Story Thread

[bxtreme]

Journal Entry 25

The Caretaker Diaries

---

Cecil: Uhh, Creed...Could you write a bit smaller please? No one wants to read something that looks like it was written by a first grader.

Creed: Sorry, it's my arthritic hands. I can't write much smaller than that. Why do you write in a journal anyway?

Cecil: It's for the autobiography I plan to write! It will chronicle my life's achievements.

Creed: So why is the going in the journal?

Cecil: All in due time Creed. One day, you will see how this was but a stepping stone to one of my greatest achievements yet. Now, would you be a dear and wipe my drool? Thinking about my greatness makes me salivate.

---

I have made a miscalculation today journal. We came across a room with a trap that releases a terribly powerful gas. We safely set the trap off, but during the release of the gas, I thought it might be time for an interesting experiment. I wanted to learn about the properties of the gas. Realizing I don't have to breath (I sometimes forget my own greatness), I was going to take a bit in my mouth and ask for a volunteer. I would then blow some of that gas into the volunteers face and study the results. The dilution of the gas with the clean air in the room should dilute the potency. Zola, one of my best test subjects friends graciously volunteered. But then Creed stepped in the middle of us, screwed up my experiment and made me paralyzed!

---

Creed: Wait, I'm not writing this crud, that's not how it happened!

Cecil: Creed, you can write your own version of the events in your own journal. Leave your opinions out of this please.

---

And so the mad scientist Cecil McBiggins prepared to run another twisted experiment on Creed's good friend Zola. Creed bravely stepped in between the two and saved poor unsuspecting Zola from being hurt! By intercepting Cecil, it broke his concentration and caused him to get a taste of his own medicine! Cecil is now paralyzed and relies on the rest of his team to support him. The End.

---

Cecil: Damnit Creed! Don't you understand, a gnome's journal is a sacred thing.

Creed: Not if you fill it with lies.

Cecil: Ugh, I'm done arguing about this. Lets see if you can pull it together for the next journal entry...otherwise I'll have to start keep a mental journal or something...

[dragonforgotten]

At the beck and call of a ghostly nakercheif we finds a secrete door behind the hearth. Everyones talking about walking through the open flames and scoff, procedding to move logs with the poker till the embers die down. Whats with people thinking their fire proof. The door opens into a room with a single chest and a skeleton. Me and Chad are all over him as i channel magic into him so he may speak again. He doesnt know what killed him, only that he came tired. Tired?
"Im thinking smoke." I tell the group and their in agreement as Chee places a torch back into its empty holder only to open up another secret door! Its holds double the secrets! Everyone is curiose whats up with the chest so we all step out of the room and chee uses her ghost hand to open it. Green gas fills the room and were all grateful were not in there. That explains why that man died. Cecil goes in looking to see if the chest has stuff since he doesnt need to breath. He finds nothing and comes out with smoke in his mouth. He wants to test it on Zola and i go livid. That man died because of it! I will not let him harm Zola! I cant trust him after her nearly crushed me.
I step in front of Zola
"No. You are not doing anything to her." She whines behind me, saying i'm ruining her fun but i'm dead serious. I keep my word to keep her safe for Eliza. He tries to weasel around me but as he tries to dart past i trap in into a death hug turning him away from the gang.
"Cough it up!" he struggles and squirms and i fight to keep a hold on him. Suddenly he swallows! I stare at him in disbelief as his eyes widen. I release him as he slumps to the ground. Everyone goes silent. Oh f***! I killed him!
"You did this!" Zola screams at me as i stare at the gnome, eye wide. Theres no words for this. Just numbness.
"Still alive!" our gnome all voices in our heads as his eyes dart about. I back away and let Stein deal with him, tail flicking agitated. We move onto the next room down the hall and find giant spiders in the belfry. While I'm blasting away Stein drops Cecil near me.
"Creed. Pick me up so i can fight!" I glare ahead, not sure if i should still be mad or guilty.
"Come on creed! You cant just leave me on the floor!"
"Why should i help you? You did this to yourself."
"because were friends." I growl and grab him by the scruff of his coat. I hold him outside the door and a spider drops dead. We do a dance of me blasting with one hand and the other holds out the Gnome. I have to admit despite being paralyzed he's still just as effective. I decide then that I'll hold onto him. I don't need both hands anyway. With the spiders gone we try to rest in the room. I look down at the Gnome.
"Sorry for paraylizing you."
"Sorry for nearly crushing you with my ice wall."
"want to call it even."
"Sure." Its then we hear hammering at the door.
"open up servants of the devil!" Oh that sounds familiar. No one gets up to greet our guests so i do the honors. It's the classic angry mob from Barovian village no less. With my charming personality i disarm them of their fears and we sit in the belfry cracking open the wine and cheese having a good time! At least till the whites show up. They don't give us trouble but now we need to restart our rest. I wasn't able to ask gramps for more power because of those a****. We move back into the study and close the secret door. While everyones getting ready for bed i approach the double.
"Don't cause trouble Creed." Cecil warns me.
"Im just having a look." I then peel back my eye patch subtly as it glows its dim light and reveals whats beyond the wall. It's a large bed room with a body on the bed. Alive or not? I cant tell.
"What the heck is that?" Oh! I put the eyepatch back in place before anyone else notice but i can feel the gnome staring at it.
"Its nothing to worry about. Just please don't tell anyone. Im not suppose to let anyone know."
"Fine by me but i want a closer look later."
"Bad idea but fine."
We try and rest, the Barovians once again break out the wine and cheese and it really starts to feel like a party. I like these guys. We barricaded the doors but the moment i get three pages into reading to Cecil a wrights hand claws through the door and i have to stand up again as everyone attacks the hand. F***ing Hell! Scowling I charge up my blast as the wight busts through the door and strides before Stein with sword raised. Wordless i blast the wrights head clean off his body before sitting down, the rest of the party clean house fast. I swear if one more wright intrudes on my quiet time I'm taking his head and shoving it up his a***! Everyones getting frustrated. This place is eating away at everyone and i can feel it gnawing on me and i don't appreciate it. We move into the room i spied into with my ghost eye while arguing with zola how rude it is to push a body off of that bed. You got to have good manners. Makes me feel a little bad how rude my company has been in Strahds house even if he's an enemy. We find a lavish bed room but to my surprise there isn't a dead body on the bed but a living one! How novel! She yawns stretching, sits up, then stares at us and our large group.
"Who are you?"
She certainly all dolled up. Just like a little doll. Hey wait a minute! Didn't this group mention meeting a mad lady in a house who gave Cecil Popov, sent them searching for her daughter! Oh ya. That was a thing. Her names Gertruda. I'm not too interested in her. She looks rather tacky right about now and i can read her like an open book. Im not very keen on catty teenagers. Zola way better.
We mention bring her back to her mother but then Gertruda starts getting huffy. Ugh..
"I'm kind of 'in' here," she says. "I'm happy here. Who wouldn't be with such a handsome man like Strahd, and a beautiful castle?"
I look her sight in the eye. Him?! For f*** sake! How many young girls will he corrupt next! I feel so f***ing responsible considering Zolas making me act like a mother hen. This why i will never have kids.
I lean to Steins ear.
"Hey stein, you think she's charmed?" He hums look her up and down.
"Maybe, hard to say."
Zola then approaches her looking slick.
"How do I join this 'in crowd'?" she ask as i groan into my hand. Still hasn't learned the gold standard of men yet..
She glares at her, looks like she's getting very catty. Oh boy. It's finally getting interesting.
"Back off, b****!" She snaps at Zola and i wish i has popcorn.
"You see that Z?!" Zola shouts looking livid as she points dramatically at the bed post!
"That stands for Zola!"
"I just told your doll friend, it's Zarovich!" Gertruda screams.
"It's Zola von Zarovich, you ****!" Zola then gives her the most powerful b***ch slap i've seen. The girls practically spins back onto the bed by the force of the blow as her eyes roll into the back of her skull.
"Wow. Thats going to bruise. You should have clawed her eyes out. Thats what i would have done at your age." I say chewing on some rations.
"Sadly i don't think you slapped the magic out of her yet." I look at the barovians looking lost in the back.
"So guys. Why don't you take her back to her mother. I doubt shell go quietly." they agree tying her up and departing. It's then i realize how quiet it is once their gone. HOW did i not notice! Silence is a beautiful thing.
I sit back down on the floor trying to read to Cecil. he has me writing flithy lies in his journal half and hour later i hear a familiar scuttling of nails. through the balcony crawl nine severed hands!!
"Feffy! Is That you!"

-Creed

[Aileen]

The hands go down without much of a fight. I was hanging out on the bed with Mike one second, and the next the hands are all destroyed. Stein complains that he wasted his spell doing spirit guardians, but it did wipe them out within seconds. That's a win in my book.

Mike looks out the window and reports that there is a walkway going around the keep, so if we want to enact our plan of leaving via feather fall, it may be a good place to go from. Meanwhile, Steinbjorn casts locate object on the Sunsword, and gets a ping. Right on the other side of a door in this very room! I jump down off the bed, bouncing over to Steinbjorn at the door.

"I've got the door for you!" I announce.

"Maybe it's Strahd's closet!" Cecil says in my head.

"If it is, we could all dress as him!" I say out loud.

"He must have some really good cologne to cover up the smell of death," Cecil thinks back. "If you find the cologne, I want it!"

"I'll go through Strahd's drawers!"

Stein gives me a look.

"What are you talking about, Zola?"

"I'm talking to Cecil."

He rolls his eyes as Cecil laughs in my head. I open the door, and walk in. There are some red satin curtains, and I see movement on the left hand side. Smoke seems to be sucked into the door to the next room. In the middle of this room is a tub, and as I pass I can see some liquid in it. I'm more worried about the smoke, what if there's a fire in the next room? Stein casts some light on the tub as he follows, and I put my hand on the door to feel for heat. It's not hot.

"Tubs full of blood!" Stein announces. "And the Sunsword is on the move. Let's go!"

I open the door just as Cheeks asks me to let her run through. She is faster than any of us, so I go in the room and let her pass. It's the cake room! My lungs are assaulted by dust and the scent of decay from that stupid cake.

"We went in a circle!" I complain.

