Unfinished Business - The Wintervale Saga - Episode 48
10Last time, the party awakened safely in their guest rooms at the Vampire manor, left alone by the denizens within despite their concerns. Upon being invited to breakfast by the Vampires, they joined them, as well as a concerned Ser Corvus, who was still there despite his desire to turn tail.
It was discovered that the Vampires were getting by on a diet of Pig's Blood, leaving the remaining pigs to feed their Kenku guards, which they had been treating practically like family. Even the undead servants and Corvus himself were like one very unique and dysfunctional family to them.
As the conversation continued, it was revealed that the two were killed, though they had no idea by who or why, and were brought back to life as undead guards to the Frost Barrier within their mansion. The magic of the barrier made them into powerful vampires to serve the purpose of protecting it, but the vampires Christoph and Leora wanted nothing to do with it, yet were forced to anyway.
In hopes that the party would be able to finally destroy it, they all gathered up and went towards the Barrier. Learning the perpetual heat of the Thermal Cube seemed to trigger a response from the barrier, and seemingly knowing that Christoph and Leora wouldn't do their job protecting it, the Barrier drained most of their Vampiric power from them in order to summon an enormous Bat Demon and magical minions to assist it.
Being bound to serve the Archbishop and protect the barrier, Ser Corvus summoned some allies of his own and joined the fight against the Party. But with the combined efforts of the party, Christoph, and Leora, the Demon was vanquished and Corvus was sent running,
Unfortunately, out of desperation, the Barrier attempted to put all the magic it had left into Christoph and Leora in an attempt to overwhelm them into a murderous fury, but their willpower was still too strong, and the light from Anoran's Sun Blade weakened them to the point of being unable to fight, even if they wanted to.
Realizing that, in the end, these two were the true thralls to the Barrier, the party had no choice but to strike them down, and upon their death, the barrier falls, bringing natural light and warmth back to the area. But it was at this moment an image of the Archbishop revealed himself to see the ones responsible personally.
The Archbishop arrogantly proclaimed that he was unaffected by what the party was doing and that his goal was close enough already, and that he would be sending his best man to protect the 4th Barrier near the Frost Giants' home. Not only that, he was made aware of the movements of Ryudo and Grims, who had set off to the Frost Giants on their own for unknown reasons as of now. Threatening to harm them if the party doesn't back down, Anoran immediately reached out via sending to warn them of the possible danger.
The Archbishop's illusion fades, leaving the party alone with the Kenku of the Manor, who remained non hostile towards them to the very end, to build a grave for the fallen. The images of Christoph and Leora were shown to Anoran once more as their spirits embraced and then ascended into the sky upon a stairway of light.
Further investigation into the manor revealed a letter from Christoph and Leora to their son Therron, which they've been unable to send, and several books in Christoph's office, all seemingly tied to trying to break their curse.
With nothing left keeping them there, the party decided to make their way back to the ship to prepare for the assault on the final barrier near a town called Bearrock. But on the way, they had some unfinished business in Northbury, a town with still-missing inhabitants. They had unfinished business... with Alwin.
And that is where we begin tonight...