#escher krezkov

[loa-bracket-battle]

(data for favorite NPCs gathered from the discord!)

[petalpierrot]

Barovia's comedy duo

After being treated very brusquely by Dmitri Krezkov, despite aiding Krezk in the past:

Dris: A warmer welcome than I expected Escher: As warm as a winter breeze

[flyingkitesatnight]

Strahd: Bisexual woman. Uses She/her pronouns but mostly masculine presenting. In mannerism and dress. She did a bit of drag in the beginning. Entirely performative to maintain her scary reputation. She has one consort, Escher. Volenta, Ludmilla, and Anastrasya are her adopted daughters. She considers them her children since turning them.

Escher: Transman and Strahd's only consort. He hadn't transitioned when they met. She basically supplied the means for him to do so via magic.

Volenta: on the asexual spectrum I'd say. She has a childlike mindset. Her love language is causing pain.

Ludmilla: Bisexual but she has a strictly 'business' relationship with Rahadin.

Anastrasya: Lesbian

The Abbot: Asexual

Dyna and Anna Krezkov: Lesbian Burgomasters

Ireena Kolyana: Lesbian

Victor Vallakovich: Bisexual

Ezmerelda: Bisexual

Of course Godfrey and Vladimir.

I think that's it!

In honor of pride month I want to hear about how queer you made Barovia please and thank you.

For my game:

Strahd is a bisexual king right out of the book, which is awesome.

Rahadin is asexual, but not in like, an ace kind of way. Like in a single-celled organism kind of way.

Ireena is aroace! A decision partly inspired by a certain pool of water (iykyk), and also because she’s a little bit my self-insert. A PC hit on her in like session four and was immediately told, “Do not ever speak to me that way again.” She’s iconic and I adore her.

IZMARK. IZ. GAY. And madly in love with the druid. Unfortunately Izmark does not know he is gay. He believes it is very normal to lovingly stare into your homie's eyes and look down at his lips and imagine what it would be like to kiss him. And it is very normal to comment on how attractive your homie is, cause that's just what bros do.

Vollenta is a beautiful lesbian who refuses to let the fact that she is married to Strahd change the fact that she is a lesbian and nobody will tell her or her pile of bodies otherwise.

Ludmilla is on the ace spectrum. I mean, come on. She's with the guy for power and grant money. She says she loves him, and they're definitely intimate, but she's the kind of girly to take notes before during and after, you know?

Escher. What even needs to be said about Escher. He's Ravenloft's resident twink and proud of it. He's a little lonely and can't stop thinking about the boy he was in love with when he was young, who is now old and grizzled from age, while Escher himself remains the same age he was when he betrayed his lover and chose Strahd instead, but like... he's also pretty and immortal, so who cares?

(Escher Bonus Content: Two moms! They loved him very much and were upsettingly supportive of his decision to become Strahd's newest consort)

Anastrasya: idk she's dead pre-campaign in mine so if you came here looking for commentary on her you will not get it.

Ezmerelda is a trans lesbian! She's gorgeous and I adore her. She's just so confident that she can kill Strahd on her own and I think she's right for that. I knew I wanted her to be a love interest for one of my PCs, and it just so happens that the player in question has a type.

Danika is also bi, and she's very happily married to her wonderful little husband. This hasn't come up in the campaign at all it's just something I know to be true in my heart.

The Abbot: Gender! Fluid! Call them whatever you want. He/him when you want to play on ideas of masculinity in religious circles, they/them when you want to make them seem undefinable, she/her when you want your PCs to reflect on how much mom trauma they all have :)

Sergei is straight but that man loves the queer community so much and he deserves an honorable mention.

Arrigal is gay and very pissed that the party keeps knocking on his wagon door at 3am. His ex-husband/current boyfriend has been coerced into co-parenting a child with the cleric.

There's definitely others but these are my versions of the little guys. I am so interested to hear other people's takes on them.

[reddragoncrush]

messy escher concept sketch i might come back to

[thuranni]

let me tell you there is no better way to find out you've mixed up two characters' names by working on something involving it for 5 months.

escher and the three brides! i didn't like their in-book outfits and escher is a krezkov in my campaign so i whipped this up.

[rahadaddy]

Saturday: The Party’s Ceasefire with Strahd

Some context before I recap last night’s session:

Strahd pressured Rahadin and Scout (our rogue) into marriage

Scout is 2+ months pregnant 

Scout mentioned how much Strahd loooooved Alek Gwilym so he stole the Tome back

Dorrin (our fighter) told Strahd that two souls can reside in a single object or person (as Sergei and Tatyana reside in the sunsword or as Tatyana and Ireena resided in Ireena’s body)

Strahd, despairing, gave the Cleric a mission to reconsecrate the Abbey and then went “Oh shit, I bet that Fucker, the Abbot, can give me what I want.” when he reread the Tome and how In Love with Alek he was and how In Love Alek was with him. So he killed Urlstra (it didn’t last) on her wedding night. 

