Another successful mission, with gratitude and gold as your reward. Where to next? Time will town, for now, a mug of ale at the Rat King tavern is called for, along with Scuvvy the owner’s excellent leash and turnip soup, flavoured with a meat mercifully too pale to be the tavern’s namesake. Eyes flash periodically over to you, as patrons wonder what stories you have to tell, could they beat you in an arm wrestle, or persuade you to share a bed for the night. The halfling women who enters, stamping mud off her boots at the door, is largely ignored, until she makes a purposeful line towards you.<br/><br/>Eyeline just above your table, she flicks open a leather pouch. “Hey,” She speaks common with a thick accent, slurring three or four words together only to pause a split second longer than normal. “The village of Barovia needs heroes like you,” is all she says, tossing you a letter first sealed in wax then bound in leather. Glancing over it you see expert penmanship, a hand trained by a stern tutor in its youth, wielding a finely crafted pen.<br/><br/><div align="center">*************************************************************</div><br/><em>Hail to thee of might and valour my Lord Ebron Stavros, my Lady Steel Rayof, my Lady Melisandre Whitehorn and my Lady Lydia Lovelady,</em><br/><br/><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>  I, a lowly servant of the township of Barovia, send honour to thee. We plead for thy so desperately needed assistance within our community.<br/><br/>  The love of my life, Ireena Kolyana, has been afflicted by an evil so deadly that even the good people of our town cannot protect her. She languishes from her wound and I would have her saved from this menace. But I fear the only cure lies within the dreaded walls of the castle, were none may enter without risking their lives.<br/><br/>  There is much wealth in this community. I offer all that might be had to thee and they fellows if thou shalt but answer my desperate plea.<br/><br/>  Come quickly, for her time is at hand! All that I have shall be thine!</em></div><br/><div style="text-align: right;"><em>                              Kolyan Indirovich<br/>                              Burgomaster of Barovia</em></div><br/><div align="center">*************************************************************</div><br/><strong>Barovia</strong>. A day’s journey on horseback northwest of the Rat King, that notorious land of fog and wolves and worse is said to be cursed from its tallest peak to its deepest swamp. A small region, people simple avoid it, as it is said that all who enter are doomed to stay, but then how was this message delivered to you? Across the table, the halfling is already turning to leave, a single nod her last acknowledgement of you.