#02: It's Never Sunny in Barovia

General Summary

Our three Heroes were joined by the fourth, Soryn d'Nemishcata, as she was "Fetched" by her cousin, the Vistani elder Arrigal d'Hoinar. Together the Heroes travelled further down the Old Svalich Road, where they found a Golden Gourd standing as a false sun, dressed as a jack o' lantern scarecrow over the fields of Barovia. Soryn investigated the Gourd, finding it to be a strange cacophony of voices, faces, and emotions.
Further on the road, the Heroes found the village of Barovia itself, though its streets seemed strangely deserted, with people shuttered inside their homes. They met Granny Morgantha who gave them freshly baked pretzels and told them a little about the village, before directing them to go to the Blood of the Vine Tavern.
Inside the tavern, the Heroes met Sorvia d'Sange, Alenka d'Sange, Mirabel d'Sange, Arik Lorensk, and Ismark Kolyanovich. Sorvia appeared to get the upperhand of Soryn in some way, though Soryn doesn't understand how or why. Mina managed to bring Mirabel into her service, in a fashion, and made for the group a resourceful ally. Übel and Valentina organised a job with Ismark, and collected their party to go discuss it at his home.
At Kolyanovich Manor, Ismark introduced his sister Ireena Kolyanovich, and explained several recent events in Barovia:

1. That recently a group of youths, led by "the Firebrand" formed a mob and attacked Castle Ravenloft, "killing" Strahd von Zarovich,
2. That Strahd (as he "always does" and has done at least three times before) returned three nights later after the Fourth Mistfall, when the Mists around the County drop away allowing people to leave,
3. That when Strahd came to enact his revenge on the mob, he saw Ireena and became infatuated with her, calling her by the name "Tatyana," who legend has it was some sort of old love of Strahd's,
4. That since Strahd has sent monsters to attack the Manor every evening, which have trashed the place and caused their father, Kolyan Kolyanovich, to die of a heart attack,
5. And that Ireena is not safe within the village, and must be taken somewhere where the "Devil Strahd" cannot reach her. In Ismark's opinion, this would be the Abbey of St. Markovia, near Krezk.

Ismark gave the Heroes a map of the region, and a letter to deliver to Dmitri Krezkov, the Burgomeister of Krezk in exchange for payment for delivering Ireena to safety. The group also hatched a plan, to first bury Kolyan, and then stay the evening in the Chapel of St. Indirov (if they can manage to get Father Grigori Donavich to allow them entry), and then on the following morning take Ismark's horse and cart with Ireena in it in the direction of Krezk.

Report Date

08 Aug 2024

Primary Location

Barovia

Secondary Location

Kolyanovich Manor

Related Characters

• Alenka d'Sange
• Arik Lorensk
• Arrigal d'Hoinar
• Ireena Kolyanovich
• Ismark Kolyanovich II
• Mina Barovonna
• Mirabel d'Sange
• Morgantha Ghita
• Sorvia d'Sange
• Soryn d'Nemishcata
• Übel Bachmann
• Valentina Dilisnya

Related Historical Events

• Birthday, 28th of First Moon, 735 ME
  #2: It's Never Sunny in Barovia