Legends of Avantris - Curse of Strahdanya | Ep. 8 | Phantasmagoria: Part 1

Episode Date: May 28, 2025

Hearing whispers of a mysterious stranger with a monkey in town, the Azran Expedition begins their search for the carnival man who may be their fated ally.   Gain access to an exclusive campaign, Shroud Over Saltmarsh, over on Patreon: https://legendsofavantris.com/patreon The Crooked Moon, a folk horror supplement for 5e, is available for preorder! Get the Crooked Moon at: https://thecrookedmoon.com/ Watch more D&D adventures in the world of Avantris live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/legendsofavantris Check out our merch store: https://shop.legendsofavantris.com  Join our community on Discord: https://legendsofavantris.com/discord Watch our many campaigns on YouTube: https://legendsofavantris.com/youtube  All other links: https://linktr.ee/legendsofavantris   Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/JMLnAW6Ykxc?si=Oes8QzC9EjGbL9S7

You are back in the coffin maker's shop and listening to Curse of Stradania, a Legends of Adventress podcast. Last time, the members of the expedition finally had the honor and pleasure of meeting me after burning old bone grinder to the ground. They then made their way to Volaki, where they hope and pray that the Church of St. Markovia will protect Irina and the children from the evil of Barovia. To ensure that the grounds around the church become hallowed once more, they sought the thigh bone of St. Markovia,

which they found after a deadly encounter with vampire spawn in the shop of the coffin-maker, who they learned all too late serves me. As always, the audio quality reflects our humble beginnings, but does improve over time. With that out of the way, let us proceed with the first part of Chapter 4. Fantesma Goria. You find yourselves in the small room of the coffin maker shop. The room that you immediately left, the disappearing and decaying bodies of the vampire spawn strewn about,

as Clayton begins to pull open the drawers of the dresser, the dresser. And in the hidden compartment, the very bottom, as he pushes down the latch and it pops open, feeling what's inside. The black velvet bundle is almost staring at you as you reach your hands in, and you can feel the weight of it.

The bones themselves older, almost petrified. And as you begin to open it, you see that in your hands, it's not the full, form of a skeleton, but it is what remains of St. Andrew.

This is, I believe, does it feel magical at all? Rolling our puncher. 26. Ooh. No, they don't, they don't feel magic. I think these are it.

So I'm asking, please take a look. Of course, I will see if they are sanctified. And I'll just sort of like throw you, not throw you, but like, There are bones. There are bones here, perhaps. The Troika Khan mentioned bones and wisdom, and I just want to go through all of the other, like,

drawers and stuff just to see if these were the bones that the truth of the department is referring to. See if I can find any kind of, like, knowledge or scrolls or whatever. A rule of an investigation check. Oh, that was almost good. 13. You look through, and you check every drawer. or looking for any other additional signs that there may be a potential hidden compartment, et cetera.

You find nothing here. It seems to be just the bones. Nothing about them seems to be magical or special aside from what you know. These are the bones of St. Ansel. They are the integral piece to keeping the church colored ground against straw. Do I get in the sense that these have been desecrated at all, or do they still feel sanctified? A religion check. Ooh, religion shag.

Hold on. I'm sorry. In the earlier session, we're allowed to be a little bit. And they still seem to be hallowed. I have good news. It seems whatever foul agents were acting here have not yet desecrated these bones so they should be able to create hallowed ground.

So I got to ask, sorry. I'm just curious. I guess it must be some combination of the bones and the location that must create some sort of connection. Because, you know, if you didn't notice, there were a bunch of vampires falling in the next room, and the bones were right here. Yes, they were not properly put to rest. So it will take a proper cleric in order to use these bones. I would say that you, especially with that religion check, would know well enough the bones have to be buried to make the ground itself hollowed. All right, all right.

That makes sense. If there's nothing else that we can do here, we've got to get, we got to make haste and get back to the church as quickly as possible before any word of this spread. Too many people already know that these bones are missing. I agree, and even if it's just us five in the grade digger and this gentleman tied up in the corner, I believe, as we left him. Yes, what we do with him? We should probably interrogate him and understand what he was doing with this.

No, I got to be honest, Professor, before you magiced him, I thought we were going to have to rough him up a little bit to get the info we wanted. Well, I believe now that may be the course of action, Chappert. Did you, did you, like, tie up his mouth or anything,

or is he just tied up? He's just tied up. I'll walk over to him. I mean, I suppose we could just take him to the church. Do you think that the father might want him to answer for this transgression? Well, I mean, whether the father wants him to answer for this transgression or not, he will answer all the same. While I'd like to sit here and interrogate the man, maybe it's best we do it back at the church. And how can we take him inconspicuously through town?

Does it matter? Yes. Don't you think it will draw attention to us? If we have this bound man that people may know is the coffin makeup through the entire town? Oh, absolutely. Professor, if I may, there's quite a few unused coffins in this room. Oh, why? Well, well, that's actually broke.

Quite an idea. Yes. Well, how do we keep him quiet? We just gag him, mate? Of course. You should probably do this non-magically, because I believe I'm pretty tapped out for today. I am very exhausted as well.

All right, Sarnax. Help me find a coffin for his size, I suppose. Very well, and I'll cast my lantern light. And as we go through the room... So you are upstairs, and you're not on that level. You are upstairs where there are the wooden pieces of the workshop where the coffins were together. The showroom is downstairs in the main floor.

It's the first room you walked into when you first entered the... I'll just... I'll pick them up, and I'll put them over my shoulder. I'm kind of like firemen's carrying downstairs. One moment, Shepherd. Sure. Perhaps we should take a look at these. And I'll gesture to the fucking corpses of seven vampires spawn. You see, as they have essentially at this point turned to ash.

There are seven piles of ash. the ground or on the floor around you. Is there any doubt that we have that these were the creations of the countess? Well, I mean, these appear to be exactly what we saw in the basement of that other church. Yes. And if we know anything about what we've learned, then no, I think you're right on it. And then I wonder what individuals have been in life? Were people going missing? Do they have family? But we're looking for it.

Maybe we can ask the father. You might know. You might have word of people around here that've gone missing, or they might not even be from the scent. Why would she be turning all these people into vampires' farm? Are there other vampires in Rovier? I can't fathom what business would she have with such pawns, especially here? Wouldn't she keep her spawn into her spawning?

Given the day we've had, I'm not sure I would put anything past the realm of possible. Professor, consults the reading. Was it not stated that a powerful ally of the devil would be found with these bones? Well, it doesn't say these bones that says a bones, bones of an ancient enemy. Perhaps we were presumptuous. Perhaps this is the ancient enemy. but maybe it's more of a metaphor. Maybe there is, will there will be a lead?

And hopefully this man can give us some more information. There's strogan into a coffin. Agreed. So I'll try to put him on my shoulder and, like, firemen's carry him. Probably it would be the time that you would take to do this. It would be easy enough to put him on your shoulder to begin to carry him down there. And then we'll just try to find an empty coffin. That's his size.

The door opens up into the main bridge. room and as you look around, you see that sitting on the coffin nearest the wall, a woman, in a regal black dress no longer adorned in armor, lace filling out from the sleeves of her outfit. She crosses one leg over the other, and you hear the wood of the coffin creek. My new friends, they see that you are integrated into the locking society. But I would have warned you not to go poking your nose into other people's business, you see. It is not going to make you friends in high places. Now, we will let Heinrich go.

He has done his part, and you can dare. those bones, make you wish. But we won't hurt. No, there is no need. He was simply, and she looks towards him. He's not faced towards her. He's over your shoulder. He was simply out of his mind with last.

Last, you understand. What's for bones? Why? No, for bond. For brothers, this. Things only. A woman like myself cannot. You must forgive him for his.

I will handle it from here with him. And you will be on your way. But we will see each other for dinner. Yeah, soon. And we can talk about us together. You expect me to. just put this man down, leave him with you, and walk away like nothing's ever happened. Of course, why wouldn't you?

Shepard, put the man down, leave him with her professor. And let's walk away like none of this happens. Anger in. You can't be serious. Why are we so angry? She is the countess of this land. I would not disobey an order from her. I, uh, she looks at you in a slight,

smile graces her face. A tendril of near bone white hair falls and lands gracefully on her cheek. She blows it away and it's almost as if it rides on the wind as it finds itself attaching

back to her head in perfect in perfect placement. All kind of glaring at the professor. There was, you see, in the infestation, it was so Kindly to rip the pork-off and maker of it.

I know it caused him so much stress. I'll put the man down on the floor, and I'll just pull out a small knife and, like, cut the bindings, and then put the knife away. Now, friends, go get some risks. At the end, you have been so busy. Don't worry yourselves in things that you should not be getting involved in night. wouldn't want any of you to be heard. Of course not. No, we are just

simply continuing on with this expedition as planned. There is lots to be learned. And when you come to visit, we can talk about so many things. I will show you the cast. And I think you will find

many ruins there called answers to seek books. No, I certainly look forward to it. Well, we'll be on our way. Good day. And I pick up my case, and I just try to shuffle awkwardly out the door, like past her. She watches you, but she barely moves at all.

Just her head slowly turning. Come along? All right, professor. Contest, I'll put my hat. Man. to see you again. As I'm leaving, I'll stop and turn. I'll look at her and look at him.

I haven't said anything to her yet. And I'll say, Am I correct in my presumption that you punish uselessness quite ruthlessly? That would imply that Henry is useless. Very well. I wish you a good evening with one. evening with one reminder.

When there is the desecration of hallowed ground, that does become my business, countess. Great, then you might want to make your way to the chest. As you see, a poor coffee maker shop cannot be a desecrating hallow ground. I will do my duty, as you do yours. until next we meet, Countess, and I'll walk out the door. As soon as the door is closed

and more like 10 or 15 feet away from the coffin maker shop, I just want to turn to the professor and we got to go, now, she knew about this, and she doesn't even seem to care. We have to get back to the church down. Not too, not too wood until we're further away, Shepherd, please, let's go. I'm going to start, like, jogging. I will try to catch up

and try to keep up. So I guess we're going to book it to back to the church. Yeah, I'm not like full on sprinting, but I am going right back to the church. Doing the whole like dumb third affair. Yes. Very much so.

You make your way back to the church. You enter in through the large arched doors and you find yourselves in the empty main walkway, the pews on both the left and the right. right, and you once again see the father at the very front kneeling in front of the statue of St. Andrell. Father, father, is everything all right? He moves quickly as he turns around and looks at you. Yes, everything is fine.

Is everything fine for you? Can we go in your office? Is everyone here still okay? Yes, you seem rattled. We will move quickly. These children are fine. They're fine. And he quickly shuffles towards his office.

You make your way into the small wooden room, the lone desk, as he sits behind it and looks up at you. A bit of alarm on his face. She knows. She knew the whole God's damn time. This is all. It has to be. Unless she has eyes everywhere, and I suppose she does.

But she didn't. even care. She could have waltz in here and slaughtered everyone. We should probably give some context as we... He's looking at you wide-eyed, a bit of confusion, but almost a knowing look on his face. Almost as if he believes he understands

what you mean. We recovered the bones, the grave digger sold it to the coffin maker. We went to... But what reason would me leave old has to sell the bones to hindrick? We don't know. We assumed he did at least for money, for whatever, but we don't know why

Why, the coffin became... I pay him well enough. I'm sorry? I pay him, mely, I pay him well enough. I don't doubt that for a second. But the church does not have an abundance of money.

I can't pay him so much more. And that is totally understandable, but he's something about his siblings, that he needs more money for his siblings. Either way, punish him as he used to fit. We went to the coffin maker's shop. We found him. He took us to the bones,

but they were vampires spawned in his shop. We destroyed them all. Seven of them. It was by a miracle. The grace of Sarnax's God over there. That we even had any chance at all. That must have been a heroing event for you. I do not understand why he would take the bones and leave them in his shop.

Must. Yes. Unless what? He needed... You said, how do you know that she is aware of what has happened here? She was in the very shop once we nearly perished to the spawn,

taunting us, collecting her stooge. She knew that we'd already recovered the bones. She knew. She knew about the bones. She said that he was overcome by lust, and he was simply lusting for Shradanya, and that's why he did it.

And she just let us go, provided we left, provided we left that damn coffin maker with her. He seemed almost charmed or betwixt. Perhaps she placed a similar charm that Mad Mary referenced in regards to her daughter. Have you heard of anything like that? Can she charm people or, I know that she is very persuasive.

She's quite beautiful, and people will oftentimes do things for her. But I don't know of the ability to charm. I do not have much contact with the counters. I'm sorry, but that man is a great danger, and there was, there's nothing we can do. If he is in league with the devil's throb, then he has made his own pass. Whatever punishment he gets would be too good for him. Lust makes both men and women throw their reason to the wayside. And it makes me doubt every single person in this.

land of death. Father, does this whole populace simply allow death itself to walk all over them? No, this is not in the lucky we are fortified. We are far from the gaze. The devil's prod. She does not travel here. Yes, so she has, it seems. Yes. But it is not a common occurrence, as I've said. I don't know what to make of all of this. Either way, we did not dare to defy her, given her obvious power and ability. So we left the coffin maker with her. She let us take the bones.

