Wandered Roads 21

Wandered Roads of Varisia
Session 21
February 23, 2013

Campaign Timeline

Searching for Clues

Oathday, 20th of Lamashan

Voon's Wagon

Bright and early, the party rises and prepares for the day. Ehlyna and Ellie volunteer to take the wagon down to the shore to find Voon’s people and deliver it while everyone else agrees to go scout out Foxglove’s townhouse and hopefully find some more clues to the great evil behind Aldern Foxglove’s string of ritual murders. They referred back to the note that had been found in his lair under his family's estate outside of Sandpoint:

Aldern—

You have served us quite well. The delivery you harvested from the caverns far exceeds what I had hoped for. You may consider your debt to the Brothers paid in full. Yet I still have need of you, and when you awaken from your death, you should find your mind clear and able to understand this task more than in the state you lie in as I write this.

You shall remember the workings of the Sihedron ritual, I trust. You seemed quite lucid at the time, but if you find after your rebirth that you have forgotten, return to your townhouse in Magnimar. My agents shall contact you there soon—no need for you to bother the Brothers further. I will provide the list of proper victims for the Sihedron ritual in two days’ time. Commit that list to memory and then destroy it before you begin your work. The ones I have selected must be marked before they die, otherwise they do my master no good and the greed in their souls will go to waste.

If others get in your way, though, you may do with them as you please. Eat them, savage them, or turn them into pawns—it matters not to me.

—Your Mistress, Wanton of Nature’s Pagan Forms

Samad attempted to find direction to the townhouse, but had no luck with some shifty looking characters hanging out in an alleyway, Daellin had better luck using more diplomatic means. They quickly traveled through the city toward the townhouse, which was also located in the Naos district, not too far from the gate they first entered the city through. After a short search, they found the right street and the townhouse. It was a nicely appointed 3 story

Foxglove Townhouse

building with a small fenced plaza in the front which contained a fancy stone fountain and pool carved in the likeness of a 4 headed hydra spouting water out of its mouths. The windows were boarded up, but so were many other houses that were seen on other houses in the area. Apparently Magnimar had a large portion of its population that would spent only parts of the year in the city and the rest of their time in other places. The streets were not empty, but only a few servents and delivery people were out at this time.

The group approached the house and tentatively knocked on the door. After waiting for several moments with no answer, Daellin used the key they had taken from Aldern’s lair and unlocked the door. He entered into a foyer/ stairwell and was immediately greeted by a woman in an apron rushing around the corner from the rest of the house. She greeted him and everyone was taken aback as she looked just like Aldern’s wife, Ieasha Foxglove, supposedly murdered at her hands, at least as far as they knew from the clues and ghostly visions they received at Foxglove Manor. She indeed admitted to being Iesha Foxglove and that she and her husband, Aldern, had just returned to Magnimar from a trip to Absalom in the south. They were distraught to have found their residence had been broken into and ransacked. She leads the group into the dining room and then goes to get Aldern. Everyone is even more shocked when he appears, and it truly seems to be him. He admits to knowing everyone and when Daellin tells the story of the events surrounding his ‘demise’ back in Sandpoint, he is greatly surprised. Quickly his mood changes and he demands that they turn over the key they have to his house and insists they leave, insinuating that they were the ones that broke into his house and tore the place up. As he was pushing the group back out, the Foxgloves produced longswords and attacked Samad and Kallin in the back. Angered, Samad attempted to punch Mrs. Foxglove in the face, going for the knockout blow, but instead she skillfully parried his unarmed blow, nearly severing his right arm!

Faceless Stalker

In an instant the battle was on between the Foxgloves and the Heroes of Sandpoint! As soon as the battle begun, though, both Foxgloves revealed startling secrets, they were actually shapechangers and their appearances quickly shifted into that of faceless, rubbery brutes with skin covered in writhing, shifting texture. They proved to be very tough and skilled opponents and it was only after some time that the party was able to get the upper hand. Toward the end of the battle, two new foes entered, strangely robed and masked men entered, armed with war razors. Calina warned them, then opened fire, peppering them with arrows. Vexeron finished the job by dropping an exploding fireball between them, completely engulfing one of the and the front end of the room, in flames. One of the faceless beasts went down and then the other one attempted to flee, but the group pursued. Daellin made a desperate lunge and tried to tackle the fleeing creature. He finally managed to drag him to the ground and it was then killed. Some neighbors saw the struggle in the street and ran off, presumably to get the Watch. They dragged the body back toward the house then quickly ran back inside to find buckets to put the fire out before it consumed the whole building. Vexeron, after tying up the unconscious masked man, created a magical servant to help put the fire out and in no time the flames were quenched.

Masked Assailant

Mask worn by attackers

Continuing Story Doc

Continuing Story Summary

Quickly, the watch arrived and Daellin and Leela talked to them while the others inside continued to search for clues. Calina and Vexeron took the bound, unconscious prisoner out back to keep him out of sight of the City Watch.

Daellin and Leela talked to the watch for a moment and convinced them to take the dead bodies when they left, then the conversation was joined by none other than Aldern Foxglove emerging from the inside of the townhouse, accompanied by Vexeron. He told the Watch that everything was ok and dismissed them. Then it was revealed that Vexeron had summoned the image of Aldern to smooth things over with the authorities. 

With the watch gone, the party returned to searching the townhouse.

Characters Present:

Kallin Hawkril, Half-Orc shaman and budding Priest of Pharasma - played by +Daniel Ernst
Calina - Varisian Human archer and scout - played by +Carol Coburn
Leela Cardnool, Gnome scout, cartographer and Illusionist - played by +Lisa Smith
Daellin Silvanthalas, Elven Farstrider Ranger - played by +Ben Lipe
Vexeron, Human wizard - played by +Greg Grady
Samad Aldhul, Human ex-mercenary - played by +JeCorey Holder

and +Jason Woollard as the DM