The part about the Vistani serving the "darklord" Strahd bothers Soren as much as it bothers Zefla, but he barely has time to think about that.
He knows the woman is lying even before Giles' magical hand reveals the child in the cart for all to see. Her reaction to the mention of a doll alone...
This cannot stand. All creatures should live free. Certainly this child. Her parents.... sold her??
He steps forward. "My halfling companion with the sweet tooth may not care about the child but I agree with my friend holding the maul. Children are not for selling. But if this child was sold to you, she can be sold back to us so she may live free. How much gold do you require?"
I wonder how the Vistani would react to her buying children and stealing them away in a cart to be... servants?
Giles stops moving the mage hand in the air, interested in the transformation of the old crone into something completely different, observing the change in demeanor and approach. “I don’t think that we should be giving our gold to this woman. She should allow this child to go free, to come with us. What were you going to do with her? What are those pies made out of?” A concerned look comes over his face, he glances to the side to Ireena, to see if this sort of behavior is usual to her, to see if she registers any sort of revulsion over the buying / selling / kidnapping of children in this land, or is this usual in this crazy land?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ireena moves up to stand beside Soren and Burr, placing a hand on the hilt of her longsword. Quietly she whispers "I did not know she was taking children...".
To Burrand Soren'soffer, she sneers. "This is not a negotiation."
Finally, as Gilespresses her on her motivations, she scrunches up her face in a scowl and slams shut the lid on the cart, concealing the girl from sight. "So be it...". A cool wind blows and rain begins to patter down from the darkening sky. "Let any watchful eyes see that I did not seek out this conflict!" Her hands begin to fidget with the somatic components of a spell.
Initiative!
Zefla: 18
Soren: 10
Giles: 22
Burr: 5
Ireena: 11
Morgantha: 12
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Only Gilesis affected by the witch's spell. He is overcome with lethargy and falls asleep by the side of the road.
R1
Morgantha
Giles (asleep)
Soren
Burr
Zefla
Ireena
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Soren looks genuinely flummoxed. Of all beasts only humanoids seemed to be the ones who would ever pretend to be attacked.
"You did not seek out this conflict? First you speak untruth about the child in your cart and her doll, and then you cast spells at us when none of us has in any way attacked you. We were deciding whether to offer you gold to free the girl who was sold to you by her parents. Or was that another untruth?"
Soren's voice is loud and matter-of-fact. "And who are these would-be watchers you speak to? Watchers for 'darklord' Strahd? From what I have heard of him, he does not seem the type to be bothered if you attack us unprovoked, which is in fact what you are doing."
A sudden thought occurs to him. "Are you a werewolf?" He looks at the others, urging in a whisper, "do not forget our silvered weapons!"
As he speaks, he steps back five feet to rouse the suddenly sleeping not-Father Giles from his arcane slumber, thinking that if he was not himself a half-elf, immune to magical sleep, he might have been the one lying comatose in the road as a result of Morgantha's spell. (Action: wake Giles up).
Soren then moves back forward towards the cart (see poorly-edited battle map below). Not drawing any weapon, but fully intending to liberate the girl once he gets there (which he cannot yet). A low growl rises in his throat, like a bear, ornery from being woken early.
(Bonus Action: Bear Totem Spirit. Soren, Giles, Burr, Zefla, Ireena, Nettle and even the little girl all receive 7 Temp HP as Soren uses his Spirit Totem. Note to DM - 2 NPCs and a familiar also receive the Temp HP. The Totem Spirit has to be in a spot Soren can see, but his allies do not for them to benefit, so the girl in the cart gets it too. No limit to number of targets. He places it in the middle between everyone so all targets are within the 30' range.)
Soren'sowl familiar Nettle takes wing and flies in Morgantha's face, flapping her wings to distract the old woman, then returning to his shoulder. (Using her 60' movement and Flyby feature to avoid an opportunity attack, taking the help so the next attack on her is at advantage.)
Stretch. Yawn. “Huzzah, whassat?” Giles wakes up after the firm shaking from Soren, sitting up and looking at the situation, waking up from a quick, peaceful slumber where he was chasing a pie that was running with a large fork and knife. “Oh yeah. What in the world is going on here?” Giles says briefly, with another yawn.
(Giles skipped due to sleep, up to Burr.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Burr ;eaves the girls rescue to more skilled folks than he, thoroughly convinced of the old womans wickedness at this point he strides forward and attampts to end her.
Zefla stares at the craziness unfold in front of her. Taking another bite of the sweet bread, she is about to try and talk sense into the woman when Burr attacks her with his maul.
