Uncertainty Principle

Summary

Adventure Uncertainty Principle
GM Martin
Season Summer 825 WK
Night Weekends
Location The House of Ellis
Area Bowcourt and lands north
Level Medium

Party

D'Artagnan - Halfling Bard - Alex
Roxanna - Human Mind Mistress - Paige
Mattin - The Murder Hobbit - Kyan
Tharlin - Dwarven Air Mage - Conal
Firenya - Human Mind Mage - Mandos
Nick Bone - Elvan Necromancer - Heather
Fizz - Human Air Mage - Dean

Employer: Organized by ...

Mission: Requiring delicacy and discretion...

Payment: TBC

Scribe Notes

Duesday 1 Meadow 825

Started by meeting on training ground under a tree. The tree had moved positions and wasn't there previously and was also a cherry blossom tree blooming in summer. Underneath the tree we were met by 4 people 2 standing (most likely guards) and 2 sitting (our employers). The guards were introduced as Lazlo, a male who stayed lurking at the tree and Valentina, a woman who came to introduce us to our employers. Seated under the tree at a tea table was Lady Alexandra Anatasinova and Lord Yo. After introductions and pouring everyone individualized tea from the same tea set, Lady Alexandra gave some background on our job.

She was from the small county of Borovia, but Borovia had been invaded by the Drow and the people had fled as refugees and were now living in Superstition Mountains. They were going to reclaim Borovia but we weren't needed for that they had trained Borovian soldiers. Instead, our job as focused on the portal that used to operate between Borovia and the eastern lands of Kinlu that was now being used by the Drow as a portal to the Elven Isles. Lord Yo then stepped in to inform us of the actual Job. Apparently in 821 something happened to the portal and the outcome wasn't observed Lord Yo wanted us to time travel to before the invasion to modify the portal when it was being built. We would do this by picking up modified portal parts and swapping them out for the ones being used to build the Borovian portal. To Help with this job we were each given jade bracelets that would stabilize the time travel and allow for some communication between Lord Yo and our party, and a Ring to use to identify ourselves when picking up the portal parts. Then we finished all the paperwork for the guild and went our separate ways until the next day.

Lord Yo politely concluding his answers to Fizz's interminable questioning:

Cherry blossoms fall
All things pass in their season
Tea time has ended

We all made our ways from our dwellings to the De Rohan estate and were ushered past the rundown estate into the gardens by a rotund butler. In the gardens we made ourselves comfortable in an octagonal gazebo and within moments we were no longer in the slightly shabby gardens of the estate but were instead at the Mulberry estate surrounded by a well-kept red rose garden and met by Sir William de Mulberry. He offered us lunch and allowed us to pack some to take with us. He then took us further into the rose garden until we were surrounded by yellow roses and passed his brother Baron Henri tending to the gardens. Sir William was carrying a jade statue of a twisted serpent that he put down and stepped well away from. Our Jade bracelets heated up and vibrated and then we were no longer surrounded by roses but instead were standing in a stream surrounded by sheep.

Timeshift to 788

We decided to fly to Mittelmarkhauptstadt where we were to pick up the modified portal pieces from the university. When we got there we spent a night at a Inn outside the town before entering the next morning.

When entering we were pulled aside by the gate sergeant and told to wrap our weapons and to take care to follow the laws. The sergeant helped us find a urchin to guide us to the university. At the university we were met by a large statuesque woman named Janna who acted as deputy for the chancellor who we were to get our package from. She was the bearer of bad news as the package had been impounded by customs due to portals not being allowed in the town. She was able to recommend the employ of the Worshipful Guild of Legalists or the paying of direct fines to the customs officers (bribes). However, we almost immediately started plans on how to gain possession of the package without the delay of time or spending money and as such spent the rest of the day using mind speak while having our guide show us the warehouse district to plan a stealthy way to nick the package. Our Guide caught on to our possible plans and offered to take us to meet 'Bill' who was able to inform us about the guards and protection the customs warehouse employs. Our final act of the day was to return to the University to get enhanced magic, skills and stats and book into the Scholars' Inn rooms for the night.

