As they moved down the street suddenly an angry shout echoed from an alley ahead. "What do you want?" shouted a deep voice. A moment later, the same voice screamed in pain. The mist cleared slightly as Varrid charged ahead followed closely by Baru and Grunyar. In an alley way they saw a man with a bloody sword standing over a figure that had crumbled to the ground. Varrid hurried to the swordsman, who carried sooty brushes, while Ralom tried to treat the wounded figure on the ground. Varrid noticed that the swordsman's eyes were wide and blank, just like Arvien's eyes were a few nights ago as she attacked Seglun in a sleepwalking trance.
Ralom determined that there was nothing he could do to help the dead figure on the ground who was dressed as a ranger or woodsman. Varrid ordered the swordsman to drop the bloody weapon but he continued to stare blankly into space. So Varrid brought down the haft of her sword on the hand of the man. Immediately he dropped the weapon and a light returned to his eyes. He cringed in fear from the scene in front of him, a dead man surrounded by a Tiefling, an orc and an angel. "Who are you and why are you here?" he meekly inquired. "Why did you kill this man?" Varrid demanded. He replied "I didn't kill anyone, I am not a murderer." His name was Barthow, chimney sweep by trade, and he had no idea who the dead man was. "I am innocent, I don't recall even coming here. I was going home after my last job." he stated. Varrid continued to press him for an answer while Drovic determined that the sword was magical but nothing else. Drovic and Grunyar looked around for the town guard on patrol but they had no luck.
Barthow admitted that he had been having nightmares lately, but "that doesn't mean I'm a killer," he stated with little conviction. After a few more minutes Grunyar waved over a town guard, the party explained the situation. The splattered blood on Barthow's outfit was convincing evidence of his guilt as the guard led him away leaving his partner with the body.
The group trudged into the Raven's Roost at an early hour and fell into their beds. Ralom's sleep was interrupted by the Gypsy violin music again growing steadily louder until it filled his ears in a deafening crescendo. The music came from no specific direction. Suddenly the music stopped, only to be replaced by the sound of an infant crying. The wailing got louder and louder, until it sounded like a frenzied shriek. Then the keening stopped as it suddenly began. Ralom , confused, asked Raul about Nikko but he had slept soundly, no one else in the inn had heard anything either.
About noon the party arose, ate and headed for the north gate to travel to the Vulpwood. Just as they were passing High Road they saw a town guard, along with a man, dressed as a woodsman. The town guard pointed emphatically toward the group. The other man hied toward the group. Varrid stepped forward to meet him. "I am Beryl, you tried to help my friend Thorin last night. Please take these thins and got to Nova Vaasa," Beryl asked as he handed a sword and a bag. Suspicious the party accepted the gifts. Arvien opened to bag to find a fairly new leather book. It had no title on the spine or cover, but when Arvien opened it the first page was inscribed The Journal of Dr. Illhousen. Arvien fanned the pages and a folded paper fell out. Seglun grabbed the paper and found a letter addressed to Thorin Angarblade, requesting his help. It was dated only a few days ago.
Meanwhile Arvien was still in conversation with Beryl as she wondered who he was and why he didn't want the items. "I have lost the will to figth the things spoken of in that book, but Dr. Illhousen needs help. You tried to help Thorin. Maybe the best way to do that now is to finish what he was about to begin." The group accepted the gifts as Beryl meandered off into the maze of streets.
