The Captain looks up at Drelkat for several seconds. While the cleric doesn't think the watch officer is drunk per se, it is clear that he has probably had several ales over the course of the night. Finally, he gestures to a seat. "What can I do for you, Drelkat Kraylin of Aditi?"
__________________ -Rhun
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge - myth is more potent than history - dreams are more powerful than facts - hope always triumphs over experience - laughter is the cure for grief - love is stronger than death." -Robert Fulghum
"That's so sweet, thank you Ky." After hearing about the bath in the room she orders water to be brought up immediately.
Once in the room, she peels off her uncomfortable, wet clothes and hangs them around the room to dry. The bath is perfect and warms her outsides and she takes her time enjoying getting clean and warmed up.
After her bath she dresses in a pretty and only somewhat revealing plum gown, glad to be in something other than boring travel clothes. She pulls her long raven hair back with a ribbon and returns downstairs.
"I'll have one of your local ales please," she says to the barkeep while gazing around the room at the crowd. "It's very lively here tonight. Is it always like this or has the rain driven everyone inside?"
Kyranvik also bathes and dresses in clean, dry clothes and head downstairs to join Esme, ordering an ale as well as he stands protectively next to Esme at the bar.
"A shilling, you say?" Kay'el flips the payment onto the bar, a smile on his face "Well worth it for a good sweetwine." After receiving his meal and drink, Kay'el takes his time enjoying them while keeping an eye on his companions, chuckling inwardly at Kyranvik's possessiveness... Though at least the man had good taste, Kay'el thought as he found his eyes wandering for just a moment.
With a slight sigh and shake of his head, the elf returned his attention to the crowd.. what he wouldn't give for a nice elven lass.
The captain takes a long pull from his mug as he considers Drelkat's questions, pondering for a moment before answering. He leans closer to the cleric; Drelkat can smell the alcohol on the man's breath. His voice is a whisper as he replies. "Werewolves, ghouls, vampires...it isn't common knowledge, but all manner of foul creatures walk these parts in the darkness of the night it seems these days. That is why the added security in Dunhill."
The captain frowns and takes another slug of his drink. "And that damn Barovia is the reason for all of it." He shakes his head. "You are technically in the County of Barovia now, my friend. This town used to fall under the sway of the old Count von Zarovich. But over the years, he became more reclusive, and his power waned. He really only hold power of the valley and village of Barovia now; our fine town here lies outside his rule."
"If you truly look to travel to the heart of Barovia, you can take the road through the Svalich Woods. But I advise against it...nobody comes back from that valley. There is a darkness there, that can consume your very soul.
OOC: Oh and on the knowledge question...technically it would be Knowledge (Local), but I'd also allow Knowledge (Arcana). I would also allow a Knowledge (Nature) with a higher DC, but not a Knowledge (Religion).
__________________ -Rhun
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge - myth is more potent than history - dreams are more powerful than facts - hope always triumphs over experience - laughter is the cure for grief - love is stronger than death." -Robert Fulghum
Even though he can see in the dark, Ares takes candles that are used for light in the room.
He draws a circle with hot wax on the floor and sits inside, placing 3 candles in a triangle shape Ares begin to mediate. Oh... great lord, the prince of all princes of deception (He refers to Fraz-Urb-Luu). Protect the soul of my mother and her demon blooded son. Your servant will bring his wrath upon the denizens of Barovia to avenge his mother’s death.
He takes his silver dagger and scratches his arm. He let’s the blood drop to the middle of the circle and then takes hot wax from the candle and block the flow of blood.
__________________
Spoiler:
Zirat Igruf, Gladiator (Rhun's ToEE): OOC ; IC ; RG
Donner has had at least 3 maybe 4 ales by the time the rest of his party comes back down from their rooms. He engauges in small chit-chat with fellow patrons but does not care if it is welcomed or not.