She looks back at the bread in her hand and a smile creeps across her face. Using Burr as a distraction, she creeps behind the woman and using her interact with an object, she opens the hatch of the door. Looking in, she smiles at the child and uses her action to try and grab another sweet bread.
BA: Going to use hide to try and sneak around the woman? Stealth: 10
Burrhits her twice, and hard. These are blows that would have brought down a highway bandit or a wolf. She staggers, but it is more akin to having received a hard slap, than having just been bludgeoned twice with a maul.
As Zeflatakes what she wants, Ireena draws her fine longsword and levels it at the woman. "Begone! We shall take the child into our care, and I will send word that you are unwelcome in Barovia!" If she is attempting to intimidate the old woman, it seems to fall on deaf ears.
Bruises already forming on her old wrinkled skin, she snarls at Burrand Ireena. Are her teeth pointier now, like a hungry predator? She buffets away the little owl and raises both hands and begins to cast a spell. Gone is the sing-songy rhyme of before; now she speaks in an unfamiliar tongue, gutteral and harsh. Her hands dance as performs the somatic components; were her fingernails always so long, gnarled and sharp? As she begins to point toward Burr and Ireena, electricity gathering at her fingertips... there is a blinding flash from above, as lightning arcs across the grey sky, followed immediately by a thunderous roar.
She stops herself mid-spell. She looks up at the sky, then drops her hands, the gathered magicks dissipating. She takes a last look at Burr, Ireena... and back over her shoulder at the thieving Zefla, her eyes softening a little... then she relaxes her posture.
In the blink of an eye, she vanishes.
[We are out of initiative. The cart and its contents are still here, but Morgantha is gone.]
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Soren's mouth draws back instinctively in a snarl as lightning dances across the sky and thunder booms, but he does not slow his pace towards the cart, even as the witch vanishes. He composes himself and opens the compartment of the cart where the child had been stuffed.
If the kid is still there, he offers her a hand to help her out of the cart, saying quietly: "I am Soren and my friend Burr here can give you your doll Maisy. The witch Morgantha told us that your parents sold you to her. If that is true, I am sad to hear it. You can come with us if you like. Most of us are not from here, but one of us is from your home village." He points back at Ireena, not speaking her name aloud, fearing the "watchers" Morgantha spoke of.
Suddenly, it occurs to Soren to wonder where Morgantha went. Tending to young while the predator still threatens unseen. What is wrong with you Soren?
"You are right, Burr. She is formidable, and was clearly confident in defeating us, but seemed to fear a greater power, perhaps Strahd. I feel we have not seen the last of her, like a large, venomous snake, slithering away, only to return quietly to strike at the den once more."
Soren is vaguely aware that some spell-casters can turn invisible, though he had seen her give no indication of casting any such spell. Carefully, calling once more on Silvanus' guidance, he and Nettle look around, examining the surroundings for disturbances that would give away the presence or movement of an invisible creature. He tries to ignore Zefla's single-minded focus on the bread, which bothers him for reasons he cannot fully articulate.
Soren'sPerception plus Guidance: 11 Nettle'sPerception at advantage due to Keen Hearing and Sight (rolled as Acrobatics on character sheet, same +3 bonus): 14
The child is indeed still inside the cart. She pops out again when Zeflareaches in for more bread, rubbing the top of her head where it had been struck when Morgantha slammed the lid on her. She reaches needfully for the stuffed dolly offered by Burr.
"S-sold me?" she whimpers. "Ma and Da said she was my Auntie M and that I was going to go stay with her until the summer comes." Her young mind slowly putting the pieces together, she begins to sniffle and sob. "S-so does th-that mean they don't wa-wa-wa-want me anymore?"
Ireena gives Sorena glare of disbelief and then moves to the side of the cart. "There there, little one. I'm sure we can get all of this sorted out. Can I help you out of there?" The little girl consents and Ireena picks her up. "Can you tell us your name?" The little girl confides that her name is Saskia. "That's a very pretty name. And this is Maisy? Are you two good friends?..." she continues to make quiet small talk with the child, with the occasional furrowed glance back at Soren.
Meanwhile, Zeflahas liberated a second nutty roll from the cart. There is one more treat inside, something that looks like a sugar cookie, wide as a splayed hand and covered with crushed walnuts and toffee.
Soren, you and Nettlesearch for any sign of the old woman. Her last footprint is where she had been standing when she disappeared. She is definitely no longer in that space - a hand can be waved cleanly though the space where she had been standing - but there are no tracks or traces to suggest where she went. Sorenrightfully noted she did not seem to cast any spell... so how exactly she managed to vanish, and where she vanished to, remains a mystery.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Zefla watches in stunned silence as the woman disappears in front of them. Apparently she was much more than they had figured. "What did she mean, we?!" She says with a mouthful of sweet bread.
