(G539 28/10/2023 via Roll20 - JF(GM), AP, KT) WA124

 

 (G539 28/10/2023 via Roll20 - JF(GM), AP, KT) WA124

[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. They recently won a big street battle against a bunch of vampire funded counter-revolutionaries!]

[Here, dear reader, we will now leave the doings of Westgate. Interesting as it is, I lost sight of it all when Fenrir and Reinward left. Raz stayed behind as king, but he was never one for sending letters so at this time I am not sure exactly what has been going on there recently. I should really go and pay him a visit. After all, how many of my friends have become kings recently? Anyway. I will now commit to paper everything they did after the coup, up until the time they arrived at Yag Island.]

DAY 560 (14th Eleint)(September)

Random had said to them:

''
It would be good to get rid of the person that everyone blames for the death of the Croamarkh! He was popular with a lot of people and it would be good to disassociate you with the King.
''

Fenrir took the hint. Truthfully he was glad to see the back of Westgate. It was a nice place but he'd had his fill of vampires and half the city hating and/or wanting him dead. Reinward didn't have to leave, but he was of the same mind so they packed their bags and left. They handed back the keys to the house on Wizards Cut, thanks the staff and teleported out.

They were on their way to OSM (Ottery Saint Mary) to see Giselle and since Fenrir's Boots of Teleportation had a maximum range of 900 miles they went via Corm Orp.

I should note that Veddic stayed for a while to see if he could wangle being Eternal Flame of the new temple of Kossuth that was to be built.

Fenrir turned up at Giselle's door at the Kryptgarden Lodgehouse in the afternoon. Reinward went to get a drink at the Badger in the village.

Giselle was sat with her feet up reading a book. She was surprised but happy to see him. She said he was welcome to stay as long as he liked and she could even provide a room for Reinward. Since all that business with Teru Yardpike and the death of her father she was pretty much the Lady of the Lodge and no one could stop her having her boyfriend and his pal come to stay if she liked.

They went out for a meal and a few drinks at the Badger's Breakfast, then came home again. Each to their separate rooms.


DAY 561 (15th Eleint)(September)

Fenrir had a dream during the night.

    A wild and stormy night, deep in the forest.
    You see a light in the distance and head towards it
    You feel weak, as if missing all your powers
    You head to a light, it's the mouth of a cave
    Full of trepidation, you go in
    There is a dark skinned woman lying on a bed, surrounded by three witches
    She screams!
    A baby cries! The witches hold the new born baby aloft
    Then beckon you forward
    The baby is presented, the umbilical cord is held towards you
    You are handed a knife

    - Cut the cord or not?

    You cut the cord!

    - The baby opens is blood red eyes!
    
    
Fenrir woke in a cold sweat. This dream must have surely meant that Nexelmode, the druid necromancer of Ferbone Forest had just given birth to a child of which Fenrir was the father.

Today he also got a Sending message from Veddic:

''
The Demons (Behemoth etc) assaulted Castle Urdo and did lots of damage and killed many people in unspeakable ways! They wanted a seat on the council as payment. Random said that was fine.
''

The rest of the day passed without incident.

DAY 562 (16th Eleint)(September)

Fenrir did a good job of having another relaxing day. The weather was pleasant, the autumn sun still warm so he spent some time in the garden just lying back on a blanket, telling Giselle of his adventures.

He got another message from Veddic:

''
A squad from the Plane of Nightmares has come in to "help". About 100 maybe.
They have been employed by Random to mainly mess with the Night Masks.
''

This sounded rather like trying to get rid of your mouse problem by bringing in a bunch of other nastier mice to me, but Fenrir didn't care and it wasn't much skin off of Veddic's nose either. He just cared about his temple.


DAY 563 (17th Eleint)(September)

Another message from Veddic:

''
Castle Cormaeril was assaulted last night by five skull-headed men. People think it was Barry Shitknees and his evil gang of warlocks. I suspect Random had something to do with it though. Looks like he's settling some of your old scores for you.
''


DAY 564 (18th Eleint)(September)

Another day of relaxation for the lads.

DAY 565 (19th Eleint)(September)

Another day of relaxation for the lads.

Just to note though that I learned from other sources that around this time the Night King returned to Westgate. He also sent an ambassador to Nexelmode, for reasons I can only guess at.