The party found Alek in the swamps of Berez, sharing a body with Victor Vallakovich’s older, runaway brother who everyone thought wsa dead.

The party then slipped into a pocket universe probably made by Khazan/Khazan’s unnamed apprentice to hide the remains of the original blade that ran them through a gauntlet of Tatyana’s incarnations so they proved themselves worthy to wield it in its full glory (and weren’t just Strahd trying to get back the pieces). 

The Paladin is flying the skull of Argynvost around. 

Dorinn and Finnegan (Escher replacement) discovered Dorinn is the reincarnation of the first Silverguard, son of Argynvost upon reaching the Lost Battlefield

From there they headed to Krezk and learned they’d been in the pocket dimension for five days and in that time, a vampire nest that Strahd placed there four months ago has been plaguing the village since they left and includes Vampire Spawn Dmitri Krezkov. Now, the Krezkovs’ daughter, Rozaliya, is the Burgomaster and her fiance, Ismark (yes, that Ismark), is now Captain of the Guard. 

Yes, they’ve been a  pocket dimension for five days. 

They debated whether to fight the vampires or to brave the Abbey of St. Markovia (Urlstra our Cleric’s previous life). They chose the Abbey.

The Abbey deeply unsettled the characters but they didn’t explore much. They met the Abbot, who was a slightly-too-beautiful Petrov looking man teaching The Corpse Bride how to set a table. 

Because the players were not hostile to him, he told him his plans to create The Perfect Companion for Strahd to heal the land. He showed them his library and laboratory. 

 Alek was like, “Tell me more” and Scout was like “Outside. Now.” at him and Trevor tried to point out that he’d be a golem under someone else’s control. Meanwhile Dorinn was like “This is my fault, we should leave. We should leave. I fucked up.” and had to confess to telling Strahd that souls can be put into things. 

The party heard a BLOODCURDLING DYING SCREAM and Dorinn, Trevor and Alek ran towards the sound while everyone else was like “Shit. We should have left.”

Standing over Vasilka’s torn apart body was Strahd, chewing the Abbot out. 

“I gave you new specifications,” he said. “How dare you use recycled parts when you know what my demands were.”

Rahadin, upon hearing his brother’s voice stealth over to where he can better hear. 

The Nat 20s begin.

The party convinces Strahd to wait five minutes while they discuss a solution to the problem. Nat 20. Strahd insight checks the new man (Alek) to see who the fuck he even is. Nat 20. Dorinn insight checks Strahd as Strahd stares at Alek. Nat 20. Realizes Strahd looks the most human he has as long as they’ve known each other and is looking at Alek in the same way Ireena looks at Dorinn when she worries he’s going to do something stupid and die doing it and that this is the last moment they’ll be in the same room. 

The party discusses. Alek says he’ll do it. He’ll take a new body. The party realizes we could theoretically, based on the Abbot’s explanation of his machine, clone a body and put a new soul in it. Alek fails his charisma throw against Henry Vallakovich who doesn’t like any of this. Trevor explains that souls are like apples and bodies are like bags (?) and we could have two bags for two apples or one bag for two apples and wouldn’t you like to have your apple in your own bag? No! I don’t!  Scout tells him that’s selfish. Starts working to calm him down as I’m desperately having Alek make a charisma save every thirty seconds. We nat 20 at the same time. Scout calms the kid down and Alek is able to push through. Rahadin thinks his wife is gong to be an amazing mother and he doesn’t have time to examine that because the Crelmer-Von Zaroviches and Trevor and Alek are going for Alek’s procedure. Strahd calls them out for trying to lie about this being the real Alek. Typical family bickering ensues. 

And I do mean typical.

I have never had Strahd behave so humanly with the party. Alek demands the love of his life apologizes for killing him. Strahd struggles to say I’m sorry. Rahadin calls him out for it. Strahd shoots a low leveled ray of frost at Rahadin. Scout fires one back in her husband’s defense. “Is that new?” Strahd asks about the magic. “I’m impressed.” The Abbot hooks Alek/Henry up to the machine and using the rules lawyered rules of the machine creates a new body that Henry goes into.... stark naked so Trevor dresses him and Henry is embarassed he was naked in front of Strahd Von Zarovich. Trevor and Dorinn take him back to the party, dressed in spare clothes. Alek looks up at a worried Strahd who is hovering over him and says, “I have died for you twice. I am not doing it again.” and I think Strahd would have kissed him except Scout, Rahadin, and the Abbot were there so he tells the Abbot to give his family some privacy. 

