Story Thread

[bxtreme]

My name is Cecil McBiggins, though it wasn't always - allow me to explain.

I come from a very poor family in Baldur's Gate. My father and mother create and repair watches and clocks. I never had much of a knack for it myself, but I did enjoy tinkering with other small doodads. I decided when I came of age to join the Flaming Fist mercenary group, who's members served as guards for Baldur's Gate. I figured I could make some extra money for my family while being able to stay close to them.

After my entrance exam, they told me I qualified for a "special" unit they were just starting to form. It turns out, this was their first attempt at forming a psi-ops unit, a special group of gifted individuals capable of using physcic energy. Many people were unfamilair with the source of this power, therefore giving the Flaming First a competitive edge over their enemies.

We studied for years before our first field mission. We were each assigned a special position - I was assigned tactician. Each position had their training tailored to their specific purpose. One week before our first field mission, we were given a special task that required all of us to partake in a "ritual" of sorts. We were lead by a dragonborn man I've never scene before. He told us he needed our help to speak with a powerful being. We weren't told who, but he assured us it would be a quick ordeal and our powers would increase as a result. Using our collective mental energy, we were able to open this "line of communication" with this other worldly being. Things quickly got out of hand...

During the ritual, we opened much more than a line of communication. We saw a rift open before our eyes, a tear in the fabric of space. As it opened, we couldn't see anything on the other side, just darkness. The dragonborn man told us to stop immediately, but it was too late. Shadowy tentacles sprang forth from the rift, swiftly slaughtering all within the room in a matter of seconds. I was left for last. A tentacle wrapped tightly around me - just as I was about to pass out, I saw a large eye appear in the rift. The pupil was similar to a cat's, and the iris' color was a brilliant hue that shifted from orange to yellow as it got further from the pupil. A voice spoke to me "you have been chosen". This was the last thing I could remember before passing out.

I'm unsure how long it took me to regain consciousness, but I'll make the following turn of events brief. I found out the Flaming Fist needed a scapegoat to pin their folly on, and it was to be me. I was able to escape the city, a wanted criminal of Baldur's Gate. Never to return, never to see my family again. I've assumed a new identity "Cecil McBiggins". I begin to travel north, seeking asylum.

I am making it my life's mission to obtain more power and seek out this entity once more. I was given a purpose in life, I just don't know what it is yet.

[bxtreme]

Journal Entry 1
Interesting turn of events. I started today as a dinner guest for Duchess Morwen, and I now find myself in a mercenary group in Barovia. The members of this group are quite interesting, some of which I recognize from Daggerford.

Journal Entry 2
It seems we have been "tricked" by a group of Vistani. Certainly we intended to help them, however we weren't expecting to be trapped in Barovia! We are told Strahd, the once hero prince of Barovia, is now a cursed man ruling over the land as a ruthless tyrant. We were read our "fortune" by Madam Ava. I must admit, I never put much stock in such things, but the old lady certainly impressed me - knowing things about me only I should know. I'm glad she kept certain details to herself...

In my journey to greater power, I will help my group lift the curse. Not for the Vistani, but for myself. I may be able to learn something about this "Vampire Curse" and how it can unlock more potential within myself.

Journal Entry 3
That thing I said about the Vampire Curse helping to unlock more power within myself...I may have to reconsider. We ran into an abomination of said curse today at the town church. We were able to kill it, but we lost Kael in the process. A loss of life is something I am accustomed to. I didn't feel the sense of sorrow the others did with our fallen friend. I was more disappointed in myself for not being able to do much about the situation. I am just learning about my team, but as the tactician, I feel responsible for coordinating our efforts. This means minimizing causalities and maximizing rate of success. Oh, and I melted a priest's brain today, but I don't think anyone knew it was me. I'm fine with that.

Combat Assesment

Kael - KIA
Ranger - Wild Card, shot Kael as he ran from the vampire
Chekasha - Defected (temporarily)
Mike - Defected (temporarily)

Everyone else - Solid effort. They seem reliable

I will take the actions of my team into account when creating future strategies.

We should really come up with a team name...

[donaldado]

The light shone in to the inner circle of the temple. Leona had been kneeling for what must have been half the day, awaiting what must surely be her punishment. She had just past her trial into the mysteries of Pelor. Apparently the paladin sent to retrieve her from The Hanged Man tavern was quite the shut in. The shocked look upon his lizardy face upon seeing Leona entwined with Valkerie was worth it. So she enjoyed consecrating wine in the old ways of the Fey during the spring equinox. What of it? The lord of light consummated the lands every spring with his light. Leona was only following his example.

Footsteps. Better look repentant for father Fraggle.

"Forgi.."

"Spare me your mockery of repentance, Leona! Truly you believe you can stain this holy place with your self serving Lies?" Uh oh. Father Fraggle must have been berated by Cardinal Nardslarge again. Those were the only times when Leona's Pelor given charms had no effect on Father Fraggle. Hmmmm.... better look down and say nothing for a bit.

"You have a good true heart but honestly you can be too much of a wild one. The cardinal..." The father had a worried look in his eyes, "The Cardinal wants to bring the Lord's light and teachings to a land which most desperately needs it. A place where good and justice has been all but forgotten. He said that in the light of the Lord he saw you succeeding where others would be extinguished."

"I accept."

"Oh my sweet child."

[Aileen]

I get to Daggerford barely in time for dinner. I was too hungry to wait, so I ate one of the brownies the Porter's gave mom that I took from her stash. They said they were special, and I thought they meant her favorite flavor or something. How wrong I was! I show up to Lady Morwen's and I'm even hungrier than before, and everything looks a bit funny. She greets me and I start giggling for no reason.

"Zola, I was not expecting you!"

"My mom sent me. She's busy working."

"Well, you've become quite the strong looking young lady! Come in, there are already some guests here you should meet!"

The only ones here so far are someone sitting in the corner all bundled up in a cloak, a big rugged blonde guy and a dragonborn. Blondie comes over and extends a hand. He is super buff, I'm impressed. I take his hand. Firm grip too!

"Steinbjorn from the North. Life cleric of Freya. Hi."

"Zola Farsight Stormwyk. I'm a Waterdeep from fighter."

Wait, what?

"I mean I'm a fighter. From Waterdeep."

Steinbjorn laughs.

"Well met, Zola."

"Zola?"

The creeper in the corner stands up, and I walk up to them. When I get closer, I recognize the face of my cousin, Eliza.

"What are you doing here?!"

"An owl brought me an invite. What are you doing here?"

"Mom couldn't go and I was nearby. Where have you been? You just up and left with no explanation, it's been two whole years! Where are your horns?!"

"Long story."

More people come in and dinner is announced. We file into the dining room, and I take a seat between Eliza and Steinbjorn.

"How is everyone at home?" Eliza asks as we finish the first course. The table has been loud with people and things introducing themselves and talking themselves up.

"Same old same old. Mom's working a lot. Dad's working on some big mechanical polar bear or something... oh, Auntie Morrigan was just in Neverwinter. Your dad went with me to see the circus again."

"That's good. And my mother?"

Do I tell him that she cries about him when she thinks I don't see her? She gets in horrible mood sometimes, blaming herself for him leaving. Every day without him life went on, but something was always missing.

"She's great! You should come visit her. She really wants to see you. We all want you home."

Eliza says nothing, and is saved by the plates being taken away. He still hasn't told me what I need to know.

"Eliza. Your horns?" I prod.

"I guess I wanted to be more normal. More human."

He looks the same otherwise, just older. He's not my baby cousin anymore.

"Normal is boring," I tell him. "I used to get picked on for my ears and my tusklets... and then I got... well, other things came in and nobody noticed the weird parts of me anymore!"

I guess I can relate. When I was fourteen my dad filed my tusklets down because a boy made me cry by making fun of them, and I begged for them to be gone. I hated how I looked without them, and they're really only noticeable when I smile anyway. I kicked that boy's a** regardless.

Lady Morwen is all out of sorts and tells us she is having a problem with wayward travelers harassing her townsfolk. She hired guards to move them along, and they came back saying that they were great and didn't get the job done. They were possibly charmed. She wants us to attempt to kick them out... she doesn't want conflict, but if they aren't gone by dawn she says to set their wagons on fire.

"Struedel, anyone?"

Dessert is served. I'm stoked.

"What's struedel?" Eliza asks me in a whisper.

"Remember the waffles my mom always makes? Like that, but more... I don't know. It's delicious, eat it!"

After dessert, Lady Morwen kicks us out to take care of her business. Just outside the gates is a caravan parked at odd angles with fancy draft horses tied up around them. Around a bonfire, a dozen men are singing and dancing. This looks like a much better party than the one we just left! The cat lady that was at the party slinks off to the forest, but the rest of us walk straight into the camp. We are greeted by a guy with an amazing moustache.

"Welcome, friends! Come, drink with us!"

He takes each of our hands in turn. I immediately like this guy.

"I am Stanimir. Welcome to our camp!"

We talk to him as he brings us to a bonfire. They are visiting travelers, and they wander all over. Cecil, who I think is the coolest gnome ever, tells them they are violating loitering laws.

"Where are you going next?" I ask. We were sent here for one job, and I want to do it as nice as possible.

"Home, likely."

"Oh. Well you might want to get a headstart, theres a storm coming in."

"No, we know the weather. I think we are good." Stanimir says. "Here, have some wine young lady."

I take the glass of wine. Lady Morwen wouldnt let Eliza or I have any, so I'm excited this guy let me! We all sit by the fire, and Stanimir tells us he is going to tell us the story of his people, the Vistani. He spits wine into the fire, and the fire and smoke turns into pictures as he weaves the tale. A tale of a prince, and the land of Barovia where they came from... a war, a curse. The curse turned their friend and leader into a tyrant. They are looking for heroes to put his souls to rest, and something about 'Madam Eva will reveal all.' When he finishes the tale, I take a mouthful of wine and spit it on the fire. Nothing happens. Stanimir laughs.

"Only the Vistani can weave tales like so, but it was a good effort. And a waste of good wine- more?"

"Yes, please!"

"We are returning to Barovia. Would you all like to join us? We have failed to find suitable adventurers until now, I think you are the perfect group to help us if you will."

We all agree. It sounds like a good time. I left home to prove I'm something more than the offspring of two famous adventurers, and this is my chance!

"I'm game! I just need to send a letter home to mom so she knows where I'm going. I'm still underage, you see." I down the last of my wine.

"What? Am I going to get in trouble?" Poor Stanimir looks concerned.

We go back to Lady Morwen's house and tell her the situation. She let's me leave a letter with the promise of sending a raven to my parents. They're old friends afterall.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I'm going to Barovia! I don't know where that is, but it sounds awesome! I hope you can write me and send more healing potions... I'm all out!

Give everyone my love. I miss you already. I love you both!

Love,

Z.

Travel is fun for the first three days. I catch up with Eliza and get to know the others as we party with the Vistani. I get along just fine with the clerics. I was very amused when I learned Chad's name- my mom sometimes brought home her friend "Chad" from work. He was just a specter and would disappear by morning, but I always thought it was funny. The cat and the elf seem a bit standoffish, so I avoid them. It's best I stick with those that can heal me and my little cousin anyway. Cecil the gnome is cool, but I can't figure out what he does... but he's a funny little guy!

After the third day, the land becomes gloomy and a mist hangs over the ground. The Vistani become quiet and withdrawn, a sudden and unwelcome change. We travel through the land day and night, told to never leave the wagon. If we do... they won't even tell us what may befall us. It is best not to know. I've grown up around creepy things, but this is next level creepy.

At last we pass through a village, and it's nearly a ghost town. All is quiet and dark, the only lights shining outside a tavern and a Mercantile. There is a gallows as we enter, and although I didn't see anything other than a noose as we entered, there is definitely a body hanging there for a moment. And then its gone. I dare not ask if anyone else saw it.

Although we are told not to leave the wagon, pretty explicitly, the cat lady sneaks off to look in the tavern. Luckily, she isn't seen. We move out of the village, hearing a relentless wailing as we pass through. Other than that, not much other noise or signs of life. After passing through, we head out into a clearing where there are bright tents and wagons with horses. More Vistani!

"Everybody out!" Calls Stanimir. "I bring you to Madam Eva!"

We are shown to a tent where Madam Eva awaits us. On the way there, Chad and Dragul are pulled away to drink by a man sitting by a fire. The rest of us go in the tent. Eliza goes right up to speak with the old Vistana woman. She says she knows why we are here and who we are. What I am not prepared for is that she knows personal details about us that none of us have told.

"I know who you are, Eliza Farsight. Son of Omen and Sirius. I know you are here with Zola."

She says some really cryptic things about him, and then turns to me.

"Zola Farsight Stormwyk. Daughter of the Raven and the Creator. You are a gift of the keeper of fate. You have yet to find your true potential."

