Session 8: A Bird's-Eye View

## A Bird's-Eye View

Give a VERY brief, 10,000 ft. overview of the session here.

## Synopsis

### Planning with van Richten

V went with Bogdan back to his room and sprinkled ball bearings by the broken window so that if anyone attempted to break in, they’d trip over the ball bearings and the glass.

“Well, the room is sufficiently booby trapped,” Bogdan said, making Lucien giggle.

“Is it because he said booby?” V asked.

"Yes," Lucien admitted.

V asked how Bogdan how he's doing and if he's okay. “Da. It could have been worse.” Bogdan said it's good that Seril keeps weird hours.

Bogdan then tried to offer V the bed, saying he’d take the wall but V objected. She told him to take the bed.

“Fine, next time I get attacked and you protect me, you can take the bed,” Bogdan said.

“How am I supposed to protect you if I’m in the bed?”

“It was more of an awareness thing.”

V insisted he sleep in the bed as she sat against the door.

“Are you going to stay up all night?” Bogdan asked.

“No," she said, rather unconvincingly, but they eventually bid each other good night.

--

Seril went outside to get the stake that she had flown out the window when she shot it out of van Richten’s hand. With her new stake, she returned to Ireena back in bed. Seril kicked her boots off and sat on the bed but instead of laying down, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

“If you’re still awake, goodnight, Ireena,” she said before eventually dozing off.

In the morning, Ireena asked Seril what’s the game plan for the day and asks if they're going to go talk to that guy? Seril said they probably would.

“I’ll let you guys take the lead. I barely got along with him when he was the bard,” Ireena said.

“Oh, I think he and I are best friends,” Seril quipped.

--

Menyn went down to the bar and found ‘Rictavio’ waiting with food and wine.

“Oh, my friend, good morning! How did you sleep last night?”

“Uhhh, I would have liked more sleep,” Menyn grumbled.

“Well, there’s always tonight.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Menyn then ordered some food, the same as Rictavio was having.

--

After greeting each other good morning, Bogdan said was he was going to go hunt.

“Do you want some help?” V asked.

“No, I’ll be okay. Just make sure the boy eats,” he said before heading out.

He found a pack of feral cats and sighed. “I’m sorry. I can’t do rat again,” he said before sinking his fangs into one of the cats.

While V waited, she changed her whispers from the dead from survival to religion for the day. Lucien woke up at the tail end so he didn't hear her speaking to the dead. Upon waking he asked where Bogdan was and V awkwardly said he went out to eat. Lucien asked if he’s bringing breakfast up, and then V quickly asked if he’s hungry. He said yes then she led him downstairs to get him some food.

--

Seril walked into the inn and immediately sat down next to van Richten. “How are you, my bright colorful friend?”

He said he was doing wonderfully. She asked how he slept and he said, wonderfully except for an aching in his shoulder. She asked what happened and he responded with, “oh, I must have slept wrong.” She offered to help him, not at all serious, and he responded in kind, saying he’d be glad to accept her help.

Seril then turned to Menyn and asked how he was doing.

“Does the bountiful water in front of me answer your question?”

Seril then gave him some hair of the dog advice, such as raw egg with some sauce on it.

“Raw egg and dance around a bit?”

“I said sauce but I suppose you can dance."

“I heard salsa.”

Seril then went to get breakfast after asking Menyn how much it is (“Seven copper,” he explained, tip included, then stopped her from almost paying nine copper.) She got food for her and Ireena, then ate her food very quickly. Ireena, eating more slowly, pushed some food over towards Seril who was grateful.

V and Lucien joined and V awkwardly said Lucien was hungry but she has no idea how to get food. Seril stepped up to get food for Lucien. As she did, Lucien thanked her then tugged her sleeve and asked her if that’s the guy she shot last night. She said he is and Lucien said, “he doesn’t look like you shot him.” She joked about potentially shooting him again.

--

On his walk back to the inn, Bogdan began coating some arrows in silver to prepare, but eventually moved the silver to his rapier instead. It hurt a little bit but he managed.

When he rejoined the group, he clapped Rictavio hard on the injured shoulder. “Good morning, friend. How’d you sleep? Any nightmares?”

“No, my friend. I had a wonderful evening. But if you wouldn’t mind, that shoulders a little sore.”

Bogdan released his shoulder, but then Seril stepped up to slap him on the shoulder. “Does that help?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“If you slept wrong, a deep massage can help with that,” Bogdan said.

“Yes, I’m sure I will find somebody in town who can help," van Richten gritted out through his teeth.

Menyn told them to stop bothering him, as they need to discuss their plans. V asked if they should be discussing this down stairs. Menyn said, in a rather accusatory tone, that the matter he was going to discuss can be because he’s a perfectly normal person. V shrank into her seat and pulled her hood up, embarrassed.

Menyn then explained the situation with the winery and asked if they’re going to the church as they had discussed. Seril asked about the situation van Richten brought up and Menyn said they probably overlap.

They decided it was best to talk up in Menyn’s room about the rest. Seril linked her arm through van Richten’s much to his annoyance.

Ireena pulled Bogdan aside and said she’ll keep an eye on Lucien downstairs while they talk to van Richten.

