Graceless Peace Plan. Team wins, Fabian, not so much.

I had an epiphany today, though it threw my co-adventurers off. Hope they’ll forgive me. We went to the dragon fort. The statue of Argsnvost the silver dragon in front of it got Ajax very excited and seemed to radiate goodness. Learned he had been beheaded and had his skull separated from his remains, weakening his spirit. The group cautiously entered the fort and started exploring. Found a few, what we later learned, revenants, guarding a book. When we started to approach them Kendrick decided to talk to them first, telling them we hate Strahd, maybe you do too? They agreed and slowly lead us up a couple of floors to visit Vladimir Hornxxxx, the leader of the sect. Honoring Argonvost. We were trying to convince him to let us use his sword to kill Strahd and he was not too happy about that. But he also had curiosity piqued by prospect of returning Argonvost skull. I revealed existence of Irena’s,(Tatiana) first fiancé’s spirit and Alion revealed its location in the shrine pool. Vladimir said he’d have it destroyed. He continued asking us how we would plan moving forward to prove skull existed and plans for the pool. The threat to the pool I think panicked Fabian.
When Kendrick spoke to the terrifying revenants and they were peaceful and helpful I realized that not everything that looks evil is evil and that the undead still protecting the fort mansion of the quintessentially good silver dragon, Argonvost, most of the undead within are likely either good, or have a kernel of good within them. They would make much better allies than enemies. They likely have similar goals to my own, and hopefully our own. This realization fundamentally switched how I implement the help I want to give to Barovia. I’d much rather bring in light, help heal the damaged, ally with and support the good than to be primarily a vengeful vigilante erroneously deciding who is good and who should just be killed.
I convinced Vladimir we might be able to find the skull. Though he didn’t promise to not destroy the shrine, we believe he won’t for at least 3-7 days.
While convincing Vladimir not to fight and to give us a chance I aggravated all and infuriated at least one of my cohorts. Fabian’s mission in going to the fort is to retrieve the sword. I effectively delayed his being able to get it. The pool which can restore Fabian’s humanity is endangered. I thought I was saving it by making peace with Vladimir, but it only saved it for 3-7 days. I thought he had already sent revenants to destroy it and he’d then recall them. He hadn’t sent any. If we had killed him Fab would have his sword and the pool would be safe. Fabian is justifiably upset with me. Though, I still think it was the right thing to do.
Vladimir has a kernel of good. I’m sure of it. Allying with team Arganvost can only be a good thing and may be a great thing.
I was not graceful with my team in negotiating the peace, though I tried to take the needs of each into consideration as I did so. They didn’t react to my graceless burst of almost dictatorial initiative well, go figure. My only excuses are how little time I had to think after my epiphany, it’s implications, and how endangered I felt we were.