Entry 5 - CoS: The Executioner

V.  The Executioner  (DDAL04-03)

4/21/2016  Nerdageddon, Brighton,  DM:  Aaron  4511659554

Tale – tiefling warlock (John), Alaric – elven fighter (Jay), Selene – elven ranger (Lisa), Faelna – Elven wizard (Fenway), Barney – human fighter (Christian), Zhey – elven wizard (Gina), Bill – dwarven rogue (Jacob)

Storyteller, can I assume something of interest has kept you occupied in the land of mists this day?

Indeed, Patron!  The strangeness of this land increases with every passing moment.  The inn keep of this village, Malcom informed us that in the last few weeks almost all of his patrons have either vanished without trace in the night or been found dead!  He offered us a reward and free room and board should myself and the other guests of the inn be able to resolve this predicament.  My previous traveling companions have all vanished upon my return to town.  This group, much like the last appears to have also faced a version of the events in the woods like my own and that of the others I spoke of.  These however, were able to rescue Elania and she has since been freed from the curse!

This fluidity of time, is it common in your land?

Not at all Patron, it is both wondrous and terrifying!  I have a hint though that some of the denizens of the mist may be aware of it.  Laslo appeared to hold a grudge against me as he did those in this group hostile toward Elania.  As if he knew that I took part in slaying her with my earlier companions!  But I’m getting ahead of myself…

Tale speaks of meeting Arik the junk dealer at the inn.  A man who claims to be an outsider trapped in Barovia for over a year who wanders from village to village.  The group later learns that despite his multi week stay at the inn (the only not to have died or disappeared lately) he owns a home in town.

The party discovers many tiny claw marks about the inn and that all windows are spelled so that they may be opened from outside despite being locked.  As the doors bar from within this explains how someone was gaining entry into the rooms.  Also of note, no vermin appear present.  This seems beyond cleanliness and borders on unnatural for an inn this size.

He describes meeting Philler, owner of the trading post, and his odd appearance and mannerisms.  He tells what he learned from Tatiana’s journal he purchased whole searching for clues of past inn patrons.  It is still uncertain if the journal belonged to a patron or not.  The contents of the journal describe a woman pursued by one brother when she desires the other who is off to war.

As the group leaves the trading post one of the fighters suddenly attempts to barge past Philler to see what else is in his back room.  The man leaps across the room delivering a kick to the fighter (I forget which player) and lands deftly on his feet and ushers us out.  The party then proceeds to the Hair & Hare to speak with Gregory for further clues.  While roaming around town the party is observed by / followed by 3 ravens.  Zhey notes that they glow with magical energies.

After learning little from the two shop keeps some of the party returns to the inn while Selene and (?) walk to the graveyard.  There she meets Philler again placing flowers on the grave of his wife, who he later reveals was killed by Arik.  All around are ravens acting unnatural yet not hostile.  Philller, obviously alarmed urges Selene and (?) to confront Arik and investigate his home.  They agree and return to the inn to update and rally the others.

While at the inn Arik makes a big show of informing all he is turning in for the night.  Tale’s familiar, an owl perched on the inn roof observes Arik exiting his window on the second level, crawling up and over the roof and proceeding to and into his home in the village.  The party updates each other on what they have learned and the group heads to Arik’s home.

After some skulking about the party barges into the home.  Inside are 3 zombies and some monstrosity chained to the wall.  Or it WAS chained to the wall until attacked and angered by the party.  After that it tore loose and smashed its way into the party taking apart the house as it went.  After a few close calls and Alaric being knocked unconscious the group managed to defeat all within the house.  They saw the belongings of what they assumed to be the disappeared patrons within as well as a journal.  Philler arrives and asks if Arik was stopped but the party never found him inside.  He apparently escaped through a tunnel exit and out into the woods.  Philler provides a healing potion to get Alaric back on his feet and just as the group prepares to pursue Arik out the tunnel they hear screams from town.

