Running Up That Hill

The Acquaintances With Weapons travel to Ravena, Szass Tam's hometown.

## Major Plot Points

* Outside of Ravena, AWW found themselves in a swampy cemetery. They could hear the screams of a man and the rattling of chains coming from a nearby church. Two fraternal twins named Akira Edo and Miyu Edo knocked on the front door of the church, begging to be let inside.
* The twins shared that they were scared that Szass Tam was going to return to town soon. He visits Ravena on his mother's birthday and death day. When he was here for her birthday, he demanded Miyu go on a date with him. The emperor even dressed him in clothes to make him resemble Emperor Consort Sirgay Von Astra, the first husband of Szass Tam.
* Vulveeta decided to infiltrate the church by swinging down the ropes attached to the belfry. She accidentally brought the bell down along with her. Once inside the church, she rushed passed its priest and opened the front door to let he party members inside.
* The group quickly found a chained up trap door that led to the basement - the source of the screams. The priest begged AWW not to go down there. Sudsy shadow stepped into the undercroft, where he found a vampire imprisoned by silver chains.
* The priest, Donner Blitzen, confessed that this was a church that worshiped Ilmater. This religion is not only taboo in Thay, but it's strictly outlawed. Magister Belladonna Suprema kidnapped Vaughn and turned him into her vampire spawn. She then unleashed him on the church where he killed all of its members. He was only stopped when Donner could trap him in silvered chains.
* Neuriel took some blood from Vaughn so Voloth could use it later.
* Sudsy volunteered to kill Vaughn so Bigsby could revive him as a human. Donner was eager to repay this kindness so he offered to make Miyu and Akira a special ward to protect them from the emperor. However, he'd need a personal object of Szass Tam's to complete the ritual. AWW then went off to the Tam Manor in Ravena.
* Calypso, Peggy, and Neuriel went to a tavern called Ye Olde Spirits owned and run by ghosts. They drank novelty beverages and Peggy hooked up with a ghost. They learned that the whole city is forced to go into mourning for Ravena Tam's death day. They all must watch or participate in the honorable funeral procession.
* At a weapons dealer called Bloodbath & Beyond, Vulveeta and Sudsy bought a rainbow rapier, a black hole arrow, and a blood birdbath.
* At a magic shop called Curses!, Bigsby and Voloth bought a mirror shield, a boomerang arrow, and the sharp tongue razor.
* At the Tam manor, Vulveeta sucked on the doorknocker and it electrified her. She looked in the peephole and saw horrific visions. Bigsby then found a secret way inside.
* Inside the Tam manor, Peggy was attacked by a cloaker but was freed by Bigsby.
* Knowing Emperor Szass Tam would be there soon, Voloth and Sudsy rigged a grenade in the grandfather clock next to the front door. They set it to go off when he was expected home. Neuriel then placed a warding glyph by the front door.
* While AWW explored, a chandelier fell on Sudsy and the smell of rotten food poisoned Bigsby, Voloth, and Peggy.
* In the upstairs hall, portraits of Tam family members watched the party members walk by. Voloth discovered a secret laboratory. Bigsby picked up Szass Tam's diary. Sudsy drank a potion that allowed him to attack himself to deal damage to another creature within 30 feet. Sadly, only his friends were around for this effect. Neuriel collected magical ingredients, Vulveeta pocketed a vial of blood, and Voloth pocketed several various potions.
* The party then found the ghost of Ravan Tam at the top of the steps. Bigsby deceived her into thinking they were Szass' harem. Raven was shocked that her son was into that, but admitted she was glad he wasn't completely committed with Strahd. She saw the vampire general as unfit for her boy and a bad influence. She missed Sirgay Von Astra.
* Emperor Szass Tam then entered the home, triggering the traps AWW left for him at the front door. Calypso escorted Raven to safety and stood by to protect her.
* Vulveeta jumped into action, slicing him with her two rapiers. Her rainbow rapier turned his skin mustard green and his hair baby blue. Peggy then struck him with her eldritch blasts. The emperor struck back with a fury, unleashing a meteor swarm on the party. Sudsy unleashed his claws on the lich next. Szass Tam cast finger of death on Peggy, killing her. He told the group this was their final warning and teleported away.
* Neuriel gathered the supplies he got from the laboratory and then cast resurrection on Peggy, bringing her back to life. The curse of her fiend patron ended when her life did so she came back without his influence. Her memories are hazy and her magic is now unstable, making her a wild magic sorceress.
* Thanks to Szass Tam's diary, Donner created a ward to protect Miyu and Akira. The two left to find the Covenant so they could escape Thay.
* When the party left Ravena, they found a small hut in the swamp. An old woman and a young boy played outside. The boy looked incredibly like a young Szass Tam and the old woman called him Lil Szass. The party introduced themselves and accepted an offer to have Baba Lysaga's lasagna. Vulveeta jumped over the table and began choking Lil Szass believing he was a demonic child. Baba Lysaga, Voloth, and Neuriel pulled her off of him. Bigsby grabbed Lil Szass and ran off into the swamp with Vulveeta chasing them.
* Voloth captured Baba Lysaga for questioning. She said she was Emperor Szass Tam's nanny but was fired when he was five. She watched him grow up from afar and made a magical clone baby eight years ago. She loves him and thinks he's a good boy.
* Peggy found a spell book that had a ritual for creating clone babies of people using sticks and other natural elements.
* Voloth and Vulveeta argued they should kill Baba Lysaga and Lil Szass. Peggy, Bigsby, and Neuriel advocated that Lil Szass could be different than the one they know. Sudsy went back and forth. The group followed Voloth's suggestion of putting the Good Boy Collar on Lil Szass to ensure he remains lawful good. Using a spell scroll of Arcane Lock, Bigsby enchanted the collar so Lil Szass or Baba Lysaga couldn't remove it without the password. Using Baba Lysaga's ingredients, they empowered the lock further so that Bigsby would be made aware if it was ever broken.
* You're all level 16 now!