Malatesta 970824

1st Story: Wolf Den in the Grotto di Monte Cucco, (Played August 24, 1997)
Monte Cucco covered in beech forests and pleasant meadows, has dozens of caves with extensive networks of passages. In these galleries are the lairs of local lycanthropes who range all over the region and attack the villagers and townsmen. The demonic werewolves certainly have much animal vis, ready for havesting.
Adventure Background, Adventure Outline
Players: Not played yet
Summaries: 970824.Chelette

Adventure Background

Adventure Outline

None Yet

970824.Chelette

The Characters: Guido the Twilight Visionary (Joe), Chiccolina of Faerie (Kara), Giovanni di Fraterno (Mike McGloin), Luchino Alfiano (NPC), Alessandro the Bear (Ken), Tytalo di Vipera (Scott)

What is apparently a Werewolf has attacked Ray's character. He was minding his own business and must have appeared harmless since he has the gentle gift. Recovering from his wounds, he is unable to participate in hunting down the diabolic shape shifter. At the scene of the attack, we find traces of blood, but it turns out to belong to Ray's character. Chiccolina's Brownie friend scouts around and finds tracks of many wolves. Some of the tracks are enormous, and must have been made by a wolf the size of a horse.

Searching around the mountain, we find a magical plinth or column covered with Etruscan runes. Guido determines that it has a magic aura of 3 and 20 points of Rego vis. He is also learns that there are probably other similar columns in the area. We walk around at night looking for another column. Chiccolina's scout grog sees a wolf and kills it with two quick arrows. Sensing that we are surrounded by wolves, Allessandro turns into a bear and di Vipera and his grogs trun into slithering serpents. With is superior sense of smell, Allesandro tracks the wolf's scent to a large, deep hole.

Mongo the grog dangles like a puppet as Allesandro lowers him into the hole to scout. Mongo wanders around inside and is pulled up no worse for the experience. Unfortunately, Mongo is a moron so questioning him is fruitless. To get the information, Guido peers into Mongo's mind and finds out that it is safe to enter the tunnel complex. Once inside, we find a brazier with a magical fire and 20 to 30 wolves off to the side. Chiccolina senses that we have passed from the mundane world, through faerie and into a level 5 infernal realm. Her Brownie companion converses with the rock gnome that tunnelled out the cave and now lives here. It turns out that the cave has level 3-4 Rego Faerie magic. The wolves are still staying over by the chairs and furniture.

As we watch, the fire in the brazier goes out and an enormous demonic fire creature starts slowly moving toward us. It is humanoid, but fortunately it is moving very slowly. Allesandro the Bear moves to get behind it as Chiccolina casts grip of the choking hand to no effect. The grogs fire arrows at the creature, but the convection of its tremendous heat creates a wind that blows the arrows away. Allesandro sees 4 large werewolves leaving down a corridor, but does not pursue them. The fire demon is blocking the way. When it gets within 50 meters of the party, a jet of flame shoots out of its hand completely incinerating di Vipera's shield grog. We turn and run as another hapless grog bursts into flame. We get back to the faerie region and the demon disappears.

Allesandro the Bear returns to recon the area. The demon is not around and the fire is out. In the area where the wolves were, he discovers a library of about 30 books. He quickly grabs 5 and returns. We all then go back in to loot the remaining books. Guido detects a level 30 aegis of the hearth protecting the area as we gather the books and leave. Fortunately, we get out before the full moon sets, breaking the connection between faerie and the mundane world. Back at the inn, we sleep in watches and are undisturbed.

Refreshed, we return to the mountain to find the other Etruscan columns. We find another with 20 pawns of Vim vis and Etruscan writing indicating domination imprisonment and control. We execute a lengthy search for the third column but don't find it. Eventually Guido has the idea to question the locals to see if they know of the other column. Soon enough, we find a hermit's shack in the woods. Guido cuts right to the chase and casts posing the silent question. Surprisingly, his spell fails and he is fatigued. Chiccolina tries another spell and also fails completely. Giovanni tries the straightforeward approach and just talks the the hermit. It turns out he is named Brother Francis and he doesn't know about any werewolves in the area. Questioned about the missing column, he eventually happens to remember its location. We proceed to find the third and final column which has 20 pawns of Creo vis and part of an imprisoning ritual. Guido and Luchino eventually return to the columns and copy down the full ritual of imprisoning demonic beings.

Hearing that there is some kind of demonic being in the caves, the hermit insists on going to check it out. He packs up his one posession, a copy of the Life of Saint Augustine, and we take him to the cave. He determines that there is indeed an infernal presence, but does not want to go in. He claims to have no expertise in this area and decides to go to Bishop Pucci in Perugia for help. Giovanni accompanies him to Perugia while Allesandro and di Vipera return to secure the books. Back at the Knight's Villa, we decide that the safest palce for the stolen books is in our own area, protected by aegis of the hearth. We put up the vis and Ray's character successfully casts the ritual at 40th level. Scanning the books, Allesandro determines that the wolves are a diabolic Bjorner coventant called Lupus Magnifico.

Accompanied by Giovanni, Brother Francis relates his detection of the infernal to the Bishop, then Archbishop Veccio and eventually to three Cardinals. They take the matter seriously and promise to take care of it. During the questioning, Brother Francis has apparently made a minor error on some doctrinal point. He has to say pennance while Giovanni gets a blessing from one of the cardinals.

On the road back to Gubbio, they encounter a stream of peasants fleeing marauding wolves. The wolves have been running rampant since midsummers eve and have caused the populace much distress. Arriving in town, Bro. Francis faces down an unbelievably huge wolf. Amazingly, he calms the wolf, who agrees not to plague the town. The wolf even accepts the true faith. The last time we see him is lying down near the altar in the church. For this, his third miracle, Borther Francis is made a Saint.

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