Legends of Avantris - Curse of Strahdanya | Ep. 36 | The Thin Line Between Love and Hate: Part 1

Episode Date: December 9, 2025

With Strahdanya's journal in their hands, the Azran Expedition prepares to learn of the Countess's dark past and meet the first of her wives.   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/F6_Y93VY-3w?si=bsVTBKeRX1iUocmv

You're back in Castle Ravenloft and listening to Curse of Stradania, a Legends of a Ventress podcast. Last time, the Asran expedition slaughtered witches and attempted to move a cold burn. With the squatters disposed of, they decided to have their last supper and one more heroic feast, but not without getting a heart attack from the child Arbel's antics. Now they have my diary to pry through. Not very respectful of privacy, are they? Well, let us see what it says.

This episode is brought to you by our generous supporters on Patreon. We now also have a merch store where you can browse more than 20 amazing eventress themed designs. You can buy a shirt or become a Patreon yourself by following the link in the show notes. We are eternally grateful for your support. With that out of the way, let us proceed with Chapter 18, the thin line between love and hate. You've spent the majority of this evening battling against witches deep within Castle Raiden Lump. And as you make your way out of the closet,

ready to finally lay your heads down and find just a little bit of peace before the impending nuptials, you make your way into the room to find nestled on the bed deep in the folds of the velvet cloth. A journal, one you've seen before. Clayton pats himself down

and looks into the briefcase confused as to how it wasn't with him all along. But there it is. He picks it up and looks at it. He realizes this is the journal they were looking for. This is, this is the, this is for Dhan's journal. Professor, where did you come from? I don't understand. Did you misplace it again? I don't know. How did it get here?

Is there something new? And I'll open it up. And I'll try to see if there's any sense of tampering or... You flip through the journal and you see the pages that you had read before. The ones that you had skimmed through about Stradonia's past. And your eyes fall to an entry that you might have skipped the first. time and new entries as well. There is more to this, things that have been added since you found it. There is something new, yes. Entries we haven't read before. I've torn this thing apart.

Is the ink still time? What? Let me look. I'll sniff it and I'll like lick it a little then. The ink's completely dry. I think it would be, would do as well to compare the handwriting. Are the new passages in Sredania's head? I'll do that as well. Roll a perception check. First roll the six months. Oh, God, character sheets. What is no?

I'm going to pull up my character sheets. It's all right. Skills, right? Is that a skill? Perselection. How do we play D&D? What are skills? 24.

Yeah, it's really, you have no way to tell. 24 just wasn't enough, except that it was. And as you look at the writing, you're able to see that it is the same, though as you get closer and closer to the last few entries, you see that the writing is more of a feverish script. The delicate flourishes are missing.

The ink blotted in places, more rushed. It looks similar, but definitely more hurried. Oh, read it. What does it say? Well, and I guess can I go go. to like the first new entry and do I have a sense of oh hey this is where I should start? Yeah, sure.

Okay. So you flip through it and one entry piques your interest. Let's see if I remember how to get that. Finally, some new entertainment. Five new souls came through the mist today. I can't tell if it was an accident

or intentional. Either way, they weren't guided by my Vistoni, so this should be interesting. From what I can tell, they seem to be your typical band of adventurers, like the many before them who've charged ahead to their doom over and over again. It really is so tiresome, but at least there's something to break up the monotony. They're led by a wizard in a ridiculous hat. He is probably half as smart as he thinks he is, and will inevitably lead them to their deaths. His higher The cowboy with a hat that's almost ridiculous.

He's already angry, and I am certain he's not getting paid enough for what he's going to have to deal with. The muscle of the group is a young and naive warrior who looks like she might have some connection to the samurai in my dungeon. That would be interesting, and of course, like every group, there's a man of the cloth. Well, in this instance, a lizard. Everyone seems to already hate him. But there is someone who seems far more interesting than the rest. A young woman, she seems to be half dusk elf, which I admit is a surprise and piques my curiosity. There's something about her.

She holds herself so piously, and I can see she is religious, but there's a bit of her. There is a darkness there of wickedness. This is going to be far now. She had us pegged. We should start. From the get-go. Unbelievable. That's not that ridiculous, is it?

I mean, yours is a little tacky, I guess, but... Unbelievable. I would agree that she has us pegged. How much are you being paid, Shepherd? That's certainly not important right now to be talking. about anything like that. What perplexes me is how the moment we arrived at the mist, I guess it does stand a reason that she did deliver us a letter the moment we entered

Barovia. She has eyes and ears everywhere. How did she, I suppose she just knows everything. She has her ways. It's not surprising, but she knew right away about you. That concerns me. me as well I've gone to great costs to hide myself

my heritage your heritage but also your personality you can say professor my shortcomings your well

your wickedness I'm not one to prescribe that to a shortcoming I'm not a pious man but she had you targeted from the start. If she's right, this could go very poorly for all of us. Do you realize?

If what I'm trying to say is for all of this to work and for all of us to survive, you need to be thus. I've been with you the whole time. I understand that. By your side. I've died in this place. For all of you.

Yes, yes, you did die. And she brought you back. But you can die again. As can we all. I am saying if the wrong decisions are made, it could lead to the deaths. Of all of us, I care less for my own life, but consider our other companions. Miss Victoria, or just worried is all right. Listen, do you know the sound of thunder?

Yes. Can you imagine that sound if I asked you to? I think I could. You and I have had this talk before, and I asked you to ask for help to avoid a dark result. But I didn't say it in thunder. Listen to the thunder, Miss Victoria. Very well said, Shepard, and perhaps, reading through this journal we may, hear the sound of thunder even more. Allow me to continue.

They have some nerve. The Ezran expedition, as they seem to be calling themselves, had the audacity to set the old bone grinder mill of lays after murdering its haggsorders. They seemingly intend this as a message and a warning to me, as if I don't know they're every move, is if they do not know that they only live because I will it. How dare they? But, I will say, I am impressed they are still alive.

I didn't think they would make it out of the deathhouse alive. Perhaps there is more to these lost souls than I thought. Hmm. Well, at least she appreciated your gesture. The message was received loud and clear. This pleases me. I agree. Let's continue.

Tonight, I finally met Victoria along. She is young. She is beautiful. and she is but there is more to it than that I've encountered so many pretty youthful and strong girls in my years but they are all the same

there are the ones of darkness where so very fun and reliable but so predictable and hardly a challenge then there are the ones of light we're just begging to be corrupted a thrill unlike any other but when they finally

fall, it's nothing but the same. Where is the excitement in that? We still cannot place where Victoria falls in that eternal battle between light and darkness. She is unlike anyone I've met before. It's almost as if she's the version of Tatiana, my sweet Tatiana, who is still pure and good at heart, but has the wickedness in her soul to accept a sinner into her arms. a sinner like me. I can tell she is conflicted. But I can tell she sees the futility and her self-immolation for her brutal cruel god. I can tell she feels the darkness inside her growing stronger.

I can tell she knows the others in the group don't trust her. Good. They shouldn't. Victoria Isaacs. Eventually, it will be mine. Now, now that's just not true. I trust Miss Victoria with my life. I have this whole time, and I'm not giving up on her. Do you?

I do. Thank you, Mr. Shear. I trust all of you, to a degree, certainly. But having unbound trust for no rational reason is dangerous. It's of course a rational reason. If we do not trust each other, we will not leave here alive. Think about all we've been through. Live together or die alone.

Yes, yes, that's true. That's true. How are you feeling? Are you... How are these things making you feel? Are you feeling... That's troubling to hear that, to have someone speak about you that way. Don't feel any sense of excitement that she's thinking of you in this way, or...

Or... Twitter phasion, perhaps? Twitter. Professor. I think this land has taken a toll on all of us. I'd be lying if I didn't feel strange right now. But how do you really feel, Victoria? How do you feel about the Countess?

There after all is a thin line between love and hate. It's true. She's powerful. She's beautiful. I can't say that there's not tempted her. something I fought every day of my life, and I will continue to fight. Good, good. I want to hear.

There is an internal battle for everyone's soul, a war between the darkness and light, and perhaps your place in it will be our great advantage, going into this wedding, going into this final battle, the culmination of our fates. Just do not let the darkness win. I'll continue. My brides are already jealous. The envy pours from every inch of their cold dead flesh. They know me well.

Volenta is as insecure as always and is already begging to slit the throats of all of the expedition immediately. Honestracia says she would welcome another into our bed with wide and welcoming arms, but it's clear as the moonlit night that she is already plotting. Even Ludmilla's cold confidence is cracking. I haven't seen her leave the library in days. And Escher, my poor little boy,

he's wallowing in his melodramatic melancholy. He is the most right pout, of course. He knows I'm already tired of it. He is a beautiful man. Yes. But a man all the same, and his vanity in arrogance gets so very old. so very fast.

And I can see duplicity in his eyes whenever we meet. He hates me. Poor, treacherous war. When I am less busy, I'll have to remember to throw him into the crypt with the others. And as you read this last part out loud, you hear a thud on the wall behind you and a loud sigh. As you all turn and you see Escher leaning up against the wall, his arms crossed one leg, one leg kicked over the other. Duh.

They've been here the whole time. Yes. Great. What are you doing? Well, the air is eavesdropping to see what you were up to. From this vantage point, I've got a good look on somebody

as the eyes shepherd up and down. You know that tail twitches when you get agitated. It's a surefire giveaway of your emotions. Hey, now. Easy. watch it. You... Is what it is?

Did you deliver this to us? Clever. Clever, professor. Maybe I did, and maybe I did it. Who's to see you? But, now that you have it, do go on. I presume you've read everything in this book.

I would never. Why? Me. I'm as trustworthy as they come. That is an absurd. statement, you're clearly not trustworthy. Now... You see as he looks at you a slight smirk up here on his, on his lips.

As trustworthy as they come. I just stated that is an absurd statement. Well, now, now, Sarnax, let's presume he's telling the truth. And let's presume that you haven't read what's in here. Of which I haven't. Not a word. And listening to you read it is, of course, not reading it myself. I'm the eyes and ears of the castle,

so it is my job to watch over the hors d'oeuvres. I'm going to take my poncho off and put my hat down and find like a seat and just kind of relax and listen to the professor, get ready to read. You put your poncho and your hat aside as you lower yourself down, almost abruptly into this plush velvet chair. Dust billows up around you this year.

hasn't been, hasn't had someone sit in it for many, many years. You keep your composure, you don't even cough as the dust spills around you. And Escher seems to notice, admiringly. I'll look at Sheppard, and then I'll look back at Asher. So you've heard what I just read.

That's a safe assumption. Can I read this? And can we be on the same page? I'm simply here. to watch, to listen. Professor, are you suggesting to be on the same page

as a creature of the night, an untrustworthy, duplicitous? A man whose loyalties never falter. Unwavering face. Strength above measure. And a face so handsome. It makes some quiver. Now?

What's the old adage? The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Is that right? Sure. We have a different adage where I come from, Professor. Why don't you take a seat, Escher? Those who are my enemies burn in holy fire. The end.

Amen. Let's see what else Shadana has to say about our friend here. Escher leans forward off the wall and dusts, not some of the dust off of his lapel, as he looks over at the seat next to Shepard. And as he walks behind, he puts his hands on your shoulders, Shepard, and he starts to dig into the muscles harder than you'd like.

You're looking a little tense. I'm going to try not to tense off, but it's hard on the sound. He smiles and you see only on one side, one of his fangs completely protruded, as he lets go. and he walks around and he sits down so gently that not even a single speck of dust floats up into the air. He crosses his leg, puts his hand on his beneath his chin.

We may proceed. I'll keep reading. And the second that he gets close to Shepard, I'm going to be watching him like a hawk and just making sure he doesn't... I'm saying you feel like he, though his eyes never leave Shepard, you feel like he's watching every single one of you intently. I'm going to move to stand next to Shepard being a little bit closer to him and try to block the... He looks up at you and he makes eye contact with you.

You're quite beautiful as well. Not necessarily my type, but really, beggars can't be chooses. I just quite a bit nod to you. Go back to looking up to the professor. Yeah. Proceed. Good night. I've sent my message to both the Martigoths in the Azran expedition.

The falling blood of ravens is so beautiful this time of year. I have ruled over Barovia for hundreds of years, and no matter who has opposed me, they failed, died, and been discarded. Why do these lost souls think they stand a chance? Why do the people of Barovia have a hope that things might be different? things are never different. This is Morovia. This isn't just a prison for me. It is a prison for all of us.

