Session 24

General Summary

Suave Soiree

Idris began to cook, looking around he was able to grab some substance which seemed to look like butter, as well as some easy to obtain garlic and truffles. With expertise, he whipped together a roux and played off his cooking abilities successfully. While cooking, Idris heard some gossip.

"Lady Fidatov recently broke off her engagement with Dmitri Kreskov. Yes, that Kreskov! What do you mean his wife? You must be talking about another Dmitri, dear."

Intrigued, Idris began to portion out the soup and brought it out to the party itself to see what else he could discern.
Meanwhile, Ariadne, Gio, and Ahrieya were given a tour by Lady Fidatov. She first brought them to her library, where she talked briefly on her family history and the breadth of her collection, before turning to Ariadne and gifting her a saucy romance novel. Moving to the dining hall, she talked about the vast food stores that her land had, as well as the quality of the food, despite how it may be difficult getting some of it due to the wolf situation. Asking Ahrieya what she likes to eat, Ahrieya talked about how she typically ate traditional elven/fey food growing up; whatever they had. Intrigued, Lady Fidatov explained that she should absolutely try the venison. Bringing the party to the ballroom, a multitude of different nobles could be seen dancing. Lady Fidatov asked Gio to dance briefly, and though he reluctantly accepted, it was revealed that neither of them could dance very well. Lady Fidatov remarked that those who can't handle the waltz can't be trusted to handle anything else, if you know what she means. After being brought to the terrace outside, Lady Fidatov remarked on her parents and the lessons they taught her. Gio, did your parents teach you anything? Gio responded that they taught him to keep the family together no matter what, and that you should be aware of the consequences of your actions. Finally, Lady Fidatov brought the party to her garden adjacent to the hedge maze. She remarked on how she could be here for hours, getting lost amongst the foliage. Was there anywhere you liked to go to in order to get away from it all? Meanwhile, Nova was in the cellar, adjacent to the wine bottles, butchering all manner of livestock and game to bring upstairs. When she delivered the cuts to the head chef, she periodically returned to the cellar to get more meat, unsuccessfully trying to stow an entire pig leg under her coat. After pulling out her throne, eating some soup, and jump scaring Idris, she got into a brief spat with the head chef before leaving the kitchen and sitting right on the other side of the door.

A Brief Mingle

Lady Fidatov heard that the party wanted to discussed some business matters with her. She admitted she needed to finish up some bookkeeping during her own party, and when she was finished she would find the party to discuss what they wanted.
Ahrieya and Ariadne took to the ballroom floor to try and get more information. As the two danced, they heard some gossip.

"The location of the family crypt is a big secret. Each time we gather for one of Marilena's galas, we like to take guesses on where it might be. My bet is that it's somewhere in the cellar!"
"The gardens here are lovely! You should walk them before the sun sets today. But make sure to avoid the hedge maze. They say no one can go in there but Lady Fidatov herself without getting lost."

Ahrieya additionally sent Viggo out to investigate the hedge maze, only to find out that it seems to have a hedge roof as well. Disappointed, Viggo returned to the mostly catatonic Ahrieya being moved along the dance floor. Ariadne remarked on how she might take this opportunity to find some potential partner options. Gio moved into the library, trying to find anything on the history of the Fidatov family, as well as why the land seems to be growing as well as it is. Unable to find anything on the land, he pulled out a familiar history tome Lady Fidatov had shown them, detailing the crests and individuals of the entire family.
A man walked in during Gio's investigation. Valerian Pentasect introduced himself, sitting down with one of the books from Lady Fidatov's library. The two briefly discussed about the party before Valerian returned to his reading and Gio took his leave.
Idris was approached by a woman who seemed interested in Idris' horns. Asking if his parents dabbled in the occult, the confused tiefling said his mother was a musician and his father was a cook. The woman introduced herself as Iva Valenya, and that she would love to discuss things further with Idris later about occultism. During this time, Nova continued to enjoy soup and jumpscare Idris.
Moments later, Gio was approached by Lady Fidatov and was asked to collect his party to discuss in her private office. Upon entry, the party pleaded their case, however Lady Fidatov seemed to have already had her mind made up. If I help you, then everyone will come to me for help, and I simply cannot sustain that. Though, when Burgomaster Dimitri Krezkov was brought up and the current condition he is in, the party convinced her there was an opportunity to publicly shame Dimitri by helping the town he could not. Lady Fidatov stated she would think on it during the evening and get back to them in the morning. As the party toasted to a potentially successful arrangement, Lady Fidatov suddenly became ill.

