Session 001 - Escape from Death House!

On the eve of the Nightshade Revelry, Mortisburgh was engulfed in a tempest. The city buzzed with anticipation despite the rain-soaked streets. Members of the Society of the Valiant Veilbreakers sought refuge from the storm as the city’s grand halls echoed with haunting melodies. Every inn and sanctuary were occupied until Madame Elowen Shade of “The Whispering Wraith Inn” offered them a haven in the attic above her establishment. Though far from luxurious, it provided a fleeting comfort amid the storm’s chill. In the attic’s dim corners, the party settled amidst creaking timbers. Thunder and lightning outside painted a dance of light and shadow. Here, in this secluded space, they introduced themselves to fellow Veilbreakers, with the distance echoes of the city’s celebrations just out of reach.   A bright flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a deep thunderclap that shook "The Whispering Wraith." The aftermath left Mortisburgh in an eerie glow, shadows dancing in swirling mists that now covered the city. An ankle-deep fog crept from the cobblestones, inviting the party towards the mysteries ahead. As the rain persisted on the rooftops, the once howling wind quieted, and the distant melodies of Mortisburgh's Nightshade Revelry faded. Restless echoes from the tavern below hinted at unease, and a chilling sensation filled the attic, foretelling something beyond the storm. In this unsettling atmosphere, the Veilbreakers exchanged uneasy glances, sensing that the night held secrets darker than the weather suggested.   In the attic, a raven feather, a relic from a High Inquisitor of the Society of the Valiant Veilbreakers, caught in a gust, lifting off its perch. It danced spectrally in the dim light before spiraling and twirling through Mortisburgh's alleys and spires. Exiting "The Whispering Wraith Inn" into thick mists, the party's boots made the cobblestones glisten darkly. The once haunting Nightshade Revelry sounds were now distant, drowned by the fog. The cold, damp air stung, and only the party's breath broke the silence.   Veilbreaker insignias glowed with a guiding force, parting the mists. Determination replaced hesitation as their pace quickened. A weightiness settled, each clap of thunder a drumbeat in the eerie procession. Mortisburgh's grand structures blurred into phantoms with each lightning flash. Raindrops harmonized with distant bells, and a sensation emerged, as if the city's heartbeat pulsed beneath their feet. Guided by their insignias, the party navigated a maze of alleys and streets. Landmarks blurred, energy pulsed, and anticipation built. Suddenly, all halted. The storm held its breath. The mists receded, and before them stood a grand manor, four stories of cold, soot-stained stone, tall narrow windows, and high peaked roofs, forming a picture of austere, chilling grandeur. Midway up, a narrow balcony jutted out from the third floor, offering a grim perch from which to survey the surrounding grounds. The centerpiece of this imposing facade was the portico, a stone arch standing sentinel before the house's oaken doors. A wrought-iron gate filled this arch, its rusty hinges creaking as it swayed in the wind. On either side of the gate, oil lamps hung from chains, their light dim and flickering, casting a sickly glow that barely pierced the surrounding fog.   Beyond the gate, a set of sturdy oaken doors stood closed, framed by the gate and the lamps. The doors were old and weathered, their wood darkened by time, but they stood strong and proud—an unwelcome entrance to the house beyond. A gust of wind swept past them, carrying with it a whisper of cold dread that sent shivers down their spines. The raven feather had landed on the front of the house and disappeared when Aurora attempted to pick it back up. The party ran a perimeter around the house to determine if there was only one way in, and indeed, there was. Ava Reigh scaled the side of the house, much to the amazement of the rest of the party, and she encouraged them to join her on the balcony on the third floor. The rest of the party followed. They saw a large door entering into the house, and they entered.   Dust and cobwebs shrouded the elegantly appointed bedroom. A large bed stood against the far wall, its once-opulent coverings now faded and threadbare. Beside the bed, a mildew-covered towel covered most of a dusty yellowed book on one of its two end tables. On the far side of the room, they could see a pair of two more stained-glass doors, their windows flecked with dirt and grime. To the left stood an empty wardrobe, its doors slightly ajar. Mounted beside it stood a full-length mirror, its wooden frame carved to resemble ivy and berries. To the right, an empty doorway led into a darkened nursery. They could see the silhouette of a crib, its quiet form veiled by a hanging black shroud. A strange substance seemed to cover the floor beneath it. As they looked around the room, they noticed that the blankets atop the bed lifted slightly away from the mattress, as though something was lying atop the mattress beneath. As they watched, they could see the coverings, almost imperceptibly, slowly rise and fall with low, rhythmic rustling.   Aurora removed the covers from the bed and found that there was nothing beneath them. Instead, she discovered a bloodstained mattress and crude hand-and-foot restraints made from barbed wire nailed to the four posts of the bed frame. She also noticed a cobwebbed copy of a raunchy romance novel titled "Blue-Blooded Lips." The book told the story of a peasant woman's romance with a wealthy duke. Ava, Magnus, and Selkis investigated the nursery. The air in this small nursery was strangely warm and tinged with a coppery scent. Blood-red runes covered the walls, arranged in concentric circles around the crib in the center, which seemed to have a name carved into its side. Strange, flesh-like tumors had grown along the floor around it in sparse clusters, pulsating slowly as if breathing. Looking down, they noticed a small object beneath the crib, and in the distance, the faint sound of an infant's soft whimpering.   