Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

Other than watching the place to see what if anything else he can spot from his rooftop while also fixing his clothing to look more presentable, Ulthan is as ready as ever to be massacred by too-many-eyes.

     Latch is just relaxing and waiting, probably in the pub.

The two hours pass well....although strangely.  The people in the tavern with you get up and leave, and their untouched food is picked up and thrown into a bin. Others show up and are given food, but no one pays, and none of them eat. Though...as mentioned, the wine and food is delicious. You also notice a few oddities in the environment. First of all, the weather seems to shift about every half-hour....abruptly and without warning. You also see sometimes there's blotches of ..... space..that drifts through anything and everything where anything in the space seems to lose its color. One drifts through Mordekai's leg at some point. It doesn't feel like anything, and as it drifts past...color returns.  Likewise, sometimes random things seem to suddenly burst with color, growing particularly bright compared to the drab surroundings. 

Otherwise though, the hours pass and soon the sky begins to darken. People get up all at once from the tavern and walk off, presumably to get dressed for the party. The owners of the tavern likewise go upstairs, leaving you alone for a while. Eight minutes later they return, dressed up in a suit and ball gown. It's unlikely the woman would have been able to change into that sort of dress, and completely do her hair in that time.  

They smile at the group, "Shall we go to the party?"

It's now totally dark outside. And occasionally people wander past, dressed up and headed to the ball.  Lanterns hang from posts and light the lovely town up in a warm glow.

     "Curiouser and curiouser," Ketch mumbles, finishes off an ale, and stands.  "It's a bit more organized than a dream but... not unlike one."

     Shield hung from his back, helm beneath his arm, and the prettiest face the half orc is able to put on, Ketch is ready to party.

Mordekai hides his alarm well as he watches the colour fade from his leg. He's reminded a little of Meepo's appearance for a while in Barovia, but brushes the feeling off as the colour resumes. He agrees with Ketch's comparison to a bizarre dream. 

Mordekai isn't impressed with the speed at which the locals seem to change, he can do that trick instantaneously. The chaotic uncertainty of what lies before them would be almost tantalising, if the potential consequences weren't so dire. But he's ready for whatever is to come. 

For the moment Lionel decided to accept everything as it is and act as if nothing around bothers him. He was polite, attentive to their fairytale hosts that shared invitations with the group, while trying to remember everything regarding many-eye-monsters and wandering, if the guards in the manor that Ulthan saw are also cartoonish illustrations rather than a real threat.

Ulthan has been paying attention how Utazo has been handling this area, it was a good testing ground with potentially minimal consequences. That said, Utazo has a very long thick tail, and being closer to a wall should mean less issues at least that's Ulthan's plan once we get up there. "hrmpfh where dagger hrmpfh". Ulthan make sure to know exactly who has the dagger and where it's stored. "hrmpfh maybe many-eyes feeds on here hrmpfh" as he looks at the oddities around here.

Ulthan would have the dagger. I stated that Mordekai would pass it to him once he and his cat were safely back from hunting, which will have happened by now

     Ketch just waits for the procession to begin...

Meepo frowns at everything, completely at a loss. He hates this place with a passion. "Meepo no like place." He often says to Mordekai. "No real. No lost things here, no things at all, all illusion." he knows he can eat food, can touch things, but he truly doesn't believe any of it to be actually real. "Meepo want leave. Meepo friends and Meepo do this quick..."

The group meets up with all their +1's and the crowd wanders through the town, and towards the manor. The manor on the northern edge of Wisteria Vale stands out as the biggest and most ornate building in the village, two stories tall and made of white stone that gleams when the light catches it. In the evening light, with lantern light aglow, it sparkles slightly. A servant stands at the double front doors smiling and nodding to people as they approach.  There is a short lineup. For each person, he takes their invitation, and then steps inside and you hear him announce them.  It's quite a site for a small little village party. 

When your group approaches, he takes the invitations from the various folks, and then says, "And whom are your lovely guests so that I may announce them properly?" 

Through the door you see a nicely appointed entrance hall. 

     When his turn comes, Ketch says “Pastor Ketch Krumstawp - Minister of Battle, Clergy of Chaos, Reverend of Rage and devoted follower of Gruumsh the Mighty.”

"Me Meepo, great dragon." Meepo says.

"Some have called me Mordekai the Honest.  But just Mordekai would suffice."

((This is where we really need a bard to introduce us in style and fashion deserving of our grand deeds!))

Lionel smiled slightly at grand introductions and simply said his adopted name "Lionel Silverstone". Thought for just a split second and decided not to break the trend "The knight of Paladine". He rarely thought about where his powers were coming from. Like any warrior he prayed to Tyr to grant him victory, but that was a general prayer, similar to, say, sailors that try to appease Umbelee, without actually becoming her priests. However, since Sir Thatcher - the holy knight of Paladine - gave his life to save Lionel, he thought carrying on the word of that god would be the best way to honor that sacrifice. And Sigil seemed like a good place to actually learn about that god and the world Sir Thatcher came from.

"hrmpfh Ulthan Utazo hrmpfh" says Ulthan confused as he looks for corners, nooks and crannies to dodge into so he can both properly survey the area not be immediately noticeable by many-eyes but also looking out for our target. He's still sure this is some kind of trap to get everyone dead in one place.

You head in through the double doors.  The front hall is well appointed. A wide stairway heads up to the left, while the hall continues forward and leads to open double doors that enter a ballroom.  You see a couple doors on the left, a door on the right, and the hall turns left and leads to a small hallway with a couple more doors. Four ornate suits of armor stand against the walls in the hall, which is also decorated with several paintings of forest scenes, hillsides, and other nature settings.  A large statue of an older human stands in a small alcove on the right wall.  A couple servants stand about with platters of sparkling wine flutes, and little bites to eat.  Townsfolk done up in lovely dresses and suits seem to be casually strolling down the hall, looking at paintings or examining the suits of armor, while holding drinks and generally making their way into the ballroom.  Music floats gently out of the ballroom ahead.

Meepo cannot help but cmpare coming into this place as to when they first arrived at Castle Ravenloft.  That time they arrived in a magically controlled coach, and the place was empty except for the image of the vampire playing at a piano.  Now there were people milling about, and people at the door to announce them. This was far different, but he woudl prefer to be at Castle Ravenloft just now Meepo decided.  He stayed close to Mordekai as they  moved inside.

Once inside, Lionel just glanced around with the look of a man used to this sort of gatherings and not finding them amusing in any way. He was still following the custom - take the wine, nod someone with a polite smile, agree with someone's judgement of a painting - but nothing above simple politeness. "The host does not rush to greet the guests, it seems. Interesting. Hope we will find him in the ballroom." Lionel did not share Ulthan's suspicion of the place, but wanted to finally meet their target and followed the crowd to the main room.