“It makes you wonder why the Baron wanted Izek in the guard to begin with. Perhaps it’s because it is not Izek, but the Baron who wants Rictavio gone. That arm… I’m sure there’s a link to his behavior in it. If Izek is cursed or even been through mutation, the arm is only a visible sign of it, but may not be the only effect. His mind as well may be troubled by it. I would be curious to note its source.”
”We could start by investigating this with the Baron, or with Izek, or the guard captain. Or we could just look for the people we’re meant to meet. But that seems boring. Surely we’ll bump into them in our own time.”
You spend the next number of minutes searching through any areas in and around the wagon where items may be held, you are able to locate the following;
Under the wagon's seat, you find a small sack of gems containing;
5 x Azurite (8 gp/ea)
3 x Blue Quartz (10 gp/ea)
2 x Moss Agate (10 gp/ea)
1 x Jasper (50 gp/ea)
1 x Peridot (70 gp/ea)
Inside the wagon, within a hidden compartment, you find a large sack of coins totalling 210 gp
On Radu himself, you find a pouch containing minor coinage (4 gp, 10 sp, and 4 cp) and a hand-scrawled note;
To my most snivelling of servants,
Rahadin has informed my of the assistance you recently provided in spying on the recent visitors to my land. That the reincarnation of my beloved Tatyana should travel with them is most fortuitous. I have already set plans in motion to remove her false family permanently from this land.
Your task, most pathetic Radu, is simple. My spies inform me that a plan is being hatched to remove me from mine throne. You are to travel to a place I cannot reach, the 'Carnival', collect whatever resistance Isolde has summoned to help her, and bring them to me. The attempts the young pretender makes against me are becoming tiresome. Perhaps those she has summon may, with the correct motivation, be prepared to turn coat and end that particular problem once and for all.
Do this and you shall be rewarded, fail and you shall become Ravenloft's next court jester.
You vaguely recall hearing The Morninglord ((just checked and it's all one word, apologies)) referenced before and believe it to be a benevolent deity. You are sure it was commonly known by another name, but cannot quite recall what that was.
"Looks like we'll be somewhat funded as we start out here..." Dadeveth says, showing the items she found to the others. "If you are ok with it, I'll carry this until we get somewhere we can split it up." She packs the items into her saddlebags, ready to get away from this wagon.
Cerio watches Dadeveth pack up the valuables with eyes like saucers.
"Remember what Isolde said. Arasek Stockyard in Vallaki. Once we get settled there we can do what we want. At least that ways we'll have a bed t'sleep in, 'n maybe a bite t'eat. Ya'll ready to head in ta town?"
You follow the Old Svalich road westwards, leaving Radu and the wagon behind, it meanders into a valley watched over by dark, brooding mountains to the north and south. The woods recede, revealing a sullen mountain burg surrounded by a wooden palisade. Thick fog presses up against this wall, as though looking for a way inside.
A large gate tower sits within the town's wall, outside it a member of the town guard stands, nervously holding a torch. You can make out what appear to be two more town guard archers, high up in the tower, looking over the entrance to the town. "H-h-halt,"the guard stutters,"who goes there?!". A raven caws loudly overhead, as though announcing your presence.
"Simple travelers." Dadeveth calls as she moves forward towards the gate. She keeps her hands visible and empty as she moves forward. "We had some trouble on the road and the guards we met sent us on to the town."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Just travelers..." Cerio thinks about what the guard had said "...from th' mists. Just lookin' for a rest 'afore we's on our ways. Gosh, m'feet's sore!"
You notice the guards face instantly ease. "Oh, uh, welcome to Vallaki," he mumbles,"'fraid you couldn'ta picked a worse time for it. 'alf the guard jus' left, on the tracks of a murderermos' foul."
"Bes' y' get inside sir,"the guard quickly adds, "y'll be safe inside Vallaki. If y'keep on the main road y'll come to the Blue Water Inn. Y'can res' your feet there."
((Almost time to meet up with the main campaign! I shall add you all to the campaign OOC thread & PM invites to the DnDB campaign!))
"Thank you." Dadeveth says with a bow of her human torso. She would clomp her way inside the gate once it is opened for them, then follow the road to the inn mentioned.
Following the guard's advice, you enter the town of Vallaki. The evening has started to set in now and the scant daylight making it through the mists is failing, replaced by darkness save the occasional street lamp.
As you wander the streets of Vallaki, it strikes you that there are not many townsfolk around town, most seem to be locked up tightly in their homes. You find your way to what must be the town square. In the streetlight you can make out all manner of decorations; limp, tattered garlands and painted wooden boxes filled with tiny, dead flowers. Rather than appear welcoming, the decorations seem cold and thrown together. A row of stocks stands in the north end of the square, they are currently vacant.
You see a number of posters hastily placed on a nearby town board;
"Come One, Come All!
To the greatest celebration of the year!
WOLF’S HEAD JAMBOREE!
Town Square
Attendance and children required. Rain or Shine.
ALL WILL BE WELL.
The Baron"
You hear voices then, from the south of the square, followed by heavy footfall. "Do we really think Izek will see reason, or should we be prepared for more," the voice is a woman's, it sounds noble and earnest. "Have hope my dear Wren, people follow Izek out of fear, take that fear away and his support collapses." the second voice belongs to a man, it also has a noble air, as well as sounding confident and determined.
It is then you happen upon perhaps the oddest sight you have seen since entering Barovia. A group of travellers, for they certainly do not look like locals, enter the square; battered and worn out, it looks like they have seen better days.
