Party 16

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Varius nods, pretending that he understood any of what Ezmerelda had just said.
"Well, if these spirits still haunt these lands, they may prove useful allies. We have already set off with the intention of resolving the issue at the winery, and so we shall. After that, perhaps these knights of Argynvost might be worth visiting. We could use whatever allies we can find around these parts, and the ghostly enemies of Strahd may prove a useful place to start."
 
Astryos reaches out to touch the spear in the vision, "A change of strategy might serve to defeat the dark lord, but how do you defeat a creature that controls the land?"

The wood elf looks to Faria searching for a sign that she had seen what he saw, "This is a strange place..." he says, his voice trailing off reflecting on the vision.

A moment of silence passes before the Wood Elf speaks up again, "The clergyman. We met the Abbott, though, I think we last saw him in poor health...he did not seem so fat as the card suggests. Are there other clergy in the region?
 
Faria was slowly beginning to control her breathing when another vision hit her. This time it was, in the rain with some knights. This was not an unfamiliar sight to her however, the insignia’s and shape of the armor was off. “What…?” starts Faria but the vision is quickly gone as she closes her eyes for a moment trying to absorb what she had seen. Did it ‘feel’ like a memory?

After a moment she decided it was too clear, to have been one of her memories. The lack of parts where she would normally have to think very hard to remember weren’t there. Instead these were very vivid almost as if they had just happened. It was possible that as an elf she had served many different positions but it was growing more unlikely with each passing vision that they were her memories. Unless of course she had infiltrated each of Strahd’s mortal enemies groups. None of them seemed to have fared well, and with Count Strahd being revealed to be an immortal vampire it was likely many had tried to kill him. She was still unsure having not seen his Evil with a capital E for herself, and the visions weren’t helping unmuddle what had happened. He had been weary so maybe that was a clue. Faria ended up deciding there was something sending the visions to her and the party. For what purpose? And why now?

She wondered if it had actually been Astryos and her in that vision or if they were just occupying different peoples memories. Regardless she didn’t like the thought of an undead army any much more than an undead lord, but she could see the practicality of having such tools at her disposal. Tymora wasn’t exactly against undead, focusing more on the sudden gain and loss of fortunes. Still Faria, knew she’d return to this subject in the future as she worked her way back to the group and their discussions.
 
"As the Abbot is Krezk's divine," Davian says, "the other two settlements have their own clergy, though less imposing than the Abbot. There is Father Petrovich at Saint Andral's Church in the town of Vallaki and Father Donavich in the village of Barovia. But if the reading was supposed to be about one of those two, ach, I think madame Tarokka puffs them up too much. Both are humble and poor, not like this money-priest in the cards. "

"Tarokka does not always speak in such plain language," says Ezmeralda. "The Priest, he is not necessarily a priest, or a he." She smiles enigmatically. "If you wish assistance understanding Tarokka's words, there is a woman among my people called Madame Eva, very wise in this. She is usually staying in the Vistani camp at Tser Pool, between Vallaki and Barovia Village."

Davian picks up Varius' comment about resolving the issue here at the winery, and barks back, "Bah! You will do no such thing. It is far too dangerous. When Count Strahd's cellars run dry and he thirsts for wine, then he will send the hill people away so that we may make him more."

"If you want to be useful here, there's a hole in the roof that needs fixing, decades of junk to go through, a basement to clean out, plenty to do."

Davian's three children, and his son-in-law Dag, don't seem to entirely agree with the old man. The family spends some time debating among themselves what exactly is going on up at the winery, how many hill people there are there, and how fit Astryos, Cassandra, Varius and Faria are to deal with them.

When it seems like the argument is winding down, Dag comes over and explains the situation. "Davian doesn't like it, obviously, but if you're serious, and want to try and drive the hill people off, we'll do our best to prepare you. There's a lot of old stuff in this place, maybe something you can use, and we have medicines. Elvir can make you a map and tell you everything we know so far."

"If you're really going to do this, you should go soon. The infestation grows worse day by day, and if you have contracted it," he says to Cassandra, "You could be too sick by tomorrow to even make the journey there."
 
"A map would be useful." Astryos says in agreement, "As for stuff...my bag seems to be falling apart at the seams. I'm unsure how much longer it will last. If the winery is not far, though, perhaps it's best that we take only what we need. Weapons, some water."

He thinks on Dag's last words, "Do you suppose the source of the spores is at the winery? If the hill people are dealt with, will the mushrooms disperse with them?"
 
Faria walked back into the room as Astryos seemed to be planning their attack. She knew she definitely needed something to hit after all this time, perhaps it would help clear her head a bit as well, though she had this nagging feeling in the back of her stomach that it wouldn't be so simple. "Considering if we don't start to do something I might just go crazy if I'm not already going crazy already I agree. Point us in a direction of something, and we'll figure out something." Faria briefly looked back to the girl who had done the reading wondering what the other cards had said after she left but decided against asking.

