Like a moth to the flame, a still very injured Zaf immediately walked over for the doll intending to pick up and hold in shaky talons. Unless some insight comes to him or magic happened then and there from contact alone, then... for the first moments, he just quietly examines it; rolling it this way and that gently, before holding it upat eye level. "It's almost over..." He whispered absently as a faint blue color began to return his eyes.

If given the chance, a solid half a minute passes by before the Owl Aarakocra finally shudder and shook, seeming to break some trance. "... Should... Should we get back to the hut then before opening this?" He turned asked of others.

"Ah... Yes," Rose nods in agreement, eyeing the doll for a moment. "Um... I would like to get everyone's wounds dressed up and taken care of as well. A rest is in definite order." She gives a look over to Zaf. "Think you're going to be able to hold on until then? I can give you a boost if you'd like."

Seraphina: When Zaf brings the doll to everyone's attention, you feel drawn to it.

Sera's eyes trail over to the doll, her gaze fixating on it. "Um...yeah...rest..." she says absently as she starts making her way over to Zaf and the doll, sheathing her now-clean sword.

"No worries. I thik I can last that long." Zaf replied to rose, before then bowing his head. It's only as he's coming out of the bow that he notice Sera's look. Warily and reflexively, Zaf's first instinct is to turn his body and hold his wings in such a way as to shield the doll from view of Sera. Though almost a moment later he's slightly wide-eyed in surprise at his own action, and yet still conflicted somehow.

After a glancing between the doll and Sera a few times, he eventually asked in a soft tone. "Does this... Do you recognize this, Seraphina? Know even what we should do with it from here?" He asked, opening himself up again and even hesitantly holding the doll out some more for her to take it.

Jirel would wipe the blood and gore from her blade. Rolling her shoulders back, the rage would finally fade from her body. She'd take her breaths to calm her heart as she scanned the over the group. Although she herself felt rather unscathed, the blonde knew the further they went, the more they'll need to be at their strongest. Rest was encouraged for them. The barbarian's eyes would follow Sera making her way over to Zaf and the doll. She'd keep her distance and observe from afar.

Sera frowns. "I don't recognize it, just..." She reaches out to pick it up from Zaf's hand. "Feel...I don't know. Almost like it's calling to me."

As you all stand around and contemplate Sera's weird attraction to the matryoska doll, the more perceptive of you see some unholy energy flow into the corpse of Rasputin, bringing the Mad Monk back to life.

"Surprise mother****ers."

He casts Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting DC 19 Con Save to take half of 64 Necrotic damage. Whoever is still up can attack Rasputin.

Nadya:13

Con Save(DC 19): 22.

Zaf immediately shrivels and falls to the ground. Though oddly, the very edges of his wings even further seem to even dry out and evaporate like snow...

DC19: 20

"Of course.." Jasun sighed.

Mother****er: 13

Sera takes a serious owie but is still alive to try and murder Rasputin, and I'm using my ******* Brand now. AND my Blood Curse of the Marked, which I'll amplify for 5 damage to me!

Attack: 25 Damage: 30

Attack: 19 Damage: 40

Con: 19

Despite the blast of negative energy taking its effects on her, seeing Zaf and Jasun go down, Rose rushes over to their sides, saying, “Y-you two aren’t done here yet. Come on. U-up and at ‘em let’s go.”

Mass Healing Word for everyone, especially our resident sleepers: 12

With silence came complacency.

Barbie con save: 22

The goliath's skin would begin to crawl, reacting in defense of Rasputin's surprise attack.

Stone's endurance: -15 from damage received

Heat would expand through her core and flushing her skin all throughout. Jirel was pissed. She let her guard down, and the people she meant to protect, suffered for it.

BA: Rage

Jirel would grip her axe and charge recklessly at Rasputin.

Attack 1: 19 Damage: 12 + 3 Rage 
Attack 2: 26 Damage: 15 + 3 Rage 
Brute crit damage: 22

Jasun moans loudly in protest.

Or in thanks.

You're not sure which.

Zaf awakens groaning and weak, but with ragged breaths clawed his way back to his feet all the same. "Now that... was not... Cool..." He rasps, as a talon clutching the chest began radiating with a dull grey light. The same light the began emanating as the rest of him color swapped to black as the power of the cosmos filled him. Once he felt his strength begin to return he then motions to Jasun, radiating him with a fragment of the very same  warm, restorative energy.

Movement: Stand up.

Bonus Action: Activate Starry Form(Chalice).

Action: Cast (3rd level)Cure Wounds on self, restoring 18 HP and Chalice Healing to Jasun for 13.

Rasputin falls again, dead for real this time.

Or is he?

Sera narrows her eyes, lifts her still-flaming sword, and plants it in the middle of Rasputin, letting the flames start to hopefully set him on fire.

Jirel would bring down her axe to chop off his head, then scoop it up with her blade and add it to Seraphina's Rasputin body fire.

Rasputin dies for real this time and the doll urges you all towards the hut, which dances and lets out a joyful squawk as you return with the doll. Upon entering the hut, you feel it urging you on towards a trapdoor that you'll have to explore after you finish leveling up to 15!

End of Book Five. Reign of Winter will conclude in Book Six: The Witch Queen's Revenge.

Upon entering the hut, Rose releases a breath of relief. "Thank goodness. I hope that's the last we'll see of him..." Her eyes flicker over to the trapdoor when she gets the urge to explore it, but she does her best to push it back and get to assessing wounds. It didn't take more than a few second of just looking everyone over for her to say, "N-now I know we want to move on, but I think a rest is in order."