Baldwin, with his wings lightly beating to keep him airborne, is completely perplexed by what has occurred. He wonders to himself if they have changed to a different plane, as he did when he accidentally left behind the elemental plane of air long ago. The thought seems absurd, but then again the thought of flying in Daggerford one moment and being in Barovia the next is exactly that. Baldwin thinks back to all of the texts he read while at the temple, hoping that something in the various historical manuscripts will help him and his new companions.
History check: 4
Baldwin follows up Hofaen's question "And how did we get here?"
Zindarik - The young boy clings to his sister as you approach, clearly frightened by you. The girl manages to peel him off of her but he then hides behind her, peeking out at you. The girl says, "My name is Rosavalda and this-" She steps aside, exposing the boy, "is Thornboldt. You may call us Rose and Thorn." The boy steps behind his sister again, but after a few moments, he peeks out at you and says, “There’s a monster in our house!” He then points to a tall brick row house that has seen better days. Its windows are dark. It has a gated portico on the ground floor, and the rusty gate is slightly ajar. The houses on either side are abandoned, their windows and doors boarded up.
"A monster? Well, is it a good monster or a bad monster? And is there anyone else about in this little village? Or is it just the two of you that are in charge?" Ankita says gently to the two children.
Baldwin - Your mind feels as foggy as the streets around you after the shock of suddenly being transported to an unknown place against your will. You can't seem to recall anything about Barovia at the moment.
Ankita - Thorn shouts, "Bad! It's a big, mean monster!" Rose looks at you questioningly, "All monsters are bad... Aren't they?" In response to your second question she looks around, as if seeing her surroundings for the first time, "I don't know. We weren't allowed to go outside before..." Her gaze takes on a far away look for a second, she then hears Summer's question and turns to her.
Summer - Rose says, "We haven't seen our parents in a long time. We don't know where they are." With a sniffle Thorn adds, "The monster got them..." Rose holds his hand and says, "Shh... Thorn, that's not true. It lives in the basement. It's stuck down there, but it's getting stronger."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Zindarik listens to the back-and-forth between these curious children and the other members of black squad.I'm beginning to think nothing is what it seems.
Insight to gauge the truthfulness of Rose and Thorn: 9
You're fairly confident that the children are being as honest as they can be. You also get the feeling that there is more going on that the children might not know or understand.
“Rose and thorn, can we help you? Why weren’t you allowed to go outside before? If you haven’t seen your parents in a long time - what stopped you and how are you out the same time we arrived? Sorry for all the questions, I want to help, we’re just all pretty confused.” Ankita tries to lower herself down to Rose’s level so she doesn’t tower over her and tries to understand what is going on.
Ankita - Rose looks to you, now down at her level - "You have pretty hair." She smiles and continues, "Mother and father said there were monsters outside our house. They said if we ever went outside a mean old hag would cook us in a pie." Thorn whimpers and buries his face in his sister's dress. She places an arm around him before continuing, "The doors were locked, we couldn't get out." Her eyes take on the same faraway look and Thorn begins to cry. Rose says, "We yelled for mother and father, but they never came. We were hungry and thirsty and scared... We went to sleep and when we woke up, we were able to leave our room but we still couldn't find mother or father." Rose looks down at Thorn then up to you, "We saw you all standing in the street and you didn't look like hags so we came out to see if you could help us."
Hofaen looks to each of the members of Black Squad and then back to the children beginning to nod as he does so. “I went to Daggerford to vanquish monsters and bring light to the darkness. It appears this new situation provides a similar…’opportunity’ – we need a chance to rest and heal though”. Addressing the children directly“is there somewhere safe we can rest and tend to our wounds? Perhaps while we rest you could tell us more of your house and the monster that lurks within?”
Summer - The children's eyes light up and they smile at your display of magic. They appear to be genuinely cheered for a fleeting moment.
Hofaen - Rose and Thorn fidget uncomfortably and Rose says, "We don't want to go back in there..." before hugging her brother tight and resting her cheek atop his head. With eyes closed and tears forming in the corners Rose says, "We can wait on the porch for you to get rid of the monster, but please don't make us go back inside... The monster howls and howls... It's getting louder... I'm afraid it will break out of the basement and get us if we go back inside."
"Thank you Rose, that was very sweet of you. We will not ask you to go back into your house and we will do what we can to help you. How about sitting with us while we rest a bit?"
