None of the seated Revenants move as Gail stalks past them and opens the doors to the room. The doors are heavy wood and screech with rust, yet open.
Light enters this circular room through five cracked windows.
The light falls on a large, dust-covered bed in the center of the room, its posts topped with wood-carved dragons. Two large animals flank the double doors. One is a brown bear standing on its hind legs, its claws outstretched. The other is a dire wolf, its face frozen in an evil snarl. Near the wolf lies an empty wooden chest.
The room is empty, the doors can be barred from inside.
"Well I suppose this place is as good as any for a breather..." noted Gail. She set about bandaging the wounded.
Mh it seems like a good place, however i dislike that wolf somehow.
Kassimir inspects the room and everything in it carefully before he would settle down.
Malthorn joins Kassimir in checking out the room, all though he pauses as the elf comments on the wolf. "Just because they tried to make a meal out of us outside the castle is no reason to dislike the decorations." thinking to himself At least until they come back to life like everything else here
Kassimir's comments seem to have shaken Malthorn, finding a spot to lean against the wall, he rest.
Kassimir, seeing Malthorn seemingly exhausted, closes in, leaning against the wall next to him and takes out a lute.
Feeling worn out my friend? Let me play you a song, perhaps it can sooth your soul...
And he begins to play some sort of very relaxing elven lullaby.
Malthorn smiles and hums along softly as Kassimir sings, the words unknown but the healing felt. "thanks Kassimir"
Talus takes a place beside Malthorn on the wall, nodding along to Kassimir's music, "Indeed, some respite would be welcome..."
Ozgo listens to the music as he explores the room, humming with the tune as he examines the dust-covered bed.
Perception:
A few hours into the rest you hear
Begone from here. There is nothing for you here. it sounds like Sir Godfrey's voice speaking to something else....after is silence.
The west wall of this fifty-foot-long, thirty-foot-wide audience hall has crumbled, leaving a gaping hole and a pile of rubble. Weapons and shields that once hung from the walls have fallen to the floor and succumbed to rust. A large, wooden throne carved to resemble a dragon with unfolding wings faces three tall windows to the west. Slumped in the throne is a gaunt, armored figure with one gauntlet wrapped around the hilt of a greatsword.
The sound of the voice in the other room wakes him briefly but as nothing enters the room they are in and the quiet once again reigns, Malthorn settles back into a troubled sleep.
Moving back through the banquet room, Malthorn makes his way towards the audience hall, leading the way into the room but stepping to the side so that others better spoken can talk to the seneschal after his announcement.
"We seek Seneschal Vladimir Horngaard, so that we may rid the land of Strahd."
And free those cursed by him and his legions! adds Kassimir.
"Indeed." echoed Gail, "We would start by lifting the curse he placed upon you..." She was conflicted by this, undead where a perversion of the natural order, but this was Strahd's doing. Somehow he was preventing their souls from crossing over, leaving a mockery behind.
The creature's grip on the greatsword tightens. "If you have come to destroy me, know this: I perished defending this land from evil over four centuries ago, and because of my failure, I am forever doomed. If you destroy this body, my spirit will find a new corpse to inhabit, and
I will hunt you down. You cannot free me from my damnation, nor would I wish it. If you have come to free this land from the creature that feasts on the blood of the innocent, know this: There is no monster I hate more than Strahd von Zarovich. He slew Argynvost, broke the life of the knight I loved, and destroyed the valiant order to which I devoted my life, but Strahd has already died once. He can't be allowed to die again. Instead, he must suffer eternally in a hell of his own creation, from which he can never escape. Whatever can be done to bring him misery and unrest, I will do, but I will destroy anyone who tries to end his torment.
That is most interesting. Would you care to tell us more about how Strahd already died once and about this hell of his own creation? Especially how we could bring him there?
Kassimir seems surprised and concerned at the same time.
"We wish only to help. Please tell us more about how to trap the Devil in his own hell."
"Interesting concept but agreeable in my estimation, yes how shall we send this devil back to his own personal hell."
Malthorn says after digesting the Seneschal's declaration.
The Revenant chuckles darkly. You misunderstand "Heroes". Strahd Von Zarovich is IN his own hell. As are we all. You think the Devil is free here? HAH! He is not. He suffers, his love is reborn and dies. Over, and over and over. I will not allow you to interfere with this cycle! Strahd must be tormented for all eternity, and we the Order of the Silver Dragon are doomed to watch it. We will never know peace. Strahd does not deserve it.
A bit at a loss Malthorn looks back and forth between Gail and Ozgo
"Umm guys???"
Ozgo is taken aback by the creatures revelation.
"We need some time to think this over...you have given us much to review.", the paladin says while slowly gripping his sword.
Gail regards the Revenant coolly, his words seemed tinged with madness.
"You seem very certain you are doomed to watch." asked Gail carefully, "Are you so sure there is no other way?"