The rumours are that he is preparing an invasion force to retake Westgate and kick out the new king!

From my source though, I think Random has plans to thwart this, and has also dispatched an ambassador to Nexelmode. Any army that plans to pass through her forest would be best advised to get permission from her first, even a vampire one.

Dark warnings, and maybe not the best idea to leave everything in Random's charge, but if we are ever needed again I expect Cavu would let us know.

DAY 566 (20th Eleint)(September)

Another day of relaxation for the lads.

DAY 567 (21st Eleint)(September)

Another day of relaxation for the lads.

DAY 568 (22nd Eleint)(September)

Another day of relaxation for the lads.

DAY 569 (23rd Eleint)(September)

Another day of relaxation for the lads.

DAY 569 (24th Eleint)(September)

Another day of relaxation for the lads.

DAY 570 (25th Eleint)(September)

Another day of relaxation for the lads.

DAY 571 (26th Eleint)(September)

Another day of relaxation for the lads. This was their tenth day of rest and recuperation.

This night they both had the same dream.

    They were in the foothills of some distant mountains with a castle on top of
    one of them. They saw a young man dressed in leathers, leaning on a staff.
    They waved at him and he waved back. He beckoned them.
    He said his name was Eaglehorn and he went on to say:
    "Before you lies the castle of Blood-Doom. Do not linger or you will be
    consumed by slathering spiderbeasts."
    They shrugged then followed him up into the hills. Eaglehorn led them to
    a dungeon entrance. "This the way to the castle," he said. "You must enter
    and face the challenges within."
    
    Inside they did indeed face many challenges, but mainly in the form of choices.
    Each room they entered presented two or more options, in the forms of potions
    to drink or weapons to select. There were twelve in all, and after they had
    made their choice they moved on to the next room. The final rooms were a child's
    nursery, a fun fare, a kitchen and then finally a hall of mirrors. By this time
    Fenrir and Reinward had began to get an inkling of what was going on. They were
    being visited by their lovers from the Plane of Nightmares - Bezebelle and Veyna.
    Their choices had affected the children that they would have with these creatures.
    In the mirror Fenrir saw a young man who seemed kind and gentle, a noble soul, a
    far cry from the power hungry chancer that was his father. Reinward saw a fiery
    young woman, strong willed, but capable of evil. She looked exactly like her father.
    
    
Needless to say Fenrir did not mention any of this to Giselle. Two nightmare babies born from very dubious mothers in less than a fortnight - what a legend!

DAY 572 (27th Eleint)(September)
DAY 573 (28th Eleint)(September)
DAY 574 (29th Eleint)(September)
DAY 575 (30th Eleint)(September)
DAY 576 (Highharvestide)(September)
DAY 577 (1st Marpenoth)(October)
DAY 578 (2nd Marpenoth)(October)
DAY 579 (3rd Marpenoth)(October)

DAY 580 (4th Marpenoth)(October)

By now Random seemed to have pretty much everything in hand back in Westgate. So much so that he was able to make arrangements for more public versions of the royal wedding and the coronation.

Today was the wedding and the lads teleported over. Fenrir took Giselle and Reinward looked up Lesa Ujum and took her. A splendid time was had by all and their were no vampiric interruptions of any kind. Random made sure of that.


DAY 581 (5th Marpenoth)(October)

With all the noble houses either bribed or terrorised into accepting the new king Random was able to have the coronation of King Rah'ziel the First today.

It all went well, there was a big royal shindig and the city celebrated. I wish I'd been there! But nobody thought to invite me. Well - I admit I was rather busy with pirate ships on the Sword Coast and not easy to reach, but even so!

Random seemed to have everything in hand, but I should imagine he hadn't been getting much sleep.


DAY 582 (6th Marpenoth)(October)

Today everyone was mainly sleeping off their hangovers.


DAY 583 (7th Marpenoth)(October)

Today, Fenrir, Reinward and Giselle teleported back to OSM.

You may remember that Sylvia had a 'round robin' of Sending spells between: Me, Corum, Jiggles, Irritator, Dad and Giselle.

So Giselle had been mentioning my whereabouts to Fenrir. I was currently at sea, but he knew about Yag Island from her.

