Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

Ulthan tells Utazo "hrmpfh share hrmpfh" He knows well enough about dominance, so he scoots cat enough so has place on bed as well. That said, he does make sure to leave a metal collar on under his clothes, juuuust in case kitty decides to grab a bit of Ulthan...
The the job from lizard man to the group he just shrugs and nods, and tries not to cringe at our previous encounters with rich people and children.

Lionel did not bother with the armor - a step to the pile of his gear, yanking two weapons out - his favorite javelin and the new rapier - turning around to throw one at the wizard, then a step closer to run the monster through with the rapier. He hoped that his passion was strong enough to guide his hand.

BA: Channel Divinity: Vow of Enmity (You can choose a creature you can see within 10 ft. of you and gain advantage on attack rolls against it for 1 minute or until it drops to 0 HP or falls unconscious.)

Attack 1 (Javelin of Lightning):  Attack: 20 Damage: 6 + 10 lightning damage.

Attack 2 (Rapier): Attack: 19 Damage: 14 + (if hit) smite 3th llv: 24 radiant damage

((Hey!  Someone catch that lizard man!  We're going to need a new tank!))

Lionel leaps into action, his javelin slamming into Mordenkainen...lightning dancing up his body, leaving him exposed to the sword strike. Holy energy shimmers across the blade as it deflects subtly off the wizards magical protections, but still leaves a nasty gash, as holy energy sears along the wound.  

Roll Deception to hide your intent and surprise him vs his insight roll of 18.

Then roll initiative vs his init of 17

As the rest of the group has breakfast, Mordekai wonders where Lionel is. The wizard said he'd bring him back in the morning. Mordekai pulls out his book and turns to the Sending page, looking at the name Mordenkainen. He begins to formulate a short message to ask if things went OK with Lionel, and to ask about his cloak. 

As he behind to put pen to paper, he changes his mind. He's sure everything is fine, and the wizard will be along shortly with both Lionel and his cloak...

There is no deception and initiative order does not matter.

Initiative: 15

     At the breakfast table, Ketch warily eyed the lizard person as he would any stranger but listened to him carefully.

     “Well Lionel has directions to a portal home.  Or more home than here.  Supposedly.  I’m not opposed to making some coin if the job doesn’t go against the grain of the team but I do believe our priority is out of here?” Ketch says and asks.

"hrmpfh coin good got cat to feed hrmpfh" Ulthan tries again with the kid "hrmpfh giant city must be hunt ground bored nodle pay to hunt maybe mountain hrmpfh" he says looking at the giant mountain. Side note, to make sure cat doesn't scratch up the place he uses his hide armor to limit damage to other things at food time he orders raw meat or fish for the cat.

Mordenkainen speaks a word and Lionel is sent reeling, his mind blasted and confused about what's happening. In a flash of an instant he finds himself wound up in what must be an entire 50 foot length of rope....Mordenkainen whispers into his stunned mind....and everything goes blank.  As the memory of the event is being wiped from Lionel's mind...he hears Mordenkainen mumbling, "Well....that did not go well...some people...I say....ow...that really stings.....I think I need to call a friend for this one..."  then things fade to black.

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As the group sits about at breakfast the devilish woman who was accompanying Mordenkainen the previous evening walks up to the table. She wears a black skirt that is entirely too short, and a crop top white, overly tight t-shirt that reads, "It feels good to be bad." on it.  Fishnet stockings reach all the way up her legs, and she stands atop very high heels. Mordekai immediately realizes she has his cloak.  In a bubbly, and almost air-aheaded way she strikes a pose, then tosses the cloak to Mordekai. "Ahhh, hey there...the big M says that he's is like, totally, going to need like....sorta a bit longer for your friend, you know?  So...like, he'll let you know when it's done, k?"  The 'k' at the end is sorta elongated into its own statement that makes your ears flinch.   

She sidles away with about 100% extra hip sway, her feathery wings swinging back and forth, and one hand out to one side in a careless flop. She was prettier before she opened her mouth, is the general silent consensus around the table.

