[IC] Curse of Strahd Chapter 1: The Dark Lord Strahd

[Spore]

I don't know. It feels like I am sculpting the same person everytime. But there is only so much you can do with puppet, right? Gadof sighs and turns to Áedcait. Yes, right. This one is finished enough. I will never be able to satisfy expectations. Izek will suspect if we not meet here in shop. But he could burn down my shop if we keep here. What is your choice?

He pushes forth a well done puppet in Ireena's likeness, but this time the doll has some kind of sadness hanging over it. The more you investigate it, the less it has to do with Ireena. As you recall, Ireena is free-spirited and willing to fight, unlike most of Barovia. This is a pale comparison, even as a mere poppet.

[gargoyleking]

"First things first, whatever fel pact he has, I won't risk this actually falling into his hands. It could be used in a variety of ways, none of which would be good for the person this is intended to represent..."

Sprocketbox waves one hand over his other for a moment and conjures up a copy of the doll, making it as exacting as he can.

[Athaleon]

"Let's assume he won't agree to meet elsewhere. If we lure him out, then what's the plan?"

[Spore]

You copy the doll, but get the basics of the doll right. You summon a featureless form in the vague shape of the doll at hand. Daishain joins you, pulling out his tool kit. You carve facial features, add colors to body and face, and you get a rather realistic depiction of Ireena. Gadof looks at your handiwork in awe. He is almost mesmerized. Kouran's compliment brings him back to the here and now.

Please do not confront him here. He will burn down shop in fight. You look around. The shop is mostly made of old and dry wood. But what is worse, is that almost anything in the shop is painted, and with oil colors to boot. Quite a few items are colored with simple ash and coal, but you know that this also burns when the temperature is just high enough.

I can call him behind shop. To say people have been seeing him here. So he goes behind the shop, to draw less attention.

[Daishain]

Kyran considers, "Very well, that should be fine."

To the others he states, "I will be less effective without my musket, but a lot quieter as well. I leave the choice up to you. Lose out on a bit of firepower to take him down swiftly, or make our fight all the more noticeable. It presents a risk either way."

[Triskavanski]

Áedcait thinks, "Would probably be betta if we ambush him on his way back ta wence came, rather than just fightin outside the shop's back door. I can control tha flames enough that can stop some of the burnin and destruction, but armboi is all likely ta be all 'I am the blazing sun!' and set everythin on fire around him." For a brief moment there, she did a rather spot on impression of Izek

[Athaleon]

"I don't know if there'll be a way to hide that fight. He'll surely be too tough to take down without yelling, or lighting something on fire."

[Spore]

Gadof is slightly disturbed by Áedcait's ventriloquism, but does his best to hide it. You want to fight Izek? You are brave. If you are seen Vargas will want to have your head. Gadof chimes in. Izek is brutal man, but very simple in mind. But I do not know what gifts the darkness has given him.

This conversation is very surreal for Gadof, and he does nothing to hide it. He is quite agitated by the whole thing going wrong but you can see a glimpse of hope in his eyes. To be finally free of Izek would be a gift, so much is true. If you fail however things will become much worse for you, and him. Gadof looks nervously at you.

Please make plan and decision. I cannot take this feeling of dread. His pet monkey grooms him to calm him down. For a simple pet, it looks very concerned.

[gargoyleking]

"Do you sell masks? They don't have to be fancy, and better if they frown or grimace in some way. As for the fire potential, I am a frost mage afterall, I've got at least one spell that should suffice for fighting any fires, supposing they don't get 'too' out of hand. How about we have him come to the alley and set up an ambush there. "

Sprocketbox holds up a hand which seems to hold a miniature globe of swirling snow flakes for a moment before dissipating.

[Wind-Up Citrus]

"I'll go prepare the necessary spells on my end to lock him down."

[Spore]

Gadof leaves his shop with a letter in hand and makes you leave through the backdoor. He goes down the street and then left. After about 15 minutes he returns to you in his backyard.

The area is a desolate garden with a rock trail guiding you through the flower beds. They are guarded by miniature version of the possessed scare crows you defeated yesterday. Gadof grows a bit of vegetables for himself, including potatoes, cabbages and bit of wine. The foliage is enough for two of Sprocket's size to hide, along with a single alleyway divided by a fence and gate as the only exit. Gadof has a small bower in his garden, with seating for two. There he keeps an oil lamp, together with a dark tiny bottle of half used lamp oil. Gadof's house is an old half-timber construction, not quite as easily burnable, but if it starts to burn you cannot hope to ever extinguish the flames without powerful magicks. In the corner there is a toolshed where you can hide if you want.

After a long few hours, you hear the heavy boots stomping on Vallaki's muddy stone streets entering the shop. You hear a growling voice, a large blunt object hitting the wall making a bit of white plaster fall down the outer wall section; followed by a pathetic whimper. Gadof told you he pretended to have the puppet out back, along with a nice bottle of Wizard of Wines red. You are not sure if Izek attacked Gadof, but he is about to come up.

