Boonslayer
New Member
Tazkul looks over towards Gaarek. "Well, of course. I would love to have a wife, have a child or two, pass on what I've started...but I do have unfinished research to conduct."
Party 8
- Thread starter Kanaxe_Ru
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Scholar of Barbarism
New Member
Cassia gave an amused look at Tazkul. "I'm sure we'd all love to see some little Tazkuls running around, causing trouble." She then looked up towards the clouds. "May be rain soon. Perhaps...perhaps I would like to be like the rain. It can wash away the muck, the filth. Cleanse, in its own way." She frowns. "But then, the rain can also turn to floods, which sweeps everything away, good and bad, with no discrimination. A fine balance must be struck."
RuneRW
Can't Rune away from me!
After some contemplation, Baltair begins to speak. "Ye all have good hearts and noble goals, that's certain! To be honest, I'm only here for the story, hoping that I can be part of something that our children's children will hear, read and remember fondly. Making new friends, relieving the world of its enemies. A better world is always worth fighting fer. Maybe even laying down our lives fer."
Nomad Camp:
Stanimir nods solemnly, listening carefully to each of your answers. "So... you have valiant reasons. More than seeking pleasure and coin. There is much potential within you, indeed." He takes a deep breath and bows low in respect. "If that is the case... perhaps you will be the salvation of our lord and his domain, our beautiful Barovia. It is a treacherous journey, and one that we cannot take often... but if you would take up this quest, then we are willing to embark on it with you."
He looks northward, a crisp breeze flowing in and around the camp. "We are fated to travel, but the one place we can call home is the camp at Tser Pool. There, our wisest seer Madame Eva has long foretold of heroes who would come to save the land. Would you come with us and speak with her?"
Stanimir nods solemnly, listening carefully to each of your answers. "So... you have valiant reasons. More than seeking pleasure and coin. There is much potential within you, indeed." He takes a deep breath and bows low in respect. "If that is the case... perhaps you will be the salvation of our lord and his domain, our beautiful Barovia. It is a treacherous journey, and one that we cannot take often... but if you would take up this quest, then we are willing to embark on it with you."
He looks northward, a crisp breeze flowing in and around the camp. "We are fated to travel, but the one place we can call home is the camp at Tser Pool. There, our wisest seer Madame Eva has long foretold of heroes who would come to save the land. Would you come with us and speak with her?"
Boonslayer
New Member
Tazkul hears the man speaking of the group taking the quest. "A seer, you say?" He contemplates. "I would take no umbrage with meeting with your seer. I suppose I would have inquiries of my own with a more magically-inclined diviner as well..." A soft hum from the dragonborn. Funny how similar a hum and a growl could be in those deep throats of theirs. "As long as my compatriots are willing to join, I certainly am."
RuneRW
Can't Rune away from me!
"If me friends are in, I'm in as well!" Says the dwarf in an enthusiastic fashion. "I'm sure it'll one day make fer a great story!"
Scholar of Barbarism
New Member
Something stirs within Cassia, a mixture of inspiration and trepidation. She felt this was the beginning of something grand and noble, though uncertain of the direction it would take. "I haven't heard of this Barovia, so please do lead the way. I can't guarantee that we will be the salvation you seek, but I promise you that we will try." She looked over at Gaarek. "You up for a trek into the unknown?"
VidkunFanel
New Member
"Of course Cassia. I won't be the only one not in the fire later." Gaarek turns to Stanimir "I feel at home around your campfire I wish to help you if I can."
Gaarek looks deep in thought for a moment and then says to no one in particular "Weren't we supposed to be doing something else?"
Gaarek looks deep in thought for a moment and then says to no one in particular "Weren't we supposed to be doing something else?"
Boonslayer
New Member
Tazkul looks over towards Gaarek, nodding. "We were...but these actions also accomplish that goal."
Nomad Camp:
"Then we depart tonight." Stanimir nods once more, before turning to Ratka. "Ratka -- let the others know to start packing immediately. We are coming back home to Barovia."
The other men quickly take to arms in cleaning up the festivities and packing up supplies, and with your assistance the packing is finished up much faster than normal. You depart an hour or two before the rise of dawn, the trail of wagons beginning to traverse down the Trade Way. It's a lovely sight with only the occasional passing caravan or wandering traveler, and the roads are appropriately familiar or unfamiliar depending on each of your personal experiences with this part of the Sword Coast. Along the way, brief stops are made in various towns and you can see that the group mostly makes a living as performers and fortune tellers.
