Story Thread

[Chris]

The Amber Temple

Giant Goat attack
Roc attack
Tsolenka Pass
Gatehouse Portcullis
Curtain of Green Flame
Revenants in wait

Time at end of session: Day 16, 7:05am, Year 735?

MVP Aileen Russell as Zola Farsight Stomrwyk

our plays on RPG Geek rpggeek.com/plays/thing/192136?userid=1168080

[bxtreme]

Journal Entry 27

From giant goats to giant birds, we have seen all manner of strange monstrosities during our lovely stay in Barovia. We encountered the Revenants again at a strange portcullis sheathed with green flame. The leader was a challenging foe the first time we encountered him, but his numbers were too great this time around. We were losing our fight, but Zola selflessly offered her sword and herself in exchange for our lives. Everyone was taken back by this. As expected, Creed tried to stop Zola, but it thankfully worked out in the end. The revenant leader was swayed by spoils of war Zola offered him. We ended up getting Zola back, but it seems her sword is lost - back in the hands of its original owner.

We also saw the corpses of Kael and Eliza during our encounter. They were inhabited by the souls of the revenant army. What a strange yet powerful curse these revenants posses. If properly studied, this could be the key to beating death. Mortal bodies succumb to the passing of time and decay just like anything else in this world. But giving my soul the means to inhabit other bodies freely...I'm intrigued. The key to immortality is surely in Barovia. It seems to be a matter of selecting a flavor of it - blood thirsty vampirism or revenant-style body hopping.

[dragonforgotten]

We stand outside under the shadow of the massive temple huddled in the ice and snow of the mountain top. Amber statues in sullen cowls stand guard along its walls, silent and eerie. I look back at the group to see Stein mumbling spells again
“Augury says both Weil and Woe.”
“Must be too big to get a perscise reading?” I throw out there looking into the shadows of the temple. I don’t think we’re ready yet for this place. If we can’t defeat an old crone in a spider house we don’t have a frozen day in averius in overcoming this places pitfalls.
Either way we must move. The mountain air is getting bitter. We turn back, promising to come back when we’re stronger but with the elf as well. Mike has to keep her promise. A promise is a very important contract.
Traveling back down the mountain I blink twice and suddenly mike is wrestling with a giant goat. It’s woolen coat is disgusting but it’s horns are black and glorious just like mine are. I do what any self respecting warrior does. I cast eldritch blast and I cook him. Also best when you can. I don’t question if it’s a good goat or just a pissed off one. I’m blasting because it’s been too long now.
It doesn’t put up much a fight but drops like a lead weight when Zola chops it’s head off. Chee rips out its tooth for her collection and finds it seems to have a deep love of meat. That’s alittle firk! ding! blast!ed up but that seems to be a theme here along the the oppressing despair.
Marching down the snowy ice trail, shivering and shaking all the way we return to the bridge we’re the shadow knight was at. Just as we reach the middle of the bridge a pericing shriek rings in our ears and shakes the mountains, then a large shadow blocks out the greyes our sun. It’s a bird. A really big bird.
A really really really....
“Oh s***!” We all shoute at once looking up at the massive hawk. Cecil waves his hands getting the group to calm down
“Don’t worry guys we got this. Just let me take a peek at it’s weaknesses.”
He stares at the bird and goes pale.
“Oh boy....We should probably retreat to a defensible position. But don’t worry! We got this!”
Everyone begins to scatter, making a mad dash to the guard house behind us. Looking at it there’s not going to be enough room. Ahead of us are two more guard towers but it’s still too far run before big bird drops in. The roc will be on us before we even get a inch. The bird is coming in fast into a nose dive, talons out. This is way to big for my tastes.
“Zola we’re leaving now.” I grab the back of her cloak and we dimension door to the farthest guard houses. We scramble inside them looking out just in time to watch the bird grab Stein in its crushing talons!
“Stein no!!” Zola streaming’s shooting out magic as the bird pecks at him. He looks bad. There’s nothing any of use can do now. It’s all on him.
Stein holds his hand to his chest, his wounds closing then grabs the birds talons and digs deep.
“Not today!” He thrash’s about and slips out of his coat! He drops free and dashing to the safety of the buildings out of harms way of the death bird! We all breath a sigh of relief. For a quick moment I thought he was a goner.
The bird sheiks droppings his coat and we unleash hell. We blast it from all sides. Suddenly in a whoosh of heat and fire a fireball goes off in his face and I see him.
Standing across on the other side of the bridge is a male teifling standing confidently with his hands smoking. His horns swept back as his tail thrashes back and forth.
“How you like that you fat turkey!”
The bird shreikes in pain before swooping high into the air and banking. I look across from Zola.
“Zola! Did you see him! Did you see that!
“I did!”
“That’s what you strive for Zola! A living, breathing man! I mean look at him.”
“I can see that creed. His hands are literally smoking.” She says as I watch him insult the roc some more, throwing fire bolts into its wings. We pepper it with spells as it begins to sweep back to the bridge, attacking it? Why is it attacking the bridge? What did the bridge ever do to the oversized chicken? Oh well. I get more worried when I see it’s tearing apart the bridge!
Send all we got into the stupid bird from the cover of the guard towers. A charge a large bolt in my hand snarling.
“Eat this! “ an lunch it with such force my arms recoils back. The blast slams into the rocs chest! A clean round hole is what’s left of its heart. With a pained cry it flops onto the bridge, slowly sliding off, then disappearing into the raging frothing current. We did it! Holy c***! I’m dry on spells but this has to top all my kills!
I smirk at Zola hands still smoking and crackling with energy.
“And that is how you cook a bird.”
The party gathers infront of the shallow gaping hole in the middle of the bridge, now with the new problem of getting the majority of the party on our side of the bridge. The jump isn’t very hard. Cecil jumps and does a cool roll across the ground, coming dangerously close to tumbling right off the bridge. Everyone makes it and we trudge back to the green flame gate. I’m kind of excited. It sounds pretty darn cool I’d say. Big demonic looking statues and everything. Stein stops the fire with some magic of his own and I feel myself getting excited! Finally getting off this damn mountain but the most important part is that we’re home freeeee-....Wait. Who’s that up ahead? Actually there’s a lot of people beyond the wall. I squint trying to get a look at them and I feel my stomach drop. I sigh annoyed.
“Oh great. It’s them again.” The revenants are back, still shambling about in the bodies of my friend and pupil. F***king b*****ds. It makes my blood boil. It’s there fault. They’ve destroyed my chance of bringing him back. They’ll pay dearly but for now I just want them out of the way. They just keep catching me at a bad time. I look at my hands to feel that the arcane energy is weak in my body. I need a recharge badly. I blew through my allowance way too fast on Roc.
In the fair back of the hoard of undead a tall corpse of a woman points her long bony finger at Zola, eyes glowing red.
“That’s mine.” A familiar male voice rasps out, glaring at the sword in Zola’s hands and I have to muffle my laughter in my sleeve. Oh my god, its Vladimir. Talk about s*** luck. His body now matches his personality.
the joke doesn’t last for long when The hoard of revenants rush us. Stein holds up the front line as me and Zola are face to face with Eliza and kale. Steins spiritual warriors attack but there’s just too damn many and they all begin tearing into him as I destroy and tear one apart. Elizas at my back, but i cant find it in myself to destroy the body. Vlade glares at Zola and she freezes in terror. An ice wall goes up but it does nothing to slow the hoard but gives Zola time to snap out of what happened to her. Stein then falls! Cecil asks if we are retreating but with Stein down.. retreating will wound me more then these b*****ds punches.
“Second wave! Move in!"
Second wave!? Its then i remember, back in Agranvostosal... the table revenants. s***. Seven more pour in and i can visibly see moral die among my comrades. As powerful as i am i can not fight these number. Theres just not enough of me to go around and i cant give them all the attention they deserve. Im ready to blast when suddenly Zola calls out across the battle field.
"Call them off," She say, "Take me, if I'm what you came for. Let the others go."
"NO! You will not! I will not have another one die on me again!"
"Back off, or I will kill you!"
"Like hell you can!" I snarl at Vladdy as he/she raises their hand
"First wave- fall back!" Vlad shouts from beyond the gate.
"Take me instead!
"Don't want you." I snarl and I'm about to go in their but I'm held back by my instincts to survive. It's not out of cowardice, make no mistakes, but it's the will of my right eye. They refuse to let me die. My grandfather refuses to let me die. He instructed me I could leave his side but in return i must never stop. To not let myself be destroyed and fight with only the will to perserve my own life. but he also told me should i parish to do so in a place where the eye can be safe. I am after all not only his granddaughter but his vessel. Dying here is safe as it can get as far as I've traveled this land. There are no others. There are no wizards and the Barovians are stupid. they cannot divine the nature of my eye like the party seems to not have.
I watch clutching fists and teeth as Zola begs for foregivness and mercy from him. He holds out his hand for the sword and she returns it and tells her to walk over there. I want to move right now but the weight the promise i gave my grandfather weighs my feet. He's going to decapitate her and Zola just handed him the instrument to her own demise!
"Let us go. We want the same thing. I do not want Strahd to die- I want him to suffer." Zola says.
"You killed me... took my sword... and you expect me to believe you are on our side? You are adventurers from distant lands, are you not? What can one such as you offer me?"
She then begins offering everything she has, the 'spoils of war' he's called this. No. He doesn't get to act like a knight. We are on the same bloody side and yet he wants us dead. I don't get this nonsense. Its maddening! It's like grandpa says, the dead really don't change their minds.
"Is this what you want? To kill a child?!" I scream at him but he ignores me. He continues to ruffle through the bag and finds the glowing seed. Zola pleads to take anything but that but the b*****d the little b**** he is takes it and lets her walk back to us. Her face looks ashen with despair and i can see the tears in her eyes.
"You shall remain on that side of the gate, where you will not interfere with our plans for Strahd,"
As Zola is embraced by me and everyone the green flames go back up and everyone feels the weight of this. Everyone looks gutted and even i feel the irking of it
They might have well just killed us. We're flesh and blood, we'll run out of food and water eventually. B****ds.
but i smother it down and use it to stoke my rage. rage is action and power. If this land wants to try to break me think again. I'll just continue to use the despair they heft upon me and use it as a catalyst for my revenge just like they do. Revenants aren't the only ones fueled by hatred and rage.
Imprisoned we return to the guard house we slept in after I've taken my aggression out on some trees.
As we're getting ready for bed i find Zola sulking in the stairwell and plop down next to her, my tail wrapping around her till the tip rests on her knee. Cecil scurries up the steps and takes her other side
"Just checking on you." Cecil says,
"You holding out ok? You still look a bit pale." I check her forehead and she's still cold. She's not like me, my thing came with costs. Whats attached to her?
"Why are you always cold?!"

