Lenn has turned back on his gloom atriture during the back trip, mostly keeping to himself. He pulls the cart as much time as he can and helps making camp but he keep his distance with the rest. Specially from Bran. 
It is not only that he has concerns about the man, it is that his blood smells the sweetest of all of them. Once in the city he agrees to report back to Blinsky and to himself he thinks that it would be better be fast. Goodness he was hungry.

He stares to the little man that had threatened the toy maker and can’t help but grow lowly when he passes by.

“Eithne…” he puts a hand o the maiden’s shoulder and speaks to her in low voice.

“ It is Blinky’s call to tell him or not, and ultimately is Bran’s choice to make. I know your feelings but we cannot… impose… even if we know better… Either way we will help him… let them talk and decide”

”Our companion’s fate is… unclear “ replies Lenn to Blinsky. “ Either she found someone who convinced her to leave or was… taken. Perhaps is better to talk about this later…”

Chara gives a little nod to Lucian to follow herself and Bran to the far corner of the shop, away from the others. She would prefer to have someone there besides the tiny devil on her shoulder when she says what she has to.

Once they're out of earshot, she takes in a deep breath and says what she has to.

"Bran... when we found you, I sent Ichabod to search the graveyard for whoever or whatever did this to you. Well, he didn't find the people responsible... but he was able to tell me that what happened was done by supernatural means. More importantly..."

She hesitates for a moment, stroking Lydel more to comfort herself than the puppy.

"I just want to say right now that I completely understand if you don't take the word of a tiny devil by proxy of a larger devil as the most trustworthy source, but I thought that you should know this if you don't already. According to Ichabod, there is a dark cloud hanging around you, a curse which he says will bring misfortune with it wherever you go. Ichabod, if you have any more information on the topic, feel free to share now."

-  ... A dark cloud? Mis ... misfortune ... ? - Bran pales, suddenly lost for words. The bard feels the need to sit and having nowhere to do that, he just leans against the wall. 

- I don't understand ... what ...? How...? - He looks at Ichabod as if he were to give any kind of friendly advice. Bran hadn't talked to the tiny devil that much during the last coupe of days, but he had seen and heard enough so as not to expect anything of the sort.

His mind raced. "Can they be talking about Pom? But that's impossible. We've been bound for years, he can't be the cause of what happened but a few days ago. And he's never affected no one but me. To the rest of the world, he doesn't even exist. He can't be the cause of this dark cloud". Bran was about to say just this, but he refrained from speaking. He had never needed to talk to anybody about Pom. Not even to Elia. Why would he have wanted to worry her? Why indeed, if he could just bear with that strange entity on his own?

He just looked at the imp in search for answers that would surely not come, but stared anyway. Could this curse have another source? But who had caused it? And why?

And, more importantly, if he could indeed bring misfortune to those around him ... was he going to stay with this group of people that he wanted so hard  to count as friends?

Lucian follows quietly, giving Chara a surprised glance when she bring up misfortune. She hadn't said that much when she'd told him earlier... He looks to Bran, noting the bard's surprise. Judging by his reaction, this was news to him. ...was that a good thing?

As it becomes clear that the bard is struggling with the information, Lucian hesitantly speaks up, "Uh... I'm sorry... We weren't sure if you knew about it or not, and...we didn't want to tell you right after we found you in that coffin." He rubs his arm a little, looking away for a second before continuing, "Bran, it's up to you whether or not you want to stay with us--and Blinsky too, since I think he's the only one who can really explain to you what it is we are trying to do. But...well...just, uh, don't worry to much about misfortune or...whatever this darkness means. I know...I know what its like to deal with a curse. I was afraid that once I told everyone else...about...well...I was afraid that they wouldn't let me stick around since I'd be putting everyone here at risk." He hesitates, not wanting to reveal his own secret to the bard until he knows whether or not he's staying with the group. "But...it turns out that all of us have some sort of darkness we can't get rid of, and...well, everyone here is really accepting and understanding about it. It's not your fault that some evil thing decided to curse you. So no one here will blame you for it. If...if you do end up staying with us, all of us will do our best to help you figure out what's going on." 

He seems to shrink a little for a moment, wrapping his arms around himself as his mind turns back to his own curse. But, this wasn't a time to be thinking about himself, so he forces himself to push those thoughts away and focus on Bran's problem. 

