TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
The Breakfast Club find themselves in what appears to be a main passageway of the catacombs of Castle Ravenloft.
The party decides to take a short rest to regain some hit dice. Horrick sets an alarm spell so there’s not any surprises. Gleam uses her pearl of power and drinks her mana potion.
During the rest several discussions are had as shown below:
∙ should they send for Mordenkainen to get them out of the castle
∙ bathroom facilities
∙ is that really sunlight? If so, the inhabitants of the valley could be freaking out
∙ no teleporting is possible outside of the mists as it’s a demi-plane; teleporting within Barovia does work
∙ should they burn down Vallaki
∙ dates (the fruit) vs. dates (the relationship thing) come up
∙ RoCar is impressed the group knows MordenkainenThe group heads west and check for traps in the areas they haven’t already checked. They pass several crypts that have the following engravings:
Sasha Ivliskova—Wife
Rocar
Horrick Albartie
Sir Erik Vonderbucks
Patrina Velikovna—Bride
Ireena KolyanaHorrick has a morbid curiosity about the crypt with his name. Rocar and Gleam say there are human bones in it. As far as the other crypts, the group decides not to open any of them. Mordecai reminisces about Ireena as they pass the crypt with her name.
Between the crypts of the corridor the party is walking through, a tomb to the south has the inscription “Intree Sik-Valoo: He spurned wealth for the knowledge he could take to heaven”. It also is not disturbed.
The corridor leads to a wide spiral staircase heading upwards.
After heading up about 70 feet up the stairwell, a wall blocks the way. After examining the wall, it looks recently constructed compared to the rest of the castle and has a purposefully created two inch chink. Rocar checks for traps, Gleam wants to peak through, but gets shoved aside as Alberich goes Leroy Jenkins on it with his war hammer.
Behind the wall is a great deal of rubble which the party is able to clear out after an hour. Once past the rubble, the stairwell opens to the chapel where the party had already visited.
A soft weeping sound is heard as they enter the chapel. Bright sunlight penetrates the dirty, stained glass windows painting a mosaic of color on the floor. The weeping is coming from Gertruda. It no longer seems like she’s in daze, but she is obviously confused and disoriented.
Mordecai approaches and comforts her explaining that Strahd has been defeated. She believes him and agrees to follow the party.
Asvard, Gleam and Horrick trudge ahead to the west hallway where the statues are. They encounter a vampire spawn skittering along the ceiling and combat ensues. Asvard calls for Mordecai’s assistance, but he chooses to stay with Gertruda in case there are any other dangers. Rocar, Nalazel, and Alberich rush to the hallway to join the scuffle. The spawn is easily eliminated.
The group find themselves back in the octagonal great entry way. All but one of the eight stone gargoyles that were seen earlier near the 30 foot ceiling are now broken; probably from the castle convulsing when Strahd was destroyed. Alberich throws a rock at the remaining one and it animates initiating another combat. Asvard meanwhile goes back to the dining room to retrieve his equipment.
After the gargoyle is defeated, the group wants to continue west to the small vestibule that exits the castle. However, it’s recalled there were four small dragon statues in that room that looked like red dragon wyrmlings. The Breakfast Club decides not to take the chance of those dragons coming to life and decide to convene in the dining room. They all reclaim their items and gear that was stowed there.
The party move the organ once again revealing the secret door. Once passing through the secret door, they observe this archers’ post is full of mirrors. The walls contain several arrow slits. When looking through these slits, it’s evident this is an outside wall that leads to the courtyard; the place where the black carriage dropped them off at Castle Ravenloft.
Asvard pulls the stone shape spell from his repertoire creating a gap that allows everyone to pass through it, thus leaving the castle!
When they exit the castle, the sun is coruscating so brightly it takes a moment for their eyes to adjust. The mists are gone and sky is clear, emblazoning a vivid blue sky.Mordenkainen, Ezmerelda and Rictavio are in the courtyard.
Rictavio, the colorful bard, asks “Is it really true? Has the vampire lord really been destroyed?” Mordecai points at the sun which is no longer obscured by a dark veil.
Mordenkainen interjects and communicates that he sensed the evil magic has left the entire valley. He also asks if it’s really true.
Ezmerelda on the other hand, is not so certain. She goes on to disclose the legends and folklore of her Vistani people and their relationship with Strahd. She describes the stories of Strahd’s demise in the past; that he has been felled several times over the centuries but has always returned. Ezmerelda ‘calls out’ Rictavio and affirms the party’s assumption based on the journal they found. Rictavio is none other than the great monster hunter Rudolph van Richten.
The party affirms to all they conquered Strahd von Zarovich.
Rictavio admits he is in fact Rudolph van Richten and this was his final quest. He states he will retire in quiet solitude for the remainder of his years.
Mordenkainen gives some sheets from his spell book to Horrick (a fellow wizard). He also speaks to each of the other members of the party expressing his gratitude and admiration for their deeds and skills.
Ezmerelda, because of her forebears narrative, decides to stay in Barovia should Strahd ever return.
Once the NPC’s leave the area, the party say their tearful goodbyes to one another and part ways, each moving on to their own adventure!
Click here to go the Epilogue page.
+
Round Six (continued)
As the smoke is starting to disperse, Nalazel sees a rat at her feet which is right where Strahd turned to mist. She recalls that vampires can turn to mist, a wolf or bat, but not a rat. She moves to the west (with Horrick still on her shoulders) past Alberich and readies an action to attack the first enemy she sees. She makes it through Alberich’s spirit guardians without taking any damage.
Horrick tries to figure out if Strahd is really gone. Based on what he's seen and hard, all evidence leads to the conclusion the vampire lord is destroyed. He readies an action to cast a firebolt at the next enemy he sees and doesn’t take any spirit guardian damage.
Anastrasya the bride, (or our infamous “Lady in Red”) starts to sing again. The rat turns into Asvard as Mordecai seems to have lost his faculties again. The difference is, this time, it seems to be a form of magical enchantment. He sees everyone as an enemy!
Mordecai starts his turn by attacking Asvard! Due to the remaining smoke he misses both times. Mordecai also doesn’t take any damage from Alberich’s sprit guardians.
Alberich sees Asvard transform from a rat back into his human form. Alberich keeps his spirit guardians going and moves to the west passing the tomb’s entrance. Through the fog he sees a bride and engages her. It's Volenta (the one with the mask). He hits her doing radiant damage and then heals himself.
Asvard finds himself back in human form having an urge to eat cheese. Seeing how Mordecai just attacked him, he casts hold person on Mordecai to stop him from attacking others. Asvard uses his spiritual weapon on Mordecai to try to shake him out of the enchantment. The damage from Asvard awakens Mordecai’s mind and he’s no longer enchantment but he is still paralyzed by the hold person spell.
Round Seven
Volenta takes some damage from spirit guardians. The smoke is clearing even faster at this time. She moves out of Alberich’s range and he gets an opportunity attack which hits her. As she vanishes through the smoke, she screams a “counter-monologue”, dramatically saying this. The sound of glass beads tink along the floor as another fireball engulfs Nalazel, Horrick, Asvard and Mordecai. After the rushing sound of hot air and flames, a popping sound is heard from the south west of the tomb. Everyone fails the fireball save except for Nalazel. It’s enough damage to render Asvard unconscious. Fortunately, he had death warded himself and stays conscious. The hold person spell on Mordecai is broken.
Gleam sees Rahadin right next her. He looks extremely angry and looks realy damaged. She casts mirror image and moves out of the room giving him an opportunity attack. It hits and removes one of Gleam's mirrored duplicates. Now in the catacombs and outside from where Rahadin is, she notices a tomb that reads “Horrick Albartie”. To the far east of that same corridor, Gleam sees sunlight coming in from what appears to be a large room with dirty, stained glass windows.
Rocar sees three Gleams rush out of the room. He enters the tomb and attacks Rahadin killing him with monkish rancor. Rocar kicks the lifeless body down the shaft. He then moves out of the tomb and joins Gleam. He sees the same bright light to the east. Gleam points out Horrick’s name on one of the tomb’s and Rocar sees another tomb that has the name of “Ireena Kolyana”.
- This ends the Gleam/Rocar combat and they discuss their options and what each of them can see. Gleam gives Rocar the run down regarding Ireena -
Nalazel uses some of her lay on hands to give Asvard a little boost but still leaving a little for herself. She moves north (Horrick still on her shoulders) leaving the clouded burial chamber. She asks what Horrick can see. He says he can see a sliver of light coming from the north.
Horrick fills his ward. Because he’s still on Nalazel’s shoulders, he guides her with his movement. They both continue north toward the perceived light. As they’re moving through the catacombs, Horrick sees an epitaph on one of the tombs that reads, “We knew him only by is wealth”. Another tomb reads, “Sir Jarnwald the Trickster: The joke was on him”.
Anastrasya casts thunderwave in the room which does slight damage to Alberich. The teleport popping sound is heard again as all the smoke completely evaporates.
With all the enemies gone, combat has ended for all.
Group One – Rocar & Gleam
Gleam and Rocar check out some of the names on the various tombs. The one Gleam sees reads, “Sir Erik Vonderbucks”. The one that Rocar reads, has his name on it! Rocar points it out and Gleam guesses that Strahd prepared tombs for all of them. Not knowing the state of Horrick, they decide to open the tomb with his name it.
When they open the tomb, they see a skeleton of a human on the bier. They realize it’s definitely not Horrick due to it being human.
Group Two – Horrick & Nalazel
Nalazel lights a torch so she can see. Horrick climbs down from her shoulders and they head north to the light Horrick saw earlier. Horrick continues to refill his ward as they progress.
Nalazel now sees the tomb Horrick described that reads, “We knew him only by is wealth”.
She finds it suspicious that the crypt behind her has nothing written on it. She also notices a crypt with an open door to the northeast where she thinks she saw something skittering inside it. A flash of something brown and hairy is inside this tomb and it's certainly larger than a rat. Nalazel tells Horrick what she sees.
Horrick positions himself to see in the open door while keeping his distance from its entryway.
Just as he’s moving his head to look in, they both hear a popping sound from inside the tomb that has no name or elegy on it. They also hear Asvard calling to them from the south as Horrick notices some of Asvard’s glowing shield.
Group Three - Alberich, Asvard, & Mordecai
This crew looks to where Strahd turned to mist and find no evidence of his demise. The sunsword is still emitting a sense of completion and accomplishment. This gives Mordecai the strong impression Strahd is gone.
Alberich turns off his spirit guardians and the three of them move in for a bro-hug. Alberich uses his preserve life cleric ability to give out some healing. He then uses mass heal wounds from the stole of healing which bring the three of them up even further. The stole is depleted, but doesn’t disintegrate. Mordecai uses his lay on hands on himself and Asvard bringing them up even higher.
Feeling rejuvenated, Mordecai charges to the teleportation alcove in the southwest of the room where the popping sound was heard. He's attempting to chase down the brides. He vanishes from Strahd’s tomb and finds himself in a small 10’ x 10’ tomb with a door to the north.
Alberich and Asvard see Mordecai vanish, but decide not follow him. They know where it leads so they choose to look for the other members. They leave the tomb heading north with a fist bump as Alberich says, “Clerics Forever”.
Once exiting Strahd’s large tomb, Asvard can just barely make out Horrick to the north.
Asvard, recalls where Rahadin, Gleam and Rocar vanished mentions there could be traps. Alberich casts detect magic and senses conjuration magic to the east and west of entrance of Strahd’s tomb. They avoid those and head safely north.
Reunification
Mordecai kicks the door to the tomb he’s in.
Nalazel and Horrick hear a thud sound and a familiar voice yelling “Dammit” coming from that un-named tomb. Simultaneously, Nalazel attempts to open door and Horrick prepares a fire bolt, when none other than Mordecai’s foot breaks through the door! Nalazel helps Mordecai get out of the tomb.
Horrick realizes the brown hairy thing is a giant spider ready to pounce. He slowly backs away.
Alberich still has his detect magic going as he and Asvard join up with Horrick and Nalazel.
Gleam and Rocar hear the commotion and the voices of their comrades while seeing torch/magical light sources to their south. As they move between the tombs, they pass a tomb that reads, “Intree Sik-Valoo: He spurned wealth for the knowledge he could take to heaven”. They pass by it and meet up with everyone else.
Everyone is reunited!!
The party has a brief discussion on what has been happening
to each of them and what they’ve seen. Everyone thinks, based on the evidence,
Strahd has been destroyed!
Gleam and Rocar tell everyone there appears to be sunlight to the east of the
main corridor along with a stair well to the west. Gleam leads the way to the
main corridor. Alberich doesn’t detect any magic within range.
Once back in the main corridor, the group sees tomb with the epitaph, “Patrina Velikovna—Bride”. This tomb is toward the west where a wide opening and stairwell is seen leading up. The party decides to leave that tomb alone and head toward the sunlight area to the east. From where everyone is, they see this to the east.
As the sunlit room is approached, they see a blue, magical, cerement of light (not physical) between two alcoves that contain 30’ bronze statues of warriors. Alberich senses conjuration magic. Click here for a visual representation.
Mordecai uses his divine sense, but doesn’t feel anything. He extends his hand to touch this blue cerecloth of magical light, and it easily passes through with no ill effects. He then walks through it and calls to the others that it seems ok.
He sees a large tomb with bright sunlight that rests upon two polished, marble slabs with coffins on top of them. The one to the north reads, “King Barov von Zarovich” and the one to south reads, “Queen Ravenovia van Roeyen”. It’s speculated these sarcophagi contain Strahd’s parents.
Mordecai, while alone in this tomb and before the others
enter, kneels in the sunlight and prays for Strahd to find peace. For the first time since
being in Barovia, he feels the propinquity of Lathander! He sighs with relief.
Alberich, Nalazel, and Gleam pass through the blue light with no issues joining
Mordecai. Asvard sits and rests on the stairs and doesn’t enter. Horrick
also doesn't enter and checks
out the bronze statues that appear to be producing the light. Rocar throws
his boomerang through the light and it passes through returning
intact.
Now in the tomb, Nalazel, hears the soft, joyful sobbing of Mordecai as he’s kneeling in the stained sunlight. Even though they honor different gods, the kinship between paladins compels her to embrace him. She sees the tears streaming down his face as he grabs her hand returning the unspoken harmony of their core beliefs.
Meanwhile, Gleam basks in the true sunlight entering this area, consuming its radiance.
Now that things appear to have come to conclusion with Strahd, Alberich looks at the accursed Frostbeard book at his hip and considers opening it . He thinks better of it and leaves it closed.
The four party members in this grand tomb, when looking out the dirty stained glass windows, realize there is an overlook about 110’ above them. Looking down from the window, they ascertain the pillarstone of Castle Ravenloft plummets 900’ below and the Village of Barovia can be seen in the distance. For reference, those players gather they are probably here.
The four members in this large mausoleum attempt to leave, but find they
are unable to pass back through the blue cerecloth of magical light. It is
determined that there is a narrow span around the enormous brass statues. It
looks as if they
could possibly shimmy behind them.
Everyone is able to cram through except Nalazel. She gets stuck. (That can happen when you’re a
6’ 3”, 230lb dragonborn.) Alberich thinks his decanter of endless water with
its geyser function could blast her free. He aims it behind the statue
pushing
Nalazel back in the tomb. While she makes another attempt to squeeze through,
Alberich ‘cleans’ all the other party members with the decanter of endless
water. Nalazel is able to 'suck it in' scooting behind the statues joining the
party outside the tomb. Everyone is soaking wet (but clean) besides
Alberich; he still smells of dwarf sweat.
Gleam reminds the party of the stairwell to the west.
It’s now about 11:15 AM on the eight day in Barovia. The Breakfast Club are in what seems to be the main passageway of the catacombs.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Horrick was WLDD’d back into this session showing up next to Nalazel outside the tomb!
Round Three
A rolling bottle sound is heard from the tomb as it fills with innocuous smoke. The tomb is immediately filled and visibility in the tomb is reduced to just a few feet. It’s not sure who rolled the bottle in there but Horrick thinks he heard some type of scuttling near the portcullis.
Gleam is still in the subterranean vault with 15 coffins and Rocar. She thinks there’s a soft shuffling sound coming from the north west of this cavern. She casts light on Rocar’s belt. Gleam moves directly under the tunnel and can see it goes up 40’. There are handhelds so it could be climbed without climbing gear. Moving a few more feet west, she sees Rahadin and keeps an eye on him. He’s not moving.
Rocar climbs on top of Gleam to enter the tunnel. Getting to the top, he finds himself in an enclosed 10’ x 10’ tomb with a door to the south. He drops a rope down to Gleam.Rahadin moves within 10’ of Gleam. She hears screaming in her mind but is able to shake it off. He throws a dart which hits her.
Nalazel finds herself in complete darkness as the light of her shield suddenly goes out. She calls out to Horrick. Finding him, she then puts Horrick on her shoulders so he can somewhat guide her where she can go using his darkvision. Horrick leads her to entrance of the tomb that is filled with smoke. She hears Asvard and Mordecai call out for aid from within the haze and moves deeper in the tomb room with Horrick still on her shoulders.
Horrick guesses it’s an eversmoking bottle creating the smoke but doesn’t recall any specifics about that item. He suggests a dispel magic may work, but the group realizes dispel magic stops spell effects. The eversmoking bottle is not a spell effect so it wouldn’t work. He readies an action to cast a firebolt on the first enemy he sees.
Strahd deftly moves out of Mordecai’s range and vanishes in the thick smoke probably to the east. Mordecai screams out Strahd is on the move. A fireball engulfs the room and everyone take some fire damage.
Mordecai ‘asks’ the sunsword if it can tell where Strahd is, but the Sunsword is effectively blind as well. Mordecai daringly moves in the direction to where he saw Strahd moving last. He downs a healing potion.
Alberich leaves the tomb via the teleportation area. The group that is in the tomb hears the popping sound of teleport. Alberich calls out that it’s him that arrived. He casts a fourth level spirit guardians. He moves out of the alcove and can just make out Mordecai and the light of the sunsword.
Asvard moves and sees Nalazel and Horrick. He again uses the symbol of Ravenkind to hold vampires knowing it does not specifically require the target to be seen. Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell if it worked or not. He positions himself right in the middle of the doorway to the north.
Round Four
Volenta appears in combat throws a dart at Asvard but misses. It’s guessed she tossed the bottle.
Gleam uses her radiant soul ability and flies up the shaft and is in the tomb with Rocar.
Rocar attempts to open the door, but it’s too heavy.Rahadin is heard moving up the tunnel.
Nalazel moves north and sees Asvard blocking the door. She then moves east and stumbles upon Strahd! Horrick’s readied firebolt action goes off when he sees Strahd. Nalazel swings and hits Strahd but can tell he’s not paralyzed from the symbol. She then uses a 3rd level smite on him.
Horrick strategically uses magic missile at 4th level missile knowing it won’t miss. It does a good chunk of damage to the vampire lord.
Anastrasya joins the fracas and whispers in Asvard’s ear. She mocks him doing negligible damage.
Strahd moves out of view once again through the smoke. A lightning bolt streaks across the room hitting Alberich.
Mordecai moves to the east and hits a wall. Moving north he sees Nalazal and Horrick. They indicate to Strahd moved west. Mordecai moves in that direction and sees Strahd and hits him with the sunsword.
Alberich moves to the north and is face to face with Strahd. He is still able to hit Strahd through the smoke and does some damage. Alberich moves to west and north with Strahd now to the east of Alberich. Alberich can barely see the lever that opens and closes the portcullis to the tomb.
Asvard once again uses the symbol of Ravenkind forcing all the vampires to make a save against the hold vampire feature. Alberich and Mordecai, being so close to Strahd, think he went rigid but the smoke makes it very difficult to tell. Asvard then uses his bonus action to cast spiritual weapon on Anastrasya.Round Five
Volenta takes some damage from Asvard’s spirit guardians. She attacks Asvard making him lose his concentration on that spell.
Gleam sends scorching rays down the tunnel to Rahadin hitting him with two out the three rays. She then quickens a firebolt and hits him again. He it still climbing the wall up but is very charred and toasty.
Rocar climbs down the tunnel facing Rahadin and bitch slaps him a few times with his attack and flurry of blows. That’s enough to make Rahadin fall down the tunnel back in the vault. Rocar moves back up the tunnel joining Gleam.
Rahadin, slightly confounded, tries to get his bearings and remains at the bottom of the tunnel.
Nalazel hears Mordecai explaining where Strahd is. She takes the direction and moves to the west finding herself right next to Strahd. She goes for the attack and missed the first time but hits the second time. She feels the sword penetrate and senses it a critical hit. It’s determined that Strahd is paralyzed! She uses a second level smite on him doing some nice damage.
Horrick again uses 4th level magic missile on Strahd doing even more damage.Anastraysa begins singing. Asvard begins to feel his body start to contort as the room seems to get bigger. The floor looks as if it’s getting closer. Asvard becomes a rat (originally mouse, but there is no ‘mouse’ stat in D&D so rectonn’d to a rat).
On Strahd’s turn, he’s still paralyzed from the symbol. He as several saves to make, which he succeeds. The amount of damage he taken to see what state he’s in is impossible to determine due to all the smoke in the room. He can barely be seen by even by those within five feet of him.
Mordecai in an insane righteous fury, strikes Strahd doing critical damage while injecting his last smite. Through the thick smoke, it seems as if Strahd attempted to turn to mist. The group all has enough knowledge and experience to know this a what a vampire does if they take enough damage to kill them. Even through the smoky vapor, the effulgent sunsword is bright enough to be within range of Strahd.
The castle shakes, unearthly screams are heard by all as a thunderous roar is heard throughout the castle. Mordecai begins to monologue during the attack. Mordecai, Nalazel and Alberich all get the impression that Strahd has been destroyed. Mordecai thinks the sword is manifesting a sense of completion.Alberich still hears the singing from the north west and moves in that direction. He faces Volenta and hits her with his mace. He then moves back to the east.
Asvard, with the mentality of rat, scurries to the east along the wall. He sees two huge boots near him.Round Six
Volenta just moves down and grabs her smoking bottle using a command word to stop it up. She take a little damage from Alberich’s spirit guardians. The smoke is starting to disperse.
Gleam hears Rahadin screaming from the vault below. She firebolts Rahadin down the shaft and it connects. He is still alive but smoldering.
Rocar is able to open the tomb door that was loosed by the convulsing of the castle. Rocar leaves the tomb and finds himself in a maze of catacombs with rows and columns of enclosed sepulchers, each with a heavy stone door.
Rahadin uses his action to rush up the tunnel and is now in the tomb with Gleam. He uses his deathly choir doing some damage to Gleam and Rocar.
The session ended in the middle of this round with Nalazel on deck. It’s about 10:56AM
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Round Six
Horrick is WLDD’d out once again, however his wall of light remains.
Strahd moves out of the wall of light and takes damage from the sunword’s sunlight. He tells the party he sees they have the items he’s been searching for and to expect a torturous death. The then moves to the western alcove and vanishes with the familiar popping sound of a teleport.
Gleam moves out of the eastern alcove, throws a firebolt at Rahadin but it misses. She them moves back to the protection of the alcove.
Rahadin attempts his to use his deathly choir on Nalazel. She hears the screams of the thousands he’s killed, but is able to overcome it taking only half damage. He then swings his scimitar three times. One misses and the other two hit. Nalazel takes some slashing damage. Rahadin moves to the east and Nalazel takes an opportunity attack and misses. Rahadin vanishes with the common teleport popping and wight appears in his place. Nalazel tells the group to keep the wight in sunlight.
Nalazel strategically backs into tomb to be bathed in the sunlight of the Sunsword. She casts lay on hands on herself to give herself back some hit points.
Mordecai starts to remove the cursed armor pieces and moves closer to wight hoping it will move into the range of his sunlight. Stripping music plays in everyone’s mind as Mordecai takes off the armor. The spirits of past paladins Bianca, Coromir and Erik flutter in a shroud around him.
A popping sound comes directly next to Gleam in the alcove as a flameskull appears cackling. It arches over Alberich and a skeletal hand grabs the Icon of Ravenloft. It is pulled toward the skull. The skull and the icon enter the western alcove and vanish with a pop.
Alberich bravely runs into the alcove chasing after the skull and the icon and disappears with a popping sound. It’s obvious this western alcove has a teleportation magic. Alberich finds himself enclosed in a 10’ tomb with the flameskull and goes to grab the icon. The skull attacks Alberich and he takes a little damage. There is a door to the north of this tomb.
Rocar equips his +1 magic shortsword an moves toward the wight and hides.
Asvard follows Alberich into the alcove and vanishes. Asvard finds himself in the now crowded tomb with Alberich. Asvard attacks the flameskull doing some damage to it.
Round Seven
Gleam leaves the eastern alcove and firebolts the wight doing fire damage. She asks what happened to Alberich and Asvard and is told they vanished in the alcove chasing after the flameskull.
The wight enters the room walking right by the hidden Rocar. Rocar takes advantage of not being seen and critically hits the wight completely destroying it!
With all the enemies in Strahds tomb destroyed, Gleam, Mordecai, Nalazel and Rocar are out of combat. Mordecai finishes removing the cursed armor and stows his halberd. Those four discuss what to do next and decide to wait five minutes to see if/when they return. Everyone notices Mordecai’s panglossian attitude start to fade; it seems Barovia is beginning to break him.
Back in the tomb Asvard’s spirit guardians does full damage to the flameskull. It looks in really bad shape. The flameskull knows it’s going to be destroyed so it casts a fireball in this small enclosed space. Both Asvard and Alberich take damage, but the flameskull is immune to fire to it’s still up.
Alberich attacks the flameskull with his axe destroying it.Asvard moves to the other alcove in this small tomb and vanishes, appearing back in Strahd’s tomb in the eastern alcove.
Alberich pours holy water on the flameskull so it can’t come back. He then moves to alcove where Asvard vanished finds himself back in Strahd’s tomb.
The initial combat is over as there are no more enemies at this point. The Breakfast Club is back together in Strahd’s tomb
Alberich picks up his mace and gives the icon back to Asvard. Alberich uses the stole of healing to cast mass cure wounds (using 5 charges from the stole with 5 remaining). All concentration spells are ended during this time. Mordecai gives Asvard an additional 10 HP using lay on hands leaving Mordecai with 35 left in his pool. Nalazel gives Gleam 10 HP, leaving 5 in Nalazel’s pool. Asvard drinks his last potion of healing.
The party discusses their options and it’s ultimately decided to move out of the tomb using the north entrance. Because of Madam Eva’s card reading, the group knows that Strahd has to appear back in his tomb.
The group cram themselves in a 10’ by 10’ area just in front of the tomb entrance, because Nalazel tells them Rahadin popped out when stepping in the area to the west. Alberich goes first and finds the ceiling in the catacomb area appears to be moving. There are thousands of bats that cover the entire area of the catacombs. Poking out from the inches of bat feces on the ground, an old flyer is found. It looks like this. Mordecai throws up his mouth a little remembering he ate the powdered bones of children that got him ‘high’.
As soon as the party leaves Strahd’s tomb, a green mist begins to bellow out of the grate where Strahd’s coffin once laid. Alberich daringly enters the tomb knowing he is resistant to poison. Just as he enters, he sees Strahd through the green mists. Another combat begins!!
Round One
Gleam starts the combat order by casting a fireball doing damage to Strahd. She then moves out of his line of sight to the east and finds herself suddenly teleported into what appears to be a coffin based on her darkvision. The party sees Gleam vanish and a wight appears in her place.
Rocar, immediately attacks the wight and then moves east after Gleam. He also vanishes and another wight appears. Rocar finds himself in a dust chocked, confined space in total darkness not having darkvision or a light source. He yells out for Gleam and she hears him though he’s muffled. She responds in kind and Rocar hears her, also sounding muted.
Nalazel seeing the members vanish and wights appear, moves into action by attacking the wight that Rocar attacked and is able to destroy it using a first level smite.
Strahd turns comes up and casts a spell upon Alberich. Alberich feels his body start to shrink and contort but he’s able to fight it off. Strahd then moves closer to the western alcove.
Mordecai activates the blue bear totem as a bonus action and enters the room. The poison does little damage to Mordecai due to the bear totem. Mordecai screams, “I’m here, let’s end this!” and throws a couple of javelins. They both hit Strahd and do damage. Strahd taunts Mordecai by calling him a coward hiding behind the sunlight of the Sunsword. Mordecai feels the Sunsword wants revenge but doesn’t give into Strahd’s derision and keeps it equipped and lit.
Alberich moves right into Strahd’s face and says, “It’s you and me bitch, time to die.” Alberich attempts to grapple Strahd and succeeds. Strahd and Alberich hands are locked together as the Lord of Barovia finds himself locked down by this dwarf.
Asvard casts guiding bolt at first level toward Strahd. It hits, but doesn’t do the damage the group was hoping for. Asvard then moves toward the remaining wight.
Round Two
Gleam casts ray of frost on the coffin making it brittle and is able to get out. She finds herself in a dank, subterranean type of vault with 14 closed coffins (Fifteen coffins if you count the one she just broke out of). The room is awkwardly shaped, smells of rotten meat, and the floor is covered with human bones and rusty swords. A tunnel in the 10’ ceiling is seen heading upwards. She calls to Rocar telling him to try to break out.
Rocar strikes the coffin and is able bust his way out of it. Rocar is in total darkness and can’t see Gleam but he reaches out for Gleams hand which he finds. She tells him the details of the room.Back in the catacombs, the wight takes some damage from Asvards spirit guardians. It then swings at Asvard and he takes minimal damage.
Nalazel attacks the remaining wight using a second level smite doing a good deal of damage.
Strahd attempts to bite Alberich, but it doesn’t connect. Strahd takes some radiant damage from the sunlight. He then uses one of his resources breaking free from the grapple. He looks very angry.
Mordecai runs right at Strahd with the Sunsword using two smites connecting both times. Strahd laughs and wiggles a finger with a ring on it saying he’s planned for such type of damage. Mordecai recognizes the ring a topaz ring. Mordecai takes a poison damage from the gas.
Alberich casts contagion on Strahd which will force him to make three saves at the end of each of Strahd’s turns. Alberich moves into the western alcove and finds himself alone. He's back in the tomb where the flameskull was.
