And lo! I beheld a light in the depths of the lake below that pulsed to the very beat of my heart, and I knew that this was the selfsame flare in the firmament I beheld in my dreams. I felt the pulsing within my very soul, echoing back through my memories, and perceived this light had come to the world eons ago, when the stars themselves first took umbrage against those pathetic and unworthy creatures who dwelt below, scouring away the most unworthy. And I knew that what pulsed within me was growing, and that it was not my heart that was pumping within my breast, for I had long been a dead thing, and this instead was the pulse of the seed of God.
“Iä! Iä Xhamen-Dor!”
—Il-Asziph Mavmameniris,
Ninshaburian apostle of the Star Seed
Gathering their wits after defeating the Nightmare Willow the group began some healing and restorations to recover the damaged abilities. Ciprian began identifying the magic items and found a Warden of the Woods set of greenwood splint mail, a Staff of Many Rays (7 charges) and a Handy Haversack. Inside the Haversack were two scrolls as well as a nonmagical white gold scepter worth 5,140 gp, as well a cache of coins: 1,237 pp, 4,765 gp, 17,140 sp, and 19,100 cp.
Once the party was fully recovered they marched out of the Neruzavin Nexus and into a new area as the tall buildings disappeared and a whole new landscape stretched out before them. This nexus and the one after it appeared completely alien, no fauna was present and the meager flora was completely unknown. The buildings that were left were also alien in design. Travel through this lonely nexus was dismal. The next was not any different but the third had some alien creature, possibly undead that the heroes avoided.
After hours of walking through several nexuses the party came to an outlying district of a city seen in the distance. It was farm country apparently but with sick and struggling crops. Seeing a farmer in a field Ciprian cast tongues and approached. From the corner of their eyes the buildings seemed very deteriorated but when they looked straight on they were of fine construction, not opulent, but fine for a farm.
"Hale fellow, well met," Ciprian began. "We are seekers and you are the first human we have seen."
The man seemed very meek, looked at the ground rather that at Ciprian, "Welcome, but you probably want to pass through the area quickly."
Ciprian was surprised as he heard an older form of Azlanti in the fellows speech. "We are looking for the city of Aevan-Vhor. Do you know of this city?"
"Why yes it is the city in the distance."
An interaction continued and the party learned that food was given freely. The town market just distributed the food. Others business was described as normal, with gold exchanged for goods and services. The treatment of food was an outlier. Asking if there was a noble class the party learned that there was but all were treated equal with regards to food.
Ursina, given the gift of tongues also indicated that the farmer was speaking truth to the party in all aspects. After a long conversation the group headed toward the city. Along the way signs in Azlanti advertised inns, lodging and the KitKat club where items the party saw as taboo seemed to be the norm.
The city had the same strange appearance, dilapidated and deteriorating buildings appearing luxurious and opulent. The most sinister aspect was the streets with humans and obvious incorporeal beings interacting in a normal manner. The humans, other than deferring, treated these beings as normal. The incorporeal beings did not walk though walls, but approached doors and seemed to try and open them and then walk through. Of course their hands could not grasp the door handle but this was of no account as they acted as normal corporeal humans. Ursina said that the area was redolent with evil from these beings. Talking with the inhabitants garnered the information that Lord Eldarius estate was a half day to the northeast and then just beyond a long bridge headed southeast. No one offered more information about the Lord and just moved on to their next task. When asked about the many apparently undead the humans whispered, "Just do not upset them or make them angry."
As the party had traveled for several hours and with little interaction on the streets and their own reluctance to cause a scene with the incorporeal creatures the party headed to the Ghost Touch Inn, the first lodging and food establishment they saw. The main room was a quiet place where folks rarely spoke as the underlying din of conversation was missing. The humans and even some incorporeal sat huddled near the hearth even though it was not cold. The room smelled of wet, moldy wood and was occupied by vacant-eyed humans who dined on thin gruel and stale bread. The incorporeal appeared to sit at tables and drink and eat their food, which was of better quality. Of course they never actually picked up the vittles.
Armania was skeptical and stepped out to cast True Seeing, but everything she saw was exactly the same as the party viewed before. Being hungry, the party reluctantly sat at a table and waited for service. Shortly the proprietor came over and asked what they wanted to eat and drink. Chicken was the main choice with beer.