So Wrong So Fast

Taltos immediately took Lady Fidatov out of the room and upstairs, as each of the partygoers began to vomit bile and blood, bleeding from their eyes and ears. The walls and floors of the manor began to decay, until a morbid mockery of the once fine home was all that remained. Corpses were piled up; some unmarked while others bared cutting wounds. 
The party took some time to investigate the manor before coming across Lady Fidatov's chambers. Her desiccated corpse laid on her bed, still in the same dress the party saw her in just prior. As Idris approached, her ghost appeared out of the corpse and flew towards the hedge maze. Taking this opportunity, the party gave chase.
Moving into the hedge maze, the party heard a howl emit from the inner portion of the maze. After some time traversing, a topiary beast emerged, growling and snarling at the party. At first they tried to fight it, however, it seemed to regenerate after each blow that was landed upon it. Ahrieya and Gio moved into the maze to try and get more information, while Ariadne, Idris, and Nova held off the beast. It wasn't but moments later that the party heard another howl from deeper in the maze. Looking around, Ahrieya and Gio collectively found some not-water pools of water, some troughs of water with ocean sounds, a moon dial, and two fountains with suspicious looking slots in them. Realizing they might need a key, the party fled the maze bruised and bloodied, before returning to the manor to short rest.
Inside, the party could see spectral forms replaying some scene that happened after everyone perished. Guards round up all the servants and slaughtered them before turning on themselves. Moving to Lady Fidatov's room once again, the party saw a journal with the latest entry opened...

The time has come to break things off with Dmitri. He has been an enjoyable plaything, but he grows increasingly insistent that we should marry. He believes himself irresistible, that I am in love and therefore stupid. But I play the game far better than he realizes. To think that I would give over not just my fortune, but dominion over my lands, over my very life, to a man? The idea sickens me.
The servants tell me that he has been roaming the manor at night, looking in the library for clues to where the vault might be hidden. Such foolishness. My father was no fool, and neither is his daughter. There is no vault because my ancestors stand eternal guard over our treasure in our crypt. Only the twin crests of the greatest scion of our family, Valetian Fidatov, can open the way and disable the wards. Well, the second-greatest scion of our family, after me, of course. Two crests for two fountains in a terrible labyrinth... such a wonderful trick. Dmitri was never going to get what he wanted, but he is still going to be upset when I end our dalliance. I shall tell him tonight and send him on his way quietly. I don’t want him to make a scene at my party next week. And besides, perhaps there will be a new suitor or two to consider...

Figuring out they needed the crests, they continued to search her bedroom until they came upon a secret praying room. There, Taltos' preserved body laid there, clutching a note and a skeleton key.

Lady Marilena is dead.
She is gone. Gone, along with everyone else. I swore to her father that I would serve this household as long as I lived in exchange for my life... the life of a simple thief at that... and serve I have. I have been by my Lady's side since she was a young girl and watched her grow with pride.

And yet, now it has all ended and I am at a loss..

There was something in the food. In the wine, perhaps? Perhaps both? I know not. But without warning, Lady Marilena fell ill and died, followed by the majority of the guests. The few who were left fell into a panic and turned murderous against one another. I hid like a coward and then like a fool thought I could somehow make things better by cleaning up what was left behind. I see now that there is no point. No point to taking care of this house when the Fidatovs no longer live. I wish to join them. I wish to join my Lady.

Gio, Idris, and Ariadne were worried for a moment, remember that they did in fact partake of the wine. But moving forward, Ahrieya took the key and managed to sneak downstairs past the spectres. As she unlocked one of the doors with the key, it slowly opened to reveal... something.

Report Date

21 Feb 2023