(G329 30/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA13

(G329 30/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA13


DAY 300 (3rd Hammer)(January) cont...

It was evening and Fenrir was still in the cells under Castle Cormaeril. Sure that he would be able to talk his way out it somehow, Veddic and Arahel went to sell all their loot at Gondeth's Magaries.

Fenrir was indeed trying to talk his way out of his cell and started by requesting a guard to fetch him a 'Fire Knife'. Sodder, the wizard they had battled earlier, arrived and Fenrir turned on the charm.
He made a friend but it was not within Sodder's power to release him.

That power was Tagreth Cormaeril's alone and he arrived later to interrogate Fenrir, who was tied down to a bench in another larger room. Fenrir tried to be as friendly and charming as he could, but Tagreth kept the questions direct and simple.
From what I gather this was how it went:


Who are you?
    - Raziel Lightningrod

Where are you from?
    - Waterdeep

How long have you been in Westgate?
    - couple of weeks

What brought you here?
    - a life of grand adventure

Who do you work for?
    - Day Air Watch but also
    - freelancing for a mysterious third party who recently hired me to spring the Diablos.

Why did you want with the Diablos?
    - see above

What do you know about the Night Parade?
    - very little, the guy was a member of that?

How long have you been in the watch?
    - 6 days

Who are your associates?
    - Dressdelle of the watch
    - Arahel
    - Veddic

Where are you accommodated in town?
    - small place in town

From what else I have heard about this encounter there was a bit more back and forth after that:

Fenrir: Before you go, my lord. Consider having me work for you as a double agent in the watch?
Tagreth: After your cack handed attempt at jail breaking? And proving so lose and easy with your secrets?
F: Ah, but I went softly on your guards. I did not wish to kill anyone I didn't have to.
T: That was first of your many mistakes then!
F: I did not wish you to appear weak my lord, just to do what I had been paid to do.
T: You should have killed them all, ruthlessly. I would have done.
F: (Growling) Make no mistake, I could have easily slaughtered them all!

Tagreth was affected by Fenrir's intimidation, but turned to leave anyway. The impatient warlock at that point made the fateful decision to chance his arm with an old 'friend' and called out,
'Hello dear, you're home early!'

You may remember, dear reader, that this was the phrase that summoned Bnurgstickslackskin (if he was in  the mood to be summoned) and Fenrir's luck was in (well, if you consider a fifteen foot tall, four armed glabrezu demon suddenly appearing in the room lucky).

Needless to say Cormaeril near soiled his trousers when Bnurgstickslackskin appeared, his mighty bat wings filling the cell. Bnurg grabbed a guard in one of his massive pincers and held him like a child clutching a doll.

'If you could unchain me now old chap,' said Fenrir.
Terrified, Cormaeril did so, then backed out of the cell.

Fenrir helped himself to one of the magic crossbows as he left, flying out the hole that Arahel had made while she was a giant. Bnurg was too big to fit down the side corridor so for reasons only known to himself he ripped the guard he held in half, threw the two bits at the other cowering guards then snarled 'Today is your lucky day!' at them. He then dematerialised back to the Abyss.

Fenrir was halfway home when he slapped his forehead and turned back again, remember that he should really have taken Bwabazwards the diablos with him!

Back in the cells he politely requested the guards release Bwabazwards to him and with trembling hands they opened the door and let the diablos out. Fenrir carried him home through the air on his back.

He arrived at the cottage at about eleven in the evening, then with Arahel and Veddic they all took Bwabazwards to the house on Fish Street where the Night Parade dwelled.

In return for the glad return of Bwabazwards, the Night Parade told them that the portal they sought was on a small island five miles out to sea. They could provide them with a boat if required.

Also while there Fenrir finished chatting up Bezebelle, their leader, and then disappeared upstairs  with her for a couple of hours of very mysterious and dream like passion.

Arahel and Veddic waited awkwardly downstairs for him.

DAY 301 (4th Hammer)(January)

At about one or two in the morning they finally made it back to the cottage and their beds. Only to be up again a few hours later to report for their Day Air Watch shift at seven.