Huh? She sounds like Aunt Omen when she pulls out her tarot cards. Cryptic, yet weirdly specific. When she finishes creeping us all out, she says she wishes to give us a fortune. I'm suddenly so very homesick and want my family... I don't know how Eliza went through two years away from home, I haven't seen his mom in nearly two weeks and I'm really missing her. She used to entertain me by telling my fortune, and it was always stupid things like tricking me to go to bed early... but I loved it.

We are told that her cards are the Tarroka, and will tell us where help will come from to rid the land of its curse, and what we will need to defeat Strahd. I'm starting to put two and two together... Strahd is the prince that the Vistani helped. He's cursed now and evil. We need to rid him of his curse so the land will be free.

She begins reading the cards. I try to pay attention as best I can... theres a room full of bottles. The tomb of a guild member. I can't help but think of my dad, always busy at work working for the alchemists guild or the healers making healing potions. Last I checked he is alive and well, and not in Barovia. Next, a holy symbol of Ravenkind. The crypt of a wizard Ordinaire... his staff is key. A weapon of vengeance, the sword of sunlight. A wounded elf has what we seek... and the one who can help us defeat Strahd is a young man, a mother's boy. Kind of heart strong, but weak of mind. He is in the village of Barovia.

Madam Eva cannot see Strahd's whereabouts, as a mist obscures all. She thinks he may be aware of our presence, watching us.

"Come back no sooner than three days, I may have more answers for you."

She gives us more information we need to know about this place... about Strahd and his powers, what he does, what can harm vampires. We are warned to stay away from the woods, and some windmill... which makes me, and I'm sure everyone else, want to go even more. We are told to never harm a raven. That's easy, I have had ravens all my life. My mother follows the Raven Queen, and started taking in ravens after I was born and they all moved to Farsight Fortress. Over the years we have had many rescue ravens and some have just come to roost in the castle by choice. I was even named after a raven, my mom's oldest one, Zoltan. I think I will do well in this land, granted I don't die. I mean, Castle Ravenloft sounds awesome... I feel like I have more in common with Strahd than I care to admit.

Oh, apparently the Vistani forgot to mention that we can check out anytime we want, but we can never leave. Unless the Curse is broken. We are now tied to this land. Only the Vistani can leave. The b******s tricked us! Also, we have to leave their camp tonight. So the lot of us marches back to town, trying to get there before dark, when the scaries come out. We hear the wailing again, an hour and a half later when we finally arrive there. We decide to go check it out.

The wailing comes from a townhouse, dark on the inside. We knock, but nobody answers and the door won't open. As it's getting dark, we decide to come back in the morning. Tavern time it is!

The Blood On the Vine tavern is pretty dull. The bartender is standing there polishing glasses, and several people are quietly sitting around drinking wine. One guy is in the corner being mysterious and edgy, because of course there has to be one. Weirdly enough, he becons us all to sit with him, pulling over a table next to his. We join him, getting a couple pitchers of wine. I don't even get questioned for my age, thank the gods! The guy drops his hood, and I nearly gasp. He's cute!

"My name is Ismark. Welcome to Barovia."

"Hi," I toss my hair over my shoulder. "I'm Zola."

Mom said no boys, but she isn't here! Who is stopping me from checking out Barovian guys? Ismark wants to hire men at arms to escort his sister out of this town. He mentions the Castle Ravenloft and how it looks over the town, but we didn't see any castle, or much of anything through the mist. Ismark leads us to the door, and we all look out. Lo and behold, there she is- the big, spooky castle!

Ismark thinks Strahd wants to make his sister Ireena his new companion, even though as he says she looks like a dog. He wants us to take her to Vallaki, which is a more fortified and safe town. Also, his late father was the Burgomaster of this town and now he apparently is supposed to be. Eliza keeps rambling, and making very little sense... I don't think he even had any of the wine, unless he snuck some.

"You're just like your mom!" I tell him. It's true, she always rambles on tangents about things. I'm so glad Eliza is growing up to be like her. His dad is quiet and kind, which is like the Eliza I remember. Before everything went down and he left us.

Ismark invites us to come stay at his mansion for the night, and meet Ireena. While the crew is talking to him, I go to the door with my wine glass and take a better look at the castle. I wonder if Strahd can see me right now? I open the door, and raise my glass to him. Zola's here, Prince Strahd. Suddenly I'm grabbed roughly by the arm and dragged back inside, the door slamming behind me.

"Ow!" I pull away, rubbing my arm.

"Not even in jest!" He hisses, dragging me back to the table.

"You're really strong." I say, finishing my glass of wine.

We leave the tavern as a group, and walk through the streets, following Ismark to his house. When we get there, I wonder if it's even safe. The gate is twisted and torn, the lawn overgrown and weeds all over the house, with a path trampled down around the house. There are claw marks all around, as well as burns from fires on the outside. All of the windows are boarded up by planks. Ismark knocks on the door.

"Who is it?" A female voice asks.

"Its me, Ismark. I've brought friends."

"How do I know it is you?"

Somehow he convinces her its him, and we hear heavy things being moved before the door opens. In the doorway stands a striking woman with black hair, just like mine. She looks nothing like Ismark. We are let in, and I take a look around. Holy symbols everywhere, and a coffin with a body in it, surrounded by flowers, in the main room. I'm assuming that is their dad.

"Did you know my mom could speak to the dead?" I ask Eliza.

He nods. Of course he does, it's kind of what she does for a living.

"Could?" Asks Ireena sympathetically.

"She still can, she's alive... I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

Ireena waves me off. We are told they have been attacked night after night by wolves and direwolves outside, and the attacks stopped once their father died. They want to bury him but have not had anyone to help them.

"We can help you!" I offer.

"It would be very appreciated." Ismark smiles at me, and I feel my heart flip flop in my chest.

We spend the night in the rather comfortable lodgings, and the next morning we head to the church with the body of the Burgomaster. I help carry the casket, hoping to impress Ismark.

The church is a mess, clearly the target of many attacks. When we go in the chapel, there is the sound of praying interspersed with the sound of human screams. There are pews strewn everywhere, turned over as though a fight happened here.

"Father! I starve!" Cries the voice.

At the alter kneels a priest. Ismark approaches.

"Father Donovich!"

"Ismark, is that you?"

"Yes! We are here to bury father."

"Ah, yes. I have been praying all night. We must hurry, dawn escapes us!"

He asks for help with shovels, and a few of us grab them and are immediately put to work digging a grave in the churchyard while Fr. Donovich prays. After the burial, Ismark talks to the priest of his plans to bring Ireena away to safety, and Fr. D gives him a suggestion to bring her to an abbey in a different town than Vallaki.

Suddenly, Kael comes tearing out of the church panting.

"I messed up!" He shouts.

From behind Kael comes a young, gaunt looking man with broken chains hanging off him. He is not normal looking.

"I can smell your blood!" He cries.

Dragul pulls out his bow, and shoots Kael. Kael falls, and the young man leaps onto him and begins sucking his blood. It's a vampire! Everything happens so fast... a few of the party attack the priest, and soon he falls dead. I stand there in a panic... I have never been in actual combat before! I'm so excited and nervous that I can't think... my mom killed a vampire once, I loved that story! What did she do... wood! She stabbed it with part of it's own coffin. What is there for wood? I look around frantically, and then I see it. Shovels!

I grab a shovel, holding the handle while the other end touches the ground. With a mighty stomp, I snap the handle, and have two pointy wooden ends. Ismark and Ireena attack it, but it keeps biting at poor Ismark. Not my new crush! I rush in.

"Ismark, incapacitate it!" I yell.

"I'm working on it!" He groans.

Chad blesses Steinbjorn and I, and I attack the thing with my sword. Its hurting it, but not as much as it should. I really need it to go down so I can stake it!

Finally Ireena hits it so hard, it drops. Time stands still as I sheath my blade and reach down to grab a shovel handle. I use all of my strength to drive the sharp end into the chest of the vampire spawn. I did it!!! I staked a vampire, I truly am the daughter of Karsi! I can't wait to tell her about it... oh. Right. We are trapped here. Maybe forever.

The cat and the elf ran away. Everyone else stayed. I stand over Kael's mutilated body, and wish him peace in the afterlife. He will not be free until this curse is lifted, doomed to join the nightly procession to Castle Ravenloft. A fate we all may face if things go badly. I just want to make it home, but first... I'm gonna be a hero.

~ Zola

[dragonforgotten]

16 years ago
-----------
Omen
----------------

I step into the meeting room of the Arcane brotherhood, hoping for this to not be another dead end. 
"So, did you find it?" 
"Yes." They slide a scroll to me from across the table and a grab it in my hands. The key to my sons revival. My poor lost son Eliza Farsight. The promised i made with Tiamat along time ago has been broken and yet that b*** still has my sons soul. Over my dead body will he remain in Averius. He will live the life that was stolen from him.
"You do realize the risk if i am aware. I trust you already have preparations in order and have thought of this very carefully in using a spell of such power."
"Indeed i have."  I bow to them.
"Thank you."

--------------------------

It was a success. Just not in the way Red or I expected. I must have slipped up in the wording of my wish. I didnt exactly say how he'd come back so the magic filled the gap. The process me and Red try to do years and years ago simply restarted and left to me to finish the work the natural way. Red thought i was crazy for doing it again, that its too dangerous but i had to try and I'm still alive. We both are. Im now sitting in bed tired beyond belief as Red comforts me. My son being checked on by Runar as I'm wondering whats taking so long. I only caught a glimpse of him before Runar took him.
"Whats taking so long? Is he sick? I need to see. Im going right now." I panick, i struggle to get up but Red pushes me back down.
"He'll be ok. We just need to be patient. We waited thing long havent we? Whats two more minutes." I smile at him as I kiss him on the cheek. It is then that Runar and everyone steps into the room with him holding a squirming bundle in his arms. Everyone looks nervous except for Morrigan who looks giddy and proud.
"Whats the matter? Is he ok?"
"Ummm, welllllll.... He's healthy." Karsi answers dumbly.
"Personal question. Why did'nt you tell me you were into fiends?" Karsi slaps Morrigan upside the head as she complains and now I'm truly panicking. What the hell is wrong with my boy!?
"Bloody hells! Let me see him!" Runar approaches me and lowers him in my arms
"Just don't freak out too hard." Im excited, happy, worried and scared all at once to at last hold my son after all these years. I peel back the blanket and Im shocked at what I see and I understand the hesitation from everyone. I see my beautiful boy. he has both me and Reds features but that isnt what catches me off guard. His limbs and extemities are charcoal black. Every little digit on his little hands and feet possess tiny claws, a small whip tail curled up around his stomach, his ears pointed and tiny blunt horns jut out of his brow. Besides these additions he still has a pale human skin tone till it bleeds into black. he is unmistakably mine. I glance at Morrigan then back to him. He's not human. He's a Teifling.
Red places a hand on my shoulder jolting me from my shock. Not horrified, just.. Surprised.
"Sully, you ok?" I nod and then i start smiling looking down at him. I hug him close to my face as his little claws pull at my long hair cooing.
"He's perfect. I don't' care what he is. He's my boy and he's finial back with me." I can feel the tears. It's a mircale just to hold him. Years of finding loop holes and scrolls and reading lots of books.
"Welcome back Eliza."
------------------------
Eliza 10 years old
-----------------

"Zola!! Im stuck!" I try to move my head but my horns are caught in the wood. The cupboard was a bad place to hide. I start sniffling. What if I'm stuck here forever!  Just as i begin to lose hope the cupboard opens and i see Zola. My tail starts slapping the group with joy.
"Found you!" Are you stuck again?" I shake my head, not wanting to admit it. This happens too often to count when we play this game. Last time it was a tree. Mommy had to get uncle Grahz to chop down the tree. Im great at finding hiding spots, not so great getting out of them. Zola Grabs my head starts trying to pull me free.
"owowowowowow!" Eventual they pop free and I'm able to scurry out and stretch my limbs, rubbing my poor head. She dries the tears from my eyes with her sleeve. 
"Don't cry you big dummy. If your ever in trouble I'll be there." I stop crying feeling alittle better. Just then we hear the footsteps and the door opens. its mum and Auntie. Mum looks tired.
"All right, time for bed."
"But Moommmm! I don't want to go to sleep!" Zola whines as mum scoops me up, yawning which makes me yawn.
"No buts, you can play with Eliza in the morning." Karsi scolds as Zola deflates defeated.
"Come on little bird. I'll tell you a bed time story." I smile, tail wagging. Mum takes me to my room, tucks me in bed, places Puff under my arm and starts telling me the story of how she and everyone banished Tiamat again. Daddy gets me some warm milk.
"And then they all died, the end."
"wow." I yawn snuggling in with Puff, the purple dragon toy.
"Good night honey." Mommy then kisses me on the forehead, leaving the door open a creak so the light can come in. I then close my eyes and drift to sleep.

