Session 23 — Screenplay

Scene 1 — INT. ST. ANDRAL'S CHURCH — MORNING

(Session 23 @ 00:21:27)

At eight in the morning, the party wakes among the pews of St. Andral's Church. Dr. Rudolph van Richten, still known here as Father Bryce, tidies books and prepares the church for a morning service. Irredel has spent the night chained in the basement. Sildir, forgetting his missing arm as he rises, falters before looking at the stump.

SILDIR
Could be a lot worse. Let's see what I can do.

Ember watches him, shaken by memories of losing her own arm and already considering how she might help. Van Richten descends to the basement, then returns with a disheveled Irredel.

IRREDEL
Well, good morning everyone.

SILDIR
There she is.

MERCURIO
Morning. Hmm.

SILDIR
Welcome back to the land of the non-werewolves.

EMBER
How are you feeling?

SILDIR
Personal questions.

IRREDEL
Surprisingly well rested.

EMBER
It's good to hear.

IRREDEL
The fear of what would have happened was weighing on me perhaps more than I would have would have realized. No, I believe that fear has now just been replaced with horrible, horrible guilt.

Irredel looks at Sildir's stump.

The church door opens. Henrik enters, scanning the party with apprehension until he sees Saturno carrying his old halberd. He approaches her.

HENRIK
I see you still have my old halberd. I hope it's been serving you well.

SATURNO
Keeping us all safe. Thank you again for it.

HENRIK
Of course. In my day — well, mine and Lucian's day — the two of us made quite the formidable pair, defending Vallaki from all manner of beasts and creatures. I found that in our battles, having a trusted friend by my side brought out my, well, my full fighting potential. I hope that you have someone like that with you.

SATURNO
I think I do.

HENRIK
It seems you might have more than just one.

SATURNO
Yeah.

HENRIK
Seeing as you all are still together. I must admit, when we all first met, I was not sure you could be considered allies.

The party remembers bursting into Henrik's Coffin Shop, Sildir kicking in the door while Mercurio immediately played his flute to calm Henrik. Henrik rests a hand on Saturno's shoulder.

HENRIK
Just remember that when you're in the thick of it, if you have friends like that, you can count on them to hold you up.

His words inspire Saturno, awakening the Double Buster ability within her.

HENRIK
I wish you all good luck on your journeys, and I hope you all find whatever it is that you're looking for.

Henrik leaves the church.

TIME CUT:

Scene 2 — INT. ST. ANDRAL'S CHURCH — MORNING

(Session 23 @ 00:30:08)

Sildir begins preparing to leave and struggles to lash his shield to his armored stump with rope.

SILDIR
We have to help Urwin pretty badly.

Mercurio is quiet and somber, relieved by what the party has survived but conscious that time is against them.

MERCURIO
We need to probably get going there as soon as we possibly can. I mean, do we all have our bags packed? Are we? Are we ready for the journey?

Saturno fumbles through her bag, pulls out a rope and a crowbar, and passes them to Sildir.

SATURNO
Hey, maybe you can use this.

IRREDEL
Here. I can't watch you struggle with that alone. Let me help out.

Irredel snatches up the rope and crowbar more aggressively than usual and moves to help.

SILDIR
Okay, you can help, but just know this is a, a copper, brass, and iron alloy, so that crowbar might not play too well with, with certain parts of my armor. And please make sure you don't scratch it. It's been really hard to not do that with only one arm and fumbling with my shield against my arm armor — well, my stump armor. But carefully, see if you can tie this to my arm — my not-arm.

IRREDEL
Hmm. Yes, material.

SILDIR
I guess, Mercurio, you'll only have to pack enough wine for the trip there, huh?

After a brief interruption, Sildir repeats himself.

SILDIR
I said, I guess you'll only have to pack enough wine for the trip there, huh?

MERCURIO
Well...

SILDIR
Because we're going to a winery after all.

MERCURIO
Well... about that, we're actually running a little low on supplies. I felt bad asking for any more, since I know they — they can't get any more until the winery mystery is solved. So it's going to be a dry trip up there. So if we could make it there quickly, that would be ideal. Plus, I mean, it's been so long, you know, like it's pretty concerning.

SILDIR
Yeah, I wish we could have gone sooner, but we've got to take care of our own first, and I wasn't ready to just let Vallaki sit. But I feel like it's in good shape now.

SATURNO
I think we've done a lot. We can afford to take care of the situation, considering how much they've done for us as well.

SILDIR
I think so.

IRREDEL
I think I figured out what to do. I had extra bandages because of the wound on my arm. I can go ahead and wrap the crowbar in them so it won't touch the shield directly, and so that should alleviate some of the scratching concerns.

Irredel wraps the crowbar in bandages and tries to rig the shield in place. The arrangement does not quite hold.

MERCURIO
Ember, you have some woodworking tools, right? Maybe you could help fashion something.

EMBER
I do.

SILDIR
It looks like Irredel almost got it. Just need a final touches from you, Ember. Let's see what you got.

MERCURIO
Ember is our resident expert on prosthetics.

Drawing on her experience with prosthetics, Ember secures the shield firmly to Sildir's stump. It will serve, though it must be removed or maintained after each long rest.

IRREDEL
And I also made sure to prepare shield of faith, so I can pass that on you anytime there's an issue. It's not even the least I could do. I've...

SILDIR
We'll see about that.

He admires the polished bronze and clangs the front of the shield lightly against his gauntleted hand.

SILDIR
Wow, this is not bad. All right, well, thanks, guys.

SILDIR
Okay, this is not bad.

EMBER
It makes me happy.

SILDIR
Yeah, thank you. And, you know, something bad was bound to happen to one of us here, guys. I'd rather it be from one of you guys than from Stinky Monster. So, can't let them pull any fast ones on me. It's all good. But Urwin's dad is waiting, and if he's even still alive, who knows what's happening at that winery. I think we ought to run.

SATURNO
Yeah.

SILDIR
By the way, Father Lucian and Bryce, would you be able to loan me that book of Lugdana's history before we go?

Van Richten hands Sildir the manuscript about Lugdana.

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
Yes, you can take this manuscript with you.

MERCURIO
And maybe try to implement that Dewey Decimal System while we're gone. I mean, it took you guys a whole day and a half to find this.

IRREDEL
I'm saying that they don't need to implement the Dewey Decimal System thing. It's done. What do you think I was up to last night?

SILDIR
You did that already? Wow. It's — they're all labeled.

MERCURIO
Please try to maintain it.

IRREDEL
Yeah, everything's labeled, and there's a book on the side table that explains the organization system and can serve as a reference to help you find anything you need.

Van Richten flips through the reference book.

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
How does— Never mind. Well, thank you for this, although I expect that Lucian will be the one to make use of this. I don't expect that I'll be in Vallaki for much longer.

SILDIR
Where are you headed?

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
Well, I don't think I can tell you. That would defeat the purpose of me leaving. But I fear that once word of my activities reaches the ears of the devil, then he may... Well, it might bring some unwanted attention to this little town.

SILDIR
That's why you're leaving, to not bring attention to the town? Or you're saying attention will be brought to the town either way?

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
I'm saying that while I was captured under the Court of Wolves, I'm sure that whole business will be reported to Strahd von Zarovich himself by his bride. And, well, I don't want them to come looking for me here, so I'll be leaving elsewhere.

SILDIR
Oh yeah, he definitely already knows. He actually was impressed with us kind of triumphing over her. Said it's not every day.

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
I see, then I should be going quite soon then. Excuse me.

Van Richten starts toward the upstairs office.

MERCURIO
Where will you go?