Well, Veddic got a lie in, but Arahel and Fenrir reported for duty and were immediately called in to
Trepplemar the Magnificent's study.
When asked about what had happened up at Castle Cormaeril, Fenrir lied his head off saying they had been up there, but just at the market and certainly had not seen any big scary demons!

As ever his smooth manner managed to keep Trepplemar off their backs for the rest of the day, which they spent, as usual with Dressdelle. The weather was snow, sleet and rain so they mostly took shelter on the towers and watched for trouble from their while drinking sugary tea and eating the local food (burritos and chimichangas).

Nothing exciting happened at work so they made their way home at the usual time fairly well rested.
They found that a letter from Cavu had mysteriously appeared on the kitchen table. It was in code, but using the book 'Lady Lovelace and her many gnomish lovers' as the key the swiftly decoded it.
It read:

''
Use whatever extra funds you need to make this happen, but you need to become the leaders of the  faction you have chosen. Do it gently, but do whatever it takes to make this happen. If this seems  impossible at this moment, then see how far you can get investigating the Snake Gate. From what
I'm picking up from Gerty, I think that whatever you find there may help you with what you are doing  in Westgate. In order to reply to this message, please write it in code and hand it to the merchant I named in my previous letter. You may expect a reply the next day.
''

Fenrir wrote a short reply telling Cavu that they were planning a boat trip out to the location of the island, but did not immediately deliver it to the merchant.

DAY 302 (5th Hammer)(January)

Day nine of Arahel and Fenrir's shift with the Day Air Watch was clear, but over cast. They patrolled around the city but it was uneventful. They talked to Dressdelle a bit, she was pleasant company. She had previously told them that she was doing 'community service' for the city of Westgate but as yet was not willing to reveal why.

After their shift they were once more summoned to the chamber of Trepplemar the Magnificent. She had obviously learned more of the events at Castle Cormaeril.

She started with:

''
Although I'm not unhappy in the slightest that you went after that old bastard Cormaeril and the  Fire Knives, you brought the watch into it. This is going to cost us a lot of political capital to smooth over. I see no other way but to kick you out of the watch.
''

Fenrir once more managed to talk her round, admitting that they had been their to rescue someone. She relented and went on to say:

''
Lady Dreggleblot and then the Fire Knives. That's two big mistakes in less than ten days. One more and I've got to get rid of you, for good this time. Any more and you'll bring the watch to its knees!
''

That evening, back at the cottage, Nebulous the Rascal, their friend the jolly merchant arrived at their door, hooded and cloaked. When safely in the kitchen he offered this sage advice:

''
If I knew your plan was going to be go in all guns blazing then I would have cautioned you. My advice would have been to either use stealth to get in and strength to get out, or strength to get in and stealth to get out. Only use strength both ways if you have it and surely you must of known you needed some extra muscle when I told you how strongly defended the castle was?
And to not go in disguise is unforgivable, I'm trying not to think about it, it's an insult to plan making, really! I, of course, would have chosen stealth in and stealth out.
You'll live with this mistake for a long time. In Westgate you see, it's all about factions, and political power. It's much better to know where to apply just a little pressure, than hammering away with brute strength in the hope that this compensates for lack of understanding and preparation.
''

His advice fell on deaf ears though. Fenrir had his own way of doing things and Arahel was too young to understand most of it.

Nebulous also told them that if they planned to help him with the warehouse he wanted to knock over it would have to be this night or the next so they agreed to do it that night.

A guide took them to where the warehouse was, a couple of miles along the coast. He was a gnome called Charrlo "Chuckles" Marnon and they arrived at about eleven o'clock that evening.

The plan was that they were to deal with all the warehouse guards, then shine a light at the door to let the others know it was safe to come and start taking away the merchandise.

To start with Arahel turned into a spider and skuttled under the door. She found a large room full nearly to the ceiling with bales and boxes. In the walk ways were large skeletons, standing motionlessly.

When she reported back, they broke the main lock and entered. The skeletons were bigger than human, but easy for a powerful cleric like Veddic to deal with. Fenrir finished them off as they ran away.

The warehouse was clear, but they found a trap door at the back and opened it up. There was a ladder down to a stone carved corridor. At a crossroads they saw a flesh golem that attacked them.

