Beautiful returns to the group empty-handed handed. His rage filled face turns the one of annoyance. He continues on the path they were originally walking.
It is several minutes before the group realizes that Beautiful is gone! Seeing that it is his duty, Charles gets up to go after him knowing that Beautiful probably has continued down the west road. Another half hour passes before the group decides to go after them into the fog.
After an hour of traveling the fog begins to clear. Black pools of water stand like dark mirrors in and around the muddy roadway. Giant trees loom on both sides of the road, their branches clawing at the mist.
It is here that the group finds Beautiful laying unconscious near two high stone buttresses looming in the gray fog. Huge iron gates hang on the stonework. Dew clings with cold tenacity to the rused bars. Two headless statues of armed guardians flank the gate, their heads now lying among the weeds at their feet. They greet you only with silence.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PbP Character: Stribog Northson(Zendikar/Eberron) "Why chase them when a bolt of lightening goes so much faster"
PbP Character: Vilk Dusza (The Peak's of Winter's Hold)
Noticing his friend in a vulnerable position, Bowme runs up to his side and checks for signs of life. After noticing that he's just unconscious, he taps Beautiful on the shoulder saying "Hey bud, how aboutcha wake up?" He looks towards the group with a worried look on his face and ask his friends to stay on guard.
Heeding Bowme's request, Draycor draws his bow and begins circling the area ready for anything. The air was cold and the feeling of unease was still with him.
"What is this place?" Draycor thought to himself. He gazed down at the head of the decapitated statue. The face was worn but it had sullen eyes and a mouth that appeared to be twisted into an expression of pain. Very disturbing indeed.
Marisa didn't like this. As she walked she kept one eye behind her and one forward. The forest seemed to be getting more dense and she knew if she didn't keep pace she was going to get left behind.
The cleric was quick to chase after her companions, her clothing bouncing about as her hair continued to brush past her eyes. More than a few times did she have to blow it out of the way or shift it.
"I don't like this place." Marisa muttered as she looked to the two massive statues then turned to Bowme and Draycor. Her form probably sticking a little too close to them.
"...Ah he's out cold." Her eyes shifted to Beautiful as she noticed him, she couldn't help but step forward and lean down. "...This doesn't look good."
Desmond whistled at the sight of the statues. " Heh I seen worst statues before lets just hope they don't come up to attack us." He watched the statues to see if they had any magic on them to make sure they are not like the statues in the Underdark, which guarded most places. " The statues I had were of spiders so these are more glamorous then my statues."
Bowme, startled by Beautiful waking up jumps back and looks at his friends with a puzzled look... *Whispers to himself* "Charles..." Then asks the group in a worried manner "Charles, where are you??? Put your mitts up if you're here bud." He thinks to himself How did we forget about Charles?
Elias stood studying the statues trying o recall anything that might help. The sign before them mentioned Barovia, but Elias had never heard the name before. The gate stood before them ominously while the statues seemed to proclaim some warning. The whole thing felt ill fated, but at least Beautiful is back with us. The Goliath knew what he was doing in a fight and they would need that if they were to escape this forest. Charles disappearance probably meant the worst which Elias mourned, but there was nothing to be done. The two of them had been foolish to wonder away from the group like that, it had been obvious after the fight that both the red headed healer and the druid had needed time to recover.
Elias left Beautiful to the care of Bowme and Marisa. He walked to the gates to investigate, but found nothing peculiar or unique about them. (Investigation 3) He reached forward only to have the gate open on its own with an eerie screech. The movement displaced years old rust and struck up a small cloud of dust, the wind softly whispered past Elias ear. He shivered at the gates unearthly invitation to enter. Did he really dare accept?
