Embir stands about 10 feet away, kinda shuffling her feet awkwardly. She's trying not to look towards the scene and instead pretends to be very interested in the trees around them.
"We are close," Stanimir replies. "Let us go." Here's begins the wagons moving once more.
The road gradually disappears and is replaced by a twisted, muddy path through the trees. Deep ruts in the earth are evidence of the comings and goings of wagons.
The canopy of mist and branches suddenly gives way to black clouds boiling far above. There is a clearing here, next to a river that widens to form a small lake several hundred feet across. Five colorful round tents, each 10 feet in diameter, are pitched outside a ring of four barrel-topped wagons. A much larger tent stands near the shore of the lake, it's sagging form lit from within. Near this tent, eight unbridled horses drink from the river.
The mournful strains of accordion clash with the singing of several brightly clad figures around a bonfire. A footpath continues beyond this encampment, meandering north between the river and the forests edge.
(For a bit of a better visual/understanding of the Vistani, they are very similar to the stereotypical gypsies.)
(To answer Embir's question, while it is difficult to tell the time of day here in Barovia due to the fog and mists, as well as the nearly constant clouds, it is evening as you all roll into the camp.)
Embir claps her hands together and speaks quietly to not interrupt them. "Wow! This place is so cool!I wonder what they're singing." *dramatic gasp * She turns to the closest person to her. "Do you think they'll let us sing with them?"
Twelve Vistani are standing and sitting around the fire, telling stories and guzzling wine. "You are welcome to our fires. Come, drink wine with us and warm yourselves."
Innocence is not something easily held on to, as we have all experienced. Let her have her fun, as long as she's wise enough to recognize evil when it comes.
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-We are all just one failed saving throw away from someone else's fantasy...
“In this cursed land, most things are tainted by evil” Lae says sadly. With that he steps toward the camp and says, “Well Stanimir, I believe it’s time to introduce us to your people”.
Stanimir introduces the others and invites the rest of you to sit at the fire while he, Damia and Ratka take care of the wagons. You are each offered a hand-carved wooden bowl of stew as well as a hand-carved spoon with which to eat it. You are each also given a small chunk of bread and a hand-carved wooden cup of wine, mead or ale.
Embir, as you sit and eat (anyone else sitting around the fire hears this too), one of the female Vistani (called a Vistana) who appears drunk begins a tale. It starts a bit low at first, but becomes more passionate as the tale moves along.
"And mighty wizard came to this land over a year ago. I remember him like it was yesterday. He stood right where you're standing. A very charismatic man, he was. He thought he could rally the people of Barovia against the devil Strahd. He stirred them with thoughts of revolt and bore them to the castle en masse.
"When the vampire appeared, the wizard's peasant army fled in terror. A few stood their ground and were never seen again.
"The wizard and the vampire cast spells at each other. Their battle flew from the courtyards of Ravenloft to a precipice overlooking the falls. I saw the battle with my own eyes. Thunder shook the mountainside, and great rocks tumbled down upon the wizard, yet by his magic he survived. Lightning from the heavens struck the wizard, and again he stood his ground. But when the devil Strahd fell upon him, the wizard's magic couldn't save him. I saw him thrown a thousand feet to his death. I climbed down to the river to search for the wizard's body, to see if, you know, he had anything of value, but the River Ivlis had already spirited him away.
"When you finish, you should see Madam Eva, she awaits you."
Embir pauses in her meal and processes the tale the Vistana told.
(Is it possible that the story coincides with an actual event in this world's history? Perhaps one that could have been told by others, either as a rumor, or perhaps a story spoken in hushed whispers in other towns? Would I have to make a history check?)
Embir stands about 10 feet away, kinda shuffling her feet awkwardly. She's trying not to look towards the scene and instead pretends to be very interested in the trees around them.
(Zander, you also only saw a random Barovian hanging there.)
In the middle of the flame, the corpse melts away into nothing, almost as though it was never there.
Lae grunts, “Better.. we must find the source of this devilry and destroy it!”
"That sounds like a marvelous plan! Let's get going to this Madam Eva, we're burning daylight people!" (Or is it night?)
I saw a body, it wasn't there before... this place is getting even more creepy if that's possible.
-We are all just one failed saving throw away from someone else's fantasy...
