"He seems nice! We should help him," Fae says cheerfully.

Doremor gives Emil what he believes to be a reassuring smile, sheathing his rapier, “I’m not totally opposed to helping out a fellow in need, but you can’t be a liability. What can you do? Any magic? You’re a master with a sword? An excellent archer? How could you possibly help us take on Strahd?”

"I am strong. If you put a weapon in my hand, I will be able to wield it."

With a wave of his hand, Doremor unlocks the door, tossing the man a dagger in the process, “Well, I suppose you could be useful. Do you know what is in the rest of these cells?”

Hadrian will sit. “We were surprised to receive your invitation, your lordship. Though I am curious as to why you invited us so soon after attacking us on the road—the congeniality is incongruent with your actions thus far. If I may be so bold,” he smiles. 

Fae and Doremor:

"I would assume other prisoners, but I have not seen or heard anything that would give me reason to believe that there are other living creatures in this hall."

Belzo, Hadrian, and Samael:

"An excellent question. I could ask you why you chose to accept my invite after I had attacked you earlier on the road. In truth, a part of me did not expect that you would. To answer your question, this land receives few visitors, and it receives fewer still that are as noteworthy as your group, both spiritually and physically. I invited you here out of curiosity, which I assume is why you accepted my invitation and currently sit at my table."

"To be fair, it would've been rather... Untoward to have simply dismissed it out of hand. You are the lord of these lands, and have gone out of way to invite us 'curiosities' to your table. Nay, to your realm itself, as I was led to believe." Belzo says casually from his seat, but his pale knuckled grip on the ice staff at his side never loosens for a moment. It may even speak of another story. "If the latter is true, I must thank you for that one. I know not how much you know of any of us prior to our arrival to these lands. But, studying them and the mists has been... enlightening, for what little time I have had to study them. In fact, I must confess!"

"I am something of a researcher, you see. One who has invested himself into the studies of many things. Though chief among them has been the plane known as the shadowfel. Dreadful, dreadful place... BUT one you might find fascinating enough given its residents. I, myself, have been touched by that dark and... mysterious place, affording me some interesting insights. In fact, if you would allow me to, I would be more than happy to share some of these as we dine. " Belzo says, ready to slip into a winding discussion if need be.

Samael looks over to Winter and gives a small head bow, "Thank you for guiding us here." He then looks over to Strahd. His eyes gaze long and hard at the man before them, "....I have come to cleanse the land of the evil that traps it and it's people. However, for this moment, I am hoping to gain insight on the man before me, or as you put it, to sate my curiosity." His own face is stoic, and his tone serious. 

Doremor shrugs and turns away from the man, "Well, I suppose we should get a move on. But before we do..."

He'll check every cell briefly to see if there's anything of note in any of them. If not, he'll move on to K74, listening at the door before going in.

Investigation (current area): 25

Perception (K74): 9

Investigation (K74): 14

Stealth: 14

thanks dndbeyond

Fae and Doremor:

Doremor, most of the cells are empty, but two of them are storing something.

K75f:

Shackled to the back wall of this cell is an emaciated figure in a blue robe, its spindly arms spread wide and its head tilted forward. Long, gray hair hangs down in front of the dead man’s face

K75g:

Pounded into the roof of this cell is a rusted iron pulley, strung through which is a rope that is tied to one of the crossbeams of the barred door. Dangling upside down from the pulley is a man, flabby and stout of build, in tight-fitting leather armor. His boots are bound with rope just below the pulley, his fleshy hands are tied behind his back, and his head is underwater. He isn’t moving.

Doremor, as you get to the door for K74, it's the same deal as the door for K75. Make a DC10 Athletics check to force it open.

Belzo, Hadrian, and Samael:

Winter curtsies and then takes a place standing next to the door, occasionally looking towards you and Strahd. "Tell me about the Shadowfell. I know very little about the territories outside my lands, but it seems like you have a great deal of knowledge in this subject, Planeswalker."