"I'm alright," Shes says, not buying it.
"I think the cold thing is something to do with my powers. What little I have."

"Ah. We should talk about that," says Creed. "But first... I know you have the smoke grass."
"What? How?"
"It's on the step, you dropped it." Cecil says, and picks it up. "You've been holding out, Zola."
Cecil lights it with Khazan's head, and we start passing it back and forth. I take a long drag sighing as the smoke trails between my fangs. Zola hacks haven taken in too much
"Ah, needed that. So... your powers? You flail about with them. Are they new?"
She looks off, her eyes hazy from the smoke.
"I don't know. We were in the Durst House when I first found I had them. I had a weird flash of who i thought was the Raven Queen, and then... that makes me sound crazy. I should probably fill you in more about me."
She then begins to tell me things i already know and one or two things i don't. Magic has always been apart of my life. Its the reason I'm still here and the reason i was born and the reason i look like this. No one wants to date a devil woman but thats fine, the devil men are pretty hot as well.
She go into telling them about her mother, and her pact with the Raven Queen. How She always wanted to study magic, but never could learn it. How badly she wanted to serve the Raven Queen too, to be a warlock. I need to take another drag from the bunt as I process all this new knowlege. Heavy Teen drama. Classic stuff.
"Your insecurities reminded me of Eliza. He never asked for his you know, they just appeared like yours did from what he told me. He'd come to me asking why him. I think not knowing who gave him his powers was eating him alive, but."
I take another drag. She remains quiet as i ramble on.
"I would bet my horns he knew exactly where his powers came from, hard not to. It just scared him, scared him really bad.." I pause looking her in the eye.
"Power comes at a cost kid. It changes you and s***. Makes you addicted. Eliza knew that well. too well. It haunted him till the moment he died i bet. Always in the back of his mind. always the same questions. What was taken from him to gain these power, hmm?"
We all fall silent after i get that off my chest.
"Maybe this was her plan for you all along?" Cecil suggests. "Maybe this plane is closer to hers, if she's in the Shadowfell?"
hmmm, possible. Werid but possible.
"Maybe. I wish she would come save us."
"I doubt she can. We don't even know where we'er are. That's why you're here." I think for a moment and reach into my coat, pulling out the envelope with the blue seal and a large spot of blood on the corner. "
I think it's time I give you this. Sorry about the blood. Happened when the old crone blasted me."
She takes it hands shaking as she spys the seal, mouth agape.
"Sorry, couldn't help myself, i was bored."
"How long have you had this? Where did you get it?"
"The whole time. I was told to wait until the time is right. I think you need it now."
She takes the letter and begins reading it as her eyes fill with tears. I know the both of them by heart now.

-Dear Zola
It's funny you thought i wouldn't know about the church. I see EVERYTHING! Even this moment with you reading this letter. I am not happy the Soul Hunter has invaded your privacy.
to the Soul hunter, this will be remembered.
Now, If you'r reading this, well. Things have really gone to s*** havent they? I may not know the entire story but maybe mine will help.
When me and your mother began our adventures i was imprisoned with your uncle Grahz and Kovatch. Beaten and out of ideas we were starting to give up hope but i never did.
It's because i didn't i was able to figure out a solution. This wasn't even the end of the bad situations we faced. I thought every time this will be it but it wasn't because i gritted my teeth, stood up and stuck by my allies. Geezz, there was a lot of time we were kicked to s***. You see, it's not the victories you learn from but the failures. But only as along as you alway, always find the will to get back up. This world will always kick you down but i know your strong enough to stand back up because you inherited both the f***ing annoying parts of your parents. Your fathers inability to not fall over and your mothers tenacity. Ive sent Creed the Soul hunter will aid in your quest. This is your adventure now, make it your own. The story you are writing. We all believe you'll do whats right and kick some a***.
-Love Auntie
PSA: You look like s*** dear. Theres a smudge of blood on your eyebrow.

She looks back at me gobsmacked and i show her the second letter.
"Im holding onto this one. You can read it after we get out of the s*** hole called Barovia. Now, are you ready to chin up and stop pouting."
She nobs wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

-Creed

[Aileen]

Two huge demonic bird-dragon things erupt from the stone statues as we stand below, ready to make our dash to freedom. Spells and arrows start flying from all of us, and whatever Creed hit them with really pisses them off. One of them flies down and starts whaling on her, biting and clawing. The sickly green cloud she created dissipates.

