Completed Let's get level drained dry! Ravenloft: Strahd's Possession LP

[Crooked Bee]

I love the writing in this game.

 

[procrastinator]

I love the writing in this game.

I hate it. It's too damn wordy. And no @CappenVarra tricks this time around.

 

[CappenVarra]

Yeah, the text is encoded with other resources as I understand it. Aren't you a C++ guy? Write a decoder :D

 

[procrastinator]

Yeah, the text is encoded with other resources as I understand it. Aren't you a C++ guy? Write a decoder :D

Well, actually, I've tried. But since I cannot into asm and reverse engineering, it didn't quite worked out. Decoded string seems to be always stored at the same address, and that's about as far as I have gotten. The upcoming update is already typed out, but I'll try to use Dosbox's debugger to get memory dump next time. Should be more accurate this way, if not faster.

 

[procrastinator]

Part II: Spiritual Healing

Spoiler

Before we wander aimlessly through a town we do not know, it might be best to find its first citizen, a mayor, burgomaster, or such. Somewhere on the edge of town, I'd guess, we should search for a large, prominent building, perhaps surrounded by a stone barrier or gate. So it is that power and wealth often display themselves.

Good thinking bro.

The life has all but gone from this village. Never have I seen the like, but once. In a town where two armies converged for their final battle, there I saw desolation akin to this. True, the buildings here have not been burned as those were, but the feel is the same.

It's dangerous to walk the streets of Barovia at night.

In this foreboding place, I'm not surprised when a young girl won't speak to a stranger. It's unlikely she could offer information of use in any case. The wisdom of a town does not lie in the heads of its young.

Generic NPCs usually don't have anything to say.

Barovia died long ago, that much is certain. If the few simple fools who remain think of themselves as inhabiting a living village, then much the worse for them. They have my pity, perhaps my prayers. They shall have good use for both in the long nights ahead.

The moon is a mysterious mistress.

Stepped into a random house to see if anyone was inside.

There was a cat.

Large building - check. Surrounded by walls - check. That's what we've been looking for.

Comfy.

Books and scrolls are scattered on the floor. One particularly interesting brochure is "Van Richten's guide to werebeasts":

Lycanthropes are no good, no good at all

Let's see...

You enter a large room. A wealthy looking man is standing across the entrance. An elf is sitting near the fireplace.

Your excellency, your honor, uhm, please forgive me, I'm not schooled in how to address a burgomaster. How do you..?

My dear, sweet traveller, please... We burgomasters are called by our title. I expect you will make my home yours while you are here. In the name of Lord Strahd, whose humble servant I am, please relax. Enjoy.

Burgomaster, we've heard so much of Count Strahd von Zarovich. In some lands, weeks might pass before a traveller learns the ruler's name, but not here. Who is this man?

Ah, I was coming to that. You see, your interest in the great one is matched by his interest in you. As burgomaster, I have been instructed to present you with a letter of invitation from Strahd himself. It is a great honor!

Burgomaster, what does Strahd know of us? Does he invite every visitor to his castle? Was your elven guest invited?

At the risk of being rude, I say the dignity of my office would suffer were I to answer so many questions. The honor of Strahd's enchanting offer extends to you alone. My advice is not to refuse. And if my words do not impress you; if I cannot persuade you; he will compel you to go. His carriage awaits even now. Please allow me to take you there.

I see another enjoys your hospitality, an elf of striking mien and grace. May we converse with her?

My other guest, yes... Well, elves, you know, are rare in Barovia. You may have noticed. And Lord Strahd has such a keen interest in unusual, but then... I'm rambling. Feel free. Join my other guest in conversation, if, that is, she will agree! As fellow pilgrims in Ravenloft, you may have much to discuss!!

Let's read the invitation first.

He must've heard about all those worg and goblyns we have slain.

If your spells prove as sharp as your tongue, you may be of some use. Would you be willing to join our party?