Asvard attacks the remaining wight killing it getting some temp hit points back by using the bloodspear. He then moves into the tomb taking some poison damage from the gas.
It’s now about 10:55AM on the eighth day in Barovia with the party split in the catacombs and vaults of the castle at the start of round three!
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. Reminder that the new game time is at 5:30PM.
Combat with Strahd continues as Horrick is WLLD’d back. He appears in the south east corner of the tomb with 1 HP but with his arcane ward in tact.
Round Three
Strahd moves out of view as four 20’ high stone wall ‘panels’ appear in the room. The wall is strategically placed to protect his brides from the sunlight of Mordecai’s Sunsword.
Gleam drinks a potion of healing to give her a boost of HP. She moves next to Mordecai to take advantage of his aura.
Rahadin turns to mist and enters the tomb near a 5’ choke point where the stone wall appeared. He throws two poison darts at Gleam which hit and she takes some damage.
Nalazel attacks the north wall trying to make a hole in which to get to the vampire brides. It does some damage but that panel remains standing.
Mordecai finds his movement restricted. It feels like some of the armor pieces he’s wearing are impeding his movement. It’s confusing because when Horrick had his detect magic running it appeared mundane. Horrick and Gleam see this and guess the armor is cursed. In his frustration Mordecai “Kylo Ren’s” the coffin doing some serious damage to it. Upon the coffin taking damage, a zombie comes out of the ground in the north east corner. With a bonus action Mordecai casts spirit shroud.
Alberich moves toward the zombie and hits it with his mace then moves away. He uses healing word on Horrick.
Rocar goes to the zombie and attacks with his rapier and his unarmed strikes destroying it.
Anastrasya is able to shake off the vampire hold she received from the symbol of Ravenkind.
Volenta climbs up on top of the wall and tosses a handful of some type of dust at Asvard. He finds himself having the urge to sneeze and he starts to feel choked but is able to shake it off. She goes back down behind the wall out of site.
Asvard moves to Horrick uses the icon of Ravenloft and gives Horrick some healing.
The party fills in Horrick about what’s in the room and what’s going on. During the brief description, Mordecai and Alberich ridicule Strahd further. Horrick casts mirror image on himself and moves within the aura of the paladins.
Round Four
Strahd appears on top of the wall and briefly engages the players and attempts to cast a spell. Horrick uses his reaction and stops the spell. Alberich again brings up Ireena. Strahd promises to kill him last so he can see his fellow compatriots die. He then goes back behind the wall.
Gleam attempts to cast a fireball in the area of Rahadin and the opening of the wall. Rahadin reacts to the casting by using strange looking ring on his fingers countering Gleams spell.
Rahadin moves closer to the group, but still near the wall for cover. He throws another couple of darts at Asvard but only one hits doing a little damage and backs away.
Nalazel moves toward Rahadin and readies an action that if any enemy gets close to her, she’ll attack it.
Mordecai realizes the armor is only a few pieces so it wouldn’t take the standard 5 minutes to doff it, but only 12 seconds (or two actions). Not wanting to use an action for that, he goes back to hacking the coffin even using a smite. Again, after damage is done, a creature appears in the tomb right in front of Mordecai. It's a mummy. It becomes obvious that as the coffin takes damage, undead creatures appear to protect it.
The mummy glares at Mordecai but it has no effect on him. He attempts to hit Mordecai but misses. Asvard’s spirit guardians do some radiant damage to the mummy.
Alberich drops his mace and uses his action to open the book of the Frostbeards. Cackling laughter comes from the book, but nothing else seems to happen. He uses his bonus action and gives Gleam some healing.
Rocar steps up to the mummy and attacks it. He hits every time but the damage doesn’t seems to do as much as he expected. Rocar tells the group the mummy is resistant to normal damage.
Anastraysa pops up from behind the wall and begins singing. She looks like she’s trying to cast a spell and Gleam counters it successfully. Anastrasya is frustrated, and goes back down behind the wall.
Volenta creeps up to top of the wall and tosses a few darts at Rocar but he is able to deflect them. She goes back down behind the wall.
Asvard casts dispel magic on the wall but doesn’t roll well. He uses his inspiration but still doesn’t make the roll. Horrick gives an inspiration to Asvard and he rolls high enough to make the wall vanish! Strahd and his brides can now be seen in the sunlight of the Sunsword!
Horrick has a plan and casts greater invisibility on himself. He and his duplicates vanish. Horrick then moves to the north east corner of the tomb.
Round Five
Strahd takes immediate damage from the sunlight of the sword. He asks the players if they really thought it would be this easy. He says the battle will be in a place and time of his choosing and certainly not in his resting place. He then approaches his two brides and envelops them in his cloak as the three back out of the tomb through a wall.
Gleam firebolts Rahadin but it doesn’t hit. However she twinned the spell hitting the Mummy. It explodes covering the group in rotten bandages and ash. She then moves to the south east alcove.
Rahadin reverts to mist and appears just outside the portcullis.
Nalazel hears the sound of someone groaning in pain asking for help from behind he portcullis. She uses the lever and opens the portcullis and approaches Rahadin. She hears thousands of voices screaming in her mind. Fortunately, she’s able to block them out.
Mordecai continues to break the coffin screaming in rage. The coffin is severely damaged at this point. Another undead type creature appears in the north west corner. It’s not immediately recognized what kind of creature it is.
Alberich tries to console Mordecai and offers to help remove the armor, but Mordecai is focused on the coffin while muffled screams come from behind the armor on his head. Alberich draws his axe and finishes destroying the coffin. Under where the coffin laid, is a 2’ x 2’ grate in the floor. It’s determined this grate leads to something below. Alberich moves toward Gleam.
Rocar moves right in front of the creature and slaps him around with some open hand attacks and a flurry of blows. It doesn’t seem to take as much damage as Rocar would have expected. He uses a stunning strike which has a quick effect, but the creature is able to shake it off. Rocar recognizes the creature as a deathlock and recalls some of its traits. He tells the party to use silver weapons.
The deathlock casts a spell making black tendrils come from the ground and wrap around Rocar doing a little necrotic damage.
Asvard drops the icon of ravenloft and pulls out his spear attacking the deathlock twice.
Strahd appears from the wall once again and attempts to cast a spell. Horrick, while remaining invisible counters it.
Horrick casts a wall of light creating the wall on the deathlock and on Strahd. This makes Horrick and his duplicates visible once again. Strahd is unaffected by the blindness, but does take some damage. The deathlock is burned away by the light. Horrick moves toward Nalazel and Rahadin.It’s still 10:47AM as only about 30 seconds have gone by as Strahd turn begins!
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. Reminder that the new game time is at 5:30PM.
Horrick is WLDD’d out and is replaced with the gold dragonborn Nalazel. (Looks like Horrick had the sex/race change this time). Emil dashes past her up the spiral staircase. Rocar attempts to catch up with him, but he’s too far away. The party calls out asking where he’s going and he says he’s leaving to go find his mate Zuleika.
Everyone climbs up the dais to where the two thrones are. Nothing of interest is found regarding the thrones. Behind the thrones is a long dark red velvet curtain. Behind the curtain a door is seen.
The door is checked by Rocar and seemed safe enough. Gleam used mage hand to open the door.
This leads to a large room with a stone brazier that burns fiercely in the center of the room with a tall white flame that produces no heat. This brazier has seven indentations spaced evenly around it with seven different colored stones. There is a 4 foot tall hourglass above the brazier hanging from chains, but all the sand seems stuck in the upper portion, seemingly unable to run to bottom. A verse in glowing script is on the base of the hourglass that reads as follows:Cast a stone into the fire:
Violet leads to the mountain spire
Orange to the castle’s peak
Red if lore is what you seek
Green to where the coffins hide
Indigo to the master’s bride
Blue to ancient magic’s womb
Yellow to the master’s tombThere are also two 9 foot tall iron statues of knights on horseback that stand in deep alcoves facing each other on the east and west walls.
The party guesses tossing a colored stone in the fire may teleport them to one of vaguely described locations in the verse. After some discussion, it’s decided to try the yellow stone. Before doing it though, a short rest is had and some resources replenished. This brings the time to 10:45AM.
After the rest, Mordecai throws the yellow stone into the fire and the white flame turns a bright yellow. Mordecai reaches in to touch the flame and vanishes in flash of yellow. The rest of the party, seeing him disappear, follow suit and each touch the flame and vanish.
The Breakfast Club now find themselves practically on top of each other in a 50’ x 30’ room with 30’ ceiling. The essence of evil permeates the air and the smell of decay and death fill their nostrils. A jet black, waxed coffin is in the middle of the room and there are three alcoves to the south. Mordecai gets mixed feelings from the sunsword of both fear and excitement.
Mordecai immediately hits the coffin with the sunsword while Gleam is opening it with mage hand and Nalazel uses her fire breath on it. As all that happens, three ‘women’ appear. All are wearing old stained tattered robes and gowns. They are obviously the current vampire brides of Strahd. Gleam’s mage hand is unsuccessful as the lid of the coffin is too heavy. Nalazel’s fire breath scorches the coffin, but does no substantial damage. Mordecai’s sunsword doesn’t quite connect and it glances off.
Combat begins with most of the party able to go first in the initiative order. The Icon of Ravenloft is emanating an aura that gives the all undead disadvantage on attacks and makes it so no creatures can be charmed or frightened by any undead in its range.
Round OneGleam crits on her first attack against a bride wearing a skull mask (Volenta) with a fire bolt. She twins the spell, but misses the other bride in red (Anastrasya).
Nalazel swings her long sword twice using her branding smite which connects doing radiant damage to the Anastrasya.
Mordecai drops his halberd to make a two handed swing at the third bride (Ludmilla) and hits. On his second attack he does a critical hit and activates a second level smite. After the attacks, he casts shield of faith increasing his AC.
Alberich also attacks Ludmilla with his mace hitting her. She looks severely damaged.
Rocar slaps the Volenta using his unarmed strike and a flurry of blows.
Anastrasya casts a spell on the group. Several members take psychic damage which muddles their thoughts. All those affected need to roll a d6 and subtract it from all attack rolls, ability checks and concentration checks. She moves away avoiding any attacks.
Ludmilla attempts to cast a spell, but Gleam successfully counters it. She then moves out of the alcove avoiding any opportunity attacks.
Volenta moves out of her alcove and drops a vial at Rocar's feet. A cloud of dust erupts from the vial and Rocar gets really sleepy for moment but is able to shake it off.
Asvard casts spirit guardians and moves to a strategic position so the two of the brides are within its range. His mind is in disarray.Round Two
At the beginning of this round Strahd comes out of the coffin and is immediately is engulfed in Asvard’s spirit guardians. He is livid cursed has entered his tomb. Alberich taunts Strahd by bringing up Ireena. Strahd moves toward the portcullis next to Gleam and uses his rapier and hits her a couple of times with it.
Gleam casts chromatic orb at Strahd but she’s too close and it doesn’t hit. She smiles and curtsey’s to him but there is no civility in his eyes as they burn in red fury. She quickly employs her second wind ability to gain a couple of hit points. Her mind is still muddled.
Nalazel attacks the Anastrasya with the aid of Asvard’s blessing and hits with a smite. Her mind remains in a fog.
Mordecai attempts to cast spirit shroud but Strahd says, “Not today Paladain!” and counter spells it. Mordecai, incensed his spell was countered, attacks the badly injured Ludmilla with the sunsword and strikes her with righteous indignation reducing her to a pile of ash! The other two brides scream in torment at seeing their sister killed. The hatred from Strahd can be felt by all in the group at seeing one of his brides killed. Mordecai continues his attack by throwing a javelin at the Anastrasya, but it misses. He feels the daze in his mind lifted.
Alberich approaches Strahd head-on with more taunting comments as he swings his mace hitting him. He then uses healing word on Gleam.
The two remaining brides each use some of their special bride abilities striking at Rocar and Nalazel but the icon makes their attacks ineffectual. Even with the icon, Strahd is still able to hit Gleam doing some damage.
Rocar attacks the Volenta with his shortsword using his sneak attack and some unarmed strikes.
Rahadin, Strahd's chamberlain, appears outside the portcullis. Strahd moves deftly past the obstruction outside the tomb standing next to Rahadin.
Anastrasya takes damage from Asvard’s spirit guardians as she begins to cast a spell. Gleam successfully counters the spell.
Volenta tries to strike Rocar but missed both times.
Asvard presents the Holy Symbol of Ravenloft and moves toward the brides. Anastrasya goes rigid as she’s paralyzed from the power of the symbol but Volenta appears to be unaffected.
Mordecai joins in the taunts against Strahd calling him out as a coward.
It's 10:47AM on the party's eighth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. Reminder that the new game time is at 5:30PM.
Nalazel is WLDD’d out and replaced by Mordecai in the same instant. He is briefly filled in on what happened during the short time he was absent.
The remaining dungeon cells in this area are searched, but nothing else of interest is found. Gleam gives Horrick the faintly glowing sword to identify. Horrick does this while riding on Alberich’s shoulders.
Proceeding to the trapped hallway, the group heads to southern door. The stairs to this area lead down where the water gets deeper. Everyone enters but Alberich and Horrick as it would be over their heads. Rocar skitters along the walls using his spider slippers to stay out of the water.
The door is opened and it leads to another dungeon of locked cells. As they open the door, a gruff voice from the darkness says, “Zuleika, is that you?” Asvard responds asking if it’s Emil. The voice says yes, it is him.
Asvard tells Emil they were sent by Zuleika to free him. Emil is surprised the group knows that he’s a werewolf and that Zulekia let them live.
A conversation is had with Emil and he explains why he was imprisoned. Kiril, the current pack leader, would arm the captured/kidnapped children of Barovia and force them to fight each other to the death. The winner would then be turned into a werewolf ensuring “the strength and purity of the pack.” Emil disagreed with this view and advocated keeping ALL the captured/kidnapped children alive and turning them ALL into werewolves to increase the pack's size. Due to these disagreements a schism in the pack developed. Strahd locked Emil away as punishment for causing that division. Rocar unlocks the cell and Emil ‘joins’ the group. They leave the dungeon area. Also, by this time, the sword is identified by Horrick as a +1 shortsword. Gleam gives the sword to Rocar and hands Horrick the potion she received to be identified.Going back to the ‘main’ hallway, the group heads west toward the open room with Emil staying in the back. Although everyone is moving carefully, tapping the floor under the dingy water, another trap is triggered. Asvard is whisked away as a rush of air and water blow up around him. Just after he vanishes, the group hears Asvard calling for Rocar from the dungeon room they just left. It’s determined by Horrick that the traps are physical, but they drop into a teleportation circle which sends the victim to one of the dungeon cells.
The group returns to free Asvard and search the all the cells. The cell in which Asvard is trapped in contains the body of a dead dwarf. He calls out to Alberich saying that it could be “Poppy Frostbeard”. Alberich however doesn’t hear it. A usable battleaxe is found on the dwarf which Asvard gives to Emil.
More electrum pieces are found in another cell and several other dead bodies (that were tortured) were discovered. The most sadistic body found was that of human hung up-side-down from the ceiling with his hands tied behind his back. It’s obvious he was forced to try to keep his head above water until he eventually succumbed to exhaustion and drowned. Horrick finishes the identify of the potion and learns it’s a potion of heroism.
Again, they head back to the ‘main’ hallway moving west while avoiding any traps that were already triggered.
A large room opens up. It's full of iron maidens, gibbets, stocks, and other torturing devices. Decomposing body parts on tables with rotting entrails are seen as the aroma of death fills the room. A semi-circle dais to the north, seven feet above the polluted water, has two thrones that overlook this chamber. A faded red curtain hangs ominously behind these seats. Mordecai gets a sense of sadness from the sunsword.
As the party carefully enter the room, five zombies emerge from the water accompanied by a diaphanous figure that materializes from a pile of bones in the southwest corner. Battle has begun!
The group begins fighting. As soon as one zombie is destroyed, the creature in back corner lets out an unearthly scream. At hearing this, Horrick falls unconscious (dropping to 0 hit points) and falls off Alberich’s back into the frigid water. Alberich shakes him awake and Horrick misty steps out of the room in an attempt to recover.
Upon hearing the scream and the effect it has, it’s discovered by Gleam the creature is a banshee. Unfortunately, no other information about it is recalled. Some of the group focus their efforts on destroying the banshee while the others assail the zombies.
As the zombies are hacked away, some of their dismembered body parts animate and also assault the group. Fortunately, the aura of the icon of ravenloft make most of the zombie attacks unsuccessful. At one point in combat, Asvard using his spiritual weapon which still has about 45 seconds left on it
After a few rounds, the banshee and the zombies are all destroyed. During the entire encounter, Emil was slowly backing away in the hallway toward where Horrick was recovering. Rocar notices this, just as our session ends!
It’s about 9:30AM in this eighth day in this castle of dread!
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. Reminder that the new game time is at 5:30PM.
Group Two (Gleam, Horrick & Nalazel)
Mordecai was WLDD’d out and in his place a gold Dragonborn paladin of Mishakel appears. She called herself Nalazel and was promptly accepted.
The three of them checked out the area where the elevator whisked Alberich, Asvard and Rocar up into some unknown area of the castle. All they found was an enormous counterweight which was assumed to be what allowed the elevator to be pulled up. Even with Gleam and Horrick’s excellent darkvision, they were unable to see up the shaft. However, a spiral staircase was found to the south of the hallway and they decided to head upwards.
They arrived at a landing where the familiar dining room area was. Determined to find their compatriots, they continued up the staircase into the unknown.
Arriving at another landing, a door to the west was observed. It was too enticing to ignore so Horrick opened it. He saw a room filled with scrolls and tomes strewn about the floor. An elderly man was sitting behind a great, black desk scribbling furiously on parchment. A tasseled rope dangled from the ceiling within his reach. The man looked up and saw Horrick in the doorway, but ignored him going back to his cacography. Horrick says to man that he sees he's busy and closes the door returning to the landing.They continue up the spiral staircase and meet Alberich, Asvard and Rocar in-between floors.
Group One (Alberich, Asvard & Rocar)
Rocar moves an ornate carpet out of the way to make sure there were no traps under it. They all decide to head down the southern spiral staircase in hopes of finding their companions.
As Asvard and Rocar step off the landing onto the stairs, the carpet comes to life and is able to push them down the stairwell. During their plunge the rug is attempting to wrap itself around the cleric and monk.
Realizing the carpet is a rug of smothering, Alberich attempts to dispel it, but is unsuccessful. Asvard and Rocar are able to avoid the carpet’s grasp during their descent, but find themselves prone.Initiative is rolled. Rocar does some ‘bitch slap’ attacks. Asvard thinks about munching the carpet, but instead decides to stab it tearing it up a bit. Alberich crits the rug and destroys it.
The three musketeers continue down the staircase and meet up with Gleam, Horrick and Nalazel in-between floors.
All Together Again
Asvard is taken aback by the gold Dragonborn behind Horrick and Gleam. Horrick tells Asvard it’s Mordecai, but he had a sex and race change! (laughter ensues). The group gratefully accepts Nalazel to The Breakfast Club.
It’s decided to head further down this central staircase going past where the elevator trap was. The group find themselves in what is guessed to be the dungeons and catacombs of Castle Ravenloft. The stairs lead to a hallway that has three feet of dark murky water.
Rocar uses his slippers of spider climbing and traverse the north wall of the hallway thus avoiding walking through the water. Horrick climbs back onto Alberich’s back while attempting to ritually cast phantom steed. Asvard uses his spear to tap the floor under the water checking for pits. As everyone slowly heads west they see two shorter corridors leading both north and south.
As Gleam moves through the chilling waters, she drops out of sight. A trap door under the water opens beneath her sending as explosion of air and water. All that remains is a dissipating swirl where she was standing. Nalazel begins to panic a little seeing her newly found friend gone.∙ Gleam finds herself in 10’ x 10’ cell with a the rotting corpse of a half-elf. In desperation she sends a firebolt through the bars. She searches the body and finds a usable longsword, flask that contains some type of potion and five gems worth 50GP each. Gleam notices some type of faint light coming from under the water in the cell south east from her. She shoots a fire bolt to try to see better, but from that distance and angle, can’t make out its source. In an attempt to free herself, she crits the cell lock with an acidic chromatic orb that allows her escape.
Rocar, Nalazel, Asvard and Horrick hear the whooshing sound of Gleam's firebolt. Rocar, being in the northern alcove closest to the door realizes the sound coming from behind it.
Asvard moves further west and he too is suddenly swept below the water's surface and vanishes.∙ He also finds himself in a 10’ x 10’ cell. Asvard and Gleam can hear other through the bars in their respective cells. Asvard tosses a lit coin through the bars to give some more light. Asvard finds a secret door about 5’ above the water level, but realizes it can only be opened from the other side. He attempts to bash through the cell door with brute strength, but it’s too solid.
Rocar attempts to pick the lock, but it’s a little too rusted so it can’t open. Alberich uses thaumaturgy to attempt to open any other traps under the water, but nothing happens.
Horrick thinks if he can cast phantom steed, the summoned steed could possibly be too large to fit though any traps. He begins casting the 10 minute ritual spell while on Alberich’s back. Nalazel thinks her fire breath may be able to blast the door open so she moves west toward Rocar who is still in the northern alcove.Horrick and Alberich move west toward the doorway and find themselves sucked down in the murky water.
∙ They appear together in 10’ x 10’ cell directly across from Asvard. They each feel a plethora of coins shifting under their feet. They each begin to collect some diving beneath the stagnant frigid water. Asvard is quite peeved his cell contained no coins.
Gleam having liberated her self from her enclosure, sees this dungeon gangway has eight cells total. Heading north toward the sound of Asvard, she sees Asvard in one cell and Horrick & Alberich in the neighboring cell. Horrick and Alberich seem quite content as they dive under the caliginous water coming up with handfuls of electrum coins.
Rocar makes another attempt to open the door and succeeds. He sees Gleam wandering in this antechamber of cells as Nalazel follows. Rocar is able to free Asvard by picking the lock. Alberich does some damage to lock on his cell, but not enough to escape. With the assistance of Asvard and Nalazel, Alberich and Horrick are eventually freed. A total of 3000 electrum pieces are found in Horrick and Alberich’s cell.
Rocar unlocks the cell with bluish glow under the water. Gleam enters the cell and finds a shortsword that has a faint glow of magic to it.As the remainder of cells are unlocked and searched, one of them contains a gray ooze that attacks Rocar. He is able to strike it with his monkish abilities, Gleam fire bolts it*, Horrick attempts a frostbite and Nalazel hits it. However, after Nalazel hits it, her sword feels noticeably lighter.
*Again, the DM screwed up. Gleam’s firebolt should not have been able to affect the ooze due to the antimagic field, but it was a pretty easy enemy so not going to retcon that combat.
It’s about 8:45AM as The Breakfast Club find themselves in the dungeons of Castle Ravenloft on their eighth day in Barovai.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. There will be a substantial retcon change due to the DM screwing up! It's below in the summary. Reminders . . . Elijah will not be able to play and we’ll be starting at 5:30PM and ending at 8:30PM next game.
Alberich tests what happens to his book with the antimagic field. When he throws it, it bounces off and returns to him. When he walks in the field with the book on his person, it enters with no problem. Lastly, when he tries to leave the book in the field while he walks out of the field, the book reappears on his person.
The north door is taken which leads to a hall of bones. Rocar checks the door for traps and finds none, but Gleam uses mage hand to open it just in case.
The walls of this hall are covered with skulls, the tables and chairs are entirely made of various bones, and two of doors are overlaid with bones. An enormous skull of a silver dragon hangs above a set of double doors to the east. These doors are wood with iron bands and are not covered in bones. The hall is thoroughly searched, but nothing of value is found. However, it is recalled that if the dragon skull was taken back to Argynvostholt, it would create a beacon of light that would be beneficial to all good-aligned people in Barovia. The skull is estimated to weigh about 250 lbs.
The party opens the double doors to the east. Upon opening doors, a long hallway is seen with the entire length covered in three feet of mist making the floor completely obscured. A dark figure holding a lantern slowly approaches from the west end. Horrick isn’t quite tall enough to see so he climbs on Alberich’s shoulders for a better view.
The creature introduces himself as Cyrus Belview, a servant of Strahd. Mordecai recognizes the name as the same as that of the mongrelfolk from the abbey. As Cyrus gets closer, it’s obvious he is in fact one of the mongrelfolk. Horrick is able to sense there is some type of divination magic coming from Cyrus with his detect magic spell. Cyrus seems friendly enough and offers them breakfast.
Cyrus leads them to a kitchen which expels a horrible odor of decay and rot. A huge pot bubbles over a blazing fire. Mordecai, with is interest in the culinary, looks into the pot. As he gets close to it, zombies pop out but Cyrus beats them back with a huge wooden spoon and says he’s just not the cook he used to be. He graciously offers Mordecai a bowl of the ‘soup’ from pot. Mordecai attempts to decline, but Cyrus is most insistent in a non threatening way. Mordecai stammers trying to say no but ultimately decides to kick Cyrus in the face and combat ensues!
With Cyrus being attacked, the zombies emerge from the pot and begin their assault. Alberich’s use of his channel divinity of turn undead takes out two zombies. During combat a few hit points are lost by Gleam and Mordecai. The poor, crazy mongrelfolk is killed by the damage taken from Gleam’s fire and Asvard’s toll the dead. Rocar takes out the last zombie all by himself.
An iron key and a wooden varnished eyeball were found on the body of Cyrus. Horrick is able to determine the eyeball is known as a hag's eye and it has divination properties. He hears cackling laughter in his mind as he identifying it and he drops the eye to the foggy floor. Squeaking rats are heard scurrying along the floor and the eye is lost. The key is nothing more than an iron key that Horrick keeps. The rest of the kitchen is searched with nothing of importance found.
The group returns to the hallway and finds a portcullis to the east. Looking between the bars, there appears to be a room full of wine casks. Mordecai lifts the portcullis with ease. Gleam finds Mordecai strangely attractive for a moment as he shows off his strength, but she shakes it off. Meanwhile, Asvard goes and opens a southern door in the hallway.
Mordecai enters the barrel room and sees wine casks with decorative lettering burned into them that says Wizard of Wines. He jostles one of the barrels, but it’s empty. Everyone decides to follow Asvard through the southern door.Asvard searched the hallway while the others were near the barrel room. He found seams in the flagstones of the floor but couldn’t quite figure out what they could be. As others enter the corridor Asvard begins pointing out the seams, when suddenly two heavy portcullises drop. They trap Asvard, Alberich and Rocar and they are lifted away in some type of elevator.
Group One (Asvard, Alberich & Rocar)
Gas erupts from the elevator chamber as it moves up this shaft. Asvard and Rocar collapse unconscious but Alberich is able to stay awake. Alberich finds a trapdoor in the ceiling of this chamber. Alberich wakes up Rocar and Asvard for assistance in getting out because he can’t reach the trapdoor.
They climb up and out and find themselves at a landing with two spiral staircases; one to the north and the other to the south. This landing has a portrait of Strahd on the north wall that is old and faded, but obviously painted before he became a vampire. There is a beautiful ornate 10’ x 10’ carpet that covers the southern part of this landing. To the northwest is an ironbound door.
Group Two (Gleam, Horrick & Mordecai)
This group is going to be retcon’d when we play because the DM screwed up. It didn’t make sense to summarize as the players could (and most likely will) make different decisions when we go play.
The echoing laughter of Strahd Von Zarovich is heard throughout the entire castle by both groups even though they’re separated.
It’s about 7:50AM on the eighth day in Barovia with party on different floors in Castle Ravenloft.
TO PLAYERS: This summary is the shortest thus far, but combat took a bit, there was several housekeeping points/in game rule resolutions, getting light squared away in Roll20, and we started a tad late. Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. Whatever is shown on this site is considered canon. If you disagree or feel I missed something, please let me know, otherwise what's here will stand for any in game resolutions.
Some of characters leave a few of their items in the dining area feeling they won’t be necessary to carry around in the castle. The group leaves the dining room and finds all their belongings in guest hall with a note from Strahd. It’s decided not to explore the secret door behind the organ, but do go down the spiral staircase from the guest hall. Horrick summons Poe to scout ahead.
Yellow lichen covers a hallway with five alcoves to the north and five to the south. Each alcove contains skeletal remain and decrepit cots. Gleam uses mage hand to shake a skeleton, but nothing happens. The group guesses they’re just ‘normal’ remains. However, as everyone moves further west to the middle of the hallway, the skeletons suddenly spring to life and attack.
The Icon of Ravenloft comes in handy by imposing disadvantage on all the skeletons attack rolls.
As combat progresses and the players move around, some of the players magical items stop working when they move into a certain area. It’s discovered there is an anti-magic field in the vicinity. The Breakfast Club easily dispatches the skeletons using only physical attacks (no spells) taking minimal damage. The only loss was Horrick’s familiar and 1 Ki point from Rocar.
The entire hallway and all the alcoves were searched, but nothing was found. Gleam took several random small objects so she could cast light on them if needed in the future. It's now 7AM on the 8th day in this cursed land!Misc Info
Who's carrying what/where and weights:
Character Holding What/Where (if not specified below, other weapons are stowed and would take action to draw/use) Total Weight Alberich Mace / Shield - Axe on hip 360 lbs Asvard Bloodspear / Shield - Sax on hip 315 lbs Gleam Shield - Rapier on hip 270 lbs Horrick Gulthias Staff 110 lbs Mordecai Halberd - Sunsword (hilt only), Longsword and dagger on hip 360 lbs Rocar Rapier - two daggers on hip 140 lbs
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. This summary seems brief, but there was a lot of time dedicated to 'strahdegy' and decision making.
Horrick gets WLDD’d out of the castle as the party enters the room.
Strahd dramatically spins around from the throne in the audience hall. He has a conversation with the group and expresses his disappointment with how they’ve treated his home. Alberich urinating in the entry way, Gleam blasting doors apart with fire bolt, Mordecai, Alberich and Asvard all crossing the barriers. He reminds the group of his assurance that if they stayed in certain areas and didn’t cross the barriers, he would guarantee their safety to leave the castle. Strahd tells them that is no longer the case seeing how the rules were broken. If he wanted, he could confiscate the equipment they left in the washrooms, however it wouldn’t entertaining for him to kill them so easily. Instead, he says he will punish the group.
