Kidnapped
This tale of adventure begins in the town of Daggerford , one year after the reign of Auril the Frost Maiden ended. It was an unseasonably cold Autum day in October. The weather was unpredictable and only the Valkyries knew the true reason. The Gods of Fury were furious at one of their own being defeated and perhaps in the near or far future, adventurers would have to rise up to defend against them like the Valkyries did with Auril.
The town of Daggerford was preparing for an All Hallows Eve Celebration and a small group of adventures had been the ones to do the work. They had only been working with each other for about a month due to it being easier to get better quests when in a larger group. With their last assignment over the group went to one of the taverns they frequented.
The group was odd and fit in very well with Daggerford’s All Hallow’s Eve décor that being put up all over. The table had five adventures sitting at it as follows:
Viktor VanWollfe, a bloodhunter with unnaturally red hair, an emerald green vest and a black duster coat.
Yashiro Kiko, a warlock that always wears a fox mask, occasionally lifting is just enough to smoke on his pipe.
Biddy Shortstack, a wizard with a witch’s hat, black cloak, and a penchant for mushrooms.
Beelzebus Bartabus, an artificer with a pencil mustache and a suit and vest that made him look like a mobster.
Kaelous Osseous, a cleric with long black hair and always wearing a jackal’s mask.
The group having finished an assignment were sitting at the table listening the music coming from a halfling bard who was hidden in the corner strumming his lute. An orc bar maid ran the tavern with a skill not many had. Viktor stood and looking at the group announced: “I’m getting a round want anything? On me of course.”
A chorus of agreements came from the party. Viktor took everyone’s orders and strode to Liza the bar maid. “Round for us please.”
“Cider’s all we got. We got alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties.”
“Four alcoholic and one non-alcoholic.”
Lisa raises an eyebrow at the order. Viktor gave a small smile, “Cleric says you never want the healer being drunk. He’s got a point there.”
The bar maid gives a hearty chuckle as she grabs five mugs and takes them to the back. She fills thema and sets them down for a couple minutes. From a small gap, one can see her hand squeezing apples over jars and setting the juice to ferment, the ultimate handmade cider. Lisa comes back and hands Viktor the cider.
“There you go sir. That one doesn’t got the booze in it.” She points to one mug. “That’ll be five silver.”
The money and cider exchanged and Viktor brings them back to the table. Thank you’s come from the ones waiting . The group drinks and then they start to talk.
Kaelous stares intently at the blood hunter, “Did you get injured on the last quest?”
“It was carrying boxes , do you think I hurt myself carrying boxes?”
“Possibly, now did you get hurt? If you did I need to heal it.”
“No, I did not.” Viktor annoyed now turned to Yashiro and began to talk to him.
Biddy sat sipping her cider and soon stared at the liquid in realization. She was the only girl in this party. How on earth had she just realized? They had been working together for a month.
Beelzebus drank his cider and silently crushed leaves for his pipe.
The group listed to Yashiro tease Viktor relentlessly until Kaelous had enough and smacked them both with the spine of the book he had been attempting to read. About that time a middle aged dwarf came into the tavern. He wore a badge of a raven holding a shaft of wheat, the insignia of the Duchess of Daggerford.
“Lisaaa get me a double.” The man called as he sat on of the stools. She gave him both mugs of cider and he down one immediately. “Ugh that damn Duchess Morwen. Wanting me to do this. Do that. All for this stupid All Hallow’s Eve Party. No one is going to go later tonight. Like legit the Harvest Festival is coming after the farmers get done with harvest. NO ONE is going!” He sips his second cider. “Making me work for what? Nothing no one is coming.” He glances around and sees the adventures sitting at a nearby table. “Hey you adventures?”
“Us?” asks the warlock.
“Yeah, you. What do ya all think of Duchess Morwen?”
“Vain” Viktor replied after thinking for a second.
“Much nicer than what I would have called her. Any way I got a job, quest whatever its called for your group.” He swallows a swig of cider. “There’s these troubadours that are like in the way of the gate. Duchess Morwen, curses to her and all that, hired some entertainers. Then these people show up and block the gate.”
“So are they not the entertainers she hired.”
“No and she wants them gone. Those absolute awful people with their caravans and colorful clothes and stuff blocking the gate.”
The adventures stared at the dwarf in disbelief at his racist comments of the travelers.
Viktor spoke again, “So we are going to be city guards for you.”
“No want you to get em out of here. Don’t care how you do it.
Yashiro stared at the man a bit, “Did the duchess ask for you to give us this job or are you just not wanting to do your job?”
“Look I have been busy and don’t want to. I will pay you so get them out. Throw bricks I don’t care. Duchess wants em gone and I don’t want to. So take the money and do the job.”
Biddy during the conversation was messing with her mushrooms which did catch the eye of the drunken guard.
“20 gold for some mushrooms.” He offered her, temporarily forgetting his negotiations for getting the travelers removed.
Biddy smiled and agreed handing over some mushrooms and gaining the gold. Beelzebus leaned over her and chuckled in between puffing on his pipe.
“Should have sold him some opium that racist prick, those mushrooms wont do much.” He told the halfling wizard.