You have the bones? I do. There, please. We need to get these into the ground as soon as possible. Do you need assistance, father? Please. Let us go. Let us enter these remains.

And he gets up hastily. He doesn't even attempt to take them from you. He sees that you have them as he opens the door and shuffles out. This is the quickest that you've seen him move as he makes his way weaving through the pews until he reaches the statue he's been kneeling in front of. You see as he gets down to his knees and he begins to strain and struggle as he attempts to push the statue to the side. It appears to be on some kind of track. And it takes him a bit of time, but he finds the force to do so. He moves it to the side.

And you see that there is a rough hewn spot into the fresh earth beneath the floors, beneath the statue of this church, where there is a perfect indentation for the bones to rest. You like to lay there to rest? I would not presume the father of this church would do that. I will assist how you would suggest, though, Father. You may lower them into their salt. You have done great here by retrieving the bones for us and returning the hollowed ground to this church.

On this land, Pogdania may not stand in all of her accursed ways. And so, Irene and the children will walk safely upon the church grounds. They will. I look down, is it dirt or is it stone? It's dirt. It's dirt. I'll reach down and I'll try to get, you know, sink my claws into the soil

and run it through my fingers and give it a smell. Does it smell like the same kind of soil throughout Rovia? Okay. I'll lay it to rest. And I'll, um, I'll, um, I'll reach to Professor Azra. I'll say, could please present the bones, professor? I will take them out gently.

Every single one. They're wrapped up in a velvet. So I have them wrapped up. Were they recently wrapped up? Is that what they're supposed to be? No. It's covered in dirt. You can tell that the bones are basically wrapped up in this velvet thing

and place into the earth. And I would say you can see that there are areas where the dirt is not, like, compact against the side, where it looks like dirt is spilled over them. And then, so it's like they're laid on this velvet. The velvet is open on the ground, and then the dirt is piled on top of them. So I will hang my lantern up if there's any kind of hook anywhere.

and I'll hang it up and I'll grab the bones with both hands and I will place them down gently and then I'll reach in and I'll push all of the disturbed soil on top of it and then I'll reach into my robes and I'll pull out a little black satchel and I'll reach in and there will be some really potent ash and I'll just scatter it across. Before you even are able to put ash, he stops you.

There will be nothing interred with the bones. Yes, this is not the time or place, science. We cannot be sure of what is in that bag. And this is not the time for the conversation. Our ways are wits. Please respect them. I will. And I'll take my ass and I'll put it back in the satchel.

And I'll put it back in my robe. as I'll reach up and I'll pull my lantern off the hook, and I will just say very softly as I scare into the flame. Garrick's, you normally care not for the petty squabbles of these mortals. But please cast your draconic eye over this church. so that two lords of light, they protect its grounds, the Lord of Mourning, and the shadow of the dragon. And please grant me the power to destroy. I'll step back.

You step back and he slowly moves forward as he lowers himself to his knees. He sees with his bare hands, he begins to spill dirt. over the bones and slowly pat it down. He places his hands upon the raw earth and begins to chant, a chance to the morning lord. And for the first time in Berovia, you see a quick burst of pure sunlight, shoot in through the same glass window and illuminate the entire area in which you're

standing for just a split second before the overwork. before the overcast clouds are able to snuff it out. But it was there in that moment. A look of shock falls over Father Lucian's face as he looks up

his hands still firmly placed over the ground. I have not seen the brave, pure sunlight a single day in my entire life. We are truly blessed this day. So this is hallowed.

Morning Lord be praised. Morning Lord be praised. That was amazing. And he slowly begins to start moving the statue over the plot again. He looks at each of you. Please help. Please help. It's very heavy.

Absolutely. Of course, Father. And you are able to slowly move the statue in place. I'm crystal. Find a gold piece for everything I've seen today that I've never seen before my entire life. This place is truly a mystery. This is the land of us. This land needs gods of light, as many as we can muster.

Father, is the goddess of the moon, a deity of light as well. I am not a worshipper of the mother night. But it is her light. that leads people to her pasture. Regardless, the children and Irene will be safe. But I worry with the powers of seduction, go long until more minions come to steal the bones again, perhaps bearing weapons or torches.

In this very moment, the only people who know of their resting place. are those in this room, Mimovos, the Countess, and the Coffin Maker. And that list may get shorter by the end of the morning. But in this, in this moment, the devil's throat cannot walk into this church. That must be the reason that she had

the Coffin Maker pain the bombs. There is something here she wanted, what plans to want. That is what has been bothering me. She knew we were bringing the bones back. It's as though she's already gotten what she wants. Oh, well. Your Shrave, but the children are all right.

Yes, I'm positive. I saw them in here. 45 minutes prior. Can we check on? At least, you know, say good evening. If you would like, they're in the first adjoining room to the right as you exit the church. That'd be good.

Take a look, Shrapa. Do we have business here still, or are we going to get back to the... to the end suit. I don't mean to be a pest, but I am Bush. Before we go, Father, what could possibly be here that you would want besides these bones? Any artifacts, is there anything else here that you think she'll want? No, not in the church. There is only one thing I can think, and that is three days from now,

were to have a feast in celebration of the morning left the first time that many would congregate inside of the church. That was my fear. If the ground were not followed, what could happen here, with so many enclosed in such a small space. Oh, God. Aside from this in the arrival of the children and the woman, nothing else has changed.

Either she knew they were coming. Or she had plans for the feast. I could not say. Well, I have no doubt that we didn't completely have plans, whatever they are. Three days, you said? Three days, yes. As in tomorrow, the next day,

and the day after is the festival. Yes, on the evening of the festival of the Blazing Sound. This evening mass, what this whole time? It 8 p.m. So it sounds like we're going to stick around here for a few days. Or please get back here in three days. Maybe we should discuss what our next plans are. Yes.

We do have much to do in Velaki, so, Father, please take care. I will. I will stay in the church. All right. Mr. Morgan, please scold me to the children. No, absolutely, miss. I'll, uh, father, thank you, and proceed to where he mentioned they will stay. I will stay here in my thoughts and prayers, but I am greatly, greatly appreciative of what you have done for me, for the town of Volaki, potentially for Varovia. And first, if you need us. One more thing before we go. You mentioned that if we brought the bones back, you might have some tomb or books about the morning load.

Oh, yes, of course. I will, I will grab that for you. He shuffles off for a moment and heads back to his office. It takes him about a moment, but he comes back with a very old leather-bound tome. And it seems to be a hymnal as well as a text about the morning lord in general, and he hands it to you. You may give this if you see fit. Thank you. Not much of a singer, but still come in handy. There is valuable knowledge in these songs. Thank you.

I'll my keys very quickly, put it in, and I'll close it. He looks to all of you. He nods and closes his eyes as he leans down in front of the statue of St. Anvil and begins to pray and pick up standing. You slowly make your way through the rest of the church, the creaking wood beneath your feet echoes in the high arched room as you make your way towards the door. You grab the handle and it turns easily

as you swing the door open. And inside is a room full desks and sitting at the very front or three bouncing children. They're giggling and laughing. The door seemed to be able to keep the noise from entering the rest of the church. At the very front, you see Irina,

a book held open as she's telling a story or a tale and the children are drawing or writing down what she's saying they seem to be in some kind of lesson. The children's clothes have changed. Their outfits no longer dirty and tattered and moth eaten there now in clothes that more resemble the outfits that you've noticed the Valkian people wearing as they've been milling around town. Dark colors, blues, grays, blacks, purples. But a little more frilly, a little more interesting visually. nothing nearly as striking or colorful or interesting is the Balakie, or not the Balakie, the Vastani, but definitely less drab than the Brovian people.

And they seem to be comfortable as they are engaged in lessons. I think. Oh, all right? Hello. I was not expecting to see you so soon. Children will have a break. Feel free to mill about. And immediately Thomas runs straight up to you, Shepherd,

and wraps his arm around your leg. He doesn't say anything. He just hold on to it tightly. And he holds on as if he's hugging it. And then as you look down at him, he almost realizes, and he kind of leans up against it and kicks one of his legs out.

He's like, Hey, hey, hey, buddy. Hey, kids. Look how well-behaved you guys are. This is great. Is everybody all right? We are learning a lot of things currently. Good, good.

That's great. You got to stay up on that, for sure. I'm going to be really smart so that I can go and I can do all kinds of things and be an adventurer just like you. All right. Well, learning is the first step. That's what the good doctor always told you. You've got to learn. I'm going to be a doctor.

I think I'm going to learn medicine so when people get sick, I can fix them. And then I will kind of be like you, but also kind of be like the dragon. You'll be even better. Yeah, you'll be like Sarmax for sure. And you see as he holds up a picture of an actual dragon. We were learning about dragons today. Wow. I know you're not a dinosaur.

I, child, am also not a dragon, although... He kind of looks at you in his face falls for a moment. He's like, but don't be disappointed. None of us are worthy of being dragons, young child. He looks at you for a second and then he looks at the girls. That's exactly what the dragon. And, however, the fire of a dragon is what burns in your soul. That spark within you.

If you foster it, let it burn, let it spread, let it blaze until it's a glorious inferno. Then you may not be scaled, winged, or clawed. You will have the spirit of a dragon. He is definitely a dragon. He's long-winded like a dragon. I'm surprised you need not blow fire. That's really cool, and he touches your hand. I'm not surprised.

I'm going to do that, and I'm going to use, I'm going to look at it. I'm going to kind of have this kind of strange look of, trepidation and then I'll hesitate and I'll kind of lean down and can I use thaumaturgy to do a little puff of I'm just gonna just do a and there's gonna be a tiny little thomiturgy puff as he does that oh my god did you see that I didn't I can be the only one who saw it did you see that I did I did sorry I know he wasn't magical things very very impressive he's so cool he's so he's so

We will be back in the morning. We just wanted to make sure that everyone was all right. We did. You're not going to stay with us, I would love to, but we have a lot we have to talk about. Is Lady Irene going to say with us? And they all look up at her with big eyes. We just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing.

We're going to go into the in-hour. Okay, then. You four stay together, always, all right? Understood? We will. Because Agrina is teaching us a lot of work. really cool things. That's how I do that sort. That was a dragon. That's great. Promise me, all three of you. But I don't know what color he is, because he's both mean

and not mean and scary and not scary, but kind of all dragons are like that. Keep working on it, but promise me the three of you, you will not leave straight, do not straight far from this church, understood? We won't leave. And you listen to Ms. Irina. I will always. Okay. All right. I will do that. And you are learning about the duality of fire. Continue your studies, child.

I feel. I will do that. And one day, I will be a doctor, and I will cure people and be an adventure. And I will meet another dragon. Very few are as lucky to meet two dragons

in their lifetime. I have a feeling that you may be one of those few. You see as he hooks his thumbs into his, into his best, and he kind of moves from side to side. Yes, I will do this. I have to go learn now. I won't do draw more.

Yes. Learning is important. If you want to be a doctor, stay on top of your studies. Could I be as smart as you? You've been smarter, I think. Okay. Take care. I'll find why arena. All right, children. It's time to head back. at the front of the class.

Please send word if anything, I want to kind of take her aside really quickly. Do you mind? No, not at all. If anything seems amiss, if the father, with the church, with the children, if you're feeling amiss, please, let us us just know right away. Send word to the inn. We don't care if it's the dead night.

You wake us up. That's right. But you cannot step foot off, off these premises. So just find a way to send a note to the inn, and we will be going to find a note to the inn, we will find out. So just make sure that don't leave here and send word if anything seems strange amiss at all, please. I will absolutely. It's imperative for your safety and safety of your children. Of course. So far, everything has been fine. Father Lucian has been completely amenable to us. He's gone out of his way to make sure that we're doing well and he seems very kind. The children are happy so far.

They have a lovely little room and bunk beds of all things, which they're enjoying quite a lot. It's as she says this, you hear a loud slam against the window. All of your attention turns as you see the body of a crow, blood spilling out of its chest cavity as it slides down the window. Having heard the noise and me being like sleep deprived, I immediately drawled with my weapons before I realized what it is. The children scream as they capitals. beneath the desk. It's all right. It's all right. It's okay, kids. It's all right. Nobody panic.

Nobody panic. And I put one weapon away as I walk towards the window. I'm sorry, Professor. I have. Is this a no man? A no man. What? What has come? No doubt. Let's just go outside. I'm looking out the window.

