The Widow MonTorrey

This latest recap begins with the party outside the Widow's estate. With their new dwarf friend in tow, the badly injured party flees to Low Skye to discuss going forward. Ademar retrieves his horse from The Longest Mile while the others return on foot. Upon arrival, they all head to Cor'Nal's room where the worst of the injured are healed by the druid. While at the inn they discuss what the next course of action will be. MacBrady attempts to get the party to back out of the deal while the others goad him for cowardice. He responds by telling them that he doesn't "mess with the dead". Raell appeals to his sense of honor by telling him that if they don't back their word, no one in town will trust them. Reluctantly, MacBrady agrees.

The next morning, Raell spies the old couple in the common area that he saw two days before and palms the old man a gold piece. Presumably for his continued diligence in looking for his missing dwarf. Surprised, the man accepts the gold coin, going so far as to hide the newly acquired gold from his curious wife. Ademar notices a member of the Baron's constabulary sitting alone at a table. He decides to keep a close eye on him.

Raell heads to the east side of town to scout the rest of the village and get a sense of the geography, paying special attention to specific landmarks. At one point he stops by the busy marketplace.

When the watchman leaves, Ademar decides to follow him out the door. The watchman goes on horseback and Ademar tails him in the same manner.

Cor'Nal strikes up a conversation with Neesa that goes in some strange directions. Among other things, they discuss matters of orcs, inns burning down and Loomis' marital status. Cor'Nal orders a meal and water.

Ademar, still following the watchman heads toward Treadlight where the watchman stops and dismounts. The watchman seems to be patrolling the area when Ademar spies him approach a young man exiting the tavern. They move to the east side of the building where they disappear from view. When confident that they will not return for many moments, Ademar approaches the constable's untethered horse and slaps it on the rear, giggling as the steed gallops away to the south. Pleased with himself, Ademar returns to the Low Skye Inn before being spotted.

Following this Ademar and Cor'Nal head to the marketplace while Raell decides to further scout the east side of town to get more acquainted with his surroundings. While at market the two elves dump some more of their surplus goods and run into a merchant selling showpiece weapons. While intrigued, neither buys anything and Cor'Nal becomes insulted when asked to pay five silver pieces in order to examine one of the merchants more exquisite items. When the merchant is shown Cor'Nal's own "Wildman" scimitar he asks if he may take a closer look, to which Cor'Nal smartly replies: "Sure, for five silver". The merchant is left unamused. A few potions are purchased from the apothecary and after a few more minutes in the marketplace checking on the items left with Aben on consignment, the group decides to wait out the rest of the day in Low Skye, awaiting the cover of darkness.

Upon arriving back at the inn Luethar, who has been quietly keeping to himself since arriving at Low Skye, takes his new dwarven form to Cor'Nals' door where he knocks abruptly. When Cor'Nal gives permission to enter he comes in, book in hand, offering it as a token of thanks for bringing him back to life, despite the unfortunate form he returned in. Cor'Nal tells the dwarf, whom he did not seem to trust even when still a halfling, to set the book in the doorway, on the floor. Luethar obliges and then promptly leaves. Rising, Cor'Nal walks carefully to the book and pokes it with his staff. When sure that the item is not some sort of trick or trap he takes it into his hands. The cover reads: "The Glorious Tome of Understanding", there is no credited author. The book is thick and leather bound, it's pages edged in gold leaf. Cor'Nal is intrigued.

The party wait out the rest of the day and leave, once fully prepared, to infiltrate the Widow's home a second time when night falls. They reach the front door again unhindered, it seems as though fate itself wants them in the house. They open it and enter, quickly closing the door behind them while simultaneously bathing the room in the light of a sunrod. They head downstairs first, giving the stone basement another look to make sure they didn't miss anything the first time. When satisfied that they have looted all they can from this mostly empty room, they head back upstairs, again forsaking the large landscape painting behind.

From there they move into the eastern hall checking rooms as they go, first they encounter a couple of closets, mostly empty, though an invisible force angrily throws a set of knucklebones at Cor'Nal when he tries to examine the upper compartment of one of them. Disappointed they enter the cobweb filled archway that leads to the kitchen. After a brief discussion about what should be done about the cobwebs Raell impatiently tears them down with one of his swords when he tires of the debate. They enter the kitchen to find it unused, seemingly for years, maybe even decades as the rot of the cabinets and the thickness of the dust in the room seem to tell. Instead of moving further west into the dining room they head back to the east hall. Ademar picks the lock on a door along the east wall that reveals a large study. The study proves to be a gold mine of potential information as books on the art of necromancy are found along with a stack of letters from the Widow's husband, Stefan to her while he was away fighting in the primarily fought at sea "Freedkin War".

