Within the Shadows and Mist - Session 4 Report
General Summary
The boom of the gates echoes loudly within the fog-cloaked forest. The party takes one last, lingering look at the sealed gates behind, then proceeds westward along a narrow tree-choked trail.
An hour later, both Mina and Jagger start sniffing the air before declaring, "There's a stench of death in the air." They look at each other, then Mina points to left while stating, "whatever it is, it lies this way!" and she plunges into the cloaked forest. Nazgog chases after Mina with a hand poised to restrain her while Jagger quips, "Mighty protector!" and holds tightly onto Nazgog's other thick muscle-bound arm.
Following the scent, Mina locates a human corpse half-buried within the underbrush. His muddy common clothes are torn and raked with claws marks. There are peck holes where crows have been scavenging the body. Mina notices a crumpled envelope held within his hand. Upon investigation, large scratches are etched deeply into the ground surrounding him. As the party investigates the mauled body, Mina reads the letter that states the Burgomaster's daughter, Ireena Kolyana, has been bitten by a vampire and that the good peoples of the world should encircle this realm and give it up for dead. Finding nothing else of value, the party traces back through the Svalich Woods to find their narrow path heading west.
Several hours later, the sun begins to wane hidden behind thick clouds. The party sees a mountain in the distance with a castle perched on a crag projecting a large dark shadow on the trail ahead. Within the gloom of this shadow, a small, decrepit village rises from the plains. As the party approaches the village, Sticky runs ahead to scout as the fog from the forest begins to creep in from behind the party.
The muddy ground gives way to slick, wet cobbled stone as tall shapes loom up from the shadows. Buildings are ill-repaired and windows are boarded. Sticky can see the mists swirling at the end of a long narrow street with no sound or sign of life. Turning right at a break in the buildings, two kids stand within the roadway. One silent and glum, the other whimpering softly. Sticky heads back toward the party as the last light of the sun dies. As the mists silently inch closer, the party enters the town and turn northward toward the children. The older girl, shushes the younger boy then greets the party "There's a monster in our house!" while pointing to a tall brick row house with a gated portico as it's entrance.
The party, suspicious of these children, question which house and what kind of monster, but the children are too young to have any real details. They do reveal that the monster is within the basement and that they hear it's terrible howls. They also know that there is another brother, a baby, in the third floor nursery. They refuse to enter the house until the monster is gone.
Sticky quickly scouts the perimeter of the house and finds that the only entrance is the door on the portico. All other windows have been barred on the ground and subsequent floors. As he completes his circuit, the mist has encircled the house leaving only the yard visible and feels like the mist is pushing you inside as it continues to encroach upon you.
The group, with Jagger hanging back, pushes at the gates of the portico and hear the long, wailing shriek of the rusty hinges protesting the unexpected activity. Nazgog steps into the portico and opens the large double doors to the house revealing a foyer with a shield emblazoned by a golden windmill on a red field hanging on the wall to the right. Flanking the shield are two portraits of stony-faced aristocrats. Across the room are a set of double doors set with panes of stained glass.
Proceeding through the foyer, Nazgog enters the main hall of the house that runs north-south with a grand staircase on the southern wall. A black marble fireplace dominates the northern wall with a longsword mounted above it. At first glance the walls of this hall are ornately sculpted with flower vines and nymphs, but upon closer inspection images of serpents and skulls are woven into those designs. Nazgog inspects the longsword noting that the hilt has a windmill cameo worked into it.
The party then heads through a vestibule in the southeast corner into a kitchen and pantry area. Exploring the kitchen reveals a tidy area with dishware and cookware stacked neatly on shelves, as well as a fully stocked pantry, and a dumbwaiter that moves between floors.
Not finding anything of note, the party moves back into the main hall and then heads through the due east door revealing a wood-paneled dining room. A carved mahogany table surrounded by eight ornately carved high-backed chairs as well as a crystal chandelier hanging above it. At first glance, the walls depict deer among trees, but closer inspection reveals darkly twisted faces within the trees and wolves lurking within the foliage. A mahogany-framed painting of an alpine vale hangs above the hearth. Not finding anything of interest, the party returns to the main hall.
Entering the western door, the party explores an oak-paneled room that resembles a hunter's den. A fireplace occupies the southern wall with a stag's head mounted above it. Three stuffed wolves are positioned around the outskirts of this room. There are two padded chairs draped in animals skins facing the fireplace. Along the east wall is a cabinet with another on the north wall.
