(G514 04/03/2023 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) WA110

 

 (G514 04/03/2023 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) WA110

[Fenrir and Reinward have been tasked with staging a coup in the city of Westgate to stop the evil vampire lord the Night King from doing the same. Just recently Fenrir had kidnapped the ruler of Westgate and Reinward was killed by a Pit Fiend.]

DAY 533 (18th Eleasis) (August) cont ...

In the morning Fenrir, in the guise of Gerry Fudd took the corpse of Reinward to Painbliss Hall and handed over another bag of gold (26,530 gold again!) to the High Whipmistress Spyrytara Xalass.

After that they lay low for the rest of the day.

Tonight Reinward slept in Veddic's room as his smelled of sulphur.


DAY 534 (19th Eleasis) (August)

Today Fenrir's thoughts turned to his old girl-friend Giselle Nesher. He had Veddic use a Sending Spell to contact her.

''
Hello Giselle! Veddic here. Fenrir has asked me to see how you are and ask if you would be up for a visit?
''

The reply came:

''
OSM good. Come in ten days for the Cake and Jam day party if you like.
''

I should also note that Werren of House Malavhan had invited him to a House event five days from now, but she was little on his mind at this time.

Baeron came to Fenrir today and told him that he had got rid of Kargerth Cormariel using a simple honey-trap to lure him out of the city. He was now in the company of some hussy, under a Domination spell and so well out of the way that not even his family could find him.
You can say what you like about Baeron Thunderstaff, but he got things done.

Fenrir asked his uncle about the Pit Fiend attack to which Baeron replied.
'Pit Fiends are devils, not demons. It had nothing to do with me or any of our be-horned friends.'

Baeron was going to go back to Waterdeep now.
'Could you contact Maaril the Dragonmage?' asked Fenrir.
'Why?'
'Ummm, because of the devil stuff?'
'Do try and keep up boy,' said Baeron. 'Maaril is demons, not devils. Don't worry, I'll sort things out when I get there.'

In addition, today Henri Hoggins reported that after 10 days of training Raz had learned the basics of how to behave at the dinner table in Westgate. Hoggins then handed over the remainder of his fee and left never to be seen again as he had just heard about the Pit Fiend attack.

Fenrir then found a dance instructor for Raz and paid 100 gold for an intensive course on how to dance all the fancy Westgate dances.

Later Fenrir went to work and it looked like no one thought he had been fired so perhaps Trant had never told anyone of his plans before Fenrir had bagged him.

Meanwhile Reinward went to the temple of Ilmater. He saw that Sir Loric, Jane, Pastry and the cleric's had now made the cellars inhabitable and were living down there.
He told them that he had recently fought off a Pit Fiend single-handedly.
'I'm amazed!' said Loric. 'You know, you will always be safe here at the temple.
No fiend would dare come onto such holy ground.'

Reinward swaned about for the rest of the afternoon, basking in his fame. He also researched a little on the Crown and read some religious texts.

Specifically he wanted to know if he could use the Crown to resurrect himself in the event of his dying.
Sir Loric thought it was unlikely that it would work, but he admitted it was an interesting idea.

Other things that happened today;

Fenrir ordered two rings of Eagle's Splendour, 48,000 gold the pair.

45,000 gold would be delivered by Random in seven days.


DAY 535 (20th Eleasis) (August)

Today Fenrir went to work and Reinward went to the Temple.

Then Reinward, out of boredom I'm not sure, decided to go and do some pick pocketing. He disguised himself as a 'rich Mongo Lightcandy' wearing the Crown but with it hidden.

He wanted to take Veddic along as backup and 'incase I see some Pit Fiends'.
Veddic said ok, but he wanted a cut. He came disguised as a fighter.

Together they walked into the Merchant Quarter and Reinward looked around for a victim. His first was a female gnome cleric from whom he managed to steal a potion of Cure Serious Wounds.

Another rich looking female gnome offered a tempting target and dipping into her pocket he managed to pull out a magnifying glass without her noticing.