Well, I already know what is of use in this place and what is not. If we tarry for any purpose it should be to relieve our host of his stores of sweetmeats and tuika. But other than a drink and a song in friendly company, we may leave by your leave.

Please, there are other books, magical volumes I haven't yet displayed before you. You must stay. They are stored in my secret cellars, near the good tuika which I serve only to...

To Strahd, you mean. Dear fellow, while I believe I've yet to taste a decent vintage of tuika from your stores, the bit about the magic falls from your tongue like a lie. We'll be off now.

Strange to say, but I've enjoyed our restless, wandering time together. Perhaps we'll meet again and continue the adventure, but for today enough will be enough. Should you need me again, come to Barovia and look for whatever place I've found to call my home.

Glorianna will be our new mage.

Now we are ready to see Strahd.

Everything will be fine, we're guests after all. Strange that I should say such a thing! Yet there is in this air something which brings sweat to the palms. My breath grows short, and my heart pounds, while as if for no reason my muscles tense for a fight!

I have a feeling we'll have to fight these guys one day.

tl;dw version: Strahd wants us to go west of Barovia and find a portal hidden in some dungeon. He also gives us a key.

We're not in a hurry though, so we'll take our time exploring Barovia.

Warehouses are filled with these... Things. They are strong, so we promptly retreat.

We see a familiar gypsy standing near the bar counter.

I'm interested. Perhaps we can come to some agreement, if the price is right. What are you asking for the potion?

An agreement can be reached easily enough. Fifteen coins is the price. We'll start here, argue there, and finish there, giorgio. Fifteen coins and the potion is yours.

Chocolate jew

I see, fifteen coins is all you will accept. Unfortunately it is more than I can pay, regardless of the potion's quality, vistani!

No need to grow surly, friend. Times are hard, especially for a young Vistani such as I. In faith, I will make you this promise: that I shall hold the potion for you until you have acquired coin enough. Return then, and wee will conclude our business.

You called yourself an escort. Might you be persuaded to take us to your camp, if you know what I mean?

Giorgio, outsiders are not welcome in camp... Well, not often. You don't know how the villagers treat us. Why Bray Martikova is the only one who smiles when I enter the Blood O' the Vine. I... I suppose I might be able to introduce you to one of our camp elders, perhaps even a seer. You're not a villager after all. But you would have to be blindfolded.

If we're to achieve our goal, we can't afford to join in petty squabbles and prejudices. Blindfold us.

If you're willing to put that much faith in my, I shan't let you come to harm, though I can't answer for my elders. They're most likely to have you thrown from camp. You must know as well that it will take some time to reach my people. Not until next evening will you hear our gypsy fiddles and tambourines, our lamentations echoing in the cold, mountain air.



tl;dw: Future is uncertain due to missing Tarroka card, seer blames jews Strahd.

We're back at the Blood o' the Vine.

We were attacked on the road by highwaymen, brigands. Is the law so weak here that travellers risk their lives on Svalich Road?

We have simple laws: pay your taxes to the burgomaster, and be ready to turn over to Strahd anything else he may desire, be it your gold, your labor, or your life. And I tell you, worse than thieves roam our barovian nights. Once the sun dips below the peaks of the Balinok, horrors you can't imagine stalk our misty alleys. The villagers themselves often vanish at night, never to be found.

What can you tell, me, innkeeper, about the Vistani?

Why ask me? There's a Vistani at the bar. That's him! Now as a caution, I best advise my customers to make a wide path about gypsies. If Strahd has eyes and ears watching over us, the Vistani are such. But this one, he seems regular enough, never asks for credit and always keeps my patrons entertained.

This Strahd you speak of, I've heard his name before. Could you suggest some way in which I might speak with this man?

No, I, uhm... By Helm, whatever land you come from, it breeds valiant souls. Strahd is rarely seen. He resides in Ravenloft, a castle perched on a precipice north of the road, brooding over the village. By law anyone entering the castle uninvited is put to death. Of course, I know of several invited guests who have suffered the same fate. Perhaps you should have a talk with our burgomaster.