He throws a large green gem and red gem on the floor. As they shatter a fire elemental and a water elemental appear. Strahd casually walks through a wall to leave the room. Combat begins with most the group not having their armor or weapons. With a well timed cast of hold monster by Asvard, a use of Alberich's decanter, a few smites from Mordecai, some unarmed strikes from Rocar and Gleams chaos bolts (not to mention the DM was not paying enough attention to elemental abilities), the group is able to defeat the two elementals.After the combat, Asvard collects the pieces of the broken gems. The party searches the audience hall and find a secret door on the south wall along with a hidden compartment it the armrest of the throne. In the compartment is a very hold letter. The paper is faded, brittle and a little smudged, as if it was dampened from water or tears over centuries. It’s a letter from Sergei to Strahd before Strahd became a vampire. There is some discussion as to whether to pass through the secret door, but in the end it’s decided to avoid it for now.
The party talks about whether to get their gear, go to the dining room to rest or leave the castle. The party is quite stressed at this time and this conversation goes back and forth. During this discussion Strahd’s laughter can be heard echoing throughout the castle with screeching of bats in the distance. Ultimately, it’s decided to rest first in the dining room and get their gear after the rest. Asvard is very disappointed the secret door wasn’t opened.
The party make their way back to the dining room. When they enter, cackling laughter is heard and the organ begins playing by itself for a few minutes. All the food that was exquisite, fresh and delicious is now decayed and rotting. The main entry door to the dining room is barred with the table.
They take shifts to keep watch while they rest in the dining room. Alberich attunes to the mace before it’s identified. He does not share the info about the mace with Mordecai who is brooding. When Alberich wakes up Gleam for her watch, all he says about the mace is, “This mace is terrifying.”
Gleam notices Mordecai is still awake and not sleeping. They have a brief one-on-one exchange. Gleam is able to convince Mordecai to get some rest so he’s not useless when dawn breaks.
Rocar and Asvard take their turns on watch. During Asvard’s watch he attunes to the spear before it’s identified. He also attunes to the icon, which was already identified by Horrick. He wakes up Mordecai for his turn on watch, but Mordecai is still tired from staying up and brooding. Asvard takes the last watch so Mordecai can get some more sleep.
Fortunately, the night passes uneventfully as dawn breaks on (most of) the group’s 8th day in the lands of Barovia. A long rest has been had by all as they wake up at 6AM to the sound of fluttering bats in Castle Ravenloft.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
The organ revealed a secret door behind it. They party realized that any secret doors found would definitely be considered an ‘off-limits’ or ‘untamed’ area, meaning Strahd’s deal of safety would not apply. Horrick cast detect magic during the search and Mordecai asked Gleam to cast light on a knife so he could toss it in the dark room behind the organ.
The light revealed a room full or mirrors with arrow slits in the walls facing the courtyard. Horrick peaked in and sensed some faint illusion magic but saw nothing. It was decided not to investigate the room further and pushed the organ back in place. Gleam tried the old ‘pull table cloth’ trick, but wasn’t very successful.Party took some of the gold knives that were used for eating as weapons. Because they’re gold, they would have one use as a weapon or tool; gold is a soft metal.
The party left the dining area and entered the guests hall. Mordecai and Alberich checked out the armor that was there to disassemble it. Gleam, Horrick and Asvard moved to a west hallway that was full of statues of knights. The hallway was thoroughly searched, but nothing was found except a set of double doors at the east end. Gleam used mage hand to clean up the cobwebs as they searched and the shot a fire bolt at the double doors which blew them apart. They can no longer be closed.
After a several minutes, Mordecai took the armor apart and found it was very thin and just for display. He did take the shoulder plates, gauntlets and few other pieces; he’s looking quite dapper now. He and Alberich go back to the dining room and grab a some wine and a few more knives. They then join Asvard, Gleam and Horrick in the hallway as they approached the eastern double doors.
The party enters what was at one time a chapel of the morning lord. There is alter in east end that is surround by old moth-eaten velvet ropes. These ropes are obviously meant to act as a barrier that shouldn’t be crossed. There is even a sign on the ropes with an ominous warning.
They see a cloaked figure near the alter beyond the barrier with a mace near it’s feet. It is not moving. Horrick and Gleam each toss a fire bolt at the figure which burns its cloak away revealing an old desiccated body. On the alter is a statuette of a cleric in supplication which Mordecai senses is emanating goodness or holiness. Asvard crosses the ropes and takes the statuette and also notices a spear behind the alter. He takes both items. As Asvard touches the spear, he hears a voice in his head which says, “Long have I waited for one who is worthy. My spear hungers for blood. Wield it, and rule these mountains in my stead, just like the mighty warriors from the early days of the Whispering Wall.” Asvard tells the group what happened and what he heard.Alberich crosses the ropes and takes the mace near the body. He senses there is some type of magical vibe coming from the mace. Mordecai also crosses and the ropes and cleans up the alter while moving the body and laying it out in respect. He finds a holy symbol of the morning lord on the body, but it has been desecrated.
Horrick finds an alcove to southern part of the room which leads to a spiral staircase landing the goes both up and down. Gleam finds a similar alcove to the north with stairs and landing that goes up.
Asvard give the statuette to Horrick to identify. It’s found to be the Icon of Ravenloft and hands it back to Asvard. As the party discusses who should have the icon, it almost slips out from Mordecai that Asvard has the Symbol of Ravenkind. Asvard hearing what Mordecai is about to say deftly sticks a spear in Mordecai’s mouth just as he’s ready to say it. Mordecai ‘gets the point’ not to mention that item, especially in Castle Ravenloft. Horrick starts to cast his new phantom steed spell.
The group heads back toward the main entry where the gargoyles were. They make their way up the stairs and find Ander waiting. Ander says he was going to leave, but the eyes of the dragon looking statues started to glow as he entered so thought better of it and doubled back. Asvard suggests Ander stay with the party, which he does. Asvard fills Ander in about Barovia and the group's current situation. When asked Ander is a little foggy as to where his guest room was. He can't understand why he doesn't remember.
The stairs lead to a large landing with two suits of armor, but more velvet ropes block the way to them. There is another set of stairs that lead up into darkness that is not blocked off. Gleam in her frustration thinks of the burning the ropes but doesn't.
Alberich asks Ander if he’s seen a privy, but again Ander is just too foggy to remember. Alberich goes back down the stairs and urinates in the entry way where the gargoyles are. Gleam decides to cast ray of frost where the puddle of urine is and it freezes.
They head up the second set of stairs from the landing which is only 10’ wide. Just as they reach the top, Horrick’s phantom steed appears and squashes everyone against the walls in the stair well. Horrick automatically is on the horse as it appears but because Alberich was carrying Horrick, Alberich’s hand up is stuck up the horses rear end!
They are able to squirm their way out from around the horse, into a great hall as Alberich is able to remove his hand from the cavity of the horse. There are a couple of sets of doors and a throne in this room.It’s about 7:35 in the evening on the party’s seventh day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
After the vargouille incident, guards that were already stationed outside, came inside the inn to see what the trouble and screaming was about. Upon seeing the vargouilles, finding out they came from Alberich’s book, and the group only being in town for about 15 minutes after being told not to make trouble, they told the party they need to leave Vallaki. The guards are asking them to leave specifically because they were instructed to escort them out of Vallaki if there was any trouble. Even Urwin, although he states he’s still an ally, can’t afford to publicly allow them to stay at the inn anymore. Maybe if they could sneak in, he’d let them stay out of sight in the stables, but he can’t afford to lose his inn or home.
After some discussion, the party concedes to the guards and leave the inn just as Horrick is WLDD’d back. As they’re leaving, Karl Wachter, the brother of the person killed by Alberich, appears as a vampire spawn. He says he went to Strahd to become a vampire to get revenge on the dwarf for the death of his sibling. Combat starts with the guards staying out of fray not sure what to do. The party destroys the newly turned spawn without much trouble.
Just a combat ends, the horse drawn carriage of Strahd shows up in the middle of the square. The coachman shows the same invitation they received yesterday as the carriage door opens on its own. The party, knowing they’re not welcome in Vallaki and taking the hint from the coachman, climb in and make their way to Strahd's castle.
After two hours of travel through Barovia, and getting in a short rest while in the carriage, the party arrives and sees Castle Ravenloft for the first time about 3:30PM. Horrick was able to copy the find steed spell to his book. They cross a drawbridge and disembark in the courtyard. The entire castle grounds are surrounded by a 90’ skirt wall. view of front of castle.
The party traverses the doors into the entry way where four statues of dragons leer down at them. Passing through the next set of doors, they find themselves in a receiving area where they hear the sad majestic tones of an organ playing. This receiving area has its own accoutrements of eight stone gargoyles sitting motionless on the rim of the 50’ domed ceiling.
A dusk elf greets the party and introduces himself as Rahadin, Strahd’s chamberlain. The chamberlain is gracious, polite and complementary. Each member of the party follows suit giving their names. Rahadin tells them hot baths and fine dining clothes have been prepared for them and leads them to their respective wash rooms. The party accepts the hospitality from their host.
While he is in the washroom getting ready for diner, Mordecai senses excited anxiety and melancholy coming from the Sunsword.
After about an hour and a half (about 5PM), Rahadin returns to bring them to the dining room. He requests they leave their weapons in the washrooms and ensures nothing will be touched by order of Strahd. Their belongings will be safe. The party is apprehensive, but eventually complies.
In his tradition of being invited to a nobles home, Asvard presents a rapier to Rahadin as a gift to Strahd. Horrick follows suit and presents a spell scroll as a gift.The organ music gets louder as they approach the dining hall.
When they enter the dining hall, they see a pretty young woman and a halfling already sitting at an eloquently set table . A huge organ is set in the west wall where they see the back of a caped figure pounding the keys. Asvard recognizes the halfling as an old friend, Ander Underbrush. The group deduces the young woman is Gertruda, the daughter of Mad Mary who they met in the Village of Barovia on the day they arrived. She has several puncture marks in her neck but appears to be quite happy and quite human. Ander states he found himself lost in a mist and the lord of this castle offered hospitality. He has no idea where he his or who Strahd is; only that he's been treated well.
While still seated at the organ, Strahd von Zarovich welcomes them. The Breakfast Club take their seats and Mordecai makes a subtle point of defiance by sitting at the head of the table. Strahd remains seated at the organ because he feels they're not worthy to even sit at the same table as himself.The party converses with Strahd during dinner and the following points come up (in no particular order) :
∙ Strahd acknowledges the gifts received and says they can explore the castle after dinner with the caveat that some areas have become ‘untamed’ over time.
∙ The food and wine is literally the best any of the party has ever had in their entire lives.
∙ Gertruda is very happy, thinks Strahd is beyond courteous, and can barely remember anything about her family or before coming to the castle.
∙ Horrick politely asks what business Strahd want to discuss. Strahd says it will be come apparent in a moment.
∙ Mordecai asks if Strahd cooked the food himself and thanks him for extending an olive branch.
∙ Strahd keeps himself in check while speaking to Alberich after the ‘joy buzzer’ incident. Alberich asks about his out of body experience. Strahd says some answers may be found a the Amber Temple.
∙ Mordecai asks about Luther and Strahd says he doesn’t recall the name, but does say a paladin did show up within the past month.
∙ Ander and Gertruda are smoothly dismissed, but not before Asvard tells Ander the current situation reminds him of Luskan. Ander understands what Asvard is trying to say; get out as fast as you can because it's not safe.
∙ Gleam notices Strahd seems to flicker during the dinner, almost like he was an illusion. She’s being polite, but her mannerisms and body language portray her defiance and contention.
∙ Strahd says he feels it may be time for him to retire, giving the land a new lord, assuming said new lord would be a good ruler and as qualified as himself. The party has been very entertaining to him, although he still can’t understand why they all smell like breakfast foods.
∙ Strahd asks Mordecai for the hilt of the Sunsword, stating it’s a family heirloom and it belongs with Sergei’s body in the tombs of Ravenloft. To the surprise of the party, Mordecai AGREES to surrender the hilt when he leaves Barovia as long as Strahd assists Mordecai in finding Luther.
∙ Strahd asks Asvard what it would take for him to rule the land, but Asvard is more interested in conquering new lands.
∙ Strahd asks Gleam what it would take for her to rule, but she says she has no interest in ruling. She asks Strahd to just leave the land. When he hears that, he squirms a little bit uncomfortably.
∙ When Strahd asks Horrick about ruling, Horrick states his goal is to rid the world of evil but is not sure ruling would further his personal goals. Strahd says he senses the haunting voices in Horrick’s head. When replying to Horrick, Strahd looks at Alberich and says he doesn’t think they are as much strangers as they may think.
∙ Alberich says he’ll take over the lands if Strahd let’s the party leave Barovia. Strahd isn’t sure Alberich is qualified to be a lord based on the fact he has his own fortification already.
After all is said, Strahd says he feels none of them are really qualified to be an equal replacement to himself. He appreciates them coming but feels they’ve reached an impasse. He reminds the party of his promise of safety upon arriving which he honored. He then tells the party they can explore the castle in relative safety or leave. Asvard directly asks if they're free to leave Barovia and pass through the mists. Strahd replies with a "No", stating the party has been too entertaining for him to allow them to leave.Φ If they explore, he reiterates again some areas are off limits, some he will guarantee immunity and others are ‘untamed’. However, as soon as they retrieve their belongings/weapons from the washrooms, nothing is guaranteed anywhere.
Φ If they gather their belongings and immediately leave, he promises protection on their way out of the castle, but once they pass the castle doors, he offers no assurances.
After those two statements, he vanishes from his seat at the organ. Gleam then tells the party she thinks Strahd was an illusion the entire time; the organ starts to play by itself. Horrick realizes the flatware at the table is made of gold and fondly thinks of Aeson wondering if he should take it.
After MUCH discussion as to the party's next move, it’s decided to search the castle for a few hours without going to the washrooms to retrieve their belongings. At a time the party sees fit, they would return to the dining area for a long rest. During this discussion, Alberich and Horrick talk about how the book ended up on Horrick’s belt when Alberich died. They begin to presume they are connected in some unknown way. Horrick snags an unopened bottle of the exquisite “Champagne du le Stomp” wine.
The group starts by searching the dining room together, helping each other out. This takes about 20 minutes. Scratch marks on the floor coming from the organ are found. Gleam tries to push the organ to no avail. Upon further investigation, it seems like the organ may need to swing out and need to be pulled, not pushed. As they pull on the organ, it begins to play music by itself once again.
It is now about 6:30PM in the dining room of Castle Ravenloft on the party’s seventh day in Barovia. The sounds of the moaning castle, fluttering bats and howling wolves fill their ears with dread!!!
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Horrick casts the protective hut and Savid is invited to stay with them. The party takes a short rest and get some healing from Alberich. Savid gives the following information during the rest:
∙ Believes there are other creatures in the castle because he heard heavy steps.
∙ He found a journal from someone named “Van Richten”. Contents of journal can be found here.
∙ He’s lived with the Vistani in a camp outside Vallaki for over 500 years.
∙ The castle was owned by a silver dragon named Argynvost that lived here in human form.
∙ He created a good order of knights and paladins (Order of the Silver Dragon) that protected the land and battled Strahd when took over the land before he became a vampire.
∙ When Strahd destroyed the order, the knights, although good, couldn’t rest and became revenants.
∙ Rumor the captain of the order still haunts the castle.
∙ Searching for young Vistani girl about 8 or 9 yrs named Arabelle. She’s the only daughter of the leader of that Vistani camp.
∙ Not all revenants in the castle may not immediately attack if they’re left alone.Group thinks Van Richten and Rictavio may be he same person because both have a gray horse named Druisilla.
Alberich tells the group he had some type of vision or out of body experience when he was dead that short time. He a saw a pit fiend named Gurradal. The fiend said something about Alberich only having ½ a soul. He's not sure how real it the event was.
After some discussion during the rest, the group decides to check out some more of the castle as Horrick gets WLDD’d and vanishes. They head up stairs and check out a an uneventful bedroom. Gleam does her standard of bed jumping. Upon entering another bedroom, a hiss is heard from the hearth. Mordecai slowly backs away and closes the bedroom door leaving that room alone.
Going up the north hallway, a trap is triggered which drops a magical wall. The party is briefly separated, but the magical wall is dispelled by Gleam. When within getting of 5’ of the east door, the trap is triggered again and the magical wall appears as the door flys open. Four Phantom Warriors are engaged but quickly taken care within a few rounds. The party receives negligible damage. At that point, the party figures it’s their cue to leave the castle.Mordenkainen appears outside the castle. He explains the blood samples he had taken from Horrick and Alberich are somehow connected. He said he’d need to go to the Amber Temple to investigate further. He also says the temple was created over a millennia ago by good wizards to keep evil visages away from the world. Over time, the wizards within went mad due to all the evil that was concentrated there. Alberich briefly confirms this could be true based on the vision he thinks he had when he was dead. Mordenkainen they leaves again.
The party decides to drop off Savid on the way back to Vallaki.
At the gates of Vallaki, the guards say they were instructed not to let the party in. Gleams persuades them to at least check with the Baron. Asvard gives a note to the guard to give to the baron. The note says he’ll return the wedding dress if he allows them in town. The party also promises not to make any trouble while in town and agree to stay on the main road that goes through town. The guards leave to check if it's okay, then return allowing the party to enter.
The party gets all sorts of conflicting looks from the townsfolk as they make their way to the inn. Some are happy to see them, others give them the stink eye.
When they enter the inn, Urwin Martikov welcomes them back with open arms. He says their rooms as they left them. Asvard checks the map and determines it will take about 3 hrs and 20 min to get to Ravenloft from the inn because he is planning on heading to the castle today, alone if need be. He heads up to his room and Gleam heads to her room to begin a long rest.Mordecai and Alberich stay down stairs. Mordecai has a wine and Alberich goes to a table to write in his book. However, as he opens the book, three creatures come flying out of it. They are fiendish human heads with bat-like wings. Mordecai thinks they’re called vargouilles. They shriek around the pub and begin ‘making trouble’ by starting combat with Mordecai and Alberich.
The vargouilles are destroyed with no trouble, but their shrieks were loud and they were seen by all in the pub coming from Alberich’s book.
It’s about 1:30PM on the group’s seventh day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. Reminder there is no game on 12/24.
Combat started with Horrick, Gleam and Mordecai with the revenants in the old chapel area. Asvard joins the fray after the first round. Below is a recap of some of the turns/actions taken by the party and the enemies.
Horrick
∙ Casts shield and mirror image
∙ Casts frostbite a couple of times and firebolt
∙ Casts magic missile at the revenants
∙ Casts wall of light on top of two revenants blinding themRevenants
∙ Mordecai get hit, but Horrick mitigates some of the damage with his ward
∙ Mordecai gets hit again by an opportunity attack as moves out of range, but gets critted
∙ Hits several of Gleams mirror images
∙ Hits Asvard few times
∙ Mordecai get knocked unconscious
∙ Crits Asvard forcing him to lose concentration and knocks Asvard out coldGleam
∙ Casts shield and mirror image a couple of times
∙ Fireballs hitting all three revenants
∙ Disengages leaving the room
∙ Hears the crackling sound of lightning from the other room
∙ Firebolts one of the revenants taking it out
∙ Uses sickening radiance in the room with the revenants destroying another revenantMordecai
∙ Uses the sunsword and hits a revenant several times
∙ Disengages and runs out
∙ Gives Asvard enough healing to bring Asvard to consciousness
∙ Moves in and finishes off the last revenant in the dining roomAsvard
∙ Casts spirit guardians which keeps the revenants at bay by not allowing them to regenerate
∙ Attacks with sword and casts healing word on Mordecai bringing him back to consciousness
∙ Dodges and tells Mordecai to leave if he can
∙ Disengages telling the party to run while blocking the door
∙ Moves back and heals himselfDuring that combat, Alberich is having his own adventure when he once again left the group.
Alone on the second floor, Alberich moves along the hallway passing old tattered curtains that cover alcoves. As he passes one, Strahd himself shows up behind Alberich.
Strahd says that him and Alberich aren’t that different. They’re both men of action and surrender to no-one’s expectations. They’ve both been cursed in disproportional ways that wasn't deserved.
Alberich agrees with this by tossing his family book to Strahd which then appears back on his belt. Strahd offers a way that maybe they can help each other out. He tries to charm Alberich but Alberich is able to shake it off.
Strahd then tells Alberich that he was present when the Frostbeard family book was penned. In fact, he went to the Amber Temple with Alberich’s ancestor, Ordek Frostbeard before Strahd became a vampire. Ordek came seeking knowledge from the temple but made a trade with an entity there, which is how the family got cursed. Strahd says seeing how the curse and book was created in the Amber Temple, that is the only place it can be broken. Strahd says he’s willing to help Alberich try to remove the curse in exchange for obtaining the Sunsword from Mordecai. Strahd says the Sunsword was his brother Sergei’s and it should be resting with his body in his tomb.
At first Alberich says he needs to think about it, but Strahd requests an answer now and he reiterates it’s a family heirloom and it belongs with Sergei.
Alberich then makes the mistake of saying that Ireena belonged with Sergei too. To put it mildly, that pisses off Strahd and Alberich sees the eyes of vampire fill with fiery hatred. Strahd says, “How dare you even speak her name!” Combat starts between just Alberich and Strahd!
The following turns/actions happen between Strahd and Alberich:
Alberich
∙ Hits Strahd with his warhammer and then moves away, “Screaming catch me if you can!”
∙ Alberich hears the sound of a fireball and dashes to the bottom of the stairs yelling to the group that Strahd is in the castle and heals himself.
∙ Alberich tells Strahd he’ll try to get the sword if Strahd will let him leave Barovia. Strahd agrees and Alberich extends his hand to seal the deal, but instead casts inflict wounds on Strahd.
∙ He disengages and tries to run.
∙ Fails all his death saves and perishes!Strahd
∙ Tosses a lightning bolt hitting Alberich
∙ Throws three scorching rays at Alberich and says he should’ve taken the offer
∙ After being ‘joybuzzered’ by the inflict wounds, he tries to charm Alberich again, but it fails. He then bites Alberich. This lowers Alberich’s max HP to 108 until his next long rest
∙ After Alberich's disengage, another lightning bolt strikes Alberich knocking him outAfter the revenants are taken care of, the party moves back to the foyer and finds Alberich’s lifeless body with puncture wounds in his neck. His book is gone and mysteriously appears in Horrick’s backpack.
Strahd reappears on the stairs and says he notices the cursed book has moved to a different soul. He states he and Horrick has should have a discussion and he could possibly remove the book. Strahd also states if Horrick wants to make a deal Strahd would allow Alberich’s soul to pass on instead of being stuck in Barovia for all eternity. Horrick declines and Strahd says he’s looking forward to seeing the group tonight then leaves.
Horrick casts gentle repose on Alberich’s body as Mordecai in frustration and anger kicks open a set of doors to the north. Meanwhile, Asvard is rifling through Alberich’s pack while Gleam sobs as the lost of her comrade.
Asvard finds the revivify scroll in Alberich’s pack given to them by the abbot. He uses it to bring Alberich back to life! Immediately, the Frostbeard family book appears back on Alberich’s belt. Mordecai finds a room with empty wine barrels after kicking in the door.
Gleam enters the wine storage room and finds a dusk elf badly beaten in the corner. He introduces himself as Savid and says he was hiding from the revenants. He states he is not an ally of Strahd and came to the castle looking for a little girl named Arabelle that has gone missing from the Vistani camp just outside Vallaki. Gleam knows he’s being honest and they tell Savid to come out to the foyer very slowly. Savid asks for healing but Mordecai tells him their resources are low and the clerics may be able to offer some help.
Horrick begins casting the hut ritually as the party agrees to take short rest at about 10AM.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Alberich takes the embalmed vistana head found in the tower chest and fastens it to is belt.
Asvard seems a little off from the lightning damage and starts to sound a lot like Aeson.
A vistana woman appears. She has a rapier drawn and it’s noticed she has a prosthetic leg. She rips the party a new one for destroying her wagon and introduces herself as Ezmerelda d’Avenir, a student of the great monster/vampire hunter Rudolph van Richten.
As the party converses with her the following information is gathered:
∙ She wants Strahd dead because he sent werewolves after her and they took her leg
∙ Asvard believes he’s Aeson, rogue extraordinaire and purveyor of cauldrons
∙ Ezmerelda determines Asvard brain is a little scrambled from the lightning and explosion
∙ She thinks the tower was van Richten’s home base in Barovia
∙ She confirms van Richten’s horses name is Drusilla, the same as Rictavio’s horse
∙ She’s been in the castle before and shows she was bitten by Strahd and he’s looking for her
∙ Ezmerelda agrees to help the party in the castle if she can find van Richten based on Gleam’s suggestion for a two-pronged attack.
∙ The party tells Ezmerelda that Izek is dead
∙ She tells the party to be cautious because the wagon explosion was VERY loud and was probably heard from Krezk to Vallaki
∙ Alberich offers to try to get her a new leg and she accepts if Strahd can be taken care ofIt’s decided to go to Argynvostholt which takes a an hour and 15 min but not before Mordecai gives Asvard another 10HP of healing, unscrambling his brain. Alberich carries Horrick on his back so he can do some more transcribing in his spellbook. Horrick and Alberich discuss the cursed book that Alberich has been carrying and hashed out some ideas. Horrick seems a little apprehensive when Alberich says the pit fiend ate his father. Alberich also mentions to Mordecai that he thinks he gave money to have the Rosebarrow church built years ago. He thinks he remembers Mordecai’s grandfather Markus. Alberich slips out something about feeding people to kobolds at his family estate. It’s quickly forgotten as Argynvost comes into view.
The party checks out a statue of a silver dragon covered in moss at the castle courtyard. Asvard and Gleam beginning cleaning the moss off the statue while Asvard casts mending on the statue to fix various cracks. A blast of cold air hits gleam. After Horrick’s detect magic, it’s discovered it used to be a magical trap that would blast a cone of cold; it’s magic has deteriorated over time so does no damage. Alberich is reading and writing in his book.
The party knocks on the door that leads to the castle but no one answers. Horrick’s detect magic is going and nothing is sensed. Asvard gives Mordecai the blue bear totem he rec’d a few days back.
The party enters the castle entering a foyer. Some alabaster busts and a damaged tapestry that all have a familial resemblance are seen, but nothing else is found in the foyer. An ominous winged shadow moves along the walls, but is uneventful.
The party enters the room behind the foyer and see a trashed dining room. Alberich quickly loses interest and goes back to the foyer and heads up to the second floor.
Asvard stays in the dining hall as Horrick, Gleam and Mordecai enter what looks to be a chapel. There are three armored figures kneeling before an alter to east end of the room. Gleam taps one with mage hand saying they’re looking for allies and ask who they worship. Mordecai introduces himself while raising his holy symbol also saying they’re looking for allies.
The figures are recognized as revenants, but none are THE revenant that has be stalking Alberich. Without provocation, they all rise in an aggressive manner and initiative is rolled for a potential upcoming combat! Seeing their intent, Mordecai screams out, “Oh god they’re feral!” Asvard hears this from the dining room.
Meanwhile, Alberich makes his way to the top balcony of the foyer room. He sees a spiral staircase at the west end of the hallway, a curtain that covers what seems to be another alcove to the east, and a corridor that heads north. Alberich checks for traps but with his seven perception roll, sees nothing. What a vague and unconvincing answer by the DM!! Alberich states his intent to head east at the top of the stairs.
It’s about 9:45 on the party’s seventh day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. If anyone wants to add their character’s perspective, only writing what your character knows, please reach out to me via DM on Discord/email/facebook. Please update your DnDBeyond sheets along with your character sheets in Roll20 regarding PREPARED spells. If you want to email them to me or send a message in discord, that's fine as well. I would just like to know what everyone has prepared.
The party discussed what they wanted to do and decided to make their way to Castle Ravenloft. Horrick rode one of the goats and began transcribing Phantom Steed in his spellbook on the way.
After about an hour of travel, the north path from Raven River Crossroads was taken. This was the first time using this path. The party came upon a decrepit tower with a purple wagon outside it. Horrick summons Poe to fly around and check out the tower.
It is four stories, with windows and arrow slits on the 2nd through 4th floors. There is rickety scaffolding on east side that leads to the 3rd level. The scaffolding ends to a crumbled opening to that level. The windows are too dingy and small to get a great view of the inside.
The tower had this symbol on the door.
Asvard knocked on the door and the tower was enveloped in lightning and Asvard got a little fried! The tower stayed surrounded by lightning for about 10 minutes.
Alberich discovered the tower was encompassed in a anti-magic field. He then started to check out the wagon. A lock secured the door to the wagon, but Alberich broke the lock and opened the door. He looked for any type of wards protecting the door.
As the door opened, Alberich tried so stay behind it as shield, in case something happened. Well, something sure did happen! A snap was heard, like from a thin wire, then the sound of glass breaking, then the entire wagon exploded in a fiery blast! Everyone took fire damage as pieces of the wagon and it’s contents rained down! It also killed Asvard’s newly acquired pet goats.
Horrick decided to call Mordenkainen with the sending stone making a quick witted statement in the message. Mordenkainen arrived within moments and gave the party the following information:∙ The tower was made by a wizard named Khazan
∙ He protected the tower with an anti-magic field (he was a little paranoid and secretive)
∙ Strahd hired Khazan to destroy Sergei’s sword, but he never did it
∙ The picture on the door is some type of puzzle regarding dancing and that should open the door
∙ Doesn’t know where Khazan is
∙ Has ability to teleport inside Strahd’s castle if need beAlberich asks Mordenkainen about extra planar communication. Mordenkainen says that’s difficult in Barovia but asks why the question. Alberich tosses his family book to him and it magically appears back Alberich's hands. This intrigues Mordenkainen as it’s explained the Frostbeard family has some type of curse.
When Mordenkainen hears the name Frostbeard, he’s familiar with it. He asks for a sample of Alberich’s blood to do further research. Alberich complies. Mordenkainen smells the blood sample and then goes to Horrick saying he seems to have same type of scent. He asks Horrick for a blood sample as well and says there is something similar about them. He needs to do further research and will get back to them with what he finds out.
