Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

"Meepo cast spell." Meepo says and takes time to cast detect magic as a ritual.  He would then try to see if the statues seem magical.

Mordekai as usual spends ten minutes before they set off anywhere, raving about how great a night's sleep they all got thank's to Meepo's magical cocoon surrounding them, and talking about the day ahead, and the grandeur of the deeds they are about to enter into.  Mordekai, Lionel, Meepo, Olin, Ismark and even Kasimir all find themselves inspired for the day, refreshing their 12 temporary HP each.

Mordekai then looks towards the statues to see what the others are staring at, but waiting for Meepo to give more information.

Meepo's spell is cast and the group gets much closer so that they can see if they're magical.  As you approach Kasimir shrugs, "No, this bridge was here. It was built before this land was stolen away from the rest of reality by Strahd's curse. At the same time as the white tower.  The wall was built after, I imagine by Strahd's minions, in order to dissuade people from pursing the temple." 

Meepo glances up at the statues above the wall, they are not magical. 

As you arrive at near the bridge, there is a slight clearing to one side sporting a couple snow covered trees. The low walls that enclose the stone bridge have fallen away in a couple of places, but the bridge appears intact. A black-cloaked rider on a charcoal-colored horse guards the middle of the bridge.  Five hundred feet below the bridge a river rages, barely visible through the fog. Though it looks icy and slippery in a few places, the 10-foot-wide, 90-foot-long bridge appears safe to cross. 

Lionel squinted at yet another rider of the black horse. Or was it Strahd himself again, who returned to punish the group? "Did not take him long, did it..." Lionel activated his sword and stepped on the bridge. "Do not see much point in it, but I will try to talk first. At least if he pushes me off the bridge, I'll survive." He walked to the rider.

Meepo makes sure his skeletons are armed and then sends the zombies onto the bridge in front of him.

(Can the skeletons have shortbows?)

As Lionel approaches, indeed, the dark rider does seem to be Strahd, but a shadowy version of himself.  He smiles, "Each step you take is towards your own doom. I eagerly await the moment I can consume your soul like all the rest...." 

His horse and body seem to then suddenly blow away with the wind, a foul mist that evaporates into nothing.  A sound in the air draws your attention.  Far above the bridge you see a creature in the air.  As it circles above, it looks near, like a vulture maybe, but as it gets closer you begin to realize it is a creature of unearthly size-a bird so monstrous that its wings blot out the sky.  It vanishes around the mountain, leaving you only with the sound of your heart thudding in your chest. 

The bridge is icy, but otherwise safe to cross, despite the treacherous lack of edges.  On the other side, the path continues along the mountain. The path leads for three more miles beyond the bridge, the ice, snow, and gravel crunching beneath your feet as the wind and snow continue to blow. You eventually reach a branch, one path leading north, further up the mountain, the other leading south and downwards.  

Kasimir points north, "This way. That road leads only the edge of this land, and the fog that prevents further journey."  

The weather as you continue up the mountain begins to turn very cold.  How are each of you protecting yourself from the weather?  (It's close to 0 degrees F, which will start requiring CON saves each hour or gain levels of exhaustion). 

The only protection Lionel has is his cloak (hope the ***** girl returned it) and fast walk. 

"You know, friend Kasimir, you could at least hint on the icy weather. I think I would welcome Strahd's return right now, at least fight would warm us up slightly"

(the two skeletons were far too old for their bows to be intact unfortunately)

Kasimir doesn't seem terribly bothered by the cold, despite minimal warm clothing. He looks up, distracted, "Oh, my apologies, I forget sometimes. If you would prefer to return for warm weather gear, we can. It will not get warmer from here on in." 

You press on regardless, you won't freeze to death if you at least reach the temple, then you can decide if you go back or not.  With the magical hut, you will at least have a nightly way to stay warm and not die.

The path is a tough climb. Legs are burning, and you're simultaneously sweating and freezing in the blowing snow.  You take the switch back that leads further up the mountain. It's about forty five minutes later that you come upon the temple.  The road fades away under a covering of snow, but it takes you far enough to see the facade of the temple carved into the sheer mountainside ahead. The front of the structure is fifty feet high and has six alcoves containing twenty-foot-tall statues. Each statue is carved from a single block of amber and depicts a faceless, hooded figure, its hands pressed together in a gesture of prayer. Between the two innermost statues is a twenty­ foot-tall archway with a staircase leading down into the depths of the mountain. Staring at the facade carved out of the mountain, you each are filled with a deep sense of unease. Your skin prickles, your hair stands on end, and though you can't smell anything, your noses wrinkle at the very taint that fills the air here.  This place is evil, there is no denying it. 

It is frigid and the coldness has taken on a painful tang along with the normal numb.  (Unless you have something to keep you warm, CON save DC 10, or gain a level of exhaustion). 

As you stand there, considering your options Kasimir spins around. The rest of you also hear the crunching of something approaching and turn. A mountain of a man, perhaps eight feet tall, approaches from behind you, wearing furs and mountain attire and looking rather fearsome.  You note the bow and arrows, the fletchings which match those that were sent into the backs of the demons you fought.  He wears patched furs and looks like he's lived all his lives in the icy mountains. His eyes dart continously to the two frost covered zombies and two skeletons.  He speaks, his deep voice grumbling, "There's undead in there... well... more undead there than out here. I've been around here for a few weeks, found this place a few days ago. There's definitely undead in there, but didn't feel like going at it alone. I'm Ultahn from the Rarq's End Mountains." 

"You are mountain or you from mountain?" Meepo asks, his teeth chattering as he looks way up.

