Accident in Serdof (The Blue Gris)

Part of the Ancient Blood Campaign Author: Kelly Berger / System: Incarna ver. 2.0/3.0

The PC’s have a 50/50 chance of taking the road into Bondeu directly to Serdof from Horpan; otherwise they will go to Zeburre City and Castle Burre – the capital – first.


Zerburre City

only 2 guards stand at the gate and none seem to man the walls themselves.
They stop you and asked the business of armed strangers. Seeking the Burren clan family, you are pointed to the obvious castle at the highest point in the city. The soldiers pay proper respects to those proper followers of faith – even those not their own. The guards make sure you understand that there is a rule of law. Keep your bows unstrung and weapons sheathed at all times – no bare blades under order of the Marshall except to defend your life under similar attack. Violence is unwelcome here.

Castle Burre

The guards at the gate tense as you draw near and from up. You are asked to present some sort of credentials –
official notice as to who you are and your business – commoners dont just get to demand audiences with the lord’s family!

The party will have to have a member of the nobility, priesthood, or con their way using some business propsition or other angle the GM feels appropriate.

Audience with Marshall Anthony Zerburre

“I am Sir Anthony Zerburre, Lord Marshall here, under my brother Lord Julian Zerburre. The affairs of state
keep my family quite busy, especially these days as we chaff under the yoke of the Twin River powers. If you are seeking
a business arrangement, perhaps it is something i may be able to arrange more readily – i can provide escorts, i know the land and
areas better than brother… ”

After discovering what the party is about…

“Ahhhh, i see. Well, i have some good news and bad news. My family has no qualms about the information you seek.
In fact, we take great pride in being able to trace our lineage back to such days as the settle of Dunstrand Vale.
However, our records are merely paper records – as you are well aware, the river did much damage when it changed course.
To truly get verification… you would need to seek the ancient family crypts in the ruins of
Barclayne. Those ruins are covered now by the Grebell forest and guarded by the Saivelaugh elves…
it would be suicide and folley to attempt to gain entry there.

After discovering that they were the group who assisted the elves…

Ah. i see. Indeed you my friends, are more, much more than you appear. [He sends for wine]. Please, let us
adjourn to a place more comfortable. [After going to a large parlor – divans, couches, expensive wine and fruits].
Your deeds at Serdorf have earned you great respect – I am having my brothers stewards fetch you something i feel appropriate.
Well, you will have no problem calling in your favor with the elven clan and gaining the verification you need.
However, there is a small matter i would like you to consider doing for my family.
You have dmeonstrated you are quote capable – and so i ask that you consider this matter in detail.
Two religious factions are on the brink of violence in one of our most prosperous towns.
We cannot step in to settle because our family has clear affiliations with one faction – the majority in this town, but the minority in
our fiefdom and it may start a wholsale revolt if things were to go the wrong way. There can be no bias here –
it must be a third party who settles this dispute. It began is one over religious matters, now…
it simply is men and power. Settle this, and you will be rewarded with additional money, fine armor, fine arrows.

Rewards for Serdof:

Scroll granting the bearer the title “Friends of family Zerburre, Lords of Bondeu.”

Silk full sash with emeralds and embroidered with “Defenders of Bondeu” – each with the house arms of family Zerburre of Bondeu and worth about 1000 silver crowns

2 light reinforced plank shields painted with the Zerburre river horse and sun crest (+1 block; 8 ENC 60 PV/200 PR!)

Small bag of 100 silvers of each

Seeking the Sun Wall

The ancient castle, like the current one, is built upon an escarpment. Although the town was pretty well washed away, the
temple to Ikribu was built into the eastern hillside. They were the keepers of the fmaily crypts. The lineage of the family was engraved upon the Sun Wall –
The eascarpment wall facing east. The sun rose upon it, and it there for all to see. It should be an easy climb to the temple and the wall…
though after so many years, who knows what it will be. I imagine you will simply want to verify kepy portions that link our timeline and it,
and to verify that the majority of it still stands and is legible should any interested party need to verify themselves.
There you have it.. the pride of the east, carved upon a great wall for all to see. Assuming the elves allow you there,
its deserted and overgrown – the only foes will be vegetation and overgrowth.

Returning for Rewards

it will take 3 weeks wait; Fitted [improved] leather armor (fit 2; 8/120), 12 +1 damage short bow arrows, 300 silvers each; healing potion 8pt x 3

Accident at Serdof

The spirit of ____ corrupted the village soul tree and several spirits were let loose. The elves have come seeking the party’s aid, since they have some reputation and rumored to know something of ____.

