Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

Ulthan pushes the door open and looks into a dimly lit loft with a pitched roof. Wooden stairs descend on his left to the lower floor. Unlit lanterns hang from the rafters, and a rope dangles from a bronze bell lodged in the belfry thirty feet over­ head. The room is filled with the sound of beautiful mu­sic - a melody so enchanting that it adds a bit of much­ needed warmth to the otherwise freezing room. A black shroud covers a humanoid shape lying on a wooden table. The music does nothing to stir it.  A cot heaped with furs rests in the northeast corner, surrounded by empty wine bottles. An oil lamp burns atop a table nearby, silhouetting a squat creature that has two heads. It sits on the edge of the cot with a viol between its legs. With a crustacean, clawlike appendage, it grasps the neck of the instrument while running a bow gently across its strings with its human hand. As the wooden floor creaks every so slightly under Ulthan's foot the creature playing the music stops, and glances over at Ulthan....with both heads. 

Ulthan curses his luck and bad hearing, then Ulthan quickly thinks of the long string of nice but drawn out meaningless words spouting forth from various people around him the best he can come up with "hrmpfh good music cold there stay here hrmpf" and he sits down against the wall. He didn't have weapons out so he won't appear to threatening. When the guy stops singing/playing instrument he tries to pay attention if he can hear something beyond them. Perception 20. If he can hear them this spot is good enough, otherwise in 5 mins or so he'll mention "hrmpfh hungry Ulthan get food you want food hrmpfh" assuming he doesn't go all stabby earlier.

 Mordekai looks at the woman with some unease.  He glances at the Abbott, then back to the woman.  Seeming to make his mind up about the situation, he turns on his charming smile.  "It is our pleasure to help, of course.  Particularly when the life of a young boy is on the line."  As he says this last part, he has to fight to keep his disdain for the Abbott's lack of altruism hidden from his face and voice.  Then addressing the woman (partly to see whether she has the full social capability to respond to him), Mordekai gives a gentle bow of his head and says, "Wonderful to meet you.  I disagree with the Abbott here though.  It does not require such a dress to make you a splendid bride.  Rather, it is you who will make the dress shine as it should.  Might I ask your name, and that of your lucky groom?"

     Ketch restrains himself, but just barely.  Social niceties? He thinks to himself. We’re bothering with social niceties when surrounded but... creatures? Perhaps made by a celestial??  A celestial who said he wants to cure what ails this land??

     Ketch stifles a “Harumph!” and does his best to let Mordekai do his talking thing.  But it had better lead to some answers!

The 'woman' looks towards Mordekai, her wide eyes rather beautiful....and strikingly similar to Ireena's.  But she does not respond.  Instead the Abbott places a hand on her shoulder and says, "Vasilka is currently learning the finer points of etiquette. And I agree, she is indeed the true prize, but...like many things in life...." his voice becomes serious and his smile drops "...the facade is as important as what is within, sometimes more so."  Like a dark cloud that passed in front of the sun, his face brightens once more and he smiles a perfect smile. His eyes glance towards the floor above them where the music has stopped, then back to the group.  "Tell the Burgomaster I will be down in the morning to perform the ritual for his son. And...as a token to my good faith to you....if any of you should fall in battle, if the others can bring their body to me within seven days time, I will be able to return their soul from the mists into their body."  He glances at Ketch with narrow eyes, "Though...I can see that perhaps my services may not be necessary for some."  Directing his speech to Ketch, while shrewdly examining him, he says, "Where such a potent soul tether was created for you, I would like to know. If you get tired of it, come to me and I may help snip it for you. It is a wonder, we've not met before this."  Blinking away his suspicion he says to everyone, "I am doing the Morninglord's work here. I know it may not seem that way, but we all seek the same ends. And end to Strahd's nightmare, that we are all trapped within. If you'd like I'd be happy to show you around." 

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Upstairs with Ulthan.

Indeed, Ulthan had heard music coming from within, but it wasn't clear at all it was from directly the other side of the door. The creature before Ulthan stands 4 feet, 7 inches tall and has a barrel-like shape. His right head is fully formed and combines the features of a patchy-haired man with those of a goat, complete with stubby horns. His left head is about half normal size and has a soft, cherubic face partly covered with crocodilian hide. He has a crab's pincer in place of his left hand and a bear's paw where his right foot should be. He wears an ill-fitting monk's robe with a belt made of hempen rope. From here you can smell the wine on his breath. From the glazed look in his two sets of eyes, you can tell he's a little drunk. 

The bigger head talks, "Whoooerrrrrr you then come into my room? How'd you get in 'ere?"  The small head opens its mouth and a forked tongue flickers out as it makes a hissing noise.

"We thank you for your generosity, good Abbott." The word 'good' leaves a slightly sour taste in Mordekai's mouth. "There is one other favour I would ask in return, too. There is another woman, the previous owner of the dress. She lost a son recently. Further back than just a week ago, so he may already be beyond the limits of any such healing. The thing is, he was a truly depraved creature, turned to dabbling in all kinds of dark and dangerous magic. We would really rather he not be brought back, for that and...other reasons. Would you meet with her and tell her unambiguously that you are sadly unable to help her son? And if possible, mention that you could sense something 'murderous' in him even from afar?"

