You help Ireena and Ismark drag the body of the dire wolf to an outbuilding, and then assist them repairing the door and windows. After an hour's work, you are all satisfied that you've done about the best you can given the available materials. You then all settle in for the night. Ismark and Ireena both have bedrooms on the second floor, and there are two guest rooms up there as well. Ismark opens up his late father's bedroom to you and changes the bedclothes, and also makes a pallet on the floor of that room. Likewise, Ireena preps a place for you to sleep in Ismark's office.
The rest of the night passes without event.
Wealday, 8 Gozran 4709
With boarded-up windows, it's hard to tell the time of day outside, yet sunlight trickles through the small gaps. You all awaken to the sound and aroma of Ismark preparing breakfast of eggs, mushrooms, bread, porridge, and tea. Ireena opens the front door wide to let in fresh air and bright sunshine.
Stepping out the front door with a mug of tea, it's hard to reconcile last night's gloom with the beautiful spring morning. Wisps of clouds decorate an azure sky above breathtaking snow-capped mountains. Birds sing in the trees that are just starting to put out the first leaves of the year. A few yellow daffodils poke their heads above the green of the overgrown, but once obviously well-maintained garden.
Ireena steps out with you, and comments, "That's how it is in Barovia: the days are deceptively beautiful, but once the sun sets, this place becomes a living nightmare."
Merick rises, stretching out his stiff muscles as he got woke up. He went through the meticulous process of restrapping his armor on, then threw the rest of his gear into its appropriate place. He smells the wonderful repast, sitting down with a smile and nod of thanks to Ismark before digging in.
As he eats, he starts talking, "What about this Madame Eva? Do you think she'd be worth a talking to, Ismark?"
Waking after a remarkably restful sleep, Petracleus takes his breakfast sat in the warm sun... His peaceful contemplation of the gardens is interrupted by Ireena comparing the Barovian day with the night they had just endured, "Has it always been this way my lady? Surely this place could not have flourished under perpetual oppression - I hope that we can lift the nightmare from your village... And, if Strahd didn't know we were here then the death of that wolf last night will have sent a message"
Turning to Merick, "I agree my friend, let us find out a little more of this village... And, after this Madame Eva, we should also visit the priest... If he has defied Strahd, he too must surely need protection".
"I would say that we should visit the priest first, as if he is openly opposing Strahd, he will need help and may be able to help us."
Responding to Merick's question, Ismark says, "While some Varisian card readers are charlatans, I Madame Eva has the Sight. Her predictions come true far more often than not-- for good or for ill. But be cautious—she takes offense easily, has the power to curse those who displease her."
In answer to Petracleus' question, Ireena replies, "It has been this way in Barovia for centuries. However, something has changed. openly assaulting the village has not been Strahd's way in the past. That only started a few weeks ago, not long after he paid an unexpected visit to this house in person. Father refused to let him in, and he left in anger."
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Yawning with his arms stretched over head, Aymehn walks into the house through the front door, entering from the gardens outside. His hide clothing is noticeably dusty and far redder in hue than it had been previously.
Aymehn scratches his beard and several chunks of mud fall messily to the floor. The druid seems not to notice and fills a plate with a mound of food.
"More clay than loam around here. I could barely find a stone worthy to carry.
"I agree that it is a good idea to meet up with this priest. Perhaps we all can assist each other with our common goal."
"Where does this Strahd guy live? Wouldn't it be simpler to stop by and rap him on the head?"
"Probably better not to go upsetting the local nobility just yet, Damion. Especially as powerful he has proven himself to be thus far."
"I'm a simple man who likes simple solutions but if you say so. Lets go see this priest and card reader then. That's two different people, right?"
Petracleus smiles at his half-Orc friend, "Yes Damion, that is two different people. Maybe some of us should visit Madame Eva and the others check the priest? It would be quicker that way..."
...and maybe our more forthright friends would be better dealing with the priest than a Harrower who is quick to anger...
"If I may suggest that myself, Aymehn and Countessa head to the Varisian camp? And the rest of you pay Ilya Donavich a visit?"
