Ioben breaks into laughter as Stefan’s mother accuses her son of cheating. “I guess she doesn’t know anything about cards. It wouldn’t be a real game unless at least somebody tried to cheat. The real game is who can do it without getting caught. But, now that she has said something, I guess we only play for coppers. Make it a match of wits instead. What say you?”
"I was on patrol in the under dark, after experiencing three years of cleric duties after the 1st year just blacksmithing. The dwarves would send troops out into the under dark to clear passage ways of monsters and other nasty surprises. The would send clerics with the patrols. To help tend and defend against any magic that may be found down there. It was my first patrol. However, after some combat I got separated from my group. Trying to make my way back to the Hall, I had used most of my spells when I encountered the wizard. He defeated me and when I was paralyzed and unable to move he began his work. He started with left hand, he had to begin somewhere, he began to detach my fingers. He would look at them, at how they were jointed and proceed to write notes. All the while I was screaming out in pain, begging him to stop, but he ignored me and continued. He kept taking off pieces of my arm all the while he would say, 'thing' as he jotted down his notes, he did this as he ignored my screams of pain and terror. I wasn't alive when I was made, but I learned that day that I have over 50 different parts that make up my arm," as Dormark says this his body begins to shake whether it was out of rage or fear of that memory only he knew.
> "You ain't a mage like the last one that came, are ya? Lookin' to break Ravenloft down he were - brick by brick!" Laughing she adds, "Tha' shot was pretty magical, come ta think of it!" Tara giggles in response, mimicking the flight of the pebble with her hand, complete with the "SPLOOOSH!" into the pool.
"No, no magicks. Wait - Castle Ravenloft?", exclaims Galqarin in amazement. He points at himself, "Came from Vallaki camp. Arrigal ... suggested ... I visit Madam Eva".
Galqarin - A broad smile spreads across Eliza's face, "Ahh so ya know Arrigal? Well, he had the right of it. If he reckons ya ought ta see Eva, then ya oughta see Eva. She sees things others don't."Tara speaks up,"When I'm older I'm going to be jus' like Madam Eva! She says I 'ave a gift too!", she says beaming.
Ioben - "If tha's what yer wishin' ta do."Stefan replies calmly."Deal... and we'll see whatcha made of."
> Tara speaks up, "When I'm older I'm going to be jus' like Madam Eva! She says I 'ave a gift too!", she says beaming.
"You lucky girl." Completely missing the point, Galqarin lifts the wrist with the sling wrapped around it and says seriously, "Now I have three gifts". Thinking again about his precious book he adds, "Two on this day, one from long ago".
To Eliza he continues, "Think Arrigal not want trouble with baron's guards", then after a pause, "Luvash not like me much. He has girl too, but smaller than your Tara."
Sandu kept his gaze focused on the fire while Dormark recounted his tale. Not so much because he was not paying attention, far from it, but for the first time, as far as he was willing to admit, he did not know how to properly respond. It was an experience unlike any other he had ever heard. Sandu was not good at the whole comforting act, never had a need to be, so eventually he decided to go with the simplest approach: honesty.
'I'm sorry you had to endure that.' Sandu said. 'That must have been harrowing.'
Somehow that did not feel like it was enough but he did not know what else to say. It was not something he could relate to. But Dormark had shared an intense, personal experience with him and Sandu felt that he needed to reply in kind.
'I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier.' Sandu still did not turn his gaze towards the warforged, fearful that he would choke on his words if he did. 'You were right. All of it. It's just jarring to be confronted about it. Especially when it comes from someone like you.'
He poked the fire to give himself a moment to mull over his next words. 'You're everything I'm not. Everything that I hope or want to be.'Sandu threw his stick into the fire and grabbed a new one. 'You're strong and tall. I'm scrawny and,' He looked to the side where Baern was conversing with Valerie, 'average. You have a strong conviction and sense of purpose. I just drift from place to place not knowing what I'm doing half of the time. And someone built you, meaning they wanted to make you or at least had a need of you.' Sandu's eyes fell dull, barely reflecting the glow of the fire unlike Dormark's metal body. 'Whereas I grew up in an orphanage, which means my family is either dead or didn't care enough to keep me around. Tossed away to be someone else's problem.'
