Urrnir looks at the door sternly. As much as the pleading tore at her heart strings, she knew far too well how trust could be twisted in Strahd's domain.
She shouts back to her companions "What of the priest, have you woken him?"
What are ye doing! There's a wee one in there! He rushes to the priest and shouts in his ear. WAKE UP YE DOLT! YER CHILD IS STARVING! He then rushes to the door.
The man is difficult to wake, and reeks of wine. Bazim shakes him awake and he sits up groggy from being woken in such a state. As Emron rushes into the hall the man he becomes agitated and shouts, Wait! Don't open that door! My son is not well!
He stands and falls forward before standing on wobbly legs.
The aging priest speaks quickly with slurred speech, I tried to drive the evil from him, but it is beyond my power to do so. So I must through myself before the Morninglord to ask for another miracle in this land; it happened for St. Markovia it can happen if my faith is strong enough.
He stumbles back to the altar, So please, leave me to all I have left. Tears come to his eyes as he wails prayers that are difficult to understand through his emotion and drunkenness.
Emron stands before the trap door. There is a soft knock, Please feed me, my father has locked me in here and does not open the door even to feed me or quench my thirst! I am starving, please help!
Balandusk looks at Urnir, and over at the priest. "Are you saying we should trust the words of a drunken lunatic and not those of a child being tortured by not being given food and water?"
"How can you be so dense!?" snaps Urrnir in response "You've seen the fiends that infect these lands! You've seen the pathetic creatures that its people have been reduced too! You can see even know the claws of beasts that have sundered the walls of this once hollowed place!"
"The power of Strahd twists the innocent, turns it into something dark and malicious. Do you not understand that whatever lies beyond this door is just as likely to be a beast as it is a child?"
Urrnir leaves the door and returns to the priest, and grabs him by the collar. "What happened to the boy?" she demands.
He went with that damned wizard. That man had power, but this is not his land - this is the land of the Devil, the priest begins sobbing, Please, I know the Morning has stopped coming but my faith is all I have left and I will not give up hope. I know the stories, I know holiness cannot ever truly be snuffed out!
He cries out again and says, My boy has been home for almost a month I think. I didn't have the strength to save him... he has become one of Strahd's. I locked him underneath the church for weeks. Each night he breaks my heart. The sobbing intensifies, I... failed.... as a... father... He speaks some more but it is impossible to understand.
Bazim listens to the fallen priest and his heart is filled with sadness.
"It is a terrible thing to lose your faith and to be tested so sorely. Is there no way to help your son, or is he truly lost to the darkness of this place?"
Bazim approaches the alter and, removing his own holy symbol, lays it on top. He then sends a prayer to Moridan to help all within this cursed place and to help sanctify this holy temple.
If I knew what could help my son, I would have tried it myself, he sits, I don't know what can be done at this point. I can't let him go, but I can't go on like this.
He came to this town about a year ago, I didn't involve myself in his nonsense but Doru - my son - became enraptured in his flowery speeches, the priest says, He ran away from home to join the wizard, and I did not know what happened after. Obviously the wizard failed, though I did not see him joining the march.
My son is a monster, reduced to nothing more than one of the Devil's playthings, he says sadly his voice cracking, Call it whatever fiend you wish he hungers for blood and obeys no one but Strahd.
Balandusk looks at the others. "I don't know what we should do." He looks at the priest. "Did you say your boy has been here a month? Most people would have been dead going that long without food or water. Yet he still lives?"
Bazim steps away from the alter and speaks to the priest.
"What would your god say? How would he want you to move forward from this tragedy? You are a man of faith and while it looks like evil has taken hold of this place, do not let that faith waver or you too will be lost. I do not know if my god can hear me, but I will vow to you here and now before the alter of your deity that I will do whatever I can to help your people fight back to the light and remove this evil from your land."
I am sure you will try with all the others, but your fate is as solid as cast stone. My family has held the priesthood over this small church for hundreds of years, and in that time there has been no man, beast, or anything else that withstood the Devil. Just taking this land his army destroyed the guardians of this valley, and even the Morninglord's brightest hero died by his hand, he says looking out the window into the graveyard, Please, if you really wish to know what your future looks like standing against the Devil just spend the night in this village. I recommend heading west to Krezk, it's outside Strahd's direct influence and St. Markovia's abbey can shield the faithful against the Devil.
He paused before adding, Now would be the perfect time to go too. The Devil has taken an interest in the Burgomaster's adopted daughter, and isn't paying close attention to other playthings. You can escape his influence without him noticing you!
Near you the trap door shakes violently as it is hit. The howls of the hungry Doru echo in the quiet church.
