The Party begins picking up the items, Kenzo takes the Frayed Rope of the Hanged Man, Sterling takes the Scarab Vial of Bonegnasher, Zyblina takes the Spider’s Web decorated Jar of Soulcatcher, Teofila takes the Moldy Spellbook of the Splatter Man, Cole takes the Masterwork Smith’s Hammer of the Mosswater Marauder, Sergei takes the Oversized Bloodstained Handaxe of the Lopper, it feels natural to hold these items for each of you, though you’re not entirely certain why…
Zek and Bastion are left to carry either the Silver Flute of the Piper of Illmarsh or the Collection of Holy Symbols of Father Charlatan. Zek takes the symbols while Bastion takes the Flute.
Van Richten's Journals
There are four journals in the chest. The first is from ten years ago. The next then leaps forward in time to about five years ago. The third journal is a dream log. The final journal is the most recent which describes the incidents that led up to his death.
Rudolph's earliest journals are not present, perhaps they were lost or perhaps they are back in Lepidstadt University.
The first journal goes back about ten years ago wherein the Professor discusses his first encounter with agents of the Whispering Way, but he does not discuss exactly what the Whispering Way is except to say:
The Whispering Way is more than just a cabal of necromancers. I see that now. Undeath is their fountain of youth. Uncovering their motivation does not place me at ease as I thought it might. Their desire to be eternal simply makes them more dangerous.
The rest is quite interesting but the Professor himself circled the above entry.
The second journal covers his time mainly at the University and traveling about Ustalav as a "consultant" no longer actively hunting the denizens of the night that roam the land. The circled entries in this journal consist of the Doctor meeting all of you! He cross references meeting those of you individually with page in his dream journal wherein he met people he named as similar to you all but different. Darker in demeanor and purpose. His most extensive writing is on Sergei, he appears to believe that Sergei may be an individual pulled out of what he calls his dreamworld. The stuff of dreams come to life.
The group continues to read through the second journal, finding more references to yourselves as characters that inhabit his "dreamworld". However, he does not state your alter-ego names from this dreamworld. The journal discusses how he goes out of his way to track each of you and your careers creating "chance" encounters with each of you. Whether to provide guidance or assist with your work, or to simply ensure that you have the proper mentors.
The dreamlog focuses on his life as hunter of the dead within this land named Barovia. There are also neighboring lands, though he does not mention them by name, wherein he encounters foes many of which are described in his "Van Richten's Guides".
In addition to his dreamlog, the third journal discusses the Doctors travels to a place called Brandescar Prison. It was in this place that he met with Sergei directly. Based upon his writings, Sergei did not belong in the prison and it was never clear why Sergei was even placed within the prison other than his mysterious appearance on the island of Talingarde. However, the warden refused to allow Sergei to leave and be given to the Doctor's care. The Doctor believes, but never shared with his colleague at Brandescar Prison, that Sergei may well be an "escapee" from his dreamworld! From a place he names Barovia.
By the end of the third journal, the Doctor has decided to retire. The decision is to ensure that he can independently print the treatises that he wishes to print and to continue to pursue his dreamworld analysis without any teaching work interference as his days are simply too busy at the college to do so properly.
The fourth journal is the most recent and the most troubling. The Doctor's notes seem to indicate that his interest in printing his "Guides" are being blocked from widespread print.
Within the last two months though his attention is taken up by something far more sinister.
Two Months Ago:
It is as I had feared. The Way is interested in something here in Ravengro. But what could it be?
One Month Ago:
Whatever the Way seeks, I am now convinced their goal is connected to Harrowstone. In retrospect, I suppose it all makes sense—the stories they tell about the ruins in town are certainly chilling enough. It may be time to investigate the ruins, but with everyone in town already being so worked up about them, I’d rather not let the others know about my curiosity—there’s plenty of folks hereabouts who already think I’m a demonologist as is.
Twenty Days Ago:
It is confirmed. The Way seems quite interested in something—no, strike that—someone who was held in Harrowstone. But who, specifically, is the Way after? I need a list of everyone who died the night of the fire. Everyone. The Temple of Pharasma must have such a list.
Eighteen Days Ago:
I see now just how ill prepared I was when I last set out for the Harrowstone. I am lucky to have returned at all. The ghosts, if indeed they were ghosts (for I did not find it prudent to investigate further) prevented me from transcribing the strange symbols I found etched along the foundation—hopefully on my next visit I will be more prepared. Thankfully, the necessary tools to defend against spirits are already here in Ravengro within my own lab.
Still, it is time to send missives out! I will need assistance from my closest allies. My dreams indicate that they are all somehow linked to... it all.
Two Days Ago:
This evening I return to the prison, risky as this venture may be. It is imperative the Way does not finish. My caution has already cost me too much time. I am not sure what will happen if I am too late, but if my theory is right, the entire town could be at risk. I don’t have time to update my will, so I’ll leave this in the chest where it’ll be sure to be found by Kendra, should the worst come to pass. Hopefully my work will delay the Way's efforts and by then my friends shall arrive and with their help I can set this right. Then I trust some secrets, long dormant, can be revealed...