Arahel turned into a tiger and went for it. As the thing was immune to magic, Fenrir could not help and all Veddic could do was heal Arahel whenever she required it. Bit by bit she tore chunks off the golem with her claws until it was nothing but a heap of flesh and bones.

They golem vanquished they moved on further into the dungeon.

(G328 23/09/2013 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA12

(G328 23/09/2013 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA12

DAY 299 (3rd Hammer)(January) cont ...

[Back at Castle Cormaeril, Fenrir, Veddic and Arahel are fighting the toughest of the castle defenders]

The corridor they were in had stairs at either end, the entrance to the prison area and a narrow corridor that they had assumed led to the latrine.

While the others hid round the corner of the prison cell junction Fenrir went ahead, invisible, to take a look. He could see the guards and a dwarf that looked like a wizard. They could not see through his invisibility and as he drew closer some of them fell asleep from the Symbol of Sleep  he was now carrying.
The wizard cast a spell though that revived most of them.

Fenrir took a look down the narrow corridor and it did indeed lead to a latrine. The shaft was far too narrow for a grown man to climb down though.

As he passed again, a couple more guards fell over. The dwarf shouted up the stairs to persons unknown, 'There is a mobile sleep effect going on here!'

Fenrir cursed the intelligence of dwarves.

Meanwhile, Arahel was noticing things. She could hear the other end of the corridor being blocked off, up the other set of stairs. She could tell from the sound of furniture being dragged.
She also noticed that the prison corridor was made of dressed and mortared stone blocks while the southern wall (facing outside) was carved from solid rock.

Fenrir started blasting at the defenders at the other end of the corridor. The intelligent dwarf (known as Kredderau as they would find out later) shouted, 'It's a Warlock!'

I hate this guy, thought Fenrir, he's a know-it-all and he wants everyone to know it!

Veddic made for the lavvy corridor and down at the bottom, waited for the others. In hindsight  perhaps Arahel should not have remained in the form of a giant as it took her a while to crawl down the corridor, which left Fenrir (with the unconscious body of Baz, the person they were there to rescue!) alone to fend off the dwarven wizard.

Kredderau was being healed and helped by someone out of sight round the corner. He could now see Fenrir perfectly fine and was immune, more or less, to the eldritch blasts.

Veddic had no chance (or great desire) of getting down the toilet so he waited until Arahel the giant arrived and with her knees braced against the interior stone began to push at the exterior stone-block wall.
Her great strength made a huge chunk of masonry collapse out into the night and they all jumped down to the bushy ledge below. Arahel then changed into a giant eagle and with Veddic on her back flew off into the night.

Badly injured from the lighting bolts cast by Kredderau, Fenrir surrendered.

[I should note here, that in the end it had not been a terrible plan and they had very nearly got away with it. If Fenrir had been a bit quicker or had had a better means of escape than  a toilet then perhaps they would have been successful. Oft times people in my line of work forget that getting out is just as tough as getting in, if not harder!]

A female cleric emerged from around the corner and guarded Fenrir while Kredderau went to take a look out the hole. He returned a few minutes later.

As Fenrir was stripped of his weapons and lead to a cell, Arahel flew out to sea and around to the eastern side of Westgate. They then landed, she changed into an elven form and together they used her Watchman's badge to enter then city and then exit it at the west gate.
Finally the ended up at the cottage, bruised, battered and somewhat dejected.


Meanwhile, Tagreth Cormaeril himself (the lord of the castle) had been woken up and asked a few questions of Fenrir such as, 'Who are you?'
'Raziel Lightiningrod,' Fenrir replied.
(One of the guards then piped up, 'I think he is one of the new Day Air Watch guys!')
'Who hired you?'
'Ahh, Barry Shit-Knees at the Purple Lady.'
'Bah!' growled Cormaeril. 'Throw him in a cell, I'll deal with him in the morning!'


DAY 300 (3rd Hammer)(January)

Arahel awoke to the sound of Riz and Fylker snoring. They had come back from another drunken night of fun with the party animals of the Dock Ward Watch.

