Through the Mists: In Character

[Diagasvesle]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Spoiler

Vita the Tiefling Warlock
The Old Svalich Road - Wolf Combat on Wolf Wagon
Tags: All

Sylvia's wise cracks and her shouts of extreme fortitude!! Vita just lay on the wagon floor wincing in pain even as the soft strength that she had empowered herself kept her ready to go. Bella's words lingering in the air as Vita slowly pushed herself upright now that the wolf isn't standing above her and keeping her down on the ground.

"That ah is painful." Vita grunted aloud as the dumb farm girl looked at Sylvia. "My clothes have come to ah serious harm. And covered in my own ah blood..." As Vita looked down at herself. Her naked breasts freely shown and each bump from the wago having her tits jiggling around. She mumbled to herself as she pulled on her pack and got rags and applied them to her shoulder and pressed down. The dumb farm girl didn't now how to do proper medicine, that much is clear but she is working on cleaning herself up and stopping the blood from leaving her.

"So your ah, home is just over yonder?" The tiefling looking at the road and beyond, heart calming down at the end of the fight and... feeling odd. As if she was disappointed something didn't happen, something in her mind insidiously whispering about from her dreams earlier. She looked down at her broken armor and the tingling of her light informed her of a way to repair it.

 

[Pervy]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Spoiler

Realistic one because reasons!

Sylvia
Cheerful wagon ride
Tag: Wolf tossing

"Haah.. that brings me back to memories of military initation..." Sylvia grinned, observing Vita for a moment, before noticing the girls actual distress. "Don't worry so much, its just a flesh wound, have you never been in a war?" She exhaled. "Uhmm.. there there, you'll heal, and a lot of men value a woman that can prove her robustness with a few battlescars.. where I come from." She nodded, trying to comfort Vita.

Meanwhile she scratched her chin briefly. She was pretty sure she was forgetting something about the injuries around.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Alarm ran through Esvele briefly when the Morninglord's light shone on Vita and not that bastard wolf, but Sylvia thankfully managed to handle it before it could really make a mess of anything else. As the mists swallowed up their foes and what sounded like Strahd's taunts echoed all around them, the frowning Esvele took a seat next to Vita, willing the pain from the bite in her ankle away. She took a glance at the rest of the group - her gaze resting longest on the mauled and bleeding Vita - before speaking. "Good work, everyone. Very impressive, uh, throwing, Sylvia, especially. Praise the Dawn."

She began to undress, taking off the cloth around her face, her wimple and her habit - after which came off her chainmail coif and shirt, and then the thin linen shirt that she wore in place of a much thicker gambeson. She usually didn't want to let on she was armed, after all.

That left the nun in only thin hose and her breastband, glossy black hair spilling around her face. Biting her shirt and letting it drape over her body to preserve her modesty, Esvele began to unwind the band of cloth around her chest. "Don't have bandages on me," she mumbled, around the cloth in her mouth. "So these will have to do, for now."

When the band had been removed entirely, Esvele slid back into her shirt. The nun spoke a strange arcane word that caused the loose wrappings to first glow and seem cleaner than when she'd removed them, and then Esvele started to help Vita treat her wounds, tending her own bite last.

"Shame we didn't have any silver. I think we could have taken one of them with us if we did, mayhap learned whatever it was you needed to know, Vita."

Esvele re-donned her clothing - sans her breastwrap now, of course - and offered her lap to the part-demon to rest in if she wanted it. She would also repeat that same word as before, if Vita wanted, slowly helping whatever remained of the girl's tattered wear get clean again, as her magic made the grime and blood slough out of the fabric.

----

"I don't think we lost much time to those wolves, but getting to town was always going to be a stretch. If his minions can harangue us even in the daylight, mayhap it might be best to make it a two-day trip and spend the night at this... windmill, after all," Esvele said to Ireena, now in command of the horses. The nun enjoyed debauchery just fine, but these witches reeked of opportunism to her. How could she enjoy herself if she had to be on constant watch that they would try something? It seemed like she'd be forced into a night of asceticism... perhaps just as well. She needed to try to remember what to do about those wolf bites...

Spoiler

Seems like we'd get a short rest opportunity after that? I'd like to uh, blow my Second Wind to heal up 1d10 hp?

I'd also like to roll something to learn more about our infections and what needs to be done to treat them I guess? Medicine, probably?

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Old Svalich Road
Tag: All

With the horses pulling the party and the unscathed Ireena guiding them, the combatants of the harrowing fight with the werewolves were able to take a short rest and dress their wounds.

[Everyone in the party may spend Hit Dice to regain HP, Esvele may use her Second Wind to regain and additional 1d10+4.]

[Party may make a Wisdom [Medicine] or Intelligence [Arcana] check to discern Lycanthropy and what can be done about it.]

