Curse of Strahd Solo Run (IC)

[RandomWombat]

Pulling its jaws free of Kellon's spear, the beast lunges low, sinking its teeth into his leg. With a claw he makes it pay for its offense, slashing across its exposed back.

A bite from the risen Spider brings the final toll upon the second werewolf, which falters and falls to the ground. Spider spins around and bares its fangs at the sitting one, which regards it warily, but does not move to aggress. Gweyir shoots it a look, but moves to Kellon's aid. Stepping into the shallow water, which laps up against her feet and soaks her boots, Gweyir delivers a cut to the wolf between them. Like its fellow, the beast has begun to flag and tire.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Kellon slashes Werewolf A for a 10 damage critical.

Werewolf A bites Kellon for 6 damage, but misses with its claw.

Spider bites Werewolf B for a 19 damage critical hit, KO'ing it. Spider's poison paralyzes, but stabilizes it.
Gweyir slashes Werewolf A for 10 damage.

It is Kellon's turn!

Spoiler: Initiative

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Werewolf C - 20
Gweyir - 18
Kellon - 15
Werewolf A - 13
Spider - 7
Children - 7
Werewolf D - 6

[Prehysterical]

There is no mercy in Kellon's heart as he swipes at the werewolf, emboldened by Gweyir's arrival.

Spoiler: OOC

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Attack: (1d20+6)[26]
Advantage: (1d20+6)[17]
Damage: (1d4+4)[7]

Spirit Weapon attack: (1d20+5)[25]
Damage: (1d8+3)[7]

[RandomWombat]

Something in Kellon feels like it snaps, as he grabs the wolf with both claws and lifts it up into the air, before shoving it down onto the spiritual weapon like a pike. The beast rasps and then hangs there, slowly bleeding out.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Kellon double crits Werewolf A for 8 and 12 damage, knocking it out.

Combat has ended, barring continuing aggression with the last two wolves.

[Prehysterical]

It feels like the lightning of Poseidon Himself surges through Kellon's veins as bloodlust overtakes him. Once he finally stops seeing red, he looks disapprovingly at the skewered wolf before retrieving his spear. He is bloody and tired, but it seems like the other wolves aren't interested in finishing the job. Kellon asks the wolf sitting by the tree, "I don't suppose I could sway you to keep mum if certain hags ask questions about goings-on around here?"

[RandomWombat]

"I do not intend to be questioned by any hags in the first place," the wolf answers as he stands. The other remaining wolf walks over next to him, evidently finished slaking its thirst. "And as far as the Alpha is concerned, these two died as idiots trying to steal some whelps from the hags."

"Why the sudden goodwill?" Gweyir asks, taking a step towards them with silver blade still in hand. The still-wounded Spider backs away without taking its many eyes off of the two werewolves.

"We do not see eye to eye with the current Alpha," the second wolf speaks, in a female voice with the same accent as the first. "And you took down two of his followers."

"So put them down, and let us call it an exchange of favors. So long as you get lost before the rest of the hunting pack stumbles upon us," the first speaks, again. "Else we may have to eat you anyways. To keep up appearances." Lips peel back into a fearsome toothy smile.

[Prehysterical]

Well, don't question a fair wind. Kellon shrugs. "Fair enough, that." He plants the spear into the ground and grabs hold of the ghostly trident, heaving the wolf down onto the ground and finishing him with a firm stab.

Kellon motions Spider over. "C'mere, lad, let your old uncle heal up some of those bites."

Spoiler: OOC

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Cure Wounds on Spider: (1d8+3)[11]

[RandomWombat]

Gweyir steps over to the second unconscious wolf and uses her silver sword to cleanly finish it off. She fixes the two 'friendly' werewolves with a glare and waves the children over to Kellon. "He's right, let's move before more of them show up."

Crawling over with a limp, Spider's bite is soon mended by magic. Gweyir's magic flickers in the air around Kellon, patching up some of his bites and scratches as well. "You're my uncle?" Spider asks, looking up with eight curious eyes.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Balm heals Kellon for 4.

Soon their group is on the move again, wary of both hags in the air and werewolves in the brush. At the same time, they draw nearer to familiar territory. To their right, the forest opens up to reveal the incline of the Barovian countryside, and the well-trod old road.

