2. Welcome to Borovia

[Grognardsw]

Vorkath, dealing a successful blow to the wall, this time hacks the floorboards.

Extra flagellations are in order for tonight.

http://www.unseenservant.com/default.as ... e&id=21957

[Computer +1]

Tumbler is locked in combat with the wolf. His hands shake with adrenaline as he takes another swipe with his hammer

[1d20] = 10
[1d4+1] = 3+1 = 4

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 4, 1221
Time: 12:05 AM — Combat Round 5
Weather: Foggy, overcast
Moon: Full
Location: The Burgomaster’s House
**************************************

The battle to fend off the wolves rages on as you and the wolves act simultaneously.

In the east wing, no one is able to inflict any damage. Vorkath continues his crusade against the house. A minute ago, he struck the walls. Now, the floor feels his wrath. The ceiling would flee if it had legs. The wolf’s mind is fogged by Vorkath’s protection aura and its teeth are useless against his gleaming armor. Ismark’s blade can’t pierce the wolf’s thick hide. Ireena helps Vorkath’s new cause by burying her sword deep into the opened door.

In the parlor, the wolf nips Tumbler in the left arm (Tumbler: -3 HP) as the dwarf deftly feints to the left then strikes with a hammer blow to the huge black beast’s right flank. Tibbius spins around to the right to attack the wolf from behind, but he spins so fast that he loses his balance. The creature takes advantage, turning and biting the mage in his neck. It misses the elf’s jugular by a hair! (Tibbius: -4 HP)

The team of Iluq and Robert finish off the wolf they had so badly beaten a minute ago. The wolf feebly tries to bite Iluq, but it is woozy from blood loss and its strength is gone. One swing of the scimitar and a hammer blow, and the huge hairy thing falls lifelessly to the ground with a “thump.”

Next to them in the entry hall, Agrippo’s spear tears deep into another wolf’s flesh as it tries to leap at him. The vicious beast stumbles, giving Agrippo an opportunity for another attack. Agrippo’s spear strikes right between the eyes, half a foot into the skull, striking it dead!

---

You hear a howl from outside the house. The bats swarm out of the house the way they came. The two surviving wolves stop their attacks. The wolf fighting Vorkath tries to leave, but it is caught in the hallway, surrounded by the paladin, Ireena, and Ismark. As it looks for a way to escape, Vorkath breaks off his argument with the house long enough to easily finish off the heavily wounded beast.

The one in the parlor leaps over Tibbius. It dashes around Agrippo, jumps over its dead cousins, and runs through the drawing room and dining room. As it escapes through the window, you hear a man's laughter fade into the distance.

---

Six shaggy black pony wolf things lie dead in the house. It is a little after midnight. The casters have slept, but after the combat they are in no condition to study or pray for spells without additional rest. Some of you are injured.

Two nights in a row, you have been harassed by attacks. Will tomorrow be the day you bring the attack to the Vampyr?

Initiative: Party [1d6] = 1 Wolves [1d6] = 1
Wolf: [1d20] = 8 [2d4] = 4
Wolf: [1d20] = 15 [2d4] = 3
Agrippo (Spear): [1d20+3] = 9+3 = 12 [1d8+5] = 5+5 = 10 Should be +2/+4
Wolf: [1d20-2] = 8-2 = 6 [2d4] = 5
Wolf: [1d20] = 14 [2d4] = 4 Counterattack to Tibbius’s critical miss
Ismark vs. Wolf: [1d20] = 9 [1d6] = 6
Ireena vs. Wolf: [1d20] = 1 [1d6] = 5 Critical miss—but the wolf doesn’t counterattack.
Agrippo (Spear): [1d20+2] = 12+2 = 14 [1d8+4] = 2+4 = 6
Wolves flee round:
Initiative: Party [1d6] = 1 Wolves [1d6] = 5
Vorkath: [1d20+1] = 18+1 = 19 [2d4+1] = 5+1 = 6 Rolled this for you to expedite the end of the combat.

Status: Robert: 36/37, Iluq: 39/39, Vokath: 40/40, Repentance: 23/23, Tibbius: 12/22, Randolph: 4/4, Tumbler: 24/39, Agrippo: 46/52

[NJWilliam]

Iluq

Iluq drops to his knees leaning on his hammers and looking more closely at the nearest dead wolf.
"Comrades, I have no healing spells left at this point."

[Eulalios]

"So ... really, what in dead gods' names is the point of this? Are we mere entertainment for the blood-drinker? A means to cull the weaker wolves of his pack?"

[Zhym]

Ismark, returning to the main hall after the battle, responds to the elf's question.

"This makes no sense," he agrees. "If the devil wants us dead, he has worse things than overgrown wolves at his command, and in greater numbers. All manner of foul things roam this land at night, and he rules over them all." He shakes his head and frowns.

