The Dragonwilds (Solo/Vagabond)
- Thread starter mikeawmids1
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mikeawmids1
Explorer
Dragonwilds, Session 8
The Priory of Saint Agnos is a small, but well defended monastery located a short distance outside Umberheim, occupied by agents of the Darkfire Crusade. Having already defeated Lord Bredley, the party must now neutralize the zealous Deacon Murdoch.
Vikath gives a short speech to rouse the townsfolk against their oppressors. 10 commoners volunteer to join the attack on the priory. Horatio worries they are leading these untrained men/women to their deaths, but Vikath argues that if they love their land enough to make that sacrifice then their bravery should be honoured.
Old and frail as he is, Bother Theldus won't be participating in the attack, but he does advise the heroes they might be able to sneak into the priory via the crypts.
The party reach the monastery before dawn. The sky over Umberhim is blotted out by black smoke rising from the burning garrison. The entrance to the crypt is in the graveyard behind the monastery. Two inquisitors guard the back door. The heroes decide it'll be easier to kill these two clowns, rather than crawl through the crypts. Ximendra casts Polymorph to transform the two inquisitors into chickens. The Witch's Hex perk enables her to make the duration of her spells continuous, without having to Focus. The two chickens cluck indignantly. The back door is locked. Mara could cast Knock, but that will be noisy. Horatio notices the priory has a bell tower - if Mara casts Knock as the bells toll the hour, the ringing will mask the sound of her spell. At 6am, the cultists ring the bell. Mara casts Knock, and the back door springs open.
The party enter a library well stocked with religious texts and dusty scrolls. Sounds from the adjacent dining area indicate breakfast is being served. The heroes pass through an empty scriptorium and an open courtyard guarded by four inquisitors and a fanatical Darkfire Templar. Horatio and Vikath team up to take down the Templar. Mara casts Burn to incinerate the inquisitors. Ximendra casts Animate on one of the stone gargoyles clinging to the wall of the monastery to fight alongside them. Brian hangs back and considers how much more useful he'd be if he had a crossbow on his character sheet.
The heroes enter the chapel. Deacon Murdoch kneels before the altar of Saint Agnos. Early morning sunlight streams in through stained glass windows facing the east, casting colourful patterns across the flagstoned floor. With the aid of a gnarled staff, the elderly Curate rises and turns to address the party.
DEACON MURDOCH: "As was forseen, the heretic mage and her accomplices present themselves for divine judgement. Lay down your arms and submit to the purifying flame! Rejoice, as we burn the corruption from your wicked souls!"
Deacon Murdoch begins to pray. As long as he is doing so, no spells can be cast within the chapel of Saint Agnos (also known as the Magebane). Four crossbow-wielding inquisitors appear on the balcony ovelooking the altar and open fire, specifically targeting the magic users in the party. Mara dodges, but Ximendra is hit for 3 damage. Vikath activates the Selfless perk to take the hit instead. Without their spells, Mara and Ximendra are not super useful in a scrap.
More cultists rush forward. Horatio and Vikath hold the frontline. The zealots are rolling d4 damage, and Vikath has Armour 4. No matter how many attacks land, they are unable to injure him.
VIKATH: "That tickles!"
The crossbow guys switch target to the drakken. Crossbows inlict d6 damage, so they can penetrate his defence. Vikath takes some actual damage. That doesn't tickle. Vikath exhales his shocking breath at the inquisitors on the balcony.
Ximendra attacks an inquisitor with her dagger, and misses. The inquisitor backhands her upside the face. Ximendra stumbles backward and trips.
INQUISITOR: "Not so tough without your heathen magic, are you?"
The inquisitor grabs her by the hair and hauls her upright, laughing unpleasantly. Ximendra lashes out with her knife, and the inquisitor releases her, blood staining the sleeve of his robe.
INQUISITOR: "You b****!! You're going to pay for that!"
Horatio breaks through the Darkfire ranks and charges towards the altar. Deacon Murdoch abandons his prayer to cast Sacred Flame at the advancing dwarf. Horatio is Blinded. Deacon Murdoch shuffles towards the stairs leading up into the bell tower. A pair of Templars cover his escape. With the Curate's focus broken, the anti-magic aura fails. Ximendra feels her mana returning and turns to face her potty-mouthed tormentor, a savage smile twisting her bloodied lips.
INQUISITOR: "Oh ****."
Ximendra casts Goop, vomiting a spray of caustic acid over the inquisitor. His flesh bubbles and his bones melt, leaving nothing but a pile of steaming offal.
Horatio is still blind. Brian tends to Ximendra's wounds. Vikath and Mara pursue the Curate. The two Templars defend the staircase leading up into the bell tower. Vikath prepares to engage the Templars in glorious battle, but Mara casts Control and bends the Darkfire agents to her will. Their eyes glaze over, arms hanging slack at their sides. Mara commands the Templars to kill Deacon Murdoch. Wordlessly, the Templars turn away and start climbing the tower. Vikath looks put out. A moment later, they hear a scream (followed by a muffled crunch) as the Curate is thrown from the top of the bell tower by his not-so faithful congregation.
With Deacon Murdoch excommunicated (from life), the remaining Darkfire agents abandon Umberheim. The party rescue the prisoners from the holding cells beneath the priory. Vikath is troubled by the morally ambiguous actions of the party (specifically all the mind control and face melting) and decides he must follow his own path for a while. He is also heading for Ravendorf, so their paths will surely cross again in future.
The heroes advance to level 4!
TBC
The Priory of Saint Agnos is a small, but well defended monastery located a short distance outside Umberheim, occupied by agents of the Darkfire Crusade. Having already defeated Lord Bredley, the party must now neutralize the zealous Deacon Murdoch.
Vikath gives a short speech to rouse the townsfolk against their oppressors. 10 commoners volunteer to join the attack on the priory. Horatio worries they are leading these untrained men/women to their deaths, but Vikath argues that if they love their land enough to make that sacrifice then their bravery should be honoured.
Old and frail as he is, Bother Theldus won't be participating in the attack, but he does advise the heroes they might be able to sneak into the priory via the crypts.
The party reach the monastery before dawn. The sky over Umberhim is blotted out by black smoke rising from the burning garrison. The entrance to the crypt is in the graveyard behind the monastery. Two inquisitors guard the back door. The heroes decide it'll be easier to kill these two clowns, rather than crawl through the crypts. Ximendra casts Polymorph to transform the two inquisitors into chickens. The Witch's Hex perk enables her to make the duration of her spells continuous, without having to Focus. The two chickens cluck indignantly. The back door is locked. Mara could cast Knock, but that will be noisy. Horatio notices the priory has a bell tower - if Mara casts Knock as the bells toll the hour, the ringing will mask the sound of her spell. At 6am, the cultists ring the bell. Mara casts Knock, and the back door springs open.
The party enter a library well stocked with religious texts and dusty scrolls. Sounds from the adjacent dining area indicate breakfast is being served. The heroes pass through an empty scriptorium and an open courtyard guarded by four inquisitors and a fanatical Darkfire Templar. Horatio and Vikath team up to take down the Templar. Mara casts Burn to incinerate the inquisitors. Ximendra casts Animate on one of the stone gargoyles clinging to the wall of the monastery to fight alongside them. Brian hangs back and considers how much more useful he'd be if he had a crossbow on his character sheet.
The heroes enter the chapel. Deacon Murdoch kneels before the altar of Saint Agnos. Early morning sunlight streams in through stained glass windows facing the east, casting colourful patterns across the flagstoned floor. With the aid of a gnarled staff, the elderly Curate rises and turns to address the party.
DEACON MURDOCH: "As was forseen, the heretic mage and her accomplices present themselves for divine judgement. Lay down your arms and submit to the purifying flame! Rejoice, as we burn the corruption from your wicked souls!"
Deacon Murdoch begins to pray. As long as he is doing so, no spells can be cast within the chapel of Saint Agnos (also known as the Magebane). Four crossbow-wielding inquisitors appear on the balcony ovelooking the altar and open fire, specifically targeting the magic users in the party. Mara dodges, but Ximendra is hit for 3 damage. Vikath activates the Selfless perk to take the hit instead. Without their spells, Mara and Ximendra are not super useful in a scrap.
More cultists rush forward. Horatio and Vikath hold the frontline. The zealots are rolling d4 damage, and Vikath has Armour 4. No matter how many attacks land, they are unable to injure him.
VIKATH: "That tickles!"
The crossbow guys switch target to the drakken. Crossbows inlict d6 damage, so they can penetrate his defence. Vikath takes some actual damage. That doesn't tickle. Vikath exhales his shocking breath at the inquisitors on the balcony.
Ximendra attacks an inquisitor with her dagger, and misses. The inquisitor backhands her upside the face. Ximendra stumbles backward and trips.
INQUISITOR: "Not so tough without your heathen magic, are you?"
The inquisitor grabs her by the hair and hauls her upright, laughing unpleasantly. Ximendra lashes out with her knife, and the inquisitor releases her, blood staining the sleeve of his robe.
INQUISITOR: "You b****!! You're going to pay for that!"
Horatio breaks through the Darkfire ranks and charges towards the altar. Deacon Murdoch abandons his prayer to cast Sacred Flame at the advancing dwarf. Horatio is Blinded. Deacon Murdoch shuffles towards the stairs leading up into the bell tower. A pair of Templars cover his escape. With the Curate's focus broken, the anti-magic aura fails. Ximendra feels her mana returning and turns to face her potty-mouthed tormentor, a savage smile twisting her bloodied lips.
INQUISITOR: "Oh ****."
Ximendra casts Goop, vomiting a spray of caustic acid over the inquisitor. His flesh bubbles and his bones melt, leaving nothing but a pile of steaming offal.
