Petrifying encounters in Evermere

It was the eighth day of Gaelorth, when random adventurers meet up by coincidence in the capital city of Evermere, in the Kingdom of Puinnaterra. Ruled by a king and queen , with strict rules about using magic, which is maintained by the red cloaks and mage guards.

But our story doesn’t start here. It starts ten days earlier in a local tavern in Westwatch in the Hill, when Count Wolfgang Rüppelshammer and his to be bodyguard Amber Ablaze were accompanied by a rock gnome named Smur, who is a clerc of the Rüppelshammer family, to sign official papers. Here, the first bond was forged. The count is an aarakocra, a birdfolk. He resembled a vulture, but not an ugly one. No, he was regal and adorned with jewels and medals. Amber Ablaze was more simply dressed: practical armor in red and black shades. Her face adorned with crackles, which made it look like her bright red hair was growing out of lava. She looked like a fierce woman, a fire genasi with a link to the element of fire.

“So, we’re here to sign the contract as requested by Count Wolfgang Rüppelshammer and Amber Ablaze. I joined as a witness for the Rüppelshammer family. I assume you both have read the contract in question?” Smur asked.

“The family lawyers have read the contract, thank you.” Wolfgang replied.

“What about you?” The rock gnome shifted his attention to the fiery madame.

” Of course I’ve read it, have you read it? Do you understand it all? Yes, thank you?” she replied with a thick accent.

“If you have any questions about the contract, you should ask it now. And then there is the payment that’s involved, I believe you’ve already paid her?” Smur asked Wolfgang.

“Can someone pay Amber, I don’t have any funds with me at the moment and I expect the administration to pay up front, thank you” Wolfgang waved a bit with his ring-adorned talon hands.

“I believe you father gave you money and that’s what I’ve been told that has been transferred.”  Smur replied.

” Ah yes, I recall the coins. Amber, they are over there.” Wolfgang said as he pointed to a purse in the middle of the table.

” With the payment done, it’s time to sign and seal the contract. Please sign here, here and… here.” The gnome rolled out three identical parchments and pointed where they had to sign. With the seal of house Rüppelshammer, business was settled and it was time to leave. They started their journey from Westwatch in the Hill, on their way towards Evermere.

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Ten days later, the duo is riding towards the north gate of the Capital. They have met with a patron: Lord Delbert Wise, a good friend of Wolfgang’s father. Lord Wise actually had a mission for the two to earn some honest coin and investigate an abandoned carriage. After a half an hour ride, the investigators arrive at the spot. They see a flipped carriage, which looked like it belonged to nobility, but it doesn’t sport any coat of arms or emblems. It was traveling towards the city, but more to the eastern gate it seems. There are also two little statues next to it: goblins.

“Don’t get too close Wolfgang, let me investigate.”  Amber warned the Count and she went to investigate up close. She noticed that they were attacking but they were petrified by one of the drivers while they tried to ambush the carriage.

“So, where is the ‘orse? Excuse me, the h-horse. It looks like the animal was here but it went wild. Perhaps I should check inside the carriage as well”  Amber stated.

” Oh please use the skills you got while working for the City Watch” Wolfgang replied.

” Please don’t mention the City Watch… let’s go check the cart.” Amber seemed a bit irritated by the mention of the City Watch. At the same time Wolfgang spread his wings and shot off in the sky to get a better overview of the situation. He just spots some trail toward the eastern gate and a trail into the wood, probably from the horse.

In the carriage Amber is investigating and she notices a piece of thorn fabric, looking quite pricey and green. Also the doors aren’t forced or anything.

“Ah monsieur! Can you get down? I found something.”  Amber shouted up the sky as she left the carriage.

Wolfgang descends, while taking a deep breath through his nares (nostrils in a bird’s beak). He doesn’t sense anything strange.

“What did you find Amber?”

“This green piece of fabric. Probably stuck between the carriage and the door when the passenger wanted to flee.”

” Strange, where did the person go? Perhaps it did flee on the horse?”

