A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Patrina
Unknown Crypts
Tag: Rovana

Spoiler

"Ahh, you wish to reincarnate? There is no real way to choose to do it. Your soul was busy trying to rush to the outer planes before it was repelled by the Dark Powers. Trapped, your soul has come back to its only remaining tether - your body. You'll continue to haunt it until such a time as someone gives birth and your free floating soul is ushered into the new babe's body. Usually you'll have to wait for a girl baby, but sometimes souls aren't that picky."

Patrina explained, seemingly happy to have someone to talk to. Her ghostly form was quite real and was able to touch and interact with Rovana's hand.

"I guess that means that you're with us for a minimum of nine months or so... unless a better way is presented to you." Patrina smiled cryptically at this.

"And yes, I agree with you. My Strahd has become a complete monster. It was a... new kind of heartbreak to see him become such. Unlike you, who bore no special hatred in your heart during your passing, I cannot be reincarnated. I am an elf you see and an elven soul is different in someways. I died at the hands of people I had once considered family, betrayed and denied of my love and my ambitions, I died in agony and hate and I succumbed to the curse of the banshee. Now, whenever I see the living, I am overcome by those feelings I felt as I was being stoned to death. The rage and anger and desire to kill everyone and everything."

Patrina chuckled.

"You wouldn't like me all that much were you alive. I'd not rest until you were a ghost again... and that too makes me sad. In my rational, quiet state, I long to live again. To correct my mistakes and be the mage I was meant to be. I know many secrets about this land. Secrets that can even overcome undeath - but sadly I cannot travel far enough from my gravesite to act upon them."

She paused and then added, "But you are only recently dead. Very easy to resurrect if the proper magic is used. And you have already met a powerful magic user who knows the arcane rites to raise the dead. Do you know of whom I speak?"

Patrina gripped Rovana tightly by the forearm with her clawed banshee hand.

"You're right. If left in this state, your Ludmilla will end up as my Strahd did. Driven to rage and madness over losing you and blaming herself. To work the spell, you will need to get a diamond and your body to someone who can cast the spell to raise you. I have a plan to make this happen - but if I help you do this, I must have your word, as a pirate, as a woman who has loved another and died for them, that you will help me break my curse as well. To do this is much harder and I need your help to do it. I would be putting my trust in you, to help me after you are free and alive... but it is my best hope. I was a foolish woman in life, and all I want is a second chance. If I'm restored to life, I can aid you, for I was a mistress of magic that could rival the archmages of ancient realms. I swear this! Will you aid me, Rovana, if I aid you now?"

 

[Pervy]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Rovanas Ghost
Unknown tomb

"Just wait here? I hate waiting and doing nothing.. outer planes.. I think someone tried to teach me that once. I didn't pay attention and they said something about have fun being a toad. All superstitious gibberish if you ask me." She nodded.

"Wait.. what, nine months, I have to hang out for the whole time it takes to. uh... with.. with Ludmilla sobbing and me unable to comfort her? And thats best case of it too.." She sighed. Well, wailed. A little.

"No special hatred? Well, I really really don't like Strahd, but .. thats just his attitude and how he treats Ludmilla. Doesn't really feel like hate... yeah.. Avast! hold on, you're a banshee? Oh geesh.." She nodded. "That explains why you feel more.. real than I do.. so what am I? A lost soul? A ghost? Pirate ghost." Rovana tried to look at herself.. at least down at her body, at her arms.

"So if I was here alive, you'd be all like.." She mimicked a screaming motion, raising her hands. "So even if I reincarnated I had to get past you.. Is there perchance another entrance to this place? It'd really suck to spent a decade growing up and another half or so actually looking for this tomb, figuring even if I can keep my passion to go looking, I wont remember details, .. and then only be screamed to death again by.. err.. you." She got the distinctive feeling that the elf did not want to address the whole Ireena affair and she was not going to push it. Much less as she heard what the elf had to offer next.

"Secrets that can overcome undeath.. Well.. I dunno, but, I guess I could travel, I feel no particular binding to this place, infact, I'd rather not be here, I'd make a joke about feeling like this is my grave but.. .yeah. Huh I could return? As a pirate?" She looked at the elf, then back to Ludmillas well, HER tomb. An expression of hope on her face, though in death, her emotions and feelings felt weakened, exept for a sense of regret and loss. Rovana was not sure if this was due to how she had awakened, or if it was a side effect of her condition. No wonder Molly is such a downer. On my ship I should have something to soothe lost spirits that I can't see.. oh what am I thinking, I'd be the lost spirit right now..

"Madam Eva was powerful, aye. I didn't know she could raise the dead, but she's the one coming to mind. I.. " She looked at the banshee, considering for but a moment. "Alright, I'll do it. I swear upon the Code I'll try and break your curse to do the best I can as pirate-Captain.. That be the best promise I can give.. But I wont promise you a new chance with Strahd, he lost that one himself. My body ain't going anywhere, but I dinnae have any diamonds or the means to purchase one. Strahd even stripped Ludmilla of her jewelry, so if he does this for everyone down here, there'll be no diamonds in the tombs about." Rovana seemed thoughtful for a moment, which right now ment looking at the banshee wondering how exactly she was 'looking' at her. Everything was grey, but was that just because it was dark, or could the dead not see colors? Could she see other things? She tried looking around for anything unusual that a living could not see. She wasn't even sure what that'd be. Ghostly floating lights? Secret signs? Undead messages? .. However, she could still hear the distressed Ludmilla, so her curiosity didn't last long before she had sorted her thoughts, going on:

"You know.. Madam Eva, the Vistani seer told me a broken wizard guy would help me... most people would assume she just got details kinda wrong, but the part of me that helped me survive on a pirate ship amongst men all my physical better and had me rush off with a young Vistani girl rather than stay with my men and drink when the guards came, it tells me that she well saw this as potential future, but purposefully skewed a few details. I bet she might even have a diamond lying about for her spells, but frankly if you have a better idea to find one I'll gladly take it, Vistani are all cutthroats and damn hagglers and I can respect that, but I'll owe her bad enough as is.

Well then, tell me what we need to do for me, for you. And .. humn.. you spoke of magic to revive undead.. be there a way to revive Ludmilla, or break the bond forcing her to obey Strahd proper?" Rovana pondered.

Spoiler

11 perception as she looks about.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Patrina Velikovna (banshee)
Catacombs
tag: Rovana's ghost

"You're a lost soul," Patrina said simply, defining Rovana's condition. "And yes, were I to see any of the living, I would be compelled to attack them, not listening to reason as I do. It is why asking you to help me fix my condition is a mighty askance, but I can't really be all that picky with who to trust now can I?"