And it is. You tried to change my fate. I failed. We cannot escape. She has made sure of it. She? The blood queen. The Lai Saga.

I look at Ashton. sure to see if his face changes at all when she says. Roll in sight check. Oh, that. Ten. His face is like a complete stone. You don't even see a flitter of emotion across it.

At this point, is there really a difference? At this point in the journal, that is. It just seems like she didn't think twice about Laxaga. I noticed that as well. From what we experienced in her hut, it seemed as if Lysaga's purpose was to guide Shredania to that sarcophagus. It is perhaps that this entity, this dark power that is called the Blood Queen as the one that has turned Barovia into a prison.

It imprisoned Lysaga, imprisoned Shudanya, imprisoned us all, and the lost souls of this damned place. makes me think that she doesn't want to be here either if we could find some way to free everyone including her we still don't know how to kill her certainly we could

kill her kill her like the past groups have done but she'll just come back she was foolish enough perhaps the answer lies further in this journal quicker than you could possibly imagine Escher standing immediately in front of you

You can feel his cold, wintry breath in your face as he leans down. The breath on your neck, cravotte has come on the time as he slowly fixes it. That's nothing. Thank you. He looks at you, his face, mere centimeters, his face from yours. Your hope is charming. As with lightning speed, he places himself back in his chair. at this point is reasonable. Nagy.

Life saga called to me this evening. Her usual, she begged, pleaded, pledged her undying love and loyalty as my other mother, as my living mother. She warns me that things were different this time and that the stars are lining. The powers beyond the stars are aligning.

She expects me to join forces with her. She says she fears for my fate who do not join forces. After her anonymous wedding gift, she really must think I'm stupid. A magical palanquin fueled by a blood cauldron is not the most inconspicuous art effect. Well, at least my bride's enjoyed, even still. I am not stupid, and I do not forget. Did she forget, did she who sealed my fate? Did she forget that her mother's love called me to this cursed land and bound me to those very powers beyond the stars?

Did she forget that her first gift, her promise of power, her promise of greatness, her promise of true love, the deal she urged me to make was the curse that turned my eternal life into an inescapable nightmare? Did she forget that the choker around my neck, the beautiful gem within, may give me unimaginable power, but is nothing more than a shackle to imprison me. She has damned me, and so I damn her. We are all damned here, and we will all serve. Is Sergei with us? No, he is monitoring Jintechi inside of the... Yeah, he's healing his wounds and reading through books and taking care of him. And preparing to, you remember that he was going to query the morning lord to try to send Jintechi directly from the case to the Abbey to keep him out of harm's way.

Well? Oh, okay. I turn to Escher to see if his face has changed it all when your choker is not sure. Roll an insight check. A different dye. Ooh, what's better? 25. You see just for a mere second, a faint smirk,

almost a moment of recognition. He knows something, but you're not quite sure what. I'm sure you seem like a timeless gentleman. Is that your way, oh fuck, accents? This that's a way of calling me handsome con. Age before beauty is this. Well, I am quite old, but far more beautiful than my age. You have been with Stradania for some time.

I'm sure you are. Are you familiar with her choker? I've never taken up. Have you seen her without it? I fear I've not. Neither have I. But what does it matter? It's surprising.

Outside of a bride's... Outside of a bride. No one sees her in a state other than severe well dress. Not even you, despite being your concubine. I've seen Harold Farlous. Yet the choker remains. He narrows his eyes at him. Yes.

Never really thought of it. It's quite seductive after all. where it presses the flesh of the neck. She arches her head back in the throes of passion and see the strain of it on her tail. Have you ever witnessed her attempt to remove it? Does she seem bothered by it in these throws of passion? She's bothered by nothing in the throes of passion.

And if you and I get to know each other a little well, you'll understand what I mean. I think... Well, don't you look stunning what colour rushes to your cheeks? Don't you agree? Let's stay on subject, Escher. Oh, we are?

Oh, she's a fine young woman. But Lady Anna brings up a good point. Perhaps she cannot relieve the choker. Not that she does not do so by choice. Is this imprisoning her? Is this bound to her, perhaps, by the curse? And if it is imprisoning her, And then she would not be able to escape with her own death.

So perhaps the previous individuals or groups that have slain her before did not release her from her imprisonment before killing her. The curse is the prison and she has no control over it. I trust these words here. And the gem? You've seen red gem. We've seen similar gems. I'll pull the red gem out of my pocket. You see a very broad smile.

Okay. Across Escher's faces, both of his fangs are revealed. Smile from nearly ear to ear, pure delight on his face as he looks at you holding that. Sealed your fate, haven't you? Fun. Barba Lysaga was quite the clever one. It's something about these gems. They have more and more and more importance, the more we learn.

Why? What does this power beyond the stars? She said it twice. Does that ring a bell? I don't, I wouldn't have researched. I guess would I know anything about power beyond the stars? That's ring a bell? I would say even with an intelligence check now,

you scan your memory, Sherlock Holmes style, and you can't think of anything. but it lingers with you, that thought. And even though they're just words on a page, there's a pit of fear in your stomach as you think about them, and nagging at you. And almost, for a second,

you believe that you hear an unintelligible whisper. Only the professor. Yes, yes, and I'll quickly put the gentleman. Is it all right? Yes, I just see. more time. I need to learn more. I just haven't had time to learn what this is. It's clearly magical, but there's a very similar gem around Stradania's neck. I worry, we could deduce that this power is beyond the stars than this curse could perhaps extend outside of Rovia.

Controlled, puppeted by higher power. Is there anything higher than Stradania? Clearly there is. And if you all recall the strange voices in the Amber Temple that called to us, each one of them that offered their power, said they were of a star. I will never forget the voice of the cold, dead star that I made, a foolish, packed with in my destiny. with in my desperation. That was quite comical. The fire lizard, afraid of his own flame.

Oh, I laughed. And when I stepped forward to that lone coffin, no star was mentioned, no name was mentioned. Simply a voice offering vampirism. You're right. It was different. larger more powerful than anything else trapped there

let me continue please please I must learn more it is impossible it should not be possible and yet it has still happened the power of the morning lord has returned to the abbey

and worse still the pathetic primitive dragon god actually repelled me I had won. The cleric was dead, and the rest were mine. But that holy fire saved them all. The gods should not have power here. She hates them.

And yet, now the lords of mourning and fire have challenged my rule. They have challenged her rule. After my humiliating defeat, I visited the place of my greatest mistake. The sarcophagus still stands as it did centuries ago. As always, the voice within does not offer a name or a star like the others, but all the others are feeble compared to her. They only came to this land through the door she left behind,

and unlike her, they are truly wholly imprisoned in that temple. and perhaps that's because those ancient wizards discover their names. There is power in names. I fear I will never know her true name. But there is a title attached to that dark power. The whispers, the visions, the dreams, the blood queen. It is all gotten worse since of late, filled with more intensity, madness, anger, with the lust of power,

slaughter and revenge. Something is coming. I can feel it in every one of my bones, coursing through my long, hardened veins, and every essence of my being. Whatever's left of it anyway. Now, I finally understand. This time is different.

Yes, it is. She feels it, too. Do you have the same smirk when you read her frightened writings after experiencing the power of the fire lord? Well, lucky for me. I'm a just and loyal companion, and I would never read her private entries. But I have the eyes in this castle,

and I must watch her odourdes. But I roll an insight check. Me? Yeah, you... I suppose I could. Oh. Aren't you kind of good at that, maybe? Oh, no.

Inside, oh, it's still a 19. Okay. Damn. But you do see under the facade of, under the facade of unwavering certainty, there is a hint of fear, and there is a small flicker of concern. Go. Can it straight on your icing. What you're supposed to say.

I understand she shouldn't be saved by your means, Sarnax, and her wish to purge her in flame. I have said before, Kana, that I believe perhaps there can be redemption. I've said beforehand that in killing Baba Lysaga, we have avenged her in a way, that if this is all true, there was a plot, this elder, this ancient power. from beyond the stars

guiding her here did she really have a choice after all but either way her fate ends in death saved or otherwise did the blood queen maybe bringing her back

get to the source we must we must first break that gem we solved that they can be broken. There was a broken gem in the goat skull, was there not, Professor? Yes.

That's right. They can be broken, they can be shattered. We have proof and evidence of that fact. That means that we can destroy it before we kill her. Is that enough to sever her connection with the blood queen? I do not know. It's stopped. Do we think that there are more of these gems?

I'll put to jump back in. If one was destroyed, I'm holding one right now and one is around Ferdania's neck. Is it possible that there are only three? If this blood queen has three eyes. Would that be my guess? I did not make that connection.

That's really, Professor. That is very likely. There may be more answers in the journal. We should keep reading. My brother is gone. My enemies have taken. taking him from me as well. I know it is my greatest injustice in the world,

but I feel betrayed. Some would call it delicious irony, or simple justice. After all, I turned to my blade on my brother centuries ago, and now he will turn his blade on me. It's only fair, and between siblings, fairness matters above all, or at least that's what our mother's.

said. When I found out, I admit, I destroyed the wing of the castle in rage. It is very unlike me. The old Strudania would have taken such news in stride and continued with her plans unshaken. Well, now my tears are dry and I have collected my thoughts. I write this now beside our mother's prized possession. Such an elaborate container for just a hairpin. What warranted it all the same? For what the hair-pren reprints? I did not learn until long after her death, but although my mother claimed she had converted to the face of the Mormon world,

she had never turned away from the goddess of our original homeland. Despite my brother's best efforts, the Raven Queen, goddess of death, kept her talents in the land of the Morning Lord. Perhaps that is why everything turned out how it did. Relishing on Sergei's failure with our mother, as I sit beside such a powerful divine relic that I will never be able to hold myself. Well, it should fill me with some sort of satisfaction.

But it does not. I feel nothing. We're getting under her skin. She's unraveling. She's losing her mind. She's unhinged. Sorry. The artefact that she speaks of, is that the sword?

She mentioned a hairpin. Is that the artefacts she offered to? Oh, I'm sorry. I made a spot of tea. Hope you don't mind. It's always good to wet your thirst when you're watching the damned relish in the last shreds of their hope. What do you know about this hairpin, Escher? Oh, my hair is long and luxurious, and you see as he whips it around.

His hair is beautiful, nearly pure white, and you know that it goes down to the middle of his back, as it whips around and drapes almost effortlessly over his chest, and you can see as it rises and falls. But why would I ever want to harness such long, gorgeous locks in a hairpin? Oh, you mean stradonias, yes. whatever it lovely thing it is quite ancient

referenced as a divine artifact we've been collecting all of the divine artifacts that we could find but we have never heard any mention of a hairpin any mention of any artifact not blessed by the morning word seems like someone's changing the rules here at the last minute

well I'd be happy to tell you a little more about it for something in return Give your old friend, Escher, soft kiss on the cheek, on your daughter. It's been so long since I've felt the kiss warm flesh. Or, Shepard. My lips are wanting, if yours are. We are flattered by compliments, Escher.

I think we are most comfortable where we are. You are certainly not most comfortable. I would be less comfortable with. I had to kiss Escher. So you mean to tell me you know about this hairpin? Yes. And for a trade, you're going to tell us everything that we need to know. Correct?

About the hairpin. At least someone has some sense. One. One kiss, that's it. And if you try anything even slightly off. I'll give you a bonus for this. Loyal, honest. True.

You're going to deal in carnal pleasures with the creature of the night. There's no pleasure in this sarnax. For you. Let's get this over with. And just as quick as lightning, you feel the weight of his body on your lap. As he brushes your hair behind one of your horns, he reaches down. You would like this. And he presses a very firm but quick kiss on your lips.

with a soft moan of pleasure, he quickly moves back to his chair and you see a shudder ripple through his body. Well, I'll do this. An appetizer for what comes next. Ask good questions. Go ahead, Sarnax. Ask the question. Are you all right, Chubber?

I'm fine, thank you. Is everyone in this party eventually going to kiss a vampire by the time we're done with this? Sorry. Or should I kill them all before you have the chance, Professor? Would you please ask? There are three brides to choose from, apparently.

