Mad Noble in Anvarnem
Exposition
Magistrate’s Reform for the Civil Guard
Kramer Settendorf, former magistrate over the Province of Kalgarim, visited the Town of Glenhill during a trip to Aldawn Castle and was horrified. As a result on his return back to Anvarnem, he refused to let any part of Kalgarim to be come anything close to Glenhill. So, he decided to reform the Civil Guard into a more diligent, if not borderline, military unit that would be efficient. To do so would be costly and he was desperate to keep the province clean of crime. However, caels and investigators stepped in to realize Kramer’s reform plans and removed him for the lack of trust and coordination. It was the blast that involved Johan Fogwood that would cause the Magistrate to step down.
Shut in and Paranoid
Sidresk Takes Notice
Kramer now lives in his estate alone with his son and servants. News of overstepping his boundaries with the Civil Guard and growing paranoia made his wife leave him. Further developments of the Phantom of Kalgarim made him scared, shutting himself off from the world for fear of this assassin. News of this new hermit reached the Cult of Maledict and Sidresk’s followers grew interested with twisting the former magistrate as Alkaran’s followers didn’t find interest with the noble and brought it to Sidresk’s attention.
Through the whispers of shades, the Overlord took this to Vicarion knowing it would be more of interest to the aspiring tyrant. Of course, Vicarion took interest knowing the ties it has to the stout and the possibility of not only ruining an enemy but of sprouting a bloated tree. Vicarion began with sending shades to haunt the former magistrate. Whispers about a coming assassin turned Kramer mad and paranoid. He kept his son, Werner Settendorf, close as the only thing keeping him going. He has hired a tight security to watch over the staff. To help draw out Johan, Vicarion forged a letter of one of the servants to be sent out to Esterson Hall.
Adventure At Hand
Johan has split from the party just as Vicarion had hoped. To help ensure that the two stay separate, the vician plants obstacles.
Winter Sets in Anvarnem
Johan’s Arrival to Town
The leaves have finally fallen and the wind has brushed them aside. What descends from above now are flakes of snow from the heavens during your journey to the City of Anvarnem. The northern border town of Obridan comes first where rooftops are dusted with white from the season.
In the street, a cael ties the shoes of a dwarven boy while his brother stood by his side. With a finishing tug, the work is done. The cael stands up and ushers them aside, “Please, return to the chapel. I will meet you two there shortly.”
The two of them are quick to hug the cael. The both of them say, “Thank you, Rezzim,” before running off.
The cael turns to you, “Do you require assistance?”
Rezzim, the cael, watches over two orphans, Erias and Orsik as their guardian ever since their parents passed away from illness. Rezzim can guide Johan to a tavern or chapel for respite.
As Johan passes through the windows, he sees reflections of himself as disfigured by acid.
During Johan’s stay, a shrouded figure, a reaper (Vicarion in disguise), approaches him, throwing open a door if there is one.
A cowled figure holding a scythe gestures to you, “Altor has mentioned you prior. I too, am a reaper for Morrovan, and your assistance would be appreciated. We both seek the same Kramer Settendorf for his time has come. Unfortunately he has become in denial of his coming fate and fortified himself against me. It is a simple arrangement we both can share: You have your long-awaited revenge, I pass on his soul to the Ether. Surely, this is of interest to you as well as I?”
The reaper attempts to convince Johan into confronting and murdering the former magistrate.
Stalling the Party
Amidst the snowfall, it becomes a little harder to see as a fog builds up. On a small hill, a silhouette with long horns and a deer skull beckons outward with its hand, “Where has the little one gone to, I wonder? He has gone on his own because he never needed you. He never wanted you from the start, he only joined your guild to lie low, he was forced to by the nobility, and look who he had wound up with: The very thing that disgusts him. Is it any wonder why he left?”
“I advise you turn back and head where you are needed most. Do not waste your efforts on this mortal. Because like all selfish beings, once he has what he wants, he no longer has use for you.”
