Expedition to Castle Ravenloft [IC Thread]

[expirement10K14]

With the dying of daylight, a fog creeps across the land, clutching everything in it's clammy grasp. Inside the Weary Horse Inn, though, the fire is warm enough, and if the few patrons are sullen and stare at you a little boldly, at least the food and drink are good.
For an inn's common room, it's quiet. It holds no more than a handful of customers. They keep their voices low, and even the clink of their mugs seems subdued as the fog gathers outside. When the door wings open, every head turns to see who has arrived.
This new arrival loudly stamps the mud off his boots in the doorway, then strides confidently over, throwing a letter down on the table in front of you.
"The village of Barovia is in need of heroes," he says in a thick accent. "You'll do as well as any." Without another word, he turns as if to leave.

Letter

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Hail to thee of might and valor:

I, a lowly servant of the township of Barovia, send honor to thee. We plead for thy so desperately needed assistance within our community.
The legions of Hell itself are at our gates! The dead rise up from their graves and seek to drag us down with them! Not content to slaughter us in our homes, they spread the taint of their horrible curse, so that those they kill join their numbers!
There is much wealth in this community. I offer all that might be had to thee and they fellows if thou shalt but answer my desperate plea.
Come quickly, for our time is at hand! All that I have shall be thine!

Kolyan Indirovich,
Burgomaster of Barovia

[Steward]

Gavan

Gavan peers at the letter from behind his piping-hot mug of brackish water. Seems abrupt for a village in need, Gavan thinks to himself as the messenger turns as if to leave. Compared to the man's abrupt manner, the letter seems almost nauseatingly supplicating, full of "thees" and "thines" and references to "lowly" people in some lowly village under threat. At least he's quick to get to the point...

"It looks like we have no choice, mates." Gavan declares as he sets the mug down, looking around. "Walking dead, murder and mayhem... Sounds like our cuppa, don't you think?"

[AtS]

Lej Graqknar

Lej cracks a chicken bone between his teeth and returns a glare to a patron sitting in the shadows. His ravenous hunger having made short work of the meal presented to him, he'd spent the last few minutes gnawing on what was left of the poultry and just generally looking surly. He wasn't happy about being indoors, but if this is where his saviors wanted to be, this is where Lej would go. Still, he wasn't one to hide his concerns. "Me bored," he growls. "What dat guy want? Sumfin' fun?"

He picks up the letter in the center of the table, gives it a sniff, and throws it back down with a scowl.

[Sissyphus]

Elijah
I raise my glass and sip the local beer, choking down a gag reflex. And I thought Army beer was bad. Seeing the cloaked man leave in such a dismissive manner raises my hackles slightly and I scrutinize the letter carefully. Such excessive formality in the letter yet the messenger is so dismissive? Somethings odd. I think, though experience tells me my paranoia is more intense then that of my companions... perhaps it's an occupational hazard of my former line of work. "Hmm, this message asks us to head to Barovia, a lace we've already been contracted to visit. I'd say it's odd that they picked a band of adventurers already headed to their town, don't you? Other than that I guess this means we should be on our guard-- the letter references the terrors of the infernal pit, something we weren't contracted to deal with originally. I say, looking out to catch the eyes of my traveling companions. Idly I flip a gold coin back and forth through my fingers and wonder could they possibly have a worse beer?

[JettWilderbeast]

Jessie
Jessie, watching the fireplace crackle, sets down her mug which seems comically large in her small hands and smiles at her companions: Well my good friends, it looks like we're needed again! Though I don't whether I'd call us heroes! She laughs slightly too loudly for the quiet inn before adding: Undead and carnage?! We are going right?

[Sissyphus]

Elijah
"Bah, whether we heed the message or not we're heading off to Barovia so I'd say we ought to head of to our rooms for now-- no point in starting the journey sleep deprived is there? Besides, this swill isn't the greatest thing to sit around drinking anyways."

[AtS]

"Lej not tired yet," he grunts at Elijah. "But if you guys want go to sleep, me go to sleep."

[JettWilderbeast]

Jessie

Jessie, taking her cue from other members of the room, stands up yawning and stretches as high as a halfling can: Sorry guys, I'm going to hit the hay. Tomorrow will bring some fun I think!
With that Jessie plods off to her bed.

[expirement10K14]

At sun rise the next morning you are all awaken by a loud crash from below you and some loud voices. After a short period of silence a door slams, after which you can just barely make out hushed voices from below.

Creaking noises alerts you that someone is walking upstairs. A knock on the door is followed by an angered man's voice.

"Get up, and get out unless you pay for another night."

[Steward]

Gavan

Some nights go by faster than others, the Paladin thinks to himself as the pounding on the door wakes him up from his sleepy reverie.

Wincing, he pulls his travelling cloak over his nightclothes to answer the door. "That's quite all right, my good fellow. I don't think that any of us plan to linger another night."

[JettWilderbeast]

Jessie
Jessie, wary of early morning visitors, jumps up putting her pack on and silently makes her checks ready to go, she looks at the others and nods, knowing this could end nastily.

[AtS]

Lej had woken up much earlier that morning, and after his morning ritual of shaping his incarnum soulmelds, he had spent the rest of the morning hours on the roof of the inn, enjoying the sunrise and warm sunlight.

