Session 11: In the Shadow of Madness
General Summary
Braving the Wilderness
Blood on Snow
- The party decides to descend down the hill the Abbey sits on into the Slavich Woods to rest, rather than risk alerting the people of Krezk.
- Eventually the party comes across a clearing within the forest and make camp; the night is uneventful for the most part though it becomes clear that Emil is acting shifty.
- The party is awoken as Emil returns from deeper in the woods, still in his werewolf form and clearly still starved.
- Despite attempts at reasoning, it becomes clear that Emil is out for blood. So the party acts quickly.
- Thanks to some well placed strikes, Madame H banishing him to the in-between for a moment and finally you all blending him...Emil never stood a chance.
- Full of nerves, you all rest with the plan that the next morning you will set out to The Wizard of Wines.
Ambush Ends in Tragedy
- On the journey to the Vineyards, the party comes across a Druid accompanied by some Twig Blights, the party does a number on the druid who flees in the direction of the Vineyard.
- In the scuffle, Roach is killed when Maisie uses magic to wipe out multiple foes at once...
- After maybe 5 minutes of grieving the party presses forward, in the direction the Druid fled to.
The Wizard of Wines
After a half mile, Old Slavich Road became a muddy trail that meanders through the woods, descending gradually until the trees parted, revealing a mist-shrouded meadow.
The trail splits. One branch headed west into the valley, and the other leads south into dark woods. A wooden signpost at the intersection pointed west and read, “Vineyard.”
As the party trekked down the path to the Vineyard, a light drizzle began to fall.
Unpainted fences blindly followed the trail, which skirted north of a sprawling vineyard before bending south towards a stately building. The fog takes on ghostly forms as it swirls between the neatly tended rows of grapevines. Here and there, they saw rope-handled half-barrels used for hauling grapes.
North of the trail, a man wearing a dark cloak and cowl stood at the edge of the trees, beckoning the party over.
Meeting the Other Martikovs
- This figure is revealed to be Davian Martikov, patriarch of the family and head of the Keepers of the Feather.
- The party quickly becomes acquaintance with the Winery branch of the Martikov Family...
- Check the handouts in the discord server for full breakdown of who's who!
- Davian is grateful that his daughter-in-law sent the party this way, since he needs their help.
A Plea for Help
- Currently this clan of Wereravens has several things they're worried about...
- Most pressing is that evil druids and blights from Yester Hill have attacked the winery and forced the family to take refuge in the woods.
- As it stands only a handful of them can fight, but they need to protect the young children in their group.
- Maisie notes that a blight has begun to take hold in the Vineyard, turns out this Vineyard flourished with the help of three gems the size and shape of pinecones, each one containing a glowing green light as bright as a torch. Said gems have been stolen.
- Davian believes one is held by the Druids in Yester Hill, another is held by Baba Lysaga in The Village of Berez and he doesn't know where the third one is. If the Vineyard goes for too long without even one of the magical gems, it will be destroyed by blight.
- The party agrees to clear out the squatters and if they come across the gems, return them to the family. Then, they approach the winery!
- Situated in the midst of the vineyard, the winery is an old, two-story stone building with multiple entrances, thick ivy covering every wall, and iron fencing along its roofline.
- The trail ended at an open loading dock on the ground floor.
- A wooden stable of more recent construction is attached to the east side of the winery, next to the loading dock. West of the winery is a crumbling well and a wooden outhouse.
Session ended with the party arriving at the winery, ready to confront whatever waits inside...
Session ended at 2pm 19/9/735; 19th of Sintavr, 735
