D&D is For Nerds - Vampire Infested Barovia I #12 Betrayal

Episode Date: December 3, 2022

The party admire some works of art for the purpose of research and have a long conversation about the local food and wine of Barovia. Hecktor and Esmeralda come up with a game plan while Pip does his best to not make friends.Want ad-free and even more bonus content? Just check out the Imagination Adventures show page on Apple podcasts! Music by the ever wonderful Lepidora, you can check out her music here. And head to peddlerspress.store to peruse our D&D themed merch store and help support the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahem, ahem. You're listening to the Sandspants Network. Though you see no water for miles around you, you are, like me, nonetheless maroon. We are castaways in this terrible bad dream somebody decided to name Barovia. To switch up the metaphor, we are imprisoned, and the fog is the bars of our cell, and our jailer is Baron von Strahd. As far as I can tell, there's no way to escape other than possibly by dying. Maybe by being eaten by a wolf, let's say.

Let's pop out Emmanuel. Maybe I look to Esmeralda as I pop out mine and maybe point to it. She shakes her head. That does not sound like anything I've ever heard of. How do we get up? There's no response. Just talking to it. Okay.

Gorob and Lushund, who were yelling significantly louder than you, cup their mouth again and call out, How do we get up there? The platform. Bomb. Ask them if they are the doctor. Are you here are the doctor. Are you he? The doctor!

Both of them kind of realize at the same time. Dr. Rudolph Van Richten! We're doing an awful lot of yelling in a wizard's old tower. There's no response this time. I assume some kind of supernatural predator above. Esmeralda reaches into the crate that she's just opened and pulls out some supplies. It is full of food, basic supplies and whatnot. Clearly, this is Rudolf's, some of his equipment.

He has been here. Well, whoever that is, I mean, you said it's supernatural, but this is an anti-magic source. That's not going to stop all of them, I say. Your horse is still here. Is the entryway big enough for a horse? Or am I tying up my... Well, I don't even tie my horse. I'm like, horse, stay there.

It's a human-sized door, so probably not. A horse can stay. Orion, she knows what she's doing. I recently do think Van Richten was here. Esmeralda puts a finger onto one of the crates, runs it along the crate and then brings it up and you can see that there is a little bit of dust on her finger he has not been here for a little while um a few of us head up i suppose i say but i'm nervous of i suppose

nothing ventured nothing gained esmeralda steps onto the platform. I also step onto the platform. Perhaps people would want to stay down. As soon as both of you are standing on the platform, the clay statues come to life. They turn and look at Esmeralda and you, Hector, kind of expectantly, like they're waiting for something. Would anybody else want to...

A gogash steps on. Up, he says. Would anybody else want to come up with us? At the word up, the golems begin pulling on the chain and you begin raising up into the tower. Pip, are you coming with? Yeah, yeah. At the last second, I'll step onto the tower. All right. You step on, maybe as it's becoming more of a step. Yeah, yeah. tower pip are you coming with yeah yeah at the last second i'll step onto the tower all right

you step on maybe as it's becoming more of a step yeah yeah pyrrhon standing still near the doorway calls out i'll um stay with the horse make sure it's fine yes you do that you do that so this is him and uh the two dwarves oh sorry no they would come with as well. Gorob and Lashan are definitely coming with. Okay, cool. You get up to the second floor. The floor is littered with books, all of them weather-worn. In an alcove, you can see the bust of a middle-aged man, which is really the only thing of note otherwise in this room. Everything else has been looted. You can see, even though it has been so long,

you can see the places where things like furniture and other things would have once been, but they have long since been presumably looted. Have I ever seen Strahd's wizard in illustration or whatever? No. Okay. You just know of him. Does it stop at this stop?

It does, yeah. I want to point to the bus Because he's written his name outside the tower It's probably just like, what a point Does he look like a wizard? You know what a wizard Yeah, pointy hat, big beard No, he just looks like a regular

A bald man He just kind of looks like a regular guy He would be wearing maybe a suit-like equivalent Although you, obviously it's just the bust. Yeah. Um. Your point to be like, is that Strahd or is that the wizard? It's not Strahd. I'm not Strahd or a wizard! Okay, I thought that. The bust turns

and talks to you. That was going to be my next suggestion. Hello, he says. Pleasure to meet you, please. I've not seen anyone in some time. Ah, nice to meet you. Hello. Hello. Yes. I guess we'll step off on this floor.

The floor creaks. Oh, that's right. It's unstable, isn't it? Yeah, it's a little bit unstable, but it seems to be holding your weight for now. A gogash chooses not to step onto this floor. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, here, goorgash and the twins. And Goroblush and approach the bust with ripping speed. Wild abandon.

Where is he? Where is he? They pick up the bust and begin shaking it. Where is he? It's not. Stop. Could you please stop that? I want to.

Okay. Reaching over them. Yeah. I want to just maybe just gently just take the bust and like put it some, is there like a higher place that they can't reach? No, it's all around them. Just hold it up. Not a lot of furniture as I said. So very, sorry.

It's okay. That is okay. This is not the worst reaction I've ever had. I want to look around as I'm holding it above my head. Is there any way to put it down or is it where they were? Yeah, pretty much. Okay, I just keep holding it then. Okay.

If the twins have stopped pouring at it. Well, the twins, as soon as you snap it out of their grasp, they stop. So we're looking for a friend of ours, their friend. Esmeralda speaks up. A friend of ours, their friend. Esmeralda speaks up. Have you seen a man by the name of Dr. Rudolf van Richten? The bust nods.