It is a stained glass window. There's no latch for an opening. Oh yeah. I don't want to go. I'll roll an investigation check. 22. Looking at this, it looks as if the bird had this raven or crow. It's hard to

tell. It almost seems to be mangled, but this black avian creature seems to have slammed face first into the window, as if it had flown directly into it. And the impact itself crushing the bones in its body,

almost plastering it to the outside of the window as it slowly slides down the glass, leaving a trail of blood and... All right, everybody. Stay away from the window. It's just a bird. It just looks like just a bird. It is not just a bird. Maybe we should discuss that out of this room. Yes, let's us go around to the other side. I believe that we should not shelter Irene from trusting the danger that she is in.

She walks to you and she grabs your hand. I am not unaware of danger. Sonics. The children, however, should be sheltered. Now is not the time. You can fill me in in other ways. Yes. Agreed.

But as children, we need to have a lesson. on the flight. Now, let's sit down, and let's talk about what's caused for this, and we will move from there. I'll re-holster out of their weapon, and we gotta... Let's just go check it out, and let's get to the end, all right? Have you? Yes.

As soon as we leave the room, and we're out of your shot of the floor of the lot, I'm sorry, I'm just a little shaky. I'm all right. You do it quite. I got to get some rest, but the thought of closing my eyes is distressing, I must be honest. Well, either way, we have to find some way to rest in this time. Yeah.

So, let's just take a look at this bird. I can see if it's magical or not. Like that I have a line. All right. Although it's now dead. I suppose the magic would be able. I'd say you do an archa check to see if you see any residual magic. There is no question that is a similar bird to the one that you killed yourself, Professor.

Well, let's just see. So I want to walk around the outside. You walk around the side of the church and you see the lifeless body of, and from this vantage point you can easily tell that it is a raven. The lifeless body of a raven lying amidst the dead grass and the rocks. As you move towards it, you slowly pick the form up in your hand. Its head lolls off of the side of your hand as blood begins to pool in your palm. And I need you to roll in our counter check. You look at this and it's really hard to tell with it being dead.

As far as you can see, there's no magic currently on it, but remnants of magic you're unable to detect. Also, Presidio, I want to use Presidio to clean up the blood off the window. And I don't really get a sense of magic, but, I mean, it's dead either way. The magic may be gone. Let me try one whole thing, and I'm just going to cast just instantly, so I'll be still standing around. I'm going to cast a 10-net, to detect magic. Okay.

While he's doing this, I am just... Oh, I have to take a lot of 10 minutes. So, do you mind if you have 10 minutes? That's fine. I'm making my back, basically, to the window and what he's doing is keep my eyes on the thoroughfare on the street. Make a perception check. I'm on fire right now. 25.

All right. You keep your eyes, and you spend about 10 minutes to do so. And just as you're about to finish, you just detect magic, you begin to notice, bustling along with thoroughfare. What appears to be a group of about five. five, maybe six men, it's hard to tell. They're really tightly packed together. You see as this tightly packed group of people is walking through the thoroughfare. They have a sign. The person at the head of it has a sign in one hand. You can't really see what it says is they're raising it up and down.

And towards the back, you see that they have a woman and a small child in manacles as they're pulling and dragging them down. They're cheering. Come one, come all, the festival of the blazing sun, as the people in the back are grabbing and pulling these, this woman and this child from side to side, and they're pointing their fingers at them, all will be well, all will be well. And they chant that as they slowly walk forward. You notice that the people that are kind of milling about on the side, look at them, shake their head and turn and continue about their business. This is something that they have seen on occasion. And it was right about this time that you finish your detect magic. And you can tell that there is outside of, I would say your detect magic,

I probably can't, but you can tell it the ground is hollowed. But outside of that, there are no other magical spells in effect. Professor, if you don't mind hurrying up a little bit, there's something going on. Well, the ground is hallowed. The bird is not magical that I can tell. Before we go anywhere, how did the bird come, like what direction did it come from? Roll a perception, no, roll a survival check to see if you'd be able to sell the drug for that tree in which it hit.

I got it 14. It looked like it flew straight in. It was as if it was flying and it just went straight in. Did it cross over the graveyard or did it come in for like a side property? It looked like it would have crossed straight over the graveyard. I crossed it. Cool. Okay.

Just sure. I am concerned at the surveillance and the machinations of folks. I would like to speak with Irina once more before we leave. That's fine. Let's just make it snappy. What's what's going on? I don't know. They're transporting.

For prisoners or something. and there was a woman and a child in Manacles. A child. That's why I don't, look, I don't, I don't know what's going on, but they were chaining at them and dragging them through the thoroughfare. And I just, they went off that direction. The one of the Christmas, the festival of the blazing sun.

Is, please, so that's the same one he mentioned, right? Is the blazing sun? Yes, that is the festival in three days. And they were having a feast in the evening. at the church in celebration of the morning one. Um, why would they have people in chains to celebrate? Doesn't seem right. I don't know.

Perhaps we should take a look while Saoenks speaks with Irene. Yes, please catch up Sonics. He will. We had already seen individuals and stocks. Did we not earlier today? Oh, you're right. I didn't make the connection. Do you think it's related? I would not be surprised. I mean, hurry.

Catch up, please. And I'm going to try to find... I'll be behind me in his room. So the three of you, or four of you, that's Connor will be with you. The four of you make your way down the main thoroughfare. You are, I will say, staying within a good distance of them

to continue to hear them and see where they're going, but not close enough that you're getting really into their space. And they essentially just keep, chanting the same things. They seem to be touting about the festival of the blazing sun and that all will be well. And as for you, Sarnas, you make your way back inside. You open the door to the room and once again, you

see Irina telling the class about flight and how it works and the dangers of flight. As she noticed the door open, well, children, one moment, I will be right back. You stay right there. I would like to see a drawing from each of you of your favorite bird.

And no, Thomas, a dragon is not a bird. Just because it has wings does not make it a bird. Understand? And he, Yes, I understand. And he begins to start drawing. She makes her way towards the back of the class. And she slinks out of the door next to you, looks in, checks on them, slowly shuts the door.

is all well. Pardon the disturbance, Miss Irina. Not at all the silence. I must ask you a question. Of course. Do you know where the heart is? Do I know what?

The heart. My heart? On a humanoid. I know it's in their chest. May you produce your blade. Do you have it on you? What are you trying to ask me to do? I am going to show you on my person

where you should strike could any stranger I'm not going to kill a stranger If anyone means you harm You may need to She roll a persuasion check Natural one So I do not

You don't know that You're a profession I am aficion Six She looks hesitant at first And she reaches into her bodice And she pulls out her blade And she hands it to you

It is not for me. You see, someone like you does not need to be strong and drawn like Kana. All that takes is a quick motion and a bit of deception, and I'll quickly pull out my sacrificial dagger and just to gesture. She jumps quickly. Oh. All you need to do is know where to strike, and I'll put it back, and I will open my robe slightly, and I'll press directly into a point on my chest. Now take you a blade and press it directly here against me.

I don't want to hurt you, subjects. Do not strike. Feel where it rests. Feel the motion. Her hands trembling as she puts the tip of the blade up to the flesh on your chest, and she's staring at it, afraid that any movement could cause harm to you. All right. If anyone approaches you and means you harm or the children's arm,

use that blade. Strike here. One blow will do the job. Yes, so much. I will. For the children. Of course. To the children and for you.

Yes. You have much to play here. I am afraid of that, but I believe you might be right. She quickly moves the blade away and her hands. trembling as she slowly puts it into back into her bodice and she sighs heavily well it was not how I expected this afternoon to go but thank you you welcome perhaps it may save you a life one day but I pray you never have to use it you might not be the person to ask a shit no please would it be wrong for me they're so small should I

get them little blades. I'm afraid they wouldn't, you know, Thomas. But I worry for them ever so much. They're too small. No, they are not too small. Look, I would teach them, of course, the way my father taught me. I got mine around Thomas' age, but... The world is cruel.

Nature is cruel. We live in a realm of death that wishes to kill us. A flora of fauna, even the civilised folk. I'll talk to father, father, future, and see, if and what he can provide. And if he agrees, as I think we both agree, then they should be able to defend themselves. All souls must be prepared to take a life, but should they wish to sustain their own. There's a true word, son. So next, but I must get back to the truth. Be safe.

You swear. we would see each other again soon. She places her hand on your shoulder and she squeezes it quickly. Good day. And she opens the door and quickly bustles inside. And I'll try to hustle to get the group. It doesn't take you long.

It seems like the group of people with the two manacled commoners, they seem to be taking their time on occasion. You'll see as the burliest of the men grab the two by the manacles and they'll direct them in front of

the crowd, almost just like a warning, as they pull them back into the group and continue their chanting as they make their way. The slowness of this display allows you to catch up up fairly quickly. This has been going on for, I would say, about 10 minutes now. You said there's some people out kind of watching this. Yeah, there are people who are milling about going into different shops, some peddling wares, et cetera, and they noticed and they'll kind of look, it's almost as if they're looking to see who it is, and you see that a few people look like they recognize it, and they shake their head, maybe they roll their eyes,

and they continue about their business. Did you say roughly what time at once? I didn't. And I'm trying to think you got there in, I got into the Lockheed about two-ish, or you finished with at the church about two-ish, and then it was probably about an hour at the coffin maker's shop. it's been another. So it's probably about somewhere between four and five.

Yeah. It's slowly, the evening's slowly approaching. Excuse me. I'll just kind of flex that I'm standing around watching. Oh, hello. I do mean to bother you. What is this to say that they're... Oh, you're not from around here. Yes, and they're spreading negative opinions, you know. So, malicious unhappiness, of course. They get to put into her stocks. Is it the child?

Of course. Malicious unhappiness, you go to the stocks. What is she's unhappiness? What could they have done this? She looks around. Really shouldn't be talking about this. And she pulls you off of the road. You see, the Bergo knows.

So for as long as I can remember, he does multitudes of festivals and things, he believes that happiness in the city of Luffy keeps the devil stradway. And, well, of course, anyone who is seen being malicious or spreading in happiness who doesn't believe that all will be well, which is a slogan, that they're spreading malicious and happiness and they're punished. So, recently we have the Wolfsham Jambri. And a lot of people felt that it didn't really do much for the town. And more people have been charged with malicious and happiness, but I'm sure that whoever that was and her child,

they were just saying that the festivals aren't any fun. That's mostly why people are put in the shocks. Because, oh, we'll be well, all will be well! And you see if she smiles and the crowd turns, Oh, will be well! And they chant and they brandish the prisoners around as they once again turn and make their way back up the thoroughfare. What is the punishment? Well, it depends on the person what they've done, of course.

For them, I'm imagining they'll probably spend the night with the donkey's head and the stalks and then they'll be let free. But spending on who you are, what you've done, what you've said, the kind of unrest you've stirred. Sometimes the burgomaster punishes you himself. And those people, I don't often. See you can. But, as you know, all will be well. Professor, yes? I think I need to go to the inn.

Uh, yes, of course. She looks at you and she taps you under your chin. How are you at smile? All will be well. I give her like a smear. Like a, okay. It's at least better. Yeah.

Well, I must be on my way. I can't be seen with those that are frowning in the streets. Thank you for your own. Happy to meet you. All will be well. She turns around and bustles away. Let's get to the end, please. All right.

Let's go. Starnax, we will fill you in. Yes, so right about this point that Sarnax makes his way to you. You begin to make your way towards the inn, this mob still following ahead of you. As you see the inn, come into view, you notice that they continue along towards the crossroads that eventually veers to the right and heads towards the center of town.

You, however, are heading straight to the end and not following with mom. Well, we're already here. Perhaps we can just... I would like to see this ritual in person. You mean a punishment? Yes. There's punishments. There's rituals.

They're performing worship. I would love to no more. I mean, we, we, we, did we get the impression that this was going to be carried out on the festival? Wasn't that one of the things they said? What will be carried out? They're part of it. No. No, she simply said that they're just going to be, um, added to the stocks.

So I'll read doing what you saw when you originally walked. through the town square as it mirrors essentially what she said was going to happen. What was the term she is so malicious? Malicious unhappiness. The shops and homes that enclosed the town square are decorated with limp, tattered garlands and painted wooden boxes filled with tiny dead flowers. At the north end of the square stands a row of stalks, locked in which are several men, women, and children, wearing crude plaster donkey heads.

In the center of the square, peasants and patchwork clothes, I use suspiciously as they use cups and vases to draw water from crumbling stone fountain. Standing tall at the center of the fountain is a gray statue of an impressive man facing west. All around the square are posters proclaiming, come one, come all to the greatest celebration of the year. The wolf's head jamboree, attendance and children required, hikes will be provided. All will be well, the baron. You then saw that there were a bunch of men who were tearing those down and in their place putting up, come one, come all to the greatest celebration of the year.

