Party 4

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Listening to the conversation, Arinthia had little idea of a few of the names that Father Donavich and Juniper were saying.

‘So, they met someone named Mary whose daughter was taken by someone named Straud. We’re in some place called Barovia.’ Arinthia thought to herself, trying to commit the information to memory. ‘And the place has gone to the hells judging by the way Father Donavich is talking. My, I wonder how far away Daggerford is?’

Hearing Father Donavich mention two people they could talk to, Arinthia wondered which was the better choice, Ismark the Lesser or Ireena.

“Excuse me, Father? You mentioned where we could find Ismark but where would we go to find Ireena and which one would you recommend we talk to?”
 
Smiling, Beldar says in a tone more lighthearted than the situation may call for, "Perhaps we all could use a good drink," pausing briefly as his smile turns to a slight frown, "And perhaps get some answers about how we got here and why we are here."

In a more solemn tone he turns to the priest, "Are you sure you are safe here with your...eh...son below?"
 
Seeing no further issues or follow up questions from his companions, Beldar nods at the priest. "Very well then, we will be off to the tavern, to meet Ismark."

With a slight bow of respect, "Thank you for your time, and if possible, we will return to see if we can afford you any additional aid."

Beldar turns to the group, motioning with his head towards the entrance and begins to walk out.
 
Looking at Donavich sympathetically, she tells him, "we'll be back."

Juniper jogs to catch up to Beldar and places a reassuring hand on his arm. "A tavern sounds nice."
 
"Stay safe, Father." Arinthia said as she followed Beldar and Juniper out of the church. As she passed by the room with the trapdoor, Arinthia glanced in. 'Should really check that padlock is as strong as Donavich says it is. Would hate to come back to find he'd misplaced his faith in it.' Looking intensely at the lock, Arinthia couldn't tell whether it was strong or not and she didn't particularly want to start yanking on it to find out. 'Hopefully it holds.' Arinthia thought as she caught up to Juniper and Beldar.

"Hopefully the tavern isn't as smashed up as the church." commented the rogue in a slightly hushed voice.
 
"Take care, sir. Hopefully we will see you again."

Dess nods to the priest as she turns away, following the others, pausing to keep an eye on Arinthia as she checks the lock, then pacing her out of the church, a worried frown on her face, her voice soft as she speaks softly, mostly just to vocalize the thoughts running through her head.

"I'm not sure if he's deluded by his grief, but that place is going to be a tragedy soon. Should we have offered to lay the boy to rest for him? Would he have seen his son as the monster he's become, a threat to be destroyed, or tried to save him? This entire place isn't only creepy, it's going insane as well."

She sighs, and looks around at the town they're passing through wearily.

"Some food, and a stiff drink would be good at this point. Some simple comfort to at least partially offset the complicated discomforts of this town sounds like just the thing."
 
Lay the boy to rest?? Beldar pondered as Dess continued to speak. Why would we not try to help him first???
Lost in his thoughts Beldar didn't realise that they had reached the tavern until he was mere steps away.
Looks like this is the place, he said over his shoulder to his companions, and then strolled into the building.
 
Looking up at the sign dangling over the door, Dess lowers her head, closing her eyes as she sighs before following the others in.

"I suppose one way to encourage clients to drink more is to give them more things that they need to drink to cope with. I don't see why though, given everything else I've seen already seems like it'd generate plenty of business."
 
As Beldar enters the tavern, he glances about the patrons, few as they may be. Noticing the group of women reminiscent of the Vistani, he makes a mental note to try and speak to them later and see if they know the others he met previously.
His attention soon turns to a lone man in the corner who beckons the group. In a quieter tone meant for his compaions, "That must be Ismark," he says assuredly.
With a nod in the man's direction, Beldar walks over to greet the fellow.
 
Following behind Beldar, Arinthia glanced behind her to make sure she could still see Juniper and Dess. 'Last thing I need is to lose anyone else because I wasn't looking.' thought Arinthia.

Hearing Beldar point out Ismark, Arinthia looked over the man they were going to meet as she followed behind Beldar. She could see that Ismark was armed, and given how smashed up the church had been, Arinthia felt that was a good degree of caution to display. ‘Hmm, a shield, a longsword and a shortbow, I wonder how good an aim he has?’ the rogue thought to herself as she followed just a few steps and to the left of Beldar.

'Ismark seems very pleasant, bit of a contrast to the wrecked up church.' Arinthia thought.
 
Dess looks curiously around the tavern's interior, before her eyes fall upon the Vistani women, and her shoulders slump. Of course. Another tangled thread in the knot of this massive mess of a town. She perks up a little at the welcome in Ismark's voice, and she pauses at the bar on her way over to him, nodding his way with a slightly mischevious smile.

"Double whiskey, please. On him, apparently."

After waiting for her glass, she joins the rest of the party at the table, slinging her pack against the wall, and dropping into a seat with a contented sigh, savoring a sip from the glass as she stretches her legs. At least they had wine that was decently strong. If she'd had to settle for coping with this place with only ale-strength juice, she wasn't sure it'd be worth it.

"Goddess, that's a the way to deal with a hell of a day."
 