Horatio is still blind. Brian tends to Ximendra's wounds. Vikath and Mara pursue the Curate. The two Templars defend the staircase leading up into the bell tower. Vikath prepares to engage the Templars in glorious battle, but Mara casts Control and bends the Darkfire agents to her will. Their eyes glaze over, arms hanging slack at their sides. Mara commands the Templars to kill Deacon Murdoch. Wordlessly, the Templars turn away and start climbing the tower. Vikath looks put out. A moment later, they hear a scream (followed by a muffled crunch) as the Curate is thrown from the top of the bell tower by his not-so faithful congregation.
With Deacon Murdoch excommunicated (from life), the remaining Darkfire agents abandon Umberheim. The party rescue the prisoners from the holding cells beneath the priory. Vikath is troubled by the morally ambiguous actions of the party (specifically all the mind control and face melting) and decides he must follow his own path for a while. He is also heading for Ravendorf, so their paths will surely cross again in future.
The heroes advance to level 4!
TBC
Last edited:
mikeawmids1
Explorer
Dragonwilds, Session 9
Our heroes have delivered Umberheim from the clutches of the Darkfire Crusade, but it's only a matter of time before word of their victory reaches the ear of Baroness Vardula von Ravenwold, and she dispatches her Black Riders to put the party in their place.
The heroes search the priory for loot and find 24gp, one solitary ration, a mysterious glowing crystal and a cask of small beer. Not the greatest haul ever. Thanks for that, Random Treasure table from the book!
In their downtime; Horatio pines for the Wyvernpeak mountains and the dwarven city of Daurgard nestled in their snowy peaks. He considers writing to his father King Torvald, but crumples up the unfinished letter and throws it into the fire. Mara studies the books in the scriptorium and gains 2 studied die (effectively floating bonuses she can add to any roll until her next rest). Brian prays to Solarion, imploring the god to guide Horatio back to his people, who need their wayward prince now more than ever. Ximendra visits the Mourners Post in Umberheim, where the townsfolk commemorate the victims of the Darkfire Crusade. She scratches the names of her mother and twin sisters into the wood. Lord Bredley and Deacon Murdoch are both dead, but they were just puppets dancing to Baroness Vardula's tune.
The heroes are heading to Ravendorf, the seat of the baroness' power. Vanara provides them with a list of rebel sympathisers in the city. The party must follow the Twilight Road around the southern bank of Echo Lake, but are warned about a wicked hag who prowls the area after dark. After saying their farewells to the folk of Umberheim, the party set off.
Black birds circle overhead (signposting the presence of the Raven Monolith), but none of the heroes pass their Detect check, and they pass the landmark by. Monoliths in the Dragonwilds are similar to Standing Stones in Skyrim. There are 15 of them hidden around the map, and interacting with them grants special abilities. The Raven Monolith for example, would have granted immunity to disease.
The Twilight Road passes by a derelict estate ringed by a tall, wrought-iron fence. The mansion is in a state of disrepair, yet the surrounding grounds appear neat and well maintained. A sign over the rusty gate reads: Harpers Grange. As a resident of Ravenwold, Ximendra realises this is the childhood home of Baroness Vardula, and could be worth investigating.
There is a bell beside the gate. The fence is tall and has spikes on top. Ximendra rings the bell. The sound triggers frantic barking from the estate, and a decrepit groundskeeper emerges from his hut, flanked by four large, vicious-looking dogs. The hounds hurl themselves at the fence, gnashing at the heroes - until the groundskeeper calls them to heel. The man's name is Criegler, and it is his privilige to tend the grounds of Harpers Grange. He asks the party their business here, and as it is plain they have none, he instructs them to move along. Ximendra casts Charm on the old gardener, and that immediately changes his tune. The dogs continue to bark, but Criegler commands them to stay put as he unlocks the gate and escorts the party toward the big house.
CRIEGLER: " I keep the grounds in order, but I daren't go inside - on account of the ghosts.
"Lady Vardula hasn't stayed here since she was in her teens. Her parents and older brother Alucard - god rest their souls - were laid to rest in the family plot behind the manor. Tis' tragic, what happened - to perish so close together like that, one after another, in a series of such unlikely and horrible accidents."
The party file that information under 'Deeply Suspicious'.
The heroes enter the old mansion. Doors lead off the foyer; left into the dining room, right into the trophy room. Stairs lead up to the first floor. The party enter the trophy room. The walls are decorated with mounted animal heads, and a large taxidermied owlbear rears up from a plinth in the corner of the room. The heroes get the unpleasant sensation that they are being watched, as dozens of dead, glassy eyes seem to follow them around the room. A large-calibre hunting rifle rests above the fireplace. One of Vagabonds 18(!) classes is the Gunslinger, but no-one in this party has much use for such a thing.
There is a large, but very old bloodstain on the floor near the fireplace. Responding to the strong psychic energies within the house, Ximendra experiences a vision. She sees a young woman - dark haired and pretty - tampering with the fittings securing a large stag's head to the wall. The vision shifts to show an older man - clearly the girl's father - pacing restlessly before the fire. The stags head comes loose and falls onto the man, the long, pointy antlers impaling him through the torso!
Ximendra relays her vision to the rest of the party. She believes the girl was a younger version of Baroness Vardula, and that she murdered her own father in this very room!
The party leave the trophy room and return to the foyer. There is a frightful clamour as an old suit of armour tumbles down the stairs from the first floor. The armour fragments scatter across the floor - then begin to piece themselves back together, and attack! Mara casts Burn (2d6) and the fire-blackened armour falls apart.
Into the dining room! Tarnished silverware shines grubbily on a long table set for four people. Plates of mouldering food crawl with maggots, and a cloud of flies buzz above the table. Sound of a squeaky wheel as a serving trolley rolls into the room, a covered platter set upon it. Nothing good can come of looking under that cover, but Horatio is not going to be cowed by some stupid house and marches over to lift the lid. A woman's severed head is revealed beneath the cover. Her eyes snap open and fix on Horatio, then she opens her mouth and emits a piercing scream (as per a Banshee's wail). Horatio slams the lid back down, the noise stops instantly.
The door the trolley emerged from leads to servant's quarters and the kitchen. There is something banging around in the adjacent pantry. That turns out to be a carcass crawler, groping around blindly, knocking things off shelves with its long, writhing tentacles. Horatio whacks the monster with his greataxe. The crawler emits a horrible, infant-like cry. That is profoundly upsetting. Mara casts Burn (2d6) and cooks the critter. The party find three unspoiled rations, yummy.
The servants quarter's are bare and long abandoned. The back door overlooks a small cemetery. Headstones mark the graves of the late Baron/Baroness von Ravenwold and their son. They all died days apart.
It is getting late. The party head back inside to explore the first floor. As they pass the door to the trophy room, nobody notices the stufffed owlbear is gone.
The first room the party enter on the first floor is a playroom/nursery, occupied by two dozen sinister toys; creepy dolls with wide, staring eyes, and ragged animals with their fluffy innards bursting out. There is a dollhouse designed to replicate the exact appearance/layout of Harpers Grange, and small wooden figurines that look just like the heroes. Horatio growls as the sinister toys jerk to life and attack! The creepy dolls produce wicked-looking knives from beneath their petticoats, while the stuffed animals rely on claws and fang.
Horatio buries his axe into the head of a grinning marionette as though he was chopping firewood.
PUPPET: "But I wanted to be a real boy!"
An otherwise adorable lion plushie mauls Ximendra for 1 dmg. Mara's first instinct is to cast Burn, but she worries about setting the mansion on fire. However, none of her other spells will have much impact on the animated toys, so she decides to risk it. Four toys (two dolls, a stuffed bear and a giraffe) burst into flame and stagger around, setting other things on fire. The room is filling with smoke. The flames are out of control, and there are still a load of murderous toys running amok. The heroes retreat, slamming the door of the playroom behind them. A knife blade is stabbed through the door, then a grinning pink face leers through the gap.
MURDEROUS TOY: "Heeeeere's Furby!!"
The party flee back downstairs into the foyer. The taxidermied owlbear pounces on Brian as he reaches the bottom step! It isn't like the house can be any more on fire than it already is, so Mara casts Burn - or tries to. Smoke from the flames make her cough and she fails her Arcana roll to cast the spell. Ximendra spots the heavy iron chandelier dangling above the owlbear (and Brian), and throws a glowing tarot card to sever the chain suspending it from the ceiling. Brian rolls a Reflex save to tumble clear as the chandelier crashes onto the owlbear, pinning it to the ground! The heroes hustle passed the trapped monster and out through the front door.
Criegler stands aghast (but still Charmed), watching as the fire consumes Harpers Grange. A large section of the roof collapses, sending sparks up into the night sky. His hounds bark wildly at the crackling flames.
CRIEGLER: "W-W-What happened?!"
HORATIO: "Someone must have left the stove on...."
TBC
Our heroes have delivered Umberheim from the clutches of the Darkfire Crusade, but it's only a matter of time before word of their victory reaches the ear of Baroness Vardula von Ravenwold, and she dispatches her Black Riders to put the party in their place.
The heroes search the priory for loot and find 24gp, one solitary ration, a mysterious glowing crystal and a cask of small beer. Not the greatest haul ever. Thanks for that, Random Treasure table from the book!
In their downtime; Horatio pines for the Wyvernpeak mountains and the dwarven city of Daurgard nestled in their snowy peaks. He considers writing to his father King Torvald, but crumples up the unfinished letter and throws it into the fire. Mara studies the books in the scriptorium and gains 2 studied die (effectively floating bonuses she can add to any roll until her next rest). Brian prays to Solarion, imploring the god to guide Horatio back to his people, who need their wayward prince now more than ever. Ximendra visits the Mourners Post in Umberheim, where the townsfolk commemorate the victims of the Darkfire Crusade. She scratches the names of her mother and twin sisters into the wood. Lord Bredley and Deacon Murdoch are both dead, but they were just puppets dancing to Baroness Vardula's tune.