On Verified Madness
None of the aberrations are familiar to her. In the margins, the Doctor writes notes on the creatures. His notes in every case, show that he seems familiar with each creature based on his dreams. He makes a distinction between "dreams" and what he describes as his "dreamworld" claiming that none of the creatures had ever been encountered in his dream world. He conjectures that perhaps some of these creatures may dwell in a place he calls the "Nightmare Lands".
The Order of the Palantine Eye
The Order appears to be a semisecret society of scholars and philosophers who explore and study dusty secrets hidden in the past. This particular book contains ancient ceremonies both magical and mundane mathematical theorems. In the back of the book are some notes scribbled by Rudolph. It appears that he was hoping some members of this society could substantiate findings from his dream journal but he appears to have had no luck.
The Yellow Book
As it turns out, Ogre is indeed merely looking at pictures as the language is one that he cannot read. It appears to be made up of the odd phraseology that the group found in the main house. However, instead of a few jotted notes, it is the entire text.
The pictures that the book depicts are... odd. Creatures that appear unnatural and unsettling. There is a feeling in the pit of your stomach as you stare at them overlong, as if you cannot pull your eyes away.
Sanity Score: This is sort of like mental hit points. It’s the sum of all your mental stats (Wisdom, Intelligence, Charisma) less any damage to those scores.
Sanity Damage: this is like hit point damage done in physical combat (like a sword blow, etc), only, it affects your sanity score, not your hit points. So, if you encounter an attack on your sanity and suffer damage, you deduct that damage from your sanity score.
Losing Sanity and Gaining Madness:
When you’re faced with a monster that can do sanity damage, you have to make an immediate will save. If you save, most of the time, you will be able to ignore all Sanity damage (i.e. your mental faculties hold up) though some creatures may do damage regardless of your save (like Great Old Ones).
If you lose ALL of your Sanity (i.e. Sanity pool moves to zero), you gain a lesser madness (this is generally a temporary condition), I will not have PCs suffer more than 1 lesser madness at a time. This mechanic is for flavor not to annihilate PCs effectiveness.
If you lose ALL of your Sanity facing a Great Old One, that will trigger a greater madness. This is permanent though each PC will only ever gain a single one of these.
Losing Madness and Gaining Sanity:
Madness can be lost (and sanity restored in several ways).
1. Rest: Every 7 full days of uninterrupted rest heals sanity damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). You’re letting your own sense of self and force of personality reassert itself and mend together the tattered fragments of your tortured psyche.
2. Therapy: Tell someone else your problems (mentor, counselor, confidante, friend, family, priest, advisor, etc). At the end,, the ally attempts a Wisdom or Intelligence check (whichever is higher) DC equal to the amount of Sanity you have lost. Success means you add their ability modifier (wis or int, whichever is higher) to the amount of sanity damage you heal.
3. Magic:
a. lesser restoration: 1d2 points once per day
b. Restoration: 2d4 points per day
c. Heal: 3d4 points/day
d. Greater restoration, psychic surgery, limited wish: all of it, if your sanity was below your edge (in other words, you still had more than half your sanity points left). Or, to 1 point below your sanity edge if you had more than half of your sanity lost.
e. Miracle and wish fix everything
Effects of Restoring Sanity:
Lesser Madness - If all of your sanity damage is healed, your lesser madness is removed entirely.
Greater Madness - If all of your sanity damage is healed, your greater madness is dormant. It will become reactivated if you again suffer a full loss to your Sanity score. A greater madness can only be fully healed with a long term psychiatric stay (1 month, which could well be played out over a downtime depending on how the chronicle proceeds) r the use of a Wish or Miracle spell (hard to come by in Ravenloft!).
Fear, Horror, and Madness:
I will NOT be using Madness rules as the Sanity rules already cover that.
Fear, Horror, and Madness saves represent the power of terror — a roleplaying tool to help players visualize the hysteria that often clouds the minds of characters in classic tales of horror.
Making the Saving Throw
Fear and Horror saves are considered Will saves in all respects. Anything that modifies a Will save likewise modifies Fear and Horror saves; anything that modifies saves vs. fear effects modifies Fear saves.
Fear and Horror saves all use the same basic mechanic: a Will save against a specified DC. Specific DCs depend on the situation and type of check being made and will be provided by me. Luck effects and resistance effects (such as those generated by a luckstone or a cloak of resistance) do not affect Fear and Horror saves; they are outside the purview of luck and are not "active" effects that would be resisted. Divine effects do aid Fear and Horror saves, however.
If a character succeeds at the Will save, then there is no effect, and she is immune to that specific source of fear or horror for 24 hours. If a character fails the Will save, then the margin of failure determines the result. Subtract the final check result from the DC; this result determines whether the character suffers a minor, moderate, or major effect.
