Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

"I want to see what your man thinks I look like....but I'll stay hidden."  He heads to the gate, "Hey, boys. Strange as this sounds, I'm going to be arriving with a noble woman in a little while....from outside. I dunno if I'll sound like me, but I'll sure look like me. It's all on plan. Let them in. They're no threat. I'm going to be just in the gate house here waitin...with my hood up." 

A few hours pass as the night deepens. The sound of wolves howling out in the dark can be heard, though it's a bit north of here, closer to the lake, so hopefully isn't a sign about an attack on the road.  Eventually you hear a familiar voice, Mordekai's, yell from the other side, "Hello there!" 

The guards look down, then glance back towards the gate house, looking a little perplexed, they unlock and open the gates.  

Mordekai, disguised, is led in, along with the Baroness, her manservant, and six guards. Their mud splattered boots and weary faces are visible in the lantern light of the two lanterns they carry.  From the gatehouse, the real Burgomaster stands in the shadows gawking. 

One of the guards clears his throat, and says, "Uh....welcome back...sir..."

"Thank you. The road was entirely uneventful. Our armed escorts here didn't even need to draw their swords... Almost seems a waste to have bothered hiring them..." The last sentence is quieter and trails off as he says it. He knows that's not the point, but couldn't quite resist the little jibe. 

He looks around for Bailey and Mikael if they're there. Firstly if Bailey is there, Mordekai turns to him and says, "These men are our guards for the journey. They'll be returning to Vallaki tomorrow I suspect, but will need somewhere to bed down for the night. I know you have space for them and this gentleman" Mordekai motions to the servant, before looking apologetically at the guards, "I'm afraid you'll be on the floor though. Forgive us, we're not really set up for hosting guests here in Krezk."

Mordekai then turns to Mikael and Lydia and says, "Mikael, if you could show this lady to my own home... Things should be a little more refined as befits a lady of your standing. I will join you there shortly to prepare room for you properly."

"Now, if you all would excuse me, there is a small matter of business for me to attend to." And Mordekai sets off walking with the box, heading around just inside the perimeter wall but in whichever direction is away from Bailey's and the Burgomaster's houses. If he sees the real Burgomaster or his own party, he does not acknowledge them, but once he is out of sight of the gatehouse he'll wait to see that the new guests have been led to their accommodations, and will wait a while longer to see if his party and the real Burgomaster eventually follow him. 

The guards seem to glance around, and take a nod from the cloaked figure in the guard house doorway, dispensing with Mordekai's wishes.  The woman looks back at Mordekai a moment, and then nods, "Most kind good sir."  Soon enough they're gone and the group sees Mordekai return with the wedding gown in hand. It would seem everything has gone off rather smoothly, at least to this point.  The real Burgomaster comes out, throwing back his hood and looking quite pleased, a chortle on his lips, "Well well, quite well done. Thank you. My wife will not know what's going on, but she'll sort it out. Most gracious.  Is...is that it?  So fast. You were back within the day. I...I should bring this to the Abbott myself, but the lady must not be left long either....and it's dark and...the abbey is not a friendly place....at night the screams and yells are worst.  But I also dare not wait until morning. Would you....would you consider taking it to the Abbott this evening?  I know, I have already asked so much of you...and you've acted so selflessly..."

Mordekai (who had dropped his disguise by now) looks between the Burgomaster and his party, "I'm sure we could do that. There is a possible further complication though, which I believe it best to be transparent about. She insisted on bringing the gown herself to use as leverage to negotiate with the Abbott, she'd like him to raise her late son too. I conjured an Illusion of the Abbott who appeared to meet us on our approach to the town. It was my only way to convince her to let me actually take it, or her servant would still be carrying it. I don't think raising her son would be good. In life, he delved into all kinds of dark powers, and sadly for the lady I fear the land is a better place with him gone. But we may need to tidy up some loose ends of our story. My Illusion of the Abbott promised to meet with her to discuss her son being raised. She had to believe she'd met him before she was willing to hand it over.  But I'm sure the Illusion could meet her again and tell her it's too late? That too much time has passed since his death. It would have to be a short meeting though, I can only keep the Illusion up for ten minutes at a time.  Also, she believes she has nothing good to live for back in Vallaki, and might seek to start a new life here... so there's that, too. Sorry, it's a bit of a mess, but I had to think on my feet to get the gown from her."

Mordekai looks to the others for alternative suggestions. 

"Lionel nodded to both - agreeing to deliver the dress and Mordekai's story. "We can certainly bring that gown to the Abbot, though I thought you would want to be present there in case the man will fulfill his promise on spot?" 

"As of the lady... Do not see any harm to ask Abbot honestly. Most likely it is too late anyway, and I doubt the abbot would want to do such thing even if it is not. Our part could be to convince the man to bring the news gently."

Meepo nods to the leader of the bigs of this town. "Meepo help bring dress." He says as that seems to be the big's main concern. To his companions he frowns. "This abbot no seems nice, least from what Meepo hear. Meepo wonder if best to use illusion speak with lady big..."

     Ketch shrugs, not worried about the lady’s feelings or patching up the tough parts of the plan.  The plan worked, it’s all just nonsense now.

     “We’ll deliver the dress... then what? Are we needed here for the birthing process?”

The Burgomaster considers Ketch's response wrly, but says nothing, instead responding to Lionel, "Thank you brave dwarf.  I would...but...I must admit...I fear to watch any such process....I just want to see my son alive, and well....I need not watch how." 

The Burgomaster asks Mordekai for any last tidbits he should know to make sure their stories stay in sync, and then heads off to his home, while the group trudges through the trees towards the path to the abbey, large boxed wedding dress in hand. 

