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

[ethandrew]

Ladreth dismounts in the town square and proceeds to help Tessa and Marot off their mounts in turn. He then silently guides them to a place where they can sit and gather their bearings, as best as they could. He looks to the door of the inn and his shoulders slump slightly, as if the visual sight of it disappointed him. He nods to the stalker and puts a hand to his shoulder, grasping lightly before releasing and moving to help wherever needed.

 

[pathfinderq1]

During the exploration of the cave and the journey back to town, Tessa is all but silent, speaking only when spoken to and following meekly along where she is led. For the most part, it was simple caution- she knew that she could be of little use if there was any further fighting, and she did not want to distract those who could still fight.

But there were deeper reasons as well- the group had triumphed in their endeavor, and save for the blindness there had been little damage. It should not have been so easy, and she was worried that some detail had been missed. So she spend most of the time in quiet contemplation, pondering the events that they had endured- the power of the Sovereigns seemed to fill her mind and lift her spirits, despite the blindness. Or perhaps because of it, she thought, as some stories said that the blind might have other senses improved in compensation- perhaps the lack of distracting sight might have opened her soul more to the powers that she served...

By the time she returned to town, her normal calm smile had returned. "If any of you are still wounded, I have some healing energy left," she said once she was let down from the horse. "If not, then I would like to be brought to someplace quiet where I can pray for a while... Once I've completed my meditations, I'll be able to cure one case of blindness- with the task before us, should I restore my own vision or Marot's?"

OOC: I won't be online most of tomorrow, so Tessa will cast Cure Blindness on either herself or Marot, as decided by consensus- she has her preference, but wil go with party choice. She also has Lesser Restoration, in case someone wants to fix that Con damage- but other than that, she doesn't have a lot left for tonight's festivities.

 

[Stormwind]

As she arrives in town, a cold expression falls over Ashlyn's face and her eyes more resemble ice than part of any living thing. Once in the village square she sits, straight and still, on her black mount, and ever so slowly looks around, noting every cut and gash upon the townsfolk, and those from the caravan.

Dismounting in the center of the square, she speaks, and while she does not raise her voice, the tone is penetrating and cuts through the noise of peoples activities, "I call forward any who have sustained injuries in our absence. Come forth that the blessing of the light might heal your wounds."

[Use turn undead -> sacred healing (to heal injuries of townsfolk or caravan people)]


After seeing to the wounds of those still injured, Ashlyn looks around once again, and then simply turns and walks over to Jarrith and Khensu. Nodding to Jarrith she asks them both, "What happened here in our absence?"

 

[James Heard]

Janis makes her way through the wounded and, after seeing them attended to, makes her way to the rest of the villagers - making small talk and checking up on their welfare and feelings in general. Janis tries to assure them all and comfort them.

 

[DEFCON 1]

As Jarrith stands in the square, he glances off down the street and sees the advance of the rest of the party. He nudges his Brother with his elbow to alert him of their return. "Looks like they all survived. I wonder if they found the sword?"

He begins walking towards them, and as they finally reach him and declare their intentions to help, Jarrith lightly shakes his head. "The House Jorasco and the rest of us have pretty much covered whatever superficial wounds were still in need of repair. Right now all that's left are those who are suffering from the bites of the werewolves... both physically and spiritually. How are you all feeling? Were any of you bitten too?"

He turns and starts walking back to Khensu as the shifter stands forlornly in the square. He looks back at the others with a hint of sadness on his face as he places his hand on his Brother's shoulder. "I am sorry I left you all out there this morning... but I was in no position to be of assistance. The last thing you needed was me getting in your way." He snorts as he glances at his Brother and realizes that his was a mild crisis compared to what Khensu is going through.

"When I returned here though... I found the remnants of what happened here... and learned that Sir Khensu had been bitten and changed like I did. I thought I was in bad shape last night... my faith was shaken... but his has been lost altogether. The Voice of the Flame is absent in him. We both need to cleanse our sins, but him moreso than myself."

"Do any of you suffer any permanent damage? Have any of you been accursed as we were? I believe I have the divine power necessary to remove a single one... or if you suffer differently I can try and reconnect to the Voice to receive a different blessing. There is already one of the bitten guards that has been chained in the basement of the inn for his safety because we expect he will undergo a transformation tonight. I would recommend that if any of you might be suffering the same fate and we cannot remove the curse tonight that you also allow us to chain you. Letting you go free to rampage as a mindless beast will not do you or anyone else any good."

 

[stonegod]

As Jarrith mentioned, most of the immediate wounds of the townfolk have been healed, removing the need for Ashlyn's assistance. But a Jorasco healer does come up to group. "It is well you are mostly intact, though your presence here during the were-creatures raid last night would have been welcome." Seeing the blindness of Tessa and Marot, she gasps a moment but shakes her head. "We may have something to help restore sight to one of you, but I am afraid that is the extent of our stock. As for your bone-wounds, time is best for them. I can take the two of you now where we are treating the other Sir knight."[sblock=Marot]Something about Jarrith's story is wrong.... from your training, Lycans do not shift immediately from a bite---only after a new nights moon. Something happened to Khensu, but Jarrith's understanding may not be correct.[/sblock]
Tessa, though she follows, refuses aid, knowing that some prayer will allow her to grant sight to herself. Soon, Tessa and Marot are able to see, and the first thing they do see is the gravely wounded Sir Urik resting on his litter, Hurrn keeping a vigilant watch.