The priest stands, I need to clean the tombstones, it has been some time since I have done it last. The task will take me some time, but you are free to stay in the church if you wish.
He walks to the front door and removes the bolt, and walks out of the building. Emron notices he dropped something on the dirt path in front of the doors to the church.
Doru beats on the trap door creating ripples in the standing water.
"So the priest is telling us to do what he cannot. Should we open the door and put his son out of their misery?" Balandusk looks down at the trapdoor. "I personally think we should. I just hope the priest doesn't turn on us for it."
Urrnir finds a lantern in the priest's office, filled with oil. She is able to awkwardly hold it with her badly injured hand and still grip the longsword with her right.
Bazim steps down the stairs slowly, they are carved from clay under the wooden church with a wooden rail. The floor is clay, and a layer of mist seems almost trapped in this room standing 6 inches deep. The room is a fifty foot square, and dotted every 5 feet with a support beam standing from the floor to the ceiling (all ranged attacks are against half-cover down here). The floor of the church has large narrow wooden beams - similar to the unique style of the house you came from, but rougher cut from uneven pine.
???:1d20 ⇒ 10
There is a creaking sound, but no sign of anyone down here as Bazim sets foot on the ground with Urrnir not far behind.
When a hand with long twisted nails grabs her ankles, she twists away quickly taking a step back seeing a grey-skinned teen with greasy hair and torn clothing. Doru screeches, Yes! Come here, feed me! and lunges.
Doru Claw:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
But he gets blocked by the railing of the stair, leaving Urrnir lots of space to step out of the way.
Doru, frustrated by being denied his prey runs on all fours to the base of the stairs and Bazim, pouncing.
Doru Claw:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
The claws tear into Bazim's shoulders, and he find himself held tightly by the creature. Doru whips his head forward and sinks his teeth into Bazim's neck. (DC13 to escape the grapple as an action.)
Doru Bite:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Bazim's quick reaction let him raise his shield just in time to push Doru's face away though the claws still grip Bazim's shoulders.
DM Notes:
Urrnir 9/29 HP - inspiring word 3/3 - severed thumb
Emron 1/23 HP - rage 0/3
Bazim 15/20 HP - 1st level 2/2
Balandusk 14/24 HP - ki 1/3
The blow lands on Doru's face shattering his nose and cheek bones grotesquely, though no blood comes from the wound and his skin does not show any damage. As Doru howls Emron yells, It feels like striking steel with a hammer!
Urrnir slashes at the arm the teenager is using to hold Bazim, but he is able to brush the sword away with his other forearm. Balandusk attempts to grab onto him to pull him off Bazim allowing the dwarf to break free with his own power (I changed the Grapple to the Help action, Grappling Doru doesn't help Bazim escape at all. If you disagree with this, let me know.).
You see Doru stand to the side, his bones knitting back together as you watch his face fully heal from Emron's strike. Doru lashes out against Emron with his claws.
Doru Constitution Save:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
But when he moves he stumbles and gets back up again unsteadily. It appears even with the healing Emron's critical strike has caused some detrimental injury to the creature it can't easily shrug off.
DM Notes:
Urrnir 9/29 HP - inspiring word 3/3 - severed thumb
Emron 1/23 HP - rage 0/3
Bazim 15/20 HP - 1st level 2/2
Balandusk 14/24 HP - ki 1/3
Now free from the grip of the vampire spawn, Bazim beseeches Moradin to bless his hammer in slaying the foul undead. His hammer pulses with light as he swings it at the creature.
Urrnir doesn't manage to land a blow, but Bazim's blade ignites with blessed light and his strikes lands true.
Doru Injury:1d20 ⇒ 8
The blade strikes the side of Doru causing serious damage and snaping bone. Emron is able to smash his maul against Doru once more, but again it feels like striking a lump of iron.
Doru retreats, crawling along the floor on all fours. His wounds sizzling and not re-knitting like before.
Doru Constitution Save:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
He disengages and manages to move along the floor up a wall and on the ceiling to the south screeching in pain the whole time. It appears he is trying to escape the basement out the trapdoor!
DM Notes:
Urrnir 9/29 HP - inspiring word 3/3 - severed thumb
Emron 1/23 HP - rage 0/3
Bazim 15/20 HP - CD 0/1, 1st level 2/2
Balandusk 14/24 HP - ki 0/3
I'm assuming you are using Dodge/Tunnel fighter Urrnir. Bazim, Urrnir can block the opening up the stairs, you can attack Doru if you stay on the floor of the basement - but not if you move to try and cut off his escape.
