Strahd and Azalin: A Bard's Tale

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Ender
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Strahd and Azalin: A Bard's Tale

Post by Ender »

So in my Curse of Strahd game, I have Rictavio telling stories at the Blue Water Inn that have some relation to the Ravenloft campaign setting. I didn't want to come up with random funny stories about nothing like the adventure suggests. My players decided to stay for the first story and because I'd spent so much time planning on the party's meeting with Lady Wachter... I forgot to prep a story for Rictavio. Luckily, it was at the end of the session, so he announced to the audience the subject of the story before we cut to black. On the spot, I said it was the tale of Azalin Rex and Strahd von Zarovich... because that was the first thing my brain came up with. Now I've got to tell a tale at the beginning of the next session that's about this. It's been some time since I've read The War Against Azalin and my memory is lacking, but I have the distinct impression that any tale told would be heavily modified from actual events because not a lot of people would know what really transpired. So I'm looking for ideas.

Please help.
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Re: Strahd and Azalin: A Bard's Tale

Post by Dark Angel »

"Gather my friends, hear the tale of the ancestor of our lord, Count Strahd von Zarovich V and his dealings with the treacherous cur from the far lands, Azalin Rex! Hundreds of years ago, the Mists themselves brought Azalin to our lands. As mysterious as his arrival was, his story prior to this was even more so. It was the kind nature of Count von Zarovich that took Azalin in and offered him all the hospitalities available. The outsider was brought to the Count's court, toured the lands, and, some even say, was sought for advice on more personal matters."

"The Count also learned of the devious nature of this new man. He learned that this Azalin was a spell weaver and a powerful one, no less. It is said his mastery of the dark magics were the cause of his arrival to Barovia, less to challenge Lord Strahd but rather to curse him for his collaboration with sinister forces. It is spoken that when Azalin tempted him with eternal life and powers no man should command, Strahd had him cast out of our lands. There was a price for his bravery, however. In cowardly desperation to the physically mightier Barovian nobleman, Azalin spewed forth magic energies that would have felled a lesser man. Forcing himself to fight on to expel the foul wizard from Barovia, just before he fell into darkness to the lands where his ancestors welcomed him for his stalwart service to his countrymen and lands."

"Fortunately, his son, Count von Zarovich VI ascended the throne and took charge just as well as his father had after decades of service. He saw fit to increase the size of the militia and strengthen our defenses, concerned that the petty wizard would strike back in retribution. Fortunate for his foresight as the wizard-who-would-be-king did send his loathsome minions into Barovia, able only to get the unwilling dead to follow him in his quest to destroy the lands that had welcomed him and treated him as an equal. Men at arms were called and the proud banner of the Barovian forces flew as they were able to drive out the initial invaders, but even these brave men were unable to keep the limitless hordes away for long. Clashes occurred, sword and shield against bones and rotted flesh. With Lord Strahd's leadership, he forced Azalin's final plan of utter cowardice..."

"When the armies of Barovia were looming on his horizon, a greater force than the great Count Strahd the First commanded to bring his ancestral lands back to his people, Azalin completed his most dastardly plan yet. He pulled his conquered and befouled lands from the ground and moved it farther away hoping to increase the distances from Barovia and make the Count's military forces move through new, foreign lands. Luckily for the wizard-king, the Count felt no need to waste further lives of his people. He fought a hard struggle against the wizard who tried to take his lands, the man who used foul magic that killed his father. His land was safe and secure, just as it is to this day. But time has not made him complacent, our towns are still protected and the mighty militia still patrols our lands today. They seek out the evil remnants of Azalin's force, undying and unwilling to give up, not too unlike their foul master whom hides away in castle to the northern end of the known lands."

"Vistani tales claim Azalin watches from his parapets, trying to figure out a way to destroy the von Zarovich line and seeking out greater and greater rituals to do so. His desire for war will never be sated, it seems. But his revenge will not be sated either! He has remained alive decades longer than any man should, assuredly kept alive with the very same magics he uses to control the dead and smother a man's life! But the von Zarovichs have never let down their guard and have always been wary of foreigners with backhanded natures, lest they be agents of the coward wizard himself. Now raise a mug! All hail the lords of our land and bless the ever vigilant eyes of the von Zarovich family! All hail, Count Strahd von Zarovich!"
Last edited by Dark Angel on Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Strahd and Azalin: A Bard's Tale

Post by Mistmaster »

Bravo!!!! Fantastic story telling.
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Re: Strahd and Azalin: A Bard's Tale

Post by Dark Angel »

Mistmaster wrote:Bravo!!!! Fantastic story telling.
Thanks, I majored in political propaganda speech writing.
"One does not stop playing when they get old, they grow old when they stop playing" George Bernard Shaw
"If you could be either God’s worst enemy or nothing, which would you choose?" Chuck Palahniuk
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Re: Strahd and Azalin: A Bard's Tale

Post by Ender »

This is fantastic! I am so using this.
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Re: Strahd and Azalin: A Bard's Tale

Post by Dark Angel »

Ender wrote:This is fantastic! I am so using this.
Go for it (it's one of the reasons why we're here), but I took a few liberties assuming this was a Barovian storyteller (given the little I know about CoS, the majority of it takes place in Barovia and the 'meeting with a member of the Watcher family'). Feel free to add to or tweak, glad I could help!
"One does not stop playing when they get old, they grow old when they stop playing" George Bernard Shaw
"If you could be either God’s worst enemy or nothing, which would you choose?" Chuck Palahniuk
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Re: Strahd and Azalin: A Bard's Tale

Post by brilliantlight »

Dark Angel wrote:
Mistmaster wrote:Bravo!!!! Fantastic story telling.
Thanks, I majored in political propaganda speech writing.
Sounds like it ! :lol: All in all it is pretty awesome.
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