"We should just knock Burton over the head and drag him out to the clearing," mused Grunyar, "I'm sure he won't come with us voluntarily." Grunyar continued, "We need to get all the gems and coins before we leave also." Arvien disagreed, "I am worried that the servants will fight us in that case, they seem very loyal to the lord."
The party decided that Varrid needed to be the agent to talk with Burton as she was the most persuasive. They decided not to talk to much about Ann but to try and talk Burton into following the apparition. "Are the hounds going to attack tonight?" asked Drovic. "Well they are only supposed to attack every 2nd or 3rd day," replied Baru. As he finished that sentence a viper dropped from a tree onto Baru's arm. Varrid squealed that a viper was sliding down her arm also. Both Baru and Varrid then reeled slightly from a bite from the vipers, their suddenly felt slightly less physically able. The rest of the party immediately went into attack mode, arrows flew from Grunyar, magic missile from Arvien, and Seglun started to rage. Quickly the party dispatched the snakes, Baru squeezing the head off of the last snake. Drovic and Ralom were constantly scanning the trees above for more vipers who never materialized.
As the fog started to thicken when night started to fall the party heard the baying of hounds from their rear. Seglun and Baru moved to the rear of the party as they picked up the pace to fly back to the Manor house. The groaning of the swamp, the baying of the hounds harried the party all the way to the Manor but the heroes made it to the doorway without being attacked. Darrell let them in and Douglas inquired as to their exhaustion. "Didn't you hear the hounds baying?" responded Varrid. The house staff said that they had heard no such sounds. "When is dinner ready?" asked Arvien as her stomach was growling after the long days march across the moors. Darrell replied that it would be ready soon and that Burton was interested in their findings. Most of the group headed for a quick cleanup in their rooms. While Grunyar and Seglun stayed in the foyer listening for the hounds.
At dinner the conversation moved quickly to the adventures of the party during their day on the moors. Sir Burton was surprised to learn that there were skeletons in the old hunting lodge and he had no idea what the mound of rooting plant life could be, but the bog holds many secrets. When advised of the body floating in the bog and the head that popped up after that he reacted with some interest. Arvien suggested that he might want to investigate the flowering knoll, if he hadn't already. As Varrid described the clearing Sir Burton again perked up wishing to know if the heroes had found a way to end the curse. Varrid then suggested he come to the bog, which he denied having visited, to find where the heads came from. Burton thought silently for a time, Baru was surprised that he hadn't been out on the moors more often. "I don't feel the need to retrace the steps of my grandfather," replied Burton. Seglun and Varrid then said why don't we follow the apparition, maybe it holds some clue to the curse. After musing Burton declared that he would go with the group to follow the apparition, "We should meet at the kennels at 2:30." At this everyone headed for their rooms, Burton went to the study, while Varrid stole into his bedroom chambers. Seglun kept watch on the study and secret door as Varrid explored the room. The master's rooms were functional and free of the resplendent decor usually seen in a mansion of this size. It contained a four-poster bed, a dresser, and a large closet with wardrobes. There was a desk and table, with papers strewn atop it, near the bed. Varrid found no secret compartments or doors, other than the known secret passage. In a desk drawer was a key, she surmised it was for the safe in the study. One wardrobe had a dust marked outline of a sword on the floor, otherwise the wardrobes held threadbare clothes, mostly of the old style.
