THE CURSED DAUGHTER

Later, it was said that they had come from the North, from Ropers Gate, that they came on foot leading their horse by the bridle.
You had entered the city of Vizima after long days of travel. You are a foreigner here and it shows in the eyes of the people you pass by who look at you with either curiosity, fear, or even disgust and hatred.
But you pay them no mind and keep walking until you reach a run-down Tavern called 'The Fox' where you hitch your horse to the post and enter.
If you got strange looks in the street, as soon as you enter the Tavern you get a sense of abject hostility.
Approaching the barkeep, a timid and short man with a beard, you order a tankard of the house beer.

As he returns with your drink, three surly men step up behind you. "You're not from around here, eh stranger?" says one man, "we don't like your kind around here!" replies another.
You ignore them, taking a long pull of the tankard and dark beer within, this only infuriates them more until one man knocks the tankard from your hand which falls to the floor with a crash, spilling its contents.
All three men fall upon you!

Défi de combat : Hostile Drunkards

You defeat the Drunkards

Screams of panic at the violence witnessed in the Tavern attract the local guardsmen, who burst into The Fox and see the three dead men that lay before you, they immediately demand you sheath your weapons.
Not wanting trouble, you comply and are lead by them to the Castellan.

Velorad, the Castellan of Vizima receives you and tells you to sit. "What do you have to say for yourself? I will hear your words before I have you executed" Then he seems to change his mind.
"Hmm... You are skilled with weapons, maybe you could be of use to us instead?"

"These are foul times, listen carefully, during the reign of the old king the young Prince Foltest was a handful, but it got worse by the time the Prince was proclaimed as the new King, he had gotten his own sister pregnant with child.
Adda was younger and they were always together, but no one expected anything except save maybe the Queen.
He even spoke about marrying his own Sister, this caused quite an uproar, especially in the neighboring kingdom Novigrad where King Vizimir has plans to wed his daughter to Foltest, securing an alliance.
Then Adda gave birth, and now listen for this is where it all starts.
Only a few saw what she bore but one midwife jumped from the tower to her death, and another lost her senses that she remains dazed to this day, to say that the royal bastard, a girl, was not comely and died shortly after birth, Adda did not survive the birth.
Her body was laid to rest in a sarcophagus beneath the Palace.
For seven years after the funeral there was peace, then one night there were screams in the palace, the dead infant had grown in the coffin, grown to have great teeth - in short, she became a Striga.
Now the palace is empty, no one lives there anymore.

"Speak to King Foltest, and I will grant you an audience with him."
With that, you are escorted to the New Palace.

King Foltest is portly man of short stature, and at the Castellans request he sees you immediately. "So, you will deal with my daughter in exchange for your sentencing for murdering three men in cold blood"

Défi narratif : Bargain for your Services

CR 8 (Candor) against the hero

Pass: Upon completion of the quest gain +10 Wealth
Fail: You insult King Foltest and are lucky he doesn't just have you executed immediately.

"Know that I do not want my daughter killed, you are prohibited from harming her! A wizard told me long ago that keeping her out of her crypt until the rooster calls three times, will lift her curse.
You may defend yourself, however."

You spend the remainder of the day resting, as it will be a very long night tonight.

As evening falls, you make your way to the old Palace.

For hours it seems you have waited in the dark, in the old bedroom of Princess Adda, you almost struggle to stay awake, but around midnight a horrific shriek pierces the night!
Moving through the darkened halls, you finally spot the creature.
She is a hideous, hunched beast with sharp teeth and long hair, crawling on all fours.
Looking at you hungrily, she wails aloud and leaps at you!"

Défi de combat : Restrain the Striga with Chains

You cannot kill the Striga as you are ordered not to, even if you drop her to zero health she will still be alive.
To complete this scenario you must wound the Striga twice, and then spend two actions interacting with each of the four Small terrain pieces.
This can be done in any order.

You restrain the Striga with chains made of silver, but for how long?

With a monstrous cry, the Striga snaps the chains that held her in place and she leaps directly at your throat!"

Défi narratif : Dodge the Striga's Claws

CR 8 (Agility) against the hero

Pass: You roll aside, dodging the Striga's claws that arc for your flesh.
Fail: You are too slow and her claws sink into your flesh, Take two wounds.

She pounces upon you again, leaping off a wall, her full weight slams into you and you both come crashing to the floor which gives way and you plummet down into Crypt

Défi narratif : Stay Conscious from the fall

CR 9 (Brawn) against the hero

Pass: You hit your head and your vision swims a little but you shake it off urgently.
Fail: You hit your head hard and your vision darkens, when you awake you don't know how long it has been. Start the next Combat Encounter with Disadvantage.

Standing up, you realize you must act quickly!
You must seal the entrance to the Crypt and seal the Sarcophagus where the Striga normally sleeps, all while the creature is trying to kill you.
How much longer til the rooster calls three times?

Défi de combat : Keep the Striga out of her Sarcophagus

You must seal the Crypt by moving to column 10 and spending two actions, and you must seal the Sarcophagus by moving next to the Large Low Object and spending two Actions, then you must defeat the Striga.

You batter the Striga unconscious without Killing her. Crawling into her Sarcophagus, you manage to keep her out until you hear the rooster call three times. The curse has been lifted.

You are rewarded with your life, or +10 Wealth if you successfully bargained for it.

Illustration: Kjpargeter
Auteur: Peter Oggelsby