"Oh... it seems we're late for the fair..."
"I wonder what sort of local festival we missed?"
Eventually, a very gaunt man in somewhat wrinkled servant's clothes opens the front door and greets the party.
"The Baron is waiting for you in his study, if you would follow me."
He speaks in a slow, tired manner, and leads you inside. Walking to the study, you pass an open room where the Baroness is chittering with three other women, each of whom has a smile tightly placed on their faces, but are eying a platter of small sandwiches placed just out of reach.
"Sylevester, be a dear and ask the maid to bring a hot pot of tea?"
He stops.
"The maid was hung last week madam. As part of the Murder Most Fowl festival. After she was caught stealing rice from the kitchen."
"Then the chef-"
"He was executed for publically denouncing the Baron's policies."
"The groundskeeper?"
"Fled the town two days past. I've heard the guard found his belongings. Among a bloody mess. The wolves most likely."
The baroness pauses.
"Then you'll do Sylvester. And please see about hiring some new help."
Sylvester leads you up the stairs and open's the door to the Baron's study. The man himself greets you with a large smile as he eagerly invites you to sit. The study itself smells of musty books and old plush, and a large banner proclaiming "ALL WILL BE WELL!" hangs behind the desk.
(Whispering): "Guys, have you heard that? Maybe the guy's not as nice as we thought..."
"Welcome. Welcome."
The Baron sits behind his desk, a large smile plastered on his face.
"I must say, as a leader who prioritizes the happiness of his people, you lot have brought more cheer than I have been able to muster in these past few months. How would you feel about helping me bring even more cheer to the populace?"
"That would entirely depend on what you would want us to do." says Casdin as diplomatically as he could. I've known nobles like these before; they usually only pretend to care about the poor to suit their own selfish ends. thought Casdin.
"As I said, bring more cheer!"
The mayor smiles widely and hands you each a rolled up parchment larger than your torsos.
Festival of Burning Hearts
Come celebrate the passion that burns in Barovia as we light the hearts of our spirit!
You look up from your reading to see an expectant Bron looking at you all.
"What do you think?"
Victor shrugs, "The title warms the heart. What would you bid us do? Spread the word of this festival or do you need guards to keep the peace to ensure the populace is safe?"
It takes a great deal of self restraint on the part of Victor to reply with less fiery retorts.
Vasilios is a bit nervous. Well, the man makes him a bit nervous. However, it won't hurt anyone to hear what he has to say, right?
"Yeah, tell us."
"It appears that you just had a festival. Were you planning one for a few months from now?"
"It's simple!"
The Baron's fingers press against the aged vellum of the poster as he rolls it up.
"I want you all to be the guests of honor of course! Drink! Eat! Be Merry! Surely the town will follow your lead after what you've done for us here. You'll also be granted the honor of lighting the pyre right before night falls. I plan to start the festivities tomorrow, you'll be joining us, yes?"
"Well it depends, who else is on the guest list? Anyone from out of the village?"
"And for how long do the feasts run?"
"Nonsense! This celebration is by the people, for the people, and I won't except anything less for my loyal constituents."
The Baron heads back to his desk and pulls out a small envelope.
"My wife has heard of these delectable pastries that are being sold far to the east. Apparently, some industrious young souls have started an old windmill there are are creating the tastiest treats."
He hands the envelope to Vasilios.
"There's some coin to place an order, If the journey takes you a few days, we can hold off the celebration till you return."
Vasilios takes the envelope. "Th-the windmill? Uh... yeah, I think... I think we can do this, right?" he says, looking at the others waiting for approval.
"Well, it seems we're facing the hags one way or another... my destiny seems close at hand!"
The group, with the blessing (and a hefty sum of cash) from the mayor, head back to the tavern for a drink and to plan. The journey there would take a day or two, and if the last encounter was any reminder, it would not be an easy fight.
"What's got you lot so dour?" the bartender asks.
Victor grins, "The Mayor's visit was less of a welcome and more of a suicide run".
"I'm sure it will be fine. We have an idea of what we are up against now, and should be able to better prepare. We should leave in the morning."
The group enjoys what counts in this town as a nice evening of drinking. Your fellows haven't forgotten your sacrifice and efforts to return the drink to their lips, and you find that your meals and tab have been covered by citizens that refuse to come forward.
After all, even in Barovia, there is decent folk.
But the next morning comes and you all begin to set out for your journey.
The journey is long, but the lands seem friendlier than the last. A more respectful friendly as you all are more powerful than before. However, as always the night brings all manners of terror to the threshold of your camp.
It is early dawn when arriving near the perimeter of the bonemill. You can see the ragged blades of the cursed building turning. What do you do?
