Lazar feels happy to have fulfilled the task that the Lady has presented to him. Now that all that's left before going to Lepidstadt is spending a month here, he wonders what Kendra's going to do after.
"What are you up to, Kendra? Are you going to go on with your life here in Ravengro?"
"At least we have abundant time to prepare for the trip to Lepidstadt.
"How many days' journey should that be?"
Kendra will be staying in her home in Ravengro, the village does seem to have grown much calmer in the month you stay there. As if a long festering wound has been cleansed and now is healing.
The adventure begins with you still in the town of Ravengro in Canterwall, intending to travel to Lepidstadt to the north to complete your errand for Professor Lorrimor.
That is delivering his sinister collection to Lepidstadt. Before you leave, you may be able to learn a little about your journey, and about the burghers of Lepidstadt, from local people in Ravengro.
The distance from Ravengro to Lepidstadt is about 100 miles. No journey in Ustalav is without risk, but the old Mountain Road is generally regarded as the best route. This road follows the southeastern foothills
of the Tusk Mountains, passing through the towns of Tamrivena and Courtaud before following the Lesser Moutray River up to Lepidstadt.
The city of Lepidstadt is currently the scene of intense local excitement. The dreaded Beast of Lepidstadt—a terrifying abomination that has terrorized the people of Vieland for years—has been captured.
Hundreds of people have flocked to the city hoping to catch a glimpse of the horror and watch it burn for its crimes.
What are you doing now, and how to you intend to travel to Lepidstadt?
Maria's lived in Ravegro long enough to know who's got the information and how to get it from them. After spending a little time in the tavern, Maria returns to the others. "It's about 100 miles. The old Mountain Road is probably the best way to go. Still could be dangerous. Apparently there's quite a bit of celebration going on in Lepidstadt right now. They caught a beast that had been terrorizing them and plan to burn it." She nods in affirmation. "Good reason to celebrate. I say we buy some mounts. Maybe donkeys. They're cheap and tough enough to handle the pass. It'll make the trip a lot faster and easier."
"I already have a horse, he made it here, so he should be able to make it to Lepidstadt. As for a celebration, I wouldn't mind visiting a more lively place."
"A horse, yeah" Lazar adds. "I guess good ol' Mircea counts as that, haha." Lazar is proud of his horse, though he knows its limits.
"Daisy, my donkey, has done a good job of carrying my gear so far.
I'll bring her along to help carry our gear."
"My destrier has served me well on campaigns and on far worse roads than those ahead. I have some coin left and we have promised funds awaiting us. If someone needs a small loan to secure a horse instead I can help." Gadren stands in his new cloak he has fashioned it depicts what are clearly the main criminals in Harrowstone now bound in chains in a burning pit at the bottom of the cloak at the very bottom. Higher up there is a a representation of the warden and Vesorianna ascending to an a deserved and far more pleasant afterlife together with the ruins of Harrowstone in between. Clearly Gadren intends to remember the groups adventure here.
Maria nods in approval at Gadren's cloak. "Things like that should be remembered. And you got that part exactly right." She points at the very bottom of the cloak. She turns to the rest "Old Yaroslav says it's about 100 miles so it'll probably take us 6 or 7 days." She shakes her head. "I had to buy him three drinks at the Hooded Hill before he focused enough to explain the route to me..."
Cedric would have spent the remainder of his time in Ravengro tending to the folk there, healing cuts and bruises or other injuries for barely a copper or a drink and spending time with Kendra making sure she smiled at least once every day. Before heading out, he would restock up on spell casting components and even purchase a few extra, along with a masterwork backpack, a weeks worth of trail rations, 50ft of rope and 2 weeks of feed for his light pony. He would also return the spirit planchette to the church, should the other in the group agree with that course of action.
Phaedra spends her time looking over the books in the Proffessor's (now Kendra's) library and hangs out in the taverns listening to stories and gathering personal accounts of the town's history.
You spend several days of peaceful travel through the countryside, on the afternoon of the third day you see ahead of you on the road nine Varisian caravans that are parked to one side.
As you draw close you see a tall man, with white skin, white hair to his knees, wearing a tall red top hat, a long red coat with gold buckles, and striped trousers.
This oddly garbed person is coming towards you waving his hands to get you to stop.
What are you doing now?
Gadren is happy to stop though his eyes still scan the surrounding area for hidden ambushers in case the situation is a ruse. "Good day, is all well with you?"
Maria pulls up her cart (unless Mishtes wants to drive) and also takes a look around. "Yes, what's going on here? Let's hear it."
Phaedra remarks to her companions: "Well now, that is certainly an odd looking individual."
She looks over at the parked Varisian caravans trying to discern if there is any sign of distress going on in or around them....
Lazar waves his hand in salutation, though he doesn't lose an eye on the stranger and the caravans. "I know too well how this works. They distract us and then..."