As usual she reported for duty and when Dressdelle asked her where Fenrir was she replied, 'He is currently indisposed...I'd rather not go into it...'

Dressdelle shrugged. It was a foggy day anyway and they did no flying, simply sitting on one of Dressdelle's 'perches' drinking tea and eating tapas.

Back in Castle Cormaeril, Fenrir was woken by the guards and beaten up. Between reminding them that he had helped their commander with a blessed bandage yesterday and his demonic ability to soak up damage, he was not badly affected.

Later the commander of the prison guard chained him to a bench and asked some questions, but his heart wasn't in it. Fenrir was too clever with his tongue to be successfully interrogated by a man of average intelligence.

Arahel returned to the cottage at seven o'clock and then Fylker arrived home at eight.
He had a black eye and a big smile. Apparently he had just beaten Geoffrey the Mammoth of the East Ward Watch in a boxing match taken a purse of 100 gold.

(G327 16/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF) RL9

(G327 16/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF) RL9

[Back in the forests west of Barovia - So sorry, dear reader, for all this chopping and changing! I really must sort out my note books!]

Ah, dear reader, I have neglected to mention something else that happened while we were in Barovia. Not to me, but to my wonderful wee rat that I love so much - Rolanda.

I mourned Badger every moment of every day back then, so it was of some comfort to have Fluffy and Rolanda with me.

When we had been back at the town, burying Kolyan Indirovich, the Burgomaster of Barovia, Rolanda had been sent down into the cellar of the mansion to get a bunch of keys to lock the place up.
'Some of the windows and doors haven't been locked in decades,' Ireena had explained. 'But they should all be locked up now if I am to leave the place empty. The keys are in an old wooden box with the family crest on it. It shouldn't be too hard to find and I think a ... ahem ... rat should have no trouble carrying them back.'

This is the story as related to me later by Rolanda;

''
Well boss, you know, I'd been feeling a bit weird lately. I thought it was just some bad cheese but it seems like I can cast a spell or two now! Nothing as big and impressive as you or Tie-Pie but you know, a magic missile or so. Good eh? I don't know where it's coming from but I'm not complaining!
It sure came in handy when I went down into that cellar. I had a sniff about and the first room I went into had a giant ant in it! I was so frightened that a magic missile just shot out of me!
Up until that point I had no idea I could do it! I think the giant ant was just as amazed as I was. Well I managed to kill it anyway but it did bash me about a bit.
Then in the corridor outside I saw a sleeping gnome.
'Here!', I said. 'What are you doing snoozing away in her Ladyship's house?'
'I mean no harm, little talking rat,' said the gnome. 'My name is Roywyn and I am a gnomish singer and lute player. I came through a tunnel. I was hiding from the undead who had attacked me on my way to town.'
'Fair enough,' I replied. 'Well, make yourself useful and help me find these keys!'

Together we roamed the cellar, finding more rooms and more corridors and many more of those annoying giant ants. We made a good team, sort of I suppose, but those ants were really mean
and we had just about had it when we finally came across the chest with the keys in it.
It was just as well, since Roywyn had only two Cure Light Wounds potions and we had used them both.

Well, you know the rest boss, I didn't tell you until just now, on account of how Roywyn wanted to stay hidden in the cellar for a while longer and I didn't know how Ireena would take to gnomes in her under-rooms. You know how badly gnomes smell right? No one wants that.

Got any more cheese?
''

(G326 09/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA11

(G326 09/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA11


DAY 299 (3rd Hammer)(January) cont ...

While Fenrir and Arahel were out on patrol over the skies of Westgate, Veddic prayed and studied the rituals on how to animate dead. He had thoughts along the lines of buying suits of armour and bunging animated skeletons in them.

The Day Air Watch met no one interesting over the city today, but Dressdelle did mention that there had been reports of 'dragon activity' in an area of mountains not too far away called the Southern Uplands. She suggested they could go take a look after they had had their breaks.

Once their shift had ended and after dinner they all decided that tonight would be the night they would try and rescue Bwabazwards from Castle Cormaeril. As they came up with a (pretty rough!) plan there was a knock on the door then they heard Groza the housekeeper talking to another woman. She was a local lass who was pregnant and wanted her tummy to be touched by a fey for good
luck.
Arahel didn't really know what to do, but gave a blessing as best she could.