He snapped the branch in his hands, tossed the broken pieces into the fire and reached for yet another new one. Talking about his younger years made a different memory resurface. 'I was sweet on a girl back then. Could even say that I loved her. Might still do. Her name was Susie.' For a moment Sandu pictured a face above the flames. Messy copper red hair pulled into two uneven pigtails, a nose beset with freckles, flanked by two big bright eyes and a smile with a missing tooth. The image dissipated into smoke.
'Have you ever known love, Dormark? It's a messy feeling that makes a fool out of even the greatest of men.'Another broken branch got tossed into the flames. 'And I was young and in love so that made me double the fool. Oh, I did the usual grandstanding.' Sandu held a fresh branch aloft like a child would imagine it to be a sword. 'When I get out of this place,'he imitated his bygone childlike wonder, 'I'll be rich. I'll be mighty! I'll become a king by my own hand!'
The imagined sword joined the real fire. 'That was ten years ago.' Sandu's voice grew melancholic as he wrapped his arms around his knees. 'I don't know what has befallen her, let alone if she would even remember me. Who knows, maybe she got out as well and met someone who treats her better than I ever could. Maybe she's nothing more than a memory now. But it's our memories that drive us. But that does not mean they define us.'
Sandu watched a flame burn through the middle of a log and split it apart. 'We're all broken in our own way, Dormark.' He looked up to see if any stars were out. 'Some are just better at hiding the pieces.'
He stood up, stretched and dusted the soot and ashes from his clothes. Sandu looked longingly to Dormark's backpack where he knew the book was stashed but directed his gaze instead to a spot where he could lay his head. He walked past Dormark but stopped midstride. He noticed the shaking. Sandu placed his hand on the back of the warforged's arm.
'I'm not good at keeping things together.' Sandu said. 'But I'll stand against those who try to pick us apart.' He patted Dormark on the shoulder. 'Get some rest, big guy, and we'll see what the morning brings.'
Sandu walked to the other side of the fire and threw his backpack on the ground, close enough to the fire to keep warm but far enough not to get covered in ashes. In lieu of a bedroll, he wrapped himself in his cloak and laid his head down on his bag. He was glad he had been stoking the flames that much: the blazing fire obscured Dormark's figure enough that he would not see it every time he turned. He looked up at the sky. Would Susie be gazing at the same stars? He wondered before drifting off into a dream made of pleasant memories from yesteryear.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
“Grab a seat.” Ioben indicates a spot beside him near the fire. “So what do they even play around here? Priests and Maidens? Three Dragon Ante? Robbers?” As Ioben talks he takes the deck out again and begins to shuffle. As he does so he tries to identify a high card and pocket it for later. (Sleight of hand: 19 +2 for card proficiency) “Any ways, why don’t we keep it simple for now? High card draw, a copper a card? Each person shuffles then cuts the deck. Highest card wins?”
Feeling Sandu’s comforting hand the warforge relaxes and says, “I’ve not experienced love, but I hear it can be a beautiful but complicated feeling. Also, Sandu not all things are meant to remain broken, I still see the value in you Sandu even if you don’t recognize it yourself. There is a good man inside you, you just need to let him out. Also, to mend a trust that has been broken.” Dormark pulls the box out of his bag and gives it to Sandu, hiding the crest with his hand. “All I ask Sandu is to not look at it till tomorrow, what I’m trying to do is protect us. So I’m trusting you to do the same,” he says letting go of the box to let Sandu hide it away.
He lets the man walk away to sleep. Dormark stares into the flames seeing something in the flames that only he could see. “Yes we shall not remain broken, we both must face our demons and take back what was stolen,” he says in a whisper. While he was saying this he touches a part of his chest pulling it up. Underneath it where a heart of most of the humanoid races would be sat a receptacle and in it.... there is nothing. Staring at the empty spot in his chest he closes it and stands up. He posts himself in the middle of the camp. Standing in rest, alert to his surroundings and being vigilant to make sure no demons take his companions this night.
