NEW CAMPAIGN - RAVENLOFT 1983

"Did you say you were here looking for something...?" He inquires.

Martha eyes him suspiciously, “Right... A Holy Symbol of Ravenkind. You know it?” Martha doesn’t like this guy... Whatever this “Morninglord” told him, he doesn’t understand redemption in the slightest.  To be honest, it’s starting to annoy her.

Kia snorts, which sounds odd coming from a cat. "Foolish man, your Lord, Strahd, does not desire a stitched shadow of his lost love, soft and gowned, but rather, he aches for the soul of his departed. This, creature," she points at Vasilka, "stands no better chance of fulfilling his ache than Zygfrek does, or that poor bat creature in the courtyard. Your efforts, all your efforts, all the lives and your very own soul have been wasted on these... abominations. Don't you see? You have damned them, and yourself, for naught."

She is quite convinced, as she always is, of the truth of her statements.

"Give us this holy symbol, that we may do what you have failed to do."

"So much ignorance from ones who are not even of this realm. How unfortunate. I see there is no convincing you of the motives of my actions, the understanding of what, and why, I have done what I have. You and I have the same goals, more or less, to either leave this realm, or provide Strahd with what he wants." the Abbot says, smiling, sadly.

"I do not know of this holy symbol you speak of, but you are free to explore the abbey at your leisure. Now be gone. I have much work to do with Vasilka. Come darling - your lesson continues."

At that moment he turns away and takes Vasilka in a loving embrace, and dances to the music.

"Oh, and Ireena!" He calls out. "Make sure you visit the pool in the village!"

Kia turns to Martha and Bors, teeth clenched. "This whole realm is mad, Martha, there is no redemption to be found here. Which way do we go, up, or down?"

Martha pats Kia on the shoulder, "One second." Martha turns to the Abbot,  "Abbot, mind answering a question? You been around here long? The burgomaster of Krezk actually mentioned you. He was how we knew about you. But what's really weird is that he didn't say you were a man. He used the word 'being.' Now, I don't usually go around calling members of the clergy 'beings' where I'm from. Any clue as to why that was?"

Grishkar takes whatever nearby seat is available with his undead posse in close proximity. He watches intently as the Abbot twirls with his creation, "Tell me, how is it you managed such a perfect animation? Further, how do you teach it greater dexterity and complexity of movements? I simply must know. You see, I serve a master outside of this realm with similar interests and his works would benefit greatly from your progress."

The Abbot chuckles. "Perhaps. There is no creature older than me in Barovia. I was drawn here when Saint Markovia died to the hands of Strahd. I'm here to restore the abbey to it's glory and listen to the wisdom of the Morninglord. With this bride, I hope to rid the land of this curse. Now, unless there's anything else, I would like to return to my work. And take this evil creature and his undead with you."

Martha frowns, “I see. Well, we’ll get out of your hair. Best of luck in your endeavors, we’ll keep an eye out for a wedding dress.” Martha says as she turns and begins walking toward Kia and Bors again. She calls over to the Abbot, “Any clue where children once cried around here? That’s supposed to be where we find the symbol.”

"Let's not debate who is evil in the room. I am a servant of the Despiser of Life, you twist people into a mockery of Life itself. Some argue which is worse, but we are not so different." Gishkar leans back in his seat, comfortable in debating the merits of good and evil.

Martha makes a gesture for the Abbot to ignore her... associate.

In celestial, Imryll says to the Abbot: "Look to a place where sickness and madness are bred. Where children once cried, the treasure lies still."

Back in common: "Make any sense to you, Abbot?"

“There used to be a nursery upstairs before I used all of the infants as experiments.”

The Abbot stops his lesson and walks towards Grishkar, stops to look him over, his creation a foot away. “Speaking of experiments, I could use many pieces of you..your friends wouldnt min i’m sure?”

(Religion check: 11)

Gishkar leans back comfortably, "You are welcome to try, though my pets would object. So let's see here: You are some avatar or divine being sent here like the rest of us, right? That much has been given. But who is this 'Morninglord'? I've never heard of him, but let's say that he's some being of light or something, right? So why would he insist on the killing of children and families? I can overlook threats against me, because some of this may be work I would gladly promote. However, you seem as righteously preachy as my travelling companions, so this is quite strange."

Martha stops in her tracks, looks to Kia, and nods at her claws almost as if to signify, “You wanna do it?”

At Imryll's Celestial phrase, Kia perks her ears up and gives the ranger an appraising look.

Again, Grishkar's motives irk her, but his questions are good ones. She ponders a second, not for the first time, either, the many shades of gray between them, but Martha snaps her out of it, if inadvertently. Kia gives a feline grin and flexes her claws, but ultimately turns to look up.

OOC > The stairs up, do they lead somewhere, or just to a balcony (as we might find in a classic European church, where the choir might sit). Would the nursery be upstairs here, or would we need to go to the other wing of the abbey, does she think?

In the rafters of the church, a raven overlooks the proceedings with strange curiosity. With a jerk, Grishkar snaps to his feet, coming close to the face of the Abbot, "You know, I didn't know what to think at first when I saw your creations, then I admired you for your little doll here. Now, I could care less if this place falls on your head. You're no paragon of hope, no servant of the Divine. You're a puppet to the master of this realm." Grishkar's minions close in tight around the pair. The necromancer leans in close to deliver a personal message.

After the Abbot addresses Irene, Briella move toward the woman and loops her arm around Irene's.

"I don't like the way he speaks about you and this Tataya. I'd feel better if you stayed close to me or one of the others for the time being. Is that alright with you dear?

The Abbot doesn't budge. "I answer to know one. Who is the pawn, then? I could destroy Strahd but he is linked to this land. You? You are insignificant, as are your opinions, and you try my patience."

He slowly turns to his creation. You feel your control over your zombie servants wane rapidly, as if someone else is taking control.

"Shall we make an example of this one, darling?"

She slowly turns to the Abbot.

"Can we, master?"

OOC: Hahahahaha, Crispy has learned the horrible power of irony

Martha walks up and puts her glaive between the Abbot and Grishkar, similar to how she did with Kia and the werewolf, “Now hold on. As much as I intensely dislike the necromancer, I can’t stand by and watch him be torn apart when I could stop it. I question why you would put your own daughter in harms way though. You couldn’t risk her destruction, could you? If you must fight, I propose a duel by champions. Your strongest versus ours. Let honor be settled without unneeded bloodshed.”