Of Men and Vampires...

When we woke up this morning, we were all discussing who should go and pursue which lead. We needed to try and speak with Milevich, providing he was awake, and we also needed to track down any leads on Rahadin.
 
Yes, he is dead... But we needed to find answers as to how he managed to impersonate a guard, and how he was able to use the identity. Had he killed a guard and assumed
his position and identity, or was someone in league with him?
 
And so, the decision was made that we would
need to split up... some of us would pursue the guard mystery, while the rest of us were to go talk to Milevich.
 
Brynden and I mutually decided that we should split up. One of us going with each group, simply for the fact that we are the most charismatic and persuasive members of the whole party. I wanted to go track down the guard information, as I really had no desire to go back to the orphanage. But, as soon as I offered to accompany Trevor and Errki to track down Rahadin leads, Brynden spoke up and argued against that.
 
He apologized, but said that it would be a very bad idea for me to go with Trevor. His reasoning was that they were going to talk with Izek Strazni, and as he apparently claims me as his sister, it might cause us more problems than those we already have.
 
I asked him what kind of problem, and Brynden said that the sheriff had personally tasked him with keeping me safe, and he very likely will be strongly opposed to my involvement in any of this. Besides, he elaborated, Brynden had already been invited into Strazni's house, therefore, it seems as though the sheriff trusts him at least a little bit.
 
As much as I didn't want to, I had to agree with him. The last thing that I need right now is for the sheriff of Vallaki to randomly decide that he needs to keep me safe and lock me up or some shit. And, as far as I'm concerned, I don't have a brother...
 
So, Brynden went with Trevor and Errki, while I accompanied Oswald and Ireena to
the orphanage. Once again, I knocked, and the same nun answered the door. I asked if Milevich was awake, and she nodded, directing us upstairs to the same room where we had found the boy last night.
 
Milevich sat in the center of the room, hugging his knees and rocking back and forth. I won't go into much detail as to our exact conversation with the boy, for much of his talking was little more than incoherent babbling about the profane. He had the profane darkness inside his mind, he insisted, and the fingerbone that had once belonged to his younger sister... she doesn't need it anymore because she is dead. But, he did admit to taking some of the bones of St. Andral to protect himself from the profane.
 
When we pressed him for more information, Milevich admitted that he was supposed
to deliver a boon to someone named Vanderhoute. He was vague about who this
Vanderhoute is, and after much frustration, Ireena asked the nun who Vanderhoute is.
 
Apparently, he is the coffin-maker. He lives in his shop off the main street running through Vallaki. He is reputed to be very skilled at his craft, although I cannot say that I've ever been particularly interested in coffin-making. I usually avoid such activities, and those who perform them, just in case it would attract some dark power that could ruin me...
 
Ireena and I had to pull Oswald away from Milevich... his heart is too kind to be able to turn his back, even when the boy has clearly lost his sanity. It's a shame, of course, but there isn't anything that we can do about it right now.
 
Oswald wanted to go talk to this Vanderhoute, but I said we needed to meet up with the others before we went anywhere. Fortunately, as soon as I mentioned it, Oswald and Ireena agreed.
 
It ended up being a non-issue, however, because as we left the orphanage, we met up with Trevor, Brynden and Errki.
 
They were just getting back from meeting with Izek Strazni and the guard who Rahadin had been impersonating. Apparently, the guard broke his leg two weeks ago and had been spending his time at home, surrounded by his loving wife and children. None of them went into much more detail beyond that... the only thing I learned about their meeting with Strazni is that he bade Brynden to keep me safe.
 
What the fuck. Who does he think he is? And who does he think I am? I might not be as intimidating as Izek Strazni, sheriff of Vallaki, but neither am I some delicate flower who wilts at the slightest hint of danger.
 
I have faced a greater wendigo, Mother Morgantha and her two daughters, Rahadin and fourscore wolves, not even to mention the countless men who looked at me and saw an easy target... And yes, for most of those, I wasn't alone... but neither am I alone now... I am travelling with some of the best friends I have ever known. Friends who defend each other no matter what their disagreements. I trust them with my life, even if they are from the outside world, this "Faerun" that Brynden and Trevor (when he is speaking to me) have told me about.
 
