The mysterious, fearful, dark, hooded rider

As the mysterious, fearful, dark, hooded rider approaches the party, M tries to open a chest he found but it is trapped. A tiny dart fires and injects him with something weird. M falls unconscious. L is also unconscious in the freezing water and slowly dying. After some "tactful" prompting from the dark rider, G goes down the well and ties L, who is then hoisted up by B. M comes about as B smashes the door down to the deserted(?) hut. The party reunited, (in body as well as fear) are cajoled into spending the night at their mysterious, fearful, dark, "beneficiary".

Our host turns out to be Count Bristo. His mansion-come-castle is, by the party’s standards, paradise. Huge soft double bed, in every room, hot and cold running water, and lots and lots of food! M’s room has lots of books that entertain him briefly and then he is off to sleep. B and L have a bath. Probably together but no one found out for sure. G is keeping quiet. Before long it is diner time and the guests wear appropriate clothes lent to them by the hospitable Count. M decided to wear some cool clothes he found in the chest, and gets everyone’s attention. Briefly.

A gigantic 3-course meal follows. 7-course for B. Before long every one is stuffed. Merriment in the form of beautiful dancers, music and idle chat soon have M nodding off impolitely. While B and L get infatuated with the 3 dancers and decide to try to get better acquainted. So much so that when everyone retires to bed, they tip toe out of the mansion and to a near by inn. M professes his love of books and in particular anything relating to wizardry and so the Count pays him a visit in the middle of night, to discus spells. The only thing that will keep M away from a soft, double bed is of course spells. A tome of magic, it’s origins, and glorious spells have M mystified.

His fear, however, is gradually turning into a type of hatred. So much so that even after adding a new spell to his spell book, M refuses a seemingly very simple if, somewhat peculiar, request from his overly generous host. On that sour note, promising to return later, Count Bristo leaves and catches J. in some dark, hidden, secret room, having a good rummage. Sensing her necromantic inclinations he offers her an eternity of fellowship and magic progression that usual mortals could only dream of. J declines, but by high wizardry, J feels compelled to eventually return someday to the mansion.

At the same time, B + L’s night on the tiles is turning rather sour. The 3 attractive dancers turn out to be Vampires. A vicious combat ensues. B goes nowhere without his sword and is soon giving them the what for. L’s incompetence in combat is slightly alleviated by the fact that he has with him the highly effective artefact from the bottom of the well. The silver cross almost cost him his life and now it is turning out to have been worth it. The fight is ferocious. B doing his usual damage to inanimate objects as well as live ones, and now undead ones as well. L’s high spirits and singing makes B even more awesome, Their luck soon runs out though and L slumps to the ground unconscious (again!) by an irresistible attack from one of the vampires.

Just then, bats fry in, followed by another dark hooded figure again. The vampires and everyone left standing soon makes themselves scarce. The dark man whisks them off and stabilised L condition but asks of B a grave favour in return: a certain painting from one of the bedrooms in the Count’s mansion. When B comes back alone to the mansion it is the next morning and the Count is out. A discussion follows between the 4 party members about the count, the baron, the painting, L, life, death, and many other things. The party’s inability to make a decision is solved by the fact that L walks in! No one disagrees with the idea of legging it and thus happens. The party leaves!

M has spent the entire evening studying the ancient tome and has scribed 2 new spells!

G has stolen a portrait. THE portrait!

B got loads of food, a fight and some "female" attention

L is conscious.

J is never happy.

So the party is happy. With our old cart and 2 new horses they run like the wind!

Soon however, they are caught up by a rather vexed Count Bristo… AND the Baron (the person that rescued L and B), each demanding the painting that G so thoughtlessly stole. While G, with a sick and almost magical infatuation clutches the stolen item, a viscous battle ensues. For a change it does not involve the "Misfits" (as L decided on calling the party) but that does not stop our carriage from being targeted by a powerful fireball spell. M sticks his hand out of the back of the carriage and cast a puny spell at the Count that goes completely un noticed!

Alone once more we reach the hamlet of Ladoc. Our stop there is of a very basic and desperate nature. Basic: we need provisions and a new cover. Desperate: we need to get out of Moldavia. G generously decided to buy a new cover and a whip for M. Soon they are out of Moldavia and in forests with a hilly to mountainous terrain. Compared to the undead it comes as a welcome change. The cart can make very little progress in this area and soon the party looses the trusty cart!

On the first night and on B watch Orcs attack. Before anyone else is awake, B screams like a deranged thing and is itching to make heads split…