Legends of Avantris - Curse of Strahdanya | Ep. 31 | Something Wicked: Part 2

Episode Date: November 13, 2025

After an especially taxing battle, the Azran Expedition plans their final moves against Strahdanya, and they consult their fate once more.   Gain access to an exclusive campaign, Shroud Over Saltmarsh, over on Patreon: https://legendsofavantris.com/patreon The Crooked Moon, a folk horror supplement for 5e, is available for preorder! Get the Crooked Moon at: https://thecrookedmoon.com/ Watch more D&D adventures in the world of Avantris live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/legendsofavantris Check out our merch store: https://shop.legendsofavantris.com  Join our community on Discord: https://legendsofavantris.com/discord Watch our many campaigns on YouTube: https://legendsofavantris.com/youtube  All other links: https://linktr.ee/legendsofavantris   Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/ezMAbbTdALM?si=3tHPl1OkfQO_EM0Q

You are back at the Blue Water Inn and listening to Curse of Stradania, the Legend of Adventress podcast. Last time, the Locky was in ruins and swarming with the walking dead as Lady Vokter faced the Azran expedition with her necromancy in the flesh amalgamation of her husband and former disciples. In the biggest tragedy of this story so far, Victoria fell in battle before the Vokters were brought to a permanent rest. In the aftermath it followed,

the heroes brought their slain comrade to the Blue Water Inn, where they received a miracle from an unlikely savior. Me. I would not let Victoria stay dead in the realm I have total mastery of, so I brought her back. Now, it is a question of if they will thank me by bending the knee. I highly doubt it. This episode is brought to you by our generous supporters on Patreon. You can become a patron yourself by following the link.

Link in the show notes, we are eternally grateful for your support. With that out of the way, let us proceed with the conclusion of Chapter 15, Something Wicked. The door, the lies open. All three of you spill into the room. Victoria, you land almost softly onto the bed as if held for a moment in the air by the mist that Shredonia had turned into. As you see the faint red glow of the mist shoot up into the air and straight out of the back beneath the window. Retraina, tie her up now, Shepard. What in the fuck happen?

What made her up? Do I remember of this? Oh, yes. She's alive, tie her up now. Of course I'm alive. What happened here, Connor? Time Victoria, you want me to tie Victoria? Yes, no, She just woke up.

What do you mean, tie her up? There's no need to lie her up. She's been dead, Professor. Exactly, tie her up. And I literally, I jump on Victoria. And I try to like, I'm, holding her. Do you? I'm not going to let this happen. I'm not getting him anywhere. Do you roll your contest. She's naked. She's naked. I'm not letting this happen.

Just being dead count as a long run. I'm depressed. For what it's worth. Definitely. For work for what all the rules are. I am also going. Yes. No way. Given the nature of how you came back, absolutely 100%. I think you. Donna, you're trying to prevent it because she's naked and I don't want any of it. I'm you to fucking touch her. I'm like, should I restore it with one HB though? Okay, okay.

Okay. I'm inadvertently. You want to get the full night's sleep. You're still tired. I'm inadvertently helping Conn. We have to every reason for doing so. I'm trying to pull on the professor. Yeah, she is not properly dressed.

Whatever you need to do, the professor is doing this. Whoever needs to try to strain it. Make your check. Make your checks against the restraints. Do all the things. Yeah, do it. Is there strength? Do all things.

Yeah. I hate these dice. I hold the natural one. So that'll be an 11 for... Oh, no, my strength's awful. I got a... It's acrobatics. I got a nine for strength.

The acrobatics, athletics for athletics for both of you would be... Yeah, mine's a nine garbage. Thank you, Mike. What's yours? Yeah. Mine was 11 to try and keep you away from her. Wow, I actually dodged them. Do it.

That's the time. Tell me how it works. So I'm... Who did this? If this was in Sonax, it was some unholy power that brought her back. And I'm going to try. Try to like...

Get off from me! We don't know it wasn't Sarnas! It wasn't me. It was Sardana. I saw her with my own eyes. It was off of me. Everybody, take a goddamn deep breath. Nobody move a fucking muscle.

Is it not enough that I've come back? How did you come back? Saunax, please help me. It is too late. Don't hurt her. Kana, what did you say you saw? You saw Sordania. Tell us everything.

She came in the middle of the night. I didn't sense her at all. I didn't even feel her, and I woke up. She had her blade against my neck in lingerie hugging. Oh, no, you saw her in her full. Oh, okay. She was not in lingerie. She was very unusual.

Not at all, no, but not. It was normal. You saw nothing. She had Victoria against her, and she dug her. and dug her fangs into her neck. I immediately grab her her face. Do I feel anything on my neck? Yes.

You can feel the two-unuching. At the mention of kind of saying that, one of my hands begins to go for judgment. I wouldn't do that so next. She's weak. We don't have to hurt her. Right. Mr. Morgan.

It's not treat her like an animal. Come on. Until we figure out what the hell happened. Well, let's ask her. She's a fucking person. I'm not going to. fucking tire up. I feel the marks on my neck.

Kana does not lie. Something has happened here. What happened? What can you tell us? I failed. We all failed. That is what happened. I used too much of my strength. I wasn't able to stop this.

Professor, what do you see? Um, we haven't gotten a long rest, correct? I'm going to dart outside seeing that I can't do anything with a professor, and I'm going to go see if her clothes are dry. They're dry. Okay. I'm going to run back, go get them and bring them back inside. While this is happening, you bring them all, everything's there except for her panties.

I am kidding. Victoria, do not take this the wrong way. I cannot seem to locate your underpants. I never wear them. I'm sorry. One hand outstretched. Well, to give her some privacy. Come on. Let her at least put some clothes on. Please, Mr. Chef, it's a modesty.

One hand that is, well, I mean, he's fucking grappling you. Yeah. And he's winning. Well, he's winning. And I have one hand on judgment. I narrow my eyes. And I, Hunter sense her. So as an action, I choose one creature I can see within the 60 feet.

I immediately learn whether a creature has any damage, immunities, resistances, vulnerabilities, and what that creature is if they're not hidden I'm divination magic. So my eyes narrow and they blacken, even more so than they are as Tiefling. And you may not see it in the dark, whatever it is, but I am focused. I'm trained on her 110%.

So next. Let's have her put her dress on at least. Do you have any resistances? Anything like that? She's calling Shepard by me. Sorry. Daddy's! Why do it do?

I don't think I do, actually. To be honest. She is a human. I would turn my back. as modestly as I can would be in the room she does not appear to be I guess you wouldn't know

but nothing seems to have changed I know she's a half-help now you know she's half-elfth you're satisfied a hold of a bed sheet just like give her some she's like I just want to grapple she's still wrapped in a bed sheet she just grappled by Clayton

oh okay so she's her hips are now all right all right all right settle now she's still a fucking half elf she's still a fucking half elf I've always been a half elf. Stop.

We're not acting out of line here. Everybody settle the fuck down. Can you release me, Professor? Can she at least change? Come on. The trick. The other hand, when I make eye contact

with Clayton, goes to redemption, and I draw both of my weapons. No, we don't need to go that far. Just... Hulgumentum, and I want to cast to spell magic on her. Okay.

And it would dispel... As long as there are no higher than third level spells, they would all be dispelled on her. And if there were higher level, I would roll for it. Okay. Roll for it. Yes. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

Good move. You have your importance, too. No, he doesn't. This is in television. Do you use a lot of shit? Yes. I love that you call her lose bono. It is always going to be lozahnians.

It's a 19 for the first one. Just keep me, should they keep rolling? Yep. Ooh, that's bad. Three. Yeah. Oh. Nine for the second one.

Why are you rolling multiple times? So for every effect that's higher level than third, you roll for it. Okay. Oh. You've got one spell slot? Yeah, because when you target somebody, it's all effects. 13, so that doesn't, that fails. Go.

14. Go. So I, we can, we can met. Oh. Thank you. Which one is that good? Oh my God. Or did he's rolling us?

No. I usually make any roll for fun. I have. So just tell me what I would gather from dispelling. You would gather that there weren't any magical effect on. I have both weapons, one, not pointed at her because I refuse to, I refuse to talk about. I have to spike your blood pressure some way, and that's a way to do it. Oh, I'm sorry, you got me.

You got me. You're good. You got your... I have my weapon's drawn. I'm trained on her, but I refuse to restrain her with rope. I'm not doing it. If you're satisfied, Professor.

That wasted nut. I will let Victoria go. Professor, are you fucking sure? I think he's sure. Keep your weapons drawn. Let my towel, or my sheet or whatever I have, go and take my dress and just eyes trained on Shepherd

get dressed. She says this. She lets the towel drop. You all see, Victoria, completely nude standing before you. A confidence you've never seen from her before as she reaches out and takes the clothes.

There is something similar in this. Confidence that's only ever been matched by Shredaanya herself as Victoria grabs the clothes and begins to adorn her outfit. My arm... Adorn herself. Holding my weapons.

My arm's slack. They're not... I'm not as... You got fucking bitch. It's true. I did. So now what? I don't know. What did you see?

What's happened when you died? It's a whole a dream. I had the choice to come back and I wanted to come back. The choice from whom, Victoria? The choice from whom? Stradonia. She doesn't bring. people back, not in undead or some sort of form, and I'm not seeing shit.

It's fucked up. Something's fucking off here. I agree. She brought me back and I'm here with you. At what cost? I don't know. I don't know. But I'm here. We want the real fucking Victoria.

We don't want some fucking undead thrall shit. I'm not undead. I don't think. Can I inside check how when she says I don't know? Mm-hmm? I don't think I'm undead. Am I dead? He would have known.

Well, no, he said at what cost was saying, I don't know. Like, you don't think I'm undead. So if you wanna roll, are you trying to be to see? No, I don't think that I'm undead. No, no, you said, she said, yeah. At what cost? At what cost. And you said, I don't know.

And she incited that. And so she's insiding that to see if you're lying. So roll for whatever it is, don't tell us. Yeah. Okay. Well, for whatever it is. And if you're telling the truth, add persuasion. If you're telling a lie and deception.

and then let us know what the number is. Yeah. And if you're concerned, Whisper in Nikki's ear, she'll tell you. Mm-hmm. She'll help you out. I know what it is. So just roll and tell me what the number is. Oh, that's a good idea. Oh, that's good. I like that better. But maybe whisper the number to Nikki,

so that we can't, like, meta-knowledge, like the modifiers. I'm not looking. Okay. She appears to be telling truth. I shoot Victoria 16 times. Yeah, you see that? I got it. I got it. Hight to Raven Lord! Oh, Lars. Lost.

Just kidding. Just kidding. It's high moon. High moon, yeah. It is high moon. You, Victoria, may not know the cost. But no one returns from the lands of the dead for nothing. I agree. This shit is not fucking natural.

Nothing in this land is natural, Mr. Shepherd. If it wasn't Garex that brought you back, if it wasn't the power of the morning lord, the power of even your God, you would turn away from Ill Mater himself. Have you... Give yourself to the darkness of the countess, Victoria. Is the wickedness truly that attractive to you?

I wanted to come back. To be in darkness, surrounded by darkness, and to have a light sprung upon you. Would you not take that? No matter what, came from? If it was not from the light of my lord the fire lord Garrix

then no. Shepherd? Yeah. Restrain her. I don't want to fucking tie her up. I'm not going to fucking do it. Think about how that would look. She's not. I don't give a fuck about

optics. It's about free fucking will. And I wouldn't give, I would be fucking pissed if someone tried to do that to me. The devil's fraud just brought her back from death. And she's not fucking undead, I would know. You keep it down. Everyone else is sitting in the tavern.

Whether she's undid or not, it doesn't matter. The fact that it wasn't Sarnax, it wasn't the morning lord. Listen to the logic that you're saying. Who knows what devilry is responsible for this? Until we sort this out, restrain her hands. I'm extremely confident if she makes a single furtive movement, I will put her down. Why don't you just ask her? alterating her like she's not even in the room.

Thank you. We walk out of here tomorrow with her hands restrained. Everyone's going to think that she was brought back by the devil's straw. Have I not been here every step of the way? That's why I'm giving her free fucking will. Your last step was mere hours ago. Brought on by enamored charms or lust. I don't know what.

My lusts are brought on. by yours. You didn't listen to me. None of you listened to me. Listen to you as in what? Let you die? And we'd be in the same place? You have no faith in me. None, you never have. I've been nothing but an assistant to you since we've gotten here. When I said run, did you run? Did you run? Did you run? Did any of you run? I swore. You let me die by not listening to me, by having no faith in me. so we could have let you die or have you die either way you could have attacked Lady Wachter

you could have ended this so much sooner but you were pompous you would have died either way I fucking do not know the doc healed you in another fucking plane the good doctor was here for you sure we could have left but you would have lasted maybe 30 seconds

we don't leave anyone behind fucking Sarnax won't shut up about me and being some kind of goddamn shepherd about getting everybody home safe not fucking leaving anybody yet you point your guns at me now it's better than tying you up it's not shepherd this is what Stradanya wants hopefully brought her back so that we could all turn against her this is exactly what she wants to out her

this is the best time to try and pull ourselves together Shredanya has already gotten what she wants. If she did, she wanted. I don't think Victoria would be here. She left her to taunt us. She left her to destroy us from within. We must steal ourselves like you said. Use us to our advantage.

She has used me. From the day that I've been here, I've been an outsider to your group. It's exactly why you don't listen to me, why you treat me as if I'm worthless. And maybe I have been in the first. fighting. I'm not a fighter. I never claimed to be. We didn't listen

to you because I swore that I would get everyone back to a ventress alive. Is that yours to swear? Did you know that? This is my expedition. Yes, it is. I'm going to put redemption in its holster and run a hand through my hair

and say, what do you mean? His fucking choice. We're trying to survive. You not value your own life? Of course I'm trying to survive, but when nobody trusts me to take care of myself when he aims to protect me no matter what, that's not his to claim.

He can't protect me. He can't protect any of us. He's a professor. I never look down on you not even once. Never. Something's not right. You know that for a fact. I don't look down on anybody.

I was hired here for some job. And this is so far beyond that. I don't give a fuck about the money. Be honest with yourself. I'll start making tea. If you won't restrain her, Mr. Morgan, keep an eye on her. I'm going to bed. Sarnax, you need rest as well.

Let's get some sleep. I'm not going to be able to restrain her. There's no way. Then keep an eye on her. Must keep an eye on her. Keep your fingers on those triggers. Do what you must. I'm rather tired.

I think I'll go to bed now. Fuck. Fine. Fine. I'll leave and go to the other room and get in bed. I will make tea and kneel down by the bed. And if Shepherd is in the room, I will offer some to him. If he's not, then I'll offer some to Victoria.

And if no one would like tea, Kana will eat tea, will drink tea by herself. I'm going to grumpily walk over to what I assume to be some sort of writing desk in this room. And I'm scowling severely. to the point where it's going to damage my beautiful face. And I'm going to grab the fuck out of whatever fucking chair is right in front of the writing desk.