Failure Margin Effect
1-5 points Minor
6-10 points Moderate
11-15 points Major
16+ points Major, plus additional effect.
When determining the results of failed Horror save, the player should also concurrently roll 1d4 for the DM to select a specific effect.
FEAR SAVES
A character should make a Fear save when facing overwhelming odds and/or immediate, dire physical danger.
Failure Results
Minor Effect: Shaken. The character suffers a -2 morale penalty to attack rolls, checks, and saves.
Moderate Effect: Frightened. The character is shaken and flees as well as she can. She can fight to defend herself if unable to flee. A frightened character can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, she must use such means if they are the only way to escape.
Major Effect: Panicked. The character suffers a -2 morale penalty on saving throws and must flee. She has a 50% chance to drop what she's holding, chooses her path randomly (as long as she escapes from immediate danger), and flees any other dangers that confront her. If cornered, she cowers. A panicked character may use a special ability or spell to escape.
Additional Failures: Fear effects stack. A shaken character who fails another Fear save becomes frightened. A frightened character who fails another Fear save becomes panicked.
Recovering from Fear
Fear effects last 5d6 rounds. Certain spell effects (such as modify memory or remove fear) can remove all Fear effects.
Note that as the characters level, the amount of fear checks will diminish as you confidence and power/abilities increase.
HORROR SAVES
The heroes witness scenes of terrible cruelty or behold events that simply should not be. Horror is a broader emotion than fear, and more intimate. Horror often permanently colors a character's view of the world, be it through the shock of realizing that such merciless events are possible or the paralyzing dismay of discovering some monstrous trait within oneself. Horror is the murderer of innocence. Possible examples of scenes that might require a Horror save include seeing someone torn limb from limb, watching a friend transform into a hideous monster, or learning that you slew an innocent bystander while possessed by an evil spirit.
Horror saves are typically prompted by unusual, unique situations rather than by creatures, so unlike Fear saves there's no quick formula to determine the DC. Instead, I will use my best judgment to apply a DC to the scene. As a rule, the more gruesome, abnormal and/or insane the scene, the higher the DC should be.
Failure Results
If a character fails a Horror save, the player should roll 1d4 and compare it to the effect category to select a specific symptom of Horror. If a character fails a Horror save by 16+ points, he suffers Sanity Damage on a one for one basis for each point over 16 (i.e. failing a roll by 20 would result in 4 points of Sanity Damage).
Failure Results
Minor Effect: (1) Aversion, (2) Fearstruck, (3) Frozen, or (4) Nausea.
Major Effect: (1) Fascination, (2) Haunted, (3) Mental Shock, or (4) System Shock
Additional Failures: Some Horror effects have outburst durations that are measured in rounds. A character can carry only a single Horror effect at a time. If a subsequent failed Horror save indicates a result of equal or lesser severity, I will use another outburst of the existing effect. If a failed Horror save indicates a result of greater severity, the existing effect is removed and there is default to the greater one instead. Horror effects do not stack.
Recovering from Horror
Minor Horror effects last one week.
Moderate effects last two weeks.
Major effects last thirty days.
At the end of this duration, the character rolls a recovery check (a Horror save). Use the DC of the original Horror save with a -2 morale bonus, since time and distance heal all wounds. If the character succeeds at this check, the Horror effect is removed. If she fails, the Horror effect persists for another duration period. A character can retry failed Horror recovery checks each time she reaches the end of a duration period. The -2 DC modifier is cumulative with each attempt.
Numerous spells and magical effects (such as modify memory or remove fear) can also remove all Horror effects.
Hero Point Mechanics:
1) One permanent Hero Point may be used to avoid a final death scenario allowing a narrow cinematic escape,
2) One temporary Hero Point may be used if you are between -1 and -9 hit points to stabilize yourself to prevent further blood loss,
3) Temporary Hero Points may be expended to power Feats. These grant a lasting bonus for a one scene or one round duration depending on the feat description,
4) One temporary Hero Point grants a character a chance to supplement their d20 roll by 1d6 and add the result (whatever it was - no re-roll) to the d20 result,
5) No more than one Hero Point may be expended per round.
Optional rules mostly in the form of New Feats for Hero Points:
Arcane Surge (Prerequisites - Arcane Class) (Allows wielder to increase a spell DC by 3 for 1 round by expending a Hero Point),
Attune Item (Prerequisites - A Weapon of Legacy) (Allows wielder to expend one hero point to add +3 to attack and damage for the scene with chosen item),
Defensive Ward (Prerequisites - Dodge) (Allows wielder to expend one hero point to give yourself a +3 Luck bonus to AC for the scene),
Divine Surge (Prerequisites - Divine Class) (Allows wielder to increase a spell DC by 3 for 1 round by expending a Hero Point),
Heroic Feat (Prerequisites - None) (Any saving throw successfully made 10 points above an effects DC automatically allows the character to regain 1 used Hero Point),
Heroic Grace (Prerequisite - None) (Allows wielder to expend one hero point to add +1 to all saving throws or +3 to one saving throw for one scene),
Heroic Quickness (Prerequisites - Improved Initiative) (Allows wielder to expend one hero point to add +3 to Initiative checks),
Manifesting Surge (Prerequisites - Psionic Class) (Allows wielder to increase a powers save DC by 3 for 1 round by expending a Hero Point).
