Story Time Episode 3: The Death House
Disclaimer: The following narrative depicts events, characters and locations that feature in the 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign Curse of Strahd. Curse of Strahd is the property of © Wizards of the Coast 2016. Character depictions are a product of heroforge.com
The children stop in front of the largest house on the street, a huge three story manor house with an impressive entrance portico. The house looked as if it were breathing, the boards creaking and moving in the wind. The house was old. However, contrary to other houses on the street in Barovia Village, the windows were not boarded and glass was still in the frames.
Rose pointed to the front door and spoke. "They're in there. Please help them... We are too scared to go inside."
The group huddled together for a brief moment of discussion. "I don't like the look of that entrance." Whispered Pie-Ella, the ever attentive rogue. She pointed up towards the balcony on the second floor. "We could try fling a grappling hook up to there and climb up?"
The rest of the group assented and Pie-Ella began rummaging around in her rucksack while Weepee addressed the children.
"Don't worry little ones, you can stay out here. We will help your mother and father and be back in no time!" He finished the promise with an impressive tone, denoting the confident in the party's ability.
They tied their horses up beside the house, making sure they were securely bound. Pie-Ella began spinning the grappling hook with skill and flung it up to the railing surrounding the balcony. It caught and stuck firm. The began scaling the wall, making their way up to the second floor with ease. With Sir Philip the only one left climbing, the metal of the railing began creaking and twisting. The grappling hook lost its grip and fell 20 feet to the cobblestones below. The party looked over the edge in a panic, looking for Sir Philip. He was left hanging from a ledge a foot down from the balcony.
"Well don't just stand there! Help me up!" He said through gritted teeth.
They struggled to pull up the heavy dragonborn, but eventually slid him over the railing as they all collapsed into a pile. They were relatively safe on the balcony of the house. A window was against the north wall and a set of doors led from the balcony to the east. Deilis peered through the grimy window into a small room. The room was empty, bar a baby's cot in the center, facing away from the window.
"This looks like a nursery. Rose and Thorn didn't mention a sibling.." She said, leaning away from the window.
Pie-Ella opened the door to the east with a soft creak, stepping into the house. She froze several steps into what appeared to be a bedroom, her eyes locked above the bed. The rest of the group crept in behind her, looking for what Pie-Ella had seen. As they neared, the transparent body of a ghost appeared floating above the bed. The finely dressed, transparent woman was watching their every move.
"Maybe we should go back and through the front door..." Deilis suggested, locking eyes with the spectre.
The group nodded in silence and begun backing towards the door, not turning from the woman. Back out on the balcony, the environment had changed rapidly. No longer could they look out over the village. The house was surrounded by mist. It was thick, impossible to see through. Weepee picked up a tile from the balcony and tossed it out into the mist. The group didn't hear the tile impact with the cobblestones. By some magical means, it was as if the tile disappeared in the mist.
Deilis sighed. "No going back I guess... Something doesn't want us to leave."
The group moved back in to the room. The woman had not moved from her floating position above the bed. She watched the group, but did not move. Two doors led from the room, one on the western wall and one on the northern wall. Sir Philip made his way towards the western door and pushed it open. A horrible wail pierced their ears behind them. The spectre was holding her head in pain and locked eyes with Sir Philip.
Amongst her wails she screamed "Leave him alone!" She flew into an assault, targeting Sir Philip specifically.
The battle was brief. The lone spectre was overwhelmed by the assault of blades and arcane magic. Weepee fired bolt after bolt of Eldritch Blast, utilising abilities gifted unto him by the Great Old One, a being of immense power. Deilis fired off a volley of arrows that passed through the woman, embedding into the wall on the far side of the room. Pie-Ella danced in with a short blade, slicing at the body of the ghost. She ducked and darted, moving around the being at blinding speed. Sir Philip called down holy light from the heavens, empowered by the might of his deity Fharlanghn, and blasted the undead being back to the afterlife.
When all was done, the group gathered themselves and their ammunition. They searched the room but didn't find the body of the woman. Sir Philip moved back over to the western door, the same one that caused the woman to attack.
Once in the room, quiet cries of an infant could be heard. The small room was the nursery, with only a cradle in the center. The group cautiously moved up to it cradle. The crying was louder here, coming from the cot itself, and there was something lying inside, swaddled by blankets.
Deilis pulled back the blanket and the crying stopped instantly. Inside the cradle was a small sack doll. Its features marred and ugly, wearing a dirty pink dress. Some years ago the doll may have been impressive to behold, but it has clearly been long forgotten. The doll had the remains of a tag hanging from its dress that read:
The house was alive. And it didn't want them to leave.
The children stop in front of the largest house on the street, a huge three story manor house with an impressive entrance portico. The house looked as if it were breathing, the boards creaking and moving in the wind. The house was old. However, contrary to other houses on the street in Barovia Village, the windows were not boarded and glass was still in the frames.
