"Understood."  Strahd says with a gesture of his hand at Ward.  "No ill feelings then.  I forget that you and yours come from a background that is far different than my own, or any this world has been able to provide in hundreds of years.  I absolutely agree that this group and I haven't made fair assessments of one another.  But when you're a monster living in a man's world, you don't get a fair assessment."  

He makes an underlining motion in the air for emphasis.

A vampire, by nature, is a pale creature.  Divorced from the sun, made pallid by death, or undeath...but if Strahd could become paler, the notion of bringing the wizards to him does it.  He looks absolutely aghast at the suggestion.  

"Under no circumstances are they to be brought here!"  He says, his fist slamming the top of the table, killing that idea in the cradle.  "I've worked hard to keep who I am and where I am a secret and bringing them here has the potential to unravel all of that!  Absolutely not!  Anyone that tries to bring them into the building will be destroyed by our defenses!  I hope that is clear!"  

His fists clenches around the blood stained napkin, and a drop of black ichor is squeezed out onto the table.  He takes a deep breath and screws his eyes closed as he composes himself.  

"I apologize.  You wouldn't have known that.  But no.  Under no circumstance should they be brought here.  I've given you the terms.  You understand the conditions that will default our arrangement.  If you go there and decide not to do as I've asked, your property will be destroyed somewhere between five and seven days.  Oh, and for the record, I won't come hunting you down for it.  The consequences once you leave this building are already preestablished and will be for you to reap or undo.  Now..."  

The vampires wipes up the drop of blood with the bloody napkin.  

"Also, before I forget to say this...just remember I never said item.  I said property."  

He nods at Dageron's words.  

"I sympathize."  He says, and clearly means it in absolute terms, when Dageron labels himself as someone else's monster.  He remains sympathetic even with Dageron's thinly veiled attempt at a threat.  "I have taken my time in my reveal because I want at least some expectation of a level of cooperation, and I want to make sure you understand what it is I expect and the terms I am dictating.  As for it's worth..."  

Strahd nods and holds his hands above his head, clapping twice, loudly.   Two more guards enter the room, and a thrall comes in to place a large, boxy object in front of the vampire lord.  It's black and covered in buttons.  There is suddenly a flurry of subdued, deliberate activity, in what has obviously been a choreographed event.  

"Please, I beseech no violence from your team."  Strahd says to Travin.  "While I am sure I have weaknesses, I want to be clear about a little something the Cold War has deemed 'mutually assured destruction'.  If you come here to fight me, my defensive plans trigger.  You may kill many of us.  You may even kill me, though if things get that dicey I have methods of escape.  But we will assuredly kill many of you too.  I calculate at least half.  At least.  Maybe almost all of you.  Please.  Don't do it.  Please."  

He looks directly at Dageron when he says this.  

"I appreciate your directness."  Strahd says to Johnathan.  "And you are quite correct in your assessment.  I could wipe out the 'vampire hunters', as you've previously called them, if I wanted to.  I just don't want to.  I like my quiet life.  I like my luxuries.  I want to keep it that way.  You're a very smart man.  Thank you.

As for who these people are..."  He says, addressing Adam's concerns.  "I'm sorry.  I'm not going to share that.  Your disconnection from the situation will lead to decisions more favorable to me, if I can be frank.  You've already expressed the possibilty to judge against me.  I think you want to judge against me.  I'm not providing anymore information."    

As Strahd offers up this compliment to Johnathan and his answer to Adam, the doors in the back of the room open, and the master of Barovia International stands.  Two more vampires wheel in a man, his dark complexion, hair, and eyes, visible along the top of his head.  He's strapped to a dolly, his arms, legs, everything restrained.  He wears a muzzle.  A thick metal collar adorns his neck.  Strahd crosses the room, stepping in front of him, blocking the band's view of the man.  He has the small knife in one hand.  The wine glass with his blood in it in the other.  

"Now listen,"  Strahd says to the man as he works at something.  "We discussed how this would go, right?  Just be cool.  You'll feel a sting in your hand.  Be easy."  

He cuts away the straight jacket the man is in, revealing a hand.  Slowly he rakes the knife across the palm, and red blood, the blood of a living soul, spills into the wine glass with Strahd's, before the vampire steps back to his seat and begins unrolling the vellum, then dipping the feather pen into the mixed blood and signing the bottom of two of the scrolls before rolling them back up.  

