"More than a little creepy..." mutters Gail feeling the edge of panic build up in her. She takes a deep breath when nothing appears to happen and grinds out, "Yes we should venture deeper."
Gail tries the door to the west.
As he begins to feel (and smell) the oddness of the place, Ozgo stops for a moment and concentrates. He tries to see if this place is indeed infused with evil, or if, perhaps, it is them who see evil everywhere they now go.
Seeing Gail opening the nearby door, Talus steps over to back her up , should anything of more substance lurk behind, "It is a disconcerting place...."
Gail opens the door to reveal
Five barrels lie in wooden braces along the walls of this dark, moldy storage room.
"Eh?" Gail noticed a small sound in the corner, "Cover me Talus I think there's something in here."
Gail moves towards where the noise came from and prods the barrel with her mace.
Malthorn remains wary of the strange pot in the kitchen as Gail checks out the closet.
Talus' head cocks in the direction of the far corner, "I heard it as well....be careful."
He stays close to Gail as she investigates....
Gail approaches and then hears scrambling and moving behind one of the barrels. In the light she spots a wounded elf standing hurriedly..he holds a dagger out in front of him and speaks in a strange tongue.
Kassimir recognizes the language immediately as that of the Dusk Elves of Barovia.
"Woah there! Do you speak common?" Gail demands urgently! She doesn't move to attack, watching the strange elf intently...
Talus had been holding his spear at the ready, but raised it's point up at the sight of the wounded elf.
Frowning, not understanding it's tongue, he looks back at the native Kassimir, "Do you understand him? "
Not watching too much in the closet area, Malthorn calls out "Whats going on? and who's that?"
Kassimir you speak the language of your race by default. Everyone also speaks "Common" by default.
The wounded elf names himself as Savid, and Kassimir immediately recognizes him as a member of the same band that lives outside of Vallaki.
He lowers the dagger he holds and says I was wounded. In the forest...the wolves. They chased me here. I heard howling so I stayed hidden.
Gail nods, the elf's words were plausible. Although it was worth studying his body language too for signs of subterfuge.
Softly to Kassimir she says, "Tell him I will pray for him." She then whispers a prayer to The Oak Father and touches him lightly. A soft green radiance spreads over his wounds, causing some to vanish.
Savid, you´re save now with us. Perhaps you can rest with us and we can heal you.
He glances sideways at Gail...
I have some magic of my own i can work and Gail here has a very good heart, serving a pleasant god.
We met some wolves, but it´s never sure how many are out there in this cursed land. You were wise to stay hidden. But why were you out in the forest alone? Kind of dangerous, isn´t it?[
The elf looks much better after his wounds are somewhat healed.
Thank you. I was hunting nearby. I was not alone. Poor Hakim, I fear he is lost. The Wolves took him first. Why are you in this place? The wolves did not attack you?
Hakim? So you lost your companion? It saddens me to hear that.
Kassimir lays a hand on Savids shoulder in a consoling gesture.
We have been attacked by wolves several times, but we could fend them off. Do you perhaps know anything about this house or place?
Malthorn continues to listen to the conversation while maintaining a watch on the door and kitchen kettle.
Gail asks, "How long has it been since you last saw Hakim? That pack is the devil's work and I wouldn't leave my worst enemy to him..."
"You planning to make another of those wolf pelt capes Gail, the last one was nice during the cold of winter. However if we plan to help his friend time is our enemy."
Savid replies to everyone
This house. It was once the home of the Silver Dragon Argynvost. He loved to stay in human form...the dragon was slain by the Devil Strahd and his followers cursed to haunt this land. It is said his Ghost haunts these ruins. I took my chances with the Ghost, for the wolves would have surely killed me. and then specifically to Gail
It's been hours. I fear Hakim is lost....
Gail listens to the story and nods slightly, "The Devil has much to answer for, I wonder if the Ghosts can be released from their torment? And if Hakim is lost, he should be avenged."
"A ghose of a dragon...hmm, if released it could be a powerful ally against Strahd." Talus muses, then looks to Savid, "Do you know where the dragon was killed, most likely place to find it's ghost."
"The children's ghost quieted in the first house we investigated but the house still retained a malevolent spirit within it.....but it's worth trying."
We should definately investigate this and free the ghost of Argynvost. I wonder how this devil could slay a dragon.
So perhaps we finish this rest and then go on exploring this haunted ruins? At least now we know what to expect a bit. Will you come with us Savid? I´m reluctant to leave you behind alone, even though it's supposedly safe here.
Do you have any ideas how to release the dragon's ghost and win him over as our ally? Is that even possible? I'm not very familiar with the boundaries of ghost's.
Everyone's eyes seemed to flick to her following Kassimir's question, "Erm... In my limited experience there's usually something specific preventing from moving on. Like giving their remains a decent burial or righting some wrong. Whatever it is will be deeply personal."
"Well we'll likely not find that something personal in the kitchen larder unless the dragon was murdered with a bottle of Port and goat cheese. Let's continue."
Spying the door on the south side of the kitchen, Malthorn opens it to see what lies beyond.
The order of the Dragon, like his own Order of the Raven was destroyed by The Devil, and that alone fuels Ozgo to wish to help this ghost, if he is able. He moves along silently with the others, deep in thought.
