2024/07/12: Avenging Anastasia Report

General Summary

Terana, Knight, Zaran, Kal'vus, Buzz   Miles told the party that he'd been near Anastasia's family castle before, so the party would be able to telepathically connect to him and get enough familiarity to teleport to a village near the castle. The party decided to head out immediately that afternoon. Ngel Sfet chose to stay behind once again: She was much more interested in talking magic with Hoen.   Supposedly the castle is now being run as a bed-and-breakfast, with the demons having been defeated years ago. The adventurers had no trust whatsoever in this information.   The party arrived on a nice woodland road. There was a signpost nearby pointing to "Schloss Lichtenstein". (This is not Europe. Apparently whoever built this castle copied the real Schloss Lichtenstein in detail, and they even went so far as to copy the name.) Union also showed up out of nowhere, because he does that. Wherever he had come from or passed through to get here, he smelled camomile tea.   (Lume was feeling crabby after Humphery caught him in that disjunction, which meant he was illusioned as a bright red crab sitting grumpily on Terana's hip. Knight gave him a pat. Union taught him the Crab Rave and memes. Humphery may have been getting Korean polka playing in his head in the background.)   While Union taught Lume about Rick Rolls, Terana noticed that the local animals appeared to have been traumatized recently. There were also signs of road damage and vehicle debris that were days or weeks old. The animals watching the group were mostly scavengers, and they were staying quiet and at a distance.   Investigating closer, Terana and Kal'vus determined that someone had taken a two-wheeled handcart and dragged and/or threw it off the road, smashing it. Indications are that multiple people worked together to pick up the cart. Whoever had been pulling it was likely already dead.   While Terana flagged down an imposing-looking crow to ask for info, Knight detected a ghostly orb watching the group from a little ways away and above. It was acting like an eye or an action cam.   The dire crow introduced himself to Terana as Krons. He claimed he was sent to investigate the area by his master, a "concerned landowner" to the north. From what he'd seen so far, most of the locals were dead.   Terana explained who the party was and what they were doing. Knight, in the background, started mapping the area with the help of the sky gem. Near the edge of the map, blocking the view of the eye with his body, he drew an image of the eye and its position relative to the party. He added a note: "WE ARE BEING WATCHED".   The party took no immediate action in response, but they made themselves ready for when the time came.   As the party moved on, a group of three wounded shadow/Void birds flew up to roost on Knight's horns. Some were wounded. They didn't seem inclined to talk to anyone but Knight, but they did coo to thank Terana for the healing.   Experimentation didn't establish any communication with the birds. They didn't seem intelligent, exactly, but they did seem impressed by and impressing on Knight. There were also some small monsters spying from the undergrowth that seemed to lack both life and spirits. Those fled when Terana tried to approach.   The void birds identified as (Eastern) Nightmare-Winged Shadow Pips. They appear to be something Voidlike, swirling collations of emotion. Knight did their best to project calm and give them pets. They appreciated it.   Carrying on along the path, the party found a human leg bone sticking out of the road. It had been chewed on by a wolf. Dream nail analysis suggested that the victim (and possibly others) had been attacked by wolves. Buzz suggested Terana check if the bite pattern was from a wolf or a werewolf. Werewolf it was.   The party noted the advantage/disadvantage that Lume counts as a full moon, which means werewolves in human form will immediately turn and go berserk if Terana gets close. At least it would make it hard for werewolves to hide around them!   It was dusk when the party reached the castle. The place was strangely open. The drawbridge out front seemed permanently down and the doors were open. Knight checked for spirits and life and found that invisible in front of the gate was a 9' tall demonic vampiric swordsman in red full plate armor. Anger and menace physically radiated off him. Glowing red blood runes were dripping off his armor. Knight passed the amulet of spiritsense and life detection to Terana so she could have Lume project a visible image of the knight to the party.   The red knight paced back and forth and investigated the party but seemed unable to interact. Even when the party marched toward and past him he was only able to glare menacingly. Whatever trigger condition would let him attack, the party hadn't activated it.   Inside the gate there was a courtyard and various small buildings and doorways. Two recessed doors just inside the gateway were alarmed.   The party decided subtlety would give them nothing but boredom and delays. They kicked the door in. On the other side was a group of scantily clad male mercenaries, or rather (as became obvious in seconds) a pack of angry werewolves.   Battle was joined without preamble. Zaran got to cast bubblegum blast. Humphery lost a boot. Knight scared off the shade-birds. The werewolves learned what the inside of a gummy acid blender is like.   With the werewolves summarily (and gruesomely) dispatched, the party searched the room. The structure of the building was apparently well-warded and had resisted the whirlwind of horror. The furniture and inhabitants had not been so lucky.   While the rest of the party looked for loot, Kal'vus investigated the layout. There were stairs leading up to windows above the entrance, which the werewolves had (futilely) tried to use to flank the party. There was a set of stairs leading up to an alcove with a locked door. The rest of the party, looking for loot, found a pair of gauntlets and a bastard sword. The sword's hilt is mostly bronze with gold highlights. The blade is made of steel and fire, since it's a flaming sword.   Buzz checked the wards on the door Kal'vus had found. They were marked by abjuration and extremely strong necromancy. The party left that door alone for the moment and headed upstairs. There were no signs of the three escaped werewolves, but the party did find that the people who furnished this place liked very thick carpets.   The adventurers headed outside and found that since nightfall, the red knight outside had become physical. He had also become able to speak. Apparently he was a cursed warrior who seeks the blood of worthy foes. He is bound to guard the gate. He was bound by the master of the castle, though not the current master of the castle.   Choosing to clear the immediate area rather than heading straight for the master, the party headed for the tower in the castle. There were two skeletons in heavy armor guarding the door. Terana and Humphery, who had held the line in a doorway in the last fight, chose to let Kal'vus and Knight get some action this time. Kal'vus tested the skeletons' substantial defenses, then Knight mulched them using what he learned. With the skeletons reduced to casually bickering skulls, the way into the tower was open.

Rewards Granted

Character(s) interacted with

Azhar, Ngel Sfet, Miles Gargos

Notes

Azhar is wrapped in red leather from the neck down, the color of blood. The suit almost looks like mummification wrappings. Has a leather rod 18 inches long and an inch thick hanging from her belt. 5'4", looks like someone's fitness advisor. The red leather suit has since been covered in black shoe polish or something as an attempt to distance herself from her past associations, but if you rub it a bit it'll still be red underneath.