Once the house was quiet again, Arahel went for a fly above the Castle. It was not far from the cottage they rented, indeed  only another large country house and some woodland separated them. Arahel, who had excellent eyes, saw the guards at the  towers, a culvert that opened out to the sea on the north side and at the base of most of the towers a hole where a  castle latrine emptied.

After this scouting mission they all went through the trees to the base of the castle. Veddic then cast 'Symbol of Sleep' on a stone. This would prove a useful tool for subduing the guards although it did cost them 1000 gold in diamonds and opals.

Fenrir (immune to the effects of the symbol as they all were, due to the properties of the spell) then flew above the prison tower, invisible, and tossed it onto the battlements.

Three of the guards fell over into a deep slumber. Next he returned to the trees and gave Veddic a piggy back up to the tower. In full plate armour, Veddic was not light. As other guards came into the radius of the spell and fell asleep where they stood, they landed on the battlements and dealt with the few that still remained standing.
Next they travelled all the way down to the basement of the tower, stepping over sleeping servants and guards as they went.

They then entered the prison area and quickly dealt with the guards and Fire Knife rogues that were stationed in the central area of the cells. The captain and some others were still standing, but again, quickly dealt with. Fenrir and the others were trying not to kill anyone so when the last guard backed off to help his fallen comrades they allowed this.
They saved some time by asking the guard which cell 'Baz' was in (his name is virtually unpronounceable to anyone on this plane!) and they found him, asleep of course, on the floor of his cell. In the entrance of the cell, between the two doors, was a box of magical items. They did not question why it was there and helped themselves to everything.

Despite saving some time, the castle was now fully awake to the invaders and as they attempted to leave they were attacked by the castles powerful magic users. Arahel had turned into a hill giant, but she was now a bit of a target for Fire Knife rogues armed with magical crossbows that fired Acid Arrows.

Also, from room on the main corridor a wizard had been disturbed from his slumber and came out to rain down fireballs on them. They were now meeting the real power of the castle, something they were not really equipped to face head on.

They managed to chase off the Fire Knives who went upstairs and barricaded the doors, and also injured the wizard (a man called Sodder they would learn later) enough to make him hide in his room.

However, there were more people coming from the other end of the long corridor that the prison exited to. Heavily armed guards, more Fire Knives and more magic users. Things were beginning to get hairy.

Eat Your Dinner!

Eat Your Dinner!

(The Skills That (Don't) Pay the Bills)

Being a father of three I have a lot of recently acquired skills that will only be useful for a short period in my life.
I can change a nappy quickly and efficiently, or at least I used to be able to.
Pop, Pop, Swipe, Wipe, Bag, Bish, Bosh, Yoink, Tab, Tab, Done!
I've not done one in a couple of years, so who knows? How rusty are my nappy changing skills now?

I used to be able to catch, strip and change a toddler for bed in about two minutes. This too is a skill that I no longer have a use for. I sometimes feel like I want to borrow a baby or a toddler now, just to keep my hand in. Seriously.

One thing though, that I think I'll never be able to shake, is my overwhelming desire to make sure a child finishes its dinner. Myself and the wife feel the same way, on this we are in complete agreement, we simply cannot suffer to see a child not clear its plate.

Over the last ten years we have developed the following tactics.

1. Firmly saying (i.e. shouting) 'Eat Your Dinner!' and pointing at the plate repeatedly.
2. Long lectures on Food, Nutrition and the horrors of Vitamin deficiency (i.e. Ye Olde Tales of Skirvy Pete the Pirate).
3. Suggesting that at next dinner time they can eat handfuls of dandelions and mud, since they don't seem to like what is being served to them today.
4. Me guarding the kitchen door to catch kids trying to escape back to Minecraft or CBeebies.
5. Threats of reductions in computer time and other privileges.
6. Guilt trip stories of hungry refugee children from around the world.

It has now reached a level as to be pure instinct. So much so, that now I actually have to leave the room if I am eating at a table where a kid I have no control over is picking over a plate of food, for fear of what I might say.

