Gray smoke issues from the chimney of this large, two-story wooden building with a stone foundation and sagging tile roof, upon which several ravens have perched. A painted wooden sign hanging above the main entrance depicts a blue waterfall.

The Blue Water Inn is Vallaki's main gathering place for locals, especially at night. The innkeeper, Urwin Martikov, considers the inn a sanctuary from the evils of this land. In the event of trouble, the windows and doors can all be barred shut from within.

A bed for the night costs 1 ep. Characters looking for something to eat are fed hot beet soup and fresh bread at no additional charge. A cooked wolf steak costs 1 ep.

The inn offers a pint of Purple Grapemash No. 3 wine for 3 cp, or a pint of the superior Red Dragon Crush wine for 1 sp. Urwin is hurt if the characters complain about the wines, for his family makes them.

---

You wake up in one of the larger guest rooms, more like a common room, with your bedrolls on the floor and a fire threatening to go out in the stove. You feel like you've slept for two days straight.

You finally pull yourself up, muscles sore, and head down stairs to find it is around noon.

Further, the room is empty save for one young man who has a look in his eyes like he knows you, but you have never seen him before.

Karasha groaned as she turned over, her body still sore after the burns of the fireball from the hag. She had made it out (Unlike Lando), and spent the first night, asleep, wondering how she could have saved the man. She knew, in her heart, she had not the power against the woman...she even recognized her in her animal form, but the thought pained her as much as the burns.

The next two days she alternated between healing herself and the others and resting, eating the soup and having wine with a smile and thanks quietly. By the second day, all her wounds were healed, her skin red and sensitive in areas, but healing well. In her meditation she had found new strength and focus.

It was the next morning she sat up, and looked around, her eyes locking on the young man. She had not met him, but something in his eyes seemed familiar

A white hot pain tear through Lando, then everything went grey.  He thought everything would go black, maybe his mind was compensating, maybe the after life was grey. There was a dull remembrance of the pain that killed him, but he mostly felt numb.  He hoped he was at least dignified in his death. He reasoned that he should be in Kelemvor's realm awaiting his final rest in the prescience of Oghma, but he knew he wasn't the most devoted worshiper, he put more effort into drinking wine than knowing things, so he'd probably have to wait a while.

Eventually, he heard voices, distant a first but growing clearer.  "Who's there?" he called out, and was shocked by the hollowness of his voice, "where am I?"

"You are in Barovia," answered a voice, "Barovia doesn't give up its victims even in death."

Lando remembered the parade of ghosts.  He certainly didn't want to spend his death as a morbid shadow wandering around.  He was an ambitious spirit on the go who was going to leave his mark on the world even if it killed him, and that was already taken care of, so back to work.  "I can't float around in this grey nothing forever.  How do I get back?"

"What do you have that's worth living for?"

"Spite!  Strahd brought me to this realm as his play thing, well, if I'm going to be here, I'll play my own game.  If my soul is trapped here for eternity, I will spend eternity mocking Strahd, so he learns the mistake of toying with a bard!"

He reached out blindly, trying to find something solid to hold.  After a while he felt something ephemeral. It was like trying to grasp the wind, but in time it became more substantial.  It was like a suit of some kind.  He was able to struggle into it.  That's when the pain returned, and the blinding light, and the deafening sound.  Life rushed back to him in a cacophony of sensation.

He wandered delirious for a time. Some instinct drove him on.  In the Blue Water Inn he found a common room, and there the three adventurers.  He took a seat, and let them rest.  They'd had a tough few days, and they had all of eternity to make Strahd pay.

When Karasha woke up, he smiled and said, "good morning, Sunshine."

Zrakrud rolled over looked about the room at his companions, the strange elf creature that came from the tree and the "dragoneborn" as she called it. Shaking his head he got up, stretched his muscles a bit before he gathered up his items and went downstairs to the main room looking to gather some food and drink. Quizically he looks over to the young man staring at him like he knows him, before speaking up "Ain't got much to take if you're looking for a mark. And you'll regret trying so."

Karasha looked at the man with narrowed eyes. He was a complete stranger (though most were yo her and her memory), but something in his eyes screamed a familiarity.

She stood up, taking a breath. "I don't know who you think I am but...."

Then recognition hit her. The liok of warmth, friendliness and cheekiness was the same Lando had, the person most she had a bond in the party with.

...the same eyes.

Her eyes widened in shock as her hand came to her mouth. "No.....how?"

