" Well then let us get our SEPARATE rooms and some well deserved dinner. After a good meal we can do any.. research as needed and prepare for tomorrow as promised. One does much better on a full stomach than not. Master Lozarov, I noticed you porter was of Halfling stock, did you receive him from Cheliax? "
Lozarov looks up from the reading he's just turned back to and quickly masks a flash of annoyance.
"Hm? No. Belik is from Cortaud. Maybe 75 miles from Lepidstadt. If you came via the Silent Path you passed within a couple of dozen miles of it."
" Right, Right.. I just assumed you purchased him or something to that effect. there hasnt been many of his particular kind around these parts. I was simply curious. I find you hospitality greatly appreciated. I bid you adieu " Darius smirks and soon waits on being shown his room and perhaps asks for a small tour of the establishment.
Belik shows Darius around the place.
Upon leaving Lozarov's room, Sledge mutters something about slavery with a surprisingly dark expression on his face.
Map is done, reposting locations for posterity:
D1. Gatehouse: The entrance tothe lodge is through twin wrought-
iron portcullises set within large arches inside a small half-timber watch-house, flanked on each side by a low stone tower. A small contingent of six mercenaries lives in the lower chambers of the towers and monitors the gate. Most of the time, the gates are kept closed, and the guards refuse to open them without the presentation of a formal reservation.
D2. Porter’s Cottage: This small, two-story cabin houses the lodge’s porter, Belik of Courtaud, as well as Chef Ladimeur. They both live on the second floor, while the bottom floor is divided into dry storage and quarters for the lodge’s two scullions and guests’ servants.
D3. Ruessa’s Cottage: The lodge’s housekeeper, Ruessa, lives in this cottage with her niece and nephew. A small but impressive herb garden lies outside.
D4. Stables: Ascanor’s superior hunting horses are kept in these stables, along with those mounts belonging to lodge guests. Stablemaster Quiene Steymor lives in a large loft above the stables, which she shares with the servants of guests if necessary.
D5. Maintenance Shed: This shed was originally meant as a storeroom and workshop, but Ascanor’s groundskeeper and handyman Paucy Troabs converted it into his private living space. He still performs small jobs in the attached workshop, but handles larger jobs in the new workroom on the ground floor of the adjoining watchtower. Paucy keeps his extensive collection of skinned rats in the storeroom, preserved in jars filled with Ustalavic brandy.
D6. Watchtower: The watchtower has four floors.The unfinished ground floor serves as a storeroom and workshop. Madame Ivanja leases the upper floors from the lodge. She lives on the topmost floor, and uses the tower’s other rooms to discreetly provide her extensive line of intimate services. The rooms are lavishly decorated with plush couches, feather beds with silk sheets and velvet curtains, water pipes, liquor, and other exotic accoutrements befitting a high-class brothel. The second-floor room is currently inhabited by the madam’s employee, Niama.
D7. Huntsmaster’s Cottage: This cottage belongs to Ascanor’s huntsmaster, Delgros Kroitzcer. He keeps his prized collection of hunting dogs in an attached kennel, along with the personal dogs of lodge guests. When not out on a hunt, Delgros splits his time between his house and his beast pens (area D8). Only on rare occasions does he drop by the lodge, typically at Estovion’s request.
D8. Beast Pens: Behind a locked, oversized door of
reinforced oak, this old stone well-shed provides entrance to a natural limestone cavern reworked and partitioned to form a series of crude underground holding cells that house a menagerie of exotic beasts for the lodge’s guests to hunt. Delgros keeps the door chained and padlocked with a key he wears round his
neck. His current collection boasts a grizzly bear, a juvenile dire boar, a dire wolverine, an elderly and arthritic dire wolf, a lobotomized ettercap with its web
glands removed, a giant tarantula, and four large wolves.
D9. Cobbled Path: A narrow path of slate cobblestones runs along the southeast side of the lodge, connecting the gatehouse and main entrance to the back deck and hedge maze. A live trellis woven from the boughs of bent willows and deep red roses shelters the walkway.
