Ludi Blog

Fortunes of Ravenloft

"Unhappy is the Land in need of Heroes"

Jacob carried the unconscious man into the gypsy camp, accompanied by Hough and Marsha. Surly Vistani men insisted that they remove their weapons before entering the camp.

At the fire, Jacob spied a familiar face, Scarengi the old Vistani traveller. He made the party welcome and helped them lay the unconscious man near the fire.

As the sun went down, Scarengi went to speak to Madame Eva, the leader of the gypsies here at the encampment. He returned shortly, sating that she would see them - he asked his son Sergei to show the party to the tent.

Inside, Hugh, Marsha and Jacob met Madame Eva, the old gypsy oracle who sat at a circular card table, awaiting them.

"At last" she said "you have come". The party sat at the table as she continued. " I know why you are here. You wish to know the future. Is that what you really want Jacob? Do you really want to know the future?"

And Jacob replied that he did. So Madame Eva offered him a deck of cards to cut, and began to read them, asking him, and Marsha and Hugh to pick the cards for the reading. This is the result of the reading, and what she said;

About Strahd

He who dwells in the castle, the devil Strahd. He is a powerful man whose enemy is light and whose powers are far beyond mortality. And though he may find you many times, once, and once only, you will know where to find him, and be ready. One card will tell you where, and provide an Omen.

You will find him in the place where his birth lies dead. Seek him in the tomb of his Mother, far below the castle. The powers of good will ward you in this place.

Out of the darkness and chaos, out of all the things you have seen, comes reason. Foundation. And meaning. The purpose of all things;

The lord of the castle serves a power even greater than he. He would have death spread from his hand and consume the whole world of the living. He would reign with a lady at his side, but will consume her too, till nothing remains but death.

[To Hugh] You too are part of his plan. All that you have seen, all that you have done, all that has brought you here, is his will. You return something.... that he wishes to destroy.

About The Light of Steel

You seek a blade of light. Luminous Est. The Light of Steel. But the sword is sundered, and sleeps. One half is hidden. One card will tell you where."

Seek it where the wilds reach close to the town, where chaos threatens order.

Light of Steel Made Whole Once More, Ravens end will close the door. But the sword can only be made whole within his own domain - inside the walls of the great castle. To wake it, bring the parts of the sword to join the ancient lore of the castle.

About Raising the Dead

"You seek a magic of divine power to restore a friend to life. To raise the dead, not in the cause of darkness, but in the service of the light. I fear you will not succeed, for there is no priest hereabouts with the power to perform such miracles. The Lord would not permit it. See what the cards say!

"A dead man holds the key. He stands untouched by the hands of time as hale as they day he died. He holds the power you seek".

This card is a symbol of water and air... seek him where the river flies".

The Holy Symbol of Ravenkind

This symbol is a powerful force for good, taken from the leader of the people. But you can find it if you will but seek it out. The card will tell you where - seek it where the river flows into the land.

Later, Jacob spoke to Scarengi, asking if he should remain with the party on his quest, or maybe give it up and stay here at the Gypsy camp. Scarengi asked Valana to read the tiles for him. Valana said;

"The power within the symbol waits to be rekindled by the hands of the righteous... and the penitent. Your heart wavers once more. But do not be afraid for am I not with you in body and mind and spirit all the days of your life? Walk upon the path with me and do not fear. You must...[Valana was faint, her eyes glazed] You must bring the symbol home to the last remaining shred of sacred ground in the defiled castle".

The Tome of Strahd

Knowledge is power. This tome holds much knowledge of the ancient and the land that will be of use to you - for he and the land are one. This tome will be well hidden, or well guarded , for within that ancient text you will find the secrets of his power.

This volume is entombed along with the evidence of the crimes it records.

Strahd has three ties to the land. Sever the ties. Rob him of his hold and his power. The cards will tell you how...

