Talsil 1st, 19 AS
First Morning of Spring
Prologue
After more than a year of being apart, old friends gathered again, the unlikely family that had formed in spite of so much hardship and chaos. And though reunion alone would have been a good enough reason to gather, they'd come to witness the joining of Kaylan Gloriandel and Thamior Serenor in holy matrimony.
The stage: Haven, a small village nestled in the fertile Dawnspear valleys. In its rustic honesty, green scenery and blessed isolation, Kaylan and Thamior enjoyed months of peace, raising their daughters with Relic's aid and visitations from Diana. The sorceress even saw to the construction of the village's first inn, Sunny Side Bed & Breakfast, as a promise of many more visits to come.
Months passed, winter became spring, and though Othyr massed for war, and no one family member was left unscathed by some form of hardship, all of them endured, prospered even, and found themselves on the lawn come Talsil 1st.
Preparations
The hours before a wedding are filled with what can only be described as 'buzz'. The sun shone brilliant, the mountains stood majestic, the gazebos and chiffon decorations around the cherry blossom trees were lovely and inviting. The awaiting feast smelled wonderful from nearby cottage kitchens, and everywhere there was laughter and conversation. Many had come, much more than ten, numbering such old and familiar faces as the Ruskels of The Weeping Stone, King Dokur, General Rho, Blaster and attendants from Savanna, Dame Ashlyn and several Lightbringers from Barovia, Portia and her date Rogar, Selja and Dibs, and the boggart's mother Cheta, as well as Giers.
High Priestess Finduilas Oranar thumbed through The Golden Rule, smiling at the nervous-looking groom. So much had happened to the young man in his young life, events that quaked thousands of years of tradition. His Emperor father had been murdered, he accused of the crime. His people had forsaken him, and now hunted him. And it seemed as if he'd inherited his poor late father's ancestral curse. Yet here he was, at Kalinda's altar, taking her protege as his wife, giving everything he had left to her. And meaning it. She admired him, despite his great potential for tragedy.
Tyvis wandered the lawns, basking in the vibrancy of new spring, keeping his eye out for anything suspicious (goddess knew this party's knack for trouble). And lo-and-behold, he found it cowering by the gifts. The bard himself wasn't so unusual, a half-elf named Gens tuning his lute, a childhood friend of Kaylan's from back in Etheria, but the girl behind the packages with her hood drawn tightly and clutching a leash, that made the newly appointed Archdruid worry. Gens vouched for her, of course, explaining she was a dancer, naming her Raven, yet why did it feel like something was amiss? The way she called him 'lord' and clung to the bard's leg gave Tyvis something of the chills.
Diana finished the last minute details, mostly hand-waving and looking stunning in her latest gown. In the back of her mind, and with the slightest smirk, she hoped she didn't end up outshining the bride... too much. As her well-laid wedding plans began tying themselves up, her eyes wandered to Izzy. Her dear childhood friend had been ruined by the cruelty of mother and Mara, twisted now into a slave and wretch, tormented by things better left undefined. Still, the girl was a sister, a cousin more matter-o-factly since Countess Angelique made Diana heir to Ravenloft and an honorary von Zarovich. She owed it to Izzy to protect her, and save her if she could.
The distracting odor of cigarette smoke drew her gaze to the handsome young man lightly taking her arm. He was so familiar, and yet struck her as a scoundrel. How she'd ever have met his sort was indeed a mystery. And he was a vampire, no less, who rolled Infernal like fire off his tongue. He spoke of her mother, assassins, grave danger, before revealing himself the martime prince Renato Ruiz. All Diana saw was an uninvited guest, and all he'd brought with him was unwanted news. The two became as wedding dates after that, wandering across the lawn, watching, waiting for the inevitable attempt on the sorceress's life.
