5. A Surprise Party?

[Grognardsw]

Vorkath, paladin

"You are brave souls, but this castle is fraught with danger and death. You should leave forthwith. That said, tell me of your passage here. Chalk a map out on the floor here. The halls, rooms, what you saw."

[GreyWolfVT]

Fendt "Brave but stupid. You're lucky you have not encountered wraiths and zombies like us. You'd have been turned to one soon enough if you had." Fendt raises an eyebrow "Come to think of it how did you manage to get this deep into his castle without such an encounter?"

Lol love the images for the three villagers.

[Computer +1]

Tumbler scowls at the responses of most of the party. Lads be ye welcome! We too seek to face Strahd as he kidnapped the sister of our friend. Who are ye all and what brings ye here?

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 5, 1221
Time: 4:32 AM
Weather: Rain
Moon: Full
Location: Castle Ravenloft, Study
**************************************

"WE DEMAND JUSTICE!" shouts the scrawny villager, shaking his torch.

"He went that way," Agrippo tells the micro-mob, pointing down the stairs. He'd as soon be rid of the fools.

Vorkath the Paladin is more considerate. "You are brave souls," he says, "but this castle is fraught with danger and death. You should leave forthwith."

"Brave but stupid," says Fendt. He wonders aloud how the villagers haven't been turned to wraiths or zombies yet. "Come to think of it how did you manage to get this deep into his castle without such an encounter?" he asks.

Tumbler is more congenial. "Lads be ye welcome!" he says. "We too seek to face Strahd as he kidnapped the sister of our friend. Who are ye all and what brings ye here?"

"Climb'n," answers the fat one. "Ropes 'n hooks."

"My name's Barnabus," says the nervous one. "The boy here what doesn't say much is Silent Tom, and this big feller is Bob. Like Bob said, this isn't any old peasant mob storming a castle! We came prepared! Ropes and grapples do the trick. Silent Tom threw a couple across the chasm to get over that, then he threw another one up to the wall. We climbed right up! Then we found the window open in the room next door."

"We aint'nt leave'n," says Bob. "Kill Strahd."

"Right you are, Bob," answers Barnabus. "We heard about what your Elf said. That we're all cowards for not storming the castle and killing off our evil overlord. So we're here to bring justice to the people of Borovia. NO PEACE WITHOUT JUSTICE! And now that we found gen-U-ine heroes to march with, we're sure to prevail! POWER TO THE PEOPLE! WE DEFY THE ARISTOCRACY!"

Status: Agrippo: 33/52, Vorkath: 36/36, Tibbius: 14/22, Randolph: 4/4, Iluq: 13/34, Tumbler: 24/39, Robert: 16/27; Fendt: 15/15
Effects: None

[GreyWolfVT]

Fendt "I like the sound of that. How skilled are any of the three of you in battling undead creatures? I don't want to have to worry about saving your ass if we encounter more zombies and wraiths. I'd be more at ease in knowing you at least know how to fight."

[Computer +1]

Tumbler again scowls at Fendt's words. For shame Fendt, dont question their courage, here they are in spite of all the difficulties!

He gives the party a serious look with an eyebrow raised, Let us not doubt the heart of these few who have risen to fight against their oppressor. They will proudly fight with us and help us discover the unknown ahead.

Tumbler then mumbles under his breath to whichever party member is closest, hopefully without being overheard by the newbies, Or be our meat shields.

[GreyWolfVT]

Fendt chuckles at the low toned words of Tumbler.

[Grognardsw]

Vorkath, paladin

"I can't in good conscious allow you to commit suicide, which is what you are doing by staying here," says Vorkath rightiously to the villagers. "Who is this elf that encouraged you to such foolishness?"

"You need to climb back down with your rope, go home, and take care of your families."

[OGRE MAGE]

Tibbius

ZzzZzzzzzz

ZzzzzZzzzzzzzzZzzzzz

huh........zzzzzzzzzzzz

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 5, 1221
Time: 4:34 AM
Weather: Rain
Moon: Full
Location: Castle Ravenloft, Study
**************************************

Tumbler and Fendt see value in having the villagers tag along with the party. The noble Vorkath, however, would not see the fervent but relatively harmless villagers slaughtered. He insists that they climb down the rope and go home, and wonders who encouraged them to engage in such foolishness.

