Shifu's Refuge
Soon after setting off from the lonely farm, Zireael, Ironica, and Dala'gse ran into Kalliar Brood, a self-described explorer and chronicler on a quest to update Volothorp Geddarm's guide to the Greycloak Hills. He seemed a little feckless, tbh. Kalliar recognized the three of them from Wanted posters he said were up around town and asked with a grin if they were going to kill him. Definitely feckless. Z clenched his jaw. Dala'gse traded frog legs for a wheel of cheese. Ironica asked to see his sketch book. Kalliar then asked if they had heard about the famous potter who stumbled down delirious and hypothermic into town; was injured pretty bad they had to send him to Ebbonstone Abbey to get healed proper.
Ironica knew a famous potter in the region. Her mentor, Shifu. Was this him? They set off for Ebbonstone Abbey to find out.
When they arrived at the imposing black stone monastery built into the side of a mountain, they were met by Sister Orsun and Brother Dorius, who led them to the patient. Turns out it was Vestral Valgue, another potter renowned throughout the land, who had studied with Shifu and knew Ironica. When he saw her he emerged from a semi-catatonic state and was very upset, telling her she had to go save Shifu, that someone was coming after him. He repeated it until Dorius gave him a tranquilizer. Once he calmed down he told them this one-time patron of the arts, Lord Woddyr Damien, had invited a number of artisans to his home for a dinner in their honor. When they arrived he turned ferocious and forced them into cages in a cellar, saying he needed revenge and they were going to help him build a powerful weapon.
Vestral escaped but not before Lord Damien bit him. He must be some kind of vampire-spawn creature of sorts. Zireael knew of these creatures from his training with the Brotherhood, but took advantage of the Abbey's library to do some additional research on these creatures, and learned a great deal. The trio then told Sister Orsun to send a rider to Old Weir to send some succor, for this foe was likely beyond any of them.
Z, Ironica, and Dala'gse found their way to Shifu's Refuge, Ironica having little time to dwell on the nostalgia that threatened to overwhelm her. They met Shifu and told him his life was in danger. He had met Lord Damien a few times but did not know about his jugular's unfortunate run-in with a set of vampire canines. People change.
Meanwhile, Deelon Cart of GPS put out word to the Hibernal that their champions were about to square off against a fell undead creature. The Hibernal sent word magically to Bask Briarcloak who told the remaining three at her camp that their friends were trouble, and to make for Shifu's Refuge.
Nancy was the first to arrive and helped Zireael, Dala'gse, and Ironica lay an ambush for Lord Damien. They packed Shifu in a bunch of clay and hid him away. Then they waited under the bridge for the vampire spawn.
Except it wasn't a vampire spawn, it was a bunch of spiders. Three massive swarms--hundreds of the critters--emerged from every crevice and crack in the landscape to attack the group. The group finally did enough damage to the swarms to scatter the spiders. Safad showed up and took his position. They then waited under the bridge for the vampire spawn.
Except it wasn't a vampire spawn, it was two ghouls, crashing down the mountain toward them. Zireael and Dala'gse ran out to meet them in melee, Z impaling one on his blade while Dala'gse caved in the sternum of the other. Ironica sneaked around for some critical damage. Nancy fired off shots from afar. One of the ghouls found a great purchase with his teeth on Zireael's neck. Eventually the blades, hammers, crossbows, and spells of the group took down the ghouls. They then waited under the bridge for the vampire spawn.
Except it wasn't a vampire spawn, it was a vampiric mist, sucking their blood in a strange capillary cloud. Safad passed Rook to Zireael, and the others took turns firing into the cloud, while it burst their veins, sucking up the blood within. Every hit of on the cloud showered the group with each other's blood. And Dala'gse had spent all that time in the feywild...
They finally spilled all their blood out of the cloud, and it dissipated. They decided it was high time to talk to Shifu and see if he knew tf was going on. He didn't, but was ashamed at the danger he had put them in and agreed to fight whatever new menace they faced. They then waited under the bridge for the vampire spawn.
Except it wa--no, no it was a vampire spawn. Lord Woddyr Damien himself rode up in all his wool finery and fancy armor. He told the group to give over Shifu and he would leave them be. Ironica asked why he needed Shifu so badly. Nancy played a soulful tune and tried to convince him to tell them. She must have struck the right chord because he was forthcoming: he had been turned into a vampire spawn by an actual vampire, Devoss Stradgar, and vowed to get revenge. To do so, he needed to build a powerful weapon capable of defeating the powerful undead. He needed a master glassblower, tanner, metalsmith, blacksmith, and potter.