He apologizes (to Alek) that he forgot how much he loved the people his life, especially Alek, and that evidence he’s gathered in the last few weeks indicate the Dark Powers have prevented him from remember people he loved or his love for them. He thanks Scout for giving him the Tome back (as if she did it willingly) because she gave him his memories back and he remembers how much he loves/loved his brothers and Alek and he can see more clearly that his feelings for Tatyana were obsessions and projections and he believes he was taken advantage of by the Dark Powers. 

“Why are you telling us this?”

Nat 20 persuasion 

“Patrina’s body is gone from the crypt. Only a powerful and ancient magic could do that. I am on my way to the Amber Temple, however, I believe your party may be more suited to the task. Stop her and I will send those of you from the Material Plane home.”

“And those not from the Material Plane?”

“They would stay here. This is their home and you’ve made parts of it a better place to live.”

Scout looks at Rahadin. Strahd continues his offer.

“I will not promise you anything I am not certain is within my power, but due to my research on the matter, I believe that it may even be possible to reunite Barovia itself with the Material Plane. Perhaps our goals are aligned. So long as we are working together, I will call for a ceasefire. I will not attack you and those of me will not attack you.”

“And your wives?”

Alek, from the operating table is like, “Wives????” and Strahd is like, “We’ll talk about it later.” Rahadin holds up fingers to indicate how many wives Strahd has had to a heartbroken but mildly impressed Alek. 

“I cannot speak for them. Volenta will do my bidding. Ludmilla has gotten stronger over the years and she may be too far gone in her obsession with scientific research to hear reason. Do we have an accord?”

They do. Rahadin and Scout go to leave. 

Scout goes to hug Alek before going into the hall and whispers to him “Try not to die again. Three uncles is better than two.”

The Nat 20s ran out. Strahd heard that. He knows Scout is pregnant. He and Alek both have smart ass things to say to Rahadin but only Strahd says them out loud as Alek hugs Scout back. 

The party is just now finding out about the ceasefire. Strahd and Alek are in the  operating room but will probably spend some time together talking things out before deciding whether to stay here or go back to Ravenloft. The party intends to spend the night exploring the Abbey so maybe Urlstra can get some peace, the next day dealing with the vampire spawn nest in Krezk, and then maybe heading to the Amber Temple or Argynvostholt. 

I’m very emotional that Scout without meaning to, gave her husband his brother back, and his mentor (soon to be brother in law?). I have been building to some of these reveals that Strahd’s plans haven’t been random, but have been direct responses to the the things the players do in game. For a while, they thought he was just randomly lashing out, but he’s been trying to find Alek for a while. First, to command at his side as he remembered (Finnegan), then, after Scout began tormenting him about Alek to interrogate him for answers the party withheld from him (Ismark), then to seduce him when he had the answers (Trevor), and finally to love him once he reread and understood his own recordings of that love (Alek himself). He has wanted to find Alek’s soul and give it a vessel since Dorinn taunted him in Ravenloft with the sunsword and he has wanted to get the thighbone back since that moment but hadn’t gotten Urlstra alone until her wedding night. He was even serious about sending Trevor and Finnegan back to the Material Plane if Finnegan brought Strahd Alek because that was his goal and how else to atone to the men he mistook for Alek than to give them back tot the loves of their lives and sending them home the way he wants to be with the love of his life? 

Strahd is a terrible person. He went about none of these in an appropriate or reasonable way, but he’s been telling the truth. As far as tough pills to swallow go, I'm sure this is a rather large one for my party. I think they may have thought I was being a meme when I said Strahd wanted to be part of his “vamily” but... literally, the party has been unknowingly handing him back parts of his humanity and the first things he wanted were Alek and to make things right with Rahadin and Scout. He’s not a good person, but he’s a person. 

And he’s going to be so mad when he realizes he’s the third favorite uncle at best with Scout and Rahadin’s kids. 

Whatta ride. Due to the high social rolls, they didn’t even trigger combat. Now all they have to do is fulfill some promises, restore some holy grounds, find Scout and Dorinn’s crazy aunt, stop her, and maybe fight some gods. 

Or... is it? 

[dndeviants]

Aftermath

Strahd took his moment to pause before resuming his role as a commander. He turned to his blond male consort and ordered, "Go to the Abbey. There is a flesh golem bride there that is under our protection.Take her and the other consorts and return swiftly to Castle Ravenloft."

Escher bowed to his master and winked at Linda, "What an impressive little toy you have... I'm sure we will be seeing you around..." He waved goodbye to Ruki before jumping off of the wall to rejoin and rally his companions.

Down below, the vampire spawn were helping clean up the aftermath of the bloody battle. Ludmila focused on retrieving her blades, as Volenta giggled at her dominated werewolf using rope to tie up Ruki’s dominated werewolf.

Ludmila made it clear she disapproved of such childish behavior.

Escher went to Anastrasya and spoke quietly before joining the other consorts. Volenta looked to Aric and Jeeves.

"Goodnight, lovelies," she spoke in a sing song voice, before entering the town of Krezk to retrieve the golem.

