Chapter Two - The Town of Vallaki

Soon, the party is ready to depart from Barovia for Vallaki. The sun shines quite clearly behind the Mist, but still doesn't cut through. Father Donavich gives you a final blessing, and Andrej quickly leads his small caravan out. Besides Andrej and the party, there are five men with two small wagons. As you plod down the muddy road out of town, copses of unkind fir trees stretching out along both sides of the road, you notice a stranger who carries himself differently from the other men.

With his bull’s mask in place Taniwha had been enjoying the freedom of not having his hood pulled over his head, his shoulders had seemed to relax and his stride a spring in it. He had noticed the figure on its own but part of the company, he reminded him of some of the orphans that he had run with on the streets. Dark and brooding. His experience had taught him that those who a group push slightly away, but still close were the ones to be afraid and wary of.

The Teifling had been in his own thoughts when Irineu spoke, pulling his thoughts back to the present. "I like the tittle ‘newcomer’ it is accurate. it seems to me that your lands need more of us. As for you. You look part of this land yet . . . very separate from it, so I’d ask the same, what brought you into the present company?"

Listening to the conversation had perked Taniwha’s interest, causing a natural gravitational pull towards the source. He almost shocked himself when he realised he had almost walked into Martin. Taking half a step away he joins in, maybe it was something in this traveller’s story that struck accord with him. "I grew up in a Shrine to Eldath, hidden in the Mountains. At the mention of this Goddess, Amalthea would notice slightly less venom than usual in his voice. But had moved to Mulmaster at a young age. Here while running with other street kids I was seeking shelter in a house, but as I stepped through the threshold I somehow ended up here."

Taniwha stops as though realising what was coming from his tongue, and is quiet again and falling into step.

Amalthea touches her own face near her eyes when she hears Irineu talk about dislike for outsiders who can see in the dark. She was sure she saw dwarves in those dead marches mentioned. Was it really so strange to meet people with darkvision in this land?

Lost in thought, her attention returns back to the conversation as she hears Taniwha tell how he arrived. The goddess, Eldath, sounds like someone important and perhaps even comforting for him. She will have to consult more with her own god on who this Eldath was.

"Aye, well met. Please call me Amalthea. I believe I come from the same land as our masked friend here. I used to serve my clan as a paladin in the mountains, but circumstances led me to find my fortune abroad. I was lost in fog after camping and I ended up in this land. First, we were stranded in a cursed house and then we eventually made our way to the village of Barovia. It will be good to see more of the area. Do you know much about Vallaki?"

Ireena shakes her head in wonder. "I don't understand much of what you're saying, but enough makes some sense to me. I have never heard of the faraway places you're describing, but I know that people from the strangest places have always turned up in Barovia, and one way or another they have found themselves looking to destroy the vampire." The hunters give the party wary, haunted glances, and Ireena lowers her voice to keep from frightening them.

"That accounts for the diverse numbers in the March, as you say. And as you say, sir Irineu, the best stories come from without this place." She rests her hand on her sword's hilt and regards Irineu closely. "Why am I coming with you to Vallaki? Same as anyone else here, I seek a life free of the vampire, and maybe even a way to tell him what I think of him."

About two miles down the road, you leave the clearing of the village for the darkness of the trees. A short stone bridge crosses the clear, cold River Ivlis, and then the scenery behind you is swallowed up by the trees again. Tyminski has sent two scouts ahead, and they are just now returning to the party. They report something to Tyminski, who then announces: "Weapons drawn, men. Strange traveler on the road. Might be nothing but a beggar, but we can never be too careful." The hunters draw their bows and daggers.

After covering another mile of forest road, the trees break and you come to a crossroads. An old wooden gallows creaks in a chill west wind, a frayed rope dancing in the wind. A worn signpost opposite the gallows points in three directions: BAROVIA VILLAGE to the east (the way you came), TSER POOL to the northwest, and RAVENLOFT/VALLAKI to the southwest.

At the foot of the gallows are a row of several unmarked graves with blank headstones. Two have been dug up and robbed, and it looks like the robber is still here. You see a figure in a ratty brown cloak, muttering and digging up the graves. He shakes his head, throwing bones and rusted jewelry over his shoulder. On the ground around him are several bundles of twigs like fetishes.

"It's just a man," Tyminski says in a hissing whisper. "Let's scare him off or cut him down and keep moving. Unless..." he turns to your party. "...our friends desire a word? Outsider to outsider?"

Taniwha relaxes his scan of the road ahead a little upon seeing the grave robber murmuring to themselves, he’d seen this practice before in the city he had spent the last couple of years hiding in. He leans over to Brother Martin, "This is more of your field, Martin. Happy to back you up though."

The Monk gives the stranger the once over looking to recognise any possibility of danger from the strange fellow.

When Tyminski announces the traveler ahead and the party starts to draw their weapons, Amalthea readies her shield and warhammer as well.

Once she sees the man in a ratty cloak, he really just looks more sad and desperate to her. But desperate men can do dangerous things and he was desecrating the final resting places of people who already had clearly suffered in life. She silently stands next to Taniwha, ready to follow and protect Brother Martin or whoever decides they want to speak to the man.

While waiting, she taps into her to stay alert.