As the gates open, lightning crashes in the morning distance to reveal a dark and dreary day ahead. A sheet of rain begins to pour down. Making the already muddy terrain even harder to pass. In the distance you can hear a wolf howling, calling out to it's brothers and sisters. Worst of all, the mists that you came out of seem to be closing in, as if swallowing the road and any chance of escape.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PbP Character: Stribog Northson(Zendikar/Eberron) "Why chase them when a bolt of lightening goes so much faster"
PbP Character: Vilk Dusza (The Peak's of Winter's Hold)
Marisa kept a frown on her face. Something about this. Something was very off. As the rain came down she felt her fiery locks all but extinguish as her locks drooped over her eyes.
"Who is Charles?" She muttered under her breath, and that's when something dawned upon her. She never really got anyone's name. Did she? If she did they didn't seem to take to her memory. She looked to Beautiful then back to Elias. She wished to call out to him. But something stopped her.
No, she gathered the resolve and did so.
"Hang on! Don't go so far!" She let her voice carry, probably not terribly audible due to the rain. Her hazel eyes quickly shifted to Bowme. "Um, I'm Marisa..." She spoke in a rather coy tone.
All the while her form shivered due to the rain and the fog...and those wolves howling in the distant.
Desmond paused for a moment and said to the group " huh guess I didn't introduced myself my name is Desmond Asomdean, the most handsomest drow you are going to meet" he said that and looked towards Marisa with a smile.
"I agree with beautiful, this weather is very depressing and my flask is runnin a bit empty." *Starts following beautiful* But then hears Marissa and Desmond speak. Laughing at himself he says to the group "How have we made it this far without introducing ourselves. We must have all known each other in a past life... Well nice to meet you two, I'm Bowme, but you can call me Bo for short."
"Well guys, there is a gate which means there should be people around somewhere. Might I suggest we continue forth? The environment is becoming quite difficult."
Draycor has no idea what lies ahead but he is certain it must better then drowning in all the mud or being eaten by wolves.
Elias turned the voices pulling him from his thoughts. Proper introductions had been forestalled by the night and the following morning trials, but he supposed they had all earned the chance to know they would be heading forward down this dangerous path with. "I am Elias, a well traveled wood lander. It is fortunate to find such able bodied companions along such a treacherous path. I would hear each of your stories in time, but for now it would appear fate is forcing us to pass through this gate and meet whatever awaits beyond."
Seeing the elements moving against them the group begins to walk through the gate. As the group walks further down the path you hear the same hinges move again. As the group turns around the gates that led them here have been shut. With the rain and the howl of wolves they press on hoping that no more shall come upon them. Towering trees, whose tops are lost in the heavy grey mist, block out all but ta death grey light. The tree trunks are unnaturally close to one another, and the woods have the silence of a forgotten grave, yet exuding the feeling of an unvoiced scream. After a few miles of walking, Marisa notices the scent of death in the air. The foul scent leads you to a human corpse half-buried in the underbrush 15 ft from the road. The young man appears to be a commoner. His muddy cloths are torn and raked with claw marks. Crows have been at the body, which is surrounded by the paw prints. The man has obviously been dead for several days. He holds a crumbled envelop in one hand. As you get closer to the sight, you notice a “B” in the wax seal. You grab the letter and open it.
Letter:
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PbP Character: Stribog Northson(Zendikar/Eberron) "Why chase them when a bolt of lightening goes so much faster"
PbP Character: Vilk Dusza (The Peak's of Winter's Hold)
Desmond looks at the letter. "So someone wants us to get rid of this vampire, also the person who made this has very poor penmanship." He then rolls his eyes, "Any decent person should have better hand writing then this." Looking to Elias he says, "Hey Darthiir do you think the guy should put," making a whinny voice, "Help me! Help me! Save me! The princess has been kidnapped by the random evil guy in evil clothes. Someone save us!" Desmond looks around to see if their was anything that could of killed the guy that was still here. He then tells the group, "So we should get going there are wolves about here."