Baern tells Isla "sure, I'd like to try the wagon wheel." He thinks for a second and says "I don't know if I can sharpen tools with what I want to practice, but I can probably help the usual way." Baern sets about practicing his Mending on the wagon wheel.
When Sandu mentions the gods potentially taking offense to people feeling entitled to an explanation for everything the young dwarf looks a little surprised, never having thought of his newfound and somewhat desperate desire for everything to make sense as potentially overstepping what the world, or the gods, owe him. "Oh, I'd never thought of it like that. I didn't mean to offend, but that does make a lot of sense." Thinking for a second he adds "I guess that's maybe why so many people have different ways of explaining things that they can't control, or fall outside the normal order of things, to them at least, like...like when they lose someone before they thought they ought to..." Baern seems to drift off into his own thoughts for a moment as he rambles and ponders losing someone.
When Valerie mentions destiny Baern nods and gives her a small smile, a silent thank you of sorts. "I suppose I have a lot to think about, rather than hoping some stranger will give me the answers to all of my questions." He glances back at the Vistani and Madam Eva's tent as he says this.
"Some answers will come to you eventually, as long as you don’t lose faith." She speaks while staring at the bone fire. She is saying this to Baern... or maybe to herself as well.
Heading back to the camp, Galqarin overhears Baern's remark about sharpening tools and it gives him an idea. Asking the friendly dwarf if he might borrow his handaxe, he heads purposefully to the edge of the woods, keeping a wary eye out for wolves or other beasts ((perception 13)). After a a rather longer search than he'd have liked ((survival 4)), he finds a rather less suitable branch than he'd have liked. He returns to the camp with it, before starting to trim it with the loaned axe. It is a poor weapon, he concedes to himself, but in this dangerous land even a poor weapon might be better than naught.
“Grab a seat.” Ioben indicates a spot beside him near the fire. “So what do they even play around here? Priests and Maidens? Three Dragon Ante? Robbers?” As Ioben talks he takes the deck out again and begins to shuffle. As he does so he tries to identify a high card and pocket it for later. (Sleight of hand: 19 +2 for card proficiency) “Any ways, why don’t we keep it simple for now? High card draw, a copper a card? Each person shuffles then cuts the deck. Highest card wins?”
Ioben - "Aye, Three Dragon Ante's most what gets played around here." Stefan takes a seat down next to you."Though, if ya want to draw cards that works"he agrees. Winking he adds,"... how's about we change dealer every round, eh?"
I'll roll the old perception here - Stefan eyes dart back and forth from Ioben's face to the deck as he shuffles.
17
Though Stefan watches you as you shuffle, he is clueless as to your sleight of hand.
Galqarin - It takes you a little longer than usual to find a branch - but it's a woods, there are plenty - you eventually find a serviceable one and lop it off. The 'item' you craft is likely more akin to a sharpened stick than a 'staff' as such. But it is indeed marginally better than nothing at all. You notice, after a time, that it has taken you most of the evening and into the night to find and then whittle the branch.
Ioben cuts the card, slipping his pocketed high card in place and revealing it to Stefan, trying his best to keep his face straight and appropriately surprised as he turns over the card. He then offered the deck to Stefan to cut.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ioben - Unaware of what has transpired Stefan cuts the deck and reveals the card - it is of a high value but beaten by your card. He smirks, "Neat trick", he holds his card close to his eye, examining it. Then he calls over another of the Vistani by the campfire -"Oi! What card am I holdin' up?!". The other Vistani confirms what his card is and what the card Ioben holds is. "Well looks like you ain't usin' magic. Mus' just be good, I'll give ya that."
Stefan proceeds to similarly shuffle the deck, though when he 'cuts' it he feels along the edge of the cards attempting to find a previously marked 'high value' card.
Please make a Perception check, looks like you need to beat a 20. I'll say given your abilities, including your proficiency and knowing what to look for, you can make it with advantage.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Perception: 23
Ioben watched closely as Stefan shuffled the deck. He was impressed. The Visatni’s hands were quick and smooth. He knew the young man had pulled off a move somewhere, that was the aim of the game after all, but where exactly he couldn’t quite tell.