Yes, he was here a little while ago. It's hard to keep track of time. Do you have a name? No, no one's ever given me a name. Oh, too bad. Would you like a name? Sure. He would also give you a name um sorry um i wouldn't know the convention do you like anything in particular he thinks for a moment chaucer he says i like chaucer why didn't we call you chaucer perfect choice you look around and you see one of the books that is not open.

It's sitting closed. The author of that book is just Chaucer. Is that the only word you've been reading? No, I read what I can. He, with his head, kind of gestures around. But it's limited. Well, yes, you're just a bust. How did you come to be this way?

I was given life by the arch wizard Exothander. He was lonely, I suppose, and needed someone to speak to. So he created me. But he was a largely mean and vain man. He didn't really, I suppose, when I say he wanted someone to speak to, he wanted someone to talk at. he wanted someone to talk at. Yes, someone to listen. Sure.

Yes. He left. Oh, I've not seen him in a long time. But then that doctor, he was here for a little while, but he seemed otherwise preoccupied. Did he say where he was heading to? Yes, the bust says. In that manner? Yes. Is the bust lying to was heading to? Yes, the bust says. In that manner? Yes.

Is the bust lying to us, Adam? Yes. Come on, man. I assume it is. He's withholding, obviously. Like, when he says yes, he clearly makes a point of not elaborating. And where was that? Now, I haven't a back to scratch.

What would you like? Well, it's terribly lonely up in this tower, and I have so little to read. I would perhaps appreciate... I am aware that there is not too far from here a town by the name of Valakai. Have you been? Not yet.

I have not been, but I think... Have you been of Valagai. Have you been? Not yet. I have not been, but I think... Have you been to Valagai? Yes. Well, would they appreciate perhaps, and would they look after perhaps a poet? I think of

sad and dour Valagai. Yes, I suppose they would. Well, that's a lie. Okay, says Chaucer. I'm sure they'd love a poet who could cheer the people up or entertain them with, like, look desperately at everyone else. His poetry. Antics? Antics. All right, all right. I see, I like, look desperately at everyone else. His poetry. Antics? Antics.

All right, all right, I see, I see. That well, is it? Mmm, yes. I have stuff like, well, what did you want me to say? They'd hate you, to be honest. Do you know of a place here within Borovia that would appreciate someone of my talent? I might. I know exactly the kind of person who would love to have somebody to talk to at all times.

Who are you thinking of? Pop. I want to annoy my chicken. Just put him in the chicken pen next to Pop. Pop will be annoyed. He'll be annoyed. I don't think I like this person. What is your name? You've never met that person. Just put him in the chicken pen next to Pop. Pop will be annoyed. He'll be annoyed. I don't think I like this person.

What is your name? You've never met that person. Oh, me. Yes. Pip, I say. I don't like Pip. I will not deal with him anymore. Throw my hands.

Right. Sorry. Sure, sir. Right. Look, I've never been to Valakai, but if that is what you would... I want to be taken somewhere where people will appreciate my abilities. How about this? We will take you with us. He's not that heavy,

right? It's a stone bust. It's not light, but... Well, actually, no, it's not stone. It's some probably plaster. So, yeah, it's... It's not that it's heavy. It's just that it's a bit big and cumbersome. Oh, yes, exactly what we need.

Another loud guy. I can be as quiet as a door mouse. Esmeralda shakes her head like she doesn't believe him. But she quietly, Pip, whispers to you, first case scenario, we smash him. Just put him down yes but I think

if he knows where Dr. Rudolf I mean who else knows right now where he could be

yeah I suppose I suppose how about this we're heading to Valakai and from there

I do not know but you're more than welcome to accompany us. If you find somewhere where you would like to stay, we will leave you there. Yes, this seems agreeable with me. Because you met Van Richten, I'm assuming this court wizard, Ex... Exathander. You probably have information about him.

I know of Exathander, correct. He was a court wizard of Strahd. And do you know anything about that particular? Strahd or Exothander? Both, actually. Well, I know a few things. I've been around for some time.

I don't know exactly how long, but I know that I've been around long enough to have existed before this, he says. This being Barovia? The mists around Barovia, back when Barovia was on the mortal plane.

Oh, right. I predate that however long that is. Esmeralda's jaw hits the floor, metaphorically. She's not dead. She just keeps going. Oh my god, she's a snake woman. Did I as Pip know that there was a period of time where Barovia was beyond...

No, that is beyond your knowledge. I'm trying to obviously keep my affectation of being disinterested, but I'm still now very much listening in. So you must have heard or knew the Morning Lord, right? I did not know. I knew of him. But Exothander was my only talking companion, and he had no interest in the Morning Lord. Anything I heard, I heard second or third hand, perhaps.

And apart from, I guess, was there anybody else in the tower that you have interacted with? No, Exothander was the only one to dwell within this place. And then Rudolph. And then Rudolph, briefly and a lot more recently than Exothander. What's on the third floor? There is a third floor. There are two more floors to this place. The floor above us is largely uninteresting to my knowledge. It was not long after Exothander's disappearance, passing,

I'm not sure, whatever happened to him, but after Exothander left, it was not long before a great bolt of lightning struck this tower and made a hole, a floor above us. Through the floor, looters came. They took anything not nailed down. They were not able to loot

the top floor due to the guardian of the top floor. There is an enchanted suit of armor up there, which at a certain command word, will back down from a fight. Well, we don't need to go to the third story.

We can just... The fourth one. Do you know the command word? I did. Oh, I do. I told Dr. Van Richten. He did most of his studying up there. Esmeralda looks really, really excited at that. You want to... I turn around...

Inputs he made of this land are in that floor. And also a planetarium is up the top. You want to... I turn around... Any works he made of this land are in that floor. You want to go up there? And what was the... And also a planetarium is up the top. Oh. Exothander, before Barovia, was plunged to the place it is now, was a... what do you call it? A studier of the stars.

