After that house, Phanuel gladly takes the drink and drinks half of his mug. He waits for the answer to Fae's question before forwarding any of his own.
"I do indeed need your help with that. She is at our home right now, allow me to take you to her." Ismark hands two coppers to the bartender, who wordlessly takes them before returning to clean the glasses. He leads you to his home. A weary-looking mansion squats behind a rusting iron fence. The iron gates are twisted and torn. The right gate lies cast aside, while the left swings lazily in the wind. The stuttering squeal and clang of the gate repeats with mindless precision. Weeds choke the grounds and press with menace upon the house itself. Yet, against the walls, the growth has been tramped down to create a path all about the domain. Around these trampled weeds, you see footprints, belonging to humans and wolves. Heavy claw markings have stripped the once-beautiful finish of the walls. Great black marks tell of the fires that have assailed the mansion. Not a pane nor a shard of glass stands in any window. All the windows are barred with planks, each one marked with stains of evil omen.
Ismark walks up to the front door and knocks on it. "Sister! Some adventurers managed to get father's letter! They can help you!" You hear sounds of clicking and thudding in response, something that you assume to be the moving of heavy objects as the door is unlocked. The door opens, revealing a striking young woman with auburn hair. "Welcome. My name is Ireena Kolyana. Welcome to our home."The interior of the mansion is well furnished, yet the fixtures show signs of great wear. Noticeable oddities are the boarded-up windows and the presence of holy symbols in every room. The burgomaster is in a side drawing room on the floor — lying in a simple wooden coffin surrounded by wilting flowers and a faint odor of decay.
"So you got my father's letter." She pulls down her collar, revealing a pair of bite marks on her neck. "The devil Strahd has bitten me twice within the past few weeks. Most of what happened was fuzzy, but his eyes, there was such a hunger in them.""We need to get her out of here. We believe that Vallaki will be a much safer place, but the roads are dangerous. That's where you would come in." "But first we need to take Father's body to the chapel, so that he may receive a proper burial. His body has been sitting here for three days, I will not leave him to rot here forever."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
Hadrian looks from Ireena to the coffin, trying to figure out which question to ask first. He settles on, "If you don't mind my asking, how did your father die?"
"Monsters have been attacking our house for weeks. They've never been able to break in, but my father's heart could no longer handle hearing them at our door night after night and it gave out."
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Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
"I am sorry. He obviously cared for you a great deal. I, for one, would be happy to assist you in proper burial."
Hadrian inquires further, "You say this 'devil Strahd' bit you. How is it that he was able to break in here, when the others weren't? And what exactly does he hope to gain by biting?"
Elyse averts her gaze so that the Kolyanas can't get a good look at her as she asks "Why are these monsters attacking you? You mentioned someone named Strahd, who is that? Where are the monsters now?"
"I am sorry. He obviously cared for you a great deal. I, for one, would be happy to assist you in proper burial."
Hadrian inquires further, "You say this 'devil Strahd' bit you. How is it that he was able to break in here, when the others weren't? And what exactly does he hope to gain by biting?"
"Strahd is the monster that rules this land. He is a vampire that possesses incredible power, much more than the beasts that assailed our home. I cannot tell you how Strahd entered in or why he bites me. But as for the monsters, their attacks stopped after my father passed."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
Fae pauses, eyes on the young woman as she opens the door. She skips in, looking around, then returns her attention to Ireena as she waits for either her or her brother to answer the slew of questions.
After Ireena speaks, she says cheerfully. "So how do you want us to help with the road to Vallaki?"
"There are monsters in these lands. It would be dangerous for the two of us to travel alone, but a large group of strong adventurers might provide some safety."
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Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
"Strahd resides in Castle Ravenloft. But no one is welcome there and even if you were, he is much too powerful for you to fight and have any hope of surviving."
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Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
"Yes. The church is not far from here. Father Donavich can give father a proper burial, if you can help us get his body there." With the five of you helping, Ismark and Ireena begin to move Kolyan's body toward its final destination.
Atop a slight rise, against the roots of the pillar stone that supports Castle Ravenloft, stands a gray, sagging edifice of stone and wood. This church has obviously weathered the assaults of evil for centuries on end and is worn and weary. A bell tower rises toward the back, and flickering light shines through holes in the shingled roof. The rafters strain feebly against their load. As you approach the doors, you see that the heavy wooden doors of the church are covered with claw marks and scarred by fire. The doors open to reveal a ten-foot-wide, twenty-foot-long hall leading to a brightly lit chapel. The hall is unlit and reeks of mildew. Four doors, two on each side of the hall, lead to adjacent chambers. "Father Donavich! We've brought the body of our father here so that you may put him to rest and usher his soul on to the next life!"
You can see that the chapel is strewn with debris, and you hear a soft voice from within reciting a prayer. Suddenly, the prayer is blotted out by an inhuman scream that rises up from beneath the wooden floor. A middle aged man in priests robes comes from within the chapel to greet you. His thin hair is beginning to turn white and he looks like he's been up all night. His voice is incredibly hoarse. "Ah yes, the burgomaster. What a sad loss. Tell me my children, who are these people with you?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
"Hadrian Frozenspark, father," says the cleric, kneeling. His own vestments are worn in plain sight. "I am at your service. We have come to aid miss Indirovich and her brother."
After that house, Phanuel gladly takes the drink and drinks half of his mug. He waits for the answer to Fae's question before forwarding any of his own.
Enialis grumbles something about new people and how he hates introductions before slinking off to sulk in a dark corner like a rogue does.