Mordecai asks if Mordenkainen has seen another paladin around. Mordenkainen says he does recall someone with a Lathander symbol heading to the Amber Temple, but he was a little crazy at the time so can’t be 100% sure. Mordenkainen then leaves but not before giving each party member a healing potion.
Everyone heals up a little, using some of their resources, like lay on hands, healing hands, Alberich’s channel divinity and five charges of the healing stole.
By the time the conversation with Mordenkainen is finished and the healing is done, the lightning around the tower has ceased.
Horrick checks out the symbol on the door and imitates the stick figure symbols doing a little gnome jig! With guidance from Asvard, he successfully opens the door.
Alberich peaks in and sees a debris strewn room with some crates and a platform with chains to raise/lower it, controlled by statues. He decides to go in and explore the tower. He steps on the platform and it ascends up. He sees the second and third floor are both empty. The third floor has a gash in the north eastern corner where some scaffolding can be seen.
When he arrives at the forth floor, Alberich finds a desk, stove, bed, a suit of armor and other comforts. It appears to have been occupied recently. Horrick jumps back to see through Poe’s eyes and tells the party that Alberich is still alive.
Asvard and Gleam stay safely away from the tower at this point. Mordecai however, decides to use the scaffolding to get to Alberich. Unfortunately, the scaffolding breaks under his weight and he falls to the ground taking minimal damage.
Alberich starts checking out the room and finds and unlocked chest that smells like lavender. He deduces someone has been here recently. He calls to Horrick using thaumaturgy. Alberich uses his rope over a rafter to open the chest from a safe distance. When he peers inside, he sees a severed human head with Vistani traits. Alberich tosses the head down the shaft for Horrick to check out. Horrick is able to determine the head has been embalmed with some type of magical oil and if a speak with dead spell were to be cast on it, it could probably talk.
Horrick makes his way up with Mordecai on the elevator platform to the fourth floor. Mordecai leaves his backpack on the first floor to keep the elevator light.
Horrick gets a sense of transmutation magic from the suit of armor on that floor. He uses an identify scroll and works out that it is animated armor. It requires a command word that is unknown. Alberich casts dispel magic and the magic around the armor dissipates. Mordecai decides to try to put on the armor. While Mordecai is doffing his armor, the suit of armor comes to life! It takes the dispel magic cast upon it as an attack. A brief combat begins and the armor is easily taken out. Unfortunately, it makes it unusable.
Gleam makes her way up just as combat ends. Alberich gets on the platform and it starts heading down, but gets stuck. Gleam jumps on it and it lurches down a few feet, but continues down safely. Eventually, everyone is able to make it down to the ground floor.
Mordecai’s backpack appears to have been moved/rummaged though, but it appears everything is still there.
It’s about 8AM on the party’s 7th day in Barovia. Everyone is on the ground floor, inside the tower, with a severed head that has been magically embalmed.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. If anyone else wants to add their character’s perspective, only writing what your character knows, please reach out to me via DM on Discord/email/facebook. Please update your DnDBeyond sheets along with your character sheets in Roll20. I will be copying/pasting characters/tokens from the page you are all currently on in Roll20 to whatever place you go next.
The battle with the regenerated flameskull started and Strahd himself showed up! He dispelled the hut and made some comments to the group, but otherwise didn’t engage in combat. He verified the group received his invitation to the castle.
The flameskull was taken out pretty easy and left a tooth that had some type of magic emanating from it. Asvard picked it up to identify later. Aeson was WLDD’d out. Alberich offered to return to swamp to give Lazlo some company in the future and Baba Lysaga’s hut was burned down.
The party made their way to the winery taking the ‘people goats’ and real goats with them. The intersection that leads north to the lake was ignored and the party decided to take the south pass as they already traveled it. The intersection to Argynvostholt was also passed.
During the travel, Horrick identified the following items while riding a goat:
Oil of Sharpness; taken by Mordecai
Magical Sling bullets (+1); giving to Aeson
Pipes of Haunting (no one is proficient with wind instruments); given to Alberich
Pearl of Sorcery (same as Pearl of Power); taken by Gleam
Luckstone; given to HorrickThe party arrived at the winery road just after the sun set. A scarecrow jumped out and was quickly destroyed. The party was graciously received by the Martikov’s with Asvard’s lit sword and a goat that was lit up by Gleam’s light cantrip. The gem was given back to the Martikov’s and they were eternally grateful, saying again, they will always have allies in Barovia.
Two of the goats were returned to human form before the long rest using dispel magic by Horrick and Asvard. A long rest was started by all while Mordecai and Alberich were reviewing the nuances of snake bites and poison.
Upon waking up the following morning on day seven with the party fully restored from their long rest, Nikolai Wacther Jr appeared as a revenant at the Martikov’s looking for Alberich to get his revenge! Alberich attempts to wave off Mordecai, but Mordecai ignores him and rushed to face the Revenant with the Sunsword. Moving to Alberich, the revenant vengefully stares at Alberich causing paralysis. With the party as fresh as daisies, the revenant is polished off but not before doing 38 points of damage to Alberich and 17 points to Mordecai. After the combat, the Asvard and Alberich each used a slot to restore the goats using dispel magic.
It is now 6:10AM on seventh day in Barovia and the party achieved level NINE! Please update your DnDBeyond sheets along with your character sheet in Roll20. I will be copying/pasting the battle map characters/tokens from the page you are all currently on
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. If anyone else wants to add their character’s perspective, only writing what your character knows, please reach out to me via DM on Discord/email/facebook.
The session started by Gleam freeing the ravens in the cages outside Baba Lysaga's hut asking Aeson to use his superb lock picking skills to pick the locks.
Asvard, Gleam and Horrick grouped up using Asvard’s spirit guardians to move within the radius of scarecrows to see if they were live scarecrows or decoys in the immediate area. No live scarecrows were found within 50’ of the hut. Gleam and Horrick firebolted the decoys to avoid confusion.
Alberich has a conversation with Mordenkainen and gets the following information:∙ Mordenkainen was defeated by Strahd and lost his spell book and staff
∙ Knowing he couldn’t defeat Strahd or leave Barovia, is what drove him to madness
∙ He drew a smaller spell book that just contained rituals from a portable hole he tucked in the hood of his cloak
∙ Alberich states they’re in the same situation and just want to get rid of Strahd and get out of Barovia
∙ Mordenkainen says he came to Berez to get a gem to give back to the Martikov’s so he could get some good wineMordecai and Alberich enter the hut and see a blood stained tub, a small bed, a chest and other accoutrements. In the center of the hut is a crib with a baby that looks like it could be Strahd as an infant. A green glow comes from between the floorboards in the hut. Aeson stays outside by the door.
Mordecai uses his divine sense and feels something iniquitous coming from the chest but can’t quite pinpoint it. No vibes come from the child. They both check out the baby and discover it’s just an illusion as Mordecai’s hand passes right through it.
Horrick and Gleam enter the hut as well. Horrick and Alberich investigate the chest and see magical symbols on the chest indicating a glyph of warding that is an explosive rune. Mordenkainen jumps in, dispels the chest, and leaves the area again. Alberich busts open the chest with his axe and a skull flies out with green flames and fiery eye sockets. Combat starts in this very small 15’x15’ hut! Aeson, being outside, puts his hands in his pockets and casually walks away from the hut whistling nonchalantly.
The party gets several shots in. Alberich remembers quite a bit about these flameskulls, but not quite everything. During the combat, the skull is able to cast a fireball! Horrick quickly dispels it. The party is able to finish it off before the end of the round.
The chest contains several items yet to be identified. Two spell scrolls (cure wounds and revivify), some type of flute, a stone with magical symbols and 1200 gold pieces.
Mordecai tries to bust open the wooden floor but is unable. So the sorcerer steps in with her 8 strength and rips them apart giving the paladin a “Really dude?” look. During this time a skeletal, ghostly hand appears in the room and grabs the stone from the chest and begins taking it out the door. The hand then drops the stone and sticks one of his fingers in Mordecai’s nose. Gleam is able to grab the green magical gem from the floor and immediately recognizes it as the same type of gem from Yester Hill.
Asvard pulls out the spell book he found in Wachterhaus and Mordenkainen recognizes it as his main spell book he lost in the battle with Strahd years ago. There is some haggling and discussion as to whether to give the book back to Mordenkainen. Aeson’s wheeling and dealing pays off and Mordenkainen offers his aid to the group from time to time in exchange for his book and gives Aeson 200 gold pieces. He also presents Horrick with a sending stone to contact him and lets Horrick borrow his ritual spell book to copy some of the spells. The party sensibly returns the spell book to Mordenkainen and then he teleports away.
During the engagement with Mordenkainen, Gleam goes and searches the remainder of the hut. (RECON: I forgot to say what she found in game so rectifying that here in the summary!) Gleam finds several pages of Baba Lysaga’s journal hidden among her soiled robes. Gleam shares this information with the group.
The party hear the sounds of bleating goats to the south and investigate. Asvard’s spirit guardians activates an animated scarecrow on the way which is promptly dispatched.
It’s discovered four of the goats, in this pen topped with human skulls, are polymorphed humans. There is some discussion what to do with them but it’s eventually decided to allow the ‘people’ goats to follow them, dispelling one a day, and eat the real goats. For now, they are all left in the pen.
A ghost appears introducing himself as Lazlo Ulrich. He makes some comments about Marina and that he was cursed by Strahd to stay in his crumbling mansion forever because he killed his daughter before Strahd could turn her. He vanishes and reappears a few other times saying random things. It’s obvious he’s not quite all there in the head.
The party decides to make camp in the ruins of this mansion. Mordecai wants to cook a good meal for the group and goes to the garden to look from some herbs for seasoning. When he enters the garden, four giant poisonous snakes attack him. The encounter is more difficult than expected. Mordecai is knocked unconscious after taking several poisonous bites from the serpents. It seems dinner may be cancelled! They continue to bite him in his unconscious state forcing death saves. Most of group fight from a distance, but Horrick bravely approaches the snakes with his gulthias staff knowing it makes beasts uncomfortable. He tries to intimidate them with his action wielding the staff. This makes the snakes less effective. After a tense death save roll and another volley of arrows, the snakes are killed and Mordecai is stabilized but still unconscious.
In Aeson fashion, he snags the Sunsword from Mordecai’s unconscious body and plays with it a little bit. The party gets a little nervous seeing Aeson playing with the sword, but he just wanted to keep it safe. After Mordecai is brought to consciousness, Aeson trades the sword for the immovable rod he put in its place.
While that’s going on, Alberich investigates the area of the ruins where the ghost appeared and finds a trap door in the floor. After checking it for traps and opening it, a cellar is found with a wooden ladder leading down. However, it’s filled with stones and rubble. His dwarfish experience tells him it would take him four hours to clear it out alone, but with help it could be done in two hours.
Horrick uses his hut spell to create a dome of protection from the elements and the party takes a short rest. Everyone but Alberich is in the hut and some hit dice are also used to recover hit points.
Just when things seem calm, and the snakes are cooked up instead of the goats, the haunting cackle of the flaming skull is heard from the area of Baba’s hut.
It’s about 3:30PM and party is about three hours travel back to the winery.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
If you want to see what was going through Asvard's mind during this session, click here! If anyone else wants to add their character’s perspective, only writing what your character knows, please reach out to me via DM on Discord/email/facebook.As party moves around, there are a few more rot grubs that infest Horrick and Mordecai. Fortunately, the damage isn’t too bad. Horrick casts non-detection to beef up his ward and Alberich gives some healing to Mordecai. Gleam drinks her mana potion to restore a spell slot. The party decided to head to where they heard the sounds of battle.
After about 25 minutes of travel in the swamp, they come to the area where the can just make out through the thick soupy fog, seven creatures moving toward the wizard in a circle formation as if to surround him. The wizard is engaged with a old haggard woman which can only be assumed to be Baba Lysaga. They see a hut that appears to have moving legs made of roots. An an upside-down giant’s skull is to the east of the hut. Click here to see what the party saw from their location in the upper left corner.
The party decides to each engage a creature so the wizard doesn’t get overwhelmed. As they charge toward their individual targets, everyone except for Mordecai and Alberich start to feel woozy. Their arms and legs feel heavy like filled with lead. Most importantly, their vision is blurred so they’re only able to see 30’ around them. Based on how they feel, they know their attacks will not be as effective as they should be. It would seem that the rush of adrenaline and increased blood flow from running to their targets sped up the poisonous disease of the rot grub bites.
After the charge to the targets, most the players find themselves unable to see their comrades or their intended targets due to their blurred vision. Struggling to find their targets, they come across what appears to be scarecrows in each of their area of vision and combat begins.
After a few turns, it seems some of the scarecrows are decoys and nothing more than straw filled clothing whereas others are animated creatures that can attack. It’s impossible to tell which ones are which when the animated ones aren’t moving. All the while Mordecai and Alberich, whose vision is not affected, try to direct their compatriots by telling them what general direction to move.
Flashes of light appear from time to time from that battle between the wizard and Baba Lysaga. This gives players a brief glimpse beyond their circle of vision.
Fire bolts, spirit guardians, swings of swords and axes, tosses of javelins and arrows and mirror images are cast. Mordecai uses some of his lay on hands to cure Asvard of his disease. Horrick takes a chance and uses the gulthias staff to gain back some hit points. After about six rounds of combat, several decoy’s are destroyed and several animated scarecrows are destroyed. Each of the party members take some damage during the combat rounds. Mordecai drinks his potion of greater healing.
The wizard seems like he’s in a mad, paranoid state screaming, “You think my magic has grown weak? Think again!” as several scarecrows hit him. Mordecai sees him apparently talking to an imaginary person. The party focuses their attacks on the scarecrows near the wizard.
Baba Lysaga screams at Asvard as he tried to dispel magic on her hut. His spell seems like it may fail, but he gets inspiration from Gleam and the spell succeeds! The animated hut, which had huge roots dangerously flailing around, sits down and becomes and ordinary hut built upon a large stump. The green glowing light from insides fades away.
Baba Lysaga sees her hut dispelled and attempts to cast a spell at Asvard. He casts healing word on himself before the spell hits. A gaseous cloud appears from the ground around Asvard, but the wizard counterspells it.
Alberich uses the greater restoration spell scroll on the wizard and he’s cured from the madness at was afflicting him. The wizard identifies himself as Mordenkainen of Oerth. He hurls a lightning bolt at Baba Lysaga and she heads toward the giants skull. Horrick breaks into song, “The wheels on the skull go round and round!”.
Asvard, in the war god’s bloodlust, chases after Baba Lysaga casting guiding bolt while Aeson fires arrows at her. They hit but she’s still able to escape yelling that she’s the mother of he lord of this land and that she’ll get back at him for his insolence!
Combat ends and Mordecai uses is remaining lay on hands and cures the effects of the rot grubs on party. Asvard’s spirit guardians is still active with at least 9 minutes remaining.
It’s about 2:15PM on the party’s sixth day in land of Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Reminder about a journal from one character’s perspective, only writing what your character knows. No pressure, no obligation. Please reach out to me via DM on Discord/email/facebook if you want write one up.On the way to Berez, a path was seen of blown apart trees. Also, up the mountain to the west, a silver shimmering castle was seen. Gleam mentioned the sign they has seen earlier and guessed it probably leads to that castle. Something about “Order of the Silver Dragon”. The name of the castle was still unknown.
As the party enters the ruins of Berez, the ground gets softer and more swamp like. The sounds of flies buzzing and swamp creatures are heard.
Several dilapidated buildings are notices with one that appears to have a faint glow coming from it. On approaching the building, they see woman inside. She introduces herself as Muriel Vinashaw, a member of the Keepers of the Feather. The party is understandably cautious when meeting older women in Barovia and asks for proof. Muriel mimics Mordecai’s voice perfectly as evidence of her identity as a wereraven.
Over the conversation with Muriel, the party gets the following information:∙ There is a battle raging between some wizard and Baba Lysaga
∙ The village was flooded by Strahd long ago
∙ Faint sounds of thunderclaps and crackling noises are heard
∙ She says the castle they saw up the mountain was called Arynvostholt
∙ Argynvostholt was the base of a silver dragon that battled Strahd centuries ago, but he and his order were destroyed
∙ Legend has it the dragon skull was taken by Strahd as a trophy and resides somewhere in Ravenloft; if the skull is returned to Argynvostholt, it will bring light to Barovia
∙ There is a troll, a catoblepas and some rotting corpses in the area
∙ Baba Lysaga has scarecrows she controls and her hut is ‘alive’ in some way
∙ Rot grubs have a faint, sickening sweet rotting smell. They will eat normal flesh, but prefer dead fleshEveryone but Alberich, starts to get prickly, biting sensations around their ankles and shins. When they check out their legs, they see each have these worm like grubs biting them. Each member removes the creatures from their body and take various points of damage. Muriel explains the creatures are rot grubs. She says the wounds can fester and warns the group to keep an eye on those wounds. Alberich uses his nature skill and recalls that rot grubs can burrow under the skin and head toward the victim’s heart if they’re not removed in time.
Horrick tells Alberich his body parts may come in ‘handy’ to keep the rot grubs busy. Alberich pulls out the parts and says he’s ‘armed’ to the teeth. Aeson jumps in saying he thinks there’s a joke in there, but he can’t put his ‘finger’ on it. For all the ‘punny’ comments, click here to listen again!
The party proceeds slowly and cautiously looking for rot grubs as they walk. Asvard is in the lead and points out to the party where he sees some so they can be avoided.
Out of the swampy undergrowth the catoblepas lumbers out and confronts the party. Combat starts but it is killed pretty fast due to some crits rolled by the party. It howls and screams as it dies. Upon hearing that, a rotting troll comes out from a nearby building. It screams you killed his pet. Combat continues with the troll.
More crits are rolled and the troll it taken out without much trouble by the various party members but not before he gets a few shots in himself.Alberich takes the tusks from the catoblepas, but takes a few points of poison damage when removing them. He also drops some of the humanoid body parts he had to make room for the the tail.
The party heads to where the troll came from and checks out its lair. The smell is overpowering as there are piles of rotten flesh and dung everywhere. A treasure chest is found and Aeson goes in and successfully picks the lock. Upon opening the chest the party finds a vial, a pouch of sling bullets, and three diamonds worth about 100GP each.
Constitution saves are rolled just before the session ends by everyone but Alberich. It’s about 1:15PM on the sixth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Reminder about a journal from one character’s perspective, only writing what your character knows. No pressure, no obligation. Please reach out to me via DM on Discord/email/facebook if you want write one up.Combat finishes up with the below occurring:
Aeson
Some of the mongrelfolk were able to discover Aeson using their keen smell abilities. Aeson tried to Parley with the mongrelfolk, but they didn’t understand that word. He took a few points of damage and was poisoned. Another mongrel whacks Aeson for a few more points of damage, but his roguish cunning action reduces the damage.
Asvard
Asvard heals up Mordecai so he’s no longer unconscious and uses guiding bolt on Strahd. Strahd give Asvard the “No, no , no” gesture.
Horrick
Beucephalus shows up and engages Horrick, however, he’s able to activate his shield with his reaction. Horrick uses his action to hit the nightmare then uses his bonus action and movement to TRY to misty step / jump down to the next strip of road. However, he doesn’t make his saves and ends up taking some damage. He lands on the road slightly banged up just as a mongrelfolk, (which is a mix of a badger, octopus and human), comes burrowing out of the ground right near Horrick.
Abbot
The Abbot uses his telepathy to speak with Mordecai. He asks if what he heard was true about Strahd intercepting all the Abbot’s prayers to Lathander over the centuries. Mordecai confirms this which gets the Abbot thinking about his decisions over the past centuries. This greatly angers the Abbot and he attacks Strahd. The below conversation is heard between Strahd and the Abbot by those still conscious.
ABBOT:
My gift to free you from your curse and free this land is almost ready. These addlepates attacked said gift and I was forced to put them in their place. However, I overheard what you said through my telepathy with the paladin. Is it true that you have been intercepting my communication with Lathander?
STRAHD:
Of course you fool! Nothing transpires in my land without my knowledge. How are your ‘children’, the Belview’s doing? Or that hapless abomination you planned on presenting to me as a gift?
* Abbot’s eyes widen*
It was so easy to manipulate you into thinking you were saving them when all the while you were doing my bidding. You've been tormenting them in the name of a impotent god! Watching your spiral into darkness has been most entertaining.
* Abbot’s glowing white eyes turn to red flames of fury as he brings up his mace to strike Strahd *
ABBOT:
A mistake I will not make again! Back to the shadows I will send you and will free this land!
* Abbot swings his mace hitting Strahd for some radiant damage *
STRAHD:
So this is how it will be?! You have no way to confide in your god. You are utterly alone and can not leave my realm without MY express consent! I will return and run you into the ground as soon as I am done playing with my new toys. I will then torture your 'children' for my pleasure as you watch!
Strahd vanishes after that confrontation.
The Abbot calls off the mongrelfolk after the situation with Strahd. Combat officially ends. The Abbot suggests heading back to Krezk so he can resurrect the burgomaster’s son and maybe use the pool's properties to help heal the party. The Abbot stabiles Gleam, Asvard stabilizes Alberich and the Abbot telepathically tells Horrick the scoop.
The Abbot also sends a badger/octopus mongrelfolk to keep Horrick company while Horrick waits for everyone to descend down the road. This particular mongrel gets “friendly” with Horrick even though Horrick tries to keep away from it using his tiny hut spell as a ritual.
Alberich uses five charges of his healing stole to give the party mass healing while Asvard gives Otto last rites of the war god. Mordecai and Alberich help Ireena up the wall and Mordecai give Ireena some healing to repair her wrist.
The Abbot explains the powers of the pool but the party have some have reservations about it. Eventually the party gets some more healing from the pool.
When Ireena goes to the pool for more healing, a watery visage of Sergei appears beckoning to her. Ireena has a enlightening moment and realizes she is in fact the reincarnation of Tatyana. As Sergei reaches for her with a watery hand, Mordecai pulls her back as a protective reflex.
Ireena is incensed by this. She now knows who she truly is and wants nothing more than to be with her fiancé from so many years ago. She attacks Mordecai for a few points of damage and then removes her robe of many things, drops her silvered rapier and plunges into the pool to be with her beloved. Her and Sergei embrace as they vanish into the waters. Asvard grabs the robe and Gleam takes her silvered rapier.
Mordecai swoops in after her because he’s not sure if it’s some type of trick. He promptly begins to sink due to his armor, but makes the save and scrambles out of the pool. He gets feelings of joy and contentment from the Sunsword and then realizes that Ireena is now safe and out of Strahd’s grasp.
Immediately after that, the skies darken. Thunder booms over the entire valley and Strahd’s voice is heard saying, “She is MINE!” A bolt of lightening strikes the pool and knocks several party members prone. Horrick is in the pool getting a sample when this happens and takes some damage. The Abbot senses the pool is no longer blessed.
Hundreds of bats coalesce from the surrounding flora dropping envelopes that contain an invitation from Strahd. The contents show the following::
My friends,
Know that it is I who have brought you to this land, my home, and know that I alone can release you from it. I bid you dine at my castle so that we can meet in civilized surroundings. Your passage here will be a safe one. I await your arrival.
Your host,
Strahd von Zarovich
The Abbot says he will not accompany the party because wants to restore the abbey to its former glory. The party gives him a quick rundown that they’re looking for a wizard to help them. The Abbot says he has heard of a mad wizard and says he may have a scroll that could help but needs to get it from his library back at the abbey.
Horrick creates another hut so the party can stay safe, dry off and warm up while the Abbot gets the scroll which Alberich takes. During this time, a short rest is had where some abilities are restored and more HP is gained by using hit dice. The players perform some fantastic role playing and several background points are exchanged during this time. The characters are understandably concerned hearing about the dark histories of each other.
The party recalls what the Martikov brothers said about a mad wizard showing up for wine. And because there was none, how the wizard blasted his way toward Baba Lysaga in Berez for a gems. They also remember the smoke they saw while headed to Krezk
They decide to try to meet up with this wizard because of Madam Eva’s reading and head east to meet up with him in hopes of him being the ally she predicted.While on the road to find the wizard, we ended where it was 12:30PM with the party on a southern road toward Berez.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or send a DM in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Reminder about a journal from one character’s perspective, only writing what your character knows. No pressure, no obligation. Please reach out to me via DM on Discord/email/facebook if you want write one up.Several rounds of combat continue and with Strahd himself showing up. Below are a synopsis of some turns/actions taken.
Horrick
∙ Continues to beat feet outta there using dash after dash. JM put it quite nicely in Discord after the game, “Horrick has spent nearly ten rounds consistently running away as fast as he can lol” “yep, and he ain't even gunna deny! F*ck all that noise with Deva's and Ancient Vampires, he knew we were f*cked and bounced”
∙ Misty steps past Strahd and dashes
∙ Scoots out dangerously close to the 100’ drop just off the roadAeson
∙ Makes himself look a mongrelfolk
∙ He dashes and crawls down the steep incline hiding among the rocks
∙ Climbs down the steep embankment even further and hidesAlberich
∙ Heals himself
∙ Swings at the gopher/bat mongrelfolk
∙ Taunts the abbot about the way the mongrelfolk look by asking who he’s been sleeping with
∙ Cast spirit guardians on the mongrelfolk that are surrounding him
∙While knocked out, he shared a dream with a pit fiendMongrelfolk
∙ Use their mimicry skill trying to trick the party
∙ Pig/chicken stabs Mordecai
∙ Lizard/dog slashes at Aeson
∙ One urinates on the unconscious AlberichMordecai
∙ Dashes to try to find Ireena
∙ Trashes the pig/chicken with a crit then tosses a rope over the wall for Ireena
∙ Readies an action to pull up Ireena
∙ Pulls out the Sunsword while flourishing the Luke Skywalker pose, and Strahd says he’d been looking for itAbbot
∙ Goes back to check on Vasilka and pick up his mace
∙ Smacks Alberich with his mace brings him to zero HP, knocking him out
∙ Has a conversation with Asvard about the group and to help get Visilka ready for Strahd
∙ Sends Aeson a telepathic message to give himself upStrahd
∙ Announces he has been the one communing with the Abbot over the centuries
∙ Swings at Gleam with his sword, but she pops shield
∙ Casts fireball and scorches Gleam, Mordecai and Otto, killing the mongrel and knocking Gleam out
∙ Knocks out Mordecai with magic missile, leaving Sunsword vulnerableGleam
∙ Hits the abbot with her rapier and tells him he has butt-ass uglychildren
∙ Flies over to check on Ireena and sees her a little banged up, but she’s conscious and clinging so as not to fall down the steep embankment
∙ Pops her shield spell a couple of time deflecting damage
∙ Gets knocked out by Strahd’s fireballAsvard
∙ Pleads with the Abbot not to kill Alberich, “Please don’t kill him. I know he’s a douche, but he’s my douche.”
∙ Runs to where the fireball exploded to check his comradesThere was a brief out of game conversation about MoleMan.
Left off in round 9 at about 10:10 AM on day 6. Mordecai, Gleam and Alberich are unconscious. Aeson is hiding in the steep escarpment while Horrick dashes his way down the hair-pin road toward Krezk. Asvard is scoping out the situation with the arrival of Strahd.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted. The DM forgot to start recording so some details may be scanty. This summary is essentially a brain dump without any elaborate wording.
Please, PLEASE remind me of anything that you feel was pertinent in the conversation with the Abbot that I missed the first ½ hour of the game!
There is a also a good chance I accidentally give some information I had in my notes that was not disclosed during the game. If that’s the case, you know it now!The Abbot disclosed the following through conversation with various characters:
∙ Strahd isn’t so bad once you get to know him. Asked if anyone has really sat down and talked with him.
∙ Feels what he’s doing is right. His heart is pure and intentions are noble and good.
∙ Has been communing with Lathander for the couple of centuries while he’s been in Barovia. Mordecai specifically asks how that’s possible.
∙ The mongrelfolk are all of the same family, the Belview’s. When the Abbot arrived centuries ago, they were living in the abandoned abbey because of their leprous condition. When he arrived, he took over the abbey and began healing them. He found he was unable to heal some of their physical deformities and their madness.
∙ Although they all were tremendously appreciative, they were hoping to be better than they were. They wanted some animal traits thinking that would make them better. The Abbot felt pity on them and tried to grant their requests.
∙ In his first attempts, many of the Belview's died, but hey insisted he keep trying. Strahd game to visit him and helped him with the experiments. He gave the Abbot some ancient information from The Amber Temple, far up on Mount Ghakis. With Strahd’s help and that lost information, he succeeded in ‘perfecting’ the Belview’s as they are today.
∙ Truly believes creating a bride for Strahd is what will make him happy. This will abolish the curse on him, thus freeing the land and it’s people.
∙ The parts he mentioned he needed to finish Vasilka were a tongue and voice box.Strahd appeared just behind the Abbot. He said nothing and did nothing. He just stood there. When combat started, he vanished.
Ireena screamed and was found stabbed. Aeson was no where to be seen and was called for by Mordecai, but there was no answer. No one knows what happened or how she got stabbed. Mordecai and Gleam healed her. This event triggered Alberich to attack Vasilka.
There was a major Gomer Pyle moment when the Abbot turned all silvery with radiant glowing eyes as huge wings unfurled from his back! Gleam, Mordecai and Horrick realize he is a Deva and tell the party what they know.
Combat starts. Below are some turns / actions.
GleamHorrick∙ Chaos Bolts goes awry with a natural 1 on the roll and does minor acid damage to herself and a few of her comrades.
∙ Uses banish scroll on the Abbot/Vasilka, but he resists.
∙ Hits Vasilka with a firebolt and snags her in a fireball
∙ Casts fireball again and encompasses Vasilka and the Abbot
∙ Gleam screams out to the Abbot there is no understanding between them and she calls him Strahd’s bitch
∙ Uses her Radiant Soul ability to fly to the roof
Asvard∙ Extends his Arcane Ward to help Alberich
∙ Casts banish on the Abbot, but he resists
∙ Sees Aeson bleeding outside and gives him the quick rundown of the situation
∙ Horrick runs like hell!
∙ Stays out of the fray, not engaging or attacking the Abbot or Vasilka. They ignore him completely. He does kick some dirt on Alberich as he runs by him and goes on a ‘minor’ tirade. Yells to Abbot reminding him Ireena belongs to Strahd.Aeson
∙ Opens fire and his arrow strikes VasilkaAlberich
∙ Runs like hell!