The second the door is shut, Richten pushed Seril away. “Was that entirely necessary?”

“Yes, I think it was quite important.”

“I hope you’ve had your fun but I need to keep up appearances when I’m in public.”

“I’m *so* sorry.”

“Your apology is accepted.”

Menyn snapped at Seril for being shitty to van Richten and she objected, saying van Richten annoyed her. They argued a bit before Menyn told Seril to lay off. She reminded him that van Richten tried to kill Bogdan, and Menyn countered with the fact that she attempted to kill Bogdan when they first met, which van Richten finds interesting.

Van Richten then got to business and asked what they want to know and reiterated what he knows.

Menyn brought up the festivals and how the burgomaster thinks they’re “saving the town.” Menyn then asked if van Richten was in town for the festival.

He said he was, and based on all his knowledge of everything undead and unholy, he’d be extremely surprised if the festivals were actually keeping the devil out; they probably just amused the devil.

V asked about van Richten’s wards that had broken and if they could be fixed, seing they might have an issue. Van Richten asked what the issue was and the group had a moment of debating on whether they should tell him or not but Seril pointed out he’s their ally, he should know. So Menyn explained the situation with the devil being able to scry on Ireena’s location and his army possibly coming after her.

Van Richten seemed quizzical and concerned. “He got the means to know her location last night?” They confirmed as much and he asked about the devil knowing Ireena had fled and how long ago he knew. He explained the devil is a very shrewd man and this town is the first step from the town she fled. This would be the first logical place for her to show up.

Bogdan then also told van Richten not to eat the pies, they’re made of people. Van Richten asked for clarification and they explained that Morgantha is a hag. They told him about what happened and he said it's impressive they managed to kill one. However, the matriarch is still around and they could possibly reform the coven. He explained that hags hold grudges which made Bogdan start to wonder if that could be related to his nightmare but kept quiet. Van Richten then offered his assistance with the situation if he could.

Bogdan asked what their plans were for the day. Seril didn't want to linger in Vallaki with the devil knowing they’re here, to which Bogdan agrees. He then asked van Richten about the church. Van Richten explained that he heard it's in a bad state and less than effective. However, to his knowledge, it's still effective, just crumbling slightly. The ancient magics that protect it should still be effective.

Menyn reiterated that they have three things keeping them here; wine, the church, and V’s situation with Bluto.

Menyn, realizing he hadn't the night before, tells V about Bluto, and explains that he would be near the lake. Menyn then asked what the importance of Bluto is to V, but V was hesitant and attempted to dodge the question. Menyn and Seril attempted to interrogate V about it. She tried to tell them it's not a big deal and change the subject but they kept pestering her until Bogdan deliberately spilled his mug on Menyn’s bed. The two of them then got into a debate about the bed already being wet with piss and the tea being an improvement. “Why are you complaining? It was already wet!” “It had dried!” “It’s a new issue.” “It reactivates the old one!”

After they settled the argument, everyone agreed that they had things they needed to do and they should stick together. Even V eventually agreed.

Before they go, Menyn said he’s going to send a message to Ismark. Seril asked if she can help and he said she literally can’t, because he sends twenty-five words and Ismark sends twenty-five back.

“Or zero,” Bogdan said.

Menyn said his humor is dark and Bogdan gestured at himself.

“We’re bastions of humor,” Seril said.

“And I’m a bastard of humor,” Menyn said, making Seril and Bogdan laugh. Seril remarked that getting V to laugh is the real challenge.

Menyn then quickly filled in Bogdan and V, since they didn’t know about the eye situation. He explained that he and Seril think Ismark had his eye ripped out to scry on Ireena. Both Menyn and Seril admit they’re worried about telling Ireena but also feel bad about keeping the information from her.

Menyn then sent the message; "Menyn here - think Devil is scrying on sister with eye. Yours? More information helpful, twenty-five words. Don't worry, message is protected. Thanks for all help."

A long stretch of time passed before he hears; “Yes, probably mine. The devil came the night you departed. The devil wanted her location but I didn’t have it.”

Menyn told the group what he heard and said no information could be pulled from Ismark.

“Except his eye,” V and Seril say at the same time, to Seril’s delight and V’s horror.

They debated about telling Ireena; Seril didn’t feel great about not telling Ireena. Bogdan said telling her might only cause her pain. Ismark’s alive at least. They’d tell Ireena if he was dead but he’s not, so it’s best to not give her reason to run back.

With that settled, they plan their day; shopping, giving the bookkeeper the wine, the lake, then the church. They agreed they need to stick together but shouldn’t stay in town for long since the devil will know where they are. V said staying in town makes it easier to hide then being out in the open but Seril pointed out the people in town might sell them out.

## Locations

* Bullet
* Points
* For
* Named
* Locations
* Visited
* In
* Session

## Featured Characters

### The Party

* Bogdan
* Menyn Kaynen
* Seril Dren
* V

### Party Companions

* For important NPCs like Ireena and Lucien

### Returning

* For NPCs that appeared in previous sessions

### Mentioned

* For NPCs that are mentioned during the session (known or unknown)