Into the Mists-The Condemnation of Strahd

Gimble:

"Come on!  Let's take it down!" encourages Gimble, maintaining the same tactics and dropping another Frostbite on the Grick if it is still alive by his turn (DC 13 Constitution or take  2  Cold damage and disadvantage on its next attack).

Bob felt braver as Gillain waded in and artfully poked the creature full of holes, his other allies raining death upon it. He cries out in both pain and fury, swinging his scimitar with little regard for whether he was still entangled in the snake-thing's grasp or not.

Attack (assuming Bob or the grick are still alive at this point): Attack: 14 Damage: 7

• Thawrted so far Tio can't explain this feeling that have began to fester perhaps this was frustration. She remembers her words to her dear friend a long time ago, "Let go let your mind and body feel the universe." Tio will balling her fist she moves forward to attack it. Once as her action then as her bonus action she will spend a ki point to Flurry of Blows!

Attack1: 23 Damage: 5

Attack2: 19 Damage: 6

Attack3: 11 Damage: 6

Toi lets out a sound of frustration as she attacks once more. Two of Toi's strikes hit the creature solidly. the creature rocks back, dropping Bob as it does. Flesh and frost fly from the creature as Toi strikes it. The creature slides back, striking the east wall then slides down the wall resting on the floor. It remains there, unmoving as blood pours from it.

Combat has ended.

Actions?

Gillain feels something welling up inside her. Is it anger, or fear? Feelings of protection, or wrath? Healing, or destruction?..

But just as she thinks Bob is done for, and as she’s preparing to strike, she sees a blur of fists and movement. Tio utterly demolishes the foul snake creature.

She feels like she was about to scream something too, but the moment’s gone now. And the pit of energy within her subsides...

She moves over to Bob, “Are you okay? Bob?...”.

Gimble:

"Well-done, everyone--that was closer than I'd like.  Does anyone have healing for Bob?" asks Gimble, sagging in relief now that the fearsome creature was dead.

Knowledge Check to know what that creature was:  15 (+2 more if Arcana or History applies)

Bob stumbles out of the limp tentacles' grasp and winces at his many wounds. He looks up at Tio and Gillain with an almost awed look of gratitude, before he smooths out his beard and gathers his remaining dignity. "I-I'm fine. Ah, no need, Gimble, sir. Even in this twisted land nature will heal me."

He smiles and rummages in his many pockets of his voluminous weather-stained robe and produces a sprig of mistletoe. He breathes a few quiet words into his palm and when he opens his hand ten Goodberrys are resting there instead.

While GImble checks the creature he munches the berries one by one, feeling better - and more full - with each, until his newfound courage returns. He sticks his tongue out at the dead grick and kicks it sullenly. 

Gillain takes a few deep breaths, trying to compose herself after that close fight. She checks that Bob is looking a bit better, and then says, ”Maybe we should take a rest soon? Get our energy back?.... ..But for now, should we finish off this segment of the basement? Carry on around in this loop back to the start? To make sure there’s nothing up behind us...”.

If no one objects, she heads back the way they were heading, to finish closing the loop.

Bob bobs his head in an energetic nod, stomping along right behind Gillain. "Agreed, we've got to push on!"

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/17b-HD5KRO7Yyp9Q4udbNWAcBncHsjK0SZ_vqjISluJk/edit

Gimble searches his memory to place this beast but, he has no firm memory of reading anything on this creature. Gimble is sure he has but, right now, he can't recall what he read.

The battle done, and with a bit of healing for those injured Gillain, strides to the passage to the east to, she believes, complete the loop that the passages make. Gillain walks approximately 10 feet and comes to an intersection. The intersection ends on each side in a T section. Gillain feels a tug in the core of her being to the T section to the north. Quietly, sheepishly she follows her instincts, this tugging to her soul. As the torchlight spills into the intersection Gillain finds that this T section ends at 2 crypts. Looking over the crypts for a moment, getting a bit of a creepy feeling about them, she turns and is about to go when she catches the name etched on the crypt stone door, Thornbolt Durst.

Gillain gets to the crossroads, and feels something strange inside. She pauses: what’s that feeling? ... some kind of recognition? ...a longing?

She closes her eyes for a brief second, and sees in her mind’s-eye her new ‘well’ of energy that’s been bubbling inside her. It’s like looking directly into the sun. Or is it just blackness? Either way it hurts a little to focus on it. Yet at the same time it’s almost somehow comforting.

But there’s something else, something small tugging on the very core of her...

She opens her eyes and follows the tug. She moves into the northern crypts, not exactly understanding why she’s there... Then she sees it: ‘Thornbolt Durst’, she reads, almost breathes, aloud.

She reaches her hand out to the etched, stone-name, and runs her fingers over the lettering. She feels a sudden sadness that threatens to overwhelm her.