∙ Casts Grease to make Ireena slippery while the Abbot is flying away with her
∙ Hits the Abbot with Treebane and calls him a bitchVasilka
∙ Blinds the Abbot, but fails on Vasilka
∙ Heals himself, cries, and tells the Abbot to suck his dwarfish . . . ummm . . . well, you know
∙ Bitch slaps Alberich around several times
∙ Slams Gleam around a little bit
Abbot
∙ Whacks Alberich with his maceMordecai
∙ Cures himself from the blindness condition
∙ Heals up Vasilka
∙ He’s so enraged, he swings too hard and misses Gleam, losing his mace. Then grabs Ireena and begins to fly away with her telling Gleam that Ireena’s death will be on her hands and will have the parts he needs.
∙ Drops Ireena behind the abbey due to her being slippery (Aeson's grease). No one knows the state of Ireena
∙ Casts Shield of Faith on himself and uses his channel divinity to spark up his halberd with Sacred Weapon.Ireena
∙ Breaks a window and jumps out, beckoning for Ireena to follow
∙ Helps Ireena get up and moves her to safety
∙ Gets a little flustered and mutters some almost intelligible stuff while bolting out of the courtyard when Zygfrek asks what going on
∙ Hurls a couple of javelins at the Abbot but misses∙ Jumps out the window, but she trips and tumbles on Mordecai outside the building.
∙ Screams several times wondering what the hell is going onPristine stitching is noticed on Vasilka by several players as she passes or gets close them.
Left off with party seeing Ireena squirming out of the Abbot’s grasp as she falls behind the abbey out of the sight of all the party members. Was it off the cliff? Was she too high up to survive the fall?
It’s about 10AM on the party’s sixth day in Barovia.Reminder: No game on October 8th.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Just after the quick battle with the werewolves, billows of white smoke were seen not far from the base of mountain to the south. The party guessed it was the wizard that visited the winery on his way to Berez as they saw a path of trees split apart. While traveling, the horses were uncomfortable with the Gulthias Staff in their presence. Mordecai mentioned to the party he was going to detect if the Abbot was undead using his paladin senses and would give a signal to the party by activating the Sunsword. They passed a sign in Draconic that Gleam described could be read as,
Arg_nv_sth_ _t
O_d_ _ of the _ _lver Dra_ _n
Ireena mentioned the recurring dream she had of being entombed or being in a clean pool with a handsome man.
The Martikov brothers are met at Raven River Crossroads and ask the party to take the wagon of wine they have to Krezk. The brothers will take the riding horse back.
A group of eight zombies showed up on the road and Alberich used his cleric ability of Destroy Undead which knocked off four of them in one turn!! Aeson drops one in a turn with his bow and the three left were easily wiped out. Some fur cloaks were found with a note from the Martikov’s for the party to use.
The Breakfast Club arrives at the hamlet of Krezk about 8:45AM. The guards at the gate are suspicious of the party, but ultimately let them in because of the wagon of wine and because the party claims they’re friends of the Martikov’s. The guards say they will escort the party to the home of Dimitri Krezkov, the burgomaster of Krezk.
On the journey there, the following things stand out:
∙ all the homes are very modest single story cottages
∙ each home has it’s own pen with livestock like goats, pigs, cows and chickens
∙ many of the trees are fruit bearing and each property has their own garden
∙ every home has it’s own cemetery, but all the graves have been dug up with remnants of broken coffins
∙ the graves look like they were purposefully dug up; not like something broke out of themUpon arriving at the burgomaster’s home, it’s observed that it’s equally as modest as the others considering his position. When the party meets the burgomaster, he is very clear about not being particularly happy the party is there. Although he appreciates the wine delivery, he figures they’re either enemies or allies of Strahd. In either case, it’s trouble for him.
Through further conversation, the following information is discovered:
∙ There is no inn.
∙ He and his wife (Anna) lost their youngest son a few weeks back, the last of the Krezk noble bloodline.
∙ The abbey hasn’t been ‘in service’ for centuries and strange things happen there.
∙ Infrequently, citizens have gone to the abbey to see the Abbot for healing. Some have returned healed; others have returned ‘different’.
∙ The hamlet is self sufficient except for wine. They even have a pool within the walls that supplies the hamlet with water. It acts as a commune and as such, resources are shared so there is no money system in place. (Aeson gets light-headed at hearing this and needs to sit. He eventually recovers and searches the home finding nothing of value).
∙ Strahd hasn’t been seen for quite a whileAs the party is ready to leave, Alberich gets Dimitri to agree to trade with the dwarves if the land can be freed from Strahd. Dimtri tells the party he would be willing to house them if they could get something for him. He goes on to explain that the Abbot agreed to resurrect his son if a bridal gown could be obtained. Dimitri and Anna have no means to secure such an item. They understand the risk having the Abbot perform this ritual, but are desperate to preserve the bloodline. The party conveys they’ll talk to the Abbot and see what they can do.
On the way to the abbey, Horrick identifies the boots that Gleam got from Wachterhaus. The boots are known as Boots of the Winterlands! (The scatter-brained DM forgot to finish that tangent in game so retconned it here).
The trek to the abbey is treacherous due to it being a switchback road with a very steep climb to about 750 feet. Upon arriving at the top, the party enters the abbey after Alberich (using thaumaturgy) screams out for the Abbot. Two creatures come from the gate house of the abbey. Their appearance is like nothing anyone in the party has ever seen! Each of them appears to be a mongrel of a human with the features of several different animals. They introduce themselves as Otto and Zygfrek Belview. The mongrels leave to get the Abbot and while they’re gone, the party sees a cemetery in the outer courtyard. All the graves in this courtyard are undisturbed.
After a few minutes, the two mongrelfolk call the party to the inner courtyard and they go back to their posts ‘guarding’ the front gates. Within this inner courtyard another mongrel creature with different animal parts is seen tethered to a hitching post. A cacophony of animal sounds combined with human screams are heard coming from several locked sheds in the courtyard and even more from the wing to the east.
The party decides to avoid the sounds and goes to the north wing. On entering they see the Abbot and a woman in a main hall. Gleam gets some Aasimar type vibes from the Abbot and Mordecai enables his Divine Sense. Both determine the Abbot is some type of celestial.
Through conversation, it’s determined the Abbot thinks he can heal the land by making a bride for ‘the master of this land’. The bride is the woman in the room with the soiled red, tattered gown. The Abbot refers to her as Valiska. She doesn’t talk, but kind of grunts. The party bats around the notion the Abbot could potentially be insane.
Aeson tells the Abbot that the idea of making a bride for Strahd to make him happy is a great idea and offers to help. Aeson asks if there is anything the Abbot needs. The Abbot replies he could use some fresh ‘parts’ as Valiska is still missing some things.
It’s about 9:45AM on the sixth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Mordecai is alone at the bar speaking with Urwin and the rest of party is either upstairs or in the hay loft. The burgomaster arrives with an entourage of guards and three members of Barovian noble families. Mordecai wants to get the rest of the party, but they’re upstairs in their rooms. The only way to get to those rooms on the second floor, is to take the outside stairs. Not wanting to confront the burgomaster alone, Mordecai jumps on a table to try to make it to the second floor balcony. He gallantly jumps to grab the railing, but misses by several feet, crashes down on the table, (smashing it) and takes damage! Those pesky 1’s!!!
The party hears the crash, come out of their rooms and look down from the balcony. They see a crumpled paladin in the splinters of a broken pub table as the baron strides in with his dogs and several guards. Urwin asks everyone to take it outside and everyone concedes.
The party goes outside the inn and see the baron’s group right in front of the inn. They also see two separate groups of cultists approaching the inn with malice in the their eyes and their weapons drawn about . Before anything gets started with all these different factions, clouds roll in over the moonlit sky as the voice of Strahd Von Zarovich is heard and swarms of bats, rats in insects fill the village streets.
Chaos ensues as the swarms begin attacking everyone. Strahd is then seen on a roof across the street from the inn laughing at what’s going on. Mordecai feels a swelling emotion of hatred coming from the Sunsword upon Strahd’s arrival. The party ushers the baron in the inn to safety. The baron decides not to go in, but to take his chances and go back to his home. He blames the party for the devil showing up in Vallaki and says they need to be out of the village first thing tomorrow.
Mordecai goes to check on Ireena. She seems dazed as she longingly looks out the window in Strahd’s direction, rubbing the bite marks on her neck. Mordecai convinces Ireena not to sleep alone and eventually it’s decided she will stay with Gleam. Getting Ireena to Gleam’s room without having to go outside was it’s own ordeal. Ireena’s Robe of Useful items came in handy!
Horrick reviews the books he picked up from Wachterhaus and gets the following info about the history of Berez:
∙ The burgomaster of Berez at that time had a daughter named Marina, which Strahd decided to take for his own.
∙ Before Strahd could turn her, the burgomaster and the local priest, killed Marina to save her soul from that damnation.
∙ Strahd was so furious, he caused the River Luna to swell, swallowing the town and killing almost everyone that lived there.
∙ It is now a swamp which Baba Lysaga has taken up residence.Gleam and Ireena get in some ‘girl time’ and discuss the state of things. Ireena asks if it was true that he party killed the son of a noble. Gleam very nonchalantly replies, “He tripped.” Unfortunately, Ireena doesn’t buy it. Gleam then says, “He sort of tripped but fell on an axe.” Ireena, realizing Gleam doesn’t quite want to divulge what really happened, goes on to express how although the baron is a heel, he is in a tough spot with the other nobles of the village.
Asvard asks Urwin to keep the mirror safe because it’s too big to bring with them to which Urwin agrees.
Aeson gets WLDD back to the inn in an empty bedroom on the second floor. He relentlessly busts Mordecai’s balls and doesn’t allow him in the room. Talk is had about Ireena paying again. Ireena hears some this from her room and peaks out and says very loudly to Mordecai, specifically so Aeson can hear it, “Too bad the halfling blew the deal on all those cauldrons.” This aggravates Aeson greatly! Eventually Aeson allows Mordecai in the room to sleep.
Alberich is shown a few secret paths in the inn by Urwin. A secret door from the kitchen leads to a stairwell to the western second floor balcony. A bedroom in western side has a secret door that leads directly to the hayloft above the stables. Alberich settles in under the hay.
A long rest is had by all, even though everyone had horrible nightmares about Morgantha riding them with her long, wrinkly, sagging . . . ummm . . . ‘mammary gland holders’ slapping their faces. Horrick attunes to the Gulthias Staff. The party awakens on their sixth day in the Barovia.
Alberich, completely out of left field, is extraordinarily cordial, polite and actually serves everyone breakfast. The party is confused by Alberich’s attitude. They also vaguely bring up the dreams they had last night. Ireena tries to avoid Alberich, but he engages her enough to get a breakfast order from her and brings her food.
Urwin offers the party horses for their journey and says it’s important they are returned and well taken care of. He also says they will probably see his brothers on the road with a wagon of wine that is intended for Krezek as they are over due for their delivery.
The party leaves Vallaki without incident about 6:40AM and heads west on Old Svalich Rd.
After about 35 minutes of travel, two werewolves jump from the sidelines and combat starts. The party is at full power so two measly werewolves are no match for The Breakfast Club! Why do we dare call two werewolves measly? Well, when Gleam crits and does 35 points of fire damage with a cantrip then immediately after Mordecai also crits and does 32 points of damage, we can call werewolves measly!
It’s now about 7:15AM on the party’s sixth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Alberich goes to finish off the other Wachter brother so there aren’t any witnesses. Mordecai is able grapple the dwarf to give the heavily injured brother time to escape, which he does.
Aeson is WLDD out as Asvard and Gleam head downstairs to see what all the ruckus was about. While still upstairs, Asvard hears a woman’s voice from a locked room. He kicks the door open and sees a crazy lady calling herself kitty and that she smells fish. Much like Aeson, didn’t want to deal with that so left her there with the door open and broken. As they come down the stairs, they see Nikolai Wachter Jr. cleaved in two.
The party realized the servants left out the back door. It’s unknown at this time what they saw or heard.
Suddenly, the house get very cold. Steps are heard from the second floor where the dead body of the senior Nikolai Wachter was laying. The body comes downstairs and Alberich immediately recognizes it as Nikolai Wachter Jr., the person he just killed. He’s a revenant looking for revenge on Alberich. Combat starts and party stands with Alberich and fight the revenant. The party prevails . . . for now.
Horrick is WLDD out and almost instantly WLDD back in, like the portal made a mistake. When he comes back he searches the room a little further and finds a grimoire and a very old letter from a Vadcon Thrash Zoriv to Lady Lovina Wachter. The letter speaks of thanking her for the hospitality, loyalty and friendship over the years.
The party fills Horrick in on what transpired and realized the revenant will be back every day until it exacts its revenge on Alberich. They also realize there are quite a few people that saw the party at Wachterhaus and may have seen what happened; the Wachter servants, Karl Wachter, Phil the cultist, and then the other cultists that blew the signal whistle. Horrick burns the bodies in the house to make sure they can’t rise. Before leaving, Alberich spits on the burning bodies of Nikolai Wachter Jr. (cleaved in two) and the body of Nikolai Wachter Sr. that was possessed by Jr.
The Sunsword conveys its disappointment to Mordecai about what’s happened and identifies itself as “Ronsonol”. The party goes to the Inn a staying off the main road. Horrick sends his raven familiar (Poe) to check things out. Poe telepathically tells him he sees nobles and commoners headed to the baron’s house and cultists headed to Wachterhaus.
Upon arriving at the Inn, Mordecai, Alberich and Horrick talk about Alberich’s situation. Alberich explains what happens if he were to die, the history of his family book and how it’s cursed. Between the book and being in Barovia Alberich justifies his erratic behavior. Horrick offers to help him with the book if he can. Danika Martikov calls them inside.
Urwin says he got word from his family at the winery that the mad wizard showed up there! The wizard was asking for wine. The family at the winery told the wizard they had no wine and they needed a gem that Baba Lysaga had to get the vineyard fully fertile again. The wizard took off in a huff to Berez, where Baba Lysaga lives. He didn’t even use the road, but just blasted all the trees down making his own road to get there. He didn’t hurt the family and he seemed confused and disoriented. Urwin also explained what happened to the town of Berez. The Burgomaster of Berez at that time did something that greatly angered Strahd. In turn, Strahd had the river swell and consume the entire town. It's been a swamp ever since and Baba Lysaga took up dwelling there.
The party puts together a plan to try to get the revenant out of the way. They know it will inhabit another body and come after Alberich again and again until it exacts its revenge.
Guards entered the Inn telling the party the Baron needs to see them about the things that have happened. They’re supposed to escort them to the Baron’s home past the cultists, which happen to arrive at the Inn’s front door. The guards and the party decide to engage the cultists. The cultists are killed and one guard (Stephan) is killed. No one escapes The Breakfast Club!!
Asvard and Mordecai go to the church to talk with Ireena. Mordecai speaks with Ireena and she expresses her concern about Alberich’s actions. Killing noble family members, good or bad, is strongly frowned upon. She says some other noble families of Vallaki (the Targolov’s, the Gregorovich’s and the Diminski’s) are very upset and currently talking with the Baron. She is quite exasperated and not sure if having the party usher her to Kresk is a good idea. Asvard and Mordecai explain and she concedes. She accompanies them back to the Inn with them because the party plans on leaving in the morning. Asvard gives Father Petrovich 20GP to take care of the crazy lady found at Wachterhaus. They arrive back at the Inn without incident.
While Gleam is resting she is visited by her angelic guide Valandras. He says it’s difficult to see her, as if she’s a blurry fog. He indicates he’s disappointed in some of her decisions, referring to killing the Vistani. She tries to explain, but wakes up in a cold sweat.
Alberich goes back to the loft to be by himself. He feeds some of the ravens the lettuce he had making friends with them. He attempts to communicate with them, specifically asking to keep watch if anyone were to sneak in while he sleeps. The appear to understand.
It’s about 6PM on the party’s fifth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
After the exploding skeletons and crispy cultists, the party splits up. Alberich and Gleam go back outside to deal with the one cultist Horrick saw through his familiar’s eyes that was guarding the front door of the house. The cultist blows on his signal whistle and there is brief exchange of blows. Alberich tells the cultist Lady Wachter is dead and any cultists will have to deal with the party if they attempt to take over the town. The cultist is allowed to leave.
The party reassembles in the basement and go up the internal stairs to the first floor of the house. Mordecai is in the lead and goes all Hulk on every door he encounters by kicking it while screaming, “Lathander’s Witnesses!”. The first door is kicked open (without even seeing if it’s locked or not) and he’s ready for battle inside a small closet. He kicks open the closet door and finds himself in an unoccupied vestibule. Committed to the kicking plan, he kicks in another unlocked door to a storage room! Undeterred, he kicks down a fourth door and finds himself in the servants quarters where there are two terrified servants cowering in the corner. Seeing no sense in stopping now, kicks in a fifth door to a parlor with an older lady sitting a couch. He puts his halberd to her throat and says, “Surrender right now! You’re under arrest”
She introduces herself as Fiona Wacther’s sister and asks why she’s under arrest. The rest of the party enters the room and explains the skeletons and cultists in the basement is why she's under arrest. They also tell her that Strahd killed her sister and the Burgomaster has the head. She is shocked at hearing this.
The party splits up to search the house. Horrick and Asvard search the first floor, Mordecai and Alberich stay in the den with the woman while Gleam and Aeson search the second floor.
Asvard casts detect magic and senses necrotic and transmutation magic from the second floor so they head up.
Aeson and Gleam check out the rooms upstairs and find a couple of tidy, one person bedrooms. They also find a master bedroom with a man very well dressed in the bed with copper pieces on his eyes. It’s obvious he’s dead and is under the affect of a Gentle Repose spell. Gleam finds a set of boots with frost on them and a key. From the hallway Aeson finds a locked door and deftly picks the lock and stealthily peers in the room. A young woman in soiled gown hisses like a cat and says “Little kitty doesn’t know you! Little kitty doesn’t like the smell of you!”. Aeson backs out of the room and relocks door, and shakes his head, “Not dealing with that right now!”.
There is a room full of cats and a strong smell of cat urine. Aeson makes one of the cats smell like Salmon. Asvard finds a secret door leading to a secret room. The key opens a chest that contains some coin and a locked spell book.
Mordecai and Alberich both smell a warm, inviting scent of some type of pie baking. It’s a very familiar smell of pie that is just like the pie they smelled when entering the Village of Barovia. Mordecai activates his Divine Sense and realized the old woman is a fiend! He pulls out his Wand of Conducting. Alberich blinds her with a spell. She screams she can’t see and we enter initiative. Mordecai draws the Sunsword and casts a second level smite on both his attacks doing a total of 58 points of damage!! She screams in pain and the scream is recognized as Morgantha! She uses her action to vanish the same way she has in the past. Horrick thinks it’s some type of spell so casts Counterspell, but nothing happens and she still disappears.
A knocking is heard at the front door and it’s Lady Wacther’s sons shouting through the door, “Mom! Why is the door locked.” Alberich answers the door and there are an exchange of words with him and the sons. They admit they’re the ones that released the tiger. The push past Alberich entering they’re own home apparently going to sit with Mordecai for tea. Alberich apparently didn’t like they just pushed him aside so swings Treebane at one of them critically hitting him. He cleaves him in half as another Wacther bites the dust. Alberich tags the other brother almost killing him and decides to tell him his mother is dead. Mordecai trips Alberich so he doesn’t finish off the other son.
It seems Barovia is having an affect on the party members!! This summary doesn’t do justice to what a great and fun session this was!! There are some nice notes in the different discord channels; check ‘em out!!
It’s about 5:10PM on fifth day of Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Mordecai and Alberich appear out of the green portal with that echoing, belching scream of Wubba Lubba Dub Dub. They appeared right in front of the Martikov family of the Blue Water Inn and Urwin fills them in on what happened the past few minutes at the festival.
Asvard asks how Ireena is doing and she goes on to explain the two recurring dreams she’s been having.
One dream is her being entombed . . . trapped forever in darkness. She knows she’s dead, but not decaying. Conscious with an insatiable hunger.
The other dream is of being in pure, clean, fresh water. She’s able to breathe the water and is accompanied by a handsome young man who somehow feels familiar. She feels joy and happiness like she’s never experienced in her conscious life. Felt like she belonged there.
The party splits up and the following takes place:
∙ Alberich goes to The Blue Water Inn and checks out Rictavio’s room at Urwin's request. He finds a some old clothes and a journal which has some scribblings about “oddities” he’s seen in his travels. Alberich notices a secret door in the hallway. Urwin says it’s just a stairwell to get to the kitchen downstairs.
∙ Mordecai accompanies Ireena and Father Lucian back to the church
Mordecai asks if the Father has seen a man named Luther and gives a brief, basic explanation of why he’s looking for him. The Father says he did see someone a few months back that matched that description. He thinks he was heading to the Amber Temple (a place of great evil at Mount Ghakis to the south) or toward Kresk. He couldn't be sure of which. Mordecai shows the Father the sword hilt.
Mordecai then speaks to Ireena. She says she’s not feeling as safe as she should because of the dreams she’s been having and would like to head to Kresk. Mordecai says she should be ready to go in a day or so. She gives him 200 GP from her Robe of Useful Items and a potion of Greater Healing as payment to the group for bringing her to Vallaki.
Mordecai goes outside, behind the church and tries to communicate with the sword. They come to some type of understanding. He activates the blade and plays with his sword for a while. Waaaah waaah waaahhh!
∙ Horrick, Gleam and Asvard visit the Burgomaster to get their payment of diamonds.
They tell the Baron that it was ‘the devil’ that killed Lady Wachter. The Baron worries that she may come back as a vampire so Horrick casts Gentle Repose on the head. The party tells the Baron they’re going to investigate Wachterhaus in case there are still cultists there.
The Baron pays them by giving the party his wife’s bridal gown which is encrusted with diamonds. He asks the party about a mirror that went missing. The party feigns innocence and points guilt to the missing servants.All the party reconvenes at The Blue Water Inn. Asvard suggests keeping the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind and the Sunsword under wraps and hidden from public view. The party discusses their options and what they should do next. Aeson messes with the party, per usual, using the immovable rod to lock Mordecai in a room for bit. A short rest is had while Horrick summons a fiend familiar in the form of a raven (named Poe) with blood red eyes. He also identifies a scroll of Banishment for Gleam and the Gulthias Staff which he takes. Asvard takes the diamonds off the wedding gown. The coin from Ireena is distributed to the party as they head to Wachterhaus just after 4PM.
When they arrive, Horrick uses his familiar to fly around the house and look through all the windows and sees the following:
kitchen with someone cooking
den with an elk’s head over the fireplace
servants’ quarters with beds and servants sitting on the beds talking
dining room with a woman sitting on a divan reading a book
master bedroom with a dead man laying on the bed, well dressed and copper pieces on his eyes
two bedrooms with chests, wardrobes and beds
stairwell / hallway
library with no books and about eight cats(Out of game and in chat, Asvard and Aeson can’t help ‘foaling’ around with horse related puns. Feel free to review the chat in Roll20)
Aeson approaches the cultist he made smell like bacon at the festival. This cultist is guarding a door to the basement of Wachterhaus. Aeson successfully uses the Charm spell scroll on this cultist named Phil. Aeson and Phil have a very ‘interesting’ conversation. Phil, not being the brightest bulb, gives up the following information while charmed:
The ‘book’ club meets in the cellar
There are forty members of this club that are going to take over the town
Phil likes to pet soft cats
Phil mom thinks he’s ‘special’, but she’s dead
Lady Wachter took the book to Strahd
Phil and Aeson are best friends now
The cultists are going to attack the Baron’s home in a couple of days
The cultists worship devils (making rock the 80’s rock fingers hands)
Gives the password to get in the cellar which is ‘mammary’
There are skeletons and other cultists down there that can cast spells
Phil lives in a hole, that’s why he’s called ‘Phil’
Another woman showed up a few hours after Lady Wachter left
Phil had to pee really bad
Phil gives Aeson his cloak and scimitar
Aeson sends Phil homeThe party enters the cellar with Asvard in the lead. He says the password and seven skeletons of various humanoid sizes pop up from the ground. They don’t attack, but their empty eye sockets are ‘pointing’ at the various party members as each of them say the password descending the stairs. Footprints are seen in the dirt floor that lead from stairs to a wall. Asvard finds a secret door in the wall.
Aeson opens the secret door, sees a cultist in his face and then immediately shuts it using his roguish abilities to jump back. He tells the group there are five chairs in the room and four of them are occupied by cultists that started to get up. Combat ensues!
Alberich uses his Turn Undead feature as six of the seven skeletons explode into dust. A spell is cast on Mordecai but he makes his save after getting inspiration from Gleam. Then Gleam casts a fireball in the small room with the cultists. Three of the four of them are instantly incinerated as they scream in agonizing pain to their crispy deaths!!! The one that barely survived is burned AGAIN to his death when Horrick casts a Fire Bolt on him. Alberich puts out any remaining flames in that room so the house doesn’t burn down. Mordecai uses the Sunsword on the one remaining skeleton and drops him like a bad habit. Poor Asvard doesn’t even get a chance to act in this combat.
Not much is found when searching the scorched bodies except for a 12 gold pieces.
It’s now about 4:45PM on the party’s fifth day in Barovia with the party still in the cellar of Wachterhaus.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
The infamous green portal appeared once again with the all too familiar scream of Wubba Lubba Dub Dub. Aeson the halfling was tossed out of the portal as Alberich and Mordecai were sucked in. High fives were exchanged as they passed each other. The WLDD god wasn’t sure about Horrick so he tossed him in and out a few times, but ultimately Horrick stayed around.
The party members left Yester Hill and headed to the Wizard of Wines to give the magical green gem to the Martikov’s. Gleam gives the gem to Davian who is extremely grateful The party is reminded about the other gem that Baba Lysaga took. Davian and Aeson went back and forth as to how much the party owns of the winery for clearing out the blights and returning the gem.
The party makes it to Vallaki with no trouble and head directly to where the festival is being held. They see several familiar faces of some of those they met in Vallaki. The Baron held off from starting the festival and waited for the party to return. With the party’s arrival, the Baron announces the party and starts the festival.
The rain starts to get heavier as he arrogantly strides to the wicker ball with torch in hand to set it ablaze. “All will be well”, he shouts as thrusts the torch in the ball. Just then the torch goes out and Aeson can’t help but laugh out loud at what happened. The Baron is furious and orders the guards to take Aeson into custody.
The party thinks if they start the wicker ball on fire, it may alleviate the situation. Horrick casts fire bolt at the sphere, but fumbled. The bolt landed right a the feet of the Baron who thought it was cast at him. He called for the guards to attack the entire party.
The guards pause and are confused because their previous orders were to stay out of the party’s way and give them wide berth. As they start to slowly approach the party in a half-hearted manner, Aeson screams, “The Baron is cursed! Don’t seize us, seize him!” Asvard interjects and hands the sack containing Lady Wachter’s head to the Baron. Before he can open it, a huge crash is heard followed by the roar of some type of animal.
Everyone sees a saber-tooth tiger burst out of a wagon. It starts moving east through the town as all the townsfolk are screaming and running for cover. Rictavio however, goes toward the beast talking to it like a pet, dangling a wolf steak to get its attention. He screams to the crowd to remain calm saying as long as you’re not Vistani the tiger won’t attack.
Horrick tries to put the saber tooth tiger to sleep, but its is too strong and the spell has no effect. Gleam casts firebolt at the wicker sphere and hits it with a crit!! It bursts into flame as the Baron is able to dodge out of the way of the flames licking at he feet. Aeson makes a cultist closest to the tiger smell like bacon. Asvard casts Toll the Dead on the tiger for a whopping two points of damage! The tiger pounces to the east toward a group of Vistani landing a mere 25’ from them.
The Baron finally opens the sack during this chaos and sees Lady Wachter’s head. He immediately tells the guards to attack the tiger and leave the party alone. Upon hearing that, Rictavio is seen flourishing his hand and chanting an incantation. Suddenly, Rictavio, the tiger and wagon vanish in a static charged popping sound! It’s obvious an incredible display of powerful magic was performed.
Asvard asks the Baron if the contract is fulfilled but the Baron is too flustered to give an answer given the state of things. The Baron says he will talk to the party back at his home and calls for guards to escort him there.
Aeson takes advantage of the situation by pick pocketing some commoners and guards. He's gets some coin and key from one of the guards.
Victor Vallakovich and Horrick are both super interested in the magic they saw. In a team effort, they investigate the areas where Rictavio, the tiger and the wagon vanished. It’s determined it was a massive, scattered teleportation circle. Victor said he heard a rumor that Rictavio has some place outside the town. He’s quite interested in speaking with Rictavio to learn this type of magic.
Horrick was also able to see the Vistani running from the tiger. It’s very likely they heard what Rictavio said about the tiger only being trained to attack their kind.
The party decided to approach Ireena to ask about the money she owes them and that’s were we stopped.
It’s now about 1:40PM on the party’s fifth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Before the party gets to close to the tree and creature surrounding it, some healing potions are used and an attack plan is formulated. During this time Alberich takes a look at the bite that Strahd gave Mordecai. Alberich tells Mordecai when night approaches, he’s going to turn in to a vampire spawn. This greatly upsets Mordecai and he prepares to take his own life!!! Alberich then tells him the truth about the bite. To become a vampire, you need to die first and be buried; a bite alone will not turn one into a vampire. Vampirism is not a curse, a condition, or a disease. Mordecai isn’t too happy about the ‘joke’.
Aeson gets Wubba Lubba Dub Dub’d by that pesky green portal.
The group approaches the Needle Blights stealthily and are not noticed. Alberich tries to bait the blights using Thaumaturgy but they’re too busy tending to the tree. The party notices an axe embedded in the tree as they move into position and begin combat.
Combat starts and a bunch of the Twig and Vine Blights reveal themselves. A great deal of the plant creatures get blasted in the first few rounds. The party barely takes any damage. The red humanoid that was in the winery showed up again trying to protect the blights and the tree. He casts a spell at Alberich who failed the save. However, Alberich feels inspired and rolls again, making the save that time. The red humanoid, identified as a tiefling, eventually gets taken out by Alberich’s Inflict Wounds!
