4th Days of the Calm Festival (Fall) 1611 - Continued
PC’s finished exploring the Chalet
Found a journal by Lilian Brantifax describing her descent from a loving wife into a loathing woman who hated the chalet, was embarrased by her deformed daughter, blamful of her 2nd daughter’s death during a hunting accident with her husband, and distast of her husband’s beloved dog.
Meet the "Scarlet Sash" - a group of individuals endeavoring to obtain and hide away or destroy items of evil nature. Currently in possession of a small statue of Orcus, that has an "organic" nature and smells of decay. The prefer the chalet as a base of operations due to its haunted nature… they seem to each have some rather unique and impressive mimicry techniques. The do explain that the graveyard exhibits a danger at night, but the rest of the house (other than "strange vibes / and events” in the nursery) is largely safe. Even the orcs in the area avoid the place.
Lane, Josef and Thurgood are in the graveyard. The raven that brought them the map perches on Syphone’s head stone and waits, it attempts to interfere with any attempts to fill in the grave. As the sun goes down, the raven flies away and they group there then begin to fill in the grave in earnest. Fog rolls in filling the low spots, including the grave. They soon realize, the dirt is not filling the hole. Josef jumps into the grave and does not come out. Lane and Thurgood follow.
Olivine is in the basement. He continues to hear the whispers of a drowning man and the incessant creaking of the cistern door. He’s watching for something to happen after dark but it is otherwise uneventful, he finally leaves his post to go upstairs and finds all his party missing except Taraxacam who falls 3 stories during his attempt to get to the upper tower of the chalet via the roof tops (he also fell into the well earlier, and pulled a muscle trying to open a stuck door).
Olivine heads to the graveyard and throws some rocks and branches into the grave. They make no sound an a purple light seems to be emanating from deep in the grave, ultimately he dives in and a short time later Taraxacam follows.
The PCs awake in a shadowy, despairing place that Thurgood believes is the Shadowfell. The are in the midst of a necropolis, the dark and dismal amplification of the Brantifax graveyard. Atop a hill in the center of the necropolis is a mausoleum. Two large gargoyles are positioned on the corners. As some of the party advances, the gargoyles move and battle ensues!
As they chip away (ha) at the gargoyles the PCs are aware of multiple disturbances in the area disturbing the ground (as if something is clawing its way free from the graves). The PCs also hear a pleading Sylpheny and an angry Lillian Brantifax in the mausoleum. Lane encourages everyone to cross the necropolis as quickly as they can to reach Sylpheny. As the gargoyles begin to crumble from their injuries, ghouls erupt from the ground and charge in from all directions.
In a desperate race to reach the mausoleum, Lane reaches the structure. A portcullis suddenly drops blocking the entrance. His attempts to lift it on his own fail. Taraxacam navigates his way through the crowded melee and misty steps past the portcullis into the mausoleum. Thurgood Joseph and Olivine are occupied by the tied of ghouls. Olivine extracts himself from the fight to try and assist raising the portcullis. Their attempt is unsuccessful.
Inside Taraxacam is unable to open the double stone doors, beyond which is a strange blue light. Eventually Lillian throws open the doors, a spectral chain is tied to her waist and entangles a ghostly looking young girl with deformities. Taraxacam manages to land multiple blows on Lilian before she sends him to the ground, bleeding out from vicious longsword blows.
Tome who has been flitting around the battle field distracting undead is told to fly through the portcullis to aid Taraxacam. The duty bound flying book does as its told (despite feeling as if its entire existence is useless - an effect of the shadowfell). Upon entering it finds the fallen Taraxacam and backs away from Lillian.
Thurgood casts shatter (was it memorized?) on a gargoyle survives and onslaught of attacks. Josef who is near turns a great number of the ghouls who flee in terror of the mighty blacksmith. Lane also manages to turn one (not nearly as impressive). Thrugood, perhaps learning a trick or two from Taraxacam also Misty Steps past the portcullis and engages Lillian who has now emerged into view of all.
Now visible to all, they PCs are able to focus their efforts and bring Lillian down. Taraxacam who had made one death save and failed a second is saved from death in the Shadowfell by a healing potion administered by Thurgood.
The remaining Ghouls are dispatched, The ghost of Sylphene finally looks at ease. She floats over to a stone sarcophagus and enters it, disappearing from view. The PCs open the stone sarcophagus to find her unearthed coffin trapped within.
The PCs can recover the following obvious loot from the mausoleum:
a saddle of the cavalier
500 gp
two longsword and a longbow (and 24 arrows) used by Lillian Brantifax (one longsword is silvered) (neither are magical, both blades "emit" a sorrowful "vibe").
PCs long rest at The Chalet.
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