Doremor motions the new guy forward, pointing at the closed door, "Since you're plenty strong, why don't you open this door? I'll even give you a hand with it."

"Very well"

Athletics: 18

Emil is able to lift it without the trouble that you had, and the way to K74 is now open to you. A mold-covered ceiling hangs three feet above the still, black water that fills this dungeon corridor. The water is five feet deep. Ten-foot-square cells, their entrances blocked by iron bars, line both sides of the hall. One of the cells is dimly lit.

Doremor will quickly check each cell for anything of interest before moving on into K76.

Investigation (cells): 13

Investigation (K76): 25

"More cells?" Fae grumbles as she follows Doremor.

Fae and Doremor:

K74a:

On the floor of this cell, you find 3,000ep. These coins bear the visage of Strahd von Zarovich. You can scoop up 100 coins a minute.

K74b:

On the floor of this cell, you find 300pp. These coins bear the visage of Strahd von Zarovich. You can scoop up 100 coins a minute.

K74c:

Clinging to the bars of this otherwise empty cell is the rotting corpse of a male half-elf dressed in leather armor. A search of the corpse yields a sheathed longsword and two belt pouches, one containing five gemstones (50 gp each) and the other containing a potion of heroism.

K74d:

This cell contains nothing of interest.

K74e:

This cell contains nothing of interest.

K74f:

This cell contains nothing of interest.

K74g:

This cell contains nothing of interest.

K74h:

A glowing blade can be seen beneath the water near the back of the cell. You enter the cell to find a shortsword+1. Is Doremor Lawful Good?

Doremor picks up a single coin, looking at Strahd's face with a small smile, "I'll have to come back for the rest of these later... presuming I make it back. Either way, these should help."

Taking the potion and sword, he heads out of the cells towards area K76, repeating the same search again.

Investigation: 8

Perception: 23

Dark, low shapes thrust up out of the still, brackish water that fills this fifty-foot-square room, the ceiling of which is festooned with hanging chains that look like thick, black web strands. A balcony set into the north wall overlooks the room and has two large thrones atop it, with a red velvet curtain behind them.

Doremor, you are able to tell that the dark shapes in the water are racks, iron maidens, stocks, and other instruments of torture. The skeletons of their last victims lie within them, their jaws seemingly frozen open in silent screams. You also believe that the balcony above must have been some observation area, presumably where Strahd watched his enemies get tortured.

The three of you are able to pass through this area without incident, and behind the curtain you find the door to zone K78.

"Interesting choice of entertainment. Not my style, but Strahd seems reasonably eccentric."

Doremor will poke around K78 for a bit before heading to K80 (and through K81).

Investigation (K78): 24

Investigation (K80): 20

Perception (K80): 12

You find no treasure or enemies in K78. You pass through K80 and K81 to enter the catacombs.

There are many crypts in the catacombs, each of them with an epitaph above the doorway.

Crypt 1

Artista DeSlop — Court Ceiling Painter

Crypt 2

Lady Isolde Yunk (Isolde the Incredible): Purveyor of antiques and imports

Crypt 3

Prince Ariel du Plumette (Ariel the Heavy)

Crypt 4

Artank Swilovich: Friend and member of the Barovian Wine Distillers Guild

Crypt 5

Saint Markovia: Dead for all time

Crypt 6

Endorovich (Endorovich the Terrible): What the blood of a hundred wars did not do, the spurn of a woman accomplished.