Combat take a little while due to all the participants, but ultimately the party is finding their 'combat groove' with lots of excellent tactical decisions. The tree also gets cut down, but is not completely destroyed. After a nature roll, it’s found it's a Gulthias tree and the only way to truly kill it is to dig up the stump or cast the Hallow spell on the area.
The axe that was embedded in the tree has some magical properties and was taken by Alberich. After the Identify spell is cast by Horrick, the axe is known as Treebane!
The Detect Magic spell also reveals something buried near the roots of tree and something on the body of the dead tiefling.
The buried item is the a platinum hilt of a sword and the tiefling’s item is a staff.
With another Identify spell, the hilt of the sword is determined to be the Sunsword!! The party recognizes that this is the item Madam Eva spoke of when drawing the Druid card.
The staff found on the tiefling has a necrotic aura and has the same physical properties of Gulthias tree that was just cut down; it’s spongy, black, and appears to be oozing. Due to its necrotic aura, Horrick is hesitant to cast Identify on it and warns the party to stay away from it.
Gleam finds 50’ of silk rope, an unrecognizable spell scroll and 60 SP on the dead tiefling.
It’s 11:15AM on the party’s fifth day in Barovia. The Festival of the Blazing Sun in Vallaki is scheduled to start in 45 minutes but the party is a solid two and 3/4 hours away if they traveled at a normal pace. Traveling at a fast pace would take two hours.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Combat continues and on Alberich’s first turn he uses his Stole of Healing and casts Mass Cure Wounds. This restores HP to a few party members and brings Mordecai back to consciousness.
The party realizes that Strahd has some legendary actions where he can jump in initiative after a players turn, which he uses several times.
Gleam flies over toward the smoldering pile of coals that was the effigy and due to the heat (and rolling a 1), she’s pushed higher up and away from where she wanted to go. Strahd attempts to take out the Aasimar with a Polymorph spell and she fails the save. However, Alberich give her his inspiration. When she rolls again, it’s a 20 and is able to shake off the Polymorph.
A zombie appears to the North and is recognized as the Vistani leader that was killed. He attempts to chase Horrick, but is just too slow. Horrick recalls some info about zombies; they’re animated with necrotic magic, serves the person that created them and they may have a minor regeneration ability.
Horrick, the snipping gnome, does a critical hit on the berserker that was going to get the gem and just incinerates him!
In a courageous act of bravery, Alberich heads toward Strahd and hits him with his warhammer and says, “Strahd, it’s you and me bitch!” and with his bonus action, he even heals a fellow party member screaming for them all to run!!! As Alberich hits Strahd in the legs, the crunch of bones can be heard and Strahd’s legs bend in a most grotesque, unnatural way from the impact. But right before Alberich’s eyes, Strahd’s leg heals itself, almost as if something else took the damage for him.
Strahd looks at Alberich and asks to join him, tempting Alberich with ancient knowledge and his immense library. He also compliments Alberich on his bravery. Alberich declines the offer.
Gleam uses Mage Hand to snag the gem from the burning pile of coals. She’s able to ascertain this is the magical gem the Martikov’s were talking about.
Strahd takes radiant damage on the start of his turn from Alberich’s Spirit Guardians. Again, the damage is seen, but vanishes as fast as it started, much like the warhammer blow. In return, Strahd bites the dwarf.
A few more combat turns happen with players taking damage and some combatants going down.
Gleam cast Chromatic Orb on Strahd and does a respectable amount of damage, but once again, he heals right before everyone’s eyes.
As most of the enemies have been destroyed, Strahd compliments the party. He says he found them most entertaining and this encounter was a nice distraction for him. He then pulls out the Tome that was given to Lady Wachter by Asvard and says, “I hope you haven’t shown this book to any other friends you’ve made in my land; at least for their sake.” He then throws Lady Wachter’s head into the middle of the stone ring and vanishes!! Asvard takes Lady Wachter’s head.
Combat ends and the dead enemies are looted. Asvard pays his respects to the fallen enemies. Based on what is recalled about Madam Eva's reading, it’s decided to head out of the southern entrance where the black roots seem to be coming from.
A huge black tree that is oozing blood is seen with six Needle Blights around it. A glimmering metal object can be seen somewhere near the trunk of this tree.It’s now 10AM on the party's fifth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
This session was all combat so just threw notes in there. It’s not in any particular order.
Just before combat starts, Asvard senses transmutation magic from inside the wicker effigy of Strahd.
Some spells slots are used by the party members throughout combat.
Shield of Faith - Mordecai
Mirror Image – Gleam
Counterspell – Horrick/Gleam
Inflict Wounds – Alberich
Spirit Guardians – Alberich/Asvard
Healing Word – Alberich
Spiritual Weapon – Asvard/Alberich
Divine Smite – Mordecai
Magic Missile - HorrickDruids are all focused on chanting while the party is attacking. Out of the rocks and from hidden graves, six berserkers jump out from various spots and enter initiative.
Mordecai crits on his on his first attack, but the damage is negligible. In turn, one of the berserks crits on Mordecai, but does 27 damage!! Asvard inspires Mordecai on his next turn, saying not to suck, but the dice weren’t in Mordecai’s favor when trying to avenge that crit and misses.
Beucephalus does nothing on his first turn and Strahd casts Fog Cloud as a minor inconvenience but it’s Counterspelled by Horrick. Tiny gnomes have big stones!!! Strahd looks at Horrick, his lips curl into a smirk and nods to Horrick almost approvingly.
Gleam pops her Radiant Soul ability and garners wings and takes to the sky. But gets hit by an opportunity attack. She then uses her Second Wind giving her back some of the HP she lost.
The two clerics Spirit Guardians and Spiritual Weapons seriously help knock down the druids/berserkers throughout the encounter.
Horrick, while hiding, recites the below poem to himself to stay calm.
Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on the ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quite birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.Inspirations where given by the party to each other several times, coming in very handy.
On another one of Strahd’s turns, he wanted to play with party a little so cast polymorph on the flying Aasimar, Gleam. She failed the save, then used her inspiration and failed again. Horrick gives his inspiration to her for the save and she makes it!
Gleam and Horrick toss some firebolts at the effigy which does in fact damage it. The druids are getting more distressed as this statue is taking damage. Strahd also gets perturbed at this point seeing an icon of himself getting burned by the party.
On Strahd’s next turn, he attempts to cast a fireball, but Gleam counterspells Strahd. This time Gleam doesn’t get a friendly nod from him. Just after that happens, Horrick’s firebolt completely destroys the wicker simulacrum of Strahd. A greenish gem is seen in the fiery embers of the destroyed image. The druids stop chanting and begin fighting the party. Now Strahd is past perturbed and officially annoyed.
Mordecai attacks one of the berserkers doing a total of 28 damage. In a fit of righteous fury, he points to Strahd and says, “Take a good look Strahd. This is the end of your reign!!”
Beucephalus happened to be up next after that comment. With Strahd still mounted, the horse “hoof slaps” Mordecai with 27 points of damage also ending Mordecai’s Shield of Faith spell. A berserker comes up next and slashed at Mordecai, leaving him with very little health.
Strahd speaks directly to Mordecai while in his weakened state. He offers Mordecai a position in Barovia, to leave his petty god and join him in Barovia. In defiance, Mordecai spits on Strahd with his mouth full of blood. Strahd wipes the blood from his cloak and rolls it between his fingers then licks it. He tells Mordecai he tastes delicious.
Strahd attempts to Charm Mordecai, but he’s able to shake it off. Strahd has had enough at this point. As the party looks on, Strahd’s face contorts as he grabs Mordecai and sinks his fangs into Mordecai’s neck, dropping him to the ground unconscious!
Left off at beginning of round five in combat. It’s still 9:50 AM.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
The ‘gold situation’ was resolved and it was ascertained the amount should have been 100GP/ea, not 10GP/ea. There’s always the chance to go back to Ireena to ‘fix’ that inequity.
The entire Breakfast Club is outside the SW gate of Vallaki as this session begins. After some internal discussion and checking the map that Gleam received early in the campaign, the party heads west along the tree line to Svalich Rd moving at a fast pace.
They decide to use a northern pass they haven’t used before to try to avoid the werewolves and do some exploring. They come to a road that bears off to the north. The map shows some type of building on the map that is on a small peninsula, but can’t see the building from the road. The party notes that it’s there and figure they can come back in the future to check it out, so continue west toward Yester Hill.
During their travels the following points are touched upon:
∙ Ireena is a cheap bitch
∙ Asvard wants the robe she got and Aeson agrees
∙ Mordecai has flowing hair (maybe it’s Maybelline?)
∙ The various dead enemy body parts that Alberich has, that weren't gently reposed, could be starting to smell
∙ Aeson wants to make sure all the steps are getting counted toward his daily stepsOn the south road to the Wizard of Wines they encounter a group of Vistani. The Vistani are cocky, belligerent and a little tipsy. They say they stole wine from the vineyard and scared off the Martikov family to snag a few bottles. During the conversation, it’s apparent these Vistani aren’t the ‘nice ones’. Alberich starts getting antsy and purple sparks are come from his finger. After some words are exchanged combat started.
Aeson, Alberich and couple of Vistani have their turns then Gleam is up. She does NOT f*ck around and casts fireball right in the middle of the group completely incinerating 5 of them!!! Mordecai is aghast that she just lit up these Vistani for petty theft. Gleam responds with, “Tyr’s justice is sometimes harsh.”.
Apparently, so is Horrick’s justice as he decides to firebolt a Vistani that’s trying to escape! Another round goes by with some hits and misses. Ultimately, all the Vistani that were on the road are dead and the ones in the woods run and hide. As the last Vistani dies he screams “Strahd will avenge me!” and the one that escapes says, “My Master will hear of this!” A few coins are found on the bodies.
The party travels south past the winery to Yester Hill. It’s a huge hill about 400’ high, 1300’ feet east to west and 1500’ north to south. A very large number cairns are seen along two concentric rings. There are tree roots along the path, some of which are black. On the way to top of the hill, roots get thicker and the black roots get more abundant. Alberich decides to water all the roots as he's walking while Asvard and Horrick ritually cast detect magic on the way.
The party approaches the top of the hill and see a ring of huge boulders surrounding a field of grass which is about 250’ wide. Lightning strikes at the edge of the ring from time to time. Inside the ring is a 50’ tall wicker statue obviously representing Strahd. At the base of the idol the black roots are much larger and thicker. They intertwine with the twigs and packed black earth that make up the effigy. There are six druids covered in bluish-gray mud, dancing and chanting around this icon of Strahd.
It’s determined the druids are performing some religious type ritual. It would seem they are paying homage to Strahd using this image as some type of focus.
Because they’re too busy chanting and dancing, the druids don’t seem to pay attention as the party move themselves in advantageous combat positions. When everyone is ready and standing where they want, initiative is rolled and the turn order is established.
At the North entrance of the ring, just as Aeson is ready to take his turn an enormous horse appears. It’s as black as midnight but it’s hooves and mane are engulfed in flames with fire belching from its nostrils. It looks just like the wooden toy horse Aeson took from the winery. The rider mounted on this creature is none other than Strahd von Zarovich!!
That’s where we stopped! It’s about 9:50AM on the party’s fifth day in Barovia. The Festival of Blazing Sun is scheduled to happen today in Vallaki.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted.
Alberich in the hayloft trying to sleep and hears Rictavio enter. He give his horse, Drusilla, an apple and Rictavio begins talking to her. Alberich hears the below info, which he gives to the party members the following morning:
∙ Rictavio thinks party could be helpful. Seem to be friendly with innkeeper. Wonders if the party know the Martikov's are wereravens.
∙ He feels the Vistani are filthy, thieving cutthroats in league the master of this land.
∙ Hunted and killed vampires for decades; fears if can’t defeat Strahd, his soul will be stuck here and will never be reunited with dead son and wife.
∙ Wonders how Ezmerelda is getting on. Even though she’s a Vistani, she was helpful and sincere. Had same hatred for vampires as him. Wonders if he made a mistake by dismissing her. If she’s anything like Rictavio, she’s probably already here.
∙ Talks about visiting the abandoned tower he's been using hide out. He needs to get back there to resupply it if he needs to make a quick escape.
∙ Leaves to go feed “Amur” that is in a wagon in the stockyard. Consoles Drusilla his horse not to fear; Amur is only trained to hunt and kill Vistani.Gleam, Asvard, Horrick, Victor Vallakovich and Rictavio have few drinks together and discuss magic while at the Inn. Victor is fascinated at the way Gleam uses magic. After he loosens up, he divulges the following information:
∙ He killed two of his family's house servants accidentally when testing a teleportation circle (Gleam backs away when she hears that)
∙ Was supposed to marry Lady Wachter's daughter Stella, but really wasn’t interested.
∙ Figured could practice his spells on Stella since she was around anyway. When first tried suggestion spell on her, accidentally drove her mad. Now she thinks she’s a cat!
∙ Says his father thinks Lady Wachter is in league with Strahd. He even says Strahd’s name in a whisper seemingly to be discourteous to his father.
∙ Complains when growing up his father gave Izek all the attention.
∙ Overheard from guards that Wachter has some type of devil worship thing going on and is masking it as a book club.
∙ Ernst Larnak would be closest thing Lady Wachter has to a lieutenant.Even though intoxicated, the party definitely gets the impression that Victor doesn’t care he killed the servants or drove Stella to madness. We could compare it to how we wouldn’t care if we stepped on ants while walking; we don’t go out of our way to kill them, but also don’t go out of our way to avoid them.
Victor gives Horrick the Levitate spell which Horrick copies in his book. Horrick and Asvard help Victor up to their room where he promptly passes out.
Mordecai, who is at St Andral's Church, asks Father Lucian about the Abbot in Kresk because he heard some suspicious rumors. Father Lucian says he never personally met the Abbot, but heard the following, (none of which he can verify):
∙ Abbot has been around over 100 years.
∙ Some rumors say the Abbot could be a servant of the devil . . . or the devil himself! Chances of that are slim because the church is still hallowed ground.
∙ Kresk is self sufficient except for wine; no need to trade with Vallaki or Village of Barovia.
∙ A blessed pool is in Kresk. It was created from the tears of St Markovia, a renowned faithful servant of Lathander. The pool was there before the devil came to the valley.Mordecai decides to sleep at the church based on the time.
Back at the Blue Water Inn, Asvard and Rictavio speak briefly. Asvard says how he thinks Rictavio is an honest person that cares and valley could use more like him. Rictavio affirms he’s just a simple bard. Asvard explains how Victor wants to get out of this plance and Rictavio feels the same.
While bringing the very intoxicated Victor upstairs to put him to bed, severe lightning and thunder is heard, but no rain. The party over hears Urwin telling a patron the following:
∙ It must be the crazy wizard fishing in the lake with lightning bolts
∙ Wizard comes down from Mount Baratok from time to time to re-supply his stash of fish.
∙ Very powerful wizard
∙ Even though wizard is mad, he's not any enemy of the common folkDuring the night Horrick attempts to swipe Victor’s spell book. He rolls a 1, which gives him a total of 2 for being stealthy! Victor wakes up as Horrick is trying to snag his spell book!! Victor asks what he’s doing and Horrick tells Victor he sometimes sleep walks and does random things. Victor believes him and goes back to sleep still hugging his spell book.
Aeson on the other hand IS able to snag Victor’s spell book! After taking the book, Aeson uses his sleight of hand skill and changes a few syllables in the only spell he recognizes based on his arcana rolls. Unbeknownst to Victor, the next time he tries to cast Magic Missile it’s not going to work! With another great sleight of hand check, Aeson deftly tucks the book back in Victor’s sleeping arms.
Upon waking, Alberich offers his arm to one of the ravens in the loft with him. It lands on his arm and he offers it some hay, which the bird it spits out. Alberich then says, “Fuck you bird!”. The swarms are not happy about it and completely cover Alberich in bird shit. He uses his decanter and cleans himself when leaving the stables narrowly avoiding an potential combat situation!
The whole party meets back up at Blue Water Inn. Asvard asks Mordecai about the money owed for getting Ireena to Vallaki. Unfortunately, the agreed upon amount was forgotten by both Mordecai and Ireena. When Ireena offered 60GP total (10GP/ea), Mordecai accepted. Asvard told Mordecai he didn’t think "the little one" would be very happy about that. Mordecai just didn’t remember and took what she offered.
Luca, (a guard) bursts in stating there was a murder last night. Ernst Larnak, Lady Wachters flunkey, was killed. He goes on to ask for alibis from everyone. The party is ultimately able to prove their whereabouts. Urwin specifically covers for Alberich. Luca leaves another guard (Ivan) to guard the main entrance.
Ivan (entrance guard) is persuaded to enter the Inn and join the party for breakfast. (It seems now NPC’s are becoming part of The Breakfast Club!!) The party asks what happened regarding the murder. Ivan tells the group basically all the same political tension they already knew about. With the exception that Lady Wachter was no where to be found. Asvard defends the party regarding the death of Izek and the fellow guards to Ivan.
When Asvard explains they have to go back to speak with the burgomaster to 'rebalance the power structure', Gleam and Mordecai ask what he means. Asvard says it means just what it sounded like; the party has leeway to do what’s necessary to keep the Baron in power so he doesn’t get overthrown by Lady Wachter and her black cloaked friends.
Victor Vallakovich wakes up hung over still at The Blue Water Inn. The party escorts him back to his home. They see a huge, wicker ball outside the burgomasters house created for The Festival of the Blazing Sun.
Victor gets the party past the guards and in the house. Alberich uses his Stole of Healing and casts lesser restoration on Victor to get rid of his hang over. Victor heads back to his room and tells his father the party is waiting for him.
The Baron arrives and tells the party he thought they killed Ernst because Asvard and Horrick said they’d “balance the power” in the town. Because Ernst worked for Lady Wachter, the Baron just figured it was the party that killed Ernst. The Baron also said he sent the guards out to question/investigate JUST for publicity sake to keep up appearances. The guards are clueless and are just following his orders.
Gleam is perturbed when she hears this. She asks about the agreement of ‘taking care of Lady Wachter’ and balancing power. Asvard explains as best he can, but Gleam glares at him menacingly. Asvard sees this glare and is uncomfortable by her gaze.
The Baron agrees to allow the party to leave to save the vineyard, but insists they’re back by noon for the festival. He also tells the party, when the arrive at the festival, they need to publicly announce how great these festivals are and what a great leader he is. Mordecai, tells the baron, he can’t speak falsehoods, but Asvard pushes/rushes everyone out the door before things get complicated!! The Baron attempts to ask what was meant, but everyone bolted before he could get an answer.
The party leaves the south gate of Vallaki, (which is not a main exit/entrance) to head to Yester Hill, intent on getting the stolen gem Davian Martikov said is needed to keep the vineyard fertile.
It’s about 8AM on the party’s fifth (5th) day in Barovia!
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
Mordecai makes his way inside the Inn and joins the party. It’s again made clear there are tensions in Vallaki between the guards, Lady Wachter’s ‘cultists’ and the party killing Izek.
Alberich is in the back stables bearing his soul about his fellow party members to a horse that just looks at him blankly. The horse happily takes the lettuce he was feeding it.
Meanwhile, poor Gleam had some type of delayed allergic reaction from the “Wubba Lubba Dub Dub” portal. When she tries to speak, her voice clips out. When she tries to move, there’s a curious delay. She even has problems hearing! She gets so fed up, she just goes upstairs and enjoys an uninterrupted long rest.
Asvard nods to Mordecai to talk to Urwin about the ‘payment’ for delivering wine. Mordecai speaks with Urwin and they go in the back room with Horrick. Urwin presents them with an amulet. He stresses how precious this item is to The Keepers of the Feather and how onerous it is to give it to a creature that is not a wereraven or a member of their order. But, based on the party’s accomplishments and valor, he feels they’re worthy of this gift.
After Horrick casts identify, the party realizes this item references the second card from Madam Eva’s reading! It’s The Holy Symbol of Ravenkind!! The party achieves level SIX!
Asvard notices a very conspicuous woman in the Inn, intently watching the party and taking notes on what’s happening. She thinks she’s being sly, but it’s blatantly obvious she’s watching the party. Just as it’s being discussed what to do about said ‘spy’, an egg from the Urwin’s boys plops on the table which distracts the party and she’s quickly forgotten.
The party decides to adjourn upstairs to their rooms to speak in private. Rictavio stops them briefly while they’re on their way and asks if they’ve seen any Vistani. He says he heard the Vistani are filthy and are thieves so could make for interesting stories. He asks the party to tell him if they hear anything about them.
When all are back up in room in private, the below items are traded and distributed as follows:
∙ Asvard takes The Holy Symbol of Ravenkind
∙ Asvard gives Alberich his Stole of HealingHorrick finds several items that just ‘showed up’ in his pack, most likely the stuff that Aeson stole from Davian’s chest and surreptitiously put in Horrick’s pack.
Magic Tattoo Ink/Quill (Alberich)
Blue Bear Totem (Asvard)
Potion of Watchful Rest (Horrick)
Wand of Conducting (Mordecai)
Mana Potion (Gleam)
Charlatan’s Die (Aeson)
6 gems worth 50 GP/ea
180 EP
300 SPUrwin delivers a bill that he got from Father Lucian for the damage to the window at the church. Just after that bill was slipped under the door, a woman commoner with a child was heard screaming as she was running toward the Inn. She says her son was playing at the church and found the dead body of Izek hidden in the bushes. She is not happy her son was exposed to this. Alberich however, casts command and sends her away before the scene gets any more intense.
Mordecai is astounded and quite indignant by the fact Izek’s body was just hidden in a bush near the church so haphazardly. He tries to get an answer from the two clerics, but doesn’t get a decent response. After a long conversation, it’s decided that Alberich and Mordecai will go to the church to speak with Ireena to get the money she promised while Horrick and Asvard go to the Burgomaster’s home to talk to Victor. That’s right . . . let’s split the party while everyone it just about OUT of resources and night time is approaching!!!
Mordecai / Alberich (Dagobah)
They get to church and Albrich attempts to try to burn Izek’s body. They aren’t very stealthy so a guard hears them approach and catches Alberich in the act. Mordecai approaches the guard to explain and Alberich BOLTS! Mordecai is able to talk . . . (I’m sorry, deceive . . . no wait . . . lie?? What exactly IS it called when a good Paladin of Lathander doesn’t tell the truth?!?!) . . . his way out of it saying he didn’t know anything about that dwarf.
Mordecai goes in the church while Alberich advances to the broken window from the outside. While peeking through the frame of the broken window, Alberich screams to the people he sees inside, “Get out of here! I need the girl; the one called Ireena!” Chaos ensues while the congregants think Ireena is trying to be kidnapped. Mordecai covers for Alberich again by pretending to attack him. The guards and congregants believe it.
Ireena however, recognizes that it WAS Alberich, and KNOWS Mordecai faked his attack. She has some serious words with Mordecai about the state of Alberich and what the party is trying to do. Mordecai does his best to explain, but almost breaks down in tears of frustration. He suggests she accompany him and the party to Kresk because, “We haven’t made any enemies there yet!” She tries to console him by telling him something personal.Unfortunately, this personal morsel of information is quite disturbing. While she was in Izek’s company, she gathered from his behavior and words, that Izek was her long lost, biological brother. Yes, he was messed up and somehow got further messed up with demonic arm, but his actions were a reflection of the unresolved, unknown, and misunderstood feelings for his little sister that disappeared when he was a child.
Darkness is setting during this entire time so Mordecai stays at the church for the night. Alberich tosses 80GP in the church as payment for the window, before running like a banshee back to the Inn. He arrives and decides to sleep in the hay loft above the stable. He hides himself under piles of hay as four swarms of ravens watch.
Mordecai finally asks about the money owed for the party taking Ireena to Vallaki. Unfortunately, he doesn’t remember the amount agreed upon and neither does Ireena. They accede that it was 10GP per party member.Entirely, out of game, John C. hearing this conversation spams in chat, “Get my Money”! LOL
Horrick / Asvard (Bespin)
Horrick and Asvard approach the burgomaster’s and a guard intercepts them. They say they want to speak with Victor. They work their way around some social obstacles and are able to speak with Victor. After some information trading, a finished ‘wizard cloak’, and persuasive words, they’re able to convince Victor to setup an audience with his father, the Burgomaster.
Upon meeting the Burgomaster, Vargas Vallakovich, a deal is clandestinely struck to ‘remove’ Lady Wachter from the current political upheaval in Vallaki. After some “Aeson Worthy” negotiations, Vargas agrees to pay 3 diamonds (worth 100GP /ea) to the party when Lady Wachter is out of the picture. Vargas also agrees to speak to the guards to leave the party alone so they can do what needs to be done. The remaining details will be worked out during The Festival of Blazing Sun tomorrow at 9AM.After the meeting with Vargas, Horrick and Asvard convince Victor to return back to the Blue Water Inn with them. Unbeknownst to Victor, it’s for a night of revelry so Horrick can try to get some of the spells in Victor’s book.
It’s about 6:45PM (nighttime) on the party’s fourth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
On the road back to Vallaki, just after the berserker and Vinum the horse was ‘killed’, the all too familiar “Wubba Lubba Dub Dub” scream is heard as a spinning green portal appears and spits out none other than Gleam!
Upon further inspection of Vinum with medicine checks, it’s found that he’s alive! Mordecai does some healing but Vinum is all wound up from being shot and on the verge of death, so needs to be calmed down, which Mordecai does successfully.
A pack of wolves is encountered on the road. Mordecai tries to persuade the wolves not to attack using his last piece of bacon. Alberich tried to tempt one with one of the gently reposed arms he’d been carrying. It almost works, but the group ends up in combat anyway! The wolves were finished off with ease; Horrick didn’t even bother getting out of the wagon! Some wolf skins, skulls and teeth are collected.En route to Vallaki the Martikov brothers give the names of some of those in The Keepers of the Feather spy network.
Muriel Vinshaw is in Berez
Corb Muninn is in Kresk
Mierla Pana is in Village of Barovia (Ismark/Ireena’s home)The party finally arrives at Vallaki after being gone a little over 6 hours. At they enter the gate, they see two guards having a heated conversation with two of the people in the black cloaks, almost to the point of becoming physical. It was noticed that the black cloak wearers are all wearing cheap looking, matching necklaces with a symbol them.
The party inject themselves in the conversation and the guards call the black cloak wearers 'cultists', saying they're trying to take over the town for Lady Wachter. The black cloaks deny that saying they’re just part of Lady Wachter’s book club. The only person that thinks the black cloaks are lying is Mordecai; the rest of the party believe the black cloaks are just part of a book club.
But then the guards and black cloaks see the wagon arriving with wine. Their demeanors change and you would almost think they look genuinely happy, forgetting the they’re mad at each other. Then Asvard breaks out into song, riding on top of the wagon playing his drum. With a great performance roll, different Vallakians start coming of their homes to join the 'parade' following the wagon to the Inn.
As the party is moving toward the Inn, they see a lanky looking black cloak harassing a couple of women townsfolk. It seems like lanky is trying to convince one of the women to join the club and gets a little too familiar with her. Gleam sees that and fire bolts him and combat starts. Another guard on patrol joins in and the two black cloaks from the gate run to help their comrade. Combat ends with the party killing the three black cloaks. Gleam again notices Earnst Larnak watching the entire encounter while hiding in some bushes near the building.
Upon searching the black cloak bodies, some coin is found. They party also gets a closer look to the cheap necklaces with amulets they’re wearing. All the amulets have the same symbol on them. The symbol looks like this..
Mordecai goes back to the church as the party continues on to the Inn. Father Petrovich brings up the broken stained glass window. Ireena states clearly she feels perfectly safe staying at the church. She tells him that she can contact him if she needs to. Mordecai agrees and runs to catch up with the party at the Inn.
On approaching the entrance to the Inn another black cloak is encountered and says how Lady Wachter should be running the town. A guard is encountered as well and talks bad about the black cloaks. Also says that more of black cloaks have appeared since the party killed Izek. The guards are trying to regroup and form a plan.Asvard enters the Inn with a flourish accompanied by a few Barovian female commoners on his arms announcing the wine has arrived and all drinks are on Horrick. Urwin approaches the group, (consisting of Asvard, Gleam and Horrick) and thanks them. Everyone in the inn is excited about the wine delivery.
Alberich decides to go around back with the wagon and the winery Martikov brothers instead of going in the main entrance of the Inn. Urwin’s wife, Danika, comes out and greets her brothers-in-law. The exchange between them is very sterile and civil, but not warm in any way. She sees Alberich with them as the wine is unloaded.Alberich remembers he has this vial that fell from the druids cloak during the combat at the vineyard. He is unable to clearly identify what type of poison it is. Alberich also enters the back of Inn and finds stables that can hold four horses. One of the four stables is occupied by a beautiful, gray, well groomed horse.
Mordecai just catches up with the group and is outside the Inn.It’s now about 3:30 on the party’s fourth day. The Festival of the Blazing Sun is scheduled for tomorrow.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
The party got ready to head back to Vallaki with the horse drawn wagon and Davian’s two sons, Adrian and Elvir. Mordecai goes to assist with the horses, but one of them is pretty ornery and bites Mordecai, almost taking off his fingers. It was the same horse that Asvard had some problems last session. Davian's sons get the horses attached to he wagon with no problem. Just as they’re getting ready to leave, a tree suddenly moves, grabs Davian and rips him in half.
Combat starts with swarms of ravens, Davian’s sons and the party all attacking this massive animated tree. Aeson tossed oil on it hoping for someone to add a spark. After a few failed attempts by the party, Aeson himself casts prestidigitation and sparks the oil!! Everyone was able to inflict some damage to it. The tree appears to be intent on ‘leaving’ as it dashes heading south. Everyone seemed to agree chasing the tree isn’t worth it.
The party gets info about Yester Hill where the druid are most active and that it’s probable one of the magic gems that keeps the vineyards soil fertile is there. Although Davian was literally ripped in half, his lycanthropy abilities started to weave his innards back together. The Martikov’s know Baba Lysaga is behind it all.
As the children attend to the pieces of their father, Aeson sneaks back in the building, clips a hammer and chisel from the barrel making room. He also retrieves his trusty 20 year old doorstop that finally came in handy!