While the group is investigating the letter, Draycor looks around the area. He comes into a clearing were he sees a large wolf lying near death. It's black fur covered with cuts and blood. As Draycor moves closer the wolf begins to growl, it's red eyes beaming as if daring the dragonborn to come closer. Sensing this Draycor slows his pursuit, gets down on his knees and stares into the wolfs eyes. Not breaking the stare, the ranger slowly moves forward with a hand out stretched. The wolf lessens it's growl but it's eyes still red with hatred. Finally when the Draycor was within inches of the wolf, it closed it's eyes accepting what fate the ranger had in store. Draycor placed his hand on the wolf's head and felt a dark presence within it, yet also did he feel the spirit of the noble creature. With some effort Draycor forced the evil presence from the wolf leaving it and him a bit weary. When the wolf opened it's eyes Draycor noticed the bright blue eyes of an old soul. With the evil presence gone, the wolf was able to get up yet it still was limping from the injuries it had. Both Draycor and the wolf make there way back to the group.
(Congratulations Draycor you now have a Dire Wolf companion!!! Due to it's current state it has HP: 18)
Seeing the dead mans body startles Bo. He places his had and says a quick Druidic prayer to the All Mother. Hearing Desmond mock the writing, Bo snatches the paper from his hands and stares at it with a blank expression across his face. He tosses it behind him and says "Hmm... Lets kill this son of a *****! These beasts are unnatural and should be eradicated from this earth. How will we find this thing?"
As soon as he says that he smells a different scent and spins around to see a dire wolf with Draycor! A smile grows across his face and he squeals with joy as he says "A PUPPY?! CAN I TOUCH THE PUPPY?!" Bo has a soft spot for animals due to many years of living alone in the wild, he has encountered and befriended many. He stretches his hand out to touch the wolf and thats when he notices the poor thing is injured. In hesitation to touch the wolf, he murmurs a prayer (Cure wounds +10 HP to the direwolf), and resumes petting the wolf. This wolf reminds him of several he has met in his day and he says "I once had a wolf companion. He was a little guy and I named him North after the lands I found him in. He was afraid of everything and was maybe ten pounds. We kept each other company until I let him go to live on his own. Hope the little fellow is okay. Whatcha going to name it? A wolf has to have a name!"
Beautiful returns to the group empty-handed handed. His rage filled face turns the one of annoyance. He continues on the path they were originally walking.
It is several minutes before the group realizes that Beautiful is gone! Seeing that it is his duty, Charles gets up to go after him knowing that Beautiful probably has continued down the west road. Another half hour passes before the group decides to go after them into the fog.
After an hour of traveling the fog begins to clear. Black pools of water stand like dark mirrors in and around the muddy roadway. Giant trees loom on both sides of the road, their branches clawing at the mist.
It is here that the group finds Beautiful laying unconscious near two high stone buttresses looming in the gray fog. Huge iron gates hang on the stonework. Dew clings with cold tenacity to the rused bars. Two headless statues of armed guardians flank the gate, their heads now lying among the weeds at their feet. They greet you only with silence.
Noticing his friend in a vulnerable position, Bowme runs up to his side and checks for signs of life. After noticing that he's just unconscious, he taps Beautiful on the shoulder saying "Hey bud, how aboutcha wake up?" He looks towards the group with a worried look on his face and ask his friends to stay on guard.
Heeding Bowme's request, Draycor draws his bow and begins circling the area ready for anything. The air was cold and the feeling of unease was still with him.
"What is this place?" Draycor thought to himself. He gazed down at the head of the decapitated statue. The face was worn but it had sullen eyes and a mouth that appeared to be twisted into an expression of pain. Very disturbing indeed.
Marisa didn't like this. As she walked she kept one eye behind her and one forward. The forest seemed to be getting more dense and she knew if she didn't keep pace she was going to get left behind.
The cleric was quick to chase after her companions, her clothing bouncing about as her hair continued to brush past her eyes. More than a few times did she have to blow it out of the way or shift it.
"I don't like this place." Marisa muttered as she looked to the two massive statues then turned to Bowme and Draycor. Her form probably sticking a little too close to them.