Mishtes replies simply to the strange man in his own language:
« Mergem de la un loc la altul. »
The man, who you can now see is an albino removes his top hat and bows floridly to you. "Greetings good travelers. I am Kaleb Hesse, Ringmaster to this traveling circus you see here. We are the crooked Kin, on our way to Lepidstadt to take advantage of the crowds gathered for the trial of the beast."
He replaces his hat and sighs, looking sadder, "Unfortunately while we were resting here one of the Pinhead sisters Aleece wandered off and has not returned. I fear something has befallen her? We are not warriors or adventurers and I ask could you try and see if you can help poor Aleece?"
Looking at the gathered you see they are all deformed in some way.
What are you doing now?
"When was the last time any of you saw Aleece?"
Maria shrugs. "Suppose we have time to help a missing citizen. Any tracks?"
Hoping that this isn't some sort of plan to rob them, looks over the man for signs of sincere concern.
"I'm sure we can spare some time to find a missing person." Assuming that there is someone really missing...
Cedric smiles. sure, I'm sure nothing unfortunate has come about, but we would be glad to help out good folk in trouble.
"What does Aleece look like?
"And where was she last seen?"
Since all of his companions seem akin to help the strangers, Lazar dismounts and listens carefully to the description of the lost one, in order to better follow whichever trail left.
Kaleb is sincere in his worry, the others all look very worried, the girls sisters are weeping.
"She has been gone for several hours now. It is normal for someone to leave the road and find privacy to handle natures call so at first we were not concerned. Now something has clearly happened and my poor sheep are ill equipped to deal with the wilderness."
Aleece’s tracks are fresh, and may be found with a DC 10 Survival check. The tracks run for about half a mile as they head down into a boggy river valley, and then into a densely vegetated, midge-infested marsh. The marsh is a shallow bog, with high reeds between 6 and 8 feet high that affect abilities and movement in the same way as heavy undergrowth in dense forest. Aleece’s tracks soon all but vanish under water.
The tracks continue for another hundred yards or so to a cramped clearing filled with dismal-looking gray flowers.
The flowers have been disturbed and a trail lets out of the clearing on the far side, a trail made by something being dragged away.
AS you study the trail a halting voice calls weakly from the thick reeds around the clearing. "Hello, is someone there? Someone please help!"
Despite being a good imitation the voice is still slightly off kilter and definitely inhuman.
What are you doing now?
Maria follows along ready to help. When she hears the voice, she utters a quick word to her god. Then she moves through the reeds toward the voice.
"Something big... How could have a girl dragged something big, and why would she?" There's something here that Lazar doesn't grasp, and this lack of logic is what is giving him the goosebumps.
Still, they can't deny help to a potential innocent in need. He looks at the others, to check if any of them is venturing there first. If not, he'll have to himself.
Phaedra quickly and quietly tells the group: "Hold up! There is something wrong with that voice. It doesn't sound quite human..."
Gadren nods in agreement with Phaedra and casts detect magic. It could be some kind of illusion or admittedly mundane effect to draw them into a trap.
Cedric takes a few steps up. Hello? Where are you? What is wrong? he asks
As Maria heads towards the sound of the voice, and others look around warily, or call out the alarm, a large Spider with the head of a woman materializes besides Phaedra.
A Phase Spider. An ambush predator from the ethereal plane.
Poisonous bite and Grab.
The party may act now. Remember the terrain is difficult ground.
Cedric reacts on a growing instinct as he levels his crossbow at the beast
Maria spits. "Ugly bug. Let's smash it." She then rushes through the heavy mud, her armor slowing her down, but doggedly makes her way over there.
Gadren draws his crossbow and loads it, repositioning slightly and lining up a shot.
Phaedra lets out a shriek at the giant spider monster and attempts to cast Hideous Laughter upon it.
Mishtes will go into a rage and move directly toward the big spider.
He will then strike it with his bardiche:
Hissing as Cedrics bolt and Mishtes blow wound it the Phase spider minces back and vanishes.
What are you doing now?
Uncertain where her adversary has gone, Maria activates her divine guidance.
Gadren casts mage armour channeling more arcane energy into it than normal considering what they had seen of the strange arachnid so far.
Phaedra draws her morningstar as she follows Maria's lead in clumping together.
Lazar is about to pick an arrow when the creature suddenly vanishes! He looks everywhere, trying to find it, and then remembers he can possibly detect it by looking at the bottom of its soul...
Mishtes moves slightly so he's between Lazar and the others.
He then casts a spell: « pitkä varsi » . .
You gather together defensively, but nothing is moving aside from yourselves. Detect evil finds nothing.
Lazar knows from his knowledge roll that Phase spiders like to strike from ambush, poison a target and then retreat to the ethereal plane to wait for their poison to cripple their target.
What are you doing now?
Gadren readies himself to shoot the spider once he can see it again.