Cheeks follows the smoke, which goes under the next door. She opens it and runs into the next room beyond. I rush in the room, hop over the table, and am followed by Chad, Creed and Stein who get up on the table and stay there. The Dawn Breakers can't be bothered to go around furniture like normal people!

"There's two shadowy dudes in here... I guess." Cheeks calls from the hallway.

Chad jumps off the table, next to me, and casts something. A bonfire crops up in the hallway, illuminating a stack of two swarms of rats piled on top of each other. They start squeaking angrily, and suddenly there's rats running everywhere. I must be a magnet for varmints, because a bunch of them run to me and start scratching at my legs. Chad and Creed start blasting magic all around me as I cringe, more afraid of them than the rats. I get in a couple good shocks on them, and then Mike finishes them off. I see Stein in the other room getting absolutely RATtled, and send a fire bolt his way.

"Zola, mind your aim!!!" He shouts as the flaming bolt sails past his left ear.

Finally the rats are dead, and Cheeks reports back that the smoke got too far... it's heading downstairs, and apparently laughed as it went. Strahd's laugh. We are so not getting the Sunsword back. While others discuss our next plan of action, I crawl under the table and look for a trapdoor. We had a theory someone could jump out of the cake, but I see now that it is impossible.

"Hey, Zolz," Cecil again. "I heard you counting money a little while ago... do you need some?"

"Yeah, Stein and I want plate armour but I'm a little short."

"Reach into the bank of Cecil!" He replies. "I'm trying to lighten my load for Creed. Take like 600 gold, that should be enough."

"Wow! Thanks, Cecil!" I reach into his bag and start transferring money over to mine. The others catch me and try to stop me, but I tell them Cecil told me to. I'm not poor enough to rob my favorite gnome!

"Alright, let's go!" I announce. "We're taking too long. Featherfall plan, now!"

"Zo, we were waiting on you," Stein growls. "Could you not have waited to take Cecil's money?"

"I was lightening his load!" I snap, walking back to the bedroom with the group.

We all crawl out the window, and stand on the parapet. Chekasha convinces our Vistani Skull Carriers to featherfall with us, despite them being extremely reluctant to do so. As we stand out on the parapet and look down, it's clear that our Barovian friends didn't get very far. Their bodies are all on the ground, strewn across the courtyard along with their torches and pitchforks. Gertruda is with them, dead. Mourning will have to wait.

The group starts complaining that we can't see what's beyond the parapets, and I'm a little confused. I can see towers on each corner, clear as day.

"There's towers, guys," I announce. "The parapet goes all the way around."

"How do you know? That's well over 60 feet away." Chad asks.

"Uh, I can see it. Duh."

Turns out not everyone can see as far in the dark as I can. Maybe they just don't eat enough carrots. I didn't realize I had special eyes, but now I feel actually useful to this group! We decide to walk along the parapet and head to the tower on the left, then go down. This brings us right above the bodies in the courtyard. Group one, consisting of Steiny, Chad, Creed and I goes first. I preemptively try to jump, not realizing or caring that Cheeks hasn't casted the spell yet, and get held back by Steinbjorn. Oops. Then we actually jump, and it's as fun as I could possibly have imagined it. We free fall in slow motion, the wind and rain pummeling us until we reach the bottom. Now I want to try it from the Spires!

We go immediately to the body of Gertruda, and I see that her neck is completely twisted around. A smile is stuck on her face.

"Looks like Strahd got them." Stein whispers.

"I thought he was sleeping." I whisper back.

Truthfully, I don't know why Strahd would do this. The only thing that makes me think it was him is her smile... I don't think it was him, he's not this much of a savage!

I see Cheeks and Mike trying to decide what to do with the skull, as they can't hold onto it while falling or cast featherfall on it. Then I get an idea.

"Its okay, I can make a cushion!" I call up to them.

I get to work. The bodies are relatively easy to maneuver around, especially since some are in pieces. I start dragging and strategically placing them where the skull's trajectory will be if pushed off the parapet. My physics teacher would be so proud of me! I leave Gertruda out, knowing that the bodies might get squished when the skull falls.

"Okay, you can drop it now!"

Everyone, especially Cheeks and Mike up above, stares at me in horror.

"What? You make do with what you have. They're serving a purpose in death as they did in life."

Creed looks offended. We step back as the ladies push the skull over the edge, and wait with bated breath as it plummets. With a great squish and splatter, it lands on the bodies, completely intact! I bow dramatically. They always question me, but I'm full of great ideas!

The others join us in the courtyard, and Cheeks comes right up to me, looking spooked.

"Zola, did you know you made the bodies into a perfect skull shape... with devil horns?"

"No, I'm just naturally artistic!" I say. Did I really make a design? It just looks like a pile of (squished) bodies to me.

"Are you possessed? Now I'm worried you're charmed by Strahd, too."

"Nope. I never even talked to him."

There's no way. My crush on him is all me. It's his sophistication that I'm drawn too, not his vampiric charms. I know he's too old for me and too in love with Ireena to ever like me back, but it's fun pretending. The only time I ever talked to Strahd was at brunch, and that was just a friendly conversation about wine and our mutual annoyance with Creed at the time.

"I'm so proud of you, Zolz!"

"I learn from the best, Cecil!"

We head to one of the guard towers, and Cheeks tries to pick the lock of the iron bound door. It doesn't budge, so I give it a good kick to loosen it. I'm surprised it doesn't fly open. Cheeks keeps working at it, as Stein keeps watch, holding the the dead girl wrapped in his cloak.

"Zola, you keep watch too, with your creepy dark vision."

"Oh, right. I'll do that." Sometimes I forget you're supposed to keep watches going. I'm loud and not afraid of very much, so it never occurs to me.

Cheeks finally gets it open, and we check out the inside. Its hollow, and the roof is open to the sky. The rain is pouring in through the mechanisms that line the inside. Cheeks tries mage handing the lever that looks like it will open the portcullis and drawbridge, but it won't budge. I even throw all my weight into it, and it doesn't move an inch. We all try, but its hopeless.

I creep in the shadows by the portcullis, keeping watch as others check out the other guard tower. There is speculation that pulling both levers at once, if there's another one in there, might do the trick. Stein reports that he is getting the presence of magic from both sets of mechanisms, but he needs to long rest to perform a dispel magic.

"We will never find rest here." I remind him.

"Well, we have to try." He snaps.

As we commiserate, miserable about the rain, the front doors of the main entrance open of their own accord. Warm, inviting light spills out into the courtyard.

"Think he's listening?" I ask the group.

Almost everyone nods.

"We need to leave," I say aloud. "I'll be back, I'm just a very busy person, Strahd. Let us leave, and I will return with a great gift!"

I look around, but there is no sign of him, and the portcullis remains closed.

"What gift?" Stein asks. He looks miffed.

"I haven't figured that out yet." But, I kind of have. If we can find Ireena Kolyana, maybe she is the key. As much as I don't want him getting her, it's clearly all he wants. I cannot compete with you, Ireena.

"I think we need to face the music," says Mike. "We are trapped. We can either sit out here and hope the gate opens, or go inside and face him."

We decide to take a walk at Creed's suggestion. We don't know what else is outside around the castle, and want to see if there is any possible way out besides the main entrance. Coming to another portcullis, this one much smaller, Mike tries to lift it. I help her out, and she gets it up for us all to go under. Once she is in, it drops with a loud crash. We are now in the back area of the castle, and near a gated off garden. Creed wants to bury the skull there, but we left it back in the gate house with the Vistani. There is an overlook, and Mike sends his owl, Eisenhower, out to fly into the chasm from this point. The poor bird is hit with cross winds, but manages to get out a bit. A stroke of lightning illuminates the sky for a moment, and we can clearly see illuminated down below the village of Barovia. One thousand feet below.

We discuss the probability of surviving a fall like that, whether we can feather fall again, and if we can climb it. Nothing seems to be a good option, as we risk death.

"All we need is bodies at the bottom to cushion our fall." I suggest, jokingly.

"About that," Cheeks gives me a look. "We need to come back to that subject later. I'm not convinced you're not on his side."

"You've caught me!" I feign defeat. "It is I, Strahd! All along!"

Heading back the way we came, we make our way around to the other side to explore. We come to what looks like a carriage house, and I boot the door open. The two horses are hitched up to the big black carriage, standing stock still.

"Hi, babies!" I go right in, and pet one on it's big black neck. "Want to go for a ride?!"

They stare at me, unnaturally. I feel like they're staring straight into my soul, no horse should act like this!

"Zola, they just smiled at you!" Creed warns.

"Aww, they love me!" I hug one around the neck, but it still doesn't react.

We all pile into the carriage, but it doesn't move. I had a lingering hope that it would make them start moving. I get out, and hop into the drivers seat.

"Let's go, ponies! We've got some more adventurers to pick up!"

I cluck to them, no response. No matter how hard I snap the reins, they won't move!

"These are the worst trained horses I've ever met!" I growl, getting down from the seat.

Most of the crew gets out of the carriage when it is clear that this plan is a bust. We discuss having a rest here. Stein puts his hands on my shoulders.

"I know it's hard for you to stay quiet, Zola, but we are going to try to long rest." Stein tells me.

"I'm not that loud!" I whine.

"Your normal volume is shouting, like right now! Just... sleep, maybe?"

I roll my eyes, and hang out with my emotionless yet beautiful horses as everyone hangs out, resting. I braid their manes, and give them scratches, hoping that maybe they will snap out of their weird trances. No luck.

"When you're my horses, you will get everything you deserve!" I whisper to them. "A nice big paddock, lots of grass... we can gallop through the fields of Barovia!"

"Zola, shut it!" Chad snaps at me.

Fourty minutes into our rest, there is a scrabbling noise at the foot of the door. We ignore it, standing still and holding our breaths, and it goes away. Two hours pass, and it's clear that it's still too early to get a long rest in, despite the exhaustion some of us feel. Then, the door slams open. Two wights and a zombie that is just a torso (not headless), stand in the doorway.

"ZOLA!" Stein growls.

"That's not my zombie!!!"