Iagus, Strahd’s gargoyle general began to collect the now human corpses of the fallen werewolves, and put them in a large pile to turn into a pyre. 

Rahadin walked over to Volenta’s captured werewolf and unsheathed his scimitar, beheading the creature in one swift motion, "Missed one, Iagus," he simply stated as he wiped his blade clean.

Iagus snorted, grabbing the werewolf’s now human head in one hand, and the body in the other, “You just made more work fo’ me, Rahadin.”

 "One living is enough," Rahadin replied, brushing past Aric, "Excuse me."

Strahd trotted on the nightmare with Linda, peering past her down to the ground. He looked at the ghastly pile of corpses, a grim reality of any large scale fight... but he preferred to see that. He himself had only lost three of Krezk’s guards...

We were lucky, Strahd decided with much sourness. Lucky to come to Krezk on that day, lucky to discover the Abbot’s conspiracy, lucky to have prevented werewolves from teleporting past Krezk’s walls... Lucky to have incapacitated Mordenkainen before he could cast...

I hate relying on luck. This will not do.

Strahd spoke with Linda and Ruki, his voice firm, "Let us reconvene. Mordenkainen yet lives... this may be good for us... and you were wise to leave one of the foul brood alive..."

He pulled on his nightmare’s reigns and leaped over the walls of Krezk to speak with Rahadin. Linda yelped in shock. And grumbled, dismounting the nightmare.

Aric went to examine the unconscious form of the mage called Mordenkainen and looked on his belt and in his robes... 

A piece of Strahd’s journal... he’ll be wanting that back, Aric thought. A spell book... another journal, “Tome of Foes,” a pouch of... odd stuff... foreign currency... Oh?

He pulled out a slip of paper and read it:

You seek to know the truth of this place, I can tell it to you... I have valuable information in regards to Barovia's connection to the Blood War... I will tell you how to get to the Amber Temple. Meet me at the old monastery in Krezk... Signed, A Friend...

Aric pulled out an odd magical symbol on a pendant... In his foreign diplomacy studies, his knowledge encompassed not just the politics of Faerun and the world of Toril, but other planets as well. This was a symbol of a protective order, the Circle of Eight from Oerth...

Suddenly he realized why the name was familiar. Mordenkainen was their leader... But what was he doing here?

Ruki made her way down and joined Strahd and Linda.

Rahadin looked at them, disapprovingly, "You said you would not enter the fray, my lord."

Strahd was flippant, "I am no worse for wear, am I, Rahadin?"

Linda raised a finger in opposition,  "Technically he didn't enter it. He ended it."

Ruki nodded, “With all due respect, Master Rahadin, he only entered to deliver the final blow.”

Strahd smiled as smugly as he could with his twisted features, “Listen to the ladies, Rahadin. There is no need to worry. And I believe the issue of taking me into the fray actually belongs to Linda and Beucephalus, in this regard..."

Strahd pat Beucephalus, the nightmare, affectionately. The nightmare snorted and stamped a fiery hoof on the ground.

Rahadin sighed,  "Very well, my lord. Lady Ruki..." Rahadin turned to face the young Vistana, "I am impressed at your honing of your powers. You have certainly improved, however... a warning would be much appreciated out in the field."

Ruki folded her arms, “In certain circumstances, collateral in inevitable.”

Rahadin huffed in slight amusement, "You've certainly taken after the lord..." Rahadin turned his attention to Linda, "I will say that watching you was... interesting."

Linda raised a brow, "And why is that?"

 "Something new to watch. I am not immune to boredom," Rahadin moved beyond them and strode into Krezk.

Aric took the journals and put them in his pack, and grabbed the note, pulling on Jeeves as he went to report to Strahd, "Seems Mordenkainen knows where the Amber Temple is."

That caught Strahd’s interest, “Is that so? Then it seems that it would be in our best interest to learn from him its location."

Strahd dismounted from Beucephalus, and walked over to Mordenkainen’s unconscious body, examining it. It didn’t look like he would awake soon. That should work in my advantage. He lifted the man and carried him to his nightmare with ease, strapping him to the saddle.

“We will need to take him... to the tower on lake Baratok. The best place to contain him is where he will have no access to magic. He isn't beyond the capacity of casting spells as I am right now... and I don't want him blasting fireballs when he wakes," Strahd told Linda. 

"Do we know where Van Richten is? Did he go back there?" Linda looked to Strahd.

Strahd replied tiredly, "I don't know if he is still there or not. I can't scry, and even if I could, it would not be sufficient to penetrate the tower's defenses,” he sighed, "But it is better than the alternative. You can at least reason with the hunter. As can Aric. And Ruki can speak sense to her Vistani brethren."

Linda nodded, folding her arms, "Alright. Seems fine with me."

-------------------------------

Ruki took her staff and walked over to her dominated werewolf. She poked it, commanding, “Speak, boy!”