Leaving the gates the town patrol informed the party that the Vulpwood was very wild, infested with wandering wolves, wild dogs, and werewolves. Undeterred the heroes headed for the wilds with Raul and Nikko in tow. Entering the Vulpwood after a two hour march the temperature fell, the sunlight was all but blotted out by the overhanging tree canopy. There was no trodden pathway only slight animal paths, which Grunyar and Drovic led the party along. To the east they saw a deep ravine in which will o' wisps lights flickered. Ahead Grunyar saw a lone vardo. As the rest of the party approached they heard the sound of a baby crying behind the vardo, Nikko began to whimper is response. The vardo appeared identical to Raul's, presumably abandoned on Dead Man's Perch. Grunyar moved around the wagon and spied an ornate iron bassinet, Nikko's cradle, in the campsite. Next to the cradle stood Leyla in solid human form, but she radiated a supernatural fear. Several of the party fled in response to the terrible sight of the apparition. Grunyar fired arrows but Leyla moved directly to Ralom, her awful gaze fixed upon him, reached out and touched the priest paralyzing him at once. Arvien attacked with Flaming Sphere and fired magic missiles. Summergale attempted to deliver Burning Gaze but Leyla repulsed that attack. Grunyar continued to fire arrows as Ralom stood still as stone. Leyla moved to Grunyar but missed on her attack as the party defeated her just as the fleeing party members began to return.
Night fell over the forest with frightening speed, as if the day had been sucked into oblivion. However, in a small clearing, blanketed in moonlight, they came upon a circle of vardos that stood like a fortress against the night creatures of the forest. Directly in front of them stood Vincenzo, still wearing his flashy red vest, Lolita on his shoulder. An elderly woman stood beside him, attired in dark flowing dress with a parrot green shawl wrapped around her sturdy shoulders. Vincenzo welcomed the party and introduced the woman as Eva, their raunie.
Soon the mugs were collected, wiped and put away. The moon had risen high over the campsite and the stars shone brightly in the evening sky.
"Moonrise," whispered Vincenzo, "is the finest hour of the day." Baru thought the comment rather odd considering the horrible things that come out by moonlight, here in Invidia.
With an ease that amazed Grunyar and Drovic, Vincenzo sparked a fire to life in seconds, using but a flight block and kindling. Two beautiful young girls began to feed the flames, laughing merrily and jabbering to each other in a colorful tongue.
One by one the Vistani finished their various tasks about camp and joined the growing circle around the fire. At Eva's request, Raul produced his violin, surprisingly strung and after a few plucks to tune the strings, the Vistana smith began to stroke them with his bow, striking up a spirited melody. A look of tense surprise momentarily appeared on the elderly woman's face, but it quickly gave way to a smile of enjoyment as she began clapping in time to the music.
Soon, the Vistani are clapping and singing. A beautiful young girl rose an began to dance around the fire, shaking a tambourine to the rhythm of the music. She spun and twirled her skirt round and round, until the party felt dizzy just watching her. Suddenly, she came to a stop before the heroes. Gently she swayed, the slightest smile upon her lips. "Who will dance with Gitana?" asks a nearby man. "Hers is a rare invitation indeed!" The party members looked around at each other questioningly and finally Grunyar stood and joined Gitana. She led him in a whirlwind of steps in which Grunyar acquitted himself with style. As they finished the Vistani clapped and laughed in appreciation, several coming over to pat Grunyar on the back and congratulate him on his fluidity.
Eva and Vincenzo walked over to one of the vardos, each knocked on the door three times. After a pause, the narrow portal opened and a young woman stepped out, dressed in layered skirts of many vibrant colors and intricate patterns. her narrow face was framed with nightblack hair and her eyes burned like smoldering coals. "It is time for the doroq," she said approaching the firelight. "I am Marcella." Marcella begins to recite:In peace and joy, all mortals lived among the gods, in a land of eternal light above the misty void. Together they shared a love of creation. Together they made the universe, in which to dance the prastonata and multiply. The gods created all the lands, while mortals forge many an artifice with which to tend them.
But the gods reserved the creation of time to themselves, saying it was not a mortal's lot to have power over the past and future, but only to live in the present. Mortals were content with that lot, for the universe held everythin they ever needed to live in peace and joy.
Out of the misty void came dark powers, the shadows of the gods, who whispered in mortals' ears, telling them they would be gods themselves if they controlled the past and the future. They inflamed mortals' hearts with visions of power, and made them fearful of the gods, fearful of their lack of control over time. At last, the mortals and the dark powers joined to make war against the gods for all time. Only Manusa, mother of our tasque, defied here mortal kind and stood with the gods.
