"We'll be happy to have you!" Eithne seems really relieved by Bran's choice "We are in a situation where any help could be deciding".

'Eithne! We told you that..."
'Eithne! But what the f...'
'Eithne! But what you are thin...'

But, despite the mental storm to which she is subjected, the savage stranger resists: 'I've been there before! I've been like him before... and none of you have any idea what it's like! Yes, I know, you have all suffered much worse fates than mine. And you've been with me since all this began. But you've never experienced it firsthand. Sometimes your thoughts get confused with mine... but you are not me. To face this, I was alone. I don't want him to be too'.

'But you can't afford to get distracted from your task right now!' object the voices, one after another 'The Devil Stradh...'

'The Devil Stradh will be defeated all the easier, the more reliable allies we can count on!' remains adamant the last of the dusk elf maidens 'What are the talents of this man, we shall see. But his fidelity to us will be beyond question ... for whether he already realizes it or not, we are all he has left for now'.

"Music, you say?" seems genuinely interested Eithne "I wonder if you can put me to sleep too tonight... I so often have trouble sleeping! Plus, if your music is able to give peace to those who listen to it..." (a sigh, as if for a yearning desire which one knows cannot be fulfilled) "...it would really be an invaluable help".

"If we really have found what we are looking for," the savage stranger puts the package recovered from the tomb on the ground and begins to open it carefully "our next destination will be Vallaki" and she finishes opening the package, showing everyone the contents .

(@DM: What the contents are?)

Lucian listens silently as everyone else talks, his gaze shifting from Bran to Eithne and so on as each speaks. Now that Bran is out of the grave, Lucian isn’t sure what to do. It seemed to much of a coincidence that this unfortunate bard was somehow transported from somewhere so far off to this particular graveyard. What with everything else that had happened, it really feels like something is toying with them. 
When Bran addresses him, he stutters, “Oh…um…I’m sorry… that must have been a horrible experience. Being hurried alive I mean…and now…” he shakes his head, nearly stating that he isn’t really sure that Bran would be safer with them then he would alone. It seemed like things kept happening…

Yet he also realized that there is safety in numbers, so Bran likely is at least a little safer with them. …Who knows, perhaps he will join them in this quest to overthrow Strahd. 

“I…I hope your family is okay,” he says after a moment. “I…Maybe we’ll find out who did this to you and why…honestly we’ve had some strange…and uh…unpleasant..experiences out here too, who knows, perhaps they are connected.” He looks down, realizing how silly that probably sounded… Oh well. “Well, we are going to head back to Vallaki…you could at least travel with us until then. When we get there you can decide what to do after that.” He realizes that he hopes they can help Bran. The idea of the bard’s daughter being left fatherless bothers him greatly…at least her mother is with her…hopefully. Lucky girl…but still, what terrible person decided to tear this family apart, and for what reason? Bran doesn’t seem the fighting type, and from what he’s said it doesn’t seem like he’s made enemies either. So why would someone do this to him? Could it have been something his wife did? And he is caught in the middle unawares? Lucian hopes not…

He nearly shakes his head again to clear his thoughts, but stops himself realizing how odd he must look, shaking his head around like a horse. There was no point in theorizing about this. Besides, how could he hope to come up with answers for how this man fell asleep at home only to wake up in a coffin miles away? Lucian frowns…If he was teleported into the grave, why was the grave new? He supposes Bran could have been spirited away and buried separately… and there he goes again trying to figure it out. 

“Oh…uh…” He says suddenly, realizing he’s been lost in thought. “I guess we should introduce our other companions…” he says, not remembering whether or not Lenn actually had introduced himself or not. He gestures towards the paladin, “That’s Lenn, and this is Nikolai.” He nods to his half-elf friend. 

After a moment he realizes that Bran might be thirsty from all his panicked yelling, and offers him some water from their supply cart. 

Investigation: 21

- I will do my best - Bran smiles towards Eithne, his brain already thinking of which song he could play for the group when they find a place to rest.

He drinks eagerly from the water Lucian offers, having not realized until that very moment how thirsty he was:

- Thank you, Lucian, you are a kind soul. You all seem to be. I'm really lucky to have been found on time, and that it was you guys who did it. I dread to think what could have happened if I had fallen in other hands... - he shivers at the thought.

