11 - 5/31 : Forging On to Argynvostholt

After a grueling day of battle, the party had a brief moment of respite in Vallakis streets. Scattered across the ground were bodies of the Cult of Light, guard and townsfolk, and fires dance against the cold night sky. Judge tried to convince Ismark that with the Baron gone, he should take charge in the town. The young noble denied this, he had no birthright here and with all they had done the townsfolk certainly would revile them. He also wished to remain by Ireenas side, and after Morrigan passed the threshold of St. Andrals church, he realized nowhere in Barovia would be safe.
In the distance the slow rumble of a crowd could be mob approaching. Shouts of anger reverberated in the streets, and using his magic Judge raised his voice and shouted them down. The angry mob hesitated, but some of the braver ones continued to push the crowd on. From a nearby alleyway an elf made his presence known and beckoned for the group to follow. Seeing an opportunity for escape, the group decided to take a chance and followed him through the back alleys of Vallaki.
The colorful elf introduced himself as Rictavio, and claimed to be no friend of Morrigans and offered his aid. The townsfolk were convince the group were enemies of Vallaki who had murdered their leaders, and were intent on rooting them out. He knew better, and offered them stay at the Arasek Stockyard.

Arasek Stockyard

The small store had an enclosed yard in which Rictavio had stored his wagon, providing a hiding place from the vengeful townsfolk. In the morning, Rictavio explained his situation. He had once been a member of the Song and Sorrow Traveling shadow show, but had left its service and apprenticed under the famous monster hunter Rudolph Van Richten. He decided to test his metal against the villainous and departed to the realm of Barovia. He realized soon he was in over his head, and explained that something strange happened with the timeline in this realm. It seemed as if this realm has existed for thousands of years, yet Morrigan only disappeared from the Plains of Mayfarrow a few years ago. Many have come seeking vengeance, and none have survived her wrath.
He listened to the parties prophecy from Danta, and helped guess as to where some of the locations mentioned were at. After deliberating a bit, the group decided to first head to Argynvostholt where they hoped to possibly find allies or an artifact to help against the vile vampire. The former home of a group of knights, they had once served a silver dragon and fought a war against Morrigans forces only to be defeated by her armies.
Rictavio agreed to smuggle the group out of Valaki, and after loading them into the wagon, departed to the gates. He claimed he was heading to the Wizards of Wine Winery to find out what fate had befallen the winery, and proceeded out of the town. After getting a safe distance away, he decided to continue on and parted ways with the party. Argynvostholt lay not far away, and soon the group saw the looming manors ruined walls.

Argynvostholt

First the group approached the statue of the silver dragon and the front door, but decided to investigate the exterior before entering. The south side of the manor was completly collapsed, and in the rubble were numerous death dogs! The fiendish hounds, likely servants of Morrigan, who immediately surrounded the group and attacked! Though coordinated and viscous, the group held fast and were able to defeat the vile hounds.
After investigating the south side, the group used a combination of rubble and the broken walls to ascend to the roof. Here the group got a better view of the grounds, and looked around for anything of note.
A small statue of a dragon wyrmling overlooked the grounds as though a gargoyle, and spun around upon approach. The stone form began to mutter a mysterious poem:

When the dragon dreams its dream
Within its rightful tomb,
The light of Argynvost will beam
And rid this land of gloom

Finally the group investigated all of the routes into the exterior, and discussed which one the group would take as they descended into the Argynvostholt manor.

Portraits

Wixley - The small halfling fights with bow and is an expert in dealing with undeath. She has abhors cities and civilization and is much more comfortable in the wilds.

Fabian - A powerful sorcerer overflowing with magic, the aasimar sorcerer brings a potent suite of spells to the table to take down all foes.

Judge - The stoic worshipper of Muir, his combat expertise and righteousness leads the group to glory against all evil assailants who would dare challenge the group.

Qiao Tai - An astral monk from the distant realms of the Xha'en Hegemony, she has traveled far and found herself in the lands of Barovia. After resting at the Church of Solanus, she heard the commotion in the graveyard and quickly rushed to the groups defense to fight off Morrigan's undead. She now joins their group in the crusade against the vampire. IN a recent fight against Morrigan, her right arm was obliterated by Morrigans necrotic magic.

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Ismark Kolyana - Ismark was met in the Village of Barovia. Morrigan had become infatuated with his sister to some unknown sinister end, and the two feared for her life. They have joined the party in the journey to Vallaki where they seek safety. He has done his best to put on a brave face, and with Judges help has been training to be better at combat. He now knows that nowhere is safe from the evil of Morrigan.

Ireena Kolyana - The adopted sister of Ismark, she has been bitten twice by Morrigan and fears for her life. Morrigan has offered Ireena join her numerous times, but she continues to refuse. She has discovered an afinity for fire and learned to control it, gaining fire spells. Later in her desperation to help her friends, she discovered she now had the ability to heal.

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Rictavio - A colorful half-elf and enemy of Morrigan, he helped the party evade the vengeance of the Vallaki townsfolk and provided a place to rest. After listening to the group explain their situation, he provided some information on landmarks in Barovia and offered his aid in fighting Morrigan. Lastly he smuggled the party out of Vallaki, and ventured on to the Wizards of Wine Winery to find out what evil had befallen the winery.