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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SolidSnake" data-source="post: 979" data-attributes="member: 102">October 17th, 747- “Even though you know a thousand things, ask the man who knows one.”Only after Monsette had made sure that he was nearly hoarse did he allow everyone proceed into the town.  The main road was fairly easy to spot; everyone trudged onward.  Although it was late in the night, Monsette did notice the familiar glow of torchlight not too far in the distance.  Within moments a young man dressed for battle intercepted them.  He had on a chain shirt and wore the raven’s tunic Monsette had seen in Zidendorf.  Although the man did not brandish his weapon, Monsette was clear on one thing: if he was provoked there would be a battle here.“Gentlemen, how may I assist you,” the man spoke.  It was more a demand than a question.“Could you tell us where we are?  It seems that we have lost our way,” Monsette replied in a raspy voice.“This is the village of Vallaki.  What business do you have here?”“We are here to speak with a local merchant by the name of Gunter Edel.  However, we are very tired at the moment and require lodgings for the night.  Could you recommend any places to stay?”The tension visibly melted from the young man’s face.“Come with me, I have just the place.  It is a quiet place called the Blue Water Inn.  The innkeeper is named Takoff…he is a good man.  Stay there the night and let me berth your horses.  I am the Watch Captain tonight, but it is almost the end of my shift anyway.The young captain led the party through the streets of Vallaki.  For a village, it seemed rather large to Monsette.  The main road ended in the center of the village, where a great cobblestone plaza had been built.  The plaza was complete with a well, a small park, and most manner of shops anyone could conceive off…for a village, it seemed rich indeed.  As it was late, the captain had to wake Takoff from his slumber so that the party had an opportunity to acquire rooms.  The rooms were fairly steep for Monsette’s tastes, but it was better than freezing to death outside.  Takoff made no fuss about Raul being a Vistani and his wife even offered to take care of the baby for the night.  Everyone was so enamored with this show of generosity that even Monsette’s naturally paranoid behavior evaporated._____________October 18th, 747The next morning, Monsette awoke rather refreshed.  The rooms they had rented were simple, yet very cozy.  As he existed his room, Monsette found Raul playing with his baby in the company of Helga (Takoff’s wife).  Breakfast had already been laid out on the table, so Monsette politely obliged by taking a pastry and cup of coffee.  While he ate, he began to go over the events of the previous night in his mind.  What did that man mean about “half-dead?”Sam and Shinlaiden joined him a little later in the company of an older gentleman.  The man was garbed in simple blue robes and almost completely bald.  As Sinlaiden and Sam sat down, so too did the old man.  Both of the warriors exchanged perplexed glances with each other and with Monsette.  The man didn’t hesitate to help himself to everything available on the table.  Monsette was just about to ask them man if he could help him, when he began to launch into a litany of questions.“Came in last night, eh,” the man asked murmured.“Yes, last night…we are travelers from a distant land,” Monsette replied smoothly.“Distant land eh?  Where did you say that was again?”“A small country far to the south…I’m sure you never heard of it.”“Come, come.  Tell me the name.  I am a traveler as well, I am sure that I know it.”“It is called…Gamoosh,” Monsette declared quickly.“You’re right.  I never heard of it, which explains your funny accent.  I would have said that you were from Invidia, but there is something wrong with your pronunciations.  So what are you folks here for?”“We came looking for a man called Gunter Edel.  Do you know him?”“Of course I do.  Gunter is a good friend of mine.  Why one time-”“Do you know where he is, I meant to say.”“Well he did leave town a while back, but his daughter runs his store in the meantime.  Here name is Anya.  Beautiful girl she is.”“I’m sorry, I never properly introduced myself.  My name is Monsette Dezerai.”“Fezzini, at your service.  And may I give you folks some advice about Barovia?”“Every little bit helps,” Monsette answered knowingly.“This land is ruled by Count Strahd von Zarovich.  Is a ruthless man; a true tyrant…lives in Castle Ravenloft, a large keep overlooking a huge lake.  He only has two rules: don’t ever go to his castle uninvited and don’t ever harm a Vistani.  No one really much likes the Vistani, but anyone who harms them is executed.  The people in this town mind their own business, so don’t go poking around too much if you know what I mean.”“Thank you Fizzini, you have been most helpful.”Leaving Raul with Helga and Fizzini, Monsette took Sam and Shinlaiden to the shop Fizzini had described.  It wasn’t difficult to find as it was directly across the plaza.  It was a small shop, devoted mostly to common items useful for long journeys.  Anya was as Fizzini described her: beautiful.  Monsette nearly forgot was he was going to say, until Shinlaiden bumped into him in an attempt to enter the building.  While Monsette recovered his sense, he asked Shinlaiden to remain outside with Sam.  He then proceeded to strike up calm conversation with the lovely Anya.  From little dialogue Monsette was able to piece together a very important bit of information: namely that Gunter Edel had traveled to a festival in Karina…the capitol of Invida (the country the group had traveled from)!  In a fit of rage Monsette ran out of the store and began to punch a confused Shinlaiden in the chest.  Once he had calmed down Monsette reentered the store and began to explain the whole story of why he was in Vallaki.  Anya patiently sat there and listened to everything.  Monsette asked many questions of Anya: where Gunter was staying in Karina, what day he and his wife were married, what he looked like, what kind of nicknames did he have, who he was traveling with…and so on.  