Pharast 9th 02 - Hors d’oeuvres of Doom!

The evening passes uneventfully.

The group awoke early and made their way to see the Nixie and dryad from the other day and see if they know anything about the spring feast, the Lord Regent and the dancing lady.

The Nixie was pleased to see the group again especially Otto but she had  never heard of the lord Regent, though the name “the dancing lady” rang bells with her but wasn’t sure why but it was most likely that she must be a fey creature of sorts.

The Dryad took a little longer to ponder the questions but she also drew a blank and had to admit that the names and event meant nothing to her.

With no information to go on the group take some time to talk about their options, obviously there is now a self proclaimed “Lord Regent” within the kingdoms domain which was critical to sort out but also no one seems to know anything about the feast or host making the idea of going unarmed rather dangerous.

They eventually decide that the best plan of action would be to have Vaneer not attend the event and wait nearby with the weapons; depending on how the event goes Natalia will send an animal messenger to Vaneer that would tell him if the weapons are needed, it was agreed that a bird would be sent if the situation was hostile and a rabbit if all is fine.

The group then head south west toward the area where they were told the ancient keep should be. As they were exploring the area they noticed a finely dressed purple male fey creature heading west.

The group attempt to follow the Fey creature as he was heading in the same direction as the supposedly ancient keep. Eventually the fey stops at some tree stumps and sits down to have a cup of tea as he pulls out a tea pot and cup from his top hat.

Minus Vaneer, the group approach the fey and greet him and he introduces himself as “Emissary” and asks if the group have been invited to the feast as well.

During the conversation Emissary mentions the feast is fun for the fey that attend but generally the non fey may have issues with the evening’s events. Seeing the concern on their faces he invites the group to sit with him to discuss what is expected of the evening’s progression.

He tells them that the ancient keep is in the west and once a year a dancing lady appears to feast. The feast involves intelligent beings being sacrificed and devoured.

The lord invites non fey and fey people and there will be luxurious foods, dancing, presents and a special event then towards the end of the evening the lady will appear and devour any creatures the lord has captured on the run up to the feast.

To when the group asked if he worked for the Lord Regent he smirked and said no, he serves instead of another powerful female fey who watches this land, the Regent isn’t as powerful as the dancing lady and from what he heard there will be a troll, humans, kolbolds and many fey in attendance.

Then there are the fey rules at the feast he continued, guests are guests and if they behave and show no violence then they will be unharmed throughout the feast. If a disagreement should occur then a contest of skills is involved as a way to resolve the matter. 

Otto informs the gentleman that group have been searching for a young boy, Emissary admits to not have seen a young lad on his travels and hopes that he is returned to his mother safely.  The gentleman then mentions that weapons are not allowed into the keep but for a small price of a favour he could sneak the group’s weapons into the party undetected.  “At some stage I can approach any one of you at any time to request information which must be answered there and then honestly” was the wording of his favour.

Kyrander asked why they had been invited as he sipped his tea; Emissary believed that the group had been invited for the fey to match in pleasure at the group’s displeasure of innocent creatures being tortured and killed as per the feast rules the group would not be allowed to interfere.

Otto asks Emissary to change the agreement as to exclude casting and combat as situations as to when the favour can be asked. Emissary agrees that this was a fair amendment and so the group agrees to his terms and the contract is bound.

Vaneer is called over just as Emissary opens a portable hole and motions to the group to put their weapons in the hole and during the feast he will pass it to Miro to hold onto but the group must remember that come dawn the portable hole will automatically empty out and return to him.

Emissary then gives them directions to where to find the keep and he confirms that he will arrive shortly afterwards to reduce suspicions that they may have been travelling together.

When they arrive the group find the keep in almost ruins apart from one 40ft tower that seemed to still be intact.

The entrance to the keep was on the east side.  Standing on guard outside the entrance to the ancient keep was one creature that looked quite familiar, a Redcap!, the fey creature asks “Weapons?” as he searches the group for any weapons, a job he wasn’t too good at as Natalia, Miro and Kyrander had managed to sneak slings and daggers in.