The banshee smiled and led Rovana's spirit around and past a few crypts. There seemed to be quite a few.

"Yes, so you do know of Madame Eva. That is good. She is a devotee of Mother Night - a goddess who can grant divine powers and the ability to call the recently daparted soul back to it's mostly fresh body. She can bring you back as your pirate self. You'll be good as new... well, most as can be expected."

The banshee and the ghost hovered down the halls until they reached a crypt door that above it read the words "Here in lie the ones who walk the path of pain and torment."

"Through here then," Patrina said and dragged Rovana through the door and into a dark hallway.

"Ways into the castle are few unless you have a way to fly. Thankfully, the Count doesn't mind people entering his castle. But to get out, you have to be a little creative. For a ghost like you, you won't be able to get far from your body, but you can influence the living to doing that work for you in a way I cannot."

They hovered down a long corridor and then came to a set of stairs going down, which they descended and ended up in a room with a large stone brazier in the center of the chamber and two massive statues of iron knights riding horses at either end of the room. In the middle of the brazier is a tall white flame that produces no heat. The rim of the brazier is carved with seven cup-shaped indentations spaced evenly around the circumference. Within each indentation is a spherical stone, twice the diameter of a human eyeball and made of a colored crystal. None of the stones are the same color.

Above this brazier was a wood-framed hourglass as tall and wide as a dwarf, hanging ten feet above the brazier, suspended from the ceiling by thick iron chains. All the sand is stuck in the upper portion of the hourglass, seemingly defying gravity.

Immediately to Rovana's left and right, on the same wall of the room that she entered from, are two other sets of stairs leading up. Across the room on the other side of the brazier is a door, behind which Rovana can hear the sounds of a woman moaning, seemingly in a mixture of pain and ecstasy.

Also in the room, perched at the edge of the brazier, is Joe, free from any bonds. He bobs his head and looks in your direction with his one good eye and flutters his wings.

"You know this one, yes? I recognized him as a familiar, and I assume that he can see you now because you still share a bond, even in death. You can possess the parrot if you want, and use its form to fly upstairs and discover a way out. There will be a diamond gemstone in the dragon head within the room of bones. It can power a spell to resurrect you. Unfortunately, your body will be needed. There is a rather imbecilic servant of Strahd that lives on the floor above. A misshapen man named Cyrus. A clever girl like you might be able to convince him to move your body from the crypt. In order to escape, you must persuade Cyrus to put your body into the flame of this brazier, but only after throwing in the orange stone into the flame. Remember, the orange gemstone. Not any other! This will teleport your corpse to another destination within the castle."

Patrina gestured for Rovana to enter the room and approach Joe.

"Once you've done that, my own part of the plan should take care of the rest. I have been developing ways to communicate with others in this realm. If all goes well, allies will be present to take your body back to Madam Eva. If the diamond is on your body at the time, then the seer can bring you back to life. All I ask in return is that when you are alive again, you seek out my brother, Kasimir Velikov. He dwells near the Vistani camp north of Vallaki, near Lake Zarovich. He will know of a way to free me from my curse, but he will need a strong, competent, and daring woman to accompany him to make certain that he does not end up dead himself. Tell him that you have spoken to my spirit and he will believe you are sent to help him and not some trick of Strahd's."

 

[Pervy]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Rovanas Ghost
Unknown tomb

"Aye it is. Seems everyone I want to help is unwilling, not a stark change from those I want to rob unwillingly, mind you, but still." She grinned.

Rovana followed the banshee, floating up and down slightly.. the equivalent of land-legs for ghosts presumambly, as she looked from crypt to crypt.. "So many.. how many of those have been filled by Strahd.. " She couldn't help but muse.

"Mostly good as new? Well it beats.. the other way around for sure.
Pain and torment? Lovely.. uh.. what are those.. moans? Do I want to know?" She narrowed her eyes. At least she hadn't been burried there.

"This all seems awfully mystic... hey! Joe! A sight for sore .. for.. well no eyes at all." Rovana remarked, looking at the setup before her.

"Posessing Joe? Huh." Rovana couldn't help a slight grin. "Parrot, Diamond, Cyrus, white flame, orange gemstone.. got it." She nodded, approaching the parrot curiously.

"So, I presume you'll move away so you don't attack this Cyvus fellow, but.. three questions... issues, First off, while Ludmilla would recognize the parrot, I guess its my part to stop her from attacking anyone trying to take it... err. take.. me... from her... Ah actually, no I have a plan for that..
So actual question one, presuming this is the last time we talk with you ... talkative for a while.
Any idea where my gear went? I'm glad at a chance to be alive again, but I fear, without my weapon I'd be dead again soon for more reason than one.. more troublesome, if Strahd took and understood what things I held..

Second, I got to wonder.. you want to slay the living, but not an animal like Joe? Because.. that could come in handy if I need to deliver something or talk to you or Ludmilla.." She nodded, then attempted to cover up the same eye Joe had patched up, the same way she'd usually take posession of her familiar to use the link.. though of course, she did not know it as such an arcane act.. she called it a pirate trick. She sighed a little, exhaled, and added:

"I don't know for sure, but I guess Ludmilla is trapped in this tomb by Strahds command. If you could keep her company, find a way to overcome Strahds control, .. if you could help her be more the noble, mighty, strong, beautiful.. hmnn... err.. the warrior she deserves to be, and less Strahds encharmed bride, I could go on my quest for your second chance with a mind put at ease." She nodded, not the type that liked owing favours, before she took posession of her parrot.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Patrina Velikovna
Brazier Room - Catacombs
Tag: Rovana's Ghost

"Some of them died while Strahd was still human, but most are filled with enemies and allies alike of the Count. He once told me that his family are entombed here as well, though they reside in places where I shall not go."

When Rovana asked about the moans, Patrina's banshee face distorted a bit, as if in disgust.

"Ah... the 'entertainment' chamber for Strahd's less happy guests is not far from here. I imagine someone is being toyed with. Perhaps it's Strahd's new pet?"

Joe squawked in happy recognition, and bobbed his head more, but didn't say anything, he simply waited.

"Your gear lies in the chamberlain's office, just up those stairs. The chamberlain is not back yet from his duties away from the castle. He still lives, and I would sense him if he were nearby. You may require Cyrus to put your clothes and gear on you or near you."

"As for your parrot. He is hardly an animal, and he is not alive. He is like me - undead. It happens to familiars who are desummoned within Barovia. Part of the curse of this land."