I am curious about this faroff land... this "Faerun"... Some of their stories make me wonder what else there is in this life. What other lands and stories might be out there? And, what adventures? Is it actually true, as Brynden has claimed, that the sky is blue and the sun shines brightly enough to hurt your eyes? Is it true that Elves live in massive cities, and there are some who live deep underground in a cruel society where they worship a dark spider goddess and the males are relegated to be little more than slaves?
 
All of this seems too fantastical to be true, but everyone I've spoken to about this land has claimed the same thing... It makes me curious.
 
But, I digress. I need to get back to those fateful events of earlier...
 
We traded information and all agreed that we needed to seek out Vanderhoute and discover whatever this boon was that Milevich was to deliver.
 
And so, we set off...
 
It wasn't too terribly long before we arrived at a non-descript building with piles of wood everywhere and stacks of coffins in various states of completion. I had to suppress a shudder when I noticed that the vast majority, an uncomfortable number, of the coffins were child sized. I glanced at the others. Fortunately, they seemed able to focus on the task at hand...
 
Trevor knocked on the door. A tall man with grey streaks beginning to show in his wavy
hair. A handlebar mustache adorned his upper lip.
 
I told him that the boy, Milevich. had "pointed us in his direction to ask about the boon that he received.
 
Vanderhoute studied us for a minute, completely calm and composed. He said that the boon wasn't for him... Lady Wachter had paid him a handsome sum of gold to collect it for her. When asked, he stated that he doesn't know what it is. He doesn't ask questions, he just does
the job...
 
Oswald told him that his job ruined Milevich's life. Vanderhoute shook his head and insisted that he had nothing to do with the boy and that, if Milevich's life was ruined, the blame solely rested on Lady Wachter.
 
Oswald then cast whatever it is that he does, where his eyes glaze over and he seems to retreat inside himself for a few moments.
 
When he regained his senses, he looked directly into Vanderhoute's eyes and announced that the coffinmaker has one of the bones of St. Andral on his person. Vanderhoute didn't deny it…
 
Oswald nodded understandingly and asked if he carries it for protection from what is in his house.
 
Vanderhoute was implacable. He agreed, still remaining completely calm. Then Brynden
cast what I'm beginning to view as his signature spell... he levitated Vanderhoute so he began floating up to the ceiling.
 
Oswald wanted to search the house. Trevor said that we didn't have time... we were due to be at Lady Wachter's for dinner in two hours time, I agreed with Trevor, but the others began searching regardless of our arguments.
 
When they uncovered the trap door leading to his basement, Vanderhoute called down a warning from the ceiling. "I wouldn't go down there if I were you..."
 
Naturally, the guys ignored his warning. Actually, they probably took it as a challenge, the assholes. They immediately went right down. I followed behind them cautiously, descending
the stairs enough that I was able to see, but not so far that I wouldn't be able to quickly retreat back up the stairs and out if I had to.
 
My breath caught in my lungs when my heart skipped a beat. A magical circle of some type was laid out on the floor, and surrounding it were ten coffins. I looked to Oswald and heard him whisper "vampires?
 
We all ascended the steps as quickly as we could and confronted Vanderhoute. Oswald asked him why there were ten vampires sleeping in his basement. At the mention of vampires, Vanderhoute's face went ashen.
 
"You didn't know, did you?" Oswald asked in that kindly, matter-of-fact tone of his.
 
Vanderhoute shook his head emphatically and explained that Lady Wachter had paid him a great sum in order to trace the magic circle in his basement. He had no idea that it would bring vampires into his home or Vallaki.
 
For some reason, I actually believed him... the blood draining from his face in a look of shocked horror is one that I do not believe he was faking. Brynden must have thought the same, for he released his spell and told Vanderhoute to run-which he promptly did.
 
An argument ensued. The guys wanted to kill the vampires here and now, but I tried to get them to leave. If we left now, we would barely make it to Lady Wachter's in time for our meeting with her over dinner. Then, we would be able to use the little bit of time
to come up with an actual plan on how to deal with ten vampires.
 
Brynden and Trevor ignored me. Trevor started pulling out vials of holy water and stakes. I put my hand on Trevor's shoulder and pleaded with him to leave. He brushed off my pleas, telling me that this might be our only chance to have the advantage.
 
