A Curse of Strahds [IC]

I'm going to pick up the ritualistic Dagger, can I sence if it has any magical properties? Or is it just ceremonial? 

I don't like this, not at all. How do we get this guy down? Zander is eyeing the strange figures the whole time, are they advancing or staying put with their anti-torches?

The Dagger is simply ceremonial, not magical. The figures remain in place, almost as though they expect you all to perform the sacrifice yourselves.

"Do they expect us to Stab this particular individual?"

I'm going to hang on to the Dagger for the moment.

The chanting of "One must die!" is getting more intense, a bit louder and the repetitions closet together.

Sick of the chanting Lae releases sacred flame at the figures.

Its a 12 Dex save for 7 damage.

The spell goes off, but seems to pass right through the figures.

“Ahah.. there just an illusion lads!” Lae exclaims.

Huh... Alright. Let's figure out how to get this guy down and get out of here... Zander keeps his bow up, but scans the room for another lever or switch or something.

22

You don't notice one. The intensity of the chanting makes you feel you are getting close to the end of some predetermined time limit in which you are to make a decision.

You here a scratch as feet hit the floor behind you. You turn to see that the dog has jumped off the altar and onto the dais. He had apparently done this to make room for Embir, who now sits, armor off, on the edge of the altar, somehow holding the dagger that you had been holding, Zennas. (I was going to roll her sleight of hand vs your perception, but accidently took down her character sheet early.) She says to you all, "Don't worry. I've got this. You just save him." She points the dagger at the hanging wizard (by his robes he could be nothing else). She suddenly lies down on the altar and plunges the dagger straight into her own heart.

Just before the light leaves her eyes, you notice one figure on the south wall pull the hood off its head. It can only be the man who Embir described seeing along the edge of the forest on her watch that night. He nods his head. The cultists and the man all fade away and the chanting "He is the Ancient. He is the Land," echoes once more through the dungeon.

You hear a click from above as the shackles release and the wizard unceremoniously falls on top of the party as he is released by the blood magic. Neither you nor he are injured. The dog whimpers a bit as he turns back to Embir's limp body on the altar.

“Argghhh!” Lae screams in a blind rage as he drops to his knees and puts his hands to his head. 

“No! No! No!.... not another one! You promised me!” He roars.

"I didn't know her very well, but she died doing what she loved. Sacrificing herself for complete strangers."

Zennas will go over to Embir's body to pay his last respects.  Then search her belongings for anything of value. 

What... the... Hell was that Embir! You don't know what that sacrifice was for!  You don't know what that did! A waste of life...

“Another comarade lost to this place...” Lae says sullenly.

”And who are you wizard?” He asks angrily.

Nobody has said anything in 3 days, is the wizard here? 

“Hey you in the funny hat.. I’m talking to you!”

Yeah, say something, and let's get the hell out of here. I don't want to spend more time than we have to.

"Lets leave this place, poor embir" necros  takes embirs body

And as soon as we get out of the house i will burn it down to the ground

(He is here, had a busy weekend and was a little confused on getting to this thread, but he should b here later tonite.)

The wizard, a bit shell-shocked at his rescue simply shakes his head as you guide him up and out of the house. (I assume you follow the same route out? Up to the attic, then down the main staircase to the front door? Also, sorry I didn't post this reaction of the wizard sooner, I literally just thought of it lol.)

You make your way out and, barring any objections, burn down the house?