Curse of Strahd [CLOSED]

[Baba Luga]

Ina is at the head of the group as you flee from the watery pit, the dead woman and the vicious plant beasts. She has reaches a point in the woods where the ground slopes gently downward to a more sparsely-forested area. Through the haze and greenery ahead, one of the mountains you saw during your descent is barely visible. The ground ahead is clear of the thick brambles that lie behind.

Both remaining shrubs scuttle after Moire. They tumble over roots but quickly right themselves, reaching her yet again, ready to attack the downed paladin.

From your current position, the two spine-throwing monsters that almost took your lives are obscured by trees. The angry birds you heard before seem to grow even more agitated. There is a tumult of thrashing wings and harsh caws from back in the trees. You make out dozens of black shapes flitting about in the foliage that divides you from the living saplings. The birdcalls grow to a roar, and then a flock of large black birds rises above the trees and speeds off to your right.

 

[TemplePhantom]

Tegan turns back to see Moire prone and beset by two bush creatures. Cursing, he drops his staff and in one fluid motion swings the backpack over his shoulder, reaches inside with one hand and retrieves the sling before allowing the pack to drop the forest floor. He thrusts out an open hand toward Hircus and calls out "Stones!" while eyeing up his prey, judging the distance.

As soon as Tegan feels the weight and texture of stones in his hand, he loads one into the sling and fires, but the cacophony of the disturbed flock of birds distracts Tegan, causing his shot to go wide. "Damn it!" he says to himself.

Concerned for the fallen paladin's safety, Tegan decides against retreat and hurries to the treeline where he can reload his sling and give it one more shot. On the way, he instructs Ina to grab the pack, knowing that if this goes south, the survivors will need the meager supplies held within.

 

[ZombWie]

Hircus tosses the stones to Tegan the immediately goes into prayer to draw down the righteous light of Torm, "Torm! Shine your holy light upon this darkness and burn it to the root." With a mighty roar, Hircus scoops both hands up into the air and brings them back down toward the animated plant. At the last possible second the plant moves to the side and the shaft of holy light shines harmlessly on the ground where the plant once stood.

Not phased by his ineffective attack Hircus stretches out a hand toward Moire and chants a quiet prayer of healing. "Torm's name holds the power to stay a bleed, bring forth this miracle in our time of need."

 

[jfish]

Ina hurries back at Tegan’s request, stooping to pick up the pack. Seeing the two creatures leering over Moire, she pulls the dagger out, judging the weight distribution for a second before snapping her wrist and sending it flying towards one of the shrubs. It strikes true, with the added bonus of a weapon now being within the reach of the Paladin. Hearing the racket of the birds she begins backing away, watching nervously in case the flock decides to turn against them.

"What in the hell is going on here," she mutters under her breath, making sure the pack is secured shut before looping her other arm through it.

 

[Epiphany]

Moire scrambles to her feet, still tripping over downed branches and the thick undergrowth. As the shrubs rush her, one perishes from a well-thrown knife from Ina! Relieved at the rescue, the Paladin doesn't think; she just snatches the knife out of the stiffening 'body' of one plant and thrusts it into the body of the other. The animating force of the vegetation seems to diminish and Moire backs away towards her friends, further drawing courage against the fear of this situation from the invigorating warmth of Hircus' healing prayer.

The trees remain, the ones with the lethal needles. They needed a plan. And they needed to regroup to execute it, whether it was to attack or to retreat. Moire moves back to take cover with the others.

 

[TemplePhantom]

After what feels like an eternity of waiting for the needle hocking plants to show, Tegan uses hand gestures to let his allies know that he intends to act as bait, and that they should immediately set upon any foes who make their position known.

With a deep, inward breath, Tegan darts into the open of the path, keeping his senses tuned to any projectiles.

He makes it to the opposite side of the path, unharmed and unaware of any movement which would signal an enemy attack. After catching his breath, he shrugs to his companions, again steps out into the open to retrieve the staff he drppped, and continues down the path.

 

[jfish]

After Tegan safely makes his dash across, Ina waits for a minute before using her thread to invoke the message cantrip to confirm whether they were to move on as a group. After the confirmations, she sets off slightly ahead of the group, acting as a scout. As they get to the bottom of the slope, her mind starts to wander to her hunger. She stays quiet as they make their way through the thinning trees, keeping an eye out for any movement ahead.