When I was unable to move Trevor, I turned to Boynden. It was the first time in my life that I've ever begged anyone for anything. I begged him to leave. Let us go to Lady Wachter's dinner and deal with the vampire threat later. Brynden tried to get me to leave. He said that I have a brother, I should leave and go to him. I refused, saying that I don't have a brother.
 
I pleaded with them to leave. It was ten vampires.Ten vampires! They would kill us.
 
Brynden said that this was our chance to make a difference. I told him that sometimes you can't make a difference... sometimes, the only difference you can make is whether you live or die. And... I don't want to die...
 
About that time, one of the coffin lids cracked open and a vampiress sat up, seductively running her hands through her hair. Brynden stiffened, and I figured that she must be the vampire who had taken Elaine's ear back when they first arrived.
 
Oh shit....
 
After a moment, the vampire spoke. She said that they weren't here to kill us. All she and the others were here for was to make an example of Vallaki during the Festival of the Blazing Sun, and to retrieve Ireena for Strahd.
 
She bade the others to listen to me and leave... the vampires would let us walk out of here unharmed.
 
I told Brynden that Elaine hadn't died just so he could throw his life away in an unnecessary fights. I was speaking quietly, trying not to draw too much attention to myself. It didn't work, though... the vampire turned to Brynden and said that I was right... and now, he would watch me die, as she would be sure to kill me right in front of him.
 
Oh fuck... I didn't want to do this... but there was little choice now, as all of the other coffins were opening and nine other vampires rose to join her...
 
Errki had run off as soon as we discovered the coffins. I caught a brief exchange between him and Brynden, but I'm not completely sure what was said... whatever it was though, had Errki running off to gods know where... right when we were about to take on ten fucking vampires... Strahd's lieutenants, no less... Fuck.
 
Trevor attacked first, throwing the orb that Madam Eva gave us back in the Vistani camp by the Tser Pools. It exploded, sending a blinding flash of sunlight into the middle of the vampire ranks. It burned into the vampires and they clutched their eyes, blinded. It was then that the fighting started in earnest... Ireena held aloft the Icon of the Ravenkind that Van Richten had given her. It shot forth a blast of light that blinded the vampires again and I shattered the magic circle and managed to injure a bunch of the vampires in the process. The fight was brutal.
 
I've never faced actual vampires in combat before and honestly... it was terrifying. I wish I never had to do it again, but I get the feeling that as long as I keep the same company, my life, and the lives of my friends, will continuously become more and more dangerous.
 
I spent most of the fight frantically trying to keep everyone alive... Trevor and Brynden both went down a couple of times and I was barely able to heal them in time to prevent them from slipping into the clutches of death.
 
One of the vampires threw a fireball at me and the blackness that consumed me was almost welcoming... at least after the nightmarish explosion of flames.
 
I opened my eyes then to find Oswald standing over me, his shield raised to fend off an oncoming attack... he had healed me. Pulled my unconscious mind back into wakefulness, undoubtably saving my life. I thanked him as I regained my feet, taking in the current state of the battle.
 
We were hurt... a few of the vampires were dead, but the others were more than making up any slack in their ranks. Ireena held the icon aloft again and a cone of sunlight again burst forth, blinding the vampires.
 
One of the vampire mages disappeared in a cloud of mist. A moment later, he reappeared right next to me and I saw the fireball that formed in his hand. I tried to jump out of the way, but again, I felt the searing pain of the flames before once again feeling myself falling into the encroaching blackness.
 
Is this how I die? It was my last conscious thought before the darkness fully claimed me. I don't know what happened after that, but I awoke to Boynden's concerned face before my eyes.
"I've got you." He said, guarding me as I got back to my feet.
 
As soon as I regained my footing, a giant smash resounded in the confines of the basement. Errki and a giant of a man crashed through a hole in the ceiling. I heard a woman scream at their sudden appearance. Was it me? I honestly don't know. What I do know is that I felt
a wave of terror when I saw the man, Izek Strazni, I realized, rip a vampire in two with a giant, demonic arm.
 
I did the only thing that I could do in that situation, I aided my friends, and even my supposed brother, with every bit of magic I possessed.
 
After what felt like forever, but in reality was little more than a few moments, the
vampires were defeated. One of the mages transformed into a misty vapor and fled up through the floor, but all of the others lay slain.Trevor had managed to kill the female vampire, I guess her name was Ana Strahza. I felt a grim sort of satisfaction with that, even though Elaine isn't here to witness the retribution for her lost ear.
 