And there are three party members left? Please. A bride apiece. Let me see. For Sarna. I do not have the malian lips with which to kiss. Yes, Volenta will like you best. And for you,

Ludmilla. And though you try to remain cool, you are a broken thing Professor Azran Anastrazia I would like you the most That's fair But I haven't read anywhere in this journal yet

That she's tossing the other brides aside So I have a feeling that the other three Won't be as amenable to... You wound me, Professor Making deals If I hadn't already made a deal I would ask for more With quips like that

From a fiery tongue I'm just saying we can help you and it's the only reason why you're still here. The only reason why I'm still here is I choose to. You touch a hair on one of Stradonia's consorts, and not even this one will be safe. She's not done with us yet, if at all. And now that Shepard has fulfilled his end of the bargain,

perhaps you will tell us what you know of this hairpin. I would be happy to answer the questions that you have. ask wisely. Where is it? Why can Shredania One at a time? Where is it? Well, that's quite simple. Adjoining her bedchamber to the side of her bath, you will find one of the largest rooms in Castle Ravenloft.

Her closet, and in it in the very centre, on a marble pedestal, sits a strange raven-shaped box, and in it they have been. And Stradanya herself, despite this box being in her possession, cannot hold the artifact. Well, that I was unsure of, but as her journal entry suggests, so it would seem. Now, why? I couldn't tell you. But if it is what she says, an artifact of the raven queen, a queen, a queen, a goddess of death itself, and Shredonia herself, an entity of death.

Maybe they're not compatible with one another. But what do I know? I'm simply a silly boy. It is what she said, yes. Yes, Sarnax, I know I was in the room at the time. Perhaps I was saying it again. But she was also dealing with madness. We can all be forgiven for that which we do in a state. outside of all right mind.

So I'm sorry, Conno. I know very little of your magic, but in a similar way that you convert a shepherd to be the follower of Garex. Do you feel Stradania

can be returned to her faith in the raven with me? I do not believe Stradania ever had faith in the Raven Queen. It seemed to have been a surprise to hear of a secret of her mother. Stradonia herself does not bother with the likes of gods or goddesses. Her strength was in herself far before she became what she was. She was one of the most feared warriors on the battlefield. Men and women alike coward before her.

She strode atop of Persephalus, reigning death upon those she deemed worthy. securing lands and citizens for Borovia from far and wide as far as Nekbet Eev. Did she have faith in any other?

Faith in herself. As I thought, to answer your question, Kana, no, I do not believe she can be returned to the bosom of any god or goddess. But I think that in the end when we send her to that abyss,

we will be doing her a justice and a service. It is the humane thing to do, as you humans would say. Well, let me continue. Is that all you wanted to know of the herpin? Do you know anything else that you're hiding? I want to know everything you know about the hairpin. That was the deal. He looks, his eyes, once again,

move from the tips of Shepard's boots to the very tip of his whorns. to see a shudder through his body. Well, it was a worthwhile trade. Trudonia does not trust herself with the hairpin. There is something about it that unnerves her. But there are four that she trusts, myself, and the rest of her prize. With me, I'm the only one who's seen it. eye in her eyes and her ears.

And with Budmila and Estracia and Belenta, she trusts a single key apiece, all three of which are needed to open the box. But to get her to agree for you to access the hair paper, she would need someone she trusts, or someone she wants. his eyes linger on Victoria. Mine do as well.

Oh, yes. The entire reason I came. The wedding's been postponed. Apologies. Yes, you see. What? Yes, I know it was supposed to be this evening. You were all preparing.

I'm sure you had a feast and you used a lot of your energy to prepare for what was to come. But sadly, it is postponed. That's what we call burying the lead where I'm from. Wait, what are you? As you see, in all of the excitement of Victoria, coming to the castle, Tridonia's hunger when she scheduled it for this evening. Well, a silly thing happened hundreds of years ago on this night when...

Well, Tuchana threw herself on the balcony, the parapet of the throne room. And Stradonia does not feel right, Mary, her new bride on the eve of the death of her beloved. So tomorrow, it will happen tomorrow. And due to that, she is in quite the melancholy state. And you hear as the venom drips from his tongue, as he says the word, remembering the line in her journal

when she mentioned his melancholy state. So any of you are welcome to pay her a visit. but only one of you would leave with their life and the hope of that happen. So if we get these keys, we could walk into Trudanya's room and just take it.

That is the hope now, isn't it? But things are not always as they seem and as I have never had access to the keys. I myself have never unlocked the box. I myself could not tell you the answer to that. I've given you all that you know and I feel that it is a just reward for the price

that is paid. You'll figure us out. And you always do. And just so you know, Vampire, just recently... You may call me, Escher. I may. But when I choose to, I have once this conversation.

But now, Vampire, I want you to know that Shepard recently pledged himself to Garex the Fire Lord, so he is unavailable. It's that why you are looking so steaming today, Shepin? I don't know what you mean. Your body is on fire.

Well, you know. And it's not just the rust color of your steel. Thank you, Sarnax. I believe I just shut you down. Continue, Professor. He looks at you almost confused. I like cough. I cough awkwardly.

I'm totally not getting what's happening. and I talk over anyone that starts to try and is there anything else in the journey? Oh, I'll continue the next time. My last sleep was filled with nightmares. I've become accustomed to bad dreams at this point, but even I, but even still, I am filled with dread from what I have seen. A blood man high over Ravenloft, thick veins of blood coursing.

of blood coursing across Parovia, through the mist and into the realms of death beyond. The people, my people, good and evil alike changing into pure abominations, the like of which are unspeakable and unthinkable and even to a monster such as myself. And worst of all, the eyes, three eyes, blood red unblinking, staring at me, boring deep into the soul that I've long since lost. They watch behind the veil, but I can see them all the same. If they see me,

her eyes are only now more than ever. Watch it. This is unsettling. Hopefully these are just raving of a mad woman. Perhaps that will make her easier to thank you. like we took advantage of the madness of Lysaga. With this talk of a blood moon and streams of blood flowing throughout the realms of death,

presumably outside the mists and through Gerovia, transforming people into monsters, if this is a fission, and she's right that things are different this time, maybe they'll be different for the worse. What can we do? To stop it. stop it. This is a vision of things to come. Professor, this is your entire field of study. Does this sound like a divination? I don't know. I look into the weave. I use the arcane. This is far beyond anything of my

comprehension. I understand that she's being communicated to via whispers and dreams. Some wizards perhaps use dreams, but this is not This is not magic. This is not the weave. So I can't say it is power. What if Madame Ava's new reading? Does that fold into this somehow? I cannot believe so.

I think that if Professor Azran is correct, then this is beyond the powers of even Madame Ava to predict I'm concerned. If we happen to break the curse and we happen to kill her, there's another enemy looming. We all just turn into horrific abominations and jibber our way to oblivion. We walk with Garex, the fire lord. He would never allow that to happen.

I agree. And regardless, we don't have a choice. We're at the point of no. return and we gotta move forward no matter what the outcome might be. Correct. I'll keep reading. I have just learned that Lysoga has met her in. It happened last night, the night of my worst nightmares. Perhaps it was Lysogga's good, a mere fright as punishment for years of neglect.

That is a nice thought, but it is not true. I want to believe that the old crone is finally dead. She deserves death and so much worse for everything she's done, to me and to Baruia. But still, I feel nothing. I suppose if I truly wanted her dead, I would have just done it myself. So why didn't I?

Perhaps I didn't want to lose the one person who truly knows the extent of my curse. I didn't want to be left. completely alone with her. But now I am. I feel her gaze in her grip. So perhaps we didn't do her a favor. Adventure, after all, did we just make things worse?

In these situations, Kana, I fear that it will always get worse before it gets better. We definitely got justice for what Lysaga did to Shradanya throughout her life. she tricked her she brought her here and she convinced her to do what was done you can't turn back time

in that way so even if we've gotten justice she is succumbing to madness and we've us killing Lysaga made that transpire quicker and I believe that's a good thing

My saga was mad too And we felled her And we will fell Trudanya as well Tridanya is cunning She's intelligent If she falls to madness I believe that that makes it easier for us to

Deal with all of us I think of the Abbey He was mad and we saved him too He was A creature of the light A celestial A deva and Angel. Corrupted by evil.

Corrupted, but once a mere mortal has chosen their fate, yes, of course, there can be redemption, but some mortals, some mortal souls are beyond redemption. Some mortal souls can be redeemed, perhaps, but only in death. Trudanya must pay for her crimes. she has been imprisoned apparently by this being. But that does not excuse every single action she has taken while being a prisoner. We have killed Lysaga. We will kill Stradanya. And if there is a blood queen that sits upon a blood throne, we will kill her too. It matters not.

We will not stop until the corruption is purged. I will not stop until the corruption is purged. At the end of the day, she can't run forever. Justice always finds its mark. It does. And in nature, there are regular great wildfires. Many animals and plants die and burn away. But in the end, renewal and regrowth.

come about. New life returns stronger than ever. There will be pain, there will be death. But in the end, there's always the regrowth and the renewal. It is the circle of life and the power of fire. If we can strike at the heart of the blood queen and end to this curse, potentially saves Trudonia, don't you think living and earning that redemption in life

is better than simply slaying her where she stands. How do you propose we convince her someone capable of such great power that while we were out defeating the druids of Yester Hill, she swooped in to the raven's roost, powerful warriors and magicians and slaughtered many of them,

pinned a mother to the wall. It wasn't, if it weren't for the people, power of Garrix, she would still be dead. And with that great power, who knows if her power grows with Lysaga dead? It may be possible if they had shared some connection. Now, if there's only one focus of that connection, what she could do? Do you intend to say, we would like you to apologize? Please say you're sorry and we'll forget about the whole thing. Certainly not, Sanax, but what I am saying is not everything must be purged in the flame, and that some things, some people can be cleansed by water.

Kana, I have said that I have grown in respect for your methods of purification, and I acknowledge the power of water in cleansing, but you cannot cleanse an awful pestilence with water. that only feeds it a blight you must burn some things must burn some people must burn and i fully believe that stradanya is one of those people i will say a prayer for her soul i believe in nothing but darkness awaits her but i hope at the end she will see the folly of her ways. And I will pity the fact that she was a mere puppet in all of this. But that does not change my course. That does not change the dragon's fire that is coming for her and Ravenloft, and all that

would corrupt this land. I wish to focus my attention more as Blood Queen. Let's keep we can go on. Yeah. Getting pretty recent. Today was a good day. I saw distraction from the burden of my position. by observing some of the newer residence of my castle, whom I seemingly forgot to have killed, but for now I am glad I did not. A young woman, with eyes as big as saucers, and the head as empty as an abandoned attic,

came to Ravenloffield several weeks ago, enchanted by some romantic notion of what it's like to live in the castle. I seriously don't think she understands the situation she is in. Her stupidity in obliviousness are somewhat amusing, Perhaps I'll bite her and turn her into a plaything. But for now, Honest Racia is having some fun with her, so I will hold off. And what's even more entertaining? Gertruda, I believe that's her name,

is taking a liking to the horrible monster of a man with the grotesque, fiendish arm. When he came to my gates, begging for protection and offering his service, I wanted to kill him on the spot for his overwhelming cowardice. But his unnatural deformity intrigued me. So I have allowed him to stay. I'm quite pleased that I did. As now the two freaks are engaged in the most awkward budding romance I've ever witnessed. It will be even more delicious when they are both brutally murdered in front of each other.

Oh, today was a good day. Out of character, fiendish-arm person sounds familiar, but I'd not... Isaac. He's in the thug of the burgomaster. It's not a son, is it? No. And as to remind you, you were able to find his room and it was filled with Blinsky toys, and all of them were made to look like Irene.

That's how scorched. And he... Yeah, a lot of them were scorched, and you know that he had, like, fiery hands. He's not related to Borgonaster. No. No. He was like his... Yeah, hired dog.

And when the... When the Bergamaster was killed by Vokter, he ran away to escape, like, a similar... They were looking for Isaac to get him, and he ran away. Okay. And we know that he fled to Ravenloft. This journal entry is speaking of Isaac. Certainly. I mean, it's got to me.

Right. We know he came to Ravenloft. I'm surprised he made it here alive, and is either has been murdered or is going to be? I don't understand. And this woman, this girl, this couldn't be. Mad Mary's daughter, got it? Do you recall those months ago?

Yes, I do recall. With that horrific-looking doll. Do you still have it? Do I still have it? It was in your reef base. That was her doll. Curio, my keys will float up and will open to the storage compartment side. And I'll look down and I'll see if the doll's still there.

You open the storage compartment. and your eyes immediately dart to the left-hand side as you see just a faint bit of movement as the doll's body completely collapses limply. No been molly. And it looks perfectly still until you see a faint smirk curl up on one side of its lips and then its face becomes placid.