The two venture on their horse into the forest and try to find the missing horse. It’s a dense forest.

“If there is any danger monsieur, fly up into the sky.” Amber suggested while they were riding into the forest.

“I would rather not chicken out…”  Wolfgang answered.

After a little search they found a horse. It was clearly the horse from the carriage, for it had a part of the carriage pulling-system still attached to it. But there was no person or anyone that could have been the passenger nearby. They decided to bring the horse with them and return to the carriage. There are no new tracks.

Suddenly Wolfgang feels his ring, as if something is connecting with him.

“Ah we forgot about these tracks Amber. We thought they were leaving the East Gate, but they were actually heading towards it. That’s probably where they have gone off to. Let’s go there. Also let’s bring the Goblin statues with us.” Wolfgang stated.

“Hmm, let’s see if I have some rope.” Amber pulled some rope from her bag.

“So, horse, you are brown. I’m going to call you ‘Wood’. You can carry these goblins for us.”

Because Wood is moving slower with the heavy load, the two travel for about two and a half hours to the east gate. When they arrive there, they see some commotion and notice three more statues. Commoners are walking around it.

“Ah, I’ll drop the Goblin statues here, so they can have a party.” Amber said, relieving Wood of its burden.

“Be careful, Amber. If the statues, for whatever reason, depetrify, the people here might be in danger from the goblins. Although, I think the goblins are the least of their worries, for the thing that is petrifying is now in the city.” Wolfgang looks around, looking for tracks or more information.

“I could blow my very large horn as a warning signal?” Amber said, thinking out loud. But it wasn’t necessary, for they already got the attention of the people around the gate.

“Ahem… Bonjour people! This is Count Wolfgang Rüppelshammer.” Amber announced her patron, who stepped forward.

“Glad to meet you all. We’re here to enquire about what happened. Can anyone help us?”

From The crowd appeared a small dwarf girl.

“I… I can help? I have the power to de… depetrify one statue.”

“Ah, that’s very useful. Which one should we depetrify? What are the other three statues? Let’s see…”  Both Amber and Wolfgang inspect the statues. They see right away that these were no mere commoners: two seemed to be mage guards and one was wearing a cloak.

“Hmm, I think we should depetrify the one with the cloak, for it’s probably the most powerful one of these three.” Wolfgang points at the statue with the cloak, after which the dwarf girl touches the statue and mumbles a little prayer. The fabrics slowly start to billow again and colours return to the entity. At that moment Amber’s eyes grew big.

“Masaki? Masaki Tachibana?! Oh gods, it has been forever!”

The statue slowly depetrified and an elf opened his eyes. Pointy ears, pale skin and long flowing white hair are in contrast with the blue/grayish outfit and the bright red cloak.

“Ah, Amber-san. It really has been a while…” the elf, named Tachibana Masaki, replied in a bit of a confused state.

“Wolfgang, meet Masaki Tachibana.” Amber introduced the two to each other.

“Pleasure meeting you, You’re among the five people that have been petrif…” Wolfgang started, but he was interrupted by Masaki.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“Count Wolfgang Rüppelshammer, pleasure.”

“Konnichiwa”

“We’re investigating a case that started with an abandoned carriage outside Evermere, but it lead us toward here with petrified goblins and now you and your colleagues.”  Wolfgang explained.

“Right, in that case we should alert the appropriate authorities. There is a shape-shifter in the city.” Masaki was looking for something in his pockets/pouches. He then noticed the dwarf girl.

“Oh thank you for depetrifying me, what kind of magic did you use?”

“My name is Fiona. I’m a cleric, but only a lower rank. I shall collect my peers to help depetrify the others.” The little cleric disappeared in the crowd.

Continuing his search for an item to alert the authorities, Masaki began to recall what happened.

“So, there was a woman: black hair, green eyes and a green dress. We let her into the city, but then the Shape Shifting Gem started to glow up. The woman started to change, scales started to appear on her face, something seemed to be slithering on her head and then… my memory fades to black. I believe that’s when we got petrified.”