Fire, blood, death. The screams echoing around me as monster that look like me fight among each other and beasts roar. I sit in a giant black building filled with gold as big mean dragons perch in the rafters. I pull my tail close to my chest wringing it in my hands. I don't like this place. It's scary. Suddenly the entire place shakes as the gold shifts. A giant red dragon head emerges from the gold. Im frozen with fear as more giant heads emerge from the gold, each a different color. It's the monster from the story.
"we are bonded, you and I. My little savior. You. Are Mine." she then swallows me whole.

I snap awake but i don't scream. Ive had this nightmare before. Mommy and Daddy always come. They make me feel better but it never stops the big mean rainbow monster from tormenting me. I curl up again in my bed, waiting to go back to sleep.

----------------------
Eliza 12 years old
---------------------

Why are you doing this? Your not a wizard. You cant even understand what your reading can you. I can see it in your soul. I can make you stronger. My way is better.
Why is she doing this to me?
"Eliza, do you need help?"
"No, i'm fine dad. Just five more minutes"
"You've been staring at the same page for an hour."
"Its a very good page."
Pa then takes the book from under me and ruffles my hair, unaware of what I've just seen.
"Why don't you take a break? I think your mother has something for you."
I fly out of my seat and start running before he can even finish. I find her in the courtyard holding something as she breaks off a piece of string with her teeth.
"MA! Dad said you got me a present!"
She smiles.
"No. Better. I made something for my special boy."
She then wraps this big, fluffy scarf around my neck. Its bright blue with golden eyes of Savras all the way down its length.
"I just want to let you know your mom will always be proud of you."
I fly into her arms for a hug. I love it! She let's me go, fixing my hair, my tail wagging.
"Go play with your cousin. I believe she was talking to some trainees in the keep."
I give her one last hug before rushing off with the scarf around my neck. I can't wait to show her! Just as I reach the archway I hear yelling and screams of rage. I recognize that yell. I start running arriving just in time to see Zola punch a boy in the gut, then suddenly as he bends down feigning defeat, he throws sand into her eyes, punches her in the face and knocks her down. I hide in the shadow of the archway, afraid. I've been training for so long, but real combat frightens me. The boy starts kicking her while she's on the ground. I don't know what to do. Zola's getting hurt... I don't know what to do!
"You're just going to stand there and watch her die?" No. I-
"You have the power. All you need is a push."
There's a small puddle of blood and the world starts peeling back with only the boy as my target. I raise my hand.
"Good, now release."
A blast of green energy slams into the boy and he tumbles to the ground. It all bleeds into red and screaming.

-----------------

I can hear mom and Zola talking in the next room. Mom had just finished cleaning me up. I was covered in blood when she found us. The Snooty boy lived, barely. How could i do such a thing!? Im crying on my bed when the door open and Auntie steps in
"Hey kiddo, how are you holding up."
"Bad. I hurt that boy! Is he ok?" 
"Hes ok buddy. Wont remember a thing that happened to him. You certaintly gave him a beating hell remember for the future."
we lull into silence.
"Eliza. I saw the blast you did. Do you understand what it means?"
I nod. She then places a hand on my shoulder, turning me to look into her face.
"Eliza, i this is very important but have you've made any "special" friends lately?"
I glance around. I wouldnt consider her a friend, she's a bully. A monster that doesnt go away. I nod, not looking her in the eyes.
"Do you know who they are."
I shake my head. Lying. I know who it is. 
"Are you sure."
I nod my head.
"Im sorry Auntie." I start sniffling again and she scoops me up into a hug giving me pats on the head.
"Aww, you'r a good boy Eliza. Don't let other people change you." she wipes my tears and i start to calm down even when i can feel her many evil eyes on me.

--------------------------
two days later
------------------

I sneak past the guard, bag on my back with nothing but my cloths, an old black journal, a handaxe, a few days of food and water, and most importantly a healing potion. It wasnt easy jumping out of the window to my room or getting past the night watch. Mom trained them well.
Arent you suppose to be in bed. Mommy will be mad at you again She mocks me
I say nothing.
You don't think you can run away from your problems do you? Poor stupid boy.
"Shut up Tiamat."
Oh you do know my name just as i know your Eliza Farsight. After all "We are one".
I slam my hand over my lips as they move on their own. those words weren't mine. NO we are not! I stop in front of a fallen tree, throwing off my and grabbing my handaxe. I hurt that snooty boy bad. he didnt deserve to be savaged so terribly. I can still feel the blood on my hands. Zola tired so hard to convince me it wasnt my fault. that i was only protecting her but she's wrong. There was a second where i enjoyed watching him suffer, to kill him and burn his corpse. He's was right for the wrost reasons. Ive read lots about fiend and i know they run through my veins. There is a monster inside me and it will hurt not only Mom and dad but it will hurt Zola if i let it. I am not a monster. I am not a devil. I am not a fiend. I am Eliza Farsight and i am human.
What are you doing? she asks amused as i lower my head and get my horns stuck in the dead wood. I chop down and i choke back sobs as the pain perices my head, my tail thrashing.
Just because you remove your horns doesn't make you less than a hell spawn. Doesnt change the mark on your soul.
I slam the axe down onto the last horn and i fall backwards in agony, tears in my eyes. I crawl to my back and before i can black out i drain a potion. My vision clears and i can see my horns buried in the hood still, black against the moon light. I lift a hand to my head expecting to feel them but only touch the smooth stumps. wordless I retrieve them, store them and pull my bag back onto my shoulders, axe in hand. I cant go back now. I cant go back until i can stop the monster inside me. I walk deeper into the woods not knowing where im going but not back home.
Im sorry Zola. I don't think you can help me this time.

-Eliza Farsight

[Stephen]

Well that happened quickly. The dinner invitation, the Vistani, the crossing of dimensions?
Before I know it, I am in a different place. A place of desperation, of a people barely hanging on, a place of undeath.

Who woulda thunk that I, Steinbjorn Rexxor Grimarrson, of all people would have been found worthy enough to help free Strahd of his curse?

The group I made the crossing with....is interesting. Cousins, apparently the offspring of the heroes of the dragon queen war, two other clerics, a ranger, a fighter and a tabxi. All the non humans are out of place in this land of Barovia. Hopefully it will not impede our dealings with the folk as we try to do our thing.
Speaking of doing our thing, we run into the Burgomaster of Barovia, he asked us to help him escort his sister to a safer place. I agree without hesitation, some of the others take their time. Ismark lets us stay in his mansion for the night. The next morning, we bring his father's remains to the cemetery. Kael goes inside the church and pokes around while the rest of us dig the grave. Shortly after Kael comes running out of the house and is slain by a vampire spawn! Although the elf and tabaxi helped dispatch Father Donavich, they ran for the hills at the sight of one our own dying. Not the behavior of those who claim to want to help rid the land of a curse. We outnumbered the vampire spawn and kill it in under a minute.

I hope I have the strength and faith to see this through. Especially while traveling with questionable companions that run at the first sign of real trouble.

[bxtreme]

Journal Entry 4

After dealing with he debacle at the church, we made our way over to Mad Mary's. We had to force entry, as any good citizens would, since Mary would not respond to our calling out for her. We had to get to the bottom of this annoying wailing of hers. We find out her daughter is missing and that she kept her in the house her whole life. It's no wonder she fled. We did our best to calm her down and we told her we would try locating her daughter during our travels. She gave us a puppet passed down through the generations she calls "Popov". I accepted the doll as I figured it would be proof to her daughter that we've been sent by her mother.

I couldn't resist the temptation to use Popov to act a little...obnoxious. I'm inclined to do such things as all gnomes are. Sometimes I consider the pranks and silly gestures a vice, but I'm still having fun, so maybe that's all that matters. My interest in these amusing tricks grew tenfold when I found out Zola was actually quite afraid of puppets. I found the perfect opportunity to use one of my newly manifested powers to project the voice of Popov in Zola's head. As amusing this all is, I do confess, the more time I spend using Popov for these silly little gags, I find myself growing strangely attached to it.

I think it is important to note a concerning change I've observed. Attacking the ghost children inside the house, burning the inheritance document...I did these all without remorse. My decisions are fueled only by what is best for the group. My intent was to keep my comrades safe, and to secure an eventual headquarters for the Dawnbreakers. This may be a side-effect from the psi-ops training - taking our humanity out of the equation would allow us to make the most rational decisions for the successful outcome of the mission. This seems logical. Besides, successful missions means the continual acquisition of power. I'll need this power to confront that ominous being of my past (henceforth I will refer to it as Being X). This may be at the cost of my humanity, but at the moment, I don't really care.

Eliza seems to have a conscience..."Too soon man, too soon" as I burned the inheritance document in front of the ghost children. This memory sticks with me for some reason. Maybe he will keep my humanity in check...I find this an odd thing to say about a teenage devil boy.

Combat Assessment

Zola, Mike, Chad - Progressing nicely in combat.
Steinbjorn - Capable healer, certainly the group's medic. He is also quite fond of his "good berries".
Chekasha - Do Tabaxi have 9 lives? I should start keeping track.
Eliza - Means well, but gets himself into trouble easily.

[dragonforgotten]

Eliza 15 years old

-----------------



I sit by the fire staring into the flames waiting for the rabbit to cook, my tail twitches back and forth waiting. It's been a long time since Ive been home. Even though i am far from home i still feel the eyes on me, both good and bad. They watch from the shadows. She has her claws around my soul and she likes to remind me of our bond day and night. A long time ago a piece of her remained trapped inside me when i was born. In the beginning we were both miserable, neither of us compromising. She wants to souls, I want peace. I grew up fast thanks to her constant tempting me. We fought endlessly till i had enough and we forged a new deal just so we can remain sane.

She can have the evil creatures i kill and she will give me strength and stop harassing me. Tiamat agreed and we've finial have a form of boundary between each other. She still tries to tempt me to slaughter and greed but I'm not a child anymore, I know her as well as she knows me and without any secrets to lord over me i can block her out. We still hate each other with a passion but for both our sakes we deal. At least shes quieted down now that she knows her tricks wont work on me like they did when i was 12.

Im such a disgrace to the Farsight line. Im conspiring with my moms enemy! I-.

"Is that a silver wing butterfly!" I scramble with my journal and pen and start drawing with a stupid smile on my face. It's even standing on a rare type of flower, the crimsion lady. This is great! I can feel mrs T rolling all her eyes and i take even greater joy knowing i'm annoying her. The woods are great. Suddenly an owl lands on my head scaring the butterfly, holding an envolpe in its beak.

"Whats this?" I take the letter from the mysterous birds beak and it flies off as i catch the familar seal stamped on the note.

--------------------



Im sitting huddled in the corner watching people start to trickle in. I want to talk to the new comers coming in but i'm nervous. What if i make a fool of myself. What if they don't like me. So now I'm here trying to build the courage to talk to them. Then I watch a strong half elf fight walk in. She begin talks to the cleric and i catch his name through her. He is Steinbjorn Rexxor Grimarrson. It is then I spy the tusks and i hear a name i thought i would never hear again. Its Zola! I stand up and approach. She catches my movement and her eyes lock onto me. As i get closer i start to realize how tall I've gotten in my two years away from home. Last time i saw her I barely came up to her shoulders, now I have two inches over my older cousin.

"Zola?" She squints at me, confused and supiousious and i can feel myself squirm with anxiety. Her eyes then light up with recognition!

"Eliza!"

"Zola!" she squeezes me in a hug and i return it, my tail uncurling from my waist and wagging! It's been too long. I let her go and she looks me over.

"You got bigger without me!" She pouted and i advert my gaze blushing rubbing the back of my head.

"What are you doing here?!"

"An owl brought me an invite. What are you doing here?"

"Mom couldn't go and I was nearby. Where have you been? You just up and left with no explanation, it's been two whole years! Where are your horns?!" I touch my head feeling the smooth the round stumps. I never considered shed ask about my horns. There hasn't been a day i havent gotten looks of pity and bewilderment from other races and teiflings alike when they see my stumps. They been gone for so long I've forgotten i use to have them. The thought never came up. Zola is looking at me wanting the answers but i don't want to share them yet. She isn't aware of what happened or what i had to go through. I have to do it alone.

"Long story."

More people come in and dinner is announced. We file into the dining room, and I take a seat between Her and Steinbjorn. I stare at the table to see three different forks and knives. I hover over them wondering which one I'm suppose to use. In the end i give up, wasting no time digging my claws into the turkey and violently tearing it apart with my teeth. Im then tapped on the shoulder, Zolas glaring daggers at me.

"Excuse me, I don't think you were raised in a barn. Just because you didn't have me watching doesn't mean you get to eat like a wild animal!" scoldes me heavily and hands me a fork.

