The giant zombie, barely holding itself together finally stops as Galador plunges his blade through its heart. It wavers, and begins to collapse as Galador the Kill-Stealer dashes through its legs to finish off the rest of the hoard.
And with that, the party begins tearing the hoards apart, with blasts of fire, cleaves of blades, and holy light. Soon the area is filled with the undead, parts scattered and motionless.
The cold night air feels pleasant on the skin, and as you catch your breath, you don't hear and see any sign of more undead coming.
Galador the Kill-Stealer
After all the excitement from the battle is over, Vasilios starts to regain control. Before them, an enormous pile of half-burnt corpses lies unmoving. Silence is only broken by their string breathing and some sparking of the flames.
"Arf, arf... I think we should get going, guys... arf... There could be more, and they'd be jealous..."
Trying to catch his breath, Vasilios looks for a good spot on the wagon and sits, hoping to reach the town and have proper rest.
Victor grimaces at the wound he received but shrugs it off, the victory acting as a salve in and of itself.
"Yes, this place seems to have endless foes and I do not wish to find any others this night".
"Is anyone injured?" asks Casdin.
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Galadoe's hot fury of STEEL rips through the decayed corpses, sending them to their final death.
Breathing hard, he cleans his blade on one of the bodies and looks around. "
I wonder where these came from: Were these sent out for a reason, or does this land have roving hordes?"
He quickly checks the bodies, looking for either information or coin.
"Aye, we'd best be away from this place and back to more civil lands. Or at least as civil as can be had."
The party quickly resuming their travels, it is a hard push towards the town through the night. Thankfully, it seems the zombie hoard had cleared most of the surrounding creatures. It is close to morning when you arrive to the gates of Vallaki.
"Halt!" a guard shouts, though not the one from the before.
"The gates remain closed until dawn. I'm sorry, but you must remain outside till the sun rises."
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"Confound!" Galador shouts at their rebuff.
"Well, we're just as like to win an argument with a mule or stone wall as we are with the cowards that line these walls. Mayhap if we just buttressed the wagon against the wall, we might be able to wait out the night? Then we can sleep in and have a restful day, eh?"
"I understand that your laws permit entry until sunrise, but will you at least give us warning if you spot something headed our way? We were attacked by the walking dead on our trip here."
Agreeing to his companions inquiries, and seeing no point in repeating the same again, Vasilios grabs a blanket and tries to find a soft spot to have a quick nap until sunrise.
While injured Victor stays quiet, he'd prefer that Casdin save his energy in case something worse comes this night.
He stays awake and alert for further threats. As the day does begin to dawn, then he will approach Casdin for aid but not before.
"Can do," one guard agrees "But in the darkness before dawn, you'll be lucky if we spot something before it's on you."
You hear a rustling from the trees as the night wind still blows strong. Then a dark shape seems drag itself from the brush.
Casdin will attempt to see what it is.
With not the best of attitudes, after nearly catching sleep, Vasilios has a careful look.
The party seems apprehensive to attack before confirming an enemy, but Casdin is able to see the threat before it leaps forward.
A ragged looking undead wolf leaps from the brush, striking at Vasilios.
It's body connects and as it sinks its maw into Vasilios, its body literally falls apart into pieces.
"What was that!" A guard yells out in surprise. "Dawn's less than an hour away, undead don't usually attack the town this close to light..."
You see the guard turn to look down below him.
"Get ready to open the gates!"
You hear some grumbling and complaining.
"I think this lot has brought the booze!"
Suddenly there's a commotion as the gate guards rush to their positions, ready to open the gates at a moment's notice.
Vasilios witnesses how the wolf lunges in for him, and tries to cast a magic shield to counter, but he reacts too slowly. Bitten by the creature, he fears he might have contracted some kind of disease or worse.
"Damn! Casdin, have a look at me! Am I infected?"
He seems too preoccupied to care for anything else.
Before Victor can get his sword out the attack has happened and is over.
"What the hell!?"
His sword is out now and he is looking at the woods for further signs of foes.
Perception
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"Oh by all the powers of Law and Flame, what the hell was that?" Galador says, marching forward and positioning himself in front of the casters. "Stay behind me! They shall break against me as the waves crest against the everliving rock and we shall tell them that THIS human town will not fall to their privations!"
Galador brings his shield up and stands like a wall of STEEL, his sword ready to slay anything that dares to test itself against his metal.
"Once they let us in, I'll take a look at your injury Vasilios."
With its last greeting of the Night, the land of Barovia bid the party a good morning as the twilight begins to overcome the pitch darkness. The gates open and the party is rushed inside, a troop of armed guards moving to guard the rear.
Casdin can make a Medicine check to look at the wound.
The town is still in its sleepy stages, barely a soul (heh) on the streets.
"It's a nasty cut, but I don't see any sign of infection yet."
"It's infection to the soul that I fear most, dear Casdin."
Vasilios is not near relaxed, since he's heard of stories about simple wounds that end up turning the patient into beastly creatures or worse. For now, though, he'll have to wait, rest and see what happens after.
"Let's get some rest and I'll check it again in the morning."
The party arrives at the inn, and a grumbling and yawing graveyard shift worker is startled to find you all, dirty, scratched, and smelling of death at the front door. He is even more surprised by what you have managed to bring with you.