Chapter 1: Funeral for a Friend. What was supposed to be a visit for Dr. van Richten to assist with some dark and disturbing dreams he was having, the party arrives to discover that the good Doctor has just recently perished with a look of abject horror upon his face according to his daughter. To make matters worse, local townsfolk refuse to pallbear his casket to the local cemetery, the Restlands.
Armory Inventory (Prior to PC Selections).
Wooden stakes several made of pine and several of exotic types of wood. At least one full set of crossbow bolts with wooden instead of metal tips. Holy Symbols of many distinct Gods and Goddesses, all of good alignment. Two short swords made of cold iron. Two long swords made of pure silver. Seven distinct leather collars designed to wrap around the throat, each with the pungent scent of garlic. Three heavy duty crossbows. A strange device that has a metal pipe attached to a bag which appears to be made of the stomach of some sort of exotic animal.
Underneath the table are two chests.
There is a set of leather armor which you believe to belong to the Professor himself! As you approach you see that the armor hangs over a mannequin. The mannequin is adorned with many trinkets that he used to wear when "in the field" including: an amulet, a ring that looks like an odd blend of crimson and obsidian, another ring with etched symbols, and a swordbelt with his saber sheathed.
Hanging from the mannequin's belt is a small sack contained within is a small mirror, a healer's kit, a small mallet, and a small dagger.
Lab Inventory (Prior to PC Selections).
There are dozens of beakers and bottles though nothing that is currently brewing, there is enough equipment here to make just about anything. The ready made items are well organized and labeled: (4) sunrods, (5) potions of cure light wounds, (2) potions of lesser restoration, (8) vials listed as haunt siphons, (2) antitoxin vials, and (3) vials of holy water
A wooden case holds several scrolls, though it would require more than a cursory glance to determine their effects.
On the edge of the table is a thin darkwood case decorated with the image of a scarab with a single eye glaring from the back. The clasp is closed but not locked.
There are several tomes stacked on the side of the table nearest the door which appear to be instruction manuals for alchemical processes. One is in manuscript form and is in the Doctors handwriting.
Put her body on the bed.
Take a knife and lop her head.
Watch the blood come out the pipe.
Feeds the stirge, so nice and ripe.
Drops of red so sparkly bright.
Splatters spell her name just right.
With a hammer killed his wife.
Now he wants to claim your life.
Tricksy father tells a lie.
Listen close or you will die.
Her darkened soul blocks the light.
Stealing your voice gives her great delight.
Eight feet tall with teeth of steel.
Run away fast or you'll be his next meal.
Swollen neck and twisted head.
With his hands on your neck you'll soon be dead.
the Hateful Eight:
(i) the Lopper, birth name - Vance Dilisnya,
(ii) Piper of Illmarsh, birth name - Unknown,
(iii) Father Charlatan, real name - Sefick d’Honaire,
(iv) the Mosswater Marauder, real name - Ispin Hiregaard,
(v) Splatter Man, real name - Hean Boritsi,
(vi) Bonegnasher, real name - Tristan Mordenheim,
(vii) The Hanged Man, real name - Kristoff Godefrey, and
(viii) Soulcatcher, real name - Lucy Drakov.
the Lopper: The psychopath known as Vance Dilisnya stalked prey, by hiding in the most unlikely of places, sometimes for days upon end with only a few supplies to keep him going while he waited for the exact right moment to strike. Once his target was alone, the Lopper would emerge to savagely behead his victim with a handaxe.
It is believed that the Lopper was originally from Thrushmoor and that his predilection for murder originated from an encounter with the Briarstone Witch.
He was actually apprehended in Ravengro attempting to murder the Warden's wife. Initially he escaped but dropped his prized axe. He was able to commit one more murder with a knife, but the Cleric leading the Pharasman Church at the time, utilized his axe to locate him via magic in his hiding spot, under the Warden's House! He was arrested and sent to Harrowstone to await trial. There of course, he met a gruesome end during the riots.
the Piper of Ilmarsh: Little is known about the origins of the murderer known as the Piper, including is true name or where he originally resided from as even under enhanced interrogation techniques, he refused to answer questions. All the records can show about him are his crimes. He preferred to paralyze lone victims by dosing their meals with lich dust. While paralyzed and isolated, he would taunt his victims with a mournful dirge on his flute. There was indeed a masterwork tarnished silver flute among the items in the vault. The dirge would summon, instead of rats as some old folks tales claim, the Pipers haunting melodies summoned stirges who would drink the paralyzed victims dry of blood.