You! I'm going to grab the doll, right? It's right behind you. Oh my God, that's right. I forgot we had it. Man, this is a throwback. You? Behind you? You? Do you speak? Oh, God's damn.

And not this thing again. It'll be okay, Keeby doll. I've seen you move. I've seen you do things. Can you speak to me? It's just a toy, professor. We've seen this before.

It's unusual, but it's just a toy. But we could ask her if her owner is Gertrude. Gertrude? Mm-hmm. I don't believe that these toys have sentience. Professor. Are you sure? You see us.

You are the wizard in this situation, Professor. If anyone will know the nature of this, these machinations, it would be you. Well, I suppose this is crazy. Roll a perception check. It's a one plus an eight, nine. Hear a faint rattling inside the doll. As you shake it. Easy.

It might just be more like fingers, bones or something. As you flip it over, you feel the soft thud on your middle finger of a small wooden ring attached to a thin piece of corn extending from the back of the doll. The cord is frayed and old. The wood chipped. Oh, is it like a drawstring? Yeah, it looks like it would be bold. This is new? Well, not new, but it's new to me.

Unfortunately. You hear a strange winding sound, and then a grinding and a grinding and a scraping, unintelligible murmurs. You imagine that some of the rust is broken away from the mechanism, and you might need to pull it a few more times before you can get it working. Damn you work! Just careful not to break it. You pull it again, and you hear. You don't have to die alone. Oh.

Chloe. I like the way you feel when your body's cold. Do you know who Gatruda is? Nightmares are for everyone. Okay, I'm down. I believe that the doll will not be helpful. Let us recall what Mad Mary said of her daughter, that she was fond of dream pastries and had a youthful outlook on life.

we could perhaps surmise that this Gertruda is her daughter I do not believe we even ever asked her name which was foolish on our part I will admit the doll sits up its head jolts forward back into the case

I'll just shut it in the cage and I'll slam it shut Oh god's damn it I hate that thing Well we still have it in case we find her in the castle And it is her And perhaps we can deliver her safely to her mother Escher? Yes.

Do you know of Gertruda and an Isaac that have wandered the halls? I know that Anastasia has a new band of misfit she's been treating in the dining hall. Their names I'm not quite interested in, nor do I care. She is the one that's more interested in the broken in the week. I'm interested in power. Perhaps if we must speak with Anastrasia, we can inquire and simply ask. Well, only a few more entries to go.

I'll keep it. I've made a mistake. The nightmares have been getting worse. The visions are getting more vivid. The whispers are getting louder. It is getting so bad that sometimes I can do nothing but fall to the floor for hours. She speaks to me, but there are no words, no language. She shows me things, but what I see could never be and should never be. I feel her hate,

hatred of life, of death, of the divine, of the finish. Everything that is not of her. She is the true crime of the universe. And it will be hers again. I feel her desire for my friend. Amongst whom I do not know, I try to purge her from my senses, but I fail over and over again. I have become failure. It's all I might get answers by visiting the heart. I went to that forsaken tower and faced the crystal heart within the seat of her power within my castle. Or does she see it as her castle? For what is a countess to a queen.

As I stared deep into the beating Ruby, I knew I had made a mistake. My mind and my senses becoming not my own. What I had seen glimpses of in dreams and visions before, I saw clearly as if it was right before me. A blood-red moon high over Ravenloft that pulses and beats like a heart bathed in that awfully crimson light. My throne swells with power. But it is not I who sits in it.

The mist turns from grey to red. The veil shatters. Death is hers. And after that, life. And then all. When I reclaimed a weak grip over myself, I fled as quickly as I could. I am ashamed to admit that I vomited what seemed like gallons of blood. I must rest.

I'm so tired. Are there any other entries? You look, and there are a few pages that are completely empty. But towards the back, you see there is one last entry. I would immediately just keep doing. Perhaps not all is lost. Victoria will become my bride. She's accepted my marriage proposal, and if I do not have her heart now, I will win it.

This I swear on my honor, my name, my legacy. Victoria will be my legacy when this is all over. I know she would see things my way, despite the protestations of her comrades. She has been wasting her talents with them. I write this now on the balcony of my throne room, flanked by the gargoyles, who are my only company most nights. We see Ely and Boris are not much for words, but usually my conversations with them are some of my favorite. Of course, this is the balcony where Tatiana threw herself from those centuries ago. Every night I stare into the black abyss below, and I see the emptiness her death left inside of me.

But unlike her, I cannot escape to my own death. But I have hope. Victoria has a light in her that might feel that void. I've lived so long in the darkness, I had forgotten what it was like to see glimmer of light, of hope, of something to soothe the pain of losing you. My dearest and sweetest, Tatiana. Well, my bride, Dubim must forgive me when I finally moved her companions. She will feel anger at first, I am sure, but she will already be mine, and I will yield her heart as it is not healed mine. One last wedding.

One last night. redemption for her. She's too far gone. She's consumed. I don't think her thoughts are completely hers. I think you're right. There's some connection between the tower and the cauldron that was given to her in her box.

The heart. There's a seat of power for the blood queen within this castle. We have made it cool. Decently through the castle, I suppose. castle. I suppose it is a massive structure. There could be countless wings we haven't explored

numerous towers. But it was a damned wing, a damned tower of the castle. Didn't you pick up a key at one point which was from that henchman? Oh, that's right.

Oh, stay. Never mind. Jimmy. Jimmy. you're right i can't remember you're right i did it's here i look at escher to see if he reacts at all to the key and she pulls out uh roll a perception turn 21 you see um shock and awe um quite obviously fake oh oh what a brilliant idea take that key up to the tower use it on the door and walk straight through Well, that sounds like a plan. That is far easier than I would have guessed.

Tarnax. Thank you. Yes, Shepherd. Come on now. Yes, come on. What? He's messing with you. He'd be sarcastic.

It's not going to actually work. So a key, oh. Oh, so it would be foolish to presume that a damned tower that houses a terrible heart of ancient power, a simple key would be able to open the door of. and the fact that we would consider it, you are saying is foolish. Well, he came to it in the end. I see now, but why didn't you just say that? In the journal, she refers to it as a ruby.

Is that right? You read it, Professor. Oh, yes. Or she referred to it as I stared deep into the beating Ruby. So unless this is just poetry, maybe this is stone. That can be broken. Well, is the gem that you have yourself and around Shredaña's neck also ruby? Yes.

This is a crystalline heart. It must be bigger than the three that we've found so far. Presumably so. This is concerning. It sounds like if we all die here, the curse just won't go on like it has for centuries. You mean when you will die? here. When, true or fine, win, or if we all die here. She won't just stay here, trapped up, torturing her subjects for eternity. The Blood Queen has bigger plans.

The earlier visions, perhaps that once she has death, life, everything living, the material plain. All. All. All could have such power. In all my years of research, I have never heard of anything that rivals this. All this is so far beyond me, to be honest with the professor, I have no idea what we're even talking about anymore. Did you hear the prime, the prime of the universe? The true prime? Is that what it said?

Yes. What does that mean, true prime of the universe? Sounds like the simple ramblings of someone losing it. I certainly hope so. We don't know if any of this is true. This is just what she's perceiving. Perhaps she's being... tricks are being played on her.

Perhaps the Blood Queen wants her to believe this so that she loses her mind. Either way, we need to investigate. We need to learn more. Either way, there is a heart. There is a heart, a heart can be destroyed. A heart can be destroyed. A heart can be stabbed.

A heart can be burned. It implies the source of life. If we destroy a heart, perhaps, that is the key? Does Sir Gaino anything of this? I am not sure. I have incredible faith in Garrick's the fire lord, but I admit I do not study other gods, the power, the relics and artifacts of other beings

that I consider beneath the fire lord. Then when, with the wedding postponed, the wedding is tomorrow night, you said. Yes, tomorrow evening. So we have time. We have time to look into his hairpin. We have time to figure out who this heart is. Not much, we must act quickly.

Yes, yes, yes, we should. We should devise a plan. We should devise a plan, yes. I hate to go ahead, Shepherd. Well, I mean, I was just thinking as far as this hairpin goes, I know that the keys are not easily obtainable, but maybe Stradania is able to get the keys back from her brides if she offers this hairpin to you as some sort of wedding gift. Then we avoid all pretenses, no, no bloodshed, no struggle, no problems, no getting those keys. Stradania just doesn't hands over the hairpin because she wants to give you a gift. It's an awfully big ask, and Escher has already let us know that she's in quite a moon this evening.

Well, I can't say, I would know. Maybe she wouldn't give it to you. But I knew you were clever. Maybe she would allow you to wear it. A fitting pin to hold the veil of her future bride. It's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I couldn't devise a better plan myself.

I have my moments. Shepard, perhaps you should swap hats with the professor. I'm good. I think I like my head. You can punch several holes. Why would you punch holes in any hat?

To accommodate his horns. Oh, how else would he put it on? Oh, that's blasphemy. Yes, we have a plan. We have a plan. One thing at a tap. We worry about the hairpin, then we worry about this heart,

or whatever the hell it is. This is something that could perhaps be a glimmer of hope and salvation if Sredanya herself, she herself channels the power of this entity via the gem in her collar, the gem that you also have, Professor. If she is of the Blood Queen and she's unable, to use that power to approach the hairpin?

What if that is the answer to our problems? What if that is an artifact that is truly powerful enough? I hope so. But we won't know until we can eat our hands on it. I will also be prepared to use the bones of St. Markovia. Anything. Actually, how should we go about this? Should we need to ask Shardaya for this hairpip?

Yes, why don't you throw to her private quarters? Throw open her doors and ask her yourself. I would never think of such a thing. Victoria would be doing those things. Do you plan to give yourself to her? No. Can I inside check Victoria? Roll a deception and roll an insight.

She can test it against her as though she's lying. There is. Oh, but of course it's my, of course it's my. Finally! First and Andrew 20 in six months. Holy fuck. It's just as terrifying as I remember. Hard limiters.

What's your total? 28. Oh, that's pretty hard to beat. Oh. I think she got to be. Have your conversation and then you'll tell her whether you're lying or not. Have my conversation. No, you already did. Were you lying about giving yourself to her?

I wasn't lying. but dot dot dot dot she wasn't lying doesn't mean she wasn't lying doesn't mean she couldn't be persuaded I think if you are willing we should ask for the pen and by we

he's not being clear I wish everyone would be more clear and precise in their speech something called context clues he means you directly Victoria and no one else Thank you. That is what Professor Azran means when he says we.

God, for once, it isn't me. I can try. All I can do is try. It's all any of us can do. But at what cost should I go to to get this happen? This is truly the key to everything. We don't know. But if this is an artifact that is that scares Stradanian,

that she doesn't trust herself with. Perhaps there's a reason. There's almost certainly a reason. So I would say anything beyond fully succumbing to your dark whims and joining her as her dark queen and murdering us all

and ruling with an eye and fist, I would say you'd just be reasonable and use your best judgment. I, however, would not rule that out as a risk, Professor. No offense to you. Miss Isaacs. I consider it a risk.

Certainly a risk, yes. I acknowledge that, absolutely. But if it happens now, I think we could maybe still be fine. I'm willing to take that risk. As in if the worst-case

scenario, which it never would happen, that Victoria's wickedness overwhelms her and she turns against us. You believe that we can handle both Victoria and Stradania. Why do you have to make me say it explicitly? Because it is very helpful for everyone in audience. Unless, is it just me?

Yes. I would really, I would really do well having you explain it more clearly, Professor. If Victoria succumbs to her wickedness, I believe the rest of us would probably kill them both. Yes, that is what I mean. It's not going to happen. And I'm not saying it would happen. Of course not.

I trust you. Nobody's killing Victoria. We're all getting out of here alive. Well, Stradonia will be killing Victoria, but that's a problem for... Well, you. Also, don't die. Just ignore him, all right? Just breathe.

I believe that is part of... That is part of the plan as agreed, is enough. She'll keep your humanity for a while. When she drinks, does that not kill the host and then... No, it's quite more involved. than that. Which you would know if you'd spend any time with Irene. Chardonia may drink as much as she wants.

She has the utmost self-control. Is not the intention to turn Victoria into a vampire herself? Eventually. Which then you would die. Yes. And be undead. And even the greatest of all of the divine magic cannot resurrect you to how you were. You are too far gone.

Yes. A pathetic house career also. Don't talk about yourself like that, Asher. Thank you. This is close. Very clever. Look, the lizard is gaining a personality. It is...

