COS 029 - From Rags To Witches

Accompanied by ravens circling overhead, the Pack found that Vallaki's gates closed at such an extremely late hour. After "proving" that they weren't vampires by entering despite the sentry's audible refusal, they were allowed entry, subject to search. van Richten had already sent an explanation from the other guard gate, after the hero's daring lake rescue. Atlas snuck in invisibly beforehand to hide their Bag of Holding, ensuring that it was not privy to the full search, and they entered without issue. The Pack returned to the Blue Water Inn to finally get some rest.

During next morning's shopping trip, Ghalwin picked up Lancelot's doggy chainmail from Arasek Stockyard. He requested Yelena to make an elk-fitted breastplate for Verity, using Shredder's plate armor as a base material. After a bit of negotiation, she accepted, and began work on the strange armor. In the town square, he also learned that the next Festival of the Blazing Sun was to be held in three days time. They hashed out ideas with Ricky about what to do next, and the vampire hunter quashed an idea to sneak into the Burgomaster's Mansion during the festival, as they would be considered important guests now. He also gave information on rumours about Viktor Vallakovich and Stella Wachter. Before hatching further plans, the group decided to visit the Burgomaster's Mansion to learn what they could of Viktor, Izek Strasni, the wedding dress, and the powerful source of evil magic inside.

Before they did so, however, they went to feed the orphanage. Ghalwin and the Headmistress Klavdiya prepared a brunch of salted wolf meat and herbs as Shakti assisted Milivoj with "digging" to end his shift early. Father Atlas proved popular with a gaggle of sons and daughters as Lancelot played with the kids. van Richten lead Verity rides in the backyard, and the team had a beautiful scene of respite, but Shakti noticed a small difference at the orphanage: Tessa Nicoleva was missing. Klavdiya explained with happiness that Tessa's previously-destitute mother had come to take her back, apparently now willing and able to take care of the child.

The Pack, however, knew the immediate truth: she had been sold to a hag in exchange for Dream Pastry. Without letting the information slip, they politely ended their visit, and rushed to the Inn. They pleaded with Urwin Martikov, and Atlas successfully recruited Laszlo Lazarescu to assist the group, though was unable to persuade the spy to assist them in battle. Laszlo had been stationed to keep an eye on Old Bonegrinder for some time, and knew that by this point in the day, the hags would have usually left town. The Pack decided that if it meant saving Tessa, they were willing to risk fighting all three of the witches at once. 

They left town, and van Richten and Laszlo collaborated their hag knowledge. Laszlo believed them to be Night Hags, and van Richten gave a rundown on the fiend's weaknesses and abilities, as well as his worry that Granny Morgantha may be able to control the Durst Windmill as a lair. However, Vampyr's mists would prevent many of the hag's abilities, particularly with planeshifting and banishing. Though the veteran hunter was not optimistic about a full-frontal assault, he did believe it was still possible to save Tessa. 

Laszlo showed the party a hidden forest route that the hags used to travel to Vallaki, a type of Fey Crossroad that shortened the distance across the Svalich Woods. Before entering, they invoked their only Heroes' Feast spell scroll, creating a sumptuous magical meal that emboldened their spirits and bodies. Additionally, they aided themselves with all the magical protection they could muster, including Ghalwin's True Seeing, and entered through the small fairy circle. Through a pastel causeway, they traveled to the megaliths outside of Old Bonegrinder. Similar in appearance to the Mountain Fane on Yester Hill, they recognized that they were in the center of the Forest Fane. On the stones, Shakti read writing in archaic Druidic, and found a poem dedicated to the Seeker of the Ladies Three:

My lady knows the wind and weather
Knows the road and where it wends
Knows the stars and those they tether
Knows beginnings, knows their ends

They left the Forest Fane and crept up to the windmill. Shakti wildshaped into a Giant Spider as Atlas flew above her; both intended to extract Tessa on the third floor while Ghalwin, van Richten, and Lancelot distracted the hags at the structure's base. However, as she climbed up the wall, Shakti noticed activity inside: despite her magical warding, a hag had spotted Atlas through the window on the upper floor. Ghalwin knocked, and a smiling Granny Morgantha gave an all-too-knowing welcome.