Episode 7: “Something Strange in The Neighborhood.”

“Something Strange in The Neighborhood” (MMx7) is the 7th Episode of Murkan Misadventures.

The Animal House sets off for the Lightning Rail station in the region’s Capital of Circle City, but things aren’t always as they seem…

## Synopsis.

### **We Just Got A Letter, Wonder Who It’s From?**

As the members of The Animal House sat down the following morning for breakfast, Sythia and Bea were approached by Courier Wyand of the Murkan Postal Service who had letters to deliver for them.

Bea received a letter from her mother in reply to the paper bird she sent the day prior, filling her in on the goings on of her kingdom and explained that the captain of the guard had a package for her to keep her safe. That package contained a weapon, The Mad Hornet, which could switch between a spear and longbow, and The Buzzworthy Battle Helmet, a choker that could cover Bea’s head in a defensive helmet.

Sythia was sent two letters; one from Eisenstadt’s head Arcanist, the other from Professor Fitzgerald of The Amber Archive. Both were very excited to see Sythia’s name in the paper and invited her to both visit their respective locations, but test new prototypes and speak to prospective students.

Detective Frog recognized that The Amber Archive and specifically Professor Fitzgerald was the individual who had hired him to hunt down the missing manuscripts. Davyd however, recognized the Archive as a decent sized college with an impressive collection of tomes.

### **Where To Next?**

After some discussion, the Animal House settled on a plan. They would head to Circle City, the regions Capital to hop aboard the Lightning Rail and head down south, stopping in Sin City to investigate The Redbrands before heading off to both The Amber Archive in Vannderville and Drachenburg Schloss in Eisenstadt.

Preparing to set off, the party mapped their route from Hawk’s Point to Circle City, taking the Western path and passing through the local Landmarks of Castle Morovia and Zion Hills. Both of these locations gave Davyd a thrumming headache when he looked at them on the map.

### **Castle Capers.**

After around an hour of travel, The Animal House arrived at the ruins of Castle Morovia, an elaborate castle rebuilt here in Murka by Quetzal Morovia, a nobleman.

Trekking inside, the party discovered the building was empty and quiet, the torches still magically lit. With Colby-Bo heading off on his own down a set of stairs, the party followed into an underground crypt.

Exploring this Crypt, Davyd and Spoons opened a door to a large chamber which was stopped partially by bumping into the foot of a massive creature, a golem stitched together with the flesh of 5 dead Chromatic Dragons, which instantly attacked.

The fight against The Dragonflesh Golem was a brutal one. With nearly half of The Animal House frightened by it’s horrifying visage, they fell prey to its attacks of opportunity and its powerful Elemental Breath which was both made of fire and a surge of a second element related to the Chromatic Dragonflesh it was made of.

It was this Elemental Breath which saw the defeat of Sythia, Chestnut, and Conkrete.

Davyd managed to get the killing blow on the golem, sending it crashing to the ground with his Eldritch Smite from his gladius.

With the golem defeated, the Animal House had a moment to catch their breath, reviving the unconscious Sythia, Clifford, and Chestnut and investigating the Dragonflesh Golem’s body, learning that it was powered by Dragon’s blood.

Making their way out of the Crypt and into the main room of the Castle, the party found a large ornate rug and shrine featuring the heads of a Blue, Black, and Red dragon. Meanwhile, Colby-Bo, Detective Frog, and Spoons investigated the large hole in one of the castle walls, finding a few scales of a Green Dragon wedged in the stone, implying that it broke free of the castle walls and escaped. However when cross-referencing the scaled with the ones found on the golem, they were similar, but much younger. In the main room, Davyd attempted to clean the ornate run to get a better look at the symbol on it, as it looked similar to The Maelstrom. But, as the symbols became more clear, the wavy patterns revealed themselves to be Chromatic Dragon heads, ending at the Penta-Clawed symbol of Tiamat, The Scaled Tyrant.

### **The Hills of Zion.**

Thoroughly creeped out, our heroes departed and continued down their path towards Circle City, arriving at the village of Zion Hills.

In Zion Hills, the gang discovered that nearly every building in the villiage bore the symbol of Correllon, The Archeart, save for one, which had the symbol of Lolth, The Spider-Queen. Several of the robed individuals of Zion Hills welcomed the group and paid especial attention to Chestnut, who was not having any of it.