The other angry bird flies above the rest of us, conveniently huddled close together, and these nasty looking green spores erupt out of it. I suddenly feel extremely ill, and looking at Stein and Chad they seem to be affected by it too.

"Ugh... bird flu!" Stein groans.

Luckily the sick feeling goes away after I hit the ugly birb with a chill touch, and I'm back in the fight! That's until I'm paralyzed by a horrid, piercing scream. One of them was killed by Cecil, and apparently this one is not very happy. I can't move, I can't even cringe away from the awful bird as it flies down and bites me, and then slashes me with it's horrible claws.

The pain is enough to snap me out of the daze I'm in, and everyone comes in to back me up. Except Creed, who is unconscious- that's what happens when you taunt things in Barovia. Talk s***, get hit. I swing at the demon bird, and my mighty axe destroys it. Poor Cecil nearly gets trapped under it, but rolls free.

We all run for it, hoping the green fire won't roast us alive. We make it to the other side, and freedom, but then we hear it. A hunting horn.

"S***... Vlad had a horn!" I want to cry. Why can't they just leave us alone?!

Two hours of travel down the road of an unknown destination, switching back and forth through the mountains, we hear the horns coming closer. Cheeks scouts on ahead, and confirms our fears. The revenants are marching back to us, rearmoured and rearmed.

Our only options now are go back to the Amber Temple, or face the revenants. We stand there discussing what to do, trying to decide which is the lesser of two evils. If we face the revenants, there is a strong possibility I will be paralyzed again. Vlad has the upper hand, and a small army at his disposal. And then the Amber Temple... we know nothing of it. It could be a great time, and it could mean our deaths. The longer we talk, the closer the revenants get.

"We go to the Amber Temple." I finally make the call. One I hope I won't regret as Speaker of the Sun.

Steinbjorn dispels the green flame, and we make it through. The revenants are definitely hot on our heals, but when we at last arrive outside the Amber Temple, it seems they stayed on their side of the gate. I'm still injured, and tired from all the running we've been doing, and Steiny takes me asking for healing as complaining.

"I'll give you a berry if you shut up for five minutes." He growls.

"Deal." I eat my berry, and start counting. It's a long, excruciating five minutes not hearing my own voice.

We build a nice fire, but just as we are getting ready to lay down and nap, we see two guys covered in mud trying to blend in with the temple wall. Only problem is they forgot their eyes. When they realize we see them, they come charging out with great-axes raised, wearing hide armour and sporting beards.

"You shall die for your desecration!" They yell.

They both come and attack Chad, attacking with a reckless rage that I sometimes feel myself. They're like my Uncle Grahz! Unfortunately they're not nice like him, and brutally beat on poor Chad. We quickly kill them with Creed and Cecil getting the killing blows. Cecil spits on one of their corpses. We gather up their weapons and search their bodies.

"Zola, want to help me dismember their bodies?" Chad asks me.

"What?"

He explains his reasoning, that things have a tendency of coming back as undead here... so dismembering them and scattering them may prevent that.

"I really don't want to do that." I say, gagging a little. I may take lives, but dealing with the aftermath and body parts... not for me.

I instead join Cheeks in escorting Steinbjorn around the outside of the temple as he detects magic. He doesn't find anything, but we do discover a fissure some ways along the wall, with light coming out of it and human voices.

We head back to the fire and get settled in. Cecil liked my idea of telling scary stories, so I am first on deck.

"Once upon a time there was a group of people. There was a cat lady, some tieflings, an elf, a bunch of half elves, a gnome, and the weirdest of all- a human! They all went to this strange land called... Bavaria... where they were hunting a handsome vampire..."

After my sordid tale, Cheeks offers to tell us the story of how her wife got killed. It's very sad, and definitely a mood killer. Her own tribe killed her wife, but she killed them all. Except her parents. I offer to kill them for her... I got people.

Thirty minutes in to our rest, we hear the crunching of snow. What sounded like the wind howling turns out to be wolves, as we are soon surrounded by ten of them, heads lowered and snarling viciously.

"Sleep, motherf***ers!" Chad raises his hand out at them. "'Cause that's what I'm trying to do!"

Only one falls asleep. Chad and Creed both kill a wolf each, and the other seven attack! I kill one with my axe, and then hit the one attacking Steiny.

"Zola, there's a bearded guy watching us from the fissure!"

I turn to Cecil and tell him.

"There's a beard watching us?" He asks.

"Yes." I reply.

"Well, I gotta look strong for it!" He attempts to punch a wolf, and fails.

We all pose as we destroy the wolves, hoping the beard watching us is impressed. Cheeks says the guy disappeared back into the fissure, seemingly unimpressed.

Only one wolf remains, and I announce I'm going to pet it. I'm already skipping off towards it before anyone can stop me. A fire bolt streaks past me, and I realize Mike tried to shoot my wolf. They don't want me to have a pet, clearly! Steinbjorn runs after me, claiming he's pretty good with animals and will help me tame the wolf. This can't possibly go wrong! I stand over the sleeping wolf, petting it's beautiful fluffy fur, ready for it to wake up.

"We're going to have to damage it to wake it up." Stein tells me.

"Okay. So I'll slap it, and then you do your thing."

I straddle either side of the wolf, grabbing him around the scruff, and then smack him on the flank with my free hand. It wakes up, and Stein stares it down. It's working! I'll soon have an awesome new best friend! I'll give him a pretty collar and-

The wolf growls at Stein, and then whips itself around. I jump back, but he grabs my ankle in strong jaws, and knocks me onto my back.

"This is not going well!" I scream. "It's eating me!"

I look up into its angry yellow eyes, and can feel the heat from its snarling mouth, my own blood dripping from his teeth as he pins me down.

"Steinbjorn- abort mission!"

I reach up and shock the wolf. Steiny clubs it to death, and it falls on top of me. So much for my new best friend. Steinbjorn pushes the corpse off of me, and helps me to my feet. I limp back to the party with his help, head hung in disappointment. Now I understand why dad got rid of the wolf mom brought home when I was younger. They're too damn hyper!

"I petted a wolf!" I announce to the party. "No one saw that, right?"

"I saw everything!" Says a barbarian woman.

"Ah! Barbarian!" Stein casts toll the dead on the barbarian.

"Stein, that's Creed!" Cecil cries out.

Creed is pissed, but in Steinbjorn's defense, neither of us saw her cast this new disguise on herself. They're all bickering while my ankle is all swollen and bloody from getting bitten by a damn wolf. I've had it once Creed threatens to throw Stein over a cliff.

"Look!" I announce, taking my boot off and showing them the gnarly wound. "Look at this wolf bite!"

"That's disgusting, Zola." Creed says.

The adults at least stop arguing. We decide to go into the fissure. Creed wants to go first, but I'm a better choice to take the lead- I've got armour, I'm young, and have very little fear. Creed is old and delicate, even if she won't admit it.

It's a tight squeeze, but I make it through. When I come out the other end, I find myself in a brightly lit room with fur bedrolls all over the ground. And, in the company of five bearded guys, a well armored woman with a spear and shield, and a big a** direwolf. They're all glaring at me as I sheepishly walk further in.

"Hi," I say. "I just want to pet your wolf... and not die."

"What a coincidence," the woman smirks. "We want you to die, and not pet our wolf!"

Stein and Cheeks join me in the room, and I draw my axe. The massive wolf comes over, waiting for a command.

"Take 'em out!" The woman calls, rushing at me.

She bashes me with her shield, beating the hell out of my ribs. I fall over backward, and she stabs me with her spear before I can get to my feet.