> Result is that the spirits are laid to rest, but the Gris spirit remains at large to menace the party
Perils: skeleton guards, mold, ooze,
Cave Mana: Violet Blossum (violet explosions of crystaline structures),
Yellow Spark (phospoherescent ‘sparks’) – creeper vines that strangle.

Background

The elven clan of Saivelaugh dwells in the Grebell Forest. For thousands of years they have lived peacefully there, protecting a charge made of them by the Callyberg family a thousand years ago to keep safe an evil spirit. It was imprisoned in a glass necklace – the Necklace of Haleigh (named after the priestess of Gaia who gave her life). Trapped in it was the Blue Gris – a smokey spirit of disease and death which was summoned by the Ameni-Epyp
(Snake People; the breaker-of-eggs-in-the-nest). It nearly destroyed the Drunnad in the region, and destroyed 3 human towns before
the druids were able to contain it. The elves have imprisoned it in their village of Coreilan (Hs’tvealmen’at) in the shrine of Pthyia and guarded over it until now. Somehow, a man
named Edmon Telry was able to sneak into their village and take the necklace. The elves have spoken with his corpse and they cannot figure out how it was done – but know he was sent by a man named
Harper Knap. Their priestess of Pthyia, Belia, has lead a group into the lands of men seeking to contain it. When the spirit escaped,
it corrupted three of her brethren and made them Fey. She also seeks to kill them.

Elven Hostages: The elves have sealed off the town – nothing is left, all its inhabitants are dead. Two groups have wandered in the area and were taken hostage, for their own safety (and for clues to what happened).

  • 2 Peddlers: They are regulars along the southern interior route and know the town well – they can aid the party in getting a familiar layout before they go in.
  • 3 rough types; mercenaries looking for work. They are terrified of the elves and have been abused since they were carrying weapons. They do not know the area and their leader, Grissom, will lie, cheat and steal his way free if he can.
    They can be hired in exterem emergency – it would take persuading the elves.


Initial Exposure to Town

VIT check or retch from smell of advanced decay rotting bodies; -1 action penalty for 1 hour.

> Result is that the ancient spirit of ___is released into Riverdans. Uncorking the bottle releases a blue Gris, fear incarnate. Animals hearts explode, people have seizures, milk curdles, cheese goes bad…

Serdof Town Proper

Church of Gaia and Briarwood

Preistess Willema; she is trapped and wants to be. She was watched what is happening… and is waiting for
Gaia to send rescuers. She can provide healing aid. Eventually the spirit, if it is not moved, will prevent her from regaining synergy, but if the PC’s can return to her, she can provider minor healings (20 points) enough to heal each of them once each day.

Market Area

The market area is a mess – obviously a panic started here because stalls are tipped, blood is in a few places and signs of combat are obvious.

Stepping cautiously between the homes, you are not surprised when a single corpse, dripping brown slime, shuffles out from a shadowed alley.

The Zombie is close enough and wrapped in market debris, which is how the PC’s did not notice them.

Res 45; -1 RS, damage 7+1

You compatriot, focusing on the threat in front of them, has fallen prey to something even worse. You turn to see what the screaming is about in time to see that one of your companions has been waylaid by a strange creature. A zombie – in this case a townsfolk whose flesh has transformed into a clear gelatinous substance – has lain in wait in a rain barrel and grabbed its target. Slowly their target is being pulled into the gelatinous folds, which ripple and pulse around the flesh of its victim.

On a full hit, the head of the victim is caught and is suffocating.

Gathering Area and Public Well

Grave Yard

Large Mausoleums (2)

Small Mausoleums (3)

Inn

A few bodies are still trapped in the Inn…

Stables

A few corpses of animals can be seen ahead – it looks as though they attacked each other – a great many were
obviously killed by human hands before they, in turn, succumbed to the curse.

Crossing the street, you assemble and make ready to investigate the next area. Off to your right, in the brush, a corpse drags itself out of the brambles and crawls to you. About the same instant – from where you came from a solitary “normal” looking zombie though with blue hair) begins staggering across the road in the open – obviously perusing you. It is right at that moment to, that the worst happens, a scad more of the flopping, crawling, oozing types come at you from around a bend to the left – a pack of dogs which once ran in the town. Another zombie follows the normal one before you can decide a course of action – this one streaming puffs of dandelion tufts of mold but moving faster. Somehow a convergence has happened and the slow creatures have caught you – you must fight!

