Into the Mists-The Condemnation of Strahd

Gillain feels a gentle hand go to her shoulder, and looks round into the face of the female elf. She’s taken aback by her kind words. Their words seem to give her some strength back. They remind her of the teachings of her fallen mentor, and she smiles in spite of the gruesome scene around them, “Thank you..”. Is all she can muster right now.

She hears her party enquire about her health, and she answers them with a stoic “I’m okay. Just a scratch!”, but her hand comes away from just below her ribs on her right side smeared with blood. “Something was on its claws... It... I was paralysed... ...I couldn’t defend you!... I failed you all!....... ... I would never pass the trials”. She looks at Tio and Bob mostly...

Then she registers what Farris has been saying all along, “Wait!!... Strahd?!.... was that The Count we met??”. She looks round at her companions but her memory is inexplicably hazy... “Was it only this morning??!.... but it seems like months!.... He hosted us? He.. fed us?.... ... I can’t remember if.. if I despised him.. ... Or did I love him?....”, she’s muttering to herself really. And shakes her head to try and get rid of her troubled memories.

Gimble:

"We should continue when you all are ready," suggests Gimble, "there are likely more enemies ahead if the chanting is any indication."

Ban turns to the dwarf and gladly takes the offered berry gently, yet quickly. She tosses it in her mouth and shakes her head back and forth in enjoyment at the taste, hair whipping about. With a light squeal, she exclaims, "Ah, I feel alive again! Thank you, Mr. Beezly. I wasn't sure I was gonna make it!" She wipes her brow with her forearm. 

Ban looks over the group and smiles at the uniqueness of those assembled. She thinks, 'Well now. This'll be interesting.' Revitalized, the eladrin retrieves her daggers gingerly, wiping the blades off as much as she can without touching any of the undead's ichor. 

Tio placing a hand on Gillain and touching foreheads she says with a calm voice “Worry not dear Gillain, we are alive and that is enough.” After the heart to heart with Gillain she faces the rest of the group. “ Mr.Gimble is right we should hurry out. I say we continue straight and end this monster figure.” Seeing Farris speak about the count “ We have had dealing a with him before and he even gave us coin but it seems thing are conflicting about his intention after we survive this we should lay everything on the table. What do you all say?” 

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/10zMGMxA24NtrrNafpJrHJ5rMTunjtVWpjII0wQB_Spw/edit

The party gathers themselves and continues forward, going down the tunnel to the west. The party travels 15 ft. to the west, passing the 2 holes that 2 of the ghouls erupted from, and find the tunnel turns to the south, traveling only 10 ft. and ending at a doorway on the west wall of the tunnel. This doorway leads to a small dark room that is illuminated by the party torchlight.

The room is 15 ft. x 15 ft. and as the party enters they find the air heavy with the scent of decay and old earth.

In the middle of the room stands a small mahogany table with two high backed chairs flanking it. On top of the table sits a large clay jug and 2 clay flagons. The table, chairs, jug, and flagons are all covered with the same dust and cobwebs found throughout this accursed house. 

Above the table hangs an old glass chandelier and as the party enters each of you notice the chandelier sways slightly.

In the northeast and northwest corner of the room stands  4 ft. tall iron candle holders. Dried wax spills down and over the candle holders, the remanence of candles used long ago. 

The walls of this room are covered with images etched into the dirt and stone. Their depiction is hard to discern due to the decay of the walls but it can be guessed they once depicted profane acts.  

There is a doorway in the middle of the north wall that appears to lead into another room and a closed-door in the southwest corner of the room. 

“I’ve honestly got to the point where I’m trying not to look too hard at anything any more!”, says Gillain in response to Farris.

She heads past the table and into the tunnel in the middle of the north wall. Just far enough to see what’s next down that way. She readies her shield and spear again, just in case.

Stealth: 5 

Perception: 9 

Gimble:

"I don't know much about this land.  I was just outside Baldur's Gate when this mist came up and somehow I ended up in Barovia.  I made my way to the Blood of the Vine tavern, but haven't learned much else about this place," says Gimble by way of introduction.

Appearance:

Gimble is about average height for a gnome, and his quick wit and dexterous hands have served him well in many endeavors. Still, his countenance is guarded among most, and especially strangers, and he has a furtive way of moving that suggests a life on the streets. Wearing simple clothes in green and brown earth tones, Gimble's dark brown hair and light brown eyes are unremarkable, and his other features would likewise allow him to slip unnoticed in many a crowd. He carries few weapons, though a sturdy blade and a serviceable crossbow are never out of reach. Wearing no armor, there is no obvious clue to his profession, but the more perceptive observer may see the corner of a fancy book or the telltale bulge of a toolkit or three among his possessions.

Tio will move to the closed door to the southwest. She will check it for traps before opening it.

Perception: 17

Gillain responds to Gimble over her shoulder, as she explores, “You found the tavern did you?.. We hadn’t made it that far before the children... or whatever they were... asked us to investigate this place... ..”. She looks down, and then around the walls near her, and squints up at the ceiling; or maybe up at someplace else.

She turns to face him briefly, ”What’s the town and the tavern like? ....Please tell me it’s a normal  tavern, where we can find some rest... ..once we’re all out of.. ‘here’!”. She winces, and her hand goes to her bleeding side, for just a second.

Gillain moves across the room to the doorway on the north wall, readying her weapons. She tries not to make too much noise but her armor jingles and scrapes ever so often making any stealth attempt a bit mute.

Toi moves across the room to the closed door in the southwest corner of the room. She inspects the door, finding nothing out of the ordinary. She places her hand on the doorknob to open it when the door suddenly changes its form-Surprising everyone.
A largemouth with many teeth appears in the middle of the door.
Above the door, a set of eyes pop up from the edge of the door. The eyes focus immediately on Toi.
From the mouth a large tendril of flesh jets out and strikes at Toi. 
Hit: 25
The pseudopod strikes out at Toi and hits her doing 6 points of damage. The pseudopod has a sticky substance covering it and Toi is Grappled. Toi can try to escape but must do it as an action during combat and the DC is 13.

Stunned the party finds they are facing a Mimic

Roll for Initiative

Mimic: 8

Initiative: 9

Initiative: 6

Gillain whirls around at the sound of commotion behind her. Not really understanding or believing what she sees, she only manages, “What?!... No, no, no, no!.....”, as she tries to spring into action...

Gillain’s initiative: 9 

Gimble:

”Well, the atmosphere is lacking, but the beds are comfy enough.  I can....what in Hades!” exclaims Gimble as he interrupts his own response when the door turns into a monster!

Initiative:  9

DM:

Bob's Initiative: 8

Initiative order:
Mimic: 17
Gimble: 9
Ban: 9
Bob: 8
Gillain: 7
Farris:7

Toi: 6


The Mimic slides from its position to the floor, all the while keeping a hold onto Toi. The creature opens its maw and rows of large sharp teeth try to bite down onto the Warforge.
Hit: 18
Its jaws clamp down onto Toi doing 11 of damage. Smoke rolls from its mouth as its acidic saliva burns Toi's metal flesh adding 4 of acid damage to her. Toi screams in pain then slumps to the floor.

OCC: need the 1st Death Save roll for Toi.
The party may act now: 

Death save: 20

Gimble:

Crying out in alarm as one of his companions goes down, Gimble conjures freezing magic on the savage shapeshifter, trying to slow its attacks.

Frostbite DC 13 or 2 cold damage and disadvantage on next attack.