Finally Patrina cocked her head to the side and listened, though she pursed her lips at the pirate's request.

"Hmmh.... Ludmilla and all of the other brides... I don't really get along with them. I suppose I could speak to her a bit, but I don't know that she'll want me to talk to her. And I am confident that someone like me wont' be able to raise her spirit. Only her emotion for you can do that, and without some sign from yourself, that emotion will continue to be what it is... what Strahd wants it to be. However, I may be able to help you with that... for I knew Ludmilla as a human. We were... enemies, in truth. For you see, I still very much was in love with Strahd and she was a formal tribal from Mount Balinok who was raised in Krezk, and sought out to restore the Order of the Silver Dragon. She styled herself a knight and swore to light the beacon of Argynvostholt - the ancient dwelling of Argynvost, a silver dragon that Strahd's undead hosts slew when he conquered the valley to the west. Her journey led her to storm the castle, looking for the relic of the dragon. She found it, but also found Strahd and... well... you can guess what came of that confrontation. No doubt her noble spirit could be restored if somehow her mortal quest were seen to. It is what tethers her undead despair and rage - the very things that strengthen Strahd's grip over her."

 

[Pervy]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Rovanas Ghost
Tomb under Ravenloft

"Tammy. Used to sail with me, right now, compliance is her best escape... but I shall make note to take her along too as I break out you and Ludmilla. .. by then she'll propably be more horny fucktoy than who she once was buuut.. I can't save everyone." The pirate nodded, trying to ignore the lustful moans from the door.

"Making him put my things on as well would be hard but perhaps I can get him to throw it into the flames as well.." Rovana mused. "Undead? Come on, Joe is fine, just a bit ruffled.. Damn place, you better revive my parrot once I get out of here." She shook a fist. "I'd say he seems all normal to me, but then again, so does Ludmilla if she wants to... I guess not all undead are bad.

So... do you know what relic it is, what it looks like, or where to find it? Actually, let me guess, knowing Strahds its somewhere open on display just to taunt her.." Rovana theorized, looking at the banshee. "I'd ask her, but, Strahd may well have compelled her to lie to anyone asking, leading them to a deadly trap, wouldn't put it beyond him." Having died had made Rovana reconsider things from a stratetgical approach. "I have an idea where that argyn..whatever could be too, a ruin overseeing.. actually not too far from your brother, if I remember it right." Had she seen this in a map or in a dream? She shrugged, pondering for a moment before focusing on trying to take posession of Joe. There was many more questions she wanted to ask the Banshee about Ludmillas past out of curiosity, but the memory of the vampiress clinging to her corpse drove her on.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

DM
Brazier Room - Catacombs
Tag: Rovana's Ghost

"Most guests in the past century or so have been 'trained' as such." Patrina observed without too much emotion, though she didn't dwell on the subject or speculate further on what Tammy would turn out like.

"I know that Strahd has mounted the skull of Argynvost as a trophy of his great victory. You are quite right in your guess - it is in a room of bones near to the chamberlains's office above. It is certainly the only remnants of the dragon that I know of - but it's big enough. Probably quite hard to move without help. Ludmilla wanted it returned to a proper resting place so that the dragon's soul could rest and give the revanant paladins of his defeated order some peace of mind."

The banshee hovered away as Rovana's ghost made contact with Joe's beak. Staring determinedly into the parrot's one good eye, Rovana found that she could condense her spiritual form and then enter the bird through it's eye. After some effort and surreal discomfort in getting used to the undead parrot's body, Rovana felt that she now could control Joe's body and guide his actions directly.

 

[Pervy]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Rovanas Ghost
Tomb under Ravenloft

"..Trained, including Ludmilla I presume, can I reconsider my position on hating Strahd?" Rovana considered how to move the skull... on the one hand, it might be hard to get along for the ride with her as well, but on the other hand, returning to the castle was more dangerous by itself, so taking the skull along this time would really, really help in the long run. "Wait! Wait, I just had a really, really clever idea, one last question and I'll leave you be, this Cyrus guy do you think he knows of either the skulls story or the function of the flames as a.. teleporter thingie?" Rovanas ghost finally had that confident piratey smirk back that her death had taken from her as a plan began to form in her head.

Rovana flapped Joes wings.. and immediatly almost fell down to the ground. After several flapping attempts and a realization.. 'this is harder than it looks!' The parrot took flight, at Rovanas command, wobbling slightly. It was strange to be so small and light and lack depth-perception.

Spoiler

"Rawwwk! Eat it Strahd! Weee Wooo!" .. "Rawwwk!" So I can talk but.. eloquence might be lacking. Rovana analyzed, flying up the flight of stairs, looking around in the corridor above.

First things first, I need to get the diamond and take a look at the skulls size... this body is definitly too light to carry a dragons skull, but.. She pondered, steering Joe through the halls.. a 'room of bones' couldn't be that hard to find. She also had a plan to convince Cyrus to 'burn' her and all of her assets, but for her plan she needed an idea if Cyrus alone could move the skull... and a lot of ideas if he couldn't. Indubitably Ludmilla could carry it, but just as indubitably, the Count had commanded her, something like 'never touch it, only look at the reason for your defeat..' The parrot huffed. Who'd have thought she'd face a luggage problem, she sulked, as she made her way to something that looked like a boney room, or, failing that, testing out door for door the area. If she met, or could observe Cyrus on the way, all the better.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Patrina
Brazier Room - Catacombs
Tag: Rovana's Ghost

The banshee crossed her clawed arms.

"I have never spoken to Cyrus, for he is living and I would destroy him. I know that he is a simple fool from what the brides have said in idle chatter. *sigh* Too long am I tarrying away from my crypt, I must return. Remember, when you escape and are revived - find my brother Kasimir and keep your word."

With that, she returned to the middle stairs and floated back down the long hallway back in the direction of the crypts. That left Rovana in possession of Joe's body, which took some small amount of getting used to.

Once mastered enough to control without hurting Joe's body, Rovana flew up the indicated staircase on the left and followed the steep stairs for about 70 vertical feet, arriving at a solid wall made of oak paneling. A lever to the right of the wall is in its up position.

Landing on the lever and hopping up and down, Rovana is able to switch the rod into the down position, which activates the panel, sliding it to the left to reveal a shadowy room set in perfect order. A great table stands there, with its leather backed chair, inkwell, and quill set carefully in place. Lances, swords, and shields that bear the Barovian crest are hung neatly on the dark, oak-paneled walls.

