Carindrina

He asks them to swear on the Dumbraava, the heart of the forest, that they will not tell anyone what he says. Galia whispers to the group that local legend is taht if you break an oath on the heart of the forest, the fey will kill you in a horrible manner. Galia then swears, and Adalia follows her lead. Belladonna begins to walk out. Carindrina asks him to swear on the heart of the forest that the promise they make won't harm the people in this village. James agrees. Carindrina, Furus, Venus, and Midna all agree to swear. Galia goes to Belladonna, and begs her to help. Furus tries to help, telling her that if the fey come to kill her, it is her chance to stab their eyes out. Adalia shakes her head and says, if we don't break the oath, there isn't a problem. And the unlikliest of friends, Galia is the one who finally gets through to her, telling her that she can tell that Belladonna is an honest and noble person who would never break and oath she takes, if she doesn't feel comfortable ytaking the oath, the group will try to guide her towards decisions that will help the community. Galia explains that she made a promise not to force people to do things, so she is asking as someone who cares very much for the people of this town, if she would please help them. Belladonna agrees to come back and makes the oath.

​

James thanks them for taking the oath, and explains that his father had wanted him to marry the daughter of another noble family, The Tanglewoods. Her family follows Liguaquide and his family follows Shinze, which is how his family has operated for centuries, and now he knows thanks to information from Carindrina, that it is actually important for his family to be set up with that worship. However he doesn't love her, he loves someone else. He is worried that now that he knows this, he should end his relationship so that he doesn't inflict the curse on the town. His father hadn't made a decision when he died, they were going to talk about it in the morning, but in the morning he was dead.

​

Carindrina says she understands the need for secrecy. Adalia asks how involved Blitherby was involved. James explains that Blitherby is instrumental in organizing meetings between the families, as Tricreche is run as a council of the families and not a king, but Balvonier is the capital so Blitherby does organize many of the meetings. Adalia tells him they found a letter from Blitherby to Elaine Tanglewoos sayings "This was not in our agreement. Where did you put it?". James says he doesn't know why she would need aletter from Blitherby since her parents run the town, unless she was beginning to take over. They didn't have any agreements other than their engagement, which while it has been in motion for several years, wasn't officially announced.He asks when Blitherby mailed the letter. Adalia tells him that they knew the sword was missing. but initially he didn't tell Blitherby, he only told him just before he met the group. He has only seen Elaine a few times, but he didn't feel anything for her.

​

Furus asks him to clarify why it weighs so heavily on him. James said it wasn't weighing so heavily on him until his father died, and now he feels that he needs to follow through with his Father's final wishes, and now that he knows the religions and the promises are so important and tied to the curse. They also need to keep agreements with the other towns on the Roueda or the roads can be dangerous and peopel can go missing. Carindrina asks if he has made a promise to the Tanglewoods or the girl he loves. He says he has to the girl he loves. Cardrina says she understands that, but thinks he needs to honor his promise. He is unsure because if his father made the deal for him, he needs to honor it, and he knows that if he asked his love she would let him go for the safety of the town. Carindrina says she thinks honor comes from within. He asks if they will go talk to the Tanglewoods and ask them to release him from the engagement.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/m-p/martyr-s-tear
Aura moderate necromancy; CL 6th; Weight —; Slot none; Price 6,000 gp

DESCRIPTION

This imperfect, rose-tinted gemstone resembles a teardrop or a broken heart depending on its orientation. Its pale facets are typically marred by a single crack or chip near the gem’s middle.

Once per day, the bearer may spend a standard action to transfer 3d6 hit points from himself into the gem. This deepens the gem’s color, with a stronger color indicating more life energy stored in it. The gem can store a maximum of 18 hit points. If any hit points are stored in the gem, the bearer may touch it himself or another creature as a standard action, transferring all the stored life energy from the gem to the target creature, healing it a number of hit points equal to the amount stored in the gem. This returns the gem to its normal color.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/a-b/boundary-chalk

Aura moderate evocation; CL 10th; Weight —; Slot none; Price 10,000 gp

DESCRIPTION

The surface of this stick of white chalk is covered with silvery runes.

Drawing a line with the chalk creates a wall of force that is as long as the line and extends 10 feet perpendicular to the surface on which the line was drawn. Drawing a 5-foot line is a standard action that provokes acts of opportunity. Each wall lasts 10 minutes; the bearer of the chalk can dismiss a section of wall as a swift action by touching the stick of chalk to it. One stick of boundary chalk can draw 100 feet of line before it is used up, and it must be used in 5-foot increments.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/r-z/robe-of-useful-items/
Robe of Useful Items – d20PFSRD

There is a rack of supplies for sharpening and maintaining her weapons in her room at Iron Key House.

​

She has the ability to make improvements to one weapon a night if she stays in the house.

We know that there is contention in your family, but what you might not know is that this is not the first time we have worked with your family. Many years ago, one of your ancestors came through and helped us. Our Seer recognized your ring, and we knew that you were critical to helping save not only us, but the humans we protect. When you are ready, and you have proven that you are as trustworthy as your predecessor, we can tell you their tale, and perhaps point you in the direction of what you thought you had lost forever

While her family may have chosen to disown her, Carindrina still loves her family and holds their good memories close with this ring.

