25/7/23
18th & 19th Day of Rainmoot: 1492
Mission: Find Our Lady's Heart
Campaign: Tales from the Bard
Location(s): Mere, Barovia
Present: Bernadette Greycastle, Dramos Ethrane, Niall Tharivol, Ragul-Nur, Roscoe Tosscoble, Moonwhisper , Plus Mule.
18th
On their way to the inn, the village lightly shrouded in mist they could see a small group of travelling wagons, each wagon was enclosed, a dwelling, the Vistani were here. Roscoe was excited for they were great fortune tellers. He berated the group to have their fortunes told. They reluctantly agreed.
As they approached the wagons a curtain was pulled back at the rear of one. A woman's voice called.
Woman: "I foresaw your coming, now come for what I have to tell you effects you all collectively not 1 individual. I am Madam Eva"
The group climbed up the 4 steps and into the rear of the enclosed wagon.
They sat around a table and the woman produced a deck of cards and laid 5 cards out.
Madam Eva: "The cards are presented. The future will be revealed. Nothing can be changed."
Madam Eva: "Ah, The Beggar. This card tells of history, knowledge of the ancient will help you better understand your enemy. A wounded Elf has what you seek. He will part with the treasure to see his dark dreams fulfilled.."
Madam Eva: "Ah, The Myrmidon. This is a powerful artifact. A force for good and protection, a symbol most holy to bring great hope. look for a den of wolves in the hills overlooking a mountain lake. The treasure belongs to Mother Night."
Madam Eva: "The Abjurer. This is a card of power and of strength. It foretells a weapon of vengeance, a sword of sunlight. I see a fallen house guarded by a great stone dragon - look to the highest peak!"
Madam Eva: "The broken one, ahh. This card sheds light on one who may assist you greatly in the battle against darkness. I see a man of faith who's sanity hangs by a thread. He has lost someone close to him."
Madam Eva: "The Tempter, for surely he is. I see a secret place - a vault of temptation hidden behind a woman of great beauty. The evil awaits atop his tower of treasure."
Returning to the inn they spent the night listening to another Roscoe rendition of some forgotten king who died in some forgotten battle in some forgotten kingdom centuries ago.
19th
The next day they discussed their options. They decided to head back over the trail and try and pick up Talila's tracks and find her. They gathered their equipment bade Roscoe's cousin farewell and left the village.
The mist was closing in. It was about 150yds away. Ragul-Nur, at the rear, looked back and spotted a figure darting out of the mist and hiding behind a large rock. He kept a careful eye as the group progressed. He saw the figure again and warned the group they were being followed.
Niall: "Ok, we see you, friend or foe, come out where we can see you".
The figure stood up, dressed in black leather, hand on the hilt of the slender rapier dangling from her belt, a short bow slung over her shoulder.
Bernadette: "My name is Bernadette Greycastle I mean no harm. I overheard you talking about Talila last night. She and I are.......accomplices.........partners........friends. We were supposed to meet in Mere but she failed to show. You have met her, were off to look for her, I followed. Now this damn mist has forced my hand and I had to travel a lot closer to keep you in sight. I would like to join you to find Talila."
The group had a quick talk, they thought Bernadette could handle herself but she was an unknown. They decided she could but they would keep an eye on her.
Ragul: "Hate to tell you this but whilst we've been chatting.......look, look how close the mist is now!"
The mist had closed in and was all of 20ft away from the group. They proceeded with caution but soon the mist enveloped them all and they had to close right up to see the person in front.
Suddenly the mist in front parted. They now stood on a forest trail. Dark pools of water lay on the path, the giant trees clawed at each other in the mist. There had been no trees for miles, Abbadon Forest was miles away. The trees looked oppressive, dark, the mist could be seen to right and left and behind.
Bernadette: "Looks like the 'mist' wants us to go forward."
Ragul had ben muttering to himself as they walked slowly, he looked up and addressed no one in particular.
Ragul: "This is of spiritual making, not inherently evil as such but it is definitely not and I mean not natural fog!"
