Act II: Ill Fortunes

"The cards are vague... they speak of a symbol of purity, an anomaly among death... Have you found anything in your journeys which would match this description?"

"Of course Pet..."

She flips a card on the table: The Emperor.

"He who dwells in Castle Ravenloft is a powerful man whose enemy is light and whose powers are beyond mortality. You will seek him in the castle, and though he might find you many times, you will find him only once."

She then flips a card and covers the Emperor.

"You will find him where the three servants of Hell are slain, in the place of their gathering. Hmm... a spawn of hell has come to the top of one of the castle towers, and she is served by an unholy trio." She continues. "There is a very bad influence in this place. The power of death will strip away your protections."

She then draws another card and puts it across the first two.

"Out of the darkness and chaos, this card finds its reason and foundation, It shows the purpose of all things—the key to life and death and else beyond. The darkness seeks to consume all light, and death to devour all warmth from the living. It would seem that the lord of the castle seeks a lady, but he will consume her until death is all that remains."

Madam Eva flips a card: Justice.

"This symbol is a powerful force for good and protection against the forces of darkness"

She then draws a card and places it on top of Justice.

"Seek it where the river flows into the land. This card speaks of elemental forces mingling together. The symbol should be in teh marsh downriver from here..."

She then draws a second card and places it across the first two.

"The holiness in this item waits for hands of holiness to touch it once more, but that is not enough to bring its power back to life. You must place the symbol on the throne of an ancient king. Castle Ravenloft was once the seat of a kingdom..."

"Of course pet."

She draws a card: The Lovers.

"Two impatient fools, too eager to prove themselves and rush headlong into danger."

She draws a card and covers The Lovers.

"Headstrong and impetuous, no pleading could dissuade them. It would seem that people tried to warn them, perhaps suggested they come see me first..."

She draws a second card, covering the first two.

"This card will tell us of their fate. Dark and terrible, they have failed in their endeavors and now rest amid the soil's embrace. I am sorry, but your friends did not survive..."

At this, Ashlyn looks distressed...

You can make me a Diplomacy check for Roland. Anyone helping Roland?

Madam eva will flip another card: The Devil.

"That creature is a cause of death, death which walks the street of Barovia. Death leads to death, all stemming from a first death."

She then flips another card, covering The Devil.

"You must an end to the blasphemy of the death that refused to die, but that will not stop the plague. The lord of the castle is the source of it all. The cards speak of a powerful creature, anathema to life, which is created from the corpse of a relative... Whatever it is, Strahd had a hand in this!"

She flips a second card, crossing the first two with it.

"To end the plague of death, you must end its source. The village church is desecrated by the first blasphemy. The castle is ruled by the greater one. Yes, it is exactly as I thought..."