Ars Magica 5e, Rhine Tribunal, 1220

[Shayuri]

"A manticore, yes," Ilshana replies distractedly, still focused on Leo. "All I'm saying is that this, here, around us, is so fey that even fey would be feigning if they said it wasn't fey. And there's nothing BAD about that either, which is what you're saying. You're saying, 'Look how terrible it is that this forest is infested with badness,' and then you point to FEY."

She plants her fists on her hips and scowls terribly at Leo...then tilts her head in sudden curiosity as she looks at something past him.

"Of course...the children are mortal. I wonder if they've been bewitched."

With a shrug she looks at the other magi. "All right, so...here's what we've got. Fey woods we need masks for the game in order to enter, possibly mortal children to rescue. Castle with a hag-thing stealing the youth from people inside. Um..." She glances at Gorgamesh and snaps her fingers, trying to remember. "Um. Some beast. Chimera? Manticore? Manticore! One of those in the woods too, and it could be disguised."

"I figure we can deal with one of these things, or all of them, or just keep on our way, but lets get to deciding."

 

[Yair]

Leo makes a sound that a lion would make if a lion could sigh. "I bring you to a magic wood, where we walk through hours through a mundane wood, and end up in a faerie aura - and you say this magic wood is unwounded? Ah!"

"As for the manticore - yes, I can... sense its influence. It is powerful, or at least seems so. I... don't really know what it wants or is, although it, eh.... tastes bitter... that's the best I can describe it."

Looking at all resolutely he says "We need to help this forest, and to do so would mean aiding the baron - we ought to focus on that. Tomorrow. Tonight - we need to find a place to sleep."

OOC: In a long term campaign, I would say that having the baron as an ally would be an advantage whether we would want to settle in this area or elsewhere along the Gorge. But we should decide which adventure hook we want to follow, or if we want to seek out other ones, like Oakdell. My character is currently in favor of looking at the baron's problems, but will be convinced to follow what we want OOC....

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

Wouldn’t it be wise to uncover the secrets of the other locations before we delve into this one?
Gorgamesh throws the question to the air and without waiting for answer he adds.
There is a chance ... that we decide to build our covenant elsewhere and it will not be wise to reveal our presence to the locals... for good or worse.
Gorgamesh states his concern
It is true, we can help the baron and have him as an ally, but on the other side, the one who hurts the land will become our enemy. I think that it will be wise to investigate briefly each of the locations, and then, concentrate our efforts on the best one, but off course, my voice is counted as one.

Theodor the hunter stands behind Gorgamesh, as for stating his position as well.

 

[Walking Dad]

"What is a manticore? And are these really children? I heard stories of fae steling infants and transform them into their minions!" Thomas says. Not even the woods seem sane around here.

 

[ArghMark]

OOC: So, what are we doing? Perhaps if the characters voted on a course of action?

 

[Yair]

Leo cringes his nose in disagreement. "The forest is vast. Even my little time here has revealed to me many places of magic - and faerie - within it, some days from here. Doubtless there are more, further west. Visiting all the places will take months, surely - and I'm not sure all places will welcome such a visit. If you wish, I can take you to a lake, which is believe may be a focus of the forest's spirit. Perhaps, we could learn more there. But a full investigation of the forest - that is a project for years. I'd welcome it, but it is too early for that."

Guerino peers at the children with a worried look. "You know", he says to no one in particular, "it said that Roscellini, a Sicilian master, once bargained with a German faerie to obtain a faerie child. The child was so sweat that his mere sight would warm the coldest heart, but his touch was poison. He used him as an assassin, until Roscellini himself accidentally patted him on the head once, and died within a week. The child was never seen again. I wonder if this is where this German child came from."

Fortunately, as he speaks in Italian, no one seems to understand. The other guards have learned better than to inquire, and the magi are too busy in discussion to even notice his mutterings.

OOC: Sorry, Argh, but we're still in discussion, it seems...

I suggest that exploring the many magical places Argh described will take us lots of time, both in-game and in real-world time, so I suggest we settle on following ONE hook for now. As I see it, our options are:
1) Visit the baron's castle, and see what's up, and if we can strike a favor or bargain from him (or whatever is haunting his castle).
2) Return to the village, gear up with masks, and go to the faeries/children.
3) Go to the lake I suggested. It's days away, though.
4) Skip this whole area and head on down the river, to the next site.

I vote (1). Apparently Strahd votes (5) - exploring the forest; unless I convinced him. Other votes?

 

[Shayuri]

Ilshana shrugs at Leo, then says to Thomas, "The children are mortal. They look a bit pale, but they're not fey. Anyway, like Leo, if not for the same reasons, I think we should go check on the situation in the castle is. I mean, worst case, it doesn't -hurt- to have a baron owe us a favor, even if we're somewhere else."

 

[ArghMark]

Thats two votes for the castle, so we'll go with that.

Your small group quickly leaves the strange faerie place behind, and dark has fallen over the town by the time you arrive except for the public house where you can see the majority of the peasants have gone to for some quick beers. There doesn't seem to be much cheering and yelling, however, and the outskirts of the town have guards on patrol.

As you draw nearer (as you must, to approach the castle), you hear the dogs barking in their kennels on the outskirts of the small castle town; even at a distance they bare their teeth and make a ruckus, obviously in your direction. As their braying begins, the stabled donkeys and oxen also begin lowing urgently.

(Blame the Blatant Gift.)

You can barely see the houses in the dark, but the castle is lit above it. An ill omen hangs about the place, and a strange, foul-smelling mist hides the castle from view apart from its main tower, which is lit with an odd, green light.

 

[Walking Dad]

Thomas tries to calm the dogs and get some informations from them: "Good boys, what's up. Ignore them, not worth the trouble."

 

[ArghMark]

The dogs tell you of their fear, and tell you they smell a violent predator in their midst; they indicate it is Gorgamesh. You calm them easily enough with your words, and their defensive behavior quickly turns to love for you. They try to crowd you, but their cages get in the way. As with all dogs, one dog may begin to talk but another will finish it.

You notice the dog boy, probably around 12, has seen you and is staring at you with wide eyes. He looks like he's about to run.

They aren't just riled up because of the wizard, though. They tell you in their simple way that something is terrible up at the castle. On nights like this, when the mist is in the air, the humans are afraid; but they won't let the dogs out to look after the problem!