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Shinyah, Druid

What if I were to take a different tactic? Instead of trying to save Castran, how about attempting to end the troubles here in Barovia? Would you have the power to turn Strahd into a human again, or to transport him to a different plane of existence were I to wish either of those things?

Gragog "Good thinking Shinyah. If that is not within his power perhaps the power to giving us the key to defeating Strahd then perhaps?"

" Tis a tough choice. We could possibly be taken directly to Strahd possibly to defeat him if worded appropriately or to his place of rest might be to destroy it first then to strahd himself after that. The problem is we may not be strong enough to defeat him as we currently are?" Tis a great responsibility but be careful my friend.

"Yes send Strahd away perhaps to visit the middle of a large sunny pasture somewhere else."

"Ohama please guide his words", Lar prays softly.

"What you ask is within my power to grant," says Gene.

Baxtaw - Holds Castran while the others try to help Shinyahfigure what to wish for. Lets not be foolish with your wishes my friend.

Shinyah, Druid

Gene, I wish Strahd, and only Strahd, would be sent to the surface of the sun.

Guys, I just want to throw a question out here. I don't know how things will turn out with the Wish, but want to know if it is ok with the rest of the players if the Wish works out as planned (hey, it could happen!) and the adventure ends abruptly. Even if it doesn't end the adventure but gets rid of Strahd, is that ok? I don't want to short anyone that wants to play through the full module, eventually tangling with Strahd. I would like everyone to PM Zhym and let him know one way or the other how you feel. I would prefer keeping it a secret ballot if you will so that nobody feels that they should vote one way or the other after seeing how others vote. Plus, we will not know whether the result of the Wish was what was going to happen or if it happened because of the voting. If necessary, I am happy to change the wish to keep Strahd around if that is what the group wants. I don't want to cheat anyone, so if even one person tells Zhym they want to run through the adventure as written, then that is what should be the overriding concern. This was kind of long-winded, but I just want to make sure nobody is unhappy if the adventure ends early (unless we get TPKed, then you can be unhappy).

Date: Trieluna 13, 1222
Time: 9:15 PM
Weather: Fog
Location: Castle Ravenloft; Brazier Room
**************************************

Shinyah makes his first wish. "Gene, I wish Strahd, and only Strahd, would be sent to the surface of the sun."

The djinn grins. "GRANTED."

Scarlett disappears.

"What is your second wish?" asks the djinn.

----
Status: Gragog (F6): 36/42; Lar (P4): 27/27; Bragar: 33/42 (C7); Castran: 23/23 (F5/I6); Scarlett (C7/T5): ??/34; Agax (MU7/C4): 29/45; Petyr (F3): 23/23; Bogdana (C3): 11/23; Shinyah (D7): 37/38, Honeynose: 24/24, Treescratcher: 29/29, Hihu: 4/4
Effects: Phantom Armor (Castran): 6 pts; Invisibility (Castran); Phantom Armor (Bragar, from Castran): 5 pts
Light sources: Lantern (30', Lar): 6.0 turns; CL coin (60', held by Shinyah); CL gem (60' Agax's staff)

Gragog "Did your wish just make Scarlett disappear? Or did she just wander off? Better yet was she Strahd this entire time?"

Shinyah, Druid

Oh! I...did not expect that to happen. You may be right, Gragog. Perhaps she was Strahd, or perhaps a descendant who carried his name. Or perhaps some unforseen twist I could have avoided with a different wording. We may never know unfortunately. Now I am hesitant to use the other wish for fear of something happening to another member of the party. I am open to suggestions. Feel free to ask Gene if something would be within his power, assuming anyone has any ideas.

"Now, now, Mr. Verdecahn," chides the djinn. "Only you are allowed to ask of my powers. You are, of course, free to seek your friends' advice, but I must remind you that time is a factor."

"Come now," he says with a sly smile. "What is it you desire? Riches? Power? Knowledge? A nubile and willing woman, perhaps—or several?" The djinn laughs. "The only limits are my power and your imagination."

"So what will it be?"

Gragog "I know this may be silly but can you tell us how much of your time remains for our friend to make his last wish?" the brave warrior asks the djinn.

"Mere moments," answers the djinn.

I don't want this to drag out with everyone waiting on one person to act, so I'm going to give until tomorrow morning for a wish to be made (unless Scott308 doesn't log in tonight).

Shinyah, Druid

I wish there were no more vampires in Barovia. Do you have the power to grant this?

Date: Trieluna 13, 1222
Time: 9:30 PM
Weather: Fog
Location: Castle Ravenloft; Brazier Room
**************************************

As time runs down on Shinyah's wish, he wishes all vampires out of Barovia.

The djinn smiles. "GRANTED."

Nothing seems to change, but at least no one disappears this time.

"It has been a genuine pleasure doing business with you," says the djinn with a bow. "But were I you, I might have wished not to have to draw any more cards. Goodbye, druid of Toharta." He vanishes in a puff of smoke.