D10. Back Deck: A wide, stone deck extends from the south side of the lodge, overlooking the estate’s grounds. On the west side, a short flight of stone stairs leads down into the hedge maze, while to the east, a second flight leads to the courtyard fountain.
D11. Courtyard Fountain: A low, slate patio surrounds a large fountain filled with exotic Tian carp. A statue of the lodge’s former owner, Count Beauturne, forms the fountain’s centerpiece. Elaborately carved walnut trellises, laden with black grapes and blood-ivy, partition the courtyard from the estate lawn, providing some privacy to those within.
D12. Hedge Maze: This carefully pruned, 8-foot-tall hedge maze provides fun and privacy to guests.
D13. Main Entrance: A flight of wide, slate steps climb up to a shallow porch and a pair of massive iron-shod, timber doors. A small brass bell hangs on a post near the door. Ringing the bell quickly attracts the attention of the nearest lodge servant. The door is typically kept barred on the inside, while a small shuttered hatch permits Ascanor’s porter, Belik of Courtaud, to see anyone standing on the porch.
D14. Grand Hall: Connecting the main entrance and grand ballroom, this huge hallway serves as the centerpiece of the ground floor. Golden pine floor planks, over a foot in width and sanded smooth, stretch almost the entire length of the hall, while four massive tree trunks serve as pillars, running down run the center of the room supporting the ceiling overhead. Large hide rugs and trophy heads of bears, bucks, and snarling wolves adorn the floor and natural logwalls, boasting of some of the lodge’s patrons’ finer kills. Garlands and banners embroidered with the crests of various aristocrats, secret orders, and hunting clubs hang from exposed rafters high overhead. Stone fireplaces on either side keep the room at a comfortable temperature.
D15. North Stairwell: This enclosed wooden staircase spirals upward to the private guest rooms on the building’s second floor.
D16. South Stairwell: This enclosed wooden staircase provides access to the second floor of the south wing and the south tower.
D17. Kitchen and Prep Rooms: The lodge’s large kitchen includes a pair of storage and prep rooms and boasts an extensively stocked larder of freshly grown herbs, vegetables, and trimmings. Most of the courses prepared here consist of fresh game caught by Delgros or lodge guests. Meals run several courses long, and include crudités, elaborately layered terrines, rich soups, and lavish pastries (both sweet and savory), paired with exotic coffees, cordials, wines, and liqueurs. The fireplace between the kitchen and the dining room shares a chimney, permitting the chef and others to catch earfuls of gossip from neighboring diners. Chef Ladimeur runs the kitchen, but his two scullions handle
the prep work and perform basic errands such as stocking the pantry, prepping ingredients, and cleaning.
D18. Dining Room: The lodge’s dining room can seat up to 24 guests depending on how the staff arranges the room. Most days it is set for 12. Tall picture windows set into the curved southeast wall provide plenty of light and a view of the herb gardens outside Ruessa’s cottage.
D19. Music Room: The lower portion of South Tower serves as a music room. The lodge frequently hires famous performers at the request of patrons. Their performances include music concerts, poetry readings, small theatrical shows, and exotic dance presentations. Almost as frequently, tipsy patrons attempt to impress other guests by performing themselves.
D20. Conference Room: Isolated from the rest of the lodge, the conference room offers a modicum of privacy to discreet guests. The room is essentially a large sun porch with a slate floor, and deep crimson curtains cut from
heavy velveteen that can be drawn to cover the windows. Its few furnishings include a long table of oiled black walnut with matching chairs.
D21. Washrooms: These small rooms serve as washrooms for guests and contain fresh water, washbasins, towels, and chamber pots. Ruessa keeps them fastidiously clean. Upon request, she can also prepare drawn baths or scented steam baths using pots of heated stones and wood chips.