I'm going to drag it noisily while I'm stare at both of the women. And I'm going to sit it right in front of the fucking chair and I'm going to sit down. Judgment is still out. Redemption is in its holster. I'll slip my back turns out. I'm getting ready to leave and I just look completely haggard as a lizard can look.

Don't worry, Mike. you do. And I will have my lantern and I will step forward towards Victoria as I see all of this happening. Victoria, whatever decision

you made, I can promise you it wasn't worth it. And I am sorry. I fail you. I'm going to. I'll, uh, I see him.

I'm going to. I think you only need one. I snatch it up. Yeah, all right. Thank you. This is kind, I suppose. And judgment is still out by my side, not pointed. It's hanging by my side in my hand as I begin to sit from the tea.

I'll pour a small cup for Victoria and I'll just put it on the window cell. So it's like within her peripheral vision. Just let it like steam up the side of the window and she decides she wants to drink it. And I'll go back to my. You place it there, and the steam begins to have an effect on the window itself. And as you're looking at it, it's almost beautiful the way the steam is dancing, the way water reacts to heat and cold. It's then that you notice it, two eyes staring back at you from the other side of the window. You blink a couple of times when you look.

A doll sitting there on the window, its head lulled forward, its mouth stitched together in a hideous approximation. Smire. Outside or inside? Outside? Is it still there? Like, I blink a couple times that it's still there? Yes. Shepherd.

What? Please do not panic. Okay. Do you see what I'm seeing out the window? Do I see it? You do? I'm going to do a, I'm literally teak up in one hand, judgment in the other, and I'm going to, like,

trying to take my eyes off Victoria. looking at me know. What the fuck is that? Is it what, do we recognize it? No. It's a doll you've never seen before. It looks charred, almost as if part of it has been burnt before. The limbs themselves appear to be

porcelain, and they are singed. You can still see the ash marks on it, bits of stuffing falling out of places. They dress, moth-eaten. The majority of the hair is completely gone. But it doesn't look like it was burnt up. It looks like it was removed with some kind of tool.

Don't, don't panic. Just hold up. We've been through a lot. I didn't get the chance to tell anybody that I ran into Blinsky. He said that he had something for us in the morning. It's been a long fucking night. And I'm kind of worried, concern rather, that it might just be a fucking messenger.

And my eyes are darting between the doll and Victoria. Is it doing anything other than just like tilting? Is it tapping on the window? Nope. I would say, look through the window. See if it has a fucking tag. If it doesn't, pretend it's not fucking there. Because I'm going to enjoy my fucking tea.

It's got a Blinsky tag. I guess we can reassess. I will lean forward and peer into this very creepy-looking doll from the other side of the window. I would say to truly. determine whether it has a tie you'd need to open the window. Damn. I can't tell Sarned that Shepherd. Fuck.

It's fun. I don't know. The Shepherd, shepherds to me. I can't. I can't tell you what to do. But if you open that window, and that fucking doll pulls another fucking knife on me,

we're going to have a real fucking shitstorm right in this fucking hotel room. All right? You make your own decision. I've been pushed a little far tonight. And I'm trying. My goddamn hardest, I'm trying real fucking hard. All right? I'm going to let you make your own choice. But if shit goes pear shape real fucking quick, I can't be promised for whatever fucking happens. I'm not willing to invite anything into this room anymore. Good. Keep an eye on it.

T's not bad. No, thank you. I'm glad you like it. And I put the cup on the floor next to me. And I continue to keep my piercing gaze on Victoria. Every once in a while, make a quick glance of the window. I'm going to take out my collie graffiti tools. And I'm just, well, if the doll is still there,

I'm just going to start sketching to see what it looks like in case it, like, decides to disappear in the morning, but I will... You notice at some point a raven comes down and picks one of its eyes out and carries it away, but the doll stays there. Is it upright? Oh, the eye got carried away, okay. Is it just plopped like this kind of against it, or does it look like it's, like, it's like firmly, like, standing?

No, it's, like, plopped there on the windowsill, and it's just in a way that its head is tilted to the side, and it's stitched on smile. He's right there, staring at you. I'll finish sketching it, and once I'm satisfied with it, I'll put it in my pack and I'll say well it's been some time now the doll hasn't left and I think we should try to get some sleep might just be ominous but I'm not ready to invite that in just yet fuck no that's fine that's fine leave it out there I saw we both saw the raven a raven plucked his fucking eye out I'm not willing to chance it as far as sleep goes I'm watching Victoria I'm not happy with the decision I made

And this is the best middle ground that I can fucking cover. I'm not tying her up. Thank you for not treating her like an animal. I don't like this any more than you do, Shepherd. But the least we can do is treat her like a friend that we want to hear. Until we at least understand all the facts. I'm disappointed in the fact that I even have to do this at all. I ain't going to tire out.

If you need to sleep, sleep. I'll be fine till morning. This isn't the first time that I stayed awake for days at a fucking time, hunting some godforsaken beast. Just do your thing, and I'll be here when the sun comes up. Do you like to take shifts? I can keep you coming. I don't know if I can't sleep. I'm going to sit right here and we'll deal with whatever comes in the morning.

I'll go over to the window and just put my hand on it and look at the doll one more time, verify the window's locked. and close the curtains if there are any. I'll lay back down and try to get some sleep. I'll wake you up if anything goes around. Please do. I have my bravery. Those of you that sleep, enjoy a long rest.

Oh, my God. Those that don't enjoy one level of exhaustion. It's not the first time. Do I have a level of exhaustion? You do not? Really. Wow. Yes.

Oh, my God. Oh. My, HP Max. HP modifier was like negative 50 something. She's an apple spawn. Yikes. Yeah, now I'm a little scared. You wake up in the morning, Clayton, early.

The sound of knocking on the door. Who is it? A hell for one Professor Clayton has read, one Sarnax, just Sarnax. One Kana, Soyakase, and one Silas, Shepard Morgan.

Would I hear this being awake? Oh, yeah. So then my ear would appear to perk up. Yes, all right, and I'll kind of shamble out of bed. Open the door. What do I owe you? Oh, nothing. Me hands you a letter.

This one letter's for all of us. No, I have one for each of you. Well, Ben, give me all of you. them all past them. I have to deliver them. Oh, God. I have recipients. Union rules. The Thoraxe,

speak up. El's day on the wall. Yes. Shepherd. You're gonna come up. I'm up. What is it? You have mail.

We all have mail. What the fuck? Who's sending me mail and goddamn Barovia? I don't know. Probably Stratania. We should read it. I get up and I kick the chair out of the way of the door and I open it up.

Judgment's still in my right hand. You walk. out and you see this there's a squat man standing here maybe five to five three at his tallest an elderly man early to late 70s some well in his 70s um his hair is graying his uh spectacles are overly large for his face they make his eyes pop out and he has a goofy smile on his face and there's a almost a sense of um lack of control. Yeah, somebody's got a like... Why are you rolling?

Why are you... Because I want to inside check the second I see how he's right. He's right. Okay. So you're ready to like blow his fucking head off. I love that you thought that. 26 for insight. For what? To see if he's telling the truth about delivering letters.

Oh, yeah, he's definitely telling the truth. Okay. As long as he doesn't seem like he's a lying sack of shit. And you see he's holding a silver platter. I'm just looking at him. In his hands. It's topped with individual parchments that are. all, that are all individually sealed.

As he turns around, he adjusts his glasses. Who are you gonna say, he's looking at me? Yeah. I'm fucking Shepherd. But I hear my name all. I don't see a male for fucking Shepherd. Silas Shepherd Morgan.

Oh, this one's for you. Jesus Christ, how the fuck they get my full fucking name. Oh, are you? Are you? What are you, sir? I am Sarnax of the Aedlewood. Oh, I am Sarnax. Just sarnax.

For all the mail that I've received, I have explicitly mentioned it should be of the Aedlewood. While I hear a letter, I want to flip it left and right in my hands and find traps on it. Okay. Damn. I'm paranoid as fuck. You scared. There is another sarnax. This is not for you.

Kana, soil, Kazi. Present. There's your mail. Thank you. Do you know where I could find sarnax? I would just... He's right here. Give me the letter.

This is sarnax. He's the only sarnax in Borovia. Please say there might be another sarnax. He's kidding. Technically, there could be. They have very dry humor from where he's from. It's highly unlikely. Please just give him the parchment.

This is Sarnax. Can I sign for it or something? I'm so sorry for the disruption. Please, this is the man you're looking for and I'll give him a coin. Keep you going. Here, Sarnax. He hands you the letter.

Of the able, would it? Would there be any mail for a Miss Victoria Isaacs? None for the lady Victoria. He clasped your hands. Congratulations. No, no. As he begins to shamble away. Oh, shit. Well, detect might find traps.

You did not find any traps. Nothing. Okay. Well, I would do the same. I would open it up using my knife. Congratulations. That's like a letter over. I don't know. A beautiful header in gold, in gold ships. I can't remember the word.

Collegraity. Sure. Filigree. Foiling. In gold foil. You are cordially invited. Spirred everywhere. To the wedding.

of Stradanya von Zaravich and Lady Victoria Isles to be held at Castle Ravenloft. Is it all the says? I still have judgment in one hand. And it is, for all intents and purposes, an invitation to Castle Ravenloft. I'm excited. I snap and I immediately burn it. You snap and you watch as the flames lick up the sides. It makes the gold lettering shimmer, almost as if it is dripping blood. What is it? But it does not ignite.

Starting to quiver a little. I hand her the invitation, but I don't say it word. I still have judgment in one hand. I'm going to turn to her and say, and you having handed it to her, I'm going to hold mine up and say, you want to fucking explain this? I'll read it.

You're making it real hard for me to not side with the professor here. But I don't like to say I told you so. Stop. No more. Not another guy. goddamn word. I want to hear what she has to say. I don't have the ring on my finger, do I? You do.

Fuck. That looks bad. Opsie. You would have known that it was on your finger. You could have slipped it off in the middle of the night. No one looked for it. So I would leave that up to you to decide if that something before you had done. I literally just thought of it. So I'd be like,

oh, I guess you better. start talking. I don't know what to say. Except for what? Except for I don't know what to say. I told you I was given the opportunity at life, and I couldn't say no to that. I'm going to crumble blood and throw it to the ground.

I'll just reread it again and make sure I'm like... So what's going to happen is that the four of us are going to go to Castle Ravenloff, and you're going to fucking stay 6,000 miles away from that a cursing fucking castle. Correct? I don't, I don't know. What do you mean you don't know? Will she let you in?

If I'm not with you. I don't think she has a goddamn fucking choice. Exactly right, shepherd. Please restrain, Miss Isaac. Stop. No. Professor. The fact of the matter is that you're thinking about going to Castle Ravenloft.

The fucking Victoria, I know. What do you expect me to do? To get yourself safe and far away from the fucking castle. I'm not safe anywhere here. Unless I can go and be released from this land entirely, I'm not safe. None of us are safe. Pretoria, we've seen Sarnax stabbed through the chest with Tridonia's sword. Yes.

We've seen dead children. We've seen mothers nailed to walls their life stolen from them. We've seen Esmeralda, her head removed. from her body. We've seen Sergei von Zorovic dead hundreds of years by his sister's hand. All brought back to life

by the power of Gerex or the Morning Lord. All by the power of light. And you don't feel like that would be your salvation. You wouldn't wait for the light? I don't have a choice. I'm back.

now. We all have a choice, Victoria. I hate that the professor's making a lot of goddamn sense right now. Am I supposed to just let you go, all of you, and die? No. And her hand. You let Sarnax bring you back. You let the morning lord bring you back. The abbot, Say again. That ship has sailed. And that is precisely the problem. Shepherd, please restrain Miss Isaacs. I'm not gonna fucking tie her up. I'm going to approach Victoria and I'm going to put her hands in my hands the same way that I did back at the vineyard. I'm going to say, Victoria, I need this from the bottom of my heart. Help me with the truth that do not comfort me with a lie. You are betrothed to Stradanya von Zarvich.

Please, you matter very much to me, to us. Might not seem that way right now, but I do care for you. Please tell me what you promised to Stradonia. Victoria. You promised that you would give her an answer. So you're technically not engaged. She's a cocky motherfucker, so I mean. Victoria, and if you do value all of us as much as we value you,

you will consent to magic. So we know that you are not lying to us. Consent to what? When I cast a zone of truth. I will choose to fail. I will tell you the truth. Are you stepping and I also fail? Are you choosing to fail?

I'm choosing to fail. Now we can all speak freely and honestly compelled by the fire lord himself. I have told you the truth. I've told you exactly how I feel, and I've told you what I've promised to her, which frankly is not much. I wanted the choice to come back, and that is what she gave me. So I'm here.

And what did you promise her? I promised that I would consider her offer. Offer of what? Which was what? A life with her. An eternity with her. And you even considered it for a second. Would you not?

Do you value life so little that you wouldn't even consider it? I trust in Garrix. Well, I do not. Garrix is not my God. Neither is Trudana. You've forgotten your own god. No. That's why I have not promised anything to her.

Victoria, this whole time we have been in Borovia. What has ill-mater done for us? What has Ilmator done for you? We are only all here standing in this room because of Garex, because of the fire lord. It is selfish and ignorant. And true. Not true. It's certainly true.

It is. And I'm not a religious man, but we can't deny that you are corrupted by dark powers. And only the grace of Garex brought us back from that. ultimate evil. And I... I... I brought you back from the brink of life, but, I mean, all the other things,

the times that I've helped. Anything you've asked me to reveal, I've revealed for you with my God's power. Do you ignore that now? So what happens when we cross the threshold into Castle Ravenloff? Because the fucking countess

seems to think that you have some sort of arrangement. I have an idea. Please. You're not going to like it. Probably not. What better way to celebrate a wedding than to have her own brother in attendance. We go with you. Make it all seem okay that we've accepted this as your future.

And her brother walks you down the aisle. She wouldn't expect it. She'd be completely off her guard. and I feel like Sergei, as disappointed as he might be in you, this would be an opportunity for us to close that gap. Bridge the family, and maybe, maybe restore some order in this land of chaos. This means a great responsibility would be put on your shoulders. I don't understand how far the ripple...

of your waves go. I don't know what you have promised. I don't know what you're not telling us. I am in the zone of truth. Have you not told us anything? Have you withheld anything from us? I've told you what I've promised her. What you've asked me I have come clean to you about.

I'm not trying to deceive you. Is your will your own? As much as it can be. Yes or no, is your will your own, Victoria. I don't know how to answer that. You think yes. You believe your own, yes. Who do you serve?

I serve myself. I came here serving my own needs, and I will continue to do so. I took this opportunity to save my life. Have you prayed to Illamater since? No. I haven't. Have you... What of that connection?

Has that been severed? I don't know. To be honest, would you like to try? I suppose I should. I don't think your plan is a bad one. I was just hoping that we'd use Sergei as an ace in the hole. I don't want to reveal it too quick. And quite frankly, as much as this is going to fucking hurt.

