AX THIS PLAYER PLOT IS SO GOOD. i've been wanting to pursue more cr with baren and pen again since it dropped off after the summer also? if you've still got room (i don't want to overload you since i know you've got a lot of responses!) Baren having darkness in his heart could trigger some memories for him too.

also idk if it'd be of any use to you but Baren actually just regained the Kumou Shrine (it's an old decrepit shrine that's dedicated to another creature of chaos and corruption from his own canon) that's popped up in the forest if you want a specific place for Mateus to be at?? jUST A THOUGHT