"Yes, we want to help in any way we can," Chara agrees, noting with a little bit of relief that he seems surprised. She quickly pulls over a sturdy-looking toy chest (I'm sure there are plenty of them around in a toy store) for Bran to take a seat on.  "I'm sorry that we had tell you like this... but I really don't think there was an easy way to let you know."

(OOC: Waiting for Ichabod to give us more insight before saying too much more, assuming the imp he has anything to share).

Eithne is still waiting for Blinsky to make his decision on whether or not to propose to Bran. When Chara and Luician leave to talk to Bran she, curious, thinks: 'What are they saying to each other?'

She then speculates, 'They're going to want to help him somehow… Chara is an angel heart, she's proved it so many times…'

But she suddenly sees Bran that pales, lost for words, and leans against the wall as if he were about to collapse.

'And now what else are they putting him through?!' the savage stranger can't believe that people like Chara or Lucian can have bad intentions, however... however it is clear that the poor bard has been dropped yet another tile on his head.

'You also heard that they called me, right?' thinks the last of the dusk elf, maidens, ideally speaking to the voices in her head.
Some of the voices don't understand: 'Eithne... what are you hearing, non-existent voices? They didn't call you at all…'
'Eithne, you make us worry about you...'
'We are your voices, Eithne! You don't need to invent others!'
But some of the voices figured out what the savage stranger wanted to hear in response — and they play along: 'Yes Eithne, indeed, we also heard! They're calling you, go, it's not polite to keep your friends waiting!'

Eithne then arrives, smiling at Chara and Lucian: "Here I am! How can I help you?" then she exploits the surprise of the two friends to takes Bran's arm and talk to him "Hey, all of a sudden, you've regressed to a look that closely resembles what you had when we just dug you up! What happened, Bran? Not more bad news, I hope..."

Bran manages to give an appreciative smile at Chara and Lucian before siting down. He buries his face in his hands for a a moment and, by the time Eithne reaches the three of them, he's clasped them covering his mouth. With his gaze lost in a distant point, away from them all, he ponders his next words. 

- There's something I haven't told you. But I have to say: I didn't hide it because I felt I needed to do it. And I still think it shouldn't be related to what you've just told me, Chara. But my confidence is shattering by the moment. I don't know if I'm correct anymore, if I deserve the trust and care you've all placed in me or if I should even be here at all.

He looks at Ichabod:

- I don't know if what you've seen is correct. But if it is, I guess I need to thank you, because I didn't know I could cause misfortune around me. What will I do with that information, I don't know. But I guess it's better knowing than being an ignorant fool for the rest of my life - he laughs sourly - To think that I took some kind of pride believing I could make people around me a little bit happier with my music! What a fool, what an absolute fool I've been.

He then manages to return his rather ashamed gaze at Chara, Lucian an Eithne before continuing:

- Just before my father passed away, years ago, I received a family heirloom from him. A necklace in the shape of pan pipes. I don't remember much of that night: I just put it, blacked out, and when I woke up my father lay dead and there was a man next to me. Pom, he said his name was. He's been with me ever since. He's my ... instructor. And a tough one at that. I had some talent at playing music since I was young - I loved watching my father play and I did the same whenever I caught my eyes on any Vistani musician. I mimicked them and I did learn a few things. But nothing compared to when I met Pom. I played and he corrected, and I loved it. But I also couldn't stop it. I had to train wether I wanted it or not. It was...is... tough, I'm not going to deny it, but it also gave me the chance of doing what I love most: to play for the ones I love and to share a spark of something beautiful with them. To make them think of things that may not exist, but may set their souls alight nonetheless. 

Pom also taught me magic. And well, how could I not be grateful, when it gave me the chance of helping and entertaining even better, right?

He pauses for a moment, before continuing:

- It's funny, I hadn't thought about it for the last couple of days. I guess that's the effect loosing a family and waking up in a coffin can cause in a man, heh. Anyway, as I said, I'm not entirely sure that this "dark cloud" Ichabod has seen around me has anything to do with Pom. He's been with me for years! I think I would have noticed if I caused misfortune around me. We were happy, damn it! We may haven't liked what we saw in Barovia, outside of our home walls,  but we sure were happy. I don't know what has caused this cloud of misfortune, but it can't have been something that affected only me. Nobody around me knew about Pom. Not Elia and definitely not Cassandra. You are the only ones I have told. If I didn't say something sooner is because I didn't imagine it could be related to all this mess and, moreover, because I didn't think it could affect any of you. But ... I'm not sure I can trust myself anymore.

