"No man lays claim to a true holy sword, Qvar." Caesius replies, shaking his head, "It is, rather, t'other way about.  The weapon lays claim to the man, if he be worthy.  While any man can pick up a blessed blade, if he is unworthy then it will be no better than a common stick in his hands."

Still, he considers, a man can always try to prove his worth...

"Aught else?" Zertin ponders Madame Eva's question.

"This fellow Strahd, the master of the castle. What more do we need to know about him?"

While others discuss -- both with the Zinner and one another -- Violet continues to keep watch.  The silence outside of the tent relaxes her not a whit; it seems unnatural, the product of planning.  Or sorcery.

She would expect to hear the low hum of voices, the laughter of children.  Movement.  But nothing?

No camp is this quiet.

"I like this not at all," the young woman whispers again to Lady Saeko, keeping her eyes upon the tent flap.  Hand on the hilt of her blade, she moves to the entry and -- carefully, but without hesitation -- edges back the flap to take a look.

Qvar's buoyant mood vanishes the instant the crone frowns at him.  He has rarely had a bad reaction from good folk.  His eyebrows shoot up betraying his surprise, and the glow about his head wavers.  Hints and suspicions about these Vistani, that he had tried to ignore, unwillingly align in his mind.  He notices the wary stance of some of his companions.  Perhaps this constant gloom suits these sullen folk, rather than afflicts them.  Perhaps they even profit from it; trade with the tyrant on the hill rather than live in fear of him.  Well to be wary.

He settles his face in a tight-lipped, mirthless smile as he watches the old woman for clues that betray deceit.  He brightens his glow to pale the flickering lamp above her head and push the shadows back to the corners of her tent.  Her tent, but here he is.  As it is meant to be.

14:10, Today: Qvar rolled 11 using 1d20+5.  sense motive, crone.

Ireena only looks more confused by Qvar's explanation, though in truth the young woman is distracted, obviously eager to hear what the old crone can tell her, though fearful of what she might learn, and further unsettled by Violet's obvious disquiet about being in the Vistani camp.

Yet Ashlyn is more sanguine, shrugging her shoulders at Qvar's suggestion that Caesius should also lay claim to the sword and nodding her head at the paladin's words.

Madame Eva, however, cackles loudly.  "Well said my pet !" she tells him approvingly, "'tis the same with the cards - it is they who know what was, what is and what will be, not an old woman such as I !" 

"Strahd is master of this land, dearie," she addresses Zertin next, "what ills abide fall under his stewardship."

She thumbs through her deck and pulls one card from the pack, placing it face down upon the table.  Though the card is old and worn, the worksmanship is obvious, the depiction of a winged and horned, goat-faced bloated creature on the upturned face all too clear and real.

"This is the Devil," she tells you.  "This is the focus card for the master."

She selects another, a robed woman, her head covered and with a cross upon a chain about her neck.  "This one the Priestess, which stands for the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind."

She turns back to the cards in her hand, searching through them until she finds the one she seeks, that of an infant upon a white horse, beneath a stylised image of the sun, placing it besides the others.

"And lastly the Sun ... the focus for the Sunsword."

She gathers the remaining cards back into the pack, shuffling them expertly, neither quick nor slow, before placing the pile on the front of the table, nearest you.

"Cut the deck for me, my pet," she smiles at Caesius expectantly and you shall have your reading."

Without even a heartbeat's hesitation, Caesius reaches for the deck  and cuts it, though he doesn't handle the cards as expertly as the crone.  "This reading, will it... ?" he starts to ask, quietly, and then changes his mind, "No matter... just do it, and we can decide after whether it guides us truly, or not."

"In any case, if this Strahd is responsible for the woes of this land, then we must stop him, no matter what the cards tell us."

Qvar watches the scene silently, so as not to further antagonise the crone.  Let any malice be revealed of itself, not in response to his goading.

Zertin nods thoughtfully at Madame Eva's words, but refrains from agreeing with Caesius's pronouncement too soon. His face shows no emotion at all as he waits to hear what the cards foretell.

"The cards do not lie, my sweetling," Madame Eva smiles as she responds to Caesius's musing, "but what they can tell us is down to the skill of the one who reads them and the wit of those who hear.  Now hush my pet and listen well ..."

The old crone takes up the cut deck, placing the lower pile upon the upper.  She cradles the cards in her hands and closes her eyes in concentration for a moment then takes the first card from the top of the pack.

