Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

Before they left, Lionel asked his Steed (they are still within one mile, right?) to return to Vallaki, so, at the morning the can meet there.

"Morning, Urwin," greeted dwarf the innkeeper. "Glad to see you are fine and nothing changed here. So much happened, it feels like we left months ago. We found something else that belonged to your family - going to put it to good use." Lionel was well rested and now, in perspective of a good breakfast, in a good mood too (he was learning to see the joy in small things). "We are soon will be off your hair again, but say, do you know much about Kresk village? Got a hint there can be something interesting in there."

Meepo finds he spends more time than usual over his food, amazing he had not missed it when he was dead, or undead to be more precise.

     Ketch suggests they spend a full day or two at the tavern.  It’s warm and dry and we could all use a rest.  “I’ve also got this book to study, I feel like if I don’t finish my study of it soon it all may be for naught...” The Tome of Understanding isn’t the thickest book ever, but Ketch is pretty thick for a cleric, so some quiet study may be needed.

Ulthan's primary goal in the village is to look up the fletcher again, see if he has silver arrows or not, and if not melt down the silver he's collected to make some silver arrows.

          Im the morning, at the tavern, after expressing his desire to rest and study, but before retiring to do so, Ketch distributed some bounty of their visit to the castle.  

     "Ulthan, see if this will help you get some arrows silver tipped," Ketch says as he slides over 50 platinum pieces, each with Strahd's visage upon them, and a gem likely worth about 50 gold.

     "And Meepo of the renewed appetite and pulse, perhaps this will help feed your soldiers," Ketch adds as he slides over another pile of the same proportions.

     "Lionel... Modekai...  I've nothing witty to say left in me."  Their piles are pushed over to them as well.  "I've still got a couple pricey looking opals and a bunch of teeth made of amber which should fetch a price, if we find someone looking to buy such items.  Until then I'll just keep it safe, but I have it if needed."

Lionel tossed the coin, caught it and looked at both sides. "Minted in time of his father, I presume. Extracted from the people here." He grabbed Urwin's hand and put all the coins in it. "Some king's bounty. Straight from the master of the land." He nodded to Ketch. "Thanks." then turn back to Urwin. "So, Krezk?"

((Not to self, cut a little off the top of Lionel's portion of party funds in the future... errr, a little more off the top.))

     "Krezk or another night here," Ketch offers.  "I really need to finish this book...  But if we must travel, perhaps we could hire a coach?  Or at least get a wagon?"

     With a sudden remembrance of them, Ketch checks the bags where he stored the talking skulls.  "You guys still answering questions?" He asks looking down into the bag, not expecting a reply.

Urwin's welcome is warm as always and the rooms are comfortable. He takes the gift from Lionel with a stammering thankfulness that makes everyone feel the first prickle of joy they've felt in a while. When Krezsk is brought up he shrugs, "They've shut their gate to the outside world. They hide inside their palisade walls and hope that Strahd will just leave them be. I have no idea if they've had better luck than the rest of us for their efforts. But, they keep accepting wine shipments so they must not be doing that badly. I hear they grow trees inside for wood needs, and animals within...the only thing they need is wine from the winery.  The wine shipments are the only ones allowed in actually." 

Ketch looks to the two skulls, sorta sad to see that neither feels up to chatting.  

Ulthan seems to have returned after a few hours of shopping with two dozen silver tipped arrows. 

     Ketch shakes the skulls.  Shakes them again.  "Ungrateful idjits," he mutters, then ties the sack back to his belt.  Who knows, perhaps they'll revive if they ever re-enter the castle.  Not that he knew what to ask them anyway...

     "Do you send the wine from here?  We do want to make a good impression," Ketch will point out, turning his attention back to Urwin.  Impressions didn't really matter to him but if they had something that could help against Strahd...  It wouldn't hurt to have them sloshed. 

Lionel nodded in understanding. "Only wine shipments. And when, exactly, do you plan to send another one?"

"Well, since we're responsible for the fact that the wine shipments are still continuing, perhaps that might grant us some favour?  Perhaps we could take the next shipment ourselves - or, at least, escort it? You know, like customer relations from the adventurers that kept the supply chain open."