Jagger hugs close to Nazgog stating, "I know what happens next, those stuffed wolves are going to attack!"
Sticky moves to pick the locks on the north wall, but finds it already unlocked and containing only a deck of playing cards. While this occurs, Nazgog moves to the eastern cabinet and yanks the doors off the cabinet revealing several crossbows. A more intense inspection reveals nothing else within the room so the party once again returns to the main hall, without the stuffed wolves coming to life, and ascends the grand staircase.
The second floor's main hall has unlit oil lamps mounted upon the walls and a fireplace at the far end. Above the fireplace's mantel, a wood-framed portrait hangs displaying two children that resemble Rose and Thorn, as well as an adult male and a female holding a baby in her arms which she regards with scorn. Standing suits of armor flank doors leading west and east. The hall's paneling has engravings of dancing youths, but like other walls within this house a closer inspection reveals that the youths are actually fighting off bats.
Opening the door located on the stairs' landing in the southeast corner, the party looks upon a small room whose closet contains servant uniforms hanging neatly from hooks. After searching the room, the party returns to the main hall.
Opening the double doors on the eastern wall, the party enters a library with red velvet curtains, mahogany desk, overstuffed chairs, and floor-to-ceiling bookcases. Sticky searches the desk and it's drawers, recovering several writing implements as well as an iron key within a drawer. Meanwhile, Morgana explores the bookshelves on the southern wall. As she reviews the book titles, she notices a fake book and pulls on it which causes the entire section to swing open revealing a hidden room. The bookcase section begins to close as Morgana scurries into the room. Jagger quickly props the section open as Morgana approaches a dead body with three darts in it that's wedged into a chest. Within the hands of this nameless adventurer is a letter from Countess Strahd Von Zarovich that denounces a servant. Jagger reviews the books within this hidden chamber discovering they contain necromantic rituals from the Priests of Osybus. Moving the dead body aside, Morgana pulls several books and papers out of the chest. The party returns to the hall after ensuring that the library had nothing else interesting.
The party then enters the western room. Gossamer drapes cover the windows of this elegant hall which has a brass chandelier hanging from the ceiling and upholstered chairs lining the walls. A harpsichord rests in the northwest corner and a harp stands in front of a fireplace in the south. Above the fireplace inspection of dancing alabaster figures reveals several to be skeletons.
Nazgog leads the party to the third floor. A suit of black plate armor animates and advances as Nazgog steps onto the balcony. The party quickly crowds onto the balcony surrounding the armor. With a mighty heave, Nazgog sweeps her great sword through the armor watching as it separates exposing black mists within it. The armor begins to coalesce back into form when Sticky rams his daggers into the gap of the armor. The magical metal pauses. Then one solitary gauntlet tilts and falls away before the rest of the pieces follow by crashing downward in a heap.
Examining the balcony, oil lamps are mounted on oak-paneled walls that are carved with woodland scenes of trees, falling leaves, and tiny critters. Closer inspection reveals like other walls that the scene hides horror within it. Corpses hang from the trees and the worms are bursting up through the ground. Finding nothing else of interest, the party opens the small door to the north revealing a storage closet.
Dusty shelves line the walls. Some of these shelves hold neatly folding sheets, blankets, bars of soap, and other cleaners. At the end of the room an old broom lies upright against the wall.
"Stand back," states Fidelia as she summons the arcane energies causing a gust of wind to blow against the broom and knocking it to the ground. She shrugs, "I'm sure that broom will attack us."
Morgana moves forward toward the broom as it does indeed begin to rise from the floor to attack the party. The broom doesn't last long before it collapses into splinters on the closet floor.
The party debates heading west, but instead heads east into an alcove and then into a bath house. This dark room contains a wooden bathtub with claw feet, a stove with a kettle on it, and a spigot above a barrel. The party forces the spigot open, but it appears to be broken long ago as only dust floats out.
Heading through the double-doors, inset with stained glass depictions of windmills, across the alcove, the party enters the master bedroom. The four-poster bed with embroidered curtains dominates the room. Off to the south holds a vanity with a jewelry box that Sticky quickly investigates finding rings and other jewelry. Morgana opens a door to reveal a dust-choked closet. And Jagger admires a portrait of the parents, Elisabeth and Gustav Durst. Finding no other clues within this room or it's outside balcony, the party heads back past the grand staircase for the remaining door in the west.