Setesk taunts the party into leaving their associate behind, buying his master time to twist Johan.
City of Anvarnem
Johan’s Hunt
Outside Settendorf estate, a cael stands outside the front pleading to the guards, “I must get in! There is something very wrong here!”
“Master Settendorf’s orders are that neither mortal nor divine get through! Just head back to the cathedral chapel.”
The cael shakes its head, “I at least keep my conscious clear knowing I tried to warn you all…” it then hovers away from the entrance.
If confronted, the cael, Calnen, believes she has sensed a dark presence within the estate but the stubborn nature of Kramer won’t let him investigate.
The reaper appears to Johan, directing him to sneak inside, for the paranoid noble knows Johan comes for him. The reaper will do his part in making it easier for him…
In truth, Vicarion coordinates with his shades to scare Werner into running to the local woodlands, which causes Kramer to chase after him.
The “reaper” handles Kramer’s guards by diverting them into a scuffle with hired roden.
The Party in Anvarnem
Sulking Cael, Calnen
For our main party, you finally enter into the City of Anvarnem as the sun begins to set and the snow slowly sprinkles the streets. The hustle and bustle slowly dies down and you can see to the side, a sulking cael sitting alone on a bench.
The party reaches Anvarnem as dusk draws near. The party finds a sulking cael, Calnen, sitting alone, frustrated that neither mortal or cael listens to her. While passing the Settendorf manor, she glimpsed a sinister feeling she’s only felt during her time in Dulnmoor: a shade. To her, the Settendorf manor must be under a shade haunting where they purposefully hide themselves when caels come to inspect the home. They are only caught when the shade slips up and is detected if the mortal hasn’t already dealt with it. Kramer has come to them about eerie whispers but the caels found nothing of it so he shut himself in.
She explains that further investigation into Kramer’s manor isn’t allowed as it would be intrusion to do so. The Reverie has at least insisted that Calnen watch over it to be sure it was alright. They know many problems develop when people are alone.
Calnen can show the party where to find Settendorf’s estate.
Roden Strike
As the party heads toward the estate, they hear and see the following:
As you get closer to the Settendorf estate, it all happens so fast when you hear a shatter of glass then someone cry out, “Werner!”
The estate guards are quickly on the move but a small group of roden lunge out toward the guard from alleyways.
The roden were hired and instructed by a horned man to focus on the guards once they were given a cue by a shade. They do not bother with the party unless they attack them as well. Whether or not the party engages with the roden determine how soon they catch up with Johan in the end.
Confronting Settendorf
A pursuit into the far off woodlands occur as dusk begins to fall. Puffs of white breath fade off to the side. Soon, you both wind up in a forest clearing. Panting, falls over onto the snowy ground. In a desperate attempt, he pulls out a pistol only for that to miss wildly. His eyes widen with fear.
The reaper steps forward, still close by the trees, “Now… Do what must be done. He has ruined your life and those like it! The honor is yours.”
Vicarion’s shadow has Werner restrained, watching helplessly while invisible.
If the party left the roden distraction behind and went straight for the pursuit going on, they arrive at this point. Include this onto the read aloud:
From behind, you hear a commotion from behind you. The familiar faces of the Dumb Luck Crew are in sight from afar. The cloaked figure holding a scythe then takes a hand and conjures spectral and skeletal hands to appear in a line. It then looks up to them, “This does not concern you! What are you waiting for, Johan? Strike him down!”
Development: Kramer is Killed
Light drains from the disgraced noble’s eyes. Another no shrieks out. To the side, a fiendish shadow with the form of a vician is revealed as its holding a crying young stout boy. Where one would expect blood, instead it becomes soil. The reaper then steps forward, reaching into his chest then raising a wooden, rotten heart.
The form of that hooded figure drops, revealing grayed fiendish traits of a vician, "Ashes to ashes and dust to dust, all because in caels we trust. But you never did trust caels. You never did stand up for something. So here you are, falling for anything. My my..."
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