stonegod's Expedition to Castle Ravenloft: Ch. I [IC]

[James Heard]

"Whatever else it makes the townspeople think of us, these people's families deserve to know what happened to them and to be able to mourn them."

"If necessary, I'll speak to them and take responsibility. They need to understand what's at stake here, and the consequences of allowing this...stain in their midst to continue. In any case, we're not doing anyone a kindness in leaving families broken by mystery. Secrets..." Janis frowns, following her own logic.

"Secrets are where dark hearts cower and blacken."

Janis kicks the corpse of the enormous fiend.

"Maybe Edi can drag this beast down into the village. Maybe if the townspeople see what their fellows were consorting with they'll not cast any dark humors to upset you, Jarrith?"

 

[DEFCON 1]

"Maybe Edi can drag this beast down into the village. Maybe if the townspeople see what their fellows were consorting with they'll not cast any dark humors to upset you, Jarrith?"

Jarrith frowns at her. "More likely, they'll think we were responsible for this thing and blame us for it and these people's deaths... just like they did with the werewolves." He shakes his head. "But hey... if you want to take responsibility for all of this, be my guest."

He shrugs and moves to go to the trail. "If you all want to bring the bodies of the cultists, the hag and the fiend back down to town and drop them at the villager's feet and say 'here's what we did, sorry but it had to happen'... feel free. I'll just make sure I'm out of the firing line when they go after you."

 

[James Heard]

Janis grins, making her face look suddenly and surprisingly young-looking.

"Good! We're agreed then?"

Janis wipes her hands figuratively and begins to assay the manner she might drag a large deceased demon into the middle of town.

"Don't worry, Jarrith. I shall protect you from the ill thoughts of villagers."

 

[s@squ@tch]

Marot the

Marot looks wide-eyed at Janis.

"If you're planning on taking this fiends corpse and dragging it through town as a trophy of some kind, I'd recommend you tie it to your bear friend -- it would have the easiest time of hauling it down there for you."

To himself, he says,"May the Flame have mercy on your soul...."

 

[DEFCON 1]

"Don't worry, Jarrith. I shall protect you from the ill thoughts of villagers."

Jarrith snorts and gives a lopsided grin. "It's not the ill-thoughts... it's the shiv in the night from one of the villagers that I'm worried about."

 

[stonegod]

The seven non-fiendish bodies would require each person to carry a corpse on their mount (excluding Janis---Edi couldn't carry one; Khensu would carry the extra). The fiend could be dragged behind, but it won't look pretty of course. Its head would be easier to carry.

 

[James Heard]

Janis laughs.

"It's not about trophies, Marot. It's about education. These people have been scared, beaten, and ill-used. Some of them have apparently even helped their enemies. They need to be shown that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and they also need to come to understand that some of them among them... We can't save everyone. Shiv in the night or not, this town will be rescued. On a pile of broken corpses if necessary, but when we're through I want the children of Barovia to venture into the woods without worrying for their fellows and shadows to steal them away for nefarious purposes. "

"We might not be able to make everyone here a good person, but we can't help these people find their way by skulking about and not leading by example. They need to find their courage, and if they have to find it by following our example then I think that's exactly what we need to provide."

Janis tosses he hair and cocks her chin.

"I'm not shy, nor was any child of my father ever whispered a coward. For all their other faults, my parents impressed as much upon me. We lead."

Janis laughs.

"If my brothers lived they'd be much amused."

Janis shakes her head and looks to decapitating a corpse.

 

[Stormwind]

As she comes back from the edge of unconsiousness yet again, Ashlyn takes a few deep breaths and then once again focuses on the healing energies deep within herself.

[Use two turn undead attempts -> sacred healing (fast healing 3 for 10 rounds => 30 hp healed to all living within 60ft)]


As they all consider the question of the bodies, Ashlyn speaks, her voice low but clear "The unnatural mutilations on the bodies of the villagers give visible evidence of their involvement here. I find myself in agreement with Janis that the right thing to do is to return the bodies to the village for a proper burial."

Ashlyn then pauses a moment before continuing, her voice unyielding iron, "Whether the villagers thank us or despise us for this is irrelevant. We will continue with what we must do regardless of how the villagers view us."

 

[pathfinderq1]

Tessa stood aside as the other attended to the bodies of the villagers. Whether she agreed with their plans was besides the point- she simply couldn't take part in further mutilation of the bodies. Whatever these people had done, they had paid for now, in the dearest of coin- they deserved a rest, either burial or burning.

The fiend, however, was another matter.

 

[stonegod]

Ashlyn's prayers return the vigor and vitality to the group, the weariness of battle shad like old skin. [30hp healed from 2 turn checks->sacred healing] Meanwhile, Janis goes to work, and soon, the disturbing head of the thorned fiend is gathered in a sack hung of the taciturn Edi's saddle.

Khensu says nothing as the group returns to the horses, loss in the shadows of his own thoughts. The bodies of the witches are draped over mounts becoming too familiar with the smell of corpses, even Selase-cum-Jarrith's mount is used to the stench.

The night return is more treacherous than the earlier climb, and the it takes significantly longer to make the descent. The group is nearing the crossroad cemetery when, high above them, the Anvil's full moon rose above the mountains.

Edi brayed as spasms began to rock the Stormhand. Unbidden, tufts of fur, signs of claws, or fangs unnatural would appear and disappear. Pain and rage swung across Janis' features, but just as weapons were grasped and spells readied... it calmed, and only a heavily panting druid remained.

But the answer to the question of the Curse was clear...

[Janis made a successful Control Shape check by spending an AP. She does not have to turn feral tonight. But she'll keep on having to make those until cured or she turns to the dark side.]