Violet offers an awkward bow back to Saeko, clumsily adjusting it as she does into something a touch deeper.  Chaville has enough visitors from Lannet that she has at least seen Ryuan people interacting with her own, and Lady Saeko's customs seem at least similar; it's logical that the lower class...caste?...person bows lower.  "It's my pleasure, my lady."

Backing off, she watches as the mage begins to 'scan' as he puts it.  While leery of sorcery - understatement! - it seems logical to Violet that a sorcerer would be the best bet to detect traces of satanic power...lacking an Inquisitor, of course.  But the only one of the group that seems close to a Church-warrior would be Caesius, and he worships heathen gods.

And, clearly, has no quarrel with sorcerers.

Hence, reliance upon Zertin.  She holds no animosity for the man, himself; certainly he seems decent of personality and not - obviously - given to cruelty.  It is his practice of magery that offends her.  Perhaps he seeks to use the powers of the devil for good, but as the Church teaches, no good may come of such things.

But here in Hell, already, it seems foolish to make a sore point of it.

Thus she offers her support, moving to watch the blinds spots of the others, arrow on the string of her short, hunting bow.

Zertin begins to quarter the cave, seeking to identify any sources of magic, watched over by the vigilant Caesius, wary Violet and his brother Qvar, the three almost dancing around him as they seek to keep out of his way.

Ashlyn ushers Ireena out of the cave and they stand in the entrance where they are joined by Saeko, bearing the hilt of the Sunsword.  They notice that your guide is nowhere to be seen, and Randal can but shrug, uncertain as to where the Elf has vanished to.  If Hammer knows he does not say.

If the green woman is nearby, she gives no sign, and within her cave, Zertin finds no sign of her either, nor indeed of the Sunsword's blade or any other magic. 


OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

When his search of the cave is completed, Zertin leads his guardians back outside to rejoin the rest of the party.

"There is no trace of anything else magical in there, so I assume that Madame Eva's foretelling means we must take the sword hilt to the Castle to restore it.

"Madame Eva said the witches' hill lies to the southwest of the path that leads to the Castle, so that must be our next destination," he suggested.

Qvar leaves the cave with only one  backward glance to catch a glimpse of the nymph should she reappear.  Without a guide he's content to follow whoever cares to lead.

Walking beside Violet for a while he asks "Violet, when you sought to drive off the nymph you invoked the name Abel.  I'm not familiar with your deity.  Can you tell me something about them?"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:28, Tue 12 Jan 2021.

Violet is the last to leave; while she 'trusts' Zertin (using the word loosely) to be the best choice to seek out any sorcerous beings, mistakes could be made.  Or the Sylvain woman could be a being of power, one capable of hiding herself from a mortal wizard's spells.  So it is that she finds herself next to the shining figure of Qvar as they exit, with many a backward glance of her own, arrow still nocked.

And a question comes her way.

The young woman blinks; she should have expected this, with her own fearful curiosity about the heathen gods worshipped by her companions.  "Abel?"  Not an avid church-goer, she takes a moment to collect her thoughts.  "Abel was...more than seven centuries ago, the world suffered under the dominion of magic.  Cruel spirits and beasts stalked the night.  Sorcerers ruled, bending those without the devil's gift of magic to their will.  Then Abel appeared."

It takes some work to remember the story in some details.  "He preached forgiveness, kindness, and a humanity free from the shackles of magic.  Many flocked to Him, and listened to his words.  Even humanity's rulers, the wizard-kings of Yehudah, finally grew fearful and sent soldiers to slay him and his followers. They came upon him and began to kill the crowds..."  She bites her lip.  "They say with tears in his eyes, the boy Abel picked up a sword.  And the soldiers faced the Son of God in his wrath."

Drawing a breath, she continues.  "Abel travelled the world, throwing down despots and gathering an army.  He slew heathen gods with his own sword, and one of their high priests became his most dedicated follower, ordaining him as the Christ - 'the annointed one'.  Twelve other disciples of different strengths joined thatman and became his apostles.  He defeated Yehudah.  He expelled the Sylvain and other satanic beings from our lands.  He drove forth the taint of magic.  The only true fear was the empire of the Duk'Zarist, and with his holy light Abel convinced them to leave humanity in peace.  Finally he faced the last vestige of sorcery within our lands: the ancient city of Solomon, once the capital of the Empire of Solomon that existed in glory before Yehudah, before falling in the Seven Hours of Fire."

