The dire wolves don't seem to respond to Cinna, as they gradually back away from the tree line, and their presence fades into the woods. Moments after the wolves dissipate, a flock of raven can be seen soaring through the air again, as they appear to be flying along the pathway of the road, heading west.

Kestrell doesn't see the ravens, but looks up from the rock as the wolves dissipate.  "Yeah, nice job Cinna!  What did you say to them?"

Cinna tries calling up to the ravens. "Hello! Could you help us, please?" Then to Kestrell, "I just tried to ask for information. I didn't hear a response, but I'm glad they left willingly!"

Xvice sighs, confused as to what the odd man meant. "Well then, shall we continue on, I believe that odd man may be after Kolyan's Wife and we seem to not have much time"

"Yes, let us make haste!  Does anyone have a healing potion?"

"Well done Cinna. Whatever you said to the beasts seems to have worked. More importantly, we now know the source of evil that has taken hold of Kolyan's wife. I agree with Kestrell, we must keep moving"

As we start down the road: "Hey, that's a good point, Trogdor, we do know the source of the problem with Kolyan's wife.  It was whatever that thing is.  What was that creature anyway?"

The Ravens are unresponsive, as they continue to soar west, following the path of the road. The fog spills out of the forest to swallow up the road behind you. Ahead, jutting from the impenetrable woods on both sides of the road, are high stone buttresses looming gray in the fog. Huge iron gates hang on the stonework. Dew clings with cold tenacity to the rusted bars. Two headless statues of armed guardians flank the gate, their heads now lying among the weeds at their feet. They greet you only with silence.

As you approach the gates, the rusted doors swing open, screeching as the hinges move. Once the party steps through the gates, they close shut behind them. Once the gates close, you smell a foul stench in the air. The scent of death seems to be familiar in this area. The foul scent leads you to a human corpse half-buried in the underbrush about fifteen feet from the road. The young man appears to be a commoner. His muddy clothes are torn and raked with claw marks. Crows have been at the body, which is surrounded by the paw prints. The man has obviously been dead for several days. He holds a crumpled envelope in one hand. The envelope appears to be worn and flimsy and has a large "B" symbol in the wax seal.

"What- what is this place? And who is this?"

Investigation (on the corpse):  17

"This is creepy! How old do you think those giant statues are?  And why are those heads on the ground?" Kestrell says to the group at large.

While Xavice investigates the corpse Kestrell makes a general Perceptioncheck for anything that might be hiding in their immediate vicinity. 5

Kestrell doesn't perceive much or deem anything that isn't already established as ordinary. Such as the cold breeze, distant howling emanating from the woods. Xavice, upon investigating the body, notices the envelope in hand and should he choose to open it, will appear as below:

As Xavice finishes reading the letter the group, Kestrell makes a history check on all he knows about vampires: 5.

 "Sorry, I don't know that much about vampires.  Does anyone else?"

"At least this confirms it, we are dealing with a vampire. And I suspect the good Burgomaster's wife may have been bit by one too.  I would guess we are still a couple of hours away from her.  So what is this place?  Could this be the start of Barovia?" 

Kestrell tries to recall everything he can about Barovia: history18

Kestrell reflects back and recalls that the gates behind them had "Gates of Barovia" etched into the stonework. He can't recall much about Barovia in general, but he should realize that the group has officially entered Barovia.

"Yes, yes, this is Barovia, I'm sure of it!  What do we know about vampires?"

As he's asking this to the group, Kestrell casts Prestidigitation and creates the smell of lavender in the air to try and cover the stench of the corpse.

History check on vampires: 15

Eldon froze for the first time in his life - the man spoke blasphemy against his god. His fist just balled in hatred of the creature and he fell to a knee "Protect us Pelor, we are but humble servants of yours trying to bring the light of your grace into this world. Give us strength in front of this monster and give us compassion towards those who have been afflicted by him." When he opened his eyes Strahd was gone and they were surrounded by wolves. As they began to disappear and his companions started along their way his mind continued to wonder at the monster he had just come face to face with.

When his friends began to wonder about vampires he began to try and recall the knowledge from his teaching of undead.

OOC: Religion check: 16

Everyone is rejoiced once Kestrell has the stench from the rotting corpse covered in the scent of lavender. Both Cinna and Eldon compile information regarding vampires. Awakened to an endless night, vampires hunger for the life they have lost and sate that hunger by drinking the blood of the living. Vampires abhor sunlight, for its touch burns them. They never cast shadows or reflections, and any vampire wishing to move unnoticed among the living keeps to the darkness and far from reflective surfaces. Eldon specifically recalls that every vampire remains bound to its coffin, crypt, or grave site, where it must rest by day. If a vampire didn’t receive a formal burial, it must lie beneath a foot of earth at the place of its transition to undeath. A vampire can move its place of burial by transporting its coffin or a significant amount of grave dirt to another location. Some vampires set up multiple resting places this way.

"Well that sounds particularly vile.  I wonder why that one didn't attack us back up the road there?  It also sounds like we may be dealing with a lot of these things.  We should travel by day, and hole up at night."

" For now, let's make haste to see what we can do for Kolyan Indirovich.  How does that sound? "

"While we are walking, Cinna, Eldon, do you know anything about getting bit by vampires?  Do you immediately turn into one?"

Eldon just sighed looking at his companions "Vampires are unholy creatures that go against the very domain Pelor has entrusted me with. They defy the laws of eternal rest and rise as the sun sets, for fear that the Sun Father will find them and cast them into their eternal domain of anguish and punishment. They will not cast a shadow or reflection choosing to remain to their mother night. Additionally, from my studies in dealing with the undead vampires choose to remain bound to their coffin, crypt, or the grave sight and has to return here to rest. If the creature didn't receive a burial, it will rest within a shallow grave during the day though it will return to this grave. If it wishes to move a location it must take its coffin or a significant amount of grave dirt to where it wishes to rest. This allows vampires to have multiple resting places."  Eldon sighed and looked at his friends with sorrow in his eyes "I am sorry friends, I fear my presence may provoke more attacks from this creature than would be normal - I do not mean to be a burden on you."

Eldon just looked at his companions and tried to think about what his suggestion for the next move would be. He just looked at them "If we can help to protect this Kolyan Indirovich or his village from such an evil, it would bring honor to Pelor. Strahd may think that he has no power here, but he is wrong. I am here and that is Pelor's foothold here. Additionally, Strahd said something about a girl being his - who is this girl that he spoke of."

When Kestrell asked about the process of a vampire bite and becoming one he began to think - trying to recall his studies.

OOC: Ryno would my religion check let me know about the process of becoming a vampire or their bite?

In case you want another religion roll: 9

Eldon recalls the lore of how vampire spawns are bred. If the victim of a vampire bite is killed, and then buried in dirt, the victim will rise as a vampire spawn, being under the control of the vampire that bit them. Once the vampire spawn consumes the blood of their master, they become a true vampire themselves and are no longer under the control of their assailant. 

Additionally, after Eldon spends more time reflecting on his knowledge, he also remembers that a vampire can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants. Any sort of running water is also hazardous to vampires, it becomes acidic. Lastly, Eldon remembers that a vampire is destroyed if a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into its heart while it is incapacitated in its resting place.