Commence Fact-Finding Mission: Barovia

I wait at the fork in contemplation.
 
I will be joined by goblinoid, "Talin Quicknife." He comes exceptionally recommended. It piques my curiosity to hear his exploits, and I am eager to judge his efficiency firsthand.
 
Nearly two hours pass. I maintain no disguise, and no travelers come this way.
 
The goblin arrives. He is concerned, as most initially are, of my appearance. He appears to know stories of my kind but is confident enough to walk beside me on the road ahead. I remain observant and cautious for any irregular behavior or other concerns.
 
He apparently knows little of this mission. Perhaps as humor, he hands me the severed head of a rodent to suck upon for my "condition". His nervous surprise after I consume it washes away quickly, and I note his psychological adaptation to be above-average.
 
We enter the mists. They are exactly as were described to me: all-consuming of the surroundings and devoid of any feeling of terrestrial fixation.
 
The mists clear only enough to reveal a path in dark woods, illuminated by a full moon. Solar and lunar cycles are distinctly different here.
 
We near a trio of buildings. Talin takes cover at the edge of the mists, behind the trees, and I adopt his practice. There are two elves speaking with distressed human children. One elf, in poor health, appears to be clad in religious or magi attire. The other is armed with metallic edge weapons and analog powder firearms.
 
A human steps out of the mist, unknown to us before this moment but still unaware of our presence. He introduces himself to the elves and the children, confused and cautious. He's armed with a collection of equipment for hunting intelligent undead entities, and claims to be from another realm, Wallachia.
 
The three of them are as cautious as we are. Talin decides to step forward, and I join in step. It is clear most of these people are unfamiliar with my kind.
 
The human children plead for us to save their younger brother, atop the third floor, and their parents, engaged in conflict with a monster in the basement. I have hesitations about being sidetracked with the obnoxious pleas of children, but I will not separate myself from Quicknife-- nor these momentary allies-- in this land of darkness. Talin hands them an apple (which he later declares was a means of testing whether they were ethereal undead. I find it pragmatic).
 
We enter the building together, this house of "Durst." It is decorated with all manner of gaudy trash humans believe to be elegant. Depictions of celebratory fervor line hallways and rooms, but closer inspection reveals many of the illustrations as depictions of struggle and terror against night creatures. I am unable to immediately determine if these people were victims or hunters of these foes.
 
The house is barely lived-in, and we can hear no infant nor monster roar. It reeks of awaiting ambush. I return to the outside to question the children, but the mists have crept all the way to the portcullis, and exit is futile.
 
Our group scours the bottom floor before heading upstairs. Strange noises punctuate our moments of examination. The monster hunter examines each suit of armor with caution, expressing paranoia over past battles with animated armor. It is a respectable concern; a learned precaution.
 
In the second floor library, I seek historical knowledge of this place and locate three books: Murderous Turmoil: Gabrielle Anderre and Lord Barkholis by Lengyel Sandor; The Child Vampire by Dr. Rudolph Van Richten; and The Amber Wastes by Taeril Kehndyrlar. As I speak the titles aloud, the monster hunter is visibly interested in the tome by Van Richten. I gift it to him and return to my inspections.
 
We continue up the spiral staircase. Another suit of heavy armor faces the top of the staircase. As the monster hunter moves to inspect it, it animates and attempts to push him from the staircase balcony, and only barely fails. We move to engage, but its armor deflects many of the attacks upon it. I experience a moment of fear-- my retained psionics following the decay and exile are likely to be useless against this plaything-- and retreat to the staircase, allowing my companions to engage it in my stead. In doing so, I have left Quicknife alone with the construct, and it strikes him repeatedly. He manages to flee for more advantageous ground as the monster hunter taunts the armor into focusing on it. I give whisper of focusing aim to the gunslinger, but his firearms remain ineffective against the construct's armor. The elf woman launches a series of eldritch missiles against the construct, but they too prove ineffective.
 
As the monster hunter lands a pronounced blow upon the animate armor, I draw my bootknife, close distance, and slash upon its greaves and helm. The construct falls to pieces, and I replace the knife in my boot.
 
In victory, Quicknife introduces himself to me. I remain silent.