2017-07-23
Contents |
No Such Thing As A Free Lunch
We join our heroes in the town of Daggerford on the sword coast.
Duchess Morwen of Daggerford is having guests for dinner and our heroes have been included. They have come to count her as a friend and benefactor as they've helped the town with recent troubles while Sardalis tore through her sizable library hoping to further his research.
She advises them that a "band of wayward travellers" have come to be camped outside the town walls. She confides that though they seemed harmless at first she has since heard reports that they have been "demanding money and wine" from passersby, threatening them with hexes.
She wants Sardalis, Delg & Pavel to make an attempt to move them on peacefully, as if they are not gone by the next day she plans to command her militia to drive them out by whatever means may be required.
Fucking Pikeys
They question one of the guards who was sent to try to move them along the day before who is named Alfred. He tells them that they're really quite alright, it's just that the Duchess has got it into her head that they have to go. The guards couldn't bring themselves to force them as they weren't hurting anyone and Arthur hopes that our heroes have better luck as he would rather not draw his blade against these folk.
As far as our heroes are concerned Alfred seems to legitimately hold this belief, and is not being magically coerced.
Sardalis & Delg approach them with a gift of wine while Pavel remains hidden a short distance away, shortbow at the ready in case they prove to be dangerous after all.
An older gentlemen greets them and introduces himself as Stanimir, inviting them to make themselves feel at home in the camp. He is very pleased that they have brought the wine, even overlooking Delg's grumpy, monosyllabic replies in favour of Sardalis' charms.
Stanimir advises they are leaving tonight and when asked offers to tell him a story.
Shadows in the firelight
Stanimir fills his mouth with the strong alcohol he is drinking and spits it into the fire which sends the flames roaring. A dark illusion appears within the twisting flames, accompanying his story...
He tells of an ancient land long forgotten, a land of kings.
One day a wounded soldier staggered into the camp of his people, and they offered him what hospitality they could. As they nursed him beack to health they agreed to help him to return to his homeland in Barovia, but as they travelled his enemies hunted him relentlessly. It became clear that he was no normal soldier, a warrior-prince in fact. When assassins attacked the caravan Stanimir's people fought and died to protect the young prince, who had become their friend.
When they finally arrived in Barovia, the grateful Prince promised that they would always be welcome there, and invited to stay as long as they wished.
Many years have now passed, and a curse has fallen over the Prince. He has become a tyrant, and They are looking for heroes to help break the curse of the prince who has contracted a terrible illness and become a tyrant. Stanimir's people have discovered that the locals are all unwilling (or perhaps unable) to leave their homeland.
He thinks that Sardalis & Delg may be the sort of heroes Baravia is in need of. He begs them to travel with their caravan to meet the leader of their people, Madam Eva. He assures them that she will be able to explain more of the nature of the illness afflicting the Prince and provide advice as to what can be done.
Time to move on
Sardalis admits that the story and request for heroes seems a little too convenient, while Delg is very resistant to the idea. Pavel joins them, unconvincingly sticking to the pretense that he had just come along to join his friends.
After some debate, our heroes decide that their best course of action is to travel with Stanimir and his people, at least for now.
After a few days travel, a thick mist starts to show up. The first day it disippates as the day goes on, but after that it remains heavy in the air and growing thicker. On the fifth day of travel they arrive at the gates of Barovia. These huge iron gates are flanked by headless statue guardians, their missing heads slowly being covered over by the foilage below.
Visit lovely Barovia!
It is early evening when Stanimir and his people stop at a village. They instruct our heroes to take lodging at the inn overnight and come visit them at the Tser pool encampment in the morning.
Our heroes dutifully begin to make their way towards the Blood of the Vine tavern, but on their towards the tavern the fog starts closing in on the buildings as if directing them somewhere. The fog is completely enveloping everything by the time they get to where the tavern should be, creating a kind of eerie tunnel.
Our heroes know when to take a hint and find themselves at an old three story house with a metal portcullis-style gate.
Pavel ineffectually calls out to rouse the owners.
Delg opens the unlocked gate and pushes on through, followed by the others.
They note a stylized coat of arms on a shield in a foyer of sorts. The coat of arms features a Golden windmill on a red field. Nearby there are several aristocratic portraits of members of the Durst lineage.
There's something strange about the cleanliness in his place. The only place with any sign of use is the fireplace.
Mounted on wall above fireplace is a longsword with a windmill cameo worked into the hilt and the wood panelled walls are ornately sculpted with vines satyrs leaves nymphs etc.
After Delg lights a fire they all notice the wall design includes sinister serpents and skulls amongst the satyrs and nymphs.
They move on and find a very nicely appointed dining room, resplendent silverware and crystalwear. There is a Mahogony-framed painting of an alpine vale and elegant images of deer among trees. Closer examination reveals twisted faces in the tree trunks, with wolves stalking amongst the unsuspecting cervidae.
A top hat is acquired on a high shelf of a closet, though they leave several black cloaks where they find them.
Kitchen behind stove and to left is a thin-door leading to well-stocked pantry.
Investigating further they discover a den of sorts, with 3 large taxidermied wolves amongst the hunting trophies. There is a tapestry hung depicting aristocrats and hunting dogs pursuing a wolf. After the wall carvings our heroes are now keen to find some hidden element in this tapestry but they detect nothing unusual about the artwork. Pavel sets to work opening the two locked cabinets and finds a small open-topped box with playing cards and assortment of playing cards and wine glasses in the first.
In the second he finds three crossbows (Heavy, Light & Hand crossbows) with 20 bolts for each weapon. He surrupticiously palms the hand crossbow before announcing his find to his companions but they detect something is up. They drop the issue when it becomes clear that he hopes to maintain his innocence, trusting that he would not keep anything too important a secret.
Upwards
In an upstairs room they discover a huge portrait of the Durst family. Gustaf and Elizabeth stand with they children Rose (female) & Thorn (male). Cradled in Gustaf's arms is a swaddled baby who Elizabeth appears to be looking at with some level of scorn.
Here they find wood carvings in the walls again, dancing youths who are revealed to not actually be dancing, rather fighting off swarms of bats.
In the next room the carvings initially appear to be beautiful people playing instruments in accompaniment to well-dressed cavorting dancers. On closer inspection these are well-dressed skeletons.
A writing desk is found with a wooden seal of the Durst family insignia along with letter-writing paraphernalia. In the otherwise empty desk drawer they discover an iron key but leave it where it is for the time being.
Moving on up
Our heroes investigate the delicate carvings of trees with falling leaves and tiny critters scurrying, soon spotting tiny child-corpses hanging from trees with worms bursting from the ground.
Just as Delg and Sardalis notice a secret door set into the wall, a cobwebbed suit of black armor springs to life and attacks them both with gauntlets. The first swing goes wide but the second catches Delg who nontheless recovers quickly.
Pavel steps forward, drawing his rapier and hitting a pauldron which sends several pieces flying and leaving one arm hanging uselessly at its side.
The aggressive armor hits Delg again but appears unable to control the damaged arm properly and misses.
Delg responds by driving his warhammer through the top of the helmet and down through the body of the armor, sending it crashing to the floor.
