Corrin stares at the castle with a concerned look on his face, muttering quietly to himself. “Well, what mess have we got ourselves into this time?” Looking to Leo, he sighs. “Well, better we are entering on our own terms than on someone else’s I suppose.” Grasping his amulet, he then utters, “Guide us, Lucky Lady.” Anborn, Winter and Orilo hear quiet giggles and feel a slight tingling sensation. 

aid on those three. 

Here's a map of the OUTSIDE. You are at AREA J

Orilo too stared at the dark den, though more sternly and analytical as if sizing up some great beast in a fight. He hadn't spoken since the evening prior, and that had largely been to try convincing the barkeep to serve a poorly disguised Stone Cutter. And while he had intended to rope the others into a final drink or two, noting Winter's... and eventually Anborn's disappearance quickly dismissing the idea. If indeed he ever got the chance to mention it, in any case.

Though it may have been futile, and perhaps even a surprise, Orilo also offered Blood Bane -- his chosen nickname for the axe-- Elya before going to bed; citing that at the very least, she could use it for emergencies, if nothing else.

"I can sense its presence, once we're inside." Orilo pipes up for the first time in hours. "The real question is if there are no paths we can take to avoid or sidestep this... invitation." He adds, looking first to Leo, and then gesture to the lowered bridge. Stone Cutter waits until Corrin has finished his prayers before offering Corrin a lift onto saddle in place of the disembarked goliath. 

Anborn leads the party into Area K1 with the confidence of a man that recently had sex with a hottie and fears absolutely nothing.

Orilo sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Or we can just take it. Not like we got wings." The goliath half-mutters as he marches along after Anborn. But both he and Stonecutter gives the brave cleric plenty of room to take the brunt of whatever may come just entering the place.

Anborn casts Protection from Evil and Good on himself as he advances, because he's not a total moron.

THE FRONT COURTYARD (J to K1).

It begins to rain very heavily now. As you cross the gate across the moat, the wood boards crack and creak.

Anborn: 29
Winter: 35
Corrin: 27
Elya: 68
Oreo: 33

Ha. As Anborn walks across the drawbridge, a massive piece of the wood cracks. Anborn, can I get a DC10 DEX save, please?

Thick, cold fog swirls in this courtyard. Sporadic flashes of lightning lance the weeping clouds overhead as thunder shakes the ground. Through the drizzle, you see torch flames fluttering on each side of the keep’s open main doors. Warm light spills out of the entrance, flooding the courtyard. High above the entrance is a round window with shards of broken glass lodged in its iron frame. The walls that enclose the courtyard are 90 feet high. The dark towers of the castle rise even higher. Doors in the gate towers on each side of the tunnel entrance are shut against the rain, and a howling wind rushes through the courtyard.

From here you can access K2, or go inside the Castle proper.

Dex: 8

With almost supernatural reflexes, Anborn jumps to safety as the bridge collapses underneath him. He turns to Oreo as he lands on the other side. "Go on, say something. I know you want to."

ENTRY K7

The ornate outer doors of the castle hang open, flanked by fluttering torches in iron sconces. Twenty feet inside the castle is a second set of doors. The doors in front of you suddenly swing open, revealing a grand hall filled with the sound of organ music. Overhead, in the vaulted entry foyer, four statues of dragons glare down, their eyes flickering in the torchlight.

"Can you do that evil-detecting thing that you do? That way, you can find him and we can start looking for the last two things in the places where he isn't."

Elya refused (as expected) the axe from Orilo, thanking him but still not accepting his gift.

Now that they were in the castle itself, she asked Leo, "We're trying to find Strahd's prize room, where would that be?"

Leo points to AREA K8 -> K14 -> K15 -> K16 -> Stairs down at K23

Corrin's gaze follows where Leo points. "I don't know about you guys, but I'd rather make this a quick trip and not do a lot of sightseeing here. Perhaps we head straight for what we need?"

"That sounds like a good idea."

Anborn smirks as he responds to the giant. "On the contrary, big guy. I'm ready to be done with Strahd and get out of Barovia. Aren't you?"

THE GREAT ENTRY - K8

Oreo, your divine sense tells you there's lots of things to worry about below you. Not too much on this level. As you leave area K7, you notice the dragon statues turn and watch you walk further into the castle.

Cobwebs stretch between the columns that support the vaulted ceiling of a great, dusty hall dimly lit by sputtering torches in iron sconces. The torches cast odd shadows across the faces of eight stone gargoyles squatting motionlessly on the rim of the domed ceiling. Cracked and faded ceiling frescoes are covered by decay. Double doors of bronze stand closed to the east. To the north, a wide staircase climbs into darkness. A lit hallway to the south (K9) contains another set of bronze doors, through which you hear sad and majestic organ tones.

1

You see something up ahead.

9
8

4 recently killed Barovian villagers lie dead and ripped open laying propped up along the walls, or laying on the floor. Blood is everywhere in this hallway. Unlit torches, and pitchforks lie sprawled on the ground.

After a moment's pause, Orilo gives Anborn a tired but sidelong look. "It will be victory enough for me making sure the rest of you lot can do so." On that solemn note, Orilo starts to leads the way as directed earlier by Leo through K14 and onwards down eventually to K16. With or without Corrin onboard, Stonecutter isn't far behind the giant. 

The dragons turning to look behind them are watched, but not spared more thought so long as they remained in place. "Hn. Seems we weren't the only people invited recently." He states, noting the bodies. "But we must press on." Orilo forward, intending to leave the bodies lie where they were, and the organ player to their music. 

Anborn looks back at the pitchforks and torches lying near the bodies. "Judging from these torches and pitchforks, I'd say that these villagers tried to stage another revolt and it turned out poorly for them."

Corrin shudders at the statues and warily eyes the hopefully still dead villagers. To Orilo, he says, "It appears the pitchfork and fire mob mentality is not the correct approach. Perhaps we should opt for something a bit stealthier." The halfling then clutches his amulet in his hand, silently seeking encouragement from his deity while following behind the others