Skanon had been quietly thinking about the options at hand and as he listened to the others he let out a low sigh. While he understood Donavich's thought process but Doru was right.
"I wish that destroying Strahd would fix this but as your son has said there is no guarantee that anything would change for him afterwards. And while I wish there was another way to help... but putting him out of his misery might be for the best." As he says this he keeps his gaze lowered to the ground.
"Are you willing to try to hold on a bit longer for your father's sake?" she asks, doing her best not to cry right right there in front of everyone. "If you can't... if the hunger is too strong... then I understand and will respect your wishes."
She then turns to the priest, her lip trembling slightly.
"Father... if he decides that he cannot continue like this, please understand... he is trapped down here, alone with nothing but the unholy hunger. Every minute he is suffering. I will help him however I can if he is willing to endure, but I think that the decision should be his, not ours."
(OOC: DM interpretation is correct, at least as far as Veronica is concerned.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Vicky looks between the adventurers, and has settled in her mind of what is to be done:
"Doru... This is your choice, and as it stands you are willing to leave this plane.
"But if you listen. This is to your father's expense: your death will rack him with grief, and trust me: if you have a second chance, it may not be as pleasant as wished. If this truly is happening, how would you like to go down?"
Vicky, while sad this will happen, still has the Flame Blade in her hand, and is looking down at it, unsure if she's still dreaming inside of her house. She sits down against the walls of this underground, and lets out a tear, thinking of home.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
Garavon, arrow notched to bow, shakes his head. "He knows what he wishes, and he does this for the safety of others. Do not torture him with other thoughts. Let us get this done. Where can he be buried?"
“You can lay me to rest in the graveyard behind this church,” said Doru, “let’s do this quickly. Before the hunger becomes too great.”
Donavich stared at the floor. He nodded mechanically as realization set in that he was alone in wanting to try and save Doru. The priest could not find a rational reason to oppose his son’s euthanasia besides his own, a parent’s, selfish desire to see their child live.
Against the opinions arrayed against his own, he shuffled to one of the rooms and retrieved a parchment and quill. Donavich placed them on the altar and with a shaky hand, began to write.
When he was finished, he held it out and said, “These are the words to lay a body to rest and commend their soul to the Morninglord. I can do them for Kolyan, our ex-burgomaster, but would someone else please say them for my son? If the mage was right and Strahd’s spawn can only be destroyed in their resting place, we would have to perform this rite before Doru is staked…and I don’t have the strength to do it. Not while I know he can still walk and talk.”
Ireena stepped forward lifted the parchment from the priest’s grasp, accepting it with solemn responsibility.
The grim tasks of digging two graves and building Doru’s simple coffin from scrap wood took the rest of the day. Evening had come and the stubborn sun lit the perpetually overcast sky a brilliant orange when Doru climbed into his grave and closed his eyes.
Ismark held a sobbing Father Donavich steady as Ireena read the words on the parchment. “Thanks be to the Morninglord, O Lord, whose faithful we lay to rest in his house. Bless, we pray, this grave, and grant that he whose body is to be buried here may enter thy heavenly warmth.”
Those who were watching Doru saw the tenseness in his jaw and brow relax as Ireena recited the prayer. When it was done, she tried to lead Donavich away from the graveside as Ismark climbed in, stake and mallet ready, but the priest shook his head and forced himself to watch.
Ismark placed the stake over Doru’s heart and swung the mallet with all his might. The sickening crunch of Doru’s ribs breaking was matched only by his stoic determination to not let his father hear his suffering. Doru did not cry out as he died a second time, his fangs and claws receded and immediately his flesh and organs melted away, leaving only his bones and clothes, as if the decay held back by his curse had returned all at once.
Relief flooded Father Donavich at seeing his son pass in peace and he proceeded to give Kolyan a respectful sending off.
As the light of day faded away, the group took shelter in the church and took turns standing sentry. You could hear Ireena talking to Ismark in the night, “Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” said Ismark, “I don’t hear anything.”
