Ludi Blog

61. Staff of the Morning

Cursing, Marsha hurried to the rope bridge and crossed with Paffluous close behind. The wizards magical light illuminating the rest of the chamber. They saw work benches ahead, strewn with tools, and a passageway leading off to the left.

A man stood next to the passageway, robed in white over clean chain mail, a fine, gold shod oaken staff in his outstretched hand. He was long dead, prepared and preserved with great skill to appear alive and well to all but the closest inspection. Jacob took the dead priests staff, which radiated a strong magical aura.

Expecting a further attack from the dwarf, Paffluous cast a Haste spell upon Marsha, who hefted her shield and prepared to charge. As she did so, the dwarf ducked out of the left hand passageway and took a snap shot with his crossbow, finding his mark yet again.

Jacob took his chance and spoke a word of power, snapping back a spell in response to the bolt. It was risky, but Chauntea was surely with him. The dwarf failed to resist the spell, and fell to the floor, sleeping soundly. Marsha used her enhanced speed to bind him securely before he woke.

But wake he did. Wounded and angry, the dwarf was in no mood for small talk, but Bovrain managed to wring some basic facts from the prisoner. The dwarf was named Varkov the Trapper, a loner, who left his clan many years before to set up home here, in the wilderness. He prefers the company of wolves, and he befriended several of the local beasts. He came to regard them as his pets. He works as a trapper and skinner, trading pelts via Vistani merchants for coin and supplies.

Jacob detected for magic in the area, and found that the dwarf's chain shirt, his axe, his crossbow bolts and four small metal "pots" radiated a magical glow. The stuffed mans staff radiated a very powerful glow.

Bovrain stripped the dwarf out of his armour, weighed up his axe, and decided to take just the chain. The dwarf called him a thief to his face, and promised that he's get what was coming to him in time. Bovrain pointed out that the dwarf was being left with his life, and was in no position to argue. The dwarf agreed, and ceased his complaining. (After all, said Bovrain, you have to be realistic).

The party made a fire, healed up, and made ready to rest for the balance of the day and the night. But before they did, Jacob and Bovrain removed the bodies of their fallen friends Jacob, Cweno and Ashlyn from the portable hole. The corpses were ripe and becoming somewhat sticky.

Using the scroll recovered from the Church, Jacob cast a spell of Raise Dead on Isaiah. The spell was the most powerful thing he'd ever attempted, and he doubted that he had the power... but again Chauntea was with him and the spell was cast. Isaiah sat up, feeling like death warmed up. "Where's the priest?" He looked around. "Where's the church...?" Jacob knelt by him and told him to relax. "Welcome back." He said. "You've been dead these five days".

While Marsha tended to Isaiah, Jacob turned his attention to the Gladiator, Cweno. This time, he tried to use the magical staff that he had taken from the preserved body of the priest. He discovered that it did indeed have the power to raise the dead - although how much power remained within the ancient artefact was unknown. Suffice to say that its magical aura was much diminished by the casting. Cweno arose feeling well and relaxed, as if from a deep sleep, and Jacob explained how he'd been killed by the evil spell that Danovich had cast whilst possessed.

After resting, the restored party returned to the village of Barovia and spent the night at the Bergomeisters house as guests of Irena. Old bedrooms were aired, beds made, and, following a brief shopping trip, an evening meal was cooked. With everyone around the dinner table, the adventurers took a welcome break from their work, relaxing and eating with friends.

Plans were discussed for the next day before everyone retired for the best nights sleep in weeks. They would meet the challenges ahead as one, restored, rested, and ready to put an end to the Devil of Castle Ravenloft.