arrival

Arrival at Ravengro

The story started with Rikkar Olande sitting amongst the trees on the slopes of the Tusk mountains overlooking the road leading north out of Tamrivena. He was watching a gigantic flock of Great Ravens cavorting amongst the trees of the Shudderwood.

Many travelers passed on the road that day but one traveler, specifically, was looking for him. Tonii Jai, houseboy to the Lorrimor family in Ravengro, walked up the road and told Rikkar about Petros Lorrimors death. He then handed him the request from the family that he be present at the funeral and the reading of the will.

Rikkar and Tonii started the long walk south towards Ravengro. They specifically avoided the overly paranoid town of Tamrivena and continued south.

Towards evening they were overtaken by a large, wine-colored wagon bearing the Coat of Arms of Lepidstadt University. In the wagon was Royston Raven, Dr. Utterson and Angyal Lovaid Kosfogo.

After introductions it was discovered that they all had a common friend, Professor Lorrimor, and had common purpose, they had all been summoned to his funeral and will reading.

With this discovery they all boarded the wagon and headed south.

As night fell they came upon an abandoned roadside-inn with a cabinet of antique curios.

Angyal pulled out her Harrowdeck and performed a reading for the party concerning the upcoming days.

Before they could investigate further the camp was set upon by 4 small, reptile-like creatures that jumped straight for the face, latching on and trying to tear out the eyes of their victims.

During the ensuing battle Royston had a creature climbing on her. Rikkar took aim to shoot it off and missed … shooting Royston in the chest and nearly killing her.

The next day they travelled south giving the eerie town of Clovers Crossing a wide berth and towards evening ended up in Ravengro.

The first member of the community they met was the young Pevrin Elkarid. He was busy posting news on the posting poles. Very friendly son of a local innkeeper he gave them directions.

Continuing past they drove by a school of magic “The Unfurling Scroll”. The wagon continued into the town square where Tonii Jai and Rikkar got off to go into a local tavern “The Outward Inn” to get a drink and listen to music.

The others continued on to the Lorrimor residence in the south of town.

Upon arrival at the home or Petros Lorrimor they came upon a strange man working on some sort of large brass and tube contraption in the back of a wooden handcart. When they walked up to talk to him they were quickly told by the eccentric inventor Horace Croon to stay outside the line he had traced in the dirt.

With that, a lovely woman came to the door to scold Horace and invite them in to the house, Kendra Lorrimor.

She names them each and asks if Darius Kane is with them. They say he is not. She seems slightly distressed by this but simply expresses hope that Darius is healthy and well and then invites them in.

Inside the house were a few other friends of the professors there to attend the funeral.

Acting Sergeant Dun from Lepidstadt, the merchant Zvraskav Hora, Duristan Silbio Ariesir (an admirer of the professors adventures), mysterious Kvalca Sain, and Abraun Chalest (a professor of far off Osiria). All were friendly and a brief flurry of introductions and friendly chat ensued.

Angyal was taken under the wing of the lovely Kendra Lorrimor immediately. Professor Chalest took Royston and Utterson in the cellar to find wine. The cellar was full of antiquities from the professors adventures including a large sarcophagus.

Soon Rikkar and Tonii arrived at the house (Tonii having remembered he was, after all, in the employ of the Lorrimor’s and should be doing his job).

A large explosion brought everyone running to the front door only to discover that Horace Croon had got his machine “working”.

At this point Acting Sergeant Dun left in disgust and the rest of the guests agreed to wrap it up for the night.

The party was given rooms at the very spacious Lorrimor residence and were just settling in for a nightcap and discussing the professor’s death when they heard a light tapping at the window overlooking the garden

Upon investigation they could see a spectral Raven tapping on the window. As they opened the window the raven took flight and vanished to the south.

As they were watching it fly into the overcast, moonless night they saw a figure run from the garden towards the woods.

They jumped out of the window and gave chase … with Rikkar bringing up the rear as he had stumbled heavily into the rose bushes.

After a short chase they were able to capture the runner when he got entangled in a large briar patch bordering the property.

He was an emaciated, crazed individual spouting senseless prophecies and predictions and demanding in a whiny voice to be let free. “They are coming” “From Leng they will come” etc. Tonii knew him as “Antrellus the Mad”. He was a harmless crazy hermit who lived in the woods so they let him go.

Upon returning to the house they met again with Kendra Lorrimor who had just finished getting herself and Angyal ready for bed.

Upon seeing Rikkar she smiled. Rikkar and Kendra recognized each other as childhood acquaintances. They had met 10 years earlier when Kendra was living with a group of Sczarni as an adopted daughter to the clan head Urseg. Rikkar, his father Holt Olande, Professor Lorrimor and the professor’s companion at the time, Brys de La Chance had helped the Sczarni clan defeat a fell threat and Rikkar and Kendra had become friends. Urseg had died.

Upon further discussion it was discovered that Professor Lorrimor had taken the young Kendra in and adopted her as his own. She had lived and learned with him for the past 10 years and was now a young woman.

After a brief bit of small talk the party went to their respective rooms and went to bed.

