Cast · The Vistani
Aragal
AliveFriendly
A Vistani rider from the camp outside Vallaki who gave us road advice, commissioned a toy for his daughter, and has terrible knees.
Last seen riding ahead of us for the Vistani camp outside Vallaki. Still waiting for his toy.
- Last seen
- The Road West
- First met
- Session 6
- Last seen in
- Session 6
What we owe, and what we are doing about it
-
A Toy for Araba
Aragal pays twenty gold over cost for a Blinsky original toy for his daughter, delivered to his camp outside Vallaki.
On the road west a Vistani rider called Aragal fell in beside us, warned us about wolves and "will-o'-wispies", and explained that Vallaki does not let his people through the gate. Then he asked a favour: "there is a store in Vallaki, Blinsky's Toy Shop. I have a daughter, Araba. She would love a Blinsky original toy… I would pay you 20 gold on top of the cost of the Blinsky toy if you could bring one to me." We said we'd get a nice one. We also asked whether he was a hunter of hunters, and he said that seemed a very grand title to give oneself.
We have been in Vallaki ever since and have not once walked past Blinsky's. Aragal's camp is just outside the walls. It is still the one errand with nothing wrong with it.
- Who
- A Vistana on horseback, "somewhat influential" in the Vistani camp outside Vallaki.
- Where
- His camp, somewhere outside Vallaki's walls. We did not see it from the gate.
- Status
- Alive, friendly, and owed a toy.
- First met
- Session 6, several hours down the road from Tser Pool.
On the road
He came up behind us at a canter: "Hail, hark. I didn't expect to see travelers on the road today. Where do you hail from?" We told him we were Mistwalkers. "Ah, Mistwalkers." He guessed we had come from Madam Eva's lot, and explained that his people keep a camp of their own near Vallaki; the two camps come and go and mingle.
His advice for the road was short and sound: "There's wolves. There's will-o'-wispies. They glow and scream for help." Travel swiftly and kill any wolves we see, and we should be "pretty fine. You seem like capable people."
Sirius introduced himself and, when the rest of us started riddling at the man, assured him, "Aragal, I have no idea what they're talking about either, just for the absolute avoidance of doubt." Somebody complimented his hair, and he took it gracefully: "Well, I am very attractive."
What he told us
- He is not our hunter of hunters. We asked, thinking of the ally in The Reading. He does some hunting and trades in pelts and skins, but "That seems a very grand title to give oneself."
- Vallaki does not let Vistani in. They trade with the camp and take its goods, but not its people. The Vallakians call the Vistani Strahd's allies. "We do not, of course." His verdict on the town: "They are a paranoid and distasteful people." (He also thought they had some reason to be afraid.)
- On the devil: "Strahd is simply a being who does what he does."
The commission
There is a toy shop in Vallaki, Blinsky's, and his daughter Araba would love a Blinsky original. He will pay us twenty gold on top of the cost if we bring one to his camp. One of us read him closely while he asked and came away certain: the man dotes on his daughter. It may be the least complicated request anyone has made of us in Barovia. (Sirius thought Blinsky sounded like a pastrami sandwich. Aragal: "He's a mere toymaker. A very good toymaker, but a mere toymaker.")
We said we would call at the shop when we reached town and get her a nice one. We have not yet been through Blinsky's door.
Our physical assessment, recorded at the time: sturdy, well-travelled boots; solid, beefy calves; average quads; and terrible knees, the worst knees any of us had ever seen.
"We shall meet anon, but I must away now." We spent some time afterwards arguing about what "anon" means.
What we still don't know
- What does "somewhat influential" mean, in a camp we have never seen?
- Is anything in Barovia ever really this simple?