The festival of the blazing sun. Attendance and children required. Rain or shine, all will be well. The baron. Listen, I understand your curiosity. And I'm not saying we shouldn't go at least to take a look. But, I mean, I didn't even realize that there was a crime for, if we had said or done the wrong thing, God's forbid what would have happened?

This is a very curious place. A crime for just saying something. I... I'm organized. Just talking about. Forster. Fine. At least while we're out and open.

Yes. Let us look, chipper. So let's chipper up. And I think just to investigate why they would need children at these things. And yet we see,

and now we see a children in chains. To be very clear, I'm not going to chipper up. My charisma's like negative something. So I am like very much like... Like, I just have... I have resting teethling face. Noted.

What do you mean to chipper up? You mean smiles. Look happy. Fake it if you have to. I think we're all faking it. If it helps anyone to chipper up, I have ensured that the children will be provided with blades. Hold on. I really want to do main tails.

Well, played. What if they hurt themselves? It will be a valuable lesson. All of the children. Wait, did you give them... You gave them nudge? Well, I have ensured that Irina will provide them with knives. Why?

How is that relevant? You know, this is... That's fine. I mean, I got my first knife when I was just a kid. I mean, Thomas is, what, eight? I don't know. I mean, he's old enough. He's not full.

No, he's... He's seven. The older, the older... The eldest daughter, the eldest girl, Alana, is around nine, and then Myrtle is four. The youngest child might be... She might be a little young, but the others are old enough. It's fine. If she's worth learning how to defend yourself.

She is too old. She's far, far along, four years old. Well, maybe in your culture, but you don't really get that dexterity until you're a little bit older. I mean, it doesn't hurt to learn what they do, and it's for safety, obviously. I'm with you, sorry, thanks. It was a good idea. I'm just upset I didn't think of it. It is never too early to learn how to take life.

Well, these children were just in boxes, me and a day ago. Yeah, we're going to make sure that never happens again. Well, exactly right, Shepard. In those, ladies that will assist in that comments. I plan that they don't have to use them. Maybe tomorrow, if we're, we have some time to stop by, and maybe we can show them a thing or two. How do you?

I'd make a picky chair. Well, if you would like to get some rest at the end, we can take a look and then update you if you'd like to go back. I mean, I don't want to abandon everybody yet. There's still a little bit of daylight left as. Some's going down, but... If you can last, maybe another hour or so, probably, much shorter than that.

We should just take a look around. I'm very curious. All right, about, I'm not leaving you all hanging out to dry. Let's go. Nice. I will turn and leave the party down towards the center of town.

Towards where you're in the mob and said it. It is as you get to the center, or the crossroads, Sarnax, you notice a hooded figure lurking off to the shadows. This is the fourth time you've noticed this same

footage. And as you notice it, you see as, so you're at the main crossroads, the one that heads up towards the lake. Yeah, right here. As this entity or as this figure realizes that you've noticed it,

just sarnax. You see as it turns and heads directly down the road straight towards Lake Zarovic. So you were the only one that notices this. I will immediately say, there is a hooded figure watching us. It is leaving,

heading away from us towards Lake Zorovic. I suggest we look for suits. What? Shepard, there. He may be. And I look the direction that he's pointing. Do I at least see the road that he's referencing.

Yeah, it's one of the main roads. When you were at the gate coming in, the guards told you that there were three gates. This one, one towards the lake, and then another one out of town on the opposite side. And that main road is heading towards the gate that leads to Lake Zorovis. The one to the lake is the way.

The North Gate to Zorovic Gate. No. They are heading down a smaller road towards the center of town near where the coffin maker shop. was. Do I see, do I don't, do I see the figure he's referencing or they aren't going? I will roll perception check. That's going to be a 19. You're, the figure isn't staying to the road, but you do see as a hooded figure is kind of moving in and out of different shadowed pathways making their way down the road. Professor, he's right. And are you sure he was watching?

us. Well, they are watching us. This is the fourth time I've seen this figure. Yes. It is no coincidence that could be an agent of the Countess. Yes, yes. That's a strategy for all information if you can. Only in this town, they've been following since. Only since you started, this is the fourth time I'll say that you've seen this figure since you left the church.

So the first couple of times, they didn't look to be just like... This is at all, but now that this is the fourth time you've noticed. and they've noticed that you noticed that it became suspicious. All right, with that, I'll just start to walk towards that direction. I will follow behind

trying to look nonchalant like we're not choosing somebody. Right, right. We're walking with purpose. We're not, we're not hustling. At least until we get down this road, nothing there. You continue down the road.

This road seems to be lined more with houses than businesses, more of a residential section. of town. As you continue moving through, darting from house to house, you see as this figure shoots across the thoroughfare, pulls a key off of a key ring, inserts it into the door of an incredibly large mansion, the largest house that you've seen in this entire village. The door swings open, a large arched door, and this figure jolts inside. Even, even from this far down, the sound of the slamming of the door almost reverberates through the ground.

Looking up at you, this house seems disgusted with itself. A slouching roof hangs heavy over furrowed gables and moss-covered walls sag and bulge under the weight of the vegetation. As you study the house's sullen countenance, you hear the edifice actually grown. Only then do you realize the extent to which the house hates what it has become. Sark, sorry, is that in? Yes, it was. and this would be another answer from the tards. Do we see me like, like,

clattered outside of, like, something house or, like, a number or a role in investigation. Yeah. I don't know, like, old houses, they would always tell. My fucking tail. What do you reference to science? Oh, that did me dirty. Oh, so good.

It's like a four. You notice that there just seems to be. some kind of placard. It's overgrown with hanging bits of ivy. You can't read what it says. You actually have to walk up to the house and move the ivy out of the way to read it. This is a mansion

is not. Isn't there a wealthy individual leave with the countets? That's exactly right. I pull up the map. I try to, like, like, return us like, oh, hey. I pull up the map and I want to see if I can does this house that

we think is the, or that we got, confirmation is that wealthy woman's house. Yes, it appears to be in the same location. This is right. The Ivy is covering the name 30 feet away. I would like to as subtly as I can use May Chan to just sort of brush the Ivy away to see if I can leave it. Just be aware, everyone, because whoever went in the house is most certainly watching us right now. And they have been since we've arrived.

And I'm not too concerned about keeping this entirely secret. Perhaps we could just walk up and knock, taking a song directly. Oh. Well, I suppose we could. We think it wise to knock, perhaps get invited in. Perhaps he led to a grand banquet home. And then when more vampires fall in the ground crawl out from beneath the tables, and we are all exhausted and tapped out.

Do we think that will end well for us? Mr. Sommis is awfully racist. It seems to be realistic for this land. I suppose. Well, I think, no, Victoria, I think, depending on what we can learn about this state, I say, Mano, and I'm going to send my hand and just gently move the idea out of the way.

If your hand moves the ID out of the way, You see an iron placard filigree adorning the border. And the words, Wachter House. Wachter H-H-H-H-H-R. Wach-R. Wach-H-H-E-R. Wach-E-R. KATHER.

Do you correct me. T-E-R-H-A-U-S. Whose last name was that? The lady. Right? We've heard this name before. Yes, we have. You've heard of Lady Wachter, yes.

Right, so this is the V-O-C-H-House. Okay. But it's, yeah. The W. Yeah. But it's a specific of the grounds water. You said W-A-C-B-E-R. Mm-hmm.

H-A-U-S. Okay. Oh. Um, well, this lease confirms our suspicions. Um, but we don't have time to worry about this right now. We're all exhausted. You especially. I'm all right.

I'm all right. And I think, let's sit back to the end. and we know that she knows. And I would say at this point, because you turned this way and chose to investigate this versus goat following the mob, they would have already put the people in stock. She would have missed that entire. So it feels like it's been long enough.

It feels like it's been long enough that you wouldn't have, you wouldn't be able to see them sound like this. Well, he did damage. I believe in Yono's saying, Yeah, we're at. You're so greedy on me like now. Well, let's return to the end and get some rest. Agreed.

I think we've got some things to discuss before we retire. But we do. At least let's get to the safety of our roots. Exactly right. Relative safety. So we'll return. And I guess we've already got rooms, right? You get.

You make your way back towards the Blue Water Inn. Gray smoke issues from the chimney of this large two-story wooden building with stone fountain and sagging tile roof, upon which several ravens have perched. A painted wooden sign hanging above the main entrance depicts a blue waterfall. We should retire to our room so we may have whatever semblance of privacy we can be afforded in this land. Agree. and you make your way up, you open the outside door that makes its way to the guest balconies, and you find that there are two rooms immediately off to the side.

You're easily able to enter in to those rooms. Entering into the room, two cozy beds with matching foot lockers rest in the far corners of this 15-foot square room. Woolfers are heaped atop each bed. Between the beds, a lamp sits on a table under a shuttered window, two tall, black, wardrobe stand against the walls by the door. This podcast is brought to you by our Patreon. Become a patron today at patreon.com slash Legends of Aventrous and gain access to tons of exclusive perks, including a monthly

movie night and a weekly Patreon exclusive campaign set on the high seas, shroud over salt marsh. You can also go to The Crookedmoon.com to pick up your own copy of our first published supplement, The Crooked Moon, a folk horror tool. for Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition. And don't forget to snag all of the extra goodies, like dice, miniatures, plushies, a tarot deck, and more. Thank you. Put down my case.

I'll put down my later. All right. Well, it's been quite a day, and I believe we need to part of first force of action. I think the obvious next step is to try to get into that house. the walk the next. That what means, Professor? I'm still not opposed to just walking up and knocking on the door. Only two options.

We have the forward approach, as Victoria suggested, or we could you substitute. And maybe in the dark of the night, slip in. I would not presume that if the individuals that leave in that house, our allies of the countess that we have any subterfuge in our pockets, so to speak. They will know that we are coming. They will know that we are here. They will know where we are at every step of the way.

You have the doll in your case. There are ravens in the sky. There are hooded figures around every alleyway. That's a good point. I guess if I may be so presumptuous, The professor is just concerned that if we knock on the door and they turn us away, then we've got no other choice but to force our way in. That's right.

We need to be careful, though, because I certainly don't want to end up some kind of criminal for creating unhappiness or whatever that woman was mentioned. It's quite a predicament, this. The Countess is a strong ally. clearly has a high position in the town. And within her home, presumably, are additional bones or at least some key, some knowledge and wisdom. In my case, is very closed right now.

In regards to possibly defeating her, I'm concerned about the dolls in the case. I think we all are. So I'll go to my case and I'll open it up and I'll say, I believe it's time that we at least end the magic on the doll. I've gave us some power after that fight with the vampire swan, I believe I can get rid of it. If that's something you think you can do

and we can still use that doll to convince this girl that we are who we say we are, then I don't see any other problem with that. So I will reach into my case and grab the doll. You reach into your case and you move your hand around, but you find no doll. Is it behind me? I don't do that. It is in this moment that you hear.

It is one of the wooden armwards against the wall. The door swings open. And hanging from the wooden rod inserted inside, a noose around its neck is the doll. A sick smile on its face. The stitches no longer in the place they had been before, but now in a lilting, almost awkward smile. I jump back in a million. What in the fucking nine hell? How?

He slowly begins to spin around and around. and around. Professor Jewish now! Dispelled! And I cast the spell magic on it. Okay, roll for it. It's that high, okay. Oh, my.

You don't want to play. Horrifying. Okay, I choose one creature, object, or magical effect. I will choose the object. Three spells, a spell, or higher on the target, make an ability check. The DC,

equals 10 plus the spells level. Uh, on a, ability chip. Okay, so it's plus five. Yeah. So we'll see what I roll. Oh my goodness.

That is a 22. Yeah, no, it doesn't dispel it. I'm just kidding. You, you 22. 22. You extend your hand out and you say the, the verbal, um, the verbal, um, component to the spell.

And you see as the spinning halts quickly, the noose completely disappears as the doll drops with a thud to the base of the armwarr, its arms hanging limp, its hair spread out around it. You now see that the strange smile on its face has righted itself back to just the curved stitch smile and had previously. Oh, gosh. Did you do it? Yes. Yes, yes, yes. The magic is gone, but There's evil here.

How did it get into the case? I mean, in itself. You haven't even The case is being in your... I've been holding it. Please do a thorough investigation, Professor, every inch of your case. Please

tear apart this room as well. So I'm going to go through and just look through my case and in every like, you know, my reagent kind of section and then I'll close it and open it and check the storage compartment. And I just want to make sure that like everything

is in there, that it looks fine. Is there anything amiss besides this doll being missing where I thought it was? I know that I'm tired and I'm not quite thinking right. But what if

Are we sure That woman, married She even has a daughter? You rummage through your case And everything seems to be in place Until your hand comes in contact With a folded out bit of parchment Oh my God

Is it a bowl of wet spaghetti? Professor It seemed to have full of Asian You see? In my case, shall I, professor? Yes, please. Okay, you were holding your hand. I thought you had a lighter. And I was like, too far! Too far! That'd be cool.