Let's find ourselves a room.

Unloaded redundant equipment.

Oh, another NPC that I haven't noticed earlier.

Of everyone I've met in this town so far, you seem the most like you should be one of us. It's but a feeling, as though we walk similar paths.

Hear me, for I'll say this once: your business and mine are as separate as the rivers Ivlis and Luna, two black streams I hope never to see again. To have business in Ravenloft itself is to oppose me, for my single goal is to escape this pit of black bile forever! Were I to curse you, I would wish you luck in any business that keeps you here.

Wandering around the village is good and all, but it can take you only this far. We'll do something more useful.

Start with marking the tavern on your map. The goal is to mark every other building. Go!

Anywhere else you can tell the time of day by the sounds of the village, by the traffic in its streets. Here there are no bells, no cries from the marketplace, no vendors hawking their wares. Barovia is a haven for all the collected gloom of the world. I'm afraid the only voice we'll hear is a cry of terror.

'sup Velika.

The sun was setting.

It is a pity your safety cannot be guaranteed, and because it cannot, you must stay here. It is safe here, is it not?

This place is secure, after a fashion... to whatever degree a home in Barovia can be. It is the weariness that surrounds my heart like the mists, the tedium of living every day within these walls that will undo me. I thought I saw in you an opportunity to get away. You may be back this way, and if you come again my door will remain open to you, my interest in walking a ways with you the same as now.

Ok, I'll bite.

My lady, your company would be greatly appreciated. I'm certain your warn smile and sunny disposition will brighten our path. Can you be persuaded to come along?

I am free woman, unmarried and with none to tend to. For all that, you'll take me as your equal or not at all. The tedium here is not so great I'll trade it to become a serving maid to an outland party. I beg your pardon, old one, should you find my language unmaidenly. But now that we understand one another, I would be glad to accompany you.

r00fles! Go back to the kitchen, woman.

Slow but steady, we're doing it.

It's a fine doll you have. Does she have a name?

Doll? Doll, dilly doe, no! Little one is a child of vision. She sees storms, yes she does. They can't chase the fog, but their light eats trees when they spit it on the ground. She's heard the voice, too. Heard it cough up the future, like thunder when the bright hand tore open the one good, straight oak and delivered up the heart. But only if they plant the light.

The old hag chills my blood, better to speak with a young, sane maiden. Good day, madame, eh? Goodbye!

Fly. Fly away and die away... In an alley, eh? Or high in the castle gray? Oh, for a maiden! But they bathe in dust! Only magic gains their trust. Little one knows how stiff the young one wait. She wails beneath the graveyard moon.

You're mad, woman! And we should leave you to madness.

Leave, yes, you'd like to leave wouldn't you? But you won't. Little one has a heart of leaves and wooden eyes. She breathes with paper sighs. Dearie knows what the book says. You need what you came -- through the mist -- to find, what you swore to return. A bleedin' man lost it, so little one says. Only then will the words on the pages set you free.

*click*

Can't do much here without a key.

Barovia and misery are one and the same. All those who live here are the waifs of fate, doomed to take shelter in this wasteland of a town, with no hope of a normal life.

Are you ill, old one? Is there any medicine we might offer?

No medicine can restore my faith. I threw it away and my future with it. The order of my youth gave me a great gift: the rights and title of paladin, to be used for the good of man... as if my spirit and the title were one and the same. Ravenloft! Trapped within these vile borders, my warrior faith turned, slowly, into the cynical villainy of an old man.

Is there now way you can make peace with your faith?

Soon I will die. My last breath will escape my lungs like the howl of a demon, and I will roam forever in the darkest lands of the underground, or wherever traitorous paladins might go. To be eternally stretched on the rack would be mercy. Still, I might yet wish to make peace. Can I put my spirit happily to its rest?

You do not look like a man who needs pity. What is it I might do to help, with my hands and heart?