Th'rsday 3 Meadow 788

After checking in to the Scholars, we left at around 11pm. Walking around a mostly empty town towards the warehouse district. When we got to the customs warehouse everyone went around the back. Firenya and Roxanna used ESP and Telepathy to identify the beings within the warehouse (4 dogs and 4 guards). Nick Warped a doorway into a back room. Matten entered first in werejackal form, Roxanna followed in were panther form, Climbing over a barrel to get into what seemed to be a cold storage. After verifying that the package was not in the cold storage. The group went through the alleys around the building to get to the outside of a side room, and once again checked the status of the living beings inside the building and then warping an entrance. This entrance alerts one of the guard dogs and Roxanna controls its mind to prevent being made. The package is easily identified and grabbed, Matten gets distracted by a Sarcophagus held in the same space and 3 other packages unaffiliated with the group get liberated from the space in the time it takes for everyone to get out. We then get back to the Scholars.The package we were meant to pick up is a hefty, decorated box with a silk cushion holding 5 quartz rods with characters embedded on each.

Flashback 
We are given maps for Borovia created in 810 just before the invasion and Lady Alexandra Anatasinova informs us that Count Kree built a pass to Alfheim and didn't inform the elves so around the time we are being sent to.

Frysday 4 Meadow 788

The next day we leave MMHS and by midday we reach a boarder crossing. One of the Guards Falcon informs us that the previous owner of these lands as a vampire and Borovia was a hell hole for hundreds of years. He recommends the 'Blood on the Vine' as a place to stay. As we walk further into Borovia the buildings and roads look recently upgraded. The village of Borovia didn't have walls and continued the theme of recent upgrades with dilapidation peaking through. We go to the 'Blood on the Vine' and get a place to stay. A local provides information that there are currently elven ambassadors visiting the castle. Other locals aren't as friendly.

Reapsday 5 Meadow 788

Fizz talks to portal guard and gets a basic timeline of how long the workers will continue to work on the portal. We then travel to the castle to see if we can gain a cover story for being in the region by taking a job. A severe early 30's women in nice cloths of red and gold meets us on the stairs of the castle. She introduces herself as Alexandra the Castellan of the castle and a very dangerous witch. She says the count and countess were not present at the moment and that she does not have any jobs for us. Firenya tries to cast mind speak and it backfires so she speaks to her unborn self until the counter is cast. We go to explore some ruins for a bit and while casting detect undead Nick's spell backfires and he gets cursed resulting in mood ring eyes, no undead are found. When returning to the village Fizz talks to an elven engineer about the portal and finds out where the portal bits are stored and that they would be used the next day so a plan is quickly put into place to switch the parts the next morning.

Sunday 6 Meadow

At 12am Roxanna uses Precognition to see if the plan works and gets a vision of the group running out of town but the feeling of success. So D'Artagnan casts a spell to create 80 rats that lie in wait under a tarp covering the wood to be used tomorrow. Then the next morning Roxanna, Matten and Nick wait behind the back of the building that hold the portal parts for the workers to leave to get the site ready. Roxanna uses Esp and when the building is mostly empty Nick warps a entrance and almost immediately the box we need to swap out is spotted and switched and then they are out of there and moving back around the house. The bracelets start buzzing like they did when we traveled through time so the group runs for it.

Unexpected Timeshift

??? ? ????

We tumble into a winter landscape in the afternoon so very much not in the right time. A woman is spotted in the woods across from us in colorful scarves and a beaded outfit. she Says that Madam Eva has been expecting us and introduces herself as Serina. She leads us to a campsite with similarly dressed people and then to a secluded spot where Madam Eva meets us.

She starts by doing a tarot reading for each member:

D'Artagnan - One of Coins - Swashbuckler
Roxanna - Master of Stars - Power and Ambition
Mattin - Horsemen - Death and Disaster
Tharlin - Six of Swords - Berserker and Beastial nature
Firenya - The Beggar - Change in fortune
Nick - Eight of Stars - Necromancer and Unhealthy obsessions
Fizz - One of Stars - Transmuter; unforeseen consequences and chaos

Tarokka Reading

Madam Eva says the mists of Borovia take people in but do not let them out (other than her people, the Vistani). Based on what she knows of the outside world, the Western Kingdom is currently ruled by Yolanda de Bowcourt making the year between 274 and 306 WK.