Donner is at the far end of the bar when he spots Kay'el get his high priced drink. Hey Kyle . . . KYLE!! Did I ever tell you that there was a kid in my village named Kyle where I grew up? He was the farrier's son. He spent all day cleaning up horse crap. Did you ever do that, clean crap? Rotten business that is. I wonder what happend to him . . . In any case, I think there is a hole in my pouch, see. And I think my coins fell out of my pouch. And I am parched. All that walkin' n' rain n' fighting werewolves. So can I have some coins? Who knows how long this storm will last after all . . .
"It is the rain," answers the innkeep. "Nobody like to sit alone at home when you've got such foul weather as this brewing."
"Is the weather here always so nasty?"
Esmerelda chuckles at Donner. "All that werewolf fighting IS dirty work, perhaps you would be more likely to beg coins off someone if you were clean!" She sipped her own ale then laughed again, her smile wide and flirty. "And more polite."
"No, not always," says the innkeeper. "But you've come during the rainy season, and we're not far from the mountains. Tends to keep a great deal of the moisture here."
__________________ -Rhun
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge - myth is more potent than history - dreams are more powerful than facts - hope always triumphs over experience - laughter is the cure for grief - love is stronger than death." -Robert Fulghum
Esmerelda chuckles at Donner. "All that werewolf fighting IS dirty work, perhaps you would be more likely to beg coins off someone if you were clean!" She sipped her own ale then laughed again, her smile wide and flirty. "And more polite."
Clean my dear, is a relative term. I would say I'm cleaner then a muckdweller or an earthy.* But I do take offense about being polite! I am the nicest person I know. I swear I tripped over a root when I pushed you into that mud puddle earlier today. Not my fault their roads are shoddy. So can ye by a fella a drink?
"How long has Dunhill been free from the rule of this Count von Zarovich? You mentioned that his powered has waned as of lately."
"Plus, how long ago did the werewolves and undead begin walking the lands freely at night?"
Delkat thinks back to all he knows of vampires -- he hasn't faced many of them in combat, but ghouls, skeletons, ghasts, and zombies, have been the lion share of his foes.
"Unfortunately, I have business within the village of Barovia, so I must travel there, but rest assured," he says, as he touches the holy symbol on the chain around his neck," with my goddess' help, I will bring her radiance to shine once again upon that valley."
It may have been the liquor, but the Captain is fairly sure he saw the symbol blaze briefly with the light of the sun.
Esmerelda turns her back to the bar, leaning up against it with her own ale in her hand. Again laughing lightly she asks, "And why, exactly, dear Donner, would I want to do that? You seem to be very well lubricated already."
The bearded warrior speaking to Drelkat bursts into deep, belly-aching laughter, loud enough that all those in the taproom turn their heads at the sounds. The laughter continues for several moments before the man wipes a tear from his eye and again leans in close to the cleric, speaking to him in a low voice.
S@squ@tch
"Forgive my outburst, but many have said they would return, and none have." He chuckles again and takes a hearty drink of ale, emptying his mug. "Only the damn Vistani gypsies seem to come and go from the valley at will. Well, them and the damn undead."
Torvay leans back in his chair and takes on a more conversational tone. "I'm not a historian. But Barovia was a peaceful, pleasant land until some four or five hundred years ago. That was when the von Zarovich family conquered the realm with their army, and took residence in the great Castle Ravenloft. I'm told they ruled with an iron hand, but as time went on, their power waned in the outlying lands, and their borders collapsed." The captain shurgs. "But who would notice in Coris? They don't call these these lands the Sundered Realms for nothing."
"The undead, though, and the lycans? Well, they've been a problem on and off for as long as I can remember. Every few years their numbers grown...though this is the worst I've seen in my lifetime."
