Hardcore Heroes: Episode 24

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== Synopsis ==
Van is awakened early in Shirebrook by a summons from one of Baroness Valmont's guards, requesting his immediate presence. The Baroness assigns Van a mission to deliver a Writ of Homage to Count Ironhide, who has passed away, following the customary practice in the Split County. Van, joined by his companions Malakai, Jeeves, and Kain, begins preparations for the journey, discussing travel routes and potential dangers, such as the chimera and the curse of the Shadow Mountains. Malakai seeks help from Rohana to create a tracking spell for the chimera, while the group also investigates the mysterious disappearance of villagers in Kain's hometown of Windshire, encountering a giant who kidnaps Malakai and Jeeves before being defeated. Despite the losses, including Kain's dog Bear, they continue their quest, dealing with illusions and preparing for their arrival in Newfort. Suspicious of the Baroness's intentions, they carefully inspect the Writ before Malakai proceeds alone to deliver it. On their way, Van confronts a disturbing scene of swan butchery, suggesting further challenges ahead.
==Recap==
=== Monday, 1509-08-22* ===
After having rested in Shirebrook for the night Van is awoken early by a knock on the door to the clergy quarters. Turns out it's one of Baroness Valmont's guards who tells him that she is expecting him immediately. Van-Healsing puts on his chain and goes on ahead. 
Having made their way to a hidden away parlor in the keep the cleric and the Baroness greet each other. Without batting around in bushes she tells him that she has a job for him and asks how well he knows Count Ironhide. She explains that he has passed away and she is required to send a Writ of Homage as is customary in the Split County. The Writ symbolically pledges the senders land into the hands of the count who then in turn symbolically asks the lord to keep the counts lands safe. 
She advises them to take the land route since a ship is always at danger of sinking to which Van merrily replies that they might simply fly their way there. Although last time it did catch the attention of a chimera which seems to concern the Baroness a little bit.
Van goes to wake up Malakai and explains the situation so they decide to split up. Van goes to find a cartographer who tells him that it would be around 40 miles as the crow flies to Newfort, however it goes dangerously near the Shadow Mountains and the man warns him that the curse might get him there. 
Malakai goes to Storybrook inn and informs Jeeves and Kain of the mission they've been bestowed with. Kain also mentions that the chimera likely has a cave with treasure somewhere in the mountains which would be a rather succulent find. Not having had breakfast yet Malakai joins them on the table and pays the innkeeper by throwing silver all over the floor, as he tends to do. 
While Malakai is grilling Jeeves about saying no to drugs Van walks in as well. Together they talk about preserving the chimera head and resupplying Kain's arrow supply, but since it was a request by the Baroness herself they ought to get on the road by today. 
Van takes up the job of getting a tanner to skin the head and collect the scales. 
Malakai visits Rohana while she's talking with another customer, young girl that turns out to be buying lemongrass for her father. He gets a few stink-eyes from her though when he tried to make conversation with her. Eventually she leaves and they're both left alone so Malakai tells her how they killed another chimera, but again they have no idea where it's lair is. Again he is told that he should’ve wounded it and let it flee to its lair, but since that option is exhausted he asks whether a spell could be created that would let them track where has a creature spent it's time the longest. Rohana thinks for a moment and says that it is a good idea, but she doesn't have the time to help create such as spell so instead she suggests perhaps one that would trace back the creatures steps and that this one could be simpler. She agrees to write some letters and see if she can do some pre-elementary spell research for which Malakai gives her 50 gold. 
On the way out Malakai runs into Kain who is coming to Rohana to ask about the curse of the Shadow mountains. She tells him that personally she thinks only idiots go there and that the reason they're disappearing is that they are idiots and not because of a curse. When he tries to argue about the disappearing loggers and dwarves she opposes him and once he mentions that Malakai said the whole mountain range was magical she refuses to believe him and they part on somewhat animos terms. 
Later on everyone meets up and Kain expresses his concern for Rohana's condition, but Van explains that it requires high level magic to cure her and there's nothing to be done for now. Kain also asks Malakai to go talk to Rohana about the magical aura he saw around the dwarven mining camp which he does. 