What about Irina? Because the second that Stradania sees Irene, Miss Victoria's going to get kicked to the curb. That's why Irina stays at the abbey no matter what we do. She's protected by the grace of Sergei. Forever, presumably. Are we seriously entertaining the idea of a false wedding where we all attempt to deceive the countess who sees all in Borovia?

No, no, I'm not. Absolutely not. I'm that entertaining falsities. I'm just saying, we got an ace in the hole, quite literally. We don't want to fuck around with it. We don't want to blow it too early. I think Kahn is on to something. But we're not just going to waltz in like everything's, you know, hunky-dory.

And we're going to pretend like we're going to have some sort of fucking wedding. Because it ain't happened. Either way. We need to go. Where do you want to go? We need to go back to Kresk. We need to check and make sure that nothing has happened in our absence. Arabele has just lost her, all the family she's ever known.

It's a far journey. I saw them. Excuse me? I saw their souls. And I was out. Her family? Her family, yes. Well, they're certainly dead.

Would you consider an audience with Sergei when we go back? Yes. I don't know that he'll be receptive to this. I don't even know if it's a good idea, to be honest, but... He might not have the reaction that you want, but he can provide us a great deal of information about his sister. Yeah. Fuck, I'm not thinking fucking clearly.

I'm sorry, everybody. I ran into fucking Blinsky grass last night. He fucking asked for you or some shit. He said he had something for us. I presume it's your... bullshit you spent all your goddamn gold on. Jesus fucking Christ. Excuse me?

It's not bullshit. Fucking debatable. The point is, I ran into the fucking creepy fuck, and he said he had something for us. I assume he meant you and probably just didn't remember your name, knowing fucking Blinsky. We got to head over there before we go anywhere. Is that fair? I mean, we don't all have to.

I just, I figured he's looking for Sarnax. I think Victoria would probably like some alone time to pray to a meter. We should also address the fact that the Vestani camp was filled with corpses, and we failed to address that last evening. What is there to address? Perhaps burning all of the bodies. The whole town's full of corpses, Sonic. They should be...

We don't know their customs. We don't know what they want. We don't know what they do. Look, I'm not opposed to the practical idea behind it, but I'm not trying to cause trouble. We're deep, deep in shit, Sarnax. I understand that. But this may be the last time that Victoria will have with her father. And as much as it is a possibility that you have turned to the darkness, I would not rob you of one final goodbye.

That's fair. Sorry. But when we are ready to go, I can get us back to the Abbey in an instant. Oh. But we should check out the town. We should make sure everything is fine. Yes. Is the doll still on the window cell?

It is. I noticed this last night. We both did. I didn't want to invite it in. It could be one of Blinsky's creations. Selective. I'll open the window and hesitate for a second and then I'll. Grab the doll.

Some fucking Raven. You grab the doll. You grab the doll. And the moment your hand encases it, you immediately can hear the jingling of coins. This is very heavy. It is filled to the brim with something. Coin? Do you?

Something inside. Cut it open. I'm ready to fucking find favors of some shit. I'll turn it over and try to find a zipper or something and gently pry. There are no zippers. go over to the bed and tear it open and empty it out. You tear it open and you empty it out and tons and tons of gold is falling out of this.

More gold that you should imagine to even fit inside of this doll. It's almost as if it does not stop. And finally, a letter floats down on top of it. As you pick it up to read it, it is in a handwriting you've never seen before. And it reads. To the heroes of villains.

It is, this is a message from Blinsky, toy maker of Velaki, now town fully saved, was town due for destruction? Thank you for saving the village for me, because of this I have ransacked the Bergamaster's house. He was a horrible man. He can go to hell. He is dead now. We are burning him today, along with all of the villagers in town, at the, atop the Velaki Hill. Thankfully, I have a magical, wonderful wagon of toy destruction that is helping me to accumulate everything. and do what needs to be done.

Please, come and join us if you would like, say goodbye to those that are lost, buy some more toys with your newfound monies, whatever you choose to do. Also, easy key to the mansion. You may have it if you want. The mansion. Blinsky.

I hand the gold to the process. P.S. Don't forget the promise you made me. Need to see him. Just see him in the morning. I mean, I guess. You made a promise to him that when and if you went to Castle Ravenloft, you would look for a certain person. That's right. My Shepherd has not forgotten about that.

Shepherd is super curious about it. Whether he's going to make good on the promise or not, he's curious. Mastermaker. Yes. There is a mechanical man of some sort. Who is the creation of the best one maker and all the world. Correct. Correct.

I hand however much of the sum of gold that was to the professor. How much was it? Five thousand old pieces. I will. So it seems he was doing what you wish to do, burning them all. Yes. He also fucking slaughtered the Burger Master. Fuck!

I wonder what happened to Isaac. I don't know that that's any name was. I presume he was torn apart by the undead. You watched it happen. Fuck, I remember now. No, Isaac, no, you did not watch that happen. I wonder what happened. easy. I'm sorry. I thought you meant the burgomaster.

I think we should. I mean, I would have thought that the burger master would have felt protected by Izzy. Fuck. We should not delay to make sure the town is safe. Meet Blinsky. Pay our respects. Pay our respects, if you'd like. And just the key,

no deed, no bill of sale? This is worthless. We can't train this. Which mansion is this for the... The burgomaster's mansion. Okay. I thought the night in the watch your house. Half the fucking seas burned down. Oh, for Miss Haller University.

Why don't we just go? Turn it into a museum. This place is a hell. Jesus. We just go check it out. That's it. We just need to get out of you. No more claiming.

No more conquest. No more deeds. Just go check it out. Let us go to, do it say what time of day the burning was? No, just that they would be doing it. Well, I would say once you step out into the streets, you're able to see that there are multiple wagons, guards, those that remain, are piling bodies onto the wagons as they're being wheeled out of town.

You can see that their burning has already begun at the hill and they're just continually taking bodies and throwing them onto the pyre. The villagers, though they didn't talk about it much, they have experience with these kinds of things. They understand that the time is limited that the bodies need to be, to be burned, to protect those that are still living. We got to find Blinsky. I told him we'd find him.

Again, Sarnax, this is on you, buddy. You gotta fucking take the lead here. But I told him we'd find him, so we gotta do it, all right? Very well. Let us say goodbye to Blinsky and the others and allow Victoria some time with her father if he has not been turned to ash. And then we return to the mansion before we go.

Very well. Quickly. let us go. I'm going to fall back to the back of the group and open the invitation again from Stradanya and see if there's a date for the wedding. There isn't. So I guess we'll proceed kind of with where Blinsky said to go. To wherever you'd be this burning, what's it, the hill?

The pyre. You make your way out of town and takes you about 45 minutes to get from where you're at to the hill, but you make your way up there and you do see Blinsky's, um, Winski's wagon. It is a mishmash of all the toys that you can possibly remember from his shop. And all of them are activated doing a multitude of things. Some of them are chopping fire. And you see that other wagons are taking it and delivering it back into town to provide the townsfolk with wood for their hards. You see a giant, what looked like at some point was the toy of a hag in her cauldron. but the cauldron has been turned into a soup pot,

and there are people ladling soup out to those that are here, all multitude of things that this wagon is doing. And you see Blinsky there ahead of it all, wearing a strange, rough approximation of a jester's costume, a monkey on his shoulder. Like a real monkey? Yeah, they had a real monkey. The same monkey that we saw.

Orctavio's monkey. Like Tavio, yeah. Monkey. Blinsky, we have arrived as you had requested of Shepard. Oh, it is good to see you. I left your prize on your window still. I flinged it up with this contraption, and you see as he points behind him,

and he's got a small catapult, and you see that there is a doll, a mechanical doll that is manning it, and it is flinging things this way and that. Thank you. We've received it, and we are very grateful for your donation. Yeah, okay. Would you like to buy some more,

Toys Lizardman. Has my last custom order been delivered? Whether it has been delivered or knows, really, but I do know that it has been in transit. This is the best I can hope for, I suppose. Hopefully the ferrier is not dead. I will check on the status of my shipment, and if it has arrived and I am pleased, perhaps I will consider another, another, uh, shipment. That would be lovely.

A lot of the shop took some significant damage, and any money would like to provide Dublinski is money to make toys for the children. And he looks completely ridiculous in the jester hat. They're on either side, a bell on each of the pieces, and every time he talks and moves his head, they jingle. And it's a strange juxtaposition with the entire pyre behind him burning bodies.

I thank you for your skilled craftsmanship, and it heartens me to see you have survived the onslaught of Lady Wachter. We do not have much time in this city, in this village. However, unfortunately, our traveling companion, Victoria lost her father in the onslaught, and she wishes to pay her last respects before his body is returned to the soil of the earth. all those that were unclaimed were burned this morning I see would that include all of the dusk elves we started at the Velaki camp

he looks to Victoria my condolences in your loss thank you but you may approach the pyre if you'd like to say words I'll go up and just kind of stare down into the pyre Curbett. You do that. Do you have any luck, Sarnax?

Is your toys? The toys should hopefully be at the abbey. They are considered adult figurines. Well, fucking shit. They're collectibles. Of course they are. I bet. I have collected the ones I found to be appealing to me.

Yep, great. Sarnax. I'm real happy for you. Fuck. There is a huge market for these things. I'm sure. You resell value on the ones that are limited edition is actually quite lucrative. Grand. Professor, just, you know, be careful with how much money you'd give fucking sarax. God.

I'll step up to the burning bodies, and if there has been any area where they finished burning, and there's a pile of ash, I'll pull out a seed. Now, I'll just step forward and say, this flame that consumes you is a light for all of the lost and the weak, and there is comfort and strength and returning to the soil of the earth. May you become a great and mighty tree and raise your limbs to the sky. Rest well, I'll plant a single seed, and I'll back up. All right. You do this.

I'll take out my blade and step forward and just draw a symbol for peace and color good for use notes run with my nagmigree. not a in the ash on the ground and peace and longevity in the afterlife, and then I'll step away and join the rest. I will turn to Blinsky and I'll hold the key up and I'll say, do you have the right to give this mention to us? Well, they guard them down. They told me I could give it to you if you wanted it.

You have done a great service to the village. They have not given you rights to be Bergomaster, but you can at least take the place. I did go through it, tore it, piece from peace, and rounded up everything that was in there, I gave that to you all, except for things I could use in my shop, of course, like little trinkets and springs and nuts and bolts.

Are you saying there's no reason for us to give it a want-so? You could if you want to, but there's really no reason to. The only things in there of real interest are Isaac's creepy room and the strange room that the sun used to sleep in, but all other ones were fine. would have Lady Wachter's house What does it

It was burned to the ground this morning A mob of angry villagers Put a torch to it What of the Bergam What of Isaac? What of the burgomaster's family? Did they all perish? He looks sad for a moment

And then he smiles bright Well, the wife was torn limb From Lin by vampire spawn The Izak has not been seen since he was crying and running from the house when the entire, when these streets became filled with zombies. And the little boy was quite a shit, but I have not seen him.

There is no sign of him. Just mean he's ex-dead. Certainly doesn't mean the war dead. He never left the room as far as I know, so he may still be in the house. Ah, fuck. You didn't check every room. No, I tore it from lemon.

I did not see him there, So maybe he's hiding in his room. I don't know. He was not there when I look. Ah, Professor, now we got to go look. Yes, we should. We can't just, we just can't walk away. I agree.

Well, thank you for this. And hopefully this holds up in a court of law once this is all over. The court of what? Do you have any legal standards in Borovia? Yes, of course, the Bergamaster. Oh, wow. Do you feel better now? Yes, I do.

I do. It's something. And I'll put the key back in my coat. Will the new one be elected? No, not elected. It is all based on bloodlines and family. Once we go through the book to find out who is the closest related to the Bergomaster, we will put him into power, regardless of his ability to do the job.

So it is what it is, but in the meantime, we have toys. I mean, I don't. action figures. Thank goodness for that. Do you have any that could help us against, you know, I just point to the sky. Do you want to fly or something? She hates birds.

Any like slingshots or anything like that? Oh, sure. He reaches into his pocket and he hands you a slingshot. There you go, Karma. Thanks. I'll give this to all that. That will be too gold. I give them two gold. Thank you. Against the two gold pieces.

I'll be. I was going to ask if you had anything to help us that... I mean, your toys did quite help the battle and saved a lot of people. And you were able to hold up the defenses of your home without. If there's anything that would be able to help us against Johnny. Well, no, we don't say that name here today. I was great spending time with you.

You should probably do your moor house, I think. So good day. Good day. Good day. Good day. And thank you again. Oh, we'll be well. Oh, there's too soon. Damn.

It is probably too soon. So what? You might want to wait to open that one. We're just going to head right to the Burger Master's house, then. We got nothing else, right? If there's a young child trapped in there, hiding in there, we should at least... We just got to be careful if we accidentally round a corner and find he's egg. We know he has great power, so we should confirm that he's either dead or gone.

Sure. Sure. Let's go. All right. So we'll start going to the mansion. You quickly make your way through the village and to the mansion itself. And for the sake of brevity, it's my favorite sentence. You love brevity.

You were easily able to enter the mansion. It is clean, well kept. And you can see that there was a scuffle here at the front where it looks like the burgomaster and his wife were pulled against their will from the house. And as you make it. And as you make your way through the rooms, it's easy to tell where Blinsky looked and that he did a really, a really nice job of turning this place upside down, inside out to make sure that it was completely cleaned out. There are only two rooms, the two Blinsky mentioned to you, that seemed to draw your attention. The first one being Eczak's room. and as you get to it, you open the door, you look in. Dolls. This room is full of pretty little dolls

with powder white skin and dark hair. Some of them dressed beautifully, others plainly. Some of the dolls fill a long bookshelf and others are arranged in neat rows on wall-mounted shelves. Still, others are piled atop a bed and a heavy wooden chest. What's most odd is that all of the dolls, apart from their clothing look the same. They all look like Irene, Coliana. Looking around the room, there is no sign

of Isaac. You do see a couple of spots where there once had been dolls, but they are missing. And in their place, is a letter in a small shaky scrawl. To the castle.

We'll find her. Must find her. he's gone to Ravenloft no doubt yes sure we'll see him again so was you think Irina went to Ravenloft and he's going after

he's obsessed of course I think we can all presume what will happen to him there yes we should keep looking for the child though will this continue Professor lead the way

so I guess we'll keep going through the house investigating and looking for any signs of... You continue, and you find the main room with the beautiful trappings of the burgomaster. And you get to a point where you begin to wonder if it's nothing but talk that he had a son. There are no signs of a child here,

no paintings with a burgomaster and his wife as well as a child. But you continue to look, the last place to inspect the attic, to make your well. up the dilapidated wooden stairs, you do find yourself in what appears to be a large storage area,

a small room off to the side, a ruin etched into the front. And it looks to have some sort of glyph inscribed on the door. What is this? Do I recognize it? Rollin Arcona check.

