Vincerus' Castle

Origins of the Castle

Little is known of the Castle's origins, though the most recent owner and inhabitant, Vincerus of the Mage's guild of Viseria, suspected it to have been an early elvish structure that pre-dated the dragon wars. Long ago, the elves ruled most of what is now Viseria, but their great kingdoms retreated to the forests, mountains and rivers for protection when the dragons arrived from across the Draconian ocean in 121AVD. Despite fighting hard and possessing a great control of natural magic, the elves were too few to combat the dragons for long. As a result, the elves of Hurron retreated into the wild, so as to protect themselves, abandoning many of their settlements, fortifications and homes.
For as long as the inhabitants of Qarton could remember, the castle has been in disuse and gradually increasing disrepair. However, in 663VD Vincerus, a well respected member of the Mage's guild, came to Qarton looking for somewhere to continue his research into the fey. Enchanted by the castle's rich and mysterious history, Vincerus took it over as his home. He happily and quietly continued his study of the fey there until his death in 683VD.

In Our Story

In our tale, Jackob Aar, Knor Ti Knockarz, Larry Tinkle, Terry Tinkle and Vyth Aar came to Vincerus' castle, after discovering that it was the cause of the villagers of Qarton's disappearances. Knowing that it was the home of a wizard that studied the fey, the bonk squad approached with caution, especially considering they already suspected fey involvement in the dream-caused wandering of the village inhabitants.
The band of heroes discovered the castle covered with beautiful but unfamiliar vines and plants. Entering in, they quickly encountered several elements of fey magic, including two satyrs, who had imprisoned Lobelia and threatened to kill her in a game of questions. The group managed to save her life, despite losing the game, but Fallas and Verion escaped.
Next, after unlocking a brass riddle trap door, the heroes crept into an underground chamber. Looking around, the walls of this chamber were enveloped by soft white roses, laying over the bed, writing desk and other furniture within. Inside, hung by a vine, was Vincerus. From his notes it became clear that he had been studying a "feystone", which sounded to Jackob much like the purple stone he had used to close the mysterious portal back in Windyvale. Moreover, a name had been hurriedly scribbled in his most recent writings: Driscoll.
Following on from these discoveries, the bonk squad followed the lotus compass further into the castle, having to negotiate passage past a Dryad that had settled in the courtyard. Fighting their way through several feyborn goblins and red caps, the bonk squad and Sareth entered the main hall of the castle. There they discovered a cyclops, mutilated by some form of fey magic. He sat, guarding a glowing purple portal behind him. The half-mad cyclops explained that the "Stag-man" had been calling people to help him in his sleep for a couple of weeks now but he just ate them or imprisoned them, as his master had commanded him to stay here and to wait for the heroes that he said would come.
After a fierce battle the bonk squad and Sareth were victorious and their victory was greeted by an unexpected slow applause. Turning round a familiar face for some and unfamiliar for others greeted them; a silver-haired fey with blood red eyes and a predatory smile. Driscoll congratulated the group on their victory and the Tinkle twins on doing as he'd commanded, their second of three favours complete. The group were forced to sit and dine with Driscoll in the arborous dining hall that he had created. As reward for clearing the way to the portal for him, Driscoll granted a question to each of the members of the bonk squad. Throughout the exchange, Driscoll demonstrated considerable power, putting people to sleep, charming others and taunting people with their deep seated fears. The bonk squad discovered that the portals were cracks opening into the feywild. The lotus compass, they found out, seemed to be a guide towards fey magic and feystones or portals. Knor Ti also discovered that her mother had been captured by the Aldradians, a mysterious group of people that little was known about.
Finally, Driscoll got to what he'd come there for. He sent Larry to get the purple feystone from the room off the hall and to bring it to him as the final of three favours. Then, he requested that someone carry the feystone through the portal with him as he was unable to. The bloody tongued fey promised that whoever came through would remain unharmed. Sareth volunteered, hoping to find a cure for Ip on the other side. Bidding the others farewell and releasing the Tinkle twins from their deal, Driscoll passed through the portal, into the feywild. They would see him again.
Riling from their domination by Driscoll and the threat he posed to the world at large, the bonk squad did some final exploring of the castle. They found the source of the dream and cause of the sleepwalking villagers. A fey of the hunt, half stag, half man, lay wounded in the next room. Healed, he demanded to know where Driscoll was, whom he had been hunting down. The party explained that he had escaped into the feywild. Enraged, the fey of the hunt ran off, asking that the mortals stay out of fey affairs, not understanding what his release and entry into the feywild meant for both planes. Leaving the castle after a final battle with some red caps and a Dryad, enflamed both metaphorically and literally, the group returned to Qarton. The threat to the village itself had been removed but the threat to the world remained larger than before.