As the party begins to enter, just as they were walking into the remains of the keep towards the tower a couple of the group notice that nearby 2 of the shrubs seemed to be alive and were obviously watching for trouble.

The courtyard was full of colourful vines and tapestries and ‘fairy lights’ (small fey with lanterns). As they group entered the courtyard they were formally announced by another tall fey creature.

The group take a minute to look around and take stock of the various fey species that appeared to be present. They were surprised to see as they looked amongst the guests to see the familiar face of their friend Chief Sootscale!!  Who seemed surprisingly pleased to see the group.

The Lord Regent soon appeared and mingled amongst the guests and eventually introduced himself to Otto and his entourage shortly afterwards the evening’s festivities began.

As the evening progresses it starts a little dull but as the drinks get going things begin to liven up. The Satyr begins to get a little rowdy and is shortly thrown out after an hour from being too drunk.

Just within the one remaining tower left in the keep the cook could be seen cooking away at the feast, Kyrander and Otto looked with intent and recognised that the black goatish looking fey was known as a “springhilled jack”.

Eventually around 11ish the Lord Regent started to hand out gifts to his party guests, to the troll king he was given a necklace of fire balls;

Gregory was given a nice looking golden chain;

Chief Sootscale was given a bag of tricks;

To the group they were given a ring of fine fey/human craftsmanship.

Shortly after the presents are distributed the Lord Regent announced that the night’s special event was an Auction.

The item up for auction was the talents of the 3 musicians currently playing for the party; the group believe that the musicians are under some magical affect and not in control of themselves so decided that they would try to win the auction for all 3 and then release them after the party.

The bidding was vicious but eventually the group pulled together enough money to win all 3 bids and were presented a box with each talent stored within.

As it drew close to midnight a bell started to ring from nowhere and shortly afterwards 4 humans are brought out from within the central tower, to the groups surprise one of the humans was the hermit Boken, followed by a barbarian tribesman, a woodsman and a young lad whom seemed to roughly match the details of the young Tig that they had been searching for.

Not sure what was about to happen the group sink into the shadows to retrieve the stashed weapons from the portable hole whilst Vaneer plans a way to hopefully untie the barbarian.

Kyrander began the combat by hitting the Regent with his cold iron sword whilst his companion Spot tried to trip the regent over.

Vaneer manages to free the bounded tribesman whilst Natalia and Bob join the fray to provide a distraction from the cleric.

Just as Miro attacks the regent a flash of light is seen from atop the tower. The flash provided enough of a distraction to allow Kyrander to deal the killing blow to the Regent.

Otto misses his shot at the fey chef Ramsey.

One of the servants that looked surprisingly like the quickling that brought the original invitation wastes no time and flees the keep.

Vaneer cast major weapon on a spare sword and throws it to the barbarian to defend himself with.

The fey maestro attempts to flee keep amongst the ruckus.

The redcap standing guard outside and his animated shrubs run into keep joining the fight.

Miro smirks as he attempts to flank Ramsey only to miss his attack.

Natalia sends Bob rushing at the maestro to gnaw at the fey’s ankles.

Natalia throws a flaming sphere at the redcap but misses.

Kyrander shows Miro up but successfully flanking Ramsey and injures him.

Otto steps back and scorching rays one of the topiaries (shrubs).

Vaneer manages to untie the boy Tig and tells the lad to run and hide in the Privy.

The Barbarian follows closely behind Tig to ensure that the young lad isn’t attacked before returning to the fray himself.

Ramsey attempts to cast a spell at Miro, Kyrander and Otto but it fails to hold over the adventurers.

Shrub1 attacks Kyrander and misses.

Shrub 2 attacks Vaneer and misses.

Redcap raises its scythe and hits Natalia.