----

Spoiler

"We'll settle in at my home," Bella said cheerfully, as though the entire experience of bloodthirsty werewolves clawing all over her and her companions hadn't bothered her in the slightest. "It's a bit cramped upstairs, the oven on the ground floor keeps things nice and toasty. And there's a stable out back where we can put your horses and ah heh... well. Just stable the horses for now."

A peel of thunder rolled across the valley, and dark clouds seemed to be blowing in from the west. It seemed like a spot of rain was coming. Making good time, they arrived about 45 minutes later at the doorstep of an old decrepit windmill that had certainly seen better days. Flocks of crows watched as they approached and then took flight, cawing as they went.

Beyond the windmill the Svalich Woods rest, though slightly down the hill, along the continuation of the small dirt road, is a small barn, presumably the stable. In a clearing just next to the edge of the woods, four large monolith stones jut out of the ground, facing one another.

"Heeeeyyyyy Beeeeeellllaaaaa!~" Came a cry from the house, and a pixie-like gleeful cackle ensued, followed by a clomping of footsteps on old wooden boards, and the bang and clash of what sounded like pans. Then the door to the windmill opened and a girl who seemed like she might be Bella's younger sister stood before them in a showy outfit and a pointy hat.

Spoiler

"Where've you beeeeeen? And say, who're the preeeetty people you brought with you? Are we doing another orgy spell again? Hrmm... a bit light on the dick aren't we? Sigh... you know I find daisy chains boooooooriiing!"

"Oh do shut up, Offalia. This is a mixed bag of adventurer types. The big one's gonna help us breed. And the horny one's gonna help us gather some ingredients from the swamp. You know... *those* ingredients."

Offalia put her hands akimbo. "Oooohhhhh... Hee hee hee. Yah! I know watcha talkin' about, sis! But mom said not to bring so many strangers home when she's not around. No more than one playmate at a time, remembeeeeeerrr?"

"Psht. Mom is so bossy sometimes. We can have fun without her."

"Awww, yeah but..."

"No buts!"

Offalia stuck her tongue out, and promptly turned around and flipped up her short skirt, to reveal her wiggling butt at Bella.

"That's why you're called Wormwiggle... silly twit! Now you take this cart to the stable. I'll see our guests inside. Is everything... uh... safe in there?"

"Yeah, I spied you coming a mile away. I made sure all the dangerous things are locked up."

"Okay, good." Bella turned to the rest. "Well then, come on in! Make yourselves at home, just ah... be careful what you touch."

As she said this, more thunder rolled through the valley and rain began to pelt down. It seemed they'd best go into shelter quickly.

 

[Pervy]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Spoiler

Realistic one because reasons!

Sylvia

You must be registered to see the links

Tag: All them folks.

"You as well and thanks be yours, though those cowardly enemies were barely worth the effort. Though as they were.. Hail Lord Drakov." Sylvia responded, without thinking much about it. "Hmnn.. silver.. I seem to recall a story.. " She stared at her companions bitewounds thoughtfully, tipping her chin.

---

"You need to renovate this place. A mans home reflects their work-ethic." Sylvia critizized the downthrodden windmill, rubbing her chin. She had known simple, but this place was in tatters.

"We are definitly light on the male gender, I've found that concerning too." She agreed with the younger witch, even without having a clue what 'daisy chains' could refer to. She blushed slightly at the breeding reminder.

"Uhm.. " She watched the bum-wiggling. "Please contain yourself young miss, that said, Bella, if your mother does not wish so many guests, We ought to respect that. Indubitably your mother only means the best in imposing such rules, for she has greater life experience.." She suggested, though without an alternative to travel to..

"What dangerous implements would you have to.. bake with?" She added, raising a brow. "What do we need to be careful about?"

Spoiler

11 int total!

 

[Diagasvesle]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Spoiler

Vita the bitten Tiefling Warlock
The Old Svalich Road then Omnious Windmill
Tags: All

Sylvia's kind words had Vita shaking her head. "Ah rather not try to uh ah, scar. Thanks for ah kind words." The dumb farm girl tried to gracefully accept. The tiefling really hoped that'd they be able to make it to some herbalist and get some salve to lessen the scarring.

She pondered if Bella's family had someone that could help with that but they'd prolly charge her another day of work. "Mmm yeah! Sylvia threw the first wolfman that savaged me and the second one! As soon as ah am less bloody I'll give yah a hug and owe ah you." Vita said happily, tagging along Esvele's words.

With Esvele's offer of help... Vita's yellow orbs showed surprise at how willing Esvele is willing to part with her only bandages. It saved her the cost of ripping strips off her few clothes in her bag for bandages... "Ah uh thank you." She graciously bowed sitting to Esvele.