Malakai talks with Rohana about the dwarven village again and she suggests that perhaps it's a massive illusion. She doesn't quite want to believe the whole thing was magicked away, but he asks her to perhaps think of possible scenarios and in the end mentions that the Curse of the shadow mountains might be a fabrication to hide something even worse. 
Later that day everyone safely crosses the river with carriage in tow and make their way south. Kain introduces his village- Windshire, which they pass through. But as they make their way near it Jeeves alerts the party that there seem to be no people outside in the village, no people at all. They find no signs of violence, but a few buildings seem to be knocked down. Kain finds his house abandoned, untouched and without his mother in sight. Malakai keeps a level head and proposes staying near here and seeing what they can find with magics, he also puts forward that this is worringly close to Shirebrook being just past the river. 
Van and Kain go to check out the local knights house while Malakai goes to town hall. Former party finds everything in similar order as the rest of the town except that the armor and weapon are off their respective racks and seem to be missing. Malakai finds that the granary is void of any foodstuffs with a lot of bags ripped open and looted by what seem to have been animals. Kain notes that there's two 6 inch wide parallel, shallow trenches dug in middle of the village that are about 4 feet long. 
Suddenly as everyone is conversing in middle of the village they're startled by sound of crashing trees, by time they realize what's going on a giant steps out of the forest. 
Kain tries to negotiate with the giant, but it seems that he has come to this village to take people and since they're the only people here he will take them. The giant ignores first two spells, laughs at measly arrow hits Kain lands in him and when Van hits him for an impressive 11 damage only laughs further. On the giants turn he takes Bear in his hand and hurls the dog far into the forest killing him in one go. Party begin doting the giants body with numerous small hits until he gets angry and hurls Van 200 yards away taking 25 damage.  Kain immediately scampers into the forest in the direction Van was sent hurling while the giant manages to grab Malakai and puts him inside his leather sack. A moment later Jeeves in a flash of courage apparently attacks the giant and is tossed into the bag as well. While Van and Kain shoot a few last arrows at the giants back Jeeves cuts a hole through the bag and an invisible Malakai exits it, but that alerts the giant and he takes the sack in his hand. Rest of the party give chase and start peppering it with arrows until finally they kill the giant and retrieve an alive Jeeves. Kan gives him the horse he was riding and some rough-Malakai-love later they get to searching for their presumed dead dog.
A while later Bear's body is found, lifeless. Malakai uses his knife to dig a grave for his loyal guard dog and a while later everyone quietly returns to the village. 
Kain notes that his mothers hunting equipment is missing.
=== Tuesday, 1509-08-23* ===
Night passes uneventfully and everyone readies spells to research the origins of this disappearance. 
With a Detect magic spell Malakai finds out that, again, there's a giant a sphere of faint magical aura in this village. He also finds that the school of magic is illusion and attempts to disbelieve it, but nothing happens. Without much else to do Malakai investigates a faint magical aura in the knight's house which turns out to be a potion of heroism. 
Meanwhile, Van casts Thought capture and gets confusion and panic from the village. Next he casts Extra-dimensional detection, but gets no pings. Third he attempts to dispel magic, but it seems to do nothing but clear a 30 feet cube of aura so he Naps himself. Once he wakes up Van takes time to locate the apparent center of the magical aura and Dispels it, but again the aura in the 30 feet cube disappears, but nothing else happens. 
Without any more ideas what to do other than perhaps seek Rohana's help party is forced to continue on with their delivery quest. 
A while later they enter the planes, but nothing comes at them until it's time to sleep.
=== Wednesday, 1509-08-24* ===
Night passes without anything trying to kill them so they journey on with Newfort slowly coming into sight. 
Before they enter the city however Van suddenly gets paranoid about the reason Baroness sent them exactly so Malakai comes up with the idea to open the letter and then use Mending spell on it to close the broken wax seal. Writ of Homage turns out to be exactly what it was supposed to be so they close it up, but as a precaution plan to still only send Malakai to deliver it. 
While walking to the keep party overhears a man proselytizing the blight of Chis as he's roasting and butchering live swans. Not having this Van puts his symbol away and makes his was to this gathering of heathens. 
== Experience and changes ==
* Kain gains 3rd level and rolls 11HP for a total of 23HP
*Dates are extrapolated from a previous mention of an exact date.
Category:Hardcore Heroes Episodes