Chronicles of the Realm Walkers: Session 57

Before the Wilsons arrived, Lee was with Lord Varse. Lee made clear he couldn’t executively decide that information was the reward the party wanted for killing Eragis. Lee asked about Varse's relationship with Strahd, and Varse assured him it wasn't romantic. Lee mentioned the Realm Walkers had met the other Strahd. Varse was clearly aware of the Vampire Strahd.   Varse explained he found William Strahd shiverring and cold in the middle of the night in the dark, in his ballroom around the age of 10 or 11. Varse, was very clear that he was not inherently paternal, but Strahd was the closest thing he had to a son.   Theren had been wandering the party, keeping tabs on Strahd and found he was very comfortable. They also approached the piano to see if there was somesort of invisible creature sitting playing the piano. Theren let invisible pianist know they didn’t have to play if they didn’t want to, but received no response.   As the current song came to an end and the two visible musicians took a bow and clapping errupted from one set of hands as the Wilson's arrived. Alison, looking around, yelled out to Realm Walkers she could see, most of whom approached her. Theren was surprised Alison was not surprised by Therens presence specifically. Alison informed Theren that Anthony had noticed them several months ago, sneaking into the mansion. Theren was concerned that they’d be in trouble since Kiris Darkwing might know and Alison began to panic and made clear Anthony had not told Darkwing. Alison gave Theren a big hug, and mention she had not seen them since they’d been working together to find a …place? She was clearly confused about it but in a very unAlison way gave little more thought. Alison ran over to Rhy and Lee. Rhy told her about Bolo’s v3 and the pages and before Rhy could finish, Alison informed her that she and a friend had a page and had translated it. She also told Alison about the Titans, Glasyia, and Eragis. Alison was worried most about Glaysia and called Anthony over and the two agreed to pass the information on to the other senior members, this would be a high priority concern.   Rhy then switched gears and focused on the twos realationship with Strahd. Anthony told a slightly different story of how the two met. He claimed he found Strahd very drunk at a bar one night and tried to help him home but that Strahd couldn’t remember where home was, so he brought him back to the mansion. The party was confused. Anothony believed his version of the story but it was also very odd to them Anthony would bring anyone randomly back the mansion. Anthony believed his story completely but like someone who had convinced themselves of a delusion.   Anthony was introduced to Ysir, whom he hadn’t met, but then strangely mentioned another visitors he thought he rememebered. Eventually it seemed Lee and Anthony were having a different conversation entirely. The state of Anthony and Alison’s “relationship" came up and it seemed Alison was cutely embarrased about it. Anthony seemingly refused to engage with it. Lee invited Sarasoul over and the whole group got introduced. Alison asked where Ranrus was and soon after went looking for him.   Alison pestered Ranrus briefly to encourage him to join the party which he agreed to, but before they left the room she leaned in close and said “so Theren said you were talking to a girl?!" Ranrus acknowledge this as a fair description. Alison asked him to point Felicity out. He did and Alison was very excited “I love her shoes…feet. I have questions." And ran of to speak with Felicity.   Anthony briefly waved at Ranrus. Ranrus approached and they had a brief cordial exchange. Anthony expressed interest in getting a drink and Ysir, Pip and Rhy stepped away to find a drink. Soon after they returned with the request drinks Pip sat on Theren's shoulder and Theren shared their alchol with Pip.   Anythony continued to talk to Ranrus and informed him the house had been receiving a lot of applications to the "Realm Walker House" and had even received and information packet from the Merchant Council on the application process and requirement, and wanted to know how Ranrus and the others wanted to proceed on that. Ranrus had had a discussion along these lines with Darkwing about using a Gladitorail House as a training and recruitment tool. Anthony had not been receptive, as Darkwing had suggested he manage it.   With mention of new members matching their asthetic Anthony reinforced that he should not be in charge. He did suggest Allison might be a good option and then she could stay at the House of the Realm all of the time. The party agreed to check with their Mutta and the ghosts.   Anthony engcouaged them that they may need to expand onto the grounds to create more training facilities and raise walls around the grounds. Anthony asked the point of the party and again no one else knew and Theren went to ask strahd. Theren knocked on he study door in the library and asked if sStrahd was hiding at his own party. Illia ellia replied that no they were simply discussing business.   Illia left after they agreed they were on the same page and they would deal with the details later.   