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.

Taniwha notices that the man has a wild, desperate look in his eyes. You know that look all too well, the look of someone who has killed for survival and will kill again. Amalthea does not register any divine or hellish. The man is mortal, but that makes his feral look seem all the more terrifying.

Irineu sends the tendril of shadow over to the fetish. When the shadow falls over the twigs, they leap up and jerk to life! The bundle of twigs raises what would be a head on a tiny body, then rears up and bites the shadow! It growls at the spell as the other twig blights awake. "Who is out there?" the old, wizened figure calls. "I warn you, I have old gods by my side."

"A mad druid!" the hunters repeat in hissing whispers. "Old one!" Tyminski calls. "Be off before you start trouble! You won't like what we do to you!" The men go for their weapons, but no one is ready to make the first move. Tyminski looks to you to judge your reaction.

Taniwha stabs his spear into the ground, stepping forward between the group and the old Druid. His hands are open and showing his open palms in a gesture meaning no harm. "Excuse those with me Elder." Taniwha says with a steady voice bring his hand to his chest and tilting his head ever so slightly. "We mean no harm nor disrespect, they are just weary of strangers nowadays. I can see you are one whom knows how to survive these bleak lands, and you seem to be search for something. Perhaps we can be of mutual service? Perhaps we can help you find what you are looking for, and perhaps you can provide some advice about these lands? What do you say Elder?"

Amalthea whispers to the group that at least this strange man is not part of the undead and brings up her shield to move forward with those who speak. It would be better if they could resolve this peacefully, but tensions were high so she wanted to be prepared for anything.

The old man thinks for a moment, his wild eyes falling away from you. All the men have their hands twitching at their bows and axes, and the twig creatures twitch and snap under the old man's feet. "No..." he calls to Irineu, "necromancer I am not!" He spits at his feet, the little twig things hopping out of the way.

Under his mask Taniwha scans the old Man, nervously not wanting pressure the grave robber.

Amalthea has yet to open her mouth, but she does try to look less intimidating to help avoid scaring the man.

"Ahh, I have no quarrel with you, the old man says, wrapping his tattered cloak tighter to him. "I am only a druid, and I am only... looking for something." He starts moving away, disappointment evident on his face; the twig creatures move with him. "Best be careful, and watch where you tread. My kinsmen may not be so ready to hear you out." With that, he turns and walks away into the mist.

"Good work," Tyminski grunts, a rare grin on his face. "I will let the priest be at his work. My men will form a perimeter, but don't take too long," he says, emphasizing this last bit to Martin.

After the druid and the twig things are gone, you see an assortment of corpses in various states of decay. Some are moldering skeletons while others are cold bodies.

"Glad he has gone, that crazy old druid felt a lot more than he appeared." Rhe young Monk said as he watched the strange being swallowed by mist.

As you turn to leave, something creaks behind you. Where once was a frayed rope at the end of the gallows is now a complete noose, with a dark gray figure hanging on the end. The stench of a freshly-dead corpse hits you, as opposed to the ancient skeletons in the graves. The corpse swings around, and you see the figure's bloated face and lifeless eyes, almost staring a warning at you with its pleading look.
"Ah, that wasn't there before," Tyminski says, his voice sounding a little shaken. "Must have been a trick of the light. On we go." He starts leading his men to the southwest, on the path that says RAVENLOFT/VALLAKI. "Hold, please," Ireena says, and Tyminski stops. "We should visit Tser Pool. The Vistani will have wise counsel for us. I know they are a learned people, and they will entertain guests at their camps."

Tyminski looks wildly at Ireena, like she has just gone mad. "I refuse!" he balks. "I go nowhere near those filthy people!" He punctuates this by spitting in the grass.

"I don't care," Ireena grins. "We stick together, remember? And I am the sister of the Burgomaster of Barovia Village. You do want to keep trading furs at the market?"

Tyminski grumbles. "Why don't you talk to your friends? They'll convince you to see reason, girl." Ireena grumbles herself, finding her hand at her sword hilt, but falls back to your party to hear your opinion. "You foreigners won't know this, but the way I chose faster, anyway. It cuts through the woods, and I am sure that the Vistani will help us with our real mission."

