5. A Surprise Party?

[Stirling]

"Okay Tumbler they're your new friends, you look after them. I say check on the route the came , maybe something or someone followed them, we don't don't want to be caught unawares." Agrippo points to the door they knocked on and also sets about to strengthen the barricade by the staircase as he expects the Strahd zombies to be returning soon.

[GreyWolfVT]

Fendt "I say make Tib deal with em."

[Grognardsw]

Vorkath, paladin

"They cannot stay," states Vorkath. "They will divide our attentions and perish still. Drawing Tumbler out to investigate is itself dangerous. Let's lower them by rope through the windows behind the curtains and tub next door. To return back to town now ourselves would all but guarantee Ireena's death."

Vorkath awaits the villagers answer on the timing of their conversation with Tibbius. If it was not while they were in town, then the paladin suspects Strahd is somehow impersonating them back in town to cause mischief or draw more victims to his castle of death.

[Cwreando]

"While letting them stay inside is not a good option. Neither is sending them back to town on their own. Their lucky they got here in one piece but sending them back alone isn't any better than leaving them here", replies Robert. Strahd is not going anywhere soon and getting them back to town will mean less for us to fight off if they are turned to zombies or wraiths or vampires. It also gives us a chance to rest in peace, I hope.

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 5, 1221
Time: 4:38 AM
Weather: Rain
Moon: Full
Location: Castle Ravenloft, Study
**************************************

You continue to debate what to do about the villagers.

Vorkath demands to know exactly when Tibbius (who keeps trying to get some rest) insulted the villagers' courage. "Why, yesterday—though I guess it's two days ago now, isn't it?"

The villagers surround Gertruda and argue over whether she needs to return to her ma. Their argument gives you a chance to gather at the opposite side of the room and talk about them frankly.

Agrippo suggests trapping the villagers with Gertruda in her room. Tumbler is ready to go kill something with his new meat shields friends. Vorkath insists that the villagers would be a danger to themselves and your adventuring party and cannot stay. Robert counters that sending the villagers back alone would mean their deaths as surely as letting them stay here. He advocates returning with the villagers to Barovia, where you could hopefully recuperate.

The villagers and Gertruda keep arguing. Loudly.

"Rest in peace," huh?

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 done debating goes off to patrol the remainder of his guard shift and even into the next one if the chat goes for that long.

[Zhym]

Where will Fendt patrol?

[GreyWolfVT]

the current rooms that are not barricaded, locked or spiked shut.

[Computer +1]

At Robert's mention about leaving with the villagers Tumbler's eyebrows shoot up. I'm for getting out of here but we can't forget the poor lass at the vampire's mercy.
And to Vorkath he says, Look we can't guarantee anyone's safety but they stand a better chance around us then without us, right?

[Cwreando]

How long would it take to get the villagers back to town and back with a rest?
Robert states,"I can take the villagers back and reassure the town we can handle the situation and it would be best for them to stay clear and let us do our job. I'll return as soon as I can after a short rest. If any of them stay here and a wraith visits them they will be turned into wraiths themselves and we would have more problems then. Let's get them to safety either as a group or by allowing me to escort them."

[Grognardsw]

Vorkath the paladin agrees with Robert's plan.

[Stirling]

"bet you get no further than the castle gates. The gates into Borovia swung shut behind us and those have to. We can go anyway we like as long as it is forward. Best leave these villagers to their own devices, following us shouting off with his head is more likely to be off with ours. Send them off or get them drunk and then lock them in here. Gertrude can dress them up as knights in armour or something ready for the party!" Agrippo advises.

[Zhym]

It's about a four hour trip from Strahd's castle to Barovia one way by road. How long the round trip would take depends on how long you would want to rest and whether you would come back immediately. The shortest round trip with rest would be 16 hours more or less, depending on how many spells Robert would be studying.

[GreyWolfVT]

Wait what is one of those famous rules? Never split the party.