Crypt 7

Duchess Dorfniya Dilisnya

Crypt 8

Pidlwick — Fool of Dorfniya

Crypt 9

Sir Leonid Krushkin (Sir Lee the Crusher): Bigger than life, he loved his jewelry

Crypt 10

Tasha Petrovna — Healer of Kings, Light unto the West, Servant, Companion

Crypt 11

King Troisky — The Three-Faced King

Crypt 12

King Katsky (Katsky the Bright): Ruler, inventor, and self-proclaimed time traveler

Crypt 13

Stahbal Indi-Bhak: A truer friend no ruler ever had. Here lies his family in honor

Crypt 14

Khazan: His word was power

Crypt 15

Elsa Fallona von Twitterberg (Beloved Actor): She had many followers

Crypt 16

Sir Sedrik Spinwitovich (Admiral Spinwitovich): Confused though he was, he built the greatest naval force ever assembled in a landlocked country

Crypt 17

The stone door of this crypt has been carefully laid to one side. Through the swirly mists of the perpetual fog, freshly engraved letters spell out the words “Ireena Kolyana: Wife.”

Crypt 18

Artimus (Builder of the Keep): Thou standest amidst the monument to his life

Crypt 19

Sasha Ivliskova — Wife

Crypt 20

Patrina Velikovna — Bride

Crypt 21

Sir Erik Vonderbucks

Crypt 22

Ivan Ivliskovich, Champion of Winter Dog Racing: The race may go to the swift, but vengeance is for the loser’s relatives

Crypt 23

Stefan Gregorovich: First Counselor to King Barov von Zarovich

Crypt 24

Intree Sik-Valoo: He spurned wealth for the knowledge he could take to heaven

Crypt 25

Bascal Ofenheiss — Chef Deluxe

Crypt 26

Baron Eisglaze Drüf

Crypt 27

Prefect Ciril Romulich (Beloved of King Barov and Queen Ravenovia): High Priest of the Most Holy Order

Crypt 28

We knew him only by his wealth

Crypt 29

Sir Klutz Tripalotsky: He fell on his own sword

Crypt 30

King Dostron the Hellborn

Crypt 31

Sir Jarnwald the Trickster: The joke was on him

Crypt 32

Claw marks obliterate the name on this crypt’s door.

Crypt 33

Gralmore Nimblenobs — Wizard Ordinaire

Crypt 34

General Kroval “Mad Dog” Grislek (Master of the Hunt): A leader of hounds and men

Crypt 35

Beucephalus, the Wonder Horse: May the flowers grow ever brighter where he trods

Crypt 36

Tatsaul Eris — Last of the Line

"Yes. And at great sacrifice." Belzo says, looking at noone save the table with a distant look in his eyes. After a lengthy moment of this, he comes around clearing his throat, and sitting up straighter in his seat. "Before I begin expousing a number of particular points of interest involved in the Shadowfell, I would be remiss to first explain what the plane 'is', or more specifically, what 'it' represents -- in part at least as far as most scholars have come to understand -- in the great cosmic wheel!" He says, bordering on excited for a change. Indeed, he manages to keep up passion as he goes into it the realm's similarity to the Faewild, a place lousy with nature and chaotic beings whose many whims are only matched by its exuberance.

Realizing, however, the topic leaned in the direction of Fae, Belzo casually speedruns through the off shoot topic, describing it as a place only for the mad. "Comparatively, the shadowfell is more its stark and 'darker' opposite. A place where the living find little welcome in staying, the undead and darker roam freely. With but some exception, this does not tend to include demons. For though their essence provide them with a certain vital spirit, anything not of the undead or previously twisted by the planes energies. A prime example -- though most speculate them to be more manifestations of the planes 'being' -- are the sorrowsworn; living embodiment of despair and distress, if you can believe it!" Belzo cannot help but chuckle at that. "I still count myself fortunate that of the many I could've come across, the more easily delt known as 'The Wretched' had been my "introduction" to the world. Oh, and I do apologize if I use a different name for the place ever now and then. The place has many, though the theme is ever clear in theme. But anyhow! Because it is an echo of the material plane with a multitude of cross over points, the potential of moving through it to bypass geographical difficulties is..." And on he goes, eventually turning things about the 'citizen' of the realm; included that of the raven queen, incarnations of the reaper, liches, and the shadar-kai.

Eventually, and without really meaning to, he wistfully says, "If I had but the power, I would return there once more. More still this time, and I could perhaps see even to the freedom of an old friend of mines."