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
You don't need to wait. It's actually probably best that you don't know where I'm headed.

MERCURIO
You're originally from Krezk, right? You're going back there?

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
Again, it's better that you don't know.

IRREDEL
Wait, so the whole purpose of you leaving is so that Strahd doesn't come here, but if you just disappear and don't tell anyone where you go, wouldn't that result in Strahd being lured here because that was your last known location?

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
All right, I'll leave a note for Lucian.

IRREDEL
Maybe consider leaving evidence of alternative places you're going. Throw people off your trail.

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
I'll keep that in mind.

IRREDEL
The pens are also organized by color and by ink type.

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
You were quite thorough, weren't you?

IRREDEL
It's my calling. Literally.

MERCURIO
Well, if you ever need help, you know, you can always call on Mercurio and the Mercs.

IRREDEL
Pardon?

MERCURIO
That's us.

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
Is that what you all are calling yourselves?

MERCURIO
I think it's a pretty good name.

SILDIR
I guess I look more like a mercenary now, but I'd be pretty expensive. Are you paying?

MERCURIO
Well, it's just like a funny name. It's like a band.

SILDIR
Like a band.

MERCURIO
Yeah, that's right.

IRREDEL
Okay, so I feel like all of our contributions are fairly equal.

MERCURIO
We'll workshop it. We'll workshop.

IRREDEL
I, I just think that we should make sure to recognize everyone. I, I, I, you know, think of how powerful Saturno is in fight. If anything, it should be Saturno and the Saturns. Saturno and the Saturns.

SATURNO
Ooh.

MERCURIO
It doesn't have the same ring to it, but I get your meaning. We'll keep working on it. It's just the first suggestion.

SILDIR
Sildir and the Sillies, since you're all my silly companions and I'm the serious one.

IRREDEL
Considering the debt I owe you, I'll let you claim that title.

SILDIR
I think, actually — yeah, I'm not the most serious. Maybe we should come up with a name that doesn't have one of our names in it. Or all of them.

MERCURIO
Barovia Baddies.

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
Well, in any case, I appreciate your offer, but I try not to work with other people. And this whole business with the Court was a rare exception.

MERCURIO
Yeah, that went so well for you.

DR. RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN
Yes, yes. Well, it could have been quite a bit worse. Anyway.

Van Richten excuses himself upstairs.

MERCURIO
What's that guy's problem?

SATURNO
I don't know.

SILDIR
I think he has a lot of problems, actually. Probably stuff that he will never talk to us about. But he seems riddled with issues.

IRREDEL
It really does seem like such a middle child. Middle child in a large family.

MERCURIO
Don't look forward to having to save him again.

IRREDEL
Genuinely, him and my brother Gaston have a disturbing amount of similarities. Oh, “I don't work alone” thing. “I don't accept help.”

MERCURIO
Aren't basically all of your siblings middle siblings?

IRREDEL
Well, yes, but Gaston is the one who's most in the middle.

MERCURIO
Hmm. Let's see. Sandwiched in between five others. Can't imagine.

SILDIR
Let's see. S, E, S, I, M.

MERCURIO
What were the letters?

SILDIR
Can we spell anything with those letters? S-E-S-I-M. The Messys. That could be our name.

SILDIR
That's the first letter of each of our names. Does it spell anything good?

MERCURIO
Something rubs me wrong about that name.

SILDIR
We're not messy. And it would drive Irredel crazy because she's literally called to order things. We can't be named Messy.

IRREDEL
It sure would be contrary to my purpose.

MERCURIO
We'll work on it.

SATURNO
It's semi. Or me-say.

SILDIR
Maybe we can do SEISM and then add an IC. Seismic Saviors of Barovia. No?

IRREDEL
I believe we should go for a walk, get some fresh air, get better ideas flowing.

MERCURIO
A little bit up on the high horse, calling yourself saviors.

SILDIR
All right, we'll do the Sildirs.

MERCURIO
Well, I guess we hit the road.

SILDIR
Let's do it.

THEY EXIT INTO THE GARDENS.

Scene 3 — EXT. ST. ANDRAL'S CHURCH GARDENS — MORNING

(Session 23 @ 00:50:32)

Ireena Kolyana and Father Lucian Petrovich plant new flowers in a bed before the church. Ireena works with determination and a newfound hopefulness. She looks up as the party emerges.

IREENA KOLYANA
I hear you all are leaving soon.

MERCURIO
Ah, yeah. More people need more help in more places.

IREENA KOLYANA
I see.

SILDIR
Yeah, what he said.

IREENA KOLYANA
You all seem to be doing a lot of good in these lands for outsiders. I understand that you're not from around here, and yet you've devoted so much of yourselves to helping Barovians across the valley.

IRREDEL
What else is there possibly to do? We're not from here. We have no home here. We have no family here. All there is is to travel and try and make things better. What's the alternative? Open up a roadside inn? Welcome other weary travelers like us? Watch things get worse and worse and worse?

SILDIR
I think, in addition to what Irredel said, we know better than most people here what could be. We come from a world where these living conditions are pretty much the worst you could come across, and it should only be better. And we know that, and maybe some of you don't.

IREENA KOLYANA
Well, it's just a rare thing to see. Most Barovians try to keep to themselves and stick to their own lives. It's very rare for someone to go out of their way to help others like you all have been.

IRREDEL
I'm sure you can find the answer in yourself as well. Look at all you've done for the refugees, as innately as it comes to you and appears to be required of us.

IREENA KOLYANA
Yes, well, my, my father was burgomaster of Barovia Village, and that responsibility now falls to my brother. It would be — I feel it is my duty to do the same, to, to follow their example and help the people here. And I think I've decided. I've been thinking a great deal about what has happened, and I believe my, my brother's concerns still hold. I'm not certain that Barovia Village would be safe for me at this time, so I've decided to stay here and help where I can in Vallaki, and hopefully reincorporate the Vistani from their camp into the village as well.

SILDIR
Well, what makes you say that? I mean, if it's Strahd you're scared of, he gave us his word that he wouldn't bother you in the village of Barovia, which I feel like is just as good as whatever protection you have here.

IREENA KOLYANA
Forgive me if I don't take his word at face value.

MERCURIO
Fair.

SILDIR
If you live life like that, you might have to stay at this church and go nowhere else, because I don't think the rest of Vallaki is much safer. Just food for thought.

IREENA KOLYANA
We shall see. We shall see, Sildir.

IRREDEL
Of course, what is the definition of “bother”?

IREENA KOLYANA
Yes, I suspect that he might have a very different idea of what that might mean. It's — well, I think it's admirable that you're able to secure passage for my people back to their homes, but I'm not so sure that it would extend to myself.

IRREDEL
Then I pray you do whatever you need to stay safe.

MERCURIO
That also explains the great mystery of why Sylalys has decided to stay in town.

IREENA KOLYANA
Thank you, Irredel.

IREENA KOLYANA
I guess, well, some of us have agreed to protect the villagers as they return to Barovia Village. And he's been a great help, truly, and as have you all.

IRREDEL
Again, we can't help it. What else is there to do? It's also easy to help someone as good-natured as yourself.

IREENA KOLYANA
That is very — thank you, Irredel. That's very noble of you.

IRREDEL
If you're going to be staying in the church, just so you know, I did some organizing the last couple of days. If you have any questions about the system, I've left pretty detailed instructions. I didn't get to the gardening tools, so if you're looking to keep yourself busy, that could be a fair project to take on next.

IREENA KOLYANA
I'll keep that in mind. Hmm, I'll have to see if I can learn more about this organization system. But knowing you, Irredel, I'm sure it is, well, very efficient.