Rose pointed to the front door and spoke. "They're in there. Please help them... We are too scared to go inside."
The group huddled together for a brief moment of discussion. "I don't like the look of that entrance." Whispered Pie-Ella, the ever attentive rogue. She pointed up towards the balcony on the second floor. "We could try fling a grappling hook up to there and climb up?"
The rest of the group assented and Pie-Ella began rummaging around in her rucksack while Weepee addressed the children.
"Don't worry little ones, you can stay out here. We will help your mother and father and be back in no time!" He finished the promise with an impressive tone, denoting the confident in the party's ability.
They tied their horses up beside the house, making sure they were securely bound. Pie-Ella began spinning the grappling hook with skill and flung it up to the railing surrounding the balcony. It caught and stuck firm. The began scaling the wall, making their way up to the second floor with ease. With Sir Philip the only one left climbing, the metal of the railing began creaking and twisting. The grappling hook lost its grip and fell 20 feet to the cobblestones below. The party looked over the edge in a panic, looking for Sir Philip. He was left hanging from a ledge a foot down from the balcony.
"Well don't just stand there! Help me up!" He said through gritted teeth.
They struggled to pull up the heavy dragonborn, but eventually slid him over the railing as they all collapsed into a pile. They were relatively safe on the balcony of the house. A window was against the north wall and a set of doors led from the balcony to the east. Deilis peered through the grimy window into a small room. The room was empty, bar a baby's cot in the center, facing away from the window.
"This looks like a nursery. Rose and Thorn didn't mention a sibling.." She said, leaning away from the window.
Pie-Ella opened the door to the east with a soft creak, stepping into the house. She froze several steps into what appeared to be a bedroom, her eyes locked above the bed. The rest of the group crept in behind her, looking for what Pie-Ella had seen. As they neared, the transparent body of a ghost appeared floating above the bed. The finely dressed, transparent woman was watching their every move.
"Maybe we should go back and through the front door..." Deilis suggested, locking eyes with the spectre.
The group nodded in silence and begun backing towards the door, not turning from the woman. Back out on the balcony, the environment had changed rapidly. No longer could they look out over the village. The house was surrounded by mist. It was thick, impossible to see through. Weepee picked up a tile from the balcony and tossed it out into the mist. The group didn't hear the tile impact with the cobblestones. By some magical means, it was as if the tile disappeared in the mist.
Deilis sighed. "No going back I guess... Something doesn't want us to leave."
The group moved back in to the room. The woman had not moved from her floating position above the bed. She watched the group, but did not move. Two doors led from the room, one on the western wall and one on the northern wall. Sir Philip made his way towards the western door and pushed it open. A horrible wail pierced their ears behind them. The spectre was holding her head in pain and locked eyes with Sir Philip.
Amongst her wails she screamed "Leave him alone!" She flew into an assault, targeting Sir Philip specifically.
The battle was brief. The lone spectre was overwhelmed by the assault of blades and arcane magic. Weepee fired bolt after bolt of Eldritch Blast, utilising abilities gifted unto him by the Great Old One, a being of immense power. Deilis fired off a volley of arrows that passed through the woman, embedding into the wall on the far side of the room. Pie-Ella danced in with a short blade, slicing at the body of the ghost. She ducked and darted, moving around the being at blinding speed. Sir Philip called down holy light from the heavens, empowered by the might of his deity Fharlanghn, and blasted the undead being back to the afterlife.
When all was done, the group gathered themselves and their ammunition. They searched the room but didn't find the body of the woman. Sir Philip moved back over to the western door, the same one that caused the woman to attack.
Once in the room, quiet cries of an infant could be heard. The small room was the nursery, with only a cradle in the center. The group cautiously moved up to it cradle. The crying was louder here, coming from the cot itself, and there was something lying inside, swaddled by blankets.
Deilis pulled back the blanket and the crying stopped instantly. Inside the cradle was a small sack doll. Its features marred and ugly, wearing a dirty pink dress. Some years ago the doll may have been impressive to behold, but it has clearly been long forgotten. The doll had the remains of a tag hanging from its dress that read:
"Is No Fun, Is No Blinsky!"The group left the room with a shiver and made their way to the northern door. They stepped out into landing at the top of an impressive flight of stairs, leading both up and down. The walls were adorned with decorative weapons and paintings, mostly of a windmill in the countryside. The door slammed behind them, locking them from the bedroom and the balcony. The shutters began to rattle, the walls bowed and looked as if they were shifting, the flames of the burning candles darkened. Paintings appeared to move - the arms of the windmill slowly spun, portraits of old, angry people turned their heads to follow the party as they moved.
The house was alive. And it didn't want them to leave.
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