Relic bounced Baby Bella in his arms, the infant cooing and gurgling, banging the toy wrench he'd made her against his steely chest. She was a little miracle, this one, joy incarnate for so many. But she could, perhaps one day, be joy incarnate for the world. He thought of the secret he was sworn to keep that night in the boreal woods, even as he watched the spring sun in Bella's green eyes and strawberry blond hair and on her rounded, human ears. This was not Thamior's daughter, or Loradan's, but Frederick Norson's, the late scion of the royal Norson line, making Bella the granddaughter of Deucalion Norson the Last, final king of the Nors Kingdom before the Emperor's rise. Isabella Juliet Gloriandel Norson Serenor was through birth or bond the Queen of the Former Nors Kingdom, Empress of the Old Gloriandeline Empire, and perhaps even Princess of Ruined Ivristel. Did he now hold the future Empress of Othyr?
The thought only made him more protective, and his gaze quickly found Giers, newly-risen Templar of the Children of Light. They'd come a dozen strong to act as 'honor guard' and 'keepers of the peace', which dismayed Ashlyn and made others in attendance, especially the vampires, edgy. It was impossible to directly confront the ethrey with his revered mother a stone's throw away, and far be it for him to ruin this special day, but he had be sure Giers would mind his manners. He wandered over casually and traded surprisingly pleasant words.
Cold Feet
Behind closed doors, Kaylan paced, fiddling with her dress and fixing the white flowers in her hair before a mirror. She held a handkerchief close, for every few minutes she began to cry, and the running makeup made her look that much older. Age, old, death, the spectre of her inevitable decrepitude haunted her. If she joined with Thamior, she would eventually have to leave him a hag, while he stayed young, alone, forever.
A light knocking at the door revealed the innkeeper Nyx, a dhampir Diana knew from Saspien. She was a pretty thing, with a disarmingly husky voice, hoping to get the ceremony underway. Almost immediately, though, she could tell something was wrong with the bride. With but the slightest prying, Kaylan spilled her teary woes, catching Nyx entirely off guard. Wading into the moral gray, the vampiress looked Kaylan in the eyes and used her unnatural will to impress upon her the beauty of the coming day. She commanded the half-elf to enjoy the moment and all the time she was afforded in the presence of true love. And if she became nervous, she should picture the guests in their undergarments. As Kaylan came to, stumbling over that last implanted suggestion, Nyx fixed her hair and told her she was on in five.
This Perfect Union
Relic fetched his 'daughter for a day', sweet Bella in his arms, and escorted both girls to the threshold of the Sunny Side, where a white cloth bolt led to the foot of the altar. Gens began his gentle strumming of the lute and flower girls Chiela and Tina danced down the aisle, sprinkling cherry blossoms. All guests rose with their heads turned, watching as Kaylan in her elegant white bridal gown strode purposefully toward her beloved feladrin. None were more enamored with her vision than Thamior himself, who eagerly took her hand once Relic gave his blessing.
Before the congregation of friends and loved ones, Kaylan and Thamior proclaimed their love with the ceremonial guidance of the high priestess. Despite the resistance from Vilthanos, Thamior stumbled only once in his professions. Diana and Gens were called to offer proof this union should in fact commence, and much was spoken of joining, friendship and commitment. Then came the vows, which really gave Diana chills... because she'd forgotten to write them for the pair. However they'd some lovely words prepared, which nearly brought Kaylan to tears.
Thamior produced his ring, and turned to Diana so Kaylan might receive her's. However the vampire seemed to have misplaced the cherished heirloom. Expectant guests began to murmur, some turn away in embarrassment, but just then the ring materialized, floating for Thamior with a squeaky giggle. Ithnot returned the stolen ring as part of a joke on 'Thammy', which he took none too kindly. Kaylan and Thamior lifted their rings to Kalinda, even as the bands began to glow.
Finduilas proclaimed one final time the union of two souls as one, and dared any who opposed this happiness to speak now or forever hold their peace. Big mistake.