__________________ -Rhun
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge - myth is more potent than history - dreams are more powerful than facts - hope always triumphs over experience - laughter is the cure for grief - love is stronger than death." -Robert Fulghum
A confused look comes over Donner's face. Well . . . hmmm because . . . I hate it when she does this . . . because, uh . . because we can! Who knows when we'll have a night like this! One night we are living it up, the next we are stuck in some crypt trying to survive the night holding our every breath so that the ghouls and ghosts don't find us. Kyle over there could be mortally wounded with his head in your lap while I try to tend his wounds keeping him alive until morning. Then, during that moment of crisis . . . look into each others eyes, as Donner looks deeply into Esmerelda eyes holding her cause. Thinking, I would rather be having a drink with you then being here.
After that, the priest released a loud sneeze and wipes the snot with his hand.
Kyranvik watched Donner with a wry grin finally adding "If his head is as dirty as yours, I doubt it will find a place in any lap, dying or no" says Ky as he sips his ale nect to Esme.
"But you are right, life is for the living and though we are stout, still much peril awaits us in this life. So let us live while we are alive. Barkeep, another drink for my friend here." says Kyranvik as he tosses the coin to the barkeep before offering his hand to Esme. "And if by chance, we do not get another opporunity, then I would feel cheated to not have another dance with you." says Ky as he looks about for someone to play some music for them. "Any musicans care to make a few coin?" he calls out.
Esme scrunches her nose at Donner's unsanitary wiping of his nose. SHE was going to need more alcohol to get the sight of that out of her mind. Still, he always made her laugh and amused her. She takes a coin out of her bodice and spins it over to him along the counter.
She takes a couple large gulps of her ale as Ky starts pulling her towards the middle of the room before she could protest. Her eyes sparkle and Ky knows she is teasing, "And what if I didn't feel like dancing, Kyranvik?" as her hand found its way into his.
He finishes his bread and washes it down with ale, then produces his mandolin from under the table.
Choosing a central location in the tavern, he sits there and starts playing. His first tune is a fairly simple one, a popular work tune among the dwarves of Korador and certainly danceable. However, it is unfamiliar to this crowd, and falls flat on their ears - a perception not helped by the fact that Ryan is a bit rusty.
Seeing the reaction of the locals, he switches gears. He plays a lively tune which the locals know. He doesn't sing but the lyrics are familiar to most and a few of the braver or drunker locals sing lyrics that are at least close. The song is about a pair of lovers that fight to be reunited through all sorts of obstacles, overcoming monsters and travelling the world. He plays flawlessly and the crowd applauds vigorously.
Finally he tries an elven tune, lively but perhaps a bit too complex, ending up with a workmanlike effort that receives only polite applause.
Donner takes the ale provided by Kyranvik and palms the coin left by Esmerelda. He returns to his thoughts while sitting at the bar. His ears perk up with he hears Ryan start to sing his second song. The priest chimes in with the lyrics like a cat taking a bath:
Just like a knight in shining armor
From a long time ago
Just in time I will save the day
Take you to my castle far away
I am a man who will fight for your honor
I'll be the hero you're dreaming of
We're gonna live forever
Knowing together that we
Did it all for the glory of love
We'll live forever
Knowing together that we
Did it all for the glory of love
As the stranger from the road begins to sing, Delkat's concentration on his conversation is broken.
His ears being assailed by truly horrid lyrics, Delkat panics slightly when he realizes that he did not pray to Aditi this morning for the ability to silence things. Adding insult to injury, his two scrolls of silence were sitting safe and sound in his haversack upstairs.
He pondered briefly whether he should return to his room to get them, but decided to power on through it.
Trying his best to shake off the effects of the evil spell, Delkat continues as best he can.
DM
"Oh," Delkat says after a moment,"I did not realize that this problem had been one that has been ongoing since ages long forgot."
"I can assure you, that undeath is a subject that I am well versed in -- especially delivering it to true death, as is the way of my goddess."
"These gypsies you speak of, who do they pay homage to -- this Count Zarovich? I see no reason why they should enjoy free passage through this realm if no one else does."
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