Love in the time of Vampirism

Despite having given this book away to Mrs. Belmont, she returned it to me shortly after, mostly so that I would continue to write in it. I suppose I may as well continue where I left off. ...
 
We continued our journey to Ravenloft riding in Ezmerelda’s wagon for a full day without incident. That was fortunate. It was during our second day of travel that shit really hit the fan. The sky went red once more, much like it had when we left the abbey at Krezk after releasing the souls of Tatyana and Sergei. It was Strahd, and he was furious. There appeared a massive wolf on the road, blocking our path. No ordinary wolf, it sized comparable to a horse even as it sat in our way. Ezmerelda tried to drive to the side, to avoid the beast, but it was much swifter than its form would suggest. It ran as we cut to the right, moving to block our path even as we tried to avoid it, only to burst into mist as it plowed into the horses pulling the wagon. It startled the horses, but Ezmerelda and Eerika managed to keep them calm and keep pushing forward.
 
The mist drifted into the wagon itself and materialized as Strahd himself, sitting between Marushka and I amongst our comrades inside the fortified cart. I don’t believe the vampire thought I was as prepared for him as I was, even within the small confines of this space. Immediately I buried a stake into his chest, but he proved resilient to it, using his speed to stay my hand before I could impale him completely. Having been denied, I deftly slammed a flask of holy water into his face, right in the same spot where he had given me my scar. Tit for tat, really. He tried to cast something afterward, but Marushka was ready with a counter spell and promptly denied him the chance. Eerika was in his lap in an instant, hugging the vampire to her to prevent his escape. He tried to wrest free of her grasp, but found even his strength waning against the dwarf’s. Oswald and Kasimir both got some quick shots on him before I ended up casting a daylight spell right inside the wagon with us. The intense light forced him into mist once more, and he dissipated out through the arrow slits of the vehicle.
 
It was around this time that we heard the sound of several dire wolves gaining speed on us, and was shortly about to maul our horses. In our defense, the tiger Blinsky that had been sitting up front with Ezmerelda leapt into the small pack, and fought them off to allow us to escape. Unfortunately, we could hear the tiger’s death cries even as we rode out of sight of Strahd and his beasts. It was a solemn victory, but a victory nonetheless. A reminder, really, that every encounter with Strahd came with death. Thing were quiet for most the rest of the day, but we eventually came to a stop at that beginning of the cliffs that led up to Castle Ravenloft.
 
It was at this time that Kasimir went to go find some caves he had memories of; a passage into the Castle that was a far better alternative to storming the front gates. While he was off doing that, and even after he returned, I had done quite possibly the hardest thing of my life. I asked Marushka to marry me. Right then. Of course.. while Oswald had told me some time ago that he could perform such a ceremony, I had not yet.. actually asked for her hand prior. So, right then and there, I asked her to be my wife. The why of which I shall not reiterate here, but I feel the entry I’ve added to this book specifically for her covers it clearly. Much to my delight, she said yes! Though I’m sure the first line of this entry rather gave that away, didn’t it?
 
I gave her this journal as a token of my devotion, having nothing else of value to give. I knew she treasured stories, and this was one I thought she should have; one that predated even our first meeting. Kasimir, however, gave me his wife’s ring to give to her as well, which I would argue was a far better gift than I had given her. Elven in make, and equally elegant, it suited her well. Oswald and Kasimir rather chastised me a bit for not having gotten a ring on my own, but I ask you, when and where would I have gotten one? Kasimir ended up performing the ceremony on Oswald’s behalf, rather disliking how long the half-orc was taking given the time-sensitivity of what we were about to embark upon. Either we win, or we die here.
 
Kasimir had found the caves he mentioned, and the small group of us headed within to the lowest levels of the castle. Surprisingly, or not, we entered the castle within the dungeons, and found that Bryndon and Elaine was already there, seemingly having just broken out of a cell they were placed in. Having regrouped with the Chandlers, we were quickly beset upon by several powerful vampires. Three of them ended up turning into mist and fleeing, while the two that tried to sneak up behind The Belmonts and Kasimir found a short duration to their immortal existence. I had taken a blow from one of them with an axe, but we battled off the two, and with Marushka keeping them stunned with the power of the Icon of Ravenloft, I staked them and took their heads, ending their parasitic lives.
 
