Dallid does not chime in and instead heads into the woods to hide and get off the road. 

Ferelyon stealth 17 
Dallid stealth 11 

The voices and torchlight get closer still, until they come into view, emerging through the mists.  At the front, their leader appears to be barking orders to the mob behind him.  It appears to comprise of all nature of townsfolk, wielding all manner of tools from pitchforks to blacksmithing hammers, as well as town guards in uniform.  The leader's visage is dreadful and fear-inspiring, scars run along his face.  His right arm is far from human, it is red and scaled, demonic-looking and wielding a massive battleaxe ((see below)).

As he looks in your direction his finger points at you.  A number of guards peel off from the mob and head towards your position.  "Halt!  In the name of the Baron!" they yell towards you, "Who goes there?  What business do you have this close to Vallaki?"

Dallid - It would seem that, for the time being, they have yet to see you or Ferelyon.

Cerio & Dadeveth - Can I assume that you are at least a little distance away from Radu's corpse?  50m or so?

Dadeveth pauses, not wishing to leave her new companions to face this mob without her aid. She waits to see how the others react to the situation before she acts herself.

((Yes, Cerio would have made a point to step away from the body to reduce suspicion.))

The man's appearance is downright devilish.  Cerio's not sure what expectations he had about this place, but it's already far worse than he imagined.  Dangit, Cerio, ya went 'n done it again! he thinks to himself. 

He notes the details.  There's some guard, and a lot of townsfolk with crude weapons, and a creature leadin' em.  Isolde never described Strahd as a baron, so this must be a local leader.  These are townsfolk and, hopefully, they follow the law.  With practiced skill, he adopts a relaxed posture, trying to look miserable, pathetic, and scared.  Given the circumstances, it's not difficult.  He averts his eyes and hunches his shoulders, as though the weight of his pack is pressing him down into the earth.

"Oh, thank th'gods, ya come!  We's just travelers done lost our ways!  Tryin' t' find out way through th' swamp.  We had a guide here--" Cerio points to Radu's corpse. "Bless 'is soul, he's a good man, but some creatures attacked us 'n killed 'im!"  Cerio snorts, pretending to blow his nose into his sleeve.  "We knew we'd be next if ya hadn't come along!  Oh, do ya got a doctor in town?"  Cerio gestures back to Radu, to the lifeless body with eyes gouged out.  "There might be a chance yet.  'N say, is there an inn where travelers might stay 'n spend coin fer a room 'n a meal?"  He's careful not to blatantly lie, and emphasizes the fact they're willing to pay, to show they're a law-abiding group.

Persuasion 15

One of the guards, the older one, approaches Cerio.  Another of the guards reports back to their leader, you hear him shouting, "Just a couple of travellers - doesn't look like he is with them."  The mob continues to head down the road, but are closer to the Northern treeline than the Southern, in the other direction to you.

"Now, let's all just approach this all calmly, look."  The guard says, his voice is weary, "First, wos all this 'bout a swamp?".  The guard makes a point of looking around, "Nowt but the Svalich Woods an' the Old Svalich Road, which yer standin' on, 'round 'ere.  Sure, Lake Zarovich lies 'bout halfa a mile North, beyon' the trees.  Bu' tha's 'bout it."

"Second, wos this 'bout a killin'?  Y'may not be from 'round 'ere.  But we's generally frown 'pon killin's."  You notice the guard look to his left and right, the guards are three in total, "Makes me mighty concerned, all this talk'a killin', y'unnerstan?"  The guard sighs, "Bes' you stay 'ere with Ben an' Dave," he motions to the other guards, "Whils' I check this out."

Before leaving to check over the wagon he says, "'course there's a doc in town.  Any o'ya hurt?"  He looks over at Dadeveth, "Bleedin' 'eck.  Ain't never seen a horse-woman b'fore.  Y'ain't from 'round 'ere, no way.  Now speak up an' speak true.  Are y'all travellers tha' got los' in the mists?  'appens all the time.  An' it jus' 'bout clears you for th' main reason we're all out 'ere.  Huntin' a murderer, a madman.  Y'aint seen anyone matchin' tha' description 'ave ya?  Crazy-lookin' clothes, bombastic-look, refers to 'imself as 'The Great Rictavio'".