He nods towards Lenn and Nikolai, and finally takes a look at the pup that looks curiously from Eithne's side:

- And who might you be? Juhowly right? You look like a good ...girl? - he looks at Eithne to check if he has remembered right and when she nods, he draws his hand near so she can sniff him, but then realizes it's covered in dirt and mud. The bard mutters an incantation, shakes both his hands a little bit and suddenly all the dirt is gone for good. He moves his hand near Juhowly again, hoping she'll accept him.

- So Vallaki it is. Do you want to leave right now or...? - he stops when Eithne begins to open a parcel that attracts everyone's attention. Realizing that this must be what they came looking for, Bran just remains in silence while curiously taking a glance at its contents.

Juhowly howls briefly as Bran speaks her name and waves her tail quckly while taking in the scent of her new friend. 

"Juhowly, exactly!" confirms Eithne smiling "She is indeed a good girl! And a recent addition to the group to boot. She likes you already!"

'Is it because she senses that I also like him?' wonders the savage stranger.

"We helped some locals, during our journey; they had a problem with a group of wolves" the last of the dusk elf maidens goes on. "After the problem had been coped with, we discovered that one of the she-wolves had cubs... and we choose to try keeping and domesticating them. I really wanted to avoid unneeded bloodshed... you know how much of it there is already here in this sorry land!"

"Would it not be beautiful" Eithne's azure eyes become dreamy "if this, someday, could change?"

Lenn hears Eithne offering the man.. "Bran has he said? yes.. Bran" to come along with them and he isn't so sure. He had initially emphasized with the man history, who wouldn't with a poor kid probably in danger and suddenly without a father to look after her? but on second thought... this was too much of a coincidence. He could be an spy of the Monster himself, sent to uncover them, all of them. Coming with them back to Vallaki seems to be a fair and adequate compromise. If the man is just a victim that would help him. If he was a spy... perhaps gives him some clues. 

From not to far away, as he keeps checking the nearby tombs just in case, Lenn nods back when Lucian introduces him. 

Unwrapping the package in front of him seems, unwise, though. 

"Bran!" he calls as Eithne begins to open the package. "Would you mind to come here and check this with me? " 

(Deception: 8 )

Bran smiles while he pets Juhowly:

- ... Cassie would love to meet you, little one ... - he mutters, and the smile quickly dissappears, to be replaced with a worried look. "Gods, please, let them be safe".

Eithne's words bring him back to the present moment:

- It would, indeed. But is that even possible...? I myself have dreamed about it, specially after Cassandra was born. It's funny - he shows a slight smile - how things change when you become a parent. When you stop being the main protagonist in your own life. When the need to protect a helpless creature becomes the one thing you think about. Before her, I was "happy" just by surviving another day in this accursed land. But how could that be enough with her around? I don't want my daughter to just survive, I want her to LIVE. To be safe, to do whatever she wishes. To travel. To bathe in the sea. To see the sun. The sun! Can you imagine a sky without mist? But then again.. how to achieve that?

The entire group - except the one called Lenn - is now gathered around Eithne, who is beginning to open the strange parcel. Lenn's sudden call makes Bran turn to him.

 - Excuse me - the bard says to Eithne, as he stands up in search for Lenn. He understands why the armored man wants to take him appart from the group. And once again, this doesn't upset the bard in the least. He understands he's going to need more than nice open words to gain their trust, and he hopes he can achieve this in the future ... as he's getting to like these people more and more by the moment.

- How can I help? - he asks Lenn upon reaching him - Oh. You've been inspecting the tombs, right? Do you agree with your friend? They are ... old... right?

Bran's relieved by this thought. But not entirely. He won't be at peace again until he can see his family alive and well.

"Look at this " says the paladin and kneels to take a particularly long straw of grass from the side of one old tomb... "Oh I am sorry I thought it was part of a necklace or something like that... sorry to have bothered you with it... " he throws away the straw clearly embarrassed and looks around the graveyard, intentionally giving his back to the rest of the party so Bran has to do it as well. Not subtle but Lenn notices that the bard is playing along " I am... and yes they all seem old enough so... that's good news... I hope... or at least allow us to cross one thing from the list... I mean... I do hope that they are safe and sound back in your home... I will pray for it..." he adds trying not to sound too awkward in an already awkward situation. 