Turning to her black squad, "Are there those of you that can stand watch and are not in need of a rest while those of us that need one can take one? I know we are out in the open, but honestly I think I feel safer here than in any of those buildings and away from the fog."
Ankita - The fog roils and expands when you mention it, like an oft-kicked mutt reluctantly obeying a command to come. The fog creeps along the ground, the circle of clarity tightening around the party as you watch. When you turn back to Rose and Thorn they are nowhere to be found.
All - The fog stirs and thickens, creeping across the ground toward you. Any who had sight of Rose and Thorn find them to have disappeared between a blink of their eyes. There one moment, gone the next. Whispers flit about in the fog, always at the edge of hearing, always in a direction away from your direct line of sight. Sinister promises... Mad chittering and growling... Commands to commit horrific deeds upon those around you... Visual anomalies abound as well, always on the periphery, a grasping claw, a shrieking face, a huddled form lurching closer... All as real and solid seeming as the buildings around you but reveal themselves to be variations in the fog when perceived directly.
"I can fly for days on end, so no need for me to rest. I too will keep watch. *brrt brrrrt*. My companions, should we rest here in the street or elsewhere? I dare not enter that house for our rest. Those little ones were terrified of it! *trillllll*" Baldwin flaps his wings. One part to keep airborne. One part in some vain attempt to beat away the fog.
"I don't understand this. One minute we're watching our sergeant parish and the next we watch children appear and disappear before our eyes and now this fog!" She swats at something that isn't there, obviously disturbed by what she thought she saw. "Should we rest next to one of the other buildings? I almost feel that if we have something solid against us, the fog won't take us again? Probably laughable, but it would make me feel a little better."
All - The circle of clarity draws tighter around the party, now about 30ft in diameter and 10ft high. Any who linger outside it in the thick fog feel their limbs grow heavy as the voices in the fog become louder, clearer, and more urgent. Unseen things slither across the back of their neck and they feel a breath on their cheek, only to find unending gray fog when they turn to confront the source. As the party stands in the street, the fog presses upon you all, constricting, herding, isolating.
Baldwin, with his wings lightly beating to keep him airborne, is completely perplexed by what has occurred. He wonders to himself if they have changed to a different plane, as he did when he accidentally left behind the elemental plane of air long ago. The thought seems absurd, but then again the thought of flying in Daggerford one moment and being in Barovia the next is exactly that. Baldwin thinks back to all of the texts he read while at the temple, hoping that something in the various historical manuscripts will help him and his new companions.
History check: 4
Baldwin follows up Hofaen's question "And how did we get here?"
Zindarik - The young boy clings to his sister as you approach, clearly frightened by you. The girl manages to peel him off of her but he then hides behind her, peeking out at you. The girl says, "My name is Rosavalda and this-" She steps aside, exposing the boy, "is Thornboldt. You may call us Rose and Thorn." The boy steps behind his sister again, but after a few moments, he peeks out at you and says, “There’s a monster in our house!” He then points to a tall brick row house that has seen better days. Its windows are dark. It has a gated portico on the ground floor, and the rusty gate is slightly ajar. The houses on either side are abandoned, their windows and doors boarded up.
"A monster? Well, is it a good monster or a bad monster? And is there anyone else about in this little village? Or is it just the two of you that are in charge?" Ankita says gently to the two children.
Baldwin - Your mind feels as foggy as the streets around you after the shock of suddenly being transported to an unknown place against your will. You can't seem to recall anything about Barovia at the moment.
Ankita - Thorn shouts, "Bad! It's a big, mean monster!" Rose looks at you questioningly, "All monsters are bad... Aren't they?" In response to your second question she looks around, as if seeing her surroundings for the first time, "I don't know. We weren't allowed to go outside before..." Her gaze takes on a far away look for a second, she then hears Summer's question and turns to her.
Summer - Rose says, "We haven't seen our parents in a long time. We don't know where they are." With a sniffle Thorn adds, "The monster got them..." Rose holds his hand and says, "Shh... Thorn, that's not true. It lives in the basement. It's stuck down there, but it's getting stronger."
Zindarik listens to the back-and-forth between these curious children and the other members of black squad. I'm beginning to think nothing is what it seems.
Insight to gauge the truthfulness of Rose and Thorn: 9
Zindarik -
You're fairly confident that the children are being as honest as they can be. You also get the feeling that there is more going on that the children might not know or understand.