“Exactly. The howling wolves attacking our home are not there tonight.”
“You’re right, what does this mean?”
“It means your Vistani tavern friends told Strahd we were leaving for Vallaki and they’re scouring the roads and woods for us.”
Ismark continued excitedly, “And they aren’t attacking the church which means Strahd does not know where we are.”
“You really need to pay attention to your surroundings, the Vistani would have known we were hiding in the church if not for Vicky and Garavon.”
“Hey! I helped carry our father’s coffin the long way round too!”
“Shh…you’ll wake the others, get some rest, we have a long day tomorrow.”
The rest of the night passed without further incident.
All characters gain a level and are now level 4 for helping to put Doru to rest and learning a bit more about the Curse of Strahd.
{DM Note: We’ll level up during long rests like the one the party just took.}
You awoke the next morning, ready for the journey to Vallaki. All eyes fell on Vicky, who was the only one who had any experience traveling in Barovia.
{DM Note: I couldn’t spoiler this section as I am not on the PC version of the website.}
Vicky knows the journey to Vallaki when taking the Old Svalich Road would take,
7.5 hours at a slow pace (able to move stealthily)
5 hours at a normal pace
3.5 hours at a fast pace (-5 to passive perception and disadvantage on perception checks)
Vicky also knows by cutting through the hills and forest, the journey times can be halved and you are less visible. However, not all of the denizens of the forest use vision for detection and the woods are littered with the evidence of adventurers past who thought they were safer avoiding the roads.
{DM note: When outside towns in Barovia, I’ll roll a d20 for every half hour spent. Random encounters occur on an 18 or higher while on roads and on a 15 or higher when in the wilderness. There is a cap of 2 events per 12 hour period.}
What route does Vicky recommend the group take and at what pace?
{DM Note: If any characters want to try and apply their skills to obtain more information for the journey, go ahead and make the skill checks and I’ll see what information I can give you based on how you applied them.}
Vicky, being asked for information, is a little embarrassed. She has never taken the Old Svalich Road from here to Vallaki, but knows the travel time, and would be able to apply some knowledge to help pass through the woods.
"Since you two are travelling with us as well, I suppose you have not travelled much from here, otherwise you would be offering to help. I personally, would like to take the road, we might get there quicker by taking short cuts, but the last time I took one, I ended up on the other side of Barovia. We will go at a casual pace, let no person suspect our travel. I do realise the fact that we are going on foot, so if we take advantage of it, cut an hour off hour travels through the woods? I am adept at travelling the woods, but that is where I will need help."
DM summary: We will go at a casual pace, and cut the travel to 4 hours by going one hour in the woods.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
Vicky picked out every chance to dart in and out of the forest by the Old Svalich wood. Latagu, her weasel, sniffed out where the wolves and other threats had been and the party did their best to avoid contact with hostiles.
Along the way, you passed a natural choke point in the terrain. Massive stone buttresses loomed on either side and huge iron gates hung on the stonework. Dew clung with cold tenacity to the rusted bars. Two headless statues of armed guardians flanked the gate, their heads lay among the weeds at their feet. They greeted you only with silence.
Vicky led the party on a tiny hidden track around the great gates.
Garavon noted that when properly garrisoned and maintained, its position would have made a formidable obstacle for any army intent on invading Castle Ravenloft.
Skanon had seen this type of fortification before as well, most often on territorial borders, where in peacetime, guards would need to be finessed or bypassed with long treks in the wilderness.
However, these ancient gates stood crumbling and unattended.
{DM Note: Natural 20 on the Survival Check. The journey takes only 3 hours and random encounters occur on an 18 or higher regardless of whether it is on the road or in the forest.}
Random encounter checks for 2 hours of travel. (The final hour takes place after passing another landmark at the end of 2 hours of travel)
You know these enemies to be needle blights, spiny wooden creatures summoned by the evil druids of Yester Hill who side with Strahd and do his bidding. Your druidic skills came from observing them in secret as you grew up.
Rolling for Initiative...