The heroes are heading to Ravendorf, the seat of the baroness' power. Vanara provides them with a list of rebel sympathisers in the city. The party must follow the Twilight Road around the southern bank of Echo Lake, but are warned about a wicked hag who prowls the area after dark. After saying their farewells to the folk of Umberheim, the party set off.
Black birds circle overhead (signposting the presence of the Raven Monolith), but none of the heroes pass their Detect check, and they pass the landmark by. Monoliths in the Dragonwilds are similar to Standing Stones in Skyrim. There are 15 of them hidden around the map, and interacting with them grants special abilities. The Raven Monolith for example, would have granted immunity to disease.
The Twilight Road passes by a derelict estate ringed by a tall, wrought-iron fence. The mansion is in a state of disrepair, yet the surrounding grounds appear neat and well maintained. A sign over the rusty gate reads: Harpers Grange. As a resident of Ravenwold, Ximendra realises this is the childhood home of Baroness Vardula, and could be worth investigating.
There is a bell beside the gate. The fence is tall and has spikes on top. Ximendra rings the bell. The sound triggers frantic barking from the estate, and a decrepit groundskeeper emerges from his hut, flanked by four large, vicious-looking dogs. The hounds hurl themselves at the fence, gnashing at the heroes - until the groundskeeper calls them to heel. The man's name is Criegler, and it is his privilige to tend the grounds of Harpers Grange. He asks the party their business here, and as it is plain they have none, he instructs them to move along. Ximendra casts Charm on the old gardener, and that immediately changes his tune. The dogs continue to bark, but Criegler commands them to stay put as he unlocks the gate and escorts the party toward the big house.
CRIEGLER: " I keep the grounds in order, but I daren't go inside - on account of the ghosts.
"Lady Vardula hasn't stayed here since she was in her teens. Her parents and older brother Alucard - god rest their souls - were laid to rest in the family plot behind the manor. Tis' tragic, what happened - to perish so close together like that, one after another, in a series of such unlikely and horrible accidents."
The party file that information under 'Deeply Suspicious'.
The heroes enter the old mansion. Doors lead off the foyer; left into the dining room, right into the trophy room. Stairs lead up to the first floor. The party enter the trophy room. The walls are decorated with mounted animal heads, and a large taxidermied owlbear rears up from a plinth in the corner of the room. The heroes get the unpleasant sensation that they are being watched, as dozens of dead, glassy eyes seem to follow them around the room. A large-calibre hunting rifle rests above the fireplace. One of Vagabonds 18(!) classes is the Gunslinger, but no-one in this party has much use for such a thing.
There is a large, but very old bloodstain on the floor near the fireplace. Responding to the strong psychic energies within the house, Ximendra experiences a vision. She sees a young woman - dark haired and pretty - tampering with the fittings securing a large stag's head to the wall. The vision shifts to show an older man - clearly the girl's father - pacing restlessly before the fire. The stags head comes loose and falls onto the man, the long, pointy antlers impaling him through the torso!
Ximendra relays her vision to the rest of the party. She believes the girl was a younger version of Baroness Vardula, and that she murdered her own father in this very room!
The party leave the trophy room and return to the foyer. There is a frightful clamour as an old suit of armour tumbles down the stairs from the first floor. The armour fragments scatter across the floor - then begin to piece themselves back together, and attack! Mara casts Burn (2d6) and the fire-blackened armour falls apart.
Into the dining room! Tarnished silverware shines grubbily on a long table set for four people. Plates of mouldering food crawl with maggots, and a cloud of flies buzz above the table. Sound of a squeaky wheel as a serving trolley rolls into the room, a covered platter set upon it. Nothing good can come of looking under that cover, but Horatio is not going to be cowed by some stupid house and marches over to lift the lid. A woman's severed head is revealed beneath the cover. Her eyes snap open and fix on Horatio, then she opens her mouth and emits a piercing scream (as per a Banshee's wail). Horatio slams the lid back down, the noise stops instantly.
The door the trolley emerged from leads to servant's quarters and the kitchen. There is something banging around in the adjacent pantry. That turns out to be a carcass crawler, groping around blindly, knocking things off shelves with its long, writhing tentacles. Horatio whacks the monster with his greataxe. The crawler emits a horrible, infant-like cry. That is profoundly upsetting. Mara casts Burn (2d6) and cooks the critter. The party find three unspoiled rations, yummy.
The servants quarter's are bare and long abandoned. The back door overlooks a small cemetery. Headstones mark the graves of the late Baron/Baroness von Ravenwold and their son. They all died days apart.
It is getting late. The party head back inside to explore the first floor. As they pass the door to the trophy room, nobody notices the stufffed owlbear is gone.
The first room the party enter on the first floor is a playroom/nursery, occupied by two dozen sinister toys; creepy dolls with wide, staring eyes, and ragged animals with their fluffy innards bursting out. There is a dollhouse designed to replicate the exact appearance/layout of Harpers Grange, and small wooden figurines that look just like the heroes. Horatio growls as the sinister toys jerk to life and attack! The creepy dolls produce wicked-looking knives from beneath their petticoats, while the stuffed animals rely on claws and fang.
Horatio buries his axe into the head of a grinning marionette as though he was chopping firewood.
PUPPET: "But I wanted to be a real boy!"
An otherwise adorable lion plushie mauls Ximendra for 1 dmg. Mara's first instinct is to cast Burn, but she worries about setting the mansion on fire. However, none of her other spells will have much impact on the animated toys, so she decides to risk it. Four toys (two dolls, a stuffed bear and a giraffe) burst into flame and stagger around, setting other things on fire. The room is filling with smoke. The flames are out of control, and there are still a load of murderous toys running amok. The heroes retreat, slamming the door of the playroom behind them. A knife blade is stabbed through the door, then a grinning pink face leers through the gap.
MURDEROUS TOY: "Heeeeere's Furby!!"
The party flee back downstairs into the foyer. The taxidermied owlbear pounces on Brian as he reaches the bottom step! It isn't like the house can be any more on fire than it already is, so Mara casts Burn - or tries to. Smoke from the flames make her cough and she fails her Arcana roll to cast the spell. Ximendra spots the heavy iron chandelier dangling above the owlbear (and Brian), and throws a glowing tarot card to sever the chain suspending it from the ceiling. Brian rolls a Reflex save to tumble clear as the chandelier crashes onto the owlbear, pinning it to the ground! The heroes hustle passed the trapped monster and out through the front door.
Criegler stands aghast (but still Charmed), watching as the fire consumes Harpers Grange. A large section of the roof collapses, sending sparks up into the night sky. His hounds bark wildly at the crackling flames.
CRIEGLER: "W-W-What happened?!"
HORATIO: "Someone must have left the stove on...."
TBC
Last edited:
mikeawmids1
Explorer
Dragonwilds, Session 10
Leaving the burning wreckage of Harpers Grange behind them, our heroes proceed along the Twilight Road towards Ravendorf. They didn't find much in the way of treasure, but they now have cause to suspect Baroness Vardula bumped off her own family to ensure her rise to power. Night has fallen, and the party were warned about a hag preying on travellers caught out after dark. Right on schedule, a kindly old woman approaches, calling out for aid.
KINDLY OLD WOMAN: "Oh woe is me! I - a kindly old woman - am lost and frightned, etc... Can anyone help me?"
HORATIO: "Now look here, hag. We've had a long day and we're not in the mood for your BS. Let's just get this over with, alright?"
The old woman shrugs and transfoms into a hideous grave hag! Ximendra casts Goop (4d6) and Mara follows up with Burn (5d6). The grave hag melts into a pile of bubbling goo. The party step over it and continue on their way.
After putting some distance between themselves and Harpers Grange (or what's left of it), the heroes make camp for the night (or what's left of it) - which passes uneventfully.
The next morning, the party pass quickly through hex Q3. They pass the ruins of a monastery to Lunara, the moon goddess. A dozen zombie monks shamble around the adjoining graveyard. The party press on.
By late afternoon, the city of Ravendorf is visible to the north-east, a grim-looking city of dark, gothic spires drenched in perpetual rain. Rather than reach the gates after dark, the party stop at the Pitchfork Inn to rest and gather some rumours about what is going on in the city. The other patrons are tight-lipped and taciturn, requiring a successful Influence check to get them to open up.
HORATIO: "Anything going on around here I should know about?"
BARFLY: "Somewhere in the Ruinlands is a lost city of gold built by serpentmen."
HORATIO: "Right. Anything relvant to this area, that we are currently in?"
BARFLY: "I hear King Edgar of the Southern Kingdom has set up a blockade along the coast of Broadfallow due to a dispute with the Blacktide Bay Trading Company."
HORATIO: "Broadfallow is on the other side of the world map! Thanks for nothing, you damn drunk!"
A shifty-looking fellow at the bar notices that the heroes are asking a lot of quesions....
A woman in the uniform of the Royal Couriers is staring despondently into her tankard. Her pallor is grey and unwell. Brian asks what ails her. Her name is Otillia and she bears a missive from King Edgar to the Baroness.
HORATIO: "We were just talking about him! How's the blockade going?"
Otillia has heard tales of the Baroness' cruelty and fears to deliver the letter, lest it contain bad news that incites her to lash out at the messenger. She is debating breaking the royal seal to read the missive, although this would be an act of treason. She offers the party 10gp to deliver the letter on her behalf. They accept the job, as playing postman could get them into the castle without a fuss.
The heroes head upstairs to bed. The shifty-looking fellow watches them go. In the morning, Mara and Ximendra realise someone was in their room while they slept and quietly went through their stuff. Nothing is missing, but the intruder would have seen enough to incriminate them both as practising spellcasters, infomation the Darkfire Crusade would find very interesting. Alarmed, the heroes settle their tab and leave the inn hastily.