"What do you wish me to say, master?" it replied, eyes glazed over.

Ruki planted her staff in the ground, “Everything you know about the attack and any further plans.”

"Our portal was destroyed...” it snarled, “Mehmet insisted on waiting until it was fixed... but Kiril insisted that faulting on our plans would make the pack look weak to the humans... We were to kill every last human here, bring back the traitor wench... and sacrifice her to the Temple."

Ruki tilted her head, “And who is this 'traitor wench'?”

“Zuleika... Toranescu..." he replied.

Well, we will not let that happen, will we? she thought to herself. She commanded the werewolf to follow her back to Lord Strahd and her companions. 

Strahd looked over and raised a brow, "And how long before that thing returns to being a bloodthirsty killing machine?"

"Did it ever stop being that?" Jeeves questioned.

Ruki glared at the snippy servant, “It can start at my command. Shall I demonstrate?”

Jeeves held up his hands, "Whoa, we are on the same side here, Lady Ruki."

Strahd held out a hand to Ruki, "Have you extracted all its' knowledge?"

“ Yes, my lord,” Ruki replied, “It seems they were here to capture Zuleika for a sacrifice.

"Sacrifice?" Strahd questioned.

“Answer my lord's questions,” She commanded the werewolf.

The werewolf droned through its muzzle, "Sacrifice for the Temple. That is her purpose now... Kiril wanted her soul. I know not what for."

"Her soul in particular? That they would ravage an entire town? Peculiar..." Strahd was not surprised. Zuleika was one of the few creatures in Barovia that could remember their past lives... 

And was one of the few who could embrace each new life.

When he first met her, she was Katrina, also a werewolf... a lover to him, then a betrayer, then a lover again... then the natural course of life happened.

Death.

Then she lived again, and again, and again... drifting further apart, keeping respectful distance. Her soul and personality continuing to endure despite Barovia’s corrupting effects.

No, it hardly surprised him that her soul would have some kind of value for a magical sacrifice.

Rahadin returned, interrupting Strahd’s brooding thoughts, "My lord. I've spoken to the Burgomaster. He is prepared to see you now."

Strahd turned to the elf, "Excellent. If you will excuse me... I need to have a little chat with Dmitri..."

“Shall I accompany you, my lord?” asked Ruki.

"Anyone else up for a chat with Dmitri?” Strahd turned to his guests, “You did just help save this town. I am sure that seeing the heroes that did what he could not would help put things in perspective... Will you join us, young lord Aric? Linda?"

“I will come,“ Linda nodded.

"Jeeves and I will join,” Aric confirmed, “Maybe we will learn something new about Mehmet's involvement in all this."

Strahd nodded his satisfaction and raised a finger in warning to Ruki, “No werewolf inside the town.”

“Very well,” Ruki pouted slightly and commanded the werewolf to remain where it was.

Guards trained their weapons on the monster, ready for it to break free of Ruki’s control. Strahd gave orders to Rahadin:

“Make sure Mordenkainen stays unconscious. But try not to injure his head too much," Strahd walked gracefully through the gates as Rahadin took the nightmare and the sleeping mage to the side.

Peasants gathered outside. It was a most unusual sight. The citizens parted, and gave wide berth for their Vampire Lord and his guests. Strangely, the people seemed more curious than fearful of Strahd’s arrival- even despite his ghastly appearance. But they were still rightfully wary of the vampire.

He walked with purpose, his eyes burning straight forward.... and eventually landing on those who had provoked his ire in the first place:

Burgomaster Dmitri Krezkov, and his wife, Ana Krezkova.

They stood outside their cottage, looking fearful, and tired from grief. They were still in mourning for their dead son who laid on a wheelbarrow just outside their home. A grave had been dug. They were getting ready to bury him.

Strahd made a subtle gesture... he had no magic for casting greater spells, but at the very least, he could disguise his voice... and perhaps make it a little more otherworldly too...

He used a thaumaturgical spell... his voice became louder, more ethereal and ghostly... a faint echo followed his words.

"Good evening, Dmitri," Strahd spoke to the burgomaster, neglecting his title and affirming his rank above them.

The old man immediately fell into a bow, as his wife performed a timid curtsy.

"Good evening, my lord!" Dmitri yelped.

Strahd gestured lazily, "You may rise...” He paused, disapproval seeped into his voice, “We have some things to discuss, Dmitri."

How does he expect to repair the relationship between him and his people like that?! Linda wondered. She reached out to him and discretely touched his hand, pleading him with her eyes, Please, Strahd... tone it down... you don’t have to be the big, bad, lord of the land. 

Strahd looked to Linda and saw the expression on her face. It seems that she is  worried- but not for the Burgomaster’s sake... he noted. Worried for me? Does she think that this display will...? 

