Piri stands back, just inside 30' from the Lovelorn, ready to loose a standard arrow.
With Toby raising his sword in preparation to strike, Sveng raises a hand, clutching his bone fetish within his shirt.
Opposite Toby, falcata out, ready to flank, Eregos prepares to charge the lovelorn at the same time Toby does.
The group gets into position with ease, Sveng's spell working to their advantage.
Eregos charges forward, striking the lovelorn in conjunction with Toby.
As Piri sees the attack commence, he lets loose an arrow.
Valeria/Sepsinia pulls back, feigning shock and horror! her acting is superb. Some say: inspiring!
The party unleashes a brutal assault on the undead abomination and it begins casting a spell.
Sveng attempts to identify the spell.
Before it can even get a spell off Toby skewer the creature ending it for good. As it dies, the mist shrouding the place begins to lift and the vines and brambles slowly recede.
Eregos looks at the now-dead lovelorn. ”That was less deadly than I expected.”
After 14 hours wearing the skin of Sepsinia, Val finally dismisses the relic-powered near permanent spell. "Well done gents. I barely had to lift a finger. Soon you will no longer need me during battles. I shall ride into combat equipped with fork and cake! let us report to Dame Crabbe and inform her of the deceased gardeners so she can notify their families. This bit of sad news will probably not undo the greater news that we have defeated the monster responsible for her daughter's disposition."
"I should hope it doesn't undo the greater news that we defeated the monster.." Piri snorts. We were lucky that time, but I am willing to take the win, either way.
Before heading back as the mist clears you check around anf find the creature has gathered some useful items, likely as gifts for his 'love'. Arranged around the gazebo is a pearl ring (worth 100 gp), a masterwork purple heartwood harp (worth 350 gp), a set of bracers of armor +2, and a bottle containing an elixir of love.
The group heads back to the Crabbe estate and explains what transpired. While Dame Crabbe is sad to hear of the deaths of the gardeners she is overjoyed to know that you put the vile creature that had been sapping Sepsinia's joy for so long. She goes on to explain that as she sat with her daughter waiting for news Sepsinia confided in her that Opilio attacked her in the garden after she continued to reject his advances even as their parents tried to push them together. This is what drove the man to take his own life and she never knew how to reveal what had happened with everyone else grieving Opilio's loss.
She frowns for a moment thinking on the whole mess but then looks to you all with a smile "I am forever in your debt and I can't even begin to repay you for saving my dear Sepsinia from the grasps of that vile creature. However, I do have a gift for you."
She stands and walks into the other room before coming back with a gilded black marble bust of herself in her youth (450 gp). The decorative necklace on the bust incorporates an amulet of natural armor +2 to protect the bust from wear and tear.
She also notes "Once I get things settled here I'll also dispatch some of my best gardeners, servants, and woodworkers to Stachys to help you fix up your town."
Sveng is inwardly very satisfied at what they've come out of this with. A few magical items of noteworthy power, a few expensive trinkets, and more value for the town. He examines the bust with a curious eye. Hmm, I can get some help removing that amulet, I'm sure.
"We are glad to be of help, and are grateful for your gifts and assistance."
"Dame Crabbe, that is very generous of you to assist in the rebuilding of Stachys. We are certainly grateful and we are happy to help you Sepsinia. I am sorry for the suffering you have endured until my fellow team members could make the diagnosis and propose the solution. We are humbled by your generosity and remain at your service in the future."
"I am pleased we were able to render service, my lady, and we thank you for your generous offer of assistance in rebuilding Stachys. I hope that you and Sepsinia are able to put this horrific event behind you."
"In a few weeks we will have the Betony Estate in serviceable shape I'm sure, and we will send you an invitation. I cannot wait to have you over. Perhaps we will invest some of our funds towards repairing Gold Canyon Bridge in the meantime. That would shorten your journey considerably and make our two estates closer to one another yes?
Without bothering you overmuch, would you happen to have news about our neighbors from the other baronies? I'm especially interested about our neighbors to the west as we did not have the opportunity to meet them at the Jubilee... Jabris and New Towne I believe... Would you mind telling us a bit about them?"
Valeria eagerly absorb any rumors or leads for missions or tasks that would involve the other baronies, since making friends with all the nobles of the County would be necessary for them to pull off their mission...
Aside to Valeria when there is opportunity. "You have great ideas and great presentation. I like your plans. It does seem that it was very beneficial for us to help Dame Crabbe, much more rewarding than I expected. She is a good ally."
