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

[stonegod]

"I would still be interested in hearing more of an order that has produced such a man as you."

Urik looks as haggard as Ashlyn feels, but smiles nevertheless. "Worry not for me and Hurrn. He... will return. But as for your question... yes, I can speak more of it. The Knights. As I have told you... we fight the ills of the land. Long before we became the land of Barov, before our liege lord committed the act that cursed our land, the Knights were here. They were the ones that drove away the blood-drinking orcs and goblins that once claimed this place, or so I was told. Luganda, the Dark Lady... she did all of this and was the first and greatest of us." The man chuckles a bit. "But, of course, I was told this by my mentor who probably had his own view of things. Who knows how much is true!"

He pauses a second, then resumes. "But one thing is certain. All Knights since Luganda's time have but one sacred ritual to truly prove themselves a Knight. They must keep vigil all night in her chapel. Once, this was but a simple matter. Now..." He trails off and looks north. "Since the curse, the castle is a dark place. Haunted by evils. No lord lives there now, only creatures of darkness." He looks at Ashlyn earnestly. "The vigil... it will not be an easy thing. It will try your might and and sanity." Then, just as suddenly, his characteristic grin returns. "But any who fight the darkness in the light starved land must be as mad as I, hah hah!"

Jarrith drops his head back down to the journal he's laid out on the alter, and flips the journal's pages to find the last several posts. The leathery paper with the incomprehensible has been put to the side and ignored for now... and the Shadowbane Stalker begins reading on what had occurred to the errant priest in his final days.

Flipping through the pages, most of what Jarrith catches is banal descriptions of Barovian life. The entries are few and far between, spanning months and years between entries in Danovich's cramped hand. A few interesting passages pop out:

- A quite old entry: "The church records speak of the Master of the castle as keeping meticulous notes. His Tome might be the lynchpin for understanding the curse placed upon us, the one we fight every night in the darkness of our hearts. It may have once been in the castle, but not even Urik the Mad dares to tread there. I asked Madam Eva about it, but she mumbled something indecipherable. Why do seers always speak in riddles?"
- An almost as old entry: "Ireena Kolyana is not the natural daughter of Kolyan Indirovich. Ireena will never know, but old Kolyan found her one day at the edge of the woods at the very foot of the Castle's crag. She was but a girl then with no memory of her past. Kolyan has adopted her as though she were his own and loves her deeply."
- More recent, perhaps within the year: "Katrina apologized for her father's behavior, but Andrzej and his brood have always been secretive. She claimed that he is fearful of some mutilation of his stock, apparently the wolves have been acting up again. But the mutilations sound more of stories of witches I have caught wind of. But nothing substantial."

The second half of the book, however, seems more dense with notes. It starts about the time of Dorus' death, and it becomes quickly apparent that Danovich was slipping into madness given the meandering of his hands and words. Jarrith's head aches and he feels a little ill reading it as the poor handwriting and subject matter get to him.

[Does Jarrith want to read the rest of the book?]

 

[DEFCON 1]

As Jarrith reads bits and pieces of the journal, he occasionally shouts statements to the others in the church in hopes of getting response or other ideas about what the stuff he's reading, means.

"Appears as though Danovich also believed that the Tome of Strahd might be the key to understanding this area's curse... which of course was reiterated by Madam Eva. And he also thought we'd find it up in the castle... which Eva confirmed as being in it's library."

After a number of further minutes of reading, an unfamiliar name is introduced and he queries the group on it.

"Anyone know of an Ireena Kolyana or Kolyan Indirovich? Apparently she's not this man's natural daughter, but that he found her at the base of the crags and adopted her. I don't recognize the names, but the fact that this priest wrote about them means... something... I should think."

And finally, as Jarrith's page flipping moves deeper into the middle of the book, he comes upon some names that he does recognize... and as he speaks of his new knowledge, he catches the eye of Sir Khensu... as what is written might have something to do with what the Inquistor just happened upon outside.