"...Ah he's out cold." Her eyes shifted to Beautiful as she noticed him, she couldn't help but step forward and lean down. "...This doesn't look good."
Desmond whistled at the sight of the statues. " Heh I seen worst statues before lets just hope they don't come up to attack us." He watched the statues to see if they had any magic on them to make sure they are not like the statues in the Underdark, which guarded most places. " The statues I had were of spiders so these are more glamorous then my statues."
With the tap and shout from Bowme, Beautiful wakes with a jolt. Wide eyed and clutching his weapon.
"Where is Charles?" He asks bewildered.
Bowme, startled by Beautiful waking up jumps back and looks at his friends with a puzzled look... *Whispers to himself* "Charles..." Then asks the group in a worried manner "Charles, where are you??? Put your mitts up if you're here bud." He thinks to himself How did we forget about Charles?
Elias stood studying the statues trying o recall anything that might help. The sign before them mentioned Barovia, but Elias had never heard the name before. The gate stood before them ominously while the statues seemed to proclaim some warning. The whole thing felt ill fated, but at least Beautiful is back with us. The Goliath knew what he was doing in a fight and they would need that if they were to escape this forest. Charles disappearance probably meant the worst which Elias mourned, but there was nothing to be done. The two of them had been foolish to wonder away from the group like that, it had been obvious after the fight that both the red headed healer and the druid had needed time to recover.
Elias left Beautiful to the care of Bowme and Marisa. He walked to the gates to investigate, but found nothing peculiar or unique about them. (Investigation 3) He reached forward only to have the gate open on its own with an eerie screech. The movement displaced years old rust and struck up a small cloud of dust, the wind softly whispered past Elias ear. He shivered at the gates unearthly invitation to enter. Did he really dare accept?
As the gates open, lightning crashes in the morning distance to reveal a dark and dreary day ahead. A sheet of rain begins to pour down. Making the already muddy terrain even harder to pass. In the distance you can hear a wolf howling, calling out to it's brothers and sisters. Worst of all, the mists that you came out of seem to be closing in, as if swallowing the road and any chance of escape.
Marisa kept a frown on her face. Something about this. Something was very off. As the rain came down she felt her fiery locks all but extinguish as her locks drooped over her eyes.
"Who is Charles?" She muttered under her breath, and that's when something dawned upon her. She never really got anyone's name. Did she? If she did they didn't seem to take to her memory. She looked to Beautiful then back to Elias. She wished to call out to him. But something stopped her.
No, she gathered the resolve and did so.
"Hang on! Don't go so far!" She let her voice carry, probably not terribly audible due to the rain. Her hazel eyes quickly shifted to Bowme. "Um, I'm Marisa..." She spoke in a rather coy tone.
All the while her form shivered due to the rain and the fog...and those wolves howling in the distant.
"I love the rain and nature, but this makes me sad...I would like to go inside"
With a little bit of effort, Beautiful stands up and shuffles through the gates...
"Maybe Charles went in here."
Desmond paused for a moment and said to the group " huh guess I didn't introduced myself my name is Desmond Asomdean, the most handsomest drow you are going to meet" he said that and looked towards Marisa with a smile.
"I agree with beautiful, this weather is very depressing and my flask is runnin a bit empty." *Starts following beautiful* But then hears Marissa and Desmond speak. Laughing at himself he says to the group "How have we made it this far without introducing ourselves. We must have all known each other in a past life... Well nice to meet you two, I'm Bowme, but you can call me Bo for short."
"Well guys, there is a gate which means there should be people around somewhere. Might I suggest we continue forth? The environment is becoming quite difficult."
Draycor has no idea what lies ahead but he is certain it must better then drowning in all the mud or being eaten by wolves.
Fingers crossed.