Enemies: 13
Ismark: 16
Ireena: 17
Veronica: 14
Vicky: 19
Skanon: 5 (You can add 1 to this should you choose to take the ability score improvement benefit and add it to DEX for level 4)
Garavon 17 (Same as Skanon, if you picked DEX for level 4 ASI or a DEX increasing feat, this could change)
The 4 creatures spun in your direction. Eyeless wooden forms twitched erratically as they readied to attack. They are clustered together for now, 60 feet from your group.
Vicky, recognising these to be from Yester Hill, is immediately aware of everything, and prepares for intense combat with the blights.
"Get as close as possible, they're easier to kill that way!"
Vicky then sprints towards the blights (N5) and casts Moonbeam, sending a dim light onto all four (5ft radius) of the Needle Blights. This is a Con save DC 11, dealing 15.
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
{DM Note: Moving for Garavon}
Garavon stepped into the trees on the other side of the road and used them as cover as he drew his longbow and shot a needle blight.
Garavon's attack: 22 Damage if hit: 10
Ireena and Ismark moved in unison, with Ismark in front and Ireena immediately behind him. They moved to the same side of the road as the blights and used the trees for cover. Ismark levelled his heavy crossbow and took a shot.
Ismark's attack: 8 Damage if hit: 3
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Skanon had been quietly thinking about the options at hand and as he listened to the others he let out a low sigh. While he understood Donavich's thought process but Doru was right.
"I wish that destroying Strahd would fix this but as your son has said there is no guarantee that anything would change for him afterwards. And while I wish there was another way to help... but putting him out of his misery might be for the best." As he says this he keeps his gaze lowered to the ground.
Veronica gently places a hand on Doru's shoulder.
"Are you willing to try to hold on a bit longer for your father's sake?" she asks, doing her best not to cry right right there in front of everyone. "If you can't... if the hunger is too strong... then I understand and will respect your wishes."
She then turns to the priest, her lip trembling slightly.
"Father... if he decides that he cannot continue like this, please understand... he is trapped down here, alone with nothing but the unholy hunger. Every minute he is suffering. I will help him however I can if he is willing to endure, but I think that the decision should be his, not ours."
(OOC: DM interpretation is correct, at least as far as Veronica is concerned.)
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
Vicky looks between the adventurers, and has settled in her mind of what is to be done:
"Doru... This is your choice, and as it stands you are willing to leave this plane.
"But if you listen. This is to your father's expense: your death will rack him with grief, and trust me: if you have a second chance, it may not be as pleasant as wished. If this truly is happening, how would you like to go down?"
Vicky, while sad this will happen, still has the Flame Blade in her hand, and is looking down at it, unsure if she's still dreaming inside of her house. She sits down against the walls of this underground, and lets out a tear, thinking of home.
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
Hope I've made your day!
Garavon, arrow notched to bow, shakes his head. "He knows what he wishes, and he does this for the safety of others. Do not torture him with other thoughts. Let us get this done. Where can he be buried?"
"ALWAYS GIVE A MONSTER AN EVEN BREAK!"
1st Edition DMG
“You can lay me to rest in the graveyard behind this church,” said Doru, “let’s do this quickly. Before the hunger becomes too great.”
Donavich stared at the floor. He nodded mechanically as realization set in that he was alone in wanting to try and save Doru. The priest could not find a rational reason to oppose his son’s euthanasia besides his own, a parent’s, selfish desire to see their child live.
Against the opinions arrayed against his own, he shuffled to one of the rooms and retrieved a parchment and quill. Donavich placed them on the altar and with a shaky hand, began to write.
When he was finished, he held it out and said, “These are the words to lay a body to rest and commend their soul to the Morninglord. I can do them for Kolyan, our ex-burgomaster, but would someone else please say them for my son? If the mage was right and Strahd’s spawn can only be destroyed in their resting place, we would have to perform this rite before Doru is staked…and I don’t have the strength to do it. Not while I know he can still walk and talk.”