Theren stepped in as Illia left. Theren asked why he was throwing a party. Strahd was using the party aquire funds to start an organization under the guise of a gladiatorial house. Strahd had made a name for himself identifying strong competitors and it would be easier to aquire funds if he pitched a gladitorial house over a guild of some kind. Theren suggested the Realm Walkers and him work together but he wasn’t sure their goals aligned. Strahd informed Theren when they offered investing in his house, that it was against the law to have stakes in multiple gladitorial houses.   Back with the others Rhy asked Ysir to dance and after a brief moment of thinking Rhy would take the lead, Ysir did.   Everyone else began to settle intot the party.Ranrus reached into the bag of holding and pulled out two bottles of cricket piss, passing one too Anthony. Alison had clearly made fast friends with Felicity. Sarasoul managed to fade into the back ground. Theren and Pip were guessing who would hook up.   Lord Varse tried to engage with Anthony but got very little and this seemed to earn some respect from Lord varse who moved on to speak with Felicity and Allison.   As Rhy and Ysir were dancing Rhy received a sending from Thiblewip Stibletip, “I'm safe, the crew found me and saved me, Tholly's been trying to message you for a couple days now and hes really worried, and its been really bothering him and I finally asked what was wrong so please just let me know your alive.”   Rhy replied to let her know she was fine, that the party was in Snowbright and slightly lied that she had lost her the stone which Thiblewip didn’t seem to detect. As soon as Ysir realized she was receiving a sending Ysir moved her to the library adjancent to the ballroom. Thiblewip replied “Oh ok, he was just really worried because he thought he might of made you mad last time he saw you, but he was really worried about me but he thinks your all mad at him, he’s really drunk right now.” In her final sending she mentioned that “people in Benara are weird, they act really nice but then they go kinda crazy.”   After the sendings had finished Ysir made sure everything was ok and that they didn’t need to run off to save anyone. Rhy filled Ysir in on what had happened with Tholly, Thiblewip, and the rest of the crew of the Gold Favour. She also informed him of the strange dynamic between her and Tholly's daughter, and that last time she saw Tholly it didn’t “end well”. Ysir decoded the situation best he could and the two acknowledged they had complicated relationships. Ysir asked Rhy to dance again, and the two, alone in the library, standing in the candle light with the faint music from the ball room, started to dance.   The andrgoynous of the two dancers came out of the room where Strahd was having his meetings, They moved out of the library throught the ballroom and towards the kitchen.   Varse approached the others in the ballroom. Theren informed them all there was no big plan for the evening, prompting Varse to say he intended to make something happen then and Theren agreed to help.The two of them went to the organ and began to improvise a duet. The flutest and violinist joined in and the majority of the guest moved closer listening to this impromptu concert.   The androgynous dancer and a staff member came out of the kitchen. The dancer moved across the room and back to the small meeting room. The staff member joined the crowd watching the performance. Anthony said good bye to Ranrus and prepared to head back to the House of the Realms and went to collect Allison. Lee messaged Allison to ask if she was happy. Allison said she was quite happy and asked if Lee was happy and if he needed to talk. Alisson pulled Anthony in, kissed him cheek and then led him out of the house. Lee sent one more message to Anthony wishing him a good night, to which Anthony responded, he knew exactly "how many times that man had been outside their house".   The two dancers emerged soon after to watch. The staff member who had come out of the kitchen was now at the front of the crowd and suddenly leaped at Varse, arms spread wide as if to grab him.   Ranrus wasted no time as he attempted to banish the man, only for it to fail. The failure was strange as the figures form sort of distorted or shifted. Like it was being ulled up and down at the same time.   Lee messaged his sister.   The staff member's form faded away, revealing a humanoid shaped cage or some sort of chained armor. The forms of the dancers also changed revealing pale white skinned women with jet black hair wearing red and black leather armor. A red mist licked around their forms and weapons. In unison they spoke “you shouldn't have left your home varse… its time for you to die. The Night Queen wants your head.” A red pulse errupted from the formerly androgynous figure. The pulse seemed to rip the blood out of the skin of everyone it touched. Several of the guest dropped to the ground before rising back up, their head and arms limp. The blood that had been ripped form each person bagen to form loosely humanoid shapes. Something had finally happened at the party.   Date: Evening of the 4th of Kirit, 1437 DC