TOPIC: Meet at the Inn

I turn to Sergi.

"Thank you friend. May your family find safety. In better days I shall sing of your ancestor Sergei. Can you share anything with us about him and his beloved Tatyana. As I recall she fell from a high place to her death. Their sacrifice for one another must have left a lasting aura of good. Do the legends say anything about their role in how we might interpret the cards that Madam Eva has shown us?"

I take a coin from my pouch and give it to him with a potion.

Widseth wrote: I turn to Sergi.

"Thank you friend. May your family find safety. In better days I shall sing of your ancestor Sergei. Can you share anything with us about him and his beloved Tatyana. As I recall she fell from a high place to her death. Their sacrifice for one another must have left a lasting aura of good. Do the legends say anything about their role in how we might interpret the cards that Madam Eva has shown us?"

I take a coin from my pouch and give it to him with a potion.

"I do not pretend to know the masters will," Sergi says quickly pocketing the coin, "though I will admit it makes no sense why he would take Ireena Kolyana, perhaps as bait but not as a consort the only woman the master ever cared for is long since dead and beyond even his reach. Without the last card there is no way to know what he seeks."

Xavon wrote: "I have little knowledge of the gypsy culture beyond rumor and unkind hearsay. However, from what I have seen, they do not seem like the evil minions of Strahd we were told about. But based on what everyone told me about the discussion I missed last evening, that they work for him is likely. Unless it is only these three. It is confusing."

"Tell me, what did their leader say?"

I run down what transpired in the tent with Lexan and the conjectures made by the rest of the party.

OOC: And this post should bump me to Hero Member, huzzah!

Picc wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote: what will become of the three spies of Strahd we brought to you?

"That depends on transpires between you and the vampyr. If you fail to stop him he will not be easy on them or any that have offered you aid and comfort..."

Brad Mortensen wrote: And while I respect your reluctance to tell us his plan, can you tell us his timeline? We must know how much longer we have to prepare before our fateful confrontation.

"If you have not found him by night fall he will find you. The vampyr is not known for his patients and if you have already fought him and lived he will be enraged."

"In that case, good mother, can there be any additional harm in revealing the last card? It may tip the scales in our favor, and if not I doubt his displeasure would be any greater. And yet, surely you know him much better than we."

(OOC - if she doesn't spill we better get a move on. Would be better to confront him before sunset.)

"Madam Eva, you have been most gracious. Perhaps in days to come I may sit at your fire and enjoy your music and dance. We will swap the tales of our lives. I see a people here full of life, and yet tragically enslaved. You have my word I will do all to free from the darkness that shackles you."

I bow to her.

"Does the vampire enable you and your people to pass through the mists of death, or do you have means to thwart his chains for a time?'

To the party to think about as soon as we determine to leave the gypsy camp. (Not necessarily leaving yet, but want to discuss come of the clues and the cards).

I think it will be critical to find the silver raven as it protects from darkness.

We have to embrace the history. What do we know? Tatyana flung herself from a high place to her death, and the darkness is loathe to travel there perhaps because he remembers the love he had for her before the darkness fully overcame him. There may be sharp stones where she fell from a high ("dizzying") tower or wall where we can find information or a way into the castle undetected.

He once served the light--he was a paladin. In addition to being a vampire he is an anti-paladin, turned completely to darkness so he does have a place of worship where he supplicates his dark god or demon. Perhaps we can surprise him in his sanctuary, but we have to think this through because Pelor's light may not be able to penetrate that sanctuary. And we may have to deal with the power of a devil or demon.

I doubt his sanctuary is his "heart of darkness" where he must return. I presume that to be his coffin. I think if we get there with true hearts, the powers of light (embodied in the silver raven perhaps) will not fail to give us vision and the ability to slay him.

Why Ireena? Maybe he has discovered a dark way to resurrect Tatyana using Ireena's life force--maybe as a vampire.

I think the silver raven may be connected with the history of Tatyana's death. I have some sort of feeling that somehow his brother Sergei may reach out from beyond to help us in some way avenge his death. If the vampire was a paladin, his righteous brother may be also and has favor with Pelor.

What are your thoughts? I'm just guessing at the clues we have so far.

Brad Mortensen wrote:
"In that case, good mother, can there be any additional harm in revealing the last card? It may tip the scales in our favor, and if not I doubt his displeasure would be any greater. And yet, surely you know him much better than we."

"There is harm for we are his servants, the men you caught perhaps even failures and they will be punished for it but if he finds out we have betrayed him we to will know his endless wrath. I am sorry but I must protect my own" madam Eva says gravely.

Widseth wrote: "Madam Eva, you have been most gracious. Perhaps in days to come I may sit at your fire and enjoy your music and dance. We will swap the tales of our lives. I see a people here full of life, and yet tragically enslaved. You have my word I will do all to free from the darkness that shackles you."

I bow to her.

"Does the vampire enable you and your people to pass through the mists of death, or do you have means to thwart his chains for a time?'

"You owe me no thanks bard. In truth it is I who owe you an apology for drawing you here. You are correct though there is a way to bypass the vampyrs mists but to make the potion we require a sample of the monsters blood which as you can imagine is none to easy to acquire." the old gypsy mutters eyes falling towards the final card in despair.

"Perhaps we should return to the town to ask our allies if they may be of assistance? They know this region, its history, and its legends better than we."

To Madame Eva,"Thank you for your assistance, Madame."

What time of day is it? How long back to town? How long to the castle?

"Widseth, did not your dancing blade wound the fiend? I pray Pelor a trace of his blood remains upon it."

Barkley gazes at the old gypsy. Staring into her eyes he says "we would not have you betray the fiend or your people, so you shall not turn the last card. But I know that in your heart you feel our best chance to defeat the fiend and free your people lies in seeing it, if I misunderstand, please forgive me."

Barkley keeps her gaze and reaches slowly towards the last card to flip it, watching the old gypsy for any sign she wants him to stop.

Breon says, "Is that wise, friend Barkley? The magics of divination are difficult to master, even to understand."

However, he makes no move to try to stop him.