 

[Epiphany]

Moire waits patiently for Tegan to complete his scouting effort. After handsign and message communication, she moves out with the rest of the group behind Ina. With a faint cough for a cue, she points out the passage the dead woman left through the undergrowth.

Once the group has walked far enough to be (hopefully) clear of the hostile trees, Moire looks at the distant mountain before returning her attention to the footprints left behind by their (presumed) deceased ally. "We need to find food. Water. Shelter. And we need to find it soon." She presses one hand to her stomach, hunger and thirst vying for attention with her grievous wounds. Moire passes the knife back to Ina as she draws even with the elf. "I don't know these woods. But I do know she came this way, which means she came from somewhere. Judging by her pack and her provisions, hopefully not far. Unless one of you knows of another direction to go, I see no choice but to follow her trail."

 

[TemplePhantom]

"Well, we can follow her trail, which seems to lead to the east and is most certainly in the direction of a clearing I saw during the fall. The clearing held a large tree and some circular object, I couldn't make it out." he bends over, placing a dirty hand over the wound in his chest. "There's a house a similar distance to the west, but I don't imagine anyone living out here is welcoming to visitors."

"I need to rest, though. Is there anyone opposed to resting at our crossroads and making our travel decisions after an hour or so?"

 

[Epiphany]

"I wouldn't mind a rest at all," Moire says, pressing a hand against her torn, just barely clotted side. "Perhaps the Gods will see fit to provide further guidance at that point. Shall we?"

 

[ZombWie]

"Aye, let's rest our bones for a bit. That walking garden nearly did me in back there. If it weren't for you three and, of course, Torm I would be feeding the roots of those evil plants." Hircus stops to share a smile and nod of gratitude with his companions. "I am not sure where Torm leads me from here. I can tell you that I am as hungry as a bear. In times like these, it makes sense toward civilization. The circle on a hill could be anything, but a house will have people. Welcoming or not, I feel we need to take our chances with the house and whatever it may hold."

 

[jfish]

Ina gratefully takes the knife back, smiling wanly at the Paladin.

"I’m not opposed to a short rest, it’d be good to get our breath back, especially if we come across something else on our way to...or in, the house," she drops down into a crouch, swinging off the pack and producing the berries, "does anyone want to hazard trying one of these? I can’t imagine they’ll do much but I don’t think they’d be in the pack if they weren’t safe?"

She takes a bite from one of the berries and is immediately rewarded by the sensations of hunger and thirst dwindling to nothing. She takes a moment to indulge before grinning broadly and shoving a berry into each of her companions’ hands, tucking the remaining ones safely back into the pack.

 

[Epiphany]

Moire takes a berry and looks relieved as its virtue nourishes her body. Leaning back against a tree, she breathes deeply. "They're very good," she observes.

"Now, I think one of you mentioned there's a house the other way? Our path takes us towards the hill and I think we should follow it sooner or later. If for no other reason than in hopes of learning more about a woman who might very well have brought us out of the hands of some dark power, trading her life for ours. That said...a house is a more certain prospect for at least learning where we are, where the nearest town is. Shall we detour and investigate?"

 

[jfish]

Ina mulls over Moire’s words, glancing up at the sky. She takes the doll from her pocket, gently picking off bits of mud and flicking them onto the ground beside her.

"We have a fair amount of time before it gets dark, and now we’re fed I feel as though the building may hold less interest than the structure on the hill? Like you said, if that’s where the woman came from...I don’t know. Maybe it will help us remember more about before? Maybe it’s better to secure shelter first, if it’s not far between the two points? Civilisation does sound rather appealing."

 

[TemplePhantom]

Tegan takes a number of deep breaths, enjoying the relative serenity of their respite. After a fair number of moments, Tegan rises to his feet, and hands the quarterstaff to Moire, saying "Here, it'll be better than sacrificing your own body to fight our foes." He twirls the sling in his right hand. "This may not be my preferred weapon, but I can make it work." With that, Tegan begins to search the area for appropriate stones to use as ammunition, stockpiling them in his pockets and hoping against hope that he doesn't trip and fall on his side.