Father Charlatan: Of the Eight notorious prisoners, only Father Charlatan was not technically a murderer, yet his crimes were so blasphemous that several churches demanded he be punished to the full extent of Ustalavic law. Although he claimed to be an ordained priest of any number of faiths, Sefick d’Honaire was in fact a traveling con artist who used faith as a mask and a means to bilk the faithful out of money in payment for false miracles or cures. He became known as Father Charlatan after his scheme was exposed and his Sczarni accomplices murdered a half-dozen city guards in an attempt to make good the group’s escape.
He was not kept in the maximum security dungeon as he was not a murderer. His subtlety and Diplomacy almost got him a false release but as he was a compulsive liar who could not help but be deceitful, the Warden placed a muzzle on him so he could not speak with the Guards any longer. His ability to weave a complex believable story was perhaps his greatest power.
Mosswater Marauder: Only 5 years before his hometown of Mosswater was destined to be overrun and ruined by monsters from the nearby river, Ispin Hiregaard was a well-liked artisan and a doting husband. When he discovered his wife’s infidelity, he flew into a jealous rage and struck her dead with his hammer, shattering her skull and his sanity with one murderous blow.
Wracked with shame and guilt, Ispin became convinced that if he could rebuild his wife’s skull she would come back to life—but unfortunately, he could not find the last blade-shaped fragment from the murder site. So instead, Ispin became the Mosswater Marauder.
Over the course of several weeks, the cunning half-dwarf stalked and murdered nearly 20 people while searching for just the right skull fragment. He was captured just before murdering the daughter of a visiting nobleman from Varno, and was carted off to Harrowstone that same night.
Splatter Man: Professor Hean Boritsi was a celebrated scholar of Anthroponomastics (the study of personal names and their origins) at the Quartrefaux Archives in Caliphas. Yet an accidental association with a succubus twisted and warped his study, turning it into an obsession. Boritsi became obsessed with the power of a name and how he could use it to terrify and control.
Soon enough, his reputation was ruined, he’d lost his tenure, and he’d developed an uncontrollable obsession with an imaginary link between a person’s name and what happens to that name when the person dies. Every few days, he would secretly arrange for his victim to find a letter from her name written in blood, perhaps smeared on a wall or spelled out with carefully arranged entrails. Once he had spelled his victim’s name, he would at last come for her, killing her in a gory mess using a complex trap or series of rigged events meant to look like an accident.
A genius level intellect, his Wizardly powers made him a difficult villain to apprehend even when it was realized that he was the culprit.
Bonegnasher: The thing formerly known as Tristan Mordenheim was a man who believed in the fundamental evils of the flesh. He was an Artificer by trade but known as a fanatic amongst his peers of which there were few as his inventions were brilliant. He sought to remake himself purifying the impurity of his flesh.
His remake though was a failure that drove him mad. In his arrogance he transferred his psyche, or tried to transfer his psyche is a more appropriate explanation to a new body. The body though could not truly sustain human life it seemed and his giant golem like form had to be taken down with the assistance of a full cadre of Knights after a mass-murderous killing spree. Thereafter, those Knights all died from some sort of virulent plague, as if all who came into contact with him decayed. Quite the frightening effect, and locals sought to simply burn him and his new form alive, if what he could be called was alive!
Still, the law was clear that he be placed into custody even though he was no longer quite human. His new huge form was locked in the dungeon of Harrowstone as his colleagues sought to find a way to return his mind to his original body which he at least had the foresight to preserve. They believed that with a return to his body his sanity would return and he could be rehabilitated.
Based on what you are reading, he was imprisoned on collapsed side of the dungeons so that body is likely irretrievable...
It is not clear where his original body was being stored but it was believed to be at the University of Lepidstadt.
the Hanged Man: Kristoff Godefrey, the Hanged Man, originally from Ardis, was orphaned as a child due to the murder of his parents by Vampires. He grew up seeking vengeance upon the undead and honed his skills as a Vigilante Hangman who specialized in slaying the foul creatures via beheading. As his skills grew and his body count grew, he was convinced, the documents speculate by secret master vampires, to travel to either Caliphas or Castle Kronquist, there are alternative versions of the tale, to slay those secret Master Vampires whose death might destroy a legion of the bloodsuckers with a single kill.
Whatever happened on that journey went terribly wrong and Kristoff returned to Ardis hunting and killing mortals instead of the undead. He was eventually captured having utilized an alias, Simon Belmont, to create an entirely new identity as a decadent nobleman to hide during the day. Befitting his crimes he was to be sentenced to death by hanging from the neck until he died!
At his execution, he survived the hanging and with a hidden dagger, managed to cut himself down and flee before a horrified crowd, though he suffered a grievous wound wherein his neck was twisted and his spine bulged.
He continued a murderous rampage fleeing away from Ardis and was eventually caught by clergy of the Church of Pharasma who suspected that he was able to survive the hanging due to being turned into some sort of partially undead creature.
He was sent to Harrowstone to be confined until the priesthood could find the proper way to fully destroy him. It appears that a huge conflagration at the prison did the trick.