“Wait, scales and slithering? Did she look like a Yuan-ti perhaps?” Wolfgang asked, the description perked his interest as he pulled out a kind of device that resembles a pocket watch.

“Honestly, I don’t really know. It all happened so fast.” Masaki said honestly.

“Well, to me it seems like my watch is telling me it’s Yuan-ti killing time.” The count looks determined, with the watch clutched in his talons.

“What did you say?” Amber asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s Yuan-ti killing time” Wolfgang repeated.

” Killing might be a little bit overbearing, but we definitely have to apprehend the culprit before anymore people get petrified.”  Masaki finally pulled out the item he was looking for: a stone with a special rune on it. He rubbed it and started speaking to it.

“This is Masaki reporting: suspected woman looking black hair, green eyes, green robe shape shifting. It’s petrifying people. Entered the city. Be on high alert.” The red cloaked elf nodded his head as he got a fast reply that they will be sending more folk to the East Gate and be on the lookout.

Meanwhile the trio is looking around for any clues about which way the woman might have been gone. They don’t really find any clue, but Masaki had a feeling she went into the park up ahead. They decided to go in there.

The three investigators arrive at Greenwich park, where they right away see tracks of someone who was wearing heels.

“Oh, that’s not very practical.”  Amber remarked. They enter the park and soon arrive at a pond. The water is not still, for there are letters floating in the water. Amber thinks quickly and tries to get the letters out with her sword.

“Please, try not to destroy the evidence…” Masaki reminds Amber, while both Wolfgang and him are watching Amber clumsily trying to get the letters.

“Ah merde… come here.”  Amber fishes some letters out of the water, but only two of them seem to be readable. Amber starts to read them out aloud.

Dearest Thaddeus,

I hope this letter finds you well. I write with a heavy heart, having recently learned of your marriage and daughter. This revelation has left me deeply confused and hurt. Could you please provide clarity on this matter? Our year together meant more to me than words can express, and I find it difficult to reconcile what I've hear with the man I thought I knew. The man I love. Please, I ask only for the truth.

Yours, Seraphina.

“So who is this Thaddeus? What does the other letter say Amber?”  Wolfgang asked. Amber carefully grabs the second letter and tries to read it aloud.

Lady Seraphina,

Lord Blackthorn has received your recent correspondence. He wishes to convey that no further communication between you is welcome. Should you persist in reaching out, he will have no choice but to take appropriate legal measures, including the involvement of the Red Cloaks.

We trust you will respect his wishes.

Respectfully,

Danny Briar

Assistant to Lord Blackthorn

“Hmm Thaddeus Blackthorn. Might be a noble family. It appears to be like a restraining order.” Masaki said.

“So we have no real clue where the Seraphina might be, besides that she might be looking for this Lord Blackthorn, let’s keep following the tr…”

“Can I help you? I thought this place was for quiet and relaxation. I tried to meditate and connect with nature, but people keep crying and talking out loud.” A slender green person with bright purple hair appears from behind a bush. He has a loose brownish robe with shimmery details and a lot of plants growing about, just like the big staff that’s adorned with wisteria flowers.

“D…Daiki-san?” Masaki stumbles.

“Monsieur, you look very green”  Amber remarks

“You look very orange.” The plantboy replied.

“Daiki-san, it has been fifteen days I believe? What are you doing here?”

“Wait, you know him?” Amber asked.

“Yes, I had a lovely picnic with Daiki fifteen days ago. How are you?” Masaki continued.

“A bit overwhelmed, but fine. I think I forgot to ask your name back then, so don’t mind me asking you now.” Daiki honestly replied.

“Tachibana Masaki, hajimemashite.” Masaki formally introduced himself.

“That’s quite a long name. So who are the rest of you?” Daiki asked, looking around.

“My name is Amber Ablaze, I just call him Masaki though.” Amber then pointed toward the aarakocra.

“My name is Count Wolfgang Rüppelshammer”

“You can count?” Daiki didn’t seem to get the title thing and just blinked at the richly decorated birdfolk.

