Hey guys, Ive created this character named Zapada, she is a dhampir College of Spirits Bard from Barovia. My plan is to to take her from the Demiplane of Dread to Wildspace. I created a backstory for her in the flavor of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, Sixth Sense, The Frighteners, along with D&D. If you have a few minutes, please take a read and tell me what you think? I would appreciate any feedback or criticism you can give because I'm constantly revising it, lol. Have a great day!
ZAPADA
At a very young age, Francheska was a music prodigy. The music that came from her violin was uncannily haunting and tranquil at the same time. As she got older, Francheska played her music at The Blood of the Vine Tavern in Barovia. One night, a handsome admirer came up to her after her set, and she became instantly mesmerized. Francheska never felt like that before with anyone but something about him made her become enthralled in his presence. After a few minutes, Francheska followed the man outside and continued to the back of the tavern. There, they passionately embraced; totally consuming each other’s bodies. As their love making commenced, the admirer/lover of Francheska protruded his large fangs that glistened off the night’s blood moon, and tried desperately to gain sustenance from her exposed neck. Suddenly, vampire hunters led by Rudolph Van Richten, intervened and attacked the monster. After fighting for most of the evening under the moonlight, the fanged foe was finally vanquished. The vampire hunter leader drove a wooden stake through the undead creature’s heart and watched it turn to ash.
A few months had passed and Francheska started not feeling like her usual self. She would quit gigs early and head home to rest. She knew something was wrong, and terrified about what it might be. In the coming months she became a recluse as her stomach started to grow. Francheska was pregnant, and the father was the undead fiend that tried to end her life. She contemplated every day about what to do? Finally, she decided to put the baby up for adoption. Francheska wanted the baby to live a full life, something she knew she could never give it. On the evening baby Zapada was born, Francheska loved her from the very first minute she looked at her. She was amazed by Zapada’s beauty even though she was a dhampir, a child of a vampire. Francheska was deeply ashamed of how easily she was took control of by that monster, and also felt guilty about having to let little Zapada go. The decision was very much a struggle for her but ultimately she decided it was right. The next morning Francheska brought Zapada to priests at a church located near Tser Pool, and told them her story. They accepted the dhampir, and promised to watch over her. Francheska wept as she left the church, leaving the most important thing in her life. She took a few steps back and handed the priests the second most important thing she ever had, her violin. She told them, “One day, please give this to her and tell her that this is all I can give. I’m sorry I couldn’t give more.” Francheska left the church, and never returned.
Zapada spent the beginning of her life not knowing her true lineage as a dhampir. Growing up, she was a wild child who took many risks and got into lots of trouble. One day, at age thirteen, Zapada was wandering around a Vistani Camp and met a young girl named Resita. They hung out most nights and soon became best friends. Throughout the years, Zapada learned to be a bard, cast magic and speak Patterna from the elders of Resita’s Naiat Tribe. Most of the tribe didn’t accept a Giorgio (non-Vistani) within their camps, but Zapada’s outcast nature and rebellious behavior was adored and welcomed by some. Zapada matured like a normal human, but stopped “aging normally” in her twenties. Unlike Resita, who after fifty years of friendship, got old and gray and became very sick. Eventually, Resita succumbed to her illness and died. A seer from the Naiat Tribe gave Zapada a magical telekinetic Tarokka Deck that belonged to Resita. She turned that keepsake of her best friend into a spiritual focus item for her magical spells. Sadness was deeply felt by a forever young looking Zapada after her best friend’s death. A sense of being blessed with “great youthful genes”, turned into anxiety, depression and doubt, about what she really was. Those feelings revamped into reoccurring dhampir hunger dreams. In those visceral dreams, violent and murderous acts were committed; all through the bloodthirsty eyes of a vampire. Zapada watched him attack and gain sustenance from unsuspecting victims all throughout Barovia. One of his victims was a woman, who Zapada believed could be her mother; due to her similar looks and that she had the exact same violin that the priests gave to her. Other victims included: Frightened women, men who desperately begged for mercy, and children with unheard cries. After many nights of this dream, Zapada finally confronted the priests that raised her about her past. They reluctantly told her what happened that night under the blood moon when she was conceived, how she ended up at the church, and what powers she may have possessed. She was also told that she was neither a true child of the night or the prey they fed on, she was something different, something special! The secret about her past shocked her, but deep down she always knew that she was different. She also knew, evil things that walked around Barovia like that vampire, whether it was her sire or not, needed to be stopped! Along with magical attuned “Illusionist’s Bracers” given to her by the priests as a parting gift, Zapada left the church and spent the next dozen years hunting the undead and other creatures of the night.
