" Well at least Zeflas a light carry if she passes out.", Burr chuckled.

Giles becomes convinced that this is as far as things will go, tonight at least, thinking to himself that there is more to come and perhaps we will see this Rictavio fellow again.  He looks up and becomes aware of Zefla … in a drinking contest?  “This I must see….”  “Then tomorrow night it is, I bid good evening to you.  Now, I must see if my friend over there needs rescuing.  Or healing.  Or some coffee, perhaps.  If you are down for breakfast in the morning, she’ll be the one with the bleary eyes…”. Giles says this with a laugh and moves to go join their table, sitting and observing the game and deciding whether his healing abilities will be needed….

Rictavio also defers the game, instead telling a story about a pixie who invents a drink to bring euphoria and laughter, but that people abused it to such an extent she erased the recipe from human knowledge.

With no one else joining the game, Zefla plays alone against the Wachter boys... and it is a slaughter.  Truly, Zefla's domination of the poor young men is one of the more grisly sights you have beheld since you arrived in Barovia.  

She doesn't miss, indeed showing off at times, bouncing two and even three electrum pieces off the table and into the cup at a time.

Nikolai suffers most of all, for he follows Zefla and the cup always has at least a little vodka in it when it comes his way.  The boys make a couple of shots, to their credit, but by the time the bottle of vodka is half gone, Zefla has not had a sip and the boys look as though they are finished.  Finally, Nikolai slides off his chair and down to the floor.  Karl chortles some laughter but makes no move to help his brother.  "

I think you win."  He says it without tone or inflection, but he does take one of Zefla's hands and raises it up, as if saluting a boxer after a match.  Then he slumps back into his chair, looking straight ahead.  Its not clear he knows where he is right now. 

From somewhere under the table, there is a snore.

Soren gazes at Zefla, impressed, confused and perhaps a little afraid.  "I have never seen anything quite like that."  (In truth, he has never seen any drinking game before, so he assumes it is always like this, which maybe it is, actually...)

He turns back to Urwin or Danika, waiting for an answer to his question (post 760) about who the youths are and how they have the coin and time to drink as much as they do.  Assuming the innkeepers divulge that the noble sons are of the Wachter family (presumably different than Baron Vargas' and Izek's household?), Soren thinks laboriously for a moment, trying to consider the "city-dweller" implications of all this.

Quietly following up with Urwin or Danika:  "What do you think of Lady Fiona Wachter.  Is she their... mother?  Aunt?  Grandmother?  An ally of Baron Vargas'?  I found an invitation to her book club lying on the ground when we went out in the storm earlier, but I do not know what to make of it.  Those two younglings do not seem the type to attend book clubs, and I am not sure who the invitation might have been intended for."  (He shows it if asked).

"I wonder if we should help return them to their den.  This Wachterhaus?"  (Referring to the now thoroughly soused boys).

Disappointed that the boys didn't answer her questions and just got plastered, she finds it amusing how Karl lifts her hand and raises it as the winner.

Sighing as she watches the spectacle of the two boys, she takes the half empty bottle back to Danika.  "Don't suppose I could get 5 gold back for this?"

She overhears Soren ask about returning the two to their house.  "Yes, I think that would be best.  Danika, where do they live?  Would be good to get them home, unless you want them sleeping on your floors?"

Giles helps Zefla and Soren with getting the drunken Wachter boys up and ready to move.  “Wow Zefla.  You have some serious skill with the coin trick, that drinking game.  I’m impressed!  Bravo!”  A glint in his eye and a big smile as he says it, in admiration.

Burr threw one of the men over his shoulder and jostled him gently just incase something interesting fell out.

" Lead the way."

Soren:

[Sorry, missed that question.]  Urwin indeed confirms they are the twin sons of Lady Fiona Wachter, but he proceeds to give Soren the same warning he gave Zefla [post 731].

Zefla:

During the game, there was time for idle banter with the Wachter twins.  

• They are incredibly bored.  The two possess a small sailboat, docked on the shores of Lake Zarovich, and they often spend time on the water.  Otherwise, most of their time is spent drinking.  That, or tossing vegetables at whatever poor sod happens to be locked in the stocks at the moment.
• They enjoy the festivals, as it is a break from the monotony of dull, dreary Vallaki.  There are usually games, or parades, or contests, or other activities to provide for an entertaining evening.  They have made some suggestions to the Baron for festivals - Karl is particularly excited about his idea for gladiatorial games - but so far the Vallakoviches have not taken up any of their ideas.
• They briefly mention some sort of problem with their sister but are both tight-lipped (for once) and unwilling to divulge any other details or why they are so upset about it.
• They ask a lot of questions about who you are and where you came from, but don't seem to retain your answers as several of the questions are repeated again and again.