Magnus identified the small object as a severed human finger with several pieces of flesh stripped from it. Tiny toothmarks could be seen around the wounds. Magnus also identified the finger as a woman's, and the teeth marks as a human child's. The name "Walter" had been lovingly carved into the head of the crib. Selkis identified that the runes around the room were dark necromantic magic.   Hephastus and Aurora investigated the mirror in the main room. When they approached the mirror, the nursemaid’s spirit appeared as an apparition in the glass. The spirit resembled a pale, skeletally thin young woman, with all of her fingers and toes removed, her eyes sewn shut, and her lips and teeth torn from her mouth. Countless knife-thin scars lined her entire body, including the flesh around her wrists and ankles, and her hair had been carelessly hacked to stubble. Though its appearance was disturbing, players observing the spirit felt that it was simply watching them with shy curiosity. The rest of the party joined Hephastus and Aurora and tried a few questions to the spirit in the mirror to no avail. They left the nursemaid room and entered the hallway of the third floor.   On the dusty balcony, the air was dry and musty, tinged with a strange, coppery scent. A suit of black plate armor stood against one wall, draped in cobwebs and marked by age. Oil lamps were mounted on the faded oak-paneled walls, carved with woodland scenes of trees, falling leaves, and tiny beasts. As the party walked past the armor, it triggered an animated attack. The armor attempted to push players over the railing using a shove attack or grapple the nearest target before shoving them prone. Selkis, Hephastus, and Magnus were all pushed over the railing but survived. The battle ensued, and eventually, the party emerged victorious.   After the battle, bloody letters appeared on the wall, reading: Beneath this dwelling lurks a beast Who hungers for a bloody feast. He sleeps until the midnight chime Then wakes to feed his dark design. If morsels seek to flee their doom, Then bring toward his secret room A gift to soothe his savage mood But mind the servants of his brood.   The grandfather clock then struck six o’clock.   Selkis and Magnus investigated a storage room. Dusty shelves lined the walls, holding folded sheets, blankets, and old bars of soap. A cobweb-covered broom leaned against the far wall and animatedly attacked them. They defeated it easily.   Ava and Aurora investigated the main suite. When they approached the door, the grand doors loomed tall, their dark wood frames enclosing dusty stained-glass windows with intricate designs resembling windmills, now faded and obscured beneath grime. Through the dusty haze, they caught a glimpse of a silhouette standing behind the glass, lit from behind by a dim, amber glow. The shadow invoked a primordial dread, but it vanished suddenly, and the room returned to silence.   Entering the room, they found a dusty, cobweb-filled master bedroom with burgundy drapes covering the windows. A four-poster bed with embroidered curtains and tattered gossamer veils stood against the center wall. A faded full-length mirror was mounted on a door facing the foot of the bed. In the right-hand corner, a small wooden door, half-rotted by age, had a tarnished metal button beside it. A rotting tiger-skin rug lay on the floor in front of the fireplace, and a web-filled parlor in the southwest corner held two chairs, a table with several items, and a door with a dark, dirt-flecked window. The room also contained a matching pair of wardrobes, a padded chair, and a vanity with a wood-framed mirror and a silver jewelry box. A soft amber glow emanated from beneath the jewelry box's lid.   Aurora investigated the room further, finding a large, bloodstained kitchen knife driven into one of the pillows on the bed. The jewelry box, though empty of valuables, contained grain, with an amber shard resting in the center. Meanwhile, Magnus descended the stairs to the ground level.   On the ground floor, Ava uncovered an intriguing discovery in the cloakroom as she noticed an envelope peeking out from the pocket of one cloak. The addressed invitation within bore the name Lady Lovina Wachter, triggering a recognition in Ava's memory, though the specifics remained elusive. Meanwhile, Magnus delved into the dining room, a wood-paneled haven of elegance. A carved mahogany table held court, surrounded by high-backed chairs, and a crystal chandelier cast its glow over resplendent silverware and crystal glasses. Above the marble fireplace, a mahogany-framed painting depicted an alpine vale, complementing the carved images of deer among the trees on the wall paneling. Rich red silk drapes adorned the windows, and a tapestry hung from an iron rod on the south wall. The table itself groaned under the weight of a sumptuous feast—roasted poultry, grilled beef, an array of cheeses and fruits, and the irresistible aroma of freshly baked bread.   His exploration extended to the kitchen and pantry, revealing a tidy space with neatly arranged dishware, cookware, and utensils. A worktable with a cutting board and rolling pin stood near a stone, dome-shaped oven. Magnus keenly observed the absence of the largest kitchen knife and made a few acquisitions from the well-stocked pantry.   