"Ahh, you b****!" I snarl.

Creed tries talking to them. She claims she's part of the Bloodfang Tribe and attempts some sort of parlay.

"One, two, three, four, and five. Nope, we're all here," says one of the beards. "We don't know you, we don't care. Die!"

The barbarians all charge in and attack everyone. One of the guys tries to hit me while I'm down, but I roll out of the way of his axe and then jump to my feet. I swing my own axe at Shield B**** and hit. The second swing she parries with her spear. So she's got skills like I do- finally, a worthy opponent! Speaking of worthy opponents, our own cat lady Cheeks is giving everyone a run for their money by hanging nearly upside down off the wall and shooting arrows at them. She definitely wins for style points.

"I'm going after the lippy one!" Shield B**** snaps.

"I didn't say anything!" I whine.

"Not you!"

Now that is unheard of! I've always been the lip of the party, I am the Speaker of the Sun afterall... apparently Creed is even worse! My mother would be so disappointed.

Cecil casts an ice wall, and the beard guys aren't happy about it. They start recklessly attacking, and now I have three people going after me. I take a heavy blow from an axe, and I'm very woozy.

"I'm not doing so good!" I call out, hoping one of the clerics can help me. My heart's still in the fight but my body says no thank you.

I hit SB again, and she gets me back with her shield. I try to riposte and miss, opening myself up to another stabbing from the spear. This lady can really fight! I feel like I'm going to keel over, I can't take this many wounds! SB gets bored of me and goes after Creed, giving Stein a chance to get to me. He grabs my arm and his healing magic runs through me, reinvigorating me.

"What would I do without you?" I hug him, and then go after Shield B**** again.

Creed goes down and then comes back up again, only to go back down. SB is extremely confused by the fact that the tiefling just won't die. I hit her in the back, and she turns to attack me. I earn another spearing. Cecil is doing crazy mind tricks and obliterating our enemies. Stein comes to my aid and we both get pummeled with the shield and spear. Creed wakes up again.

"KILL HER! KILL HER! KILL HER!" Screams SB.

As she's busy freaking out over Creed, I get a good hit in. She falls to her knees, my axe still in her back.

"What... are you?" She gasps with her last breath, and then falls over dead.

I kick SB's corpse off my axe, and then watch as Cecil finishes off the last guy. We stand there catching our breath, and I mourn the fact that I couldn't get the giant wolf as a pet either. Maybe next time!

"Zola, take these." Stein holds out his hand, and puts a handful of good berries in mine.

"Thank you! You really are my favorite."

He shrugs, and starts praying to heal us all. I go to SB's corpse and bash her with my own shield for good measure.

"How do you like that?!"

She says nothing.

"That's what I thought."

We decide we are going to rest here. If it was a good enough place for the barbarians, it's good enough for us.

~ Zola

[Jeff]

We sit and rest after the battle and get ready to enter this evil-feeling place. I don’t think it’s a good idea, but forces have conspired to leave us little choice. I know Strahd’s game is to tax us to the breaking point and drive us apart even more than we already are and he seems to be succeeding. We have to do all we can, whether we like each other or not, to pull together for the good of the group and by extension the people of Barovia to bring this quest to a positive end. We need to put selfishness behind us and act for the good of all. I know that there is a core of us who can do this, but I question whether everyone can. We’ll just have to see.

[Aileen]

We rest in the cave room, licking our wounds and trying to get our bearings. Creed uses her special vision to see through the walls, and warns us that the adjoining hall has a charred up corpse. We definitely don't want to go in there.

Steiny makes us another feast, and I fill up on chicken strips. Nobody seems to like my choice of cuisine, which I'm totally fine with. More for me! After healing up and getting a good night's sleep, we move on. Cheeks scouts ahead, while I look past her in the dark. I can see what she cannot, and we easily get a good idea of the general area we are in. We head through the entrance chamber, and pass a hole in the floor, going to a set of double doors.

Rideyr and I take the front, and Cheeks mage hands the doors open. The doors open into a great, brightly lit chamber. The walls have images of wizards carved into the amber, there's red marble benches, and a lectern.

"There's someone hiding behind the lectern." Cheeks warns us.

"Oi! Whoever's hiding behind there, come out and show yourself!" Mike calls.

"How do I know you won't just kill me?" Replies a thickly accented man's voice.

Eventually Cecil goes in and gets the guy to come out. He is badly burnt, missing hair, and looks frazzled. Definitely not threatening. He says his name is Vilnius, and he has been surviving on rats in here ever since his master, Jakarion, was slain by fire. He was also caught in the blast. We also find out he is not Barovian, but from another plane like us, after we determine he has no idea who Strahd is.

We are given a new quest- retrieve the spell book from his master's body. Only problem is, the room is apparently filled with flame skulls. Flame skulls being constructs made from dead wizards that shoot fire and fireballs. Great, this sounds like a good time. We go to the entrance of the chamber we didn't want to go to, and formulate a plan. Rideyr and I will run in like bezerkers, drawing the fire of the flame skulls, and someone will run in and drag out the body. Seems solid.

The plan falls apart quickly. The skulls start firing at us within seconds of opening the door. Stein manages to banish one of the skulls, but there are four more to deal with. Then Creed, against the plan, runs in and grabs a staff from the wizard and then dimension doors back to this room. I foresee this going to hell, so I move out of the doorway. I'm just in time, as fireballs start hitting everyone who is standing where I once was. And then, to top it all off in this carnival of fun, a little creature starts biting at Cecil's ankles. Mike comes running back in, holding a book, but it immediately falls apart.

"NOOOOO!" Screams Vilnius. He steps back and casts a spell.

We are all consumed by a cone of cold. It bites into me, freezing cold, but I shake it off and go after him. We back him into the fissure, and Draelyn casts wall of fire. His options are now to come face us, or go through a tunnel of fire and death. We quickly finish him off, and leave the flame skull room closed. Everyone is beaten pretty good, and our mission was useless.

We sit down and catch our breath as Stein and Chad pray to heal us, and then Stein casts detect magic. After that spell, drama ensues. Stein, who actually fights with bludgeoning weapons, decides to take the staff from Creed (who does not). Creed refuses, muttering something about wanting more power. Stein casts toll the dead on her, getting her once pretty good. Creed then starts blasting him after threatening to kill him. Nobody blasts my Stein!

Chad casts something as Rideyr and I go after Creed, and the two stop trying to hurt eachother. Creed walks away, trying to go further in the temple. I try to stop her, and she shrugs me off, but Rideyr succeeds at restraining her. Stein takes the opportunity to grab the staff, but she holds it firm and he can't wrestle it away. He backs off angrily, leaving Creed standing with the staff in both hands. This feels familiar... I know what I must do.

I raise my axe above Creed, and bring it down onto the staff. It shatters in her hands, and falls into pieces on the ground. We all stand breathing hard and glaring at eachother.

"I'm not healing anybody until they're dying." Steinbjorn growls, and walks away.

Creed immediately goes after him, apologizing, and he snaps. He casts something, and Creed starts screaming as gashes appear across her body. Mike goes after Stein, and hits him in the head with his spear, rendering him unconscious. Rideyr and I go to Stein's unconscious body, shielding him from the rest of the group.

"Put the manacles on him!" Cecil suggests.

"NO!" I shout. "The manacles are not to be used on any of us, ever again! I spent an entire day in those and wish it on no one."

Cheeks grabs Creed by the shoulders, asking her if she is going to stop being crazy. Creed mumbles answers.

"It's a yes or no question!"

"Um... I-"

"YES OR NO!?!"

