Session 3

Opening

The session opens at sunset. The group exits the train in West Haven. The towngoers celebrate as they head to the saloon to drink.

The nerd aboard the train stops the party, thanking them for helping on the train, and that on the next day, they would like to show the group some gratitude if they showed up at the Alchemist's shop.

Athtar and Theodore respond that it was no problem.

As the nerd parts ways, the group discuss where to go to stay the night. Theodore informs that the saloon is also the main base of the Dustwatchers in West Haven. The only two places to stay the night would be the Saloon or the House of Calistria.

The group looks around, trying to figure out where to stay. Dirge seems shifty in the evening's dim light, his shadow seems to move on its own. Pete too, clings to shadows.

The group decides to stay at the Dustwatchers. Una however, heads off to the temple of Erastil while everyone else heads in. Pete is hesitant when entering the Dustwatchers. The saloon itself is a dusty two-storey building with a swinging door and a sign so old that the writing is no longer legible.

A dromaar stands in the center as the bartender, by him is a large firearm, comparable to Una's sniper.

Dirge and Athtar look to Theodore to help get the group a place to stay here as Theo is more familiar with the Dustwatchers Theodore speaks with the bartender, who asks if the group's together or separate. He responds together.

Athtar takes a room and grabs a meal, which he takes up to his lodging. Theodore takes some gruel, a beer, and a room, but stays in the lobby. Dirge also stays, but takes gruel and a room. It's not great, but it's edible.

As the group sits in the lobby. A human man enters and mentions dissatisfaction about being unable to feed someone, among further complaints, but it's not entirely clear who they're referring to. The bartender observes this. It is also overheard that moved in from the mountains has kidnapped someone and considered them the goblin king.

Una slips into the temple, dropping their bag and fetching the herbs from it. She pulls them out and hands them to her father, an attendant at the tempe.

She asks how things have been at the temple. Her father mentions that things are quiet, but things are starting to get a little rowdy. A farmer mentioned that kobolds are coming from the mountains and have ruined his farm. He also mentions that the negotiations with the goblins have failed and that they will not release their so-called goblin king.

Her father then asks about how she's doing. Una regails the attentant with what happened on the train, she also mentions that she has likely been conscripted into the Dustwatchers, which she plans to tag along for a while as the group may need the medical assistance.

He mentions that if at anytime it gets too much for Una, she can always come back and also suggests to bring the group to the temple to judge if they're good people.

As they part, her father mentions that people are starting to get sick. A woman was throwing up a lot of blood. Una inquires how much blood "a lot of blood" is. He responds that it's a lot. Una recalls the bandit from the train, and mentions that she saw something very similar on the train herself.

He also mentions that there are spare rooms in the temple that her friends can stay at if necessary. She says she'll pass the info along, before she places the herbs in the jar, and heads to the rest.

Pete heads out to look for open stores. He spies the general store has a light on, and he decides to head in. He rings the bell, but curiously notices that there's door that is ajar, and leads to an upstairs area.

Pete opts to sneak up the stairs. Just before he rounds the corner, he can hear the sound of crunching bones and slurping. As Pete looks around the corner, he sees a figrue that is hunched over with pale skin, and long hair. It is devouring the general store owner's arm.

Pete is noticed, as the creature turns around, revealing its mouth, coated in blood. It hisses, and then charges towards him.

Pete immediately runs back down the stairs to exit the building. He doesn't hear it follow. Pete heads back to the saloon and Una finishes up at the temple. Pete makes it in first, and Una follows. She also notices the direction that he came from and sees the light on in the general store.

Una immediately speaks to the bartender and mentions that there's been a murder in the general store. The bartender asks why she brings it to him. He mentions that the Dustwatchers aren't in charge of keeping the peace, and if that's what she's looking for, she should go to the Blackswords.

The conversation has caught the attention of Dirge, who quickly ends up behind Una. Una however, leaves and heads to the general store.

Theo overhearing this also takes an interest, he mentions that they should probably talk it over with the whole group so they know what they're dealing with. Pete spills what he saw, knowing that it was an undead as it was feasting on human flesh.

Theo gets Athtar from the lodgings and Pete informs him. At this time, Una has made her way to the general store and sees the open door, and lit lamp with nobody there.

Nothing really Una notices that someone tracked blood from upstairs and then down and out towards the street. Una prepares her weapon as she heads up the stairs. Una sees a bloody figure against a wall, a dead woman with a bloody hole torn through her neck.

Una doesn't notice anyone or anything else in the room. She is aware that this is the daughter of the woman her father had informed her about.

As Una turns around, she sees the rest of the party at the door.

Dirge wants to see the body. Athtar approaches to observe the body to try and investigate. Dirge hisses at him. Pete looks to see where the creature might have gone off to, but is unable to trace it. Una heads downstairs to investigate

Athtar, with his little knowledge of death, thinks that the woman didn't die from the wound at her neck, but had died before it.

Dirge is able to immediately know that this was a vampire attack, and that the vampire was feeding on it, but was interrupted. He communicates this to the others.

Pete notices a trail of bloody footsteps that goes up the wall and out the window.

Downstairs, Una notices a lump in the rug that feels solid. Upon moving the rug, she reveals a trapdoor.

The room is dim, but there is a cot coated in dried blood, along with shackles. Una mentions that her father informed her that the shopkeep's daughter was coughing copious amounts of blood.

Theodore gets the impression that there may be a vampire infestation, and that this vampire was likely held down in this cellar, it escaped, and then feasted on the woman's arm upstairs.

Pete suspects that the creature is still on the roof.

Athtar, Pete, Theo, and Dirge head to the roof. Theo uses his grapple claw to pull himself up, the rest of the group climbs the rope he leaves behind

Una splits from the group to visit the temple again, asking her father to help move the body. He redirects her to the local barber and mortician.

The group sees the bloody footsteps continue on the ground North. They know that the creature could only have gone out of town in the northern direction, as the store is already on the north end of town. The party regroups and decide what they wish to do next.

Theodore suggests heading back to the Saloon, while Athtar suggests visiting the Blackswords. Theo doesn't know if they'd do anything without pay. Una is taking the body to the mortician. Pete intends to steal from the general store.

With the information from Theo, Athtar decides to head back to the saloon.