"Sorry." Ive spent so long in mercenary camps I've forgot some people care about table manners.

The table has been loud with people and things introducing themselves and talking themselves up. Zola looks like she's done.

"How is everyone at home?" She sighs, head in her hands.

"Same old same old. Mom's working a lot. Dad's working on some big mechanical polar bear or something... oh, Auntie Morrigan was just in Neverwinter. Your dad went with me to see the circus again." I cant help but furrow my brows. I miss Pa and Mom, i know moms always watching but I'm glade there both doing ok.

"That's good. And my mother?"

She pauses in her tea and looks me in the eye filled with some sorrow and joy.

"She's great! You should come visit her. She really wants to see you. We all want you home."

It's my turn to look into my tea. I cant look her in the eye. I cant go home. i want but i cant. Not until I finish what i set out to do.

"Eliza. Your horns?" She prods poking me out of my thoughts if a salad fork. Oh my horns. I find my hand going back to my stumps. It's not easy to put into words why i did it. So many things were going on with me back then. Not all good things. What can i tell her?

"I guess... I wanted to be more normal. More human." I would look human if it wasn't for these claws, the bloody horns and the tail. Im not suppose to be like this.

She startles me when she slams her hand onto the table, her face flashes with outrage till she slowly settles back into her chair sighing heavily.

"Normal is boring," she tell me.

"I used to get picked on for my ears and my tusklets... and then I got... well, other things came in and nobody noticed the weird parts of me anymore!" Really? Even some one like her. She is so strong and she's beautiful now, i cant see anyone wanting to bother her.. Maybe if your stupid.

Lady Morwen then tells us the job. She wants us to kick out some squatters from her properties peacefully but if they refuse, burn down their wagons. Thats tricky but Ive done evictions before. You need to be polite and patient but if they get hostile you get not so nice. I hope it doesn't come to that. I don't like making people upset but it seems I'm very good at it as my last job being the proof.

"Struedel, anyone?" Im confused. Whats that? I lean over to her ear, nudging her for attention.

"What's struedel?" She looks a me incredulous.

"Remember the waffles my mom always makes? Like that, but more... I don't know. It's delicious, eat it!"

"Really?" I poke at the pasty with my fork, its spongy and has stuff in the middle. I like the jam with my forked tongue. I then stab at it and take a bit. My eyes go wide.

"Holy s*** this is good." Zola laughs at me

----------------------------------------



Not a day in and I've already fallen back in line with Zola being her voice of reason. We catch the sight of the caravan, wasnt hard with the music and the dancing. It's like a party. Cheksa goes into the bushes which i don't understand for the life of me. Tenants can be unruly but not that unrully. Were are greeted by a guy with an amazing moustache.

"Welcome, friends! Come, drink with us!"

He takes each of our hands in turn. I immediately like this guy. He's friendly and does not look at me with distain.

"I am Stanimir. Welcome to our camp!"

He takes us to the fire and we talk, Cecil informs him of his infraction and He tells us his band travels all over the place and they are just about to head back to their home land and i cant help but sigh in relief knowing they are going to leave without a fight. I don't have to do the thing again. I ask if he needs help packing up. He says he's fine, enjoy the celebration.

Zola tries to hurry them along by informing them of a storm but they don't buy her lie. he hands us some wine and begins telling us a story of his land. I took a sip and its still too bitter. I drank with mercenaries before but it doesn't get any easier

Stanimir tells us he is going to tell us the story of his people, the Vistani. He spits wine into the fire, and the fire and smoke turns into pictures as he weaves the tale. I get really excited and start drawing it in my journal. A tale of a prince, and the land of Barovia where they came from... a war, a curse. The curse turned their friend and leader into a tyrant. They are looking for heroes to put his souls to rest, and something about 'Madam Eva will reveal all.' When he finishes the tale, Zola spits in the fire. Nothing happens. Stanimir laughs.

Oh Zola. we all full hearty offer to help his people! We will go to his country and save his people! the man is ecstatic and then i remember Cheeksa.

"Hey Chee! You can come out of the bushes now!"

She gives me a death glare as she steps out and she gets a vistani welcome. Stein sighs.

"Eliza, she was trying to stay hidden." Oh S***!

I bury my face in my hands.

"I did it again! F***!"

Zola makes mentions of writing a letter back home to let Auntie and my Mum know where shes going.

"I’m going to mention i saw you. they told me to write if i did." i place a hand on her hand suddenly afraid.

"Please don't, I'm not ready yet to face them."

"Why? Their your family. Theyve been so worried."

"Zola.. Please."

She sighs defeated.

"You cant run from them forever you know." a ghost of a smile lines my lips but it's empty of warmth, haunted and strained.

"I know."

-----------------



The trip is very adventful. I help out as much as i can but they tell me just to relax and enjoy the ride while i can. I end up sitting in the wagon next to Zola and Stein. Ive bonded with them fast, Zola helped me introduce myself to the rest of the gang and Chad. I want to be good friends with everyone but Cheksa and Mike don't seem to want me talking to them, Dragual is very insulting towards me. They are so hard for me to approach. I tell Zola of the blunder that brought me here. I was fired. They found out i had not only faked my age but I had f**** up so spectrally they sent me out into the wild. I catch Zola looking at my horns again from the corner of my eyes.

"Why do you keep staring at them?"

"Sorry, it's just strange to see you without them. You were only 12. It makes me sad that you grew up without me. You could have written to me." I frown.

"Im sorry. I would have if i could. I was in a dark place for awhile. I just couldnt stay and you couldnt come with me."

"Why?"

"Its something i had to do alone."

Suddenly a tense pall overcomes the Vistani. The laughing and jokes stop as we enter a forest filled with a perpetual mist with trees twisted into monsterous shapes.

"I advice you all now stay in the wagon from here on out, we are beginning to enter Barovia." Cheksa tries to get off put we all pull her in and tell her no. If the Vistani are cautious so should we. She settles for hiding in the undercarrage.

We begin the see the town and he turns to me, Cheksa and Dragoul pausing our march.

"Don't take offence but my people have seen anyone like you and they are a fearful supertious folk. If you have anyway to hide yourselves i suggest you do it,"

"None taken, I'm use to it." I then pulled the hood over my head and the face mask over my nose and neck, pulling my scarf up to completely obscure my face. Then i thaumaturgy my eyes to have blue human irises instead of the creepy off white ones. I wrap my tail around my waist, i wrap up my black hands and arms in bandages. It's not much but it will have to do.

We walk through the village, a pericing cry echos around us. The streets are bare of any life. Theres mutters of us going to find the source of the crying but we have to see madam Ava first. I lean into Zolas ear.

"We should be mindful of sounds. There are creatures that pretend and mislead. monsters who steal souls."

"What?"

"What?"

------------------------------



After passing through town, we head out into a clearing and then into the forest where there are bright tents and wagons with horses.

"Everybody out!" Calls Stanimir. "I bring you to Madam Eva!" I step out of the wagon wondering what this woman will be like.

We are shown to a tent where Madam Eva awaits us. On the way there, Chad and Dragul are pulled away to drink by a man sitting by a fire. The rest of us go in the tent. I see the wizen old woman in her shroud and her cards in front of her and I'm instantly filled with nostalgia and sorrow. I go right up to her estatic.

"wow! You like my mother? Are you a divinator as well?!"

"Silence!" I shrink back form her shrill voice, i over did it again.

"I know who you are, Eliza Farsight. Son of Omen and Sirius. Fiend of Averius, servant of evil colors, traitor of your blood. I also know you are here with Zola, your cousin."

I shut up and shrink, the once over joyed expression gone from my face to be replaced with a hard exterior. Zola looks at me with confusion till she speaks to her. Madam Ava each tells us personal details about ourselves just like she did with me and i can feel the others squirm as much as i do. Its like she is looking into our souls and sees us as we are. Just like mom. Creepy but caring.



We are told that her cards are the Tarroka, and will tell us where help will come from to rid the land of its curse, and what we will need to defeat Strahd. I'm starting to put two and two together... Strahd is the prince that the Vistani helped. He's cursed now and evil. We need to rid him of his curse so the land will be free.



She begins reading the cards. The tomb of a guild member. Next, a holy symbol of Ravenkind. The crypt of a wizard Ordinaire... his staff is key. A weapon of vengeance, the sword of sunlight. A wounded elf has what we seek... and the one who can help us defeat Strahd is a young man, a mother's boy. Kind of heart strong, but weak of mind. He is in the village of Barovia. It is then we are informed that we may have unwanted eyes on us. Strahds eyes. Oh so its not my moms then. She tell us to come back in three days and shell see what she can do to help us. It also then we are told of places to go, what to avoid and actions we should not attempt. Why would anyone hurt a raven, they are such smart birds. Me and Zola use to feed them in the keep and they were great message carriers.

It is then she drops a bomb on us. We cant leave, not untill the curse is broken. Also if we die here our souls will also be trapped her as part of strahds ghost parade. Well, would have been nice to know that sooner. Zola is rightly pissed and everyone else is similarly outraged but came here to help them in the first place. I shrug, not really upset by this development.

"Thats fine."

"What?! How are you ok with this?" I shrug.

"If i die here she cant have me. Seems like a win to me."

"Who the hell is she? Did you get a girlfriend without me?!"

"What!? No! Why would you say that?!" Im blushing like mad as i here some people chuckle behind me, not a day in and she's already embrassed me. She doesnt even know yet. Its ashame i wasn't born with red skin or none of the black skin tone on my face.



------------------



After the Vistani kicked us out of their camp we went back to the town to check out the wailing. We didn’t get to do much since its getting dark but Kael slipped in a pamphlet under the door. It is then we check out the bar and met Ismark, the current Burgomister of this depressing town. Immediately Zola starts hitting on him and I whisper in her ear.

“What are you doing? He’s way older then you?”

“Quite cramping my style!” I sigh incredulous. He offered us a job to help escort his sister to a nearby town after we help bury his now dead father.

I try asking about things he might know about the town but then I start rambling again.

"You're just like your mom!" says Zola. I rubbing the back of my neck. I… never noticed. i didn’t think i was anything like mom. What would she think of me now?

Ismark take us all to his manor which is a great! I don’t think a lot of us have money right now. Zola knocks on the door.

"Who is it?" A female voice asks.

"It’s me, Ismark. I've brought friends."

"How do I know it is you?"

Somehow he convinces her its him, and we hear heavy things being moved before the door opens. In the doorway stands a striking woman with black hair. She very beautiful, don’t know why Ismark keeps saying she looks like a dog, she looks nothing like one. she’s standing on twos and looks like a very pretty young lady. It not nice he’s insulting her behind her back. We are let in, and I take a look around. Holy symbols everywhere, and a coffin with a body in it, surrounded by flowers, in the main room.

"Why is there a body in the middle of the room?" Stein gives me a nudge in the ribs.

“That our father.”

I just want to curl up now in shame. I keep doing this!
We talk among ourselves and settle that we will help bury their father before we set out to bring them to their destination. I bunker down into my bed roll against a wall. Armor still on
-------------------

Not five minutes into this church and i want to turn around and leave. Its not everyday you hear someone screaming for food under the floor and find evidence of wolf claw marks. Im not dealing with werewolve right now. Father Donavin seems like a nice man but very bossy in how we dig our holes. We have to dig with great haste so we dont miss the rising sun. Werid Brovian custom. Suddenly kael comes screaming out of the church just as i wipe the sweat from my brow.
"I messed up!" 
From behind Kael comes a young, gaunt looking man with broken chains hanging off him. He is not normal looking.
"I can smell your blood!" He cries. Dragual shoots just as a strong gust of wind blows. It strikes call and he falls.
"What have you've done!" I scream at him outrage!
he then pounces on him and starts feasting on Kaels blood. It's like one of my bed time stories turned reality.
"Holy F***!" I throw out a chilling touch and it lands true. The vampire screams in frustration once it realizes that it cant gain any benefit from its feast. He claws out Kaels throat and we all know it is far too late to save him. Everyone charges in but worms of doubt slither in my stomach. Ive never seen a vampire and i worry this will be our downfall. Father Donavin then does the unthinkable and begins to help the vampire, screaming about him being his son. We cant deal with two people at once. The preist needs to be dealt with. We cant handle this.
"We should throw the father to the vampire. Maybe it will awaken some humanity in him." S***! No! I let my guard down! Theres a murmur of approval. Suddenly though the preist crumbles dead. I feel remorse for the father but we now have his son to deal with. The call to fall back gets stronger and Cheeksa and Mike retreat. Ismark and his sister fight with avengence with us. I wait for everyone else to run but no one does so neither do I. I watch Zola break her shovel in half and with the help of all of us she drives it into the vampires hurt. We huddle together around our poor dead friend. I sigh pained. We survived but at a heavy cost. We just wanted to bury one body, now we have to bury four.

