Welcome, to the curse of Strahd campaign.

Players will start in different parts of the world, and I plan on it taking a little while before characters actually reach Barovia. (Ignore that unless you have played CoS before.)

Some ground rules/info, this campaign will occasionally switch between turn based, and free for all.
I will let players no when that happens. I will also let you know if we need to halt a specific players progress until the others catch up.

This post is susceptible to changes.

Unfortunately, I'll have to hold off on Echo, Oberon and mister_whisker, just because whey are a little further along storywise then Vitus and Culuril. Presumably, people will start meeting up pretty swiftly. Alright, let's get started.

@Fiselius
Most of your life has been a repeat day after day, week after week.
6 days a week, you would wake at the break of dawn with your father and go work in the family store. Midmorning, your mother would arive with a breakfast of oats and hunny, and a lunch of bread and soup. Two days a week, you would take off the afternoon to go to a small school, where you and two or three friends would sneak off to try and study magic.
As years went by, it was discovered by both you and your teachers that you were actually pretty good with magic. Since the family business had grown incredibly profitable, your parents could afford to send you to Copernellis School for Aspiring Magicians. It was still a smallish school, and they were teaching kinda basic stuff, but it was better then nothing. Pretty quickly however, you out skilled even some of the teachers, forcing you to leave since there was nothing more to learn. For the next few years, you bought every single book on spellcasting you could find. But as your powers grew stronger, all but taking over you life, and your parents grew older, the shop started to decay, until at last three of your biggest clients stopped buying.
It didn't take long for your families funds to almost completely disappear. Now your parents could hardly afford their own costs, much less the costs of a growing wizard, who constantly seemed to need more and more equipment.
That was when you got an invitation letter from the Stellut Wizards Association. You had never heard of them before, but decided to see what they were all about. They sent the name of a town where you should meet them, and also the name oof a specific tavern. the towns name is Draurk, and the tavern is the Otter and the Dragonfly Tavern. You followed the directions in the letter, and finally reached the town. Upon asking locals for the location of the tavern, you have discovered that no such place exists.

@Dacyne
(pardon if I mess things up here.)
After becoming a priestess of Sehanine, you rose swiftly in the favour of your superiors, earning you missions of evangelisation that had always been reserved for the truly talented. Now you were on a mission to visit a foreign lord by the name of Strahd von Zarovich, who ruled in the land of Barovia. You didn't know anything about this Strahd figure, and neither did your friends in the priestesshood. This mission was said too be sanctioned by a god of law, though no one would tell you which god it was, except that it wasn't Sehanine. Also, no one would tell you who recieved the message/vision. All they told you was to go to a specific town and tavern. The towns name is Draurk, and the tavern is the Otter and the Dragonfly Tavern. You followed the directions given, and finally reached the town. Upon asking locals for the location of the tavern, you have discovered that no such place exists.

[[
For Fiselius, know I definitely gave the very brief overview in the PM. But see him older rather than younger. (Old enough to have great-grandchildren, ~187 years old. A grandfatherly personality, loves to talk about the family.) So having taken some time running the business himself prior to it failing. Sorry, know what I gave was sparse on details. I do like your ideas with his parents funding wizard-school ideas a lot. And the Stellut Wizard Association is a delightful way of going into wizardry as a source of income vs just a field of study.
]]

Fiselius furrows his eyebrows. They don't know about it, eh? He strokes his beard and wanders over to a nearby tree to sit in its shade while he thinks, calling his familiar for companionship. "What do you think?" he asks his owl, trying to think aloud, "The Stellut Wizard Association sends an invite. But then no one knows anything about them. Weird eh?" He thinks of back home. Becoming an adventurer was a way to make money and keep a roof overhead. But he sure did miss them. After a moment of thinking his eyes light up, "How could I miss it? A wizard society. Magic is the answer." He turns to his owl, "Keep a lookup while I'm casting." and starts chanting to cast detect magic as a ritual. He starts walking around town trying to find any traces of magic to investigate. As he goes he mutters to himself, "Otter and Dragonfly, where are you?" in cheery voice, as if playing a game.