     “I know nothing of the tether you speak of, or I’d be happy to share,” Ketch says, slightly warily but honestly.  “I would be very curious regarding your plans for Strahd though.  We, too, would like to see an end to his reign...”

The Abbott looks with glittering eyes full of pity upon Mordekai, "Your kinds predilection to deceit is well earned it seems. I will tell her only the truth. In this case, your hopes that her sons poor soul remain trapped in the mists, to satisfy your own needs, will sadly be recognized. Unless it has been less than a ten day. If it is, then I may decide to grant her wish. The decision is mine. If he truly is depraved, then perhaps I may reform him and deliver this woman the son she always wanted. Who knows what good may come of it." 

Lionel only met Ireena once, the day they all together with her still alive brother destroyed the vampire nest, loosing another warrior woman in the battle. Since then he saw her briefly in the church (he was not exactly avoiding the terrible task of informing her about her brother's death, but prefer Mordekai to handle it). The point is, recognizing the woman would be quite the task for him but it seemed others did.

Right now he was much more curious about the abbot himself (his plans about ending Strahd's reign too, obviously, but first he wanted to know who are they dealing with). The man looked ... crazy was probably not the right word - a blissful fool? May be, but he still was a god's fool. "You can see souls just by looking at the person." It was more of a statement than a question. "And can release them at will? Where do you send these unfortunate spirits?"

(DM, how long has it actually been since the incident at the Burgomaster's?)

(I was afraid you'd ask this. Hmmm, I'm afraid I've not kept good track.  Let's see.  1 day then you left for Ravenloft. Then 2 days there I think. Then 1 day rest in Vallaki. Then 1 day to Krezk. Then 1 day back to Krezk. Hmmm, it may have only been 6 or 7 days. Very close....until you learned the 10 day limit...I think you're still within it.)

Ulthan's plan is not going according to Ulthan's plan, and like all of Ulthan's plans there is no backup plan. "hrmpfh Ulthan come through that door where cold outside and inside food and drink Ulthan no bother you Ulthan go ok go if not ok Ulthan go outside hrmpfh" he waits to see if 1.5 heads say its ok to go further or if he says no then he'll head out and then find some other way in.

"Ah, yes, it has definitely been more than ten days. Well, I'll bring her the bad news, so that you don't have to. Thank you for your time, good Abbott. We'll let the Burgomaster know the good news."

Just as Mordekai turns to leave, he says "Out of interest, when will this bride be presented to her groom?"

(Just in case - Lionel is not leaving anywhere, he only begun his conversation and is waiting for answers to his and Ketch's present questions and is planning to ask more)

As the bigs talk about big things, Meepo starts to get bored. He begins wandering a bit, looking for anything that might be lost.

The Abbott turns to Ketch and Lionel, "I'm afraid details of my plans are mine alone. Again, I appreciate what you've done here, regarding the dress. If you do not wish to keep you any longer than you wish, if you've not desire for a tour of the Abbey." 

Meepo walks about the room. A sawed off rabbit foot, still bloody, laying under the table. Perhaps a rabbit lost it?  They're supposed to be lucky. There is a pot of bubbling stew over the fire.   He finds a broken wooden spoon also shoved under the table, and...hmm...this gold candelabra on the end of the table...is it lost?  It's hard to tell.....

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The two headed creature frowns at Ulthan. "You can't leave. You should come with me now."  It sounds less like a suggestion and more like an order.  He makes to head towards the stairs that lead down.

"I would not mind the tour. So, where did you say, you send those souls you free from the bodies? I might require your service in that regard as well." The tour was a good reason to keep conversation and Lionel was going to use it, giving a mind command to his stead to keep closer to the abbey.

"Why not take the tour, indeed? We're here now."

Mordekai figures the longer they delay, the later they get back to lady Petrovna, and the less likely she's able to get her son's body to the Abbott in time for a resurrection. 

     "You would rather keep your secrets than gain allies against Strahd?" Ketch asked, following along on this so called tour.  "It seems foolish to both strive for the same goal but not at least compare note to make sure we're not stepping all over the other's plans."

     "And what is with these bloody grotesques?  How do they all come to be here when I have never seen the like elsewhere?"

The Abbott turns to Ketch, his angelic face looking upon Ketch with question eyes, "Look. You are Strahd's toys. I don't know what game he plays with those that end up in his lands, but...interfering with him draws his ire. I dare not bring you in on my plans. Until I am truly ready, I must make my own moves. Though it may not be worth much.....you have my condolences."  He seems genuinely sad for you...as if you were already dead.

Then his face abruptly changes to a cheery visage, "Enough of that. As for the creatures that live here.....their situation pains me personally. Please...refrain from calling them grotesque...if only to spare me."  He seems genuinely upset, "They are all descendants of a family that was beset by insanity. They....they desired to change, to be 'gifted' with animal traits. Strahd was happy to help...in his own twisted way....sending them into this state....meshed with madness. I care for them...as much as I can....please, they deserve your pity not your ire. Here, come, let me show you around."