Astrology? Astrologist, yes. But when the mists came, it obscured the night sky, and he became melancholic. He created the planetarium to keep himself busy, I suppose. Well, do you know the, could you give us the word, or would you like to come with? No, I do not want to come with. It's made of plaster. Yes, if something were to happen.

If something were to happen. The word is... Animatum. Animatum. Animatum. That's good to know. Thanks for being so forthcoming with it. Well, we have an understanding, don't we?

Yes, we do. Yes, we do. I say nothing. I hate this ad. Know that the command word will only stop the armor from attacking you. It will not leave or obey your commands. That word is simply to progress safely. Do you know any of the other words?

No, there are no other words. It obeys direct orders from Exathander, but, well, I know little of his current whereabouts. The last I heard of Exathander was that he had made his way to the Amber Temple, somewhere to the south of here. Amber Temple? He wished to enter the place of learning,

but dark, evil learning. From that place, he went once before he went his last time. He learned how to become a lich there. He was, I assume, successful, but I have not seen him since his second journey there. I look back to the, I guess, the gang. Mostly the Pip, really, and probably Esmeralda.

Oh, no, because she's nice. Esmeralda looks really thoughtful. She's scratching her chin. Something about the name, the Amber Temple, seems to be jogging something in her memory. Amber Temple. Any of you heard of the Amber Temple before? Everyone?

I look at, well, the ones that have been here before. Yeah. Because Esmeralda had been here a little bit longer than us, yes? No, Esmeralda got here about the same time as you did. Okay. Have you heard of the Amber Temple before? Not exactly, I say. Why is my deception so bad?

You immediately are aware that you stumbled your way through that. There was a book in Krezak. It might have mentioned it. In Krezak? Yes. You can't see Esmeralda, but you feel her presence behind you. I didn't think it relevant. What did it say?

It spoke of it as being, well, what the head said, more or less. A place of evil, dark, arcane learning. Yes, yes. Oh, and did it simply said anything else? Esmeralda, behind you. Her voice sounds like water slowly freezing to ice. So it mentioned just that there was a place of dark learning and nothing further it might have possibly also mentioned strad and passing so what did it was something like strad

also became a lich or it is in some way relevant to his power, I suppose. So the books, the library we were at. That library was the best attempt of St. Markovia to defeat Strahd. And it just in passing mentions the Amber Temple? It's been a while, I say. It has been less than two days. She seemed to think it important in defeating Strahd. That's it. That's all of it.

Pip, I understand that you are going through it. And I understand that you feel responsible for a few things that have happened in the past. But please, if you ever come across some pertinent information, maybe share it with the group. Thank you, Chaucer, for your password. Esmeralda, would you like to join me upstairs in Van Richten's study?

A gogash, as you walk back, looks to each of you, and he steps off. He says, I will stay here. Probably for the best. Gorob L lushen look at esmeralda and with not much in the way of not subtlety tact if dr van richten is not here we will wait with the tiefling and they call out oh wait well they uh they'll step off, and they will wait for when you're done with the elevator, and then they're going to take it down.

It's like, we'll go up one level, we'll send it down a level. Yeah. They'll get on, they'll go down. Yeah. This fox will eat my lettuce. You work out that you can just state the floor that you want to go to as well,

and that similarly works. You head up to the fourth floor, the top. Unlike the levels below, this room shows recent signs of habitation. And although the place reeks of mold and mildew, it has plenty of creature comforts, including a cozy bed, a desk with matching chair, bright tapestries, and a large iron stove with plenty of wood to feed it. Light enters through arrow slits as well as through dirt caked windows with broken shutters. Other features of the room include a standing suit of armor and a wooden chest.

Old wooden rafters bend under the weight of the tower roof, which has somehow remained intact. bend under the weight of the tower roof, which has somehow remained intact. Mounted to the rafters are the pulleys around which the iron chains hang that support the elevator platform. Also, looking up, you can see the... It's kind of like... Imagine you're in a post-apocalyptic video game,

and you walk into a planetarium, and there's a flickering light on the ceiling of the stars above, but it's kind of warped and a bit broken and stuff like that. on the ceiling of the, of the stars above, but it's kind of like warped and a bit broken and stuff like that. It's kind of the same equivalent. There are holes in the roof, not like, sorry,

in the rafters, not the roof is still watertight for the most part, but there is clear destruction, just warping and stuff of the roof. And wherever that warping and destruction is, the stars above are broken and missing. While it is still a pretty sight, you can see it is clearly in need of some repairs.

Also, as soon as the elevator stops, that suit of armor starts walking towards you. There's no menace to its, well, there is menace to its mood. It's like a purposeful stride. Animatum, animatum, animatum.

It stops and then walks back into the place. Animatum, animatum. Right, shall we? You search this top floor. You find there are two sets of notes in around the desk and all of the equipment and stuff like that. You can see that there's one set of notes

that just look ancient. They must be Exothanders. A lot of them are written in this really spidery, scrolly handwriting that it's difficult to decipher simply because it is really hard to read. There is another also very, very pretty and scribbly sort of writing, which is clearly Dr. Van Richten's, but it is significantly easier to read. Exothander's notes, as far as you can tell, appear to be mostly just notations of the celestial bodies. You don't think there's necessarily anything interesting here, though there is a lot to comb through.