"This is a blood pact that makes everything I've said about the obliteration of your property so."  Strahd says while everyone is busy deciphering what the hell is happening.  "Mostly complete now.  To seal the deal, someone needs to take a drink."  

He slides the glass of blood toward the center of the table.  

"I recommend that she does it..."  

He points toward Shavaris.

"...since my blood in the glass will have side effects for those of you who have not received the blessing.  Without a drink, you can't take possession.  The drink gives him the ability to leave here until the pact ends.  Essentially, it grants the Dawn Guard custody of their property.  Just so you know, he's counting on you to decide in his favor." 

"Man, this guy."  Severen says, speaking up for the first time in twenty plus minutes of discussion.  "When we brought his ass in here he killed what?  Seven or so thralls just to get him into his room?  He's a killer.  I hate to be the Carpathian when you people take this bastard to him."  

Dageron takes the cup. "As I am deemed the least useful member of the Dawn Guard, I will risk this pact. I am also the least likely to care what happens to... whoever that is. To my fellows, if this turns me against you, kill me, and complete the mission." He looks to the others for indications they accept his terms before drinking.

Adam steps forward to Dageron, reaching his hand up to the cup, saying “Hold.  I know that you having thought much of me before, but Dageron…. This cup must pass from you, is not yours.  You say you take this risk, but by taking it, you take it for all of us.  Hold, I say.  This needs to be a group decision.  And don’t take out that damn rod or anything.  We need to think a minute, dammit.”  He holds the cup, not allowing him to drink.  

Ward nods his head with Strahd saying not to bring them here. "Apologize, instead, I propose that I use this." Ward says, pulling out his paralyzing poison. "Once we deal with them should we not kill them outright I can inject them with this. Should keep them from being a threat whatsoever and we can find an alternative meet-up location should you give us a way to contact you." Ward says, twirling a vial around in his hand

Shavaris had been sitting silently at the table as the rest go through all the semantics of what Strahd is proposing.  It all came down to the fact they had a common goal, the reason they were here in the first place.  Dageron was right, she smiles, that was a good assessment of their merry little band, it appeared he fit in with them better than he thought.  She feels in a sort of dreamy state as the discussions continue and she finally picks up the wine glass in front of her and swirls it around, noting that it doesn't cling to the sides like Strahd's chalice did.

Property not item?  Hmmm... what does the man mean?  And then he is wheeled out in front of them.  Shavaris drops the glass and it shatters all over the table and she stands up so suddenly that the chair falls behind her with a clatter.

"RALIK!!" she screams and stops herself short of running to the man she considered a brother.  But how?  how was he alive?  She watches in horror as Strahd cuts him and sees that he is indeed alive.  "But how?  How is this possible?!"

She turns to Strahd the anger building inside of her, not directed at anyone in particular but the whole situation, "How?  How long have you had my brother?  Why is he strapped up like this?"  She pauses, tries to calm herself and thinks a moment.  "These wizards you are wanting us to kill... the woman.. is it Sarah?"  When Strahd shakes his head no, it calms her a bit as the decision has been made in her mind.

She looks at Adam who now has the cup and holds out her hand, "Give it to me, you know I am the one that has to drink it."

Ward tilts his head towards the figure as Shav recognizes Ralik. "Now that, brings up even more questions Strahd. Where'd you find him mainly." Ward asks, gripping the holy water vial. "Obviously I don't want him to die, so I won't kill you here. But in this department, I suggest you be quite honest." Ward says, his voice losing it's emotion and eyes glowing a bit brighter blue.

"There's some questions I'm just not going to answer."  Strahd says to Shavaris when she recognizes Ralik Two Knives strapped to the dolly.  "But he's strapped up like that because he is a killer, of which I'm certain you're aware.  Seven thralls slaughtered right here in my headquarters.  There's no way I'm releasing him until I have a good handle on the safety of myself, my associates, and my enterprise.  And no, it's not Sarah.  The girl means nothing to me.  As a matter of fact, you give me what I want and I'll do what I can to help you free her from Vigo's grasp."  