Next he saw a half-orc female with a poorly secured coin purse. He took that and was better off by 623 gold.

He started to feel a bit bad about robbing people who had done no harm though and wanted to target someone who looked like they deserved it. Towards that end he spent a couple of hours looking for a good target and found a nasty looking wizard. He wore a Robe of Bones and looked like a real puppy-kicker.

Reinward managed to dip into his pocket, but only found a small steel mirror and a splinter of wood.

Disappointed he returned home.

Jasper the housekeeper was most distraught. Apparently the demons, as in Azazello, Behemoth et al, had turned up with five coffins that all contained vampires with stakes in their hearts.
'That giant cat and the snaggletoothed man came and sort of dazzled the guards and left all this in the hall!' Jasper reported.

Reinward and Veddic argued about opening the coffins, but decided to wait until Fenrir got back from work.

Finally Gelly informed them that:

'Mongo Lightcandy is fingered for the Reaver Lord Dynarth Bloodcowl hit.'
.. and that the Night Masks think that it was Lightcandy working with Barry Shitknees that killed Dauntinghorn.

She asked for 10,000 gold to keep an eye on things, but Fenrir didn't pay.
He was probably right, the damage was most likely already done.


DAY 536 (21st Eleasis) (August)

Fenrir went to work today and Reinward went to the Temple and donated the stolen gold (1067 gold coins) and healing potion.

Fenrir heard that goblins in the east, as close as fifteen miles away from Westgate, were raiding farms. He didn't want to go look for himself so he instructed the Country Sheriff to contact any marshals in the area to see what was going on.

On their return Gelly informed them that their were a lot more bats in the sky around the house at night.
'And not regular bats,' she said as she consulted her bumper book of bats, 'non-local bats, big nasty looking ones!'

They waited until nightfall and destroyed the vampires the demons had brought them the other day in the gutter behind the house.


DAY 537 (22nd Eleasis) (August)

Fenrir went to work again today and Reinward went to the temple for his third day of study.

Today there was a council meeting. It had been called by Urlyvl Athagdal, the de-facto Attorney General, who told them all;
'Dreydal Trant is missing. We've skryed him. He's alive, but unconscious and somewhere dark. I am in charge until he can be found. We will keep it from the people as long as possible. There is currently and active search going on to find him.'

It was also noted that Kargerth Cormariel had gone missing although he had been seen leaving the city. Fenrir did his best to seed doubt about Kargerth - perhaps he had something to do with Trant's disappearance?

Fenrir met Thistle Thavalar at the meeting, and discussed lineages and bloodlines. He introduced the Crownbearer (Reinward) and Raz. I wonder if his plans were as transparent to Thistle as they appear to me as I commit them to paper?

Fenrir then introduced Raz to the rest of the council. Ibana Trant and Urlyvl Athagdal seemed to like the young man well enough, although they may have wondered what he was doing there.

When he got home he sent a card to Lady Gwendeth Thavalar.

DAY 538 (23rd Eleasis) (August)

Fenrir went to work again today and Reinward went to the temple for his forth day of study.

Fenrir learned that Shaymer had been seen talking to bards and buying things at Gondeth's.

There was also news from Teziir. A warlock called Barry Shitknees was hold up in a tavern and was besieged by vampires. He was in the 'Poor Alibi' tavern on 'Rumbled Street'.

Alarmed, Fenrir returned home straight away. Before they went off to Teziir though he had Veddic contact Random. He replied that he was fine and in Westgate.
Annoyed, Fenrir told him to go back to Teziir and do the job that had been assigned to him!
'Okey dokey matey! Running all the way!' replied the cheeky tiefling.

Something was happening though. He asked around and 'Poor Alibi' tavern on 'Rumbled Street' did exist. He checked the Doomsday Clock. It was at midnight and the glass had cracked!

It was starting to look like the game was up!

Fenrir contacted Random - scratch the last order - get as many mirrors and garlic as you can! Veddic contacted his Eternal Flame (his boss) Jamella Dotrok telling her what was going on.