Steiny hits one of the wights wicked hard, he must be extremely angry about being woken up! I'm still in the middle of working on a complicated braid on one of the horses, so I try to finish it while the others fight. Finally I get to the end of the hair, and rush in with my sword. I hit one of the wights! There's a loud noise as I see Stein punch the carriage out of the corner of my eye. Wow, he is pissed! He even left a dent!

"I AM YOUR SWORD- I AM YOUR SHIELD- I AM YOUR CECIL!!!" the gnome calls out. He can talk again! It's a miracle! He then kills the zombie with his mind.

Mike destroys one of the wights, and then I slash the last one to it's death. As it dies, it looks up at me, gasping.

"Friends of yours are waiting at the front gate!" It rasps, and then it's gone.

"Why are things always rasping messages to me when I kill them?" I ask the group. "What friends?"

Mike sends Ike out to check things out. When the owl comes back, Mike tells us some not so good news. We were expecting Ireena and crew. Instead, there are several chainmail wearing, longsword bearing individuals. They're just standing at the edge of the chasm, staring.

"They look risen from the grave," she says. "One of them was Kale, that guy we lost back in Barovia. And Zola... Eliza is there."

I'm running out the door before anyone can say anything else. My cousin is back... and undead?! I have to see him, I need to talk to him. Is it even still him?! I get to the portcullis, and the damned thing is still closed. I put my hands through the bars, shaking it, crying my eyes out. I'm angry now, angrier than I've ever been in my life. Who did this?! Strahd wouldn't do this to me! Yet, he could have... I don't know what to believe.

Someone comes up behind me, pulling me away from the portcullis. I turn around, and it's Creed. She puts her hands on my shoulders, and all I can do is cry.

"Zola, I was worried this would happen. This is what I've been trying to say all along."

"I don't need a lecture right now!" I sob.

"I know, and I'm not giving you one. We don't know what he might be right now, but that might not be Eliza. If he is a zombie..."

I shake my head.

"No. He can't be."

Then it hits me. What if they're revenants? What if they've returned from the grave to get revenge on Strahd? Strahd didn't kill Eliza, though. Nor Kale. Eliza was killed by the shambling mound that those horrible Durst people and their cult worshipped. Strahd hated them, he punished them... Strahd did not kill my cousin! What are they then, and why are they here?

Creed pulls me into a hug, and I break down crying into her shoulder. She knew Eliza for the past two years, but I keep pushing her away. We have more in common that I've cared to admit. I've been angry with her, thinking she's the reason he left home... she's not responsible, though. I've got to let go. And if we have to kill my cousin's reanimated corpse... I really hope it doesn't come to that.

We all check out the gatehouse where we left the Vistani, and are assaulted by the gruesome sight of their bodies strung up in the gate mechanisms, along with the dragon skull. This seems to be what happens when we split up, people die.

"Have we tried speaking a password? Like saying open?" I suggest.

"That's what I was thinking," Cheeks says, following me outside.

I stand in front of the portcullis.

"Open!" I command. Nothing.

"Khazan?" Whispers Cecil.

"KHAZAN!!!" I bellow. It echoes off the walls of the castle. Oops, too loud.

Nothing seems to work. We aren't getting out of here. The doors of the castle open once more. Guess we are going back inside, our only other option. The spider has us in its web.

We pass through the front doors, and then the second set of double doors. Just as we did this morning. Nothing has changed, except the organ is no longer playing. We come into the entrance hall, the four statues of dragons with their jeweled eyes gleaming in the torch light still staring down at us. An elf with long dark hair descends the stairs.

"But he's dead!" I gasp, suddenly, and for one of the first times ever, truly afraid.

Rahadin looks at me, an evil smile crossing his face.

"You killed me, but I am not gone!" He reaches out his hand toward me, and then dematerializes.

Where did he go? He's not a ghost, is he? I better not get possessed by that a**hole! The torches cast odd shadows up above, and we hear the creaking of stone. From the darkness, flying towards us, come eight stone gargoyles!

Welcome to Castle Ravenloft. You can check out any time you want- but you can never leave...


~ Zola

[Chris]

Castle Ravenloft

Crawling Claws Cliffhanger
Bath Chamber
Dining Hall of the Count
Guardian Vermin
Parapets
Front Courtyard
Center Court Gate
Chapel Garden
Overlook
Servants' Courtyard
Carriage House
Entry
Great Entry (attacked by gargoyles)

Time at end of session: Day 14, 8:53:6, Year 735?

MVP Aileen Russell as Zola Farsight Stormwyk

our plays on RPG Geek rpggeek.com/plays/thing/192136?userid=1168080

[bxtreme]

Journal Entry 26

The Caretaker Diaries

Journal, there has been a development! I have regained my ability to speak! Now I can yell for Creed when I've soiled myself. She still seems reluctant to assist me in all areas of need, but we're working on it. The rest of the Dawn Breakers are still very supportive. Stein read to me earlier - I feel like it was a great bonding moment. All I really need is helping turning the page, but he continues to read to me anyway.

Much of this transpired during a brief respite inside the stable of Strahd's castle. It's been quite the ordeal with no end in sight. We were close to getting the Sun Sword back, but the "mysterious cloud" carrying the sword was just outside our reach as we gave chase. With time running out until sundown, we tried escaping the castle. No matter what we did, we couldn't break free. The most we managed to do was make it into the courtyard.

The doors of Strahd's castle open, and we realize we have no choice in the matter - we are going back into the belly of the beast.

---

Creed: Come on man, you keep pushing this caretaker thing. I'm not doing that.

Cecil: Not doing what, taking care of the person you paralyzed?

Creed: No, the "personal care" stuff.

Cecil: Oh that...ya I guess it's a lot to ask for. I'd do it myself if I wasn't paralyzed and all.

Creed: Uh huh.

Cecil: Which was your fault.

Creed: You did it to your-

Cecil: Just didn't want you to forget.

*Creed roles her eyes*

---

[Aileen]

~From the diary of Zola~

Make Barovia Great Again: Business Ideas from Zola F. Stormwyk

VPS- Vistani Package Service

Strahdbucks Coffee

Wizard of Whiskeys Distillery

Flavored mist?

Expand Blinsky empire... puppets of war?

McBiggins fast food chain



ZS ♥ SZ

[dragonforgotten]

I was Sitting in Gurtrudas former bed room Im sitting near Stein and cecil holding his ridiculously tenie tiny dairy and pen while he's sitting on Steins lap begin read to.
"Cecil. Why is your dairy so tiny! My hands cramping." I tell him but before he can mental tell me to shut up we hear the scuttling of nails. Hands! Many many Hands! All climb out of the balcony and flood into the room. Im struck by nostalgia as I watch them charge.
"Feffy is that you!?" I call out surprised. They use to infest the catacombs me and gramps lived in. He called them vermin, I called them endearing. Just as i stand up Steins ghost skeletal warriors appear and turn them into paste. Wow that was quick, i didnt even have time to put down the dairy. Everyones in agreement that we got Arganvost, Its time to split. I check my watch and we don't have a lot till the light is gone. We all huddle up and come to the decision to check one more time for the sword. Stein does the thing and his eyes almost pop out of his head.
"Its on the otherside of the door!" He and everyone all start running, me picking up cecil and tucking him under my arm pit as i sprint desperate to catch up.
"F*** Cecil! Why are you so heavy!" I wheeze as we stumble into the room. It certainly isnt a good room. Theres a bathtub filled with blood with curtains all around. Well, thats one way to deal with your aneimia. I arrive just in time to see Zola and everyone being harassed by rats. Jumping onto the table i ready my hand. Time to get cracking. The energy courses through my arm and it let it fire into a group of rats that are harassing Zola, then i shoot more through Stein legs as he sweats.
"Thanks Creed but Watch it!" He warns as i laugh.
"You worry too much. I never miss my target after all!"
The rats are destoryed no probs and it seems with the help of the bone owl that this is somewhere up the damn stair case i had to run up to save Zola, chee, and Ryder. I hate this castle. 
I leave Cecil on the table While I'm busy exploring and touching all manner of dusty unused things. I don't find anything but my ears twitch as i hear mentions of 'the bank of cecil'. He better not being a creep to Zola. She's young and stupid and doesnt know her tastes in men yet. I was pretty much like her as well but i had gramps eating my boyfriends. It was a very annoying time to be a punk a** teenager. Its come to the conclusion that instead of walking down all those damn stairs again we're going to go about it the awesome way. Were jumping off the balcony! With featherfall of course! We check outside and can see that the group of villagers and Gertruda didn't even make it to the gates. There all sprawled out on the court yard very dead. I feel kindof bad. I did assume they had a safe way out. Really shouldn't have. The Vistani start wussing out on us. They say their afraid of getting flattened. Chee had to reassure them that they will be fine. I give Arganvost a kiss on his big head before jumping with the rest of the gang. I land softy with everyone else but i don't see the skull. Zola starts dragging the bodies into a pile except for Gertruda's. Whats taking them so long- gos se! I jump away in time as the 200lb skull comes crashing to the ground like a comet, sending gore everywhere!
"Holy f***! Aganvost! Are you ok!" I run up to him, inspecting for any damage. Its a miracle! He's completely unharmed from the fall! Once everyone comes down we go to the guard towers to lower the bridge to find it locked. Jokingly harassing Chee as she works we find the levers are magically sealed in place. No ones going anywhere tonight. Well! Thats not good! I really need my sleep and i don't want to sleep in a vampires pad. Guess we'll have to find another way out. The bickering starts and I'm getting cold and wet.
"Lets search the rest of the castle grounds. Maybe theres a better place to snooze." Finially they listen but they tell the vistani to stay with Arganvost for when we come back. Theres talk of trying to get a longer nap and i think thats crazy talk. This place is filled with ghosts, ghouls and other s***. Theres no sleeping here unless it's on strahds terms. Through our exploration we get a vantage point and can see into the chasam separating us from the castle and glorious freedom. Bone owl reports its a thousand meter drop into the s*** village of Barovia. I start thinking maybe we should toss Arganvost over the ledge. He survived the last fall without a scratch after all. I then get an amusing image in my imagination of two people just having tea in their house when a giant dragon skull comes crashing through their ceiling. Better yet it happens to the merchants house.
"Creed, You'r laughs Creeping me out." Says Mike.
"I know." I chuckle on.
"What are you thinking about." asks Zola.
"Something really really funny and an idea for later."
Moving on we past the gardens and then to the stables. We find nothing dangerous besides maybe the creepy horses still hitched to the carriage. Zola tries talking to them and then it starts smiling. I did'nt even know horses could smile. Ive lived with skeletons and zombies but nothing is as spine chilling as that smile.
"Zola, don't touch that thing. It proably has rabies."
"Its just a horse creed." I sigh, teenagers! 
"Im going to nap in my trailer." I tell everyone passing the Cecil back to Stein.
"Your turn now." I tell him as I sit in the plush seats closeing my eye for a breif moment.
----------

