The Eighth Reading - Rowan
There’s no clear POV for Rowan to inhabit, nor is there a clear picture. He sees Strahd wake up in the Amber Temple, with the two bodies of his guards next to him (dead after being fed on).
No sense of Strahd as an individual. Disorientation. Hunger. No sense of time as Strahd tries to leave the temple.
When he does, the land is cold and frozen, suffused with the mists the party knows of Barovia - but not of previous book readings.
Time passes. How much is unclear but he feels like a lot. Feelings of hunting and feeding, of relief. Takes a long time for any coherence to return.
Rowan gets a faint sense of a voice trying to get Strahd to pull himself together and remember who he is. The voice gets more urgent. What eventually snaps him out of this stupor is that Tatiana needs him. Something is wrong and she needs his help.
That creates a singular purpose which helps drive Strahd. The voice directs Strahd, without him questioning it. Clarity gradually increases until he has a firmer grasp of what’s going on.
The sense of urgency becomes a driving force, like he’s out of time.
He acquires a horse and makes haste to where he needs to be (Ravenloft). As he approaches the castle, the perspective shifts and Rowan inhabits a guardsman.
Rowan sees someone approach on horseback. They look dishevelled, but very much like modern Strahd (not pre-temple Strahd). This causes a lot of confusion among the guards. The figure approaches quickly, looking unlikely to stop.
Not many guards here, only a few in this area. There’s a lot of people around, making it a busy day in the castle. Rowan (as a guard) asks a nearby guard if it’s him, if he’s back. The other guard says it’s been years, but it looks like him. Prince has ordered an open house this day, so the guards must welcome him?
Rowan suggests it’s still Strahd’s castle. Reports this arrival to a senior guard, who dashes off into the castle. Strahd rides into the courtyard, dismounts and strides inside the castle.
The perspective shifts again, to a place Rowan doesn’t recognise. There’s a garden behind the chapel and what would be a view of the valley. Rowan is a guest in this scene.
There are lots of people in fancy clothes. Tatiana wears a bridal outfit. Father Andril is present. Sergei enters. He and Tatiana stand together as a commotion sounds from inside the castle.
Strahd bursts through a little gate into the garden. He looks travel worn, dirty, wild-haired - overall very unkempt - but recognisable. This causes an uproar as lots of people recognise him. Sergei and Tatiana look surprised.
Sergei steps forward, holding his hands out, and welcomes his brother back. Tatiana doesn’t step forward. She looks shocked and in disbelief.
Strahd is extremely angry. His presence is frightening as he rounds on Sergei, who is intending to marry Tatiana. Accuses Sergei of stealing Tatiana from him after being gone for weeks. Sergei informs him it’s been four years. This confuses Strahd, whose eyes blacken as he calls Sergei’s words lies.
He tells Sergei to stand aside, that Tatiana is his. People are trying to leave but there is confusion all around.
Sergei steps between Strahd and Tatiana. His hands are empty as he tries to placate Strahd and calm him down. Strahd is not calmed by this. One of the guardsmen tries to sidle around to get to Sergei and Tatiana.
Strahd won’t be calmed but struggles to contain himself. Says Tatiana is his, that her soul is bound to him. Tells Sergei to move, but Sergei won’t.
Strahd seems to lose control of himself and lunges. It could be mistaken for an embrace, but Strahd bites Sergei and feeds on him for quite a while. Everyone is shocked, confused, and scared. Sergei doesn’t resist after the first moment.
Tatiana is trying to get to the guard getting close to them. She’s horrified by what’s happening to Sergei. His body falls to the ground. Probably dead, with puncture wounds in his neck. People want to check on him but are afraid of Strahd.
Tatiana gets the guardsman’s sword, but is standing next to the edge of the parapet. Strahd approaches her and tells her he can fix it, make it right. Says it’s supposed to be a wedding face, but they should make it one in truth. They’ll be fine. Tatianna holds the sword in front of her, shaking, and attacks Strahd. Not a great strike but it pierces skin and draws blood - but the wound stops bleeding and regenerates immediately.
This causes Tatiana to panic. Strahd steps close and Tatiana steps back.
Rowan senses the magic of the memory tome change. He sees a dual track.
One shows Rowan Tatiana taking a step back, stepping on her gown, and falling backwards, reaching out to Strahd for help as she falls off the edge. This is what the tome wants to show, what Strahd wants to believe.
The other view, the real view, shows Tatiana look behind, come to a decision, and throw herself backwards - choosing to fall. Her face looks grim and set.
Strahd lets out a terrifying howl/wail/scream. There’s a strong sense of wrongness or of being cheated. It wasn’t supposed to happen. It’s an injustice, almost. Strahd then turns on the remaining people present. It looks like a massacre is about to happen.