"And it seems as though wolves have been acting up... possibily mutilating the animals owned by the man and his daughter we ran into outside of the town on the way to Madam Eva's. Although Danovich says that he thought that witches were a more likely suspect."

As he continues reading, he finds the words delving further into incomprehensibility... and when a headache starts coming on... he decided to leave well enough alone. He picks up the leathery parchment that had the instructions on how to make one of those monstrous creatures, places it into the journal on the page he stopped reading, and then closes the book. He unslings his knapsack and packs the journal away. Perhaps later on, after his headache goes away, he'll delve into the book further.

Sir Khensu thinks about what Jarrith said, and then offers up a suggestion of his own.

"By all regards... it seems that Madam Eva's first prediction has borne fruit... deal with the problems here at the church and it will lift much of the difficulties over the town." He smiles slightly at the thought that they have accomplished something good in their time here. "Our next duty is to journey up to the castle in the mountains and find the Tome of Strahd. Not only is that the relic we were commisioned to find... but also if I remember what the gypsy said... the book would tell us the three places that we would need to cleanse to further bring this land further back into the light."

He glances over at the body of the halfling and his smile disappears. "Might I suggest that we gather everything we can... and return to the barricade? If nothing else, Bergeron should be laid to rest. We might also rest ourselves for the evening and see if what we accomplished here has had any effect on the people in town. We can then leave for the castle tomorrow morning at dawn. I for one would not want to try and journey there now and possibly arrive after dark."

 

[Stormwind]

Ashlyn listens carefully to Urik's words and a thoughtful expression crosses her face, "A vigil in Luganda's chapel, ... and is her chapel within the walls of the castle?"

Several things click together in her mind as Urik speaks of the castle, ... the nervous glances of the old farmer and his daughter towards the north, the perpetual state of fear and helplessness of the people in the village, and the fact that the countryside seems plagued by undead and perhaps by other things of darkness also. "It seems that this is a place forsaken, where those no longer living roam the lands largely unopposed. I would lend what aid is mine to offer to drive back the shadows for I will not suffer false life and I have seen far too much of it in this place. If you would allow me the honor I would learn more of your order and e'en venture my sanity in vigil at Luganda's chapel."

 

[stonegod]

OOC: Kolyan Indrovich was the Burgomaster of Barovia according to your letter and Ismark.

Urik nods at Ashlyn, a smile on his face. "Yes, we shall speak of it. But, as your hairy friend suggests, we best check on the others."

Worn from their recent encounters, the party forms around the doors of the church, expecting violence. Urik against one said, Khensu on the other and Daellin down the hall, Jarrith quickly opens the doors and ducks aside, prepared for anything. But there is nothing but mists and silence.

Cautiously, the group makes their way from the Church, gathering their mounts; Bergeron and Ashlyn's companions are placed carefully atop several of them. Marching back into town, the group keeps trying to feel a change in the air---the warmth of a sunbeam or the call of a bird. Anything to indicate their success. But---nothing. They may have had a victory, but the land was still as it was.

Soon, the group comes to the intersection where they fought the ghasts and zombies. Their remains lie still, untouched by carrion birds. But out of the mists emerge two figures, both immediatly recognizable. The first, carrying his ichor-stained weapon before him, is Ladreth, the orcish caravan mercenary. He bears more wounds from a recent scuffle. Behind him, somewhat surprisingly, is the fur-draped form of Ismark, the Burgomaster's son. He walks straight enough to indicate he has only barely touched his cups this morning.

Upon seeing each other, the two groups stop. Ismark's eyes narrow a moment, especially when seeing Sir Urik, and his voice has a tinge of suspicion on it. "I see you have... returned. And what have you found?"

 

[James Heard]

Janis snorts.

"What does any visitor to this forsaken place find? If we are to speak of this, let us do it some other place. It is more unsafe here than other places where we can talk."

