Session 15 - The PLAN
General Summary
- Jonathan goes gambling
- The shady bar is next to a bakery. It is small, with a few people inside
- He heads inside but doesn't see anyone currently gambling
- His vibe check reveals that the people sitting closest to him look the dumbest
- He approaches them and complains about their dull vibes
- They have a late shift at the festival preperations. One of them is a farmer and one of them is a lumberjack
- He asks them if there is a rich person in the bar, but there isn't. No nobles either
- He notices a slightly rich person eating a meat pie. They introduce him as the owner and a magician. He is known for throwing people out if they're rowdy
- Jonathan proceeds to ask them about the rest of the patrons, but they're uninterested in the conversation
- He tries to liven their dull existences by getting them to play games with him
- It's been a while since they've played with dice. They seem pretty uninterested in the subject of games
- They perk up a bit at the mention of money, and one pull out their last 7 cp, saying that they we're going to use them to buy bread to eat tonight
- As Jonathan sits down, the barkeep insists he buy something to drink or eat, calling him Little Man
- He introduces himself as Big Man, but orders some terrible wine from a wine glass cleaned with spit
- However, he only has gold so he has to buy wine for the table with a terrible exchange rate
- Prestidigitation makes it better
- The meta rules of the dice game: roll 2d6. Win if you get 7 or 12. If you don't you can double your bet and roll 1d6 and add it to your previous total to try to hit 7 or 12 again
- While talking to them, Jonathan notices that something is off about these people, like they lack feelings. He has noticed something similar with others in Barovia, but not all
- Despite already using more money than his potential marks have in total, he buys them another round and pushes them to drink fast
- They seem intoxicated and slightly more happy
- They don't know how dice work, so Jonathan gives a short explanation forgetting that his dice are weighted, and gives them the winning numbers
- They start playing
- They each fail in the accidental test round
- They don't enjoy the feel of the dice, as it reminds them of work
- Jonathan uses Prestidigitation to roll fake dice and makes himself lose
- The farmer rolls a 7 and wins, Jonathan hypes him up, saying he wins a copper and another round of drinks
- They tell him that they live right outside the city gates
- Jonathan tries to convince them that there are other ways of life, but they seem obsessed with death
- They are about 40 and 45, but don't know for sure. Neither of them remembers their childhood
- The farmer might or might not remember when their child died
- The lumberjack fails the roll (which Jonathan ensured with wind from Prestidigitation)
- They are adding 1 cp each time, while Jonathan only has silvers, so he adds 1 sp each time
- The farmer tells him that the barn door opened by itself three days ago
- Jonathan shakes their hand and introduces himself as Jonathan Big Man Barker. The ring doesn't glow for Anton Swilovich the farmer or Tural Janek
- They keep playing, and at some point Jonathan forgets that he's scamming, and just starts drinking. He eventually loses all his silver on wine and gambling
- His new friends forget that they have to go to work, and Jonathan points them to a place they can hide out the alcohol
- Richard is walking around town asking people
- Damia and Ariah head to Lady Wachter (calling ahead through Damia's hair)
- We explain our current position, and ask for some mild dirt or red herring
- We might tell Vargas that she is tending to Stella, who is sick (He doesn't know that we know of Stella)
- She needs Izek to be gone at least half an hour when the festival starts (kl 12)
- She doubts Izek will refuse to train us as guards
- She gives us a key to the kitchen backdoor of the Vargas mansion
- Izek's room is upstairs
- We should tell Vargas that the reason for the activity spike is that they might have a way of helping her
- Lady Wachter offers to have ernst throw us out for apparances
- Damia warns that the hair might disintegrate, then walks out the door
- Damia and Ariah proceed to spend time "investigating" in the city, then head back to the inn to meet up with the others
- Richard is there with his new barbarian shield
- Damia orders "something not stew" and some fine wine
- Ariah orders stew
- Jonathan eventually stumbles in, slightly intoxicated
- He drunkenly tries to tell us what he's been up to, that people are living outside the city and that he has two new best friends
- Damia makes sure he gets enough water
- Danika tries to give Jonathan more wine, but Ariah interjects
- We eventually retreat to our room to share the information found
- Ariah offers to cure Jonathan of his drunkenness, but we decide he's sober enough
- We head to the estate of Burgomeister Vargas, and the guards let us through
- Lydia leads us to Vargas in the living room, with Izek
- He informs us that they are ready to attack Lady Wachter tonight if necessary
- Ariah tells them about Stella maybe being cured
- They decide to give her one more chance to attend before doing anything drastic
- Damia tells Lady Wachter what happened
- Ariah then tries to ask to talk to Izek without Vargas, explaining that Richard had something embarrasing to discuss
- Izek recognizes Richard and Jonathan as the people who "attacked the guards later today"
- Jonathan offers to replace the guards, but is wuickly shut down
- Ariah tries again, and manages to get Vargas to leave with his dogs. Then closes the door.
