Into the Mists - CoS by Hanyouslayer

“‘Ellooo? Housekeepin’” Graeme says as he steps through the door, axe in hand. 

Perception: 13

Looking around the dark place reveals a simple floorplan. Stairs to the left, and a central room encompassing the rest. Setup as a studio, there's all of what you might expect. The only exception being that it's decrepit, and it doesn't look like anything has been disturbed in some time. The wailing stops momentarily upon your words, but it then curdles back up to the moaning as before.

"Shit," Johhny mutters as he peeks around the door frame. "Should we really go in there?"

Rumble quickly looks around for any other possible entry or exits before inspecting the study. He'll rifle through draws, cabinets and desks foraanything which looks a) valuable, b) important or c) familiar.

Perception: 13

investigation: 16

Graeme decides to head upstairs. “I 'eard cryin’ from upstairs.” “‘Ello lass?” Graeme says in a soft manner as he ascends the stairs. He pauses and turns back to the group downstairs. ”Ehh, if uhh, I staert screeemin, come get me - would ya?” Graeme says then continues up the staircase.

perception:19

Euron takes a look around "WAIT! Graeme was your name, right? Please don't rush into anything. If I've learned anything in the woods and by fighting monsters, it's that you have to study the environment carefully. If we go straight up and on this floor is something that can harm us, I don't want it in my back. Lets take a quick look here and than got upwards" Euron will look around and see if anything harmful is in here.

Perception: 13

Allen follows behind Graeme and Euron with an Eldritch Blast waiting in case something happens.

Rumble ruffles through the downstairs items, but there just isn't much to find. Old kitchenware, chipped plates and glasses, there doesn't seem to be anything of value, importance, or anything striking to the memory. As the curious tabaxi searches about, Graeme looks to the stairs and calls out as he ascends. The moaning stops, replaced with sputtering and heavy breathing. Turning the corner at the top of the stairs is a lit room with a figure sitting in the center. Euron, the room doesn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary. Just a peasant's home.

A brown haired lady is curled up in a sitting fetal position. Cloaked in a raggedy blanket, she rocks back and forth without noticing anyone approach. 

Rumble’s tail fluffs as large as a feather duster when he notices the others ascending. He also follows, last up the stairs.

"Excuse me is everything alright?"

The lady wipes her face but doesn't otherwise move. In between breathy heaves, she states "The devil took my baby! Gertruda! I-I did my best to keep her hidden, but it wasn't enough. Nothing is enough!"

Hearing her speak about the devil Allen sit up right "What's your name and what devil are you talking about?"

The moment Eira heard the word devil, all emotion had been wiped from her face. With no more glee in her voice Eira sternly asks the lady...

"Where can we find this demon."

"The devil Strahd and his agents took her to his castle. Gertruda! My baby girl! Gertruda!" Her moans pick up in earnest yet again.

Rumble's spine tingles at the way this woman talks of Strahd in such horror. Not fully knowing why, but something about the way she said his name carried weight. Rumble's curiosity was instantly peaked.

Euron is not sure if the woman is a danger for the group, but when she starts talking the way she does it seems to make something to Euron. Suddendly he behave different...  He approaches her and tries to look her in the eye. "I know this feeling, woman. Losing someone on a monster..." for a short moment the memories return, but Euron tries not to let anything be noted. "Who is this Strahd? Is he really a devil?"

Dartis hesrs the comotion upstairs and calls out "everything alright up there?" As he holds his battle axe in hands. He doesn't go upstairs  he is very anxious about everything happening and isn't quite sure how he got himself into all this. He mutters to himself "I swear im never gonna have another drink in my life again..." and stands guard at the door way.

Johnny glances over at the muttering halfling with a wry quirk to his lips.

"I could go for a drink or three right about now. Even one would at least help calm me down. I don't get all this talk of devils and monsters and curses."

He squeezes down hard on the hilt of his rapier to quiet some of his trembling.

As you approach and get in close, Euron, the lady throws a stuffed animal at you and crawls backwards furiously. "Strahd is a vampire, but you are a demon! Leave me at once. I have nothing left to give you. Begone with you and curse me no more! Even uttering his name brings a pox!" She wails out, "Oh, Gertruda!"

"If we find Gertruda, we can bring her back to you if she is still... Of this world." Rumble says. "What does she look like?"

A vampire... Something to live for that long will surely have accumulated a lot of riches... and also done a lot of evil. Now I know my mission. Now I know what I hunt.