Session Report 8

General Summary

Russel and Ireena laid against a solid oak tree that stood high with dark green leaves hanging from branches above. Ismarck was in the distance, pulling up strands of grass and muttering to himself every few odd minutes. Thirty minutes passed and the group decided to enjoy a picnic before going up to check on the other ruffians and their progress in enforcing the writ of ownership.
With the picnic wrapped up and Ismarck's shoelaces tied, the three headed up to the onion windmill that crested the next hill over. As the three approached Russel was able to spy a strange amount of blood staining the walls, door, and grass outside the onion windmill. With that in mind, the Crow knocked on the door and awaited an answer.
The Crow was met with a lady who had the face of a boiled apple, one wrinkled by age and bruised by the cruel forces of father time and mother nature. The crow introduced himself and asked for the lady's name for which she replied "Morgantha".
A few minutes of playful banter and small talk later, the Crow was able to find out that this woman and her daughters make and sell delectable treats that shift the perception of one's mind. Russel bought three dream pastries yet Ireena warned him against consuming them as they leave people in a drooling brainless state.
Russel asked politely for a to go box and after Morgantha complied, he packed away the treats for later consumption.
Now Russel played it coy when asking about his fellow ruffians as he seemed to have a six sense that this old, some would even say haggard, woman was stronger than appeared and would best be dealt with diplomacy and charm.
After a few winks and well placed compliments, Russel was able to uncover that three of his companions had been massacred by a beast of the unknown who resides within the forest behind the windmill while the two other companions, Kif and Gunter, were being held by Morgantha after attempting to take the lives of the three woman.
Russel bargained for the lives of the two and eventually was able to strike a deal with Morgantha. As Gunter, Russel, and Kif headed back to the crossroads, each of them recounted their individual recollections of the day.
In the land of an obsidian black sky, pink sun, and liquid solid ground, Carlos, Pablo, and Bartholomew all sat up and stared at the mass of black and purple goo above. The figure morphed into a winged creature of sorts and spoke to the adventurers, asking for fealty in exchange for the chance at life once again. The three agree and at once a white flare blinds their eyes. As they regain their sight the three realize that they had been blinded by the sun and each sit in a shallow grave, surrounded by four stone monoliths. 
The four monoliths depict four cities of four seasons with vines and moss growing over the monoliths while a pastry of some sort and piles of teeth litter the grassy ground. The three head back towards the onion windmill yet give the structure itself a wide berth as the ruffians know better than to stay close to those witches.
As if the fates align, the two separate parties of ruffians meet up at the crossroads within a few minutes of each other and catch up over what the hell even happened at that windmill. They quickly move on as the sun is getting low in the sky and Vallaki is still an hour or two away on foot.
The woods recede, revealing a sullen mountain burg surrounded by a wooden palisade. Thick fog presses up against this wall, as though looking for a way inside, hoping to catch the town aslumber.
The dirt road ends at a set of sturdy iron gates with a pair of shadowy figures standing behind them. Planted in the ground and flanking the road outside the gates are a half-dozen pikes with wolves’ heads impaled on them. Welcome to Vallaki.
The ruffians struggled to get let into Vallaki on account of their suspicious behavior, though some may say it had more to do with racial features than odd behavior.
No matter! With a well placed gold coin, any race can get anywhere. 
As the party enters the town, the first thing they are able to spot is a stockyard. This large stockyard has several locked sheds along its periphery and lies adjacent to a roomy warehouse. A wooden sign above the front gate reads “Arasek Stockyard.” The ruffians move on without a second glance.
As the ruffians meander down the street, they come upon the town square and take in the sights. The shops and homes that enclose the town square are decorated with limp, tattered garlands and painted wooden boxes filled with tiny, dead flowers. At the north end of the square stands a row of stocks, locked in which are several men, women, and children wearing crude, plaster donkey heads.                                                                                                                     In the center of the square, peasants in patchwork clothes eye you suspiciously as they use cups and vases to draw water from a crumbling stone fountain. Standing tall at the center of the fountain is a gray statue of an impressive man facing west.
Carlos asks a few questions to a nearby peasant working on a wooden circle of some sorts with a few other peasants. Carlos asks about why people are locked up and the peasants mumble something about them not being happy, that is why. No matter what Carlos asks though, most of his answers get stonewalled and eventually the ruffians call it a day and decide it was time to relax at the nearby watering hole.
The nearby watering hole went by the name of the Blue Water Inn. As the ruffians settled in, Gunter bought a round for the table yet still had time to hear the plight of the bartender before settling down to party with the boys. The bartender is the owner of the bar, Urwin(Ur-vin) Martikov(Mar-ta-kov) is the name, and he had not received his last shipment of ales and wines from his father's winery. He inquired if Gunter and his band of friends would be interested in getting the shipment of wine for him as he was almost out. Urwin offered payment in the form of 20 GP each and a keg of wine on the house. The deal was offered and tentatively agreed to yet the ruffians will have to discuss the details with the owner in the morning before setting out.
As the night of drinking winded down, the ruffians headed to each of their own rooms. Ireena and Russel to theirs, Carlos to his own thanks to Ireena's generosity, and Pablo, Bartholomew, and Gunter to their shared room.
As the night grew long, Russel and Ireena grew closer. This closeness culminated in Russel wishing he had the tongue of a Ghast(a footlong tongue! Undead endowed motherfuckers.) yet before he could slide his tongue into the slimy insides of Ireena, Russel spotted a floating figure obscured in the outside darkness, watching from the window. This figure busted through and attempted to snatch Ireena from Russel's grasp yet the floating figure was unsuccessful. His long burgundy coat draped over him, obscuring his figure. The vacuum of light made it impossible to see the figure's face or make out any physical features of the creature. All that could be made out was that the figure was male, as the baritone in his voice gave him away while he spoke the words "Stay away from the woman."

Report Date

29 Jun 2021