They walked for about 5 miles, Niall roughly worked out, keeping a silent count of steps as they walked. The fog spilled out of the trees to cover the road behind them. Ahead jutting out from the impenetrable forest stood gates. The gates were rusty, old and the two guardian statues either side were headless, their heads laying in the undergrowth at the base of the statues. Some 5 miles on they arrived before a set of gates. Bernadette used her talents to investigate the gates. They are rusty, old but not locked nor trapped.
Bernadette moved her hand to open the gates but before her palm made contact the gates parted, they creaked and groaned then clanged fully open. She led the group slowly through. The trees either side of the gates were thick and definitely impenetrable. The gates were the only way through that they could see.
Bernadette stopped, the group moved equally to right and left, each pair slightly behind and to the side of the one in front. Moonwhisper called it 'arrowhead', for the formation looked like the head of an arrow and allowed the group a clear view ahead and to the side they were on.
Bernadette: "I can see a figure, tall, human like, leading a horse, they are coming right towards us up the pathway".
Weapons were drawn in readiness to repel an attack.
The figure stopped 20ft in front of the group. He was tall and handsome.
Man: "Good day to you, my name is Count Strahd von Zarovich, welcome to Barovia. I see you are ready for trouble, weapons drawn. You need not fear I mean you no harm. It is good to welcome new blood to Barovia, we get so few visitors these days. Wait...what is this, such beauty, my dear you look divine. I look forward to getting to know you better during your stay in Barovia. I see you travel with two Elves a Dwarf a Human and a child!"
Roscoe: "I'm a halfling, sir".
Strahd looked the group over and nodded his head. He then looked long and hard at Moonwhisper and Ragul-Nur before speaking again.
Strahd: "I look forward to meeting both of you too. But now I must return to my home. You, tall one in blue, yes you. You remind me of my brother. He once stood tall and proud like you".
Strahd effortlessly mounted his horse. The group were rooted to the spot such was the power in the words von Zarovich spoke. It was then they noticed the horse for it was no mortal horse it was a Nightmare! He looked over his shoulder and smiled at Bernadette. Then he was gone.
Moonwhisper: "I managed to gain insight into that, that thing. They are both of the Undead, the Unliving."
Ragul: "I fear that is a living Vampire of legends, pun intended".
Roscoe: "What do we know of Vampires, he was scary!"
Ragul: "From what I can remember they are weakened in running water, cannot cross running water, garlic can keep them at bay so too holy symbols. Something about not willingly inviting them into your house, they need to be invited. But they feed on the blood of the living to prolong their undead lives. They also fear and shun sunlight."
Moonwhisper: "Well it's daylight, overcast yes, but day light. Why could he survive that?"
Ragul: "Daylight is not sunlight, have you noticed, there is no sun, so no sun light."
The group shook themselves and continued along the pathway. Niall suddenly stopped. They had gone no more than a mile!
Niall told the others to wait and he stepped off the path into the woods. He returned a short while later. He told them he had found a body. Ragul and Bernadette went with Niall to investigate further. Ragul turned the body over. It was obvious the body had ben dead for several days. The human male had been raked by claws, his chest exposed and his intestines bulged out of multiple wounds. The wounds were infested with maggots. Clutched in his hand was a letter. Bernadette retrieved the letter and opened it, she read it aloud:
They were in the process of burning the body when they heard a shout of alarm from the others still on the pathway. Roscoe was being assailed by a very large wolf. A 2nd wolf was charging in as Niall stepped away from the burning body and moved to intercept the charging wolf both swords drawn ready to strike.
Bernadette saw movement to her front, crouching down behind a bush she pointed in the direction and Moonwhisper moved to her side.
Before they could react 2 more large wolves charged into Bernadette and Moonwhisper, a 3rd hit Ragul as Niall defended against the wolf attacking him.
The fight was confused, the only one of the group not taking damage was Dramos. Fire bolts and spiritual weapons aided the defence. Niall dropped a sword and mucked up a counter strike spell. Bernadette and Moonwhisper killed a wolf between them, Roscoe managed to fight off and kill the wolf attacking him.
The wolves suddenly ran off into the mist.
Niall looked up the pathway and saw von Zarovich on his nightmare just looking at them. von Zarovich turned his mount and calmly rode away.
The group healed their wounds.
Roscoe: "They were big and I mean big wolves".
Dramos: "Anything is big to you Roscoe but those weren't ordinary wolves, they were Dire Wolves!"