She then does a tarot reading for the reason we are here:

Four of coins, the Merchant, a rare opportunity - someone or something has taken this odd opportunity to bring us here.
The Broken One - the instigator is something defeated and despairing.
One of Swords, the Avenger - that is seeking vengeance or justice.

She says that whoever brought us here is seeking our assistance and the cards will reveal what the Broken One desires. Madam Eva suggest that if we seek to ever leave this land we'll need to find these things. She continues:

Eight of Swords, the Dictator - the card reveals a dark prince on a throne
The Donjon, a prison lost to the ages locked behind doors of amber.
Seven of Glyphs, the charlatan - a card that lies but seems to tell of a lonely windmill.

Lastly she draws a card that speaks to what the outcome may mean:

The Raven, hidden information, or a fortunate turn of events, secret potential for good. She says it suggests a possible good outcome to this situation.

When questioned on this reading she reveals information about an order of knights, the Order of the Silver Dragon, that were destroyed a some years ago by the vampire lord. Their castle appears to be the ruin we explored yesterday in 788 WK. Madam Eva knows of an amber prison but says that we will need to talk to Vistani in their other camp for more information.

Serina then leads us back out the camp and back towards the village of Borovia. When the group reaches the bridge leading into the village Nick senses a deathly presence and soon a procession of ghosts move out of the village, over the bridge, and towards the castle. Serina says the procession contains outsiders who opposed the vampire lord and died, and whose spirits are now trapped in Borovia and cannot leave.

The village of Borovia looks dilapidated but the 'Blood on the Vine' is present and we book in to stay the night.

Moonday 19th Snow 299 WK

There were only 4 people in the pub, The worker behind the bar and 3 vistani women who are introduced as the owners of the bar. After getting food and a place to stay we are told that it is 299 in western kingdom calendar. Due to the cold, we gain wolf cloaks and are warned to not invite people in or open the shutters at night. When we are able to contact Lord Yo he informs us that the area of uncertainty around our time travel is still present so there are currently multiple possible pasts and multiple possible futures. he also says that Whoever brought us back in time has similar powers to him. He consults with Lazlo about the order of the silver knights, and he says that there where ghosts in the ruins however when we were there, we saw no ghosts.

After conversing with Lord Yo we use the time to open the stolen boxes and find

Very nice necklace that is made out of real gold but is defiantly a fake
Alchemic magic book
Statue of an elephant with drugs within

At midnight Thalin and Matten feel the distinct feeling of death. The shutters rattle occasionaly and the door knob shakes.

Duesday 20th Snow 299 WK

The next day One of the Vistani women Mirabel directs us to a Vistani camp and some advice that we should make an offering to the Vistani and ask for Lucia. We then set off towards the Vistani camp.

When we get close to the camp we are walking through quite dense woods and see a skeletal rider and horse ride past us. Our travel through the woods alerts a pack of wolves that result in a fight that we win after killing 3 of them. Taking the dead wolves with us to the Vistani camp as an offering along with some alcohol. After entering the Vistani camp we are met by a man who informs us that Lucia is not present at the moment as his niece has gone missing. Roxanna uses pre cog to see what will happen if we help with the search and sees a man in a boat with a large sack that he tosses into the lake. We inform the Vistani man Steffan and go back to Valaki the nearby town to try to find this old man in the boat to try to rescue the young woman. The gate Guards let us enter the town after a bit of back and forth and we go straight to the docks.

On the way to the docks, we see locals taking down poles with wolf heads and putting up suns along with lots of guards walking the streets. After reaching the docks we are unable to identify the boat so go back to check the inn the woman was last seen in. When that does not result in any information we head back to the docks and finally ask a fisherman if there is anyone on the lake. He informed us that there is one mad man on the lake trying to break a curse. We take this information and walk down the coast till we are no longer in sight of the locals and fly over the lake. Fizz finds the boat and Thalin lands to save the woman while Roxanna controls the man to jump over the side of the boat resulting in his death as he gets eaten by the creature in the lake. Thalin carries the woman back to camp and the resulting happiness from the return of the woman results in a party atmosphere.