Janis finds the townfolk a bit apprehensive around her, as if something has come between them. She manages to corner one of them, a woman whose grave wounds she had tended previously, to open up. Refusing to look in Janis' eyes, she nervously answers in her thick speech, "Its the attack, Lady Stormhand. The wolfs leaving us be until your group stirred them." The implication is clear---the group is blamed for the attack.

 

[James Heard]

Janis nods in understanding.

"Perhaps we did...and what of it? Did anyone promise you that life would be without its challenges?" Janis pitches her voice louder so that more can hear her.

"You people keep your head down and you call it victory. It is not, it is a slow disappearing. Even less than a day's travel outside this valley none have heard of the fine town of Barovia, and why? Because every single one of you acts as if you're already beaten by this plague, this cursed malaise of complacency. Perhaps my friends I did stir the creatures of fur and forest to strike at you here, but it is only because they recognize us for what we are: We are the sword you choose not to wield for yourself that shall strike these chains from you that bind you."

"Elsewhere in the world we have finished fighting a Great War. Women and children who looked to their brothers and fathers every morning without knowing if they would return are now comforted knowing there is peace in our land. People rebuild their homes and communities, they know a future together."

Janis steps up onto the back of a cart.

"But here...Here you are still fighting a war, a war you have been fighting for ages. Hundreds of years after your forefathers began this war, yet you still are not free. The people of Barovia are still crippled by the manacles of fear and chains of necromancy. Hundreds of years later, the people of Barovia live on a lonely island of spiritual poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of prosperity. Hundreds of years later, the people of Barovia are still languishing in the corners of Khorvaire and find themselves exiled in their own lands. And so we've come here today to correct this shameful condition. Today"

"We have come to this valley to remind Barovians of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of complacency. Now is the time to make real the promises of your future. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of oppression to the sunlit path of justice. Now is the time to lift ourselves from the quicksands of injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of Barovia's children."

"There is something that I must also say to Barovians, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining your rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and determination. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into violence between ourselves. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force."

"Now is not the time to look down upon your brothers in this struggle. Their destiny, our destiny, is your own. We have come here because the freedom of Barovia is the freedom of all men and women. The struggle of anyone in bondage is everyone's struggle."

"You walk here in this square with your families and your loved ones, your neighbors and your companions. You do not walk alone. And as we walk toward a brighter tomorrow, each of us must make a promise that we shall always march ahead."

"We cannot turn back. We will not turn back, until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

"Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. For I have had a dream, a dream deeply rooted in the dreams of my fathers and your forefathers. A dream where the people of Barovia will walk tall outside this valley and no longer suffer. A dream where the night of oppression is lit by stars and each of us sings out to each other - 'I have seen the dream. I have seen the light. I have won the battle, but I have not begun to fight!'"

"People of Barovia! I have seen the dream, and the dream is now"

Janis looks over the people from her position on the cart, and then steps off before heading toward the inn. Laying a hand on Jarrith and Khensu as she passes she comments.

"I'm glad you're ok."

OOC: Martin Luther King Jr. is no doubt rolling over in his grave right now. Um, I think that's a diplomacy check for speechifying. Spending an AP, because why not?

 

[DEFCON 1]

"I'm glad you're ok."

As Janis turns and walks to the inn, Jarrith stands there with his mouth slightly agape. He wants to say something... but his mind is reeling. Is this the same Janis that he's traded pointed barbs with since as long as they've known each other? Couldn't be! Could it?

He has an intake of breath and is just about to vocalize something to her... but then he glances back to Khensu quizzically for a second, is about to say something to the shifter... but then returns his eyes to the retreating form of Miss Stormhand as she reaches the door. Jarrith pauses again... nothing really coming to his mind to say as he's completely flabbergasted at both her speech to the people and her... actual concern?... for their well-being. But as the door to the inn closes behind her... Jarrith finally says ever-so-quietly, almost to himself, in appreciation and admiration...

"Um... thanks?"

 

[stonegod]

[Diplomacy Check]

The townfolk nod, and there are a few strident cheers at the Lady's words. But stirring speeches can only do so much for a people who are tired, hungry, and haunted, and the gathered crowd soon disperses. Janis does get the feeling that her words were at least taken to heart. But as she enters the Vine, she sees a few Visanti lounging in the alley ways that look at her less friendlily.

Jarnith providing his explanation, the group gathers in the Vine to see how the healing is going. The group all sees Urik in his litter resting, and Marot's sight has been restored by the Jorasco matron. An inquiry from Ashlyn gets her the basics of Urik's status: His bones and muscles are wounded much like the rest of the groups, and he suffered grievous wounds ... with a nervous look to Khensu... during the attack. He, however, has refused healing, leaving it for the others in town.

[Heal checks will reveal that Urik has significant Con damage and is currently disabled.]

Gathered in one place, the group now has time to plan their course for the evening.

 

[James Heard]

"You wish to say something to me, Visanti?" Janis says with a note of cool challenge and humor. "Glaring at me will prove a shallow comfort, I'm sure."

"Say your peace and leave in peace," she proclaims, walking toward them directly with a gesture of peace.