TOPIC: Meet at the Inn

"Ismark, step away from the vampire if you can. You should have remained with the horses. If you are in his employ, you will die."

I step out (yet still behind the paladin) and ready a spell.

(OOC: Sorry its been a hectic few days, getting married in just under 3 weeks and still have a million things to get finalized XD)

Widseth wrote: (Here goes).

I step out from behind the crypt where I was spying on the figures. I start the lute to play. One sword beside me in the air and the other in hand.

"Strahd, I thought we had a deal. My sword for the girl. It must be the midnight hour by now, is it not? She should be here with you. Where is she? The sword is here."

Hearing this the vampire glances towards Ismark and smiles wickedly.

"I think you know the answer to that quite well master bard. Would you like to lead the way, no doubt dear Ireena will be most releaved to see her brother has come to fetch her from where I bade her wait whilst I lowered the bridge let him in. And who has since been sharing his most charming company with me while you were. Oh, yes, pardon, what was it you said you were doing down here with your fine blade?"

Brad Mortensen wrote: Barkley has the holy raven ready, awaiting a signal to unleash its daily power.

(ooc - I don't think Widseth's baffling action is quite what he's waiting for... )

Strahd makes no outward sign of having noticed the holy symbol but you can feel deep within your soul that this is false as he effortlessly moves to keep Ismark between you.

Widseth wrote: "Ismark, step away from the vampire if you can. You should have remained with the horses. If you are in his employ, you will die."

"I am not in his employ any more then you," Ismark mumbles as he steps away from Strahd. "Tell me is what he says true, have you found Ireena, will he truly allow us to take her?"

As Ismark staggers towards your group it does not take the skilled eye of a healer to see that something is wrong. You left him with the horses in good health only a few hour ago but since then eyes have become blood shot and tremors have begun to wrack his body under a sweet drenched tunic.


"Of course," Strahd interrupts pointing into the darkness, "I have laid her in my own crypt just there whole and intact. If she as you are my honored guest and you are both free to leave at any time you wish."

"Ismark! Quickly, to me!"

Delmar reaches out his hand and cries out.

"Pelor I know you are with me. I felt your presence." I reach out and take Ismark's hand. "I will not ask anything for myself but I ask that you give me the power to lift whatever curse is upon this man. Drive out the evil from his body and open his eyes to the truth. Bolster my companions with your strength and power so that we may make an end to this nightmare. I will pay whatever price there is willingly."

Delmar surrenders himself body and soul to the will of his God.

1d20 = 13 (unmodified)

"Ismark, there is no deception here as there is with the fiend Strahd. He turned your sister into his undead servant--a vampire. We slew her and set her spirit free. After we slay her master, we will do all we can to bring peace and rest to her. If possible we will do what we can to return life to her to replace the undead curse Strahd placed upon her."

(What is the distance between us?)

Widseth wrote: (What is the distance between us?)

Eight or nine feet at the outside.

Widseth wrote: "Ismark, there is no deception here as there is with the fiend Strahd. He turned your sister into his undead servant--a vampire. We slew her and set her spirit free. After we slay her master, we will do all we can to bring peace and rest to her. If possible we will do what we can to return life to her to replace the undead curse Strahd placed upon her."

"Your lying", Ismark stammers, tears beginning to well up in his eyes as he staggers towards you. "You must be lying, Ireena can't be dead. You were to save her. How can she be dead" he sobs as his body is over taken by a spasm of pain and he falls to his knees screaming incoherently.

"Of course they lie," Strahds voice whispers soothingly. "They lie because they are false, outsiders, betrayers, murderers. They do not know what is best for our lands or our people. Surrender to that knowledge Ismark and I promise you will be reunited with your beloved sister soon."

Ismark throws his head back in something that begins as a raw scream of hopeless grief and ends as an animal roar.

"Good," whispers Strahd from behind a self satisfied smirk.

cdsmith wrote: "Ismark! Quickly, to me!"

Delmar reaches out his hand and cries out.

"Pelor I know you are with me. I felt your presence." I reach out and take Ismark's hand. "I will not ask anything for myself but I ask that you give me the power to lift whatever curse is upon this man. Drive out the evil from his body and open his eyes to the truth. Bolster my companions with your strength and power so that we may make an end to this nightmare. I will pay whatever price there is willingly."

Delmar surrenders himself body and soul to the will of his God.

There is an audible crack of thunder as you reach your hand towards Ismark and touch his flash. You can feel it hot and writhing under his tunic as bones snap and muscles rearrange themselves. The half man, half wolf thing that was Ismark only a few moments before looks to you with shock and pitiful gratitude in its eyes before falling into an instant and surprisingly peaceful sleep.

"HOW DARE YOU!" screams Strahd loosing his composure for the first time since you met him. "How dare you bring his power here," The vampire screams surging towards you and knocking you away from Ismark's sleeping body with mind numbing force (8 damage from the blow).

For a moment Strahd seems to want to reach down and claim Ismark but then he stops either unwilling or unable and turns towards your group.

"Awake my my children," The vampire calls to the darkness beyond, " Awake and destroy these interlopers who have cost me both my wolf and my dear Tatyana. We will pick what we need from there bones"

No sooner has the vampire spoken then you feel a sense of great darkness drawing ever closer behind you as the sound of stone slabs and rusty iron gates bing pushed aside fills the crypts.

(OOC: Your group has initiative and it looks as if Strahd is about to storm off leaving you to his hords.)

Delmar staggers to his feet after the blow he receives.
1d20 = 19 (unmodified)

"How dare I Strahd?" Pulling himself up to full height in a defiant stance Delmar says, "Not only do I dare I now know what can destroy you. I know what you fear the most. I even might know where it is and I know that you do not. Run Strahd and know fear. We will deal with this rabble in due course and then we come for you."

"Brace yourselves for a fight my friends! I fear that I have not only removed Ismarks curse but the powers of darkness are now aware of what we endeavor to accomplish."

Strahd seems notably shaken by your comments but retreats up back up the spiral stair case. An Iron porticalus slamming shut behind him as the first wave of undead begin to emerge from the darkness.

There are a dozen skeletal forms, flanked by a similar number of fleshier animated bodies, your group retains initiative.

"This looks like the sign I was waiting for," Barkley says under his breath. "Stand strong, my children! Pelor put this sigil in our hands for such a time as this.

"Delmar," he continues, "on your signal I'll unleash the holy power of the raven. We want as many of the horde as possible within its range. If we hold them in the doorway a moment or two... Were he as wise a general as you he'd have held some forces in reserve instead of launching this desperate all-out assault.

"Strahd has us where we want him.."

"Hold together. With me--shields up. Pull Ismark behind us."

(I crouch at the foot of the stairs beside Delmar, motioning for others with shields to join us and the wizards and Barkley to get behind the line waiting for the approaching undead to close on us to get as many within range of the Raven.)

Delmar steps back behind the wall of shields next to Barkley.



"Ismark will be fine, no evil can touch him for the moment. Casters to the rear. I will hold next to Barkley to protect him and our wizards. Shout out if you need instant healing and I will lay hands upon you! Let us hold the line as long as we can so that we will have the best chance of destroying them all."

(I turn and nod to Delmar. Lute is playing. I will the volume to increase to fill the void of the crypt. Swords are at the ready. Peering over the top of my shield, I gaze at undead mass approaching. What types of undead do I detect?)