Life as a monster hunter is dangerous, unpleasant work, but those who survive it do so with wealth and fame. Venatori of the Silver Guard work on a contract basis, and divide themselves into different Schools of training. This campaign follows three brand new Venatori as they start their working lives, day by day, contract by contract.
Characters
Svart Klør
"Svart grew up in Varanas his entire life and longed to set out on his own adventures, just like his mother. He spent time helping his father, Kunst, an unskilled fighter, but a brilliant craftsman. When he wasn’t helping his father, his mother, Vakker, trained him vigorously. She’s a well known hunter from the school of Wolf. She trained Svart to fight with nothing but his own two hands. Because of this training, it was rare for him to ever draw a weapon, and when he did it was usually a claw like blade or studded glove. She told many stories about how her squadmates were disarmed and died in the field because they had no weapon which to fight with. During his training with his mother he discovered that he had an ability to use magic, the first in his family to demonstrate such ability. A novice in terms of magic, but quick to learn when focused. When the time came to choose a school, he was a legacy for the Wolves. More than anything, he wants to leave the keep and experience the stories his mother shared with him of hunting monsters and seeing far off places."
Svart specializes in: Claw weapons, martial arts, earth magic, magical traps, Divination, sigils, Disarms, Conjuring.
Sponsored mentor: Aatu Tuamola
"Svart grew up in Varanas his entire life and longed to set out on his own adventures, just like his mother. He spent time helping his father, Kunst, an unskilled fighter, but a brilliant craftsman. When he wasn’t helping his father, his mother, Vakker, trained him vigorously. She’s a well known hunter from the school of Wolf. She trained Svart to fight with nothing but his own two hands. Because of this training, it was rare for him to ever draw a weapon, and when he did it was usually a claw like blade or studded glove. She told many stories about how her squadmates were disarmed and died in the field because they had no weapon which to fight with. During his training with his mother he discovered that he had an ability to use magic, the first in his family to demonstrate such ability. A novice in terms of magic, but quick to learn when focused. When the time came to choose a school, he was a legacy for the Wolves. More than anything, he wants to leave the keep and experience the stories his mother shared with him of hunting monsters and seeing far off places."
Svart specializes in: Claw weapons, martial arts, earth magic, magical traps, Divination, sigils, Disarms, Conjuring.
Sponsored mentor: Aatu Tuamola
Forråde Bjørnnson
"Forråde grew up in a family of four, with an older brother and father who were part of the School of the Bear. His father and brother were very close, always training together, while Forråde preferred to sneak off into the woods by himself. After faltering attempts with his father's broadsword, he switched to daggers and found a passion for fast combat, natural medicine, and - to the great displeasure of his family - a strong interest in the Cat School. His family is 4th generation Bear School, and his decision to go a different direction and join the Cat School is a serious breach of unspoken tradition."
Forråde specializes in: Daggers, short bow. Very good with natural raw materials, potions and poisons.
"Forråde grew up in a family of four, with an older brother and father who were part of the School of the Bear. His father and brother were very close, always training together, while Forråde preferred to sneak off into the woods by himself. After faltering attempts with his father's broadsword, he switched to daggers and found a passion for fast combat, natural medicine, and - to the great displeasure of his family - a strong interest in the Cat School. His family is 4th generation Bear School, and his decision to go a different direction and join the Cat School is a serious breach of unspoken tradition."
Forråde specializes in: Daggers, short bow. Very good with natural raw materials, potions and poisons.
Anna Elíasdóttir
"Anna's parents and grandparents are all members of the Cat School, and have devoted their lives to serving the School. Although they are retired now, they insisted that she receive the finest and most thorough training available. They hand-picked her instructors, teachers, and magical mentors even before her abilities developed. For her, being something other than a Venator of the Cat School was simply not an option, regardless of any opinion she had on the matter. She hopes to break away from her family's expectations and find her own path. Despite this, Anna has enjoyed her time with the Cats so far, especially the School library."
Anna specializes in: Short spear, bows, short swords. Affinity for wind and weather magic.
Sponsored mentor: Anton Fridfinnursson
"Anna's parents and grandparents are all members of the Cat School, and have devoted their lives to serving the School. Although they are retired now, they insisted that she receive the finest and most thorough training available. They hand-picked her instructors, teachers, and magical mentors even before her abilities developed. For her, being something other than a Venator of the Cat School was simply not an option, regardless of any opinion she had on the matter. She hopes to break away from her family's expectations and find her own path. Despite this, Anna has enjoyed her time with the Cats so far, especially the School library."
Anna specializes in: Short spear, bows, short swords. Affinity for wind and weather magic.
Sponsored mentor: Anton Fridfinnursson
Noteworthy Characters
Act 1:
Session 1:
Day 1: Varanas
Svart, Forråde, and Anna, (the Player Characters, or PCs) are sent by their various Den Leaders to the Venatori offices in the upper city. The PCs meet for the first time in the hallway outside Sergeant Goran Torvik's office. Torvik, a veteran Venator retired from field work, explains that the three of them are there because of a new team-building strategy passed down from the Ordo Iudex. The Judges want to reduce the disharmony between Venatori Schools and cut down on loner behavior, and the three PCs are all ready for assignment at the same time, so they are being grouped up during their Novice period. Torvik gives them Novice Brooches, a dog-eared copy of the Bestiary, and a folder of contracts sent from the village of Hvarf.
Hvarf is a tiny community to the South, no more than thirty or so people, on the edge of the bog, where the Varanas efforts to make the land arable currently ends. The residents are subsistence farmers, barely hanging on, but like most Nurmites they refused to move or accept Silver Guard help. Torvik openly admits that the assignment is boring, probably false alarms or necrophages, and the locals will probably hate them, but the new kids need something easy to cut their teeth on. Travelling to Hvarf takes about a day and a half. The PCs camp for the night along the way without incident.
Day 2: Hvarf
Arriving in Hvarf, the PCs stop at the only significant structure, which turns out to be a tavern of sorts. There, they meet several locals and a self-proclaimed 'mayor,' Otto, who helps them get their pending contacts sorted out. They waste no time getting to work.
Contract: Witchery - The PCs investigate the suspicious disappearance of a local man. The contract holder, Harald Lillegard, believes his brother Idar was bewitched by a local witch who recently moved into a hut at the edge of town. Idar was last seen visiting the witch, with whom the locals suspect Idar was consorting. However, no one is comfortable crossing into her property, marked by a garden of flowers. They’ve thrown rocks, but haven’t seen any movement, and they fear spells may protect the house. The PCs investigate, and find no protective spells or traps, but do discover a hidden passage which leads to a small basement. In that basement they discover the bodies of Idar and the local woman, devoured by a small Basilisk, which the PCs defeat. It appeared that the local woman may have been attempting to raise the beast, unsuccessfully. The PCs bring Harald and Otto the Mayor to identify the bodies. However, due to a miscommunication, the only reward the PCs receive is a hearty dinner at Harald's house. Luckily, they were wise enough to recognize the value of Basilisk hide.
Reward Obtained: Dinner and Basilisk leather.
Contract: No one likes Fred - Fred slipped a letter into the pile bound for Varanas, claiming that witches had bewitched the town into hating him. As it turns out, Fred is the town drunk and no one in town likes him anyway, regardless of witches. The PCs pity him, but ultimately choose to ignore him. Not all contracts are worth their time.
Reward Obtained: Nothing.
Contract: Children of the Fog - Otto the Mayor tells the story behind his contract request: Two local children recently went missing in the swamp. The families organized a search party, but they lost one of the people from the party in the thick fog, and pulled back to send for help. The locals believe there is an evil practitioner out there, stealing people for evil spells. Otto points out the area of the bog they were searching, but doesn’t have any more information. He offered to pay two whole emeralds if the children were returned alive, pooled from village funds. The PCs searched the area, and quickly located the Foglet nest they suspected from the start. Setting an ambush, they managed to kill the Foglet after a brutal fight. Unfortunately, the children and search party member were long since dead. The PCs returned to Otto with the head of the Foglet, and he compensated them for their efforts reasonably.
Reward Obtained: 40 slats for the Foglet head.
Day 1: Varanas
Svart, Forråde, and Anna, (the Player Characters, or PCs) are sent by their various Den Leaders to the Venatori offices in the upper city. The PCs meet for the first time in the hallway outside Sergeant Goran Torvik's office. Torvik, a veteran Venator retired from field work, explains that the three of them are there because of a new team-building strategy passed down from the Ordo Iudex. The Judges want to reduce the disharmony between Venatori Schools and cut down on loner behavior, and the three PCs are all ready for assignment at the same time, so they are being grouped up during their Novice period. Torvik gives them Novice Brooches, a dog-eared copy of the Bestiary, and a folder of contracts sent from the village of Hvarf.
Hvarf is a tiny community to the South, no more than thirty or so people, on the edge of the bog, where the Varanas efforts to make the land arable currently ends. The residents are subsistence farmers, barely hanging on, but like most Nurmites they refused to move or accept Silver Guard help. Torvik openly admits that the assignment is boring, probably false alarms or necrophages, and the locals will probably hate them, but the new kids need something easy to cut their teeth on. Travelling to Hvarf takes about a day and a half. The PCs camp for the night along the way without incident.
Day 2: Hvarf
Arriving in Hvarf, the PCs stop at the only significant structure, which turns out to be a tavern of sorts. There, they meet several locals and a self-proclaimed 'mayor,' Otto, who helps them get their pending contacts sorted out. They waste no time getting to work.
Contract: Witchery - The PCs investigate the suspicious disappearance of a local man. The contract holder, Harald Lillegard, believes his brother Idar was bewitched by a local witch who recently moved into a hut at the edge of town. Idar was last seen visiting the witch, with whom the locals suspect Idar was consorting. However, no one is comfortable crossing into her property, marked by a garden of flowers. They’ve thrown rocks, but haven’t seen any movement, and they fear spells may protect the house. The PCs investigate, and find no protective spells or traps, but do discover a hidden passage which leads to a small basement. In that basement they discover the bodies of Idar and the local woman, devoured by a small Basilisk, which the PCs defeat. It appeared that the local woman may have been attempting to raise the beast, unsuccessfully. The PCs bring Harald and Otto the Mayor to identify the bodies. However, due to a miscommunication, the only reward the PCs receive is a hearty dinner at Harald's house. Luckily, they were wise enough to recognize the value of Basilisk hide.
Reward Obtained: Dinner and Basilisk leather.
Contract: No one likes Fred - Fred slipped a letter into the pile bound for Varanas, claiming that witches had bewitched the town into hating him. As it turns out, Fred is the town drunk and no one in town likes him anyway, regardless of witches. The PCs pity him, but ultimately choose to ignore him. Not all contracts are worth their time.
Reward Obtained: Nothing.
Contract: Children of the Fog - Otto the Mayor tells the story behind his contract request: Two local children recently went missing in the swamp. The families organized a search party, but they lost one of the people from the party in the thick fog, and pulled back to send for help. The locals believe there is an evil practitioner out there, stealing people for evil spells. Otto points out the area of the bog they were searching, but doesn’t have any more information. He offered to pay two whole emeralds if the children were returned alive, pooled from village funds. The PCs searched the area, and quickly located the Foglet nest they suspected from the start. Setting an ambush, they managed to kill the Foglet after a brutal fight. Unfortunately, the children and search party member were long since dead. The PCs returned to Otto with the head of the Foglet, and he compensated them for their efforts reasonably.
Reward Obtained: 40 slats for the Foglet head.
Session 2:
Day 3: Hvarf
After recovering from their injuries during the Foglet fight, the PCs finish up their remaining contacts.
Contact: Goodbye Felicia - The PCs go the farmhouse of Olav Wold, who had reported that his wife had been killed by monsters, and had offered a bounty per monster head. Olav is a deeply unpleasant person, but the PCs hold their tongues on account of his wife. Olav had been selling turnips in the market one day, and came back to find his wife Felicia dead, and the house in disarray. Food and some valuables were missing, but the damage to his wife's body and the tracks around the house convinced everyone that the issue was monsters rather than robbers. Olav leads them to a nearby field where the monsters have nested. There, the PCs battle a small collection of ghouls, and although the fight goes awry more than once, the PCs manage to purge the monsters and their nest with a few well-cast spells, precise bow work, and judicious use of fire. They collect 7 heads, some jewelry from the nest, and after returning to Olav, earn a total of 56 slats for their efforts, although Olav seems, if anything, even more unpleasant.
Reward Obtained: 56 slats, two copper rings, a silver necklace, and an old rusted sword.
Contract: Swamp Things - The PCs then travel, bloody and tired, to the home of Roy Sagen, a cheerful fellow who recently lost some of his cows to monsters. He shows them the corpses of his two favorite cows (Bessie and Angus), which show obvious signs of monster attack, and then leads them to shores of the nearby lake where he found the cows. There, the PCs are able to discern and track the monsters back to their lair in the reedy shallows of the lake. While attempting to ambush the monsters, identified as Drowners, the PCs themselves are ambushed, but manage to survive and purge another nest successfully. Forråde, however, spares a pair of Drowner eggs, seeing some potential advantage in the future. When the PCs return to tell Roy of their success, they find him barricaded in his house, with the full payment waiting outside for them. He seems frightened of them suddenly, and the PCs leave confused and nervous.
Reward Obtained: 50 slats
Upon returning to the inn, the PCs find that the town has gathered into a mob, incited by Olav, who witnessed their display of magic in his field. Now, the PCs stand accused of colluding with monsters, witches, and even killing the village children themselves. Rather than escalate the conflict or simply flee, the PCs decide to negotiate, reminding everyone of their fairness and honest dealings since their arrival. Otto and Harald both speak on their behalf, and the mob backs down, begrudgingly. Their contracts complete, the PCs do not linger any longer in Hvarf.
Day 4: Varanas
After travelling and camping overnight, the PCs make it back to Varanas mid-morning and immediately report to Sgt. Torvik. He is reasonably pleased with their progress, but reminds them that in the future, there will be percentages due to the Guard and their School, usually waived for first-timers. He hands them contact packages for two communities: The small bakers town of Karsten, and Benek, a wealthier community that revolves around their granary. The PCs lean towards Karsten’s contracts first.
After leaving Torvik’s office, they are confronted by Inquisitor Jondora Torsdottir, who challenges them on the situation on Hvarf: So many contracts mentioning witches, and accusations of the PCs being accomplices has drawn her attention. They withstand her focus and quickly leave.
With some money in their pockets, they decide to visit Breioarsandr’s Weapons & Armor Emporium, commonly known as The Armory.
In The Armory, a massive, bustling, superstore of combat implements, the PCs sell off their Basilisk leather and make a deal for future skins with Kveldulf, master leatherworker and taxidermist, and Forråde meets the Phamagician, Bjalki Bjalfission, who helps equip Forråde for future herbalism and potion-making. The PCs look through racks of armor and weapons spread throughout the multi-story building, but their earnings are a bit too light so far.
On their way out, they meet Henrick, a nervous Scribe, who is petitioning Venatori (or Venatori in training) to help with his research projects. He wants to answer questions of monster biology, reproduction, dietary and social habits, but most Venatori are only interested in killing monsters, not studying them, and he is on the verge of losing his research grant. The PCs take pity and offer to help, and Forråde finally finds a use for his Drowner eggs.
Lastly, the PCs spend the evening conversing either in person or via correspondence with their Den Leaders, each privately, and make preparations for another round of contracts.
Day 3: Hvarf
After recovering from their injuries during the Foglet fight, the PCs finish up their remaining contacts.
Contact: Goodbye Felicia - The PCs go the farmhouse of Olav Wold, who had reported that his wife had been killed by monsters, and had offered a bounty per monster head. Olav is a deeply unpleasant person, but the PCs hold their tongues on account of his wife. Olav had been selling turnips in the market one day, and came back to find his wife Felicia dead, and the house in disarray. Food and some valuables were missing, but the damage to his wife's body and the tracks around the house convinced everyone that the issue was monsters rather than robbers. Olav leads them to a nearby field where the monsters have nested. There, the PCs battle a small collection of ghouls, and although the fight goes awry more than once, the PCs manage to purge the monsters and their nest with a few well-cast spells, precise bow work, and judicious use of fire. They collect 7 heads, some jewelry from the nest, and after returning to Olav, earn a total of 56 slats for their efforts, although Olav seems, if anything, even more unpleasant.
Reward Obtained: 56 slats, two copper rings, a silver necklace, and an old rusted sword.
Contract: Swamp Things - The PCs then travel, bloody and tired, to the home of Roy Sagen, a cheerful fellow who recently lost some of his cows to monsters. He shows them the corpses of his two favorite cows (Bessie and Angus), which show obvious signs of monster attack, and then leads them to shores of the nearby lake where he found the cows. There, the PCs are able to discern and track the monsters back to their lair in the reedy shallows of the lake. While attempting to ambush the monsters, identified as Drowners, the PCs themselves are ambushed, but manage to survive and purge another nest successfully. Forråde, however, spares a pair of Drowner eggs, seeing some potential advantage in the future. When the PCs return to tell Roy of their success, they find him barricaded in his house, with the full payment waiting outside for them. He seems frightened of them suddenly, and the PCs leave confused and nervous.
Reward Obtained: 50 slats
Upon returning to the inn, the PCs find that the town has gathered into a mob, incited by Olav, who witnessed their display of magic in his field. Now, the PCs stand accused of colluding with monsters, witches, and even killing the village children themselves. Rather than escalate the conflict or simply flee, the PCs decide to negotiate, reminding everyone of their fairness and honest dealings since their arrival. Otto and Harald both speak on their behalf, and the mob backs down, begrudgingly. Their contracts complete, the PCs do not linger any longer in Hvarf.
Day 4: Varanas
After travelling and camping overnight, the PCs make it back to Varanas mid-morning and immediately report to Sgt. Torvik. He is reasonably pleased with their progress, but reminds them that in the future, there will be percentages due to the Guard and their School, usually waived for first-timers. He hands them contact packages for two communities: The small bakers town of Karsten, and Benek, a wealthier community that revolves around their granary. The PCs lean towards Karsten’s contracts first.
After leaving Torvik’s office, they are confronted by Inquisitor Jondora Torsdottir, who challenges them on the situation on Hvarf: So many contracts mentioning witches, and accusations of the PCs being accomplices has drawn her attention. They withstand her focus and quickly leave.
With some money in their pockets, they decide to visit Breioarsandr’s Weapons & Armor Emporium, commonly known as The Armory.
In The Armory, a massive, bustling, superstore of combat implements, the PCs sell off their Basilisk leather and make a deal for future skins with Kveldulf, master leatherworker and taxidermist, and Forråde meets the Phamagician, Bjalki Bjalfission, who helps equip Forråde for future herbalism and potion-making. The PCs look through racks of armor and weapons spread throughout the multi-story building, but their earnings are a bit too light so far.
On their way out, they meet Henrick, a nervous Scribe, who is petitioning Venatori (or Venatori in training) to help with his research projects. He wants to answer questions of monster biology, reproduction, dietary and social habits, but most Venatori are only interested in killing monsters, not studying them, and he is on the verge of losing his research grant. The PCs take pity and offer to help, and Forråde finally finds a use for his Drowner eggs.
Lastly, the PCs spend the evening conversing either in person or via correspondence with their Den Leaders, each privately, and make preparations for another round of contracts.
Session 3:
Day 5: Varanas
The PCs set out in the morning for Karsten, enjoying the better quality of the main road in the region. The road is well used, supported with gravel, braced by trees on either side, and is a significant improvement from the muddy backroad path that brought them to and from Hvarf. The road leads to Nurmis, the nearest true city, and Karsten is in good position for overnight stops, by horseback at least. The PCs have to camp on their own about halfway, and do so that evening. Forråde spends the evening using his new herbalist kit to make his first healing poultice out of cranberries and echinacea he harvested. Svart and Anna practice their meditations.
Day 6: Road to Karsten
As they continue on towards Karsten, Forråde spots a suspicious patch of ground along the road and warns the party, but Svart ignores the warning and saunters right into a deep pit trap. Arrows fly from the trees, and the PCs find themselves caught in an ambush. Forråde exchanges arrow fire with the bandits set up in the trees, Anna battles axe-wielders, and Svart fails to climb out of a hole. In the end, the group of four bandits that attacked them are killed, and Svart managed to get out of the hole in time to help finish them off, quite violently. The PCs are wise enough to take advantage of the first human looting opportunity, and get themselves some improved armor, although bloody and full of holes.
Karsten:
The village is much nicer than Hvarf: Thatched-roofed houses are gathered along the road and around a longhouse tavern, surrounded by pleasant grass plots and home gardens, with the clang of blacksmith tools in the background and fresh smells of bread on the air. Wheat fields surround the town, with scattered tree cover. The locals farm the wheat and sell it to Benek for milling on an industrial scale. The wheat they keep they use to make some very nice breads. The tavern, called the Halfway House, is warm and welcoming enough, and the blacksmith/bakery, Buns of Steel, helps the PCs repair the damaged armor they collected, but isn't interested in buying the looted weapons; those should go to Varanas.
The PCs quickly meet their first contract holder at the tavern, Helen Gunderson, who talks about her husband, who she feels has been bewitched by a local woman. Helen believes the local woman is in fact a Succubus, and the PCs promise to look into the matter. After dinner, they meet the tavern owner, another contract holder, Snorri Ronningen.
Contract: Wet Work - Snorri tells the PCs that for the past several months now, people have been disappearing after leaving his tavern, but only a very select company - only non-locals, who leave at night, and only those who leave extremely drunk. Blood and other signs of violence have been found, but the bodies don’t turn up for a few days, horribly mangled. It’s been quite some time since the last one, and Snorri is very worried about the future of his business. All the trails have gone cold, the bodies buried, and the sites of violence cleaned. Svart is quick to volunteer as bait in a trap by getting extremely drunk, but a further tactical discussion decides that Anna is the better choice. Snorri offers half payment up front, and cuts a deal for three days of housing at the tavern regardless of what they find.
Anna sauces up while Svart prepares a ritual tracking spell to help locate Anna once she wanders off into the dark night, and Forråde posts up on the roof. Anna’s wanderings take her farther out than expected, as an unpleasant sense of foreboding seeps into the two practitioners of the party. That creeping dread drives a drunken Anna to summon a magical fog around herself, just in time to reveal an invisible figure creeping up on her. It strikes before she can respond, however, and reveals a hideous, bat-like monster known as a Katakan. Forråde and Svart burst into the fight, and although the Katakan is extremely strong and fast, the fight doesn’t last long thanks to some quick use of poison by Forråde, some quick kicking tricks from Svart, and a brutal sword blow from Anna. Monstrous healing powers only help so much. The PCs behead the Katakan and deliver the news to Snorri, who is shocked and pleased enough to double their initial pay. The PCs then enjoy a well deserved night’s sleep.
Reward Obtained: 2 emeralds and three nights accommodation at the inn (worth 90 slats).