Im running down the waterdeep streets a bloody mess. We should have never stoped the fire.
I can only be thankful that Gramps is hidden away again, just in time. Its too bad i cant do the same. I hear the sounds of voices catching up to me. I slide down a backalley wheezing and huffing for air. No! Not now! I stagger down my vision swarming as i fight for air. Suddenly pain slams into my back and courses through my veins. Im thrown to my side vision red and shaky as boots enter my vision. My eye traveles up to see a tall half elf woman in a burgondy cloak and a sword of dark energy in her hand, the other smokeing. Ah s***... This is it isn't it? I need to take it out.. Before they find it..Even if it kills me. Before i move my hand a soilder has grabbed both my arms, twisting painfully behind my back as the cuffs snap on. c***....
"Suspect Secured Commander."
"Perfect, I'll take it from here." She glares into me as i feel my vision darkening. 
"We have some questions that need answers, both to me and Madam Suliman."
-------------

Im jolted awake by the sounds of combat. More wrights and a zombie are harassing everyone. A few simple blasts and the groups effort and the undead are delt with. As i get out of the carriage one of the wrights rasp out before disintergrating.
"Friends of yours are waiting at the front gate!" Friends? What friends? Ireena and the missing gang? Our pissed off Reveants? I perfer the missing Ireena and gang then the latter.
"Why are things always rasping messages to me when I kill them?" Zola ask the group as i shrug. I dont know. They like to get inside your head i guess.
Mike sends Ike outside. When the owl comes back, we learn... things. Things i didnt want to hear. There are several chainmail wearing, longsword bearing individuals. They're just standing at the edge of the chasm, staring across from the otherside. their undead but that isn't the wrost.
"They look risen from the grave," she says. "One of them was Kale, that guy we lost back in Barovia. And Zola... Eliza is there."
I go pale. What! No! This cant be! NO! Im filed with greif and rage! I turn on Stein and chad and i just want to grab them by their throats out put i restrein and point outside.
"THIS is what i was talking about! The dead DONT rest here!" I want to say so many things. How we should have come back sooner. How we should have gentle reposed them the moment we had the spell prepared but that doesn't change that they are now undead and waiting for us outside. He's undead because I wasn't fast enough, because I put others before the needs of the dead for once, because I couldn't stop his death.... I can feel the tears bitting at me, feeling like a failure. I should have just thrown Ireena to the Abbot if i knew. theres only one thing left for me to do now that i cant restore him.
Zola running out the door! S***! I bolt after her. Just as she reaches the portcullis i grab her shoulders and turn her around. Her face scrunches up and she begins to cry.
"Zola, I was worried this would happen. This is what I've been trying to say all along."
"I don't need a lecture right now!" she sob.
"I know, and I'm not giving you one. We don't know what he might be right now, but that might not be Eliza. If he is a zombie or a wright..."
She shake her head slowly.
"No. He can't be."
"He might." thats all it takes for her to break down and i pull her into my arms stroking her hair in the pissing rain. Eventually i get her to come back to the barn and we finish our rest in the charge. I step out taking my break outside, but not before i begin looking through her bag undisturbed now that Cecil is begin watched over by Stein for now. I find a joint stub which i leave. Shell need it. Then her book but not before i find a chilling discovery. Horns.. teifling horns..
I recognize the color immediately. There Elizas. I hold one in my claws feeling a chill. Why does she have these? I pull out the diary looking for answers and i defiantly find them. The begining i find writings and draws, some of which are very familiar drawings and i have to quickly flip past them. Then i find all the real s***, her bottle issues and teen angst. then i find drawings and pictures and writing about us. She did a really good one of undisguised me. The i find the strahd pictures and i want to blush and throw up. I don't get her obsession with him. He's hot but she's f***ing seventeen. This s*** needs to end. It was funny before but not anymore. Now with that b****d possibly doing this to Eliza. I return her items before she even notices contemplating what i learned.
-------

We discover the vistani are dead and Arganvost is tangled in chains. As everyone takes it in i search for the echo of Eliza but i cant seem to find him. His bodys outside. Maybe he's gone to it, maybe not? I don't honestly know and it worries me for once that i cant find him. As I'm watching the search go on I'm contemplating. Is it time now? Should i give it to her now? I look  at her and i feel doubt. Not the whole thing maybe. I take the stained two letter from the inside pocket of my coat turning it to stare at the unbroken raven seal on one and the blue eye on the other before returning it to the pocket. The entrance to strahds castle looks very warm and inviting right now. Im bored. It's definitely a trap but i need a distraction from the undead hoard outside. We step inside past the entrance and the stone dragons to find Rahadin coming down from the stair case. Surprises, suprises. Im out of f***s to give right now.
"But he's dead!" Zola gasps.
Rahadin looks at her, an evil smile crossing his face.
"You killed me, but I am not gone!" He reaches out his hand toward Zola, and then dematerializes.
"I don't know how many times i have to keep on saying it." I tell everyone as the gargolys attack from above!

-Creed

[Chris]

Castle Ravenloft

Great Entry (attacked by gargoyles)

Entry (attacked by red dragon wyrmlings)
Great Entry
Dining Hall
South Archer's Post
Turret Post Access Hall
Guards' Stair
Guards' Run
Hall of Bones
Servants' Hall
Elevator Trap
South Tower Stair
Dungeon Hall
Torture Chamber
Observation Balcony
Brazier Room
Tsolenka Pass
Guard Tower, Ground Floor
Guard Tower, Upper Floor
Guard Tower, Rooftop
Gatehouse Portcullis
Curtain of Green Flame
Long Rest
Western Arch
Stone Bridge
Eastern Arch
Fog
The Amber Temple


Time at end of session: Day 15, 12:40pm, Year 735?



MVP Brian Costa as Cecil McBiggins



our plays on RPG Geek rpggeek.com/plays/thing/192136?userid=1168080

[Aileen]

Our fight against the gargoyles is glorious. I'm not sure they were prepared for the Dawn Breakers... more like Gargoyle Breakers! We break them so hard the entire foyer is covered in stone dust. Cecil, despite his paralysis, blows my mind with his powers. He will be a god one day. The one that tried to dive at Cecil and knocked itself out at the beginning of the fight gets pulverized by all of us giving it a beat down. Solid 10/10 fight.

"Maybe we should buy Strahd a ficus since we destroyed the decor in here," I suggest. My idea earns disappointed stares. "right, we really should go to the teleport room!"

For once, everyone listens to me. We plan to head back through the dining hall and the passage behind the organ, but then Stein remembers we left the skull of Argynvost back in the guard tower. Oops. Mike sends Eisenhower ahead to make sure nothing is in the courtyard waiting for us, and Cheeks goes to open the door. That's when the dragon statues come to life!

I'm standing in the doorway and see there are now six red dragon wyrmlings where once there were statues. Cheeks quickly disengages and dashes faster than lighting back to us. I'm ready to go in and fight when they take wing, and begin flying about. They blast fire through the door, and I'm immediately engulfed. I block my face with my arms, but the metal heats up quickly, my flesh burning. The pain is agonizing, and I count five blasts before everything goes black.

---

I walk down the aisle, stepping on flower petals as I go. Friends and family watch, smiling as I pass them. My white skirts with crystal beading catch the light, making me sparkle. I know I look like the elvish princess I've always wanted to be.

I get to the altar, and he turns around. His blonde hair combed back, beard trimmed perfectly. He smiles, and grabs my hands as I stand by him.

"Do you take Zola Farsight Stormwyk to be your wife?" Says the cleric.

"I do."

It's then that I notice my betrothed's hands have changed. They're paler than I remember... longer, more refined. I look up to Steinbjorn's face. It's not him... handsome, yes, but he has pale skin, black hair. He smiles, fangs stained with blood.

"And do you Zola take Strahd to be your master, for all of eternity?"

I look into those eyes. Cold, cruel, yet hard to look away.

"I..."

---

I wake up, gasping as life returns to me. Stein and Chad are muttering a prayer in unison, and I feel my burns healing as they speak. That was not a good time.

"Hey, Zola, you're going to be okay!" Says Cecil, standing over me.

"Cecil!? You're standing!"

"Yes, Chad healed me!"

"It's a miracle!" I exclaim, jumping to my feet and picking the gnome up in a hug. He blushes as I put him back down.

"Hey Zola, can you put your extra sword in the door the wyrmlings are behind, and take that magic one out?" Cecil asks me.

"I mean, I can... but I got this for my birthday!"

"Well, you can have the other one! That's a pretty good trade off!"

"But Cecil, it belongs to Valkyrie."

"Oh, right you just woke up. Zola, Val is dead. The wyrmlings got her good."

"What?! No! Not Val!"

Valkyrie was our beautiful angel, and now she is dead. I sigh, wiping a tear away, and head out to the entrance hall. My body is still achy from getting absolutely hammered by dragonfire, and I hope against hope that the wyrmlings don't bust through when I make the sword switch. I grab the hilt of the glowing sword, and pull. Suddenly a voice speaks to me in my head. S***, I forgot this thing could do that!

"Zola! Do you vow to fight evil and kill Strahd von Zarovich?!"

"No! I want to save him!"

My hand grips the hilt harder. It comes out of the door, and I put my old sword in it's place. Mom and dad gave me that sword for my seventeenth birthday, I'd hate to leave it behind here, but right now there are more important things to worry about.

"Very well! You must comply- kill Strahd! You will not leave Ravenloft until he is dead!"

"Yes, I will." I reply. I shall do as I am told... Strahd must die!

I walk back to the dining hall, and rejoin the group.

"Got the sword?" Cecil asks me.

"Yeah, thanks!"

