The tension in the room was palpable as the hooded woman introduced herself. "I am Ireena," she said, her voice steady. "Friend of Esmerelda and hunted by Strahd." The party exchanged wary glances but eventually offered their names and recounted their journey through Barovia—the horrors of the swamp, the tower, and the bitter encounters with Strahd himself. Ireena listened intently, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity. "Sounds like you've been through hell," she said after a moment. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a small bundle of apples. "Here. It’s not much, but it’s food." The party gratefully took the apples, the first fresh food they’d seen in days. As they ate, Ireena gestured toward an old safe tucked into the corner of the room. "I’ve been trying to get that open for weeks. It might hold something important." [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] examined the key she had found earlier and tried it on the safe. It didn’t fit. “Let me handle this,” [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] said, cracking his knuckles as he pulled out his lockpicks. With deft precision, he worked the lock until it clicked open. The safe creaked as it revealed its contents. Before anyone could react, Ireena shoved [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] aside and grabbed the leather-bound journal inside. “It might be—ow!” she cried as the journal snapped at her fingers with a sharp bite. She dropped it to the floor, clutching her hand. [[Ellette|Ellette]] wasted no time. She stamped on the journal to keep it still and picked it up. Her face paled as she felt a faint heartbeat pulsing through the cover. She hesitated before opening it, the pages practically vibrating in her hands. “What is it?” [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] asked, stepping closer. “It’s… Strahd’s journal,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] replied, her voice grim. She began to read aloud, and the room fell silent as the dark tale unfolded. The journal chronicled Strahd’s life before his transformation into a vampire. It detailed his jealousy and resentment toward his younger brother, Sergio, who was beloved by the people of Barovia and engaged to marry the beautiful Tatyana. Enraged and seeking power, Strahd had made a pact with the Amber Temple, trading his soul for cursed gifts. With his newfound strength, he killed Sergio and declared his love to Tatyana on the rooftop of Castle Ravenloft. But Tatyana, horrified, rejected him and leaped from the castle walls, her body never recovered. As [[Ellette|Ellette]] finished reading, [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] stepped forward, his eyes gleaming. “That journal—it could be a source of power. Let me see it.” “No,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] said firmly, clutching the journal to her chest. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] stepped between them. “Yeah, because you really need more power,” he said sarcastically, eyeing [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]]’s grey scales and unnerving demeanour. [[Ellette|Ellette]] secured the journal in her pack. “If you want it, [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], you’ll have to kill me first.” Before the argument could escalate further, they noticed movement in the room. The tiny spiders they had seen earlier scuttled from the shadows, swarming toward the window. The party watched in uneasy silence as the arachnids streamed outside. [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] peeked through the window. His face turned pale. “Uh, guys? Big problem.” The others joined him to see a massive spider perched on the roof of their building, its many eyes glinting in the moonlight. “It’s time to go,” Ireena said, her voice tense. The party rushed downstairs, exiting the house into the desolate streets of Barovia. As they moved cautiously through the town, they noticed townsfolk emerging from their homes, their faces gaunt and haunted. None of them seemed to acknowledge the party. “I don’t know any of these people,” Ireena whispered, her brow furrowed. As they walked, Ireena spoke in hushed tones. “I am the reincarnation of Tatyana,” she confessed. “Souls don’t leave Barovia. When you die here, you stay here. You’re… recycled. I know I’m Tatyana, but I don’t remember anything beyond that. I’ve only lived twenty-one years.” [[Ellette|Ellette]]’s expression hardened, her distaste for Strahd deepening. “He’s stolen everything from you,” she said bitterly. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] suddenly froze. “Wait,” she said, pointing ahead. Two spectral figures—a boy and a girl—stood in the mist, resembling the children depicted in the pendant [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] had found. The children stared at the party for a moment before fleeing through the town gate. “They’re spirits,” [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] murmured. The party hesitated briefly before deciding to follow. The trail led them out of Barovia and toward a solitary mill perched on a hill in the distance. The ominous structure loomed before them, a dark silhouette against the swirling fog. “Whatever this is,” [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] said, gripping his staff tightly, “we’re walking straight into it.” The party steeled themselves and advanced toward the mill. [[Chapter 72. Mill of Horrors]]