The Vengeful Notes 2026-05-22

Travertine Keep

• The party regroups at Travertine Keep during the crisis around Luke Malthrek’s wedding.
  • Crown Prince Marlion Dragonheart, also known as Steinar, finds a lost investigator.
  • The investigator’s identity remains unclear.
• Minfilia, Oscar, Tiphanie, and Marlion descend into the Kalassarian ruins behind the keep.
  • The ruins include fixed magical defenses.
  • Heavy crossbow-like devices fire force bolts.
  • Copper conduits run through the complex and appear to link the keep to a central power source.
• One sealed room contains several dead people.
  • They had barred themselves inside with food supplies.
  • Their cause of death remains unexplained.
• The sealed room contains Kalassarian fixtures.
  • A conduit-linked food chest stores, generates, or replenishes food indefinitely.
  • A second fixture resembles an armoire, table, cabinet, or mirror-device.
• Tiphanie and Marlion reach a cavern with a giant orb.
  • The orb may be an augmenter orb or a related Kalassarian device.
  • Debris severed its connection to conduits leading back to the keep.
  • It remains unclear how the Kalassarians first connected conduits while the cavern was occupied.

Gem Dragon Cavern

• The orb cavern is guarded by a gem stalker or drake-like creature.
  • Several gem spirits also defend the site.
  • The guardian protects the creations and remains of its mother.
• An ancient gem dragon is found clutching or connected to the orb.
  • The dragon’s body is treated as sacred rather than salvage.
  • Tiphanie persuades the drake to release its mother’s remains.
  • The remains are allowed to nourish future growth.
• The orb remains a strategic asset.
  • It may power or augment Travertine Keep’s systems.
  • The broken conduit connection must be restored before the keep can fully benefit.
  • Reformists may have wanted the party to restore the keep’s power for their own plans.

Undead and Hags

• Minfilia sends skeletons into the lower ruins.
  • They appear meant to retrieve or interact with the force-bolt defenses.
  • Some skeletons lose control and return to ordinary death.
  • This suggests hostile interference with her undead control.
• The party encounters several drekavacs.
  • Minfilia uses a necromantic beacon to ensnare them.
  • Control transfers to Minfilia.
  • The beacon has short-range and long-range uses, but its exact limits remain unclear.
• Hags attack or return during the lower-ruins conflict.
  • Two hags die.
  • A third is knocked unconscious and left alive.
  • The surviving hag’s fate remains unclear.
  • The survivor does not appear to be Rislas/Rizlas, but the record needs checking.
• Minfilia later uses an emerald gem tied to green necromancy.
  • It controls ten recovered skeletons for one day.
  • Control then reverts to the prior owner or controller.
  • The skeletons follow unpleasant or menial orders but do not become uncontrolled warriors.

Teleportation Circle

• The party secures a Kalassarian teleportation circle in the ruins.
  • The circle lacks a permanent power source.
  • It can function if powered by regular diamonds, charged orbs, or a normal teleportation circle spell.
• The circle has twenty available slots.
  • If all twenty are filled with charged orbs, the circle can be used once without casting the spell.
  • The orbs or circle then require recharging.
  • If the sigil is known, a caster can still use the circle by casting teleportation circle.
• The party later uses the circle for urgent travel.
  • Required orbs are placed as instructed.
  • Minfilia channels energy into the circle.
  • A personal focus improves targeting toward the one who wore it before.
• The method for charging the orbs remains unresolved.

Reformist Transformation

• The party reviews evidence that the Green Liquid does more than inspire fanaticism.
  • A captured cultist exposed to it transforms toward a mind flayer or mind-flayer-related form.
  • Minfilia shifts from seeing the subjects as mere fanatics to recognizing deliberate transformation.
• Pallia Travertine appears more informed than ordinary Reformists.
  • She may have understood the transformation process.
  • Fanatics believe the Green Liquid will make them ascend.
  • Some volunteers may consent but still hesitate or resist.
• Aberrations appear to have a controller.
  • Tiphanie and Jessica identify the parasites as aberrant.
  • The threat points toward an Elder Brain or similar central intelligence.
  • The Elder Brain may connect to infected hosts, control them, and extract memories.
• The party distinguishes religion from Reformist doctrine.
  • Harmful doctrine and parasitic control are treated as the immediate problem.
  • Revivalists may also need checking for parasites.
  • Children of the Crone are named as hags aligned with or assisting the Reformist threat.