"It was that elf over there, the one pretending to sleep!" says Barnabus. "He asked old Bildrath why we haven't all stormed the castle 'and set old Longfangs dangling and aflame?' Perriwimple told us that. Perriwimple's not much of a deep thinker, but he can remember real good. Well, some of us figured the elf had a point, so here we are. Ready to kill Strahd!" Realizing he hasn't shouted anything in over a minute, he adds, "SIC SEMPER STRAHDIS!"

Gertruda's voice sounds from the doors to her chamber. "Is it party time already?"

"Sound'n like Gertruda!" says Bob. "YER MA'S WORR'D SICK Y'KNOW!" he shouts.

Please note that I've corrected the time.

Status: Agrippo: 33/52, Vorkath: 36/36, Tibbius: 14/22, Randolph: 4/4, Iluq: 13/34, Tumbler: 24/39, Robert: 16/27; Fendt: 15/15
Effects: None

[Stirling]

"perhaps you can escort this young Gertrude back to her ma, tell her the parties over. that would be a heroic gesture that the town will fete you for!". Agrippo says to fat Bob.

[Grognardsw]

"It was that elf over there, the one pretending to sleep!" says Barnabus.

Vorkath looks at the possibly sleeping Tibbius. "That elf?" he says to Barbabus. "When was this?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Fendt gives a glance back to the "sleeping" Tib "Has he not been with you fellow adventurers the entire time?" he says while pointing to Tib.

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 5, 1221
Time: 4:36 AM
Weather: Rain
Moon: Full
Location: Castle Ravenloft, Study
**************************************
Vorkath looks at the semi-sleeping Tibbius and asks when the elf had told the villagers to take up arms.

"At Bildrath's!" says Barnabus. "He was shopping for some equipment, him and the dwarf. That's what Perriwimple told us!"

Hearing that the villagers know Gertruda, Agrippo senses a way to solve two problems at once. "Perhaps you can escort this young Gertrude back to her ma," he suggests.

Bob grunts. "COME ON OUT'N DERE!" he calls out. The villagers do seem awful loud.

"I can't! The door is stuck!" comes the reply from Gertruda.

Silent Tom steps up to the door, pulls out the spike holding it closed, and opens the door.

"G'on back to yer ma now!" demands Bob.

"No! I'm going to be a princess and have parties! I don't want to go back to that stinky town and my stinky mother and her stinky little house!"

"NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!" shouts Barnabus, not wanting to lose steam. "Are we going to go kill Strahd now or aren't we?" He looks expectantly at each of you.

Status: Agrippo: 33/52, Vorkath: 36/36, Tibbius: 14/22, Randolph: 4/4, Iluq: 13/34, Tumbler: 24/39, Robert: 16/27; Fendt: 15/15
Effects: None

[OGRE MAGE]

Tibbius rolls over again, giving these newcomers the squinty evil eye for shouting so loudly whilst he's trying to rest. He remains silent but mentally verifies if he has seen any of these townsfolk before.

[Grognardsw]

"At Bildrath's!" says Barnabus. "He was shopping for some equipment, him and the dwarf. That's what Perriwimple told us!"

"And when exactly was this?" asks Vorkath of Barnabus.

[GreyWolfVT]

Fendt looks to Tumbler "You went shopping with Tib?" he chuckles a little "Why Tumbler I figured you for the sort to have a strong drink in a tavern than to shop."

[Stirling]

"staying with this lot will bring the house down on us, I say spike'm indoors with Gertie and then move on out, Ireena is running out of time, the count has years on his side to wait to trap us.", Agrippo will signal to the group to usher the villagers into the bedroom.

[Computer +1]

Tumbler looks slightly abashed. I bought this baby he shows off the crossbow figuring it would be better to shoot undead from a distance rather then slug it out with em. His cheeks redden I shoulda had that drink for all the good its done me.

He looks over at the new recruits, You lads are here now so lets go kill something evil!

[Cwreando]

Robert says, "Maybe we could all escort them to town. Rest up and come back at the next dawn? I don't think they like the daylight."