“Not yet,” Jun Jia said with an impish grin. “He maintains an adequate distraction at the front door.” She gently nudged the door open. Then, the Monk stepped inside, motioning Ceila to follow.

Ceila did so, cautiously.

(c) This workshop contains everything a carpenter needs to make coffins and furniture. Three sturdy worktables stretch the length of the west wall.

Room b has a table with four chairs is in one corner with a lantern hanging from a chain directly above. Two well-made cabinets stand against the east wall.

From the doorway to a you see the old coffin maker standing in front of the closed front door holding his hammer like he is afraid he may have to use it. He doesn't hear you approaching over Chokahr's banging on the front door. Arranged haphazardly about the floor of this musty, L-shaped room are thirteen wooden coffins.

You could also sneak up the stairs in room a to see what is upstairs.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:11, Tue 19 Apr 2022.

Ceila cleared her throat.

"Good day, good sir," she said.  "I apologize for our interruption, but our friend outside is on an urgent quest to remove a curse upon him, and we'd like your help in this matter.  Would you mind opening the door and..."

Ah.  Her sword was still out.  That could be bad.

20:10, Today: Ceila Greendoor rolled 6 using 1d20+5 ((1)).

Not so much.  Well, I tried.

If Ceila fumbled, then Jun Jia would try to calm the old man. The petite woman held out her hands and tried to look as unthreatening as possible. “Please don’t be alarmed, Grandfather van der Voort. When nobody answered, we were concerned that harm befell you.” Jun smiled reassuringly at Henrik, addressing him in a respectful tone.

“As Sister Ceila said, our companions are in great need of help. We were told only you could help them. Can we talk? I vow that we mean you no harm.”


OOC:

21:26, Today: Jun Jia rolled 13 using 1d20+1.  Charisma .

Henrik straightens when he hears you, and slowly turns, his face white as a ghost. He puts a finger to his lips and with his other hand points upstairs.

Then he turns to the door and yells to Chokahr, "We're closed! Go away!"

Frowning in confusion, Jun Jia answered by pointing upstairs. She silent silently mouthed, Is someone listening?

He motioned in return, six fingers, then he put two fingers next to his incisor teeth, pointing down. Six vampires upstairs.

He turned to the door again, "Go away now! Leave US alone."

OOC: Does the old man have any writing material nearby?

Yes absolutely. Go for it.

Jun Jia spotted a sheet of paper and a pen on a nearby table. She cleanly, but quickly, wrote in Common. Then, she held the message for Henrik to see.

“Did the vampires threaten you? Can we bring our friends  through the back to help you?”

He whispers, mostly in shock, "Yes. I stole the bones for them. They will leave tonight if we leave them alone, they just want the bones. Save yourselves, just go. I will be okay. Save yourselves."

Nodding, Jun gestured at Ceila and tread softly toward the back door.

Ceila followed.  Six vampires... she knew she wasn't strong enough for a direct confrontation.  Not just her and Jun.

You exit the back of the building. All is quiet, save for the angry old men out front.

When they reached the men, Jun Jia hushed them. “Shh! Stop drawing attention and walk with us.”

Vyktor had given up on knocking quite awhile ago. He just wasn't feeling much like himself any longer. He stood there eating an apple, trying to enjoy the flavor but it seemed the sweetness had faded to dullness.

"What is going on?" He asked Jun Jia, anxious for any change of pace from banging on a locked door that he would normally just "unlock."

When Vyk & Chokhar stepped far enough from the Coffin Maker, Jun Jia told them. “Henrik, the Coffin Maker, refused to answer the door by order of his unwanted guests. Six vampires upstairs. They forced Henrik to steal the bones…whatever that means.

Henrik said they will leave tonight if no one bothers them. Ceila also detected vampires at the Inn. I do not know of these are the same vampires, or even more of them.”

Vyk's wrinkly forehead scrunched up so tight it seemed painful, "Oh by the gods...this just keeps getting worse doesn't it. They have the Bones of St. Andral, the very thing the priest needs to be able to heal our predicament."

He put his head in both hands and seemed to wrestle in his own mind with giving up or facing death to retrieve his youth.

"Jun Jia and Ceila, this is not your burden, and yet I know that if we asked you, you would willingly risk your lives to help us return to our natural selves. I believe too that the wereravens may feel in our debt. We could ask them for numbers, four against six are not good odds, but what if there were a dozen against half?"

He looked down the street, toward the Burgomaster's house. "Lastly, there is one other course of action, I wonder how Burgomaster Vargas would react to knowing what you have uncovered. Will he muster soldiers and vampire slayers to arms?"

He looks at you. "I am too tired to decide. What do you think?"

Vyktor’s plight moved Jun Jia. Her face showed it as she listened to his plea, nodding sympathetically. “Vyktor Rosewylde, you know that Ceila & I would not leave you in this pitiful condition. We will do all within our power to help you and Chokhar return to your true ages.”

Still, they were outnumbered. Vyktor’s frown showed up in Jia’s own face as she considered their best course of action. ”The vampires we saw sat freely and unafraid in the Inn. However, I did not sense that the Ravens gladly welcomed them. I think Danika and her husband would indeed help us.

What do you and Chokhar know about this Burgomaster? Can we be certain that he has not allowed vampires to roam his town?”

"Well for one, he is practically mad with laughter. I believe he believes that if everyone got on like nothing was miserable, and plastered smiles on their faces, misery would cease to exist. He seemed genuinely against Strahd, however, but perhaps politically there is more to his ability or inability to act against the Count, therefore all he can do is control his subjects. In short, he may indeed allow vampires, but I would like to know for certain. We know the Martikov's will help us. Shall we first see if the Burgomaster will?"

"Getting help to destroy them is the prudent course," said Ceila.  "It's a risk to those who aid us, but so is letting those abominations stay unchallenged.  We will need to move quickly, though-- if we can get no other aid, I'll risk it to help the two of you."

Chokahr crossed his arms across his chest, frowning.

"It is daytime. The vampires must be asleep. How much of a threat can they be? We sneak in an grab the bones, and no one's the wiser. They'll never know what happened."

Listening to his companions, the barbarian tilted his head from side to side, apparently hesitating.
"Allies are good, but time may be running out. I doubt the Baron cares for much except his parties and his hunts. I wish I had such little sorrows. As for the ravens... sure, they owe us, after all. I'll go grab them if you want."

Danika and Urvin are slightly reluctant. "We are not soldiers," They say, "We have always been watchers, and so far we believe we have done well to remain in the shadows. I fear if Strahd learned of us he would just wipe us out. Still, we cannot ignore your request."

When Chokahr arrives back at the Coffin Maker's, eight Keepers of the Feather are already there. You recognize Stenzel, the woman who led during the fight against the wolves, "Took you long enough to get back, old man. Are we ready?"

The house is small quarters, with 6 vampire spawn plus 4 of us plus 8 wereravens this fight will be CRAAAAZY, so I'm just going to have the four of you fight 2 vampire spawn while the ravens take care of the rest.

---

First you pull Henrik out of the house, clapping a hand over his mouth as he argues that they will kill him.

Then, you sneak upstairs. Old carving tools and other junk and crates have all been pushed into the corners to make room for six coffins arranged neatly on the floor.

ROUND 1: Players turns. Advantage to the first two that post.
Vampire Spawn AC15
1
2

Ceila blessed those around her and herself.  Best to give them all the best chance to destroy these things...