Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

Ulthan realizes he's somehow in front of the party and stops and turns around "hrmpfh castle now hrmpfh" as usual, hard to tell if a question or statement, but he apparently waits for others to say something.

((Is it even possible to tell from just watching the scene what just happened? Ketch was trying to stay subtle with the casting, Ezz did not comment and Ulthan is still Ulthan))

"Meepo need to go back to bigger town." Meepo speaks up. "Need find home for lost things, and this place have no stores to bring lost things to." He nods to the disk that is following him around. "Very important work, finding homes for lost things."

     Ketch wouldn’t know for sure it was Ezz or even what the enchantment was.  He could have just taken away some buff... and as Ulthan isn’t reacting, Ketch still is unsure.  Still and all, he would try to keep the pair in sight until the spell wore off, and generally keep a wary eye on Ezz and watch for spellcasting... (another 9 mins or less..)

     “Doesn’t an item stop being lost once you find it?” Ketch would ask.  “Perhaps homeless or unwanted, but no longer lost...  found, in fact?”

Meepo looks at Ketch as if the man has lost any wits he might have had previously. "Lost is lost." Meepo explains with a shake of his head. "None of stuff is not lost just because Meepo has now." He looks at the pile of lost things on his disk. "No... Still lost..." He says sadly. "Not lost only when find home. Store sell, someone buy, then lost item finds home." He nods his head, as if this explains everything.

(From what just happened, no, aside from Ketch, and perhaps Ezz, and...well...maybe Ulthan...nobody knows what happened. Things seem...the same.) 

Ezz looks to Kobold, and over at everyone else, then at Ulthan. She strolls up next to him, though....seems to keep an arms length between them and seems a little more on edge, as she says, "Yes, right.  Shall we go to the castle like the big guy....suggested?" 

"Meepo need return town first." Meepo stays firm in his resolve. "Go to castle after if want."

Ezz shrugs, "It's on the way, no problem there my scaled friend." 

Lionel was distracted by the happy family scene. He did try to see if the boy was pieced together like that contract (he could not call Vasilka a woman anymore) but shook that thought away - the burgomaster would know and the boy acted like a scared boy. He did not come closer, just smiled in his beard form afar and returned to the things at hands.

"Friend Meepo, did not we get everything we wanted in Vallaki last time we were there? We have weapons, holy water, steaks and even an unexpected ally. Speaking of which..." Lionle made a few steps catching up with Ezz. "Not to look the gift horse in the mouth, and I fully admit you have a much - or as less reasons to trust us as we have to trust you - and yet your sudden appearance is a touch too convenient. What is your story with this place? Barovia?"

Ezz glances at the dwarf near her, and raises an eyebrow, "Are you trying to say that you think I have bad teeth?"  She puts on a good show of acting offended, "Convenient? I've been wandering around this place for weeks and weeks looking for someone big and tough like your friend Ulthan here, to help me take on Strahd. Pretty sure we both trekked up and down that stupid hill and put up with the crazy Abbott as well. No, I'm afraid your convenience theory doesn't hold water, or bad teeth, or...." she waves her hand around "...whatever."

Lionel did not bite (and did not intend any teeth reference either) but listened the whole tirade with the best dragonpoker face a dwarf can make, nodding to the Ulthan's description "Big and tough... A lot to chew on. Well, you surely understand our suspicion: we met some people who rumors deemed capable but turned up to be mad or working for Strahd. An exception to the rule is overdue. Guess, we can get back to the castle and check if Strahd still accepting visitors, our last meeting left him a bit wary of them."

Not that Lionel was completely satisfied with Esmaralda's answer, but come to think of it, short of thorough interrogation, simple questioning would not prove anything to either side. So far the - seemingly - capable girl was walking with them to the castle.

((I think we're mainly traveling after this?  Somewhere shortly before rest Ketch would Detect Magic on Ulthan again... just in case.))

Meepo nods, happy that they would be getting somewhere his lost things could be left so they could find homes.

The group leaves behind Krezk...a happier place than when they first arrived. Though as if to remind them that all is not well, they hear a shriek from the fog, come from the top of the hill. 

Lionel, who's spirits have been fairly quiet for the past while continues to put up with the daily requests of "let me control the body!", or bickering over the right thing to do. Somehow he's managed to put them to the back of his mind though and their conversation is largely a babble that is somewhat continuous. 

