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

DEFCON 1

Legend
Supporter
Jarrith Bronns glances around as the people are getting on with their lives finally, after plenty of days, if not weeks of pain and suffering. For that he is glad, for it means that his work here thusfar has accomplished something. However, as newcomer Tessa already begins making herself available to aid, Janis continues to be... a beacon?... to these people as someone to look up to or hold to some standard, and Lady Ashlyn's mere presence helps lighten the weight on these people's shoulders... Jarrith can't help but feel glad that he doesn't take that much stock in the personal plight of the individuals involved. And it occurs to him that this is and has always been the biggest difference of opinion and split between him and Janis...

...he's always concerned himself with dealing with the "big picture" or "grand evil"... whereas she's always appeared to be more centric on the individuals. Get each person to pull themselves up by their bootstraps like she had.

Which seems to be why she's always had a problem with him. Because unlike Selase... while he's a deeply religious man, he's not a priest that concerns himself with the members of his flock. In fact, he probably appears (and might very well be true) that he's rather unconcerned with the problems each person is under. He's cold. He doesn't seem to care. And as Mateusz Ochem demands of everyone within shouting distance that the details of what has alrady occured be passed onto him, and he walks quickly back to the Blood On The Vine... Jarrith can't help but smile at the achivist's curt attitude. And he thinks to himself... "you know... Janis is right."

The Order of Illumination was created by an extremely orthodox wing of the Church for one purpose and one purpose only... root out evil wherever it be found. Not to be kind and sweet and nice to the individual members of the Church, not to be a shining beacon of humanity, not to really, actually care on a personal level. But instead to care on a higher level. A citywide level. A nationwide level. A worldwide level. Fix the world on a grand scale, and let the adepts, priests, friars, and missionaries translate those fixes to the individuals.

So it comes to much relief when the elder Karrn of The Twelve demands an update as to what is going on. Because here in Barovia, there IS an evil on a grand scale... and it's what Jarrith Bronns, the Shadowbane Stalker has been trying to combat since they've arrived. And finally there is someone here who will listen to him straight away and not argue or question him on every little thing. He and Master Ochem are of the same mind, Jarrith thinks... and thus it with light of heart that Jarrith turns to the others as they sourly watch the archvist walk away and he says to them "Don't worry. I got it. I'll bring him up to speed."

He begins to walk towards the inn, and says over his shoulder to his Lumin Brother and their comrade-in-arms, Marot... "You guys want to join me in this? Or are you two okay with me passing the info along?"
 

log in or register to remove this ad

James Heard

Explorer
' I'd rather we'd arranged it so he could consult with Selase."

Janis continues to watch glumly.

" I'll go with you. Not every Test is by blade or thorn, but every poison must be faced head on."
 

Kafkonia

First Post
Perriwimple scratches his chin. Emeralds? Those are pretty jewels, right? Why would there be a claw made of emeralds? He shakes his head. Strangers are confusing!

"Can I help? I'm good at helping."
 

DEFCON 1

Legend
Supporter
Jarrith reaches the door of the inn and hears both Janis and Perrwimple say that they'd also be willing to speak with Ochem. Jarrith turns around quickly while one hand is still on the doorknob and shrugs. "Up to all of you. You want to help, we'll need all the help we can get... if our fight at the church is any indication." He then turns back, pushes open the door to the inn, then walks in and goes looking for the archivist.
 
Last edited:

James Heard

Explorer
Janis follows, with the slightest of nods indicating for the large man to follow.

After this conversation we might need a strong hand with a shovel put to rest the conversation with the expedition leader.
 

stonegod

Spawn of Khyber/LEB Judge
Marot follows Jarrith into the Tavern; Sir Khensu, never the talkative type, declines and stays with the rapidly redundant barricades. Following behind are Janis, Daellin, and Perriwimple. Tessa and Ashlyn remain outside to assist the now in-place Jorasco healers with tending the town and caravan wounded.

The tavern has seen a marked change---the harried and sorrowful faces of the villagers are gone, replaces by the more recently harrowed faces of the surviving caravan members. Already, some of Mateusz's subordinates are setting up their library, maps, and so forth. Arik, the proprietor, is ordered routinely about---the poor man is still obviously dazed by the town's recent events and follows mechanically. A few stray children gawk at the proceedings, the look of hunger still painfully on their faces.

The archivist takes out a rag and wipes off an old wooden chair before sitting, and does the same on the table before sitting down; a quick half-glare procures some paper and ink from one of the scribes. He scratches some notes as he awaits the others to sit. Once all gathered, he looks at the gathered. His brow furrows at the large Perriwimple a moment, then dismisses him, instead turning to the Thaloist Four before him.

"Tell me what you have learned. Best we fix whether this madness with the undead, the wolves that attacked our caravan, those fanciful witch stories that brought you here, and all have to do with our Claw agents or something else--we cannot let anything get in the way of our work here. And I need to know everything you have found out about that Tome."
 

Stormwind

First Post
Ever since they left the manor, Ashlyn has been silent, although still cautious about the area through which they are travelling, part of her attention is definitely elsewhere.

Once they get back to town, Ashlyn remains quiet until Jarrith's question drags her attention out of whatever thoughts she has been pondering. Her tone is straightforward as she speaks, "I would hear if anything more be garnered from your discussion, but I do not think it would be correct for me to intrude at this stage unless my presence is requested."

Ashlyn then looks around for Ismark.

[Did Ismark come back to the village with/before us?]
 


DEFCON 1

Legend
Supporter
Jarrith nods, sits down at the table, and reaches into his pack to pull out Father Danovich's journal (which includes the flesh parchment that diagrammed creating the monstrosity). "Well first thing's first... here's the journal of Father Danovich... the local religious figure in the area. We believe he to be instrumental in the undead infestation that occured here, as from his writings it seems as though he descended into madness." He glances at his compatriots for back up on this proclaimation he's just made. "When we arrived to confront him... we discovered not only that he had killed and then animated from the dead a pair of friends of Lady Ashlyn, the blond paladin you might have seen outside, Master Ochem... he had also taken bits and pieces of flesh, bone and sinew and built... for lack of a better word... a monstrous creature that called him "father". Apparently the man's son had died at some point, so this may have been the result of Father Danovich's grief... a golem or some such to take the place of his son." He slides the journal and the parchment across to him. "These'll give you a better idea of what I'm talking about... but be warned... that journal is pretty heady reading and I was giving myself a migraine trying to understand it. There may be some residual taint on it for all I know."
 

James Heard

Explorer
stonegod said:
"Tell me what you have learned. Best we fix whether this madness with the undead, the wolves that attacked our caravan, those fanciful witch stories that brought you here, and all have to do with our Claw agents or something else--we cannot let anything get in the way of our work here. And I need to know everything you have found out about that Tome."

Janis absently plucks some small bits of food from her person as she waits for the archivist to settle himself and silently hands it to the children without comment.

"The Claw agents... are Claw agents. Where they lurk exactly..." Janis holds her hands up in a shrug.

DEFCON 1 said:
"These'll give you a better idea of what I'm talking about... but be warned... that journal is pretty heady reading and I was giving myself a migraine trying to understand it. There may be some residual taint on it for all I know."

"Warn us if you feel a desire to gibber when you're through, so we're better able to restrain you until we're able to get you to a Jorasco hostel once we're ready to leave."
 

Voidrunner's Codex

Remove ads

Top