The young woman shoots a sidelong glance at Qvar, awkwardly self-conscios and ill-used to speaking so much.  "But Iscariot, one of his devoted apostles, betrayed him, his payment thirty cursed pieces of black metal.  And Abel Christ died, crucified on the walls of Solomon."

Another heavy breath.  "But his Church, the Holy Church of Abel, lives on in the name of Abel and his Father."*

Grimacing, she checks their backtrail once again.  "It is the Church of the Sacred Holy Empire of Abel, of the lands of Gaia."

*A rather vague version of the story of Abel, Solomon, the Thirty Pieces of Black Metal and the other parts of the War of the Cross, but Violet doesn't exactly have the kind of skills to know the full story.

Qvar listens quietly as Violet paints an inspiring picture.  He beams at her when she glances his way.  "Ah, the reluctant hero.  Usually the most trustworthy kind."  He gestures toward her satchel.  "Was it blessed in Abel's name?"

Saeko turns quietly as the others emerge, her eyes tracking Violet as she listens to the story curiously.  She doesn't say anything, just watches openly enough to be clear that she's also following along.

Caesius considers Violet's words as he prepares to travel to their next objective.  An interesting story, though it differs somewhat from the tale of Heironeous, which places more emphasis on duty and martial prowess in the fight against the forces of darkness.

Heironeous teaches his followers that the world is a deadly place, filled with perpetual challenges and trials for those who battle for justice and defend the weak and innocent.  These challenges are to be faced head-on, with calm and resolve.  Followers are taught that they should always act with honour and chivalry, and uphold justice.  Those who defeat evil are rewarded with Glory, while those who uphold the tenets of the Arch-paladin are rewarded with Virtue.

Lacking a guide, you do your best to retrace your path through the woods, hoping at least that you should reach the road should you continue long enough in a roughly straight line, the road that should eventually bring you to the witches' hill if Zertin's recollection is correct ...

As you walk, Qvar presses Violet for the tale of her god, for though he has heard of many divine beings in his time, the young woman seems to come from some far off realm unknown to the priest.

The rest of you listen, lost in thought ...

Violet suddenly stops as, glancing back, something catches her eye.  To your left she points out a flattened area of ground, the soil marked with what appears to be the pawprints of many large wolves.

Following the tracks but a short way brings you to an area choked with underbrush and filled with the stench of death.

Zertin frowns and mutters to himself before speaking up.

"The nymph said something about the lack of birds in the woods, didn't she? Something like, when the Darkness descended she saved all of them from the Light. She said she must save all of us as well. Perhaps this wolf pack does her bidding? I think we should make sure we have proper shelter tonight."

After staring at the tangled area of underbrush for a long moment he asks, "Are we going to investigate what has happened here?"

Caesius gazes at the tangled undergrowth, and replies quietly to Zertin, "How can we not?"  Razor slides from its sheath with the faintest of whispers, and is held ready.  If anything emerges from the bushes, the paladin is prepared for it.

Qvar nods his agreement.  He speaks a quick and rather direct prayer "Pelor, was poison used here?" and stares at the flattened area.  Poison would seem a rather optimistic outcome given the usual cause for the 'stench of death' in this land.

Saeko draws her swords, watching.

Her story cut off before Violet can claim ignorance, the young woman indicates and area of interest - soon the group has found something that captures the attention more keenly than her relating of the history of the Holy Church of Abel.  Keeping an arrow knocked, she crouches down and surveys the area, searching for danger, then stands as the others make their decision.  Lips thin as the others draw their blades, then Violet comes to a conclusion.

"Perhaps - there is no poison - I should go first..."  One corner of her mouth twitches in a nervous smile.  "I likely have best odds of spotting any ambush," she offers.

Zertin smiled at Violet's brave offer.

"Just allow me to scan ahead first. If that stench is from anything undead I should be able to detect it, and I wouldn't want you to lead the way into that type of trap."

With that he takes a pinch of earth from his belt pouch and crumbles it between finger and thumb beneath his nose as recites an incantation.

Though Qvar at least might hear more of Violet's tale, circumstances dictate otherwise.

Weapons are drawn as those with the means be they spells or gods-given gifts, reach out for any sign of danger ... but no evil lurks there (at least no longer), nor is there any sense of foul undead or lingering poison, nor any sound that might betray itself to sharp ears.

With an arrow held ready, Violet presses forward, grimacing as the stench that guides her grows stronger, until she stops, looking about her for a moment before bidding you follow.