Verran seems his usual dour self in the morning. Now that everything about this place has had time to set in, he's seemed to resign himself to the notion that coming here wasn't going to be the quick jaunt everyone had made it out to be before. IF Ismark was right, their very freedom depended on dealing with this Strahd, and that wasn't sitting well with him at all. He had planned to stay quiet, what good was his counsel anyway, but this notion the bard was suggesting had to be dealt with.
"Seriously, splitting up? That's just inviting further disaster and you know it. But what do I know, I was the only one that argued against coming here and getting trapped in the first place"
Yes Verran, I am suggesting splitting up... From what our hosts have told us, there is little to be afraid of during the daylight hours... Come Pharasmin, it is a lovely day - enjoy the sun on your skin, enjoy what life has to offer whilst we still can...", a warm smile breaks on Petracleus' face...
The bard pats Merrick on the back, "And you'll have Merrick here to watch over you... I mean, what could possibly go wrong?"
Merick shrugs. The more places they tackled concurrently, the faster they would be able to gather information and regroup. And the locals seemed to think that the day time was relatively safe, at least.
He nods to Petracleus, offering Verran a shallow smile. "Let us see this brave priest, so we may know more of what might lie ahead. Let the others hear the words of a mystic."
"I'm with Verran, we should stick together."
”Okay, so that’s two of us who would rather we stick together… it will take us a little more time but maybe, given what we have seen of Barovia so far, such caution is warranted”, buckling his weapons to his belt, Petracleus suggests visiting the priest first…
Countessa follows the others, secretly glad that the decision to split up or not did not fall to her.
I'm no tactician. I'm sure that I would only have ended up endangering all of us.
Merick shrugs. Supposedly neither party was very far away, so they wouldn't be losing much time in sticking together. It would afford more safety, as well, so that was a bonus. He follows Petracleus as the group makes its way to see the defiant priest of the town, his armor jangling at every step.
Verran whips around and glares at the bard.
"What could go wrong at all. I don't know, one of us could damn near die in the woods. Oh, wait, that was me. So yes, such caution is warrented.
Shooting out of his seat, the Pharasman storms out of the house to collect himself, anger still clearly visible on his face.
Petracleus, perhaps a little embarassed, shrugs at Verrans' outburst, "This place has got to him already... The dead walking the streets last night is anathema to his beliefs... And he did suffer a terrible vision when we found that corpse in the woods - he'll calm down in time"
Excusing himself, he heads out after Verran...
Ismark informs you that the Barovia church is on the north side of town, and gives you directions. You follow the road north through town, passing through the town square, and then take Church Street. You pass several buildings and cottages, only about half maintained and occupied. The road leads uphill, leading about a quarter-mile into the moors surrounding the town. Atop a small rise stands a gray, sagging edifice of stone and wood. This church seems to have weathered the assaults of evil for centuries on end, and is worn and weary. The bell tower hangs to one side, its sweet tone long silenced. Several holes are in the roof, the black gaps in stark contrast to the light gray shingles. The rafters seem to stain feebly against their load.
Behind the church stands a small graveyard.
The double doors are closed.
As the group walk towards the church, Petracleus feels the hairs on the back of his neck rise...
...something just isn't right here...something more than the dismal environs and the ruins before us...what is it? what am I not seeing?
The bard knows fat better than to draw his sword in anticipation of some foe that may not be there...yet his hand wanders towards the hilt of his rapier...nervous digits tapping the enamelled pommel of his blade...
"Aymehn, my friend, do you see anything... feel anything? What do the stones tell you?"
"Well if the door is locked there's no need to pick it. It looks like I could kick this place down all by myself."
Petracleus smiles thinly at Damion's observation of the condition of the place...
...Please, Please, Please don't let Verran have heard that...he's in a foul enough mood without Damion suggesting kicking in the door of a holy place...
Looking closer at the building, you do notice that the symbol of a spiral is painted onto the stonework above the door. Verran immediately identifies it as the symbol of Pharasma.
As you stand before the old church pondering its architecture, the double doors open. An older man with gray, short-cropped hair and a neatly-trimmed beard stands in the threshold. He wears black robes with silver trim, and a silver holy symbol of the Lady of Graves around his neck.
"Good morning, You must be the strangers staying at the Burgomaster's house. What can I do for you?"
"Interesting," Countessa notes absently, as though thinking aloud. "This church is quite old. It was once dedicated to Aroden. It's conversion to Pharasma is more recent."