Taking the second nutroll, she stuffs that one in her pack, then looks to the rest, "There is another pastry in here if anyone wants it?"
Soren is taken aback at Ireena's glare. But then he nods slowly, chastising himself. He had assumed the child, Saskia, had already heard the witch proclaim to the party that her parents had sold her. But perhaps not.
Perhaps here in Barovia, it is taboo to speak unpleasant truths to the young. Maybe in Daggerford too! Remember that, Soren! This is not Neverwinter Wood, where cubs are taught early the harsh ways of life and death, hunt and forage, isolation and loss. For a moment, the flames roar in his vision.
He looks at Zefla, puzzled. "I suppose by 'we', she was referring to our little pack, though it sounds as if she does not speak for you. Just as she does not care for what I said to the child. You on the other hand are eager to eat food from a witch who was peddling it to us before attacking and casting spells at us. I am not certain whether there is a risk she has poisoned or cast harmful enchantments on them. I know the animals of my forest home sometimes learned the hard way to be cautious of food that may have been left for them by trappers or hunters."
Soren rouses himself, remembering where he is. "In any case, take the last pastry or leave it. Let us keep moving to reach the camp before full dark."
Even seeking guidance from the beyond, neither Gilesnor Sorencan pick up any trace of the old woman. Minutes pass and she does not return. But the light rain continues and the sky continues to darken. If she can be believed, the Vistani's camp should be just a little further.
Ireena has the girl and her doll and looks intent to carry her the rest of the way.
Zeflahas the nut roll she is finishing and the second packed away for later.
Is anyone taking the last pastry? Or the cart, for that matter?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
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The part about the Vistani serving the "darklord" Strahd bothers Soren as much as it bothers Zefla, but he barely has time to think about that.
He knows the woman is lying even before Giles' magical hand reveals the child in the cart for all to see. Her reaction to the mention of a doll alone...
This cannot stand. All creatures should live free. Certainly this child. Her parents.... sold her??
He steps forward. "My halfling companion with the sweet tooth may not care about the child but I agree with my friend holding the maul. Children are not for selling. But if this child was sold to you, she can be sold back to us so she may live free. How much gold do you require?"
I wonder how the Vistani would react to her buying children and stealing them away in a cart to be... servants?
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Giles stops moving the mage hand in the air, interested in the transformation of the old crone into something completely different, observing the change in demeanor and approach. “I don’t think that we should be giving our gold to this woman. She should allow this child to go free, to come with us. What were you going to do with her? What are those pies made out of?” A concerned look comes over his face, he glances to the side to Ireena, to see if this sort of behavior is usual to her, to see if she registers any sort of revulsion over the buying / selling / kidnapping of children in this land, or is this usual in this crazy land?
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Ireena moves up to stand beside Soren and Burr, placing a hand on the hilt of her longsword. Quietly she whispers "I did not know she was taking children...".
To Burr and Soren's offer, she sneers. "This is not a negotiation."
Finally, as Giles presses her on her motivations, she scrunches up her face in a scowl and slams shut the lid on the cart, concealing the girl from sight. "So be it...". A cool wind blows and rain begins to patter down from the darkening sky. "Let any watchful eyes see that I did not seek out this conflict!" Her hands begin to fidget with the somatic components of a spell.
Initiative!
Zefla: 18
Soren: 10
Giles: 22
Burr: 5
Ireena: 11
Morgantha: 12
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Morgantha wiggles her fingers and points at the ground right in front of Ireena.
"Eyelids heavy, limbs grow weak,
Heed your need for restful sleep."
She casts sleep affecting 18 HP.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Only Giles is affected by the witch's spell. He is overcome with lethargy and falls asleep by the side of the road.
R1
MorganthaPC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Soren looks genuinely flummoxed. Of all beasts only humanoids seemed to be the ones who would ever pretend to be attacked.
"You did not seek out this conflict? First you speak untruth about the child in your cart and her doll, and then you cast spells at us when none of us has in any way attacked you. We were deciding whether to offer you gold to free the girl who was sold to you by her parents. Or was that another untruth?"
Soren's voice is loud and matter-of-fact. "And who are these would-be watchers you speak to? Watchers for 'darklord' Strahd? From what I have heard of him, he does not seem the type to be bothered if you attack us unprovoked, which is in fact what you are doing."