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 5, 1221
Time: 4:42 AM
Weather: Rain
Moon: Full
Location: Castle Ravenloft, Study
**************************************

The discussion over what to do about the villagers continues. Robert offers to escort them back to town, assuming they can be persuaded to abandon their Strahd hunt. Agrippo doubts they'd get past the castle gates, and suggests getting them all drunk and locking them away.

Fendt paces around the connected rooms.

Gertruda and the villagers keep arguing loudly. After a moment, Gertuda lets out an indignant exclamation and returns to her bedroom.

"Ain' no talkin' ta teenagers," says Bob.

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

[Grognardsw]

Vorkath, paladin

Vorkath does not like any of the options for the villagers. He's not sure how they really got in after the castle outer doors closed. Are they spies for Strahd? the increasingly paranoid paladin wonders.

"Listen, you will either leave by the way you came, or we will lock you in the room with Gertruda. There is no more discussion on the matter."

[MonkeyWrench]

Hearing the brusque tone of the paladin Iluq steps in as well, a smile on his face and his body language calm and placating, "Please listen, we do not send you back because we think you cannot do it. We send you back because it is our mission to stop this evil without endangering any of your lives, please allow us to do our jobs, return with miss Gertruda to the village, make sure her guardians see her, I am sure they are worried sick about her, and let us return to you with a job well done. What say you? Can we all do our part to stop this evil invading the lands?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Fendt "We see now that you villagers are willing to take on evil head on to try and save your village. But please don't take offense and take Gertruda back to the village and help guard the village. We will take on Strahd here. It's best to have folks in town protecting the others." Fendt tries a bit of tact in his words to try and convince all is at hand here they should go back and tend to the others in the village.

[Cwreando]

Robert cracks the door to Gertruda room and locates the girl. If unseen by the girl he cast charm person on her in a way the others can't see what he is doing either. Once cast he consoles the girl and sways her choice so she wants to return to the village and wants the villagers to help her get there safely.

Robert says, "Gertruda I think you would be much safer back in the village with your guardian and I think these villagers can help you get home safely. What do you think young lady? We only care for your safety and I think these villagers do to. If you asked nicely I think they would take you back and make sure you are safe along the way."

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 5, 1221
Time: 4:46 AM
Weather: Rain
Moon: Full
Location: Castle Ravenloft, Study
**************************************

Vorkath has had enough debate. He reverts to his first instinct: the threat of force. "Listen," he announces to the villagers, "you will either leave by the way you came, or we will lock you in the room with Gertruda. There is no more discussion on the matter."

"Well!" answers Barnabus. "I never! You offer a man help and he threatens to lock you in a room! WE WILL NOT BE CONTAINED!" he shouts.

Iluq and Fendt take a more diplomatic tone. They ask the villagers to return Gertruda to the village.

"Y'kner," admits Bob, "Mad Mary do be missin' her girl."

Silent Tom just stands and ponders. You can tell by the smile on his face that he can think of worse things than being locked in a room with Gertruda.

Meanwhile, Robert cracks the door to Gertruda's room. He steps into the darkness, takes mistletoe in hand while making his most suave expression, and casts the spell to charm Gertruda. "I think you would be much safer back in the village with your guardian," he suggests, "and I think these villagers can help you get home safely. If you asked nicely I think they would take you back and make sure you are safe along the way."

"Well, gosh. You do seem really smart," says Gertruda. "I guess I could go back to town if you think that's best. It'll be a shame to miss the party, though." She walks over to the villagers. "Um, I guess you could escort me back to town, if you want to," she tells them.

Bob nods. Silent Tom shrugs. But Barnabus doesn't seem convinced. "I don't know," he says. "I think we'd all be a lot safer if we stayed with these mighty adventurers, or they stayed with us! And in case you didn't notice, Barovia ain't exactly a haven of security and tranquility, you know! No one is safe until Strahd is dead. DEATH TO STRAHD!" He waves his torch around.

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