Soulcatcher: The true name of Soulcatcher is unknown. Research of her personal history indicates that she was born in Lastwall and served alongside the Knights of Ozem as a summoner. However, she was a natural Medium as well and expanded that talent as she grew in power.
It is not clear what happened, but in an expedition to with a team of Knights to Adorak she was possessed by a spirit and renamed herself Lucy Drakov. Thereafter, her behavior became erratic and she relocated from Lastwall to Ustalav.
While living in Ustalav, she crafted a jar that allowed her to aid in the housing of souls, her claim was that she could heal the sick with no risk of death with their soul housed in the jar.
Soon enough her claims were refuted by family members that claimed that she replaced loved ones with the souls of different spirits or creatures she summoned! What she did with the souls she stole was not explained in the documentation though there was intent to unlock her secrets through enhanced interrogation after her trial and conviction.
It appears that the fires stopped any further query into the matter.
Organizing the Doctors Library – Knowledge Checks:
Linguistics:
A few phrases are repeated in a few different places. However, the language is one that is not known to any of you. Still, as Van Richten felt strongly enough to repeat these phrases, you jot down notes in case you encounter the phrases once more.
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.
Y'ai 'ng'ngah, Yog-Sothoth h'ee - l'geb f'ai throdog uaaah.
Cahf ah nafl mglw'nafh hh' ahor syha'h ah'legeth, ng llll or'azath syha'hnahh n'ghftephai n'gha ahornah ah'mglw'nafh.
"Beware turor hnahr'luh".
Knowledge Arcana:
While Van Richten is not a Wizard or Sorcerer, he was always quite familiar with arcane magic and certainly prized such practitioners as allies for his cause.
You all find it quite odd then that he was seeking to develop a spell! Perhaps it was a ritual though. It is difficult to decipher how he intended to use it or whether he thought he could. He did name the arcana as the "Dreamlands Excursion Ritual".
Knowledge Geography:
Van Richten has over a dozen tomes which have no relevance to the mysteries and monsters he pursued. Most of the tomes have small maps, all such maps are of Ustalav at different time periods.
Written over the maps are redrawn lines with what appear to be names inserted within these lines. None of the names ring any bells, for most of you...
Barovia, Darkon, G'Henna, Lamordia, Mordent, Dementilieu, Nova Vassa, Richemulot.
Each land is in a different place each time, as if Van Richten is trying to put together a puzzle and each time he reassembles the puzzle it just does not appear to be the same. Some lines drawn on the map have no name written within.
In each iteration, new names are added. The only domain that appears in each iteration is Barovia. In the final an most recent map, next to the word Barovia is written the name Sergei with an exclamation point.
Knowledge History:
The oldest tomes in the collection are tomes on the history of Ustalav as well as Sarkoris (what was up until VERY recently known as the Worldwound), Lastwall, the Hold of Belkzen, and Numeria.
None of these tomes have any notes. All are relatively short and contain a great deal more conjecture than history as they are all seeking to explain what activities and people's populated the lands prior to the formation of these nations.
Knowledge Nobility:
Several tomes and scrolls were kept by Van Richten which discussed the lineages of the Noble families of Ustalav. The scrolls are almost always family "trees". At the top of each tree are a few names, none of which any of you recognize though one name is oddly similar to Ogres given name - von Zarovich.
Van Richten's notes include the following names, none of which are repeated in any of the tomes or on any of the family trees except were jotted down by the Doctor.
Dilisnya, Reniers, d’Honaire, Hiregaard, Boritsi, Mordenheim, and Godefrey.
There is a name that only appears once - Drakov.
Knowledge Planes:
Van Richten's tomes contain a few treatises about the Heavens and the Hells. The most interesting item that is categorized though is what appears to be a treatment for a manuscript. That manuscript, ever so briefly describes a dimension of dreams that the writer claims can be accessed. He further claims that travelers can be lost in this plane despite the fact that most who make such a journey do so [i]through[/] their dreams.
Scribbled on the back of that manuscript are two words, R'lyeh and Carcosa.
Knowledge Religion:
Van Richten's tomes here are sparse. Two appear to be works of fiction and only one seems to discuss any sort of religious practices realistically. The tomes mentions, in passing, the Cult of Zhakata. It gives very little description of this cult other than the fact that has the "God" of the cult has dual aspects: that of Devourer and that of Provider.
In the margin of these sparse notes Van Richten wrote: Great Old Ones? But nothing further.
Van Richten’s Magical Items:
Kendra spends some time identifying everything, when she is done she stretches, "Some of this my father collected over the years so you are welcome to keep it as his close friends. If you do seek to part with it though, finding it no longer useful perhaps, I would prefer to have it back ok?
The saber was gifted to my father by an elf named Platock, he said it came from his homeland, Sithicus, which he escaped years before. I always thought that was a dark elven realm but my father said Sithicus was form a whole other place, though he wasn't specific. Sergei, since you have no weapon you might want to hold it, in case you do encounter ghosts in the prison it will come in handy!