That was quite funny. It is difficult to avoid it being around my friends. Could you give us some privacy? No. Now, Ash, that's a little rude. I mean, you know, we got things we got to do. I don't mean it to be offensive, I'm just saying. Most gentlemen, you know, what kind of said?

I don't want you to miss me. As much as I hate to say this, does it matter? In defense of the vampire in the room. My name is Escher. The defense of Escher. Thank you, Sonnox. We have already continued to read

the journal with him in the room. We have already announced our plans with him in the room. It seemed as if we have already cast our lot, is it not? And it seems, more importantly, that you have already cast yours. And we are still alive. So what good will privacy do now that all of our Turoca cards are on the table, so to speak? That's a fair point. To settle your life, your fate.

on such a small, trivial thing like Taruka Kot. It seems a silly thing to do for someone too smart. If I was an intelligent man, I would deduce that you don't want to be tossed aside. You don't want to end up like those piles of bones we saw down in the crypt, Shadanya's former consort that she grew Tyro. Let be a safe deduction.

And I have no fear of that. You don't? No. Why? I know what I'm capable of. I've been in this role far longer than you can imagine. She will learn to love me again, I have no doubt. Then why are you here?

To watch. To learn. Will you tell me of this to Shradanya? No. Not. Why? Because I am smart. I know you are. his eyes narrow

and you feel like for the first time in this conversation that you truly understand each other I should there must be something more you want from us than a simple kiss I think I know what he wants

You're not going to let me tell them isn't it charming how innocent this one is precisely I was Clans, you'll just know how that can. Break her a little.

No, go on, go on, you can tell her. After they've all fallen into a deep sleep, you and I, should. And I will tell you exactly. But deep doubt you truly wished. You will come out of it. Not better. This podcast is brought to you by our Patreon.

Become a patron today at Patreon. dot com slash legends of avatrous 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 tome 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. The meeting of self-improvement does not seem apt to have so late in the evening.

Kama, do you accept? Hi. Professor, thank you. Think carefully. Better woman. I don't think that we... Kana is quite good enough, thank you. She's just good enough.

I accept. Thank you, Sonics. You're welcome, Kana. I'm glad I beat your standards. Thank you, Sonax. I will come for you. very well. There's much to know.

Shepherd, would you like to join? This evening. Yes. All three of us. Oh, yes. Yeah, I'll be there. I will come for you both. If this is self-improvement...

Sorry, next to you. I'm afraid we're not invited. Oh. Well, I suppose I can... I'll pray. I will pray alone. That is fine. It's... It's mammalian self-improvement. It doesn't really apply.

Ah. I admit I do not understand the ways of the mammals even after all this time. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, what's your plan? I still don't know how you don't lay eggs. Will you help us? Why should I? Because we are your only chance to escape your fate. When all is said and done, should you,

by the very skin of your teeth and highly unlikely, succeed in this ridiculous plan that you all concoctu. And you choose to leave, Barovia. Will you take me with you? Just as I am. And you'll help us? Yes. I'll give you money, yes, I'll pay you.

You want a title? I'll give you some land, absolutely. Oh my God. I accept, Professor. When he holds out his long arm, the nails are near pure white. white as they wrap around your wrist. You can feel the pointed tips of them dig into your flesh, and for a moment you see a look of hunger on his face as he can feel your pulse beating against his index finger as he shakes your hand.

Then we have a deal. It's a deal. What have you done? I've seen us an ally. And quite an ally you have. Well, where do we get started then? The pin. How do we get the pin?

I've told you. You'll have to get the keys from the other brides, but they will not give them willingly, and not without Shredonia's permission. So I think you have a role to play, my dear. Pretty yourself up, you're looking haggard. And then I will take you to her boudoir. Do you have any suggestions?

Well, no. We don't. We don't have the table. time. I just get this like a whole straggery

like girl I'm gonna get she hooked out well it looks like we have a rough

approximation of a plan then yes you would at least look a little less

worse for wear thank you I suppose do you need some time in the case to prepare

no oh okay she can take me as I am. For what is worth, Victoria, I think you look very attractive for a mammalian creature.

Thank you, Mr. Saunx. You're very welcome. That's got to be high praise. It's frankly the nicest thing he's ever said to me. You're getting better. I don't think he's ever called anyone attractive, let alone for a mammalian creature. Sarnax, what do you find to be the most attractive

venomate? I, it is a question that does not even cross my mind, for I have the armor and shield of my god. Garrick's the fire lord. But I suppose a hedonistic creature of the knight such as yourself would not understand being above such carnal desires. Well, so how can one who's above such carnal desires and doesn't even think of it compliment Victoria and it be held with any ounce of truth? Although I am not overwhelmed by such carnal desires, a man of the cloth, a lizard of the cloth can still appreciate aesthetics. It is the fifth pillar of philosophy, and I can appreciate

objectively Miss Isaac's beauty. But what do you find beautiful about Victoria? But we really have to play these games? No, please do go on this is entertaining. I'll kind of enjoy it. She has hair on her head that is tied in a certain fashion that I presume quite the fashion. Go on her.

There is paint over her pale spongy face. Yes. Spongy. Well, you are all spongy.

No, no, no. Keep going. She has scaleless skin, which I believe is ideal for those who enjoy the human or half-elvin variety. She wears a dress that is quite form fitting.

And I believe those of carnal desires enjoy the form and that clothes either fit the form or not to be present. Am I right in that understanding? At least very close. Yes. Yes. And so there you have it.

Well, you've had your fun if we might continue. Well, because you lead us there and we won't go in like you suggested and we'll send Victoria in, but we should at least be close.

spy just in case. Yes, I will need you. All right. Make sure you have everything you need. We will not be coming back here before we speak with the brides. The wedding dress is in the closet. Will I be taking care of? In what way?

Well, won't Victoria need it tomorrow? Before we speak with the brides, she will return here after. Oh, I see what you mean. Yes, forgive me. Anything you believe that you would need before we meet with rest, you should take now. You'll bring the journal, yes. Yes, I'll bring basically infinity in my case, yeah. And our wits.

Oh, quite right, our wits as well. Wise. Do you all have your wits? Always. Tarnax? Mostly. Yes, they are about me at all times. Quite.

Well, let us go. and it is with that that Escher holds the door open for you as you all vacate the room. You move slowly throughout the castle quietly, but with Escher with you, it is easy to traverse the many corridors and the many staircases. It's almost as if he quiets your movement as you travel with him. And anything that may accost you as you made your way through these halls, they keep their their distance. You travel for quite a long time, curving hallways, up and down stairwells, through doorways, archways. And at first, you try to keep a record of the rooms that you're seeing and the location that you're in, in the hopes that you would be able to make your way back here

in the future. But it becomes a little too much for any of you to remember. And after a while, the pathway is completely shrouded from you. You would need Escher to get here again. As you round one final grand staircase, you spill into the largest room that you've seen inside the castle so far. The audience hall stands in front of you. Two large doors flank one side,

shrouded in stained glass leading out to a gargantuan balcony that looks out over all of Borovia. At the very edge of the room, absolutely massive and brilliantly carved, stands a throne of gold and wood. A throne fit for a queen. Behind it, beautiful stained glass windows

depicting the conquering of Borovia by Stradania. And off to one side, Another set of beautiful arched doors that lead deeper in. You'll wait here. And you'll come with me. Right. If anyone screams, I assume we're having a good time. Are you ready?

You hear anything. Just know that I'm trying to do this for us. Do you need anything from that? I can't imagine what I might need. Anything that I say that might sound odd to you, I'm saying me. in service of our task. Victoria, Gerex is with you.

I'll put my hand on your shoulder and cast guidance. I'm going to approach Victoria as well and hoping my hands out to her the same way as before when we last spoke before she passed. I'll say, I don't have much to give you in terms of value or magic. but my master

Gentec you taught me and it takes but one grain of rice to tip the scales. My faith is with you. Thank you. I'll give it a squeeze. Your friendship is enough. Thank you.

And before you go, let me just fix your hair real quick. And I'm going to gently sort of basically feign adjusting her hair and just try to, Sorry, I mean I actually got your hair. Actually pull my hair out.

Try to yank out just one hair. Okay. Are you going to pick it up? Did I actually yank one? No. You're easily able to do that. Thank you, Professor. And I'll sort of go.

I suppose we should go. But first, remind me what guidance does. For the next minute, so I'm only being in the beginning. You get to go. Let's go. You get extra D4 on one ability check of your choice, so make sure that it counts. As they're walking away, I'm just going to say, Ms. Victoria, listen to the thunder. Let's go to the show.

Follow me then. And he begins to lead you across the audience hall directly towards the double doors that travel further into the heart of Ravenloft. He pulls the doors open with ease and you find yourself stepping into a beautiful room, a bathroom of sorts, and in the very center, a large porcelain tub. There are roses around every corner. Beautiful pieces of fine jewelry and crystals, glasses of wine where you hope were wine, littered about the place. It is one of the most grand rooms that you've ever seen. you see two rooms that jut off from this place, one that you imagine would lead to the closet that Escher told you about where you could find the hairpiece. It's locked with a solid gold padlock.

And then another room. The door far larger, more imposing, the figure of Stradania carved into both them and two black gossamer curtains flapping in the soft breeze from the open window. Well, I'll remain here. Knock and Victoria. Good luck. I'll just glance and continue walking up to the doors. You hear a loud crash from the inside of the room. I have asked not to be disturbed. Which one of you idiots is knocking at my bedchamber? And all of you can hear this as it feels like the walls shake. You hear thudding footsteps slowly with purpose, forcefully, angrily. I asked who was at my bedchamber as she wrenches the door open and glances all around you,

and noticing you looking far above your head, before her eyes trailed down to you. The look of anger on her face slowly breaking and fading away, can see the sorrow within. She stared at Stradanya, closed, and nothing more than a near transparent red gown. Her hair no longer tied up in the fashion that you're used to seeing her in,

with the spine of bones over the elaborate headdress. but now traveling down her very thin, ghostly white shoulders all the way down her back, spilling almost all the way to her knees and her ankles. We'll reach up. She says nothing as she looks at you. I will reach up and kind of take a tendril of her hair around my finger. Should I go? You see her body shudder.

as she reaches up and she slowly touches your face. You, cheeky, I will allow you in three. And she looks about her bathing hall. She does not seem to notice or see Escher anywhere. As she ushers you into the room and all of you hear the sound of the door slammed shut. Her room is beautiful. It is far larger than you would have expected. Sitting in the very center of the room is a massive four-poster bed.

All of the four-posters carved in the images of beautiful women in the throes of passion, holding up chalices, streaming from them. Bright red, clear bed hangings, almost like curtains shielding the bed. It looks completely untouched. the pillows soft, maybe 20 of them, on this bed. It looks inviting. All around the walls, you see portraits, and all of them, depictions of Shredaanya herself.

All of them, not even a fraction of the beauty that stands in front of you. To the very edge of the room, you see two stained glass windows completely thrown open and a small balcony parallel to the one that extends from the throne room. overlooking the land of Borovia, the black hangings, flapping open with the wind. Why have you come to me?

I was so distressed when I heard that you had pushed back a ceremony. Royal reception check. Right before guidance ends. Yes, right before nighting says. It's clerics. Clerics.

I'm my right folks. I made it all just use this. I don't know. 24. That's going to be it. Right, that's it. With near lightning speed, you feel her presence behind you,

as you feel her palm press into the area of your abdomen right below your belly button. In the area right below your chest, as she pulls you into her. You can feel her cheek grazing against the back of your hair. Tell me. Why? You were so upset, Victoria, my darling. Right.

Began to get ready, I was pampering myself for you. To have Escher come and say that it had been postponed. I was obviously hurt. She runs her hand down your face. Do you like Esher, Victoria? Should I dispose of him or you? Not yet. Do you want to toy with him?

My darling, make him your pet. We will see, but there are other matters at hand. Like what? For starters, how will you make up to me? This disrespect you've shown your bride. She quickly, with lightning speed, turns you around to face her. You feel her heaving bosoms pressed up against you. Who are you to deem that I should make up to you a mere human?

As she stares, her eyes are. deep into you. They're almost pure white this close up. You can't blame me for trying and I'll kind of tilt my head back and like expose my neck a bit. She runs her nose along the throbbing vein in the side of your neck and you feel the shitter, the shiver of the shiver. Damn it! The shiver of thirst! My shitter is shivering. My shitter is shivering. That's a slow newsday. That's a slow newsday.

smells something smells whirling in here. Okay, there we go. No, I'm kidding. Oh my God, I'm so sorry, Ben. You can't say things like shitter around Kelsey. Just sort of. You've got me, too.