He acknowledged her with a small nod, and turned to Dmitri, his voice a little more quiet and calm, "Let us discuss this somewhere a little more private."

Dmitri nodded and stood up, "We can go to my cottage, right inside. I should have enough room to sit you..." he turned around and entered the cottage, waiting.

Take the opportunity, Strahd thought. He gave Dmitri an offended and pointed look.

 Dmitri flustered, remembering the lore on vampires, "Apologies... please, come- come in."

Strahd hid his satisfaction... the more they thought he was a normal vampire, the better. He nodded his thanks to the burgomaster and strode into the cottage, tilting his head to keep it from striking against the frame of the door.

Linda sighed, and followed him in. Someone had to make sure that he didn’t make a mess of this situation, it might as well be her.

---------------------------------------

Ruki held back, and paused. One of Aric’s rings was aglow on his hand... and it seemed to glow in the presence of the boy’s body... Ilya Krezkov was his name, according to the tombstone. She turned to Aric, and asked quietly, “Master Aric, what does that particular ring do?”

Aric looked down at the rings on his hand. The ring on his right index finger was glowing... he looked to her, "It is a ring of spell storing, I can use any spell that has been previously cast on the ring. It has quite a few spells from the Abbot. If I remember correctly, the Abbot was going to use the raise dead spell in the ring on the boy."

Ruki nodded, not wanting to draw attention to themselves, “Might be worth our while to try that.”

They quietly moved over to the wheelbarrow as Strahd and Linda went in the cottage. Jeeves folded his arms and quietly stood guard for them.

There was a thin death veil covering the boy. His face was exposed, his eyes closed, mouth agape, pale skin...

“How do we use the ring of yours, Master Aric?” Ruki questioned.

Aric remembered the lore he had learned, "I think I need to touch the body and release the spell in the ring."

Ruki was curious and gestured to Ilya, “Have at it, then.”

Aric gingerly pulled the death shroud back, and put his right hand on the boy’s shoulder. Aric closed his eyes and focused on the ring... Please, bring him back, he willed.   

The boy gasped, color returning to his face. He shuddered and sat up, as if he had just awakened from a horrible nightmare. He shook and clutched his arms, looking to Aric and Ruki with fear, "Wh-what are you?!" 

Ruki used a soothing voice, “Relax young master, your parents sent us to rescue you.”

Ilya calmed a bit and his eyes widened, "R-rescue me? Really?"

“Yes,” Ruki purred, “the Abbot had abducted you to accomplish his nefarious plans.”

“You are perfectly safe now, though,” Aric added, “Your parents are just inside discussing things with Lord Strahd."

Ruki pat Ilya’s shoulder gently, “It may be for the best young master to stay here.”

Ilya paused, uncertain, "Are they in trouble? The vampire doesn't come out of his castle unless someone's in trouble with him. He usually sends Vasili."

Aric didn’t know how to comfort the boy... he didn’t know enough about Barovia to do so. He looked to Ruki.

Ruki explained, “A werewolf attack on Krezk was brought to the lord's attention, and he arrived to aid in the defense of the village.”

There was a long pause as Ilya thought. Then he blurted, "And I missed it?! Man, that would have been so cool to see!" 

Ilya sighed and wrapped the veil closer around him, "Nothing exciting ever happens here."

Aric rose, satisfied, "Jeeves, would you mind going and interrupting the meeting? Tell Lord Strahd that the young master is awake."

Jeeves nodded, "Yes, Lord Aric," and went to the door.

-----------------------------------

This place... is homey, warm, thought Linda, unlike most of Barovia. There were several small rooms surrounding a hearth in the middle of the cottage. Strahd took seat by the fire, the flames casting dramatic shadows across the deformities of his face.

Dmitri sat with his wife, across from the vampire. Strahd eyed the burgomaster and his wife.

Linda did not feel comfortable sitting in a place like this- not with the tension in the room. She stood standing near Strahd in case this talk went south.

Strahd began, "Vasili and these foreigners told me of the impending attack on Krezk, and managed to foil several schemes to raze the town.”

Strahd tilted his head, “Were you aware of the Abbot being a traitor to your people? Or the creatures he was harboring in the Abbey? Or the murder of women and children to create foul constructs?"

Dmitri blinked and sputtered, "No, of course not! What do you mean?" Fear crept on his face.

Strahd looked to Linda and gestured, "Do you care to explain to the burgomaster what you strangers and Vasili experienced?"

Linda nodded and looked to the old man, "When we went to the Abbey, we discovered that the Abbot had murdered a bunch of people to create a...” She paused, looking for the right words to describe Vasilka, and opted for the simplest answer, “Well it was a flesh golem. And there were a few dozen other creatures...”

She paused before cautiously adding, “We also learned that the Abbot was behind your son's death."