The amulet of anubis, is a useful one time trick against the dead too. Since Sterling is already a cleric Kenzo, you might want to use this. You're a monk and if you are that close to a ghost, it could well save you just when you need it!
Ogre, you're already wearing the ring and that makes sense, as a big burly type you will be at the front line and its mystic properties will ward you from death effects.
My father's etched symbols ring has defensive properties that are solid. Plus its grasping grave powers allow you to touch one undead foe and cut it off from the negative plane of energy temporarily. Probably useful for you Cole, with that blade, you'll be on the frontlines too.
Last is father's armor, it's magic so it will grow to the size of anyone who can use it... hmmmm, maybe Ogre, with NO armor you should take that and let Sterling have the crimson and obsidian ring, after all, what's more important than keeping the cleric alive right?!"
Teo's Research:
Teo headed back to Ravengro because of the second spirit calling out to the Party as if there was some familiarity, she thought that perhaps Van Richten's writing may have had something to do with... all of this.
Her search revealed the following:
In the Second Van Richten Journal Teo finds some answers, but the answers only lead to more questions. Teo's Barovian "alter ego" that the Doctor descrbed meeting is named Teofila Boritsi. Perhaps this explains why you were drawn to the spellbook of the Splatter Man, who's true name was Hean Boritsi.
If you were drawn to the book, were others drawn to the items they picked?
There is no mention of Zek. Though there is mention of the resident Gunslinger Alain O'Dim who's alter ego in the Journal is Alain d'Honaire. Father Charlatans true name was Sefick d’Honaire. Perhaps that is why Zek had the chains and seemed indifferent about wielding them, had Alain been with you in the prison would he have taken the holy symbols?
The other member of your group, Bastion. He too seemed indifferent about claiming any of the curse items, if you recall correctly, he wielded or does still wield, the Silver Flute of the Piper. In the battle, the Piper never called him out by name though. The Pipers name is not known or at least your group had yet to uncover it. Bastion's alter ego though causes you some confusion, Bastion Von Zarovich... but no such name is listed as a true name of any of the Hateful Eight.
You continue to draw a line between the family name of these twisted prisoners to your new comrades alter egos from the Journal.
The Lopper, Vance Dilisnya - is the name tied to Sergei, but the Doctor is clear that Sergei houses the soul of a Dilisnya descendant. As you all noted in the last pass, Sergei was not quite like the rest of you, the Doctor believed he was some sort of escapee from this Dreamland he called Barovia. He gives no alter ego name to Sergei but it was clear that Sergei was attracted to the Lopper's weapon of choice.
A pattern does emerge though:
The Hanged Man, real name - Kristoff Godefrey - Kenzo Godefrey, Kenzo picked up the Frayed Rope.
Bonegnasher, real name - Tristan Mordenheim, Sterling Mordenheim. Sterling picked up the Scarab Vial.
Soulcatcher, real name - Lucy Drakov, Zyblina Drakov. Zyblina picked up the Spider’s Web decorated Jar.
the Mosswater Marauder, real name - Ispin Hiregaard, Cole Hiregaard. Cole picked up the Masterwork Smith’s Hammer. You have to chuckle a bit at this, can a Half-Orc be a descendant of a Dwarf!
It tied together, but yet it doesn't. Is this just some sort of fever dream of Van Richten's that he made manifest? Could these all just be coincidences?
She dug further on Barovia specifically finding
Barovia appears to be a place not that much different in environment from Ustalav. The lands are shrouded in darkness and fog. The weather is temperate if a bit rainy. The land is covered in temperate forests, hills, and Mountains.
Most if not all of the inhabitants are Humans.
It has three major settlements; Krezk a fortified village dominated by a place called the Abbey of Saint Markovia; Vallaki a small town dominated by Baron Vargas Vallakovich who seems overly eager to be pleasant; and the Village of Barovia itself run by Burgomaster Kolyan Indirovich who oversees the people for the true master of the land. Van Richten names the Lord of the land as Count Strahd Von Zarovich, a wealthy Nobleman, the Eleventh in his line, who dwells in Castle Ravenloft. He is a recluse and is rarely seen.
He believes that the alter -ego Bastion may be a distant relative of this Count but has not confirmed it.
Oddly, the Doctor names his own home as a place called Darkon. However, he spends a great deal of time in Barovia as the secret police of Darkon, the Kargatane, frown upon "adventuring" even when or seemingly especially when, it benefits mundane citizens.
As you have time and can dig in further than the sloppy first reading of the journals, Van Richten does name some of the other lands in which he operated, Forlorn, Kartakass, Dementlieu, Lamordia, Richemulot, Mordent, and Falkovnia.
Unlike Ustalav, there is very little religion practiced and even fewer purveyors of magic. Those who do practice religion claim that their conduit to their Gods is weak. Those who practice Wizardry claim that the land itself plays havoc with spells from time to time.
This led Teo to go back through the journals once more for cross referencing.
