>>5202966>Where is Argynvostholt?"Much further down the road, on the other side of the town Vallaki, you will find a crossroads. Continue west beyond that crossroads. After seven miles, you will see a smaller road that branches off south. Take that path to find the ruin of Argynvostholt."
>>5202975>What can we expect to find? Origins of the Order?"Argynvostholt was originally the home of a silver dragon, who went by the name Argynvost. It is said that in order to avoid the attention of the valley's locals, he disguised himself as a human noble, and built the hold to serve as a base of operations. He stayed in Barovia to protect it from a great buried evil, but guarded the nature of that evil, never outright revealing what it was.
"Like many silver dragons, Argynvost was extraordinarily wealthy, and he he used his resources to attract other champions of good, and valorous knights flocked to the valley to join Lord Argynvost's prestigious Order of the Silver Dragon. Only those of us who were initiated into the order were told of Lord Argynvost's true form.
"Then Strahd came as a conqueror, waging war for ownership of the valley. Serving the Order, we defended our area of the valley, to prevent Strahd from unearthing the unholy secret Argynvost was protecting. As the war continued, we provided protection for Strahd's enemies, who were victims of unjust cruelty.
But the early victories of the Order didn't win the war. Even with our leader Argynvost, we were ultimately overwhelmed when Strahd's reinforcements swept into the valley. Those forces slew the last of our knights and battled the dragon inside Argynvostholt.
"Since our leader's death, Argynvostholt has become a haunted ruin, a former bastion of nobility and light turned into a place of desolation and unrest."
>>5202975>Was every man's promise the same or were they unique? Why do you keep vigil on this bridge?"We all share the same promise - the promise of Vladimir Horngaard, the greatest of the the Silver Dragon's knights.
"Unfortunately, he has been consumed by hatred, and I fear our minds are becoming corrupted. I have nearly lost mine.
"You see, Horngaard swore to avenge the destruction of the Order. His zeal is so strong that it also brought back the spirits of several other knights, myself included. As much as it pains me to say it, without his hatred, I would not be standing. I can not peacefully leave this world until his promise - and by extension, our promise - is fulfilled.
"I stand vigil at this bridge because it was my post in life. I protect the road to the Village of Barovia to keep innocent lives from Strahd's forces coming down the main road. I have not received an order from Vladimir since the day I came back from death; I only know what the other knights have told me. I have been standing here for centuries, waiting for orders. The only way I can be relieved of my duty is if Vladimir himself in Argynvostholt commands it."
