Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

Ulthan "hrmpfh thanks hrmpfh" says to the elf though somewhat confused on the responses of the child.
In the new place, Ulthan looks to see if he's still holding Utazo around... did Utazo make it through? "hrmpfh good hunt hrmpfh" he whispers looking around at the forest all around suddenly feeling at home. To the group "hrmpfh need story tell people hrmpfh" "hrmpfh scout hunt first hrmpfh" he waits for the group.
Ulthan looks back, does this path appear to go far back? He then rechecks everything to ensure everything still attached.

The road behind them winds off into the thick forest. It shows no sign of abruptly ending or anything. Utazo sniffs around and seems quite pleased with his new surroundings. Everything else seems to be attached still. 

"We would do well to remember that this world is not a world. Yes, it has skies, trees, other people, a story, and the appearance of real life, but it is all illusion. It is a prison. And we should not wish to be imprisoned here also.

We shouldn't just go asking where we can find him. Despite all appearances, he may still be very suspicious, and given that this entire place is designed specifically to contain him peacefully, I can't imagine he ever gets outsiders coming to this place looking for him. That would absolutely make us stand out, and ring his alarm bells."

"I don't know... Can not say I am frequent in containments,  but as far as my knowledge about prisons go, this one does not look that bad." Lionel smiled indicating a joke. "Do you have a plan how to stab the man? I'm afraid other then an honest explanation nothing comes to my mind. Or, may be, a blood oath? With the dagger as the weapon to get that blood." The whole premise of the story and heroic deeds of the "main character of the book" were obviously getting Lionel.   

     “We could just walk up and stab him,” Ketch suggests.  “Is there need for subterfuge?  If it works immediately upon drawing blood then draw blood.  we don’t have to worry about what others see, or guards or any of that.  They’re just illusions and not real...”

     “Not to be blunt but I don’t think niceties or civilized behavior is required.  Find him. Stab him.  Done.”

     But despite his perhaps brutal focus on the direct approach, Ketch too appreciates being back on a normal world where the land is below, the sky above and things make sense.  If an illusion can be so total, so complete, then who is to say it’s an illusion?  Who is to say Sigil isn’t?

     “Perhaps we all just pick which illusions we want to believe,” Ketch mutters to himself.  Realizing that he did he shakes himself then adds “What is the role he plays in the story?  Was he a noble in a mansion?  I was thinking village first but if we think he’s there then sure, straight at the mansion.”

Meepo sighs, thinking he should have found some skeletons before all of this. He stays by Mordekai's side as they start heading towards the village ahead.

"We need to find out who he is first. Then one option is indeed for our sneakiest member...Ulthan? ...to simply be invisible, and sneak up and stab him in the hand?"

(The group can sorta veer to the left towards the farmsteads, or to the right of the fork towards the cluster of village buildings....or you can sneak through the woods, sneak around the outside of the village around to the manor, or potentially fly through the air ....or whatever you like of course, but I need someone to indicate where you head first.)

"He is supposed to be famous around here, the hero who eliminates evil. Must be well known in villages and in castles alike. I say, we go to the mansion, still, we can begin with the village as well. They might have a tavern there and heard some news. If it would be as simple as walk in - scratch - walk out, the group of adventurers would not be needed. So, there has to be something more to it. Let's check it out." Truth be told, Lionel would not mind to look around a bit more just for the pleasure of walking on the grass. If surroundings were of any indication, Arrant Quill had to be from the Prime - too much similarity otherwise. The world was worth to be seeing. If others did not object, Lionel turned to the village - it was time to see the first inhabitants of this small world.

"Straight to the Manor? On the assumption that the most likely place for him to be given the context is the wealthiest, most important role in the village? I can cast Major Image and have an illusory cart appear with a giant golden chest on it, and say we've come with a grand gift for him? It would only last ten minutes, though. It might not be long enough."

(Didn't see Lionel's last until after i posted. Happy to go with Lionel's suggestion too)

Ulthan seems to ponder for hours. "hrmpfh fail sneak lose dagger hrmpfh". "hrmpfh day explore land hrmpfh" he says pointing backwards "hrmpfh other towns maybe hrmpfh" seems to ponder more "hrmpfh if he hero then help defeat big monster named hrmpfh" he seems to ponder some more "hrmpfh monster named hiring man hrmpfh" "hrmpfh blood red armor monster attack other town need help hrmpfh" he says scratching his head, his every word a labour. "hrmpfh in woods make large camp hrmpfh" "hrmpfh take hero monster camp stab hero hrmpfh". "hrmpfh hero have guards hrmpfh". "hrmpfh if tree not real people real hrmpfh". He looks confused for a moment but then nods as if he's completely understood.