At midnight the hounds started to bay and soon were on the loose attacking the Manor. Darrell and Douglas sprang from the rooms to the doors trying to prevent a breech into the house. Wescoat flew out of the study to the foyer overlook to make sure that defenses were being taken. Everyone seemed surprised by the attack but again the Manor held and the hounds retreated after and hour and a half long battering of the house. At this point everyone went back to their beds and all seemed eerily calm as the night progressed. Grunyar was in the foyer as Sir Burton left the study, entered his rooms via the secret door and then came down the stairs into the foyer. He headed for the door as the rest of the party joined Grunyar in the foyer. As Burton left the door the rest of the party followed around the house to the kennels. Burton was dressed in leaf armor, a cape and held a carried a long sword in a sheath. Ralom, ever the quizzical, cast detect magic and Sir Burton glowed like a torch, the sword, cape, armor and an amulet all were ablaze. Standing outside the kennel the party waited for Ann's appearance. At the appointed time Ann's specter arose from the ground, turned to look aghast at the house. A figure appeared from the ballroom in a tri corn had and old style dress, he hurriedly moved to the kennel, letting loose the hounds, at whose sound Ann fled into the moors. The figure, holding a length of rope, followed the hounds, his tri corn hat falling off was surely Burton. Varrid tried to pick up the hat but her hand merely moved directly through the apparition. At this point the whole party took off after the fleeing apparition. The bog seemed almost alive as the party raced through it, the trees creaked and groaned with age, the mires gasped and gurgled. The breeze was as rotting breath and seemed to call the heroes names in its foul stench. Eerie shadows appeared to move and shudder all around the party. Finally the apparition broke into the large clearing. As the party followed they could see Ann stuck in the large pond, seemingly sinking into the mire, the hounds surrounded the pond silently baying. Meanwhile the Burton apparition stood at the edge of the pond silently laughing at Ann as she slowly was dragged down into the muck. She moved her mouth in a silent curse as her body disappeared. Varrid peeked at the "real" Burton and saw a slight smirk on his face as he watched the scene before him. After a short time the shadowy Burton called the hounds and headed back toward the Manor, scratching himself and his clothes with branches, twigs and burrs to inflict slight injuries on himself.
As the apparition left the clearing the resplendent figure of Ann arose from the pond, she stared to move toward the party and which point Burton moved toward her. They almost met at the edge of the pond when Burton began to draw his sword, they turned almost as one and charged the heroes. Stunned Varrid felt the blade of Burton while Seglun was chilled by the touch of Ann's hand. The party stood for an instant trying to understand their betrayal but Grunyar let loose an arrow and Arvien used Summergale to enlarge Baru who then moved into battle. Ralom tried to stay away from the fierce battle while Drovic stood back and cast lightning arc. Unfortunately for Drovic a large coal black mastiff, its eyes glowing fiery red, and its breath steaming even in the warm air, attacked him from behind, almost felling him in one flash of claws. Meanwhile Ann moved through Seglun's body whose Fortitude saved her from falling into the moors. Sir Burton looked around, saw Ann attacking the heroes and leapt for her back. The two then fiercely fought one another as two Bog hounds clawed Grunyar from behind and another had its way with Arvien. Summergale attacked the Moor hound but seemed to do half damage. Drovic retreated from the Moor hound and provided himself with healing. Realizing that Ann was incorporeal, Varrid threw her dagger to Seglun since only magic weapons could hurt her. Arvien used a magic missile on Ann while Baru kept up his attack on Burton, who he claimed was the key to the whole battle. Varrid attacked the Bog hounds while Grunyar used her as a shield to fire arrows at the undead Ann. The party started to despair as their seemed no end to the creatures attacking them. Ralom channeled positive energy to harm the ghostly Ann, Baru finally felled Burton but was then attacked by Ann who touched him and then moved right through his body. Baru's great fortitude repelled all damage as the battle continued. Assailed from all sides, Moor Hound, Bog hounds and Ann kept the heroes under duress as they clung to life. Ralom and Drovic supplied healing to Baru, Grunyar kept firing arrows at Ann while Summergale kept attacking the Moor hound. Finally Ann's form dissipated into the air, the Bog Hounds turned to mud and straw while the Moor Hound melts away into a pool of quicksand, a ghostly howling marked its passage into nothingness. The sorely injured party members fell panting in fear and exhaustion onto the moors.
DM's Notes: The party earned 1000XP for the nights adventures and are now 3rd level.
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