Teo realized that the Doctor had been traveling to this Barovia in his dreams, or at least, so he claimed. Rifling through his scrolls and notes that the group organized you recall that he also had begun trying to create a ritual, the "Dreamlands Excursion Ritual" though he wasn't sure he could actually use it or that it would work.
He considered Barovia a dreamworld. He also believed that Sergei may well have been an escapee from Barovia! His dreams made manifest, which is why he was so keen to have the prison that held Sergei release him to Van Richten's supervision. Unfortunately, by the time he was released and arrived in Ravengro, the Doctor was already dead.
You shuffle through his notes and scrolls once more and realize that he did indeed create a number of "family trees", which initially none of you had seen in his Journals, after all, no one sat down and read them as thoroughly as you just did plus the names would not have jumped out at the reader the same way they did now that you have the knowledge of the names of the Hateful Eight.
Then it hits you, the Doctor never knew what the rest of you know about the Hateful Eight. Certainly he found the prison an oddity to be studied but he never knew that the Family names of the Hateful Eight had direct analogs to the names in his journals!
Teo then went to discuss with Kendra if she had ever head of any of this.
Kendra has sheepish look on her face and Kendra explains to all of you, presently, "I had heard some of the Family Names before. I decided to intervene for his own sanity. I did what I did because it had to be done. Father was getting obsessive about his dreams so when the book he requested from Forae Logos Library in Absalom arrived, I hid it.
I replaced the note with a note that the Tome he was seeking was either lost or stolen. I thought that would help him ease into retirement to write his Guides and leave his dreams where they belonged, in his bedroom.
I still had the book so I dug it out from under my bed and gave it to Teo yesterday".
Teo explains the salient points of that rare, perhaps one of a kind, tome:
The tome is written in Taldane by a historian of the University of Lepidstadt during its foundational years, 4422 - 4430. The author is not named.
The tome presents a history of a small kingdom in Ustalav before Ustalav was formed, in fact, during and after the rise and fall of Tar Baphon. Taldan aristocracy formed a Barony whose royal bloodline fought against the forces of the Whispering Tyrant and thrived thereafter into the Age of Enthronement when at some point it disappeared in it's entirety!
It is not clear whether the dynasty was laid low by the Orcs of Belkzen, the Varisians, or the Kellids, or perhaps the remnants of the Undead that served the Whispering Tyrant. What is clear is that it vanished so thoroughly that no written account can be found of its existence, or at least until this work was created.
The author of this tome collected the history of the Barony, Barovia, from Varisians. The Varisians claimed that some of their ilk had even traveled to Barovia during the current time period in which the tome was penned. The author attempted to locate Varisians that had traveled to this land but the author was never able to speak with the specific tribe that was rumored to have the ability, the Vistani.
The idea of an ancient kingdom of pre-Ustalavan origin that was lost in the "mists of time" was what captivated the author enough to put quill to parchment.
The Barony at one time was comprised of aristocrats who were paragons of virtue but became decadent over the years.
One theory is that the Castle which served as the center of power, which was claimed not built by the line of the Baron, was itself cursed having been a stronghold of Zutha, the Runelord of Gluttony. Whether true or not, this Castle Ravenloft was the lynchpin of the Barony and no matter how far it contracted over the decades or perhaps centuries, it never contracted farther than the environs of the Castle.
Another theory is that the Empire of Taldan itself became disconnected and thus the local aristocrats were left to their worst natures and no prompting from the evils of Zutha or Tar Baphon were needed for the wealthy to slide down this slippery slope.
The Barons bloodline was Von Zarovich, no rumors of corruption are attributed to this line.
The aristocrats though each had a penchant for some ill foible or another. The Dilisnya were rumored to be obsessed with Blood. The Reniers with filth and vermin. The d’Honaire were master manipulators. The Hiregaard tended to madness. The Boritsi favored poison as a method of vengeance. Mordenheim were tinkers who sought to create life itself so perhaps their sin was hubris. Finally, the Godefrey obsessed with spirits and the dead.
There were rumors of an eight aristocratic family but their origins were from outside of the Taldane Empire claiming to have been from another world entirely. Their initial relocation to Barovia was the first mention of the "mists" in the stories that the author had memorialized and he speculates that perhaps this new family may have triggered a war of succession with the leading bloodline of Von Zarovich. However, as there are no stories of how or why Barovia and its Castle Ravenloft vanished without a trace it is pure conjecture and the author states so quite clearly.
Teo then decided to go to town hall to see if anything there could help shed light on any of this.
But, a cursory search of the town archives already organized by the Party doesn't reveal much to Teo. The Hateful Eight seemed to be from all over Ustalav, they ended up here due to their crimes and due to the fact that Harowstone was designed to handle to the worst of the worst of criminals.
It's clear that the Doctor would have made connections of the Family names of the spirits to the Family names of the Party's "other selves" had he known about them.
To see IF the town archives would reveal more about these Family names Teo would have to dig into boxes that were not fully organized and it's getting late.