Ana gripped on to Dmitri, "You are certain?” Frustrated tears pooled in her eyes, “I knew it was too sudden a death... everyone in this town is healthy, due to the blessed waters of the pool... we couldn't understand why our boy was so sick... he... he murdered our son?"

Linda folded her arms, "He said that all he was doing was to punish the people here for their lack of faith and that he was going to preform a miracle to make you all believe."

Dmitri shook in fury, "Our son... was a pawn..."

Linda raised a hand,  "I'll have you know, we killed the Abbot for his wrong-doings.” She shook her head, “I could not let his madness and over-zealous behaviors keep hurting the people here."

Strahd nodded his approval to Linda before adding, "The Abbot had planned to allow the werewolves to come through the Abbey, and turn loose the poor souls there to raze Krezk.,.. it seems the werewolves' threats about the Abbot were merely a distraction. "

Dmitri bowed his head, "I knew not my lord. I apologize."

Strahd steepled his fingers, his voice gaining a new edge, "The problem here is that I, Strahd von Zarovich, Lord and Protector of Barovia... was kept ignorant of the affairs of Krezk. It is your duty as Burgomaster to see to it that Krezk is sufficiently defended, and to alert the lord of the land to any and ALL problems-” His voice raised, “that plague this town! You have been... negligent in your duties..." he hissed.

Linda put a hand on Strahd’s shoulder. No, calm down... you are getting too intense... You are scaring them...

Strahd took a moment to pause. He looked first at Linda, then to the Burgomaster and his wife. He waited until he had calmed before softening his voice and stating, "I am not un-merciful, however....”

He folded his hands in his lap, “I am aware that there has been... some misunderstanding among my people, about how my... condition... may interfere with my ability to rule.”

He became firm, but not harsh, “But know this... I will not tolerate the same in the future. I always have been, and remain, lord and protector. Is that clear?"

Linda stepped forward. Strahd really didn’t know any other way to talk to his subjects, it seemed. Damage control...

“I think what he means is that the next time you don't tell him that you need help, that there will be problems.”

Having their attention she continued, “He did come to your aid as soon as we told him what was happening. I may be over-stepping myself, but as an outsider I think everyone here doesn't give each other the benefit of the doubt before jumping to conclusions, or believing every rumor they hear.”

She gestured to the vampire, “And Strahd is no exception to that. You have to communicate with him, just like he should be communicating with you. It's a work in progress, but at least the town is safe."

Dmitri paused and looked to gauge Strahd's reaction. Strahd’s lips tugged in the barest expression of amusement.

Strahd paused and reached out his senses... New life? An idea crossed his mind. He looked to the burgomaster, "Let us just agree to work on good relations from here on out.” He paused, “Now... let us have a show of good faith, Dmitri."

Dmitri looked to his Count, confused, "My lord?"

"I have a keen sense for life...” Strahd barely explained, before turning to his female companion, “Linda, would you fetch Ruki?"

Linda quickly went to the front door, and nearly smacked into Jeeves as he opened the door at the same time. She stumbled as Jeeves dodged out of the way...

Ruki stared at Linda as she stumbled.

Linda, flustered, blurted, “Ruki, Strahd sensed life.”

Ruki nodded serenely, “Indeed,” she turned to the formerly dead boy, “Let us reunite you with your parents, young master Ilya.”

“Awesome!“ Ilya jumped off the wheelbarrow.

Linda saw the boy, and blinked, stone-faced, before retreating back inside. Being around the vampire was less weird than a boy returning from the dead.

Jeeves peered inside, "Oh, um... Lord Strahd... Aric told me to inform you that the young master is awake."

“Excellent,“ Strahd purred. He leaned backward in his seat, lazily, as the boy rushed inside.

Dmitri and Ana froze.

Ilya jumped and rushed past Linda to his shocked parents, “Hi mom! Hi dad...” he turned to look at the stranger in their house. 

He doesn’t seem to be too fazed by my appearance, thought Strahd, though perhaps a brush with death in such a way would make one immune to those fears...

“Good night,“ Ilya ventured, “You must be Lord Strahd?“

“That I am...“ Strahd purred in amusement, “Good evening, young Ilya...“ Strahd rose from his seat, towering over the boy, and tilted his head to the Burgomaster. 

"A show of good faith,” Strahd repeated, “Just... be mindful in the future. I expect to know if you catch any wind of conspiracy or any other threat..."

Strahd lightly touched Ilya’s shoulder, "Life is such a precious thing. You should be more cautious in the future...”

Noticing the fearful expressions on the Krezkov’s faces, he retreated his hand from Ilya, stating, “All of your citizens depend on the security of Krezk's walls. My envoys and my new... friends...” he paused, to let the vocabulary sink in, “are more than capable of handling any threat there may be. Now, I will bid you a good night, Dmitri. Ana... Ilya..."

Strahd let his form fall into mist for a dramatic and final effect as he left the house.

Linda shook her head at him and turned to the Krezkov’s, "Enjoy your family and have a good night."