Bandages around her shoulder and staunching it. She set to work on repairing her leather outfit. She wasn't good at sewing something like this without materials and Esvele cleaning it helped but... she had another way "Be restored to proper form, [Mending]" She chanted softly as she spent minutes working and slowly turning the tears and rips back into a repaired dress. "If ah um, anyone else has... damaged ah um clothes or... metal? I can ah fix it. As long as it is ah not too torn..." Vita offered.

(Casting Cantrip Mending to repair leather armor.)

She redressed in her leather armor, slowly putting it back on till it fitted her again. Esvele's offer of a lap to rest on. The tiefling went along with it. She rested her head on Esvele's lap, making sure her horns were not poking anything as she whispered "Thanks... If yah want to rest on my ah lap um when we continue on the road again, you can have it."

---

(Short Rest Effects in spoiler)

Spoiler

(Short Rest: Roll 2d8 to regain 8 + 2, 3 + 2 = 15 HP. Going from 5 HP to 20 HP. Have 1 Hit Die remaining till long rest.
Regained all spell slots from short rest.)

(Vita doesn't know lycanthropy so not rolling medicine or arcana (which she both lacks.)

The nice relaxing rest on Esvele's lap had been good for her, the tiefling decided happily. She rose up as Bella spoke horrendously cheerful after the events... Which she is most likely use too. Especially if barovian wolfmen look exactly like regular people!

"The windmill... That ah looks like it needs ah lot of ah work to get properly ah fixed up. Is it ah, left looking this way as a ah, um, way for a reason?" Vita questioned aloud at the sight of it. That thing looked light something right out of the ghost stories she heard. Her heart beat a little faster at the sight as she felt some... fear. She looked at Bella with some questioning eyes.

The appearance of Bella's younger sister and her... whole charade. Vita giggled at the sight. This is... well adorable. "Here ah let me help yah get the horsees into the ah stable." Vita called out as the first pitter patters of rain started coming down.

She hopped out of the wagon, helping Ireena out as well, and everyone else too! Before she helped with Offalia in getting the wagons to the stables and the horses out of the foul weather. Vita tried to help unless actively dissuaded or told no. Subtle words or implications are lossed on the peppy tiefling.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Esvele accepted Vita's offer to patch the tear in her habit by her leg. That was certainly a useful spell, but she simply hadn't had the time or concentration to learn it. She patted and rubbed the girl's head in thanks, and spent the rest of the ride in silence, her eyes closed as she tried to bring to mind the specifics of treating the wolfman disease they'd no doubt been exposed to. Vita had almost certainly been infected, the way the beast had tore into her... she wasn't sure if that singular bite had infected her, but best to expect it had.

----

"Have you ever had the feeling you've made a horrible mistake before?" Esvele asked as the windmill came into view from where she was seated. Granted, the walls looked sturdy enough... but everything else about the place looked so ominous. And they were meant to spend the night next to their ovens - the ones they used to bake those tempting, yet devilish pastries? Moreover, they were to spend them all sleeping in some common room together, or something? If the wolfmen's curse made them change in the night...

And there was the distaste she felt towards this family, too. Their youngest seemed sweet and hadn't given the nun a reason to loathe her within the first minute of their acquaintance, which was an improvement over the other two... though there was still plenty of time for this 'Offalia' to change the nun's mind. The name struck her as odd... 'Offalia.' Like 'offal.'

Morgantha's young one lacked the ridiculous chest her mother and sister possessed, as well. Esvele assumed she was still growing into it, but... maybe there was something about breasts that size that made this family into such wastes of flesh? And yet Vita didn't seem afflicted by anything like it...

Part of her wanted to just spend the night with their wagon so she would not have to deal with the temptation of stabbing them in their sleep, but that would leave the naive Vita and their ward Ireena vulnerable to whatever nonsense their 'hosts' had planned. Esvele wanted nothing to do with them, but she also had the impression her ward wanted to experience the pleasures of the flesh before she cloistered herself... not that the life had stopped her from indulging herself. And for all of their personality defects, these women did have nice tits...

Grudgingly, the nun hopped off. She curtsied to the new sister and allowed her to take the cart, but she kept close to Ireena and Vita.

Spoiler

Rolling Wis/Medicine pls.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

DM
Windmill
Tag: All

Spoiler

Esvele rolls a 7+5 = 12 for her Wis(Medicine) Roll) which is not enough. Others were equally not able to notice or recall the effects of a werewolf bite, beyond normal medical procedures to treat animal bites and infection.

Bella responded to the observations given by the party in turn.

"This isn't a *man's* home, young Miss Sylvia. It's a home to three women, who function just fine in our own way! All a fancy, tidy home would get you in this place is unwanted visitors. People tend to shun a scary old windmill. Hehe, they call it the Old Bonegrinder in Vallaki. And it's just as well. We don't *want* visitors that we don't invite. So we keep it this way to make sure most keep cleared off."

Bella harumphed and nodded to herself, as if she were making obvious sense.