"Alright, we are heading to the teleport room. Time to leave the castle!" Mike says.

NO! If we leave, you can't find Strahd!

"Absolutely not!" I snap.

"What? It was your idea!" A look of annoyance crosses Mike's face.

"I must kill Strahd! We can't leave."

"No, Zola, you will get yourself killed," Creed warns. "You can't fight him alone, and we are leaving."

"He's so hot that I want to stab him in the chest!"

Creed tries casting a spell on me as Mike lunges at me, and I start running. She's going to kill me?! Why?! I have done no wrong! I just want to kill Strahd, what's so wrong with that?

I think I'm safe, but then I feel strong arms wrap around me. I start kicking and screaming, but she only holds me tighter, forcibly hoisting me up on her shoulder.

"Let me go, peasant!"

"No! You're a minor and I'm not going to let you get yourself killed. Why are you acting like this?!"

"Strahd must die! Put me down!"

Mike holds me down as Creed and Cecil tie me up in rope around my knees and arms. Cecil puts my wrists in front of me in manacles. They're pink and fuzzy... must be a gnomish thing.

"You're all servants of the Devil!" I shout, and then start singing. "Strahd must dieeeee! Kill the Lord of Barooo-"

Creed puts a strip of cloth in my mouth and ties it around my head. All I can get out is muffled speech.

"I wish I had thought of doing that sooner!" Says Steinbjorn.

"Mmphnnnhhhh!" I try swearing at the cleric.

I'm unceremoniously dragged behind Mike, and they only pick me up to get me down stairs. We run into Cyrus again in his hallway.

"Ah, you've come back! Are you tired yet?"

My kidnappers try asking Cyrus the way out, but he can't or won't tell them. He also ate dinner without us.

"Why is she tied up?" Cyrus asks them, rubbing his weird hands together and giggling.

Everyone starts giving their own convoluted excuses while I struggle and try to call for help while completely covered in fog on the ground.

"Wait, one at a time, I want to hear your stories. And slowly!"

It becomes evident that a tied up teenager is getting the little guy a little too excited, so they move on. When we get back down to the flooded dungeon, Mike hoists me up on her shoulder. I try squirming and kicking and screaming, to no avail. My party has turned against me! They're in league with the devil Strahd!

They get through the trapped hallway due to the Devil Creed moving the water around, and get to the Zombie/balcony room. I'm hoisted up the rope by the Devil Mike, and then they all go into the teleportation room.

"Nnnh! Mmph nnnnh!!!!"

Devil Mike puts me on the ground, and Devil Creed takes the gag out of my mouth.

"You bastards! We can't leave this place! We must defeat the Devil Strahd! The Zarovich line shall end this day!!!"

I manage to escape from the ropes after much wiggling, and clamber to my feet. I'm game to run away, but there is one problem. Manacles.

"Hey, not that my opinion matters to any of you fools, but the one about the 'master's bride's is either the abbey or our beautiful, wonderful Ireena's house."

"She's out of her mind!" Creed hisses to Steinbjorn.

Rideyr joins us again, and looks confused at the state we are in. I'm facing off alone against my captors, still cuffed.

"What is going on? Zola..."

"Rideyr! We must find Strahd! He MUST die!"

Mike tosses the wrong gem into the fire, and the sand in the hourglass begins to run, rapidly. She tries to grab me, and I dodge. Creed tries, and I duck under her arm, only to go right into the paws of Chekasha.

"It's for your own good, Zola!"

I'm pulled into the portal, thrashing and screaming. I pull away from Cheeks as we come out into a cold, stone room, with nothing but a cold hearth. I walk towards one of the windows, and look out over fog as far as my eyes can see in the dark. Everyone else comes in behind us, and the portal closes.

This is absolutely not where I want to be! Now I'm probably far away from Strahd... how will we ever get to him now? Where are we?!

I'm left in the care of Creed while the others check out the upstairs of this place we are in. She tries talking to me but I can only focus on my lust for killing the Lord of Barovia.

"... I always keep my word." She says, with much emphasis.

"Then keep this word. Kill Strahd!"

She growls in frustration, and I can see her clutching an envelope or something, but she quickly shoves it back in her coat pocket. The group returns, chatting about us being in a tower.

"Can you take off my manacles?" I ask.

"And what are you going to do if I take them off?" Cheeks asks.

"Uh, scratch my nose."

"I can scratch it for you." Stein says, and does so. If I didn't like him I would bite his finger off.

"No, you don't need your hands free." Cheeks replies.

"What if I have to pee?!"

"Don't worry, we'll take care of you. Girl's Club!"

"She's not going anywhere," Rideyr growls. "Take the damn manacles off her."

"No, we can't trust her," says Cheeks. "The manacles stay until we can be sure she's not running off into the mists all alone."

We decide to rest here, but it's just so bitterly cold. Chad puts a fire in the hearth, and soon the room grows warm. I try picking my manacles, but the damn things clank together and alert Steinbjorn. He comes over and crouches in front of me, turning my head side to side and peering into my eyes.

"What brought this change over you, Zola?"

"I had an epiphany. We have to kill Strahd. We have to!"

"I know, and we will. But you don't sound like you."

"Maybe you don't really know me, then. I want Strahd to die- we must go back to Ravenloft!"

"Zola, I'll give you ten gold to shut up." Stein says.

"I don't need your gold- I'm rich! My parents pay my bills!" I scoff, tossing my hair.

"Your parents paying for everything and you paying are two totally different things." Stein sighs.

Stein leaves me alone, and I curl up in my bedroll, hiding my head under my blanket to try to tune out the party talking. They're all talking about me, wondering what is wrong. There is nothing wrong with me, I'm doing what is right! They must all love Strahd. And I am going to break their hearts when I kill him!

---

The next morning I wake feeling much better. It's a beautiful, foggy day in Barovia, and I... don't want to kill Strahd! Why was I so obsessed with killing him? Stein finally takes my manacles off, and I rub at my sore wrists. If I hadn't been so exhausted I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to sleep with them on. It is then I realize that the sword I grabbed from the door is the reason I went crazy... it charmed me! I immediately throw it to the floor with a clatter.

"Nobody touch that!" I warn. "It's evil! And by evil I mean it's really good, but in a bad way!"

"Zola, was the sword controlling you?" Steiny asks.

"Yes! Have you ever heard me wanting to kill Strahd before? That was not me!"

"Yup, she's back," Stein sighs.

"You look normal now, too!" Says Creed.

"I'm seventeen again?!"

Everyone affirms that I am in fact the old, pre-Ravenloft Zola. Thank the Raven Queen!

"Do you see why we did that to you?" Cheeks asks me.

"Yes. I'm sorry. I will never touch a strange magic weapon again!"

Leaving this guard tower, or so it appears, we see a closed gate and a curtain of green fire in some walls. Demonic statues up above make us walk the other way. The way we go we have to cross a stone bridge with statues of mounted knights with lances. A black cloaked rider on a dark horse blocks the middle of the bridge. As we approach, I wave at him. Nothing. So, I go up ahead.

"Hello!" I call.

No answer. I get closer.

"Excuse me, sir, can you let us pass? You're blocking the bridge with your horse."

No answer. Rude! So, I duck under the horse. If he won't let us pass, I'm going under him! As I go through under the horse, my head hits it. This horse is not solid... it's some kind of illusion! It dissipates a second later. We all get across just fine.

We walk on for a couple hours, and come to a pass filled with fog. We march onward, wanting to get down off this mountain. Bad idea. I choke on the mist, feeling weird... the exhaustion I finally slept off is back! We all turn back... the mists allow none to pass.

We end up heading north, and run into snow covering the ground. Up ahead we see some kind of temple. Statues of faceless hooded figures carved from amber decorate the outside. S***, this looks like it can be only one place. The Amber Temple.

No way in hells are we going in there!

~ Zola

[Aileen]

Rideyr-

My list of allies here in Barovia seems to be dwindling. Most of the Dawn Breakers showed their true colors last night when I was controlled by that stupid sword. Maybe it was for my own good, but I do not appreciate being attacked and tied up by my so called friends. I no longer trust them as I did before. Steinbjorn is the only one that stood up for me, and I know you tried to stop them too.

Things are not looking good here in lovely Barovia. There is something I haven't told you, and it's probably time to come clean. If I don't make it out of here, or if things get worse, I want you to know the real reason I am here.

I don't know if you were around Waterdeep when the old Temple of Lathander was nearly completely burnt down, but I'm sure you know of it happening. They thought it was cultists, of course. My mother is the chief investigator of the incident. Therein lies my problem.

It was me. I accidentally set fire to the altar while running from someone entering the temple. My friends and I were partying and we panicked. I did not mean to do it, and I should have been more careful... or, tried to put out the flames. Looking back now I realize I was so stupid, but we can't change the past.

I wasn't ready to start adventuring, but I knew it was only a matter of time before my mom or my aunt found out it was me. So I told them I was going out to find adventure, and they let me go. I really ran away.

Barovia is a blessing and a curse. They can't find me here, but neither can I leave. As long as the curse holds this land, I am free from facing them. Truth be told, I kind of like it here. Aside from the undead and the horrible Barovians selling their kids for drug pastries, I actually love this land.

I hope now that you know the truth you don't think any less of me. I did not want to anger your god, but I think being here may be my punishment. I'm okay with that. If I have to stay here, I will make the best of it. I will help you and those in the Dawn Breakers who want to do what is right. We have to save Strahd from his curse, and make this land right again. If I'm going to live here I want to be able to walk down the road without getting jumped by scarecrows and other unsavory things!

Please forgive me. I don't want to disappoint you, too. Thank you for being a true friend.

~ Z

[Jeff]

Zola,

Thank you so much for telling me what happened. I had already stepped down from my position and had left the church by the time of this incident and was not aware of it. We all make mistakes and have done things we regret, and I am no one to judge you. In fact I support you more than ever because of your honesty. You know that I look at you like a daughter, and I will always have your back.

When we complete our mission and leave Barovia, and we will leave, I would encourage you to tell your mother what transpired. You may face some consequences, but they will be nothing compared to what you will put yourself through if you don’t. You are fortunate to have such a wonderful family—something I’ve never had—and you won’t want withholding the truth to come between you and them. It’s clear that they love you, and they will continue to love you. I’ll be happy to accompany you home when we leave this land to help you initiate the conversation and tell your parents what a brave and kind warrior you are. But only if you want me to—all you need to do is let me know. Plus it would be an honor to meet your family as I’ve heard so much about them.

