FINN'S JOURNAL
Finn's Journal #10 – July 17 – 2017
Entry #10 - Day 5
It was a tense and haunting night filled with rats, wolves, night terrors, and an encounter with a possible werewolf. The wolves continued to taunt us through the night, and soon a score or more had the barn surrounded, with some even attempting to claw their way through the ancient walls of the structure. There was one wolf in particular who was spotted across the road, just sitting there watching the barn. Watching us.
We headed directly to the strangely named tavern after leaving the woman Mary. The tavern exterior, rather than being welcoming and warm, left a feeling of dread and despair and almost seemed more repellant than enticing to customers passing by. Directly inside the entrance, in a small foyer, a giant of a man stood watching the entry. I do not exaggerate when I say this man was all muscle and I could not detect even the briefest of sparks within his dead eyes. He grimaced slightly at me so I knew he actually was alive.
Beyond revealed a tavern as any other, although mostly empty and as gloomy as one would expect for this place. A long table with benches took up the greater part of the common room. A young barovian sat at one end and three vistani women on the other. A slender barman stood behind a tattered bar lined with rickety stools. His personality made the suspicious farmer we encountered seem like a great bloke - beyond telling us the price of the wine, he barely spoke.
We ordered some of his wine and moved to take our seat at the table. Mary had mentioned (along with sage advice not to kill a raven as they are good luck) that the Burgomeister's son, Ismark, could usually be found at the tavern and we suspected that this young man might be him. We were proven correct. We engaged in conversation and learned some information from him as well as a plea for help.
We learned that the Burgomeister had recently died and that Ismark's sister Ireena was in dire danger. As the Burgomeister's message had said, she had been attacked and bitten by the Vampyr Strahd and he feared he would be back for her again soon. He wanted us to help him escort Ireena to the next town over, Vallaki. Haste was of utmost importance.
- The Barovians that we have encountered in town are very much like the paintings we saw in the Death House. Ashen skinned, severe looking people dressed in dark colors and grey everywhere, as if they are dressing to match the atmosphere of their cursed land.
Some time later, while Uphir and Akkiir were on watch, they heard the soft sounds of a flute outside. It seemed to be coming from a small campfire just inside the woods a short way off. A silhouette could be glimpsed now and again, but the resident of the campfire was obscured mostly by trees. A conversation was started between Uphir and the stranger. He quickly offered up that he could control the wolves, and upon request he had his lupine minions stop trying to break into the barn.
Little was learned about the stranger, but they managed to get some information about the lay of the land. The stranger's name was Skinnis and he could control the wolves. He lives in the forest with his pack. He serves the devil Strahd - as all do in this land. Uphir believes that he may be a werewolf based upon their conversation. Strahd controls the gates to this land and they only open usually to let his vistani servants enter or exit (This proves that Silvo is a knave. He is completely responsible for luring us into this cursed land). The rest of this land is locked in by the killing mist, so no one may leave. He mentioned that Strahd is a powerful sorcerer as well as vampyr.
He said the Durst's were a wealthy merchant family who were cursed by strahd. We may think that we had freed the souls of the dead within, but Skinnis assured us that not even souls may escape from the Devil's land. Of the village Barovia, he says it is cursed and he does not go there - but it is still occupied by Barovians. There are also other villages nearby - Vallaki and Kresk.
We learned that this is not the first-time adventurers have come to this land. Over the many years, the Devil would send out his Vistani to lure in more. This has happened over and over again, always leading to the doom of these visitors. He likes to test these heroes for some reason. We were told our certain death was only a matter of time and we will never leave this land. Skinnis was gone by the time we got up the next day.
As usual, we started late, at around noon. We backtracked on the road towards the entry gates to this blasted dismal realm. The fog had lifted, in fact it retreated deeper into the woods. The immense gates stood before us, as impassable as any mountain. Learning the status of the gates and knowing we could not yet do anything about it, we set off to the village of Barovia in earnest.
The closer we got to the village the more we saw of outlaying farms. As we crossed the grassland we encountered a peculiar area where the grass seemed to be whispering to us in soft, indistinct voices. I shall call this the Whispering Sward. We stopped at one farm to refill our water skins from a pond and we were confronted by an old farmer who sat on his front porch with a crossbow leveled at us. I offered to be the official delegate for our troupe and approached the man. This farmer was fearful, suspicious of us, unfriendly, abrupt, and generally ill tempered. We would learn that these characteristics are common of most Barovians.
We learned little from this man and paid him generously for the use of his pond (a gold piece!). We decided to leave the rest of the farmers and their dilapidated farmsteads alone and continue to our destination. I wonder if anything actually grows in this desecrated soil? We encountered some shambling zombies as we followed the track to the village but our experienced troupe quickly dispatched the undead, using range and the benefit of faster movement to good use. No one suffered a scratch!