There's a knock, and another vampire enters the room, a young woman in a very outdated dress.  She crosses to Strahd and leans into his ear before whispering something...

"Splendid. Thank you."  Strahd replies before addressing Ward.  "I suggest you mind your position here.  If you do something stupid, this situation will get very, very bad.  I'm not answering those questions.  Put that shit away before you cause unnecessary violence."  

"to be clear" Travin pipes up, after the whole display of whatever is going on, "Travin was suggesting we haves a fight after all the jobs is done, just for funs yeah? No killings just let Strahdy stretch his old boneses yeh yeh!

Anywho, is that a remotes control!? Does that means you guys a TV, Strahd? Can we watch? Hmmm? Travin hasn't seen a TV in.. oh it must be nearly two hundred and forty years! Yeh yeh!" 

 The vampiric  ones needed him, and as usual, they were careful with him. They knew what would happen if they sloppy with their handling. Ralik moved fast as one of the thralls came towards him with the restraining garments. The thrall flinched in fear, remembering the slaughter Ralik brought last time he escaped, taking a step back. Ultimately Ralik turned his back and allowed the thralls to restrain him. They strapped him on to the dolly and covered his face with a muzzle. He let them, willingly. He could kill many of them, but he knew he couldn't take the vampires that would come, and for sure not Strahd. 

The hallways were ornate to the maximum. The odd non-magical light lit everything, even in the night hours. The desert nomad didn't much like it. He just wanted to go back to his lavish room and watch the scry box full of "cowboy's and Indians" shown by the H.B.O. wizard. He relaxed as they rolled him to the dinner room.

Ralik is rolled to the side of Strahd. Once there he lunges at one of the thralls, making it jump a little bit. Ralik laughs with the entertainment the thrall's fear gives. The sly bastard Strahd comes over and whispers to him.  So THIS was the deal he was talking about, it all made sense now. 

He heard a familiar voice shout his name. Wild eyes dart to that familiar voice.

SHAVARIS!

Ralik's eyes go wild for a moment as he recognizes sister Shavars, brother Ward, brother Johnathan, brother Adam,  brother Travin, and a stranger. 

Was this another one of Strahd's illusions? Was this more of those false images covering a vampire who was acting like his old friends? Was he even awake right now? The pain on his palm assured him that he was alive and awake, but how tricky those illusions could be. 

Ralik's eyes meet Sharvaris's. His eyes are intense, wild, and questioning. He is still under his restraints, hoping this to be true, but not enough hope to hurt if it wasn't. 

He would make Strahd pay dearly if it wasn't, even if it was his last defiance against the reasonable yet ultimately dark jailer. 

"Well to understand my view, let me tell you when I last saw him he was dead. Killed by a Catalobeas, a poisonous beast in its bog. So yes, I am quite concerned with how he got to be seeing us again." Ward says, the robotic tone remaining in his voice

Tracing nods at Wards assesment, getting up from the table and shuffling closer toward the excitement in the room. He also keeps a wary eye on the movements of Shavaris.

Adam/Kerwyn looks stymied, standing there puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?  “We buried him.  (Pause, to Strahd) Guess that process doesn’t bother you a bit eh?”  He stands there considering, finally saying only one word, more of a question.

”OoAaHh?”

“

As Ralik's eyes meet Shavaris's, all questions disappear.  This is the man they lost in the Bog of Stench.  Without hesitation, she grabs the chalice from Adam and takes a drink.

As the liquid starts trickling down her throat what Strahd said about her getting closer to being a child of the night flits through her mind...

All of a sudden, Adam sees Shavaris move toward him out of the corner of his eye.  He wanted to keep her, keep all of them from accepting this blood pact with Strahd, he has no trust of the words coming out of his mouth and he senses danger in all directions.  He starts to pull away from her so that she cannot be tempted by the blood in the cup.  But he had not counted on Travin and his belt of strength.  Travin seizes his arm from the other side, allowing Shavaris to close the distance.  As the junkman squeezes his forearm over the scar given by Vader, he feels his grip weakening and Shavaris slides the cup out of his grip.  “No!  Travin what are you doing!!  Shavaris no, don’t drink yet, we need to talk this through….”  Too late… Adam holds his head down, his arm falls down by his side, he feels defeated.  