After walking home to her cottage one night, a ghost passed by and asked her for help. A faint blue glow outlined his entire body. He introduced himself as Stockwell and said, “A couple weeks ago I met my demise and became this ghost. I stumbled upon you killing a couple of vampires by staking one of them and casting a Fire Bolt Spell on the other. I thought wow; she could be the one that could help my family! So I followed you every day and saw you doing what you do best, slaying bad guys! I have to say, I’m very impressed!” Somewhat disturbed by the fact that he was watching her for weeks, Zapada was curious about his situation. Stockwell explained, “You see, I was a major political official before I was assassinated while riding home in my carriage two weeks ago. There were no witnesses or any evidence that a crime even happened. Now, this man is controlling my corpse and doing many evil things around Barovia in the guise of me! Many of the villagers believe that I am still alive and murdering people throughout the village because I want revenge for losing the election. This framing has put my family in danger and it has to stop! This man is getting away with murder, while my family is suffering; please help!” Zapada replied “If what you are saying is true, the man who assassinated you and doing these vile acts is a necromancer. Controlling the undead is just one of the things they do. Here in Barovia, some can be just as evil as the demons and undead that I slay. I will help you Stockwell, can you take me to him?” “Yes I can!” Stockwell proudly exclaimed. That evening, they arrived at an old temple, where as newly turned ghost, Stockwell followed the man who took his corpse. Zapada stealthily crawled through the half open window and proceeded to the basement. There in the near darkness, with only the slight glow of ritual candles, stood the man they both sought. He hovered over Stockwell’s corpse and spoke unintelligible for several minutes. As he finished speaking, the once still corpse started to move! Zapada ran quickly to the necromancer and made her move! She pulled out her violin from its holster on her back and strummed a Thunderwave Spell. The necromancer flew back around 10 feet from the burst of thunder that was laid upon him, and smashed his head against the wall. His control over Stockwell’s corpse had stopped. Zapada then casted a Suggestion Spell on the necromancer as he lay injured on the ground against the wall. While under the spell, she told him to walk to jail and turn himself in; he did just that.
Early the next morning, Zapada went to Town Hall and explained to The Burgomaster all the facts of the case. The Burgomaster was very close to Zapada for many years. He was one of the few people outside of the church, who knew Zapada’s true lineage. Many of the villagers would be willing to kill her if they knew she was a spawn of a vampire. Upon learning of the necromancer’s scheme, The Burgomaster informed the citizens of Barovia who the real culprit was that was terrorizing the village. He also reclaimed Stockwell’s corpse and gave him a proper burial. Stockwell’s family came out of hiding and started to live a normal life again. The necromancer awakened from being under control of the Suggestion Spell while in jail, and vowed for revenge!
Over the next few months, word got around about Zapada and how she helped Stockwell clear his name, posthumously. Ghosts throughout Barovia sought out Zapada’s help for assistance with their past lives. With all those new cases, Zapada along with her weasel familiar Chicklay opened up an investigation agency and became gumshoes. Zapada spent lots of time with her clients, both alive and ghostly, and solved many cases for them. In her free time, Zapada engulfed herself into paranormal studies and became fascinated with the afterlife. She searched for answers about why ghosts sometimes stayed on this plane after their death, and wondered who or what made that decision? She even conjured a dozen unseen Whispering Spirits from other planes, and listened to the tales they told. Eventually, she infused those tales into her bardic magic. She felt it would only be just a matter of time until she had a major breakthrough in her research.