IRREDEL
It is most marvelous. I hope to spread it to all the great houses' libraries one day.

IREENA KOLYANA
Yes, well, I'm not sure that Baron Vargas would be particularly keen on letting you reorganize his shelves, but perhaps anything could be possible, considering all that you've accomplished so far.

IRREDEL
Baron Vargas? Wait, did you not hear the news?

IREENA KOLYANA
Yes, I'm aware he's no longer burgomaster, but I believe he still holds his title. As Baron, that is, not burgomaster.

MERCURIO
So he still has a lot of money. Keep that in mind.

IREENA KOLYANA
He is still a nobleman, yes, that's true. I do wonder if the new burgomaster, Lady Fiona, will be doing anything about that, but I suppose we'll see.

Mercurio observes that they seem to be on better terms now, though that remains to be seen.

SILDIR
I think she's supposed to give us some money.

IREENA KOLYANA
Yes, Lady Fiona Wachter has been...

IREENA KOLYANA
Lady Fiona has been quite agreeable with all the work that I've been doing in and around town. So I do welcome the change in power, even though, well, even though she's openly pledged loyalty to the devil.

MERCURIO
Well, you know, it's formalities.

IREENA KOLYANA
So she says, but forgive me if I'm being cautious about it.

MERCURIO
I don't blame you. She's a very secretive woman.

IREENA KOLYANA
Yes, she does seem to be, though she also has been an ally when I needed one.

MERCURIO
We'll have to see how things pan out.

IREENA KOLYANA
Will you be—

IRREDEL
And if we were wrong, we've already overthrown one ruler.

SILDIR
I guess we're going to see where this next journey takes us. We'll be sending word to somebody at least, because, like usual, we're helping someone out and he's going to want to know how it went. So talk to Urwin. He'll have the next update from us, probably.

IREENA KOLYANA
I suppose that's true. Does that mean you'll be returning to Vallaki?

MERCURIO
Yeah, we'll have to see.

IREENA KOLYANA
Yes, I know that Urwin and Danika were quite helpful to us as well, so I expect I will be keeping in touch with them. Well, I don't want to hold you any longer.

SILDIR
Guess we better be going. Hang tight.

MERCURIO
We're burning daylight.

The party starts away from the church.

IRREDEL
Good to say that woman is either shockingly polite for not commenting on Sildir's current state or deeply unobservant.

SILDIR
I think I saw her glance down at it, double-take, and look away awkwardly. So I guess she just didn't want to say anything.

IRREDEL
Well, for her sake, I hope it was that instead of unobservance. It seems dangerous in this land. And as for myself, it's really all I can look at right now. I'm so sorry, Sildir.

SILDIR
It's okay. Thank you, though. I mean, I guess it's not okay. But I forgive you. It is what it is. My arm's lopped off.

MERCURIO
If you didn't do it, I would have done it sooner or later.

SILDIR
Exactly what I'm saying. Everyone's been coming for this arm. I don't know what it is.

CUT TO:

Scene 4 — EXT. VALLAKI STREETS — MORNING

(Session 23 @ 01:01:53)

As the party heads toward Sunset Gate, two young brothers run into them. They resemble Urwin Martikov and Danika Dorakova. The elder is about ten; the younger, eight.

BROM MARTIKOV
Which one did he say again?

BRAY MARTIKOV
I think he said, “Give it to the pink one.”

Brom Martikov approaches Mercurio and shoves a silver-feather pendant toward him.

BROM MARTIKOV
Dad says to give you this.

MERCURIO
Dad? Do you mean Urwin?

BROM MARTIKOV
Yeah, you know him, right?

MERCURIO
Huh, didn't know he had two kids.

BROM MARTIKOV
Yeah, Dad said you're good friends.

MERCURIO
We are.

BROM MARTIKOV
Well, he said that you would know what to do with this. He says you're going to go see Grandpa.

MERCURIO
Oh, uh, yeah, we're gonna go visit your grandpa. Check up on him. Get some, uh, some delivery stuff from him. Bring back.

BROM MARTIKOV
Well, that's weird. Usually Grandpa's pretty good about that. Dad said that he needed this, so we're giving it to you now.

MERCURIO
All right, I'll make sure Grandpa gets this. Don't worry about it.

SATURNO
What are your names?

BROM MARTIKOV
I'm Brom, and this is Bray.

SATURNO
Nice to meet you.

BROM MARTIKOV
Nice to meet you. What's your name? Saturno?

SATURNO
Yes.

BROM MARTIKOV
That's a funny name.

SATURNO
What was your name again?

BROM MARTIKOV
Brom. Did you forget already?

SATURNO
Yeah. What's my name?

BROM MARTIKOV
Saturno?

SATURNO
What was your name again?

BROM MARTIKOV
My name's Brom.

SATURNO
Brom. And yours is?

BROM MARTIKOV
This is Bray.

SATURNO
Bray and Brom. Brom, Bray. Nice to meet you.

BROM MARTIKOV
Your friend's kind of slow, isn't she?

MERCURIO
Hey, it's not nice to say, kids.

BROM MARTIKOV
Well, she forgot our name like three times, and I just told her.

MERCURIO
She's being funny. That's a way of playing.

BROM MARTIKOV
Okay, if you say so.

Brom and Bray Martikov run back toward the Blue Water Inn.

SATURNO
Do you think they were real? I think that was a real interaction. I don't trust anything. We had that dream. And the whole ghost thing.

Saturno points to Sildir having lost an arm amid everything else that happened.

SATURNO
And then he just lost an arm. And I need sleep. And you know what? Maybe I'm not fast. But you know what? I have muscles, and I'm doing my best.

SILDIR
Nah. Fake or real, we have some pendant now. They don't seem like the worst creatures we could encounter if they are some — I don't know what else they could be in disguise. Maybe the man version of the hags or something. I don't know. I'm sure it's fine. I think they're probably just Urwin's kids. This is in line with some of the stuff he said, right? Like some friends of the feather and his other raven-theming stuff that he gets into.

IRREDEL
And I will say there's countless places at an inn for children to hide. Not surprised we haven't seen them. All the time they're probably in the back trying to feel sugar to make cookies instead of bread. Or shoveling hay at the stables. Cleaning windows.

SATURNO
Being turned into pastries.

IRREDEL
Making bricks. Hmm?

SATURNO
I said, or being made into pastries.

IRREDEL
I certainly hope not with those two.

IRREDEL
I don't know if I could ever eat a pastry again after we fall there. Oh, it's evil. Glad we removed it from this world.

Mercurio turns the silver-feather medallion over in his hands and inspects it. It is ordinary silver, molded into a feather, with no trace of magic.

SILDIR
Yep, that's silver for sure.

EMBER
Very shiny.

SILDIR
It's all with a lot of silver and eventually gold. But yeah, that's silver.

MERCURIO
Magic. Magic.

SILDIR
Told you it's silver.

MERCURIO
I'm sure of it.

The party reaches Sunset Gate and leaves Vallaki for Old Svalich Road.

CUT TO:

Scene 5 — EXT. LUNA RIVER BRIDGE — LATE MORNING

(Session 23 @ 01:09:35)

After half an hour westward, the path narrows between dense trees. An age-worn wooden bridge spans the rushing Luna River. Dark water tumbles over smooth stones, winding north around the tree line and south into the mist. Boots echo on damp planks. Ember and Irredel notice one loose board.

SILDIR
Be careful, everyone.

IRREDEL
Be careful, everyone. There's an issue with a plank on that bridge over there.