She asked you to take another card... and began to laugh. "Your quest is doomed. You must find the three defiled places described in the tome. At each fane, you must kill the dread guardian and place the body inside. And at this you will never succeed..."

With that, she declared the reading at an end, and bade the party leave the tent. When they returned to the campfire, Scarengi had two Vistani men carry the injured man into Madame Eva's tent, while the party were given food and drink, and Jacob met and spoke at length to Scarengi's daughter, Valana.

Valana and her family are waiting at the encampment for it to be "over and done with". She says that the "time is at hand" and that "it will soon be over, one way or another". She obviously believes that some event long prophesied is about to come to pass. When its over, she will be moving on - unless there is something to hold her here...

In the morning, the old man emerged from Madame Eva's tent, much recovered. He came over to the fire to thank Jacob, Hugh and Marsha for driving off the shadows and bringing him back to the camp.

His name, he said, was Paffluous, a wizard and master of mathematics. He had recently tried to leave Barovia, but found himself surrounded by dense and choking mist. He was forced back, barely escaping the poisoned fog alive.

However, since his exposure to the fog at the borders of the land, Paffluous has been increasingly ill. The Vistani have taken him in after a fashion, allowing him to recover at their camp. He ventures forth regularly, in search of knowledge that might lead to a cure for his condition.

The party invited him to return to the village with them to talk to the rest of their party, and see if some aid could be found for his illness.

On the way back, the party stopped at the graveyard near the gibbet at the crossroads, and searched for the wizard's raven - a familiar that was dear to him. The bird was found, still weakened by the shadow's attack. Jacob restored its strength, and the bird quickly recovered (and sat with Jacob showing its thanks.)

When the party returned to town, Hugh went to find his sister. She was at the Bergomeisters house. Her father has been buried, and more than anything she seeks a way out of Barovia. She offered to accompany Hugh in his adventures, saying that she could look after herself. Hugh drew his sword and said "show me". Suffice to say that Hugh found, to his embarrassment, that his sister could indeed handle a sword, and use at least some power of the mind.

Meanwhile, Marsha decided to go around the village to see if she could be of help to any of the families who had lost people in the recent horror. Turns out there was much for her to do. Four families had not yet found their loved ones, and she was able to reunite them with the bodies of the departed. All of the families were suspicious, even resentful of her at first, but by the end of the day all thanked her, hugged her and shed many tears for her generosity. Two of the families gave her gifts - a fine gilded hand mirror and a silver medallion bearing the image of a Raven. Marsha had made friends in the village.

Bovrain had finished directing the cleanup, ensuring the bodies of the dead were recovered and laid ready for burial. He has made the acquaintance of the merchant, Bildrath, and his muscular (if somewhat slow) stock boy, Perriwimple. Bildrath runs a general store, reasonably well stocked with common goods.

Jacob returned to the church with Danovich, and helped him start the repairs to the church floor. The two men spent the day in honest toil and at nightfall, decided to take refreshment at the inn.

That night, the party gathered around a large table at the Blood on the Vine, enjoying a hearty evening meal. Hugh sat next to his sister Irena, who invited her brother Ismark to eat with them (to soak up some of the wine). Bovrain sat next to Jacob enjoying a large haunch of meat, wile Jacob sat talking to Paffluous about his condition and his history.  Marsha sat next to Father Danovich, discussing the families she had met and the funerals to be held. Two empty chairs reminded everyone about Cweno and Isaiah, whose bodies remain in the portable hole, awaiting either burial or the chance of being raised from the dead.

The party discussed their plans for restoring the dead, and asked Father Danovich about the information they'd received from Madame Eva. Danovich said that there was indeed a priest here in Barovia a decade or so back. He was a traveller, came into the village only once, sating he was headed in the direction of the castle. He was last seen in the vicinity of the Tser falls, and was never seen again.

The party have decided that this is too much of a coincidence, and resolved to strike out for the falls in the morning, to try and find the "dead man who holds the key."