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I have a player who is playing Adelaine from Book 1 page 186 for which the story arc of guilt was meant for. I need help understanding how to resolve the story arc of guilt in Dearg Vol1. I’m using the ghost possession route, not the psychological.

Dearg page 207 The Demorthen initiation.
Loeg ask Adeliane to summon the C’maoghs by using art of Sigil Rann. Standard (11) check to trigger a power. That sums up the whole initiation…. What happens?!?!?!?!?!?

Adelaine’s background in Book 1 page 186 says “her master Loeg took her near the river where she had seen the will-o-wisp several years earlier and she was cured”. This is the only information to the outcome of the initiation since the rest of the arc seems to focus on the fact Avel tries to convince the player to attack Loeg and only describes that outcome.

So here are my questions:
1. If Adelaine attacks Loeg and the arc followed as described, does this cure Adelaine? If so how?
I’m assuming that it does not cure Adelaine. I assume Adelaine remains possessed by Avel’s ghost and will continue to get sick yearly, just now doesn’t have a master and unable to continue to become a Demorthen, which isn’t a good resolution to the arc if a Demorthen is what the player wants to play.
2. Assuming that the player does NOT attack Loeg, what does the rest of initiation involve?
3. Does Adeliane summon a C’maoghs if the Standard (11) check was successful?
4. Isn’t summoning a C’maogh the art of Liadh? Why does the book as for a Sigil Rann skill check?
5. If Adeliane is successful with the skill check and a C’moagh is supposed to show up, does it summon the will-o-wisp again, what happens?
6. How does Adeliane get cured?
7. Does a summoned C’maogh “scare off” Avel’s ghost? Is that how Adeliane become cured?
8. Does becoming cured mean no longer possessed by Avel’s ghost and no longer able to call on his powers? Or does it mean he’s still around helping, just not causing Adeliane to becomes sick?

I’m looking for help and advice how other GM’s have resolved this and would really like to hear from the author to know what was truly intended. I feel the attacking of Loeg was described out well but the author forgot to get back to the description of the initiation incase the player doesn’t attack Loeg.

For now without any more information, what I’m currently planning, if my player decides not to attack Loeg, then I’ll have them roll the dice for the Standard (11) skill check as mentioned. Since this was requested by Loeg to “summon” a C’moagh I’m going to have the Will-O-Wisp show up again if the skill check is successful. Several years earlier this was the tragic cause of Avel’s death so this will cause Avel’s ghost great fear and will cause him to “flee”. Adelaine will no longer be possessed, which was causing the yearly sickness. So this will “cure” Adelaine, but since Avel is gone, she’ll no longer be able to call on Avel for help meaning the Draw Ghost Energy and Repel Feondas powers will also be gone.

Thoughts? Advice? Insight? I’ve 2 other post prior to this one with questions that never gotten answered. I’m not holding out much hope, these forums don’t seem very lively so this will either be 3rd try the charm or 3rd strike and I’m out.

Hello Onlinechaos !

Indeed the forum is quite sleepy, most of the conversation goes on the official Agate discord. Even there it's really calm... But I'll not let you without my contribution !


********* Risk of Spoilers **********


We played this 2 weeks ago. The PC with the guilt arc is really close from Adeliane so I did not change the course of action. She went in Melwan with Wailen, Feust AND Loeg, but decided to go to the river with her mentor. As it was described in the book, the whisper from the ghost told her that she might be in danger, that Loeg might attack her. She was panicked when Loeg asked her to use an ogham of light to show how she was able to bond with C'maogh.
I told her she was lightheaded by the situation and had a growing headache, being so close from where Avel disappeared. She wasn't able to understand the whisper anymore, nore the imprecation by Loeg and the cries from Wailen who asked him to stop this.

Then the player roll a critical Sigil Rann success (10 confirmed). So I described the result this way :

All the persons present where dazzled by a pulse of Solar light coming from the Ogham. This light was surrounded with a calm presence which help the PC to feel unburdened by Avel disappearance. And all the flora around grew from this beneficial light. When the light finally disappeared, Loeg and Wailen said both humbly " Welcome, Demorthen".

So in appearance, the possession from the ghost was lift off. But my player never really ask if it was real or not. Her PC was 17 when it happened, now she is 20 and went through the scenarii Loch Varn and Poison, at the end of summer. She will return to Dearg soon with her companions but with the next event, she might realize that Avel is always near by.

So from might point of view :

1. Indeed for me she remains possessed by Avel's ghost. BUt if she decide to attack Loeg, it might not prevent her from becoming a demorthen, because Wailen can instruct her then if you decide Loeg become an enemy.

2. The initiation in itself looks like to test if the Pc is able to summon oghamic power or not. So the PC can roll the Sigil Rann with any stone you will considered fit for a test. I went for the Light because it was one used earlier in the focus and felt like a good "circle", especially if the PC failed the first time and succeed here.

3. I would say it's not necessary a C'moagh that appear, but the ogham that react to the test.

4. 5. The Liadh is the ability to use C'maogh power without an ogham, from what I understand from the book. So if you want to go for this, just ask your PC to roll a D10. Then you can decide to use Sigil Rann score to determine if it's a success or not. If it is, a will-o-wisp appear and you might offer the discipline to your PC as a result. Then describe how Loeg react: either he will say she is corrupt like a Morcail because she forced a C'maogh to appear, or he will understand that she is in fact using Liadh. I would play him like a humble and proud Loeg.

6. I did no respond to this. Just said that she felt unburdened for some times (few years ?).

7. It look like you got your own answer here. It look plausible to me

8. I would say so. Because it's his presence that give her this power. Or think about the great snake from her dream/nightmare. It appeared like Sniomh revelation. You can consider she is free from Avel's Ghost, but still got Sniomh attention who give her these abilities.

I realize it's one month late, but still hope it will help you !