Renaldi, Rislas, and Antoinette

• The party obtains a first sample from Father Charles Renaldi.
  • Renaldi is later killed or fatally dealt with in connection with that sample.
  • Rislas/Rizlas is taken alive afterward.
• The Renaldi sample is used on Luke Malthrek to provoke a reaction.
  • Luke and Duchess Antoinette Malthrek appear to share a related infestation, parasite, aberrant condition, or linked affliction.
  • Angel uses celestial blood to heal or treat both of them.
• Luke is healed first.
  • Duchess Antoinette has been affected longer.
  • Treating her costs Angel more.
  • Her body responds normally and she is not dying or physically failing.
  • Her mind has not fully reconnected.
• Antoinette’s recovery may take until tomorrow or longer.
  • Angel’s healing may repair physical damage without fully restoring memory or mental connections.
  • The party wants Antoinette awake because she may be needed to manage wedding preparations.

Celestial Blood

• Blood from devas, planetars, and aasimar can have healing, greater restoration, and remove curse properties.
  • Jessica’s celestial blood was exploited for profit.
  • Her aasimar-linked magical ability was cut off.
  • Her blood still has power, but in a changed form.
• Jessica’s blood may require consent or choice.
  • The effect may require the target to answer, accept, or choose voluntarily.
  • Earlier uses from Jessica faded quickly and required daily drops.
  • Sapphire’s effect lasted longer.
  • Justin’s curse eventually reasserted itself because it was rooted in deep trauma.
• Angel’s blood-healing can exhaust her.
  • Repeated efforts with Brastok showed the cost.
  • Angel is less exhausted than Lime because she was not heavily involved in Lime’s fight.
  • Further exploration may involve William, whose identity remains unclear.
• Celestial fall and choice are discussed.
  • Sapphire did not become fallen because she did not intend to end a life.
  • Becoming fallen is framed closer to manslaughter than murder.
  • A fallen angel is not automatically a devil.
  • Becoming a devil would require another choice or offering.

Mark Malthrek

• Luke’s emergency is that he wants to save Mark Malthrek.
  • The record calls him Luke’s brother, but the exact identity and spelling need confirmation.
  • He may be trying to meet his father.
  • The party fears reaching his father first would make rescue or interrogation harder.
• Gwyniviere or another Rannek-room NPC provides a personal focus.
  • It may be the Sapphire Brooch of Winter.
  • Some transcript references may confuse brooch, brief, beach, or underwear.
  • The focus is used for sympathetic targeting.
• The party teleports and finds Mark Malthrek in a ditch.
  • He is wet, muddy, pale, and feverish after rain.
  • He appears abandoned and robbed.
  • His belongings are gone.
  • Verdant Pass is suggested as the location, but uncertain.
• Luke gives Mark Malthrek water.
  • Minfilia casts lesser restoration and urges him awake.
  • Oscar wild shapes into wolf form to track him.
  • The scent trail ends at Mark Malthrek, suggesting dimension door or similar magic.
  • Oscar notes misty step would likely leave a nearby trail.
• Mark Malthrek says he needs to meet his father.
  • The party withholds sensitive information because he may be compromised.
  • Geas is identified as the relevant magic rather than simple suggestion.
  • No magical item is found on him.
  • He remembers finding shard-like sea glass near one of the waterfalls near the Travertines.

