Session 20: "Doppelgangers at the Homestead" (10 Flamerule, DR 1372)

Quick Summary

• Group given turnip stew, and have a brief conversation with the farmer (Gerbad), and then Gerbad retreats to the kitchen with his family. Unclear why they're up in the wee-hours.

• Twelve senses a fourth person waking up nearby

• Kel listens-in on the family's conversation, and then interrupts.

• The son is apparently 'unwell', and becomes a shapeshifter! He attacks his parents

• Long fight ensues, and eventually Artus chases him into a cupboard and kills him

• Artus and Gaerfinas heal the parents, they admit the same thing happened to their other son Elias, who is now restrained in the attic.

• Gaerfinas suggests Kelnor go up and kill Elias. Kelnor refuses.

• Gaerfinas, Kelnor and Twelve go up and question Elias. Twelve forms an instant connection, and names him 'One of Twelve'.

• Elias remembers nothing. Twelve is very eager that he come with us.

• Farmers revel that Gerbad is not the father of the boys; rather, they were 'fathered' by a Zhentarim soldier who was among a band investigating a dark shrine a mile into the woods during the occupation.

• The group consider investigating the shrine, but decide that with Jierdaan on their tail, it's more important to report back to Lord Morn and get Twelve (and now One) there safely.

Though he seemed understandably dubious, the Farmer invited the group into his home. Identifying himself as Gaerbad, he then introduced his wife Chelana and asked her to fetch some stew for their guests. He also pointed out his son Tobin, who as sat in a corner of the room. Tobin was a pale youth, sat staring into space who barely looked up as his father said his name.

Chelana returned from another room, presumably the kitchen, carrying bowls of stew. These were handed round and he main ingredient appeared to be turnip.

An awkward silence rose, until Gaerbad asked 'So, where have you travelled from? What news of the dale? We heard a terrible noise in the night, have you any idea what it was?'

After some glances between the group, Kelnor replied 'we haven't a clue. We heard it ourselves and were hoping to get some distance between ourselves and whatever it was. Whatever makes a noise like that, I don't want to meet it!' that's why we were travelling so late at night.'

though he didn't seem entirely convinced, Gerbad seemed to take this at face value. The conversation died again, and Gerbad excused himself to join his family in the back room. Once the farmer is gone, the group use Rania's pouch of delicious herbs to make the turnip stew which was watery and yet also somehow slightly oily, more palatable. Twelve speaks quietly. 'I can sense a fourth person in the house, they've just woken up nearby. I think that's why I didn't notice them earlier.' suspicious that Gerbad hadn't mentioned a 4th person, Kelnor picked up his now empty bowl and silently made his way across to the back of the room, and listened to the voices in the next room. He could make out the voices of Gaerbad and Chelana arguing under their breath, obviously not wanting their uninvited guests to hear them.

'He's not feeling well, it's the same as last time' whispered Chelana, clearly distressed.

'But what can we do?' hissed Gerbad, glancing over at Tobin where he sat silently in dark corner. 'Are we sure it's the same?'

Kelnor decided this would be a good moment to interrupt and coughed, asking for more, ah, 'delicious' stew. The couple jumped and turned to him, but as Chelana began to reply there there was a sound from behind them.

'Mum...' croaked Tobin, clutching his stomach. Kelnor could see he had turned ashen grey and was sweating.

'Get the bindings' Chelana cried to her husband, but before Gerbad could turn around Tobin rose awkwardly, still clutching his stomach as his features appeared to run like wax. No longer the young man Kelnor had seen when they entered the hovel, in front of him now was the unmistakeable form of a shapeshifter, identical to the Twelve's 'true form' they had seen previously.

Quicker than thought, 'Tobin' lashed out at his parents with too-long arms now tipped with claws. They may have been tough farming stock, but faced with their son turned into a monster they crumpled like paper, first Gerbad and then Chelana falling to the floor in a pool of blood.

With a cry, Kelnor charged at the beast. 'Shapeshifter! The boy's a shapeshifter!' he shouted to his companions who immediately rose and an towards the kitchen. Swiping at the creature with his daggers, Kelnor forced 'Tobin' to back away from the prone forms of his parents before backing away, allowing the armoured bulk of Artus through. Rio charged in behind, barging Tobin' aside with his shoulder and forcing his way into the room.

Artus and Rio slashed at the creature with their blades, but the grey form seemed to melt away from the weapons and avoid any damage. While they held the creature at bay, Kelnor grabbed Twelve by the shirt and dragged him away from the melee and back inot the front room.