"Also, ye don't know my mother. The old bat is crazy. But she's family, so I suppose I'm stuck with her. Anyways, nothing is dangerous so long as you keep your hands to yourselves! Don't drink or eat or take nothing that isn't yours. Fair and only warning!"

Meanwhile, the injured Vita was able to staunch and dress her wounds with Esvele's help, and then mended her leather armor back together with her cantrip, making it almost as good as new. When Vita asked her question about the need for renovation, it was answered by Bella's insistence that they kept their home looking bad just to dissuade unwanted guests.

"Tut tut, you'll be warm inside, don't you worry. We plug up the leaks that are particularly bothersome," Bella said to both Esvele and Vita, just as young Offalia wandered into view and began her little back and forth game with her sister.

Then when Vita and the others offered to help the youngest witch with the horses, she waved them off.

"Dontcha worry about it! I'll take extra good care of the little horsies. Love 'em to death, I do! I'll put them right next to our two cows and our piggy. You can meet them all tomorrow, after you get some sleep. Now away with you, shoo, shoo! Get inside and have some nice pastries. Mother had me make a new batch while she was out visiting Barovia. You should try them, to see if mine are any good. She's only just started letting me bake!"

Offalia beamed proudly and then with a fey skipping gait, she took the horses by the reins and walked them, cart and all to the stable.

Bella added, "Go on, inside you go. Offalia has an independent streak in her. She'll get mad if you act like she can't do it on her own. (Even though more often than not she's hopeless by herself...)."

The party could decide if they wanted to cede to the sisters' wishes and go directly into the windmill.

Spoiler

If anyone really wants to push to go to the stables with Offalia after this, let me know and I'll write a spoiler in the next post, otherwise you all go into the windmill door...

----------------------
Bella Sunbane
The Old Bonegrinder (Ground Floor)
Tag: Those who went in.

The ground floor of the old mill had been converted into a makeshift kitchen, however the room is as filthy inside as the mill was outside. Baskets and old dishware are piled everywhere. Adding to the clutter is a peddler's cart, a chicken coop, a heavy wooden trunk, and a pretty wooden cabinent with flowers painted on its doors. In addition to the clucking of the chickens, the visitors could hear toads croaking.

The sweet smell of pastries blends horridly with a stench that burns the guests' nostrils. The awful odor comes out of an open, upright barrel in the center of the room.

Warmth issued forth from a brick oven against the wall, and a crumbling staircase ascended the wall across from it. The wind from the valley causes the old mill to shudder, and the pitter patter of rain grows more intense as a torrent begins to come down.

"Have a seat by the oven. I recommend it, for those of you who require things like warmth," Bella said, standing before them, a smile on her face.

"Just give me a moment to put my things away upstairs, and I'll be right back down. Hopefully Offalia will join us shortly too."

So saying, she charged up the stairs two planks at a time, hitting her shoulder against several hanging pots from the ground floor rafters next to where a railing ought to be (but wasn't).

This left the travelers alone for the moment with the conflicting sweet and horrid smells and the sounds of clucking chickens and croaking frogs.

 

[Pervy]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Spoiler

Sylvia
Ominous windmill -> Insides
Tag: All them folks.

Sylvia scratched the back of her head. "Don't praise me for throwing two of the wolves, I should have dealt with all three more decidedly. And defending the innocent is a warriors duty, you owe me nothing." She said, with a humble tone.

While the others rested, Sylvia had remained pretty much stoically sitting about, arms crossed, untouched by the combat, to be fair, none of the wolfs had targeted her before being tossed away.

"Hmnn tidy.." Sylvia repeated at Bella, as if the word had a bad aftertaste she had to digest first. "Don't worry! I never steal drink or food! Thats a capital crime in Falkovnia, punishable by whippings, torture, and staking, as apropriate for vile criminals that take from the public goods mouth!"

She then nodded to the shooing with the same slightly hesitant compliance she had shown towards Esvele, moving into the Windmill."Alright, sure. I'd be err.. grateful to taste your pastry creation?" She suggested, looking around in the windmill. She'd buy the 'scaring off folks' excuse, -if- the windmill looked prim and proper from the inside.

"A group of women should really keep their place cleaner, as to present themselfs as proper housewifes for the taking." Sylvia complained, she was used to simple living circumstances, but still, she expected some effort. She glanced at the smelly barrel, raising her brows, peeking at it with an unobserved moment.

"Clearly, if this is exemplary of all the homes in this land, you direly need the great Lord Drakov to liberate you." She harumphed, seeming hardened enough to not require to warm up at the fire immediatly. The place seemed rather odd, but to her, -all- spellcasters seemed odd either way. If you lacked physical discipline, no wonder your home looked like this.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

DM
Smelly Barrel
Tag: Sylvia

The barrel reeks of something like rotten fermented fish mixed with.... ugh. Plague rats? Who knew... something awful that was for certain.

