Session 17 - Summary

Recap

Morning of the 8th of Neyavr at St. Andral's Church: Irredel woke from a wolf-chase dream still faintly hungry; Milivoj deflected Sildir's Bryce-crimefighter theories while the party met "Dr. Rudolph van Richten" upstairs with Lady Fiona Wachter. Bryce led them through a crypt trapdoor and revealed himself as Nightingale in disguise—the real Dr. Rudolph van Richten (V, vigilante alter ego) went alone to the Court hideout and is missing. Nightingale armed the party with holy water, field rations, and intel (weaker thralls weak to cold; fangs now operating in daylight; hierarchy boss at hideout), stayed to guard the Wachters, and sent the group to Maw of the Wolf at Lake Zarovich. Sylalys volunteered to help guard upstairs; Ezmerelda d'Avenir watches Arabelle. At the lake grotto, cipher text "Blood of prey opens the way" opened the passage when Saturno's blood was offered. The party infiltrated a vast underground complex—fought and interrogated an assassin (killed after breaking ropes), crossed a rope pit, avoided coffin rooms and patrols, found a moon-simulator chamber and profane ritual spaces, discovered a thrall-conversion lab with two kidnapped victims mid-process, looted a bag of holding, necromancy notebook, and alchemist's fire, and ambushed Volenta (yellow ball gown, human-skull mask). Combat paused mid-fight: she entered phase two in a 20-ft smoke cloud after Saturno's Celestial Revelation barrage; Dr. Rudolph van Richten still not found (Session 17 @ 07:10–03:58:26).

Key Events

In-game 8th of Neyavr morning; Festival 9th; full moon midnight 9th (Session 17 @ 36:13)
Irredel dream: forest chase, full moon, uncontrollable hunger and howl; faint hunger on waking (Session 17 @ 07:10)
Milivoj: Wachters upstairs; Father Bryce secured them after vampire assassins (Session 17 @ 07:10)
"Father Bryce" upstairs with Lady Fiona Wachter; led party to church crypt via rug trapdoor and key necklace (Session 17 @ 18:19)
Reveal: hood drop = illusion; Nightingale impersonating Bryce; staked vampire assassin corpse on crypt table (Session 17 @ 19:38)
Real Dr. Rudolph van Richten (V, vigilante alter ego) went alone to Court hideout—missing (Session 17 @ 21:55)
Nightingale intel: Court hierarchy—kill puppet-master at hideout; most assassins already culled; reserves remain (Session 17 @ 29:39)
Fangs operating in broad daylight this morning—accelerate plans (Session 17 @ 28:30)
Each party member received flask of holy water; field rations shared (Session 17 @ 32:25)
Weaker assassins = zombie/thrall type; weak to cold (Session 17 @ 34:14)
Wolfsbane potion: take night of full moon before nightfall → controlled wolf form; too early on 8th morning; Irredel saving doses for 9th (Session 17 @ 39:25)
Sildir noticed Irredel's veiny hands and longer pointed nails (Session 17 @ 38:53)
Sylalys volunteered to guard Wachters at church (Session 17 @ 25:43)
Ezmerelda d'Avenir watching Arabelle per Nightingale (Session 17 @ 25:10)
Fiona coup: Nightingale vouches Fiona cares for Vallaki; Vasili betrayal timing discussed; Fiona shaken (Session 17 @ 26:38)
Lake shore: Sildir nat 20 perception found wolf-maw grotto hideout entrance (Session 17 @ 42:43)
Blood gate cipher: "Blood of prey opens the way"—Saturno's blood opened descent (Session 17 @ 47:10)
First assassin fight: grappled, knocked unconscious, tied; Suggestion and Zone of Truth failed; prisoner broke ropes (nat 20 strength), lunged—killed (Session 17 @ 01:35:09)
Wine-cellar room: barrels contain blood, not alcohol; ravenous effect on Irredel (Session 17 @ 01:37:25)
Party donned third intact wolf-mask outfit (Saturno, Sildir) for stealth (Session 17 @ 01:49:02)
Moon chamber: levitating waxing-gibbous replica; lever shifts roof lens; Irredel entranced; party theorizes werewolf conversion device (Session 17 @ 01:55:23)
Six eerily still undead in coffin room avoided; two patrolling undead evaded (Session 17 @ 02:01:23)
Profane ritual chapel: recent exsanguinated corpse (~1 week); voice in Irredel's head: "You will soon need to choose" (not Tyr); no magic detected (Session 17 @ 02:15:12)
Fully lit moon opens hidden passage; Irredel wisdom save 19—transformation pressure resisted (Session 17 @ 02:30:53)
Party believes: vampires kidnapping victims → partial transformation here → profane ritual north → werewolf army (Session 17 @ 02:33:50)
Rope pit crossed via grappling hook and athletics checks (Session 17 @ 02:39:47)
Cavern: pool may connect to lake; obsidian skull-door with 14 undead beyond—avoided (Session 17 @ 02:50:35)
Alchemical lab: two living humanoids mid undead-thrall conversion in tanks; greater restoration needed to undo; Irredel Spare the Dying stabilized both (Session 17 @ 03:00:59)
Ember nat 20: lab converts kidnapped victims to thralls (Session 17 @ 03:07:07)
Loot: frayed bag of holding (empty), necromancy notebook, alchemist's fire; lab equipment destroyed (Session 17 @ 03:14:32)
Boss ambush: Volenta—undead woman, tattered yellow ball gown, human-skull mask; surprise round—Hold Person failed, then succeeded round 1 (Session 17 @ 03:21:38)
Saturno Celestial Revelation + Action Surge crit barrage; Volenta bloodied → phase 2: "You'll make a fine thrall"; smoke stick, 20-ft opaque cloud (Session 17 @ 03:43:28)
Session paused start of round after smoke; Sildir blessed, Shield of Faith, temp HP from Mantle of Inspiration (Session 17 @ 03:57:00)
Dr. Rudolph van Richten not found in hideout (Session 17 @ 02:56:55)

