Session 24 - Plots in Hirschenwald and Willmar, Pt. 2
General Summary
Winifred's party was in full swing. Rodrick went off on his own to set up a ritual in order to sense magical forces around him. He discovered that both Winifred and Wigand had magical items. Kaleb approached Rodrick and stared at Thatch, Rodrick’s owl. Rodrick did tricks with the owl.
Manfred and Winifred then bickered over Manfred taking an undue interest in Uisce's performance, and his skepticism about her plan to kill Reinhard. Winifred left for her chambers in a huff, but was followed by Dagobert. When he caught up to his lady, he confronted her and spoke about marriage, responsibility and political alliances. When Winifred told him about her change of plans, he seemed relieved. Manfred ran into Dagobert a little later, who told him the plan was off.
In the Great Hall, Rodrick's senses alerted him to the presence of a green, glowing figure in the courtyard. Despite being shot at by castle guards, it climbed a castle wall. Rodrick followed it, and levitated to the top of the wall. A guard fired a crossbow bolt at Rodrick and missed. Rodrick followed the figure down the other side of the wall, and into the moat. In the meantime, Kaleb and Uisce also gave chase to the figure. Kaleb did a mighty jump, grabbed hold of the wall, bounded over it, and then tumbled into the moat. Uisce did a swan dive into the moat. Winifred and Edmon learned from a guard that the glowing figure came from the stables. They investigated and found Kaleb’s stolen sign here, which was missing the blue angel that was previously on it.
Rodrick, Kaleb and Uisce eventually all caught up to the glowing figure and interrogated it. The glowing figure said he was. The glowing figure said he was Nordin the Nixie, and that he was previously bound to the sign Kaleb stole as the guardian of the locale. They talked with Nordin about a variety of things - the magical ring, the Holy Grail (said to be made from the same gold as the ring, and possibly even more powerful), the other nixies (Nordin’s daughters), the strange spirit in Winifred’ castle, and the 'Grandmother', who was a relation to various Fee and demons (including Mephisto and Reinhard - an infamous rogue more commonly known as Reineke Fuchs).
After Nordin dove into the Nixe to seek out his daughters, the trio then returned to Willmar and retired to the Blue Angel Tavern for the night, as the castle was closed to them. Outside, the old sign was now replaced with one depicting a red fox. Kaleb tried to steal the new sign, but ended up dancing with Reinhard. Reinhard ominously told Kaleb he was happy the original sign was taken. When interrogated as to why he did not go to Winifred’s party, he said it wasn’t for him, so he did not go. The trio passed out in various parts of the tavern. Uisce and Rodrick were left alone in the stables. Here, Rodrick gave her Winifred’s crown.
Back at the castle, Winifred and Manfred discussed Winifred’s future. Manfred told Winifred she would eventually have to marry a noble if she stayed. Winifred said she did not wish because she loved Manfred. The two resolved to leave the castle and Winifred’s domain behind. Upon Winifred’s insistence, they asked Edmon to come along as well, and he readily agreed. Manfred said he would ask Kaleb to come along too.
In the morning, at breakfast, Winifred and Wigand bickered about potentially marrying Reinhard, and making amends with him. Winifred went to get money for “errands” from the castle treasury, and saw a vision of Reinhard killing her and causing her to come back as a chicken.
Outside the tavern in the stables, Rodrick, Uisce and Kaleb met the dwarf Austri from Fallsmar. They discussed with him how the cities have thinned, and the coming army of the dead. Rodrick and Uisce departed for a swim, while Kaleb interrogated the dwarf as to if he got taller, and talked of travels in the mysterious realms in the Weltbaum. After their swim, Rodrick and Uisce encountered the Knights of the Tomb who had been rebuffed from the castle earlier. The pair told them of their employment by Winifred, and how they had heard Sigisar had fallen to the rat disease. The knights wished to accompany the pair back to the castle, which they agreed to, once they had collected Kaleb and Austri.
At the castle, Winifred, Manfred and Edmon made preparations to leave. Winifred tried to steal gold quietly while invisible from the treasury. She managed to steal some, but alerted Dagobert, who later warned her he thought Reinhard was afoot in the castle. Manfred went to the kitchen and cajoled the kitchenmaid into letting him take as much as he wanted, saying it was for an apology feast for Reinhard. Manfred also went to steal beer from the reserves, where he was taunted by an invisible Englebert. Edmon went and got camping supplies. The trio put their goods with horses as they prepared to leave.
Just then, her companions, along with one dwarf and three knights arrived back at the castle. Though preparing to leave, Winifred elected to receive them in the Great Hall and hear out what they wanted.
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