Order of the Silver Dragon and Argynvostholt

#lore #faction #silver-dragon

Player-known lore compiled from sessions 7, 8, 15, 23, and 25. The party has not visited Argynvostholt in the present day. Sir Godfrey Gwilym was encountered only in a Tome of Strahd vision (Session 25).

The Order of the Silver Dragon

What it is

A knightly order in Barovia (Session 7 @ 02:31:07)
Members are sworn against the dread lord (Strahd von Zarovich) (Session 7 @ 02:31:53)
Headquarters at Argynvostholt (Session 7 @ 02:31:53)
Silver Dragon Pendant relics — members carry matching pendants (Session 7 @ 02:52:45)
Maintains many outposts across the land as guard posts (Session 7 @ 02:37:26)
Patrols discontinued many years ago; state of outposts unknown (Session 7 @ 02:37:26)
In life their numbers were strong; in death they dwindle but remain (Session 7 @ 02:53:16)
They cannot be truly vanquished so long as the dreadlord remains (Session 7 @ 02:53:16)
Members are scattered about Barovia; solitary ones are generally harmless unless provoked per Father Lucian Petrovich (Session 15 @ 01:36:40)

Internal politics

The order is split between opposing Strahd and obeying its commander:

Who	Role	What party knows
Vladimir Horngaard	Commander at Argynvostholt	Forbade the order from taking arms against Strahd (Session 7 @ 02:33:28)
Tommy	Banished knight	Urged action against Strahd; banished by Vladimir; bound to a bridge post (Session 7 @ 02:32:56)

Tommy's situation:

Stands watch awaiting an order that will never come — the order Vladimir forbade (Session 7 @ 02:32:56)
Cannot take arms against the dread lord (Session 7 @ 02:33:28)
Cannot leave his post or join the party's quest (Session 7 @ 02:48:00)
Banished / blessed / bound — "shackles are shackles" (Session 7 @ 02:44:22)
Honor-bound; cannot lie; cannot act of own will — serves only by command (Session 7 @ 02:40:57)
In life he served his master; in death he has forgotten his name (Session 7 @ 02:31:07)

Party read: Tommy may tell the truth yet still secretly serve Strahd through his binding — unconfirmed (Session 7 @ 02:55:49). Mercurio's Insight 19: everything Tommy said was true as he understood it (Session 7 @ 02:57:15).

Known members (named only)

Name	Status	Notes
Vladimir Horngaard	Not met	Commander; forbade anti-Strahd action (Session 7 @ 02:32:56)
Sir Godfrey Gwilym	Vision (Session 25); dead per Tommy	General at Argynvostholt gates in Tome of Strahd siege vision; sister Alexandra Gwilym led assault (Session 25 @ 00:58:17)
Tommy	Undead; met	Bridge knight near Tser Pool falls; true name forgotten; party nickname (Session 7 @ 02:45:30)
Second crossroads knight	Undead; met	Winery/Krezk/Vallaki fork; gave Ashgray Path directions to Argynvostholt; party nickname "Timmy" (Session 23 @ 01:33:54)

Sir Godfrey Gwilym is dead — when Mercurio asked whether Godfrey retains a name because he is dead, Tommy answered "Yes" (Session 7 @ 02:46:14). Party fought him in Tome of Strahd Ch. 2 vision and Sildir woke with his silvered longsword (Session 25 @ 01:47:01).