- I am noticing that my fey powers are increasing daily since I have succeeded in finally tapping into the life force of the Feywild. My fey blasts are becoming more powerful and having deadly effect on the undead minions of Strahd. I can feel the power rippling just beneath the surface of my skin. It is both exhilerating and somewhat terrifying to open the connection and feel pure energy from the Feywild pour into me and then flow out through my hands. Master said that with practice I would have success, but I had not expected it to come so quickly or so strongly.
- More than just using this force as a weapon, I am beginning to find ways to weave it's power into some of my other talents and spells. With more time spent in study and practice my talent will increase, however I may not find the time to practice the ancient forms needed. I feel as though this place is the antithesis of my homeland and the ancient Feywild, and it drags on my spirit like a foul pox.
The dark and dour village, nestled in a valley at the base of the towering spire of rock upon which sits the castle of the Devil Strahd, was as eerie as the rest of this cursed realm. The village proper seemed almost empty with darkened and derelict houses lining the muddy cobblestone street. The village was as quiet as death except for the single chilling wail of anguish coming from the center of town.
The beautiful Ireena was soon presented to us and described how the mansion had been under siege by minions of the Devil. Strahd wanted Ireena and they felt that he would soon have her if she did not escape this place and find a place to hide. We reassured her and agreed to help her transport her father's body to the cemetery for a proper burial in the only place to still have consecrated land.
We carried his coffin in a cart through the barren village and up the hill to the cemetery, which was directly at the base of the towering spire. We could hear strange sounds from within the church and we rushed inside to see the priest across the nave and just then, from beneath the floor came a loud wailing.
We followed him to the Burgomeister's mansion, which was as decayed as the rest of the town. The windows were all boarded up and all around the house the ground was trampled and worn away as if an army of creatures had trodden there. Once inside we were asked to wait in the sitting room while he went to fetch Ireena. It was then that he told us and we could see (And smell) the corpse of the Burgomeister in a coffin in a room across the hall. He had been dead some three days.
On our way to investigate the wailing, we noticed that most businesses off the derelict marketplace were broken and dilapidated. Only two buildings seemed like they were open for business - A darkened tavern named "The House of Plank and Stein" and a mercantile with a sign stating "Bildrath's Mercantile". We vowed to return, but hastened on to the desperate sounds of the wailing woman. On the second floor of one of the raggedy homes was our target.
I headed up the rickety steps and made my presence known at the door. Using as soft and comforting language as I could, I learned that this distraught woman was named Mary and her daughter Gertruda was missing and she felt that Strahd had taken her as a consort.
Between Janlynn and myself we managed to calm the woman down somewhat and promised that we would help her daughter if ever we encountered her and she gave us a very disturbing doll to give to her so that she would know we were friends. The frayed tag on the doll read "Is no fun is no Blinky" Janlynn gave her the prayers of the Morninglord to ease the pain in her soul.
At midnight we saw the most awesome event - Hundreds of dead souls could be seem coming out of the center of the cemetary to start an eerie procession down the street through town. Donavich said that every night at this time the souls of the departed march towards the castle. They were mere apparitions and though they had no way of exacting their revenge on Strahd, they made the same march every night.
- I must say that I am becoming concerned about my friend Janlynn and her reaction to the darkness of this place. It brings tears to my eyes when I see such a beautiful person and bright soul begin to wilt from the infernal damnation of this strange land. What instantly drew me to this remarkable young woman when we first met, beyond her beauty, was the very tangible light of goodness that could be detected from her mere presence. She had a ready smile and vigorous exuberance for life that drew me like a moth to a flame.
- Young, perhaps a bit naive about some things, but with an optimism that would make one smile and feel proud and happy just to be alive and on the road to adventure. Since we have been in this blasted land of Barovia, I have seen this light and optomism dim before my eyes. Beyond sadness, this makes me angry! I will not allow this place to suck the light from my friend! I will help her to remember that beyond the power of the Morninglord, she herself holds within her the light to cast aside this evil darkness! Together we will overcome this life draining place! I need her light....
Entry #11 - Day 6
In the morning, the burgomeister was buried with all of the proper rituals and when we had all rested properly, we swore we would do anything we could to help Donavich and his son, and headed west, towards Vallaki. After an hour or so of travelling as fast as we could, we came to a great bridge spanning a river. As if purposely guarding it, several zombies were positioned on the opposite side of the bridge. My brave and stalwart friends prepared themselves and used their experience to expertly dispose of the zombies with ranged attacks and head shots before they could reach our position. I am so proud to be a part of this heroic troupe!