Flying into the room, Rovana notes that there is only one obvious exit from this room, a door on her right. The only light is a single torch sconce. Rovana has the distinct feeling of being watched in this room, but can see nothing.

The door across the room is ajar ever so slightly. Determined to find her goal, Rovana flies through it and into the next room, which is a thirty-foot square room in absolute shambles as compared to the office she'd just been in. Scattered furniture lies in heaps near the walls. Broken bones lie scattered amid crumpled and crushed plate armor. Shields and swords jut from the walls as if driven into them by some tremendous force. A dark archway leads into an open area on the left, and an open doorway just opposite her leads into an eerie and disturbing room filled with bones, and the sound of a raspy voice humming merrily.

If she flew into this room, she would notice that dark stains covered the floor and the room had large oak tables, scarred and beaten, scattered like toys about the room, their wood crushed and splintered. Replacing them were furnishings made entirely of human bones. The walls of the 20 foot high vaulted ceiling are a sickly yellow coor, not because of faded or timeworn plaster, but because they are adorned with boens and skulls arranged in a morbidly deorative fashion, giving the room a cathedral-like quality. Four enormous mounds of bones occupy the corners of this ossuary, and garlands of skulls extend from these mounds to a chandelier of bones that hangs from the ceiling above a long table constructed of bones in the center of the room.

Ten chairs of bones, festooned with decorative skulls, surround the table, resting atop of which is an ornate bowl shaped vessel made of yet more bones. The doorway Rovana flew through and the one on the opposite wall are lined with bones, but the large steel-banded double doors to her left were not. Above THAT door is the mounted skull of a dragon. It looks quite heavy, and within its maw is a shining gemstone.

Tending to this chamber is a large, hunchbacked figure in rags, with a fur-lined face and a malformed leg that forced him to walk with a limp. The man hums and is busy putting together a twisted bone centerpiece for the table, constructing it from a pile of human bones in front of him. He smiles as he works, occasionally drooling and licking his lips.

 

[Pervy]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Spoiler

Joe the Posessed parrot
Tomb under Ravenloft-> Room of Bones

"Rawwwk.. Damn.. rawk.. bloody.. rawk.. lever.. " Rovana remarked, hopping up and down annoyedly. Definitly no taking dragon skulls or even her blade with this body.

Rovana made sure to act like an average parrot when she felt watched.. apparently, an undead parrot too, so this place shouldn't give her too much trouble.. looking around and seeming concerned would only draw attention right now and as she was, combat with anything above bat-size was out of the question.

She raised a parrotey brow when she came from a well ordered office into.. chaos and disrepair. Both rooms were a bit extreme for the castle. Well, it seemed the had found the room of bones. Now.. a pirate ship might have a skull or two as decorations and on their Jolly roger of course, but this was way overdoing it.

Rovana, the parrot, decided to snatch up the diamond from the dragons maw. It'd be wiser to hide the diamond on her body directly, but the memory of Ludmilla drew her with haste, so instead she made sure to hide the diamond.. behind Joes eyepatch, which, considering she effectively did it with her feet.. and her feet were that of a parrots, took a few moments.

Then, as if she had just entered the room, she cawked loudly and fluttered over onto a skeletal chair, taking place.. with only slight stumbling.. upon a skull. "Rawwwwk!" She began mimicking the humming noises heard from the missshapen man, hoping for him to be Cyrus, also making sure to watch his.. craft, as if it was something to be impressed by for a bird, rather than feel morbid disdain. So was this Cyrus? Most likely he was, a man living because he did whatever he was told, doing the dirty work, the work the undead could not, all for the pleasure of sometimes indulging in his perverse desires, protected by a vile master. A bully under the heel of a larger bully, with a physiognomy even the most starved of vampires would hesitate to feast upon. And right now, Rovanas best chance for both survival and skull-thievery, if unknowingly.

"Rawrrrk hmnn mnn hmnnn.. sluurrr. Hahmnnnhnn.. Rawrrrk!" She even mimicked a moment of slobber-licking, for good measure.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Cyrus Belview
Larders of Ill Omen, Hall of Bones
Tag: Rovana Parrot

Flying up to the jaw of the dragon skull, Rovana perched and plucked the diamond up and into her beak. She then clawed at Joe's eye patch with her bird feet and pushed it up. She was startled to find that Joe could see from the eye socket that was covered up, even though she knew that Joe had genuinely lost his eye. She put the diamond down again and head banged into it until it settled and wedged into the parrot's eye socket. She then struggled mightily for several minutes to put the eyepatch back into place.

"Boo!" the hunchback mongrel man said just as she got the eyepatch settled. She fluttered and made evasive movements, flapping over head and cawwing, then landed on a spare skull from a garland that stretched from the chandelier of bones.

Cyrus was a squat, hunched figure, looking to be the size of a dwarf due to his misshapen spine.

"Oh ho! What have we here? A pretty bird come to admire my artwork? Do you like? I made it especially for the master. Skulls of his enemies, yes, yes! Plenty to choose from. Ah. ah. Hrmm, you've a small skull on you. Nice small bones for delicate work, mm? Fine detail... What were you doing in old Argyvost's skull, hrmm? That old wyrm won't trouble the master any more, heh heh! Oh, hey birdy. Here, polly want a cracker? heh heh."

Cyrus picked into a satchel bag that he carried by his side. It was now that Rovana could examine him a bit more closely, noting that he had strange patches of fur on the sides of his face and neck, and his left side of his face had what seemed to be lizard scales. And his left foot was bare and webbed while the right seemed normal and was booted. Around his neck he wore a loop of twine on which was tied both an iron key and a wooden pendent with a varnished human eye embedded into it.

The hunchback pulled out some crumbs of moldy bread that did not seem appetizing even to an undead parrot's stomach. Nevertheless, Cyrus prodded and offered it in Rovana's direction enthusiastically, coming nearer and nearer to her.

 

[Pervy]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Spoiler

Joe the Posessed parrot
Room of Bones

It'd be an understatement to say that Rovana was displeased at Joes undead nature. She wasn't sure if it was due to her posession, or due to the unliving nature of her bird that she felt little while in its body, but to see through a lost eye was... odd, even for her. Well, really, it was as if odd had grown up and grabbed a few friends to teach her for oggling odds hot sister eccentric one too many times. Of course, an undead parrot as a companion was interesting to have, but for the same reason she got angry at Strahd and tried to bet him she was now angry at whatever caused this.. who dared touch a pirates property and .. change it.

Well, first, she'd deal with Strahd, here, now! She'd work to pay back the wicked count!... by.. acting like a parrot.

