Eldermourne Episode 15: Portrait of a Blade

**Portrait of a Blade** is the fifteenth episode in campaign 2.

The Third Mates travel down the river to Innerborough, where they happen upon a spooky scene. Henry gives himself an unfortunate haircut, Zirk shows his fangs, and Fia finally gets some answers

## Plot Synopsis

The Third Mates make their way down the river and cross into the bleak landscape of Innerborough. They arrive at Dr. Nebble’s intended stop along the river, finding the remnants of a campfire as well as a single far-off sprite glowing faintly on a nearby mountaintop.

They hike up to the sprite light and come into view of an old manor that seems to be emanating different kinds of magic power. After looking in the window and seeing a dead body, Fia kicks the window in and the three enter the manor. When they're set upon by a vampire spawn, they make quick work of it, despite Fia's stubborn insistence that the spawn is cute and handy, due to the patchwork nature of its cloak.

After the fight, the group investigates the dead body and are able to conclude that both the victim and the vampire spawn were likely bounty hunters once. The dead man has a "Wanted" poster for a Lord Braden Kenley, and a broken vial that looks suspiciously like Zirk’s Mom's handiwork.

They continue investigating the manor and find it full of portraits of Guardians of The Grove. Fia recognizes a portrait of a young Batilda, and Zirk sees one of Nebble. They are eventually able to uncover a secret room, before finding their way down to the basement, following faint piano music until they come upon the owner of the house, Lord Braden Kenley. He is a vampire and the Order’s longest-tenured Smith. He is jovial and well mannered, seated at a piano and seemingly in complete control of his vampirism, much to the chagrin of Zirk, who used a potion of Alter Self to grow his own vampire fangs in hopes of intimidating Kenley.

Only after swearing themselves to secrecy does Kenley explain the full nature of the Guardians of the Grove, and let them in on the Guardians’ great secret: that the Trickster has a daughter named Cerenysus, whose current reincarnation is residing in the form of Fia’s old friend Irina, who is on the run. Their only hope of finding Irina lies in finding and rescuing Batilda, who has been trapped at the bottom of the Guardians’ Temple for the last four years.

The group agrees to embark on an expedition there, but first ask Kenley if he can help them learn anything about Henry's curse. Kenley casts a spell on Henry and is able to deduce that Henry's reincarnation problems are the result of him breaking a fairy promise.

## Quotes

* "That's how she explores the water, sir, she just jumps in and sinks to the bottom and walks around! It's not swimming at all!" Bukvar
	+ "I thought swimming was just walking underwater!" Fia

## Trivia

* This is the episode in which we first learn that Henry is genuinely cursed, and that it is the result of breaking a fairy promise.

## Music and Sound Effects

* "Passage Way Ambience" by Dpoggioli at Freesound.org.
* "Kenley" by Emily Axford.
* "The Blade and the Smith" by Emily Axford.
* "The Scales Reprise" by Emily Axford.
* "Blackthorn Hall" by Emily Axford.
* "Hospitable" by Emily Axford.
* "Henry" by Emily Axford.
* "Spare the Spritely" by Emily Axford.
* "The Witch's Hut" by Emily Axford.
* "A Friend For Life" by Emily Axford.
* "Young Love" by Emily Axford.
* "Montgomery Manor" by Emily Axford.
* "The Pact" by Emily Axford.
* "Two for Tea" by Emily Axford.
* "A Wizard's Tournament" by Emily Axford.
* "A Memory" by Emily Axford.

## External Links

* Headgum
* Spotify
* NADDPOD Subreddit Thread