16th August - A Book and Revelations
General Summary
Finding refuge at the Blood of the Vine Tavern, a once finely appointed tavern that has grown shoddy over the years. Our heroes take up seats at a table near the blazing fire and study the few huddled souls within, a barkeep mindlessly cleaning glasses, and three colourfully dressed women sitting together deep in a huddled conversation.
Marcus secures them all some wine from the pudgy little barman named Arik, while Sorrow knocks over and shatters a glass while attempting to eavesdrop on the other patrons. Lars lays Vidar's still unconscious body down and sits guard over him, joined by Aeli.
Their new companion introduces himself as Ismark, the son of the Burgomaster. He showers them with hospitality, paying for food and drinks, and, in exchange, requesting their aid. Not wanting to discuss the details where others may hear, Ismark pays for lodging for them to rest and recuperate before leaving, requesting that when they are ready they join him at his father's house.
Lars takes Vidar upstairs and ensures the room is secured before taking his sentry position. He leaves the party
Aeli, Marcus and Sorrow strike a conversation with the group at the table, Alenka, Mirabel, and Sorvia, the owner's of the Blood of the Vine Tavern. The flamboyantly dressed owners share that they are Vistani, a group of wanderers, that generally travel about in horse-drawn, barrel-topped wagons, however, seeking an opportunity to earn extra coin for their family, they purchased the tavern in town.
Noting Sorrow is the first Tiefling visitor they have ever had, the owners deduce that they are all strangers to this land and suggest that they visit Madam Eva at a camp she and her group have set up near the Tser Pools, explaining that Madam Eva is a Fortune Teller with an extraordinary ability to tap into the mystical weaves of the universe and would gladly provide them with an insight into what the future holds in store for the group.
The adventures probe the Vistani owner about the current political landscape of Barovia and learn that the current Lord resides in Castle Ravenloft, high atop the cliffs looming over the village like a lance piercing the sky. The owners respect Lord Strahd von Zarovich who hails from a royal bloodline, and by birthright has ruled over the lands and people of Barovia for quite some time. Their reverence for Lord Strahd becomes more apparent as they mention the sad story that the Lord of Barovia has only ever known one true love but something had happened to her, but they are not sure of any specific details.
With the daylight still abundant, Sorrow, Marcus and Aeli head out to explore the town. They head to a building with a sign over the door, creaking on its hinges, reads “Bildrath’s Mercantile.” They quickly become angered by the owner's profiteering, obviously overcharging on the items he has for sale, goading the group as they leave, “If you want it badly enough, you’ll pay for it" knowing that there are no other stores in the village.
They start to make their way to the church they see upon a hill at the north end of town, encountering a hunched old lady pushing a rickety cart from house to house, trying to sell her wares. Spotting the group she approaches and offers them her Dream Pastries, a chance to escape from the misery and despair of everyday Barovian life.
The trio declining the peddler, continue watching her as she goes about her business. A couple opens their doors and in exchange for the pastries, the old lady takes their child, stuffing him into a sack and then into her cart.
Intervening in this blatant abduction, Sorrow, Marcus and Aeli recover the stolen child. Not comfortable leaving the young boy with the comatose parents, they bring him with them as they check out the church. The church has weathered the assaults of evil for centuries on end and is worn and weary. A bell tower rises toward the back, and flickering light shines through holes in the shingled roof. The heavy wooden doors of the church, covered with claw marks and scarred by fire are enough to concern the group who take the child back to his house and return to the tavern.
Joining Lars and Vidar (still unconscious), and realising that they have not slept in a while, they take the opportunity to relax until sundown and rest for the evening. When they awake the next morning, their suspicions and confusions grow as Marcus' eyes gain a faint red glow, but no one is sure how or why.
Not letting that trouble him, Lars makes his way to the tavern room, followed momentarily by the rest of the party. Ismark interrupts their breakfast only to politely remind them to join him at his father's mansion. Vidar enquiries about his father, and when he hears that it is Kolyan Indirovich, asks about the bites Ireena sustained and reveals the two letters to a visibly shocked Ismark
Ismark recognises one of the letters that was given to Dalvan to place at the Gates to warn off anyone from entering, at first is glad that even though they saw the letter they still came to help but is deeply saddened when he learns that Dalvan never made it to the gate. The other letter he does not recognise, he knows that the handwriting is not the same - noticing the seal on the letter reveals that it belongs to Strahd.
A lesson on what Ismark knows of the devil Strahd follows. They learn they Strahd is a vampire, an undead creature who drinks the blood of the living for sustenance. A vampire must rest in its coffin during the day. At night, it can summon wolves and vermin to do its bidding. A vampire can even transform into a bat or a wolf as needed.