Visibly relaxing, Petracleus lets Verran take the lead with the man he assumes to be Ilya Donovich. Whilst the clergy talk, he takes in the drab view...
...at least this Donovich chap seems to be a little more cheerful than our travelling companion...
Merick remains silent, nodding to Countessa to show he absorbed her words. He lets those with more social graces talk to the priest, keeping his eyes about for danger. Just because it was daylight did not necessarily mean they were safe...
The Pharasmin priest smiles at Countessa's remarks. "You have a good eye, my dear. According to the records, this chuch was built 400 years ago, and was originally dedicated to the Last Azlanti."[/i]
Turning his attention to Verran's questions, the priest looks around. In a much quieter voice he replies, [b]"Perhaps you should come inside to talk. The Count has spies everywhere. But before I ask you in, I would like your permission to ask for the Mother of Soul's divining wisdom to judge you. I hope you don't take offense at that."
The priest casts a spell, and his eyes glow with a faint silvery light. He then looks at one of you, nods, and looks at another. Ater a few moments, he nods again and the glow in his eyes fades.
After that's over, he smiles and invites you all into the church.
Countessa smiles knowingly, confident in what the priest is doing, and stands quietly while he looks her over.
Medici shrugs at the priest's words. He certainly couldn't blame the fellow for being a bit eccentric in light of the recent revelations about this strange land. He patiently waits while the priest performs whatever rites he requires, then calmly follows the man inside when invited.
"Told you guys I was good." Damion mutters as he follows the priest into the building.
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Aymehn is not insulted by the priest's actions, but does seem curious relative to the priest's methods. The druid attempts to look deeply into the glowing eyes of the Pharasman, but is unable to ascertain just what it is that is behind it all.
Once the scan is complete, Aymehn chuckles, muttering a bit under his breath "I suppose we should all be relieved, then?"
Just before entering the church, Aymehn bends down to palm a small stone for his collection. This one appears to be some sort of slate, perhaps broken from the pavers leading to the church. Likely a casualty of some prior monstrous attack.
With a wry smile, Petracleus leans over to Aymehn and whispers, "He's just checking that you are not one of the walking dead, my friend... I told you this would happen sooner or later if you continue to sleep in hedgerows... the poor fellow thinks you to be a shambling zombie"
Following everyone else in, Petracleus waits for Verran to lead the discussion with his fellow Pharasmin.
Inside the church, you notice that while most of the symbols are Pharasmin, you see several winged eyes carved into woodwork or in stained glass. You also notice that there are small shrines to Desna and Erastil in the narthex. Father Danovich closes the doors behind you as you file
The priest leads you into the main sanctuary, and motions for you to sit in the pews. He sits in one as well. "So, you want to know about the evil in this town? We live under the shadow of Castle Ravenloft." He points out the window to a castle in the mountains that overlooks the entire valley. "The lord of the castle is Count Strahd von Zarovich... and he views his demesne as his personal hunting ground. And we, the townsfolk, are his prey. For Count Strahd is undying. He has ruled this valley for centuries, and he controls who comes and goes. I am afraid that the outside world may have forgotten about Barovia. But some of us still oppose him, and we live in hope that his rule can be overthrown."
Merick's brow furrows at the priest's words. "Undying? You have proof of this? We know of the man's depravities against his subjects. We spent a night with the new burgomaster and fended off a horde of fell beasts of the night. What manner of monster do you say this Strahd is?"
"Count Strahd has ruled this valley for centuries. We have never seen him visit the village in person by day-- only by night. The church archives seem to confirm this. Also, periodically Count Strahd summons a youth or young woman to serve in his castle. He claims that they are well taken care of, but they never return to the village. He does seem to be able to control the creatures of the night-- wolves and bats and... walking dead. Although it strikes me with fear to say it, I have concluded that Strahd is no longer a man at all, but an undying creature of the night called a vampyre. The late burgomaster and his children agree with me. For that matter, most villagers believe it too, but they're too cowed to do anything about it."
Merick's lips purse grimly at hearing the priest's words. He thinks for a moment, then asks, "We hear the burgomaster had an item that kept him safe, but it was stolen from him. Do you know what it was? Also, it seems as though the burgomaster and his son have thought these creatures are after the daughter...could this Strahd be looking for her to be his next 'servant'?"