They total 5. Leading them is a hulking metal man, standing 6 and a half feet tall, his eyes glow red. He is followed by two people in masks; a giant robed man (7' tall) wearing a raven mask and a smaller woman wearing a wren mask, their clothing, bright and colourful, marks them as Vistani, possibly Skurra. Behind them stand two others; a man in dark clothing, clearly not wanting to draw attention to himself, and a man in fanciful, expensive clothing, definitely attempting to draw attention to himself ((see spoiler below)).
Their eyes meet yours as they enter the town square.
((Continued on in the Official Campaign thread for The Call of Strahd- LINK))
Dallid looks up periodically.
“It makes you wonder why the Baron wanted Izek in the guard to begin with. Perhaps it’s because it is not Izek, but the Baron who wants Rictavio gone. That arm… I’m sure there’s a link to his behavior in it. If Izek is cursed or even been through mutation, the arm is only a visible sign of it, but may not be the only effect. His mind as well may be troubled by it. I would be curious to note its source.”
”We could start by investigating this with the Baron, or with Izek, or the guard captain. Or we could just look for the people we’re meant to meet. But that seems boring. Surely we’ll bump into them in our own time.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
Dadeveth's Investigation check:
You spend the next number of minutes searching through any areas in and around the wagon where items may be held, you are able to locate the following;
Dadeveth's Religion check:
You vaguely recall hearing The Morninglord ((just checked and it's all one word, apologies)) referenced before and believe it to be a benevolent deity. You are sure it was commonly known by another name, but cannot quite recall what that was.
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
"Looks like we'll be somewhat funded as we start out here..." Dadeveth says, showing the items she found to the others. "If you are ok with it, I'll carry this until we get somewhere we can split it up." She packs the items into her saddlebags, ready to get away from this wagon.
Dallid nods. “This place… surprisingly dynamic for a cage. A preserve. A place of very distinct limits.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
Cerio watches Dadeveth pack up the valuables with eyes like saucers.
"Remember what Isolde said. Arasek Stockyard in Vallaki. Once we get settled there we can do what we want. At least that ways we'll have a bed t'sleep in, 'n maybe a bite t'eat. Ya'll ready to head in ta town?"
You follow the Old Svalich road westwards, leaving Radu and the wagon behind, it meanders into a valley watched over by dark, brooding mountains to the north and south. The woods recede, revealing a sullen mountain burg surrounded by a wooden palisade. Thick fog presses up against this wall, as though looking for a way inside.
A large gate tower sits within the town's wall, outside it a member of the town guard stands, nervously holding a torch. You can make out what appear to be two more town guard archers, high up in the tower, looking over the entrance to the town. "H-h-halt," the guard stutters, "who goes there?!". A raven caws loudly overhead, as though announcing your presence.
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
"Simple travelers." Dadeveth calls as she moves forward towards the gate. She keeps her hands visible and empty as she moves forward. "We had some trouble on the road and the guards we met sent us on to the town."
"Just travelers..." Cerio thinks about what the guard had said "...from th' mists. Just lookin' for a rest 'afore we's on our ways. Gosh, m'feet's sore!"
Persuasion: 15
You notice the guards face instantly ease. "Oh, uh, welcome to Vallaki," he mumbles, "'fraid you couldn'ta picked a worse time for it. 'alf the guard jus' left, on the tracks of a murderer mos' foul."
"Bes' y' get inside sir," the guard quickly adds, "y'll be safe inside Vallaki. If y'keep on the main road y'll come to the Blue Water Inn. Y'can res' your feet there."
((Almost time to meet up with the main campaign! I shall add you all to the campaign OOC thread & PM invites to the DnDB campaign!))
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
"Thank you." Dadeveth says with a bow of her human torso. She would clomp her way inside the gate once it is opened for them, then follow the road to the inn mentioned.
Following the guard's advice, you enter the town of Vallaki. The evening has started to set in now and the scant daylight making it through the mists is failing, replaced by darkness save the occasional street lamp.
As you wander the streets of Vallaki, it strikes you that there are not many townsfolk around town, most seem to be locked up tightly in their homes. You find your way to what must be the town square. In the streetlight you can make out all manner of decorations; limp, tattered garlands and painted wooden boxes filled with tiny, dead flowers. Rather than appear welcoming, the decorations seem cold and thrown together. A row of stocks stands in the north end of the square, they are currently vacant.
You see a number of posters hastily placed on a nearby town board;
"Come One, Come All!
To the greatest celebration of the year!
WOLF’S HEAD JAMBOREE!
Town Square
Attendance and children required. Rain or Shine.
ALL WILL BE WELL.
The Baron"
You hear voices then, from the south of the square, followed by heavy footfall. "Do we really think Izek will see reason, or should we be prepared for more," the voice is a woman's, it sounds noble and earnest. "Have hope my dear Wren, people follow Izek out of fear, take that fear away and his support collapses." the second voice belongs to a man, it also has a noble air, as well as sounding confident and determined.
It is then you happen upon perhaps the oddest sight you have seen since entering Barovia. A group of travellers, for they certainly do not look like locals, enter the square; battered and worn out, it looks like they have seen better days.
They total 5. Leading them is a hulking metal man, standing 6 and a half feet tall, his eyes glow red. He is followed by two people in masks; a giant robed man (7' tall) wearing a raven mask and a smaller woman wearing a wren mask, their clothing, bright and colourful, marks them as Vistani, possibly Skurra. Behind them stand two others; a man in dark clothing, clearly not wanting to draw attention to himself, and a man in fanciful, expensive clothing, definitely attempting to draw attention to himself ((see spoiler below)).
Their eyes meet yours as they enter the town square.
((Continued on in the Official Campaign thread for The Call of Strahd - LINK))
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)