The mention of wolves siezes the attention of Lars, who asks about the wolves and discovers that wolves are found all over Barovia but there seems to be a denser population further to the west.
They scoff down their food and follow Ismark to his father's weary-looking mansion where the iron gates are twisted and torn and the stuttering squeal and clang of the gate repeats with mindless precision. The adventurers notice that weeds choke the grounds and press with menace upon the house itself. The house shows evidence of recent siege, heavy claw markings have stripped the once-beautiful finish of the walls and great black marks tell of the fires that have assailed the mansion.
Oddly enough too, not a pane nor a shard of glass stands in any window, they have all been barred with planks, and each one marked with stains of evil omen. Ismark knocks loudly on the door for Ireena to open, the sound of heavy fortifications being moved is heard on the other side before the door opens to reveal a striking young woman with auburn hair. She beckons them to quickly get inside and away from any lurking dangers, but Vidar refuses the order and is left outside as the Barovians close and bar the doors.
The interior of the mansion is well furnished, yet the fixtures show signs of great wear. Noticeable oddities are the boarded-up windows and the presence of holy symbols in every room. The burgomaster is in a side drawing room on the floor - lying in a simple wooden coffin surrounded by wilting flowers and a faint odour of decay.
They share that the house has been under attack relentlessly from wolves and other terrible creatures that attacked the house night after night for weeks. The burgomaster’s strong spirit couldn’t stand the constant assault, and he died three days ago. Strangely, since his death, the house has not come under attack.
Ismark shares his concern that Ireena has attracted the attention of Strahd von Zarovich for some reason, she has already been bitten twice, and he fears that he can not protect her while she remains in the village. He implores them to escort her to Vallaki, a well-defended settlement in the heart of the valley, beyond the view of Castle Ravenloft and beyond the reach of Strahd.
Ireena agrees to leave, on the condition that the group all help deliver her father’s body safely to Donavich, the local priest for a proper burial, no one from the village has been brave enough or willing to help. Agreeing to the request, Aeli, Sorrow, Lars and Marcus set off for the church and notice that Vidar had left.
At the church, the doors open to reveal a ten-foot-wide, twenty-foot-long hall leading to a brightly lit chapel. The hall is unlit and reeks of mildew. The chapel is a shambles, with overturned and broken pews littering the dusty floor. Dozens of candles mounted in candlesticks and candelabras light every dusty corner in a fervent attempt to rid the chapel of shadows. At the far end of the church sits a claw-scarred altar, behind which kneels a priest in soiled vestments can be heard softly reciting a prayer. Next to him hangs a long, thick rope that stretches up into the bell tower.
Suddenly, the prayer is blotted out by an inhuman scream that rises up from beneath the wooden floor as a young man’s voice cries out, “Father! I’m starving!”
The priest welcomes the group into the church and leads them out to the cemetery to preside over the burial of the Burgomaster in one of the already prepared graves, offering prayers to the Morninglord in exchange for Kolyan Indirovich’s deliverance from Barovia.
Once Kolyan is put in the ground and they return to the church, Donavich suggests that Ireena be taken as far from Castle Ravenloft as possible, proposing that the Abbey of Saint Markovia in Krezk or the fortified town of Vallaki would make the perfect sanctuary for Ireena who has already had a hard life.
Again, the voice from below screams out "Father please! I am hungry!". Disturbed by what may be going on, the party press the priest about his son downstairs. Donavich divulges the story of how a little more than a year ago, his twenty-year-old son Doru and several other villagers stormed Castle Ravenloft in revolt, having been lured there by a wizard in black robes who came to Barovia from a faraway land. By all accounts, the wizard died by Strahd’s hand, and so too did Doru, who returned to his father as a vampire spawn.
Donavich confesses that he was able to trap his son in the church’s undercroft, where he remains to this day while Donavich prays day and night, hoping that the Morninglord will tell him how to save Doru without destroying him. Donavich does not want to listen to reason, but the group convince him that his conscience would be racked with guilt if Doru, who is no longer really his son, ever escaped and hurt the people of the town.
As the group enter the undercroft, a ravenous and perverted version of a young man with fangs approaches while hissing, “I can smell your blood!” who boasts of the gifts his new master has bestowed upon him.
They fight Doru, a touch foe that appears to resist the damage of their weapon but not their magic. It is a tough fight, as they all surround Doru and lay blow after blow into the creature he has become. Doru claws at the fighter's around him, grabbing hold of Vidar and eventually sinking his teeth to start draining blood.
Doru is finally defeated, but at what cost...
Report Date
16 Aug 2024
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