Cthulhu Invictus - The Wayward Shepherdess 1-2

Salvius Horatious – Keeper Chad Iavolenus Tertius (Gladiator) – Bill Lucius Marius (Centurion) – John GM – Oscar Upon arriving in Raetia the investigators make their way to the Villa of Dulius Costa and are made welcome. They avail themselves of the baths and are joined at length by Dulius himself. He explains that Melipa and the child died during the birth and that the room was sealed immediately after. He is concerned that the gods maybe offended and wants the investigators to find out what has happened so they can make the appropriate sacrifices. Dulius says that his house is at their disposal and that he will have the midwife and her daughter brought in after supper. The midwife tells the same story and says that Melipa didn’t want to be examined and spent much of her time wandering outside the village. The midwife’s daughter Nann seems uncomfortable so they question her separately. Nann says she was friends with Melipa and that they were like sisters. She confesses that the child was born alive and that while she swore to protect the child, Dulius had him killed. He was drown by the steward and Dulius’s bodyguard. In the morning the investigators go to inspect Melipa’s house. There’s a terrible stench from days old bloody sheets and the moldering food. Nann makes a fire outside while Lucius, Lavolenus and Salvius investigate. The first thing of note is a half a dozen or so very expensive looking magical amulets hanging all around the room. More than she was likely able to afford. Lavolenus finds a box under the bed that contains a circlet and pale gem set in silver. Both items look very old and the filigree work is actually writing in the language of the ancient sorcerers. Nann says the charms are from the local Magus Mathias. Next stop Mathias’s shop. He says he gave Melipa the charms to try and help her. He is familiar with another case that happened long ago that had a similar result. Then he spins a tale about the Forest of Wonder, a land where it is always summer and is inhabited by beast men. Those who stray too close are taken never to be seen again. Mathias thought the portal had been closed as no one had gone missing for over two hundred years but it seems to be open again. As they are leaving Mathias says that as long as the beast men are left alone there should be no harm to the village. Just then two young boys run by the shop talking about the hunters from Rome who set off to the North into the mountains. https://www.goldengoblinpress.com/ https://www.mu-podcast.com/ https://www.birdscoffeecompany.com/coffees/legends-of-tabletop-legendary-brew Use Code Legends10 to get 10% off your order https://www.patreon.com/legendsoftabletop Theme music created by Brett Miller http://www.brettmillermusic.net/