The party ventured into the bustling city where the festive celebrations were in full swing. Upon arrival, they entrusted Beastbane with the task of stabling their carriage. As they surveyed their surroundings, Amelia Vicarin opted to acquire some new attire as part of a discreet disguise. She selected a set of elegant clothing and adorned herself with a hat, while Varis attempted to transform his appearance into that of a woman, adopting the name "Varina."
Introduction of Harold
Amidst these preparations, Bartimaeus, succumbing to his curiosity, ventured into a nearby alley. There, he stumbled upon peculiar sounds and noticed a group of towering goliaths and an ogre rummaging through crates. When they spotted him, they requested his departure, but Bartimaeus endeavored to engage them in conversation. Unfortunately, his efforts proved futile, and they insisted he leave. He reluctantly retreated but remained vigilant, trying to discern the purpose of their actions. It seemed the crates were related to the ongoing festivities. Bartimaeus rejoined the group and shared his findings.
Keira decided to stealthily infiltrate the area, positioning herself on a nearby rooftop for a better vantage point. Meanwhile, Amelia approached the group with an air of deception, attempting to assert authority over them. However, they had no recollection of her and inquired about her identity. She introduced herself as "Viggaro" and claimed to be acquainted with their boss. While they questioned her, their boss arrived, accompanied by his hounds. Amelia employed her persuasive tactics on him, though he remained skeptical but ultimately allowed her presence. Unconcerned about her employment status, he offered her a gold coin and instructed her to depart. The group peacefully left the yard.
Following this encounter, the party convened and decided to track the group to its destination, leading them to The Daily Cheer tavern. They noticed the hounds left outside and guarded by an individual. Varis took the initiative to inquire about the hounds, revealing himself as "Varina" and questioning the man about their owner. The man divulged little information, except that they were not from Greenfield and were merely visiting for the festivities. Varis persisted with his inquiries, eventually learning the boss's name, Harold. He then entered the tavern to continue his investigation.
Keira maintained a discreet watch on the proceedings. Suddenly, Bartimaeus incited a commotion by biting the ogre's arm, causing the ogre to jostle one of the goliaths. Bartimaeus managed to slip under a table and bite Harold's foot. Varis used the distraction to pilfer a pouch from Harold's waist before departing the tavern.
Bartimaeus's mischief was short-lived, as Harold apprehended him after the bite. In retaliation, Harold drew a dagger, and Bartimaeus, identifying himself as one of the most wanted individuals, unsheathed his swords and wounded Harold. Just as Harold was about to retaliate, Keira intervened, coming up from behind and compelling Harold to surrender, along with his henchmen. She asserted her claim to a bounty, but Harold showed no interest in the reward. Bartimaeus hastily exited the tavern, with Keira in pursuit.
Shortly thereafter, Amelia, maintaining her Viggaro persona, entered the tavern, ordered a drink, and observed the goliaths and ogre tending to their boss's injuries. She discreetly poisoned their drinks and placed them on the table. Harold refrained from partaking, allowing the ogre to consume his portion. Subsequently, the ogre and one of the goliaths began to vomit, prompting their hurried exit from the tavern. Harold, too, left to clean himself outside. The party discovered that they were evading the attention of the Church and were departing Greenfield to return to Redmond. Varis noticed the amulets and sigils associated with their faith.
The Baron Of Greenfield
They allowed the group to depart and resumed their initial plans to visit Baron Martin Shores. However, their curiosity about the purpose of their presence lingered. As they drew nearer to the castle, they readied themselves for what lay ahead. At the castle gates, they were halted by soldiers and knights. Varis stepped forward, introducing their party as delegates from the Arcane Academy. They were granted passage, and as they entered the castle, they encountered local nobility, including notable figures like Nikolay Von Keiner and James Holmes.
Their first interaction was with Felisha Riverrun, who stood alongside her sister, Alexandra Riverrun. Greetings were exchanged, and Felisha inquired about the safety of moving their forces through the Riverwoods, to which Rayenne offered an uncertain response. Among the crowd, they also spotted the familiar figure of Nerovaz, representing Windelcrest as a public figure.