Day 5: Varanas
The PCs set out in the morning for Karsten, enjoying the better quality of the main road in the region. The road is well used, supported with gravel, braced by trees on either side, and is a significant improvement from the muddy backroad path that brought them to and from Hvarf. The road leads to Nurmis, the nearest true city, and Karsten is in good position for overnight stops, by horseback at least. The PCs have to camp on their own about halfway, and do so that evening. Forråde spends the evening using his new herbalist kit to make his first healing poultice out of cranberries and echinacea he harvested. Svart and Anna practice their meditations.
Day 6: Road to Karsten
As they continue on towards Karsten, Forråde spots a suspicious patch of ground along the road and warns the party, but Svart ignores the warning and saunters right into a deep pit trap. Arrows fly from the trees, and the PCs find themselves caught in an ambush. Forråde exchanges arrow fire with the bandits set up in the trees, Anna battles axe-wielders, and Svart fails to climb out of a hole. In the end, the group of four bandits that attacked them are killed, and Svart managed to get out of the hole in time to help finish them off, quite violently. The PCs are wise enough to take advantage of the first human looting opportunity, and get themselves some improved armor, although bloody and full of holes.
Karsten:
The village is much nicer than Hvarf: Thatched-roofed houses are gathered along the road and around a longhouse tavern, surrounded by pleasant grass plots and home gardens, with the clang of blacksmith tools in the background and fresh smells of bread on the air. Wheat fields surround the town, with scattered tree cover. The locals farm the wheat and sell it to Benek for milling on an industrial scale. The wheat they keep they use to make some very nice breads. The tavern, called the Halfway House, is warm and welcoming enough, and the blacksmith/bakery, Buns of Steel, helps the PCs repair the damaged armor they collected, but isn't interested in buying the looted weapons; those should go to Varanas.
The PCs quickly meet their first contract holder at the tavern, Helen Gunderson, who talks about her husband, who she feels has been bewitched by a local woman. Helen believes the local woman is in fact a Succubus, and the PCs promise to look into the matter. After dinner, they meet the tavern owner, another contract holder, Snorri Ronningen.
Contract: Wet Work - Snorri tells the PCs that for the past several months now, people have been disappearing after leaving his tavern, but only a very select company - only non-locals, who leave at night, and only those who leave extremely drunk. Blood and other signs of violence have been found, but the bodies don’t turn up for a few days, horribly mangled. It’s been quite some time since the last one, and Snorri is very worried about the future of his business. All the trails have gone cold, the bodies buried, and the sites of violence cleaned. Svart is quick to volunteer as bait in a trap by getting extremely drunk, but a further tactical discussion decides that Anna is the better choice. Snorri offers half payment up front, and cuts a deal for three days of housing at the tavern regardless of what they find.
Anna sauces up while Svart prepares a ritual tracking spell to help locate Anna once she wanders off into the dark night, and Forråde posts up on the roof. Anna’s wanderings take her farther out than expected, as an unpleasant sense of foreboding seeps into the two practitioners of the party. That creeping dread drives a drunken Anna to summon a magical fog around herself, just in time to reveal an invisible figure creeping up on her. It strikes before she can respond, however, and reveals a hideous, bat-like monster known as a Katakan. Forråde and Svart burst into the fight, and although the Katakan is extremely strong and fast, the fight doesn’t last long thanks to some quick use of poison by Forråde, some quick kicking tricks from Svart, and a brutal sword blow from Anna. Monstrous healing powers only help so much. The PCs behead the Katakan and deliver the news to Snorri, who is shocked and pleased enough to double their initial pay. The PCs then enjoy a well deserved night’s sleep.
Reward Obtained: 2 emeralds and three nights accommodation at the inn (worth 90 slats).
Session 4:
Day 7: Karsten
The PCs rouse themselves and sort out their remaining contracts over breakfast.
Contract: Your Home is Your Castle - The PCs visit a local mine outside of town, where foreman Ruben and his men have camped outside a subterranean site, currently blocked by a boulder. Ruben explains that while his men were excavating the site, they broke a cave wall and were attacked by a hulking creature that lived in a cavern. The survivor of the attack describes a short, wide, round creature on two legs, but it was to dark to tell much else. It killed three of his fellow miners with ease, and yelled at them to go away. The PCs recognize these signs as likely being a rock troll. Ruben offers them some money in advance for killing the beast, or at least driving it away. The miners roll the barricade aside, let the PCs in, and reseal the mine behind them.
Inside, they locate the cavern, which has been decorated in the style of a human home, with a bed, made of rock, a table with chairs, made of rock, and even cupboards, also made of rock. There, a rock troll reveals himself and demands an explanation for their intrusion. The PCs attempt diplomacy, struggling through the trolls broken and simple speech, but it turns out the troll feels he was defending his home against invaders, and that it was all just a misunderstanding. The PCs try to cut a deal - Brock (the rock troll) will help the miners in the mine if they apologize for breaking into his home. Foreman Ruben is incredulous, and angry at the idea that he apologize for the deaths of his men, but the PCs persist, and a tense meeting takes place in the daylight between the miners and the rock troll. Ruben awkwardly apologizes, and Brock casually demonstrates his ability to smell and extract silver ore. As the new alliance tentatively forms, Ruben pays the PCs and starts planning improvements to Brock's cave in exchange for more ore.
Reward Obtained: 4 emeralds
Contract: Barnstorming - Fresh from their successful negotiations, the PCs visit the farm of Ulf Lungberg, who owns the surrounding fields, and has been experiencing regular night raids by hunched, hairless monsters that break into his barn and eat the grain, after it has been threshed and winnowed. The beasts are very destructive and disorderly, but smart enough to recognize the edible grains in sacks. They come every few days, and the PCs arrived the same day he expected the next attack. He tells them to expect at least 7 or 8, and there’s a much bigger one with them as well, which Svart recognizes by description as an Alghoul. They agree on 50 slats per head and an even emerald for the Alghoul.
The PCs set themselves in defensive positions in the barn, and wait for nightfall. When the ghouls wander into the barn, the PCs strike, but struggle to manage the number of attacking ghouls. They rain arrows from the rafters, and Svart swings wildly with his claws, but the fight turns gruesome when the Alghoul tries to scale the barn and get in through the 2nd story hatch, tearing into Forråde in the process. In the end, the PCs end up in a bloody melee, cutting through a mass of bodies and taking some serious injuries, but they emerge victorious. Ulf lets them stay the night and recover at his house.
Reward Obtained: 5 emeralds
Day 8: Karsten
Still recovering from their wounds, the PCs gingerly set out to finish their remaining contact in Karsten.
Contract: The Hairy Mixup - The PCs return to the Halfway House to check in with Helen Gunderson, and dig deeper about the possible Succubus. Helen reports that her husband has been gone hunting for several days after a recent public confrontation, where she accused him of being bewitched by Gerta Ekbald, a local woman who lives on the outskirts. She suspects Gerta is, in fact, a Succubus, a goat-like monster that feeds on lust and uses magic to disguise itself. She demands the beasts head. The PCs decide to check in with other locals about the situation.
They speak to the local blacksmith, who says that Harry, Helen’s husband, has been unusually moody and sensitive lately, but most locals assume the issue is a normal affair, nothing monstrous. The PCs decide to visit Gerta and investigate for themselves.
They find that the forest near Gerta’s house is darkened and dying, and the practitioners feel ill, as if there is some evil lingering nearby. Strange tracks and markings on the trees add to their suspicious of Gerta, and they approach her cautiously. When they meet her, she appears normal, but there are holes in her story, and she seems nervous. They decide to confront her directly, and she breaks down and admits the truth - She isn’t a Succubus, but Harry has been cursed, and she has been hiding him at her home to keep the secret from the villagers. Harry has become a werewolf, and the transformations have been getting worse and more frequent. She begs the PCs not to kill him, and they take pity, and offer to help.
They prepare a cleansing ritual, which will be dangerous and involve poisoning Harry to cure him. Midway through their preparations, Harry arrives, and a tense standoff occurs. The PCs manage to convince Harry to accept the risks, and after some consulting, decide to relocate the ritual to a nearby grove that Gerta knows.
At the grove, which teems with life and warm feelings, the PCs discover a Haglkorn, likely the source of the abundance around them. With their magic bolstered, they conduct the cleansing ritual. Harry begins to transform halfway through, but the PCs have prepared well, and the curse is lifted. Harry and Gerta are extremely grateful, and insist on giving the PCs as much money as they can.
Harry explains that he had had an interaction with a mysterious practitioner in the woods a few weeks ago, when he accidentally spooked a deer into some kind of ritual, and the practitioner was angry enough to curse him for it. He doesn’t remember where, or any details about the practitioner, despite remembering that he looked right at them. After the first transformation, Gerta found him. While they did not intend for it to get romantic, it did. The PCs leave them to their celebrations, and return to the inn for the night - they’ll deal with Helen later.
Reward Obtained: 6 emeralds
Day 7: Karsten
The PCs rouse themselves and sort out their remaining contracts over breakfast.
Contract: Your Home is Your Castle - The PCs visit a local mine outside of town, where foreman Ruben and his men have camped outside a subterranean site, currently blocked by a boulder. Ruben explains that while his men were excavating the site, they broke a cave wall and were attacked by a hulking creature that lived in a cavern. The survivor of the attack describes a short, wide, round creature on two legs, but it was to dark to tell much else. It killed three of his fellow miners with ease, and yelled at them to go away. The PCs recognize these signs as likely being a rock troll. Ruben offers them some money in advance for killing the beast, or at least driving it away. The miners roll the barricade aside, let the PCs in, and reseal the mine behind them.
Inside, they locate the cavern, which has been decorated in the style of a human home, with a bed, made of rock, a table with chairs, made of rock, and even cupboards, also made of rock. There, a rock troll reveals himself and demands an explanation for their intrusion. The PCs attempt diplomacy, struggling through the trolls broken and simple speech, but it turns out the troll feels he was defending his home against invaders, and that it was all just a misunderstanding. The PCs try to cut a deal - Brock (the rock troll) will help the miners in the mine if they apologize for breaking into his home. Foreman Ruben is incredulous, and angry at the idea that he apologize for the deaths of his men, but the PCs persist, and a tense meeting takes place in the daylight between the miners and the rock troll. Ruben awkwardly apologizes, and Brock casually demonstrates his ability to smell and extract silver ore. As the new alliance tentatively forms, Ruben pays the PCs and starts planning improvements to Brock's cave in exchange for more ore.
Reward Obtained: 4 emeralds
Contract: Barnstorming - Fresh from their successful negotiations, the PCs visit the farm of Ulf Lungberg, who owns the surrounding fields, and has been experiencing regular night raids by hunched, hairless monsters that break into his barn and eat the grain, after it has been threshed and winnowed. The beasts are very destructive and disorderly, but smart enough to recognize the edible grains in sacks. They come every few days, and the PCs arrived the same day he expected the next attack. He tells them to expect at least 7 or 8, and there’s a much bigger one with them as well, which Svart recognizes by description as an Alghoul. They agree on 50 slats per head and an even emerald for the Alghoul.
The PCs set themselves in defensive positions in the barn, and wait for nightfall. When the ghouls wander into the barn, the PCs strike, but struggle to manage the number of attacking ghouls. They rain arrows from the rafters, and Svart swings wildly with his claws, but the fight turns gruesome when the Alghoul tries to scale the barn and get in through the 2nd story hatch, tearing into Forråde in the process. In the end, the PCs end up in a bloody melee, cutting through a mass of bodies and taking some serious injuries, but they emerge victorious. Ulf lets them stay the night and recover at his house.
Reward Obtained: 5 emeralds
Day 8: Karsten
Still recovering from their wounds, the PCs gingerly set out to finish their remaining contact in Karsten.
Contract: The Hairy Mixup - The PCs return to the Halfway House to check in with Helen Gunderson, and dig deeper about the possible Succubus. Helen reports that her husband has been gone hunting for several days after a recent public confrontation, where she accused him of being bewitched by Gerta Ekbald, a local woman who lives on the outskirts. She suspects Gerta is, in fact, a Succubus, a goat-like monster that feeds on lust and uses magic to disguise itself. She demands the beasts head. The PCs decide to check in with other locals about the situation.
They speak to the local blacksmith, who says that Harry, Helen’s husband, has been unusually moody and sensitive lately, but most locals assume the issue is a normal affair, nothing monstrous. The PCs decide to visit Gerta and investigate for themselves.
They find that the forest near Gerta’s house is darkened and dying, and the practitioners feel ill, as if there is some evil lingering nearby. Strange tracks and markings on the trees add to their suspicious of Gerta, and they approach her cautiously. When they meet her, she appears normal, but there are holes in her story, and she seems nervous. They decide to confront her directly, and she breaks down and admits the truth - She isn’t a Succubus, but Harry has been cursed, and she has been hiding him at her home to keep the secret from the villagers. Harry has become a werewolf, and the transformations have been getting worse and more frequent. She begs the PCs not to kill him, and they take pity, and offer to help.
They prepare a cleansing ritual, which will be dangerous and involve poisoning Harry to cure him. Midway through their preparations, Harry arrives, and a tense standoff occurs. The PCs manage to convince Harry to accept the risks, and after some consulting, decide to relocate the ritual to a nearby grove that Gerta knows.
At the grove, which teems with life and warm feelings, the PCs discover a Haglkorn, likely the source of the abundance around them. With their magic bolstered, they conduct the cleansing ritual. Harry begins to transform halfway through, but the PCs have prepared well, and the curse is lifted. Harry and Gerta are extremely grateful, and insist on giving the PCs as much money as they can.
Harry explains that he had had an interaction with a mysterious practitioner in the woods a few weeks ago, when he accidentally spooked a deer into some kind of ritual, and the practitioner was angry enough to curse him for it. He doesn’t remember where, or any details about the practitioner, despite remembering that he looked right at them. After the first transformation, Gerta found him. While they did not intend for it to get romantic, it did. The PCs leave them to their celebrations, and return to the inn for the night - they’ll deal with Helen later.
Reward Obtained: 6 emeralds
Session 5:
Day 9: Karsten
The PCs spend a quiet breakfast in Karsten, reflecting on their choices. They decide it would be best to simply leave town rather than try to explain things to Helen, and slip out of town, back towards Varanas.
Road to Varanas
The PCs get back near the site of the bandit ambush from a few days ago, and see a woman in a standoff with a hostile group of men, who look like they might be blaming her for the dead bandits. Before the PCs can react, the men draw weapons on the woman, and the PCs watch as she knocks them back with a cone of wind magic, which terrifies and scatters them. The woman, Éirinn Brách, is a member of the Whisperers Guild, bringing supplies and creature comforts to the Whisperers outpost outside Varanas. She joins their company on the road, sharing stories of the world, adding to their personal libraries of monsters, spells, and herbalist guides.
Day 10: Road to Varanas
The PCs and their Whisperer guest continue to Varanas, where Éirinn says goodbye and breaks off to the Whisperer outpost.
Varanas
The PCs settle financial matters, selling some of their bandit loot and working out their dues for the Schools and the Guard. They report to Sergeant Torvik, who passes on a new set of contracts for the future and offers them some advice on their next outing. He mentions that the werewolf curse was serious enough to merit Inquisition attention, but he hopes to keep them out of it. He suggests they hit the local bar and get some further advice from their fellow Venatori, as their contracts are getting more complicated.
The Three Beasts is a School-neutral tavern frequented by Venatori from many different generations, and the PCs spend their midday swapping stories, listening to drinking songs, and taking notes from the diverse collection of Venatori present.
The PCs then visit their Scribe friend, Henrik, who has a official research lab in the mountains just outside Varanas. He has made good use of the Drowner eggs Forråde collected - he has some new baby Drowners! His lab is mostly empty, but resembles a zoo, with cages and custom enclosures, and he hopes the PCs will continue to bring back useful samples or specimens. They set out to Benek to do just that.
Road to Benek
While travelling in the evening, the PCs spot a cart packed with meat, travelling the same direction as them. While they watch, a giant winged monster swoops by, instantly killing the horse pulling the cart. The PCs charge in while the beast carves a sweeping arc in the tall grass of a nearby field. Svart recognizes the features and tactics of a Forktail, and dodges a signature Forktail charge. In the ensuing battle, Anna and Forråde steadily wear it down, and Svart finishes the beast off with a brave strike to the head.
Afterwards, the PCs rest for the night and recover from their injuries, intending to continue to Benek in the morning.
Day 9: Karsten
The PCs spend a quiet breakfast in Karsten, reflecting on their choices. They decide it would be best to simply leave town rather than try to explain things to Helen, and slip out of town, back towards Varanas.
Road to Varanas
The PCs get back near the site of the bandit ambush from a few days ago, and see a woman in a standoff with a hostile group of men, who look like they might be blaming her for the dead bandits. Before the PCs can react, the men draw weapons on the woman, and the PCs watch as she knocks them back with a cone of wind magic, which terrifies and scatters them. The woman, Éirinn Brách, is a member of the Whisperers Guild, bringing supplies and creature comforts to the Whisperers outpost outside Varanas. She joins their company on the road, sharing stories of the world, adding to their personal libraries of monsters, spells, and herbalist guides.
Day 10: Road to Varanas
The PCs and their Whisperer guest continue to Varanas, where Éirinn says goodbye and breaks off to the Whisperer outpost.
Varanas
The PCs settle financial matters, selling some of their bandit loot and working out their dues for the Schools and the Guard. They report to Sergeant Torvik, who passes on a new set of contracts for the future and offers them some advice on their next outing. He mentions that the werewolf curse was serious enough to merit Inquisition attention, but he hopes to keep them out of it. He suggests they hit the local bar and get some further advice from their fellow Venatori, as their contracts are getting more complicated.
The Three Beasts is a School-neutral tavern frequented by Venatori from many different generations, and the PCs spend their midday swapping stories, listening to drinking songs, and taking notes from the diverse collection of Venatori present.
The PCs then visit their Scribe friend, Henrik, who has a official research lab in the mountains just outside Varanas. He has made good use of the Drowner eggs Forråde collected - he has some new baby Drowners! His lab is mostly empty, but resembles a zoo, with cages and custom enclosures, and he hopes the PCs will continue to bring back useful samples or specimens. They set out to Benek to do just that.
Road to Benek
While travelling in the evening, the PCs spot a cart packed with meat, travelling the same direction as them. While they watch, a giant winged monster swoops by, instantly killing the horse pulling the cart. The PCs charge in while the beast carves a sweeping arc in the tall grass of a nearby field. Svart recognizes the features and tactics of a Forktail, and dodges a signature Forktail charge. In the ensuing battle, Anna and Forråde steadily wear it down, and Svart finishes the beast off with a brave strike to the head.
Afterwards, the PCs rest for the night and recover from their injuries, intending to continue to Benek in the morning.
Session 6:
Day 11: Benek
As the PCs arrive in Benek, they notice strange totems along the road into town, totems of bone and wood, marked with disturbing symbolism. While they sense no magic from the totems, they enter town with growing unease. Benek is a wealthy town with a prominent windmill for tilling grain, and is much more built up than the previous towns the PCs have visited, made of higher quality structures, some multi-story buildings and estate homes. There is a prominent pillar in the center of town, carved with animal motifs and intricate designs, but it is burned and collapsed. The townsfolk move hurriedly across the center square, avoiding the now-ruined totem, eyes downcast, and the PCs linger, unsure of where to begin. They are approached by an elderly man dressed in robes, adorned with bones and magical symbols, who introduces himself as Vebjorn Haveland, local shaman and one of their main contract holders, and he explains the troubles that plague the town.
Contract: The Reinn Invention - Vebjorn explains that over the past few weeks, the community has been plagued by a cunning beast that ransacks and loots homes, and ambushes travelers along the roads. He claims that the beast created the strange totems the PCs saw on their way into town, and also knocked down and burned the warding totem in the center of town. The PCs interview some of the victims, who describe a hulking, smoke-wreathed shape with burning eyes and huge talons, that drives people from their homes with roaring and strange speech, and steals food and possessions. Svart is concerned that a creature intelligent enough to loot and talk is a Reinn Creation, but the signs don’t fit; the monster is distinctly described as having only two eyes, while most Reinn Creations have three. The PCs make some plans to hunt or trap the beast, but realize that they would need to likely hunt by night, and break off to investigate the other contracts in town during the daylight.
Contract: Learning to Love - The PCs travel to the Hanevold family farm, outside of town. Jon, the father, is a simple man, growing enough to feed his family and a little more, which he sells at market. He welcomes the PCs warmly and feeds them lunch as he explains his problem. Every few days a monster comes to his farm and takes food, leaving only a pile of rocks behind. Jon describes a rock troll quite accurately: A copy of the bestiary has been shared around town recently. As the rock troll drained their supply of crops, Jon’s oldest son grew angry, and attacked the rock troll, who killed him easily. Now, Jon seeks revenge, and while he can offer only a few gems in reward, he promises that the PCs will have a place to stay as long as they do this task for him. The PCs suggest peaceful solutions to the troll problem, but Jon insists that the murder of his son be avenged.
The PCs have no problem tracking the rock troll to his cave, but discover an exceptionally friendly troll named Gregg who feels very bad about killing Jon’s son, and is extremely shy and easily frightened. He says that the boy scared him, and that he didn’t mean to kill anyone. He was trying to trade rocks he thought were valuable for food, and didn’t understand why the people were so angry. The PCs debate their options, and while there is strife in the party, it is agreed that Gregg can live, as long as Svart pays for his meals and takes responsibility for him. The PCs decide to keep Gregg a secret, and hand him over to their friend Henrik later on. Gregg agrees to stay in his cave and not bother the Hanevold’s until the PCs can sneak him back to Varanas.
Reward Obtained: Friendship
Contract: Who You Gonna Call? - The PCs begin their investigation into a reported haunting at a local mansion. The new property owner wrote to the Silver Guard after her workers fled the site, telling stories of ghostly voices and objects moving around the house. In their travels through Benek, they discover that the mansion is known as the Dahlberg estate, named after the late owner. They meet Frida Erstad, the new owner, who doesn’t believe the ghost stories. With her, the PCs search the house, which had been stripped after old man Dahlberg died. The PCs decide to try and rouse the ghost by doing some demolition. After hacking at one of the walls Frida intended to remove, they encounter the ghost of Torsten Dahlberg, angry and confused. Frida is shocked, and they struggle to communicate with Torsten, as the situation escalates, and eventually the PCs are forced to push him back with iron, which burns the ghost and sends him screaming off through the house. They decide to investigate further before acting. They have a Soul Cairn on hand to trap his spirit, but not only do they want to resolve the problem more peacefully, but Svart suspects that the beast tormenting the town might be a Bayok, another spirit that would definitely need trapping more than the old man.
The PCs visit the local inn and talk with some of Frida’s workers, who are glad to be believed by someone. Most of them are locals, who knew about old man Dahlberg, and explain that all his possessions were auctioned off after his death. The tavern owner, Gustaf Soderholm, was a friend of Torsten, and ended up with Torsten’s favorite crossbow. However, while he’s not willing to confront the ghost, he lets the PCs borrow the crossbow, hopefully to stir up some focus in the ghost.