No, I don't know. I'll ignite the corner of it and just watch it burn. And then I'll just, as it gets to a little small thing, I'll just flip it into my later. And for chat, I just want you got this off. This is what it said. Murder. With a little smiley face. That's horrified.

We don't even know if this woman, this marriage is not another one of these, you keep calling them. Any agents of the countess? I don't even know what to think. I felt like she was telling the truth. Well, being played for fools. I know, I know. Can I pick up the doll and just kind of investigate and feel, I want to like squeeze it. and see if I feel anything inside.

Does it feel like totally normal? Um, yeah. Roll? Ooh, should we even have you roll for this? No, I mean, you're squeezing it. You're, you feel that there is something hard inside of the doll. Shall I? I'll pull out my sacrificial dagger.

Don't deface the front. We need to intact if this daughter exists. I'll turn me over and just kind of expose the back through the through the dress. Is it in the back or just inside? It's just inside. In the body. In the bottom of the main body.

This is the proper form. And I'll lay it down. You don't want to see your creepy underwear? Oh, I saw her creepy underwear the first day. I'm not looking at creepy underwear. Because I pulled her dress up and then I felt kind of weird. I was like, I'm just curious. You place the tip of the blade into

the fabric of the doll as you slowly slide the blade along and you feel it come into contact with something. There's no clink. There's no noise of metal on metal. There is a feeling of resistance for a moment and you spread the doll apart and

inside are three severed fingers. They appear to be not fresh but only maybe a month or something. so into their decaying process. The thick, the blood that had remained inside of them,

coagulating around some of the stuffing. The fingers appear to be feminine, young. Like a teenage girl. Who knows? Is that all that I started to ask in there? I'll look around. I'll start, you know. Hold that's in there.

Why? Do I know any magical, like, reagent power of severed fingers? Does that sound like maintain magic to me? Uh, 24. You know that there probably are some, you know, that hags use strange things like teeth, etc. But you don't know of anything off the top of your head where you're like, oh, yeah, that uses severed fingers.

And I will say that you know well enough that these. spells that were on the doll did not use separate fingers. That you are all. How long ago was it that Mad Mary said that her daughter ran away? It was weeks. I believe weeks. I'm going to hold... Probably roughly about a month.

Does it look like this has been, for my knowledge of... Can I... You could roll a medicine check to see... I'm like, how do I worry medicine in a way that isn't obnoxious? Nine. They are young fingers. It falls within the rough timeline, and the size looks like they could potentially be from a 15-year-old girl. But you don't know how much fingers change for 15 to 25.

This is... Oh, I don't want. Perhaps Shepard she did have a daughter did be the operative word of that sentence. God damn it! What is it with this Godfusaking land? Can we see, like, from his check, how they were... Yeah, it looks like it was a clean cut. Well, it's hard to say.

And why the way, these are from children. Well, that was bad marriage, daughter. Mary's daughter, she's going to go to my bad, Mary. The daughter or not, is doll, it's not a threat anymore. Fingers are removed, there's nothing else left? No, there is not. But for what purpose do we have to bring it with us? In case she's still alive, maybe it'll break the spell.

Alive missing three fingers. We don't know if they're her fingers. She allegedly charms many young women. It's old. connects. Either way, was it not on false pretenses that Mad Mary gave us this doll that was clearly bewitched? You think she knew? Why wouldn't she? There is no risk in taking the doll now. There is no more magic. I can confirm that. I remove all magic from it. It can't be used to spy on us. It can't come alive. It can't make nooses. It can't write murder on a piece of my parchment.

It's just a doll now. And if you could save someone, why not just take it? I'm with a professor. There's always time later to burn. Then you, who will be the ones who carryings. So we're back in my case.

I will place my hand on the chest of the doll where there's a huge gash, and I'll say, the party, and I will mend the gax shut. Okay. So that it's just a full doll without any horrific. Any fingers.

I hope you're coming in. Yep. I hope you come in use. I hope so as well. I am becoming more and more uneasy of the running theme of children. And even if the children are giving knives, lots to stop one of the many agents of the Countess

from snatching them up. The power ground. It's all we can do. I mean, we could hire guards, but they could be charged just as bad. Thus is powerful. And it's bad. First thing in the morning, we armed children. Fair?

Fair. I have some other things I'd like to do as well. We've got a couple of things on the docket talking about this mansion, and we need to find that man with this monkey. The toy maker. Yes. Correct? Yes.

You're in charge. I'll go where you say. We should devise some sort of plan. You quickly hear a knock on the door. Kana, please open the door. My hand is on my weapon. Kana slowly opens the door. And you see the endkeep that you'd purchase the rooms from standing there.

You have a letter arrived from doctor house. And she hands it to Clayton. Is it addressed to me? No. I won't take a look. She hands it to you. Well, have a good evening. She turns some fossils away quickly, cracking downstairs.

As you open the letter, it's very simple. There is a seal at the top of Flourish W. New friends, I invite you to dine at my home tomorrow evening. 8 p.m. Please grace us with your presence. Lady Fiona Locter. This is all far too coincidental. All of this. Do we think it's a trap? It is absolutely betrayed.

But then we out trap the trap? That is my thought exactly. They are indeed playing a trap for us. But I believe that they have no idea what they are getting them. settled into. So here's, if I may, Professor. This place is just

absolute, God-forsaken hellskin. I don't think that there's anything. All bets are off at this point. My only concern is if in the course of what we're doing

they come after us and try to put some, town, city law on us, whatever you want to call it. What thing? As far as I'm concerned, this is, there's, there's no, we got nothing left. I'm not letting anybody put me in some goddamn stocks. I understand, I understand. I, I, perhaps he could appeal to the burgomaster and enough townsfolk, at least, in Grovia village.

It's kind of like they oppose, should not. They would be free without him. Maybe we can somehow appeal to the burgomaster, but if he is this baron that we keep hearing of, perhaps he is part of, part of others. It's hard to say, but I think we are powerful. We could handle some guards. You can get away with your shadows. We can, we have ways out. You'd love me the first time you've been an outlaw, would it check?

That's correct, Sarnax. Not it much as I like to think. I've set myself on the right path, but my point is, if anybody comes for us or stops us or tries to get in the way of us doing what we need to do, I'm holding back. Neither will lie and rest assured no one will put you in a stop us. The city would burn before that happens. How did they know we were saying him?

They seem to know everything. The Ravens, they're ever. No, there's only one in. That helps. I would say your intelligence is high enough. You make that connection. Either way, let's us thoroughly investigate each room to ensure there's nothing

there's nothing left that is spying on us. I can see us while we are here. And I'll take 11 minutes and cast attack magic. And I'll go through both rooms just detecting and if you guys want to like physically shuffle things around,

the lantern. The room seemed to be free of magic. Or pull my foot off. Aside from obviously like your case and any of your vestiges, the things that should be magic or magic, but aside from that, you don't notice any other magics. Once we're kind of realized that we're in not any immediate danger, I'll take, pull off my

and I'll sit down off my lantern and then like finally breathe aside. There will be no peaceful rest while we are here. I probably mean that we have a job to do sense, but you know, in a more literal sense, I'm, for as tired as I am, I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep. You must try, Shepard. I will. I just, I don't even know how to begin to comprehend these things. Well, one day I have time just in mind.

We not to doubt your comprehension. The thing that you do need, however, is your finger on the, that's trigger. Yeah, you can count on that. I'm glad. I am going to retire. I will as well, but, uh, Professor, do you have some spare parchment and the riding implement I can borrow until tomorrow? Yes, of course.

Thank you. I'll return the writing. I will make sure that my alarms are set. Do we care how we divvy up these rooms? There are two beds in the room. We would like to sleep on the floor. I'm accustomed to it. It's fine. You're exhausted son acts. Why don't you take the floor? Thanks.

I don't think of bad with Mr. Morgan and the ladies can share the other room. That's a medical. That works. Once we get into our respective rooms, I'll just,

he said there's like a lamp or something, like a candle or whatever. I'm gonna, I just need to ride a little and clear my head and I promise I'll lay down and close my eyes. And I just want to write a little. You pull out the supplies that Clayton provided you, the quill, the parchment, the ink well, and you begin to, you dip the quill into the ink, and you begin to write.

Just a couple of different words. And at first you don't notice the change, but as the lamplight flickers, you realize that you're not writing with ink. The blood is it begins to drip down the parchment. I like rubbed my eyes and I look at it again. It's just sick. I'm very tired. I'll finish my writing up.

I'll put the candle out, I promise. If you want to go to bed before me, let me take your time. You lay yourself down to sleep after doing your nightly rituals. Are you going to do anything special before you go to bed? I'm going to kneel down at my bed to pray. And as I close my eyes for just a moment, I'm going to see that kindle that fell down from Strade. I'm going to bang my head on the thing or bang my hand on the bed and continue to try to find it. Okay.

You all fall asleep. Victoria, you begin to dream. You find yourself manacled to the, you find yourself manacled to the, the bed. Blood spilling around you. You look down and where your stomach should be is a huge, empty hole. Your spine completely exposed, but you feel no pain. As you look as the blood is pulling and pulling and pulling as it starts to fill up the room around you, you look to the side and you see Kana sleeping peacefully under bed as the blood rises and rises. covering her.

You see her hand reach up. She looks like she's flailing as she's drowning as your blood fills the room. Everything goes dark. Do I wake up? Shepherd. Oh, hell. Sorry, I'm messaging you right now.

I'm focused. I'm focused here. You dream of wings. The wind blowing through your hair as you soar over Gerovia? From this high, it's hard to see what you're looking at, but you're riding atop something, you're a stride, a huge beast. You are a huge beast.

A monster, a dragon. As you look down at your arms and your legs, your wings unfurling as you fly, soar over the land of Borovia. A silver dragon. You let out a burst of flame as you annihilate the land around you, burning this damned land to the ground in your wrath.

You circle around and you find yourself landing atop the ruins of a huge mansion, a place you've never seen before, dragon statue. tiny in comparison to your dragon form. A sense of accomplishment. A sense of power.

A sense of writing the wrongs of the innocent and defeating the devil's straw. As you watch the land of Borovia burn around you, you wake up. We all wake. Yep. Then we do we get a long rest?

Yeah, you all belong. Oh, that's got. Oh, I don't know, I counted. Yeah. Wow. That was... Woo, feels good to have my hit points back. Nice bill for it.

All right. I... I've got some things in town I'd like to take care of. Welcome to join. It won't take long. I'm just popping out real quick. And, you know, maybe... Maybe Sarnax and I will pick up the daggers for the children and show them a thing or two.

So, again, Professor, if you'll give me leave, I won't be long. Please just keep an eye out for things. Sarnax, are you interested in joining? We'll move in our eyes. We won't be long in any kind of lessons that we give these children. It'll need to be repeated anyway. We just want to make sure they're safe. Yes, yes, of course.

If you don't mind, I'll stay in to a bit of reading and writing. We shouldn't be gone wrong. All right. Be safe. Are you accompanying them? You can if you like it. Nothing urgent. Shit.

It's up to you. Please. Follow me? Anyone is welcome. I just don't want to leave a professor alone. As long as Conner is still here. That's fine. Conner will keep watching.

All right. I want to prepare myself. I'll have my invisible sermon make tea in the room. Is that something we can do so I don't have to go downstairs? And I want to turn my case into a writing desk and try to transfer eyewaller. Okay. You're easily able to do that. Kana sits silently and watches the room as you do this.

The rest of you make your way across the balcony, the guest balcony overlooking the tavern area of the inn. And you see that it is completely vacant except for two men that appear to be passed out at a table to the corner, almost in a drunken stupor. You see as the lady of the inn is shaking them, attempting to wake them up and ushering them out. It doesn't seem too interesting as you make your way outside, down the stairs, and along the path heading down towards the church. It does not take you long before you're able to get there. You walk up the steps, enter inside, and you see it just as you left it the day before. Father Lucian is once again still in front of the statue praying. And you can, now that you know where the room is, you can hear the faint muttering of noises coming from the schoolroom.

Did Sarnix get the idea that we would need to purchase daggers first before we'd go there or that... She said she was going to be talking to Father Lucian about obtaining daggers. Okay. But he was going to try to get them back. Then that's fine. Yes, fine. Then, yeah, we'll just go right up to the room, I guess, and head in. We'll knock on the door.

You knock on the door and you hear shuffling on the inside as the door creaks open. slightly as you see Irene's face peek out. Oh, it's just you. Well, are you coming in to say hello to the children? Yes, and I believe Sarnax mentioned something about learning

how to use a weapon. Oh, yes, I talked to Paul Lucian. He is considering it. He believes that Thomas should definitely have a diary, and that a manner may require one, but he believes that

Marshall's little too young. Though we're still in a conversation about it, he is having them cross over later today, and at least Thomas will be having this first lesson. All right, well, I think that's reasonable, given that this is the father's house, and as long as we're still going to teach the young one, because it's only right that she's aware of the dangers of these things.

