The Night of Cursed Luck

Year, Season, Month, Days: 5992 F.Y. Pranst, Nox, 2-3 “The Night of Cursed Luck”

Cal and Marasennah awakened, and prepared spells. A note from Bae was slipped under the door, notifying Marasennah that Bae and Mandilyon had left on an errand but would return.

Due to The Night of Cursed Luck occuring that evening, the boat was not leaving until tomorrow. Marasennah stated how terrible it would be for the harbor master to die, and listed several ways, as well as how easy it would be for her to kill her.

Marasennah headed to the market, Andwyr followed behind at the behest of Cal. Marasennah was stopped by the innkeeper who warns her about The Night of Cursed Luck. Marasennah dismissed his concerns and continued to the bazaar. Upon reaching the bazaar, Marasennah sought out an apothecary and headed into the shop. Andwyr did not make it into the shop before the door closed, and went back to Cal.

Marasennah encountered a Drow woman and requested potent poisons. She was told they were illegal, then offered a song in lieu of payment. Marasennah convinced the woman that she will see her brother within a week. The woman gave Maresennah two unprepared doses of hemlock, if prepared correctly.

Meanwhile, Andwyr made it back to Cal, whom ran to the market and found Marasennah, they argued for a short while, then Cal noticed a faintly glowing out-of-place button on Marasennah’s shoulder which had a Message spell cast upon it. He yelled into the button, and then chucked it away.

Cal asked where she had gone. She stated she went into a shop and showed off her spoils. Cal realized the herb is hemlock and also very illegal. Cal entered the apothecary’s shop and found the woman in bliss. Cal asked several questions of her, but found out nothing. Cal left the shop and bickered with Marasennah whom became frustrated talking about her current situation when he insulted her. She rants of leading for almost 1,000 years and only losing once. Cal noticed a magenta curl that appeared in her hair, which he points out to her.

On the way back to The Wayward Traveler, the duo noticed an individual standing with several pieces of long white fabric wrapped around them and hanging down, individuals were writing on the fabric and the individual called to them to confess their sins and curses to protect themselves from the night. The duo moved on.

The group ate at the inn, then spoke of curses and magics. Marasennah described her magic as warm and light, Cal described his as a third-person view. Marasennah explained she worked for nobility, but worked to achieve it. Interrupting the conversation, a woman peddling talismans to protect against The Night of Cursed Luck. Marsennah purchased a talisman of Scythian, her goddess, made of tin.

Cal mentioned he has never seen a Gnome, but they are not welcome in the world. Marasennah asks why Gnomes aren’t welcome, Cal explained they’re associated with magic. Marasennah explained there is much magic where she comes from. Cal casts Prestidigitation, but was chastised by a waiter for doing so who stated the inn is a respectable location.

Cal and Marasennah spoke about her eating habits, how she’s lived for thousands of years, and isn’t herself. She stated she follows the Goddess of Lies. Caladrian stated something is going on with her and she frustratedly yelled it’s strange to just show up on a different continent.

Cal and Marasennah headed to their respective rooms. Marasennah casted Message on Caladrian and spoke to him in Abyssal. She proceeded to terrorize him for a minute or so, then ended the spell. Cal and Marasennah spent an hour researching spells.

Marasennah spoke to the innkeeper, who she learns to be Podrick (whom is not a Sir Podrick, much to the disdain of Marasennah), and asked him about the events of the evening. He referred her to the Temple of Erata to learn more. He gave directions to the temples of Erata and Scythian. On the way to the temple, Cal mentioned he had a previous laboratory.

Upon entering the temple, it was surprisingly well-lit with individuals in robes of forest green and tiger orange, some with the symbol of Erata on their robes or on a disk about their waist. Many people were writing on long pieces of parchment. A priest explained Erata is the Goddess of Curses and tonight was the night where many curses were began and completed, because that night is when they are most powerful.

The priest offered for the duo to write curses on paper to place into a jar so it could be burned and sent into the world, if Erata chose the curse to be worthy. Marasennah asked about the person offering to absolve them of their sins and was told they are not with Erata, but one of the “good” gods. The priest took out a flail and left “to take out his anger”.

Marasennah started to fill out a piece of paper while Cal left the temple. Marasennah trashed her paper, believing she should take her revenge herself. Cal began to search for the Temple of Hexis.

With directions, Cal managed to find the Temple of Hexis, which appeared to be an anvil of silver and black which overhung the street. Cal utilized the foundry within and spent 4-5 hours working on enchanting.