The group continued to persuade him, suggesting they could help him slay Devoss Stradgar if he let the artisans work freely and without coming to harm. Shifu approved of this diplomacy and agreed to go along peacefully and convince the others. Lord Damien considered the proposal. The group had managed to slay his minions...they could prove useful after all. He shook on it and agreed to let the others out of their cages. He would find them when his weapon was complete...
Ironica knew a famous potter in the region. Her mentor, Shifu. Was this him? They set off for Ebbonstone Abbey to find out.
When they arrived at the imposing black stone monastery built into the side of a mountain, they were met by Sister Orsun and Brother Dorius, who led them to the patient. Turns out it was Vestral Valgue, another potter renowned throughout the land, who had studied with Shifu and knew Ironica. When he saw her he emerged from a semi-catatonic state and was very upset, telling her she had to go save Shifu, that someone was coming after him. He repeated it until Dorius gave him a tranquilizer. Once he calmed down he told them this one-time patron of the arts, Lord Woddyr Damien, had invited a number of artisans to his home for a dinner in their honor. When they arrived he turned ferocious and forced them into cages in a cellar, saying he needed revenge and they were going to help him build a powerful weapon.
Vestral escaped but not before Lord Damien bit him. He must be some kind of vampire-spawn creature of sorts. Zireael knew of these creatures from his training with the Brotherhood, but took advantage of the Abbey's library to do some additional research on these creatures, and learned a great deal. The trio then told Sister Orsun to send a rider to Old Weir to send some succor, for this foe was likely beyond any of them.
Z, Ironica, and Dala'gse found their way to Shifu's Refuge, Ironica having little time to dwell on the nostalgia that threatened to overwhelm her. They met Shifu and told him his life was in danger. He had met Lord Damien a few times but did not know about his jugular's unfortunate run-in with a set of vampire canines. People change.
Meanwhile, Deelon Cart of GPS put out word to the Hibernal that their champions were about to square off against a fell undead creature. The Hibernal sent word magically to Bask Briarcloak who told the remaining three at her camp that their friends were trouble, and to make for Shifu's Refuge.
Nancy was the first to arrive and helped Zireael, Dala'gse, and Ironica lay an ambush for Lord Damien. They packed Shifu in a bunch of clay and hid him away. Then they waited under the bridge for the vampire spawn.
Except it wasn't a vampire spawn, it was a bunch of spiders. Three massive swarms--hundreds of the critters--emerged from every crevice and crack in the landscape to attack the group. The group finally did enough damage to the swarms to scatter the spiders. Safad showed up and took his position. They then waited under the bridge for the vampire spawn.
Except it wasn't a vampire spawn, it was two ghouls, crashing down the mountain toward them. Zireael and Dala'gse ran out to meet them in melee, Z impaling one on his blade while Dala'gse caved in the sternum of the other. Ironica sneaked around for some critical damage. Nancy fired off shots from afar. One of the ghouls found a great purchase with his teeth on Zireael's neck. Eventually the blades, hammers, crossbows, and spells of the group took down the ghouls. They then waited under the bridge for the vampire spawn.
Except it wasn't a vampire spawn, it was a vampiric mist, sucking their blood in a strange capillary cloud. Safad passed Rook to Zireael, and the others took turns firing into the cloud, while it burst their veins, sucking up the blood within. Every hit of on the cloud showered the group with each other's blood. And Dala'gse had spent all that time in the feywild...
They finally spilled all their blood out of the cloud, and it dissipated. They decided it was high time to talk to Shifu and see if he knew tf was going on. He didn't, but was ashamed at the danger he had put them in and agreed to fight whatever new menace they faced. They then waited under the bridge for the vampire spawn.
Except it wa--no, no it was a vampire spawn. Lord Woddyr Damien himself rode up in all his wool finery and fancy armor. He told the group to give over Shifu and he would leave them be. Ironica asked why he needed Shifu so badly. Nancy played a soulful tune and tried to convince him to tell them. She must have struck the right chord because he was forthcoming: he had been turned into a vampire spawn by an actual vampire, Devoss Stradgar, and vowed to get revenge. To do so, he needed to build a powerful weapon capable of defeating the powerful undead. He needed a master glassblower, tanner, metalsmith, blacksmith, and potter.
The group continued to persuade him, suggesting they could help him slay Devoss Stradgar if he let the artisans work freely and without coming to harm. Shifu approved of this diplomacy and agreed to go along peacefully and convince the others. Lord Damien considered the proposal. The group had managed to slay his minions...they could prove useful after all. He shook on it and agreed to let the others out of their cages. He would find them when his weapon was complete...
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