He greets the party as they exit the inn. "D'you all sleep good?" he asks with a grimacing smile.

[Gorgondantess]

Brandon tosses a sliver piece to the rude man.
"Easy now, my friend, we'll all be out of here soon enough."
He smiles warmly, infectiously, and sends him on his way.
He puts on his minimalist garb- some loose pants, boots, heavy gauntlets over his massive fists, and a girdle- and motions to the others.
"Well then, off to Barovia I suppose?"

[Sissyphus]

Elijah
"Indeed, we may as well off to the village-- we're not paid by the hour but by the job so lets get a move on it."


---- assuming that no one dissents we leave the inn and start traveling -----

[JettWilderbeast]

Jessie
As Jessie steps outside into the morning sun she takes a deep breath of morning air and looks sheepisly at her team mates: So then, you'll know I'm terrible with direction, so I'm going to go this way! Jessie points indiscriminately down the road to her left, Please do correct me if I'm wrong, I'm just quite excited for all this fun to be had! With that Jessie starts walking at a rather non-chalant speed whilst whistling a vague tune.

[Steward]

Gavan

Gavan watches Jessie take off sprightly in a seemingly random direction. "I rather suspect that Barovia might be in a specific place, and not just anywhere at all." Gavan points out philosophically. "I don't suppose any of the rest of you chaps know which way on from here?"

[expirement10K14]

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This probably could have helped before

Outside of the Inn the road goes off to the north and south. The Southern route leads back towards a large city, while the northern path leads through farmlands to a mountain range visible in the distance.

[JettWilderbeast]

Jessie
Jessie, hearing Gavan's musings decides to take stock of the situation, she wanders back to the group still whistling her vague tune. When she reaches them she ponders aloud: So, uhh how far is Bavoria anyway? If we can't see it can we walk it? Maybe heading to a city we might be able to hire or borrow without permission a wagon or horses? I'd take a pony though, I'm a little small!

[Steward]

Gavan

"There shall be no stealing, I'm afraid." Gavan remarks. "However, I did bring funds to hire a caravan or some horses. I believe we can find a large city southwards of here." He turns around. "Let us make haste then; the walking dead shan't wait for us forever."

[JettWilderbeast]

Jessie

The halfling blinks widely as if she's accidentally let slip a huge secret: Umm of course not, I uhh only meant perhaps the uhh.... price would be a steal! Ha! Of course yes! Well then, to adventure!

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Providing no ome objects I think we'll all head south

[expirement10K14]

As the sun sets you can see the gates of the city about a half mile away, and the gates are drawn closed. As you get closer you are confronted by two archers nested atop the large, stone gates about thirty feet above the ground.

"Turn back now or we will be forced to fire," one barks at you.

The other visibly sighs and takes his turn to speak. "Shut up Pak." He turns to the group before adding, "I'm sorry that we can not permit entry until the morning, the city closes its gates at night because of the recent undead sightings. And I apologize for Pak's rudeness."

[Steward]

Gavan

The paladin clasps his hands together and inclines his head respectfully towards the stone gate. "Your gallantry in not perforating us with your arrows is most appreciated, my lords," He says, smiling up at the two archers. "Er..." He pauses. "Did you say that you've seen undead? Here?

They must have spread beyond Barovia, or perhaps to Barovia, from here.

[AtS]

"Lej not undead! the Half-Orc grunts. "Lej a bleeder and a breather! Look!" He takes a bunch of deep breaths and puffs out his chest, and then pinches his forearm so hard that a stream of blood trickles down. He lifts it up for the guards to see.

"Me want go inside!" he bellows. "We walk all day, and not gonna stay out here all night! We gots work to do!" The enormous fellow crosses his arms and pouts like a child.

[JettWilderbeast]

Jessie

Jessie smiles at Lej, somehow he always hits the nail on the head, she shouts up to the guards: He's got a point you know!, Jessie then takes to keeping an eye for trouble....

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spot and listen checks
Spot: (1d20+3)[19]
Listen: (1d20+9)[23]

[expirement10K14]

Jesse does not notice any immediate dangers, only seeing the archers atop the gate walls and hearing the faint sounds of the city's night life.

The gaurd answers Gavan's question with a bit of fear in his voice. "We have not yet seen undead, but a few of the Town's to the north have been attacked, and we can never be too cautious. They spoke of some people still fine after the attack, only to rise as zombies on the next night."

[Steward]

Gavan

Gavan tries to smile reassuringly. "You need have no fear of us. I am a Paladin, sanctified by God and proofed against unlife's evil magic. In fact, my colleagues and I are on the path to a town called Barovia, so that we may exterminate the undead presence and bring light to the darkness." He announces. "I have a proposition to make. With my colleagues' assent, I will use my divine powers to scan our souls for the taint of unlife. This should serve as proof that we have not been infected, even inadvertently, and that we mean you no harm."

[Sissyphus]

Elijah
"It appears they don't really want to let us in, I don't know about the rest of you but I'd just as soon get on with our mission." I mutter to my companions, then in a voice pitched much louder I call out, "Heya, Guard, Which way is it to Barovia? If you can answer the question we might be out of your hair faster."