“I’m glad we’re only playing for coppers,” Ioben said with a smile as he took the deck from Stefan, cutting it himself and drawing a 10. “What was that? A double lift? False cut? Elmer’s Lift? Never mind, I don’t want to know. Either way, I am impressed. That’s one card each. How about we call it there for now?”
“I’m glad we’re only playing for coppers,” Ioben said with a smile as he took the deck from Stefan, cutting it himself and drawing a 4. “What was that? A double lift? False cut? Elmer’s Lift? Never mind, I don’t want to know. Either way, I am impressed. That’s one card each. How about we call it there for now?”
Stefan's mouth turns up in a grin, "Sure... Tha's part of the fun, right? Tryin' to figure each other out. I think there may jus' be more to ya than meets the eye Ioben." He snickers, standing up,"Don't ya worry though... I gots me eyes on ya. Jus' ya remember tha'."
All (exempting Galqarin) - As you settle in to your respective bedrolls for the night you drift off into a deep sleep. Ismark states that he would take first 'watch', not entirely trusting the Vistani around the camp, regardless of their hospitality.
Bright dancing lights, in a range of colours - reds, yellows, greens, blues... It is mesmerising. The light begins to take form. An image appears in your minds of a woman - looks like a Vistani woman, but none that you have met to date.
At first you assume she is dancing as her brightly coloured cloak flicks around her well-proportioned body. She has a natural elegance and beauty. However, as the scene pans out, you realise - she is not dancing, well at least not in the conventional sense, she is sparring. An older gentleman chastises her,"No, no, no! Not like that Ezmerelda! For HEAVENS sake girl, watch me!"
The gentleman has a swagger in the way he moves, the way he wields a sword is with a steadfast confidence."Observe my movements! If we are EVER to fulfil our goal you must train HARDER!" his words come across not unkind, but determined,"Now, once again!"Ezmerelda straightens her back dusts off her coat and once more starts the routine of thrusts, swipes and jabs with her rapier.
((Ezmerelda))
"I WILL get it Master, you shall see."There is a grit behind her beautiful visage. But there is something... more behind her words; a sense of deep loathing. "You shall see... the Devil Strahd shall die at my hand... that is a promise!"The gentleman chuckles,"Ahh my dear Ezmerelda... I am afraid that it is I, that shall have that pleasure!" Ezmerelda's smile towards her 'master' is wrought with affection. "Either way, I just wanted, you know... to say... that is... well... I have always valued our friendship and the things that you have taught me." she blurts out awkwardly.The gentleman looks at her, his eyes teary,"and I you Ezmerelda... more than you can believe...much, much, more than you can believe."
With that the dream goes out of focus. Bright, dancing, colourful lights once again appearing...
As you begin to stir you notice Ismark asleep at his 'post'. It is a fresh, new day in Barovia and dew covers the ground. It has occurred to you that over the course of your adventures to date, as well as your meeting with Eva, that your journey through these lands seems fated in some way. A renewed sense of purpose wells up in you as you think back to those initial steps into this strange land... though only 3 days have passed, it seems like a life-time ago.
((Thus concludes another milestone in your trip through Barovia! Please can every level their characters up... Oh and welcome to LEVEL 3! Congratulations!))
Galqarin - You look around at your new travelling companions. Unlike you, sleep seems to have come easily to them, possibly wearied by the days events. It seems to have also taken its toll on poor Ismark, the man that was adamant he was to keep watch over those 'untrustworthy Vistani', is also sound asleep.
A rustling. Movement coming from your left. You sit up in your bedroll. Movement coming from your right. Shadowy figures attempting to be hidden, but failing, you see them all. Forgoing the illusion of stealth one of the figures steps forward."I think ya know wha' this is about."the voice looks like it comes from a Vistani man, but the lower half of his face is concealed."She 'as been waiting for ya. Ya will go ta see her."the way he phrases the sentence implies this is a command and most certainly not a request.
Bedroll? Hah, Galqarin should be so lucky. He was curled up on the ground close to the fire.