Lenn feels bad for the man. If he is being sincere... well his situation is complicated and could bring him incredible pain. On the other hand... trying to keep his family safe would make a man doing anything, so... what if his family is being kept hostage? 

Once she's reassured herself that Lydel is fine and taken a few minutes to brush the grave dirt out of her hair/clean a bit of the earth off her face and hands, Chara returns to Eithne's side to see what's in the package that they have all worked, and suffered, so much to recover.

"I... probably should have told that man my name, shouldn't I?" Chara says sheepishly as she suddenly realizes that she didn't properly introduce herself to Bran.

- Oooookaaay ... ?

The word "necklace" reminds him of something and he checks anxiously trough his clothes looking for... ah! There they are... Fortunately, his necklaces are still with him. Lenn can see he has two, with a pendant each: one in the shape of pan pipes and another one - that looks specially important to Bran, as he wraps his hand around it looking relieved  - a simple silver oval locket. 

He hides the necklace in his clothes again before adding:

-  You know, you can be straightforward with me. I'm not going to take any offense if you want to keep your bussinesses private. I understand and I do apologize, first for asking and then for looking at what Eithne was unwrapping. I'll try to be more thoughtful and not pry next time. And ... thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Gods know we'll need them.

 He looks back to the group and then back to Lenn:

- I can wait here till you guys finish looking at what's inside. I'm not going anywhere - he laughs softly - after what's happened I prefer to be around you for a while.

"Lenn..." Eithne approaches the vampire, after she has finished checking what has been found "trust him," (clearly referring to Bran) "ok?"

"Do you remember how you urged us to trust the 'pure idiot' at the bridge? Because 'he was like you'?" insists the savage stranger "Well, on your word, we trusted him. Even me, who instead had a great desire to throw him down of that bridge".

"Now, trust me" exhorts the last of the dusk elf maidens. "Because Bran is like me. I feel it. I understand it. And while that doesn't tell us much, because I don't know what I am either, I know we can trust him. Didn't you feel from his words how much he too dreams of a better Barovia? He will join our cause when we return to Vallaki, I'm sure of it. I know how he feels... I know what he's going through. Trust him. So that he too, in due time, will find it easier to trust us. Believe me, Lenn".

"Well... " says Lenn when Bran speaks to him, making clear what he was already thinking, that he was making a lousy job being subtle "... it's just... it will be better for you. You seem like a nice person " Lenn's says now being sincere " You better stay out of trouble."

When Eithne comes to speak with him he tries to say

"I didn't tell you to... " but she keeps talking " He wasn't nothing like me!" that one seems to had hurt him for real "I just meant that he wasn't on his side..." he tries to interloop into the last of the elves maiden's speech but she just keep talking and he just sighs and let her finish.

"I do trust you but don't rush it Eithne. It is safer for him too!" he says even at the risk of repeating himself and he lowers his voice again "Maybe you're right maybe we can trust him and he would eventually join us, but that has to be his choice. If he is being sincere and there is, in fact, a family waiting for him out there he shouldn't risk them joining us, or even knowing about us. Am I being paranoid? maybe, but I am thinking on him and his family too... " 

He sighs and let his words settle in her mind. 

" Let him come back with us, maybe our friend there can help him, either looking into his family or sending him to them. But better not to pull a husband and a father into this... not until he has the full picture... he certainly seems to have a soul of his own... but, that's not the case.  I do trust you Eithne. And I know what you are. You are one of the bravest souls I've ever met. And one of the kindest. You should trust in that." he finish looking her into her eyes. 

Eithne holds Lenn's gaze with sadness in her azure eyes: "Thank you for your words, Lenn. And I understand your good intent. But I already told you I know what he's going through. It's as if you've ended up in a life which, even if it looks like yours, it is not anymore. All profoundly different. Nothing is like before anymore. You have nothing left. Nothing, Lenn. There won't be a family waiting for him... if not ours" she turns and walks away sighing resigned. "But I also understand that you can't understand".