Early one morning, she was awoken by a humming sound that came from her living room. Zapada walked into her the room, and there she was visited by someone that would change her life forever! An orange mist appeared and a slender man walked through it wearing a top hat and shuffling a deck of cards. “Zapada, the dhampir detective, I see that you are doing well for yourself these days!” The slender man said. “I’ve been watching you through my home amongst the mists and noticed all the research you’ve been doing lately. I thought; why not give you a hand with your studies! With all the vermin and vile fiends you’ve been eliminating from this plane, it’s the least I could do; very good job by the way Zapada!” He added with a less than sincere tone. “First off, who are you and what are you doing in my home?” Zapada asked with a confused look on her face. The slender looking man replied, “I am with The Powers of Ravenloft. In this domain, we see all and we control all. Well, we find a way to control all; sometimes we get some help. That’s where you come in Zapada! With all your demon slaying, you’ve made our job so much easier! The evil has been eradicated in record numbers, and Barovia is almost a nice place to live once again. To thank you for all that you’ve done, The Powers of Ravenloft want to offer you a gift!” “What kind of gift?” Zapada asked. The man reached into his pocket, handed her a piece of paper and said, “This paper shows you what you need to do to find the answers you are looking for about the afterlife. This gift is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you; do you accept it?” “What if I say yes, what will happen?” Zapada curiously asked. “Like I said, you will learn more about the afterlife and the spiritual planes, than you ever thought were possible. The Powers of Ravenloft won’t cause you any harm, I promise you!” The man replied. “Well, if that’s the case, I might have to take you up on that offer.” Zapada answered with a smile. “Is that a yes, then?” The man asked. “Yes, I accept! I mean, why not, you promised me no harm.” Zapada comfortably said. “Great, that is wonderful! Though, I did only say that The Powers of Ravenloft wouldn’t harm you, not that you wouldn’t be harmed!” The slender man said, with a sinister grin on his face. He then tipped his top hat and went back into the orange mist. The mist soon vanished, and the paper Zapada was holding, disappeared! At that very moment Zapada started hearing voices! Little did she know, by accepting that “gift”, doors to other planes were permanently opened! She seemingly became a magnet for thousands upon thousands of unseen Whispering Spirits, who made their way through those doors in search of peace and/or answers. Pleads for help entered Zapada’s ears throughout the day. They came as faint whispers only to be heard by her! Several months had past and Zapada eventually learned how to mostly ignore the Whispering Sprits while she worked on a case or went to sleep. When she had the time, she would look into some of the most urgent requests that came her way. Many of the Whispering Spirits were thoughtful of Zapada and were very patient about being heard. A lot of them helped her with her cases by providing spells along with other special abilities. Occasionally, there were some Whispering Spirits that were loud, demanding and very impatient with Zapada. They would cause harm to her if she didn’t help them right away! From extremely loud screeching that deafened her for a short while, to an intense fear that completely overtook her; some spirits had no bounds to be heard. Zapada understood that the “gift” she accepted brought upon hardships that she wasn’t quite ready for. Through balance, mental strength and determination, she got stronger and overcame those hardships. The ruse that The Powers of Ravenloft pulled to distract her from helping the helpless, failed!
One quiet night at the detective agency soon became a very personal night. A case was brought to Zapada by a young girl. She explained that she was with her mother walking near the Svalich Woods when a man appeared about 30 feet away. Her mother walked away from her, and headed towards the man. The new couple held hands and vanished deeper into the woods. She mentioned that she tried yelling for her mother, but she didn’t answer back. This case felt deeply important to her, and she wanted to help. Due the eerily similar situation with her own mother, Zapada vowed to the young girl that she will find her mother, and they will be reunited once again! While roaming the woods where the young girl’s mother disappeared, Zapada heard some talking. As she walked a little further she saw a male vampire kneeling on the ground about 10 feet away. A woman was lying on a sheet, appearing to be asleep or dead. “Sorry to interrupt your fun there guy, but I think it’s time to for you to go bye-bye! Besides, you’re not the prettiest thing and I’m sure when she wakes up she’s gonna have some major morning after regret!” Zapada combined that insult along with a Vicious Mockery Spell, and used it against the vampire. The combination of insult and spell sent psychic damage to the vampire and he fell to the ground. Knowing she didn’t have much time before he got back up, she had to think fast! Zapada opened her hand and her magical Tarokka Deck moved through the air from its home in her pocket to her open hand. Zapada used this deck to channel her bardic magic and proceeded to warm up her vocal chords. She then belted out an intense Shatter Spell as the vampire was slowly getting back to his feet. Thunderous waves of sound bested the vampire’s fortitude as he tried desperately to flee. While still holding the Tarokka Deck, Zapada channeled a Spirit Tale. A single card exited the deck and flew into the air. It revealed itself as “The Tale Of The Runaway”. As Zapada telekinetically put the card back into the deck, the magic of the tale transported her to the vampire’s location. Now in close range, Zapada unsheathed her longsword, and decapitated the vampire; who subsequently turned to ash. At that same time, a deafening sound crippled Zapada. The wrath of an unseen Whispering Spirit had caused her temporary deafness. Suddenly, Zapada felt someone from behind grab her throat; it was the child’s mother! She had become a vampiress, sired by the foe Zapada just slayed. A loud voice came from the woods, “Mother stop! What are you doing?” The vampiress let go of Zapada and turned around to where the voice was coming from. It was the young girl in search of her mother; who sadly, was no longer that to her. Still deafened by a Whispering Spirit’s attack, Zapada was unaware of the young girl’s plea. She had no idea who the vampiress once was or why she let her go, but by doing so, she was now free to make an attack. Zapada casted a Shocking Grasp Spell on the vampiress. While having her wrists adorned with her magically attuned Illusionist’s Bracers, a second Shocking Grasp Spell quickly followed. Those powerful electrical shocks turned half of the undead fiend’s body to a crisp! Zapada then grabbed her wooden stake and shoved it through the vampiress’s semi-charred heart. As Zapada looked up, she saw the young girl who she vowed to reunite with her mother, now staring at a pile of ash with tears in her eyes. In a very emotional tone, the young girl said, “Momma why did you leave me?” Zapada understood her pain; for she too thought that question about her own mother. Rain drops fell from the sky, and blended into the tears that ran down both of their faces. Later that evening, they walked to the one place Zapada knew would take care of the now orphaned young girl. They arrived at a large wooden door. A priest with a concerned look on his face opened it. Zapada spoke as she held back tears. “Good evening Father, I have someone that can use your help very much.” “Of course Zapada, please come inside, out of the rain!” the priest replied. Zapada promised the young girl that she would check on her from time to time, and apologized profusely for what transpired earlier in the evening. Zapada turned around and walked home under a bright full moon, as her sadness was reflected in the puddles as she passed them.
