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resources:adventure:something_in_the_heir

something in the heir

Initial Brief

Lucretia Griffin, Bachelor of Laws (people’s), of Bartolemew’s Inn has discovered the deeds to a substantial estate in the name of Cecilia de Meliere. The de Melieres appear to have died out about fifty years ago, however she has uncovered documents that mention a last surviving son, who left Acryn on a pilgrimage to the Founders and in the direction of Estan, a town along the road to Margush, around the time the family is alleged to have died out. If a surviving blood relative of the family can be found then they will be in for a windfall. She puts out a call for adventurers willing to retrace the surviving son’s journey in order to get his descendents to sign up with Bartolemew’s Inn as their legal representatives in exchange for a cut of the inheritance.

PCs

Debrief

The party meet with the lawyer, Lucretia Griffan, who informs them of the route the last surviving son took. She also explains that any heir would be identifiable by a rare mutation that all the family possessed, mismatched eyes, and the family signet ring, bearing the seal of a swan.

The party retrace the steps of Dominic de Meliere, supposedly the last surviving child of Cecilia. Along the road to Estan, Lady Rosemile stop off at the shrines to each of the founders in order to attempt to get their attention and lift the curse on her hand.

The first shrine they visit is the Leader's, which is currently occupied by Felix Cargan, a black sheep of the family, and his retinue. Geoffry prays at the shrine and blood from his sympathetic wound flows on the the shrine. Lady Rosemile talks with Felix, who is unsure about the path that his family is currently is taking. Eventually they agree to a pact that they will seek out the most suitable heir to the throne and help bring them to power without bloodshed, with Felix accepting Lady Rosemile as his leader for the time being. The feel the gaze of the Leader upon them as Geoffry's blood pools at the shrine and Lady Rosemile asks for help lifting her curse so that she might better serve the leader.

Next they happen upon a group of people, the leader of which claims the name Green Thomas. Jon McWizard gives him some money to aid the poor and the rest of the party agree to give their aid to a a village that is under attack from giant spiders. After cleansing the spider nest the party head on to the Tender's shrine, which is occupied by a dishevelled looking band. They go off to hunt game to give as an offering and debate for some time if it is acceptable to bring back some of the deer near the shrine, as one of them appears to be holy. They eventually lead one of the non-holy deer to the shrine, which is killed and eaten by the squatters. However it appears to have been enough as they feel the Tender's approval wash over them.

The next shrine is that of the Builder. A group of craftsman devotees are there making weapons. They ask for the party's help obtaining sacred wood from a specific tree in the forest. This is complicated by the fact the the forest is mostly flux now and has been overrun by flux cultists, who see the Builder as there antithesis. The party fend off the flux cultists as Lady Rosemile battles the spirit of the tree to prove she is worthy of its wood. Successful they return to the Builder devotees and earn the Builder's approval.

The forth shrine is unmarked. The party find their minds assailed by a force that asks what their noblest goal is and what they make sacrifice to achieve it. All, except Lady Rosemile, are accepted the presence and feel it absorbed in to them. Lady Rosemile successfully fends off the mental assault.

At the fifth shrine is an alcove with a mirror, from which emerge reflections of each party member. They all get the feeling that this is a holy duel and they must defeat their counterpart in single combat. All, save Gina, are successful and feel they have earned the general approval of the Warrior.

The party finally arrive at Estan and ask around the market square if anyone knows of the man with mismatched eyes that might have come here fifty years ago. They are directed to an old blacksmith who remembers Dominic de Meliere. It appears he did settle down in the city and become a successful merchant, until about twenty five years ago he went on a killing spree and took his own life. His daughter, Ariadne is still alive, and runs a hospital in the town. They track down Ariadne and see she does indeed have mismatched eyes. She doesn't have the signet ring but believes it could be in his study, which was sealed after his death.

Searching Dominic's study Gina finds deeds to a country estate outside Acryn, which she knows no longer is there, but no sign of a signet ring. She also finds a note:

‘To my descendents,

I left Acryn to purge the curse that has fallen upon our bloodline. Should you seek our family seal I cast it upon the ashes of our estates.

Dominic de Meliere’

With that the party head to where the de Meliere country estate should have been. On the way they are attack by mercenaries led by an undead cowled figure, who McWizard swallows whole. The remains of the estate, which appears to have burned to the ground and the party are surprised to see are concensus, are haunted by ghosts, which McWizard dispels by swallowing the seals holding them there. Amongst the ashes they find the signet ring, along with two sets of human bones: the first amongst what appears to have been work surfaces and the second all gathered in one room.

They return with Ariadne to Bartolemew's Inn, where she happilly signs Lucretia's contact. The party all all given promisary notes worth 100 riel once the case has been processed. As they are about to leave a number of undead, led by Cecilia de Meliere who appears to be an undead wounding mage, attack. The party cut down Cecilia and her minions, although they are at several points nearly felled themselves. It would appear that Cecilia had been experimenting with undead to save her family line from what lies after death, a process which had hideous consequences.

Lady Rosemile and her servants return to their printing press and instruct them to continue printing their royalist propoganda. They also have enough money now to open up one of Lady Rosemile's estates once more.

Wibble/ Snackies

Lady Rosemile

  • The curse on her hand will start to recede over the next few days, allowing her to slowly regain control of it.
  • She has a member of House Cargan and his retinue loyal to her (although he is fairly low ranking). On the downside she now has an oath before the Leader that she will work for a bloodless revolution and should she act against the spirit of this it will earn her the ire of the Leader or his priests.
  • 100 Riel

Gina Weathers

  • Blessing of the Traitor: may use Know the Correct path in pursuit of her cause once ever.
  • 100 Riel

Geoffry Weathers

  • Blessing of the Traitor: may use Know the Correct path in pursuit of his cause once ever.
  • 100 Riel

Jon McWizard

  • Blessing of the Traitor: may use Know the Correct path in pursuit of his cause once ever.
  • He has swallowed five magical seals, which means his stomach has a tendency to become haunted (although the spirits will typically dissipate over time). The spirits will talk to him and occassionally try to exert influience over his actions. Currently it is haunted by a victim of Cecilia de Meliere, who hates the nobility and magicians and wishes to cleanse them.
  • 100 Riel
resources/adventure/something_in_the_heir.txt · Last modified: 2015/05/14 21:08 (external edit)