Opting to rush back to town the group finds a specter and 4 zombies assaulting or eating the bodies of townsfolk.  The party intervenes.  The battle is hard won leaving two unconscious yet clinging to life.  A magic hat found at the scene as well as the contents of the journal in Arik’s home all point towards him being Laslo who all agree was dead when found at the hunter’s camp.  It seems he was offered some trade which returned him to life to be with Elania.  His end of the bargain had to do with the kidnappings and finding some relic; a powder box able to halt aging.  The party was also listed in this journal with either “kill” or “capture” annotated after each.  Those hostile towards Elania seems to be what determine the category each person found themselves in.

The injured were brought to the hospice where Elania was recovering and Tale returned to the inn to sleep.  Pushing the largest piece of furniture in the room to block the window...

An eventful evening to be sure.  I look forward to our next meeting storyteller.

Entry 4 - CoS: The Beast (Whisper)

IV.  The Beast (DDAL04-02)

4/17/2016  Get Your Game On, Ann Arbor,  DM: Aaron  4511659554

Whisper – human paladin (John), Dale – drow fighter (Kirk), Aelos – half elven paladin/warlock (Dan), Zebulon – wood elf cleric (Zach), Ahnfred – human druid (Chris), Copperbeard – dwarven cleric (Michael)

What news beyond the mists today storyteller?

Actually this day I spent recuperating in town studying the new rituals you gifted me as well as preparing as you instructed for adding another spell I found into the tome. While resting I had a most peculiar dream. I was a paladin named Whisper. I was with a group that included Copperbeard who I met earlier and we were sent off to find Laslo and Elain just as before. The events that happened along the way were similar some of the time and totally different at others. It seemed so real, other than the fact I was someone else.

That is indeed curios. Thus far the land of mists seems more interesting than I had hoped. I hope you are not attempting to trick me with a simple retelling of the same story?

Umm, no, Patron. It seems that I, as this paladin, and the others not only encountered similar events but things were left in a far different state than they were when I did them... As, well, myself.

Tale relays the story as told by the group who adventured with Whisper (my other character) through the events of The Beast. Upon finding the wagon there was an injured and stripped tattooed man tied up nearby. Upon investigation a trap was triggered killing the man and injuring a party member somewhat. The wagon itself was booby trapped with crossbows as well. While traveling the path, mysteriously cleared of snow, some of the group were struck with acute homesickness, a likely magical effect. The path itself seemed to be hedged in by magic of some sort. While on the path, no wildlife was visible in the woods. While off the path, not only was no visible cleared path present but wolves could be seen nearby watching the party. As they continued forward the group attempted to scout off the path as well by using a rope between those on the path and off it to signal each other.

Further up the road the party finds a tattooed woman over a huge bear corpse bristling with arrows. When hailed in order to question her she first claims the kill is hers but then flees from the path vanishing. Some of the party give chase. They see her transform into a werewolf and stop a short ways away taunting them to cross some magical line they detect.

At the same time the remaining party on the path and the other side of the path unaware of what is happening with the woman/werewolf approach the bear corpse. It erupts and a serpentine humanoid crawls out of it. Eventually it threatens to eat the party and they attack and slay the creature.

Just then the werewolf is dragged across the line and onto the path by the druid in wolf form. He is bit for his trouble but fights off infection / the change. Eventually the party agrees to allow the werewolf to leave after it knocks one party member unconscious.

From here the party finds the hunting camp and Laslo’s body and meet the elves just as Tale did with his group. Leaving the elves behind they track a werewolf to the cave. Rather than killing her as Tale’s party did, this group is able to convince her to return with them to the camp, hoping to ease her into realizing she is a lycanthrope and is responsible for Laslo’s death. Ahnfred breaks the news on the way refusing to deceive Elania. She rushes off losing the party.

The party finds only a single elf woman of the group left at the camp. She said Laslo’s corps got up, attacked her companions, slew them and they rose and all walked away. The party and the lone elf survivor return to town to let Gregory know the fate of his hunters.

Upon reaching town they find Elania has been burned. Apparently captured and recognized as a werewolf.

So not only is the mist bringing outsiders to this land but apparently it, or some force residing here can control life, death and time itself. Take care storyteller, I’d hate to have wasted my efforts with you thus far.