D22. Trophy Room: While a large, four-sided stone fireplace serves as the centerpiece of this tremendous room, taxidermy fills the remainder of the chamber. Stuffed beasts of every kind imaginable line the walls, each set with a small brass plaque detailing the name of the hunter and the date the animal was killed. The names of Ustalav’s elite—aristocrats, wealthy merchants, and powerful diplomats—dominate these plaques. The eight largest trophies stand in the center of the room, posed in striking positions upon huge wooden bases. They consist of a chimera, a river chuul, a dire bear, a fire lizard, a griffon, a juvenile manticore, a giant mantis, and a two-headed troll. It is considered a great honor to have a permanent display at Ascanor, and many compete for these bragging rights. Still, hunters frequently call the authenticity of rivals’ kills into question, making them the subject of much debate, and it is not unheard of for duels to be fought over such accusations.
D23. Sitting Room: This chamber contains couches, chairs, and a few end tables. Several portraits of Lozeri’s former nobility adorn the walls, and a stone fireplace keeps the room warm. It is predominantly used for partaking in hors d’oeuvres and aperitifs, and engaging in light conversation before or after dinner.
D24. Grand Ballroom: The largest room in Ascanor Lodge, the Grand Ballroom serves as a formal dance hall, banquet room, theater, or any other type of space the lodge guests may request. When not prepared for a specific function, guests may use the ballroom for conversation or informal dining. The west and south walls are lined with windows, while a series of arches cut into the inner walls open into other rooms within the lodge. As in the main hall, the high ceilings harbor a tangle of rough-hewn timber beams draped with banners and garlands
.
D25. Front Deck: This covered, elevated deck faces the front of the lodge. Its doors are typically unlocked, and it can be used by any of the guests.
D26. Guest Bedrooms: Ascanor Lodge has seven rustically (though luxuriously) appointed private rooms for the use of its guests. Each contains a bed, chest, desk, chair, and fireplace, and (with the exception of area D26a) has an exterior balcony. Each guest is given a key to his or her room’s good wooden door (hardness 5, hp 15, Break DC 18 or Disable Device DC 25), though Estovion has a set of master keys to every room in the lodge.
D26a. Corvin’s Room: Corvin Tergsvor occupies this room. Though it is the largest bedroom and has two beds, it is also the only one without a balcony. It shares a fireplace with the hall outside.
D26b. Empty Room: Originally reserved for Echtmoor Dravin, this room is currently vacant.
D26c. Duristan’s Room: Duristan Ariesir (see page 13) lodges in this room, which shares its balcony and fireplace with area D26b.
D26d. Graydon’s Room: The Margrave of Sturnidae, Cilas Graydon, is staying in this room. It shares its balcony and fireplace with area D26e.
D26e. Empty Room: This room is also vacant.
D26f. The Markiza’s Room: Markiza Welgory rooms here. The room shares a balcony and fireplace with area D26g next door.
D27. Cross Passage: This passage connects the main lodge’s second floor to the south tower. While the libraries are technically available to all guests, Estovion locks the corridor’s northern door during the evenings to prevent
curious visitors from disturbing him.
D28. Estovion’s Quarters: For years this room has served as Estovion Lozarov’s living quarters. It contains most of his mundane possessions and personal items. He keeps the room fairly tidy, though not meticulously so. The furnishings include a bed, a wardrobe, a writing desk, a small bookshelf, and a fireplace.
D29. Reading Library: Bookshelves line both walls ofthis long room, while a multi-shelved central partition divides this area. A small fireplace keeps the room cozy. At the far end, a balcony facing the front courtyard permits readers to get fresh air. The majority of the books here are for entertainment and consist of novels; plays; and collections of short stories, essays, and poetry.
D30. Reference Library: Shelves lining the walls of this circular tower room contain hundreds of reference books on such diverse topics as botany, demonology, geology, history, and religion. Cubicles in the center provide areas for reading, and a fireplace in the eastern wall heats the room. An ascending flight of stairs curves around the southern wall, leading to a trap door that opens onto area D31.
