Kartakass: The Barovia Chapter

[ewancummins]

Cornelius makes a noise as Valerian says ''pagans''.

''Harrumph''

[lostboy]

Draven pulls his hood low over his face, content to fade into the background now he is no longer the centre of attention. He shakes the reins and turns his horse back in the direction of travel. Having been to this shadowed domain before he knows how much the night can be feared. He squints at the sun judging the angle and the hours left to them.

The thought of the night to come causes his fingers to brush the padded pouch at his belt, as if seeking reassurance that he can control the dark within him. Later he thinks, and oblivious to all else follows Tarlyn along the path towards Immol.

[steveflam]

After having traveled a grueling ten days by horse, the day, well night finally arrives. Immol lies in southeast Barovia and it has been a treacherous travel by mostly tiny goat trails. It seems that when you arrive, this tiny village is forgotten more often than not by most travelers.

As you approach you notice that the village is laid out in a horseshoe pattern in a shallow dale at the foot of the Balinok mountains. You notice ancient watchtowers dotting the town. A keep dominates the village center.

As you enter the village, Tarlyn turns to the party and speaks. "The only real place to rest here is called the Bolting Stag. It has a very good lamb as well as a very good whiskey that'll leave your throat scorched for hours." As he mentions the whiskey he looks at William and winks. "We should rest and go see Burgomaster Petre Teodorus in the morning."

Turing back he urges his horse to a trot and enters the village. A scant two minutes later the party is before a modest looking Inn. TO some of you it looks like a hole in the wall, to the others it looks like a welcome watering hole. Tarlyn dismounts and leads his horse to the stable.

[ewancummins]

Cornelius looks over to Maurentor and asks:

''You think the innkeeper here will give us trouble?''

[lostboy]

Draven prods his weary horse through the narrow streets of Immol not feeling much more lively himself. These past days have been hard travelling, yet strangley free of any incident, he cant help but wonder whether being emissaries of the count has anything to do with it. Shivering he listens to Tarlyns words and perks up at the sound of a cooked meal and whiskey.

The sight of the inn is indeed a welcome one. Hearing the dwarfs concerns he leans over and says in a low voice "Worry not friend Cornelius I suspect our warrants from the Count will ease any problems we may find, so let us see how hospitable this hostellery is."
With that he dismounts and leads the animal into the stable.

[VAN]

Van dismounts too and looks the inn.

"I have been to much better inns, but after ten days travelling by horse a good meal and a glass of whiskey is what I need."

[BigBadQDaddy]

When Tarlyn winks at William, the gruff sailor stare grimly back in reply, still not knowing if he can trust the dark elf, or much of the party for that matter. Something about the way he laughed made his skin crawl. And the flash of red which occasionally came across his eyes.
At least Draven was a victim in his possession, or so it would seem. He was not even remotely sure what Tarlyn was in the scheme of thing.
And despite the circumstances of there meeting, Sefi has proven to be reliable, even though she is a werewolf. Still, he wouldn't dare trust her completely, since the party was in fact marching into her home territory and possibly into a trap.
Oh to be at sea...

[NeoTiamat]

Valerian unsaddled his horse without much ceremony and passed it off to a servant boy. A quiet city, Ezra willing. Let us be done here quickly.

Shoulder his pack, the armored cleric headed into the inn. The morning would be the best time to search the city. He also made a note to ask Sefi to watch Tarlyn tonight.

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

The horse Sefi had been riding let out an equine sigh of relief at being handed over to the groom. Wolves were not meant to be riders. Josephine patted the animal on the neck, but it just rolled its eyes in terror as it was led away.

Sefi shook her head in exasperation. And to think she was once good with animals. She took her small pack and looked around the village. Looked almost like Kartakass, although gloomier, she thought. That was the word. It looked gloomy.

[Ail]

Lucius relaxed from the journey, but he didn't lose much time. He had spent much of the last ten days analysing their situation, and he had had plenty of time for that. Turning to all the others at the first opportunity, he said:

"Folks, we're at Immol where we supposedly have to look for this girl. I think a bit of rational thought is in order here, before we do something rash of which we can repent later."

He tried to talk lowly, so that no one else would hear.

"On the one hand, we have the Count saying this woman is a criminal, and that he wants her. Sure we know" and here he hushed even more "the count must be an undead, but I think it wouldn't make sense for him to send us for a dead woman. But that is precisely what our friend Valerian says she is. So, here we have a rational dilemma. On top of this, we have the moral difficulty. Our only guarantee that she is a criminal is the Count's, which I'm sure none of us takes for the most trustworthy person on the land. So, if we do agree to his mission, now that we are on the eve of performing it, we may have to deal with our own consciences and the consequeces of our acts. "

He stopped a bit to study the others' reactions, and without expecting answers went on.