Unfortunately, when the PCs return to the estate, they find that their confrontation earlier has degraded Torsten, who is now reduced to angry screams and blindly attacking, despite their efforts to communicate. They leave, realizing that they will have to use the Soul Cairn, which will involve finding more of Torsten’s favorite belongings. They decide to camp in the forest, as night is approaching, and try and locate the beast that plagues the town, since Torsten only affects one building.
Day 12: Benek
After spending a watchful night in the forest with no results, the PCs return to an attack site and start tracking the beast: Better to find its lair now, even if they don’t attack it right away.
The PCs move stealthily through the woods, following a trail that defies identification: The tracks don’t seem to indicate anything in the Bestiary. They stop at the sound of human voices, and Svart uses a magic ritual of clairvoyance to search the area. He discovers a bandit camp, full of loot and stolen food. The bandits are around their fire, joking about their own cleverness. They have constructed a monster out of wood and metal, wrapped in smoke-producing moss, with torches for the eyes, and fake claws and feet. With it, they ambush locals and abuse superstitions. The PCs, deeply irritated that they don’t get to kill something more interesting, stage an ambush of their own.
In the resulting battle, Anna fires off some impressive spells, Forråde snipes from the trees, and Svart grapples and stabs his way through the crowd. Forråde does end up falling out of the tree and almost dying, but he recovers, and recovers his dignity by skewering one of two bandits trying to overpower Anna, who takes the opportunity to vaporize the other bandit with a lightning strike. The last remaining bandit at the camp surrenders before Svart can gut him, and confesses to everything, including the burning of the town totem. He also says that he and his friends used the descriptions they read in the bestiary to make the fake monster. The PCs collect the stolen goods, and march the survivor and his fake monster back to the center of town.
The town is immensely relieved and grateful, but there are mutterings and remaining superstitions - not everyone is willing to believe that the terrifying beast that drove them from their homes was just bandits in a suit. The PCs were wise to bring the fake monster to town, and the locals begrudgingly admit that the PCs were right. There is some haggling over prices, but the PCs stand their ground and get paid.
Reward Obtained: 9E & bandit gear
The PCs take a well-earned rest at the inn to recover from their combat wounds and plan on how to best trap the ghost of Torsten Dahlberg.
Day 11: Benek
As the PCs arrive in Benek, they notice strange totems along the road into town, totems of bone and wood, marked with disturbing symbolism. While they sense no magic from the totems, they enter town with growing unease. Benek is a wealthy town with a prominent windmill for tilling grain, and is much more built up than the previous towns the PCs have visited, made of higher quality structures, some multi-story buildings and estate homes. There is a prominent pillar in the center of town, carved with animal motifs and intricate designs, but it is burned and collapsed. The townsfolk move hurriedly across the center square, avoiding the now-ruined totem, eyes downcast, and the PCs linger, unsure of where to begin. They are approached by an elderly man dressed in robes, adorned with bones and magical symbols, who introduces himself as Vebjorn Haveland, local shaman and one of their main contract holders, and he explains the troubles that plague the town.
Contract: The Reinn Invention - Vebjorn explains that over the past few weeks, the community has been plagued by a cunning beast that ransacks and loots homes, and ambushes travelers along the roads. He claims that the beast created the strange totems the PCs saw on their way into town, and also knocked down and burned the warding totem in the center of town. The PCs interview some of the victims, who describe a hulking, smoke-wreathed shape with burning eyes and huge talons, that drives people from their homes with roaring and strange speech, and steals food and possessions. Svart is concerned that a creature intelligent enough to loot and talk is a Reinn Creation, but the signs don’t fit; the monster is distinctly described as having only two eyes, while most Reinn Creations have three. The PCs make some plans to hunt or trap the beast, but realize that they would need to likely hunt by night, and break off to investigate the other contracts in town during the daylight.
Contract: Learning to Love - The PCs travel to the Hanevold family farm, outside of town. Jon, the father, is a simple man, growing enough to feed his family and a little more, which he sells at market. He welcomes the PCs warmly and feeds them lunch as he explains his problem. Every few days a monster comes to his farm and takes food, leaving only a pile of rocks behind. Jon describes a rock troll quite accurately: A copy of the bestiary has been shared around town recently. As the rock troll drained their supply of crops, Jon’s oldest son grew angry, and attacked the rock troll, who killed him easily. Now, Jon seeks revenge, and while he can offer only a few gems in reward, he promises that the PCs will have a place to stay as long as they do this task for him. The PCs suggest peaceful solutions to the troll problem, but Jon insists that the murder of his son be avenged.
The PCs have no problem tracking the rock troll to his cave, but discover an exceptionally friendly troll named Gregg who feels very bad about killing Jon’s son, and is extremely shy and easily frightened. He says that the boy scared him, and that he didn’t mean to kill anyone. He was trying to trade rocks he thought were valuable for food, and didn’t understand why the people were so angry. The PCs debate their options, and while there is strife in the party, it is agreed that Gregg can live, as long as Svart pays for his meals and takes responsibility for him. The PCs decide to keep Gregg a secret, and hand him over to their friend Henrik later on. Gregg agrees to stay in his cave and not bother the Hanevold’s until the PCs can sneak him back to Varanas.
Reward Obtained: Friendship
Contract: Who You Gonna Call? - The PCs begin their investigation into a reported haunting at a local mansion. The new property owner wrote to the Silver Guard after her workers fled the site, telling stories of ghostly voices and objects moving around the house. In their travels through Benek, they discover that the mansion is known as the Dahlberg estate, named after the late owner. They meet Frida Erstad, the new owner, who doesn’t believe the ghost stories. With her, the PCs search the house, which had been stripped after old man Dahlberg died. The PCs decide to try and rouse the ghost by doing some demolition. After hacking at one of the walls Frida intended to remove, they encounter the ghost of Torsten Dahlberg, angry and confused. Frida is shocked, and they struggle to communicate with Torsten, as the situation escalates, and eventually the PCs are forced to push him back with iron, which burns the ghost and sends him screaming off through the house. They decide to investigate further before acting. They have a Soul Cairn on hand to trap his spirit, but not only do they want to resolve the problem more peacefully, but Svart suspects that the beast tormenting the town might be a Bayok, another spirit that would definitely need trapping more than the old man.
The PCs visit the local inn and talk with some of Frida’s workers, who are glad to be believed by someone. Most of them are locals, who knew about old man Dahlberg, and explain that all his possessions were auctioned off after his death. The tavern owner, Gustaf Soderholm, was a friend of Torsten, and ended up with Torsten’s favorite crossbow. However, while he’s not willing to confront the ghost, he lets the PCs borrow the crossbow, hopefully to stir up some focus in the ghost.
Unfortunately, when the PCs return to the estate, they find that their confrontation earlier has degraded Torsten, who is now reduced to angry screams and blindly attacking, despite their efforts to communicate. They leave, realizing that they will have to use the Soul Cairn, which will involve finding more of Torsten’s favorite belongings. They decide to camp in the forest, as night is approaching, and try and locate the beast that plagues the town, since Torsten only affects one building.
Day 12: Benek
After spending a watchful night in the forest with no results, the PCs return to an attack site and start tracking the beast: Better to find its lair now, even if they don’t attack it right away.
The PCs move stealthily through the woods, following a trail that defies identification: The tracks don’t seem to indicate anything in the Bestiary. They stop at the sound of human voices, and Svart uses a magic ritual of clairvoyance to search the area. He discovers a bandit camp, full of loot and stolen food. The bandits are around their fire, joking about their own cleverness. They have constructed a monster out of wood and metal, wrapped in smoke-producing moss, with torches for the eyes, and fake claws and feet. With it, they ambush locals and abuse superstitions. The PCs, deeply irritated that they don’t get to kill something more interesting, stage an ambush of their own.
In the resulting battle, Anna fires off some impressive spells, Forråde snipes from the trees, and Svart grapples and stabs his way through the crowd. Forråde does end up falling out of the tree and almost dying, but he recovers, and recovers his dignity by skewering one of two bandits trying to overpower Anna, who takes the opportunity to vaporize the other bandit with a lightning strike. The last remaining bandit at the camp surrenders before Svart can gut him, and confesses to everything, including the burning of the town totem. He also says that he and his friends used the descriptions they read in the bestiary to make the fake monster. The PCs collect the stolen goods, and march the survivor and his fake monster back to the center of town.
The town is immensely relieved and grateful, but there are mutterings and remaining superstitions - not everyone is willing to believe that the terrifying beast that drove them from their homes was just bandits in a suit. The PCs were wise to bring the fake monster to town, and the locals begrudgingly admit that the PCs were right. There is some haggling over prices, but the PCs stand their ground and get paid.
Reward Obtained: 9E & bandit gear
The PCs take a well-earned rest at the inn to recover from their combat wounds and plan on how to best trap the ghost of Torsten Dahlberg.
Session 7:
Day 13: Benek
The PCs rouse themselves, buy some breakfast for themselves and Gregg, and set out to use a Soul Cairn on the ghost of Torsten Dahlberg.
They meet with Gustaf, the bartender at the local tavern, and he helps them track down the various owners of Torsten’s property, as Gustaf ran the auction. The PCs see opportunity in Torsten’s jewelry, and an old armchair they hear he favored. They visit a widowed spinster named Jonna, who is unwilling to part with the jewelry and keepsakes she bought, and certainly not for free. Anna and Forråde lean on her, using hints and threats about Torsten’s angry ghost, and some subtle promises of fame for helping, and Jonna decides to volunteer an old locket and a sigil ring, both important items to the Dahlbergs.
The PCs then visit old lady Ingmar Malmgren, a senile but friendly person, who treats them to tea. They struggle to get clear answers from her, particularly which chair is Torsten’s favorite, until a lurid story about what exactly she and Torsten used to do in that chair helps them figure it out. They cut a piece from the chair and slip away quietly.
With two pieces of jewelry, the string from a crossbow, and a scrap of leather from an armchair, the PCs load up the Soul Cairn and return to the Dahlberg estate. There, they agitate Torsten’s ghost, and with Frida present to witness it, seal away Torsten in the Soul Cairn without incident. Frida is please with the results and gives them their well-earned pay.
Reward Obtained: 9E
Road to Varanas
The PCs head back to Varanas after collecting Gregg from his cave. Svart and Gregg stick to the woods, entertaining themselves and avoiding the roads. Along the way, Anna and Forråde are confronted by a pair of Inquisition Knights, who demand their information and an explanation for the occupied Soul Cairn, while emanating a strong anti-magic aura. Cautiously, Anna and Forråde explain themselves, while Svart and Gregg stay hidden. The Knights send the PCs on their way, under stern eyes. The PCs camp overnight, nervously.
Day 14: Varanas
The PCs make it to Varanas and Anna delivers the Soul Cairn while Svart and Forråde drop Gregg off at Henrik’s lab. Henrik and Gregg become fast friends, and Svart’s magical adviser at the Wolf School, Aatu, is also present, having discovered the lab. He is amused by the PCs secret, and agrees to keep it quiet for them. He encourages the PCs to keep up their current efforts, rules and traditions be damned.
Inside the Keep, the PCs do some trading, and spot a significant increase in the number of Inquisition forces around the Keep. They check in with Sgt. Torvik, who tells them that the Inquisition is very agitated by the werewolf curse the PCs discovered, and is hunting for the person responsible. He gives them no new contracts, and encourages them to finish up their current batch in Downwarren as quickly as possible: the Inquisition will probably want to ‘interview’ them soon, and he can only block them for so long. They set out immediately.
Day 15: Karsten
After an uneventful night and day on the road, the PCs make it back to Karsten, where they hope to rest at a familiar inn. However, former contact holder Helen Gunderson is enraged when she sees them, since they never spoke to her about her husband and the werewolf curse. Innkeeper Snorri holds her off while apologizing, and asks that they not stay and cause any further uproar. The PCs camp on the road instead, a few hours further towards Downwarren.
Day 16: Downwarren
The PCs arrive in Downwarren, a populous but underdeveloped town in the boglands, where peat farming is dirty but lucrative work. The people on the streets are tired, worn, and unwelcoming to anyone, let alone Silver Guard. There is a longstanding conflict between people from the Nurmis region and the Silver Guard of Varanas: The Silver Guard want to uproot the bogs and make the land arable, and the Nurmites want their traditional way of life left intact.
The PCs meet a tired looking butcher with a worn face and bloodshot eyes, Lukas Bech, who is at least welcoming enough to help them find their contracts.
Contract: The Bonus Dungeon
Lukas points the PCs to Seb Vettel, a peat farmer who has been losing sheep to monster attacks. The PCs figure it will be quick work, and meet Seb, a pale, tired man, who offers them decent pay and a simple situation - the slash marks, wispy white hairs, and lack of blood in his sheep make it clear enough that the PCs are hunting vampires.
The PCs track the monsters to a nearby cave system, and begin exploring carefully. At a fork, the PCs split up, and Svart moves alone down a narrow corridor, only to find a dead Ekimmara, gutted, with its organs burned by some kind of acid. Svart regroups with the others just in time to find Anna and Forråde finishing a brief but vicious duel with two more Ekimmara. The PCs find a few unhatched eggs, which they grab for Henrik, and large piles of small animal bones. Confused by the strange behavior of the ordinarily cowardly Ekimmara, and the acid burns of another, they return to Seb and get their payment.
Reward Obtained: 6E
Contract: Whomp in the Willows
After getting some further directions from Lukas the butcher, the PCs visit local shaman Gauti Lokken, who also appears tired, pale, and generally worn out. He watches over the sacred grove nearby, where several other shamans and worshippers have been recently killed. Gauti is concerned that the gods have cursed the area, and attempts to appease the gods have also resulted in death. He instructs the PCs on how to properly approach the grove, and gives them the sacred offerings that must be presented to the local gods: Bread for Panera, God Of Farming, Water for Desani, Goddess of Rain, and Beer for Heineken, God of Beer. The PCs do their best to be respectful of local cultures, and participate.
Abruptly, Svart realizes that the signs of weakness and tiredness in the townspeople may indicate the presence of an Aszvang, a variety of vampire that slowly drains sleeping victims, and uses acid, which would explain the Ekimmara situation. After some discussion, the PCs plan to finish investigating the grove before they try to address anything else.
With offerings in hand, the PCs enter the sacred grove, where there is an earthen statue to Panera, surrounded by the crushed bodies of the faithful. They begin searching the area when they notice the statue moving… the statue is in fact an Earth Elemental, a slow but deadly creature. The PCs probe for weaknesses, but finding no good options, they leave the grove, and the Elemental does not follow, resuming its post at the center of the grove. The PCs explain the situation to Gauti, and consider simply leaving it for the Inquisition to handle, as magical situations are their forte, and there are worse problems in town than a contained Elemental. They advise Gauti to keep people away until a solution is found.
Contract: Tally Ho!
Looking to wrap up simple contracts before they tackle the big ones, the PCs travel to the property of Tomas Grunland, a flamboyant, excitable, loud man who insists that he accompany them on the hunt for the monster that prowls his land. Tomas has already researched the monster, and is certain they are hunting a Basilisk. The PCs are instantly irritated by his mannerisms, but the casual offer of 18 emeralds outweighs their annoyance. Dubiously, they help Tomas track the Basilisk.
In the woods, the PCs find tree markings, feathers, and dead deer. If it is a Basilisk, it’s a damn big one. Tomas insists that everything will be fine, just in time for something huge to come crashing through the woods. A Cockatrice, in fact, not a Basilisk, but the larger, angrier cousin of a Basilisk. The PCs remain calm and focused, however, despite the larger and more dangerous surprise. They keep Tomas out of danger and the beast is brought down with no significant issues. Tomas declares that they must celebrate his victory with a feast at his home, and the PCs, tired and frustrated, demand greater pay for their efforts, over dinner. Tomas doesn’t mind at all, and throws more money at their feet than they’ve ever received.
Reward Obtained: 24E
After a long and very busy day, the PCs decide the camp in the woods, in shifts, watchful of the suspected Aszvang.
Day 13: Benek
The PCs rouse themselves, buy some breakfast for themselves and Gregg, and set out to use a Soul Cairn on the ghost of Torsten Dahlberg.
They meet with Gustaf, the bartender at the local tavern, and he helps them track down the various owners of Torsten’s property, as Gustaf ran the auction. The PCs see opportunity in Torsten’s jewelry, and an old armchair they hear he favored. They visit a widowed spinster named Jonna, who is unwilling to part with the jewelry and keepsakes she bought, and certainly not for free. Anna and Forråde lean on her, using hints and threats about Torsten’s angry ghost, and some subtle promises of fame for helping, and Jonna decides to volunteer an old locket and a sigil ring, both important items to the Dahlbergs.
The PCs then visit old lady Ingmar Malmgren, a senile but friendly person, who treats them to tea. They struggle to get clear answers from her, particularly which chair is Torsten’s favorite, until a lurid story about what exactly she and Torsten used to do in that chair helps them figure it out. They cut a piece from the chair and slip away quietly.
With two pieces of jewelry, the string from a crossbow, and a scrap of leather from an armchair, the PCs load up the Soul Cairn and return to the Dahlberg estate. There, they agitate Torsten’s ghost, and with Frida present to witness it, seal away Torsten in the Soul Cairn without incident. Frida is please with the results and gives them their well-earned pay.
Reward Obtained: 9E
Road to Varanas
The PCs head back to Varanas after collecting Gregg from his cave. Svart and Gregg stick to the woods, entertaining themselves and avoiding the roads. Along the way, Anna and Forråde are confronted by a pair of Inquisition Knights, who demand their information and an explanation for the occupied Soul Cairn, while emanating a strong anti-magic aura. Cautiously, Anna and Forråde explain themselves, while Svart and Gregg stay hidden. The Knights send the PCs on their way, under stern eyes. The PCs camp overnight, nervously.
Day 14: Varanas
The PCs make it to Varanas and Anna delivers the Soul Cairn while Svart and Forråde drop Gregg off at Henrik’s lab. Henrik and Gregg become fast friends, and Svart’s magical adviser at the Wolf School, Aatu, is also present, having discovered the lab. He is amused by the PCs secret, and agrees to keep it quiet for them. He encourages the PCs to keep up their current efforts, rules and traditions be damned.
Inside the Keep, the PCs do some trading, and spot a significant increase in the number of Inquisition forces around the Keep. They check in with Sgt. Torvik, who tells them that the Inquisition is very agitated by the werewolf curse the PCs discovered, and is hunting for the person responsible. He gives them no new contracts, and encourages them to finish up their current batch in Downwarren as quickly as possible: the Inquisition will probably want to ‘interview’ them soon, and he can only block them for so long. They set out immediately.
Day 15: Karsten
After an uneventful night and day on the road, the PCs make it back to Karsten, where they hope to rest at a familiar inn. However, former contact holder Helen Gunderson is enraged when she sees them, since they never spoke to her about her husband and the werewolf curse. Innkeeper Snorri holds her off while apologizing, and asks that they not stay and cause any further uproar. The PCs camp on the road instead, a few hours further towards Downwarren.
Day 16: Downwarren
The PCs arrive in Downwarren, a populous but underdeveloped town in the boglands, where peat farming is dirty but lucrative work. The people on the streets are tired, worn, and unwelcoming to anyone, let alone Silver Guard. There is a longstanding conflict between people from the Nurmis region and the Silver Guard of Varanas: The Silver Guard want to uproot the bogs and make the land arable, and the Nurmites want their traditional way of life left intact.
The PCs meet a tired looking butcher with a worn face and bloodshot eyes, Lukas Bech, who is at least welcoming enough to help them find their contracts.
Contract: The Bonus Dungeon
Lukas points the PCs to Seb Vettel, a peat farmer who has been losing sheep to monster attacks. The PCs figure it will be quick work, and meet Seb, a pale, tired man, who offers them decent pay and a simple situation - the slash marks, wispy white hairs, and lack of blood in his sheep make it clear enough that the PCs are hunting vampires.
The PCs track the monsters to a nearby cave system, and begin exploring carefully. At a fork, the PCs split up, and Svart moves alone down a narrow corridor, only to find a dead Ekimmara, gutted, with its organs burned by some kind of acid. Svart regroups with the others just in time to find Anna and Forråde finishing a brief but vicious duel with two more Ekimmara. The PCs find a few unhatched eggs, which they grab for Henrik, and large piles of small animal bones. Confused by the strange behavior of the ordinarily cowardly Ekimmara, and the acid burns of another, they return to Seb and get their payment.
Reward Obtained: 6E
Contract: Whomp in the Willows
After getting some further directions from Lukas the butcher, the PCs visit local shaman Gauti Lokken, who also appears tired, pale, and generally worn out. He watches over the sacred grove nearby, where several other shamans and worshippers have been recently killed. Gauti is concerned that the gods have cursed the area, and attempts to appease the gods have also resulted in death. He instructs the PCs on how to properly approach the grove, and gives them the sacred offerings that must be presented to the local gods: Bread for Panera, God Of Farming, Water for Desani, Goddess of Rain, and Beer for Heineken, God of Beer. The PCs do their best to be respectful of local cultures, and participate.
Abruptly, Svart realizes that the signs of weakness and tiredness in the townspeople may indicate the presence of an Aszvang, a variety of vampire that slowly drains sleeping victims, and uses acid, which would explain the Ekimmara situation. After some discussion, the PCs plan to finish investigating the grove before they try to address anything else.
With offerings in hand, the PCs enter the sacred grove, where there is an earthen statue to Panera, surrounded by the crushed bodies of the faithful. They begin searching the area when they notice the statue moving… the statue is in fact an Earth Elemental, a slow but deadly creature. The PCs probe for weaknesses, but finding no good options, they leave the grove, and the Elemental does not follow, resuming its post at the center of the grove. The PCs explain the situation to Gauti, and consider simply leaving it for the Inquisition to handle, as magical situations are their forte, and there are worse problems in town than a contained Elemental. They advise Gauti to keep people away until a solution is found.
Contract: Tally Ho!
Looking to wrap up simple contracts before they tackle the big ones, the PCs travel to the property of Tomas Grunland, a flamboyant, excitable, loud man who insists that he accompany them on the hunt for the monster that prowls his land. Tomas has already researched the monster, and is certain they are hunting a Basilisk. The PCs are instantly irritated by his mannerisms, but the casual offer of 18 emeralds outweighs their annoyance. Dubiously, they help Tomas track the Basilisk.
In the woods, the PCs find tree markings, feathers, and dead deer. If it is a Basilisk, it’s a damn big one. Tomas insists that everything will be fine, just in time for something huge to come crashing through the woods. A Cockatrice, in fact, not a Basilisk, but the larger, angrier cousin of a Basilisk. The PCs remain calm and focused, however, despite the larger and more dangerous surprise. They keep Tomas out of danger and the beast is brought down with no significant issues. Tomas declares that they must celebrate his victory with a feast at his home, and the PCs, tired and frustrated, demand greater pay for their efforts, over dinner. Tomas doesn’t mind at all, and throws more money at their feet than they’ve ever received.