"Yes."

I rummage through Steinbjorn's bag, and find a healing potion. He gave one to me the night before, so I'm glad he still has one. I uncork it and open his mouth, pouring it in. His eyes open, and he pushes me off him, getting to his feet. He is still seething, unable to even look at Creed as he walks away. He heads into the fissure, going outside. Rideyr and I follow.

We follow Steinbjorn all the way to the front of the temple, where he stands having some kind of crisis of faith. It is clear that this land is getting to him. It is getting to all of us, turning us against eachother. Destroying every single hope we have. I get it, I do... but we can't just give up. I have lost almost everything, but I'm still breathing. I still have friends. I'm going to save Prince Strahd von Zarovich, and end the despair and darkness that rules this land. And then we can all go home, and all will be well.

The others eventually join us outside, apparently still acknowledging me as the final say in what we do.

"I want to keep exploring this place. There has to be a reason we keep getting drawn back here. It's either that or try our luck against the revenants."

We are going to continue on in the Amber Temple. We already know some of its secrets, why not uncover them all? One thing is for sure, as evidenced by the exhaustion that a couple party members now have- we need to protect ourselves better against the bitter cold inside. We start gathering dead wolves, and skinning them to make pelts. I go back in the barbarian room, and take the furs from Shield B****- I killed her, I may as well wear her furs.

There is nearly another showdown when Creed doesn't take the hint and tries to apologize to Steinbjorn again. I think she finally gets it after and keeps her distance. She comes and tells me that the staff was controlling her. I only destroyed it because it was clearly another thing tearing this party apart. We can't let inanimate objects make decisions for us, and we need to start bonding as a party again. I can't take any more depressed and angry people- this place is not as bad as people think! It could always be worse.

We head back in, going to explore further. There is a set of doors partially open, and we gather in front of them with Rideyr and I once again front lining. I toe the door open, revealing a chamber with collapsed walls and a ten foot tall statue made of amber with a jacket's head. As I pull my leg back, the statue turns its head and looks at me. Oops.

We all start hitting it with spells. I do a pretty impressive chromatic orb, filling the chamber with the boom of thunder. The statue moves in on us, standing in the doorway. Suddenly I'm struck with some weird feeling, and I can barely move... everything is slowed down. I feel like I smoked too much smoke grass, and it looks like Mike is affected too... of course, the two fighters! I manage another chromatic orb, and snap out of the slow spell. Chad makes it glow purple, and gives a magic glowing hammer to Rideyr seeing as the Paladin's sword was quite ineffective against it. Cecil pushed it back into the room, but it once again moves in on us. Two giant fists try to slam into me, but I deftly dodge out of the way. Cheeks climbs up onto the wall, hanging upside down above me to hit the statue. Most impressive!

I hit the statue again, but then miss on my next three attacks. I really hope nobody saw that, so embarrassing! Poor Rideyr gets punched twice just before Mike destroys it.

I can't believe some of our party wanted to close the door and run away. It's amazing the foes we can destroy when we work together and do not give up. We may need to do some more team building exercises... maybe that is what Strahd sent us here for?

The Dawn Breakers must not break. It feels like we drift further and further against our party goals every day, and we need to become a cohesive unit again. Only then can we fight the oppressive despair of this land.

~ Zola, Speaker of the Sun

[Jeff]

I’m sorry to say that my fears of the party continuing to fracture continues to come to fruition. It’s natural to have the battle getting to the soldier’s psyche and the struggle is getting to us all, but I’m especially sad to see Steinbjorn being affected so strongly. He’s been a bastion of strength throughout this entire campaign, and I vow to do whatever I can to help him. Zola and I stood up for him when they attempted to manacle him—that was not going to happen. He was having a difficult time and needed space and understanding—not restraint. Chad was masterful, once again, when he cast the spell to calm their emotions—diffusing a volatile situation. I’m bolstered that Chad, Zola and I along with Cecil for the most part and Steinbjorn form a solid core, and I trust all of them to do the right thing, even if Cecil can go astray at times. I’d love to see the whole group come together and trust each other.

I don’t completely understand this place we’re in, although I do understand what it, and most of Barovia, does to the spirit. We must try to do our best to stay positive and work towards our goal. I don’t know what it’s going to take to successfully face Strahd, but I don’t think we’re ready for it at this point. We need to have some successes in order to lift our spirits, and it would be great to get through this temple unscathed and get back into Barovia proper to rest, recover and find our centers again.

[Stephen]

Barovia. This cold damp place is taking its toll on me. I was hopeful that we could bring peace to the people here. I suppose we did at first. But it feels like there are great powers here working against us. I do not how the others are not effected by it.

18 days. That’s it. Only 18 days I have been in Barovia. There are dents in my shield. Cracks in my club. A section of my chain mail is melted away. Worst of all though, I feel far away from my goddess. Before Barovia Her power and love felt like warm sunlight through a window. Magnificent, comforting and strengthening. Now it feels as though something has drawn a curtain over the window. I feel cold and distant from her. She still answers my prayers, I am actually more powerful now than I was before I entered the cursed mists, but the absence of the light of my goddess has me feeling lost.

On top of it all, Strahds castle is a nightmare, we lost 6 people there including Gertruda and Argynvost’s skull. Zola gave up her two handed sword to save us from the Revenants and it appears they trapped us up here on the mountain.

While up here on the mountain just outside the entrance to the Amber Temple we caught two nasty looking humans trying to spy on us. We took them out easy enough. Wolves attacked after them. Zola and I tried to take a wild sleeping wolf, it didn’t go so well. Meanwhile the others minus Cecil and Creed go off exploring. Creed uses her unnatural powers to change her shape. She turned into a large hide armored barbarian, fearing for Cecil I Tolled the Dead and Creed cried out in pain. Resuming her normal shape.

We get our asses kicked by more raging humans, a shield and spear lady and a really large wolf. I prayed hard and Freyr answered I kept Zola up during the fight just barely. The others did good too. Although Creed tried talking like one of them while looking like one of them after combat started. It didn’t work. At all.

After praying I conjure a feast for us and we rest for the night. The next morning they over talked about to do next. All I could think about was how difficult it is to remain calm. The past couple of days my offensive magic seems off. Is it me? Is it this place? I can still heal so I guess that’s a good thing.

Moving on we meet someone that has been trapped in here. He is burned and scared. His master has been killed and he asked us to help him get his spell book back. Some of the others seemed weary of him but I gave him a berry. He seemed ok. But in classic Barovian fashion he turned on us after his masters spell book came back destroyed.

Creed got a staff off the charred corpse of the guy I can only assume that was a wizard. I offered to detect magic on it. After praying for ten minutes I get a strong evocation aura from the staff. I ask for it but Creed runs off with it babbling about power.

I lose it. In my mind all I see is me healing the party, handing out berries, fighting everything from wolves to Revenants, breaking the grasp of a Roc, losing villagers that try to help us, not seeing the sun, arguing about what direction to take. And the one eyed warlock thinks she can just walk away with something that I may want? I feel power building up and I let it loose Creed stumbles as my Toll the Dead hits her. She blasts me and before I can cast a more powerful spell Chad intervenes.

Chad’s spell ends and I go after Creed again. This time Zola breaks the staff with her axe and I get knocked out. Waking up I go outside. A minute later Zola and Ryder follow. I do not speak to them. I just stare off. The others join after a bit complaining of the cold. I gut and skin the lone wolf Zola and I tried to tame. It’s fur will keep me warm.

Creed tries to talk to me after things calm down but I make it perfectly clear to her that I want nothing to do with her.