The next morning, The Burgomaster was on his way to Zapada’s detective agency to tell her some urgent news. Around the same time, a man dressed in all black and carried a silver cane, walked in the door and presented a case to Zapada. The man explained to her that he saw a group of kids being taken by vampires and were heading towards the mists near the Vistani camps. She desperately wanted to make amends for the night before, and without hesitation, took the case. Normally, Zapada would do a thorough assessment on all her clients. She would usually cast a Detect Thoughts Spell to stop frauds, or possible ill intentions. Due to her personal need of finding the missing kids, she bypassed everything, and left with the man. The man in black drove her in a carriage to the area where he said he saw the incident happen. It was a somewhat nice carriage; though there were some red stains near the driver’s seat. It smelled very much like blood but Zapada didn’t think too much of it. When they arrived at the camps, Zapada got out of the carriage along with Chicklay; who was sticking his little head out of her bag. As she wandered through the camps, the fog became thicker and thicker. All she could think about was saving those kids before their fate was the same as the poor mother from the night before. As she walked further, she heard a familiar humming sound and then spotted a familiar orange mist. Suddenly, she felt a hard blow to her back, and fell to the ground. The man in black was there, and it was him who delivered the hard blow with his cane; though he wasn’t the same person as before. A Disguise Self Spell was used to hide his true identity; it was the necromancer! The necromancer looked at her and said, “The Dark Powers of Ravenloft haven’t been too happy with you. They told me they tried shutting you down a while back; somehow though, you’re still here! They came to me in jail and gave me an offer, more like a “gift” actually. All I need to do is get rid of you, once and for all! In return, I’d get power unimaginable! Of course I agreed, because honestly I’m not too fond of you, and I always get my revenge!” The necromancer let out a maniacal laugh and followed that up by saying, “With you out of the picture, Barovia will bleed, and the dead shall rise!” He then casted a Lightning Bolt Spell at Zapada. As she leapt over the bolt, the ground was left seared under her. She escaped severe electrical damage but unfortunately, landed right next to the orange mist The forceful grip of the mist became too strong, and she along with Chicklay got sucked into it. The orange mist in Barovia dissipated and the necromancer walked back to the carriage. As he opened the trunk to put his cane in it, legal pages with the name Stockwell flew out and littered the road.
Back at Zapada’s investigation agency, The Burgomaster frantically looked for Zapada, but she was nowhere to be seen. He left her a note that said, “Somehow, the necromancer escaped from his cell this morning and could be out to get you! Your help is urgently needed to stop him! We believe he will destroy all of Barovia! Please when you read this, meet me at Town Hall and we’ll discuss what we can do to save Barovia from this menace!”
Seven feet from the ground in a dim lit, very crowded and loud place, an orange mist appeared just long enough for Zapada to fall through it, and then it was gone. She winced in pain after she landed on a wet, smelly and alcohol soaked floor. After she checked on Chicklay to make sure he was okay, she then took a look around. She noticed people looked very different than they did in Barovia and soon realized, she was not in her domain anymore! Up above her, a flying creature stared at her with a large, lone eye and a very mischievous grin. Not knowing who this monstrosity was, or what it was going to do, she attempted to draw her longsword. The creature quickly said to her, “Ha ha, no need for that young lady, we’re good people here. The name is Luigi and this is my tavern. By falling out of the sky and face planting yourself on my floor instead of using the front door, makes me think, you’re new here?” Luigi said laughing. At the same time a cold beer was making its way through the air towards Zapada by a telekinetic beam that originated from Luigi’s eye. “Welcome to the Rock of Bral, your somewhat friendly oasis in Wildspace. I’m sure you’re going to have a heck of a time here!”
