Post by gavmeister on Apr 24, 2017 21:52:45 GMT
The adventurers join the Vistani in the Tser Pool encampment for wine and baked hedgehog. Bran decides to stay sober in case of trouble. Giselle hits the flask hard and quickly becomes inebriated.
Pankas and Theo accompany the Vistani accordionist with lute and flute respectively, and are well received. Ricken uses Thaumaturgy to cause the camp fire to flicker and change colour at appropriately dramatic moments. Giselle is too drunk to tune her harp so she carries on drinking to while away the time. Bran glowers disapprovingly.
A drunk Vistani tells Theo he resembles the mad mage who led a mob of peasants against Castle Ravenloft. Most fled and the rest never returned. The mage himself was locked in battle with Strahd for a day and a night but was ultimately cast down and fell over the Tser Falls. His body was never found.
An old man, Stanimir, recounts the legend of Strahd by the campfire. Theo accompanies the tale with appropriate sounding Minor Illusions. Centuries ago, the Vistani were dispossessed of their land. One night a wounded prince staggered into their camp. The Vistani nursed him back to health, adopted and protected him, and returned him to his home. In turn he fought for them against their enemies. In gratitude he pledged that the Vistani would be protected and given the freedom to come and go from Barovia as they pleased. But a curse took hold of the prince and he became a tyrant. Now, the Vistani search for heroes to end the prince’s curse and put his troubled soul to rest.
Eventually a little girl comes to tell them that Madam Eva is ready to read their Tarokka cards. The crone greets Pankas and Ricken warmly. “So ... the hunter and his prey. One seeks atonement; the other vengeance.” Unexpectedly she mistakes Bran for his hero, Sir Gwallin. Perhaps Bran’s arrival in Barovia was all a terrible mistake? Giselle is complimented on freeing her father’s soul, and commiserated with for trapping her own.
The lights flicker as Madam Eva reads their Tarokka.
She then does individual readings for all the party. Finally, she promises a gift to Pankas in the morning if he can ensure the party behave themselves.
After the reading, there is more opportunity for music, song and wine. Giselle doesn’t behave herself and, after loudly showing off about her lock-picking skills, gets into a drunken argument with a Vistana girl, Minodora. The Vistana curses Giselle with clumsiness to take her down a peg.
Theo is impressed at Minodora’s pluck and tries his chances. The girl’s up for it and they spend a happy night together. Little does Theo know this may be his last night of functional happiness.
A lone Vistani, Radu Radovich, sidles up to Bran and compliments him on his restraint. Radu says he is from the Vistani camp outside Vallaki. He's been sent to look for Arabelle, the 7 year old daughter of their chief, Luvash. Having drawn a blank in finding the girl he intends to return to Vallaki, and suggests accompanying the adventurers – he can help keep evil creatures at bay. Bran finds Radu excellent company and they discuss serious matters for a while, whilst playing a hand of cards.
The festivities end for all except Theo. In the morning Bran awakes to find that both his journal and Radu are gone. Madam Eva considers that Giselle has been punished enough so is true to her word, giving Pankas the Goggles of Night to aid the party in their travels.
The adventurers head up to the Tser Falls. Before they can begin the ascent to the bridge far above, they are attacked by a pack of dire wolves and their lesser cousins. A mysterious red-eyed wolf watches proceedings from a cliff path. The wolves work together to launch their attacks and hit hard at first. But Theo drops Shatter in their midst, blowing several wolves away, and the party soon gains the upper hand. The red-eyed wolf on the cliff disappears in a cloud of mist. The party pause for a rest then climb up to re-join the Vallaki road, crossing the Tser Bridge between ancient black-mossed gargoyles.
They pass through the massive western Gates of Ravenloft, guarded by headless statures, identical to those to the east. A dizzying sight comes into view: the ominous shape of Castle Ravenloft, perched upon a rocky outcrop a thousand feet above the wooded valley surrounding the village of Barovia.
They arrive at the crossroads leading to the Castle. Giselle feels a cold shadow walk through her, and a screaming ghost materialises next to her. Its Horrifying Visage seems to age Theo by forty years. Bran leaps to the attack, and lands a powerful Divine Smite with his greataxe. The ghost flees into Ricken’s body and possesses him. The cleric is forced to begin running up the trail - towards Castle Ravenloft! Pankas quickly catches up with him and wrestles him to the ground. Giselle and Pankas beat Ricken unconscious and expel the ghost, which immediately retreats into the Ethereal Plane. They resume their progress, slowed by Theo’s need for frequent breaks.
They see a mysterious windmill, reminiscent of the one on the Durst family emblem –they remember they have the deeds to the site. A raven warns them from travelling that path now, and they decide to carry on down the slowly descending Vallaki road.
Pankas and Giselle hear thundering hooves in the distance. Just in time they all dive for cover as a black coach thunders past, driven by a slender dark-skinned coachman with a hat pressed low over his head. A half-dozen coffins are strapped to the top of the coach. Strahd von Zarovich leers out of the window as the adventurers are sprayed by mud from the coach’s wheels. A consort wearing a skull mask peers out of the other side. The coach thunders past, accompanied by the disturbing echoes of distant tortured screams.