Finding the tavern/inn, the group was met by Lady Vuzara, a very thicc and busty green dragonborn who comforted a distraught Spoons and flirted with Chestnut with a look of hunger on her face. She explained that she was raised by Lord and Lady who taught her the ways of The Archeart and now she runs Zion Hills as thanks for taking care of her for so many years. Vuzara also explained that she was hosting a large dinner in a few evenings, and that she had invited several notable clerics of The Archeart from around Murka.

While this conversation was happening, the thrumming within Davyd’s head was intense, and a voice told him to “Look closer.” and Davyd was able to view the auras of Vuzara as well as her followers. Her followers were shrouded in an oily black, eldritch aura. The same kind of aura shrouded the emerald necklace Vuzara wore around her neck. Vuzara herself however, was wreathed in a shimmering golden sheen of Transmutation magic. This information disturbed Davyd, who excused himself from the table to walk outside and find another commoner to quickly ask him some questions. Finding a Dwarf taking a piss outside, he explained that Vuzara essentially owns Zion Hills and has been there as long as he can remember. He also said that the people of Zion Hills don’t treat non-elven folks as nice as they do elven people. Davyd thanked the man and returned back to the inn where he explained that he fears Vuzara is a Green Dragon in disguise. With some discussion back and forth, Davyd held firm that she was a Dragon and everyone in this town is dangerous and needed to be dealt with. Sythia explained that outside of Hawk’s Point, they’re on their own with no jurisdiction and they could potentially die. A statement that Chestnut grimly added to. Detective Frog stated that he could call in a few favors to launch an investigation on the town if they wanted.

Given rooms and food for the evening, courtesy of Vuzara, the Animal House settled down, a little unsettled at the overall vibe of Zion Hills. Unable to sleep, Davyd decided to explore the temple dedicated to Lolth with Detective Frog and Spoons. Picking the lock to the back storage room, the group found several vials of concentrated Green Dragon Poison among the spare pews and tapestries and a very heavy trapdoor. Deciding it was best to regroup, Davyd went back to the inn and gathered the rest of The Animal House and showed them the trap door, which Sythia managed to lift with her Gauntlets of Ogre Strength, revealing a ladder which descended around 60 feet.

After much debate among the members of The Animal House, including discussion between Spoons and Sythia how Spoons abandoned his former party and left them to die, yet still acts like the leader of The Animal House, made a decision and everyone except Spoons, who would keep watch, descended down the hole which led to a subterranean tunnel system underneath the village.

### **An Omen Most Foul.**

This tunnel led to a small cellar, containing bookshelves, tables, and a lectern. Exploring the chamber, the bookshelves contained books of information on The Archeart and a letter from Lord and Lady to Vuzara, wishing her well with the artifact they sent her, referring to her as a “Friend of The Fangs.” The tables contained several more vials of the Green Dragon Poison and a half-eaten ear of an elf, left behind like a sandwhich. The lectern however, contained a massive black tome, written in Ancient Draconic. When Davyd touched the tome, he was given a vision of the past, high above the Braggish Empire long long ago as people in the streets wailing and crying as hundreds upon thousands died and bodies piled high in mass graves. A shadow passed overhead that blocked the sun. That shadow belonged to a gargantuan Black Greatwyrm which landed on a burning castle and roared to the sky over his prey. The Ancient Draconic translated itself for Davyd, spelling out only a name and title; Drothar, The Black Death.

### **Snap Back to Reality.**

Returning to the present, Davyd took the tome as Bea attempted to lift the second trap door that led out of the cellar, though she could smell pleasant fragrances on the other side. Unable to open it, Sythia and Chestnut came over and managed to lift it up, revealing a very ornate bedroom, clearly previously in use as a man’s clothing lay scattered about the room.

Deciding they’ve found all they can, the group backtracked to the temple of Lolth where they discovered that Spoons was absent, returned to the inn. Agreeing that they did not want to sleep in the villiage, the members of The Animal House grabbed Spoons and set off for the woods, with Bea leading the way, tracking down a suitable camping spot. As they bunked down, Davyd couldn’t help but get the feeling he was being watched.

### **It’s Your Nightmare.**

While Chestnut slept, he awoke back in the crypt beneath Castle Morovia. The body of the Dragonflesh Golem was gone, and a dense fog filled the room. A deep laughter echoed down the chamber as the voice of Davyd sounded behind Chestnut who turned around, not to find Davyd, but instead a puddle of blood which burst with hands, reaching out, trying to grab Chestnut and pull him to them. And with a jolt, Chestnut awoke.

What will happen next, only time shall tell…