Dr. Van Richten's writings are immediately way more interesting. He has quite clearly been to all of Barovia, all of the different cities, and he has made detailed notes on all of them. In addition, you shift some of the equipment around and you can see that there is like a cork board on one of the walls with different quite clearly drawings that Van Richten has done. And they are all like connected in different ways. The most dominant drawing in the dead center of the corkboard is of an elven man. He wears incredibly fine and exquisitely tailored clothing. has kind of like a a beautiful white blousey shirt with a red cravat and a deep red vest over which he wears a black great coat which has a hood incorporated into it and when it hangs naturally you can see it almost looks like bat wings the man's face, while handsome, is cruel. The drawing looks like it is about to animate and give you a curse or a spell upon you.

I'm assuming that is not a self-portrait. That would be Strahd, yes? I would assume this to be Strahd, as Merelda says. And you can see just a slight hint of pointed teeth within that evil grin huh i'm downstairs yeah oh did you not come up no no no worries we're in a fight immediately immediately spiraling off from that there are several other drawings they are of a another older elf the this elf has it looks almost like a drow but their skin complexion is, it looks almost like a drow, but their skin complexion is significantly lighter than

that of a drow. Okay. And you can see that they have a haughty kind of also cruel like face. He is also dressed really nicely, but Hector, you are accustomed, you lived a blessed

life, possibly within the capital of Candoor, Hydale. You know well enough what a servant of someone wealthy looks like. This man, while he is dressed well, he is quite clearly not someone in charge. He is the servant of someone in charge. There is a name scrawled beneath this picture, this sketching. It says rahadin i guess this this rahadin is the servant of i would assume strad there's another one that spins off and you see four women dressed in a sultry manner there is like a menace to them as well it's kind of like a

almost like a spider like menace where looking at them gives It's kind of like a, almost like a spider-like menace where looking at them gives you a sense that you are not so much meant to view this as like a scene of four pretty women, but as a scene of like four sirens luring you to your death. All of them, you can see, their clothing is fashioned in a manner

similar to Strahd's in that it hangs off them like they were bat like wings like i guess the puppet shows back in um ognot yeah um when we were discussing you know we'd watched our favorite vampires uh like you know uh puppetry shows uh would there ever be like a kind of a through line of maybe like oh and remember the brides of that you know of dracula for example was that ever something that we would have come across? There is a little note, like where it says Rahadin,

this one says strides for brides and then name unknown in brackets. Okay. Another one stretches off to a well-dressed woman. She looks like she's dressed similarly to Strahd in a fashion where it looks it's got like a bat-like motif. But this woman has more of a elderly stern matron sort of appearance. The name written beneath this is Lady Vatcher with a W. Vatcher but with a W. Lady Vatcher with a W. Vatcher, but with a W. Lady Vatcher.

Spelt Watcher? Yeah, spelt Watcher, but it would be pronounced Vatcher. Well, we wouldn't know that. Ah, Lady Watcher. Vatcher. This would be pronounced. She points out maybe an accent as part of the W. I see.

She points out and says it would be pronounced Lady Vatcher. And she's like, so it's a line from, all these lines are from Strahd, yeah? Yep. They're all connected to Strahd. From Lady Vatcher and from Strahd, two lines connect to one final drawing. This man is of middle age. He's got long, wispy hair. He's kind of doing a, he's doing a bit of a riffraff.

Oh yeah. But he's also got a long white goatee to match. One of his eyes is badly scarred, and it's kind of his eyelid is drooped. But the other eye looks as if it can see everything. This man has in his hands, he has a baton, which he appears to be holding in a, like he was swinging it, slapping his other hand, and he means to be holding in a like he was about like he was swinging it slapping his other hand and he means to approach and then like he's about to give us a bit of a caution

a bit of a questioning yeah on his left breast pocket blazes a little badge that says sheriff and this one says sheriff of Kutcheri have we been to

do you know where Kutcheri Esmeralda shakes her head I do not know of the town I guess a question to ask Pip do we been to, do you know where Kuchery? Esmeralda shakes her head. I do not know of the town. I guess a question to ask Pip. Do we need to go back for that book? Which book? The book that you... Oh, in the library.

Perhaps, yes, it would be clever. On the bright side, I do not think that book is going anywhere. We can probably complete our mission to Valachai and turn back when we need

it is something i guess this is the information that um van richten has gathered oh i'm so sorry there's also one more drawing there's a rough drawing of barovia it's a very rough drawing though so a lot of these areas are only vaguely marked it's as best as he can do. So you can see on the map places that are marked are the village of Barovia, Castle Ravenloft, you can see all the forests and rivers, Mount Gacchus to the south, Mount Gacchus. Nestled up in Mount Gacchus, you can see a little notation for the town of Kutcheri. Right next to it is also a notation for Amber Temple.

Then also there's the Wizard of Wines. You can see not a lot of interest has been paid to that one. It looks like that was just noted because he knew where it was. Then Yesterhill, similarly, just like he knew the name and so he put it on the map. You see Krezik. You can see the Werewolf den has also been marked. And obviously Valakai, and then also the tower that you were in currently,

which is labeled as home. Interesting. Well, I'm guessing that he has gone to Kuchuri. Esmeralda nods. It is unlikely that he discovered the Amber Temple and did not learn of its potential importance. Is Valakai on it? Is it Valakai and then the Amber Temple?

Or do we pass there? The Amber, well, you could just start heading south if you wanted to. But the Amber Temple would require backtracking. And it's a long way away as well. It's even by horse, it will take a week at least to get there. Okay, well, Valachai was a day's ride, yes? Valachai is only about a day away, yeah. Well, we could always...

What was in Valachai again? It was just the next obvious stop. I do not think we were looking for anything specific there. Right. It's a lot of vibe. I just kind of wanted to dump you off. Yes, I would say that our guide wanted to complete his end of the contract and then leave. Well, I guess we could still go to Valakai, see what is there.

