HAZARD REPORT: Haunted Halls Vampires
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HAZARD REPORT
Copy of Justiciar report submitted by: Initiate Kalen Smith
Brief:
"Family" of Vampires empowered from within Deadwell taken root in Haunted Halls. Supposedly searching for "Veilweaver's Spindle" an artifact that spins time from darkness. Extreme hazard. Semi-Resolved short-term, but situation and complications active.
Detail:
Encountered a man who had come upon his two dead companions, both were drained of blood. The man had been urinating while his mates had been killed. No signs of blood or the like on the terrified man. He fled, his former companions arose as cursed shells of their once human forms. Dispatched alongside House Delzuld Senior Retainer Genevieve Hansburg and Vaerion Smith.
Initial investigation of Haunted Hall encountered a vampire woman who implied she and her "family" had had their fill at the Deadwell and had made their way to the Haunted Halls to serve their "Lord of the dark" or some such name. The vampire claimed to have recently "scared off" who I ascertained to be Myrkyr. The Vampires offered reward for bringing them Myrkyr that they might (kill? corrupt?) him as they did not like him at all. Politely refusing the offer of vampirism in exchange for the Kingslayer via a readied blade to plunge into her dark heart, the vampiress summoned darkness and retreated from sight only to call upon a pack of ghouls who expelled poisonous breath that would set, and then secondarily would kill the impacted individual (in this case Genevieve Hansburg was killed, though resurrected). Vaerion and I fought our way out of the depths of the Haunted Halls, constant darkness summoned about us, Harried by undead, the cursed vampire's victims.
Resurrected Hansburg and called for aid as Adventurer Guild member Vaerion aided Eveningstar in setting up defense. Gathered a number of individuals to hold the town of Eveningstar in the event of an attack. Morning came safely.
Myrkyr arrived in Eveningstar to see to the defense against undead. With Sentinel Brightstar's approved honor duel lined up, Myrkyr was dismissed on this technicality without thrashing or arrest. Some adventurers stayed to defend Eveningstar while Initiate Kalen Smith, accompanied by Initiate Jasera Khelrys, and several other adventurers (Alycia Snap, Jacob Glassrock, House Delzuld Senior Retainer Genevieve Hansburg, the one known as Gariah, and a druidess named Thistle) pressed on into the Hall to face the vampire threat. A significant number of undead were slain, though the complexities of truly killing a vampire may mean that most if not all the vampires are not dead-dead but still undead.
Encountering a Haunted Halls Denizen Resident they imparted the information below. Note, this entity was a Sorcerous Mummy in the midst of research, quite perturbed at the interruption and plundering by the vampires, thus willing to parlay with us if we would end the Vampire threat. While negotiation with intelligent undead would not normally be thinkable, the creature was behind a powerful self-sealing door to render it quite safe from our attack, though facilitating excellent auditory if not semi-frequently and interrupted communication. I include bullet point list of the things said by it below, with the caveat that the truth behind its words is not certain, and that anything it said should be considered suspect and possibly a trap. That said, it did seem quite perturbed at the vampires and was willing to inform quite readily showing loyalty to Haunted Halls former bandit leader Rivior.
- The Vampire's name is Baroness Drusilla Bloodborne, awoken from a 500-year slumber.
- She and the other vampires awoke and fed in the Deadwell to gain strength.
- Vampires are seeking "The Veilweaver's Spindle" stolen by Rivior long ago. It reportedly "spins time from darkness" and was hidden in the halls.
- Not actually hidden in the halls per se: "Hidden in the Shadowfell, on the edge of death itself. A place no undead can find, and no living can approach without dying
Notes/Recommendations
This implies that the spindle is currently safe from said vampire, but there is always the possibility of some fool that wants eternal life as a cursed idiot to try and get there, die, bring it back to the vampires and get their undeadness. The logistics here are hazy, yes, but crazier things have happened. Retrieving and destroying the spindle may be advisable for peace of mind. In the meantime, Vampires are somewhere within the Hall and eliminating them may prove to be as difficult to dislodge as mice from a cat-less cottages in winter. Further recommend Initiate Khelrys be provided her initiate cloak and files access that she might expound upon some files, and aid in providing reports.
Signed,
Initiate Kalen Smith
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I'm pretty sure these are the vampires I encountered in the Hullack Forest. It was a while ago though. They seemed to be looking for something but also toying with us as well. We heard a female voice saying it had been entertaining and we'd meet again.
Some of their numbers are good stalkers and they keep disappearing out of thin air.
-Alizee
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Kalen posts a letter from Senior Retainer Hansburg of House Delzuld:
Kalen
(I enclose a plan to reach the shadowfell and obtain the spindle*
Deep within the haunted halls in an area best reached with a scout is a hideout that has a portal in it that leads deeper inside.
I believe it may be possible to temporialy redirect the portal.
First a link to the shadow would need to be made, I believe this can be done by placing bags of shadow around the plinth and then casting darkness from a spell of shadow conjuration.
Then a conjurer would need to strengthen the link, I could attempt it by using a variation of summon shadow from shadow conjuration but a conjurer would be prefrable
I will note that potions of polarisation will be needed for travel to the plane as it will be quite unpleasant
Going in from the Halls should bring us close to the location we desire within the plane
Senior Retainer Hansburg
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I think I know where that is! The hidden hideout.
-Alizee
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A reliable source witnessed one of the dwarves (Cronn, Molgar or Varric... confirming) speak with a Vampire in the Haunted Halls prior to the betrayal at Tilverton, having written a record of it in their journal the day it occurred. [Dwarf] "asked this vampire to fuse an azure gem into himself. He wanted it in him so that 'its energies come to him and are sustained by his life force in return.' His exact words."
"Then [Dwarf] asked what the vampire wanted from them to make it happen. She [the vampire] said she wanted to claim Deadwell for herself. As well as she wanted a shard for her own use."
Smith: "Did [the vampires] indicate how they would get into the deadwell?'
Source: Yes, they needed gravedirt transported to the Deadwell when the wards are temporarily down. The wards only lower briefly, when the House of Ash passes through. They [dwarves, vampires] were doubtful that the House would do it willingly, so it would need to be snuck in. They probably walked along side them without them knowing. The dirt would need to be snuck in and scattered among the various crypts.