Before they reach the city, the party must pass through a squalid shanty town that has popped up outside the gate, full of beggars, lepers and cut-throats, as well as genuine refugees displaced by the Darkfire Crusade. Vanara urged the heroes to seek a woman called Pera, who can smuggle them into Ravendorf undetected. Mara talks to some grubby halflings and gets directions to Pera's tent. Brian spots a shifty-looking individual following them, and recognises him from the inn. On the assumption that he is the mystertious trespasser from the night before, the party plan to capture the the spy.
The heroes wander aimlesly, not wanting to lead the spy to Pera's tent. The plan is for Ximendra to turn invisible (using her new class perk Things Betwixed) and get the drop on him. However, a group of cut-throats have spotted the party and reckon them for easy marks. The spy hangs back to watch the encounter play out.
XIMENDRA: (to Mara) "Remember, no magic!"
Mara pouts.
Horatio makes a Leadership test to intimidate the robbers. They look uncertain, but a brawny orc wielding a huge hammer steps up to challenge the dwarf. Mara is about to cast Burn, then remembers Ximendra's warning. Flashy displays of spellcraft this close to Ravendorf will bring the inquisition down on them like a rock from the sky. Horatio and the orc trade blows until Horatio rolls a critical hit and decapitates his opponent. The rest of the cut-throats scatter like cockroaches.
Meanwhile, Ximendra turns invisible and sneaks up on the distracted spy. She surreptitiously casts Charm on him, and he willingly follows her to a secluded spot. The man admits to being a spy for the baroness, and confesses to breaking into their room the night before. He has already passed descriptions of the heroes on to his handlers, who are waiting to apprehend them at the city gates. His orders were to continue following them and see where they went and who they talked to.
SPY: "But that's all water under the bridge now, right? Since we're friends and all."
XIMENDRA: "Yeah, sure."
After making sure nobody is watching, Ximendra casts Polymorph to turn the spy into a worm, and pops him into her pocket.
The heroes find their way to Pera's tent. Vanara's recommendation is enough to get them a meeting. Pera and her crew have dug a tunnel beneath the city walls to smuggle people and contraband in/out of Ravendorf. The tunnel is dark, dank and claustrophobic, but it lets the party bypass the ambush at the city gates.
The tunnel emerges in the basement of an abandoned house in the Quarantine District. Pera warns the heroes to avoid the Darkfire Physicians; creepy doctors with their faces hidden behind beaked masks. Supposedly, they are treating victims of the Spellplague, but Pera has never heard of anyone recovering from the disease.
The Quarantine District is a ghost town, rubbish piled up around seemingly abandoned buildings. A few ragged figures hurry away from them. Think Dunwall during the Rat Plague in the Dishonored video game. The Baroness' Guard maintain a cordon around the district to keep the plague victims contained. The gate is heavily guarded and anyone approaching is peppered with crossbolts. Goups of masked guards periodically enter the district to burn any bodies they find.
The party find a two-storey building adjacent to the wall and head inside > up. A ragged band of plague victims are sheltering inside, fearful of these armed strangers. They all exhibit a distinctive purple rash and raspy cough. As well as the adults, there are several children here also.
PLAGUE VICTIMS: "Please don't hurt us!"
BRIAN: "Be calm, we're not with the Inqusition. We're here to help. Is there anything we can do for you?"
He steps closer, but Ximendra holds him back, looking pointedly at their discolored flesh. The Spellplague is contagious and it would be risky to get closer. One of the children gasps and points to Mara. The others cry out and recoil from her.
PLAGUE VICTIMS: "Mage!! Get back! Leave us alone! It's your fault we're sick! Go away!"
Mara looks shocked. She opens her mouth to protest, but Ximendra shakes her head. It's no use. The party continue climbing to the top floor, then up onto the roof, which is level with the wall surrounding the Quarantine District. No guards in sight. The heroes jump over the wall and land in a garbage-strewn alley on the other side. They are in the Hellgate District, a poor section of the city built aound the imposing stone facade of the Hellgate Penitentiary. Beyond the prison, high on a rocky outcrop overlooking the city stands the immense gothic edifice that is Castle Ravendorf.
TBC
Leaving the burning wreckage of Harpers Grange behind them, our heroes proceed along the Twilight Road towards Ravendorf. They didn't find much in the way of treasure, but they now have cause to suspect Baroness Vardula bumped off her own family to ensure her rise to power. Night has fallen, and the party were warned about a hag preying on travellers caught out after dark. Right on schedule, a kindly old woman approaches, calling out for aid.
KINDLY OLD WOMAN: "Oh woe is me! I - a kindly old woman - am lost and frightned, etc... Can anyone help me?"
HORATIO: "Now look here, hag. We've had a long day and we're not in the mood for your BS. Let's just get this over with, alright?"
The old woman shrugs and transfoms into a hideous grave hag! Ximendra casts Goop (4d6) and Mara follows up with Burn (5d6). The grave hag melts into a pile of bubbling goo. The party step over it and continue on their way.
After putting some distance between themselves and Harpers Grange (or what's left of it), the heroes make camp for the night (or what's left of it) - which passes uneventfully.
The next morning, the party pass quickly through hex Q3. They pass the ruins of a monastery to Lunara, the moon goddess. A dozen zombie monks shamble around the adjoining graveyard. The party press on.
By late afternoon, the city of Ravendorf is visible to the north-east, a grim-looking city of dark, gothic spires drenched in perpetual rain. Rather than reach the gates after dark, the party stop at the Pitchfork Inn to rest and gather some rumours about what is going on in the city. The other patrons are tight-lipped and taciturn, requiring a successful Influence check to get them to open up.
HORATIO: "Anything going on around here I should know about?"
BARFLY: "Somewhere in the Ruinlands is a lost city of gold built by serpentmen."
HORATIO: "Right. Anything relvant to this area, that we are currently in?"
BARFLY: "I hear King Edgar of the Southern Kingdom has set up a blockade along the coast of Broadfallow due to a dispute with the Blacktide Bay Trading Company."
HORATIO: "Broadfallow is on the other side of the world map! Thanks for nothing, you damn drunk!"
A shifty-looking fellow at the bar notices that the heroes are asking a lot of quesions....
A woman in the uniform of the Royal Couriers is staring despondently into her tankard. Her pallor is grey and unwell. Brian asks what ails her. Her name is Otillia and she bears a missive from King Edgar to the Baroness.
HORATIO: "We were just talking about him! How's the blockade going?"
Otillia has heard tales of the Baroness' cruelty and fears to deliver the letter, lest it contain bad news that incites her to lash out at the messenger. She is debating breaking the royal seal to read the missive, although this would be an act of treason. She offers the party 10gp to deliver the letter on her behalf. They accept the job, as playing postman could get them into the castle without a fuss.
The heroes head upstairs to bed. The shifty-looking fellow watches them go. In the morning, Mara and Ximendra realise someone was in their room while they slept and quietly went through their stuff. Nothing is missing, but the intruder would have seen enough to incriminate them both as practising spellcasters, infomation the Darkfire Crusade would find very interesting. Alarmed, the heroes settle their tab and leave the inn hastily.
Before they reach the city, the party must pass through a squalid shanty town that has popped up outside the gate, full of beggars, lepers and cut-throats, as well as genuine refugees displaced by the Darkfire Crusade. Vanara urged the heroes to seek a woman called Pera, who can smuggle them into Ravendorf undetected. Mara talks to some grubby halflings and gets directions to Pera's tent. Brian spots a shifty-looking individual following them, and recognises him from the inn. On the assumption that he is the mystertious trespasser from the night before, the party plan to capture the the spy.
The heroes wander aimlesly, not wanting to lead the spy to Pera's tent. The plan is for Ximendra to turn invisible (using her new class perk Things Betwixed) and get the drop on him. However, a group of cut-throats have spotted the party and reckon them for easy marks. The spy hangs back to watch the encounter play out.
XIMENDRA: (to Mara) "Remember, no magic!"
Mara pouts.
Horatio makes a Leadership test to intimidate the robbers. They look uncertain, but a brawny orc wielding a huge hammer steps up to challenge the dwarf. Mara is about to cast Burn, then remembers Ximendra's warning. Flashy displays of spellcraft this close to Ravendorf will bring the inquisition down on them like a rock from the sky. Horatio and the orc trade blows until Horatio rolls a critical hit and decapitates his opponent. The rest of the cut-throats scatter like cockroaches.
Meanwhile, Ximendra turns invisible and sneaks up on the distracted spy. She surreptitiously casts Charm on him, and he willingly follows her to a secluded spot. The man admits to being a spy for the baroness, and confesses to breaking into their room the night before. He has already passed descriptions of the heroes on to his handlers, who are waiting to apprehend them at the city gates. His orders were to continue following them and see where they went and who they talked to.
SPY: "But that's all water under the bridge now, right? Since we're friends and all."
XIMENDRA: "Yeah, sure."
After making sure nobody is watching, Ximendra casts Polymorph to turn the spy into a worm, and pops him into her pocket.
The heroes find their way to Pera's tent. Vanara's recommendation is enough to get them a meeting. Pera and her crew have dug a tunnel beneath the city walls to smuggle people and contraband in/out of Ravendorf. The tunnel is dark, dank and claustrophobic, but it lets the party bypass the ambush at the city gates.
The tunnel emerges in the basement of an abandoned house in the Quarantine District. Pera warns the heroes to avoid the Darkfire Physicians; creepy doctors with their faces hidden behind beaked masks. Supposedly, they are treating victims of the Spellplague, but Pera has never heard of anyone recovering from the disease.
The Quarantine District is a ghost town, rubbish piled up around seemingly abandoned buildings. A few ragged figures hurry away from them. Think Dunwall during the Rat Plague in the Dishonored video game. The Baroness' Guard maintain a cordon around the district to keep the plague victims contained. The gate is heavily guarded and anyone approaching is peppered with crossbolts. Goups of masked guards periodically enter the district to burn any bodies they find.
