V. The Executioner (DDAL04-03)
4/21/2016 Nerdageddon, Brighton, DM: Aaron
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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.
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