[Ravenloft] Grand Conjunction I: Night of the Walking Dead

[Hawken]

"That's what I'm in the process of doing," I say politely to Soulsong as he remarks about just getting to the village, nudging my horse forward a little faster. "As for alerting authorities, if you want to tell them that you all were out here hunting crocodiles, go ahead. They'll either think you're crazy for doing so or hopefully just not care." As he continues insisting that it was an attack, I sigh at his judgment and shake my head. "You're right, you're right. It was an attack. You three attacked it. You ran up and attacked and killed it just because it was moving in our direction."

"My pardon, what was that?" I say at the last words Soulsong says to me, looking at him curiously, not comprehending a word of what was said.

This is all OOC here:

That's two of you now that call my previous post a tirade. There was nothing angry or violent in that post to qualifiy it as a tirade, unless you just use that word to refer to anyone who talks back to you or presents you with logical reasoning. A long post is not a tirade. I'm way tired of this argument and I don't care for it to continue--hopefully our DM will get us to the village soon.

As far as the croc goes: 1) You all attacked it. It did not attack, it was only swimming toward us. 2) No one else even tried to run. 3) Crocs can't outrun people on land, at least not in D&D. This I looked up after the encounter just to satisfy my curiosity--MM has its land speed as 20', and with the head start you all would have had if you left the water instead of closing to attack, there's no way it would have reached any of you. 4) I'm all for a good fight, but my character is against unnecessary violence which is why she is being vocal about her opposition to the group's penchant for attacking, and I personally was against it for the total lack of strategy or tactics involved. Had there been other crocs involved that no one else saw, your characters would be rotting at the bottom of the swamp until they decomposed enough for the crocs want to eat you.

Why are you all thinking my character is an elf? Soulsong is the only elf here.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Oppressive heat, the unfamiliarity of the surroundings, and tension from the "incident" cause tempers to flare. The companions squabble as they press on through the spongy-floored forests, which seem to close in around the companions as they plunge through them. Several times, you find yourselves momentarily losing your bearings.

It does, indeed, seem to be taking unusually long to travel the two miles to the village. It is now midafternoon on the second day and you pass a rather distinctive drift of wood on the shore of the sluggishly-flowing river. As you do, you realize why it seems so familiar. You've passed here before. You've made circles in this swamp.

The village can still be seen on the horizon -- but, maddeningly, it is scarcely closer than it was when you entered this hellish swamp last night, despite travelling all night and the better part of a day.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

Soulsong

I'm of the opinion that we should look elsewhere for comfort. There is an obvious enchantment on this area. Soulsong says. He has not been complaining or whiney/ He has tried to keep up everyone's spirits telling Bawdy jokes and such to liven up the mood but even he is wearing down with the constant walking in circles.

 

[DrZombie]

"Bugger this buggery swamp" Lamar curses. "I can't see another way to get out of here then going to that village. If we don't reach it by this afternoon we'll camp and try to find another way tomorrow."

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

Gorgamesh

Agh.. Let's try to find a dry land and a soft bush so we can lay our heads
I'm pretty tierd.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Benara

"If there is an enchantment, that means someone has to be placing it on us. I don't think its a naturally occuring phenomenon. I've never heard of anything like this happening for no reason...not to say it isn't possible though," I shrug my shoulders, unable to come up with something better.

I do my best to ignore Lamar's cursing and hide my growing dislike for him. Reminds me too much of that time in my life, I think to myself as my memories are drawn back to that low point in my life in Il Aluk. Forcibly shifting my thoughts from those memories, I instead try to concentrate on a solution to our problem.

During one of our breaks, I open one of my packs from the horse and start pouring over a few of the books I have, looking for any reference or possible solution to our problem. "I've never experienced anything like this before...but I have heard of it," I say to the others without lifting my eyes from the books. "Some travelers reported something like this happening in Dementlieu, except it was kind of backwards. They had been trying to leave and go into Mordent, but no matter which way they turned the road always led back to Port-A-Lucine. It seems a variation on this is affecting us," although obvious, I say it aloud anyway to help my mind process the facts in some kind of order that will hopefully lead to a solution that will help us. "I've never heard of any effects like this in Souragne...."

"It may sound silly, but what if we walk backwards? We've been walking forward and each step forward twists us away from the village. Perhaps if we walked backwards, keeping our eyes away from the town, we will get there faster? As crazy as it sounds, maybe we won't get lost if we don't know where we're going.

"Or maybe," I offer, looking to Gorgamesh to get his attention and hope he is willing to help. "Maybe we could build a raft from loose logs and vines or whatever and move along the river toward the town? Maybe whatever this enchantment is that turns us away from the village affects only travel on land?"

Dice Rolls:
Knowledge (Ravenloft): 14 + 8 = 22.
Knowledge (Souragne): 12 + 3 = 15.

I don't know if these checks are enough to come up with any new ideas to help us get there and through this enchantment, or to justify my guesswork, but here's hoping!

[sblock]
I'm posting this for Hawken. He's having some sort of log-in issues, so we'll have to do this until he gets them straightened out.
[/sblock]

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

...And now for something from the DM

By the time the sun begins to set, you have made several more circles. You find a comfortable -- well, dry at any rate -- spot and decide to bed down for the night and approach this matter in the morning with a fresh mind.

*****

During the night, a strange chill settles over the sleeping companions. You wake to find another of the strange, cloying mists settling over the small isle. When it clears, you hear the sounds of music and singing. On the island with you is a brightly-colored wagon. A fire burns in the center of a clearing, and on logs circled around the fire sit the figures of an ancient man and an equally ancient matron, a stoutish young man playing a fiddle, and a beautiful young woman. On the log next to the young man sit three small children. The seven figures all have dusky skin and dark hair.

The old man smiles and beckons to you to join his camp. None of this was there when you lay down to sleep last evening.

Benara and Gorgamesh:
[sblock]You recognize the unmistakable accents and appearance of Vistani.[/sblock]

 

[Argent Silvermage]

Not questioning his good fortune, Soulsong wanders over to the group and bows.

Blessings of the Ancients. What fine music. I am called Soulsong. May I and my companions share your warm fire? We are hoplessly lost in this marsh.

 

[Hawken]

I stand my ground and watch as Soulsong approaches the Vistani. Memories of evening chats with Dr. Van Richten scarcely included mention of the Vistani and when he did speak of them it was never with any measure of kindness or charity. Having heard enough tales of my own and met a few of the Vistani that frequent Barovia, I keep quiet and let the scene before me play out.

Idly, I rub the amulet around my neck, the symbol of the Morninglord and of my faith in my god. I try to banish my ambivalence about this encounter and believe there is a positive reason for them coming here to us. The Vistani never get lost. Or at least that's what they've always wanted us to believe. What could they want with us?

 

[DrZombie]

Lamar wakes up at the sound of the music. Suspicion shines in his eyes as he watches the Vistani playing music and dancing. With deft fingers he checks his swords, then walks towards the fire. Only when he notices the children does he soften up a little. He crouches near the log where they sit and takes out a copper coin. His agile fingers twirls the copper piece around, rolling it over his fingers and making it disappear, then plucking it out of thin air, in an effort to see some smiles. His experience with street urchins makes him keep an eye out for his purse, though.