The party find a two-storey building adjacent to the wall and head inside > up. A ragged band of plague victims are sheltering inside, fearful of these armed strangers. They all exhibit a distinctive purple rash and raspy cough. As well as the adults, there are several children here also.
PLAGUE VICTIMS: "Please don't hurt us!"
BRIAN: "Be calm, we're not with the Inqusition. We're here to help. Is there anything we can do for you?"
He steps closer, but Ximendra holds him back, looking pointedly at their discolored flesh. The Spellplague is contagious and it would be risky to get closer. One of the children gasps and points to Mara. The others cry out and recoil from her.
PLAGUE VICTIMS: "Mage!! Get back! Leave us alone! It's your fault we're sick! Go away!"
Mara looks shocked. She opens her mouth to protest, but Ximendra shakes her head. It's no use. The party continue climbing to the top floor, then up onto the roof, which is level with the wall surrounding the Quarantine District. No guards in sight. The heroes jump over the wall and land in a garbage-strewn alley on the other side. They are in the Hellgate District, a poor section of the city built aound the imposing stone facade of the Hellgate Penitentiary. Beyond the prison, high on a rocky outcrop overlooking the city stands the immense gothic edifice that is Castle Ravendorf.
TBC
Last edited:
mikeawmids1
Explorer
Dragonwilds, Session 11
The party have successfully infiltrated the city of Ravendorf. Vanara told the heroes to seek rebel sympathisers at the Rosewood Tavern, but no-one in the party is familiar with these narrow, twisting streets, and they don't want to attract suspicion asking for directions. Mara spots a patrol of grim-faced guards heading in their direction. She and Horatio manage to hide, but Brian and Ximendra are caught in the open. The guards warn them they are out after curfew, and demand to see their travel permits, which - of course - the heroes do not possess.
CITY GUARD: "Violating the Baroness' curfew is a crime. You two are under arrest."
If Ximendra is searched, the guards will find her tarot cards (and other witchy paraphernalia) and hand her over to the Darkfire Crusade. We can't be having that! Mara casts Colour to blind the patrol. The party leg it, while the guards stumble around and shout for back-up.
The heroes flee along cobbled streets and muddy alleys, as more and more guards join the chase, cutting off their escape and inexorably closing in....
HOODED STRANGER: "Pssst! Over here, quickly!"
A hooded stranger beckons them to hide in the back of an abandoned tea shop. The heroes duck inside, and the pursuing guards run passed. Their saviour removes his cloak and introduces himself as Burdock. He is with the rebels. Vanara sent word the party would be coming, so they have been on the look-out in case the they got into any trouble.
Burdock introduces the heroes to the other rebels; Assam, Ceylon and Fennel. Since their headquarters is a tea shop, they all took codenames based on different kinds of tea. The rebels have been busy collecting intel in preperation for the party's arrival.
1: The Baroness rarely leaves her castle, but holds lavish masquerade balls several times per month. If the heroes can secure an invitation, it could be a way in.
1a: The heroes also have King Edgar's letter to deliver to the Baroness.
2: The rebels have planted a spy in Castle Ravendorf. She is working as a scullery maid. Her most recent report states the Baroness has several rebels incarcerated in the castle dungeon. These brave men and women must be liberated!
3: The city guard strictly ration food supplies so the commoners are always on the brink of starvation. Hungry people do not have the strength to fight oppression! The food is stored in a warehouse near the docks. Steal as much food as possible, so it can be distributed among the people who need it most.
4: A goblin rogue serving time in Hellgate Penitentiary may know a secret entrance into the castle, but breaking him out of the high security prison will be challenging.
5: A headstrong, but dull-witted drakken clashed with the city guards a few days ago, and has been placed in the stocks as punishment. He clearly has beef with the Baroness and could be a formidable ally if released.
HORATIO: (with a groan) "Yeah, we know that guy. We'd better go save his scaly arse."
The stocks are located outside the Cathederal of Holy Dawn, headquarters of the Darkfire Crusade. A dozen templars guard the entrance to the building. Hooded inquisitors bustle in/out of the cathederal on their own nefarious errands. Sure enough, Vikath the Valiant is locked in the stocks, his long snout securely muzzled to prevent him exhaling his shocking breath. Two templars flank the prisoner, while an inquisitor encourages passers-by to throw rotten vegetables at the "heretic".
The heroes (wearing hoods to hide their faces) grab some rotten vegetables - but pelt the templars instead of the prisoner! While they are busy wiping slime out of their eyes, Mara drops a smokestick (which she crafted during their last period of Downtime), then casts Knock to release Vikath from the stocks. She then casts Mirage to have a half dozen identical drakken run out of the smoke cloud in different directions. During the confusion, the heroes slip away with the real Vikath.
Vikath is grateful to the party for rescuing him, and agrees to join forces again to take down Baroness Vardula.
Next up is the warehouse where the city guard hoard the cities food supply. As it stands, the people are barly getting enough to survive day to day. A queue of hungry commoners snakes away from the building, waiting for their meagre ration of bread and cheese. In addition to the city guards guarding the warehouse, one of the Baroness' Black Riders oversees the whole operation.
Brian's enchanted breastplate is glowing, indicating the proximity of undead - but that makes no sense, this is Ravendorf - not the Grey Barrows! The source is not immediately obvious, perhaps something inside the warehouse is triggering the effect? Ximendra casts Polymorph on Horatio, Brian & Vikath, transforming them into rats. Rats get everywhere, especially where food is stored, and they easily find a way into the warehouse. Brawny workers are unloading sacks of grain from a wagon parked beside the building, supervised by a dozen bored-looking guards. As the spell starts to wear off, the two dwarves manage to hide, but Vikath is caught out in the open.
WAREHOUSE WORKER: "Here, there's something wrong with this rat. Does it look kinda' scaly to you?"
Suddenly, a powerfully built and heavily armed drakken revelator is standing in the centre of the warehouse! The guards cry out in alarm and draw their weapons. As the men outside react to the disturbance, Mara casts Colour to blind them. The guards flail around comically. Somewhat less comically, the Black Rider skips its Move to dispell any magic affecting it, and turns to fix it's dread gaze on the halfling wizard. It can't get any closer this round, but it doesn't need to. The Black Rider casts Hellfire. Mara and Ximendra both pass their Reflex saves, which is bloody fortuitous - as they would have taken 10d6 fire damage if they failed!
EDIT: I remembered much later that a successful Block or Dodge only negates 1 dmg die, so they should still have taken 9d6 dmg, not avoided the attack entirely.
The crowd of hungry commoners disperse, so as not to be caught in the crossfire. Mara hits the Black Rider with Burn (6d6). Sadly, the Rider is immune to fire damage, although its mount is not. Without a second glance at the dying horse, the Black Rider draws its longsword and stalks toward the two spellcasters.
Mara is out of mana.
XIMENDRA: "Run! I'll slow him down!"
Ximendra fans out her deck of enchanted tarot cards and starts throwing them at the approaching Rider. The flimsy cards can't penetrate its armour. Mara runs away as fast as her little legs will carry her. The Rider gestures for the guards to pursue the fleeing halfling, and focuses its own attention on Ximendra. Ximendra uses Things Betwixed to turn invisible and escape. Unfortunately, the Black Rider has Allsight, so it can still track her movements.
Inside the warehouse, Vikath and the dwarves have dealt with the guards, and are busy loading as much food as they can back onto the wagon. When they are at capacity, Brian takes the reins. There is no driving or animal handling skill in Vagabond, so I had Brian make a Reflex check to control the vehicle. The wagon careers onto the street, scattering the blinded guards like skittles. Mara is fleeing away from the warehouse, while Ximendra is retreating toward the docks with the Black Rider in relentless pursuit. Brian has a split-second to make his decision. Grimacing, he turns toward Mara. As the wagon swerves away from the docks, Vikath leaps off. He hits the ground running and charges after the Black Rider. A moment later, Horatio follows suit, rolling to his feet in a clamour of chainmail. Brian tries to slow the wagon.
HORATIO: "No! Keep going! Save Mara - that's a royal command!"
Those words ignite a long dormant sense of duty in the older dwarf. Brian nods and whips the horses forward. Horatio turns and rushes after Vikath and Ximendra.
TBC
The party have successfully infiltrated the city of Ravendorf. Vanara told the heroes to seek rebel sympathisers at the Rosewood Tavern, but no-one in the party is familiar with these narrow, twisting streets, and they don't want to attract suspicion asking for directions. Mara spots a patrol of grim-faced guards heading in their direction. She and Horatio manage to hide, but Brian and Ximendra are caught in the open. The guards warn them they are out after curfew, and demand to see their travel permits, which - of course - the heroes do not possess.
CITY GUARD: "Violating the Baroness' curfew is a crime. You two are under arrest."
If Ximendra is searched, the guards will find her tarot cards (and other witchy paraphernalia) and hand her over to the Darkfire Crusade. We can't be having that! Mara casts Colour to blind the patrol. The party leg it, while the guards stumble around and shout for back-up.
The heroes flee along cobbled streets and muddy alleys, as more and more guards join the chase, cutting off their escape and inexorably closing in....
HOODED STRANGER: "Pssst! Over here, quickly!"
A hooded stranger beckons them to hide in the back of an abandoned tea shop. The heroes duck inside, and the pursuing guards run passed. Their saviour removes his cloak and introduces himself as Burdock. He is with the rebels. Vanara sent word the party would be coming, so they have been on the look-out in case the they got into any trouble.
Burdock introduces the heroes to the other rebels; Assam, Ceylon and Fennel. Since their headquarters is a tea shop, they all took codenames based on different kinds of tea. The rebels have been busy collecting intel in preperation for the party's arrival.
