Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

"Do you know where you're father's father found the hilt? We heard a prophecy about a weapon hidden in 'the nest of ravens', do you have anywhere else that might be considered your nest, other than your family home? It's possible that the prophecy was simply leading us to the hilt, but it's also possible that you may have more of the sword than you know."

Edit: "Wait, wait. Lionel, can you show me the hilt again. Did you say the blade was like crystal? And we know from the Tome that the sword, like the sun, are the most potent weapons against Strahd. What if the remnants of the crystal blade were causing the growth at the winery? Are the gems the remnants of the blade?"

Lionel opened the cloth again showing both the blade and the remaining crystal. "I am no scholar, but the green stone we saved would not count for a third of a long blade. Nor would it resemble the sun even here." (He cast a glance in the window to make sure he is not crazy and day light is indeed not green.) "Davien said the hilt was discarded in the woods, probably this piece of crystal was near by and this is what we are looking for."

OOC: the gem description - "a gem the size of a pine cone, glowing green within"

As Lionel grasps the hilt to wrap it back up, a blast of pure light extends out of the hilt, slicing through the table.  As everyone leaps back from the table, the beam of light stays there, extended several feet from the hilt, a blade made of bright buzzing radiant energy.  The area around the table appears to be lit up.  Lionel feels something, a vicious sort of glee perhaps? The emotion is coming from the hilt. 

Two of the men in the room watch in surprise, while another two shocked, get up and quickly walk out, wanting nothing to do with the strange sorcery going on. 

"Magic blade..." Meepo says with a toothy grin.  "No just hilt then..."

OOC: Is he a Jedi already or some training is still required? (terribly sorry, could not resist!)

"So much for secrecy," was going to say Lionel but the thought disappeared completely, pushed away by another one - can it be ... the actual blade?! Not even trying to hide the radiant wonder in his hands, Lionel stand up, raised the blade - or what was passing for it - made a couple moves, getting the feel of the weapon - and then tried carefully take a small cut from the table, still not believing that light can actually do it.

If the colorfully dressed half-elf is still in the room, Olin looks at him to see how he's reacted to all this.

Insight, 15

Lionel lifts the blade, it cuts through the edge of the table as he slides it sideways, the wood smoking, the table collapsing in two sending dishes clattering onto the floor.  Lionel looks around with an "oops" look on his face.  The blade weighs nothing and could easily be a finesse weapon.  He chops a chunk off the table easily enough, leaving the edges of the wood blackened and smoking. 

The half elf in colorful cloths is wide eyed, and watching the event with great interest. 

Mordekai winces at the conspicuous disturbance. He casts Thaumaturgy quickly, causing the door to the Inn to slam open.

"That's a mighty gust of wind!" he exclaims loudly, "To force the door open and blow down a table, indeed."

He realises this is the very definition of 'too little, too late', particularly with the sword still glowing like daylight. But he hopes to at least offer another possible explanation of how the table was destroyed, however feeble. He also realises that the door slamming open after-the-fact attracts more attention than it deflects, but his real motivation was to have an excuse to move to the door of the Inn. He coolly gets up and wanders, apparently unconcerned, to shut the door again by hand, taking the opportunity to look around outside for the two men who left suddenly after seeing the sword blade. He suspects they were more likely to be simply afraid of the weird events inside the Inn than Strahd's spies off to report the sword's sighting, but he also knows that Strahd has agents everywhere and you can never be too careful, and he wants to see where they went.

Perception: 8 

Lionel was too preoccupied to pay attention to surroundings. Right now all his attention was on the blade: "Hm... How do you put the light off?" He finally looked around, realized the their group is a centre of a everyone's attention and smiled to Urwin somewhat apologetically: "I am sorry about the table. Do you think there is a more private place here to look at the sword more closely? I have a strange ... feeling ... the sword is happy to be on the open? But it attracts a bit too much attention here".

After a few more seconds of thinking he asked others, who were truly adept in magic: "Can we somehow pretend that was a trick on your part? As if you made a regular sword glow?"

As soon as Lionel wants the blade to go away its slowly fades from existence, leaving a black smear across your vision whenever you blink.  Urwin stands up, and back, amazed. "To think, that hilt has just sat under the floor boards upstairs in the attic for decades.."

Mordekai wanders over to the door and watches as the two men walk away in the drizzle.  One glances back towards him, making brief eye contact before pulling his hood up.  A rat scuttles between Mordekai's feet and out the door, scampering along the edge of the building, as Mordekai shuts the door. 

The half-elf in colorful clothing stands up, taking a few steps forward, "Remarkable, just remarkable." He seems to actually pay attention to the group, glancing at each one.  "Who are you?  Good Urwin, why have you given them such a remarkable thing?  This...."  he motions to hilt in Lionel's hand "....this could be the very answer to this entire land...if in the right hands."  His tone implies he's not sure Lionel's are the right hands. 

