Hazlan: Chapter Four

[steveflam]

Somewhere in Nova Vaasa

He surveyed the scene with calculating eyes. He’d seen this many times before. She’d told him there were five, but he’d only found four corpses. One of the females was missing. Hmmm….. Josephine. After examining the dead bodies that’s the conclusion he came to. Why is her body missing? Judging by the outcome, Fury has definitely underestimated these people. And who does this extras set of tracks belong to?

He surveyed the scene once more, taking his time. The tracks agreed with the information he’d been given, except for the lighter, small tracks. Who was accompanying them? Certainly not a child and the cuts on at least two of the corpses didn’t match any blade he’d ever seen. I don’t like unknown ingredients in a formula. Judging by the size it isn’t a child or a Dwarf because the prints don’t go deep enough. Not a little person either. A Fey? Mayhap an Elf? What is an Elf doing helping these people and why?

Having had enough of the scene, he hopped onto his horse and headed west towards Barovia. She won’t be satisfied with my information. But I am paid for neither good or bad tidings, but tidings. Fair enough. I’ll report to her then head for Harmonia and report to Lukas.

[steveflam]

Relief floods through you as you pass through the thick fog unharmed. Whatever was in the vials seems to have worked because you exit the misty border of Barovia alive! Even more reassuring is that you could hear the Count yelling and cursing after you as you entered the fog wall, but as you passed deeper, and finally exited his voice was no longer heard.

You have left behind a rainstorm for a cloud filled sky. The moon peeks out once in a while, so it’s dark and gloomy. Off to the East you see distant lights, odd even for this time of night. Those of you who’ve been to Hazlan before know to avoid this estate. The direction you seek is West and the hamlet of Ramulai. This is also the home of the Wizard Academy. The Wizards control all here, so it’s unspoken between you all that the less time you spend in Ramulai the better it’ll be. No longer under the strain of Barovia you feel a huge weight lifted from you shoulders.

Tara sleeps peacefully in Valerian’s arms.

[NeoTiamat]

Surveying the area, Valerian carefully lowers Tara to the ground on some grass. The Warden is strong, but not that strong that carrying a young woman across a village isn't hard on the muscles.

"Hazlan... Come, let's get a camp set up and see if there's any sleep to be had this night."

Doffing his armor, Valerian begans to gather dry brush, all the while keeping an eye on the soundly sleeping Tara. He murmured a prayer of thanksgiving to Ezra as he worked.

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

Sefi sniffed the air as she exited the mist bank. It was a drier country than Barovia, which she supposed was alright. She shook her head again, the morphine haze slowly beginning to clear, burned off by adrenaline and her own unique lycanthropic metabolism.

She sat down beside the sleeping Tara on the grass and waited.

[lostboy]

Draven stumbles out of the mists behind the Warden, gasping he falls to his knees, his hands planted in this new land, breathing hard. A weight feels lifted from his heart, free from Barovia he thinks.

He looks around quickly to make sure everyone has made it, beofre collapsing to the ground and is violently sick on the Hazlani earth...

[VAN]

As Van gets out of the wall of fog and find himself in the new land he gets a deep breath. The wizard feels that he has left the opression of Barovia behind him, even if that behind is only some feet away...

Looking Tara lying at the grass he says:

"We should protect this woman. The Count Strahd seems to want her very much. I'm afraid that he or his minions will come after us. We will do a camp to rest yes, but I think it's better find a place not that near to the fog wall. They might have lost our tracks for now, but even the wolves and the undead will have no problem search us during the night. I suggest 2 of us go scouting, now that Tarlyn is not around we should learn to do that by ourselves."

[Ail]

Lucius dived in the fog as a hounded man jumps from a precipice, and was relieved to see that the Count did not follow. The rest of the group around him seemed to be recovering from the ordeal of travelling through the misty barrier, and so his concern veered towards the woman. He quickly scanned her for wounds and evaluated if she was in need of medical, or clerical, help. Then he looked around, trying to understand where they were.

Hazlan, is it? Why is it that I never feel safe in any land I happen to be in?

Then he addressed the others

"As Van said, we should prepare. It is not safe to remain so near the Count, even if for some reason he shunned to enter the fog as we did. But resting will do us well. The problem is that we have too many people needing to rest 8 hours straight to replenish their powers, so I suggest those wizards who haven't spent their spells, me included, should take watch and allow the others to recover.

Oh, by the way, it will also be a good time to try to put our minds to solving this puzzle here: what is the relation between this well-alive woman, the painting and the ghost that Valerian saw in Strahd's Castle? I will not let this question rest easily."

[ewancummins]

Cornelius broke in-

''Let's keep moving! Further away from the border is best. I have a spell for the accomodation of travellers, as you well know. Surely that should suffice for an encmapment- only let us put some miles in between ourselves and the Count.''

[NeoTiamat]

Valerian nodded, it was a good idea though he didn't precisely relish the idea of carrying Miss Kolyana further miles. The Warden sighed and gently lifted Tara into his arms again.

"Let us be off then."

[lostboy]

Draven pulls his waterskin form his pack and takes a long swallow. Wiping his mouth with his hand he pulls his hood low over his face and stands.

"I agree, the more miles we can put between ourselves and the Count the better. Im happy to scout, I'll stay at the rear and make sure we arent followed, Sefi you should take point, your hearing will be invaluable."

He shoulders his pack and waits for the others to move off.

[BigBadQDaddy]

After a few minutes, William re-holsters his pistol in his belt as the situation appears to be safe...for the moment.
He surveys his new surroundings while listening to the party's discussion. Finally, he chimes in.

"Aye, I think we should get moving as well. Also if any of you know anything about this land I would be obliged to hear tell of it."

[lostboy]

"Tales can wait for a safer place, William, lets get moving, I for one would like to put many leagues between ourselves and the count. Doubtless this new land boasts dangers, I have never travelled here, but it feels wrong somehow, let us be gone soon."

Draven stands waiting for the rest to move off after the Warden.

[VAN]

Van stretches his legs a bit in order to get rid of the sleepiness and then says:

"Yes, it's better get moving, the longest distance we have from Barovia's border is the safest. I haven't been to Hazlan too, but I know some things about it. We can talk when we camp or tomorrow, now it's better be alret."

With that he gets his backpack and start walking towars West.

[steveflam]

Putting it here as it was asked 2x and may get asked more.

Mostly Human population which is divided between the Rashemani and the Mulan.

3 major settlements are Ramulai, Toyalis, Sly-Var.

All kinds of creatures and monsters roam the wilds.

[ewancummins]

[OOC, I'm assuming we've travelled on a ways...]

Cornelius takes a good look around, trying to get a feel for the lay of the land. He tries to find a river or a road heading west.

[lostboy]

Following at the rear and watching their backs Draven notices the slumped shoudlers and the slowed pace amongst many of his companions. He too felt tired and sick but there was no chance of sleep for him just yet. This had been a trying night and fatigue was beginning to set in, the Warden in particular looked ready to drop.

"What say we call a halt for tonight? We are all in need of rest, and rather than stumbling in the dark, let us start refreshed in the morning. I can take first watch."