Hey guys, Ive created this character named Zapada, she is a dhampir College of Spirits Bard from Barovia. My plan is to to take her from the Demiplane of Dread to Wildspace. I created a backstory for her in the flavor of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, Sixth Sense, The Frighteners, along with D&D. If you have a few minutes, please take a read and tell me what you think? I would appreciate any feedback or criticism you can give because I'm constantly revising it, lol. Have a great day!
ZAPADA
At a very young age, Francheska was a music prodigy. The music that came from her violin was uncannily haunting and tranquil at the same time. As she got older, Francheska played her music at The Blood of the Vine Tavern in Barovia. One night, a handsome admirer came up to her after her set, and she became instantly mesmerized. Francheska never felt like that before with anyone but something about him made her become enthralled in his presence. After a few minutes, Francheska followed the man outside and continued to the back of the tavern. There, they passionately embraced; totally consuming each other’s bodies. As their love making commenced, the admirer/lover of Francheska protruded his large fangs that glistened off the night’s blood moon, and tried desperately to gain sustenance from her exposed neck. Suddenly, vampire hunters led by Rudolph Van Richten, intervened and attacked the monster. After fighting for most of the evening under the moonlight, the fanged foe was finally vanquished. The vampire hunter leader drove a wooden stake through the undead creature’s heart and watched it turn to ash.
A few months had passed and Francheska started not feeling like her usual self. She would quit gigs early and head home to rest. She knew something was wrong, and terrified about what it might be. In the coming months she became a recluse as her stomach started to grow. Francheska was pregnant, and the father was the undead fiend that tried to end her life. She contemplated every day about what to do? Finally, she decided to put the baby up for adoption. Francheska wanted the baby to live a full life, something she knew she could never give it. On the evening baby Zapada was born, Francheska loved her from the very first minute she looked at her. She was amazed by Zapada’s beauty even though she was a dhampir, a child of a vampire. Francheska was deeply ashamed of how easily she was took control of by that monster, and also felt guilty about having to let little Zapada go. The decision was very much a struggle for her but ultimately she decided it was right. The next morning Francheska brought Zapada to priests at a church located near Tser Pool, and told them her story. They accepted the dhampir, and promised to watch over her. Francheska wept as she left the church, leaving the most important thing in her life. She took a few steps back and handed the priests the second most important thing she ever had, her violin. She told them, “One day, please give this to her and tell her that this is all I can give. I’m sorry I couldn’t give more.” Francheska left the church, and never returned.
Zapada spent the beginning of her life not knowing her true lineage as a dhampir. Growing up, she was a wild child who took many risks and got into lots of trouble. One day, at age thirteen, Zapada was wandering around a Vistani Camp and met a young girl named Resita. They hung out most nights and soon became best friends. Throughout the years, Zapada learned to be a bard, cast magic and speak Patterna from the elders of Resita’s Naiat Tribe. Most of the tribe didn’t accept a Giorgio (non-Vistani) within their camps, but Zapada’s outcast nature and rebellious behavior was adored and welcomed by some. Zapada matured like a normal human, but stopped “aging normally” in her twenties. Unlike Resita, who after fifty years of friendship, got old and gray and became very sick. Eventually, Resita succumbed to her illness and died. A seer from the Naiat Tribe gave Zapada a magical telekinetic Tarokka Deck that belonged to Resita. She turned that keepsake of her best friend into a spiritual focus item for her magical spells. Sadness was deeply felt by a forever young looking Zapada after her best friend’s death. A sense of being blessed with “great youthful genes”, turned into anxiety, depression and doubt, about what she really was. Those feelings revamped into reoccurring dhampir hunger dreams. In those visceral dreams, violent and murderous acts were committed; all through the bloodthirsty eyes of a vampire. Zapada watched him attack and gain sustenance from unsuspecting victims all throughout Barovia. One of his victims was a woman, who Zapada believed could be her mother; due to her similar looks and that she had the exact same violin that the priests gave to her. Other victims included: Frightened women, men who desperately begged for mercy, and children with unheard cries. After many nights of this dream, Zapada finally confronted the priests that raised her about her past. They reluctantly told her what happened that night under the blood moon when she was conceived, how she ended up at the church, and what powers she may have possessed. She was also told that she was neither a true child of the night or the prey they fed on, she was something different, something special! The secret about her past shocked her, but deep down she always knew that she was different. She also knew, evil things that walked around Barovia like that vampire, whether it was her sire or not, needed to be stopped! Along with magical attuned “Illusionist’s Bracers” given to her by the priests as a parting gift, Zapada left the church and spent the next dozen years hunting the undead and other creatures of the night.