[Prehysterical]

Kellon laughs good-naturedly at Spider's question. "Nay, lad, I'm not actually your uncle, but I'd be hard-pressed to find a better nephew!"

As the children approach, the spiritual trident finally dissipates. Kellon takes up his spear again and hefts the unconscious boy from Freek. "Good job, lad," Kellon compliments him. "Very brave of you to keep the others safe."

They move on, not wanting to press their luck. It gives Kellon time to reflect on the consequences of the fight. He was bitten, that's for sure, but he doesn't know what that means. Is he at risk now? Does the werewolf curse even affect tortles? Or would he become something else, if anything? A conference with Gweyir is in order, but not while the children are scared and vulnerable in the woods.

As they approach the eastern fringe of the forest, Kellon comments, "I'm not ready to trust the road just yet. We should make for the old campsite. I rather like Spider's suggestion of a cobweb cover for our little sanctuary. Fingers crossed that the local blights got the message the first time around..."

[RandomWombat]

With a small nod, Freek 'helps' lift the other boy up to Kellon. The boy's been unconscious for a long time, which might been he's been poisoned or drugged.

"Aww, thank you! You're a really neat uncle too!"

Gweyir looks longingly towards Barovia village, but nods and turns away. "We should be getting close to the old campsite. It should still have come webs up from last time, right?" Her elven eyes scan the forest ahead and she points the way, then allows Spider to take the lead again while she covers their tracks.

Soon, Kellon starts to recognize familiar landmarks as well. The crags of the cliffs, the bat caves looming above, and Spider's giant lingering cobwebs.

[Prehysterical]

Kellon keeps a firm grip on the Spear of Light, though he does not activate its radiance. There is no guarantee that their previous shelter remains unoccupied...

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception: (1d20+3)[8]

[RandomWombat]

Kellon takes a quick look around, as Spider crawls up onto the crags to reach its old webs and continue its work. Gweyir sheathes the silver sword and peers around as well.

Everything seems quiet, apart from the sounds of the night. Distant animals, buzzing and chirping insects, the wind in the leaves.

[Prehysterical]

Well, nothing is immediately amiss. Kellon sets out his own bedroll and lays the unstirring child down upon it. He gives his winter blanket to Freek. "I've only got the one, unfortunately. You'll just have to share," he tells the boy while looking between him and Myrtle.

Kellon tells Gweyir, "I will take first watch while Spider does his work. Get some rest, Gweyir."

[RandomWombat]

Taking the blanket, Freek wraps it around his shoulders, and Myrtle's, and the two of them huddle against the craggy wall, seeming more comfortable with something solid at their back.

Gweyir plants her sword in the ground beside her and sits down, crossing her legs. "Alright. Just remember, I'm a word away. Elf." Closing her eyes, she steadies her breath and settles into meditation. "And both of you, a little parting gift," she speaks softly, magic flowing out to mend Kellon and Spider's wounds.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Healing Word heals Spider for 4, and Kellon for 6.

"I can keep watch for you!" Spider volunteers cheerfully from above, weaving a canopy of webbing above the group to shield them from view from the air. Spider cleverly plucks branches and leaves from nearby trees, sticking them to the webbing to act as camouflage.

[Prehysterical]

It takes Kellon a second before he remembers that Gweyir needs only meditation, not sleep. When Spider reassures him, Kellon reluctantly concedes. "Well... if you say so." The tortle only feels partially guilty as he retracts into his shell.

[RandomWombat]

The camp settles into sleep. It feels like a particularly short and restless sleep, drifting from the late night into the day. Not an unfamiliar situation, and the campsite around Anton's grave evokes a feeling of deja vu as Kellon awakens in the morning, groggy.

As before, Gweyir has awakened early and picked a few things to supplement the dried rations. The pickings are a little more slim after already resting here the previous night, but a bowl of dry trail mix and a few berries fills the belly to face the day.

Spider's canopy envelopes the area in shade, like a cocoon from which the group is prepared to emerge. Maybe it's Kellon's imagination, but he feels he will leave that cocoon stronger. Beyond the cocoon, the dull Barovian day barely lights the woods.