A sudden thought occurs to him. "Are you a werewolf?" He looks at the others, urging in a whisper, "do not forget our silvered weapons!"
As he speaks, he steps back five feet to rouse the suddenly sleeping not-Father Giles from his arcane slumber, thinking that if he was not himself a half-elf, immune to magical sleep, he might have been the one lying comatose in the road as a result of Morgantha's spell. (Action: wake Giles up).
Soren then moves back forward towards the cart (see poorly-edited battle map below). Not drawing any weapon, but fully intending to liberate the girl once he gets there (which he cannot yet). A low growl rises in his throat, like a bear, ornery from being woken early.
(Bonus Action: Bear Totem Spirit. Soren, Giles, Burr, Zefla, Ireena, Nettle and even the little girl all receive 7 Temp HP as Soren uses his Spirit Totem. Note to DM - 2 NPCs and a familiar also receive the Temp HP. The Totem Spirit has to be in a spot Soren can see, but his allies do not for them to benefit, so the girl in the cart gets it too. No limit to number of targets. He places it in the middle between everyone so all targets are within the 30' range.)
Soren's owl familiar Nettle takes wing and flies in Morgantha's face, flapping her wings to distract the old woman, then returning to his shoulder. (Using her 60' movement and Flyby feature to avoid an opportunity attack, taking the help so the next attack on her is at advantage.)
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Stretch. Yawn. “Huzzah, whassat?” Giles wakes up after the firm shaking from Soren, sitting up and looking at the situation, waking up from a quick, peaceful slumber where he was chasing a pie that was running with a large fork and knife. “Oh yeah. What in the world is going on here?” Giles says briefly, with another yawn.
(Giles skipped due to sleep, up to Burr.)
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Burr ;eaves the girls rescue to more skilled folks than he, thoroughly convinced of the old womans wickedness at this point he strides forward and attampts to end her.
Maul Attack: 17 Damage: 7
Action Surge
Maul Attack: 16 Damage: 8
Zefla stares at the craziness unfold in front of her. Taking another bite of the sweet bread, she is about to try and talk sense into the woman when Burr attacks her with his maul.
She looks back at the bread in her hand and a smile creeps across her face. Using Burr as a distraction, she creeps behind the woman and using her interact with an object, she opens the hatch of the door. Looking in, she smiles at the child and uses her action to try and grab another sweet bread.
BA: Going to use hide to try and sneak around the woman? Stealth: 10
Action: Sleight of Hand to grab the bread: 22
Burr hits her twice, and hard. These are blows that would have brought down a highway bandit or a wolf. She staggers, but it is more akin to having received a hard slap, than having just been bludgeoned twice with a maul.
As Zefla takes what she wants, Ireena draws her fine longsword and levels it at the woman. "Begone! We shall take the child into our care, and I will send word that you are unwelcome in Barovia!" If she is attempting to intimidate the old woman, it seems to fall on deaf ears.
Bruises already forming on her old wrinkled skin, she snarls at Burr and Ireena. Are her teeth pointier now, like a hungry predator? She buffets away the little owl and raises both hands and begins to cast a spell. Gone is the sing-songy rhyme of before; now she speaks in an unfamiliar tongue, gutteral and harsh. Her hands dance as performs the somatic components; were her fingernails always so long, gnarled and sharp? As she begins to point toward Burr and Ireena, electricity gathering at her fingertips... there is a blinding flash from above, as lightning arcs across the grey sky, followed immediately by a thunderous roar.
She stops herself mid-spell. She looks up at the sky, then drops her hands, the gathered magicks dissipating. She takes a last look at Burr, Ireena... and back over her shoulder at the thieving Zefla, her eyes softening a little... then she relaxes her posture.
In the blink of an eye, she vanishes.
[We are out of initiative. The cart and its contents are still here, but Morgantha is gone.]
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
" That was not an old woman....I feel we got off very easy just then...as if she was afraid of attracting a larger predator."
He whirled around, " The child! Is she safe?"
Soren's mouth draws back instinctively in a snarl as lightning dances across the sky and thunder booms, but he does not slow his pace towards the cart, even as the witch vanishes. He composes himself and opens the compartment of the cart where the child had been stuffed.
If the kid is still there, he offers her a hand to help her out of the cart, saying quietly: "I am Soren and my friend Burr here can give you your doll Maisy. The witch Morgantha told us that your parents sold you to her. If that is true, I am sad to hear it. You can come with us if you like. Most of us are not from here, but one of us is from your home village." He points back at Ireena, not speaking her name aloud, fearing the "watchers" Morgantha spoke of.