They don't tell you much about the destination or the quest laid before you (insisting that they would only mess it up and that Madam Eva would be the best person to explain) but gladly continue to share their drink and revelry as the nights progressed. At some point, you would most likely have overheard the name of their simple peoples: the Vistani. It is not a term that comes up often, but it is a name that appears to evoke pride and joy in the traveling group.
After about four or so days of travel in this fashion, you're about to pass through a particularly forested area near sunset when the weather starts to take a turn for the ominous: while not explicitly stormy or unpleasant, the sky is notably overcast, and in the distance all around you a creeping fog begins to curl into view. The rest of the group appear to take no heed to this, and if you ask Stanimir if it makes travel harder he simply laughs it off. "If anything, they make it easier to know where we're going. They signal that we're almost home."
The wagon line picks up pace into the forest, and soon you are entirely engulfed in the mists.
"Then we depart tonight." Stanimir nods once more, before turning to Ratka. "Ratka -- let the others know to start packing immediately. We are coming back home to Barovia."
The other men quickly take to arms in cleaning up the festivities and packing up supplies, and with your assistance the packing is finished up much faster than normal. You depart an hour or two before the rise of dawn, the trail of wagons beginning to traverse down the Trade Way. It's a lovely sight with only the occasional passing caravan or wandering traveler, and the roads are appropriately familiar or unfamiliar depending on each of your personal experiences with this part of the Sword Coast. Along the way, brief stops are made in various towns and you can see that the group mostly makes a living as performers and fortune tellers.
They don't tell you much about the destination or the quest laid before you (insisting that they would only mess it up and that Madam Eva would be the best person to explain) but gladly continue to share their drink and revelry as the nights progressed. At some point, you would most likely have overheard the name of their simple peoples: the Vistani. It is not a term that comes up often, but it is a name that appears to evoke pride and joy in the traveling group.
After about four or so days of travel in this fashion, you're about to pass through a particularly forested area near sunset when the weather starts to take a turn for the ominous: while not explicitly stormy or unpleasant, the sky is notably overcast, and in the distance all around you a creeping fog begins to curl into view. The rest of the group appear to take no heed to this, and if you ask Stanimir if it makes travel harder he simply laughs it off. "If anything, they make it easier to know where we're going. They signal that we're almost home."
The wagon line picks up pace into the forest, and soon you are entirely engulfed in the mists.
Chapter 2
Chapter 2: Welcome to Barovia
How long have you been in the mists? You're not quite sure, your sense of time dilated by the lack of sunlight and thick, murky fog. Regardless it has been a long, long ride with no sign of stopping, but any attempts at helping have been met with polite refusal -- the driver of your wagon, a young man named Elis, has insisted that he knows the roads like the back of his hand, even as the fog rolled in.
As a result, you have mostly stayed put in the supply wagon that you've been holed up in (a result of them not expecting to pick up four strangers and immediately depart for home, but such were the details). As the road continues on, twisting and turning with no sign of stopping, the rhythmic rolling of the wagon wheels on muddy road soon lulls you all to sleep.
CREEEEEAAAAAAK. When you gasp awake, the world is turning all around -- left and right and up and down, blurs shoving you in all directions, giving no time to catch your bearings. In your disorientation you only faintly catch the sound of screams, and howls, and of horses galloping away into the distance, but you barely even have time to register what you're hearing.
When you finally stop and land, you do so not on your feet but on your side, or flat on your back, and look around from your prone position. You are in the wagon, surrounded by crates that you are thankful have not crushed you, and the entrance door to the wagon is now flat on what appears to be the earth. Dark mud squelches through the small window as the sturdy vehicle, mostly intact, sinks slightly into the ground on that side. You take a moment to figure out just where you are, but the dark interior of the supply wagon provides no respite of knowledge.
In the distance you hear the single faint howl of a wolf that lingers in the air for a few seconds too long. Then there is naught but the sounds of your own breathing and the chilly breeze whistling in the tree branches above, and you are left with your thoughts to consider what just happened.