"Rawwwwk! What have we here! What have we here.. Rawwwwrk!" She repeated. Geesh, this guy was creepy. At least the count had the excuse of being an undead monstrosity, but this one was, technically, more alive and human than Rovana right now. Something she delayed fully digesting for now. She was in a room filled with the skulls of the vampires enemies, displayed, on exhibit.. A part of Rovana just wanted to tear it all down, set free all the souls that may be damned there, and other spirits that indubitably haunted the place, but.. she had to pick her battles. Furthermore, just as there was a side of her that wanted to do better, there was a side willing to do worse. Why not take the skull as intimidating figurehead for her ship? Certainly, what Strahd could do, she could do better.. and no one would take her Ludmilla from her!
As was, for now she'd settle to steal one of the crowning jewels of the vampires before he noticed it, the remains of the silver dragon. Weren't dragon mean, gold hoarding flying machines of fiery destruction? The pirate didn't have the scholaristic backround to know of good dragons, she was doing this for Ludmilla, even if she considered it a slightly misguided effort.

"Rawwwk master! Rawwwrk! Especially for the master! What have we here?" She repeated again. Now then.. "Rawwwk! Master, Why punish Cyrus? Rawwwwk! That old wyrm wont trouble! Wont trouble. Wee Wooo!" She tilted her head, and looked at the skull, not Cyrus, seeming disinterested. That was important.

"Rawwk. Want a cracker! Want a cracker! Wee Woo!" She insisted, then added, making sure to shift her tone to a calmer, emotionless cadence as to mimick Strahd: "I don't wish to punish him. Rawwwwk! What have we here? But his forgetfulness is a nuisance. Wee Wooo! Want cracker! Rawwwwk!" She hopped up and down slightly. She scuttled closer(still struggling slightly controlling the bird body, but if she took measured steps..) and eyed the bread, looking up to Cyrus, hoping dearly that she did not have to eat it.. this might be unhealthy even as undead as she was.

"Rawwwrk! Cracker Cracker!" She enthused. "Wont trouble anymore, heh heh! Wee Woo! Burn the pirate and her things.. Rawwwk! Burn her with the dragons skull that whore Ludmilla adored. Rawwwk. Want cracker?" She tilted her head, bopping it in a birdlike manner, pecking at the bread -without- trying to ingest any. "Rawwwk! Don't wish to punish him but if he forgets I'm going to be.. displeased." Was that something the Count would say like this? She hoped. She could mimick his cadence somewhat after hearing it twice. Frankly, it made a slight shiver run down her spine to do.

"Rawwk! Skulls of his enemies, yes yes! Whore Ludmilla! Whore Ludmilla! Burn Burn her pirate! .. What have we here, What have we here? Wee Woo! And burn that wymrs head she cared about too, Cyrus. Rawwk! Nice Small bones! I hope he has not forgotten the burning as well. Want cracker. Wee woo! True master, he might have focused too much on his bones and forgot your command, but who'd be so foolish? Small skull on you, small skull on you, Wee Woo!" Admittedly, she didn't think that Strahd would use the word whore, harlot, perhaps, but she wanted to make sure Cyurs got the sentiment of her words. Everyone lied to themselves, just a little bit, in the way they percieved others. Even if she didn't sound like Strahd, if she sounded the way Cyrus -wanted- Strahd to sound like, she'd do as good, if not better in convincing Cyrus to her cause of action. The beauty of convincing someone they had forgotten to do something was.. it was not like they could remember it as a lie.
She hoped that to aid her bluff the hunchback was already naturally inclined for sadism towards the brides who he had propably secretly lusted after, only to be harshly rejected, if paid any mind at all. To add to her act unless Cyrus responded swiftly, she began chirping a bit of the organ music she had heard Strahd play earlier.. of course with a piratey bent.

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[BlueSlime]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Cyrus
Larders of Ill Omen, Hall of Bones
Tag: Rovana/Joe

"Eh, what now? A talking birdy, eh?" Cyrus' eyes flickered independent of one another and he swiped a bit of drool from his mouth as he moved closer, craning his head to one side to hear.

"What's that? Punish good Cyrus? Oh no, no! Master would not! Cyrus does his chores good, yes, oh yes! Loyal am I! Very - very loyal! Even moody Rahadin doesn't mind good Cyrus! Oh no!"

Cyrus dropped the crumbs he had in his malformed hands and slapped his furred, mangy skull and gnawed a bit on the tweed loop on which his key and pendent hung.

"Eh? What's that? Forgetfulness? What could poor, good obedient Cyrus have forgotten? I fed the wolves. I made sure the traps were all working... I kicked that silly doll Pidliwick out of the larder! Oh, is it the new girl, Tammy? I placed her on the rack just as master said! Hrm, hrmm..."

The next things that Rovana said about Ludmilla, the disparaging words such as 'whore' and the suggestion of burning made him furrow his brows in concern.

"Now, now... those can't be the master's words. He'd never say such things. Oh no, no. Who're you repeating, little polly? He'd never want bodies n' bones burned! Waste of perfectly good materials! Aye! And that purty pirate that's with Mistres Ludmilla, oh, now there's a fine, fiiiiine corpse if I've ever seen one. Oh, yes...~"

He moved to the parrot again.

"Come here, little birdie. Come to ol' Cyrus, yeah? You can... you can tell good Cyrus all about your dropping eaves, yeah? Tell me who said such things. Whose gonna punish poor Cyrus?"

 

[Pervy]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Spoiler

Joe the Posessed parrot
Room of Bones

Rovana tilted her head. So subtle manipulation wasn't on the chopping block. Not burning bodies made sense for Strahd, yes, damn, she hadn't thought like a necromancer there. Luckily, the simple minded man had bought the talking bird routine.. if not in a way she had expected, so she had another good shot at this if she thought quick.. She also really didn't know how to feel about having her corpse judged as fine, with an emphasis on i,.. Just take the compliment, she decided for herself. "Rawwwk! Can tell good Cyrus! Wee Woo!"

