Victor slices the spider as it scuttles away, then turns his attention to its undead meat shields!
Sercha Stabs at the creature as it moves away as well.
She then joins Victor in his assault upon the zombies, attacking with both blade and spell.
Shula joins in on the stabbing as the spider tries to retreat. "Nuh uh, you're not getting away that easy!"
"Really? Is that why you were keeping them around?" Shula wrinkles her nose. "That's almost worse than what I was thinking, which was they were emergency rations."
The spider's escape attempt is short lived and the beating heart that seems to form the majority of the creature expires with a wheeze as it is pierced through by not one, but three blades. The bodies stay dead and Sepsinia continues to sip her tea as though nothing at all has happened.
Beat DC by 5 or more
There are a number of valuables arranged around the gazebo, a parody of lovers gifts as macabre as the 'picnic' itself. These include 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.
Sercha kneels down to look Sepsinia in the eyes. "Hey, uh, are you ok?" she asks, hesitantly. "I think we just saved you from a nasty fate, but, uh ..." She glances back at the others, confused at the girl's lack of response. Turning back, she invokes a quick cantrip to check the girl for magical enchantments.
There is definitely an aura around Sepsinia, and it shows no sign of disappearing any time soon.
With the spider dead, Shula turns her attention to Sepsinia. "Oh. Um, I really wouldn't drink that tea if I were you. In fact let's just..." She reaches out and takes the teacup away. "You know, you're starting to scare me more than the spider. Can you hear us? Like, at all?"
"I fear she may be beyond our capacity to help," Victor says. "Let us take her back to her mother and explain the situation." He gently helps Sepsinia to her feet and starts to lead her out of the hedge maze.
"Magic to break enchantments or curses is beyond my capacity," Sercha says with a frown. "Perhaps we can talk to the local clergy or have Robert take a look at her?"
Dame Crabbe is quite properly horrified when you lead an unprotesting Sepsinia back to the house and explain what has been going on. Lucretia immediately insists that you will take Sepsinia with you, back to Stachys so that Robert can have a look at her.
"It'll be a holiday for her." She says, ensnaring Dame Crabbe in a web of honeyed words. "I have no doubt we'll be able to return her to your care happy and rejuvenated!"
The Dame wilts under the force of Lucretia's personality and the point is swiftly carried, while a maidservant is detailed to stay in Sepsinia's chamber and make sure nothing else 'improper' happens over night.
The journey back to Stachys takes up the next day, although you make good time and arrive an hour or so after dark.
After a thorough examination and a brief prayer Robert nods solemnly. "A lovelorn. The Church of the Sacred Sting has had to deal with a number of these over the years, our profession makes many of our clergy targets of such twisted obsessions. Thankfully the cure is simple, a dose of Elixir of Love will dispel her malady, although the mental scars will take far longer to heal. Still, it will be a start."
"An elixer of love?" Shula's eyebrows raise. "That's potentially convenient. We just so happened to find one of those in the maze." She raises a couple fingers. "Two questions. One, she won't become infatuated with someone if we give it to her, right? That would be really awkward to explain. And two, what would happen if we don't give it to her? I mean, the spider's dead. It can't exactly keep poisoning her, or whatever it was doing."
"If I were to guess," Robert says slowly. "The lovelorn may have intended to make Sepsinia love it. Although I suspect it didn't account for the difficulty of unsealing a bottle with arachnid legs. As to the effects, no. It's safe. The elixir will be expended in counteracting the lovelorn's curse. There is no risk of her falling in love with you Shula beyond the natural feelings of gratitude. If you don't she'll stay like this. Curses are self-sustaining magics, unless broken they'll stay in effect for an almost unlimited period of time. I could beseech Calistria for the power to break it another way but the elixir is surer and immediately available."
He turns to Lucretia. "Before I forget, my lady, there was a man here today seeking an audience. He seemed quite pleasant but didn't stay long once I told him you weren't here. I expect he'll return tomorrow."
The next morning breakfast is magically served with a notable lack of tricks or torment aimed at any member of the party, which results in an unusually pleasant meal.
Just as you are all finishing there is a firm knock at the front door...
"Here. Allow me to cure the lady," Victor says. He unstoppers the elixir and gently coaxes Sepsinia into drinking it to cure her malady.
Sepsinia drinks without much coaxing and then sits silently for a minute. As you watch her face loses its previous slackness, tightening into anger.