Wedding Crashers
In a storm of thunder and arcane light, a green portal yawned, unleashing a hulking centaur clansman with massive spiked club, followed by a swarm of gnarled spriggans with heavy hammers. They charged the nearest guests, though were taken aback, as was the rest of the party, when waves of heat struck from above followed by a second attack, twin volcano dragons, looking like giant, rocky monstrosities with fiery lava veins and dripping, molten maws. One crushed a gazebo beneath its weight, the other buckled half the altar platform. Just then, the presents nearest Gens and Izzy burst, unleashing a torrent of giant spiders led by a brood mother nearly the size of a draft horse! And the ten-tiered wedding cake, left on display, trembled and fell away, revealing a white-and-red painted vampire assassin, what Renato recognized as a Breathstealer. Four separate attacks by seemingly four separate factions, all keyed onto the same moment of the ceremony (maybe they should consider omitting that little part in the future). No attacker discouraged, the fey, dragons, spiders and vampire attacked!
Gens swooped Izzy off her feet, beginning a lively dance that had the spiders' fangs clapping hungrily. Part of his sudden bardic magic, the witch felt strangely enlivened, and they lashed out. Both their spirits sank, however, when they were surrounded by wolf-sized spiderbrood that scratched and bit and poisoned. Both suffered hideous bites.
The whole ordeal was so sudden and harrowing, the princess began to lose her grip, and grew frightened, delusional even. She begged Gens not to punish her, despite his clear attempts to keep her safe, her anxiety and anticipation spilling over into a frightening arcane storm. Izzy's fel magic flayed the broodmother and simultaneously transformed Gens into a devilish tormentor, from which she drew fearful power for other attacks!
Meanwhile, Renato and Diana pitted against the vampire, who wore a vambrace which sprouted thorn-like blades with a quick twist. He never spoke, even as he was sliced and blasted from a combination of the prince's shadow clone attacks and Diana's brutal magic. Nor did he ever land a blow, so distracted by 'Dark Renato' and the raging fire dragon behind him.
The dragon roared and smoldered, every few seconds compounding it's heat, expanding the aura of flames rippling off its black hide. Slowly, but surely, it was consuming the lawn in a growing conflagration. Same its twin, crashed on the altar platform. Tyvis turned to face the monster, sending Chiela off with Kaylan, and then summoned forth the feywolf Krath, a creature that had, months ago, reflected a wretched, depressed appearance. To the druid's surprise, Krath came this time as a multicolored spirit reflecting the many shades of nature, a shimmering guardian that leaped into the fray and sunk its fangs deep into dragonflesh. The resulting wound spilled lava across the wreckage and collapsed the platform entirely. Finduilas took flight, hugging her holy book, but Tyvis and Krath tumbled amidst burnt and broken boards.
Thamior rolled off the platform, then to his feet, quick to usher his bride to safety. The two of them, Chiela in arms, followed Relic toward the inn. The machine man made it first, Tina over one shoulder, Baby Bella cradled in the other arm. That's when the ghost appeared.
An Angry Ghost
The figure stood tall on the roof of the Sunny Side, leveling the unmistakable Angry Ghost blade of legend at Kaylan. He (or perhaps she) wore a blood-red demon mask, and was flanked by sword-wielding drow. Thamior rebuked the figure as Jeda, promising to kill her, but Kaylan feared the more likely identity, however impossible. As the couple continued toward the inn, the menacing figure sent its two drow in after the children. Cannon fire soon shook the interior and Kaylan cried out.
Angry Ghost cut open its hand in response and flung blood at Kaylan, silently promising to spill hers soon enough. Then it vanished.
Banish the Fey
Tyvis marveled at the sudden fury Finduilas unleashed, a beam of light so hot it melted away the rocky outer dermis of the dragon entirely, then held the monster pinned via a hundred herons of golden light.
He and Krath escaped the dragon, noticing the fey portal was still open. More spriggans poured through, and if the gate wasn't closed soon, they'd be overwhelmed. Drawing on the powers of the deep earth, channeled up from his boots and through his staff, he willed the rift sealed. It closed according to his command, but not before a malformed green visage snarled in the portal's shimmer, a creature looking a blend between plant, animal and insect, so sudden and jarring Tyvis startled. When the portal blinked out of existence, so too did the fey. One down...
Guests and warriors free of the fey charged the dragon and the spiders, and other guests moved against the dragon's twin and the cake-covered vampire.