Con save: 7

The man grumbles to himself first, then responds very slowly. "U l t h a n  f r o m  R a r q ' s  E n d  M o u n t a i n s, n o t  t h e s e  m o u n t a i n s." He does't seem to be bothered as much by the cold weather looking rather comfortable despite everything. "S o  g o i n g  t o  s t a n d  h e r e  a l l  d a y  o r  g o  i n  a n d  k i l l  s o m e  u n d e a d? A l s o  w h y  a r e  y o u  a t t a c k i n g  t h i s  t e m p l e"? He stands there waiting for an answer, but as he eyes the undead suspiciously he makes no motion to go first and seems to have full intention to stay at the back. He has his backpack on and is otherwise looking like he's ready for travel. His eyes dart from person to person waiting for the group to make some kind of move.

Lionel Con Save: 7

Lionel was studying the Temple and talking to Kasimir (mostly to distract himself from the thoughts about inevitable frostbites) when the man appeared: "Even if you did not tell us, this place does look like the mother of all evil in the known worlds!" "Wait... Mother of evil? Mordekay, Meepo, do you think cards could mean that?"

New face on the scene interrupted scholarly debates. "I take it, these mountains are not the Rarq's End Mountains. Good to know." Paladin looked the man up and down and nodded. "My name is Lionel Silverstone." He paused. "What makes you think our group is gong to attack the Temple? We came to learn about that place. But yes, we are going in. Do I understand it right and you left your mountains to hunt undead in these?"

Seeing that the well spoken man seems to comprehend common better Ulthan speaks at a more normal pace  "No, not from here, trapped here, stupid fog. Mountain less undead so came here, but temple there, undead there, but too many undead there. Alright, don't know what you learn, but ok, I'll come along and help kill undead. Good plan, we go now." The man hrmpfs, plume of warm air escaping his lips. "You look like snowman soon, bad clothing choice. Cloak at least. hrmpf."

"You can say that again," did not argue Lionel, fixing his rather pathetic cloak and more than ever looking as a "shiny knight" - thanks to snow and frost. "Came a bit unprepared here." He  smiled and shrugged: "Stupid fog."

Mordekai Con Save: 10

Mordekai inwardly curses his lack of preparation for the colder climate.  He greets the newcomer, "It's something of a long story, but the bottom line is that we're also trapped in this land by the fog.  And if we ever hope to escape, we must ultimately defeat the devil himself.  It would be good to have another pair of hands along the way."

Meepo, Lionel, you are suffering from 1 level of exhaustion, and have disadvantage on ability checks.  Ismark Con: 12.  Olin Con: 13.  As do Ismark and Olin.

Olin is shaking violently.  Ismark is grimacing and rubbing his shoulders constantly. 

Kasimir looks to the group, "Are we returning to get you lot warmer clothes, or are we going in regardless?"  He says it with little inflection.  He doesn't seem to care either way. 

 Ismark, "I will be in no shape to fight anything if I don't get warm soon."

Kasimir looks at him, "Do not expect warmth inside the temple."

Ulthan seems in thought as he looks confused.  "You look like snowman soon, bad clothing choice. Cloak at least." He pauses for a few seconds, but seeing no further reaction mentions "Could get hides, take a day or so... or torches keep warm inside and rest inside. Choices all bad. Maybe big so no notice. Maybe bubble so no know.". He shrugs. "Ulthan ready!" he says forcefully.

"Two days of walk back, then search for the proper dress, then two days of walking back - all of this expecting Strahd to attack at any point? Does not sound reasonable. Temple might not be warmer, but we are hear already. How long would it take to reach the place inside, where we can get some answers?"

"Friend Meepo, can you summon your Hut again? Inside, while some of you are checking your books if there is any spell that can keep us warm, the less magically incline can use the bedrolls to make some wrap-up clothes. Between that and moving fast enough we might be just fine."

"Sure..."  Meepo says through chattering teeth.  He casts tiny hut as a ritual.

A magical dome appears, 20 feet wide and 10 feet high at it's center. The kobold walks directly through it and enters.  As does the rest of the group.  Inside, the air is warm, and the skin from each of you begins to tingle and burn as it's exposed to room temperature air.  Your noses and cheeks are flush and tingling as you rub your extremities to get feeling back into them.  Cloaks and such are tossed to the side as you try to recover from the cold. 

Ulthan, you wander inside, finding a space that, though it's a touch too warm for your tastes, is still quite comfortable. From inside the tome, which appeared solid from the outside, you can see through all of its walls in each direction. The snow bounces off the outside of the domes shell.  The roof is domed, so you're forced to crouch almost everywhere in here, but you sit down and are quite comfortable. The two zombies and two skeletons stand out in the cold beyond the shelter, snow and ice gathering on their forms.

The group settles in.  It takes quite a while for the effects of the cold to start to wear off. You have a nice lunch, but otherwise sitting about in the dome is rather boring as you're not particularly tired, just cold. At about 1pm, the slightly lighter grey smear in the cloudy sky indicating where the sun probably is, the snow is still blowing, keeping more than an inch of snow from gathering on the ground but leaving large drifts against boulders.  A rider gallops up the roadway towards you.  It stops....and regards the two skeletons and two zombies, as he glances about on the ground.  The blowing snow has wiped away your trail, but the snow on the ground inside the dome has melted through the crushed gravel and there's a 20 foot wide circle bare of snow.  

It is another dusk elf, with dark skin and black hair, riding a black horse.  He is wearing a fur lined cloak, thick pants. Like Kasimir's they appear to be old, but well made garments.  Kasimir stands, his hand going to his hilt as he sees the elf.  He hisses, "Rahadin."  You would guess they are not friends. 

Rahadin looks down at the blank air, not seeing you, but with a knowing look.  "Who do we have here?" says Rahadin with a dark glare.