The Bard ("Riptarvo")

Who

The brightly dressed musician at The Blue Water Inn, with the finest moustache in Barovia. He has never told us his name. His moustache wax is Riptarvo's Finest Wax, so Riptarvo he is until he corrects us.

Where

On the Blue Water's little stage, most evenings. We haven't seen him since the night of Lady Wachter's dinner, when Ireena sang.

Status

Alive, as far as we know. Watching us. His words.

First seen

Session 7, playing in the corner. We spoke to him properly in Session 8.

On our first night in Vallaki there was a man in the corner of the Blue Water dressed so brightly that nobody could mistake him for a Vistani. Later that evening we talked to him, and came away sure he was no mere bard. Two nights after that he left us a chest of vampire-hunting kit and a five-word note, and the next morning we opened the crates. We think he is the ally Madam Eva promised us. We have still never had a proper conversation with him.

The conversation

Sirius opened by praising his moustache, the most splendiferous he had seen in this land. "I have wax. Wax by the plenty." He showed us the jar. "I sell many things, sir." He liked stories of derring-do, so we told him about Death House, the cult and the children. He listened, and then said the name that nobody in Vallaki says:

"All stories have their highs and lows. It sounds like you encountered one of Strahd's fishing hooks."

It was the first time anyone in Vallaki had said it in our hearing. Sirius pointed out that he had just said the word we'd been told not to say. "Ah, the laws are for the little people."

Sirius told him about the name-thrice rule from the devil's letter. He asked where we had got that. On the Reformation Center he was firm: "I believe they employ dark magics… Stay out if at all possible… It is a bad business." He noticed, when Sirius mentioned new powers, that we had all grown stronger lately: "Those entwined in fate can find themselves overly boosted very quickly." And he told us what he thought of the devil:

"He isn't a god. He is a monster. There will be ways and means. Do not find yourselves bamboozled by his propaganda."

He knew old stories: ancient bargains, and ancient creatures who once held power in this land, tied to the land, and had it taken from them. Someone asked if he meant dragons. "Dragons are often involved in this tale," he said, but these were more like fey. Sirius told him that what was stolen could be reclaimed. The bard gave him a very sharp look.

"That is a very astute thing to say, sir."

Sirius said he intended to reclaim at least one of those things. "Many have said such a thing, sir." If we wanted the universe's help, he said, we might want to prove ourselves a bit more. Then he announced that he was tired, and went upstairs to his room:

"I shall watch you with great interest."

Our insight said he was playing himself down, and that he thought rather highly of himself. Our verdict was unanimous: that was no mere bard.

On stage

The next night he was on stage with the band while Ireena sang. We checked his boots, because the man who paid Milivoj for the bones had very nice shoes. His were curled, gold-plated and very colourful, and he did not look like a man who would wear a cloak. We ruled him out.

The chest

The night before the Coffin Works, after we had left the bar, he found Muriel and gave her a heavy chest and a rolled note for us. The note said:

Hunt well those who hunt.

Inside, in labelled compartments, everything standing up straight: three flasks of holy water, three stakes, a small iron mallet, two potions of healing, a potion of necrotic resistance, a scroll of protection from evil and good, a steel mirror, manacles, a flask of oil, a crowbar and three torches. A vampire hunter's kit, packed by someone with strong feelings about labels, the night before we found out what was in Henrik's crates.

We read the card again. "Look for a mighty predator, a hunter of hunters. He stalks this land in hope of slaying the mightiest prey of all. Perhaps you and he share an adversary." That did rather feel like this. The next morning Sirius read the scroll and Osric drank the potion of necrotic resistance before we went up Henrik's stairs, and one of the healing potions went down Lily's throat in the fight.

What we owe him

Our thanks, for the kit, and a proper conversation, which we keep meaning to have.

What we still don't know

• What is he? A bard who says the devil's name in a crowded room, knows the land's oldest stories and packs vampire-hunting kits is not only a bard.
• Is he the hunter of hunters? We think so. Roger's lesson is to know our ally before our swords do.
• How did he know what was in the crates before we did?
• Where is he now? We haven't seen him since the night Ireena sang.