We travel further into the temple and come to two partially opened doors. The doors are opened and in the center of it is a large amber statue. It moves toward the doors. I am way in the back of the group. From up front I hear “close the doors!!” With combat going on I can’t quite make out who said it but I am reminded of the first fight the Dawn Breakers had. A vampire spawn killed one of us. Two ran but the remaining four stood our ground and fought.

Soon enough the creature crumbles. I saw Ryder take a couple of heavy hits from the amber statue. Using a fair bit of my power I healed him. Pausing to take a breath I feel the eyes of the others on me.

[Jeff]

I take a moment away from the others to gather my thoughts and center myself. I’m discouraged about how things are unfolding both with our quest and our group, but I’m far from being beaten. I’ve led troops into too many battles to know that the smallest of things can revive the spirit and unity of a fighting force. But what can do that for us? Something must and will happen to bring us back. We just have to be open to it and remain positive.

The task we face is being able to stay positive when everything around us is designed to peck away at our spirit and demoralize us. We don’t have to like or respect the others in the group to be effective—lord knows that I don’t like or respect everyone in the group, and I’m sure there are some or many who feel the same about me. I don’t care and it doesn’t matter. The point is we have to set those feelings and opinions aside in order to finish our quest. We need to use our brains and follow our gut feelings if we are going to make it through this temple and come out the other side. We need to pick and choose our battles as much as possible while using our resources wisely. My sense is the same as before: this place is designed to make us deplete our resources and be a divisive force within our group; we need to put petty differences aside and curb our selfishness and greed, because if we don’t we’re playing directly into Strahd’s hands.  

We are here to free the people of this land from the oppression that has been thrust on them for so long. I’d love to free Strahd from whatever is causing him to act in this manner, but my sense is that we are going to have to face him in battle, and we need to be as strong and unified as possible before that happens, and we’re just not there right now, but I believe we can be.

There are those in the group that I am sure of and trust implicitly, while there are others that I do not, but I’m willing to be open and work towards changing the latter so we can be successful...together.

[bxtreme]

Journal Entry 28

Ryder is finally back with us! We've been lacking a unified vision and leadership that has helped guide us in the past. There was a time I thought I could help fill the gaps if parts of our team were not present, but after everything that has happened with Poppov...I lack the confidence I once had. This is why I'm especially thankful for Ryder's return.

Oh, and what a day to welcome him back! There was a major dispute between Creed, Stein and Cheeks. I can't even remember the reason, it all unfolded so quickly. I think tempers are coming to a boiling point after the repeated setbacks we've experienced in Barovia. Times like these I wish I hadn't started regaining my emotional capacity. Maybe this is what I was like before the psychic training I received. Having empathy certainly makes it easier to get along with others...but at the cost of my confidence...my role as tactician. I'm just trying to figure out my place while others in the group figure out if they want to kill each other. I'll do my best to keep them on track. Nothing is more important than the mission.

[dragonforgotten]

"Hey! You two! Your mother was a vulture you ugly pit spawn! Come get some!" I shout at the two Vulture demons in abyssal. They turn their ire on me, pausing from spewing of their nasty demon poison. I quickly learn pain as they rip me to pieces and i fall into darkness. I snap awake just in time to see the demons dead and have to sprint through the gateway before the firewall goes up again. A horn in sounded as we run! Run as fast as we can till we are cornered on a narrow mountain pass. Chee informs us that our friends are waiting for us ahead and we can hear more behind.
Ive learned very fast that day that Revenants are annoying b****ds. They've forced us to go into the one place we've been wanting to avoid. If i was religionious i would all this a sign. Ran into two muddy barbarians while preparing to set foot inside the temple. They called us violators and tried to kill us with no success. It was one church mate. You work with someone who's burn down one church and suddenly everyones knows about it. Killed them faster than they could us. We try again but a pack of wolves show up. no rest in Barovia is very very much true. Chad puts one pup to sleep and i help get them off his back. Once the mutts are dead I catch Zola and Stein trying to tame the surviving wolf. Certaintly made me chuckle seeing it happen. Looking down at the barbarians i change my disguise.
"Look! Another one!" Suddenly i feel like my heads about to explode and i glare at Stein.
"For f***s sake! It's me!" He calms down.
"You should have told me you were going to do that."
"Ive been doing this the moment i met you and suddenly it's a problem now?!" I don't get a good answer for my question. Chee and Mike return from their field trip and report while i was watching the show they followed another of those dirty barbarians and found a tiny entrance to their lair. And why wasn't i informed!? It leas to all of us squeezing, shimmying and getting far to close to each other. If this is suppose to be an attempt to get us to come togehter i don't think it was meant to be taken literally. Zolas the first to confront the hoard of barbarians and their giant wolf. We all rush in their as fast as possible, and i cal out hoping not to fight more b****ds. Theirs just so much a*** i want to kick before i get tired.
"Im apart of a far off tribe! We mean no harm."
"One, two, three, four, and five. Nope, we're all here. We don't know you, we don't care. Die!" One of them screams.
"All who matters are here right now. Don't care about you." says the muscular broad weilding a shield and spear. Im unamused and shrug.
"Oh well, guess I'll just take your head." I tell her motioning her to me.
"I'm going after the lippy one!"
"I didn't say anything!" Zola whines, looking annoyed for being ignored.
"Not you!"
"You can try sister. You can try." I cackle cracking the bones in my neck. Zola squares off with a broad who banishes a shield and spear while multiple barbarians invade my personal space and really give me a beating.as the battle progresses I catch Zola not looking good. Time to work my magic.
"Thought you were suppose to come kill me?" I tell her killing one of her men. I then spend a blast into her skull. She snarl in rage leaving as i watch smug behind her as Stein is able to heal Zola. Just as planned. Ive realized something watching the revenants. Ive been too safe back here, not allowing myself to taste death and injury. If I'm going to beat those f***ers i need to feel what its like. Gramps gave me power, the power to thwart death if only alittle. Its see how far i can go.
"Oh, come to dance?" I ask her. She then runs me through and i feel my eye roll into the back of my head as i fall to the ground feeling my life drain from me. I then feel her stab me again and step away. Wow, such a low blow. In my dying hazy mind i hear her.
"take that as a lesson." I take this time to search within myself. You know what. I don't need to use that right now. I pull myself together again and climb back to my feet and blast her in the head again.
"was that all?"
she then slams me with her shield and i go down again.....
.....
I hover between life and death, revealing in the sensations and i feel around in my spirit. The screaming souls begging me to stand up again. I then draw on this energy, feeling the rage and power. I wonder if this is what the revenants feel. i can feel myself rise and settle back into my body, my crystal eye burning. I awaken and begin to laugh, blasting her again and i can tell i've done some damage, once again drawing her attention once again off Zola.
"Barely felt it that time. Is that really all?" I stand up again and the BS grows pale and shaken, once again turning her back to zola.
""KILL HER! KILL HER! KILL HER!" She screams at her men and Zola takes her golden opportunity to cut her down.
She falls to her knees before me, axe still in her back.
"What... are you?"
"Undying b****." Zola then kicks her down to the floor and rips her axe out of her back. The clean up is quick once there numbers are thinned. With the enemies dead we settle down in their furs sitting around Mikes toasty bon fire. I love the portable fire.

-Creed

[Aileen]

The amber golem is destroyed, and I'm not quite sure what it was guarding considering there is nothing of interest in its room. We push onward, coming out onto a balcony looking out over a huge room and right in line with the big cowled statue that was seen earlier through the arrow slits.