A painting on the wall of a galley at sea in the throes of a wild, dark-night thunderstorm is noticed by Luethar, who is now calling himself "Pudge". Pudge approaches the painting and reaches for it, in order to see if there is a hidden safe or some other such thing, hidden behind it. Immediately upon touching the painting he disappears, much to the surprise of his fellow adventurers. Raell approaches the painting quickly and, without touching it, peers into the oil painting. Looking closely, he sees Pudge appear upon the center of the ship's deck, near the mizzenmast. Moments later, Raell spies a skeletal pirate who rises up through the deck, materializing into solid form. The skeleton is clad in the trappings of a pirate captain, he pulls a cutlass from its scabbard as ten more skeleton pirates rise from below decks behind him, also brandishing cutlasses. The captain welcomes Pudge to the Crimson Chimera. When Pudge decides against polite conversation and yells "Where's the Book?". The captain attacks, ordering his men to do the same.

Within moments, the rest of the group and their animal companions touch the painting, sending them all inside of it alongside Pudge. A fight ensues, with Cor'Nal dispatching most of the skeletons via a flame strike spell. The rest of the skeletons are also easily destroyed, only the captain being much of a problem, though he too is dispatched with only medium effort. When all of the skeletal enemies have been destroyed, a door, suspended a few inches above the deck in midair appears.

Instead of inspecting the door the PC's decide to infiltrate the captain's quarters, they find a wealth of information and even some treasure as they frantically search the quarters. They also find a sizable wooden box which holds a large, ornately crafted key. In a small chest they find gold doubloons as wide in diameter as a human fist, among other treasures. After taking all they can, the PC's risk opening the suspended door and walk through it, unknowing of where the door leads.

Fortunately, they find themselves back in the Widow MonTorrey's study. They discover moments later that all the items they procured form the Crimson Chimera have disappeared, save the key. It still remains in it's box.

From the study they head north into what appears to be a washroom. There are large wash basins at the north and south of the room and a large iron tub along the east wall. Inside the tub is a disgusting, viscous black liquid from which an insidious stench nauseates those inside the room. The group decides to leave this room with virtually no inspection, only taking a cursory look into what appeared to be a linen closet at some point. They move west into a large bedroom, possibly what served as a Master Bedroom. In it they find an armoire, a large bed and a treasure chest in the upper west corner of the room.

The group finds the room in excellent shape, only slightly dusty compared to the rest of the house. The bed looks as though it were made only hours ago, the blankets at the head are turned up crisply, the down pillows look ready for a weary head. Ademar quickly goes to the chest and attempts to open it. He finds a trap, but has trouble disarming it, setting it off several times. Luckily, his reflexes allow him to escape the flames of the magical trap in each instance. He opens the chest to find an abundance of coin, a pair of "Boots of Elvenkind" bearing the symbol of the elven city of Sanctuary and a pamphlet entitled “On the Perilous Journey of Awakening They That Sleep” by a cleric named Berkely Whitecloak. The writing is essentially a warning to those who would seek to raise the dead, speaking of the horrors one would encounter in this life and the next if they decided to attempt such a crime against nature. It is not as heavy handed as one would think written by a cleric of the white. Shortly after the loot is collected from the chest Pudge finds a magical cloak that makes him appear more attractive, even more likable. They move from the main floor area of the bedroom to the closet area. When they approach, the light of the sunrod is extinguished, apparently for no reason. Then a wild mournful wail can be heard from the floor above. Undaunted, they start another sunrod and enter the closet, finding nothing of value.

They then continue south through the bedroom door and then west back through the cold and dusty kitchen. from there they move into the dining room. There they are greeted by what can only be described as a demonically possessed dinner table. It rattles for moment, before rising on two of its legs. the other two wrapping around in front to form makeshift arms. An evil, vaguely human face protrudes demonically from its surface. It grins evilly as it begins to swing wildly at the group. Despite the horrifying visage of the corrupted table, the group dispatches it with little pain, breaking it to splinters before it does any real harm to the group.

The group then heads north into a storage room, where boxes and barrels contain what sustenance the widow and her husband likely survived on before they became corrupted. Barrels are first moved away from the wall, containing various rotten or petrified foodstuffs. After moving them, a message appears on the wall amongst several symbols of the God of the Undead, Orcus. In moist, apparently fresh human blood the words "Die Whore! die, die, die, die" are scribed in finger scrawl. The crates are then moved away from the wall and inspected. More of the same inside but behind them there is another eery message scrawled by finger in fresh human blood: "You don't belong here!" the words read.

The group decide to leave quickly, but not before Raell can smash and empty two of the barrels, one of which contained what was once wine but is now vinegar and the other with chunky, fetid ale that turned ages ago, spilling their contents onto the floor, with the intent of aiding Raell in a future endeavour. They then decide, satisfied that they have inspected the ground floor adequately, to head...upstairs.

The trip upstairs is frought with peril as there is much difficulty in ascending them. Eventually, everyone makes the climb with minimal harm done. After a little healing, the group inspects doors leading to three rooms on this, the apparent top floor. The first door gives them an overwhelming sense of dread, and so they avoid it. They get a cold, but otherwise normal feel from the second door, and another feeling of dread, though less foreboding than the first door, from the third, which is the one they choose to enter first.