Soon we came to a place that Donavich and the other Barovians had spoken of - the track that lead to Tser Pool. This place was an established Vistani camp and, more importantly, the home of Madam Eva - the Seer. With our late start to the day and long road ahead, we had to decide whether we could spare time to visit the Seer or not. I had hoped we would decide to visit as I was fascinated to learn more about these people and this land. Uphir was less impressed, as she felt that the lessons learned of Silvo should be heeded and that no Vistani could be trusted.
1. "This card tells of history. Knowledge of the ancient will help you understand your enemy." She turned the Elemen-talist card, which was the Five of Stars. “The treasure is hidden in a small castle beneath a mountain, guarded by amber giants.”
2. “This card tells of a powerful force for good and protection, a holy symbol of great hope.” She turned the Shepherd, which is the Four of Glyphs. “Find the mother - she who gave birth to evil.”
3. "This is a card of power and strength. It tells of a weapon of vengeance: a sword of Sunlight.” She turned the Charlatan, the Seven of Glyphs. “I see a lonely mill on a precipice. The treasure lies within.”
4. “This card sheds light on one who will help you greatly in the battle against darkness.” She turned the Seer. “Look for a dusk elf living among the Vistani. He has suffered a great loss and is haunted by dark dreams. Help him, and he will help you in return.”
5. “Your enemy is a creature of darkness, whose powers are beyond mortality. This card will lead you to him!” She turned the Marionette. “Look to great heights. Find the beating heart of the castle. He waits nearby.
Finn's Journal #11 – July 24 – 2017
We confronted the priest, who was vigorously praying at the altar, and could make out the wailing of a human voice issuing up through the floor, screaming "Father! I am starving!" The priest, Donavich, declared himself as a holy man of the Lord of the Morning and after some questioning revealed that his son, Doru, had been turned by the devil Strahd into a vampyr and the priest had imprisoned his son in the cellars below.
This event happened a year or so ago, the last time adventurers came to Barovia. The adventurers managed to convince some of the Barovians to stand up to the evil Strahd Von Zarovich and attack his castle to destroy him. Doru was one such Barovian. The attack failed miserably and Doru was bitten, turned, and returned to the priest. Donavich had no choice but to lock his son in the cellars below and hope that the Morninglord would pierce his light through the gloom and storm of this place and cure his son. This has not happened, but after all this time - listening to his wailing son below - he still prays.
We offered what kindness we could to this poor wretched man and learned some more about Strahd and this dark place. The history of Barovia is the story of the prince, Strahd Von Zarovich. He was born to King Barov and Queen Ravenovia, in Barovia's calendar, in the year 306. His parents were slain by invaders and in 347 Strahd had victory over his enemies and conquered the valley. By 350 Strahd completed construction of the castle Ravenloft (Named after his mother) and sometime in 351 Strahd became a Vampyr and has ruled Barovia in darkness ever since. The current year is 735.
Of Strahd and Vampyrs, we have learned - Strahd had cursed the land because of a long forgotten sin of the Barovians' ancestors. He sleeps during the day, some believe in his own coffin. He can take on the form of a bat, wolf, human or gaseous form. He cannot enter a building unless he has been first invited in. Running water, such as a river or stream, burns him and he fears such. Sunlight will burn and ultimately destroy him. In his human state he has not only sorcerous powers, but a very powerful controlling gaze which will compel and charm his victims.
It was decided by Donavich and Janlynn that we would spend the night at the church so that the Burgomeister could be buried properly during dawn ceremonies as prescribed by the Morninglord. It was a fitful night of sleep because of the continuing wails of Doru, the same recurring night terrors affecting our companions and the frightening knowledge that many, many zombies gathered throughout the night to stare mindlessly, mournfully, at the church.
After some deliberation we decided that we should not overlook the vistani camp. Important information and clues were there to be learned. We had no idea the strange turn this visit would take. After presenting ourselves to the camp we were greeted warmly by the Vistani and were offered food, drink and comfort among them. Uphir obstained from any offered hospitality. After inquiring about the Seer, we were directed to her large tent. Then things got really queer.
She greeted each of us upon entering the tent by name and inferred that she had been waiting for us. Tetsuo stepped forward to meet her first and she asked him to sit and she would read the Tarokka cards for him. This was her peculiar way of seeing into the future and I will describe it to the best of my ability below. She first shuffled a deck of cards, then dealt out five cards face down in the pattern of a cross before her on a table. I will label the cards in the order in which she placed them and write what was revealed for each (To my best recollection).
1
4
5
3
2
FINN'S JOURNAL