If that's all right. Of course. He would really like to see how the elder children do with the teachings. And if they do well, they could motivate her to take it seriously. And if they do end up hurting themselves, it will be a valuable lesson. But we're not going to let that pass as long as the lesson doesn't take their lives. No, of course. This is about safety.

In the meantime, we can use my dagger. That's fine. We'll just use one that I have and we'll just give me an overview. And we can do this maybe for the next few days while we're still here. You would like to teach Thomas? Oh, yeah. And I would like start asking his help as well. I'm sure he would prefer that much more so than Father Lucian teaching him.

Honestly, when I brought it up with him, I'm not quite sure he even knows how to we all that. That's all right. And I think we should move forward with teaching Murdo as well, even, we don't give her her own dagger for a little while. Well, if you're planning on doing the teaching, then I don't see why we couldn't. With Sarnax's help? Yeah, absolutely. Well, when would you like to get underway with the lessons?

The children are currently doing their reading, and then we have writing, and then we have mathematics. Well, the professor's doing his morning preparations for the day, so we've got maybe an hour to spare. We can do it now. We've got some errands and run while we're in town. I wasn't expecting that,

but I could push them their lessons forward an hour. We would be greatly appreciative. Well, come on in then. You have daggers? I've got mine for now. Sorry and I'm asking me to just keep yours to your son. I'm not sure how if you know.

Not suitable for a child. Well, we'll do what we can. Thank you. She ushers you in and I'll say that you spend the next hour So explaining daggers to the children. Thomas is completely enthralled.

Myrtle doesn't seem to care at all. She has maybe five minutes of attention before she's drawing and she keeps drawing horses. She seems to really love horses all over her notebooks. But you spend the first hour of the very first day teaching them what they are and how to use them and how sharp they are. And Thomas gets a little overly excited

and nicks his finger a little bit and Sarnax is able to heal it. But it's the first lesson on how dangerous they are. And from that point on, he seems to handle it significantly more carefully. In value of this. In seeing so, Alana is able to tell that

she too does not want to nick herself with it. And so she is careful. I want to spend a considerable portion of the hour a slating, trying to help these young children understand what it means to defend oneself and take a life. Because this is a very harsh reality. I'll say you get to the defend yourself part, and as you start to get into the heavy taking a life portion,

Irina stops you. It's just been much an hour. I think that conversation would be better to stop tomorrow with. All right. Of course, we want to be respectful of everyone's time. And more so the children. They, should you leave shortly after that conversation, they would have a heroine rest of the day.

And it is about there that you're able to wrap up with the children. She ushers you out and continues their lessons. You're now standing outside of the church, unless you wanted to do anything with Father Lucian. And it's been, I would say it's probably been almost an hour and a half, almost two hours since you left. I just, we don't have to repeat it if you don't want to. I just want to find a place where I can find someone who makes clothing and, like,

accessories and have dresses made for the girls and a hat that looks like mine made for Thomas. And I'm willing to pay whatever it costs to have that done. Okay. Did you want to, did you want to go get the professor first since he has the majority of the money? I was going to use the money that he gave me. Okay. Yeah, I'll say if you wanted to do.

that you're welcome to just whatever it costs you let me know and I'll take it out of my own money so while they were doing that I would be just out in the graveyard kind of having some quiet contemplation time and just kind of going through the roads and reading this stuff okay I'll say you're easily able to do that a lot of these seem incredibly old uh roll uh roll a perception check You weave your way through, so you're separating, essentially. You're staying behind while he heads off to. Just while they were inside teaching kids, I would have just been kind of in the yard of the church. So in the meantime, you're meandering through.

And one of the things that you notice is, I would say it's about 15, maybe 20 minutes in. You start to notice that on some of these tombstones are the words, had a soul, lacked his soul. without a soul, with a soul. And not all of them have this, but there are tombstones that will say the name died here this day without a soul. Interesting. So they would have one of those four,

not more than one. They would have one of those scores. Whether it said without a soul, lack soul, with a soul, or they wouldn't have anything at all. Not every single one of them has it. You leave the church and you're able to meet up with Victoria.

Yeah, again, I don't have to repeat the whole thing or anything like that. But basically, whatever I find, I want to have those items made, I'll pay whatever cost to have them made with the explicit direction of when they're finished. If I don't come back to pick them up, they're to be delivered to the church to the three individuals. And I'll pay extra for that. So it'll be 30 silver. Done.

And how much time are we going to say we'll have transpired? Just, I can get back. By the time you make your way, to the center of town, to the shop, you're easily able to walk through town. You see the stocks, you see that those two people that you remember from the day before are there with the people who've been, the women, children, etc., that had been there the first time you'd walked by. The stocks are now almost full as these people are manacled into them with the plaster donkey heads over there, over their actual heads. and you're able to walk by. People mill about seem to be disgusted by it,

but you see as they walk away, they all put a plaster on fake smiles and nod at each other. All will be well. All will be well. As you make your way through, the entire thoroughfare is lined with shops, produce, which seems to be really lacking. And the items that they have seem to be,

at least partially rotting, but there seems to be enough for some. sustenancy, baker's shop. You also find you walk past a strange, darkened building labeled Blinsky's Blinsky's. And your eyes dark to it for a second, but you continue on without Clayton with you. As you make your way towards what appears to be a tailoring boutique, a sign, no name on it, just with a symbol, a symbol, a school of thread, and a needle. as it swings back and forth in the wind. You make your way in, you spend a little bit of time with Laslo,

who appears to be the owner of the Taylor Shop, and you direct him to what you would like to be made and where to deliver it. And he says it will take about three days, given the, luckily the size of the children makes it a much easier thing to craft and that he will have it delivered for you. All right.

All right. You easily make your way back to the inn. As you make your way in, you're walking along the guest balcony that overlooks the tavern area. And you see now that it is just the owner, as she's cleaning up behind the bar, the two drunkards that were passed out on the table have since left. And you make your way into the room to find Clayton and God. I believe I've successfully transcribed everything that I found in, in that house

exactly everything I'm amazed I was very productive I'm happy now so we have some time before our dinner on our way back I do not know if you noticed

the toy shop that we passed yeah I was keeping my eye off for it I believe that should be our next stop it didn't appear to be open but at the very least we could No, you know, wait. See if anybody shows up. Yeah.

Professor, or Victoria, will you refresh my memory on what Madam Eva said about the bones of the toy maker. This was the bootback card for not mistaken. This card sheds light on one who will help you greatly in the battle against darkness. Look for an entertaining man with a monkey. The man is more than his sense. So if this is right, if these cards are accurate, this man may put up some kind of front, or some, he may try to rebuff us, and I don't think we should take no for answer. I agree. It is fated that he will aid us whether he likes it or not.

Well, you were out in the belt. Did you see where his shop is? We did. He did. All right, then leave the way. Done. So while we walk, my guy, which is it off? Of course. I spent some time out from the graveyard,

but the gentleman were teaching the children. I saw something peculiar on the headstone. It seems each one was to know it with a recollection of the soul. Either they had a soul, and they did not. How many had souls versus those that didn't? Significantly more did not have souls. Meaning that most people that die do not have their soul. It's curious.

Yes. It is curious. In my past research of Borovia, does that strike a bell at all? Nope. I don't, unfortunately, that doesn't sound familiar at all. But what would rob them of their souls, if not being mad itself? So I guess we'll continue. We'll continue along down the winding paths.

the strolling commoners, until you make your way to the merchant district. You head straight towards the strange, dark shop of Blimski toys. This cramped shop has a dark entrance portico, above which hangs a wooden sign shaped like a rocking horse, with a bee engraved on both sides. Flanking the entrance are two arched, lead-framed windows, through the dirty glass, you see jumbled displays of toys and hanging packers bearing the slogan, is no fun, is no Blinsky. So this is it.

I guess he's open. It's a little dark in there. I'm failing to see what the proprietor of this establishment could do to aid us in our battle against the darkness. Out of character. We showed the doll to someone, and they said it walked. like one of hits. It has a label on the side that says, is no

fun, it's no Blinsky. Right. Okay. Well, I mean, at the very least, I'm not going to make assumptions. I'll take my hat off and I'll try the door. The door gives you just a tiny amount of resistance, but it seems to be just

the rust in the mechanism as you're able to turn the knob and push the door open. A small jingling bell dingles as you walk in I don't know I think of dinkles. Jingles. As you walk in, I don't know I said dingles.

As you walk in, dust puffs up around you. It doesn't seem like this place sees much traffic. Lining the walls are the creepiest of toys. Off the side, you see a transparent bag is fine, almost silk-like fabric woven together, just enough that you can peer through it. and it appears to hold what looks like marble eyeballs, a strange doll with misshapen heads and lolling smiles, very reminiscent of the doll that you have,

seems to line and fill every single corner of this place. And behind the dark wooden desk hunched over seems to be a man in a purple outfit, a jester's hat upon his head. He's a large man, chubby, and perched on his shoulder is a monkey. A live monkey. Not a doll, not a toy. You see as it rifles through his hair beneath the cap and seems to be picking and eating things from his scalp. After you, professor.

Hello, my good man. Do you happen to be the man known as Blinsky? Well, hello, welcome to Blinsky's. Blinsky's toys. Is that a yes? You are Blinsky or are you just a plan? Are you looking to buy toys from Blinstein? Potentially, these are lovely dogs you have here.

I must say I've never seen a monkey quite like that before. Oh, you like Piccolo. Piccolo? Oh. I do very much. You like Piccolo. Would you like to hold him? Uh, well, perhaps. Piccolo, you pick his hair, and he holds Piccolo out to you.

You see this pet monkey. Um, and he's got a strange little mask on his face that seems to be fashioned for him. It's, um, stark white with rosy pink cheeks. He looks strange wearing it, but he doesn't seem to mind that it's on him. And he has a mask? As the monkey leaps from Blinsky's hand directly onto you and immediately starts picking through your hair. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, what's the hat?

I take my hat off and say it. You move it just as you seem to make a motion for it. He reaches out and then goes back to picking at your hair. Well, this is not the most comfortable. So I will ask you again, are you, Mr. Blinsky? Are you Mr. Blinsky? Oh, it's a pleasure. My name is... It's on design. It's no fun. It no Blitzky.

Well, that is a very charming slogan indeed. I came up with it myself. I am the master of tiny wonders. Well, I wanted to ask you something. I have a question. Here we know, in my case will float up and open. You see, you look interested at what you're doing. And I will pull out this doll. And I'll say, does this look familiar? It is one of my creation.

There's a tag. Do you remember who you sold this one to? He sold that too. Mary for her daughter, and now I'm French. God is acting as hard. It was the music to be. It was for accordions. It was for Mary, for her daughter.

So, Mary did come here. Do you know, have you met her daughter? before. It was delivered. I have not met her or her daughter. I see. Did you say it recently? Fifteen years ago. I see. It's got a pretty good memory then. They're all in here, every toy I've ever made. No. Would you like a tiny gallows? And he reaches over and you see a tiny gallows. You pull string. It cuts vegetables if you like. Why would you even? Does it look like you could put a finger in it? Yeah.

Be careful. Do you want to toy you're hearing Blinkskys? Do you practice the medicinal arts, Mr. Blinsky? I do not. I am but a humble craftsman. Have you ever been to Borobie Village? Maybe once or twice. Maybe or definitely?

Definitely once or twice. I don't travel often. I prefer to stay here and to work on my creations. The monk, is he from Barovia? I am not sure where. He came to me recently, but I like him. How recently? Maybe a month or so.

He was given to me by this strange traveler in town. He's staying at the blue water in. So you haven't had the monkey long? No, it was traded to me for some points. He was quizzical, this man. Wow. I think that's it. I think we're done.

He's the carnival man. The man with the carnival wagon? We don't know him, but maybe we'll find him. Oh, everyone knows of him now. Do you know his name? Yes, his name is Ritabio. Shepherd does literally that. Professor.

Rick Tavio. Yes. Have you spelled that? Just like it sounds. Doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how it's spelled it. It matters what it starts to end with, my friend. And that is?

R and the O. That is that. Well, I appreciate this lovely doll. I would really appreciate... Would you like to buy some work from me? I have some new things. I have these hag doll. And he shows you what looks like a horrific hag doll.

It seems to be made out of some kind of flesh woven together. It appears to be animal flesh, not human flesh, as far as you can tell. Sir, we're not buying anything from you. Put that goddamn thing down. Just like you would think a hag would smell. No. Do you have a little baby in your family? Do you want this?

This is a death rattle And he pulls out what appears to be a rattle But the head of it is a skull Do you like? There are little bones inside the jingle And make the rattle noise You are an appalling individual I am not

I am a genius I'm a creator of tiny wonders Do you have anything More agreeable? Well, let me look I have Would you like this Little coffin?

