lostcompass | tale as old as time

Hello lovely old & new! You can find below a summary of what to expect in our upcoming cooldown event, which stretches until 10 January. A mod-led log with further cosmetic details goes up on 9 December, and you’re welcome to make your own logs & posts!

Coming off the heels of Arc VII, you can either use this period to deepen CR and unwind or solve the mystery of the beast of castle Netvor.

EPHES: CONCLUSION

As the party convinces him of his patron’s betrayal, Hand commander Narula kills Ephes leader Caius Justus in the Senate, paving the path for a military takeover. His attempt is short-lived, as party members organize his assassination — and, with the grudging approval of the remaining senators, orchestrate the ascension of Senator Procula Avita, who formerly represented widows, veteran soldiers and orphans. Lucius Meridius, a humble veteran of some military replaces Narula.

The Senate doubles down on its commitment to undead lady Messalina, releasing her from house arrest and giving her the Hand to free her brethren from the undead Brotherhood. Critically, they also want to avoid military uprisings from the remaining followers of the deceased Narula. Messalina departs with Lucius Meridius — leaving her gratitude to the party. She will be available to help in the NPC inbox.

The witch Karsa briefly awakens the beacon of Ephes to take everyone home, and characters who dropped or idled out of the game in November are said to have safely departed. Characters undergoing a canon update are pulled back into Akhuras just as the exhausted beacon collapses, also bringing in new party members.

Formidable winter winds have blocked critical main roads from onward travel. Long-term travel is unsafe until the storms recede. The Merchant has negotiated for the party to be hosted at castle Netvor for a month’s time.

ON THE ROAD

The party departs by carriage at night, traversing misty, eerily quiet woods. Midway through the journey, they are attacked by large, bloodthirsty, demonic wolves — and travellers must abandon their carriages and run through the forest to the castle gates, where they must bribe or charm talking skeleton heads to let them in.

■ If you arrive covered in blood, the gate skulls dub you a ‘beauty.’ If you come untarnished, they call you a ‘beast.’ You can only choose one title for your character.

THE CASTLE

A study in contrasts, the northern half of the castle of Netvor appears to be destroyed and decaying, while the southern wing stays pristine. The castle rests on thick mounds of snow, crossed by red rivulets that stain ice crimson — the memento of a ‘Red Hunt’ that the Netvor clan carried out years prior, killing hundreds of animals until their blood mixed with dirt. In retaliation, a forest witch cursed the Netvor clan, transforming its heir into an unsightly beast and his servants into inanimate objects or fellow beasts. The people of nearby Panna village have largely avoided the Netvor home.

■ Julien, the prince’s serene and startlingly handsome fiancé whom you are expected to entertain in exchange for your lodging, welcomes you on arrival and explains the house rules: you must not see the prince.

■ The castle feels covetous and oppressive. If you are a ‘beauty,’ statues move when you look away, and you see shadows running through mirrors. As a ‘beast,’ you hear clawing at your windows and doors at night and find scratch marks in the morning.

THE SOUTHERN WING

Home to Julien and you, the southern wing is bright, airy and well-maintained.

■ Lavish sleeping quarters with generously supplied wardrobes. Rule: do not enter Julien’s locked bedchamber. Julien himself heads to the northern wing each night.

■ Kitchens, where bowls, whisks and ladles perpetually prepare elaborate dishes and pastries.

■ A glistening ballroom with wall-length mirrors. You feel compelled to dance, seeing in mirrors the silhouettes of faceless people you recognise from the portrait room.

■ the reading room: a wide seating area with an enormous fireplace where strange bones linger amid wood kindling.

■ Servants urge you to help decorate the southern wing for new year festivities — leading you to discover burned clothes in the castle’s nooks and crannies.

THE NORTHERN WING

The northern wing is dark, moulding, with torn wallpaper, broken furniture and soot strewn about — the signs of a failed arson attempt. The ravaged northern area leads to a tower that houses the prince’s chambers.

House rules: you cannot enter after sundown, and you must leave any room when you hear unknown footsteps behind you. Disobey, and you gradually lose consciousness as the footsteps come near, before you wake with a booming migraine in the southern wing. Do this three times, and Julien insists you must leave the castle.

■ the portrait room: containing the portraits of the Netvor clan, their faces burned, removed or clawed off.

■ The prince’s sleeping quarters are in a locked tower chamber, preceded by a wide stairwell covered in thorny roses and wilted petals. Prick your fingers on a thorn, and you briefly see names engraved on the nearby brick wall. You recognise the names from the paintings in the room of portraits.

■ A discarded notebook contains the prince’s daily entries. On the day of your arrival, he scribbled, Can men learn compassion?

■ At sunset, the stairwell roses bloom golden, while petals rain down. If you are touched in the presence of someone you dislike, you feel encouraged to apologise or make amends. In the company of someone you enjoy, you express gratitude, admiration or joy. Those who are already in love may find themselves (finally?) confessing. Optionally, some characters feel overwhelmed by bitter sadness and a feeling of captivity.

THE GARDENS

The snow-laden gardens contain archery and sword training grounds, a frosted fountain , a frozen lake for skating and several bridges for those who entertain snow fights.

■ Glancing at the castle from the gardens, you might see a dark, nebulous figure in the distance at a tower balcony you cannot find from within the castle.

DINNER IS SERVED

Each evening, you must dress in formalwear and dine in the poorly lit great ballroom of the southern wing.

■ You are asked to never look behind you, even as you hear steps, hard breathing and rattling.

■ The dishes and cutlery perform throughout an elaborate, many-course service. Diners feel compelled to trade anecdotes of their homelands and families.

■ Opt-in: Instead of dishes, you might receive an empty black plate. You must excuse yourself after dinner, lock yourself in your bedroom and keep vigil — beware letting strangers in, no matter what they say or whose voice they imitate. If you open your door, a swathe of shadows overwhelms you with deep jealousy, loneliness or insecurity. Familiar human company eases the feeling.

LITTLE TOWN

The gentle snow of the first few days worsens, until blizzard blockades you in the castle for five days ( OOCly: 17-22 December). Afterwards, servants ask you to cross the forest into Panna village for supplies.

■ The forests are largely peaceful. You find deep human footprints that lead no where, some carrying the red dirt of castle Netvor.

■ A few abandoned hunters’ cabins are still standing, repurposed as wolf dens. You find young village children are leaving cooked food and old shawls there.

■ The village is welcoming until residents hear you come from Netvor castle and begin to murmur about your witch blood.

■ Drunk hunter Viola, who may need a hand wrapping up a few brawls, takes you to bakers, brewers and lumberjacks. You may need to haggle, entreat or help these sellers to get your supplies.

QUESTIONS

THERE GOES THE BAKER WITH HIS CR

Bonjour, bonjour, bonjooouuur! Fill out the form below to plot & get some new CR in this poor, provincial town!

tale as old as time

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