Urwin turns to the group, "Uh, this is Rictavio, a traveller, and a free loader who has been staying here for the past month." 

Rictavio bows, "And a humble story teller..."

Mordekai is fully convinced the rat as a spy for Strahd, transfers Hex into it (it lasts for 8 hours at level 3) and casts Eldritch Blast at it as it scuttles away.

Attack: 20 Damage: 15

(trying to trigger the dice rolls to work: 8) 

Lionel smiles openly and even friendly: "Is there any chance for me to convince you, that broken hilt is nothing special but a magical torch, enchanted for that very purpose - to produce light? No? A pity. Because whether my hands are right or not, but the blade seems to be the answer to the problem of our group, which happen to be in the same time the problem of this very land too - as we see it, meaning your high ruler overlord and so on - Strahd - would die by this very blade, and more sooner than later."

All of this was said quiet enough for those at broken table to hear and during all his speech Lionel looked half-elf in the eye, checking his reaction to the bold and open statement.

Insight 25

"Meepo like..." Meepo says as he looks over the table the sword of light had just sliced through. He scurries around, looking at it from several angles, then at the hilt, as the blade disappears from sight. "Show Meepo again..." He asks of the warrior, nodding to the hilt in his hand.

Glancing over to the elf as that one approaches, Meepo gives him a toothy smile of greeting. "Meepo fierce dragon..." Meepo tells the man, making the sound of a dragon's roar with his magic. "You work for vampire?" He asks the elf at Lionel's direct statement of the sword's possible use.

The rat spy is blasted, sending bits of rat spraying against the wall.  Bits of gooey fur hang on the wall.   Mordekai nods to himself, satisfied he's thwarted the vampires plans, and closes the door to the Inn.

Lionel watches the man as he states his claim.  Rictavio stares back. Lionel starts to think this is more than just a wayward bard. He nods, seemingly judging Lionel as he speaks and finding what he has to say to his satisfaction.  Lionel gets the distinct impression this man is on his side. 

Rictavio says, "Well. I'm not trusted by your group, but I'd love to lend a hand. I might have some information that could benefit you. The Vistani just outside the southern walls of Vallaki.." (must be different than the group you've dealt with, since that group is to the east quite a ways) "...are spies for Strahd. We'd best deal with them before making too many more plans. I can help there as well.  And Urwin and his flock of feathered could probably help."  

Urwin throws him a glance, obviously unaware that Rictavio knew his families secret.  

Rictavio shrugs apologetically at Urwin, "I mean, it only takes an observant person so long to start seeing patterns..." 

Mordekai returns to the group with a satisfied look on his face, to hear part of the conversation.

"Strahd spies? They're everywhere, watching me. I just killed one going to report on the sword. Rat guts all over the street."

"Deal - as if kill?" Lionel was direct as a blade. On the road you learn to trust your instincts, and that stranger seemed to be trustworthy. In a way. "This might be strange, but I do believe in your good intentions - regarding ridding that land of it's master. However... As much as I was raised to despise gypsies of all sort, no matter how they are called, they are people, leaving in big families. Even if they are Strad's spies... Well, correct me if I am wrong," Lionel looked at Urwin, "but I feel it would not be an exaggeration to say half of this village is his spies. Even animals." (he gestured toward Mordekai, who just "dealt" with one)" What makes these Vistani so different?"

"And, please, tell me, that by the "right hands" earlier you did not mean "group of idiots ready to kill women and children on my word." 

"What about witch?"  Meepo pipes in, as he climbs up on a chair to meet the bigs eye-to eye.  "Do we still fight witch?"  He looks between this new person, and his companions, not entirely sure if the witch is all that important any longer.  "What else cards say we need find?" He asks, trying to help get the group thinking of what their next step needed to be.

Ristavio shrugs nonchalantly but has iron in his voice, "I believe they are more than just spies, but rather servants. Servants of the devil must be dealt with. If you leave his servants untouched, you will never be free to deal with him. This is the price you must pay to defeat such a creature.  If you are not willing to pay it, then hand me the hilt and I will do what is necessary." 

Despite the kobold standing up on a chair and demanding answers about the witch, the conversation between Lionel and this half-elf seem to hold everyone's attention. 

Ismark however puts a hand on Meepo's shoulder and whispers, "Fear not my friend, we'll deal with the witch as well....we'll deal with all of it." 

"I do not think you are in a position to demand anything of us, whoever you truly are. And "I believe they are servants" is not an answer to the question about women and children slaughter. I do not know much about that plane, I admit, but one thing is universal everywhere - two wrongs do not make right. Murder only taints one's soul, which is hardly the way to combat evil. Try again."

Lionel had no intention to give up the hilt, but did not activate the weapon either (in part, because he had no idea how to do it).

The half-elf looks disappointed, and shrugs again, "I hope your bleeding heart doesn't doom this entire land and everyone within it...."  He turns to walk out.