Find the holy symbol I abandoned in chambers lost beneath the village of Barovia. Return it to me and I will provide you with all the wealth of my secret chamber, items none will ever see, save those who bring to me the holy symbol I so foolishly tossed aside.

Earlier we indeed have found a footman's pick in one of the buildings.

Another lock we don't have a key for.

These two won't talk to us, but there is something for us still.

Not sure what to do about that though.

What can possibly go wrong?

WAT

The game hangs there. Looks like this area was 'fixed' with 1.2 patch Fortunately it works as intended with 1.1 version and savegames are compatible, so I'll revert to using that version.

I won't show you what's behind the door though.


For now.

We thought to ask for assistance, but you look as if you might need our help. Are you well?

Oh, my dear son! He's not alive, not in Barovia, I can tell you that. A father feels these things. He knows them in his dreams. The dreams! I've seen the dead, bloodless face of the boy, of my son... And I've heard him speak. In dreams he tells me he will be avenged, and then lightning strikes in the forest and he is gone!

We met a gypsy on the way here. Do you know of the Vistani?

My friend, have no dealing with the Vistani. I warn you. Such vagabonds may have had a hand in my son's disappearance. No good townsfolk will have aught to do with them. They deal in curses and fortune telling. I believe them to be thieves!

All the buildings are labeled! :sperg:
Only the stone ring in the northwestern part of the village is left to be checked.

Good, now we can deal with paladin's quest.

This must be the stump the old paladin spoke of. Now what did he say, to dig to the east... No it was to the west. Yes, dig to the west.

The key fits.

By Helm and Lathander both! What is this thing? Never in all my years have I set eyes on an abomination such as this!

The dungeon greets us with a Living Wall. We kill it from a distance with a sling.

A path opens.

It's a trap! Fireball is coming at us, but we dodge it by backing out of the dungeon.

There are two kinds of enemies in this dungeon: Living Walls and Wererats.

Wererats are not too scary, but they are quite numerous.

Notice that Vladimir is using staff now - he can't hit with a mace from the back row.

We're doing some progress here.

That's where fireballs come from. I didn't know it then though.

Only now I decided to look at the eyepatch

Ouch! Caught a fireball.

A side view of a Living Wall.

Damn rats.

Employing real-time healing techniques

We don't have a key for this yet.

So we can't open a door to the left of this lock, but...

The other door opens freely.


There is a key behind it.

Close-up on a Living Wall.

I gave Malack a throwing spear, it seems to do the job faster.

Nope, can't use this one yet.

One of these walls seems, well... Unusual. Perhaps a closer examination is in order.

One of these walls seems, well... Unusual. Perhaps a closer examination is in order.

One of these walls seems, well... Unusual. Perhaps a closer examination is in order.

FFS SHUT UP

I can't spot anything unusual. I'll mark this spot on a map and return after the dungeon is clear.

Ok, now we're done. Let's go back and examine that spot thoroughly.

No, can't see anything here. When suddenly...

Whoa! Moved forward and it turned out to be an illusionary wall!

Another key for our collection.

We can now open those doors. But first I'd like to deal with one issue that has been bothering me for some time.

This leather helm has no AC bonuses, yet it seem to affect AC value. Could it be that this is an enchanted helm?

Turns out it is a Leather Helm +1. Yet it didn't have any special marks on it...
Oh god, all those supposedly generic items I've foolishly thrown away.

But what's done is done. Time to move forward.

Another lock. We have the key though.

Yes, that's what we came for!

Moving out! Reward, here we come!

Can't wait

Now, let's not get too excited and identify this stuff first.

We got Paladin's Sword +3, Arrow of Slay Undead +3 (note to self: check if it works), Paladin's Dagger +2, Wand of Frost and Adamantite Chain Helm.

Well, what can I say...

 

[Crooked Bee]

Awesome progress.

 

[CappenVarra]

Ah, nice!

Your choice of conversation portraits is good, and you remembered to insert a pop culture reference every once in a while - I hereby award you 1 internets.

The half-elven fighter with 18 cha and 17 con, but 12 str and 13 dex was funny. And our eleven mage has huge tits! Everything is in order.