"That bastard!" She screeches. "That good for nothing, creepy bastard! How could he? How could he?" The anger gives way almost immediately to grief and she throws herself into Victor's arms, clutching tightly at him while she sobs into his shoulder.
Victor holds Sepsinia and does his best to comfort her. "What happened to you was unconscionable. But you are safe now. That thing cannot hurt you anymore."
Sepsinia clutches on and cries harder, leaving Victor at something of a loss!
"Fair enough." Shula is a little disappointed they won't be able to hang onto the (very expensive) elixir of love, but not enough to try and stop Victor from using it. "Also, it was courting her? Like, actually trying to get her to fall in love with it? Ew."
She watches as Victor gently tips the vial into Sepsinia's mouth, then slowly backs away as Sepsinia starts sobbing. "I just remembered I have something to do somewhere that's not here." She gives Victor a thumbs up and mouths You got this! before fleeing the room.
(She's not an intentionally cruel person, but crying, traumatized nobles are well beyond her pay grade. Hopefully Victor can handle it.)
Victor gives Shula a dirty look as she flees the scene. The nobleman sighs and tries to call upon the social niceties he usually fakes.
"All will be well, dear. Get your tears out now, then shed not one more. You have survived, and this will make you stronger going forward. And I will offer whatever support you need to get back on your feet."
Sercha nods and pats the woman's back in a reassuring manner. "It'll be okay now," she says with an envious eye towards Shula. "You're a great girl and just because your last boyfriend turned out to be a complete asshat doesn't mean there isn't someone out that that isn't perfect for you."
She looks around helplessly.
"Why don't you stay the night? An actual good night's sleep instead of traipsing around in some haunted garden should do you a world of good. And in the morning, who knows what the dawn will bring?"
Some combination of Victor's reassurances and Sercha's sympathy gets through to Sepsinia and her crying gradually reduces to mere sniffles.
"Bed sounds like an excellent idea." Lucretia agrees. "Sercha, let's take her upstairs, sort out some linens and so forth. Thank you for your help Victor."
The mesmerist glances back at Victor as the women leave the room and he can easily read the message in her gaze. You owe me for this.
-------------------------------
Sepsinia finally gets a good nights sleep and hasn't appeared by the time that breakfast is served the next morning, with a notable lack of tricks or torment aimed at any member of the party, although Lucretia confirms that she has checked on the other woman and she really is asleep, rather than anything else.
Just as you are all finishing there is a firm knock at the front door...
When the door opens, a long-haired, well-cared mustached man of clear Taldan descend is leaning against the door frame with his shoulder. He offers a confident smile and vows removing his hat with an elaborate greeting "Good Morning you all. Knocking your door Lope de Vega, Merchant and Sir. Looks and brains from cradle to grave." The man is dressed in fine leather, has an impactful royal blue cape and a refulgent mithral rapier to his belt.
Without waiting for much of an invitation or a response the man throws his hat over the first hanger he spots and strides decidedly to the breakfast table where he finds a spot and something to eat "Ah, the roads are being so tortuous these days."
Shamelessly taking a piece of fruit the man adds "You have been causing an impact here in Stachys, haven't you?"
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Sercha can't help but smile at the man's bravado, taking a seat across the table from him.
"Well, Lope de Vega, my name's Sercha," she says, picking up a roll and tearing off a piece. "So now we've been introduced and we're no longer strangers." She slathers a piece of the roll with some butter. "Do you normally just make yourself at home wherever you go?" The piece of bread goes into her mouth, but she continues talking. "Yes, I believe we've been making a difference here; That's our job. But the more important question is 'what is your job?'" Her smile broadens into a smirk. "Who are you, Lope de Vega, and what are you doing here?"
"Nice to meet you Sercha, she is slender as much as she is tender, to her I may as well surrender, and my goals remember" Lope smiles as he is prompted at his abrupt irruption in the house, but he does not answer, instead he focuses on why is him here "Graceful Sercha, on respect of my goals there's no secret in my search."
"The mustachioed man you have in front has been on the trail of his father's murderer for long and now has lost his last lead in this county, Meratt" Lope takes a taste of a similar roll with butter "After asking around I decided that the new Lady Bettony might be in need of someone to help her so I came here to secure a job."
A sincere smile draws below the mustache while Lope performs a small vow with the head as an open offering of help.