Morgantha, Baker at the Old Bonegrinder Mill

W'ansday 21st Snow 299 WK

The next morning Arrigal, the father of the woman we saved, talks to us and passes on information about the Amber doors. Saying that its not a place he likes to go as it was a place of evil and darkness hidden in the south mountains unable to be seen from above. He tells us that the amber doors lead to a prison that a order of wizards created long ago when they came to these lands as the brought with them darkness that had to be contained. They then turned to darkness and self-destructed. He Directs us to the old mill, called the "Bone Grinder".

The party decides to head to the Bone Grinder before anything else and when we get there, we are met by a dilapidated stone windmill that is slightly leaning to one side. Roxanna uses ESP to find 5 sentients within the mill. 3 with similar calm minds and 2 sleeping. There is a raven on a wood plank of the mill.

We enter the mill into a ground floor converted into a kitchen being manned by a middle-aged woman who offers to sell us some tarts. Firenya buys 6 tarts and when we get outside Matten DA's the tart and finds out that the women were a Night Hag and the tarts are dream tarts. So Firenya took the tarts away from everyone to deal with later.

On the road outside the windmill the group decides to head to the Ruins. When we get to the ruins, we see the dragon statue ruins, Nick detects undead and finds 1-5 greater undead when we get to the main doors. The Dragon statue turns around and blows a gust of cold air that doesn't harm the party, but words appear in its aftermath spelling out 'help me'. Inside the Ruins there is an ancient Knight that assumes we are here to destroy him. He blows a horn and 4 skeleton dogs, and 4 ghostly presences appear. Another presance from above speaks out saying "No, Vladamir stop this". Vladimir responds "Strahd must suffer"

We attempt to reason with Vladimir, but it doesn't work so we Fight. Vladimir surrenders after being hit with a mental attack and a lightning bolt. He lies down and dies, while another spirit called Guilium descends from above. He tells us that Lord Argenvost doesn't lie at rest. When he came to this land there were a group of wizards who were guarding remnants of evil. Lord Argenvost set new guards on the amber temple. Originally the 'monster' approached as an ally and friend, giving out gifts. One of these gifts being an exquisite mirror that could be used to scry. The mirror was draining his life force. Most of him lies in the mosoleam however as the Lord gets weaker, he visits the amber temple and might have left something behind, the mirror was sacked after he died and might have ended up being given to a noble in Vallaki. His head was taken by the vampire and placed in the throne room.

After this conversation we head back to the camp to stay for the night.

Amber Temple

Th'rsday 22nd Snow 299 WK

The next morning Arrigal takes us to the amber temple. Heading past a village that Strad flooded. As we get higher the temperature drops quicker than it should. Arrigal leads us to a tunnel hidden from above leading to black marble door. one side of the tunnel is made up of carved pillars leading to the entrance. After detecting undead the party is aware of 6-10 lesser undead. When we enter through the doors, we walk onto a mezzanine there are doors straight ahead of us guarded by floating, flaming skulls. Matten and Thalin decide to try to attack and while they try to defeat the flaming skulls that shoot fire balls the rest of the party stands and judges. nick remembers they can bind lesser undead in time to bind one while the other dies. the doors are locked so the group moves on to go downstairs to an open area with a large statue, silently telling everyone to shush.

A lich invites us further in and introduces himself as Malachi. He says to watch out for Auralies a larger more powerful skull, and when questioned informs the party that the temple was formed to keep dead gods the wizards brought with them contained. That the wizards came from a area that the Drau might of come from. He found the Lord a pleasent fellow and that he came to visit to ask about ways to prevent death. Visiting Tenebourus the lich king resulting in the formation of a philectory. In a similar vein Strad came looking for power speaking to an inmate as well and the result was he killed his brother on his brothers wedding day and the wife threw herself of a cliff. The next day Strad was a vampire.

Malachi leads us deep into the prison walking past the amber prisons of the dead gods as we spiral down. The 11th prison is broken from an escape. At the end of the spiral staircase there are doors that radiate with death vibes, Leading into a small room with 2 sarcophagi. Firenya looks behind Tenebourus sarcophagus and finds a small amber phylactery.

