Review Charactes

Characters

Scenes

Vistani Camp

Standing quietly in front of this house, bathed in the warm light of its lanterns, are three sullen, gray-cloaked figures, their angular features and black, flowing hair half-hidden under their cowls.

• Three guards, they recognise Arabelle and call for Kasimir

• Kasimir greets them and walks them up the hill, opportunity to find out more about them

• Deliver Arabelle and Bluto Krogarov to the Vistani

• Vistani (9 present)

  • All Vistani serve Strahd: "Lord Strahd", "Dark Lord"
  • All Vistani elders died
  • Currently led by Luvash and Arrigal (the one that gave the party the plea for help letter)
  • Luvash is Arabelle's father
  • Half of the Vistani are searching for her (PROBLEM 1)
  • Have ran out of wine (PROBLEM 2)
  • Either problem is solved -> Vistani's respect
  • Tent
    • Empty casks of wine, piled outside a wagon
    • Cracks of whip and howls of a young man
    • Six vistani passed out on the dead grass
    • One teenager is hugs the central pole with tied wrists (Alexei)
    • Luvash has the whip, Arrigal is behind him (easy brother...)
    • Alexei failed to keep an eye on Arabelle, is remorseful and accepts the punishment
    • They were all drunk when she was taken
    • REWARDS the party can choose a treasure from the tent

• Dusk Elves (9 present)

  • Dark skin and hair
  • Patrina Velikovna, Strahd's old bride, used to live here
    • Wizard, wanted to become his bride
    • Stoned to death by her people
    • Banshee in the catacombs under castle Ravenloft
  • Kasimir Velikov, her brother, still lives here, leader of the elves
    • House is decorated wooden satuettes of elven deities, tapestry of a forest
    • His sister has been sending dreams
    • WANTS to free his sister from the catacombs and restore her life
    • HELPS with the Amber Temple, the secret to breaking Strahd's curse
    • ASKS the party to go there with him, thinks there's something there that can help her sister
  • Many of them are away, aiding in the search
  • Only males, all women and children were put to detah as punishment

Road to Wizard of Wines

Luna River Crossroads

• (SW) Krezk & Tsolenka Pass
• (NW) Lake Baratok
• (NE) Vallaki & Ravenloft
• (SE) Berez
• Encounter
  • Daytime: Revenant
    • A figure walks alone with the stride and bearing of one who knows no fear. Clad in rusty armor, it clutches a gleaming longsword in its pale hand and looks ready for a fight.
    • Looks like a zombie, DC 10 Insight: intelligence and hate in its eyes
    • Knight of the Silver Dragon, died fight Strahd's conquest
    • Party opposes Strahd - urges the to go to Argynvostholt, to convince Vladmit Horngaard, thei leader, to help them
    • The revenant can lead them there, avoiding any settlements
  • Nighttime: Skeletal Rider
    • Through the mist comes a skeletal warhorse and rider, both clad in ruined chainmail. The skeletal rider holds up a rusted lantern that sheds no light.
    • Died trying to escape through the fog
    • Ignores the characters

Raven River Crossroads

• Encounter
  • Daytime: 3 Berserkers
    • Wild folk, covered gray mud
    • Stealth 8 - Alfbern spots them
    • You startle a wild-looking figure caked in gray mud and clutching a crude stone axe. Whether it’s a man or a woman, you can’t tell.
  • Nighttime: 1 druid & 4 twig blights
    • A gaunt figure with wild hair and bare feet bounds toward you on all fours, wearing a tattered gown of stitched animal skins. You can’t tell whether it’s a man or a woman. It stops, sniffs the air, and laughs like a lunatic. The ground nearby is crawling with tiny twig monsters.
    • Worship Strahd due to his control on the environment
    • Savage and violent
    • Flees if all twig blights die, and they're bloodied (Yester Hill)
• Signpost
  • Weatherworn
  • (N) Krezk - arching stone bridge
  • (E) Vallaki
  • (SW) Wizard of Wines

Wizard of Wines

Approach Vineyard

A light drizzle begins to fall. Unpainted fences blindly follow the trail, which skirts north of a sprawling vineyard before bending south toward a stately building. The fog takes on ghostly forms as it swirls between the neatly tended rows of grapevines. Here and there, you see rope-handled half-barrels used for hauling grapes. North of the trail is a large stand of trees. A man wearing a dark cloak and cowl stands at the edge of the trees, beckoning you.

• 9 wereravens - hiding in the grove North of the vineyard
  • Davian, Adrian (eldest son), Elvir (youngest son), Stefania (daughter), Dag Tomescu (Stefania's husband), four children
• They come out to greet the party
• Davian Martikov is the patriarch - old and suspicious
  • Doesn't tell about the stolen gems at first, only about the druids
  • Tell about the gems if druids are defeated
• Free wine. Lifeblood of Barovian people, as they would go mad without it
• Three barrels of wine are in the dock
• Founded by a forgotten mage (before Strahd's conquest)
• Three magic gems make the healthy grapevines, size and shaped like pinecones
  • Retrieve them: Berez and Yester Hill
• Strahd gave it to the Krezkov family due to their loyalty
• Matrikov family married into it and inherited
• Renowed wines
  • Purple Grapemash No 3 (unremarkable)
  • Red Dragon Crish (more tantalizing)
  • Champagne do le Stomp (rich)
• Ten years ago, one of the gems was stolen (Champagne)
  • Davian blames his middle son Urwin who was on watch the night the gem was stolen
• Three weeks ago, scarecrow attackers dug up and stolen (Baba Lysaga)
• Five days ago, evil druids stole the third and final gem, taking it to Yester Hill
  • The wereravens launched an attack but lost
• Two days ago, druids came back and drove the family away, and poisoned the vats
• Without the Gems wine production will eventually halt

Approach Winery

TBD