Urwin approaches and checks on the drunk men.  He looks uneasy.  "I don't have any spare rooms for them now... I suppose it would be for the best if they were seen safely home...".  He looks you over, then back to his wife.  A decision made, he puts a smile back on.  "All will be well, then.  Please, if you would escort these young men back to their mothers estate, it would be most good."  He gives directions to Wachterhaus, a large, gated manor in the northern part of the city.

When Burr jostles the sleeping Nikolai, his pouch opens and 23 electrum pieces pour out onto the floor. 

Burr notes the pouches fall but makes no move to retrieve it himself.

Zefla swiftly scoops up the electrum, figuring her winnings for the night (Did Danika give her the 5g for the half bottle returned?)

Sleight of hand  23

Turning back to the proprietors, "We'll get them home, thanks for the entertaining evening!" she chuckles and smiles at Giles for the congratulations, "Well, i'm good at some things." and she winks back.  Starting to wonder if that boat on Lake Zarovich could be of any use to them...

Soren is uneasy navigating the unfamiliar territory of dealing with nobles and their vassals and sons.  Such as Baron Vargas and Izek on one hand and Lady Wachter and her twin sons on the other.  Nevertheless, he too nods at Urwin's seemingly reasonable request.

If the group joins him, once the boys have been carried outside, he says, almost shyly:  "Unlike some other druids, my primary calling is in befriending and summoning animals, not becoming them.  But I have that ability as well, despite rarely using it.  I can carry these two I think..."

If others are agreed, Soren expends a use of his Wild Shape, his form rippling to become a draft horse to help convey the Wachter boys back home.

The horse retains Soren's brown eyes, and has a treebark-brown coat to match, along with a placid demeanor.

GIles steps back in awe of Soren, “Whoa!  That would come in handy!  That’s fine, I was dreading luggin their unconscious bodies all the way there.  Thank you dear fellow!”  He straightens up and uses his telekinetic mage hand to shove them up onto the back of the newly appeared draft horse, chuckling as he does so.

Burr shrugged and flipped his burden off his shoulder onto the horse.

Only Nikolai is unconscious, so Karl voices confused but passive questions about why he is being bundled up and tossed on a magical horse.  Overall he seems to find it quite amusing.

Giles helps Soren and Zefla lead the horse slowly to Wachterhous, curious as to where this might lead, periodically chuckling to himself.  

The party leads Horse down the dark streets of Vallaki, following the directions provided by the Martikov's.

The rainstorm from earlier has ceased, leaving the town damp and quiet, but for the sound of your footsteps and the dripping of eaves and bushes.  There are torches lining the streets, relit since the rains but spaced widely, leaving long patches of darkness.  There is no moon tonight - though the storms have stopped, heavy clouds linger.

Eventually, Karl Wachter calls out "Stop, man-horse, I am home!" and then giggles.  Before you is a three-story mansion located in the northeastern part of Vallaki. It displays a faded grandeur, with its glory days clearly in the past.  The mansion is surrounded by a wrought-iron fence that encloses a small courtyard.  The fence is intact but looks very old, showing signs of rust and wear.  Above the gate, worked into the iron of the fence itself, is the name Wachterhaus.

The walls of the mansion are made of gray stone, and the windows are tall and narrow with iron bars covering plate glass.  The roof is adorned with decorative gables and turrets, which add to the mansion's imposing aesthetic.  Inside the gate is a main entrance at the front of the mansion, flanked by two stone statues of gargoyles.  These statues are bowed in supplication toward the house, as if penitents kneeling before an altar.  The grand entrance doors are wooden and reinforced with iron bands, and they feature intricate carvings depicting scenes of hunting and revelry.

The house is dark at this hour.

Burr retrieves the unconcious brother from his friends back and slings him over his shoulder, " Lets get you two to bed."

Zefla rolls her eyes at Karl but smiles at the drunk man.  She lets Giles help him down as Burr obviously has hold of the other.  Looking up at the imposing manor, it makes her pause for a moment, but shaking it off she heads straight for the front door.

She starts by knocking gently once Burr and Giles have the boys with her, and if no one comes, she'll rap a little harder.

Soren forgets himself and remains a draft horse for the moment, eyeing the mansion placidly and slowly swishing his tail once before letting out a soft whinny.  It does not occur to him in this moment that he is the one with the found invitation to Fiona Wachter's book club, which is currently unavailable as long as he is using Wild Shape.  Though the party have no book to offer anyway and it is surely too late for any book club meeting.