Skuldja was very depressed, after having to retreat and not being able to save Lando. She drank heavily the next couple of days and ate many wolf steaks. She was quite fond of the Red Dragon Crush. Skuldja sat up, a little hung over, and squinted at the man in their room. "Huh?"

"I hope I didn't disturb your rest; I was trying to be quiet, but it seems of late I've developed a case of insomnia, and I was making some notes to pass the time."  he lifted up a sheet of paper with writing on it as proof.

"As to why I'm here, don't worry, I mean you no harm, but this will require a bit of explanation. Some of you may remember the march of the dead in Barovia village, it's true that those brought here are trapped even after death.  However, we are not limited to wandering phantoms.  I was dead myself, but through my will, I was able to force my soul back into a solid form."  He stood and bowed dramatically to the others. "Although I am transformed by the experience, I am Lando Cortigan, your companion, returned from death." He smiled, "and I am so happy to see you all."

There was a knock at the door. Hopefully it was Danika or Urwin with some food and fresh towels and soap.

It was not.

Before you could ask or open, the door opened on it's own.

It was a man both regal and completely monstrous in the same breath. It was THE MAN. It was everything you expect him to be and more. He smiled at you, THOSE TEETH!

"May I come in?" He asked, then chuckled and came in anyway.

"The rumors you have heard, if you have heard them, are true, that is, what they say about vampires. They may not enter a home without being invited. But here is the rub, you are in MY home. I own everything. I am the Ancient. I am the Land."

What in all of the 9 layers of hell could he want?

Lando turned to face the intruder with a mild carefree expression, "Ah count Strahd.  I'm sure your great power is only surpassed by your great churlishness.  To what do we owe this visit?"

Karasha was shocked by the new form of Lando, and when the count came in, she had an instant chill down her spine. Druids knew the presence of undead, and this was a major one. She made no attempts to hide her distain from the beast, but still tired and healing, she could do nothing - and with the hag's defeat of them, she knew this was beyond them.

She let Lando - or the new man that was now lando, speak

Skuldja looks very happy and surprised when the man says he is lando, but then her expression turns to one of doubt. She opens her mouth to say something, but then Strahd suddenly appeared in their doorway and she turned to him with her mouth agape. Then she remembered that he had asked them to get Ireena for him and that she had totally forgotten. "OH!" She points to Strahd and looks to her comrades. "Weren't we supposed to bring the nice handsome man Ireena for a dinner party and then we were gonna have a lot of good food and then he was gonna let us go home? Why didn't we do that?"

Strahd claps his hands, sort of like a golf clap, "Great memory, Skuldja. Instead you stoked the raven's nest and tried to kill my insane nursemaid. Which is why I am here...I have been thinking, a dangerous thing for everyone."

He stepped further into the room, the door closing on it's own. He took a seat on the bed near the window, continuing to act like he is supposed to be here.

"I wish to be free of this curse. I want my dear Ireena but she does not want me. I want an heir to my throne, perhaps someone else in charge will release me of the responsibility of suffering. Up until now I have believed that if I can convince those from beyond-you-to carry out my two goals it will end the Curse of Strahd. But now that Baba Lysaga has been challenged..."

He produces a small gold bell, it must be worth a fortune. You know at once it is incredibly magical.

"I believe she is leaching my power. If you ring this bell near her you will bind her to earth. I am offering you revenge. Kill Baba Lysaga for me."

Skuldja looks surprised. "You want us to kill Baba Lysaga? Isn't she like a mom to you? I would love to kill her, but it seems I am not as powerful of a warrior as I once thought. I think she killed me. There was a flash from her hand and then everything went black. Luckily, I got better though and managed to escape, with all but Lando, thanks to the lute you gave me. Will that bell stop her magic?"

Lando regarded Strahd with suspicion.  This was the man, well, he could hardly call him a man; this was the creature who had sent them to capture a woman to be his lover.  He didn't need a paladin's sense to know he was evil.  Then again, so was Lysaga; he knew that first hand.  He decided to try and get Strahd to talk more, and hopefully discern his motives.  "I'm glad to hear you've given up your pursuit to Miss Ireena.  It was not ment to be, I'm afraid.  I hope you find a woman who wishes to be with you some day.  If not, of course you could adopt an heir; it's not common, but not unheard of."  He nodded in agreement with Skuldja,  " good thinking, Skuldja.  Count, if we are to aid you in this matter, we will need detailed information.  Tell us everything about Lysaga, and a this bell."

18:03, Today: Lando rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  insight. Nat 20!
Lando is listening closely to what strahd says.  He wants to figure out his motivation as well as his honesty.  Are they being set up? Even if the bell's magic binds her, could she still kill them?

