#06: Lit Like a Jack'o'Lantern
General Summary
Our Heroes were welcomed inside Shashlovich House by Mathais Shashlovich and Bella Ghita. Inside, they were introduced to Diavola Shashlovich, an alum of Strahd von Zarovich University in Vallaki, and the creator of Shashlovich Blood'n'Bone.
The couple told the Heroes about the laws placed upon Solec since the Firebrand whipped up rebellion against Strahd von Zarovich, which included a curfew come nightfall, and a limit on who could sleep under which roof. This latter law forced the Heroes to be housed in the empty Lacusta House. The Heroes also inquired about the fate of the house's last residents: Bianca Lacusta, and her two children Ivan Lacusta and Margareta Lacusta. The couple told them of how Bianca, originally an enthusiastic adopter of Blood'n'Bone, turned off its use, and her crops went to blight. Since she was not used to the blighted crops, she became poisoned and died. Her children went to work with Offalia Ghita at Old Bonegrinder, before they too finally died from the disease.
Mathais, upon learning who Ireena Kolyanovich was, asked her several questions about herself, and seemed to show considerable interest in her, as the group walked back towards their lodgings. Falkon Bobrinsky had gone ahead to light the fire in the house, to make it more comfortable, and was instructed to bring across dinner as well. Once inside, and left behind by Mathais, the Heroes set to work cleaning the place up. Soryn d'Nemishcata discovered a pile of wood outside that had been doused with an alchemical accellerant, and with her companions' help moved it from the rear wall of the house. Mina Barovonna and Übel Bachmann found scraps of Bianca's journal in the house, and Valentina Dilisnya discovered a magical aura to an old sack of Blood'n'Bone in the storage room, as well as a faded magical sigil under the master bed.
The Heroes searched for more scraps of the journal, and together discovered Bianca's story: she was indeed a life-long resident of Solec, not a new settler, and Falkon was the only possible father of her children. She loved Falkon, but the feelings were not mutual (with the man apparently having slept with her and then moved on). Mathais was constantly hounding her to sell her his land, but she refused, saying it was the only thing she would be leaving her children (and that she had nowhere else to go). She was an eagre adopter of Blood'n'Bone as the Isnaf had said, though she appeared to come down with terrible nightmares showing her fields well up with blood, and the roots of her crops being gnawed at by small teeth. These nightmares made her stop using the fertiliser, and she fell ill.
When Falkon returned with their dinner, the Heroes attempted to confront him about the nature of the journal, and other matters around Solec, but he brushed them off. He took the scraps of parchment from them when given, but threw them on the ground not far from the house. When Übel went to recollect them, wolf howls in the distance made her and her companions scared of the curfew.
Before bed, Ireena offered some of her thoughts on the mystery they were all puzzling over, and was praised for her efforts. Soryn discovered children's teeth in the Blood'n'Bone, and the group together could not correctly identify the spells woven into the sigil underneath the bed, though determined it was likely the source of Bianca's nightmares. The Heroes held off eating the stew brought to them, and went to bed. However, their slumber was interrupted when Übel and Valentina awoke early, hearing noises outside.
The Lacusta House was then firebombed by people dressed in "runed" coats and weilding farming tools that were also daubed with fake magical symbols. They were led by a large man in a pumpkin-shaped costume, and aided by a woman pretending to be a witch riding on a broomstick (actually just running around with fake legs to make it seem like she was flying). The raiders made lots of noise, attempting to make it seem like they were against the Harvest Society, and some form of "pro-Golden Gourd" cultists. Battle ensued, where Valentina did her best to extinguish all the fires that were started, and vent out the smoke with was choking the party inside. Mina, Soryn, and Übel all defended the three entrances into the house, whilst Ireena, the apparent target of the raid, shot at their attackers.
Three of the raiders were slain, whilst the other three managed to escape back into the night, but not before two of them were exposed as Falkon and Mathais. The bodies of the fallen were looted, and everyone's wounds were treated (including Ireena's, having suffered her first scrapes and burns). The Heroes went to bed again, to prepare for "breakfast" the next morning back at the Shashlovich House, and set Gabhar to watch over them as they slept.
The following morning, Ireena awoke with two puncture marks on her neck, and after some discussion the group decided it was almost certainly the work of a Vampire. Much discussion was had over who did it, and how, but those questions remain unanswered...
Report Date
17 Oct 2024
Primary Location
Comments