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Expedition to Castle Ravenloft - IC thread


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Andur Estevan, The Unwilling Hero, Tag: All, Villagers Ac: 20, Buffs: -- HP: 63/71

"Hmnn.. good, there's resistance. Miri, you might want to turn your lamp off, it is rather.. spooky." Andur mused, before raising his voice to address the barricade.

"Steady there." Andur raised his hand. "I don't feel it's very fair, to so accuse your rescuers who've come to hear your prayer. Do we look like evil spirits to you? This is the magic of a godess of the light, bringing salvation to these wretched soulless husks plaguing your people.
We've been called here by the Burgeomaster.. it seems we've arrived late, my apologies. There's time for details later, where is the source of the undead? We've had some trouble at the east entrance, but dealt with most...
I'm Andur Estevan, defender of those that can't defend themselves and seasoned Undead hunter. I've come to help. This is Mirian Evenwood, blessed priestess of Sune and chosen sorceress of the holy light." ... "And that's Ela." He introduced. He was not messing up that elfish pronounciation, however.

Andur also made sure to subtly interpose himself between Miri and the barricade, just in case someone tried walking too close to Miri with her magic on.
"So tell us, or call someone who can, where do these undead originate from?"
 
At first only silence greets Andur's declaration, though Ela can hear hushed discussions. Miri extinguishes the lantern, and sure enough the spirits look a little less threatening, no longer bathed in green light. They even begin to meld with the mist, becoming lost in rolling white. The group of three punches together in the cold night air, 20ft from the barricade. Then a voice answers Andur, feminine and strong, "Well met adventurers, I wish the timing were more auspicious. I think it is best you come into the square, this is not a discussion to have in the road," moments later a face clambers up to match the voice, ash blond hair cut short, bowled from wearing a helmet. "You will need to climb the barricade, we cannot open it, and I will not take the risk dismantling it," she gestures to the damp wood.

Other faces, nervous looking villagers clutching weapons appear behind her. One of her mutters something and to Ashlyn, and after a pause she relays it, "It is asked, when you received the Burgomaster's summons," she watches Andur intently as she waits for the answer.
 
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Miri Evenwood, the Helping Hand
HP: 37/38, AC 16 (Mage Armor), Passive Perception: 16
SP: 5/6 Spells: 1st Lvl: 2/4; 2nd Lvl: 3/3; 3rd Lvl: 2/3
Active Effects: Spirit Guardians, Mage Armor
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"About a week before, we got one letter each. I still have mine here." Miri takes over, shouting ahead.

"Is there a necromancer we should deal with, before we climb in there? Is there anyone in need that we should rush to help?" she adds, looking up.

If they replied negatively, she would ask them to throw a rope down for them to climp, and she would send the spirit guardians away, to avoid harming the villagers. Otherwise, she would keep the spirits for longer. In any case, she touched herself to heal some of the damage the zombie had done.

[+6 hp from aasimar lay on hands]
 
"Can you not climb yourself?" Ashlyn asks, skpetical. The barricade does look surmountable. Certainly not something you would want to do attempt with armed people on the top, ready to strike at you, or pour boiling oil down, but managable now. Still Ashlyn turns to one of the villagers. "Fetch a rope," she prompts. The man hesistates, but then slowly departs. The woman's gaze returns to the group of three below her. The gaze of the villagers clutching their weapons never left the trio.

OOC: Athletics check 10 to climb the barricade.
 
aasimarportrait-jpg.21253
Miri Evenwood, the Helping Hand
HP: 37/38, AC 16 (Mage Armor), Passive Perception: 16
SP: 5/6 Spells: 1st Lvl: 2/4; 2nd Lvl: 3/3; 3rd Lvl: 2/3
Active Effects: Spirit Guardians, Mage Armor
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"I will go first, to calm them down." Miri told to Andur and Ela.

"Eh...Andur try to catch me if I fall." she coughed awkwardly. Climbing just wasn't her strong point.

At first Miri just couldn't do it, even if it was easy...finally she looked below, where hopefully Andur was waiting to catch her.

