TEWR Ep 24 - A Key Too Few

and a keyhole too many

The Enemy Within Revisited Cast:

Gustav Myrthenbaum the Dilettante (Davy White)
Falco the Ratcatcher (Michael Morgan)
Badigon the Boatman (Shane)
Nateery the Hunter (Nicole)

With the undead foe vanquished the party surveyed the wreckage of this underground structure that lay hidden beneath the dwarves signal tower. This place was clearly the library and study of someone who had an interest in and fascination for Astronomy. Several notebooks and maps were found detailing planetary locations and in particular a focus on predicting the moons orbit. An old observatory perhaps?
Amidst the dust and cobwebs several objects of note were discovered. An array of portraits of some unnamed family (though unlabelled the family resemblance was unmistakeable) , a magical tome of seemingly necromantic purpose, a long elegant staff of unknown function and a curious map which seemed to pinpoint a trio of places, chiefly an unknown remote location in a hilly barren region far off to the East of here.

But even more curious was a hidden central chamber which revealed a pentagram, and closer inspection of this mystical symbol revealed several star shaped sockets or keyholes. Matching them to the ‘necklaces’ found around the necks of each of the slain undead it was clear that these were all keys. But after inserting them one by one it soon became clear that although these seemed to be keys our party were either a key too short or a keyhole too many. 

After much head scratching and hours of searching they eventually give up and head off up river. The broody silence is broken by possibly the worst sound of singing they’ve ever heard. Yes, even worse than Gustav and when he pleads his innocence on this occasion they press on to find a traveling troupe of river performers fronted by an insanely handsome but woefully inept singer and lutist. After a brief musical interlude they press on and are accosted by some  mutant sympathizers called SAPPED. The party escape these insane ramblings as soon as they are able which isn't soon enough for their liking.

With Badigon and Falco laying odds on the madmen from sapped being ripped limb from limb by the very mutants they are so keen to protect, our merry band press on amidst much shaking of heads. It’s been said before but is worth saying again these truly are the strangest and darkest of times.

​by GM Noely