"Perhaps he's studying your tactics," he suggests. "Or softening you up before your assault on the castle. Maybe he just doesn't want you to get a decent night's sleep. Or maybe you're right, and this is how entertains himself. But Strahd did not toy with the adventurers that came before. He wants something from you. This must be part of his plan to get it."

[Grognardsw]

"Hhmm, good bones this house," mutters Vorkath, removing pieces of plaster and wood from Excommunicator's blade before sheathing the holy sword. "I will donate part of any treasure found in Strahd's castle to the repair of your family house."

To Ismark's comments, the paladin says: "Whatever Strahd's goals may be, killing him alone is enough motivation for me. His kind cannot be tolerated in this world!"

"Gather round comrades! Who needs divine healing? Tibby, you seem bloodied." The Guardian of the Truth lays hands on him (14 HP) while intoning: "Let the power and spirit of The True God almighty heal your wounds! Believe! Praise! I say it again! Rise Tibbius, rejuvinated with the Power of the Lord! So says his humble servant Vorkath Tsaridian!"

[Eulalios]

Tibbius (warm glowy 22/22)

"Oh ... I'd barely gotten used to my dangling finger, and already it's fixed. Thank your God for me, Guardian - would you please?

But I wonder, what was Strahd's motive for calling us here? Has he e'er invited any others to slay him? Or to your house, Ismark?"

[Computer +1]

Tumbler shambles over to the group. So if we have to do this every night then I vote we go kill the vampire.

[Stirling]

Agrippo will check on Snowflake and the other ponies. Then he'll find a sofa to rest on and pretend to snore his way through the last hours of the dawn. Occassionally, he will roll on the sofa cuddling himself and whispering, "stay close to me Ireena and I'll keep you safe" in a barbarian mimiced voice.

Agrippo will be castle ready by the morning.

[Grognardsw]

Tibbius

"Oh ... I'd barely gotten used to my dangling finger, and already it's fixed. Thank your God for me, Guardian - would you please?""

"Good Tibbius, you can thank Him yourself!" exclaims the Vorkath the Missionary. "Come, kneel with me, pray, reflect on the wonders of His word, the wisdom of His faith, the goodness of His soul, the brilliance of His countenance, the power of His spirit... Tibbius... Tibbius...? Ah yes, of course, you must sleep and recover for tomorrow's vanquishing of Evil."

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 4, 1221
Time: 12:10 AM
Weather: Foggy, overcast
Moon: Full
Location: The Burgomaster’s House
**************************************

Tibbius continues to ponder Strahd’s motives. The master of the arcane inquires of Ismark, “Has he e'er invited any others to slay him? Or to your house?”

“No,” answers the Burgomaster’s son. “The others came uninvited, as far as I know. But Strahd is said to be centuries old and I have seen but a score of years. Who knows what happened before my time? Anyway, no adventurers but yourselves have happened by since Ireena was bitten. Even if they had, most adventurers go straight to the castle. They take little interest in us or our the town except as a brief detour to stock up on beer, information, and supplies.”

Vorkath is uninterested in the Count’s goals. “Killing him alone is enough motivation for me,” declares the paladin of the True God. He heals Tibbius’s body, then the evangelistic warrior attempts to heal the elf’s soul.

Agrippo checks on the ponies and finds them all intact, if spooked. He returns to the house and curls up on a sofa, taking the opportunity to make mock smoochie noises as he does.

Tumbler shambles over to the group. “If we have to do this every night then I vote we go kill the vampire,” he says.

Resolved to set out to the castle in the morning, you prepare to return to your rest for the night.

Please let me know if you plan to set a watch schedule, and what that schedule will be. Also, please tell me your spell lists for the new day. Please use the format from before. E.g.:

Robert (6/6/4/1): (1) Animal Friendship, Entangle, Faerie Fire, Invisibility to Animals, Shillelagh, Speak w/Animals; (2) Barkskin, Charm Person or Mammal, Flame Blade, Heat Metal, Obscurement, Produce Flame; (3) Call Lightning, Hold Animal, Pyrotechnics, Summon Insects; (4) Animal Summoning I

Status: Robert: 36/37, Iluq: 39/39, Vokath: 40/40, Repentance: 23/23, Tibbius: 22/22, Randolph: 4/4, Tumbler: 24/39, Agrippo: 46/52

[Bouv]

Robert muses to himself for a moment, "Perhaps Stahd attracts adventureres and others here for his food? What good would it do a vampire, ruler or not, to kill off all of those who live under him? He maybe a vampire, but I suspect Strahd still has the ruler's blood in him and wants to rule people. So invite adventurers in and they are his supply. However, it seems we might have a chance to break that cycle."