“You only saw a body Zander? ...I saw... nevermind.. the new girls right, let’s get going”.
"We are close," Stanimir replies. "Let us go." Here's begins the wagons moving once more.
The road gradually disappears and is replaced by a twisted, muddy path through the trees. Deep ruts in the earth are evidence of the comings and goings of wagons.
The canopy of mist and branches suddenly gives way to black clouds boiling far above. There is a clearing here, next to a river that widens to form a small lake several hundred feet across. Five colorful round tents, each 10 feet in diameter, are pitched outside a ring of four barrel-topped wagons. A much larger tent stands near the shore of the lake, it's sagging form lit from within. Near this tent, eight unbridled horses drink from the river.
The mournful strains of accordion clash with the singing of several brightly clad figures around a bonfire. A footpath continues beyond this encampment, meandering north between the river and the forests edge.
(For a bit of a better visual/understanding of the Vistani, they are very similar to the stereotypical gypsies.)
(To answer Embir's question, while it is difficult to tell the time of day here in Barovia due to the fog and mists, as well as the nearly constant clouds, it is evening as you all roll into the camp.)
Embir claps her hands together and speaks quietly to not interrupt them. "Wow! This place is so cool! I wonder what they're singing." *dramatic gasp * She turns to the closest person to her. "Do you think they'll let us sing with them?"
“Hhrm.. why don’t you just go and ask them Embir?” Lae grunts.
"That's a good idea!" Embir starts walking towards the people at the bonfire and calls out to them. "Hello! Do you mind if we join you?"
Twelve Vistani are standing and sitting around the fire, telling stories and guzzling wine. "You are welcome to our fires. Come, drink wine with us and warm yourselves."
Lae shakes his head, “Think she’ll take everything this literally?”
Probably, this could become a good or bad thing, too early to say.
Innocence is not something easily held on to, as we have all experienced. Let her have her fun, as long as she's wise enough to recognize evil when it comes.
-We are all just one failed saving throw away from someone else's fantasy...
“In this cursed land, most things are tainted by evil” Lae says sadly. With that he steps toward the camp and says, “Well Stanimir, I believe it’s time to introduce us to your people”.
Embir smiles and takes a seat cross-legged by the fire. "Thank you." She looks up at the rest of the group expectantly.
Stanimir introduces the others and invites the rest of you to sit at the fire while he, Damia and Ratka take care of the wagons. You are each offered a hand-carved wooden bowl of stew as well as a hand-carved spoon with which to eat it. You are each also given a small chunk of bread and a hand-carved wooden cup of wine, mead or ale.
Embir, as you sit and eat (anyone else sitting around the fire hears this too), one of the female Vistani (called a Vistana) who appears drunk begins a tale. It starts a bit low at first, but becomes more passionate as the tale moves along.
"And mighty wizard came to this land over a year ago. I remember him like it was yesterday. He stood right where you're standing. A very charismatic man, he was. He thought he could rally the people of Barovia against the devil Strahd. He stirred them with thoughts of revolt and bore them to the castle en masse.
"When the vampire appeared, the wizard's peasant army fled in terror. A few stood their ground and were never seen again.
"The wizard and the vampire cast spells at each other. Their battle flew from the courtyards of Ravenloft to a precipice overlooking the falls. I saw the battle with my own eyes. Thunder shook the mountainside, and great rocks tumbled down upon the wizard, yet by his magic he survived. Lightning from the heavens struck the wizard, and again he stood his ground. But when the devil Strahd fell upon him, the wizard's magic couldn't save him. I saw him thrown a thousand feet to his death. I climbed down to the river to search for the wizard's body, to see if, you know, he had anything of value, but the River Ivlis had already spirited him away.
"When you finish, you should see Madam Eva, she awaits you."
Embir pauses in her meal and processes the tale the Vistana told.
(Is it possible that the story coincides with an actual event in this world's history? Perhaps one that could have been told by others, either as a rumor, or perhaps a story spoken in hushed whispers in other towns? Would I have to make a history check?)
So, Strahd's a devil, a vampire, or... both? Either way this sounds a lot more difficult than initially anticipated. I guess we'll go see Eva.
-We are all just one failed saving throw away from someone else's fantasy...