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What a wonderful story! I'm a firm believer in kindness. Thank you indeed for the wine, please join us for dinner and we can share stories as we are new to town, if you couldn't tell.
Del introduces the party to Rictavio and asks Urwin for another plate of food for their new friend.
Wish we could have a similar discussion and outcome with a certain local lord. We've met twice and barely come away with our lives. We don't really understand why he has such hate for Barovia. What can you tell us about this land and its leader?
Oh dear not one but two encounters with the devil? Rictavio winces I am shocked to see you have all survived such an ordeal. Unlike many of the fine yet sad folk of Barovia I am much like you not actually from this land. A simple circus master who has come to Barovia to spread as much joy as I can!
When asked to share dinner Rictavio declines I'm afraid I have other plans tonight for I am having dinner with an old friend. Rictavio smiles The local toy maker, Gadof Blinksy. With that Rictavio orders a bag of apples and a cooked wolf steak and departs the inn.
So what do we do now?
After Rictavio leaves, Ash grunts and mutters to Del: A fine fable that one was, brother. If only kindness were rewarded in the world we live in! Although Eldath seeks redemption in all mankind, rarely is kindness ever treated with anything but exploitation in this world. I fear that kindness will have even less power in whatever hell we have found ourselves in.. He stares at his cup for a moment, knowing that Del is biting back a word of encouragement to disagree with Ash's dour mood. But..we shall seek kindness out where we can find it. Even though it be rare and wane in Barovia. He finishes with a weak half-smile at Del.
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Summary of Card Reading:
Spirits of the mists show these heroes the fortunes of the land, the fortunes of Barovia. May the cards guide you in this dark land. The first card tells of history. Knowledge of the ancient will help you better understand your enemy Eva flips over the first card revealing a female knight holding a longsword Ahh, the Avenger! The treasure lies in a dragon’s house, in hands once clean and now corrupted.
The second card tells of a powerful force for good and protection, a holy symbol of great hope. She flips the card revealing a cowled man with an ornate sword The Hooded One. The treasure is hidden in a small castle beneath a mountain, guarded by amber giants.
The third card tells of power and strength. It tells of a weapon of vengeance: a sword of sunlight. She flips the card revealing a woman wearing a tiara and traces star like magical patterns in the air The Conjurer. I see a dead village, drowned by a river, ruled by one who has brought great evil into the world.
The fourth card will shed light on one who will help you greatly in the battle against darkness. She flips the card revealing a skull within a fancy jar The Artifact. Look for an entertaining man with a monkey. This man is more than he seems.
Your enemy is a creature of darkness, whose powers are beyond mortality. The fifth card will lead you to him! She pauses briefly then flips the final card revealing a young girl in a white dress The Innocent. He dwells with the one whose blood sealed his doom, a brother of light snuffed out too soon.
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As Urwin walks by making his rounds around the inn, Del asks, Urwin, these are maybe odd questions so forgive me as I ask, but is there anyone in town who has a monkey? While I'm asking, does Barovia have any trouble with giants or dragons? Lastly, do you know of any other castles in this land aside from the one Strahd lives in?
or perhaps anyone who may hire a few adventurous types for some coin? I don’t know about my companions, but I wouldn’t mind some coin for some better gear and would like to get better experience fighting things. Particularly some gear of a protective nature for the throat. Diaz adds hoarsely.
You would be hard pressed to find anyone with enough coin to hire folk. Urwin looks at Del and listens to all his questions Odd questions indeed. This creature you call a monkey they are not native to Barovia but I do know of one. Rictavio has a whole lot of strange animals but I told him they cannot stay in my inn, allergies and all. Think he ended up giving it to Gadof Blinksy, the local toymaker.
Urwin chuckles at the question about giants and dragons, shaking his head If only! Either of those sound less terrifying than werewolves, hoards of undead, and vampires. He stops and thinks for a moment Not giants, but to the West of here is a large haunted mansion. Legend has it a dragon died there long, long ago. He shrugs.