With his only his eyes visible they seem even more intense as the red of his eyes flares, either of fear or anger is hard to say, as he pauses to look over the hanging figure. His finally draws away from the figure, "Who are the Vistani? And why do we need to visit them? Though I am not adverse to a shortened journey."

"Ahem, this is Ireena's journey so we go where she wants to go. Safety in numbers, right? And we will need to camp anyway so why not camp with friendly others?"

She turns to look back at the corpse that suddenly appeared.

"Hm, shouldn't we help bury this man too before we leave?"

Taniwha takes his spear and cuts the rope from which the corpse is hanging, stepping out of the way as it falls. He will then assist it the burial in anyway he can.

"I'll tell you why we shy away from those folk, Tyminski says to Martin. "Same reason a man shies away from a wolf. Those 'wise folk' are always the first to cut your purse or look your horse in the mouth. They are cheats, and any counsel they give us will undoubtedly be a trick. They are in league with the Nightmother and the Devil Strahd."

Ireena scoffs. "Surely you don't believe those old tales."

"Believe them? I've seen them! My friend knew a man who was cursed by a Vistana. Turned his head into a wolf's just for looking at her wrong!"

Ireena simply turns away from Tyminski and regards the party. "Don't believe what these cravens say. The Vistani are a noble people who help travelers through the Mist and away from evil. Tales like the ones Tyminski tells are fed to him by Strahd. The Vistani are his sworn enemies. Even if there is a turncoat in their midst, the honorable ones will protect us from him."

She says the rest loud enough for Tyminski to hear: "Splitting up would give us a chance to rest with the Vistani while our friends take the long road. I am open to it."

"I will not allow my caravan to be riven by such childish whims," Tyminski says finally. "We take the long way, or you can be on your own."

Taniwha knowing where his strengths and weaknesses lie, just stands behind Brother Martin in moral support.

Seeing Taniwha and Shaelyn are keeping an eye on the others, Amalthea makes sure to stand near Ireena in case things get any more heated.

Tyminski grunts and then says, "I suppose the if the girl like Ireena wanted something, she really would risk a good business venture to get it." Ireena scowls at that, but Tyminski continues. "We will accompany you through the Vistani camp, but not longer than we need to rest and resupply. Under no circumstances will my men speak to the Vistani; we don't want to risk their curses."

"Fine by me," Ireena taunts. "The less of you, the better."

Tyminski just laughs. He says to the party, "You have quite the taste in friends. Now, let us be onward before another less friendly druid finds us here." As the group files down the path, Tyminski shares a word with Martin: "Ah, priest, I intend to be buried a long time from now in a faraway land. One that's warmer."

---

As you march northwest through the mud and the trees, you come to a place where the forest canopy opens up to black storm clouds boiling high above. The River Ivlis spills reappears from the trees and spills into a small lake, about a hundred yards across. By the edge of the lake are five large, colorful tents of the most fiery reds and oranges. Among the tents are four barrel-topped wagons. For those of you who braved the Death House, these wagons look quite similar to the one that Drina and her brother rode in.

The muddy ground of the clearing is covered in prints from wagon-wheels, boots, and hooves. Indeed, there are a number of horses drinking from the lake, all standing near a large tent that is pitched away from the mirth and frenzy of the firelight. The mournful strains of an accordion clash with drunken, mirthful singing.

As promised, Tyminski and his crew wait on the edge of the clearing. "Find us when you conduct your business," Tyminski puts simply.

Appreciative that they took the time to bury the body before they left, it's a relief to know that the group's attempt at persuading the caravan to join them to the Vistani was also a success.

Once they see the wagons, she quickly whispers to Taniwha: "Don't the wagons look somewhat familiar? I hope Drina and her brother were able to escape the land around that cursed house like we did."

Taniwha Had been taken a back by the wagons when they had come into view, and was once again thankful for the mask he wore as it cover his emotions. When Amalthea spoke it broke the urge to race to the wagons calling out Drina‘s name, pausing before answering. "Inhope so as well, and the peace she deservesd." The Tiefling placed a hand upon Amalthea’s shoulder and share a quiet moment, before walking on towards the caravans.