-Eliza Farsight

[Jeff]

The Journal of Jannike Kái

As a Grave Cleric in service to Kelemvor, I have spent my life traveling the lands to carry out my sacred mission: smiting the undead, aiding restless spirits in finding peace and sparing the dying when possible. I’m used to being and working alone, so I’m certainly not adept at talking to or collaborating with others but have made my way to Barovia and fallen in with an eclectic group who has dubbed themselves The Dawn Breakers—a name which pleases me very much. I was pleased to find another Grave Cleric; we have definitely formed the beginnings of a bond. I’m actually looking forward to working closely with him and the other cleric and fighter I have met—this is a totally new experience for me and I’m interested to see where it leads. There is an odd gnome in the group who has formed a strange bond with a puppet—I’m going to have to keep my eye on him. I’m looking forward to getting to know the others in the party better as well which is a strange, new experience for me.

I’ve never had friends or any loved ones in my life, having never known my family as they were taken by undead creatures when I was just an infant. I was found by a group of clerics and brought up in such a way that I have never known love. I’ll never know why I was spared—it doesn’t make any sense and sometimes I wish that they had taken me as well. My life has been difficult and often sad and sometimes I struggle to go on and continue my mission, but my faith and dream of finding my family seem to sustain me and I remain resolute for the most part. Even though it feels odd, it also feels good to be a part of this group—something I’ve never really felt before. I’m grateful that they have included me, and I look forward to the possibility of making friends for the first time in my life. I hope I can stick it out. Maybe these lonely days of wandering are over; I’ll just have to see what happens. I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me as I have freely chosen this life for myself, and I have done much that is good, but now, after being with this group it may be time for a change. I feel hope for the first time and maybe, just maybe, have found a family. 

[Jeff]

The Journal of Jannike Kai Entry 2

I am fully aware that my oath as a Grave Cleric often puts me in harm’s way, but it is a risk that I am willing to take. The more I hear of this Strahd, the more I’m convinced that he needs help in moving on, yet I fear that many of us will perish in this attempt. My training tells me not to fear death as it is just the next step on a journey, but I want to keep living this life for now as I have much more work to do, and I hope to find my family before I move on. If I find their remains I hope to help them move on as well—these things I solemnly swear.

Zola, a brave warrior for someone so young, has told me about Kael who was killed by a vampire spawn. My heart goes out to him, as I fear his spirit is now cursed to roam these lands for eternity. I didn’t know him, but I hope we get the chance to release his soul to eternal peace.

The other two clerics Steinbjorn and Chad have proven to be both brave and kind so far. Steinbjorn freely hands out goodberries to all and Chad takes the time to bless the dead. Both, along with Zola, are stalwart companions who I’ve come to trust very quickly—something rare for me and something I hope I don’t come to regret. I accept that I may not make it out of this adventure alive, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish what we’ve set out to do. I have the backs of all of my comrades—even the ones I don’t really know yet, and I feel that they have mine (at least Zola, Steinbjorn and Chad at this point). I have faith that I will feel the same about the others in due time. Bless us all as we take up this quest.

[dragonforgotten]

We worked in silence as we buried our departed friend. Some tears were shed. I hug Zola who was devastated that she couldn't save him. Shes shaking as Im perfectly still.
"Why did he have to die! We could have fixed him."
"Im sorry Zola. I wish we could to." I think this is her first experience with death. Death is weird at the fortress due to my mom and the rest of the group. Uncle Runar never wasn't able to save people who came to him due to his potions. I cant be too sure what happened within the two years i was gone. When ravens died we use to give them little funerals as I would be bawling my eyes out. I honestly cant cry now even if i really want to. I haven't cried in two years. It seems everyone else cant shed tears as well, they just stand around staring at the plot looking as gutted as i do. I think i catch wetness in some eyes but it's instantly smothered before anyone else notices. We're a mess arnt we. Not even able to cry for our dear friend who we barely knew. A new friend has joined us, he's also a cleric of the grave but i was too caught up with losing Kael to greet or notice him at the time.
We paid a visit again to the house of Mad Mary. The wailing still shrieking from the building. is she even human? Shes been screaming all day and all night?
"I don't know if this is a good idea anymore. She could be a banish for all we know or hag. Maybe we should rethink just barging in like-."
I hear the crashing of woods and when i turn around i see Zola putting her foot through the door as it swings on its creeky hinges.
"Why, Zola?" I sigh in my hand.
"Nobody stoped me."
Stein goes first after we have effectively begun breaking and entering. I pick up the pamphlet still on the floor, fold it and pocket it. The whailing is coming from upstairs. Stein in looks at both me and Chekasha
"You both should stay down here. We'll shout if we need you."
I nod my head and the rest go up leaving me alone with Chekasha. Oh boy. The humanoid black cat leans against the stair railing and i sit on the first step, being choked by the silence. It's so tense i could cut it with a knife.
"Soooo. How are you?"
I don't get an answer, her ear twitches and her tail flicks. oh boy, my own tail is already curled around my leg out of nerves.
"I don't think we properly spoken. Hi, Im Eliza." Still nothing.
"What made you join onto this job? Money? family?"
"That is non of your concern boy." ah! She does speak!
"Oh ok. Where are you from. I was from Luskan before i started off on my own."
"A small peninsula, no where you would be familiar with."
To my surprise she then starts to speak back to me. My tail starts wagging slowly.
"Your rather young to be a mercenary? 16?"
"15 actually. My charming good looks got me hired." her eye brow raises. I think i catch her mutter something but i'm not sure.
"Why are you here then?" my smile falls, tail stops moving.
"I cant tell you."
"Does it have some something to do with what madam Ava said." I don't say a word, my tail tightening its grip around my leg. Once again i catch her mumbling about "stupid kids" and "not a god damn baby sitter".
"Just don't ruin my cover again." She then goes silent. I hear Zola arguing upstairs. not a moment later everyone begins the decent down and i hop off the stairs.
"Hi guys! What happened up there-. What he f*** is that?" Cecil then holds up this very creepy, very disgusting doll and makes it wave its hand.
"Hello, Im Popov." No, f*** that. My tail flinch behind me when it stares into my white eyes. Oh gods he even gave it a creepy voice. Everyone has the same look on their faces and i watch Zola squirm when Cecil makes the abomination turn its glass eyes to her. Im filled in on what happened and it seems this doll will help us find Mad Marys daughter. I feel sorry for the both of them. I ran away two years ago and haven't seen or wrote to my mother since, i can clearly see why she ran away from this bird cage of a house. Hopefully if we defeat Strahd this will change and her mother will get better.
We check the church one more time to be sure we did not miss any holy water. We could always use it. After all our efforts we don't find anything useful except for the laugh I got when Zola tried taking the giant holy symbol with us. I spare a glance at Cecil when he's not trying to traumatize my cousin. Theres something about him. It's in his eyes, a darkness that lies past the smiles and the jokes. It's the same darkness i share with him. A kinship. I want to ask what happened to him but not now. As we begin to reach the end of our search and begin to pack up I catch Cecil speaking, something about the deities, and it stings me. He’s about to continue that thought when I snap my head towards him and I speak with a level tone that startled him.
“Don’t take the powers, both arcane, fiendish, or holy, lightly. It's their meddling that ruined my life.”
———————

Traveling the dingy old road we march in complete silence, not lingering or stalling. It will take a day for us to reach our destination. We still need to come back in three days to visit the Vistani again and seek Madam Ava’s concile. As long as strahd watches none of us are safe. I keep a good pace behind Zola watching her as Cecil once again tries to scare her with Popov. That thing is still creepy. I feel like its eyes move on it own when I’m not looking at it.. I talk to Ismark sister as we walk, asking questions about Barovia, what customs they have, what kind of foods is it’s most famous. The more I can understand the land maybe the more I can understand the people.
Suddenly the crying of children echos in my ears, they flinch back startled. We start running towards the source of the crying but just as we begin to see two shadows on the horizon me and Chekasha are stopped by Chad.
“You both stay here. We'll Call you.” The rest of the group charges and I’m once again have been left with Chee.
"I hate children." i hear her mutter as i shuffle in my boots kicking the dirt. Why does everything look so washed out and grey in Barovia. Even the dirt. Ive felt eyes on me but they are not the familiar protective ones I've known at in Faerun. These ones are cold and calculating. I cultch my blue crystal focus necklace thinking about mom. This was hers when she was an apprentice mage. Even if she cant see me now I hope i can make her proud again.
“Alone again.” I speak out loud trying to break the creepy silence.
“It appears so.” She says annoyed.
“Are.. all your people black cats or do you have strips or spots as well?”
No answer. Oh gods this is hard. I can barely hear or see the group from where they are. Its seems they finish talking and We are given the signal to come over. I huddle up in my claok, making sure the hood hides my face as Chee does the same. She doesn't like it when i call her that but i think its endearing. I catch sight of the children, a boy of maybe 5 and a girl maybe 10. Shes so busy trying to console her brother. They look very creepy despite their age but they need help and as the newly dubbed Dawnbreakers we have a mission to bring light back into Barovia. We'll banish their monster and save their baby brother!"
-----------------------

The fog has chased us into their house. We've been warned time and again that the fog is deadly. I don't want to take our chances so we rush inside. Not five minutes in and the noble group newly dubbed as the Dawnbreakers are vandalizing and looting the home. What the hells guys!? There are people still living here! I then catch Zola trying to steal a sword mounted on the wall with a windmill shaped hilt and i grab her wrist attempting to pulling on my moms disappointed frown and furrow brows, 'The Stare' is what it's called.
"Lize, I just want to look at it!"
"Then why are you touching it?"
"But-."
"No. No stealing." she gets away from me.
"Its borrowing!" she tells me as she pulls it down. I sigh. And IM suppose to be the younger child!
"Zo, please."
She shakes her head, puts her chin up and helps search the house sword in hand. Ugh. My tail saggs in defeat. Some heroes we are. We still have a baby to rescue upstairs.
Next stop is the dinning hall. Some looting happens with Mike and Chekasha. I almost laugh on the look on Mikes face when she realizes there no way for her to steal the painting on the wall of a boar hunt. Chekasha steals some knives from the table.
the next room looks like a study were we find a family portrait. Somethings off with it. The mother in the picture almost seems to glare at the baby in the fathers arm. Did something else happen here? Is it really a monster the kids are afraid of? we explore the rest of the first floor and find nothing.
In the last room we check i find has some instruments. Absent minded I think back to my music lessons with Aunt Grain. She would visit every once in awhile and teach us some music. I begin plucking at the strings trying to remember the ghost of a song that sits in the back of my mind. I could never finish the song and either could Zola when we were kids. My attempt is not bad. Zola steps up to the Harpiscore
"Hey Liz watch this!" She then completes the song i was trying to play flawlessly, 'The ballad of the dragons'.
"You practiced!" I asked astonished. She smirks.
"Of course."
------------------