"And were does this Count of yours live? Or rather, were does he reside. I guess he doesn't actually 'live' anywhere... right?
"A vampyre?" Countessa can hardly suppress a chuckle. "Your entire village is afraid of a monster created to scare children into behaving?"
Verran glares at Countessa, still rather unamused after Damion's threat to destroy a temple of the Lady of Graves.
Such creatures are quite real, as I've told you once before. And they are quite worthy of fear. I'd ask that you give some respect. And if you'd been paying attention Damion rather than threatening to destroy temples, you would have heard he lives in the castle."
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"If this Strahd is undying, then how is he to be defeated? Has there been any effort to win your freedom previously? If so, were any lessons learned from those prior efforts?"
Aymehn looks carefully to the priest, trying to see some glimmer of hope in the man's eye. Were he and his companions now trapped along with these unfortunate villagers?
"I didn't threaten to destroy the temple. I just said that it looked like I could. And I know he lives in a castle, I just don't know where the castle is. What has your panties in a bunch anyway?"
"I daresay he's still in a mood because he never wanted to come here to begin with, and now we may well be trapped here. There's little to be done of it, now. I say that we go talk to this Madam Eva and see if we can dig up some more info on Strahd. Then we confront him and if he won't be reasonable, well... we'll cross that bridge when we get there."
Danovich seems somewhat amused by your bickering. He again points out a window to an impressive-looking castle in the mountains.
"That is Castle Ravenloft, the seat of power for the ruler of this valler. Count Strahd comes and goes to town as he pleases, usually in his carriage drawn by four black horses. He only ever visits at night."
He pauses, then regard's Merrick's question. "Burgomaster Kolyan had an anceint holy relic called the holy symbol of Barovia. It is fashioned out of gold and mithril, and is in the shape of a stylized dagger with a wide crossguard. Etched into the face of the symbol are holy symbols of many faiths: those of Erasitl, the Hunter; Sarenrae, the Dawnflower; Desna, the Starsong; Shelyn, the Eternal Rose; Pharasma, the Lady of Graves; Abadar, the Master of the First Vault; and Aroden, the Last Azlanti. A priest of any of those faiths can use it as a holy symbol. In addition, when placed above a hearth, it protects a dwelling from evil. According to the church archives, it could also be used as a weapon of some sort against the undead. Ismark tells me that this relic has been stolen. I would suspect that one of Strahd's minions was responsible for the theft."
In response to Aymehn's question, he replies, "Over the years, many have attempted to remove Strahd from power. The churchyard is full of would-be heroes. A band of villagers will sometimes rise up and storm the castle with torches and pitchforks. And traveling bands such as yourselves have come to Barovia over the years, learned our fate, and attempted to free us from the depredations of Count Strahd. Again, the church archives mention one such band who arrived in town about a hundred years ago. One of that band was a paladin of Sarenrae, and she bore a Qadiran sword that shone like the sun. The priest at the time hoped that her band would succeed where others failed, yet... Strahd is still in power. However, it was months after that band entered Castle Ravenloft before Strahd showed himself again. I think they may have hurt him, but were incapable of ending his curse. None in town ever saw that sword again, either."
To Countessa, he simply says, "I wish that it were not the case, but in Barovia, tales of monsters that stalk the night aren't just stories told to frighten children. They are all too real."
Remembering Merick's question about Ismark and Ireena, he adds, "Yes, it is possible that he seeks Ireena as another of his servants. But some things they have told me about Strahd's behavior makes me think that the Count's interest in Ireena seems more... personal."
Merick listens solemnly as the priest endeavors to answer all their questions. If the man was correct, then these people were ruled over a being who was more monster than man. He shook his head slowly, reaching up to grasp the bridge of his nose to ease some of the tension in his head.
"It has been most helpful talking to you, sir. We shall seek some more answers, then we hope to regroup and discuss our next steps."
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"We have business elsewhere, priest. Before we away, if I can...
We have heard that you have regularly stood up against Strahd in the past. Care to join with us, and give us aid? I am confident that my friends and I will not leave this place until we have had a go at this vile undead abomination.
Aye, Verran?"