Do not tell Gorob and Lushan but I would like to perhaps complete the trip to Valakai maybe. I'm not 100% sure actually. Where would you like to go next? I'm thinking if we can go to Valakai perhaps see if there's any supplies there that we can grab. We did get

a decent amount of coin from the werewolf den. Perhaps I can at least get a gesture to my body. Leather armor, to be perfectly frank, would be nice. True. It would be clever for you to arm up. Yes. And we will see what is there.

I know Pip mentioned there was a tavern there that was, I guess, allied against Strahd. That would be a clever place to stop then as well. Maybe we'll see what there is there. It is a lot closer to get to Valachai. Look, I, not that there is a local language to speak, but I am aware of the local language as it were. I can get by a lot better than anyone else in this party as a local.

I would say perhaps now would be a good time to split our party. I would perhaps take maybe Pyrrhon. While he cannot hide among a population as well as others, he is certainly stealthier than others. And perhaps he would be of use. I don't know what we would do about Gorob Lushen. Gorob Lushen would want to come with me to the Amber Temple and to Kuchari to meet Dr. Van Richten, but they are loud. But do you want to take them to Valakai?

I shake my head. Well, see, here we are at an impasse because I don't want to take them to Valakai? I shake my head. Well, see, here we are at an impasse because I don't want them either. Yes, we could always get them to stay here. There is enough supplies. I suppose we could, yes. There's enough supplies here and if we just tell them

that maybe Vendrickton is coming back, they might stay here for a long time. It is very mean to lie to them, but I have done worse things today. Well, Van Richten will be back maybe eventually. But he's not abandoning them. Come to think of it, actually, Van Richten definitely does stay here. So actually, it's not stupid to keep someone here.

If you go to the Amber Temple and Van Richten is not there, then at least someone is here to and he will be very loud about at least alerting Van Richten of their... So why don't we do that? Why don't you appear and go and you scout out the Amber Temple and this town of Kuchery while I take

a Gogash and Pip and we go to Valakai. And see what we can do there. And we will meet you at Kuchiri. Very well. I will go ahead. I will gather what information I can. I will try to find make contact with Dr. Van Richten.

I will take Pirin. You will take Pip and a Gorgash and Goroblush and we'll wait here on the off chance that Dr. Van Richten... On the chance that Dr. Van Richten will return. Yes, yes. All right. A plan is set in motion.

Good. How long? Yeah, in terms of time, in terms of travel time, like what do we say? Like, all right, we'll do this and this. Give us like X many days in Valachai and then we'll come by. Like what are we sort of planning? Well, Esmeralda gives it a bit of a think. Val, it's going to take quite a while without the horse for me to get there.

Yes, of course. Unless you are willing to give me the horse. Can I give you the horse? Outside of a mile, you lose your telepathic bond. So like the horse still is intelligent and whatnot. But Esmeralda is not going to be able to. Oh, no, it can understand Esmeralda, but it can't speak to Esmeralda. And it won't be able to speak to you either, but it will still exist.

You and Piran can grab, can take Orion. And hopefully, I guess we could leave the cart here. And then if we can manage to acquire transport in Valakai, it would be very useful. Yes. Valakai, she gestures to the map. It looks like Valakai is a significantly... Actually, no, she doesn't gesture at the map. She looks over Van Richten's notes.

Valakai is the largest city. Well, current... Oh. She covers up a note, thinks about it for a sec, and then turns to show you. And Van Richten's notes write about how Barovia, the city, used to be the biggest. But in his notes, Van Richten's only been here, only been in Barovia for about six months at this point. At the point that he made this note. And he states that the city of Barovia was once the largest city in the region of Barovia.

Now, Valachai is the largest city population wise. Right. What happened to the city of Barovia? It was decimated, destroyed in a uprising. About a year ago? About a year ago. The population slaughtered. Culled, if you will. I am maybe understanding some of Pip's

reservations, I guess. Well, we will speak... Why don't we bunk here for the night? Oh, yes. We will bunk here for the night. Tell the rest of the group perhaps it is wise to get Pip up here for some of... I just want to look at the notes that Van Richten...

Yeah. Or maybe not. I will read through the notes over the night. Van Richten tends to write in code, and I can... Oh, right. I know his code. Oh, in that case, that would be useful. She sits down, and you realize right now

that while she was not lying, she had a hidden motive of she now doesn't have to interact with Pip and you do. Thumbs up. Well, I'll see you in the morning. Pip, you're on the second floor

with a go-gash who is standing for the first time since you've met him. He doesn't seem to want to say anything. And you can see he's quite purposely not looking at you. I have my arms folded. Have I missed something? I mean, it's a lot to explain, Chaucer. Very well.

Well, could you do me a great favor? What? That book over there, could you do me a great favor? What? That book over there, can you turn the page? I've been reading that page for, I can only assume, years. Yes, I suppose I could. Thank you, I greatly appreciate it. I squat down, take the page, and turn it over. How long have you been in Barovia?

Three years, give or take. That seems like a while. But I give and understand that I've been here for longer. May we go outside? Honestly, I would love that. I take the head and I'll step back onto the

platform. Down. Do you step outside onto the island the the platform all right down do you step like outside onto the island yeah i would say so i would say i would step outside what i'm gonna do is i step outside i drop the head just in the like marsh or whatever then i'll pull up my fiddle and just tunelessly play some music all right so are you doing this on the island or are you going across no no not across the causeway i'm saying just fuck no i'm just this on the island or are you going across the course? No, no, not across the causeway. I'm saying just, fuck no. I'm just staying on the island. In the distance.