"He who dwells in Castle Ravenloft is a powerful man whose enemy is light and whose powers are beyond mortality.  You will seek him in the castle, and though he might find you many times you will find him only once."

She places the card directly atop the Devil, the first of the focus cards representing the Master, so as to conceal it completely, revealing the Ace of Coins as she lifts her hand.

"You will find him where the light lies dead, slain by his own darkness.  Grief haunts the lord of the castle, grief for the brother he slew.  Seek his brother's tomb in the deepest recesses of the castle."

She draws another card.

"Out of the darkness and chaos, this card finds its reason and foundation.  It shows the purpose all all things - the key to life and death and else beyond."

She places the card, the Ten of Cups, atop the first but perpendicular to it.

"There is no reason, no pattern to this chaos.  The darkness seeks light, desiring fulfillment ... or perhaps destruction ?  Yet the powers of good will ward you in this place."

"The lord of the castle has sunk into madness," she lifts her head to look suddenly at Ireena, "perhaps because of his love for a woman ?"

Ireena gasps as Madame Eva lowers her gaze back to the cards, turning her attention to the next focus card, the Priestess which represents the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, plucking another card from her deck.

"This symbol is a powerful force for good and protection against the forces of darkness.".

On top of it she places the Seven of Coins, once more covering the focus card completely.

"Seek it in the place of blasphemy, where humans plumb their darkest nature."

"This is a card of debasement and debauchery. The symbol has been brought low, to the hill where the witches gather."

The next she draws she again places perpendicular to the first.

"The holiness in this item waits for hands of holiness to touch it once more, but that is not enough to bring its power back to life."

You see the Nine of Swords.

"You must bring the symbol home, to the last remaining shred of sacred ground in the defiled castle."

"In the grounds of the castle there once stood a chapel.  Perhaps it yet holds some remnant of goodness."

She turns now to the last of the focus cards, the Sun, representing the Sunsword.

"What you seek is a blade of light, a weapon for vengeance."

The old crone places the Five of Batons atop it.

"Seek it in the heart of the wilds, far from human hands."

"This card speaks of the wildness of nature.  The weapon is deep in the woods, perhaps guarded by a fey spirit."

One final card she draws, the Six of Coins, and places perpendicular to the last.

"To wake it, bring the sword to join the other treasures of the castle."

"I see a blazing fire protecting the place where the lord hides his wealth."

Hands trembling, Madame Eva rests the remainder of the pack down upon her table, her shoulders slumped as she wearily looks up once more.

"There my pet, there is your reading.  May it guide you true."
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:34, Mon 25 May 2020.

The swordswoman struggles to follow the crone's pronouncements, choosing to work with the practical aspects of the reading and ignore the esoteric.

"Sword and symbol," she muses, setting aside the small matter of Strahd's madness for the moment.  "The one lies in the woods guarded by fey, the other on the witches' hill.  Both must be awoken at the castle."

"Very much like a knight's quest of old," she grins at Caesius. "And perhaps such would be an enjoyable pursuit were not the stakes so high !"

Zertin nods agreement to Ashlyn's summary.

"Yes, and we will find Strahd in the castle, where he holds the advantage, for he would know it well and can find us at will, whereas we will only find him once. Let us hope once is enough. Clearly we should seek the sword and the symbol first, before we go anywhere near the castle."

He looks around at the other members of the party.

"So, have you any preference which item to go after first? Ashlyn seeks the sword. Qvar seeks the symbol. Ireena seeks the symbol to protect her from Strahd. Quite apart from the nobility of seeking to protect this young lady, if Strahd is somehow responsible for the ills that plague this land, then I suspect our problems would become worse if we fail in that task. Therefore, I think we should seek the symbol first."

Qvar keeps his face neutral through the reading.  Nothing in this reading gives him any cause to doubt the sincerity of the crone, or to bolster the notion that the Vistani may be in league with Strahd.  The crone's significant regard of Ireena corroborates the young woman's earlier account of the bite marks on her neck, and reinforces the group's decision to keep Ireena under their protection.  He nods his agreement with Zertin's suggestion, protecting those who seek to destroy Strahd should be their first priority.

Saeko nods her own quiet agreement with Zertin.

After a moment's further thought, she steps closer to Ireena and looks seriously at the young woman.  "She spoke of love," she notes.  "But do not mistake obsession for love.  If it is that his actions are guided by desire for you, it is a desire to possess and control, not to care."

Overhearing Saeko's words to Irena, Zertin turns to them and lifts his hand, index finger raised as a thought occurs to him.