Inside the group finds the room ransacked. Apparently torn apart, again and again by someone, or something, searching for a specific item. In the center of the room stands a large, skeletal being surrounded by an aura of dread. The skeleton is partially armored and wears a scabbard at its side. Pieces of it's former mortal shell stretch and hang from limb and rib. Strings of sinew now petrified connect bone to joint, hanging where muscle once remained. The face is contorted and evil, it's jaws clenched in hateful rage. Pudge confronts the undead monster, calling it by the name he believed it was known by before entering eternal unlife, Stefan. Brandishing a gleaming longsword, it answers by charging the invaders.

It is a tough fight, but the skeletal warrior seems little match for the group. Upon destroying the undead warrior it crumbles to dust. In the room they find a magic cutlass, a bag of assorted jewels and another of healing potions but nothing else of value.

They then proceed to the second, less intimidating room. Inside they discover the last horrifying act of the play that was the life of Widow MonTorrey. The room they find to be completely black. The walls at first look to be painted that way, but upon closer inspection it is obvious that they have been covered in soot. There are white symbols on the walls, glyphs of Orcus of varying size and style. There is writing of a language no one in the group can read. In the back of the room there is a pulpit, it is as black as the wall, a polished horned skull rests at the top of it. In front of the pulpit is an altar of black, carved from solid stone, stacks of books on dark ritual and necromancy circle it. There is no obvious explanation for how it was transported here or how the ancient, rotted floors of this structure still support it. Perhaps it is the will of the house itself.

Upon the altar lies what can only be the Widow MonTorrey herself. She rests on her back, the decaying remains of what was once a white dress draped around her partially rotten, but mostly petrified form. Her hands clenching a ceremonial dagger that she herself has plunged deep into her own heart. Her skin has turned black, her cheeks have sunken and the petrified flesh looks as macabre paper pulled across skull. The final expression splayed across her face is a faint remnant of what looks to be terrified betrayal. As though a promise, whispered into her dying ears had been snatched away just before the final light of her eyes dimmed forever. It is a look of almost unbearable anguish.

But not to these heroes as Pudge wonders aloud, "How much do you suppose that dagger would fetch at market?" referring to the one the Widow had plunged into herself as a final act of devotion to her beloved. It is an antique, after all. Without warning Pudge enters the room, he is instructed to leave the dagger alone but he snatches up every book he deems worth his study. Which is all of them.

They decide no further search of this room is necessary and head, reluctantly to the final one. Ademar reaches for the door handle to check for a lock and is surprised when the door opens by itself slightly, though not enough to see all that it hides. They decide to rip the door open as a soldier will tear away a crusty bandage and enter as a group. Inside, the unbelievably horrifying visage of a nearly transparent elderly woman, vaguely resembling the dead woman on the altar in the previous room, a twisted look of evil and rage is splayed permantly across her anguished face. Her form is mostly human, though her lower half is mostly disembodied as she seems to levitate, without legs, several inches from the ground. The tattered, spiritual remnant of the dress, perhaps the one she wore at her wedding hovers just inches above the ground, though no legs or feet protrude to touch the floor. Her hands are bony blue-gray claws that jut sharply out from the arms of their tattered sleeves, without warning she opens her mouth to scream.

Before she does this, most of the group flee her horrifying sight. The only few that stay behind are Cor'Nal and his wolf, Basili, Ryan MacBrady and Pudge. Once those who have been engulfed by fear flee the undead spirit, she wails as a banshee of legend. Instantly all color and warmth leave the faces of Pudge and the barbarian MacBrady. They both let out a final gasp as they fall to the wooden floor. Dead before they hit ground, their faces twisted in sunken, blue-tinged horror.

Cor'Nal and Basili survive the wail of the banshee however and a long, grueling battle ensues that is won by the druid and his companion. Inside the pair find a chest that contains many various treasure, including coin, a nightmarish looking idol made from various precious metals and stone, a pair of magical bracers, an electrum ring encrusted with pink diamond stones, a moss agate silver earring and an inkpot encrusted with moonstone gems. The rest of the group that had survived return a few minutes later.

From there, seemingly without burden of forethought Raell begins to set fire to the Widow's bed and anything else he can light on the way out of the door. Within minutes the house is fully ablaze, lighting the east side of the darkened town.

The bodies of Pudge and Ryan MacBrady are hauled out of the house with the rest of the group. Once back among the village, Raell attempts to find someone willing to raise MacBrady from the dead. He ends up settling for the Temple of Myrrdin but in the process becomes honor-bound into service with them after signing a contract in blood. Pudge, however is reincarnated, again, by Cor'Nal and this time returns to the mortal coil as...

a Halfling, again.

And now Pudge is called Luethar, again.


Unbelievable.