After the battle, Bryndon introduced us to his newest "ally" Oren the Black. A black-scaled Dragonborn who was apparently an assassin of some sort, who had been hired to come here and steal some artifacts. His efforts seemed to be wasted as he ended up down here in the catacombs with the rest of us, but it looks like Bryndon hired his services with the fae dagger he obtained from Baba Lysaga. I'm not one to judge someone by the color of their skin or scales, but black dragons have a history in Faerun. Chromatic dragons in general tend to be evil, following the will of the 5-headed disaster Tiamat, so I had some hesitation with bringing the man on board. Especially knowing he was a thief sent to steal artifacts. Might he try to pilfer from us...?
 
We spent much time afterward exploring many of the tombs that remained down here, including one that contained Strahd’s Nightmare. The demon horse kind, not.. just a bad dream. Fearing something terrible, I had erected a magic circle around the tomb, preventing any evil creature fleeing it. As Eerika removed the huge stone slab that functioned as it’s door, we wasted no time in attacking the beast. Unfortunately, I’m hardly one to be potent with such magics, and the horse was able to free itself and, we believe, go right to Strahd. Well, we weakened it, at any rate. One tomb was named "Saint Markovia", and when opened, contained only a thigh bone on a stone slab. None of us entered save for Oswald, and he took the bone. I expected some sort of trap, but apparently it worked out to be a truly divine weapon for him; some sort of club.
 
Our blood went cold for a moment as we passed by one tomb in particular, an all-too familiar name engraved upon the door: Patrina Velikovna. It belonged to Kasimir's sister. We decided to enter, but Kasimir gave us no qualms about it. Perhaps he, too, was interested in what Strahd may have laid to rest in Patrina's tomb. What we found was the remains of her body, mangled and twisted as it was, and apparently now a banshee. Upon seeing its brother, it let out such a horrific scream unlike any I had ever heard. Marushka fell to the ground, along with Kasimir and Oswald. Of course, my instinct was to rush to my new wife's side, but something else had caught my attention. Our newest "friend" rushed to Oswald's body, and began searching him quickly. He pulled a healing potion out of the half-orc's breastplate, and quickly made him drink it. I was suspicious, but he may have saved Oswald's life. Indeed, it his Oren's quick action that brought Oswald back, who was then able to revive Kasimir. Unlike the others, who simply fell unconscious due to the banshee's scream, Kasimir had actually died from his sister's wail.
 
We found that Oswald had been keeping one divine spell prepared should he have need to bring someone back to life in this gods-forsaken place. Just.. Kasimir was the first one to die in front of us and leave a corpse. Errki fell to his death in the chasm beneath Argynvostholt. Elaine passed before he had learned the spell, but had returned to us. Van Richten gave his life in a Trial of Argynvostholt as well, and could not be revived. We could not stop to save Blinsky. Izek Strazni had been decapitated by Strahd and we only saw his head. This place was extremely unforgiving indeed. Thankfully, Oswald was able to save Kasimir. I healed Marushka with a healing spell, my weak talents for magic not withstanding, and brought her back to consciousness as well. We took a few hours to rest, and I write this entry now. I believe we may end up taking a long rest here, though I know not how safe that may actually be. I'm not sure of how well the rest of this will or can go. Bryndon tells us that the city of Barovia itself has fallen, and even Ireena's brother Ismark has been turned into a vampire spawn. The odds certainly feel against us, but I will fight to get as many of us out of here as possible.
 
I must admit, I took some joy in knowing the two vampires we fought with identified me on sight. “Our master speaks of the Belmont balefully” or some such, I believe one of them said. It was working, then. My work of pissing off Strahd was getting to him. I’m sure our encounter the day before within the vistani’s armored wagon just solidified for the vampires how much of a threat the Belmont’s were. Even in this distant land of Barovia, the name Belmont will make the creatures of the night shiver.