The group couldn't help but notice Ameena Summerwind by the stairs leading to the Baron's throne, accompanied by two individuals. Amelia approached Ameena, who recognized her but remained composed during her prayer. Amelia acknowledged the presence of the entire party and inquired about the Baron's whereabouts. Ameena gestured toward the occupied throne, indicating his busy state. She promised to catch up with them later, and Ameena assured them the same.
Baron Martin Shores descended from his throne, accompanied by an elf named Heinrik Winters. He extended a warm welcome, expressing gratitude for their presence and informing them of the Baron's somber mood, with a noticeable pause when his gaze met Varis. The human figure beside the Baron, Bishop Theodor Rich, also conveyed gratitude and blessed the assembly in the name of the Silver Prince.
As the Baron moved away, Amelia tried to gauge the thoughts of those present. The nobles and ladies were concerned about the Baron's demeanor, while Ameena's eagerness to approach the party was tempered by her orders. Amelia attempted to probe the Baron's thoughts but found herself unable to gain access.
Soon after, some knights approached and requested the presence of the lords. Keira attempted to follow, presenting her sigil ring and identifying herself, but the knights remained firm and denied her entry. Bartimaeus made a similar attempt, invoking his old status, but the knights remained unmoved. In the background, Amelia tried to create a diversion, but soldiers intervened, leaving the knights resolute at the gate. Varis employed invisibility, concealing Rayenne in her squirrel form within his pocket, and slipped her through the gate.
Inside the chamber, Rayenne observed Martin Winfield and Elenora Hamilton in the company of Baron Martin Shores and James Holmes. She attempted to draw closer and eventually climbed onto the table. Martin gently caught her by the tail, and she reverted to her true form before introducing herself. Although the other lords and ladies were familiar with her, the Baron was not. They provided an introduction, explaining her identity, and the Baron expressed eagerness to meet the so-called "Travellers" he had heard about. They were then summoned and invited inside the chamber, where they joined Martin and Elenora. The Baron extended his greetings, and introductions ensued. He then requested that they all pledge to keep the chamber's discussions confidential, a pledge to which they all willingly agreed before gathering around the table.
The Daring Plan
The party convened in the presence of Baron Shores and his retinue, engaging in a strategic conversation about their next steps. The baron unfurled a large map, adorned with various markers representing known military forces. It was evident that Redmond's forces were effectively blocking all routes leading to their barony. The party suggested the idea of sending a magical message to the Baron of Redmond, but the Baron's advisor cautioned against it, citing the presence of Church spies within Redmond's court.
In light of this, the party inquired if the Travellers were willing to embark on a perilous journey to deliver the message personally. However, they soon realized that the only safe path to Redmond would take them through the treacherous swamps of Highmarsh. The group deliberated on this risky proposition. Baron Shores expressed his inability to order his lords to reposition their forces, as Commander Ameena Summerwind and her company had encircled Greenfield, effectively strangling the baron's city.
In their brainstorming session, they contemplated how to eliminate the threat posed by Summerwind. Keria mentioned that her father was dispatching reinforcements to Shoremond, which sparked the idea of luring Summerwind away from Greenfield by racing towards the incoming aid. Their hope was to reach Shoremond while the reinforcements arrived, thereby forcing Summerwind to confront them away from Greenfield.
With unanimous agreement, the Baron retrieved a teleportation scroll, handing it to Varis for use in emergencies.
Taunting Summerwind
The party exited the baron's chamber and reentered the throne room, where they spotted Bishop Theodor Rich engaged in conversation with Ameena Summerwind, who remained resolute at her post. The group decided to add a touch of humor to the situation by approaching her and playfully teasing her. Despite Summerwind's unwavering stance, she displayed visible signs of inner turmoil, trembling with what appeared to be divine anger. The Bishop, perceptive of her distress, took charge of the conversation.
Amelia couldn't resist poking fun at both of them, humorously claiming that she had converted after reading a pamphlet given to her by a pilgrim months ago. Although neither the Bishop nor Summerwind bought into her claim, the Bishop fulfilled his duty and offered Amelia his blessing, much to her surprise. As Amelia received the blessing through a prayer, she couldn't help but sense an eerie presence watching her.