Though the mortals and the shadows of the gods lacked the power to overthrow the gods, their destruction across the universe was terrible, which smote the gods to their hearts. In the end, the gods enabled Manusa to see the past and the future, that she might walk among the mortals and forecast the doom of their creation, and the end of the universe.
Then the mortals were ashamed. Then they rejected the whispering of the dark powers. They begged forgiveness of the gods, and the dark powers were driven back to the mists.
When peace and joy returned to the land of eternal light, the gods regretted telling the secrets of time to Manusa, but they could not take back what had been freely given. So they joined with the mortals and drove Manusa from the land, cast her into the mists, and gave her to the dark powers who clamored for revenge.
But Manusa would not givenusa wandered in the mists alone, fearless of all beings, for she could see the future, and she foresaw that the gods and mortals would not co-exist forever. Manusa saw that the spiteful gods would eventually cast all mortals from the land of eternal light, and abandon them in the universe they had created, and she laughed at the miserable fate of both gods and mortals.
We are the children of Manusa! We are neither mortal nor divine. We are wanderers in the mists. We are unknown to mortals, and unfettered by gods. We are merchants on the road of time, selling the past to gods and the future to mortals.
We are the children of Manusa!
All the Vistani leapt to their feet and shouted "koorah!" Marcella's face turned more serious as she said "Now we will tell of the Dukkar."
As a young girl Gabrielle Aderre was warned by her mother Isabella to never have children:"A man, a babe, a home -- these things can never be for you, Gabrielle, for tragedy will be the only result." For many years, while the bitter pair wandered the wilds, Gabrielle pressed her mother for details about her mysterious father, though Isabella forbade it. Gabrielle learned nothing more until she turned 19, on the eve of her mother's death.
While traveling in Arkendale, Isabella allowed Gabrielle to set the warding circle around their camp. They had argued that day, and (as usual) Gabrielle had lost. Tired and seething with anger, Gabrielle wove the protective charms too hastily, and by the light of a rising moon, a werewolf stormed into camp through the imperfect wardings.
Before Isabella could ready and assault, the creature knocked her down and ripped open a huge gash in her leg with its jaws. Crawling frantically away, Isabella fixed the werewolf with her eye, blasting the creature with the full force of her hate and malice. The lycanthrope fell dazed to the ground while Isabella's enchantment seized him. As the blood pulsed out of her gashed leg, Isabella called to Gabrielle for help, but the cruel daughter saw only a window of opportunity.
"Tell me about my father, " Gabrielle bargained, "and I will save your life."
Isabella was furious. "The charm will not hold the wolf for long! His strength will return, and he will kill us both!"
But Gabrielle would not be swayed, and as Isabella's vision began to blur, she told her daughter vaguely about her past. Isabellla's voice was calm and strong in the cool night air.
"I was captured as a child and sold as a slave in Falkovnia. My master was a sadistic monster. For amusement each night he would gather a group of slaves and impale them before his castle. Their dying screams would mingle with the chamber music and polite dinner conversation. But because of my beauty and Vistani gifts, he refused to kill me. Many nights I wished he had. Years later, when I finally escaped, I was two months pregnant with you.
"I have told you enough of your father. Bring my potions before the wolf kills us both."
Gabrielle was stunned. For years she had fantasized about her mysterious father, and her romantic dream was shattered. She stumbled away from Isabella into the vardo, packing her mother's prized tarokka and potions in a sack. The wolf still convulsed in its enfeebled state, helplessly charmed by the eye. Gabrielle returned to her mother's pool of blood. By then she had made up her mind.
"I don't believe your lies, Mother, I'm leaving to find my father."