"If killing the source will cure Cassandra, I don't think we have time to waste either," says Faria looking over to Cassandra and giving her a faint smile of confidence. 'Someone had to feel confident about this...'
 
Davian waves his hand dismissively and grunts at this talk of retaking the family winery, then helps Esmeralda back to her area behind the curtain.

Elvir takes up his charcoal and starts working on a sketch of the winery, while Dag leads the way down to the cellar of the old building where you spent the night. "Lots of junk down here to go through still," he says, "but let's see what we can find that might help you. Definitely a couple of good sturdy packs," he tells Astryos. "No problem there. Plenty of baskets, bowls, barrels and basins in this old place. Then we've got all these sickles and axes, but some more useful things too."

Dag pulls a dusty, stoppered bottle from a low shelf. "Ah, here we go: The Archfiend, a remarkable ruby port—old Davian's own personal recipe. The stuff has incredible restorative powers." He hands the bottle to Faria. "Don't overdo it. A good hearty swig should be enough."

Back upstairs, Dag's wife Stefania describes the situation at the winery. "It was that vile wart Vinegar Tom from Yester Hill came stomping through our fields four days ago, him and three of his disciples. That's what we call him, on account he's so sour. He knows a good deal of magic, he does, and had himself a new staff. He was waving that stick around, commanding a sick mob of our local birds. Tom stabbed his staff down in the earth and right away those mushrooms started coming up."

"We don't know what they want with the winery, other than plain spite, or what they're doing up there now. Stands to reason they've spoiled whatever wine they could get their hands on. But we have ways of reclaiming the land if we can get back there safe and have the time to work at it for a bit."
 
Mind currently on the possibility of getting some better equipment than what he has currently, Varius follows Dag down into the basement, looking through the junk in the hopes of finding something useful. Pulling out several bits and pieces, he finally holds out an old battered breastplate.
"Well, this is better than what I have currently, but is there perhaps anything a bit heavier in here. I'm not used to fighting with so little protection."
 
"I think this is all we're going to find down here," Dag says of the breastplate. "But in the winery's cellar there's more of a full suit of armor, parked in the corner on a dummy for decoration. Hasn't been worn in years, so I couldn't vouch for its usefulness."
 
"I think that would be worth looking at, at the very least. Worst case scenario, it's worse than what we have here, and we can leave it, woven will put us in the exact same situation we're in now."
 
"Perhaps if we break that staff, the effects of this blight will be reversed." Astryos ponders, "Perhaps one of you could show us a safe route to the winery?"
 
"At the very least we should definitely pull it out of the ground if it is indeed the cause of the mushrooms," says Faria. She puts the bottle carefully away wondering what other mysterious brews they might have made in the past if they could make something like this. "Let's observe the situation first, and then see what we can do from there. I'm almost wishing we had gone at night but we needed rest."
 
dag.jpgHearing that you're ready to depart for the winery, Dag embraces his wife and children, picks up a staff and a dagger, and leads the way outside. It's a short walk through the uncorrupted zone around the rundown house to where the trees grow dense again. By the hazy morning light you have a clearer view of the misty woods than you did last night, and can appreciate just how prevalent the fungal growths are, climbing the trees and sprouting from the ground.

violetFungus.jpgJust a few steps into the forest, Cassandra's head starts to clear, though her skin still itches and she's feeling a little short of breath. Just a few paces farther on, Dag holds out his hand and crouches down, then points through the trees with his staff. About thirty feet away stands an enormous, morel-like, purple mushroom, easily four feet tall. Wormlike tendrils that grow from its cap drift slowly about.

"Those are the ones to watch out for," Dag says, "the rotters. Slow as can be, but no napping out here, you hear me?" As if to illustrate the point, the purple mushroom leans slowly to one side and then shifts upright again, moving itself a few feet closer to your location. A moment later, Cassandra has a strange sensation, unlike anything she's ever experienced before. It's as if a little morsel of information has been surreptitiously deposited in her mind. The information is that five bipedal creatures are here in the woods. "Better keep moving," says Dag, and leads on for another ten minutes, taking you to the edge of the woods. Several more of the walking mushrooms are spotted along the way. At each sighting, Cassandra has that same sensation of being informed of the appearance of five walking creatures.

The open field ahead is filled with row upon row of staked grape vines leading off into the distance, where the ground slopes gently downward until it disappears into a low fog several hundred feet away. The silhouettes of lone birds lilt awkwardly in the cloudy sky overhead.

"The winery is about a half mile that way," Dag says, pointing to some unseen destination in the fog. "If you follow this row, it should lead you right there."

"I have to head back now, but let me tell you, I know the Martikovs can be hard people, my father-in-law especially, but if you do this, you'll have their gratitude sure enough, and that means something in Barovia. Just keep moving and don't let those purple-capped cusses catch up with you. May the Morninglord be with you, along with whatever strange gods of your own you brought here."