Mark’s Containment

• The party treats Mark Malthrek as an immediate parasite or Reformist-control emergency.
  • They suspect the enemy was trying to reach him through the parasite, shard, or related influence.
  • Oscar is asked to make him sleep, but the group avoids overtly violent subdual.
• A fluid or preparation is administered.
  • Jessica’s celestial blood appears involved because Mark Malthrek is John Malthrek’s brother.
  • The group recognizes this as a stopgap rather than a cure.
  • They worry that using celestial blood risks mirroring those who exploited Celestials.
• Mark Malthrek is moved to a secured dungeon or cage.
  • Oscar opens the door.
  • Jessica enters or interacts with him.
  • The cage is closed to contain a possible lycanthropic outbreak.
  • Silence is cast near the secured area.
• Mark Malthrek undergoes a violent transformation.
  • His veins throb.
  • Hair or fur grows rapidly.
  • Claws emerge.
  • His face becomes wolf-like.
  • He claws and howls at the bars.
• Jessica tries to calm him.
  • He appears more mentally present than a mindless werewolf.
  • The party still worries that apparent lucidity could be caused by command magic.
  • They need him returned to person form long enough to confirm he is still himself.

Parasites and Shards

• The party remains unsure what happened to Mark Malthrek’s parasite.
  • It may have been extracted, killed, silenced, isolated, or left hostless.
  • It may still perceive or transmit through host senses.
• A sea-glass-like shard is central to the crisis.
  • John is told one of his brothers found such a shard.
  • The shard may have had magic cast on it without the holder’s knowledge.
  • Gwyniviere recognizes geas from Master Filidore’s book.
• The shard may now be with Mark Malthrek, Duke Malthrek, another brother, or an enemy.
  • Mark Malthrek had been going to meet his father.
  • Duke Malthrek may be using or being used by the same forces.
• Shard rules remain unclear.
  • Someone may need to take a shard by force.
  • Killing, death-like status, or possession may affect whether it can be claimed or revealed.
  • Hags or Reformists may not be able to see or locate certain shards directly.
• A scry socket or scrying socket is mentioned.
  • It may connect John’s brother and the sea-glass shard.
  • Someone promises the object will not turn into a tentacle.

Rannek Wing and Book Club

• Minfilia and Oscar sleep beside Marchioness Maria Rannek.
  • Maria wakes surprised while they are hugging.
  • Maria and Gwyniviere Rannek are told Pallia is dead rather than merely unconscious.
• The Ranneks are briefed on Reformist matters.
  • The harms reach Rannekford, the Rannek Marches, and elsewhere.
  • Minfilia concludes the revelations require a book club meeting.
• Book club is a recurring Rosenmaiden crew meeting.
  • It is used for book exchange.
  • It is also used for major strategic discussion.
  • Rosenmaiden as ship or crew name needs confirmation.
• Gwyniviere reacts badly when told Mark Malthrek is in the dungeon.
  • She and Angel want details.
  • Part of the Mark Malthrek situation is treated as sensitive or private.
• Gwyniviere later helps with wedding arrangements.
  • She enjoys creative work and can manage local affairs.
  • Minfilia’s undead helpers can work overnight.
  • The helpers do not need recharging and continue following orders until stopped.

Luke and Katalin

• Tiphanie begins planning a replacement bride for Luke Malthrek.
  • Pallia Travertine has been removed or killed.
  • Luke remains politically useful and still next in line.
  • The Crown Prince wants the marriage problem resolved.
• Katalin Helsinki emerges as the intended replacement bride.
  • She may be connected to a distant or obscure Dragonheart cadet branch.
  • Old heraldic records reportedly support the link.
  • Katalin does not fully understand the Dragonheart implications.
• Mistine or Mystine Nightingale arrives with Katalin.
  • She behaves confidently and wants to focus on getting through the wedding.
  • Larger crisis discussion is delayed until book club.
  • She speaks fluent Pandorian.
  • Katalin follows her lead and reassures Minfilia and Oscar in imperfect Common.
• Crown Prince Marlion discusses political legitimacy.
  • Katalin could possibly be adopted into House Travertine.
  • Marlion may instead strip a relevant noble of status for crimes against the Crown.
  • He says extenuating circumstances apply because the person is a heretic.
• Luke asks Katalin for confession as Sister.
  • Katalin is sincere in her faith.
  • She is identified as a Peace Cleric.
  • She is allowed to marry and take a husband despite being a sister or servant of an Angel.