Just take it back to part of the heaving bulls of it. Yeah, yeah. It's not about it. You know, nope. Record scratch. Yeah, I'm probably wondering how I got here. Chedanya turns to face the camera You're probably wondering how I got it.

And that accent. Yeah. Okay. Yes, heaving bosoms, blah, blah, blah. She runs her nose down the vein in your throat and you can feel how you can feel the shiver of thirst.

But she does not partake. She moves her face to look you, square in the eye. The only one. to make me feel this sense. Come with me to the balcony. Let us look over what we will rule together. And she reaches out her hand to you.

Place my hand to her. You see a sense on your face, a sense of satisfaction, a feeling that she is one. As she leads you to the balcony, you can feel the cold night air as it whips up around you. Ravenloft, or Barovia is beautiful from up here. The faint flickering lights of the city of Barovia down below,

almost directly beneath the castle itself. B'locki off in the distance. And you know that out there, though you don't verbalize it, there are people you have saved, there's hope that you had kindled. and before your arrival, this scene might have been bleak, though you won't tell her, you can feel the hope in this land now. It's beautiful. She looks at, she says, yes, it is. As you glance up, you see she's not staring down at Borovia, but at you.

I'm going to walk all the way to the edge of the balcony. You feel a sharp intake of breath, and she reaches it for you. you for a second, but you see that she regains her composure. There is fear on her face. She takes an audible gulp as she watches you brace against it. Your dress now blowing in the wind, near plastered to your body, every curve exposed under the dark blue. I'll hold my hand out for her to join me. As quick as it takes for you to place your hand in that spot, you can feel the frigid, stone touch of her skin as it slides in. To your hand.

No pulse pumping beneath the flesh. This will all be ours tomorrow. It will. I'm glad you came to me tonight, Victoria. I was not in the right state and seeing you as made the evening much more palpitable. I don't want you to be sad. I know that this is a difficult day for you.

You see her lips purse for a second. I know not what you speak. Never mind. Just chat with her pleasure. What has he said to you? Don't worry about that. Sometimes my eyes and ears can be little too chatty, it seems. But her smile is slightly.

forced, slightly fake. That is not your fault, of course. Of course. We can come out to know it. Yes. With a lovely wedding gift from me too. Well, it's funny you should mention a gift.

You want more. I was hoping you might help me. I want to be perfect for you tomorrow. I find it so hard to believe that someone's so good, someone so pious could be so ravenous for gifts. How many sounds to me. Yes, and in that dress on this night,

I have plain sight of them all. Well, what I have in mind is something borrowed, you might say. I have a beautiful veil, but nothing to hold it in place. Perhaps a pin of some sort. I must have something here in this huge castle. I'm sure I could have someone in one of the villages make something up for you if you require a simple pin, and the Countess of the land, of course.

I don't require a simple pin. I'm quite capable of procuring that myself. I came to you. Because I want something special. Roll persuasion check. At advantage. Oh. Well, she's working one over on her, so.

Kill us. What are you still doing Chris? I'm really good at that. Oh, no, no, you just fucked. Oh, whoo. Okay. Thank God, because that was a natural one. So it is 29.

Hey. Hey. She tightens her grip on your hand. And she slowly moves her hands to your waist. And you feel her squeeze into your flesh. Let us adjourn. to the bed chamber. I'm feeling cold in the night air.

All right. Let me lead you, Victoria. And we will talk of a gift. And she pulls you by the hand. You see a smile across her face, a genuine one. There is happiness there. As she pulls you into the bed and into her arms, her hair splayed out all around you.

You're nestled up against her. her and it feels wrong and right all at the same time as you listen to where a heartbeat should be present but there's nothing but emptiness she plays with your hair she pulls it out of the quaff that you had prepared for this meeting so it spills down around you she twists it in her in her fingers as she breathes in the scent of you. Yes, you are very special to me. I can think of only one thing in this castle that is fit for someone like you.

But it will not be easy to get, and I am quite tired. I will not have the effort to do it myself. My mother, with a her film, it is old, but far more vat, valuable than anything else we could find. And you are far more valuable to me than anyone else I could find. They seem fitting, don't you think?

Sounds divine. Would you like that, my darling, to wear my mother's hair pill? More than any. Roll a deception jack. If you're being deceitful, 28. Oh, damn! She smiles and she looks down at you.

You will have to ask the bride. but they will need to know I sent you and how will they do? Tonight, I will drink of you and when I've had my fill I will let you run off to my pets. They will see you of my blessing.

Should we not wait for tomorrow night? She thinks for a moment I cannot wait until tomorrow night she pulls you into her. But, I will leave much to the imagination, but I do not want to spoil what is to come. She tilts your head up and you're staring into her eyes, the ornate headboard of the bed behind you. What do you say?

I say nothing. I clutch my prayer beads and tilt my head back. The spikes on your prayer beads bite in. the skin on your palm as a small trickle of blood runs down your wrist. You can feel the shudder in Stradanya's body as she is able to smell and taste the blood in the air. She lets out a sigh, she tilts her head back and you see as her fangs expose. She quickly angles your neck as she sinks her fangs into your flesh. You are immediately assaulted. by warmth and pleasure.

Everything you've ever wanted in this moment and you don't want to let it go. Who is Illmater? What is Illmater? The death of your friends at your hands would be worth it for this moment alone as you feel your heart

race against the thudding of your blood being pulled from your veins. You can hear the chugging of your blood as Stradonia moans against your neck. And just as soon as it has began, it begins to fade as she wipes her mouth. Well, that is everything I could have hoped it would be, but more or later. You must go.

Tatiana, you must go. I will silently get up and cross to the doors and give one look before I open and leave. You see that her head is now thrown back. back. She is atop the blankets as she's writhing beneath her transparent shift. You can see every inch of her as she relishes in the blood that she has partaken from you. You slowly close the door behind you. And how she could have missed him, you can't imagine, because lounging with his legs over the side of the tub, slowly using his fingernails to pick his teeth, Escher turns his head towards you. What a little blood there on your neck? Was it worth it?

I'll wipe a thumb at my neck and just walk past him without saying anything. You've smeared it. Well, your friends are going to love this as he jumps out and follows behind you as you enter the audience hall. You all watch as Victoria, looking a little flustered, scurries in ahead of Escher. His head is thrown back in a haughty manner as he follows behind her, eyeing her up and down. A sick grin across his face. Well, it sounds like it was done. Regalus, Victoria. What happened?

Are you all there? Yeah. You're all in the room. That cost rather more than I was hoping. We should proceed now. The pin will be ours. Are you all right? I'm fine. Are you sure?

Yes. I'm sure. You don't seem sure, Victoria. Are you well? I'm quite well. I should go see the brides now. Just like that, they're going to turn over the keys? To me, yes.

They will. Oh, well done. Do I notice two gigantic weight marks on the center? High taller, so we may not notice. A roll of perception check. Hi, hi, Victoria. in color. It's coming in handy.

Literally only for the bells. Skills, right? That's what it is. That is A-19. No. Aside from looking a little disheveled and a little out of sorts,

which you would imagine having been in Trinja's bedchamber and the task that you had given her, nothing else looks off. She looks a little pale, but that could easily come with nerves. Before we

proceed, you did mention that it costs a little more than you were expecting. Do you care to elaborate on that comment, Victoria? I would not Mr. Sonics. Give her her privacy. This is a

private relationship, Sonics. Your people probably don't understand, but this is between two people. I try to make eyes with Escher and see if I get any thing from his expression. Sorry, this is just starting playing again. But it should be straight on his theme, so it's fine. I forgot to change the music from her

play with. I'm looking at Escher for... Oh, he's smiling from ear to ear. His fangs fully exposed. He is happier than you've seen him all evening. All right. Well, we... This is perfect. Thank you, Victoria. You've done wonderfully well. So where do we go? Escher, do you know where they are currently? We just need those keys, right? Yes, you'll have to get one from each. And I'll lead you to the rooms.

I'll wait outside, but I don't get along well with the rest of the bride. So you'll have to handle them on your own. I read about that, yes. Please, do leave the way. If my assumptions are correct, Victoria got what she needed. It is with this that he moves behind you. And you can feel as he does a quick intake of breath. And he leans in for only you to hear.

So soft, you almost don't hear it yourself. There's a reason not to trust you. As he moves away towards the door. Are you ready? Yeah. Yes, yes, please, please. Yes, yes, we are ready. Shepherd and I will take the back as we generally do.

Normally you take the front tonight. Well, this time, I think it makes. I would like to take the back, so. Well, I suppose you. Shepard and I will take the front for several paces in front of the rest of the group. All right. Escher, can you point us the direction we're going

and we'll take the lead? Do you mind? Yes. Follow me. Let's... Looking weak and pathetic and sad and full of hope. So, let's start with Ludmiller first. She'll give you the least amount of trouble.

Was she the one with... the creepy skull mask? No. Oh, thank goodness. Can we save her for last? No. Oh, okay, well, do go on. What you should know about Goodmiller

is she is a woman of law. Rules. So, play by them, whatever rules she sets out, this will not be easy, even with Stradonia's permission. They like to play games, all of them. Let us away.

Yes. He slowly leads you through winding corridors, up and down staircases, through room after room after room, secret passageways, until you finally make your way to a very tall, near 25-foot-tall door of pure wood, emblazoned in it, are images of open books and stories.

It's easy to tell from the shape of this door that you have reached the library. Um, as we're walking, I'd like to hopefully lead Shepard about, you know, enough paces ahead of the group. I caught what you were picking, what you were putting down. I understood what you were saying. So, and I'll lean in and try to quietly and subtly say, Shepard, you may want to use your hunters' sense to ensure there has been no changes

within Victoria and otherwise keep your sharp eyes on her. please I won't say anything I'll just give him understanding now so he understands that I heard him I'll just continue to light our path what is the bride's keeping Luddmilla Luddmilla L-U-D-M-I-L-L-A This is a library huh she has good taste I see Don't get destructive now Well there could be valuable knowledge inside this room so Keep an eye out. Anything with stars or blood or, uh, witches or...

Professor, yes? You were getting that look in your eye. Oh, I'm sorry. I just, I just mean we should, while we're here, just help me look. There is an entire section on werewolves. Whirls? Should you all interesting, Pete. Wait, are there actual werewolves like here in this castle? Or just books about werewolves? Yes.

Perhaps you should ask permission first. Go searching through the library. Yes. Does we come across anything that may be? It seems to be the domain of the particular bride. So perhaps ask her before you go rummaging through and seeking forbidden knowledge that perhaps might curse us all and doom us to a terrible fate. I would never do that, Hansa.

That's Poppycock. Please, can we go in? May I get the door forever? my all means I'll wait for you here and for your sake not mine do not tell her that I'm with you understood all right you certain me I'm gonna reach for I guess big door whatever it is pull it open and usher everyone through in whatever order they'd like but as Victoria goes past me my eyes are gonna narrow I'm gonna look at her real close I mean give her one up and down. I'm going to use hunter's sense on her.

Okay. And it just basically tells me all of the other immunities, resistance, but what she is as long as she is not hidden by divination magic. She's a humanoid. Okay. I'm just holding the door as people walk past. Once everyone's in, I will follow in and close the door behind me.

Everyone, you usher everyone in. All but Escher. As you shut the door behind the group, you are met with a roaring fire. And for the first time this evening, a room that is actually warm, comfortable. There are lamps littered around the place, all of them with a soft yellow glow,

the warmth of fire. And at first, you don't notice anything. And then you see it. Sparkling of light, reflecting off of metal. Behind a tower of books, the glint of jewels. And as you're always,

eyes adjust, you see a beautiful woman. You've seen her before. Dark skin, raven hair, piercing eyes, and a top, a mess of tight, curled hair, an elaborate diadem. She has a book spilled out over her lap, and she scribbles away in another. Her quill, nearly dripping with ink. She moves her head as if to notice you, but continues to write. Unbothered by your presence. Lord Miller, it's not very nice. I was hoping we could be friends. No. What is it that you require? I'm quite busy. You have a beautiful library here.