Burial of Petros Lorrimor

gibs

The next morning the party awoke and made their way to the local graveyard, a large hill north of town full of gravestones and mausoleums known as the Restlands.
Upon arrival at the entrance they came upon a a wooden wagon containing a coffin with Petros Lorrimors body was waiting by the gate. Standing beside the wagon were the guests they had met from the previoius night along with surprisingly few townsfolk.

The party was surprised that a man of Petros Lorrimors stature and long-standing in this community would have his DreamWake so poorly attended. When asked about this Kendra simply stated that things had been strange lately.

Attending locals were the young lad the party had met the previous day, Pevrin Elkarid and his father tavernkeeper Zokar Elkarid. Also attending were Councilors Vashian Hearthmount and Gharen Muricar, and Jominda Fallenbridge the local apothecary close friend to Petros.
Kendra asked if any attending would act as pallbearers and Tonii, Rikkar, Royston, Dr. Utterson, Acting Sergeant Dun and Kvalca Sain stepped up and lifted the coffin out of the wagon. With that the group of mourners made their way into the Restlands following the dusty path of the Dreamwake towards Professor Lorrimar’s final resting place.

They made their way past the grim stone grace markers and imposing mausoleums for only a short while and were just turning from the Dreamwake onto the Eversleep when a group of six surly looking men bearing improvised weapons made of farmtools stepped from the surrounding stonework to block their path. The tallest of these toughs was an elderly but wiry retired soldier named Gibs Hephenus. He speaks out as soon as the procession comes to a stop.

“Thats far enough! We been talking and we don’t want Lorrimor buried in the Restlands.”
With that Kendra exclaimed.

“Gibs! What in the lady’s name are you up to you old fool?”
Gibs bristled at this and continued.

“You can take your father up river and bury him there if you want, but he isn’t going in the ground here!”

Kendra balled her fists.

“What are you talking about? I arranged it with father Grimsburrow, He is waiting for us. The grave has already been…”

“You don’t get it woman… you with all your fancy book-learning. We wont have no necromancer buried in the same place as out kin! I suggest you move out while you still can. Folks are pretty upset about this right now.”

With that Kendra throws her arms in the air and marches towards Gibs in a fury.

“You really are a madman! Necromancy! Are you really that stupid Gibs!?”

With that Gibs yells, “I won’t have no woman calling me stupid. Get ’em boys!”

With that the group of cronies surges forwards with their garden tool weapons to scare off the funeral procession. Gibs however backpedals as Kendra bears down on him.

The party spends a valuable minute slowly and carefully lowering Petros Lorrimor’s coffin from their shoulders while the ruffians bear down on them. This delay earns then a few hard strikes as they can’t defend themselves against the attackers.

Vashian Hearthmount quickly rushes to the side avoiding combat to the sever glare of Rikkar Olande who now marks the councilor as a coward and unworthy of his future friendship.

Once the coffin is set down the party sets about returning the favor. Royston disarms one with a flick of her whip, Dr. Utterson and Tonii Jai deliver knockout punches to a couple in quick succession, Acting Sergeant Dun threatens to cut them all down with his sword.

The farmhands are little match for the party and truth be told their heart really isnt into it. Finally Rikkar aims his Flintlock pistol in the air and fires. Smoke and acrid stench fills the combat area. This is too much for the attacker and they flee. Gibs seeing he is soon to be alone and still being backed up by an enraged Kendra takes flight. They soon disappear amongst the surrounding gravestone.

Kendra is furious and as she walks back towards the procession she delivers a hard kick to the ribs of one of the unconscious attackers.

The sound of combat and the Rikkar’s shot has brought Father Grimsburrow and his two attending gravediggers running. Father Grimsburrow is a tall, severe man. The local high priest of the temple of Pharasma. He is greatly angered by the actions of Gibs and his cronies and promises they will get a severe talking to from himself and the Sheriff. The father administers healing to the laid out attackers and then sends them off with a smoldering look and a warning.

The procession continues with Father Grimsburrow escorting it and soon arrive at the grave.
Kendra says a few words as the coffin is lowered into the prepared stone-lined pit and then asks if is anyone else who would offer a few words.

Royston, Rikkar, Dr. Utterson and Tonii all offer well delivered eulogies to the professor. Their words are greatly appreciated by Kendra.

With that the procession clears out until the only ones remaing are Kendra and the four friends.

As they stand there talking an expensive, black-lacquered coach with two drivers and a doorman pulls up. A well dressed man gets out and asks if this is the funeral for Petros Lorrimor.

When he is told it is he asks for Kendra and then hands her an envelope with the letter “A.A” signed to it. He then opens a box and removes a marionette. Walking over to the grave he puts the small puppet against the headstone and then, with a bow, remounts the carriage and is gone.

Very strange.

Tonii sidles of to the gravestone and looks at the marionette. It is a basic puppet with no paint, strings or finish. The only paint is a pair of black crosses for eyes, and a red painted downturned frown. There is a black tear of paint below on eye. Tonii looks around, reaches out and carefully pokes the puppet with a quick jab. It slowly slides to the ground, tipping over. Satisfied he returns to the group.

The party returns to the house for a drink and to await the arrival of Councilor Vashian Hearthmount for the reading of the will.

Professor Petros Lorrimor … Is laid to rest.