What I am holding back, if given vent, would go thusly:
Me: 'Eat your bloody dinner!'
Kid's Parent: 'Oh, but Ben doesn't really care for broccoli we just put it on his plate anyway.'
'Wh-at?'
'You know, get him used to it. He never eats it.'
'WH-AT?'
'Don't worry about it.'
'So its just ... thrown away? After every meal?'
'We just, you know, don't force him. He just eats what he wants. If he's not hungry then that's fine.'
'That's. Fine... Oh that's fine, is it? Food going in the bin? Hey, that's no problem! Just eat a few mouthfuls then go back to Roblox. If your hungry later, have a bag of crisps. No problem. It's fine! Well you know what else was fine? Hitler! That's what you want is it? Bring back Hitler? He didn't finish his dinner either!'

... you get the idea, honestly I think I am that bad.

Recently someone said to me, 'Oh, but your children are so good. They always eat their dinner, mine are so fussy.'

Well, let me tell you, my kids clearing their plates did not happen by accident! It's not like we are just got lucky and happen to be blessed with children that will eat anything put in front of them. They eat it because they know what's  good for them and this took years and years of hard work from me and the wife.
They always eat their dinner now because we used every trick and tactic (see above) we had and never ever gave up or even  slacked off. It was a ten year battle, and eventually we won.
And for you, the thing is, you tried to get your kids to eat their vegetables, for a month or two. Or even a year or two.
And then you gave up. Never give up!

Now my kids (bless them) eat everything put in front of them, usually with very little prompting. It remains to be seen if we've inflicted any eating disorders on them, but I suppose we'll see later in life.

But me and the misses, we are so bad that now I think between the two of us, we could break a hunger strike.

... Walks into cell, 'You're on hunger strike eh? Not eating this lovely plate of food eh? Eat the food! Eat it! You want it to go to the birds? There are children in Syria that would cry in joy at the sight of a tiny bit of this food! Eat it!
You'd rather it was thrown away? With so many people hungry in the world? Eat it! You'll get no pudding! No TV or computer tonight, eat it! Look at this lovely meal. The chef spent ages on this. How do you think he'll feel? Knowing you didn't even touch it? Eat it! Eat! It! Eatit!'
... and similar, for hour after hour. I'd take pleasure in it. I think we would break anyone in the end.

There is something wrong with me now. Seeing food going to waste is on a level with genocide. That's not right. I realise that.

All I can say is, hopefully one day my kids will forgive me.

(G325 02/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA10

(G325 02/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA10

[And back to West gate again!]

DAY 298 (3rd Hammer)(January) cont ...

Just to do a little back story here and to catch up with someone who was thought dead.
Well, you may remember that Veddic Carver, the cleric of Kossuth who had been one of the original members of the party that had left Waterdeep to travel to Kingsholm.
Of course, he never made it to Kingsholm as he was savaged to death by bears on the Thar.

Or was he? It turned out he was savaged only *very nearly* to death. When the ogres arrived and saw he was a cleric of Kossuth they called off the bears and made sure he did not die.

He was then kept in a cage for ten days and traded for a chest of gold from the Burning Dagger Orcs  that also lived on the Thar and who were, as it happened, devout worshippers of Kossuth.

Veddic was in communication with Jamella Dotrok back in Waterdeep (via the Sending spell) and she helped sort out the trade. Veddic thanked the orcs (and donated a 1000 gp to their tribe) then, as ordered by his boss (or Eternal Flame if you prefer) Dotrok he made his way to Westgate.

He was to seek out Fenrir and see what he was up to. The word on the 'Temple Grapevine' was that something big was going on in the city. He got passage on a fast ship in Melvaunt and arrived in Westgate on this very day.

All he needed to do to find Fenrir was to look up, as the young warlock, Arahel and Dressdelle were all flying about over the city, patrolling from tower to tower in between long breaks and large meals.