"Hmmm... If Chara, with her sacred powers, sensed anything, I would worry... But if Ichabore (with his hypothetical and unproven powers - and his marked tendency to insult others, embarrass them or otherwise cause them even the slightest harm he is able to) was the only one to sense this 'dark cloud of misfortune' ,” Eithne is very skeptical “he was most likely sensing his own fart. However,” she brings her attention back to Bran “don't worry: you've already played for us – very good, by the way - and you haven't brought any bad luck to any of us. Quite the contrary, if ever we want to put more trust in facts than in Ichabore: if before meeting you we were tormented by all kinds of problems and even lost one of us, after we found you the return journey was smooth and trouble-free".

"In my opinion," continues the savage stranger "you were right in the beginning, in assuming that this 'Pom' could not affect any of us. Be that as it may, what is certain is that you and I made a promise... so , if we find out that this 'Pom' is involved..." she tries to smile to defuse "he better run at least as well as he plays!"

After which, the last of the dusk elf maidens (while not moving away) returns her attention to the toymaker... 'We've got him in trouble, it would seem... How long does it take him to recognize possible help in a desperate battle. .. and to accept it?!'

Chara freezes as Bran tells his story... it sounds disturbingly similar to many stories she knows of pacts between fiends and mortals... including the pact that another man tried to make with her. And when he says that his father passed away as soon as he passed on the heirloom, it immediately makes Chara wonder if a devil may have come to collect on a debt. She shudders at the thought. She tries to believe that Eithne is correct in her assertions that Ichabod doesn't know what he's talking about and just said what he did to sew misery... but this revelation from Bran just confirmed that there was indeed something otherworldly attached to the bard, just as Ichabod had told her there was. Especially with the additional revelation that the bard's father perished at the same time that this otherworldly entity attached itself to Bran. She looks helplessly at Lucian, unsure whether she should say something to try to comfort the clearly distressed bard or if she should leave it to Eithne to do so.

Lucian clenches and unclenches his fists, trying to keep himself focused. Bran doesn't trust himself? That's a feeling Lucian is all to familiar with. Yet...what in the world can he say to improve this situation? Up to now, everyone else has been trying to console him...he's never had to deal with something like this before. 

He catches Chara's glance, and tries to cover up his own helpless expression before turning back to the bard. Eithne always seems to be able to provide whatever comfort or humor is needed, but Lucian feels like...maybe he should try to do the same? He doesn't always want to be the one needing and receiving reassuring words. So, he's going to have to figure out how to give them as well. 

"Bran... It doesn't sound like this is something you chose. Even if you've enjoyed learning more about music...well...who wouldn't enjoy having someone teach them something they are passionate about?" He hesitates, swallowing before he continues, "L...Like Eithne said. Nothing happened to us on our way back from the graveyard...and...actually the journey back was less eventful then the journey there. So...really we can't tell if this cloud of misfortune can effect those around you." He glances at Eithne, "But...assuming that everything Ichabod said was true, that doesn't mean it can't be harmful to you. ...So, if you are willing to let us help you, I'm pretty sure all of us are willing to take whatever risks come with you staying in our company. And...trust me, if you decide to stay we won't be taking any bigger of a risk then you are." He offers a small laugh, "Like I said before. Most of us here are dealing with something." 

He goes quiet for a moment, "I don't know if anything I say can make this situation any easier for you. I know all to well what it is like to...not trust yourself. So I also know that its not something you can just...set aside and pretend that it isn't an issue. Just... well..." He feels heat rising to his face as he suddenly doesn't know what he was going to say anymore. He ducks his head, and lets out a long breath, "You're not alone in this. If you stay with our group....we will help you find out what happened...who this...Pom is...and hopefully get back to your family."

"It doesn't sound like any of this is your fault," Chara says gently, putting a hand lightly on the bard's shoulder. "And all of us have our demons (some of us quite literally, she adds mentally as she glances down at Ichabod) I don't know anything about Pom, so I can't say if he is what Ichabod sensed or not, but I want you to know that we all just want to help and support you however we can..."