Moving over beside Kellon, Gweyir sits down and glances over at the children, still asleep. She inspects the bite wound on his leg with worry. "You know lycanthropy is a curse that can be spread by bite, right?" she asks as she feels around the wound. With a combination of healing magic and rest it has closed up, but the area is still tender. "I don't really know the early signs and symptoms, aside from unusual hair growth." Looking up at Kellon, she reaches up and guides him to turn his head one way, and then the other. "For you, any hair growth is unusual. I don't see anything."

[Prehysterical]

As Kellon wakes, he muses that they should just establish their own little sanctuary out here at this rate. Build a little shack, invite the neighbors over...

He accepts the breakfast with thanks, but gives her some bad news. "That's the last of our rations. We'll either need to hunt some up ourselves or buy them in town."

Indeed, despite his grogginess, Kellon feels somehow more attuned to his god. Perhaps his feat of arms yesterday earned Poseidon's favor.

Kellon sighs as Gweyir questions him. "Aye, I know, but I didn't want to discuss it in front of the little ones. I don't have a clue, either. We should sail under the assumption that I did catch it, so that means it's the bilge for me. Perhaps the priest at the temple of the Morninglord can help us. Of course, none of that will matter if the hags catch us before we reach the city walls."

He goes over to their sleeping babe, a claw trying to instill some measure of life into the boy.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Kellon casts Lesser Restoration on the child.

[RandomWombat]

"I do know that it is possible to lift the curse like any other, so long as the cursed does not surrender to it," Gweyir adds, trying to sound hopeful. "Perhaps the local priest is able to dispel curses?" She plucks a berry from the bowl of breakfast mix and stands up. "If you start to feel anything strange, just let me know. I'll get the rest of the kids up."

As she goes over to rouse Freek and Myrtle, the yet unnamed child lying in the bedroll starts to stir after Kellon's spell. As the boy's eyes flutter open, they are filled with groggy confusion, and his eyes settle on the strange turtle man above him. "Ma? Am I dreaming?" he looks around, trying to sit up and find his mother.

[Prehysterical]

Kellon shakes his head sadly. "Sorry to say, little one, but this is no dream. My name is Kellon. We rescued you from an awful hag lady. What's your name, sailor?"

[RandomWombat]

"I'm Lucian. What's a sailor? Why are you a turtle? Where are my parents?" the boy asks in rapid fire, getting up from the bedroll.

[Prehysterical]

Kellon tries to calm him by placing a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder. "Woah, woah, boyo! One question at a time! The three of us are outsiders from lands beyond Barovia. I am a tortle, one of the islandfolk. Your parents are back in the village just east of here, though I'm afraid you may not get a warm homecoming." He cannot mask the sadness in his voice. "You see... Your parents traded you away. I'm sorry, lad, there's no easy way to say this. We need to find you a home where people will take better care of you."

[RandomWombat]

The boy stares up at Kellon and then tries to push off his claw and run away. "You're lying!" The boy doesn't get far before tripping over some of Spider's webbing and getting stuck to it, which rouses Spider to crawl over to the edge of the canopy and check. Lucian begins to cry out loud.

Gweyir quickly gets up from her spot crouched next to the other two children, and run over. "Shhh, shh, the hags might still be searching!" Pulling away his blanket, Freek gets up and takes a few tentative steps over.

"It's really true, the old lady took us away too. Our parents gave us up," Freek explains, trying to get through to the other boy. Lucian gradually quiets down, but sniffles and tries frustratedly to pull away from the webbing.

Gweyir gently holds his leg still and cuts it free, then checks on a scrape he got on his arm from the fall. She cleans it a little with the contents of her waterskin, and bandages it with some cloth. "We need to be quiet right now, okay. We're almost back to the village."

"They're gonna bring us to Ismark and Ireena," Freek adds, hopefully.

[Prehysterical]

Kellon would be the first to admit that he has never been particularly good with children. Thankfully, Gweyir has him covered in that regard. He pulls out the wooden bowl and alchemy jug to begin pouring water. "Just a little longer now, little ones." Taking a swig himself, Kellon pours a new bowl. "Come, come, have a drink. I'm sure that you all must be thirsty."