As soon as the battle was over, Izek Strazni leveled his battleaxe at Brynden and growled "I told you to keep her safe!" as he stalked over to us. I don't know what was more terrifying... the ten vampires or the violent fires burning in Strazni's eyes as he advanced on Brynden.
 
Brynden told him that I was fine. Strazni growled something to the effect that Brynden should never have allowed me to be there. Brynden told him calmly that he tried to get me to leave, but that I make my own decisions and he can't force me to do anything.
 
Strazni made as if to argue with Brynden further, which I worried would result in Brynden's death, for, as I looked at my friend, I could see how badly he was injured. I found myself worried that he might collapse at any minute, even without the looming threat of Strazni’s axe and demon arm...
 
Steeling myself, I stepped between the two men, holding my hands out in an attempt to placate Strazni.
 
"He's telling the truth." I told him. I wasn't about to let Brynden get hurt on my account.
 
Strazni ignored me, continuing to address Brynden as though I hadn't even spoken.
"You obviously aren't capable of keeping her safe.” He bit out, then turned to me, acknowledging me personally for the first time in this whole encounter. “You are coming with me.” He declared.
 
“Excuse me?!” I was starting to get angry. “I don’t know who you think you are, but you cannot just show up and tell me what I can and cannot do.” I made sure to plaster an angry smile on my face, so he wouldn’t have a legitimate cause to arrest me.
 
“You’re my sister. You shouldn’t be here in the first place. You are coming with me.” Strazni growled.
 
“Why should I believe you? As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a brother.” I shot back. “And, I asked you in the Blue Water Inn if I knew you from somewhere and you told me “no”. So, why should I believe you now?”
 
He looked at me for a second before speaking again. “The last time I saw you…” he said. “It was fifteen years ago… You were running away from our parents’ house in the burning village. Rahadin’s carriage was there and our parents’ bodies were dead on the ground.”
 
All of it came rushing back to me in a flood of memories that I’ve tried my hardest to suppress for the past fifteen years. I looked closer at his face, and I did recognize him… I saw the vague image of a brother who I could barely remember. I shook my head. “Regardless… even if you are my brother, I make my own decisions. You do not get to show up randomly and start controlling my life… besides… if it is true, and you are my brother… why did you never look for me?”
 
Strazni didn’t answer. He merely stared impassively at me for a moment, rage seething in his eyes.
“You are here now.” He declared. “You’re coming with me, and I am taking you away from Vallaki. Fuck the Baron. Fuck duty. Family comes first.”
 
“Not here.” I told him, trying to keep my tone as placating as possible. The glares that he kept shooting Brynden were scaring me. “Let’s all of us go and get a drink. We can talk about it later…”
“Not them.” Strazni bit out. “Just you.”
 
I shook my head. “No. They come too…” I insisted, still holding my hands out placatingly. “They are my friends. They have saved my life on numerous occasions… you said that family comes first. Well, I don’t have a family. And, when you don’t have a family, you make your own family. My friends are my family.”
 
That seemed to get through to him at least a little bit, judging by the way he relaxed his white-knuckled grip on his battleax.
 
Finally, he agreed… after a fashion. We would all go and meet with the Baron, and then he said I would leave with him then. I reminded him that we would talk about it… but I get the impression that, again, he was ignoring me.
 
After that tense conversation was over, we began searching the bodies of the vampires. The warriors were bedecked in beautiful plate armor that Brynden, Oswald and Ireena kept eyeing.
 
One of them had a suit of leather armor that looked to be in excellent condition. It was too big for me, however, so Trevor offered to give me his armor if I let him take the vampire’s. Judging by the size and style of the armor, I went ahead and agreed. It would be nice to have some new armor, but it was all together too big and would be time consuming to alter… whereas Trevor’s armor is more flexible, so it can just be wrapped and belted tightly around my waist for it to be a passable fit.
 
A few weapons were of note, but nothing of particular interest to me, save for a pair of silver scimitars in the same design as Kasimir’s, showing that they were probably forged by the Dusk Elves. One of those would be an amazing replacement for my rapier…
 
Ireena found a sealed letter when she was rifling through one of the vampire’s pockets. It was sealed with the emblem of Strahd…
 
I really hope we're not fucked…