"I think I need some help. Could you push me a little?" she asked.

~~~
Finally, Miri stood on top of the barricade, looking at the villagers, with a concerned look.

"Is there anyone in need of medical attention? Eh, you don't need to worry, we are really here to help." she said, somewhat saddened by the villager's suspicion, but fully understanding their concerns. She then turned towards the helmed blonde woman.

"I am Miri, nice to meet you. I guess we arrived a too late...but it wasn't from a lack of trying, I assure you." she apologized, even if it wasn't really their fault.
 
21572 Ashlyn (Not currently killing a zombie, but it is something she excels at)

With a push from Andur and a hand offered by Ashlyn, Miri manages the climb on the second attempt. She feels the steel-clad hand clench around her wrist with controlled strength, then she is on top of the barricade. The villagers seem more friendly, offering smiles now, though the tired sorrow never leaves their eyes. "Wounds are all seen to, and even magic struggles to heal a heavy heart. Nonetheless, it is kind of you to offer,” she offers Miri a steadying hand. “The story of your arrival is a puzzling one, you see, the Burgomaster of this town has been dead for near a month,”

The other villager returns with the rope and it is secured for the others to use.

OOC: No need to make a climb check now with the rope to help.
 
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Andur Estevan, The Unwilling Hero, Tag: All, Villagers Ac: 18, Buffs: -- HP: 63/71

Andur glanced over at Miri, who luckily, had a better memory for such details than him, as he unstrapped his shield in the meanwhile... it'd be easier to scale the barricade like this.
"I understand you, but you have to come out eventually, to put the bodies outside to the pyre. Basic strategy against the undead." He had not made up his mind how apt these defenders were, yet.

Andur remained.. gentlemanly calm about the climbing, assistance, chuckling and pushing up Miri's bottom trying not to be.. too distracted by her choice of attire. Hmnn.. nice. Very interesting insights.. if only she was not such a pure priestess, the things he'd do to that hmnn....
Andur then picked up the Rope, chuckling, gripping the Barricade, before taking a step back, finding a solid wooden table to stand upon.. and front-flipping over the Barricade.
"You lost your rope." He'd point out to the nearest Villager, with a wink and a grin if the one delivering the rope was a cute girl... or a handsome enough young man. Andur did not discriminate his flirting, where the opportunity presented itself.

"Tzk. Something about that letter never felt right to me." He said, more serious then, sighing out. "I'm not sure if that Vistana will get off with just a spanking on this one..." He narrowed his eyes, before adding: "You wouldn't happen to recognize the letters handwriting, would you? I guess we are also too late to resolve the matter of the Burgeomasters daughter then...

Oh well, we were called here to help, you need help, our circumstances scantly change. Please explain your situation to us concisely, without leaving strategical details out. We encountered several undead, at least one of which was too cunning for my tastes, it withdrew after failing to attack us, three more we took out, the path to the east is opened, briefly. I found trails of combat and people fleeing.. unsucessfully?" Andur requested more details.. ready to -reprovide the rope if their archer really needed it..
 
21578 Ela'nyya Aefnee'al, The Silver Arrow

Ela is busy while they're having a conversation, the dexterous rogue not getting her footing right and having bad handholds as well, so for a minute she is just grunting and struggling to get up the barricade before she pathetically slips off.

Luckily she is graceful in the air and manages to land in a cool crouch, the hood from her outfit hiding her burning red cheeks as embarrassment flows through her.

"Andur . . . the rope please . . ." she says shamefully before taking the rope and climbing up, standing next to the party and hiding her face as much as possible.
 
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Andur decides not to wink at the villager who brought him the rope, saving it for some of the more spritly citizens of the village. The villages are openly impressed by his scaling of the barricade, Ashlyn smiles softly, noting the athletic prowess but also wondering as to the point. The "spanking" comment causes her to raise an eyebrow, but ultimately she chooses to query the "Vistani? You know them?" she casts her her eyes to the others present, noting the few scowls the word produces, "The villagers seem to know them, but I've never heard of them. They live nearby, in the camp?" a soft thud causes her to look down, Ela gracefully landed. "Your elf-friend appears to be struggling, perhaps she needs the rope..." Ashlyn begins to suggest, but Andur is already on it. "I thought elves were meant to be good at climbing?" as villager asks and another answers, "No they flexibility. They ain't got no strength in their tiny arms,"