Elias turned the voices pulling him from his thoughts. Proper introductions had been forestalled by the night and the following morning trials, but he supposed they had all earned the chance to know they would be heading forward down this dangerous path with. "I am Elias, a well traveled wood lander. It is fortunate to find such able bodied companions along such a treacherous path. I would hear each of your stories in time, but for now it would appear fate is forcing us to pass through this gate and meet whatever awaits beyond."
Seeing the elements moving against them the group begins to walk through the gate. As the group walks further down the path you hear the same hinges move again. As the group turns around the gates that led them here have been shut. With the rain and the howl of wolves they press on hoping that no more shall come upon them. Towering trees, whose tops are lost in the heavy grey mist, block out all but ta death grey light. The tree trunks are unnaturally close to one another, and the woods have the silence of a forgotten grave, yet exuding the feeling of an unvoiced scream. After a few miles of walking, Marisa notices the scent of death in the air. The foul scent leads you to a human corpse half-buried in the underbrush 15 ft from the road. The young man appears to be a commoner. His muddy cloths are torn and raked with claw marks. Crows have been at the body, which is surrounded by the paw prints. The man has obviously been dead for several days. He holds a crumbled envelop in one hand. As you get closer to the sight, you notice a “B” in the wax seal. You grab the letter and open it.
Letter:
Desmond looks at the letter. "So someone wants us to get rid of this vampire, also the person who made this has very poor penmanship." He then rolls his eyes, "Any decent person should have better hand writing then this." Looking to Elias he says, "Hey Darthiir do you think the guy should put," making a whinny voice, "Help me! Help me! Save me! The princess has been kidnapped by the random evil guy in evil clothes. Someone save us!" Desmond looks around to see if their was anything that could of killed the guy that was still here. He then tells the group, "So we should get going there are wolves about here."
( Perception 11)
While the group is investigating the letter, Draycor looks around the area. He comes into a clearing were he sees a large wolf lying near death. It's black fur covered with cuts and blood. As Draycor moves closer the wolf begins to growl, it's red eyes beaming as if daring the dragonborn to come closer. Sensing this Draycor slows his pursuit, gets down on his knees and stares into the wolfs eyes. Not breaking the stare, the ranger slowly moves forward with a hand out stretched. The wolf lessens it's growl but it's eyes still red with hatred. Finally when the Draycor was within inches of the wolf, it closed it's eyes accepting what fate the ranger had in store. Draycor placed his hand on the wolf's head and felt a dark presence within it, yet also did he feel the spirit of the noble creature. With some effort Draycor forced the evil presence from the wolf leaving it and him a bit weary. When the wolf opened it's eyes Draycor noticed the bright blue eyes of an old soul. With the evil presence gone, the wolf was able to get up yet it still was limping from the injuries it had. Both Draycor and the wolf make there way back to the group.
(Congratulations Draycor you now have a Dire Wolf companion!!! Due to it's current state it has HP: 18)
Dire Wolf
Seeing the dead mans body startles Bo. He places his had and says a quick Druidic prayer to the All Mother. Hearing Desmond mock the writing, Bo snatches the paper from his hands and stares at it with a blank expression across his face. He tosses it behind him and says "Hmm... Lets kill this son of a *****! These beasts are unnatural and should be eradicated from this earth. How will we find this thing?"
As soon as he says that he smells a different scent and spins around to see a dire wolf with Draycor! A smile grows across his face and he squeals with joy as he says "A PUPPY?! CAN I TOUCH THE PUPPY?!" Bo has a soft spot for animals due to many years of living alone in the wild, he has encountered and befriended many. He stretches his hand out to touch the wolf and thats when he notices the poor thing is injured. In hesitation to touch the wolf, he murmurs a prayer (Cure wounds +10 HP to the direwolf), and resumes petting the wolf. This wolf reminds him of several he has met in his day and he says "I once had a wolf companion. He was a little guy and I named him North after the lands I found him in. He was afraid of everything and was maybe ten pounds. We kept each other company until I let him go to live on his own. Hope the little fellow is okay. Whatcha going to name it? A wolf has to have a name!"