Great. I've done. 12? No. But looking at it, you do notice something. Someone has carved a large skull into the door. And

hanging from the doorknob is a wooden sign that reads, all is not well. And as you listen, you can hear a young man's voice from beyond, though the words are unintelligible. Hey, hey, hey, we can't. We can't leave.

There's somebody. In there, hey, it sounds like somebody young. We can't. What is this? Can we get through this? Can you handle this? Why don't you lead, Kevin? Me.

Yes. Well, call out. Just knock. There's a glyph on the door. I thought this was your realm. I mean, I'll not. If you don't think my arm's going to get fucking blown off. And instead of knocking, I'm just going to say, hey, hey, can you hear me in there?

We're here to hell. You can hear, you can hear the. voice and it's continuing to speak, but standing where you're standing, it's hard to understand. You feel like you'd have to lean in a little bit more. You'd have to actually try to listen to the words. I can't hear them. And if you think this, this door's okay to touch, fine, I'll do it. I'll do it. I'm going to take out the slingshot that I just purchased. I'm going to load it up, I'm just going to fling it up the wall, and have the ball roll back to me then we'll fling it back and try to like knock on the door, basically.

You do that. And it doesn't seem to have any effect on the chanting on the inside. Alright, fuck it. I take my head off. I put my head up. I don't believe so. I need you to make a investigation. No, not an investigation check.

An intelligence check. Me? Yes. Oh, my. That ain't good. Or an arcana check. That's even worse. As I'm just trying to listen to the fucking door.

Oh, boy. That's not good. You idiot. Thank you. Got a 10. Excuse me. You listen, and it sounds like magic words, but you're not a caster. You don't work with the weave the way Clayton does or even Sarnax does.

This is not something you can fully understand. Having heard it, I'm just going to, again, kind of like keep with my hand up against the door, like, hey, hey, we're just trying to help. And I'm going to try the handle if there is one. I need you. Actually, no, you just take this damn. Yes. Thank you, Professor fuckface. Oh, I do it. Oh, my. Oh, you have a rest in.

You're right. You're right. The bagels, the bagels are cursed. 29 points of lightning damage. Okay, so I'm basically ricocheted from the fucking doors. As I scream, Jeff, are you okay? As I scream, fuck you, professor. Oh,

But in doing so, the door does come open. And you look inside and you see... Is I'm smoldering? You look inside and you see that someone has taken old, mismatched furniture and created a study in this dusty lamplet chamber. Tables are strewn with pieces of parchment on which strange diagrams are drawn. The freestanding bookshelf holds a collection of bones.

A dusty rug covers the floor in front of a pine, box on which lounges a skeletal cat. Several more skeletal cats skulk about. Most unnerving of all is the sight of three small children standing with their backs to you in the northeast corner of the room. Ah! Ha! Ha! You son of a bitch! I told you to ship the fucking door! Well, I didn't know it to me, thank you. Dammit! It must be scary! God damn it! Shepard do this! Shepherd do that! Children! Children, I'll call out to them and see if they react. They make no motion. Something's wrong.

Yeah, something's real fucking wrong. Maybe dolls. My heart's fucking palpitating. Dr. Sare, can you do your magic business and see if anything's wrong here? I would need some time, but... What kind of fucking time? I have a minute, so, like, one minute and ten seconds. I undraw judgment and holding my fucking battered frame.

I walk in the fucking door. Why? Is this familiar? Walking behind him. Hey. Try to shout out the kids again. Hey, are you all right? Is everything all right?

Shepherd, why don't you relax a moment? You seem not well. Yeah, I'm fucking, I got fucking cooked like a goddamn goose. Just sit a minute and rest. I'm not sitting. Hey, hey, are you all right? Kids, listen, are you all right? Can you hear me?

Does the chanting seem to be coming from them? It has completely stopped. Oh. And they're facing a wall for us? Is there a window? They're sitting in three wooden chairs facing the wall. Oh, fuck. Are they all just next to each other or they insist your formation?

And there's no windows in here. Then not that you, well, I mean, there are windows, but they have dark curtains over them. This is the very top of the attic. I'm going to walk over to the middle chair, kneel down and put my hand on a shoulder and try to turn the chair around. You kneel down, put your hand on the shoulder and feels cold and stiff. As you turn the chair around, you see that this is but a facsimile of a child. simply a wooden doll dressed in old

moth-eaten children's clothing. No, fuck. It's just a doll. Yeah, but the chanting stop. I heard Channing. Before I got fucking blasted at goddamn Derek's homeland, I fucking heard it.

Hello, is anyone there? Anyone? Do I see anything else moving or anything else in the room? You do not? You can't do anything? You're going to let me get fucking cooked, and you can't do anything.

Well, I'll take a look around. And I'm going to start kind of going through to see what kind of spellcaster might be in this space, what kind of magic the trap might have been, to sort of kind of do a once over of the room. I look to say it. I want you all to roll a perception check. And I want you to, and then I want you to roll an arcana check for me. Thank you. 20 plus, uh, baby roll. Oh, that's good. I got a 24. I also got a 24. I'm a I'm going to turn to Starix and be like, I feel like I'm losing my mind here.

Is this not the first day we fucking spent in this world? What's going on? I think you should have a seat, and I'll put my hand on his. This may sting a bit. And I'm going to cast cure wounds off. Perception is 16, or, yeah, 16, and Arcana is 26.

11 points of healing. On perception. Perfect. 24 for me. So you are, as you begin to walk around and look, you head towards the spellbook open in the very center of the room and you notice that there is a sigil etched into the ground on the floor. The rest of you notice faintly at first, the chanting, small childlike voice, but it's darting

all around, as if a child is running throughout this room and it is not stopping. It's a chance and chance and chance. Clayton, you are standing on top of the circle and you begin to read through the spellbook. And you realize that this is a horribly flawed approximation of a spell for the teleportation circle. And as you read through it, you see that it is held together. It's bits of pieces of other spells, but parts of it missing and in a small childlike scroll, you see where this person had attempted to use their own ideas to fill it out. And as you read through it, it dawns on you.

If whoever this is finishes this cast, this will not teleport you anywhere, but would potentially kill you outright. This is dangerous. This is mishmash. This is real volcano magic. What is it? What was doing this clearly doesn't know what they're doing?

What do you mean? You should probably get rid of it immediately, Professor. We just burn the book, right? I mean, if that's a problem. Whose book is this? I'm about to burn. I'm going to pick up the book. Get away from the sigil, professor. I'll back up from the sigil.

Last chance before it's gone. You look down at your feet, the sigil encompasses most of this room. We should get out of the room now. I'm going to back up. I'm going to start working my way out of the room, slowly backing my way towards the door we came in. Is there any reaction from the three? dolls that are on the chairs

when he picks up the book. What do they look like? Do they look the same? Are they different kind of children? They look to be roughly the same. Okay. Is there anything clothing-wise about them? Any patches? Anything that would stand out? You just tattered old children's clothes? I'm going to write the

chair again so it faces forward. I'll join everyone else outside of the room. I mean, professors, it's not worth it. Just, you know, we can destroy the book. It's fine, right? I mean, danger's no good. What were they trying to teleport to? Did I get a sense of that?

No. Desimation? Is there anything else? No. And did I find anything else? No, you did not. Look, you don't have to destroy it, but, I mean, you said yourself, it's dangerous, right? It's not worth...

Was this the burgomaster, his son? Ezek? Must have been his son. Perhaps he attempted to teleport away, and in doing so, down. died instantly if what you just said is true. Maybe he was trying to leave him. Perhaps. Perhaps.

And as you say this, the room is a wash in pure, near-white blue light as the teleportation circle is activated. You hear the sound of a scream, a faint, child-like scream in the thud of a body.

I look around to see if there's anything on the ground. You look into the room and you see towards the edge of the room, a small boy in haphazard wizard robes seems to have been made by himself, holding another copy of the spellbook

that you hold in your hands. The page it's on, on one side, greater invisibility, on the other, teleportation circle. What the fuck happened? Having finished the chant, he activated the magic, hoping to teleport out.

But as you knew when you read, the circle was not complete, it would not work that way. And instead, it took his life. What the fuck? Well... Oh, no. I immediately brought up to the kid.

It just removed the book. Did he not hear my words when I told you? The room is warm. The magic still lingering in the air. His body is still warm in your hands. Fuck. The life gone from his eyes. And as you look down at him, you can see that this was...

It's unmistakable, the son of the burgomaster. Is he gone? I think I... He's dead, yes, yes. I even said it aloud. He's a child, professor. What? Can you do anything to bring it back?

Not me. Lay him down quickly. In this room? Let's get out of the room in case it explodes again. Yes. Come back, foolish child. And I'm going to use one of my crystals and cast a room to fire on them. Holy shit.

What an awful idea. You take the crystal and you place it onto his chest and you begin to channel the spell. And you wait and you wait. Nothing happens. It failed. I would say you having cast the magic would know. I rolled to see if it would. His soul chooses not to return to the body.

Wow. This is another one of Stradanya's interventions. No, it is not. It seems as if the soul did not wish to return. Clayton, I want you to make an intelligence check. Would he rather die in a world where his parents were devoured by zombies and skeletons? This kid's smarter than I am. 13.

You are almost unfazed by this. As you flip through this book, and you see it's not just a spell book, but it's also a journal, and you see scrollings in here. The suggestion spell worked. I used it to convince the maid to come upstairs. The teleportation spell is still ineffective. I've disposed of her remains outside. I'm making a few adjustments. I will query the butler up to my room tomorrow.

We'll see if it works then. And it goes on pages and pages of servants that have been sacrificed to this teleportation service. Holy fuck. Documents of cats that have been dug up from behind Vachter House and animated. Talks of names given to the three dolls in the corner. Every time a spell doesn't work,

need to be punished. Ineffectual wizard children. There was something strange. You eventually get to a page. They want me to marry the ugly walkder girl, Stella. I invited her to my room. I knew that the spell wasn't ready yet. Her mind will never be the same. Ha ha, ha, ha, ha. I'm sorry to inform you all that this child wasn't. wasn't quite innocent. And I'll tell all that. Yeah. Oh, dear gods.

What the fuck are we doing? So he tried to cast suggestion on her? The spell wasn't ready? Yeah, so he cast suggestion on all these people to bring them up into the room, try this circle, and they kept dying. To try the circle? Well, no, so there was another spell. He didn't mention what the spell was.

He just said he knew a spell wasn't ready, but he tried it on her anyway, and then it broke her mind. And forgotten that this child was why Stella is how she is. So much has happened. Fuck. To think I would have used the power of my God to bring such an evil soul back. I am glad it did not work. It was also fate.

I rolled a five on whether his soul would come back. I was like, oh, it'll be fun if they rest him and he gets to yell at them. Or be evil. To think I thought for a moment that this was our doing and not his own comeuppance. Garex, I will not be so foolish. Forgive me. I think we had every reason to

pay the poor boy. We've seen so many children die. Yes. Since we've been here. Don't blame yourself so. Nothing is as it seems here, and I wish to leave. I wish to burn this mansion to the ground, and I wish to return to the abbey, so we may then begin our

process of burning Ravenloft to the ground. Agreed. We don't Waste another fucking second. I don't believe we burn it to the ground. Let's return it to the city. Let's find the guard captain, give him the key, and he can do with the mansion what he will. It's been so much loss already.

It's just a building. Let's go find the town guard captain immediately, and we will return to the grove. What have this boy's body? Leave it. They will know what to do. So we'll seek out the... That's sort of everything in that way.

Yeah, you're easily able. to find the captain of the garden, return the key. He seems a little confused as to why you would return a mansion to him, but he doesn't press you, and he has other pressing matters at hand. As we will step away, and I'll look at everyone, and I'll say, are you all ready to return to the Abbey? Yeah. Yes.

To the grove of the morning, Lord, and now Grove of Garex. Very well, let me see how this works. Let me turn to page 5 in the handbook. Gather all around my lantern. Gather all around me in a tight circle. Garrix, return us to the sanctuary, the foothold of your renewal I have planted in Borovia, and then a flame will whip around,

and we will all appear in the grove of a Garrick's that I set up. you are able to utilize this power to move you from one place the next. The sun feels warm on your skin as it breaks through the cloud cover here. The light of the morning lord shining peacefully down on the city of Cres. The abbey of St. Markovia is beginning to shine in the sunlight. Cleaning, restoration has been done on it, and it looks so much better than when you left. almost the way you would expect it to look at its height.

You make your way out of the grove and up the winding path that leads to the abbey. People are bustling around here. Villagers of Cres are tending to the gardens. You see that these scarecrows out there have been renewed and revigorated. That growth has already begun in the now fertile soil. You make your way through people nod and say, smile at you. Thank you as you go this way and that. You're pleased to see you back. As you find yourselves ushered into the main room of the Abbey, the abbot sitting behind a desk, furiously riding

away. He raises his hand in recognition of you, but continues back to what he's doing. As you see Arabelle off to the corner sitting on Irene's lap, crying into her bosom. I remember. I remember. I Marina slowly petting her hair as she shushes her and holds on to her. Sergei kneeling next to her, one hand on her back as they both try to comfort her. We do not seem to notice you as you walk in. Immediately you see Arabelle's head jolt up. Her eyes widened as she begins to wipe the tears from her face and she pushes at Irene and jumps up. She straightens her dress and she begins to try to choke back the tears, but she can't as they spill out of her face.

And she lets out at a full run directly into you. She crashes into your legs, Clayton, and she wraps her arm around them. I know what happened. I know. I saw it. I know it. I know what happened. You cannot tell me it happened.

I know you want to lie to me. I know you do. But you will not lie to me. I want to go to my room. room. Let me go now. Get me a new doll and a bigger pool. And I want the three-house and they also want the pink cake. I know. Can I have a tiara please? You know everything, yes. And I'm so, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry about everything.

I am not strong enough for what is happening. You're stronger than you know. Clayton, I am not strong enough. I am but a wee little thing. I am too young for this pain. You have great power and you need to learn how to use this in the controller. I miss him. I know, but I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I was not ready for him to go. You have other family? I don't have anyone. Well, you can This is your family and I'll look around.

You have us. You have us, Gerald. We'll never leave you. But you are not done. same. None of you will ever be the same. I will never be the same. Your gift, unfortunately, comes with incredible power, and I can even begin to fathom what you've seen. But please, a tiara, more toys, a bigger pool, whatever, please, let me know and I will do it again. I don't want to sleep anywhere but that bed from now until always. All right.

You promise. And she looks up at you. Her eye as wide as tears stream out of them. When you make sure I am always safe. This is a dangerous world, but I will do what I can. I promise. I promise. And she turns and wipes her face as she turns to look at you, Victoria.

Look okay when you saw him in these shadows? Yes, dear. Did he say that he missed me? short time that I saw them. They are okay. And they will wait for you. I will see them again. We have to be better than we were yesterday any day before.