- I'm sorry if I worried you. Really. I don't like causing these kind of scenes nor dwell on self pity, and I think that this is precisely what I have been doing the last few days. In any case... I feel better after sharing this with you. We haven't solved anything but I feel -  he pushes a hand to his chest  - ligther. I've probably kept this to myself for too long. So, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for listening and understanding. 

When Lucian says - for a second time now that he thinks about it - that all of them have some kind of darkness, Bran gives a slight smile:

- Could it be that it brought us all together somehow? It's sad, but strangely encouraging at the same time.

The bard doesn't ask what they are dealing with - that is, what he does not already know like in Eithne and Chara's cases - as he is sure everything will be revealed in due time. But knowing they have something in common was kind of reassuring, even if they were grim issues. It gave the bard a feeling of ... belonging?

Lenn rolls his eyes when the barbarian ignores him completely just at the sight of the bard’s fainting. He shrugs passing the toy-maker and join the others as the human tells his weird history. 

“ Call me crazy “ he interjects with his low voice  “ but waking up buried alive could classify as… misfortune. We have determined that the only way you ended down there was the result of the work of foul magic. Perhaps that’s is what was felt. Yours is a weird tale Bran, but we all have them here. If your intentions are true.. you’ll have a place among us. If not…” 

The imposing figure of the talk man just stands there, his shadow somehow interposing between the bard and the rest of the party. 

“Perhaps, my friends “ he says turning to the others “We should let Blinsky and Bran talk between them before more is said. “I myself… had some things I need to attend to. If you excuse me” 

And he leaves the shop with some sense of urgency. 

An hour passes by until he returns with the others.

- That's fair. - is Bran's response to Lenn's outright warning.

It had been clear from the very beginning that the warrior didn't trust him so this reaction was not a surprise. And there was little he could do about it, except proving that he was indeed being truthful. 

Bran looked at Blinsky, waiting for the toymaker's reaction to everything that had been said.

"Don't worry too much..." whispers Eithne to Bran, once the vampire paladin has left "Lenn is most likely playing the protective macho now. I think he blames himself a little for the friend we lost... even if, of course, it was by no means his fault. That's all. He will soon trust you - and defend you like he would each one of us".

Nikolai has been listening, but mostly keeping his thoughts to himself.  When a lull in the conversation occurs, he approaches Bran quietly.  "Are we to understand that there is an invisible man who is constantly teaching you music and magic, and forcing you to practice? Is he here now?  Can he make you do other things against your will?  Have you ever been forced to... harm someone... by this entity?"

Blinsky listens to all of this with an increasing look of worry. He starts to gnaw on a finger. Piccolo starts patting him on the back. Blinsky says, "Yes. So many new factors. Wee planned so much and alvays somezing new. I have also man in back for you to meet. Newcomer."

Looking at Bran, he says, "I have no more vampire poppets. But for you, I think, a leetle bierdie." He then pulls out a box from a high shelf. He hands it to Bran. Opening it, Bran sees a large black puppet of a raven.

He also pulls Bran aside and talks with him.

Bran answers Nikolai unwaveringly. After that first revelation, talking about his otherworldly tutor seems to have become less difficult.

- He only appears when I practice by myself and that I haven't done that since the coffin incident. So no, he's not here now and hasn't really been with you around yet. But it is going to happen? Yes, it will. And, hells, no, he hasn't made me do anything else than playing, much less asked me to harm anyone. Truth is he's never asked for anything in return, so I don't know if he has any hidden motives to do what he's doing. I'ne never dared to ask. 

When Blinsky approaches him with the puppet, Bran tilts his head a little, wondering what the puppet is for. "Just a gift, perhaps?". He grabs it and inspects it closely for a few seconds and then he realizes ... "Wait. What was that Eithne said about a pranking raven? Is this a coincidence?".

Then, when the toymaker pulls him away, the group can see how the bard listens to him with a serious look. He then nods gravely, as if he expected what he has just heard. The bard exhales deeply and passes a hand trough his hair, considering what undoubtedly is the toughest decission he's ever made.

After a moment, Bran takes the pen and paper he's been offered and signs, praying he's not making the biggest mistake of his life.

"For Elia. For Cassie. For a better Barovia."