Niall: "Zarovich was there, he pointed down the pathway, I saw him before he rode away. DO you think he had something to do with this?"
Moonwhisper: "Undoubtably".
A few miles further on they came to a rise. Below lay a small village and above it, on a high pinnacle of rock, a dark foreboding castle.
It was nearing mid-day, or as near as they could reckon, when they entered the village. At first it seemed dark, claustrophobic, as tall shapes loomed out of the gloom. The muddy, wet ground of the pathway gave way to the slick, wet cobblestones of the village. The windows of the dark buildings seemed to stare out from pools of blackness.
Dramos: "Strange, no lights. Is anyone at home, do you think?"
No one answered.
The only sound that disturbed the deathly silence was the distant sound of someone sobbing, a mournful soul penetrating sob that dampened the spirits of the group.
Turning a corner they observed a light down a long cobbled street. They proceeded in that direction and came into a square. The light came from a tavern, a broken sign swung in the breeze indicating the name of the tavern was The Blood of the Vine.
A solitary man sat and beckoned them over. He introduced himself as Ismark and he would like to buy them a drink or two and a meal.
Ismark: "The beer is passable, the wine a little better but they do make a nice meat pie with gravy".
Ragul was already sat down indicating beer and pie for him.
The bartender shuffled over, his pallor was grey, his attitude sombre and quiet. He laid the drinks down and the food. He took to cleaning glasses and once finished he started cleaning the same glasses again.
Ismark leaned in and whispered so as not to be overheard by anyone else.
Ismark: "I need your help. I need your help to protect my adoptive sister Ireena Kolyana. I can't tell you more but I will take you somewhere that is quieter where we can talk freely. Will you help".
The last bit was almost a plea.
They had two more drinks and finished their pie and gravy before agreeing. They left the tavern and headed down a street running south. Bernadette peeled off and slid into the shadows as the group passed a mercantile business called Bildraths Mercantile. A second building with a light on she noted.
It wasn't long before the tavern door opened and a figure, a Vistani, stood in the open doorway looking in the direction of the group walking down the road. Once the group had passed out of his sight, the Vistani went back inside the tavern and closed the door.
Bernadette caught the group up and told them what she had seen. The sobbing they had heard when entering the village was now louder. It became louder the closer they got to a house on their left.
Ismark refused to comment on who or what was making the sobbing noise and pressed onwards. It wasn't long before they stood before a weary looking mansion standing behind a rusting iron fence. The right gate cast aside of its hinges the left swinging and creaking in the breeze. As they walked up towards the house they could see weeds pressed the ground and spread with menace right up to the house. Yet wen they got to the house they could see a well worn path around the building, the weeds worn flat. They could also see claw marks all over the front façade that had pulled the once ornate coverings off. Not a window stood in any of the frames. The windows were all boarded up from the outside.
Moonwhisper again announced that he could detect no evil presence in the house, although the building was too large for him to confirm that it was all free of evil.
When they entered they were greeted by a beautiful young woman.
Ireena: "Oh Ismark I was worried."
Ismark: "I'm fine, these people have agreed to help."
Ireena: "Welcome, make yourselves at home".
Niall: "Thank you".
Ireena led them into a dinning room. The rooms they passed through were expensively decorated and furnished. As they entered the dinning room, there on the floor was a wooden coffin. Within a body.
Ireena: "My father, although I'm adopted he was my father."
Ismark told the group that Strahd had visited Ireena twice, she had bite marks on her neck. Ireena could not remember much, it was fuzzy, all she could remember were Strahd's eyes, piercing hypnotic eyes. Ismark said Ireena needed to be moved away from Barovia. A third visit from Strahd would be fatal. Ismark brought out a map of Barovia and laid it down on the table. The town of Vallaki would be the best as the village of Krezk was too far.
Ireena: "Ismark, brother, I will not go anywhere whilst father lies unburied. We must take him to the graveyard, find the priest Donavich. He will make sure the correct prayers are said and their father interred correctly. Only then would I agree to leave."
The house of the Burgomaster
Dramos: "I make it just passed midday.
Ismark: "Time is of the essence, Strahd seems distracted, now is the time to get Ireena out of Barovia."
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