With a sideways glance at his slumbering companions - the fire has died, but his eyes have no difficulty making out their grey shapes in the darkness - Galqarin lithely uncoils his long limbs and lopes alliteratively after the man, suspecting that it would not be wise to protest.
As usual, Valerie gets up from her bed and find a quiet corner to do her morning ritual; however, one thing has been added to her morning routine - reflecting her dream. Even though the dream made no sense to her, she still feels the urge to go through what you can remember, in case there are some useful details.
After finishing her ritual, she takes a sword and begins to do the moves from the dream.
Baern wakes, rubs his head, and tries to straighten out his mess of thick, dark hair. Turning to the others he says "ooh boy, haven't dreamed like that in a while." Shaking his head a few times he continues "first there were dwarves and men hurling lightning and thunder against monsters in the dark." "They were calling for more champions to join them." He stands, shrugs and says "oh and there was a woman training with her master." "She felt a little bit...familiar." "You should have seen her Dormark, she was real pretty, not as pretty as Ireena, but..." At that moment he remembers that they had camped with the brother and sister duo after their time with the Vistani. The young dwarf's face turns bright red and he freezes in place for a few seconds.
Trying not to look in Ireena's direction, Baern soon break up the awkwardness a bit by inquiring "hey, where's Galqarin?"
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Ioben breaks into laughter as Stefan’s mother accuses her son of cheating. “I guess she doesn’t know anything about cards. It wouldn’t be a real game unless at least somebody tried to cheat. The real game is who can do it without getting caught. But, now that she has said something, I guess we only play for coppers. Make it a match of wits instead. What say you?”
"I was on patrol in the under dark, after experiencing three years of cleric duties after the 1st year just blacksmithing. The dwarves would send troops out into the under dark to clear passage ways of monsters and other nasty surprises. The would send clerics with the patrols. To help tend and defend against any magic that may be found down there. It was my first patrol. However, after some combat I got separated from my group. Trying to make my way back to the Hall, I had used most of my spells when I encountered the wizard. He defeated me and when I was paralyzed and unable to move he began his work. He started with left hand, he had to begin somewhere, he began to detach my fingers. He would look at them, at how they were jointed and proceed to write notes. All the while I was screaming out in pain, begging him to stop, but he ignored me and continued. He kept taking off pieces of my arm all the while he would say, 'thing' as he jotted down his notes, he did this as he ignored my screams of pain and terror. I wasn't alive when I was made, but I learned that day that I have over 50 different parts that make up my arm," as Dormark says this his body begins to shake whether it was out of rage or fear of that memory only he knew.
Dormark Calling of Strahd (warforged cleric) 4
Galqarin - A broad smile spreads across Eliza's face, "Ahh so ya know Arrigal? Well, he had the right of it. If he reckons ya ought ta see Eva, then ya oughta see Eva. She sees things others don't." Tara speaks up, "When I'm older I'm going to be jus' like Madam Eva! She says I 'ave a gift too!", she says beaming.
Ioben - "If tha's what yer wishin' ta do." Stefan replies calmly. "Deal... and we'll see whatcha made of."
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
> Tara speaks up, "When I'm older I'm going to be jus' like Madam Eva! She says I 'ave a gift too!", she says beaming.
"You lucky girl." Completely missing the point, Galqarin lifts the wrist with the sling wrapped around it and says seriously, "Now I have three gifts". Thinking again about his precious book he adds, "Two on this day, one from long ago".
To Eliza he continues, "Think Arrigal not want trouble with baron's guards", then after a pause, "Luvash not like me much. He has girl too, but smaller than your Tara."
Sandu kept his gaze focused on the fire while Dormark recounted his tale. Not so much because he was not paying attention, far from it, but for the first time, as far as he was willing to admit, he did not know how to properly respond. It was an experience unlike any other he had ever heard. Sandu was not good at the whole comforting act, never had a need to be, so eventually he decided to go with the simplest approach: honesty.
'I'm sorry you had to endure that.' Sandu said. 'That must have been harrowing.'
Somehow that did not feel like it was enough but he did not know what else to say. It was not something he could relate to. But Dormark had shared an intense, personal experience with him and Sandu felt that he needed to reply in kind.