The lid on the barrel covered what seemed to be something like an oily liquid black-green sludge inside. The smell got worse when the Falknovian edged the lid open to peek...

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

"We are acquainted with your mother. We met her as she was attempting to put a small boy in a sack. The parting was mostly civil, if not pleasant," came Esvele's reply when the woman mentioned her mother.


The nun grabbed Ireena's arm and whispered into the woman's ear, once they were alone. "No pastries," she said. "You've seen what they do to your people."

She repeated the warning to Sylvia... though she guessed that she would have been thrown if she tried to grasp the woman, so she instead settled for tapping her shoulder and standing tip-toe to whisper instead. "I would advise against the pastries. We have had previous experience with them. ...Additionally, it seems they are prepared... here." She motioned to the filthy room surrounding them.

The nun was grateful for her mask's protection as she approached the filth-barrel with the foreigner. When she opened it to see what was inside, Esvele brought a hand up to cover her mouth and nose. "Morninglord above, close it back up again. That's a stink you can taste. We'll want as little of that in the air as possible if we're to sleep in here with that stench," she said, her crinkled eyes plain, even if the rest of her expression of disgust wasn't. For all their seemingly high opinions of themselves and bearing, she'd expected at least a home with the cesspool outside.

 

[Diagasvesle]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Spoiler

Vita the bitten Tiefling Warlock
Omnious Windmill
Tags: All

"Why is it ah, named, the Old Bonegrinder? That ah, sounds like some sort of place that ah earned its ah name." Vita spoke with an confused expression looking at the windmill. If it is still called that, then that means it had to be real bad. A prickle of fear stabbed Vita in the heart. She wasn't sure of this place being safe. But that couldn't be so, not with how Morgantha, Bella and even their sister Offalia, were all living here. In their strange manner.

At least Bella affirmed that the windmill will keep them warmth. Hopefully lighted too. Vita did not like the look of those stormclouds which were blocking out the sky... She rather hoped for some starlight or moonlight tonight to at least have some light. Not that she needed it. But it always felt... nice to have. She felt a tingling in the light inside of her. As long as she breathed, she'd be able to bring forth light.

"Ah. Thank yah then Miss Offalia." Vita smiled at the perky wiggly bum girl as she took the horses and cart. She thought on trying another dream pastry... But that last dream. The idea of wolves slamming her onto the ground... Slobbering all over her... Slamming- She flushed, shaking her head, mumbling "What is ah wrong with me?"

She sat down by the oven, stretching out her arms and hands for warmth while Bella went and did her thing. Sylvia talking in the background. She waved Ireena to come over and sit by her as she whispered "Ah think I may ah be having thoughts about ah... Esvele's suggestion with ah what Miss Bella would ah do." Vita trying to roundabout way mention the milking idea. The place inside stunk badly and who knew how clean the stables were. She didn't mind getting dirty but getting dirty enough to smell like that horrid stuff isn't something she would like at all.

Vita felt semi-sick just from the smell alone. She knew she wasn't eating anything tonight. Especially with the images of one of those wolves still hunting the back of her mind as he fell screaming to his death, accusing her of doing the foul deed.

"Ah, um Esvele, earlier when those ah wolfmen under ah false intent approached us, how ah did you know?" She asked the battle nun.

 

[Pervy]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Spoiler

Sylvia
Ominous windmill, ground floor
Tag: Esvele and Vita, primarly.

Sylvia, though she had a strong stomach was not one to tempt fate, closing up the barrel.

"Alright, hold on, can we slow this down, I'm new to these lands but I'm pretty sure you don't normally put children into bags." She narrowed her eyes.. the 'no pastries' thing and the dirtyness of the place were getting her worried. She kept her voice low as she said:

"Alright, this.. Bella person, I only met a few hours earlier. Granted, I've known you for less, but do any of you get a bad feeling about this place? Now I do not wish to cast undue accusations upon poor, downthrodden bakers or anything, but any food created here would simply not be healthy, if this was a baker for the military, they'd get stacked twice over.." she mused.. then added:

"You seem a rather suspicious nature and were right about those wolfs, what do you think of the matter?" She regarded Esvele, with crossed arms, clearly not certain about stuffing children into bags.

"Either way, I can do without eating for a while, starving new recruits hardens their spirit, we say. That said, I cannot rest in a place that is this unclean. Ones gear should always be in top condition for engagements with the enemy and this is not guaranteed here. We should show our gratitude to our hosts for letting us stay here and offering us food, even if we don't take it, first by cleaning up." She decided. Unless anyone stopped her, she'd reach out for the barrel, intent on carrying it outside, first things first.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

DM
Old Bonegrinder
Tag: All

"It's probably called the Bonegrinder to scare people away from it," Ireena offered.

