(The one time I forget about Orcish Aggression Trait.. Ugh! I could've grappled him last turn. My bad team.)

 Rudick growls out, "No", before giving Sergei a hard look. "What false comfort you'd bring would but delay his suffering." He then turns back to the opening, the sudden mist, and the creature who even in one final swipe at it -- hit or miss -- changed nothing. Perhaps if he but given in to his Orcish fury for a moment...

"... Assuming, of course, when that spawn of his returned, it chose not to be quick about getting its vengeance." He adds, huffed, and then look to Leann. "Do not fault yourself so heavily. Even with both doors barred behind us, it would've only slowed them at best. What with that troublesome regeneration of his at work. Something to look into before the next encounter." Rudick glances one last time into the door frame, eyes narrowing in suspicion for a moment, before then beginning to look around for the Priest, Ismark, and Ireena. "I'll speak to him, and suggest he makes the journey as well. To Vallaki. Hopefully he sees reason. But more than that, we cannot do."

Hearing Rudick speak, Alev realizes something and stops himself of going into the mist, frozen in place. "We failed with this one, and this one was supposedly weak compared to the one who created it..." He says, turning to look at the others. "How are we even going to protect this Ireena lady if her vampire stalker attacks? This is bad..."

He stares into the mist, furious that they couldn't kill the vampire and fearful of being killed by it the next time they fought it.

Sergei shrugs.

"He might never find out. But as you wish. I was only thinking out loud. I can't have been the only one to think it."

((Oh crap! I completely forgot about Ireena and Ismark. They would have helped in the fight if I remembered. I'm going to say they went and comforted Doru while you fought his son. Sorry about that.))

Defeated, the party braves their way through the most towards the tavern of the town in search of their new compatriots. Despite it only being a short walk, the sudden mist that limits your sight to 30 feet and arose to cover the vampire's escape makes you feel uncomfortable. You feel as if someone is watching as the mist forms into sinister shapes in the corner of your eye. You see the hash patch of light from the window of the tavern, and you hurriedly make your way inside, glad to free of the moist grasp of the mists outside. 

Inside the tavern, you see a nervous Doru (the priest) pacing back and forth as he rubs his face worriedly. Ismark lounges at a table nearby with his feet resting on the table surface, hands behind his hand against the wall, and Ireena stands near him with arms crossed and a scowl across her face. When you enter, Ismark straightens up and sits properly, Ireena turns to you and lifts an eyebrow in questioning, and Doru asks with a morbid curiosity as he stops pacing and turns to you, "Is it done?"

Without slowing or stopping, Rudick simply replied, "By adapting, and using whatever weakness we see in it to our advantage, Alev. Even the nonphysical... Be mindful of your fear. For it will rob you, and by extension 'us' of any chance of overcoming what awaits.... as for you, Sergei..." There is a moment's, before Rudick just sighs in disappointment and shook his head. Come what replies may, the rest of the journey is one the Orc intended to make in silence. He is as wary as any others, if not moreso by the mist, but kept a calm on the surface.

Only the tightening of his grip upon the warhammer gave away anything less than control and focus on signs more than frightful shapes in the mist. Shapes that seemed determined to gnaw at the nerves every step of the way. But eventually, they find their way to the tavern. Rudick unhesitatingly steps up first before Doru, and tries to places a firm gauntleted hand on the man's shoulder. "I will be blunt.... No. Your... son, slipped the noose. His abilities were... unexpected. Whatever bravery he had before departed when he became... what he is now. But know, all hope isn't lost. Not if I can help it... But for now, I would strongly suggest accompanying us to our next destination." With that, he looks to Ismark and Ireena.

Sergei doesn't quite meet Doru's eye, or the rest of them. He's embarrassed at how easily the young man / vampire got away.

Spitting a gobbet of blood to the floor, breathing heavily and visibly in pain, Skip faces the priest 

“If you won’t accompany us, I suggest moving out of the church. Your son has obviously been invited in to that place. So he can come and go as he pleases. If you wish to stay, go somewhere and do not invite him in, no matter the temptation”

Alev is visibly uncomfortable around the priest after they failed at the task. "I'm sorry..." He chirps. "It won't happen again."

