Kartakass: The Barovia Chapter

[lostboy]

Draven looks back at Van, his eyes wide and his mouth open, he shakes his head from side to side. "I ...." he pauses, thinking hard "No I dont know anything, I must have blacked out. I remember falling to the floor struggling to breathe, but nothing beyond that." There is genuine fear and confusion in his face as he explains.

[VAN]

Wanting to avoid, if possible, telling that was Draven the one who has released the devil, Van says only:

"It doesn't matter, the important thing is that you are ok."

[BigBadQDaddy]

William remains standing at the back of the room listening to the conversation unfold.

"I highly doubt the outburst of our friend Alexander and the appearance of that Devil are a mere coincidence..." He thinks to himself. "Regardless, I ain't about to tell that to this Count fella."

Shifting his weight to the opposite foot, William fold his arms across his chest, attempting to stay out of the Counts sphere of interest.

[steveflam]

Observing each party member, the Count didn't speak. He rose from his chair and paced in front of the fireplace. He raised his head slightly and looked at the painting as if in deep thought. Turning he addresses the party once more. "So we now come to the heart of the matter. Why have I brought you here? Well judging by your performance in the entrance, I seem to have chosen the right people for the job I have in mind. You appear to be able to take care of yourselves, minus of course the outburst by your companion," he says looking pointedly at Draven then to Tarlyn before continuing.

"Ah Mr Xarran you have returned to my country. It isn't every day I get to meet a dark elf and I must say the pleasure is all mine in our meeting. Where was I? Oh yes..............You see I am given to understand that you search for someone? I too search for someone, a criminal in the village of Immol. I want her brought to me safe and sound. The painting above the fireplace is exactly what she looks like. Bring her to me safely and then we can discuss finding your friend Percival and I may perhaps have a few answers for your friend. I have affairs I need to attend to, please excuse me. Gordo will show you to your rooms."


He turns from you and exits through another passage.

[VAN]

Van looks one more time the painting and then says:

"It seems we have a more urgent job than going to Kartakass. I think we should do what the Count said, I don't want to see this powerful being angry."

Then he turns to Tarlyn and says:

"He knows you, but do you know anything about him?"

[BigBadQDaddy]

William takes a few steps forward, studying the painting across the room and attempting to commit it to memory. He stops a short way away from the party members who are gathered around the dining table, resting his hands on the backrest of one of the many chairs.
Waiting a few moments after the Count has left the room, he says to the party members, "So, looks like we need to procure us a runaway bride...waste of our time if ya ask me lads." He then looks from side to side to make sure there are no prying ears before continuing in quieter tones. "This doesn't seem right and all. Gettin mixed up in whatever this Count has gotten himself into. For all we know the woman could be on the run to save her own skin." He then looks over the party, awaiting everyones opinion on the matter.

[lostboy]

Draven recoiled under the counts gaze and keep his eyes on him until he had left the room. He continues to stare at the doorway the count left through, a mixture of fear and apprehension painted over his features.

"I dont care what we do, I just want to get out of this evil hell-hole as soon as possible and away from HIM" he says in a whisper.

[steveflam]

Looking at Van, surprised at his question, Tarlyn replies, "I don't know the Count, have only heard of him. Some people call him the Devil Strahd here in Barovia. I mostly wandered with the army and a priest the last time I was here. I'd rather just get this over with and move on to Kartalass personally. He is the Lord of Barovia hence he must keep tabs on what goes on in his land which is why he may know of me." He stops looking at the painting.

"He said he'd help us with Percival and I am inclined to believe him. You know ZOmbies moaning his name probabbly means he created them, so I'd not do anything rash to raise his ire if I were us. JUst do the job and get out of here. HE also said that he could possibly help Draven here. We'll see when we return with this woman if he is indeed a man of his word."

[Ail]

Lucius had remained silent all along during their interview with the Count. After recovering somewhat from his earlier shock, he paid close attention to what was said. He didn't feel as uneasy as the others, rather there was something fascinating in this character.

I think we should do what the Count asks. Such a powerful person is best as an ally than as a foe. Let us go then search this woman, criminal or... bride, as William there says... and see in what ways this Count Strahd can help us. I've read quite a few things about him, none too pleasant, but I think he'd honour his word...

[NeoTiamat]

Valerian was in a deep reverie, eating his meal as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He paused to gaze up at the painting. Now, how in the name of Ezra does this lord expect us to bring back a ghost?

"There is another thing to consider. This woman," the Warden inclines his head to the painting. "Is dead. Has been for some time, I would think."

Valerian took another bite of the food while gazing at his companions. His congregation, in a very loose sense of the term. Lucius, Sefi, and Draven didn't look very well, if the Warden was any judge.

=============================================

Sefi grumbled a bit at this exchange, glaring at the dwarf. "Unaccustomed to polite society" indeed. Still, she breathed a sigh of relief as the Count left. Gordo still assaulted her nose, but in a roundabout way, zombies were at least a natural smell. Things decayed, although they didn't usually move around afterwards. That undecaying death of the Count, and the blood...

Sefi shook her head and dug into the food, working her way through three courses in short order.

[steveflam]

Tarlyn raised his eyebrows at the Warden's statement that this woman was dead. "What do you mean she is dead? Maybe the woman the Count wants us to bring to him resembles a dead woman? How do you know she is dead? In all honesty why would the COunt ask us to bring back a dead woman?"

[NeoTiamat]

Sefi looked up from her food. "Dead Count, dead woman, makes sense to me."

==============================================

Valerian shrugged his shoulders. "I really can't say. The woman in the painting died some time ago, however."

[Ail]

Valerian's words alarmed Lucius. Now fully recovered, he was the more and more interested in the conversation.

Perhaps there's more to it. The count didn't speak of that woman as of a dead person... either that, or he's simply gone over the sanity fringe. At any rate, could she have an identical twin?
What more do you know of her, Valerian?

[lostboy]

Draven sits in his chair deep in thought. What happened, he twists it over and over again in his mind. There are no answers, yet the promise of some causes him to shiver involuntarily. I want those answers, yet do I dare receive them?

His introspection is interrupted by the conversation of others, the consensus seems to be to go along with the Counts proposal, or command.... Do we have a choice in this errand? he muses....

[NeoTiamat]

Valerian finished his food and stood up, beckoning to Gordo.

"I think we'll get nothing more accomplished here without more thought. Let's get some sleep and decide what to do in the morning."

Following the decaying valet to their rooms, the Warden called over his shoulder, "Good night everyone."