Reward Obtained: 24E
After a long and very busy day, the PCs decide the camp in the woods, in shifts, watchful of the suspected Aszvang.
Session 8:
Day 17: Downwarren
After an uneventful night, the PCs decide to hunt down Lukas the butcher, the suspected Aszvang. They quickly discover him missing, and follow the tracks of his cart out of town. They catch up with him easily, and Lukas seems nervous and guilty. Svart tests him with a silver necklace he borrowed from Gauti, and it burns Lukas’ skin. The PCs make to attack him, but Lukas immediately surrenders and begs for his life. He admits to being an Aszvang, but he claims he hasn’t killed anyone, only fed, and that his victims will recover soon. In fact, he says, he actually made life better, since he killed one of the Ekimmara in the area. He also promises to leave the region for good, and to never ever kill anyone by feeding.
The PCs discuss the problem, and struggle with the morality of their decision. Eventually, they allow Lukas to live, but not before demanding some of his jerky. Anna and Forråde also demand all the money Lukas has, but Svart does not take part in this. The PCs return to town, somewhat dubious of their own moral standing.
Contract: The Outsider
Looking to clear their consciences, the PCs contact Lief Flauten, a local peat farmer, who believes his brother Fyor is suffering from a curse. Fyor has been acting strangely for several weeks, and seems like a completely different person now. He remembers less and less of his life, suffers from bursts of rage, and locks himself away in the basement, working on something mysterious and frightening, as Lief describes it. The PCs investigate the basement, and find a treasure trove of suspicious notes, unusual chemicals, and strange maps. Searching through the notes, the PCs discover that whoever Fyor was, he isn’t now: Something else has possessed him, and worse yet, consumed his soul to reignite their magical abilities. Now whatever spirit rides Fyor’s body is hunting some kind of ‘source,’ although the hand-drawn maps are confusing and geologically out of date. The PCs realize that any attempts to displace or capture the spirit would likely fail, and although not a permanent solution, killing Fyor’s body is the only option. The spirit returns home unexpectedly while they are explaining this to Lief, and the PCs attack it quickly, and learn some lessons about fighting practitioners. The possessing spirit is fast, strong, and uses powerful shadow magic, but a human body is as frail as any other, and a spear through the back works on most humans. The body combusts in blue flame and disintegrates to dust. Lief is shaken, but at least his brother can rest easy now.
Reward Obtained: 9E
The PCs debate their options regarding the Earth Elemental at Guati’s sacred grove, and decide that the Inquisition is better suited to the situation. With their chosen contracts resolved, the PCs head home.
Road to Varanas
On their way home, the PCs spot two men arguing over the possessions of dead woman, clearly killed by them. The PCs confront them and a very brief battle occurs: The PCs have handled much worse. The dead woman is older, and appears to have been a practitioner. Among the belongings the bandits were arguing over they find some magical items: A pair of boots that allow the user to teleport short distances, a magical ball that releases a floating mote of light, and a pair of bracelets that, upon painful experimentation, release powerful bursts of kinetic energy. With these items in hand the PCs continue towards home and make camp along the road.
Day 18: Road to Varanas, Karsten
The PCs make their way back through Karsten, and discover that the town is currently occupied by the Inquisition, which is investigating the werewolf curse the PCs cured. They speak to a Sgt. Kofold and mention events in Downwarren. Kofold is businesslike but cordial, and dispatches teams to deal with the Earth Elemental and look into the possessed man’s basement. The PCs slip up and mention the Aszvang, but manage to not completely expose their actions. They quickly head back onto the road West to Varanas, camping on the road.
Day 19: Varanas
Arriving midday at Varanas, the PCs visit Henrik and Gregg, who are getting along quite well. Gregg has learned some basic hygiene and is learning better diction, and Henrik’s Drowner babies are growing up fast. The PCs give Henrik the Ekimmara eggs, and he and Gregg set to work creating a proper enclosure for them.
In town, the PCs settle their various accounts, and Svart finally can afford the Basilisk armor he has been coveting.
Sgt. Torvik has concerning news: The Inquisition is hiring the PCs specifically for a job up North in the town of Svorlag. While the Inquisition occasionally hires Venatori, it is rare to ask for specific Venatori, and rarer still for such a simple job - just a Harpy nest. No doubt bigger issues are at play, whether a test, a trap, or some other political maneuver, the PCs are concerned. They plot their course North, and finish their day in Varanas, intending to set out the next morning.
Day 17: Downwarren
After an uneventful night, the PCs decide to hunt down Lukas the butcher, the suspected Aszvang. They quickly discover him missing, and follow the tracks of his cart out of town. They catch up with him easily, and Lukas seems nervous and guilty. Svart tests him with a silver necklace he borrowed from Gauti, and it burns Lukas’ skin. The PCs make to attack him, but Lukas immediately surrenders and begs for his life. He admits to being an Aszvang, but he claims he hasn’t killed anyone, only fed, and that his victims will recover soon. In fact, he says, he actually made life better, since he killed one of the Ekimmara in the area. He also promises to leave the region for good, and to never ever kill anyone by feeding.
The PCs discuss the problem, and struggle with the morality of their decision. Eventually, they allow Lukas to live, but not before demanding some of his jerky. Anna and Forråde also demand all the money Lukas has, but Svart does not take part in this. The PCs return to town, somewhat dubious of their own moral standing.
Contract: The Outsider
Looking to clear their consciences, the PCs contact Lief Flauten, a local peat farmer, who believes his brother Fyor is suffering from a curse. Fyor has been acting strangely for several weeks, and seems like a completely different person now. He remembers less and less of his life, suffers from bursts of rage, and locks himself away in the basement, working on something mysterious and frightening, as Lief describes it. The PCs investigate the basement, and find a treasure trove of suspicious notes, unusual chemicals, and strange maps. Searching through the notes, the PCs discover that whoever Fyor was, he isn’t now: Something else has possessed him, and worse yet, consumed his soul to reignite their magical abilities. Now whatever spirit rides Fyor’s body is hunting some kind of ‘source,’ although the hand-drawn maps are confusing and geologically out of date. The PCs realize that any attempts to displace or capture the spirit would likely fail, and although not a permanent solution, killing Fyor’s body is the only option. The spirit returns home unexpectedly while they are explaining this to Lief, and the PCs attack it quickly, and learn some lessons about fighting practitioners. The possessing spirit is fast, strong, and uses powerful shadow magic, but a human body is as frail as any other, and a spear through the back works on most humans. The body combusts in blue flame and disintegrates to dust. Lief is shaken, but at least his brother can rest easy now.
Reward Obtained: 9E
The PCs debate their options regarding the Earth Elemental at Guati’s sacred grove, and decide that the Inquisition is better suited to the situation. With their chosen contracts resolved, the PCs head home.
Road to Varanas
On their way home, the PCs spot two men arguing over the possessions of dead woman, clearly killed by them. The PCs confront them and a very brief battle occurs: The PCs have handled much worse. The dead woman is older, and appears to have been a practitioner. Among the belongings the bandits were arguing over they find some magical items: A pair of boots that allow the user to teleport short distances, a magical ball that releases a floating mote of light, and a pair of bracelets that, upon painful experimentation, release powerful bursts of kinetic energy. With these items in hand the PCs continue towards home and make camp along the road.
Day 18: Road to Varanas, Karsten
The PCs make their way back through Karsten, and discover that the town is currently occupied by the Inquisition, which is investigating the werewolf curse the PCs cured. They speak to a Sgt. Kofold and mention events in Downwarren. Kofold is businesslike but cordial, and dispatches teams to deal with the Earth Elemental and look into the possessed man’s basement. The PCs slip up and mention the Aszvang, but manage to not completely expose their actions. They quickly head back onto the road West to Varanas, camping on the road.
Day 19: Varanas
Arriving midday at Varanas, the PCs visit Henrik and Gregg, who are getting along quite well. Gregg has learned some basic hygiene and is learning better diction, and Henrik’s Drowner babies are growing up fast. The PCs give Henrik the Ekimmara eggs, and he and Gregg set to work creating a proper enclosure for them.
In town, the PCs settle their various accounts, and Svart finally can afford the Basilisk armor he has been coveting.
Sgt. Torvik has concerning news: The Inquisition is hiring the PCs specifically for a job up North in the town of Svorlag. While the Inquisition occasionally hires Venatori, it is rare to ask for specific Venatori, and rarer still for such a simple job - just a Harpy nest. No doubt bigger issues are at play, whether a test, a trap, or some other political maneuver, the PCs are concerned. They plot their course North, and finish their day in Varanas, intending to set out the next morning.
Session 9:
Day 19:
The PCs set out for Svorlag, on their Inquisition-sanctioned Harpy hunt. Before they make it too far, however, they run into a cart laden with silver ore outside the gates. The driver is from Benek, delivering a gift of ore to the Guard after the PCs solved the crisis with the rock troll (Brock, not Gregg). As the driver doesn’t know the Guard at all, the PCs are faced with the choice of who gets the ore: One of their schools, maybe Henrik, someone else? After some deliberation the PCs decide to hand the ore over to Sgt. Torvik, as he is probably the most neutral and honest choice.
Road to Svorlag
That night, while camping on the way North, the PCs find themselves surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves. Of course, since wolves are not much compared to Forktails, Katakans, or angry magical ghosts, the pack is quickly scattered.
Day 20: Svorlag
Arriving in in the rocky and dismal town of Svorlag that night, the PCs stop at the local longhouse, where they find the locals are extremely unwelcoming. A terse standoff ensues, which Svart exacerbates by irritating the local chef. Before any more trouble can arise, the PCs are rescued by their Whisperer friend, Éirinn, who the locals fear more than the PCs, since she’s magical, a Whisperer, and a independent woman: terrifying. Éirinn says the Inquisition hired her too, as a liaison between their agents and the management in Varanas, using her abilities as a magical communicator. She hasn’t heard any details about the mission, and once the PCs fill her in, she equally suspicious about the contract. Also, Forråde attempts to flirt with Éirinn and fails miserably. The PCs camp with Éirinn outside of town to avoid the wrath of the locals, and plan to press into the mountains tomorrow.
Day 21: Svorlag
After a long hike North, the PCs and Éirinn find the entrance to a rocky crevasse where several dozen harpies have nested. They make some basic attempts at planning, and Svart heads off into the crevasse, hoping to draw the harpies into close quarters. Svart hurls abuse at the harpies, who may not understand insults but they do understand intruders. Anna drops lightning bolts though the flock, torching multiple beasts in a single shot, and Forråde takes careful aim, fires up, misses wildly, and ends up hitting Svart with the falling arrow. Éirinn is not impressed.
The fight wears on and the flock is dramatically thinned, eventually scattering. Svart claims he did some very cool things in the fight in the crevasse, but no one saw. The PCs explore, burning nests and collecting eggs for Henrik, and Svart finds an unexpected door at the back of the crevasse: Solid metal with a knob and knocker.
After some deliberation and arguing, they try the door knocker. Suddenly, a tiny needle pops out and pricks the knocking hand. However, nothing more dramatic than that happens, and the door opens. Inside is a small empty foyer, and the cave is well built, with solid and smooth rock walls, clearly carved with skill and effort. They proceed cautiously, and come to an open archway that shimmers with magic. They test it with rocks, and find that it magically repels anything that tries to cross the threshold, and loudly intones “RUDE.” The PCs test the doorway further, but pretty quickly realize the solution: They ask aloud if they can enter, and the archway says, “YES,” and lets them pass.
Continuing deeper and rounding a corner, they find a long, narrow hallway occupied at the far end by a hulking, stony shape with small wings. They have just enough time to recognize the shape as a gargoyle, one of the most dangerous monsters in the Bestiary, before it charges them. Beating a hasty retreat around the corner, they watch as the gargoyle runs right past them and straight through the wall, passing its body through solid rock without affecting either. The PCs peer around the corner and find the gargoyle back where it started, charging them again.
The PCs spend a good deal of time testing the scene, checking for tricks or traps and dodging the continued charges of the teleporting gargoyle, until Svart grits his teeth and stands his ground against the gargoyle. The gargoyle passes straight through him and repeats its cycle: The gargoyle was an illusion. Irritated, the PCs advance, observing several advanced runic markings on the narrow hallway walls that look like they were designed to trap or reflect magic.
At the end of the hallway is a door, lit by a small oil lamp. After thoroughly checking for traps, they try the handle and a burst of flaming oil from the lamp is sent at them. They manage to dodge the blast, and deliberate on a solution. They try snuffing the oil lamp and try again. Forråde tries the door and gets coated in oil for his trouble. Éirinn is not impressed. Eventually, the PCs try moving the candle inside the oil lamp, and with a click, the door unlocks.
They enter the next room to find what appears to be an abandoned workroom: there are tables and shelves strewn around in disrepair, cobwebs and thick layer of dust. At the back of the room is a large vault door, wreathed in runic magic like they saw earlier, covered in a barrier similar to what they encountered at the archway. They test all their previous solutions with no success, and decide to search the room instead. Under a dusty broken shelf, they find a strange one-sided door knob, with a rune carved in the base. The PCs test this knob everywhere they can, and find a small notch for it under a loose stone tile on a side wall. Once placed, there is a crackle of magic, and a door seam splits along the wall. The wall section hinges smoothly, and leads into another room.
This hidden room is warmly lit by crystals embedded in the walls, comfortably furnished and equipped, and full of scientific equipment. Research notes are neatly spread throughout the room, and diagrams are placed in rows along the walls. There is also a blueprint of the site, with markings indicating the various puzzles and traps the PCs encountered. Next to this is a blackboard with notes about the Inquisition written on it, connecting each hurdle the PCs crossed with a specific weakness the writer saw in the Inquisition: Paranoia for the blood-stealing door, Force for the polite gate, Shoots First for the gargoyle illusion, Ignores Mundane Threats for the fire trap, and Lacks Subtlety for the final, seemingly abandoned room. There are other notes that go into detail, and it appears the entire arrangement was meant to defeat the Inquisition, or at least significantly slow and frustrate them.
While most of the research in the room is beyond the PCs understanding, it seems like most of it relates to magic and monsters, and at the back of the room is a heavy iron door with a sliding hatch for viewing. The notes near the door are much less organized, and increasingly strange and arcane, even outright disturbing. There are strange crystals and gems strewn around that, upon inspection, are filled with potent, bizarre mana that Svart immediately snatches. A shivering, jittery feeling runs through him as the mana spikes his senses, leaving him jumpy and energized, and a little on edge. Beyond the door hatch is a thing of nightmares: a twisting, roiling symbol that shifts between endless complex runic spirals, glowing purple and silver. The symbol seems to burst from the rock wall beyond the door, reaching with glowing strands outward, and as Svart and Forråde look at the symbol, they experience different effects. Svart feels that same twitchy energy along with a growing mental pain, and the longer he stares the more paranoid he feels, and he begins to hear voices warning him of betrayal from all sides. Forråde, however, doesn’t feel much at all, at least at first. The longer he looks at the symbol, the more a general unpleasantness creeps over him; nausea, itchiness, eye strain. All three feel these feelings slowly fade as they turn away from the door. After they recover, the PCs realize they have found a Glyph, the most dangerous and unpredictable form of magic that exists. Éirinn and Anna wisely choose not to stare at the Glyph, and Éirinn says that this is probably what the Inquisition sent them to find. She uses her Whisperer magic to relay the message back to Varanas, and word comes back that the group should simply wait for relief by Inquisition forces. The PCs balk at the idea of staying near that thing for the three days the journey might take, but they have no choice.
About an hour later, there is a sudden burst of noise and sound from the center of the room, and a tear in reality forms, roaring and glowing, as Inquisition Knights come pouring out, armoring smoking and smelling of brimstone, and they form a perimeter around the breach. The anti-magic aura they emit presses against Anna and Svart, and that effect doubles when a larger, more armored figure steps through the portal: A Knight with glowing lines in his armor that pulse with the pressure on Anna and Svart, with symbols of rank adorning him. Éirinn swears under her breath and quietly tells the PCs that the large figure is a full Inquisitor-General, a field commander and one of the most powerful combatant ranks in the Inquisition. The Inquisitor-General steps towards them as the Knights relax and spread out through the room, the portal snapping shut behind them. Inquisitor-General Cossus questions the PCs, directly but not rudely, and after receiving their report, he views the Glyph with no visible effects. He expresses concern for the mental health of the party, and congratulates them on a job well done; He and his Knights will take it from here, the PCs can go home. The PCs are a little put off by the sudden dismissal, but it is clear the Inquisition is not asking. They pack up and prepare for the journey home, when Inquisitor-General Cossus stops them and says they should take the “quick way.” He casts his hand out and opens the portal again, and tells the PCs to walk straight and keep their eyes closed; Where they’re going, you don’t need eyes. Éirinn says ‘no thanks’ and parts ways with the PCs for now.
Stepping through the portal, the PCs are enveloped in heat and noise, and only Svart hesitates to press through to the other side. As he lingers, the noise resolves as a cacaphony of voices, pressing against his mind, and he quickly moves through as well. None of the PCs are foolish enough to open their eyes. They emerge into the cool, crisp air of Varanas Keep, steam and smoke rising from them. Knights surround them quickly, and they are escorted to a waiting room deep in the Keep, with little explanation. Shortly, they are collected by Jondora Torsdottir, Svart and Anna’s assigned Inquisitor, who curtly offers congratulations on a job well done, and escorts them to a large hall, where they find Den Leaders Thorleif Holm of the Wolves and Tobias Brokvold of the Cat waiting, surrounded by gurneys covered in straps, and tables of potions, syringes, and other medical implements. The families and friends of the PCs are there as well - time to Graduate.
After a round of handshakes, hugs, and other congratulations, the PCs are left in the hands of Venatori doctors, strapped down, and given a series of injections that aggressively alter their bodies and minds, unlocking powerful new abilities and skills. This process of painful and confusing, and the PCs slip into grateful unconsciousness under the protective watch of their Den Leaders.
Day 22: Varanas
The PCs wake groggy and sore, and their Den Leaders tell them to give their new abilities time to fully develop, and to take a day of rest. Once they’ve fully recovered from their ordeals, they can talk about new assignments. The PCs (and the players!) are given their School necklaces to show their new rank as full Venatori of the Silver Guard.
Day 19:
The PCs set out for Svorlag, on their Inquisition-sanctioned Harpy hunt. Before they make it too far, however, they run into a cart laden with silver ore outside the gates. The driver is from Benek, delivering a gift of ore to the Guard after the PCs solved the crisis with the rock troll (Brock, not Gregg). As the driver doesn’t know the Guard at all, the PCs are faced with the choice of who gets the ore: One of their schools, maybe Henrik, someone else? After some deliberation the PCs decide to hand the ore over to Sgt. Torvik, as he is probably the most neutral and honest choice.
Road to Svorlag
That night, while camping on the way North, the PCs find themselves surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves. Of course, since wolves are not much compared to Forktails, Katakans, or angry magical ghosts, the pack is quickly scattered.
Day 20: Svorlag
Arriving in in the rocky and dismal town of Svorlag that night, the PCs stop at the local longhouse, where they find the locals are extremely unwelcoming. A terse standoff ensues, which Svart exacerbates by irritating the local chef. Before any more trouble can arise, the PCs are rescued by their Whisperer friend, Éirinn, who the locals fear more than the PCs, since she’s magical, a Whisperer, and a independent woman: terrifying. Éirinn says the Inquisition hired her too, as a liaison between their agents and the management in Varanas, using her abilities as a magical communicator. She hasn’t heard any details about the mission, and once the PCs fill her in, she equally suspicious about the contract. Also, Forråde attempts to flirt with Éirinn and fails miserably. The PCs camp with Éirinn outside of town to avoid the wrath of the locals, and plan to press into the mountains tomorrow.
Day 21: Svorlag
After a long hike North, the PCs and Éirinn find the entrance to a rocky crevasse where several dozen harpies have nested. They make some basic attempts at planning, and Svart heads off into the crevasse, hoping to draw the harpies into close quarters. Svart hurls abuse at the harpies, who may not understand insults but they do understand intruders. Anna drops lightning bolts though the flock, torching multiple beasts in a single shot, and Forråde takes careful aim, fires up, misses wildly, and ends up hitting Svart with the falling arrow. Éirinn is not impressed.
The fight wears on and the flock is dramatically thinned, eventually scattering. Svart claims he did some very cool things in the fight in the crevasse, but no one saw. The PCs explore, burning nests and collecting eggs for Henrik, and Svart finds an unexpected door at the back of the crevasse: Solid metal with a knob and knocker.
After some deliberation and arguing, they try the door knocker. Suddenly, a tiny needle pops out and pricks the knocking hand. However, nothing more dramatic than that happens, and the door opens. Inside is a small empty foyer, and the cave is well built, with solid and smooth rock walls, clearly carved with skill and effort. They proceed cautiously, and come to an open archway that shimmers with magic. They test it with rocks, and find that it magically repels anything that tries to cross the threshold, and loudly intones “RUDE.” The PCs test the doorway further, but pretty quickly realize the solution: They ask aloud if they can enter, and the archway says, “YES,” and lets them pass.
Continuing deeper and rounding a corner, they find a long, narrow hallway occupied at the far end by a hulking, stony shape with small wings. They have just enough time to recognize the shape as a gargoyle, one of the most dangerous monsters in the Bestiary, before it charges them. Beating a hasty retreat around the corner, they watch as the gargoyle runs right past them and straight through the wall, passing its body through solid rock without affecting either. The PCs peer around the corner and find the gargoyle back where it started, charging them again.
The PCs spend a good deal of time testing the scene, checking for tricks or traps and dodging the continued charges of the teleporting gargoyle, until Svart grits his teeth and stands his ground against the gargoyle. The gargoyle passes straight through him and repeats its cycle: The gargoyle was an illusion. Irritated, the PCs advance, observing several advanced runic markings on the narrow hallway walls that look like they were designed to trap or reflect magic.
At the end of the hallway is a door, lit by a small oil lamp. After thoroughly checking for traps, they try the handle and a burst of flaming oil from the lamp is sent at them. They manage to dodge the blast, and deliberate on a solution. They try snuffing the oil lamp and try again. Forråde tries the door and gets coated in oil for his trouble. Éirinn is not impressed. Eventually, the PCs try moving the candle inside the oil lamp, and with a click, the door unlocks.
They enter the next room to find what appears to be an abandoned workroom: there are tables and shelves strewn around in disrepair, cobwebs and thick layer of dust. At the back of the room is a large vault door, wreathed in runic magic like they saw earlier, covered in a barrier similar to what they encountered at the archway. They test all their previous solutions with no success, and decide to search the room instead. Under a dusty broken shelf, they find a strange one-sided door knob, with a rune carved in the base. The PCs test this knob everywhere they can, and find a small notch for it under a loose stone tile on a side wall. Once placed, there is a crackle of magic, and a door seam splits along the wall. The wall section hinges smoothly, and leads into another room.