Kill the Assassin
Renato, smelling blood in the water and sensing the assassin had little left, extended his hand and thought to choke the life out of his foe. With rippling buildup, the prince unleashed... nothing. The assassin winced and braced for the worst, Diana looking on expectantly, when out of the blue sky a dead goose fell, soundly throttled. Cursing a storm, Renato glared daggers, and the psychic feedback of his frustration and embarrassment slew the Breathstealer outright. But Renato meant to do that all along, of course, grinning before taking cover with the already back-treading sorceress. Two down...
Destroy All Dragons
And good thing, as the dragon unleashed a vortex of heat and fire that burned Blaster to ashes, as well as the gnome guard, who gave their lives to adequately shield their king. Yet he was badly burned, and his chief protector and loyal advisor dragged him back to safety, covered in their escape by the gray engine Rho, a general of the Verger War, a rheen that would not so easily be dealt aside.
Children and Lightbringers fought side by side against the volcanic twin in the ruins of the platform, but they too felt the dragon's fiery fury. Almost every soul was consumed, moving the aged high priestess into more drastic action.
Finduilas again called on the awesome might of Kalinda, transforming herself into a towering Archangel of pure light. The golden bible in her hands became a blazing sword, and with it she impaled the half-dead dragon and reduced it to an ashen shadow. Two-and-a-half down...
Just as suddenly, she lifted back into the air, and with the crackle and snap of a lightning bolt darted south, to meet what she sensed a more terrible foe on the horizon. There was a distance boom, and then moments later a hot wind blew through the village.
Incinerate the Spiders
Diana lent her aid to the terrified Izzy, summoning for void-forged chains with ripped and ravaged the soft, vulnerable spots of the various spiders. In the process, she forgot herself and called the princess's name for all to hear, including templars. Gens managed to conjure up a fiercer tune as well, played upon a fluted dagger, and which served to incinerate the already-chain-lashed brood.
Yet the mother endured, and two wayward Children charged her, hacking and slashing with admirable effect. Izzy raised her trembling hand to lend her own, but in her confusion and panic, she struck not the spider but the paladins rushing to her aid. They cried out and were boiled alive in their own plate armor. Izzy recoiled, horrified at what she'd done, and from across the lawn Giers screamed with such hatred and rage many heads turned, despite the clamor of battle.
Protect the Children
Kaylan and Thamior sped inside the inn, where they came upon a destroyed common room. Tina, hugging Bella, and Chiela besides hid under tables, scurrying to new hiding spots at Relic's command. The warforged fired covering bursts, often missing the supernaturally agile drow ninja. And they were indeed ninja, trained in the feladrin's White Lotus style, as Thamior could plainly recognize. Razor stars flew and kama-giri whirled as the self-proclaimed Daughter of Pain and Daughter of Pleasure ruthlessly pursued not Relic, but the children.
Kaylan went quickly to work, summoning forth a protective swirl of phoenix feathers around the girls, and closing the gap so that she might wrap her arms close about them. The feathers ignited them, their fire masking the ninja's line of sight, and melting any stars that entered beside.
Knowing the children and his wife (did they complete enough of the ceremony?) were safe, Thamior beckoned Relic, his brother, join him in taking out the trash. With a suppressive cannon fire, the fel unsheathed the bane of elves, which zigged and zagged in his hands like some barely-leashed hound in the hunt for drow blood. Despite considerable skill on behalf of both women, truly worth of the White Lotus on principle of ability (though lacking all honor), Thamior proved greater.
The family intact, Relic, Kaylan and Thamior were able to exit the Sunny Side with Chiela, Tina and Bella safely in their arms.
Hatred
The last dragon was eventually slain, as well as the broodmother, and Giers had a clear path for Izzy. He charged, ready to throttle her. It took all Gens' effort to keep them separated, and he lifted a knee into the ethrey's groin for good measure. The templar could no longer hide his despise for the party, who defended a murderer and called it an honest accident. He cast away any last remnant of good will he had for Kaylan, Thamior, and especially Izzy. As Children gathered around their leader and helped him back to his feet, he wished Izzy would befall such an accident as his lost men before storming off.