There is a corpse mostly, indeed purposefully hidden in the tangle of ferns and vines.  His clothes are torn and his body partially eaten, but one dead hand still clutches a folded piece of parchment.

Kneeling beside him, the young woman notes a seal pressed into red wax holding the parchment closed, the impression of a simple "B".

From the rear of your group, warded by Ashlyn, Ireena gasps as she sees the parchment.

"That is my father's seal !" she exclaims, her voice catching.

"Very dead," Violet muses in a breathy whisper.  "Animals?  Demons?"  She shakes her head; what killed the man is beyond her, much like this horrific realm.  Her eyes narrow at the crudely sealed letter - not even an envelope! - and she nods sharply at Ashlyn's words.  Taking a slight risk, she removes her hand from the string of her bow - holding the arrow with one finger of the other) and carefully slips the letter free, holding it out behind her, blindly.

"Your father's seal, your message," the young woman whispers, her eyes scanning the foliage before her.  "Take it."

"Whoever he was, he deserves better than this for his final resting place," Zertin suggests. "We should take the poor fellow back to the village so his family can give him a proper funeral. It shouldn't be too difficult to cut a couple of saplings or branches for poles and make a crude stretcher to carry his body on."

He looks at Ireena and adds, "But please do read your father's message first. Whatever it was, it was important enough to cost this fellow his life."

The young woman steels herself and steps forward to take the proffered parchment from Violet, patting her hand in uncertain thanks.  Seeing Violet's concentration on the thicket before her, Ireena quickly returns to within your ranks, breaking the seal and unfolding the letter with trembling hands.

She wastes no time scanning the message first, choosing instead to read her father's words aloud, perhaps fearing that she might not be able to do so a second time ... though the reading is punctuated with gasps and pauses as she composes herself, she eventually makes her way to the end, tears streaming from her eyes, her body shaking with fear and grief.

Hail to thee of might and valor

I, the Burgomaster of Barovia, send you honor - with despair.

My adopted daughter, the fair Ireena, has been these past nights bitten by a creature calling its race "vampyr". Over four centuries and more, he has drained this land of the life-blood of its people. Now my dear Ireena suffers from an unholy wound caused by this vile beast. Yet I fear, too, that the creature has some more cunning plan in mind. He has become too powerful to be fought any longer.

So I say to you, give us up for dead and encircle this land with the warding symbols of holiness. Let the holy ones call upon their power that the Devil in our land 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.

Kolyan Indirovich
Burgomaster of Barovia

Caesius swings round, Razor still in his right hand, and his left lifting the sign of Heironeous from his breast.  He glares at Ireena.  "Speak truthfully, and swiftly... have you been bitten, as the parchment describes?"

Zertin looks at Caesius for a moment before speaking up.

"I thought you knew, but perhaps you were not present when Ireena told us. That was when she announced she would come with us to see Madame Eva. Ireena seeks the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, which was stolen from her father, as that will protect her from the master of the castle," he reminded the paladin.

Then he turns back to the body and begins looking around for suitable saplings or branches to serve as poles for a stretcher.

'Vampyr'?  Violet grimaces; with each thing of passing familiarity, she hears another of which she knows nothing.  The name is a curious one, unpleasant to her ears, but holds no actual meaning.  An unholy beast of some kind, she imagines, one the burgomaester clearly believes to hold some fiendish cunning and evil plots.

But Caesius clearly has some understanding of the word, judging by his reaction.

"Has she become tainted?" the young woman quietly inquires, her stomach twisting at the though of an innocent poisoned with evil.  "Is there aught we can do, if so?"

Qvar places a calming hand on Caesius' sword arm.  "Ireena is no more undead than I am."

He smiles reassuringly at the young woman.  "The bites will heal in time.  And we will recover the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind.  You've shown courage to accompany us, and in your resolve to defeat Strahd.  Meanwhile you will be safe with us, and your company is most welcome."

Gesturing to the messenger's body, "Did you know this poor fellow?  And does he have family in the village?"    He places a hand on the man's head and casts Bless.  "Be at peace."

"I am sorry Qvar." Caesius says quietly, shaking his head, "My Code, given to the Order by Heironeous Himself, requires that I test, and judge, all those who may bear the taint of Evil.  While I can delay that judgement for a short while, in extenuating circumstances, the day must come when I will have to judge Ireena."

Qvar nods his understanding and replies sombrely.  "Then judge by her words and deeds, not by any taint of evil she suffers unwillingly."  He smiles at them both, each so strong in their resolve.  "We will see this through, and feel the Sunshine on our faces."