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Running DDAL04 (Ravenloft) Adventures as a Campaign
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<blockquote data-quote="jayoungr" data-source="post: 8297799" data-attributes="member: 6702445"><p><strong>Opening Scene for DDAL04-09, “The Tempter”</strong></p><p></p><p>When you return from your excursion to the Glumpen Swamp, you are approached by Scartia Krutz, the sole remaining tax collector for Oraşnou. With tax day drawing ever nearer, she is looking harried and anxious. She asks you to join her for lunch at the Seven Tables, as she has a matter to discuss with you.</p><p></p><p>Frederick, her basset hound, hovers around her feet, and Scartia feeds him scraps of her lunch occasionally as she addresses you.</p><p></p><p>“Been doing my best trying to get ready for the taxes, but…” She shakes her head. “I can see what we have left, I can see what we need to present, and I can see that it isn’t going to add up. If we pay Lord Strahd what he requires, we won’t have enough to get us through the winter. If we don’t pay Lord Strahd what he requires--well, we'll have bigger problems than food. And the burgomaster isn’t taking it seriously. There’s an obvious solution that he’s refusing to consider.</p><p></p><p>“There’s an estate near here that belongs to a noble family, the Fidatovs. We could ask them for help-- they usually have plenty to spare in their storehouses. But well, Ivan was involved with Lady Marilena Fidatov a few years ago. He was spending so much time with her that we were all expecting an engagement. But they had some sort of falling-out, and whatever happened, he’s still angry about it. You may remember I suggested contacting her before, when we were having dinner the other night, and he wouldn’t hear of it. Called her a witch and all sorts of worse names when I tried bringing it up again yesterday.</p><p></p><p>“But while we were talking, I noticed a crumpled letter at the edge of the fireplace, as if he meant to throw it on the fire and missed, and I could just see her signature on it. So when he was out of the room, I retrieved it. Not proud of that, but the situation is desperate. And it’s lucky I got it, because I think there might be a way around his objections. Look at this.”</p><p></p><p>Scartia pulls a sheet of creased paper out of her pocket and lays it on the table for you to read.</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 40px">My once-dear Ivan,</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 40px">A little bird tells me that your village is in trouble. Not enough food for the winter, taxes due soon … and we all know what Lord Strahd does to those who do not pay his taxes, do we not? As I look out over our storehouses simply bursting with provisions, I can almost find it in me to feel guilty that I have so much when you have so little.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 40px">Perhaps if you were to visit me and beg nicely, I might allow myself to be persuaded to share some of this bounty with you. But after what happened between us, the begging had better be good. I suggest you start practicing.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 40px">Steps have been taken to ensure that my house is not so easily found after <u>the incident,</u> but this map will guide you. I look forward to hearing your best groveling.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 40px">Sincerely,</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px">Marilena Fidatov</p><p></p><p>The back of the page contains a rough hand-drawn map.</p><p></p><p>“If you visit and pretend that he sent you to apologize, and if you flatter her and butter her up a bit, maybe this will work. What do you think? Will you do it?”</p><p></p><p>“Don’t want to rush you, but the taxes are due very soon, so perhaps you could leave tomorrow? If you leave first thing in the morning, you should be there by mid-afternoon.”</p><p></p><p>*********************</p><p></p><p>Scartia doesn’t know what “the incident” refers to, but she suspects it must be the event that led to the breakup.</p><p></p><p>I felt this letter was more in keeping with Lady Marilena's personality than for her to be generous to a random commoner.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="jayoungr, post: 8297799, member: 6702445"] [B]Opening Scene for DDAL04-09, “The Tempter”[/B] When you return from your excursion to the Glumpen Swamp, you are approached by Scartia Krutz, the sole remaining tax collector for Oraşnou. With tax day drawing ever nearer, she is looking harried and anxious. She asks you to join her for lunch at the Seven Tables, as she has a matter to discuss with you. Frederick, her basset hound, hovers around her feet, and Scartia feeds him scraps of her lunch occasionally as she addresses you. “Been doing my best trying to get ready for the taxes, but…” She shakes her head. “I can see what we have left, I can see what we need to present, and I can see that it isn’t going to add up. If we pay Lord Strahd what he requires, we won’t have enough to get us through the winter. If we don’t pay Lord Strahd what he requires--well, we'll have bigger problems than food. And the burgomaster isn’t taking it seriously. There’s an obvious solution that he’s refusing to consider. “There’s an estate near here that belongs to a noble family, the Fidatovs. We could ask them for help-- they usually have plenty to spare in their storehouses. But well, Ivan was involved with Lady Marilena Fidatov a few years ago. He was spending so much time with her that we were all expecting an engagement. But they had some sort of falling-out, and whatever happened, he’s still angry about it. You may remember I suggested contacting her before, when we were having dinner the other night, and he wouldn’t hear of it. Called her a witch and all sorts of worse names when I tried bringing it up again yesterday. “But while we were talking, I noticed a crumpled letter at the edge of the fireplace, as if he meant to throw it on the fire and missed, and I could just see her signature on it. So when he was out of the room, I retrieved it. Not proud of that, but the situation is desperate. And it’s lucky I got it, because I think there might be a way around his objections. Look at this.” Scartia pulls a sheet of creased paper out of her pocket and lays it on the table for you to read. [INDENT=2]My once-dear Ivan,[/INDENT] [INDENT=2]A little bird tells me that your village is in trouble. Not enough food for the winter, taxes due soon … and we all know what Lord Strahd does to those who do not pay his taxes, do we not? As I look out over our storehouses simply bursting with provisions, I can almost find it in me to feel guilty that I have so much when you have so little.[/INDENT] [INDENT=2][/INDENT] [INDENT=2]Perhaps if you were to visit me and beg nicely, I might allow myself to be persuaded to share some of this bounty with you. But after what happened between us, the begging had better be good. I suggest you start practicing.[/INDENT] [INDENT=2][/INDENT] [INDENT=2]Steps have been taken to ensure that my house is not so easily found after [U]the incident,[/U] but this map will guide you. I look forward to hearing your best groveling.[/INDENT] [INDENT=2][/INDENT] [INDENT=2]Sincerely,[/INDENT] [INDENT=2]Marilena Fidatov[/INDENT] The back of the page contains a rough hand-drawn map. “If you visit and pretend that he sent you to apologize, and if you flatter her and butter her up a bit, maybe this will work. What do you think? Will you do it?” “Don’t want to rush you, but the taxes are due very soon, so perhaps you could leave tomorrow? If you leave first thing in the morning, you should be there by mid-afternoon.” ********************* Scartia doesn’t know what “the incident” refers to, but she suspects it must be the event that led to the breakup. I felt this letter was more in keeping with Lady Marilena's personality than for her to be generous to a random commoner. [/QUOTE]
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