No. I wouldn't like a little coffin. Anyway. Are we done here? I think we're done. I was thinking maybe you could get a toy for the tree. Do you have a dragon, Mr. Blinsky? Played a dragon.

No, but I could work on one for you. Sorry. Sorry. I should watch you before. We don't do this here. Oh, I see that you have a lantern. Would you like this land? And he holds up a simple lantern with a hood covering.

The hood spins as the bass plays a music box tune to reveal pictures of clawed monsters, winged demons, witches and wolves all over the wall. Different hoods seem to be able to be purchased telling different stories. How much is that? The little hooded lantern? Yes. Do you want the set of ten different story hoods? I mean, that's a certain page of that. It will be.

Three gold pieces. All right. I don't want to be presumptuous, but I'm going to go ahead and guess you didn't make that. I did. I make everything else. I don't actually... I am not as good as Von Berg, but I am learning. If it's all the children, that's fine. That's as good as you know.

Can I recall... Von Berg? What? As good as whom? Von Berg. He is my... Well... I consider myself to be a student of the great inventor and toy maker Fritz von Berg.

Fitz von Berg. You know, speaking of him, I hear that Lady Sturtania has one of his masterpieces in her castle. A tiny clockwork man. You know, she likes newcomers to Barovia. Like a wind-up tour. Yes, like a clockwork man. If you happen to make your way to dinner, because she likes... likes your kind. Do you think you can check him out for me? I've asked on multiple occasions.

No one's come back. So I'm assuming they can't find them. But if you happen to be there, would you look for the clockworkman? Sure. Whatever you said. If I could study that little clockwork man, I could make amazing things. All right. Yeah. Yeah. We'll see what you. But speaking of this, you, you, you look like you are a smart man. Would you like a tart in the butt? Based on the name, I don't believe so.

Are you sure? Tell me what it is. He opens up the cabinet, and he pulls out a depiction of a hag stirring a cauldron with two withered cloth arms. As he cranks the stir, a haunting tomb plays, as the tune crescendo's scream is heard, and a child's head pops up out of the cauldron. Oh, I'm done. Put it down. Reset it.

he pushes the child's head back into it. Put it down now. We will be going. Good day, sir. Please move this one. But what about my Vizani fortune teller? Go on. He holds up

a clockwork bust of an old woman that comes to life when he puts a silver coin in the slot. She moves back and forth. Is sort of question? What is my name? Oh, sorry. Sometimes she lies.

It's fine. Let's sit down under the cabin. Well, it's charming. Yes, but no, I believe the lantern will be fine. Well, thank you. Good day. Please take your monkey and I rip it off and I throw at him. E!

Leave don't her speak a lo! He's one of the most valuable things I have ever gotten. I'll put the doll back in the case. and I'm sure you don't want to look through more I have a flayed rocking horse We're sure Yes please

Baby we'll come back A flayed rocking horse Cars to look like a horse Whose skin has been removed These muscles, tendons and blood vessels Are all intricately shown Indian rocks back and forth Do the children of this village

Find this amusing Well you know They take what they can get Do you do commissions I do. What would you like to have created? A dragon. Just a dragon? A great red dragon. Do you know what that looks like?

I know what a dragon looks like? Does, is he going to breathe fire? Do you have that ability? I can see what I can do. Yes, fire. Fire for flame. And if you put your fingers near its mouth, it will bite them off. No, no, not that. Flame. Produce flame. Then gold beasts who are commissioned.

I like lean in towards Tarnax and like whisper to him. Don't give any of the kids that might harm them. I don't trust this guy. If a toy dragon harms them, it will be a valuable lesson. I mean, I don't, I get that. I'm not doubting that or you. I doubt this guy's ability. I don't even think he's malicious.

I think he just might be an idiot. He is made all this wonderful ability. I just realized. And he looks through this big leather bound tomey. He goes back probably about halfway. I gave that dolly name. That's morbid molly. Yes?

Yes. This dolly? Yes, morbid moorbed molly. And the purchasers of this doll, they knew that before they bought this. Yes. Of course they did. Coving to make it. It's such an interesting name.

I looked at her and I said, as I stitched her lips on. You look like a molly. That's very creative. I believe he meant more of the morbid aspect to her moniker. Yeah, you know, that is just what came to Blaski. Before we leave, while we're doing our transactions here, what do you fill these dolls with? You know, beats of fluff that you find.

the ground, some hay who's thralled grass. It just depends on what's available at the time. And that's it. Of course. What else am I going to put in it? That's a great fucking question. Do I completely agree? Do I recall before

Sarnax cut the doll open, did the seeming look to have been disturbed or did it look kind of consistent with the rest of... I mean, the seeming on it was pretty haphazard to be given. Oh, it was. Okay. So it's not... It seems like it's... I guess it's arrived.

It's created in a way that it was intended. The craftsmanship seems great for how it was intended, but it's not... So there wasn't some obvious thing where it looked like it had been ripped open and re-stitched. Yeah. Okay. Got it. Do you want to buy the burglomaster's hand? That is a local favorite.

I mean, of course, you know. What is that? I did ask. Yes. What is that? Well, it is a clockwork dismembered hand wearing a long. white glove with an ornate signature ring and dress shirt cuff with jammed cuff links. And move around on its fingers when wound up.

That actually sounds a bit of fun. How much is it? Three gold pieces. Pay the man, Professor. Why? Pay the man. That is an absurd. What else do you have?

Would you like to get the laughing top? What is it? A wooden spinning top that looks crudely carved. Okay, when did I write this description? It looks finely carved. Yet when it's fun, it catches the carving in such a manner as to make the sound of children laughing or crying in the distance, depending on which direction the top is fun.

No, we don't want that. Do you have any dinosaurs? Let me look. I've got a jester marionette, a wooden puzzle box, a faceless doll, coughing jack in the box with few things. Marionette puppet theater, Toy Vistani Bagan, pair of points, clown mask, wouldn't top, stuffed bath. Put up Bistani dolls,

headless doll with detachable heads, miniature gallows, with nesting dolls, Batmobile, musical merry-go-round, strad ben, quillquist dummy, nightmare rocking horse, a zombie doll, poised with dice. Another straw doll,

I have some eye marbles, bone-fly whistle. I've got another hat doll. I got bone dominoes. I've got this stitched together, little teddy bear. I've got a Ravensong music box. What is that?

Oh, the Raven song music box Six o'clock where Raven that sits the top of porcelain skull You see this skull right here Winding the mechanism in the back plays an airy tune While the Raven picks the empty eye socket To the rhythm of the music

How much is that? Three gold pieces Professor Is that it? That's it! I'm cutting your other Is there a dinosaur? Let me look We've got an executioner's coin bank

I've got the hearse I'm with me see. Leel Undertaker's understudy. Ah, that's pretty much. And then I've got these entire set of dolls back here, and he opens a cabinet, and you all immediately see pristine near perfect dolls,

maybe 20, maybe 30. All of their faces, an exact replica of Irene. You stare in, and you see the likeness. at least 20 to 30 likenesses of Irina staring back at you. These are a little more boring, but, you know, they get the job done there, toys. Professor.

Yes? Please, sell me. Please do not tell me you are most intrigued by the boring dolls. Yes, yes, we are. You tell me a bit about their construction. Well, they are made with what I can find around here, like most dolls.

I spend a little more time on them, because if I don't, I get yelled at. And, you know, They're just very boring. You can't yell at by who? The man who has made them for him. Why? Untoose. At least you stay a local man around town.

I suggest you start talking. I suggest you get out of my shop if you are going to be rude. No, no, no, no, we don't have to be rude. Where did you get the inspiration for the faces of these thoughts? They're quite beautiful. I just, I need to make them once. months and then everything is all will be well

all will be well and why do you care so much about these dolls? I was just curious that a grown man would have such need for so many dolls do you know what he does with them? I don't know

it's none of my business and a new one every month do they do anything particularly interesting? No, that's why I'm surprised you care most about these. They are literally just dolls. It's not like any of these fun, boys.

Let's see. Well, he certainly sounds like, interested in a lot. Any insight check this here? Yeah. 22. Yeah, he seems to be completely honest. He's really confused as to why you care about these dolls

instead of the more interesting toys that he's shown you. and he seems to be uncomfortable answering questions about the person who So do you sell these off? I make extra, so like I would sell some of these, but you could not have them all. Though it does disappoint me quite a bit that you're not more interested in the earth. How much for one of those? Three gold pieces. Professor.

I'll take one. Okay. You can pick one. Are they all? They're all roughly the same. They're just wearing different dresses. And you notice that, like, as you go through them, the faces are more and more close.

Like, from the top to the bottom, it seems like the faces are slowly getting better over time. It's like mastering the structure of the face. Of course, well, there you go. I'll start through payments, and I'll do my little business, and I'll cast suggestions on him. Yep.

Um, well, you all hear your opinion, and you simply must tell me everything there is to tell about these dolls hold nothing back. Yes, absolutely. I'm so excited that you are a patron of my shop. I've been making these dolls for quite a while now. at Order of Isaac Strazny. He's the strange man that works for the Burkow Master. He told me exactly how to make them. And every time I'd get it wrong, he'd yell at me until the face got better. I don't know why he wants this face.

I just know that he wants these dolls. So I make them. It's very disappointing to me that he doesn't want one of these very interesting toys here because they are much better than these dumb doll with his dumb face. Well, I understand. your pain, although the face is very beautiful. So he said his name was Isaac Straugny? Strosny, yes.

Strosny, all right. And he worked for the burgomaster. What does he do for the burgomaster? He's like, how do you call a henchman? He's like the muscle. He's one of the men that strings up anyone who is caught being unfun in town. Un fun. Yes.

So he is working, is it really the burgom? that wants these dogs? I have no idea. As far as I know, it is Isaac. He comes in sneaky-like every month, and as long as I make sure he has a doll, he doesn't rough me up. How big is this guy? He is pretty big. Not big enough, Shepard.

That's wrong, thank you. All right. Well, um, do you happen to know where he lives? He has a room in the burgomaster's mansion. And is the burgomaster also known as the bearer? Yes. I see. Um, well, friend, thank you so much for these dolls.

Would you like to buy any more of my toys? No, we've already given you 20 gold at this point. I know. That's quite a good of gold. It's been pretty great for me. Please make sure you let everyone know. It's no fun. It's no Blinsky.

You found toys at my shop and I do commissions. Yours will be ready in about a week. I will come back and I hope it is leading flame. Yes, come back with more coin and I sell you. What more things if you would like me, too? All right, good day, sir. You've made me very hippy. I'll turn and I leave.

I'll follow the other. As I'm leaving, I'm just going to each of the things that we got. I was looking at it, physically, be fascinated with the clockwork. You either? Well... It's an absolute right. I just don't understand what it is about this place.

Why, why have toys designed after tags and children? I don't understand it. This whole world is a nightmare, and I think more and more it is almost literal. I believe you're right, Sonax. I wonder, I think at some point we need to speak with Irene. See if she knows about the existence of these stalls. See if she knows anything about this Isaac, about the baron. She's never left Rovia Village.

This seems entirely unlikely. While I'm in full agreement, and I couldn't. Can I stress that enough? It doesn't seem like it's going to. to end or stop or go anywhere anytime soon. More importantly, there's a man back at our end that we need to speak to. I agree. I didn't want to put that on their shoulders until we know more about it.

Agreed. That's good. Is there any way we can hurry back to the end? Either way, I put the doll in my case. You make your way back to the inn, and you are just going in through the main. the main room, you walk into the main tavern area and it is once again just the same woman cleaning up behind the bar as you enter. She waves kindly at all of you as she continues to dry out some of the cups that she's been washing. I guess I will. Excuse me,

excuse me, miss. Uh, yes, yes? Um, do you happen to know of a, uh, conical man who's staying here?

Yes, we just, we were about to tell him we heard lovely things. Oh, he's quite entertaining. Um, we are,

we are very, uh, charmed by carnivals in general and we'd love to just chat with him. He's saying here? He is. Uh, you won't be back until the evening,

though. He's out. most of the day. He left early this morning. Oh, well. You'll have to catch him later. Do you know where he goes? Is that a lot of town? No, not much so. I believe that he checks on his carnival wagon

that's stationed in town. But he's quizzical. He likes to learn things. I know he visits a lot of people and asks a lot of questions. forms magic.

Sounds like our professor. So he is a man of al-cane skill. I'm not sure if they're tricks or actual magic. It's interesting. Nonetheless. And where was his wagon,

Intel? In this wagon, I believe that it's station. Is it still totally empty, by the way? Yep. So it's been empty like every single time we've seen it. You didn't go into the area

before you went to bed last time. Right. But we woke up there like a couple of drops. Yeah, a couple of drops. About it. You know that she tells you that it's stationed at, Erasek stockyard actually. Arasek.