 

[DEFCON 1]

Sir Khensu nods at Janis' brusk, but accurate retort. "Miss Janis is correct. We are still not entirely safe on the streets. Let us continue back to the barricades and I will fill you in on some of the details on the way."

While the group continues moving, the shifter talks about the zombie and ghast attack, Danovich's descent into madness, the monster that he had created, the journal that Jarrith has in his posession, and that their next step to free this land of it's taint is to journey up to the castle in hopes of finding the Tome of Strahd.

At some point during the conversations on the way back to the barricades, Jarrith asks a question of Ismark. "The journal of Danovich talks about Ireena Kolyana... your sister I presume. What has been her fate? Does she still grace your life?"

 

[stonegod]

Ismark smirks sourly at Janis remark, though more at its truth than at its tone. He listens as the others walk back, making sure a ring of steel is about him at any time. He says nothing, absorbing the details, occasionally scowling upon hearing Danovich's betrayal of the town.

The group approaches the barricades just as Jarrith is asking his question. It is obvious that they were overrun while the group was gone, and many corpses---days old and minutes old---litter the ground. Amongst them can be seen the corpse of the other Deneith mercenary. Apparently, they were not as prepared as they thought. A few men and women are making their dazed way amongst the fallen---cleaning them up and attempting to identify them. It is an effort that has just begun.

At Jarrith's question, Ismark pauses a moment. "Ah, Ireena. Stubborn fool, she was holed up in our manse with the body of my father. I hope it is still so." He looks at the group a moment and sighs. "It appears I owe you an apology, and thanks for Barovia as well. We must now try to rebuild and recover. But, I would ask a boon of you---please, let us make way to my father's manse. I must know how Ireena has faired."

 

[Stormwind]

As the party exits the church, Ashlyn ensures that the corpses of her onetime companions are strapped on the horses and that all the equipment that she piled by the church doors is loaded into Valo's saddlebags.

At the intersection, when they meet with Ismark and Ladreth, Ashlyn's eye's narrow slightly as she takes in the implications of the pairs presence outside of the barricades. Her shoulders seem to sag almost imperceptibly and she closes her eyes momentarily before iron resolve again reinforces her small form. Still cautious of what they might run into, Ashlyn remains alert to her surroundings and does not participate in the discussion until they arrive back at the barricades.

As Ismark makes his request, Ashlyn pauses and then responds "A moment while I see to the injured, and then I would be happy to accompany you ... as long as my companions are of like mind."

Once back at the barricades and seeing the injuries of those still living, Ashlyn drops to one knee and concentrates, her hand upon the symbol hanging from her neck, and once again those close to her can feel healing energies at work within their bodies.

Then Ashlyn stands and begins to carefully place her onetime companion's corpses on the ground, after which she pauses a short moment in respect for the dead.

[Use another turn undead -> sacred healing (To heal Ladreth and any of the survivors who are injured for 15hp)]

 

[James Heard]

As they pass the ruined barricades, Janis waves her hand at the wreckage.

"Someone should describe to me what has happened here," she says. After a minute, her eyes narrow.

"We'll need to either find a proper grave site, or one of you," Janis dips her chin toward her companions, "should likely consecrate the resting place. And we should burn them in that case, because illnesses follows death like an odor."

"These people have been forged in adversity enough."

 

[DEFCON 1]

Jarrith and Sir Khensu both look at the disaster area that the barricades have become... and a low whistle of surprise escapes the stalker's mouth. "By the Flame... this attack must have been sudden. We've haven't been gone that long, have we?" He tries to guesstimate how long it's been since they left, what with the fight in the street and the exploration and fight at the church.

Sir Khensu looks across at Ismark from his steed. "How much of a hurry are you in, sir? Obviously Lady Ashlyn and Miss Stormhand wish to help with the situation here... and if a burial or immolation is required, either myself or Jarrith should probably also stay to assist. But I'm sure Daellin and the other of us could go with you now if you were in a hurry to see to your sister."