“Anyway, nice to have everyone introduced, but don’t forget we have an urgent situation here. Daiki, did you see someone here with black hair and green eyes and a green dress?” The elf reminded everyone of the situation.

“Actually I did. That sounds like the woman who was crying and threw those papers in the pond, just seconds before you three arrived here.” Daiki recalled and pointed to the letters Amber was just reading aloud seconds ago.

“So, perhaps this woman is called Seraphina? Daiki, do you know if her green dress was like this piece of fabric?” Amber pulled out the piece of fabric she found in the carriage and showed it to Daiki, who nodded and confirmed that it was indeed the same fabric. Masaki took the fabric and collected it.

“This is evidence material now. Daiki, where do you stay so we can contact you in case we need you? Or do you want to join us?”

“I… I have no idea where I am staying, my friend is just outside the park. I should go find her.”

“But he’s a witness, he has to come with us. You have to stay with us Daiki” Amber protested against letting Daiki go.

“Sure, if we go that way, we might find my friend.” Daiki points at the exit of the park, the same exit where the trail seems to lead to.

“What is your friend’s name?” Amber asked.

“Ash” Daiki replied, as short and straightforward he could be.

“You said ‘cunt’  and ‘ass’  already in just a couple of minutes, what’s wrong with you?”  Wolfgang snorted out of nothing.

“No time for discussion people, your friend might be in danger. Let’s go find her!”  Masaki hurried toward the exit and the others joined in.

Outside the park a tiefling maiden with honey gold hair, a fair skin and long flowing sleeves is playing on her lyre and dancing around. Moving her hips rhythmically, almost like belly dancing, and twirling around while making music that brings together a crowd. She seems to enjoy all the attention people are giving her.

“A shiiii ra A shiiii raaa”  she sings as the people around her clap excitedly.

“Ah there she is. I prefer the other songs though.”  Daiki walks towards the tiefling.

“Hello Ash, sorry to interrupt you. These people are investigating something and I saw a bit of it and now I have to come, because I’m a witness or something. Have you seen a woman with black hair, green eyes and a green dress?”

“I might have seen her. I believe she threw me a silver coin for my performance.” The girl showed the little bucket with some coins which she earned from her performance.

“Did you see where she went?” Wolfgang asked.

“No, I was busy performing and making sure I enjoyed all the attention.” The tiefling shrugged. Masaki was looking at the tiefling woman. She seems a bit familiar to him but he can’t really pinpoint it.

“Hello Tachibana, it’s me, Ashira.”

“Oh, your full name is Ashira? Not Ash?” Amber interrupted.

“Yes, my name is Ashira, but you can call me Ash.” Ashira smiled.

“I’d rather just keep calling you Ashira.”  said the fiery woman determinedly.

“You look different since last time I saw you, Ashira.” Masaki said, now realising why the tiefling looked so familiar.

“Yes, I was in jail back then. Now I’m free. It’s all those weird rules in this city that’s hard to keep up with. They are just very weird.”

“Well, I hope you keep out of jail. Let’s move by the way. I just remembered where the Blackthorn Manor is, it should be in the inner city.”

“Let me introduce myself as well, my name is Wolfgang Rüppelshammer. Thank you for joining us as witnesses in this case.”

“We just had to come, I believe.” Daiki simply stated.

“Aren’t you just in for some action Daiki?” Masaki asked.

“We’re looking for a big tree, a very big tree,”  Ashira said out of nowhere.

“A big tree?”

“I don’t think we will find the big tree here, otherwise we would have seen it already.” Daiki concluded.

While the group moves toward the Blackthorn Manor, they discuss the plan. Amber and Wolfgang are the backup for Red Cloak Masaki. Daiki and Ashira are the witnesses. They have to be careful, for the target is able to petrify within seconds. They also have to protect Lord Thaddeus Blackthorn, in case Seraphina gets to him before they arrive.