She left the house and sighed, following Strahd’s mist, Where the fuck do you think you are going?

Ruki saw Strahd and Linda depart, and had a mind to match her father’s dramatic exit. She readied her staff-

Knocking over a bunch of apples with a loud THUNK! She felt her face grow hot as Aric and Jeeves looked at her, confused. 

“How unfortunate,“ she stated before abruptly leaving.

Ilya rushed over to the door to look at the mist depart, shouting, "That was so cool!"

His parents broke out of their shocked stupor to run over to their son and smothered him with hugs and teary kisses, much to Ilya’s annoyance.

-------------------------------

Here should be fine... Strahd re-materialized a fair distance from the cottage in a quiet  orchard. No one could overhear them. He turned to his guests with an amused expression, speaking this time in his normal voice: "I will have to find some way to reward you for your services..."

He contemplated to himself, then nodded, "I am open to suggestions. I could bequeath you with titles... part with some of my treasure... give you gifts...” he tilted his head and folded his arms, “The rescue of an entire town and major strategic hold is no small feat...”

He looked to the genasi boy, “And I did take a few liberties with your efforts for the sake of politics, young lord Aric... so I do owe you in particular."

Linda folded her arms, uncaring, "Whatever you see fit. I do not have a preference."

Strahd looked at the woman. What to give her? She has barely any armor to speak of... and we’ve fought mages... Mordenkainen is still an unknown-

"In my possession I have several rings of various resistances. You may have your choice of one when we return to Castle Ravenloft," he decided.

Linda blinked. She didn’t carry any magical equipment other than the holy symbol in her pack, "Alright," she agreed.

Strahd nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Aric, "Is there anything I can offer to you, young lord Aric?" He held out his hands in a gesture of generosity.

"If I may request a particular reward...” Aric knew what he wanted. He looked up at the vampire, determined, “A spell for a spell if you will...”

Aric added, “Obviously, not right now, I know we all need to rest. We can discuss the particulars later.”

Strahd nodded his agreement, "Very well. I accept this. I think in this instance, I may bequeath you with a spell like no other... I will give you a choice: one of three spells that I, myself, have crafted. You will know the meaning of each one, and will be free to make your choice.” 

He tilted his head, “Is this arrangement acceptable to you?"

Aric was pleased, "That sounds more than fair, Lord Strahd."

Strahd then turned to Ruki, "Now, you have also proven yourself more than deserving of reward as well. Just because you are my chosen child does not mean that you are exempt from a reward. You did prove your leadership and control several times over through the course of battle."

Ruki stared at Strahd.

Strahd continued,  "What is it that you would like from me? A title? Some spending money? Or a treasure?"

“A new robe would be nice,” admitted Ruki, “Or new black leather armor.”

 "We will see about having Rahadin fit you, and will make the necessary adjustments to keep you protected. I suppose you have been growing. New armor is far overdue..."

Ruki stared at Strahd deadpan.

Strahd thought of everything that could be tackled in that night and addressed everyone, "I will settle with you once we return to Castle Ravenloft and rest. We shall have to stop by the Tower on the way back, however. Mordenkainen cannot remain at large..."

They all walked out of the town walls. Strahd met with Rahadin and Iagus. The gargoyle held the unconscious Mordenkainen, Rahadin sitting on the gargoyle’s back.

Strahd turned back to his guests,  "You are all comfortable riding the nightmares?"

"It wasn't awful the first time, I guess we will see," Aric replied.  

Strahd turned to Ruki, "Decide what you will do with your pet. Then go to Castle Ravenloft. Ride with Linda. I will be overseeing Mordenkainen's delivery with Rahadin. Take them to the dining room, and wait for Rahadin and me to return... We shan't be long."

Ruki looked to the werewolf and commanded it to run to Castle Ravenloft.

As his guests mounted the nightmares, Strahd turned into his hybrid bat form. 

 "My lord..." Rahadin made a pointed look at the guards.

Strahd looked to them too. Cautious, but not hostile. He looked to Rahadin, “They would not dare to harm me. I will be alright. If they do strike...” he paused, “I will let you do the talking, or the decapitating... whatever need be.”

Everyone flew their respective ways. The party made their way to that brooding castle on the mountain.

To Castle Ravenloft.

[thuranni]

wip of my campaign's version of escher and the three brides, ludmilla, anastrasya and volenta! i ended up giving them each a backstory and personalizing them for our setting. ludmilla is ancient vallaki nobility, anastrasya sought strahd's protection with intent, volenta wears the skull of the man who tried to kill her, and escher is one of the krezkov sons who wanted out. i wanted a visual of them that wasn't in the (frankly ridiculous) outfits they're shown to have in the book

[thuranni]

one of the curse of strand npcs i have taken liberties with. i love him

[thuranni]

curse of strahd npc sketchin’