//not sure which skill, so rolling three that could be relevant
Perception: 10+2 = 12
Investigation: 18+6 = 24
Arcana: 10+6 = 16

Dacyne had thought it odd that the handful of people she had spoken with initially had never heard of the Otter and Dragonfly.  'Are they just not willing to tell me?' she wonders as she continues to wander down the street.  She had even resorted to going into other obvious taverns - ones with signs that made them obviously not the right place. While everyone had been outwardly polite, she couldn't help but feel many were looking at her with derision. 

After some time wandering the town, she had come to a place with a bench where she could sit, which she did.  Collecting her thoughts, she quietly uttered a brief prayer. "Sehanine, Lady of Dreams, it is your will that has brought me here on this task. Guide me now. Let me see where my path should take me."  Letter her divine magic flow within, she tries to use her goddess's blessing to lead her.  (Casting Guidance) She stands and starts moving again through Draurk, this time looking carefully for anything that might inform her of her path. (Perception w/Guidance: 24 + 3 = 27)

@Fiselius
As you wander around, looking for any sign of magic, you realise that you constantly seem to come across the same exact house. Upon closer investigation, you see that it is covered in a slight greenish blue sheen, that you probably wouldn't notice if you hadn't spent your entire life studying magic. You aren't sure what it does, but you can tell that it most likely won't hurt you upon contact. As you approach, you here a slight ringing in your ears, that get's louder with every step closer to the building. When you walk through, the ringing disappears with a loud POP! also, the entire building transforms from your average town house into a well kept, newly painted tavern with a large colourful sign depicting an otter and a dragonfly.
As you reach for the door, you can tell that this entire place is just chock full of magic. Upon opening the door, you are surprised to see that the building is at least 3 times bigger on the inside. It's pretty much a mini palace, with marble, balconies, nice tables with fancy chairs, a stair case that doesn't look like it'll fall apart on upon contact, and a bartender that is actually well dressed. As you walk further into the building, you are startled when the air in front of you seems to just open up, to reveal an image of a darkly dressed female elf, with long black hair sitting on a bench, looking utterly defeated. You are then surprised again when she notices you, and half stands up in a startled way, clearly very confused.

@Dacyne
After looking around the entire town, you find nothing of interest, except 17 silver someone left in a pouch in the middle of the street, which you decided to keep. Eventually, you all but admit defeat, and find the nearest bench to sit down. After sitting there for about 15 minutes, thinking on your next move, you are surprised to see a gnome standing in the middle of the street, looking just as surprised as you are. After the initial shock has worn off, you notice that he is actually in an entire different place then you, probably using some kind of magic to open a portal.

Fiselius chuckles in delight when finding the tavern. "Excellent. We found it." he says to his familiar. He gazes at things, ready to head to the bar when he sees the elf and pauses. He calls out, "Are... are you part of the tavern's staff? I was supposed to meet here with the Stellut Wizards Society."

[[ Thanks for the heads up. And hope the not-awesome stuff you're dealing with goes as best it can. ]]

"Tavern's staff? No!" Dacyne replies to Fiselius, a little unhappy that the gnome has taken her for a tavern server. She has already stood up and moved towards this seeming portal in the middle of the street. As she gets close, she's about to reproach the man, before realizing he said 'tavern'.  "Wait! What tavern is that? I've been looking for the Otter and Dragonfly. I know nothing of the Stellut Wizards Society. I'm from the Everdusk Hall." She says the last as though she expects everyone would know what that is. 

History: 20+4 //same mod for religion
//for if Fiselius knows what Everdusk Hall is

[[ Figure I'll let you say how well that would be for knowing what it is since that your backstory. ]]

[[ With 24 I'm going to assume he has at least some knowledge of it. ]]

"Ah the Everdusk Hall." he says, "A fine institution." He gestures to the mansion around, "Sign did say Otter and Dragonfly." He looks at the elf again before it hits him, "Ah, but you can't see what I'm seeing can you. Let's see if we can get your in here." He extends his staff and says, "Grab on let's see if you can walk in now."