Cerio falters, looking around.  Looks like a swamp t’me.  “Did I say swamp?  I… er… yea, we’s travelin’ through a swamp, ‘n then that nasty ole mist come’n the next thing we know we’s here, ‘n our driver got savaged ‘n all…  ‘N here we is in tha, uh, tha Svalich Woods”  Cerio shrugs and lifts in his hands in a “what ya gonna do” sort of way.

Rictavio.  Now there was a familiar name.  “No, ain’t seen no crazy-lookin’ man wonderin’ around,” he answers truthfully.

"Ha!  Thought yer was the type."  He says triumphantly.  "Lucky y'didn't come across tha' Rictavio fella, 'e's wanted fer a number of murders most foul, most foul indeed." his voice is ominous.

"Well now, you jus' come with me to the wagon.  Am sure we'll wrap this 'ole nasty business up."  As you traipse back to the wagon, Dadeveth and the other guardsmen in tow, the first thing you notice is that the rain has, thankfully, washed the writing from the wagon.  As the guard that questioned you examines Radu's body, the others check the contents of the wagon, before returning.

"'orrible business, truly 'orrible," the lead-guard says, his voice filled with sympathy, "Y'got any idea what savaged 'im?  Looks like 'is eyes 'ave been plucked righ' out.  The lads reckon they know the bloke, Vistani, wen' by th' name Radu.  'e was a regular 'round these parts."  He shakes his head in pity, "Truly awful business this, awful."

Dallid comes out with Ferelyon. 

”Radu was murdered too, it seems.” This is almost an afterthought, as he’s staring at the man with the disfigured arm. “Now that is something else! A transplant? Mutation? Transformation? Genetic? Curse?“ And he’ll try to go touch it if he can

"Yes, we consider it a real bad thing." Dadeveth says, nodding to their dead guide. "Whomever did this also ran off with the horse that was pulling the wagon." She shrugs.

Hmm, Cerio thinks, trying to recall what Isolde had said about Rictavio.  He’s an extraordinary man with knowledge of Barovia and its curse, and with reason to act against Strahd.  Oh, and he has a tiger and a pet monkey.  A man with a vendetta and a tiger could do some damage, no doubt.

“Well, I didn’t see nothin,” Cerio admits to the guards, rubbing his chin and looking to concentrate real hard, and like it takes a real effort for him.  People are always easier to handle when they think he’s a simpleton.  “I’s takin’ a lil’ nap til the brouhaha come upon us, ya see.  But--but!  I heard some birds a’flappin’.  And them scratches on his body, ya see, and his eyes all poked out like--aww poor feller!” Cerior pretends to blow his nose in his sleeve again and sobs.

Beneath the sob is the magic word.  And as he recites it he reaches his hand into a pocket and pinches a copper piece he has stowed away.  He performs a subtle gesture with his hand, attempting to discreetly cast detect thoughts.  This was a trick he’d learned as a child.  Granted, it had come easier when Edrick was alive, and since his brother’s death he’s found it’s a little tricker, it takes a little more effort.  But he’s still got it, yes.  Like a fisher skimming his net over a gentle stream, he tries to pick up on any little fishes he finds, the surface thoughts floating in the minds of those present.  Mentally he tosses out little bits of grain, waiting for the fishes to bite, especially those of that deformed fellow leading the pack.

Sleight of Hand to conceal the somatics: 23

((Since I’m only looking for surface thoughts at the moment, there’s no check needed.  Cerio won’t attempt to probe anyone’s mind just yet.))

Dallid - You emerge from the treeline with Ferelyon.  As soon as the guards catch sight of you their hands tentatively go to their weapons.  "Halt!  Who goes there?", one of them shouts as they move to block your path.  "Are you with these lot?" the lead-guard asks, as much to Cerio and Dadeveth as to Dallid.  "Bes' y' don't mention Izek's arm too loudly,"  He warns, "'e's got a temper on 'im, bes' y' don't go enflamin' it."

Dadeveth - The lead-guard turns to you, "Aye, looks like y'were mighty lucky to escape."  He sighs, "Look, probably bes' you an' yer friend 'ere don't go lookin' fer trouble.  Vallaki lies no more than a mile t' tha' West, jus' follow th' road.  Izek is a man it bes' goes avoidin'."

Cerio - Your casting has appeared to go unnoticed as the guard-captain's surface thoughts flood your brain.