Dame Crabbe yawns at the late hour but indulges Valeria "You must mean Jambis? I wouldn't bother worrying about that place. Most of the people have left the town after Baron Telus was apparently cursed by witches. From what I've heard Telus's men have turned to thieving and robbery so everyone generally avoids the region. As for New Towne, it is essentially a wilderness village. It is less than a decade old and
struggles to continue on. When most of the residents of Jambis abandoned their town and their baron, 60 or so fled to the southeast, eventually settling there. I hear they are struggling to make it work. New Towne’s “tribune” is Baronet Caphridius Vort, formerly an assistant to Baron Telus and a man far more interested in acting and opera than frontier living."
Dame Crabbe stands slowly and notes "It is late and I am off to bed, I suspect you'll be leaving in the morning to tend to your own matters as I now also have much to do here. We can talk more before you depart if you like, but until then good night."
"G'night, sleep well."
"Good night, Dame Crabbe."
The evening concluded, Eregos would head to bed promptly, as to get a good night's sleep before their return to Stachys.
Valeria bids Dame Crabbe a good night as well, and has Rigella attend her before bed. When Gasten finally reports and knocks twice on Valeria's door, she tells him to come in and to begin his nightly duties.
The night passes without event, aside from any dreams or nightmares that may arise from the realizations of the horrible events from the last day. In either case, you all wake early, refreshed and feeling stronger, ready to head home. Dame Crabbe has prepared a light but delicious breakfast for you all and thanks you once again for everything that you have done.
That morning while you are eating there is a knock at the estate door, after a few moments one of the servants comes and notes "Excuse me Baroness Tenessen but a messenger arrived to let you know that Baroness Voinum will be happy to receive you."
"Excellent! please inform her we will pay her a visit this afternoon!" answers Valeria, penning a short yet polite response for the messenger, and providing the man a tip of the necessary amount.
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Toby packs up his things and packs up Hayseed.
"Well this trip was eventful, wasn't it old boy? We are headed to get my armor back soon; I'm sure you will love me wearing that again."
Hayseed stamps his feet and blows his nose unhappily at the thought of the extra hundred pounds on his back.
"Valeria, I've been thinking, that as your bodyguard, it would be appropriate for me and Hayseed to carry a banner that holds your family crest...er... or what you think your fake family crest should look like in anycase. It will serve as a rallying point and morale boost should we find ourselves in battle again. Would you mind designing us something appropriate and we will have it made in Lotheeder?"
You finish up breakfast and say your goodbye's to Dame Crabbe who thanks you once again for everything. Once your stuff is packed up you get back into your coach and head on your way back toward home. After awhile, as per Val's instructions to the driver, you turn off the main road and head toward Voinaris.
The center of Baroness Voinum’s demesne derives from the family name and shares the tradition of military service, and many of the county’s soldiers are drawn from this sleepy town. The pungent scent of wine and vinegar, the town’s two main industries, taints the air
for miles in every direction.
The Voinum estate stands 3 miles outside of town. As you approach a runner heads into the estate and when you pull up near the house Baroness Voinum is waiting for you. She doesn't quite have a smile, but seems happy to see you. She calls out "Welcome friends. I hear you've been to visit Dame Crabbe. Any good news that one of you bachelors are now to be engaged?" A grin peaks her lips as she finishes her slight jab at Dame Crabbe's persistent attempts to find a suitor for her daughter, obviously having no idea what has recently gone down there.
"Nothing yet on that front, Lady Voinum. I guess we were a tad busy getting rid of a nasty undead creature haunting Dame Crabbe's gardens..." drops Valeria, with a grin of her own.
Voinum quirks a brow, but that is about as much of a reaction as you get from the woman before she notes "Interesting, you'll have to tell me all about it. Perhaps over some lunch?"
"Some lunch sounds excellent, we appreciate your hospitality."
Piri remains quiet, but polite and smiles politely.
The Baroness has a nice spread set out for you; bread, meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables, and plenty of wine. She invites you all to join her for lunch and waits to hear your interesting news of undead in Moost.
Piri partakes politely of the plentiful spread of light fare. He examines the wine carefully and discretely. Partly in an attempt to keep his alchemical identification skills honed as well as to appraise that the wine is what is expected, not watered down or a cheap substitute promoted as an rare vintage. He looks like a connoisseur, and comments to nobody in particular, as he holds it up to the light. As he prefers reds..."What a beautiful color and rich body. Might I inquire as the grape and vintage? My guess would be ______"
The Baroness is appreciative of Piri's knowledge on the wine as she comments "You were pretty close, but I thought I would break out the good stuff with grapes from the old vineyards from Stachys before things fell apart there. I still have a few bottles and would be happy to send some along with you as a reminder of what your little parcel of land is truly capable of."
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Toby says, "Yes, indeed there was a ghost staying in the Dame Crabbe's hedge maze. But we went out at night, made our way through the haze, and cut it down without too much trouble. She lost a couple gardeners in the process, but all seems well know. Any strange happenings on your grounds? We would love to do you a favor as well."
Toby refuses to feed into any gossip by mentioning Sepsinia.