Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

"Not the sea," corrected Lionel, "the road that leads south and I do not think it ends in the sea, is it?"

Ulthan not understanding anything scans the horizon for flankers and escape routes. Granted in this case he doesn't speak the language at all. That said he pays attention to moment when they reach for their swords. It is inevitable he thinks, so it was foretold he tells the cat voicelessly.

There is a brief back and forth between the knight and his translator. Finally he turns to the group, “I must learn more about this. And you must show me this portal. Shall we travel to it for 2 hours? Then my retinue can set our camp while you explain. And in the luxury of camp we can discuss further.”

     “Portal?” Ketch asks.

     Turning to Meepo he asks again, “Did you translate that right?”

     “I don’t know of any portal,” Ketch says, turning back to look at the mass of people in front of them.  
     “Do You know of a portal?” Ketch asks again, this time turning to the ever persuasive Mordekai.

(Ugh. Phone froze and lost the post. Here we go again!)

Mordekai watches the conversation unfold clumsily, through varying degrees of magical translation. Taking Ketch's hint, he steps forward with his usual charming smile and uses his Fey Presence to attempt to momentarily charm those he's speaking to (DC18 WIS save for those in a 10ft cube from Mordekai)

"Forgive us, my lord, we do not know the location of any portal here in this world. We are strangers here, who happened upon a door in another world, which seems to have pitched us out somewhat at random in this world. I do not know if there is a portal to return directly by, and in this new unfamiliar world, we would not be able to guide you back to where we showed up anyway, I fear. It was all we could do to find a road and pick a direction."

Deception: 14 and if advantage then also 16

Wisdom save of knight vs dc 18 : 11

insight vs dc 16 : 15

intelligence vs dc 16 : 13

 “Hmmmm, that is a shame. Still you must tell me more about your world.”  He turns to his men, “Set camp!”  

     Ketch would still leave as much of the story telling to Modekai as possible but he would answer openly and honestly about his home world and Barovia, feeling no need to lie or deceive about those events.  Surely he would make the fights more daring, the odds more overwhelming and other such typical tall tale deceits but he would not lie about these things out of a desire to mislead but merely because that is what a warrior does when telling their deeds to another.  Isn't it?

     Sigil he would be a bit more cagey about, mainly describing it as a confusing hodgepodge of warped landscape and customs.  "Honestly, the whole place hurts my brain..."  He would avoid talk of dragons and portals entirely.  If asked directly about dragons he would admit he would like to slay one but has yet to have that honor...  If asked about portals he would mention he heard talk of them in Sigil but beyond some minor teleportation the magnitude of such magics evaded him entirely.

Unlike his talkative companions, Lionel kept it quiet. So far the officer not only forgot to introduce himself, but he also ignored any questions from the group. Hardly a conversation. So, while others talked, Lionel looked at the soldiers and lower rank officers (as he assumed the knights were), checking their reaction to the stories and willingness to ask or tell something on their own.

Perception: 10 Insight: 14 

Meepo continued to work as a translater. He would speak in dracconic when any discussion had to be done to explain anything the group was saying for the other translater, but would not put in much else from his own point of view.

Not knowing much about where the others originated from, Mordekai would give an overview of Barovia and the state of it when they found it. He'd talk through their exploits in Barovia (leaving out the dying part...), emphasising the importance and heroism of their deeds, and the hope that there now is in the land because of their great victory. He wouldn't feel the need to mention Sigil and talk much about it as, in truth, Mordekai still didn't feel like he knows much about Sigil, and it's not "their" land anyway. 

The soldiers seem to Lionel's trained eye as...professionals, trained and well practiced in war. As soldiers are want to do, they see the tents being setup and are ordered to stand down and so they break into their squads, quickly finding ground to sit on as they peel off armor and put aside weapons. There are a contingent of honor guard though that surround the group (including the knight and translater). Twenty men, keeping on alert with watchful eyes both inside the boundary and outside. Ulthan finds himself outside the honor guard and twenty feet away, and feeling quite happy about that. Meanwhile a lavish tent is slowly erected by numerous assistants, though the assistants who emerge seem more like slaves to you...and not human. They have marble like skin, black shot through with white, and strange pure black eyes. They are lanky and boney and look rather alien. The man's translator says a few words quietly and the knight looks surprised.  Then he waves his hand and Meepo translates as the translator says, "I have failed to introduce the honorable Amantor Faithshield, son of The ShadowsBreath, High Prince Mileas Faithshield. Your unusual origins and otherworldly ways have granted you the honor of an afternoon drink the Amantor." 

