A New Barovia: Chapter One

[VAN]

As Thomas introduced his companions Adam shake their hands.

"Glad to meet all of you gentlemen."

When Thomas speaks up Adam listens carefully and says:

"No, I had no idea. I arrived here from Levkarest. You know I love travels through the Core and since I have never been to Barovia wanted to visit it. As about the cemetery, it isn't the right place to go especially the night. Creatures of night might hide there."

When Thomas mentioned the master of Barovia Adam's eyes go wide and instictively makes the sign of protection.

"You mean...active? I thought...This is pretty serious. Yes better take this talk elsewhere. I just got a room here so if you gentlemen want may follow me there. We can leave a message for your lady friend to join us to my room when she arrives."

[kintire]

Marilee strolls into the bar, yawning, and immediatly heads for the nearest provider of drinks to secure an ale. She then looks around at the others, raising an eyebrow when she sees the newcomer.

"Good evening!"

[Ail]

Robert is enthusiastic about meeting a new companion, and better even, a friend of one of theirs.

"Happy to meet you, Adam. I'm sure you both have lots of stories to tell us, and I would very gladly listen to them all. Might even make a ballad out of them.... uh, plainly instrumental, I'm afraid. Someone else could sing, but I'm not the best in that department. As for the cemetery... yes, it was uncommonly active tonight, but we were lucky and now, to tell the truth, something strong would go down very nicely" he says with a very open smile.

[Ken of Ghastria]

"May good tidings be upon you, Sirrah Thunderstorm," says Khalfani in awkwardly spoken Mordentish. Adam sees a gnome with piercing eyes and brown skin who wears loose-fitting garments and some sort of colorful, striped head covering clearly not of local origin. He walks with a short staff that has a very sharp-looking piece of obsidian affixed to the end. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Thomas here, I met only tonight, but a fine character he is, so a friend of his must also be a fine character."

Once they're back in the private room, Khalfani tells Adam of the unusual way in which they were gathered together tonight and the horrible murders that they were assigned to investigate. "But to meet -- talk to! -- Count Strahd von Zarovich himself ... well, expected that was not. Also not expected was to see with my own eyes the image of death on Strahd's... ah, I do not speak this perfectly, forgive me... what is... not death, ah, undeath, that is what you say... undeath on Strahd's face! Walking, killing, in defiance of the laws of Man and Anubis. Long have I heard the whispered rumors in my time here. Still..."

He looks uneasily at those gathered in the room around him. "Still, the 'Devil Strahd' he may have been called, but after years of brutality by the gob-LYNs and those who rule now... I think that many Barovians will welcome the return of Count Strahd." He gratefully accepts a tankard of ale.

[steveflam]

Quorrin brings pints of a special ale to the party. After the first take on your pint, you realize this is some powerful ale indeed! "This be a special dwarven ale Miss Del knows about from her homeland that only a Dwarf can handle, she says."

[kintire]

Marilee grins

"hah! we'll see about that! Anything a Dwarf can drink, i can drink"

She lifts the ale and takes a good long swig

[VAN]

Adam gets a glass and pours some ale in.

"I have met dwraves in Mounts of Misery, indeed their ale is strong as this one."

Turning to Khilfani says:

"Murders and Strahd active again. This can't be a coincidence. The bodies have been found? Because exist evil spells clerics and wizards can cast that make a dead walk again and even more the caster controls can control them. Maybe the Count wanted some help... so maybe he casted cast this evil spell himself or can very well have someone else to cast it for him."

Again Adam makes the sign of protection before going on.

"You can definetely count on my help. My purpose as cleric is to let the good shine and since I'm from Darkon I have fought undead a few times and I know how to destroy them. Just if the Count is behind these murders the task will be far more difficult and complicated. I agree that he wants to gain his land back and I'm sure he will do anything to achieve that."

After taking a sip of his ale continues:

"What do you know about the victims? Was there a pattern of the murders or were unrelated with each other? And have you spoken to the families yet? More we know the merer."

[Ail]

Robert listens very attentively to Khalfani and Adam as he drinks his ale, quietly.

He had only heard of Strahd in legends. To tell the truth, he never paid them much attention, as Strahd was never a factor in his daily survival. But now he was in Barovia, and the Count, active again, would surely be the pivot point of the country's life.


"Well, folks, you also speak of this Count Strahd as if you knew everything there is to know about him. But I... uh... sorry to say, I've always been as worried with him as to whether the earth is round or flat, or it is the sun circling around the earth or the earth around the sun. It won't help me find something to eat, nor a safe place to sleep.

But, guess what, I'm in his land now, so please, can you share something with this ignorant fellow here about Strahd? Let's say, the very basic essentials I should know about the guy?"


He takes another drought. But he's savouring the drink, not trying to beat a dwarf at a drinking game.

[VAN]

Adam looks at Robert and says:

"My and Thomas fathers have met the Count Von Zarovich before and they are proud to say that are alive only by a miracle I think. When they entered in Barovia they have been escorted the the famous Castle Ravenloft by Strahd's personal zombies. My father said that were bigger than the normal zombies and were complitely under Von Zarovich control. The count offered them a deal, to find a woman for him and fetch her to him. My father and the others indeed found that woman in a village but they didn't gave her to the evil Strahd, they tried to run away instead."