And so, Amalthea and Taniwha venture into the clearing ahead of the rest of the party. There are twelve Vistani around the campfire, men and women in colorful blouses and coats of red and orange silk, with ruddy, smiling faces. Some wear armor, but they look more ready to carouse than fight. They each enjoy the mutton roasting on its spit over the fire, passing around a skin of wine as they talk. As you approach, their faces slowly turn to you. Their eyes appraise you for a silent moment, before they all cheer! "Come, strangers! Sit by the fire! Share a story!"

Amalthea and Taniwha are guided to logs where they can sit by the fire, and are handed fresh, sizzling mutton. "I am Janek," the one who guided you says. "If you need anything, just call my name." He tilts his head back to demonstrate, giving a hearty, "Janek!" He adds: "Why don't you invite your friends? We don't bite, and they look hungry."

If you ask around for Drina, the Vistani reply that they've never heard of her before, but that they hope she found some peace outside of this cursed land.

As they are welcomed into the camp so warmly Taniwha indicates for the others to join them, "These lands make us very cautious, but I am sure the others will join us now." The Tiefling says to Janek. "Your coaches remind us of a friend we lost to the mist, and our hearts had sparked with hope upon seeing them. They may not be here but our hearts were good judges of the company before we even arrived" Taniwha finishes as he joins them by the fire and taking some of the mutton, he’s stomach gurgling the tiefliing keeps his mask on a little longer.

A short time into the conversation and once the others join them, Taniwha openly says. "We have been told you maybe an alliance we could seek against the self proclaimed Lord of these lands?"

Amalthea eagerly bites into the mutton and shares the wine with the Vistani. Dwarves drink to remember as she would like to remember their friends. As for humans, drinking does loosen the tongue.

She makes room for Irineu and happily waves over the rest of the party if they are interested to help pry loose the tongues of this caravan. Taniwha already seems to be doing a good job getting the conversation rolling.

"You chose well," Janek laughs, "for there is no friendlier place in all of Barovia. Or, at least, no place freer with its wine." A peal of hearty Vistani laughter follows this.

When you mention an alliance against the Lord of the Land, the celebration becomes muted and Janek looks surprised... but not too surprised. "Ah, you are bold to be making that talk out here in the open. We will protect enemies of the Devil all we can, but this is very much his domain." Another Vistana refills your wine as Janek settles in to tell more. "We have been working against the Devil who rules these lands for many generations. We do all we can for the people who come here as liberators, so I see no reason why we cannot do the same for you. Just know that there were people who stood where you stand now, and they paid for their optimism with their lives and more. It is not an easy road."

Another Vistana nearby pipes up. "He's talking about the wizard. An old wizard came here a year ago, stirred the peasants into revolt. When the peasant army marched on the castle and got one look at the Devil's terrible pallor, half of them turned and fled. The rest were taken into the castle and never seen again."

---

Nothing makes a sound except the popping of the fire. "I saw the battle with my own eyes, and so did Janek and a few others. Thunder shook the mountainside; the Pillarstone of Castle Ravenloft trembled, and we thought it might fall. Still the wizard was unharmed, kept safe by strange magics. The Devil called lightning to strike him, but still he stood. Finally, the Devil threw himself upon the wizard in all his bestial rage. The two fell from the spires of Ravenloft to the bottom of the mountain. No one ever heard of the wizard after that, but we all saw his tattered cloak on the river."

---

Janek clears his throat to get the conversation back on track. "Ahem, yes, many have fallen before you, but we will offer what aid we can. And we will not force you to move against the Enemy. If you do however, you would be a savior to all of us and your dear friend, whom we can only hope escaped these lands or is trying to."

"Eh? What happened to the wizard's cloak, if you don't mind me asking?"

Amalthea is happy to continue partaking in the wine. It's going to be a while before it affects her.

Taniwha eats and relaxes listening to the conversation and banter, for the first time he feels he is back in with the street gangs after a night of good work. Enjoying the company of others for a brief moment in time.