'He's one of yours.' Kelnor hissed. 'Did you know about this?'

'I-i-i I knew he was different to his parents, but I didn't know he was a doppelganger I swear!'

Rio finally manages to strike the elusive creature, cutting into it's shoulder and leaving grey blood running down it's arm. The creature cried out and backed away from Rio, clearly afraid of the person who had injured it. It's concentration broken, Rio and Artus were able to wound the creature further, forcing it to back away until it turned and flung itself into the cupboard at the back of the room, pulling the door shut behind it with a shrill, watery cry. With the hard light of vengeance for the fallen family blazing in his eyes Artus didn't even pause, wrenching the door open and plunging his blade through the shapeshifter's wiry grey chest.

Gaerfinas cast his healing magic to return Chelana to consciousness, and catching his breath, Artus turned and did the same for Gerbad.

As her eyes fluttered weakly then opened, Chelana immediately cried out and tried to pull herself up. 'Where's Tobin? Where's my son?!'

Gaerfinas looked at Artus, then replied 'I'm sorry, but whatever that creature may once have been, he was no longer your son. After he wounded you and your husband, we were forced to...deal with him.' at his words, all strength seemed to leave Chelana's body and she collapsed, sobbing, into her husband's arms as they lay on the floor.

'I can't believe it!' she choked between sobs. 'it happened to him as well.'

'What do you mean again?' Gaerfinas asked gently

Looking meaningfully at her husband, Chelanna spoke slowly, as though unwilling to reveal a great secret. 'We have....two sons' she admitted. 'Twins. The same thing happened to Elias recently, though Gerbad was able to subdue him.'

'so where is Elias now? What did you do with him?'

Gerbad spoke up 'He's in the attic, restrained. We couldn't let anyone else see what he had become, but we couldn't just...' he looked wretchedly at his wife and dropped his head. '..just kill him.'

Gaerfinas looked meaningfully at Kelnor and cleared his throat. 'Well...if he needs killing?'

Kelnor looked at Gaerfinas darkly. 'I'm no catspaw. If you want him killed, you kill him yourself.'

Trying to turn the conversation away from the subject of killing which was clearly distressing the bereaved parents, Rio turned to Twelve and asked 'Does this sound familiar? Where do you come from? Did these boys change, or were they replaced at some point in the past?'

Gaerfinas interrupted 'Of more immediate interest, was this someone you know? Was he sent by Jierdaan?'

Twelve looked a little confused, but when he spoke his voice rang with certainty. 'No. This one was new.'

Kelnor and Gaerfinas decided to go up to the attics and question 'Tobin'. 'You're coming with us' Kelnor said to Twelve. 'we might need your help.' Twelve agreed immediately, indeed he seemed almost excited to meet another shapeshifter.

Cautiously climbing the stair to the gloomy attic space, Kelnor reaches the top and is faced with doorways to the right and the left. Unsure in which room Elias can be found, Kelnor pauses for a second and then takes the door on the left, leaving Gaerfinas to take the one on the right. Entering the room it is immediately apparent even in the dim light that there is no one in there, just a large pallet bed and a couple of straw mattresses on the floor. Turning back, Kelnor follows Gaerfinas and Twelve into the other room. This room is darker and Kelnor is unable to make out anything more than a few feet away.

“'Sup?” says Gaerfinas, clearly addressing the furthest corner. Squinting, Kelnor is able to make out what looks like a shape in the darkness. Reaching into his belt pouch, Kelnor retrieves the light globe and claps twice. It rises into the air and takes up a position, hovering over Kelnor's shoulder. As light floods the room, blinding in the dimness, the three see the unmistakeable grey form of a shapeshifter, clearly tied to one of the rafters in the corner of the room, unable to move more than a few feet. Other than recoiling to shield it's eyes from the light, it makes no move. Indeed it barely seems to register their presence.

Moving swiftly, before Kelnor or Gaerfinas can do anything, Twelve crosses the room to crouch in front of Elias.

“Who sent you? What is your assignment?” Turning for the first time to look at Twelve, Elias looks confused.

“What? What do you mean?”

Gaerfinas moved up and placed his hand on Twelve's shoulder. Looking into Elias's bulbous grey eyes, he asked “What do you remember?”

“Nothing. Who are you?”

Twelve brushed Gaerfinas' hand off and stood, gazing intently at Elias as though in a trance. “Then it is my mind that has awoken you. You are now One of Twelve.”

“You have not awoken me.”

“What? Then who has?”

The newly named One-of-Twelve shrugged.