After walking home to her cottage one night, a ghost passed by and asked her for help. A faint blue glow outlined his entire body. He introduced himself as Stockwell and said, “A couple weeks ago I met my demise and became this ghost. I stumbled upon you killing a couple of vampires by staking one of them and casting a Fire Bolt Spell on the other. I thought wow; she could be the one that could help my family! So I followed you every day and saw you doing what you do best, slaying bad guys! I have to say, I’m very impressed!” Somewhat disturbed by the fact that he was watching her for weeks, Zapada was curious about his situation. Stockwell explained, “You see, I was a major political official before I was assassinated while riding home in my carriage two weeks ago. There were no witnesses or any evidence that a crime even happened. Now, this man is controlling my corpse and doing many evil things around Barovia in the guise of me! Many of the villagers believe that I am still alive and murdering people throughout the village because I want revenge for losing the election. This framing has put my family in danger and it has to stop! This man is getting away with murder, while my family is suffering; please help!” Zapada replied “If what you are saying is true, the man who assassinated you and doing these vile acts is a necromancer. Controlling the undead is just one of the things they do. Here in Barovia, some can be just as evil as the demons and undead that I slay. I will help you Stockwell, can you take me to him?” “Yes I can!” Stockwell proudly exclaimed. That evening, they arrived at an old temple, where as newly turned ghost, Stockwell followed the man who took his corpse. Zapada stealthily crawled through the half open window and proceeded to the basement. There in the near darkness, with only the slight glow of ritual candles, stood the man they both sought. He hovered over Stockwell’s corpse and spoke unintelligible for several minutes. As he finished speaking, the once still corpse started to move! Zapada ran quickly to the necromancer and made her move! She pulled out her violin from its holster on her back and strummed a Thunderwave Spell. The necromancer flew back around 10 feet from the burst of thunder that was laid upon him, and smashed his head against the wall. His control over Stockwell’s corpse had stopped. Zapada then casted a Suggestion Spell on the necromancer as he lay injured on the ground against the wall. While under the spell, she told him to walk to jail and turn himself in; he did just that.
Early the next morning, Zapada went to Town Hall and explained to The Burgomaster all the facts of the case. The Burgomaster was very close to Zapada for many years. He was one of the few people outside of the church, who knew Zapada’s true lineage. Many of the villagers would be willing to kill her if they knew she was a spawn of a vampire. Upon learning of the necromancer’s scheme, The Burgomaster informed the citizens of Barovia who the real culprit was that was terrorizing the village. He also reclaimed Stockwell’s corpse and gave him a proper burial. Stockwell’s family came out of hiding and started to live a normal life again. The necromancer awakened from being under control of the Suggestion Spell while in jail, and vowed for revenge!
Over the next few months, word got around about Zapada and how she helped Stockwell clear his name, posthumously. Ghosts throughout Barovia sought out Zapada’s help for assistance with their past lives. With all those new cases, Zapada along with her weasel familiar Chicklay opened up an investigation agency and became gumshoes. Zapada spent lots of time with her clients, both alive and ghostly, and solved many cases for them. In her free time, Zapada engulfed herself into paranormal studies and became fascinated with the afterlife. She searched for answers about why ghosts sometimes stayed on this plane after their death, and wondered who or what made that decision? She even conjured a dozen unseen Whispering Spirits from other planes, and listened to the tales they told. Eventually, she infused those tales into her bardic magic. She felt it would only be just a matter of time until she had a major breakthrough in her research.