Ireena stepped forward lifted the parchment from the priest’s grasp, accepting it with solemn responsibility.
The grim tasks of digging two graves and building Doru’s simple coffin from scrap wood took the rest of the day. Evening had come and the stubborn sun lit the perpetually overcast sky a brilliant orange when Doru climbed into his grave and closed his eyes.
Ismark held a sobbing Father Donavich steady as Ireena read the words on the parchment. “Thanks be to the Morninglord, O Lord, whose faithful we lay to rest in his house. Bless, we pray, this grave, and grant that he whose body is to be buried here may enter thy heavenly warmth.”
Those who were watching Doru saw the tenseness in his jaw and brow relax as Ireena recited the prayer. When it was done, she tried to lead Donavich away from the graveside as Ismark climbed in, stake and mallet ready, but the priest shook his head and forced himself to watch.
Ismark placed the stake over Doru’s heart and swung the mallet with all his might. The sickening crunch of Doru’s ribs breaking was matched only by his stoic determination to not let his father hear his suffering. Doru did not cry out as he died a second time, his fangs and claws receded and immediately his flesh and organs melted away, leaving only his bones and clothes, as if the decay held back by his curse had returned all at once.
Relief flooded Father Donavich at seeing his son pass in peace and he proceeded to give Kolyan a respectful sending off.
As the light of day faded away, the group took shelter in the church and took turns standing sentry. You could hear Ireena talking to Ismark in the night, “Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” said Ismark, “I don’t hear anything.”
“Exactly. The howling wolves attacking our home are not there tonight.”
“You’re right, what does this mean?”
“It means your Vistani tavern friends told Strahd we were leaving for Vallaki and they’re scouring the roads and woods for us.”
Ismark continued excitedly, “And they aren’t attacking the church which means Strahd does not know where we are.”
“You really need to pay attention to your surroundings, the Vistani would have known we were hiding in the church if not for Vicky and Garavon.”
“Hey! I helped carry our father’s coffin the long way round too!”
“Shh…you’ll wake the others, get some rest, we have a long day tomorrow.”
The rest of the night passed without further incident.
All characters gain a level and are now level 4 for helping to put Doru to rest and learning a bit more about the Curse of Strahd.
{DM Note: We’ll level up during long rests like the one the party just took.}
You awoke the next morning, ready for the journey to Vallaki. All eyes fell on Vicky, who was the only one who had any experience traveling in Barovia.
{DM Note: I couldn’t spoiler this section as I am not on the PC version of the website.}
Vicky knows the journey to Vallaki when taking the Old Svalich Road would take,
Vicky also knows by cutting through the hills and forest, the journey times can be halved and you are less visible. However, not all of the denizens of the forest use vision for detection and the woods are littered with the evidence of adventurers past who thought they were safer avoiding the roads.
{DM note: When outside towns in Barovia, I’ll roll a d20 for every half hour spent. Random encounters occur on an 18 or higher while on roads and on a 15 or higher when in the wilderness. There is a cap of 2 events per 12 hour period.}
What route does Vicky recommend the group take and at what pace?
{DM Note: If any characters want to try and apply their skills to obtain more information for the journey, go ahead and make the skill checks and I’ll see what information I can give you based on how you applied them.}
Vicky, being asked for information, is a little embarrassed. She has never taken the Old Svalich Road from here to Vallaki, but knows the travel time, and would be able to apply some knowledge to help pass through the woods.
"Since you two are travelling with us as well, I suppose you have not travelled much from here, otherwise you would be offering to help. I personally, would like to take the road, we might get there quicker by taking short cuts, but the last time I took one, I ended up on the other side of Barovia. We will go at a casual pace, let no person suspect our travel. I do realise the fact that we are going on foot, so if we take advantage of it, cut an hour off hour travels through the woods? I am adept at travelling the woods, but that is where I will need help."
DM summary: We will go at a casual pace, and cut the travel to 4 hours by going one hour in the woods.
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
Hope I've made your day!
