Questions Abound
DEFCON 1 said:
"When you speak of 'rusalka'... do you have another translation of what that is? I'm afraid I do not understand that word." Jarrith then pulls out Ismark's map and shows it to the villager. "And do you have a specific body of water you are referring to? The river that runs through Barovia in general, or perhaps are you referring to the Tser Pool or further west at Tser Falls?"
As far as Jarrith can put together, a rusalka is a watery spirit of a drowned maiden. However, his impression is that it is not necessarily an undead spirit, but a fey. As for where, the stories are contradictory. Essentially, wherever there is water, there might be a rusalka.
DEFCON 1 said:
"Really? How long ago was this?" He pulls out his notebook and begins taking down the information. "What was this woman's name... the great Burgomaster? And when you say she 'tamed the heart of it', do you mean she had a relationship with the castle's lord, or are you referring to the castle itself?"
From the old man's age and his ramblings, Jarrith would place this 'Great' Burgomaster to be at least 80 to 120 years ago. The man does not know of a name. It is made clear again that
"There is no lord of the castle; only the dark curse of the Devil Strahd." Or so the man says.
DEFCON 1 said:
"By dark moon, do you mean a full moon? Or a new moon? When you say they seduce the young and sacrifice them... is there children specifically here in Barovia that you are referring to? Is this a frequent occurance?"
The 'dark moon' is a new moon. New moons happen quite frequently due to Eberron's twelve satellites, but after some questioning, Jarrith figures the 'dark moon' is specifically the moon opposed to the moon of the current month. Some quick discussion with Mateusz determines that the 'dark moon' of Zarantyr is Therendor---due to become new in five night's time.
Jarrith does not find any particular names of the disappeared, though with the Curse, wolf predation, and other misfortunes, life expectancy in Barovia seems to be low.
DEFCON 1 said:
"Who is this 'almost-martyr' you speak of? ... Is there someone in town, a historian perhaps, who might have more knowledge about what this monastery was for and when it was built?"
The matron seems surprised by Jarrith's lack of knowledge, and names the almost-martyr one St. Ecaterina, a name unfamiliar to the Stalker. Her Order bore her name, but the ruins on Lysaga Hill bear witness to its distruction.
Unfortunately, as Jarrith secretly expected, the town historian is dead, killed by their own hands. Apparently, the priesthood of Barovia was the only written tradition of the area.
DEFCON 1 said:
"Hmm... I do not believe I've ever heard the word 'czernovoi' before. Is there a translation into the Common tongue of what that is? And when you say he lives deep into the woods to the northeast... would you happen to know if that is north or south of the road out of Barovia?"
Forest spirit is the best Jarrith can determine. It sounds like a powerful fey spirit, tied to the woods specifically. It is supposedly a dark trickster. Its lair is said to be in the thickest part of the woods where the wolves run---north of the Barovian road.