Castles other than Ravenloft? No not really. Occasionally you'll find large manors like Argynvostholt, that place I mentioned that is West of here. But nothing quite as grand as Ravenloft.
Splitz goads on Rictavio as he tells his tale, thoroughly enjoying it and then sits back and takes in the conversation of his cohorts.
I'd be content to stay here with this good hospitality until my coin runs out, but that wouldn't be long. I think Diaz is right in that we need to find something to bolster our resources in one way or the other. If Rictavio has a monkey then he may be more than he seems or so says Madam Eve anyway. An ally hopefully.
That said a test of our mettle might be what we really need; we dealt well enough with the dead in the graveyard; but Strahd is a whole other level, a haunted manor sounds like a foolish idea, but might be what we need. How bad could it possibly be? The Baron shrugs at the notion.
More wine! He calls out loudly thinking that might help them make a decision.
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Wine always helps make wiser decisions! Del says smiling indulgently to the Baron. It sounds like Gadolf Blinsky might be our guy. A toymaker must be entertaining, and he has a monkey! Maybe there is something to these fortune telling cards. But what does Argynvostholt mean? Maybe we could find an historian to help us with some of these clues?
Argynvostholt is a place Urwin reiterates Its an old manor to the west of here.
Any history or treasure or valuables at Argynvostholt? What kind of hauntings have people seen? In my readings, these hauntings are ofter started by some tragedy. what stories are there of this place?
I couldn't tell you its far enough away that those from Vallaki stay away from it. We only hear occasional rumors from Vistani who walk near there, spirits in windows that sort of thing. Of course I wager half the houses in the whole of Barovia have a spirit or two inhabiting it. Urwin says fillings up everyone's glasses
Well, I don't see much point in staying around town. I don't see any fascination with a monkey, but I suppose we could check it out on the way to the haunted mansion. Do we need any food or water or other supplies?
The Baron stares into space as if trying to recall some piece of information or a memory or maybe just a tune.
After a few moments he looks up and around only half aware of the conversation at hand. Well we are paid up for a couple nights and haven't spent the first one yet.
I suggest we take a couple days to get to know this place a bit more before rushing straight to some haunted house. Maybe see this monkey man, see if we can find some supplies to window shop. Then make are way in 2 days to the Argynvostholt, if we don't have any other prospects.
Ok so Splitz is going to the toymakers. Diaz is doing a training program for athletics, how are you doing that? What is Ash and Del doing?
diaz will do 1 hour of body weight exercises and rope climbs on down time days. (which might matter after 100 days) If he can he will tag along with Splitz when he is ready to visit the toymaker.
The next morning Splitz wakes up with a splitting headache from spending the better part of the previous day and into the night drinking the very passable purple grape mash at the Blue Water Inn. In fact, he gets up relieves himself into the chamber pot for a full minute and then promptly falls back into the bed. A gleeful Diaz tries to rouse him for the days events, but the Baron is in no shape to move about quite yet.
Just a few more minutes sleep Diaz, my good fellow.
That few minutes turns into a few hours, but nevertheless, somewhere around the crack of noon, a much more vibrant Baron Splitz von Blitz bounds down to the common room.
Time to see a man about a toy!
If Rictavio is around he'll ask him for an introduction; if not he'll ask Urwin were to find the toymaker and head that direction.
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Del is up early for breakfast, spends time reading afterwards, waiting as patiently as he can for his compatriots to join. If invited by Diaz to join for a workout, he politely declines. He’ll spend the morning resting, reading, talking to anyone who will talk to him, trying to learn about Barovia or this town. After lunch and all are gathered he’ll push to find Gadolf the toy maker.
As you guys are heading to where you were told the toy makers house you notice two children a boy and a girl standing in front of a large house talking to each other. As you approach the girl hushes the boy, and turns to you and says, “There’s a monster in our house!” She then points to a tall brick row house that has seen better days. Its windows are dark. It has a gated portico on the ground floor, and the rusty gate is slightly ajar. The houses on either side are abandoned, their windows and doors boarded up.