Yes. You want something. Get to it. You waste my time. Do you mind, hello, Professor Clayton, Azran, from Miss Hallory University. Thank you. do you mind if I just lovely library by the way do you mind if I just take a quick look around while you two discuss enjoy also thank you and I will turn

and I'm just going to start like kind of quickly you know but very quickly trying to read the spines of all different books to see if I can see find anything relevant to blood or stars or whatever can I keep pace with and disadvantage because you are doing it very

I want to keep pace with him just in case anything lunges out of the bookcase. Okay. I'm all of my portons today. You better do it. I better do it. You better do it, you be. Your portent should be the same as they were yesterday.

You haven't had a long rest, have you? Because you finished with the witches. No, we slept. Oh, you slept. Okay, you're right. You're right, you're right. Never mind. I lie.

I lie. A 19. You find many books. A lot of them on the arcane arts old. There are a few books that peek your, interest a lot about werewolves especially really interest you. There's an entire section, but

anything on the stars or power beyond the stars you find nothing of. Nothing that you feel would really help you in what you're looking for now. But this would be a lovely place to retreat to be able to explore all that it has to offer. So anything that's so that's my main focus, but anything

that happens to mention werewolves, I would just collect. I would just pull off the shell. You do. Okay. And what do you do with them? I'm just grabbing, you know, like library style. Don't they grab it.

Oh, yeah, I'll just... Oh, yeah, yeah, Kana's with me. Cheers. I'll just chuck a book at her and all this week. Oh, oh, there. And I'm just truck it over my shoulder. Okay. We've come to...

I've come to collect something from you. What could you possibly have to collect from me? The key, Moodlisler. She freezes in place as she looks up. directly at you, her eyes piercing into you. A key for what? I should think it'd be the only key on you. What do you?

What purpose do you have for this key? Well, that's between me and Stradonia. Though I am I to believe that she has sent you? Yes, you are. But why? What proof have you that our countess would trust you, something so sacred to her. Your butt, frumpy, pale woman.

Well, it's quite rude, and I shall remember that. It's quite honest. She sent me, and old. Barely thready. I can't believe you till the truth. At least lie, you foul creature. What could she possibly see in the likes of you? Old, ugly, and unintelligent.

with the social graces of a common her. She has sent me whether you like it or not, and you were to give me the key. On her orders. If there were her orders, she would have given you something to prove it. As you have no way to prove what you claim, I shall choose not to believe you.

Tata. She gave me plenty. And I'll pull my collar down and show her the marks. You will. watch as she recoils and hisses. Does that hurt you? Deceivate.

Nonplust. She is quite obviously not nonplast. She's awfully here. That being, as it is, the key was left in my possession. So,

I'll give it to you. But for a price, what is your price? You will come to notice when you join our ranks. fair. Scratch that, Victoria. And when you join our ranks is the bottom tier, the runt, the most pathetic, useless, ugly, annoying, uncouth, the smelly one of the brides, you will know

that I am the leader. I wear this diadem for a reason. You may have tasted what she has to offer, but I've lived it. So, You will do as I say, and you will prove your loyalty not only to me, but to our Countess. And I know she would approve. Her voice booms over the room. All of you will prove your loyalty. All of you will prove your honour. Or no key shall you get.

These are my rules. Do you agree? I don't suppose we have much of a choice at this stage. Likanthropy and you, Kana, please. I mean, you should have been by the other. Of course. Victoria, how did you come about those mosquito bites on your neck?

This is not the time. Yes, we, Shepard and I are very honorable. So you agree to my terms? Yeah, he's trying to say we agree. Then you are bound? Kana. You agree? I look at the professor over the, like, towering books.

A tale of werewolves? I kick him in the shin. What? What? Is it something the matter? Do we agree? Agree? You waste my time. Yes, yes, I agree. Sure, yes, that's fine, what?

Then you abound. We're bound to what? To your oath. That you will do... Ove for what? You will do as I ask. Is this related to the whole thing? I tire of you, professor.

Okay, yeah, then. Yes, good. That's fine. Yes, please. Proceed. Victoria. Yes. Then you two are bound. A moment, please. You may speak amongst yourselves.

And you see as she moves to a small cabinet against the wall and begins to tinker about. Are we good? We get the key, right? Hold on. Did you chip her? Did you see her neck? Everybody just take a step back for one second. She has done coat. Stop.

She's fine. She's fine. And I look Sarnax and I try to convey she's fine. And then I look to you and I say, we have to play a game. We got to play this game. He who shall not be named said that she's about rules and laws and whatever she lays out before us. We follow the rules. We win the game.

We get the damn key. All right. Yes. Get the key. That's fine. I'm okay being bound to some kind of horrible oath. I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know what it entails, but there was no saying no. And what's the worst? We're in library. We read? Is you going to make us read books? With a vampire. A creature of the night who's far more powerful than our man-servant that we are allied with. Let's just see what happens.

But everybody needs to pay some fucking attention, please. That's what I'm paying you for. Okay. All right. because I think there is a limit of books that you can check out at any given time Oh, did she mention this to you? I must have missed it. I think it's part of the rules. Oh, oh, the rules?

Yes. Oh, yes. All right. Well, I think two dozen is fine. That's good enough, yes. I think that's probably right. Yes. Good. We do have that.

I can just set those down for now. Okay. No, no. What are you doing? No, Trio. You're worthless. Please. I'm going to take all the books.

What am I guess? You do that. Lidmilla seems not to be, to be bothered. Can you be doing that to me or Lidmilla? Lidlidna. She's saying no dent to you. She's gone. I don't know.

I guess we just wait. We all go with that. Can everybody just, you know, keep a level head for just a little bit? Yeah, I'll play a game. That's fine. With a loud sud, you hear as she swipes all of the parts. the

books, the papers off of the desk she had been sitting at and completely clears it in one fell swoop. As one after the other, she puts one, two, three, four, five

small guillotines on the table in front of you. A bit macabre, certainly. Well, your face, your loyalty, not on that. Something must be sacrificed.

I would like each of you to place your dominant hand in the small hole of each of these and when you're ready you will pull the cord and sever your hand from your body Now hold on, no we will not You have agreed

To a game is what I'm told And I will greatly enjoy this My fun will be immetrable Excuse me, I'm not sacrifice my dominant hand to you. To Stradonia? Oh, Stradania! Then you have failed the test, and you shall not have your key.

Why would Stradamia want us to give up our dominant hand? Oh, she doesn't, but I do. No, I cannot kill you. She has given those rules explicitly. But I am allowed to play, and this is my game. Do you want the key or don't you? You have your choice. Decide amongst yourselves, but not until all of you,

until the last one of you has pulled your respective chord, where you get that key. And until then, I have a novel to finish. Can I inside check her to see if this is the rules that's part of the game? Yeah. This seems like that we're playing by here. Not great. Fourteen.

Um, you watch her, and she is stern, and she is serious. And there's not a single moment when she spoke to you where she wavered. These are the rules to her game. And if you want the key, you will have to play them. I'll give you some time to think. I need no time to think, Ludmila. Tata. I have made, I have bound myself to this endeavor.

and I will do what I must to see through. I consent to your terms. I'm going to walk over, I'm going to put my hand in the guillotine. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, now, sorry. Her smile stretches across her face. I was not sure I was going to like you. But I do. A level of respect for you I was unaware I would have.

I am not afraid to lose my hand nor any of my flesh, for it is just flesh. Just flesh. I don't mean a shepherd and say, ah, clever. Lizards regenerate limbs, you see. So I'm sure he'll be fine. Yeah, but tea flings don't.

Well, I didn't go first and see what happens. I don't like this at all. It seems rather cruel. Is this what I must do, and I'll reach, is there a cord or something? Yeah, there's a small cord that you see that would release the peg that would drop the blade. I'm going to place my lantern on my tail

and just kind of slink it behind me. so I still have it on my person. And I would like to brace, and I'll look her to square in the eye, but not like in a malevolent, like, mocking way that I do with, like, Escher, but a very just, like, serious gaze. And I will say,

I would trust you fulfill your end as well. And I'm going to pull the biz. Oh, my God. You pull the cord, and you hear the peg thud as it lands on the table, and you feel nothing. you hear the sound of the whoosh. You feel nothing as you stare at her.

She doesn't even glance at your wrist. The rest of you, watch as the blood spurts from his wrist, spilling everywhere, the loud thud of his hand, rolling across the table and landing onto the plush carpet. A patch of dark brown beginning to spill around it as the pain begins to hit you. You have severed your hand from your body. And she smiles.

Sornax, oh my God! Are you all right? What the fuck? I am fine. What are the other terms of your game? You tell us all the rules. Sonax has fulfilled the terms. Now, the rest of you must do so.

I'm going to quickly call her eyes. She watches and she doesn't, she doesn't flinch. I'll wrap my... The pain is... throbbing. It is a pain unlike anything you've felt before, but you are actually roll a constitution saving through. How about that? Oh, how about that? I believe that's an 18. Oh. You continue to swallow, biting back the pain. Everything in you wants to scream out. You were holding back the tears. This is unlike anything

that you've ever felt before, but you are able to keep your composure. And to all but Ludmilla, it almost looks like it is but a scratch, pain wise. But you all see his hand twitching on the carpet in front of the table. Does she go to pick it up at all? No.

I'm like, I'm close to the professor at this point. I'm visibly upset and angry. And look, I even if I've followed through with this and don't leave him fucking hang and we do this, we got no fucking shot against fucking Shradanya if I lose a fucking hand. No, no, no, no, no, of course not. No, you, don't you dare put your hand in that?

Your hand is the only thing that can kill anything in this fucking man. What are we supposed to do? We all have to fucking do that. Lut Miller, would you be satisfied with maiming Shadanya's future bride? I would take a measurable pleasure. Do you think she would look kindly upon you, though, when she learned that

your let her disfigured bride missing a hand unable to provide quite as much pleasure to her as previous you think she would look kindly to you

wrong persuasion check ask this before Syrac's job on his name Starrax is so I warned you this session was going to get dark yai yai y' May I retrieve my severed hand with Milo? I would prefer if you didn't.

Twelve? Very well. Those are the terms that I agreed to. Yes, you're right. Maybe her newest toy would not be the best to maim. So, you have two choices. As rules are very important. I require five hands.

If you will not give one of hers, then one of you will give two of yours. Choose wisely. Can you repeat the nature of the terms again? You will sever five of your hands. In my guillotines. Must the hand be of flesh? Yes, the hand attached to your body. I need not hands.

Sorry. Yes, blah, blah, blah, Garex, the power of my god. Shepherd, I will need some assistance here. No, no, no, no. Sorax, you can't do this. I will need assistance, Shepherd. It won't be necessary.

He's a lizard. He'll grow back. That fucking goat, Trevor. Son of a bitch. What do you want me to do? I'll stick my oven, my hand in the other guillotine. And I'm going to, uh, I'll look at Limela and I'll say,

my hands are not my valuable asset. My faith in my God is Shepard, please. I'm not pulling the Red Court. Yes, you will. Shepard, please. Why? No, we don't have to do this. We are bound to provide five hands.

We set on this course. Are you all not willing to see it through? That isn't necessary. Take your hand back. It is necessary. Ludmila, is it necessary or not? If you look to get the key, this must be done. You are proving your loyalty, your honor, your lawlessness, your lawfulness.

You could all take a page out of his book. When he agrees to terms, he pays the price, and he will reap his just reward. I'll walk over to Sarnax, and I will put my hand, my dominant hand, in the gay team next to his. We'll do this together. Thank you, Carla. I look at Shepard. No, no. Absolutely not.

Your weapon is too handed, is it not? Pst! But I must obey, right, Lord, where we have been bound to do this. I must play by the roof. Her hands are more precious than mine. My hands are nothing. Can I ask you, do the hands need to be from the five of us?

Could they be just any hands? From you? from the five of you. And you agreed. Only someone without honor, without loyalty, would break a promise, would break an oath.

Zarnax. Shepard. Is Garrick going to see us through this? Garrick will see us through. He always does. He always has. I have seen it in the fire, and you have seen it in the fire, have you not? Yeah.

Yeah, I've seen it. Please, do me a favor. Pull it, Shepard. I'm really sorry, buddy. Don't. And I pull a fucking rip cord. I'll pull mine at the same time. Almost simultaneously, you hear the thuds.

