And so, with an old ally returned, the MistBusters, plus 2, continue past the tower onward toward the village. The road branches north and climbs a rocky escarpment, ending at a gatehouse built into a twenty-foot-high wall of stone reinforced with buttresses every fifty feet or so. The wall encloses a settlement on the side of a snow-dusted mountain spur. Beyond the wall you see the tops of snow-covered pines and thin, white wisps of smoke. The somber toll of a bell comes from a stone abbey that clings to the mountainside high above the settlement. The steady chime is inviting — a welcome change from the deathly silence and oppressive fog to which you have grown accustomed. It’s hard to tell at this distance, but there seems to be a switchback road clinging to the cliffs that lead up from the walled settlement to the abbey.

The air grows colder as you approach the walled settlement. Two square towers with peaked roofs flank a stone archway into which is set a pair of twelve-foot-tall, ironbound wooden doors. Carved into the arch above the doors is a name: Krezk. The walls that extend from the gatehouse are twenty feet high. Atop the parapet you see four figures wearing fur hats and clutching spears. They watch you nervously. One speaks up, a young woman, “Pardon. State your business, please.”

Viorela steps forth from the group and looks up at the guard, "I am Viorela of Vallaki. We are here seeking the abbot." Viorela keeps her face neutral and grim, the typical Barovian gaze. The guards seem nervous, and so acting strangely was bound to go poorly, or so Viorela believed.

The guard looks worriedly to her compatriots, “Oh. I see. I’ll... go grab the burgomaster. One moment please. Wait here.” The guard leaves and you all are left waiting in the cold of the setting sun. However, after a few moments of waiting, the gates open to reveal a tall man with fairly nice attire and a thick, black beard. “Hello, I bid you greetings. My name is Dimitri Krezkov, burgomaster and lord of Krezk. You seek business with the Abbot of Saint Markovia, I am told. Is this correct?” It’s worth noting that the guards at his side are clearly blocking the opened gate and he has made no effort to invite you inside as of yet. It would seem that this is your audience with the burgomaster.

For a moment, Viorela worried that the woman would return with bad news, as is tradition in this country. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the burgomaster appear. Burgomasters were easy to spot, given they looked somewhat healthier than most folk. Viorela pressed on, hoping to set the tone of the conversation for the party members in case they wish to make their case. "Yes, my lord. We are here hoping to speak with the abbot."

Quote from LaRue >>

"Oof!" Viorela let's out some air as George gives her a hug. Despite how it might seem, Viorela wasn't too alarmed by him or his very sudden movement given the caution of his friends. "I missed you too, George. I see you haven't changed, but..." Viorela considers Adanmar's eyes, the first thing she noticed that didn't align to her memory. "It seems like there is something different about you all... Er," she spies Bry's fingers, which are slightly off-putting if only due to their uncanniness, "Did you always have six fingers, Mr. Bry?"

Quote from LaRue >>

"Yes, my lord. We are here hoping to speak with the abbot."

As you say that, Dimitri seems to rub the bridge of his nose, perhaps in frustration. “I see. More adventurers, yes? Wonderful...” Dimitri sighs and thinks for a moment, “And all you want is to visit the Abbot, yes? If so, you will cause no trouble for Krezk, and you will leave as soon as you are done talking with him. No staying; no attracting attention to us; and you’re out our doors as soon as possible.” There is a stony glare to his face. It is not malicious, but there seems to be a hardness to his words.

Bry watched the conversation happening, but all he could think about was how he wanted this Burgomaster to dance, or sing, or say everything in rhyme. Something that would make this dreary place more beautiful. 'I have the power to make that happen, and it would make everyone a little happier.'  Bry's inner thoughts had no retort, there was no downside to this, so far as he could see. So he gazed at the Burgomaster and uttered a few devil tongued words casting Charm Person on the Burgomaster.

Bry then stepped forward with a flourish "Burgomaster we do so thank you for hospitality! We should gratify the people of your town with a Dance, we could do so throughout the streets and raise the spirits of all within Krezk as you show us the way to the abbot!"

Persuasion with Advantage if he fails the save for Charm Person (Wisdom Save vs DC 16): 27

OOC: Also I know this is completely unnecessary but plays up to Bry's personality. Don't throw heavy things at my head please.

Burgomaster: 16

Dimitri blinks, and then starts laughing. “Well when you put it like that, how could I say no! None of you told me that my dear friend, this guy, was among you! I will have my guards personally escort you to the foot of the abbey. Unfortunately, they can’t go farther than that because of the screams and terrors and such, you know how it is. However, I will be more than happy to allow you to take as long as you like. Have a pleasant evening, my friend.” Dimitri salutes, the guards stand to attention, and he returns to his home. The guards then offer to lead you to the abbey.

Bry is a bit sad that the Burgomaster doesn't join him in dance throughout the streets, more than sad, it's almost angers him. He was supposed to supply him with beauty, with pleasure. "Screams...and terrors..." Bry mumbles angrily under his breath as they are led to the abbot.

As Bry says that, the large, almost omnipresent tolling of a heavy church bell crawls throughout the village. Mad cackling and screams can be heard from far outside the abbey. The mist-shrouded village beyond the wall is nothing more than a scattering of humble wooden cottages along dirt roads that stretch between stands of snow-dusted pine trees — so many trees, in fact, as to constitute a forest. To the northeast, gray cliffs rise sharply, and the road winding up to the abbey is easy to see from this vantage. You pass a pool along the way, which the guards inform you was blessed long ago by Saint Markovia, who founded the abbey.  Continuing onward, the switchback road that hugs the cliff is ten feet wide and covered with loose gravel and chunks of broken rock. The ascent is slow and somewhat treacherous, and the air grows colder as one nears the top. The bell tolls again, yet the voices within are much clearer. A mixture of laughter, sobbing, and incoherent babble can be heard even through the thick walls of the abbey. One of the guards, a new one, a man likely reaching middle aged, speaks up, “Listen, you all be careful up there. The Abbot’s a kind man, but this place is one to be wary of. The devil himself once attacked this place, so be careful of an magic hoodoo, alright? Now, this is as far as we go, but we’re more than happy to answer any questions you got for us.” The guard gestures to the male guard next to him, “Misha and I have lived here for some time now, so we got a good lay of the land.”

"Is this Abbot the one who cackles and screams?  Or what other forms of abomination lie beyond these walls?"  Elwarith eyes the abbey looking for perhaps a way up the wall to get a better view of what they are about to walk in to.

[Investigation: 19]

“No, no. That’s definitely something else in there. Been that way for around a hundred years or so, I’m told. Started around the same time as the Abbot though.”

From your investigation you see:

But nothing too in-depth.

(OOC - and we're at what appears to be the gate on the left side of the map there?)

OOC: Correct

Those that would like to continue speak, feel free to do so. Meanwhile, is there anyone who would like to enter the abbey’s yard?

"The devil attacked this place? But we should be careful of the magic hoodoo?" Bry said, a bit confused. "Is this place considered evil my good friends?"

The first thinks for a moment and looks to the other with a puzzled look, they discuss it amongst themselves for a few moments before answering, “Well, it definitely was a good place, and the Abbot seems inclined to help us from time to time, but with the screaming and ominous church bells, we’re gonna have to give you a firm... maybe. Really, no one’s entered this place for a couple decades now, except for the Belviews. They were pretty much the last people to head up here. Come to think of it, some time after, the laughter and screams started.”

Elwarith checks the gate to see if it can be opened - if so he's going to try and sneak inside for a peek

[Stealth: 26]

"Ah, yes the Belviews, what do you know of these Belviews? When was the last time you saw or heard from the Abbot?"