The Great Hall

Last weekend the players in my Swords & Wizardry campaign more or less did what I expected so luckily I had everything prepared. The problem with playing online on Roll20 is the need for maps. I can never be sure where the players might want to go and I might not have a map prepared. I do have some generic maps of trails in the forests, roads, and rivers but you cannot really have a generic dungeon map. So before this session, I had maps prepared for four possible directions I thought they might go. I bought a couple of Heroic Maps online and I created the other maps.

Once the session was over I gave some thought to what scene or scenes that occurred that I want to illustrate with a 3D Render. Usually, it is a pivotal combat moment or a dramatic landscape. This time I found that I really wanted to render their dinner in the Great Hall of a Lords' Keep. Something I always wanted to create.

Session 72: Stormcrow Manor

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alonso (human fighter), Aashdoshan (human necromancer), Lantosh (human fighter NPC), Fenris the Filch (human thief NPC).

The next day, with the gold they got from the Witch's lair, the Company of the Black Dragon make a large donation to the Church of St. Cuthbert. In return, healing prayers are chanted until every member of the group is feeling in top shape. They also visit Domago and Vervork who have recovered enough to be brought back to the Manor. Alonso takes the demon horns he procured over to Cromly and asks for them to be made into daggers. He also picks up his demon wing cape from Red Leatherworks.

That night, Lakima, Eathwund, Alonso, Aashdoshan, Lantosh, and Fenris head over to the Manor owned by Loris Raknian. Once the foot traffic has vanished, they advance stealthily on the Manor. Fenris checks the front door in the courtyard and tells everyone that it is locked. While Fenris works on the lock, the other party members take positions facing the door in the courtyard. Fenris holds up his hands to tell them he cannot get the door unlocked and at that moment the door opens. A guard standing in the doorway angrily tells Fenris to, “Take off, or I’ll have the watch on you!”

Aashdoshan casts Hold Person on the guard and then cobweb on his mouth to prevent him from yelling. As they step into the entry hall a magical suit of armor greets them, "Welcome to Stormcrow Manor". The challenge is loud enough to bring a second guard to investigate. Lakima casts Charm Person on him. This second guard tells them he is Tagil and that he is just a hired guard. He tells them he figures Master Loris is a smuggler since he hired guards. Tagil takes them to meet Loris Raknian in the downstairs bedroom. However, when they enter the room, they find the window is open and Loris has escaped into the courtyard. He is quickly captured by Lantosh and Alonso.

Loris tries to bargain for his release but refuses to tell them who he works for. Lakima accuses him of being just a middleman. Finally, Loris agrees to show them some documents and reaches into his desk. He pulls out a pair of vials, one he smashes on the floor, and the second he drinks. Loris gasps, apparently poisoned and he collapses to the floor. The second vial releases a black cloud that forms into a creature. The creature claws Alonso on the arm and he is frozen in place. Eathwund slashes at the creature several times and manages to avoid its claws. Eventually, he manages to kill it. It dissipates as black smoke. Once the creature is gone, Alonso is able to move again. Lantosh checks Loris and tells everyone that the merchant is dead. Aashdoshan decides to use necromancy to raise Loris as a zombie but the ritual fails. This puzzles Aashdoshan. Eventually, the adventurers conclude that Loris is only feigning death. Lantosh ties him up.

Tagil tells them he thinks the gold is kept in the cellar. Lantosh carries Loris along as they all head over to the cellar doors in the courtyard. Fenris checks the cellar doors and finds that the key to the doors is in the lock.  The two guards and the cook are allowed to leave.

Entering the Cellar, they find the type of goods they would expect of a merchant. They also see two doors. Behind one door is a storage room for ale. The other door is locked but they use a key found on Loris to open it. Fenris opens the door, then yells in alarm, and rushes from the door. Alonso and Eathwund, who were behind Fenris, see three horrific ghouls in the chamber. The creatures advance and attack. The three ghouls prove to be no match for the fighters and are quickly dealt with.

In the guarded chamber they find a pine coffin and an altar with a human skull on top of it. Fenris suggests that Alonso and Eathwund open the coffin. They do and inside they find bags of gold and silver and four journals. They also find a strange vial full of black liquid. The journals are written in common and detail the defenses of Edgerton, Caster’s Ford, and Ethelstan Keep. The last journal contains detailed notes on the personages of the Company of the Black Dragon. Known associates, family, habits, and the like. They learn that Aashdoshan has the Eye and the Leg bone of the Ghoul King in his staff. The likely target of Loris. It is clear from the notes that Loris is a spy for the Ghoul King.