Occasionally as you wait, you see the sparkle of motes of light flittering about, though now of different colors than just the green and blue ones you've seen thus far. 

Eventually you're all shown into the tent, which Ulthan steers clear from. Inside there are benches covered in red velvet and a table being brought along with a couple carafes. One has a yellow sparkling liquid in it, the other a purple sparkling liquid.  "I have yellow and purple wine." The word 'wine' is as close to a concept as Meepo knows. Silver chalices are brought in for each of you. Lanterns with opaque white covers glow brightly within. 

"You asked after the mountains. The road there is only twenty miles north of here. The road is clear. The trail from the road into the mountains is unknown to me. Perhaps you'll find a schontas herder along the way that can provide you with details."

He listens with rapacious eyes as you discuss Ravenloft and bits of Faerun. 

"Neither of places had high storms then? I suppose you may not even know what one is. Well, the telling says we're clear for today. They run east to west, always. When it comes, if you are exposed you will likely die. They are vicious and magical in nature. They'll recharge your storm sphere's, if you have any."  At your confusion he pulls forth what looks like a sapphire inside a small glass sphere. It glows with blue light, shimmering from within. "I suppose if you are not familiar with the hightstorms, you may not even have your own storm spheres. What a wonderous and strange world you must come from." 

(Seriously! I love those books!!)

"We do not have these high storms as you call them." Meepo replies in Dracconic. "Nor do we have gemstones filled with light such as those." His eyes are eager as he looks to the glowing gemstone.

((Honoguards are those knights that were escorting the wagons?))

Lionel studied the troops with a professional interest. Judging by that unit, the army was a quite serious deal around here, hinting more on the generally militaristic nation(s) rather than on immediate conflict near by. Not the best of the neighbors for the group's future hideout/mansion, but not the worst either. And where is the prince - there is the court. Lionel hated anything related to it, but at least could hope to understand how it works. If the need for understanding ever arises (he very much hoped they can avoid any contacts with locals in the future). He followed the "son of High Prince" inside the tent, keeping the appearance of a "polite foreign dignitary".

"We appreciate the working," said Lionel again. "That high storms... Would usual means, like entering the house, protect you from it? Or the magical nature requires something else to be safe from it?"

Amantor speaks, and Meepo does his best to translate to the rest of the group, "It is best to be in a soul-cast structure, solid stone. Tents and the like will blow away obviously. It must be solid. Or a cave. Well, if you have never owned a stormsphere. We use them as money here."  He fishes through his bag and pulls out a sphere with a small chit of emerald in it, glowing green. He tosses it to Meepo. "A gift, from House Faithshield. A token only. It will buy you a nice saddle perhaps. I will pay you more...properly, if you accompany us south to Driegarden. There you will find yourselves honorary visitors, being from another world. This thing...is..very unusual. Our women will want to record what you say in their records." 

Come to think of it, you've noticed the strange lack of women in this particular war party. 

"I thank you." Meepo replies in Dracconic, as he catches the small gemstone. He studies it, amazed by the light glowing inside of it.

     Ketch looks around at the others, trying to read their thoughts regarding this offer.  He himself would rather stay their course but us unsure of how to tell this man and his army no…

"We planned to travel to that mountains over there," politely but firmly answered Lionel. And added a bit of explanation. "There are legends about powerful wizards of other worlds, that live in the mountains, watch the stars, and are capable to travel to the different worlds or send others there. In our situation, this is something worth checking. But as soon as we are done, I am sure each of us would love to visit Driegarden and thank House Faithshield by bringing even more useful and interesting information." "What can we expect to find closer to the mountains?" The question was asked as if the explanation was already accepted.

The prince looks crestfallen when his translator explains Lionel's response. "Indeed. The mountains there? I do not know, I've not traveled there. It is a long trip and with no shelter from the storms. Best you have some protection should you venture that way. I am sorry to hear this, but.....my men and I must move on.  Best of luck in your journey then, and I pray that you succeed and visit us in Driegarden." 

With the exchange seemingly complete, he prepares to order the camp broken down so that he and his men may continue their journey.  

(anything else before you part ways?)

     “How quickly fo the storms come, when they do?” Ketch asks Meepo, wanting him to translate.  “And how long do they last?”

     To the party he points out “If we can’t depend on Meepo’s little house spell to get through the storms we may have to rethink our plans…”

"hrmpfh not prisoners so go city learn perils supply then go wiz wiz there long time days dont matter hrmpfh" Once they get back to Ulthan who seems surprised no deaths yet and not chained to be taken to city as curiosities or traitors to the realm or spies.