Session 20 - Showdown at the Sign of the Blue Angel
General Summary
Kaleb went looking for the dogs near Winifred's castle . He found the kennel and has a dispute with a kennel boy, who was a temporary replacement for the kennel master Reinhard killed earlier. Kaleb barged into the kennel, sending the boy fleeing. He befriended the two remaining dogs, and then decided to enter the castle in a peculiar way, by climbing up the wall and jumping in a window. His injury prevents him from doing so, and he is soon confronted by guards, who brought him to Dagobert - the majordomo. The majordomo chastised Kaleb and sent him to his room for the night. Kaleb got wind during this interaction that the kennel boy was to be punished for abandoning his post. Finally, the majordomo had a chat with Winifred about waiting for Sigisar and about those that have died trying to capture Reinhard. He warned Winifred not to endanger herself personally.
* * *
Late that night, after having returned to her quarters, Narcissa saw strange movements on her bed, as if someone was stepping on it, unseen. Soon, Reinhard revealed himself, and demanded to know when Narcissa would fulfil her end of the bargain. The lady, in turn, demands to know whether Reinhard still plans to help her deal with Sigisar. Both proceeded to reassure the other, and Narcissa said she had a plan to get Winifred to agree to the marriage, but could not ensure the resident priest's cooperation. Reinhard told her not to worry about the priest, and to just bring Winifred to the chapel in the morning.
* * *
Winifred enlisted the help of several soldiers, Kaleb and Narcissa, to find Reinhard. She first tried to get some healing elixirs from the priest to aid her in her potential fight against Reinhard, and went to the chapel with her entourage. But once there, she found Reinhard with the priest, chatting quite amicably. Narcissa attempted to bewitch a flabbergasted Winifred to agree to a marriage right then and there, and places the familial crown she got from Reinhard on her head. Winifred mentally resisted, but proceeded to the altar for the time being. Once she arrived there, a fight broke out. The soldiers attempted to rush Narcissa, but one lost his footing, and fell. Baeleb appeared, and began aiding his mistress, though soon he went invisible again. Kaleb wasn't able to help much at first, given his lingering injury. Narcissa attempted to bewitch Winifred a second time, and failed again. Reinhard tries to convince Winifred to go ahead with the wedding, but his rhetorical pleas fell on deaf ears. Summoning power from within herself, Winifred threw bolts of fire at Narcissa. Narcissa snapped her fingers, and vanished, and Baeleb was nowhere to be found. Reinhard seemed unsure for a moment, but after being confronted by a puppy-eyed Kaleb, choose to flee the scene.
Narcissa abandoned her things at the castle, and was reduced to stealing peasant clothes on her way to Willmar. She proceeded to the and becomes dirty like a peasant, and goes to the inn in town to lay low at the local Blue Angel Tavern. There, she was met by Reinhard. The two discussed several things, including the fact that Reinhard sent a group of Augurs to the wedding, his desire to have killed the majordomo, and Narcissa’s desire to go to Niflheim. Reinhard eventually cajoled Narcissa to stay in town and continue their campaign against Winifred and company, for the sake of his reputation.
* * *
In Brillig, Manfred, fearful of what was to come, armed himself with additional weaponry from the citadel armory. As they prepared to leave, Sigisar procured horses for himself and his two companions. He asksed if Manfred needed a donkey instead, but the Vagant proves capable enough with a horse. The ratpeople did not impede their progress out of the citadel, and then, out of the city.
On their way north, the riders passed some woodsmen chopping trees before losing their way in the woods. Night fell, but they elected to press on through the night. Some time later, they encountered Reinhard’s Augurs, who claimed to be going to a wedding at Schloss Hirschenwald. They mentioned that the castle was actually quite close. The two groups traveled together and after an hour of travel, approached the walls of the castle. The guards on the walls told the Augurs to go away, and fired a warning shot at them. After retreating with the troupe, Sigisar, Manfred and Edmon returned to the gates. There, Sigisar declared himself, and was able to cajole the guards to get Winifred to come and verify their identities. The three were let into the castle. Sigisar uttered a prayer, which allowed him to detect the presence of a shapeshifter nearby. Once they crossed the moat, Winifred emerged, and embraced Sigisar. She then unloaded an emotional recounting of the events of the last 10 days onto him. The two groups gradually bring one another back up to speed. Most retire, but later that night, Manfred requested a semi-private audience with Winifred, which he is granted, in the Grand Hall. He spins the story of the execution of the imprisoned ratman, and tells her of Sigisar’s infection with the ratmen disease. Winifred asks if he should be expelled immediately, but Manfred said he may be a helpful ally against Reinhard.
The next day, Sigisar and Winifred had a chat, in which they discussed Sigisar’s infection and Winifred’s time with Reinhard. Later, while talking to Dagobert, the topic of marriage to Sigisar comes up. Winifred voices some of Manfred's concerns, such as the execution of the wererat prisoner after he had given Sigisar the information he sought, but Dagobert saw little issue there, because lords have to make tough decisions. But when Manfred brought up Sigisar’s infection, Dagobert immediately assembled a group of men to send Sigisar and Edmon out of the castle. Winifred's entreaties fell on deaf ears, as the majordomo insisted she could not be safe in her castle with a wererat. Sigisar accepted this, and asks for heavy chains as he headed out, so that he might restrain himself in wererat form. Manfred remained behind at Hirschenwald, hoping to enter Winifred's service.
Sigisar and Edmon headed to the tavern where Narcissa was resting. Upon seeing his cousin, the two initiated a parlay, which at first proceeded cordially. However, the mood soon soured, and a fight broke out. On one side stood Sigisar and Edmon, and Narcissa was soon joined by Reinhard and Baeleb, both of whom appeared out of nowhere. Reinhard, in the form of a foxman, appears behind Sigisar, and stabs him in the back with his sword. Narcissa then coated much of the room in magical darkness, which caused the other tavern denizens to flee, screaming. With her enemies unable to see her, she then brought down Sigisar with demonic force, and continued to rock him as he lay writhing on the floor. Baeleb then finished him off with his venomous bit. Gloating over her victory, Narcissa, heeding Reinhard removed the darkness, and was then decapitated immediately by Edmon. Upon her death, Baeleb disappeared in a puff of smoke. With only one opponent left, Reinhard enchanted Edmon, and directed him to dispose of the bodies. Reinhard pays off the tavern keeper, and led Edmon, dragging the two bodies, into the woods. He then removed their hearts, and quipped that is quite poetic for the two of them to be buried together. After the burial, he simply vanished.
Freed from the spell, Edmon dug up Sigisar’s corpse and rushed back to the castle. Winifred and Dagobert were notified of his return, and went to meet Edmon at the gate. Dagobert refused to allow Sigisar to be buried in the castle walls given his infection, and Winifred eventually conceded. She then told Kaleb and Manfred what happened, though softening the message for Kaleb by telling him that Sigisar went to a “castle in the sky”. As Sigisar was being transported to a bier in the woods, where he would be held until the burial, Edmon found Sigisar’s death letter and had Winifred read it to him. "You have been a more loyal servant and warrior than I ever deserved as the Margrave of Horstkopf", it said. "It seems that Gaal guides your steps better than he guided mine. May you always follow your heart as it is your heart that is guided by Gaal. You were a true friend and I hope that you find all the treasures both in this life and after that you deserve."Rewards Granted
- Sigisar's equipment (taken by Edmon)
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