"I do indeed need your help with that. She is at our home right now, allow me to take you to her." Ismark hands two coppers to the bartender, who wordlessly takes them before returning to clean the glasses. He leads you to his home. A weary-looking mansion squats behind a rusting iron fence. The iron gates are twisted and torn. The right gate lies cast aside, while the left swings lazily in the wind. The stuttering squeal and clang of the gate repeats with mindless precision. Weeds choke the grounds and press with menace upon the house itself. Yet, against the walls, the growth has been tramped down to create a path all about the domain. Around these trampled weeds, you see footprints, belonging to humans and wolves. Heavy claw markings have stripped the once-beautiful finish of the walls. Great black marks tell of the fires that have assailed the mansion. Not a pane nor a shard of glass stands in any window. All the windows are barred with planks, each one marked with stains of evil omen.
Ismark walks up to the front door and knocks on it. "Sister! Some adventurers managed to get father's letter! They can help you!" You hear sounds of clicking and thudding in response, something that you assume to be the moving of heavy objects as the door is unlocked. The door opens, revealing a striking young woman with auburn hair. "Welcome. My name is Ireena Kolyana. Welcome to our home." The interior of the mansion is well furnished, yet the fixtures show signs of great wear. Noticeable oddities are the boarded-up windows and the presence of holy symbols in every room. The burgomaster is in a side drawing room on the floor — lying in a simple wooden coffin surrounded by wilting flowers and a faint odor of decay.
"So you got my father's letter." She pulls down her collar, revealing a pair of bite marks on her neck. "The devil Strahd has bitten me twice within the past few weeks. Most of what happened was fuzzy, but his eyes, there was such a hunger in them." "We need to get her out of here. We believe that Vallaki will be a much safer place, but the roads are dangerous. That's where you would come in." "But first we need to take Father's body to the chapel, so that he may receive a proper burial. His body has been sitting here for three days, I will not leave him to rot here forever."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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Hadrian looks from Ireena to the coffin, trying to figure out which question to ask first. He settles on, "If you don't mind my asking, how did your father die?"
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Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM
"Monsters have been attacking our house for weeks. They've never been able to break in, but my father's heart could no longer handle hearing them at our door night after night and it gave out."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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"I am sorry. He obviously cared for you a great deal. I, for one, would be happy to assist you in proper burial."
Hadrian inquires further, "You say this 'devil Strahd' bit you. How is it that he was able to break in here, when the others weren't? And what exactly does he hope to gain by biting?"
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Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM
Elyse averts her gaze so that the Kolyanas can't get a good look at her as she asks "Why are these monsters attacking you? You mentioned someone named Strahd, who is that? Where are the monsters now?"
"I am sorry. He obviously cared for you a great deal. I, for one, would be happy to assist you in proper burial."
Hadrian inquires further, "You say this 'devil Strahd' bit you. How is it that he was able to break in here, when the others weren't? And what exactly does he hope to gain by biting?"
DM - Storm King's Thunder PbP | Yet Another Storm King's Thunder PbP
Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM
"It's only right that we lay him to rest on consecrated ground. He deserves rest after serving his people faithfully."
"Strahd is the monster that rules this land. He is a vampire that possesses incredible power, much more than the beasts that assailed our home. I cannot tell you how Strahd entered in or why he bites me. But as for the monsters, their attacks stopped after my father passed."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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Fae pauses, eyes on the young woman as she opens the door. She skips in, looking around, then returns her attention to Ireena as she waits for either her or her brother to answer the slew of questions.
After Ireena speaks, she says cheerfully. "So how do you want us to help with the road to Vallaki?"
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"There are monsters in these lands. It would be dangerous for the two of us to travel alone, but a large group of strong adventurers might provide some safety."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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"Ooooh." Fae grins. "You want us to bodyguard you!"
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
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"I suppose that's one way of saying it, yes."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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"I am willing, but you will need to tell us where we can find this Strahd so that I can take care of them after you are safe."
"Strahd resides in Castle Ravenloft. But no one is welcome there and even if you were, he is much too powerful for you to fight and have any hope of surviving."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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"We shall see," Elyse retorts with determination. "For now, could you point is toward where we are to take this body?"
"Yes. The church is not far from here. Father Donavich can give father a proper burial, if you can help us get his body there." With the five of you helping, Ismark and Ireena begin to move Kolyan's body toward its final destination.
Atop a slight rise, against the roots of the pillar stone that supports Castle Ravenloft, stands a gray, sagging edifice of stone and wood. This church has obviously weathered the assaults of evil for centuries on end and is worn and weary. A bell tower rises toward the back, and flickering light shines through holes in the shingled roof. The rafters strain feebly against their load. As you approach the doors, you see that the heavy wooden doors of the church are covered with claw marks and scarred by fire. The doors open to reveal a ten-foot-wide, twenty-foot-long hall leading to a brightly lit chapel. The hall is unlit and reeks of mildew. Four doors, two on each side of the hall, lead to adjacent chambers. "Father Donavich! We've brought the body of our father here so that you may put him to rest and usher his soul on to the next life!"
You can see that the chapel is strewn with debris, and you hear a soft voice from within reciting a prayer. Suddenly, the prayer is blotted out by an inhuman scream that rises up from beneath the wooden floor. A middle aged man in priests robes comes from within the chapel to greet you. His thin hair is beginning to turn white and he looks like he's been up all night. His voice is incredibly hoarse. "Ah yes, the burgomaster. What a sad loss. Tell me my children, who are these people with you?"
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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"Hadrian Frozenspark, father," says the cleric, kneeling. His own vestments are worn in plain sight. "I am at your service. We have come to aid miss Indirovich and her brother."
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Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM
"Phanuel, Father, servant of the Host." The Aasimar says with a nod of obeisance.