  • Dandelion zombie

    – When hit the mold flies; RCT check of tickles nose and throat and laughing fits! – 3 AM for 10 rounds
  • Bramble/sticker zombie

    – The brambles its crawling out of will spread out and prevent the party from running!
  • Blue hair zombie

    – When hit, leaks blue fluid that stains everything blue permanently; RCT chek
  • 4 large zombie dogs
  • 8 small zombie dogs

Warehouse District

Horse and mule corpses litter the yard near here…

Ahead is a strange site. Staggering between warehouses is three skeletons. The remains of some sort of fungus, dry and withered now, fills their chest cavities instead of organs. They look as though they are dancing. It turns out though they are chasing a bird – a life force to consume though they turn in your direction as you draw around the corner. They scramble towards you in a mad dash – these are no slow moving walking dead but swift – their hunger for life must be giving them speed!

Skeletons; RES 30 / -2 RS, melee 4 (hungry dead); damage = 2 + AP vs. organic armor from wicked sharp rending bones/claws OR marked shot @-4

> When they die, they fungus bags explode; all within 3m must RCT check or inhale the fumes and choke for 10 rounds suffering-1 CS

Smuggler Tunnels

There is a set of tunnels that connect a few places in town that smugglers used to use.

  • Warehouse – A fake wall holds a 10×7 space with stairs going down into a narrow tunnel.
  • Mausoleum – A statue pivots on its base and reveals stairs down into a narrow tunnel.
  • Rich Family – The wine cellar has a sub cellar in it.

    THIS IS WHERE THE SPIRIT IS!!!! BLUE GRIS >>> – Health = 159 / PV = 11

    Radiates fear: SAN-2 check or all actions interrupted; Ikribu/Rastur followers get +2 and their Conviction

    Attack: Lash of Despair = 2 AM/Melee 4/ Damage = 12

    Spike of Mean = 1 AM/Shoot 3/ Damage = 6 + AP

    Wail of Doom: 3 AM (VIT check or paralysis) – Once!!

    To attack the Gris, each attack accumulates 1 disorientation in the attacker. When > SAN;
    -1 RSN and WPR and a level of confusion (1 = loss of attribute bonuses + SAN check to tell friend from foe)
  • Stable – A crawl space under one of the stalls.

Fay Elves

Ahead, the air shimmers and an elf seems to spring from nowhere. He… or possible she, makes a sweeping gesture and bows slightly.
“Lady Belia prays that you take heed of this warning humans. We know that one of our kind, of the three which she spoke to you about who have gone Fay has met there end here. Another has gotten away, back into the Grebell Forest…” (the elf hangs its head in obvious despair) “Yet one remains. Beware, for one of these creatures is a match for all of you combined. IF this creature has drawn any power for the horrid spirit yet trapped in this cursed town you must kill it as swiftly as possible. This is the only way the spirit can escape – to have this twisted creature carry it forth.” Between clenched teeth the elf hises the last sentence – “Kill my sister, lay her and the spirits of our ancestors to rest i beg you!”

Fay Elf Encounter 1 – Remote Edge of Town

Ahead, glinting in the sun is a spidery web of crystallin thread. Around this strange covering is an area littered with pieces of corpses which are moldering. Fungi and mold of various types creep over splotches of the area. Lines, like veins, lead away from what appears to be a skeletal body trapped in the crystalline structure. Inside, a pale elven face in a rictus of death agony can be seen. Above the elf is a glass like spider, impaled by a silver slim blade from below. It is from this corpse that springs the crystalline webbing – covering the elf, encasing it like ice.

The elf was actually bit and poisoned several times but killed the spider before he died. Disturbing the world thing will cause it all to come crashing down send the shards everywhere. The body should be returned to Belia as proof – they need the heartsone. The blade is a elven slim blade and should be returned as well. The reward for returning everything will be a potion that completely restores drinkers full Health.

Fay Elf Encounter 2 – Town

Ahead, in the street, a lone figure stands. The wind howls around him yet no breeze stirs near you. A cyclone weaves a wall of branches, dust, and debris around him. He holds a staff, dragging it with slumped, defeated shoulders. His mouth moves but you cannot hear the words he speaks. His eyes flash, darting left and right, up and down. He glares at the sun and hunker away from it for a moment before noticing you again – starting on his lone trek and dragging his staff towards your group.

