Session 169 - "Manor of Horror"

General Summary

The Fellowship rushes to save a stolen infant and headlongs into an enormous new threat.  

 

Starday, Gozran 30, 4711 AR

Church of Dagon

11.33p

The Unworthy Soul, still amongst the collection of shriveled bodies, notices a haphazard pile of belongings in the corner of the room, included backpacks, cloaks, belts, and other items. Magic does not appear to imitate from it. Gathering up the pile, he notices a backpack that appears to be a traveler's of very well make. He brings into the chapel and Neferu begins to examine it. Within the pack is an extra set of well-made traveling clothes, nice leather boots, items definitely not worn by locals. There are also a couple of large tomes: The Voices of the Bones, a Pharasman historical text, and The Shadow in the Sea, a reference to Dagon. The Voices also holds a separate sheet of paper being used as a bookmark, which has some writing on it. Also in the backpack is a set of initials burned into a leather tag: "GL", most likely Gaster Lucas. Closer examination shows that the Voices details various Pharasmans that have been part of historical wars. The bookmark is marking a chapter on the chronicles of the Raven's Tongue, a holy artifact of the god (3601 AR). In the battle with the Whispering Tyrant, the Bishop of Caliphas, who was also a prince of Ustalav, Adamondais Virholt, lost the Raven's Head and his live. The bookmark itself looks like a page that was torn out of a sales ledger from the stables run by Clanartus:    

11.43p

Neferu hears something in his ear, "Pardon me. Could you comment on the assassin's effectiveness? I'm considering reanimating him, and I'd like to know if it would be worth the expense." He realizes this a sending and responds with, "You have me at a disadvantage. Who is this?" Immediately he receives a whisper back in his ear, "Surely we are friends by now. You may call me 'A' ." X immediately makes the connection that this is Adamondais himself. Neferu counters that they are not friends and that he shouldn't be wasting his time sending the assassin back after them. X begins sniffingthe backpack to see if it smells more of salt or horse. Kyrrn asks for the ledger sheet and she reads its psychometric resonance. She immediately sees the elderly man that was Clanartus with murderous intent in his eyes, scratching out this message on the piece of paper.  

11.53p

Kyrrn examines Shadow and finds that it is a primer on Dagon and the demon-lord's faith. Earmarked in the book is a section that refers to "the Face of Dagon", which apparently is the name for an important idol to the faith of Dagon, which apparently is a powerful artifact for devotees of Dagon. An etching in the book looks exactly like the Sea-Sage Effigy. Additionally, another section details blasphemers heretics that are professors at the University of L. who defiled sacred grounds. The Eye is always looking for these sort of things. It is a well-known story about the expedition to regain this historical artifact.  

Sunday, Denus 1, 4711 AR

12.13a

Neferu administers aid to the party and distributes healing potions before heading out of the hall and locking the temple up. They turn to the east towards the manor. The night air is still and the festival continues unabated in the town square to the north.   As they begin to enter the swamp, Mayor Greedle steps out from behind a tree. He appears very distraught and sweaty and very frantic. He demands to know what happened at the temple. X tells him that they are short on time and to keep pace with them. Kelath fills him in and it only confirms his suspicions. He also confirms that he saw the son head off in that direction. Kyrrn begins arguing with the mayor about his sharing of information about the Dark Riders. He confesses that he saw the two them heading out of the town towards the manor house. X asks if he already knew about the cult of Dagon, but he says they only suspected something, especially since the church always blew off the villagers' disappearances. X also asks why the Whispering Way would be interested in the cult. He denies any knowledge, but admits that the Neighbors supposedly give out things they find at the bottom of the sea. That was rumored how the Undiomede family originally made their money. They part ways.  

The Undiomede Manor

12.33a

The party has been following an old, unused carriage track and makes their way within a mile of the manor house. Having scouted ahead, the Soul finds four sets of booted tracks, one of which is fairly fresh. Three of the tracks appear to be men or large women, one of which is the fresher. The fourth is giant-sized and seems to follow along with the other two tracks. X makes out some horse scat that appears a little older, maybe about two to three days, as well as a pair of hoof tracks.  

