PROLOGUE
Tilly grabs her head as she is taken by one of her visions. She see’s Syrren leaving the Inn, sneaking past the guards and heading to the windmill. She sees him trying to light the windmill on fire, when all of a sudden Granny appears behind him and slits his throat open. She cries out and the rest of the party stops talking, looking at her questioningly.
HELL HATH NO FURY
As the sound of Tilly’s hand on Syrren’s face stirs the attention of the entire tavern, her traveling companions spring to pull her off of Syrren. She struggles, continuing to call him names and hurl obsenities at him.
“I saw you! You left us, you homely bastard! I thought we were friends!!”
Shocked, Syrren swears that he has no idea what is happening. As Aydin’s strong grip compels Tilly to stop fighting, she tells the party of her visions. In addition to the nightmares of the hags that are plaguing several of her travel companions, she has inherited the gift of sight from her mother. Often, these visions foretell tragic or undesirable events. In this instance, she saw Syrren slipping quietly away, leaving only a cryptic note, and heading off to fight the hags himself.
THE PROMISE
To calm Tilly, Syrren makes a solemn vow, swearing on the spirits of his fallen kin, that, despite his burden to rid the world of the three hags, he will not leave her, nor this band of adventurers, until their quest is complete. What that quest is, though, is another matter.
Resolute that they have a greater purpose together. They decide to agree that Ireena’s safety is a priority, as is laying the bones to rest. They also agree that Syrren should, as a gesture of solidarity, share the secrets he charmed out of the children by the road. He agrees, chuckling at how silly it was to have been so shady about what he learned.
A mad wizard of great power haunts the foothills of Mount Baratok. He is an outsider and no friend of the vampire’s.
Vistani curses are potent, but they are invoked with great caution. Vistani know that to curse one who is undeserving of such punishment can have grave consequences for the one who utters such a curse
ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL
Tilly still has doubts, so, while Term ponders how to “dispose” of the body that Piddlewick has left outside a guest’s room, she and Syrren step outside to clear the air. They agree that there are many things to consider as the group moves forward together. In particular, there are Madame Ava’s words and readings to deal with. Tilly is tickled to discover another of Syrren’s secrets – his fake beard, which hides a surprisingly handsome elfen face.
The two join Term and the others handling a very dead guard. Term places it in the bag of holding, even as Piddlewich exclaims, “Breakfast!” from inside. With the evidence dispatched, they set off to the church to find a haven for Ireena. They hope to settle her safely before meeting the Burgermeister at 7 for dinner.
DEM BONES, DEM BONES
When they get to the church, they asked Lucian Petrovich to speak with young Yeska to see if he knows where the bones have gone. After some heavy persuasion, the boy confesses that he told his friend Milivoj about the sacred bones just a few days prior.
Aydin presses the boy to find out more information about what Milli might have done with the bones, If he took them. Yeska is only too excited to talk about Milli’s secret hiding place for treasures he finds (or takes). After spilling all of the information, he leads them through a secret entrance behind the altar, down to the place where the bones used to rest. It’s a damp, dusty room, with crates and boxes all around. Syrren is visibly uneasy, and Aydin continues to investigate the mostly-bare space. At Father Lucien’s urging, they leave the dank room and go to the orphanage to talk with Milli.
AT THE ORPHANAGE
As they begin to question Milli about the bones, he groans and turns pale. He confesses that the locket he received from Heinrick was payment for the stolen bones. He is saddened by his role in taking away such a sacred item.
He brightens when he gets to show them his box of treasures. He spends a few minutes showing them some seemingly worthless items, including a very shiny rock and some petrified wood. Term makes a bargain of five coins (5GP) in exchange for the box and its contents, which Milli plans to use to help feed his friends at the orphanage.
THE RAVINGS OF A LUNATIC
As they leave the orphanage, Terms is accosted by a disturbed man, yelling about dark magic and purple flashes of light from the attic of the Burgomaster’s Manor in the night.
The man is quickly snatched up by the guards, who plan to take him to the stocks. Despite Tilly’s and Term’s attempts to convince them to give him a chance, they hurriedly take their new prisoner away.
WE ARE FAMILY
As they approach the town square and the stocks to see the punitive elements for themselves, they catch their first glimpse of Izek. When Izek sees the group, his frown turns to a joyful grin. He runs toward Syrren, embraces him, and shouts “Brother! It’s been so long!!”
The rest of the group looks on with shock, and the other guards turn back to their duties. Izek begins to share of the visions and dreams that he has had of his long lost brother (and fellow dusk elf) Syrren. But, Syrren urges him to hold this tale for a time when they can all discuss it away from inquisitive eyes.
Izek is excited to learn that they will be able to meet up this evening at the Burgomaster’s house, where he also lives. As the crazy man is being brought to the stocks by the guards, Syrren urges them all to move along so they can continue to Henrik’s.
CURSED
As they move through town, Aydin complains of feeling exhausted, as though cursed. He confesses that, despite everyone advising him against it, he took young Rose’s diary from the manor. Now, as a result, he has been haunted by dreams of her demanding its return.
They decide to go to a local potion shop to get a remedy for his exhaustion, and, possibly, to remove the curse. Meanwhile, Syrren has taken a page from Thahldir’s book and started tapped into the ale. As he struggles to deal with the realization that Izek is his brother-from-another-mother, he imbibes a little too much. Tilly snatches away his booze and turns attention back to a faltering Aydin. Syrren tosses his cookies (or whatever Dusk Elves eat) in the bushes, and they head to the potion shop.
THIRD EYE POTIONS AND SUNDRIES
This Mistress of the shop, Anya Trevali, says her supply is low, and she doesn’t have the Potion of Vitality. She suggests going to Jeny Greenteeth, whose place is located just outside the gates, near the Vistani. Anya describes her as a “different” one, but knowledgeable in removing curses. Tilly strikes a hard bargain for a Potion of Languages for a mere four gold pieces and a blessing on Anya and her two sons, Dargos and Falkon, which Thaldir grudgingly bestows.
In the Valley of Death
They leave the shop and head to the Coffin Maker’s shop. Heinrik peers out from between the array of coffins and asks the group if he can help them. Tilly tries to persuade him to provide them with the location of the bones. A drunken Syrren grows weary of his evasiveness and casts a spell on him.
The enchanted Henrik tries to resist, but is compelled to tell them that he only secured the bones and passed along the locket to please a woman named Ludmilla. She was so beautiful that he could not deny her the bones and did her billing without hesitation.
When Henrik comes back to his senses, he continues to be guarded about talking with the adventurers. Thaldir casts a spell seeking to find out what magic of good or evil is lurking. Syrren demands that Henrik keep their visit a secret with a threat of revealing his loose lips to Ludmilla. As Thaldir reveals that he senses evil upstairs, Henrik becomes increasingly agitated. As the group ascends the staircase, Henrik flees the shop.
Deliver Us from Evil
In the room at the top of the stairs, the presence of evil grows stronger. The re are six ominous crates in the room. The group know they will have to destroy these evil vessels. Syrren opens the crate closest to him just enough to peer inside. Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream comes from inside the crate, just as the others burst open and the room fills with six vampire spawn!
On the Next Episode
With the entire team exhausted and Aydin cursed, how will they defeat these evil minions? Will the next few moments bring a TPK? Be sure to tune in next time…same vampire bat time…same vampire bat channel