At first Anya was hesitant with the information as some of it was of personal nature, but Monsette assured her that this information was crucial to the group finding him and warning him of a possible assassination attempt.  Monsette was so persuasive that Anya granted him a hefty loan to save her father.  Still…Monsette wasn’t satisfied with the amount of information he had received…he needed to be sure.  Before heading back to the Blue Water Inn, Monsette visited the local baker (Petrov) and a rich merchant named Aressek…both knew Gunter and would be able to corroborate any information Monsette had.  Although both had nothing terribly interesting to say, Aressek let slip the fact that there was a ship about to set sail from Zidendorf.  The captain’s name was Timothy and if Monsette could catch it, he could make it to Karina in no time!Dropping by the Blue Water Inn to pick up their things, the party said goodbye to Raul who had decided to stay in the village.  Raul suggested picking up a guide in a village called Berez; someone who might be able to secure safe passage through the woods to Zidendorf…if it was indeed Monsette’s intention to take a shortcut through the forest.The trip down the Old Svitch Road was fairly uneventful.  Monsette and the rest of the party had no trouble locating Berez, as it was the only other village on the Old Svitch Road besides Vallaki.  Whereas Vallaki was near in stature to a small town, Berez was closer to a hamlet in size.  Only one large building graced this dirty, ragged community: The Boar’s Tavern.  As it’s name implied, it was mostly filled with disreputable men forced to hide from the reality of life with large quantities of ale…well it was mostly that way.  The rough tavern was typical…except for the dark armor-clad individual that no one would sit next to.  He was a very tall man, endowed with obvious physical strength.  His armor was freshly polished and decorated with many markings of a distinguished military officer.  Clasped to the armor was a rich blue cape and adorning his hands were thick leather gloves.  Covering his face was black hood with three red lines streaking across the face.  The man would occasionally lift the mask to sip at the small mug of tea in front of him.  No one dared to look in his direction, for the pale blue eyes that the mask did not hide were as cold as steel.Summoning his courage and his entourage, Monsette walked calmly over to the intimidating warrior and asked if he could sit.  Without speaking the man motioned for the only other chair at his table.“Hello good sir, my name is Monsette Dezerai and I as I am new to these parts I am need of assistance,” Monsette said through forced calm.“What can I do for you Mr. Dezerai,” the man intoned coldly.“Well, you see…my companions and I need to get to Zidendorf quickly, but the only obvious way to the town is on the Old Svitch Road.  Now if someone knew how to-”“-navigate the forest, it would get you there much quicker,” the man finished smoothly.“Yes…that’s right.”“I happen to be going in that direction and I wouldn’t mind escorting you and your friends.  My name is Sullivan Dane,” the man said as he extended his gloved hand.Monsette shook it vigorously with thanks and was willing to pay the man for his services, when Dane refused.  As it turned out Sullivan was a priest for a deity named Ezra.  The faith he described was very similar to Monsette’s and the two had a long theological discussion before setting out on the road.  Dane rode atop a large black war horse; an animal that seemed to fit him all too well.  The group rode in absolute silence, with Dane stopping every so often to get off his horse in order to allow it to rest.  All day and all night did the group travel until by divine intervention did they reach the town of Zidendorf without any encounters with the Children of the Night.  Monsette and the rest of the party were only able to stay awake through sheer fear of being devoured by evil…Dane had told them he had been hunting vampires a few days before, but that others might come to avenge them at any time…he coincidentally timed this story when it was too late to turn back onto the road.________October 19th, 747The town of Zidendorf was a sight to see at sunrise.  True, he had cursed the town most of the way to Vallaki, but somehow it had changed from a thug-infested border town to bastion of hope!  With a bright smile plastered to his haggard face, Monsette and the rest of the party walked down to the docks in search of Captain Timothy.  As it turned out, he wasn’t a very hard man to find…his ship, “the Virgo,” and him were infamous in these parts.  He looked and talked like an old sailor…which wasn’t saying much for him as person.  Negotiations were slow going as he really didn’t want anyone on else on his ship.  Monsette had to agree to a hefty sum of money to get all the members of his group on the ship…and even still, Captain Timothy didn’t agree to allow any horses on.  This left Monsette with the task of selling the horses off at nearly half their price to the local merchants.  The only other passenger on the Virgo besides Monsette, Shinlaiden, and Sam was an alluring woman by the name of Miss Romaine.  She also claimed to be headed towards the festival.  Miss Romaine was a quiet and soft-spoken woman whose voice resembled crushed velvet.  Her scarlet dress clung to the contours of her body, testing Monsette’s powers of will.  The only way the priest was able to distract himself from the seductive woman was to listen to Captain Timothy’s racist remarks on the Vistani.  Apparently he had an endless supply of stories on Vistani cursing sailors and the consequences of such evil magic on their lives.  Monsette listened to the bigot drone on for hours before he had had enough.  Before going below deck to his “sleeping quarters” (the cargo hold floor), he took one more look back to see Shinlaiden and Sam staring up at the stars in the company of Miss Romaine.  Although neither Sam nor Shinlaiden could communicate in the local language it was interesting to watch them try.  Smiling to himself, Monsette went to bed…it was going to be one of those trips after all…</blockquote>

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