The noble woman looked around the filthy place with as much disdain as the others in the group. She didn't even go near the barrel and when Esvele mentioned the pastries, she readily agreed that they shouldn't be eaten. She seemed to notice Vita's temptation and sat down with her, taking her hands into her lap and covering them with her own.

"You mustn't eat the pastries here. This place doesn't feel right," Ireena said. Then she blushed as the talk of milking came up.

"Really? You too?" Ireena bit her lip ashamedly. "As soon as it was mentioned, I wondered as well. But, really, is it even possible? We'd have to be pregnant, wouldn't we? Seems a bit fantastical."

"Oh, I'm sure your hosts have a way of managing it," the fiend's voice spoke up from within Vita, though only the tiefling could hear it.

(In Vita's mind)

Spoiler

"This is the home of a coven of hags. Night hags to be precise. I recognized Morgantha from the village, but didn't want to say much at the time, for fear she'd recognize my presence. You're right to be afraid."

The inner fiend sighed.

"I've had dealings with her before, and we aren't on pleasant terms. I cursed her and her bloodline with the worst thing a fiend could give to a hag: beauty. Not inner beauty mind you, no fiend does that, but I granted her sexual attraction. You should have seen her when it first happened. She literally clawed her own face off. But my magic brought it back - a contract is binding after all. Hrmm.... I guess after all this time, she's managed to deal with her appearance by putting it to vulgar use. A child stealing prostitute seems about right."

Ireena rose her voice in objection, sounding doubtful. "But, didn't they say not to touch anything? These are witches... it could be some sort of... spell?"

 

[Pervy]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Spoiler

Sylvia
Ominous windmill, ground floor
Tag: Ireena primarly.

"Well, I apologize for being difficult, but spell or no spell, I refuse to rest in this place in its current state. My warriors honor forbids it. Either it shall be cleaned up, or I shall rest outside. I don't like the whole witchery lot, though I try to be unprejudiced in strang elands." Sylvia nodded, seeming uncompromising on this one, looking at the others.

 

[Diagasvesle]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Spoiler

Vita the bitten Tiefling Warlock
Omnious Windmill
Tags: All

"Ah. Um. When we met Morgantha, she was uh peddling her business in the Village of Barovia. The ah uh other way on the uh road. She had um ah, told the parents and ah consumers of her pastries the deal and ah costs and... She didn't collect on it till they missed their ah payment multiple times?" The dumb farm girl trying to remember. She and Esvele had confronted the pastry seller. "It is ah wrong but... ah cannot say on how wrong it ah is. As ah the, um... Burgermaster?" She stumbled on pronoucing the title of the father of Ismark and Ireena's. "He ah didn't stop it while it had ah gone on in his lands. Not sure if he ah could've stopped it. He and ah his family." She motioned towards Ireena. "Were all in an ah bad place. Thankfully, ah Esvele is made of ah stern stuff. While I ah, tried talking to Morgantha and ah paying off the ah families debt, Esvele rescued the child. Ah Lucian?" She looked at Esvele, trying to confirm the boys name. "There was ah no child napping in front of us on that ah day... But we didn't ah follow her around the whole ah town and instead left ah immediately..." She brightened up. "Oh! That means we can ah meet her here and see if ah uh, she has child napped more ah children!" Brightening at that thought before falling inwards on herself. "Oh, that is uh, not a joyous ah, um, thing to voice."

The longest speech ever done by the tiefling finished. The story of meeting Morgantha with some pertinent details labeled. She hummed thoughtfully as Ireena spoke. "Ah know my villages old ah tales. Things don't ah get names without ah some ah bad event happening to ah give them that name." Vita offered. She remembered the troll's Stump in the far side of the forest by her village. She remembered that tale spoken of how a big troll once sat on that stump and guarded it jealously.

"Yeah ah. Don't eat the um ah pastries unless you ah want... um ah..." She flushed and looked at the warm oven. "Very warm ah dreams that go into things you ah, hadn't thought of ah um, before...." The dumb tiefling stumbling over her words.

"Ah um, I think that they will ah... do something ah magical? To ah get us like that... But if this is ah how the inside of their ah um place looks like." She indicated the windmill interior. "How ah much worse is the ah stables or um ah, other places? I do not mind ah the muck and mud. Ah do mind trying to do ah...fun things in ah it. It ah feels like an um ah..." Vita just wrinkled her nose, the stench lingering and making her feel greasy and unwilling to do things like that.

The cryptic fiends words... Then that dropping of knowledge.

(In Vita's Mind)

Spoiler

"N-nnight hags!? Those ah sound um ah scary. Wh-what are uh ah Night Hags?"

Vita's mind whispered that question at the fiend, her voice sounding fearful. The thought of Morgantha being cursed to be beautiful hadn't crossed Vita's mind! But for her to be like that... Cursed by the undulating darkness within her contained by the light. To go so far as to claw her own face off!

"She sounds ah as if she'd do ah um unspeakable things to ah me to get to you."