Victor grins, "I thought we should have burned them out before, why not try it again?"
"We certainly can, but I suspect that they likely have precautions against such measures."
"Only one way to know, I guess."
"Let's try to approach the house, and I'll throw some fireballs inside. Unless you've got a better plan." After waiting a polite amount of second for the others to present an alternative, Vasilios starts approaching quietly.
Victor nods and heads towards the house of horrors with his allies, sword in hand.
As the party tramps through the dead grass, the windmill turns slowly, and the air remains eerily quiet. However, the party makes it to the side of the front door without incident. You can smell something delicious in the air, and sound a humming barely noticeable as the breeze brushes the tall, dead grass.
"Let's get started if we're going to do this."
"I've torches, flint and steel, and oil flasks. Shall we light it up from the outside?"
The party begins their plan to set the fire. The fields are as dry as the bones that are ground in the mill, soon, a fire begins to set and the building begins to take quickly.
You all back away quickly into the field and watch as the fire consumes the structure bit by bit until the whole of the building is raging as kindling in a campfire.
And then you hear it.
Cackling. Manic, high-pitched cackling starts to echo all around you three. The fire burns and shifts and it seems to contort unnaturally and diverted partially to set a ring of fire around you all.
"Bad little Children
In need of pain.
Boil their hearts,
Jelly their Brain."
More cackling, and three hags appear before you in the ring of fire, though it does seem as they are somewhat singed.
Casdin casts Bless on the group.
"Burn!"
The party starts out with a strong move, instantly preparing for a fight. Vasilios starts with a fireball directly aimed at the sisters.
Not only do the hags seem to move unnaturally fast out of the direct blast zone, as the flames lick their limbs, you can tell that this damage isn't as effective as it normally is versus most targets.
The firebolt seems to glance off their natural armor.
You hear their cackling, and you watch as two hags lifts a finger to blast a green ray at Casdin and Victor while the third hag blasts Vasilios with a bolt of lighting
"You want moar!!" Vasilias starts seeing red and is less capable of restraining himself.
Casdin will sag a bit as the ray hits him, then call down sacred light from the heavens on one of the hags.
Constitution save - Ugh...
Victor draws his Longsword and Gladius and rushes at the Hags.
Longsword - Damage
Gladius - Damage
Both the fireball and ray of energy blast directly in the hags, and Victor charges in with both blades, his normal longsword connecting but his gladius gliding harmlessly through the hags bodies.
Do you wish to slay your enemies? At any cost?
The voice appears in Victor's head, and the Gladius seems to glow brighter, with a tinge of blood red starting at the center.
But as always the fire and normal blade seem to do less damage, the longsword even more so as the strength seems to be drained from Victor's body.
Two hags both rush to flank Victor, aiming for his vulnerable joints.
The last hag flies up higher, separating from her sisters and moves directly to Vasilios.
Casdin will heal Victor quickly, then cast a more powerful spell on Vasilios.
Vasilios will move out of the hag's reach and cast Mirror Image on himself.
Yes, at any cost
Victor grits his teeth and attacks back, hoping for what seems like will have to be a miracle...
Victor continues his attacks.
Longsword - Damage
Gladius - Damage
The two claws tear into Vasilios, but through Casdin's healing, the elf manages to stay conscious, but only just.
Casdin starts shooting charges of healing at his two comrades, staving off the threat of death as it relentlessly pushes towards them.
Victor attacks.
His blades seem to do nothing at first, but then.
The gladius turns from its brilliant yellow, white glowing blade into a red hue, its edges becoming jagged, its energy crackling in a an unstable way.
For glory. For victory. AT ANY COST!
[ooc]Victor, the sword has given you RAGE as if you were a barbarian and access to reckless attack. The sword can now hurt living things and you heal ten hitpoints at the end of your turn when you successfully damage something with that sword. There may be consequences...should you survive.
The pressure mounting, the hags cackle loudly, and back off to cast spells once more. One holds a fireball, one charges lightning, and the third seems to gripping her hand at Casdin.
And then....*poof*
The spells vanish.
"Sorry we're late!
You turn to see Razz standing there, his hand sweeping as if to knock the spells from the air. Sheva has her blade drawn as the invisibility hiding her melts away, but she mutters the last an incantation and points the blade at the hags. A magic circle illuminates from the ground. The hags try and tear at the invisible wall containing them but to no avail.
"They can still cast from inside, but I'm not sure how long until they find a way out!" Sheva yells, as she falls to one knee, her sword propping her up.
Razz whistles and Vasilios you feel inspired by the sudden appearance of help.