Meanwhile, Marasennah ventured to the Temple of Scythian, a familiar white and gold design. Many white towers with gold ribbon-like accents descending them merged into a beautiful door, flowing almost like cloth. Upon entering, the priest, in their blindingly white and gold robes, pulled out a knife.

Marasennah, when asked who she is, responded with “Marasennah Sarangennah from Valak a’tesh“. The priest recognized the name and was incredulous. Marasennah laughed and stated it’s a lie, honoring Scythian. Marasennah stated she and the named individual go way back, and asked if there is fresh blood within the temple, and then searched for an individual of high esteem.

She headed up the stairs looking for blood-related things, was tricked by an illusion, and seeked the archivist. While searching, she encountered a large solid gold door. After speaking to a difficult archivist, she asked if he’s a vampire and he then let her in. He knew the name Mari from the individual downstairs and stated he’s always watching.

After claiming not to be a vampire, Marasennah asked about vampires switching bodies and was given two theories of vampirism: corrupted body and corrupted soul. She stated she’s Queen Sarangennah, which brought laughter to the old archivist. Before leaving, he tested Marasennah with a vial of blood; Marasennah was not affected. She then went back to the inn to sleep and meditate.

Upon Cal’s return, Podrick gave him a letter from Mandilyon assuring the duo that she and Bae would return. Marasennah awoke and Packrat went outside to relieve himself, and she cast Prestidigitation to clear the mess.

The two spoke about Cal’s hand and its craftsmanship. He spent a good chunk of time detailing the capacities of his hand, as well as his search for living steel. The two spoke of wild magic and how Cal crashed his laboratory onto his family’s dining room.

As the night drew closer, a chanting was heard out the window and individuals in green and orange robes were walking with a thurible. The two affirmed each other in doing things themselves and not relying on the gods to do it for them while poking fun at the superstition of the holiday.

The evening meal was prepared earlier and there was a rush of many workers and patrons to get home early. The two spoke with an older man who informed them about human psychology and his previous experiences with the Night of Cursed Luck, where he cursed his wife to be killed for killing their only child, whom rose from the grave to then terrorize her, per his curse. The two spent some time talking about the dark and fears.

When the sun set, a woman outside burst into a persistent flame that continued to spark in spite of many casts of Create Water. Marasennah managed to move a hay bale out of the way and Cal immersed her in a trough of water, continuing to splash out the reappearing flames and healing her until the fire stayed out. They gleaned the woman told her boss, Liam, to “burn in hell” for selling broken things to the orphanage. Marasennah determined he owns a Toys from Trees stall within the bazaar.

The two make it to the bazaar, and Marasennah vindictively lights the stall with a tindertwig. It began to burn and was spreading across a gunpowder thread. The two attempted to keep the fire from spreading, managing to restrict the blaze after realizing the gunpowder strings were interconnecting the stalls.

They heard a group running and hid within the shortcut that Marasennah discovered earlier. The two noticed the earlier footfalls to be guards with torches. The guards, unintentionally, set some of the uncut strings ablaze which spread to nearby stalls. Cal stepped out of the alley and cast Create Water. Cal’s arm caused his magic to fail twice, opening all the doors within 100 ft and illuminating himself in daylight. The guards noticed him and engaged with him.

Marasennah managed to escape to the inn unnoticed; Cal entered a nearby shop and hid for awhile before sneaking back to the inn. Marasennah hid within someone’s kitchen when a group passed by and, upon leaving, notices the Temple of Erata emitting many flaming and fluttering bits of paper that moved about with a nefarious purpose. She proceeded the inn before the door was locked and waits for Cal to return.

Awhile later, Cal made it back and checked on the burned woman, whom was still hiding in the trough. They spoke for a bit before Marasennah noticed him. Marasennah intruded upon Podrick in flagrante delicto, taking his keys, and letting Cal in. She then threw them upon Podrick, the two then remembered they needed to wake before dawn. Marasennah, for a third time, interrupted his rendezvous causing his female companion to run out of the room and leave.

The two go to bed, managing to wake up on time without the aid of Podrick. After peeling the sticky keys off Podrick’s body and opening the door, Marasennah tosses the keys back in the room to the tune of shattering glass. The two realized the formerly burning woman was still in the trough, and Delores was still in the stables. The two wake the woman and send her home before heading to the docks, leaving Delores.

The two noticed the city streets were nearly abandoned also finding the harbor master face-up on the ground with a bulge in her throat and eyes protruding. They found her to be dead, taped off by a police line and outlined in chalk. The two could find a single fisherman or boat in action. Cal and Marasennah started heading back to the inn.