'I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier.' Sandu still did not turn his gaze towards the warforged, fearful that he would choke on his words if he did. 'You were right. All of it. It's just jarring to be confronted about it. Especially when it comes from someone like you.'
He poked the fire to give himself a moment to mull over his next words. 'You're everything I'm not. Everything that I hope or want to be.' Sandu threw his stick into the fire and grabbed a new one. 'You're strong and tall. I'm scrawny and,' He looked to the side where Baern was conversing with Valerie, 'average. You have a strong conviction and sense of purpose. I just drift from place to place not knowing what I'm doing half of the time. And someone built you, meaning they wanted to make you or at least had a need of you.' Sandu's eyes fell dull, barely reflecting the glow of the fire unlike Dormark's metal body. 'Whereas I grew up in an orphanage, which means my family is either dead or didn't care enough to keep me around. Tossed away to be someone else's problem.'
He snapped the branch in his hands, tossed the broken pieces into the fire and reached for yet another new one. Talking about his younger years made a different memory resurface. 'I was sweet on a girl back then. Could even say that I loved her. Might still do. Her name was Susie.' For a moment Sandu pictured a face above the flames. Messy copper red hair pulled into two uneven pigtails, a nose beset with freckles, flanked by two big bright eyes and a smile with a missing tooth. The image dissipated into smoke.
'Have you ever known love, Dormark? It's a messy feeling that makes a fool out of even the greatest of men.' Another broken branch got tossed into the flames. 'And I was young and in love so that made me double the fool. Oh, I did the usual grandstanding.' Sandu held a fresh branch aloft like a child would imagine it to be a sword. 'When I get out of this place,' he imitated his bygone childlike wonder, 'I'll be rich. I'll be mighty! I'll become a king by my own hand!'
The imagined sword joined the real fire. 'That was ten years ago.' Sandu's voice grew melancholic as he wrapped his arms around his knees. 'I don't know what has befallen her, let alone if she would even remember me. Who knows, maybe she got out as well and met someone who treats her better than I ever could. Maybe she's nothing more than a memory now. But it's our memories that drive us. But that does not mean they define us.'
Sandu watched a flame burn through the middle of a log and split it apart. 'We're all broken in our own way, Dormark.' He looked up to see if any stars were out. 'Some are just better at hiding the pieces.'
He stood up, stretched and dusted the soot and ashes from his clothes. Sandu looked longingly to Dormark's backpack where he knew the book was stashed but directed his gaze instead to a spot where he could lay his head. He walked past Dormark but stopped midstride. He noticed the shaking. Sandu placed his hand on the back of the warforged's arm.
'I'm not good at keeping things together.' Sandu said. 'But I'll stand against those who try to pick us apart.' He patted Dormark on the shoulder. 'Get some rest, big guy, and we'll see what the morning brings.'
Sandu walked to the other side of the fire and threw his backpack on the ground, close enough to the fire to keep warm but far enough not to get covered in ashes. In lieu of a bedroll, he wrapped himself in his cloak and laid his head down on his bag. He was glad he had been stoking the flames that much: the blazing fire obscured Dormark's figure enough that he would not see it every time he turned. He looked up at the sky. Would Susie be gazing at the same stars? He wondered before drifting off into a dream made of pleasant memories from yesteryear.
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“Grab a seat.” Ioben indicates a spot beside him near the fire. “So what do they even play around here? Priests and Maidens? Three Dragon Ante? Robbers?” As Ioben talks he takes the deck out again and begins to shuffle. As he does so he tries to identify a high card and pocket it for later. (Sleight of hand: 19 +2 for card proficiency) “Any ways, why don’t we keep it simple for now? High card draw, a copper a card? Each person shuffles then cuts the deck. Highest card wins?”
Feeling Sandu’s comforting hand the warforge relaxes and says, “I’ve not experienced love, but I hear it can be a beautiful but complicated feeling. Also, Sandu not all things are meant to remain broken, I still see the value in you Sandu even if you don’t recognize it yourself. There is a good man inside you, you just need to let him out. Also, to mend a trust that has been broken.” Dormark pulls the box out of his bag and gives it to Sandu, hiding the crest with his hand. “All I ask Sandu is to not look at it till tomorrow, what I’m trying to do is protect us. So I’m trusting you to do the same,” he says letting go of the box to let Sandu hide it away.