Early one morning, she was awoken by a humming sound that came from her living room. Zapada walked into her the room, and there she was visited by someone that would change her life forever! An orange mist appeared and a slender man walked through it wearing a top hat and shuffling a deck of cards. “Zapada, the dhampir detective, I see that you are doing well for yourself these days!” The slender man said. “I’ve been watching you through my home amongst the mists and noticed all the research you’ve been doing lately. I thought; why not give you a hand with your studies! With all the vermin and vile fiends you’ve been eliminating from this plane, it’s the least I could do; very good job by the way Zapada!” He added with a less than sincere tone. “First off, who are you and what are you doing in my home?” Zapada asked with a confused look on her face. The slender looking man replied, “I am with The Powers of Ravenloft. In this domain, we see all and we control all. Well, we find a way to control all; sometimes we get some help. That’s where you come in Zapada! With all your demon slaying, you’ve made our job so much easier! The evil has been eradicated in record numbers, and Barovia is almost a nice place to live once again. To thank you for all that you’ve done, The Powers of Ravenloft want to offer you a gift!” “What kind of gift?” Zapada asked. The man reached into his pocket, handed her a piece of paper and said, “This paper shows you what you need to do to find the answers you are looking for about the afterlife. This gift is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you; do you accept it?” “What if I say yes, what will happen?” Zapada curiously asked. “Like I said, you will learn more about the afterlife and the spiritual planes, than you ever thought were possible. The Powers of Ravenloft won’t cause you any harm, I promise you!” The man replied. “Well, if that’s the case, I might have to take you up on that offer.” Zapada answered with a smile. “Is that a yes, then?” The man asked. “Yes, I accept! I mean, why not, you promised me no harm.” Zapada comfortably said. “Great, that is wonderful! Though, I did only say that The Powers of Ravenloft wouldn’t harm you, not that you wouldn’t be harmed!” The slender man said, with a sinister grin on his face. He then tipped his top hat and went back into the orange mist. The mist soon vanished, and the paper Zapada was holding, disappeared! At that very moment Zapada started hearing voices! Little did she know, by accepting that “gift”, doors to other planes were permanently opened! She seemingly became a magnet for thousands upon thousands of unseen Whispering Spirits, who made their way through those doors in search of peace and/or answers. Pleads for help entered Zapada’s ears throughout the day. They came as faint whispers only to be heard by her! Several months had past and Zapada eventually learned how to mostly ignore the Whispering Sprits while she worked on a case or went to sleep. When she had the time, she would look into some of the most urgent requests that came her way. Many of the Whispering Spirits were thoughtful of Zapada and were very patient about being heard. A lot of them helped her with her cases by providing spells along with other special abilities. Occasionally, there were some Whispering Spirits that were loud, demanding and very impatient with Zapada. They would cause harm to her if she didn’t help them right away! From extremely loud screeching that deafened her for a short while, to an intense fear that completely overtook her; some spirits had no bounds to be heard. Zapada understood that the “gift” she accepted brought upon hardships that she wasn’t quite ready for. Through balance, mental strength and determination, she got stronger and overcame those hardships. The ruse that The Powers of Ravenloft pulled to distract her from helping the helpless, failed!
One quiet night at the detective agency soon became a very personal night. A case was brought to Zapada by a young girl. She explained that she was with her mother walking near the Svalich Woods when a man appeared about 30 feet away. Her mother walked away from her, and headed towards the man. The new couple held hands and vanished deeper into the woods. She mentioned that she tried yelling for her mother, but she didn’t answer back. This case felt deeply important to her, and she wanted to help. Due the eerily similar situation with her own mother, Zapada vowed to the young girl that she will find her mother, and they will be reunited once again! While roaming the woods where the young girl’s mother disappeared, Zapada heard some talking. As she walked a little further she saw a male vampire kneeling on the ground about 10 feet away. A woman was lying on a sheet, appearing to be asleep or dead. “Sorry to interrupt your fun there guy, but I think it’s time to for you to go bye-bye! Besides, you’re not the prettiest thing and I’m sure when she wakes up she’s gonna have some major morning after regret!” Zapada combined that insult along with a Vicious Mockery Spell, and used it against the vampire. The combination of insult and spell sent psychic damage to the vampire and he fell to the ground. Knowing she didn’t have much time before he got back up, she had to think fast! Zapada opened her hand and her magical Tarokka Deck moved through the air from its home in her pocket to her open hand. Zapada used this deck to channel her bardic magic and proceeded to warm up her vocal chords. She then belted out an intense Shatter Spell as the vampire was slowly getting back to his feet. Thunderous waves of sound bested the vampire’s fortitude as he tried desperately to flee. While still holding the Tarokka Deck, Zapada channeled a Spirit Tale. A single card exited the deck and flew into the air. It revealed itself as “The Tale Of The Runaway”. As Zapada telekinetically put the card back into the deck, the magic of the tale transported her to the vampire’s location. Now in close range, Zapada unsheathed her longsword, and decapitated the vampire; who subsequently turned to ash. At that same time, a deafening sound crippled Zapada. The wrath of an unseen Whispering Spirit had caused her temporary deafness. Suddenly, Zapada felt someone from behind grab her throat; it was the child’s mother! She had become a vampiress, sired by the foe Zapada just slayed. A loud voice came from the woods, “Mother stop! What are you doing?” The vampiress let go of Zapada and turned around to where the voice was coming from. It was the young girl in search of her mother; who sadly, was no longer that to her. Still deafened by a Whispering Spirit’s attack, Zapada was unaware of the young girl’s plea. She had no idea who the vampiress once was or why she let her go, but by doing so, she was now free to make an attack. Zapada casted a Shocking Grasp Spell on the vampiress. While having her wrists adorned with her magically attuned Illusionist’s Bracers, a second Shocking Grasp Spell quickly followed. Those powerful electrical shocks turned half of the undead fiend’s body to a crisp! Zapada then grabbed her wooden stake and shoved it through the vampiress’s semi-charred heart. As Zapada looked up, she saw the young girl who she vowed to reunite with her mother, now staring at a pile of ash with tears in her eyes. In a very emotional tone, the young girl said, “Momma why did you leave me?” Zapada understood her pain; for she too thought that question about her own mother. Rain drops fell from the sky, and blended into the tears that ran down both of their faces. Later that evening, they walked to the one place Zapada knew would take care of the now orphaned young girl. They arrived at a large wooden door. A priest with a concerned look on his face opened it. Zapada spoke as she held back tears. “Good evening Father, I have someone that can use your help very much.” “Of course Zapada, please come inside, out of the rain!” the priest replied. Zapada promised the young girl that she would check on her from time to time, and apologized profusely for what transpired earlier in the evening. Zapada turned around and walked home under a bright full moon, as her sadness was reflected in the puddles as she passed them.