'What should 'nothing' mean, Eithne!?' the voices in her mind exclaim, some protesting, some consoling 'You have us...'

'Oh, right' thinks the last of the dusk elf maidens to herself. 'Sometimes, in fact, you end up with even worse than nothing'.

Lenn stops Eithne when she starts to walk away.

”I do understand how’s to not have nothing left.. no one to come back to. But now you have us Eithne. “ he let her free and adds when she has gone “you have us..” 

He looks over the rest where Barn is talking with the others.

”We should be get going. I would not linger here anymore…” 

- Couldn't agree more - Bran replies, getting ready to leave.

His shoulders seem to rest a little when Lenn and Eithne finish talking and return to the group. He's pretty sure they've been talking about him and the idea that he could be causing tensions among his new acquaintances weighs in his already troubled mind...

"Yes," she manages to smile, turning her head to Lenn "I know, thank you. And that's way I want Bran to have the same opportunity".

'You have us'... Without knowing it, the vampire used the same words that the voices did... But that same words, spoken by him instead of by the voices, make her think of hope instead of despair.

'Nice gratitude, Eithne!' a voice in her head remarks 'You despise our company, in spite of us having been with you from the beginning, while you appreciate his...'
'Aren't we keeping you good company, Eithne?' is surprised (and seemingly hurt) another.
'He goes and comes...' another one points out 'How do you know where he'll be tomorrow? Or in a month? Or in a year? We, on the contrary, will be with you always...'

And at the prospect of that 'always', the last of the dusk elf maidens shudders...

Lucian smiles widely at Bran’s response, but sucks his head shortly after. 
When Chara says that maybe she should have told Brian her name, Lucian has a moment of internal panic. He’d for some reason thought that Chara had already introduced herself, but apparently she hadn’t…and he realizes that she had not actually given her name. So he had unknowingly excluded her when he introduced his “other companions”. He hopes desperately that the mistake didn’t make it sound like he didn’t consider Chara one of his comrades. 
After a moment, he takes Chara’s hand and introduces her to Bran, “This is Chara. She is one of the kindest, most wonderful people you will ever meet. So don’t judge her for her appearance.” He pauses, remembering Chara’s story about the bard who tried to make a pact with her. “And don’t try to sell your soul to her, she doesn’t do that.” 
He gives them both an embarrassed look before quickly scampering off to collect their tools and put them back into the cart. 

The bard nods to Lucian and Chara:

- Chara - he repeats after Lucian looking at her - I knew I was missing a name! Thank you once again, Luci... - he starts, and is about to continue when the young man suddenly goes away - ...oh. Well ... - he turns back to Chara - I hope I didn't react poorly to your presence. If I may say it, I do agree with Lucian: you seem like a nice person. And If you ask me, you should cause wonder instead of negative reactions. Those colours of yours are truly unique and - excuse me for my forthrightness - beautiful.

He pauses for a moment, a bit embarrassed and hoping he's not said too much. After all, he's mostly a stranger to all of these people.

- Ermmm, anyway. I don't know if you guys have known each other for long, but you seem to be very protective of each other. It's really touching to see that from the outside. 

"It's because most of us have lost practically everything..." Eithne explains to Bran "so, when we found ourselves united by a common purpose, it was as if we had unexpectedly formed kind of a family".

"Anyway, there is also an absolutely evil and despicable element of the group... we had to accept him in spite of everything..." she takes care to specify the savage stranger; then turning her head towards the she-devil she asks innocently "Chara, have you already introduced him to Ichabore?"

"Don't feel bad," Chara tells Bran with a friendly smile. "I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't have been half as composed as you if they woke up in a coffin and then got pulled out by a devil."

When Eithne mentions Ichabod, Chara grimaces and shifts uncomfortably. She lets out a sigh.

"I guess I haven't introduced Ichabod yet... I sent him to search the area just in case whoever put you in this predicament is still nearby. He's... he's my familiar, and... well, I won't mince words here, he's a devil and he acts like it. Since he's bound as my familiar I'm doing my best to make good use of him... just be careful when dealing with him, especially if I'm not around for whatever reason. You'll recognize him by the fact that he's an eight-inch tall devil who will probably try to convince you to make a deal with him."