Session 34 - The lesser of two Werewolf evils

 Continuing on from last time, they battle the wolves, with only two remaining the were wolf lies down and exposes his belly signifying submission, Grimdur however decides to try and kill it before anyone can talk to it, and when he is unsuccessful he throws a hatchet at the other confused wolf who is also laying down and kills it from afar. 

They talk with the werewolf who turns out to be named Kiril he explains that the pack has fractured over a difference of opinion in tactics for pack expansion, and that they had killed most of his followers, he offers to help them take down the other half of the pack remaining in the den. 

They spot a cluster of wolves and Mulberry and Pallas team up to entangle them and then surround them with a wall of fire which takes care of most of them. The remainder fight it out with the rest of the party and Kiril. 

As more wolves approach from deeper in the cave and they seem to target Kiril, he barks and two of the wolves dissapear back into the depths of the cave. 

Snowball makes some of them glow using Farie fire, and the party continue to combat the remaining wolves. After taking a beating Kiril retreats to the safety of Mulberry's side. One of the werewolves makes a run for it, and manages to get away, then Denzel shows off his Erdrich blast, and Pallas follows it up with a firebolt that cooks a were wolf from the inside out, Gnravick uses sneak attack to do a huge amount of damage on one of the wolves to close out the combat. 

Mulberry takes a wolf skin (not one of the charred nasty ones, but a nice clean beaten to death one), and Kiril heads in to the cave and comes back with his Mate Wencensia and Pup Kellen. He asks that they be allowed to retreat to the windmill as he is wounded and fears for the safety of his pup, the party let them go.

The party send snowy owl to scout out the rest of the cave and find a room containing a statue with a bunch of treasure at its base, and two rotting corpses chained to the wall. The room contains Emil (the other leader), the wolf that retreated from combat Aziana and a human named Zuleika. Additionally there are cages containing children around the room made out of wood with heavy rocks holding them closed. 

Emil is in Hybrid werewolf form arguing with Zuleika. Gnarvick heads down into the room and asks whats going on. Zuleika explains that Emil wants to let the kids out, and she has been ordered by Kiril to keep them locked up. Azaina tells Emil that the party have sided with Kiril in the packs fracture and that they are not to be trusted. He asks Gnarvick "so you want the children to fight to the death and the winners be turned to Werewolves" The party now realized why Kiril had been exiled, and They attack Zuleika, after she is dead Grimdur faces Emil as Emil states "now all children can be werewolves thank you for choosing right side" Grimdur does not take this well and they kill Emil and Azaina. They release the children and search the room finding: 

• 4,500 cp, 900 sp, and 250 gp (all coins of mintages foreign to Barovia)
• Thirty 50 gp gemstones and seven 100 gp gemstones
• Twelve pieces of plain gold jewelry (worth 25 gp each) and a finely wrought gold cloak-pin inlaid with shards of jet (worth 250 gp)
• An ivory drinking horn engraved with dancing dryads and satyr pipe players (worth 250 gp)
• An ornate electrum censer with platinum filigree (worth 750 gp)
• The Holy Symbol of Ravenkind

The party take all the treasure and head back to the windmill with the intention of confronting Kiril about Emils accusations and curing Kellen, Grimdur and Denzel of lycanthropy.

As they arrive back at the windmill Gnarvick waits outside with the children, unsure what to do with the children Gnarvick spots a raven who flys down and changes to human form, telling him to take the kids to Krezk or Vallaki where they will be cared for. The wereraven states he will scout the way and warn the party of any danger on the road. 

Grimdur confronts Kiril, and between his confession and confirmation by Kellen they decide to execute him for his crimes against children. His mate Wencensia is to join the children to Krezk. 

Mulberry finds the wolf she befriended who has agreed to join her as a companion after her whole pack was destroyed by the party. 

The sun starts to rise..... and we will pick things up next week