Karasha looked at teh Vampire with a frown as he spoke. His words spoke of freedom of a curse, but he was undead - the only release of that was death. But his request to kill Baba Lysaga could be a game to him - a way for their death's to humor him.

She sat back and crossed her arms. "Our last encounter nearly killed us all. Lando was killed, and myself and Skuldja almost died. two spells, one a ball of fire, and one a spell that instantly killed Lando - and it was like we were children. She toyed with us, and you want US to go against her again."

She leaned forward. "We do not have the power to fight her - besides, the evil that plagues this land isn't limited to her. Why should we believe you over her?"

Zrakrud merely listened as the others spoke, trying to discern the truth from the lies and the hidden meanings behind each. We had one that spoke as if they are the same as the one we lost, but they look different now. We have this vampire wanting to kill his "mother" though she cast us a aside like the dragon-kings do.

"In many ways Baba Lysaga is responsible for my early years, but she has never been my mother. MY mother is Queen Ravenia, dead for quite some time now. Dead too are the many many adventurers like you who have decided to ignore my requests for help. You have not even bothered to speak with Ireena since I have spoken to you, even though she is right here in Vallaki. But I am being gracious and not holding that against you. The bell will bind Baba Lysaga, I'm not sure why that confuses you, it is exactly what I mean, you do not fool me, I know you understand magic..."

arcana check dc15 to understand

12:47, Today: Skuldja Blackrazor rolled 7 using 1d20-1 ((8)).


Skuldja looks confused. "It will give her the binders?"

Karasha looked at the vampire with a cold glare. “I don’t understand how a bell can hold a woman of such power, but then again I don’t understand much of arcane magic - my is a gift of nature. Be that as it may, as evil as she is, you are a creature of death - why should we trust you. You threaten our deaths if we don’t help you, how will that help convince us?”

Lando resumed his seat, and picked up his pen and a clean sheet of paper, "There's no need to be short with us, Count.  We are merely trying to better understand your situation.  Please have a seat, and we can talk about it," he gestured to one of the other chairs, and continued, "you seemed to get agitated by mention of your mother.  Why don't you tell me about her, how was your relationship?"

Strahd looked around the room at the shabby beds and chairs and decided he will not sit.

He does grin though, those pointy pointy things.

"That's actually quite funny, Lando, you don't mind if I call you your first names? I Haven't caught any others, in return you may call me Strahd. The bell is a very old magic, from before my time, possibly before Baba Lysaga. It synchonizes the frequency of the magical weave that we all tap into, whether druid magic, divine magic, or wizard and sorcery spells. Then it makes them all the same. Baba's strongest spell will only be as strong as the ones you know. Binding her power. Although I prefer to say it how Skuldja said, it will give her the binders."

He paces around the room, enjoying the conversation. Enjoying the fear he can sense in you, but he is not here to hurt you. He holds up 3 fingers, "This doesn't count toward any of the means by which I can send you home. They are again: for me to be happily married to Ireena Kolyana, the woman you moved here.

 Or for you to find me an heir, someone to replace me on my throne as ruler of this dark land, I believe then I will cease to exist, or perhaps be reborn-much like Lando experienced-and I can have a new start at life.

Third, there is a Vampire Hunter somewhere in Barovia named Rudolph Van Richten. My spies have come up empty handed, which means Van Richten is pretty good. I would very much like you to find him and trick him into coming to Castle Ravenloft so I can lock him in the dungeon. Sounds easy enough right? You've already been hunting monsters, perhaps when word of you killing Baba Lysaga gets out Van Richten will come to you."

"This is an ancient device.  I assume it's not a single use item, and it's magic isn't already spent?" Lando took the bell that Strahd offered. "If we are to do this for you, to protect your land from your rival, there is the question of our fee to discuss."

I'm assuming that because nothing was mentioned contrary to Strahd's statements, that my insight role didn't detect him holding back on the information.

Karasha narrowed her eyes at the vampire, but did not doubt the witch that killed Lando before and almost the rest needed to be dealt with. Making a literal deal with a devil, was not what she had in mind though.

She sat there in silence waiting for what he had to say

You can never be sure what he is telling you, but at least he's not charming you. Sure would suck if you didn't have a choice. Although Strahd can charm all of you at once, I refuse to do it because then it takes away your decisions as players.

"Fee? HAHAHAA. You owe me, Lando. You owe me."

"You said this bell will bind our Foe, for how long? And is it a single use?" Zrakrud asks, ignoring the idea of a Fee, revenge would be sweet.

