Harrowed Halls

GM: Chaosius Stevius
Decanus Lucius Flaccus (Mike Byrd)
Crixus Dotorus (Evil Mike)
Varicus Benus (Ben)
Tantus Oxium Dracuss (Owen)
Saverrio (Alex)

After learning some information about their adversary, a Dacian Strigio named Valko, the heroes head off after him. (Pollis had secured for their contuberium a two week leave from their duties.) Valko had an eight hour head start, but our heroes were once again on horseback and with Tantus doing the tracking, it was only a matter of time before they would catch the Strigio.

Valko’s trail led to a small village. The heroes interrupt a funeral pyre. A young shepherd had died from having his throat ripped open. The heroes investigated (that is, tasted the ground around where the body was found) and knew it was the work of the Strigio. Instead of frightening the peasants with the truth, they left them thinking that this brave band of Romans were off to kill the beast that caused the death.

They picked up Valko’s trail outside the village and continued to track him. At dusk, Decanus Lucius called for a rest since they had been riding hard for the last 24 hours. They continued early the next morning.

The next afternoon found them following Valko’s trail right into another small village that was nestled in some foothills. The village peasants were suspicious of the Romans, but a few coins got our heroes talking to some old men in the Inn. A stranger had arrived last night. They learned that a man named Diego took the stranger to see the priest at the old church. Diego agreed, for a price, to take our heroes to the same church. They left the horses at the village and followed Diego to the church. Varicus drank some wine.

Apparently the church was rather far away. After two hours Tantus go suspicious and realized they had crossed the same stream at least twice. When Decanus Lucius confronted Diego, he suddenly flew into a rage and attacked him. Diego’s life ended quickly with a Roman Gladus thrust through his innards. Tantus found a trail, of sorts, and led the party on. Night had just fallen when the band heard a bell chime in the distance. Varicus climbed a tree. They followed the bell’s chime and found the church.

Not knowing what to expect they cautiously entered the ancient church. They were greeted by Father Ricardo. The heroes were very wary of the Father, who helped however he could. Varicus rested on a pew.

They discovered that Valko had studied one or two of the books in the church’s very small library. Then visited the sacred tree and left. Sacred tree? Decanus Lucius barely had time to read a few lines in the books Valko was interested in before everyone moved to see the sacred tree. What he did read disturbed him. The books talked of a “Crucible of Blood” and the dark rituals that could be performed with the red sap from the “black tree”.

Father Ricardo showed them all to the “garden” where sitting at its center was a black tree dripping with red sap. The tree’s roots wove through the ground. In those roots protruded white bones. The Father didn’t seem to notice and absently scratched the ear of the mammoth wolfhound beside him. Where did that hound come from!? That’s when Saverrio noticed the limbs and roots of the tree were moving. Varicus did his best impression of the Carthaginian retreat during the recent battle and hurried back into the church.

The battle was fierce. The black tree, now mobile, used is roots and limbs to constantly entangle any foes and then squeeze the life from them. The blood red sap turned out to be the instant super-glue of the roman era. Father Ricardo’s wolfhound also joined in. To make matters worse, robed figures entered through the garden gates chanting “Life for blood. Blood for life”.

It was Crixus who saved the day. He threw a burning torch (?) at the tree causing it to catch fire. Soon the tree was completely engulfed in flames. It howled and moaned…and then went silent. Father Ricardo was killed in the battle. The robes figures, those still alive, fled. The heroes noticed that the robed figures were peasants from the village.

In the aftermath, Decanus Lucius further studied the occults books and knew where the Dacian was heading. He also realized that in two weeks’ time a terrible ritual would be performed. One the heroes must stop.  The heroes then returned to the village. There they killed everyone and burnt the village to the ground. Only a single mother and child survived. Varicus had pity on them and spared them this horrible fate. The women and child would go on to found the horrific Cult of the Burning Flesh. But that’s another story.

Chaosius Stevius