You'rea ll ushered in as several workers are sent for and rushed to start unpacking the cart and supplies you've brought. You're led in, tired, cold, but within minutes there are hot baths drawn for you as well as thick cuts of freshly cooked steaks and bowls of rich stew. Each of you is given a bed at the premier suite at the end of the hallway, extra pillows, and the cleanest sheets.
It isn't long before, after warm baths and full stomachs, you all begin to drift to sleep.
Waking much later, you find yourselves still groggy from the rest you've had, but the noise coming from below in the tavern part of the inn rouses you. You're clothing has been laundered and pressed, and dried fruits have been placed in wooden bowls next to each bed.
As you make your way downstairs, the recognizable sound of singing reaches your ears, the crackling of fire, and the calls for more wine echo repeatedly in the tavern as you see the bartenders rush to fill the orders patrons call repeatedly.
Victor sits down at the bar and orders a glass of wine. Well, I almost died for it, may as well drink some hey?
He looks around the room and wonders how these people can be so merry in such a dreadful place. Perhaps they've known nothing else? I would never, didn't ever stay to my station. Look where it got me... He sits in the present but his mind dwells in the past.
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Galador also wanders down, attracted and amused by so gregarious a display in so dour a land.
He sits across and Victor and likewise orders wine, clinking glasses when his order appears.
"Well, my friend. Here's to victory," he toasts, sipping the quite literal victory wine.
He looks about, seeing if Sheva has joined them. He doubts it as her mood seems to have taken an irrevocable turn.
"What should our next step be, once we've collected our reward from the innkeep?" he asks, taking another sip of wine.
"Okay Vasilios, let's take a look at that bite."
The second check around, it seems that the bite wound is healing alright. It'll leave a scar, given the manner of creature that inflicted it, but there shouldn't be anything concerning considering disease.
Victor and Galador, you sit down for a drink which is readily available. And its....not great. It's not bad of course, but honestly, the drink is not the best you've had by far. However, you can feel the alcohol already settling in you, and it strikes you that it might be the reason why the citizens of this land can face such horrors during the day, and still find sleep at night.
A young boy finds his way to your table. He's dressed in simple dyed linens and hands Galador a note before running off.
Friends. You've done this town a great service. Your reward will be ready for you tomorrow morning, but for now, let the town celebrate, for the first time in a long while it has reason to do so
"Thank you very much, dear Casdin. I think I'll pass on the party tonight and rest well. Tell Galador to leave some wine for me" he says with a smile, clearly tired by the long and hazardous journey back.
Casdin will take the proffered bath then head to bed, not even bothering to eat.
Victor nods to Galador, "Aye,
After that perhaps we look for this Undead Knight and his allies? If we are to defeat the evils of this place we will need allies and the townsfolk'll not be the ones riding out to aid us anytime soon..."
"Nor should they. Most people are unprepared for this lifestyle."
The festivities go on for a long while, however, dour atmosphere returns as a man bursts into the room.
"They're coming! Quickly! Tell th-"
And then a man and woman step in. Both are dressed well, surprisingly well for the state of the townsfolk. They both wear smiles, the man even more so as he looks around to see the state of the celebration.
"Yes! Yes! This is what will save this town!" he says loudly, jovially in an odd sense.
You all suddenly remember the town, posters and old streamers of tattered decorations, something about a celebration taking place. Your thoughts are interrupted as the man approaches you.
"I have you to thank for raising this town's spirits?" He claps Galador so hard on the back, it could almost be damaging, but there is no malice in the man's demeanor, and he eagerly invites you all to join him for lunch tomorrow as he too would love to contribute to the town's heroes.
They leave, and silence has settled in the bar. Most folks start to leave, downing the last of their alcohol before leaving. Soon, the bar is almost empty.
Victor looks to the barkeep, "My good man, my friend asks a valid question. Who is that one who's very presence dampens the spirit of this place?"
Casdin, you get the distinct sense that while they may have been dangerous, they weren't dangerous towards you. They seemed generally thrilled to have your company and eagerly anticipate having you over.
The barkeep seems chew over the words in his mouth, as if he wished to say more but was not willing to do so.
Finally, he meagerly states.
"The mayor."
Victor seems even more baffled, "How the hell did such an unpopular man get elected to a position such as that?"
The man shrugs.
"Noble lineage mostly. Power. Money. The usual things."
"Hrmm, that's odd. I don't think they were insincere about their offer, and I don't think they would harm us while we were guests."
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"Well, yes, someone with power and money would be good to have as an ally, in this desolate land without charm or cheer. I suppose we have no reason to distrust him. Or, at least, any more than we already distrust everything about this place."
Galador too no longer wishes to make merry and begins to think of bed and their meeting on the morrow.
The party returns to bed, though ahve recently rested, in the dark lands of Barovia, traveling at night is a dangerous thing indeed.
The dawn breaks, and you are roused from your slumber by the rapping on the door announcing breakfast is ready. the party clambers down the stairs and find there's only one other person enjoying breakfast at the moment. An older man, dressed in somewhat decent clothing, snacking at an apple as he reads a small book. he pays no mind as each of you take a seat at a different table and help yourselves to the fresh bread and fruit.
"So what's the plans for today, heroes?" the barkeep asks, bringing round some hot herb stew, a few eggs cooked in the heated broth.
"We still have to cook some things up" Vasilios replies. "As for right now, I think my plans include some bacon. Is that possible?"
"I wonder, actually, what will or next step be..."