Please don’t despair—that’s what happens in a place like Barovia and it wears on you. You can see our group is starting to fall apart, but remember that Stein, Chad and I are always with you just as we know you are with us. If we stick together we will be victorious.

Listen to your heart, and you’ll know what to do,

-R

[donaldado]

The outer realms are ripping apart at the seams, threatening all boundaries and indeed reality itself. In order to understand this catastrophe it behooves us to understand how it started. From the personal Diary of Draelyn Blackthorn, member of the infamous Zhentarum collections crew Death's Grasp:

I have found myself at the destination. It is both as promising and as drearily terrifying as imagined. There apparently is such a thing as the demiplane Ravenloft, which my current employer claimed. As far as my early recon has provided me it does not require divinity to create one's own reality. I have just located the last known associates of self styled general Kale. For a group which has acquired such a reputation they seem to be chaos personified. This of course suite me as the order of this land is certainly an antagonistic force towards my personhood. In fact they just helped me escape this vampire's prison keep. I will of course have to prove of use to them. The head vampire of this land must be slain in order for me to return to Waterdeep. From what my new associates relay to me "General" Kale died but has been reanimated. A most fortuitous event for me as this leaves open the possibility of acquiring the target information.

As far as I can tell this group's power structure vacillates between a rather eccentric (and possibly touched) gnome and a cleric with patience issues. The rest are reassuringly skilled if unorganized. Further study is needed.

[dragonforgotten]

Trapped in a room filled with gargoyle with a Gnome tucked under my arm. This could be bad but this looks like fun. They swoop down at us! They swipe and claw at us, snarling as they cut into my flesh. They try to get as Cecil but I beat them back. I see Cecil eyes jerk up to the ceiling as freezing rain pours down on them. One freezes up, barley hovering in the air as the other eight shake their stone hides. I look at everyone around me. Guess I should do it. It’s only Cecil and Chee that can see me. I lift up the eye patch and it flares with green energy. The gargolys shriek in confusion and terror, clutching their heads except for a small few. The few look at me with rage. They descend upon me and begin to savage me as I howl in pain. Bleeding everywhere the light dims and the confused ones snap out of their haze.
“gos se...” I mutter feeling the stings but the small amount of aid I did provide was enough it seems because we begin to push back. I blast up at the stone sissys hitting my mark but as one swoops in one me Stein kills one over my head as I get a dust show. Zola kills one over him as he gets one as well. Soon they their numbers begin to dwindle and we have once again come out on top. Panting and bloody I sit on the ground for the moment fixing my eye patch.
“That... was nasty... b*****ds wouldn’t give me a break.” I whine wincing as I catch my breath. Standing up again the group are talking about going back to the portal. As much as I hate to leave it might be a good idea with visitors at the front gate and a place that is very unaccomidating to its visitors. I want to go to our supposed bed rooms. I really want to know if they left mints on our pillows. I want a nap so bad. It it doesn’t Strahds castle only gets one star. I wounded if strahd serving desert right now in the dinning hall. I could use some chocolate.
“Great. Fantastic. But we need to get Arganvost beautiful skull. We can’t leave him behind.”
Everyone agrees with me, first arganvost and then we get the heck out. Chee sneaks ahead till she walks between the dragon statues and then s*** starts getting bad fast. Al the statues turn into red dragon wyrmlings sparking and hissing fire.
“Close the doors now!” Chee dash’s at us and before we can act all the dragons converge at the door and begins to cook us in fire. I scream in rage and pain, using my body to cover Cecil the best I can but I feel even my hellish skin beginning to boil under the intense heat. It’s too much! I feel myself reach my limit and between the mind numbing pain I feel the protective wars against my demise shatter and all strength leave my bones. The world starts to grey and I feel myself falling....
———-

Back in the darkness. dead, alive? I’m both here and nowhere but I’m not alone. Once again the green hands all grasp and tear at me all screaming. Mother and father grasp my face as all the lost cursed souls grasp and pull at me, trying to move me from the cold ground and it’s lasting wisps of shadows.
“Live Carmen! Live! You will not die while we live inside you! We wont allow it! Please!” They howl and scream but I don’t want to move. What’s the point. I failed didn’t I? Elizas body has been corrupted, it’s too late to keep my promise.
They try and try again to rouse me but I remain staring into their glowing eyes.
“There’s still the girl Carmen! The girl! Please don’t leave us like this!”
“Shut up, s***y folks and stop calling me Carmen.. that is not my name anymore just like your not my folks anymore.”
That’s right... there’s still his relative. There’s still the stupid wizard I have to deal with. There’s still things that require me to continue living. Ugh fine. I start fighting to stand again. It’s all the coaxing the restless ghosts need.
Suddenly they lift up me up to my feet and forcefully turn my head to the light.
———-

I blink awake as I return to the land of the kind of living. It’s hard to say what Barovia is. I groan shuffling up into a sitting position as I catch the end mutters of Chad and Stein prayers. I look up and see Mike hovering next to me.
“Welcome back.” I look out among to the fallen party members, beginning to crawl to their feet just as I do. Except one. The horribly burnt remains of Val still remain on the ground. The doors closed now with her magic sword separating us from the young dragons. That... was nasty. I go over to Val. We need to do something for her but there’s no time. We need to go now. I hate leaving corpses of friends but gos se has hit the fire. We will die in this god forsaken castle without haven accomplished anything like we haven’t already if we don’t haul ass out. I sigh. This is frustrating. So close yet so far.
Zolas trembling near the body shell shocked. I take off my coat and put it over her shoulders. I wrap my arm around her rubbing her shoulder.
“Come on. We need to move.” She nods at me not saying a word as I lead her away from the body. We reach the empty dinning hall when I spot him. Out of the corner of my eye I see him.
“You little firk! ding! blast!er!” I shoute at Cecil who walks by me like it’s nothing. He looks scared of me.
“H-hi creed. Sorry but you had to be punished after all.” I point at him with my claws.
“Your lucky I’m soly focusing on surviving otherwise your ass would be grass.”
He swollen nervously.
“Of course.”
He looks back behind us and looks at Zola.
“Do you have an extra sword. I put Vals magical one in the door. It’s a waste to leave it there.”
“Sure. Be right back.” She hands my coat back to me and runs off back to the room. I sigh collapsing into a chair and rest my head in the table. It doesn’t take long for her to come back with the magic swords
Got the sword?" Cecil asks me.
"Yeah, thanks!"
"Alright, we are heading to the teleport room. Time to leave the castle!" Mike says
"Absolutely not!" Zola snap.
"What? It was your idea!" A look of annoyance crosses Mike's face.
"I must kill Strahd! We can't leave."
"No, Zola, you will get yourself killed," I warn her but her crazy is showing..
"You can't fight him alone, and we are leaving." Chee lays out for her
“Well leave you behind if you want to stay.” I glare at the cat.
“No were not. I’m not leaving anyone else behind.”
"He's so hot that I want to stab him in the chest! If I can’t have him no one can!”
“Alright. I’ve had enough of this.” I begin to cast my charm at her but suddenly my magic fizzles
“What? Why-? Oh you cheap peice if metal.”
I mutter to myself as Zola starts going crazy.
Mike grabs her and I hand over my rope for her to tie Zola up. Cecil puts the fuzzy cuffs on as she squirms.
"Let me go, peasant!"
"No! You're a minor and I'm not going to let you get yourself killed. Why are you acting like this?!"
“Strahd must die! Put me down!"
What the hell has gotten into her?
Mike hauls her over her shoulder and we begin to move as she starts screaming at the top of her lungs. I rip a piece of dusty tapestry off the wall.
"You're all servants of the Devil!" I shout, and then start singing. "Strahd must dieeeee! Kill the Lord of Barooo-" I shove it into her mouth and tie it behind her head.
“Shush. You going to get us kill with all that screaming.”
We wall back through Cyrus room and he perks up as he watches us enter. I feel alittle bad for him, we missed dinner after I said we’d meet up for dinner.
“Ah, you've come back! Are you tired yet? Why is she tied up?" Cyrus asks rubbing his weird hands and giggling.
I’m about to explain when mike and Chee immediately talk over me. I shoot them an annoyed scowl but they still continue to talk over me again before I can get a word out.
"Wait, one at a time, I want to hear your stories. And slowly!"
Eventually we were able to explain ourselves.
“Now would you like to see your rooms now?”
“Actually..”
“No, were leaving.” Stein says walking off and we fallow as I sigh giving the dog man a sorry look. I really wanted to see if strahd did leave mints on our pillows.
We make it back to the teleportation room. Mike and Chee seem to have taken command are dictating which stone to throw. They say we should throw the one with to take us to the mountain spire. A mountain? Isn’t that wayyyy to far. I catch Zola mumbling and screaming some more for attention.
“Hang on a second. I think she wants to say something.” The moment I undo the gag she slams her head into my gut causing Mike to drop her.
“Teenagers.” I mutter pissed as she stand up again. I exspect her to run but she doesn’t. Seems she’s wiser up alittle I’ve if she’s gone mental.
“Hey, not that my opinion matters to any of you fools, but the one about the 'master's bride's is either the abbey or our beautiful, wonderful Ireena's house."
“Hmmm good point. What do you think fellas-.” Before I get a word in mike has thrown the mountain spire stone into the fire.
“Oh, too late. Let’s go! Let’s go!”
Zola struggles kicking and screaming as mike tries to wrestle her in till she’s full bodied into the portal by Chee. I step in after her. We all find ourselves in a dark cabin like room, a head fireplace sitting in the corner as the wind howls and batters the walls. Welll.... guess we’re not in the castle anymore. Where the heck are we? Stein and the rest goes up stairs as I sit with Zola shivering my ass off. She looks the same as I am. Cold, miserable, proably having a pretty s*** day. I slide up next to her trying to steal some body heat.
“Zola listen.” I have my hands in my coat hand on the envelopes.
“I was brought here for a very pacific purpose. I was told not to interfere unless absolutely nessarcy but I always keep my word Zola and I mean ALWAYS. You understand?”
“Then keep this word. Kill Strahd!"
“Ugh! Obviously it’s pointless to reason with you right now.” I shove the envelopes back into my coat.
“What was that about?” The part has returned it seems and chees being too nosy for her own good. I huff not saying anything. Apparently we’re on a mountain with no burn able stuff. Greattttt. After talking about it we decide mike and chad are going to have to keep us warm for the night otherwise the cold will kill us long before strahd. Greatttttt. We snuggle up together that night trying to not make it weirder then it already is.
—————