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What did you do to prepare?
What are you doing right now?

[gargoyleking]

Before they start things off, Sprocketbox makes sure that the original doll is destroyed. It only takes a bit of work with his tinker tools and the pockets the remnants to make sure they don't fall into the wrong hands. Then he goes to hide in the shed with the others.

While they wait he explains that one of his spells can allow him to bequeathe a special breathing attack onto another. It's like nothing he could do before, coming to this world, but the spell has worked for him recently. Should a fire break out, he might choose to use this spell on somebody so that they could help him combat it.

By the time they showed up, Sprocket was stuffed all the way into the back of the shed, expecting to be one of the last out. And hoping that he didn't end up caught in it's burning wreckage before he could.

[Athaleon]

As the appointed time arrived, Kouran stood in the shed nervously checking the edge and flex of his sword over and over again in anticipation of the fight.

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Can't really think of other preparations to make, unless the toy shop has a lot of slippery or caustic substances we can use, or someone can think of something else we might have procured in town.

[Daishain]

Kyran cleans the barrel of his musket somewhat obsessively as the group waits, triple checking the powder charges he had on hand. He snaps the breech shut one last time as the commotion is heard. Bastion hovers in the shadows nearby, positioned to flank the sheriff when he appears.

[Wind-Up Citrus]

Drastia checks her spells, going through the motions of each ability and focusing on one tasks, shutting down one man, and having the right healing at the right time so others can stay in the fight. She would like to make sure another innocent doesn't get burned to death for the crime of not keeping up absurd appearances.

[Spore]

The backdoor opens, out comes a frightened Gadof, his face white as snow, slightly trembling. Behind him Izek towers, and immediately notices Bastion. I did not know you bought a statue, Gadof. To scare away the crows, is it?

Gadof is surprised, but notices the tall gargoyle too. Y-y-y-es? I bought it for decoration. Izek turns the small man around and stares in the face of the spooked toymaker, the sheriff's large demon claw digging into his shoulder.. After a few long seconds, Izek shrugs and let's go. So where is the doll. Is she...? Izek looks into the bower. There, on a small wooden table surrounded by two simple wicker chairs sits your creation.

Izek turns towards the doll, inspecting it. Apparently he is very pleased with your combined work. He turns his back to Gadof, no smile at his face. He grabs the chubby craftsman by the throat, and lifts him. You had help. I know it. He smashes the toymaker into the soft dirt of his garden, right into the boot print of one of your group. DO YOU THINK I AM A FOOL?

His demonic arm suddenly feels like it has a mind of its own. Izek charges the toolshed, holding down the door while unleashing a wreath of flames with his right hand. The shed starts to burn on the outside.

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Izek Perception 1d20 [20] vs your passive stealth checks.
Gadof Bluff 1d20-1 [8] vs Izek passive insight
Demonic Arm Burning Hands 4d6 [12]
Izek Athletics check 1d20+6 [18]

Izek Initiative: 1d20+2 [22]
Kouran 1d20+3 [20]
Drastia 1d20+2 [17]
Sprocket 1d20+3 [14]
Demonic Arm Initiative 1d20 [13]
Áedcait 1d20+2 [10]
Kyran 1d20+3 [7]


Please roll initiative OOC or in Discord. For this encounter, Izek and his demonic arm have two different initatives. They both enjoy the benefit of a turn, and they have divided health pools. "stuff happens" if one or the other dies. What happens is an arcana or religion check.

The shed starts burning gradually.

Up next: Everything except Kyran and Aedcait.

[gargoyleking]

Sprocketbox sighs as he realizes their folly. They were now trapped in a burning shed with a madman barring the door. Well, there was nothing left to do now but to fight fire with ice. Raising his staff, he shot of a spray of frost particles, unfortunately, they only seeemed to collect on the shutters.

[Wind-Up Citrus]

Drastia realized that she would need to get out of the shed and stop Izek from burning them all alive.

She transformed into a mouse, and climbed out of the shed.

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Wildshape into Mouse

[Athaleon]

Kouran had no other option but to stab at Izek through the shutter, and hope he could drive the brute away from the door.

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Bonus Action: Cast Hunter's Mark
Attack: (1d20+6)[11]
Damage: (1d8+4)[5]+(1d6)[6]

[Spore]

Izek picks up Gadof by the throat again. The toymaker's breath is rattling. You failed me the last time, Blinsky. Izek growls. The demonic arm impales the much older man, glistening a hellish red in the flames. The claw's scales absorb the lifeblood, glowing in a sinister aura while doing so.

Meanwhile smoke fills the shed, making it hard to breathe inside.

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The smoke makes you poisoned unless you succeed at a DC 8 Con save. the DC increases per time spent in the smoke, and the smoke is removed if you spend an equal time in fresh air.