"If we're going to search this structure, we'd best do it stealthily. I'm not keen on being ambushed again." he says.

 

[Baba Luga]

The time passes uneventfully down here in the bowl, the quiet broken only by the birds, insects, wind, the occasional small mammal darting about, and the conversation about what to do next. With spirits revived by the potent berries and the solid hour without being interrogated, flung through the clouds or attacked by trees, a decision has been reached to strike out for the building Tegan saw in the field to the north. Using the outline of the closer mountain as a guide, the recessed area you're in seems to provide the fastest and most concealed route for the time being.

You've only been traveling north fifteen or twenty minutes when you hear faint voices—at least two—somewhere to your right, beyond the eastern rim of the depression. They aren’t loud enough for you to make out more than the rhythm of speech, laughter and, every so often, a snatch of song. Ina's keen ears locate them somewhere northeast of your position, growing louder by the minute.

 

[TemplePhantom]

Tegan's grip on his sling tightens as his other hand pats his pockets, checking for the bounty of ammunition he scavenged during the group's moment of rest.

"Low and quiet." he says to his allies "No need to make this into a fight if we can avoid it."

Tegan then begins to step carefully through the forest, straining to avoid making sounds as he approaches the source of the chatter, staying off the path.

 

[ZombWie]

Hircus crouches slightly and hikes his trousers a bit to allow for more freedom of movement. Doing his best to mimic the movements of Tegan Hircus attempts to move quietly behind the group. Hircus whispers a response, "I am not hearing the sounds of roving marauders, but we should take your advice nonetheless."

Hirc's skills do not lend themselves to stealthy forest survival. He is more at home on a wide-open battlefield where the enemy is clearly marked and visible. I shall learn what I can from the others. If Torm set me on this path and paired me with such strong companions then he has done so for my benefit. I shall see each moment as either a chance to rid the world of his enemies or build bonds with those that will choose to fight by my side. Hircus slinks along with a wide smile carved into his confident expression.

 

[Epiphany]

With the quarterstaff in hand, for defense and for balance, Moire follows in Tegan's path. Her friend's words made eminent sense to her. Of course, neither she nor the party's cleric had any particular talent in stealth. But they could approach low and they could avoid speaking. For that matter, unique in her experience as a Paladin, she wore no armor and bore no metal possessions that might rub against each other, making noise to give away her position.

As the party slowly advances, Moire meets Ina's gaze and points ahead past Tegan. If anyone can take point and lead the party silently, it's their best beloved elf friend.

 

[jfish]

Ina, refreshed from the downtime, practically skips ahead of the group (albeit silently), nodding to Moire on her way past. She readies the blade just in case, tucking it into her sleeve so she can deftly retrieve it. She was pleased to find her stride again, a bit wobbly, but to be fair a lot of weird stuff had happened and while it was turning into a proper adventure it was still not quite what she had expected and - oh! She tunes back into the real world to focus more on the task at hand, gesturing to the group if she sees any particularly troublesome patches of ground, her eyes belaying her excitement as they approach the voices.

 

[Baba Luga]

The voices lead you up the east bank of the channel into a place where the trees are closer together. A short distance through the woods, shifting from side to side to get different views among the trunks, Ina suddenly spots a number of bright swatches—purples, reds, oranges—moving leisurely from north to south, maybe sixty feet ahead. The voices are much clearer here, but no more comprehensible. Their lilting language is unfamiliar. Based on the tone and regular bursts of laughter, the speakers are happy and carefree.

Ina is able to gesture back to the rest of you and point out the colorfully-dressed travelers. They don't seem at all interested in scouting the woods for skulkers, and she's easily able to get even closer and see who these people are.

Three humans dressed in motley, with sheathed swords on their hips and crossbows on their backs, walk along an actual trail through the woods. In the lead is a young woman with her hair in a scarf who darts energetically forward and back, flourishing a rapier. It's immediately evident to Ina that this woman is not an experienced fencer—for one, her grip is completely wrong—and is play-acting at fighting invisible foes. As Ina looks on, several trail-side flowers lose their heads to the errant blade.