This hidden room is warmly lit by crystals embedded in the walls, comfortably furnished and equipped, and full of scientific equipment. Research notes are neatly spread throughout the room, and diagrams are placed in rows along the walls. There is also a blueprint of the site, with markings indicating the various puzzles and traps the PCs encountered. Next to this is a blackboard with notes about the Inquisition written on it, connecting each hurdle the PCs crossed with a specific weakness the writer saw in the Inquisition: Paranoia for the blood-stealing door, Force for the polite gate, Shoots First for the gargoyle illusion, Ignores Mundane Threats for the fire trap, and Lacks Subtlety for the final, seemingly abandoned room. There are other notes that go into detail, and it appears the entire arrangement was meant to defeat the Inquisition, or at least significantly slow and frustrate them.
While most of the research in the room is beyond the PCs understanding, it seems like most of it relates to magic and monsters, and at the back of the room is a heavy iron door with a sliding hatch for viewing. The notes near the door are much less organized, and increasingly strange and arcane, even outright disturbing. There are strange crystals and gems strewn around that, upon inspection, are filled with potent, bizarre mana that Svart immediately snatches. A shivering, jittery feeling runs through him as the mana spikes his senses, leaving him jumpy and energized, and a little on edge. Beyond the door hatch is a thing of nightmares: a twisting, roiling symbol that shifts between endless complex runic spirals, glowing purple and silver. The symbol seems to burst from the rock wall beyond the door, reaching with glowing strands outward, and as Svart and Forråde look at the symbol, they experience different effects. Svart feels that same twitchy energy along with a growing mental pain, and the longer he stares the more paranoid he feels, and he begins to hear voices warning him of betrayal from all sides. Forråde, however, doesn’t feel much at all, at least at first. The longer he looks at the symbol, the more a general unpleasantness creeps over him; nausea, itchiness, eye strain. All three feel these feelings slowly fade as they turn away from the door. After they recover, the PCs realize they have found a Glyph, the most dangerous and unpredictable form of magic that exists. Éirinn and Anna wisely choose not to stare at the Glyph, and Éirinn says that this is probably what the Inquisition sent them to find. She uses her Whisperer magic to relay the message back to Varanas, and word comes back that the group should simply wait for relief by Inquisition forces. The PCs balk at the idea of staying near that thing for the three days the journey might take, but they have no choice.
About an hour later, there is a sudden burst of noise and sound from the center of the room, and a tear in reality forms, roaring and glowing, as Inquisition Knights come pouring out, armoring smoking and smelling of brimstone, and they form a perimeter around the breach. The anti-magic aura they emit presses against Anna and Svart, and that effect doubles when a larger, more armored figure steps through the portal: A Knight with glowing lines in his armor that pulse with the pressure on Anna and Svart, with symbols of rank adorning him. Éirinn swears under her breath and quietly tells the PCs that the large figure is a full Inquisitor-General, a field commander and one of the most powerful combatant ranks in the Inquisition. The Inquisitor-General steps towards them as the Knights relax and spread out through the room, the portal snapping shut behind them. Inquisitor-General Cossus questions the PCs, directly but not rudely, and after receiving their report, he views the Glyph with no visible effects. He expresses concern for the mental health of the party, and congratulates them on a job well done; He and his Knights will take it from here, the PCs can go home. The PCs are a little put off by the sudden dismissal, but it is clear the Inquisition is not asking. They pack up and prepare for the journey home, when Inquisitor-General Cossus stops them and says they should take the “quick way.” He casts his hand out and opens the portal again, and tells the PCs to walk straight and keep their eyes closed; Where they’re going, you don’t need eyes. Éirinn says ‘no thanks’ and parts ways with the PCs for now.
Stepping through the portal, the PCs are enveloped in heat and noise, and only Svart hesitates to press through to the other side. As he lingers, the noise resolves as a cacaphony of voices, pressing against his mind, and he quickly moves through as well. None of the PCs are foolish enough to open their eyes. They emerge into the cool, crisp air of Varanas Keep, steam and smoke rising from them. Knights surround them quickly, and they are escorted to a waiting room deep in the Keep, with little explanation. Shortly, they are collected by Jondora Torsdottir, Svart and Anna’s assigned Inquisitor, who curtly offers congratulations on a job well done, and escorts them to a large hall, where they find Den Leaders Thorleif Holm of the Wolves and Tobias Brokvold of the Cat waiting, surrounded by gurneys covered in straps, and tables of potions, syringes, and other medical implements. The families and friends of the PCs are there as well - time to Graduate.
After a round of handshakes, hugs, and other congratulations, the PCs are left in the hands of Venatori doctors, strapped down, and given a series of injections that aggressively alter their bodies and minds, unlocking powerful new abilities and skills. This process of painful and confusing, and the PCs slip into grateful unconsciousness under the protective watch of their Den Leaders.
Day 22: Varanas
The PCs wake groggy and sore, and their Den Leaders tell them to give their new abilities time to fully develop, and to take a day of rest. Once they’ve fully recovered from their ordeals, they can talk about new assignments. The PCs (and the players!) are given their School necklaces to show their new rank as full Venatori of the Silver Guard.
Session 10:
Day 22: Varanas
The PCs spend a vacation day visiting with friends, family, and Den Leaders. They relax, do some shopping, and regroup that night at the Three Beasts for some friendly games of dice with their fellow Venatori, as their bodies recover from the ordeal of transformation. Svart gets a little too competitive, and Anna ends up winning big. They turn in for the night, enjoying the comfort of a proper bed rather than camping on the road.
Day 23: Varanas
The PCs wake and feel some of their new abilities taking effect, and collect themselves for their new future. They report to Sgt. Torvik, who is waiting with Jora Torsdottir, their assigned Inquisitor, and Torvik talks stiffly in her presence. Normally, new Venatori are encouraged to find their own way, explore the world and find their own contracts, but the Inquisition has taken a special interest in them, and has a new mission for them: The PCs are tasked to go to Nurmis, the Eastern sister city to Varanas, where the Inquisition feels there is a connection to the Glyph they found. There, the PCs are to look for signs of a smuggling ring that the Inquisition believes is involved with whoever was researching the Glyph. What evidence led the Inquisition to this belief, however, is kept from the PCs. Sgt. Torvik begrudgingly admits that the PCs should go on the mission, but brightens up when he explains that as full Venatori, the PCs are granted a greater degree of freedom then when they were trainees, and as such, outside of immediate magical threats, the Inquisition cannot compel them to obey. However, Torvik says in the interests of cooperation, they should, in this case. Although, unless Jora can produce evidence of an immediate threat, the PCs can certainly take their time in responding. Jora just grimaces, and Torvik looks pleased. The PCs leave with a distant goal in mind, but the freedom to take whatever work they find along the way.
They visit Henrik at his lab to drop off the Harpy eggs they collected, and find Henrik and Gregg settling in together nicely. Gregg has a little kitchen space carved out for himself, and a small garden plot outside, where Henrik is teaching Gregg to farm his own vegetables. Gregg’s diction and grammar is improving, as well, and the pair have been working together on expansions to keep the growing zoo stable. With eggs in hand, they set off muttering to each other about bird cages, but not before Henrik congratulates the PCs on graduating, and mentions Svart's mentor Aatu, who has been visiting with money and resources. In a nervous aside, Henrik mentions that Aatu snuck into the Scribe guild offices and stole the only documentation that showed the specific location of the research cave Henrik currently occupies. Now, should anyone grow suspicious of Henrik's increasingly accurate monster information, they won’t be able to locate him or his lab.
The PCs prepare to head out onto the road to Nurmis, bristling with new silver weapons and Venatori transformations in their blood.
Day 22: Varanas
The PCs spend a vacation day visiting with friends, family, and Den Leaders. They relax, do some shopping, and regroup that night at the Three Beasts for some friendly games of dice with their fellow Venatori, as their bodies recover from the ordeal of transformation. Svart gets a little too competitive, and Anna ends up winning big. They turn in for the night, enjoying the comfort of a proper bed rather than camping on the road.
Day 23: Varanas
The PCs wake and feel some of their new abilities taking effect, and collect themselves for their new future. They report to Sgt. Torvik, who is waiting with Jora Torsdottir, their assigned Inquisitor, and Torvik talks stiffly in her presence. Normally, new Venatori are encouraged to find their own way, explore the world and find their own contracts, but the Inquisition has taken a special interest in them, and has a new mission for them: The PCs are tasked to go to Nurmis, the Eastern sister city to Varanas, where the Inquisition feels there is a connection to the Glyph they found. There, the PCs are to look for signs of a smuggling ring that the Inquisition believes is involved with whoever was researching the Glyph. What evidence led the Inquisition to this belief, however, is kept from the PCs. Sgt. Torvik begrudgingly admits that the PCs should go on the mission, but brightens up when he explains that as full Venatori, the PCs are granted a greater degree of freedom then when they were trainees, and as such, outside of immediate magical threats, the Inquisition cannot compel them to obey. However, Torvik says in the interests of cooperation, they should, in this case. Although, unless Jora can produce evidence of an immediate threat, the PCs can certainly take their time in responding. Jora just grimaces, and Torvik looks pleased. The PCs leave with a distant goal in mind, but the freedom to take whatever work they find along the way.
They visit Henrik at his lab to drop off the Harpy eggs they collected, and find Henrik and Gregg settling in together nicely. Gregg has a little kitchen space carved out for himself, and a small garden plot outside, where Henrik is teaching Gregg to farm his own vegetables. Gregg’s diction and grammar is improving, as well, and the pair have been working together on expansions to keep the growing zoo stable. With eggs in hand, they set off muttering to each other about bird cages, but not before Henrik congratulates the PCs on graduating, and mentions Svart's mentor Aatu, who has been visiting with money and resources. In a nervous aside, Henrik mentions that Aatu snuck into the Scribe guild offices and stole the only documentation that showed the specific location of the research cave Henrik currently occupies. Now, should anyone grow suspicious of Henrik's increasingly accurate monster information, they won’t be able to locate him or his lab.
The PCs prepare to head out onto the road to Nurmis, bristling with new silver weapons and Venatori transformations in their blood.
Session 11:
Day 23: Road to Nurmis, midday
The PCs prep for their longest trip away from home ever, and stock up on items. The newly accessible Venatori potions don’t spark a lot of interest, but the Venatori Library does. Laden with borrowed books on monsters and other mysteries, they hit the road.
While making their way East, the PCs encounter a brightly painted (if rather faded) cart, driven by a strangely dressed man. He hails them, and greets them warmly and loudly. His name is Orif Kordilov, wandering merchant from far away, and his cart is overflowing with toys, strange food, and trinkets. He shows them various items with excited flair, offering ‘special prices.’ The PCs end up buying a few odds and ends: A music box that plays a song from Riddarhold, a small mechanical frog from the far East, some Moonfruit from Traenen, and some Thunderbolt Iron ore, which Svart takes interest in; In theory, it should have unique properties if properly forged. Orif is taking a large quantity of the ore to Varanas, and Svart buys a few pounds, enough for a small weapon.
The PCs continue on towards Karsten and camp for the night. With their new abilities, they don’t need much sleep, and stay up late reading by the campfire.
Day 24: Road to Nurmis, near Karsten, morning
The PCs are walking down the road when they hear a horse galloping, closing on them quickly. They ready themselves, and in the distance they see an Inquisition knight rushing towards them, with a dozen ghouls on his heels. The ghouls spook the horse and unseat the knight, and the ghouls don’t attack the knight so much as his possessions, focusing their rage on his saddlebags. The PCs join the fray, and the ghouls are unexpectedly aggressive and strong. Even while under attack, some of the ghouls are more interested in the contents of the saddlebag than in fighting. The knight manages to recover from his fall and remove his helmet, which drops the anti-magic field. The battle doesn’t last much longer after that. The knight, Simon Bolstad, isn’t a knight at all, but a neophyte, a lower rank member of the Inquisition dispatched to get reinforcements for the siege at Karsten. Simon explains that for the past several days, Karsten has been under constant attack from ghouls, and while the town was still occupied by the Inquisition, they are not suited to monster hunting like the PCs; Their gear slows them down, and their tactics are designed to stop rogue mages, not ambushes by feral beasts. While Simon explains this, the PCs discover the source of the ghouls rage: a single Emerald in Simons coin purse, which gives off a faint but unnerving magical sense, and it seems to interact with the magic circuitry visible in Simons helmet. He is unwilling to go into detail about his armor and its design, but he was entirely unaware of the coin, and says they should take it back to Karsten, where Sgt. Kofold can hopefully address it. Simon takes off looking for his horse, and to continue back to Varanas for reinforcements, and begs the PCs to lend their expertise to the fight in Karsten.
The PCs approach Karsten at sunset, and hear the howling of ghouls all around. The center of town is now surrounded by a hastily built wooden palisade, and there are signs of fighting all around the area. Gate guards frantically wave them inside, and the Inquisition forces are relieved to see Venatori. Sgt. Kofold, who the PCs met during their last visit to Karsten, is equally relieved. He examines the mysterious Emerald, but doesn’t clue the PCs into his plans for it right away, as a ghoul attack is starting and he needs their help. He tasks them with holding a broken gap in the palisade wall with the help of some of his men, and the PCs join the Inquisition forces in the defense of Karsten.
The fight at the wall is fast and brutal, and ghoul bodies are piled high before the gap is fully sealed. Forråde nearly runs out of arrows firing into the breach, Anna rains down lightning and heavy blows while she protects the Inquisition forces, and Svart runs wild on both sides of the wall, slashing through the horde like a whirlwind. A pair of Alghouls are spotted coordinating the ghouls, but they do not engage, and the breach is sealed before the party is overwhelmed. The Inquisition forces are awed by the fighting skills of proper Venatori, but before they can rest, a rallying horn blares from the main town gates, and the PCs rush to it.
At the gate, they see Kofold and his men holding the line against the Alghouls and a horde of ghouls. Kofold sets to work with his massive warhammer, but the PCs can see the battle is turning against them. Then, Anna remembers the magical bracelets they found some time ago (see day 17). She harnesses their stored kinetic energy, and unleashes a blast so powerful that the front rank of ghouls is vaporized, and the rest are scattered. Any monsters not killed in the initial blast are either mortally wounded or running away. A stunned silence falls over the scene, and the Inquisition sends up a cheer on the PCs behalf. As the combatants celebrate, one of Kofolds assistants rushes up with a runic inscribed box, and Kofold produces the rage-inducing Emerald from within his armor. He gingerly places the Emerald into the runic box and seals it, and the box glows brightly as every Inquisition member tenses. The lights on the box fade, and the Inquisition relaxes.
Kofold brings the PCs back to his workspace in the tavern and, thanks to their efforts, is willing to disclose some Inquisition secrets. The Emerald was magically cursed, and charged with Glyph energy, which allowed it to bypass the anti-magic fields of their armor, since Inquisition armor is based on Glyph energy as well. The runic box was an emergency device for neutralizing rampant Glyph energy. The fact that someone can create and harness Glyph spells is extremely concerning: Only Glyphwriters, the chronically insane source of Glyph spells, should be able to do these things. With the PCs present, Kofold checked with his own guards, and found that while a shady figure may have passed through town the night before the attacks started, no one could remember their face, and the guards showed signs of magical mental tampering, despite their armor. Kofold will continue to investigate and check for other cursed currency, but the immediate threat appears to be neutralized.
Kofold offers them free room and board for the night, and offers them a place in the hunting parties he will be sending out to purge the ghoul nests, but understands if they want to move on. The PCs give a brief lecture to the Inquisition forces over dinner on the nature of ghouls and how best to hunt them, and then party for the rest of the night with their new friends in the Inquisition.
Day 23: Road to Nurmis, midday
The PCs prep for their longest trip away from home ever, and stock up on items. The newly accessible Venatori potions don’t spark a lot of interest, but the Venatori Library does. Laden with borrowed books on monsters and other mysteries, they hit the road.
While making their way East, the PCs encounter a brightly painted (if rather faded) cart, driven by a strangely dressed man. He hails them, and greets them warmly and loudly. His name is Orif Kordilov, wandering merchant from far away, and his cart is overflowing with toys, strange food, and trinkets. He shows them various items with excited flair, offering ‘special prices.’ The PCs end up buying a few odds and ends: A music box that plays a song from Riddarhold, a small mechanical frog from the far East, some Moonfruit from Traenen, and some Thunderbolt Iron ore, which Svart takes interest in; In theory, it should have unique properties if properly forged. Orif is taking a large quantity of the ore to Varanas, and Svart buys a few pounds, enough for a small weapon.
The PCs continue on towards Karsten and camp for the night. With their new abilities, they don’t need much sleep, and stay up late reading by the campfire.
Day 24: Road to Nurmis, near Karsten, morning
The PCs are walking down the road when they hear a horse galloping, closing on them quickly. They ready themselves, and in the distance they see an Inquisition knight rushing towards them, with a dozen ghouls on his heels. The ghouls spook the horse and unseat the knight, and the ghouls don’t attack the knight so much as his possessions, focusing their rage on his saddlebags. The PCs join the fray, and the ghouls are unexpectedly aggressive and strong. Even while under attack, some of the ghouls are more interested in the contents of the saddlebag than in fighting. The knight manages to recover from his fall and remove his helmet, which drops the anti-magic field. The battle doesn’t last much longer after that. The knight, Simon Bolstad, isn’t a knight at all, but a neophyte, a lower rank member of the Inquisition dispatched to get reinforcements for the siege at Karsten. Simon explains that for the past several days, Karsten has been under constant attack from ghouls, and while the town was still occupied by the Inquisition, they are not suited to monster hunting like the PCs; Their gear slows them down, and their tactics are designed to stop rogue mages, not ambushes by feral beasts. While Simon explains this, the PCs discover the source of the ghouls rage: a single Emerald in Simons coin purse, which gives off a faint but unnerving magical sense, and it seems to interact with the magic circuitry visible in Simons helmet. He is unwilling to go into detail about his armor and its design, but he was entirely unaware of the coin, and says they should take it back to Karsten, where Sgt. Kofold can hopefully address it. Simon takes off looking for his horse, and to continue back to Varanas for reinforcements, and begs the PCs to lend their expertise to the fight in Karsten.
The PCs approach Karsten at sunset, and hear the howling of ghouls all around. The center of town is now surrounded by a hastily built wooden palisade, and there are signs of fighting all around the area. Gate guards frantically wave them inside, and the Inquisition forces are relieved to see Venatori. Sgt. Kofold, who the PCs met during their last visit to Karsten, is equally relieved. He examines the mysterious Emerald, but doesn’t clue the PCs into his plans for it right away, as a ghoul attack is starting and he needs their help. He tasks them with holding a broken gap in the palisade wall with the help of some of his men, and the PCs join the Inquisition forces in the defense of Karsten.
The fight at the wall is fast and brutal, and ghoul bodies are piled high before the gap is fully sealed. Forråde nearly runs out of arrows firing into the breach, Anna rains down lightning and heavy blows while she protects the Inquisition forces, and Svart runs wild on both sides of the wall, slashing through the horde like a whirlwind. A pair of Alghouls are spotted coordinating the ghouls, but they do not engage, and the breach is sealed before the party is overwhelmed. The Inquisition forces are awed by the fighting skills of proper Venatori, but before they can rest, a rallying horn blares from the main town gates, and the PCs rush to it.
At the gate, they see Kofold and his men holding the line against the Alghouls and a horde of ghouls. Kofold sets to work with his massive warhammer, but the PCs can see the battle is turning against them. Then, Anna remembers the magical bracelets they found some time ago (see day 17). She harnesses their stored kinetic energy, and unleashes a blast so powerful that the front rank of ghouls is vaporized, and the rest are scattered. Any monsters not killed in the initial blast are either mortally wounded or running away. A stunned silence falls over the scene, and the Inquisition sends up a cheer on the PCs behalf. As the combatants celebrate, one of Kofolds assistants rushes up with a runic inscribed box, and Kofold produces the rage-inducing Emerald from within his armor. He gingerly places the Emerald into the runic box and seals it, and the box glows brightly as every Inquisition member tenses. The lights on the box fade, and the Inquisition relaxes.
Kofold brings the PCs back to his workspace in the tavern and, thanks to their efforts, is willing to disclose some Inquisition secrets. The Emerald was magically cursed, and charged with Glyph energy, which allowed it to bypass the anti-magic fields of their armor, since Inquisition armor is based on Glyph energy as well. The runic box was an emergency device for neutralizing rampant Glyph energy. The fact that someone can create and harness Glyph spells is extremely concerning: Only Glyphwriters, the chronically insane source of Glyph spells, should be able to do these things. With the PCs present, Kofold checked with his own guards, and found that while a shady figure may have passed through town the night before the attacks started, no one could remember their face, and the guards showed signs of magical mental tampering, despite their armor. Kofold will continue to investigate and check for other cursed currency, but the immediate threat appears to be neutralized.
Kofold offers them free room and board for the night, and offers them a place in the hunting parties he will be sending out to purge the ghoul nests, but understands if they want to move on. The PCs give a brief lecture to the Inquisition forces over dinner on the nature of ghouls and how best to hunt them, and then party for the rest of the night with their new friends in the Inquisition.
Session 12:
Day 25: Karsten
The PCs wake to a slow morning for some hungover Inquisition soldiers. The PCs, with their mutant metabolisms, feel fine. After a breakfast with the troops, and a gift of fresh bread from Snorri, grateful for everything they’ve done, the PCs continue on their way to Nurmis, past piles of ghoul corpses being burned by the Inquisition.
Day 25: Road to Downwarren
Not far from town, the PCs run into another gang of ghouls, engaged in combat with a stranger just off the road. After joining in the fray, they exchange pleasantries with Yngvar, a Venator of the Bear School. Yngvar was heading back to Varanas when he ran into the leftovers of the rabid ghouls from the Karsten siege. He asks the PCs to help him track down and kill an Alghoul that he’s been unable to run down, not far away. With all four tracking, they quickly find a den. Yngvar dives in, and asks the PCs to keep watch. He neglected to mention how Alghouls might feel about attacks on their dens, and the PCs get ambushed by three very angry Alghouls. In the fight, Svart get overwhelmed and nearly devoured by the beasts, crushed under their weight, but the others rescue him, mostly. It costs the PCs some of their emergency healing items to keep Svart alive, and the incident will likely leave him permanently scarred, physically and mentally. Yngvar climbs out of the den, having killed the babies, and casually mentions he figured there would be more than one Alghoul, but that the PCs could handle it. Technically, he didn’t lie, he just didn't care. He and the PCs part on cold terms.
The PCs camp out on the road that night, reading from their library books.