Ketch walks along, having trudged up and down this path numerous times, through numerous 'lives'. The words of the Abbott return to him, leaving him thinking about why's and how's that he can't possibly answer. 

Mordekai walks along, feeling more himself and good about how he was able to manage the situation with Lydia and the Burgomaster. A strange feeling of optimism sits in his head. 

Meepo's eyes scan the sides of the road and mud puddles for anything lost, his magical disk floating behind him.

Ulthan ....... (dial-tone) .........

Ezz walks along beside the tall man, ahead of the group. Her hips sway in a mesmerizing fashion drawing glances from Lionel, Mordekai, and Ketch, despite their best efforts.

The fog surrounds everything. 

They reach the gates of Vallaki by mid-afternoon....and are welcomed by the guards who smile and nod to let them in, though eye Ezz suspiciously. 

Ulthan spent the morning as usual by heading out nearby and seeing if he arrow some small edible creature, then bringing it back skinning it and burning it then sharing it with anyone that wanted some. He also passes around a couple of berries that appear to be good to anyone that wants those. Then he goes over his equipment and seems to double count the silver arrow quiver. Then he repackages everything to set for the walk. While walking his primary concern is paying attention to the surrounding area ensuring no one sneaks up on the group.

Mountain & Forest.
While traveling for an hour or more in your chosen terrain, difficult terrain doesn’t slow your group’s travel, your group can’t become lost except by magical means, you remain alert to danger even when you are engaged in another activity, you can move stealthily at a normal pace (while alone), you find twice as much food while foraging, and while tracking creatures, you learn the exact number, sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.

Lionel was even grateful to the spirits for a change - the (thankfully) quiet voiced in his head could still distract him from the view in front of his eyes. He did not answer, though. He was riding Laiton (mostly to keep up while not looking comical). Politeness required to offer the ride to the lady, common sense argued, that this is more of a warrior than a lady and the steed would not accept another rider without Lionel. Ezz was welcome to join him, though.

He nodded to the guards as the group passed them (noting the look they gave to Ezz). "Let's say hello to Urwin and move on before new Burgomaster here found another creative way to delay us." He dismounted, patted Laiton on the neck and smiled to Esmeralda through the beard: "You would not mind Blue Water Inn, would you?"

     Live. Fight. Die. Awaken and repeat. In a way Ketch believed he was living much the perfect life for a follower of Gruumsh...  He just wished it wasn't so damn repetitive.  The same couple of streets, the same couple of towns...  Surely if they can finally defeat the accursed power of this dimension he will be able to move on an experience... More and different battles.

     Shaking his head of these thoughts, Ketch brought himself back to the here and now with the words Blue Water Inn in his ears and the thought of some ale in his mind...

Ezz declines the horse ride with the dwarf and seems to prefer walking next to Ulthan. The large man seems to move with ease, pulling berries and nuts from bushes without so much as a pause in stride. 

The group heads into the Blue Water and Urwin's hospitality. Wine is brought forward, friends greet each other. Meepo heads off and finds a shop, dumping his collection of lost stuff on the floor before heading back to the group. 

It's a pleasing visit, and Urwin mentions how surprised the latest ceremonies have actually cheered people up.  Maybe it wasn't a total lost cause.  Ezz is quiet throughout the exchange, just a mischievous glimmer in her eyes and a small smile on her lips, though it unclear why and she is not forthcoming about the details. 

She does say, "I suggest we stay here. If we leave now, we'll arrive at night, which just seems like we're asking for trouble.  Though...to be clear, we ARE asking for trouble....but..still, maybe we leave in the morning?" 

"I agree. We should rest and go when the sun is shining."

As they settle for the evening, Mordekai will say to Ezz, "I think we're agreed that you're worthy ally, but we still don't really know your story. Please, tell us more. I find the real stories of people's lives make for the most compelling inn conversations."

     Ketch grumbles something about not caring about childhood stories and picks up his ale to find a quieter table.

     In truth Ketch just wants a seat a bit away from the rest of the party, a ways behind Ezz if possible but at least out of her direct main line of sight.  Ketch wants to discretely cast Detect Evil and Good and again Detect Magic and be sure to check out the newcomer with both, and preferably casually look over his companions with it as well.