Reinward, as alarmed as anyone else, ran off to the Tempe of Ilmater.
'This time it's for real!' he cried breathlessly at the cellar door.
Sir Loric did not seem peturbed. 'I've heard nothing of any immediate threat,' he said.
'Come pray with me son.'

Meanwhile Fenrir had gone to the DAW to get them on a war footing, then went to Urlyvl Athagdal's mansion-house and told him everything about the Night King, the Night Masks and Eldreth Veluuthra. 'Summon the council! Call out the army!'


DAY 539 (24th Eleasis) (August)

By now the whole city knew two things:
1. Dreydal Trant, their divisive leader, was missing
2. Vampires were about to attack!

People were in the street. It was chaos. Fenrir was at work managing the crowd control.
Ever stirring the pot he told Portia:
'I heard a rumour it was vampires that killed Trant. Or they took him prisoner.'

By the end of the day though, no attack had come. Fenrir was starting to feel rather like the boy that had cried wolf.


DAY 540 (25th Eleasis) (August)

Today Merlock Tomes arrived at the house and gave her report.
I have obtained a transcript:

''
I have written a report for you. Here is a copy in Common and here is one in Infernal if you would rather burn the one in Common as it could be read by anyone.

The Night King is a clone of Manshoon and also a vampire. He styles himself as Orlak II.

He is currently attempting to woo Thistle Thavalar so that he may marry her and become king of Westgate. He courts her as Trystran Dauntinghorn.

Trystran Dauntinghorn is a real living human man. He is really a ship's captain. He is a good man, but totally under the power of the Night King, believing that he is working his way to joining the Order of the Basilisk. Dauntinghorn goes about by day, generally and the Night King poses as him by night. They look very alike and the Night King also helps this along with magic - although I must say, having seen both of them they look as alike as twins.

The Night King has several dwellings in the catacombs and a dwelling in Blackrune Citadel, commonly known as the Vampire Keep. That is where he currently is.

He is concerned about the attacks by one Barry Shitknees, the Vampire Hunter, but not overly. Adventurers like that come and go and he does not see them as particularly threatening, just an occupational hazard.

He is very concerned to get his hands on the Crown of Baleforte, but he is in no hurry. As an immortal undead he is quite happy to bide his time and wait for an opportunity to snatch it. He is likely to give the task of getting the crown to one of his captains.

Just recently though (I learned this yesterday) someone killed the real Dauntinghorn and he has taken this very personally. All his efforts are now being directed towards finding the culprit. Dauntinghorn was killed by an incredibly rare poison called
'Ilmater's Bane' which can only be found in the Martyrdomain.

I am aware that you are working for a power patron of some kind. I do not wish to know who they are. I can say at this stage though he does not know he is a target of this powerful patron. Despite all his spies and magic, your powerful patron has managed to keep his attention diverted elsewhere.

That is only true of up until today though. At some point it may be that he finally realised someone is trying to thwart his plans. To be honest I expect him to realise this any day now. He is very clever and will put the pieces of the puzzle together soon.

In summary:

1. The Night King is currently in the Blackrune Citadel.
2. The Night King thinks that marrying Thistle Thavalar as Dauntinghorn is all going to plan.
        The real Dauntinghorn is doing most of the work.
3. The Commander of the Watch, Raziel Lightningrod, is a powerful warlock, but not an immediate threat.
4. He want's the Crown of Baleforte. He was after it from the beginning and will send powerful forces to get it.
5. He sees Barry Shitknees as a Vamp Hunter, thanks to all the bluffing going on.
        But - there is a trail here that is easy to follow. Lord Bloodwurst has met and been defeated by several warlocks just recently. At Cedarspoke, and in the Underdark on three separate occasions. The masked warlock in the Underdark was seen with Reinward, who is now living in the same house as the Commander of the Watch. Eventually they are going to realise that Raziel Lightningrod, Eandhehrt Dige, Barry Shitkees, and the Underdark Warlock are one and the same person.
6. A powerful group of adventurers have been causing trouble at the Blackrune Citadel.

''