They moved through the inner city gate into the inner city. Which didn’t seem to have a magical detection stone like the outside gates have. Soon they found Blackthorn Manor. It was a large house with mostly concrete and very little garden around it. Just a little patch with a small tree to one side and a patch with some shrub on the other side. The group moves toward the door and they knock.

“This is an urgent matter, monsieur, please open the door.”  Amber shouted, hoping to speed up the process.

The door opens and there stands a man, nicely dressed and all.

“Hello, how can I help you all?”

“Goodday sir. Sorry for interrupting, but it has come to our attention that Lady Seraphina is in the city and she seems to be hounding Lord Blackthorn” Masaki started, in a more professional and formal way.

“Who?” asked the man sternly.

“Some woman is sending you letters, sir.”  Masaki continued.

” Who are you? I’ve never heard of her.” Lord Blackthorn kept denying.

“Here are the letters, sir.” Amber carefully pulled out the wet letters from her bag and gave them to the gentleman.

” I am indeed Lord Thaddeus Blackthorn, but I’ve never heard of her or seen these letters.” Lord Blackthorn continued after inspecting the letters. Masaki scraped his throat and maintained a posture.

“Well, be aware that here is a woman going around in the city petrifying people and these are her letters.”

“We think you are a target. There have been five people petrified already, including our red cloak friend here, whom we depetrified.” Wolfgang added to the conversation. Amber seems a bit distrustful of the Lord.

“You don’t seem to speak the truth, can we come inside and have a discussion?” she suggested.

“Look, my wife and daughter are both home, cooking and playing around. You are telling me that there is a woman out here trying to get me?” The lord does seem a bit concerned. Amber nodded with a short “Oui”.

” Can’t you make sure she doesn’t get to my home?” the Lord proposed.

“If we can come inside, we can protect your property…”

“No! I rather have you intercede before she gets here. I would rather not pull my family into this fuss.” Lord Blackthorn seems to lose his patience a little bit. Then the situation got a bit chaotic.

“Why are you lying to us?”  Masaki started to state, following the suggestion from Amber. Ashira seems perked up about the idea of someone who is lying.

“Who is lying? I really dislike lying.” she said.

“Would you all mind not talking about it as if I’m lying?! Here, take some gold to protect us, now leave.”

Daiki totally can’t work with this whole chit-chat. He slowly moves backwards and walks toward the small tree in the front yard. He touches the bark and seems to communicate with it.

“What is your green friend doing to my tree? Is he peeing on it?” Lord Blackthorn’s patience seems to slow thinner and thinner. Who are these weirdo’s on his doorstep? Suggesting he isn’t truthful, touching his tree and refusing to leave when he demands it.

“Sir, I really dislike lying, why aren’t you telling the truth?”  Ashira continued.

” Who says I am not telling the truth?! This is ridiculous. Here, twenty gold pieces for everyone if you can make sure that lunatic never gets here…”

“Fifty would be a better price…” Amber suggests, making the Lord even more furious.

“Are you trying to see how rich I am?!” he started to yell a bit.

“We’re not here for money, just to inquire. You are part of this investigation.” Wolfgang tried to calm the Lord down. Masaki joins in and begins to lead everyone away from the door.

“I apologise for the misbehaviour of these people who are not even supposed to be here. We will take care of the woman. Thank you for your time and sorry for disturbing…” Masaki tries to repair any bridges the group and Lord Blackthorn might have, if it’s still a thing, but the door gets slammed shut in their faces. The group moves away from the property. They discuss what just happened, about why the Lord would lie and still deny he knows Seraphina, though they got propper evidence there has been contact between the two. At that moment a very beautiful woman appears on the street, approaching the group and Blackthorn Manor: black hair, green eyes and a tarnished green robe. It’s Seraphina.

Masaki doesn’t hesitate for a moment, he looks away from her and starts to arrest her.

“Lady Seraphina, I hereby place you under arrest according to the magic…”  but he can’t finish his sentence. Seraphina starts to resist and transform. Scales appear more prominent in her face and all over her arms, while her hair starts to move, as if there are snakes slithering on top of it, or are there?

What is Lady Seraphina, is she a… medusa?