NEW CAMPAIGN - RAVENLOFT 1983

OOC: Preserve life won't help, Bors is above half total HP... He's good, still has 55 HP, can spend a hit dice at the next rest or deal with it when needed.

OOC: oh shit i forgot about that.pfftt.

Cure wounds then, at level 3. 14

Bors takes a look at the Holy Symbol and knows immediately Tempus would not approve. 

OOC:  That's IC speak for "can't use it, doesn't have turn undead/unholy, wrong oath."

Quote from ShyVideoGamer >>

OOC: oh shit i forgot about that.pfftt.

Cure wounds then, at level 3. 16

"I'll hold on to this. Don't worry it will be safe in my hands." Briella tucks the symbol away deep in her side pack, safe and sound.

Imryll wipes the placental goo off her face, but in the grand scheme of things, isn't really bothered by the rest of the ectoplasm coating her cloak.  Rather, it appears to add to the natural camouflage she always appears to be wearing.  The smell, on the other hand, she could do without.

"Well, THAT was fun!  I don't know about you guys, but I'd rather make haste and get outta this hell hole sooner rather than later."

She wipes off her blade on her cloak, and sheaths it back in its scabbard with a muffled schloop sound.  "Damn, that slime got EVERYWHERE...even inside my scabbard!"

Her trusty hand crossbow, however, remains locked and loaded, always at the ready.

OOC: That goo, of course, adds +20 to her stealth skillz, because it blends right in with this freak show environment...

(And all crossbows are subject to potential string breakage due to liquid saturation ;) )

Quote from Barlow >>

(And all crossbows are subject to potential string breakage due to liquid saturation ;) )

Quote from o_Merlin_o >>

Quote from Barlow >>

(And all crossbows are subject to potential string breakage due to liquid saturation ;) )

 OOC: Nah.  It's "lubrication"!  ;-)

Quote from o_Merlin_o >>

Quote from Barlow >>

(And all crossbows are subject to potential string breakage due to liquid saturation ;) )

 OOC: Nah.  It's "lubrication"!  ;-)

POOL OF THE MORNINGLORD

EARLY EVENING

Back towards the pool of the Morninglord, Ireena is on her knees in silent contemplation. Ezmerelda is off to the side, evidently scanning the abbey and the town below for anything else unusual.

Slowly, an image appears in its sparkling blue waters: a handsome youth of kind and noble visage. The sadness in his eyes turns to sudden joy. "Tatyana!" he says. "It has been so long! Come, my love. Let us be together at last!" Ireena gasps and puts a hand on her heart. For a moment, she is not herself, she shakes her head in confusion, then, after a moment, everything becomes clear. "My beloved Sergei! In life, you were a prince and a man of faith. We were to be married long ago! Has this blessed pool called your spirit to me?"

She reaches for the water's surface as a hand of water rises up to take hers.

OOC: I'm assuming we followed her there cause we all need a wash.

"Ireena, no!" Briella races forward, grabs Ireena by the waist and attempts to pull her away from the pool.

Ireena struggles, screaming in sadness the name of Sergei, but is pulled away from the pool, by Briella - Ezmerelda quickly joins in, startled by Ireena's change in personality - the watery hand sinking back into pool, and the image of Sergei, heartbroken with sorrow, disappears.

You all sit there for a moment, Ireena sobbing, choking on her tears.

Suddenly, a peal of thunder shakes the land, and the dark clouds coalesce into a terrible visage. A deep, dark voice from beyond the mountains cries out "SHE IS MINE!" A terrible crack resounds as blue lightning splits the sky and strikes the pool, obliterating it, and the gazebo.

A moment later, there is nothing but silence, and Ireena crying.

Briella hugs Ireena close to her as the gazebo and pool explode.

"Ireena, Ireena. Listen to me, love. It's okay. It's alright. Everything's alright now. This place is simply trying to play tricks on your mind, I need you to calm down dear." Briella says softly to Ireena, trying to free her from whatever has its hold on her. Briella herself is shaking from the sudden display of power.

OOC: I guess I should probably start taking calm emotions when I prepare my spells cause this is the second time I could have used it and I don't have it.

“Huh... I feel like we should’ve let her go.” Martha says as she observes the wreckage. “We miiight’ve just done Strahd a favor.”

Bors gets up from under the ruins of the gazebo which blasted him into the street and looks around, vision still blurred from the lightning strike.  He touches Martha on her ear to discharge the remaining static built up on him and waits quietly.

Ireena looks at you for a moment, at Ezmerelda, then back at you again, gathering her thoughts, her mind reeling, then fades to surrender and understanding. 

"So it's true, then." She whispers. "My soul is not my own. I am not Ireena, but..Tatyana..?" She struggles to comprehend it. "I have...I am...Tatyana's soul. That must have been why I know Sergei. Why he called me Tatyana. I...must be her? For a brief moment I understood everything."

"Thank you for saving me. From what...I don't know. This land is cursed, a living nightmare. If we really can destroy Strahd..we must try."

Ezmerelda looks around the destruction. "Come." she says, standing. "We should rest in the village and continue at dawn. Don't we have one more person to find in this horrible place? We're going to need all the allies we can get."

Martha pats him on the back in silent understanding. Once you’ve been in a death womb with someone, there are some things that can be said without words.

Briella gives Martha an unimpressed look, as much as she can with her arms currently full of a crying Ireena.

"You are all an interesting bunch, that's for sure." Ezmerelda mentions, a half-smirk crossing her face. She puts her hand on Ireena's shoulder for a moment. "Come, child. This nightmare will end soon." She looks at Briella with curiosity. "Animals in your pocket. You'll have to teach me that trick one day.."

Adjusting her tunic, she turns and heads to the village.

"Oh well it's not really a trick, you see." Briella puts her arm around Ireena and gently guides her toward the village.

"I have this bag that was given to me by my father when I left home to begin my training. It allows me to conjure around 3 animals a day, though I don't get a choice of who comes out. The bag saved my father's life several times when he was younger and more adventurous, and I suppose he thought it might do the same for me. I must say we are quite lucky that Celty was able to join us, had one of my smaller companions I'm not sure we would have gotten that wall down in time before some serious damage was done to the others." Briella continues to talk to Ezmerelda as they walk into the village.