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

[stonegod]

The Artificer and the Wife

Jarrith shakes his Lumin brothers' hands as he takes his leave for the artificer; it seems they will prepare to leave immediately. The archivist grimaces but says nothing at the developments, and instead begins cursing out some of the scribes for their laxness.

The Stalker exits the Tavern in time to see Daellin hustling after the most monstrous but sickly looking albino hawks he had ever seen. Shaking his head in bemusement, he goes to look for Adalstan d'Cannith, head of the few artificers traveling with the Expedition. He finds the young man amongst the damaged parts of one of the two caravan carts that had been salvaged from the wolf attack at the gate, attempting to do some mending. As the curly haired youth turns around, Jarrith is in for a shock---a livid scar of a vicious claw mark now mars the man's face, barely having missed his eye.

Adalstan, still jovial even wounded, quickly gets to the essence of Jarrith's request. "Zor. I can have to you by Zor. Tomorrow would be impossible, but Zor would do ya. Most of today's shot anyhow. Tandis here might be able to get yer wand sometime in the 'morrow, though. Will two days do you for the sword?"

Not having much of a choice, and knowing that Janis had some sort of ritual she said she needed to perform on tomorrow's Wir anyway, Jarrith agrees. Turning around, he sees a couple of villagers point to him, apparently directing a woman in his direction. She is out of the flush of youth but still young, and garbed in what passes for decent clothes in this grief stricken area. Her face is stained with ash, and Jarrith notes by her red eyes that she has recently been crying.

"Master? I have been told by others that you have found my husband? I am Stara, Stara Litmunova. Have you found Viktor?"

 

[stonegod]

The Daughter's Request

Ashlyn shakes her head at the other's stubbornness, but tries to focus on the task at hand. She sits the large man-boy down, trying to pin more questions out of him. The shifter paladin comes up to a moment, and states that he'd "save the worse" undead for her and then exits in preparation for their road duty. The recently touched warlock follows, a grim look on his face.

As the paladin exits, Ashlyn, Tessa, and Perriwimple notice the striking form of woman entering the Tavern at the same time. She controls a start at being so close to the almost-wolfman, but nods and then makes her way in. Tessa does not recognize the woman, but Ashlyn and Perriwimple do---it is Ireena, the Burgomaster's daughter.

Ireena removes the fur cloak she was wearing, and marches up to the counter. A still beleaguered Arik looks at her. "I have foodstuff I have brought from the Manor. Have someone load them up in your larder. I've told Bildrath that the Blood is going to be a central food warehouse until some of the farmers can return to their lands." Ashlyn and Tessa both notice the unconcious flinch of Perriwimple's shoulder's at the name Bildrath.

Mentally dismissing Arik, Ireena stately makes her way over to the gathered others. She may not be a Galifarian noble, but she carried herself high for this land. Seeing Perriwimple, she raises and eyebrow and smiles a mischievous half smile, but says nothing. Instead, she addresses the paladin.

"Lady Ashlyn. You did not tell me you and your party came with so many others. It is good they have their own provisions, as these recent... troubles... have put our supplies in short. However, I have come with a favor that I must ask of you and yours."

Ireena takes a seat. "First, I must apologize if I seemed... curt with your other female companion. This time has been... challenging for us all. I did not appreciate what I heard was an accusation. But that is past. We must focus on what needs to done now." She looks around a moment, then turns back to the seated. "There are many dead here---to many to be buried. But rites must be observed, and care of the dead must be given, if only to give our people closure and prevent the inevitable disease that the dead bring with them. I would like the assistance of you and yours in taking the gathered bodies to the cemetery for cremation. My father... he will also need to be interred in our crypt."

She pauses a moment. "It is an imposition, but it is needed. The other villagers... they need to be with their families, and begin rebuilding their homes. Thus, we need your help. I have some minor magics given to us by Father Danovich before... and I would give them to your for all you all have done here. It should hopefully only take a day, perhaps two." She looks over to Perriwimple a moment, the half-smile returning. "I am sure Perriwimple would be eager to help. Anything to get away from you Uncle, hmm, Perriwimple?"

 

[James Heard]

The Chase

This cycle repeats steadily for the next few minutes, with one irregularity---the trail dips a moment and lingers near a street corner. There are a group of other smells below, none of which she recognizes, which cross and disperse in different directions. It is impossible to say when and how many people crossed this intersection, though a few trails are stronger and thus mostly likely more recent. As Hawk-Janis perches once again to wait for Daellin, she must decide---follow the retreating scent of the sulphur or one of the newer trails in case it relates to their quarry?