Shula stops eating and raises an eyebrow at the gentleman making himself at home. "You're a bold one, aren't you? There are a lot of potholes that need filling, but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that's not the kind of job you're after." Her bright amber eyes focus on the rapier. "Not with a weapon like that. You clearly have or had a significant amount of wealth." Her gaze travels back up to look him in the eyes. "You've also got the attitude of a born grifter. So. Why should we hire you, and why should we trust you?"
"Shula Ottensen, by the way."
"An honor Shula Ottensen" the man smiles at the woman's tease and takes a slice of bread "I am just recently back to Taldor, so forgive me if I am not to date on current politics. But we might have some shared goals here and a common friend "
" That's how I came to know about the new Lady Bettony, I do not need the details, just let me know what I can do to help and I am sure things will align together as needed "
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"I'm sure we can find a use for you Mister de Vega." Lucretia says politely. "Please, join me in the study and we can discuss your particular skill set."
Sepsinia soon regains her colour and, after a few days in Stachys returns to Moost. Lope is sent to accompany her, along with Robert who plans to inspect the maze and ensure that all traces of the lovelorn's magic are dispersed for good.
He returns with a troop of artisans, gardeners and woodworkers, who promptly set to work around town.
"Lady Crabbe was most grateful." He reports. "We have the labourers for a month and, if any of us wish, she has offered to adopt us into her family. For myself I explained that the priesthood did not allow me such an option but the rest of you are welcome to it if you want..."
As you are all down in town supervising the latest updates Onora Piscum appears to speak to you all. "My lords, my ladies." She says grimly. "There's a new crime that needs to be judged and it's a tricky one, if you'll forgive me for saying so my lady."
She leads you all inside where a sad looking older man, covered in bruises, is sitting at a small table.
"This is Portimer." Onora says. "He used to work at the mill before it closed down and he's been struggling as a farmer to feed his family ever since. His crime is poaching, he took a deer north of Stachys Spur on the Count's lands and he was caught. Now that the guard are... finished with him, he's been returned to you for trial Lady Bettony. The law demands execution for poaching." Onara's grimace makes it clear what she thinks of this sentence.
"I didn't!" Portimer bursts out. "The gods as my witness I shot the deer south of the spur and followed it to finish it off! I weren't poachin!"
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"Well met, Lope. I am Victor Stavian," Victor says, offering the newcomer a firm handshake.
***
The nobleman lets those with the appropriate skills investigate the latest alleged crime.
Shula is not enthused to be presiding over another trial, particularly for something that shouldn't (in her opinion) be a crime. From the murmurs she's hearing around town, she's not the only one that feels that way.
Traveling to the area, she pokes around a little and shakes her head. When she returns she holes herself up with the party to discuss what they should do. "His story checks out. I'm no expert, but there were a lot of tracks and some blood trailing across the border. No idea what the law says about finishing off a deer you'd already shot. I do have an idea of what the town thinks about it, which is that we might have an angry mob calling for our heads if we execute him."
Lope does accompany Sepsinia gratefully after his talk with Lucrecia, him resulting more knowledgeable in medicine and healing that it might have appeared on first impressions.
Lope is not very acquainted with the place and does not have the proper contact network. At least yet. So what Shulamit says seems all that right as it must be "Who are those guards that caught him? Can we prove some animosity against Portimer due to previous events?"
"That's a great idea. I didn't think to ask." Shula sits up in her seat, looking noticeably more optimistic than she had seconds before. "The guards were technically doing their jobs, given Portimer was found on the Count's land, but beating him up the way they did seems excessive. Whether they knew Portimer or not, that level of pent-up anger might explain why they didn't listen to his explanation. Let's see if anyone knows them."
Asking around doesn't elicit anything specific about Portimer, but does provide a huge amount of grumbling and anger towards the Count's guards. According to the people of Stachys Count Lotheed has been employing more and more unscrupulous guards in the last couple of years and turning a blind eye to them meting out their own rough 'justice' ever since the Beggarwood has become a breeding ground of thieves and bandits.
"Don't dare to clear it out." One of the villagers opinions. "So 'e just pays more to keep his own lands safe and woe if anyone crosses 'is path or crushes a plant 'e likes!"
"So that defense won't fly." Lucretia says pensively. "It's your word Shula against that of the guards. But I won't kill a man for feeding his family. We need some other punishment - the pillory perhaps? He won't be mistreated... but it still seems cruel."