Fenrir and Arahel were tired, having had no sleep at all, but they still had a shift to do. Today they encountered a very uncooperative dwarf mounted on a giant owl. He was leaving the city and would not stop and cast magical webs at them. This was an effective way of escaping, but he was still in range long enough for a fireball from Dressdelle to kill his owl.
The dwarf himself plummeted for a bit, but then cast a flying spell. He may have thought that he was then about to make his escape, but Fenrir's ethereal blasts are long range and one was enough to kill him and send him the way of his owl.
It was a spectacular display for anyone who happened to be watching down below. Arahel swooped in and grabbed the corpse (turning into a gargoyle to do so) and when they looted it back at the Watch Tower he was fairly well laden down with treasure. Dressdelle tucked it all away to be sold later.

Later in the day they stopped a flying man who gave his name only as 'Fred'. He didn't want to stop to chat or land and go through the gates so offered 10 platinum pieces to smooth the way.
Fenrir said, 'Make it fifteen.'
Fred handed over the coins and went on his way.

Dressdelle let then leave two hours early, the weather was closing in and they both looked like they needed rest. Arahel, with her eagle eyes, had already spotted Veddic waving up at them and they landed to meet him near the market.

Street performers, fire breathers and jugglers were drawing crowds in the area, part of the new year celebrations.

Veddic followed them to the cottage and Arahel kindly let him have her bed. She herself was happy to, was used to, sleeping in any random corner or chair, much like a cat.

That evening Nebulus came to their door, hooded and discreet. He gave them a mild telling off saying, 'You were there as my guests you know! It will take a few favours and a bit of influence for me to smooth things over with Dreggleblot. I'll probably never get an invite again because  of you!'
He didn't seem all that upset though and reminded them that he still had that warehouse he wanted help with and he also mentioned a castle that 'needed raided' somewhere on the Dragon Coast.
They could do for him in return for messing up his social calendar.

Before Groza (their housekeeper) headed home she asked Arahel to check over the cottage's goat.  The milk had gone funny apparently. Arahel took a look, and cast Detect Magic just in case.
As far as she could tell though the goat just had an upset stomach.
'Was it a witch?' asked Groza.
Arahel said no.

Finaly Fylker and Riz turned up at the cottage, late and drunk. Everyone else was asleep.

DAY 299 (3rd Hammer)(January)

This was Fenrir and Arahel's sixth day 'on patrol' over the skies of Westgate.

Before they went out, Trepplemar the Magnificent called them into her chambers and delivered a fairly stern lecture on the laws of Westgate.

It turned out that you can't just arrest nobles in their own estates outside the city, whatever the evidence. As members of the 'DAW' (Day Air Watch) their jurisdiction was the sky above the city only.
She said:
''
If you want someone arrested within the city, come to me to arrange a warrant. And then the ground based watchmen will likely do it. Even if you see a crime being committed in the streets you are better off - legally speaking - alerting a constable.
Outside the city walls watchmen have no power at all. I don't know how things were done back in Waterdeep, but here we are not a police force. The watch keep the streets clear of scum during the night and guard the gates during the day.
All that being said, in the air you have supreme authority. You can blast anyone you like out of the sky. You don't need a reason. The air above the city is a "no fly zone" and if they don't have a jolly good reason for being up there, then ground them.
''

She told them much more than that and they learned a lot about the city and how it functioned.

(G324 26/08/2017 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF, MJ) RL8

(G324 26/08/2017 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF, MJ) RL8

[Returning to my later adventures in Barovia with Sylvia, Yli and Tie-Pie]

DAY 344 (11th Alturaik)(February) cont ...

And so as the evening came to an end we returned to the Inn and ate a late supper before heading for our beds.

I chatted to Ireena for a while before retiring, but gained no new information. She is a pleasant enough conversationalist though.

Geyven, as usual paid for everything. He is a good sort!

DAY 345 (12th Alturaik)(February)

I talked to the landlord in the morning, before we set off west to see the wise woman. He only knew that people that set off in that direction didn't come back and warned of strange beasts and
twisted women.
This part of the world was not a good tourist destination it seemed.

I invested in a hamper full of booze, food and other goodies to help smooth the way when we met this wise woman and whatever other raggle taggle gypsy folk she associated with. I stuffed it into my bag of holding with everything else.