Session 25 — Tome vision at Argynvostholt

Mercurio read Tome of Strahd Ch. 2 during long rest at Wizard of the Wines (Session 25 @ 00:47:14)
War council: Alexandra Gwilym commanded assault; Rahadin held tree line; young Strahd von Zarovich protected village rear (Session 25 @ 00:49:15)
Party joined Guillem's charge; fought Godfrey and two infantry at castle gates (Session 25 @ 01:02:10)
Godfrey: silvered longsword, holy fire fist, formidable parries—said "in another life we could have been allies" (Session 25 @ 01:27:07)
After Godfrey fell, Argynvost the silver dragon appeared on the turrets; vision ended (Session 25 @ 01:46:02)

Order secrets

Tommy is sworn to protect the order's secrets and cannot speak further on why he directs the party to Godfrey (Session 7 @ 02:33:46)
Party must seek out and join the order to learn more (Session 8 @ 00:07:35)

Argynvostholt

What the party knows

Headquarters of the Order of the Silver Dragon (Session 7 @ 02:31:53)
Located west of the party's travel route (Session 7 @ 02:31:53)
Party advised to travel west and seek Sir Godfrey Gwilym there for Strahd's destruction (Session 7 @ 02:31:53)
Not yet visited
Session 23: second knight at winery/Krezk/Vallaki crossroads — Ashgray Path: head east, then south to Argynvostholt (Session 23 @ 01:37:41)
Route and distance from Vallaki — partial route known; full distance unconfirmed (Session 7 @ 02:49:45; Session 23 @ 01:37:41)

Written clue

Tommy wrote Argynvostholt on parchment using black ancient blood from his finger when Sildir offered a handshake (Session 7 @ 02:35:11). Party keeps this parchment as a clue (Session 7 @ 02:35:11).

Geographic context (from nearby outpost)

The cliffside order watchtower where Sylalys found the pendant overlooks:

Tser Pool falls to the northwest (Session 7 @ 01:09:39)
Rising mountain slopes to the south (Session 7 @ 01:09:39)
Dense woods toward Vallaki (Session 7 @ 01:10:38)

Argynvostholt lies west of this corridor — exact position unknown to the party.

The Silver Dragon Pendant

Discovery (cliffside watchtower, Session 7)

Before meeting Tommy, the party found an abandoned order outpost:

Three-story watchtower on a cliff edge — moss/ivy stone, rotted door (Session 7 @ 00:42:04)
Unnaturally cold inside; colder on upper floors (Session 7 @ 01:04:24)
Two fresh refugee graves nearby with Morning Lord sunburst pebbles; dead wolf with iron bolts (Session 7 @ 00:44:34)
No identifying symbolism proving order ownership until Tommy confirmed later (Session 7 @ 00:56:18)

Sylalys found on the ground inside:

Tarnished silver pendant carved as a dragon
Unnaturally cold to the touch (Session 7 @ 01:04:24)
No immediate effect when picked up or worn (Session 7 @ 01:06:31)
Magical properties if worn — unconfirmed (Session 7 @ 01:13:13)

Sylalys kept the pendant secret from most of the party until after the bridge encounter (Session 7 @ 02:50:38).

Confirmation at the bridge (Session 7)

After the main group crossed, Sylalys and Ember stayed behind and showed the pendant:

First glimmer of emotion from Tommy in the entire encounter (Session 7 @ 02:52:19)
Tommy: "This pendant is a remnant of another one of my order" (Session 7 @ 02:52:45)
Pulled a matching pendant from his cloak (Session 7 @ 02:52:45)
"It has been many years since I've seen sign of another of my kind" (Session 7 @ 02:52:45)
Returned the found pendant to Sylalys (Session 7 @ 02:52:45)
"Many. In life, our numbers were strong. In death, we dwindle, but we still remain. For we can never be truly vanquished. So long as the dreadlord remains." (Session 7 @ 02:53:16)

Current holder: Sylalys (Session 7 @ 02:52:45)

Tommy — The Bridge Encounter (Session 7)

Location and appearance

River Ivlis bridge near Tser Pool falls — a few hundred feet long (Session 7 @ 02:27:34)
Grim skeletal knight: sunken gray mottled skin, very old rusty armor, sword tip resting on ground (Session 7 @ 02:28:55)
Not warm to the touch (Session 7 @ 02:35:41)
Cannot enjoy human food (Session 7 @ 02:40:57)

Opening exchange

Tommy's first words: "He owns the valley. Tell me, do you serve him?" (Session 7 @ 02:29:43)

Party answered they do not serve Strahd; experiences with him not great (Session 7 @ 02:30:12). They withheld detailed anti-Strahd plans (Session 7 @ 02:31:41).

