The portcullis then seems to open of it's own accord as what looks like a huge bush starts lumbering through. It starts making it's way towards you, and is about ten feet away from you as we go into initiative.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Roselina followed along, seeing the wheel and nothing else as she heard Vrakvroth and agreed with him about leaving. But she was shocked when water started pouring in and a stone door slammed shut. Suddenly they were surrounded by thirteen dark apparitions, holding black flame torches and not human at all. They were chanting that one must die, shaking her head. There is no way any of them can just die! Then she heard something about a decayer being awakened, the portcullis opening as a giant bush came out and was heading towards them. "Yes, let's get the hell out of here!!" Roselina had said back to Vrakvroth, Dashing as she follows him.
As Jinhazar pushes past the rest of you despite protests, and past the shambling mound, up onto the alter and drives his own sword into himself. The Shambling mound falls to the ground and the chant that once filled the room returns.
"He is the Ancient. He is the land."
The chant continues to repeat from the chamber, but the appirations have dissipated. Heading back up the stairs, you make it back out of the house with no further issue, though your escape was not without cost.
Those remaining head out of the Death House, the mists no longer right up against the building, and one of the Vistani in the carriages appears not long after you exit. "We've been looking everywhere for you, we're all at the tavern - you should get some rest this evening as we're leaving in the morning," the man says as he gestures you to follow him. Following him to the tavern. Coming out of the tavern is a single shard of illumination that glows into the main square, it's brightness representing a solid pillar in the heavy fog. Above the gaping doorway, you see a sign precariously askew, proclaiming the building to be the Blood on the Vine tavern.
The tavern is rather shoddy, and there are a few patrons huddled within. In addition to the barkeep, you take notice of a human man, sitting by himself in a corner and by the door three other female humans sitting nearby the door who look up as you come in and then turn their attention back to their drink.
He joins them at a table and orders food and wine. He tells them of the house they found themselves in. He weaves a story of the search of the house, the spirits and the death of Jinhazer. "It is just Roselina and I now. I hope we are enough to help unless you can find others to join us."
"But I will rest tonight and will be ready to continue in the morning."
Roselina was confused as Jinhazar ran the other way to the altar, shocked as he killed himself before the giant bush fell and the old chant came back. The apparitions disappeared as her and Vrakvroth made it out of the house without any trouble. She sighed in relief, so thankful to be out of that damn house before seeing and hearing the Vistani. "Seriously?! We had been looking for you!" she said back, following him to the tavern. Roselina definitely wasn't impressed with how shoddy it was and seeing how not busy it was either. She joins Vrakvroth in speaking about the house and everything that had happened inside it. She will try to rest tonight and then continue on in the morning.
(OCC: So is it really just going to be us now or were you planning to get more people to join as well?)
((OOC: Athenos is making up a new character, not gone, also now would be a good time for new people so if you want I can reopen things to see if anyone else wants to join in, but that's a group decision, we're not that far into things yet))
Hi, welcome to our game of Curse of Strahd. We've only just finished the first mini-dungeon of the game and about to get into the bulk of the adventure now. If your interested in joining us drop a message OOC here and we can consider your applications. We'll be rolling for stats, and any official race/class from any official sources is fine (homebrew/UA subject to approval and change during play for balancing). Please provide the character name, race/class and a brief description of your character so that we can make a decision more easily. We're looking for two to three more players max.))
Sopping wet and covered in dirt and grime, Sova makes his way into the Blood on the Vine tavern. He finds a seat at the far end of the bar top and orders a drink. He wears dark leather armor that seems to have feathers sewn into it. His hair is short and dark, also with feathers in it. He throws down his gear next to him. His swords strapped to his hilt, he takes it off and sets it down near his bow and gear. As he drinks, he pulls out a small item, stares at it and mutters to himself.
One of the Vistani that traveled with the group walks up to Sova and says "Ah, Madam Eva said to expect someone new. Not everybody that entered Barovia with us has survived. She has also told us that at least one other will be joining us on the roads," the Vistani man that led the Jakroth and Rosalina here. Getting an evenings rest in the tavern, you all wake up bright and early to leave with the Caravan.
