HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 2

[NeoTiamat]

"Right then. Rojan, be dear and kneecap his other leg while you're at it." Lena said coolly, turning her attention to the clearly distraught Isolt. Or, as Lena reminded herself, to the clearly distraught Isolt's ghost. They're all dead, this is all past, she thought, save for the unfortunate fact that Craig was trying to murder them and might actually do it. "Isolt! If you want to see your daughter again, get away from here! Out the door, quickly!"

Diplomacy +23
[dice]0[/dice]
...and CURSE!



Well that was probably bad. Ushka froze, her ears perking up, clearly torn between a desire to get to her mistress as soon as possible and a certain fox-like curiosity about what horror was happening now?

Perception +21
[dice]1[/dice]

[Isabella]

"What...what happened to you?" Colin finally gets out. "Where did you get that thing? What have you been doing?"

Richard turned his attention to Colin, though he couldn't quite stop a sheepish grin at Tara's reaction.

"From your-from your courtyard, sir," he replied, returning his face to its stern visage. "There are a-a-a dozen of them out there, if you would like to-to see for yourself."

He tapped his forehead briefly at the other questions. "I-I-I am not entirely clear. There was... a-a mist, and lights. It came over all of us... I-I-I followed the others down to the courtyard, when some-some spectre attacked us - a-a-a young man with black veins. Most the-the others scattered. We exchanged blows, he-he summoned the wolves. You heard none of this...?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Something happened to me, I-I think I-I-I might have seen some ghostly vision for a while. When I-I-I came to, those of us still in the courtyard regrouped, and went to-to find where the others had gone."

[DeepShadow of FoS]

"What...what happened to you?" Colin finally gets out. "Where did you get that thing? What have you been doing?"

Vasili is breathing heavily, and he stares at Colin in reply. Then he looks at Tara, back at Colin, raises an eyebrow, and asks, "Didn't she tell you?! She was there when the fight started, at least." His voice is a little hoarse, and he continues to pant.

"From your-from your courtyard, sir," he replied, returning his face to its stern visage. "There are a-a-a dozen of them out there, if you would like to-to see for yourself."

Vasili opens his mouth to agree, but then shuts it again and just nods, still panting heavily.

He tapped his forehead briefly at the other questions. "I-I-I am not entirely clear. There was... a-a mist, and lights. It came over all of us... I-I-I followed the others down to the courtyard, when some-some spectre attacked us - a-a-a young man with black veins. Most the-the others scattered. We exchanged blows, he-he summoned the wolves. You heard none of this...?" he asked, tilting his head.

Vasili listens to Richard while the older man speaks, then nods and looks back to Colin expectantly. After a beat, he reaches into his sarong, pulls out a waterskin, squirts a little in his mouth, and offers it to Richard.

"Something happened to me, I-I think I-I-I might have seen some ghostly vision for a while. When I-I-I came to, those of us still in the courtyard regrouped, and went to-to find where the others had gone."

"Yeah, we were fighting that veiny guy, and it was bad enough when he scared three of us away (he nods at Tara) but then Richard vanished, and came back with another ghost at his side, just when we were about to head in here. Fortunately she didn't hurt us...just asked her to protect her baby."

Vasili lets this last part slip out while trailing off. Hopefully that little detail is familiar to these people. The fact that he chokes a little on the word "protect" is NOT deliberate, however, and Vasili finds himself taking another swig of water to cover his discomfiture.

Bluff +22; Vasili is playing the "less is more" side of bluffing by not actually saying much--and no lies so far--but he's still putting on a show. I guess this is also the roll to beat if anyone wants to notice that Vasili is still upset about the baby.
[dice]0[/dice]

[Nathan of the FoS]

There is a crash of glass somewhere south of you--probably in the great hall--and the howling is getting louder and closer; at least one of the wolves sounds like it's gotten into the building. There are more screams and shouts from the courtyard.

Basically the options are "go outside and see what's going on," "go to the great hall and see what's going on," and "go upstairs and see what's going on".



Something in the Barovian bard's regal manner and (seeming) detachment seems to pierce through Isolt's sheer terror; galvanized by the mention of her daughter, she struggles to her feet and lets Marcel shepherd her to the door.

Rojan, his face grim, reverses his grip on his spear and cracks the iron-bound butt of it against Craig's head hard enough to leave some doubt as to whether he's left the laird stunned or dead. He then looks up at Lena as if awaiting further instructions.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Colin exchanges a glance with the woman in red and black; just as he is about to speak, a tremor shakes the castle, causing the doors to creak in their frames and, catching one mercenary in mid-stride, leaving him on his knees.

After the shaking ceases--a very long three or four seconds--Colin looks at the little group clustered at the door, then at Tara.

