4714 June (Continued)
Evangeline would like harvested parts from hybrid magical animals.
Week 2
Nisha talks with Leanna about going to visit Ravenmoor since there taxes are missing and the investigator she sent there has not returned. He might not be the most reliable person, but he should have returned. Elias Kyle is the missing collector .
Before we go though, Alexi and Gilain we put Donovan Stormfist, one of the leaders of the underworld factions up on charges and we were going to hang him. The morning he was going to be hung, he was found stabbed dead in his cell.
We approach the Shrine and have 'Speak with Dead'.
- Why would someone kill you before you were executed? - Answer: I don't know
- Was he receiving cash from infusions from outside the kingdom? - Answer: No
- Where would his bandit group use as a rally point be? Answer: <location provided>
His body is carried through town and buried in the graveyard.
We charter a large fishing ship to take us all to Ravenmoor. It takes a few days to arrive.
Person's of Interest
- Elias Kyle - Missing Tax Investigator
- Andreti Kriegler - Town Mayor
- Leondar Kriegler - Mayor's brother
- Skinder - Crooked backed man - gruff personality - 60's
- Ornigaard Korzha - boy and his pet Stirge "Applesauce"
- Vioric Korzha - Onrigaard's father
It's about 11am when we arrive. The stone pier is still ruined, but it does have some wooden crude dock. There is a ferry skiff there and a ferry house.
We meet old man Skinder at the dock. He tries to shoo us off as Traders, but we explain who were are. He points us to tallest building is the mayors house. He becomes upset when seeing Oksana. We talk about it a bit and then Kaiden asks Stasja if it's okay for Oksana to guard the boat.
Have you seen Elias Kyle? Showed up about a week back. Doesn't know where he went.
Did he leave? Points to a skull on the shack. Maybe the water wolf got him? Unusual sized skull on the ferry shack wall.
The wolf in the water will prey on anything that goes into it. It's been seen eating the guts of children.
How long has it been going on? They were aware of it shortly after they arrived.
We make our way towards the Mayor's house. Crossing a grassy field, Alexi hears a little boy calling to Applesauce, here boy and the grass moving near the party.
Encounter
- Applesauce - domesticated stirge?
- Boy
The boy asks if we are hear for the Festival. It's a Desna's festival. His name is Ornigaard. Huzsa. He leads us to his dad.
How did he get such an unusual pet? He's not unusual. He raised him.
His house is a small simple dwelling. The father comes out. Build of someone that farmed all his life.
Vioric Korzha is his name. Chides Ornigaard then sends him inside. The founders festival is tonight. Bonfire.
Asking him about Elias Kyle - stayed the night and left the next day about a week ago. Had the taxes before he left. Kaiden senses he may know a bit more. There was a little rumor going around that maybe he was planning to head south.
What about the unusual pet? If they are raised right, they are nice.
He offers to escort us over to the Mayor. Two story manor house on a hill overlooking the town.
The town center is less than a dozen buildings. Have a trading post, but no inn. The manor is the largest building in town.
There is a burly man working near the town center. Handy man that works the area. He moves into the path and addresses Vioric Korzha about us. His name is Leonard and is the brother of Andretti.
He welcomes us and we go in. His table seats six. He gets us refreshments. He takes better care of himself.
Kaiden offers his condolences on the loss of his mother Iola. Then we talk about the taxes. They sent the taxes in several weeks back and then collected again what they could to send in when Elias Kyle showed up with the proper documents.
Though the investigation is important, can we hold off until after the Festival tonight. We could take the opportunity to get to the know the villagers tonight and there will be activities.
He would like to register a complaint against Elias Kyle. When he arrived, he alienated the villagers, ordered them around. He was here for a day and a half.
Nisha and Kaiden say that behaviour was unacceptable. Nisha makes assurances that the next collector will be respectful.
Andretti is looking for us to provide rooms at his manor and around the town.
As it's a festival, we all won't be wearing armor. We will wait up here and he'll send a runner up when it's time for the Festival.
Oewyn investigates the area around the manor for signs of fresh tilled earth (graves). He finds a marked grave "Amanda" - wife.
We occupy ourselves for a bit until the Desnan Festival begins. (around 3pm)
- Festival Ground
- Weaver
- Physic/Barber
- Smithy
Festival Games
- Dreamer's Leap - Jump a bonfire
- Falling Stars - Box with Starknives - Founder Iola carried them - set up ranges
- Raven Fights - 8 ravens - put bets on them to win - Clawfoot (Kaiden/Winner), Foolscap, Grizzle, Snap Haunce, Greedy Guts, Soot, Vinegar Tom, Worm Wart
- Three Legged Race - Oewyn and Alexi win (Kaiden and Andreti come in second with a photo finish)
- Greased Pig - Nisha, Oewyn and Kaiden participate
As the Pig is grappled by Kaiden, the pig goes limp and stops breathing. Something bursts forth from it.
Combat
We destroy it, but in the process one of the wounds inflicted on Oewyn had a plant spore spawn in it and encase him. He tears our the plant spore. Mayor Andretti directs people to get rid of the pig corpse and for someone else to bring another pig.
They crowd had disgust, but weren't surprised. Seems this happens from time to time.
Markeesh things it's a planar phenomena. An infection, a seed. Leanna examines the body. They try burning it and then after a half hour through it into the lake.
We then get the festivities going again. We sit with the mayors group. They have some exotic foods.
Some of us try all the dishes, some of us do not. Alexi realizes some of the leaves mixed in the salad are Flay Leaf - a hallucinogenic narcotic. He inquires about the Flay Leaf - it encourages visions (for the Dreaming Lady - Desna). Stasja knows it is a common use for Desna worshipers.
After the last dish made it's first circuit and people are settling in to eating and having conversation. The Mayor stands up and calls for attention to several new arrivals. A few families are escorting three young girls in white and with elaborate braids. The young girls circulate amongst the groups. It's a local custom - the three girls are candidates to be the Queen of the Founders Feast.
It's based on how well they doing in recounting some stories from history.
The girl singled out is named Shel as the Queen. (17 ish in age). Has wonderlust and a bit of other lust in her heart. Alexi directs her attentions to Oewyn.
At the end of the Festival, they break down the festival very quickly.
The Dream Tender's particular active (Desna title). Villager's will burn a Flay Leaf fetish to enhance dreams.
- Shel will bypass that and go for a walk with Oewyn and Valkyrie.
- Kaiden will be staying with Vioric Korzha.
- Nisha is with one of the families from the three legged race.
- Gilain is with the Barber's family.
- Stasja is with the general store's body.
- Alexi, Leanna and Oewyn will be staying with the Mayor.
After lights out, Alexi goes out to case the Mayor's house for anything of interest.
Painting - Voice from behind him - Leonard - Alexi was straightening it out. Alexi then has a conversation with Leonard. After the discussion, he goes with Leonard to talk with the Ferryman Skinder, but leaves a secret message on Leanna's door (Ferry).
Oewyn goes for a walk with Shel down to the beach landing. It takes 2 hours to get there. At the bottom, of the path down to the beach, he is ambushed by some people wielding sickles. After defeating them, he takes their masks off. None of them are distinctive, but are dressed like villagers. Do you recognize them? Davis - works at the Mill. Recognizes the others too. He takes one of the masks. Asks her if she knows what is going on. She notes that there are people that work in the shadows in night. Not sure why.
Each one has 2 vials. (8 vials)
Oeywn plans to head back to town and not comment on the fight to the villagers and see who comments on missing people.
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