It seems news of Barovia’s return has started to spread; we’ve been receiving delegations from the neighbours. It all feels quite fancy, after the first (which we were a little unprepared for) we’ve been sprucing up the reception areas of the castle as well as paying a bit more attention to ourselves - I was quite taken aback by just how careworn my clothes were and Razda managed to wrangle his hair into something approaching respectable. Even Barbs mended the rents in her garb.

The first lot to see us were from a town just beyond the border - there was a lot of camaraderie and commiserations as people started to reconnect.

The second visitor was… Odd. He wouldn’t give his name and was very, very pushy to stay the night in the castle. It raised my hackles and I could see the others were equally on guard. He eventually left, with Razda tailing, and that was when I belatedly remembered the boon of the ravens I’d been given, so I started my communion to try to get some answers. Blow me sideways, apparently the gent was on the square and, whilst details are sketchy, he would have definitely been worthwhile to entertain. I left the communion with the distinct impression we’d misstepped. Razda also reports he stepped into a magical portal and vanished. Bugger.

With the potential lost opportunity fresh in our minds we decided to approach the next visitors with a more open mind. This proved almost fatal, the shear volume of words this wizard was able to produce was almost overwhelming! Whilst the last guest played his cards very close to his chest, ‘Monty’ told us everything we could want to know and more! He’s a wizard with a fair collection of spells under his robe, looking to get out into the world and explore, has a name that has caused some mirth over the years, and so much more than I could possibly remember in that first minute. After we regained our collective senses it was decided he’d accompany Razda on his rounds, sort of a probation. Monty took it in good cheer and threw himself into the community, quickly putting people at ease and genuinely helping out. Behind his good-natured rambling he seems to have a sharp mind and quite a voracious (new word I leaned recently, amazing what not having to fend off the undead on the regular can do) curiosity.

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

And then there’s the last notable guests; an envoy from our neighbours from all points on the compass. Not a mixed party, apparently this group controls all the land around our borders. The individual misgivings I had about our mysterious nameless wizard have been dwarfed by the arrogance and hostility we felt coming from this party. Not only do they want reparations for the vampires and other monstrosities that overspilled Barovia’s borders when it was unceremoniously dumped back into the real world, but they also expect a tithe to be paid regularly, starting a year from now. Total buzzkill. After everything everyone has lost and fought for, the thought of another bunch of arrogant pricks walking over them has deflated everyone.

I’ve gotta go, a meeting between those of us still in the area and ‘representatives of the people’ has been called to hash out what to do now. I’m going to arrange for coffee, I get the feeling this will go on some time.