"Ummm ah... something ah just came to ah my mind. Could ah this mill be named after ah um, Grave Hags? Dark creepies that ah feast on peoples bodies in their ah graves if they aren't ah buried properly? Taking ah their um bones to their ah lair?" (Witcher 3 Reference for Grave Hags. Not sure if those are proper DnD stuff.) Vita supplied after a moment of thinking.

"Let us ah talk to one of the ah hosts. Um Bella said she would be down in an ah moment." Vita cautioned Sylvia.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Fiend
Vita's Mind
Tag: Vita (the uneducated, but potentially still wise farm girl)

Spoiler

"Night Hags do unspeakable things as a matter of course," the fiend went on.

"They were once fey creatures. But they were so dispicable and evil, that they were banished to Hades, the Lower Plane that represents evil in its purest, untainted form. Their ugliness on their outside is meant to represent their souls, and being creatures of evil, they adore their ugliness and love their filth. That's why everything here is so messy. If you tried to clean it up, they might go berserk. They tend to hate everything and everyone, even other hags, but they cooperate because when they get into groups of threes, they are stronger."

The fiend sighed, drawing up an old memory.

"I once came into a rather large number of soul larvae that I *borrowed* from a demon lord. I had been commissioned by a powerful patron to create a completely unique creature. My bright idea was to mate with a Hag. The idea is revolting, even for me - really, I regretted my decision quite quickly, but I was stuck with it by a certain point... ah, nevermind. You don't need every detail. Long story short: I bought her off with a fortune in souls, trapped her ugliness in a mirror and, as a joke, let her see herself in the mirror after the "deed" was done. She broke the mirror of her own volition, preventing her from getting her true form back. I barely escaped Hades alive, she was so pissed! And naturally being so beautiful, she couldn't remain living among all the other hags on Hades, so I guess she fled to this place.

"Heh heh... oh yeah, if she finds me, she's going to absolutely murder you to get to me. Unless you put me in someone's body? A child would be particularly easy to dominate. But if you wanted to be extra naughty, you could make love to a man and at the moment of orgasm, let me free.~ Then you wouldn't need to suffer my presence anymore."

------------------------
The Old Bonegrinder

There came a stomping from upstairs as Bella was returning, and then from the outside, up the path was the skipping sound of Offalia, who was humming to herself like a child would.