You continue following the Old Svalich Road, which leads you to a river. It flows as cleaer and as a blue winter sky through the valley, and an arching stone bridge leads over the 50-foot-wide river.
As you continue following the road, you see a figure walking alone up ahead with the stride and bearing of one who knows no fear. Clad in rusty armor, it clutches a gleaming longsword in its pale hand and looks ready for a fight.
Sova taps into his more beastial instincts and uses his Primeval Awareness to sense whether any aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead are present within 1 mile of him, (6 if we're traveling through a forest.)
Suddenly, a loud voice calls out from the road's edge: Harm it not!
A figure can be seen striding toward you from the tree-line, wearing a strange, almost skeletal, beak-shaped mask with hollow eyes, clad in a tattered and moldy green cloak, and clutching a spear. As it draws near, it holds out one hand and speaks again, more softly this time: Harm it not, but reveal to it your purpose.
Sova calls out, "By the light of Artemis, who goes there?" Sova nochs an arrow as if expecting a fight....
(OOC: Is Sova hailing me? or the figure with the sword?)
The figure lowers his spear-point to the ground and holds out one hand in greeting, then replies: I mean you no harm. I am called Ebur. The earth has heralded your coming as the trees herald the change of season. The Great Wheel must resume its course and you may be the means to this end. I would pledge you my aid.
Ebur bows in respect, then says, pointing to the figure on the road: This one has lost its place on the Wheel, and I pity it. I beg you, harm it not.
Ebur is rather revolting, quite frankly. He smells like rotten fruit, his skin appears infected, and his clothing seems as though he's been rolling in a compost heap. Although his voice can be plainly heard, the mask is quite disconcerting.
Jinhazar wonders who's going to volunteer to sacrifice themselves....
As you decide, the chant changes once more.
"Lorghoth the Decayer, we awaken thee!"
The portcullis then seems to open of it's own accord as what looks like a huge bush starts lumbering through. It starts making it's way towards you, and is about ten feet away from you as we go into initiative.
Shambling Mound Initiative: 1
"I believe it is time to leave this place."
Vrak declares as he turns and moves out of the room following the way back towards the stairs that brought them down here.
Full movement plus dash to move 60 feet.
Roselina followed along, seeing the wheel and nothing else as she heard Vrakvroth and agreed with him about leaving. But she was shocked when water started pouring in and a stone door slammed shut. Suddenly they were surrounded by thirteen dark apparitions, holding black flame torches and not human at all. They were chanting that one must die, shaking her head. There is no way any of them can just die! Then she heard something about a decayer being awakened, the portcullis opening as a giant bush came out and was heading towards them. "Yes, let's get the hell out of here!!" Roselina had said back to Vrakvroth, Dashing as she follows him.
Initiative: 18
Jinhazar runs up to the alter and willingly sacrifices himself for the good of the party.
(OOC: He does this as heroically as possible.)
As Jinhazar pushes past the rest of you despite protests, and past the shambling mound, up onto the alter and drives his own sword into himself. The Shambling mound falls to the ground and the chant that once filled the room returns.
"He is the Ancient. He is the land."
The chant continues to repeat from the chamber, but the appirations have dissipated. Heading back up the stairs, you make it back out of the house with no further issue, though your escape was not without cost.
Those remaining head out of the Death House, the mists no longer right up against the building, and one of the Vistani in the carriages appears not long after you exit. "We've been looking everywhere for you, we're all at the tavern - you should get some rest this evening as we're leaving in the morning," the man says as he gestures you to follow him. Following him to the tavern. Coming out of the tavern is a single shard of illumination that glows into the main square, it's brightness representing a solid pillar in the heavy fog. Above the gaping doorway, you see a sign precariously askew, proclaiming the building to be the Blood on the Vine tavern.
The tavern is rather shoddy, and there are a few patrons huddled within. In addition to the barkeep, you take notice of a human man, sitting by himself in a corner and by the door three other female humans sitting nearby the door who look up as you come in and then turn their attention back to their drink.
[OOC: You guys are also now level three :)]
Vrak follows the Vistani to the inn.
"This is a strange land friend."