How long have you been in the mists? You're not quite sure, your sense of time dilated by the lack of sunlight and thick, murky fog. Regardless it has been a long, long ride with no sign of stopping, but any attempts at helping have been met with polite refusal -- the driver of your wagon, a young man named Elis, has insisted that he knows the roads like the back of his hand, even as the fog rolled in.
As a result, you have mostly stayed put in the supply wagon that you've been holed up in (a result of them not expecting to pick up four strangers and immediately depart for home, but such were the details). As the road continues on, twisting and turning with no sign of stopping, the rhythmic rolling of the wagon wheels on muddy road soon lulls you all to sleep.
CREEEEEAAAAAAK. When you gasp awake, the world is turning all around -- left and right and up and down, blurs shoving you in all directions, giving no time to catch your bearings. In your disorientation you only faintly catch the sound of screams, and howls, and of horses galloping away into the distance, but you barely even have time to register what you're hearing.
When you finally stop and land, you do so not on your feet but on your side, or flat on your back, and look around from your prone position. You are in the wagon, surrounded by crates that you are thankful have not crushed you, and the entrance door to the wagon is now flat on what appears to be the earth. Dark mud squelches through the small window as the sturdy vehicle, mostly intact, sinks slightly into the ground on that side. You take a moment to figure out just where you are, but the dark interior of the supply wagon provides no respite of knowledge.
In the distance you hear the single faint howl of a wolf that lingers in the air for a few seconds too long. Then there is naught but the sounds of your own breathing and the chilly breeze whistling in the tree branches above, and you are left with your thoughts to consider what just happened.
VidkunFanel
New Member
Gaarek slowly comes to his senses grasping for his head. He wonders why all the colors of the world seemed to have washed away to dull tones of grey. His hand finds no wounds and a moment later it clicks. Oh, it's just dark.
Rising to his feet he draws a handaxe from his belt and looks around in the cart checking on his companions. "Are you all okay?"
Rising to his feet he draws a handaxe from his belt and looks around in the cart checking on his companions. "Are you all okay?"
Scholar of Barbarism
New Member
Cassia raises her hand. "Still amongst the living." She grabs onto a crate to stabilise herself, trying to make sense of what just happened. "That was...unnatural. I heard screaming. Are the others...?" Disoriented from the tumble, she looks about for an egress from the wagon.
RuneRW
Can't Rune away from me!
Baltair gets up and checks his bagpipes, which fortunately appear to be unharmed. "Oh, me head! Don't remember drinking THAT much last night! Wait, where are we?" After assessing the situation, he pulls his longsword from its well-oiled scabbard with two hands, ready for a fight.
Scholar of Barbarism
New Member
Cassia fumbles about the edges of the wagon with her sword, but she is still wobbly from the tussle, and is unable to make much headway to find an exit. "My head..."
RuneRW
Can't Rune away from me!
Baltair barrels into the wood with his shoulder. After a few tries, it cracks, and then, he smashes it through with his longsword. "Finally! Some air!"
Last edited:
Boonslayer
New Member
Tazkul awakens, and sees the others trying to escape, and with less time to assess what was going on than the others, he simply sees Baltair busting through the wooden beam of the wagon, beginning to get himself to standing, the state of the wagon disorienting him as he looked around. "Urgh...I heard...something. Not sure what it was though...anyone get a better grasp of the sound?"
??? Wood:
As Baltair breaks through the wooden railing, the thick canvas cloth of the wagon top collapses to reveal the dark, murky forest around them. All around black pools of water stand like dark mirrors around the muddy roadway they had just been riding along casually -- and now found themselves toppled over to the side, down a soft ledge. Giant, looming trees loom on both sides of the road, their branches clawing at the mists if not entirely engulfed at the very edges by a union of mist and darkness.
In the time that it had taken you to break out of the wagon, you had not realized that the other sounds had faded into obscurity. Now, the silence of the woods was painfully obvious.
In one direction of the road, a chaos of wagon ruts and other tracks (seemingly both man and beast) clash together in all sorts of directions, but ultimately leading on into the distance. In the other, a deep fog spills out of the forest threatening to swallow up everything in its path. Seemed there was only one path, and that was forward.
As Baltair breaks through the wooden railing, the thick canvas cloth of the wagon top collapses to reveal the dark, murky forest around them. All around black pools of water stand like dark mirrors around the muddy roadway they had just been riding along casually -- and now found themselves toppled over to the side, down a soft ledge. Giant, looming trees loom on both sides of the road, their branches clawing at the mists if not entirely engulfed at the very edges by a union of mist and darkness.