"Well, let me say that as far as the second point goes, I think we should test the validity of the Count's opinion first, and I think that can only be done after we locate his prey. Either by direct interaction or by researching with the locals, after we know who this woman is, we should assess her and decide if we want to deliver her to the Count. And in here, another matter will weigh, that is: I'm not ready to deliver an innocent good person into the clutches of an evil tyrant, but am I ready to run away from him and suffer his wrath? We'll see, and I'd like to hear your views on this. But since this can be done only after we meet the woman, that brings us to the first point.

It should make sense that there is a perfect living person that looks like the portrait. After all, the Count said something like 'she looks exactly like that painting', and not 'she is the woman in the painting'. I'm not questioning Valerian's gift here, if he says he's seen a ghost, I'm ready to believe it. But I question several other things here:
item 1: has the ghost spoken the truth? did she say she was the woman in the painting,or did it simply look like the woman in the painting?
item 2: is there a possibility that there are more women looking like that? For instance, could the ghost have a twin sister?
item 3: how long has the woman in the painting and, assuming item 1 is true, the ghost been dead? is it possible that someone of her family, with a remarkable resemblance, be still alive?

I'm just questioning our senses here. We usually take rash conclusions from what we see or hear, without considering all other possibilities nor testing the validity of the information brought to us. So, what do you say? Shouldn't we ponder on this?"

This time, he did stop, and looked at the others inquisitively.

[VAN]

Vna rubs his chin asn says:

"You have good points Lucius. As you said I want to find out more possible about this woman before deciding what to do with her. It's very important to know if she is alive or dead. As you have said, it can be possible that the woman in the portrait has a twin sister or the woman we look for just looks like the ghost Valerian saw in the Castle. So I think we should get a romm a room and then go out and gather as much information as we can about her. We know her name, so we can find her family and ask them directly. If we find out that she is alive, we can even follow her so we can have a personal idea if she is indded a criminal or not. If we learn that she is dead we can ask permission to to get his rests to the Count. I know that with powerful devine magic you can get people alive again. Maybe the Count wants to do that. I cannot see another reason to want back a dead woman, if she knows that she is dead of course."

"Looking around suspiciously. Van continues:

"And we should be careful, maybe we are not the only adventurers the Count send to fetch the woman."

At the same time Van contacts his hawk familiar:

"Ace, do some rounds above us and tell me if anybody is hidden around or has followed us."

[lostboy]

Draven half listens to the conversation as he unsaddles his horse and rubs it down.

Handing the brush over to a stablehand he approaches the others. Speaking in a low voice he says "I agree with Lucius something is very wrong here, we have little information form the Count other than his desire to apprehend this suppsoed criminal. I doubt very much she is dead, the Count would know this. He seems very aware of goings on, he was aware of our entry into Barovia, otherwise why was the carriage waiting for us? Perhaps we should also ask why someone who can send a brigade of walking corpses and wolves to get us, and by all accounts destroyed a devil, requires our services to apprehend a criminal?"

Draven pauses looking at the rest of you then takes a breath and continues. "Personally I have no scruples on running out on the count, he may have answers and power but I would prefer not to return to that place again." A shadow passes over his face as he contemplates the castle.

"Still you all seem ready to take this task on and I assume our orginal quarry isnt getting any deader, so we find this woman. However it is dark and we have travelled far, there are also some divisions between us perhaps a night of rest will do some good. I for one need a good meal and.........a drink. As Valerian says tommorrow is the time for enquiries."

Having said his piece he turns towards the inn and looks for the barkeep.

[NeoTiamat]

Valerian had been speaking with the innkeeper, buying them rooms, and returns at the tail end of the discussion. He does not have an approving look on his face.

"This is a dangerous conversation." He growls "Tomorrow we will find this woman, be she innocent or villain, living or dead, and then we shall decide what to do. "

The Warden's voice drops a notch further. "And whatever we do, we must decide and act quickly."

"Now then, any volunteers to take watch?"

[steveflam]

Tarlyn grins at mention of watch. "I don't need any sleep really, so I offer my services as watchman. Trust me when I say if anyone tries to get near us they're in for a treat." He pats both scabbards confidently.

[NeoTiamat]

Valerian's eyes flicked to Sefi, who nodded imperceptibly.

"I'll sit with you for a while. I'm getting rusty for lack of sword practice. It'll give us something to do instead of staring at the walls." The Kartakan lycanthrope's tone was breezy.

Valerian smiled broadly. "An excellent idea. Two pairs of eyes are better then one. I'll join you in my morning devotions."

[lostboy]

Draven shrugs at the Wardens comments and turns to the barkeep and orders whatever passes for food in this place and a healthy mug of the local spirit.

He does not miss the rest of the conversation, yet appears disinteretsed as he aimlessly gazes at the Warden, Tarlyn and Sefi over the rim of his mug. He sighs quietly to himself and downs a gulp of the fiery stuff.