Because if we are not, we cannot win. And we have to win now for them, for all those that sacrificed for us to do what needs to be done. She is scared. She's angry. I've never heard, I've never felt her feel like this. She knows it's coming. She knows the end is coming. Child, and I'll step forward. You were stronger than I was yesterday. We were unable to stop anything that happened. All of the darkness, all of the loss, all of the lost.

You should feel heartened that there is nothing any of us could have done. You are very strong and you will be stronger than all of us. And you will see that when we put an end to all of this and spare the wayward souls that are trapped here. My heart is broken for my daddy. But I am not the only one who's lost. And he will live on in me always.

And we will free them from whatever curse afflicts this land. I promise you that, and you can stay in the mansion as long as you would like. I will stay there at least for now. I'll walk up to her and get down on... I'll squat down so I'm right. And I'll say, if I could carry half the burden and sorrow that you do, I would. I feel your pain that...

the memories of your father will make you stronger, make us stronger, for he was an inspiring, fierce man, and I was honored to meet him. He will live on in my memory, long after I am gone. I will tell stories of him, of his greatness, when I make it home. And she reaches out and she grabs your hand. That would be beautiful. But also you have bags into your eyes because I don't think you're sleeping well and it's not a good look. So, like, just wanted to tell you, though, because it's like real bad a little bit. She needs rest.

We all need some rest. Yeah, I'm really tired. I didn't sleep last night at all. Join the club. Let's get you into your bed, shall we? You're okay. Do you want to wait? wear some pajamas color?

You know, Arabel, it is not quite my bedtime yet, but I will heavily consider that when it is. Arina, Sergey, how are things here? Any attacks? You see that at this point, they were watching you, but they hadn't gotten up. They were allowing Arabel this moment to talk to you and to be with you and this emotional change

that she needed. And as you address them, both stand up and you see as Sergei reaches down his hand and helps Irene to her feet and they begin to walk towards you. Oh, well, it's been a rough couple of days and she tossles Arabelle's hair and she looks to you, Kana. It's not just you. She's doing it to us all. I have horrible bags into my eyes as well. Don't I Arbel? You do, there's nothing I can do about it. You stayed up all night?

Totally not. My fault, you chose to do that, and now you look hideous. But like a really pretty hideous for someone who's looking like you currently. Arbyle will promise you another sleepover and you can put cucumbers over. Yes, I like that, but I want to go in there right now. Just one moment. We need to have a talk. We need to have a talk with the grownups, and then we can do all go away? Do I get to see their thought and talk about it? Because you know now I'm a grown-up, too.

Just let her get in the case. Lucas should be able to handle her. All right. I will handle Lucas. He does what I want. That's true. Magnificus and my case will flap to the ground and open up, and the stairwell will be inside the case.

She walks to the door and she kind of flounces for the first time. you see her, almost showing a bit of her true personality. And she stops and she looks around at all of you. And though she doesn't smile, you can still see the sadness is gripping her. She looks up at you. Thank you for the little bit of comfort this will bring me. Anything else? If you need me, you know where to find me.

Of course. So it's a bigger pool, bigger toys. or more toys? What was it? Tiara. Sell that pancake. Anything you can do. And I really want a three house, but like really high up with a swing. It will be on the roof. I can get onto the roof?

Yes, there's now a stairwell from your bedroom. I'm so excited. I did for this. I'm going there right now. We can't. We can't. If she hurts yourself. If she can. She'll be fine.

Could you put a photo of my, of my daddy about me bed? Of course. It's done. Okay. Lucas, I'm coming. Bye. She walks down the stairs. You hear the door slam.

Lucas cuts feet, my man. Well, that is, I will say, the first I've seen even the hint of a smile from her, let alone her, what amounted to a small amount of joy. She needs training. I can't imagine the... Imagine the suffering that she's gone through, being able to see what she can see. I will not, I could not begin to describe in words

what it was like to be near her when it was happening. You'd think there's any chance that Madame Ava is still alive? Doing all right? We still deliver her. I don't know. I couldn't see her in the shutters.

I didn't. I could check. I could look into the crystal ball. Just want to make sure. That's all. I don't want the whole trip to be for nothing. Well, there is some things, some news. I must break to you, and I hate to be the one to do it.

So please, don't be upset with me. You know, I don't have magical abilities. I couldn't have stopped it. What is it? Well, your friend, von Richten, but he took the girl and he left. Arama? No, Arabele. is in...

I forgot Esmeralda, I'm sorry. Yes, his daughter. Where does that go? I mean... I believe, as Esmeralda is Vastani, their plans to leave Borovia. He said that

for the first time and as long as he could remember, his sole purpose was not that of hunting, hunting the monsters that live in the shadow. Be right. No, no, no.

To feel the ones within. Do you know for certain that was him? I know for certain it was him. Sergei can confirm, and you see as Sergei places a hand on Irene's shoulder, and he nods at you. I'm with Sarnax. This sounds like good news. Let him get to safety. Let him be gone.

Why is that good news? The cards of fate is intertwined with Van Richten. I think that we've already mixed ourselves up with Von Rectin enough. Perhaps our fate's of change. He's helped us immensely. I mean, you said it yourself, you can't see forever into the future, right? I do believe that this is partially my fault. I sat up with him one night while Esmeralda was getting care in the infirmary.

We had a long talk when he told me of his plan. The pain in him was so deep. at feeling the loss of his daughter. And I asked him, but why? If all you have in this world, the only thing that brings you joy is that girl and you have her back, why would you risk cutting your time short? I didn't realize the implication that would have,

but I believe he took me at my word. He chose a life with his family over that of hunting monsters. I don't think you made him mistaken. State. Listen, Professor, I think that having him as an ally would have been great, but he was not up to part. He was not himself. She did him a service. He was a broken

man. It's the best thing that he could do is to take his loved one and get the fuck out of this plane. But the cards? The cards have already been fulfilled, Professor. This land feeds on suffering of those. Any person who can escape is one less

person it can feed upon. Our reading said that we would find a great ally in defeating the beast, the darkness of Borovia of Stradania. It was von Richten that led us to the Amber Temple.

It is at the Amber Temple that we found the true nature of the darkness, which we learned even more about in the hut of Babelai Saga. Without him, we would not have been on the trail of the

defeating the Countess. He has fulfilled his fate. Allow him respite. Allow him joy. Perhaps we can finish this, and perhaps some of us can experience that same joy. This podcast is brought to you by our Patreon. Become a patron today at patreon.com

slash Legends of Aventress and gain access to tons of exclusive perks, including a monthly movie night and a weekly Patreon exclusive campaign set on the high seas, shroud over salt marsh. You can also go to the crooked moon.com to pick up your own copy of our first published supplement, The Crooked Moon, a folk horror tone for Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition. And don't forget to snag all the extra goodies like dice, miniatures, plushies, a tarot deck, and more. Thank you. Do we know if he can even make it out

of Norovia? We knew that Esmeralda could. Is he a Vastani? If the Vastani grant him passage, and they're not going to block him, they might escort him out. Esmeralda had said her plan was to grant him passage, to bring him back to a ventress. There it is. So you knew the Vastani had talked to you about this. They were not willing to anger Stroud.

They can go in and out and bring whoever they wish. Taking someone out of Barovia would have incurred the ire of Strad, and they knew their life and those of their loved ones would be forfeit. Esmeralda doesn't have that baggage. The only person she cares about is... So if she escaped. She's now. As long as she can make it past the border, they could leave.

Strad can't get her once she's gone. Irina. When she's going. Thank you for having that conversation. It was going to be the first thing I was to do here. To implore him to leave. I regret that I took the final goodbye from you. I do not wish to say farewell.

Every day he lingered every day. Esmerelda lingered was one more day, one more possibility of them losing that escape. He did say before he left that he had no doubt he would say that he would accomplish your task and that he was not willing to say goodbye. I asked him if he wanted to leave a letter. Esmeralda tried to convince him to do so. He would not. He said now was not the time for goodbyes. He would see you on the other side of Borovia. And he had no doubt. that. And when you do, you are welcome in his home as family. And you know what? Worst case scenario, it wouldn't be the first person I didn't get a goodbye with. And some things are better off without

goodbyes. But I'm glad to hear he's got faith in us because I do too. It's always confident. And I think everything's going to be all right. Professor, you look a little rattled. You're going to be all right. I know this isn't playing out the way you may have hoped. Yeah, it isn't. You have to adapt. I had faith because of the cards, because of the fortune, the divination. All of it matters. You don't think that one out of five is enough to derail? Well, perhaps Sarnax is right. Perhaps he fulfilled his purpose.

But if we're going to see Madame Eva anyway, perhaps she could do another reading. And she could tell us on new fortune. Perhaps this will all, maybe this is all part of the cards. And you're right, divination is not perfect. It's not. But I've never seen a reading like what she did, and how true it came. Every card along the way we fulfilled, it all came true. I've never seen anything so uncanny, so accurate. Well, she didn't foresee our deaths, and we're not dead yet.

I'm still standing, and as long as I could put one foot in front of the other, I'm going to keep moving. All right. All right. Well, what's next? Shit. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm pretty tired. I'm just staring at Victoria, and then I'm just kind of glancing at Sergey.

At some point, I need to get some rest. And then I guess we need to try to get the girl to Madame Ava. I mean, that was our plan. We get the girl to Madameva, and then we launch our assault on Castle Ravenloft. That was it. That was always the play. plan. And we go through the front door. Have an invitation now. Yeah? Why not?

Kick the doors right off the goddamn entrance. The catacombs will be heavily guarded, I'm sure, if she's uncovered what we did. And she certainly has. Although I would like to consult with Sergei, Sergey, I'll turn to him. Apologies for discussing strategy, invading your rightful home. without you. Do you have time to discuss battle strategy? He smiles at you, and you see as he is slowly running his hand down

Irene's hair. He squeezes her shoulder. Would you like to join us, or would you like to retire for this evening? And she looks up at him and smiles. I'm exhausted. I have not slept, taking care of our bell. If you are fine, she looks up at him. again, makes eye contact. Could you do this without me? I will relay the information to you in the morning.

Get some sleep. I will. It is lovely seeing you all, if I do not see you before you depart, know that I could not have been happier to find friends like you. That I am lucky to be able to say that I have traveled,

that I have adventured, that I've slain things, the likes of you, and that though it is small, that my part in this story was nonetheless a part in this story. It is you all the best. And if you're here in the morning,

I will say it all over again, of a breakfast. Likewise. She reaches out and she shakes your hand. A critical part of the story, and the story is not over yet. She blushes faintly. Oh, Sonics.

Good night, then. Good night, all of you. Sweet night. Before you go, have you heard word from home? I wrote to my brother recently. I have not received word. But with the upheaval,

all around, Borovia, not surprised. It's not been long enough that I am. feeling any sense of unease and Arabele has been keeping her

eyes open to his fate as you've heard Velaki is in ruin many have died I just worry for the fate of Rovia Village sounds like she

Arabel doesn't believe that the same fate has befallen your home but we need to kill her soon and we will need to kill her soon and we will. Good night, Phil. Good night, Irene. Good night.

She makes her way out of the room, and you see that as she leads, the abbot also gets up, nods at all of you. Doesn't say anything. He's different now that he's been changed. Ethereal, he speaks very little, but he does smile,

and the room fills with a warm light. Casts his hand to the side, and the hearth erupts, in radiant fire. And the room warms and as comfortable as he too makes his way out of the room and heads up to stairs. Abbott, one moment.

He stops and turns his head to you. Do you have a moment to speak in private after we are done discussing with Sergei? I wish to seek your counsel. I would speak to you upstate if you wish.

I thank you. I will come find you when we are done here. You may let yourself in. Thank you, Abbott. Good evening. And he makes his way out of the run. Shall we get a couple? Well, to be honest, he makes me a little queasy when he speaks.

Let's sit. He planned to ransack my home. We plan to free your home from your sister. It was never really my home. The land is outside of Borovia were my home. My mother never even made it to the castle. Such you not care for this land at all? I care for the people in this land.

I care for the land itself. The castle was where I lost the love of my life. It was where I lost my life. And it was where my family crumbled in front of me. I hold no love for Castle-Ringland. Will you aid us? I will. I have thought about this long in her. I have told, I've told Irina what I plan to do.

She understands. And we all have ahead of us. I will be there. Does she truly understand? As much as she can. I understand. It will. be dangerous. I'm sure you know your sister is very powerful and we might not all make it back.

In fact, that is likely. I'm all too familiar of how powerful my sister is. I have fallen at her head. Victoria, I do not wish to speak on your behalf. You do have some information that we have. She brought me back. From where? From death. I see. A promise on the table, which I haven't accepted. Yet.

You promise of what? I don't know exactly. Life for me, but I don't know what that means for everyone else. I take out the invitation and it is slated across the table. She has termed her sights. Do someone know? Do you know her? Do you truly know her?

I didn't know how to answer that. When she was alive, she was fierce, wild, beautiful, strong. She was my best friend. And this land changed her. It made her dark. The girl I grew up with, I would give anything to see that girl happy. In love, what she has become. I cannot wish for happiness for that.

I would not wish what she has become on anyone. And if you can find yourself enamored with a creature of darkness that would slay her brother and kill the one she loved, then you need to think what that means about how you view yourself. Yes. Is there any chance that this is some sort of jealousy tactic or some sort of trying to plant some seeded discord amongst us. That this isn't real.

She doesn't actually want this. Maybe she truly does want Irina still. She may. But who is to say you cannot love more than one? In my life, Tatiana had my heart and my soul. That soul now resides in Irina. But they are not the same. And I still find myself loving her.

Fair enough. That does not diminish my love for Tatiana. Understood. Just asking. And that raises a bigger question. The monster, if the devil, has found a way to love again, what does that mean? What does that mean for the sister that used to live in that body?

is a small part of her still there. How am I to know? Sergei, this perhaps is relevant to other knowledge we gained yesterday when we put an end to Babelai Saga, the midwife of both of you, I believe. Yes. We have deduced from the evidence we retrieved from her home that Babadlai Saga had called Shradanya here,

had been the one to guide her to the dark powers that bind this land, that had been with her every step of the way without Shradanya even knowing, and even more unsettling still, all to some grander purpose. I should have seen that it was her. When we were young, the midwife showed a strange obsession with my sister. So much so that she was fired from the employ of the Von Zorovic family. My mother fired her herself. She was not happy, and I did not see her again.

I never put the two together. The symbols that we saw in the hut. Yes. The three eyes. Does that sound familiar to you? Three eyes, no. Three red eyes, ranged vertically. I wish that I had the information I could give you.

Lysaga seemed obsessed, spoke of whispers, spoke of a plan, as if she had been on some grand quest with Stradania as its key. it was she that led Shudanya to that one power in the Amber Temple. And I fear that it is that power that still grows along with Shudanya's power. If what you say is true, that means there could be redemption for my sister. And I am not ready to entertain that idea. I'm not beyond sparing another person, but you have to understand that for all the atrocities

that we've witnessed and undergone, it's going to be fucking hard to hold back. I can't promise. I am not asking you to. I am with you. I watched her take the love of my life from me, and I now hear that she has the ability to bring someone back from death,

and even the love of family. My best friend would not do that for me, but would do that for her. I just didn't want to promise you anything that I can't keep a promise on. And I believe that she needs to face the consequences. Yes, I agree. But there is evidence that she may be a pawn in a grander plan. And we need to take that one step at a time. Do you know anything about the red gem in the necklace that she wears?