Day 26: Downwarren
In the afternoon, about an hour from town, the PCs hear a faint boom, and a column of smoke rising from the direction of town. They hurry to find everyone engaged in putting out a house fire. What used to be Leif’s house (Day 17) is now a flaming wreck. There are Inquisition troops recovering from fire-related injuries nearby, armor still smoking, and the PCs join in firefighting efforts. Once the fire has been contained, the PCs talk to the Inquisition forces, who aren’t comfortable discussing their work publicly. At the local tavern, the townsfolk of Downwarren appear recovered from their nightly draining by the Aszvang, but unfortunately, a more lively Downwarren is a less friendly Downwarren, at least towards the Silver Guard. The PCs are better liked than the Inquisition, but only a bit. The innkeeper quietly mentions a contract available at Seb’s farm, but didn’t want to pass it on through the Inquisition, since most of the town blames them for the fire. Speaking of, Squad Leader Bror and his men have a space in the tavern, given a wide berth by locals. Bror’s team is a collection and documentation team, basically glorified Scribes, and his team was involved in the Karsten werewolf case (Day 8). Bror passes along warm wishes from Harry and Gerta, who are starting a new life together, further away from civilization. Harry retains some minor werewolf traits, but nothing dangerous. Bror and his team believe that the curse that turned Harry was built with Glyph magic, and may have been a deliberate experiment on werewolves. Any information on the practitioner responsible was aggressively wiped from Harry’s mind, and the same goes for the residents of Karsten.
It also appears that the spectre that possessed Fyor Flauten may have been connected. After the PCs reported on the strange research in Lief’s basement, Bror’s team collected what they could, and it looked like the spectre had been hunting for either a Glyph site or similar Glyph artifacts. Unfortunately, before anything could be removed from the house, one of Bror’s team picked up an innocuous-looking diary, which was booby trapped. All the evidence and several of Bror’s men were lost in the explosion. The team will be headed back towards Karsten once they’ve recovered anything they can.
The PCs, faced with unfriendly locals, decide to check in with Seb Vettel, who they hope will let them stay with him in exchange for resolving his new contract. They arrive at his house that night, and he is happy to make room and board part of payment, since a pair of monster attacks has left him in a bad financial situation.
Day 27: Downwarren
Contract: Power Vacuum
During breakfast with Seb, he explains his situation. After the PCs left, things got better, but now something else is eating his sheep again, and this time leaving nothing but hooves and bits of wool. The PCs explore the area, and find tracks with a distinctive three-toed pattern that immediately makes Svart nervous: it looks like Reinn Creations, spawn of the Reinn Raiders, and quite possibly the most dangerous type of monster available. They cautiously track the prints back to the same cave where they previously hunted the Ekimmara, and sneak their way inside. Inside, they discover a Chort, a huge goat-like monster with a mystic third eye, which uses its third eye to spot them in the darkness, and charges. The PCs choose the better part of valor and run.
The fight is joined outside the cave, and the beast is a hard fight. Flailing and tackling all three with intense speed and power, the PCs use all their tricks to wear it down, including a stunning riposte by Forråde. The Chort panics, and snatches up Svart in its jaws, retreating into the cave to feast. Svart manages to stab the beast to death in the face before he gets eaten. As it dies, the Chort shrivels and burns to ash, leaving the PCs with nothing but their word as proof. Luckily, their history with Seb is good, and with Seb’s assurances of greater payment once he recovers financially, the PCs set out towards Nurmis, and travel the rest of the day without incident.
Reward Obtained: Room and board, 6E
Day 25: Karsten
The PCs wake to a slow morning for some hungover Inquisition soldiers. The PCs, with their mutant metabolisms, feel fine. After a breakfast with the troops, and a gift of fresh bread from Snorri, grateful for everything they’ve done, the PCs continue on their way to Nurmis, past piles of ghoul corpses being burned by the Inquisition.
Day 25: Road to Downwarren
Not far from town, the PCs run into another gang of ghouls, engaged in combat with a stranger just off the road. After joining in the fray, they exchange pleasantries with Yngvar, a Venator of the Bear School. Yngvar was heading back to Varanas when he ran into the leftovers of the rabid ghouls from the Karsten siege. He asks the PCs to help him track down and kill an Alghoul that he’s been unable to run down, not far away. With all four tracking, they quickly find a den. Yngvar dives in, and asks the PCs to keep watch. He neglected to mention how Alghouls might feel about attacks on their dens, and the PCs get ambushed by three very angry Alghouls. In the fight, Svart get overwhelmed and nearly devoured by the beasts, crushed under their weight, but the others rescue him, mostly. It costs the PCs some of their emergency healing items to keep Svart alive, and the incident will likely leave him permanently scarred, physically and mentally. Yngvar climbs out of the den, having killed the babies, and casually mentions he figured there would be more than one Alghoul, but that the PCs could handle it. Technically, he didn’t lie, he just didn't care. He and the PCs part on cold terms.
The PCs camp out on the road that night, reading from their library books.
Day 26: Downwarren
In the afternoon, about an hour from town, the PCs hear a faint boom, and a column of smoke rising from the direction of town. They hurry to find everyone engaged in putting out a house fire. What used to be Leif’s house (Day 17) is now a flaming wreck. There are Inquisition troops recovering from fire-related injuries nearby, armor still smoking, and the PCs join in firefighting efforts. Once the fire has been contained, the PCs talk to the Inquisition forces, who aren’t comfortable discussing their work publicly. At the local tavern, the townsfolk of Downwarren appear recovered from their nightly draining by the Aszvang, but unfortunately, a more lively Downwarren is a less friendly Downwarren, at least towards the Silver Guard. The PCs are better liked than the Inquisition, but only a bit. The innkeeper quietly mentions a contract available at Seb’s farm, but didn’t want to pass it on through the Inquisition, since most of the town blames them for the fire. Speaking of, Squad Leader Bror and his men have a space in the tavern, given a wide berth by locals. Bror’s team is a collection and documentation team, basically glorified Scribes, and his team was involved in the Karsten werewolf case (Day 8). Bror passes along warm wishes from Harry and Gerta, who are starting a new life together, further away from civilization. Harry retains some minor werewolf traits, but nothing dangerous. Bror and his team believe that the curse that turned Harry was built with Glyph magic, and may have been a deliberate experiment on werewolves. Any information on the practitioner responsible was aggressively wiped from Harry’s mind, and the same goes for the residents of Karsten.
It also appears that the spectre that possessed Fyor Flauten may have been connected. After the PCs reported on the strange research in Lief’s basement, Bror’s team collected what they could, and it looked like the spectre had been hunting for either a Glyph site or similar Glyph artifacts. Unfortunately, before anything could be removed from the house, one of Bror’s team picked up an innocuous-looking diary, which was booby trapped. All the evidence and several of Bror’s men were lost in the explosion. The team will be headed back towards Karsten once they’ve recovered anything they can.
The PCs, faced with unfriendly locals, decide to check in with Seb Vettel, who they hope will let them stay with him in exchange for resolving his new contract. They arrive at his house that night, and he is happy to make room and board part of payment, since a pair of monster attacks has left him in a bad financial situation.
Day 27: Downwarren
Contract: Power Vacuum
During breakfast with Seb, he explains his situation. After the PCs left, things got better, but now something else is eating his sheep again, and this time leaving nothing but hooves and bits of wool. The PCs explore the area, and find tracks with a distinctive three-toed pattern that immediately makes Svart nervous: it looks like Reinn Creations, spawn of the Reinn Raiders, and quite possibly the most dangerous type of monster available. They cautiously track the prints back to the same cave where they previously hunted the Ekimmara, and sneak their way inside. Inside, they discover a Chort, a huge goat-like monster with a mystic third eye, which uses its third eye to spot them in the darkness, and charges. The PCs choose the better part of valor and run.
The fight is joined outside the cave, and the beast is a hard fight. Flailing and tackling all three with intense speed and power, the PCs use all their tricks to wear it down, including a stunning riposte by Forråde. The Chort panics, and snatches up Svart in its jaws, retreating into the cave to feast. Svart manages to stab the beast to death in the face before he gets eaten. As it dies, the Chort shrivels and burns to ash, leaving the PCs with nothing but their word as proof. Luckily, their history with Seb is good, and with Seb’s assurances of greater payment once he recovers financially, the PCs set out towards Nurmis, and travel the rest of the day without incident.
Reward Obtained: Room and board, 6E
Act 2:
Session 12:
Day 28: Nurmis
After an uneventful day of travel, the PCs approach the city of Nurmis in the early evening, and the houses and buildings steadily grow more dense as they walk deeper into the city. There are no walls or distinct borders, just taller, more organized structures that loosely define downtown. There are lots of shops and businesses along the main roads, and several taverns, bars, and hotels as well. The streets are filled with people and noise, and the PCs are a little overwhelmed: Varanas is much more organized, structured, and quiet. Further breaking the silence is a sudden blast of whistles, and the PCs arrive at a street brawl at the center crossroads of the West, East, and North roads. There in the street, three distinct groups are engaged in a fistfight: One group of burly men in black, another in green made up of heavyset but well dressed men, and a mix of men and women wearing white. The local police are arriving as the PCs watch, and the fight quickly disperses, with few arrests. Once the dust settles, the PCs are noticed by the police, given their armor, weapons, and general fierce appearance, and they are approached by Cpt. Krupke of the Nurmis Police. He is noticeably stressed, and acts as if the sudden arrival of Venatori is a personal crisis. He expresses concern that the PCs might get involved in the local conflicts, which isn’t helped by Svart’s casual mention of their secret, Inquisition-led investigation into local smuggling and Glyph magic. Krupke has a minor panic attack, but is calmed by the arrival of an older, plainly dressed man who introduces himself as Evert Malmkvist, local Silver Guard representative and manager of the Silver Guard Outpost in Nurmis. He soothes Krupke and escort the PCs to the Outpost, a meagre general store that serves as a waystation for members of the Guard.
Once they explain their pending mission, Evert briefs the PCs on the local situation, and breaks out a map to explain. Although Evert, as a representative of the Guard, is not popular, he’s had the years to make connections and a few friends, and he is very observant. He knows of three street gangs competing for control of Nurmis at the moment:
The Allblacks: A coalition of peat farmers from the surrounding region, made up mostly of lower class working types. The group as a whole doesn’t like or respect anyone from the Silver Guard, since the Guard wants to eventually erase their way of life by replacing peat farming with more organized farmland. They control the Southern section of the city, where most of the peat production and processing happens, but have influence throughout the countryside, where the bogs are. Since they can only process so much peat per year to remain sustainable, the peat is extremely valuable, but the group's profits are flatlined; there is only so much bog. The group operates out of the Turf Development Board, the main office for the coalition. As a legitimate business with strong social influence, the street fighting is usually overlooked or written off as workers blowing off steam, rather than organized warfare. Their leader, Griff, is pragmatic but hostile towards the Silver Guard. The Allblacks, as their name implies, wear as much black as possible.
The Fish: A loose group of younger middle-class street punks from the Eastern section of Nurmis. The Eastern third is the smallest, densest, and most modern. The gang fights mostly as resistance against the other two gangs, trying to keep independence and local control. They advocate small businesses, open market, minimal government control, and hate the growing corporate powers. They suggest general sharing of resources, barter systems, and the removal of currencies that they claim control the people. They are much more willing to be violent than the other gangs, and prowl their territory armed with knives. Many members have been arrested for armed assaults, which only deepens their assumption that the world is against them. They recruit from teenage and young adult populations, and have the largest gang by numbers. They operate out of a cafe called La Pizza Resistance, run by James Kellogg, a chef and political columnist. The group leans towards the modern thought of the Silver Guard, but are staunchly independent, and their leader Marie is a well-known firebrand. The Fish dress in white, primarily.
The Emeralds: An unofficial group of wealthy businessmen who control money and political power in the Northern portion of the city. They operate several basic rackets, protection schemes, gambling both legal and otherwise, and have major influence over trade in the city. With the amount of businesses they either directly control or influence, they have been growing in power without minimal violence by fixing prices, pushing legislation through the Council, and bribery. They espouse modernization, corporate control and consolidation, but are not above using violence or intimidation to reach these goals. They have made numerous overtures towards the Silver Guard to gain further influence, and have offered support for more aggressive Silver Guard efforts in the city, most certainly for their own benefit. While they operate out of many different legitimate and front businesses, their headquarters is the Lucky Coin Distillery, and their leader Tommy is known for his stern but diplomatic tones. The Emeralds wear shades of green, usually fine clothing.
The PCs are faced with tough situation: Any of these gangs, or even other unknown parties, may be involved with the Glyph magic the Inquisition is tracking. With no guidance or overt support from the Inquisition, the PCs are left to fend for themselves in a city that dislikes them by default, surrounded by street gangs that each have their own ambitions and plans. Evert will help them however he can, but for now, all he can offer is some advice on where to stay. He suggests the Panorama, a mid-tier hotel near the police station. The PCs settle in there for the night, minds laden with new information, and a new chapter in their lives.
Day 28: Nurmis
After an uneventful day of travel, the PCs approach the city of Nurmis in the early evening, and the houses and buildings steadily grow more dense as they walk deeper into the city. There are no walls or distinct borders, just taller, more organized structures that loosely define downtown. There are lots of shops and businesses along the main roads, and several taverns, bars, and hotels as well. The streets are filled with people and noise, and the PCs are a little overwhelmed: Varanas is much more organized, structured, and quiet. Further breaking the silence is a sudden blast of whistles, and the PCs arrive at a street brawl at the center crossroads of the West, East, and North roads. There in the street, three distinct groups are engaged in a fistfight: One group of burly men in black, another in green made up of heavyset but well dressed men, and a mix of men and women wearing white. The local police are arriving as the PCs watch, and the fight quickly disperses, with few arrests. Once the dust settles, the PCs are noticed by the police, given their armor, weapons, and general fierce appearance, and they are approached by Cpt. Krupke of the Nurmis Police. He is noticeably stressed, and acts as if the sudden arrival of Venatori is a personal crisis. He expresses concern that the PCs might get involved in the local conflicts, which isn’t helped by Svart’s casual mention of their secret, Inquisition-led investigation into local smuggling and Glyph magic. Krupke has a minor panic attack, but is calmed by the arrival of an older, plainly dressed man who introduces himself as Evert Malmkvist, local Silver Guard representative and manager of the Silver Guard Outpost in Nurmis. He soothes Krupke and escort the PCs to the Outpost, a meagre general store that serves as a waystation for members of the Guard.
Once they explain their pending mission, Evert briefs the PCs on the local situation, and breaks out a map to explain. Although Evert, as a representative of the Guard, is not popular, he’s had the years to make connections and a few friends, and he is very observant. He knows of three street gangs competing for control of Nurmis at the moment:
The Allblacks: A coalition of peat farmers from the surrounding region, made up mostly of lower class working types. The group as a whole doesn’t like or respect anyone from the Silver Guard, since the Guard wants to eventually erase their way of life by replacing peat farming with more organized farmland. They control the Southern section of the city, where most of the peat production and processing happens, but have influence throughout the countryside, where the bogs are. Since they can only process so much peat per year to remain sustainable, the peat is extremely valuable, but the group's profits are flatlined; there is only so much bog. The group operates out of the Turf Development Board, the main office for the coalition. As a legitimate business with strong social influence, the street fighting is usually overlooked or written off as workers blowing off steam, rather than organized warfare. Their leader, Griff, is pragmatic but hostile towards the Silver Guard. The Allblacks, as their name implies, wear as much black as possible.
The Fish: A loose group of younger middle-class street punks from the Eastern section of Nurmis. The Eastern third is the smallest, densest, and most modern. The gang fights mostly as resistance against the other two gangs, trying to keep independence and local control. They advocate small businesses, open market, minimal government control, and hate the growing corporate powers. They suggest general sharing of resources, barter systems, and the removal of currencies that they claim control the people. They are much more willing to be violent than the other gangs, and prowl their territory armed with knives. Many members have been arrested for armed assaults, which only deepens their assumption that the world is against them. They recruit from teenage and young adult populations, and have the largest gang by numbers. They operate out of a cafe called La Pizza Resistance, run by James Kellogg, a chef and political columnist. The group leans towards the modern thought of the Silver Guard, but are staunchly independent, and their leader Marie is a well-known firebrand. The Fish dress in white, primarily.
The Emeralds: An unofficial group of wealthy businessmen who control money and political power in the Northern portion of the city. They operate several basic rackets, protection schemes, gambling both legal and otherwise, and have major influence over trade in the city. With the amount of businesses they either directly control or influence, they have been growing in power without minimal violence by fixing prices, pushing legislation through the Council, and bribery. They espouse modernization, corporate control and consolidation, but are not above using violence or intimidation to reach these goals. They have made numerous overtures towards the Silver Guard to gain further influence, and have offered support for more aggressive Silver Guard efforts in the city, most certainly for their own benefit. While they operate out of many different legitimate and front businesses, their headquarters is the Lucky Coin Distillery, and their leader Tommy is known for his stern but diplomatic tones. The Emeralds wear shades of green, usually fine clothing.
The PCs are faced with tough situation: Any of these gangs, or even other unknown parties, may be involved with the Glyph magic the Inquisition is tracking. With no guidance or overt support from the Inquisition, the PCs are left to fend for themselves in a city that dislikes them by default, surrounded by street gangs that each have their own ambitions and plans. Evert will help them however he can, but for now, all he can offer is some advice on where to stay. He suggests the Panorama, a mid-tier hotel near the police station. The PCs settle in there for the night, minds laden with new information, and a new chapter in their lives.
Session 13:
Day 28: Nurmis
The PCs wake up in their comfortable hotel, and make plans over breakfast. They intend to make contact with the Fish, since that group might be the most willing to help, with the least problematic agenda. They also each receive private letters, and Forråde reveals that he has been in correspondence with Éirinn, their Whisperer friend, who has written him back to say that the PCs might want to visit the Whisperers Guild in Nurmis, her friend Morinn may need their help. They decide to start their day there.
Stepping out into the busy streets of Nurmis, they make their way downtown, where the Guild office is located. It is a crowded place, people coming and going with mail at speed, but the interior is lavishly decorated and very comfortable. The individual stalls where different Whisperers can be spoken to are extremely private, blocked by thick curtains. The PCs wait their turn and Forråde locates Morinn, who has a favor to ask: A plague of unknown origin has cropped up recently, and has been hospitalizing an increasing number of locals. The Whisperers would like to investigate and help, but they are not well trusted outside of their office duties, often accused of witchcraft or spying. She asks that the PCs keep their eyes open for any clues or information on the plague, in their travels. The PCs set out immediately.
Locating the nearest hospital, they gather some information from the nurses. The plague has been affecting the lower classes, throughout the city, and causes fever, memory loss, confusion, and loss of motor function. The nurses, however, are unwilling to let the PCs in to speak directly with patients, despite their Venatori resistances to disease. The PCs are simply not trusted in this town, both as monster hunters and as members of the Silver Guard.
The PCs set out to contact the Fish gang at their cafe base, in the Eastern region of the city. There, the streets are narrow and rustic, lined with small shops selling local merchandise. Fine craft of any variety can be found, and not a single foreign or mass-produced good in sight. The PCs, noticing how basic and perhaps intimidating their gear might be, decide to take a detour and get some new clothes.
They quickly locate a tailor, and find civilian clothes to their liking: Anna, a pleasant summer dress; Forråde, a dapper outfit with suspenders and a button-up shirt; and Svart, a full outfit of formal dress with long flowing lines. Travelling together, they may be more conspicuous than before, but at least a bit less intimidating. Svart and Forråde get special alterations done to conceal their smaller weapons, and Anna does not: Her magic is weapon enough.
Freshly dressed, the PCs arrive at La Pizza Resistance, a busy outdoor cafe. They find a seat and survey the crowd, made up mostly of young, middle class people, many deep in discussion of local politics. Plenty of the patrons sport white armbands, bandannas, or other signs that link them to the Fish. The PCs try the strange “pizza” food, and find it quite delicious. While eating, they notice a wiry man watching them closely. Choosing to wait him out, the man eventually approaches them and makes small-talk about the pizza. The man has an obvious white armband, and moves with a sense of authority. The conversation wanders, and while the man is clearly distrustful of Venatori and Silver Guard, Svart ingratiates himself by engaging the man in politics. The PCs are submitted to a passionate lecture on corrupt governments, abusive police, and a crippled middle class that needs to rise up and snatch power back for the people. The man indirectly admits to being part of the Fish, and when the conversation turns to the plague, he makes the PCs an offer: He has a contact at one of the other local hospitals, and can get them in the door to talk to victims, if the PCs will do him a favor as well. Since the Fish aren’t welcome in the hospitals either, the PCs can take some care packages and pamphlets from the Fish on their behalf, get the information they need, and the Fish can spread some influence at the same time. The PCs agree to this deal, and are laden with gifts and essentials for the sick.
The Fish: Bread for the Masses
The PCs arrive at Hopedale Community Hospital, and talk their way in, with their Fish contacts help. However, the hospital guards won’t let them bring in the Fish propaganda. Rather than make a fuss, the PCs discard the pamphlets and go in with gifts alone. They question the plague victims while distributing gifts. The plague, it seems, targets no one area of the city in particular, although there is a slightly higher number of victims in the Fish district. Similar stories relate to the symptoms, with no particular correlations in jobs or circumstances for the afflicted. The only noticeable trend is that the plague affects most strongly children and the poor. Information in hand, the PCs make some positive noises about the Fish, but it’s subtle, since they’re surrounded by hospital staff. They return to their contact, finally ask his name (it’s Philip), and report on their success. While disappointed that they couldn’t get the pamphlets inside, Philip is glad to hear that the gifts were well received. Now, word will quickly spread through the poor and sick that the Fish have powerful Venatori working for them. The PCs balk at this and try to discourage it, but Philip regrets that he can’t control the rumor mill: The PCs may be stuck with him now, since the other gangs will be more resistant towards them. Philip doesn’t seem overly concerned about this development.
Reward: Influence and Reputation with the Fish
The PCs, thinking their possibilities with the other gangs are dwindling, travel to the Emeralds casino district that night, hoping to score a lead. Unfortunately, a general search of the gaudy, upper-class region yields nothing useful. They find a public square built around an ancient stone circle, surrounded by street vendors and rich-looking business people. While they are quick to locate a viable Emerald casino, they are denied entry. Forråde and Svart decide that the best option is a rooftop vantage point, followed by some breaking and entering. They break a large plate glass window on an adjacent casino and sneak inside, using stealth and magic. Svart's magic allows him to listen in on a conversation between Emerald bosses, who are discussing some disruptions of trade and the complications introduced by the plague, but nothing conclusive. They bluff their way into the kitchen and are chased out into the main ballroom, where Anna was already present, having simply asked for entry at this different casino. They mingle for a while, and meet Sergiu, a person of apparent importance, who is welcoming but asks a lot of questions, and the PCs decide to retreat back to their hotel for the night.
Day 28: Nurmis
The PCs wake up in their comfortable hotel, and make plans over breakfast. They intend to make contact with the Fish, since that group might be the most willing to help, with the least problematic agenda. They also each receive private letters, and Forråde reveals that he has been in correspondence with Éirinn, their Whisperer friend, who has written him back to say that the PCs might want to visit the Whisperers Guild in Nurmis, her friend Morinn may need their help. They decide to start their day there.