We enter a giant library filled with dusty books. Ive been think. As we've traveled the house the place has been devoid of all life. Thick layers of dust on everything and cobs webs choke every corner of the house. Have we've been tricked? We had check where the kiddos had told us they were waiting and they are gone. Were they even alive to begin with? It is then i'm pulled out of my thoughts when Cecil shouts out that he's found something! 
He finds the deed to the house along with all the paperwork for the mill and the names of the kids, Thorn and Rose. Theres a mention of burning the inheritance and officiate it with Ismark help but i scold everyone. The house isn't ours! If they truly are dead then maybe but until we find out the truth the house belongs to those kids! It's all they have left. I begin to wonder with him as he peruses the books. He point out that theres a few famous pieces of poetry among the collection. Im shocked to learn he shares my love of poetry.
"Whats you'r favorit?" My tail is swaying from side to side in excitement. We talk for awhile as we search. I help him reach the top shelves when needed but as he reaches to grab a book at his eye level a secret door swings open. Wow! It looks like a secret study with a skeleton draped near the desk with a letter clutched in its hand. It's a letter from Strahd and it fills in some mystery on who this house belonged to.
Just as we begin to climb the stairs to the second floor a flurry of motion and we have a fight on our hands with the stairwell being chakablock full of bodies trying to aid the people above. I wait hoping Zola is alright but I'm not that worried. She handled herself well with the vampire. I'm waiting with Cecil to find an opening to slip into but before i can move i find Chekasha down the stairs half alive but walking.
"What happened to you!?"
"Armor." I'm confused but i don't question her. I help her lean against the banister, powerless, when it comes to healing.
"Bahumat!!" i hear Zola screaming at the top of her lungs, everything must be going well. I want to join her cry but my throat tighten in pain. You cant even let me have fun cant you. You'r just envious everyone likes your brother better. I feel physical sick briefly so i lean against the banister next to Chee. I cant help with so many bodies in the way anyway. All i can do it wait for the fight to end.
The fight ended quickly but no one wants to open any doors. I place my hands on my chin thinking, then come up with an idea.
"I could thaumaturgy the door open."
I hear the excited gasp! Guess Zola forgot i could do that.
"Yesss! Do it, I want to see!" I then look at the door and extend my hand. the door flies open and slams against the wall. We all flinch as the loud thud vibrates throughout the entire house. Zola laughs.
"I didn't know you could do that! when your mom would threaten us with it when we were being bad?. It use to scare the s*** out of us."
"You mean like this!" I say in a familiar deep crackling scary voice. She jumps and slaps me lightly.
"She always was a touch dramatic."
"You missed when I brought a boy home once. She hated him. Made he eyes look all scary and everything. Dodged an arrow with that one, thanks Auntie Omen."
I laugh. I can almost see it. It makes me a little sad knowing i missed a lot of her life.
With stealth out of the window we all step into the room as a couple of our group mills about the hallway. Zola goes to the mirror. She drags me over to it to point out the eyeballs. My mom would love it. Shed stick it next to the tapestry with the big eyeball. Or at least she would. It use to make me cry till Auntie Morriggan burned it. As i approach the bed searching for something cool. I find nothing. theres still another door over there. I extend my hand the the other door swings open. A chill crawls up my neck. theres something behind me. I turn around to be face to face with a ghostly young woman reaching to grab me. I jump back panicked as i start backing off.
"Zola! trouble!"
Panicked i walk into the room i just opened the door to. It cant be as bad as a specter right.. It's worst. It's just a small room, with a babies crib, with a black shroud over it. Im in here. By myself. I step back out and close the door. Lesson learned. Suddenly i see the specter trying to dig her claws into Zola and i get angry and fearful. I raise my hand, a molton ball of crackling green energy slams into the ghost as it screams in pain. Zola and Cecil destroy the ghost and i cant help but sigh in relief. It's short lived when she storms right into my face enraged. She grabs my wrist, pulling it to my face as she shakes it.
'What the hells was that Eliza."
"Oh, um, my eldritch blast."
"When?" she asks with such seething anger it surprises me.
"oh well. Im not sure. It's complicated." She scoffs hand as she releases me
"I cant believe you made a pact with the raven queen! You knew i always wanted to but never could and you go and do this to me?!"
"Its not her!!" I scream at her upset, clawing at my leather breast plate. Her rage breaks into confusion.
"Then who is it-?"
"Stop. Just stop. You don't even know what it means. The things I've given up. The things I've done to keep her appeased. Just stop."
She scowls but then leave to check out the creepy cribs in the next room. i poke around trying to distract myself. i find another door so I sit on the bed waiting for them to be done, fuming and hurt. I cant believe her, i did'nt ask for these powers! Shes lucky to still be innocent to the horrors of this world. By the time she comes back i'm just left feeling hurt and she looks guilty
"I'm sorry, Lize. I care about you, and you're so different now. I didn't mean to yell at you." I sigh, i don't know what to say. i cant return to being her cute baby cousin.
"I know." I give her a quick hug. "I'll tell you about it later."
Suddenly Zola pales and her eyes dart about. Did i miss something?
"Oh my gods! The cleaning supplies are killing Chad!" someone shouts outside.
"I think they need your help out there." She looks back at me. She looks like she wants to say something but runs off. I sit on the bed waiting for the chaos to die down. It doesn't last long and it's quiet again.
"Are you kids fighting. Popov doesn't approve!" I fly off the bed petrified. Oh gods! That f***s in my head! I hide under the bed till Chad comes over and bends down.
"Kid, why are you under the bed?"
"Just get that f***er out of my head!"
It takes Zola Stein and Cecil to get me to come out. Once i'm out from under the bed We walk through a bathroom and into a master bedroom. Besides from the tigar skin rug and watching Zola flop onto the bed nothing Then Cecil finds something. He's holding a topaz brooch and my eyes get memorize by it shimmer. My desire for it grows stronger when i catch its worth a lot. 700 gold. He wouldn't miss it. He's a small man, easy to over power. Beautiful gold. Gold..Mine. I grab my hand and twist it under my cloak till it hurts. Get out of my head, b****. She goes quiet again.

---------

Turns out there was a secret door behind the eyeball mirror. No one ever thinks to check behind the mirror, brilliant hidden spot.
Of course we instantly migrate to the locked door and turn to our expert in locks and keeper of keys. We open the door to see the a child's room with two small bed. Toys strewn about the floor, a doll house in the corner as two small skeletons lay in the center of the room. So, it was true. I turn my head to Cecil when i pick up the smell of burning paper. Not even a minute and he's burning their inheritance.
"Too soon man, too soon." i say shaking my head, i see a flicker of guilt before we turn back to the skeletons.
"Should we tuck them back to bed?" I ask them.
"Let us bless them first." Stein says stopping me. the priests and Zola enter the room and begin to explore. She reaches out to touch the doll house when a chill enters the air.
"We don't like it when you touch our house." There they are. The ghost children Rose and Thorn.
"What happened to you?" the grave clerics ask and they begin to tell us the only way a child can. Their parents locked them in the room as they went to fight the monster. They never came back and starved a slow painful death.
"So, wheres the basement?"
Rose points outside to a set of stairs going down. What kind of backwards house is this? Last time i remember you put the basement stairs at ground level.
"Thank you. We'll be right back."
"Don't go, we don't want to be alone. Stay with us."
"We cant help you if we stay here kids. You need to let us go." Says Zola forcefully.
"We wont let you. Stay with us."
The group is concern. The kids won’t let us leave but we can’t help them if they don’t let us go. I have very little experience with kids. I know when I was there age my dad was always a good source of comfort. Perhaps they just need someone to reassure them that we are not abandoning them. no one seems to be of any use. I push aside everyone and I surprise Zola when I brush besides her.
“What are you doing?”
“Something stupid most likely.”
I then approach the kids and get to their eye level. I then remove my hood and my face mask. I’m honesty surprised they don’t panick but i must not look like the monster they’ve been talking about then. I look at the young boy cowering behind his sister. I soften my gaze trying to channel my dad.
“Hey guys. I know you want us to stay but we can’t help you if you don’t let us go slay your monster. As a promise I’m going to leave something very important to me here so I’ll have to come back.”
“Like what?” The little girl asks, not believing me. I then take off my cloak and my hood, disassembling my disguise and lay it out in front of them, showing my cursed body to the world. My tail lash back and forth nervous.
“You see I’m very scary looking. Without this disguise I’ll be long dead. If I leave it here I won’t be able to go outside. What do you say?”
They don’t give me an answer. The ghosts are staring at my intensely and suddenly the little boy is gone. Ummm, where did he go? I look around for him getting really really nervous till suddenly I feel someone lay their hands on me. Ice runs through my veins as I feel someone try to slip under my skin. I fight against it feeling invaded and I think I won till suddenly I’m forcefully pushed out of control of my own body.
----
Emotions that are not mine charge through me. Fear. A sicken sinking feeling that twists in your stomach and freezes your heart.
I stare through my own eyes like I’m looking out a fogged window. They move without my command and so does every part of my body. It's just like what happened two years ago?!
Thorn is scared. He’s afraid of my friends who are watching me pale and confused on why i've gone ridged, of the monster downstairs. He’s scared of everything. Like his shadow will jump out at him and devour him whole. He feels just like I did when I was his age when Tiamat called my nightmares, to remind me I’m her slave. My heart hurts for him. There is no escape from such paralyzing fear when you'r that young. He’s been left here alone with no one but his sister. He clings to my body like a security blanket as I’m powerless in my own body to stop him. I’m at the mercy of a scared small child. I’m worried he won’t let me go now that he has a body.
We are both scared and both our fears feed into each other. He looks at my hands and my sharp claws as my tail instinctively curls around him trembling. The trembling then travels up my spine through out my body till i'm shaking like a leaf as choking echoing sobs emanates from my throat. He lower me to the ground, pulls my body into itself, knees tucked against my chest. He makes me as small as possible and grabs a moldy teddy bear from the floor, rocking my body back and forth for comfort. My eyes start running tears as Thorn starts whaling into the bear blurring my vision. It physically hurts to be crying like this. He's crying so hard. Zola approaches me extremely worried as Thorn's voice echos from my lips between the wailing.
“I’m scared! I’m scared.”
“Eliza, this isn’t funny. Snap out of it!” The crying doesn’t stop and she honestly looks surprised it didn't work like it use to. Thorn just hugs his bear tighter to my chest burying my face into it.
"D-dont let the monster eat m-me!"
"Lize!" She screams out again, fear in her voice but she doesn't get a response as she pales.
"S***." The group loses more color in their faces when it dawns on them that I’ve been possessed. Thorn chokes and wheezes from the sobbing, barely stopping to breath and I can barley hear over the frantic sobbing and see through the tears. He chokes out some words.
"S-s-stay with us!! I-ITs safe her-ere! D-d-don't le-ave me!! Stay w-w-with us!"
Zola grabs my shoulder and starts shaking him.
“Come on! Fight it!” She screams in my ear as they flinch away and Thorn rises my hands over his head in fear. Suddenly a fire bolt whizzes past my shoulder and I can see the blurry image of Mike. F****ing Mike. My body cowers away and crawls backwards from the terrifying woman. I lose track of Zola in the chaos. The group is now trying to fight Thorns sister. She suddenly begins to look terrifying which makes me want to shrink away but I’m not in command of my body, Thorn is and he’s not afraid of his sister. Suddenly there a terrible cracking sound and Thorn twists my head, turning it as far as possible, causing my bones to groans and pop in protest at its unnatural angle. Zola is destroying their doll house. For once the fear is replaced with burning rage at the sight of the doll house being ruined. My body stands up and stiffly begins to walk towards Zola as the joints move awkwardly and my tail drags the floor. No! Don’t you dare hurt her!
“Stop Destroying our house!!!!” Thorn shrieks barring my long fangs and throws my body at her, trying to attack with my useless claws. He then tries to go for her throat roaring in her face till she slams the pommel of her sword into my gut. It hurts! My body gasps and coughs and Thorn wraps my arms around my stomach sobbing in hysterics as he curls up on the ground into a tight ball my tail wrapping around my legs shivering, not use to feeling pain and too young to understand why it hurts Thorn starts to cower, all his fight gone.
"Don't hurt me. Don't hurt me." He snivels looks back up at Zola and I can see her hesitate through my tear filled eyes, looking at me with regret, pain in her eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
She then turns the sword upside down to the pommel and slams it into my skull.
——————————-

I flinch awake, my eyes snapping open as they dart about the room once again in control, a sweet taste in my mouth. I’m back in control again but I can’t stop shaking, eyes wide. Someone is patting my head. I look up to see Zola with the ghost children sitting in the corner. Shes pulled my head into her lap.
“Welcome back cousin.”
I immediately sit up gingerly, stomach and head hurting from her blows. Not staying a word.
“You were possessed. I manage to talk them down. You ok? How do you feel?”
I feel terrible. I feel like I just relived my childhood fears. I feel like an old wound has been opened up in my chest thanks to these raw emotion Thorn dug up. At least i feel better in some cases. Its then i notice that I'm still crying so i turn away from her.
“I’m fine. Give me a minute.” I say curt. I’m trying to wipe these stupid tears out of my eyes but they won’t stop. How shameful. Someone of my age crying. I haven’t cried since I left home! Two f***ing years and not a single tear. I didn’t even cry at Kaels funeral for gods sake! All it took was for one little boy to get literally under my damn skin and now I’m falling to pieces. I’m crying furiously try to bury the pain again so I can function and before anyone realizes that it’s me that’s crying and not thorn.
I glance at Thorn hiding behind his sister and I can almost imagine a younger me standing there hiding behind a younger Zola before I advert my eyes.

-Eliza Farsight

[Aileen]

Kael, the priest and the vampire spawn are buried with honors by the rest of us. It's sad to lose a new friend so soon, and I do feel bad for having to kill the other two. I've never experienced death before... it's a lot sadder than my mom described it to me. I clean the blood off my shovel handle stake, and strap it to my backpack with the handle conveniently located where I can grab it over my shoulder.

We decide it's time to pay Mad Mary a visit. We try knocking again to the same result. So, I throw myself against it, ramming it with my shoulder. Doesn't budge, and Eliza is getting mad at me. Finally I bust it open, a wooden plank going flying from the inside as it swings inward.

"Why, Zola?" Eliza groans.

"Nobody stopped me!" I shrug.

I'm too scared to go in first, so Steinbjorn takes the lead. The house is dark, and I can see, but that doesn't make me any less afraid of the darkness. Steinbjorn casts a light spell on his shield, and I follow him upstairs. We come into what looks like a child's bedroom, and there is a woman sitting in the middle of the floor rocking back and forth. In her arms she clutches a really creepy doll. She looks up, and is startled by our presence.

