Recap 9

***Adrian's Journel, 1472 DR, Day seven (?) in Barovia:***

So much has happened today. I’m writing this in the little time we have at the Church.
I’ve used up the last of the fabric I kept to patch simple wounds.
Kai’s quick suturing of Izek’s battleaxe wound itches. Where to start? I left off last surrounded by many guards with spears:

**Izek, the captain of the guard with a demon hand called Ireena his sister**. Instead of being imprisoned straight away we were escorted to the Burgomaster’s mansion. However, things were tense the whole time. Izek kept Ireena close to him, he even took her upstairs…
If only we stopped him faster, but we thought to convince the Burgomaster first. We couldn’t take on the captain of the guard surrounded by all of his men. Dukus was upfront and matter of fact as always but I know his type, leaders like to be coddled. So I put on the accent I learned from imitating nobles from Blacklake in Neverwinter. Ismark being nobility proved useful in our negotiation. We presented the bones and stroked his ego, confirming his favorite mantra of ‘All will be well’. He even invited us to the festival as his guests and invited us to stay in his home.

We had an hour to act to fulfill two objectives:

* A)Hallow the church as a safe haven for the people
* B)Get Ireena out of the clutches of Izek

The lady of the house also was the one who owned ‘the most beautiful wedding dress’ something we needed to convince the Abbot of Markovia to revive Ronin. So Kai, Moger, Ismark and I decided to pretend to be his guests, go upstairs and free Ireena. We met a maid, I was only concerned about finding how much access we had to the mansion but she mentioned missing people.
Unusual for Moger, he did show some sympathy… He listened, I planned.
We acted like drunk nobles and went upstairs, we found a man there. One Udo… Imprisoned for the ridiculous crime of ‘malicious unhappiness’. I was going to leave him but Moger showed me just how callous I was starting to become. Our moment of humanity was interrupted by…
**Something horrible.**
Izek was… *His own sister*. The resemblance, the dolls. I don’t want to remember. Naked, sobbing.
He blocked the doorway to the room. Standing firm, guarding his 'prize' surrounded by dolls that looked exactly like her.
Blinsky dolls like the one given to us. Kai shot him between the legs, still he stood. After magic and sword slices... But eventually..
He went into the room, bleeding heavily everywhere as he picked up Ireena with his monster arm. I tried to finish him but... he stuck me down.
I awoke to Ismark, like a demon as he hacked away at Izek's corpse. Rage in his eyes as Ireena layed on the bed, crying and broken.
I felt something, a thread away. A taste. Then I heard the words, *De Morte Vitae...*
Of death. As that giant axe came crashing down across my chest.
Then Kai’s face as I gasped, an empty potion bottle in his hand.

I reverted back to the times I used to steal from warehouses with Rat Feet and Lucky Louse.
We played this game where we had to steal as much as we can before the guards came, so I analyzed the mansion and found the room with the dress. The best rooms are always at the end of long hallways. **The stupid fucking dress.**
Mother Lisa... breaking my promise, I said I wouldn’t steal any more after you caught me with one of your trinkets in my pockets.
I’m sorry Mother, no more stealing I promise.
Tying bedsheets we escaped through an open window, classic. Using a few of us walking through the front door in a drunken fashion as a distraction. I barely remember the walk to the church. The town seemed emptier, the faggots of wood that were in the hallway gone.

The Festival of the Blazing Sun they called it... will be soon, the release of the children of the night, of the Devil.

As we all rest and heal we’re contemplating if we should stay in the Church overnight or go to warn the town.
I’m conflicted. Forgive me… So many have died. I’m worried now though…
About my *soul.*
As we entered the Church I was going to joke (maybe belittle) Sigmund, but seeing him in prayer.
His real devotion to his cause, to his Lord. I was jealous. He looked so serene, confident.
Rape, murder, children dying, how can there be a Morninglord in all this darkness?

Then the light came down on Sigmund and I stood in his shadow. The sun shone.
I looked down, and as I looked up the light shone on me as well, on all of us.
I’m cleaning my pisol named Lisa, my rapier called Gabriel. I am not Mouse anymore.
I am Adrian Blackwater, Acolyte of Lathander and a Sword of the Order of the Guantlet.
I will not hide in this Church as people die in the hundreds, I’d rather die.

Never to see my loved ones back home, in a foreign land. That’s okay.
My friends can stay safe, but I hope they come too. We’ll fight together.
I have to believe, I want to believe.
I don’t… but I’ll *try*.

Maybe when we head to the festival we can save everyone.
Maybe the light will shine again and no one has to die.
Maybe it doesn’t, maybe we all die. But at least we did something.
At least we die as people who try to be something better than we are.

I was going to formulate a plan, talk with them all and convince my allies that we can rouse the people against a Burgomaster who risks his people by doing festivals while his whole town is at risk. A man who employs a foul sister rapist of a man with a demonic arm. Maybe, we could appeal to the masses to save their lives and fight the darkness together. Line up the spearmen and use holy magic to weaken them, tactically... A whole town would be able to defeat the vampire spawn we encountered, but there are no tactics when fear reigns and men fight among themselves.

No more tactics, no more analysis. I’m slipping out alone. It’s their choice to make. I have made mine.
 ***De morte, vitae.***
*Celestial… From Death, Life.*

(After Adrian sneaks out, he stands with the Burgomaster to make a speech. The group arrived after Sigmund and Kai track Adrian. The Festival of the burning sun involved a giant wickerman sun where people were tied to. To be burned as a sacrifice to the Morninglord. Dukus leaps onto the stage. Dukus yells out to run to the church, Adrian says 'All is well' but then tries to convince to their humanity. To fight the darkness instead of each other. We try to convince the people to fight the incoming vampires. Are left surrounded by a crowd of people and six vampire spawn. The whole town is out in the open, civillians are dying. Ismark and Dukus are fighting the Burgomaster on the stage, Kai puts out the giant Blazing Sun wickerman as Adrian and Sigmund rush south to fight the first group of vampires. Moger seems to have run back to the Church.)