Session 33 - Malice and Folly At Schloss Drachenstelle

General Summary

The Stabbenning

Edmon spent the day training a new skill, allowing him to return a backblow after attempting a swing. As he was practicing this move, Ingo strode by, recognizing the original strike as the zornhau attack, however Edmon had added an unterhau lunge into the end of the strike, bringing him further into the enemy without giving up momentum. Ingo applauded the combination from Edmon, thinking it would be able to fell many a foe, and recounted to Edmon that the inspiration was a blessing from Gaal.
The two then retired to dinner in the great hall with everyone else. While everyone was seated, Kaleb sneaked up on Dagobert, and shoved a fork deep into Dagobert’s foot. Dagobert yelped in surprise and pain as blood began gushing out of his foot where the fork became stuck. Edmon pulled a staring Kaleb away from Dagobert, then both watched for signs of doppelgangers. Rodrick rushed to Dagobert’s aid, working to tend to his foot. A group of men then took Dagobert back to his room where Rodrick was able to remove the fork and bandage the injured foot.
The next day, Dagobert approached Winifred on crutches, asking that she would consider parting ways with Kaleb now that he appears to be getting more violent. Additionally, Dagobert insinuated that Ingo will judge Winifred harshly and question her motives if Kaleb is not dealt with accordingly. Winifred, not wanting to argue with Dagobert and being firm in her commitment to Kaleb, decided to run away from the crippled man, leaving Dagobert to go out of his way to avoid her. Winifred decided from there that Kaleb needs to go through a mandatory Sunday School effort to reform him after the stabbenning.
After a couple days in Sunday School, Winifred decided that Kaleb was reformed and brought Kaleb and Dagobert together. Dagobert first asked Kaleb why Kaleb thought it was prudent to stab him in the foot, whereupon Kaleb explained that there are doppelgangers loose in the castle. Dagobert seemed to think Kaleb is insane at first, however as Kaleb continues appears to grow concerned until Winifred reassured him that there are no doppelgangers. Winifred then commanded both Dagobert and Kaleb to apologize to each other, which both did, begrudgingly.

Imprisoned for Trust

Mechtild approached Rodrick during the week and asked when he thought the two should approach Winifred about meeting with Mephisto. Rodrick took the time to point out that this sounds like Mechtild’s problem rather than his own. With Rodrick having the ability to summon Mephisto, he demanded that Mechtild lose track of him and Uisce more often if she wants his help. Mechtild pointed out that this would potentially endanger her through the blood pact she has sworn to Winifred. Rodrick simply shrugged at this information, saying that Winifred’s ability to punish Mechtild is likely outweighed by Mephisto’s, however her dealings are her own.
Mechtild, not wanting to betray Winifred, went to find Winifred to discuss the concept of letting Rodrick have more freedom. Approaching Winifred, Mechtild asked if they could speak in the rose garden (hence monikered the Rose Garden of Betrayal). While there, Mechtild asked if Rodrick needed to be watched at all times, to which Winifred replied that he is the more dangerous of the two and should not be left alone for more than a day. Thinking that this secured her with respect to both oaths, Mechtild returned to Rodrick and he agreed that a day's worth of time was sufficient.
That evening, Uisce returned disguised as a scullery maid. She was able to make it past the guards and finally to Rodrick’s room, where she tempted him. Rodrick was kind, but did not fall for the false flirtations, causing Uisce the relief she needs to reveal herself to Rodrick. Rodrick immediately embraced her, and the two talked about their adventures over the last couple weeks. Uisce described to Rodrick how she went to seek refuge amongst the nixies. There she was able to rest and not be driven mad by the incessant attitude of Winifred. Uisce took the opportunity to ask the Luminary what he knew about Ingo the Pious and the Luminary explained that Ingo had many men executed on the shores of their river.
During her sojourn with the nixies, Uisce was found by her youngest sister Maebh who had spent the last year worried about Uisce when she left so suddenly. Maebh described how she was betrothed to Callum, brother to Eigan, after Eigan’s death and Uisce’s disappearance. With the wedding date approaching, Maebh had taken it upon herself to search one final time for Uisce and followed the rumors of a green entertainer until finally arriving among the local nixies. Maebh pleaded with Uisce for Uisce to return, but Uisce rejected the invitation. When asked why she would not return, Uisce began to sob, confessing that she drowned Eigan in a fit of anger that she now could not remember. Maebh tried to calm Uisce, but Uisce instead reached out and struck her sister, causing both to stare at each other shocked. The silence was broken when Uisce began to cry again and left her sister. After some time, the nixies approached Uisce and informed her that Maebh had left, returning to the Loch. After relating this story to Rodrick, the two then fell asleep together in Rodrick’s bed.
The next morning, as Kaleb went about picking flowers and Edmon trained in the courtyard to the praise of his peers, Mechtild asked if Winifred would meet her again in the Rose Garden of Betrayal. While there, Mechtild told Winifred that she had made a deal with Mephisto, where Mephisto only wanted to meet Winifred. Winifred became pale at the thought and advised Mechtild to inform Ingo the Pious of this deal. The two then went to meet with Ingo, who cleared the Great Hall to speak with them. There, Mechtild admitted that she made a deal with the devil. With this confession, Mechtild was taken to the dungeon for her transgressions against Gaal.
Ingo the Pious then called for Rodrick, who appeared, accompanied by Uisce. Ingo the Pious was surprised that Uisce had returned to the castle without his knowledge, but seemed to accept the fact. He finally turned his attention to Rodrick, asking how Mechtild came about making a deal with Mephisto. Rodrick described how he made the mistake of summoning the devil, who did not in fact match the image of the tarot card. From there, it was Mechtild and not himself who made the deal, although Rodrick thought it was done with a good heart. Ingo the Pious decided to place Rodrick and Uisce in the dungeon, stating it was for their own safety. Rodrick and Uisce acquiesced and went to the dungeon for the time being. While there, Rodrick and Mechtild bickered for a moment about who was at fault for their current predicament.

