"Yes, it is on the way to the ally, let's head that direction," Ubly responds and then hops back into the wagon.

"Wait? Argynvostholt? That's where we're headed?" Bral asks. "Isn't that where Lord soth was headed to?"

"The 'dead river' is where Madam Eva said we would find knowledge that would help us better understand our enemy. Research has always made the most sense to me, before undertaking a task. But I see the sense in finding an ally too - these lands have already proved to be dangerous. I say we choose one of those two destinations. The artifacts that will help us defeat Strahd can wait. But..." she hesitates for a moment. "I am the least experienced. I will follow your lead." At this she glances at Bral.

OOC: Clarification, Eva said, I see a dead village, drowned by a river, ruled by one who has brought great evil into the world." We'll retcon that into what Estelle said. 

Thorn raises a finger. "Yes, Soth was heading to Argynvostholt. As for the ally, we'd have to go west, but since we're on the road it'd be safer travel and I reckon I can get us there quick, but the dead village drowned by a river. That means ..."

Rose nods. "It means we might have to confront her. Baba Lysaga." 

Bral raises an eyebrow at the mention of Baby Lysaga, "Who is that then?"

Rose and Thorn turn to each other. Thorn takes out a flask and swigs it. "Baba Lysaga is a powerful spellcaster, and she was a midwife to Strahd's mother. She saw a spark of darkness in the boy and developed an unhealthy attachment to him. She cast protective spells on him and steered him toward magic. Strahd's mother Ravenovia banished Lysaga from the castle, but Lysaga continued to make sacrifices to Mother Night to aid him. She believes that she's Strahd's true mother and will do anything to keep her 'son' safe."

Rose adds," She has many magics at her disposal, including a hut that creeps around the marshes. If we mean to confront her, we'll need help." 

"Well, okay," Bral responds. "That certainly does change things. I'm not exactly one for fighting powerful spellcasters.

Perhaps it is best that we go seek some help first. Although, perhaps Lord Soth could be convinced to help us?"

Baudric nods, "I hadn't considered Lord Soth heading to the same location we're headed. If there's something there, we probably should head there first and claim it before he solidifies his hold on the region. And like Bral said, we might be able to offer him some aid in establishing his hold in exchange for his assistance."

Ubly says, "Yes, let us be off then."

"So we're going to go down by Lunar River to this Argynvostholt claim whatever we need there, then head west to meet this ally. After that we return to Lunar River to face this Baba Lysaga?" Bral checks that is the plan.

Estelle nods.

(DM - about what time of day is it in game?)

“Sounds good,” Amelia agrees.

OOC: It's about 10-11 a.m. 

Rose and Thorn get on the wagon. "Everyone else get in, we'll get to Argynvostholt."

As they carry on in the wagon, Estelle says to Amelia, "How do you do that? Make your blades appear and disappear, I mean. It must be terribly convenient..." She shifts her shield and mace into a more comfortable position.

Baudric nods his agreement to the plan and does his best to keep an eye out on the surrounding area.

Perception: 21

Amelia turns to face the human. "You mean like this?" She summons a blade for a brief moment before letting it disappear again. "They're made of psychic energy. I basically will them into existence with psionics, so I can will them out just as quickly. It's a...power I have. Among others."

You make it to Argynvostholt without incident. 

High above the river valley juts a quiet promontory upon which looms a sepulchral mansion, its turrets capped with fairytale cones, its towers lined with sculpted battlements. A third of the structure has collapsed, as has part of the roof, but the rest appears intact. A dark, octagonal tower rises above the surrounding architecture.

Out of the fog comes a distant peal of thunder, quickly accompanied by the howling of wolves in the woods below, but the house stands silent, seeming like the fossilized remains of some long-dead thing smote upon the mountainside.

You also notice a figure near the manor. It's not Lord Soth, but someone different - a pale-skinned man wearing fine clothes and riding a black horse. 

As the carriage stops, Rose goes for her bow. "Strahd!"

Strahd smiles and nods at the riders. "Ah, the Durst children, so good to see you. But if you're here, who's guarding Hades?"

A moment of silence passes as Strahd observes the carriage," Ah, this must be the chosen sent here to stop me. Very well, everyone come outside and let me get a look at you." 

Ubly makes their way out of the wagon and moves up towards the siblings. At the sight of Strahd, they make a grand bow and say, "I have heard that you are the lord of these lands. How gracious of you to greet us! To what do we owe the honor of this meeting?"

Bral jumps down from the wagon, his crossbow in his hand already loaded with a bolt. He aims it carefully at Strahd.

"So you're the lord of these lands?"

He takes a step over to Ubly and in a quiet voice he says, "Stand up, don't take your eyes of him."

Then in a louder voice he says, "I'm going to take it that you believe yourself unkillable?"

Strahd's eyes go back and forth between Bral and Ubly. He bows to Ubly and raises his eyes toward Bral. "This is usually the range of greetings I get from newcomers to my land. I don't consider myself killable. I've died many times and come back. It's just I'm not easy to kill, especially for folks like yourselves. As for why I'm here, a little bird told me that Lord Soth has taken up residence in Argynvostholt. I'm simply here to greet him, though he's likely busy with the denizens in that old mansion."