- Damia sends Jonathan a message to start casting the spell
- Ariah and Richard walk to the opposite side of the room and starts explaining the problem of Richard's wife leaving, to distract him from Jonathan casting a spell
- Jonathan tries to be sneaky when casting, then tells Izek that he has uncovered that there is some witchery and demonry going on at the wizards of the wine winery, and they are brewing some concoction that might ruin the festival. He should go and investigate
- Izek stands up, saying that this sounds serious then runs out and towards the city gates
- Damia assures a worried Vargas that Izek went to go do something important for the safety of the festival
- Damia informs Lady Wachter that Izek won't be a problem
- We return to the inn to calm our nerves, celebrate and wait until midnight
- Jonathan performs, with Damia helping with magical pyrotecnics
- Jonathan uses Mage Hand to play two instruments
- His mage hand is now a skeletal hand. He is spooked by this, but recoveres
- His spooky song is ok, but not a hit like his concert with Rictavio
- Ariah gives him Guidance, and Damia continues with her special effects
- His second song is a bit better, people are singing along to the chorous
- After the performance, Danika tells him that Richard has convinced her husband that they should pay Jonathan 5 cp and a pitcher of wine
- She says that she will give him 1 gp if he surprises her with a very good performance one day
- Damia and Jonathan argues about who should collect the bones (both of them want to)
- Damia ends up being the one, but the rest of us will stay hidden close by
- Damia will use Disguise Self to disguise herself as a human woman with long hair
- Jonathan will inspire her, Richard will cast Shield of Faith and Ariah will cast Sanctuary and Protection from Evil and Good
- Jonathan performs, with Damia helping with magical pyrotecnics
- We head out, Damia disguised
- Everyone casts their buffs and backs off a bit
- The front door is open, and Damia enters a workshop room
- Her Detect Magic reveals six items above her
- Henrik van der Voort is sitting in the next room, looking terrified
- There is a thick layer of sawdust on the stairs, and a bedroll on the floor
- When Damia approaches him, he begs her not to hurt her, and tells her that the bones are upstairs in the cabinet
- Damia Messages the party to inform us that she's going upstairs
- She enters a kitchen and a table set for two. Everything is covered in dust
- She finds the cupboard/wardrobe, but doesn't sense magic from it
- Opening it, she finds a big bag of money in a shoe (she grabs a handful, about 20 gp)
- She finds a box in a hidden compartment in a cabinet
- It contains a shull and some bones, which she promptly informs the party about
- Content she is about to leave, but she goes to investigate the magic
- It is in a large storage room for materials, including several crates marked as junk
- The magic is coming from the junk crates (it is enchantement)
- They look new and has a lid that can be opened with the crowbar she saw downstairs
- The party sees Henrik sprinting out the door, scared for his life
- As Damia heads downstairs, she encounters a closed door with an arcane sigil, and a burnt smell. She hears a lid being thrown open above her
- She calls the party for help, who beings to sprint in
- A voice from above loudly says "So hungry, let the feast begin" before sounds of scraping and running
- Damia casts Mage Armour
- The warded door is not locked, and Damia runs out
- Ariah uses Turn Undead. Five out of six fail the save and jump out of the windows
- Jonathan closes the warded door and starts backing away
- The door is chrushed and a pale, thin warrior vampire with a glowing sword. There are more coming behind him
- The battle begins
- The vampire is targetting Damia, hitting her despite her many buffs, grappling her and sucking her blood
- Suggestion is concentration, so Jonathan has limited options, he casts Dissonant Whispers, but the vampire succeeds his save
- As a pat on the back, he gives Damia inspiration
- The vampire is walking in normal adventuring clothes, and has a bow on his back. He is very hungry
- He also succeeds on the save against Damia's Enlarge/Reduce, then rolls a nat 20 to hold on to her when she tries to Gust away
Plan
Survive the vampire attack (free Damia so we can start the chase sequence). Get the sacred bones that Damia is carrying back to the church and get Father Lucien to concecrate the church fast. Then find some way to stop the vampires terrorizing the city. Jonathan needs to concentrate on Suggestion for 8 hours (or at least until the festival plans have happened)
Report Date
01 Nov 2022
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