The Diary from The Corly Haus

Diary of Alfred Enka Corly 25th Aedrinios  786CY ((80 years ago)) 1. Inside cover is a copy of the family tree and a vellum folded handout, the family patent of nobility 2. Deed to Corly Haus 3. Diary entry of the intent to build CorlyHaus     - Several entries reflecting the promise of the valley     - a mention of trouble with local druids and Concerns of the Baron Strahd.     - a mention of a miraculous local winery 4. report of a mysterious fire in the DavoHaus, a rival noble family. The entry goes into detail at his astonishment and pleasure at seeing the manor engulfed. 5. Several more entries, badly damaged. The content suggests that there was some sort of political maneuvering and Alfred Corly decided to use arson to pressure his rivals, destroying business and homes. A excerpt in different hand writing scrawls over a part of the entry says," The Filthy Filthy Flesh..." 6. one clear entry makes note of the vandalism of his diary, and suspects the sons of a rival house. 7. The book is more and more damaged only fragments are legible. One sentence talks about hearing a voice. 8. Another entry mentions being pursued in the street.... they smell of burned flesh 9. Another entry mentions a statue found in basement.....Cleanse the filthy flesh, in the purity of fire..... 10. They are at the door.....

Before I get too deep into it, I would like to read into the entries on 'trouble with local druids and Concers of the Baron Strahd'.

The local druids pray at a set of standing stones at Yester Hill, and a smaller cairn near Valaki SE, near the road. The druids are spoken of as a hostile group, that no valaki should encounter alone. Similar comments on Vistani occur as well, being spies of Strahd. It is not clear what Alfred felt about Strahd, past being a domineering noble with political interests.

Having scanned through the entries, Cecil will enter a meditative/prayer position and attempt to reach out to the thing that haunts him. 

Sitting in the church listening to the mass, as the towns people pray to survive the night, Time seems to slow. The candles flicker and wave so slowly. You feel watched.

Steeling himself for the interaction, Cecil will reach out with a ploy hoping to catch the entity off guard. He will project the thought, 'Cleans the filthy filthy flesh...'.

You hear a faint echo ," flesh... flesh...flesh....."

Again Cecil reaches out, "I'm not the first Corly with this burden am I?".

You hear your pulse in your ears. The rush of your blood, speeding with excitement. You feel noticed, inspected, weighed. You feel your dark passenger stirring as if waking from a long slumber. "Corly."

Pushing through the invasive feeling, Cecil internally shouts, "Speak beast! Was I the first of my line to be infested by your kind?". 

Like in the movie Predator, a haunting laugh echos in Cecil's Head. Memories of his Mother and the Church after the fire invade his thoughts. WHy had they covered it up? why was he hidden in the church?Who was the Incinerator? Old tired questions without good answer. What hold does the incinerator have on Cecil?

a whisper in his head," I am Corly"

Angered and perhaps fighting other suspicions Cecil thinks, "No... you are a parasite and I am beginning to suspect you have been feeding off my family for much too long. Answer me. Who was the first Corly?" 

I am Corly.

"...Alfred?"

I AM CORLY

Sensing he may have reached or passed a threshold with this creature, Cecil will retreat from his meditations. 

Cecil now plans to visit with the local burgemeister to discuss the fall of the local Corly family. If the locals brought them down, they may have found things in the Corly house that will shed additional information on this. Cecil thinks that it will no longer be feasible to reach out to his passenger. Too many lines may have been crossed for now and he needs to reinforce those walls that have held it at bay for so many years.  Cecil flows from meditation to true prayer. He asks for strength to not only deal with the problems in this strange land but to maintain his presence and composure.