TOPIC: Meet at the Inn

I kneel by the gypsy, while looking about to assess potential threats. I take the letter, break the seal, and read it.

The letter reads as follows

Hail thee of might and valor:

I, the Burgomaster of Barovia send you honor — with despair.

My adopted daughter, the fair Ireena, has been these past
nights bitten by a creature calling its race "vampyr." For over
400 years he has drained this land of the life-blood of its people.
Now, my dear Ireena languishes and dies from an unholy
wound caused by this vile beast. Yet I fear, too, that the creature
has some more cunning plan in mind. He has become too
powerful to be fought any longer.

So I say to you, give us up for dead and encircle this land
with the symbols of good. Let holy men call upon their power
that the evil one may be contained within the walls of weeping
Barovia. Leave our sorrows to our graves, and save the world
from this evil fate of ours.

There is much wealth entrapped in this community. Return
for your reward after we are all departed for a better life.

Kolyan Indirovich,

You hear the cry of a lone wolf in the distance as you finish reading the letter.

Can I be the vampire?

Disbeeleaf wrote: Can I be the vampire?

"The vampires" actions are being controlled by the module but you are welcome to join the party and see where the adventure takes you. Without giving away to much there may be more then one vampire before things are done (at this point even I don't know how the dice will fall)

"It is too late to save this man, perhaps even Barovia. I wonder if this Ireena is also beyond our help."

"Clearly the letter we received at the inn is a forgery. This fiend has lured us into a trap, but Pelor guides our steps. As the writings say, "the hunter shall become the prey, and the prey shall become the hunter". This fiend has brought his own doom upon his head."

Barkly offers the mirrors and holy symbols to those who will take them.

Suddenly, Barkley stands still. "Speak to me, Pelor, and your servant listens..."

After a moment he opens his eyes. "There is an icon of power. A silver raven. Its fate is tied to the fate of Barovia, and perhaps to ours as well."

Kryndal readily accepts a mirror and holy symbol.

"A silver raven, eh? Any other input from your divine godly person? Say, directions to said silver raven?"

Turning to the rest of the group, he says, "What say you all? Continue on to the accursed village being ravaged by fiends, or back to the warmth of the hearth at the inn? Ah, never mind. I already know what most of you will say...."

"I am still interested in learning about the dark magics causing this destruction. One must know his enemy in order to defeat it."

Breon takes a holy symbol, but pockets it. He already has a mirror.

I accept a mirror and holy symbol with thanks. "I also think we need to continue. This new information is important, but it doesn't change the fact that there are most likely people in Barovia who need our help," I say. I also pull a tome from my backpack that focuses on some of the more violent creatures of the realm and turn to a chapter on vampires.

With your course decided your group leaves the poor man to his rest and continues down the road for a time though you are scarcely able to venture anymore of a guess as to how long you have been riding then you are as to what lays beyond the dense vial of mist that obscures your vision.

Eventually man made shapes loom out of the dense fog that surrounds everything and the muddy ground underfoot gives way to slick, wet
cobblestones. Soon the tall shapes are recognizable as the dwellings
of the village of Barovia. The windows of each house stare
out from pools of black nothingness. No sound cuts the silence
except for a mournful sobbing that echoes distantly through the darkened streets.

A single shaft of light only cuts into the main square, its brightness
like a solid pillar in the heavy fog. Above the gaping doorway of the building from which it emanates, a sign hangs precariously askew proclaiming the structure the "Blood on the Vine Tavern."

"The inn seems like a good place to start," I suggest, having also taken a mirror, but not the symbol of Pelor.

"There should be people there, if there are any to be found in this unfortunate place."

I draw one silver and one wooden dagger, and begin to juggle them lazily, looking around the village for signs of a reaction.

"I wanna see if this . . . vampire bleeds." With that, Cram dismounts from his horse and looks for a hitching post outside the tavern. He checks his pouch, and waits for the rest of the party to dismount before actually stepping inside.