Day One, Early Morning: Voluntary Probing

[L'Orr-hui]

The illithid focused on the thought of his guest, telekenetically controlled pen wrinting down notes as their hand make gestures to recreate the memories through visual illusions.

''This woman''

The recreation appeared once more

''Can you tell me of her and the circumstance of your meeting?''

[Cyprian Kircheis]

"Certainly!" He says as his mind transitions to the Arbonesse forest where he, Jhaamdath (A Drow Sword Singer), Rufa (A tiny Mushroom, with a big heart), and Toda (A great Minotaur warrior) wound up after the party became separated during that close encounter with Y'gurdraketh (A Dread Walker several stories high).

The woman in question had been captured by Cyric cultists. The four of them saved her from her fate as a future offering, and in exchange received various relics for their trouble. The whole episode plays back as the four study and plan their approach, eventually make their move using the mushroom as bait. The battle ensues, eventually they triumph, and naturally rescue the woman. The relics she hands over are a candle, a lute, a jewel, and a dagger.

"Ohh!" Cyprian remembers, "That's where I got this Lute of Scribing. I'd almost forgotten!"

His mind transitions to him playing it on a stage in Cassadega... where the words 'Melanka, call for a good time' - form behind him. It then transitions to a scantly clad woman in a dungeon, dancing spear in hand-

"Ignore that, my mind has a tendency to wander." He says focusing his mind back on the star lady. "We actually parted ways from there and I never saw her again. I'd almost forgotten about her entirely if I'm being honest. I think her name was Cassandra? Or was it Caliope?"

His mind transitions to a sultry Half-Elf named Cassandra who- "Nope! Not Cassandra, definitely Caliope!"

[L'Orr-hui]

A long time ago L'Orr-hui might have been surprised by the ludecrist amount of time human and near human species put into seeking coital relations and the pageantry put around it. Since that time, however, they came to understand that if a sentient being had any appendages it is likely a human wll find a way to copulate with it.

''Yes, I will ignore that'' then they switched the topic ''Who is this Cyric? A god, a demon lord, an infernal prince or something else?''

[Cyprian Kircheis]

"Honestly I'm not sure. I believe he's related to Boreas, or possibly Addrikah going by what we gathered. Otherwise I have no idea."

His mind's playback shows Jhaamdath holding up a tome called "the Prince of Lies" with a dark sun emblem. He flips through it while Cyprian kicks his feet up and composes a song to commemorate the encounter. The mushroom dances to the song while Cyprian plays. Toda cuts off the left ears of the dead-

"Unimportant. But we hadn't a clue who they were. We only know Cyric is his name because that's what Caliope called him."

...Or is it Kalliope? Calliope?

[L'Orr-hui]

''Calliope'' they confirmed while making a clear annotation

''Some divinities are present in multiple crystal spheres but some are limited to one. If Cyric is a divinity then we might have a good lead...the stars are a good addition to narrow the search if Cyric is present on multiple planes.''

There was a pause

''Now...what about this Barovia?''

[Cyprian Kircheis]

The scenery changes to a land of mist with overcast skies.

There's a sigh, "I was afraid you'd ask about that."

There's a company of heroes. A paladin woman - "Rowan" - with fair features and metal plate. The scene quick switches between her glaring at him, and him cradling her broken body on several occasions.

A lovely Elven rogue and archer - "Elysienne" - Likewise the scene quick switches multiple times. Several flashes of them in combat. Cyprian wielding a Sword made of light, and Elysienne standing behind him firing off arrows in rapid succession. Then there are more intimate moments with the two locked in ecstasy. Inside the ruins of a chapel. Or inside Strahd's keep.

A wild, savage barbarian - "Bad-Snake, no I'm not kidding that was his name." - Several scenes of him engaged in combat, one of him locked in a duel with Strahd's right-hand man.

A middle aged druid, with a brown knotted beard - "I forgot what the Druid's name was but I think it was... Sparky? Lucky? Something like that..." - There are several scenes of him talking.

"I'm honestly not sure why we kept him around. But there's another person I think... right?"

The scene transitions to a courtyard. Cyprian has the Sunsword drawn and is holding off hordes of vampires and zombies. Beside him is a woman that almost looks like Akh Uur Hoon. "My gods! The resemblance is uncanny! Well no... Akh is hotter."

Behind him in this scene is Elysienne firing off a volley of arrows. Next to Elysienne is the Druid. Protecting them both is Bad-Snake and Rowan. Above the scene is Strahd himself raining fireballs down on them all.

"He was a pain in the ass to fight! Oh but what did you want to know about Barovia?"

[L'Orr-hui]

L'Orr-hui's soul being almost dead had the virtue of numbing his mind to the cavalcade of unsavory scenes, saving the illithid from encroaching exasperation.

''First of all: how did you come to be there? I remember you saying Barovia was not in your realm''

[Cyprian Kircheis]

"Ahh," he thought, "Let me think..."

The scene transitions once again to Zobeck where Cyprian is seen heading down the cobbled streets towards the 'Dancing Bear' Inn. He's humming merrily as he opens up the door and steps through seamlessly into Sigil. Above the door on the Midgard side can be seen the Sigil of Loki that seems to light up as Cyprian approaches.

"... was that?"

Inn for Giants... Loki...

"SON OF A *****!!!"

[L'Orr-hui]

''Loki'' they mentionned ''Another clue. However that only explains how you came here, not how you came to Barovia. Any thoughts on this?''

[Cyprian Kircheis]

"Ahh, well Strahd himself pulled me into Barovia."

The scene transitions to him walking the streets of Zobeck after playing a tavern gig. He walks into a fog bank, a thing not uncommon at that hour in Zobeck, but when he comes out of it he's in Barovia.

It sort of fast forwards through him exploring Wallaki, interrogating the locals. Angrily stomping his way along the road. Then coming to Castle Ravenloft and finding the portcullis sealed. He can be seen angrily shouting obscenities and insults at the castle for a good minute or two before a carriage filled with three humans and an elf pull up behind him.

The scene fastforwards again coming to Strahd staring down at the party with a smirk on his face. "We will discuss in time why I have brought you here..." Then another transition to the previously mentioned battle. Strahd is falling to the ground, impaled by Rowan's sword. Cyprian catches her and Strahd disappears upon contact with the ground.

Another transition of Strahd screaming in both fury and agony with a stake sticking out of him in his coffin. Then one last transition as the clouds clear and the sun comes out over Barovia. Cyprian walks into a cloud bank and exits again onto the streets of Zobeck.

"That's why I mentioned Barovia earlier. If I can get there, I can return to Midgard." He said casually. "It would be nice to see Rowan and Elysienne again."