"Who took her?" Leann asks. She frowns around at the mess and clear signs of some sort of struggle.

Given that the woman sounds like a living human being in need of help and not the hungry monster he was fearing to find, Alev sighs with relief. "Who's this Gertruda, lady, and who took her? We are here to help, please tell us." He asks.

Sergei is content to let the others talk to the crying lady, while he scans the room for magical auras. It's odd that she won't turn and look at us....

Although tempted, Rudick wisely chose not to circle around the woman, and even stepped back a ways to let the speakers take the forefront. Having not set down his burdened, he didn't dare further stress her with the more than upsetting appearance of Lucan at the morning. Who speaking of the Orc looked over to see if the man yet still even breathed at the moment...

She turns while seating and looks up with bleary features, "The Devil Strahd took her a few months ago, my sweet Gertruda." She looks down at the doll she is cradling, and more tears slide from her cheeks. The doll is a stuffed toy girl, but it holds a knife-shaped piece of leather in on hand. You can see a red slash across its thoat, and the knife is red as well. Across its stomach, it reads, "Is no Fun, Is no Blinksy!" in stitched letters. A small smile comes across the woman's face as she says, " This was her favorite doll." Her smile fades as she begins to win once again.

Looking around, you see the ambient necromantic energy pervading everything you see. You smell traces of evocation in the air that probably came from the scorch marks on the front of the house. You feel 5 sources of necromantic energy about 20 feet through one of the side walls. You think they are coming from the house next door, and you can feel several of them moving around slowly. You can see a shroud of necromancy hovering over Lucan.

Rudick, Lucan still breathes, but just barely.

Sergei says,

”The Devil Strahd? Isn’t he the fellow who wrote that mean note in the other house? He didn’t use devil as an eponym though - does the lady call him that as a sort of slur?”

He also relates the necromantic auras to the group. 

“We should be extra-cautious about entering any more houses in this place.”

Moving to the front of the group to take in the crying lady, and seeing the doll, Skip asks

”I’m sorry my lady. But why did he take her? And where to?”

Letting others do further talking, Alev nods to Sergei as he takes a few steps back and beckons him closer to speak aside with him for a second. "It could be a slur, yes, but could it be that this Strahd dude is really a devil? With all the creepy things we have found so far, it wouldn't be out of place, and the letter did mentioned something about a sacrifice... This Gertruda girl could be in a bigger danger than we might be able to deal with right now." He says to him in a hushed, quiet voice.

Leaving that aside for the moment, he asks. "What was that about the other houses? What did you see?"

"If you know where she was taken, we will do what we can to help her." Leann says to the woman. Leann leans against a wall, clearly feeling the weight of her armor with how long they have been going. She glances to her companions. "We need to find a place to rest. I think we should find an inn or other such place here, to stay at the night."

 Rudick shook his head. "More likely foisted on title than name. Least then you can just call that one -- Devil, and still-..." Rudick trails off from there, holding his head for a few moments. "... Leann is right. Though, I would feel better still if we can get to that church, and see to Lucan's rest. Whatever's... happened to him is keeping him in between states." He looks to the woman. "And I doubt we'll be convincing this one to come with, even if for her own safety. Best we can do is after we're rested, perhaps we can see to finding this Gertrude. But first the Inn, if only so that we know its location."

(@DM: Her face is bleary as in from tears or bleary as even up close its hard to make out features?)

((Her face is bleary from tears, eyes puffed up and red, etc...))

She buries her head in her hands and cries out, "Why else would he take her? He will drain the life from her and make her a slave! " Slumps to the ground and fries incoherently. Any further attempt to talk to her draws more tears. You can barely hear her saying, "Leave me," between sobs.

"We will do what we can." Leann says, then nods to the others. She will move towards the exit to the house, waving the others to join her. "Anyone know where the church is?" She asks at the road outside. "I agree, we should stop there first, then find the inn afterwards."

“Considerin’ the spooky mist, the house of horrors, and from what Sergei says, more horror houses, we may be better off sleepin’ in the church. Hallowed ground an’ all that?”

"Anywhere would be fine, I'm tired." Alev retorts."If there happens to be no inns on this godforsaken town, I'll just find a roof to sleep on."

Then, as if accentuating his words, he yawns.

In answer to Leann, the Orc merely looks to his fellow cleric among them, having recalled him mentioning knowing of at least one place. His expectancy went further though, as he would wait for the man to take point or look confused, before sighing and asking plainly for him to lead them in that direction. And if they happen to spy an inn or tavern along the way first, then it is with grudging acceptance the Orc alters plans.

At least in such a way as to suggest the others step inside and secure a room or two. He would however remain inside and wait.

Tomm says, "The Inn is on the way to the tavern."

 He leads you out into the streets to the largest building in the center of town. A single shaft of light thrusts illumination into the main square of the town, it's brightness looking like a solid pillar in the fog. Above the gaping doorway, a sign hangs precariously askew, proclaiming this to be the Blood on the Vine tavern. The tavern building is about 60' square. Close inspection of the sign reveals that it originally read "Blood of the Vine." And "n" has been scratched over with the "f." This once finally appointed tavern has grown shoddy over the years. You can make out a blazing fire in the hearth through the window gives scant warmth to the few huddled souls inside.

If  the party instead wishes to go to the church instead, make a DC constitution saving throw of 10 or higher. If you fail, you gain one level of exhaustion due to being tired. Read the following:

You make your way to the church at the edge of town. A few hundred feet beyond that, you see a huge stone pillar embedded in a mountain extends high into the clouds. On top a slight rise, against the roots of the pillar stone that supports castle ravenloft, stands a gray, sagging edifice of stone and would cop. Atop a slight rise, against the roots of the pillar stone that supports Castle Ravenloft, stands a gray, sagging edifice of stone and wood. This church has obviously weathered the assaults of evil for centuries on end and is worn and wary. A bell tower rises toward the back, and flickering light shines through holes in the shingled roof. The rafters strain feebly against their load. The heavy wooden doors of the church just beyond a low metal fence are covered in claw marks and are scarred for fire.

Tired as he is, Sergei feels that Lucan's problem needs to be solved before they can rest. Onward to the church!

con save: 12

Rudick still seems at least somewhat torn. But with Sergei and at least one other to back the play, and put the suffering Lucan to rest, he would break the tie by motioning for Tomm to lead the way to the church.

If they do make it there, and Rudick sees the state of the doors themselves, he can only bow his head and sigh fromt he sight. "Of course..why should anything different be expected." He would growl lowly under his breath, then shake his head. "Nonetheless, these grounds will do. Let's find an open spot and shovel, and be done with this swiftly."

In the event however the group heads to the inn, the Orc is true to his word, even if perhaps unspoken, and would remain outside; mumbling just loud enough for the others, "See to room arrangements" before getting comfortable seated outside.

Con Save(DC 10): 16.

With the adrenaline he felt during the whole haunted house experience gone, Alev looks like he's going to fall asleep on the ground any second now, but because he's so tired he is just sheepishly following around the party. If the party decides to go to the church first, he'll follow without saying a word.

Con save: 13

Constitution save 14

physically and mentally taxed, Skip manages to keep himself awake to get to the church. Seeing the light peeking through th holes, and the damage to the doors, Skip steps to the front of the party 

“Wait, let me go check it out first, make sure it’s safe“

stealth 22
flicking his hood up and doing his best to meld with the shadows, skip wills his mage hand to life, and guides it to open the door, allowing him to peer through

perception 22