Blinsky nods after Bran signs then clasps him on the shoulder. "Velcome to cause." Turning to everyone, he says, "Now, vee go in back room and you can tell me about holiday, yes?" He then leads into the back half of the store. There you see the familiar circle with chairs, but one of them is occupied. 

(Von_TBD, please feel free to describe yourself)

Blinsky says, "Vee have nice chat now, yes?" and motions to the chairs. After everyone is seated, he again activates the circle and pulls on a vampire puppet. As before, it speaks in a high-pitched voice.

"Hello my friends. I am glad that you've made it back safely. I am very interested in your journey and, particularly, what happened to Onika. Eithne, and you others of course, you may now speak freely." Turning to Bran and Cole, he says, "You use the puppet to communicate while in the circle. It helps with security. You can give it a name if you like. It's fun!"

Eithne smiles warmly at Bran and Blinsky, seeing that one has proposed and the other has accepted the signature to join the cause: "You did the best thing for everyone! I'm proud of you!"

After sitting down and being asked to report, the savage stranger thinks the words: 'Hey Vlad!'...

...and Vlad begins to speak in the calm, cold tone typical of a vampire - but not even this eerie tone can hide the general satisfaction of the last of the dusk elf maidens for the successful conclusion of the mission: "Mission accomplished!" (and, if she hadn't already done so, she hands over the book and show the rest of the loot - silver weapons and holy water) "But it wasn't easy, we had an impressive number of unexpected events. From the beginning we were pranked by an elusive entity that we could not initially identify. During the night, we were tormented by images of our hanged bodies - illusions, I suppose - without being able to realize who was tormenting us. Then, another night, we met a very odd and mysterious group. They were all from outside the mists, all but the girl they accompanied (and probably wanted to help) - she was instead a Barovian, like us. The three from outside the mists were an arrogant paladin who called himself 'The Pure' - let's call him 'The Pure Idiot', for now, for convenience - an elf caster and a crossbowman member of a race I don't know, resembling a bearded child. Needless to say, The Pure Idiot was the leader of the group. He did not deem us worthy to share particular information with, but it was clear that he meant to protect or defend the girl – and anyway it's already something that he has desisted from considering us evil enemies, as he was determined to do as soon as he met us, at first glance. The girl from Barovia gave us a false name - of course, because The Pure Idiot had started with a different name, before promptly correcting himself and giving the false one. But she should be someone you know, Blinsky, because she is the same person as some of your dolls. The girl was a good and smart one, but she was blatantly in trouble - trying to escape from a powerful enemy - but she did not trust us enough to share" (if possible, Eithne retrieves one of the dolls to show Blinsky).

"The same night we met The Pure Idiot and his company, Onika disappeared. I am not exaggerating, to say 'disappeared': I was on watch, did not relax my surveillance for a moment; yet I did not see her leave, I didn't even realize she was gone, it was only in the morning that my mind and that of my companions realized her absence - I suspect there was magic at work. Searching for her tracks, we found blood, but not her body. So, as I told you, we reluctantly dismissed Onika as lost and continued with the mission. I don't know if it was the prankster who struck, killing instead of joking this time, or if The Pure Idiot unwittingly brought upon us a greater threat. On top of that, the next morning, Ichabore, here, the useless imp, tricked Chara into making him her familiar. So now Chara feels bound to him by feelings of loyalty which, I suspect, Ichabore does not reciprocate in the least. The imp probably plans Chara's downfall, damnation, or harm — and I imagine he'd be happy to cause us harm, too. Chara's earlier proposal, to have him too sign the contract that prevents him from betraying us, is in my opinion the second most sensible thing to do - the first would be to eliminate or neutralize the imp forever, of course. However, Chara is convinced that she can impose herself on him due to the master-familiar bond, which is why Ichabore is still with us. When we reached the cemetery, a crow - which shouldn't have been a real crow, because he acted with too much intelligence for a simple animal - showed us where to dig to find the book. In a nearby grave we instead found Bran, who fortunately heard us and made himself heared. The raven, as it left, gave us a vision of our hanged bodies - so I think it was our prankster - although I can't explain its behaviour. Why should it torment us first and then point us to the right grave? How did it know how to find us from the beginning? And how did it know, in the end, what we were looking for? All questions I don't know the answer to. Once we freed Bran, the return journey was mercifully uneventful and we came here".