Malachi leads us back to the entrance and allows Nick to keep a flaming skull. The party the exits the amber temple with the Phylactery and instead of walking back to the Vistani camp Fly back. When we got to the camp there was a general air of concern. Lucia hands a letter with a wax seal to fizz. It's revealed to be an invitation to the castle for dinner by Strad that has been apparently dropped of by a crow. Telling the party that someone will pick us up from a bridge later that afternoon. Roxanna uses limited precognition on going to the dinner and being good guests. This shows her the party walking out of the castle.

Before the dinner we fly to visit Madam Eva. When we get there Serena is waiting for us. Madam Eva does not have much advice for us but does say that Strad is fond of playing host, he is likely to watch us and that we want him to think in 50 or something years we might be able to do something about him. As we still have time before the dinner the group goes to visit the Dragon Mausoleum. To enter we go through large stone doors that lead to a room with niches in the walls with plaques and a couple of sarcophagi and in the center of the room is a large Dragon Skeleton.

When we get to the bridge a large black carriage led by 6 horses is coming from the east driven by a vampire spawn. We all get in and driven to the castle, sleet begins to fall as we enter the gate house. There is an elf in black leather armor waiting on the stairs and he leads us in through the castle to a dining room where Strad is playing the organ at the head of the table. We sit down to a spread steak and white wine. Stard says "A good host doesn't poisen his guests" while nursing a "red wine". He focuses his attention on Matten after Fizz asks questions about the organ. Matten is contracted to Mother night so is shadowed by death. Strad says he is interested in leaving the mists and the conversation moves to the village that Strad drowned and other villages like Cresh where he says has an affliction of the mind. After this conversation Strad says he is not used to guests and when asked if we can see the castle he says we can enter the throne room but Strad won't show us around. He vaguely waves his arm in a direction and then dissolves into bats. When we leave we stop by the throne room that has a large wooden throne positioned with its back to the entry, a dragon skull hanging from the ceiling and a large window. The party doesn't do anything and leaves back to the vistani camp.. Lucia and Vistani men meet us with crosses and a anti undead amulet that gets passed round before going back to Lucia.

Hags

The Next day we head out back to the bone crusher and lurk around the edges until we see the old woman from before leave heading to the village. It is agreed that Roxanna, Matten and Nick will go in through the roof and see about finding the mirror while the rest distract the other possible hags by rushing the bottom. When that happens Firenya, Thalin & D'Artagnan Fall asleep and get taken elsewhere. The fight happens in two places one on the stairs at the bottom of the mill against two hags and 4 goop monsters where party members are consistently being stomped awaked before others fall asleep and are taken, and it also happens in the dream/fae realm where the asleep members battle spiders and undead while the spectral figure of the other hag watches. Throughout all of this Matten, Nick and Roxanna sneak through the levels of the mill finding 2 children and not much else before Matten joins the fight at the bottom of the mill. This turns the tide, and the hags and goop monsters are soon after dead. In the end the party loots the mill of anything of interest, Matten finds a golden club resinating with life magic, nick finds an ornate vile that steals the blood of the person holding it. When Rescuing the children there is a girl and a boy. The girl is awake enough to imprint on Nick while the boy is asleep and Roxanna carries him down its decided that Nick will ask the dead hags for more information before we make our next move. We are informed that The Swamp Hag has the mirror now as she stole it off the mill hags a while ago. The Hags say to not go to the swamp when the hag is there and that she has green teeth. There parting remark is towards matten saying he will end up at the Black Dessert. The party decides to drop the children of with the vistani on the way to visit Madam Eva. It is a bit of a struggle to get the girl Charlotte to let go but eventually both children have joined the Vistani Children at play.

Madam Eva says the windmill Hags had the tacit approval of the Master and that the swamp hag is quite near to here as she lives in the swamp near the drowned village, her name is baba lasaga. Madam Eve suggests we sleep in a stone circle just across from the drowned village.

We take a cloud to the stone circle. D'Artagnan does a ritual that finds out that druids that follow the forests of the land raised this circle using living power. it can hide us from magical eyes. There are moving scarecrows in the village. Someone appears from behind a stone mid 30's women. She introduces herself as Murial and says she is keeping an eye on things as she is friends with the ravens not with Strad.