"Beer and ale are in short supply, but you can certainly have a mug each," the man stated.
"I would like a nice red wine with my meal," Ursina piped up.
The man responded with a choking laugh, "there is wine aplenty in Aevan-Vhor, but it is only for the sleepless!"
After the proprietor went back to get the food, the party discussed what "sleepless" could mean.
"Vampires?" Gavril asked.
"Or all the apparent undead?" Armania added.
The food was relatively tasteless but nourishing and after further discussion and Armania's desire to get out of town, the party headed to the northeast and camped for the evening with a hopefully short distance to go in the morning. When the suns rose shining their normal light, the party prepared spells and set off for the estate of Lord Eldarius.
After crossing the bridge the party saw an estate abutting the roadway. This once-proud estate was in ruins. A waist-high stone wall, with open areas where the stone had fallen, surrounded a mansion constructed primarily of stone. The landscaping was a tangled mess, and the remains of an adjoining observatory tower stood next to the main house. Sections of the roof and walls had collapsed.
But when looking directly at the estate it seemed in opulent, pristine condition. The stone wall was complete, the tower was standing and the main mansion house had two levels. They approached the gate, hanging halfway unhinged, but Ciprian made as though he opened the gate to walk through as the party saw no one in the lawn. The manor had holes in the roof and walls had collapsed, the front door hung awkwardly on its hinges. Ciprian took the knocker and tried to attract some attention. After some time the group heard a female voice echoing from inside speaking Azlanti.
"Jeeves, get the door now!"
Two minutes later, as nobody came to the door Ciprian pushed his way inside to a large entry hall, again seen in two views. Stairs seemed to lead to a non existent second floor, doors to the north and south and a statue of a man on a pedestal.
"Is anyone here?" Ciprian asked.
Soon through the southern door entered an aristocratic woman, incorporeal, but fine looking non the less. She was surprised to see the party.
"Where is Jeeves. Servants these days. You can't find any good people to hire any longer. So may I help you?"
"Why yes he is my husband. May I ask where you are from?"
"We come from Thrushmoor in Golarion. We are tracking one Count Haserton Lowls who would have preceded us here."
"I will see if the Lord will speak with you."
She moved to the north door, attempted to open it, and stepped through. After some time an incorporeal young man came through the north door and said, "My father will see you now. I would ask you names and titles to introduce you properly."
"I am Ciprian, a man of no additional title."
The others offered their names, but also demurred on the use of a title.
"Follow me." the young man stated headed back to the north.
Entering a drawing room the party saw a stout, middle-aged, balding incorporeal man dressed in finery but with a heavy mace tucked in his belt. He was sitting in a chair near the north wall. Desks, tables and other items covered the chamber some smashed by the fallen second floor.
"Father I bring you Ciprian and his followers from Thrushmoor." the young man stated and left to the east.
"We many talk now. Of what use may I be?" Lord Eldarius asked.
A discussion followed about Count Hasterton Lowls, Golarion and Thrushmoor, the star stelae supposedly in Aevan-Vhor and "the musician". Eldarius, unfriendly at first, seemed to open up at the mention of the star stelae and "the musician". The party soon found that Eldarius could speak a passable version of Common and the rest of the conversation took place with all ears attentive.
His family’s peaceful and innocent existence means everything to Eldarius. When his daughter Delmaria became corporeal, the subsequent disconnect between the family’s incorporeal nature and her physical state caused her to become distraught, confused, and isolated. At the suggestion of Lord Avaric, Eldarius has allowed Delmaria to “enter adult society,” which is a euphemism for “live among other vampires.” He has just learned that Lord Avaric intends to have a party on the night of the Bleeding Moon. This event is sure to become a bacchanalia ripe with violence against both body and soul.
"What dare say is this Bleeding Moon?" Gavril asked.
"The Bleeding Moon occurs when Carcosa’s moon appears to drip pale white fluid into Lake Hali. When this happens, it marks the “Night of the Bleeding Moon,” when, beginning at midnight, all undead in Aevan-Vhor cease to be affected by the curse until dawn.