Etain is suddenly standing next to you all, watching the girl walk away, though she was so distracting you didn't see him approach.  He just looks at the lot of you and makes a silent "wow" with his mouth.  Ulthan asks his question... "Uh, no. There's no where for huntin in tha city. Rich nobles take portal's elsewhere ta do that sorta thing."

"Meepo like place here." Meepo says to the giant-kin, who he still won't call by his name. "Meepo think take work here and maybe stay." He looks to the others though, clearly a bit concerned. "Meepo not want stay here by self though... Want Meepo friends with Meepo, so, if Meepo friends no stay, then Meepo no stay."

     "Could stay," Ketch mutters.  "But this place makes my brain hurt...  But...  No rush to return.  And in time... Who knows?"

     Ketch looks around the bar and at the odd assortment of, basically, everything here.  "This is certainly an interesting place... And has quite a few opportunities for the lies of us."

Mordekai says to Meepo, "If there's that kind of coin to be made, there's certainly no rush to be back home as far as I'm concerned. A small delay for a hefty profit is surely worth it. Although I'm not sure we can stay here for the whole time."

Mordekai's theory about splashing out on expensive accommodation in the high end part of a town every now and again had proved itself potentially profitable once again, but even so, cheaper lodgings also had the benefit of drawing less attention... usually. 

Lionel's eyes open. Glowing crystals decorate the wall of the magical dimensional mansion that Mordenkainen calls home. They shine with a bit of a glare through Lionel's blurry eyes. He gets a strange sense of deja'vu, though can't say why.  He reaches up a hand to rub his eyes clear and sees....not a dwarf hand.  He sees....can it be...he sees...his hand.  He quickly sits up, and begins looking up and down at himself. He's wearing a grey smock....over HIS body. His hair, his legs, his hands and arms. 

Nearby Mordenkainen is standing. He is looking on with a very questioning look, as if expecting Lionel to explode, or attack him or... well, who can say what, but he is certainly guarded as he watches the Aasimar stand from the table. 

(Lionel has no memory of the previous occurrence.)

He doesn't say anything, stands there....with bated breath. 

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Mordekai, the cloak appears normal, but feels magical.  As you put it on, your body seems to shimmer and jump.  Everyone seems to have troubles pegging you down.  The cloak is now a cloak of displacement.

The feeling of deja'vu Lionel just shook off - of course it came from his first awakening after death in the Temple, not the most pleasant memories. But seeing his own body... He made a careful step, then another one - the feeling was right, the height of the objects around felt right too. He looked around searching for the mirror. The hair are paler than he remembered, more silvery too, as well as eyes - expected slow changes continued and proved it was indeed him. Smooth skin on chin and cheeks made him smile with relief - the dwarven blessed curse was on the most annoying side of his past existence in the borrowed body of the dwarf. One has to experience "wearing" someone's body to be able to understand that feeling. Like dressing up in some dirty clothes freshly taken from the dead - your very skin rejects it. As much as he wanted to honor the unnamed dwarf's sacrifice, it never set right with him.

Lionel turned to Mordenkainen and bowed deeply. With his own clear tuneful voice he declared: "Great and honorable Mordenkainen, I am forever in your debt for saving my life and my very being. On the honor of the House Silvertor and my own I swear to you my eternal gratitude and pray to be able to repay your kindness." He smiled openly and gratefully. "I would probably need to do something about my armor before I can return you that clothes. Are my friends outside the room?" He did not want to look impolite but was eager to share the good news. If he noticed Morenkainen's uneasiness, he did not indicate it in any way and the only thing his face and body expressed is politeness, general calm and anticipation of the meeting with friends.

Mordekai will re-open his Tome and write a note to Mordenkainen. "Thanks for the cloak, it's better than I could ever imagine. How are things with Lionel? He can be a bit of an Aasimar sometimes."

(Mordenkainen would hear the message in his head, and if he replies it appears on the page, so Mordekai will sit and stare awkwardly at the message he's just written for a minute or two)

Mordenkainen's reply appears in the book, "I fear your friend may have some sort of lingering insanity from the time in Strahd's domain. However, you'll get him back shortly." 