Wedding Logistics

• Travertine Keep still needs wedding decorations.
  • Timing remains unclear.
  • Minfilia suggests skeletons could decorate the whole keep.
  • The party worries that servants may release their lord or follow old loyalties.
• Security remains unstable.
  • Existing guards are distrusted.
  • Extra guards are considered for Luke’s mother.
  • Hags remain a threat.
  • Hallow was cast earlier and is treated as active for roughly a day.
• The group needs an officiant.
  • Royal-family authority is unclear or constrained.
  • Katalin cannot officiate her own wedding.
  • Father Charles Renaldi is unavailable or unsuitable.
  • Bishop Bramok of Rannek recently recovered, but Rannek may lack a teleportation circle.
  • Sister Agatha Thralvig and a priest of the Angel of Nature are possible leads.
• The wedding site may be a chapel or church within ruined structures.
  • It is not simply a courtyard.
  • The site may be hallowed ground.
  • The party questions whether skeletons should clean or enter it.
  • A cleric, nun, or religious authority may need to assess or consecrate it.
• Flowers are deferred until morning.
  • Lime offers to help but needs sleep.
  • Campanellas are requested.
  • They are light pink with some light purple variants.

Crown and Treaty Politics

• The party wants to protect the Crown Prince’s reputation.
  • Many people saw him at Travertine Keep during recent scandals.
  • They want to distance him from Reformist killings, hag chaos, and damage.
• The Prince may attend the Treaty of Turain or TOTO meeting.
  • The exact timing is uncertain.
  • The Crown must preserve peace and what it represents.
• The group decides indiscriminate killing or purging of Reformists cannot continue.
  • A political response through the TOTO meeting is considered wiser.
  • They need damage control before rumors attach too strongly.
• Luke’s marriage is part of the political repair.
  • The Malthreks must be pulled closer to the Crown.
  • Luke’s position remains useful if his Reformist grooming can be managed.
  • Mark Malthrek, Matthew, and other Malthrek sons may become part of broader family stabilization.

Feast and Social Recovery

• The party uses hospitality to stabilize the mood after the crisis.
  • Minfilia requests a full Mehicanian dinner, including enough for servants.
  • Food includes hot sauce, pudding, churros, cinnamon sugar, chocolate, and tea for Jessica.
• Angel sits with Sir Brastok.
  • She wears a doll-like or ballerina-style dress with gloves.
  • John and Luke Malthrek arrive later.
  • Luke has cleaned up after John told him to shower.
• Crown Prince Marlion presides over a formal feast.
  • Protocol expects him to invite everyone to eat.
  • Luke is introduced as Duke Malthrek’s eldest son, heir, and soon-to-be viscount.
  • John Malthrek is present near Jessica.
  • Lady Angel Rannek is introduced as the Marquis’s youngest daughter.
• Katalin asks everyone to pray before eating.
  • She glows faintly during the prayer.
  • The scene emphasizes sincere faith rather than performance.
  • Her Peace Cleric temperament is compared to Calliope.
• The group discusses religious difference.
  • Not everyone present shares the same faith.
  • Some still celebrate pagan beliefs.
  • Tanduaria is mentioned as a place or culture where other faiths may be embraced.

Battleship and Wagers

• The group repeatedly returns to an inherited ivory Battleship-style game.
  • It is treated as socially expected knowledge, especially for men and Navy officers.
  • Luke, John, Andrew, Lime, Mistine, Brastok, Minfilia, Oscar, and others are drawn in.
• John Malthrek is teased because a Navy officer should know the game.
  • He rolls well in one sequence.
  • He later loses badly to Mistine or Miss T.
  • His penalty is an embarrassing exposure-related dare.
• Andrew Taminok is pressured into participating.
  • His Nightshift Nurses magazines become a proposed stake or prize.
  • He is embarrassed by the attention.
• Lime loses and must send Justin a message.
  • She apologizes and says she misses him.
  • Justin’s direct reply is unclear.
  • Minfilia contacts Hedwig Rosenkrantz, who seems to be near Justin.
  • Hedwig infers Lime lost a bet and may imply Justin misses her too.
• Oscar becomes the focus of humiliating wagers.
  • A cat transformation or yarn-play wager replaces an earlier idea.
  • Gwyniviere arrives and says she could paint Oscar tomorrow.
  • She stresses she is an artist who poses subjects and manipulates the environment.
• The Prince is challenged to play.
  • He must state his wager first.
  • A wager involving stealing from Donnie is rejected.
  • He rejects humiliating Tiphanie because she represents the Crown.

