Something Positive happens to Alynn the Apprentice, involving Excitement regarding a Disruption Q: Was Alynn given shelter where the hag cannot reach? EXCEPTIONAL NO Q: Did the baroness detect the hag? YES Q: Will the baroness lay a trap for it? YES
Weeding the 14th Scene:
The Baroness realized something was off in her castle. A foul presence had arrived along with her guest.
Alynn was unusually reclusive for a young noble of such low station. Upon arriving in Brewich, she begged to stay at her husband’s estate on the Eve of Masquerade, and the next morning warned that her former master, a lowborn battlemage named Mendy of White Tower, had murdereed the prophetess Mypione.
Mypionne, the name of the shrine in Garnhold that none of her messengers had returned from, and to which more worshippers seemed to flock daily, even though, according to Alynn, it’s prophetess was no more?
After Masquerade, the young woman the remained in her room, only coming out for the morning and evening meals. Which is a shame, for the courtiers who saw her were quite smitten, and being an unwed woman of rank, several of her knights had inquired about the young girl.
So she decided to listen in, as the new wing of the manor in which her guest stayed was not yet warded against divination, but she did not like what she heard, or what she saw, for Alynn looks nothing like the maiden who appears at court, and some creature, a guant, haglike fiend whispers to her in the night. Alynn pleads with it, begging a gift, and promising a heart, and revenge. She calls it, Elpionne.
Accompanied by her son, the family’s Custodian, and four loyal men who she trusted, she decided to pay a visit to her young houseguest.
Alynn is sitting in her room reading when the door opens suddenly and the baroness enters. The young apprentice turns quickly away lest her hostess see her unaltered face, but she hears the heavy sound of soldier’s boots as well, and another light footed person.
“Milady,” Allynn stammers, quickly grabbing a brush to run through her hair, “I am not decent.”
The baroness replies scornfully, “Were you up too late entertaining your overnight guest?”
Q: Does the question catch her off guard? YES
‘What do you mean, milady?” Alynn answers.
“Turn to face me, child, and deceive me not,” the Lady of Brewich replies,”His Lordship and I know of your guest, of your disguise, of your face and your shame. We wish to know of the spirit that comes to you in the night. The spirit you speak to in your dreams.”
Allynn turns to meet the Baroness’ stern and steady gaze. She then notices the other person, the Custodian, who had followed the noblewoman into the room. He sets down a large candle near the table wheere Allynn sits, and begins chanting something as he lights it. .
“Speak plainly, and truthfully, answer my questions fully, and tell me, are you Alynn of Radkas?”
“I am Alynn of Radkas,” Alynn replies, knowing that she cannot lie.
“Are you a friend of Mendy of White Tower?” the Lady asks.
“I was a friend of Mendy of White Tower.”
“Did Mendy of White Tower kill Mypione the Prophetess?”
“Yes, Mendy of White Tower killed Mypione.”
“Is Mypione still alive?”
“No, Mypione is dead.”
“Who visits you in your dreams?” the Baroness asks.
Alynn does not answer. “Does Mypione visit you?” Alynn says no.
“Does someone else reside in Mypione’s Sanctum in her place?” Alynn does not answer.
“Amarme” suggests the Baroness, “Who comes to you in your dreams?”
Alynn confides in her closest friend, “Elpione, Mypione’s sister.”
“What does she want?” the baroness asks in a soothing voice.
“To grant me my wishe of beauty, of power, love and respect.” Alynn says smiling as if entranced with a beautiful vision of that which she desires.
“What does she ask of you?” the baroness inquires.
“She wants revenge for her sister, Mendy’s heart, but she promises to teach me…when Mendy is gone,” Alynn replies, somewha sadly, remorsefully.
“Do you want Mendy to die?” the Baroness asks.
Q: Do you want Mendy to die? EXCEPTIONAL YES
“She must die!” Alynn insists. “Justice must be served! And it is the only way to achieve my dreams…” Alynn’s voice fades, as though, perhaps not fully convinced.
“What is Elpione?” the Baroness asks.
“The hag who walks in dreams. Who steals dreams,” Alynn answers haltlingly, as though, perhaps, she knows better.
The baroness retreats from Alynn, and walks over to the chamber door. “My men will bring you Mendy’s heart. I want you to spend some time in the garden, now.”
Another Day, after Alynn’s guard drops a bit, the Baroness and her son, the Custodian, prepare for the coming battle.