D31. South Tower: The highest point of the lodge building is the South Tower, which holds Estovion’s office and his private library. Its shelves hold the lodge’s most valuable and protected texts. Use of this area is strictly forbidden except by special request, and then only when accompanied by Estovion. He keeps the trap door leading into this room locked at all times Estovion spends most of his time here unless called to pressing duties elsewhere in the lodge. Most evenings he remains in this area until just after midnight before locking up and retiring to his room.
Belik shows Darius (and anyone else who's interested) around the Lodge, and explains the rules of Ascanor to everyone who's following along.
"The rules are fairly simple really. No fighting, except in sanctioned duels."
"Try not to be too rowdy around the bedroom areas, the sitting room, great hall, music room, and dining room are always open if you feel like staying up late."
"Be polite and gentlemanly to Madame Ivanja's 'proteges', and ESPECIALLY to Madame Ivanja herself."
"Do not enter Delgros' beast pens without Delgros being present. Neither Delgros nor the beasts like it if you show up unannounced."
"Do not use the fountain as a toilet." Belik's mouth twists in distaste at being required to spell this out.
"Finally, the South Tower is completely off-limits unless accompanied by master Lozarov himself."
"Follow these simple rules and I'm sure we'll all enjoy your stay at Ascanor Lodge." he says with a smile.
Darius takes the areas to heart and memorizes the persons applicable to such areas. The rules seemed fairly standard for those who could AFFORD such an establishment. He finds the Southern Tower portion odd, but no more than any other 'secret'. At the end he gives Belik a curt nod and thanks him for his assistance.
" You have given a satisfactory tour and overview of the rules. I'm sure there shouldn't be TOO much of a problem on our end. I assume if we need anything we are to contact you OR...? "
"If you need something, simply seek out one of the lodge staff. There is also a bell-pull in your room which will summon someone as quickly as we can manage it."
" Good, then I suppose I should allow you on your way. " Darius gives Belik a slight bow as he ventures to meet with the party once more.
Amazingly he seeks out Zin, having found out a plethora of information on the place but a particularly interesting note in the Reference Library. " Zin, I realize through your .. experience of the curse, how much getting rid of said affliction would benefit you. There is a reference library in the establishment that may hold something to that effect or some lead. It also may hold information on our goal. I thought it would be only fair to inform you. "
"Thank you Darius, I'll investigate that tomorrow after I rest. Though I have my doubts too many valuable texts call a resort their home. Nevertheless it doesn't hurt to check."
-Posted with Wayfinder
" You are right, it doesnt hurt to check and I'm sure it will keep you distracted enough that problems shouldnt arise. If you happen to find anything? Good. If not? Then at least you can justify a reason to continue forth somewhere else. Not all secrets are well hidden by choice. Some are by happenstance. I will be getting something to eat. You rest and perhaps I shall be kind to peruse a few or two for you. I will not be needing much sleep. "
Jones browses the library as well, looking for clues to what the Whispering Way might be planning.
Sledge bars the door with his crowbar before going to sleep on the floor, staying armed while he does so.
If there is a window, he will set several copper pieces around the edge so they will fall loudly if it opens. He will give the door the same treatment.
Jones learns everything about the Whispering Way that Cassiel wished he had been able to.
The Whispering Way is a sinister organization of necromancers that has been active in the Inner Sea region for thousands of years.
Agents of the Whispering Way often seek alliances with undead creatures, or are themselves undead. The Whispering Way’s most notorious member was Tar-Baphon, the Whispering Tyrant, although the society itself has existed much longer than even that mighty necromancer.
The Whispering Way itself is a series of philosophies that can only be transferred via whispers—the philosophies are never written or spoken of loudly, making the exact goals and nature of the secretive philosophy difficult for outsiders to learn much about.