Entry 3 - CoS: Death House pt 2

III.  Death House:  Part Two  (DDLE4)

4/10/2016  Get Your Game On, Ann Arbor,  DM: Aaron  4511659554

Tale – tiefling warlock (John), Selvan – wood elf cleric (Chris), Gavin – half elf sorcerer (Zach), Copperbeard – dwarven cleric (Michael), Clip – drow fighter (Chris) 

Tale recounts his return to Death House.  Upon finding himself again in the Durst home the druid Keira is absent but three new faces join Selvan and Tale as they continue to uncover the mysteries of the house.  He relays their conversation and battle with the specter of Elizabeth Durst and her spider, of finding the scrying bowl, wedding bands (taken by others in the party); and of the dead servant in the closet.  He tells of finding “The Marionette” in the washroom, which after being shocked into silence he bundled up in a blood stained servant’s uniform to take with him. 

He excitedly tells of his quick thinking in the crypts where he donned the vestments and holy item of the cultist upon entering the ritual room.  There he feigned acting out the sacrifice the ghostly figures were demanding upon Copper Beard.  Some performance skills, a sleep spell by Gavin, and a minor illusion of spilled blood was sufficient to summon the shambling mound.  After a brutal battle the group was victorious and escaped the house.  Upon exit, the children were seen again in the road as if the entire home had reset, presumably to play out the events again for the next to stumble upon it.  Then the mists engulfed the party and whisked them away to places unknown.

Apparently this haunted house is also interested in a good story...  I wonder if the monster attacked because you refused to offer a proper sacrifice, or if your deception was enough to summon the creature?  Either way, an exciting tale.

I believe further rewards are in order.  When you wake my book will contain additional writings in the back.  Keep it on your person to receive my favor.  There are also instructions for rituals which may be of some use.  Should you learn other rituals within your abilities, open the book before you sleep to a blank page near the back.  Pour suitable inks onto the page and when you wake, the ritual you learned will be committed to the page.

Thank you Patron.  Your gifts thus far have been quite useful in this land.  While interesting and thrilling it seems quite dangerous here in the mists.  Will I be able to return to Baulder’s Gate soon?  I miss the comforts of home and the stage.  Also, this cold weather does not suit me at all.

If I knew the answer to that why would I waste my time with you?  The mists do not answer to me as I do not answer to you.  I may have offered you for consideration for entrance into the mists, but I cannot call you back from them.  I have never dreamt of what lies beyond them.  I dreamt of you so that I might learn what lies within.  Do not fail me. 

Entry 2 - CoS: The Beast

II.  The Beast (DDAL04-02)           

4/7/2016  Nerdageddon, Brighton DM:  Scott  8081104852

Tale – tiefling warlock (John), Karth – half orc cleric (Chris), Eric the Red – dwarven rogue (Eric), Klock – half orc barbarian (Tanner)

This is quite confusing my patron.  When we last spoke I was resting within the Durst home but when I woke I found myself outside again, in the mist.  I was with a different group of people this time but it seemed to be the same land again. 

As I told you last time, this is not my story.  I have dreamt you to entertain me, not so that I can provide answers to a figment.  Tell me a story.

Tale recounts his recent events in Barova finding himself in the company of a dwarf and two half orcs.  This time he chose to travel in the guise of a human testing out the new abilities granted by his patron.  He tells of meeting Gregory at the Hair and Hare, of being sent to find Lazlo and Elaina, two local hunters gone missing.  Of being ambushed on the road by some sort of bandits which vanish upon being defeated.  Of seeing his first werewolf.  He then tells of finding Lazlo's corpse and meeting a group of elves who appear to also have been brought here by the mists.  He tells of his first encounter with zombies and their stubborn refusal to stay dead when destroyed.  Lastly he recounts finding Elaina and two wolves in a cave, of finding and keeping her journal which goes from arguments with Lazlo to paranoia to madness, all of which appears to be explained by her lycanthropy.  She attacks after being shown the severed head of her lover which the cleric of war was thoughtful enough to not only bring along but confront her with.  After a very close fight they returned to the Hair and Hare to collect a reward and divided up the spoils, which included gold and a scroll of a summon bonfire cantrip Tale kept.

