Having taken what we could, we left the Amber Temple and headed north once more at a surprisingly fast clip. Once again, the roads were unusually quiet. Even passing through Berez again, there was no sign of Baba Lysaga. Rather than concerning ourselves with her just yet, the group pressed on, past Argynvostholt, only pausing briefly in Vallaki to spend the night and check on a few important details. It had been some time since we had left Dennis Snaggletooth in the care of others, and it seemed wise to ensure our Vistani friends were still satisfied watching Dennis (which they were). Likewise, it seemed wise to pop by the local constabulary to ensure the numerous individuals we had had arrested over the prior weeks were still in custody (which they were). Satisfied that all was well in Vallaki, we enjoyed an evening of merriment, song, and drink with the Vistani just outside of town.

Mire is always game for a night of revelry. I think it has to do with her fey ancestry. She danced with the Vistani and drank and sang. Ragnar enjoys himself in his own way, which in his case, seemed to involve his spending much of the night engaged as a horse, presumably chatting up the dozen-some other horses penned by the watering hole. After having several drinks of my own, I made sure Doru had his "dinner" -- he seems to greatly enjoy having his meal from one who has partaken of wine. I felt somewhat guilty that Vasili did not seem as engaged in the entertainment as everyone else. He was able to be pulled into a dance or two, but he politely declined wine all night and seemed to take his pleasure from watching us enjoy ourselves more than anything else.

After leaving the Vistani, it was another three days of travel before we reached Castle Ravenloft. Entrance was immediately granted, a benefit of having the castle's envoy as our traveling companion. Rahadin met us at the door, and we were told that Lord Strahd was otherwise occupied, but we were given leave to meet with his consorts. One-by-one, we went to greet our friends. Escher was found in the upstairs lounge, coming in from the terrace to greet us. We gave him a first edition copy of Snow Dwarf and the Seven Wights brought back from the Amber Temple for him, and in turn, he read us some of his latest poetry. Ludmilla, we found in the castle library. She seemed pleased to see us as well. To her, we gave the centuries-old letter from Lord Strahd to the Durst family, as she serves as the country's historian. In addition, I gave her a copy of this journal to detail many of the events that have transpired over recent weeks and months. In the dungeons, Volenta was in the Hall of Bones and was at least especially pleased to see Ragnar and Finrar. She greeted the raptor as if he were a faithful dog, and Finrar seemed to enjoy her scratching his sides in the same manner. Volenta was gifted a special skull from the Amber Temple with red garnet eyes that seemed to glow with an inner flame, but also a bag of holding was opened, and nearly a hundred humanoid skulls spilled out, much to her delight. An entire room of the temple had been filled with skulls, and it was unanimously decided that a magical sack needed to be filled with them for the vampire consort.

It was then that Vasili finally revealed himself. Banishing his magic, the man's features morphed, although not as much as one might have suspected. Light hair darkened and grew longer, tanned skin became paler, but the dark eyes looking back at us from Lord Strahd's face were still clearly the same warm ones that had looked back at us from Vasili's face for so many days. Doru just walked away for a few minutes, muttering something about all vampires just being damned liars, but I think he was more annoyed with himself for not realizing that Vasili was undead than feeling particularly betrayed by the deception. Mire, Ragnar, and I were all quite taken by surprise, and Lord Strahd seemed quite pleased with himself for having so utterly fooled us. (Having had time to reflect on this, I feel a little foolish for not coming upon this sooner, as Lord Strahd said himself in his journal that he used a magical disguise in order to be able to walk among the people of Barovia.)

Business first: I spoke with Lord Strahd about the matter of the revenants at Argynvostholt. Although he was already privy to our plan, it was only polite to lay it all out for him in an official capacity, especially as we were asking a favor of him. In the end, he was willing to exchange the skull of Argynvost for the wendigo head of the amber golem waiting in the wagon. That accomplished, he was also given his gifts. First, we gave him back his journal with our thanks for allowing us to use it to help us in our travels. Second, I told him about what I had given to Ludmilla, saying it was only fair for him to read my diary as well, if he would like. And third, I gave him the collection of Blinsky dolls confiscated from Vallakovich's manor after his arrest. All of them. Blinsky's work is amazing and should be appreciated, but they are simply too creepy for me to want to keep. He may find one that he particularly likes from the bunch. (I certainly intend to place my Blinsky doll of Lord Strahd in the model of Castle Ravenloft retrieved from the Amber Temple.)

While there, Strahd made a request of the group, stating that Baba Lysaga had gained too much power. If she was able to so fully pull Lord Strahd into an illusion, he felt that she needed "to be taken care of". We were given permission to handle her in whatever manner we saw best. As no one had ever challenged her before, I asked Lord Strahd if he would hold the gem from the Winery. That way, in case Baba Lysaga was able to overcome us, she would not reclaim the magic stone. Additionally, he recommended that we speak to the owner of the Blue Water Inn in order to learn more about the history of the winery.

Lord Strahd requested a private audience with me, briefly, before we left. Alone together, he rather unexpectedly asked if I would consent to marry him (in the fullness of time, of course, with the complete understanding that there are many tasks that I am currently engaged in). One might not think it such a surprising thing, considering his history with Tatyana, but it was still surprising to me. I had honestly assumed he was simply waiting for a new incarnation to woo. In part, I had been in the country for months without any attention from him. Even after meeting, he was a polite gentleman but gave no indication of interest. He is a vampire; I am an aasimar and paladin of Abadar. I am not always couth, often unladylike. I prefer swordsmanship to dances, despite my mother's best efforts. I'm hardly a suitable match for such a noble lord, yet he admitted that he had enjoyed our time travelling together every bit as much as I had.

I have asked him for time to think on it, to pray to Abadar to see what such a union would mean to my service to my god. I've no doubt that Lord Strahd would want his wife to be a vampire as well, lest it be an incredibly short relationship, from his perspective. I must also pray on how such a change would affect me, affect my service, and if I would want to change myself so fully for the love of any person. It speaks well of his character that he is open to giving me that time to consider his offer.