Janis makes a mental note of the street corner and directions involved in both choices, and follows the sulfur trail as before... As tempting as it might be to find find an option that might discover compatriots of the assailants, throwing additional tasks into the mix at this time seems to be unwise.

Janis snorts, a noise that comes out truly comically from a man-sized hawk, and continues the chase.

 

[Stormwind]

Ashlyn sighs in response Jarrith's comments, "I had thought it unwise for Janis to track the thief alone. It would have been better if we had all gone, then perhaps we could have made an end to that problem, should she actually be able to find them."

She nods towards the bodies outside "Nonetheless, the dead must be attended to. And we should also sort through that which we found at the church. Perhaps some of it can be put to good use."

As Irena enters the inn, Ashlyn turns towards her and listens, "Indeed, the dead must be attended to, and I will surely help. I was intending to ask this of your brother, but perhaps you can better answer ... With Father Danovich's demise, does the village yet have someone to take his place, to preside over the funerals and so forth?"

Ashlyn pauses a moment then speaks again in a soft firm voice, "I would accept whatever you should choose to give, but with the proviso that it not be something that you or the villagers will need. Something that would be of great value to me and my companions would be information. Information on the castle, on it's lord, on the witches at Lysaga hill, and on the fey inhabiting the forest in the area. We are yet strangers stumbling in the dark, thus the illumination of what we need to know in order to help this land would perhaps be the most helpful gift of all."

She then turns to Tessa and Perriwimple, "We need an empty wagon to transport the dead to the cemetary. Perriwimple, can you borrow one?"

Ashlyn then walks to the door, looks out over the dead in the square, closes her eyes briefly and takes a deep breath before stepping outside.

[Diplomacy vs Irena (to convince her to gather information for us as 'payment') 1d20+10]

 

[DEFCON 1]

"Zor. I can have to you by Zor. Tomorrow would be impossible, but Zor would do ya. Most of today's shot anyhow. Tandis here might be able to get yer wand sometime in the 'morrow, though. Will two days do you for the sword?"

Jarrith sighs, but then nods. "That will be fine. Thank you." He pulls off his backpack, rummages through it, then pulls out the short metamagical rod he'd been carrying. "Here... you can take this back... I've found that I can't use it effectively, not when I wield both my weapons at once. This should cover the costs." When the young man takes it, Jarrith takes a second to appraise the scar on the young man's face. He snorts once in grim humor and tries to put a positive spin on the unfortunate event. "Bet you never expected to be a war veteran when you studied to be a magewright, eh? Don't worry... women love a man's who's seen combat. I mean, it sure isn't my personality that makes me popular."

Jarrith flashes his sideways grin, then turns to leave... when he sees the few people pointing the young woman in his direction. As she approaches, the Stalker looks at her questioningly... then hears what she has to ask.

"Master? I have been told by others that you have found my husband? I am Stara, Stara Litmunova. Have you found Viktor?"

Upon hearing the name, Jarrith's face drops. Only a blind man would not be able to tell that the name 'Viktor Limunova' is connected to some unfortunate news. Trying his best to be delicate, fuly expecting an all-out breakdown from the woman... Jarrith trods delicately while opening one of the pouches on his belt.

"Um... yes... Miss Stara... I had found Viktor. My name is Jarrith Bronns... and... we came upon..." he pulls out the identification papers and the silver leaf charm they had taken from the body when they found him. "We came upon your husband... he unfortunately had... you know..." He hands the two items to Stara, and hopes that he doesn't need to verbalize that it is that he's implying. The sympathy in his eyes should be all that she requires to understand what it is he's trying to say. "He was in the middle of the street... he seemed to have only recently... um... well..." He takes a deep breath and finishes his thought. "We moved him off the street into one of the abandoned homes, in hopes that he would not turn... into... um... ahem. If you would like to see him, I can try and take you back there."

"I'm very sorry for your loss, Miss Stara."

 

[stonegod]

The Chase

Hawk-Janis follows the sulphuric smell, leaving the others behind. She notes not that it is no longer darting along the rooftops, but making a straight line for the outskirts of the village. It flies north, towards the woods---and closer to the castle.

Hoping to catch it now that it is in the open, the druid dives after the smell, assuming the earth-bound ranger will be able to catch up. She feels she is getting close, when, on the edge of town, she gets a surprise.