What type of monster little one? Diaz says keeping his head tucked deep in his cloak.
Insight check on the kiddos
The boy shrugs and looks to his sister who similarly shrugs Haven't really seen it, we just hear it howling sometimes! Our parents keep it locked in the basement.
The Baron reaches in his pouch and produces a couple of shiny copper pieces. He hands each of the children one of them.
Now run along and get your Mom and Dad for us! He says smiling.
He also takes note of there reaction to the gift.
Oh they're just inside. the girl says pointing to the front door I'm sure they would be delighted to have company.
Oh! Thanks mister! the girl says while the boy smiles. Momma and papa aren't really well enough to make their way outside most days. Papa walks with a cane and momma is quite sick. Please! We really need your help!
Splitz looks around at the others. Cute kids, what'a ya say, let's go see what's happening?
Splitz ties a scarf over his nose and mouth in case of a bad sick smell and heads inside.
Hello, I don't mean to intrude. Your children say you need some help. I have a healer with me. He says as he crosses the threshold.
Diaz follows, hand on his whip
Seeing that the others have joined him,
Hello I say, it's the Baron Splitz Von Blitz. Your children are worried about you. after getting no immediate reply.
under his breath I have read horror stories that start like this. Most likely though. I suspect we will find an elderly couple that need help with some rats or the like. Diaz says while looking around the house at its general upkeep and cleanness and displayed religious displays.
forgot to roll
+5 if I can use investigation?
A wrought-iron gate with hinges on one side and a lock on the other fills the archway of a stone portico. The gate is unlocked, and its rusty hinges shriek when the gate is opened. Oil lamps hang from the portico ceiling by chains, flanking a set of oaken doors that open into a grand foyer.
As you enter you enter the house you see hanging on the south wall of the foyer is a shield emblazoned with a coat-of-arms (a stylized golden windmill on a red field), flanked by framed portraits of stony-faced aristocrats. Mahogany-framed double doors leading from the foyer to another room are set with panes of stained glass.
As you enter the house those at the back of the party see the children looking into the house at you with somewhat eerie smiles as they do a dense fog begins to wrap its way around the children, the surrounding buildings, and the mansion that you've just entered. The Mists of Barovia have come to make sure you cannot escape this house.
Staring back for a moment, I was afraid of that, nothing is as it seems here. Only way to go is forward.
Splitz advances to the doors and opens them both, pushing them inward.
A wide hall runs the width of the house, with a black marble fireplace at one end and a sweeping, red marble staircase at the other. Mounted on the wall above the fireplace is a longsword with a windmill cameo worked into the hilt. The wood-paneled walls are ornately sculpted with images of vines, flowers, nymphs, and satyrs. The decorative paneling follows the staircase as it circles upward to the second floor.
Didn’t the old lady say something about avoiding windmills?
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I think she did. But I thought she was talking about an actual windmill. I wouldn't have expected this place is what she referred to, but who knows around here.
Looking around, inspecting the decorations, Del remembers their purpose and yells out, Hello! Is anyone in here? Your children seemed to think you needed aid!
Seeing the children’s evil grins, Ash snaps out of the deep depression that he had fallen into the prior evening. Hefting his shield, he mutters to his brother. I do not think there are any parents to be found in this accursed abode. Only death awaits us, and that if we are lucky.
Pushing to the front, Ash seems reenergized by the danger.
Perhaps we should take the windmill items with us, for Weal or woe, as it where? Splitz suggests.
Examining the longsword to see if it can be easily removed.
Ash quickly reaches out and lays a hand on the Baron's shoulder. Stay thy hand Von Blitz. This place reeks of evil. The spirits may grow restless...or worse...if you were to disturb their earthly wares. Watch for trouble while I seek Eldath's guidance on who else is here with us.
With that, Ash's eyes flutter back in his head as he loses sight of the physical world, but gains the sight of the divine. (Cast Divine Sense to determine presence of celestials, fiends and undead within 60' of him for one round).