Kel spoke up from the back of the room. “You truly remember nothing at all?”

One replied hesitantly, without looking away from Twelve's intense gaze. “I remember fields, and striking that farmer. Being restrained and dragged to this...shack.”

“That Farmer...you mean your father?”

“Father? I have no father”

“Well the boy you were had a father,”

“No boy, nothing before.”

Kelnor paused, considering this before asking “What do you want?”

“Nothing” One replied without even glancing up.

Kelnor looked to Twelve “Is he telling the truth? Twelve”

Twelve seemed to shake himself from his reverie, and looked over his shoulder at Kelnor. “This one is new” he replied with a dreamy look in his eyes. “And I found him, so he is mine. I can sense it. I am the first he has met, so he is mine.”

Gaerfinas looked at Kelnor, who returned his look with a shrug, and turned to go dwnstairs and explain this development to the others.

After explaining Twelve's reaction, and One's new name among other details, Kelnor asked the others what they felt their next steps should be. Rio looked unsure, but suggested “Lord Morn would most likely be interested in meeting him, two shapeshifters are better than one.”

Chelana and Gerbad seemed hesitant about this. Kelnor asked about the family history, any stories or rumours which might sugest a cause for these sudden transformations? Chelana denies it, but Gaerbad interrupts her.

“Shouldn't they know? They work for Lord Morn, they might be able to help.”

Chelana turns pale and bursts into tears, crying “They're my babies!” Turning to Artus she reaches out a trembling arm and beseeches him “You're a man of God, heal them!”

Artus looks sombre as he slowly shakes his head. “I'm sorry, I cannot. This is no physical wound, easily cured. Perhaps if we knew more...”

Chelanna cries out as though in anguish at this reply, and Gerbad reaches over to comfort her. Looking up at the party, he clears his throat.

“It was Thirteen years ago, during the Zhentarim occupation. A group of Zhent outriders rode up to the farm, claimed they were looking for a shrine a mile out yonder in the woods. It's an ill-omened place, dark stories surround it so it didn't surprise me that the Zhent would be looking for it. Darkness calls to darkness. We were courteous to them, what choice did we have? They would have killed us both without a thought. They let us live but, before they left they...assaulted poor Chelanna.” at this, Chelana cried out again and curled in to her husband's chest, who put his arm around her protectively. “9 months later, she gave birth to the twins. There was always a darkness about them, even at that age. Evil begat by evil.”

Rio was the first to speak. “I'm sorry to hear your story. If the Zhentarim were involved it's even more vital that we return to Lord Morn with this information. He will decide what action is required. But first, we all need to rest.”

They rise early the next morning, barely rested but aware that Jierdaan or his agents may still be tailing them. Twelve in particular seems very energetic, his movements jerky and his voice excited as he speaks to Gaerfinas.

“Can we unchain him? He's coming with us of course?”

“We will, come see to the horses.”

briefly crestfallen, Twelve followed Gaerfinas to the stables. “You're keeping us apart aren't you? Why don't you want us to be together?”

Gaerfinas turned to look Twelve in the eyes. “Your trance yesterday was worrying. You claim you can control him, how can you be sure he wasn't controlling you in return?”

Twelve looked ready to argue, but he thought for a moment then replied “i see. But I felt no control from him, only my power over him.”

Gaerfinas nodded understanding, but said “Still, we'll be careful.”

“I understand. But he's mine. I can control him, so you need me!” and with that he turned and left Gaerfinas with the horses.

The party saddled up and set off from the farm, leaving the couple stood outside their home looking worried. They rode for some time, when Kelnor moved his horse alongside Twelve.

“you say you can control One because you were the first to find him after his, uh, 'birth'?” Twelve nodded his assent. “Then who found you? Who controls you?”

Twelve's brow furrowed as he considered this question. “No one. I can't remember, my pod leader. But I haven't seen them for years, I can't even remember them.”

“could they still control you?”

“No. ...I don't know. Another reason for me to stay away from Jierdaan.”

After listening to this conversation, Rio spoke to Kellan who was doing his best to stay away from the two shapeshifters, clearly unsettled by them. After a brief discussion, Kellan agreed to contact Hamish and ask for Lord Morn to meet them at the gates of Dagger Falls, rather than parading the shapeshifters though the city themselves.

The rest of the journey was mercifully uneventful, though Rania was certain she had seen occasional traces of a large wolf following them. A day later, the party reached the gates of Dagger Falls.

• Artus (150)

• Gaerfinas (150)

• Kelnor (150+50) Session log

• Rania (0)

• Rio (150)