Upon questioning, and after trying to convince the woman some of our pointy ears are just birth defects and the gnome is a child with a pituitary issue, she reveals that her daughter left. She is sixteen, blonde, and probably taken by Strahd. We tell her we will look for Gertruda, but all of us know its probably a dead end.

"Just be positive, stop crying it won't help anything. Shes only a year younger than I am, I've run away before... she is probably fine!"

"Shes been gone a week!" The woman cries even more.

Oh. Yeah, shes not coming back.

"We will find her, don't worry. We're professionals." Says Cecil.

"You will?" She sniffles. "You are such a strange looking child, but I trust you. Here, take Popov!"

She hands the doll to Cecil. I cringe. That thing is absolutely not coming with us. Cecil takes it and is instantly smitten. What in the nine hells is wrong with this gnome?! Can he not see the pure evil in the things dead eyes?!

"Cecil... no." I'm breathing harder than I care to admit. I really don't like dolls. "We don't need Popov to find her daughter."

"Popov does not like you," the woman says in a creepy voice. "He says you're lippy."

I sigh, a hiss leaving my lips. This thing has to be possessed.

We leave the poor woman, and I immediately suggest we pour holy water on the doll. The new cleric that found us in the churchyard pours some on it, but it just takes a little bit of dirt off.

"We could head back to the church and see if there's holy water." Suggests Steinbjorn.

"Good thinking, Steiny!" I say. "They should have a holy water fountain. We can dunk Popov in it."

Apparently something I said was stupid, because Steinbjorn glares at me. We go to the church anyway. When we get there we just find a bunch of wooden holy symbols, and not an ounce of holy water.

"I told you holy water fountains are not a thing." Steinbjorn teases me.

"They definitely are." I mutter under my breath.

We don't find anything good in the church, and Ismark wants to get going, so we start heading out for Vallaki. We do not get very far before we hear a child whimpering. Steinbjorn wants to investigate, and I follow after him, drawing my hood up to hide my ears. They barely even stick out of my curls, but these people are so paranoid I'm not risking another hair slip like back at Mad Mary's house.

A gravel road brings us to a row of closed shops and houses. A little boy stands holding a doll and crying, while a little girl comforts him.

"Hush, Thorn! Hush, Thorn!"

The kids names are Rose and Thorn, and apparently they are outside because there is a monster in their basement and their baby brother is upstairs and they're worried about it getting him. Oh, and of course they don't know where their parents are. This all seems a bit too spooky for me, and we really need to get to Vallaki before dark, but on the other hand I can not morally justify leaving two little kids to their own devices.

"That is not good. We must get inside." Says Ismark, pointing.

The mist. It's coming for us. Guess our decision is being made for us. We hurry inside, but the kids refuse to come in. They hide out in the guardhouse. Not weird at all. The house is beautiful. I grew up in luxury, I am well aware, so this feels somewhat like home. A lot smaller, it's not a castle, but not everyone gets to grow up in a castle. I almost feel bad for Rose and Thorn. Now about this monster...

As we walk through the house I see a longsword up above a mantelpiece. It's really nice looking, and has a windmill shaped handle. I try to ignore it, and Eliza gives me a look when I pause to admire it. We move on, but curiosity gets the better of me and I drop back behind the group to go check it out. As I reach for it, Eliza comes out of nowhere and tries to block me and stop me.

"Lize, I just want to look at it!"

"No! No stealing!"

"It's borrowing!" I manage to pull it down, and I back away from my cousin. He sighs.

"Zola, please."

"Let her take it," says Jannike Kai, stepping in. "She's earned it."

I shake my head, holding onto the sword and moving along. I'll put it back when we leave. I wish Eliza would just trust my word.

We move on to a dining room with a large mahogany table, set with fine silverware and crystal glasses. The decor in the room is off wolf hunting it seems. So windmill aficionado and wolf hunters these people must be. Got it.

Upstairs we check out a few rooms. One has a painting of a family, the two kids, their parents and a baby. The mom is eyeing the baby strangely. Another room has instruments, and Eliza goes over to a harp and starts strumming chords. Not bad. I go over to a harpsichord and start fiddling around. Somehow I manage to play something that actually sounds like a proper song. Some of our group applauds, and I curtsey with a flourish.

Cecil finds a bookshelf in a room that leads to a secret room. There is a chest with a skeleton sticking out of it, holding a letter. He trepidatiously takes the letter, flinching. Nothing attacks him. He reads it aloud and it talks about a pathetic servant, infidelity, a curse and a stillborn son. Signed Strahd Von Zarovitch. Huh.

With the skeleton are scrolls, empty books, and official papers of some sort. Cecil does some reading and announces that it is the deed to the house, and the will leaving the house to Rose and Thorn in event of the parents deaths. An overly excited grin comes across Cecil's face. We don't know the fate of their parents, but there is a chance we could take over this place since they are in fact children.

There is a piercing yowl from above, and a thud. Chekasha and Mike went upstairs... sounds like trouble. I run up the stairs, and into a room with two suits of armor and an unconscious tabaxi. The armor moves as I enter, and I rush in, sword ready.

An armored fist strikes me in the side of my head, and I see stars for a moment and fear I may black out. That really, really hurt! I pull myself together, shaking off the pain, and start swinging. I get one good hit, and it tries to smash me again and again, but the blows clang off of my shield. A gift from my mom, it was hers in the dragon cult war and sports a painting of a pale raven with a red dragon in its claws. Its saving me from a world of pain right now. I hit it again, and then my new friend Jannik the cleric finishes it off. There's still another one up, and I feel the rage take over me.

"BAHAMUT!!!" I bellow, charging in.

I get one good hit in, and Steinbjorn takes the kill. We now have two ruined suits of armor on the ground. Epic.

"That was some cool magic, Steiny. Shield bump!"

I hold my shield up, and Steinbjorn apprehensively clangs his against it.

"I think we are going to be good friends." I say. He raises an eyebrow.

"I think you got your head hit pretty hard. Have a good berry."

As a matter of fact, I do feel rather off. My head is pounding, but I also feel some thrill from the battle. This is actually fun! I take two good berries, and suddenly feel loads better. Steinbjorn is awesome.

Theres a door to another room that we haven't checked, and we think it's a good idea to give this whole place a sweep. There have been no signs of a basement, a monster, or even the parents. I'm beginning to feel like we are being played.

"I could thraumaturgy that door open!" Eliza offers.

I gasp.

"Yes! Do it, I want to see!"

Eliza looks toward the door, extending his hand, and it flies open with a bang! I go to him while the others proceed forward.

"I didn't know you could do that!" I say to him. "Remember when your mom would threaten us with it when we were being bad? It used to scare the s*** out of us."

Eliza does an eerily perfect impression of his mom, and laughs.

"Oh yes. She always was a touch dramatic."

"You missed when I brought a boy home once. She hated him. Made her eyes look all scary and everything. Dodged an arrow with that one, thanks Auntie Omen."

Eliza laughs knowingly. I never did have luck with boys. My mom and his mom just never approved. Most of the time for good reason. I always liked the broody artistic guys. Now I think I'm into lesser politicians. Speaking of which, Ismark is being utterly useless in this house and hanging far behind us brooding. He won't shut up about his dead dad either. Sigh.

The room we walk into has a fancy full length mirror, which I beeline it to. I haven't seen my proper reflection in weeks! I pretend to examine the ivy and berry carves border around it, but really I'm checking myself out. My hair is a bit messy, but that can't really be controlled. My dad always said a cow licks my hair when I'm sleeping. Really I just take after my mom, and have way too much of it than I know what to do with. I don't understand why Mad Mary found me so alarming looking, I look normal for the offspring of a half-orc and a half-elf! Maybe if I fix my hair Ismark will like me more?

I try to finagle my hair into a topknot, but then my eye catches something on the border. There are eyes mingled in with the berries!

"Lize! Look at this!"

My cousin comes to my side, and I point out the eye carvings.

"Mum would love this mirror!" He says.

Auntie Omen and her many eyes. Even here I feel like she is still watching us. At least I hope she is. Eliza thraumaturgies another door in the room open.

"Zola! Trouble!"

A specter! It's like Chad but this one looks like a young woman. Why is Eliza freaking out? I watch it reach out to touch him, and he runs away. I step in, and its immediately clear when it tries to touch me that it's not friendly. I slash it a couple times, pretty ineffectively, dodging its grasp. Suddenly I see a familiar energy beam hit it from over my shoulder. I look back and see my cousin's hand stretched out. I'm livid, and can feel the rage start to take hold. Fortunately Cecil destroys the specter with his mind, and I can confront my dear two-timing cousin. I grab his wrist, shaking it in his face.

"What the hells was that, Eliza?!"

"Oh, um... my eldritch blast."

I'm so angry I could cry. That's all I've ever wanted. I've seen my mom do the coolest things, and I've never been able to. I tried so hard to get the Raven Queen to come to me, but she doesn't listen. She doesn't love me like she does my mom. And apparently my cousin.

"When?" I say in a breathy whisper, trying to remain calm but failing to conceal my anger.

"Oh, well... I'm not sure. Its complicated."

I scoff, taking a deep breath so I don't smack him.

"I can't believe you made a pact with the Raven Queen! You knew I always wanted to and never could... and you go and do this to me?!"

"Its not her!" He screams.

"Then who is it?!"

I'm going to kill him. He leaves me for two years, and now he's what I wanted to be?! I'm nothing but a girl with a sword, I'll never be as good as my mom, and certainly not my dad... if I had powers I could be so much more! And he takes them!

"Stop. Just stop. You don't even know what it means. The things I've given up. The things I've done to keep her appeased. Just stop."

What is he talking about? I would do anything to be able to blast like that. Anything. And I never have had the option. He is saved from more questioning when the others want to check out the nursery. I go in, and they're all looking at the black shroud in fear. It's a bit too creepy in here. I take the windmill sword and move the shroud aside, and look into the crib to see a bundle.

"That better not jump out at me." I hiss.

"Touch it with your sword!" Cecil whispers to me.

I think about doing so, but then I don't want to accidentally stab a baby if it's not evil. I reach in, and pull at the bundle. It's just blankets. I'm slightly disappointed, but relieved.

Eliza finds a secret room behind the mirror in the other room, revealing a staircase covered in cobwebs, leading up. I go over to him, much calmer now.

"I'm sorry, Lize. I care about you, and you're so different now. I didn't mean to yell at you."

"I know." He gives me a quick hug. "I'll tell you about it later."

I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, and suddenly theres a voice in my head.

"Hi, Zola. It's me, Popov!"

I feel like I'm going to faint. I'm going to kill that gnome. There is a cry of alarm and pain from the other room.

"I think they need your help out there," Eliza says.

I run off towards the noise, and see Chad knocked out on the ground and a broom flying into another room. By the time I get to the attacking broom, someone splits it into splinters.

"Zola, theres another door to open." Says Jannike.

"I've got it!"

I spring over to the door, opening it. This room is dark with a wooden claw foot tub.

"Oh no, the tub is going to attack!"

We move in... and it's just a washroom. We all sigh in relief. Moving on, we find what looks like the master bedroom. Burgundy drapes, a large bed with a burgundy bedspread, and a rotting tiger skin rug in the middle of the room. Checkasha refuses to go in the room, glaring at the rug. I laugh.

"Is that your grandmother?"

She hisses at me. Dad always said I lacked a thing called tact. The rest of us enter the room and start looking around. I check out the mirror, but there is nothing interesting, so I flop onto the bed and roll around on the slightly dusty bedspread. Burgundy is my mom's favorite color, and this kind of looks like her and dad's room. Gods I miss them! I look up to see Chad and Steinbjorn praying over me.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Blessing the bed." Says Chad. "Don't worry about it."

Everyone is a bit spent from the specter and broom battle, so we take a nap in this room. Cecil found jewelry, and hands me a ring to look at. It's not anything special, but it's pretty, so I put it on the middle finger of my left hand, next to my raven ring- the Crest of house Stormwyk.

After naptime, we venture to the stairs behind the secret door. It leads to the attic. We are looking for the basement, so now we are way off from the original trajectory. But its creepy and cool, and clearly this house is not what it seems.

There is a door with a padlock, and I remember Chekasha picking up a key earlier.

"Checkasha, does the key fit?"

"Maybe." She puts it in the lock, standing to the side as to not be right in front of the door. It fits, and unlocks!

I open the door, and step in. It looks like a child's bedroom, but the window is bricked up. There is a toy chest emblazoned with windmills, a dollhouse version of this very house, and in the middle of the floor two child sized skeletons. The smaller one is clutching a stuffed doll. The same one that Thorn had been holding outside. My heart breaks, and I have to bite my tongue to stop the tears. There is no monster. They're already dead.