Suddenly, it occurs to Soren to wonder where Morgantha went. Tending to young while the predator still threatens unseen. What is wrong with you Soren?
"You are right, Burr. She is formidable, and was clearly confident in defeating us, but seemed to fear a greater power, perhaps Strahd. I feel we have not seen the last of her, like a large, venomous snake, slithering away, only to return quietly to strike at the den once more."
Soren is vaguely aware that some spell-casters can turn invisible, though he had seen her give no indication of casting any such spell. Carefully, calling once more on Silvanus' guidance, he and Nettle look around, examining the surroundings for disturbances that would give away the presence or movement of an invisible creature. He tries to ignore Zefla's single-minded focus on the bread, which bothers him for reasons he cannot fully articulate.
Soren's Perception plus Guidance: 11
Nettle's Perception at advantage due to Keen Hearing and Sight (rolled as Acrobatics on character sheet, same +3 bonus): 14
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
The child is indeed still inside the cart. She pops out again when Zefla reaches in for more bread, rubbing the top of her head where it had been struck when Morgantha slammed the lid on her. She reaches needfully for the stuffed dolly offered by Burr.
"S-sold me?" she whimpers. "Ma and Da said she was my Auntie M and that I was going to go stay with her until the summer comes." Her young mind slowly putting the pieces together, she begins to sniffle and sob. "S-so does th-that mean they don't wa-wa-wa-want me anymore?"
Ireena gives Soren a glare of disbelief and then moves to the side of the cart. "There there, little one. I'm sure we can get all of this sorted out. Can I help you out of there?" The little girl consents and Ireena picks her up. "Can you tell us your name?" The little girl confides that her name is Saskia. "That's a very pretty name. And this is Maisy? Are you two good friends?..." she continues to make quiet small talk with the child, with the occasional furrowed glance back at Soren.
Meanwhile, Zefla has liberated a second nutty roll from the cart. There is one more treat inside, something that looks like a sugar cookie, wide as a splayed hand and covered with crushed walnuts and toffee.
Soren, you and Nettle search for any sign of the old woman. Her last footprint is where she had been standing when she disappeared. She is definitely no longer in that space - a hand can be waved cleanly though the space where she had been standing - but there are no tracks or traces to suggest where she went. Soren rightfully noted she did not seem to cast any spell... so how exactly she managed to vanish, and where she vanished to, remains a mystery.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Burr watches Zefla carefully, not trusting the baked goods to be what they seem like their maker...
Giles stands and takes in the scene, but alarmed he begins to look and listen for the old crone, as she was clearly powerful and a threat to them.
Perception : 12
“Did any of you see where she went? Child, you must come with us and we must away from here. Come!”
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Giles prays to Tymora to give him additional help in hearing her, spotting her.
Guidance : 4 to perception roll above.
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Zefla watches in stunned silence as the woman disappears in front of them. Apparently she was much more than they had figured. "What did she mean, we?!" She says with a mouthful of sweet bread.
Taking the second nutroll, she stuffs that one in her pack, then looks to the rest, "There is another pastry in here if anyone wants it?"
Soren is taken aback at Ireena's glare. But then he nods slowly, chastising himself. He had assumed the child, Saskia, had already heard the witch proclaim to the party that her parents had sold her. But perhaps not.
Perhaps here in Barovia, it is taboo to speak unpleasant truths to the young. Maybe in Daggerford too! Remember that, Soren! This is not Neverwinter Wood, where cubs are taught early the harsh ways of life and death, hunt and forage, isolation and loss. For a moment, the flames roar in his vision.
He looks at Zefla, puzzled. "I suppose by 'we', she was referring to our little pack, though it sounds as if she does not speak for you. Just as she does not care for what I said to the child. You on the other hand are eager to eat food from a witch who was peddling it to us before attacking and casting spells at us. I am not certain whether there is a risk she has poisoned or cast harmful enchantments on them. I know the animals of my forest home sometimes learned the hard way to be cautious of food that may have been left for them by trappers or hunters."
Soren rouses himself, remembering where he is. "In any case, take the last pastry or leave it. Let us keep moving to reach the camp before full dark."
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Burr firmly shakes his head at the offer of the pastry.
Even seeking guidance from the beyond, neither Giles nor Soren can pick up any trace of the old woman. Minutes pass and she does not return. But the light rain continues and the sky continues to darken. If she can be believed, the Vistani's camp should be just a little further.
Ireena has the girl and her doll and looks intent to carry her the rest of the way.
Zefla has the nut roll she is finishing and the second packed away for later.
Is anyone taking the last pastry? Or the cart, for that matter?
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War