Dag shakes your hands and turns back for his return trip through the infested woods. The Martikov winery, also called the Wizard of Wines, sits somewhere off in the distance. Cassandra, though as blinded by the far-off fog as the others, is keenly aware of something out there in the valley, shining like a bright, unseen beacon in her mind. As you plan your next move, she receives more of the almost-subliminal notices: four creatures moving here on foot.
 
Astryos glares at the large mushroom, sneering in disgust at it's presence, "What an abomination of nature." The grip on his spear tightens as they continue on.

As the group stops, the monk peers into the fog, "Half a mile? We'll arrive shortly then and earn the Martikov's gratitude. Thank you, Dag." He watches the man leave and when the fog obscures him enough, the wood elf turns to follow the row as instructed, leading the group towards uncertainty.
 
Chapter 3: The Wizard of Wines

graperows.jpgThe row of vines before you is wide enough for two to walk abreast. The ground is muddy and sucks at your boots as you walk cautiously forward. The grapevines to either side have a rusty hue, and Faria can see that some sort of tiny parasite has flecked their leaves with bulbous scales. Glimpses of the adjacent rows are visible through gaps among the vine stems.

You've been traveling for just a few minutes when one of the tall, dark mushrooms that Dag showed you pushes sluggishly through the left-hand vines twenty feet ahead, and stops there, slowly flicking its wormlike tendrils. The mushroom's appearance coincides with one of the wordless alerts in Cassandra's mind.







clear.png
 
Astryos leans in to whisper to the group, "They seem to be able to track our movement. Let's get to the winery quick as possible. Perhaps we can throw them off by moving in and out of the rows."
 
"Worth a shot," says Faria looking around briefly at their surroundings before following Astryos' lead. She wondered if perhaps since they could be warned like that, then were they walking right into a trap? Either way with Cassandra's condition they didn't have much of a choice. She placed her hands on the hilts of her weapons in case she needed them quickly in the next few moments.
 
"They don't seem all that fast. We head down an empty row, change if they push through into our current row, and I don't think we have any need to worry about outrunning them."
 
While Faria, Astryos and Varius discuss moving to a different row, going cautiously or making a run for it, Cassandra, who has been walking silently beside Faria, takes a few quick steps back and holds her improvised quarterstaff in a defensive stance. Similarly trained, Astryos judges that Cassandra is well positioned to quickly swing the weapon downward on anyone who steps in her reach. There's a strange, far-off look in her eyes for a moment, then she shakes her head and lowers the quarterstaff. "Sorry," she says, "I don't know what came over me. It's so strange out here. This winery, I can't see it in the fog, but I can ... feel it ... glowing. "
 
Faria frowns, whatever these things are doing here seemed to be affecting Cassandra already. "Are you able to determine the highest concentration of the glow approximately? That might help us find the source... just don't lose yourself to it Cass," says Faria as she looks to the woman for a moment and then back to the others. "Keep alert, I'm sure we'll run into hostiles very soon..."
 
"It's up ahead," says Cassandra, "where Dag said the winery was. Ugh, these voices. They want me to hem you in. We're to gather here, around you ... sorry, I mean around us."

The large, purple, tendril-waving mushroom in the row ahead inches closer, as does the one Astryos sees nearby in the row to the left. Up in the sky, three birds, the same kind you saw on the way to the fields, circle lazily. From their silhouettes, Faria would guess they are hawks, but their flight patterns are strange. Now and then, one of them drops several feet before catching itself and going back to an awkward glide.
 
The monk stops, "Cassandra..." he eyes her suspiciously, "Can you tell them to move elsewhere? Tell them that a more opportune position will be near the forests edge?" The wood elf takes in his surroundings, If we get inside, we'll at least have a wall between us and them...

He looks for the most direct route to the buildings ready to sprint for the inside.
 
"I'll try," says Cassandra. She closes her eyes and silently mouths something, then shakes her head. "I'm sorry, I'm just one voice. There are too many others."

The purple mushrooms in your row and the row to the left that Astryos is monitoring shamble slowly closer, waving their long, wormlike tendrils in the air. Astryos is forced to pull back from the vines he's peering through as the fungus there comes right up to the barrier and slaps its tendrils against the damp leaves. Another mushroom pushes through the far side of the adjacent row, while the lower half of another comes into view on the other side of the lower gaps that give a partial view of the row to your right, near where Cassandra is standing.
 
Astryos nods as though to signal the others, and begins to sprint in the direction of the building, hoping to find refuge there.
 
With Astryos in the lead, the four take off running towards the unseen winery that waits somewhere far ahead in the fog. Faria and Astryos both nimbly dodge around the purple mushroom directly ahead, while Varius, just struggling to keep up with the two elves, is narrowly missed by an eight-foot-long tendril from the fungus. Cassandra follows along after the fighter. "There are so many of us ... them here!" she cries. And surely, everyone hears rustling from the adjacent rows. And then, maybe a dozen of the long tendrils whip out from the concealment of the vines, aiming for all of you.
 
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