Cecil lights the will on fire, a sheepish look on his face.

"Looks like we own the place now." He says. I want to laugh, but this is so horrible.

The clerics say a prayer, and I go check out the dollhouse. It's an exact replica, and very well made.

"Guys, this is a cool dollhouse. I wonder if there's mini us'es inside?"

I pick it up, and the room grows much colder. I turn and see the boy and the girl standing in the room above their skeletons.

"We don't like it when you touch our stuff." Says Rose. I sense venom in her tone.

"I'm sorry," I say, putting the house back down. "We are looking for the basement. Can you show us where it is?"

"There's a secret door." Rose says.

"Alright. Can you show us where it is?"

"No. You can't leave us. Mom and dad locked us up here to protect us from the monster. We got hungry... so very hungry. You can't leave us... don't you leave us!"

"We have to save the world, kids." I tell them.

The little boy is crying while his sister does the talking. I'm starting to think they mean us harm. Eliza goes and crouches next to them, and tries to talk them into showing us the door and that we are going to help them. Suddenly Thorn disappears, and Eliza momentarily stiffens. Eliza reaches down and grabs the doll, hugging it to his chest as he stands. He starts crying. I'm used to him always crying as a kid, extremely annoying as it was. This is not normal Eliza.

"I’m scared! I’m scared.” He says through sobs.

“Eliza, this isn’t funny. Snap out of it!"

I shake him but it just makes him cry harder.

"D-dont let the monster eat m-me!"

"Lize!"

He keeps tweaking out, and it's clear he is possessed by the boy.

"Come on! Fight it!"

Mike tries to fire bolt my cousin, and fortunately misses. I panic, unsure what to do. They seemed really possessive of the doll house... I go over to it, and slam the sword down on the top of it repeatedly, smashing it to bits. Eliza lunges at me, crying uncontrollably. He misses me.

"One of you is going to take me where I need to be!" Screams Rose. Fat chance, kid.

I slam the pommel of my sword into Eliza's stomach, and then swing up and ram it into his head. He falls unconscious. I feel bad, but it had to be done. The boys ghost leaves my cousin, and Steinbjorn charges them. Rose attacks my cleric friend.

"He has a magic club!" Yells Thorn, attacking Steinbjorn.

Steinbjorn goes down, unconscious. They really didn't like him. The kids turn to me.

"You broke our dollhouse."

I shrug.

"You possessed my cousin."

"Let us possess you. We need to get to the basement to fight the monster."

"We can't fight the monster if you possess us." I say. "We are skilled heroes, and you don't know how to use our bodies. You're children. You need us to fight, and we need you to show us the way. Possessing us will not help either of us."

Rose ponders my words for a moment, and I keep expecting her to charge me and take over my body. Finally her posture relaxes.

"Fine, then." She says. I smile.

"Fine, then!" Did I just negotiate with ghost children? Yeah, I did! All my years of babysitting Eliza have paid off.

Speaking of Eliza, he is unconscious because of me. I sit down on the floor beside him, taking his head in my lap. He has a good berry in his pouch, which I pop into his mouth. A moment later he stirs, eyes opening as I stroke his head.

"Welcome back, cousin."

He sits up, clearly very sore.

"You were possessed. I managed to talk them down. You okay? How do you feel?"

"I'm fine. Give me a minute."

He looks away, and I can tell he's crying again. The Eliza I remember from our youth...

---

"Liza, wait up!"

Eliza is already out the door before I can tie my boots. I tuck the laces and dash out the door, not wanting to miss the show or be beaten there by my little cousin.

I run across the courtyard, catching up to him. The northeast tower is the perfect viewing spot, and we head for it at breakneck speed.

"Last one up loses!" Eliza shouts over his shoulder, tail flicking playfully.

"You're on!" I growl, pushing past him.

We launch ourselves up the stairs, and I push my legs as fast as they can go. I'm taller than he is, there is no way he can beat me! I am Zola, the daughter of the greatest warrior of all time! I take the turn, neck and neck with Eliza, and we mount the second flight. We make it to the final flight, and I know I'm going to win!

"You can't beat me, Liza, I'm too-"

My words catch in my throat as my boot lace catches, my ankle collapsing under me. I go to catch myself, and find myself falling backward, somersaulting down the stairs. Now I will never win! I hit the landing, collapsing in a heap, and can feel the shame of defeat.

"ZOLA! NO!"

What is Eliza screaming for? I hear the patter of his feet come down the stairs. What is he doing? He has the lead now! I go to pick myself up, and my arm won't go where I want it to. I look down, and let out a hiss when I see the weird angle my right arm is at. Something is bulging out in the middle, and I can tell I've messed up. I manage to get to my feet, clutching my arm to my chest and trying to breathe normal. I can't let Eliza see me cry, because then he will just- ah. Too late. He comes to my side, and he sees my arm.

"Zola, you're hurt!" He instantly starts crying.

"Its fine, Lize."

I can feel something sticky in my hair and my head is pounding. Oh no, I really messed up! Mom and dad aren't home, only Auntie Omen and Uncle Red, and I don't want to tell them I got myself hurt when I'm supposed to be looking after Eliza! And the fireworks...

"You're bleeding! It's all my fault, I made you run!" Eliza is bawling now. Once he starts, I can't stop him. "Don't die, Zola! I need you."

I hug my stupid overdramatic baby cousin with my good arm.

"I'm alright. I tripped, that's all. Let's go back inside."

We walk back down the stairs, and slowly make our way across the courtyard. The booming begins, and I stop by the fountain and make Eliza sit with me. I hold him, and he begins to calm down as the rockets explode into beautiful colors overhead. My head and arm really hurt, and I'm so sleepy. I let my eyes close, and I begin to drift...

"Eliza, you need to stop crying. You didn't kill her."

Mom's voice wakes me up. I open my eyes, and see dad finishing off a bandage on my arm. Mom and Eliza stand at the end of my bed, and he is still crying.

"Liza, stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about- ow!"

"All done, girly." Dad kisses my forehead, and picks up his supplies. "Be nice to your cousin. He's worried about you."

"Zola, I'm sorry!" Eliza says between sobs.

My mom pushes him forward, and he sits in the chair by my bedside. Dad stops to kiss mom before leaving the room. I'm confused, he can do healing magic so why am I still hurting?

"Mom, it hurts. Where is dad going?"

"He's getting your Auntie. He had a long day at work and can't do any more spells. You're going to be okay."

Mom never really is good at coddling me like dad, but her words bring me comfort. If I were going to die she would probably tell me, or just fight the Raven Queen. Eliza on the other hand doesn't understand that he is not to blame. Only my untied shoes and running too fast up stone steps can be.

"Auntie Karsi, can you fix her?"

I want to roll my eyes but my head hurts too much. She's not a cleric!

"No, honey, my magic doesn't work like that."

Eliza is momentarily distracted, and the tears stop. Finally!

"What can you do?"

"She blasts things and takes their souls." I say.

"Really?"

Mom glares at me.

"No, not really." She sighs. "Okay, maybe a little. Did you know your mom once blew up a whole room of kobolds?"

Oh great, now she's going to get him right back crying again! It never ends. Fortunately, Auntie Omen comes in and kicks them both out. That boy is always crying... so sensitive.

---

~ Zola

[Stephen]

Once again, I am worried about the willingness of the company I keep to help those in need. While exploring “Mad Mary’s” there was hesitation. Even after hearing about her child gone missing for a week, only minor commitment to help. Maybe the reality of where we are and how forlorn and desperate this land is hasn’t hit everyone yet. The other clerics, Zola, Cecil and the warlock all seem to be willing to go all in to help. The elf and tabaxi, have some sort of history and stick together or run to each other’s aid as needed. Which is fine seeing as how they didn’t run from the animated armor. More on that later. I will keep my thoughts about such things to myself for now. I try to not pass judgement on folks, for in the end while standing before whatever god is worshipped, or the god of Death if none is worshipped, it is actions and deeds that will see one into paradise.

Popov and Cecil. Popov is Mary's daughters doll. If we find her it will prove to her that are intensions are true. Cecil is really happy to have the doll. I think he is blowing off steam being a gnome in a gnomeless place. Makes sense to me, I would be funny of push boundary's if I was in place hostile to humans.

We head back to the church looking for supplies and holy water. None to be found here. Maybe in the next town. We attempt to leave town with Ismark and his sister but come upon two children. Obviously in need. I offer without hesitation to help, once again I feel like I am dragging a wagon through mud with some of the party. The children speak of a monster and their parents on the way to their home. As we get closer mist begins to appear and close in around us. We barely make it inside before the mist obscures everything.

This place is by far the nicest and cleanest place I have seen in this town of Barovia. I am immediately on edge because of how clean and pristine this place is. It isn't long before two suits of armor attack us. Zola and I take them down without too much effort. That girl has spirit. A little spoiled but not afraid of anything. She calls me “Steiny” and offers a shield bump. More exploring. A specter gets destroyed. A blessing of a bed by Chad. Another room. Skeltons of children, a deed to the house, paintings of a family not exactly happy. Ghosts, ghosts of the children I desperately wanted to help. A trap. Kinda. Eliza gets possed. Zola knocks him out. I charge the ghosts and land a solid hit with my club. I get hammered by the boy ghost and fall down into darkness. Waking up they tell me the children decide not to possess us. There is a door up here on the third floor that leads to the basement and the monster. I pray the Freyr will be with me.

[Jeff]

I am honored to be welcomed in by such a stalwart group of adventurers, and I hope I prove worthy in helping The Dawn Breakers succeed in the noble quest to free the Barovians from the vile clutches of Strahd. Seeing the party start to come together and work more in concert is a positive sign as everyone played an integral part in defeating some challenging foes including a sticky door!  I’m also grateful that there are two other half-elves in our party. I’ll have more to add after I’ve gotten some rest and had some time to reflect but well done Dawn Breakers.

-Rideyr Storm

[Jeff]

I’m not quite sure how I got here, and in all honesty I’m not quite sure exactly where I am. One minute I was speaking with some people known as the Vistani and now I’m here. I do know there is pain here. I do know there is suffering here. I do know these people need help and this group of adventurers is committed to making that happen. In all of my travels I’ve never seen a place quite like this—those poor children, dying while locked in their room and now existing as ghosts in some kind of half-life; I hope we can release their souls so they can move on. The feeling in this house is like nothing I’ve ever experienced—a great sense of foreboding has descended on me, but I’m doing my best to lean on my faith and my comrades to see this work through.

As we descended into the basement—the place where the children said the monster is—things began to get more dire as we came across abominations that we have been able to defeat because we’ve worked together and listened to each other and did our best to defeat whatever we’ve come up against. I’m struck by the bravery of everyone in the party who has risked all to do what’s right. We welcomed a new cleric who did his part in the battles; I’m convinced he will be a great addition to the group, and I’m glad he’s with us.

My thoughts about Cecil are definitely improving as he risked all in the fight and did a great amount of damage to our foes using a power I have never witnessed before; if we make it out alive I’ll look forward to learning all about it. He seems to have backed off a bit on the pranks regarding Popov, and the party, especially Zola, appreciates that, but I’m starting to understand him and his mischievous ways more. He may yet prove to be a worthy friend.

The fight with what I believe may have been ghouls shows how far we have come as a group in a very short time. A great strategy and valiant leadership from Steinbjorn and others allowed us to catch them in a crossfire. Eliza did an incredible job blasting each abomination as it entered the kill zone. Everyone else distinguished themselves in that battle as well as the others; I only hope that we are able to finish our work here, but I’m afraid that whatever awaits us is going to be formidable. I have no idea what it can be, but I have a feeling in my gut that it will be horrific, and after all these years I’ve learned to trust my gut.

I am humbled by the selflessness that members of our group have shown: Mike risking everything to free Cecil from the door; the healing that the clerics and others dole out while in harm’s way; the willingness to continue to move forward during the bleakest moments of battle by people like Zola and others. My only hope is to live up to what the others are doing and do my part in whatever travails we encounter. I pray for the strength, and I pray that we’ll all make it out of this alive.

My experience tells me not to get too close to these people, because of the pain that will manifest if any of them are struck down, but I’ve spent too many years walking away from people for fear of losing them and for fear that they will distract me from my sacred mission. It seems contradictory for me to isolate myself, so others can come together, but that’s the path I’ve chosen. Maybe it’s time to cut a new path and allow myself to possibly make friends. I understand that there is a good chance that I will not make it out of this house alive, but if I fall, I hope these new friends keep my memory inside of them. And I will do the same if we lose any of them. I’m not looking for glory, because after many years of fighting I’ve learned there are no true winners in war—everyone pays a price and oftentimes those who survive are never the same—no matter how just they believe their cause to be. Look no further than me, and you will know what I speak of.

If you are reading this and I have fallen, I hope you find peace in your heart.

Rideyr Storm