He joins them at a table and orders food and wine. He tells them of the house they found themselves in. He weaves a story of the search of the house, the spirits and the death of Jinhazer. "It is just Roselina and I now. I hope we are enough to help unless you can find others to join us."
"But I will rest tonight and will be ready to continue in the morning."
Roselina was confused as Jinhazar ran the other way to the altar, shocked as he killed himself before the giant bush fell and the old chant came back. The apparitions disappeared as her and Vrakvroth made it out of the house without any trouble. She sighed in relief, so thankful to be out of that damn house before seeing and hearing the Vistani. "Seriously?! We had been looking for you!" she said back, following him to the tavern. Roselina definitely wasn't impressed with how shoddy it was and seeing how not busy it was either. She joins Vrakvroth in speaking about the house and everything that had happened inside it. She will try to rest tonight and then continue on in the morning.
(OCC: So is it really just going to be us now or were you planning to get more people to join as well?)
((OOC: Athenos is making up a new character, not gone, also now would be a good time for new people so if you want I can reopen things to see if anyone else wants to join in, but that's a group decision, we're not that far into things yet))
(OOC: Open it up!!!)
((OOC: FOR NEW PLAYERS:
Hi, welcome to our game of Curse of Strahd. We've only just finished the first mini-dungeon of the game and about to get into the bulk of the adventure now. If your interested in joining us drop a message OOC here and we can consider your applications. We'll be rolling for stats, and any official race/class from any official sources is fine (homebrew/UA subject to approval and change during play for balancing). Please provide the character name, race/class and a brief description of your character so that we can make a decision more easily. We're looking for two to three more players max.))
OOC: Yeah, lets recruit some in
Sopping wet and covered in dirt and grime, Sova makes his way into the Blood on the Vine tavern. He finds a seat at the far end of the bar top and orders a drink. He wears dark leather armor that seems to have feathers sewn into it. His hair is short and dark, also with feathers in it. He throws down his gear next to him. His swords strapped to his hilt, he takes it off and sets it down near his bow and gear. As he drinks, he pulls out a small item, stares at it and mutters to himself.
One of the Vistani that traveled with the group walks up to Sova and says "Ah, Madam Eva said to expect someone new. Not everybody that entered Barovia with us has survived. She has also told us that at least one other will be joining us on the roads," the Vistani man that led the Jakroth and Rosalina here. Getting an evenings rest in the tavern, you all wake up bright and early to leave with the Caravan.
You continue following the Old Svalich Road, which leads you to a river. It flows as cleaer and as a blue winter sky through the valley, and an arching stone bridge leads over the 50-foot-wide river.
As you continue following the road, you see a figure walking alone up ahead with the stride and bearing of one who knows no fear. Clad in rusty armor, it clutches a gleaming longsword in its pale hand and looks ready for a fight.
Sova taps into his more beastial instincts and uses his Primeval Awareness to sense whether any aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead are present within 1 mile of him, (6 if we're traveling through a forest.)
Suddenly, a loud voice calls out from the road's edge: Harm it not!
A figure can be seen striding toward you from the tree-line, wearing a strange, almost skeletal, beak-shaped mask with hollow eyes, clad in a tattered and moldy green cloak, and clutching a spear. As it draws near, it holds out one hand and speaks again, more softly this time: Harm it not, but reveal to it your purpose.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Sova calls out, "By the light of Artemis, who goes there?" Sova nochs an arrow as if expecting a fight....
(OOC: Is Sova hailing me? or the figure with the sword?)
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
(OOC: Sova is calling out to whoever just spoke. )
The figure lowers his spear-point to the ground and holds out one hand in greeting, then replies: I mean you no harm. I am called Ebur. The earth has heralded your coming as the trees herald the change of season. The Great Wheel must resume its course and you may be the means to this end. I would pledge you my aid.
Ebur bows in respect, then says, pointing to the figure on the road: This one has lost its place on the Wheel, and I pity it. I beg you, harm it not.
Ebur is rather revolting, quite frankly. He smells like rotten fruit, his skin appears infected, and his clothing seems as though he's been rolling in a compost heap. Although his voice can be plainly heard, the mask is quite disconcerting.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?