Hawk-Janis thought she had been getting quite close to the source of the smell, when she detected another change in motion---down, and quickly. Just as she was going to investigate...

*TWANG*

The arrow was poorly shot, but it was clearly shot at her. Glaring down, she sees a villager with a bow and his dog. The smell is coming from down there now, though she cannot see a direct source. However, as the bowman takes aim again, she realizes she has other problems.

[Hawk-Janis has initiative. She is about 30 ft up in the air above the villager. The jogging Daellin is about a round and a half away at this time.]

 

[stonegod]

The Daughter's Request

Ashlyn pauses a moment then speaks again in a soft firm voice, "I would accept whatever you should choose to give, but with the proviso that it not be something that you or the villagers will need. Something that would be of great value to me and my companions would be information. Information on the castle, on it's lord, on the witches at Lysaga hill, and on the fey inhabiting the forest in the area. We are yet strangers stumbling in the dark, thus the illumination of what we need to know in order to help this land would perhaps be the most helpful gift of all."

[Diplomacy check]

Ireena nods and sighs, following Ashlyn to the door. "I can ask, but on the Castle... No one goes there. Goes there an returns. My father spoke of many tales of foolish priests or knights that ventured there, trying to banish its evil. None survived. I Lord ir'Zarovich ventured there..." She does not finish. "I will ask about the others, but I do not know if I will hear more than you already have." She gazes out on the others in the square, a distant look on her face. "Danovich, Danovich was our only priest. We have none to give words to the dead."


[sblock=Perriwimple]You know a little bit about the Witches, from the stories you have heard. It is said that they lurk in the village, cursing those that besmirch them. Your uncle once claimed that Pelagia, the loom lady, cursed him with boils for not buying her yarn, but he could have been just angry. As for the forest---Nana said it hungry with the big wolves, the hungry ones. They have a lair there, somewhere to the east, but no one knows where, so the stories go.[/sblock]

 

[stonegod]

The Wife

"If you would like to see him, I can try and take you back there."

"I'm very sorry for your loss, Miss Stara."

Stara nods, but does not cry; apparently this news is not surprising to her. Her tears have already been shed. "Please, take me there. I wish to see him."

The Stalker leads Stara to the abandoned building where they lay Viktor to rest. Though other buildings have been reclaimed---he can see a father and son work on unblocking their windows---this one seems to have lost its inhabitants and remains empty. Jarrith leads the widow to the cloth draped form, and uncovers it for her. While tears forms in her eyes upon seeing her dead husband, she does not break down. She caresses his cheek, and after a moment, speaks.

"He is not like the others. He did not rise as one of them?" Jarrith nods. The woman smiles. "Good. It worked then. For that I am glad." She moves the cloth aside, baring his neck. She seems to be looking for something. "Did you find a trinket around his neck, a maple charm? I gave it to him. For his health."

 

[DEFCON 1]

"Did you find a trinket around his neck, a maple charm? I gave it to him. For his health."

"Yes... it's inside the identification papers. You should have it already." Jarrith says. (OOC: I included return of the silver leaf charm in the previous post)

"He is not like the others. He did not rise as one of them? Good. It worked then. For that I am glad."

Jarrith questions the young woman. "Worked? What worked? Do you know of some method of keeping people from rising?" He steps forward and gets a little excited. "When my compatriots and I found your husband, we marvelled at the fact that he hadn't shown the effects that so many others did when they interacted with the walking dead. Or even... some of us ourselves." He opens his mouth and sticks out his tongue, where the slightest discoloration still remains of when he was infected by the sickness. "If you know of some method of protecting others of the same fate, this should be something that we pass out to the village on a grand scale. There is no telling if or when things might devolve back the way they were, and this cure might do wonders for the survivability of everyone here."

 

[stonegod]

The Wife

"If you know of some method of protecting others of the same fate, this should be something that we pass out to the village on a grand scale. There is no telling if or when things might devolve back the way they were, and this cure might do wonders for the survivability of everyone here."

Stara look inside the papers. She most likely had been distracted earlier, but she now smiles seeing the charm within. She takes it out, letting it dangle for a moment.

"It is an old charm, from my Babcia." You guess she means Grandmother. "She said it would protect one's health, keep them from becoming sick or stop a sickness already in place. I didn't believe her, but thank the true Blood of those that Overwatch, it worked." She gazes at it a moment, then offers it to Jarrith. "Vicktor and I... we had no children. I have no other family, and I would like to thank you for treating my husband so well, even in death. Please, if it will help protect you, take it."