The Queen of the Wyrmwood Court gave the group a small iron key, carefully wrapped in a sheepskin. When they touched the key, they became marked and had agreed to the Faerie Bargain to find the missing children. The key was merely a device to deliver an arcane mark that allows them to activate the door at Iron Key House. Adalia, Belladonna, Venus, Carindrina, and Nira all took keys.

A chapter from an old tome given to Carindrina by Lady Caltain at the Black Poppy. Within this neglected book some very interesting history was revealed.



Stoneblood Manor used to be owned by the Stonebloods, a family with vampiric roots, though they weren’t evil, and not all completely vampiric. Centuries ago, predating the oldest surviving official records of the town (that anyone else knows about), a Glasserune was pledged to be engaged to a Stoneblood. The Glasserunes were a noble family from the North who had been pushing to expand trade further south into Tricreche, which was largely considered a feral area. While they had their own nobility and government, many families had "dark" aspects to their lineage. During the engagement feast, the Glasserune forces entered, and used light channeled from their god, Domsaul (god of the sun) to burn the Stonebloods and kill their vampiric line with holy light.



One escaped, Blethela, the daughter who was pledged to be engaged. She managed to survive by becoming a complete vampire, and her mother poured all of her magic into a curse as she died so that any Glasserune who died would be turned into a vampire.



They first attempted to combat this by performing a blessing ritual with the family sword that had been anointed by Domsaul, however, he was so displeased by their show of violence and trickery, he abandoned the family. Their deceit both to the Stonebloods, and to their deity (for they had said the Stonebloods were evil) left the region cold and withering. Their dead began to turn to vampires and they were at a loss.



The Fey offered to help if they were given control over the forest, and the family sought the help of the old Gods as well. Shinze and Liguaquide worked together to help forge a flaming sword made of the crystal holy waters that would bless the family, but they must continue to worship them faithfully and never betray an ally again. This has been successful most of the time, but if it takes more than 24 hours to perform the ceremony, they risk turning into a vampire. This usually takes about 5 days before they fully turn, but when they do they are faster, stronger, and more deadly than a normal vampire fledgling.



A note from Lady Caltain: This secret has mostly been forgotten by the world and your ancestral Glasserunes worked VERY HARD to keep it that way. This is the only historical record I could find anywhere--and I had to send for it from a secret library in Corazon Island. No one alive remembers the Stonebloods. Even Blitherby is not aware of the origins of the curse and truly doesn’t believe it to be true based on what he has said to some of my informants. That said, I found nothing about missing children listed in any of the books I read. I know you had mentioned the family curse hoping they were connected. I will keep looking. Sorry James. xxLC

Adalia managed to pickpocket Blitherby after a long chase through the town and find a letter in his pocket then swap it for a blank sheet of paper. It was addressed to Lady Elaine Tanglewood and read:

​

This was not what we agreed upon. Where did you put it? Respond immediately.

​

They decided to send it to Lady Elaine Tanglewood and added
to ensure privacy, send to Bloody Baron Inn c/o Maria Benneton

James Glasserune mentioned the sword was missing the morning they found him drinking in the pub, mourning the death of his father. He explained that his family would turn to a vampire if they were not blessed in a ritual with the family sword within 24 hours of their death. When he went to get the sword, it was missing. He sent them to his house to investigate, and told them that the sword was supposed to be in the family crypts in Resteria Cemetary. When they went to the Mausoleum, they found a silver chest with a false bottom, when they removed the bottom, there was a deep well of concentrated holy water and a crystal sheath submerged in the water. It was determined that only those of a good alignment would be able to safely touch the water. The group found the sword through the labryinth under Stoneblood manor after finding a hidden passage from the Glasserune Mausoleum. It was behind many traps and hidden in a pit of flesh, blood, and bone overgrown with ivy. They exited through another mausoleum (one they suspected was inhabited by vampires) into the cemetery, so they ran to the Glasserune Mausoleum and returned the sword to the crystal sheath in the holy water. With a large hiss of steam as the flames hit the water, the sword sunk into the sheath, the chest closed and it all disappeared.

After a lot of questioning how to get it back and a possibly failed summoning, the sword appeared during the ritual for Baron Hanburn Glasserune and showered him with holy water before lighting on fire and stabbing him in the heart. It then vanished again.

A paper was found burning in Blitherby's fireplace. No words were visible, but half of a family crest was seen. Carindrina showed this note to James. He told them to pour holy water over it, and the message, "I agree something must be done" appeared.

NOTE 1:

Eleanor Ford: Balvonier

Grimmur, competed in the festival for Evergreen Princess by showing her new puppy’s tricks. Puppy named Olive--she did not take the puppy with her when she left

Nick Ford: lumberjack

Emma Ford: washerwoman

Raised puppies for fun

Works at Chestnut Stables

Owned by Talia Greenbrush (also owns Red Pony Tavern)

Waylan Fredericks: groom

11 years old

Teacher: Mr. Nate Fillion



NOTE 2:

Eva mills

Orastava, competed with her winter roses for Peablossom Princess

Glenn Mills: baker

Beverly Mills: baker

Rising Dough Bakery

Loves Gardening, helps at Spruce Singer Park near the bakery

John and Maude Greenblade: town gardners

Helped make florettes for the bakery

Teacher:Miss Kaylee Frye

11 years old



NOTE 3:

S- Of course I want to see my two favorite girls. Can’t keep anything at the castle, he is suspicious. Working on a way to fix it. I’ll come soon. xxJ



NOTE 4:

History of Stoneblood Manor--talk to L.C.