EMBER
Yeah, maybe I can fix it with one of my tools. Just to get...

IRREDEL
Do you think it's structurally necessary, or could we just step around it?

EMBER
I think better safer than sorry. You know, so...

IRREDEL
You don't have to tell me twice.

MERCURIO
Maybe the next traveler will fall through.

EMBER
We don't need any more people to break their back, so...

Ember shifts the plank and finds something glinting beneath it. She pries the board away and pulls out a medium metal chest. Where its clasp should be, a smooth obsidian plate bears newly appearing words.

EMBER
I track the shadows where others fear to tread. I carry silver to ensure the wicked stay dead. I study the lore of the beast and the blight, pushing back darkness to let in the light. What am I?

EMBER
What do you guys think?

SATURNO
Like, maybe someone that kills monsters? I don't know if they carry silver.

SILDIR
Monster hunter.

SATURNO
I study the lore of the beast and the blight. So someone that has to...

The plate clicks. A seam forms, and the chest opens. Inside are twenty silver-tipped crossbow bolts, two emergency rations, and two healing potions.

SILDIR
Wow, these look like the granola bars my mom used to make.

The party determines that each ration grants the effect of a long rest, followed eight hours later by a crash and one level of exhaustion.

MERCURIO
Yeah, I mean, those granola bars look tasty, but I don't know if they're going to sit right.

SATURNO
What if I take two? How fast could we, how much can we push this? If I take two, I'm just out for a day. But I could go fast.

MERCURIO
Too much sugar.

IRREDEL
I can hold on to the rations. I'm pretty good about reading all of your demeanors and if there's issues with you. It probably makes sense for other people to hold the healing, though, since I can do that magically most of the time. And if I'm down, then it's good for someone else to have the ability.

MERCURIO
Yeah, probably Ember should take one and Saturno should take the other, I guess.

IRREDEL
Can anyone here use a crossbow?

MERCURIO
Ember, maybe?

IRREDEL
Here, just take all the bolts. Make use of them if needed.

EMBER
I'll take one. I'll take one. All right. Thank you, ma'am.

SILDIR
Yeah, there was a time that I did pass out for, like, a whole week, and I actually woke up to Irredel force-feeding me, keeping me alive. It was... Appreciate it, but yeah, she could definitely get those bars down if needed. She's got experience. So...

SILDIR
She should hold on to those emergency rations. If I pass out, you can force-feed me again.

IRREDEL
You truly can dissolve almost anything in broth. This is good.

SILDIR
They tasted good. I was just confused. So yeah, whatever you're doing, it's working.

IRREDEL
It tasted good because it was the only thing you had eaten in five days.

SILDIR
Probably.

IRREDEL
I don't even want to know what happened to you before I found you in that ditch.

Sildir and Irredel begin speaking over one another.

SILDIR
Oh, yeah, yeah, that was — yeah, that was a tough one. It was a, uh, a chain of restaurants I started up, and it turns out, uh — God, you don't even want to know what they were serving.

IRREDEL
Yeah, correct. We do not want to know. Our sins are numerous.

SILDIR
Yeah, that's why everything we're starting up here, I'm, I'm directly overseeing. We're managing it directly. Maybe that could be our group name, like the, the Board of Directors. Yeah, the Equity Partners.

SATURNO
Partners.

MERCURIO
Equity Partners. Was that the name of the people that hired the slavers that captured us?

SILDIR
Nope. They're just called dead now.

MERCURIO
It sounds like a name that they would use. Maybe we'll keep workshopping.

The supplies distributed, they resume their westward journey.

CUT TO:

Scene 6 — EXT. OLD SVALICH ROAD — LATE MORNING

(Session 23 @ 01:19:41)

A hard-packed, ash-grey path branches south toward a craggy spur of the Balinok Mountains. The party continues on the main road without stopping.

SILDIR
We got business to attend to. Urwin's dad has been waiting.

Thirty minutes later, an old hunting trail cuts north between gnarled trees while an alpine path rises south toward the mountains. A twig snaps in the southern underbrush. Sildir hesitates, unsure whether he heard it. Irredel whirls toward the path. Ember spots a human silhouette and raises her bow.

EMBER
Guys, there's someone there. I see their silhouette.

Saturno raises her weapon.

MERCURIO
Hey, who's there? I'm thinking of an insult.

A broad-shouldered woman in mud-caked furs grips a stone axe. Obsidian ornaments hang from her ears and neck, and gray mud masks her face against the trees. Startled by the party's weapons, she flees.

EMBER
You guys want to go after her?

MERCURIO
Wait, lady.

SATURNO
Maybe... I don't know. What if Mercurio plays a song? A friendly song. I don't know. I feel like if we go after her, we might scare her. We could try it, but...

MERCURIO
Wait, lady, listen to my song.

Mercurio plays the Flute of Silence, choosing a calming, somber tune attuned to the forest. The fleeing woman stops, turns, and meets his eyes. For one instant, the road vanishes. Mercurio stands amid snow-covered mountain peaks, surrounded by figures who resemble her. The vision snaps away. The woman is gone, and Mercurio stumbles over the melody.

MERCURIO
That was weird.

EMBER
What happened?

SILDIR
That was a little jazzy.

MERCURIO
What's jazz?

SATURNO
What's that?

SILDIR
Yeah, I guess you were away for a few years, weren't you? It was the hottest music in Thundertree. Don't worry about it. I'll show you when we get back.

MERCURIO
I, for a second there, I could have sworn I was just transported to some snowy peaks.

Mercurio looks for the peaks. Snowy mountains stand far to the north and south around the valley.

MERCURIO
I think that shaman is from one of those mountains. Strange that they would be here. Also, what's up with this flute? Why did I—

SILDIR
Well, yeah, maybe she's mountain folk. Is that the mystery flute that we found?

MERCURIO
Yeah, the amber flute.

MERCURIO
There's some shamans in the southern mountains.

SILDIR
We probably should come back. They probably know about the Old Gods. Wasn't someone saying something to us about that? Wachter, maybe?

MERCURIO
Wachter and some others. I think we brought it up to Urwin. He had stuff to say about it. Maybe Danika, too.

SILDIR
But for now, they haven't helped anything so far. I say we just keep going and get Urwin's dad out of trouble. What do you guys think?

Irredel recalls that the forest people were considered possible culprits in whatever happened to Urwin's father.

SILDIR
Culprits for what, you think?

SILDIR
They could be doing some weird rituals. You never know. We don't know what these—

MERCURIO
We are still a ways off from that, though, but it's worth remembering.

SILDIR
Yeah, they're close enough. But who knows what kind of weird things they get up to.

SILDIR
People who wear obsidian and have all the weirdly constructed clothes and whatnot to get into the attunement with nature, and next thing you know they're doing all sorts of crazy sacrifices and this and that. Bunch of hippies, I tell you.

MERCURIO
Hippies?

SATURNO
Of new words I'm learning today.

SILDIR
Hippies. You guys really were put away for too long.

MERCURIO
I think maybe Sildir had a lot of blood loss the other night. Anyways, let's keep going down the road.

As they walk, Mercurio studies the flute's magic and recognizes it as the Flute of Silence. Its magic strengthens his vicious mockery, but much remains dormant. He senses that its power is connected to the strange melodies heard near the valley's megaliths.

MERCURIO
Maybe next time I'll try playing the megalith song for those shamans. They might know something about it. There seems to be some weird connection with this flute and that shaman. Megaliths and... yeah. Well, let's get some wine first.