After a Fight with the Swamp Hag we leave the burning hut with the swamp hags flying skull and fly straight to the castle after taking a quick break to warp Thalin a shoulder pad and stand and taking some restoration potions.

A theft

When we get to Strads castle D'Artagnan shatters the window and Thalin, Matten, D'Artagnan and Nick go inside to steal the skull by having Nick warp the skull off the chains and onto Thalins shoulder pads. When this happens a wall of thorns grows blocking the exit strategy, so a fight ensues. However, we are all able to escape and fly to the mausoleum.

We get to the mausoleum with the skull, phylactery and mirror and place these items in the most reasonable place. With the skull at the head of the dragon skeleton, the phylactery at the heart and the mirror in front of the head. This results in a glow around the skeleton as it dissolves, and a beacon of light leads up into the sky. Throughout this our bracelets buzzed.

Time moves forward and a man appears out of the light. We reconnect with Lord Yo and the man is discovered to be Lord Yo's Grandchild Lord Argenvost and after a quick conversation he leaves to move the amber prison and lord Yo says we need to return to MMHS to fix something we mucked up.

We end up in 788 summer still in the mausoleum and decide to walk to MMHS. When we enter we are once again pulled over this time to be questioned about a theft that happened when we were in the town. (That we were the perpetrators of). We split off to gather info.

Thalin, Matten, D'Artagnan and Fizz go to the Cut purse and find Bill and get told that our guide from last time Steffen is in prison and that the Baron is making a fuss due to the lost necklace he was going to use to solve his money problems with the man.

Everyone else goes to the university to check in with Janna, She says that the book that was taken was going to prominent citizen Doktor F. Einstein. Then to the Town crier who informs them the town is on guard for a necromancer in town.

After meeting back as a group and sharing info its decided that fizz will go back to the cut purse and see if Bill is able to help. Bill says he is if we pay 50 shillings.

A War

We head back to the Mausoleum and once again travel forward through time, as we are the skies go black and we slide to a halt and it is cold. Lord Argenvost is waiting on us back in the summer of 825. He explains the weather is due to current events and that "we are going to deal with them". He says we are waiting for others and a knife rips through dimensions and Quinlou people come pouring out amongst the rush we can Identify Lazlo and other similarly equipped people. As they come out the start making portals that bring even more artillery and beings through including dwarfs.

Firenya starts a fire while we wait for the army to gather. We are told we are accompanying the dwarfs, but before we go Lord Argenvost brings the dragon knights back and turns into a dragon. He breaths amber mist on to us before flying away with his knights.

A Dwarf named Ulf introduces himself as our command and we start marching on Borovia town following the river with siege weapons on sleds and dwarfs on skates.

We Win and loot the place after defeating 3 Ice giants and forcing Drau to retreat back to portal that we edited adding an interferance for the Jade dragon so he is know able to send the Drau elsewhere far away.

Mil Sci

Buffs

Magic (caster)	Rk	Effects	Dur
Darksword (Mt)	7	+8 BC%, +3 Dam. +7 vs Creature of Light	12 min
Shadowform (Mt)	17	36% defense	9 hours
Vapour Breathing (Th)	11
Inspirational Song (Dt)	6

Watch Order

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Firenya			Tharlin			Rox			Fizz
		Dart			Mattin			Nick

Calendar

Summer: Meadow 825 WK
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday	Th'rsday	Frysday	Reapsday		Sunday
		Beltane Full Moon	1	Guild Meeting	2	3	4	5	White Lotus	6
	7		8		9	10	11	12		13
	14		15		16	17	18	19		20
	21		22		23	24	25	26		27
	28	Full Moon	29		30	1	2	3		4
Summer: Heat 825 WK
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday	Th'rsday	Frysday	Reapsday		Sunday
	5		6		7	8	9	10		11
	12		13		14	15	16	17		18
	19		20		21	22	23	24		25
	26	Full Moon	27		28	29	30	1		2
Summer: Breeze 825 WK
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday	Th'rsday	Frysday	Reapsday		Sunday
	3	Day of Death	4		5	6	7	8		9
	10		11		12	13	14	15		16
	17		18		19	20	21	22		23
	24	Full Moon	25		26	27	28	29		30

Uncertainty Principle

Contents