D&D 5E Curse of Strahd - Death House

[Yavathol]

"Ho ho! What have we here?", Wergil approaches the cadaver.

"Well, this poor serf has obviously fallen to those nearby wolves, but it seems strange that they did not then proceed to eat him! Probably magic, like every other blasted thing around here! That would expect their strange behaviour too, I would not normally expect them to harry a group of armed individuals like us." He takes the envelope, briefly looks for an address, and then proceeds to open and read it.

OOC: Wergil can read Common, Draconic and Primordial.

[sblock=status]Wergil hp 15/15
Str +0(+2 Saves) Dex +3, Con +3(+5 Saves), Int -1, Wis +0, Cha +0
Athletics +2, History +1, Perception +2, Persuasion +2, Survival +2
AC 18
Inspiration yes
Rages 2/2
HD: 1/1[/sblock]

 

[Kobold Stew]

Meanwhile, Mr. Aldershot examines the prints around the corpse, to determine what sorts of animals they might be, and where they might be now.

[roll0] (+5 Animal Handling; +2 Nature; +5 Survival; +0 Investigation -- whichever is appropriate.)

 

[Wrex]

Rufus doesn't ask Farshid for light...the path to Corruption begins with a single step.

While the others examine the body, he scans around them for threats.

 

[industrygothica]

The prints are quite obviously wolf tracks, albeit overly large ones. They lead farther along the path, the same direction in which you were travelling.

The letter in the dead man's hand has a large "B" set into its wax seal. The parchment is worn and flimsy. The letter is dated one week ago.



Hail thee of might and valor.
I, the Burgomaster of Barovia, send you honor--with despair.

My adopted daughter, the fair Ireena Kolyana, has been these past nights bitten by a vampire. For over four hundred years, this creature has drained the life blood of my people. Now my dear Ireena languishes and dies from form an unholy wound caused by this vile beast. He has become too powerful to conquer.

So I say to you, give us up for dead and encircle this land with the symbols of good. Let holy men call upon their power that the devil may be contained within the walls of weeping Barovia. Leave our sorrows to our graves, and save the world from this evil fate of ours.

There is much wealth entrapped in this community. Return for your reward after we are all departed for a better life.

Kolyan Indirovich
Burgomaster

 

[Yavathol]

Wergil will read it aloud to anyone who seems interested, or pass it to anyone who wants to read it for themselves.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Mr. Aldershot looks at the letter, he looks at the corpse, and then sighs. "Holy men" the letter had said. "Let Holy men call upon their power."

He turns to the group, "Has anyone heard of Barovia? I have not. Is that the name of this place, or has this poor messenger been brought here like us? I see no way of telling how far this message has gone astray." He hands the letter back to Wergil.

"It is a desperate letter, and one that identifies an enemy we could not defeat, and a treasure waiting to be taken, and a woman who has been removed from the governance of Nature. I do not like it."

"Still, the message is better with us than with the wolves, and so perhaps we take it with us so that the Burgomaster's words may reach more powerful ears, more capable of help." The small man bites his lip, and looks up to the others.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[CanadienneBacon]

[section]Girri accepted the note from Wergil, read it, then bent down and examined the body. She noted the claw marks on the man's clothing, the paw prints beside the corpse, and the evidence that crows had been at the eyes. Carefully, she lifted the collar and examined the neck for wounds. When she was done with her search, she stood up and frowned. "Maybe someone's sealed off this Barovia place, and we're stuck here. If so," she looked around at the others, puzzling out her thoughts as she spoke, "then we're meant to inquire. I didn't think vampires existed. Surely they're the stuff of boogie man stories?" Girri's frown deepened. "This girl, the one the note claims was bitten. She's here somewhere, that note says. She's the only link we've got. Maybe we seek out her father, the Burgomaster? I'd like to know more, wouldn't you?"

Just then, Farshid lit fire to the corpse. Girri jumped back in alarm, cursing. She rounded on Farshid. "You like burning things, I think."[/section]

OOC: Looking for the cause of death. Not sure which of these will apply: [roll0] plus Medicine +2, or Investigation +3, or Perception +4.

[sblock=Stats]Variant Human Bard 1
HP: 8/8
AC: 13
Initiative: +2
Saves: Dexterity, Charisma
Languages: Common, Halfling (race), Vistari (background)
Passive Perception: +4

STR: 8 DEX: 15 CON: 10 INT: 12 WIS: 14 CHA: 15

Spell Save DC: 12
Spell attack modifier: +4
Cantrips (2): light, prestidigitation
1st level (2/2): cure wounds, dissonant whispers, faerie fire, sleep

Bardic Inspiration: (2/2), long rest. Bonus action, choose one creature other than yourself within 60' who can hear you. d6 to an ability check, attack roll, or save w/i 10 min.

Bladed Scarf +4, 1d4+2, finesse, 10 ft reach
Dagger +4, 1d4+2, thrown, finesse, light, 20'

Acrobatics 4
Arcana 3
Insight 4
Investigation 3
Perception 4
Performance 4
Persuasion 4
Sleight of Hand 4
Stealth 4[/sblock]

 

[industrygothica]

The man was evidently attacked by numerous large wolves, likely much like the one howling not too far in the distance.

 

[Yavathol]

"I too know naught on vampires, yet it seems clear that the wolves are working for this creature. At least now we know something about our enemy, and it seems likely it is also the powerful spellcaster responsible for bringing us here! I would guess that this messenger was headed towards the gates we came through, hopefully if we press on then we will find his village, and can inform his family of his fate and maybe provide some assistance."

Privately, Wergil thinks of his family and wonders if rescuing the villagers would restore his standing in the eyes of his father.
[sblock=status]Wergil hp 15/15
Str +0(+2 Saves) Dex +3, Con +3(+5 Saves), Int -1, Wis +0, Cha +0
Athletics +2, History +1, Perception +2, Persuasion +2, Survival +2
AC 18
Inspiration yes
Rages 2/2
HD: 1/1[/sblock]