This is the only way. No one can interfere, Strahd must suffer for all eternity. the revenant named Vladimir Horngaard states.
You get the sense that he won't attack you unless you declare your intent to destroy Strahd. Perhaps some other area in this manse holds clues to freeing these Knights from their damnation.
"Can you grant us safe passage to move through the mansion, at least against those who like you are doomed to maintain their vigil here?"
Malthorn ask the seneschal
The undead Seneschal seems to ignore you for a moment and says Not all here obey my wishes. Some of my men have become unruly. MY men will not interfere with you. Unless you make yourselves pests.
You mean the eternal suffering as undead clouded their minds a bit perhaps and now they don't follow you anymore? Seems good enough to me anyway, if not everyone and everything attacks us. Thank you seneschal.
"We'll endeavor not to become pest then" Malthorn says with a slight bow before continuing. "Who is Strahd's love that is continually reborn? If I might ask."
'A good question' thought Gail, 'and one that should have occurred to me...' She carefully considered the Senchal's words.
The Seneschal smiles at the thought of Strahd suffering from the death of his beloved over and over. '
Her name was Tatyana, she was a great beauty. She died rather than submit to the monster that was Strahd von Zarovich. Now, like all souls trapped here, she is reborn and drawn to the Devil like a moth to a flame. She is destined to die, every time, in front of Strahd. Her death like a hammerblow to his heart. His suffering is eternal. She has been reborn many times now, with different names, but every time the result is the same. Suffering.
Gail doesn't think the creature is lying. He's certainly evil, but not lying.
Talus listens carefully as the Seneschal answers the other's questions, shaking his head at the terrible waste one man's actions could cause.
"Seneschal, I assume Strahd controls the Mist...If so, why does he bring the likes of us into his prison?" he asks.
"Maybe not everything is under his control." suggested Gail, "Just enough to share his private hell with all that unfortunate enough to stray here. Anyway I think we should leave..."
"Before we go, a trip to the top of the tower would allow us a good view of the surrounding lay of the land, as it were. Seneschal, by your leave."
Malthorn sketches a bow towards the seneschal and turns towards the doorway to leave. as they exit, Malthorn ask Gail, "The young man and girl who lost their father, do you believe she is the one doomed to die as Tatyana?"
This room has dark wood paneling on the walls that rises to a height of three feet. Above the paneling, the walls are painted with murals of religious figures performing holy rites. In the center of the west wall is a tattered curtain hanging in an open doorway. Three tall, slender stained glass windows set into the opposite wall depict figures in white robes with orange sunrises behind their heads.
Know: Religion:
"They are the Morninglords, St. Andral and St. Markovia.", the paladin says in a subdued voice. He kneels and offers prayers at the foot of the two windows.
Gail nods, "Well lets see if they guard over anything that might help our cause."
She starts poking around to see if there's anything else of interest in the room.
Malthorn nods at Ozgo's explanation, "May they watch over us. Seems we need all the help we can get." Nodding at the windows, Malthorn sets to helping Gail check the room.
If nothing is found Malthorn moves out to the hallway opposite of where they saw the spiders and checks the steps at the end that lead upwards.
as Malthorn checks out an area, and Gail searches the stained glass area Ozgo hears something from a nearby room. is sounds like a prayer.
Malthorn sees the stairs lead upwards, and into light, probably to the roof.
Gail doesn't find anything of use in the small Gallery.
Ozgo quietly calls the others over and whispers, pointing at the nearby room.
"I heard something...someone in the next room. It sounded like they were...praying? Come let us investigate!"
The paladin moves off to see what the sound might have been.
Talus looks around with the others, his head turning at Ozgo's statement, "Be wary, even the devout may be corrupted..."
He follows Ozgo towards the next room...
Gail followed Talus and Ozgo, cautiously alert for anything of note.
A prayer in this place? Curious indeed. Is it still devout if it's corrupted?
Kassimir follows as well, bow in hand.
Ozgo enters the room first...followed by the others. He sees nothing, and doesn't hear the sounds he heard before.
This room is a haven for dust and cobwebs. Three narrow windows allow slivers of light to illuminate bare oak shelves along the walls and a torn, padded chair lying on its side near a cavernous hearth. A picture above the mantel has been slashed, its lower half hanging down below the frame like a torn piece of flesh. An iron door set in the south corner of the west wall hangs open on one hinge.
Ozgo's eye is caught by something in the slashed picture.
The picture shows the mansion in better days, under clear winter skies with snow-capped mountains in the background. The top of the chapel tower glows like a silver beacon.
Ozgo moves towards the mantle and moves the damaged picture so he can make it whole.
"Take a look at this? I wonder what the silver glow was...and maybe it is still here?"
"Well we did come seeking a silver sword, and there were steps leading up to the roof I believe. Shall we take a look? Oh yeah who was praying?" Malthorn ask bringing up the rear and looking around the room.