With everyone now on the top of the barricade the group can look at the town centre. It shows signs of living, but is cleaner than the streets were. There are six buildings, two of them with windows lit, and a small fire burning in the centre, next to a well. To one side is pile of ashes, cold, that no one seems eager to approach. "Did you serve in the King's Army? You sound like my father," Ashlyn turns to Andur as she leads the group down from the barricade, two of the villagers remaining to be on watch. "I am Lady Ashlyn of the Lightbringers, sworn to purge al false life from these realms. I and my companions came to Barovia hearing the palce is teaming with them, but also in search of a legendary sword. This plague started about two weeks ago I am told, and that as numerous as as the undead are in these lands, it has never before been this bad. We four days ago, and helped them establish a this defence, distributing our supplies among the more able of the villagers. By my count we have purified seven of the corpses, and driven back twice that number. My two companions, Thendrick and Mathilda, went to the church, as we suspected it was the source of the infection. They left two nights ago, and I am worried they have failed..." she falls silent, not liking this thought.

"I'm watching the street Ashlyn!" a voice calls out, breaking the woman's melancholy. She looks up, spying the young elfine girl perched on a rooftop, clutching a hunting bow tightly to her chest. "Ain't seen no shamblers, but I'll keep watching," she assures the knight. "Yes, very good Kysha," she smiles back. The letter is passed around, but barely literate, peasant are not the best to analyse handwriting. "Ismark, er, his son, in the Vine, he'll know!" a woman suggests.
 
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Andur Estevan, The Unwilling Hero, Tag: All, Villagers Ac: 18, Buffs: -- HP: 63/71

"Joking aside, we've arrived here with one of them as a guide, but she is.. I'd call her flighty, but a few birds would get jealous." He shrugged. He raised his brows, positively suprised by Ashlyn's question, innocently ignoring the comments on elves. Not that he innately disagreed...
"I have, briefly. My trainers were also all veterans of the last war, I figure I've picked up a few things there." He mused. "Well, I say trained, more beaten up and chastised, but with good intent. In most cases." He chuckled to himself.

"I concluded as much myself. The church has a graveyard attached to it, and there's signs of recent necromancy." He tilted his head.
"How about we take a look at the church and in exchange, you'll tell me where to find this Ismark?" He suggested, before raising his hand.
"... I'd check out the church anyway..." He said, his fear taking a backseat to showing off infront of this Ashlyn.. she wasn't bad looking, actually, propably too pious to be his type though. "Just giving you an excuse to send us into danger."
He oriented himself. "Please provide us with a brief description for identifying your companions, should they be.. incapacitated. Also, what is the undeads composition. I saw skeletons and Zombies, but a far more mobile one that assaulted us with cunning.. something more than a simple ghoul, but I am no expert of these creatures." He mused, before glancing at his companions.

"I suggest a stealthy approach before we arrive at the church, then, once we established we can handle what might be there, we can make some noise to draw pressure away from these people.." He tipped his chin.

"I'm propably hoping for too much, but you or your companions wouldn't happen to have any means of sealing off the graveyard from a necromancers touch?" He added.
 
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Miri Evenwood, the Helping Hand
HP: 37/38, AC 16 (Mage Armor), Passive Perception: 16
SP: 5/6 Spells: 1st Lvl: 2/4; 2nd Lvl: 3/3; 3rd Lvl: 2/3
Active Effects: Spirit Guardians, Mage Armor
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"Andur is right. We should go as soon as possible. How long ago your companions left?" Miri added.

"Lets do the stealth thing."

'...even if it never works', she added in her mind.

"We will cleanse the church, and check if there is something we can do there. If I had to guess, the Burgomaster's ghost send us those letters, wishing to save the rest of you after his death. In any case, it matters not. We are here and we will help even if the letters were fake." she declared.
 
21590 Ela'nyya Aefnee'al, The Silver Arrow

"It wouldn't be right to leave you to fight the undead alone, even if we were mislead" Ela chimes in as she takes in the view of the square as she listens to Andur talk, the elf wondering if he started that long winded or if it came once he became a noble.

"Staying hidden in the shadows is the wisest decision" Ela said as she readied herself for the journey to the church, focusing on her stealthy technique so she didnt make a fool of herself once again.

(Stealth: 29)
 
"Yes, veterans always say they do it out of love, but there's no denying they enjoy it. If I ever get out of here, I guess I will have to start considering taking on a squire of my own, and fashioning a schedule of abuses for them too," Ashlyn forces a smile. She is about 5 years older than Andur, but look worn out. She is tougher than the villagers, but days under siege by undead and worrying about her fellow Lighthunters has taken its toll. "I would go to the church myself, but someone had to stay here and hold this square. If one of you would stay here, I could accompany the others. If you truly wish to go together as a group, I can stay and be the one to fight here, though it ill suits my knightly training and valour to be the one to stay in relative safety,"