[RandomWombat]

The bowl is quietly passed around as Lucian wipes his face and nose with his sleeve. Gweyir helps the boy take a drink, and then Spider. "Don't worry, buddy. Spider's friendly." The last of the ration bowl is passed around, as well, each of the children taking a few bites of food.

[Prehysterical]

Everything is put away and Kellon grabs his spear. "All right, pleasant as it would be to hide away in here and start a new lives for ourselves, we should get moving. The village is out best bet. On our way down to the residence, we should stop and see how Sokol and his wife are doing."

[RandomWombat]

With their camping equipment packed, the group begins to set out through the woods. And then, they emerge into the open. A few days ago, the sight of Barovia village was confusing, ominous, and disappointing. Now it's knowing that they made it back in one piece.

Then Kellon glances up at the sky behind them... and sees nothing. Just the open, overcast sky. No cackling hags or watching ravens.

Past the graveyard and the worn, scratched and battered chapel. They can see the main street stretching ahead, and follow it. The sight of their strange group back again, with children thought missing, stirs mixed reactions. Some cautiously draw their children away. Others look confused, uncertain of what this means. One or two even nod at them and go on their way, no dark stares or fearful signs.

Until at last they come back to Mary's townhouse. Inside, Mary is seated in the old rocking chair, looking a little more aware. In her hands is a wooden mug of water from which she is drinking when they enter. Her eyes light up at the door opening, in a mixture of hope and fear. "You... you're back. Did you..."

Sokol stands up from his seat on the stairs up to Gertruda's room and he says what his wife cannot put to words, "Welcome back, my friends! Did you find her?"

[Prehysterical]

Kellon shakes his head sadly. "Neither hide nor hair of her, which may be a good thing, believe it or not." He extends an arm to indicate the children accompanying them. "These here are Freek, Myrtle, and Lucian. We rescued them. It seems that Barovia is suffering from a bit of a hag problem. While we were searching for Gertruda, a little birdy pointed us to a coven disguising themselves as bakers. We feared the worst and went looking for her, but I am happy to say that your little girl has not been turned into a pie."

Kellon gives Sokol a firm look. "Sokol, I know you want to find your daughter. Believe me, I understand. But these hags are onto us, now. We won't be able to walk the countryside until they are dealt with. I need your swordarm, shipmate. Then maybe we stand a chance of finding Gertruda."

[RandomWombat]

"A pie--?" Mary's voice catches in her throat as she puts a hand to her mouth, spilling some of her mug of water onto the floor. Sokol walks over and gently takes the cup from her, setting it next to her on the floor and rubbing her shoulder.

"It will be okay... bakers, no joke?" Sokol looks up at Kellon and shakes his head.

"You are right, Kellon. Something must be done of this," bending down in front of Mary, Sokol tells her, "I will return, Mary love. I need you to keep eating and drinking while I am gone. We will find Gertruda and bring her home, yes, trust in me." She weakly nods her head, and Sokol goes back over to the steps. The sheath of the tarnished silver shortsword he'd taken from the Durst basement is hung over the railing, and he plucks it up to cinch it onto his belt again.

"I will be first to admit!" in his usual cheerful voice, sounding a little more forced than usual, Sokol spins around and holds out his arms to either side. "Of hags, I know very little! We should speak to priest, speak to burgomaster, speak to somebody who knows things. And otryad - squad, we will need. Able sword arms."

[Prehysterical]

Disappointed as the dead man is, Kellon is glad to have the zombie back at his side. Gods, when would he have ever imagined saying that before Barovia?

Kellon nods his understanding. "Aye, let us speak to the burgomaster first. The children need sanctuary while we deal with this threat."

[RandomWombat]

"I will return. Take care of yourself, Mary," Sokol says back to his wife as he goes to the door. She nods, still a little dazed, and picks up her mug to have another drink of water. He joins them outside and locks the door behind him, tucking the key away in one of his coat pockets.

Further down the main street of the village, they can see the house before they arrive at it. As large or larger than the chapel, and in no better shape, even from afar. More importantly, Kellon sees people fleeing away from it, and ducking inside of their homes. The sound of battle ahead urges the group forward.

"I'll get the children somewhere safe and join you," Gweyir says, leading them off to the side into cover.