"Meepo like wine." Meepo puts in, lifting a mug of it and taking a long swig. "Meepo like food too..." He says with his pointed-tooth grin back, though a little sloppy from the amount of wine he has had so far.

(Does Lionel's holy symbol gain new charges?)

(It sure did: only two were spent and with 1d6+4 recovery they had to be restored)

Urwin shrugs, smiling in a nice way, "Well, remember, it's my extended family at the winery that makes and ships the wine, not me. But...I would be surprised if they wouldn't let you escort a shipment of wine into Krezk after all the help you've done for us.  There would be no wine without you. If everyone in this cursed place knew the truth of that, you'd see only smiling faces and hugs everywhere you went.  But, anyway, only one way to find out for sure...go ask." 

 "Then we better be going. As soon as everyone is ready." Lionel looked at Ketch and Meepo. "Are we ready to go?" He remembered about the book and of course did not want for someone to feel unprepared.

     “Is there somewhere in town to hire a carriage to take us?  Or even a wagon?  I would like to get some reading done on the journey...” Ketch inquired.

     “But I don’t want to hold us up.  I’m sure I could get some reading done while walking, if need be.  Or when we stop to rest...I’d like to get done but it’s not quite urgent just yet.”

The group spends a day in town to let Ketch do his prep. Urwin shares a bit more information as the time passes. Apparently the town has a new mayor.  Lady Wachter has stepped up, and no one seemed willing to oppose her. He shrugs at Lionel's grumbling about the town not standing up for themselves, "We are not a brave people. The brave people in this land have all perished to Strahd....you are brave, you stand up for something, then you die. You've surely learned this by now. Not everyone gets a second....or third chance...as some of you have.  Mayors don't live too long around these parts. Give it to her for a few years, and then see if the next person is any better." 

The time passes quickly, though your dry weather has....uh...dried up....and you begin the journey to the winery in a grey drizzle. Water droplets run across the magical surface of the floating disk that hauls a load of skeletons all playing dead behind Meepo.  The guards nod to you....one of them mutters, "You done good by us, the new Mayor is much improved, thank you all...good luck out there."

A ways out of town you pause for the skeletons to pick themselves up.  Dripping with water, emotionless and blank, they clatter to their feet.  One of them seems to turn and stare at Ketch, as if saying "2 days of playing dead, all for your benefit, I hope you're happy."  But of course it doesn't say anything, and maybe thats just Ketch's overactive imagination putting thoughts into this things empty head. Though....it is still staring at him.  Meepo looks back at the skeleton, calling its attention to him, like a distracted pet. The thing turns back to its master.

The group begins their walk to the winery. The now well travelled path between the Winery and Vallaki passes quickly and without major incident. The group reaches the Winery and strides down the familiar lane through the tended grape plants. A small flock of ravens fly with them as company until they're greeted by Davian Martikov and his grandchildren who come out of the shed to greet them. They give the small horde of skeletons a worried glance, but are quick to pay it no mind and greet their heroes. A quick update and the group finds things have been surprisingly quiet and calm for the family for the past, to which they're very thankful.  You don't even need to ask when it comes to the wine delivery, as soon as you start talking to him about it he offers freely for you to act as the escorts to gain access.  You spend the night at the winery, enjoying a lovely meal and of course some great wine, and wake up the next morning. A few heads are pounding and water satchels are kept close, but in generally good spirits, with their usual uplifting speech from Mordekai.  It's a foggy day, with the air as thick as soup, and all sound deadened.  Even with the wagon in tow, the walk is made in near quiet, with just the odd spurt of small talk.  It's a cold day, frost kisses the grass. The group makes their way back down the road with a wagon of wine in tow along with Adrian and Elvir. You make the turn to the west down the road to Krezk, down a road you've never gone.

Eventually the path branches north and climbs a rocky escarpment, ending at a gatehouse built into a twenty-foot-high wall of stone reinforced with buttresses every fifty feet or so. The main Svalich road continues west, but the road is overgrown and looks like it is never used. All traffic seems to come to this point from the east, then head north towards the village.

Adrian glances back at the skeletons, "Um...perhaps you should leave them here, in amidst the forest.  The townfolk will not respond well."  (assuming Meepo does?)