Ashlyn falls silent as she leads the group across the squares to the northern barricade. The fog conceals everything beyond 30ft, but the pair remember the sight of the village, before the white became so thick. The church is that way, up the hill. "I just told ya, in the Vine," the woman repeats to Andur, as if he were slow. She gestures at one of the two lit building, a tavern, based on the sign, but Andur cannot read it from the distance.

"Thendrick and Mathilda will both be wearing armour, none of the undead I have seen so far wore such. They left two nights ago. I have not seen the swift one you describe, only skeletons and zombies, though yes they are tougher than the common variety. Their attack carry the plague that animated them. You may catch it from them. The onset is within seconds, a mild feaver, deceptivly so. The true symtom does not manifest until you die, where upon just as fast you will rise again, as a twisted, abomination. Were you injured by the undead? I can heal you if so. I have some supplies for hunting undead, most are among the villagers, but I kept some," she reaches into her belt pouch and produces two glass vials of a thick, foamy substance. "Sunburst, alchemical sunlight. Not quite as strong as the real thing, and it burns out quick, but against any undead weakned by the sun, they will feel it," she hands these to Andur, "Skeletons are fast but fragile, bludgeoning weapons work best against them. Zombies can be hard to hit down, a well placed strike, or better yet radient damage is the best way to finish them. I am afraid I have nothing to cleanse a whole graveyard, we usually just use wood and a torch,"
 
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Miri Evenwood, the Helping Hand
HP: 37/38, AC 16 (Mage Armor), Passive Perception: 16
SP: 5/6 Spells: 1st Lvl: 2/4; 2nd Lvl: 3/3; 3rd Lvl: 2/3
Active Effects: Spirit Guardians, Mage Armor
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"Is that alchemical thing the same as the Daylight spell? And which of those undead are weak to sunlight?" Miri asked.

She would also ask why didn't they just wait until the morning to send her team-mates to the church, but they surely had some reason not to. On the other hand, she had to waste one of her stronger spells just because they didn't just tell them to go to the graveyard from the start...as if it wasn't obvious enough.

Villagers rarely had the funds to hallow their graveyards, and this was just inviting the dead to rise. Miri had wondered in the past why they didn't cremate the corpses...after years she found out the reason.

Because burning the corpse didn't really ensure that an undead wouldn't be born...it would just be one without a corpse. However, she decided not to mention anything that would lower the already low moral of the survivors.
 
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Andur Estevan, The Unwilling Hero, Tag: All, Villagers Initiative: 8 Ac: 18, Buffs: -- HP: 63/71
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Andur was not so sure ghosts could send letters.. nor was he convinced of the spectres or this situations benevolence. But he didn't like shattering Miri's optimism without need.
He chuckled slightly at Ashlyn, recognizing the concern for the good end of this in her words.
"And ill befits it my knightly honor to leave these helpless folk undefended." He raised a hand to cut off Ashlyn benevolently. "I'm glad you accept this task of me, despite being my senior." He bowed ever so slightly.

"Consider this mission as safe as if you'd entrusted it to one of your bretheren, on my sword." He declared.. whilest chuckling at the taven. "I see. I expected a vineyard or somesuch.

I've barely been scratched by the creatures, but yes, I observed them tougher than I'd expect too, if you got supplies in excess I shan't mind a light healing. As for the plague.. that is bad news. It might be that more powerful individuals awaken as something more intimidating than the basic undead, I've heard sayings of undead functioning such." He pondered.
"We've fought our share of creatures before. A proper Fire-magic upon the Graveyard shall do it.
We shall be making some noise soon..." He noted adding the sun-vials to his belt, nodding gratefully and, as apropriate, recieving a light healing or item thefor too, before reaching out to the Barricades seperating the human fortifications from their undead-overrun village, and pulling him up with gracious ease again, tipping an imaginary hat, before landing on the other side.
"So make sure you got eyes on the street, in case we need to retreat here for cover." He addressed also this Kysha woman with a pointed finger, before... trying to stealth.

Although, whilest Ela blended into her surroundings, the grinding of his boots and crushing of trash did not really make him stealthy, as he drew his greatsword, approaching the church. If they weren't intercepted, hefting it in one hand, he'd first look around, before reaching into his poket to produce his crab... it'd take a peek inside for more.. suprises like they'd seen earlier.

(22 athletics for an easy success