Adam sips his ale and continues:

"My dad clearly remembers mists gather at the horizon and as Delsenora and Jacob told them they were deadly. Only due to a magical potion they managed to survive the poison's effect and escape Barovia only few moments before Strahd arrives. So I'm afraid he has personal vendetta with me and Thomas which is not good at all. I don't know Strahd but from what I have heard about him he actually loves his land and will do whatever he can to take it back. He has spies everywhere, my father said that they were spied from the first moment they entered. So no doubt COunt knows that I'm here as well. He could predict my travels since I use to visit the important cities of the lands I go and Barovia is next to Borca where I previously was and Krezk is actually almost at the borders. So yes, I'm sure he knows I'm here. And be sure he has some plan for us, maybe revenge for what our fathers did, or maybe even include us to his devious plans to get his land back."

Adam gets another sip before continue:

"My father told me that Strahd can cast arcane spells. Infact he summoned a pit fiend to attack their party when they were in Castle Ravenloft. It was only for Jacob's spells that everyone survived from the fiend and left alive. I don't know if he has more abilities, but to summon such powerful creature you have to be pretty powerful wizard. So if you have in mind to face him better forget it. We need to be cunning not strong here and stay out of his business if possible. If of course his business doesn't include us...What have he told you by the way when you met him?"

[Ken of Ghastria]

Khalfani was about to reply to Robert's question, but he remains silent as Adam starts speaking. The gnome's eyes grow wide with wonder and horror at the description of Strahd's actions against Thomas' and Adam's fathers.

Finally, he says, "That is... a remarkable tale. Frightening. Still, powerful Strahd is, Adam, but I believe you give him too much credit at the moment. I do not believe he is aware of you, just as he was not aware of Thomas until the meeting at the graveyard. He seems only recently returned, and is far more concerned with removing 'the Death Knight Soth' from rulership of the land that Strahd calls his."

He turns to Robert. "Much have I read and heard of the Von Zarovich family, Robert. The original Count Strahd von Zarovich was a brave, fearless - and many say ruthless - warrior. He led the armies of Barovia to victory against all invaders and threats. After one such victory, there was a great family tragedy. Details are ... how do you say, fuzzy, in the histories about the nature of that tragedy, which is surprising. It is as if any details were intentionally removed. Hmmm. After this, Strahd ascended to become Strahd the First, ruler of Barovia. Over the past several centuries, his successors followed him to the throne, or so the official records say -- I have found few references to wives or other family members. The last Von Zarovich to rule was Strahd VI, just as ruthless as his predecessors, and just as devoted to the safety of Barovia and its people.

"Many rumors have I read and heard of Strahd VI also being a great wizard, one who practices the dark magic of Ghameq'thameya ... necromancy, in your tongue. Adam's tale and the horrible images of this evening give the proof to that. But more, what we have seen tonight -- the face of Strahd the vampire! -- gives the proof also to another rumor, that there never was a Strahd the Sixth, or Fifth, or Fourth... that it has always been one man, the same man, granted immortality through Ghameq'thameya.

"Yet defeated he was -- and said to be slain -- by those who now rule Barovia, which entered a new age of darkness and isolation -- and brutality. So deep has been the sadness and worry of the people of Barovia that many people I speak with say that they would welcome the return of Count Strahd."

[BigBadQDaddy]

"Many rumors have I read and heard of Strahd VI also being a great wizard, one who practices the dark magic of Ghameq'thameya ... necromancy, in your tongue. Adam's tale and the horrible images of this evening give the proof to that. But more, what we have seen tonight -- the face of Strahd the vampire! -- gives the proof also to another rumor, that there never was a Strahd the Sixth, or Fifth, or Fourth... that it has always been one man, the same man, granted immortality through Ghameq'thameya.

Thomas adds, "I have it on good authority that the rumors are true. The hero of Barovia's folklore is non other than the devil they fear by nightfall. He damned himself using his owned warped idea of love as a means to it."

[Ail]

Robert slowly lays his tankard on the table, still not totally empty.


"Well, I say, what a tale you guys tell me. Guess I'll have to reconsider my actions near that bloke. A bit more restrain from my side might be nice.


And after a long pensive pause,


"On the other hand, this drink is strong but good. Hey, Marilee, here's at thee!"


he offers a cheers to her and then knocks what remains of his drink down in one gulp.

[VAN]

Adam thinks for a moment Khalfani's and Thomas words.

"It does make sense that Strahd is a vampire as you say. I always believed that he was just passing the tittle to his sons, but I have never heard of a female ruler...So yes maybe he was always a vampire capable to cast powerful spells. The thing is that we better avoid get in his business and if what Khalfani says is true and he didn't know that me and Thomas are here, maybe he doesn't have any plans for us yet. Now what can you tell me about the murders? Need to know more possible so I can pray for the right spells tomorrow."

[kintire]

Marilee enthusiastically toasts Robert

"Here's back at you! And heresh a toast to shtayin' out of politiksh, and leavin' the lordsh to kill each other. Thatsh what they do! gettin' involved ishnt goin' to shtop any murdersh. We need to work out a pattern, disguish me ash a target and when he triesh to kill me, we kill him inshtead!"

[Ken of Ghastria]

Now what can you tell me about the murders? Need to know more possible so I can pray for the right spells tomorrow."

Khalfani says, "We know only what was told to us earlier on this evening of many events. Six women have been killed - horribly - in recent months, here in Krezk. Heads and ... a right arm, I believe? ... were cut off the victims, and ... terrible ... part of the bodies were, ah, eaten. The notes of the investigation have mysteriously disappeared from the headquarters of the Militia. So have the bodies of the poor women. There seems to be little to connect the victims to one another. Five of six were visitors to Krezk. The sixth, alas, was the sister of a captain of the militia, a good man. I understand you have need to prepare spells, yes? Yet I do not think this little information will help you choose."