Pankas and Theo accompany the Vistani accordionist with lute and flute respectively, and are well received. Ricken uses Thaumaturgy to cause the camp fire to flicker and change colour at appropriately dramatic moments. Giselle is too drunk to tune her harp so she carries on drinking to while away the time. Bran glowers disapprovingly.
A drunk Vistani tells Theo he resembles the mad mage who led a mob of peasants against Castle Ravenloft. Most fled and the rest never returned. The mage himself was locked in battle with Strahd for a day and a night but was ultimately cast down and fell over the Tser Falls. His body was never found.
An old man, Stanimir, recounts the legend of Strahd by the campfire. Theo accompanies the tale with appropriate sounding Minor Illusions. Centuries ago, the Vistani were dispossessed of their land. One night a wounded prince staggered into their camp. The Vistani nursed him back to health, adopted and protected him, and returned him to his home. In turn he fought for them against their enemies. In gratitude he pledged that the Vistani would be protected and given the freedom to come and go from Barovia as they pleased. But a curse took hold of the prince and he became a tyrant. Now, the Vistani search for heroes to end the prince’s curse and put his troubled soul to rest.
Eventually a little girl comes to tell them that Madam Eva is ready to read their Tarokka cards. The crone greets Pankas and Ricken warmly. “So ... the hunter and his prey. One seeks atonement; the other vengeance.” Unexpectedly she mistakes Bran for his hero, Sir Gwallin. Perhaps Bran’s arrival in Barovia was all a terrible mistake? Giselle is complimented on freeing her father’s soul, and commiserated with for trapping her own.
The lights flicker as Madam Eva reads their Tarokka.
She then does individual readings for all the party. Finally, she promises a gift to Pankas in the morning if he can ensure the party behave themselves.
After the reading, there is more opportunity for music, song and wine. Giselle doesn’t behave herself and, after loudly showing off about her lock-picking skills, gets into a drunken argument with a Vistana girl, Minodora. The Vistana curses Giselle with clumsiness to take her down a peg.
Theo is impressed at Minodora’s pluck and tries his chances. The girl’s up for it and they spend a happy night together. Little does Theo know this may be his last night of functional happiness.
A lone Vistani, Radu Radovich, sidles up to Bran and compliments him on his restraint. Radu says he is from the Vistani camp outside Vallaki. He's been sent to look for Arabelle, the 7 year old daughter of their chief, Luvash. Having drawn a blank in finding the girl he intends to return to Vallaki, and suggests accompanying the adventurers – he can help keep evil creatures at bay. Bran finds Radu excellent company and they discuss serious matters for a while, whilst playing a hand of cards.
The festivities end for all except Theo. In the morning Bran awakes to find that both his journal and Radu are gone. Madam Eva considers that Giselle has been punished enough so is true to her word, giving Pankas the Goggles of Night to aid the party in their travels.
The adventurers head up to the Tser Falls. Before they can begin the ascent to the bridge far above, they are attacked by a pack of dire wolves and their lesser cousins. A mysterious red-eyed wolf watches proceedings from a cliff path. The wolves work together to launch their attacks and hit hard at first. But Theo drops Shatter in their midst, blowing several wolves away, and the party soon gains the upper hand. The red-eyed wolf on the cliff disappears in a cloud of mist. The party pause for a rest then climb up to re-join the Vallaki road, crossing the Tser Bridge between ancient black-mossed gargoyles.
They pass through the massive western Gates of Ravenloft, guarded by headless statures, identical to those to the east. A dizzying sight comes into view: the ominous shape of Castle Ravenloft, perched upon a rocky outcrop a thousand feet above the wooded valley surrounding the village of Barovia.
They arrive at the crossroads leading to the Castle. Giselle feels a cold shadow walk through her, and a screaming ghost materialises next to her. Its Horrifying Visage seems to age Theo by forty years. Bran leaps to the attack, and lands a powerful Divine Smite with his greataxe. The ghost flees into Ricken’s body and possesses him. The cleric is forced to begin running up the trail - towards Castle Ravenloft! Pankas quickly catches up with him and wrestles him to the ground. Giselle and Pankas beat Ricken unconscious and expel the ghost, which immediately retreats into the Ethereal Plane. They resume their progress, slowed by Theo’s need for frequent breaks.
They see a mysterious windmill, reminiscent of the one on the Durst family emblem –they remember they have the deeds to the site. A raven warns them from travelling that path now, and they decide to carry on down the slowly descending Vallaki road.
Pankas and Giselle hear thundering hooves in the distance. Just in time they all dive for cover as a black coach thunders past, driven by a slender dark-skinned coachman with a hat pressed low over his head. A half-dozen coffins are strapped to the top of the coach. Strahd von Zarovich leers out of the window as the adventurers are sprayed by mud from the coach’s wheels. A consort wearing a skull mask peers out of the other side. The coach thunders past, accompanied by the disturbing echoes of distant tortured screams.