And the half orc priest claimed both head of those you were sent to find?  Returned with them, and their concerned friend... rewarded you all?

Yes.  It is a odd place to be sure.  I also learned a bit more about Strahd from the latter found in the Durst home.  Gregory called him “the devil” and was fearful of even speaking his name.  He is a apparently a powerful vampire, the lord of Ravenloft castle and ruler of this land and has been for a very long time.

How fascinating!  I look forward to hearing more about this land and it's inhabitants.

Entry 1 - CoS: Death House pt 1

2.  Curse of Strahd

I.  Death House:  Part One  (DDLE4)

4/3/2016  Get Your Game On, Ann Arbor,  DM: Aaron 4511659554

Tale – tiefling warlock (John), Keira – human druid (Scott), Selvan – elven cleric (Chris)

Did you send me here Patron?

What would be the point of having a figment tell me a story I myself had authored?  What did you find on the other side of the mists?

Tale recounts the events beyond the mist finding himself in winter cloths in a strange land without knowledge of how he came to be here.  The two strangers Selvana and Keira he finds himself traveling with; and of meeting Rose and Thorn Durst outside their home and venturing in to find their brother Walter, parents and whatever monster the children believe resides within.  Being a fan of horror stories he enthusiastically describes the home and the odd things encountered within.  This includes fighting with a shovel and broom, suits of armor, a spectral nanny and discovering that the two children are some sort of apparitions.

He describes the items he gathered thus far within the house as well which include the following.  A hand crossbow and 10 bolts of sharpened wood, a page of blank sheet music, a decorative cover book without any writing inside, the Durst family seal, Durst documents including a deed, a will and a letter from Strahd, a blank book which glows of magic yet to be identified and an Orb of the Warmage +1 which offers +1 to hit on attack roll spells and allows the caster to ignore half cover or less on these attacks.

Excellent!  That was much more enjoyable than your previous stories.  I hope to hear more in this vein from you in the future.  As a reward I shall grant you further abilities.  You may change your appearance at will, the better to fulfill whatever role suits best the story at hand.  The more your stories please me, the more power I shall grant.  This should both help keep you from an ignoble end as a superfluous figment and make your stories more interesting. 

Until next time.

Entry 0 - Prologue

1.  Prologue

 

I.  Introductions

It's good to meet you at last story teller.  Tell me a story.

Excuse me?  Who are you?  Where... are we?  Show yourself.

I am your patron.  You have my book.  Now tell me a story.

 

The blank book the boy delivered?  The craftsmanship was lovely if, odd, and I do appreciate the gift. That however does not give you the right to abduct me and make demands!

I dreamt you here; and I do as I please.  One of my finders told me you are a story teller.  You will tell me a story. 

Where are you?  Why can't I see you?  Where am I!?!

 

This is MY dream.  It is for me to see you.  I do not answer to figments.  You are here to entertain me.  Perhaps my finder failed me...  Maybe you are a waste of my time?  Or maybe you lack anything interesting to relay?  I could... Yes, that has potential...  I'll change you.  Change you and come back to you some other time.  Another will amuse me for now.

 

II.  Chosen

Are you ready to tell me a story?

Is this a dream?  Am I... asleep?  Gods it's been days since I've slept!

I have dreamt of you again storyteller.  You are here to tell me a story.  You must have done something with the my... gifts.  Or should I find another to entertain me?

Wait!  No, I'll... I'll tell you any story you want to hear!  Just... I must have sleep!  If I tell you a story, you'll let me sleep?

I have no care what figments do when I focus elsewhere.  Tell me a story.

Yes, yes... Patron, was it?  What story would you have me tell?

 (long sigh)  If you are to be one of my chosen I would suggest you craft the story yourself.  Even a masterful retelling of a story I already know may boar me.  Look figment, I'm beginning to think you may be a bit dim so we'll start simple.  Tell me what happened since last we spoke, and tell it well.

Right... just.  One moment and I'll.  OK.

