Manithan Vaanam

In-Game Time	3rd Night of the 6th Dharan Cycle
Played On	1st of August, 2025

After Nila shocks the party with Rithul's mark, their never-ending journey leads them to the shrine of Dhara atop Malai Hill. Shwari nears the effigies: she first passes a humble statue of Nandi and then reaches the emblematic statue of Dhara. At first, Shwari stands in silence, unsure of what to do. As she sits and waits, she feels a spectral snake slither through the snow, and its tail strikes against Shwari's urumi-drum. Shwari takes the hint and starts drumming, causing the golden breezes wafting around to circle her—slowly, then gaining speed. As she performs, she tries to drum harder and louder, yet fails due to the cold settling into her fingers. She reinvigorates herself, then plays with more vitality. She begins to sing, which seemingly pushes the golden breezes away. She stops the singing immediately, which the breezes react to positively, circling her again. After a few minutes of playing, the golden breezes fully surround her, creating a cyclone of snow. The party loses sight of her and the subsequent events, but Shwari sees a specter outlined by moonlight enter her circle of snow.

After a few minutes of waiting, the party sees the the circle of snow fall away, unveiling a transformed Shwari. Her hair changes texture and length, and upon her forehead is the brand of Dhara, glowing with the moonlight. She also holds a remodeled urumi-drum and two sharpened drumsticks. Shwari rejoins the party as a warlock bound to Dhara.

The group decide to make camp and sleep on the mountaintop. As everyone sleeps, the dark entity named Bodhi stirs within Aadhi, and Bodhi awakens in Aadhi's body. However, Aadhi wakes Shwari telepathically, warning her of the capture. Shwari thus interacts with Bodhi for the first time, as Bodhi reveals that the cobalt-leather hide that makes the drum heads is actually her erstwhile skin. Bodhi wakes everyone and charges at them, trying to destroy the new urumi-drum. Battle ensues, with Bodhi blinding and hurling acid upon the party, the party worried to hurt Aadhi during the combat. At last, Haavani slings a guiding bolt towards Bodhi, knocking her unconscious.

The group ties the body up, unsure whether Aadhi or Bodhi will emerge. Nila heals her, and Aadhi awakens, Bodhi constrained to the soul once more. Aadhi persuades the group to untie her, and then Aadhi launches into apologies before expressing her hesitation to voyage to the Kaalu Kaatu, not sure if Bodhi will take kindly to seeing her death site once more. After the shock of the events wear off, everyone falls asleep, wishing and praying for Dhara's Thandavam to protect them all.