Up next: Áedcait & Kyran

[Triskavanski]

Áedcait sighed a little. This plan was stupid from the start, and now they were all locked in a shed that was on fire, but she didn't speak up during the moments that she should have. And now the toymaker was dead. She went to sit down lower raising a hand in the air and swirling it about as she commanded the fire to go out.

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(1d20+2)[5] con save.
Control flames to extinguish the fire.

[Spore]

Drastia exits the shed through one of the several small holes in the old and warped wood of the shed relatively unharmed. She sees Bastion approaching rapidly, ignoring Izek and ramming its stoney fist into the shed's wall. As Izek is holding down the door, the shack is burning Kyran takes out a hatchet from his tools sets and gauges the metal hinges. As he hears his defender golem thud on the wall, and then a petrified claw punch through the old wood, breaking off a few pieces, Kyran takes aim at the wall, breaking it down, leaving a narrow gap.

Áedcait's magical attempt at removing the flames is successful, reducing the amount of smoke in the house.

Sprocket's and Kouran's attacks seem only to annoy the towering brute. As he sees the golem entirely in the way of slaughtering you, he draws his axe. His first slash glances off the rocky exterior of the gargoyle, but his second hit strikes true. A big gash opens, and rock splinters away from it.

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Your defender takes 15 damage, Kyran was able to remove a part of the wall damaged by fire, granting you an exit point. Aedcait prevents the smoke DC from increasing, thus another DC 8 check for those inside. the DC stays static, and decreases for every use of extinguish flames now that the building is opened.

Izek is granted half-cover from Bastion (+2 to saves and AC) but you can squeeze by the construct.

Up next, Kouran, Drastia and Sprocket.

[gargoyleking]

Sprocketbox had had enough of this cramped pit. The smoke was getting to him now, but at least he could see to escape. Summoning up his teleportation magic, he blinked out of existence for a moment before re-appearing out in the courtyard. Turning, he leveled his staff at the guardsman again and fired off another frosty ray. This one seemed to hit, but by some fluke of the wind and proximity to the burning shed, by the time it got to it's destination it was barely more than a cold breeze. Even after that sorry display, the mage moved as far away as possible so as to 'hopefully' give himself a moment's notice of any impending attack.

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Failed my save so took disadvantage on the attack. Still hit a 16, so 'hit' him seems logical. But the 1 on that damage die... Anyways, Misty Step, Ray of Frost, Move 25'. Ready to react with Absorb Elements(If it's more than 1/2 his health or so), or shield( If it seems logical to use it.)

[Athaleon]

Kouran stumbled out of the building coughing, but rallied as he was finally able to come to grips with his opponent. He lunged at his opponent's demonic hand, guessing that it was the true threat.

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Save failed in Discord.

Bonus Action: Activate Vow of Enmity on the demon hand, canceling out the disadvantage from smoke.

Attack: (1d20+6)[10]
Damage: (1d8+4)[12]+(1d6)[3]

[Wind-Up Citrus]

Drastia returns to her elf form, and casts Hold Person on Izek.

[Spore]

Izek turns to the transforming elf, his arm already taking aim at her head, when tornado of spectral vines grapple his form, immobilizing his form. Drastia can feel the will of the large brute struggling but her will holds stronger than his.

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Izek is paralyzed. All attacks are critical hits (and hit automatically). Izek is helpless.

Up next: Kyran, Áedcait.

[Daishain]

Kyran directs Bastion to keep up the assault, firing his musket through the gap at the now helpless sheriff while he had the chance.

Spoiler: OOC

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To be clear, I'll get out of the cabin if there's an opportunity. I'll only delay exiting if that would impede others without a ranged focus from doing so.
Bastion Crit (2d8+4)[15]
Kyran musket crit (2d12+6)[22]

[Triskavanski]

While inside the shed, Áedcait moves out as past Izek. "Oi, look at ya, fookin blazin sun be ya getting all angry cause ya couldn't play with ya dolly. Now ya ain't ever gonna have one again. How boutcha burn?" she asks, casting bonfire under him after moving past the rest of the meat shields.

[Spore]

The tyrannical enforcer resists your combined assault but you deal 58 damage. You can hear him grunt on Áedcait's remark but his resistance is crushed under the might of nature under Drastia's control. You can start to see a bit of blood pool under him, as well as a few broken ribs. Fire and ice magic dances around him, with his upper body covered in a thin sleet of ice, while his he standing in a hot flame, burning alive.

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I read the condition wrong:

Paralyzed

A paralyzed creature is incapacitated (An incapacitated creature can’t take Actions or Reactions.) and can’t move or speak.
The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity Saving Throws.
Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
Any Attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.

However I decide that your damage sticks this round. Starting now, you need to get into 5 ft of him for an advantage and autocrits.

Up next: Kouran, Drastia and Sprocket.

[Wind-Up Citrus]

Drastia lets loose an spark infused arrow at Izek. "Every strike is for those who have suffered under your tyranny."