I think by now they were about ready for some more adventure.

DAY 584 (8th Marpenoth)(October)
DAY 585 (9th Marpenoth)(October)
DAY 586 (10th Marpenoth)(October)
DAY 587 (11th Marpenoth)(October)
DAY 588 (12th Marpenoth)(October)
DAY 589 (13th Marpenoth)(October)
DAY 590 (14th Marpenoth) (October)
DAY 591 (15th Marpenoth) (October)
DAY 592 (16th Marpenoth) (October)
DAY 593 (17th Marpenoth) (October)
DAY 594 (18th Marpenoth) (October)

DAY 595 (19th Marpenoth) (October)

Probably bored out of their skulls by now the lads decided to come and visit me. My dad always has work for adventurers, but slaying rats and goblins was probably a bit beneath them by now.

Giselle decided to come with them as well.

None of them had been to the island though, so they teleported back to Westgate (via Corm Orp as always) then got Mintassan the Magnificent to take them to the island. Not that he had been there either, but he had lots of powerful magic to help him.

They walked from the village up the cliff side path to the Barrow and my nearly completed keep. They met old friends like Sylvia, Irritator and Jiggles and new faces like Sparkledingle, Griff and Fang.

When Fenrir met the Fenrir simulacrum though, the fake Fenrir sort of went all wobbly and was well - absorbed - by the real Fenrir. It wasn't destroyed or inside him or something disgusting, it had somehow turned into a psychoactive skin. Apparently these are a thing - things of magic - skins that grant powers to the user. This new skin had no other power other than to look like Fenrir, but in theory it could be put on a manikin or even a corpse. How odd.
It will also wants to finish its quest for the Vicar of Ghaunadaur, but that's between Fenrir and he new pal.

There were still enough rooms for the new arrivals but since they weren't furnished yet they opted for Gyles's inn back in port. They had better food there too.


Oh I got my hands on a Westgate chapbook recently. Here is an interesting extract from it:

''
The Eleint Coup of 1377 DR

Hail Readers! Are you enjoying living under a monarch again? Too early to tell? It is I! Jester Sancho of the Blue Ribbons. Does the new king need a jester I wonder? Should I offer my services?

Well, by all accounts our King is an affable enough young man. Born on the wrong side of the bed sheets, the son of Arguant Thavalar and some barbarian wench. But is he the true power  here? We all know the Merchant Nebulus right? The Rascal they used to call him! The purveyor of many a mysterious pie! The seller of wooden-teethed horses! How is the man that would sell his own grandmother for two coppers now the Prime Minister of Westgate? Answers on a post card, addressed to wherever the Croamarkh is now resting his head.

And while we are on the subject whatever happened to old Trantie? The rumours are that the former Commander of the Watch took him down to hell and stashed him with a bevy of succubuses. Croamarkh, Commander, Crownbearer? All gone!

Gone where? Who knows? Trust the king we are told! Trust the new privy council! They are much better than the alternative - a city run by vampires. How convenient don't you think that for this malady a cure was so easily at hand? And don't you think that perhaps the cure may be worse than the disease? Have you even seen a vampire? Not this jester! But apparently the threat was so bad that a change of government was required!

And what do we now have in our city? Demons! Nightmares! Out of town Clergy! The new mysterious Thieves' Guild looking to take on the Nightmasks - the Skull Collectors - led by that Shadowy villain Barry Shitknees!?

Who knows the truth? But we do know this - Castle Urdo was attacked by Demons. Castle Cormaeril was attacked by Skull Collectors. The Docks is now stalked by creatures from our worst nightmares! If you ask me, bring back the vampires!

What next for Westgate? If you ask this innocent young Jester it is time for the people to speak out! The nobles have thrown in their lot with the king (fearing another visit from demons or the Skullmen no doubt!) and now it looks like we are back to all that bother with crowns and magic swords and divine rule. Nonsense! Not everyone may have liked old Trantie, but he had been elected, if not by the people, then at least by his peers. The point being he could be replaced if need be!

Well then, if a King we must have, then old Wooden-toothed Nebulas can be voted out at least. Shall I do it, you think? I think I shall! Jester Sancho for Prime Minister! What, what, what??!
''