The broken princess sobbed and begged forgiveness. Renato, disgusted, ordered her to rise. Gens, a much more sympathetic sort of guy, shoved the vampire off and tried comforting the fragile girl. It would have come to blows if not for Izzy's panicked intervention, skulking off blathering apologies. Not long after she tried leaping before a hard-riding column of Children, Giers at the head, as they followed after the high priestess. Gens managed to spear her out of the way and save her life not a moment too soon.
Hope in a Box
The wedding lawn had become a battlefield, and looked horribly war-torn, with collapsed gazebos, scorched earth, shredded ribbons and pavilions, and a number of fires and unmoving bodies. People were crying, calling out to one another, as thick, black smoke swept the area.
In that moment, a large basket which held many smaller wooden boxes tipped, the bench it'd been resting on finally collapsing. Suddenly color and life burst forth from the char, a hundred vibrant butterflies meant to be opened with the couple's first kiss. They spiraled up into the air and headed toward the sunset.
Some laughed at the sight, some scoffed, some cried or stood dumbfounded.
Epilogue
The inn and cottages were converted into infirmaries, the wedding feast into hospital meals, guests into survivors and patients. Kaylan, Relic and Gens offered what healing they could. Even Izzy managed to seal the more serious wounds of the gnomish king. Villagers came by the dozens to help. In the wake of horror, the community endured together. Guests were able to finally socialize, the party among them, and words were shared both kind and unkind.
Fourteen died during the attack, numbering gnomish guards, two dwarven maids, Lightbringers, Children of Light and the veteran rheen Blaster. Former cheer was now mixed with sorrow, and the sun set on a very charred, very ruined wedding green.
For some, this served as a warning, that no one was safe so long as their enemies went unchecked. For others, the attack only proved how much their loved one's meant to them. Whatever sorrow, anger or quiet relief washed over the party, Gens spoke a true enough sentiment when he said lowly, "It could have been much worse..."
Experience: 657 xp each (30, 928 total)
The Wedding Crashers, 4000
RP Bonus + butterfly ending, 600
Magic: Ring of Shadow Travel (Renato)
Money: 714 gp each
Loot: Anything mundane you might be able to salvage or buy from Haven.
New PCs
Renato Ruiz, assassin with a mouth
Gens, gypsy with a secret
New NPCs
Nyx Melaina: dhampir innkeeper of the Sunny Side Bed & Breakfast. She helped Kaylan get over her pre-wedding jitters through vampiric domination.
Murgatroid and Bruinhilda (dead): Dwarven waitresses of the Sunny Side killed during Kaylan and Thamior's wedding attack.
The Angry Ghost: A silent figure with a red demon mask who brandished the legendary blade Angry Ghost. He or she aimed the sword at Kaylan and promised blood, before sending his drow underlings to kill the children (unsuccessfully). Thamior and Kaylan fear in their heart of hearts it is none other than Takeshi, alive and very angry.
New Monsters
Adult Volcano Dragons, Tomb Spider, Spiderbrood, Centaur Rager, Glum Anklebreakers, Ordo Breathstealer, Drow Ninja
New Hooks
Fey Mastermind (groups)
Who was the mastermind that orchestrated the fey attack during the wedding? Why?
Dragon Mastermind (groups)
Who was the mastermind that orchestrated the dragon attack during the wedding? Why?
Spider Mastermind (groups)
Who was the... trace the spider attack back to Jeda.
Who is the Angry Ghost? (Thamior, Kaylan)
Uncover the identity of the demon-masked figure who now wields Angry Ghost.
A Dying Wish (Thamior)
Fulfill your father's dying wish by recovering Angry Ghost and returning it to the feladrin.
Exiled Prince (Thamior)
Clear your name and assume your rightful place in Vanestar.
Finch's Fate (Kaylan)
Discover what happened to High Priestess Finduilas.
Safely to Saspien (Renato, Diana, Isabella)
Reach Saspien alive and in secret by any means necessary.
The Wrongfully Accused (Tyvis)
Find the Imperial Gulag and rescue your father before his execution.
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