Tiphanie and Marlion

• After resting, Tiphanie asks Marlion to take her somewhere fun.
  • Tiphanie knows Marlion’s true name, Steinar.
  • Marlion may know Tiphanie’s true name or title, rendered as Tiphanie the Ever-Burning Witch.
• Marlion brings Tiphanie to fairgrounds set up for common folk during wedding preparations.
  • The fair may be connected to Lucanfalia.
  • They play games.
  • They win a ticket to a hot spring or bathhouse, possibly Blanket Bathhouse.
• Tiphanie becomes interested in local herbs and components.
  • The Herb of Hama is confirmed magical.
  • It has a Feywild name.
  • The closest Feywild flower resembles it but lacks the same magical properties.
• Tiphanie also studies the Topaz Sword of Summer.
  • Its protections may fail if the wielder holds fear in their heart.
  • This may explain why the sword did not fully work for other Dragonheart family members.
  • Marlion can wield it effectively because he projects confidence and acts before fear takes hold.

Items and Objects

• Glass Eye of True Sight
  • Associated with an earlier hedge maze or out-of-world place.
  • Likely requires attunement.
  • Grants truesight.
  • Has five charges.
  • Later requests for Truesight may refer to this item, a spell, a boon, or another prize.
• Special Strandiz-style book
  • A special edition differs from a peasant edition.
  • Stickers on the last two pages can be removed and placed elsewhere.
  • The stickers depict body parts or physical-feature overlays.
  • An Angel of Delight’s boon sticker triggers a 100 gp payment demand.
• Hand in a bag
  • Someone produces a hand as evidence of betrayal.
  • The hand is returned to the bag.
  • Whose hand it is and why it proves betrayal remain unresolved.
• Peach John / brooch confusion
  • A personal item is used or proposed as a sympathetic focus.
  • Later correction suggests brief may actually be brooch.
  • The Sapphire Brooch of Winter may be the real object.
• Package delivery
  • Emily or Emily Hazeldine’s messenger-box effect is discussed.
  • Minfilia sees an unseen servant carrying a visible floating package.
  • A Fey-associated aura tries and fails to cross a boundary or barrier.
  • The package is taken.

Spells and Tests

• Mark Malthrek rescue and diagnosis
  • Remove curse is considered.
  • Geas is identified as the likely controlling spell.
  • Suggestion is considered but seems too simple.
  • Lesser restoration is cast after Mark Malthrek is found.
  • Greater restoration remains uncertain while parasites are still present.
• Parasite treatment
  • Celestial blood appears necessary or useful for parasite removal.
  • Jessica’s celestial blood carries lycanthropy risk because she is a born lycanthrope.
  • Serafine is suggested as another possible celestial blood source.
  • Death ward is tested on a parasite, creature, or infected subject and makes it appear more lively.
• Katalin’s known or discussed magic
  • Peace Cleric features include protective bonds and Balm of Peace.
  • Spells discussed include detect poison and disease, spiritual weapon, daylight, death ward, resilient sphere, heroism, holy weapon, guiding bolt, bless, sanctuary, spare the dying, light, guidance, sacred flame, aid, calm emotions, and warding bond.
  • It is unclear which are confirmed in-world prepared spells.
• Travel and communication
  • Teleportation circle remains the preferred way to move quickly.
  • Sending is used or discussed for John, Justin, Hedwig, and others.
  • A limited or failed sending may relate to unconsciousness or another blocking condition.