[Any last minute actions should occur now before they enter, if you want them to. If you're moving the barrel, describe how you're moving it and to where.]

~~~

"Hellooooo~" Offalia announced as she opened the door, waving and beaming a toothy smile at all the visitors. She sniffed the air deeply through her nose and sighed happily.

"Mmm~ Don't the pastries smell lovely? I followed mother's recipe perfectly! I made the pastry dough! I put all the lovely mince inside. I even took the ripest berries from the forest. The juiciest!"

She skipped across to the tray of resting pastry and wafted it with her hands. At that time, Bella descended the stairs and the small area became quite cramped.

"All right, I've tidied some of the beds up in our room. There's some space for a couple of you to stay there tonight, if you don't mind rubbing up against one another."

"Ooh~ Ooh~ You can share my bed!" Offalia giggled and pointed at Esvele. "I betcha I could make you smile, frowny lady."

"Mmm... feel free to murder my sibling in her sleep, and spare me of her incessant cheeriness," Bella said to the nun, adjusting her glasses. To this, Offalia again stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry at the older sibling, who deftly ignored it.

"So, we'll wait for morning for all the ingredient gathering and such, but if there are any questions you might have, we can while away the storm with a bit of shared stories, if you like. Maybe this would be a good time for you travelers to get to know one another," Bella suggested.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

"It is entirely possible it's just a scary name to keep folks away," Esvele said, when questioned about the name. "It is also entirely possible it isn't. Milled bones make for good fertilizer... though of course, most use animal bones," the nun stated matter-of-factly. "We use it at the Abbey... it helps us grow enough to feed everyone. Either way, both reasons are not mutually exclusive... and names are merely words. This is place is what you see: a run-down windmill, home to a trio of eccentric, sorcerous women." She eyed Vita. "Ah... I don't think I've ever encountered those kinds of terrors here... I suppose it would explain what they do with people they bring here - assuming she wasn't being truthful, of course. Hmm... didn't Morgantha say she's brought people here before, to 'help with her baking'? You'd think they'd have quarters, or something..."

"I think we ought to be cautious, but they seem like they don't intend ill. They seem hold value their family strongly, and outsiders little. Hope for a fun night, be wary for enchantment, I suppose. Probably rotating watches, like how we did last night?" she said, looking over at Vita.

Esvele went to lay a hand on Sylvia's arm when she mentioned moving the barrel. "You will not sleep outside. Things far worse than werewolves will take you, and even if you could fight them off, you would find no rest. Besides, perhaps the barrel is a tool of defense? I doubt any wolves would want to approach such a potent 'aroma'. Werewolves, too - could you imagine if a mug was dumped on one from one of the windows above? All that oil, soaking into its fur?" The others could see the edges of Esvele's eyes crinkle. The grin beneath Esvele's mask wasn't malicious... mostly.

She cleared her throat. "Whenever the Abbey needs something, they send me, so I travel often, and I'm over forty. Barovians know danger, but you do not live that long alone on the road unless you learn to avoid danger as well." She tapped the side of her skull. "The mists hide much on the road - evil is done and gotten away with easily there. The wolves were very open and friendly, where Barovians would be more circumspect.

"The mountain pass offers few places to run - there is only forward, backward, and over the side. Over the side is clearly not an option, turning the cart backward would have taken too long, and they'd blocked forward. They wouldn't have done that if they hadn't hoped to make us stop to brutalize us at their leisure."

The nun brushed the front of her habit down, her eyes flicking towards Sylvia. "Well, not on my watch. I hope you'll trust me next time, or at least not threaten to kill me right in front of our enemies."

She then went to sit against one of the walls, as far from the stink as possible. She wasn't that cold... not yet, at least. "And yes, Lucian. I was going to pay her off, but Vita was quicker with the purse.
Either way, it worked out. Mmm... as for Morgantha, I think she found a young woman after she left us and continued about her 'business'. No bag that I saw, this time." When inevitably questioned how she knew, Esvele would just reply, "Birds, you know."



"I'm sure you could, Offalia," Esvele said to the girl. "You're a delight, truly." However, the nun then feigned a yawn. "Unfortunately, I'm old and tired. I think I might feel a headache coming on, too. Maybe another time?"

Esvele inwardly hoped her curse wouldn't kick in tonight, when she was surrounded by beautiful, very eager women. Oh, how very and completely terrible that would be. ...Truly, though, it would be hard to hold back, and she didn't know what they had in mind... or what they could do to her when she was vulnerable.

She wanted to ask about the barrel and why they made no mention of it... but she really thought it better not to ask.

 

[Pervy]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Spoiler

Sylvia
Ominous windmill, ground floor
Tag: Allish, Bella primarly.

(Considering Esveles response to come first before the witches join for a part)

Sylvia sighed, considering for a long time, thinking things through, as she kept her thoughts to herself. She left the barrel be, for the time being however, then, she approached Bella, and bowed.

"I am new to this land, and its customs and I much apologize for this, but it is my impression that you are a villainous person. While I do not intend to go back on my word and payment, I demand to be told of the truth. Do you abduct children and rob graves, possibly for nefarious purposes?" She inquired, calmly, but sternly, her eyes piercingly focused upon Bella.

"As Kriegerin of the great army of Falkovnia I cannot tolerate any such villainry. I request you release any trapped young ones and although I thank you for your assistance on our travel, I cannot tolerate wicked deeds as such."

"Thus, I am afraid I need for you to provide an explanation as to your true nature and the state of this place, lest I have to bring you to justice before the nearest authority, I apologize for the inconvenience!" She saluted calmly, then drew her greataxe, keeping it at the ready, if not too threatening.. for now.

"If you feel insulted by my accusations born of a foreigners ignorance I am prepared to test my blade against yours in honorable combat, but I'd advice against this, for I wish not to hurt you." She slammed her hand onto her chest, and added, for good measure, a: "Glory to Falkovnia!"

 

[Diagasvesle]

Re: Through the Mists: In Character

Spoiler

Vita the bitten Tiefling Warlock
Old Bonegrinder
Tags: All

(Vita Mind Convo)

Spoiler

"Matter of course...? Does that mean... that their going to try doing something to after the deal is complete?" Vita stumbled mentally at the thought. That the spirit of the deal is going to be... broken as soon as the letter of the deal is completed.

The anecdotal story the darkness inside of her relayed at her... It sounded as if nefarious plots and ideas abounded but came to a rather self-destructive end. Through at his coy words.

"I rather you be born of my own flesh with my light coiling about you then do anything...like that." As she shivered, not wanting to allow him to take over a child's soul or a man's.

Esvele's words on Morgantha bringing others here. Others that were most definitely not here. And from how the fiend spoke to her at what Night Hags did. His story really pressed her to... say something. But what could she say that would make it a lick of sense? A seed of doubt wormed inside of her heart. She couldn't speak of it here.

The internal indecision isn't seeable on Vita's face but her moving tail showed her mood... Offalia and Bella's words in the background and Vita flinched at their return. Then... The spiral of suddenly the boisterous woman laying out her words calmly and pulling her axe.

Vita's eyes widening as she stared in shock. "Wh-wha-what?! Thats ah uh not good! Pulling ah uh a weapon in anothers ah uh home! Be um calm about this!" Vita sputtered as she stared at the Sylvia. Her words coming out high pitched and shocked.