"Shavaris has mades her choice, and she has more right to makes it than most, hmmm she does this for her own reasons, and for Ralik yeh. If Adam takes that away from her, she will grows to resent him" Travin whispers to Adam as he prevents the man from fighting back, but once the drink has been consumed Trav stops squeezing and instead just holds Adam's arm, his other hand reaches to adams other arm and the junk person looks up, holding Adam's gaze, "we won't let anythings bad happen to her, yeh"

As she takes the sip of the blood cup, her hand starts shaking as she sets it back on the table.  Her eyes dilate for the second time since being in this room and she grabs hold of the table in front of her to steady herself.  She breaks out in a cold sweat and sways a bit, not able to look anyone in the eye.

(CON save 21)

She withstands another wave of nausea and gets a feeling deep in her gut that drinking from that cup could have gone very very bad.  She doesn't regret it, not a bit, but beyond grateful it was she that took it.

Shavaris is finally able to look up and looks to Adam with tears in her eyes, "I..I'm sorry.  I had to.  It'll be ok.  We.. we have our Ralik back, I couldn't leave him behind again."  

"Everyone be cool man..."  Severen says as things get a little squirrely.  

Strahd maintains his position, staying at the head of the table as he watches the situation in front of him unfold.  Once Shavaris has drank the blood, he nods, and then takes a look at the vellum he had written on and signed with blood.  

"It is done."  He says as he steps closer to Shavaris.  He uses his hand to brush away the debris from the previously busted glass, and then lays the two identical writs out in front of her.  He proceeds to explain it loudly so everyone can hear.  

"Once I cast the magic, it gave you six full days to complete the objective.  At the end of the sixth day, Ralik Two Knives will waste away and be destroyed forever.  In order for your party to take possession of him from my party, and for my magic to work and to insure me against any sort of repercussions from your party, Ralik's life has now been tied to the lady's.  Should either of them fall, the other shall go down in sympathy.  Ralik's life will slowly begin to wane.  At the dawn of every day he will be weaker.  He'll begin to get tired.  And as Ralik wanes, so too shall the lady.  If I am destroyed, Ralik will be destroyed, and therefore the lady.  Once all this is behind us, I will lift the pact and you will all be free to go with the effects of the pact lifted."   

With one vellum in front of Shavaris, Strahd rolls one up for himself and steps away and motions for the guards, who begin to release Ralik.  They remove his muzzle.  The collar.  The straps.  The jacket.  Until finally the full outfit of restraints is stripped away from Ralik and left piled on the ground.  

"You have until the end of the sixth day to deal with the slayers and Vigo.  You get one, and we can work on the other.  Severen, you keep up with them.  If the Dawn Guard needs something, or a meeting because the first task is complete, reach out and we'll arrange it."  

Strahd, believing he has gotten what he wanted, moves toward the back of the room, blatantly ignoring Ward and Adam.  He smiles a little at Travin.  

"You want to watch T.V. kid?  Sure.  Use the remote."

Adam approaches Shavaris again, uncertain whether to hug her, tears in his eyes, he keeps saying “You didn’t have to.”  He turns to watch Strahd leave the room, burning daggers with his eyes into his backside.  He sits down at the table and looks at the food, not remotely hungry, feeling nauseated.  

“So, what’s next?  Where do we go from here?  I guess we need to move quickly, right?”

Travin let's Adam go and with an excited ooooooh! Picks up the controller hitting the power button, 

If a tv surfaces Travin will start flipping through channels, this early in the morning he finds a few cartoons, thundercats!

Flip

He-man and the masters of the universe, Travin gives Adam a glance and lets him watch a minute before flipping once more.

Flip

The real Ghostbusters, hmmm Travin raises a brow and let's it play...

Shavaris picks up the vellum and rolls it up with a hard knot to swallow in her throat.  Feeling a bit more steady, she squeezes Adam's shoulder as he sits next to her, her chair still on the floor toppled over.  She leans down and kisses him on the cheek.

Turning, she then runs towards Ralik, though stops short as she gets to him, understanding of how this is even possible stopping her from enveloping her old friend.  "Ralik... is that really you?  Our Two Knives?  Really?"  Tears start running down her face and she opens her arms for a hopeful embrace.