CUT TO:

Scene 7 — EXT. OLD SVALICH ROAD CROSSROADS — LATE MORNING

(Session 23 @ 01:33:56)

After two hours of travel, the party reaches a crossroads beside a stone bridge. A weathered sign points north to Krezk, east to Vallaki, and southwest to Wizard of the Wines. A pale figure in rusty armor stands on the bridge, clutching a gleaming longsword. He resembles the undead knight the party previously met on another bridge and bears the signs of the Order of the Silver Dragon.

IRREDEL
That must be another one of the Silver Dragon fellows. I wonder if he has any separate information or if they all just say the same thing.

SILDIR
Well, hello there. You're Order of the Silver Dragon, yeah?

ORDER KNIGHT
Yes. I see you are carrying arms. Do you mean to oppose the dread lord of these lands?

SILDIR
To oppose the dread lord, you said?

ORDER KNIGHT
Yes.

MERCURIO
Maybe.

ORDER KNIGHT
Maybe? This was yes or no.

MERCURIO
Are you Tommy's friend?

ORDER KNIGHT
I do not know this Tommy.

SATURNO
Maybe his full name, Tomather?

ORDER KNIGHT
I do not understand what you are saying.

MERCURIO
Are you a member of the Order of the Silver Dragon?

ORDER KNIGHT
Yes. You know of us.

MERCURIO
Yeah, yeah. We met one of your members, Tommy.

ORDER KNIGHT
Then I ask you once more: do you serve or oppose Strahd von Zarovich?

MERCURIO
We oppose them, but we don't like to say it with our chest, because it gets you in a lot of trouble around here.

ORDER KNIGHT
If you mean to take up arms against the devil of Barovia, then you should seek out Sir Godfrey Gwilym, who awaits those who would raise their swords against the darkness.

SILDIR
At Argynvostholt, right?

ORDER KNIGHT
Yes. The manor of our order.

SILDIR
Whereabouts is Argynvostholt?

ORDER KNIGHT
To find Argynvostholt, head east, then south upon the ash-grey path.

MERCURIO
Is it near those mountains to the south?

ORDER KNIGHT
Yes.

SILDIR
Great.

IRREDEL
Well, now we know what that path was.

MERCURIO
Say, are there some shamans around your place?

ORDER KNIGHT
There are remnants of the First People hidden in the woods and the mountains of the valley.

MERCURIO
First People.

IRREDEL
Great. That's two mysteries solved.

SILDIR
Two mysteries solved.

MERCURIO
Yeah, thanks, Timmy.

SILDIR
I knew it.

MERCURIO
You've been real helpful.

IRREDEL
We know the person we saw, and now we know what's down that path, so we can keep on moving forward.

SILDIR
Did you see an old priest cross through here?

ORDER KNIGHT
There are seldom few travelers who walk this path, though I will warn you, as of late, there have been creatures of the woods overrun in and around the roads. Trees and vines and twigs come alive. They consume travelers who are caught unaware.

SILDIR
Well, thank you for that, but I am going to take one out of your book and say that was a yes-or-no question.

ORDER KNIGHT
I do not remember all those who have crossed here.

SILDIR
It would have been today.

ORDER KNIGHT
You are the first whom I've seen come this way.

SILDIR
Got it. I don't think Lucian headed this way, guys. Or Bryce, sorry. And that way is Krezk, right?

ORDER KNIGHT
Yes.

SILDIR
How far off is Krezk from here, do you know?

ORDER KNIGHT
If you continue along this road, you shall reach it before long.

SILDIR
Is that the way to Urwin's dad's place? Is that where we're going?

The sign makes clear that Krezk lies in the opposite direction: north, while the Wizard of Wines lies southwest.

MERCURIO
Wizard of Wines.

SILDIR
What if we wanted to cross this bridge? Would you let us?

ORDER KNIGHT
I will not stop you.

SILDIR
Okay. It's just the way you're standing there—

IRREDEL
Have a good day.

SILDIR
It is a little imposing, but we're not going that way anyway.

MERCURIO
Yeah, thanks for the information.

Mercurio pats the knight on the back.

MERCURIO
Tell Tommy we said hi.

ORDER KNIGHT
I do not know this Tommy.

SILDIR
Do you have a name?

SATURNO
That was Timmy.

ORDER KNIGHT
In life I had a name, but in death I have forgotten.

MERCURIO
Yeah, that's what happened to Tommy. That's why we gave him a new name.

SILDIR
You know your friend who is serving on the River Ivlis?

ORDER KNIGHT
There are many of my order scattered about the valley, watching our posts, awaiting an order that will never come.

SILDIR
What is the order?

ORDER KNIGHT
I will not reveal the secrets of my order. If you wish to learn more, then seek out Sir Godfrey Gwilym at Argynvostholt.

SILDIR
I've heard that Godfrey is also dead.

ORDER KNIGHT
Yes.

SILDIR
Well, you can be Timmy now. Your friend on the River Ivlis is Tommy. And if we see Tommy again, we'll let him know that you are Timmy.

The party briefly corrects its recollection: the previous knight was stationed at Tser Pool, not the River Ivlis.

SILDIR
I wish you well, sir.

The party continues southwest.

IRREDEL
If we went back, do you think he'd recognize us? Or he'd give us the whole speech all over again?

SATURNO
Or maybe it resets.

IRREDEL
That's what I'm asking.

SILDIR
Yeah, I don't think he would remember us, honestly. And it was weird. He was very much like Tommy. He said all the exact same things. And if you ask him a question that's too close to another question, he gives you the exact same answer without considering the slight changes. I think they're... You're wondering what?

IRREDEL
I'm wondering if you were to go back.

SILDIR
You want to go back? Oh yeah, they would not. There's no way.

SATURNO
No way.

SILDIR
He would probably ask us again, “Are you going to serve Strahd or not?”

IRREDEL
I wonder what he does to people who say yes. I mean—

SILDIR
Most people must work with Strahd.

IRREDEL
Most people in this world probably consider themselves as doing so.

SILDIR
We could find out.

IRREDEL
There's no alternative.

SILDIR
Definitely wouldn't remember us.

MERCURIO
They probably already forgot who we are.

SILDIR
Go back and just say, “Yes, we do serve Strahd.”

SATURNO
You wanna?

SILDIR
See what he would do. Oh, you did bring up a good point. It's not like anyone really has much of a choice. Maybe he just scolds them. Or tells them to go see Sir Godfrey Gwilym at Argynvostholt.

IRREDEL
To change their minds? I have to say, this whole thing seems somewhat like a trap, the more you think about it. It's not like they're particularly vetting any people. Just say your answer, and if there's anyone who is sympathetic towards a cause against Strahd, they suggest going to this tower. I mean, if I were Strahd, I would set something like this up and just have all the people who oppose me go to the same tower.

SILDIR
Yeah, you do bring up a good point. Kind of does feel like a trap.

IRREDEL
Wouldn't it make sense? Anyone who self-identifies as opposing him: go to this tower.

SILDIR
Throw in a couple “all be wells” and I'd be sold.

IRREDEL
It's almost certainly a death tower.

SILDIR
That road did look very suspicious, too.

IRREDEL
It's bringing you towards an ashy path down the woods, no civilization around. A classic trap.

CUT TO:

Scene 8 — EXT. OLD SVALICH ROAD FOREST — MIDDAY

(Session 23 @ 01:47:28)

The road narrows beneath ancient twisted trees. Gnarled branches knit a thick canopy overhead, allowing only dappled gray light. Rotting leaves, damp soil, and decay scent the air. Vines hang from low branches, while twigs and pine needles crunch underfoot.

SILDIR
Wasn't Timmy telling us something about dangerous plant life, or am I mistaken?