Rideyr and I walk in further, and I hear movement coming from the head of the statue. I'm worried it may be turning its head to shoot something at us, so I immediately shoot a fire bolt at it. It doesn't do anything. Then arcane words softly emanate from inside it, as though casting a spell... but nothing happens. I move up to the corner of the balcony to get a better look as others try hitting the statue with spells. Soft light begins to shine from the arrow slits, and then three flame skulls emerge.

"Three skulls, heading our way!" I warn.

My warning doesn't come fast enough, as they fly quickly toward me and their eyes glow burning hot. They shoot fire at me just as I raise my shield. I can feel the heat, but the fire does not reach me. In fact, one of them seems to backfire and knocks itself down onto the ground. I laugh inappropriately, completely unfazed by the fact they easily could have roasted me alive.

"Get out of here, back to the other room!" Rideyr orders me.

I comply, retreating back through the doors with the others. Stein closes one of the doors, and we use the other one to shoot spells and arrows through. Then brave little Cecil goes out alone and stands before the skulls, doing more of his mind tricks. Chad puts a blessing on Mike, Rideyr and I and I feel a new sense of bravery. I run out next to Cecil, and start hacking at the skulls. Rideyr comes out and destroys one, and then the other two fly away. Just as one starts going, Rideyr and I swing at it. Unfortunately, it turns its ire to Rideyr and starts blasting him with fire before it bravely flies away in cowardice.

The others come back out and we keep shooting spells at the two fly-away skulls, with Chad destroying one. I dash back to the corner and hit the remaining one with a ray of frost, which sadly does nothing. It flies behind the statue and disappears.

"I'll go down and get it!" Cheeks says.

"I'm with you, let's go!" I offer.

"No," says Mike. "We don't know what's down there. Could be something worse than flame skulls."

We decide it's best to go another way and explore further in. There is another balcony across from this one that I can clearly see, my vision a bit better in the dark than everyone else's, but I see no other exits. We backtrack, going through the room with the hole in it.

"Cheeks, want to peek in?" I whisper.

"Sure, let's take a look!"

We go to the hole, and look down. I see more glowing, and then four more skulls come flying up. I'm nearly blinded as fire starts blasting at me, and I jump back screaming. I hold my axe aloft, waiting for them to come up so I can hack at them. One ascends, unfortunately out of my reach. The last three skulls were not too difficult, so I'm sure we have this in the bag.

The skull opens its mouth, and the entire room is filled with a fireball. I barely take another breath in, reeling from the burning pain of the explosion, before it descends and is replaced by a second one. The last thing I see as I'm blown up is my friends illuminated in fire, all of us burning.

---

I'm sitting on a big black horse, in front of an army. Knights in armor, silver polished and glinting even in the gloom. Many hold standards depicting a silver dragon. A lone figure breaks away from the company, a commander, and snaps a salute.

"The castle is yours, my lady."

He drops to one knee, drawing a massive greatsword and holding it out in his hands in an offering. I dismount, walking towards him.

"Rise, sir knight."

He stands, and I see now his eyes are silver, almost catlike. A truly handsome man, and familiar yet I don't know why. I reach out and take the sword. This is familiar... this was mine once.

"Behold, Castle Ravenloft," he says, motioning behind me.

I turn, and take in the castle. The storm clouds are rolling away, and the sun begins to peak out from behind the clouds as the grey sky opens up. It's beautiful in all its glory, no longer a place of darkness. Ravens fly towards the spires and gates, landing in a chorus of caws. They sound like cheers.

We move forward, walking across the causeway, the army marching behind, until we reach the inner courtyard. A man kneels, surrounded by guards, kept in chains. I approach, and he raises his head to look at me. Handsome features, dark hair, and piercing blue eyes. His clothes, although torn and bloodied, are black, his cape lined with red.

"My queen," he smiles. "You have freed me."

"Strahd?"

He nods. He looks so different... alive, a prince once more!

The men unchain him, and he stands, walking to me, arms outstretched. I run to him, and he holds me in his strong arms.

"All hail Zola, Queen of Barovia!" Cries a deep voice.

The army repeats the cheer. Suddenly I'm torn from this beautiful vision, and standing in front of an abyss. Lighting crackles across the sky, and I can see the shadows of souls, reaching out of the darkness. They scream in torment, pleading for release.

"Everything you wish for could be yours," a voice says, disembodied and genderless, yet drawing me in. "Ask for power, reach out and grab it, and it is yours."

"I don't want power!" I call out, my voice echoing.

"Then join the others."

I'm pushed forward, into the abyss, the scream ripped from my throat as I fall.

---

I awake, gasping for breath as life returns to me. My flesh still burns, a reminder of the fireballs that bombarded us. The skulls are still here, but seem interested in Cecil. I get to my feet and reach for my axe, gaining my second wind. I don't think I've ever felt more close to death, and I really don't like it. I refuse to die in the Amber Temple, this place drips with evil in the form of flame skulls and I'm sick of it.

Soon the skulls are destroyed, many thanks to Mike and her prowess with a spear and the others kicking a**. We decide to rest in this very room after Stein and Chad pray to heal us. Soon I feel much better, but can't shake the shock of almost dying. My clothes and hair still smell of burnt flesh and smoke, and I'm sure I look worse than when I came in here. This place is starting to really beat me down, but I won't let it. I speak to Rideyr, hoping his words can bring me comfort as they often do. I miss my parents deeply, and he is the closest thing I have to family in this land.

We do not get our rest. Stein warns us that the flame skulls start regenerating in the pit, pulling themselves back together. Everyone is mad and afraid- another unbeatable enemy in Barovia! Why must everything be so impossible!?

We spring into action, running to the next room and some of us shooting them as they run. Stein takes a bit to get to us as he was resting and praying by the hole in the floor.

"They're getting ballsy!" Cecil shouts.

"They keep their balls in their mouth according to Zola's anatomy lesson!" Stein calls.

"I don't remember saying that!"

What are they talking about? Then again, I do say a lot of random untrue things just to see if anyone believes me. I tried to convince Cecil that the amber walls here are flavored, but he didn't believe me. What is wrong with me? Ah, yes, Barovia.

Poor Cecil gets followed in by one skull, and we close the door to keep the others out of the corridor we are now back in. The skull just keeps getting him, and it is clear they are threatened by his superior intellect and power. He is our secret weapon, afterall. He goes down, but Stein quickly gets him back up. The stupid skull keeps hovering high up, and none of my magic seems to do any good against it. Thankfully Draelyn is able to finish it off.

We discuss gathering the skull bits and putting them in our bags, but can't find anything.

"Zola, you could try eating the powder. Maybe it will make you more magical?" Cecil suggests.

"I could try snorting it?" I once saw someone in a tavern snorting a white powder and then they claimed to see the future, clearly there is something to it!

"Yes, an excellent idea!"

"Absolutely not!" Stein and Rideyr snap in tandem.

The good news and bad news is that we find no such dust or powder. I'm off the hook. I refuse to back down from Cecil's strange experiments, I have to prove my worth and willingness to do anything for the Dawn Breakers!

We go into another room that is just filled with broken wood, but Cheeks discovers a secret door in it. Closing the other door behind us, we decide to rest before checking the secret door. Fortunately nothing interrupts our power nap.

The secret room turns out to be a hidden archers post of sorts and not very exciting. We turn back, and make our way back towards the balcony looking over the statue room, wanting to check out the doors we didn't go through before.