1: The Baroness rarely leaves her castle, but holds lavish masquerade balls several times per month. If the heroes can secure an invitation, it could be a way in.
1a: The heroes also have King Edgar's letter to deliver to the Baroness.
2: The rebels have planted a spy in Castle Ravendorf. She is working as a scullery maid. Her most recent report states the Baroness has several rebels incarcerated in the castle dungeon. These brave men and women must be liberated!
3: The city guard strictly ration food supplies so the commoners are always on the brink of starvation. Hungry people do not have the strength to fight oppression! The food is stored in a warehouse near the docks. Steal as much food as possible, so it can be distributed among the people who need it most.
4: A goblin rogue serving time in Hellgate Penitentiary may know a secret entrance into the castle, but breaking him out of the high security prison will be challenging.
5: A headstrong, but dull-witted drakken clashed with the city guards a few days ago, and has been placed in the stocks as punishment. He clearly has beef with the Baroness and could be a formidable ally if released.
HORATIO: (with a groan) "Yeah, we know that guy. We'd better go save his scaly arse."
The stocks are located outside the Cathederal of Holy Dawn, headquarters of the Darkfire Crusade. A dozen templars guard the entrance to the building. Hooded inquisitors bustle in/out of the cathederal on their own nefarious errands. Sure enough, Vikath the Valiant is locked in the stocks, his long snout securely muzzled to prevent him exhaling his shocking breath. Two templars flank the prisoner, while an inquisitor encourages passers-by to throw rotten vegetables at the "heretic".
The heroes (wearing hoods to hide their faces) grab some rotten vegetables - but pelt the templars instead of the prisoner! While they are busy wiping slime out of their eyes, Mara drops a smokestick (which she crafted during their last period of Downtime), then casts Knock to release Vikath from the stocks. She then casts Mirage to have a half dozen identical drakken run out of the smoke cloud in different directions. During the confusion, the heroes slip away with the real Vikath.
Vikath is grateful to the party for rescuing him, and agrees to join forces again to take down Baroness Vardula.
Next up is the warehouse where the city guard hoard the cities food supply. As it stands, the people are barly getting enough to survive day to day. A queue of hungry commoners snakes away from the building, waiting for their meagre ration of bread and cheese. In addition to the city guards guarding the warehouse, one of the Baroness' Black Riders oversees the whole operation.
Brian's enchanted breastplate is glowing, indicating the proximity of undead - but that makes no sense, this is Ravendorf - not the Grey Barrows! The source is not immediately obvious, perhaps something inside the warehouse is triggering the effect? Ximendra casts Polymorph on Horatio, Brian & Vikath, transforming them into rats. Rats get everywhere, especially where food is stored, and they easily find a way into the warehouse. Brawny workers are unloading sacks of grain from a wagon parked beside the building, supervised by a dozen bored-looking guards. As the spell starts to wear off, the two dwarves manage to hide, but Vikath is caught out in the open.
WAREHOUSE WORKER: "Here, there's something wrong with this rat. Does it look kinda' scaly to you?"
Suddenly, a powerfully built and heavily armed drakken revelator is standing in the centre of the warehouse! The guards cry out in alarm and draw their weapons. As the men outside react to the disturbance, Mara casts Colour to blind them. The guards flail around comically. Somewhat less comically, the Black Rider skips its Move to dispell any magic affecting it, and turns to fix it's dread gaze on the halfling wizard. It can't get any closer this round, but it doesn't need to. The Black Rider casts Hellfire. Mara and Ximendra both pass their Reflex saves, which is bloody fortuitous - as they would have taken 10d6 fire damage if they failed!
EDIT: I remembered much later that a successful Block or Dodge only negates 1 dmg die, so they should still have taken 9d6 dmg, not avoided the attack entirely.
The crowd of hungry commoners disperse, so as not to be caught in the crossfire. Mara hits the Black Rider with Burn (6d6). Sadly, the Rider is immune to fire damage, although its mount is not. Without a second glance at the dying horse, the Black Rider draws its longsword and stalks toward the two spellcasters.
Mara is out of mana.
XIMENDRA: "Run! I'll slow him down!"
Ximendra fans out her deck of enchanted tarot cards and starts throwing them at the approaching Rider. The flimsy cards can't penetrate its armour. Mara runs away as fast as her little legs will carry her. The Rider gestures for the guards to pursue the fleeing halfling, and focuses its own attention on Ximendra. Ximendra uses Things Betwixed to turn invisible and escape. Unfortunately, the Black Rider has Allsight, so it can still track her movements.
Inside the warehouse, Vikath and the dwarves have dealt with the guards, and are busy loading as much food as they can back onto the wagon. When they are at capacity, Brian takes the reins. There is no driving or animal handling skill in Vagabond, so I had Brian make a Reflex check to control the vehicle. The wagon careers onto the street, scattering the blinded guards like skittles. Mara is fleeing away from the warehouse, while Ximendra is retreating toward the docks with the Black Rider in relentless pursuit. Brian has a split-second to make his decision. Grimacing, he turns toward Mara. As the wagon swerves away from the docks, Vikath leaps off. He hits the ground running and charges after the Black Rider. A moment later, Horatio follows suit, rolling to his feet in a clamour of chainmail. Brian tries to slow the wagon.
HORATIO: "No! Keep going! Save Mara - that's a royal command!"
Those words ignite a long dormant sense of duty in the older dwarf. Brian nods and whips the horses forward. Horatio turns and rushes after Vikath and Ximendra.
TBC
Last edited:
mikeawmids1
Explorer
Dragonwilds, Session 12
Ximendra flees from the Black Rider, but is unable to shake the armoured hunter. The dockyards are a sprawling labyrinth of crates and warehouses. With nowhere else to go, she runs onto a wooden jetty jutting out over the grey waters of the bay. The rotten boards creak alarmingly as the Rider follows her. Just as Ximendra is about to hurl herself to the fickle mercy of the ocean, Vikath and Horatio appear at the end of the seawall, charging to attack the Black Rider from the rear.
Vikath crosses blades with the Rider, who seems wholly unperturbed by the drakken's onslaught. As well as being immune to fire, Death Knights only take damage from weapons that are either Relics or silvered. Horatio's Striking Greataxe is a Relic, but he only rolls 4 dmg (and the Death Knight's armour value is also 4). He did, however, roll +10 over his Melee skill on the attack roll, so he can Shove the target thanks to the Full Swing perk. Voicing a mighty Dwarven battle cry, Horatio knocks the Black Rider into the sea! The weight of its own armour quickly drags the Rider down to the bottom of the bay.
Meanwhile, Mara is running from the Baroness' guards. Brian catches up in the stolen wagon and pulls her onboard. A few crossbolts hit the sacks of grain piled up in the back of the wagon, before they speed out of their effective range.
The heroes deliver the stolen food to the rebel HQ, then enjoy a well deserved Rest. Everyone recovers all HP, Mana and Luck. The party debate their next move. How/Why does the Baroness employ undead? Burdock says there are rumours that - despite authorising the Darkfire Crusade to burn spellcasters at the stake - Baroness Vardula is herself a practitioner of dark magic.
BURDOCK: "Perhaps their is some clue to the source of Vardula's power at her childhood home?"
HEROES: "...."
FENNEL: "I heard the old place burnt down. Some idiot heroes broke in and set the whole building on fire. There's nothing left."
IDIOT HEROES: "...."
BURDOCK: "Damn! I bet that place was full of useful information and sweet magic items!"
Arson aside, the party did learn something interesting while exploring Harpers Grange. Ximendra's visions revealed that a young Vardula murdered her own family to clear her path to the throne. If she is capable of killing her own kin, what else might she be prepared to do for more power?
Ximendra has the Medium perk, which lets her (once per Quest) conduct a ritual to pose three Y/N questions to the spirit world, and recieve a truthful response. Ximendra prepares the ritual.
Question 1: Is Baroness Vardula Von Ravenwold a practitioner of dark magic?
Yes.
Question 2: Is Baroness Vardula Von Ravenwold responsible for spreading the Spellplague?
Yes.
Question 3: Does Baroness Vardula Von Ravenwold possess a cure for the Spellplague?
Yes.
Ximendra sags, exhausted by the effort of enacting the ritual. The other heroes discuss what to do with this new information. If the party can prove Vardula manufactured the Spellplague and released it on her own realm, the people will surely rise against her! But how to infiltrate Castle Ravenwold? This party is not built for stealth or subterfuge. They are going to need someone with a light touch for a job like this....
Ximendra has a plan. In order to infiltrate Hellgate Penitentiary and break out the goblin rogue incarcerated therein, she polymorphs herself into a rat. The prison district is a slum, with no shortage of rodents scurrying about. Inside the penitentiary itself is no different. She is looking for a prisoner called Styx (yeah, that Styx, I was having a lazy day). She locates his cell and slips between the bars.
Being a goblin, Styx tries to eat her.
Before he can do so, Ximendra resumes her human form. She offers the goblin a deal: help the party infiltrate Castle Ravendorf and she will bust him out of the pokey. Styx agrees, on the condition that he gets first dibs on any treasure. Ximendra casts Polymorph to transform Styx and herself into rats, and they both leave the prison undetected.
Styx (Goblin/Rogue 4) joins the party.
Back at the rebel HQ, Styx describes the secret dock beneath Castle Ravendorf, accessed via the moat. The heroes decide to align their infiltration mission with the Baroness' next masquerade ball, on the assumption that she and her guards will be preoccupied keeping her guests entertained.
Brian and Horatio grumble about having to team up with a goblin. Styx noisily hawks up a wad of phlegm and spits it at their feet. Ximendra intervenes to head off some PVP.
