Party
- Abram – Human Wizard (Myk). An older man in wizard robes made from Hessian sacks. Keeps to himself.
- Gallius – Tiefling Bard (Gaz). Red skinned, smartly dressed. A charmer and a story teller.
- Izzero – Half Elf Barbarian (Dave). A hardy fighter. Earns a living escorting wagons through the surrounding region.
- Kantor – Half Orc Cleric (Hag). Lives outside of the village. Known as a medicine man. Worships Sha’Darr, goddess of birth and death.
- Sylvester – Halfling Rogue (Ben). Preys on the travellers through Tolm to earn his living with legerdemain.
Prologue
Our party are all regulars in the Ettin’s Den. An inn run by a retired adventurer, Domino “Dom” Trasker.
Dom hasn’t been seen for several days. He headed out of Tolm to Shadowbrook Manor three or so days ago when some local teens went missing who are thought to have gone to the Manor.
Our party are those regulars of the Den brave, foolish or drunk enough to have agreed to go and find the absent landlord.
Adventure
At the manor grounds the party investigate the monstrous topiaries, the eerily glowing walls and the main doors before heading along the East side of the manor and in a side door. As they discuss what to do Sylvester opens the nearest door into a bathroom and enters.
The humanoid skeleton in the tub is investigated and Kantor scolds Sylvester for taking an item of significance to the deceased (a silver razor). Whilst the party are discussing the skeleton and Kantor forces it to stay resting with Sacred Flame, Sylvester has gone around the corner and opened another door into a small empty room that looks like some quarters. Across the hallway he opens another door into a similar room only this one is occupied, the decaying corpse upon the bed leaps to attack him – a flurry of arrows, magic and blades stops the corpse moving.
Moving on to the front room that they could see was lit from outside they party find a parlour with potions and liquor in a cabinet and a magical fire. After it reacts to their presence Gallius spots a face amongst the flames, Kantor tries to communicate and Abram suggests he use the potion of Detect Thoughts they’d just found in the cabinet. The anger of the fire is overwhelming and Kantor vows to free the creature before they leave the manor.
Heading down the main corridor away from the main doors the party enter a grand hallway with tapestries all around showing the adventures of Tazimack the Red and his companions, as well as a skeleton of a dragon hung from the lofty ceiling, as though swooping in to attack. As the group weigh up the doors and the stairs leading up and down Sylvester heads to the large golden harp in an alcove off the hallway and strums the strings. The discordant melody sows a magical Confusion upon the party but they are able to shake it off with no discernible ill effect.
Following the tracks of Dom they ascend the stairs and discover an ebony statue with a plaque which reads “the Spy”, its eyes seem to track them as they approach. Gallius guesses the statue may be somehow living and asks if it has seen the children they seek. It’s eyes flicker to the West, which the party take as a sign and head in that direction despite Dom’s tracks heading a different way.
Opening the first door in the corridor to the West of the statue they find a trophy room full of heads, horns and complete creatures. Sylvester heads in first to seek the children wherein the seemingly static Albino Ape attacks him. Izzaro leaps to the fray and is knocked unconscious by the creatures gigantic fists before Gallius’ bardic magic forces the creature to retreat. As Izzaro is healed the party find the children’s tracks and determine that they were cast down the same chimney the ape just fled through. Splitting up Sylvester stays upstairs to climb down the chimney whilst the rest of the party head downstairs to find the room the chimney is connected to.
Guessing correctly the party enter what appears to be a study with an armchair and a large desk with a small gremlin-like creature on. Izzaro talks to the creature from the doorway and it seems placid until he enters, then it leaps to attack. It’s dispatched quickly by Abram’s Firebolt and the party examine the study; finding a magic staff, magic stone, some absinthe and the trail of the children being dragged away. Upon turning to leave they are confronted by a shambling corpse wearing maids attire and carrying a feather duster, this corpse is quickly laid to rest.
Following the trail back to the parlour with the fireplace the tracks disappear halfway into the room. Abram’s magic reveals traces of conjuration magic in the room above. The party entreat the fireplace for help and Gallius’ plea seems to work – the fireplace signals up the chimney above it, which the party take as a sign the children are in the same room above where Abram’s magic indicates. Gallius thinks they should ascend the chimney, but the rest of the party prefer caution and to try and find the room from the corridors above. As they depart the room the fireplace burns angry with white-hot flame!