Session 2: Performance Anxiety (11/7/21)

Pulyana 16, 1423.

The PCs decide instead on a short rest, and examine the quartz/gold mine a bit closer before they decide to head back to the cave from which the wailing and blue flashing lights emit. Nebel'shoy climbs up to see through the opening in the corridor, and finds that there is an emaciated corpse lying against a wall, facing away from the entrance. Rucia climbs and up his divine sense notices some presence of undeath within the caves ahead. Along with Bjork, he starts to clear more rubble to permit access, but the minotaur clumsily falls through the rubble. They move further in, and discover that the corpse does indeed seem to be that of Sol Molodin, although it has been drained of all muscle and essence. They turn the cavern corridor to find the source of the crying in the well, and the blue lights...a ghostly lantern which seems to contain the swirling phantasm of a young child. But in the spaces 'between' the flickering lights, two shadows reach and attack the heroes, one of which seems to resemble the corpse just outside!



Our heroes manage to vanquish the creatures, although most of their attacks seem barely effective, and they take a few hits which sap away some of their Strength. They decide to remove the lantern, and find that is is of a flawless construction, the glass perfectly sealed to the electrum frame and handle. Rucia knows that the being within is undead, but it seems benign, and its wailing even ceases once Aldren takes it into his possession. They notiec a strange sigil in the groove where the lantern was sitting, almost a bastardized version of the Brazoskov national crest. The group chooses to make its way out of the well, report and rest up before exploring the other water-filled passage to the west. They emerge and split up, Rucia reporting on their findings to Krykba, and the others going for some shopping to get some better mining equipment, and speaking to Zilya Obylensky. The Kapitan is most curious about the lantern, and Rucia brings his companions back to get their reward in gold for solving the crying and learning the fate of Sol Molodin, whose body they leave at the barracks. The group decides to pitch in together and get a mountain-side suite at the Meek & Marrow, and Bjork preps for a performance. Nebel'shoy and Rucia purchase eight bottles of rotka between them, and they all take baths, Bjork barely able to fit in one of the wooden tubs.

They hear some rumors from the bath attendants, and then decide to retire up to the suite, which gives a beautiful view of the fading sun across the mountainside. Rucia decides to wander off into the village, promoting his friend's upcoming stage show, and then takes a turn to visit the Molodin family, who weep when he offers them the ill news, and a bottle of rotka for consolation. The dragonborn spends some time dazed by the Molodin's slaughter-lanterns, which are lit for each animal the family has butchered that week, then heads back to the Meek & Marrow. After a change of wardrobe, Bjork is ready to go, and Nebel'shoy joins him down in the tavern area. His first performance seems to stutter, so the gnome uses illusion magic to enhances the dancing, storytelling and cowbell with a little lute melody, that seems to at least stabilize the show for the crowd. For the second set, the same trick is employed, plus Rucia begins dancing with a random elderly woman from the audience, a Madame Grazilda. This and the increasing drunkenness off the audience earns Bjork some coin, a mysterious key thrown onto the stage, and Rucia also receives one from the old city widow!

Meanwhile, Aldren is examining the lantern, and notes that the face within seems to make expressions of surprise and wonder at its new surroundings. But leaving the lantern out too long begins to form MORE shadows between its blue flickerings! The half-elf covers it back up and then places it inside the chest that came with their suite, locking it. The rest of the party eventually retires to the suite also, after Rucia has some tea with the widow Grazilda, and Bjork politely declines the key he received, from none other than the barkeep Lubomir! They fall asleep in their suite after a long and eventful day.

Pulyana 17, 1423.

The PCs wake up and everything is normal, until it isn't...after some complementary tea and refreshments from a serving maid, they notice that one of the windows, which was carefully shuttered by Aldren the evening before, is open...and it looks like it was opened by one who knew what they were doing, with a file to slip the latch, and some evidence that a grappling hook or some device was used to scale the inn. They look outside but see nothing below, and then report the incident to Lubomir, who falls over himself to apologize, and offers them their lodgings and meals for free. They decide to do a little poking around outside, and notice that a small candle-stand with a burnt out stub of wax is sitting on one of the windows below, but even after Lubomir has interviewed other neighboring guests, nobody seems to have noticed any intruders. The PCs, suspicious, gather their gear and the lantern and head back towards the well. There, they notice what appears to be a small, corded grappling hook which is nearly impossible to see as its stashed behind some ivy on the inside of the well. The prongs on the hook look identical to the size that might have been used at their window at the inn!

They proceed with caution, and find more evidence that someone has been following them or spying on their activities...pieces of thread have been left on the sharp rock below the well, and on the old mining tent they found in the larger cavern near the mine. They also find a narrow blade stuck into the gold vein in the quartz cavern, to more carefully mark where it might be valuable! Nebel'shoy claims the slender knife, and they backtrack after hearing a splashing and some sounds near the entrance to the well. With his darkvision-extending goggles, the forest gnome notices what just might be a wet looking, white paw disappearing up the well-shaft before the party can get too close. They decide to then wade through the western cavern and see what else lies below the village. They arrive on a muddy beach across which movement is slow, and they find bones and other remains strewn about the place, and several sharp rocks. As Rucia moves to examine the remains and see if they might belong to his former fellow Soverat, the other PCs note that a group of five mottled, scaly humanoids are poised to ambush the dragonborn!



A brutal battle ensues, with the awful stench cast by the creatures causing the PCs to fight more weakly than usual, but despite this, our heroes are victorious without taking too much damage. They search the 'beach' to no avail, then travel south where they can see some illumination dancing against the cavern walls, which turns out to emanate from a fire in a larger cavern, around which more of the scaled creatures dance around a human torso that is simmering on a spit!

PCs: Aldren, Bjork, Nebel'shoy, Rucia

NPCs:

Elisavetta Hearth-lighter (human female): A lean woman wearing flowing burgundy robes and a white rope sash around her waist, with a sparkling green star pendant about her neck. Her auburn hair is tied back into an efficient bun, and her dark eyes glitter with the near permanent if slight smile she wears on her face. She gently swings a silver censer that smells of sweet herbs in one hand, and has what looks like a fold-out wooden fan in her belt.

Madame Grazilda (human female): A, lean elderly woman, with feathery white hair, whom Rucia asks to dance while Bjork is performing at the Meek & Marrow. She excitedly invites the dragonborn to her room later, but only for chat and tea. She ends up telling Rucia that he and his companions would be welcome to call upon her family manor in the capital city of Yurishad, should they ever pass that way.

Yvan (human male): A teenage groom and bath-attendant at the Meek & Marrow in Svodnikha, Yvan stands just over 5 feet and wears a gray robe and white apron over a pair of fine leather boots. His hair is neatly trimmed in a bowl-cut, and he looks as if he has unnatural freckles painted upon his cheeks.