Exact details on the society are difficult to discern, but chief among the Whispering Way’s goals are discovering formulae for creating liches and engineering the release of the Whispering Tyrant. Agents often travel to remote sites or areas plagued by notorious haunts or undead menaces to perform field research or even to capture unique monsters. Their symbol is a gagged skull, and those who learn too many of the Way’s secrets are often murdered, and their mouths mutilated to prevent their bodies from divulging secrets via speak with dead.
Additionally, Jones finds several references to something called "The Stairs of the Moon", a ancient ruin somewhere in the forest. Supposedly, it was destroyed by servants of Tar-Baphon centuries ago, and is now haunted by vengeful spirits.
There are well over a dozen distinct werewolf packs live within the Shudderwood, but most packs trace their lineages to one of five tribes native to the Shudderwood. Most of these tribes have two names: that which they call themselves, and a more common epithet by which most outsiders know them.
The names of these werewolf tribes are as follows:
-The Dorzhanevs ("Broken Ones").
-The Jezeldans ("Demon Wolves").
-The Mordrinacht ("Silverhides").
-The Prince's Wolves.
-The Vollensag ("Primals").
Jones (and maybe Darius, if he can make a DC 20 check) knows some more detailed information about the individual werewolf tribes.
Broken Ones: These lycanthropes settle in remote or isolated territories, building small provincial communities near the wood’s edge. For the most part, they pose as simple farmers or trappers, occasionally traveling to larger communities to sell or trade for goods. They live and hunt in small packs, targeting lone travelers or those who stray from larger groups. Physically smaller than the other tribes, the Broken Ones transform into red wolves. Their pack structure is matriarchal, and their current tribe leader is the druid Cybrisa Dorzhanev.
Demon Wolves: The most recently formed pack in the Shudderwood, the Demon Wolves are an amalgam of newly afflicted werewolves, whose pitiful existence is typically scorned by most natural lycanthropes, and exiles from other tribes, all worshipers of the demon lord Jezelda, Mistress of the Hungry Moon. Their current tribe leader, an antipaladin named Adimarus Ionacu, was once in fact an afflicted werewolf who willingly contracted the disease in devotion to his demonic patron.
As a boon, Jezelda transformed himinto a natural lycanthrope, and bade him convert more werewolves to her worship. To date, Adimarus’s missionary zeal has been quite successful; the black-furred Jezeldans are one of the fastest-growing tribes in the region, and may soon rise as the new lords of the wood.
Silverhides: The Mordrinacht, colloquially known as the Silverhides for their gray-white fur, are more aggressive than the Broken Ones, yet possess more composure and subtlety than the other tribes. The Mordrinacht rarely form standard packs, instead living much of their lives as solitary individuals or lone wolves. Only in times of great importance do they unite and form organized packs. More so than all the others, the Mordrinacht have been successful at blending in with normal humans and living secretly within their communities, with a few bold individuals even settling in some of Ustalav’s major cities.
Descended from those afflicted with lycanthropy by the ancient high priest of Desna, the Mordrinacht have long gathered at the Stairs of the Moon to pay homage to the spirit of their ancestor, the vilkacis. It is no secret that the Silverhides’ current leader, Mathus Mordrinacht, has had designs on the position of packlord over all the packs of the Shudderwood for some time.
Prince’s Wolves: Varisian werewolves with ties to the Sczarni crime family, the Prince’s Wolves were created as part of Prince Andriadus Virholt’s efforts to rid his lands of the agents of the Whispering Tyrant centuries ago. The Prince’s Wolves maintain a tight pack structure and spend much of their time traveling in small family groups, performing or pickpocketing to support themselves before moving on to do it again somewhere else. The Prince’s Wolves transform into wolves with brown or gray fur, and their current tribe leader is a roguish scoundrel named Rhakis Szadro.
