28.1 : We can be heroes just for one day

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Are we the heroes of Barovia? Are we even making a difference?

Serenity sits listening to Destiny telling, anyone who will listen, of her heroic deeds. The history books will no doubt tell how she single handedly defeated Strahd with one wave of her tail!

She looks across at Hosgak, so often oblivious to the magic and the assistance of others, building his own legend within his own mind. Being raised with nothing but stories of heroes, perhaps he can be forgiven for seeing the world through a lens of heroism.

What have we done to deserve the title of Hero? 

Yes, we survived the House of Death, home to the forsaken Durst family. But surely heroism is more than just staying alive? Was it heroic to convince the Vistani Rado to pay his tab? Perhaps not. But saving the drowning Arabelle from Bluto surely was? Although, Bluto was unarmed and no match for us, we still murdered him, surely not the action of a hero? A work in progress...

We did save the winery! Defeating the blighted vines and Druids of Yesterhill. We vanquished a coven of Night Hags that had tormented Barovia, putting an end to their child-murdering reign. The demon hiding in the Orphanage was no match for us. We have even defeated one of Strahd's own vampire spawn. Removed the curse on the house of Fidatov, securing supplies for the starving town of Krezk... perhaps Destiny is right and we are heroes?

But surely these victories need to be balanced with our failures?

The children we did not save from the hags. Father Donavich, whose son turned vampire-spawn we promised we would help. The loss of the bones of St Andral and the fall of Vallaki, we could not protect Father Petrovich or many others in that town. I did not feel a hero as we helplessly fled the vampires; we made promises, to the mother of Udo Lucovich, that we would save her son from the Burgomaster's house. But we ran. Now in Krezk the pattern repeats, a dead Burgomaster and his son, the end of the Krezhkov line. Even Rictavio's pet Rameses was devoured. When confronted with the monstrosities the Abbott of St Markovia has created, his 'subjects', did we stand up to him? No, we kept quiet and snuck away.

Maybe whether we are heroes or not, is not for us to think about. Perhaps it will only be decided based on the trials that are yet to come?

What will come of Madam Eva's card readings? We must finish the Tome of Strahd, seek out the Master of the Marsh in Berez, locate our werewolf ally and travel to Mount Ghakis to find a powerful weapon. I promised the Martikovs I would help them find their young boy, Martin, abducted by scarecrows or the witch of Berez? We promised Mad Mary we would do all we could to return her daughter Gertruda to her, surely there is more we can try. Even our first triumph, escaping the Death House and burning it down, we were told it would rise again, can we somehow cleanse it so the spirits can rest in peace? What is happening with the souless people of the land? We encounter them throughout Barovia, normal people, going about their day, but somehow something is not there, can we help them?

Then there is Ireena, whose brother Ismark we made a promise to that we would protect her from Strahd, our 'allies' Rictavio and the Abbott both seem to have a worrying interest in her, or more precisely they are interested in Strahd's interest in her. We are not yet strong enough to prevent Strahd taking her whenever he wants, we have not found a way to keep her safe. Perhaps the Abbot is right to suggest restoring the lost memories of Tatiana to Ireena, or perhaps we should keep her as far away from them all as possible until we are strong enough for the only truly heroic act in this land...

...to kill Strahd.

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