Meepo looks at the Giant-kin for a long moment. "Meepo no talk good language this, but no understand Giant-kin at all." he shrugs and looks to Mordekai. "Meepo good with straight manner, if Mordekai think good idea."

Mordekai stares at Ulthan for a moment. "If I understand you, that's a potentially good, if incredibly elaborate, idea. The problem is, we didn't ever get their names. Or the name of the archmage they told us Quill had fought. Either would be good to bait him out, but we know neither. But your idea of luring him out as the great hero of his own land, to fight a mighty enemy who is tormenting the next village over, would draw him out, I'm sure. Especially if he's convinced the mighty enemy is someone who he already considers an enemy.

But perhaps a plan as elaborate as this should be a last resort? I don't think we want him on his guard and ready for a fight. If we do just want to draw him out with an enemy, I can just disguise myself as the elf who hired us - then we don't even need to know any names.

We could start with the simplest option, then scale up our efforts if needed. I could go and talk to the Manor residents, while the rest of you keep out of sight, I can be disguised as someone else so that I don't get recognised later if it doesn't work. Perhaps I can simply talk to him and offer him freedom from this illusion? If it doesn't work, I can suddenly vanish and never be seen again, while we then resort to more research and recon around town?"

"Why not ask around first? Surely such a hero attracts attention. Vargan is a bard, at least here, he is used to people coming from everywhere to hear his stories and songs, and most of all, he most likely loves to tell those stories. We can be just a group of adventurers who came to look at the hero of the land. Once we see him - we can decide how to act." And in process get some good food and wine (he did not say it out loud but the tavern and the stories usually means food).

Mordekai defers to Lionel's judgement. "I guess a little extra information never did anyone any harm."

     "Ideally we go to town, listen around for a short bit and perhaps catch talk of this Vargan and can inquire naturally after him.  Perhaps he'll even be performing today, though I have never been that lucky in my life.  But he may perform regularly or such...  I think perhaps the less we're actively looking for him, in the eyes of the villagers or he himself, the easier this will all go."

(Just trying to get things straight in my head, as to how the story in the book relates to outside the book... Is he the character Vargan in the book? Or is the plot of the book about the character Vargan, and Quill lives within this world where Vargan is a famous hero? Does he know he's Quill, or does he think he's Vargan? I think I got lost because the elf told the plot, then corrected his 'mischaracterisation' and said we'd just be encountering the world, and not the events of the plot. Or is this all stuff that our characters are trying to figure out for themselves?)

(As far as I understand, Vargan is Quill's name in this book, he is the hero and everyone knows him under that name. He also thinks about himself as "Vargan" here. Probably, the names of his former companions also changed (but we never knew them anyway to begin with). Unlikely he remembers anything about his real life.)

"Agreed. We walk, we hit the tavern, and if Vargan is not there and someone asks - we are here to see the mighty hero."

(It's a story about Quill, but the character in the book is called Vargan instead of Quill.)

The group hangs to the right as they move into the town. They see an idilic collection of buildings pressed together with a small market in the middle. As you approach you see a number of villagers selling their knick knacks and fresh vegetables, milk, eggs, and the like. As you approach, townfolk look up towards you with some surprise, and respond with a generous smile and nod. As you look around, it seems like a fairly normal market.  Though...as you look closer, you notice certain oddities.  That one commoner just traded a gold coin for a bunch of carrots. He is overpaying by about 1000 times. That table of knick knacks has a thick layer of the various small vases and little boxes that aren't at the center of the table, as if they've been sitting gathering dust for weeks. You see a woman over there, and she's taking a bunch of perfectly good looking lettuce and throwing it into a large composting bin. And finally a man over there seems to have a deep cut across his forearm....like...an inch deep, but there is no scar or blood or sinew, just an unnatural cut in what looks like an arm made of solid flesh. 

Two people approach, both men, one wears a straw hat and overall, the other wears a leather smock.  The one in the smock nods, "Well....hello there strangers, welcome to Wisteria Vale! We don't see many travellers from out of town around these parts, aside from the occasional wandering trader. We hope you have a nice visit. If there's anything we can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask."   The man in the straw hat and overalls stairs at Lionel, and mumbles, "So shiny." 

Glancing around the village you do see what appears to be a couple of shops, an an Inn. The large manor is farthest....north?...that way?.....beyond the last of the village buildings.

As we're walking... "hrmpfh who us why here where from good story less kill hrmpfh"