SAN check; those who fail are disconcerted and fight/attack at -1 CS

Elf: staff, 9 damage +5 x2 for KB, 2 AM +4 init – withers when wielded by anyone else

melee 4+1, Fend 4+2, soak 4+2, evade 3+2; Iron Will 4; Health 60; leather armor 8/140; -1 quality from cyclone caused by 4 minor air elementals + 1/round can call 8 point lighting bolt (RCT if hit to resist dropping held objects)

2 Air elementals (burning out soon – overworked); 1 attacks per round in 2 AM; does base 10 damage x4 calculated for Knockback at melee 4

Hicer Houses

The rich quarter of houses is more difficult to make your way through – the nicer gardens make telling exotic plants from deadly mutations more trying.
BOTANY checks in the forn and back of each. It will take about an hour of searching each to make sure there are no stairs down or cellars which are hidden.

1 safe

2 safe

3 mutation (yellow creeper)

4 safe

5 mutation (violet creeper)

6 safe

House of Family Miths (#5)

Once inside the house, the party will be able to tell they are near, but unless they
get here through the tunnels, they have to face one final guardian.
For each creature they have killed getting here, they will face a spirit.

An incorporeal face races towards in the darkness, screaming lauder and louder until it deafens all else. You lash out with your weapon which passes harmlessly through it and feel its icy embrace and its scream leaves your ears ringing. For each of your victims, a spirits screams until the there is silence. You shiver with cold, your very bones radiating chill.

WPR check or 1 fatigue which cannot be regained until the Blue Gris is dead!

> Light Source

After the Town has been Cleared

Belia comes forward, flanked by 2 warriors…

By the cleansing rains of Pthyia, you have done it. Our people and the lands of humans also thank you. Even now, the priestess in the Briarwood can feel the shadow lifting… you have done a good thing here today. The blue Gris will go back to its place and the Callyberg family’s trust is restored; our pledge is kept. Too long have we spent outside of the cool shade of the boughs – we must return to the place you call Grebell Forest… but know that you may call upon Belia and the elves there if you ever have need. Simply whisper my name three times at the edge of the woods and wait – one of the people will find you. And after all this, i have one last task to ask of you. There is still one of those of our kind, one who has strayed and who whispers to his ancestors now and desecrates their memory. You have returned to us 2 of the 3 Fay of our kind but i must ask that you seek the last. He has gone into the woods and is using his corruption to make himself unseen to us. He is not far – of that we are sure. His condition is advanced and he is weak. I must ask this last culling of you – can you do this for us?

If the party needs healing, she can heal three character completely – but that is all. She cannot reapit any gear.

“The people will not impede your way, nor will the woods. He entered the Grebell there” – and she points to a spot between 2 large trees. “We will not see each other again until you choose to call in your favor. When you have put our Fay brother to rest, leave him and what he carries in the woods – we will come later to collect it. I wish you well, elf-friends.” The elves file past you in single file, touching you gently as they march past. A breeze carries a flowery scent, you feel rested and dizzy – smiling elven faces of the opposite sex remain in your visions as you try and ground yourself and you realize they have literally vanished into the forest in an instant.

Beedel is left with a wicked bone dagger – an elven weapon; his connection to the spirit of the land allows him to wield it without it withering; base damage 4; organic armor has no PV against it; 1 ENC; full damage vs. undead; smells like lilac

Tracking the Last Fay Elf

Track x 3 for 4 hours each; improvised quick traps make the party think they are tracking a wiley opponent – really
the Fay is slowling them down while he sneaks around behind them. After each trap, they will hear a laughing voice ahead of them
– (the mordred laugh) taunting them forward.

Lasso:

Spike: (poison; HLT @ -2 or – 2 CRD for 48 hours)

Deadfall:

– closer to target! very fresh, he’s slowing down to make the traps and gettng sloppier.

FINAL: +4 behind, +4 surprise, +2 semi dark. SAN 2

Melee 3, Fend 5, Evade 3, Climb 4, Jump 4, Swim 4; Spear +1 RS

– He is going to attempt to simply kill one in the group; A swinging attack will do another +1 quality = +2 quality

Spanlet Bandits

missing span with another family – they have bandit problems.
Bandits are actually agents of East River Run

Belia, priestess of Pthyia

CHA 7, APP 9; intimidate 3, persuade 6

She is one of the acknowledged leaders of her people’s community. The is the voice of reason and sanity in dealing with the human nearby.

Faerie Common Myth – Pthyia



2/2011-6/2011; Game Master: Kelly Berger

Players: Eric Swanson (Belim), Larry James (Ace), Sean Drew (Grumwell), Marc Chapman (Beedel),
Mario Kundzins (Vraxen and Hayden), Charlie Grenier (Pegren)