The wizard watches Lionel with deep concern in his eyes. Lionel realizes he can't hear the subtle sound of the wizard moving...something must be blocking the sound.  Then he seems to decide something. A moment later 'sound' from the rest of the room seems to find its way to Lionel, and he can hear the wizard as he says, "I'm not quite sure what you just said....there was some magic in the way. I'm still a bit tender you see. Or you don't see. That is neither here nor there. Now, this is all done, very well, off you go, this way....and quick about it. Oh, and tell your friend to erase my name from that book of his. I've had quite enough of you lot. Consider us even." 

The saying "don't let the door hit you on the way out" was silently implied as Lionel, holding all his clothes and equipment in his arms, barefoot and wearing a smock, is ushered out the door of Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion, which then is closed, all but vanishing from existence.  Inside, unknown to anyone but himself, the wizard put his back to the door, leaning on it heavily, and expelled a very deep sigh.  

It would appear Lionel was in the Inn still, in a side hall, near the washrooms.  A convenient place to at least put on some clothing. A short time later he appeared at the table with the rest of the group. 

Everyone looked up at the old sight of their Aasimar companion, back in his old body and looking just a bit tired. Everyone except Ketch who looked up at the most recent stranger to show up at their table, wondering what the heck they wanted.  At least until his friends started talking....  quite a difference from the little dwarf.

"Everything went well, then?" Mordekai says to Lionel, "It seemed to take longer than the wizard suggested." 

(Would we have been waiting long between the cloak being delivered and Lionel arriving?)

With an expression of someone who is dead set on a gratitude to his savior, no matter how grumpy the person is (truly, the deed had to take a lot from the wizard, who was not exactly a spring chicken already, so, the man had all the rights to be tired physically and morally). "I would be happy to provide healing if this might help you even a little bit though powers granted to me are very limited." From the sound of his voice, Lionel firmly decided not to take any unfriendliness as personal attack. "Let me just say it again - should you require any assistance in the future, you have but to ask. I will deliver your words to my friends." He bowed once again and left the room.

Tiredness was probably not the first thing others noticed. The first one was the smile - Lionel practically radiated happiness and could be used as a lantern for a while, though a lantern of bit of a hectic design: a tall handsome young man with silvery-gold hair and clear grayish-blue eyes (you ever imagined an angelic knight - you had the visual representation right here) clothed ... strangely - no shirt (from what Lionel saw so far, half the population was walking around barechested anyway), boots (the only thing that fit somewhat) and too wide and short pants kept on place with the old shabby belt with familiar rapier hanging from it. In his hands was a bundle weapons and armour, wrapped in some grey clothe. "I am back," simply said the knight joining others at the table. He looked around with a happy smile of a newborn - magnificent place full of wonderful people! "The great wizard" (it seemed words like "mad", "old", "useless" etc. left Lionel's vocabulary) "kept his word. Hope I will be able to repay his generosity in the future." For just a moment his face became very serious "He asked you, Mordekai, to erase his name from your book as he ... " (Lionel search for the right expression truly defining the meaning of wizard's words) "... needs his privacy for a while and would not be able to answer our requests." Satisfied with the job well done, he smiled again and finally noticed the cat. "I see you got your pet, Ulthan. Named that beauty already?"

     “And who the he... “ Ketch starts but stops as everyone else seems to be familiar with this person.  It doesn’t take long before the cleric catches on.  “Lionel?  So this is your true self??”

     Ketch signals a waitress over to bring more drinks and good.  “We’re celebrating good fortune and returned new friends!” He tells her.

     “Not sure what I was expecting, but at least you smell better.  Honestly, that dwarf smell was just overpowering at times!”

Mordekai is slightly puzzled by Lionel's words about the wizard.  He opens his Book of Shadows to the appropriate page, and writes, "Until we meet again, Good Mordenkainen. I will treasure your generosity with the cloak, and will honour our short friendship.  I wish you the best."

He pauses, awaiting a response.  Whatever the response (or likely lack of), he will erase the wizard's name afterwards...but not before copying Mordenkainen's signature, remarkably accurately, onto a different page...because, you just never know.

"Well, Ketch, it looks like I have need of your signature again."  Mordekai offers Ketch his pen and ink, gesturing to the space on the page where Mordenkainen's name once was.