A weary-looking mansion squats behind a rusting iron fence. The iron gates are twisted and torn. The right gate lies cast aside, while the left swings lazily in the wind. The stuttering squeal and clang of the gate repeats with mindless precision. Weeds choke the grounds and press with menace upon the house itself. Yet, against the walls, the growth has been tramped down to create a path all about the domain. Heavy claw markings have stripped the once-beautiful finish of the walls. Great black marks tell of the fires that have assailed the mansion. Not a pane nor a shard of glass stands in any window. All the windows are barred with planks, each one marked with stains of evil omen.

In the courtyard just past the gate, another such attack is already underway. Ismark stands in front of the main doors of the mansion, fending off a shambling corpse in old soldier's armor, wielding a crude morningstar. He has a small wound already, but has already slain several of the attackers. Living wolves are scattered among zombies, both armed and unarmed, their eyes aglow with malevolent light and their movements unnaturally coordinated. Not a sound escapes them as they pursue their purpose. Some of the solves that Kellon sees beyond a large tree off to the side are markedly larger than the others, and more fearsome looking.

A few Barovian villagers have gathered up enough courage to try and help. Two of them armed with torches and pitchforks are already running ahead of Kellon, and he finds several hunters as well as the noble and his hound from the search party outside of the gates. The hunters are doing what they can with their crossbows, and the noble is holding his hound at bay, seemingly torn between allowing her to run into the fight and protecting her from it.

When he sees Kellon arrive, the nobleman looks to him in relief. "Thank the Morninglord! The devil has sent his monsters to attack again at the very heart of our village!" The man grabs the gate with his free hand and pulls, holding it open against the wind.

The hunters shoot another round of bolts through the iron fencing, riddling the zombie that Ismark is fighting across its back. The new burgomaster, with arming sword and shield in hand and a suit of ringmail on, takes a swing at the undead monster. But his blade clatters off of its kettle helmet. The undead swings back and strikes his arm with a clumsy counterblow. A second cut drives into the zombie's flesh, but it refuses to fall.

A second zombie in a chain shirt and a kettle helmet shambles towards the Barovian villagers, who falter, their pitchforks shaking in the face of real action. Before they can flee in fear, Spider crawls up and sprays a net of webbing at it, sticking it to the ground.

From around the side of the building, one of the wolves comes barreling in straight at Ismark. Beyond where it came from, Kellon can hear the sound of splintering wood.

Spoiler: Combat Logs

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Barovian Noble opens the gate and takes the Dodge action.
Hunters shoot the Armed Zombie fighting Ismark for 3 and 8 damage and a miss.
Ismark attacks Armed Zombie, but misses.
Edit: Ismark's extra attack hits, for 7 damage, but the zombie passes its save against dying.

Armed Zombie attacks Ismark, hitting for 5 damage.

Spider entangles the Armed Zombie coming for the Barovians in a web.

Dire Wolf Dashes at Ismark.

It is Kellon's turn!

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Barovian Noble and Dog - n20
Hunters - 19
Ismark Kolyanovich - 19
Ireena Kolyana - 18
Armed Zombies - 17
Spider - 14
Dire Wolves - 13
Kellon - 12
Gweyir - 10 (Arrives on Round 2)
Wolves - 8
Barovians - 4
Sokol - 3
Zombies - 1
??? - 0

[Prehysterical]

Of all the welcomes that Kellon was expecting, he would never have of such a battle in open daylight. He draws forth his old shield and the Spear of Light as they approach with haste.

Spoiler: OOC

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With Kellon now holding a shield, that bumps his AC to 19. I have updated my character sheet.

They arrive upon a very grim scene. Ismarck is fighting for his life, no doubt warding off Strahd's agents who have come for his sister. The villagers mount a desperate defense. Kellon enters the open gate without a word, his mind focused on the immediate battle. Shield and spear raised, Kellon strides boldly forth past the wavering villagers.

Seeing Ismarck flanked by one of the large wolves, Kellon knows that he can't intercede in time... physically, at least. As Kellon hurries forward, he clangs the Spear against his shield. "THUNDERSTRUCK!"

Time for Strahd to see the Tempest join the battle.

Spoiler: OOC

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Kellon casts Thunderwave on the Armored Zombie beside Ismarck and the advancing Dire Wolf.
He will channel Destructive Wrath to max out 16 thunder damage.