"Rawwwk?" She hopped closer, pretending to be lured by the crumbs, her mind racing. She needed a powerful figure in the castle to pin this on. Wait moody? There was someone moody? But someone she knew nothing about. She couldn't risk getting someones manner of speaking wrong again. Well, the brides were an option, but they would not order something like this, even if they had the power to, which Rovana wasn't certain about, they'd be happy a competitor was gone and distracted, plus she hadn't heard much from the masked one... Competitor... Wait!There had been one vampire with a certain lip to him who might believably want to get rid of bodies of.. competitors, like hers, for his own goals.."Cracker? Rawwwwk. .. Escher said it! Escher said it! Punish good Cyrus!" She tried, hopeful. She tried to lean in, looking as conspiratorily as a bird could.. Now what tone had Escher used.. ah yes.. Less subtle, more.. direct. Not uneducated but with a certain.. commoners edge when expressing himself. He had been talkative enough in their encounter, displaying a range of emotions... she could do him. "Rawwk! Tell good Cyrus! Wee Woo! Escher said Listen, Cyrus, old pal, Wee Woo! you could do me a favour Rawwwk! Favour!, couldn't you? Rawwwk! Get rid of that pirates body and her equipment if you may, while at it.. rawwwk! Rawwwk! Poor obediant Cyrus. The skull too. And don't forget to place Tammy on the rack. Wee Wooo!" Always mix truth into your deceptions, Rovana reminded herself. Plus, the master that told Cyrus to place Tammy.. in that wicked room may well have been Escher, not Strahd, if this man was at the bottom of the food chain, so they may well have spoken reasonably recently too. Sorry Tammy, breaking you out too would be stretching it.. plus, have a feeling only Ludmilla or a higher up vampire could command you not to get to suckling on me anyway.. not.. not that that suckling felt bad so far... hmnn... Ludmillas soft lips.. err maybe if I somehow get a window of opportunity whilest saving my.. own life. She mentally apologized, then focused for a moment, pecking at the disgusting bredcrumbs to honor her host. She had to think on her feet with this next bit, but Eschers .. interests were clear: "Rawwwk! Theres way too many women here already, don't need any more to mislead the masters eyes, RAwwwk! If you understand. Burn the skull. Rawwwk! Good loyal Cyrus. Wee Woo! But, maybe, once the count has realized what he's missing out, he'll lose interest and there might be some for you, sav..Rawwk!" Almost slipped into her pirate dialect there, when trying to tempt the hunchback with the impossible and perverted lusts he indubitably secretly had.

"Rawwk! Want Cyrus to get rid of the Pirate-whore and her clothes, and while at it, the skull too rawwwk! To get rid of Ludmilla.. cracker? Rawwk! If he doesn't, Rawwk.. If he forgets it, I might have to.. punish him. Come here, little birdie!" Rovana made sure to put a bit of a seductive slur into the punishing tone. Escher had been quite friendly towards her, all things considered, but he had a clear nasty side as shown by his treatment of Tammy and perhaps he was more scary to the males in the castle... Well, that, or with her luck, these two were somehow, through some vile happenstance, secret lovers.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Cyrus
Hall of Bones
Tag: Rovana/Joe

Cyrus knitted his bushy, furred brow and itched his scales with crooked, knobby fingers.

"Escher? Escher. Yes... get rid of women. Always wanting the master for himself. But master doesn't allow such things. Hrmm." Cyrus began hitting himself on the head.

"Escher going to punish Cyrus? But Master not allow it... no, not to poor, good Cyrus. Faithful Cyrus! Hrmmm... but... Escher wants pretty pirate lady away. Hmm, hmm.... maybe... oh, maybe yes...~"

A wild, gleeful, unsettling grin spread across the mongrel man's face. It ended abruptly with a glance to the skull. Rovana had to admit, it was a big skull to carry for just one person. Argynvost had been an adult silver dragon after all. But she got the feeling that it wasn't just that which made Cyrus hesitate. The dragon skull appeared to be the piece de resistance of this chamber of bones - a gruesome artwork that Cyrus was decorating and maintaining.

"Escher. Pfeh! Taking the master's trophies? Burning the bones?! Telling ME to destroy my own work?!? I'll tell the master and he'll... he'll... hrm... master is busy these nights. Well... first things first. Must go to the crypts. Aye, aye. The crypts! Take the nice lady and... hmm hmm... get rid of her. Come along birdie!"

Cyrus suddenly snatched at the parrot with his hand, but his movements were clumsy and seemed to assume that the parrot wouldn't have the smarts to see it coming. Rovana was able to flutter aside easily.

"Hey! Come on now, birdy! Ya got to come with ol' Cyrus! Hrnnh!" Cyrus grumbled in frustration as Rovana eluded him in Joe's body.

"Fine then! Be that way. But you can tell Escher that there's no way I'll give up my artwork for his sake! He won't get so much as a ribcage from this room, and he can threaten Cyrus all he wants!" Cyrus began to hobble away, then stopped and added.

"Don't tell him Cyrus said that though! Escher's crazy!" Cyrus said, then wiped drool from his mishapen face and took a torch from its sconce as he headed down towards the chamberlain's office and the hidden passage to the crypts.

"Burn the pirate, they says. Hrm hrm... Maybe she can keep Cyrus company, and Cyrus says he burns the pirate, yes? Pretty lady. Dead 'uns don't protest. Don't make fun of ol' Cyrus for his looks. Hmm. But Ludmilla, what'll she say? Hrmm... think, think Cyrus!" He slapped his own cranium again as he started to march down the stairs. It seemed he'd put the notion of taking the skull out of his mind, but he certainly believed that it was Escher who had threatened him to do these things. For good or ill, Rovana felt certain that she'd sparked some chaos between the castle's inhabitants.

 

[Pervy]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Spoiler

Joe the Posessed parrot
Room of Bones

"Rawwwk doesn't allow it.. Rawwwk! Punish poor Cyrus!" She restated, to make sure. She looked at the skull too.. That would be a pain to carry for her, she was really not that strong. First she had to somehow get it though.

Oh damn. Telling the master would be bad.. but he was busy, as Rovana had hoped. Somehow with the count by now she wasn't sure anymore if she could 'hide' in the parrot from him..