NPCs Met

Nightingale — Bryce disguise dropped in crypt; mission briefing; holy water (Session 17 @ 19:38)
Milivoj — morning church chat; watched Wachters upstairs (Session 17 @ 07:10)
Lady Fiona Wachter — upstairs at church with Nightingale-as-Bryce (Session 17 @ 16:22)
Volenta — Court hideout boss; yellow gown, skull mask; boss fight ongoing (Session 17 @ 03:21:38)

Locations Visited

St. Andral's Church — morning briefing; crypt trapdoor; Wachters sheltered upstairs (Session 17 @ 07:10)
Lake Zarovich — wolf-maw grotto entrance; Court of Wolves underground hideout (Session 17 @ 40:46)

Quest Updates

Investigate Vallaki Disappearances — infiltrated Court hideout; thrall-conversion lab; kidnapped victims found; Volenta engaged; Dr. Rudolph van Richten still missing (Session 17 @ 03:07:07)
Seek Aid at St. Andral's Church — wolfsbane timing clarified (take 9th before nightfall); Irredel physical changes worsening; potion doses saved for full moon (Session 17 @ 39:25)
Deliver Arabelle's Gift — proxy: Izek's Doll sent to Arabelle via Nightingale; Blinsky toy deferred (Session 17 @ 02:05, 25:10)
Overthrow Baron Vargas Vallakovich — Fiona at church; coup uncertain after Vasili; Izek arm proof still undelivered (Session 17 @ 27:09)

Loot & Clues

Holy water flask each (Session 17 @ 32:25)
Bag of holding (frayed, empty) (Session 17 @ 03:14:32)
Necromancy notebook from conversion lab (Session 17 @ 03:14:22)
Alchemist's fire flask (Session 17 @ 03:16:14)
Blood-gate cipher: "Blood of prey opens the way" (Session 17 @ 47:10)
Court thrall-conversion process documented in lab notes (Session 17 @ 03:07:07)

Open Threads

Boss fight vs Volenta—smoke cloud, Hold Person status unclear (Session 17 @ 03:56:06)
Locate Dr. Rudolph van Richten (V) at hideout (Session 17 @ 22:20)
Two thrall-conversion victims stabilized in lab—fate uncertain (Session 17 @ 03:05:19)
14 undead behind obsidian skull-door unexplored (Session 17 @ 02:50:35)
Collect wolfsbane potion; administer 9th before nightfall (Session 17 @ 39:25)
Festival + full moon 9th (Session 17 @ 36:13)
Deliver Izek arm proof to Lady Fiona Wachter (Session 16 @ 25:08)
Buy Blinsky toy for Arabelle (Session 16 @ 02:12:30)
Voice in ritual room: "You will soon need to choose" (Session 17 @ 02:15:12)