I’m splashes by water jolted awake as I come to in this lavish grandhall.
“Welcome. Knew you would join us eventually. Apologizes for how rough Karsilene was, she’s been very b***y lately for obvious reasons.”
I look up from the floor to see a woman with long flowing black and grey hair in bright yellow and dark blue robes, her steel eyes cold as ice, staring through her half moon spectacles, a dragon staff clutched in her hand and a dagger in her belt.
“Awww, s***.” I grumble rolling onto my back.
“No please, take your time. Dirty up my polished floors. It’s not like I don’t know what you’ll say next.”
“What do you want you crazy b****? If you know everything You know I’m not the arsonist.” I hiss at her. She glares hard.
“Yes. I’m aware of what you did and of what you are but your questions will be answered last.” Suddenly something’s clawing on my back! I try to throw it off but it’s on my face before I can react and two empty suites of armor roughly pull me to my feet. A hideous pink creature then pulls off my eye patch as I try to hide my face. S***! She strides up to me and takes my face roughly in her hands, inspecting my eye.
“Interesting.” She mutters intrigue.
“Why don’t you commission a painting. It’ll last longer.” I growl. She releases my face.
“Oh believe me I would love to see how you tick but Your not here for that. Now then soul hunter, let’s move this conversation to more private quarters.” She steps away from me and with her staff she slides the tip of it into the floor and twists it. Something clicks a the part of the circle me and her are standing on begins to descend down into darkness.
———

I blink awake the new day finially feeling reinvigorated for what felt like forever! At last! I’m not tired anymore! Zola’s back to her chipper self. She immediately throws the sword to the floor and confesses it was controlling her. Wow! I kind of want to keep the sword now but I have no need for swords. I’ve got the only weapons I need with me and there names are lefty, righty and eldritch blast. Walking down the mountain we find many many skeletons warriors. I want to talk to them all but I’m short on time and short on spells. We stumble upon a stone bridge with a ghostly rider in black. Zola goes right up to it and tries going under the horse when the rider doesn’t listen only to bump her head against... its stomach before vanishing. It was a ghost all along. oooo, spooky. I want to go see the creepy demon castle behind us now but mike and Chee say no, I want to go to the fire wall but everyone says no. What’s wrong with green fire walls. It’s a popular tourist attraction! Pas the bridge we climb the mountain but no one will listen to me. They all want to go down so I poute till we stumble across the mist. I’m having second thoughts but Zola runs in and as such well all run in and instantly I feel it. The energy leaving my body! No! F***! B
“Back up! Back up!” We scramble out of the fog.. tired.
“No!!!! I just rested!!”

-Creed

[Aileen]

We stand outside the facade of a temple carved into the mountainside, the massive amber statues leering stoically down at us tiny mortals below.

"Judging by the amber statues, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say this is the Amber Temple." Steinbjorn says. "Give me ten minutes, i'm going to do a ritual."

I take a watch position, watching all around us as he pulls out some expensive looking items, laying them out on the ground, and praying. He focuses his attention on the temple, seemingly lost in thought.

Nothing attacks us, and he finishes the spell. He stands up, putting his things away, and turns to the group as we assemble.

"I detect both weal and woe. Mostly woe."

"I don't know why you were looking for wheels, but if there's woe than we shall not enter," I say. "The elf told you to bring him with you, Mike- did he not?"

Our own full-elf looks at me, thinking for a moment, and then shrugs.

"I can't recall," she says. "But I trust Steinbjorn's spell. I do not wish to die."

"Then I think we are all in agreement," I say. "Let's head back the way we came. Toward the gate with the green fire."

We start walking back, conversing on what we plan to do. Try to dispel magic on the gate, and get the hell out of here. Somehow the subject comes to electing a voice of the group, a defacto leader. Someone who will take all opinions into account, and judge the best route to take and make the decisions.

"I think it should be Zola," says Steinbjorn. "You may not be the wisest when it comes to personal decisions, but you always consider the good of the group."

"But you guys didn't trust me last night!"

"You were not acting of your own accord," says Rideyr. "You have a pure heart, and a good head on your shoulders. I second the nomination."

Somehow the group picks me. I mean, I did learn how to diplomatize from my mom and Auntie Omen. Mom would sometimes make her men vote on courses of action, and I've done that with the group several times. Maybe I am a good choice, but I definitely feel the pressure to perform.

"Zola... Speaker of the Sun. Voice of the Dawn Breakers!" Chad says, grinning.

"Yeah, yeah." I roll my eyes.

As we are walking and talking, the snow begins swirling around, making it difficult to see. I pull my now very dirty burgundy cloak closer around me, and wish I had some furs to wear or something warmer than the clothes I wore into Barovia. I can feel the cold of the chainmail through the thin fabric. The winds are picking up, howling with high pitched fervor. Suddenly, Mike is slammed into by a giant goat. I do a double take, watching Creed blast it, and then Checkasha hacking at it. Cecil stares at it, and I rally myself to go after it. With two mighty swings of the Greatsword, I finish it off.

"I am the goat slayer!" I cheer, standing over its smelly carcass. "You okay, Mike?"

She gets to her feet, looking sore but otherwise alright. Cheeks reaches into the goat's mouth and yanks out a bloody tooth.

"Zola, I want to wear its hide!" Cecil says to me.

"Okay!" I go to start skinning it, but getting closer it is evident that the fur is disgusting and matted, and it reeks terribly. "Oh, you probably don't want it."

"On second thought, no."

We head out, walking as quietly as possible at my demand. Cecil sidles up to me, and starts talking.

"Zola! I have an idea, hear me out."

"Whisper!" I snap.

"Sorry!" He whispers back. "I've been thinking, and I think we should respect Rideyr's wishes. We should go to Vallaki, and take over the town!"

"That's what I've been saying all along! I'm all for it!"

At last we get to the bridge. Just as we get a quarter of the way across, a horrific animalistic cry rings out through the air. It sounds like a bird of prey, but bigger. The shadowy silhouette of a gargantuan bird, blocking the sun (what little of it shows in Barovia), descends on us. Stein and I are in front, standing on the bridge.

"Everyone hide!" I shout.

Everyone starts running to the guard house behind us, but I want to get to the other end of the bridge. Only problem is, I don't think I can make it there before the bird is upon us.

"Zola, I've got you!" Says Creed behind me.

I feel her hand on my elbow, and suddenly I'm dragged from where I stood, and appear right at the guard tower on the far side of the bridge. Creed ducks into the tower just as I hear the bird attack the party behind us. I turn just in time to see Steinbjorn bitten, clawed, and grappled in a giant bird claw. My heart drops- it looks like the bird is going to fly away with him! I extend my hand at the bird, and three magic missiles shoot out and strike it. Then I hide in the guard tower opposite Creed.

Peeking out, I see Stein break free and run to safety, narrowly avoiding being struck again. He looks bad, bleeding profusely from deep wounds. It's a good thing he can heal himself. Our newest party member, Draelyn the tiefling, backs up away from the bird, and casts a spell. A massive ball of fire erupts, hitting the bird.

"Zola! Did you see that?!"

"I have eyes Creed, can't really miss a fireball!"

"He's f***ing hot, isn't he?!"

"Well, he's a guy... go for it!"

I keep popping out and throwing spells at the bird while everyone else does the same. Chad informs us he summoned a giant illusory snake that only the bird can see, and sure enough it keeps attacking the bridge, pecking and clawing at nothing. Finally, after all of us continuously hitting it, Creed sends one last blast, and it falls from the sky, careening downward. It breaks a good chunk out of the middle of the bridge, and then plummets down into the river below.

Creed and I walk up to the middle of the bridge, and it looks like it will be a difficult crossing for the rest of the party.

"You're on the wrong side of the bridge!" I tell them.

"Not helpful, Zola." Grumbles Stein.

"I know. I love you?"

He doesn't answer. Cecil does a great big jump with Stein's aid, and lands into a somersault on our side. He then gets up, and poses. Creed and I clap for him.

"That was beautifully executed, Cecil!"

"Thank you, Zola!"

"This is how it's done," says Chad. He misty steps, casually walking out on our side.

Somehow we all start talking about the subject of death as we stand about on the bridge, looking for discarded feathers that we do not find. Stein says he is not afraid, and I believe him.

"I don't know, I feel the most alive when I am closer to death." I say, and then realize it sounds a bit dark.

"That explains a lot about you." Says Stein.

Once we are all on the right side of the bridge, we head out towards the gate. It stands high, made of black stone. Spikes don the top, and statues of demonic vultures perch on top. The curtain of green fire blazes through the entry. As we approach, I can see soldiers on the other side, four of them standing in a row with one behind them. We get closer, and I cry out in terror.

"Eliza!" I shout.

My cousin doesn't react. He stares blankly ahead with the rest of them, including Kael. I draw the greatsword, standing my ground. I have a feeling what these soldiers are. One of them, a young woman, raises its hand, and points at me.

"That sword belongs to me." It says. Its hand drops, and they continue to stare blankly ahead.

"Come fight me, then," I challenge the revenant. "The winner keeps the sword."

Vladmir Horngaard, the revenant I slayed, does not respond to my challenge. Stein casts dispel magic, and the green flame disappears!

"Whoever fights Eliza, don't f*** him up too bad. That's still my cousin's body," I say. "Vlad is mine."

The gate rises with a scream of old metal, and the revenants rush forth, with Vlad in the woman's body directing them forward. One punches me, hard, and I nearly lose my bearings. I don't remember them hitting this hard! I look up, and Vlad stares at me. His cruel, dead eyes lock on mine, and suddenly I cannot move. My body does not work, and I feel locked in, paralyzed by fear. The revenant Eliza stands in front of me, attacking Stein, and I am helpless to do anything but stare ahead. Cecil casts wall of ice, cutting Vlad off from us, but the other four still are on our side.