12.43a

The Soul continues watching for the tracks, which do not deviate from the path to the manor house. One of the horse tracks splits off towards the lake now to the west to go around it. The remaining tracks continue north to the manor, which appears dark and abandoned. Trees dot the area and bushes surround the lake. The manor itself rests what is predominately a clearing in the swamp. The lake has somewhat flooded out of its banks and partially covers the carriage track. Moving forward, the party takes cover behind a tree. They see the house is a two story mansion made of fieldstone rock first floor and wooded second story. It is overgrown and the second floor appears to be sagging and partially collapsed. There are short stone steps that lead to a single door in the southern part with a pair of rearing hippocampi statues flanking it. A main entrance is visible on the southwest corner where the carriage path leads with merfolk statues bearing tridents. The prints follow this route. Part of the eastern wall of the manor appears to have collapsed, and the Fellowship makes their way towards it.   Through the opening it is obvious that the second floor has fallen in in this area. The remains of what might have been a dining room and furniture lay about with scattered glass. Off from that appears to be a exposed and ruined bedroom. Through a broken window they spy an entry area with rotten furniture that appears to be flooded with water. They make their way quietly to the opening and see doors to the west and south. The dining room has a rounded wall which has a monolithic stone that appears to be embedded in it from floor to ceiling. Etched all over the stone are sets of symbols. Kyrrn suddenly senses undead nearby.   The Unworthy Soul carefully makes his way to the west door and listens. He doesn't hear anything and notes that the door is intact, but warped to the point of being stuck. He withdraws and examines the door through the bedroom, which is in the same condition. He returns to the dining room and looks at the northern door and finds it less deformed than the others. The Soul suddenly hears the cry of something that is either a baby or a fishercat. As he opens the door, it makes horrendous sound. Beyond is a short hallway that leads to a closed door, the source of the baby's cries, which suddenly sounds muffled.   Neferu boosts the Soul, who withdraws slightly, and then moves into the ruined area himself. X waits to see if there is a reaction. Suddenly the door opens and a priest, looking the image of those earlier encountered, jumps to the side as the vicar of the Indomitable Sea appears and begins to cast a spell. X begins to step out and suddenly all the moisture in the room suddenly turns to ice and begins to pelt all those present, striking Kyrrn the hardest. X unfurls his wings and rises above the slickened floor, charging through the doorway towards the vicar. Swinging his sword, he misses the vicar and the priest steps in behind him. Kyrrn carefully steps into the room and flings an electric arc down the hall. It burns through the priest and courses into the vicar. Kelath moves advances forward and savages the priest with his Dragon Winged sword.   The Soul advances as Neferu moves out of the icy area, the Soul finding himself directly astride a cradle with baby Tara inside. The priest swears and calls out loudly in Jotu:     He tries to shoulder Kelath, but is unable to move him. He attempts to strike him with a spiked gauntlet and misses. Turning his attention to the Soul, he is able to connect a blow. The ice storm disappears into a cloud of mist as the vicar takes stock of his situation. He steps to the side and smashes his morning star into the Soul. X slashes his swords across the cultist, ripping open vicious wounds. Wary of the giant's appearance, Kyrrn also steps into the room and arcs more electricity into the men. Kelath takes a particular inspiring stance and attempts to evangelize before raising his shield.   Neferu continues making his way to the rear of the house, spying another building. The Soul swipes a claw at the vicar, catching only air. The vicar suddenly cries out to the Shadow in the Sea, demoralizing the Soul. Suddenly a door crashes open to the south and an enormous green, flabby skinned giant enters the dining room. He picks up a piece of debris and hurls it at Kelath, just catching him. The vicar steps, drawing a strike from Kelath, and suddenly a torrent of water erupts from him, smashing the Soul into the wall… and the baby… X moves on the vicar and lands a blow. Screaming in rage and shock, Kyrrn unleashes Nyrrk who flings the giant's debris into the vicar, followed by a psi burst. Kelath swings a blow at the vicar, raises his shield, and quickly heals himself.   The Soul slips out of the small room and moves down the hall towards the giant, suddenly growing and filling the dining room. The zealot slaps and grabs at X, catching him with his gauntleted hand, and then slams his other hand into him. The giant slams a gaff into the Soul, opening a grievous wound, and then twists it. The vicar calls out again to Dagon, once again scoring a blow from Kelath and X both, as his wounds heal only slightly. With his twin swords, X runs the blades over his body. Leveraging the cultist hold on him, he surges forward and impales the vicar, putting him on the ground. Nyrrk attempts to slam debris into lone priest, missing him, and elects to follow with a psi burst. Kelath moves forward and quickly works on the Soul's wounds, administering aid and wand for the job.   Neferu quaffs a healing potion and regains some vigor, also managing to stem his bleeding. Renewed, the Soul rends a claw across the giant and opens a gash.