Session 0015 - Back to Black
General Summary
- In the quiet of the early morning, around 4:00 AM, Cathlynn is jolted awake, her mind clouded with uncertainty about what disrupted her sleep. She rises, her instincts guiding her as she meticulously checks each sleeping figure in the room, ensuring their safety. Despite a nagging sense of unease, she convinces herself it's nothing more than a cold draft or the tail end of a nightmarish dream. Reassured that all is calm, she quietly slips back into her bed.
- As dawn approaches, nearing 6:30 AM, a gentle disturbance near her face stirs Cathlynn from her light slumber. It's Ana, the young two-year-old rescued from the Temple, her eyes brimming with tears and her small voice conveying hunger. With a hint of playful warmth, Cathlynn responds, "Hi hungry, I'm Cathlynn!", but quickly realizes her attempt at humor falls flat with the toddler. She rises, stretching away the remnants of sleep, and calls out to the others, "Who else is hungry?" Her voice, a blend of cheer and care, awakens the room, igniting a buzz of anticipation for breakfast.
- Descending the staircase to the main floor, Cathlynn's thoughts are on the day's first meal. She encounters a Halfling innkeeper, a friendly presence in the early morning stillness. The employee greets her with an offer of assistance, but Cathlynn politely declines, explaining her intention to prepare a tranquil breakfast for the children who have already endured so much. Realizing they are alone in the spacious room, Cathlynn promises to return shortly with the children.
- The Halfling, eager to help, suggests bringing the breakfast upstairs. After a brief conversation, they settle on serving water and milk, avoiding orange juice to keep the children's energy at a manageable level. Cathlynn heads back to guard the children, leaving the Halfling to prepare the meal.
- Meanwhile, Ironcast, a young Half-Orc fighter, overhears the breakfast arrangements that Cathlynn and the Halfling made through the door of his room. A few minutes later, intrigued and hungry, he descends to the main floor. There, he finds the Halfling struggling with the weight of the porridge kettle and drink pitchers. Without hesitation, he offers his strength, lightening her load.
- Back upstairs, as Ironcast assists the Halfling in delivering the food, he meets Cathlynn. Noticing Cathlynn's wariness of him, he quickly Introduces himself. Cathlynn, in turn, shares her name, sparking a moment of realization for Ironcast - he knows the name Strongbow. In a mix of surprise and confusion, he exclaims, "You're my sister." Cathlynn, taken aback, scrutinizes Ironcast, searching for any family resemblance. The idea seems implausible to her - the differences in their appearance too stark, the notion of such a hidden family connection too far-fetched.
- Cathlynn requests time to process this startling revelation, emphasizing the immediate need to attend to the children's breakfast. Ironcast, understanding the urgency, agrees and returns downstairs to find his own meal.
- Tragedy strikes moments into the breakfast. Ana, Billy, and Cara suddenly stand, gasping for air. Ana's scream of "dragons!!!" pierces the morning calm before all three children collapse, unconscious. The thud of their small bodies hitting the floor echoes through the inn, prompting Ironcast to rush upstairs. He knocks urgently before bursting into the room to assess the situation.
- Mogoth and Matteu quickly check the children, discovering, to their horror, that they are lifeless. Cathlynn's examination reveals disturbing signs - purple veins marring their necks, their last meal still evident even in death. She implores Matteu to investigate the possibility of poison in the food. His analysis confirms her fears - the milk is tainted, indicated by traces of a mysterious purple substance.
- Ironcast confronts the Halfling with a mix of anger and disbelief, but her horrified and scared reaction, coupled with Cathlynn's thorough questioning, clears her of any wrongdoing. The Halfling, eager to assist, hurries to fetch the constable.
- Constable Shara arrives promptly, her professionalism evident as she delves into the investigation. She interrogates The Heretic, both collectively and individually, focusing on Cathlynn as the apparent leader, Ironcast as the newcomer, and Matteu, whose moodiness Cathlynn had mentioned but not as a suspect of harm.
- Shara departs, returning with deputies to transport the children's bodies. A local cleric is enlisted to determine the cause of death, and plans are made to contact any relatives in Karja Tal.
- The Heretic dedicates the afternoon to caring for the surviving children and preparing for their journey back to Karja Tal. Afterwhich, they set plans to return to the Temple to find more children, as one of the children (Jay) claimed that his sister had been left behind.
- The day, which began with a peaceful awakening, now carries a heavy weight of loss and responsibility, setting the stage for their return to the Temple.
by Chad Watson
Report Date
27 Dec 2023
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