"Dragons are real!?" Parriwimple did a doubletake so fast  you nearly get whiplash. "Bigger than the big house? That's gotta be fake!"

"No, no, she's right," Ireena nods along to Darya's explanation. She smiles. "I think I heard a story about dragons from your father once before. He told me they could be very cunning and even turn into people."

"No way..." Parriwimple is completely dumbfounded by this information.

"Just imagine... a super smart, fire-breathing lizard bigger than my house that flies!"

 Darya shares in the laughter with Ireena, moving to pat Parriwimple on the shoulder. "Don't worry even if they were a real thing I doubt we would have anything it would want anyway." She assures him as she looks to Ireena and offers another smile. "Well you seem to be having fun. I understand things have been weird at night or at least that is what your brother told me."

Ireena nods and lets out a long sigh. Parriwimple tilts his head some, curious about this. "What things? What's been happening?"

"Truly... it was awful... I would rather not think about it, but..." Ireena sighs again, thinking.

(Persuasion Check to get her to spill, just needs to be a roll! Its not a high DC.)

Part of Darya pauses as she thinks about her own problem she has been trying to from others, her hand almost moving towards the bite before it stops and rests at her side. Still wanting to support Ireena, she reaches to place a hand on her shoulder. "If you don't want to talk about it I understand, but if you need someone to talk to then I happy to listen."

Persuasion: 18

"Thank you, Darya... I think I will take you up on your offer..." Ireena smiles a sad smile. You realize now her face is quite tired. It seems she engaged with shared monster stories as a distraction, but the weight on her shoulders is too great. She is happy to unload this burden with you and Parriwimple. 

"I have something to say... and it is a secret, but... I saw him. I saw... that vampire last night. You know, the lord of this land." Ireena, like so many of the villagers Darya knows, seems to refuse to say his name, but Darya knows it well. Strahd von Zarovich. "He stood outside my home... outside my window. He beckoned me to speak with him and I... I refused." [Insight Check rolled 19: Ireena stutters here... it appears she is hiding something about this interaction.] "With my refusal, he just looked so mad... and he... he sent wolves to my home. They attacked my house, howled all night, and nearly gave my father a heart attack... I'm scared he will come again tonight... I don't know what to do."

"That's so scary... I'm sorry, Ireena." Parriwimple frowns sympathetically. 

While parts of her want to call Ireena out for leaving things out, she stops due to the hypocrisy. Instead her squeezes the other woman's shoulder gently and smiles as best she can, her own heart pounding in her ears as fear wells up in her. The mere thought of Strahd causes dread but fighting through it she tries to focus on her friend.

"Well if it is of any help I offered to join you tonight to help. It does me no good to wallow in my grief while I can be of help to drive off whatever he sends after you. I may not have the knowledge of my father but I will use all that I have to help my friends." As she speaks she turns to Parriwimple and pats his shoulder as well.

"Maybe I can help too?" Parriwimple nods solemnly. "I don't have spells, but I am pretty good with this!" He points to the spear on his back.

Ireena smiles, there is a little sorrow behind it, but it seems she feels reassured by this development. "Thank you. I think with numbers, we can keep the beasts out... and maybe save my poor father from having more scares."

/--About 11 AM, Second of the 6th Moon, 735 BC, Old Svalich Road--/

Another hour goes by in a relaxed mood for what the situation is. The conversation is light and filled with talk of the past, like when you were all kids playing together in the sadly brief period of peace when the vampire slept. Darya, your heart skips a beat as you hear something shuffling nearby. [Perception Check rolled 17: The sound of nature is absent, such as bugs buzzing, frogs croaking, that sort of usual ambience. Instead, you hear the sound of twigs snapping and shuffling. Whatever it is, it is coming for you!]

Roll for initiative!

[Enemy Rolls:
12
4
15
5]

Darya laughs and smiles as they remember the simpler times of being children, grumbling a bit once they get to the more embarrassing stories involving her. "It is not that humorous. After all how was I supposed to know that would happen I was only six at the time." She said, seeming to only then notice that things were strange. She stops the others, reaching into her pocket for her arcane focus.

Initiative: 18

/---Initiative--/
20 - Twig A
16 - Darya, Parriwimple, and Ireena
10 - Twig B, C, and D
/--------------/

From the brush jumps forth strange creatures that look like they are made of sticks and twigs. [Nature Check rolled 18: Darya recognizes these. They are called Twig Blights. They can attack despite having no eyes, seemingly using other senses to track their targets. Twig Blights usually only attack things that come close enough to them to be sensed, since They are not very strong, and are weak to fire.]