Miro attempts to faint Ramsey but faking a move to the left and hits him critically killing the fey Chef as he gurgles something inaudible but most likely offensive.

Natalia moves the flaming sphere over to shrub1 and uses her cold iron weapon on the redcap.

Spot and Bob work together and chase down the escaping maestro and retrieve the party’s cash from the earlier auction.

Kyrander swings his fey bane sword at the redcap and successfully injures it.

Whilst Otto fires a magic missile spell at the redcap.

Vaneer unties Boken, who once dusted himself off sets to work making some sort of concoction from the drinks and liquids at the buffet table.

Shrub1 attacks Kyrander and hits.

The Redcap assists Shrub1 but misses Kyrander.

Shrub 2 attacks and hits Vaneer.

Miro attempts to flank shrub 2 and hits.

Natalia moves the flaming sphere onto shrub1 burning it to death.

Natalia tries to attack the recap but misses it.

Kyrander attacks the redcap and hits with his fey bane sword.

Otto magic missiles the redcap finally killing it.

Boken finishes his work but misses the target with his home made explosive.

Otto takes an opportunity of an opening on bush 2 injuring it just as Vaneer casts a healing burst before grabbing the last hostage and pulling them away from the tower whilst Miro attempts to flank bush 2.

Natalia begins to cast a spell just as the dark clouds above the keep open and emit a large flash of light.

At that moment there is another flash of light and the Dancing lady arrives looking for her sacrifices.

The dancing lady appeared to be a beautiful fey woman and apart from Natalia and Vaneer the rest of the group are fell captive to her beauty and the grace of her dance.

Not capable of much more Otto casts invisibility on himself whilst never taking an eye of the dancing lady.

Vaneer casts searing light at the lady hoping to break the spell affecting the other members of the group.

Shrub 2 shambles up to Vaneer and hits the cleric.

Natalia guides the Flaming sphere to shrub 2 and hits it.

Natalia finishes casting and summons 5 striges and sends them to attack the lady, sadly though 4 of the stirges succumb to the lady’s beauty leaving the one remaining stirge to land a hit on her.

Both Bob and Spot race in to lend their efforts but fail resisting the lady’s charms.

The dancing lady finding no sacrifices begins to dance her way towards group.

Vaneer retaliates against Shrub2 and kills it.

Boken throws another of his home made explosives at the lady hitting her whilst the only attacking strige is able to drain her blood a little.

Natalia starts casting again.

The dancing lady moves up to Kyrander and wraps her arms round him as she embraces the ranger and begins drawing his life force from his body.

Kyrander tries to resist the lady’s grapple but fails at the attempt.

Otto casts another spell of invisibility on Miro.

Vaneer casts a prayer to aid the group in dealing with the lady.

Miro now invisible and broken the lady’s charm sneaks over to the lady hitting and seriously injuring her as she screams.

Natalia finishes casting her lightening spell and sends a bolt hitting the lady and Kyrander the bolt only injured the ranger but was enough to kill the lady. 

As the lady dies she shrieks and points one of her slim pointy fingers at Natalia before exploding in a flash of energy, afterwards all appears to be fine apart from a colourless and weakened Natalia.

Vaneer checks Natalia over and even though he had never seen anything like this he had heard of similar aliments and confirms that the Lady had cast a death curse on Natalia with her last dying breath.

After a moments rest the group turn their attention to the boxed souls of the musicians they won in the auction, the soulless bodies where still slumped on the stage and so one by one the group opened each box and allowed the souls to return to their rightful bodies.

Once the musicians had come round and Vaneer had cleared them for good health the group informed them of what had happened and promised to guide them back to Wyvernshore before allowing them to travel home.

With dawn only hours away Natalia shifts into a bird form and takes back the portable hole to Wyvernshore before it vanishes as the grey fey said it would at dawn and ejects all the loot the group had gathered from the ruins of the keep.

Whilst Natalia flew her way home the rest of the group sets up camp just a short distance from the keep.