Chapter 10. Vass-t Food

General Summary

Everyone decides to leave for Tser pool. Ireena doesn't think there will be too much trouble, as long as we travel by day. Travelling by night is not an option. She doesn't look completely convicted by herself about the safety thing… When pushed she says that the forest they have to travel through (the forest surrounds the Village of Barovia and Tser Pools) is full of Wolves, Bats, Dire Wolves and other "normal" creatures. However some are thralls of the Devil…. Ireena, dressed in a red, sturdy dress, with Leather Armour underneath, leads them through town. At the Blood on the Vine tavern Vass spots a Raven watching us. He also notices a shadowy figure, male, watching us from an alleyway. Vass tries to call out to him to no reaction. We head west. Vass talks about his background - growing up as an orphan in the caves of a Dwarven City with other lost children, barely seeing the light of day in his formative years. Eventually as he grew old enough, he ventured out. Ichabod says that the one thing that seems to link us all is that we are broken in some way, but Vass is the one he cannot work out. Bernard has, well, it's for him to tell us the detail when he is ready, but has known loss in a painful way. Esper is seemingly on the run, Alyric had a life before Selune and describes himself as broken, and Ichabod has simply been broken since birth. Vass does not know if there is such a link, and when Esper asks why the Raven, he explains it could simply be that he was raised in the dark. When asked about the Durst family house, Ireena asks that the house is known to her father. He went there with his men, drawn to it. He didn't explain exactly what happened, but the end result is that they burned it down. However they returned weeks later and it was standing once more. Ichabod asks her what her childhood was like. She explains that she had happy times with Ismark and her father. Her father was protective, and didn't let them out of the house much. She didn't know much about her mother, who had passed away. Ichabod says that that doesn’t sound too dissimilar to himself. Ichabod explains that his upbringing was fairly cut off from the rest of the world. He has his father's library and workshop, where he discovered and developed his craft. He didn't see much of anyone except his mother. She recently passed away, however was of an age that this was expected, and so while sad Ichabod has come to terms with it, and as a result of this death he ventured off into the world to explore for the first time. Alyric presses further, saying that is not the sign of something that is broken, and Ichabod trails off, mumbling something about "Mother wouldn't want me to.." Alyric speaks about his past. From Amn, southern Faerun. Before he found Selune in later life, he was a protector. Belonged to a group that was born to protect Wizards, a symbiotic arrangement. He left Amn, went to a mountaintop. He left something behind…. Then received a vision, a message from Selune. Bernard picks up that Alyric’s story is possibly of lost love, and states that "the past is best kept int eh past. If you are looking for love, the more you have, the more you have to lose". The group enters the woods. Ancient oak trees surrounding them. Vass spots a pair of eyes watching us - wolves eyes. Ichabod keeps his Automaton flamethrower closer by his side. They arrive at a crossroads, with a Gallows at the crossing, a sign post, and a graveyard. NW > Tser Pools (route slopes downwards) E > Barovia Village SW > Ravenloft & Valaki (route slopes upward) The graveyard has 10 or 11 graves. Ancient, with any engravings that had been on them worn off. Ireena says the Gallows would never have been used by her father, she didn't know they were here. But noticing the sign, she syas they are about 2 hours walk from Tser pools. As they walk off, Ichabod hears a creaking noise. He walks faster. Another noise - he turns and see a body hanging from the gallows, slowly turning. Shocked, he stumbles and calls out. Everyone sees it, a non descript body…. But Esper balks, as the body she sees is hers. "why are we hanging around here, lets GO" she shouts, turning, marching off up the path, and out in front of her leaps a hulking direwolf, then 2, 3, 4 and 5 appear surrounding them. Esper turns invisible and hides… After half of them aare dealt with, with Bernard having taken a few big hits, a horsedrawn carriage comes galloping up from The SW path, a tall figure steps out and slashes the last direwolfs throat, killing it. He is handsome, with a widows peak. Looks not dissimilar to the drawing the missing girl had done. Colour drains from Ireeena’s face, and she looks nervous and worried. The man offers his condolences to here on her father. Ichabod: "And who might you be?" "I am Strahd von Zarovich". He offers his condolences to Ireena, and tells her it's dangerous going along this path, and he should come and be safe with him. His eyes flash, and he asks her to introduce us all. She goes around and gives our names. All except the invisible Esper. Ichabod accuses Strahd of setting the Direwolves on us, causing the danger. He dismisses it, and turns to Alyric. "That one I think is not so smart. Now, Alyric, you seem a bit more intelligent." "How do you know my name?!" Alyric exclaims "Good god man, because Ireena just told me! Perhaps not so intelligent after all" He tells us to deliver Ireena safely back to him. They refuse. His eyes flash again, focusing on Alyric,, moving onto Ichabod, and finally settling on Vass… "My Dear Vass, would you come here my boy? It would be a shame to leave you without refreshments first…" Vass walks straight over to him, and Strahd bites him by the next, visibly draining him. DCBC started moving over when he saw Vass moving towards Strahd (having been preoccupied with the Direwolves). Seeing Vass be bitten, Ichabod looks completely engaged, and charges him with a dagger. Strahd effortlessly moves out of the way, and slaps Ichabod with the back of his hand, his sharp nails slashing his face. Ichabod drops to he knees at his feet, holdign his face, feeling not only the physical damage, but also something deeper inside him, clawing at his life force. DCBC tries to intervene - "Now, Now…" Strahds eyes flash once more… "This all seems to be a misunderstanding! We shan't keep you longer" As Strahd leaps into his carriage, he says "It ahs been…. A pleasure" as he wipes his lips. The horses gallop away. DCBC: "What a lovely chap!"

Report Date

04 Oct 2024