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Looking at the distressed man, Beldar wondered just how clearly the man was thinking.

Clearing his throat, "Ismark, my name is Beldar. This is not the first we have heard of Lord Strahd, and I can't help but wonder why anyone stays in this town."

Looking Ismark in the eye, Beldar notices that great suffering he is holding back. "I apologize for my previous comment, for i do not fully know the extent of what happened to this place. Perhaps on the way back to your mansion you could tell us how this all came to be?"
 
As Beldar started talking to Ismark, Arinthia looked towards Juniper.
'Well, it might not be the first time Beldar, Dess and Juniper have heard of Lord Strahd, but I have no idea who that is. Should really ask about that.'
"Sorry to be utterly clueless," Arinthia said, keeping her voice down, "Who is Lord Strahd?"
 
Juniper leans toward Arinthia. She clears her throat and in a haunting voice she whispers, " The devil.... he likes to *persuade* young beautiful women to come to his castle." She pauses and then continues. "To feast on them. He is a vampire, and he dwells in Castle Ravenloft." Juniper looks down for a moment and then back at Arinthia. " Well, at least that's what they say."

Juniper steps toward Beldar and Ismark. "Greetings Ismark, I am Juniper. I am very sorry to hear about your father. Such a fate should be prevented. I too would like to hear more about how these things came to be. We have only been given bits and pieces of the story and I think by now it's time we get the full story."
Juniper gives Ismark a smile. " The more we know the better we can prevent this tyrant from taking your sister."
 
As Ismark looked in her direction, Arinthia nodded her head. "I will." She said, looking at Ismark's chin instead of meeting his eyes, aware that while maintaining eye contact with someone was polite, some people got weird about the fact that Arinthia's eyes had no discernible iris or pupil.

'So, this Lord Strahd is a vampire and we're stuck somewhere where natural sunlight won't reach.' Arinthia thought to herself, the tip of her tail tapping against the back of her right boot, 'I wonder if the mists that Ismark said keep the sun out are connected to the mist that pulled me here?'
 
Nodding solemnly in agreement with Arinithia, Beldar steps back as Ismark stands up.

Looking towards Juniper and Dess, Beldar anticipates that they will agree to join Ismark, and begins to head back outside the inn. As he exits through the door you can hear a slight mutter of "So much for getting that drink."
 
Juniper commits what she has learned about Vampires to memory.
Juniper nods her head and looks at Ismark. "Lead the way."
 
Dess sighs as Ismark expounds on what they could find themselves facing, and drains her drink in one long go. Her voice is quiet as she mutters to herself.

"Who wants to live to two centuries anyways?"

She rises to follow the rest, setting the glass on the bar in front of the barkeep with a nod.
 
Following Ismark to his mansion, Arinthia looked around her, trying to familiarise herself with some of the layout of Barovia. Seeing the state of the mansion, Arinthia wondered what it had looked like before it had fallen into its current sorry state. As she walked through the space where the right gate should have been, careful not to get bashed in the side by the left gate as it swung freely in the wind, the red haired rogue looked at the heavy claw markings that had scarred the walls amongst the burn marks.

'Those look very fresh, less than a week old.' Arinthia thought before asking aloud, "Do you have many problems with wild animals and people trying to burn your house down Ismark?"
 
Seeing the marks that Arinthia must have similarly noticed, Beldar shakes his head sadly, In a place like this, I fear people and animals are not to blame. No, something far worse is plaguing this town.

But despite his internal confidence, he simply looked towards Ismark awaiting a response he knows will come.
 
As Juniper hears the soft moaning in the air she covers herself in her cloak. While walking she notices an older woman pushing a trolley filled with pies.
She perks up at the sight of them.
"Pi....." Juniper closer her mouth abruptly. She knew now wasn't the time for pie. She lets out a small sigh and continues to follow the others.

Juniper stood in awe of the house in front of her. The squeal of the gates echoed through her mind. I wonder what this place looked like before the mist. Was there once a rose bush where weeds now stand? Did the sun shine through the windows of this place where there are now, scorch marks and planks?

Her expression was blank as she was lost in her own thoughts.
 
A small smile crosses Dess's lips as she sees Juniper perk up, and her shoulders shake for a moment with a suppressed chuckle. The amusement in her voice lightens the worry in it for a moment as they walk the streets.

"Maybe later, Juni."

Dess stops to examine the manor before them, her eyes tracing the various points of damage and repair, before she closes them, then with a sharp shake of her head, looks over to Ismark.

"Question, if Strahd is unable to enter your home without permission, where exactly would we be going with your sister which would be safer than here? I mean, it's not exactly in the best shape, but it looks like it can stand up to anything short of a siege. Given the weird nature of the mists, is it even possible to leave here, and actually escape?"
 
Bowing, Beldar smiles at the woman, hoping any sign of kindness can help lift spirits.

"Lady Ireena, I am Beldar Tallwood. New to your lands but never the less hopeful that I may be of service. May the goddess protect you and your brother."

He then steps aside to allow the others to introduce themselves.
 
Juniper examines Ireena before she speaks.
She looks quite capable of protecting herself.
"Hello Ireena, I'm Juniper. I hate that we are meeting under these circumstances."
 
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