"Fine," he says. "Fine. All the gods know it's been a horrible night, why shouldn't the ghaisties be outrageous, too? But you're going under lock and key this time. For your own safety and my peace of mind."

"You say there are twelve of those in the courtyard?" the woman breaks in, interested.

"You're not going out there," Colin growls.

"Who's to stop me, little man?" she asks, more amused than angry.

"Oh, I won't stop you. But you're not going out there," Colin says, now somewhat amused himself. "I take you for a woman who values her skin."

"There's that," she replies consideringly as she looks over the group curiously.

[Isabella]

"Fine," he says. "Fine. All the gods know it's been a horrible night, why shouldn't the ghaisties be outrageous, too? But you're going under lock and key this time. For your own safety and my peace of mind."

"Oh?" Richard replied, a sharp edge to his words. "Our-our safety? And what will your iron and-and locks do, to those who are barred by none?"

A moment passed, Richard staring at the mercenary as if demanding his answer. Then the Mordentishman suddenly eased, shifting his stance into something more relaxed. "Fine, as-as you say. Place us back in our-our quarters and-and bar the door. But I-I-I'll keep my sword and arms, thank you kindly."

"You say there are twelve of those in the courtyard?" the woman breaks in, interested.

"Would you like me-like me to go fetch them for you?" Richard asked, simultaneously jesting and darkly serious.

[DeepShadow of FoS]

"Fine," he says. "Fine. All the gods know it's been a horrible night, why shouldn't the ghaisties be outrageous, too? But you're going under lock and key this time. For your own safety and my peace of mind."

"Oh?" Richard replied, a sharp edge to his words. "Our-our safety? And what will your iron and-and locks do, to those who are barred by none?"

Vasili scoffs. "Lock and key!" he says, to no one in particular, but clear enough for anyone to hear. "Try bell, book and candle!"

"Oh, I won't stop you. But you're not going out there," Colin says, now somewhat amused himself. "I take you for a woman who values her skin."

"There's that," she replies consideringly as she looks over the group curiously.

Vasili did his utmust to hide his interest in their exchange. She was not under his orders, and in fact called him "Little Man?" She had an interest in the decaying bodies of previously-undead wolves? This was too good to be true.

"Well, she needn't worry now, should she?" Vasili says, finally speaking directly to Colin. "We've already bested all three of the 'ghaisties,' and the rotting pack beside, with only a third of our company! And now that we've shown we can take the worst the netherworld has to offer, you can place us under 'lock and key,' where we can't protect the rest of you when they come knocking!"*

He turns to look at the woman, then at anyone else in the room. "If I'm going to really get a night's sleep, I need some fresh churchsteeple root. Anyone?" When no one replies, he scoffs again. "Of course not. Lock and key." He rolls his eyes.

* He's talking to Colin, but his real message is a Bluff +22 (Innuendo) at the woman, who he is taking to be a spellcaster. "We beat those things. We can keep you safe if they come back, but you'll have to speak up on our behalf before he locks us away."

[dice]0[/dice]

[NeoTiamat]

"Thank you Rojan." Lena said coolly, watching Craig for a half a heartbeat. She had the most sincere doubts that this was going to kill him, and she wasn't even very certain if they could kill him. Or exorcise him? No matter. They had Isolt (yay?), they had best get out of here. "I think we'd best follow Marcel and Isolt now. Quickly."

Run away! If possible, I'd like to lead the group down the stairs and outside (in other words, meet up with the rest of the gang).



Clearly, everything was devolving into chaos. Ushka twitched an ear, not at all certain about what to do. She glanced at Renhalt, taking him to be the most senior individual present. Surely he must have heard the screaming? But in absence of further direction, Ushka made a decision. From the emotions her mistress was projecting, the situation up above was controlled, and Ushka had no desire to get to know wolves very closely. So, to the courtyard!

I have a faint suspicion that going with the wolves may lead to Gilan, but it may also just lead to a random encounter. On the other hand, there are definitely people out in the courtyard. So!

[Nathan of the FoS]

"Churchsteeple root?" The woman looks interested at this, but shakes her head. "Naught to be had, lad. Ye'd do better to heed the lieutenant. Though I might just take up that offer to go see these wolves."

"Ye're mighty upspoken for a group that've just been bewitched and led about by their noses," Colin says, scowling both at you and the woman. "Ye've also roused the ghaisties, perhaps to the harming of all of us…"

A thought strikes him. "And where's the other two of ye, then?" he asks sharply. "Dead? Fled?"

[Nathan of the FoS]

The whole group of you make your way down the stairs, becoming aware of the sound of screaming and howling as you go down; by the time you rejoin Renhalt, Cattia, Dundee and Ushka at the entry it becomes clear that something horrible is happening outside.