A short rest is had by all as the travel back to Vallaki. Horrick inscribes a new spell in his book from scroll on the wagon on trip and everyone uses up some of their hit dice. Mordecai is trying to get rid of the bacon he made for breakfast earlier. Some of the party exchange some of their background info and experiences.
At just about 1PM, while on the road, the immovable rod inexplicably gets activated and shreds one side of the wagon. Aeson grabs it and hides. Coincidentally at about the same time, a foot path is seen and grumbling noises are heard. The party asks the sons about the path. They say they’ve seen it, but never checked it out.
Alberich goes down the path and sees some suspicious leaves piled right in the middle of the path. He throws his bucket at it and it collapses into a pit trap. A berserker with half his nose missing, jumps from a nearby bush and surprises Alberich and pushes him in the pit. Another combat begins with Aeson rolling THREE sixes for sneak attack damage and Horrick’s fire bolt turning him into a pile of ash. Another berserker, with only one ear, was hiding in a group of trees and comes out and joins the fight.
Asvard casts sacred flame on the berserker, then daringly moves next to Vinum the horse. This is the horse that has the cranky attitude. It’s also the same horse that almost took of Mordecai’s hand. This horse does not like him and because Asvard rolled a 1, the only number the DM said not to roll, the horse kicks him.
During the combat, with the berserker, Aeson decides to go after Vinum the horse that has been the trouble maker! Alberich attacks the berserker going specifically for his only remaining ear. Asvard crits the berserker and cleaves the berserker’s head in half. Then takes the remaining top piece of the berserk skull, throws it Vinum the horse, and crits again!!! The damage kills the horse!! Now they are down one horse with at LEAST one hour remaining to get to Vallaki.
It’s about 1PM on the party’s fourth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me or drop a note in discord with any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
The captured druid that was being interrogated says that Strahd is their master and that Baba Lysaga is Strahd’s mother. To worship Strahd, they must obey the mother. Then kills himself by snapping his own neck with a sickening crunch sound. Alberich comes in and cuts off one of the druid’s arms.
The Martikov family are in different areas checking on the vats of wine when a thump and yell is heard from the cellar where Adrian Martikov went.
Horrick and Gleam take the spiral stairs to the east to the cellar. Alberich watches the door from the first floor. Aeson, Mordecai and Asvard use the south stairs from the bottle making room to the cellar.Adrian is seen in cellar looking pretty beat up. Warns there is someone behind the wine rack. And combat starts! A rushing sound of wind is heard as the players encounter a wall of wind.
After some turns in combat, several puns regarding the band “Queen” and a volley of “Queen” lyrics, the humanoid is taken out by the party. Upon searching and checking him out, it’s determined he was some type of nature cleric in league with all the blights and druids.
During combat, Alberich is upstairs ‘guarding’ the door to the cellar. He encounters Stefania and says a few comments that she sounded like woman don’t belong in combat. She gets an angry look and Alberich notices that her eyes change to all black for a moment then go back to normal.
After combat, the party speaks to Adrian and it seems his wounds are healing before their very eyes. After being questioned about it, Adrian says all will be explained soon and goes back upstairs.The party begins to follow but Aeson stays behind and searches the cellar finding a secret door. An unusually cold breeze comes from the passage after the secret door is opened. Aeson casts light on a coin and tosses it in. It reveals a 15' passage that opens into a cavern.
Horrick, Gleam and Mordecai investigate the passage. Aeson says it smells like a damp moldy cellar, but noticeably stronger. Horrick sees this brown stuff growing everywhere in the cavern at the end of passage. He casts fire bolt at the brown stuff and it grows. As it gets closer to him from growing, it gets colder and he takes some cold damage from it.He decides to get a sample of this stuff and as he gets closer to it, he takes enough cold damage to knock him unconscious! CGS achieved! Gleam grabs him to pull him to safety and she also takes some damage from the cold. Alberich goes in to take a look and recognizes it as Brown Mold. He read about it in his family tome. Mordecai and Alberich heal up Horrick and all head upstairs
Meanwhile during the mold incident, Asvard was upstairs. Dag tried the wine and promptly dropped to the floor poisoned. He was healed and Asvard filled two wine bottles with the poisoned wine. Putting them aside, he began the ritual to purify the wine vat.
After everyone was back upstairs, Davian Martikov thanked the group for what they’ve done and explained they will always have allies in Barovia. Nodding to his children, they all began to transform into bird like humanoids!
Davian transformed back into human form and explained they are wereravens in opposition to Strahd, part of a secret organization called “The Keepers of the Feather”. They have a network throughout the land of Barovia and the party will be granted help by any wereraven.Davian went on to explain the vineyard stays fertile by magic gems that were buried in the soil. Without these gems, the vines can’t grow and produce grapes to make wine. Somehow, these gems keep the evil of the land at bay so the land can be fruit bearing.
There were three, but one was stolen 10 years ago. He blames his son Urwin for not keeping watch at the time. That’s why they have been estranged. That gem supplied the grapes that made their highest end wine Champagne de lu Stomp.
Another gem was taken by Baba Lysaga several weeks ago and the third was stolen about a week ago by the druids. Without these gems the vineyard will die and there we be no more wine in Barovia. That alone would plunge the citizens into even deeper despair as wine is all anyone in Barovia has to look forward too.
He asks the party to look for and retrieve the gems as soon as they are able. He believes the druids have one at Yester Hill and Baba Lysaga has the other in Berez.Asvard cast another purify ritual to on the other vats. The purify allows the wine to be drinkable without compromising the taste. This means the winery has three full vats of wine, which is enough for about 21 additional barrels of wine. There are six barrels of wine and 25 bottles of wine that are ready for immediate delivery.
Alberich snags the black vial that fell from the dead druids robes several sessions back.
Horrick cast detect magic ritual while Asvard is purifying the wine. After the casting, Horrick senses a several types of magic emanating from Aeson’s pocket and backpack. Aeson promptly left and Horrick followed.
Gleam was sucked in to a green portal, hearing the all too familiar Wubba Lubba Dub Dub.
It’s now about 11:40AM as the party is talking about leaving and delivering the wine.
There were so many ‘little’ things that happened, I’m not sure where to begin!! So, I’m going to do this summary a little different and toss the task to you guys!! (Yep, I'm getting lazy!!) Also a reminder that I will be late to the next game on 6/18!
Below is my brain dump in no particular order. Please add anything you remember in the Discord summary channel or send me an email! I will take those points and add them to this summary. It doesn't necessarily need to be something you did; it could be something another party member did, what another party member said, a pun, or just a moment that stuck out in your mind. This is an experiment to get everyone involved in the summaries and see what we can come up with. Of course, this is optional and there is no obligation to add anything if you don't want too.
Party took the knocked out, pink hued druid inside for questioning. Mordecai and Horrick did the interrogating in the kitchen. No information was gathered from the druid as of yet.
Horrick did some more spell snipping; rolled 1 and window closed on back of his head for 1 HP of damage.
Aeson hid outside and saw the group approaching to be humans. He recognized one of them as Adrian Martikov, the man the party met when they arrived at the vineyard. Startled them, had conversation, and suggested everyone go inside.
Mordecai made food for everyone.
Gleam and Alberich had a conversation about Alberich’s book and his family history.
There were some cool details about Alberich here, but not sure what they were.
Martikov family was reunited.Adrian (son)
Elvir (son)
Stefania (daughter)
Dag (son in law / Stefania’s husband)
Claudiu (teenage son of Dag/Stef)
Martin (preteen son of Dag/Stef)
Viggo (preteen son of Dag/Stef)
Yolanda (infant daughter of Dag/Stef)Aeson tried to fast talk Davian about ownership of vineyard.
Davian spoke about the town of Kresk and the church that is there run by an abbot that is extraordinarily handsome. The abbot doesn't appear to age and supposedly has been around for over 100 years. Davian has never personally met the abbot, but has heard the rumors when delivering wine.
Papa Frostbeard had twitchy eyes.
Martikov's went down to 1st floor to check on wine??
Gleam in master bedroom jumping up/down on bed. Still a child at heart!
Davian couldn’t find his treasure chest key. Asvard had it and tried to use it, but got knocked out with a poison trap. Alberich took key from unconscious Asvard and eventually gave to Davian.
Davian went to room with chest to open it and give reward to party only to find Aeson picking the lock red handed. Silent image in chest to make it look like everything is still in there. Aeson found the following items in the chest∙ six sided die
∙ ink container with silvery ink and a quill. The ink container has a label that appears to be in dwarvish.
∙ small wooden carved bear that was dyed blue
∙ potion bottle with bluish liquid that has silvery sparkles in it
∙ wand
∙ potion bottle with a grayish, cloudy liquidMordecai has a silvered dagger and Aeson has a silvered sickle.
Asvard went downstairs and started getting the horses ready to leave. His animal handling didn't go so well and he had a slight altercation with one of the horses. That horse (named Vinum BTW) is no longer capable of travel. The horse's partner, Uva, was not injured and Asvard is getting all the barding setup and ready.
It's about 11:00 AM on the party's fourth day in Barovia. The Festival of the Blazing Sun is scheduled for tomorrow in Vallaki.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
Combat continued with the blights! The cowardly red, horned human and greenish human left the scuffle, heading out the north western door.
Mordecai came EXTREMELY close to getting taken out by these ‘plants’, but the party rallied together to boost him with healing using their various resources.
As the party made their way to the balcony, they were able to pick off the remaining blights which appeared to be heading outside. Gleam blew a way a cluster of four needleblights with her Shatter spell!
The party began investigating the 2nd floor and combat started again! Mordecai must have still been a little woozy because he decided to walk right into the room full of thorns and vines, two blights and a druid; he found himself restrained . . . again.
The party took turns blasting the blights and druid in that room. After they were eliminated, the party investigated the rooms and druids body. A silvered sickle was found on the druid which taken by Aeson. The room contained a strange contraption that appeared to make the wine bottle labels and key was found that Mordecai took.
During combat and after some of Aeson’s “heroic acts”, Asvard bitch slapped him saying, “You are not a Paladin!”
Another druid body was searched and a silvered dagger was found. I don’t remember who got that item.
Davian Martikov, the father of Urwin was found in an adjoining room, looking very beat up. Aeson decided to leave him there, but the other party members had more compassion. Asvard healed him and Alberich stayed with Davian in that room for a bit.
Another bedroom was searched and toys were found, but one stood out; a wooden toy horse. It had flames painted on its hooves, mane and tail. Carved into it was the name “Beucephalus” and , in smaller lettering, the slogan “Is No Fun, Is No Blinsky!” Aeson liberated the toy and left a gold piece in its place.Looking outside the windows from the second floor from the hallway and various rooms, more twiggy looking creatures were seen wandering around outside. They were led by a scarecrow with a pumpkin head that had a carved evil grimace on its face.
The master bedroom was searched and a key was found hidden in the bed post. Asvard took that key. Old shipping documents were found with notations of “BV”, “BW”, “K”, and “S”. A secret door was also found. Asvard made the age old call for halfling rogues in a loud whisper of “Secret Door! Secret Door!” to which Aeson responded. The door led to an area with a loading winch above a 10’ square hole with a wagon below. Alberich and Davian entered that room just as Horrick and Asvard walked through the secret door.
It’s now about 9:45AM.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
Combat, combat, combat!! Not too much plot-wise to put in this summary.
A reddish-humanoid with horns, kept coming out from the north western door to sling some spells, then would retreat back. Another humanoid, (this one greenish), did the same thing from the south western door; popped out, tossed some spells to mess with the party, and withdrew back.
Here are some of the actions taken by the players:Aeson – Cunning Action, Disengages, Dashes, not to mention HEROIC acts of putting himself between danger and the paladin.
Alberich – Sprit Guardians, going face to face with the two casters by swinging his warhammer, Cure Wounds on the paladin.
Asvard – Shield of Faith on the rogue, Dispel Magic two times (on the silence and thorns), Spiritual Weapon and from his tactical vantage point, helping control the fray.
Gleam – Crossbow shots, Shield reaction, Fire Bolt, not to mention when her eyes started to glimmer with celestial radiance and wings burst forth from her back as she took to flight!!
Horrick – Counterspelled, Blade Ward, Shocking Grasp, Magic Missile, then basically turning into the Hulk to break free from those vines then getting all acrobatic ninja when he deftly bound over the rails to the stairs! That Gnome has gone wild!
Mordecai – Cure Wounds for the rouge, Lay on Hands for himself he on himself, Divine Favor, Halberd lunges at those pesky plants.Now, for some chat highlights! I have to say, the paladin tossing gold coin for the wet gnome and the plant puns were my personal favorites! Well done all!!
Aeson: Does anyone have a weapon proficiency with a Weed Whacker? Tree saw?
Horrick Albartie: Apparently if your proficient with Dwarfs it's the same thing Aeson :P
Aeson: We're really going out on a limb with these guys
Gleam: Ba da dum!
Aeson: Their bark is much worse than their bite
Asvard: Stick to the script
Aeson: We must root out the evil
Rich (GM): Why isn't Aeson doing stand up or improv for a living?
Asvard: Leaf him alone
Aeson: He tried standup, but nobody could see him over the front row
Aeson: such a prick
Asvard: This is a thorny problem
Aeson: I prefer just sitting here needling people just planting the seed of an idea
Asvard: Maybe it will bloom into a strategy
Aeson: Good thought, bud. maybe they're stalking usAeson: Gnomes Gone Wild
Asvard: Take it off!
Asvard: Taking off - whatever
Aeson: Wet gnome contest?
Asvard: Gnome Tossing
Elijah K.: *throws gold*
Asvard: I am Short prejudice
Aeson: make it rain!!!
It’s about 9:21AM on the party’s fourth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
The party arrived at the vineyard and met Adrian Martikov, Urwin’s younger brother. He explained that Baba Lysga, a local witch, has been tormenting them for years, but recently enlisted the evil druids to her aid. He said several druids and hordes of these plant type creatures drove them from the winery. Mobilizing the druids is a new move for her.
His father, Davian, stayed behind to cause a distraction that allowed the rest of the family to escape. However, no one has seen Davian since. It’s unknown if he’s alive or dead.
The party found out just how important wine is to the entire valley of Barovia. It’s the lifeblood of the Barovian people and the only indulgence left in the cursed land in which they live. Without wine, many (if not all) Barovians would lose what last shred of hope they have. In fact, is so important, the winery sells it at cost to all the villages and towns in the valley. For the past week, they’ve been unable to make any shipments.Of course, Aeson almost had a stroke at hearing they sell at cost, but eventually recovered. The party realized that Martikov’s are just trying to do what’s right for their community. Regardless, in roguish fashion, Aeson cut a deal. At some point the party would need a favor and the Martikov’s would have to deliver. Adrian also said the party would have a network of allies in Barovia for their assistance.
After pointing the way the winery, the party made their way south. As they passed Adrian, he mentioned someone smelled like toast. We now have adventurers that smell like toast and bacon. Is this party's new adventuring name "The Breakfast Club"?
The party came up to winery and just as they wanted to start looking around, the sound of snapping twigs and rustling leaves surround them. A large number of these plant creatures started to approach from all sides.
The adventurers entered and barricaded the door, unbeknownst to them who or what was already inside. Not to mention, there could be other ways into the building they had not yet discovered.
The party split up to investigate the building. A few mini-combats were had; some on the first floor and others on the second floor. The plant creatures seemed pretty squishy . . . until a swarm of about 20 of them emerged all at once! They spewed from one of the wine vats in like a rushing river and Mordecai got surrounded!! He called for aid and the party regrouped for combat. Several empty glass vials were seen on the ground near the vats and four swarms of ravens were perched in the rafters watching all this take place.
Alberich cast Spirit Guardians and basically became ‘Lawn-Boy’, mowing the creatures down like a freshly sharpened blade over grass!! During the combat, other types of plant creatures appeared, and even more of them that were outside were finding their way in. A couple of druids showed up and were taken out as well. A vial full of a dark liquid fell from the dead druid’s robes as he hit floor.
Asvard started a new fad called ‘Dwarf Tossing’, using Alberich as an improvised weapon with his Spirit Guardians still active! The rest of the group took out their fair share of enemies, with a fire bolt here, a chromatic orb there and some sling bullets and a shocking grasp thrown in for good measure. Even a wooden door stop that's been sitting idle in a backpack for over 20 years got put to use!
We ended still in the midst of combat with everyone in the same room. Mordecai and Horrick are restrained in a grasping roots and vines produced by one of the creatures. (This makes Horrick a lawn gnome instead of a deep gnome. Bada bing Aeson!!!) All the while an unknown number of creatures are scratching and clawing to get in!
It’s about 9:20AM on the party’s fourth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
Please check the Roll20 page for the MicMute program we talked about.
Mordecai, Gleam and Ireena awoke at the church. Horrick, Asvard, Alberich and Aeson (who suddenly appeared from a green, spinning portal with that all too familiar phrase, “Wubba Lubba, Dub, Dub”) were at the Blue Water Inn. In the early morning, Asvard and Alberich took Izek’s mutilated body to the church and hid it in the south bushes. It was reposed by Horrick, so it has about nine days before it starts to get nasty.
The mirror was left locked in Asvard’s room.
The ‘Inn’ group, made their way to the church to meet up with Mordecai and Gleam. It was discussed to perhaps have Aeson steal the object from the Martikov’s, but was eventually decided to head to the Wizard of Wines and keep their word. Ireena made her own decision to stay behind as she felt safe in the church.
A few players decided to leave the church in a most conspicuous way by busting out the stained glass windows in the back. They ended up walking around the church to meet with the rest of the party in the front. The paladin was not pleased with the church getting desecrated.
Walking from the church to the west gate, the party overheard some commoners speaking of them as vagrants. With three guards less than usual, the commoners spoke of barricading their homes tonight because it would be a full moon. There were also noticeably more of the blacked cloaked individuals walking around. All of them gave the party kudos, smiles and thanks for killing Izek. They were most happy he was “out of the way.”
Upon reaching the gate, the Baron was there with his dogs, several guards, and a large group of commoners. He expressed his anger over the killing of Izek. Not because he’s dead so much, but that Lady Wachter could now possibly take over the town and she’s in league with “the devil”! There were several of the townsfolk watching this showdown, along with several citizens in the black cloaks.
During the exchange, Aeson didn’t disappoint! He used prestidigitation to create two small puncture marks on the Baron’s neck and accused him of being bitten. The guards approached and investigated, but determined the marks weren’t real.The Baron asked the party to leave Vallaki and only return if they could successfully bring the back the wine. He also reminded them of his offer of 50GP each if they got rid of Lady Wachter. This was said in full view of everyone that was watching and listening to the confrontation.
The party left the gates and started west along Old Svalich Road. After passing over a bridge, figuring out which direction to go at a crossroad, and Mordecai having a squeaky boot issue, they found themselves in some dense forest. The trees were close, there were spider webs in the trees, and whole area seemed menacing.
Out of the woods a woman trapper engaged the party asking about their travels, their fine weapons and clothing. She seemed intent on seeing any silver weapons if they had any. After seeing none, she transformed into a werewolf and howled for her three werewolf companions to show themselves.
In return for not killing the party, the woman (Zuleika) wants the party to free her mate, Emil. He’s held up in Castle Ravenloft by Strahd and was put there by the current alpha of the pack, Kiril. She said there was a division in the pack caused by differences with Emil and Kiril; that’s was why Emil was taken. She wouldn’t go into it further. Zuleika made it clear she had the party’s scent and if they welched on this deal, she would hunt them down and rip out their throats. She was somewhat reasonable by saying she realized this endeavor could take some time.The party agreed to the terms and the werewolves let them carry on. As they passed, she warned Mordecai that he smelled really good . . . like bacon. (Thanks Aeson!!)
Later on, a corpse was found off the road that was ripped apart by what seems to be wolves. Alberich decided to take one of the arms and Horrick gently reposed it so it wouldn’t deteriorate any further.
Not long after, a small bundle of clothing was found. It was obviously put there on purpose as it was hidden near a log. It didn’t contain anything but common clothes.
The party was then ambushed by a couple of large spiders they were able to kill with ease. The spider's area was searched and an old desiccated body was found with a bag of 30GP and 96SP.
The party finally approached the vineyard. Out of the mists in the distance, at the edge of a wooded area, what appeared to be an old man beckoned the party to approach.
It’s now about 9AM on the party’s fourth day in Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
Combat with Izek started in the toy shop. The spirit assassin did some devastating damage which led Izek to cut his own arm and call forth his ‘mother’. His ‘mother’ ended up being Granny, the hag from the windmill!!! She materialized and joined the brawl! After several turns, with hits, misses, and damage by both the party and the antagonists, Izek was brutally annihilated by the assassin! The guards, seeing their captain fall, bowed out and left the fracas.
Granny called forth several dretches to her aid, one of which dropped a nasty fart bomb!! Not only did it have a poisonous stench, it obscured the area. Granny (aka Morgantha the hag), taunted each of the characters with the below,
∙ To Horrick: something about him having a dark aura and feeling guilty ∙ To Mordecai: your 'god' is inept; he called you to fight evil and you’re not doing so well ∙ To Asvard: you watch me too carefully; you have no chance to out strategize me mortal ∙ To Gleam: in some ‘type’ of knight’s order, how quaint! When is the last time you heard from Valandras? ∙ To Alberich: you stink of bugbear; you sappy fool that tried to raise one as his own She then vanished, leaving the dretches to be dealt with. The party eliminated them easily.
After combat was over, Ireena was found in a barrel. She was promptly released.
Horrick cast detect magic, but found nothing. Gadof Blinsky, the toy shop owner, thanked the party for getting rid of Izek. He also asked the party to be on the lookout for a ‘clockwork man’ in Castle Ravenloft . . . that is, if the party ever happened to find themselves there. This toy is supposedly self animated and the epitome of toy design; created by the one and only Fritz von Weerg.Leaving the toyshop, the party decided to head back to the Inn. On the way there, everyone noticed looks of distain from commoners on the streets. Whispers and conversations among the them were heard. They said things like, “Those are the thugs that murdered the guards!”. The party felt most unwelcome.
Upon arriving at the Inn, the party went straight to their rooms via the outside entrance. Once there, several discussions were had. The following was ultimately determined:
∙ Asvard, Horrick and Alberich stayed at the Inn with the mirror and took a long rest. ∙ Gleam, Mordecai and Ireena made their way to the church to keep Ireena safe. On their way there, Gleam noticed Ernst Larnak, (Fiona Wachter's toady), following them surreptitiously. Father Petrovich welcomed them to stay the night, where they all received the benefits of a long rest as well. ∙ All would meet up again after resting and head to the Wizard of Wines to complete the task given to them by Urwin Martikov. Upon completion, he said he would give the party what they needed and would have earned his trust along with a network of allies. It’s now 6AM on the party’s fourth day in Barovia, and their second day in the Town of the Vallaki. “The Festival of the Blazing Sun” is tomorrow.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
Asvard and Horrick realized the mirror had conjuration magic, but decided to return to it later. They finished investigating the adjoining room where Asvard was able to snag some winter boots. They saw a trap door in the master bedroom ceiling and climbed up to what was the attic of the house.
In the attic, they made their way past a Glyph of Warding and met the baron’s son Victor Vallakovich, an aspiring wizard that desperately wants to leave Barovia. He’s been trying to conjure a teleportation circle to get out, but in the process disintegrated two of his house servants. Realizing Horrick was a wizard, he asked questions about what he was doing wrong with his teleportation circle. Horrick couldn’t answer, but after some dialogue and a mutual agreement regarding, ‘I’ll show you mine if you show me yours’, it was ultimately agreed that Victor would help them any way he could. The caveat being, the party would take Victor with them if they found a way to escape Barovia.
Meanwhile, Mordecai, Gleam and Alberich met the burgomaster of the town, Vargas Vallakovich. He was a snotty man that tried to encourage them to remove Lady Fiona Wachter and her cult from the town. He said she was in league with “the devil” just like her ancestors have been for generations. In fact, he offered 50 gold pieces per player to remove Lady Wachter from the picture. However, the party (Mordecai specifically), was focused on asking about where Izek was and that he kidnapped Ireena.
The Baron expressed that Izek was impetuous, but loyal to him. He also iterated that he gave Izek an invite to deliver to Ireena, and Izek knowing that would not harm her. Mordecai got fed up and left the room while Gleam asked some further questions and Alberich was given a book by the Baron. The Baron also mentioned how important the festivals are; after all, “the devil” hasn’t been in Vallaki for over 100 years, until the party showed up. He was NOT happy the town guards were killed as they help protect the town from from the evils of Barovia.
Alberich went back to the closet where the coffin maker was kept and healed him, but did not free him. He asked a few questions and left him there.
The party met up in the Baroness’ powder room with the mirror that emanated conjuration magic and a stunning bridal gown. Horrick cast the Identify spell on the mirror and discovered it had special properties. Horrick kept the rhyme to himself, but informed the party of the abilities of the mirror.The party decided to check out Izek’s locked room where Horrick used Misty Step to get through a keyhole. He found the room full of dolls that looked exactly like Ireena! After searching the room, he used the spell again to leave and informed the party of his findings.
Just as that was happening the Baron left his library and saw Alberich in the hallway. Surprised and very much annoyed Alberich was still there, he castigated him demanding his gift back. Alberich screwed with most haste keeping the book.
During all this craziness, Asvard stayed in the powder room and took the mirror. Needing to leave the house unseen, Asvard cast Blindness on the cook in the kitchen and escaped out the back door. He met up with the rest of the party as they were leaving the house with great urgency! Upon leaving, everyone noticed ravens in the bushes and trees around the house, watching them intently.Everyone returned to the Blue Water Inn and adjourned to their private room. It was resolved by all to have Horrick say the magic words to the mirror and have the assassin find Izek in the hopes Ireena would be with him.
The assassin appeared and the party followed him to Blinsky’s Toy shop. He promptly advanced to a back room where Izek was staring them down ferociously. Ireena was no where to be seen, but the room is full of items where she could be easily out of view.
It’s about 4:10 PM on the party’s third day in Barovia. This session was about 1 hour ‘in game’ time.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
After party getting message from the little girl about Ireena, they exited the Inn to find four guards blocking their way. The guards said their orders were to keep the party in the Inn. The party refused and combat ensued!
With some CRAZY damage rolls and some skilled sniping, three of the guards were killed and the last one was grappled and kept alive for questioning. The guards did negligible damage to the party members.
They asked where Izek could be found. The captured guard said he lived at the Burgomasters house and he showed them the way there. On the way, they saw some people in matching dark cloaks. The party recalled that Urwin mentioned Lady Fiona Wachter had some type of cult she supposedly supervised and those members wore dark matching cloaks.When the party arrived they asked the guard some further questions. He had no information, but after some threatening, the wretched guard pissed himself and party let him go, but left his hands bound.
Before doing anything, Horrick cast detect magic and walked around the perimeter of the house. He detected conjuration, illusion and abjuration magic coming from the upper floors of the building.
The party split and Horrick and Alberich watched the back door in case anyone tried to leave while the rest of the party knocked at the front door (Lathander’s Witnesses). They were greeted by a servant saying they were expected along with a noble woman from the Village of Barovia. The party asked about Izek and it was apparent the servant didn’t care for him, and didn’t know if he was home or not.
They were directed to a den to wait, but they party decided to explore the house.
Baroness Lydia Petrovna was in a dining room with several commoners having tea. Mordecai asked her about Izek. Mordecai found out the Baron found Izek as a child and raised him. The Baroness said he was a good boy, and then giggled nervously. In fact, she giggled nervously after everything she said. She said Izek’s room was upstairs but didn’t know if he was home.Alberich searched a waiting room and took the lettuce plant that was on the table. He then went outside and sat on the front stoop, munching on it.
Gleam barged in the servants room and was giving a curt rebuke for not knocking.Horrick and Asvard found a food preparation room with silverware and vegetables. Horrick snagged the silverware. They then entered the kitchen were they were almost caught by the cook with the silverware.
Everyone made their way upstairs, Horrick/Asvard from the west side of house from the kitchen, and the rest of the party from the east front entrance area. The met up along a large gallery with paintings. Two hallways lead north from the main gallery. Mordecai and Gleam took one and Asvard, Horrick and Alberich took the other.
Mordecai and Gleam heard moaning and a request for help from one of the doors. It was locked and with no key, Mordecai broke it down, making a thunderous racket! Inside, was Henrik van der Voort, the coffin maker, bloodied and obviously beaten. Mordecai put the door back the best he could and they left him there.
Meanwhile, down the other hallway, Asvard, Horrick and Alberich were beginning their search. Asvard burned a spell slot to cast Detect Magic immediately. They found a bathroom and what appeared to be the Baronesses ‘powder room’. In that room they found a bridal gown (probably worth 250GP) and full-length mirror with a gilded frame. The mirror was glowing faintly due to the Detect Magic spell and giving Asvard the impression it had conjuration magic.
It’s now about 3PM on the party’s third day in the land of Barovia.
TO PLAYERS: Per usual, please email me any edits you feel are warranted; whether there should be any deletions or additions to this summary.
After the combat and the mention of ‘the devil’, the guards returned a few minutes later with a several of their comrades and the captain of the guard. The captain was a large, brutish fellow that smelled of alcohol, had a deformed, demonic looking arm, a huge battle axe and a ring of keys at his waist.
The captain of the guard (Izek) started questioning the party but when he saw Ireena, his face changed . . . almost as if he had seen a ghost. Ultimately, Henrik the coffin maker was taken into custody for conspiring with the devil and the players were told they need to stay in town for further questioning.
Rictavio the bard was at the stockyard and saw what happened. He declared the party started quite a stir in the town and to be cautious of the baron. He then walked away
The party made their way back to the church where Asvard gave the bones back to Father Lucian Petrovich. He was extremely grateful and immediately began re-consecrating the church while the party stood guard. After an hour, the consecration was successful. But as soon as that happened, the sky went dark; thunder boomed and lightning flashed! The deafening sound of bats chirping and fluttering were heard outside the church as they bounced from the windows. After a few minutes, the sky returned to normal and bats departed.
Despite those circumstances, Ireena now felt safe knowing the church was hallowed ground and she stayed there while the party went back to the inn.
Izek showed up at the inn with eight guards and demanded the location of Ireena and asked more questions. He said he had a letter for her from burgomaster that was only to be given to her personally. No one gave him her location and left saying he’d find her himself.