((is the stone door to the crypt open? If not, she’ll call out for someone to help her open it. Otherwise she’ll call out simply ‘Guys... I think I’ve found something...’. ))

While she waits for the party to catch up, she reaches into the sack she tied to her pack, and removes the small blanket she carefully filled, and placed there, from the top-floor room of the creepy house.

Gimble:

Shrugging his shoulders about the mysterious creature, Gimble follows Gillain into the room when she calls.  Divining her intent, he offers to help her as she opens the crypt (if needed), otherwise standing and bearing silent witness to this important moment.

Bob steps up next to Gillain and simply nods as if this is what he had been expecting all along. When walked over and saw the other crypt he nods again. "Aye, you've found something, alright."

He steps up to the stone door of the crypt and reads the name on it, expecting to see the name of the dead young girl who had disappeared so mysteriously earlier.

Gillain looks left, as Gimble approaches, and nods; then right, as Bob approaches, and nods again. As the others approach too, she seems to gather some kind of strength and energy from the very presence of her companions.

She smiles, but the same serene, solemn look comes over her that some of the party saw up in the top bedroom in the house. 

She moves into the crypt marked with Thorn’s name, and unrolls the part of the blanket holding his remains. She closes her eyes and spends a moment with the remains before speaking, “Thornbolt Durst?... can you hear me? I feel your presence. I’m going to lay your remains to rest. If you need me to do something else, or something different, let me know”. 

”I can feel your ‘will’ within me. And I have shared your fears... But know, that it was your fear - of losing your sister - that made us brave enough to help protect her all this way here... ‘A paladin learns to use her fears to her advantage’...”, she recites to him from her lessons.

”If you can find it in there, and if you can, take some of my essence with you. Take some of the light you find and use it if ever you feel fear again...”.

If Thorn, or no one else, objects, then Gillain kneels beside the resting-plinth, within the crypt, and meticulously lays out Thorns remains, part by part, bone by bone. As before, anyone watching just sees a paladin at work. All her doubt and fear is gone as she works. She looks far more than just a simple squire now.

She lays out Thorns remains like a fortune reader might lay out their cards: calmly, neatly, no hurry. She reassembles his body just as it would have been in life. She lays him out as if he’s sleeping calmly.

Then she kneels there with him like that for a brief minute, out of respect but also inviting him silently to rest and depart...

As Gillain prepares to lay the children to rest Tio will take this time to take a short rest if able.

If nothing happens after a few moments, Gillain will stand and turn to Bob, “Bob, would you help me in the next crypt with Rose?... You are familiar with anatomy I think. And the passage of life and death.... Perhaps you will have a few words too?”.

If he’s willing Gillain will enter the next crypt with Bob, and with his help and maybe words, she will help him to arrange Rose’s remains in a similar way. She will be guided by Bob about the pose Rose might prefer to reflect her character or nature, or how she might like to rest there...

As Gillain alerts the party to her find, Bob, curious of who's crypt the next one Bob does indeed find the name to be Rosavalda Durst. 

The party gathers together in the crypt of Thornbolt Durst. Gillain, Toi, and Gimble takes the bones that were found in the nursery out of her pack, gently placing them on the ground. Reverently Gillain places the smaller set of bones in the small coffin that has been awaiting them for some time. When Gillain lays the last bone in the coffin she is suddenly overtaken by the sensation of an ice-cold wind biting at her skin. Gillain exhales deeply and collapses on the floor. The party looks to Gillain then the coffin.
Suddenly an image of a young boy, Thorn actually, is seen floating above the coffin. The boy looks around then up and after a few moments of gazing up, he looks towards the party and smiles. 
"Come on Rose." the apparition says. "It looks like ever so much fun." 
The apparition is seen turning it's back to the party and starts the run away from them. As it does the apparition becomes smaller and smaller.
"I'm gonna get there first," he calls back.

Gillain leads Bob into Rose's crypt, and the party as a group lay the bones of the young girl into the coffin. Upon finishing the task Bob reacts the same as Gillain had in the other crypt. The party then sees the spirit of Rose standing over her remains. She smiles and waves at everyone.
"Come on Rose." a disembodied voice calls to her. The faint sound of the laughter of many children can be heard as well. 
Once more Rose smiles and waves at the party then she turns and calls out:
"No Fair, wait for me Thorn." 
The spirit of the girl runs a few feet, judging by her reduction in size, then stops and turns to the party. 
"Don't forget about the monster down here." 
She says then turns and runs off until the spirit disappears.

The room, which seemed much brighter during these two occurrences, no seem very dark and foreboding, even by the torchlight. 
The chanting, though never stopping, seems to have been absent during all this now returns with its low dull droning that echos through these tunnels.

DM:
Gillain and Bob are no longer possessed. 
Actions before we continue?
Short or Long rest?

[Just a short rest for Tio.]

((Gillain would get a lot back from a long rest. If we feel there’s scope for that here))

[That would work too.]