Dust and cobwebs shroud this elegantly appointed bedroom. The party quickly searches the large bed and two end tables. Jagger points toward the single door leading north and says, "I'm not touching that door. This place is haunted and I don't want to find out what's in there."
Nazgog snorts, "Puny human. Nazgog not afraid of door!" and as she twists the knob, a terrified skeletally-thin lady appears. Her mouth opens in a silent anguished scream as the specter sucks life away from Nazgog. The party quickly retaliates against the apparition, weakening it until it dissolves away.
Nazgog enters a nursery containing a crib with a black shroud hanging above it. Parting the shroud, Nazgog picks up tightly wrapped baby-sized bundle and slowly begins to unwrap it. The first layer of cloth peels away. She removes the next layer. And again she peels away the cloth revealing nothing but air. There isn't anything within the bundle. Breathing a sigh of relief the party searches the room and finds a secret door behind a mirror in the bedroom.
Opening the secret door, the party enters a narrow hallway with stairs leading upward into the attic. Moving through the door at the top of the stairs reveals an empty hall choked with dust and cobwebs. Using the key from the library's hidden chamber, the party enters through the double-doors leading east. This children's room contains a bricked-up window flanked by two beds sized for children. In addition, there is a toy chest painted with windmills in front of one bed and a doll house that is a perfect replica of this haunted house. Lying between are the bones two small skeletons.
Sticky searches the toy chest revealing several stuffed animals and toys.
Meanwhile, Fidelia reaches into the dollhouse in an effort to see if the doll house controls the actual house.
Rose and Thorn appear. "Those are mine," states Thorn "Please don't play with them." While Rose says, "Don't touch our things. You might break them."
"I won't break your lovely doll house," responds Fidelia. "Why were you locked here?"
"Our mum and dad," answers Rose, "wanted to keep us safe from the monster in the basement. We haven't seen them since then."
"How do we get into the basement?" asks Jagger.
Rose pointing into the doll house states, "There's a secret door in the attic that'll take you down. Are you leaving us?"
"We wouldn't leave," states Jagger, "we just need to find the monster so it won't hurt anyone."
"We're terribly lonely here." cries Thorn. "Please stay with us."
Nazgog and Morgana walk toward the double-doors and the children fly through them as they go back into the attic hall.
"Why'd you do that?" asks Jagger.
"We hate being alone," both children cry, "Please stay with us."
Sticky also moves toward the exit as the party watches Thorn fly into him and disappear. Sticky cries, "I'm scared! What are we even doing?"
The party quickly explores the spare bedroom to the west of the hall. It contains a bed and a windowsill with a smiling doll in a yellow dress. Sticky whines about how scary the doll is as the party crosses the attic hall once again to enter another spare bedroom that has several cobwebs.
The party enters the last room in the attic discovering a storage room filled with various furniture covered with old blankets. Searching the room, the party finds a trunk that contains the skeletal remains of a nursemaid. They then move through a secret door that reveals stairs that circle down through each floor of the house with Sticky whining about everything as they descend.
Rewards Granted
Deck of Playing Cards
Heavy Crossbow with 20 bolts
Light Crossbow with 20 bolts
Hand Crossbow with 20 bolts
Oil lamp
jar of ink and quill pen
tinderbox
Writing kit containing: a red wax candle, four sheets of parchment, and a wooden seal bearing Durst's family isignia (a windmill)
3 Spell scrolls (rm 9)
3 blank leather-bound books
Deed to the house
Deed to a Windmill
Will bequeathing all to Rose and Thorn
Jewelry box made of silver (75gp)
3 gold rings (25gp ea)
platinum necklace with topaz pendant (750 gp)
Heavy Crossbow with 20 bolts
Light Crossbow with 20 bolts
Hand Crossbow with 20 bolts
Oil lamp
jar of ink and quill pen
tinderbox
Writing kit containing: a red wax candle, four sheets of parchment, and a wooden seal bearing Durst's family isignia (a windmill)
3 Spell scrolls (rm 9)
3 blank leather-bound books
Deed to the house
Deed to a Windmill
Will bequeathing all to Rose and Thorn
Jewelry box made of silver (75gp)
3 gold rings (25gp ea)
platinum necklace with topaz pendant (750 gp)
Missions/Quests Completed
90xp/person (Fidelia and Jagger get double XP)