It was a gift. From whom? I do not know. Did you notice a change in her once she started wearing it? It was so long ago. A coldness to her. She had not worn it before. Well, it appeared after the engagement.

the betrothal to Tatiana. At first she accepted it. She said she wanted me to be happy. She wanted us both to be happy. But it arrived. She was not the same. Cold. Just ever so cold.

I cannot be sure they are linked. I was engaged to the one she loved. That in itself is enough. to pull siblings apart. Even with her cold heart, we have reason to believe that she still wept over your grave and our flowers.

Do not tell me these things. If there is a small bit of her left, when we are faced with her death, I do not want questions in my mind. There will be no questions. The morning Lord will lead my sword and it will land true.

We know for a fact that she cannot be killed in Gorovia. No matter what she will die, I have seen it in the flames. It is in our fate. But there is renewal and perhaps redemption in destruction and death. It has been a difficult few nights. Let us talk of our next steps. I would like to feel these emotions tonight. in private. I understood. Very well. Yes.

Do you recommend we go through the front door, Sergei, or through the catacombs? It is my belief that even if she's unaware that I have returned to this land, she will know you have been in the catacombs. She will enhance the security there. It is not safe. So we should go directly. She will know you're coming. That's fine.

has invited us. But she will play games. We keep that at the forefront of our minds. We will do what she least expects. We must stay one step ahead of her at every cost. Understood. What are your thoughts on playing into this wedding? There is something there.

That is something she would not expect. But if you walked Victoria down the aisle, not saying I would put you in that position, of course, but it would surprise her and throw her off guard. I will need to think on it. I'm not sure we should play the game to the very end. But if we do, it should be I who reads the vows. Either way, we need to go to the Vistami camp outside Castle Ravenloft.

I will accompany you from this moment until the end of my moments. For the end of my sisters, I am at your service. Saga, how do we keep you covered from her eye? She will not and cannot see me under the late of the morning war, not until I am ready to be seen. Very well. It's good. Then, we only have two more evenings. Before the end, the final.

night. Perhaps you're right. So that's the question. Do we sleep here? Yes. I am not leaving this Abbey until Shepard has rested his weary head. I'm all right. I just need a little rest, as all.

I must all be prepared. To the best of our abilities. All of us. If I may ask, now that we have two people among us that have been to the other side. What is it like?

There are no words to fully describe what it is like, and I would not want to try. Just pray. You do not have to see that side of Borovia. I agree. It's a dark approximation of life. It's not what it should be. I was spared that fate in my death. Gerex gave me salvation and restoration. But I, even if you fall, if any of us fall, let us be snatched up in the light of the fire lord or the morning lord and be spared in that terrible place. If this all ends well, then we put it behind us, is it safe for us to leave Borovir?

Would you come with us? I cannot answer that. I am not all knowing. I am but a paladin of the morning lord who has known death. We will take all of these things one step at a time. But for now, our minds, our efforts need to be in failing my foul sister. All right. We have a plan.

Let us to bed. Yes. We will make our way to the Vistani camp tomorrow. Thank you for agreeing to accompany us. We're going to ask, but we didn't know what it was. You have my sword and my god. Thank you. Now I'm focused and ready.

That is all we need for me, Sarah Day. Thank you, Sagan. Then, I'm going to head to bed. I've also been up for multiple evenings. Feel free to dine. Enjoy your night. I will see you in the morning. Good night.

Good night. Place my keys down again. Magnificus, are you all sleeping in the mansion? Yes, please, and I kind of push my way ahead of you and like head down into the... All right. I'll take my head off.

Promise to Arabelle's sleepover. I think I'll stop by the kitchen for some cucumber. You make your way down the stairs, and as you get to the door, it opens, and you see, though you can't see the spectral forms, you see a floating pink, outfit bobbing around. Oh, dear.

It opens the door and provides you with what appears to be a champagne glass filled with sparkling apple cider. Provides it to you. Who puts you in these? You look as one of the cuffed wrists points over towards another room. And in it, you

see on the fluffiest chair stacked high with pillows. In a beautiful, sparkling blue ball gown, tiara atop her head, her hair in flowing ringlets down her back. An army of fluffy teddy bears and other animals all around her. A huge tea party set up in the parlor. We're having a tea party, so come on, they have seats for all of you.

Thank you, Lucas. Doesn't they look so cute? I love him. I'm so cute. I'm sorry, please. Lucas, I apologize. Just please bear with us for one minute. Thank you.

Thank you. He likes it. I'll double your pay. I know he does because he didn't tell me. He did. All right, yes. Thank you for preparing this. This is lovely.

You're so welcome because you know that it is tea time for me all the time. Well, why don't we have some dinner? There are cookies in here. Who wants real dinner when you can have cookies? Why don't we have real dinner and then we can have cookies for dessert? But I wanted to have the pink cake that you made for me for dessert. It's not going anywhere. We'll have dinner first, and then we'll follow it up with big cake for dessert.

How's that sound? Okay. Excellent. All right. But you need to all go get dressed. Excuse me? She's right. Well, if we're going to have a fancy dinner, I can't be the only one that looks like a princess.

What should we wear? I want you to wear a beautiful. beautiful outfit. Um, Shepard, I want you to be in, and she looks at you. I think that, um... Perhaps tails, dear. That's not very nice. Oh, coat tail.

Leave his tail out of this. What's wrong with the way I dress? I didn't bring anything else here with me. No, it's okay because the professor can make sure the outfits are in your wardrobe. The professor knows better than to add a bunch of frivolous. shit to my room. You wouldn't add something to his room. I know just the thing.

No, I know just the thing. I want him to have freely cuffs around his wrists. His color is kind of red-like, so I think that he would look really the most pretty in a bright orange velvet suit with

pretty pink cups and a bow tie in blue and purple. Professor. And make sure that at his butt, that there's a little circle there that his tail can come out. I almost forgot. All around it is really pretty laces. Oh, the prettiest lace, yes.

Done. Professor! Thank you so much. You love smashing. And, oh, do you know, it would be really great? Where's son next? Okay, well, when he gets here, can you make sure that he has a... Let's do a purple, fluffy suit that has, like, a hood on it in the shape.

of a dinosaur and it's got like green little splotches on the belly and it has little fluffy feet anything else? Yes, and can you make a dress that looks kind of like mine one in pink

but not as pretty like only slightly less pretty and can you make that one for Victoria because she's always wearing really gross dark colors yuck and then do you think that in for Kana to match the bags under her eyes,

you can make her dress in brown, please. It's all done. Okay, now go get ready. Arabele, I need to have a discussion with you. Okay. About slaying your friends. I have to go to sleep. I've been awake for almost three whole days.

I know me too, because I watched my dad die and I haven't been able to fall asleep. We should have a family dinner. I know, Shepherd. Professor. Please. It will be a lovely time for us to relax and rest. I'll make sure there's a big part of coffee available.

What do they call it cowboy coffee? If I call it cowboy coffee, if you be more than a fly. I would like it if you called it cowboy. Oh, do you think you could put it in the rattlesnake teacup? Oh, absolutely. It's that. That was really like that. I'm going to dress.

I'll be right back. You know it would be really great? Can you make sure that he has silky bloomers to go under his outfit? Oh, done. Yes, it's all in your closet, okay, and on the bloomers, can you make sure that there are pretty little cactuses? Wait, actual cactuses?

No, no, just like prints of cactuses. All right, done. What time is dinner? In 30 minutes, every bottle recovered. 30 minutes, so be it. And I walked out all away in my room very quickly. I'll go upstairs. I got you it up.

Got you and up. That was terrible. I just everything for me to not spill. I don't know, right. You like coughing it bad. A fucking sip of red. Can I have that hat?

Oh. I'm not kidding. I can't put it on because I've got a bun. Oh, jeezy. The get smoked hat? Yeah, the get smoked. Yeah. Smoked.

M-a-mooged. Sarnax, you watch as your friends descend into the briefcase, and you know that you will be able to ascend as well when you're ready. But instead, you make your way up the spiral staircase that leads to the Abbott's room. And you have been in here before. It's the room that he shares with the mongrelfolk. And as you get closer, you can hear the violin music. you open the door like you were instructed to, and sitting at the desk there, his eyes closed, lost in thought, is the abbot. And as you enter, he raises a hand, acknowledging you. Abbot, thank you very much for your hospitality, and I will not take up much of your time. I just have some burning questions. that I feel that only a creature of the divine may be able to answer.

I will answer a question or two. You know the power of this dark land to corrupt and to cloud our judgment. It has happened to me before, as it happened to you as well. one of our companions recently fell died was sent to the darkness of this hellscape and it was the countess the devil Stradania herself

that brought her back I want to believe her when she says that she stands with us I want to believe her when she says she is not plotting our own own doom, that he will not be our doom. But I fear that everything I've been through with Clayton, Kana, Shepard, and Victoria has weakened my resolve, despite my faith and power growing. I now care for more than my mission. I care for more than what the cult had always talk me to. Human emotions,

humanoid emotions, matter not when powerful enemies are at play. I know. You seek to know that which is in the heart of your friend. Well, I know not your friend

and I know not your God. But I know one small bone in an eye that can pierce through time itself. Yes? Try asking her. Her, she will have the answer to seek.

Thank you. One more question. One more answer. Am I wrong? You are always wrong when you are not right. Yes. Thank you, Abbott. Are you just going to leave it in there?

Unless I'm finished. Well, damn. Am I wrong? My wrong to doubt myself. Should I doubt myself if I want to believe in the power of my companions, the power of my friends? It is not a question I can answer. Your feelings and emotions are not things I can comprehend. Trust in your God.

Trust in your innate ability. in your faith, trust only in that, lest you not leave your life in others have. You are right. Thank you, Abbott, for your time and your wisdom. Why is playing this song. Sounds like some shit from descendants. He's been playing that for a while. Yeah, I don't know why. So with that, you finish up your meeting with the Abbott and you make your way down into the, uh, into the case and into Clayton's mansion. And as you enter in, you are met by a small, the small form of Lucas dressed in a pink maid's outfit as he passes you a bubbling glass of apple cider and beckoned you towards the dining area where you see all of your friends now sitting.

Arabelle at the head wearing an extravagant blue ball gown. both Conn and Victoria dressed in ball gowns. Clayton is wearing a very nice tuxedo. His top hat, a little more dapper. It's like a silk top hat. Silk top hat. Instead of wool. Or wool, yeah.

Thanks. And then there's Shepherd in an orange velvet suit, a pink and blue bow tie, frilly cuffs and his butt. most noticeable of all places. It's tighter than it really should be. And where his tail protrudes from it, a small hole.

His tail's able to escape from. The lace there. Slightly longer than expected. Almost looks like a veil or a train as it hangs down over his tail. Okay. Gass. Gass.

It's really good. Is everyone waiting for me? Yes, you need to get changed, though. Your outfit is in your room. There is an outfit for you in your room. It is a purple plush outfit. It is little footies for your booties for your feeties. And on top of that, it is shaped like a dinosaur just for you.

And it has little green spots on its belly. So go. Hot, tut, tut. Poop, poop. We'll see you soon. Sarmax, shake a leg. Why would I shake my leg? Go, dress, quickly.

Why would I shake? Strange. I'll just look at everything and I'll go, and I turn and I go, and I, I, uh, I'll open my closet and I'll just look at it. I'll be like, I'll put my lantern down. I'll pull everything on. And I'll return with my lantern looking like how. You're wearing a Barney onesie. A Kegu.

Yeah. Bernie Keogh with a lantern and I will sit down and the fire start turning purple and green

something purple out of the corner of my eye like catches my attention that's oh dear guys oh my Lord

Sarnax You look like and I put this seat directly here for you so I can pet you well we dinner and you see that there is a chair

directly next to her Sarnax I'm so sorry I've never seen you wear so much clothes. I suppose that the only respite I have, the only solace is that I am the second most ridiculous-looking person in the room. There was no color that really went with conned eye bags quite like brown. No, you know, I really do enjoy looking like a burlats. I don't know what that means, but your little rumpus is.

showing it's too small for you. So sit down, please. There's a child in the room. Oh, I gave him a menu, so I hope you like what I thought! Oh, so the menu I gave him, he threw that one out? Yes, I told him that you said they could have whatever I wanted, because the past couple of days have been real bad. All right, well, I can't wait to be surprised.

We're saving the pancake act. Gimme, give me, give me. I know. So first is the pre-course, what do they call it? The appetizer, and it is soup. Okay. And it's, I didn't really know how to make soup, so it is water and also some peppermints in it. Delicious.

Oh, no. You cooked all the courses. No, I just told Lucas what I wanted. That's wonderful. And you aren't brought bowls and in it are water with some slightly sticky peppermints. They weren't mixed in and cooked in. and they were just dropped in. Dear gods.

This is kind of like a nice to have a little teeth. Lucas is going to come around with the cucumber and he comes around and you watch as he shaves off some cucumber into the zoo. Three days.

I've been awake for three days for fucking sugar water. And the cucumbers, though. Should I save a couple of slices for our sleepover later for my eyeballs? No, I don't want to do that anymore. Oh. Okay.

I suppose I'll just keep living with these bags under my eyes, yes? That's the choice you have to make for yourself. It's time for the next cold. Take good solace. Take, take, uh, Kana, take solace. In the eyes of Garrick's, it matters not how repulsive one is. Physically, it's all about how repulsive one is on the inside. So what are you implying?

I'm a little haggle-A-Hagelman. I'm repulsive. Did he stutter? Damn! I'm sorry, that was rude. I'm a little on edge. I haven't slept in many days. You never even made it through appetizer.

You know that. You can't finish your soup if you keep talking to each other. You're telling me we don't get the next course until the soup is gone. We have to finish our appetizer. I immediately slammed the entire bowl, and I said, drink it as quick as possible. I'm scooping the mitts. I'm scooping the mint. I'm scoping the mint. I'm like, I'm gusling it down to get rid of it.

It's mostly waterized. Yeah, it is. I'm getting the umbrella out in case you vomits on me again. You won't. I'm going, oh, look how much you love this. I choke a little bit. You get one of them caught here's boat and, uh, sorry. Connor's nice enough.

She smacks you on the back. You're able to get it down. Delicious is fantastic. Don't smack him on the back. He likes it so much that he's drinking it so fast. You sound like you're having a great, John Shepherd. Why I insist I can't finish mine?

I insist you have some sharing. No, you have to drink it all because otherwise you will look even more gross later. Aravel says it would be rude of you not to finish your appetizer. All of you will look really gross. It's good for your health. Please drink up.

