The March Manor
Madame Eva
approached the party and indicated she could bring Donagahast back
from the beyond. Although he had seemed to perish in the fight to
rescue Abbie March, something had captured his soul, and if she could
draw it out, the paladin could be restored. The party then gathered
at the Lovari camp where the aging mystic would perform the ceremony
to bring him back.
Donagahast was
trapped in darkness, but a distant light drew him away. As he made
for the light, he was pursued by an evil presence hidden in the
surrounding darkness. With the presence right on his heels, he leapt
into the light and found himself lying in a cart, surrounded by his
fellow adventurers and a handful of lovari. The dark presence had
pursued him into the material world and manifested in the camp- a
shadow demon!
Battle was joined, with Madame Eva committing herself
to the fight by magically bolstering the adventurers and hindering
the demon wherever she could. After a hard fought contest, the group
emerged victorious.
The gypsy woman took
stock of the resurrected paladin, and noted that his raven tattoo
appeared somewhat faded.
“Mark ye this,
young one,” she muttered darkly. “Whatever it be that gathered
thy soul hath not parted with it willingly. Unless ye cleanse its
taint, ye are doomed to return to its grasp a year and a day hence.
When thy spirit tattoo hath completely faded, so to does thy time in
this world end.”
After hearing the
lovari mystic tell the paladin’s fortune, the party took some time
to prepare themselves to accompany Abbie and Dame Astrid’s coffin
on the road to Logash. Within four days time, they arrived at the
March family estate located outside of the walled town. By the time
they had got there, several guests had already arrived at the manor
house and made themselves comfortable. Abbie retired to her chambers
to confer with her aunt Jhessa, who had been receiving the guests and
making preparations for the wake and funeral taking place the
following day.
The party members
also settled into their quarters, each finding something to do to
kill time before the wake. Donaghast made his way up the grand
staircase to the great hall, where Abbie and Jhessa were overseeing
the final preparations. Donaghast approached Abbie and swore her his
fealty. The young regent of Hillsreach gratefully accepted his
service and knighted him on the spot.
Later in the evening
but before the welcome party, Abbie met with the group to ask them
for a favor. She explained that custom provided that the night
before a funeral, the lord or lady of the manor would welcome their
overnight guests with a feast. She requested that the adventurers
help her win over the important locals who had come to pay their
respects at the party that would follow this feast. The adventurers
agreed to do so, and prepared themselves for the gathering.
They each initially
staked out one of the guests- Donaghast first approached Annah
Vallant, the gnome began with Naissa and Emune, the cleric with
Torren Skiff, while the half-orcs double teamed Jonas Fletcher.
Throughout the evening, the adventurers took turns mingling with each
of the strategically important the guests, doing their best to
advance the interest of the young regent of Hillsreach. Even as
Donaghast charmed Annah, the gnome managed to take things to a new
level, happily finding himself to be an object of affection shared
between the beautiful young female lovers, who whispered in his ear
all the wonders he would experience when it was time to retire for
the evening! Oh, what delights the night would have in store for the
stalwart rogue! Alas for the absent sorcerer!!
The evening wore on,
and the party made favorable impressions on all the right personages,
pleasing Abbie immensely. When it closely approached midnight, she
thanked all her guests for coming to pay their respects, and with
that, everyone retired for the evening. Come the dawn, the wake
would begin, followed by the funereal procession and interment.
As they slowly made
their way to their rooms, many of the guests wondered whether the
gnome and his lusty and lascivious companions would make it to the
sunrise ceremony, or not… Alas for the absent sorcerer!!
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