The next morning, The Burgomaster was on his way to Zapada’s detective agency to tell her some urgent news. Around the same time, a man dressed in all black and carried a silver cane, walked in the door and presented a case to Zapada. The man explained to her that he saw a group of kids being taken by vampires and were heading towards the mists near the Vistani camps. She desperately wanted to make amends for the night before, and without hesitation, took the case. Normally, Zapada would do a thorough assessment on all her clients. She would usually cast a Detect Thoughts Spell to stop frauds, or possible ill intentions. Due to her personal need of finding the missing kids, she bypassed everything, and left with the man. The man in black drove her in a carriage to the area where he said he saw the incident happen. It was a somewhat nice carriage; though there were some red stains near the driver’s seat. It smelled very much like blood but Zapada didn’t think too much of it. When they arrived at the camps, Zapada got out of the carriage along with Chicklay; who was sticking his little head out of her bag. As she wandered through the camps, the fog became thicker and thicker. All she could think about was saving those kids before their fate was the same as the poor mother from the night before. As she walked further, she heard a familiar humming sound and then spotted a familiar orange mist. Suddenly, she felt a hard blow to her back, and fell to the ground. The man in black was there, and it was him who delivered the hard blow with his cane; though he wasn’t the same person as before. A Disguise Self Spell was used to hide his true identity; it was the necromancer! The necromancer looked at her and said, “The Dark Powers of Ravenloft haven’t been too happy with you. They told me they tried shutting you down a while back; somehow though, you’re still here! They came to me in jail and gave me an offer, more like a “gift” actually. All I need to do is get rid of you, once and for all! In return, I’d get power unimaginable! Of course I agreed, because honestly I’m not too fond of you, and I always get my revenge!” The necromancer let out a maniacal laugh and followed that up by saying, “With you out of the picture, Barovia will bleed, and the dead shall rise!” He then casted a Lightning Bolt Spell at Zapada. As she leapt over the bolt, the ground was left seared under her. She escaped severe electrical damage but unfortunately, landed right next to the orange mist The forceful grip of the mist became too strong, and she along with Chicklay got sucked into it. The orange mist in Barovia dissipated and the necromancer walked back to the carriage. As he opened the trunk to put his cane in it, legal pages with the name Stockwell flew out and littered the road.
Back at Zapada’s investigation agency, The Burgomaster frantically looked for Zapada, but she was nowhere to be seen. He left her a note that said, “Somehow, the necromancer escaped from his cell this morning and could be out to get you! Your help is urgently needed to stop him! We believe he will destroy all of Barovia! Please when you read this, meet me at Town Hall and we’ll discuss what we can do to save Barovia from this menace!”
Seven feet from the ground in a dim lit, very crowded and loud place, an orange mist appeared just long enough for Zapada to fall through it, and then it was gone. She winced in pain after she landed on a wet, smelly and alcohol soaked floor. After she checked on Chicklay to make sure he was okay, she then took a look around. She noticed people looked very different than they did in Barovia and soon realized, she was not in her domain anymore! Up above her, a flying creature stared at her with a large, lone eye and a very mischievous grin. Not knowing who this monstrosity was, or what it was going to do, she attempted to draw her longsword. The creature quickly said to her, “Ha ha, no need for that young lady, we’re good people here. The name is Luigi and this is my tavern. By falling out of the sky and face planting yourself on my floor instead of using the front door, makes me think, you’re new here?” Luigi said laughing. At the same time a cold beer was making its way through the air towards Zapada by a telekinetic beam that originated from Luigi’s eye. “Welcome to the Rock of Bral, your somewhat friendly oasis in Wildspace. I’m sure you’re going to have a heck of a time here!”