"Burn the pirate and her things. Rawwwk!" Rovana added, worriedly. Without blade and necklace.. also clothes, little good her life would do her. "Rawwwk! Cursed pirate weaponry. Rawwwk! Bad to have lying around. Wee Wooo!" She said. This was not even a lie. "Rawwwwk. Wicked evil soul eating curses. Wee Wooo!" She fluttered after, but sighed inwardly, looking at the dragonskull one last time. She really didn't want to risk returning to Ravenloft again just to steal a skull. The castle was a little too deadly to mess with againf or her tastes .. Even if she was revived, it seemed this skull was a pride for Cyrus in his collection.. Then.. she had an idea. But first..:

"Rawwwk! Ludmilla would hurt Cyrus. If Cyrus touches pretty pirate.. Rawwwk.. Punish good Cyrus bad. Rawwwk! Cares about pirate body." She really did not want to wake up from death feeling.. that. She nodded, then, once she was sure of the hunchbacks conviction added once more.. "Rawwwk! Pirate-whore! Cursed pirate gear! Get rid of it too. No one remembers, no one asks questions! Good for Cyrus! Can work on pretty arts and no one will shout at or punish! Get rid of it all! Wee Woo! They ask.. Cyrus has not seen it! Rawwwwk!" She tempted, trying a cajoling approach, as that seemed to have worked best, while fluttering around the hunchbacks head, just a bit out of reach of course. If the hunchback hesitated, for good measure, she'd flutter back towards her gear to lure him towards it. while at it, now was the perfect moment to drop the diamond into a hidden poket in her sleeve, usually reserved for playing cards... a tricky find for most, but somehow, she felt the Vistani would make do with it. She bopped her head up and down atop of her outfit, looking expectantly at Cyrus and fluffing back up when he, hopefully, got the message.

Rovana smirked. Inwardly. It was hard to smirk with a beak. There was one more shot at getting the skull. It'd be riskier, and first came saving herself.. She could tell Escher of the hunchbacks betrayal. Not only did he certainly have the strength to toss out a dragonskull, if the hunchback truly he valued his art collection so much, the loyal Escher would not kill him without the master allowing it, but perhaps his bonecrafts were a suiting target for a vampires rage for a moment. It was that, or getting stronger for Rovana.. If maybe she could pull the skull after her on a cart or somesuch, she doubted she could dismount it from the wall easily... and Ludmilla didn't like the wolfish option.

Then again, a part of Rovana remarked, as beautiful as Ludmilla was, as strong and dominant her grace, her athletic, muscular frame yet femine featurees and... Gah!
She had killed Rovana, no matter her trust and begging. The pirate had tried her best to make her fight against Strahds influence and it had done nothing. What good would putting a skull into a different place and under some dirt or lakes shores do? Plus, what good would it do if Rovana did it, not the one who thought the gesture ment anything? But indubitably, Ludmilla was trapped in her stone grave, so she could not do it, even if Strahd hadn't thought to command her never to, the vampiress was stuck in her tomb on his command... admittedly, lovingly clinging to her captains corpse.
The pirate in her parrot was broody. Now not affected by the yearning for the vampires bites as much without blood, or, indeed, a body, she couldn't help but think: Good chance Escher would realize I manipulated Cyrus and remain calm enough to stop my escape before getting angry at him. I'd have to get him to see Cyrus 'save me' when its already too late... I should take what I can but.. last time I tried to have faith in this emotional nonsense and fight against Strahd I did die.. perhaps I should pay my debt to the banshee, save myself and be glad I live.. I have enough problems to deal with without wooing one that would kill me with but a word from another.. She'd rather see a dragon buried than me alive? Bloody masts, the seers granddaughter fancies me if I feel lonely. .. but Strahd disrespected a pirate captain. I ought to at least try. Plus just mayhaps theres more to this dragon burying nonsense than I get... perhaps its Ludmillas code? Rovana thought, while observing to hopefully make sure the hunchback retrieved the right gear. She could risk it. She could risk trusting that the hunchback did his job, indubitably he'd need a moment to carry her up there, so if she tossed in the orange gem downstairs, then flew quick as she could she might be able to find Escher and repeat what she had just been told. With the right amount of luck Escher would be angered and toss the skull and whatever else he could grab right after the pirates body, then.. busy himself with Cyrus, rather than Rovana.
But it was a gamble. Letting her body, her gear out of sight, assuming Cyrus could take her body from Ludmilla, more worrysomely, assuming that she could find and convince the indubitably harder to manipulate Escher.. she could tell him that with Rovana 'gone' Ludmilla might return her affections to Strahd... but last time she had taken a gamble, it literally had cost her everything. Even if she remembered her promises to the vampiress, sShe couldn't keep an eye on Cyrus to trust him to save her AND try to get the skull to save Ludmilla.

She hesitated suddenly. There actually was a way to do both. And it was the biggest gamble of all. I have to act fast, if my soul can't stray far from my body as the banshee said, that means as soon as I get fire-teleported I'll propably be gone, but.. heres to hoping Escher is the type to have a hot temper if he thought himself slighted. This is a stupid, risky thing to do, even for someone like me, even for someone like Ludmilla.. Rovana was lucky birds were not colorblind. She exhaled, which.. did not work for an undead bird, but she tried it anyway.

Load the harpoons, raise the flag, and take hold of your heart, a proper gal of courage does not flee before the start. She reminded herself. Joe, me oldest companion.. my life is in yer hands this time. I need yarrr to toss the Orange gem in the flame. Furthermore, fly with the fool, and wence you come close to my body, I want yarr to say: 'Rum and Raspberries'.. I.. last time I put me faith in love. This time, I shall in piracy and if that nay work, what am I good for anyhow. I need yarr to steal me body and assets, while I steal the Counts trophies.

And if piracy ain't working either.. what good am I for. She nodded to herself, then.. left the parrots body, focusing on ending her posession. She'd not have to worry about doors. She'd be able to move faster in this form. And without distractions, there was a fair chance Escher could see her. Or perhaps she could take control of a Raven or somesuch? She doubted bats could talk and anything more than a bird would propably resist her .. efforts. Now where to find him? He was not with Tammy. Presumambly his master and the brides were gone. Where'd a man like him be? Weapons training? Searching Strahds underwear drawer? Did Strahd -have- an underwear drawer? This was not the line of thinking conductive to her goals. Her best guess was floating through the main hall and looking around. If only she could repeat what Cyrus had just said.. with a slightly changed context.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

DM
Larders of Ill Omen, Hall of Bones
Tag: Rovana's Ghost

"Ah, ah! Yes, the pirate ladies' things. Pretty knives~ Good for cutting and stabbing. Ah, what a wonderful lady she must have been! A proper gut-stabber! Bwe heh heh! Cyrus like~ Ahh, and this!"

Cyrus rummaged through her things and plucked her cutlass up by its handle. His eyes were wide and he swung the blade like a child with a toy sword.

"Ahh, fine, fiiiiine! Huuahhh! Hnnh... hnh... urk... s'heavy... Mm... guh... bad... BAD!"

Cyrus suddenly dropped the cutlass on the stone floor with a clatter and took a step back from it, blinking several times, then clutching his skull.

"Tentacles! Black, deep!... Uoohh.... Fish? Bad fish! Uhhoohh... Deep... deep... drowning in blackness... C-crushing! Bad sword! Bad pirate! Curse! Birdie, you were right! Must... get this away from the master. Mustn't let that... thing in here! Cast it back to the sea! To the depths! Back to the Abyss!"