Weeding, 16th
At dinner, a soldier arrives, carrying a wooden box. He presents it to the Baron. “The heart of Mendy of White Tower, as demanded by your wife.”
The house’s guests and retainers look aghast at the old baron, known for his mild manner and devotion to the ancestors. Alynn looks on in shock. She remembers the interrogation, and being forced to answer by the baroness who invaded her will. But she steels her will. Her dream is on the edge of becoming a reality!
Q: Does Alynn regret it? NO
“I want nothing to do with this,” says the Baron, “This was on your orders,” he says, glaring at his wife, “you do with the heart of the murderess as you will.” With that, the great noble rises from his table, and retires to the garden.
The baroness smiles wickedly as the box is placed before her. With a wave of her hand, it opens, and she looks at the bloody heart within. “Lady Alynn,” the baroness croons, “a gift for our lovely guest.” The box floats across the room and comes to rest gently on Alynn’s plate. The beautiful young maiden stares down at the heart of her one true friend.
“Thank you, My Lady,” Alynn says, in awe and gratitude, as she closes up the box. Excitement pounding in her heart as she anticipates the gift she will soon receive from Elpionne.
—
Alynn lies restlessly on her bed, the box with Mendy’s heart on the nightstand next to her. She sits up, to excited, and sets the box in her lap. “Elpionne, my queen! My mistress! Come to me! Grant me my wish and make me your servant! I have right here the heart of your foe!”
There is a ripple in the darkness as Elpionne appears at the foot Alynn’s bed, a gleeful cackle from her fanged mouth…then a flash of holy light and the room is sheathed in the glow of a thousand warrior spirits circling the bed.
“A trap!” Elpione cries out, “You have betrayed me!”
The door flies open, and the Baroness shouts, “You dare intrude upon my home, fiend? You will die in this room!” And a great phantasmal hand grabs hold of the hag, holding her in place while the baron’s men, with glowing blades, follow their mistress into the room and hurl themselves at the hag!
“No! You can’t do this!” Alynn cries out, loosing flames against the two knights slashing at the hag.
The air around the hag shimmers, but she is unable to escape the hand, or the room! Elpionne cries out, “Release me! I’ll grant your heart’s deepest desires!”
A phantasmal knife flies from the Custodian’s hand and slashes the hag across her cheek as the other two knights join the assault.
The baroness lifts her hand high as the hag floats up in to the air, and squeezes the breath from the fiend, holding her still and one of the men lops of Elpionne’s head, sending it rolling across the ground towards the Baroness’ feet.
Q: Does Alynn surrender? NO
“No!” Alynn screams, blasting everyone in the room with fire.
The Custodian’s dagger rakes the apprentice across her side, and then one of the knight’s bring’s his blade across chest, sending her reeling to the ground in a pool of blood.
Q: Does the custodian spare her life? NO
The Baroness looks down at the traitor. “Trafficking with the Tyrant’s is forbidden. You belong to them. It would be better had you merely been Forgotten.”
The Custodian kneels down, and prays over Alynn’s corpse, “May the Raven have mercy on your soul.”
So, a positive chance at redemption for Alynn, which she failed to take. A Zone of Truth and Charm Person, plus two failed saves, let the Baroness figure out who the intruder was that tripped her alarm spells.
A glyph of warding to trigger Mordenkaine’s Sanctum, to trap the fiendish fey when it returned, and as bait, a pig’s heart that Alynn believed belonged to Mendy.
Elpionne tried to escape via plane shift, but couldn’t make the save. Bigby’s hand held her in place with a grapple so she couldn’t even try to run for the door.
Alynn, unrepentent, earned her death, and the Custodian chose not to save her from it. Had she shown some remorse, some sign that she was coerced or under duress, might have been shown mercy. But no. Now it is up to Ravenna, goddess of death and judge of souls to decide whether to let the Whispering Tyrants claim her, elevate her to the Celestial Chorus of Revered Ancestors, or allow her soul to be Forgotten in the fugue and madness of Limbo.
The Baroness tells her husband the news of Elpionne’s death. Garnhold’s refusal to put a stop the cult of Mypione troubles the baron greatly, but with Elpionne dead, the Baron hopes the cult will soon fade and be forgotten. He sends word to his vassals that the charges against Mendy of White Tower are hereby dropped, and that the woman is not to be troubled any further. He sends Alynn’s head to her father, with a letter describing her crime of consorting with fiends to usurp the worship of the ancestors and of falsely accusing those who would prevent such crimes.
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