Stepping out into the busy streets of Nurmis, they make their way downtown, where the Guild office is located. It is a crowded place, people coming and going with mail at speed, but the interior is lavishly decorated and very comfortable. The individual stalls where different Whisperers can be spoken to are extremely private, blocked by thick curtains. The PCs wait their turn and Forråde locates Morinn, who has a favor to ask: A plague of unknown origin has cropped up recently, and has been hospitalizing an increasing number of locals. The Whisperers would like to investigate and help, but they are not well trusted outside of their office duties, often accused of witchcraft or spying. She asks that the PCs keep their eyes open for any clues or information on the plague, in their travels. The PCs set out immediately.
Locating the nearest hospital, they gather some information from the nurses. The plague has been affecting the lower classes, throughout the city, and causes fever, memory loss, confusion, and loss of motor function. The nurses, however, are unwilling to let the PCs in to speak directly with patients, despite their Venatori resistances to disease. The PCs are simply not trusted in this town, both as monster hunters and as members of the Silver Guard.
The PCs set out to contact the Fish gang at their cafe base, in the Eastern region of the city. There, the streets are narrow and rustic, lined with small shops selling local merchandise. Fine craft of any variety can be found, and not a single foreign or mass-produced good in sight. The PCs, noticing how basic and perhaps intimidating their gear might be, decide to take a detour and get some new clothes.
They quickly locate a tailor, and find civilian clothes to their liking: Anna, a pleasant summer dress; Forråde, a dapper outfit with suspenders and a button-up shirt; and Svart, a full outfit of formal dress with long flowing lines. Travelling together, they may be more conspicuous than before, but at least a bit less intimidating. Svart and Forråde get special alterations done to conceal their smaller weapons, and Anna does not: Her magic is weapon enough.
Freshly dressed, the PCs arrive at La Pizza Resistance, a busy outdoor cafe. They find a seat and survey the crowd, made up mostly of young, middle class people, many deep in discussion of local politics. Plenty of the patrons sport white armbands, bandannas, or other signs that link them to the Fish. The PCs try the strange “pizza” food, and find it quite delicious. While eating, they notice a wiry man watching them closely. Choosing to wait him out, the man eventually approaches them and makes small-talk about the pizza. The man has an obvious white armband, and moves with a sense of authority. The conversation wanders, and while the man is clearly distrustful of Venatori and Silver Guard, Svart ingratiates himself by engaging the man in politics. The PCs are submitted to a passionate lecture on corrupt governments, abusive police, and a crippled middle class that needs to rise up and snatch power back for the people. The man indirectly admits to being part of the Fish, and when the conversation turns to the plague, he makes the PCs an offer: He has a contact at one of the other local hospitals, and can get them in the door to talk to victims, if the PCs will do him a favor as well. Since the Fish aren’t welcome in the hospitals either, the PCs can take some care packages and pamphlets from the Fish on their behalf, get the information they need, and the Fish can spread some influence at the same time. The PCs agree to this deal, and are laden with gifts and essentials for the sick.
The Fish: Bread for the Masses
The PCs arrive at Hopedale Community Hospital, and talk their way in, with their Fish contacts help. However, the hospital guards won’t let them bring in the Fish propaganda. Rather than make a fuss, the PCs discard the pamphlets and go in with gifts alone. They question the plague victims while distributing gifts. The plague, it seems, targets no one area of the city in particular, although there is a slightly higher number of victims in the Fish district. Similar stories relate to the symptoms, with no particular correlations in jobs or circumstances for the afflicted. The only noticeable trend is that the plague affects most strongly children and the poor. Information in hand, the PCs make some positive noises about the Fish, but it’s subtle, since they’re surrounded by hospital staff. They return to their contact, finally ask his name (it’s Philip), and report on their success. While disappointed that they couldn’t get the pamphlets inside, Philip is glad to hear that the gifts were well received. Now, word will quickly spread through the poor and sick that the Fish have powerful Venatori working for them. The PCs balk at this and try to discourage it, but Philip regrets that he can’t control the rumor mill: The PCs may be stuck with him now, since the other gangs will be more resistant towards them. Philip doesn’t seem overly concerned about this development.
Reward: Influence and Reputation with the Fish
The PCs, thinking their possibilities with the other gangs are dwindling, travel to the Emeralds casino district that night, hoping to score a lead. Unfortunately, a general search of the gaudy, upper-class region yields nothing useful. They find a public square built around an ancient stone circle, surrounded by street vendors and rich-looking business people. While they are quick to locate a viable Emerald casino, they are denied entry. Forråde and Svart decide that the best option is a rooftop vantage point, followed by some breaking and entering. They break a large plate glass window on an adjacent casino and sneak inside, using stealth and magic. Svart's magic allows him to listen in on a conversation between Emerald bosses, who are discussing some disruptions of trade and the complications introduced by the plague, but nothing conclusive. They bluff their way into the kitchen and are chased out into the main ballroom, where Anna was already present, having simply asked for entry at this different casino. They mingle for a while, and meet Sergiu, a person of apparent importance, who is welcoming but asks a lot of questions, and the PCs decide to retreat back to their hotel for the night.
Session 14:
Day 29:
After breakfast, the PCs plan their day. Concerned that they are already associated with the Fish too much, they decide to try and contact the Allblacks, to see their perspective on the plague. They travel to the industrial district, to the Turf Development Board, where the Allblacks are based. However, they are immediately challenged by an angry gang of workers, who are disgusted by the PCs fancy clothes and Venatori mutations. The situation escalates quickly, and a small crowd forms, but some Allblack guards disperse the crowd before it turns to violence. The guards turn to the PCs, stern and formal, and are unwilling to give up any useful information. The PCs are told to wait outside while the guards talk to a boss, who comes out a few minutes later. His name is Otto, and he is more polite and understanding towards the PCs. He suggests that if they want to help both the people and their own reputation, they should investigate the recent, high-profile murder of a family in the outskirts. The PCs agree, and Otto gives directions.
The Allblacks: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
Travelling to the farmland outside of town takes a few hours, and the PCs end up at the Malmsteen farm, neighbors of the deceased family. The Malmsteens are casually prejudiced, but the PCs ignore it, and discover that the deceased, the Kutars, were found dead at their dinner table, no signs of injury or struggle, earlier in the week, and the police have no leads. Based on the description of the bodies, the PCs suspect a vampire, and given the lack of violence, they suspect Lukas Bechs, the Aszvang they chased out of Downwarren (Day 17). The Malmsteens confirm meeting a strange butcher a few days ago. Enraged, the PCs immediately depart for the Kutar farm.
While in route, a familiar butcher’s cart is spotted on the horizon - sure enough, Lukas Bechs in is the area. The PCs ambush Lukas, and he frantically denies any involvement with the murder, panicking and blubbering under Forråde’s silver blade. He agrees to go to the Kutar farm to prove his innocence.
The Kutar farm is a simple place, just a single house with one main room. The home is marked off with police lines, and inside there are chalk outlines where the family died. It appears that the family was sitting down to dinner when they slumped limply mid-meal, dead. There are no bloodstains or disturbed objects around the house, and while Lukas re-affirms his innocence, he is unnerved by the scene. The PCs search the house, and Anna detects something with her magical senses. Under the table, the PCs discover a highly complex rune carved into the underside of the dining table. Svart attempts to decode the rune, but it is beyond his knowledge. He proceeds to duplicate the rune in his notebook as best as he can. Meanwhile, Svart and Lukas discuss his options. Since the PCs agree that he didn’t have anything to do with the murders, Svart offers Lukas a refuge with their friend Henrick, if he’s interested. Lukas is dubious about getting closer to Varanas, but he’ll think about it.
While Svart is occupied, the front door of the farmhouse opens, and four dirty-looking men enter, dressed in Allblack colors. They move listlessly, with blank expressions, and speak in a monotone, endlessly repeating, “You shouldn’t be here.” While aware that these men are probably not under own control, the PCs are not armored or properly armed, and in the fighting they discover the men don’t react to pain or injury, even grievously broken limbs. Lukas bails out, shapeshifting into his creature form and flying out a window. The PCs have a challenging fight, since they lack their armor and weapons and are trying not to kill the men. Unfortunately, it takes lethal damage to stop the attackers, and even one that they incapacitate eventually drops dead, like a snuffed candle. The bizarre situation ends abruptly. The PCs finish copying the rune, and leave.
Reward: ???
The PCs return to Evert at the Silver Guard outpost to debrief and discuss options. So far, the situation has only gotten more complicated, not less, and still no signs of a cause for the plague. While there, a messenger drops off a letter from someone they met at the casino the night before: Sergiu of the Emeralds asks to see them again - he thinks they might be able to help each other. The PCs trek across town to the Viridian Palace.
The Emeralds: A Modest Proposal
After being escorted inside the casino and welcomed to a lavish luncheon, the PCs have a quiet meeting with Sergiu, who appears to be a leader of the Emeralds. He is cordial and friendly towards them, and seems genuinely curious about their investigation into the plague. He is also concerned about their growing involvement in the gang conflict in Nurmis, and doesn’t want them to tip the conflict into open bloodshed, as that would be bad for business. So, on their behalf, he offers to arrange a meeting between the PCs and a member of the city Council, Jakub Stehlik. Stehlik’s daughter is one of the children affected by the plague, and may be sympathetic towards their investigation. Sergiu also offers a gift for Stehlik: a small sealed box.
The PCs agree, and meet with Stehlik at a nice cafe a few hours later. Councilor Stehlik is aloof, and doesn’t reveal the contents of the box Sergiu sent. However, the PCs do manage to gain one useful piece of intel: In Stehlik’s opinion, the Allblacks stand to gain most from the plague, as it mostly affects urban centers and the Allblacks are more agrarian. The PCs thank the Councilor and return to their hotel for the evening.
Reward: Influence and Reputation with the Emeralds
Day 29:
After breakfast, the PCs plan their day. Concerned that they are already associated with the Fish too much, they decide to try and contact the Allblacks, to see their perspective on the plague. They travel to the industrial district, to the Turf Development Board, where the Allblacks are based. However, they are immediately challenged by an angry gang of workers, who are disgusted by the PCs fancy clothes and Venatori mutations. The situation escalates quickly, and a small crowd forms, but some Allblack guards disperse the crowd before it turns to violence. The guards turn to the PCs, stern and formal, and are unwilling to give up any useful information. The PCs are told to wait outside while the guards talk to a boss, who comes out a few minutes later. His name is Otto, and he is more polite and understanding towards the PCs. He suggests that if they want to help both the people and their own reputation, they should investigate the recent, high-profile murder of a family in the outskirts. The PCs agree, and Otto gives directions.
The Allblacks: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
Travelling to the farmland outside of town takes a few hours, and the PCs end up at the Malmsteen farm, neighbors of the deceased family. The Malmsteens are casually prejudiced, but the PCs ignore it, and discover that the deceased, the Kutars, were found dead at their dinner table, no signs of injury or struggle, earlier in the week, and the police have no leads. Based on the description of the bodies, the PCs suspect a vampire, and given the lack of violence, they suspect Lukas Bechs, the Aszvang they chased out of Downwarren (Day 17). The Malmsteens confirm meeting a strange butcher a few days ago. Enraged, the PCs immediately depart for the Kutar farm.
While in route, a familiar butcher’s cart is spotted on the horizon - sure enough, Lukas Bechs in is the area. The PCs ambush Lukas, and he frantically denies any involvement with the murder, panicking and blubbering under Forråde’s silver blade. He agrees to go to the Kutar farm to prove his innocence.
The Kutar farm is a simple place, just a single house with one main room. The home is marked off with police lines, and inside there are chalk outlines where the family died. It appears that the family was sitting down to dinner when they slumped limply mid-meal, dead. There are no bloodstains or disturbed objects around the house, and while Lukas re-affirms his innocence, he is unnerved by the scene. The PCs search the house, and Anna detects something with her magical senses. Under the table, the PCs discover a highly complex rune carved into the underside of the dining table. Svart attempts to decode the rune, but it is beyond his knowledge. He proceeds to duplicate the rune in his notebook as best as he can. Meanwhile, Svart and Lukas discuss his options. Since the PCs agree that he didn’t have anything to do with the murders, Svart offers Lukas a refuge with their friend Henrick, if he’s interested. Lukas is dubious about getting closer to Varanas, but he’ll think about it.
While Svart is occupied, the front door of the farmhouse opens, and four dirty-looking men enter, dressed in Allblack colors. They move listlessly, with blank expressions, and speak in a monotone, endlessly repeating, “You shouldn’t be here.” While aware that these men are probably not under own control, the PCs are not armored or properly armed, and in the fighting they discover the men don’t react to pain or injury, even grievously broken limbs. Lukas bails out, shapeshifting into his creature form and flying out a window. The PCs have a challenging fight, since they lack their armor and weapons and are trying not to kill the men. Unfortunately, it takes lethal damage to stop the attackers, and even one that they incapacitate eventually drops dead, like a snuffed candle. The bizarre situation ends abruptly. The PCs finish copying the rune, and leave.
Reward: ???
The PCs return to Evert at the Silver Guard outpost to debrief and discuss options. So far, the situation has only gotten more complicated, not less, and still no signs of a cause for the plague. While there, a messenger drops off a letter from someone they met at the casino the night before: Sergiu of the Emeralds asks to see them again - he thinks they might be able to help each other. The PCs trek across town to the Viridian Palace.
The Emeralds: A Modest Proposal
After being escorted inside the casino and welcomed to a lavish luncheon, the PCs have a quiet meeting with Sergiu, who appears to be a leader of the Emeralds. He is cordial and friendly towards them, and seems genuinely curious about their investigation into the plague. He is also concerned about their growing involvement in the gang conflict in Nurmis, and doesn’t want them to tip the conflict into open bloodshed, as that would be bad for business. So, on their behalf, he offers to arrange a meeting between the PCs and a member of the city Council, Jakub Stehlik. Stehlik’s daughter is one of the children affected by the plague, and may be sympathetic towards their investigation. Sergiu also offers a gift for Stehlik: a small sealed box.
The PCs agree, and meet with Stehlik at a nice cafe a few hours later. Councilor Stehlik is aloof, and doesn’t reveal the contents of the box Sergiu sent. However, the PCs do manage to gain one useful piece of intel: In Stehlik’s opinion, the Allblacks stand to gain most from the plague, as it mostly affects urban centers and the Allblacks are more agrarian. The PCs thank the Councilor and return to their hotel for the evening.
Reward: Influence and Reputation with the Emeralds
Session 15:
Day 30:
After a difficult day of strange encounters and frustrating politics, the PCs decide to spend their day looking for work that suits their style a bit more: Monster hunting. Over breakfast, they scan the local newspaper headlines for possible monster activity, and find two things that jump out at them: A mysterious fog out on the moors that sounds like some kind of monster, and a story about a local monastery where several plague victims have committed suicide. They set off to investigate the fog.
Contract: The Quick and the Dead
The PCs reach the moors mid-morning, and talk to some local farmers who confirm the newspaper story: A thick fog that moves despite the wind has made the area unsafe, and many travellers and livestock have gone missing. The PCs can think of a few creatures that could cause this, and charge headlong into the foggy hills. Quickly engulfed by the unnatural fog, the PCs use Anna’s wind magic to scatter the cloud, abruptly revealing two Foglets. The Foglets dive for cover and the PCs pursue. The fight is quick and brutal, and the Foglets are easily dispatched. The PCs remember their first encounter with a Foglet, all the way back in their earliest days as monster hunters, and reflect on how far they’ve come since then. The local farmers are quick to reward them, and they return to Nurmis after a simple job done well.
Reward: 15E
Contract: The Uninvited
The PCs visit the Monastery of the Forms, a local refuge for plague victims, where the PCs hope to learn more about the plague. The Sisters of the Monastery are polite and kind, and assume the PCs are there to volunteer. The PCs do so, helping with menial tasks, while they ask questions of the Sisters and the victims. It appears that the plague is recoverable, given time and isolation from the outside world, and proper food and care. Noticing that some of the victims are in isolation and with one-on-one care for depressed or suicidal tendencies, Svart abruptly realizes that a Hym might be present. Hym are spirits that feed on sadness, and drive their victims to suicide, which allows the Hym to reproduce. Given the number of suicides already reported, there could be at least four Hym already present, and if they aren’t stopped now, they could multiply exponentially, wiping out the city. The PCs consult with the Sisters in secret, so as to not alert the Hym, and then execute their plan.
They lay a trap for the Hym, and throw a lavish luncheon under the midday sun for the plague victims, while Forråde gives out a special brew of tea that reinforces the mind and spirit. With the victims feeling refreshed and more upbeat, the PCs show them the Bestiary entry on Hym, and explain their affliction, which panics the lurking Hym into the open. A wild battle takes place in the open courtyard, and fighting the Hym turns out to be quite the challenge. The Hym can move in a blink, tear flesh while ignoring armor, and stretch their shadowy humanoid bodies to wreak havoc on a victim's mind. In the fight, Forråde is nearly killed, and the Sisters band together to use their faith against the Hym, emitting light from themselves and weakening the Hym. The chaos ends with a dramatic lightning strike from Anna, which Svart willingly subjected himself to in order to keep the final Hym in the blast zone.
With the Sisters help, the PCs recover from their injuries, and they decide to rest at the monastery for remainder of the evening.
Reward: City saved
Day 30:
After a difficult day of strange encounters and frustrating politics, the PCs decide to spend their day looking for work that suits their style a bit more: Monster hunting. Over breakfast, they scan the local newspaper headlines for possible monster activity, and find two things that jump out at them: A mysterious fog out on the moors that sounds like some kind of monster, and a story about a local monastery where several plague victims have committed suicide. They set off to investigate the fog.
Contract: The Quick and the Dead
The PCs reach the moors mid-morning, and talk to some local farmers who confirm the newspaper story: A thick fog that moves despite the wind has made the area unsafe, and many travellers and livestock have gone missing. The PCs can think of a few creatures that could cause this, and charge headlong into the foggy hills. Quickly engulfed by the unnatural fog, the PCs use Anna’s wind magic to scatter the cloud, abruptly revealing two Foglets. The Foglets dive for cover and the PCs pursue. The fight is quick and brutal, and the Foglets are easily dispatched. The PCs remember their first encounter with a Foglet, all the way back in their earliest days as monster hunters, and reflect on how far they’ve come since then. The local farmers are quick to reward them, and they return to Nurmis after a simple job done well.
Reward: 15E
Contract: The Uninvited
The PCs visit the Monastery of the Forms, a local refuge for plague victims, where the PCs hope to learn more about the plague. The Sisters of the Monastery are polite and kind, and assume the PCs are there to volunteer. The PCs do so, helping with menial tasks, while they ask questions of the Sisters and the victims. It appears that the plague is recoverable, given time and isolation from the outside world, and proper food and care. Noticing that some of the victims are in isolation and with one-on-one care for depressed or suicidal tendencies, Svart abruptly realizes that a Hym might be present. Hym are spirits that feed on sadness, and drive their victims to suicide, which allows the Hym to reproduce. Given the number of suicides already reported, there could be at least four Hym already present, and if they aren’t stopped now, they could multiply exponentially, wiping out the city. The PCs consult with the Sisters in secret, so as to not alert the Hym, and then execute their plan.
They lay a trap for the Hym, and throw a lavish luncheon under the midday sun for the plague victims, while Forråde gives out a special brew of tea that reinforces the mind and spirit. With the victims feeling refreshed and more upbeat, the PCs show them the Bestiary entry on Hym, and explain their affliction, which panics the lurking Hym into the open. A wild battle takes place in the open courtyard, and fighting the Hym turns out to be quite the challenge. The Hym can move in a blink, tear flesh while ignoring armor, and stretch their shadowy humanoid bodies to wreak havoc on a victim's mind. In the fight, Forråde is nearly killed, and the Sisters band together to use their faith against the Hym, emitting light from themselves and weakening the Hym. The chaos ends with a dramatic lightning strike from Anna, which Svart willingly subjected himself to in order to keep the final Hym in the blast zone.
With the Sisters help, the PCs recover from their injuries, and they decide to rest at the monastery for remainder of the evening.
Reward: City saved
Session 15:
Day 30:
The PCs recover from their fight with the Hym in the early evening at the Monastery of the Form, and the police arrive to ask about the daylight lightning coming from the Monastery. The PCs make their case with the Sisters support, and the police leave after requesting fewer explosive outbursts in urban areas.
On their way back to their hotel, the PCs are flagged down by a local in an alleyway, offering information. They walk into an ambush of Allblacks, who are out for revenge over the killing of their friends at the Kutar farm. At least two dozen Allblacks spill into the narrow alleyway, surrounding the PCs. The fight turns lethal, and Anna uses a fearsome ice spell that instantly kills the majority of the Allblacks. The rest scatter, and the one remaining is traumatized by the visuals of his friends shattering into pieces of ice. Svart kills him just as the police arrive to examine the commotion. The police are understandably horrified at the scene, and arrest the PCs, who do not resist.
Day 31:
The PCs languish in jail, awaiting the results of their actions. Anna’s enhanced hearing catches their Silver Guard friend Evert pleading on their behalf, but Guard Captain Krupke is not convinced. Only the arrival and muted discussion from Sergiu of the Emeralds tips the Captain into letting the PCs go, citing self defense, but he strongly warns them against any further outbursts of violence, or he’ll throw them out of town. On their way out, Sergiu stops them and asks for a favor in return for getting them off the hook: A street vendor named Nerit at the Lunar Square, an ancient stone circle now a public park, has been pushing back against Emerald control. Nerit has been selling some popular new merchandise, which he thinks puts him above Emerald taxes. Sergiu tells the PCs to set him straight.
Chafing at the thought of Sergiu controlling them, the PCs decide to visit the Fish, instead. They meet up with their friend Philip, who offers them a similar situation of his own: A local antique dealer is moving a lot of new merchandise and rejecting all the various street gangs. Maybe there is something to investigate there? The PCs set off for the store.
Timeless Trinkets, a glorified junk store, is run by a frisky old lady named Nina, who takes a quick liking to Forråde, and shows them the new dolls that are taking the city by storm. A simple wooden doll, pose-able and sold with a variety of outfits, has been extremely popular throughout town, and desired by most children and parents. Forråde buys a doll to examine it, and by examine, he means smash it open. Strangely, the inside of the doll is lined with the same tracings and circuitry that powers Inquisition tech. The broken doll shows nothing else useful, so Forråde buys another one, and in testing it, an injection of mana from Svart and Anna creates a very subtle sensation of discomfort, apathy, and a growing desire to give up and go home.
They pack the doll away and wait out the next delivery from Nina’s supplier, a man named Raj, who they then follow through town with his crates. Raj ends up at the Lunar Square, selling his last crate to a man named Nerit. Forråde stops Raj on his way out, and Raj is forthcoming about his work. He gets paid to run these crates of toys for the Allblacks from a warehouse, although he can’t clearly remember where the warehouse is, exactly. He indicates a general area, and leaves peaceably. Meanwhile, Anna confronts Nerit, and leans on him by name dropping Sergiu. Nerit is quick to submit to the fearsome and murderous Venatori that work for the Emeralds, and gives up the same information as Raj and Nina: The Allblacks are aggressively pushing these dolls, selling them cheaply and in bulk, and the dolls are very popular throughout Nurmis. The PCs decide to track down this warehouse.
