TOPIC: Meet at the Inn

(For what it's worth--Strahd took 10 points of Deadbane damage and three from the SRoEC. )

(Made reflex save, RoE.)


Kryndal picks himself up and dusts himself off. "Is everyone in one piece? If so, I want to check the church to make sure all is well there. If so, I think we owe the gypsy camp a visit."

"Hmm?" Lexan suddenly looks up from the door, confused, "What happened to the vampire? And the girl?"

"I agree with Friend Kryndal," he adds, "We should go to the gypsy camp."

I stand up and leave the burning building, brushing some soot off of my clothes. "I'm alright," I say to the party. (I made my save with RoIE, so no damage.) "I'm sorry I wasn't much help there," I apologize. "Although I doubt I could have brought serious harm to him anyway. And I also agree that the gypsy camp may hold some answers for us."

(Reflex 10 + roll 4, RoE for no damage)

"Perhaps surviving our encounter with Strahd will enhance our reputation with the gypsies. Let's gather our new 'friends' and go."

(reflex save 14+15 save, no damage with SRoEC--20 pts dead bane from two strikes w/mithral weapons to vampire + 3 pts eldritch from ring + 18 pts sword damage)

I yank my dancing sword from the table (23 strength).

"We hit him hard. He'll remember. I agree Delmar. I think we surprised him. He won't face us on our ground again. He'll choose the place. He must have changed form to escape, and he must have polymorphed the girl too somehow. I think whenever he is in danger of defeat, he'll flee in like manner. We need to think of a way to keep him around long enough to slay him. Kryndal and Lexan, I agree. I think the gypsies must have a key of some sort."

(rolled a 15, plus I know I have some bonuses I don't remember - with RoE, no damage)

"Is everyone accounted for?" Breon asks. "Strahd has powerful magicks - we must prevent him from casting spells the next time we meet."

(Is the house salvageable? If so, I think we should help Ismark douse the flames - if not, I head for the door - I dodged the fireball, but I am not immune to fire!)"

"Thanks Widseth," I say as we head for the door. "I know I keep saying I have seen his kind before. It is the reason I became a Paladin and haunts me to this day."

"Barkley was not even part of the order back then and I was a novice in training to become a priest. My sister Marybeth had entered the order a few years before me. Marybeth became distant over a period of time and I put it down to her delving deeper into her training. Then, little things seemed off. I do not know what possessed me to cast a detect evil on my own sister but one day I did."

A far away, haunted look enters Delmar's eyes. "She had the mark of evil upon her. I loved my sister but this confused me. Never had I seen any evil in her actions. Truth be told, I still had yet to see anything in her actions."

Tears start to run down Delmar's face unnoticed as he continues. "I will not go into details here but a minor creature of the type we chase now had her in it's grasp. I was too late to save her. I had too.." a catch enters his voice, too.. kill them both."

The tears stop and you can visibly see a resolve of steel entering Delmar's being. "Nothing will stop me from eliminating the evil incarnate that is Strahd."

I walk over to Delmar and attempt to cheer the up the old paladin a little. "I'm sorry to hear about your sister," I say. "We'll find Ireena though. She won't meet the same fate."

(OOC - I realized I couldn't have been wearing my RoE - I have been assuming I was wearing my RoW and RoF. I made the saving throw, so that means I took ten points of damage).

Breon staggers to his feet. "I'm not as nimble as I thought. I was able to avoid the worst of Strahd's spell, but not entirely. He is a powerful mage - next time we'll have to keep him distracted."

(Do we all have charms of Synergy? I do have Wil's Dragonheart charm.)

(I took 9 damage from the fireball bringing total damage take to 10/48 Brian, no CoSynergy on me)

"I think we should head right to his castle, but I will follow the group." Cram dusts himself off, ans sighs as he checks his pouch.

"That is a sad tale, Delmar. I thank you for your sacrifices." The barbarian nods solemnly at Delmar. "Breon, next time, my steel will distract him. And, he does not know my strength yet."

Pulling himself together, the sardonic smile comes back to Delmar's face. "Thanks Adeya, Cram. Fricassee of vampire is on the menu for today."

With that you all set to the task of extinguishing what remains of the burgomasters house and accompany Ismark back to the church to wait out the night. Sleep is in short supply but as brother Donavich continues his Vidal you do manage some (caster can assume there spells will reset after resting so it would be a good time to heal up the party) and when dawn finally breaks bringing a warmer hue to the mists of borovia Ismark is already hard at work preparing the horses.

“So then friends, what’s it to be the gypsy camp or the castle and what shale we do with them” Ismark asks when the preparations are complete.