 

[Monstrous Bat]

Man that Strahd person seems really trustworthy, he even has his name in the game title.

Also, LOL at the fighter with 12 strength.

This game seems pretty interesting so far. Keep up the good work!

 

[mondblut]

No mage in the starting party? In a D&D game?

 

[procrastinator]

No mage in the starting party? In a D&D game?

I don't mind. It's more convenient to click on monsters than frantically click through your spellbook in the middle of a fight.

 

[mondblut]

No mage in the starting party? In a D&D game?

I don't mind. It's more convenient to click on monsters than frantically click through your spellbook in the middle of a fight.

Magic in realtime games is all about utility spells. You have to be a masochist to play without detect magic/(improved) identify for instance, or without teleport if you plan for Stone Prophet. Or fly. Or levitate (and you positively need one of these two to enter a certain plot-critical cave in SP)

 

[procrastinator]

You have to be a masochist to play without detect magic

Indeed

Or fly. Or levitate (and you positively need one of these two to enter a certain plot-critical cave in SP)

Old man, you're not mixing this up with M&M or something, are you? There is no such spells in the manual.
Fake edit: my bad, I thought that SP stands for Strahd Possession

 

[mondblut]

You have to be a masochist to play without detect magic

Indeed

Clerics should have detect - but not identify.

Old man, you're not mixing this up with M&M or something, are you? There is no such spells in the manual.
Fake edit: my bad, I thought that SP stands for Strahd Possession

Heh, forgot both games are "SP". I was referring to Stone Prophet, obviously. Nothing beats soaring above the desert while giggling at dumb desert zombies (and vultures who somehow cannot into flying) far below.

 

[procrastinator]

The thing is that in the last update I was whining about not being able to tell normal and enchanted items apart. Now I know better

 

[Luzur]

You have to be a masochist to play without detect magic

Indeed

Clerics should have detect - but not identify.

Old man, you're not mixing this up with M&M or something, are you? There is no such spells in the manual.
Fake edit: my bad, I thought that SP stands for Strahd Possession

Heh, forgot both games are "SP". I was referring to Stone Prophet, obviously. Nothing beats soaring above the desert while giggling at dumb desert zombies (and vultures who somehow cannot into flying) far below.

well Stone Prophet throws Fly potions/scrolls at you at later stages, so its not like you would miss out.

 

[Erebus]

Well, maybe she's just the reincarnation of a noblewoman.

 

[Mother Russia]

@procrastinator

This is my favorite LP on the 'dex thus far. Great choice for a LP.

Last weekend I actually downloaded and played Stone Prophet just due to the nostalgia from this LP. I was considering Thunderscape or SP, but in the end went with SP due to the annoying sounds in TS. Plus even though TS is turnbased, it is not that fun to play.

@mondblut You already start out so powerful in SP (level 5) that vultures and desert zombies are no threat really. Those damn whirlwinds are fucking killers though.

 

[procrastinator]

Aww gee, Andhaira, you're too kind

 

[Mother Russia]

@procrastinator

This is my favorite LP on the 'dex thus far. Great choice for a LP.

Last weekend I actually downloaded and played Stone Prophet just due to the nostalgia from this LP. I was considering Thunderscape or SP, but in the end went with SP due to the annoying sounds in TS. Plus even though TS is turnbased, it is not that fun to play.

@mondblut You already start out so powerful in SP (level 5) that vultures and desert zombies are no threat really. Those damn whirlwinds are fucking killers though.

 

[CappenVarra]

what goes bump in the mists?

 

[Aeschylus]

what goes bump in the mists?

The Gentleman Caller.

 

[Heresiarch]

Moar! Why are there so little people appreciating this kind of quality LP and good old RPG? Is this still the codex I know of?

 

[procrastinator]

Working on it bros.

 

[CappenVarra]

oh god it's right behind me - have to escape to the safety of the next page!

 

[Crooked Bee]

Bump?