We make it back without running into any skulls, and just as we pass the statue Cheeks reports that she hears sounds again. She goes into the other room, and we follow. We hear something move onto the platform during our migration into this room, but can't see anything until Cecil comes in last. He closes the door, and then it opens again! A spell is muttered, and a humanoid looking fox appears just as Cecil cries out in pain. Our gnome doesn't look so good. The fox guy flits behind the wall, and we all start to move into the secret door Cheeks discovered. Stein peeks out, then closes the door. As we descend the stairs downward from the secret hallway, the secret door shuts behind us. An echoing laugh follows us, complete with a foxlike yipping.

"What was that thing?!" I hiss. "It was adorable!"

"It tried to kill me!" Cecil growls.

As we descend the stairs, the stench of death and decay fills my senses. The hallway is partially collapsed, the ceiling high and walls glazed in amber. The stench grows worse as we approach an open amber door to a chamber. The floor is green marble, and the chamber filled with three sarcophagi. Two humanoids stare at us, both with a third eye clouded by cataracts. On the walls and ceiling are eight or so more.

I think we all have the same reaction. Out of the frying pan, and into the fire once more. I grip my axe, raising my shield. We are not getting answers from this temple without a fight, or a hundred fights. I'm stronger than I was when I first came here, and I'm ready.

~ Zola Stormwyk

[Jeff]

Cecil, Zola and I stand side by side as we ready to battle the latest abominations here in the Amber Temple—flaming skulls. My mind quickly goes back to a more simple, happier time relaxing by a river with Cecil standing on my chest pitching his idea of starting Cecil McBiggins and Associates with the three of us. I laughed it off at the time, but in this moment the thought of traveling the world outside of Barovia with my two family members sounds like a gift from Lathander. How wonderful would it be to be free, feeling the sun on our faces or sitting around a warm fire eating some freshly-roasted meat, telling stories and laughing together—just enjoying each other’s company to the fullest.

I’ve wasted too much of my life in this self-imposed exile from close relationships—growing up without a family and leading too many troops into too many battles...seeing too many good people die, and for what end? Then losing the only woman I’ve ever loved as she was taken while I was away fighting another war that was being fought for no good reason. I’ve spent years searching for her and avoiding getting close to anyone, so it feels incredible to feel close to these two. I would do anything to protect them, and I can only hope that we survive this ordeal and make it out of here. The thought warms my heart and sustains me. Now that I’ve let myself feel something again, I can’t lose it...again—the pain would be worse than a wound in battle.

My fears are seemingly realized as Cecil is hit and goes down; I run to him and call to Lathander for the strength to heal him. I kneel beside him and am relieved to see his eyes slowly open as I say “good to see you my friend; I can’t bear to lose you.” I see a smile come across the gnome’s face as he shakes his head in agreement and strongly grips my arm with his small hand.

Cecil seems to have grown in recent days, showing more responsibility and a bit less of the devil-may-care attitude of his Popov day’s—even if he is in favor of Zola snorting flame skull dust. I just shake my head and laugh. I’ve changed as well—allowing these two to crack the hard shell that I’ve built around myself these past years and Zola has grown so much as she now carries the mantle as speaker. How things have changed in such a short time—the intense pressure of Barovia has brought out some positive results, and I choose to focus on those.

I’ve seen nothing of value in this god-forsaken temple and feel that the best course of action is to make our way out as quickly as possible. While some others in the group will not agree, others will, and I believe it’s imperative to stick together and make wise choices and fight only when we need to. Our lives and our mission take precedence over any thoughts of valor. We must keep our egos in check and look out for each other if we are going to make it out of here. I pledge myself to that end and look forward to sitting around that fire with Zola and Cecil, sharing stories and laughs. But right now it’s the three of us in the frontline facing flameskulls—might just make a good story one day.

[bxtreme]

Journal Entry 29

Journal, it has finally happened! My powers have grown and I've reached the milestone I've been waiting for. I can invigorate my team to attack enemies of my choosing while they would normally be paused between attacks. This is perfect for filling my role as tactician - so long as I can muster to confidence to order my team around - the same teammates that thought of me as a betrayer...

This power grew in me after our intense rounds of combat with the flaming skulls of this temple. They are merciless and regenerate after being destroyed, what a pain! Someone in the group reminisced about when we could kill things and they stayed dead...great times those were.

During our fight, I really pissed off those skulls by using my psionic cone of death (I'm going to have to trade mark that) and dealt some pretty heavy damage. I was their primary target from that point on. I lost consciousness sometime after the 5th or 6th fire ray hit me. Thankfully, Ryder had my back and brought me back from the brink of death. Then Chad and Stein worked their healing magic skills to mend the rest of my wounds. The Dawn Breakers have become quite the well oiled machine - much like a Blinsky puppet. However, the amber temple will put our skills to the test!

[Jeff]

The anguish on people’s faces is clear as the Amber Temple continues to exact a toll from each of us. We make our way into a room with strange creatures hanging on the walls and ceiling and the group springs into action—making short work of them and gaining a degree of hope as we worked together and were successful. I get a strong sense of evil from three large blocks of amber that seem to have some kind of power inside. Zola is intrigued and moves towards one, as I caution her to be wary. She licks one and makes some kind of connection which breaks almost as quickly as it started.

I move to her and ask, “are you all right?”

“Yes,” she quickly replies, “a voice asked if I would like to have a winning personality, but I said I already have one” she says with a smile.

I shake my head and think how I’m always amazed at her spunk and before I can say anything I see Cecil become interested in one of the blocks. I shoot him a glare warning him to stay away, and he shows remarkable restraint.

Mike and Steinbjorn investigate the other two and accept whatever has been offered; I can only hope they are okay.

We move on and run across the fox who has been toying with us casting powerful spells and doing quite a bit of damage—just then four of us including myself are hit by a lightning bolt but manage to survive. I move out of the room and gather myself before heading back in and using my Divine Sense on the creature who turns out to be some kind of fiend. Armed with this information, I know that my Protection from Evil spell should work if I need to use it.

The group valiantly stands against the fiend and inflicts damage on it, but it just seems to laugh at us. The odds are tipped against us when four flameskulls join the fray, and our best course of action is to get clear of the damage, which we are able to do after more struggle.

We are able to find a room where we can shut the door and gather ourselves and heal a bit. We decide it’s best to leave the Temple, but we agree to go with Steinbjorn on one more foray into a different section of the temple. We see more flameskulls but Steinbjorn seems to be able to communicate with them, and they promise us safe passage. Some of us, including myself, are wary of this offer and Zola and I stay back a bit from the group. Matters seem to be going all right until the flameskulls attack and Cecil, Steinbjorn and Chad are hit and go down. Zola and I are safe around the corner, but I know I have to go back in there.

I cast Protection from Evil on myself and head over to Chad as the others are tending to Cecil and Steinbjorn. I call on Lathander’s power and am able to revive Chad when inexplicably the fox disappears and the flameskulls stop their attacks. I move over to Cecil and Steinbjorn and help to revive them and the party moves out of the Amber Temple, finally.

We take shelter from the biting wind and tend to our wounds. As we rest we hear the voice of Madame Ava telling us we must face that which we most want to avoid, which of course is Strahd, and that she can hold off the revenants long enough for us to pass out of this god-forsaken place. We jump at the chance and soon find ourselves near the gates of Villaki. A number of us, including myself, want to go back into Villaki. I know Zola wants to check on our friends at the tavern, and I want to check on Father Petrovich at the church, but some of our raven friends fly overhead, and it becomes clear that they are showing us the path we must take. I feel badly for Zola, as she very much wanted to spend some time with the Ravens, as our interactions with them have always been positive, but they fly off into the distance.

We decide that we must honor Madame Ava’s wishes and head back to Castle Ravenloft. So it’s on to Strahd...