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| Current Campaign: The Knights of Eaton | |
| Episode 04: "Bloodlusting" | |
| Year: 1753 Winter | |
| Location: Kandorr City | |
| PCs: | |
NPCs:
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| Previous Episode: "The Siege of Kandorr" | |
| Next Episode: "The Inquest Rebellion" | |
| Previous Campaign: The Thuzuulan Heresy | |
Following the resounding defeat at the Siege of Kandorr, Dellforth exacts revenge on Kandorr by unleashing a terrifying sickness upon the city. King Gregory descends into madness and tragedy follows.
Story
Act One: Contagion
A mortally wounded ranger steers his weak horse to the main gate and he collapses; he is shot through by silver-tipped arrows. The soldiers on duty report to Drake who calls for a physician but the ranger dies. The physician removes the arrows and gives them to Drake who bundles them all except one, which he takes to court to report to his lord. At court Drake gains an audience with the Gregory, who summons his lord chaplain Ilasion Torkas and his court mage Ambrose the Younger to inspect the unusual arrow. Lord Chaplain Torkas perceives the arrow to be cursed with a virulent contagion and he destroys it immediately. Ambrose II scans their surroundings and realizes the black magic has spread to the barracks and is spreading rapidly, so he casts a spell to sterilize the barracks and then himself; the effort leaves him weak and in pain. King Gregory issues an immediate quarantine and shuts all the city gates; no one was to leave the city and everyone was to remain indoors. He orders his mages and priests to set up healing stations throughout the city.
As day turns to night reports of disturbances escalate throughout Kandorr City and the guards are too few to reliably keep the peace. Gregory orders his soldiers to assist the city guard and Margaret and Grespin lead a unit to the most dangerous part of town, where reports of fighting has intensified. They briefly clash with a group of city stevedores, who flee after light resistance and soon they arrive at the Red Mermaid, where they the tavern-keep murdered and his patrons delirious with anger. Margaret climbs a table and tries to talk down the crowd but they hurl bottles and stools at her. Grespin and his soldiers rush to her defense and they all fight their way to the door as the mob grows more frenzied. After they push their way outside Margaret wedges her sword across the main door and orders the guards to blockade the other exit. They tend to their wounds the patrons inside murderously turn on each other. Someone within hurls a lamp and soon the interior is alight; within seconds the tavern becomes a crucible as Margaret and Grespin look on in horror. They turn and see a hostile crowd gathering and Grespin suggests to Margaret that she turn back to the castle to report on what has happened while he and his men will defend the fire team. As she runs quickly up the road Margaret looks back on the city and sees random of conflicts in the streets below. Lord Drake takes a moment to himself to burn the remaining arrows and he joins with Tasselhof to patrol the streets and maintain order.
Act Two: The Fire Inside
Within a week nearly half the city is sick with the mystical illness, which follows three stages: fever, blotchy skin, and irrational behavior, usually followed by severe bouts of violent aggression, and finally paralysis. Most victims will eventually recover, but hundreds die in the melees and fires throughout the city.
Lord Chaplain Torkas and a handful of his loyal priests fall ill, but their sickness is unknown to anyone due to their seclusion in the abbey. That week the sickness spreads throughout the abbey until all the Kalamir adherents are infected and become susceptible to Torkas's influence. Torkas incites his warrior priests to purge the city in holy fire and slay any heretics who stand opposed to them; his priests launch deadly assaults on the temples in Kandorr City and infiltrate the castle, where they attack the palace guard. Margaret, Grespin and Tas lead a counter-attack and soon the entire castle is in turmoil. Drake tracks down Torkas and slays him.
Meanwhile, Ambrose is studying and researching the sickness and discovers that Gregory was weakened by a mystical sickness that allows an evil presence to possess him. Ambrose learns that the dark force calls itself Grutek, a high priest of Thuzuul and an ally of Argonheim. He alerts Margaret and she and Borric confront Gregory, who orders his bodyguard to restrain them. They draw swords and fight. As the skirmish wages Gregory flees the throne room and barricades himself in the queens's quarters, where he holds his mother and her maidens hostage. They break down the doors and Borric struggles with Gregory and kills him; the lethal strike to Gregory also destroys Borric's sword.
Borric orders Ambrose and his remaining priests to exorcise the castle interior and has his soldiers continue patrolling the city in shifts; the Kandorr City is placed under emergency curfew and the sickness fades away in the following two weeks. Garn Simonson assumes the throne and continues Borric's policies until the danger passes. A state funeral is held for Gregory, who is interred at Karim Abbey. Borric choses to depart for Avandell to join his father Croyd.
Meta
Points awarded
- 3 points
Season Pool
- 17 points