She looks around the group, clearly soliciting other options.
"Any ideas? Anyone? I'm willing to consider almost anything at this point."
Sercha follows Shula as she examines the area of the alleged crime. Where the slayer sees a trail and clues, the kayal sees nothing but grass and trees.
She nods when the red-head explains what she finds, agreeing completely.
"How about this ..." Sercha says, considering the options. "How about a month of 'hard labor'," she even uses finger quotes. "That labor can consist of working for one of the larger farms here in the village. Food for his family will be provided for the duration of his labor." She shrugs and smiles. "We solve two problems. The perpetrator is 'punished', and his family doesn't starve."
Shula lounges on a nearby couch, leg swinging idly. "I like that idea, but there's a problem. If my word isn't enough to prove Portimer's innocence, then the guards are going to go back to Bartleby and say a poacher is being let off light." Amber eyes narrow. "Piscum said the law 'demanded' execution. That tells me Bartleby's going to be pissed if he thinks we're not taking it seriously. Piss Bartleby off this soon, it's going to make our actual mission very difficult."
She pauses, considering, then suggests, "Maybe we can preempt the guards. The first story told is often the one believed. Write Bartleby a letter, now, explaining what our investigation found. Tell him you can't bring yourself to execute a man for what you believe was an honest mistake, particularly so soon after your own dear cousin's tragic death." There's a slight tightness around her eyes as she mentions Lollia. "Play on his heartstrings if he has any."
"He might still believe the guards over us, or just not care, but it's worth a try."
"I cannot condone killing this man," Victor agrees. "A letter appealing to the count's 'good graces' would likely be our best course of action."
"How about this ..." Sercha says, considering the options. "How about a month of 'hard labor'," she even uses finger quotes. "That labor can consist of working for one of the larger farms here in the village. Food for his family will be provided for the duration of his labor." She shrugs and smiles. "We solve two problems. The perpetrator is 'punished', and his family doesn't starve."
"I like the idea..." Lucretia says slowly. "Perhaps at the mill now that that's finished. Perhaps make it longer as well, a season, or half a year. And definitely keep the food providing side quiet. I might be able to sell that. Victor, you'll help me with the letter?"
With the decision made, Lucretia summons Piscum and delivers her verdict.
"I am not inclined to put a man to death." She says solemnly, "But the law is just and must be followed. Portimer will work at the newly completed mill until I deem his sentence expunged by hard labor."
The town seems to accept the punishment, especially when Lucretia instructs Onora to ensure that Portimer is suitably fed while he is working for the town. The justice of the sentence, and the general feeling that they've tweaked the Count's nose inspires greater enthusiasm and loyalty in Stachys, as does the hard work of the next week or so that leaves the hamlet in possession of a finely refurbished public house!
It is at this newly improved tavern that Lope overhears an interesting bit of gossip.
"Ye heard about Lauchlein Lake?" He's asked. "Long ago duke drowned his wife there after marrying her in a circle o' stones near the water. Her spirit came back as a woman who could transform into a swan, came to take revenge on him. He used to keep her happy with six vials o' holy water, poured into the lake on her birthday each year, but Count Lotheed's stopped the tradition and now the woman's spirit is taking revenge again. She's the Night Swan I tell ye!"
"It can be useful to stress in that letter the fact the people at town is seeing this prosecution as unfair and it can bring the area at the verge of revolt if not showing some mercy." Lope adds to the discussion.
---
Lope brings the rumors of the Night Swan to the group, adding a few inflections and decorations of his own for sure "Perhaps we should pay a visit to this Lauchlein Lake, should we make sure a revengeful woman's spirit is not causing trouble at our doorstep."
"A nice stroll around the lake sounds lovely, particularly if it includes the opportunity to stab things. I'm overdue for a good adrenaline rush." Shula is finding the life of a (pretend) noble to be incredibly boring. It's almost enough to make her understand the rich's obsession with weird games.
Tilting her head, she considers for a moment before a slow smile spreads across her face. "First ghouls, then a ghast, now a ghost. Hey Lope, you like playing around with words. Have some fun with that one."
"Let us continue our trend of fighting creatures with similar-sounding names, then," Victor says, adjusting his scabbard around his waist. "To Lauchlein Lake we go."
Lope smiles as he starts to get acquainted with the group of nobles "These ghost and ghast and ghouls presage a guest your next getting. Let's receive it with ghee and gherkin, shall otherwise he be at us jerking."