As Gabrielle fled into the darkness, her mother's pleading voice slowly faded and the screams began. Suddenly, Isabella's voice rang out close by through the gathering mists. "The Mists take you, traitor. May you know your child's betrayal and realize too late the depths of its evil!" Then the Mists closed around Gabrielle, and she was gone.
The Mists brought Gabrielle to Invidia, which at the time was ruled by a werewolf lord named Bakholis. The werewolf's retainers captured Gabrielle and brought her to Castle Loupet for an audience. Proud and overconfident, Bakholis sought to enslave Gabrielle, but the witch managed to enfeeble the darklord with her eye, exactly as Isabella had struck down the werewolf in Arkendale. Thinking she was successfully averting her mother's curse, Gabrielle pulled out a silver edged dagger and slit Bakholis' throat while he was still helpless. Instead of assuring her freedom, Gabrielle thereby became the new lord of Invidia, forever imprisoned within the domain and prevented from seeking out her unknown father.
Years passed and bitter Gabrielle slowly became accustomed to her imprisonment. She took many lovers from the small town of Korinna in her domain, but the passage of time could not erase her mother's curse from memory. Gabrielle was careful to use the medicinal arts thought by her mother to prevent her from becoming pregnant. She treated her lovers with disdain, enslaving them with her eye and discarding them when she eventually grew tired or bored, but none were able to comfort her terrible loneliness.
Then one day, a dark traveler appeared at the gates of Castle Loupet. From the moment he locked eyes with Gabrielle in the great hall, her iron-hard heart melted under his hypnotic gaze. She soon invited the handsome stranger into her boudoir.
Before mounting the stairs to Gabrielle's private chambers, they were confronted by Matton, the lover Gabrielle had just replaced. Secretly a wolfwere, Matton was the only one of Gabrielle's lovers who felt genuine affection for, having never been enslaved by her eye. Now, hurt and jealous, Matton transformed into a wolf and hurled himself at the stranger. The gentleman caught the wolfwere and hurled him to the ground with stunning, superhuman strength. Gabrielle, meanwhile, overcame her shock and paralyzed her former lover with the eye. At the strangers suggestion, they left Matton paralyzed and convulsing in the great hall as they climbed to Gabrielle's private chambers.
In the privacy of her boudoir, Gabrielle succumbed completely to the strangers fiendish charms. And when the handsome gentleman disrobed, she thought it hardly unusual to see a pair of black, bat-like wings unfolding into a canopy of darkness. Gabrielle welcomed the incubus into her embrace.
"You will remember me only as the handsome gentleman," the stranger said afterward, once she had stopped screaming. The fiend's voice carried the weight of compulsion. And then he was gone.
From that monstrous union, and abomination was born, a creature in the guise of a child, known to us as the Dukkar. It is this creature we have come to defeat. Its presence gnaws at us like a cancer, as it is a gaping hole in our Sight. We ask you to assist our endeavor. As giorgio you can walk about Karina unnoticed, and learn of its lair. For this information we would be grateful.
Marcella slumped to a seat as she finished the dorroq. Grunyar immediately asked about help as the party seemed to have picked up a curse from the ghost. Vincenzo replied that the Vistani would be able to help the party after the elimination of the Dukkar's presence. The party told of the "Boy in Black" that they had encountered at the dockyards and possibly with the wedding party. The Vistani ruminated on the stories of the boy and said that the party should return to Karina to find where Gabrielle and the boy were staying or being held. This must be completed by the end of Fulltide, the present 3 nights of full moon, or another month would pass.
The heroes agreed and stayed the night with the Vistani. In the morning Raul said he would stay to help perfect the Sphere of binding, necessary to ward the Dukkar. The party was presented with Evil Eye Amulets that would give added protection from Gabrielle or the Dukkar's Evil Eye charm. Also they received three Herbal Healing Curative potions each. These would bypass the curse when used to heal damage. With these warding the party headed back to Karina.
DM's Notes: The party received 408XP for the night and now have 12400 XP with 1600 additional needed to reach 4th level.
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