During the commotion, Lantosh left Loris to his own devices and the merchant managed to wiggle up the stair to the courtyard. He is grabbed again now and taken inside. Now that it is clear he is not dead Loris drops the act. He again tries to bargain for his freedom without success. He confirms most of what they have learned but refuses to name the Ghoul King out loud. He confirms that Aashdoshan was the target of the attacks because the Ghoul King needs his body parts returned to be able to attain his full power. Loris genuinely seems to not be aware that he was dealing with a Mind Flayer. He only worked with the Mind Flayer’s Drow thralls. Loris also admits to arranging the theft of the Cudgel of St Cuthbert and sending it north with other agents. He mentions that two of his handlers or spies for the Ghoul King are upstairs on the second floor.

A search of the second floor reveals that the men left in a hurry. They also find a chamber with four paintings on artists’ easels. One painting is covered in a black cloth. Lakima goes behind the painting and removes the cloth. Aashdoshan is the only one brave (or foolish) enough to look at the painting. He sees the painting depicts two men in rags lying in a dungeon. He feels drawn into the painting but manages to pull himself away. Aashdoshan covers the painting and takes it with him.

Once they have learned all they can from Loris they take him to the Night watch along with the three journals showing the defenses of the settlements of the north. Then the heroes return to their manor.

The next day Aashdoshan uses Identify on the painting and learns it is a Painting of Confinement. He decides to hang it, covered, in his cellar laboratory. The rest of the group takes several days to rest. Domago and Vervork tell everyone that they should be ready to adventure again in a few days.

A few days after Vervork and Domago have recovered a message is delivered from Abbot Marta at the Church of St. Cuthbert. Three men and one woman have arrived from the south looking for Vervork. From their names and descriptions, Vervork reveals that they are retainers of his brother Roland Hauger, Lord of Hookhollow. Probably, they want to take him back to Hookhollow to work for his older brother, which is not something he is interested in doing. Lakima suggests they invite them to dinner at the Manor to see what they want.

That night, Jakub, the seneschal of Lord Roland arrives with some retainers. At first, he is reluctant to speak in front of strangers but Vervork assures him that anything can be said in front of his friends. Jakub tells Vervork that an illness befalls Roland’s son. He fell into a deep sleep and has not awakened. A message was found in his room demanding the return of the Journal of Valdemar. Vervork tells them some of his family’s background and the legends around the local barrows. Jakub tells them that his other brother Yandel set out with the Journal despite Roland’s objections. He was found dead, lying in the grass near the barrows. The journal was gone. He had been shot in the back with three arrows.

Jakub asks Vervork to return to Hookhollow. With Roland’s son Vilhelm dying, Vervork is now heir to the family seat. Vervork tells Jakub that he will return. But it will be to enter the Barrow and put an end to the family curse. Lakima tells Vervork that as a member of the Company of the Black Dragon, they will join him. Vervork tells them that he cannot ask them, but that he would welcome their company. He will need their swords and spells.

The next day the entire company takes passage on a boat to Hookhollow. They travel south and spend the night on the boat near the Cursed Marsh. Eathwund spots will-o-whisps in the dark but they do not come close to the boat. The next day the captain of the boat puts them ashore in Taryn (the Hillside villages). From here they will need to walk all day to reach Hookhollow before dark. The company manages to reach Hookhollow as the sun is low in the sky. Vervork is greeted in the village by a childhood friend, the owner of the local Inn. The man offers them rooms for the night. But Vervork is anxious to speak with his brother and see his nephew. He invites everyone to the Keep.

The Company of the Black Dragon arrives at Hauger Keep. Jakub introduces them to Roland. Roland asks to speak to Vervork alone and arranges rooms for everyone on the second floor. Later, that night everyone is invited to the Great Hall for a meal. The atmosphere is subdued. Vervork argues with his brother Roland. Roland tries to change the subject and their mother Liena dozes at the table. But a fine meal was had by all.

The next morning they will make plans to enter the Barrow of the Forgotten King.

Hauger Hall