For the walk around the lake Lope chooses a straight brown jerkin.
"Sounds like the recipe for romance," Sercha says with a wink.
As they make their way towards the haunted water, the swordswoman can be heard muttering words under her breath.
"Ghost ... ghast ... ghouls ... girls ... host ... past ... jewels ... pearls?"
She shakes her head in annoyance and continues muttering in an even quieter tone.
Lauchlein Lake is shallow and choked with frogs and water plants, making it an ideal home to all sorts of aquatic birds. The lakeshore was also once home to an active fey court, long ago when the border of the Verduran Forest stood a hundred miles south; a stone circle still stands by the water’s edge and is the focus for a number of superstitious local rites as well as a site for proposals and the occasional wedding.
A thin drizzle falls as you approach and perhaps it is the sound of the rain which covers the approach of the Night Swan until it is too late.
"Lay down your arms and surrender!" A harsh but melodic voice calls, "Then I may show mercy!"
A blonde woman, with supernaturally fine features and a long cloak of white feathers holds a bow trained on Sercha. She hasn't shot yet, but with forty feet or more, combined with the fact that the woman is somehow standing on the surface of the lake itself, it is unlikely you'd be able to rush her.
Shula raises an eyebrow at the woman, (not that she's likely to see it from that distance). "Look, when someone pulls that 'Lay down your arms and surrender' bullshit, it means one of two things. Either they don't want to kill you, or they're worried they can't. If it's the former, Miss Vengeful Possibly Ghost, then let's talk. Tell us what you really want and we'll see if we can come to an arrangement. In case it's the latter though, like hells am I making it easier for you to shoot me in both my metaphorical and literal back." True enough she doesn't set her weapons down, but neither does she draw them.
"She doesn't look much like a ghost to me," Sercha mutters before raising her hands away from her weapons.
"Whoa, now. Let's have everyone calm down, ok?" she says in a louder voice. "We were led to believe that a spirit haunts this lake, but you look quite lively if a spirit you are." She tips her head in a shortened bow. "My name is Sercha. This is Shula, Victor, and Lope de Vega. What's your name, if I may ask?"
"Why would I speak to you, defilers of nature?" The odd woman retorts. "You've come to finish the job that vile man and his spawn started haven't you! Just because his disgusting ooze couldn't kill me now he's sent assassins to finish the job! Don't you dare lie to me!"
Sercha's words seem to have had some effect though because she still doesn't shoot, almost as though she wants to be convinced otherwise.
"We are not defilers. Give us a chance to prove ourselves to you," Victor says, hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Tell us of this ooze that vexes you. Perhaps we can eliminate it."
Lope observes cautiously, trying to understand if indeed they are dealing with some kind of undead creature and what might appease it.
Raising his hand slowly from the pommel of his rapier to let the blade stay in sheathed, he assays a soft but confident tone of voice "Darling if we were assassins sent to kill you, we would be already attacking you... We heard a duke drowned you long time ago, that was cruelly wrong and deserves revenge, perhaps you can tell us your story and how can we help undo this wrongness..."
"Looks like the first option then." Feeling better now that the Night Swan hasn't outright started shooting, Shula does indeed calm down. "We came to investigate a story about a vengeful ghost. That's it. No assassins here, just people trying to help Stachys fix its undead problem." She holds up her hands in a placating gesture. "We can always switch our focus to the ooze problem; I'm generally not a fan of people-eating monsters."
Lope doesn't recognise the maiden but is reasonably certain she's not undead, which is something!
"You would help me?" The maiden asks, lowering her bow slightly. "I... would appreciate it. The ooze lairs on the northern shore of the lake. Slay it and you will have my thanks."
--------------------------------------
As you approach the northern end of the lake the water becomes murkier and murkier - the ooze is clearly befouling it and it would likely only be a matter of time before the entire lake would be uninhabitable. Once again Count Lotheed clearly hasn't given any thought to long term consequences.
The ooze itself is snacking on a small bird and seems utterly uninterested in your approach.
Sercha grins and bows to the feathered lady. "We shall return soon with tales of a slain ooze," she declares.
~~~~~
When the ooze is spotted, Sercha draws her blade and approaches. "Let's see what this thing does with a few holes in it," she says with a grin. Sparks chase along the edge of her blade as an incantation flows from her lips.
Victor hangs back and launches a magical snowball at the ooze!