In the time that it had taken you to break out of the wagon, you had not realized that the other sounds had faded into obscurity. Now, the silence of the woods was painfully obvious.
In one direction of the road, a chaos of wagon ruts and other tracks (seemingly both man and beast) clash together in all sorts of directions, but ultimately leading on into the distance. In the other, a deep fog spills out of the forest threatening to swallow up everything in its path. Seemed there was only one path, and that was forward.
RuneRW
Can't Rune away from me!
Assessing the situation, Baltair begins to speak. "Looks like there was struggle here. It seems like there's no way but forward, but I believe we should look for survivors in the wreckage before pressing on." Looking to his companions, he says "Well, we're up fer a rough start, that's fer sure!"
VidkunFanel
New Member
A very distressed Gaarek emerges from the wagon as Baltair speaks. Seeing the chaos for himself he begins to fear the worst. "Stanimir!" he bellows as his eyes dart around the edges of the mist for any sign of a response.
Resisting the urge to simply sprint down the road looking for survivors he first sets his axe and pack on the ground against the toppled wagon. Rummaging around the pack he takes out a torch and lights it. "This will help the humans spot us" he says as he puts the pack back on and grabs his axe. "We must hurry."
Resisting the urge to simply sprint down the road looking for survivors he first sets his axe and pack on the ground against the toppled wagon. Rummaging around the pack he takes out a torch and lights it. "This will help the humans spot us" he says as he puts the pack back on and grabs his axe. "We must hurry."
Scholar of Barbarism
New Member
Cassia gazed on the foreboding scene with a grim expression. "Indeed, our compatriots may be in trouble. Let's away." Hefting her sword and shield, she begins down the jumbled trail.
Boonslayer
New Member
Tazkul draws his quarterstaff as he goes to join his allies in heading down the road. "I would advise caution heading forward. Some of those noises sounded particularly bestial in nature, and something tells me our caravan wasn't toppled so easily by mere wolves." He begins to perform motions with his hands, and forms a light blue glow of an aura around himself, ever aware of his own fragility. (In other words, he uses a Level 1 Spell Slot to cast Mage Armor on himself).
??? Village:
The road continues on for quite some time, muddy from recent rain and with no clear end in sight. The tracks continue on into the distance, but by the silence that looms you get the sense that they had no plans for turning back and stopping. The reasons for such remains a mystery to you four, but you have no choice but to continue on in the hopes of finding an explanation.
Eventually the tracks are lost entirely, the earthy path leading into gravel roads and eventually cobblestone, as your route leads you to a small village. In the darkness of night (which you can now barely make out the moon, high in the sky, behind thick clouds) you can make out a series of wooden houses, dark as tombstones, laying behind the receding yet everpresent fog. This late into the evening it seems all of the buildings are shut tight, with no sign of respite.
Just as you're beginning to take stock of this area, a soft whimpering draws your eyes towards a pair of children, standing in the middle of an otherwise lifeless street.
The road continues on for quite some time, muddy from recent rain and with no clear end in sight. The tracks continue on into the distance, but by the silence that looms you get the sense that they had no plans for turning back and stopping. The reasons for such remains a mystery to you four, but you have no choice but to continue on in the hopes of finding an explanation.
Eventually the tracks are lost entirely, the earthy path leading into gravel roads and eventually cobblestone, as your route leads you to a small village. In the darkness of night (which you can now barely make out the moon, high in the sky, behind thick clouds) you can make out a series of wooden houses, dark as tombstones, laying behind the receding yet everpresent fog. This late into the evening it seems all of the buildings are shut tight, with no sign of respite.
Just as you're beginning to take stock of this area, a soft whimpering draws your eyes towards a pair of children, standing in the middle of an otherwise lifeless street.
Scholar of Barbarism
New Member
As the scene unfolds before them, Cassia sniffs the air. Strange...but not unholy. With a look of concern, she approaches the pair of children. "Little ones, please don't cry. Please, tell us what's the matter - perhaps we can help?"
RuneRW
Can't Rune away from me!
"Don't be afraid, kids! Why are you out here in the cold darkness?" asks Baltair with a genuine look of sympathy.