The stone wall encloses a settlement on the side of a snow­ dusted mountain spur. Beyond the wall you see the tops of snow-covered pines and thin, white wisps of smoke. The somber toll of a bell comes from a stone abbey that clings to the mountainside high above the settlement. The steady chime is inviting-a welcome change from the deathly silence and oppressive fog to which you have grown accustomed. It's hard to tell at this distance, but there seems to be a switchback road clinging to the cliffs that lead up from the walled settlement to the abbey.

The air grows colder as you approach the walled set­tlement. Two square towers with peaked roofs flank a stone archway into which is set a pair of twelve-foot-tall, ironbound wooden doors. Carved into the arch above the doors is a name: Krezk. The walls that extend from the gatehouse are twenty feet high. Atop the parapet you see four figures wearing fur hats and clutching spears. They watch you nervously as you approach.  One yells out, "Ho there, Adrian...who's this with you?"  

Adrian smiles, casually enough and waves, "Hey there Mikael, these are hired hands. The roads are thick with wolves and my father decided to hire some soldiers to protect the wine. We all know what its like if the wine stops flowing, am I right?"   

Mikael nods, a furrow on his brow, "Indeed....so glad shipments are coming again...alright, alright, open the gate lads." 

The heavy wooden gate opens to allow you and the wagon in. The mist-shrouded village beyond the wall is nothing more than a scattering of humble wooden cottages along dirt roads that stretch between stands of snow-dusted pine trees-so many trees, in fact, as to constitute a for­est. To the northeast, gray cliffs rise sharply, and the road winding up to the abbey is easy to see from this vantage.

Mikael emerges from a lower doorway out of the tower and greets Adrian, paying you all a meager glance but then focusing on conversing with the young man as the wagon is led up the road, through the stands of pines.  The villages seems to consist of a collection of cottages. You see no Inn, not businesses, and it strikes you as much more of a commune style town than anything else.  A man comes out to welcome Adrian from the largest cottage around, though still fairly meager. "Adrian, we were not expecting you for a few weeks, though another shipment is very much appreciated. "

Adrian nods, "Burgomaster Dmitri...a pleasure.  Yes, I hope it's not a problem.  It's getting cold and we wanted to bring you something before a heavy snowfall gave us trouble." 

Dmitri the Burgomaster nods, "Of course of course, though...you may need to spend the night while the folk gather their various forms of payment."  He glances back at the group and Adrian explains about protection.  Dmitri seems to respect this answer, and says, "Well, you are welcome to stay in my cottage, your guards can be split amongst other folks cottages if they're ok with stone floors...but inside a warm cottage with a fire." 

     Noticing the look from the skeleton, Ketch would pull one, then the other lifeless skulls from the bag on his waist.  "Always room for one more," he mutters just loudly enough... then places the lifeless skulls back inside the sack and goes back to reading his book.

     Later, at the winery Ketch will stand back and listen mostly, but eventually nudges someone to do a bit of introductions, as Ketch was not with the group when they previously met these people.  Ketch will eat at the table with the rest, but with his book open besides his plate.  

     At Krezk, Ketch keeps his eyes upon his book as much as possible, while paying some attention the what is going on around him... "As long as I have some light to read by, a floor is fine by me," Ketch answers, his hand upon the Tome of Understanding.  He's dedicated as much time as Half Orcishly possible reading and studying that tome ever since they left the castle, he believes he's nearly completed the thing.  ((He's probably had the 48 hours needed but I assume he slept at least enough to not have exhaustion as well so probably a little bit left to go...))

Lionel was following the wagon on the back of Laiton, still adjusting his new body to the proper horse-riding. The spirit-warhorse was a very convenient mount - the connection alone was a fabulous gift, but no need for feeding counted too. Anyway, he was riding and hoped it gave their official legend some ground.

There was one question he did not ask yet and felt like it was time to do so: "Adrian, you were in that village or town before, as I understand. Have you been to the graveyard there? Because that is our target." He glanced at the skeletons, following the group, and added: "No, not to get more of those. We found some holy symbol which is supposed to be brought to one of the grave."

Like a proper mercenary, when they arrived, Lionel let "employer" to do the talking and said something for the first time only once: "We would prefer to stay together. Even if it is crowded." (He would try to push the idea but not to the fighting level, just a firm preference)