The path winds up the steep hill, snow crunching underfoot for the last few hundred feet until you once again approach the gate houses and short surrounding walls at what must be close to midnight.  A strange gurgling scream can be heard from somewhere within the main abbey building.  The rusty, though unlocked, iron gate bars your way as last time.

(Assuming Lionel is not the one carrying the box)

This time they were here on a legitimate business and Lionel saw no reason to go over the fence again. He walked straight to the gates, pushed them open and went inside, not trying to run or even hurry - if guards are there, they were free to come over and question the group.

Ulthan meanwhile rushes forward, but tries to gain cover and look to see what's happening. Stealth 18. Perception 9. Athletics if required 7. He may or may not interfere. But he figures it's just some of this ongoing drama rather than some actual threat like a necromancer brought back to life or undead deciding they've helped the Abbott long enough and the Abott has not been keeping his word or the like.

     Hearing a strange gurgling scream, Ketch reached for his axe and hurried toward the abbey building... Assuming the gates are unlocked and there are no guards in the way.  He's not yet ready to kick in a door but he is more than willing to bang on it a few times and then reconsider...

Mordekai will be carrying the box. As they walk up the hill, Mordekai will also give a speech about the power of love and the symbolic image of the wedding gown being a great source of hope, of life, and of lasting legacy for the Burgomaster and his family. He wishes he could've found a slightly different angle to take, but nevertheless what starts out as mild nausea in the pit of everyone's stomachs had turned into inspired determination by the time Lionel opens the rusty gate.

Everyone gains 13 temporary hp. (13 now, not 12 - level up!)

Meepo is astride his phantom steed again, having resummoned it for the way up to the abby. He too just moves to the gate and follows the Lionel through.

Ketch seems most eager to be first, after hearing the scream, and pushes his way through the gate that whines with a high pitched squeal that shrieks its own yell through the quiet night air. Two familiar looking folks emerge from the gatehouse next to the main iron wrought gate once you enter.  Otto, with his strange half-dog face and crouched down on all fours, and Zygfrek, in her cloak and looking about suspiciously step out. Otto, "Oh...the strangers are back. I may be the best looking man in town, but those looks didn't do me much good when the Abbott heard about our jaunt amongst the tombs. Bloody pissed he were."  Zygfrek frowns, her one normal eye and one feline eye regarding you, "He looks upon us now, each time he sees us, and all he sees is failure. Well, not this time. We have orders, and straight to the Abbott with you this time." 

Neither seem particularly concerned about the strange scream.

"We came just for that - to see the Abbot and bring our apologies," Lionel stepped forward, redirecting guard's attention from Ketch's axe to himself. "If you can escort us, then it is even better. Lead the way, please". Guard's look took him aback again, but this time the shock wore off faster, the paladin hoped it was not that visible. "What was that scream we heard? I hope the Abbot is Ok?"

     “Yes!  Well done a good job!  None could have gotten us and brought us straight to the abbot as well as you two are doing!  Very well done!” Ketch says most intently, happily letting these guards lead him precisely where they wanted to go.

Sigh.... a bloody ambush will soon be upon us, wrongfully accused, dragged in chains to be tortured and necromancied one way or another thinks Ulthan. He will bide his time then try to sneak off. Stealth 17 from the post above.

The two creatures nod, happy to have you acquiesce, and begin walking / hopping down the path towards the main gate to the Abbey. A fifteen-foot-high curtain wall joins the abbey's two wings. Behind its battlements, two guards stand at at­tention, though as you get closer, and since the fog is light this evening, you see that they are in fact only propped-up scarecrows that wear corroded chain shields and clutch rusted spear. Below them, set into the wall, is a pair of ten-foot-tall, wooden doors re­inforced with bands of steel. To the right of these doors, mounted on the wall, is a tarnished copper plaque that bears the abbey's name and the phrase, "May her light cure all illness."

The woman pushes the heavy doors open, it swings open with a grinding noise.  The courtyard is surrounded by a fifteen-foot­ high curtain wall on which stand several scarecrow guards with their backs to you.  Wooden doors to the left and right lead to the ab­bey's two wings. In the center of the courtyard is a stone well fitted with an iron winch, to which a rope and bucket are attached. Along the perimeter, tucked under the overhanging wall, are several stone sheds with padlocked wooden doors, as well as three shallow alcoves that contain wooden troughs. Two wooden posts pounded into the rocky earth have iron rings bolted to them, and chained to one of them is a short humanoid with bat wings and spider mandibles.  The quiet is shattered by a horrible scream coming from one of the sheds.  However your two escorts seem to completely ignore it.  Another shed seems to have some sad mewling noise coming from it.

Zygfrek turns to the group, "Wait with Otto while I fetch the Abbott." 

The creature chained to the post flaps its leathery wings and takes to the air, but doesn't get far before its chains go taut. She flutters about madly, screaming nonsense, and looking at the group as if they've arrived to kill her. 

Zygfrek turns to her, and in an annoyed tone yells "Shut up Marzena! Nobody cares. Don't look at me that way!!" 

Zygfrek walks to the right building and enters in through the door.  

Ulthan slinks around outside the curtain wall, but it appears as if Otto plans on closing the doors and locking him out. 

?

     "Otto!  What is all this??  Come and explain to me why this...  Person?... Is chained up like this!" Ketch calls out and he takes a couple steps towards the winged creature in chains.  "Come tell me what crime they committed to be chained so!"

     Ketch figured Ulthan will find a way in even if locked out, but if he can draw Otto away from the doors and make it easier, all the better.  Besides, Ketch would indeed like an explanation of these horrors...

Oblivious to Ketch's plans Lionel was just surprised by the expression of such righteousness from the priest, but joined the questioning. "Indeed, why do you keep that - Marzena? - chained? And you did not answer my question about the screams either. What is going on in this abbey?"