Two cards remain to be drawn. Shinyah draws the first: He draws the third card: Shinyah stands motionless and says nothing, a vacant expression in his eyes. The bears whine and begin to look restless. Hihu flies away.
----
Status: Gragog (F6): 36/42; Lar (P4): 27/27; Bragar: 33/42 (C7); Castran: 23/23 (F5/I6); Scarlett (C7/T5): ??/34; Agax (MU7/C4): 29/45; Petyr (F3): 23/23; Bogdana (C3): 11/23; Shinyah (D7): 37/38, Honeynose: 24/24, Treescratcher: 29/29
Effects: Phantom Armor (Castran): 6 pts; Invisibility (Castran); Phantom Armor (Bragar, from Castran): 5 pts
Light sources: Lantern (30', Lar): 6.0 turns; CL coin (60', held by Shinyah); CL gem (60' Agax's staff)

Gragog "Destroy those damned cards."

Agax Gryyg, game mage:

"How very interesting! Do you suppose Scarlett was possessed by Strahd? Or perhaps she was she his long lost descendant, carrying his name?"

Then he fell silent when Shinyah was destroyed.

Three gone. Three remaining.

The sorcerous gamesmith gazed at the deck. He knew the best way to "play" this game was to not play at all. And yet...

The deck was the purest symbol of games and of random chance. How could he possibly hope to resist?

With delight, Agax draws one card.


One card: [1d22] = 2


Sorry everyone. He IS a game mage after all.

Always love the efreet, Zhym!

Agax resolves to draw one card. One card only: A plume of mist appears in the spot the djinn occupied only a moment ago. When it clears, the djinn is back.

"Well, aren't you just the lucky pup?" he says with a laugh. "Kindly bear with me as I repeat the formalities."

"GREETINGS, GAMING MAGE!" he booms in a voice that once again seems to shake the foundations of the castle, if a bit more tired-sounding and rote than the last time. "YOU MAY—still—CALL ME GENE. I HAVE BEEN RETAINED...again...BY THE POWERS BEHIND THAT DECK TO PERFORM CERTAIN SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH THE CARD YOU HAVE DRAWN. I AM OBLIGED TO INFORM YOU THAT MY DUTY IS TO THESE POWERS, NOT TO YOU, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY TO FULFILL SAID SERVICES, WHICH I WILL SPECIFY MOMENTARILY."

"YOU HAVE BEEN GRANTED"—the djinn looks at his hand, in which a note pad appears then disappears—"ONE WISH. I WILL GRANT THIS WISH IF IT IS WITHIN MY POWER TO GRANT. WISHES BEYOND MY POWER TO GRANT ARE FORFEIT. WISHES NOT MADE IN THE NEXT TEN MINUTES ARE FORFEIT. WISHES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE AND NON-TRANSFERABLE. THE POWERS AND THEIR AGENT—TO WIT, MYSELF, HEREINAFTER INCORPORATED AS PART OF THE POWERS—EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR PURPOSE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT WILL THE POWERS BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT OR INDIRECT LOSSES OR INJURY RESULTING FROM YOUR WISH OR MY GRANTING OF THAT WISH, INCLUDING LOSSES RESULTING FROM NEGLIGENCE, GROSS NEGLIGENCE, OR INTENTIONAL ACTION. YOU AGREE TO HOLD HARMLESS AND INDEMNIFY THE POWERS FROM ANY LOSSES. YOU FURTHER AGREE THAT ALL DISPUTES INVOLVING THESE SERVICES WILL BE ADJUDICATED IN BINDING PRIVATE ARBITRATION AT THE CITY OF CLOUDS ON THE PLANE OF AIR."

"NO WISH MAY BE USED TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL WISHES. ANY ATTEMPT TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN THE FORFEITURE OF ALL WISHES COVERED UNDER THIS TRANSACTION. OTHER THAN THE THE GRANTING OF THE STATED NUMBER OF WISHES, THE AGENT'S POWERS AND SERVICES ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO YOU EXCEPT AS FULFILLMENT OF A WISH AT A RATE OF ONE SERVICE PER WISH. YOU MAY ASK ME WHETHER A POTENTIAL WISH IS WITHIN MY POWER TO GRANT; I WILL ANSWER YOUR QUERY TRUTHFULLY. WISHES WILL BE GRANTED AS STATED IF UNAMBIGUOUS. AMBIGUITIES IN A WISH MAY BE RESOLVED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE AGENT, WHO HAS SOLE DISCRETION IN DETERMINING WHEN AN AMBIGUITY EXISTS. THE USE OF CONJUNCTIONS OR MULTIPLE CLAUSES IN A WISH MAY, AT THE AGENT'S SOLE DISCRETION, BE TREATED AS SEPARATE WISHES. IF SEVERANCE OF CLAUSES INTO MULTIPLE WISHES RESULTS IN MORE WISHES THAN YOU HAVE BEEN GRANTED, THE AGENT HAS SOLE DISCRETION IN WHICH WISHES TO GRANT."

"BY STATING A WISH, YOU INDICATE YOUR IRREVOCABLE AGREEMENT TO THESE TERMS."

The djinn relaxes, bends down close to Agax, presses a button on a device strapped to his wrist, and asks, "So. What is it you wish?"

Bragar - Looks confused as more of his comrades continue to draw cards. I guess we should all draw one card? Maybe one of us can get our friends back here.

Gragog the half-orc slaps a hand to his faces sighs then utters "By the gods... I joined a party of fools... I guess as the saying goes... if you can't beat them join them..." the half-orc waits for the wishes to be granted then walks over and draws a card... reluctantly mind you then for some unknown compulsion he takes two cards...yes drawing 2 cards...