We left the town then, and entered a cold and rugged landscape of tall dark pine forests and mist shrouded mountains. The mist lingered everywhere, limiting visibility and sending a shiver down the spine.

As the day wore on we passed over a bridge, then later found a some wolf paw prints (or something wolf-like anyway, neither myself or Sylvia were not sure) in the track.
They lead to a area choked with underbrush were we found the dead body (dead for two weeks) of a  villager. On the body we found a letter sealed with a letter 'B'.

The letter read:

''
Hail to thee of might and valour:
I, a lowly servant of the township of Barovia, send  honour to thee.
We plead for thy so desperately needed assistance within our community.
The love of my life, Ireena Kolyana, has been afflicted by an evil so
deadly that even the good people of our town cannot protect her.
She languishes from her wound and I would have her saved from this menace.
But I fear the only cure lies within the dreaded walls of the castle,
where none may enter without risking their lives.
There is much wealth in this community. I offer all that might be had
to thee and thy fellows if thou shalt but answer my desperate plea.
Come quickly, for her time is at hand! All that I have shall be thine!

Kolyan Indirovich,
Burgomaster of Barovia
''

Now this was interesting because we had come across another letter earlier (stuffed in the envelope with the strange diary page we had been given in the Weary Horse Inn.

This letter was similar, but where the one we had just found talked of an 'evil so deadly' the earlier one read:

''
The love of my life, Ireena Kolyana, has been cursed by the witches
of Lysaga Hill, and even the good people of our town are powerless
to free her from this enchantment. She wastes away under the witches’
curse and I would have her saved from this menace.
''

Ireena recognised the hand writing of the first letter as her fathers. The letter that talked of the witches then was likely a forgery.

We left the body where it was and continued on our way. After an hour or so we were stopped by an elf that asked us 'What evil do you bring to this forest?' He had a couple of wolves with him.

When I replied that I was a druid and my cousin was a cleric of Sylvanus he relaxed a bit and let us continue. I asked his name and he gave it as Qinnan Thedithas.

As night began to fall we found a decent camp site and settled down to a meal of trail rations and subdued talk. We discussed the events of the day in hushed whispers, feeling the mist about us like a lurking presence. We lit a fire though and that warmed us a little. The magic bedrolls we all have are a tremendous boon in regions like this.

On Ashlyn's watch she heard rustling in the bushes. She quickly woke us all and as we rubbed the sleep from our eyes and drew our weapons there was a tremendous roar and two dire bears charged into the light.

As a druid I have empathy will all animals and attempted to calm them, but they were too enraged or hungry.

Dire bears attack by grabbing you, then slashing with tooth and claw. Fluffy attacked one but was grabbed in a massive bear hug, the poor lad yelping in pain as the bear sunk its teeth into him. As the others backed off I turned into a dire bear myself and met the other one head on, our massive paws swiping at each other.

The bear I was fighting was having the better of me and if I not managed to escape its grasp I'm sure I would have suffered terribly. Sylvia shouted she had a plan though and I disengaged and drew back about twenty feet. Tie-Pie managed to land a Ray of Enfeeblement on one of them and as we scattered Sylvia encircled the bears with a Wall of Thorns.

It was a domain spell and good luck that she had it as it stopped the bears in their tracks and rendered them harmless. I turned into an eagle to get a better view while Yli fired two more arrows through the thorns and killed one of them.

Sylvia cast a Searing Light at the other one then I finished it off with a Splinter Bolt.

As the other bear breathed its last I suddenly realised that in all that heap of fur and thorns was poor Fluffy! He had not stepped back when the Thorns hit and in the darkness I had lost  track of him.

Sylvia dispelled the thorns and I went to him. He was a whisker away from death but we managed to bring him back with magic healing. Sadly he had lost an eye and that would require greater healing later on. He did look rather dashing when we put an eye-patch over it though.

We had also lost a couple of magic bedrolls, torn up in the thorns.

In the morning Sylvia told me she had received a dream from Sylvanus, who was somewhat miffed at us for killing 'defenceless' bears. Well, they were defenceless only after we had penned them in.
I'm not sure how Sylvia took it, but as far as I was concerned Sylvanus could stick his bears up his arse.