Category:SPECTRE and SHADOW Conference

Summary

The S. P. E. C. T. R. E. (Sorcerers, Practitioners, Enchanters, Conjurers, Thaumaturges, Researchers, and Evokers) and S. H. A. D. O. W. (Seers, Hypnotists, Astrologers, Diviners, Occultists, Witches) Convention had its inaugural launch at the Evermore Hollow Hotel in Naidem on October 4, 2024.

Day of the Huntress, Jastatos the 4th

Guests and speakers alike arrived at the Evermore Hollow Hotel during the evening and into the night.

Manager Blodeuyn greeted guests in the Library with a welcoming speech, while the Chambermaid Elaarah ferried guests back and forth to their floors and suites with the aid of the Clockwork Platform Operator Fenthywick.

Some of the speakers expressed concerns about their luggage.

At one point, Blodeuyn had a heated argument with Elaarah when she admitted to accidentally breaking a guest's item. Elaarah was sincerely apologetic and afterwards Blodeuyn said it was really nothing and everything would be fine. She'd be certain the guest was compensated for. No one would say who the guest was.

Various conversations took place throughout the evening.

Feastday, Jastatos the 5th

Guests gathered in the dinning room of the Evermore Hollow Hotel for breakfast between the hours of 9 and 10am. Blodeuyn Mourningveil, Tylagrace Willows, and Fenthywick Grimsbane expressed concern that Elaarah Thistledown hadn't shown. The maid had been schedule to assist with breakfast and not yet shown. Blodueyn went to look for her in the kitchen, Fenthywick checked for her in her rooms, to no avail. Others began to speak of when last they saw her.

Zethes Wraith commented that she'd seen her multiple times that night but that some of it was foggy as she'd taken a draft to block the spirits. The last time she saw her, she was passing at the foot of Zethes bed upset that a mop was replacing her, that something was broken, and kept apologizing.

Lectures took place between 10:30 and 2:30 PM, followed by a lunch that very much surrounded the happenings of Elaarah. An investigation was made into the attic and folks discovered that Fenthywick had a lot to say about a lot of people. Some accusations were leveled at several of the speakers that what happened to Elaarah was the fault and responsibility of one of them. But who?

After the late lunch, most speakers and many of the guests retired to their rooms. Several merchant sessions were attended between 4pm and 8pm.

The ballroom was open to all and dinner was served small plates style. Ceibhfhionn Malficum was having visions throughout the engagement, while Zethes was possessed by the spirit of Elaahra. Both of the metaphysical women ended up retiring early due to the strain.

Into the evening, guests engaged with Caedenmon Howler, Ermias Dunholme, Giedrius Ravencroft, and Thalita Trevil.

Restday, Jastatos the 6th

After an early morning merchant session, folks gathered for brunch in the Dining Room where things really heated up. Some folks have theories on what was happening with the maid, while Ceibhfhionn's visions grew more intense.

Eventually, everyone was led up to the attic to attempt to free the trapped soul of the maid. Much mayhem ensued, Giedrius was bodily dragged from the attic, and with great effort from all involved, Elaarah's soul was freed from its cage.

Blodueyn instructed Fenthywick to remove Giedrius from the hotel.

Ceibhfhionn made it clear that the "society" would find out. Ceibhfhionn says, "While knowledge is excellent, that poor woman was an unwilling sacrifice on the altar of that man's ego."

Many of the speakers have departed.

Key Dates & Happenings

10/4/2024

• 10:30 AM - throughout the evening - Gather at the Hotel to be shown your hotel room, have a small plates and drinks in the library, mingle w. speakers.

10/5/2024

• 9:00 AM - 10/5/2024 - Breakfast in the Dining Room
• 10:30 - 2:00 PM - Speaker Lectures in Library
• 2:00 PM - Lunch - In Dining Room
• 4:00 PM - Merchant Session 1 - Visit the sitting room on the same floor as your hotel room.
• 7:00 PM - Merchant Session 2 - Visit the sitting room on the same floor as your hotel room.
• 9:00 Pm - Grand Masquerade Ball in the Ballroom

10/6/2024

• 9:00 AM - Merchant Session 3 - Visit the sitting room on the same floor as your hotel room.
• 11:00 AM - Farewell Brunch

Cast of Characters

Official Vignettes

Logs

• Tour of the Hotel by Blodeuyn Mourningveil
• Lecture #1 - Soul Magic by Caedenmon Howler
• Lecture #2 - Ancient Burial Rites by Ermias Dunholme
• Lecture #3 - Alchemy by Giedrius Ravencroft
• Lecture #4 - Divination by Ceibhfhionn Malficum
• Lecture #5 - Communing with the Spirits by Zethes Wraith
• Lecture #6 - Enchantments and Clockwerke Devices by Thalita Trevil

Additional Information

• Conference Items received by attendees:
  • Envelopes
  • Luggage Tag
  • Storage Trunk and Invitations
  • Welcome Package

Credits

Three years ago, we had an idea to open the Evermore Hollow Hotel for the sale of hotel rooms that could be accessed during the month of October. With Naidem being the new and permanent home of Ebon Gate, we knew we wanted to give folks a reason to RP and not leave while visiting. Our hotel was an important aspect of that.

For two years, we were so busy continuing to build and flesh out the realm and lore of Naidem that we simply didn't have the time or ability to finish it out.

GM Elidi poured a lot of love into this area, and she built all of the hotels remaining needs. The new poison garden, the garden's new flora, the dining room, ballroom, kitchen, each suite, all the hallways, the library, attic, and sitting room. She's also responsible for the farewell packages that you will all receive.

GM Xynwen helped her flesh out the poison lore and loaned us the bookcase & tile mechanics so that we could have fun ways to get back and forth.

GM Elysani thoughtfully created all of the meals, from top to bottom, and all of the silverware that she requests be returned to the hotel.

GM Thandiwe handled the platform operator and mechanics of the platform, the luggage tag, luggage, invitations, and the welcome package (though, Elysani designed the mask).

I threw a concept, character bios, potential threads, and ideas for our murder mystery weekend up on our staff wiki and cast a wide net in the GM pool asking for volunteers. I could not be more thrilled with the response I was given and am excited to share who played what characters for the weekend:

• Elysani – Elaahra Thistledown/Tylagrace Willows
• Valyrka – Blodeuyn Mourningveil
• Elidi – Fenthywick Grimsbane
• Kaonashi – Ermias Dunholme
• Marstreforn – Caedenmon Howler
• Thandiwe – Zethes Wraith
• Warlockes – Thalita Trevil
• Xynwen – Ceibhfhionn Malficum
• Casil – Giedrius Ravencroft
• Optheria - Lych

The Lectures were such an amazing addition to what we were trying to accomplish, helping to inform how the experiment with Elaahra's soul would be handled. Warlockes wrote half of them, graciously letting each GameMaster modify his workings, while Thandiwe, Xynwen, Kaonashi, and Valyrka wrote theirs.

Our merchants for the weekend were GM Optheria, GM Vanah, GM Valyrka, GM Elysani, GM Casil, GM Kaonashi, GM Xynwen, GM Marstreforn, and GM Thandiwe.

We also need to thank all of our QCers for their efforts: GMs Flannihan, Isten, Haliste, Casil, Xynwen, Gyres, Thandiwe, and Wyrom.