Betrayal by Alicia

Ingo went and found Edmon lounging about the castle, where he said that with the heightened threats to Winifred, Edmon should be guarding her. Ingo asked if Edmon noticed anything strange about Rodrick, and Edmon recalled that there was a small black dog that ended up following Rodrick after the fight with Taugenichts' bandits just south of Ingo’s estate. Ingo seemed to remember that there was a small black terrier following Rodrick when they returned from the cave, but they had both thought nothing of it.
While Edmon went to stand guard outside Winifred’s chambers with a couple of Ingo's men, Winifred was having a chat with her chambermaid, Alicia. Winifred complained that she is not likely not be going to stop Walpurgisnacht. Alicia was surprised that they will not be going to stop the event, but when Winifred explained that it is because there was a devil searching for her, Alicia only quipped that the devil knows his own. However, with the dungeons full, Alicia is not sure what would happen to anyone else who was captured.
After Alicia left, Winifred stared out the window, imagining jumping from the great height. Reconsidering her plan, Winifred instead searched for secret passageways that would be used by the servants. Focusing so intently, the strain triggered something in her, and she ended up turning blue and and then screaming. Edmon immediately came through the door to find her change in color. Edmon immediately called Father Adelgund. To get Winifred to calm down, the priest gave her a strong potion that knocked her unconscious.
With Winifred unconscious, Alicia came out of the servants' closet to be greeted by Edmon intensely standing guard over Winifred. Edmon noticed Alessia and asked what she was doing. Alicia explained that she heard the lady scream and became worried, however Edmon noticed she was holding a comb with a strange eye symbol on it. While Edmon was scrutinizing her, Alicia began to cast a spell, but Edmon instead took a hold of her, restraining her actions. With that, Alicia turned into a rat and attempted to run away, but was curb stomped into the ground by one of the guards watching over Winifred’s chamber entrance, forcing her back into human form.
As Winifred was in imminent danger from her wererat chambermaid, Ingo went to the dungeon to ask Uisce how she was able to come through the barrier. Uisce explained that her kind, a cousin to the nixies, is resistant to such barriers and while she can feel the ward, she can walk through it. Furthermore, Uisce pointed out that once through the barrier, she no longer felt any ill effects. Ingo thanked her for the information and left the castle with his posse. In the other cell, Mechtild began to feel an irritating itch.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

The next day, Ingo went to visit Winifred, but she did not want to leave her chamber. Ingo entered and found that her skin was blue. Winifred then told him that this was the result of a curse by Alicia. Ingo promised that he would investigate and come to the conclusion of what happened to Alicia. Furthermore, Ingo remarked that in the case of the devil, the three companions locked in the dungeon were likely of little concern.
Ingo then found Kaleb to ask if there was anything that Kaleb would like to do. Kaleb, lost for words, then agreed to Ingo’s suggestion of a horseback ride. While on the ride, Ingo and Kaleb discuss the stabbenning of Dagobert and Kaleb defended his decisions, but informed Ingo that the unicorn told him that the castle was not overrun with doppelgangers; however, that does not mean there are not doppelgangers present. While talking, Ingo pointed out that they had stumbled across the unicorn. Ingo went over and began stroking the unicorn’s horn and continued talking to Kaleb. While caressing the horn, Ingo described the events of the death of Gaal and how it was the Spear of Pardus that killed Gaal in a moment of mercy by the Valandian Legionnaire named Pardus. Gazing upon the horn that he handled, Ingo further described how the spear healed a wounded unicorn and was transformed into his horn, and it is the medium through which Schloss Drachenstelle gains its divine protection. Finally, Ingo fell silent, gazing into the unicorn’s eyes, fondling the horn while Kaleb looked on in awe.

Report Date

02 May 2024

Primary Location

Schloss Drachenstelle