It's just tense in there. In the distance on the little island, on the little stone island with the little stone tower, the front door opens. And in the distance, it's hard to make out, but it is a dragonborn, steps out carrying a bust. is a dragonborn, steps out carrying a bust. If your eyes were good enough, and they are, you would spot that the bust turns and talks to the dragonborn, who sets it down, ignoring it completely, takes out a fiddle, and you hear a tune that you've heard hundreds of times before.

Pip plays maybe the same four or five songs on repeat as those are presumably the only ones he knows. Boris turns. Can I give you the song that he's playing? Sure. I'll sing the lyrics. This is a song I've just had in my head that I think Pip plays all the time since the beginning. It goes, My lover, he is a sailor man, but his heart belongs to the sea.

My lover, he is a sailor man, but his heart belongs to the sea. For after his ship at a soft, steady clip, he's got no love left for me. He's got no love left for me. And Pip just plays that on repeat. That echoes across the still, silent lake. Boris gestures with his face and several of the direst wolves. They've been tracking me. they've been fucking tracking me you've got diarist wolves

we've also got druids maybe tracking me I was going to be like why is everyone in Barovia coming for us it's Barovia several of the diarist wolves turn and follow Boris the entire pack has been on your heels since you left Krezic.

Oh my god. Spluttering and choking can be heard through the forest. It's faint enough that you cannot hear it on the island, but where Boris and his companions are, it can be heard. Two diarist wolves drag out from the bushes a sodden druid.

Oh no.den druid. Oh, no. The druid is deposited heavily at Boris's paws, shall we say? They sent the druids? The druid looks up at Boris. Are they teaming up? The druid looks up at Boris and growls, You and me, we serve the same master.

Boris looks down at the druid. Boris has always looked down at the druids. While they serve their quotation marks God, Strahd, the lord of the forest, you, Boris, are Strahd's right hand. For them, this is a religion. For you, this is merely business. Oh my god. The druids' bumbling frustrates you to no end.

And while the heart of their power lies near your territory, you are unable to oppose them directly. But here, you can rest easy knowing that what is about to happen here is not going to reach the ears of Keshgar. Keshgar is an annoyance, but Strahd sees him as a useful annoyance. And you, while Strahd does not technically encourage infighting among his minions, Strahd does not look down on it either. And so you relish this opportunity. The druid still looking up at you. As we serve Strahd, we must work together. Boris speaks.

What? Kill. The pack tears the druid apart. What? You watch with glee. What the fuck? What? Pip.

How does he talk without lips? How long would you like to play your fiddle? Pip, how long would you like to play your fiddle? I play it until I hear movement and sound cease inside and assume everybody's going to bed. All right, sure. And then I will scoop the bust, which I imagine is just sunk into the... No, it's stone, so there's no sound in the area.

Then I pick up the bust and I will take it back inside and go to bed amongst everyone else. Hector, would you have sought Pip out? That's a doozy. It would have been gone around, told everyone what was going on, as in like, well, we've got the notes and this is what we're doing. And really, really ham up the importance, just the absolute importance. Esmeralda backs you up. One of the top missions.

You get an advantage on this role for Esmeralda backing you up. For Gorob and Lushen to stay here. I know Dr. Van Richten very well. And Esmeralda, you can see, stops for a moment. And Hector, you can see her in her mind think about the dust and not mention it I know he frequents this place or he would frequent this place a lot

yeah Gorob Lushan nod they seem to hardly agree that staying here and waiting for Dr. Van Richten is the smartest course of action they'll hold down the fort for you. Excellent. And, um, yes, who takes the bust?

Well, you promised we'd take it to Valachan. Yeah, I did, I did. You maybe think to yourself, who takes the bust and Esmeralda immediately puts her finger on her nose? It's going to be so much harder now without a horse. Gorub and Lushen putting fingers on each other's noses. Gorub and Lushen putting fingers on each other's noses

Gorub and Lushen start wrestling oh that's going to be harder without a horse great can't wait to carry this bust for three days awesome you've got a Gogash he can pull the cart yes he can pull the cart that is good

tell a Gogash that it'll be quicker with Perrin and on Orion. Do you mind pulling the cart? You're so very strong. Agogash nods. I will pull the cart, of course. If you cannot, I shall.

As the strongest member of this group. Well, Agogash puts up a hand. No, no, no. Gorub and Lushen and yourself, you are fair fighters, he says. Well, thank you. I'm so sorry. I meant both in terms of physical and emotional strength. Gorgash.

Of course, nothing could compare to orcish strength. It would be unfair for you to compare yourself to me. Yes, it would. He says that with all earnestness. Yeah, of course, of course. He doesn't realize what he's saying. I know, I Yes, it would. He says that but he says it with all earnestness. Yeah, of course, of course. He doesn't realise what he's saying. Oh, I know, I know, I know. I'm using that maybe

very much to my advantage. If you could pull the card, that'd be great. You don't really need a trick up. A go-kashi isn't a mean person. Oh, I know. I'm not trying to trick him. It's just more the, you know, lean into that ego. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. You know, it's a bit of honey.

Yeah, yeah. If that's decided, Pip, when you re-enter, the bottom floor is empty. No, it's not empty. Esmeralda is there smoking a pipe, and she has one boot on a simple chest. I, as I come in, like, I'm like, oh, I'm shocked to see Esmeralda.

Everyone is sleeping upstairs? Yes, everyone will be sleeping upstairs. I've got the bust in my hands. He liked the music. It's not heard music in a long time. Not that on ceremony. You put the bust down. I mimed, like I just yeeted it into a corner.