Twig A runs up to Parriwimple first, mostly because he is the closest to all these small creatures. It attacks him viciously: Attack: 21 Damage: 3

"Ahh! Wha-What are these?"

"Little sticks...?"

[Okay, you control yourself and your NPCs! Your move!!]

Not having a spell that can be of much use to something that is so close to them, Darya let's Parriwimple deal with the one that attacked him, instead aiming for one of the blights further away. Moving her fingers quickly as her mouth goes through a simple incantation. As she finishes a small mote of fire flies from her hand and towards one of the more distant brights.

Firebolt at Blight B: Attack: 8 Damage: 4

(Sorry don't want to deal with manipulated rolls.)

For his own part, gritting his teeth from the blow, Parriwimple raises his spear and both hands. He stabs down at the the blight with all the strength he can muster.

Spear to Blight A: Attack: 14 Damage: 13

Ireena moves back and readies her bow, aiming for the same Blight that Darya had just cast her spell towards. Taking aim as best she can she lets the knocked arrow fly.

Arrow for Blight B: Attack: 8 Damage: 4

[You are totally fine! I don't mind several posts in a row. :)]

/---Initiative--/
20 - Twig A
16 - Darya, Parriwimple (-9), and Ireena
10 - Twig B, C, and D
/--------------/

Somehow, none of your attacks land. These vile things move in ways unnatural despite their makeup of twigs and leaves. You and your allies have a hard time predicting their movements! 

Twig B goes for Parriwimple: Attack: 6 Damage: 2

Twig C

(sec jsut threw up lol)

Twig C Attack: 20 Damage: 2 on Parriwimple.

Twig D runs up beyond Parriwimple to get to [1 is Darya and 2 is Ireena: 1 Attack: 8 Damage: 4 

Twig A attacks Parriwimple, again: Attack: 11 Damage: 3 

Darya, Parri, and Ireena's turns! (Which reminder: you can take in any order or mixture since they are all in a row.

Darya curses as they all seemingly miss her attack, moving quickly as she begins to cast again. The movements of her hands change as well as the words she mutters. As she finishes she pushes her hand out and three bolts of arcane energy fly from the outstretched palm. With unerring accuracy three of the blights are hit by them.

Magic Missile on Blight A: 4

Blight D: 2

Blight: B: 3

Ireena moves to drop her bow as one of the blights is right next to her, quickly pulling her shortsword free. Moving to strike, she arcs the blade in a downward swing.

Shortsword: Attack: 9 Damage: 8

At the sametime Parriwimple yelps as he is hit again, gripping his spear tighter and moving to stab at the blights.

Spear at Blight A: Attack: 17 Damage: 12

/---Initiative--/
20 - Twig A
16 - Darya, Parriwimple (-9), and Ireena
10 - Twig B, C, and D
/--------------/

A single blight (C) remains, but true to its nature, it continues to plague you. It strikes at Parriwimple with no apparent concern for itself!

Attack: 5 Damage: 3

/---Initiative--/
20 - Twig A
16 - Darya, Parriwimple (-13), and Ireena
10 - Twig B, C, and D
/--------------/

Parriwimple groans from the attack. "These things are so... pokey!" He complains. 

[Your move!]

Darya steps back and moves to cast another spell, fire forming around her hand for a split second before flying towards the blight that keeps harming her friend. "Burn you blasted weed."

Firebolt: Attack: 10 Damage: 7

Seeing the spell miss, both Ireena and Parriwimple move to finish off the last blight with their respective melee weapons.

Spear: Attack: 24 Damage: 8

Shortsword: Attack: 10 Damage: 8

/---Combat Ended!---/

Darya's party reigns victorious as the last blight falls. Parriwimple, with the threat gone, falls down onto his ass with a drawn out sigh. "Ahh, these stupid things really hurt!" His pants have tears and rips, but overall the damage is cosmetic. He seems to be moreso complaining than actually in pain. Like, when you go to pull a rose and end up getting stuck by a thorn.

"I've heard about those things, but I've never actually seen any..." Ireena whispers. Its true, these blights feature in some Barovian folklore as Darya remembers. "I guess it has to do with Str-"

"Don't! You know we aren't supposed to say his name. They say it invites the Devil to listen in. I doubt any of us want that..."