Thpas is still asleep, on his bedroll, giggling to himself.

Quote from Toadstool >>

Byllemura wakes up screaming, distressed. She jumps to her feet and runs towards Emre, sobbing. "Emre, are you alright? Val? Thpas?" she calls out shaking, staring at her hands.

 Still shaking, wiping tears off her face in relief that her friends are unharmed: "I've had this dream... This nightmare... It was so vivid!" tries to explain Byllemura, still shaken. "This pale figure, black hair, he was asking me why I had done that, why I had killed you all. There was blood on my hands. I was holding a dagger and you were all lying lifeless on the ground." she says and bursts into tears once more.

After a few seconds, tears become laughter: "I am so happy you are safe. I suppose that was another of Strahd's tricks."

"Byl - I'm so sorry I hope that I didn't scare you... although it does seem to be that you were visited by..." in whispers, "... the devil Strahd." 

"I'm so sorry I snapped at you earlier," Valanthe says as she tries to give them a hug - which is not all that comforting as she still has her chain-mail on. 

Emre shakes her head. "I don't like this at all. I will look to Kelemvor for protection against such illusions," she says, in fact very unsure of her ability to do anything about them.

Ireena woke up with a start when Byllemura screamed. When she hears what happened, "We should leave this place immediately. The Vistani are untrustworthy."

She starts getting her things ready.

"We should be on our way, yes." says Byllemura, trying to look better than she actually is. She packs her belongings and waves goodbye to the few Vistani she sees "Goodbye and thank you for the warmth and tales."

Valanthe agrees, following Byllemura's lead, saying to the Vistani, "I had a wonderful time with you all - I hope we meet again!"

Thpas is a VERY heavy sleeper. The commotion has stirred him and he opens one eye to see if it is morning before he decides to fully wake.

Ireena shakes Thpas to fully wake him.

Emre has been praying and meditating, receiving her power from the divine. To Emre's dismay, Kelemvor did not reveal any spells that would be helpful against Strahd's illusions. 

After the morning preparations involving a song of inspiration, "All right everyone, let's get going. We need to make sure that Ireena makes it to Vallaki safe."

// Marching order same as before? Armor front and back (Valanthe/Erme) and the spell casters with Ireena in the middle? //

Thpas still a bit groggy, fumbles through his knapsack to find clean garments and gets dressed. Later he stuffs everything neatly into his pack and starts off with the others. "That was a bit abrupt," he confesses to Byllemura "I would have offered to make breakfast if we weren't in such a hurry!" Thpas yawns. Breathing in the cool air his eyes widen as he mentally prepares for a day of travel.

"Madam Eva watches you as you depart. As soon the camp is out of sight, the sky cracks with lightning, releasing a flood from the heavens. In less than a minute, you are already freezing. Icy tendrils of fog grasp at you with intangible fingers. Ravens caw at you mockingly. You continue through the woods for a while, soaked by buckets worth of rain and the sky is illuminated only by numerous lightning, even in late morning. The thunder seems to be roaring in rage at the five of you. The shadow of castle Ravenloft constantly watches over you from a mile away, its dark form towering over all Barovia. As you come nearer, you can see red light shining in hundreds of its many windows."

Valanthe stares up at the castle, her eyes gloss over a little, and then she says in barely a whisper, "Strahd is in that castle. I feel his presence.  But he can also feel mine.  He's coming for me - for us."

After a beat, she continues, "... And that castle is alive. It's as if it has a heart beating with mine."

After a moment, she shakes her head.  "I... I don't like this place.  And if we can't leave without his blessing, then we'll just have to take it from him."

Emre, bringing up the rear, looks towards the castle from under her soaking hood. "If I didn't know who lived there, I'd think the castle almost inviting right now," she quips loudly to her fellow adventurers. 

"I know you want to go there, but we have to get to Vallaki first." Thpas mutters over his shoulder.

"I agree with Thpas.... <<wow, I just said that>>.... anyways, point is, I don't think we're ready yet - not sure we ever will be."

Pushing away her rain soaked hair from her face, she continues, "On to Vallaki." 

Vindicated, Thpas quips to his shoulder "You see?..." and with an abrupt look of confusion addresses Valanthe, "wait, you can see him? He's supposed to be invisible right now..."

"Thpas, what are you going on about? Who's invisible?"