Night falls over Ravendorf. It is a cloudy night with no moon. Styx like the dark! Dark for dark business. The party are crammed into a little boat, oars splashing gently as they row along the moat. The faint sound of aristocratic revelry drifts down from above, the Baroness' party is in full swing. A curtain of hanging vines conceals the tunnel to the secret dock. There are no guards, but the way forward is blocked by a heavy iron portcullis. Together, Vikath and the dwarves manage to lift it enough for everyone to scoot underneath.
The party find themselves in some kinda' crypt. Ornate gothic coffins are arrayed on shelves. Jackpot! Brian's enchanted chestplate starts glowing in the darkness. There is a loud clunk as the lid of a stone sarcophagus slides sideways and hits the floor. A ghosly apparition rises from the grave to attack the intruders! Vikath attacks the wight, but his store-bought longsword passes through its incorporeal form. The wight attempts to suck the yummy life essence out of the drakken. Horatio intervenes with his Striking Greataxe to end the undead threat. Vikath needs to get a silvered blade or something, cos right now he sucks at fighting undead.
The empty stone coffin contains a Potion of Gaseous Form and a silver brooch worth 10gp.
"Mine!" Styx crows, snatching the treasure.
The party grumble, but that was the deal....
The catacombs were built beneath a depleted silver mine that once filled the realms coffers. Their is a lingering stench of rot in the air. Hungry yellow eyes glint in the darkness. Brian's armour is glowing again. Mara recognises that foul odour, having last smelled it the Grey Barrows, as Fapp Longwood was torn apart by a vicious pack of. ..
MARA: "Ghouls!"
The ghouls hang back, skirting the edges of the light. Unable to see them, Mara cannot target them with her spells. Brian casts Light as an aura, brightly illuminating the dark mine. Ten ghouls surround the party, momentarily frozen in the sudden glare. Horatio hacks a ghoul apart with his magical axe. Ximendra casts Goop, catching two ghouls in the torrent of acidic bile.
STYX: (impressed) "That's my kind of woman!"
The party wipe out the remaining ghouls and proceed onward/upward, until they reach the foundations of Castle Ravendorf, and a heavy wooden trapdoor into the dungeons.
TBC
Ximendra flees from the Black Rider, but is unable to shake the armoured hunter. The dockyards are a sprawling labyrinth of crates and warehouses. With nowhere else to go, she runs onto a wooden jetty jutting out over the grey waters of the bay. The rotten boards creak alarmingly as the Rider follows her. Just as Ximendra is about to hurl herself to the fickle mercy of the ocean, Vikath and Horatio appear at the end of the seawall, charging to attack the Black Rider from the rear.
Vikath crosses blades with the Rider, who seems wholly unperturbed by the drakken's onslaught. As well as being immune to fire, Death Knights only take damage from weapons that are either Relics or silvered. Horatio's Striking Greataxe is a Relic, but he only rolls 4 dmg (and the Death Knight's armour value is also 4). He did, however, roll +10 over his Melee skill on the attack roll, so he can Shove the target thanks to the Full Swing perk. Voicing a mighty Dwarven battle cry, Horatio knocks the Black Rider into the sea! The weight of its own armour quickly drags the Rider down to the bottom of the bay.
Meanwhile, Mara is running from the Baroness' guards. Brian catches up in the stolen wagon and pulls her onboard. A few crossbolts hit the sacks of grain piled up in the back of the wagon, before they speed out of their effective range.
The heroes deliver the stolen food to the rebel HQ, then enjoy a well deserved Rest. Everyone recovers all HP, Mana and Luck. The party debate their next move. How/Why does the Baroness employ undead? Burdock says there are rumours that - despite authorising the Darkfire Crusade to burn spellcasters at the stake - Baroness Vardula is herself a practitioner of dark magic.
BURDOCK: "Perhaps their is some clue to the source of Vardula's power at her childhood home?"
HEROES: "...."
FENNEL: "I heard the old place burnt down. Some idiot heroes broke in and set the whole building on fire. There's nothing left."
IDIOT HEROES: "...."
BURDOCK: "Damn! I bet that place was full of useful information and sweet magic items!"
Arson aside, the party did learn something interesting while exploring Harpers Grange. Ximendra's visions revealed that a young Vardula murdered her own family to clear her path to the throne. If she is capable of killing her own kin, what else might she be prepared to do for more power?
Ximendra has the Medium perk, which lets her (once per Quest) conduct a ritual to pose three Y/N questions to the spirit world, and recieve a truthful response. Ximendra prepares the ritual.
Question 1: Is Baroness Vardula Von Ravenwold a practitioner of dark magic?
Yes.
Question 2: Is Baroness Vardula Von Ravenwold responsible for spreading the Spellplague?
Yes.
Question 3: Does Baroness Vardula Von Ravenwold possess a cure for the Spellplague?
Yes.
Ximendra sags, exhausted by the effort of enacting the ritual. The other heroes discuss what to do with this new information. If the party can prove Vardula manufactured the Spellplague and released it on her own realm, the people will surely rise against her! But how to infiltrate Castle Ravenwold? This party is not built for stealth or subterfuge. They are going to need someone with a light touch for a job like this....
Ximendra has a plan. In order to infiltrate Hellgate Penitentiary and break out the goblin rogue incarcerated therein, she polymorphs herself into a rat. The prison district is a slum, with no shortage of rodents scurrying about. Inside the penitentiary itself is no different. She is looking for a prisoner called Styx (yeah, that Styx, I was having a lazy day). She locates his cell and slips between the bars.
Being a goblin, Styx tries to eat her.
Before he can do so, Ximendra resumes her human form. She offers the goblin a deal: help the party infiltrate Castle Ravendorf and she will bust him out of the pokey. Styx agrees, on the condition that he gets first dibs on any treasure. Ximendra casts Polymorph to transform Styx and herself into rats, and they both leave the prison undetected.
Styx (Goblin/Rogue 4) joins the party.
Back at the rebel HQ, Styx describes the secret dock beneath Castle Ravendorf, accessed via the moat. The heroes decide to align their infiltration mission with the Baroness' next masquerade ball, on the assumption that she and her guards will be preoccupied keeping her guests entertained.
Brian and Horatio grumble about having to team up with a goblin. Styx noisily hawks up a wad of phlegm and spits it at their feet. Ximendra intervenes to head off some PVP.
Night falls over Ravendorf. It is a cloudy night with no moon. Styx like the dark! Dark for dark business. The party are crammed into a little boat, oars splashing gently as they row along the moat. The faint sound of aristocratic revelry drifts down from above, the Baroness' party is in full swing. A curtain of hanging vines conceals the tunnel to the secret dock. There are no guards, but the way forward is blocked by a heavy iron portcullis. Together, Vikath and the dwarves manage to lift it enough for everyone to scoot underneath.
The party find themselves in some kinda' crypt. Ornate gothic coffins are arrayed on shelves. Jackpot! Brian's enchanted chestplate starts glowing in the darkness. There is a loud clunk as the lid of a stone sarcophagus slides sideways and hits the floor. A ghosly apparition rises from the grave to attack the intruders! Vikath attacks the wight, but his store-bought longsword passes through its incorporeal form. The wight attempts to suck the yummy life essence out of the drakken. Horatio intervenes with his Striking Greataxe to end the undead threat. Vikath needs to get a silvered blade or something, cos right now he sucks at fighting undead.
The empty stone coffin contains a Potion of Gaseous Form and a silver brooch worth 10gp.
"Mine!" Styx crows, snatching the treasure.
The party grumble, but that was the deal....
The catacombs were built beneath a depleted silver mine that once filled the realms coffers. Their is a lingering stench of rot in the air. Hungry yellow eyes glint in the darkness. Brian's armour is glowing again. Mara recognises that foul odour, having last smelled it the Grey Barrows, as Fapp Longwood was torn apart by a vicious pack of. ..
MARA: "Ghouls!"
The ghouls hang back, skirting the edges of the light. Unable to see them, Mara cannot target them with her spells. Brian casts Light as an aura, brightly illuminating the dark mine. Ten ghouls surround the party, momentarily frozen in the sudden glare. Horatio hacks a ghoul apart with his magical axe. Ximendra casts Goop, catching two ghouls in the torrent of acidic bile.
STYX: (impressed) "That's my kind of woman!"
The party wipe out the remaining ghouls and proceed onward/upward, until they reach the foundations of Castle Ravendorf, and a heavy wooden trapdoor into the dungeons.
TBC
Last edited:
mikeawmids1
Explorer
Dragonwilds, Session 13
On the top level of the depleted silver is a trapdoor leading into the dungeons of Castle Ravendorf. The trapdoor is barred from the other side. Mara could cast Knock, but doing so risks alerting the guards. Ximendra could cast Goop, but the her companions don't like her doing that - cos it's gross. Having the Resourceful perk, Styx can spend 1 Luck to 'suddenly remember' he has an item on his person with a value up to 50sp. The goblin rogue produces a vial of defoliator acid from one of his many pockets. He splashes acid on the wooden trapdoor to burn a hole big enough to wriggle through, then unbars the trapdoor from the other side.
The heroes have reached the castle dungon. There are no guards in sight, but they can hear muffled screaming originating nearby. The party know several rebels were captured by the Baroness, so they head in the direction of the screams. A dozen emaciated prisoners huddle in their filthy cells. Three bored-looking guards are playing cards in an adjacent chamber, oblivious to the tortured wails emanating from a door at the end of the cell block. Two more guards flank the entrance to the torture chamber. Five guys should not be a problem for the heroes, but they need to take them out quick and quiet, so as not to alert the rest of the casle.
Styx cracks two smokesticks, he throws one into the guard post and the other into the cell block. The guards stagger out of the room, coughing and spluttering. Brian shoots one of the men with his new crossbow and does a single point of damage, his most meaningful contribution to any combat in the last 13 sessions. The party make short work of the guards. Horatio crits on the final enemy; inflicting 20 damage and sending the severed head bouncing into the nearest cell, knocking over the occupant's piss bucket.