(OOC - Given the roll, I would presume that Fiselius definitely knows!  Everdusk Hall is a temple to elvish dieties in Silverymoon. It is a part of the Conclave of Silverymoon - basically a University.  It includes a very large library - the Vault of Sages - and schools of wizardry, sorcery, and for bards.) 

Dacyne steps up closer, still closely inspecting the apparent magical portal. Hesitantly she grabs Fiselius' hand as he offers it. "Let's see what happens." 

"So, Dacyne, seems you're in now." says Fiselius with a smile. "Shall we sit together while we wait?" He turns to the bartender and says, "Have you heard any word from the Stellut Wizard's Society? I was supposed to meet them here." He finds a nearby chair and creates a glowing stepladder to climb up into his chosen seat and then gestures to Dacyne to join him.

Minor Conjuration: create the stepladder

Dacyne spins slowly around, taking in the tavern that she has suddenly arrived in. She looks at Fiselius, taking a small step back. "This is the Otter and Dragonfly?" She shakes her head at his questions, not quite sure what she's gotten herself into. "I told you, I've never heard of the Stellut Wizard's Society." She hesitates, then adds. "I am looking for Lord Strahd von Zarovich. I was told to come here." 

As the gnome beckons her over, she holds her ground. "What business do you have with this Wizard's Society?" she asks. It's at this moment she realizes she isn't quite sure if she were to meet this Strahd here or someone here might lead her to him. She starts to scan the crowd, looking for some sign of someone that might be a lord. Or a lord's representative.  Or failing that, someone who is running this place. (Perception: 18) 

Fiselius gives Dacyne an odd look as she seems perturbed by his question to the bartender. Perhaps the trip through the portal had been a little disorienting? When she asks about the Stellut Wizard's Society he replies, "I'd never heard of the Stellut Wizards Society either." he chuckles and lights up a pipe, offering a puff if she wants. "Figured they were worth checking out. Maybe they'll have connections that can bring in some income for the family. I love the wife and kids plus the grandkids and great-grandkids, but it's a lot of mouths to feed and every bit helps."

He listens to what she says. "Lord Strahd von Zarovicvh? The name is quite a mouthful." says Fiselius vondus Yaralogus. "Perhaps a possible donor to Everdusk Hall? This establishment does seem like the type where you could woo a potential patron."

Dacyne again glances around. "Perhaps you are right about this place. But it was a mission bestowed on me by my order. And my instructions were to come here. So..."  She realizes she is still standing several paces away from Fiselius as he sits at the table. She keeps a wary eye on him, but finally seems to decide to come and sit with him. 

After the barkeeper responds to Fiselius' question, she asks, "Have you by chance heard of Lord Strahd von Zarovich?" 

The barkeeper gives a little nod to show he heard Fiselius and runs off. After a minute he comes back and asks you to repeat the question, which is when you come to the unfortunate realisation that clearly the entire wizard association was some kind of hoax.
When asked about Strahd von Zarovich, the barkeeper says that the name rings a bell, but all he can remember is that this fella doesn't have a great reputation.
[With perception 18, Daycne sees a few men in the tavern that are a little better dressed than the others, but in general, everyone here has a slightly royal air about them, and/or holds themselves very nobly. There are again several that stand out. they are all human, and bunched up around a centre table, clearly not caring about how much noise or mess they make. They are all dressed alike, with bright reds and blues, and thick white sashes over their right shoulder.]

Well this tavern was hidden and dismissed by the villagers, reasons Fiselius. Perhaps the Stelluts are hiding behind an additional layer. After hearing of Strahd's reputation he turns to Dacyne, "Seems we've both been hoodwinked to some degree. Perhaps some common threads tie us together? I'd like investigate if you do." He finishes his drink and heads back to the floor. "See any leads to start out?"

"Hoodwinked? I suppose, though I feel rather confident my order would not have given me this assignment if there was not some purpose in it."  Dacyne continues to glance around the place, then nods her head over to the group dressed in reds and blues. "Those seem to be nobles. Perhaps I should ask them about the man I'm looking for." She starts to stand, ready to proceed over.