S8: Our paths have been written and the ravens have flown- we set out at dawn and journey alone.
General Summary
Was Ireena in danger? They'd escorted her this far and for what? Had they lured her into yet another trap? Bite Club opt to follow the bard close behind and interrogate him in the safety of The Blue Water Inn's courtyard.
Mordecai's charisma came in handy, here. He assumed the role of an adoring fan as a gateway into easy information from his idol- and endured a paid supper from the man as a thanks for supporting his music. The bard, named Rictavio, was enthusiastic to divulge his history as a traveling musician, who seeks to inspire happiness and hope to those unfortunate souls of Barovia who otherwise lack all of the above. He also seemed relatively interested in Mordecai's adventuring party. Despite their best efforts to avoid all interaction with the overly beguiling individual, Rictavio soon had a change of heart upon hearing Cedar's voice.
Rictavio claimed that Cedar's tone bore a striking resemblance to his best friend, a familiar, who was killed almost 26 years ago. He begged to test a theory, though was intercepted at the door by Blaidd who claimed to have many a question of his own regarding the saber-tooth tiger and his hatred toward the Vistani. Rictavio pleaded a moment. If his beliefs that Cedar was indeed his long lost companion were proven false or otherwise, he would confide in them all he could only after he'd had the time to attempt something.
Rictavio upheld the condition that Blaidd could keep a close eye on whatever he tried to do. In this case, the bard pulled a pan-flute from his pocket and proceeded to play five notes.
As he'd predicted, Cedar was teleported in the same manner as the Keeper's of The Feather's call, directly to his side. This pan-flute was effectively wired into his creation process as a familiar. Without the use of somatic or material components, it acted as a teleportation to his master's side. Cedar's name back then was Walnut, though the bugbear is hesitant to believe that all he has previously known as a life was a lie.
Rictavio states that Walnut was a gift given to him as a young child for his third birthday. He remembers the day as though it were yesterday. This was a familiar who would never age and would serve as a lifelong companion to ever remind Rictavio that when senescence got the better of him and the days seemed lonely, there was a child caged deep within his soul who still loved to cuddle and go on adventures.
After a moment of reflection, he returned inside to uphold his side of the deal, revealing the following.
His mother was killed in that Vistani camp. Like him, she partook in the family business of musical entertainment. In hopes to inspire new hope to the people, she was murdered without a second thought.
He'd owned his tiger, unsuitably named fluffy, since she was a newly-born cub. She'd been nurtured and bred to hunt Vistani exclusively, while being completely tolerable of anybody but.
He'd planned to intact his revenge on the camp- and still does. However, as the party are adamant that Ireena is in no way, shape or form allied with Strahd, Rictavio agrees to lay off of her.
His father had lost his memory eight years ago. Once a powerful man with boundless power, he now fails to even recall so much as his own name, or that of his most trusted advisor, whom Rictavio introduced to him: a woman named Yang. They'd met in Krezk one day under circumstances that he didn't divulge. However, she was a force to be reckoned with, sneaky, athletic and unconditionally brutal.
There was little he could say about his father. He was oath bound by a silencing spell that would cut off his speech if the intention was to speak of his heritage.
The next morning, Bite Club set out to the Wizards tower on foot. They left bright and early in the morning with hopes that, despite the four hour trek there and back, they could return to Vallaki by nightfall.
Blinding fog obscured their path as they journeyed to the tower. Desolate, muddied roads tacked their journey in the form of footprints left behind in sludge and grime, blood and ash, cobble and forest debris. Eventually, they came to a lake, enclosed by mountain cliffs and home to stagnant, black waters. A causeway stretches to an isolated island in the center of the water. This is the tower that they had seen in passing to the farm.
The password engraved on the door had previously been deciphered by our adventurers: Khazan. Upon speaking this phrase, it creaked open, slowly, painfully so. The first floor ceiling had caved in, leaving nought but refuse and destruction. In the center of the room lie four clay golems, motionless, each holding a chain that reached from the spire of the tower to an iron plate which rested on the floor. Amongst the debris, our party found the following:
520 copper pieces.
52 silver pieces.
32 gold pieces.
A handwritten letter, which read:
Dani,
Even though I told you not to question me whenever I flew off, I never doubted you would follow me, eventually. You’re far too curious for your own good. I wrote you a little guide to this tower- though I pray you do not seek knowledge beyond what you are capable of handling. I trust you’re smart enough to understand that much.
First Floor: Be nice to the golems. They’re simple minded.
Second Floor: Storage.
Third Floor: Library (Please don’t read anything that’s locked! I’ll tell you what I can, later.)
Fourth Floor: Master/Observatory (I’m probably up here- or out fetching something.)
I’ll see you back at home. (Please, go home <3)
Sis.
Blaidd was able to successfully determine that this was Sabine's handwriting and that the Dani whom this was addressed to must be Danika.
Despite having had investigated these golems and even trying to move them, this letter seemed to give Bite Club another idea. They simply asked them nicely to raise the platform, and low and behold, their request was granted.
The storeroom on the second floor seemed to have a weight limit, as both Lysette and Mordecai were able to traverse it without an issue, while a newly formed Blaidd shaped hole became the newest addition to the destruction. Lysette noticed that what once was a room probably filled with crates and armory had all been looted, leaving only a singular bag of holding behind. She chose not to open it at the time.
The third floor was possibly the most interesting, and the most dangerous. Not a single one of them was able to walk upon its surface, let alone survive the fall, however Blaidd had an epiphany of his own. Lysette had fallen- and as the artificer reached to grab her, their places switched in the desperation. As his life flashed before his eyes, Blaidd shrunk, transforming into a raven subconsciously. Had this curse been in his blood from when he and Sabine were together? The man had many a question unanswerable right now. Blaidd remained a raven and remininced how his beloved would take off, doing so himself to arrive back at the third floor with no risk of falling back through for the third time today.