In the Allblack industrial district, the PCs locate the warehouse by virtue of the guards posted outside. They rope in through an back window and climb through the rafters. The warehouse is stacked to the roof with boxes of dolls, with warnings posted to not handle the dolls without gloves. Guards patrol the warehouse floor, listless and blank as the men the PCs fought at the Kutar farm. The guards rotate in and out of the warehouse, stopping at a station covered in dolls, where alert and focused men steadily fade into listlessness before joining the rotation. Forråde performs some great feats of stealth to slip down an interrogate a guard before he goes slack. The guard is forthcoming, and admits that he doesn’t like this assignment, and that the dolls make you forget yourself while you’re around them, and that only the Allblack leader, Griff, really knows where they come from. The PCs release the guards, and decide that the dolls need to go. They torch the warehouse to the ground, the guards scattering, and set of to the Turf Development Board to confront Griff.
As evening sets in, the PCs make a rush for the Allblack headquarters, incapacitate the door guards, and slip inside. A large number of Allblacks are waiting for them, alerted by some means, and their leader Griff is waiting. What looked like an impending bloodbath is halted by Griff, who calls the PCs into his office, his men bristling.
Griff is noticeably struggling to speak or move coherently, and laments the whole ordeal. His men aren’t his anymore, dominated by the dolls, and his own mind is fading quickly. The influence won’t let him tell them much, but he manages to indicate a specific building in the district, and as he starts to hemorrhage and die fighting the influence, he grates out the name “Kullervo.” As Griff dies, the Allblacks outside his office start pounding on the door, and the PCs go out the window.
In the streets and surrounding area, members of the public are going stiff and lifeless, turning towards the PCs with grim anger. The PCs sprint for the marked building. Along the way they see people fighting with the affected, and the conflict seems widespread. There are new fires on the horizon, and screams echo through the night as people watch their loved ones turn mindless and violent. The PCs see a group of Fish pushing back against the mindless, and the Monastery of the Form glows brightly in the distance. They rush on through the night.
They find a nondescript building that Griff marked, and blast the door open. Inside, a older man is frantically packing, but freezes when they arrive, and shakes his head in resigned disappointment. He talks to them very casually, calling them kids, saying that they shouldn’t have come, that he’s sorry about all this, and things just got out of control. He apologizes that he’ll have to kill them now, but doesn’t really want to, and wishes it could go some other way. He rolls up his sleeves, revealing numerous scars, and his veins pulse and glow with magic. The PCs attack quickly, and the man draws out a flaming sword, while casting crippling blood magic. The PCs resist him, and in a few moments they coordinate an attack that drops the man to his knees, dying. He chuckles weakly, and compliments them on their skills. As he dies, he grabs at Svart, desperately telling him that Svart is going to learn some bad things about him soon, and begs Svart not to judge him or hate him. Right before the man dies, he jerks upright, and looks around wildly, confused, and briefly talks in a different voice and a strange accent before collapsing, dead.
The PCs find a basement hatch, which leads to a sealed stone room. Inside is a humanoid figure suspended in the center by countless restraints and straps, his body fully restrained and covered, all senses blocked. All around the room are signs of violence: bloodstains and scorch marks are across the walls and floor. The figure twitches and shakes as they enter. They debate what to do, and Forråde steps up to uncover the figures head. A normal looking human male with scraggly hair is revealed, and he smiles at the PCs warmly, but doesn’t speak. Svart and Anna feel their mana reserves swell and fill. Nervously, they help the man down from his restraints, and he stretches and relaxes, relieved, but still doesn’t speak. Through mimed conversation, it appears that he was tortured by the blood mage upstairs, and is capable of intense magic, but details beyond that are difficult, and the man is easily distracted, unconcerned by his surroundings or the situation. The PCs continue to ask him questions about his name and home, which he doesn’t know, but the mute man communicates that while he doesn’t really want to go to Varanas, he probably should. He also senses and plays with Svart’s glyph crystal, casually. Realizing that this man is a Glyphwriter, Forråde races off to get Morinn, and inform the Inquisition.
The city is recovering, as whatever focused the mindless effect on the citizenry has dissipated. Forråde grabs Morinn and Evert, and brings them back to the party. Meanwhile, the Glyphwriter, affectionately named Glyfford by the PCs, is lounging unconcerned in the upper part of the building, next to the body of the blood mage. In a form of conversation with Anna, he attempts to describe his magic, and demonstrates by lightly drawing a strange arcane symbol on the blood mages sword with his finger, etching the metal like acid just by touch, and hands it to Anna. The sword can now be ignited at will, although Glyfford seems as surprised as Anna.
Forråde arrives with Morinn and Evert and explains the situation. Evert panics and nearly bolts, and has a frantic conversation with the PCs in private: Glyphwriters are powerful enough to level cities, and usually can’t control their magic, or care about it enough to contain it responsibly. Evert reacts to Glyfford like he’s a monster, a huge threat, but the PCs have already bonded with the extremely mellow mute. Morinn contacts the Inquisition, which teleports a team in within the hour.
Inquisitor-General Cossus, who the PCs met at the Glyph in Svorlag, arrives with a strike force. However, unlike previous experiences with the Inquisition, they are gentle and quiet towards Glyfford, and treat him like a frightened child. He goes willingly with them through a portal to Varanas, waving goodbye to the PCs casually. Once Glyfford is gone, the Inquisition returns to their normal stoic style, and they demand a report. The PCs catch them up on local events, and Cossus instructs them to return and wait at the Starlight Hotel, where the Inquisition will set up a temporary base while they investigate the city.
Day 32:
The PCs wait idly over breakfast and into the morning, while the Inquisition stomps around Nurmis, investigating. Dolls are being confiscated, interrogations are being conducted, and both the Fish and the Emeralds have withdrawn from public in the face of open military might. While the PCs are waiting, Morinn the Whisperer arrives, and while she acknowledges them, she seems formal, and doesn’t approach them. They see her go over to Inquisitor-General Cossus and speak with him. Anna uses her enhanced hearing to catch the tail end of the message: “-ordered to arrest the three of them and return them immediately to Varanas via brimstone gate to stand trial for these charges.” Morinn leaves with an apologetic looks towards the PCs, and Cossus and his men surround them and announce that by order of the Ordo Interrogatus, the PCs are under arrest on the charge of conspiracy to violate the Laws of Magic along with Aatu Tuamola (Svart's magic Mentor). The PCs do not resist, and are searched, revealing Svart’s Glyph magic crystal. Their personal effects are confiscated, and they are bustled through a portal to stand trial.
Day 30:
The PCs recover from their fight with the Hym in the early evening at the Monastery of the Form, and the police arrive to ask about the daylight lightning coming from the Monastery. The PCs make their case with the Sisters support, and the police leave after requesting fewer explosive outbursts in urban areas.
On their way back to their hotel, the PCs are flagged down by a local in an alleyway, offering information. They walk into an ambush of Allblacks, who are out for revenge over the killing of their friends at the Kutar farm. At least two dozen Allblacks spill into the narrow alleyway, surrounding the PCs. The fight turns lethal, and Anna uses a fearsome ice spell that instantly kills the majority of the Allblacks. The rest scatter, and the one remaining is traumatized by the visuals of his friends shattering into pieces of ice. Svart kills him just as the police arrive to examine the commotion. The police are understandably horrified at the scene, and arrest the PCs, who do not resist.
Day 31:
The PCs languish in jail, awaiting the results of their actions. Anna’s enhanced hearing catches their Silver Guard friend Evert pleading on their behalf, but Guard Captain Krupke is not convinced. Only the arrival and muted discussion from Sergiu of the Emeralds tips the Captain into letting the PCs go, citing self defense, but he strongly warns them against any further outbursts of violence, or he’ll throw them out of town. On their way out, Sergiu stops them and asks for a favor in return for getting them off the hook: A street vendor named Nerit at the Lunar Square, an ancient stone circle now a public park, has been pushing back against Emerald control. Nerit has been selling some popular new merchandise, which he thinks puts him above Emerald taxes. Sergiu tells the PCs to set him straight.
Chafing at the thought of Sergiu controlling them, the PCs decide to visit the Fish, instead. They meet up with their friend Philip, who offers them a similar situation of his own: A local antique dealer is moving a lot of new merchandise and rejecting all the various street gangs. Maybe there is something to investigate there? The PCs set off for the store.
Timeless Trinkets, a glorified junk store, is run by a frisky old lady named Nina, who takes a quick liking to Forråde, and shows them the new dolls that are taking the city by storm. A simple wooden doll, pose-able and sold with a variety of outfits, has been extremely popular throughout town, and desired by most children and parents. Forråde buys a doll to examine it, and by examine, he means smash it open. Strangely, the inside of the doll is lined with the same tracings and circuitry that powers Inquisition tech. The broken doll shows nothing else useful, so Forråde buys another one, and in testing it, an injection of mana from Svart and Anna creates a very subtle sensation of discomfort, apathy, and a growing desire to give up and go home.
They pack the doll away and wait out the next delivery from Nina’s supplier, a man named Raj, who they then follow through town with his crates. Raj ends up at the Lunar Square, selling his last crate to a man named Nerit. Forråde stops Raj on his way out, and Raj is forthcoming about his work. He gets paid to run these crates of toys for the Allblacks from a warehouse, although he can’t clearly remember where the warehouse is, exactly. He indicates a general area, and leaves peaceably. Meanwhile, Anna confronts Nerit, and leans on him by name dropping Sergiu. Nerit is quick to submit to the fearsome and murderous Venatori that work for the Emeralds, and gives up the same information as Raj and Nina: The Allblacks are aggressively pushing these dolls, selling them cheaply and in bulk, and the dolls are very popular throughout Nurmis. The PCs decide to track down this warehouse.
In the Allblack industrial district, the PCs locate the warehouse by virtue of the guards posted outside. They rope in through an back window and climb through the rafters. The warehouse is stacked to the roof with boxes of dolls, with warnings posted to not handle the dolls without gloves. Guards patrol the warehouse floor, listless and blank as the men the PCs fought at the Kutar farm. The guards rotate in and out of the warehouse, stopping at a station covered in dolls, where alert and focused men steadily fade into listlessness before joining the rotation. Forråde performs some great feats of stealth to slip down an interrogate a guard before he goes slack. The guard is forthcoming, and admits that he doesn’t like this assignment, and that the dolls make you forget yourself while you’re around them, and that only the Allblack leader, Griff, really knows where they come from. The PCs release the guards, and decide that the dolls need to go. They torch the warehouse to the ground, the guards scattering, and set of to the Turf Development Board to confront Griff.
As evening sets in, the PCs make a rush for the Allblack headquarters, incapacitate the door guards, and slip inside. A large number of Allblacks are waiting for them, alerted by some means, and their leader Griff is waiting. What looked like an impending bloodbath is halted by Griff, who calls the PCs into his office, his men bristling.
Griff is noticeably struggling to speak or move coherently, and laments the whole ordeal. His men aren’t his anymore, dominated by the dolls, and his own mind is fading quickly. The influence won’t let him tell them much, but he manages to indicate a specific building in the district, and as he starts to hemorrhage and die fighting the influence, he grates out the name “Kullervo.” As Griff dies, the Allblacks outside his office start pounding on the door, and the PCs go out the window.
In the streets and surrounding area, members of the public are going stiff and lifeless, turning towards the PCs with grim anger. The PCs sprint for the marked building. Along the way they see people fighting with the affected, and the conflict seems widespread. There are new fires on the horizon, and screams echo through the night as people watch their loved ones turn mindless and violent. The PCs see a group of Fish pushing back against the mindless, and the Monastery of the Form glows brightly in the distance. They rush on through the night.
They find a nondescript building that Griff marked, and blast the door open. Inside, a older man is frantically packing, but freezes when they arrive, and shakes his head in resigned disappointment. He talks to them very casually, calling them kids, saying that they shouldn’t have come, that he’s sorry about all this, and things just got out of control. He apologizes that he’ll have to kill them now, but doesn’t really want to, and wishes it could go some other way. He rolls up his sleeves, revealing numerous scars, and his veins pulse and glow with magic. The PCs attack quickly, and the man draws out a flaming sword, while casting crippling blood magic. The PCs resist him, and in a few moments they coordinate an attack that drops the man to his knees, dying. He chuckles weakly, and compliments them on their skills. As he dies, he grabs at Svart, desperately telling him that Svart is going to learn some bad things about him soon, and begs Svart not to judge him or hate him. Right before the man dies, he jerks upright, and looks around wildly, confused, and briefly talks in a different voice and a strange accent before collapsing, dead.
The PCs find a basement hatch, which leads to a sealed stone room. Inside is a humanoid figure suspended in the center by countless restraints and straps, his body fully restrained and covered, all senses blocked. All around the room are signs of violence: bloodstains and scorch marks are across the walls and floor. The figure twitches and shakes as they enter. They debate what to do, and Forråde steps up to uncover the figures head. A normal looking human male with scraggly hair is revealed, and he smiles at the PCs warmly, but doesn’t speak. Svart and Anna feel their mana reserves swell and fill. Nervously, they help the man down from his restraints, and he stretches and relaxes, relieved, but still doesn’t speak. Through mimed conversation, it appears that he was tortured by the blood mage upstairs, and is capable of intense magic, but details beyond that are difficult, and the man is easily distracted, unconcerned by his surroundings or the situation. The PCs continue to ask him questions about his name and home, which he doesn’t know, but the mute man communicates that while he doesn’t really want to go to Varanas, he probably should. He also senses and plays with Svart’s glyph crystal, casually. Realizing that this man is a Glyphwriter, Forråde races off to get Morinn, and inform the Inquisition.
The city is recovering, as whatever focused the mindless effect on the citizenry has dissipated. Forråde grabs Morinn and Evert, and brings them back to the party. Meanwhile, the Glyphwriter, affectionately named Glyfford by the PCs, is lounging unconcerned in the upper part of the building, next to the body of the blood mage. In a form of conversation with Anna, he attempts to describe his magic, and demonstrates by lightly drawing a strange arcane symbol on the blood mages sword with his finger, etching the metal like acid just by touch, and hands it to Anna. The sword can now be ignited at will, although Glyfford seems as surprised as Anna.
Forråde arrives with Morinn and Evert and explains the situation. Evert panics and nearly bolts, and has a frantic conversation with the PCs in private: Glyphwriters are powerful enough to level cities, and usually can’t control their magic, or care about it enough to contain it responsibly. Evert reacts to Glyfford like he’s a monster, a huge threat, but the PCs have already bonded with the extremely mellow mute. Morinn contacts the Inquisition, which teleports a team in within the hour.
Inquisitor-General Cossus, who the PCs met at the Glyph in Svorlag, arrives with a strike force. However, unlike previous experiences with the Inquisition, they are gentle and quiet towards Glyfford, and treat him like a frightened child. He goes willingly with them through a portal to Varanas, waving goodbye to the PCs casually. Once Glyfford is gone, the Inquisition returns to their normal stoic style, and they demand a report. The PCs catch them up on local events, and Cossus instructs them to return and wait at the Starlight Hotel, where the Inquisition will set up a temporary base while they investigate the city.
Day 32:
The PCs wait idly over breakfast and into the morning, while the Inquisition stomps around Nurmis, investigating. Dolls are being confiscated, interrogations are being conducted, and both the Fish and the Emeralds have withdrawn from public in the face of open military might. While the PCs are waiting, Morinn the Whisperer arrives, and while she acknowledges them, she seems formal, and doesn’t approach them. They see her go over to Inquisitor-General Cossus and speak with him. Anna uses her enhanced hearing to catch the tail end of the message: “-ordered to arrest the three of them and return them immediately to Varanas via brimstone gate to stand trial for these charges.” Morinn leaves with an apologetic looks towards the PCs, and Cossus and his men surround them and announce that by order of the Ordo Interrogatus, the PCs are under arrest on the charge of conspiracy to violate the Laws of Magic along with Aatu Tuamola (Svart's magic Mentor). The PCs do not resist, and are searched, revealing Svart’s Glyph magic crystal. Their personal effects are confiscated, and they are bustled through a portal to stand trial.
Day 33: The Arcis Carceris
The PCs are held deep in the mountains of Varanas, in the Arcis Carceris, the Inquisition’s magical prison. The cold stone walls may be warmly lit, but the bare surroundings and their impending trial leaves them nervous and twitchy. Cat School Leader Tobias visits them briefly, but hasn’t heard much about the charges against them, just that they stand accused of breaking at least three Laws of Magic, plus other charges, all in connection to something that Svart’s mentor Aatu did. Tobias has been called for testimony, but can’t offer much.
A few hours later, they are brought to a courtroom, where the only people in the gallery are Tobias, their Venatori superior Sgt. Torvik, and Anna’s magic mentor, Anton Fridfinnursson. A dozen judges are arrayed on a raised dais: Members of each of the Silver Guard Orders are present, none of whom introduce themselves. The charges against the PCs are read aloud by the court:
The judges also ask very pointed questions about Henrik Linnaeus, their scribe friend, and the judges know quite a lot about the PCs dealings with him, including Aatu’s admitted destruction of Scribe records, and all the monsters Henrik was breeding. The PCs dodge some questions, and manage to avoid mentioning Gregg.
The Judges then explain their case from the beginning, for official record. The day the PCs slew the blood mage in Nurmis, Aatu Tuamola used magic to break into a new dimension, and bypass the magical defenses around Varanas. He used these new portals to break into the vaults and research labs of the Inquisition, stealing or destroying artifacts. He used magic to wipe memories of staff and guards, some suffering permanent damage, and following the Inquisition investigation of Nurmis, the court believes that he was directly responsible for the passive mind control of the dolls, as well as the direct mind control of Kullervo Happala, the blood mage they killed. Svart realizes that the speech patterns and dialogue they had with Kullervo match the way Aatu always talked to them, in person and correspondence. The judges explain that Kullervo was a known practitioner from Traenen, the same city as Aatu. The PCs stand accused of collaborating with Aatu on the whole collection of events. Their testimony is noted, and some of their admissions of guilt bode ill. They are returned to their cells while the judges deliberate.
A few hours later, the PCs are brought before the court for sentencing. They are found not guilty of Conspiracy to Breach any Laws of Magic, as there is not enough evidence to directly tie them to Aatu’s actions, but they are found guilty of deliberately undermining the intent of the Ordo Venatores by breeding monsters in secret, and concealing dangerous Glyph magic. For their crimes, and the circumstantial nature of their connection with Aatu, they are sentenced to 10 years in prison.
However, their sentence is suspended, and instead, specific probations are set. Svart and Anna are charged with hunting down Aatu and bringing him to justice, and they will be assigned a chaperone to watch over them as they pursue Aatu, with the authority to arrest them should they disobey, and kill them if they resist. Forråde is effectively banished, sent to Harljaden to serve the Silver Guard, forbidden from leaving the city without permission for the full 10 year duration of the sentence. He is also forbidden from contacting Svart or Anna in any way, and all of them are warned that any further violations will lead to immediate renewal of their prison sentence.
With the weight of these rules and threats over their heads, the PCs say their goodbyes and prepare for their next mission.
(Note: Forråde’s player was unable to continue the campaign due to life responsibilities. Forråde may return someday.)
The PCs are held deep in the mountains of Varanas, in the Arcis Carceris, the Inquisition’s magical prison. The cold stone walls may be warmly lit, but the bare surroundings and their impending trial leaves them nervous and twitchy. Cat School Leader Tobias visits them briefly, but hasn’t heard much about the charges against them, just that they stand accused of breaking at least three Laws of Magic, plus other charges, all in connection to something that Svart’s mentor Aatu did. Tobias has been called for testimony, but can’t offer much.
A few hours later, they are brought to a courtroom, where the only people in the gallery are Tobias, their Venatori superior Sgt. Torvik, and Anna’s magic mentor, Anton Fridfinnursson. A dozen judges are arrayed on a raised dais: Members of each of the Silver Guard Orders are present, none of whom introduce themselves. The charges against the PCs are read aloud by the court:
- Conspiracy to Breach the 1st Law of Magic: Thou shalt not invade the mind of a human
- Conspiracy to Breach the 3rd Law of Magic: Thou shalt not use magic to forcibly alter a human
- Conspiracy to Breach the 6th Law of Magic: Thou shalt not attempt to breach into new worlds
- Conspiracy to undermine the efforts of the Ordo Venatores
- Forbidden interactions with Glyph magic
The judges also ask very pointed questions about Henrik Linnaeus, their scribe friend, and the judges know quite a lot about the PCs dealings with him, including Aatu’s admitted destruction of Scribe records, and all the monsters Henrik was breeding. The PCs dodge some questions, and manage to avoid mentioning Gregg.
The Judges then explain their case from the beginning, for official record. The day the PCs slew the blood mage in Nurmis, Aatu Tuamola used magic to break into a new dimension, and bypass the magical defenses around Varanas. He used these new portals to break into the vaults and research labs of the Inquisition, stealing or destroying artifacts. He used magic to wipe memories of staff and guards, some suffering permanent damage, and following the Inquisition investigation of Nurmis, the court believes that he was directly responsible for the passive mind control of the dolls, as well as the direct mind control of Kullervo Happala, the blood mage they killed. Svart realizes that the speech patterns and dialogue they had with Kullervo match the way Aatu always talked to them, in person and correspondence. The judges explain that Kullervo was a known practitioner from Traenen, the same city as Aatu. The PCs stand accused of collaborating with Aatu on the whole collection of events. Their testimony is noted, and some of their admissions of guilt bode ill. They are returned to their cells while the judges deliberate.
A few hours later, the PCs are brought before the court for sentencing. They are found not guilty of Conspiracy to Breach any Laws of Magic, as there is not enough evidence to directly tie them to Aatu’s actions, but they are found guilty of deliberately undermining the intent of the Ordo Venatores by breeding monsters in secret, and concealing dangerous Glyph magic. For their crimes, and the circumstantial nature of their connection with Aatu, they are sentenced to 10 years in prison.
However, their sentence is suspended, and instead, specific probations are set. Svart and Anna are charged with hunting down Aatu and bringing him to justice, and they will be assigned a chaperone to watch over them as they pursue Aatu, with the authority to arrest them should they disobey, and kill them if they resist. Forråde is effectively banished, sent to Harljaden to serve the Silver Guard, forbidden from leaving the city without permission for the full 10 year duration of the sentence. He is also forbidden from contacting Svart or Anna in any way, and all of them are warned that any further violations will lead to immediate renewal of their prison sentence.
With the weight of these rules and threats over their heads, the PCs say their goodbyes and prepare for their next mission.
(Note: Forråde’s player was unable to continue the campaign due to life responsibilities. Forråde may return someday.)