Birds, eh?  Could be birds.  Wouldn't be the first time somethin' like this 'appened.  'ere whats that odd gentlemen with the wolf doin'?  Was he hidin' all this time?  Tha's odd.  Somethin' odd 'bout these folk - outsider's sure, bu' why act so suspiciously?  I was goin' ta jus' let 'em go 'bout their business, bu' not sure now.

Moments pass and the guard-captain smiles sheepishly at you.

C'mon Rod, don' go muckin' this up, th' others are lookin' fer ya to lead 'em.  Bu' then I mus' get back to Izek - 'ow a bloke like tha' was accept'd inta the guard... only by the Baron's approval, no doubt, blitherin' idiot.  Tha' Izek's trouble though.  Need ta watch 'im.  Can't let 'im kill any more innocent people - it's not right.  Bu' do the guy's support me... too risky, it's too risky.  Bah, wha's th' point?  Let these folk go an' rejoin Izek, I reckon.

"Anyways, jus' stay outta trouble, y'hear?  I don' see tha' we need keep ya any longer.  Ben, Dave, let's get back ta Izek." Rod says sternly as he turns to leave.

"Yep, that's ole Dallid.  He was just takin' a piss." Cerio offers.  Then, gathering the suspicion in the guard's thoughts, he steels himself.  Targeting the minds of Dadeveth and Dallid only, he sends out his own thoughts into their heads.

::Dallid, Dadeveth.  This is Cerio.  Yep, over here.  Tha one 'n tha same.  Listen, don't act like fools!  Tha guards's already suspicious of us.  Just play it cool 'n they might let us go.::

Dallid starts to object and cuts himself off. 

He rejoins Cerio and Dadeveth. “I just wanted to see it. His arm I mean. It looks pretty out of the ordinary, I don’t know how everyone doesn’t want to.” 

Dadeveth smiles to the guards as they indicate the group is free to go. "A mile to town you said?" She asks. "Well, if you don't need us for anything more, we will gather up our belongings and head in that direction."

Rod looks relieved, he looks like he is about to ask more of you, but stops short, "Thank ya all fer yer cooperation.  Yer good to go."

The guard-captain's thoughts enter Cerio's mind once more;

I shoulda ask'd 'em to inform Baron Vargas 'bout Izek.  He'll not stop until tha' Rictavio is dead, wha' justice is this?  We don' even 'ave any evi'dence of tha' man's guilt.  

"Ben!  Dave!  Leave this lot be,"  Rod barks at the other guards, "We'll join up with the rest."  His face looks downcast, resigned to his fate.  He trudges off back towards the mob.

Cerio hears Rod's inner dialogue begin to fade as he walks off;

Mornin' Lord f'give me.  'ow many more will yer turn a blind-eye ta, Rod?  Bleedin' coward yer are.

The torchlight and voices begin to get distant.  Leaving you all alone in this foreign land once more.

Dallid nods and walks off down the road, drawing in his book. 

“Phew, that was close!” Cerio wipes his brow in relief, watching the guards move away. He turns back to Dadeveth and Dallid.  “K, where’s what I plucked outta their heads…”

“First, That wild lookin’ feller with the odd hand.  That’s Izek, and he sounds like trouble.  The baron Vargas of this town picked ‘im fer the guard, and ain’t everyone happy ‘bout it.  Apparently he’s killed some innocent folks.  The guard captain, Rod, wouldn’t mind seein’ him gone.  So there looks t’be some dissent in tha ranks.  Rod might be easy to use.”

“Second, that Izek feller seems pretty hung up on catchin’ this Rictavio figure. They accused ‘im o’ some killin’s, but they ain’t no evidence that Rictavio done anything.  Might be framin’ ‘im, or maybe Rictavio’s just that slick.”

“‘N third, they’s worship of somethin’ called the mornin’ lord.  Ya’ll ever hear of ‘im?”

Dadeveth watches the guards walk away, then moves to the bodies as Cerio starts to inform them about what he learned. As he is speaking she searches the dead driver, then the area around the wagon seat. If she finds nothing there she would move inside the wagon and search there as well.

Investigation: 9

"Morning Lord?" Dadeventh asks. "Hmm..." She considers if she knows anything about Morning Lord and those who might worship whomever that is...
Religion: 19