Factions and Lore

• Reformists
  • Connected to Green Liquid, parasites, face stealers, and mind flayer-like transformation.
  • Their doctrine frames transformation as ascension.
  • Their local operation includes Father Charles Renaldi, Pallia Travertine, Duchess Antoinette Malthrek, and other agents.
• Revivalists
  • Mistine is stated to be a Revivalist, not a Reformist.
  • The group considers checking Revivalists for parasites.
  • Infection may not be limited to Reformists.
• Hags
  • Faithful hags still following Baba Yaga are tasked with finding a bride candidate.
  • Hags of Senera are picky and reject Hedwig or Kilner-associated attempts to join them.
  • Children of the Crone terminology needs verification.
• Elder Brain
  • Tiphanie recommends finding and defeating it.
  • She believes the parasites’ power may die with it, based on a Feywild precedent.
  • One Elder Brain may endanger an entire world or plane.
  • Multiple Elder Brains might cooperate or fight; this remains unknown.
• Aberrations
  • Beholders, gazers, death kisses, intellect devourers, and parasites are discussed.
  • Aberrations are framed as Far Realm invaders.
  • The party still does not know why widespread infected hosts have not already become mind flayers.

Eastonton and Wider Threats

• Eastonton is reportedly overrun with Reformists.
  • Someone refuses contact for unclear reasons.
  • An unnamed woman says she is with the Great Wreck.
  • Guillem, Aigral, and Boyle are present or associated with her.
• Aiwen Paketok has something important.
  • The object or information is unclear.
  • The situation may threaten the Great Wreck.
• The group considers whether someone must go east.
  • A destination described as the hive may be literal, slang, or mistranscribed.
  • The destination is said to be full of paladins.
• The party is under time pressure.
  • They need to save the king’s life.
  • Parasite incubation may be ongoing.
  • Tiphanie develops a headache during the discussion.
  • The strategy discussion is deferred to book club.

Unresolved Hooks

• Names and identities
  • Pallia Travertine spelling and exact death timing.
  • Katalin Helsinki or Helisinki spelling.
  • Mistine, Mystine, Misty, Miss T, Miss Tin, and Miss Tina.
  • Rislas or Rizlas.
  • Mark Malthrek, with earlier transcript variants including Mark, Marc, Moore, or Marquez.
  • Brasco, Brastok, Branrum, Montiela, Gavon, Donnie, Dan, Denise, Emma, Lev, Hermia, Sabine, and Avis.
  • Whether Oscar and Oster are the same person.
• Places and terms
  • Lucanfalia.
  • Blanket Bathhouse.
  • Verdant Pass.
  • Talgito.
  • Nice little beak, beach, or peak.
  • TOTO and the Treaty of Turain.
  • Rosenmaiden.
  • Great Wreck.
  • Hive.
  • Kaskabe.
• Objects
  • Whether the sympathetic focus is underwear, a brooch, the Sapphire Brooch of Winter, or multiple objects.
  • Whether the sea-glass shard is an Emerald Shield shard or another artifact.
  • Exact meaning of scry socket.
  • The hand in the bag and whether Poasah is involved.
  • Special edition Strandiz book, Angel of Delight’s boon, and sticker mechanics.
• Magic and afflictions
  • Whether Mark Malthrek’s lycanthropy is permanent, temporary, or a hybrid parasite/celestial-blood effect.
  • Whether silence blocks screams, spellcasting, parasite communication, or all of these.
  • Whether greater restoration can help before physical parasite removal.
  • Whether shard transfer requires force, killing, death-like status, or possession.
  • Whether ghosts are spirits, elementals, undead, or table-theory.
• Politics and family
  • Who Marlion intends to strip of noble status.
  • Whether Katalin’s Dragonheart cadet-branch claim is formal or speculative.
  • The new Viscount’s identity.
  • Matthew’s status in the Thralmals.
  • Duke Malthrek’s role in Mark Malthrek’s geas and shard problem.
• Low-confidence social material
  • Peach John, Miguel Libero, Nightshift Nurses, Night Shift Marches, Legally Bear, face stealer jokes, and Apgar undergarment publication lore.
  • Great Erected One material may be table humor unless later lore confirms doctrine.
  • Racy wager details around Oscar, Minfilia, and Gwyniviere need audio review before canonizing.