Leann stands before the priest. "We were unprepared for the beast, but will not be the next time we face him." She informs the man. "From the way the mist acted, I believe this lesser vampire had aid from the greater vampire you all speak of. We will face both of them sooner or later."

At the news of his son's escape, an odd mixture of relief and worry comes across his face. When the party invites him to come with them, he sadly shakes his head and says, "My place is here. This church is one of the few things these people have." 

 Ireena and her brother exchange glances before she asks the party, "Shall we be going then?"

"...Yeah, I think we are done here." Alev answers after some hesitation, still thinking on the vampire.

Rudick nodded sharply, respecting the priest decision. Then, he glanced over to Skip. While he did not know was exchanged between priest and rogue considering the promise made at the end, the Orc trusted the latter had a hand in the former's bravery, even if incidentally so. "It is your decision. And come what may, I wish you well." He then turns to Ireena and Ismark, and simply nods in agreement.

Ismark nods in agreement. He says to Doru, "May we meet again." He stands and leads everyone out of the inn and into the mist. He and Ireena lead the group along the lonely road that leads out of the dreary town. The cloying mist limits your vision to about a hundred feet before it obscures everything from your sight. Ireena mutters, "It's bad luck to start a journey in the mist."

As you leave the town of Barovia, the cobblestone under your feet quickly becomes muddy soil saturated with water. About half an hour into your travels, you hear the sky overhead rumble as a drizzle of cold rain begins to fall. Soon, that drizzle becomes a full downpour that lasts the rest of the day and well into the night. The sky crackles angrily with flashes of lightning and roads of thunder. Despite the storm, there is very little wind blowing throughout. The rain does clear out much of the mist, but it still clings faintly to the ground as you journey on.

About an hour after you left, you come to a stone bridge that that extends across a raging river that stretches nearly 600 feet across. The dark stone is slick with moisture as you cross. The sound of rapids drown out everything else as you cross.

((Before we move to the next segment, feel free to rp and interact with each other if you want.))

Leann trudges along at the end of the group, demoralized by her failure with the lesser vampire they let escape. She views the rain as a penance for her failure, so walks with head up, accepting the discomfort.

"...I hope it's not true." Alev says, and he takes a moment to shake off the water before continuing. "The whole 'bad luck to start a journey in the mist' thing, I mean. After what happened, I could do with some good luck for a change."

Rudick snorts. "Good or Bad, the choice is hardly ours. We will make do, and we will adapt." He responded flatly. As if to challenge his words but moments later, on came the drizzle that soon turned into a full on downpour, souring the Orc's mood. Yet, trudged on he did with every intent to continue on in silence, and with his shield as a makeshift umbrella. 'At least its not that windy' He thought. The one small favor the dreadful heavens of the place granted them.

After a little over a half an hour, a thought eventually drifts into mind that has him giving Leann a sidelong look. "You said before that you were a paladin of Torm, right? If so, might you mend Skip's wounds a bit. We left in such a hurry that I had forgotten to consider them proper."

Sergei asks the locals,

“ what is the name of this river?“

"I can do that." Leann confirms. She moves over to Skip, then, laying one hand on his shoulder, sends healing light flowing into his body. (OOC: 10 HP of healing.)

Trudging along, feeling the weight of the downpour, his sodden cloak and armour, the pin of his wounds, Skip manages a wan smile at Rudick as he suggests healing him to Leann. He gives a nod of thanks as he feels the warmth pass through his body, healing the wounds

Alev tilts his head as Rudick suggests that Skip gets healed. The gnome was technically his "friend" and he had completely forgotten about it. "You know, for an orc, you are a very good person..." He comments. "No offense, but I thought that orcs were supposed to be bloodthirsty savages."

He chuckles. "Then again, what do I know?" He thinks aloud. "I suppose that I'm not a normal Aarakocra myself. From what little I have hear of them, they are supposed to be these wise hermits who live on the mountains. They sound like some silly fairy tale."