"The curse is not just a strange occurrence devoid of purpose or intent. It’s another manner in which
Carcosa is cruel. To become a vampire, ghost, or other undead is to lose your humanity, part of your soul. Vampires in particular endure a painful night of horror and self-loathing intermixed with unnatural bloodlust and bestial urges. When the Bleeding Moon causes a creature to reenact this experience, that creature is personally defiled all over again. The cursed cannot remember it later, even if told about it secondhand. The morning after, they step over the bodies of their victims and forget, until next time." Eldarius explained.
"What is this curse you speak of?" Armania inquired.
In the discussion that followed the party learned that a large number of Aevan-Vhor’s citizens are deluded undead and, curiously, they are universally unaware of their condition. This obliviousness is the result of a powerful curse over this nexus and is more than a mere hallucination. It is a delusion, one which they return to again and again if it is temporarily shattered. When something challenges this perception, the delusion compensates. For example, ghosts attempt to consume food, see the city as it was before they died, and perceive themselves and others as normal and corporeal. A creature that is attacked immediately remembers who and what it is. The delusion resumes when the attacking creature has left the vicinity for some minutes. Undead who are continually provoked may snap out of it at the mere sight of the provokers.
"I myself am immune to the effects of the curse. As far as I know I am the only one immune. You noted my family is also deluded." Eldarius added.
"All of this is interesting. We were told by Queen Cassilda that this musician, Zann, would be of use to us in our endeavors, so we are interested in finding him. And we are looking for the star stelae," Ciprian said bringing the discussion back to the party's goals.
"I know of the star stelae and would certainly share its location with you if you agree to help me out. I wishes I could draw my daughter back and protect her or find some other way to save her. I know that Erich was reluctant to perform the masterpiece, and that the bard warned me the chance of success bordered on the impossible. If you can Delmaria and Erich from the Avaric estate before midnight I will direct you to the stelae," Eldarius responded.
"So your daughter, Delmaria, is a vampire. We may have to restrain or even harm her to get her to come with us," Ursina intimated.
With a gasp Eldarius looked horrified, but slowly agreed as the true reality set in. Nevertheless he begged them to try a nonviolent approach. "When my daughter was a child, I would animate tiny clockwork animals for her as playthings. She was particularly attached to a clockwork armadillo I made her. This is a secret she has not disclosed to other adults, and hence perhaps you can use it as proof that you were sent by me."
"If we were to do this, when is the party and how do we get to Lord Avaric's estate?" Ciprian asked.
"The Bleeding Moon is tonight. I cannot stray from the ruins of my estate. Therefore I cannot pursue Delmaria personally, and I am not even sure where Lord Avaric lives. I do have a few suggestions that may help."
"And that would be?"
"Are you prepared to help me out of this situation?"
Ciprian garnered agreement from the party.
"Great, here is an invitation to the party, which Delmaria left behind. This invitation serves to help you attract a coach and gain entrance to the party. The coach is undead and will try to make you incorporeal so that you made ride in it. If you attack it, it will flee and pass Lord Avaric's estate. You should then follow but it is quite fast so be prepared. One will pass the gate later this afternoon."
The party headed to the gate and awaited the arrival of the ghostly coach. Late in the afternoon a set of spectral horses appeared pulling a ghostly coach. Ursina displayed the invitation and the coach came to a halt. Ursina tried to enter the coach but its incorporeal nature disallowed that as Gavril and Erevel sidled up to attack. Armania started things off with magic missiles and Agna shot arrows at the beast. Ciprian noted that it was a Death Coach, with some spell capabilities. An aura of Doom scared some of the party as they were attacked relentlessly by the creature. The plan was to attack until it fled at which point Ciprian would call upon Eamiran to WindWalk the party behind the coach. The plan was almost foiled as Agna, Gavril and Erevel became frightened and started to flee themselves just as the coach headed to the air.
Ciprian quickly suppressed the fear and Barnabas flew after the coach followed soon by the party at lightning speed. An hour later just around six, the group saw a three-story mansion that, unlike many
structures in Carcosa, was well maintained. An expansive lawn with a half-circle drive allowed coaches to arrive at the front. Behind the property was a stone patio with steps that descended to a fountain and the entrance of a hedge maze. The hedges had grown tall and wild. Ivy encroached on the patio and fountain where it shouldn’t. The southeast corner of the house is a domed annex. The home was clearly lit and ready for guests.
DM's Notes: The party earned 6400 XP for the encounter with the Death Coach.
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