Primals: The smallest of the Shudderwood’s tribes, the Vollensag are also the most homogenous, as they are all descended from the ancient Kellid tribes who once inhabited these lands before they were driven out by the invading Varisians. At present, less than 30 Vollensag remain, settled deep in the woods and traveling in small migratory hunting packs, living as much as their ancestors did. Despite their declining numbers, the Primals’ ability to transform into large gray dire wolves makes them an influential force among the wolves of the wood. Until recently, the Vollensag tribe leader, Kvalca Sain, was packlord over all the wolves of the Shudderwood. Her recent assassination has thrown all of the tribes of the Shudderwood into disarray, not just the Vollensag themselves.
Jones (and Darius if he can make a DC 25) is also aware of two more facts:
1.) The werewolves often meet at the Stairs of the Moon to discuss important matter of council. Most important among these is choosing a packlord, who rules over all five of the tribes, whose ascension is completed by consuming the heart of the previous packlord.
2.) The Prince's Wolves are ancient enemies of the Whispering tyrant and his minions (including the Whispering Way).
As Jones researches the werewolf tribes and their cultures, Darius continues perusing the library.
After a few hours of puling books of shelves, he finds a journal, somewhat out of place in this library full of mostly reference material.
Jones, recognizing that Darius's broad knowledge of werewolves might be lacking in the specific details of these particular tribes, shares what he knows.
"Perhaps the rivalry between the Prince's Wolves and the Whispering Way could be used to our advantage. What do you think, Darius?"
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The Vilkacis is an incorporeal undead created from the soul of a particularly savage and brutal lycanthrope. The Vilkacis can possess people, and when doing so they take on bestial characteristics and can pass on the curse of lycanthropy, as well as flying into a terrifying Rage even more powerful than the one the late Ezekiel displayed.
Jones is aware that there is likely more that this creature can do, but he cannot recall it. Vilkacis are a fairly rare form of undead.
While assisting Jones best he can Darius finds the Journal odd and on his free time while relatively alone looks it over.
Darius helps Jones out, and learns much of the same basic knowledge, though Jones proves much more adept at finding the particulars across several scattered reference books.
Darius is at no disadvantage, however, when it comes to Jezelda, one of, if not the, most hated deities among his family.
The journal does not have the author's name listed (the only detail about him is that he's a follower of Dena), but it details his travels to an ancient, abandoned Desnan temple and observatory known as the Stairs of the Moon.
It includes a description of the temple, an immense wedge shaped trapezoidal monolith with a flat roof, attached to an immense tower of stacked stones that rises a dizzying 150 feet from the ground of the forest, and is topped with an observatory. The journal notes that at one point the tower must have risen over the treetops (otherwise it couldn't be a particularly good observatory), but no longer. The ancient trees of the Shudderwood now hide the tower from view completely at any sort of distance.
While details on the tower itself are plentiful, details on its LOCATION are annoyingly vague. Either the author did not want any reader to find it, or simply did not find it worth noting in his journal (as if it was meant for his reading alone).
Upon turning the final page, Darius finds a note tucked into a small card pouch in the back (where one might usually store a bookmark).
It reads: "See 'Halo of Dreams' on page 322. Filed under Religion upstairs."
"Hm. Tomorrow morning we will ask for permission to enter Estovion's private library. I'm sure he will understand the necessity."
"In the meantime, I think we have learned all we can for tonight. All that's left is to prepare for tomorrow's werewolf hunt."
Darius looked to Jones, " More than likely but I have another possible lead on important information pertinent to both our goals.. Im am not fully sure it is quite concrete yet. I will inform you after I can confirm my suspicions however. The wolfhunt may be ore interesting than we could have anticipated. "
Darius knew that this place would be most important and went to research further following the clue left in the back of the book searching for this 'Halo of Dreams'.
The book Halo of Dreams does not appear to be in this library at all.
Darius searches to his hearts content but does not find the book, growing quite annoyed. Eventually he regroups with Jones and tells him of the Journal.
" I suppose we may need use for that permission in more than one way. This place is a key factor to the Werewolf issue in these lands. its location is vital "