Renhalt looks up the stairs, glances at Ushka, sees her interest was now more outward that upward in orientation, and nods once.

"Out we go!" he says to no-one in particular. Hurrying through the entry to the courtyard, he throws open the door. In the dim red light of sunset you see a scene of horror--an astonishing number of wolves have overrun the green and are savaging the servants left to clean up after the banquet. A few of the animals even seem intent on forcing their way into the keep itself.

MAP TO COME

[DeepShadow of FoS]

"Churchsteeple root?" The woman looks interested at this, but shakes her head. "Naught to be had, lad. Ye'd do better to heed the lieutenant. Though I might just take up that offer to go see these wolves."

"We are at your service in that regard, milady," Vasili replies. "And I'll accept the lieutenant's precautions against further mischief. I just wish I had something to add to it myself." He pats the folds and pockets of his sarong, then shrugs glumly.

"Ye're mighty upspoken for a group that've just been bewitched and led about by their noses," Colin says, scowling both at you and the woman.

Vasili gives Richard a conspiratorial grin. "Well, we didn't ask for that fight, but we won nonetheless!" He turns back to Colin. "Give us that credit at least."

"Ye've also roused the ghaisties, perhaps to the harming of all of us…"

Vasili raises an eyebrow. "Don't forget the earthquake. We did that, too, remember?"

A thought strikes him. "And where's the other two of ye, then?" he asks sharply. "Dead? Fled?"

"We came here to look for the three that fled," Vasili looks at Tara. "We found one. Tara, did you see Rodjan or Altan?"

[Isabella]

Vasili gives Richard a conspiratorial grin. "Well, we didn't ask for that fight, but we won nonetheless!" He turns back to Colin. "Give us that credit at least."

"Be not-be not so proud at the cost of the dead..." Richard murmured, in typical Mordentish fashion.

Vasili raises an eyebrow. "Don't forget the earthquake. We did that, too, remember?"

"Be careful, Vasili, they-they might take you seriously," Richard said, with something of a grim smile.

"We came here to look for the three that fled," Vasili looks at Tara. "We found one. Tara, did you see Rodjan or Altan?"

So depleted were their numbers that it took Richard a moment, but he realized Colin was likely asking after their other missing members.

"I-I-I'm afraid I-I-I don't know," was the only reply he could give, shrugging helplessly. Thank Ezra for the obscuring mist and the heavy rain in their cover story. No one could expect an accurate headcount under those conditions. "Someone had better go and find them."

[Nathan of the FoS]

I promised you a map, and here it is!

The blue numbers are wolves, the white blanks are Forfarian peasants and servants, the weird slightly red-tinged R is Renhalt, the normal R is Rojan, and I think everything else is pretty familiar? Please ask if you have questions!

VIEW CONTENT:

[NeoTiamat]

Question #1: Where's Isolt?
Question #2: Where's Brangain?
Question #3: What are the other blue dots, the ones that all seem to have 1s on them?

"Ah, Renhalt, pleasure to see you again." Lena said smoothly, in between maintaining her magics from before. She gazed out across the scene of horror before her, jaw working silently. Take control now, hysterics later. "Ushka, check the Great Hall."

And then Lena tipped her head back and howled to the night, an echoing sound more suitable for the throat of some dread wolf than for a human throat.

Maintaining Inspire Courage
Casting Children of the Night as an Instant Action; Wolves start as Indifferent; Would like to at least ask the wolves what's going on?

Ushka is now checking the other place where crazy is happening, to the extent she can.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Question #1: Where's Isolt? Question #2: Where's Brangain?
Answer: Standing behind you (with Dundee) while I figure out how to make icons for them, and/or give up and get Isy to do it.

Question #3: What are the other blue dots, the ones that all seem to have 1s on them?
Answer: All blue dots are wolves. You'll notice that the many 1s are all shadowed; they're zombie wolves. The wolves numbered 1-12 (no shadow) are living.

Renhalt gives Lena a distressed and not-entirely-comprehending look, his fingers twitching. "Can we save...they've been dead for hundreds of years, what's the point?" Shaking himself, he raises his ringed right hand and snaps out a polysyllabic world with a lot of q's in it. Rojan glances at Renhalt, then edges forward; Marcel does likewise.

Everyone in the group starts away from Lena as she howls; the wolves respond in kind, and as they do Lena hears their howl resolve itself into human words. "Hunt. Blood. Kill."



Two wolves have entered the great hall already; one leaves off worrying the shape at its feet and looks up, licking its red muzzle, then begins to pad toward Ushka, its head low.

Map (outside only) to follow.