Although trying to be inconspicuous, a man was watching the party while they were at the inn. He saw the exchange with Izek. The party confronted this mystery man. He introduced himself as Ernst Larnak, the assistant of a noble of the town. He said his employer is Lady Fiona Wachter, and the party is invited to her home for lunch. The party accepted as they had nothing going on.
Having some time to kill before their lunch, Asvard and Horrick visited the apothecary looking for some components while Alberich and Mordecai went back to the church. Maulk and Gleam stayed at the inn.
Asvard was looking for some ruby dust at the apothecary, which the merchant surprisingly had, but was very expensive. He expressed how much he missed Aeson and left empty handed. Horrick spied some potions behind the counter, but they were not magical.
Meanwhile, Alberich went to the church to read his family grimoire accompanied by Mordecai who checked on Ireena asking if she remembered anything about how she became adopted. Izek showed up at the church and gave Ireena the letter from the burgomaster. It was an invitation to join the burgomaster at his home for a dinner. Izek was eyeing Ireena in a most unwholesome salacious way, which was apparent to both Ireena and Mordecai. Izek left, Mordecai and Alberich went back to the Inn, and Ireena stayed at the church.
The party reconvened at the inn and left for their lunch appointment at Lady Wachter’s house.
On arrival at her house, Horrick immediately starting casting a ‘Detect Magic’ spell, which Lady Wachter noticed and asked him to desist, not knowing what spell he was casting. Horrick agreed to stop, but went outside with Alberich and finished his spell anyway.
When they reentered the domicile, Horrick immediately felt necromancy, conjuration and illusion schools of magic emanating from different areas of the house.
The party realized through conversation with Lady Wachter that she is enamored with Strahd. She feels he is just misunderstood and his only flaw would be that of a ‘bad landlord’. She stated her family has served the von Zarovich’s for centuries and would never be disloyal. She also expressed her distain for the burgomaster.
Horrick brought up his findings of magic in the house which greatly displeased Lady Wachter. Words were exchanged and things almost got violent as she summoned her attendants, but the tension was minimized due to Maulk giving her a synopsis of the events at the coffin maker’s shop.
Just before leaving her home, Asvard gave her the tome to borrow. Upon seeing it, she was captivated and clearly thrilled to have it in her presence. Asvard reminded her it’s on loan and he will pick it up in a few days. As the party was walking out the door, they heard a human voice, meowing like a cat from somewhere in the house.
The party returned to the inn, going to their rooms, where Horrick identified one of the hag potions as magical. The other two were not. With the identify spell and some fantastic medicine rolls, the following was ascertained:
∙ Potion labeled ‘Youth’ – a magical potion that makes the imbiber appear younger and more attractive for 24 hours.
∙ Potion labeled ‘Laugher’ – a non-magical red tea that contains the disease Cackle Fever.
∙ Potion labeled ‘Mother’s Milk’ – an insidious poison known as Pale Tincture.Just after the potions were figured out, Urwin called up to the players saying they should come downstairs right away.
Myrtle was there (one of the children rescued from the windmill), and she said a ‘big scary man with a creepy arm’ came to the church and took Ireena by force.
Mordecai immediately headed to the door and that’s where we stopped.
It’s about 1:30PM, the party's third day in Barovia. Festival in Vallaki is in two days.
TO PLAYERS: Please feel free to email me any edits you feel are warranted! Not to sound like a broken record, but I want all input; especially to keep these summaries accurate! I’m pretty sure I have the order of things messed up, so please correct me if you feel it’s needed.
Combat started with the vampire spawn at about 8:10AM.
Gleam and Horrick were “Wubba Lubba Dub Dub’d” back in the fray on the 1st floor with Henrik the coffin maker. Brief conversations were had and they joined combat!
Asvard was in Henrik’s bedroom on the 2nd floor and searched it, finding a sack of old, dusty bones in the wardrobe along with some coin. Best guess is that they are the bones of St. Andral. He has NOT informed the party he has them as of yet.
With Alberich having Spirit Guardians running (radiant damage) and Asvard having Crusader’s Mantle cast (radiant damage), the vampire spawn did not have any opportunity to regenerate.
Combat proceeded with the player’s using all their abilities to keep the vampire spawn at bay! Maulk transformed, Aeson was sneaking, hiding and slashing, Gleam glowed with power, Horrick was hurling spells, Mordecai was smiting! Damage was taken by both sides and several spawn were dispatched. Some of the party took hefty damage and others cast healing spells to keep their comrades alive. A few spawn disengaged to try to keep themselves alive while other spawn fed on the party members to gain their health. However, ultimately, most of the spawn were unable to escape the party’s assault!
Then, Strahd himself showed up! Casting a transmutation spell and then dropping a fireball on his next turn, things got real! Horrick went down while other members took considerable damage.
Strahd said to the group, “All of Barovia will suffer for your hubris. All will know that while each of you lives, there will be only darkness.”
Mordecai (in true Paladin fashion) pulled Ireena downstairs to safety. Then grabbing Henrick, he took them outside the shop. Some of the party members were not happy with Mordecai’s decision.
After Strahd played with group by casting that high level fireball (destroying one of his own spawn in the process) and was leaving out a window, Aeson the halfling rogue said to Strahd, “Lord Strahd, he took Ireena is downstairs to kill her!”
Strahd popped his head back in the window and said, “I think I like you!” and then vanished.
Strahd’s fireball caught the planks of wood in the room on fire, but Alberich was able to extinguish the flames using the Decanter of Endless Water. Asvard cast more healing on the party after combat was over.
After combat and all that commotion going on, two guards showed up outside the shop (which is just off Arasek Stockyard). Ireena, Henrik and Mordecai were there. The guards asked what was going on. Mordecai responded with, ‘The Devil is here!” The two guards ran westward screaming, “To Arms . . To Arms!!”
Urwin gave Paladin some more info about Vallaki while doing dishes.
∙ Rictavio leaves at dawn with apples and raw wolf steaks and doesn’t return till noon. Unknown where he goes.
∙ Urwin overheard Madam Eva reading. Sounds like may have what looking for. Won’t give it up until party can prove they can be trusted and are able of protecting it. For proof of trust and party abilities, asked to bring a wine delivery from vineyard. If can do that will earn trust and also have a network of allies in Barovia
∙ Don’t speak badly of Baron. He is an arrogant heel and his punishments can be severe.Left inn and headed for church. On the way, heard the town crier announcing all shops all will be open to 8PM instead of sundown because “All IS well”.
Made way to church and met Father Lucian Petrovich. Took orphans to orphanage. Explained church is no longer hallowed ground as bones were stolen. Thinks Milivoj, a young man that grew up in orphanage, may have taken them. Ireena will not be safe at church until bones are returned.
Aeson brought up payment now that Ireena was in Vallaki. She said she wasn’t safe so would pay when she felt safe. Aeson said the party would get the bones for the father with payment of some favor the priest must accept in the future.
Found Milivoj in church graveyard. Party approached him, but Ireena did the talking. Found out he sold the bones of St. Andral to the coffin maker to help feed some of the orphans.
On way to coffin maker’s shop stopped at general store and blacksmith. Stuff was expensive and blacksmith had no way to silver weapons. Both proprietors lacked any personality and both seemed dull and lifeless.
Went through town square and saw three men, two woman, and two young boys all in stocks with plaster donkey heads on. There was also a large wicker sun being assembled for the upcoming festival.
When traveling through the town, saw weatherworn garlands from previous festivals. Were some boarded up house, but not as many as were in the Valley of Barovia. Noticed the same type people in the Village of Barovia. Some were dull, dismal, lifeless, while others seemed more alive and normal.
Arrived at coffin maker shop and met the coffin maker Henrik van der Voort. After some conversion he said a noble named Vadcon Zoriv came by couple of months ago an offered him money to build coffins. When Vadon returned following day, he had an entourage with him of vampire spawn. Having no recourse, he allowed the spawn to stay in 2nd floor area. The spawn ordered Henrik to steal the bones a few days after they arrived. He couldn't do it, so paid Milivoj to steal them. Henrik told the party the bones are on the 2nd floor. Henrik has been living in fear ever since, not even sleeping in his bedroom upstairs. He whispered that the spawn were upstairs.
Party went up stairs and Alberich’s 15’ radius spirit guardians came in contact with a vampire spawn in hiding in a crate. The spawn burst out screaming and awoke 3 other spawn that came out of other crates. Combat will ensue next session!
It’s about 8:10 AM in the morning.
A great deal of info was gleaned in this session, that's why it's longer than the other session summaries.
During a short rest at the Inn about 5:00PM some information was recalled on the way getting to the Inn.- Saw a Stockyard upon entering Vallaki on the south side of the road.
- Passed several intersections with signs pointing to various places in the town such as “Church of St. Andral”, “Blue Water Inn”, “North Gate / Lake Zarovich”, “West Gate”.
- Heard a town crier exclaiming “The Festival of the Blazing Sun” was in three days.
- When came near inn, all noticed an unusual number of ravens perched on its roof.On entering tavern observed the following:
≡ Two well dressed young men at bar
≡ Two guards at corner table
≡ Brightly dressed man with floppy hat with yellow and purple feather telling a dazzling story to five patrons
≡ Two men in wolf skins at another corner table. Looked like rangers; sullen, gritty and kept to themselves
≡ Six other patrons in groups of two just talkingMet by innkeeper/owner Urwin Martikov. Was very friendly, sincere, and all got a good feeling he was trustworthy. Throughout conversation with him the following information was discovered:
∙ He and his wife Danika run the inn. They have two small boys, Bray and Brom.
∙ Delivery of wine, from his father’s vineyard 2.5 hours west, is overdue and supply is running dangerously low.
∙ In whispering tone, said the festivals of the burgomaster (Baron Vargas Vallakovich) have become meaningless because they’re held so often; don’t ever let anyone hear you say that though.
∙ Next festival is in three days and attendance is mandatory if you're in town at that time.
∙ Had falling out with his father a few years past, but he knows his father would never stop delivering wine. Suspects something must be wrong. Asks for party’s help.
∙ Explains that Father Petrovich is the local priest of the Morning Lord and oversees the town orphanage.
∙ He noticed Alberich sweating and Mordecia’s “black part of eye” was really big.
∙ Half elf bard, Rictavio, has been here a couple of months and tells grand stories to patrons; pays extra for a room accessible from inside, whereas the other rooms are only accessible by going outside the tavern, up the stairs.Overheard following snippets of conversations by patrons while resting, eating and drinking at inn:
Φ Crazy wizard hasn’t been seen in a few weeks. Wasn’t uncommon for him to be seen across the lake, at the base of the mountain, hurling lightning bolts at water to kill fish.
Φ Town drunk, Bluto, hasn’t been around for a day. Very rare as he’s there every day like clockwork to get hammered.
Φ The two well dressed young men are sons of the wealthy noblewoman, Lady Fiona Wachter. She hates the burgomaster (Baron Vargas Vallakovich) and he hates her just as much.
Φ Rumored that Lady Wachter’s ancestors had close ties to ‘The Devil’ himself and suspicious foot traffic is coming and going from her home; most wearing similar looking robes.
Φ Vistani can’t be trusted and aren’t allowed in town.
Φ Burgomaster’s bodyguard, Izek, is always keeping tabs on the Wachter residence.Engaged dialogue with Rictavio and the following information was gathered from him:
≈ He’s a bard that runs a carnival. Was traveling looking for entertainers and attractions. Upon traveling, found himself in a fog and ended up here (seemed somewhat untruthful).
≈ Was extraordinarily interested when players encountered the hags. Asked questions about what they looked like, what they could do, powers they had, how they fought . . . almost as if was deepening his information about their kind.
≈ Characters told him about readings received from Madam Eva. Urwin was present and when heard the part about an item hidden in a nest of ravens above blue water, he abruptly left for kitchen.Maulk was outside at that time and saw briefly Urwin/Danika in kitchen. Couldn’t hear, but looked like they were discussing something of importance while gesturing to seating area of inn.
≈ Rictavio feels Vistani are scum, but Madam Eva is fair and her skill in fortune telling is renowned.
≈ Son taken by vampire many, many years ago and turned. His wife killed herself in grief (seemed truthful) When asked what he did, he said he looked for the creature, but ultimately did nothing (seemed blatantly untruthful)
≈ General feeling of withholding information, but not in a malicious, devious way.Ireena and the two children retired to a room upstairs and were not around when most of the above information was collected.
Alberich went up to read his family tome and fell asleep with a thud. He had an awful dream of one of the hags they battled ‘riding’ him.
Mordecai went up to check on Alberich, but couldn’t wake him up when shaking him. Mordecai decided to use the Decanter of Endless Water to spray Alberich in hopes of waking him up. It didn’t work and there was a watery mess that Mordecai needed to clean up. He agreed to help Urwin cook breakfast the next morning as payment for the mess he made.
Alberich cast thaumaturgy while sleep talking. A window opened which startled Mordecai, who was checking on him at the time. He yelled, “We’re under attack!!” which put the whole tavern in a panic.
Asvard, a wolf hunter, a guard and Rictavio rushed upstairs. When asked where the attack was from, Mordecai said the window flew open on it’s own. The NPC’s shook their heads and went back down while Asvard closed and locked the window giving Mordecai a mild look of contempt.
Asvard stuffed a smelly sock in Alberich’s mouth to stop that from happening again, but just before doing so, another thaumaturgy spell created an offensive flatulence sound that thundered through the room!
During this time, Maulk was exploring the outside of the tavern. In the tavern's outside stable, he saw a well groomed gray horse. He also climbed up on the roof looking for a nest. He found nothing, but he did disturb the ravens perched there. All of them left, except for four, larger than average ravens.
All eventually went to sleep and received the benefits of a long rest. During their sleep, Alberich continued his nightmare of ‘hag riding’. Asvard and Maulk had terrible dreams, but they did not include anything to do with hags. On the other hand, Mordecai had wonderful, beautiful dreams.
After awakening, Asvard cast Detect Magic and felt a strong essence of evocation magic somewhere above him; most likely from the attic. However, no apparent way was observed to get there. Again, Mordecai awoke later than he normally does. Alberich woke before all and checked on everyone, waking Maulk and Asvard. They were not too happy to be woken up.
Once everyone was awake, Mordecai helped Urwin make breakfast in the kitchen but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. He helped serve while they all decided on their next move for the day.
The party suggested to Urwin to keep the kids at the inn to play with Bray and Brom, but he said no. His children had chores and suggested to take the kids to the orphanage/church.
During breakfast, a guard walked in, saw Ireena and hurried out.
Ended session about 7AM on third day in Barovia. Festival of Blazing Sun now in two days.
Combat continued with the hags at about 1:30PM.
“Granny” started the round by vanishing, but without the popping sound the party had heard previously. She kind of faded / blurred away. When the other hag (Bella) attacked from the second floor, this tremendous lightning bolt hit Alberich, Asvard, and Mordecai. The saves were successful, but there was still enough damage to knock Asvard out cold!
With the children screaming from the third floor, Mordecai was compelled to go up, by himself, and check on them. The hag Offalia was there and he attacked her, able to finish her off.
With the coven broken and hags weakened, Bella was dispatched with an attack from Aeson.
A knock was heard from the first floor, and as Maulk investigated, he saw ‘Granny’ along with a muscular, green creature. The creature had razor sharp claws and protruding yellow teeth. Battle continued as other party members joined the fray and Ireena stabilized the unconscious Asvard.
The creature was defeated and turned into a puddle of sickly greenish-black ichor. Upon seeing that, ‘Granny’ vanished again and combat ended.
The party scoured the windmill. Aeson, with his roguish abilities, successfully found a chest full of past adventurers gear and treasures in the attic of the windmill.
Below were the contents of said chest and who got what (please correct me if I’m wrong via email)
∙ Spell scroll of Blindness / Deafness – went to Asvard
∙ Spell scroll of Cure Wounds – went to Alberich
∙ Spell scroll of Sanctuary – went to Mordecai
∙ Spell scroll of ??? – maybe something Gleam could use (the characters couldn’t read it)
∙ Spell scroll of Charm Person – went to Aeson
∙ Decanter of Endless Water – Alberich took
∙ Robe of Useful Items – Ireena took (she wanted)
∙ Immovable Rod – Maulk took
∙ Potion of Greater Healing – given to Ireena (party decision)
∙ Potion of Healing (2) – not sure where those went – please fill me in via email
∙ A bag of gold pieces where each character got 50/ea (50 were also put aside for Gleam)The party decided to burn the windmill. Mordecai and Alberich had internal misgivings because they weren’t 100% sure they wanted to destroy the pies due to their addiction. Both made their saves and the windmill, along with the pies in the windmill, were destroyed. Alberich even had the fortitude to burn the pies he was carrying.
The party, with the their two new ‘members’ (the kids), made their way to the gates of Vallaki. Arrived around 3:45PM.
The guard(s) of Vallaki gave them a rundown of the laws and rules of the village, which were summarized as follows:
∙ Can’t say “Strahd” in town under any circumstances; Will be arrested if heard speaking that name.
∙ The town holds regular festivals and all are REQUIRED to attend under penalty of arrest.
∙ Breaking any law marks you as a criminal and will be dealt with accordingly.
∙ Speaking ill of the Burgomaster or his festivals, will get you arrested and punished.
∙ Punishments are severe. Depending on gravity of crime, punishment could even be death.The party gave some gold to Dimitri the guard to keep an eye out for ‘Granny’. If she shows up in town, let them know. They explained she’s an old woman with a cart selling pies but has ulterior motives and captured children from the Village of Barovia.
Additionally, the party was given the following information about the village from the guard. Reminder, this info could be accurate or not if it's some type of rumor:
∙ Blue Water Inn Tavern offers food, wine and shelter to travelers. It’s about 10 min walk from gate.
∙ The tavern owner is Urwin Martikov. His father owns/runs the winery that provides wine for the whole valley. It’s south west of the town. There was some type of falling out between them months ago, but the wine stopped flowing about two weeks ago. Don’t think it’s due to falling out; something else may be wrong.
∙ There is a church at the west end of town that may be able to shelter the children. Father Lucian Petrovich is the priest.
∙ A half-elf bard named Rictavio arrived several months ago. He can’t sing well (as far as bards go) but tells great stories. He’s been looking for people to join his carnival troupe.
∙ “The Devil” himself has not been seen in Vallaki for over 100 years.
∙ The burgomaster has a festival coming up in three days called “The Festival of the Blazing Sun”.For simplicity, party went to Inn to take a short rest and burn hit-dice. All advanced to level FIVE!
After resting at Inn, it’s now around 5:00PM.
Looted the bodies at crossroads, which happened to be druids. Ireena heard of rumors of ‘forest folk’ in Strahd’s service. An old sheet of paper with several images on it that appeared to be wine labels was found on one of them. Ireena mentioned there is a winery west of the valley where all the towns receive their wine. The party recalled Ismark saying something about it not be delivered anymore so supplies were running low.
Traveled west for about an hour and 45 minutes when came upon bridge with two gargoyle statues. The gargoyles were just statues and there was some urinating off the cliffs (dwarves . . . go figure).
After another 30 min or so of travel, Mordecai found himself unwittingly and uncontrollably helping himself to another piece of that scrumptious, delicious, tasty pie he had the day before! It was an urge he just couldn’t resist; in fact, he snagged it right out of Alberich’s backpack! Mordecai got a little extra spring in his step and suddenly started feeling good about life after devouring it. Alberich, however was able to resist that urge and started sweating feeling morose and distracted.
Another 45 minutes of traveling west, they came to an intersection where they could see a town in the valley below. Ireena stated it was Vallaki. There was also a windmill with a familiar looking cart outside of it just off the road. The smell of freshly baked pies filled their nostrils. More than that, the faint sound of a child whimpering was carried on the wind and was coming from the windmill! It was about 1:30PM at this time.
The party investigated VERY cautiously. Maulk helped the Aeson look in an upper window by boosting him up on his shoulders. With some quick cleaning, Aeson saw an empty room with a large grinding stone. Mordecai attempted to reach past and open the door, but fumbled a bit which brought the three of them down with a loud clatter.
Cackling voices were heard from within regarding the racket, asking if ‘mother’ was home already. More childlike whimpering was heard. Aeson created a fog inside, but no one could see anything so it was dismissed. The party decided to go in except for Alberich who stayed outside with Ireena.
Upon entering, the smell of fresh baked goods was mixed an acrid odor. The sounds of frogs and chickens filled the area. Small human bones littered floor. A child’s whimpering was heard again coming from somewhere above. The party split, with some going upstairs, while others stayed on the ground level.
GROUND LEVEL PARTY
Found three flasks in cabinet labeled “Youth”, “Laughter” and “Mother’s Milk”. Also found standard baking supplies, along with an unrecognizable powder in some gourds. Gleam found an open barrel that was making the bitter smell. It contained a dark green viscous substance. She stirred it around with her rapier, but felt nothing in there.
SECOND FLOOR PARTY
A large grinding stone took up most of the room with more small human bones scattered around. There was powder everywhere that was surmised to be the bones ground into a type of flour.
Heard popping noise from above along with child whimpering and footsteps. Proceeded up. Found closet with kids in small crates locked up. When crates were opened to release kids, immediately two old women appeared out of nowhere.
Words exchanged, combat ensued. The old women turned into ugly, green, scary creatures, which the party determined were most likely hags.
Party reconvened during combat best they could within the limited space. One hag got pretty beat up (looking haggard) and ‘POP’, disappeared. Just after that, granny (the original pie merchant from the village) arrived and she was discovered to also be a hag. She looked quite different from the other two. This vindicated Mordecai when she transformed.
Several combat actions were had by the party and hags. Battle worked its way to 2nd floor when the party heard another pop from the 3rd floor . . . where the children are alone in their now unlocked crates. That's when Gleam said, "Well, we all have to make sacrifices!", referring to the children!
Started back at Ismark/Ireena’s about 7:30AM. She started packing for journey and needed some time to grieve over her just buried father and said wouldn’t be ready until 9AM. It was decided to go to Kresk based on the Abby of St Markovia being there, but would still need to pass through Vallaki.
Varix, a dwarf fighter, was sleeping in the bushes outside the house from a previous encounter and joined the party, while at the same time that pesky green portal appeared and the wizard (Horrick) was whisked away.
While waiting for Ireena, Mordecai made breakfast when a local woman known as ‘Mad Mary’ knocked at the door and pushed her way in describing the loss of her daughter Gertruda. Mordecai tried to console her. After getting some more information, it became apparent Mary has some issues and the party thought it was possible Mary was keeping her daughter ‘locked away’.Ireena heard the commotion and went downstairs to help comfort Mary when Asvard said to go back upstairs and finish packing. Ireena didn’t take well to that tone and made it evident she was no push over. The party ultimately agreed to try to help find Gertruda in their travels.
Based on Mary’s demeanor, some of the party thought it prudent to investigate Mary’s home. It was surmised that Gertruda left of her own accord to get away from her over-protective mother.
Ismark and Ireena had a tearful goodbye and the party left the house.
As they were leaving the village, they saw the old lady knocking on doors, selling her pies. Alberich and Mordecai could NOT stop salivating as the smell wafted to them, while the other party members barely noticed the smell.More importantly, the party saw the old woman (Granny), have some type of words with an adult at the house she was at, and a child was given to her. It looked as if she pricked the childs hand at which point it cried and she promptly put it in sack on her cart.
Mordecai FLIPPED out on seeing this. Alberich used thaumaturgy and screamed asking was up. A weird situation developed where some of the party stayed out of it, while other engaged this old lady.Mordecai sensed she was a fiend and attacked. Some followed his lead and chased/attacked her while others just watched to see how it would pan out. Granny said the child was given to her to help her make pies, but out of fear of being slain she released the child by carelessly by dumping him out. She said he was only in the sack for his safety. Suspicions were raised and she was basically chased out of town with Gleam hot on her heels. However, during this encounter, when she got aggravated, her voice changed and sounded much less pleasant and more guttural.
Mordecai was concerned he messed up when Maulk said perhaps Granny was doing a fiends bidding.Ultimately, the party made it out town to the gallows (where the Tome was found). The party was attacked by two humanoids and four twiggy creatures. Gleam TORCHED three of the twiggy creatures in glorious fashion and the Mordecai crushed one of the humanoids. The remaining humanoid tried to run, but party was able to finish it off.
It is about 10:30AM and the party is at the crossroads/gallows area where it was decided to head left at the fork up the mountain pass.
Just after the dire wolf battle and healing, a strange green portal appeared and a disembodied voice was heard saying, “Wubba Lubba Dub Dub” as a dark gnome wizard (Horrick) and a halfling rogue (Aeson) came out of it. They were not a threat and introductions (of sorts) were made.
A note was found by Horrick on the ground. The crest on the note established it was from Strahd. It was read for all to hear, but where did it go?
Father Donovich finished last rites for the burgomaster Kolyan Indirovich (Ireena/Ismark’s father). During the prayers, his vampire spawn son (Doru), could be heard screaming from the locked church basement.
The party decided to go back in the church and all used the broken pews to make wooden stakes. Then they went to handle Doru and battle began!Doru was slain and his father (Donovich) was inconsolable. However, he still managed to give Mordecai the following info:
∙ Ireena is not the natural daughter of the burgomaster; she was found as a young child at the edge of Svalich Woods with no memory of how she got there.
∙ Father Donovich also suggested that Ireena be taken to the Abby of St. Markovia in Kresk, the most western town of Barovia where there is another church dedicated to the Morning Lord.The party went back to Ismark/Ireena’s home and leveled up. All HP, spell slots and other resources restored as if there was a long rest.
Maulk brought vampire spawns body back to Ismark/Ireena’s home and checked it out with some of the party, while others went back to church to look around.Church
- Gleam found a map of the entire valley along with some holy water.
- Aeson busted the chops of those in the basement of the church where Doru was kept by casting fog cloud and couldn’t stop laughing at their paranoia. Mordecai gave him a stern talking to. ;)House
- No pertinent info was found on checking out Doru’s body, but Horrick did cast Gentle Repose to make sure Doru wouldn’t come back.
Party all assembled back at Ismark/Ireena’s home where Ireena was getting her stuff together to leave the village and Ismark said he needed to stay to assume his responsibilities as the new burgomaster of the village. About 7:30 AM
Home
Arrived at tavern at just as night came on.Met Ismark Kolyanovich. Spoke of his father’s death just a few days ago and his sister that was bitten by the devil Strahd. His father was the local burgomaster, not yet buried. Asked party for help in burial and protecting sister. He doesn’t know why, but Strahd seems to have taken a special interest in her and wants to get her far from Ravenloft castle by escorting her to a village called Vallaki. Party agreed to help.
Alberich and Mordecai seemed extraordinarily happy.
Vistani women got hit on by Alberich, but he struck out.
Gleam had conversation with barkeep, trying to flirt, but she also struck out. Romance was not in the air at the Blood of the Vine tavern! The barkeep and some others seemed lifeless whereas others seemed more alive.
Went to Ismark’s home and met his sister Ireena Kolyana. Spoke of her memory of Strahd coming and how he charmed her into getting in the house.
Even with a dead body in the next room and Ireena getting attacked recently, Alberich and Mordecai were still in great spirits.
Read the Tome of Strahd and found out the following about Strahd:
∙ History of his brother Sergei, the young woman Strahd loved (Tatyana), and that Strahd killed his brother, by making a pact to stay young to be with Tatyana. She loved Sergei though and flung herself 1000’ from the castle as Strahd watched. Her body was never found.
∙ Strahd became a vampire and fears sunlight, but not much else can harm him.
∙ A stake through his heart won’t kill him, but will paralyze him.
∙ Sergei’s sword became Strahd’s bane and he wants to get rid of it. He fears and hates the sword.
∙ He still looks for Tatyana, and has felt her presence, but can never find her.
∙ Sleeps beneath the castle.Stayed night in Ismark/Ireena’s home. Alberich feel asleep on his watch and couldn’t be woken up. Mordecai also couldn’t be awakened. Those on watch heard howling of wolves all night.
Everyone except Alberich and Mordecai had the worst nightmares of their lives, whereas Alberich and Mordecai had exceptionally pleasant, happy dreams. When they finally woke up, they felt sad, like something was missing.
Just before dawn took body to church. Father Donovich was there and explained situation of his son Doru that is locked in the basement. His son was turned in to a vampire spawn by Strahd to taunt the church and Father Donovich.
Party decided to get the burgomaster buried before addressing the vampire son in the church basement. As Father Donovich was performing rites when dawn was beginning to break, party was accosted by 8 dire wolves.
Battle commenced and things got real!! Several wolves were slain but the party was still getting pretty beat up.
A wolf snapped at Ireena and Strahd himself appeared from the mists and killed the wolf and said something about not touching Ireena!! He then he disappeared into the mists again. The remaining wolves tried to flee seeing Strahd kill their packmate, but the party dispatched them with haste.
Asvard brought everyone together and performed a healing ritual that brought everyone back to full health.+
Home
Passed into Barovia through gates; heavy fog seemed to clear just after entering the gates when shut behind you.Passed through a small village where heard weeping and mourning. Curtains fluttered as were being watched. Seemed dismal and gray. Saw an old woman selling pies from a cart.
Passed through village, came upon gallows/graveyard where Mordecai saw himself hanging.
Pressed on to vistani camp where had card reading from Madam Eva.
Rec’d clues for things that will help to rid land of darkness (Madam Eva's Reading)
Found out land is under control a vampire named Strahd von ZarovichGot following details on vampires and lore
∙ A vampire can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
∙ Running water burns a vampire like acid, and sunlight causes a vampire to burst into flame.
∙ A vampire must rest in its coffin during the day. At night, it can summon wolves and vermin to do its bidding. A vampire can transform into a bat, a wolf, or a cloud of mist. In its humanoid form, it can dominate you with its powerful gaze.
∙ Never harm a raven, lest ill fortune befall you!
∙ Stay away from windmillOn way back to gallows along the road, a corpse was found that looked like Asvard just before it disintegrated.
Went back to gallows and dug up a grave that had a tome in it along with a corpse.
Was getting dark so went as fast as possible back to village and fought/defeated a skeletal rider.
Encountered old lady again and she sold a pie to Alberich. He and Mordecai each had a piece. Have 4 pieces left.
Entered the Blood on the Vine tavern where a man in the corner looked very happy to see them, even though they’ve never seen him before.
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