I'm sick. Of the bolts as they hit the table. Kana, similarly, you feel no pain at first, the adrenaline rushing through your body. But you feel the splash of your blood as it hits your cheek, staining. your face as you see two more hands roll across the table

and land pulling blood on the carpet at the foot. Don't need to make a save. We need you both to make a calm save. What have you done? Sarnax,

I need you to make it disadvantage because you are now dealing with the pain of two hands. Roll with your mouth. It doesn't matter. I'm just kidding. I'm just doing it.

That's a 19. That was a disadvantage? Oh, no, oh, it's a second die, so it was a natural one, so, uh, uh, 12. You watch as Sarnax bites down on his lip, and for the first time since you've met him, he lets out a guttural scream of pain as tears begin to scream down his face. He is unable to keep himself in control. He looks like he's on the verge of retching. I'm going to also, I rolled a 28.

You are able to keep your composure. Hold on Sarnax, and I'm going to take some cloth or something hard for him to fight down on, and I'm going to try to shove it in his mouth. Oh, fuck. It's okay, it's okay. Hold it together. Fuck you, Gary. Three.

Three have been paid. But we're still waiting on two. Have we not? And I grow tired of this game. Do you want to lose or do you want to win? What were the terms of our game? We only agreed. Would the terms stated before we agreed?

You would do as you were told. That doesn't sound like terms, so that's not very sporting. Did we agree beforehand? That we would have to sever our own limbs. The wizard. The idiotic wizard that's too busy looking for books on werewolves To listen to the terms he's agreeing to is questioning me I asked my companions then

Before we agreed to a game I asked you holding your werewolf books And now I am without a hand So either play by the terms, Professor So that Sarnex does not bleed out Or think of something quick I really feel like it should be me. But then we're not going to stand a fucking chance against Trironia.

Shepard. One will be me. I'm going to put my hand in one of the open geotions. No, Victoria. It should be Shepard. No, it should not be Shepard. Shepard, unlike all of you, is a true man of faith. He walks underneath the shadow of the dragon.

He's bathed in flame. His soul is inflamed. Garex has chosen him as he has chosen me. He does not need his hands. How do you expect him to take those magical instruments that he takes that he uses and fire them at our enemies? If you take his hands. I mean, Garek's brought us all back to life. He has faith.

I've seen it. I have faith. I know what Garrick can do. Look, I got us into this. I agreed to this. I didn't even know what I was agreeing to. Maybe this is it. Maybe this is where Garrix saves the day again.

And he recognizes that I'm in it for good. I mean, look at what we're already down. We've got no shot. We're back to no corner. We got nothing left. And between all the magics we have, we know. Maybe we can fix it. But I can't just leave Star-Nax like that.

Shepard and I will give both of our hands and will complete this agreement. We will retrieve the key and we will continue on our mission. Shepard, what is it you always say? No way to go but forward. Right, right. And if all this goes south and maybe there's a way to leave us behind and you can all still get out. Because if I'm no good at fight and maybe she'll just keep me and torture me forever, but at least you'll all be able to get out.

I can still be of you seeing without my hands is my point. No, you can't. No, you can't. Professor, for once in your life, have faith. You swear to me, Samax,

that your Lord will see us through? Professor Clayton Azran, do you recall being in the Amber Temple, consumed with desire to devour bones, and grave dirt. You were a slave to a star, an elder being trapped, lost evil.

You were serving Sredania as she took her blade and pierced my heart, sneering, grinning. Do you recall that? Yes. And yet here I stand. Is the faith that I had.

I felt Stradan. presence behind me. I felt her cold steel. Touch my back. I allowed the blade to enter my flesh. I had faith, and here we are. I have faith. I have faith in you and Garris.

I'm ready, and I'm going to step up. Thank you, Shepard. And put both of my hands into two guillotine. And I'm going to say, God, Garrick's, please, Garris, please, Garris, guide me, please, please, Garrick. Manum. What is?

Mage hand. He's in. Lucas is blowing. Oh, okay, thank you, because I don't speak. Sorry, sorry, I use Mage Hand and I pull the other guillotine that Kana cannot. And with that nearly in sync, you watch as Shepherd is splattered in his own blood, as both of his hands

near purely in sync roll and roll and then teeter on the edge of the table. they almost look like they're not going to make it all the way off. And then they do as they land with a splat on the already saturated floor. Nearly handling the three, the three of your, all three of your, well, the five of your hands from the three of you, nearly completely saturating the carpets as you hold up where once had been the spot for you to hold judgment and redemption. And you do not feel the pain come because you're filled with horror. All that you could do, all that you are were in those hands, and they have been taken from you.

I need you to roll at disadvantage. Just once or both? Both. Because you took them off both at the same time. What am I rolling for? Constitution's a statement. Oh, I'm good at that. There's no way this could possibly go wrong.

Oh, wait, no, I'm not. I'm not good at this at all. Oh, that's going to be a five. Oh, my God. Oh, and a three. Shepard immediately drops to his knees, the screams coming from him, pure agony, as Ludmilla begins to laugh. You have done it. You have completed the task that I sent forth from you. As your friend bleeds out on the floor, look at him weak and squirming physically.

But his heart and his soul, strong. loyal, just. She reaches into her bosom. She pulls out a key. Sawnecks. Catch! And she throws it at you.

Reflexively, you reach up to grab it. And you do. As your hand wraps around the key and you see it. No hand. And then a hand. The arcane magic of Ludmilla so powerful

that none of you, not even Clayton, noticed it in the room. All an illusion. Was that so hard? All it took was a little bit of faith. Exactly right, Lord Miller. I thank you for this gift. She jolts forward and places her long, talonous finger beneath Clayton's chin and tilts his head roughly up towards hers.

You would do to learn your place and a little bit of face. Now, you bother me, and I grow bored. Good luck with the other brides. Escher wasn't lying when he said I would be the easiest of the three. As soon as we learned it's an illusion, are we still in pain? No. Okay. I'm as pale as I can possibly look, having red skin.

You will see a hand, a scaly hand reach down and offer you a hand to get up. Yeah, and I hesitantly like that. And those of you that chopped off your hands, you get DM inspiration. Oh, thank you. I already had it, but thank you. I didn't. I never get inspiration. It's DM inspiration stacks, right? Or no?

For the sake, you cut your hand off and hers a straw. Take an extra inspiration. Thank you. I'm going to like very shakily, like, reach for Sarnax's hand, but almost like hesitantly take it and like not even sure my hand is there or his hand is there. And then like, grab it onto him and have you pick me up. And I'm like visibly shaken, but I'm kind of like steadying myself on Sarnax. Well done, Shepard. You had faith.

You believed, didn't you? I'm not sure. I don't even know what happened. I didn't do anything. I just stepped up to the thing. We got to get out of here. I can't stay in this library long. I gotta get out.

You're all right, Shepherd. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're all right. I don't know what to believe. Good day. And one day you'll have to teach me that trick. If you survive. I will get myself up.

Do you wish to have your library books back? Your werewolf books. I saw him take some. Dishonorable as he is. I asked for him. mission. To look, to browse, not to take. Even before you accepted

the terms, you proved your medal. You are lucky to have those with you that you do. They carry a foolish man like you through, but without them, it wouldn't be your future that is cursed,

but the entirety of your life. Good day, madam. Good day, Professor. And I'll turn and I'll lock out. I'll give her like a short bow before I leave. She smiles at you, an actual... Not warm smile, but with a hint of respect at you, at Shepard.

And an even longer look at Sarnax, almost a knowing look. Until the end, Ludmila. Good luck. You as well. I need not luck. I have the grace of Garek's, the fire lord. Farewell.

Now please take this foul. Wretch from my side. We're just going to walk out of the library. You make your way into the library as the door shuts softly behind you. Your chests rising and falling, the adrenaline still pumping through your veins, those of you that actually succumbed to the game and played it, staring down at where you expected no hands to be, but they are there, and you can still see the faint glimmering of the art.

The arcane magic, the illusion that had been so strong, you had not been able to sense through it. Escher was leaning up against the wall, a knowing look on his face. Was that so bad? He could have warned us. I had no idea what she would do. He did. Which game did she play with you? She has many up his sleeve.

Those hands real. Ah, the guillotine. Yeah, I know my hands better. Yes, I believe so. Shepherd Kana. Are these hands the trick, or is the... Severing the trick. I do a little flourish.

As I said, Lude Miller sticks to rules. She solely wanted you to prove your unwielding faith and strength. That is what she admires above all else. She didn't actually need to take your hands. She just needed to know you would be willing to lose them. And I would say she succeeded. look shaken. I need to drink, and I'm going to, like, go in my pack and, like, pull out a little flask and, like, nips up from it, and, like, I'm still shaking.

Not nearly as bad as before, but I take a long pull from this, this flask that I have, and I recap and I stick it back in my, like, back pocket. Perhaps you need to pray as well, Shepard. Yeah, uh, uh, all right. Yeah, sure, sure, whatever you say. Yeah, we'll give it a try, I guess. She was a woman of her word, and I respect that, regardless of... Her faith, we were foolish to accept those terms without knowing them. Our wits are not about us, and we must be more careful in the future. I disagree. I think that we were not foolish.

We had no choice. We are at the mercy of this foul castle, the games that they all play. But in the end, I respect her keeping to her word. I respect that she gave us this But in the end She'll all burn the same It's like the rest We had no word she would return your hands Faith or otherwise

It was foolish You fine But the two of you What good can you do without your hands I also Professor as You folks call it Had a plan B

You've seen him do this before. Look, I don't really know much of anything anymore, but I'm just trying to have some faith and follow Sarang's teachings, because I don't really know what else to hold on to anymore. You proved your faith, Shepherd. Well done. Thanks, I guess. For what it's worth, I can still fight with one hand, Professor. sir. Let not wield that. Not when you're Naginaro.

No, but I can wield this, and I pull out my katana. Not quite the same. Not that you've seen. Regardless. No more severing of limbs, please. I don't think we had much of a choice, and I apologize to all of you. I shouldn't have... We shouldn't have let you do that.

Take it all on yourself. We need to be together going forward, all of us. of us, no matter the ghost. It was a burden I was willing to take. As, Shepard, I know you were willing as well. Oh yeah, yeah.

Something like that. This key, Victoria. Yeah, keep that thing safe. Would you like it? First, please explain. Present to Kana and the professor. Please.

Stradanya drank for me. entertain this. Yeah. If you must. Was it against your will? I did what I needed to do. This is what we'll tell the brides. So I'll turn her head away and I'll look.

And I will try to kind of thinking back to the time that I inspected Irina, who was drank from but not turned. Yes. Do I see a similar kind of week? I would say, given how thoroughly you inspected Irene, as wounds, you can easily see that these are the same. Oh, you're fine. Well done.

Well done. Shepard. I'm proud of you, Victoria. Shepard. Yes. Any change that you saw? No, no. She looks fine to me.

Well done, Victoria. Nowhere to go but forward. I'll take the key. Tuck it into mine. Dress folds. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you. I'll be a sacrifice.

Well, are you thoroughly done being dramatic? This is a dramatic time. Nothing was lost. All that was had was a gain. Yes. We should continue. Where to next? She'll like you best in this state.

Valenta next. To the hall of bones. She's the one with the skull mask? Yes. Professor, you've seen to have drawn. your spectacles. I understand. So thanks.

Just give me a second. Are you well, Professor? I'm fine. Shall we wear? Yes. At least we have had the pleasure of meeting with Valenta one-on-one. It is good to know that these brides hold no ill-will towards me after I banish them from the catacombs with searing sunlight. Or at least Ludmilla had not.

Hmm? She did cut off your hands. Only because we all agreed to her game. Not as revenge. Perhaps not. It was a notch. She took glee in watching you writhe around in pain. Also for Shepard, but Shepard did not wield the power of mourning to banish those creatures of darkness. Singing their putrid, undead, rotting flesh.

Please. let's get this over with Escher. Well, let us away then. The whole of bones. As Escher begins to lead you down to the depths of the castle, leads you past the room where you know the small man that had led you around previously resides. You can hear him.

I remember his name. What is it? Cirrus. Yeah, Cyrus. Cyrus. Cyrus. I can't read my notes. You move past his room and you can hear him inside mumbling to himself, happy as can be,

as he leads you down towards the closed doors of the Hall of Bone. Isn't Ludmilla the perfect woman? You cannot think of anyone else in this castle, besides me, of course, to make our heroes sweat as much as they just did. Even toward the climax of our story, as the stakes are rising, I can still find a laugh. Do you think my other brides will be able to torment them as well? Find out in the conclusion of Chapter 18 of Kirst of Throdanya, the thin line between love and hate.

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