Warnings given

Wolf-shifters (western forests):

Strahd's servants take many forms (Session 7 @ 02:38:28)
Those who walk in the skin of wolves haunt forests to the west (Session 7 @ 02:38:28)
Human-like; once did not trouble travelers on roads; something changed — hunger for human flesh cannot be sated (Session 7 @ 02:38:49)
Can walk as wolf, man, or something between (Session 7 @ 02:43:07)
Combat advice: if wounds do not stay permanent, flee (Session 7 @ 02:43:52)
Party later connected this to regenerating wolves and lycanthropy concerns (Session 8 @ 00:26:35)

Headless rider:

Party's earlier headless horseman is "the wandering one" seeking freedom through the mists — will never succeed (Session 7 @ 02:40:12)

Party nickname

When pressed for a name, Tommy said "Tommy" — indifferent; "The dead have no use for names… Do as you wish" (Session 7 @ 02:45:30). Party adopted Tommy (Session 8 @ 00:06:13).

Connection to Main Quest

Under Depose Strahd von Zarovich:

Madame Eva: deposing Strahd is the only known escape from the mists (Session 6 @ 00:24:16)
Tommy: if you seek the dread lord's destruction, go west to Argynvostholt and Sir Godfrey Gwilym (Session 7 @ 02:31:53)

Party intent:

Sildir: several orders of business before visiting Godfrey, but plans to eventually (Session 7 @ 02:49:45)
Session 8 recap: visit Sir Godfrey Gwilym at Argynvostholt remains on the to-do list (Session 8 @ 00:10:32)
As of Session 22, quest log still lists seeking Godfrey as a next step — not yet done

How the Party Learned This

Session 7 (morning) — Silver Dragon Pendant found at abandoned outpost near Tser Pool road (Session 7 @ 01:04:24)
Session 7 (evening) — Full Tommy conversation on River Ivlis bridge (Session 7 @ 02:28:55)
Session 7 (after) — Pendant linked to order; party agrees vetting protocol before sharing dangerous info (Session 7 @ 02:59:51)
Session 8 — Recap reinforces Argynvostholt / Godfrey as future destination (Session 8 @ 00:10:32)
Session 15 — Father Lucian Petrovich identifies Tommy as a revenant knight of the order (Session 15 @ 01:36:30)
Session 23 — Second undead knight at winery crossroads; Ashgray Path directions to Argynvostholt (Session 23 @ 01:37:41)

Party Decisions and Attitudes

Decision	Source
Told Tommy they don't serve Strahd; limited plan details	Session 7 @ 02:30:12
Sylalys + Ember stayed to show pendant; rest crossed first	Session 7 @ 02:51:39
Agreed to vet strangers before sharing opposition to Strahd	Session 7 @ 02:59:51
Mercurio trusts Tommy; Irredel suspicious of open rebellion talk	Session 7 @ 02:55:07
Continued toward Vallaki first — Godfrey deferred	Session 7 @ 02:49:45

Open Questions

Question	Status
Where exactly is Argynvostholt and how far from Vallaki?	Partial route — Ashgray Path east then south from winery crossroads (Session 23 @ 01:37:41); full distance unconfirmed
Who is Sir Godfrey Gwilym and what can he do against Strahd?	Not met — described as dead yet named
Why does Vladimir Horngaard forbid action against Strahd?	Unconfirmed
Does the Silver Dragon Pendant have powers when worn?	Unconfirmed
How many order knights remain?	Tommy: many, dwindling (Session 7 @ 02:53:16)
State of other outposts?	Known to exist; conditions unknown
Can party join the order?	Implied — must seek membership to learn secrets
Is Tommy secretly Strahd's agent despite oaths?	Unconfirmed