Tragedy and Escape from Argynvolstholt

Vladimir Horngaard is one of the most terrifying individuals I have ever met in my life - and I’ve met quite a few…
 
The whole time Oswald was talking to him, I could hear the audible creaking of his gauntlets constantly tightening on his sword. Horngaard was angry. Now I think I begin to understand what I heard about the commander's hatred being of such a level that he brought his entire order back as revenants.
 
Horngaard claimed that he knew exactly why we were here, and he pulled a leather bound book from behind him and held it up. I could feel his hatred filling the room. He told us that we were not the first to come for the book, and we would not be the last. Oswald seemed at a loss for what to say, so I stepped up beside him.
 
Using my most placating voice, I asked him if we could just see the book. We didn’t need to take it, we didn’t even need to touch it, we just needed to learn the information that was held within.
 
He turned his burning gaze to me and said that whoever wants to read the book must first possess it.
 
More conversation was had between him and Oswald, and it didn’t look too terrible, until Ireena piped up. I don’t remember what she said, but I just remember the sinking feeling of doom that settled in my stomach.
Horngaard’s face snapped over to the party, and he demanded for whoever had just spoken to speak again.
 
Ireena did. And Horngaard reached behind him for the book again, flipped through it and held it up where we could see. “How do you explain this?” He demanded, his voice reverberating through the entire hall.
 
The page that he showed us had an exact likeness to Ireena… Tatyana, drawn onto it.
 
Oh fuck. Oh fuck.
 
What that prompted was the most desperate fight of our lives - at least of mine. The revenants lining the aisle started advancing and Horngaard attacked. Van Richten did something that turned some of the revenants away from us, but then Horngaard plunged his sword into the ground, and some dark energy emitted from the black blade. A moment later, the ground opened up to either side of us, dropping off into the endless chasm that Erkki fell into.
 
Horngaard did something, I don’t know what it was, but there was a wave of powerful magic that slammed all of us to our knees. Oswald, Trevor and Van Richten were the only ones who managed to stay up. I couldn’t move. It was horrible… the revenants were all closing in and there was nothing I could do. I watched Ezmerelda go down and I couldn’t do anything to help her.
 
Finally, I was able to move again. I helped everyone as best as I was able, but I have rarely felt more useless…
 
Trevor and Ireena were seriously injured at the same time. Then I heard a dark voice in my head telling me that I must choose between my friend or Strahd’s beloved. I called out to Trevor to come closer so I could heal him, but he shouted back that Ireena was more important. So, I ran to her side, trusting that Trevor would be able to handle himself.
 
Horngaard grabbed Trevor by his throat and almost threw him over into the abyss. Fortunately, he somehow managed to twist away. I was paralyzed again, so I couldn’t even help him. I’m glad he managed to get away. I didn’t even want to think about what it would be like to lose Trevor so soon after we lost Erkki.
 
It seemed mere moments after that thought entered my head, that Horngaard grabbed Brynden and flung him off the edge into the abyss. Fortunately, out of any of us, I do believe that Brynden was the most equipped to handle something like that – for he levitated back to us a short while later.
 
The rest of the fight was horrible. I got hit by something and blackness claimed me. I regained consciousness to find a bleeding Trevor beside me. He could have healed himself, closed that nasty wound, but he healed me instead. I didn’t even have time to feel grateful though, for Oswald collapsed in front of the commander. I couldn’t reach him. No matter what I did, I wouldn’t have been able to make it to him in time.
 
Just when I thought that all of our hope had faded, and that we would all die there, in the bleak silence of Argynvolstholt, another shadowy figure appeared. Godfrey Gwilym’s voice rang out, telling Horngaard that this was supposed to be only a test. He called him out on trying to kill us instead of test Oswald, and said that they were meant for more than this.
 
That calmed Horngaard down enough that he stopped attacking, although I could still feel the rage rolling off him in waves. He then addressed the party, saying that Oswald had passed the test. We would be allowed to leave with the book, but he would be killing one of us.
 
He gave us one hour to decide which one of us would die.
 
I sat down with the others and we began talking. Brynden was arguing with Oswald about which one of them should sacrifice themself. I looked around at the party, the closest friends I’ve ever known, and I told them that it should be me. I was terrified… I don’t want to die. But, I am native to Barovia. My soul has been reborn over and over again, and will remain here and be reborn when I die… whereas them? They don’t have to be a part of this cycle. They have a chance to not even start their soul down the path that mine was forced into at some point in the history of my people. It should be me.
 
Trevor and Brynden kind of flipped out on me. Trevor refused, with more intensity than I’ve seen him put forth in a conversation – unless it was talking shit about another hunter. Brynden looked very upset by my offer at all. He kept saying that my soul having been stuck here already is the reason why it shouldn’t be me. He said that I need to leave Barovia and be able to experience something else – something that they had all already known.
 
I appreciate the sentiment, but I wasn’t seeing any other logical option at the time. I wasn’t going to let one of my friends sacrifice themselves when honestly, it would be far worse for them than it would be for me.
 
We heard a noise then, a sort of choking, gagging sound. When I turned around, I saw Van Richten laying in a spreading puddle of blood on the steps of the dais, his own dagger buried deep within his throat.
 
I heard Ezmerelda cry out, as we all rushed to his side. I tried to heal him, but there was nothing I could do… Van Richten was dead and beyond any help we could offer.
 
Horngaard reappeared from behind his throne and said that the price had been paid. He dropped the book, more like a tome, on the floor in front of us and disappeared.
 
A doorway to the courtyard appeared behind the dais then, and we took Van Richten’s body, and left that horrible place.
 
I hope I never have to set foot on the grounds of Argynvolstholt again for as long as my soul lives…
 
We were a solemn group as Ezmerelda drove the wagon out. She took us to the Vistani camp just south of Vallaki. Even from a distance, we could see the smoke still rising from the burning city. On the walls, Trevor said there were flayed corpses nailed to the ramparts… I didn’t want to look. I decided to take his word for it.
 
Survivors and refugees from Vallaki had streamed into the Vistani camp, so it was now at almost double its capacity. I called up to Ezmerelda to please keep an eye out for Izek Strazni. I wasn’t about to get out of the wagon if he was anywhere around. I do not wish him dead… I just wish for him to stay far away from me and my friends…
 
A short while later, the wagon stopped and Ezmerelda called softly that we were safe to emerge, she hadn’t seen any sign of Strazni. We were in the middle of a bustling Vistani camp, although there were more non-Vistani than I’d ever seen among their ranks.
 
We went our separate ways a bit. Trevor, Brynden and Oswald went off and started to help tend the wounded… at least, I think that’s what they did. I found myself drawn to the central bonfire and the strains of mournful music rising into the air.
 
I lost myself in the music and dance. I don’t know how much time passed, but eventually, Trevor made his way over to me and tried to join me in a dance. It was, frankly, adorable… he tried. He really did. I appreciate the effort, if his dwarf friend did not. Moira was calling out insults at him from the sidelines.
 
I danced and played until long into the night. Varda wagons were provided for our use by the head Vistani, in appreciation for the help with the wounded, and something Ireena had done. I honestly wasn’t paying that much attention – the call of the music was too strong.
 
I invited Trevor into my wagon. Now I’m sitting here, writing this as Trevor is sleeping beside me. I hope I didn’t make a mistake… I briefly considered finding one of the attractive Vistani men for the night, but then when Trevor joined me by the fire… I couldn't resist the temptation... I didn't want to...
 
I suppose I will just have to see what tomorrow will bring. For now, I must sleep…