He lets the man walk away to sleep. Dormark stares into the flames seeing something in the flames that only he could see. “Yes we shall not remain broken, we both must face our demons and take back what was stolen,” he says in a whisper. While he was saying this he touches a part of his chest pulling it up. Underneath it where a heart of most of the humanoid races would be sat a receptacle and in it.... there is nothing. Staring at the empty spot in his chest he closes it and stands up. He posts himself in the middle of the camp. Standing in rest, alert to his surroundings and being vigilant to make sure no demons take his companions this night.
Dormark Calling of Strahd (warforged cleric) 4
Baern tells Isla "sure, I'd like to try the wagon wheel." He thinks for a second and says "I don't know if I can sharpen tools with what I want to practice, but I can probably help the usual way." Baern sets about practicing his Mending on the wagon wheel.
When Sandu mentions the gods potentially taking offense to people feeling entitled to an explanation for everything the young dwarf looks a little surprised, never having thought of his newfound and somewhat desperate desire for everything to make sense as potentially overstepping what the world, or the gods, owe him. "Oh, I'd never thought of it like that. I didn't mean to offend, but that does make a lot of sense." Thinking for a second he adds "I guess that's maybe why so many people have different ways of explaining things that they can't control, or fall outside the normal order of things, to them at least, like...like when they lose someone before they thought they ought to..." Baern seems to drift off into his own thoughts for a moment as he rambles and ponders losing someone.
When Valerie mentions destiny Baern nods and gives her a small smile, a silent thank you of sorts. "I suppose I have a lot to think about, rather than hoping some stranger will give me the answers to all of my questions." He glances back at the Vistani and Madam Eva's tent as he says this.
"Some answers will come to you eventually, as long as you don’t lose faith." She speaks while staring at the bone fire. She is saying this to Baern... or maybe to herself as well.
Heading back to the camp, Galqarin overhears Baern's remark about sharpening tools and it gives him an idea. Asking the friendly dwarf if he might borrow his handaxe, he heads purposefully to the edge of the woods, keeping a wary eye out for wolves or other beasts ((perception 13)). After a a rather longer search than he'd have liked ((survival 4)), he finds a rather less suitable branch than he'd have liked. He returns to the camp with it, before starting to trim it with the loaned axe. It is a poor weapon, he concedes to himself, but in this dangerous land even a poor weapon might be better than naught.
Baern is happy to lend out his hand axe. "You bet Galqarin. I'll come watch your back."
Ioben - "Aye, Three Dragon Ante's most what gets played around here." Stefan takes a seat down next to you. "Though, if ya want to draw cards that works" he agrees. Winking he adds, "... how's about we change dealer every round, eh?"
I'll roll the old perception here - Stefan eyes dart back and forth from Ioben's face to the deck as he shuffles.
17
Though Stefan watches you as you shuffle, he is clueless as to your sleight of hand.
Galqarin - It takes you a little longer than usual to find a branch - but it's a woods, there are plenty - you eventually find a serviceable one and lop it off. The 'item' you craft is likely more akin to a sharpened stick than a 'staff' as such. But it is indeed marginally better than nothing at all. You notice, after a time, that it has taken you most of the evening and into the night to find and then whittle the branch.
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
Ioben cuts the card, slipping his pocketed high card in place and revealing it to Stefan, trying his best to keep his face straight and appropriately surprised as he turns over the card. He then offered the deck to Stefan to cut.
Ioben - Unaware of what has transpired Stefan cuts the deck and reveals the card - it is of a high value but beaten by your card. He smirks, "Neat trick", he holds his card close to his eye, examining it. Then he calls over another of the Vistani by the campfire - "Oi! What card am I holdin' up?!". The other Vistani confirms what his card is and what the card Ioben holds is. "Well looks like you ain't usin' magic. Mus' just be good, I'll give ya that."