"I can fix Zola!" Stein shouts. "Don't mess with her, I've got her!"

"Stein, I can get her. Do your other thing!"

I see Stein's skeletal spirit guardians appear around me, fighting the revenants. A hand grabs my arm, and a moment later I can move again! I'm free, all thanks to Chadwick!

"I'm still paralyzed! One of you will have to carry me!" I joke, pulling a Cecil.

"You're a terrible actor, Zola!" Stein snaps. Cecil commends me on a nice try.

The revenants all start attacking Steiny, seeing as he is the procurer of the spirit guardians. He isn't looking so hot, and I'm worried now. I thought we had this fight in the bag, but now...

One moves by me to him, and I get a good hit on it. I'm getting blows in, and my friends are doing well with hitting them, but they are hard to kill. Suddenly a section of the ice wall in front of Stein breaks down, and Vlad stands there. He backs off, and seven more revenants pour in. The ones that were in the war room in Argynvostholt, who said they answer to Vlad. F***.

They all attack Steinbjorn. Cecil mind thrusts one, and it goes down! We've got this- the Dawn Breakers will have victory again! Draelyn casts a wall of fire in between the ice wall sections, and the revenants get piled up while moving through to us. Steinbjorn goes down, unconscious, and I look up mid cry to see Vlad stare at me again. I feel his gaze turning my heart to fear, but somehow fight it off. I hack at one of the revenants moving past, and then see they're all going for Cecil in the back.

"The wall has been breached!" Cries out Creed.

The ice wall disappears as Cecil is attacked. Things are looking bad. Real bad. Steinbjorn is dying, Cecil is being brutalized, and these revenants hit hard. There are way too many of them.

"If we want to run, I can give us a way!" Cecil shouts.

"Do it! But Steinbjorn is down!"

The wall of fire goes down as we plan to run. I know we won't get very far with Steinbjorn down, and the revenants will never stop hunting us. I have to try something. Something incredibly stupid.

I walk through the gate toward Vlad, head held high. I'm marching to my death, but if this works, maybe everyone else will live. I stand in front of the commander of the revenants, trying to control my shaking body.

"Call them off," I say, steadying my voice. "Take me, if I'm what you came for. Let the others go."

I hear Creed trying to come up behind me to stop me, but shout over my shoulder,

"Back off, or I will kill you!"

She stops. Cheeks and Mike come up behind but stop short, waiting. The others, Steinbjorn now included thanks to Chadwick, stand by the gate, watching, the other revenants still among them. I've never felt more powerful with my friends at my back, but at the same time, I am truly powerless. Vlad motions to the sword I hold in my hand, beckoning. I hold it hilt forward. I really love this sword, and it has served me well. Perhaps it will even be the instrument of my death. Somehow I am at peace with that. If Steinbjorn doesn't fear death, then neither shall I.

"First wave- fall back!" Vlad orders.

The first group of revenants, including Kael and Eliza's bodies, come out and form up behind me. He grabs the hilt, and I let him take the sword. I am completely disarmed, and can only wait for the blade to take my life. He points the sword at me, and then points to a spot up ahead. He wants me to March, I guess. I comply.

"Second wave, fall back!"

As I begin to March forward, further away from my friends, the other revenants come out from the gate. I flash a thumbs up to my friends as I go- i got this! But really, I don't.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"Not far."

"Take me instead!" Cries out Creed.

"Don't want you!" Replies Vlad.

I don't make it too far, as he commands me to halt. A moment later Vlad is in front of me, and points down. I'm assuming he wants me to sit, so I half kneel, sitting back on my heels. I'm going to be executed. Just as I planned. I don't think Steinbjorn can bring me back if my head is cut off, but at least they will be free.

"You shall remain on that side of the gate, where you will not interfere with our plans for Strahd," Vlad addresses my friends. Out of the corner of my eye I can see the revenants are lined up as they were before, facing the gate.

"What is your plan?" Cheeks asks.

"Strahd will live, trapped for eternity in the hell that is Barovia."

Ignoring my friends now, Vlad looks down at me. I'm just waiting for the blade to swing. I wonder if it will be quick. Will I feel any pain?

He does nothing for a bit. None of the revenants move, not even a twitch. I can't stay still for this long.

"Let us go. We want the same thing. I do not want Strahd to die- I want him to suffer." I say.

"You killed me... took my sword... and you expect me to believe you are on our side? You are adventurers from distant lands, are you not? What can one such as you offer me?"

"Yes." I say. "I come from a great kingdom, full of riches. I can give you anything you desire!"

"Do you value treasure and gold?"

"Well, I don't-" I stutter.

"Is this what you want? To kill a child?!" Yells Creed.

"Please... let us go. We will do what you wish." I beg.

"What spoils of war can you offer me, adventurer?"

"Well, um... I've got some stuff."

I pull my bag off and start going through it, laying everything out in front of me on the ground.

"Gold- lots of gold... there's some gems. Lots of gems! This diamond, but I need that for a spell. Oh- a potion of heroism!"

"I will take that."

I hand the potion to Vlad, and he pockets it.

"What else?"

All I have is more money and gems.

"I've already given you the sword. I have nothing else."

"You claim not to care about treasures and gold, yet you have much of it."

"A girls got to pay for things," I say. "I don't have my parents here to foot my bills."

The glow of the seed is revealed when I move aside some things. Unfortunately I can't hide it in time, and he notices it.

"That is magic, we will take that as well. "

"This means a lot to me, I can't part with it!"

There is little expression on his face, but judging by the hand gripping the sword of the hilt harder, If I argue, I will die. I feel the last part of my heart break as I hand it over. He takes it, with no care for what it really is. I've failed the Martikovs, again. I'm left in silence with nothing but the sound of my pounding heart. Finally Vlad speaks.

"I believe you," he says. "You may go back to your friends."

I hurriedly gather my things, toss my bag over one shoulder, and run back. The revenants let me pass, and I run straight to Rideyr. He hugs me tightly, and the shock finally takes over and my legs give out. I thought this would be the end for me, but they let me go. Im still alive, although inside I truly feel dead.

Worst of all, we are still on this side of the gate. The revenants do not appear to be moving, and the dead can wait an eternity. We only have one way to go, and that is back to the Amber Temple. We are dead either way we turn. The curtain of green flame comes back up and the portcullis slams down, sealing us to our fate.

We head to the guard tower we slept in last night. Everyone is beat up and exhausted, and we don't know where to go from here. My first day as Speaker of the Sun has not gone well. Mike and Creed chop firewood from a tree that Steinbjorn claims he didn't piss on, and I go in the guardhouse with Chad. I go to pick up the sentient shortsword when Chad stops me. He picks it up, and I can tell he is speaking to it in his mind. Well there goes my other option for a weapon.

While everyone gets bedrolls ready and lights the fireplace, I go upstairs and sit in the stairwell, pulling out something I forgot I had until I was going through my bag in front of Vlad. There's not much left, and it's stale, but I've got at least half a joint of smoke grass. Problem is, I have no way of lighting it without alerting the group. As I'm sitting examining it, Cecil and Creed appear at the bottom of the stairs. They come up to me, and I hide the stub in my sleeve.

"Hey Zola, just checking on you." Cecil says, sitting next to me.

"You alright? You still look a bit pale." Creed checks my forehead, and visibly shivers. "Why are you always cold?!"

"I'm alright," I say. "I think the cold thing is something to do with my powers. What little I have."

"Ah. We should discuss them further," says Creed. "But first... I know you have the smoke grass."

"What? How?"

"It's on the step, you dropped it." Cecil says, and picks it up. "You've been holding out, Zola."

Cecil lights it with Khazan's head, and we start passing it back and forth. It's been a while, and it makes me cough, but it's not bad for having been in my bag this long.

"So... your powers?" Creed asks. "Are they new to you?"

"I don't know. We were in the Durst House when I first found I had them. I had a weird flash of who i thought was the Raven Queen, and then... that makes me sound crazy. I should probably fill you in more about me."

I go into telling them about my mom, and her pact with the Raven Queen. How I've always wanted to study magic, but never could learn it. How badly I wanted to serve the Raven Queen too, to be a warlock like mom, but how she never answered my calls.

"Maybe this was her plan for you all along?" Cecil suggests. "Maybe this plane is closer to hers, if shes in the Shadowfell?"

"Maybe. I wish she would come save us."

"I doubt she can. That's why you're here." Creed says, reaching into her pocket. "I think it's time I give you this."

She holds out an envelope, and I take it. The broken wax seal is of a blue eye. I know this seal- it's from my Auntie Omen! I look up at Creed, mouth agape.

"How long have you had this? Where did you get it?"

"The whole time. I was told to wait until the time is right. I think you need it now."

---

The next morning, we head back to the gate. The revenants are gone! We were going to give the sentient sword to Vlad, but I guess we no longer need to. Stein dispels the flame wall, and we begin walking through the open gate.

"Did Strahd do us a solid?" Mike asks.

"Seems it!" I reply.

There is the cracking of stone up above, and suddenly we are attacked by what was once the demonic culture statues. Here we go again. One step forward, a thousand steps back.


~ Zola Stormwyk, Speaker of the Sun

[donaldado]

Further readings from the Journal:

My debut with my new found crew did not go as planned. Apparently they are not motivated by money. Zola saved us from the wrath of some revnants, kale being among them. I have since learned that Kale does not possess the information I seek anymore. A pity. When dispatched I was told that a Creed was an associate of Kale's who may know the location of the Annulisk which must not ever end up in the hands of the Ilithids. My new associates are either irredeemably evil or naive about the multiverse. What do they believe awaits Strahd on the other side? Cookies? It's harsh but torture may be the only way to restore his humanity to him. Whatever the case, I need to stall them long enough to learn the secret of creating one's own reality.

Sadly my attempts to be helpful have only place undue suspicion upon me. The two clerics I have noticed are taking turns watching me. Probably not the best time to enlighten them on how the faiths are just ponzi schemes run by lazy outsiders on mortals. I completely misunderstood the milieu of this particular group. Further study is needed.