SATURNO
Yeah, that's right. Something about them coming to life.

MERCURIO
He was surprising people.

SILDIR
I really wasn't quite buying it, but if it ever were to be true, this looks like the place.

MERCURIO
Yeah.

SILDIR
Smells like the place, too. It's like petrichor and rotting bushes and fruit or whatever all at the same time. It's really weird.

SILDIR
Hey, Mercurio or Irredel, maybe you guys could see if you feel any nasty spirits or bad magic around here. Plants attacking us again — not that I really believe it, but it would have to be something magical or sinister.

Mercurio searches for magic and Ember reaches for nearby thoughts, finding only the party, but both feel unease. Irredel studies the trail and spots a false patch of ground beneath vines and brush, only five feet ahead of Saturno.

IRREDEL
Oh, Saturno, don't step on that. I don't need you falling into any more pits.

SATURNO
No more Swiss cheese.

Irredel picks up a large rock and throws it onto the covering. It crashes through, revealing a spiked pit.

SILDIR
Saturno's biggest opp: pits. Oh my gosh, were we really one step away?

The surrounding brush rustles. Five vine blights spring from concealment.

SILDIR
Of course. Why should I be surprised? The plants are alive.

Ember holds her ground, raises her light crossbow, and drives a bolt deep into the farthest blight. Irredel calls a Shield of Faith around Sildir, then burns a second creature with sacred flame. Mercurio draws his flute and plays a slow, menacing tune, laying a bane over three blights and frightening another.

Two blights close on Saturno. One coils around her and crushes hard; the second fails to find a hold. Saturno turns on the one that struck her.

Saturno stumbles from the impact, uses the stumble to propel herself forward, and drives the Halberd of Justice into the creature's neck between its shoulders. It falls. Her next swing at the second blight goes wide.

Sildir advances with his longsword. Guided by Mercurio's familiar, he cuts into a blight and follows with a burst of divine radiance.

SILDIR
Bastard.

He strikes again, leaving the blight barely standing.

Another blight constricts Saturno. A fifth wraps Ember and crushes her. Ember closes the distance and stabs her silver shortsword into the creature's core, killing it cleanly.

IRREDEL
Friends.

The word carries healing magic into Saturno. Irredel's commanding voice also urges her to strike the creature holding her, and Saturno chops into it with her halberd.

Mercurio braces against a blight at the pit's edge and shoves. The creature loses its footing. He kicks it squarely into the pit. It lands on the spikes and goes still.

A blight constricts Sildir, its vines crushing against his armor despite Irredel's ward. Saturno keeps fighting rather than waste time escaping her own bonds. Her first swing misses, but the second bites deep. She summons Memphis, whose spectral blow smashes the creature's head aside and kills it. Freed from its grasp, Saturno regains her footing.

Sildir cuts down the blight beside him. The last vine creature falls, and the forest stills.

SILDIR
Wow. I thought that guy was just crazy, but—

IRREDEL
Does anyone know anything about tree blights? Are they sophisticated enough to set traps like that?

Mercurio considers what he knows and concludes that blights are not intelligent enough to build traps.

MERCURIO
No, yeah, they're pretty stupid. So there's somebody out here, maybe, that created the tree blights or something.

Irredel decides to stay a few steps ahead and watch for more traps.

She scans the road and finds no further hazards.

IRREDEL
All right, well, I don't see anything. Everyone watch out for that pit. And let's keep moving before whatever its creator — or before its creator comes back.

Ten minutes later, the trees recede. In a grove of berry bushes, a stone stele nearly six feet tall stands inside a circle of cracked cobbles.

MERCURIO
Well, that's six feet tall and has the carving.

SATURNO
Maybe if you play music.

Mercurio senses no obvious magic. Up close, the carving shows a wolf above a three-pointed star.

IRREDEL
Well, probably just an old archaeological thing. We should keep moving. Not wanting to be reminded of anything particularly wolfy right now.

Irredel does not recognize the symbol.

SILDIR
Reminds me of the raven above the three-pointed star we saw at the other place.

SILDIR
You are more than welcome to investigate it.

IRREDEL
Are you going to investigate it?

SILDIR
Not really going to investigate it. I'll stay by you.

SILDIR
Thanks, Irredel. I'm okay, though. I don't really want to investigate it. And, you know, I know it can't be easy to let go of. Just like it's not easy for me to let go of my arm. But it's okay. It's not your fault. You can let it go. I know it'll take time, but I'm telling you now so that you can start to think about it.

IRREDEL
Let me stay close to you. At least let me feel like I'm making up this debt, balancing out a ledger.

SILDIR
Well, that's fine then.

They leave the standing stone behind and continue west.

CUT TO:

Scene 9 — EXT. WIZARD OF THE WINES VINEYARD — MIDDAY

(Session 23 @ 02:48:34)

The party reaches the vineyards of Wizard of the Wines. No one tends the fields. In the distance, a cloaked figure stands alone. Irredel studies him but cannot make out more without moving closer.

SILDIR
Yeah, usually the vineyards don't come with that included. Yeah, I think they made an agricultural play as a result, didn't they?

IRREDEL
I don't remember seeing any cloaked figures like that when we were evaluating the purchase price of that sustainable vineyard you were thinking about investing in.

IRREDEL
Yeah, but they did have horses though. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They used the horses to help till the soil, so when the horses walked through the vineyards, it would aerate the soil and make it better for the grapes.

SILDIR
I wish this guy was a horse. I think I'm just going to call out. Anyone against that?

MERCURIO
Go for it.

SILDIR
Hello?

The figure whirls. He is an old man in a green cloak, carrying a walking stick with a light crossbow at his belt. His eyes widen. He urgently motions the party closer. Sildir advances carefully.

A piercing Greater Strix screech splits the air from the south. A second answers from the east and a third from the west. The old man's gestures turn frantic.

Sildir quickens his pace.

SILDIR
Well, say something, man. What?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
They'll hear us. You need to hurry.

Davian Martikov leads them through a grove of smooth, silver-gray beech trees whose nearly symmetrical trunks rise like sentinels. Dozens of ravens watch from the dense canopy. He opens a well-disguised trapdoor and immediately descends a wooden ladder.

SILDIR
I think we should just go with this. I don't know what those screeches were, and, you know, I feel like we could take this guy if we had to anyway. So I feel like we're in the right spot. Let's just go.

MERCURIO
Yeah, it might be.

SILDIR
Yeah, I think it probably is Urwin's dad, if I had to guess, but he doesn't want to talk right now. But yeah, I agree.

THEY DESCEND THE LADDER.

Scene 10 — INT. MARTIKOV CAVERN REFUGE — MIDDAY

(Session 23 @ 02:55:35)

The ladder descends through a damp shaft while rain drums against the trapdoor and thunder rolls overhead. Thirty feet below, water gathers in a pit. Halfway down, the shaft opens into a lantern-lit stone cavern. Crates, sacks, bedrolls, and blankets shelter adults and children. A mist-lined tunnel vanishes south.

Members of the Martikov family crowd the refuge. Two men resemble Urwin. A woman kneels beside two young boys. A broad-shouldered bald man cradles an infant. A teenager whittles a stick. Davian lowers his cowl. Raven feathers, pewter medallions, and trinkets cover his patched green cloak; he leans upon a cane carved with grapes and vines.

SILDIR
You must be the older Martikov. Urwin's father.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
So you met the boy.

Mercurio pulls the silver-feather medallion from beneath his shirt.

MERCURIO
Yeah, pretty much. He was worried about you, and he sent his best.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
And the boy has seen fit to make our order known to you. All right, then. I take it he sent you. Couldn't come himself, though.

