Greetings, Dear Reader. Hopefully this finds you in good health with a nice mug of tea and a warm fire. What you’ve got in your mitts is my 3rd journal since I started my work for Helm - the first two seem to have gone walkabout which is chaffing me more than I thought. I’m sure they’ll turn up eventually.

What follows will be my account of What We Did on Our Holidays.

Hey Mon, I gots the chicken house!
~Razda

It took a lot of work (and more running than I’ve done in a long time) but the Lord of the Manor has finally been evicted. Permanently. We lost some good folks along the way; Helm sorted me out to find some of them again but others are lost for good. A lot of the residents of Barovia have disappeared too (no bodies, just gone); I’m going to ask for some guidance on what happened to them and see if there’s anything that can be done. Or maybe they’re literally in a better place now.

Razda seems to have inherited the Hag’s chicken-leg house which was just as gross as the others described - the smell was ghastly! He got it emptied out (which was a disturbing sight in itself) and now uses it as an ambyulatary ambulahtory walking charity shop, shuttling supplies around as needed. I’ve just seen him go past with a dozen squealing children hanging off the sides… I might pop over with my healer’s bag, just in case.

Albrecht slipped away during the celebrations on the first night. He left me a lovely parting note; he’s a simple lad with a good heart and after the rush of the fight had faded I think the events of the last year caught up with him. I don’t know all of the details but from what I’ve gathered he’s seen some shit, if you’ll excuse my Shouish. I’ve asked Helm to help him find peace again, for what good that will do.

Albrecht’s note to Sorcha:
Sorcha - your kindness and willingness to trust was an inspiration, and a light during those dark times.
I wish you good luck in bringing your faith and healing to others.

Barbs has been off hero-ing (heroine-ing?) on her own, bringing back some rather unusual conquests and info. I’ve had to patch her up a few times but only with conventional healing, she’s still not comfortable with magic.

Victor seems on the mend, he doesn’t like to talk much about being dead for a spell but I can’t say I blame him. He’s been busying himself with his wizardry - I don’t really understand most of it but he seems happy when the sparks are flying.

Pravus is heading back to Waterdeep (temporarily, he says), but he was cagey about why when he was saying his goodbyes. He did stick around to help clean up the castle and get some of the affairs in order. It’s quite a trek to Waterdeep from where we wound up so he’ll be away for quite a while, I know he can take care of himself but I still worry a bit.

Argynvost has been an absolute hit in town, you can always find him down the tavern or hosting parties at his place. Jammy git never seems to suffer in the mornings either which I’m honestly a little jealous of. He’s been scouting out the area, apparently we’re nestled in the Sunset Mountains range, near the Lake of Dragons. There doesn’t seem to be much around, a few hamlets and towns but no cities. Argynvost says he has a horde North-East of here that got taken by another dragon in his absence - after everything that has happened I think we’ll all be happy to help him out but I’m a bit leary of taking on another dragon after seeing Argynvost in action, especially one that Arry said is bigger and meaner than he is.

Ellidar has taken himself into the woods with a week’s supply of food and four weeks of wine - he’s writing his “Magnum Opus” (his words, not mine) about our party’s adventure. We’ve been treated to some excerpts in our dreams (don’t ask, freaked me out the first time) and it’s not quite how I remembered it. Then again, I can imagine this journal doesn’t match what others remember but I’m writing the sodding thing anyway.

Traben went south to see family in Easting, eat some home-cooking and get some normality back in his life. It’s not too far away and he said he’ll be back soon.

Ezmerelda seems to be recovering alright. She doesn’t remember too much about her fall and the rest of us have an unspoken agreement not to tell her the details. It’s certainly not an experience I’d like to relive and I feel so guilty for not being able to reach her in time.

Pot also seems to be coming along alright, although I think he misses Albrecht in an odd way. The kid got put through the grinder; mind-control, dying, having 7 shades of shit beaten out of him by someone he trusted… It’s a lot to process.

And then there’s me. I’ve been busy setting up an infirmary at the castle, as well as hitching a ride with Razda to see what use I can be in the area. I was really worried about the folk getting enough nourishment - they all look so thin - but the Wereraven’s came through with some fast-growing crops. Now I don’t mean ‘grown within a season’, I mean ‘grown before your eyes’, it was amazing! I’m starting to get a feel for the place and the people are opening up.

My, I’ve been droning on! And I’m running out of ink so I’ll stop gabbing now. Next I’ll catch you up on the visitors we’ve had recently; the good, the bad and the ugly!

Fallen Friends:

  • Ezmerelda
  • Victor
  • Urwin Martikov
  • Pot
  • Razda
  • Phœnic the Found
  • Thimble Nackle

Returned Friends:

  • Ezmerelda
  • Victor
  • Urwin Martikov
  • Pot
  • Razda