Skuldja gets up out of bed, no longer depressed about their previous defeat and with a pep in her step. She goes and gathers her gear. "Let's go kick that Baba Lysaga's butt. Who wants to ring the bell?"

Lando was not expecting this response, but that's nobles for you, think the world owes them.  Strahd has probably been the lord here so long that he never had to pay for anything, so he played along for now.

"Haha! I'll have to see your ledger sometime. but back to the current business.  Zrakrud is right, we can better serve your request if we know more details on this devise.  I assume there is also a limit to it's range."

Really it's like talking to children sometimes.

Karasha stood with a grim look on her face. She was not happy to be helping this demon, but the woman needed to be dealt with, and if he was sincere with his 'weapon', it could help them a lot. If not, well, they were all sure to die

She sighed. "I guess we will try defeat her."

"It binds the magic of Baba Lysaga, the duration of an hour per day, or as long as the ringer maintains concentration on it. It is simple to use, you ring the bell. I would not give it to you if I was trying to trap you, to send you to her again if it does not do what I say would surely mean your deaths. No, I am confident this is the path we must take. You see I am trying to be your friend."

Friend? thought Lando. He was pretty sure Strahd didn't have friends, and he probably wouldn't know what to do if he actually made one.  However in this instance, as the witch had ill served both parties, they could extend the hand of, well, common cause at least.  "Very well," he smiled, "in the name of friendship.  Now, if you will excuse us, there a preparations to be made."

Karasha sat there in silence, arms crossed. If the group decided this was their path, she would follow.

...but she would not trust the undead beast.

"Be well." He added nonchalantly in exit.

What do you do now?

Lando waited a moment after Strahd left to make sure he was beyond hearing. "as I said before we were so rudely interrupted, our souls are indeed trapped in this realm, however, through force of will we can live again, after a fashion.  This means we have time to solidify our plans to deal with our demanding host.  There are some limitation, I have gaps in my memory," he held up the paper he had been writing on, "I've been writing some notes which helps me remember some of the details. We should all keep a journal that we can retrieve if we should die.  That will keep us on track."

Karasha watched as the ‘man’ left, the scowl on her face obvious to all. She looked at Lando with no smile. “I am a creature of nature, a preserver of life. The thought of helping him goes against all I am, but his logic is sound.” She crossed her arms, leaning back. “My very soul is torn. But whatever you decide, I will help you. You helped free me.”

Zrakrud shrugged his shoulders. Where he was from it didn't matter much who you worked for. "Our deeds are what matters, not who we work for. That seems as true here as it at home."

There are many things to do. The Count has asked you to do a thing, and you've denied, and now he has asked you to do another thing. How many times can you refuse him and he will continue to ask of you?

The entire town of Vallaki lies before you. Urvin, the owner of the Inn seems to have his head on straight. The "Festival of the Blazing Sun" is tomorrow. The rumor is that the Burgomaster's "festivals" are always large failures at cheering up the town. Where do you want to go? What do you want to do?

Ireena has been renting a room in the inn. She has donned disguise identity, calling herself Helena. Likely not enough to fool everyone.

Those of you who go to see her sit in the wooden chairs while she sits on the bed.

"It's been tough luck trying to find work here in town. I am afraid I will have to speak to the burgomaster, perhaps reveal my identity as the daughter of the burgomaster of Barovia. Ismark said he will send coin but in the meantime I am running low on funds. Perhaps I will have to come adventuring with you again. What are your plans now? Do you plan to stay for the festival tomorrow? Do you still have the Amulet of Ravenkind?"

Lando bowed a courtly bow before Ireena, his pale eyes held a sadness that his dark eyes never knew. He tried to hide it behind a smile. "My Lady, it seems we have both changed since our last meeting.  Though I would be delighted by your company, you can't go with us.  You were right. Lagasa was too powerful, and our mission failed.  Worse than that, I lost the token, your handkerchief, which you left in my care.  Can you forgive me? We are going back, armed with a talisman which will hopefully give us a chance, if the one who gave it to us is to be believed. We mean to slay the witch, and retrieve your token, then we can worry about making some money.  In the mean time," he took ten gold coins from his pouch, handing them to her, "perhaps this will be enough."

Skuldja put her greatsword away seeing the others were not ready to go kill Baba Lysaga yet. "I'm going to go get a couple of drinks at the bar. Let me know when y'all are ready to go woop some butt." Skuldja then makes her way down to the bar and gets an ale and some meat.