[Computer +1]

Tumbler does not like the idea of being someones dinner. Look, all we have been hearing about is adventurer after adventurer who ends up dead by this guy. What are we going to do different to avoid being his lunch? I mean fighting wolves is one thing, a vampire is something else. Only Vorkath seems to have the mojo to keep most of the craziness at bay. The rest of us are in a bit more shit. His face reddens I ain't saying I'm scared but we gotta be smart is all!

[Grognardsw]

Vorkath, Mojo of the True God

"Aye, Tumbler. We will need to fight with brawn and brain," says the paladin. "Though I am skeptical of gypsy prophesies, perhaps her words about the sword of light, medallion and other things may be worth considering more closely."

Vorkath considers the other injured party members. "It would be best if we started tomorrow's quest at our fullest strength. Do we have any healing spells or potions? Ismark, do your family treasures perhaps contain healing potions?"

Then the Faith Hunter ponders aloud an idea: "Strahd values Ireena. His minions avoided attacking her. She is capable with steel. Perhaps we bring her? She is unlikely to be attacked and may serve a strategic purpose for us."

[Eulalios]

Tibbius, half asleep, chuckles before finally closing his eyes. Just don't really *get* that "elven trance" stuff ...

[NJWilliam]

Iluq

Iluq gets back to sleep and then prayer for his spells that will no doubt be needed in the pursuit of Strahd.

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 4, 1221
Time: 12:15 AM
Weather: Rain, overcast
Moon: Full
Location: The Burgomaster’s House
**************************************

Iluq and Tibbius turn in for the night, crawling over dead wolves to get to their rooms. Agrippo, in the parlor, is already snoring.

Vorkath, Tumbler, and Robert continue to ponder their strategy and the Vampyr’s motives. Robert suggests that Strahd attracts adventurers as food. He must tire of having villager for dinner day in and day out. Maybe he brings in the occasional adventurer for a taste of something different?

Tumbler doesn’t like the idea of being someone’s dinner. “What are we going to do different to avoid being his lunch?” he asks.

“Though I am skeptical of gypsy prophesies,” replies Vorkath, “perhaps her words about the sword of light, medallion and other things may be worth considering more closely." He asks Ismark if he has any healing potions, but such treasures do not last long unused in a place such as this.

The Faith Hunter also suggests that there might be strategic value in bringing Ireena along. Ireena steps into the room as he says this. “I was going to insist on going with you,” she says. “This home obviously offers no protection, and I want to see the devil destroyed.”

Ismark, with help from those of you still awake, drags the wolf carcasses into the dining room, where he shoves them through the open window. You help him board the window up again, wondering as you do why you bother if the wolves seem able to break through the defenses anyway.

When the wolves have been evacuated and the window is again barricaded, the rest of you turn in for the night.

---

You wake without further incident to the sound of a soft drizzling rain pattering against the walls and roof of the manse. Ireena emerges from her room wearing a sword and chain mail shirt. Ismark serves you a breakfast of bread, cheese, honey, beans, and fried meat.

Tibbius removes himself to the library and begins his studies for the day. Iluq and Robert begin prayers and meditations for their spells.

While the casters do their thing, Vorkath returns to the church to ask if Father Donavich has any holy water or healing potions he can share with the party. Alas, he, too, has none available. He tells the paladin that three clerics are needed to create holy water, and he's been the only one in town for years. Vorkath goes back to the house empty-handed.

It takes Robert only half an hour to refresh his two spells. Tibbius emerges fifteen minutes after that. An hour and a half later, Iluq finishes his prayers.

It is 11:00. A date with the Vampyr awaits!

I'm assuming that since no one updated his spell list, you want the same spells as yesterday. If that's incorrect, please let me know your new spell list with your next post and I'll update the time it took to learn the day's the spells.

Status: Robert: 36/37, Iluq: 39/39, Vokath: 40/40, Repentance: 23/23, Tibbius: 22/22, Randolph: 4/4, Tumbler: 24/39, Agrippo: 46/52

[Eulalios]

Immediately on rising, Tibbius sought out Iluq and Robert to coordinate their mystical efforts. "Would it possibly be helpful to cast both silence and darkness upon a talisman, just before entering, then use locate object to guide us to Strahd's pendant? We would need Ireena to draw it for us, maybe. On meeting the vampire, I could dump a bag of my elven sand in order to cancel the darkness. Or, perhaps, this is whimsical."

[NJWilliam]

Iluq

"Locate Object certainly seems to be something we should have ready. I am not clear on the tactic you propose with the darkness and silence, would it not blind some of us and stifle our own casting?"

With Tibbius's suggestion, Iluq will pray for slightly different spells, but first needs to clear up the darkness and silence bit.