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My eyes feel old and weary. I have been staring at, deciphering, this text for so long, I sometimes forget to eat. But now the letters themselves are dancing around the page and my eyes are begging to rest. I will let them, Strahd's secrets can wait, just for a moment or two.

It's been a while now since Hoskgak died, overwhelmed by the wolf pack. He could be such a stubborn idiot... but I feel somewhat lost without his straightforward presence. Destiny seems to have forgotten him already, off on her new adventure with two new companions like a kitten with new toys, neither of whom I would trust to watch my back; an arrogant Drow assassin who apparently wanders deep in Barovia without silvered weapons, just for fun and a Werewolf from the very pack that brought us such grief. Their mission? To free yet another Werewolf into the world in the hope they will ally with us against Strahd himself.

For my part, perhaps I am no better, instead of avenging my friend and returning his body to rest in peace, here I sit hiding in a book. And my research companion? Surely no more trustworthy than the other two. Clearly he is very powerful, yet he hides away in disguises and keeps more secrets than I know, disappearing off for days to go who-knows-where and do who-knows-what. Then there is Ireena, ever since we met Rictavio he has been pushing for information on Ireena and with each revelation about her that we uncover within Strahd's tome, I feel he is developing a greater plan which he does not share with me, but which may not have Ireena's best interests at heart.

Ireena, my beacon of sanity since arriving here, also may not be who she seems, but I trust her with my life all the same and trust is in short supply in these parts, so I will do whatever I can to help and protect her.

I begin to wonder if we may even be safer away from Rictavio, perhaps in the Winery, or return to Ireena's home village to see if her brother can help us. Perhaps I just want to travel there to see if Hoskgak has joined the ghostly procession of the damned. Perhaps it will not be long before I walk with him again.

Right, the moment has passed. Time to search for the secrets of my enemy once more.


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