Gail moves to Malthorn's side, mace in hand in case of any surprises.
Malthorn moves to the southern door and
A twenty-foot-long table with sculpted dragons for legs
stands in the center of this hall. The chairs that surround
the table have backs carved to resemble folded dragon
wings, and several of the chairs have been overturned or
smashed to pieces. Suspended above the table is a crystal
chandelier that glows with a soft white light. Standing
in windowed alcoves are two life-sized statues depicting
knights with dragon-winged helms and shields.
Rainwater trickles through cracks in the ceiling, flowing
down the west wall and adding to a large puddle on
the floor.
Five sets of wooden doors lead to this hall. The doors
in the northeast corner hang open. A pair of leaded
glass doors, their panes cracked and broken, stand open
between panels of stained glass set into the east wall.
These panels depict silver dragons in flight. Beyond the
glass doors lies a dark, misty room that appears to be
a chapel.
Malthorn hears the sounds of prayer through the eastern door, which is propped open.
Gail pokes her head through and enters the room to the south. She holds her hand up for silence and cocks her head as she listens for any movement...
Malthorn moves into the room listening quietly to the prayers that seem to be coming from the next room.
Gail and Malthorn don't notice any signs of passage. The dust here is thick and undisturbed.
Kassimir follows closely, alert but curious who might be praying there.
Malthorn peeks inside the chapel to see the source of the chanting, spotting the figures kneeling in prayer, he holds up a hand indicating 5 are ahead.
if he believes they are worshiping something good, Malthorn will open the door and enter.
Malthorn recognizes the chapel as belonging to the same strange Sun worshiping religion he's seen evidence of throughout Barovia. The iconography seems similar to that of Lathander but different enough so that its recognizably different.
Malthorn opens the door and
Cracked wooden pillars support a wooden, U-shaped
balcony that overhangs this stone-walled chapel. Narrow
archways lead to spiral staircases that curl up to the
balcony, and a door set into the north wall has a wooden
beam barring it. At the east end of the chapel rests a
stone altar flanked by iron candelabras. The altar is
carved with a rising sun bas-relief. Tall, arching windows
set with panels of stained glass decorate the walls behind
the altar. One of the windows has been shattered, covering
the chapel floor with shards of colored glass and
allowing thick fog to enter and fill the room.
The five armored figures stand as Malthorn enters, as they turn to him he notices their fiercely glowing red eyes...
Malthorn also notices that while three of them look solid two of them are ghostly and wispy looking
The three solid looking creatures draw swords, while the wispy apparitions disappear. Intruders. Leave this place...or die.
Round 1
Kassimir
Ozgo
Malthorn
Gail
Talus
Revenants
Malthorn doesn't know what they are, but the fact two of them disappeared bothered him immensely. Leveling his staff.....
"Hold we're here seeking the dragon's help to combat the evil of this land."
if they start to attack him, targeting the lead revenant
Religion:
"Ware these undead, for they have a purpose. They are hard to damage...are we sure this is the way we should go? Perhaps withdrawing and leaving these guardians might be a better course?"
Guardians? Guardians of what? Do you think you can argue with them? Those red eyes do not exactly look friendly to me. And what about those wispy things?
Kassimir waits in the back, ready to cast faerie fire on the revenants should combat begin for real.
"Who killed you?" demanded Gail although she had a pretty good idea, 'I bet it was the Devil or his agent...'
Round 1
Kassimir readies a spell
Ozgo calls out a warning
Malthorn readies an attack...
Gail asks a question and gets a response The Lord Strahd Von Zarovich slew us, and our Master.
Talus holds
Revenants...move to attack. This triggers Malthorn's attacks and Kassimir's spell +2 two of the revenants are outlined in light and easier to hit.
1 (-18, attackers gain advantage) moves and attacks hitting Malthorn for
2 (attackers gain advantage) moves and attacks
3 moves and attacks hitting Malthorn for
Round 2
Kassimir
Ozgo
Malthorn
Gail
Talus
Revenants
Gail frowned, the room was too tightly packed for many of her spells, she'd just have to make do! Whispering a prayer to the Oak Father, a sudden flash of light streaks toward the revenant in front of her and Ozgo, outlining it with radiance!
"You poor. misguided souls...I am sorry"
Detaching the Holy symbol of Ravenkind from the front of his armor, Ozgo holds it out towards the revenants.
"By the holy power of the Raven Queen, I command you to leave this place and never return. You are freed of your service."
Turn Undead: DC-13
Round 2
Talus shakes his head at the tragedy, slain by the Devil but enslaved by him after death, "Let us give these poor fellows the rest they deserve..." he comments, before marshalling his inner strength...
As the revenants close in and begin to attack him, Malthorn whispers a spidery incantation of his own before disappearing and reappearing on the far side of the room, staff leveled and rays streaking out to hit the revenant closest to him.
Bonus Action - Cast Misty Step
Standard action - cast Eldritch Blast
Kassimir knows his religious inclinced friends might have something up their sleeve, so he waits what they do.
Should Ozgo's commands have no bearing, he'll shoot one of the revenants.