Cyrus muttered, with his eye-pendent hovering near the cutlass. Rovana swore she saw the varnished eye in the pendent blink! And then it moved in the pendent and focused on the blade on the floor.

Eventually, Cyrus summoned his courage and took Rovana's clothes, and used them to carefully scoop up the cutlass so that his flesh no longer touched it. Rovana saw her leathers and most items be taken as well, but her money pouch and a lot of her daggers were left behind. At least her crossbow and bolts were taken along.

Cyrus headed down the stairs to the catacombs. Joe's spirit seemed to send an emotional "aye aye, cap'n" across their mystic bond, and when Rovana had deposessed him, he flew down the stairs after Cyrus to go along with her plan.

This left Rovana to explore in her spirit form. Deciding to stick with the 'main' hallways, she went through the large set of doors underneath the skull of Argynvost. This path led to a very dank and fog filled room that seemed small and rotting compared to the room she'd just been in. The sounds of scurrying, squeaking rats filled it. She saw several doors on her left and one on the right. Down the hall at the very end was a stair leading up on the left, and a porticullis behind which were giant casks stored against the wall. From the door on the right, she faintly heard the sounds of moans and... the sound of a whip?

[room is 20x140ft, with 3 doors on the left and a stairs going up, a porticullis gate straight at the far end, 140 ft away, and a lone door on the near right, where she heard the sounds of moans and a whip. Up to you where Rovana wanders.]

 

[Pervy]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Rovanas Ghost
Chamberlains office -> Castle Corridors

Frankly, right now Rovana wouldn't mind giving Strahd some of what was in the sword.. but it was interesting that Cyrus understood what it was were she had only seen so through Evas and Mollys efforts. The insight of a fool, apparently. That eye pendant seemed to hold greater secrets than an ordinary charm too.. she made sure to somewhat stay out of its gaze after seeing it blink. First one to acknowledge my blade and its a damned fool, just my luck. The whole ordeal reminded her that even if Strahd was gone and defeated today, she still had to empower her blade, travel to the mountains to learn of her foe and destroy a tentacled kraken monstrosity that, while weakened right now could propably rival Strahd if it was fully unleashed, if not worse. .. and her she was, on the off-chance she could trick a vampire into tossing away a skull after her in a fit of rage rather than ensuring she was rescued properly.. Well, too late for self doubts, best she could do was try and see if the familiar link still worked..

She sighed a bit at the gold pouch and daggers lost.. Well, she'd not push her luck for those. Her blade, her aquired necklace, and the pirates dress were at least most of what she needed. She floated up and down thoughtfully, well a whipping did sound like something Escher might do to let out his frustrations knowing that Strahd was hunting for another girl for himself, so thats where she'd start, floating forwards and peeking her head through the wall.. it took only a minor moment of hesitation.. Even when carrying her sword atop of things, the hunchback wouldn't need more than a few minutes to retrieve her body, and if it was teleported away, she figured her body would be pulled after. She had to try and find Escher and pleade a believable case for herself before that.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

DM
Larders of Ill Omen

Rovana's ghost peeked beyond the door on the right, from which the sounds of a whip were echoing. She saw a small hallway leading directly to a stairwell, about the size and shape of the one she'd climbed to get to and from the tower bedroom where she'd slept. This stairwell went up and down. The sounds of the whip were coming from that direction, and so, following along with her hunch that this could be where Escher was hiding, she floated down the stairs, and arrived at the bottom landing, which was shin-deep full of water. Naturally, this didn't bother Rovana in her current ghostly condition.

Directly ahead from where the stairs ended, there was a 4-way cross junction. Going straight on from this was a large room filled with what seemed to be a mixture of torture devices and implements of what Rovana may or may not recognize as sadism and masochism sexual equipment. Tied up on a rack, spread eagled and fitted with a ball gag, was the naked, pale form of Tammy. Her body was displaying welts from being whipped.

As Rovana approached, she would reach the cross junction and be able to see off to her left and right a series of jail cells. She must have reached the dungeons of Ravenloft. Each of these cell blocks were down several steps, making each area submerged in roughly 5 feet of water. Peering with her ghost sight to the left, Rovana spotted a pair of arms hanging out of a cell. They were dark skinned and gripping the iron bars.

"The pain will become pleasant to you in time. My power over your mind will change your senses, Tammy. Soon, you will come to enjoy this sort of treatment."

From somewhere ahead, the unmistakeable sound of Strahd's voice could be heard, although he did not sound as though he were the figure holding the whip close by to Tammy.

For her part, Tammy merely moaned around the ball gag.

 

[Pervy]

Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Rovanas Ghost
Larders of Ill Omen

Rovana was only minorly bemused as she ignored the water, fascinating, in a way, really... yet she was glad this condition was, hopefully, not permanent. Huh, wait, if Tammy was there, not in the basement, who was on the rack moaning there? She had only assumed it was Tammy in that.. welcoming room. What other new guests could be there? Had Strahd already captured Vita, Ireena and Esvele? The first one of those she actually cared about somewhat..

Lovely. So Strahd was still at the castle right now and .. with Escher, perhaps? He had been the Counts enforcer with Tammy before. Even if she could maybe trick Escher with a 'my rest has been disturbed, Cyrus has grown mad, now tell me were Strahd is, he is not afraid of you, he said..', there was no point trying such with Strahd even close.. So much for that. She would not move close to Strahd to make sure, she had learned to respect the Count the hard way. The dungeons.. surely, one of those trapped here could help her, would be willing to help her.. if they weren't locked up already.

She floated down to the pair of arms, and sighed, half whispering, leaning against, and half into the wall out of habit. "You know, I bet I could show you how to mess up a shabby lock like yours, heck, I could posess you and do it for you... How about it. I help you break out from this watery prison, you help me steal that stupid dragons skull, drop it into the brazier after my body so we can show that damned Count he doesn't always win.

Then again, I should just forget about Ludmilla and focus on getting back alive, just be glad I get another chance. I got me enough problems to deal with you know and every time I faced Strahd, I suffered more and more losses.

Who am I kidding, I doubt anyone trapped here can even hear me, .. I guess I could try to posess you anyway, but I doubt I'm strong enough to take proper control of anyone that fought back." If there was no response, she'd try and float into the cell.. why not at least -try-. And if this doesn't work I'll fly up to Strahd and tell him that at least, I won the bet. Empty a boast as that is right now.