Bildrath

Who

Owner of Bildrath's Mercantile, the last proper building in the Village of Barovia.

Where

In his shop, with his very large nephew within shouting distance.

Status

Alive, solvent and unimpressed.

First met

Session 4, the afternoon we arrived.

The outsider special

He took one look at us and said it plainly: "Hello. Oh. Outsiders." Then, in case we had missed the point, "Your mere existence brings my family into danger." He handed over a price list marked up for strangers (it is in the handouts) and told us we would pay it or go without.

Sirius had other ideas. His first attempt at charm fell flat. His second, sweetened with every honeyed word he had, got a grudging "They are slightly marked up," and we walked out paying a quarter of the listed price with tents, packs, bedrolls, water skins, rations, rope and a whetstone. Drew was also quietly discovering that she could conjure half of this for herself.

What we learned at his counter

• There are no healing potions to be bought here. When Sirius tried to sell ours, Bildrath offered ten gold and added, "You will not find a potion of healing in this village for love nor money." We kept it.
• The devil is on the money. He paid twelve gold for a spare crossbow, and every coin bore the profile of a gaunt man: the same face as the statue in the basement of Death House.
• Hypotheticals are not welcome. When one of us, wine-flushed, wondered aloud what would happen if somebody simply struck him down, Bildrath bellowed for his nephew Parriwimple (Periwinkle, to our ears), a very large young man who answered "Yes, Uncle?", and had the speaker put out: "You, outside. That was rude." We said a fond goodbye to Periwinkle on the way out.

What we still wonder

• Is his rudeness fear, greed or both? He was not wrong that strangers bring trouble.