Could you make's just. Yes, I'm done. It's very delicious. I knew it would be. It's my. own recipe. I can't wait to see what's the next course. You will really like it? Do you have any egg to put in the soup? Oh my god, fuck you. I'm like literally guys. I'm like, I'm going to be sure. And you watch as Lucas comes over and cracks a raw

egg into the soup. I hate you so much. That actually looks delicious. Why are you? There's like yolk all over my face. Finally, some good fucking food. What a non-fucking hell. Delicious, let's next. So what's next is that we are going to have salad? Oh, salad. Like, like, just, like, leaves and vegetables.

Yes, with my very own special dressing. So you watch as six, plates, sorry, yeah, I guess six, six plates of salad or place in front of you, they're beautiful. They're tons of fluffy greens and tomatoes. You notice some

almonds, some shaped almonds on there, onion, et cetera, and then they begin to move towards you, the maids, each of them, the bottle of red thick sauce as they begin to squirt ketchup all of those salads.

The professor is sitting across the table from me. I look him dead in the eye and I say, I want to survive him three days on animal carcass. And I just started calling. And I'm trying to get rid of this salad as fast as I possibly can. I'm shoveling it into my mouth. Bonapitia. Is she eating it too? No, yeah. Yeah. She's just go. And her plates are small. And I'm not flinching. I am like dead-in-ed. I agree. I'm just staring out of a complete horror. And I eat it as quickly as I possibly can.

And then I shove the empty bowl in front of me. I spell this horror. It would be rude, please. Continue. Maybe a bread basket might pair very nicely. You don't like that. No, that's not what I'm saying. I just find this a bit of salt.

Ladies. Okay, sure. Lucas, and you watch as Lucas comes up and he just pours an entire container of salt onto your salad. Is that better? This is the saltiest thing I ever ate and I once ate a bowl of salt It's so

good. This is what Lucas said had I not already finished my delicious salad. Ladies, please, eat up. Fuck. Arabele. Do you have any egg to go with this?

Lucas. I hate you so much. And you watch as Lucas comes over with a Like, he cracks it on top of the salad and walks away. Professor, I'd like to wager my remaining bow pieces that Victoria Yax right here on this. What, these are yack?

One of the odds on that. You can milk them. The over anders at least. I don't know. But by the fourth, the fourth course, I think. Sarnax, how many eggs do you think you can eat? If I die again, I'm coming for you. Are you going?

to eat your salad, Victoria. We put all that salt on there, for you know. Victoria, I think that's you need more ketchup. No. No, it's good. It's wonderful. Just so much.

Well, now we need to cleanse our palate before the main part of the meal. Oh, it'd be great. And you want if they bring you out sorbet. Oh, please don't let this be like Bernie bots or some shit. Would you like an egg on your sorbet? Sorry, next.

I hate you. That's disgusting, Connor. How dare you? I'm sorry, sorry. I, without even hesitated, I shovel all of the sorbet. You do, it's a lovely citrus sorbet. I'm pleasantly surprised. And your palate is cleansed. I am pleasantly surprised.

I'm just gonna hold it and my whole tongue is going like, I'm gonna yosh it. Oh my God, Voxedonata rescuers down under is my favorite. I was just thinking about. I was just thinking about pea soup because I can remember the movie. What is the name of the list? in the key, yeah. Just eat all the eggs.

Oh, France, Francis, Francine. No. Frankie might be the one who, we're gonna get, yeah, Avenger's a chill. Evangerson, Michelle. Yeah, because of the box finale, that's exactly what I'm thinking. A hundred percent a lizard from, uh, I got like, I got toothpicks in my hand and I've been okay up to this point,

and I'm just like struggling with the sorbet, and I just took the whole bowl and I just try to drink it all day, seeing Shepherd do the same. It's delicious. It cleanses your palate and all. It almost neutralizes your stomach really. Is it like a lot? bit. Yeah. Oh, I love that. I hope it's a red beans sorbet. It's not. It's long. Oh, well, I guess that'll do.

I eat it. Yuppet. Yuppet. Well, it's now time for the final course before cake dessert. I was so excited. Very excited. I can't wait. So I wanted them to make something I thought would be really special, but I don't know what goes in it. So I just made it up. Joanna. Joanna. Frank is the frilly neckline. It is called

Shepard's Pie. Oh, that, wow. Wouldn't be the first time I had a dish named after me, but that's another story. I'm looking forward to it. Thank you very much.

Okay, great. And so you watch as the maids make their way in and they put this what appears to be a beautiful pie, a golden crust on the top, it's steaming. It spells spicy

and delicious. delicious. Well, everyone eat up. So just one slice for each of us? No, it's a whole little pie for you. Oh, even better. And I just begin to dig in and eat it. You dig in and you start to eat it. And at first, the first bite is delicious. The gravy hits your mouth and you're like, oh my gosh, this is great.

And then you begin to slurp up the gummy worm. And then as you get towards the bottom, the thick chocolatey syrup. Is that some kind of wheat cereal? Oh, those mashed potatoes in that wheat cereal don't really go well together. I hate you. Oh, that's a pocket of pure sugar. I take the little pie with my, like,

fork in it. I look to Arabelle. Oh, look, it's shredded chicken. I look, because of it, I look around. There's a chicken dino. I look at Arabelle. I really quick, like, turn, and I'm like... A fucking nugget? Look at chickie nugget. And I, like, shook it down.

A chicken dino, yeah. A chicky dino nugget. Yeah. I, like, choke it down, like, real quick, like, off to the side. And I place the thing down, and I'm, like, I'm, like, forcibly like water, like looking for water to try to like wash it down. Did you like it? Oh, it was fit. Fantastic.

Absolutely. You look around and there is no water, but there is a large picture of thick chocolate milk in front of you. I would like water. I don't want to. No, you can't have water. We're celebrating. Don't try. I need a little bit more water.

Yes, drink your chocolate with milk. I pour myself like a little sniffter of chocolate note. This is delicious. Incredible. It's very good. I'm so happy. It's warm. It's warm with milk.

It's hot chocolate. Very nice. There is, I don't know why everyone is having trouble. There is actually meat in this dish, which I am quite. I'm very much. So there's gravy and chocolate in the day. I know. I really wanted you to do this special tonight.

Very creative. I would never have guessed. Thank you. Very outstanding. You've outdone yourself. Thank you so much for preparing the menu. You know, I think you could turn this into a Sarnax Flakes breakfast meal. The little, and I just, like, grab my toothpicks and I pull out, like, a long gummy string.

Have you been collecting? And as you do that, you notice a long strand of hair as well. Have you been collecting my? Bye. Don't feel any further. My skin flakes as I shed. Wait, do you mulch? That's a very personal point.

Is it seasonal multing? There's probably a clue to startness. I get absolutely feeling sick, cows. This is the part of my biology. I shed my skin several times a year. Is that a defense mechanism or just natural? Well, would you suggest putting that into a confectionary breakfast item? It just sounds really.

Great for marketing purposes. I'm disgusting, you're a vile. You're vile. Me, sardex. You would now crack an egg on a nice, big bowl of sardax flakes.

That would be near cannibalism. Perhaps you are as repulsive on the inside. I was going to give you the benefit of the doubt. I thought Garek's liked people that were repulsive on the inside. Do you have cake now?

Yes. I have survived in the desert on the most vile. of substances, and this is by far the worst company I've ever had for a meal in my entire existence. It is not very nice to say. You are lovely. I'm appalled at our guests here at this lovely feast tonight. In our own home.

Very rude, very rude, Victoria. Talking about goddamn skin flakes. What the, this is... Thank you. Are you ready for the cake now? Yes. Please, I'm starving. Great. And Lucas does respond.

A large, five-tiered pink frosting cake is brought out. And as you cut into it, you see it is a beautiful confetti cake. And it looks miraculous. Oh. Does it look like cake? Yes. It's just confetti cake. Maia, I begin to cut into it and say,

Thank Gareth, that we don't. don't have diabetes and advances. Right, you were supposed to give out of the first. No, it's just cake. It's just cake. It's just cake. I completely cut my slice in half and I give half of it to Arable.

She takes a bite and is the crab meat and the cake. I think it's so much. It's just, indication, get it. It's a little shreds and like, you know, you said, Oh, I mean, you said, oh, I should have fucking say dead.

Wait, my cake quickly. Okay. I believe this cake looks delightful, but it is missing something. Oh no, what is it missing? If you say it fucking cracked, I can't have. Do you have any whipped cream for this day? And he shows up and provides you with a big vat of whipped topping. Thank you, Lucas.

anyone else? I was going to keep in the shit and feeling cream. Oh, wow. Actually, now is your offer. I think I'll have a second slide. Oh, Victoria, man. Delightful.

For any chance that I could have a nice cup of coffee with my... I think that would be a great idea. I would love that for... Thank you very much. I'm sorry. Lucas, could you please bring chef a cowboy coffee? He can't very much when you call it cowboy coffee.

Make sure that you put it in the little snake, ma'am. Did you know? Oh, you weren't here. Shepard his little cactuses on his underpants. As soon as Lucas brings the coffee, I will reach for and say, oh, thank you. Oh, no! Over this lovely, I gotta go check. No, I'll take care of it.

No, I'll spotless. Thank you, Professor. Oh, my goodness, Professor, that you are able to. No, thank you. Then we're able to clean him so easily and effortlessly. It's just pristia. What's a great fortune. I am forever in your debt, Professor.

Oh, you're very welcome. I would hate to see such a beautiful outfit, soiled. Me too. And that coffee would now like him out in the walk. Oh, such a special frog. Well, this dinner has been lovely, Arambe. It has really made me feel very happy.

Thank you for delicious food. You are very special, Arabeau. I don't know what we would do without you. I know. I can't wait. to go into Castle Ravenloft with all of you? I just loudly scoop back from the table, and I'm just like pretending like I dropped something.

We can discuss that tomorrow, yes, yes. I know, on the way to Madam Eva's place. Is nothing lost on you? Nope. Well, you do realize you're meeting Madam Eva to lurk about who you are and what you can do, right? No, because I already know. who I am and what I can do, so she can't help me. But I will go with you into the castle, and I will make sure you're okay there.

It will be very dangerous, do you understand? Yes, but I'm not going to leave the case, so... That may be fine, but if we fall and die and she gains access to my family's heirloom, she could find a way to get you out. Yes, I know that it is one of the possibilities, but I also know that there's a lot of the possibilities, but I also know that if I'm not there to help you, you are most definitely dies. So I will be in the case.

But anyway, this is a problem for future us, because right now I think Eva Belli ate because I had way too much ketchup on my salad. Well, perhaps you will feel better if I recite some words that I believe children enjoy here. I would like to hear your words of enjoyment. So perhaps this will be a moment. I have this spray bottle right.

I love you. You love me. We're a happy family with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you. Won't you say, I love you too? That's what's really kids are next.

I do love you too. That is what I hear and the children enjoy to hear. That's really nice. I did like that a lot, actually. I'm glad you enjoyed those words of affirmation. No, I did. It made me feel very happy in this house.

Very well. Sorry. I didn't know you had such strong feelings. You're touching so on Xer. I am, yes. Children are how they are, yes, and quite. Yes, and quite. Yes.

Yes. Well, now do we want to all go back to in my room and put on our pajamas and go to bed? Well, we all have our own rooms, but we should say good night. It's been a long day. This has been a great dinner, but I gotta get some shut-eye. I know, and I made sure that the pool was big enough for all of us to sleep on the floaties. That's great.

But look at me, I'm almost as haggard as Kana. I gotta get some sleep. No, Shepard, you're not even close to being as haggard as Kana. That's kind, but if I say it one more day, we don't know what's going to be. going to happen. That's a horrifying thought. It's true. You should go too bad. Yeah. I'm fair. Thank you.

I'm sorry? It would probably take at least one whole week. I didn't die, but Conno's never coming back. I didn't want to say that, though, because that would be mean. Oh, well. You'd like to hear the words

of affirmation. I love you. That doesn't make me feel any better, sorry. I see what I don't need the sentiment. I do love you, though. Really? Yeah, no, of course I do.

You want to sleep in the pool? Yes. You know what? I will sweep in the pool. Sure. That would be awesome, but you can't sweep a pool because it's wet.

So do we want to go to bed now? God, stupid fucking plastic in my house, okay? I do it. If no one needs anything else for me, I'm going to go to bed. You have a lot. On your pajamas on your bed. I'll put them on.

I hope so. Thank you. You're welcome. I go to fucking bed. You do. And when you get to bed, you see that there is a set of pajamas there. It is a onesie similar to the one that Shepard was wearing. But yours is in the shape of a Gila monster.

Aw. I pick it up. And put it on. And I look towards the door. It looks warm. I wonder if she can fucking see what's going to happen. She probably saw this shit. She probably knows whether or not.

I'm going to put this on or not. But if I make the decision to do it, then does that mean that I played into what she saw? If I choose not to, do I change the future? Did she already know? She said she hoped I put it on. What the fuck does that even mean? I sit there and I stare at this onesie by myself for like an hour

as I contemplate these things over and over myself. Do you go, everyone else goes to the room or do they all come back to sleep on the pool and the floaties? I'm going to sleep. I'm going to sleep. I'm going to sleep. I'm sleeping on the floaties. I want to be around water so bad. Victoria, you make your way back to the room

and you find that there is a onesie waiting for you as well. A Black Widow Spider onesie sits on the bed. I'll go back to my room as well. You go back to your room and there is a plush robe and some silk pajama pants and a nice silk shirt with the embroidery

CA. Are we second-class sisters? What is this bullshit? Very nice. Oh, she's a great taste. Fucking spider roll. I'll put it on and I was in a right, in my room, but I think I will bring my case and I'll have it like turn into the writing

desk mode and I'll sit by the pool for an hour too. Okay, you do that. You tuck Arabelle in. Connie, you put on your panda onesie. Oh, red panda. Red panda onesie and you climb into them. I climb into the floaty. Well, yes, the floaty on the pool.

Of course. I'm going to do the thing. I'm going to link my arms through the little handle on her floaty. so that we are always just bobbing around the pool together. That's nice. She's tucked in and as you slowly start to fall asleep, you feel the floaty shaking and you feel the pressure before you know what's happening as she climbs on top of you

and snuggles into your arms and pulls back asleep. I'm going to wake up with her by Chiata. Yep. Good night. Good night, yep. I would like to know whether Shepard put on the one zero Bob. Divine intervention.

Lovely for Sheppard, no one at this table gets to know except for Nikki. Sarna, you hear knocking your door. Sorry, like it was like an hour and a half. Yeah, yes. Shepherd, you have a moment before. I know you are tired.

Sorry, because I'm trying to sleep. I understand that. What do you want? Abby's going to spend all over points. Is this important? Is this important? Yes, it is important. No, no, no.

I mean, is it really important? You ask yourself if this is an emergency and if I have to open the door. It is important to me. Well, can we talk through the door? No, I would like to come in. What kind of hospitality is that, Sheppard? I want to be friends.