The Chaucer understands that there is a weight in this room, and he's pretending to be a regular boss right now I just put him down Esmeralda picks up the chest walks over to you and then puts it in your arms firmly like she kind of

shoves it into your chest yeah it is full of some hunter equipment I couldn't help but notice that you are lacking in some materials i assumed this would be helpful for you materials are yeah hard to acquire here in barovia not not not all of them but some i put it on the ground and open it up inside you find 20 silver bolts, a heavy-looking crossbow, which you can tell there's nothing special about it, so you don't need to take that. Five cloves of garlic, which you're not actually sure will be helpful.

Yeah, no worries. It's nice for, you know, food. Yeah, it's good. I mean, maybe we had that when we made soup. That would have been incredible with the soup. weird that when we made soup. That would have been incredible with the soup. Actually, you know what? Maybe you genuinely recognize this as

just important for food tasting, which is actually Barovia is very bland when it comes to food. Maybe pips are like the first thing, like I open it up and I pull out the bolts and I'm like, what? Silver. Oh! Garlic! I

would actually genuinely, genuinely something that you would know about the wizards of wines the reason why everyone loves the wizards of wines wines the reason beyond just alcohol helping to numb the horror that is the daily life of a barovian but the wizards of wines wines are genuinely very flavorful wines which is actually so fucking rare. Yeah, I bring the drink with flavor. Yeah. I bring the garlic up to my nose and like inhale to try and just get a big whiff of that garlic flavor. It's beautifully, deliciously garlic.

You would think there'd be more garlic in Barovia, to be honest. Inside the chest, you also find three doses of devil horn, four doses of hounding killer hands. Cool. Five doses of treant poison, a dose of blight skin, five doses of, let's say, dragon's blood. Oh, my God. And a diamond um have you like maybe i closed the lid have you taken it is all for you i am as stocked up as i wish to be i um appreciate it the plan going forward will be i will take orion the horse and pyrhon. We will go south to a city called Kuchari. There, it is nestled just before the Amber Temple.

Pyrrhon and I will do some investigation and search for Dr. Van Richten. I hope you understand. I hope. I understand perfectly, she says. Up. She goes up. You stay on the bottom floor. That's fine.

You spot, for the first time, now that you've walked into the proper angle, you spot that there is a single dirty bedroll next to one of the crates. I have my own bedroll. It's not much nicer, but still. I roll it down and look at the bust in the corner. He doesn't move, but hang on. So he does, look,

it's hard for me to describe this, so I'm going to get the two of you to describe it. He does, keeping his head very still, he does this. It's kind of like a brief look out the corner of his eye. And then a sort of, not quite a swallowing motion, but it's like a... Like a nervous tick you might do in your mouth to be like, I hope he, maybe he forgot and just assumed I was an actual bust. Because I don't want to talk right now.

Kind of like if a bust could try and retreat into itself yeah a bus doing his best to run away despite having only a neck and chest yeah suppose it's just you and i down here yes um that was intense i'm awfully tired i'm gonna go to sleep now. I don't actually sleep. But I will be quiet. Okay. No comment on you, but I might turn you around. I understand completely.

Is there like a place I could put him so he can at least look out a window? Not on the bottom floor? Maybe actually as you're going to move move him he says, can you leave me outside just on the front porch where the horse is? Okay. I say, I open the door put him down. Good night.

Close the door. Maybe as you're falling asleep you can hear him chatting to the horse. That's nice. Every now and then you hear They've worked out a complicated system of stops already. That's impressive. Well, friendless, I go to sleep.

How early would any one of you wake up? Naturally speaking, obviously you haven't an alarm clock. It could only be the sun or your own body clock awakening you. I feel like Pip's body clock has gotten fucked over the years. You lived in a pretty dangerous place.

I'm probably up pretty early. You would then be, I would say, no, I would say you can hear people upstairs rummaging around. You could tell someone else is up, just not who. Maybe I just get up in my bedroll to be warm or whatever, sit up and eat a strawberry for breakfast. Out of my dwindling supply.

A filling breakfast of one strawberry. I'm going to ration them out. I guess it's a strawberry and then hard tack or whatever my rations are. It's for flavor. Sure. Let's see, because we're in the tower. It'll be storming most nights. I feel like an early riser. But like

again, if it's all gloomy. Yeah, you're not getting hit by direct sunlight. I think I'm probably like, you know, somewhat early. Well, probably not earlier than Esmeralda, who would be the- Crack it on. Yeah.

Well, no, beyond that, would be the first person up. Esmeralda is just pouring over some, quietly pouring over some of Van Richten's notes. She's got like a candle set beside her, which as she turns around and spots that you're waking up, she leans over and blows it out. You went to sleep, right? You haven't been up all night? Esmeralda just doesn't respond. She turns back to her work. Okay.

I kind of sleepily rub my eye as I'm doing now. Right. I will see if there's anything. The crates had food, right? I'll see if there's anything food-wise for us. You start opening crates. Well, there's no crates up here, but there is stuff that you can look through. Head on the elevator.

Down! All right. Pip, you hear as the elevator slowly trundles downwards. Hector, as you're heading down, you see Lushan turns around. Gaurav is fast asleep, but Lushan turns around and he says, I would come with you. And he tries to shift,

but Gaurav is not waking up. No, no, no, it's fine. It's fine. I must waken him. It's already going down. You're well out of sight before G Goron, if he ever does awaken. Actually, another thing you would spot is a Gogash is also getting up. As you were getting up, a Gogash also got up. And you can see that in a little space on his own in the top floor,

he has laid out the set of chess, dragon chess, and he is considering his move yep no worries i you mentioned that like i will go and see if we can um cook something up i go gash in deep in deep thought and uh does not really say anything but goroban no sorry not goroban loshan just loshan attempts to hail you down but but unsuccessfully. Oh, it's such a sad... Oh, too bad. Oh, woo-hoo. Hector, you reach the bottom. Pip, you see this, obviously. I'm probably wrapping up my bedroll at this point.