"My turn..." he says, taking the deck.
Sleight of Hand: 6
Stefan proceeds to similarly shuffle the deck, though when he 'cuts' it he feels along the edge of the cards attempting to find a previously marked 'high value' card.
Please make a Perception check, looks like you need to beat a 20. I'll say given your abilities, including your proficiency and knowing what to look for, you can make it with advantage.
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
Perception: 23
Ioben watched closely as Stefan shuffled the deck. He was impressed. The Visatni’s hands were quick and smooth. He knew the young man had pulled off a move somewhere, that was the aim of the game after all, but where exactly he couldn’t quite tell.
“I’m glad we’re only playing for coppers,” Ioben said with a smile as he took the deck from Stefan, cutting it himself and drawing a 10. “What was that? A double lift? False cut? Elmer’s Lift? Never mind, I don’t want to know. Either way, I am impressed. That’s one card each. How about we call it there for now?”
Stefan's mouth turns up in a grin, "Sure... Tha's part of the fun, right? Tryin' to figure each other out. I think there may jus' be more to ya than meets the eye Ioben." He snickers, standing up, "Don't ya worry though... I gots me eyes on ya. Jus' ya remember tha'."
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
Night-Time - Day 3 - Another Dream
((Apologies for the delay!))
All (exempting Galqarin) - As you settle in to your respective bedrolls for the night you drift off into a deep sleep. Ismark states that he would take first 'watch', not entirely trusting the Vistani around the camp, regardless of their hospitality.
As you begin to stir you notice Ismark asleep at his 'post'. It is a fresh, new day in Barovia and dew covers the ground. It has occurred to you that over the course of your adventures to date, as well as your meeting with Eva, that your journey through these lands seems fated in some way. A renewed sense of purpose wells up in you as you think back to those initial steps into this strange land... though only 3 days have passed, it seems like a life-time ago.
((Thus concludes another milestone in your trip through Barovia! Please can every level their characters up... Oh and welcome to LEVEL 3! Congratulations!))
Galqarin - You look around at your new travelling companions. Unlike you, sleep seems to have come easily to them, possibly wearied by the days events. It seems to have also taken its toll on poor Ismark, the man that was adamant he was to keep watch over those 'untrustworthy Vistani', is also sound asleep.
A rustling. Movement coming from your left. You sit up in your bedroll. Movement coming from your right. Shadowy figures attempting to be hidden, but failing, you see them all. Forgoing the illusion of stealth one of the figures steps forward. "I think ya know wha' this is about." the voice looks like it comes from a Vistani man, but the lower half of his face is concealed. "She 'as been waiting for ya. Ya will go ta see her." the way he phrases the sentence implies this is a command and most certainly not a request.
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
> You sit up in your bedroll.
Bedroll? Hah, Galqarin should be so lucky. He was curled up on the ground close to the fire.
With a sideways glance at his slumbering companions - the fire has died, but his eyes have no difficulty making out their grey shapes in the darkness - Galqarin lithely uncoils his long limbs and lopes alliteratively after the man, suspecting that it would not be wise to protest.
As usual, Valerie gets up from her bed and find a quiet corner to do her morning ritual; however, one thing has been added to her morning routine - reflecting her dream. Even though the dream made no sense to her, she still feels the urge to go through what you can remember, in case there are some useful details.
After finishing her ritual, she takes a sword and begins to do the moves from the dream.
Baern wakes, rubs his head, and tries to straighten out his mess of thick, dark hair. Turning to the others he says "ooh boy, haven't dreamed like that in a while." Shaking his head a few times he continues "first there were dwarves and men hurling lightning and thunder against monsters in the dark." "They were calling for more champions to join them." He stands, shrugs and says "oh and there was a woman training with her master." "She felt a little bit...familiar." "You should have seen her Dormark, she was real pretty, not as pretty as Ireena, but..." At that moment he remembers that they had camped with the brother and sister duo after their time with the Vistani. The young dwarf's face turns bright red and he freezes in place for a few seconds.
Trying not to look in Ireena's direction, Baern soon break up the awkwardness a bit by inquiring "hey, where's Galqarin?"