“Rose and thorn, can we help you? Why weren’t you allowed to go outside before? If you haven’t seen your parents in a long time - what stopped you and how are you out the same time we arrived? Sorry for all the questions, I want to help, we’re just all pretty confused.” Ankita tries to lower herself down to Rose’s level so she doesn’t tower over her and tries to understand what is going on.
Ankita - Rose looks to you, now down at her level - "You have pretty hair." She smiles and continues, "Mother and father said there were monsters outside our house. They said if we ever went outside a mean old hag would cook us in a pie." Thorn whimpers and buries his face in his sister's dress. She places an arm around him before continuing, "The doors were locked, we couldn't get out." Her eyes take on the same faraway look and Thorn begins to cry. Rose says, "We yelled for mother and father, but they never came. We were hungry and thirsty and scared... We went to sleep and when we woke up, we were able to leave our room but we still couldn't find mother or father." Rose looks down at Thorn then up to you, "We saw you all standing in the street and you didn't look like hags so we came out to see if you could help us."
"We no longer face the fearsome wolves in Daggerford, black squad. However that came to pass I cannot explain," says Zindarik.
Then pausing and scrutinizing the children, he continues, "These two, in my estimation, are in need. I am inclined to help."
Hofaen looks to each of the members of Black Squad and then back to the children beginning to nod as he does so. “I went to Daggerford to vanquish monsters and bring light to the darkness. It appears this new situation provides a similar…’opportunity’ – we need a chance to rest and heal though”. Addressing the children directly “is there somewhere safe we can rest and tend to our wounds? Perhaps while we rest you could tell us more of your house and the monster that lurks within?”
PC | Hofaen - Curse of Strahd by Dylanthalas
Summer - The children's eyes light up and they smile at your display of magic. They appear to be genuinely cheered for a fleeting moment.
Hofaen - Rose and Thorn fidget uncomfortably and Rose says, "We don't want to go back in there..." before hugging her brother tight and resting her cheek atop his head. With eyes closed and tears forming in the corners Rose says, "We can wait on the porch for you to get rid of the monster, but please don't make us go back inside... The monster howls and howls... It's getting louder... I'm afraid it will break out of the basement and get us if we go back inside."
"Thank you Rose, that was very sweet of you. We will not ask you to go back into your house and we will do what we can to help you. How about sitting with us while we rest a bit?"
Turning to her black squad, "Are there those of you that can stand watch and are not in need of a rest while those of us that need one can take one? I know we are out in the open, but honestly I think I feel safer here than in any of those buildings and away from the fog."
Ankita - The fog roils and expands when you mention it, like an oft-kicked mutt reluctantly obeying a command to come. The fog creeps along the ground, the circle of clarity tightening around the party as you watch. When you turn back to Rose and Thorn they are nowhere to be found.
All - The fog stirs and thickens, creeping across the ground toward you. Any who had sight of Rose and Thorn find them to have disappeared between a blink of their eyes. There one moment, gone the next. Whispers flit about in the fog, always at the edge of hearing, always in a direction away from your direct line of sight. Sinister promises... Mad chittering and growling... Commands to commit horrific deeds upon those around you... Visual anomalies abound as well, always on the periphery, a grasping claw, a shrieking face, a huddled form lurching closer... All as real and solid seeming as the buildings around you but reveal themselves to be variations in the fog when perceived directly.
"This place is maddening," remarks Zindarik. "We rest until it is no longer safe to do so...if it is safe at all."
Never loosing his grip on his sword, he does his part in keeping watch.
"I can fly for days on end, so no need for me to rest. I too will keep watch. *brrt brrrrt*. My companions, should we rest here in the street or elsewhere? I dare not enter that house for our rest. Those little ones were terrified of it! *trillllll*" Baldwin flaps his wings. One part to keep airborne. One part in some vain attempt to beat away the fog.
"I don't understand this. One minute we're watching our sergeant parish and the next we watch children appear and disappear before our eyes and now this fog!" She swats at something that isn't there, obviously disturbed by what she thought she saw. "Should we rest next to one of the other buildings? I almost feel that if we have something solid against us, the fog won't take us again? Probably laughable, but it would make me feel a little better."
All - The circle of clarity draws tighter around the party, now about 30ft in diameter and 10ft high. Any who linger outside it in the thick fog feel their limbs grow heavy as the voices in the fog become louder, clearer, and more urgent. Unseen things slither across the back of their neck and they feel a breath on their cheek, only to find unending gray fog when they turn to confront the source. As the party stands in the street, the fog presses upon you all, constricting, herding, isolating.