MERCURIO
No. Probably pretty busy.

SILDIR
There's been a lot of changes in Vallaki recently. It is quite tumultuous there.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
It has been some time since we've heard from Vallaki. We haven't been able to keep up our usual correspondence and shipments. Not since the druids took over the winery.

SILDIR
The druids?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
Yes. I assume that's why you're here.

MERCURIO
The druids. Well—

SILDIR
Are they the same as the forest folk?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
They are the forest folk, yes.

SILDIR
I see.

IRREDEL
What interest could they have in a winery? I thought they lived in the wild. This is a very cultivated place, no?

SILDIR
Maybe they're trying to reclaim it or something.

SILDIR
Like, rewild these vineyard farms.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
It wasn't long ago that it happened. It was about six days ago, on the fourth. The forest folk invaded the Wizard of Wines at dawn and drove us out. We've hidden here in this cavern ever since. And the druids weren't alone. They were accompanied by several dozen blights created by a cutting of the Gulthias tree upon Yester Hill. They've also been accompanied by three Greater Strix created by the swamp witch, Baba Lysaga, who dwells to the south in Berez. We've been trying to escape, but the Strix have been patrolling the skies and watching for anyone coming in and out, which is why it was so urgent to have you take cover.

SILDIR
Good thing, uh, good thing we came with you then. Although I have to say, you looked a bit imposing just standing in an open path, and suddenly we hear a bunch of shrieking noises, and it was a split decision. But you seemed normal enough.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
You'll have to forgive me if I didn't take the time to introduce myself.

SILDIR
Sure, of course. No, we understand. But we are here to help you. Urwin was concerned, noting that he wasn't seeing any shipments come in from this vineyard, nor did he have any word from you or any explanation of your whereabouts or why he wouldn't be hearing from you. So we're glad to find you alive. We're not from these lands, but coming here, we've learned to assume the worst.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
Yeah, some of our agents were set out monitoring travelers coming in and out of Madame Eva's camp. So we've heard word that you've been here, but we don't know much of your exploits ever since the druids moved in.

SILDIR
Right. I forget.

SILDIR
You are the leader of the secret group that Urwin's involved with, yeah?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
That's correct. How much do you know, exactly? What exactly has the boy told you?

SILDIR
Mostly that you have a pretty extensive network. You guys consider yourselves friends of the feather. Ravens are a good sign — good luck, good fortune, other good things, perhaps — and you guys identify with that. But that's most of it. I think we could definitely have an arrangement between us. We could use your help, at the very least, and we're quite helpful ourselves.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
Our organization's name is the Keepers of the Feather. And if Urwin has seen fit to entrust you with this information, then that means you are all our friends of the feather. It seems we can help each other here. If you can clear out the druids in the winery and take it back for us, then I can give you the full aid of our organization. We'll provide you shelter here in the winery and wherever else we might have any hideouts set up, as well as quick and speedy communication across the valley.

MERCURIO
I mean, do you know anything? You really can't tell us any more about the druids? Like what prompted them to do this? What do they want with the vineyard?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
It's very strange. We don't know why exactly the druids would have attacked the winery, why they're still here, and, more importantly, why the swamp witch is assisting them. The druids of the forest folk have been occupying the woods around Yester Hill for — well, for as long as people have inhabited this valley. And they've never been good neighbors to us, and we've let them know it. But to mount an attack like this and take over the winery, well, it's a first for them.

SILDIR
Yeah, we saw one. We didn't know as much about them at the time, but we saw one pretty far east, just north of Vallaki. I wonder if something's driving them out of their home.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
I guess it would have something to do with the witch, if she somehow allied herself with them.

SILDIR
Yeah, that's Baba Lysaga, you say?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
That's correct.

SILDIR
How far away is she? Do you know where she is?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
She lies in the ruins of Berez, south of here. Or I should say south and west is where Berez is. No, not west. Sorry. South and east. Southeast is where Berez is.

MERCURIO
So what do you know about the First People?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
If it's information you want, well, how's this? You do this for us, you take back the winery, and I'll tell you all the information you would like to know.

MERCURIO
Well, I mean, it would be quite relevant in trying to help you with these druids to understand their reasoning.

Davian answers.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
I don't know the full history of the First People or their remnants. I know they split into the forest folk and the mountain folk. I know that the forest folk have always inhabited the woods around here, and they haven't exactly been kind to us always, but they've never outright attacked us like this. And I know that about a hundred or so years ago, my ancestor, Livius Martikov, fought alongside the champion Lugdana against some cult members who were comprised of some of the more dangerous amongst the forest folk. It's possible that they held a grudge ever since, but I can't say for certain.

MERCURIO
So are all the forest folk part of this cult?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
I don't believe so, though.

MERCURIO
Or was it like a fringe thing among them?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
From what I know, yes, at the time, it was not the whole of the forest folk that were part of this cult.

MERCURIO
We spotted someone who I think is from the forest folk on our way here. And curiously, we also — very curiously, I would say — spotted one of these druids. But we saw them way out east, east past even Vallaki.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
It's strange that they would be out so far. I'm not sure what they're plotting.

MERCURIO
Yeah, they're plotting or displaced, maybe, from their usual—

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
Did they seem lost?

MERCURIO
I mean, not lost, but I'm not sure why he would just move out so far.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
Yes, I'm not sure either. There's clearly more to this plot than either of us are aware.

SILDIR
So who is Livius to you?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
Well, he was my grandfather. And he was the one who founded this organization, the Keepers of the Feather.

SILDIR
Are you any good with a bow?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
I can use a crossbow, but my expertise are not in combat.

SILDIR
Okay. Well, seems like you've been through enough anyway. We won't ask you to tag along with us or anything. Well, I guess that settles it, then. We'll have to take out these druids, get you your land back, at least, get you your safety. We'll continue from there.

IRREDEL
So there's druids, the Strix, the swamp witch—

SILDIR
Dozens of blights, three Greater Strix from Baba Lysaga. And I don't think Baba Lysaga will be here herself—

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
Yes, there are, in total—

SILDIR
But we could go find her.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
We have done our best to scout the perimeter and the interiors of the winery as best we can. I can't guarantee that this is an exact count, but from what we've seen, there are four druids, eight needle blights, eight vine blights, and more than a few dozen twig blights inside the winery. And the skies above are guarded by three patrolling Greater Strix. The vineyard itself is guarded by too many needle blights to count. Most importantly, the leader of these druids wields this strange magical staff, which appears to be the source of the blights' strength and the means by which he's controlling them. I suspect that if you can take the staff and destroy it, the hordes of blights in the vineyard, and perhaps any other blights in the area, would likely be either greatly weakened or outright killed.

SILDIR
Yeah, I think that makes the most sense. I personally don't want to fight, how did you put it, too many blights to count. I think we'll go for this staff.

Davian points into the southern tunnel.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
And additionally, as your means to enter the winery, this tunnel here leads to a secret passage that ends in the cellar of the winery. The entrance to it is concealed, and only we know about it.

SILDIR
Oh, that's extremely handy.

MERCURIO
That's handy, but, I mean, this seems like a pretty extreme cleanup job to do.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
I will warn you. Once you enter the cellar, you'll have to either sneak or fight your way up through the winery to confront this head druid.

SILDIR
Why is there no way back?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
What do you mean?

SILDIR
I mean, we could always turn around, right? You're just saying our path forward would be that.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
Yes, but the druids themselves wield some kind of thunder magic, and if they use this against you, then they would likely alert the others inside the winery with the noise they create. So you'll have to be either particularly sneaky or particularly efficient in removing them.