"She spoke of love, yes, but love of whom? Ireena, you mentioned another name earlier, from your dreams. You said Strahd called you 'Tatyana'..."

Turning back to Madame Eva he asks, "Does the name Tatyana mean anything to you, Madame?"

"The Symbol, aye," Ashlyn agrees. "We need find both before we storm the castle and," she eyes Ireena with sympathy as the girl suddenly becomes much the centre of attention, "even so it may afford our charge some comfort and protection."

The young woman takes no comfort from Saeko's well meant words ... indeed they seem only to increase her concerns.

"To be loved or to be controlled and possessed ?  Neither fate has much appeal," Ireena bravely tries to jest, but her voice breaks, the smile on her lips forced.

She nods at Zertin's question.  "Tatyana, yes, but that was but in a dream.  The name means naught to me."  She looks to Madame Eva for her reply, uncertain as whether to wish the old crone knows or fear she does.

Violet has little enough to say at the moment; the practicalities of keeping watch have left her absent from the mysticism of the Zinner.  Unsurprisingly, she distantly considers, Hell is populated by those who traffic with the devil.  Which she concludes, in all fairness, makes her no better.  After all, she finds herself in the same place, and standing alongside a sorcerer.

Perhaps Hell is something to be withstood, rather than transcended.

Now the talk turns to love; having no experience with such, Violet continues to occasionally peer out the door and never ceases to listen carefully for signs of danger.

"Sword or Symbol?  I would suggest we go for whichever is closest." Caesius adds his own opinion.  "It doesn't matter which it is.  If they are both items of holy might, then having either will strengthen us, and help us to get the other."

Apologies.  I could have sworn I posted here last week.  Remember writing and posting a (somewhat longer) message which has, apparently, vanished into the Mists.

Qvar smiles reassurance at Ireena, a reminder of the protection that was promised her.

Madame Eva sits, head bowed, seemingly unaware of your discussions, though she does look up wearily when Zertin poses his question.

"I've not heard tell of any woman by the name of Tatyana, dearie," she tells the mage, "but if it fell from the lips of the master of the castle , then perhaps he himself wrote of her ... but the ancient Tome of Strahd is long lost.  Perhaps the cards might know ..."

The old crone raises her shaking hand towards the deck, but slowly, painfully lowers it.

"If you'd learn more," her breath is ragged, "then it must wait until I regain my strength.  Seek out the sword and symbol and then return to me."

"Ye have the right of it my pet," she smiles at Caesius, "the witches hill lies to the south west of the path that leads to the Castle, the deepest heart of the woods sit north of the village."

"Now ye must leave me ..."

"Thank you, Madame. I understand how draining that sort of gift can be. We will leave you to rest. I shall look forward to visiting you again another day."

Zertin will bow (as to an equal) to Madame Eva then leave the tent.

Outside he will suggest to the others, "If the witches' hill takes us closer to the castle, shall we go to the deepest heart of the woods to find the sword first?"

Qvar nods his agreement to Zertin.  "A stroll in the woods sounds nice."  His smile is a little forced.  He settles his glow to a less conspicuous brightness and walks with Zertin.  He watches the woods for signs of wildlife, hoping to catch a glimpse of birds and small animals that should be there.

Caesius gives a shallow bow, and says, "We thank you for your help, and I pray that it helps rid this land of the foulness that taints it."  Then he turns to exit the tent.

Outside Caesius nods his agreement.  "The heart of the woods, and the blade, it is."

If the the young woman is disappointed that you choose to seek the sword first, rather than the symbol that might protect her, she does not show it ... indeed, her reaction is more one of relief that your path will take you away from the castle.

You politely take your leave of Madame Eva, the old crone acknowledging your thanks with a dip of her head and a small smile reserved for Caesius.

Without the tent, you brave once more the sullen, silent stares of the Vistani as you skirt the circle of wagons and retrace your steps through the prevailing mists to the muddy roadway.

Half a mile of walking brings you back to the crossroads, but this time there is sign of neither the shadowy spirits nor of the knight, Sir Urik.  You continue on ...

Another mile with the woods close by to your south, and no sound of any beast save the distant howling of what sounds like wolves, and you re-cross the bridge over the Ivlis River as the roadway bends north eastwards, and half a mile further takes you back to Barovia.

Pausing, you consider your options - whether to strike northwards here where Ireena tells you the Svalich Woods lie but a quarter mile north of the road ... or to pass through or around the town to follow the roadway further, where the woods draw ever nearer till the all but engulf the path.