{DM Note: Please roll a DC 10 Survival check for Vicky to identify the right shortcuts you can take to save one hour.
>15 saves you an additional half hour.
<5 loses you an addtional half hour.
Critical success and fails have their own unique outcomes.
I'll roll for Vicky if she hasn't already done so by the time I can afford a few minutes to describe what happens.}
Vicky's Survival check: 19
Vicky picked out every chance to dart in and out of the forest by the Old Svalich wood. Latagu, her weasel, sniffed out where the wolves and other threats had been and the party did their best to avoid contact with hostiles.
Along the way, you passed a natural choke point in the terrain. Massive stone buttresses loomed on either side and huge iron gates hung on the stonework. Dew clung with cold tenacity to the rusted bars. Two headless statues of armed guardians flanked the gate, their heads lay among the weeds at their feet. They greeted you only with silence.
Vicky led the party on a tiny hidden track around the great gates.
Garavon noted that when properly garrisoned and maintained, its position would have made a formidable obstacle for any army intent on invading Castle Ravenloft.
Skanon had seen this type of fortification before as well, most often on territorial borders, where in peacetime, guards would need to be finessed or bypassed with long treks in the wilderness.
However, these ancient gates stood crumbling and unattended.
{DM Note: Natural 20 on the Survival Check. The journey takes only 3 hours and random encounters occur on an 18 or higher regardless of whether it is on the road or in the forest.}
Random encounter checks for 2 hours of travel. (The final hour takes place after passing another landmark at the end of 2 hours of travel)
19 11 10 9
1 encounter. Roll for random encounter type. It's the sum of a d12 and d8
10 + 8
3 hunched figures lurched through the light mist, their gaunt wooden shapes covered in sharp needles.
{DM Note: They attack immediately, roll for initiative. I'll roll for anyone who hasn't already done it before I get access to a PC.}
Veronica Initiative: 14
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
For Vicky only:
You know these enemies to be needle blights, spiny wooden creatures summoned by the evil druids of Yester Hill who side with Strahd and do his bidding. Your druidic skills came from observing them in secret as you grew up.
Rolling for Initiative...
Enemies: 13
Ismark: 16
Ireena: 17
Veronica: 14
Vicky: 19
Skanon: 5 (You can add 1 to this should you choose to take the ability score improvement benefit and add it to DEX for level 4)
Garavon 17 (Same as Skanon, if you picked DEX for level 4 ASI or a DEX increasing feat, this could change)
The 4 creatures spun in your direction. Eyeless wooden forms twitched erratically as they readied to attack. They are clustered together for now, 60 feet from your group.
Turn Order:
Vicky
Garavon
Ireena
Ismark
Veronica
Enemies
Skanon
Awaiting Vicky's turn...
Here is what the map looks like...each square is 5ft. You can make your moves out of initiative order as per the last combat sequence.
And here are the great gates as described above...
Vicky, recognising these to be from Yester Hill, is immediately aware of everything, and prepares for intense combat with the blights.
"Get as close as possible, they're easier to kill that way!"
Vicky then sprints towards the blights (N5) and casts Moonbeam, sending a dim light onto all four (5ft radius) of the Needle Blights. This is a Con save DC 11, dealing 15.
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
Hope I've made your day!
Blight saving throws
15 18 6 9
{DM Note: Moonbeam does 2d10, not 2d10+1, so it's 14 damage on failed saves and 7 on successful saves.}
Two of the blights are destroyed immediately. The other two blights squirm in pain from the ghostly flames.
Awaiting Garavon's turn...
{DM Note: Moving for Garavon}
Garavon stepped into the trees on the other side of the road and used them as cover as he drew his longbow and shot a needle blight.
Garavon's attack: 22 Damage if hit: 10
Ireena and Ismark moved in unison, with Ismark in front and Ireena immediately behind him. They moved to the same side of the road as the blights and used the trees for cover. Ismark levelled his heavy crossbow and took a shot.
Ismark's attack: 8 Damage if hit: 3