Varis, seizing the moment, approached Summerwind and pulled out a book that the party had surreptitiously taken during the Hillburg jailbreak. At this point, Summerwind loosened her grip on her sword and directed a piercing, deathly glare at Varis. The Bishop stepped in and accepted the book from Varis, thanking him for its return before handing it back to Summerwind.
Taking the opportunity, Varis also requested the Bishop's blessing, which was granted. As they were preparing to depart, Summerwind raised her sword and fixed a chilling gaze on them. Under her breath, she vowed to hunt them down.
The Rescure Of Ekore
As the group departed from the castle and strolled back into the bustling city, they unexpectedly encountered a familiar face, Otto Potter. Otto was standing beside a grand circus tent, seeking assistance. It turned out his father had entered this peculiar "haunted tent" as part of the festivities, but hadn't returned yet. Lacking the funds to enter the tent himself, Otto implored the party for help, mentioning that the entrance fee was 15 gold pieces. Some members of the party decided to stay outside while Varis and Kiera paid the fee. In the meantime, Amelia attempted to sneak into the tent but was caught in the act. However, during the commotion, Keira managed to discreetly snatch the gold pouch from the man who had caught Amelia, enabling her to pay the entrance fee. With the gold issue resolved, they all entered the tent.
Inside, they encountered a thick fog and found themselves navigating a bizarre wooden corridor with no apparent exits. Despite Otto's anxiety, he followed the party. They systematically explored each room, discovering a variety of oddly arranged pumpkins of different sizes. When they opened a wooden chest, they were startled to see a face inside. Initially shocked, they invited Otto to inspect it, which had an unintended startling effect on him. The transparent face burst out of the chest, laughing mischievously. As it passed through Varis, it inflicted psychic damage on him, and Amelia transformed into her beast form in an attempt to attack the head but her efforts were futile. The disembodied head continued to laugh as it disappeared through a wall, leaving the party bewildered but undeterred.
They proceeded to open several chests throughout the hallways, each containing traps of some kind. In the distance, they began to hear the sound of clanging metal and boisterous laughter. Otto alerted the party to something down the corridor: a massive animated suit of armor with a pumpkin for a head, wielding a formidable club. The party armed themselves and prepared to battle the menacing construct. Though slow and cumbersome, the armor struck with great force. Otto's sword revealed pumpkin roots underneath the armor. Varis used his axe gun to obliterate half of the pumpkin head, while Keira and Amelia riddled it with arrows. Eventually, the armor collapsed and ceased its attack. They continued through the hallways and finally found Ekore Potter, Otto's father.
With the otters reunited, they now faced the challenge of finding a way out. They stumbled upon a large chest, and Keira approached to inspect it, only to be ensnared by a living vine that began to crush her. The party desperately tried to free her, but it was Ekore who used his limited magic to destroy the vine, rescuing Keira. Pressing on, they arrived in a vast hall filled with countless pumpkins. They heard a woman humming in the center of the room. As they approached, they noticed stone statues and, in the middle, a hooded woman humming to herself. Amelia approached and greeted her. The woman turned to face them, expressed surprise at their arrival, and noted that very few had made it this far. The party, displeased with the unexpected turn of events, voiced their dissatisfaction. The woman sighed and proclaimed they would join her collection, then revealed her true form, that of a Swamp Troll Witch.
A fierce battle erupted, with the party resisting the Troll Witch's attacks. Despite her pleas to cease hostilities, they pressed on, eventually defeating her. Her form disintegrated into vile bile acids. Amelia managed to collect a few Vials of Acidic Bile of the substance before the party searched the room. They discovered some of the Troll Witch's belongings such as the Troll Witch's Grimoire and a Polished Obsidian Mirror that revealed a hidden lever, which unlocked the exit. Upon leaving the tent, they encountered the man who had admitted them, who was taken aback by their return and claimed that it wasn't supposed to happen. In her determination to get answers, Amelia drew her interrogator knife and questioned the man about his involvement and who he worked for.
However, he genuinely had no knowledge of a troll or Troll Witch, claiming to have been hired by a woman by the river. They allowed him to go, and he hurriedly fled to tend to his stab wound. The party informed the local guards about the tent, who secured it to prevent anyone else from entering. Finally, the party headed to a nearby inn, The Emerald Nest, where they acquired rooms and prepared for a well-deserved rest after their harrowing adventure.