I was jolted awake.  My heart pounding in my breast.  I was still in the guest room at the Fadewyn estate in Baldur's Gate's upper city.  For awhile I tried to calm myself and return to sleep but eventually gave up, got dressed and made my way to the kitchen.  I had my usual cup of strong tea and a light breakfast.  The day passed rather uneventfully and late afternoon I made my way to the play house to ready for the evening's performance of King Malford and the Gorgon.  I had the starring role for this production and Lady Fadewyn had become entranced with me during our first showing.

I know that story already and I have little interest in your conquest of patriar women.  Perhaps later I shall find out if you tell the play better than others, but not now.  When did you first realize you were changed?

Changed… yes.  Well I suppose when I was unable to sleep at all the next evening and found the writing in the book.  Writing in no alphabet I had seen.  Writing in a previously blank book which nobody but myself had access to.  Staring at the page written in ink that seemed to shift from black as soot to deep purples and blue I became uneasy.

It’s MY book fool.  Get on with it.

Right… apologies, but you did choose me to tell the story my way; correct?  Anyway, if I stared for too long I would become dizzy and swear I heard whispers just at the edge of my hearing but I could not make out the words.  Just a single page yet I returned to it again and again over the next day.

The second night again sleep eluded me.  I was tired yet my mind would not stop racing.  Still I felt compelled to study the page of the book.  Our brief encounter was all I could think about.  A silly dream I told myself.

A frustrating dream, and of little interest.

Yes, I... apologize for that... Patron.  I didn't understand.

Continue

That day I spent some time with lady Fadewyn and her retinue entertaining them and serving as her conversation piece and escort as we socialized with her acquaintances in the upper city.  A tiefling actor was enough of an oddity to make the both of us the center of attention. 

The third night I failed to sleep the whispering got worse.  I got up and decided to go for a walk.  Walking the estate grounds alone in the dark I heard growling behind me.  I turned to see a large wild dog snarling at me.  Behind him was a cloaked figure.  The whispering grew louder.  A cacophony of unintelligible gibberish near drowning out the growling beast.  Then it abruptly silenced.

“Destroy this beast lest it bleed you.  Act now!”

The message screamed through my mind.

“I don't know what you mean!” I cried my hands pressed to my temples.  The dog started to pace towards me.  My vision dimmed and the whispering returned, more insistent than ever.  Words and gestures flooded my mind and as the dog prepared to lunge I knew what to do.  I called out words in a tongue I'd never heard spoken, let alone studied, and focused on the beast.  It flinched, yelped in pain and ran away from me as I backed away. A moment later it turned back and charged.  I raised my arm, my fingers gesturing as if on their own as yet more words with a similar sound came from my lips.  A glowing green beam of crackling energy leapt from my hand and struck the beast.  It crumpled and slid a bit before coming to a rest dead at my feet.  When I looked up, the cloaked figure was gone.

I was exhilarated and terrified.  I quickly made my way back to my room.  Was I going mad?  Had that really just happened?  Was it delusions due to insomnia or...  My eyes were drawn to the book and my thoughts to our conversation.   Changed.  I had been changed... 

I excused myself from Lady Fadewyn's company and sought seclusion in a residence sometimes shared with another performer in our troop.  For the next two days I tried all I could to find sleep.  Physical exertion, heavy drink, potions from the apothecaries in town.  Nothing worked.  I was becoming more physically exhausted, irritable and jumpy at this point.  During this time I explored these... changes, as surreptitiously as possible.  The next day, concerned with my health I even visited a temple to see if perhaps some magical affliction was upon me.  When they informed me they could divine no arcane ills upon my person I was hardly surprised.  By now I realized I was being punished, by you.

The seventh day without sleep found me at Candlekeep.  I hoped they could tell me what script the page was written in and what it said.  I felt that if I could decipher this page, that would be the key to finding the rest my body and mind so desperately needed.

I asked the monks at the entrance if they had encountered this writing before and after passing it between them they walked a bit away and murmured excitedly to each other for a bit.  They then walked back over to me.

“While a single page is typically not a sufficient entrance-gift, we would make an exception for you.  Leave this with us and you may have entry to the Great Library.”

“Do you know what it says?  Can you read it? I... I can't let you keep it.” 

I knew this as soon as they asked.  A sense of dread came over me at the thought of giving up this book.

It is well you refused.  It is not yours to gift to another.