Sure. I should check on Chaucer. If you open the door, it has rained. Chaucer does not seem in any the worst for wear, though. He turns around and... Well, he doesn't turn around but he cranes his head as best as he can and he says hello pleasure to

good morning you can't mind the rain can you Orion has kind of huddled up right against the building obviously to protect themselves your magic horse is wet and then I'll pick up Chaucer and take him inside. Ah, yes.

Thank you, Pip. Right. I was going to look for any food in the... Do you mind doing that? I will go deal with it. Yeah, I'll go check if there's food in the barrels. That's fine. All right.

Having a nice sleep? It was comfortable enough. I said that as I walk out the door sort of thing. Chaucer. It was more of a... it was a dig, really. No, it was a rhetoric question. Chaucer cannot impose himself in an awkward position, but he looks as awkward as a bust can.

Chaucer's just coughing. Just on the sideline of the weird dynamics of this party. It's very funny. Poor guy. All right, I'll check the barrels for food or anything. You spot one of the crates is just filled, packed, heavy with supplies.

Whereas, Hector, you step outside and you can see Orion has also huddled herself up against the building in an attempt to stay out of the rain. Are you going okay? I am fine, thank you. Do you need anything for shelter? I can try and see if there's a bit of a tarp we can use for the morning.

You can be undercover. I would appreciate this. Thank you. No worries. I go in and see if there's any kind of cloth or whatever that was wrapped over or something that I can kind of just make a makeshift lean to. I like to think I'm muttering. I've got Chaucer sitting on one of the crates and I take stuff out and I'm like, how magic a horse can be if it can still get wet. What's the point of that?

Where did the horse come from, may I ask? I don't know. You magicked it out of nowhere. Well, that sounds pretty magical to me. Yes, but why can it still feel the cold? Why not just... Yes, I don't know if I fired a magic arrow. What if it missed?

Oh, yes. Let's go with that. How's the horse? Cold. I lay out the food. What kind of rations have I found? Is it just hard tack? You find Grugrog branded rations.

There's a little on the packaging. Grugrog branded rations. There's a little on the packaging. Grugrog's worst. On the packaging, there's a little, like it's Grugrog's finest delicatessence. And then underneath, a little slogan says, keeps forever, alcohol. Most of the rations here absolutely stink of booze. You can see that most of it is in some way pickled or preserved

in alcohol. You think consuming this may cause you to become drunk. I found a sort of semi-liquid breakfast. It is food. It's just infused with alcohol. If you've got anything that's not alcoholic,

I'd recommend eating that first. But if not, I guess this will do. Yes, we've still got some food from Krezic. At least it's easy to find a little bit. Maybe when Gorgash is down, I can see if I can help him hunt for some deer or elk or something. Yes, I'm sure he'd be excellent at that you would have no trouble finding something to eat i've no doubt chaucer looks from one of you to the other

could you be a a great friend i think i saw something out that window he says please turn me towards it well i'll take you outside. We can look at it out there. That would be nice too. He says. Yes, sir. Do I find anything I can use as a lean-to? Yeah, the foods, the Grugrog's finest foods that have been laid out on the floor are themselves

on a tarp. Right. Well, yeah, I grabbed the tarp and maybe there's a bit of spear wood or something that I can use as well. Yeah, you find in one of the crates you see that there is equipment for camping, so a tent. Actually, yeah, you don't even need the tarpaulin. You just find tents. Okay, cool.

Yeah, I'll grab that. I can take Chauncey out. Oh, okay. I'll go see if everyone else wants breakfast, I suppose. I'll go stand on the elevator. Up. Breakfast is ready. It's alcoholic.

Esmeralda does not turn to look at you. Lashon, with one arm, is dragging himself over to the elevator. I'll be there presently, he says. How heavy a sleeper. gorob is snoring you could anyone couldn't hear it inside the entire tower you could hear it all night gorob snores like a machine gun fires and probably his expulsion of the as part of the yeah that feels-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p- And then after just a brief moment, begins packing up the dragon chest set. By the time a go gash is done, Lushen has dragged himself and Gorob onto the platform. Esmeralda stands up, tucks some papers underneath her arm and silently walks over onto the platform. With all of you there, you head back down.

Cool. With all of you there, you head back down. In about that amount of time, Hector, you obviously don't need to set up like a proper tent for Orion. And there's no need for that simply because you're not going to be here. Orion's going to be leaving. Yeah, you'll be leaving soon. So you do just set up kind of like a lean-to so that Orion has a bit of shade. Orion bows before you and gratefully says, thank you. No worries.

I'm sorry I didn't do that last night. Her lack of response is very funny. Yeah, you should. Yeah, yeah. What's going on? I'm sorry too. Do you need to eat anything? She shakes her head.

Well, we're going to have a quick breakfast. Well, we're going to have a quick breakfast and you'll be heading off to, I think it's the Amber Temple with Esmeralda and Piran. She nods. She has as much of a horse can. She has kind of a slightly apprehensive expression, but she nods. I stop and think, where is Piran? You haven't seen him. Yeah. Good question. Huh.

I'll be out momentarily. I head back into the tower. To be continued... our fellow adventurer. If you're picking up what we're putting down and want more D&D content, we have just what you need to scratch that itch. D&D is for Nerds Plus, the symbol, not the word, where you can listen to select campaigns that were once only available to Sandspans Plus members. The further adventures of the Greyhill Free Company if you want shorter campaigns

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