Arosek? Yes, it's a small family-owned stockyard, but I believe that I've seen the carnival wagon when I've walked by. All right. Well, thank you. I look forward very much to meeting this, man. Yeah, I'm sure he would be happy to meet you as well. I hope that you're finding your saying a lot.

He is comfortable and happy. Are you excited about the festival? I'm interested in... I would offer you a drink. But? No. Don't you worry you're going to die. Jeez, is there something wrong?

Something we could help with. Well, nothing you can help with, I'm sure. My husband isn't going to want to talk about it. If you had the pleasure of meeting Irwin, I don't think we had. Tell me around this evening. I'm sure he would love to meet you all. We, our stock of wine has been running low.

The shipment from the winery hasn't come in. Edward from Brovia, the village of Brovia, of course, but theirs does not arrive yet either. I'm sure you're having a wonderful time in here, of course. All will be well. But without wine, the townsfolk tends to be in dire streets. And we're running on our last night. So I would offer you some, but I really should keep it for this evening.

That's what I certainly understand. Will there be unrest. And what was it, malicious unhappiness? I couldn't begin to imagine. if there were to be no wine at the festival. Oh, let's not think about that. Hopefully, Irwin will have figured out what's going on with the shipping from the winery.

This has never happened before, so I'm sure that there's a simple reason as to why, and he will result it. Of course, and as we all know, all will be well, of course. All will be well, and she smiles at you, and you can tell that the smile is. force. But the festival should be quite fun.

I'm sorry. Did I get your names? I don't think so. I apologize. Ma'am, my name is Shepherd. It's lovely to meet you, Danica. I believe we max, but my name is Frusaclit and Azvan. My head has not been, if it weren't attached to my neck out of lost. Victoria, it's nothing to be true. Starnex of the Eboo.

would, is it a common practice of your people to get lost in temporary distractions from the misery that surrounds you constantly? Well, forward, I see. Um, yes, yes, it is. The wine helps quite a bit. Do you know what dream pastry's are? I've not heard from them myself. Very well.

Good day, madam. Good day, then. she seems kind of taken aback as if she hadn't expected for you to leave. We will be back this evening to meet your husband and maybe meet this carnival man. That would be wonderful. If I see

Ritchaviya before then, I'll let him know you're on the lookout for him. Absolutely. Thank you. Of course. Um, are we leaving? Yeah. As we leave, I'll just lean toward the first send the group and say uh, if if you wanted to, we could always leave him a notice

cart. while he read my mind, maybe not leave him a note, but at least take a look around. He's coming. Learn what we can before he knows that we're looking for him. All right.

I just as soon as we have a date, if you will, he may not be awake when we get back. We can let him know we're looking for him or we can come find us. But I understand where you're coming from. Yes, before we leave a note, let us do some investigation.

Sir. Of the cart. Whatever he says. Suttly as we can. For both his archaeology, but learning about people's lives through their possessions. Pointing. So do we go there first, or do we meet with Irene? I do not think there is any rush to inform her of this sinister machinations.

That's seconded. She's not going anywhere. and the more we find out first, the better. Then let us proceed to the Arag Stockyard. Arsac, A-R-A-S-E-K. Is that from June, Arraset? Iraqis, are it Iraqis, or goes, their appointment. You make your way back towards the gate that you entered into the town of the Lockhe from the East Gate.

As you come upon the stockyard, this large stockyard has several locked sheds along its periphery and lies adjacent to a roomy warehouse. A wooden sign above the front gate reads, RASX stockyard. Parked at the south end of the stockyard is a sturdy carnival wagon. It's colorful paint peeling off, faded lettering on its side, spell the words for Tavio's carnival wonders. A heavy padlock secures the back door. Is anyone around?

Roll a perception check. 23. You look around and you can see that there is what appears to be an elderly couple inside of the storehouse. It appears to be a function as a general

store. And they're milling about talking to each other. They seem to be he looks like the elderly gentleman looks to be flirting with the elderly woman and she smacks his hand as he pinches her rear, but she giggles

and is happy as he chases her around. They don't believe anyone's watching. Little did they know. But out of me! There's coming the murder of us.

Jesus to my. Yorx. You're so gross. And with that hood on, it's so much worse. What you have to say? Why, my cue, why? Jesus. As opposed to outside in the stockyard, you don't see anybody at all.

And your guess is that they're so wrapped up in, you know, what they're doing inside that they wouldn't notice you. Act nonchalant, please. Provide me some cover. I must know. I look at Sarnax, and I look like, I do this, and I go, sure, Professor, whatever you want, and I step a couple steps away from the cart and kind of standard.

Are you familiar with breaking and entering, Professor? Like I just said, I'm an archaeologist, that is exactly what I do. I'll leave you to me. And I'll go to me, Sheper. I will sort of like look around and once I'm kind of sure that no one's looking, I'll say Curio, my case will open up and I will pull out a very fine set of these tools. And I would like to as gently and gingerly as I can unlock it. Do I get the sense that I can close it and lock it at it?

Like, looking at it, can I investigate it and see if once I unlock it, it'll watch me able to shut it and automatically lock like most paddock? Your experience with padlocks is that's generally how it work as long as you don't break the mechanism when you're unlocking it. You haven't gotten up to the wagon yet. Okay. So you haven't inspected dislocked well enough to know whether it functions like all padlocks, but from the distance that you're at right now outside of the storehouse, you would guess that that's how it works. I would like to approach, just not shallotly, like I'm just, you know, might be on the place. The wagon suddenly lurches

As though something big has thrown itself Against the inside wall You hear the cracking of wood The scraping of metal And the snarl of something inhuman Upon closer inspection You see that the size of the wagon are spattered with dried blood

You also see an inscription On the wagon doorframe that reads I bring you from shadow into light Do we all hear this or are we not close down to all? I would assume you're all walking together Yeah I meant like you guys basically provide cover or like body lock.

Yeah, I'm like five. I was gonna say I'm like five feet. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. I just didn't know. Okay, all right. So I want to make sure. Good God, so. What was this?

Is this some kind of beast inside? Hello? Can you hear me? The wagon continues to lurch from side to side. You hear a low, strange snarling sound. How recent does the love luck? It's dry. It's hard to really tell, but I

would say fairly recent-ish, at least over the last few days. Perhaps some circus animal? A carnival beast? Well, he did have a monkey. Perhaps it is another exotic creature. Why would he train this monkey for toys? I would like to listen to the sounds that are coming from inside this wagon, and create and see if I recognize the noise as anything I've ever heard on before.

Roll a survival check. Ain't going to be good. Nine. You listen and it's not a sound of anything you've ever heard before, but it does remind you of the sound of wild animals. Are there any, like, air holes or are there any, like, ways to look into the wagon? Not what you can see. I'll turn to the group.

Um, you shouldn't. Um, take a look. You're a joke, right? I mean, this man is, is in the car. He's clearly important. I haven't knowing what's in this wagon. I don't feel comfortable dealing with him. And if it's some, which I'm pretty sure of, wild animal.

It starts the rampage. We're not to put it down. No, we'll just subdue it and place it back on the wagon. Professor, come. I don't know what's in there. That could be anything. Is it just the one entrance to the wagon? Is it a door?

Yeah, it's like your typical carnal wagon where it's that barrel top and then on the back it's got a door with you can see where there's a spot where you could pull wooden steps. You can step up to it. And there's a big padlock right there on the door. We are not itching for a fight. We are not looking to murder somebody's property. All right. So what's going on? What are you doing?

We are trying to convince the professor not to do something so foolish for someone who has goddamn near 20 in. Well, I don't believe it's foolish to at least try to get a better sense of what's in there. Is it to... So do I get a sense? Like my knowledge of like in Ereosol that. Don't get the sense of what kind of beast it might be? Does it sound like avian? Does it sound reptilian?

It sounds mammalian. It sounds mammalian. Look, Professor, we want to meet with this man, right? We don't want to be slaughtered his. I'm not suggesting we kill anything, but he has a beast locked up. And we know that it's not... What it seems, then I just, I worry that there's important information here that we're leaving the right. Why don't we speak to the man himself?

Are you worried he's going to lie to us? Yes. Are you worried that it's not something that Sarnax and I might not be able to squeeze out of him? Well, if we're going to a lacost him and use magic to force him to tell him the truth, what's the difference between that and taking a look? Because at least five. addressing him as an individual and a human for a person first. He might be forthcoming. At least for giving the opportunity.

That's a fair point. I, however, am cautious about approaching anyone in good faith that keeps a creature like this locked up in his own possessions. Well, I don't necessarily disagree with you, but we don't even know what it is. And if the professor opens this thing up, and it's some creature that means to kill us, we have no choice but to kill it. And that's just, in my opinion, getting off on the wrong foot. You're right. Well, allow me to attempt something. Well, what is it before you do it?

I look very skeptically at the professor and so next. Don't do anything until you confirm what it is. I am going to attempt to touch the emotions. of whatever lie inside, it is an amelian and it likely will not work. But I believe if I can calm it down, it might be safer to investigate. I'll look into the lantern and my eyes will blaze and I'll just say very quietly, find comfort in your faith. And I'm going to cast calm emotions.

Okay. So I attempt to suppress strong emotions in a group of people. So each humanoid, that's all of you too. And it's three foot radius sphere must make charisma saving throw. A creature king choose to save if it wishes, to fail the same thing. But it's only human. It's only human rights. I choose to fail because it's not going to have any effect on me if I'm not like a empty.

Well, shit, I might be like I choose to fail. I choose to fail, man. You feel a calmness come over you, that feeling in the pit of your stomach of disgust and rage about this place ebbs away and you feel indifferent. I fail. I feel. I love that. It's charisma and you're like, I fail. You see as the lurching of the wagon comes to a stop.

It all seems to be quiet. Sarnax, whatever you did, uh, seems all right. It is a person in there. What? Wait, like a human being. Like, like, whoa. A humanoid creature, yes, it will not have worked if it was an animal. Sarnax, you never cease to amaze me.

After you, Professor. What can be in there? I assume we don't have too much time. Can you understand? understand what we are saying. You can get no response. One minute, I suggest you worry. Almost like

a low breathing sound, but nothing. Just make sure you can relock that if we need. Absolutely. You could try. You just get the lock open first. Make sure we can

attempt to pick the lock. Hey, roll and dexterity check or whatever that thing is, because I don't know. Yeah. You take your lock-picking tools and you slowly maneuver around the mechanisms. And with a quick click, the padlock drops down and you would be able to open the door. Should I take the lead, please? And you say so.

Go ahead. This is your speciality, isn't it? Sure. Well, whatever you said. I slowly open the door. but come back in the way. You slowly open the door as you start to back away, and quickly you feel pressure on the back of the door.

Shepard, I need you to make a dexterity saving throw, please. Professor, Professor, Professor. Decks saving throw, you say. Oh, good. 12? You feel as a huge weight rams into your chest. you fall over backwards, two paws on your cats. The rest of you see it, a saber-toothed cat as it pounces on the shepherd.

It moves its maw in, its huge bangs so close to your face. As it sniffs in on you, it lumbers off of you, a low growl emanating from its throat, and it moves quickly around to Sarnax and it gets to sniff around on you. And then to Victoria, Sanders, and to Clayton. None of you, it seems to be enraged by. I will say, um, easy, easy. Can I get up? Yeah.

I will say, you know, very slow. Presidio, Presidio, and I want to make the smell of, like, of raw meat. It emanate from meat. It's head perc from the wagon, and it sniffs back towards the wagon. The only Deception check, please. 20, 21. You, um, I also got an actual fun on this chat.

Yeah, it might matter. No, it is. You, um, it also got an apple phone on this chat. So, it might matter. Um, actually, let me, let me double check. Yeah, it might matter. No, you know, it is because it's, it uses, though.

Yeah, he uses and it's an attack, so. This might matter. So. Sarnax, I thought she said this thing was inhumane. This actually might matter. Yes. Easy. I wasn't sicken.

All right, let's just see if we can get caught. You see as it begins to start moving towards, and it sniffs and it looks. It rears its head up, and it lets out a snarl as it turns and dart straight into town. No! Damn it! It seems as if the Sabretooth cat is out of the bag. Hopefully the expedition is capable. enough to handle such a beast before it goes on a rampage and massacres the town.

The strange folk of Volokki from Blinsky to this mysterious Rectavio may be able to help the heroes if they play their cards right. But in the end, it will all end the same. Can this escaped cat be put back in the bag? Find out in the conclusion of Chapter 4 of Curse of Stradania, Fantasmogoria. In the meantime, if you wish to watch Legends of Adventress tell similar stories of Dungeons and Dragons every week, you can follow us on Twitch and join our community on Discord. All links are in the show notes. We welcome you to our Adventress family.