I open the door and I allow you. I allow sorry to say. What do I see, Sheppere? I'm wearing the onesie. Yes! Sweet, victory! Sireang, what do you want? Shepherd, I like your style.

May I come in? You may come in? Don't comment on the goddamn style. Just sit down. What's going on? Today has been a long day. Yeah, it's been like three long days. Good.

After eating that meal, that strange, bizarre meal with that child, Arabelle. I admit it is a little strained for me. Did you know your parents? Well, you know, I didn't want to say anything. I didn't want to upset the child, but, you know, I was younger than her when I lost my parents. I don't even remember them, and quite frankly, it doesn't get any easier.

I thought I didn't want to burden her with that. What happened to your parents? Well, it's long story. but to keep it short, people like me. My understanding is my parents were just like me, tieflings, that is. There was some religious activity, a cult, if you will, where I'm from, and then they ran my parents out of town

and didn't kill them. And the doc took me in, and that was kind of the end of it. And that was why initially I've never really been a religious person. And it was a, it was a brutal. thing that happened, and I just... I've learned through you not to judge their religion, but to judge the person as they are. Not all people are evil if they follow religion and vice versa, but they were taken from me very young.

Shepard, I am sorry to hear of your loss. I had no idea the fact that it was inspired by alleged worship of the divine. I have learned that there are many religious individuals, many good and many evil. Did it feel terrible when you lost them, similar to how Aurebel felt? I mean, yeah. It's a huge part of my life just gone. Something I never even really got to experience. It's awful.

I see. I do not understand. I cannot relate. I never knew my parents. Well, I knew my parents, presumably, but I did not know that they were my parents. In my garden where I was raised, breeding was just for reproduction, and the eggs would hatch and we would be raised by the cult. It was taught that having such familial ties would be distractions from our worship of Garex. So I have seen a number of elders that I had been taught by get carried off into the treetops by the Oaxian court, never to be seen again. But we were always taught that in the end Gerex's fire would make it all right. But I was unable to understand, but It is the same for you as it was for her. It's rough.

Now, she might even have it worse than me because, you know, I only have glimpses of my parents, but all I know is it doesn't get easier losing people we care about. I understand that, Shepard. And I think that that's why we need to have a discussion. Sure. Leone. No more than two days. Very soon will be entering Castle Ravenloft. Yes.

And although I had not planned on it, I have grown fond of you. And I've grown fond of the rest of the expedition as well. Well, shucks, I've grown fond of you too. Thank you, Shepard. But that is what I want you to put aside as much as you. as you can when the time comes. Well, I mean, we got a job to do, of course, if that's what you mean, but I'm not going to stop caring about anybody. We all made a vow. We're going to get out of here safely.

I made a vow that the darkness that tightens its grip on Borovia would end. That was my vow and that it was your responsibility to shepherd the others. But if the time comes, and I am not to make it, I do not want your fondness of me to cloud your judgment. Hey, hey, hey, hey, come on now. We're all going to make it out. I'm not just going to leave you behind. Nobody's getting left behind. We're all going to get out safely.

Once this darkness is gone, we all just waltz on out of here like any other day. All right? Perhaps, Shepard. But remember, you are the shepherd. I am not. I am the inferno. And fire rages, hot, destructive, but only temporarily, until it dies down, having done what it needs to do. I don't like what you're saying.

Like it or not, I am saying it. And I just want you to swear to me. end to Garrix. But when the time comes, you will not let your affection and your fondness rush you into foolishness. The only thing I'm promising is getting everybody out of here that I can to the best of my ability. That's all I'm promising.

You hear me? Yes. Shepard the others home. And yourself, most important. I'm going to save everybody in my power, all right? I find that's an acceptable response. Fine. I'll stand up.

Good night, Shepherd. Good night, Sarnex. And you all benefit from a long rest. Who do? Oops, that's a short one. Morning comes, and you are... You are hustled to the eating area. Arabele wants to have another breakfast with you, and she allows Shepard to choose the meal plan.

So you are saved. You are saved by this decision from her horrendous cooking. You're able to eat together and enjoy the morning. You all feel refreshed, but you have a long day before you. Is there anything that you want to do before you begin the journey towards Madame Mavis camp? how long do you think it would take by foot it would take the entire day by foot you'd be getting there in the evening

easily to get to madameva and that was if you hustled and you just went straight there we know that sergey can't be spotted by magical means by stradanya what does that mean if she were to just appear in front of us she would see him no should we give him a disguise I'm not even sure she'd be able to touch him

Again, I'm not really all, this whole religion thing is fairly new to me, but I mean, look. Given that we're going into a Velaki camp, we know that there could be, not Velaki, Bistani, our apologies, a Vistani camp, we know that there could be enemies amongst them. The disguise is a good idea. They may report back to her, but he's with us, keeping his identity unknown to be best. Do you think that if they have diviners among them, that that will fool them? Won't fool Madame Eva, I don't believe. Then what is the purpose? I would say you would know that so far the only two that you've known to be true diviners are Madame Ava and Arabel.

You know that Esmeralda was playing with the Tiroca cards, that she could read them, but she doesn't have the same clairvoyant sense that the other two do. If you think that just by looking at his face, someone might make that connection, then so be it. We can try to disguise him. All right. Well, we have two options getting there. We could walk the whole day, and we'd have to pass the larky and go through all of that. Or I could teleport all of us. Straight to Madame Mava's camp.

Yes, straight to the camp. I'm not going to turn down. Saving time. I mean, time is of the essence here. I guess I don't understand the drawback. But we are not going to teleport there, meet Mata Meva, and then rush to Castle Ravenloft. Once you have expended that great amount of magical energy,

you will need to rest. I agree, but we could have more of the day there. instead of spending our time traveling. It's up to you. If we would rather just... There is a risk of a mishap. That's your call, Professor. This is your realm.

I'm just along for the ride here. Victoria, it's been two nights now since the incident. Has Stradonia come to you in your dreams, your sleep? There's no day set for the wedding, so there's no necessary rush to get her. but I've not felt anything in my dreams or otherwise. I don't think.

You haven't. Okay. Salmax, what do you think? If we are committed to spending the day in the Vistani camp and preparing, then perhaps we can teleport. I'd prefer to save time and spend it in a safe location and spend the same amount of time risking our lives walking through the woods. But that's just me. If we can get there and rest for the evening,

and there's nothing else. We'll have the whole day ahead of us. Exactly. And perhaps they will be able to barter the equipment that we, or we can stop the benefits of traveling through the loki is that we can stop by a merchant and purchase all of the items that we need. Perhaps, however, the Vistani would have things that we could barter for. No, you're right. Are you confident you get us there?

You sounded a little unsure. There was a chance that we could. appear off target or... What kind of chance? I'm going to talk about. What out of ten? Well, we run the numbers really quickly. Based on my calculations,

there's about a 50% chance we would end up on target. That's not... You're telling me only have a fucking coin flip. Yeah, yes, yes. It's the only thing we can do to improve that. We would need an associated object. Well, do you think that,

because like she is my grandma that I could be an associated object? I was just thinking. Do we still have the cards? That's true. What are your cards? We do have the cards. She read our reading. We've got the cards, right?

She touched them. She had us keep them. They were her cards. Out of care. Did we know, what level did we know that she was her grandmother? Like, did she know that we knew already? She told us, right? Mm-hmm.

Okay, so she told us already. You knew that she was her grandmother. knows that you know that she's her grand- God. We might, can you zero in a little better? If we still have the cards, then... Yes, here,

here, here, hold these. We kept the courts, right? This should allow us to teleport there, no problem, yes. Well, presumably, based on my understanding of the spell and the arcane arts can be a bit tricky.

I mean, like, to 80% I'm sure if you hold Aramels handed. might help to. If I possess an associated object that's been taken from the desired destination for the last six months, such as a book from a wizard's library, a bed linen from a royal suite,

or a chunk of marble from a Litch's secret tomb, it would be a 100% chance that we would end up on target. I think we're okay. I think we are. Roll the fucking dash. What about should we speak with Sergei before we do it? Sergrey is coming with us.

But the illusion that... The disguise, yes. I do not think we should have any false pretenses amongst those we wish to encamp with for the evening. I am very scared of that information to give back to Stroudania. I don't believe that we truly could hide anything from her. And either way, let her know that we are coming. Let her know that her brother is coming, the morning Lord is coming. Her death, her doom is coming.

Perhaps not that. decision, see what he thinks. Go ahead and hurt. On the other side, on the other hand, if we storm the castle, that's sending a message that the wedding is off. Might be easier to go with ease. No, he did say he was going to think about it and get back to us in the morning. So I think Conn is right.

We'll talk to him. See what he thinks about the disguise. What we proposed is a plan. Let's hear him out. And then we'll make some decisions. We got all day, right? Yes. Yes.

And let's wait and talk to Sergei. All right. You finish your breakfast and you say goodbye to Arabel. As you make your way out of the case and into the main entryway of the Abbey of St. Markovia. We meet up with Sergei and you have a conversation with him. He will just brevity this. He doesn't believe that a disguise is necessary. And he thinks that there needs to be more talk.

about what exactly the plan would be for Victoria, but he doesn't think that it's completely off the mark. That something like that could throw his sister for a loop, that there's also sense in storming the castle and making it known that the wedding is off. That kind of thing could show a sense of strength that she would not expect, but it requires that, But it requires more talking, that he's with you.

He's willing to go on this adventure with you. He says his goodbyes to Irina. She says hers to you, saying similar things to the night before, but this time making sure to hug each of you individually and wish you all the best. And as she hugs Sergei, you see that she holds on a little bit longer. She stands on her tiptoes and kisses his cheek. she wishes you all goodbye with a tear

slowly falling from her eye she waves goodbye are we ready yes I'll start kind of spitting my hands around I'll say is that they're not a teleportation circle here

that you could use that's only two I'm from teleportations go two to each individual circle I know nothing of magic and it's only just to help with your resources Carry on.

Portum! And we will all kind of flash in an arcane light, and we will appear in the Valki camp. You all find yourselves in the Valki camp. The sound of music. Playing around you. Fire roaring towards the center. A Vistani woman looks over to you.

Oh, look who it is. I see. I knew you would be coming. Manda Mava knows. when people are coming. So, you will head to her tent then. You were expecting us? She let us know you would be here.

Withy little one, but I don't see her. She's here. Don't worry. Well, to the tent then. She shuffles by you. Her bosom pushed high atop her corseted garment. She moves past you seductively

and winks at you as she walks past. The tent is this way. I will follow. And you see as she walks around, and she begins to tell some of the other Vistani, you see as they're looking at Sergei, but they're not looking at him in a, in the way that you would think,

a, ooh, who is that? We know who that is, but a, ooh, tall, dark, and handsome, more uggling his goodies more than anything else. And as you make your way in, the smell. of the tent hits you first. You're familiar with this tent.

The incense is heady in the air. As you walk in, the sound of the tassels and the coins jingling as you move the curtains aside. I know you would come. I had no doubt.

Madam, I had a feeling you may be expecting us. And as you walk in, It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the darkness of the tent. A few candles burning here and there. Madam Ava sits atop a plush landscape of embroidered satin pillows. A table in front of her overlaid with a purple velvet cloth.

Her crystal ball firmly placed in the center. Finally put you back out. And as you walk in, as you walk in, she motions for you all to take a seat. Sit back on my knees. We have much to discuss. We do. What brings you this way?

We have met some family of yours. Do you know of Aradale? What don't I know of? Fair point. She has lost her family. Your family, I'm sorry. When I lost my daughter, her mother, it pained me to look at her face. I still do not believe that I can look upon it yet.

She is in good hands. Her path lies with you for now. You don't want to teach her. There is nothing. I can teach her she does not already know. It is in the blood. but you there is much she could learn from you

Are you sure You're her grandmother Flesh and blood Yes But I am old And my time comes to an end She has had enough loss To become attached

And to lose me too Would not be a kind fate For the child Let her grow attachments where they can flourish. Should we not? All around, yeah. We are going...

We are going to... Did someone say Siri? Okay. Okay. Okay. We're planning to go somewhere very dangerous. It could be death for all of us, including her, if she comes with us. That is a challenge.

you must take. Why have you come? Why have you really come? I have come because I need to know what you can see. I'll take out the cards. These all came through all of them. Every car and I'll lay them all out. We fulfilled all of them and except the last one. So I believe we're very close to defeat in Stratt. But the fates have changed, have they now. Much has changed since we last met. Take the cards, shuffle yours in, and hand it back to me. I'll put my, the cards in. Remember that time?

Yeah. And you got fucking duped. Yeah, I remember it. Not this time. It's keeping an eye on you now. Please lay the first card out for me. Oh, fuck. Hold on, let me get this camera on.

I'm going to move the in the other way. Yeah. Like, right. I should have here. Let's do it this way, so that's at least the rotation. The traitor. The card as it stands. This card tells the history.

Knowledge of the Ancient will help you. Better understand your enemy. Look. For a wealthy woman, a staunch ally of the devil. She keeps the treasure on the block and key With the bones of an ancient enemy All right The conjurer

His card tells of a powerful force for good And protection A holy symbol of great hope I see a dead village drowned by a river Ruled by one who has brought great evil Into this world I don't understand We've already gotten all these cards

The paladin This card is of power and strength It tells of a weapon of vengeance a sword of sunlight. I see a slaving prince, a servant of the light, and the brother of darkness. The treasure lies with him.

What once was the artifact, but no more. Speak its name, the name on the guard. Avenger? Her eyes turned to Sergei. The brother of the prince stands before me. He will venture with you.

He will be the hand that fells your foe The next card, please The fate has changed The beast Your enemy is a creature of darkness Whose powers are beyond mortality This card will lead you to her

And where you will eventually destroy her The beast sits on her dark thrill Pull another Tell me its name See ya The little girl A family lost another guard Tell me its name

Temptor The one in two A woman tempted Her eyes land on Victoria Another The marionette Split in two Tempted and a pawn

Of the devil Another The bishop The holy one the Avenger for good in her eyes lay on Sarnax The shepherd The one who will lead you from this land Another? Another

The warrior The one who will fight for you Who will put her life on the line for you Another The wizard And you Her eyes go completely black black as her head falls backwards.

The one who will destroy them all. And that is where we're on this episode. So, as much as I thought that history was repeating itself once more, it seems as if things are different this time. Fate has changed for our heroes. That was not supposed to happen. Perhaps, unlike me and the poor souls who might rule, the Asran expedition may be masters of their own fate.

Perhaps my brother was the key to all of this. Perhaps we may all see salvation. No, such things cannot be. Only suffering and death thrive here. Can that ever change? Find out in Chapter 16 of Curse of Thradania, Creatures of the Night. In the meantime, if you wish to watch Legends of Evandris tell similar stories of dungeons and dragons every week, you can follow us on Twitch. You can also enjoy our many campaigns on YouTube, support us on Patreon, and join our community on Discord.

All links are in the show notes. We welcome you to our Ventris family.