Two of the monks muttered while a third handed me back the book a look of annoyance or disappointment on his face. 

One of the two monks in the back broke off his discussion.  “We have seen this writing before but cannot tell you what it says.  May I ask, how did you come by this book?”  I explained being given the book by the boy after a performance one evening and how the text appeared on the first page after... our introduction.  Their interest seemed even greater and one asked if they might scribe a copy of the page.  They said that if I would return periodically should any further writing appear in the book that I would be welcome within the library.  Despite being dead on my feet and struggling to speak coherently after almost a week without sleep I was still excited about the prospect.  My vision was beginning to suffer at this point so the prospect of trying to take advantage of this honor was bittersweet.  I agreed leaving the book in their care while I was taken for a meal and hot bath.

After they finished I was offered a room to rest in, though at this point I didn't honestly expect to find sleep.  Then here I was again.

A bit light on action figment, but I see potential in you.  I may make not have to choose another after all.  You will find me a generous patron if you refrain from annoying me; as you did on our first meeting.  When I dream of you the book expands.  Show whomever you please but they will not understand.  Should you prove of little interest in your own right, it seems likely you can at least be useful relaying compelling stories of others with access to this library.  I'm done with you for now.

III.  The Return of Rest

Several entries follow covering the events of Tale's day to day going's on, a few retellings of his performances as an actor and 2 stories he told to small crowds while staying at an inn.  The rest is the rather ordinary day to day events of a tiefling living a moderate lifestyle in Baulder’s Gate.  At least when they weren’t interrupted by the Patron who seems to have a short attention span.  Each entry appears to be a daily log of a conversation between The Patron and Tale, presumably broken up by each night's encounter within the dream.  At the end of the last of these entries is the following by The Patron.

I think it's time for something a bit different.  One of my finders suggested there may be something of interest in the mists.  You shall tell me if this is so.

Tale - Character Sheet & Adventure Logsheet

 

D&D 5e Adeventurers League Blog for Tale: Introduction

The following is the dream journal of my first D&D 5^th edition Adventurers League character Tale, a male tiefling warlock.  Some entries are for a secondary character Whisper a human paladin.

The journal begins as starts gear from the Curse of Strahd background list of “gothic trinkets”.  This journal accepts no ink and records by itself, the dreams of the owner each night.  I’ve chosen this recording to be in the language native to the “Great Old One”, the warlock patron I selected on creation.  As the character reached third level, and chose the Pact of the Tome archetype, this journal became the class Book of Shadows. 

Tale is further able to ‘scribe’ rituals into the book via the ‘Book of Ancient Secrets’ invocation class feature.  For purely role-play reasons, I have him pour ink onto a blank page and the ritual inscription ‘soaks in’ as he sleeps and communes with his patron.

As of right now, the actual notes from the gaming sessions are not written out in story form.  I may go back and revise this later.  It is to serve as both something to read and as notes for myself and possibly other party members to reference in future sessions. 

If anyone participating in A.L. with me has corrections / suggestions or would like for me to omit / change their names for privacy reasons, let me know.

This is my first time playing in Adventurers League and I got in as season 4 Curse of Strahd was kicking off.  This is the update to the older Ravenloft module(s).

The following was pulled from my character sheet before I had to reformat to make room for more spells…

Character Backstory: 

Tale, a nickname chosen as a play on words for both his physical tail and his storyteller vocation, once had a traditional infernal name, given to him by his mother. While he and his human father, felt his mother's flaunting of, if not pride in, her heritage made things more difficult for them, neither really minded. He wasn't particularly mistreated growing up but was always aware of the prejudices of others. His pride doesn't allow for him to conceal his race in order to practice his trade, but otherwise he will do so to avoid unwanted attention. After learning of the Harpers, and aspiring to join them, he became even less conflicted about concealing who he is. He now views appearance, accents and mannerisms as extensions of his acting and storytelling, as well as tools to leverage the preconceptions of others to his advantage. After a performance an young boy gifted him a black bound blank book with odd inscriptions on the cover then vanished into the crowd. Soon after he learned the small book wrote itself, recording his dreams. That was when "The Patron" first began haunting his dreams.