No sense of Strahd as an individual. Disorientation. Hunger. No sense of time as Strahd tries to leave the temple.
When he does, the land is cold and frozen, suffused with the mists the party knows of Barovia - but not of previous book readings.
Time passes. How much is unclear but he feels like a lot. Feelings of hunting and feeding, of relief. Takes a long time for any coherence to return.
Rowan gets a faint sense of a voice trying to get Strahd to pull himself together and remember who he is. The voice gets more urgent. What eventually snaps him out of this stupor is that Tatiana needs him. Something is wrong and she needs his help.
That creates a singular purpose which helps drive Strahd. The voice directs Strahd, without him questioning it. Clarity gradually increases until he has a firmer grasp of what’s going on.
The sense of urgency becomes a driving force, like he’s out of time.
He acquires a horse and makes haste to where he needs to be (Ravenloft). As he approaches the castle, the perspective shifts and Rowan inhabits a guardsman.
Rowan sees someone approach on horseback. They look dishevelled, but very much like modern Strahd (not pre-temple Strahd). This causes a lot of confusion among the guards. The figure approaches quickly, looking unlikely to stop.
Not many guards here, only a few in this area. There’s a lot of people around, making it a busy day in the castle. Rowan (as a guard) asks a nearby guard if it’s him, if he’s back. The other guard says it’s been years, but it looks like him. Prince has ordered an open house this day, so the guards must welcome him?
Rowan suggests it’s still Strahd’s castle. Reports this arrival to a senior guard, who dashes off into the castle. Strahd rides into the courtyard, dismounts and strides inside the castle.
The perspective shifts again, to a place Rowan doesn’t recognise. There’s a garden behind the chapel and what would be a view of the valley. Rowan is a guest in this scene.
There are lots of people in fancy clothes. Tatiana wears a bridal outfit. Father Andril is present. Sergei enters. He and Tatiana stand together as a commotion sounds from inside the castle.
Strahd bursts through a little gate into the garden. He looks travel worn, dirty, wild-haired - overall very unkempt - but recognisable. This causes an uproar as lots of people recognise him. Sergei and Tatiana look surprised.
Sergei steps forward, holding his hands out, and welcomes his brother back. Tatiana doesn’t step forward. She looks shocked and in disbelief.
Strahd is extremely angry. His presence is frightening as he rounds on Sergei, who is intending to marry Tatiana. Accuses Sergei of stealing Tatiana from him after being gone for weeks. Sergei informs him it’s been four years. This confuses Strahd, whose eyes blacken as he calls Sergei’s words lies.
He tells Sergei to stand aside, that Tatiana is his. People are trying to leave but there is confusion all around.
Sergei steps between Strahd and Tatiana. His hands are empty as he tries to placate Strahd and calm him down. Strahd is not calmed by this. One of the guardsmen tries to sidle around to get to Sergei and Tatiana.
Strahd won’t be calmed but struggles to contain himself. Says Tatiana is his, that her soul is bound to him. Tells Sergei to move, but Sergei won’t.
Strahd seems to lose control of himself and lunges. It could be mistaken for an embrace, but Strahd bites Sergei and feeds on him for quite a while. Everyone is shocked, confused, and scared. Sergei doesn’t resist after the first moment.
Tatiana is trying to get to the guard getting close to them. She’s horrified by what’s happening to Sergei. His body falls to the ground. Probably dead, with puncture wounds in his neck. People want to check on him but are afraid of Strahd.
Tatiana gets the guardsman’s sword, but is standing next to the edge of the parapet. Strahd approaches her and tells her he can fix it, make it right. Says it’s supposed to be a wedding face, but they should make it one in truth. They’ll be fine. Tatianna holds the sword in front of her, shaking, and attacks Strahd. Not a great strike but it pierces skin and draws blood - but the wound stops bleeding and regenerates immediately.
This causes Tatiana to panic. Strahd steps close and Tatiana steps back.
Rowan senses the magic of the memory tome change. He sees a dual track.
One shows Rowan Tatiana taking a step back, stepping on her gown, and falling backwards, reaching out to Strahd for help as she falls off the edge. This is what the tome wants to show, what Strahd wants to believe.
The other view, the real view, shows Tatiana look behind, come to a decision, and throw herself backwards - choosing to fall. Her face looks grim and set.
Strahd lets out a terrifying howl/wail/scream. There’s a strong sense of wrongness or of being cheated. It wasn’t supposed to happen. It’s an injustice, almost. Strahd then turns on the remaining people present. It looks like a massacre is about to happen.
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