is so dark that you can barely make out the last light of day reflecting from the pools. There are torn clothes and stains and pools of filth here as well.

And something else.

You hear it sniffing in the refuse. By its silhouette, you judge it to be a very large dog, but there is a strong brimstone scent to the creature. You are not sure what it is exactly, but you are guessing it has been left behind to search for the sword. You are armed only with your fists, determination and the holy power of the Burning Rose.

The pure fury of seeing the chapel so desecrated and the War Mother killed vibrates within your muscles. Your connection to the Burning Rose has never felt stronger and her sympathetic anger seems to quake within your soul.