This woman is the source of much of the chatter. She regularly pivots around to mock-lunge at the traveler behind her, a tall man with a full, dark beard and streaks of gray in his long curly hair, who seems content to play the role of her victim, feigning a mortal wound every time she rushes in. His vest is covered in small metal disks that produce a gentle peal of sound whenever he jerks back with his hands on his heart.

Another man brings up the rear. Large and solid, with cropped hair, tattoos on his face and multiple earrings, he seems detached from the merriment, speaking only the occasional monosyllable that goes unheeded by his companions.

 

[TemplePhantom]

Tegan receives a magical whisper in his ear from Ina, notifying him that there are three armed humans along the path. He responds to Ina, knowing the peculiars of her communication magic "Take an ambush position and keep quiet, I'll relay the information to the others." He swallows hard, knowing that the next suggestion he makes will not sit well with his god-fearing companions.

Speaking in a low tone to Moire and Hircus he says "We have a group of three humans, armed, and unaware of our presence. We need supplies, and they don't sound like they're suffering the stress of contemplating their mortality. I say that we ambush them, knock them out if you don't have the stomach for bloody survival, and take what we need. For gods' sakes, we almost fell in combat to a disgruntled bush. We must arm ourselves."

He inhales, and speaks again "Unless... you have a better idea?"

 

[jfish]

Ina takes a deep breath, readying herself. She glances over her shoulder to her companions, making gestures to communicate, including one less-than-subtle gesture paired with a glare at Tegan as his voice threatens to break their cover. She ducks, watching the strangers warily as they pass, motioning to Moire about where to approach the group from, once again sending a silent prayer for a peaceful meeting. Her thumb runs gently along the handle of the blade as reassurance.

 

[Epiphany]

"I do," Moire says, nodding once at Tegan's remarks and hen acknowledging Ina's implicit message. "Cover me and attack from surprise if this doesn't go well."

At which point the Paladin stands up from behind the turf of the east bank, steps around the trees and approaches the travelers openly. With her quarterstaff in hand, she's not exactly helpless but neither does she appear deadly...and after the bloody wounds suffered at the hands of the imp and the animate trees, she likely just looks pitiful.

The Paladin brushes a lock of her hair out of her face before raising an arm to greet the travelers. "Hail there!" she calls out to them once they're close enough for conversation. "I'm Moire. I'm a traveler, much as you seem to be, only I'm completely lost. Could you point the way to the nearest town? Could you tell me how far it is?"

Her concerns are obvious, given she carries no pack nor flask for containing water.

 

[Baba Luga]

As soon as Moire steps on to the path in front of the group, the playful woman stops her antics, tucks the rapier into her belt, and moves her hand to the pommel of her short sword. The older man with long curly hair stops and stares at Moire with wide eyes. The stockier fellow in the rear takes a few more steps, then also stops, idly scratching his shoulder and furrowing his brow.

The woman and the older man exchange rapid words in their language, neither taking their eyes of Moire. The man shakes his head, says something more, then, showing his hands, addresses Moire in a heavily-accepted version of the common tongue. "Just a lost lamb out in the woods, she says. Or maybe you are a doppelganger, here to trick us with your sad appearance, and then ‘Bam!’ we are smacked in the heads and you steal our pretty faces?”

The young woman lunges forward dramatically to interpose herself between you and the man. “I’ll protect you! I fear no doppelganger, so-called," she proclaims, also in Common. The man with curly hair smiles indulgently.

From the back of the group, the larger man speaks. “You are not a doppelganger,” he mutters, matter-of-factly.

“No, I don’t think she is either,” says the older man. “My name is Luca. These are Lala and Cappi," he says, pointing to the woman and other man. "You should not be here, Moire. Very dangerous. The Kasht-gadjikane, wild people, claim all these woods. They will do terrible things to you! Was it those desperate wine makers who sent you this way?” This last statement reminds Lala of something, and she uncorks her wineskin to take a long pull.

"You should go far from here, back north to Vallaki. It is much safer for you there. Stick to the road and you should make it by night. There will be signs to follow. And for the love of Mother Night, steer clear of the winery. You don't want to get involved with that business."