“Oh I know, he just paid for normal mushrooms. You cook with these.” Biddy told Beelzebus. They both cracked a smile as they watched the man eat the mushrooms with glee.
Viktor and Yashiro waited not very patiently while he ate the mushrooms. “Back to business” the red haired blood hunter said to pull him back to the matter at hand.
“Right get those colourful troubadours gone or I will have the guard kill them and probably use their filthy heads as décor. Do it and 15 gold for it. You can come back and get it.” He drank the last of his mug of cider.
Kaleous looked up from reading his book, The Book of the Dead, “Pay it now.”
“Huh?”
“Pay it now.” The cleric stood, “and then we will do the job. You’re drunk no guarantee you will remember this conversation and pay us.”
The dwarf guffawed and handed the gold over, before ordering more cider from Lisa. Viktor who had been generally irked by the man the whole conversation grabbed a bit of paper and wrote, Kick me I am a racist, and secured it to his back. The party took pleasure in obliging those written instructions as they left the tavern.
The gate that the travelers were blocking was the south gate, a side gate that normally was not that important. The gate was fairly easy to get to and the five adventures soon arrived. A jaunty toon wafts over the air and the sounds of laughter and glee spread as well. The group came upon the traveler’s vardos set in a semicircle inside the gate effectively blocking anyone trying to enter the city. Flamboyant and garish cloth decorated the vardos, creating a barrier that the party had to go throw to gain entrance. Smoke from pipes and incense wafted over the breeze and groups of revelers that had been dancing around a small bonfire offered the adventurers to join them.
Yashiro remembered from some book or lesson that this group was called the Vistani . The Vistani were known for their music, storytelling, skills in metallurgy, fortune telling and many other skills. They were also known for holding grudges against those that had wronged them.
“Hey they seem pretty harmless maybe we should just tell the guards that we did our best and they aren’t leaving.” the warlock offered.
Kaelous sadly looked at Yashiro, “The guards will kill them if they don’t leave. Duchess Morwen won’t care.”
Agreements came from the rest , to save them the group had to leave the city. They approach the partying Vistani and one calls out, “Here to party?” and hands Beelzebus a mug of alchol.
“No, we need to speak to you leader.” Viktor took the lead for the group.
“Noooo don’t bring down the vibes.”
“The vibes will be brought down if your all dead.” The cleric retorted.
Shocked at the statement the young man brought us to their leader. On the way he told the party that their leader was Stanimir and he was the best storyteller they had in this group. The group was lead to Stanimir who was petting his horse. The older gentleman had long white hair and was smoking his pipe oblivious to what was happening. We were introduced to him and he smiled warmly.
“Ahh visitors, what is mine is yours. I do hope you are not bearers of bad news” he greeted the group of adventures.
Viktors spoke first trying to remain diplomatic.” We have come to warn you that the city of Daggerford is hostile towards you.”
A puff of smoke was sent into the air, “Was afraid you would say that.”
“Can you not just move slightly out of town and set up by the road? There would be no harm done to you that way.” Kaelous offered a solution that while not the best did save their lives. Biddy, Yashiro and Beelzebus agreed with the suggestion.
Stanimir seemed to understand the thought behind the suggestion but shook his head, “Takes time to finish the party and pack up camp. How much time do we have?”
“Three hours”
“Very well, you lot don’t seem to mind us. Just the leaders apparently. We shall have one more song and drink then we will gladly move. Come join us.”
Booze was handed out to the adventures. Kaelous politely declined and Viktor being on edge also declined to partake of the refreshments. The others happily drank due to the alcohol being other than cider. Beelzebus for some reason managed to do a keg stand which brought cheers from the Vistani. Soon the party was winding down and the group of adventures and Vistani sat around the fire waiting for a story. Stanimir waltzes to the middle of the circle and tension fills the air as they wait for him to start.
He tells a story from an ancient land. The land where they came from of which enemies forced them from their homes. The story changes as he describes them saving a young prince and escorting him home while saving him from assassins. The man also fought to protect the Vistani and now he is cursed but they wont give up on him. A promise was made between the young prince and the Vistani that they would be safe and welcomes on his lands. Years have changed him and a curse befallen him. We wish for heroes with the power to save our lord, and put his cursed soul to rest. Many have tried before but all have failed. He asks a question at the end , “Would you accompany us to Barovia?”
As he finishes asking , Biddy, Yashiro and Beelzebus collapse to the ground. Viktor and Kaelous look at them and then back at Stanimir who seemed shocked.
“Um...that normally works.”
“You’re trying to kidnap us.” Viktor said incredulously.
“Well yes.”
“So you didn’t even give us a chance to say yes or no. We would have come willingly.”
“At least we already got the gold for getting them out of the city. That would have been a problem.” Kaelous breathed a sigh of relief at that realization. He checked on the three who were laying on the ground. “Seem to be fine, their alive.”
Stanimir gaped at the two adventures who seemed to have little care for the situation that they were in. He wracked his brain before blowing smoke into the faces of the two adventures. Viktor joined the three who were already on the ground. Kaelous cast a glance at the blood hunter before lowering himself to the ground in resignation of his fate. The adventuring party was no longer aware of their surroundings.