As the party regrouped, the front room on the ground floor beckoned their attention. Upon cracking the door open, a fleeting glimpse revealed a feral presence—a flash of an amber eye, a bestial muzzle twisted in a snarl. Upon closer inspection, they discovered a gray-furred wolf frozen in place, accompanied by a second one. The room exuded the atmosphere of a hunter's den, adorned with a stag's head above the fireplace and two additional stuffed wolves—a large gray one and a smaller brown one. Padded chairs draped in animal furs faced a hearth, an oak table held an assortment of objects, and a chandelier illuminated a cloth-covered table surrounded by chairs. Two cabinets stood against the walls, and beneath one of the chairs lay forgotten toys—small, plush gray wolves with evidence of careful mending and patchwork. Aurora, drawn to the poignant scene, collected the toys, revealing clumsy stitchwork on their stomachs that read "ROSE" and "THORN." In their exploration, the party stumbled upon a cache of weapons—a heavy crossbow, a light crossbow, a hand crossbow, and bolts for each weapon. Additionally, a small box containing a deck of playing cards.   Ascending to the second floor, the party steps into the conservatory—a hall of elegant allure draped in gossamer. The ambiance is set by a brass-plated chandelier hanging from the ceiling and upholstered chairs lining the walls. Stained-glass wall hangings paint pictures of men, women, and children engaged in harmonious activities, while a harpsichord and a large harp add musical notes to the scene. Alabaster figurines of dancers grace the mantelpiece, adding a touch of grace. Their exploration continues in the library, cloaked in red velvet drapes that hide the outside world. An exquisite mahogany desk, paired with a high-back chair, faces both the entrance and the fireplace, featuring a framed picture of a windmill atop a rocky crag. Overstuffed chairs find cozy corners, and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves beckon with the promise of tales and knowledge. Aurora's attention is drawn to a book titled "The Tale of Aurora Silverleaf," revealing a narrative that only unfolds for Aurora. The final written page recounts a moment of interaction, a lurking creature in the shadows, and a subsequent page stained with blood. Yet, a thorough search reveals no trace of the rumored monster.   Hephastus uncovers a concealed entrance to a secret room, while Selkis unlocks the door with the Amber Shard. Within, a repository of ominous leather-bound tomes lines bookshelves, and a heavy wooden chest, sporting clawed iron feet, reveals a skeleton—a poignant reminder of a past journey and its cost. Returning upstairs, a mysterious hole in the wall captures the party's attention. Climbing up, they find a dead end, prompting Magnus to send an unseen servant through a door. The servant encounters the spirit of a girl, setting the stage for further mysteries.   Regrouping, the party revisits the nursemaid's room, engaging once more with the reticent spirit in the mirror—Klara Petrova. After a volley of questions, they unveil Klara's identity as the nursemaid of the Dursts and the mother of the illegitimate baby Walter. When they ask to help her Klara reveals a secret staircase to the attic.   Ascending to the attic, the party discovers a cold, dust-choked room with a slender bed, nightstand, small iron stove, writing desk, empty wardrobe, and a rocking chair. In the northern window box, a doll in a lacy yellow dress sits beside a tarnished music box draped in cobwebs. As they exit, the rocking chair softly sways, and the music box opens, emitting a motherly hum that distorts into a violent, screeching halt, coinciding with the cessation of the chair's movement.   In the Children's room, the spirits of Rosavalda and Thornboldt Durst manifest. Aurora presents them with the plush wolves she found earlier. Thorn levitates a toy, causing it to break, but Rose promptly mends it with her spell. Rose hints at the location of her diary, concealed in the cobweb-covered pillowcase on her bed.   Rosavalda unveils a dollhouse and instructs the party that, when ready, they can touch the basement representation to be transported there. The group touches the basement area in the dollhouse, finding themselves in a chilling chamber with stone pillars, a stone altar, and a white bundle surrounded by fleshy tendrils leading to a dark cave. A hulking shadow lies within, its slow, rhythmic motion unsettling. Upon entry, the ghostly chanting ceases, and a battle ensues against the Flesh Mound, once Walter Durst.   Following their triumph, Ava retrieves Walter's body, triggering the appearance of the vengeful spirit of Elisabeth Durst. A tumultuous encounter unfolds, marked by a thunderous chime from the grandfather clock. The house shudders, echoing Elisabeth's spiteful laughter, as the spirit vanishes into thin air.   Exiting the Reliquary, the ghost of Gustav Durst materializes, pleading with the party to stay and meet their demise, claiming Elisabeth's spirit is too formidable to defy.   Upon reaching a room adorned with moldy skeletons and a statue, Aurora investigates an orb, hearing ominous whispers and experiencing a distorted shadow. Magnus decides to hit out at the statue destroying it and causing Shadows to attack him. Fleeing to the main house, the party faces shadows culminating in a chaotic battle. Hephastus falls, Magnus is on the brink of death, and the spirits of Rosavalda, Thornboldt, and Klara join forces to aid the party against the shadows. Lancelot the Dog becomes a companion to Aurora. The party breaks free from the house, buries Walter's body, and witnesses an image of happiness within the vanishing structure.   As the session concludes, the party uncovers a treasure trove where the house once stood, setting up camp for the night.