PRISONER: "Oh, well that's just great. Thanks! Thanks so much for that!"
The smoke clears and the party search the guard post. They find [pause to consult random treasure table...] a bottle of cheap wine.
STYX: "Mine!"
The rebel leader Agent Oolong is being interrogated/tortured in the room at the end of the cell block. The door is locked, but a quick seach of the dead guards furnishes the heroes with a key. They unlock the door. A human male wearing nowt but a soiled loincloth is strapped to a bloodstained table. The room is full of horrific implements of torture; a rack, iron maiden, bucket of rats, etc.... A hooded goblin is heating up a poker over a brazier, his back to the entrance. This is Ilgor, the Baroness' torturer.
I thought it would be amusing if Styx knew this goblin, so I rolled randomly to see if they were acquainted. Sadly they were strangers to one another.
Due to his hood, the thick door and constant screaming, Ilgor did not hear the fighting in the cell block. (The party later discover he has neither ears nor a tongue - what even is the point of employing a deaf/mute interrogator?!) Styx slips in and slits the goblins throat, then pitches the body forward into the flaming brazier. Dude ain't messing around.
The heroes release Agent Oolong and the other prisoners. The rebels are in bad shape and will be of no help in a scrap. The party direct them to the secret dock and tell them to take the boat and escape. Agent Oolong does provide some useful intel; not only is Baroness Vardula a bad-naughty spellcaster, she is also a vampire!
VIKATH: "A vampire? Excellent! The other Revelators will be so jealous!"
STYX: "Hold on, no-one said anything about no vampire! We need to renegotiate my rate!"
Adjacent to the dungeon is an extensive wine cellar, filled with racks of fancy bottles and elusive vintages. Styx immediately uncorks a bottle of 100 year old red and tips the contents down his throat. He burps loudly, then reaches for another bottle. Ximendra slaps his hand away.
XIMENDRA: "We need you clear headed."
Styx glowers at her. The moment she turns away, he slips another bottle into his bag.
A snooty sommelier is here, fiddling with the bottles and cleaning wine glasses.
SOMMELIER: "Who are you riff-raff? And why are you covered in blood?"
BRIAN: "Er.... Extra secuity for the Baroness' party. We had to, um, rough up some prisoners in the dungeon."
SOMMELIER: "That sounds entirely plausible. Carry on!"
The party tromp passed and up some stairs to the scullery.
VIKATH: "This will be where they keep the skulls."
Ximendra rolls her eyes.
Harried-looking servants bustle around the busy kitchen preparing food for the banquet going on upstairs. Two servers waddle passed supporting a whole roast boar between them. The heroes know one of the serving wenches is a spy for the rebels - but how to make contact without arousing suspicion?
STYX: "Oi! Where's Jinny?"
Jinny is not in the scullery, she was assigned to serve drinks in the ballroom.
The party realise they can go no further dressed as they are without disrupting the masquerade. Even the serving stuff are beginning to give them funny looks. Brian announces they are conducting an emergency fire drill and ushers the servants down into the wine cellar, then locks the door. Geez, the Baroness sure employs some stupid people.
Besides the door into the banquet hall, the only other exit from the scullery is a dumb waiter designed to deliver food to the upper levels of the castle without it getting cold. Styx clambers into the narrow shaft and begins to climb. At the first opening, Styx finds himself peeking into a dimly lit room in which a woman dressed in much the same style of Ximendra gazes intently into a crystal ball. She is so focused on her task that she does not notice the goblin voyeur.
Styx continues climbing. The next opening leads into an unoccupied study, furnished with comfortable armchairs and shelves of leather-bound literature. Styx exits the shaft and has a proper poke around. A window overlooks the castle ramparts, and above him is the underside of a balcony adjacent to the Baroness' stateroom.
Meanwhile, back in the scullery; Horatio is keeping an eye on the guests in the banquet hall. He had been expected to attend events like this when his father hosted foreign dignitaries, and couldn't stand them then either. He spots a group of castle guards making a beeline for the kitchen. Brian is busy barricading the cellar door, and Vikath is still going through the cupboards looking for skulls. There'll be no talking there way out of this one. Horatio readies his greataxe and prepares to crash a party.
TBC
On the top level of the depleted silver is a trapdoor leading into the dungeons of Castle Ravendorf. The trapdoor is barred from the other side. Mara could cast Knock, but doing so risks alerting the guards. Ximendra could cast Goop, but the her companions don't like her doing that - cos it's gross. Having the Resourceful perk, Styx can spend 1 Luck to 'suddenly remember' he has an item on his person with a value up to 50sp. The goblin rogue produces a vial of defoliator acid from one of his many pockets. He splashes acid on the wooden trapdoor to burn a hole big enough to wriggle through, then unbars the trapdoor from the other side.
The heroes have reached the castle dungon. There are no guards in sight, but they can hear muffled screaming originating nearby. The party know several rebels were captured by the Baroness, so they head in the direction of the screams. A dozen emaciated prisoners huddle in their filthy cells. Three bored-looking guards are playing cards in an adjacent chamber, oblivious to the tortured wails emanating from a door at the end of the cell block. Two more guards flank the entrance to the torture chamber. Five guys should not be a problem for the heroes, but they need to take them out quick and quiet, so as not to alert the rest of the casle.
Styx cracks two smokesticks, he throws one into the guard post and the other into the cell block. The guards stagger out of the room, coughing and spluttering. Brian shoots one of the men with his new crossbow and does a single point of damage, his most meaningful contribution to any combat in the last 13 sessions. The party make short work of the guards. Horatio crits on the final enemy; inflicting 20 damage and sending the severed head bouncing into the nearest cell, knocking over the occupant's piss bucket.
PRISONER: "Oh, well that's just great. Thanks! Thanks so much for that!"
The smoke clears and the party search the guard post. They find [pause to consult random treasure table...] a bottle of cheap wine.
STYX: "Mine!"
The rebel leader Agent Oolong is being interrogated/tortured in the room at the end of the cell block. The door is locked, but a quick seach of the dead guards furnishes the heroes with a key. They unlock the door. A human male wearing nowt but a soiled loincloth is strapped to a bloodstained table. The room is full of horrific implements of torture; a rack, iron maiden, bucket of rats, etc.... A hooded goblin is heating up a poker over a brazier, his back to the entrance. This is Ilgor, the Baroness' torturer.
I thought it would be amusing if Styx knew this goblin, so I rolled randomly to see if they were acquainted. Sadly they were strangers to one another.
Due to his hood, the thick door and constant screaming, Ilgor did not hear the fighting in the cell block. (The party later discover he has neither ears nor a tongue - what even is the point of employing a deaf/mute interrogator?!) Styx slips in and slits the goblins throat, then pitches the body forward into the flaming brazier. Dude ain't messing around.
The heroes release Agent Oolong and the other prisoners. The rebels are in bad shape and will be of no help in a scrap. The party direct them to the secret dock and tell them to take the boat and escape. Agent Oolong does provide some useful intel; not only is Baroness Vardula a bad-naughty spellcaster, she is also a vampire!
VIKATH: "A vampire? Excellent! The other Revelators will be so jealous!"
STYX: "Hold on, no-one said anything about no vampire! We need to renegotiate my rate!"
Adjacent to the dungeon is an extensive wine cellar, filled with racks of fancy bottles and elusive vintages. Styx immediately uncorks a bottle of 100 year old red and tips the contents down his throat. He burps loudly, then reaches for another bottle. Ximendra slaps his hand away.
XIMENDRA: "We need you clear headed."
Styx glowers at her. The moment she turns away, he slips another bottle into his bag.
A snooty sommelier is here, fiddling with the bottles and cleaning wine glasses.
SOMMELIER: "Who are you riff-raff? And why are you covered in blood?"
BRIAN: "Er.... Extra secuity for the Baroness' party. We had to, um, rough up some prisoners in the dungeon."
SOMMELIER: "That sounds entirely plausible. Carry on!"
The party tromp passed and up some stairs to the scullery.
VIKATH: "This will be where they keep the skulls."
Ximendra rolls her eyes.
Harried-looking servants bustle around the busy kitchen preparing food for the banquet going on upstairs. Two servers waddle passed supporting a whole roast boar between them. The heroes know one of the serving wenches is a spy for the rebels - but how to make contact without arousing suspicion?
STYX: "Oi! Where's Jinny?"
Jinny is not in the scullery, she was assigned to serve drinks in the ballroom.
The party realise they can go no further dressed as they are without disrupting the masquerade. Even the serving stuff are beginning to give them funny looks. Brian announces they are conducting an emergency fire drill and ushers the servants down into the wine cellar, then locks the door. Geez, the Baroness sure employs some stupid people.
Besides the door into the banquet hall, the only other exit from the scullery is a dumb waiter designed to deliver food to the upper levels of the castle without it getting cold. Styx clambers into the narrow shaft and begins to climb. At the first opening, Styx finds himself peeking into a dimly lit room in which a woman dressed in much the same style of Ximendra gazes intently into a crystal ball. She is so focused on her task that she does not notice the goblin voyeur.
Styx continues climbing. The next opening leads into an unoccupied study, furnished with comfortable armchairs and shelves of leather-bound literature. Styx exits the shaft and has a proper poke around. A window overlooks the castle ramparts, and above him is the underside of a balcony adjacent to the Baroness' stateroom.
Meanwhile, back in the scullery; Horatio is keeping an eye on the guests in the banquet hall. He had been expected to attend events like this when his father hosted foreign dignitaries, and couldn't stand them then either. He spots a group of castle guards making a beeline for the kitchen. Brian is busy barricading the cellar door, and Vikath is still going through the cupboards looking for skulls. There'll be no talking there way out of this one. Horatio readies his greataxe and prepares to crash a party.
TBC
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