3 Perception so that ain't working.
18 Perception if I get to pull me crab out though!
8 for a not so sexy initiative.)
 
21635 Ela'nyya Aefnee'al, The Silver Arrow

Ela stayed quiet as usual during the interaction with Ashlyn, regarding the ramshackle militia guarding the center of town with both pity and admiration. Her eyes drift to the odd canisters, happy that her party will have more tools to assist against the undead infesting the area.

"I'll scout ahead, and let you two know if I find anything" Ela said as they traversed the barrier towards the church and set off, the rogue using her natural elven talents to seemingly disappear into the mist. She made her way to the church and tried to find a safe place to look inside, but the mist she was hiding in obscured her own vision, and she couldn't make out anything.
 
"No its better. Undead don't like bright light, but sunlight burn them, or some at least. Magic cannot capture that, not until you get to the really powerful stuff, chalk this up as a victory for the alchemist and let them saviour it, they must feel a little small in the shadows of evangelists and court mages. Which undead will it be good against? Shadows, wraiths, a lot of incorporeal undead actually, seems lacking a physical form makes them more vulnerable to such forces. Vampires though, they are corporeal, but sunlight burns them quite viscously," Ashlyn explains in answer to Miri's question. "Yes lord!" the half-elf girl calls back enthusiastically, though she is perched closest to another entrance she takes her job seriously.

Ashlyn offers her hand to Andur and they shake firmly, "Suffer no false life, may the gods guide your hand," she wishes, and he feels the lingering, dull ache in his stomach and ribs fade. He then vaults over the barricade, Ela falling softly and Miri manages to scale down. On the street however Andur finds himself less able to show off, whilst the wood-elf virtually melts into the surrounding mist. A shape follows them over the barricade, stopping long enough to reveal a shock of red hair, far too intense to be natural. Dyed, or magical perhaps, it was a tell Ludovika developed in a previous encounter with Andur and Miri. Then she is gone, fading into the mist, trailing behind at a distance that allows her to hide. Perhaps she heard Andur's comment about spanking.

The mist closes in, but now that Andur has his familiar in hand, the secrets of the night are revealed to him. Darting rats within the buildings, the occasional humanoid too, a zombie that lost interest in chasing life, or cannot figure out how to get out and return to the streets, but not stay long enough for them to remember. At one point the familiar indicates something, but the limited understanding doesn't allow it to convey exactly what caught its attention. The crab calms, whatever it sensed was fleeting, but it was there, for a few seconds, and not its gone.

A dark shape becomes visible, and slowly that grey, sagging edifice of stone and wood emerges from the fog, standing atop a single rise on the pillar stones of a great cliff. Light flickers through the roof shingles, and the sound of hoarse chanting is audible within.

You are at full HP thanks to Ashlyn.

The chanting sounds like verses of a prayer, but you cannot make out the words. It is unlikely they are in Common, and perhaps they are not in any language.
 
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21638 Ela'nyya Aefnee'al, The Silver Arrow

Ela is quick to head back to the group following behind her, whispering to Andur to inform him of her plans. "There is chanting within the church, I will sneak in and ambush any enemies I come across"

With that she slinks back into the mist and makes her way into the church to investigate the odd chanting withing the large old building.
 
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Andur Estevan, The Unwilling Hero, Tag: DM, companionz Initiative: 8 Ac: 18, Buffs: -- HP: 71/71
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Andur had given Ashlyn a firm grin.. and almost as firm handshake.. now, with less of an audience to play the hero infront of, worry kept back into the focus of his mind..
He still decided to follow up on the scouting elf,.. if she got into trouble close to the troublesome graveyard he wouldn't forgive himself..

"Hoi!" He made.. before sighing at Ludovika.. that must have been her, right? He liked.. pretty women, but a bit of steadyness in the flightly female creature wasn't -that- bad.

"There are still some undead around, perhaps trapped or less aggressive." He noted to Miri.. He didn't like any of this.. this plague, set loose upon a village, it all awakened far too unpleasant memories.. and his eyes hardened.

Pocketing his crab and nodding to Ela, he readied his blade.. really, the best he could do in the situation. He didn't like holding back like this, but until Ela needed a distraction, he'd do best holdling the door and not ruining her moment of suprise, he figured.
 
Ela slips around the side, looking for a window to enter unseen. Miri, Andur and perhaps a mysterious fourth member wait at the front door to rush in. The moments creep by, strained ears hearing nothing but the sound of the night, and that faint ceaseless chanting.
 
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