IRREDEL
Is there any indication they can be reasoned with? If they're content in the forest for so many years, surely some of them would want to go back. Why would they suddenly act against you in this way?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
I can't say, but I don't think reasoning with them will be an effective path.

IRREDEL
You think they're bewitched, or? It just seems surprising.

Mercurio asks again where the swamp witch lives.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
It's possible. If the swamp witch is involved, she could be controlling them. And if that's the case, then you certainly wouldn't be able to reason with them. She lives in the ruins of Berez.

MERCURIO
Oh, right. You mentioned it. Southeast.

SILDIR
So do you know for sure that the leader of the druids is going to be in the winery?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
Yes. We scouted it out just this morning. We know that he's there.

SILDIR
Or in the building for the winery, not the vineyards, of course.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
He's usually in the upper floors above the loading dock.

SILDIR
Can I get a straight line of sight from the exit to the upper floors?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
Perhaps. It could be possible, but it would be very difficult to do that without catching the attention of the patrolling blights or the Strix in the sky.

SILDIR
Recently, I've felt a closer connection to Torm, and I've been able to, I don't know, pretty much teleport.

Sildir demonstrates the idea of a Misty Step without expending its power.

SILDIR
I'm far from the stealthiest person here, but it could come in handy if you have any ideas for it.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
You might be able to sneak up in some way with that ability.

SILDIR
Yeah, all we need to do is break that staff, right?

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
That's correct. So you'll do it, then?

SILDIR
I mean, we came all this way, and we're in an underground cavern with you, and I don't see a lot of other valid ways out of here, in any sense. And we came to help, so I'm in.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
Your help is appreciated. I can see that you seem to have gotten into some scuffle yourself on your way here. I invite you to take a quick rest here before you go clear out the winery.

SILDIR
Well, thank you. I think I could use a brief reprieve.

In the family crowd, the teenage Claudio mutters loudly enough to be heard.

CLAUDIO
What does it matter anyway? They're just going to die.

His mother scolds him and orders him to apologize. Before he can, Elvir Martikov glares at the party.

ELVIR MARTIKOV
The boy is right. These adventurers are wasting their time. There's no possibility that they'll be strong enough to defeat the vampire servants.

SATURNO
Okay, so if we can, we just die and then we don't bother you? Isn't that like a win for you?

Elvir scoffs. An older Martikov man steps toward him, trying to calm him.

OLDER MARTIKOV MAN
Listen, Elvir, I understand you're upset, but this isn't like Elric.

ELVIR MARTIKOV
Don't you say his name!

Davian shouts for silence.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
I will not suffer any more disobedience again in this household.

ELVIR MARTIKOV
Whatever you say, old man. You're the one who drove Elric away, just like Urwin.

Davian's face reddens.

DAVIAN MARTIKOV
That's enough!

Elvir snarls and walks away.

MERCURIO
Wow, you guys really are shut-ins. You haven't heard of our exploits. No, we took down the Bride of Strahd.

Davian steps away to speak with his sons. The bald man approaches the party.

DAG TORANESCU
Well, I'm sorry you all had to see that. I apologize for my in-laws' behavior. They're good people once you get to know them. It's just been a stressful time for all of us.

SILDIR
Oh yeah, Urwin's fantastic. We love him.

DAG TORANESCU
Yes, it's a shame that he left those years ago. Neither he or Davian have ever gotten over it.

SILDIR
I mean, did they have some sort of falling out on the way out, or is Davian just mad that he left in general?

Dag Toranescu checks over his shoulder and lowers his voice.

DAG TORANESCU
All right. Well, ten years ago, someone stole something valuable from the winery, and it happened under Urwin's watch. Davian blamed Urwin for the theft. He was convinced that Urwin had been fooling around with his then-betrothed, Danika, instead of paying attention. And the two of them got into a huge fight the following morning. After that, Urwin left the winery for Vallaki and has never returned since.

SILDIR
What was the item that was stolen? Must have been something pretty good.

DAG TORANESCU
It was a prized family heirloom, a gemstone. It's one of Davian's most treasured possessions, and he's never recovered it since. We never found out the culprit. We never knew if Urwin was somehow responsible. And there's more to it than just that. Just over three months ago, Elric Martikov, Elvir's twin, joined a rebellion in the village of Barovia. A group of them marched on Castle Ravenloft. Elric had always been bright-eyed and optimistic, a dreamer. He believed in a better future for his loved ones. But Davian forbade him from going and ordered Elric that if he was going to leave to join this foolish mob, then he should never return for his disobedience. And sure enough, Davian's words came true. Elric died in the castle. And since his death, this family has never been the same.

SILDIR
Well, I do have to say those are harsh words for someone you could basically assume dead at the time. I mean, marching on Castle Ravenloft has never gone very well historically. Even I know that, and as you well know, if Davian clues you in on anything from his network, we're outsiders here. We still know that.

DAG TORANESCU
Yes, well, it was a tragedy, no doubt. But that was Elric's choice. He chose to fight for what he believed in, and I think that's to be respected. Not all of us feel the same way.

MERCURIO
Yeah, Davian seems like a real prick.

DAG TORANESCU
He's been through much in his life.

SILDIR
Well, in any case—

Sildir raises his voice for the cavern to hear.

SILDIR
Our group here, we've been through a lot. We've done a lot. We've survived. We've faced Strahd down twice. We defeated his bride. We defeated the monster in the Durst home. And we're not going to be shut down by some stupid druids. So all of you put your chin up. We're here now, and we'll do our best. Don't just expect us to die.

DAG TORANESCU
Well, that's quite the impressive repertoire. I'm sure adventurers such as yourselves could — well, I think you have this well in hand. I believe in you. My name is Dag, by the way.

IRREDEL
Well, I appreciate the vote of confidence, but candidly, I don't think it particularly matters whether or not you all believe in us to succeed. It doesn't change the expected value, but sure, it's heartening. It has no effect on the outcome, though. Whether we defeat them, or we don't. And you see, we're not from here. We don't have much to lose other than a chance of getting back to our old lives.

SILDIR
Yeah, no, you're right.

DAG TORANESCU
Well, I'm sure you have people who believe in you. And after hearing what you've accomplished, I certainly believe in you. I think you might find that a little bit of faith can go a long way, so I wouldn't discount it.

IRREDEL
No, thank you.

DAG TORANESCU
I see your time here has had its effect.

SILDIR
No. I just didn't always think like this.

IRREDEL
My disposition has always been like this.

DAG TORANESCU
I see. Well, I hope then at least the others in your group are feeling more optimistic.

SILDIR
I don't think Irredel is not optimistic. I think she's just saying whatever these people think or not, we'll go take down the druids. Or we won't. She did say that too. But I'm going to say we'll go take down those druids. And Snotnose over there can say whatever he wants.

DAG TORANESCU
Yes, you'll have to forgive my son, Claudio, as well.

SILDIR
By the time I was your age, boy, I was on my own farm and my father had left. I was caring for my mother.

Claudio looks up and makes an obscene gesture. His mother steps between him and the party and scolds him again.

SATURNO
I feel like I know someone back in Barovia who you'd get along with. You remember that? No? What kind of name?

SILDIR
Victor?

SATURNO
I'm not good with names. Yeah. Ugh. The snob.

SILDIR
You guys can be Victor and Prickter. You're Prickter.

The party settles among the bedrolls for a short rest. Beyond them, the secret tunnel waits.

MERCURIO
I guess we'll be off.

When the rest is complete, they intend to enter the winery through the cellar passage.